Afternoon notes: Waiting for the Red Sox
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Notes on Mar 13, 2012 
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Obviously things will get a little more lively later on, but for now, it’s a pretty quiet day at George M. Steinbrenner Field. The Yankees have a team meeting going on right now, and there really wasn’t much buzz in the hour leading up to it. The fact the Red Sox are coming to town was a secondary concern at best. Really feels like just another day around here.
• Mariano Rivera is pitching today. He should be the first reliever out of the bullpen after Ivan Nova throws his four innings or so.
• Dave Robertson showed up in the clubhouse wearing tennis shoes and didn’t seem to be favoring his right foot. He’s only been out of the walking boot for a day, but he seems to be moving around without any real difficulty.
• As you might expect, Dellin Betances said he was happy with last night’s two-inning appearance. He agrees with Joe Girardi’s assessment that he’s gotten better outing after outing, and Betances said the cause is a combination of mental and physical. He’s been more aggressive lately and he’s done a better job keeping his delivery straight toward home plate, each of which has helped with first-pitch strikes. That’s huge for a guy with Betances’ stuff. Once he’s ahead, he’s awfully dangerous.
• Raul Ibanez is starting at designated hitter today, but he’s scheduled to take fly balls in left field during batting practice. No matter how much time he spends at DH, he’s going to get plenty of outfield reps during fielding practice this year.
• Today’s pregame work: Graham Stoneburner, Kevin Whelan, Adam Warren, Michael Pineda, Phil Hughes and CC Sabathia are throwing sides. Sabathia wasn’t listed yesterday, but it makes more sense to have him on the same day as Hughes again. Still not sure why Pineda is throwing his on the same day as those two.
• George Kontos is facing hitters today. Should be his last step before getting in a game.
• Tomorrow’s sides: Matt Daley, Dellin Betances, Hiroki Kuroda, Rafael Soriano and Joba Chamberlain.
• Today’s available pitchers: Ivan Nova, Mariano Rivera, David Phelps, Boone Logan, Clay Rapada, Cory Wade, Cesar Cabral, Adam Miller, Ryan Pope and Chase Whitley.
• Today’s second string: C Gustavo Molina, 1B Jorge Vazquez, 2B David Adams, SS Ramiro Pena, 3B Doug Bernier, LF Justin Maxwell, CF Melky Mesa, RF Zoilo Almonte, DH Chris Dickerson
• Tomorrow’s travelers to Dunedin:
Pitchers: Manny Banuelos, Cesar Cabral, Juan Cedeno, Freddy Garcia, Adam Miller, D.J. Mitchell, Mike O’Connor, Ryan Pope, Kevin Whelan, Chase Whitley
Catchers: Francisco Cervelli, Kyle Higashioka, J.R. Murphy, Gary Sanchez
Infielders: David Adams, Doug Bernier, Robinson Cano, Eric Chavez, Derek Jeter, Corban Joseph, Brandon Laird, Jayson Nix, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Jorge Vazquez
Outfielders: Zoilo Almonte, Colin Curtis, Cole Garner, Curtis Granderson, Raul Ibanez, Melky Mesa, Nick Swisher, Dewayne Wise
Associated Press photo
“No, they are really players with no position. Whether that is through ability or team makeup or otherwise, they contribute no defense to their team. They must in turn outhit the rest of the team by a decent amount to be equally valuable. Resources that can be better spent elsewhere.”
Isn’t zero defensive value better than negative defensive value?
Hey blake, that was my point!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@CaseyStern
Damon on #InsidePitch @MLBNetworkRadio “The only conversation with the #Yankees was me reaching out to them.Told them “Pay me whatever” #MLB
I really doubt Damon would have played for ‘whatever’ but if this is true and they still went with Ibanez then I’m dumbfounded.
blake – I don’t want negative defensive value players either?
I’m not. IMO, it’s Girardi being Girardi.
@CaseyStern
Damon:”The #Yankees concern was my ability to play the outfield.They thought Ibanez would be better for that.”
Dumbfounded!
Sorry Rich
I think it depends on team makeup and just how bad of a defender we are talking about. If you have two guys that aren’t great defensively but both can hit…..then you need both guys in the lineup so one guy has to play a position…..but if you have 2 players…..one good glove but so so bat and one guy they can mash but can’t play defense……then the team is better off with the 2nd guy as the DH unless they also have another good DH bat on the club.
” I don’t want negative defensive value players either?”
But in the real world, they play positions on the field, sometimes contributing significant offense, yet offense/defense, they contribute less than a DH who puts up the same slash lines.
Rich in NJ – Why are you forced to employ someone that will contribute negative value? Also, can DH’s not strike out?
“I really doubt Damon would have played for ‘whatever’ but if this is true and they still went with Ibanez then I’m dumbfounded”
The only way this makes sense is if they have higher aspirations for the position…..such as a trade and they didn’t want to have tosee deal with the mess of letting Damon go…..if they just chose Ibanez over Damon for baseball reasons then it makes no sense whatsoever.
jerkface- I would bet a lot of money that batters that don’t play any position well bust at a considerably higher rate than batters that do. Show me that rate isn’t as high as pitchers, which you seem to think bust at nearly 100%…
Well, since ST is half over with, there must be 29 other dumb GMs then, because Johnny Demon is still on the outside looking in.
“blake – I don’t want negative defensive value players either?”
Sometimes elite hitters can’t play defense well….would you want Miguel Cabrera, Manny Ramirez, or Frank Thomas on your team? I would.
Fab Melo out for the tourney
blake – would you want Miguel Cabrera, Manny Ramirez, or Frank Thomas on your team?
Over someone like A-Gon? No.
If I had someone of that hitting caliber at every fielding position? Sure…
If I had someone of that hitting caliber at every fielding position? Sure…
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lmao interesting you wouldn’t want 3 hall of famers on your team.
“Well, since ST is half over with, there must be 29 other dumb GMs then, because Johnny Demon is still on the outside looking in.”
Yup, all 29 would rather have Ibanez. That’s why his contract was so high.
lmao… I didn’t say that, jerky.
Does Damon play this year? Does Roy Oswalt?
I seriously doubt that Damon was going to sign a blank contract like Dawson did.
Hey Erin, Upsate Kate , GB, MTU, Shame, m and any other regulars floating around.
I would prefer anyone else in the HoF over Edgar Martinez, Frank Thomas, Manny, and anyone else that embarrassed themselves on the field.
The likely hood of Montero being this HoF caliber hitter is way lower than a pitcher busting completely. Why is that the only arguement brought forth? would you like one of the 5 greatest hitters ever? gee, i’d really have to make some considerations for that i guess…… what’s the point of that?
Afternoon, Comet. How has your winter been in the Great White North?
ID
Look at Bernie when his offense declined. He could still hit, but his range had diminished. Jeter had years like that as well, which is why he (to his credit) changed his workout routine after the 2008 season at Cashman’s request. There are many such examples. Guys can still rake, but at times they are a liability at SS.
Or look at it another way: would you rather have a great offensive player who plays average defense over an average offensive player who plays great defense? It’s the same principle, assessing a player’s worth by offsetting one aspect of his game from another, although with a DH, the offset is zero.
ID,
I would rather have Miguel Cabrera than Agon……every time…..
The only way this makes sense is if they have higher aspirations for the position…..such as a trade and they didn’t want to have tosee deal with the mess of letting Damon go
=================================================
Maybe there were/are non-baseball related reasons they didn’t want him. Pure speculation on my part, of course, but I never got the sense it was Ibanez or Damon. I don’t think Damon was ever a consideration.
Hey GB it is 68 here today. Winter missed us this year! How are things down your way?
Oswalt is going to end up pitching in the central or west in the NL…
Damon will at least get signed for some period of time this season… what that is and when will be a mystery. I don’t think he’s on a team out of ST unless there is a major injury.
I would prefer anyone else in the HoF over Edgar Martinez, Frank Thomas, Manny, and anyone else that embarrassed themselves on the field.
==========================================
So no Piazza? No Posada?
I would bet a lot of money that batters that don’t play any position well bust at a considerably higher rate than batters that do.
–
Not if they can hit, teams find a position for players that can hit. A guy like Shelley Duncan, who can’t field any position, is still in the majors. You know that I do not think pitchers bust at 100%. It is true that they bust at a higher rate. Close to 20% more than a position player. With superior success less than half that of a position player. There is no such acronym as ‘There Is No Such Thing As A Position Prospect’. Its common sense. Pitchers margin for error is a lot slimmer than a position player (failing 6 out of 10 is really awesome for hitter, failing 6 out of 10 for a pitcher not so awesome), and they play a more injury prone position.
Jerkface March 13th, 2012 at 3:17 pm
@CaseyStern
Damon:”The #Yankees concern was my ability to play the outfield.They thought Ibanez would be better for that.”
Dumbfounded!
———————-
Seconded. But blake’s probably right.. if Andruw hits more like he did later in the year (last season, obv) than Ibanez probably isn’t even on our team come the All-Star break.
Hi Comet!! Hope you’re enjoying your (virtual) Spring Training vacation!
rich in NJ – Do you agree with me that the Yankees should be trying to acquire players (especially young players) that are strong in both area’s of their game? Is it not wiser to make concessions on defense or offense in other areas, and not on the players you are trying to develop into iconic career long yankee greats?
Everyone can have bad days and contribute negatively… losing your defensive ability is not the only way players age you know…
Thomas, Manny and Cabrera aren’t catchers and where not bad defensively as they broke in….In fact Manny wasn’t’ a bad right fielder when he hit the scene with The Tribe…..Not a good comparison…….Met bullpen catcher gets popped for drunk driving……Dude just blew a piece of cake job
Miggy was worth about two wins more than Agon last year according to fangraphs.
A guy like Shelley Duncan, who can’t field any position, is still in the majors.
And going nowhere, which is exactly my point.
These guys that can hit and can’t field are a dime a dozen. The only way any of these assumptions work is if Montero ACTUALLY becomes a HoF caliber bat. That’s an assumption I will probably not accept for like 5 or 6 years…
lmao… I didn’t say that, jerky.
–
Yes you did. You said if you had a someone who hit just as well at every other position THEN you’d take one of those three. That is an impossibility, tantamount to saying you’d never take any of those 3, which is just bizarre. Its impossible to field a team of 8 a-rods or mickey mantles. Everyone want the .300/.400/.500 5 tool player, but this ain’t a perfect world.
DF,
I really think the Yanks just wanted to avoid the drama if it didn’t work out with Damon…..they can cut Ibanez easily…..it would have been messier with Damon
comet March 13th, 2012 at 3:29 pm
Hey GB it is 68 here today. Winter missed us this year! How are things down your way?
————————————————————————————————————————-
You guys must have made a deal with the Devil if you had an easy winter, Comet. You guys needed a break after the last couple of years. You live up in the Canadian plains, don’t you?
It’s been pretty nice down here in Georgia, but, that’s fairly normal here, though, not a flake has fallen and only one night of freezing weather and only a few days of rain. One of the calmest winters since Ive been here.
And going nowhere, which is exactly my point.
These guys that can hit and can’t field are a dime a dozen.
–
I wouldn’t call the Indians nowhere…
If this were true there’d be a helluva lot better hitters out there for the DH spot, but there aren’t that many players who can really hit. And if they can show even an inkling of hitting, they get a lot of chances, ala Shelley Duncan.
If you really think there is this hidden sub-layer of players that can hit at an above average rate but no teams want them because they can’t play a position well, that would be astounding…
Could be right, Blake. It’d be an extremely stupid reason, but I suppose that could be it.
Compass Rosy’s clip of Montero’s welcome to Seattle worried me. What if he had had a passed salmon?
Miggy was worth about two wins more than Agon last year according to fangraphs.
===================================
Miggy 7.3 WAR
Gonzalez 6.6 WAR
jerkface – You do know why it is called the league average rate… right?
ID
Well, that’s a very high bar, a luxury, imo, that a team like the Yankees can’t afford, with offensive vulnerability at SS, 3B, maybe even 1B v. RHP, and in CF, depending on what is now Granderson’s true talent level. So sure, if that’s possible, yes, but in the more likely event, imo, that it may not be, young, potential impact bats are the way to go, even if they have to DH.
DF,
You’re right…I accidentally looked at 2010 for Gonzo…..Id still rather have Cabrera because he’s the best hitter in baseball
“Could be right, Blake. It’d be an extremely stupid reason, but I suppose that could be it.”
I agree….only one that makes sense though to me.
I can’t see Damon conceivably being DFA-worthy with the way he hit away from the Trop.
“I can’t see Damon conceivably being DFA-worthy with the way he hit away from the Trop.”
Maybe they are planning on trading for somebody better
probably not.
blake – What a tough choice you have made, you want the best hitter in baseball.
I have no problem with that choice, I have a problem with the assumption that Montero will be that good.
Rich in NJ – Liability? I think you are grossly overestimating the production of the rest of the league… Just a quick run down my fantasy projections… i have yankees at the following ranks.
C – 15/30
1B – 6/30
2B – 1/30
3B – 10/30
SS – 7/30
OF – 4/90
OF – 21/90
OF – 39/90
This is not even considering any of the positive defensive contributions from these players, guys like Martin and A-Rod would move up the list tremendously… this is purely offense.
These aren’t even my top choice of projections, I think this is actually by Steamers projections right now ranked evenly for HR/SB/OBP/SLG.
How… is that a real problem or a liability in any way?
For those that get YES network, they will be televising some of the Staten Island Yankee games. Haven’t seen a schedule, yet, but, I would like that it would be Monday games when NYYs aren’t plaing, like the other years.
Gb Not near the Praires, near Niagara Falls.
“blake – What a tough choice you have made, you want the best hitter in baseball.”
Yea but Gonzalez is a good hitter too….my point is that Id almost always rather have the better bat……
my opinion is that they expect arod need to take over the dh position full time or almost full time this season. they don’t want to say it, but in order to keep alex’s bat in the lineup as much as possible, he needs to be in the field as little as possible. especially if nunez hits. i will not be surprised if nunez plays more games at 3b than arod this year. i think nunez is going to have a very good year.
Comet, I don’t know why I thought you were in the Plains area. You live around Weland area, then. Nice place to live.
ID
37 year old 3B and 38 year old SS are at risk of declining, often precipitously (to amplify two of the positions I cited), and it’s about the next few years, not just this one.
blake – Even with the “anecdotal” evidence that defense and pitching is more responsible for victory in the playoffs than just mashing?
Hi, comet!
As for Damon, the Yankees rarely bring back (position) players once they’ve moved on. It’s just cleaner that way IMO.
Damon is a chatterbox, too with his conversations with the Yankees since he’s left here.
So, Raul may not be the better player, but Dsmon was not even eligible in the Yankees view. Yes, you might say that’s petty. But there are probably things that we don’t know about.
As long as he’s healthy, there is no reason that Rodriguez can’t play a respectable defense for the next two years or so for 130-140 games a season.
i will not be surprised if nunez plays more games at 3b than arod this year. i think nunez is going to have a very good year.
——
I think Nunez def has a good bat, his D needs work whether at 3rd or SS. Arod at DH is a distinct possibility a year down the road, I think Rod will play most his game at 3rd this year.
rich in NJ – You should know that those declines are factored in to most projections, right?
A-Rod – 442 AB, 23HR, 6 SB, .364 OBP, .482 SLG
Jeter – 587 AB, 9HR, 17SB, .353 OBP, .385 SLG
Are those unreasonable?
As for Damon, the Yankees rarely bring back (position) players once they’ve moved on. It’s just cleaner that way IMO.
–
Cashman specifically cited reservations on bringing players back at lower salary as its kind of a loss of face. I think a guy like Matsui would have been ok with it, and I wish he had been there for 2010, but I can understand why they didnt go whole hog for Damon in 2010+.
I’m hoping those kinds of factors + an eye towards acquiring an outfielder as 2014 insurance are the reasons.
I would think the possibility of damon hounding Girardi for playing time to reach 3,000 hits is a distinct reason for avoiding Damon. That’s an issue the team doesn’t need.
rich in NJ – And you are right… it is about the next few years… the next few years when players under contract you have now said will be declining and need to get off the field… How was having Montero going to help that situation? You want you $20mil HoF A-Rod on the bench because he can’t play 3B anymore and Montero happens to be great and is outhitting him? I’m talking about planning ahead, I don’t think that most are…
Hey M
i agree. it seems the yankees organization did not want johnny back for some undisclosed reason.
Has anyone sign the vlad the impaler?
He didn’t impale enough pitchers last year.
ID
Was it foreseeable that A-Rod would miss so much time last year? Or that Jeter would have two distinct seasons pre- and post- injury?
Montero was likely, at a minimum, offensive insurance, and at a maximum, someone who could learn from, and complement, Martin.
If A-Rod can’t hit, I want him on the bench. I don’t know when or if that day will come, but if it does, his contract is no substitute for production.
Look, it’s done. Pineda better be what they think he’ll be.
“I would think the possibility of damon hounding Girardi for playing time to reach 3,000 hits is a distinct reason for avoiding Damon. That’s an issue the team doesn’t need.”
It’s also not necessarily a real issue.
rich in NJ – Do you plan for what you cannot forsee? Or for what you think is most likely to happen… (i’m guessing B)
Which of these situations is MORE likely to happen in the final 2 years of A-Rods contract… He can’t play 3B anymore, or he is getting outhit by Montero?
Is it more likely that Damon is seeking FT work or that teams aren’t interested?
Because 0 at-bats gets you no nearer 3000.
Maybe teams aren’t interested. But I hope he gets at least a chance to hit.
ID
I think it’s likely that A-Rod and/or Jeter will be close to unproductive within a year or two.
The latter.
“Pineda better be what they think he’ll be.”
Or..?
Poll questions:
Predictions on Minny? Do they return to form or turn into the Indians?
Where dies Peyton play next season?
Pineda being good or not has nothing to do with Montero and A-Rod competing for at-bats for the next 5 years…
Would I have preferred they acquired a stud SS or 3B? Sure… will a pitching staff not comprised of $15m+/year salaries be useful in 2014? Yes it will.
Which is more important to plan for now? Their total offensive performance in 2014, or the reality that they are only going to spend like $175mil on payroll that season?
rich in NJ – Above you just told me that it was more likely that their defense would decline than their bats though… so which is it?
Or Cashman…he gone. :remember?:
SI_JoeLemire
Walk, caught stealing; walk, caught stealing; then strikeout. Darvish completes unorthodox 1-2-3 inning in 16 pitches. #rangers
Nunez gets scratched tonight. still feeling soreness in his hand
Darvish is a magician… lol…
If I had my way, that would still could as a “perfect” game. Baserunners erased should totally count
ID
I said Jeter’s defense declined and bounced back; I never mentioned A-Rod’s defense. I never said what you said I said..
So it’s neither.
“Or Cashman…he gone. :remember?:”
Keep him no matter what. He’s fun to have around.
No way is Napoli catching….
Pat M., Torrealba is catching for Texas. Darvis did him no favors trying to keep runners close. Brantley and Cabrera aren’t exactly accomplished base runners. I had no idea that Torrealba’s arm was that strong.
Yu Darvish on MLB network now vs Indians.
Chipper Jones “I don’t know if I can make it through this year,” because of his knee. No way he’s retiring and sacrificing 14M when he can just go on DH and use the team training facilities.
GB…..I fully expect that we’ll be hearing from Jerkface real soon
Pat M. March 13th, 2012 at 4:29 pm
GB…..I fully expect that we’ll be hearing from Jerkface real soon
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No doubt, and his little buddy will follow with Bill james and Keith Law supplied numbers suggesting that both Darvish and Napoli are ready for the HOF now.
Well I don’t know what you’d think you’d hear from me about, but if you want to get technical Napoli threw out a higher percent of runners than Torrealba last year. Both were very good. If you meant ‘no way is napoli catching…’ as in no way napoli throws out a base runner, well you’d just be showing your own ignorance, which you’ve done quite a bit regarding Napoli so it would come as no surprise and would not need to elicit any comment from me.
Darvish gets hella swings and misses. Going to be fun to watch he and montero on the westcoast after many yankee wins.
I thought that Mickey Brantley was supposed to be something special, but, he sure didn’t show it last year or today. Bad jumps trying to steal and bad reads in center.
Darvish gets hella swings and misses. Going to be fun to watch he and montero on the westcoast after many yankee wins.
This I can certainly agree with… but I don’t believe I’ll be rooting for Darvish :p
Anyone moaning about Damon should also wonder why no other team has signed him yet if he is willing to play for so little
I will be rooting hard against Darvish and Montero.
Anyone moaning about Damon should also wonder why no other team has signed him yet if he is willing to play for so little
–
Maybe he isn’t willing to play for so little for not-the-yankees
JackCurryYES Jack Curry
Girardi said Nunez is still “feeling something” in his hand. As Nunez left cage, he kicked the grass in a disgusted manner.
“Anyone moaning about Damon should also wonder why no other team has signed him yet if he is willing to play for so little”
Maybe because his agent is, you know, like smart, and he understands supply and demand, and when/if a player goes down his price will go up.
Nah, that would make too much sense.
Poor Nunez. Though I guess this opens the door for the excitable Bill Hall to make the team until he is healed up.
Watching Josh Tomlin pitch sucks. He is an example of a pitcher where WHIP is deceiving. Guy walked 1.1 per 9 last year and had a 1.077 WHIP, but he isn’t very good.
Short clips of Nunez, Teixeira and Rodriguez taking BP
http://www.tout.com/m/xxijc9
jerkface – a 5 K/9 is not high enough for a low walk rate to really matter, too many balls in play. a 9 k/9 player with a 4 BB/9 would probably be more useful just by taking the bat out of the players hands.
it could also be the end for ivan rodriguez, one of the best catchers in the history of the game. interesting piece on his defense on fangraphs today;
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs.....-for-ivan/
Ys Guy March 13th, 2012 at 4:47 pm
it could also be the end for ivan rodriguez, one of the best catchers in the history of the game. interesting piece on his defense on fangraphs today;
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs…..-for-ivan/
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Does it say how many times he called for a fastball with a runner on first, regardless of the hitter?
There’s a reason why Mike Napoli is a part time catcher, regardless of the numbers you pull out of your magic bag of stats
There is nothing magic about Napoli being a decent catcher, but apparently no one thinks he’s good enough to do it full time. In controlled doses he is extremely effective.
He can be average, and have achieved good results… this is not illegal.
There’s a reason why Mike Napoli is a part time catcher, regardless of the numbers you pull out of your magic bag of stats
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Caught stealing% is now a member of the ‘magic bag of stats’ huh?
I would take a part-time catcher who hits like Napoli over one that plays more and hits like Martin.
Torreabla only caught 29 more games than Napoli. And had more than twice the amount of steals attempted on him than Napoli. So Napoli was doing something right! And a guy who can mash and catch 69 games is pretty valuable.
And I’m not super sure about Torreabla’s career, but he has only caught over 100 games once.
Now we’ll see if Darvish can get out bases loaded no out jam.
Shame there isn’t a stat for what pitchers think about throwing to him, or why he gets yanked in the late innings for defensive upgrade ……..He’s closer to being as bad as I proclaim than he is as being as good as Face preaches……..Jerkface, Vince Scully, a drunk and a lamp post all woven oh so tightly…..
Now we’ll see if Darvish can get out bases loaded no out jam.
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Super bust!
Single off not so spectacular 88 mph fastball
or why he gets yanked in the late innings for defensive upgrade ……..He’s closer to being as bad as I proclaim than he is as being as good as Face preaches
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He was only removed twice as a catcher, in the 8th inning both times. You should probably stop drinking the Scioscia koolaid.
Scioscia, like that fellow in the Bronx, prefer catchers who are in their own image, which is kind of scary.
A few times Napoli was even put at catcher in the late innings. Thats kind of a reversal.
Would you rather have signed Darvish…. or hypothetically signed Hamels or Cain next season?
Actual cost is arguably the same.
Then Face, we’re to believe that Mike Sciosia & Ron Washington don’t know what they’re doing ????
And I’m pretty sure Napoli is closer to being as good as I say he is, because I never said he was great, or even above average. Only that he can rake and he plays catcher well enough to get games there.
Then Face, we’re to believe that Mike Sciosia & Ron Washington don’t know what they’re doing ????
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Ron Washington clearly knows what he is doing, as he is playing Napoli at catcher, even leaving him in for the entire game (in extra innings multiple times!) and allowing him to mash.
What are you even arguing? Mike Sciosia ran Napoli out of town because he didn’t like how he setup to catch. He played Mathis, a terrible, terrible baseball player who isn’t even a good catcher, for reasons unknown. And now Mathis is out of there on a rail. You’ll see how valued Napoli is this offseason.
I know it must chap you that you got so burned on this whole Napoli thing, but you should quit while you’re behind.
Darvish not so good today….
“Would you rather have signed Darvish…. or hypothetically signed Hamels or Cain next season?”
Hamels or Cain easily…..I know they are good in the big leagues…..Hal says no though to all 3.
Blake,
Will be interesting to see if Darvish justifies the investment.
I like the aggressiveness in Texas though.
I’d have taken Darvish this year, but I have a lot more faith in him having followed him pretty closely in the NPB and with the fact that his contract would be more helpful under the new CBA, not to mention having him for his prime years. A longer commitment for more luxury tax applicable money for Cain or Hamels. Of those two I’d take Hamels of course.
And of course Darvish was actually up for the Yankees to take, where as Hamels & Cain might both be off the board by year end.
Koji Uehara might be the only player in baseball that actually WANTS to play for the Orioles. His preferred destination if Tex trades him is back to BAL.
I doubt that Napoli turns in another season like last year. He’s no more a .330 hitter than Posada was a .338 hitter. same thing on defense. Career year.
I don’t think Texas was in very many close games last season where Naps had to be pulled as much as when he was in Anahiem
I doubt that Napoli turns in another season like last year.
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Did anyone suggest he would?
i’ve drafted montero in both mock drafts i’ve run with my current rankings, so since he’s apparently going to be my catcher here’s the projection i have down: 76 R 23 HR 79 rbi .280
Trading away your top receiver might not be the best way to woo a HOF free agent quarterback.
Blake-
Looks like NC, one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the tournament should have an easy time thru the first 3 rounds. Are you going to any of the games in Greensboro?
I don’t think Texas was in very many close games last season where Naps had to be pulled as much as when he was in Anahiem
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The only 2 games he was pulled in were blow outs. He was moved to catcher from 1b in a 7-6 game. He wasn’t pulled in any of the following contests:
3-2,3-0,7-6,7-4,4-5,1-4,7-6,3-0,0-3,0-1,3-1,2-0,2-0,4-5,2-0,0-2,2-0,3-1,2-5,1-4
Geez theres more but I’m tired of transcribing. Looks more like you don’t know what you’re talking about.
New Post—>
Jerkface March 13th, 2012 at 5:23 pm
I doubt that Napoli turns in another season like last year.
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Did anyone suggest he would?
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He’s never gotten close to that, but, suddenly he’s the big He-Stud of catchers according to you.
He’s never gotten close to that, but, suddenly he’s the big He-Stud of catchers according to you.
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Oh yea? The big stud according to me? Find me where I said that. You’re just making stuff up again, because that’s all you got. Napoli is a career .873 hitter and hit .273 .359 .527 .886 between 08 and 09. He is a good hitter. One that any team would probably like to have in their lineup. you wanna debate that? Sure go ahead, but you’d lose.
I don’t even think the Yankees should sign Napoli as a free agent, but the dude is getting dogged by Pat M over nothing. Run along now.