Really? Javy Vazquez Did That??

That had to be what these guys were thinking in this picture from yesterday's game.  Here's Vazquez's line: 6IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K on 77 pitches, 55 for strikes.  He kept hitters off balance all night with this off-speed stuff, which is light years better than what he threw in 2004.

Production like this from the "4th" starter makes me feel much better about the fact that A.J. Burnett can't get out of his own way as the 2nd starter.  Maybe this is a different guy than what we saw in the 2nd half of '04 after all.

Doc Gooden Arrested Again??? SHOCKER!!

According to police in Franklin Lakes, N.J and as first reported on Deadspin, Gooden has been charged with driving under the influence of unnamed drugs, leaving the scene of an accident and child endangerment after a two-car crash on Tuesday morning.

For good measure, he's also being charged with "failure to notify change of address regarding driver's license."

"I can't come back here," Gooden told the NY Post from jail. "I'd rather get shot than come back here. ... If I don't get the message this time, I never will."- May 2006 (courtesy of Big League Stew)

 
Well I guess somebody better load their handgun and go find Doc, because that motherfucker is going back to jail.  And you know what?  I don't feel a bit bad for the guy.
 
I'm sure this isn't going to be a popular post and most people might not agree with me, but fuck Doc Gooden.  Why is him getting arrested even newsworthy anymore?  The guy has been given more free lives than Catwoman and yet every time he gets picked up for possession or DUI he sings the same sad song about learning his lesson and needing to get his life together and we all get sucked into the "look at what a tortured soul Doc Gooden is; he's really a great guy with some problems" vortex of bullshit from people who can't look past his first few dynamite years with the Mets or his no-hitter with the Yankees in '96.
 
Don't get me wrong, I loved Doc when he was on the Yanks.  Even being just 11 at the time, I was old enough to understand that this guy had fallen flat on his face and it was good to see him get himself back together and reclaim a bit of his old magic on the mound.  One of my fondest Yankee memories is watching him pitch his no-hitter and seeing the sheer joy on his face as he basked in the atmosphere of the occassion after the 27th out had been recorded.  But those days are long gone, and with his rap sheet since then it's clear that those days were an aberration and the Doc Gooden who was picked up yesterday with a pocket full of pills at the scene of a car crash is the real Doc Gooden: a low-life, addict schmuck with no sense of responsibility as a man, no self-esteem, and no self-control.
 
So fuck him.  I'm done with Doc Gooden.  I don't care that he got arrested again.  I don't care that he's probably going back to jail.  And I really don't care if he ever gets his shit together because it's just plain not going to happen.  As the great Blake from Glengarry Glen Ross said, "A loser is a loser."  And Doc Gooden is a loser.  Period.  If I want to read about losers on my sports pages and blogs, I'll check how the Red Sox are doing.  I don't need Doc Gooden taking up space any more.

Yankee 5th Starter Situation Reaches Def Con 2

A nation sits breathlessly waiting as the Yankee heads, bigwigs, and decision makers prepare to gather at some secret, underground location over the next few days to decide who the 5th starter will be, and with that decision decide what path our country takes as we move forward into the new decade.

Fuck the new Health Care plan, THIS is the most important story in America right now. How the next few days were not declared national holidays is beyond me. The future of the very fabric of our country is at stake here. Airport security has been tightened, the threat level has been increased to orange, and buttholes have been tightened in anticipation. And all we are left to do is wait and ponder...


P.S.- Are the Yanks planning on doing some kind of Pope-like announcement of the decision? Blue smoke if it's Hughes? White smoke if it's Joba? What's the deal with this? Something this monumental needs more than just a press release and a Tweet confirmation from Tom Verducci.

Joba-Phil Round 3 (Or Is It 4?) Review

After yesterday I think it's safe to say that the trainer is throwing in the towel on the Joba-Hughes "Fight For the 5th Spot."  As Mike Goldberg would say, "IT IS ALLLLLL OVER!!"

Hughes pitched 4.1 innings yesterday against the Phillies, and despite giving up 3 homers (2 of them possibly wind-aided) and 4 earned runs total on 5 hits, was given heaps of praise from manager Joe Girardi on his performance with Girardi saying "I thought it was the best he had thrown." Hughes again worked his developing changeup well, Girardi calling it "...the best his changeup's been," all spring, and struck out 6 batters in his 4+ innings of work while allowing no walks, a key sign that he was attacking hitters and making good pitches, a concept that has continually eluded Joba in a starting role.

Joba worked an intra-squad game yesterday and was solid (5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K) without being spectacular. He threw 75 pitches, 48 for strikes, and induced plenty of ground balls, also something indicative of a pitcher attacking the strike zone and making good pitches. But at the end of his day, there were no rave reviews coming from anybody, certainly not from Joe, who called Joba's outing "pretty good," and the general feeling around the blogosphere and mainstream media today is that Hughes did more yesterday to secure his spot in the rotation than Joba did to overtake him in the race.

The Yankees have an off-day Thursday so the plan is for plenty of serious discussion on Wednesday about who the 5th starter should/will be. Alfredo Aceves still can't be counted out of the mix with the job he has done this spring, but with his last outing being his worst to date and Hughes' outing yesterday being thought of so highly by the manager, one has to assume Phil is going to get the nod and Ace and Joba will be shipped out to the 'pen by the end of the week.

All in all, another decisive 10-9 round for Hughes and a likely unanimous decision on the judges' scorecards in favor of Phil Hughes as the winner of the fight for the 5th spot in the rotation.

So Long, Jamie Hoffmann. We Hardly Knew Ye

So The Hoff was let go today and now heads back to the Dodgers per the Rule 5 stipulations.  I guess a 3-23 performance will do that to you.  I mean, when Marcus Thames hits 3-28 and still gets picked over you, you know you didn't exactly put your best foot forward in Spring Training.  Christ, the guy didn't even do enough in Spring Training to get a fucking picture of himself in a Yankee uniform in Google Images; I had to use this one from the Dodgers.

I'd say this was a wasted trade on the part of the Yankees since they basically ended up with nothing.  But when ending up with nothing still means not having Brian Bruney in your bullpen or even on your roster, I'll take the good with the bad and call the deal even.

Apparently there's rumors going around that the Yanks are planning to swing a trade to bring Hoffmann back into the fold and then be able to stash him in Triple-A where he can be called upon if needed.  Call me crazy, but I don't see the benefit in giving up one of 2 pitchers who have shown themselves to be valuable at the Major League level this season (Mitre or Gaudin) for a player who wasn't even good enough to make the squad against the likes of Thames and Randy Winn.  With the number of decent performances the Yanks got from some of their young outfielders in Spring Training, they could probably find someone who could provide the same value as Hoffmann if somebody gets injured or Thames a/o Winn completely suck.

I know the Yankees have pitching depth to burn, but that still doesn't mean you just give it away for 42 cents on the dollar.  What's the rush?  Dumping Bruney is one thing, but if you're going to give up guys like Mitre or Gaudin, guys who have shown ability to contribute positively at the Major Leage level, you better damn well get something equally valuable in return.  I don't want to bag on Hoffmann, but he's just not equal value.

Mauer Re-Ups with Twins, Helps Continue To Set The Table For Jesus Montero To Be Yankees' Next Catcher

Congrats to Joe Mauer on his 8-year, $184 million deal that was finalized today, complete with a full no-trade clause, that all but guarantees he will play his entire career in Minnesota.  Along with showing that the Twins are willing to and capable of keeping a key player in-house to help compete with the Red Sox and Yankees of the world, this deal also guarantees that the Twins will have at least one player on their roster for the future who won't completely shit the bed in their Divisional Series matchups against the Yankees.

The effect this deal has on the Yankees is that it scratches the biggest name off their 2010 offseason shopping list and pretty much ends all speculation about what the plan will be for The Almighty Jesus moving forward.  Despite being cut from the Major League Spring Training camp today along with Austin Romine, Joe praised Montero's work and improvement behind the plate.  Logic would dictate that this will be Jorge's last season behind the plate, at least as a full-time, 100+-game catcher, and if Montero continues to hit like a beast in Triple-A this year and continues to improve his skills behind the dish, he should be the Opening Day catcher in 2011.

On the bad news side of Minnesota sports page today, it was announced that Joe Nathan will have season-ending Tommy John surgery on his pitching elbow, leaving the pickings a bit slim on the closer shelf of the Twins' bullpen cupboard full of decent, but unspectacular options.  No word yet on whether Nathan blamed Phil Cuzzi for the injury.

Yankee Blogosphere Linkapalooza For The Week That Was (March 15-21)

Another week, another great batch of Yankee-related bloggy goodness.  As usual, the boys at The Yankee U carried the torch.  Let's get into it.

- Will Leitch kinda sorta previews the 2010 Yankees on Deadspin.  Actually, he just muses his way to nowhere in discussing how ridiculous the concept of a "true Yankee" is.  I can't say I disagree with that theory, but it's a fucking season preview, dude.  You gotta do more than just name drop all the new guys the Yankees signed and old guys they didn't bring back.

- Moshe Mandel at TYU posts a well-written guest article by a frequent TYU commenter pointing out the flaws in Leitch's opinion of Yankee fans.  Sure Yankee fans bitch and moan a lot, we all know that.  But for Leitch to imply that the fans have something to do with players being signed or traded is asinine, so kudos to Ridderling for straightening that out.

- Robbie Cano was a big topic of discussion this week as he was officially announced by Joe as the man who would hit 5th in the lineup this year behind The Horse.  Joe P at River Ave. Blues gives his assessment of Cano in the 5-spot, and Steve S. at TYU comments on Cano's patience or lack thereof, and how that will be the key to him being successful batting behind A-Rod this year.

- EJ Fagan at TYU profiles Austin Romine, AKA the "other catcher" in the Yanks' Minor League system.  With the potential Romine has to be an above-average catcher, it makes the Jesus Montero situation all the more interesting.  Personally I'd like to see the Yankees hold onto both of them but you never know with Cash.

- Joe P. really tickles my fancy with this season preview for CC and A.J. that predicts each could be better in 2010 than they were in 2009.  I find it hard to believe that CC could outdo what he did last year, but there certainly is room for Burnett to improve and if he does, watch out.

- Another solid TYU guest post looks ahead to the 2010 off-season and breaks down possible Yankee free agent/team salary scenarios.  I think the Yankees should focus solely on Cliff Lee with Pettite and Vazquez question marks for 2011 and leave Carl Crawford alone, but Brett Gardner's performance in an everyday role will almost certainly determine just how hard they pursue Crawford.

- Brian Burkhart at Bronx Basebally Daily checks the box next to Joba's name for his choice for 5th starter.  I guess everybody has their own personal favorite, but I would caution Brian to not get too excited about one good Joba start since that was the prevailing thought going through the blogosphere after Hughes' solid performance earlier in the week.  Let's see some consistency from Joba before we give him the spot.

- A couple of gems from the crew at Fack Youk.  Jay breaks down the battle for the 5th rotation spot and argues that Joba going to Triple-A might not be a bad thing.  Matt discusses the Ron Washington situation in Texas and makes solid points about whether or not Washington should still have a job and why stories like this continue to get leaked to the press months and months after the fact.  Some people need to start subscribing to the Carmelo Anthony school of thought and "stop snitchin'."

- The guys at No Maas have renewed their sponsorship for Josh Beckett's Baseball-Reference page and need ideas for a new sponsorship message.  Get creative and give them some good shit to work with.

- Lord Duggan at Pinstripe Alley takes a break from Spring Training to look back at how the Yankees went 103-59 last season.  Normally I don't like to live in the past, but when the past is a 103-59 season in which the Yankees hoisted the Championship trophy, I'll make an exception.

- Vince Mercandetti at Sox and Pinstripes previews the only 3 teams in the AL East that matter and comes to the conclusion that the Yanks will win 98-101 games this year and the division.  Naturally.

And just for shits and gigs, here's another look at my bracket from earlier this week:

You may now commence the laughing at my expense.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Yankee fans.  If you get bored with the tournament, check out the UFC on Versus tonight.  Jon Jones and Junior Dos Santos are trucksticks.

Catching Up With The Other 4 Guys In The Starting Rotation

With all the hoopla surrounding the Joba-Phil-Ace 3-way dance for the last spot in the rotation, it seems as though the other 4 members of that rotation have fallen a bit on the wayside.  In all fairness to these guys, that shouldn't have happened, since it's most likely these 4 that will have a bigger impact on the Yankees' success this season than whoever ends up in the 5th spot.  So in case you've forgotten who the other starters are and how their Spring Trainings have gone, here's a quick update.

- CC Sabathia, after a slow start in his first couple of ST outing, has hit his stride and is now working on refining his off-speed control as he stares down the barrel of his Opening Day start against Josh Beckett and the Red Sox.  So far he has shown no signs of fatigue from his heavy workload last season and the Yankees have taken no precautions with him in terms of limiting his innings or pitches as he gears up for the start of the season.  Sabathia has also inspired a revolution of sorts amongst his teammates on the staff as there has been an outbreak of guys experimenting with changeups this spring.  After a dominant, 8-K performance yesterday against the Tigers, all signs point to CC hitting the ground running on April 4.

- A.J. Burnett came into ST with questions about how he would perform this year after last year's up-and-down campaign.  The questions were especially loud regarding how he would adjust to losing Jose Molina and if he could make it work with Jorge Posada.  Any notions of there being tension between A.J. and Jorge were quickly squashed by all those around them and by all accounts they have worked through their differences and are on the same page with the approach they want to take when A.J. is on the mound this year.  A.J. is the first of the group of guys who has spent the better part of Spring Training working on adding a changeup, mainly at the expense of his other pitches.  His numbers in his outings so far don't tell the story, as Jorge and Dave Eiland have had positive things to say about what he's done on the mound.

- Andy Pettitte, the grizzled veteran of the group, seems to have finally adjusted to life without HGH (as far as you know), and is being handled age-appropriately by the team after he was part of the 3-man rotation to end 2009.  Pettitte's workload has been reduced to just enough to let him get himself ready for the season.  He made his official Spring Training debut on Tuesday and it was exactly what you would expect from a veteran like Pettite: 4 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K against the Phillies' regulars.  At this stage in his career, there isn't anything Andy has to work on and outside of injuries there isn't anything fans have to worry about with him; Andy knows what he's doing.

- After folks like myself expressed much trepidation at the trade that brought him back to the Bronx, Javy Vazquez has been good enough to put me at ease and make me a believer in the thought that he is a changed man and different pitcher than he was in 2004.  Vazquez hasn't been lights out this spring, giving up some homers, but that's to be expected when he is spending the majority of his time sharpening his off-speed pitches that he has learned to utilize better.  The true test won't be until the regular season starts, and the truest test won't be until he has to pitch a game in prime time against the Sox or Angels or make a critical postseason start, but for now Vazquez looks ready to settle into his role as the 4th starter and contribute to what has a chance to be the best 1-4 rotation in baseball.

So there you have it.  I'm sure reading some of those names and realizing that these guys have actually been pitching comes as a shock to some, but I swear it's the truth.  These are the guys that are expected to anchor the rotation this year, and if they all pitch up to their capability it might not matter who the 5th starter is.

It's Officially An All-Out, End-Of-The-World Battle For The Ages For The 5th Starter's Spot

You've got Alfredo Aceves throwing up a 0.90 ERA and leading as they head into the home stretch.

You've got Sergio Mitre striking guys out left and right and making a solid case for himself.

You've got Phil Hughes mastering a changeup and rocking the world of the Houston Astros JV team.

And now you've got Joba tossing 4 effective innings with 5 Ks to redeem himself for his last awful outing.

I don't know if any battle this epic was predicted in the Bible or the Mayan calendar.  All I know is there's just too much action and suspense for this competition to not be in 3-D on the big screen.  I keep waiting for a bearded Liam Neeson to pop up on my computer screen while I'm scrolling through LoHud and yell "RELEASE THE KRAKEN!!!!!"

By this time next week, we should know who the 5th starter is going to be.  I just pray that when the dust settles we're all still alive to hear the news.

Leprechauns

Has anybody seen this leprechaun around?  I think it was last seen around Mobile, Alabama.

Oh wait!  There he is.  I found him.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!  Get it?  It's a joke about how small Dustin Pedroia is.

But seriously, Happy St. Patrick's Day everybody.  Except you, Pedroia.  You can fuck off.

Ohhhhhhhh. So NOW Joba Has To Start Pitching Well...

Gee, I wonder if Joba's start today is important?

“Got to pick it up, we have told him you got to pitch now. We gave you those couple of starts to get under your belt. Now you have to show us, you got to pitch.”- Girardi

“You want to see him execute pitches and do the things you have to do to be successful. Be ahead in the count. You don’t want to be walking people. You want to attack hitters and you want to make quality pitches.”- Girardi

“When you compete for the fifth starter’s spot with the Yankees it’s put up or shut up. I expect him to pitch good [today]. He pitched better than the numbers showed in the second game. But it’s time to put it all together....”- Eiland

“We talked about March 25, 26 as the target date so the guys who are going to be in the bullpen [will] be in the bullpen and get them used to getting ready a little quicker, maybe even back to back.”- Girardi (all quotes courtesy of the NY Post)

I'd love to sit here and say "it's about time" to Girardi and Eiland and applaud them for finally putting a little pressure on Joba to perform. But the fact is they are the 2 most responsible for coddling him over the last 2 years and giving just as many excuses as he does for all his sub-par performances.

It's bad enough to have Joba tell us time after time that he "felt good out there" and "was making good pitches." But when the manager and pitching coach are shoving each other out of the way to be the first to say those same things to the media to cover for him when he gives up consecutive walks with the bases loaded before getting lifted in the 4th inning of a big game, their tough talk about how NOW he needs to step up rings a little hollow. Shit, Eiland even mixes in a little bullshit compliment about how he "pitched better than the numbers showed" the last time he was out, totally taking all the sting out of the "put up or shut up" ultimatum he delivers not a sentence earlier. No, Dave. He pitched well in the first 2 innings and his numbers looked great. He pitched like absolute dogshit in the 3rd inning and his numbers sucked. Period.

Just a little word of the wise to Joe and Davie Boy: everybody who watches the Yankees has been saying Joba needs to throw strikes and attack hitters since he first joined the rotation. That's why there is such a huge contingent of fans and writers and bloggers that believe he's better suited for the 'pen. Sure his velocity is up when he's a reliever, but so is his approach. He DOES attack; he DOES make quality pitches. It's when he starts the game and has to go through a lineup multiple times that he starts overthinking and tiptoe-ing around hitters. So welcome to the party on that one, fellas.

Now I want Joba to succeed, I really do. But I fear that Girardi and Eiland finally deciding to man up and take Joba to task after all this time will do more harm than good. Joba has known he has to throw strikes all along, just like they have; it's nothing new. You can't make excuses for a guy for a year when he doesn't throw strikes and then suddenly when the pressure is really on to perform throw him to wolves and tell him he HAS to pitch well. If that's how you're going to handle it, then just walk into the clubhouse today before he goes out and tell him he's going to be in the bullpen and let him work on getting his velocity up and mind right for the lockdown 8th inning role he has thrived in.


P.S.- I'm sure Phil Hughes jumped back ahead of Ace with his 4 shutout innings yesterday. But that was against the bottom of the barrel of one of the worst teams in the NL, so let's everybody calm down before we start punching Hughes' name out of our Cy Young ballot.

The 2010 Yankees As NCAA Tournament Teams

In the interest of getting in the March Madness spirit, here's how the Yankees compare to teams in the tourney.

Mark Teixeira= Syracuse: Teix and 'Cuse both do everything well offensively, and can put up some overwhelming offensive totals.  But it's the Orange's vicious 2-3 zone that sets them apart from other teams just like it's Teix's Hoover-like play at first that sets him apart from the other top first baggers in baseball.

Robinson Cano= Texas: Cano has all the tools: hitting for average, hitting for power, great arm, good range, decent speed, but still hasn't quite put it all together and has had the tendency to fade in big moments.  Texas also has all the tools: Pittman inside, Damion James at the 4-spot, decent ball-handling, good shooting and athleticism on the wings.  They got up to Number 1 in the country and then completely fell apart, melting under the spotlight that comes with being at the top of the heap.

Derek Jeter= Kansas: The best at what they do, and both possess the ability to do whatever they have to do to win.  Jeter can turn a double play, smack a 3-run homer, or lay down a perfect sac bunt if that's what it takes.  Kansas can run you off the floor with Sherron Collins in transition, drive and dish with guys like Xavier Henry against zones, or pound it inside to Cole Aldrich and the Morris twins.  Just no weaknesses.

Alex Rodriguez= Kentucky: Less of a comparison of the playing styles and more a comparison of the scandal always following them both.  Whether it's banging old celebrities, meeting with the Feds, or commissioning centaur paintings of himself, A-Rod always manages to find the spotlight in a bad way.  John Calipari's recruiting history is littered with discretions (see: Marcus Camby or Derrick Rose), so it wouldn't be a surprise to find out in a year or 2 that somebody else took DeMarcus Cousins' SAT test or that John Wall was cruising around campus in an Escalade bought by a booster.

Jorge Posada= Cornell: Jorge is the unquestioned clubhouse veteran leader of the Yankees and is all business on the field, no flash.  Doesn't wear batting gloves, doesn't use any new-age catching equipment, no home run trots.  Just goes out, gets the job done, and wins games.  Cornell is the same way; senior-led, mature and controlled on offense, and can shoot the lights out.  They aren't going to pound their chests or get on SportsCenter's Top 10, but they will beat you.

Nick Swisher= Michigan St.: Swish's swing ain't pretty, his batting average ain't pretty, and some of the routes he takes in the outfield ain't pretty.  But at the end of the day he's got 29 homers, 82 RBIs, and an above-average rating in right field.  Michigan St. games are never going to be shown on ESPN Classic, most of them are of the 62-56-variety.  But come tournament time, these kids know how to get it done, mostly because of Tom Izzo.

Curtis Granderson= Duke: Both Granderson and Duke are talented overall but with one fatal flaw.  With Granderson it's been his inability to hit left-handed pitching throughout his career.  For Duke it's big, athletic teams that can run them up and down the floor and expose their slow, whiteness.  The difference is, I expect C-Grand to improve on his flaw this year;  I can't say the same for the Dukies.

Brett Gardner= Siena: 2 undervalued commodities that don't get their due because they aren't big names.  Gardner isn't going to wow you with his stat line but his speed helps create wins both on the basepaths and in the outfield.  Siena is never on Big Monday or Super Tuesday, but they play the game the right way and are fundamentally strong in all aspects of the game, something that will help them sneak up on people in the tourney.

CC Sabathia= Kansas St.: A couple of Swiss Army knives.  CC can still ratchet up the heat and blow hitters away, but he's learned to harness his off-speed stuff and is now just as happy to make you flail at the changeup or beat the inside slider into the ground for a double play ball.  Kansas St. can use their guard combo of Pullen and Clemente to pick you apart on the perimeter or they can pound the ball inside to Curtis Kelly and company.  Just a lot of ways to beat you and a lot of things to pay attention to if you're going to be successful against these guys.

Andy Pettitte= West Virginia: At this stage in his career, Andy is the West Virginia of pitchers: scrappy, tough, smart.  He battles in every at-bat and gets the most out of the stuff he still has left, just like West Virginia, who can't shoot, aren't deep, and yet they still find ways to win through hard-nosed defense and flat-out toughness.

Mariano Rivera= the UConn Women's team: Simply the best.

Jonathan Albaladejo= the  UConn Men's team: Simply the worst.

And just in case you haven't filled out your bracket yet in your office pools, here's the winning one:

Don't worry about whether you can read that or not.  Trust me, it's all fucking right.  Copy that down and thank me later.

When You're Wrong, You're Wrong...

However, when I am wrong, I tend to be WAYYYYYYYYYYYY fucking wrong.  Case in point, last year, December 13th, my comments on the Yankees potentially signing Ben Sheets:

"Why the hell not? The guy is a walking DL-stint, but he also was one of the most dominant pitchers in his league for a stretch of years when he was healthy and the combination of his injury-prone status and long time away from the mound means he's going to come cheap.

Cash has already been talking to his agent and Sheets is expected to be ready for Spring Training. NL pitchers traditionally don't translate well to moving up to the Big League, but with Sheets' lack of history with AL teams it's more than likely that there isn't a very thick book on him in anybody's clubhouse.

The back end of the rotation is still a question mark and Sheets does pose a big question mark himself. But he is a proven commodity and if his stuff is half of what it was at his peak, then he's just as viable an option for the back end of the rotation than Joba, Gaudin, or anybody. Depending on how the Damon/Matsui situations play out, I don't think it would be too big of a risk to throw a $3-5mil, 1-year deal at Sheets (AKA "The Boston Red Sox-John Smoltz Special), and see what happens."

Fast forward to today, when Sheets put up the following line: 0 IP, 8 H, 10 R, 9 ER, 1 BB, 0 K.  That's right folks, Ben Sheets put up the elusive and horrifically special infinite ERA today as he didn't retire one batter before being lifted.  If you're keeping score at home, that's now 18 runs allowed by Sheets in 4 1/3 innings of work.  Not exactly the type of numbers the sabermetric-obsessed Billy Beane was looking for, especially when Sheets came to him at a not-so-cheap $10 million for this season.  And not exactly the numbers I foresaw when I thought signing Sheets was a good idea.

Clearly I was way off in my assessment of Sheets and even further off in thinking it would have been a good idea for the Yanks to bring him in as competition for the 5th spot in the rotation.  I would rather have Joba go out there and give up 6 runs in 2+ innings every single time he's on the mound than watch Sheets give up a 10-spot before even getting a guy out.  That kind of shit would have me heaving my remote through the screen of my TV, and I've got a nice damn TV.  So in this case, I'm glad I experienced a temporary lapse in my usual dead-on Yankee-related aim and with all the other times I've been right on the money, I think it's OK if we let this one slide.  When you're as good as I am, sometimes you have to be able to step back and poke some fun at yourself.

P.S.- It's obvious that Sheets' stuff isn't half of what is used to be, but at least I got the "Sheets does pose a big question mark" part right.  Sort of.

Did Adeinis Hechavarria Make A Mistake Going To Toronto?

The saddest news yesterday was the story that prized Cuban SS prospect Adeinis Hechavarria decided to go to Toronto over the Yanks because of concerns about PT due to Jeter's looming contract extension.  Clearly this means that the Yankees should cut ties with Jeter now since he is a black cloud hanging over the future of the organization, but does it also mean that Adeinis Hechavarria is a moron?

I mean, think about it.  However long Jeter signs for, logic would dictate he isn't going to spend all that time at shortstop.  Shit, it's still a miracle the guy is playing the position as well as he is at this age.  I was as happy as anybody to see him rebound defensively last season and finally earn a Gold Glove, but I certainly don't expect him to repeat or improve upon this numbers this year and in the next few.  The Yankees know this and Jeter knows this, so it's sure to be discussed this offseason when his contract negotiations start and a plan will begin to be put in place for Jeter to transition to another spot in the field as his ability to play shortstop well finally dwindles.

And as good as this kid may be, I find it hard to believe Hechavarria is going to come in and play out of this world right off the bat at shortstop.  As good as Cuban baseball is, it still isn't the Major Leagues; the kid is going to have to get used to the Major League game and to Major League pitching.  Shortstop isn't exactly a position where you just slide in seemlessly and light the world on fire, and not for nothing, but I don't hear anybody comparing Hechavarria to Hanley Ramirez or even Jeter himself.  Those 2 are arguably the top 2 shortstops in the game and even they had to pay their dues and spend time working their way up through the Minors before they were ready to be full-time Major League shortstops. So you have to expect there will be a learning curve associated with Hechavarria becoming a quality Major League shortstop, even if it is an accelerated one.

Now he could have signed with the Yankees for $8.5 million, by far the most they've ever shelled out for what equates to a rookie player, spent some time in the Minors learning the ins and outs of the game, taken over at age 24 when Jeter gracefully moved to the outfield, and become the NEW JETER!!!  He would have been the most talked about player on the most widely recognized, successful team in the history of American sports in the biggest media market in the world.  After his rookie year he would have made up the extra $1.5 million that the Blue Jays offered him in endorsements!  And then some!!  It's a story so good that Disney would be jumping all over it after he hit his first game-winning home run.

Now I fucking suck at baseball, but if you told me that was my future in 3 years I would walk into my office tomorrow, squat on my boss' desk, and drop a hot one right in his coffee cup.  But little Hech was too worried about playing right away and so he took more money and the earlier guaranteed starting spot.  I applaud the kid's confidence, I really do.  But to give up a shot at playing for the greatest team in the history of baseball at a position that has been manned by one of the 3 greatest members of that team in its history just doesn't make sense to me.

Maybe he likes the Toronto night life, I don't know.  Maybe he's seen the problems that past Cuban defector Jose Contreras had in the Big Apple and doesn't think he can handle the pressure.  But whatever the case may be, I hope Hechavarria does well in the Majors and then comes to his senses by the time his first Blue Jay contract is up.  Because by then the Yankees will definitely need a shortstop.

Yankee Blogosphere Linkapalooza For The Week That Was (March 8-14)

First, the round-up from the crew at The Yankee U:

- Moshe Mandel compares the careers of Nomahhhhh and Jeter to determine who was the better player.  In their primes, Nomar was definitely the better all-around player and his value over replacement shows that.  But the fact that Nomar did spend the last 5 years of his career injured and had to retire while Jeter is still at the top of his game and staring down 3,000 hits ends that argument right there.  Over the long haul, Jeter IS the better player.

- Chris H. breaks down the relationship between Mo's decreased velocity and increased contact rates in 2009.  The numbers are worth noting, as they were significant.  But you have to remember Mo was coming off of shoulder surgery before 2009 so it's expected at his age he would experience a decrease in velocity as a result.  I personally could care less if Mo never strikes a guy out ever again; as long as he's sawing guys off and getting the 1-2-3 in the 9th, that's all that matters.

- Moshe Mandel joins the discussion at TYU about who the 5th starter should be and makes a 5-pointed argument for why it should be Joba.  I can't say I agree with any of the 5 points Mandel makes, but I'm sure some of those thoughts are being discussed internally amongst the Yankee brass and will most likely play a big factor in making Joba the 5th starter (since his on-field performance to date certainly hasn't earned him anything).

- Joe Pawlikowski at River Ave. Blues projects Curtis Granderson's 2010 season.  I, like Joe, expect C-Grand to improve upon his 2009 and his career splits to date.  If he does, it's important to note Joe's point that the Yankees have him for a few more years to come in the prime of his career, something they would not have with Matsui or Damon.

- Joba could probably learn something about pitching by reading this Joe P. post from RAB about Tim Lincecum adjusting his approach after losing some velocity.  So far Joba still hasn't figured out how to harness his secondary pitches when he can't throw 96-97 all the time.  If he wants to stay in the discussion for the 5th spot, he better damn well start harnessing.

- Roberto at Respect Jeter's Gangster is already bored with Spring Training.  Can't say I blame the guy, but there's only 21 games until the season starts so hang in there, bud.

- Jason Kozlowski at Bronx Baseball Daily profiles Spring Training bright spot Zach McAllister.  Something tells me this kid is going to be the early favorite for the 5th spot in the rotation in 2011, especially if Pettitte and Vazquez retire.

- My main man Lenny Neslin reviews the Yankees 2009 World Series DVD, something I am still kicking myself for not buying for 45 bucks after Christmas.  IT'S GOT SPANISH COMMENTARY!!!!

- Scott Ham at The Bronx View pokes a little fun at the Joba-Hughes debate and then proceeds to write a well thought out piece that ends with Joba in the rotation and Hughes in the 'pen.

- iYankees explains how Dave Robertson is pretty much the 2nd lefty out of the bullpen.  I'm a huge Robertson fan and love anything that sings his praises.  Boone Logan, however, might want to skip this article.

- Dan LaTorraca at Was Watching previews the 2010 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.  Always good to know what the future holds, especially when it comes to the Almighty Jesus.

- And even though I hate to end on a sour note, it appears Cuban SS prospect Adeinis Hechavarria has decided to sign with Toronto instead of the Bombers because he is concerned Jeter's new contract will block him from playing sooner.  Rob from BBD has his two cents on the situation here.  It's tough to lose a guy who could have been the perfect replacement for Jeter whenever he did have to move away from the hole, but since he hasn't completely broken down yet, why fix what isn't broken?

Enjoy the rest of your evening, Yankee fans.  Check out the Reggie Miller-NY Knicks doc on ESPN and then fill out your NCAA brackets.  Mine already has the Yankees winning it all.  Beat that.

Snap Judgements From The First 2 Weeks Of Spring Training

- Joba, flu or no flu, still doesn't seem like he approaches the game as a starter the same way he does as a reliever.  The velocity being down is understandable, you want to keep something in the tank.  But the aggression, the intensity, and the attitude just isn't there.  I know starters are always more valuable than relievers, but if this is how Joba is going to pitch this year then he definitely has more value in the 'pen.

- After recovering from his brain fart in the batting cage, Nick Johnson has looked solid at the plate and should be the favorite to bat 2nd behind Jeter.  He isn't fast, but you can't ignore the high OBP and the number of extra chances it gives Teix and The Horse to drive in runs.

- That being said, C-Grand's performance so far should earn him a spot somewhere between 5-7 in the lineup.  And with the way he's played in the outfield so far (see: great catch in deep center for Phil Hughes on Thursday), expect Granderson to at least start the season as the everyday centerfielder.

- Regardless of who ends up winning the competition for the 5th spot in the rotation, the bullpen is going to be STACKED this year, and Park and Mo haven't even pitched to live batters yet.

- You always have to take Spring Training results, good or bad, with a grain of salt, but Robinson Cano has looked great so far.  He's as locked in at the plate as he has ever been, and that should bode well for him as he is usually a very slow starter.

- Why does everybody think they're CC this spring?  Burnett, Vazquez, Hughes, and more are all working on adding a changeup to their repertoire. 

- Is Randy Winn even in camp?  I haven't heard his name mentioned once so that definitely bodes well for Brett Gardner, who's continued solid defense and improved bunting has been on display all spring so far.

- It almost seems like Winn, Thames, and Hoffman are trying to see who can play bad enough to NOT make the team.  Seriously, guys.  You're playing for a spot on the team that's going to win the World Series!!!  Wake up!!

- I think it's safe to say the days of the Chase Wrights and Matt DeSalvos pitching meaningful innings in the big leagues are over.  With Mark Melancon, Zach McAllister, Ivan Nova, Grant Duff, Royce Ring, Dustin Moseley all pitching relatively well this spring, the Yankees shouldn't have to scramble and pray if they experience a freak rash of injuries to their pitching staff.

- I still say we're going to see Jesus on the Major League roster at some point this year.  When you add up Johnson's injury proneness (probably not a real word), Cervelli turning into a walking concussion, and the anticipated lack of pop off the bench, it's the perfect situation for Jesus to step in and provide a spark.

- Not hearing about how Jeter, A-Rod, Jorge, and Teix are doing is a good thing.  These guys are the ultimate professionals; I could care less if they don't get a hit between them all spring.

- Can we clone Aceves?  That guy is just a beast.

- He might not hit much, but Ramiro Pena's defensive wizardry has already ended the competition for utility infielder off the bench.

- Regardless of how well he continues to pitch, there won't be a spot for Mitre on the Opening Day roster.  Those 12 pitchers are going to be: CC, A.J., Andy, Javy, Hughes, Mo, Joba, Marte, Ace, Robertson, Park, and Gaudin.

How It Feels To Be A Mets Fan Right Now

Your starting center fielder is out until at least May with a knee injury, possibly due to another misdiagnosis by your training staff.

Your starting shortstop, who missed pretty much all of last season, is giong to miss 2-8 weeks with a hyperactive thyroid, and has no solid Major League-level backup.

Your starting rotation has no solid 2-, 3-, 4-, or 5-starter to speak of, and the great Oliver Perez has started his annual meltdown extra early this season.

Your bullpen is such a question mark that everybody and their mother is tweaking their nipples over some 20-year-old kid who has never thrown a Major League inning.

And your management and executive staff, from the owner down to the GM down to the manager, might just be the worst in baseball.

Goddamn, you bastards have it easy! Us Yankee fans are sitting here fretting about who's going to fill the last spot in a rotation full of top-tier talent in the 1-4 spots, which unlucky guys aren't going to get a spot in the crowded and insanely deep bullpen and have to go down to Triple-A, and who is going to play left field and bat 9th on a regular basis to round out one of, if not the most, deep and dangerous lineups in the game.

You just have no idea how much stress that puts on us as fans. You guys are living the life.

Catching Up With Fraud Sox Nation

2 big stories out of Bahhhhhhhhhhhston this week that should interest Yankee fans.

1, Nomahhhhhhh retired yesterday.  Out of the trio of Nomar, Jeter, and A-Rod, Nomar might have been the best all-around player at his peak.  Unfortunately his body couldn't hold up (maybe due to steroid use) and he fell off the face of the baseball earth before retiring as a Red Sock yesterday.

Not surprisingly, ESPN gobbled Nomar up to be their newest baseball analyst.  Now on paper this looks like a good move for ESPN as their stable of Red Sox Nut Huggers has been ravaged over the last year with the loss of sex maniac Steve Phillips and mushy brain Peter Gammons.  But with the ugly ending to his playing career in Boston and the obvious tension that still exists between Nomar, Theo, and Lucchino, it's not a given that Nomar will play ball with ESPN and fall in line with the rest of the mindless ex-players/Boston mouthpieces that take up space on the Baseball Tonight set.

I mean, does that look like a guy who was legitimately happy to be there yesterday? 

(Photo courtesy of Barstool Boston)

If anything, I would be willing to bet Nomar spends more time slurping the Yankees since the 2 players with whom he is most closely associated are manning the left side of the Pinstripe infield.  At any rate, it should be interesting TV so keep an eye out for that.

Secondly, and much funnier, is this ridiculous video that Nike did on Jacoby Ellsbury and his FREAKISH!!!! athleticism.  Now I can't get on NESN for featuring this, but the fact that it's being presented in a way that makes Ellsbury look like a good baseball player is absolutely hilarious.

38.5-inch vertical jump?  Wow, that is high!  Too bad it doesn't help Ellsbury when he takes shitty routes to balls hit to the wall or in the gaps (thank you, homefield scoring).  But it's the same height that Tim Tebow jumped, SO IT MUST BE A BIG DEAL!!!!!!!!

And I'm sure that blazing "5-10-5" shuttle speed is going to come in handy helping to improve Ellsbury's below-average OBP, OPS, and OPS+, which make him overvalued as a leadoff hitter because he doesn't walk enough and has never managed to score 100+ runs in a season despite being a career .297 hitter and leading the league in stolen bases 2 years in a row.  But hey, any time you can overinflate a player's value based on his "Freakish Athleticism" (citing Jay Bilas) you have to do it.

The one thing I will admit is that the 65-foot powerball throw is pretty fucking impressive.  In fact, we'll probably all marvel at how far he can throw his bat in disgust after CC strikes his fucking ass out to end the 7th inning.  BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!! 

Joba-Phil Round 2 Review

Yesterday should have been the day that Joba and Phil stepped up and took charge of the race for the 5 spot. But Joba's putrid performance combined with the previously-mentioned success of Sergio Mitre and Ace makes talking about the Joba-Phil competition useless, so I'll just keep it quick.

Joba looked solid through his first 2 innings and then the wheels completely came off in the 3rd. A barrage of singles and walks culminated in a Gerald Laird grand slam that chased Joba from the game with a final line of 2.1 IP, 5 H, 3 BB, 6 ER, 1 K. After the game the excuses started flying, with mention of everything from Joba getting tired to Joba still not being fully recovered from the flu to Joba having small mechanical problems. Whether or not any of that influenced his 3rd inning meltdown, the fact is Joba once again lost his touch in an inning and showed no ability to battle his way out of trouble by being aggressive with hitters and making good pitches, something that has plagued him since his first Major League start.

Hughes relieved Joba in the 3rd and after giving up a rocket home run to Ryan Raburn and a shot to deep center that was erased by a fantastic Curtis Granderson catch, he settled down to pitch 2 2/3 decent innings. His fastball command wasn't perfect but it was better than his first outing and Hughes showed continued improvement on his off-speed stuff, particularly the new changeup (which he tried to throw twice in a row for strikes and missed, causing him to fall behind 3-1 in the at-bat against Raburn).

It was another decisive 10-9 round for Hughes in the fight against Joba and the grand slam to Laird was the equivalent of Joba getting staggered with a 1-2 combo, but with the continuing solid performances of the other 5-spot candidates, this mano-y-mano battle now has to be considered a no-holds-barred battle royale. And don't be shocked to see Chad Gaudin cracking dudes with a steel chair to keep himself in the mix.

Woosa, Woosa, Woosa

Why does anybody care that CC pitched like shit yesterday? Kevin Kernan was practically inching himself towards the ledge in his article this morning, bringing up questions about CC's career innings total coming back to haunt him this year and saying the Yankees "need" CC to replicate his 2009 season this year, all while attempting to wrap those boneheaded theories up in an "It's All Good" coating that was obvious even he didn't believe.

Newsflash, kids. CC is just fine. He had a terrible outing in his second ST start last year and look what it got him? 19 wins, some Cy Young votes, an ALCS MVP, and a bunch of beer-soaked World Series Championship memorabilia. If anything, people should be writing articles about the genius approach CC is taking to repeating last year's success, right down to his meticulous re-enactment of last year's Spring Training. CC doesn't need Spring Training any more than he needs a pair of Lycra bike shorts. It's old hat to him and it serves no other purpose than to let him iron out any problems in his mechanics (which he was fully aware of after yesterday) and build up just enough arm strength to be ready to go 6-7 innings without issue once the real season starts.

And this theory that the Yankees need CC to be a work horse again this year is completely asinine. They are going into this season with a deeper rotation and what will eventually be a deeper, better bullpen than last year's model. The plan should be to try to limit CC's innings as much as possible in the regular season to keep him fresh for the playoffs. I like complete games as much as the next cat, but if you can get CC out after 90 pitches and 7 great innings in May and June and July knowing you've got some combination of Mo, Joba/Hughes, Marte, etc. in the 'pen to lock down the last 2 innings to save that little bit of extra wear and tear on him instead of sending him out for the 8th, you do it. Period. That's why the Yankees brought in Javy Vazquez and why Cash signed Chan Ho Park; so that we don't have to watch a repeat of 2009 where guys like CC and Andy Pettitte are being worked to the bone. If the Yankees end up NEEDING CC to throw another 230 innings in the regular season this year, that means other guys in the rotation/bullpen aren't holding up their end of the bargain and that's not good for CC or the team.

So everybody calm the fuck down about his crappy outing yesterday. He knows what he did wrong and he knows how to fix it. Don't bring up the $161 million contract; don't mention anything about what he did last year, and don't even try to argue that the Yankees are counting him on for a monster year this year. Let CC do his thing and just keep counting down the days until he knocks Boston's dick in the dirt on Opening Night.

And Now For A Little Musical Number...

It's not like I need a reason to post the video for the new Deftones song on this blog. After all, it is my fucking blog. But just to keep with the Yankee theme, it is worth mentioning that Sergio Vega is wearing a Yankee hat in this video.  Enjoy.

Does Somebody Else Actually Have A Shot At The 5th Spot In The Rotation?

It's still early in Spring Training, but so far the Joba-Hughes battle for the last spot in the rotation has been greatly overshadowed by the performances of Sergio Mitre and Alfredo Aceves. In their first 2 outings they have both looked impressive, and it raises the question of how serious are the Yankees about the race for the 5th rotation spot actually being an "open competition?"

Everybody from Joe Girardi to Brian Cashman has sworn up and down that this is a legit 5-man race between Joba, Phil, Mitre, Ace, and Chad Gaudin for the 5-spot in the rotation, but everybody with half a clue assumes it is going to come down to Joba and Hughes and everybody else will be herded into the bullpen or the minors.  The question that needs to be asked is, if Joba and Hughes don't perform well enough to prove they should win the spot, or if Mitre or Aceves continue to pitch lights out, will the Yankees keep true to their word and give the guy who pitched the best his shot?

I personally don't see it happening.  The organization has spent so much time over the last couple seasons grooming Joba and Phil to be starters that it would be seen as a waste internally if one of these guys isn't in the rotation this year.  At that point you can pretty much say the Joba Rules and Joba's entire 2009 season were a waste of time, and nobody in the higher branches of the Yankee tree likes to admit they were wrong.  Even if Joba or Hughes don't pitch that well for the rest of the spring, whoever does pitch better will be given the spot and it will be their spot to lose.

On the other hand, as blog after blog has pointed out, you don't need a world beater as your 5th starter, and nobody is accusing Mitre or Ace of being world beaters.  If they continue to pitch well and earn the 5th spot, I would feel just as comfortable with Mitre or Ace in the 5-spot and a bullpen of Gaudin, Park, Robertson, Marte, Hughes, Joba, and Mo.  It would be like a modern day version of the Cincinnati Reds' Nasty Boys 'pens of 1990 and would allow Joe the depth to cover for weak performances from the 5th starter or anybody in the rotation and keep Mo fresh for the stretch run of the playoffs.  Any way you look at it, it's a win-win and something to consider.

It's still way too early to speculate, and if Hughes or Joba shows even a hint of being able to nail down the last spot, it's going to go to them no questions asked.  But you have to admit that with the way things have started out with Joba and Phil not being overly sharp and Mitre and Aceves looking dynamic, this "battle" for the last rotation spot is certainly more interesting than it initially looked like it was going to be.

People Let Me Tell You 'Bout My Best Friend

In today's Post, Kevin Kernan delivers a heart-warming tale of two long lost friends, reunited after years of a chilly stalemate between them. An excerpt from what will inevitably become an Academy Award-nominated screenplay:

"The bond of winning a championship together has created a tighter bond between Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter.

They drove here together yesterday from Tampa for the Yankees' split-squad 6-0 win over the Pirates. And they left together. Before the game they played catch and long toss together, ran together in the outfield and even walked into the clubhouse together along the right-field line at 12:01 after they were done with their early work while a group of Yankees were still taking batting practice.

"They've definitely grown closer," one Yankee official told me.

They are laughing and joking together more, and during Sunday's workout in Tampa they spent a lot of time talking in short leftfield on a back field. They are enjoying being teammates." (courtesy of the NY Post)

Kernan thankfully left out the part where Jeter and A-Rod trade Lunchables lunches in the locker room after games, stay up late and watch scary movies together in a pillow fort they made together, and put Carl Pavano cards in their bike spokes to make them sound cooler when they ride around the Spring Training complex.

In all seriousness, this is good news for the Yankees and their fans. The Jeter-A-Rod rift was always news from the time A-Rod arrived in New York all the way through last year. It was a constant running subplot that everybody in the media knew about and everybody in the locker room had to be prepared to be asked about if anything regarding their relationship came up, like a lingering black rain cloud always hanging over the team and threatening to downpour on any good clubhouse vibes.

Jeter and The Horse are both professionals and their situation obviously didn't affect the way they performed on the field, but off the field one would imagine it still wasn't something they wanted to talk about. The fact that they seem to be back on good terms is good news for them and the team. It lifts that ominous cloud and allows for that little extra bit of comfort and calmness in the locker room now that everybody knows they don't have to worry about being asked "What's the deal with Jeet and A-Rod?" Jeter and A-Rod both can now focus even more on playing well and winning games and not have to listen to discussions about who is better, who is the leader, whose feelings are hurt, etc.

While it is a little hokey that something like this warrants major coverage in The Post, the fact is it's still good news for the team as they move into 2010. Having 2 of your best players and clubhouse leaders on the same page and getting along sets the tone for the relaxed, fun clubhouse vibe that was so important to last year's success and ensures that those vibes continue this season.

Goose Gossage Better Than Mo? Not So Much.

Nobody ever accuses Goose Gossage of not speaking his mind, and 99 times out of 100 I love his openness and honesty. But when it comes to calling himself the best closer of all time over Mo, I gotta call a timeout on that one. Gossage's comments to Players Press:

"I think that he is a tremendous relief pitcher. He's the best, current-day, modern reliever. When I was inducted into the Hall of Fame, I was told that I had 53 saves with seven-plus outs. I was told that Mariano had one and Trevor Hoffman had two. So I think that says it in a nutshell." (courtesy of Players Press)

Goosey, baby.  I love ya but allow me to take that nutshell and crack the shit out of it.  The stats, both basic and standardized just don't support your claim (all stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com).

For starters, Mo has far more saves (525-310) than Gossage, he has won more World Series' (5-1) than Gossage, and has been named the league's best closer, AKA The Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award, more times (4-1) than Gossage.  Goose's career ERA and WHIP, while both solid at 3.10 and 1.232, are bested by Mo's 2.25 and 1.015, which, coincidentally, are the best ERA and WHIP of the live ball era.  Quite simply, when you break it down and compare the most basic measurements of individual and team success it's not even a contest. Game, Rivera.

Goose's argument is based on the logic that he pitched in more games for more innings and had more multi-inning saves, which is all true.  But the game was different at the time Goose was in his prime, and teams were still learning to specialize their bullpens.  The plan of most teams was to use your best reliever or relievers for as long as possible to give yourself the best chance to win, and as a fireballer with a rubber arm, Goose thrived in that environment.  But the invention of sabermetrics and the growing attention to standardized stats over the last few decades since Goose's heyday now allow us to compare 2 guys from different eras and eliminate the apparent advantages that come from pitching more innings based solely on the era in which one played.  When you compare some of these stats for Goose and Mo, Mo still takes the cake, ices it, and eats it right in Gossage's face. 

Mo's ERA+, a much better way to show how good a pitcher is than just ERA, is 202, once again the highest of all-time.  Goose's is 126.  While Goose has pitched far more regular season innings than Mo (1,809.1-1,090), his overall effectiveness in those innings is not as good as Mo's.  Goose's career H/9 and BB/9 are 7.4 and 3.6 respectively.  By comparison, Mo's are 7.0 and 2.1 respectively.  And while Goose has 1,502 career Ks to Mo's 1006, Mo has averaged 8.3 K/9 over his career as opposed to Goose's 7.5.  Set, Rivera.

And when you factor in postseason success it really gets unfair.  By all accounts, Mo is the greatest postseason relief pitcher of all-time and his 0.74 ERA, 0.773 WHIP, 39 saves, and 5-to-1 K to BB ratio speak to that.  Granted he has spent far more time in the playoffs than Gossage, but that also means Mo had far more chances to make mistakes and hurt his career numbers in short series' and instead he has thrived time and time again in the highest of pressure situations.  There's something to be said for a relief pitcher who has won a World Series MVP and ALCS MVP for his team in 2 separate postseasons and that pitcher isn't Goose Gossage, it's Mariano Rivera.

And just in case there is still a shadow of a doubt, consider longevity.  Sure Gossage pitched for 22 seasons, but by his 15th year in baseball he was fast approaching the downside of his career.  After his 15th season, Gossage only recorded 32 saves for the remainder of his career as his IP and K/9 went down and his WHIP and ERA went up.  Mo's 15th season was last year and he recorded 44 saves, had an ERA under 2.00, a WHIP under 1.00, and recorded his highest K/9 average since 1996.  Mo has showed no signs of slowing down and barring injury, he should eclipse Gossage's final 7-year save total in one season this year.  Game, Set, Match, Rivera.

Everybody is entitled to their opinions but the numbers don't lie.  Mariano Rivera has been more dominant, more efficient, and more consistent than Goose Gossage over a long period of time, and at an age where Gossage began to significantly decline, Mo has been able to maintain, if not improve, his high level of performance.  Gossage's argument, while logical, is severely misguided as standardized statistics show that Mo's per-inning and per- 9 inning numbers are better than those of Goose, thereby negating the higher totals that Gossage accumulated as a result of pitching more innings.  Rather than attempt to use that to prove his superiority over Rivera, Gossage would be wiser to show how his incredible stats could have been even better had he been used in today's system.  Less wear and tear on his arm could have extended the life of Goose's prime and given him a shot at 400-450 saves, as well improved his per-inning and per-9 inning stats.

I will never try to argue that Goose wasn't a great player because he was.  He was the inspiration for today's closers and still ranks as one of the 5 greatest closers of all time in my book.  But he never has been and never will be better than Mariano Rivera.  One inning or multiple innings, Mariano Rivera is the Bret Hart of relief pitchers/closers: the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.

Will A-Rod Be The Next To Fall To The Galea Curse?

After his meeting with the Feds last week regarding his connections to sketchball doctor Tony Galea, the A-Horse might want to start thinking about being a little more careful at Spring Training. Not because the Yankees, who were reportedly upset at the news of the Rodriguez-Galea connection and made a public statement distancing themselves from the situation, are more than likely upset that Rodriguez brought more unneeded attention on himself. Not because the league could possibly monitor the situation and hand down punishments if any wrongdoings are uncovered. Not even because it brings back all the mentions of A-Rod's steroids scandal from last year.

No, A-Rod needs to be careful for the sole reason that so far, every other athlete connected to this guy has gone down in flames. From Tiger Woods' personal downfall right in front of our eyes to Carlos Beltran's sudden knee injury/surgery before Spring Training to Jose Reyes' new thyroid condition that was discovered last week, everything this Galea character touches turns to shit.

Rodriguez got clearance from his doctor in the off-season that he would not need additional surgery and his hip was good to go, and if the stories in Page Six are true he's been getting in plenty of work both on and off the field to keep the hip strengthened, but with the latest news about Reyes' condition, The Horse might want to think twice before taking extra BP or running a few late-practice wind sprints. The last thing the Yankees or their fans need is to open the paper in a week or two and find out A-Rod has torn his quad and been diagnosed with male breast cancer, and have it traced back to his participation in Galea's alien blood cycling program.

So be careful, A-Rod. Make sure you have your batting helmet on when you're in the cage. Drink your milk, take your vitamins, stretch before everything, and don't wear your fucking spikes in the batting cage. Help break the Galea Curse and don't, for the love of God, become its latest victim.