Notes and links heading into the weekend
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Nov 18, 2011 
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After three nights in an upscale Milwaukee hotel, Brian Cashman spent last night sleeping on the street in Times Square to bring awareness to the struggles of homeless youth.
“There are some sad, powerful stories that exist that create a feeling of hopelessness,” Cashman told the New York Daily News. “We’re trying to communicate that homeless doesn’t mean hopeless. There are very tragic circumstances, but these kids are just amazing. They just need help getting back on track.”
Cashman is heavily involved with Covenant House and was taking part in the CEO Solidarity Sleepout.
A few other notes and links…
• Dave Robertson and his wife Erin were honored at Winning Beyond Winning’s annual Gil Hodges Legacy Dinner. Erik Boland was there, and wrote that Robertson is still hungry after his breakout, all-star season. “It’s the big leagues, it’s the New York Yankees,” Robertson said. “I don’t want to get beat and not do well because I’m not prepared. I’m going to train as hard as I can. I’m going to hold my ground and try to keep my spot.”
• Anytime a former star hits the market as a potential risk-reward bargain, that player becomes an instant and lasting topic of discussion. This winter, Grady Sizemore fits the description, but he’s reportedly in serious talks to return to Cleveland.
• Former Yankees long reliever Lance Pendleton has signed a minor league deal with the Astros. It was the Astros who took Pendleton in the Rule 5 draft last winter, then the Astros signed him after the Yankees DFAd him during the season.
• The Yankees have re-signed minor league reliever Grant Duff. Injuries knocked him off track, but a couple of years ago he was starting to make a name for himself with a big fastball in the upper levels. Not saying you should put him at the top of your prospect list, but he still has a chance to make some noise and gain traction, kind of like Kevin Whelan did last season.
• Speaking of minor league signings: Former first-rounder Eric Duncan has signed with the Royals. He had a nice year with the Cardinals Double-A affiliate last season. Another familiar name, Sean Henn, has signed with the Mariners. Joe Thurston — CC Sabathia’s cousin — has signed with the Astros, who are stockpiling 4-A players.
• Just a heads up that Donnie Collins is back to some Yankees blogging over in Scranton. Donnie’s a welcome perspective on this organization, but lately he’s had his hands full with his other beat: Penn State football.
Good to hear Robertson is taking his offseason seriously. He is the future closer.
He certainly has the stuff to close, but maybe, just maybe, too many walks. Everyone says the 8th isn’t the 9th.
Have I missed anything? Geeze Louise I’ve been straight out!
Lots of talk on WEEI about the assistant coach at Syracuse. Nice to see they did the INTELLIGENT thing and put him on paid administrative leave pending investigation.
Poor Oklahoma. Lost two of their coaches in a plane crash. RIP Kurt Budke and Miranda Serna.
******
RSN not at all pleased with the prospect of having Bobby V. as the Sux manager. I see it as nothing but good – for us. Last place, anyone? (I was worried they’d get Alomar Jr. because I thought he could have done a credible job for them.) Lots of criticism that they are now saying they want someone with managerial experience yet interviewed everyone without managerial experience. Also belief that the three stooges are undercutting Cherrington.
Good times.
Buster Olney
Buster_ESPN Buster Olney
Deal between the Indians and Grady Sizemore will be done, source says.
52 minutes ago
Sizemore going back to the Indians makes sense. Don’t think there was a fit with the Yankees as it was.
Very static talent market. Getting movement seems to get more and more difficult. Teams are more and more reluctant to trade young players and fewer guys are making it to the market.
There has to be a source of liquidity so to speak.
And in general – one of the major sources of liquidity in the game has been Kenny Williams.
As far as minor league relievers in the Yankee system, I have to think that one of Kontos or Whelen will be moved out.
Yanks have a lot of the same players in the upper system…starting pitchers, relievers and catchers, along with a couple of good, young hitting 2nd basemen. Adams is as of a good or better as Joseph and a superior fielder. Good range, arm and hands. The trouble is that neither one can play shortstop and the only real upper level shortstop is Luis Nunez, who will most likely get picked in the Rule 5, unless he’s already been declared a minor league FA. Next after that is shortstop with Trenton, Jose Pirela, who’s been playing 2nd base in the Winter Leagues.
I think people are underestimating Bobby V. You may not like his personality or style, but don’t be deceived, he is not a dumb man. He may not be a genious (and I don’t think he ever said he was), but he is not the guy you want being chosen to manage the Red Sox imo.
“And in general – one of the major sources of liquidity in the game has been Kenny Williams.”
yea you just never know what he’s going to do….he and Cash have worked before. I’ll be interested to see what Sizemore signs for with Cleveland….
Vazquez is 1-2 so far tonight with his 12th homer and 35th RBI. Ramiro Pena is 1=2 and hitting .275
how Boston fills their holes and how healthy a roster full of injury risk can stay will matter a lot more than who they sign as manager.
Why should I care if Valentine manages the Red Ssox? Unlike a lot of people on here, I have no obsession with everything Red Sox. As long as NYYs win, i don’t care who manages them or plays for them.
“Why should I care if Valentine manages the Red Ssox? ”
uhm….because if he’s the manager then there will be a perfect melding of geniuses and the bestest team ever of all time will be born and never lose.
Very static talent market. Getting movement seems to get more and more difficult. Teams are more and more reluctant to trade young players and fewer guys are making it to the market.
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That’s why the Yankees should be aggressive with the two big international players, in my opinion. If they like them they should go all out for them.
Valentine’s genius didn’t show too well in the 2000 WS. In 14 and a half years of managing, he has one division title and 4 2nd place division finishes and has been fired twice. Like showalter, he wears out his welcome and owners don’t like managers that tell them how to run their business.
Doubtful that the Yanks will be paying upwards of $180 mil for two rookies.
GreenBeret7 November 18th, 2011 at 11:32 pm
Doubtful that the Yanks will be paying upwards of $180 mil for two rookies.
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I’m not really advocating for both, that’s unrealistic. Committing to one might not be. Where else do you find this type of upside on the market?
It isn’t like either one has played against the best talent in the world on a consistant basis. even Bryce Harper and Steven Strasburg didn’t command that type of money and they were considered the best talent to come along in years.
GreenBeret7 November 18th, 2011 at 11:52 pm
It isn’t like either one has played against the best talent in the world on a consistant basis. even Bryce Harper and Steven Strasburg didn’t command that type of money and they were considered the best talent to come along in years.
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Yeah, sure. Their market price isn’t actually their real value. Teams will have to pay a real premium for them, but a premium for high upside talent is worth it if you can eat the loss at the end of the day.
And the Yankees won’t sniff young (American) talent like Harper or Starsburg in the foreseeable future. With the direction the trade and free agent markets are heading towards, I think it only makes sense for the Yankees to make an impact now (if they like either guy).
When’s the next chance to acquire young talented players and at what’s will be the cost?
57 years ago, the Yanks and Baltimore pulled off a 17 player trade. Yanks may have been short changed on the deal, though. Their two biggest parts of the deal were two losers named Bob Turley and Don Larson who didn’t make much of an impact on baseball. Wonder whatever became of them?
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/.....um=twitter
It’s just that several people here seem to think Bobby V. is an idiot that would manage the Red Sox into last place, and I think that’s far from the case. And Lucchino seems to like him in particular so I wouldn’t be so sure there would be any manager/upper level management/ownership conflict.
“Our club is pretty much set except for trying to shore up the back end of the rotation,” Brian Cashman told Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News.
While I don’t think Bobby Valentine is an idiot, nor do I think he is the bromide for a sinking ship. This is a team that has been exposed as having dissed and ignored its manager. I see their choice of manager as critical to the future on their team as they are a godawful mess. I don’t care who they run out there as members of the team. As long as the inmates run the institution, it will remain a joke. I’m thinking the losers at the top don’t understand that they had any part in the team sinking into the abyss. Again, good for us. If the crybabies get upset again about having to tough things out, there’s always pasty John Henry’s yacht and Ipods for all involved.
What a bloody joke.
If the Yankees sign Cepedes and Darvish, I’m fine with that. If they only sign one, I’m fine with that. If they don’t sign either one, I’m fine with that, too. I’m completely indifferent to them.
How can we even know if Bobby Valentine can manage in the majors? He managed pretty good in the NPB but they use different size lineup sheets over there.
Jerk broke the blog so everyone would have to read his joke over and over again.
Tar,
If anyone cold its JF
I actually wound up in Blacksburg Thursday night……they almost pulled it off
“Our club is pretty much set except for trying to shore up the back end of the rotation,” Brian Cashman told Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News.”
And why wouldn’t it be? The Yankees don’t need much beyond what they already have. What they do need is adequate production from what they already have.
I predicted Hughes, AJ, Nova and CC would be in the rotation (not rocket science I know). I also predicted that Freddy would be back and hoped that Bartolo would be also. Still plenty of time for me to be wrong, of course!
I have to tell you that when I heard that Joe Paterno had been diagnosed with treatable lung cancer I have to admit that I immediately wondered if it was nothing more than a publicity ploy and a way to get him back into peoples’ good graces (meaning that he’s not really sick at all and it’s all cooked up.) After watching the way things unfolded after the Sandusky indictment, I still see it as Joe Paterno country and don’t know that the right way of doing business is so alien to them that they continue to fall in with the “Penn State” way, still assuming it is the only way.
Why is everyone making such a big deal out of the interleague every day stuff……its roughly the same numbers of games……they are just going to spread it over the course of the season which actually benefits the AL teams to me because they wont have to go like 2 or 3 series in a row without their DH anymore.
Also been busy enough with work that I didn’t realize that there are also a lot of cracks in the Syracuse case.
When a particular sport or sports end up defining an institution, it appears that a different set of rules magically appears, and those aren’t necessarily good rules.
I haven’t read through everything in detail……but so far the only thing about the new CBA I don’t like is the stuff about the draft and international signings……its yet another direct attempt to limit the Yankees………but that’s what they keep pushing for.
They want every team to have a chance……and its worked. Teams that run themselves well contend no matter what their payroll is …….and maybe that’s good for baseball…..but it sucks for the Yankees.
blake, has anything new come out of the MLB contract? Has Bud the leper made any changes I should know about, beyond assuring that the AL West will be as weak as the AL Central?
What is going on with the interleague every day stuff?
Okay I’m going back to work. Any updates will be greatly appreciated.
Trisha,
In my state…..failure to report child abuse directly to the police or social services can cost you a year in jail.
Trisha,
Basically because there will be an odd number of teams in each league …..there will have to be at least one interleague game when all the teams are playing that day. As long as they keep the number of actual games the same ……who cares.
Morning, pulled these comments off the post just now
“Our club is pretty set, except [we want to] shore up the back of the rotation,” Cashman said. “I made trade proposals that were rejected and received trade proposals that I rejected.”
That’s further along than he got with any free agents.
“The free agent guys haven’t made me any offers,” Cashman said. “The free agent [market] is moving at a glacial speed. And the category I’m shopping in, I don’t believe guys are jumping off the board this week. The players I’m interested in won’t be coming off the board anytime soon. But trade stuff is different. That can move fast, if someone finds the right match.”
He still hasn’t followed up with C.J. Wilson’s agent, Bob Garber, who expressed an interest in bringing the left-hander to New York to meet with the Yankees.
“They asked to come meet with me,” Cashman said, “but we didn’t set anything up and I haven’t talked to them again.”
“Our club is pretty set, except [we want to] shore up the back of the rotation”
Well I guess we are rolling the dice that the offense that never seems to showup for the playoffs will have some great revitalization and reverse history. Awful lot of data on some of these guys just being absymal in the post season. Oh well
blake -
The actual number of interleague games was what had me a little confused – I wasn’t sure if it was the same number of games spread out or if they were adding interleague games. If it is going to be the same, it’s no big deal. If it was going to be increased (and I’m not convinced that won’t happen at some point), then I do think that the leagues are going to have to do something about the DH/NonDH – though that is a highly contentious subject between the leagues.
and maybe that’s good for baseball…..but it sucks for the Yankees.
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It’s like Moneyball, the Yankees will find a new dimension of the game to focus on. We have more resources than any other team, there’s always a way to leverage that.
Gary -
Per FAs, I had MLB on the radio yesterday, and they were speaking with Francisco Cordero, who is a FA closer (Reds). They asked him if he thought it was going to take along time for him to get a contract (pecking order of closers being signed was the thrust of the question). He said he thought that once the new agreement was signed he thought things would move a lot more quickly. He believed that no one wanted to do anything until they were clear about compensation.
Gary November 19th, 2011 at 8:55 am
“Our club is pretty set, except [we want to] shore up the back of the rotation”
Well I guess we are rolling the dice that the offense that never seems to showup for the playoffs will have some great revitalization and reverse history. Awful lot of data on some of these guys just being absymal in the post season. Oh well
——–
How does one design an offense for the playoffs? In the past its been bench players and veterans. Is there something else?
Do we go around trying to find the Cody Ross or go with guys that will produce over the course of a season?
Villa,
My understanding is that the actual number if interleague games will be about the same….just more spread out.
If they increased the number then they would absolutely have to unify the rules……you can’t have teams building their clubs with the DH and then play 50 games without it and vice versa.
“Bubba Crosby is our CFer” nothing said by GMs this time of year means a whole lot.t
Radiokev,
True …..but the direct ways they can use their financial advantage are becoming increasingly marginalized……
Villa Nova-Ya November 19th, 2011 at 8:58 am
Gary -
Per FAs, I had MLB on the radio yesterday, and they were speaking with Francisco Cordero, who is a FA closer (Reds). They asked him if he thought it was going to take along time for him to get a contract (pecking order of closers being signed was the thrust of the question). He said he thought that once the new agreement was signed he thought things would move a lot more quickly. He believed that no one wanted to do anything until they were clear about compensation.
____________________________________________________________________________
Just remains to be seen how much of a role the Yanks will take in pursuing anyone. You can take the tact that the comments coming from the front office are basically correct and their comfort level is very high with the guys they have and they are staying pat. Or that it’s just a bunch of spin masking their real intent.
To me there is too much data about the offense falling on their face in the post season. If all we do is get another arm we will be having the same conversations again a year from now.
blake November 19th, 2011 at 9:03 am
Radiokev,
True …..but the direct ways they can use their financial advantage are becoming increasingly marginalized……
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Yeah, signing guys. That’s true, but if the rules force us to be an ever better organization, I’m fine with that. We’re seeing the fruits of our renewed dedication to scouting and player development right now.
If MLB tries to cut off the amount of money we can spend on these guys, who we can get and who we can’t get, focus the money elsewhere. Let’s get the best scouts, the best coaches and the best trainers out there.
RadioKev November 19th, 2011 at 9:01 am
Gary November 19th, 2011 at 8:55 am
“Our club is pretty set, except [we want to] shore up the back of the rotation”
Well I guess we are rolling the dice that the offense that never seems to showup for the playoffs will have some great revitalization and reverse history. Awful lot of data on some of these guys just being absymal in the post season. Oh well
——–
How does one design an offense for the playoffs? In the past its been bench players and veterans. Is there something else?
Do we go around trying to find the Cody Ross or go with guys that will produce over the course of a season?
____________________________________________________________________________
I guess that is the big question that needs an answer. All I know is your paying tons of money to guys who are supposed to execute and don’t. It’s more than just getting the key hits, our big guys don’t do the little things that need to be done to get to situations where you can score runs. Far too many strikeout’s, FO’s, RLOB, and DP’s.
And I’ve had this post season argument a few times on here, but the Yankees line up was better than the Cardinals line up, and it was better than the Giants line up. Those teams performed better over the course of a few weeks, what can you do?
We always want to diagnose what went wrong, but I just think the Yankees didn’t get the breaks. And that can happen in baseball.
Gary -
I was speaking to the FA market in general, not necessarily with respect to the Yankees. In my mind, there is not much out there FA-wise that really fits the Yankees, whether it be Wilson who will garner too long a term contract at too much salary for his skill set (plus he’s going to have a lot of suitors), or Pujols/Fielder, who play a position that is taken (1B/DH).
As far as putting a team together, you absolutely (in my mind) have to plan for the 162-game season. The Yankees lost the ALDS on one key hit here or there, and every single person in that lineup came up at one time or another in the lost games with an opportunity to get the big hit (and that includes Jeter and Cano). In addition, while I don’t say with any absolutely certainty that it would have made a difference, had a pinch-hitter been utilized in a couple of those spots, and the pinch hitter got a hit, we also would not be having this conversation. Also, if the wind is not blowing in and Jeter’s hit goes out, we are not having this conversation. This ALDS was not a total failure of offense, not even by the guys that are consistently picked out as being the culprits.
In the games they won, the offense was dominant. In the games they lost, they came close against pitchers who were very good, and a Tigers bullpen that was also very good, for the most part.
Also, there are no guarantees about how any player is going to perform in a short series. You know, except for the mega-game Pujols had, he was not dominant.
Don’t fret over Valentine, he’ll be in disguise anyway. You’ll never know if he’s even there.
“I have to tell you that when I heard that Joe Paterno had been diagnosed with treatable lung cancer I have to admit that I immediately wondered if it was nothing more than a publicity ploy and a way to get him back into peoples’ good graces (meaning that he’s not really sick at all and it’s all cooked up.)”
Trisha, you are an idiot.
As a long, long time reader (since Pete McRib was running the show here), I have long since stopped reading your fooolish and often immature comments on baseball (and sports as a whole).
But this takes the cake.