Wednesday notes:
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Feb 29, 2012 
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What a strange day in Yankees camp. The team was going through it’s final full workout before games start, yet all of the conversation — here, and on radio in New York — centered on something that happened more than 10 years ago.
The bigger news in baseball came from Ken Rosenthal, who reported today that Major League Baseball is on the verge of finalizing a 10-team playoff format for this season. The collective bargaining agreement called for a second wild card by 2013, but Rosenthal says it will happen immediately.
As for the Yankees, they’re still in the phase of “no news is good news,” and there wasn’t much news today.
• Mariano Rivera threw 34 pitches in the bullpen today. “He said he felt great,” Joe Giradi said. Although there’s still no scheduled date for Rivera’s first spring outing, Girardi said he guesses it will happen March 15 or 16.
• Russell Branyan has a sore back. He was a long shot to make the team as a left-handed DH anyway, but now he’ll miss some time. “Don’t know how long it will be,” Girardi said. “I think it was tightening and spasms. We’ll have to wait and see.”
• Speaking of back injuries, Girardi said today that he expects Austin Romine to get into some Grapefruit League games, but he didn’t sound overly optimistic that Romine will play a lot this spring. “He’s been doing rehab work on it, and he’ll continue to do it,” Girardi said. “We’re just making sure that area is very stable. We want that to come back very stable and strong before we put him back. Because he had an episode last year, last August. Once he leaves here I don’t want him to have a setback. I don’t want it to come back and that’s what I told him. So we’re going to hit it really hard over spring training to make sure that we nip this.”
• Girardi confirmed that this is the same sort of situation that kept Romine out of some games late last year.
• Robinson Cano is still scheduled to be back in the clubhouse tomorrow. He’s been away for his grandmother’s funeral.
• Will the regulars play in Thursday’s game against South Florida? “You know, I’ve been going back and forth,” Giradri said. “I think some of them might get one at-bat, some of them might get two at-bats.”
• The Yankees will be off the field at 10:45 a.m. tomorrow, an early finish so that the team can catch an 11:15 bus for their bonding event. Girardi still won’t say what exactly they’re doing tomorrow.
• Asked whether any off-the-radar player has jumped out at him this spring, Girardi first came up with an unexpected name: “Burawa, he threw the ball hard the other day,” Girardi said. “You could just see the hitters (reacting), ‘Ooooh’ the first couple pitches they saw. I thought our BPs yesterday were excellent, I was really impressed and their were some young kids in there. Betances has thrown the ball really well. Warren, Phelps, Stonebrunner threw it well. I’ve been really pleased. Really, really pleased.”
• The Yankees have been given the green light to use a DH for their NL spring road games at the Phillies, Pirates and Nationals on March 5, 6 and 15.
Associated Press photo
See Mo in a full wind-up set position is weird.
Seeing Mo in a full wind-up set position sitting on a stool is weirder.
But if anyone could do it…
Listening to EEI – my two favorite hosts – and they were really critical of the new wild card setup. And Michael Holley lamanted that Selig will probably be in forever and noted that the NFL would never allow something like that wild card situation. Both he and Ordway see Selig as a useless relic.
Ordway and Holley – men after my own heart. They don’t prostitute themselves nor do they ever sell out. They tell it like it is and don’t play the half-way game.
Wish they were Yankee sportscasters. (And FWIW, Ordway has picked the Yanks to win the division most seasons, much to the consternation of the Sux fan callers.)
ARod’s comment about Pineda — “All the potential in the world” — is safe and politically wise. Note that ARod didn’t say Pineda would be a great pitcher for the Yanks. It reminds me of the story of the old-time county doctor, who would enthusiastically tell the parents a newborn he had just delivered, “Well, it certainly is a baby!”
Not sure I understand the NFL remark Trisha, but their system is hardly perfect.
A year ago the NFC East was won on a tie-breaker, with the loser of the tie-breaker missing the playoffs.
The eventual Superbowl winner had the same regular season record as TWO teams that didn’t make it but didn’t qualify on tie-breakers.
Now that’s a practical reality of football and I’m not so much critical of the system than I am simply pointing out there system isn’t perfect and above reproach.
“(Ordway has picked the Yanks to win the division most seasons, much to the consternation of the Sux fan callers.)”
The 2nd half of that sentence may explain the first.
noted that the NFL would never allow something like that wild card situation
===================================
In what sense do you mean?
Lot of people thought Selig was ruining the game when he did the first WC……turned out not really.
Lot of people thought Selig was ruining the game when he did the first WC……turned out not really.
================================
It did. Doesn’t make this most recent move right, however. Obviously remains to be seen how it works out. At the very least, I’d assume the logistics of it all will be a bit of a thing.
The latest player to be named later. Outfielder Mike Stanton has passed on and reborn as Giancarlo Stanton.
Again its not perfect but I prefer it to the old system because it gives more teams a chance while makingit the divisional races mean something again.
How does the old system give more teams a chance?
BTW, I like the 1 WC team system, as I think there are too many teams to go the old-old route of having two divisions per league, and those division winners face each other in the 1st round.
How does the old system give more teams a chance?”
It doesnt
sorry, blake. I read your comment wrong.
gb are you serious?
The news regarding Austin Romine bothers me, as I wonder if his back is going to be an ongoing issue in his career. But I was thinking… is he really the long-term catching solution for the Yankees?
I kind of hope the Yankees can bring back Martin for a few years, which would give Sanchez time to move up and take over in 2016.
As long as stupid Selig allows the unbalanced schedule to remain in play, the real top teams are never assured of ending up on top. But what the heck, go for it! As long as MLB makes money off it, it’s all good, right?
As long as sell-out Selig continues to turn a blind eye to the horrendous umpiring, umpires will continue to decide which team will win the game, as opposed to the players on the field deciding it. Pitchers will continue to be required to get more than 3 outs per inning and hitters will continue to either strike out on balls or walk on strikes. But hey, it’s entertainment, right? As long as MLB is making money off it, it’s all good right?
Selig is a paid wh*re. The integrity of the game has never been uppermost in his mind. I am not a wh*re, paid or otherwise. I don’t play “pretend it isn’t happening” and high five someone’s half-assed achievements when I see clearly that they are playing fast and loose whenever they can and screwing with something that should be standing and standing proudly.
*************
I only reported what Holley and Ordway were saying. I figured you guys would understand it as you know better than I about football. What I did understand is that they think Selig is dead wood and a loser and not good for the game of baseball, and that the new wild card addition is a joke.
Don’t start with this “umpires should be replaced by robots” crap. How about we see the best umps on the field first, and go from there?
BTW, some replay is not bad at all. But having a robot call balls and strikes, as well as safes and outs is ridiculous.
“But having a robot call balls and strikes, as well as safes and outs is ridiculous.”
I’m all for it. If going automated is the only way to get it right, go automated.
And exactly who is going to see to it that the “best” umps are on the field first? Selig????
BTW, some replay is not bad at all. But having a robot call balls and strikes, as well as safes and outs is ridiculous.
–
No one ever suggests robots should call safe and outs.
Hi everyone!!,
Bryan…..I think Trisha is just saying that the umpiring is awful, she is not rooting for robots if i’m not mistaken, just for better umpires……I agree with her by the way.
OOPS!!!! that’s for sticking my nose!!! LOL
Cylons should call safe and outs.
luis, one day we had a long discussion about this and some of the posters had great ideas, IMO. Having an automated device behind home plate that would accurately call balls and strikes, where those could be immediately radioed to the home plate umpire and he would make the calls, well that would be nirvana! That way you wouldn’t replace the presence of the umpire, but you sure as heck would get it right.
And the ability to have replays for close or questionable calls would be great. Think McLelland and the Padres-Rockies playoff game.
btw – just for the fun of it, MLB has always had a system in which the 2nd best team in a league could play a one-game playoff and go home.
Last time it happened was 2008 when the Rockies and Padres tied for the 2nd best record in the National League. The Padres lost a one-game playoff and went home, tied with Philly for the 3rd best record in the NL.
Joe from Long Island February 29th, 2012 at 7:00 pm
gb are you serious?
————————————————————————————————————————-
Joe,
Stanton says that’s his real name and that’s what he wants to be called by.
Oh, trust me, some people would love for robots to make the calls. And I get it. The game is the most important thing, so make sure that things are set-up the best for that.
And I wouldn’t trust Selig to do the right thing at all. I’m not a Selig-hater, but I certainly don’t trust him to do what’s best. He may do what HE thinks is best, but what HE thinks is best… well… isn’t the best.
As a certified official myself I get really steamed over them all getting thrown under the bus because a couple of idiots are given big jobs.
I am absolutely not averse to seeing umpires make correct calls. I just don’t hold my breath waiting for it to happen. When the f’d up MLB just merrily goes along its way while there are floating strike zones, depending on the umpire behind the plate, despite the strike zone being delineated in the MLB rules, well what a bloody joke!
Yes Trish….. I would love to have umpires in the game, i am kind of a traditionalist, but you are spot on that some more replay should be allowed in order to keep the integrity of the game.
I don’t like baseball, or any other game, being decided with robots either. It just doesn’t seem right. It’s a HUMAN game.
And I like that some umps have different strike zones. It makes it more challenging for the hitters and pitchers. Especially when we’re talking about pros.
And avoid those moving strike zones as well…….
“some more replay”
Exactly. Just like replay assists NFL officials, and even NBA officials, it should assist MLB umpires. NOT replace them.
Bryan,
As long as it the same one for both teams i have no problem. But lately, i must say that i am getting tired of the different strikezones depending on what team is batting or pitching. Last post season was a perfect example of that.
luis, I refuse to live by stats because they are the product of umpires calls. We’ve all been here during games when 10 of us at one time will post something to the effect of “where the heck was that pitch???!!!” And we’ve all been here when we’ve posted things like that innumerable times during some games.
So CC’s ERA is what? Really? Is it? And that goes for every pitcher who is the victim of bad calls. Does anyone every keep Angel Hernandez from behind the plate? Have you ever seen Hernandez work out his hatred of certain teams and players by the calls he makes? How about Joe West?
And then how about umpires who just can’t call a game correctly.
And go back to the ever-changing strike zone, depending on whether someone is known to be a pitcher’s ump, a hitter’s ump, or an ump who keeps changing the zone during the game?
Stats are what?
Yeah, give me automation. Supplement it with umpires repeating the automation. I can definitely get down with that.
There’s interpretation with all rules, in all sports. There’s interpretation in the law!
Man, the game would change so much without those different strike zones. Honestly. The rule books would have to have an asterisk, just like how some feel they should already have them for the Steroid Era, or the Live-ball Era. A hitters approach would be so different, and pitchers would know exactly where to throw every pitch. Having that difference is one thing that makes athletes great.
“And I like that some umps have different strike zones. ”
As an official, Bryan, are you perhaps aware that MLB rules have a delineated strike zone and that means that umpires should NOT have different strike zones? Or don’t you care about rules either?
After seeing how the regular season ended with such drama on the last day you just knew MLB was going to tinker with the postseason…..It keeps more teams in the hunt, it’ll keep attendance and tv sponsorship peeking in more markets….It also means the clubs who do make the one game play in will have spent their top pitcher and will have to travel again after the travel day to that 1 game playoff…….I still disdain the 3 out of 5 format for the ALDS but that’s not going away…..So I’m not all that negative on the new format because the WC club is at more of a disadvantage than ever before…..
“As long as it the same one for both teams i have no problem. But lately, i must say that i am getting tired of the different strikezones depending on what team is batting or pitching. Last post season was a perfect example of that.”
I agree, and that gets into putting the best umps on the field, and not just those with a lot of years under their belts, and political pull with the office.
trish-you sound like somebody that wouldn’t be pleased until the game is not only umpired by robots, but played by them too. You want this nirvana that doesn’t exist in any sport or competition. That’s what it sounds like…. you’d rather do without the human element.
“As an official, Bryan, are you perhaps aware that MLB rules have a delineated strike zone and that means that umpires should NOT have different strike zones? Or don’t you care about rules either?”
NOOOOO… I had no idea *rolls eyes*
Give me a break, here. I don’t care about rules? I’ve spent hours upon hours upon hours studying rule books, taking exams, attending meetings. Don’t tell me I don’t care about rules.
I like the one game playoff, but as Pat said the Division Series should be changed to 7 games.
My feelings about Selig and about umpiring = J AL’s feelings about Montero getting traded.
For that reason, I will now go and watch the Knicks game and not burden the forum with repetitive posts and absolute ire, the likes of which I seldom feel when it comes to anything else about the game of baseball.
I would appreciate it if someone would take the time to look at the links I posted and tell me whether they are linking up to the prediction charts.
I’ll check back later.
Have a good night, all.
Our government was built with three branches of government, one of them being to interpret the laws.
trisha – true pinstriped blue February 29th, 2012 at 7:26 pm
I’ve been with you in many of those games, feeling exactly as you feel, i just think is part of the game, and in fact part of the fun of it….Haven’t you yelled at the ump for a bad call at some point in your life??, it’s priceless…..But i totally agree that neither hernadez or West should be MLB umps, they are not there to be the center of attention in the games, they are supposed to call them as fairly as they can , and they don’t.
Night Trish!! have a good one
I understand the business side of the wildcards, but i would love to see a balanced schedule and only division winners in the playoffs, but i think the aditional WC gives some meaning back to winning the pennant
LGY….Consider changing the dollar value of our wagers to something diferent such as Ritter sport bars as an example if you perfer…..You’re call …Do you live in the NYC area ???? I forget..
The Knicks have missed about 1000 shots at the rim in 5 minutes
…. you’d rather do without the human element.
–
The human element = different teams with different players playing under the SAME RULES.
The human element != umpires blowing big calls, distorting strike zone, calling pitches unfairly vs some batters, interpreting the rules in a way they were not meant to (jeter being out at third because the ball beat him there… not that he was tagged)
In the list of the top 100 pitching duels of 2011, it was determined umpire error played a large role in something like 40% of the games. So in these games which are supposed to be very exciting and awesome, nearly half were decided by an umpire blowing a call. Great.
Umpires need help, they arent going to get better because MLB doesnt even control the umpires. They’re a union. Just give them the help to get stuff right. Thats well within MLB’s power without removing umpires from the game.
Pat
I don’t even know what Ritter sports bars are
but if you want to do something like that I’m cool with it.
I just made the Hughes bet with you to make ST more interesting so I don’t care much what the prize is.
I don’t even know what Ritter sports bars are
–
I think they might be some kind of protein bar
Ritter sports bars are about 8 inches long candy bar made of milk chocolate with raisens and nuts inside. They’re just a larger version of a Chunky’s bar.
LGY……They’re great German chocolate bars…Really good stuff
Don’t know what a Chunky bar is either
LGY……They’re great German chocolate bars…Really good stuff
——
If I can find them somewhere around here I’d be fine changing the bet
They sell them to raise money for high school band uniforms, sports team sell them, Boy Scouts. Usually about $2- $3 apiece.
They can be ordered on line.
http://www.nextag.com/ritter-s.....ducts-html
They sell them at Whole Foods?
luis February 29th, 2012 at 7:42 pm
I understand the business side of the wildcards, but i would love to see a balanced schedule and only division winners in the playoffs, but i think the aditional WC gives some meaning back to winning the pennant.
___________
Hi Luis… Except will we now overplay regulars and put ourselves in position for possible burnout in order to win the division like we did in the 2005 playoffs? We were tanked by the time we faced the Angels. With an older team, you worry about these things. Hopefully, Joe G. continues his plan to rest players.
Glad to here Dellin’s looking good in ST. I am not surprised that Romine’s back is giving him problems. Hopefully, the inactivity and strengthening helps but he has been hurt far too much of late.
Apparently the Knicks don’t like the free part in free throws.
You can order Ritter Sports and have them shipped straight to Pat M.
This is how Trisha paid me off for the two bets she lost to me last season.
Those Ritters lasted a long time
but they’re all gone now 
You can order Ritter Sports and have them shipped straight to Pat M.
——-
Cool.
How many we betting Pat?
Hi Yankeefem!,
Very good point you bring up, and you are right we don’t have a young team ( Not going there
)…… If Girardi has been good at something is resting his players, so i think he wont burn the team in order to win the pennant, especially if he does it during the whole season as he has done in the past…..I would be worried if torre was still running the show.
I am glad as well about Betances, i am itching for baseball to finally start!!….On Romine, i think it’s a big red flag unfortunately, lets just hope that it is a lingering effect fron his injury of last season and nothing more….I’m rooting for him to have a monster year and force the FO hand.
Just don’t tell Hughes we are changing the bet.
He may try to intercept the package
LGY February 29th, 2012 at 8:32 pm
Just don’t tell Hughes we are changing the bet.
He may try to intercept the package
============================
LOL!!, what’s the bet all about??
blake,
Giving the division winner a big bonus sounds great and all… but when one division can house 3 of the best teams, that have to play each other close to 40 times in a season…
it also puts too much of a disadvantage on the teams that dont win their division.
The second best team in all of baseball could still not win their division (Sox/Yanks?), and throw an entire 162 game season in the trash because of one game?
If they want a second wildcard, drop the season to 140-150 games, make it a 5 game wildcard, 7 game divison series, 7 game LCS, and 7 game WS.
otherwise, this is crap.
1 game wildcard playoff? not in a game that plays 162 games. no way.
Trisha got mine from Chocosphere.com after extensive research. Probably a good choice for Pat M, as they ship from Oregon, less transit time down to Orange County.
You can send me a single Ritter Sport as a thank for for facilitating all this.
trisha sent me delicious salt water taffy in the past. so don’t worry… if you win, you’ll be getting your Ritter bars.
guessing the final record is a nice little tradition.
thanks trisha.
BD,
Sorry to cut in, I don’t think is a perfect system, but is good for business….Don’t you think that the system you propose is too long and taxing for the teams??….At least this new system gives some advantage to the pennant winner, which usually is the best team in the division.
luis,
too long?
it’s shorter than the current season.
the added advantage for the division winner isn’t as great as the added disadvantage for the (1st) wildcard team.
any league that bothers to play 162 games, yet creates an opportunity for the team with the 2nd best record overall to be done after 1 game, is a joke.
BD,
Yes it is, my bad sorry
luis,
even before the new rules, i always thought 140 games was enough anyway.
but it’s even more important, IMO, to now cut it back and add a few more playoff games.
but we’ll see…. if the Yanks can somehow win the division every year it won’t matter to me. (still not fair though)
I think Target sells Ritter bars.
BD,
I think they are trying to prevent a team tanking on porpose, so they can rest and still make the PS as the WC, with this system they eliminate that……I rather have a balanced schedule with only division champs making the PS, but i do understand that it makes the season more interesting, and business wiseis much better to have the WC’s
The Braves will make Nick Swisher their top free agent target next offseason, according to ESPN’s Jim Bowden. Bowden suggests the Yankees could make an all-out push for Andre Ethier if Swisher does head to Atlanta.
-Mlbtr
Man, just think if you’re the second WC club and has to fly to the coast for one game and then fly back to the East Coast to play the next day in the ALDS…….My point being is the road to the WS for a WC just got much more challenging…..
I rather have a balanced schedule with only division champs making the PS
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With a balanced schedule there is no need for divisions, you can just have the top 4 teams go.
Man, just think if you’re the second WC club and has to fly to the coast for one game and then fly back to the East Coast to play the next day in the ALDS
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This also applies to the regular WC! Imagine if you won 99 games but someone else in your division won 100, so some 80 win team flies to you for 1 game, loser gets to face a 91 win team from the central.
Crappy.
JF,
True, that’s even better
And more fair as well
Pat M,
I think that was the point, that makes teams more eager to win the division
JF,
I’m not opposed to the idea that the division winners make the playoffs (guaranteed) but the seeds are still based on overall record.
But no matter how you cut it, a 1 game playoff “series” just doesn’t make much sense to me in any circumstance.
“I think that was the point, that makes teams more eager to win the division”
———–
they’ll be more eager by getting a 1st round bye.
that doesn’t mean the wildcard round has to be just one game. that’s insane.
reward the division winner with a bye.
reward the wildcard teams by not having their entire season hinge on just one game…. especially in baseball.
They sell Ritter bars in drug stores and supermarkets here in the city. I’ve even seen Scharffen Berger.
It’s the big apple, baby. We got all that effin sh#* here.
Looks like D’antoni woke the Knicks up at halftime
Tom in N.J. February 29th, 2012 at 9:00 pm
The Braves will make Nick Swisher their top free agent target next offseason, according to ESPN’s Jim Bowden. Bowden suggests the Yankees could make an all-out push for Andre Ethier if Swisher does head to Atlanta.
-Mlbtr
**********
Trade Swish+ for Heward.
“I think they are trying to prevent a team tanking on porpose, so they can rest and still make the PS as the WC”
———
ok, that’s fine.
though, if a team has won enough games and creates a big enough lead… shouldn’t they be rewarded by getting to rest some of their players to be fresh for the playoffs?
The Scharffenberger chocolate they sell in the Ferry Building in SF is much better than the stuff they ship to NY.
I wish I had time for follow-up questions.
BD,
If you shorten the season it makes a lot of sense what you suggest. But why not get rid of divisions and let the first four teams make it to the PS?
“Trade Swish+ for Heward.”
———-
If you’re the Braves, do you trade your top young bat for a player who you can sign in a year?
no. no, you don’t.
If you’re the Braves, do you trade your top young bat for a player who you can sign in a year?
no. no, you don’t.
————————————-
The Yankees tried but failed.
“why not get rid of divisions and let the first four teams make it to the PS?”
———–
if every team plays every other team the same amount of times, then sure.
I’m not opposed to rewarding the division winners. What I am vehemently opposed to is the 1-game wildcard round.
At the very, very least, make it best of 3 (though I don’t think any series, especially in baseball where you need good depth in the rotation to even get to the playoffs, should be less than best of 5)
BD,
Swish will cost them a draft pick. So the package starts with 1/2 year of Swisher plus a draft pick. Add from there as needed.
BD,
Yes they should, but apparently MLB doesn’t, they want the division to mean something
BD,
To be fair, i think PS series should be best of seven
Are you sayin were gettin the sub-optimal scarffenberger? I think not!
What in the world is Amare doing on defense
“apparently MLB doesn’t, they want the division to mean something”
———-
and getting a first round bye and home field advantage means something.
making the wildcard round best of 5 instead of 1 game isn’t going to make teams say “eh, we don’t care if we win the division.”
teams will still go all out to win their division… but if they don’t, they aren’t screwed.
BD (Boston Dave) February 29th, 2012 at 9:21 pm
“apparently MLB doesn’t, they want the division to mean something”
———-
and getting a first round bye and home field advantage means something.
making the wildcard round best of 5 instead of 1 game isn’t going to make teams say “eh, we don’t care if we win the division.”
teams will still go all out to win their division… but if they don’t, they aren’t screwed
========================
No arguement there, i think you are right…..But i would rather have no divisions, balanced schedule and the best four go on to play the PS, you seed them ,the league champion plays the team that came in fourth and second against the third….Two best of seven series and then the WS.
The shocking story told