Up next … The Long Winter
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Nov 02, 2011 
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Yesterday morning, I asked my favorite West Wing question: What’s next? A few hours later, in a conference call that lasted nearly an hour, Brian Cashman’s answer was — essentially — anything could be next. Or, maybe nothing.
“We need to continue to explore opportunities to find ways to get better,” Cashman said. “But we have a lot of depth. We have a lot of youth coming. We have a lot of support. We have some flexibility. We will be challenged with, I’m sure, people knocking on our door with various interest levels in assets whether they’re position players, pitching or prospect-driven, major-league ready or major-league performing… (Securing CC Sabathia this early) allows us to survey the landscape in a more conservative way than we would have had to if we didn’t have him here moving forward.”
Cashman made it clear that he doesn’t expect to add a big bat, and he called his bullpen “one of the best in the game.” The rotation, he said, would be a focus, and he’d still like to find a second left-handed reliever, but mostly Cashman seemed open to anything.
“We’ll explore all our opportunities and we’ll explore what the market is on various free agents,” Cashman said. “Like all clubs, obviously our limits are at a higher level than certain other clubs, but we have limits nonetheless. On a general point, I’ll just say that we’re going to continue to pursue and look at our pitching; more than likely the rotation… On the offensive side, I don’t think that’s really a priority. I don’t think that should be a priority. It doesn’t mean that we won’t explore or listen to anything that gets presented, whether it’s an agent or a general manager, but on the outset is that anything we’re realistically looking at or anticipating or needing? No.”
Cashman didn’t really tip his hand one way or the other on Yu Darvish, and he seemed to open the door to any of the team’s veteran free agents — Freddy Garcia, Bartolo Colon, etc. — coming back under the right circumstances. He said his team is healthy, he said picking up Nick Swisher’s option was an easy call, and he seemed excited by the possibility of more young players contributing next season.
So what’s next?
With Sabathia in the mix, Joba Chamberlain recovering from surgery, and Jesus Montero in place to takeover for Jorge Posada, the Yankees have no glaring need. Their rotation could use another arm, their bullpen could use another lefty, and their bench needs some experienced role players, but the Yankees don’t have to attack anything this winter. They can pursue what they want to pursue, and they can have the patience to make the moves that make sense.
“You like to be in a position where you’re cautious in the free agent market, always, because you usually have to pay more than what the players abilities really are,” Cashman said. “It’s just everybody is looking for the same thing and obviously built the players’ talent up to a higher level than at times can be sensible. You try to enter the market that way, but you only can do that if you have a foundation in place where you don’t have to be desperate.”
Associated Press photo
Erin-
For you-
http://www.google.com/imgres?i.....38;dur=922
Joba_62 Joba Chamberlain
Nothing like doing a handshake with my son as I drop him off at school then followed by “love u dad, see u later”. #priceless
Since it’s a silent auction for Japanese players, it’s wise that Cashman doesn’t “tip his hat.”
“Up next ….. The Long winter”
Is that a pun Chad ?
Because he definitely will play a big part again this OS.
YT-
Are you sold on th idea of Darvish at such lofty prices ?
YT-thank you! He does exist after all.
Girardi is wearing long sleeves there to not make Cash feel bad about his forearms
Not sure what to read into all of Brian’s comments. To read it he’s basically saying that the guys who did do well offensively last year will do so again next year and the guys who didn’t do well will do better. Great formula if it works, lots of things have to go right. Nothing to worry about.
The comment about Swisher I think was thrown out there to not throw a player under the bus. You can’t tell me that the decison was very easy after a guy is getting payed $10M plus to stink up the playoffs three years in a row. If that’s true the bar has to be set alot lower than I’d expect it to be.
I wonder if the anks will try to re-sign Brackman to a minor league contract and give him some time with Larry Rothschild to work things out?
I like Joba….he seems like a good guy. They should let him start.
The Yankees will probably offer arbitration to Garcia. If he rejects it, looking for a 2 year deal, they get a draft pick as he’s a Type B. They might even sign Colon for one year, knowing they can drop him, by the date I don’t remember, and only pay a % of the contract.
GB -Is that date sometime in March? Am I correct?
pat -
I can’t even picture Gordon. Gonna have to look him up.
But with regard to the Davidoff tweet on Yankee stability, it must be the theme today, because in the Star Ledger, Jeff Bradley writes of the “power of continuity” and uses the phrase “Yankees have become a model franchise when it comes to continuity.”
Now to read what Chad has to say in this thread.
GB-
It wouldn’t hurt to try.
Who agrees with me that Phil Hughes comes into camp next season as a stud muffin ready to rock and roll ?
Yankee Trader November 2nd, 2011 at 9:14 am
The Yankees will probably offer arbitration to Garcia. If he rejects it, looking for a 2 year deal, they get a draft pick as he’s a Type B. They might even sign Colon for one year, knowing they can drop him, by the date I don’t remember, and only pay a % of the contract.
____________________________________________________________________________
Both are too old. It was fine last year given the circumstances, but for another year?
Trader, I think if they sign a ML contract, they can be dropped by the end of March for 1 month’s pay. Don’t quote me, but there are certain dayes that they can be dropped for certain percentages of pay.
The fact is that the Yankees don’t have a glaring need on offense. I read Cashman’s remarks as he’s always open to upgrading, but it has to make sense. Don’t see anything wrong with this.
Also because something is not a priority doesn’t mean it doesn’t slot at all in the plans.
GB-
Since the Yankees have already invested around 10M in Brackman and still owe him part of his signing bonus next season, I think it would be a good idea to bring him back on a minor league contract. He wouldn’t then take up a spot on the 40 man.
Freddy will make an excellent back end starter, or better.
I’d rather replace him with Beurhle though.
I wonder if the anks will try to re-sign Brackman to a minor league contract and give him some time with Larry Rothschild to work things out?
==================================
Probably worth a shot. Difficulties aside, that’s a pretty big arm. My guess is some more pitching desperate team makes him an offer that gives him a better shot at the big league roster.
Hughes is schedlued to go to an athlete’s comditioning camp in California, according to Cashman yesterday like the one in Arizona.
VN-
One never knows what will drop into one’s lap. Does one ?
Villa Nova-Ya November 2nd, 2011 at 9:18 am
The fact is that the Yankees don’t have a glaring need on offense. I read Cashman’s remarks as he’s always open to upgrading, but it has to make sense. Don’t see anything wrong with this.
____________________________________________________________________________
So if Puljos wanted to come play 1st base for the Yankees would that be an upgrade?
GB-
There’s a branch in Fla. too.
Gary-
Both pitchers might be older, but I think in Garcia’s case, if he declines arbitration, and signs elsewhere, it’s worth the gamble. In Colon’s case, as GB said, there is a time frame when you can drop him and pay a small % of the deal.
MTU, Cashman just mentioned California. Nor sure where it is, but, his parents live about 15 miles from Angels Stadium.
What Cashman’s comments tell me is GMs and agents should be on notice that he’s willing to talk but there will be no “Yankee tax” this offseason.
GB-
Understand. The boy has options. Just as long as he works hard is all. I think he will.
What was he really saying regarding Posada? Realistically they can’t be thinking of giving him a contract can they?
MTU November 2nd, 2011 at 9:17 am
Who agrees with me that Phil Hughes comes into camp next season as a stud muffin ready to rock and roll ?
*********************
Did we suddenly enter a ’50s movie?
Erin-
Exactamundo !
Yankee Trader November 2nd, 2011 at 9:22 am
Gary-
Both pitchers might be older, but I think in Garcia’s case, if he declines arbitration, and signs elsewhere, it’s worth the gamble. In Colon’s case, as GB said, there is a time frame when you can drop him and pay a small % of the deal.
___________________________________________________________________________
On pitchers so many questions, so few answers
Well, things should start popping around baseball later this week when Free Agency opens and people start moving around, as well the MLB finalizing the CBA.
MTU-
Darvish will be 26 yo next week. After reading some pretty well-written articles on him and knowing he has Aunts and Uncles living in the US and that he’s 6’5 on a 220 lb frame[half Iranian-father and Japanese-mother], plus he speaks English,
He “might” transition better.
Gary made some good points however on the Japanese culture, as he lived over there, and why it’s still a gamble.
One concern, that i read yesterday is his primary weapon is the slider. has an 18% whiff rate and throws it 25% of the time. As you know the slider is the one pitch that puts more stress on the elbow than any other pitch.
He has to ask the Nippon Ham Fighters between now and before March 1st to post him. If he waits too long, many clubs that might have interest will have already filled their rosters. His father was quoted yesterday that his son has told him nothing about his desire to leave for the US, and said he would know.
GreenBeret7 November 2nd, 2011 at 9:29 am
Well, things should start popping around baseball later this week when Free Agency opens and people start moving around
___________________________________________________________________________
Yep we should know pretty quick if all these public consumption comments are fact or fiction. Often it’s what is said is not what is done. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Yanks land a big guy to play RF. I guess I’m hoping.
Buehrle, 32, has spent his entire career with the White Sox after they drafted him in the 38th round in 1998. In each of the last 11 campaigns, he’s reached a minimum of 201 regular season innings. Last year Buehrle posted a 3.59 ERA, 4.8 K/9, 2.0 BB/9, 0.92 HR/9, and 44.9% groundball rate in 205 1/3 frames.
Buehrle is a Type B free agent, and SI’s Jon Heyman wrote last month that the White Sox are expected to try to re-sign him to a two-year deal. Buehrle said in September he’d like to play two or three more years. He considers the NL a potentially interesting challenge, and has talked many times about pitching for his home-state Cardinals. However, the Cards don’t appear to have a rotation opening for him. Buehrle doesn’t seem inclined to play too far from home, yet he may have reservations about going to the crosstown Cubs. In theory, the Royals could be in play, but we haven’t heard anything yet.
YT-
You should have been a politician.
Do you want him at the price he would command ?
P.S. I’m not sold yet
GB-
Maybe the Yankees can change his tune ?
Trader, there was an article last night somewhere that Darish’s father said that his son hasn’t said anything about playing in the States other than he hasn’t decided about coming over and the son talks to him about everything.
MTU and all:
Latest scuttlebut on Yu Darvish. Read the last 3 days of entries:
http://yakyubaka.com/tag/yu-darvish/
MTU,
Buerhle is from Missouri and you know how those country hicks….ooops…present company excluded, Chad…likes to stay in the area.
Would Darvish compete for a spot in our rotation, or would he just be handed the job ?
Just curious.
GB-
I just posted that article again just below your last comment from yakyubaka or was the Chewbaca? Read the October 31st entry.
YT-
Thanks for that but you took a pass on my question.
GB-
Too bad. Nice fit for a couple of years.
I’m not on the bash Tex bandwagon.
Pujols doesn’t make sense for the Yankees because there is no spot for him. Wishing won’t make it so.
Team remains the same and adds Darvis – that will make me happy with the offseason.
They then get Joba back, have Montero as an every day player that catches/DHs (and I would be interested to see if he can also take some days at 1B), perhaps have a healthy A-Rod, get Teix’s swing sorted a bit and begin to pull some assets from the minors.
That sounds great. Boston might rebound and Tampa might continue their ascent with their young talent, but this Yankees team will remain in the mix…
(let’s also hope Wilson bolts from Texas to the NL so the AL talent level is diminished a little).
I’d like to see Albert stay where he belongs.
With the Cardinals.
Thanks, Trader. That’s the same thing I was reading on another site. Not sure where, but, I’m not going to hold my breath for him.
Mark Buehrle is almost a LH Freddy Garcia. Both smart and both likely to give a quality start with most outings. If Buehrle were a Yankee it wouldn’t be wise to pitch them back-to-back.
C.C.
Nova
Buehrle or Danks
Hughes
Garcia or Noesi
I heard a lot of Texeira bashing on Francesa’s show yesterday and it makes no sense. He needs to work on his swing with K Long, but he was still a valuable asset and will continue to be a valuable asset. He will probably have a better offensive season next year, but he still hot a ton of HRs this year. Pujols is definitely NOT the sort of player the Yankees need to add – very (very!) expensive talent past 30 and with some history of injuries. If they wanted to spend big on a one dimensional player they would look at Fielder first.
Yankee Trader November 2nd, 2011 at 9:32 am
MTU-
Darvish will be 26 yo next week.
—
Darvish just turned 25 August 16.
You should have been a politician.
————————–
MTU-
You’re the best and have such great intuition. I am a politician………………………………Not. But my profession does start with a p.
On Darvish:
YES!
REASONS:
1. It’s not my money and the posting fee doesn’t count toward any luxury tax considerations, which would add 40% more for the Yankees.
2. If they win the bid and can’t come to an agreement, within 30 days, the Nippon Ham Fighters don’t get the money, and can’t post Darvish until the following season. Therefore if he really wants to play here he won’t be getting a 5 year 75-85M contract from the Yankees.
MTU November 2nd, 2011 at 9:48 am
I’d like to see Albert stay where he belongs.
With the Cardinals.
““““““““““““`
Exactly – well said. He belongs in that city just like Jeter belongs in NY. There is no way the NYY pursue him anyway… (unless he can learn to throw a 95mph heater and some well developed secondary pitches).
108-
Where’s AJ ?
montero’s going to be doing a few things….catch, DH and pinch hit if needed. People need to stop trying to read between the lines of everything somebody says….especially when you skip every 3 words and rearrange the letters with what’s left over.
YT-
Things that start with a “p” leaves a lot to the imagination.
Thanks for “putting” it out there.
I’m on the fence about him.
GB-
That’s what’s called word salad.
Doesn’t come with dressing though.
jacksquat-
I’m sorry you’re right. Darvish was born August 16, 1986. I thought I read elsewhere that he had a birthday coming up next week but that must have been on another player.
MTU-
Guess I would have made a good politician.
Most of the Teixeira bashing on francesa’s show were posters from here that felt the need to explain their views in words because typing it made them look like idiots. Thing is, their voices won;t change that. Same goes for Martin and Swisher, to a lesser degree.
YT-
“good politician”.
That’s an oxymoron isn’t it ?
MTU November 2nd, 2011 at 9:55 am
GB-
That’s what’s called word salad.
Doesn’t come with dressing though.
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They’re trying to decypher the JN-25 naval codes from WWII and that’s as much as they can get out of it….guess about 15% of the words correctly.
GB-
They simply can’t match your level of training and experience.
MTU November 2nd, 2011 at 9:57 am
YT-
“good politician”.
That’s an oxymoron isn’t it ?
————————————————————————————————————————-
Yes, haven’t seen one yet that wasn’t an ox and a moron.
The Toronto Stars’ Cathal Kelly mentions that it could take more than US$125M to land Darvish:
Anthopoulos visited Japan to scout the 25-year-old right-hander, who has been compared in some precincts to Justin Verlander. This is the sort of acquisition Anthopoulos loves — an elite, fully developed player who will cost nothing but money. It’s going to be a lot of money, likely well north of $125 million between the posting fee and his contract. But it would give the Jays two stars at the top of the rotation, which may soon be more than their divisional rivals can say.
That last sentence. How cruel is that??
There’s good reason to expect the offense to be better when only Granderson and Cano can be considered to have had outstanding seasons.
DH will almost certainly be much more productive and 3B should as well.
I think Hank should buy the Dodgers and trade Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw for AJ Burnett and Nick Swisher. THAT would cement his Yankees legacy
GB-
Yeah. Agree with the moron part.
$125 mil plus for a rookie?
Comparison of darvish to verlander is good for a nice belly laugh.
Too funny. Oh. My sides hurt from laughing.
If some fool wants to pay Darvish Verlander money then good luck.
86-
I like that idea. that way we get Mattingly back too.
Thought you’d like that quote. Did you read the rest of the articles over the last 3 days that I’ll attach again on Darvish?
http://yakyubaka.com/tag/yu-darvish/
Will the Yankees make a Yu-turn and swing around to get him or not ?
Buster_ESPN
John Lowe, Tiger beat writer for Detroiot Free Press, reports Victor Martinez will be used strictly as DH in 2012. 2nd catcher needed.
Time to walk the pupperazzi.
Later.
MTU-
It won’t be a Yu-turn, but Yu know what, the Yankees will enter the bidding on Yu know who!
Suggesting that Teixera hasn’t been performing like the player they thought they were signing is neither bashing him…..nor does it mean he’s not a valuable or good player.
He was signed to be a cornerstone player……the guy to carry the Yankees as Arod aged.
He’s not that guy right now and I don’t see pointing that out as bashing him…..fact is they need him to be better. He’s in his prime age wise and they need him to be closer to what they signed him to be. They didn’t sign him to be a complimentary .830 OPS 1B with a good glove. They sign him to be a stud player…..like he used to be.
YT-
I guess yu know what yu know after all.
Buster_ESPN
John Lowe, Tiger beat writer for Detroiot Free Press, reports Victor Martinez will be used strictly as DH in 2012. 2nd catcher needed.
Cervelli for Phil Coke. There’s your second lefthander out of the pen.
I’d love to see Darvish with the Yanks cuz he could be something special…. but there’s no way on earth I’d authorize spending that kind of money…
Even if you can get him for Dice-K $$$ you’re looking at more than $ 17 M a year for 6 years. Actual total cost of $ 20 M a year if you factor in luxury tax.
Best chance for a rotation upgrade is probably going to involve dealing prime young talent (exempting only Nova and Moreno from the conversation) and/or taking on a bad contract.
I am a fan of Coke…the Phil kind anyway
86w183 November 2nd, 2011 at 10:17 am
I’d love to see Darvish with the Yanks cuz he could be something special…. but there’s no way on earth I’d authorize spending that kind of money…
Even if you can get him for Dice-K $$$ you’re looking at more than $ 17 M a year for 6 years. Actual total cost of $ 20 M a year if you factor in luxury tax.
—
Actually you factor out luxury tax savings (if you would be spending that money on someone else) because a big chunk of his cost would be the posting fee which the luxury tax does not apply to. But at $17 mil/year he is still expensive even with some luxury tax savings. Too much. Even at around $15 mil/year effectively you are making a bet that he is a #2 starter.
Joe from Long Island November 2nd, 2011 at 10:17 am
Buster_ESPN
John Lowe, Tiger beat writer for Detroiot Free Press, reports Victor Martinez will be used strictly as DH in 2012. 2nd catcher needed.
Cervelli for Phil Coke. There’s your second lefthander out of the pen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yes Joe, I bite on that deal anytime. I believe Cashman wants to see Boone Logan pushed a little over the course of a season.
“Cervelli for Phil Coke. There’s your second lefthander out of the pen.”
A possible new home for Cervelli was why I posted it but looking at the free agent catcher list, there might be few alternatives available to them instead of a trade.
I’ve heard having a Molina increases your WS odds and there is one available.
MTU November 2nd, 2011 at 9:51 am
108-
Where’s AJ ?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hopefully with Washington or Philly to keep his wife’s wish of not flying.
This is dumb, but I’ll admit I laughed
AndrewMarchand RT @RealCapnCrunch: It’s a good morning, Crunch Nation! (Tell CC — or maybe don’t — Capn’Crunch) is on Twitter.
blake -
I don’t know what else to call it when day after day there are a series of extremely negative posts about Teixeira, lamenting that he is on the team at all. I’m not pointing fingers at particular people, and am not interested in doing so. I couldn’t tell you who posted what if you paid me.
But at the end of the season Teixeira was making a concerted effort to make some changes, which I expect to be an ongoing process. In addition, the guy talked about the problem himself. It’s not like he exists in this vacuum where he is not aware that his BA plummeted. I expect that he is more disappointed in that aspect of his game than even Lohud fans are.
In some of the posts here, you’d think that Tex was a clueless automaton who refuses to see anything and isn’t even trying. That’s the bandwagon I’m not even close to jumping on. If you want to say Teixeira needs to work on things, I’m on that one.
The Yankees should at least talk to the Phillies about Cole Hamels. The Phillies have plenty of holes to fill and maybe locking up Hamels would make it too difficult/costly for them to solve all their problems.
108-
Knew it all the time. We can dream.
blake November 2nd, 2011 at 10:16 am
Suggesting that Teixera hasn’t been performing like the player they thought they were signing is neither bashing him…..nor does it mean he’s not a valuable or good player.
He was signed to be a cornerstone player……the guy to carry the Yankees as Arod aged.
He’s not that guy right now and I don’t see pointing that out as bashing him…..fact is they need him to be better. He’s in his prime age wise and they need him to be closer to what they signed him to be. They didn’t sign him to be a complimentary .830 OPS 1B with a good glove. They sign him to be a stud player…..like he used to be.
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Nobody’s bashing him? Have you been reading this stuff lately? On Teixeira, Swisher or Burnett? People go off the deep end. It’s not disappointment….it’s closer to stupidity and obsession. The Yankees as a team lost…not just one or two players. Only two players had normal or above normal regular seasons on offense.
There’s more chance that the Phillies would try trading Kyle Kendrick than Hamels. They certainly aren’t trading him for nick Swisher.
Villa Nova-Ya -
It’s the off season and not much to discuss other than a “wish list”. So it’s expected to see certain ideas & wanting said player replaced and shipped out ASAP. Teix gets a lot of criticism, but I hear it mostly on Francesa and not as much as on this blog, where AJ is the main villain with the same people spending their daily energy hating on AJ for the most part. If the end of the world comes, rest assured this blog will blame it on AJ
Though on Francesa it’s different. Teix does seem to be the #1 offender.
I think it’s because of the shiny new toy called Pujols, who will cost like 30mil for 10yrs (not interested) and has no place to play as 1b & DH are taken. Teix has no trade & benching him is ridiculous.
I understand that Teix hasn’t lived up to expectations regarding his BA against righties, which is sinking every year. But he puts up the numbers rbis/homers. Again, if the BA is low, my guess is this cooresponds to consistency, which might affect productivity across the span of a week (which would reflect negatively on a series in the post).
I for one, do not want to trade Teix. I love his defense. I just need him to get his LH swing together because he needs to BU a-rod. I hope he pulls it together. And I believe he’ll work on it & have a great year, redeeming himself to *most*.
Lockdown-
You are entitled to your opinion on AJ please allow other people theirs.
I’d love to go and drink a beer with the guy I just don’t want him pitching for the NY Yankees any longer.
He has been one of the worst, most overpaid starting pitchers in baseball.
At 34 the hope of change out of him just doesn’t cut it for me.
I wish the Yankees felt the same way.
I’m sure the Phillies let Oswalt go in part to have the $$$ to hold on to Hamels.
MTU November 2nd, 2011 at 11:08 am
Lockdown-
You are entitled to your opinion on AJ please allow other people theirs.
————————
Where did I say that you weren’t entitled to your own opinion? You can say whatever you want about AJ, just like I can.
LockDown November 2nd, 2011 at 11:05 am
If the end of the world comes, rest assured this blog will blame it on AJ
*********************
Martin, Girardi and Cashman would also get their share of blame. But you’re right, mostly AJ
MTU —
AJ has been awful (at times), but I don’t see the Yanks doing a “Derek Lowe” deal and eating 2/3 of his contract. The innings he accumulates does have some value and hoping he does better makes more sense to me than eating the $$ and hoping he doesn’t do better.
The only way to deal him other than eating $$$ would be by taking on a bad contract and hoping that player performs better. Carlos Lee and Wondy Rodriguez for Swisher and AJ would be about cash neutral and might help both…. then again it might not.
Villa,
That’s fair
Gb7,
I’ve seen a lot more constructive criticism type posts about Tex than bashing him….calling him a bum or anything like that.
Tex is a guy that wanted to be a Yankee…..he turned down more money (Nationals) to be a Yankee…….he’s a professional and represents the team well……but the bottom line is he needs to perform better and its fair to say that. I want him to succeed and am really glad he’s recognized the problem and is going to try and correct it.
Erin November 2nd, 2011 at 11:10 am
LockDown November 2nd, 2011 at 11:05 am
If the end of the world comes, rest assured this blog will blame it on AJ
*********************
Martin, Girardi and Cashman would also get their share of blame. But you’re right, mostly AJ
——————————————————
When AJ had the mohawk look, I thought the world was about to come to an end
Yeah, I forgot about Martin… He’s gotten his share of bashing too
Lockdown-
“where AJ is the main villain with the same people spending their daily energy hating on AJ for the most part.”
Does that sound like you are tolerant of other people’s POV’s on AJ ?
86-
All I am saying is that I hope they try.
Once he takes the mound I will always hope for the best though I expect little in general.
MTU November 2nd, 2011 at 11:17 am
Lockdown-
“where AJ is the main villain with the same people spending their daily energy hating on AJ for the most part.”
Does that sound like you are tolerant of other people’s POV’s on AJ ?
————————————————
So because I pointed out that people post about AJ daily, this makes me intolerant?
And this post was in response to someone (and others in general) who have expressed complaining about various players on this blog.
It’s not like I just came in and started complaining about others complaining.
With that logic, the fact that I posted about “people talking about AJ daily” and YOU criticized me, one could say you’re not tolerant of others.
And mind you how many times have I posted about others complaining?
You seem to be taking this a bit far.
I think the media will be surprised that the Darvish total deal will come in lower than the Dice-k deal.
I doubt that any team goes over 40mil as far as the posting fee is concerned and as far as his deal goes I think he’ll get more in the range of 4yrs/40-45mil as opposed to 5 or 6yrs @ 15mil per.
Question and answer with Bryan Hoch.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/articl.....um=twitter
No. It was because you used the term people sometimes “hate” on AJ.
Pointing out his flaws is not “hating” on him.
I could care less if you like him or not. You’re entitled to that.
I criticize his performance. That seems valid. Many others do too.
I’m moving on.
There’s a few favorite punching bags here this off-season. I do get that it’s part of the post-mortem when the Yankees fall short of the goal.
The difference with Teixeira is that while his BA went down, his HR and RBI numbers are still very good AND his defense to me puts him on a different level.
Swisher – I like him and wouldn’t object to his being here for another year, but at least speculation about moving him is reasonable. Because of his contract and because he’s not going to be here long-term.
AJ. Who ISN’T frustrated with AJ? Seems both sides are praying for a miracle – a trade or improvement. Neither once seems particularly likely to happen.
MTU –
So I’m intolerant of other people’s opinions because I used the word “hate”
You started it, you called me intolerant and now you’re moving on. Nice.
Lockdown-
Looks like you get the final word.
If Darvish comes down to $ 40 M posting and 5 years for $ 40 more that would be a lot more tempting…. but it’s still $ 16 M a year for 5 years… is that $$ better spent on CJ Wilson?
I did read an excellent article about Wilson’s high ground ball rate and how he might be less effective with a less rangy/skilled defensive infield. Texas is MUCH better than the Yanks at SS and 3B, but the Yanks are better @ 1B and 2B.
My first choice would still be to convince Jack Z that dealing Felix and Figgins for 5 or 6 prospects is the best way to start rebuilding that team. I don’t want Figgins, but offering to take him gives the Mariners $ 17 M more reasons to consider doing something.
When the middle of your order, or specifically Texeria who hit 3rd most of the season and Swisher can’t touch RHP it’s fair for fans to be disappointed in them. They were atrocious in the post season and against the RHP for the most part this season which is the majority of the kind of pitching you face in MLB. It’s not like the league is 50% LHP.
And to give Texeira credit for HR’s and RBI’s is nice, but Dave Kingman put up those kind of numbers in his career too and no one looks back at him like he was one of the top hitters in the game. If the batting average does not rebound the HR’s and RBI’s become a life preserver for a guy making 23 million here for the next 5 years who has regressed with the bat every season since becoming a Yankee.
As for Swisher, he’s the one talked about the most because fans know he’s the most movable. He only has a year left here. He’s one of the few positions on the team outside of LF where the Yankees can make changes. He’s a bust in the post season and his regular season is up and down. Would I deal him for a decent starter? Yes. I’d rather go into next season with a Andruw Jones platoon if the Yankees can find a solid RF’er who can hit RHP to pair him with. I don’t think Swisher is needed to get to the post season. What we’ve seen in the past 2 years in the playoffs is this team needs hitters who can square the ball up and hit it. All the situational failures of Tex and Swisher in the post season are staggering. How many times did we just need them or Arod to put a ball in the OF so we could scratch in a run? They were unable to do it.
Watching the Cardinals and Texas was eye opening. Seeing players actually have the ability to hit post season pitching was a new experience after watching the Yankees make it look like it was the most difficult thing to do in the world.
Would I love it for the Yankees to go get Pujols? Absolutely. With Larussa going it would have been perfect timing to get him. Tex blocks that move. If he doesn’t fix his hitting next year it’s going to uglier and uglier for him despite how many great plays he makes at 1b. They’re paying him to be a great hitter and in 3 seasons he’s played himself down from the 3 spot to the 5 spot and dropping if he doesn’t start hitting RHP.
I’m going to light a candle tonight that AJ gets traded to the Phillies. So MTU will be my friend
I will personally drive AJ over to Philadelphia…. why would I do that? So that I can receive the Starbuck’s caramel Frappuccina that he’s being traded for.
Plus, I can take a peek at his tats *ripped shirt*
I’m joking… Or am I?
This is my truce post to MTU
Lockdown-
I’m easy. Truce accepted.
Teixeira is not Dave Kingman. I’m giving Teixeira, an intelligent and talented athlete, the benefit of the doubt that he is going to work on his performance and I’m hopeful that there will be improvement.
I didn’t say it wasn’t reasonable to be disappointed with Teixeira. It is the extreme position that is taken often enough that makes me call it bashing.
Pujols is also not above having his difficulties. He rebounded, but the first half of last season was markedly un-Pujols-like.
2009-2011
Player A: .266/.363/.514 128 OPS+
Player B: .267/.368/.486 123 OPS+
Both Yankees. Guess who?
Pujols and Tex aren’t in the same stratosphere offensively……Albert has the best RH swing I’ve ever seen and hits everybody…..lefties / righties……good pitching….bad pitching…….whoever signs him will pay for a few decline years…..but his swing is designed to age slowly.
I agree with MTU re: AJ. Its sunk money ….get out before the stock hits zero
BryanHoch : Cashman raising awareness of homeless kids http://atmlb.com/rGUHLc
That Kingman reference is a real reach
Kingman’s career batting average of .236 is lower than Tex’s career worst .248 last year and WAY below Tex’s .281 career mark.
Additionally Kingman drove in 100 runs twice in his career. Texas has done it all 3 Yankees seasons and each of his 8 full seasons
LGY,
Swisher and Tex?
LGY — Tex and ARod or Tex and Swish
Erin, it’s not Ms Piggy, but, close
https://twitter.com/#!/si_vault/status/131754552650240000/photo/1
Villa,
Not saying Tex is Kingman. Before the past few seasons he was an elite bat that Kingman never was. However, now he is becoming a low average masher a la Kingman. If he doesn’t fix this it’s going to get ugly. You cannot put a .220 hitting 1b against RHP in the middle of this lineup long term. You just can’t.
Basically Tex is Carlos Pena vs RHP. Good glove….will hit some homers …..but wont make solid contact often. That’s 2/3 of the games……
G. Love
Watching the Cardinals and Texas was eye opening. Seeing players actually have the ability to hit post season pitching was a new experience after watching the Yankees make it look like it was the most difficult thing to do in the world.
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I’m not gonna lie, I had this “eye opening” feeling as well. You express a lot of what I felt. But idk. Maybe it’s just emotion. Players/teams get hot. Who’s to say everyone won’t get hot next year and the team wins it all.
I still feel if Girardi would have changed the lineup than the yanks would have beaten the tigers. So he’s the main culprit because he had the means to put the team in the best chance to win but didn’t. I don’t envy his job. Managing aging superstars is rough.
Next season a lot will depend on the same 3 players for reasons we’ve heard plenty of time. And I do feel the best place to improve is in RF for obvious reasons.
I will say that I actually like Swisher. And it may not be fair to him since he was not brought in to carry the team & yet he’s the one who may ultimately pay because of the lack of production from 2011 versions of Arod/Teix.
If Arod or even Teix played well, then Swisher’s post season struggles would be swept under the rug. But it didn’t work out that way. And I honestly don’t see why improving at RF (if they could) would be such a bad thing.
I have to admit, I have a soft spot for players who can come up clutch in the post or big games in general.
This event could be snarky sportswriter manna from heaven…….
PeterBottePeter Botte
Just got a release that Lenny Dykstra vows to knock out Canseco in Nov. 5 celeb boxing match for “ruining my career.”
Found some interesting data this morning regarding some of the conversation that was being made on Tex from a how much is the shift hurting him? and what does he need to do to become a more productive hitter beyond the HR’s like he has been in the past. I looked at this link and came away with a couple of things, his hit production has dropped even in situations where he is pulling the ball Left handed and his opposite field percentages have dropped considerably also from the left side. Teams have the same data aval so the combination of the way they have been piitching him and the shift plus his hitting philosophy sems to have had a significant impact over the past three years. His key is going to be getting teams to play him more honest from the left side. Hopefully he can negate some of the advantage that the shift has given the opposition during his work in the offseason. Hope this link works.
http://www.baseball-reference......;t=b#hitlo
If you click on the row like pulled RH it will go the yearly statistics.
GB-that’s adorable
Good job blake!
Player A is Tex. Player B is Swish.
Did you think 3 years ago the Yankees were signing Nick Swisher to a $180 million deal?
Lockdown,
It’s something CB has said several times this season; The Yankees need offensive players who can put the bat on the ball and square it up. Think about the at bats Jorge had in the post season. That’s what this offense is missing and Jorge won’t be back.
Swisher and Tex have bad approaches. It’s about running into a fastball and driving it 500 feet. They rarely hit the ball where it’s pitched and do something with it. It’s why they turn to jello on those low outside breaking pitches. They can’t pull them.
Montero, on the other hand, showed he can wait for that pitch and drive it the other way. That’s the kind of bats you need in the post season when a game or series can be decided by a hitters ability to hit the ball when it isn’t thrown in their perfect spot.
Part of it is emotion, but I saw a hobbled Hamilton come up big in a big moment for his team. You saw Berkman take the pitch he was thrown and just hit it back up the middle instead of trying to hit it to Queens like Swisher and Tex.
Yankees won in 09 because we still had quality at bats from Matsui and Damon and you had Arod on fire not to mention the pitching. They were different hitters who could foul off pitches for days waiting to get something they could do something with in a situational hitting at bat.
I’m fine moving on from Swisher. He’s going to want a ton of money to resign here and he’s not worth it. We’re locked into Tex for 5 more years so they should find a RF who has the ability to hit the ball for a higher average to mitigate what we’ve seen in the past few post seasons from these guys.
Montero will help if they don’t deal him (and I hope they don’t). Nunez helps. You can see he has that ability to get the bat on the ball and hit it hard.
Tex needs to get better. Compare his at bats to what you saw from Berkman and Pujols who were the middle of the Cardinals order. He’s not in their class of hitter. He’s a home run derby hitter now from the left side.
Thought you’d enjoy that photo-op, Erin. It’s better than looking at pix of Kim Kardasian.
“Did you think 3 years ago the Yankees were signing Nick Swisher to a $180 million deal?”
Yea that’s the issue….he’s not been the player they thought they signed…..still been good…..still been productive…..but they didn’t give him 180 million to be a supporting cast member.
GreenBeret7 November 2nd, 2011 at 12:14 pm
Thought you?d enjoy that photo-op, Erin. It?s better than looking at pix of Kim Kardasian.
**********************
Definitely.
Joba_62 It’s a little wet here in Lincoln today! WOW, wind, rain, snow, and thunder welcome to November
http://pic.twitter.com/SVEmYWBV
LGY November 2nd, 2011 at 12:10 pm
Good job blake!
Player A is Tex. Player B is Swish.
Did you think 3 years ago the Yankees were signing Nick Swisher to a $180 million deal?
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Although it cuts both ways, Tex has been underperforming, but Swisher has performed as well as we could have expected.
Let’s hope we can get Tex’s swing back in order and that last season is rock bottom.
Despite Swish’s issues in the postseason that trade was an absolute robbery by Cashman….Swisher made himself into a useful player as a Yankee and wanted to be in NY and embraced it. I would shop him this winter but regardless he’s provided great value during his time with the club.
Perhaps I just remember the Aaron Boone, Scott Brosius or David Freese moments more than middle of the order hitters moments in the postseason because the stories are unexpected but it seems the guys that carry teams for 162 often aren’t who carry them in the postseason.
New Post: Cashman cautious about moving Burnett
but it seems the guys that carry teams for 162 often aren?t who carry them in the postseason.
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There is a difference between carrying a team and being an automatic out
G Love,
I agree with you. I would like a .300 hitter with 15-20 HR power who doesn’t strike out 100 plus times every year. Swisher is swinging for the fences far too much as a left hander, as is Teixiera. Could they try for an opposite field single please?
Teixiera’s BABIP as a lefty is always going to be abysmal with him hitting everything, except a weak fly ball, to the right side filled with fielders. A handful of ground single down third base would help him add many points as teams have to adjust.
G. Love makes valid points. Both Teixeira and Swisher need adjustments in their hitting approaches. A good level plane of hitting the ball where it’s pitched and to all fields. It gives opposing pitchers another thing to think about.
The Yankees are not solely dependent on their long ball hitting with the likes of a healthy Alex, Cano, and Granderson in the lineup. The home runs come by themselves with mistakes of pitchers.