Not much time to make an impression (or a decision)
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Podcast on Feb 18, 2011 
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This will be a different sort of spring for Freddy Garcia. He established himself as a Major League pitcher way back in 1999, and he hasn’t fought for a job like this ever since.
“I don’t really think of it before like you have to pitch good (in spring training),” he said. “If you don’t pitch good in the regular season, that’s when you have a problem. I think spring training, you get your job done… In the past, I don’t really concentrate in spring training games, but this year I have to be different.”
Joe Girardi actually laughed when he was asked this afternoon about Garcia’s track record in spring training. “We’re well aware of that,” Girardi said.
Take last spring for example. Pitching for the White Sox, Garcia put this line: 21.2 IP, 40 H, 26 R, 25 ER, 4 BB, 13 K, 10.38 ERA. Yikes.
Girardi said the Yankees will “factor that in,” and go into spring training knowing Garcia isn’t always at his best in March. Then again, “these spots are going to have to be earned,” Girardi said.
It’s one of the tricky things about making this sort of decision in spring training: The games don’t matter and results can be misleading. The Yankees are going to have to go on more than simply who’s able to get outs.
Even with his back spring track record, does Garcia expect to be able to win a spot this spring?
“That’s why I’m here,” he said. “If you don’t think that way, don’t be here. If you come here and sign this deal, it’s because I’m really feeling good about it. That’s why I’m here.”
Here’s part of the Garcia interview. I had to leave the session for a little bit to talk to Brian Cashman, but the nuts and bolts are here.
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Associated Press photo with Garcia in the middle
Remember those greats from yesteryear ?
Chad – Thanks for the great Cervelli photo in the last thread. I love that kid! Hope he gets to keep his job.
Im sure Garcia will want to pitch well this spring but just like with everyone else the Yanks or more likely to be looking at how he’s throwig the ball….velocity, command, etc than actual results. Unless they make a last minute trade Id be surprised if Freddie doesn’t make the team…..Colon on the other hand will really have to show them something Id imagine.
He sounds confident; I hope he has a good spring. Still, it’s true that some players just never do and that a bad spring (or good one) is not necessarily a portent of things to come. Blake, I think you’re right……..both about Garcia and Colon.
We all know neither Colon nor Garcia will work out, but we can take solace in the fact that Cashman can always lure back at least one or two from the following long list of All Stars :
Matt DeSalvo
Chad Gaudin
Dan Giese
Sean Henn
Jeff Karstens
Esteban Loaiza
Sidney Ponson
Darrell Rasner
Tim Redding
Tanyon Sturtze
Chase Wright
Remember those greats from yesteryear ?
If you’re still reading Doreen, Happy Birthday and Congrats on finally getting the car! Enjoy both!
It is nice to know that if Garcia and Colon don’t work out it wont cost 30+ million bucks…..cough cough Josh Beckett and John Lackey.
it’s time GB…..
Here you go
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....re=related
Also in the picture is A.J. Burnett and to Freddy Garcia’s immediate left is Mark Prior. Freddy is a big guy ( 6′ – 4″, 250 lbs.) but carries his weight well unlike Colon.
GB must be taking a nap
Anybody with a subscription to BP care to summarize the reports on Banuelos, Betances, and Sanchez……or anyone else.
I remember when Smoltz was at Pawtuckett and the Boston media wondering if the Sox should go to a 6 man rotation.
Prior has that Strasburg arm action.
Sox stole Mendoza from us now Aceves.
Woe is us.
“I remember when Smoltz was at Pawtuckett and the Boston media wondering if the Sox should go to a 6 man rotation.”
They concluded that 6 aces wouldn’t be fair…..
It’s amazing how much Ruby knows about the Yankees.
Garcia had a weird year last season. He basically had one bad start a month.
April: 4 starts
-3 of them: 3.60 ERA
-1 start: 21.00 ERA
May: 5 starts
-4 of them: 2.77 ERA
-1 start: 27.00 ERA
June: 5 starts
-4 of them: 3.21 ERA
-1 start: 6.35 ERA
July: 5 starts
-4 of them: 3.38 ERA
-1 start: 33.76 ERA
August: 5 starts
-4 of them: 3.91 ERA
-1 start: 23.15 ERA
September: 4 starts
-3 of them: 2.12 ERA
-1 start: 9.00 ERA
LGY,
Your mission…..figure out the pattern and warn Girardi before the bad starts are about to occur. …..do the same for AJ while you’re at it.
WC,
Dude, Rooney bicycle kicked that goal. Scissor kick is when your body is in the air on its side and your legs go like a scissor. Can’t make that mistake if you are watching a game with soccer buddies.
The Sox have had a few reclamation projects go south if I recall.
http://i378.photobucket.com/al....._whale.gif
My goal this Spring is to not have folks on here lose their minds over ST results and quote ST stats as an indicator of what’s to come for the season.
It dumbs down the whole place.
SJ,
good luck with that one
sic
a request from GB
Enjoy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....re=related
Blake,
I didn’t say I’d be successful
Just said it was a goal! lol
Unless Garcia gets hurt he’s going to be in the rotation
Don’t get caught up in dumbs****s.
And on that note…. gonna have dinner, a glass of good red, and watch True Grit, the original with John Wayne, Glenn Campbell, and Kim Darby. The new one is tomorrow night’s date with mrs. joe.
Have a good night, all.
SJ,
It is good to set goals!
Pat M,
Yea I agree that’s how its lookin. Honestly CC, Hughes, Burnett, Garcia, Nova wouldn’t be too bad IF AJ is closer to the 2009 version……
Pat, all Garcia needs to do is repeat last season. Take that and a 10-10 season from Nova and the Yanks will be fine. I’m going to assume that each of Jeter, Rodriguez Posada, Teixeira, Gardner and Granderson will improve by 10%. That’s not much, but they’re more likely to improve by that much than sliding further back. Not sure that Sabathia and Hughes will combine for 39 wins, but, not far from it. As was said, Burnett’s rebound is key. We’ll find out soon.
“Your mission…..figure out the pattern and warn Girardi before the bad starts are about to occur. …..do the same for AJ while you’re at it.”
———————
I will be delivering a Mission Accomplished speech once I receive my Mission Accomplish banner in the mail. Stay tuned.
joeman- thanks for the tune i needed that.
Sorry to see Jim Edmonds retiring, but, he’s had trouble stying healthy for a few years. Possible HOFer? I think so.
***staying*** healthy
Phelps, Warren, Noesi, and Brackman will make good impressions during March to further their progress in moving up if the need arises.
# exiledintampa February 18th, 2011 at 7:35 pm
joeman- thanks for the tune i needed that.
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the real heroes of this country……the men who fought the wars
LGY February 18th, 2011 at 7:06 pm
WC, Dude, Rooney bicycle kicked that goal. Scissor kick is when your body is in the air on its side and your legs go like a scissor. Can’t make that mistake if you are watching a game with soccer buddies.
***********
Both terms are used interchangeably along with overhead kick, even by the British newspapers and football fan sites. Technically I might agree a scissors kick is more sideways and a bicycle overhead falling backwards but I saw numerous soccer sites that used both.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/spo.....derby.html
if you must have
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....re=related
Pat M., make sure that you watch Bob Costas later this evening with Richie Allen.
“Both terms are used interchangeably along with overhead kick, even by the British newspapers and football fan sites. Technically I might agree a scissors kick is more sideways and a bicycle overhead falling backwards but I saw numerous soccer sites that used both.”
———————–
This makes me
if true.
This is like calling Hughes’ cutter a slider!!
get on your feet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....re=related
I would assume if the dailymail in the UK used scissor kick in it’s headline it’s appropriate.
Probably some sabermetric soccer nerd who doesn’t know any better because he has never played the game wrote the story.
Damn sabergeeks!
The byline says Liam Heyman. Don’t know the bloke.
Someone from the Heyman clan!? Of course!
GreenBeret7 says:
February 18, 2011 at 7:38 pm
Sorry to see Jim Edmonds retiring, but, he’s had trouble stying healthy for a few years. Possible HOFer? I think so.
————
Then I nominate Horace Clarke for the HOF.
# GreenBeret7 February 18th, 2011 at 7:38 pm
Sorry to see Jim Edmonds retiring, but, he’s had trouble stying healthy for a few years. Possible HOFer? I think so.
——————————————————-
that’s not going to happen
The Daily Mail is the Twitter of the UK press.
In a manner of speaking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....re=related
as time moves on..
Jim Edmunds witrh a 68.3 career WAR will get in in about 10 years IMO. The sabergeeks will have made WAR value the dominant deciding factor by then. He has created more value than a whole lot of current HOFers.
joeman February 18th, 2011 at 8:43 pm
# GreenBeret7 February 18th, 2011 at 7:38 pm
Sorry to see Jim Edmonds retiring, but, he’s had trouble stying healthy for a few years. Possible HOFer? I think so.
———————————————————————————–
should have retired 5 years ago
As a CFer, Edmunds had some great seasons (about 8), which combined with his defense (8 GGs), should be plenty to get in.
# BoJo February 18th, 2011 at 8:49 pm
Jim Edmunds witrh a 68.3 career WAR will get in in about 10 years IMO. The sabergeeks will have made WAR value the dominant deciding factor by then. He has created more value than a whole lot of current HOFers.
——————————————————-
what is all that crap…..he doesn’t belong in the hall
lets just let everyone in
For the record, the Hoss had a career WAR of 9.5
Joeman–
Look at his stats and compare them to other CFers. He belongs.
get Pete Rose in
# BoJo February 18th, 2011 at 8:54 pm
Joeman–
Look at his stats and compare them to other CFers. He belongs.
——————————————-
just don’t see it but I could be wrong …right GB
I agree Rose and Joe Jackson also should be in.
joeman – you nailed it. WAR is a lot of nonsense as regards the HOF.
Pete Rose is a sad story…..I stop by and see him twice a year when I out I’m out in Vegas
Pete Rose was a great ballplayer that blew it. When adults make choices there are consequences. He bet on baseball and that’s as bad as it gets. He should NEVER be granted admittance.
Edmonds made the greatest catch ever IMO but he doesn’t feel like a HOFer to me……
Hall of Fame ballot:
“Voting shall be based upon the player’s record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character and contribution to the team(s) on which the player played.”
…integrity, sportsmanship and character. Fail.
The end.
# West Coast Yankee Fan February 18th, 2011 at 8:59 pm
Pete Rose was a great ballplayer that blew it. When adults make choices there are consequences. He bet on baseball and that’s as bad as it gets. He should NEVER be granted admittance.
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to bad…..you can tell he loved to play the game & was one of the very best doing it
Rose will probably get in after he dies.
Rose was a great ballplayer Joe I agree. But you can’t send kids that message. IMO. Ty Cobb was bad enough.
Blake–Look at Edmunds stats, and compare them to other HOF CFers…His numbers from 2000 thru 2006 were outstanding….
Bojo,
Was Edmunds ever one of the top 10 players in baseball? He may get in one day but I see him as a really good player……not an all time great, which is what the HOF is supposed to be for…….the top 1% of all players.
Blake–
The HOF USED to be about that standard. I really do believe the stat geeks are changing it. When they can shift the focus of Cy Young voting entirely to stats, they are showing that they are changing the rules of judging performance.
But to your question–yes he was…in 2000 and 2004 he was one of the 10 best in baseball…placing 4th and 5th in MVP voting
joeman- one for you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waV741V1MHY
From 2000 thru 2005 he put up Albert Pujols type WAR numbers. 6 years of 6.8 or better.
Bojo,
That doesn’t necessarily mean he was one of the best players in baseball. Two top 10 MVP finishes in a career is more an argument against than for to me. He was a good player but was he one of the greatest players ever…..I don’t see that.
Blake__I can name over 100 players who weren’t the greatest players ever but are HOFers. It is not as exclusive as it used to be.
Go to
http://www.baseball-reference......reer.shtml
And look at the players with a career WAR under 70, and tell me the HOFers were the greatest players ever.
# BoJo February 18th, 2011 at 9:20 pm
Blake__I can name over 100 players who weren’t the greatest players ever but are HOFers. It is not as exclusive as it used to be.
————————
and that’s a shame..becoming like the NFL
Bojo,
That’s true and maybe he will get in but he’s short IMO….it’s subjective though so it’s fine if you don’t agree.
blake February 18th, 2011 at 9:25 pm
Bojo,
That’s true and maybe he will get in but he’s short IMO….it’s subjective though so it’s fine if you don’t agree.
____________
He’s 6’1″ — not too short.
Agreed that we don’t have to agree. We don’t vote anyway.