The good, the bad and the unknown
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Feb 13, 2011 
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Yankees pitchers and catchers report to Tampa in less than 24 hours. The offseason is essentially over, teams have finished their winter maneuvering, but if you dig through baseball, you’ll find that no team is perfect. No organization answered every question and patched every hole. The Phillies aren’t perfect. The Red Sox aren’t perfect. The Yankees aren’t perfect.
I thought it was best to wrap up the Pinch Hitters series with something positive on the day before camp opens, and James did that nicely. The season is not over before pitchers and catchers report.
It says a lot that the Yankees — given their potent lineup and deep bullpen — are seen as such a question mark this season. It’s all because of their rotation, because starters are important enough to make the Phillies a favorite and the Yankees an unknown. I don’t disagree, but pitchers and catchers report tomorrow morning, ad the Yankees are much like every other team in baseball: A mix of good, bad and unknown.
Rotation
Good – CC Sabathia is a legitimate ace, one of the top pitchers in the game in terms of both dominance and durability… Phil Hughes was an all-star in his first full season as a starter, beginning to live up to the considerable potential that’s been touted for a half-decade… After a terrific Triple-A season, Ivan Nova held his own during a big league call-up late last season… When he’s good, A.J. Burnett can be one of the best No. 2 starters in baseball.
Bad — Burnett is coming off the worst season of his career, a season so bad that he was held out of the ALDS rotation, just one year after he was the team’s No. 2 starter… Unable to land Cliff Lee, the Yankees top free agent rotation additions were Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon, both at the end of their careers, not at the beginning… Despite the positives, Nova has only seven career starts in the big leagues and last year struggled to work deep into games.
Unknown — Sabathia had offseason surgery on his knee, fixing an injury that impacted him late last season… Several young starters from the minor league system could make a run at a rotation spot this spring, and could be counted on to fill holes during the regular season… Colon has not pitched in the big leagues since 2009 but impressed the Yankees in winter ball… Hughes is still working to refine a changeup that could be key to building consistency… Are the Yankees top minor league starters ready for the next step?
Lineup
Good — The Yankees are returning almost everyone from a lineup that scored the most runs in baseball last year. They could have scored 100 fewer runs and still been in the top third… Robinson Cano has emerged as a legitimate MVP candidate, one of the best all-around hitters in baseball… Nick Swisher made legitimate strides last season to improve his batting average and increase his production. Brett Gardner also took a significant step forward… At the designated hitter position, the Yankees have replaced Nick Johnson with Jorge Posada.
Bad – Derek Jeter is coming off the worse season of his career, and at 36 years old, there’s reason to wonder if that drop in production is a sign of things to come… Curtis Granderson made strides in the second half, but his overall numbers were not what was expected in his first season with the Yankees… Russell Martin hit .249/.350/.330 the last two seasons.
Unknown – Alex Rodriguez was healthy this winter. That might be enough to put him back among the super elite hitters in baseball… Similar bounce-back questions surround Jeter, Granderson, Posada, Martin and Mark Teixeira. The Yankees will especially count on Teixiera to return to his pre-2010 form… Top prospect Jesus Montero could hit his way into the big league picture sooner rather than later… Is Gardner’s wrist 100 percent healthy?
Bullpen
Good – The Yankees top offseason addition was Rafael Soriano, who led the American League in saves last year and will slide into a setup role… The Yankees also added Pedro Feliciano this winter, giving them a consistent, veteran left-handed specialist… Mariano Rivera remains one of the best closers in baseball… Joba Chamberlain, Dave Robertson and Boone Logan were terrific down the stretch last season.
Bad – The Yankees have plenty of dominant one-inning relievers, but carrying all of them will mean room for only one long reliever. It could be difficult to fill the void if back-to-back starters make early exits… Rivera is 41 years old. Feliciano is 34 and has carried a heavy load the past three seasons… The Yankees top minor league relief depth — the guys who previous bounced back and forth from Triple-A — is gone, most notably Jonathan Albaladejo and Mark Melancon.
Unknown – Chamberlain and Robertson seem on the verge of being reliable setup men, but last year the Yankees felt compelled to trade for Kerry Wood, and this year they felt compelled to sign Soriano. It’s uncertain if/when they’ll be trusted to take the next step… Logan was a revelation last season, but he doesn’t have a Major League track record… The best long relief candidate might be needed in the rotation… Borderline bullpen candidates Romulo Sanchez, Daniel Turpen and Robert Fish are either out of options or Rule 5 picks who can’t be sent to the minor leagues.
Bench
Good — Despite concerns about his ability to hit at the Major League level, Francisco Cervelli is a career .274/.343/.340 hitter in New York, more than acceptable for a backup catcher… Fourth outfielder Andruw Jones slugged .486 last season, giving the Yankees a replacement for Marcus Thames, but with a better glove… At the very least, the Yankees know Ramiro Pena is a reliable defensive option in the infield.
Bad – Cervelli’s overall numbers are good, but he’s been prone to extended periods without offensive production… Jones is no longer an elite defensive player, and he hit .212 the past four seasons… Pena hit .227/.258/.247 last season… Aside from Jones, the Yankees have no reliable, proven offensive options for the bench.
Unknown – The Yankees could replace Pena with Eduardo Nunez, but Nunez has just 50 at-bats of Major League experience… Veterans Eric Chavez and Ronnie Belliard were signed to minor league contracts and will try to prove themselves this spring… The Yankees bench could play a significant role if the Yankees feel the need to give Rodriguez and Jeter regular days off… How long will the Yankees wait before giving Jesus Montero or Austin Romine a spot on the roster?
Associated Press photos of Sabathia, Rodriguez, Chamberlain and Cervelli
AJ isn’t good enough or consistent enough to be a #2. At his best still includes bouts of awfulness, so at best he’s a #3
Is the change up some kind of super pitch?
I would say Nova is an unknown quantity………..
GreenBeret7,
I am just saying they have a decent bench to fill in for guys if they get injured. Lowrie was pretty amazing during the last month of the season. His big issue is staying healthy. Francona wants to play him a bunch this year. I see him getting around 400 at bats this season if healthy
Burnett was one of the better number 2 in the AL in 2009
LGY, he was ok in 2009 – he definitely did not pitch like a #2 starter.
AJ was more than good enough to be a solid #2 starter in 2008 and 2009.
If folks are going to fixate on last year, they can’t ignore the previous two seasons.
If the guy is healthy, and he appears to be, there is no reason he can’t bounce back to 2008-2009 form.
Especially since it appears he wants that very much.
Excellent post Chad. Summed up everything perfectly.
Well, I guess it’s all subjective. AJ was fine in 2009, but IMO he definitely did not pitch like a #2….
He was awful for at least 2 months in 2009…….So, overall he was ok, but I certainly wouldn’t want that performance from my #2.
So, now, the big issue in YankeeLand is RSVP-Gate? Expecting people to fly from Florida to NY and back in 24 hours, at the same time as ST opens is ridiculous. Perhaps it was somewhat shortsighted to Kay to not have the wedding a week or 2 earlier. Maybe Jeter actually called Kay and told him he couldn’t make the trip because his Visa Card was maxed out.
me think AJ and Beckett is a push.
Sure he did. Go back and look at his game logs from 2009. He pitched every bit as good as most AL #2 starters in 2009.
He also won the biggest game of the 2009 season…..Game 2 of the WS.
You can’t ignore the guys success and only focus on his failures.
Well, you can but it isn’t an accurate appraisal of his abilities.
Fact is, if AJ Burnett can regain his form, and the team stays healthy, it’s probably a 95 or more win team A’s it stands right now.
2009 ERA+ for #2 starters
Burnett: 114
Beckett: 122
Niemann: 110
Romero: 103
Guthrie: 90
Baker: 100
Jackson: 126
Buerhle: 122
Laffey: 96
Bannister: 94
Lackey: 115
Feldman: 114
Washburn: 163 (Only 130 innings though)
Anderson: 109
# joeman February 13th, 2011 at 12:14 pm
# blake February 13th, 2011 at 12:12 pm
Joeman,
As LGY pointed out Becketts injuries are of the chronic nature and figure to keep.cropping up. I don’t know who will have a better season in 2011 and that want what we were talking about….we we’re taking about who you’d rather have. I think they’ll have comparable seasons in 2011 because they are comparable pitchers…..
————————————————————–
well if they are even as you say I’m taking the player that is 4 years younger…who cares about the contract
Interesting Fact:
Quality Starts 2010:
Cliff Lee: 18
Freddy Garcia: 18
In a 3 game series against the Red Sox where the pitching matchups are : Sabathia/Lester, Hughes/Buchholtz, Burnett/Beckett…….I see that as pretty even.
# Cashmoney February 13th, 2011 at 12:13 pm
me think AJ and Beckett is a push.
————————————————–
even a push being 4 years younger
What day do position players have to report?
Joeman,
That’s fine ill take the guy without chronic back issues that is on contract a year less……
Blake…we agree to disagree…..nice job though
What is the average ERA by rotation spot?
“Fact is, if AJ Burnett can regain his form, and the team stays healthy, it’s probably a 95 or more win team A’s it stands right now.”
IDK if this is true, but I remember hearing AJ Burnett went through an extremely bad divorce during last season. Having never been divorced, can’t really appreciate, but it wouldn’t shock me if that effected his play.
If that is behind him now, and it’s true, then there is reason to believe he will return to prior years numbers.
RS…pitching coach has stated that Beckett’s back problems were more of a mind thing……well they are both head cases also
George Steinbrenner would be proud of the school that was named for him.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/5.....442298630/
SJ, AJ did win the biggest game of the year- I said it then and I said it last year and I still agree with it. In fact, he really didn’t have phenomenal stuff in 2009, but early in the season he did fight through games, so I think cricicism that he can’t do it at all is completely unfair. Now that I think about it, his August was brutal and September was “ok”. I still think AJ is better as a #3 type, but he’s a hard worker and an excellent teammate and I know he was very upset with his performance last year. I hope he bounces back.
Joeman,
Yea that’s fine….Beckett just isn’t my favorite guy but you make a valid arguement.
Nice summary Chad.
pat
Position players report Saturday the 19th, according to the Star Ledger, with the first full workout on the 20th.
Hughes comments to Brian Hoch
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/articl.....um=twitter
# blake February 13th, 2011 at 12:26 pm
Joeman,
Yea that’s fine….Beckett just isn’t my favorite guy but you make a valid arguement.
———————————————————-
I can’t stand the guy
Tom,
I read an article that figured that out a little while back. Trying to find it now.
Joeman I think the adv lies in Lackey and Maz vs our 4th and 5 th starters. I think NY has a better BP with better closer and depth.
The offense is tricky, rationality and track records tells me that NY would most likely outproduce RS in raw numbers. But I like the core of Agon, Youk, Ped and Crawford quite a bit. It’s a good blend of power, avg and patience.
Tom,
This:
http://www.hardballtimes.com/m.....rotations/
Thanks, LGY.
I found this:
What Should You Expect From Each Rotation Spot?
http://www.piratesprospects.co.....z1DrT9z72S
And this:
http://www.royalsreview.com/20.....2-3-4-5-st
Thanks Doreen.
“RS…pitching coach has stated that Beckett’s back problems were more of a mind thing……well they are both head cases also”
—————-
Farrell said Beckett’s problems last year were more mental than physical. He didn’t say his back problem was a mental issue. I am not even sure how you could have mental back spasms.
what he said
Blame a strained back that cost him two months of the season and made him a lost cause even after he returned. Ex-pitching coach John Farrell believes his problems were more mental than physical
I keep reading how Hughes wasn’t a good #2 pitcher last year. Guess what? He wasn’t the #2 or #3 pitcher in the rotation. He wasn’t even supposed to be the #4 pitcher. He pushed his way there. You can’t be too upset that he didn’t pitch like a #2 when that wasn’t his role. For the first two and a half months, he shocked everyone by pitching like a #1.
This is one of those good news/bad news things, so let’s start with the good news: Jack Morris, David Cone and Dave Stewart are just three All-Stars who endured seasons as bad as Josh Beckett’s woeful 2010. So the erstwhile Red Sox ace at least shares solid company.
Better prepare yourself for the bad news, though, because it’s a doozy:
Virtually every pitcher to struggle like Beckett did last season not only was never the same, but almost to a man failed to produce a single, solitary above-average season thereafter.
“So what are we talking about? Thanks to the magic of baseball-reference.com, it was easy to sort for pitchers in their 30s who posted ERAs above 5.75 while pitching at least 125 innings.
The search returned 69 such seasons by 66 different pitchers. Jaime Navarro appeared on the list three straight times (which helps explain why the White Sox were so mediocre in the late 1990s), while Tim Belcher made it twice.
Of those 66 pitchers, only three managed to regain something even remotely approximating their form, at least as starters.” john tomase
http://bostonherald.com/sports....._overcome/
beckett is a huge question mark for the red sox. it wasn’t just last year. two out of the past 5 years he’s had an era over 5.00.
i expect him to be lights out at times and totally melting down at others. he’s a head case which helps him sometimes because he too ignorant to know he’s not good anymore. he’ll have his moments, but he’s not a smart pitcher who will adapt to his stuff being reduced each year.
i’d much rather have burnett simply because his contract is up sooner.
burnett is not a rocket scientist either. if rothschild is really focusing on his attitude rather than his mechanics this may indeed help him. burnett like beckett is who he is at this point. maybe just attacking the hitter is more important to aj rather than worry where his release point is.
Unless a trade is made for a pitcher better than our 3-5 guys I think yanks will win 85-90 games and miss playoffs. I hope I am wong
Will any LoHud bloggers be at GMS Field on Tuesday when the pitchers & catchers emerge on the field for their 1st full workouts of 2011 ?
This guy will be there at 10:15 AM when they begin to take the field. The best area is right above the Yankee bullpen in RF. The guy with a blue shirt with YANKEES will be 108.
Randy, the first game at Fenway last year sticks in my mind. Beckett looked great early and then just self-destructed on the mound, lol
What is the average ERA by rotation spot?
tom in nj-
off the top of my head,if the yankees get a 5th starter who’s around a 5.00 era they’ll be doing well.
i think the key to the 5th starter is for him to throw out this 5.00 era and do it for 6 innings more often than not.
innings is the key back there simply because it wears down a bullpen over time if the 5 guy is only going 4-5 innings every start.
108 Stitches
Ill be there! I will be the girl in the black USF sweatshirt.
108 stitches,
Have fun. Hope you take pictures for us.
tyanks, and you too
great post chad. there’s no perfect team in bseball, but you gotta think that the yankees are in the top three on paper in the very least.
people always will compare the yankees to the red sox for obvious reasons. up and down the lineup the red sox have questions, as do the yankees. but 1/2 of the red sox infield had serious injuries last year, will the keebler elf and youk be able to ounce back? also, the red sox are asking a 32 year old to change positions, to a harder one to play. they have not significantly upgraded their offense.
the pitching is a concern for the yankees, but i would argue that the red sox have bigger concerns. for one reason: the yankees have arms and position player that can contribute by mid season in pinstripes or in trades, while the red sox do not.
flexibility. it’s the best thing to have going into a season. sit back and enjoy, 2011 is going to be awesome.
” I think Tony Romo doesn’t have what it takes to win a championship and falls apart when the pressure is on. I thought Wade Phillips was a horrible coach. Does that make me a horrible Cowboy fan?”
No, but it made me a happy Giants fan.
Fran
Im sure I will have fun and take lots of pictures, unfortunately I will have to leave and head off to class earlier than I want. Ill have to drag myself away.
Randy, from what I’ve read the average ERA by rotation spot in the A.L. last year was:
#1: 3.24
#2. 3.71
#3: 4.28
#4: 4.76
#5. 5.68
Until the Yankees can get the back of the rotation settled, I’d assume that Girardi will try getting 3 innings out of two relievers on those days. As long as they don’t implode in that first inning of work, between two of them, they can get through an inning. We’re talking about 5 pitches more fpr one and 8-10 for the other. Whether the 7th man/long man is Mitre/Sisco’Chamberlain, they can pitch at least two innings. They all were starters.
Just to add to Tom’s post though, pitching was better (or hitting was worse depending on how you look at it) across in the board in 2010 than it has been for a while.
This article goes back to 96 showing how much better the pitching numbers were last year.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs.....e-pitcher/
So, it will be interesting to see if this continues or the pitching takes a step back in 2011.
IMO, on paper the Yankees are without a doubt one of the top three teams in baseball, the other two being the Phillies and Red Sox. I think it’s fair to say they all have question marks, but if they all stay healthy it’s hard not admire the Phillies rotation.
Like most years, injuries will play a major role in deciding who makes the post-season. That to me is an especially relevant fear factor with aging players; perhaps as much as a drop off in performance.
I would be remiss being a passionate animal lover and advocate if I didn’t express my disdain for the new Mrs. Kay for wearing fur during her wedding. I wish I had her e-mail address so she could see a video as to how they make fox stoles.
This game is making me nervous. Piazza almost took Pettitte out to right. Pettitte looks a little shakey in his first inning of the WS. Not sure why Torre has him opening the Series. I prefer him in Game 2.
108 and tyanksfan36 – my trip to Tampa this ST has been cancelled (associate taken ill suddenly, so I’ve got to fill in). Consider my jealous.
tyanks,
At least you’ll get to go for a little while
would be remiss being a passionate animal lover and advocate if I didn’t express my disdain for the new Mrs. Kay for wearing fur during her wedding. I wish I had her e-mail address so she could see a video as to how they make fox stoles.
———————————————————————————————————————-
she should only buy troll skin stoles.
” from what I’ve read the average ERA by rotation spot in the A.L. last year was:”
#1: 3.24
#2. 3.71
#3: 4.28
#4: 4.76
#5. 5.68″
that looks about right. the bottom drops out with the 5th spot. i knew the era was a lot worse than what you’d think.
GreenBeret7 February 13th, 2011 at 1:13 pm
she should only buy troll skin stoles.
*************
Or reactionaries.
WCYF – Why do you feel the need to harrass someone because they disagree with you? Just because you feel your cause is just, doesn’t make it ok to harrass someone else who might disagree.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/.....9928650144
I’m thinking Freddy Garcia has an edge on the No. 4 spot. He threw a suprising amount of quality starts in 2010 which counts for a lot and keeps the bullpen innings down.
If he’s still got the bulldog mentality on the mound he’ll be good enough.
Fortunately, not a lot of need for a No. 5 starter for the 1st month of the season.
Joe. Who did I harass; Mrs. Kay? She married the Yankees announcer and there was a story in the sports section and I am expressing my opinion about something I feel passionate about. Like that is never done here.
Joe in LI,
did Mrs Joe make you stand in the corner for leaving dirty dishes in the sink, last night?
Phil Hughes’ take on Nova:
The Yankees hope to catch lightning in a bottle with veterans Bartolo Colon or Freddy Garcia and to see the continued development of Ivan Nova, who went 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in 10 appearances – seven starts – last season.
“Nova’s got unbelievable stuff,” Hughes said. “It’s just one of those things where it (the rotation) might not look that great right now but you never know. Hopefully a few guys step up and have good years and breakout years and I think Nova’s a real candidate for that.”
Are you that passionate before or after walking into an eatery in your leather shoes, with your leather belt holding your leather pants up and pulling out your leather wallet to pay for your steak or fish dinner?
WCYF -
But then you take it to the limit by saying you wish you could send her a video.
Joe from Long Island :
Sorry about the turn of events denying you being at GMS. Will try to pass on tidbits of interest.
Meantime, a mental picture of warmth after a long day in Manhattan to keep you upbeat.
http://www.ballparkreviews.com/tampa/legends.htm
Carlo February 13th, 2011 at 12:32 pm
No Rich in NJ, that would be an incorrect guess. I am very optimistic about the season. I believe we are one of the top 4 teams in the AL and I believe we are capable of an October appearance where anything can happen. That said, I don’t sit here pretending the rotation stacks up with other top teams nor do I sit here pretending we can’t trade anyone because we have a farm system dynasty on the horizon. Can we win in 2011, sure, but we were better suited to win in 2010 in my opinion.
___
There is only one team in MLB that has a rotation that is clearly better than the Yankees, and that’s the Phillies.
Trade all the prospects you want, but when you can’t afford all the top FA talent you want because they will still be paying some aging players big bucks, you may regret it.
WCYF – you wrote that you wished you had her email address, in order to send her a something that is – based on the tone of your comment – designed to disgust. To me, that indicates an intent to harass. The implication in what you wrote was that you would carry this out, if you did have her email address. Not being able to carry out your intent does not diminish that.
As far as expressing your opinion, this is a baseball blog, that occassionally drifts off into discussions of pop culture, cooking, and the sort. I think we’d all be better off if political opinions were not discussed.
Look we even tolerate GB. Just not politics, religion, or similar.
How can an animal lover love baseball? A game played with a cowhide cover on it, and leather gloves to catch the old cowhide, not to mention all of the trees killed to smite the old cowhide?
thanks for that link 108…green grass, palm trees, baseball diamonds…I have spring fever
altho right now my dog and I are awaiting our friends of both species so we can go snow shoeing
Look we even tolerate GB. Just not politics, religion, or similar
———————————————————————————————————————-
Nor do we advocate the physical abuse of Muppets.
(Very often, anyway)
Joe
That’s unfortunate. My coworker quit a few weeks ago so I know how you feel. Ill take lots of pictures so you’ll feel like you are here.
GB7 – since you can’t discern the difference I will lay it out for you. There is a huge moral gap between killing animals like a Fox for their fur to look good and eating domestically raised animals for food. I have no issue with the latter so your shoe analogy is without merit.
As to the video. I happen to know that many people have sworn off of supporting the fur industry after seeing informative and shocking videos. Many of the animals are skinned alive.
Face facts. You screwed up by shooting your mouth off.
Maybe you should rush to NY and spray paint Jodi Applegate’s fur. Then you can beat her up. That’ll show her.
Since when is there a difference between domestic and wild animals? don’t your leather shoes look better than your usual plastic shoes?
By the way…congratulations on screwing up a nice peaceful day on the board…again.
I’m done.
GB – Face facts I just made you look like a fool with your absurd attempt to compare wearing a fur coat with feeding your family. There is a huge difference between wearing fur for fashion purposes, NOT a necessity. And eating which is.
As to your comments about paint and violence, I would suspect that you not put words in my mouth about things that I don’t support and have never alluded to supporting.
Nonsense GB. You were the one that responded in a vile manner. I made a baseball post and added a sentence about Kay based on a story I just read. You are always welcome not to respond.
WCYF is a hypocrite.
He whines about name calling but participates in such antics himself.
He also lectures others about inserting politics in this forum but still has the gall to find ways to inject his own politics in various discussions.
He’s turned into the “new Betsy” because he brings that crap upon himself. We’ve all earned our reputations in this forum – good or bad. He has certainly earned his.
In the last thread, there was a lot of debate about negativity, and I think TAR nailed it when he said he doesn’t mind the negativity if context and perspective are utilized in a logical point.
I agree. I actually like the give and take, and debate. It leads to well-made points that might enlighten our collective knowledge.
I also am grateful that there is reason for some doom and gloom. How BORING would the season be if Lee and Pettitte returned, and if the wishes of some were fulfilled and we had Mauer, Pujols, Crawford, Werth, and whomever else on this team? I’m grateful that there are questions to entertain us, things that give GM-whannabes things to think about.
The off-season would be very bleak if everything were nailed down and there weren’t any questions…and the season would be very boring if we went 173-0.
upstate kate February 13th, 2011 at 1:34 pm
thanks for that link 108…green grass, palm trees, baseball diamonds…I have spring fever
altho right now my dog and I are awaiting our friends of both species so we can go snow shoeing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kate :
My best advice for your fever is to take 2 tablets and be sure the interlocking NY is imprinted on them.
# GreenBeret7 February 13th, 2011 at 1:48 pm
By the way…congratulations on screwing up a nice peaceful day on the board…again.
I’m done.
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LOL!!!!!
” I wish I had her e-mail address so she could see a video as to how they make fox stoles.”
I wish you did too because it would probably earn you a harassment charge.
Take your animal rights activism to an animal rights blog.
You don’t need to send anybody you don’t know videos.
Nobody hear cares. They are more interested in discussing baseball.
In 15 ab’s, Agon has a .200 avg with 8 so’s versus Feliciano.
someone on the last thread said Jeter wasnt at murcer’s funeral. Yes he was, I remember the pictures of Jeter and Andy.
http://www.ultimateyankees.com/07pins.600.jpg
From wikipedia “The memorial service for Bobby was held in Edmond, OK on August 6, at the Memorial Road Church of Christ. Among the some 2,000 attending the memorial were Reggie Jackson, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte and Joe Girardi. Also in attendance Diana Munson, widow of Yankee captain Thurman Munson.
Oh please, he made one comment about fur that hardly requires all this. Next time people can ignore it like 99% of the board did. I enjoy many posters here and I don’t take sides, but the ones trying to regulate are just as guilty as the trolls when it comes to the silliness on this board.
One comment involving both politics (a big no-no on any non-political blog) and harassment of another individual – the latter being a rather sensitive issue for some in this forum since they’ve experienced their names and contact info displayed here.
http://www.facebook.com/album......38;theater
Is it just me, or does Micheal Kay’s forehead remind anyone else of the Hulk’s arch for The Leader?
Nothing against Marcus Thames but a glove on his left hand is not his greatest strength.
With Andruw Jones, he’ll get a ball hit anywhere near him and be able to cover all 3 OF positions when needed.
His bat will be at least the equal of what Thames was in 2010.
Kate
I’d rather have spring fever than bieber fever haha. Baseball will be here soon. I can’t wait.
I remember the days back in the 70′s I would be packing for ST
You guys would be better off ignoring West Coast Red Sox Fan instead of engaging him in conversation.
108, and tyanksfan36 – thanks for the thoughts. I’m sure that, over the next 6 weeks, I’ll daydream now and then of palm trees, beer, hot dogs, and baseball….. At least others from here will get to enjoy. Post some pix.
Michael Kay’s evil twin?
http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-c.....eader2.jpg
i though michael kay WAS the evil twin…
Good point.
Whatever he is, he’s married to a really hot wife.
He is a 2 headed monster. He just stuffed one inside the other.
Is it a really slow news cycle or is Kay truly a celebrity?
Confused by something…
West Coast Yankee Fan February 13th, 2011 at 1:38 pm
GB7 – since you can’t discern the difference I will lay it out for you. There is a huge moral gap between killing animals like a Fox for their fur to look good and eating domestically raised animals for food. I have no issue with the latter so your shoe analogy is without merit.
______________________
Does the last sentence mean you eat your leather shoes? I truly don’t follow the leap in argument.
i feel bad about all the baby canvases that were killed to make my chuck t high-tops…
Kay’s a minor celebrity in general, but in the Yankee universe, he’s a little more than that. Plus, it’s just kind of amazing that a good looking woman would marry him, even though he makes significant money. That makes it like a car wreck in that it’s tough to look away.
Ys Guy February 13th, 2011 at 2:36 pm
i feel bad about all the baby canvases that were killed to make my chuck t high-tops…
__________________
You BAST*RD!!
Speaking of borderline celebrities, which one of these guys don’t belong in this power shot?
http://images.sneakernews.com/.....15;399.jpg
Caption contest is on.
“Thank God for Photoshop!!! Now I can look like I’m cool and hang with celebs!”
Chris Rock makes more than most if not all of those guys. He should be sitting in the front row too.
m -
Alex looks like he thought it was a hockey game – scarf & hat.
rich in NJ – I didn’t even see Chris Rock until you pointed him out!
ARod: “Carmen, next time I take you to a Knicks game, please try and wear SOME make-up!”
Just something to read…another player projection. How many heads will explode after reading this?
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/fantasy......jsp#pos_c
Weather report for the pitchers & catchers calls for progressively warmer temperatures as the week moves along. Mid to high 70′s a.k.a. Chamber of Commerce weather.
Physicals tomorrow. Early arrival position players will continue to work out at the minor league complex.
Nobody sees it? Hint: he probably wishes he had a bag of peanuts.
Blow off, GF.
Is the guy in the orange shirt Melky Cabrera???
That is Melky sitting next to Chris Rock.
m February 13th, 2011 at 2:48 pm
Nobody sees it? Hint: he probably wishes he had a bag of peanuts.
++++++++++
???
Melky is more into porn stars than peanuts from what I have read.
Rich in NJ February 13th, 2011 at 2:54 pm
Melky is more into porn stars than peanuts from what I have read.
++++++++++++++++++++
Are you referring to his sex videos with Lucy and Linus?
Rich -
I thought the two went together.
GreenBeret7 February 13th, 2011 at 2:46 pm
Just something to read…another player projection. How many heads will explode after reading this?
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/fantasy……jsp#pos_c
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saltalamacchia at No. 13 ? Gammons is getting an early start on overhyping HIS Red Socks. What’s next ? Dustmite Pedroia over Cano ?
“It says a lot that the Yankees — given their potent lineup and deep bullpen — are seen as such a question mark this season. It’s all because of their rotation, because starters are important enough to make the Phillies a favorite and the Yankees an unknown.
Well Las Vegas has them in second place by a fraction to win the World Series – ahead of the Phillies.
San Fran was seen as a question mark last year.
You know that all I can do at this point is stretch and Y-A-W-N!
If they weren’t really busy today I’d call the Bronx FD to drive down to Tampa and put out the fire.
I guess my question is this: how many times are we going to beat this horse to death? I think we’ve exhausted every language known to humankind on the topic of “the uncertainty of the Yankee rotation”.
I have a good idea! Why don’t we get into a long exhasutive discussion about something new, like the Yankees rotation?!
Good God. Can we give that one a rest and just kind of sit back and watch for a while? Or will something new magically be added to the off season-long saga about the uncertainty of the Yankees rotation?
Maybe someone can start a discussion about the upside of Nova, Mitre, Garcia, and Colon. And don’t make yourselves look totally silly by saying there is none!
Mr. Franco…Happy Spring Training, good to have you back……
“Just something to read…another player projection. How many heads will explode after reading this?”
i think mauer is overrated.
I thought he was eating peanuts in bed with a porn star? Disclaimer: I haven’t seen the video.
I was looking for a picture of CC at the Friday Knicks game, and this old picture popped up. I thought was great that Melky had such a great seat. Only in America. Haha.
Oh…I wasn’t aware of the peanut/porn connection.
randy l. February 13th, 2011 at 2:57 pm
“Just something to read…another player projection. How many heads will explode after reading this?”
i think mauer is overrated.
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Yes, but, you’ve gotta love the way those Twins pitchers have developed.
(LMAO. Sorry, Randy. It was just laying there asking for it.)
And not to give any undue credit to WCYF but I would be lying to say it didn’t bother me a little to read that Kay’s wife was wearing a fox whatever. But I didn’t think it made much sense mentioning it here – despite the fact that I just did! And it didn’t cross my mind to send her a video or an email.
Rich in NJ -
I am embarrassed to admit that I remember such trivia…
Keep up, Rich!
In Jason Starks spring training preview, he had a surprise team. I thought he was nuts.
He said the Yankees rotation was the #1 thing to watch. Boston was the most improved. The biggest spender. And the Yankees were the least improved. He also said the Sox & Gonzalez already have an agreement, or at least he intimated that.
trisha – true pinstriped blue February 13th, 2011 at 3:01 pm
And not to give any undue credit to WCYF but I would be lying to say it didn’t bother me a little to read that Kay’s wife was wearing a fox whatever. But I didn’t think it made much sense mentioning it here – despite the fact that I just did! And it didn’t cross my mind to send her a video or an email.
+++++++++++++++++++++
I personally don’t mind if she was wearing fox skin–preferably Hannity or Beck.
JK
trisha -
If he had left his post at he was disenchanted that she wore a fox fur, I think most people would have passed it by (I know would have) without a response. It was the other part that got my attention, anyway.
How have you been by the way? We’re not often here at the same time. Which is kinda good for me; means I’ve cut down on my active blog time anyway.
“Maybe someone can start a discussion about the upside of Nova, Mitre, Garcia, and Colon. And don’t make yourselves look totally silly by saying there is none!”
well, nova will be soon throwing live bp . maybe some one will hit and a home run into the bullpen where mitre and garcia will be warming up. they’ll duck and the ball will hit colon in the ass while he’s bending over to pick up a donut a fan dropped over the railing.
oh , did you say upside? i thought you said backside. my bad.
well, nova will be soon throwing live bp . maybe some one will hit and a home run into the bullpen where mitre and garcia will be warming up. they’ll duck and the ball will hit colon in the ass while he’s bending over to pick up a donut a fan dropped over the railing.
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Isn’t part of the bullpen catcher’s job to bend over and pick up donuts for the team stars? All they do is play catch, as far as I can see.
Congrats to Kay and his new wife! I don’t particularly like his broadcasts, but I wish them well.
Can’t wait for ST!
Hi everyone!
Sorry, if this was posted already (I can’t go back and reread all of the comments I missed since Friday night) but….. Here is some stuff on Nick Swisher’s “Better With You” appearance
http://www.tvline.com/2011/02/.....you-video/
“Yes, but, you’ve gotta love the way those Twins pitchers have developed.”
gb7
lucky for you i’m on the way out to play some golf.
but seriously, i wouldn’t pay 25 million a year for mauer. he’s a part time player who only has 30 career ops points on posada and he hasn’t even played his old years yet.
overrated.posada didn’t go on the disabled list until he after he hit 35. mauer is lucky to make it to memorial day without hurting his pinkie. let’s see his stats if he played hurt like posada did.
Tin Cup…..Who had the best stuff you ever caught or who would have been the toughest to hit against ???/
Erica,
Erin beat you to it. Hope you had a good time in AC.
Doreen, really well, thanks for asking! I’ve actually been busier than I want to be with the pro bono stuff I’ve been doing. The attorney who runs the clinic has been so impressed with me that during our last clinic he saw fit to let me run the clinic AND take all the clients.
What that really means is that he dumped them all on me. So I’ve been running to court plus doing a lot of non-court stuff. I’m just going to have to find a way to nicely ask him to share the load. I also have a few cases that I’m working on, on the side.
At least I’m putting my education to good use – I guess.
Fran the original February 13th, 2011 at 3:16 pm
Erica,
Erin beat you to it. Hope you had a good time in AC.
********
That Erin
I did!!! I had an awesome time. It was exactly what I needed. I just wish I could have stayed longer
Thanks, Pat. Good to see you still around. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods.
Just saw Buster Olney said he wouldn’t be surprised to see Adrian Gonzalez hit 48 HR’s and drive in 145 RBI’s this season.
The hype is really reaching a fever pitch.
If all these prognosticators are right the Red Sox should win roughly 130 games this season the way they are being talked about.
I saw GB’s link to the catcher rankings and they ranked Saltalacchia the 12th best catcher. He hasn’t played a full season in the majors at the position yet.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen this level of hyperbole in the press in the pre-season over a team before in a very long time.
They’re getting more love than the Phillies who put together a lethal rotation.
I like them all sleeping on the Yankees because they are all going to be spitting venom once the season starts and the Red Sox stop playing games on fantasy fairy land paper and on an actual field against opponents who are trying to win.
This might be the most hyped Red Sox team in history.
BoJo February 13th, 2011 at 2:55 pm
Are you referring to his sex videos with Lucy and Linus?
===============
Could you be anymore transparent George.
“Isn’t part of the bullpen catcher’s job to bend over and pick up donuts for the team stars? All they do is play catch, as far as I can see.”
gb7-
as one veteran pitcher once told me when i stopped him while warming up to tell him he was throwing across his body, ” you know what your job is? it’s to make sure i don’t have to walk a long ways to get the ball”.
You also have to remember that Buster is a Sux fan. I don’t know if that plays into his prognostication but it just might.
randy l. February 13th, 2011 at 3:15 pm
“Yes, but, you’ve gotta love the way those Twins pitchers have developed.”
gb7
lucky for you i’m on the way out to play some golf.
but seriously, i wouldn’t pay 25 million a year for mauer. he’s a part time player who only has 30 career ops points on posada and he hasn’t even played his old years yet.
overrated.posada didn’t go on the disabled list until he after he hit 35. mauer is lucky to make it to memorial day without hurting his pinkie. let’s see his stats if he played hurt like posada did.
———————————————————————————————————————-
Randy, it’s a tough call on Mauer’s value right now, but, if they move him from behind the plate, like I think they will in a year or two if Morneau can’t play, then it gets really dicey.
randy l. February 13th, 2011 at 3:20 pm
“Isn’t part of the bullpen catcher’s job to bend over and pick up donuts for the team stars? All they do is play catch, as far as I can see.”
gb7-
as one veteran pitcher once told me when i stopped him while warming up to tell him he was throwing across his body, ” you know what your job is? it’s to make sure i don’t have to walk a long ways to get the ball”.
———————————————————————————————————————-
You caught jim Palmer? Sounds like him.
LMAO. Funny story.
trisha -
It sounds good overall, though. Better to be busy than not busy and somehow I don’t think you’ll have any difficulty letting him know he needs to share the load.
Are you getting to do any of the animal rights work you were talking about a while back?
Erica -
Welcome home. Sounds like it was good break for you even if it was too short. You will go back after busy season, right?
Whatever, Betsy.
The term “the new Betsy” was a term coined by either you or WCYF himself the other day – referring to someone who believes he/she is unfairly picked on as a result of some of his/her comments.
I’d say that description fits perfectly.
I read that the a-gon thing was a done deal at around $154 mill. but they were holding off the signing to avoid the penalty for being that much more over the payroll tax. At least till june.
Trisha,
What’s comical is that Red Sox fans say Buster is a Yankees fan!
GLove, not sure if you looked at just the catchers, or the complete thing. They had Pedroia at 20 homers and nearly 90 RBI. some odd stuff in there.
randy l -
Sounds like being a bullpen catcher must be a labor of love. From the stories you share, it sure can’t be something one does for money or prestige.
Had to look it up, he said the next bay area WS champ might be the A’s. A bit more of a qualified statement than I remembered, but still. The A’s!
Whatever, GF – that’s my reaction to all of your posts.
Doreen, what I found out is that all of that stuff has to go through the individual municipalities. I don’t know if I had mentioned that. I’m trying to get my town to pass an ordinance that says that when it comes to animal abuse cases, the town can accept volunteer lawyers. I’ll have to see what happens with that. I guess it could get complicated when it comes to the issue of indemnification.
G. Love, well he did cover the Yanks as the NY Times beat reporter, so maybe that’s where they got it from. He grew up in Vermont. I’d say that’s about as Suxy as you can get, other than to be from beantown itself!
If you want a fairly close prediction, take about 10 of the most realiable writers/sites, add them up and average the numbers. It just doesn’t account for injuries. They did have Montero at a .267 average, 10 homers and 30 RBI with a .488-.390 SLG in limited play, though.i
Adrian Gonzalez might not be ready to play right away:
1B, Red Sox — Everyone wants him to be ready by Opening Day, but it seems silly to rush him if he isn’t ready. If that’s the case, the Sox would explore the free agent market for a first baseman. Currently, Nick Johnson, Troy Glaus, Russell Branyan, and Mike Sweeney are on that list. The Sox could also play Lars Anderson for a week or two
http://www.boston.com/sports/b.....ft/?page=4
“Tin Cup…..Who had the best stuff you ever caught or who would have been the toughest to hit against ???/”
pat m-
jack armstrong had the best stuff at the time i caught him. it was a few months before he started for the national league in the ’90 all star game.
mike cuellar would have eaten me up because i was a lefty hitter who liked the ball away. cuellar would have thrown that screwball and just jammed me up.
Doreen February 13th, 2011 at 3:26 pm
randy l -
Sounds like being a bullpen catcher must be a labor of love. From the stories you share, it sure can’t be something one does for money or prestige.
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I imagine that Randy was lucky that those teams didn’t charge him for all of the snacks he ate will in the bullpen. He’d still be paying off that debt.
So who takes the last shot? Lebron or Wade?
I thought he grew up loving the Dodgers?
pat m
i take back armstrong. Joaquin Andujar had better stuff.forgot about him.
he was the hardest worker of any pitcher i caught too.
488-***.490*** SLG in limited
Doreen-
Of course!
I am thinking of going April 23rd, but its too far away to think about right now
m – not sure. I may have just made a strong guess that a boy growing up in Vt. would back the Sux. I’ll say that he seems to be pretty chirpy when talking about them.
# m February 13th, 2011 at 3:33 pm
I thought he grew up loving the Dodgers?
————
He did. I seem to recall him explaining that his Dodger fandom ceased after meeting Tommy Lasorda.
randy – it’s always nice when we have someone to remind us of our place in life. (Around here, mrs. joe takes on that responsibility.
)
Not a good sign if they’re still worried about Morneau. From what I understand, he still hasn’t been cleared to play. That is a serious injury. It would be a big loss to baseball and fans if he cannot come back, but you can’t fool around with his health.
I can easily see Mauer being moved to 1B/DH over the next year or so. From a team perspective, those two events – Morneau not being able to play, and Mauer being moved off C – will take a toll on the Twins, but I don’t know what they can do about it.
“I imagine that Randy was lucky that those teams didn’t charge him for all of the snacks he ate will in the bullpen. He’d still be paying off that debt.”
gb7-
they charged everyone for the spread. the guy who runs the cub house puts it together and the players throw money in and pay for it. for two years chicken willie of the white sox was our clubhouse guy. he was over 300 pounds and you did not not pay chicken willie.
you’re right. the first year i lost money by being the bullpen catcher and having to pay clubhouse dues. i did sign a contract though. the only problem was that it was a waiver saying if i got hurt they didn’t know me.
Oh, that chirpy thing is less than a year old. Olney was one of two (IMO) reasonable people at ESPN. Then it was like he woke up one morning and said, “I think I’ll oil the Red Sox Hype Machine.”
I’m obviously in the minority but Buster Olney doesn’t bother me. Baseball Tonight was a great show when the likes of Olney, Harold Reynolds, and Kurkjian were regulars.
I don’t pretend to know which teams these guys root for outside of Kruk and Williams on MLBN.
I can easily see Mauer being moved to 1B/DH over the next year or so. From a team perspective, those two events – Morneau not being able to play, and Mauer being moved off C – will take a toll on the Twins, but I don’t know what they can do about it.
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The thing that really hurts them is that they traded off their best young minor league catcher for Capps. Their best now is Butera. That’s why I think any trade for a Liriano would include someone like Romine plus a young pitcher as starters.
Back during the 2006 season, the RS were in the midst on a run near the trading deadline.
Olney was on ESPN 1050 discussing their improvement, almost orgasmic in his enthusiasm, saying:
“The Sox are getter better, and better, and better, and better…”
(his voice rising with incremental excitement with each successive use of the word)
The RS ended up finishing the season 11 games behind the Yankees.
” From the stories you share, it sure can’t be something one does for money or prestige.”
doreen-
if you love the game, it’s about the closest you can get without actually playing.
some bullpen catchers use it as a gateway into the game. i think that the bullpen catcher with showalter when he was with the yankees became his bullpen coach as time went on.
it is a lot of work though and daily pain is a given.you have to be a little crazy to do it.
Randy, I knew that you guys have always paid clubhouse dues. Just out of curiosity, did everyone pay the same amount or did it depend on salary structure? I’ve read that some of the clubhouse guys were a lot better than others as far as anything from peanut butter/jelly sandwiches to hot food.
GF, it always surprised me how much Sean Casey drools all over the Red Sox after just a half a season and then getting dumped by them.
randy l -
You are lucky you got to do it.
***
Time to make valentine brownies.
Catch ya later.