Pregame notes: “Everyone’s on the top step now”
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Notes on Apr 24, 2011 
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No surprise, the pregame topic today was the same as the postgame topic yesterday. The clubhouse television was tuned to SportsCenter, and it showed Russell Martin being plunked more than once this morning. Including in the footage was a shot of Joe Girardi emphatically pumping his fist after Brett Gardner’s home run.
“I’m aware of what I did,” Girardi said. “I feel fine today. I didn’t hurt anything.”
It was a rare show of emotion for the Yankees manager. He said he was happy that Martin showed restraint and didn’t charge the mound, he also said he doesn’t believe Josh Rupe was trying to hit Martin in the head, but a pitcher ultimately has to be responsible for a where a pitch ends up. And Rupe’s pitch ended up too high for Girardi’s taste.
Should we expect any sort of retaliation or carry over? Probably not.
“You go out and play the game,” Girardi said. “What happened last night, it’s ugly. It’s unfortunate. Russell gets hit close to his head, which is obviously very dangerous. Alex made a good point about it talking about, it brings teams closer together. The resolve. The energy. Everyone’s on the top step now.”
• Girardi checked with Martin to make sure he was OK to play today. Obviously Girardi doesn’t like to play his catcher in a day game after a night game, but the Yankees have been off so many times he felt Martin could play today. “Physically he’s strong,” Girardi said. “At some point next week he’ll get a day off. He could possibly get two.”
• Speaking of which, Francisco Cervelli will take today off and catch back-to-back games on Monday and Tuesday. Girardi said he’ll probably stay with Tampa until the Yankees are ready to give him a start a game. They won’t call him up and then have him sit on the bench for three or four days. “If they’re not going to play here you might as well give him at-bats and try to get him sharper,” Girardi said.
• Phil Hughes will throw another bullpen on Monday and Girardi said his first rehab start “could be” on Thursday. The Yankees still don’t know where he’ll be assigned.
• Because Freddy Garcia is a veteran, Girardi said he doesn’t worry too much about the time between starts. “He’s not complaining that he’s not making starts,” Girardi said. “He’s just trying to stay prepared.”
• Derek Jeter is hitting .235 in his past eight games, but Girardi said the Yankees have bee encouraged by his at-bats. “I think he’s swinging the bat better,” Girardi said. “He looks more comfortable to me, too.”
Associated Press photos
It’s pretty funny that Jeter told Cashman he can’t appeal to the fans on Alex’s behalf when he did just that with Giambi.
LGY, I agree, but as badly as he handled it, it’s in the past. Torre was the bigger issue, IMO. As the manager, he should have protected all his players, not just “his” guys.
LGY April 24th, 2011 at 12:35 pm
It’s pretty funny that Jeter told Cashman he can’t appeal to the fans on Alex’s behalf when he did just that with Giambi.
——————————
Where did you hear that from? Not saying you’re lying because I doubt you are but I find that interesting.
Repost from other thread:
Is Martin playing today after having three offdays in the last seven days really worth this argument?
He’s going to sit sometime this week probably either Tuesday or Wednesday. What’s the big deal?
Matter of fact, Martin might sit another game next weekend too so he’ll have two offdays this coming week.
Betsy,
Actually, I think all parties could’ve handled the situation better. Anyhow, what’s done is done and they now appear to be over it.
Odds
http://m.nypost.com/p/news/loc.....vlAUcNUHSP
General Manager Brian Cashman noticed this and asked Jeter to “fake it” with A-Rod. “You’ve got to lead them all, the ones you like and the ones you don’t,” he told him. He asked him to appeal to Yankee fans on A-Rod’s behalf. “I can’t tell the fans what to do,” Jeter countered.
“Real team leaders are not really tested until they have to deal with someone they do not like or get along with”
Do you remember Thurman and Reggie?
“It’s pretty funny that Jeter told Cashman he can’t appeal to the fans on Alex’s behalf when he did just that with Giambi.”
Not funny at all. Two different situations with with two different personalities.
Also wasn’t it Alex it who fired the first salvo in the great Alex vs Jeter war.
But you keep trying LGY.
Craw, I agree. I did think all was behind them until Cashman made his comments about Torre/Proctor…………
Thanks LGY I was right that is interesting. We all know Jeter didn’t rush to Alex’s defense but seeing it it in print is different.
Glad this thing is behind them.
“Craw, I agree. I did think all was behind them until Cashman made his comments about Torre/Proctor…………”
I’m talking about Arod/Jeter not Cashman/Torre. The latter never have to be close again as they’re not part of the same organization.
Tar
Don’t see how the Reggie reference changes my comment.
Real leaders lead everyone as Cashman tried to tell Jeter.
The different personalities between Alex and Giambi is the exact thing that exposes Jeter.
By the way, Torre knows better than anyone how he abused certain relievers.
“Alex should DH, and Jeter should get some days off— soon.”
You mean like this par Monday, Thursday and Friday?
“It’s pretty funny that Jeter told Cashman he can’t appeal to the fans on Alex’s behalf when he did just that with Giambi.”
Not funny at all. Two different situations with with two different personalities.
Also wasn’t it Alex it who fired the first salvo in the great Alex vs Jeter war.
——————————————-
How different were they? Giambi was being booed because his performance had declined. A-rod was getting booed because he had become the whipping boy for the ball club. If he struck out in his first AB he got booed but if he got a hit in the next AB they cheered him. It was ridiculous.
Oh, ok – yes, fortunately Alex/Jeter is in the past.
Also what does it matter that Alex started the feud?
“I want to see Cashman bring Sizemore here and Gio Gonzalez at the deadline.”
And frankly as Yankee fans, who gives a f**k if Cleveland or Oakland have any interest in doing that.
If Cashman isn’t effective enough to impose eminent domain on the other 29 ML teams, we need to find someone who can…
..ahem.
LGY,
Why does any of it matter now?
“Also what does it matter.”
Fixed.
“Real leaders lead everyone as Cashman tried to tell Jeter.”
I gave you an example of that being bull. Just because Cashman said it, doesn’t make it so.
“The different personalities between Alex and Giambi is the exact thing that exposes Jeter.”
I don’t think so at all. Giambi was embraced by Yankee fans, Alex until recently was not.
Jeter was being true to his feelings of not particularly liking Alex at the time.
Come to think of it , not many people did like Alex at that time. He has come a long way. I think it all started to change with his confession.
# West Coast Yankee Fan April 24th, 2011 at 12:30 pm
You obviously don’t understand the difference between number of games played and when you play them. As Niblick pointed out above, Martin has played a total of 16 games in 24 days.
You also don’t understand the difference between a backup catcher, i.e., Cervelli and a stop-gap, temporary catcher like Molina who was just here for a few weeks insurance.
———–
Stop gap or not, Molina was going to be penciled into the lineup at some point. The only one complaining about Molina getting any PT was you.
The Yanks benefited in a sense because of the three rainouts, so Martin has had plenty of time to rest.
Your argument now is a stark contrast to what it was in ST.
Craw
I think it hurt the Yankees on the field in those years so I think it’s worth discussing.
I also think it is worth addressing given the discussion about Jeter all winter.
It got nothing to do with Arod’s confession. If Arod had come through and led the Yankees to victory over the Red Sox and Cardinals in 2004, all of this noise between himself and the fans would never had happened. Unfortunately, Arod took the blunt of the blame for what happened in 2004 and then Torre made it worse later during the Tiger playoff series.
# stuckey99 April 24th, 2011 at 12:52 pm
“I want to see Cashman bring Sizemore here and Gio Gonzalez at the deadline.”
And frankly as Yankee fans, who gives a f**k if Cleveland or Oakland have any interest in doing that.
If Cashman isn’t effective enough to impose eminent domain on the other 29 ML teams, we need to find someone who can…
..ahem.
———
That’s where Jon Flaherty comes in!
Tar
If you think that and you were the captain/leader of the teams I played on growing up and the teams I play on now I wouldn’t respect you very much.
Orioles Lineup:
Roberts 2B
Markakis RF
Lee 1B
Guerrero DH
Scott LF
Jones CF
Reynolds 3B
Wieters C
Izturis SS
Arritea P
“I think it hurt the Yankees on the field in those years so I think it’s worth discussing.”
I think he’s right. If we all talk about it enough, we can cause a shift in the time-space continuum that will award some of world championships between 2004-2008 that we’re rightfully the Yankees if Jeter hadn’t f****d it all up.
Craw
What you said is all true, But the Yankees were not victorious in 2004.
So when did it change for Alex with Yankee fans?
Stuckey
If you don’t see any merit in the discussion your welcome to find some other group of New York sports fans to annoy.
” think it hurt the Yankees on the field in those years so I think it’s worth discussing.
I also think it is worth addressing given the discussion about Jeter all winter.”
IMO, it’s not worth discussing now because it happened and you can’t change the past.
However, if you have an axe to grind with Jeter which you apparently do then go ahead and bore us with something we’ve discussed countless times beforehand, but are left with the same results.
Wow, people are so petty with the Jeter/Alex business.
Friendships change over time, and change over different circumstances that come up with ANYONE you are constantly around.
This whole crap article is about starting something that just isn’t there. It’s about creating a stir without a cause.
All I care about is how they are on the field of play. All else is just nonsense.
“Craw
What you said is all true, But the Yankees were not victorious in 2004.
So when did it change for Alex with Yankee fans?”
When they won in 2009 and when he led the offensive stats during those playoffs.
LGY, it’s not the lack of merit that’s the problem, it’s the dismerit.
And I’m fairly surprised you’d resort to the standard discussion forum playbook like that.
What’s next, are you going to declare how you really, really don’t care what I think.
Trisha and YankeesNmore can help you with the wording if you like.
IMO, it’s not worth discussing now because it happened and you can’t change the past
——
This is laughable given the vast majority of the conversation on here revolves around things that happened in the past and/or can’t be changedn
Giambi was NOT immediately embraced by Yankee fans.
They didn’t like him until he started hitting.
A-Rod won 2 MVPs for this team and he was still getting booed. It was completely moronic.
“If you think that and you were the captain/leader of the teams I played on growing up and the teams I play on now I wouldn’t respect you very much.”
LGY
They do not have to like each other, or the manager to be successful.
It’s too bad you missed the Billy years. I am not saying that in a mocking way, just for a Yankee fan like yourself, it was fun times.
Yankee fans love one thing over all other things. Winning WS titles! Do so often and you’re golden in their eyes.
LGY They do not have to like each other, or the manager to be successful.
——
What does this have to do with leadership qualities?
“Giambi was NOT immediately embraced by Yankee fans.”
I don’t remember all the particulars of the when’s, but I do know the Giambi persona was embraced much sooner then Alex.
“What does this have to do with leadership qualities?”
Because leadership is a means to an end, not the end.
At least in any relevant manner.
stuckey99 April 24th, 2011 at 12:52 pm
“I want to see Cashman bring Sizemore here and Gio Gonzalez at the deadline.”
And frankly as Yankee fans, who gives a f**k if Cleveland or Oakland have any interest in doing that.
If Cashman isn’t effective enough to impose eminent domain on the other 29 ML teams, we need to find someone who can…
..ahem.
_____________
Now you’re talking. Cashman has the most resources and money of any GM in any sport. If he can’t be creative and finds ways to use extortion, kidnapping, and cash deposits in foreign accounts in efforts to convince the other GMs to do deals that favor us, then we need to get someone who can.
It’s past change for a time!
Stuckey
I have always maintained on here that if you don’t like the discussion at hand then bring up a different topic.
What good is just being known as “The Evil Empire” if you don’t use and abuse the power?
The thing is being missed about Martin is his game calling, it is absolutely first rate. Just to start with him forcing AJ to throw his change up. His work with Colon is outstanding, not to mention Garcia. The Yankees have a patchwork of starting pitching and even during horrendous spring weather and Hughes struggles, the staff are during very well. Kudos to Martin and to Cashman for taking a gamble.
“LGY They do not have to like each other, or the manager to be successful.”
“What does this have to do with leadership qualities?”
Doesn’t the standard of being a “real team leader” with “leadership qualities” mean being successful?
Remember this statement?
“Real team leaders are not really tested until they have to deal with someone they do not like or get along with”
Who has been more successful then Derek?
The fans distaste for Arod was mostly a product of circumstance, the biggest amongst them being a championship hungry fanbase that was getting antsy about a $200+ million investment.
That combined with a blown series to the hated Sox (who we had to watch win not one, but 2 titles after being unable to acquire Alex), few not-so-well-thought-out plays (the HA! and slap plays rubbed some people the wrong way), and dating Madonna and what you have is a walking punchline.
# Tar April 24th, 2011 at 1:05 pm
“Giambi was NOT immediately embraced by Yankee fans.”
I don’t remember all the particulars of the when’s, but I do know the Giambi persona was embraced much sooner then Alex.
——–
That’s true. And what sense does that make?
Giambi was like a drinking buddy with the media and fans so they liked him and took pot shots at A-Rod constantly because he was the easy target. There’s no better example of this than the former LoHud blogmaster himself.
But A-Rod’s numbers FAR outproduced anything Giambi did in his Yankee tenure and I don’t recall Giambi leading this team to any championships.
A-Rod wasn’t embraced until they won the WS, which is a damn shame.
Bo knows April 24th, 2011 at 1:10 pm
The thing is being missed about Martin is his game calling, it is absolutely first rate. Just to start with him forcing AJ to throw his change up. His work with Colon is outstanding, not to mention Garcia. The Yankees have a patchwork of starting pitching and even during horrendous spring weather and Hughes struggles, the staff are during very well. Kudos to Martin and to Cashman for taking a gamble.
______________
Agreed. Also, the way he frames pitches is getting his pitchers a lot of called strikes…that is not yet factored into WAR but probably will be in future. Jerkface posted an article weeks ago about that analysis. Martin might get an extra 2-3 games a year in WAR just by that ability.
Doesn’t the standard of being a “real team leader” with “leadership qualities” mean being successful?
——-
Don’t see how it would, because then players that play on crappy teams would be disqualified from being considered leaders.
“I have always maintained on here that if you don’t like the discussion at hand then bring up a different topic.”
And I have always maintained that in a discussion forum, by posting anything you invite feedback, by rule.
So explain to me what appropriate feedback – just agreement?
I think the whole Jeter/Alex/Giambi is utterly irrelevant. That MY contribution to the discussion.
Why do you have a problem with that?
just curious – how did the Jeter, ARod, Giambi discussion even get started?
Which things that are said in this comments section are relevant?
Why do you have a problem with that?
——
Because at some point it just becomes pointless trolling when your main contribution to the discussion is so often just that.
“A-Rod wasn’t embraced until they won the WS, which is a damn shame.”
GF
Not for me, but I see your point.
“Don’t see how it would, because then players that play on crappy teams would be disqualified from being considered leaders.”
There are different levels of being successful. There are personal successes and and their are team successes. A leader would have to demonstrate at least one of those. Derek has demonstrated both. What about it LGY, who has been more successful?
Anyone who has ever played on a team or worked in a large office knows the importance of getting along. You don’t have to like someone personally, or agree with them all the time, but you have to respect their work if the boss does, or at the very least, subjugate any negative feelings you may have for the good of the team.
One thing I like about this team is how close they all seem to be on the field. I am sure like many, I pay attention to what goes on in the dugout and it seems to be a very supportive environment. I get the feeling they all like each others. This was especially evident last night. I also liked seeing Girardi and Long’s fist pumps after Gardner hit it out. I bet that didn’t go unnoticed by the players.
A top flight catcher wins extra games – who knew?
But seriously, I haven’t had this much fun watching a pitching sequence in forever. Never mind nibbling and setting up down and away time after time. Pitching with a purpose, love it.
Never understood pitch counts and wasting pitches, oxymoronic.
BD,
It started because today’s NY Post has an article about the Derek/Alex feud since Ian O’Connor has a book coming out on Derek.
Leadership can manifest itself in different way. Proactive rah-rah type leadership. Quiet lead-by-example leadership.
No one is perfect, and I don’t think anyone serious minded ever considered Jeter such.
I’d argue leadership can be universally defined by commanding a high-level of respect of his teammates.
So does Jeter command that?
The fans’ treatment of Alex was really abominable – booing him in ST, on Opening day, after the first at bat. In their eyes, they never forgave him for the Esquire article. Sure I guess now they love him, but some of us have been Alex fans from the beginning of his tenure here and didn’t just jump on the bandwagon when he won a WS. The idea that he had to win a WS to be embraced, or at least, well-tolerated, is ridiculous since it takes more than one player to win and more than one to lose.
I never loved Giambi and his comments in the SI article made me dislike him; Pete’s hatred of Alex and love for Jason, despite both being users, also didn’t help any
Can’t believe Alex is in his 8th year as a Yankee. The earlier years were stormy but he eventually earned the respect of his teammates for his attention and devotion to them and the team itself. He’s now an elder statesman. He’s also learned how to handle the media.
Jeter handled it badly – there’s just no way of saying he didn’t. As captain, all teammates were under his “captainship”, including a guy he resented at the time. It’s over and done with and I don’t feel any different about Jeter, but it just shows he’s not perfect – just like everyone else.
Josh Johnson vs. Ubaldo Jimenez in Fla.
Stands are empty…that’s a damn shame.
ahh, thanks Fran.
perhaps Alex will try to one up Derek by commissioning Selena Roberts to write a sequel!
# hardwired7 April 24th, 2011 at 1:20 pm
Josh Johnson vs. Ubaldo Jimenez in Fla.
Stands are empty…that’s a damn shame.
————————–
I can’t see it it’s even more of a shame
BD, so it won’t sell again? LOL That was great – her “book” totally tanked
“Because at some point it just becomes pointless trolling when your main contribution to the discussion is so often just that.”
LGY, there are often discussions here where I’m engaged by you, JF, Rich and Nick simulataneously, over highly important and relevant matters like my use of the word “some” the other day.
Which I’m fine with, I don’t complain about it.
But what makes those discussion worthwhile is that so far no has been a hypocrite about it.
I’m sorry that appears to be changing.
BD,
You’re welcome. Actually I think that Roberts book helped Alex in that even people who didn’t like him thought everyone was “piling on” Alex and started to actually feel bad for him.
Happy Easter guys!
Enjoy your day…
# Betsy April 24th, 2011 at 1:22 pm
BD, so it won’t sell again? LOL That was great – her “book” totally tanked
———————————-
Has a book that was hyped up beyond belief fail so miserably?
Some people are just more likable than others. Is it that surprising that someone in the media would treat a more likable person better in his/her stories? I feel like the fans dislike for Arod was encouraged, to some extent, by the media. But Arod never did himself any favors.
Derek Jeter is a leader because he was a really good baseball player surrounded by a bunch of other really good players?
How does that make sense at more than a superficial level.
Is Manny Ramirez a leader?
Because if you follow his career every team he went to had way more success than they have had in years and often decades
“I feel like the fans dislike for Arod was encouraged, to some extent, by the media. But Arod never did himself any favors”
I agree with this.
I also disagree with trying to blame that on Jeter.
Odds, she brought it on herself. It was so overwhelmingly negative that she turned people off in a way – plus her research, if I recall, was not exactly of the highest order.
LGY,
At exactly what point did Alex and Jeter not getting along hurt them on the field.
?
So the media doesn’t like someone and that gives them the right to be as brutal as they were? I guess the best thing to do is to kiss the butts……….not.
“Is Manny Ramirez a leader?
“Because if you follow his career every team he went to had way more success than they have had in years and often decades”
Sounds to me to perhaps be a potential very interesting start to an argument that “leadership” is overrated.
A little levity
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/bl.....mlb-wp3871
LGY
Manny Ramirez–Now that is just dumb.
I have to go, catch up with you later.
Game thread.
I’ll LGY and the rest of you to the less intelligible trolls.
# Betsy April 24th, 2011 at 1:28 pm
Odds, she brought it on herself. It was so overwhelmingly negative that she turned people off in a way – plus her research, if I recall, was not exactly of the highest order.
—————————-
Yes she did bring it on herself and her lapdog Verducci was all too willing to help her push her book until it came out and sunk like a stone.
. It feels like she disappeared after it came out.