For me, baby!!! I mean when you're good, you're good.
In case you missed it, the Yankees made their first offer to Jeter over the weekend, for 3 years and $45 million. And if memory serves me correct, the deal that I said I would offer him would have been for 2 years and $30 mil with a club option for a 3rd year, which comes out to, you guessed it, 3 years and $45 million. Never mind the fact that the Yanks didn't take my advice and made the 3rd year guaranteed, the important thing is that they recognized the intelligence that I showed in suggesting that shorter deal and took my advice.
At least that's what I'd like to think. Seriously, when can I turn my genius on this wee little blog into a front office job? This wasn't the first time I've been right on shit like this and it certainly won't be the last. You aren't just getting hate lists and F-words here, people. This is like a window right into the inner workings of Cash's mind right here.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Larry Rothschild: The Right Man For The Job
I was on the record as saying I would not have been a fan of the Yankees promoting Mike Harkey from bullpen coach to pitching coach, but I have to admit I was a little surprised when my old man handed me the sports section of the Saratoga Springs newspaper in the hotel dining room yesterday morning to tell me that the Yanks had hired Larry Rothschild as their pitching coach. His name hadn't been mentioned at all amongst the list of "leading" candidates so my initial reaction was "Larry Rothschild??? Why him??" But now that I've had time to read up on Rothschild's coaching history and his interview process with the Yankees, I think he's the perfect man for the job. Here's why.
1) More strikeouts and fewer walks
Studies by FanGraphs have shown that pitchers under Rothschild tend to strike out more batters and walk fewer. The Cubs pitchers led the league in strikeouts 7 times under Rothschild from 2002-2010 and set the ML record in 2003. The Yankee pitchers struck out fewer batters and walked more in 2010 than they did in 2009, with CC and A.J.'s numbers in particular taking big hits. Combining Rothschild's approach with the Yankee pitchers' stuff could work to improve the staff's K and BB rates in 2011.
2) Repeating deliveries
On his conference call after being hired, Rothschild stressed the importance of being able to repeat your delivery as a pitcher. He actually spoke more about that point than he did about individual pitchers on the Yankees. There are plenty of guys on the Yankee staff who have had issues repeating their deliveries, with A.J. and Joba being the 2 most glaring examples, but with CC and Mo also being guys who experienced issues with their deliveries this past season.
3) Track record of success
Rothschild has held many jobs as a Major League coach and has been successful at all of them. He's been a part of 2 World Series champions (1990 Reds and 1997 Marlins), was the first manager of the Rays and improved their record in each of his 3 years on the job (no easy task when you consider how talent-strapped those teams were), and we've already touched on his success with the Cubs' pitching staff since '02. He's a smart baseball guy and has the history to back that up, something Dave Eiland never had. If there's a veteran coach out there who should be able to improve each member of this pitching staff, it's Rothschild.
1) More strikeouts and fewer walks
Studies by FanGraphs have shown that pitchers under Rothschild tend to strike out more batters and walk fewer. The Cubs pitchers led the league in strikeouts 7 times under Rothschild from 2002-2010 and set the ML record in 2003. The Yankee pitchers struck out fewer batters and walked more in 2010 than they did in 2009, with CC and A.J.'s numbers in particular taking big hits. Combining Rothschild's approach with the Yankee pitchers' stuff could work to improve the staff's K and BB rates in 2011.
2) Repeating deliveries
On his conference call after being hired, Rothschild stressed the importance of being able to repeat your delivery as a pitcher. He actually spoke more about that point than he did about individual pitchers on the Yankees. There are plenty of guys on the Yankee staff who have had issues repeating their deliveries, with A.J. and Joba being the 2 most glaring examples, but with CC and Mo also being guys who experienced issues with their deliveries this past season.
3) Track record of success
Rothschild has held many jobs as a Major League coach and has been successful at all of them. He's been a part of 2 World Series champions (1990 Reds and 1997 Marlins), was the first manager of the Rays and improved their record in each of his 3 years on the job (no easy task when you consider how talent-strapped those teams were), and we've already touched on his success with the Cubs' pitching staff since '02. He's a smart baseball guy and has the history to back that up, something Dave Eiland never had. If there's a veteran coach out there who should be able to improve each member of this pitching staff, it's Rothschild.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Thursday News And Notes
- The Yanks are set to make their first contract offer to Derek Jeter before the end of the week. Indications are it will be for 3 years/ $45 mil and early reports suggest Jeter wants more years while the Yanks are willing to go more money. And around and around we go...
- While Cash said he wasn't planning on getting anything done at the GM meetings, there have been stories about the Yanks showing interest in lefty reliever Pedro Feliciano and Diamondbacks OF The Justin Upton. Upton wouldn't be a bad trade at the right price (cough, cough! Not 2 of the 3 Killer B's and The Jesus), but I have no interest in Feliciano. If the Yanks want another lefty, get me Randy Choate.
- Marcus Thames could end up in Japan if the Softbank Hawks throw a couple million at him. Can't say I blame the guy if he leaves, 'cause he ain't getting that kind of money from the Yankees.
- Reports are that Jorge Posada is doing very well after his knee surgery this week. So we've got CC and Jorge down. Who's next for a little offseason repair?
- Speaking of CC, we'll know by the end of the day if the mainstream baseball media is still a bunch of idiots if CC wins the Cy Young over Felix Hernandez. Don't get me wrong, I'm rooting for CC all the way, but if King Felix doesn't win this award then it should be completely done away with.
Traveling home today to handle some family business before the Thanksgiving holiday, so the content will be a little light around here this weekend. As always, I'll direct everybody to the fantastic trio of LoHud, River Ave. Blues, and TYU for all the best Yankee news and opinions.
- While Cash said he wasn't planning on getting anything done at the GM meetings, there have been stories about the Yanks showing interest in lefty reliever Pedro Feliciano and Diamondbacks OF The Justin Upton. Upton wouldn't be a bad trade at the right price (cough, cough! Not 2 of the 3 Killer B's and The Jesus), but I have no interest in Feliciano. If the Yanks want another lefty, get me Randy Choate.
- Marcus Thames could end up in Japan if the Softbank Hawks throw a couple million at him. Can't say I blame the guy if he leaves, 'cause he ain't getting that kind of money from the Yankees.
- Reports are that Jorge Posada is doing very well after his knee surgery this week. So we've got CC and Jorge down. Who's next for a little offseason repair?
- Speaking of CC, we'll know by the end of the day if the mainstream baseball media is still a bunch of idiots if CC wins the Cy Young over Felix Hernandez. Don't get me wrong, I'm rooting for CC all the way, but if King Felix doesn't win this award then it should be completely done away with.
Traveling home today to handle some family business before the Thanksgiving holiday, so the content will be a little light around here this weekend. As always, I'll direct everybody to the fantastic trio of LoHud, River Ave. Blues, and TYU for all the best Yankee news and opinions.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
My Top 10 Most Hated Yankees: Part II
Part I is right here if you're too lazy to scroll down the page a little bit. Now we're getting into the big-time hate.
5) Kei Igawa- I can't even think about Kei Igawa without getting nauseous. And then I look at him and before you know it my lunch is on my shoes. I mean really, just LOOK at this asshole! It's like Droopy Dog had sex with a hideous Japanese woman with no talent and out popped Baby Kei. Then you add in the nifty sunglasses he always wore on the mound because the light bothered him and he hated pitching during the day (awwwwwwww!!) and you're looking at quite possibly the goofiest-looking motherfucker to ever disgrace a Major League pitching mound. And his performance in a Yankee uniform was almost as hideous as his physical appearance. 2-4 record in 13 career starts, a 1.758 career WHIP, 11.2 H/9, 4.6 BB/9, 1.9 HR/9, and a perfectly fitting 6.66 career ERA (the number of the beast seems very appropriate for such an ugly dude).
The good news is Kei Igawa hasn't pitched for the Yankees since 2008. The bad news is they are still paying his candyass gobs of money on the contract they signed him to in 2007. It has cost the Yankees $46 mil + to bring this guy into the fold between his posting fee and contract and when all is said and done he will have spent more time in Triple-A than in the Majors. I don't know what's more maddening, having to actually watch him pitch or seeing his name pop up every spring on the list of non-roster invites to Spring Training, almost like a yearly reminder of the team's stupidity in going after him in the first place. According to Wikipedia, Igawa enjoys playing "shogi," a Japanese version of chess. Well I certainly hope you're better at that than pitching, you horse-toothed asscluster. Don't take it as a racial thing, Kei, but I fucking hate you.
4) Jeff Weaver- Ahh yes, good old Jeff Weaver. He was A.J. Burnett in pinstripes before A.J. Burnett was A.J. Burnett in pinstripes. A guy with all the talent in the world and no mental toughness or hair on the old apple bag to back it up, Weaver wilted under the NY pressure almost immediately after he was acquired in 2002 and his pained looks and dugout tantrums were almost as memorable as his shitty pitching. And how ironic that this picture of him biting his glove in frustration was the exact same thing I was doing every time I had to watch him.
I'll spare Jeff the run through of his stats as a Yank, as there are actually some numbers he has put up for other teams that are worse. But I will remind him that he cost the team Ted Lilly, and that he gave up the game-losing walk-off 12th HR to Alex Gonzalez in the 2003 World Series, and that somebody actually tried to sell him on eBay during the season in 2003, and that I absolutely hated watching every pitch of every inning of every game he pitched as a Yankee. The bottom line is the guy was an absolute disaster as a Yankee starting pitcher and the fact that the team even managed to make the World Series in 2003 with him on the roster is a miracle right up there with the menorah lasting 7 days and 7 nights with only 1 day's worth of oil or whatever the hell the Hanukah story is. Jeff Weaver, I, like many other Yankee and Tiger and Mariner and Dodger and Angel fans, hate you.
3) Javier Vazquez- Javy is an interesting case because out of all the guys on this list (with the exception of Giambi), his numbers as a Yankee really aren't THAT bad. Sure he sucked this year, but he started off his Yankee career in 2004 with an All-Star appearance. However, after that it was all downhill. He sucked for the rest of the 2004 regular season and then sucked in the postseason, culminating the suckiness by giving up a grand slam to Johnny Damon on his first pitch in Game 7 of the ALCS that all but sealed the Yankees' fate in that game.
Now any Yankee fan with half a brain knows that that grand slam wasn't Javy's fault. But that one pitch has lingered with him ever since he threw it and it was clear from the get go this season that he, like the fans, hadn't forgotten about it. The most frustrating thing about Javy was his seemingly ignorant, uncaring, indifferent attitude towards his diminished stuff and diminished confidence and his unwillingness to change his approach when what he used to do no longer worked. It was almost as if he had accepted the fact that he sucked, accepted the fact that he failed, and just went out there on the mound knowing he was going to get shelled and that's not something that I as a fan, former competitor in multiple sports, and current coach, cannot accept.
Javy, you're one of the last of a long line of unsuccessful free agent pitchers brought in by the Yankees and possibly the only one who didn't seem to care about that fact. And for that, I hate you.
2) Kyle Farnsworth- Jesus Fucking Christ on a Stick, I hate Kyle Farnsworth. I never wanted him on the team to begin with, I never wanted him to enter a single game after the Yankees did sign him, and every time he was on the mound I was left with nothing but feelings of dread and horror about what he was going to do to blow the game. And he even looked and acted like a complete asshat the whole time he was with the Yankees, like the big muscly frat guy at every college party who can't handle his Natty Light and just stumbles around talking shit and trying to start fights with everybody. Even though he isn't Number 1 on this list, if there is one Yankee in all of the team's history that I could kick in the fucking balls, it would be Kyle Farnsworth.
His numbers also actually aren't horrible when you look at them as a whole, but if you watched him pitch you know he accumulated most of his stats against shitty teams in low-leverage situations. If the Red Sox, Angels, or Tigers were involved, you could bet every cent you had that he was going to shit the bed one way or another. Some of my most vivid Yankee viewing memories are of my dad and I watching games together and screaming in unison "THROW A FUCKING STRIKE!!" as Farnsworth would enter the game in the 8th and immediately go 3-0 against Julio Lugo or Orlando Cabrera. Just a big pussy in every sense of the word. The fact that the Yankees traded him in 2008 for Ivan Rodriguez, a washed up catcher that they didn't really need, tells you everything you need to know about the Kyle Farnsworth Era.
So fuck off, Kyle. I hate you and I hate your stupid Rec Specs. I hope you take a line drive right off of them and shards of plastic gouge out your fucking eyeballs.
1) Carl Pavano- Goddamn you, Carl Pavano. Goddamn you straight to the deepest, darkest, most fiery depths of Hell where you can be raped repeatedly with a re-creation of that spiked strap-on dildo thing that Leland Orser killed the stripper with in Seven (was that too much?). Another one of the "He spanked us so we must sign him" pitchers that the Yankees threw money at, Pavano's Yankee tenure might be the most frustrating ever. When he did pitch, he wasn't bad. But the problem was that HE NEVER FUCKING PITCHED!!! If it wasn't one injury it was another. When he was supposed to be coming back from one, he was bringing up other injuries that he had sustained in a car accident and didn't tell the team about. Sprained shoulders, bruised buttocks, broken ribs, strained elbows, dinged hips, hang nails, scraped knees, posion ivy, ingrown hairs, and severe menstrual cramps, you name it and he had it.
And that wouldn't be so bad except for the fact that he made 40 MILLION FUCKING DOLLARS from 2005-2008 to pitch in just 26 FUCKING GAMES. I repeat, 26 FUCKING GAMES!!!!! For every game he pitched in a Yankee uniform, Carl Pavano pocketed $1,538,461.54 or in other terms, MORE MONEY THAN I WILL EVER SEE IN MY FUCKING LIFE!!!!! And like Javy Vazquez, it was like he didn't even care. When you've got guys like Mike Mussina and Derek Jeter calling you out in the papers and in front of teammates without mercy, you know you're a fuck up. I read "The Yankee Years" and I got the impression that even Torre fucking hated Pavano.
And as if that wasn't bad enough, this motherfucker has had the audacity to be the model of fucking health over the last 2 years, making 33 starts in 2009 and 32 this year when he was, at times, the Twins' ace and grew that ridiculous mustache. 2 of my biggest regrets as a sports fan are that I wasn't at Pavano's final start as a Yankee on September 14, 2008 when he left with a hip injury so I could throw batteries at him, and that I will never get the chance to find him, kidnap him, tie him up in a dark basement somewhere, and burn the mustache right off of his stupid face. The fact that the Yankees have beaten him twice in the last 2 postseasons does nothing to quell the hatred I have inside for Carl Pavano. I will hate him until the day that he or I dies, whichever comes first. As a matter of fact, I want that to be written into my eulogy somewhere. "Brad was a good man. A good man who hated the fuck out of Carl Pavano." Yeah, that'll work. On behalf of Yankee fans everywhere, I just want to say that I hate you, Carl Pavano. Fuck off and die.
So there you have it, folks. My most hated Yankees. Some of them were pretty good players, but most were awful. Some are probably nice guys, and some are dicks. But whatever the case, I hate all of these dudes and are glad that only 1 of them is still in a Yankee uniform because I don't know what I would do if I had to put up with 2 or 3 or 4 of them on the same team, polluting it with their weakness. In closing, I would like to leave these 10 gentlemen with a last little message from the always-classy Silky Johnson.
The good news is Kei Igawa hasn't pitched for the Yankees since 2008. The bad news is they are still paying his candyass gobs of money on the contract they signed him to in 2007. It has cost the Yankees $46 mil + to bring this guy into the fold between his posting fee and contract and when all is said and done he will have spent more time in Triple-A than in the Majors. I don't know what's more maddening, having to actually watch him pitch or seeing his name pop up every spring on the list of non-roster invites to Spring Training, almost like a yearly reminder of the team's stupidity in going after him in the first place. According to Wikipedia, Igawa enjoys playing "shogi," a Japanese version of chess. Well I certainly hope you're better at that than pitching, you horse-toothed asscluster. Don't take it as a racial thing, Kei, but I fucking hate you.
I'll spare Jeff the run through of his stats as a Yank, as there are actually some numbers he has put up for other teams that are worse. But I will remind him that he cost the team Ted Lilly, and that he gave up the game-losing walk-off 12th HR to Alex Gonzalez in the 2003 World Series, and that somebody actually tried to sell him on eBay during the season in 2003, and that I absolutely hated watching every pitch of every inning of every game he pitched as a Yankee. The bottom line is the guy was an absolute disaster as a Yankee starting pitcher and the fact that the team even managed to make the World Series in 2003 with him on the roster is a miracle right up there with the menorah lasting 7 days and 7 nights with only 1 day's worth of oil or whatever the hell the Hanukah story is. Jeff Weaver, I, like many other Yankee and Tiger and Mariner and Dodger and Angel fans, hate you.
Now any Yankee fan with half a brain knows that that grand slam wasn't Javy's fault. But that one pitch has lingered with him ever since he threw it and it was clear from the get go this season that he, like the fans, hadn't forgotten about it. The most frustrating thing about Javy was his seemingly ignorant, uncaring, indifferent attitude towards his diminished stuff and diminished confidence and his unwillingness to change his approach when what he used to do no longer worked. It was almost as if he had accepted the fact that he sucked, accepted the fact that he failed, and just went out there on the mound knowing he was going to get shelled and that's not something that I as a fan, former competitor in multiple sports, and current coach, cannot accept.
Javy, you're one of the last of a long line of unsuccessful free agent pitchers brought in by the Yankees and possibly the only one who didn't seem to care about that fact. And for that, I hate you.
His numbers also actually aren't horrible when you look at them as a whole, but if you watched him pitch you know he accumulated most of his stats against shitty teams in low-leverage situations. If the Red Sox, Angels, or Tigers were involved, you could bet every cent you had that he was going to shit the bed one way or another. Some of my most vivid Yankee viewing memories are of my dad and I watching games together and screaming in unison "THROW A FUCKING STRIKE!!" as Farnsworth would enter the game in the 8th and immediately go 3-0 against Julio Lugo or Orlando Cabrera. Just a big pussy in every sense of the word. The fact that the Yankees traded him in 2008 for Ivan Rodriguez, a washed up catcher that they didn't really need, tells you everything you need to know about the Kyle Farnsworth Era.
So fuck off, Kyle. I hate you and I hate your stupid Rec Specs. I hope you take a line drive right off of them and shards of plastic gouge out your fucking eyeballs.
And that wouldn't be so bad except for the fact that he made 40 MILLION FUCKING DOLLARS from 2005-2008 to pitch in just 26 FUCKING GAMES. I repeat, 26 FUCKING GAMES!!!!! For every game he pitched in a Yankee uniform, Carl Pavano pocketed $1,538,461.54 or in other terms, MORE MONEY THAN I WILL EVER SEE IN MY FUCKING LIFE!!!!! And like Javy Vazquez, it was like he didn't even care. When you've got guys like Mike Mussina and Derek Jeter calling you out in the papers and in front of teammates without mercy, you know you're a fuck up. I read "The Yankee Years" and I got the impression that even Torre fucking hated Pavano.
And as if that wasn't bad enough, this motherfucker has had the audacity to be the model of fucking health over the last 2 years, making 33 starts in 2009 and 32 this year when he was, at times, the Twins' ace and grew that ridiculous mustache. 2 of my biggest regrets as a sports fan are that I wasn't at Pavano's final start as a Yankee on September 14, 2008 when he left with a hip injury so I could throw batteries at him, and that I will never get the chance to find him, kidnap him, tie him up in a dark basement somewhere, and burn the mustache right off of his stupid face. The fact that the Yankees have beaten him twice in the last 2 postseasons does nothing to quell the hatred I have inside for Carl Pavano. I will hate him until the day that he or I dies, whichever comes first. As a matter of fact, I want that to be written into my eulogy somewhere. "Brad was a good man. A good man who hated the fuck out of Carl Pavano." Yeah, that'll work. On behalf of Yankee fans everywhere, I just want to say that I hate you, Carl Pavano. Fuck off and die.
So there you have it, folks. My most hated Yankees. Some of them were pretty good players, but most were awful. Some are probably nice guys, and some are dicks. But whatever the case, I hate all of these dudes and are glad that only 1 of them is still in a Yankee uniform because I don't know what I would do if I had to put up with 2 or 3 or 4 of them on the same team, polluting it with their weakness. In closing, I would like to leave these 10 gentlemen with a last little message from the always-classy Silky Johnson.
Rangers Finally Get Around To Visiting Cliff Lee
News came out yesterday that the Rangers brass met with Cliff Lee, his family, and his agent on Monday in Arkansas. According to team pres Nolan Ryan, the meeting was to let Lee know that "we [the Rangers] are interested." My only reaction after hearing the news last night? Why the fuck did Texas even bother?
Let's set the stage again in case you've forgotten. The Yankees can offer Lee more money for more years and can offer the chance to play in New York, the biggest sports market in the US, where he can earn more in endorsements. They can offer a more temperate climate for Lee, who is said to not be a fan of the Texas heat. They can offer the chance to pitch beside his former teammate and very good friend, CC Sabathia, to form the top 1 and 1A pitching duo in baseball. And with the revenue they generate and the TV deal they have in place with their own freaking network, the Yankees are better equipped to spend money both in free agency and in building up their farm system to continue to position themselves as a top contender for a World Series title every single year while Texas is waiting for a few years for their new TV deal money to really kick in.
Add to that the fact that the Yankees were down in Arkansas a week ago meeting with Lee and his family almost as soon as the free agency period started and before any talks between them and their own 2 premiere free agents and team icons, Jeter and Mo, even began. The Yankees made the first strike on Lee, showing not only that they were "interested" in signing him but that signing him was their top priority. As soon as that meeting was done, the Rangers were in trouble in the negotiations because they had nothing they could try to sell Lee on other than the premise that he was a bigger deal to them than to the Yankees.
By finally getting their asses down to talk to Lee on Monday, the Rangers not only reinforced the thought that Lee is the number one priority for the Yankees, they also gave off the impression that he ISN'T the number one priority for the Rangers. I mean, what the hell have they been doing for the past week while the Yankees were moving in on their ace? Helping Ron Washington rebuild his stupid house in New Orleans? The best move the Rangers could have made was fly down to Arkansas as soon as they got word that Cash was there talking to Lee. Instead, they let 4 days go by for Lee to think about his discussion with Cash and wonder when Nolan and the crew were going to come talk to him. Not exactly a good impression to make if you're really serious about bringing back the guy who would anchor your rotation next season.
Round 1 in the Lee Sweepstakes clearly went to the Yankees, who made the preemptive strike and got in front of Lee as soon as they could. With as long as the Rangers waited to respond and have their meeting with Lee, I think you have to chalk up Round 2 to the Yanks as well.
Let's set the stage again in case you've forgotten. The Yankees can offer Lee more money for more years and can offer the chance to play in New York, the biggest sports market in the US, where he can earn more in endorsements. They can offer a more temperate climate for Lee, who is said to not be a fan of the Texas heat. They can offer the chance to pitch beside his former teammate and very good friend, CC Sabathia, to form the top 1 and 1A pitching duo in baseball. And with the revenue they generate and the TV deal they have in place with their own freaking network, the Yankees are better equipped to spend money both in free agency and in building up their farm system to continue to position themselves as a top contender for a World Series title every single year while Texas is waiting for a few years for their new TV deal money to really kick in.
Add to that the fact that the Yankees were down in Arkansas a week ago meeting with Lee and his family almost as soon as the free agency period started and before any talks between them and their own 2 premiere free agents and team icons, Jeter and Mo, even began. The Yankees made the first strike on Lee, showing not only that they were "interested" in signing him but that signing him was their top priority. As soon as that meeting was done, the Rangers were in trouble in the negotiations because they had nothing they could try to sell Lee on other than the premise that he was a bigger deal to them than to the Yankees.
By finally getting their asses down to talk to Lee on Monday, the Rangers not only reinforced the thought that Lee is the number one priority for the Yankees, they also gave off the impression that he ISN'T the number one priority for the Rangers. I mean, what the hell have they been doing for the past week while the Yankees were moving in on their ace? Helping Ron Washington rebuild his stupid house in New Orleans? The best move the Rangers could have made was fly down to Arkansas as soon as they got word that Cash was there talking to Lee. Instead, they let 4 days go by for Lee to think about his discussion with Cash and wonder when Nolan and the crew were going to come talk to him. Not exactly a good impression to make if you're really serious about bringing back the guy who would anchor your rotation next season.
Round 1 in the Lee Sweepstakes clearly went to the Yankees, who made the preemptive strike and got in front of Lee as soon as they could. With as long as the Rangers waited to respond and have their meeting with Lee, I think you have to chalk up Round 2 to the Yanks as well.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Offseason Space Filler Post: My Top 10 Most Hated Yankees Part I
With the GM meetings looking like they won't be bearing any fruit for the Yankees this year, the hot stove talk can be put on the back burner for a little while (see what I did there? "Hot stove?" "Back burner? Ehh, ehh). But this is a Yankees blog, damnit, and now that I've eliminated the NFL and UConn basketball coverage of yesteryear, I need something to write about. And seeing how this blog is heavy on the fan-ness and a little light on the advanced statistical analysis, it makes sense to me to go real heavy on the fan side and focus on a topic that every Yankee fan has: the players on the Yankees they can't fucking stand.
You don't necessarily need stats to support hate, but most guys who have received multiple Bronx cheers in their time in pinstripes certainly have the stats to support the hatred. Now bear in mind that my list is comprised solely of players from the generation of Yankee baseball that I have lived through and been involved in (late 90s-present) so if one of your boo targets isn't here, that's why. Alright, let the hating commence!
10) Nick Johnson- This fat, big-headed fuck was the Yankees' most prized hitting prospect in the early 2000s and all he did was treat me to 3 years of low batting averages, no power, and seemingly constant stints on the DL for a variety of candyass injuries that wouldn't even have NFL players listed on the injury report. Sure the .894 OPS in 2003 was nice, but that was mostly thanks to a .422 OBP. HIT FOR SOME FUCKING POWER, YOU FAT MOUTHBREATHING CHUB BUCKET!!!
Not to mention the fact that Johnson was/is fat and slow and arguably the least athletic person in Major League Baseball. Every time he drew a walk, I half expected to see a bunch of Jabba the Hutt's minions come out and load his lardass onto a dais to be rolled to first base. Then this year, as if they hadn't learned their lessons from before, the Yanks brought him back on $5.5 million contract for a grand total of 72 at-bats and yet another season-ending wrist injury. 72 at-bats!!! Nick Johnson made $76,388.89 per at-bat this season. I'm only going to make $40,000 this year for an entire year's worth of work. GAHHHHH!!!!
So fuck you, Nick Johnson. I hope you break your fat jelly head open and snap both of your weak wrists clean off of your body in a horrible jet ski accident this offseason on a vacation that you'll be able to take thanks to the millions of unearned dollars you now have in your bank account. I fucking hate you.
9) A.J. Burnett- Only 2 years in pinstripes and a World Series championship to his credit and already A.J. cracks the top 10. I wasn't super jazzed up about the Yankees signing Burnett in the first place in the 2008 offseason. It was a classic case of misguided Yankee upper management logic that followed the idiotic "He's been really good against us in the past so he will be even better with us. We have to have him!!!!" model. And after 2 years I can say I feel justified in not being that excited about A.J. being brought on board as he has shown himself to be nothing more than a cowardly man-child who doesn't possess the inner strength and testicular fortitude to pitch under the pressure of New York despite having boatloads of talent at his disposal.
I think the reason I actually hate A.J. so much is because of his talent. It would be one thing if he was just a shitty pitcher who happened to also be a mental midget. But ask around and most people agree that his stuff is right up there with the best in baseball. When his fastball and curveball are on, there isn't a hitter alive who can compete against Burnett. The problem is, they both rarely ever are on and even when they are, at the first sign of trouble (hit, walk, wild pitch, hit batter, error) A.J. turns into Sir Robin from Monty Python and The Holy Grail and runs away. It would be sad watching his meltdown sessions on the mound if they weren't always costing the Yankees wins and taxing the bullpen. And the worst part is, with his monster contract he's practically untradeable so we're all potentially stuck with him for 3 more years of sub-.500 winning percentages, above-5.00 ERAs, countless excuses, and I'm stuck drinking more beer and getting fatter and more pissed off as a result of watching him pitch. A.J. Burnett, I hate you.
8) Jaret Wright- Another guy that the Yankees fell in love with after watching him tear up inferior competition in the NL for the Atlanta Braves in 2004, Wright came back to the AL in 2005 and began the first of 2 forgettable seasons as a Yankee. In his 2 years in the Bronx, Wright pitched to an ERA of 4.99, a WHIP of 1.60, and 0.9 WAR while making over $13 million. And the most maddening part was, even in his prime (if you want to call it that), Wright was a guy who didn't miss bats and didn't limit damage. He had one year, ONE FUCKING YEAR, of success in the JV league and suddenly the Yankees think he's a world beater. So he comes over to play with the big boys in the AL again and guess fucking what? HE DIDN'T MISS BATS AND HE DIDN'T LIMIT DAMAGE!!!
I remember thinking when the Yankees announced they had signed him to a 3-year, $21 million deal, "No, that can't be the same Jaret Wright. The same guy who I watched as a 12-year-old in the 1998 ALCS give up 6 consecutive hits to the Yankees in the bottom of the 1st and then proceed to walk 8 more batters over his 6.2 innings of work in arguably the biggest game of his life? Why the fuck would the Yanks want him?" And I was completely right in that thought. Wright came back to the Yankees older, with a much fatter head, with much less stuff, and with more tobacco jammed into his lip. I hate you, Jaret Wright, and I hope you get cancer of the mouth.
7) Kevin Brown- 'Roid raging piece of shit rat bastard!!! I will remember Kevin Brown for 2 things: 1) Throwing a hissy fit and breaking his hand when he punched the wall leaving Joe Torre's office late in the season during a time when the team was already in crisis mode with injuries to their pitching staff, and 2) Starting, and completely bombing, in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS, putting the Yankees behind right off the bat and setting the table for the grand slam that Javy Vazquez allowed upon relieving Brown in the 2nd inning, thereby sealing the Yankees' fate as the only team to blow a 3-0 lead in history. And by all accounts, he was a complete prick to boot, so that's fun, huh?!
And surprise, surprise! A quick check of the stats shows that Brown's worst career ERA, WHIP, ERA+, H/9, HR/9, and K/9 numbers came in his 2 years as a Yankee. Life ain't so easy without having that needle jabbed into your ass all day, is it, old man? After continuing to suck on the mound and sulk off of it in 2005, Brown finally succumbed to injuries and was done for the year. If I were managing the team that season, I would have taken him out into the parking lot after his last start and blown his fucking brains out. Really the only positive thing you can say about Kevin Brown is that at least the Yankees managed to get rid of Jeff Weaver by bringing him in. To think that the Yankees paid this miserable asshole over $30 million when he was 39 and 40 and clearly past his prime makes my physically sick to my stomach.
Eat a dick, Kevin Brown. Eat a dick and then choke on it half way down and choke on your own puke/dick combination and die. I hate you.
6) Jason Giambi- This was a tough one for me because when you look at Giambi's numbers as a Yankee, they really aren't all that bad, even when he was banged up and sick and diseased and whatever the hell else was wrong with him. For the most part he produced as a Yankee, getting on base, driving in runs, and creating a menacing presence at the top of the lineup that every team had to respect and gameplan for. The guy had a great batting eye and could get on base even when he was in the coldest of slumps, and he also seemed like a pretty cool dude. I would have gone out and gotten a beer with him. Sure he was a complete abortion at first base, but everybody knew that going in. He was brought in to hit and hit for power and he did that.
My biggest beef with Giambi was that he was the first big signing for the Yankees after they lost the 2001 World Series and really signaled the transition from those perfectly-constructed teams of the late 90s and early 2000s to the completely-purchased, spend at will, biggest name possible, age be damned teams that plagued the Yankees' through the mid-2000s. As much as Giambi produced and as much as he was paid, he didn't help the Yankees win anything. If anything, his signing started the trend of buying bigger and bigger names to try to get back to the World Series without consideration of anything else and that philosophy damn near ruined the team before Cash finally got control and restored order to the organization. When I think of the dark times of the mid-2000s, the first name that comes to mind is Jason Giambi. And because those were the worst years of my Yankee fan career, I hate Jason Giambi for that.
** Coming up tomorrow: The Top 5. Get excited... **
You don't necessarily need stats to support hate, but most guys who have received multiple Bronx cheers in their time in pinstripes certainly have the stats to support the hatred. Now bear in mind that my list is comprised solely of players from the generation of Yankee baseball that I have lived through and been involved in (late 90s-present) so if one of your boo targets isn't here, that's why. Alright, let the hating commence!
Not to mention the fact that Johnson was/is fat and slow and arguably the least athletic person in Major League Baseball. Every time he drew a walk, I half expected to see a bunch of Jabba the Hutt's minions come out and load his lardass onto a dais to be rolled to first base. Then this year, as if they hadn't learned their lessons from before, the Yanks brought him back on $5.5 million contract for a grand total of 72 at-bats and yet another season-ending wrist injury. 72 at-bats!!! Nick Johnson made $76,388.89 per at-bat this season. I'm only going to make $40,000 this year for an entire year's worth of work. GAHHHHH!!!!
So fuck you, Nick Johnson. I hope you break your fat jelly head open and snap both of your weak wrists clean off of your body in a horrible jet ski accident this offseason on a vacation that you'll be able to take thanks to the millions of unearned dollars you now have in your bank account. I fucking hate you.
I think the reason I actually hate A.J. so much is because of his talent. It would be one thing if he was just a shitty pitcher who happened to also be a mental midget. But ask around and most people agree that his stuff is right up there with the best in baseball. When his fastball and curveball are on, there isn't a hitter alive who can compete against Burnett. The problem is, they both rarely ever are on and even when they are, at the first sign of trouble (hit, walk, wild pitch, hit batter, error) A.J. turns into Sir Robin from Monty Python and The Holy Grail and runs away. It would be sad watching his meltdown sessions on the mound if they weren't always costing the Yankees wins and taxing the bullpen. And the worst part is, with his monster contract he's practically untradeable so we're all potentially stuck with him for 3 more years of sub-.500 winning percentages, above-5.00 ERAs, countless excuses, and I'm stuck drinking more beer and getting fatter and more pissed off as a result of watching him pitch. A.J. Burnett, I hate you.
I remember thinking when the Yankees announced they had signed him to a 3-year, $21 million deal, "No, that can't be the same Jaret Wright. The same guy who I watched as a 12-year-old in the 1998 ALCS give up 6 consecutive hits to the Yankees in the bottom of the 1st and then proceed to walk 8 more batters over his 6.2 innings of work in arguably the biggest game of his life? Why the fuck would the Yanks want him?" And I was completely right in that thought. Wright came back to the Yankees older, with a much fatter head, with much less stuff, and with more tobacco jammed into his lip. I hate you, Jaret Wright, and I hope you get cancer of the mouth.
And surprise, surprise! A quick check of the stats shows that Brown's worst career ERA, WHIP, ERA+, H/9, HR/9, and K/9 numbers came in his 2 years as a Yankee. Life ain't so easy without having that needle jabbed into your ass all day, is it, old man? After continuing to suck on the mound and sulk off of it in 2005, Brown finally succumbed to injuries and was done for the year. If I were managing the team that season, I would have taken him out into the parking lot after his last start and blown his fucking brains out. Really the only positive thing you can say about Kevin Brown is that at least the Yankees managed to get rid of Jeff Weaver by bringing him in. To think that the Yankees paid this miserable asshole over $30 million when he was 39 and 40 and clearly past his prime makes my physically sick to my stomach.
Eat a dick, Kevin Brown. Eat a dick and then choke on it half way down and choke on your own puke/dick combination and die. I hate you.
My biggest beef with Giambi was that he was the first big signing for the Yankees after they lost the 2001 World Series and really signaled the transition from those perfectly-constructed teams of the late 90s and early 2000s to the completely-purchased, spend at will, biggest name possible, age be damned teams that plagued the Yankees' through the mid-2000s. As much as Giambi produced and as much as he was paid, he didn't help the Yankees win anything. If anything, his signing started the trend of buying bigger and bigger names to try to get back to the World Series without consideration of anything else and that philosophy damn near ruined the team before Cash finally got control and restored order to the organization. When I think of the dark times of the mid-2000s, the first name that comes to mind is Jason Giambi. And because those were the worst years of my Yankee fan career, I hate Jason Giambi for that.
** Coming up tomorrow: The Top 5. Get excited... **
Cash's GM Meeting Plans
With Cash announcing that he didn't plan on getting anything done as it relates to the Yankees at the GM meetings this week, that should free up his time to do other things while he's in Orlando. Here are some of the other activities he has planned this week:
- Come up with some other shitty pitching coach candidates to interview (seriously, Rick Peterson? As a Wisconsinite I can tell you that the Brewers' pitching staff, top to bottom, was the worst in baseball last year. And he was the pitching coach. Do the math).
- Check out the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Islands of Adventure.
- Talk to Hank and Hal about what verbal jab they'll take at Jeter in the papers next.
- Cruise the local fast food and supermarket scenes to find Omar Minaya and see how he's doing at his new job.
- Try to get his friends and family tickets on the 50-yard line for this weekend's Army-Notre Dame football game at The Stadium.
- Ask Theo what genius plan he and his crack team of sabermetricians have come up with this year for their free agency approach that will ensure they miss the playoffs again.
- Ask teams about the availability of guys like Pujols, Joey Votto, Adam Wainwright, Hanley Ramirez, and Tim Lincecum just for shits and giggles.
- Get a head start on his holiday shopping.
- Get outside and get a little sun on that sixhead...
JESUS!!! Look at that thing! Also, it might not be a bad idea to stop into a Sunglass Hut and pick up some new shades that don't make him look like Agent Smith from The Matrix movies.
- Prank call Sandy Alderson and offer him trades like CC for Oliver Perez straight up or Gardner, Dellin Betances, and Gary Sanchez for Fernando Martinez just to see if he's as dumb as Omar.
- Take his talents to South Beach and cruise the local beaches looking for some good old Miami strange to get with. Shit was all over the place on season 2 of "Jersey Shore" so it shouldn't be too hard for somebody of Cash's stature to bring home a couple of dirty whoooooooores with which to entertain himself.
Those are just some of my ideas. And who knows? Cash could be luring everybody into a false sense of security like he did in 2008 when he stole Teix. For all we know, he could be on the phone right now negotiating a trade package for Josh Johnson and making an offer to Carl Crawford. You just never know with Cash. But if he isn't secretly wheeling and dealing, then he's got plenty of other options to pass the time over the next few days. What else do you think he should do?
- Come up with some other shitty pitching coach candidates to interview (seriously, Rick Peterson? As a Wisconsinite I can tell you that the Brewers' pitching staff, top to bottom, was the worst in baseball last year. And he was the pitching coach. Do the math).
- Check out the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Islands of Adventure.
- Talk to Hank and Hal about what verbal jab they'll take at Jeter in the papers next.
- Cruise the local fast food and supermarket scenes to find Omar Minaya and see how he's doing at his new job.
- Try to get his friends and family tickets on the 50-yard line for this weekend's Army-Notre Dame football game at The Stadium.
- Ask Theo what genius plan he and his crack team of sabermetricians have come up with this year for their free agency approach that will ensure they miss the playoffs again.
- Ask teams about the availability of guys like Pujols, Joey Votto, Adam Wainwright, Hanley Ramirez, and Tim Lincecum just for shits and giggles.
- Get a head start on his holiday shopping.
- Get outside and get a little sun on that sixhead...
JESUS!!! Look at that thing! Also, it might not be a bad idea to stop into a Sunglass Hut and pick up some new shades that don't make him look like Agent Smith from The Matrix movies.
- Prank call Sandy Alderson and offer him trades like CC for Oliver Perez straight up or Gardner, Dellin Betances, and Gary Sanchez for Fernando Martinez just to see if he's as dumb as Omar.
- Take his talents to South Beach and cruise the local beaches looking for some good old Miami strange to get with. Shit was all over the place on season 2 of "Jersey Shore" so it shouldn't be too hard for somebody of Cash's stature to bring home a couple of dirty whoooooooores with which to entertain himself.
Those are just some of my ideas. And who knows? Cash could be luring everybody into a false sense of security like he did in 2008 when he stole Teix. For all we know, he could be on the phone right now negotiating a trade package for Josh Johnson and making an offer to Carl Crawford. You just never know with Cash. But if he isn't secretly wheeling and dealing, then he's got plenty of other options to pass the time over the next few days. What else do you think he should do?
Monday, November 15, 2010
How The Hell Did I Not Know About This?
In his column on Saturday, the Daily News' Bob Raissman brought up a very interesting point about the future of John Sterling and Suzyn "Goodness Gracious" Waldman when the Yankees' radio contract with WCBS-AM ends after the 2011 season. You can say what you want about the Jeter contract talks, the potential Cliff Lee signing, and the catcher battle for 2011, but this might very well be the most divisive Yankee storyline going right now.
The opinions on John and Big Suze usually fall on either the "they are dimwitted blowhards and unapologetic Yankee homers who make the game borderline un-listenable" side or the "they are entertaining and fun to listen to because of their story telling and Sterling's over-the-top calls of plays" side with not much in between. Because of this, Sterling and Waldman not coming back as the team's radio announcing team in 2012 would be met with cries of joy and thunderous applause from many and also cries of sorrow and disappointment from may more.
Personally, I would like to see Sterling and Suzyn come back. I know they are at times painful to listen to because of their constant ability to get wrapped up in drama and story telling and reminiscing about the past, and because Sterling's eyesight has deteriorated to the point that every fly ball could be a home run or a pop up to short in his book, but their style has become part of Yankee tradition. Sterling's home run calls are among the most widely-known in baseball and arguably sports. And Suzyn, homerism and crying during Joe Torre interviews aside, can actually bring a few useful bits of info from her pre- and postgame reports from time to time. After all these years, it would be strange to hear another voice doing the play-by-play for the Yankees and when you think about it, who else is there out there who could do a good enough job that isn't already employed?
I think it's a safe bet that WCBS and the Yankees will come to an agreement on a new deal. ESPN will get into the mix since adding the Yankees to their broadcast lineup would certainly help their listener numbers, but with their weak signal issue in the greater NY area, that will be their downfall. If the Yanks are back on CBS in 2012, I think it's only right that Sterling and Waldman be brought back. They're as synonymous with this generation of Yankee baseball as the Bleacher Creatures, big contracts, pies in the face, and championships. They may not be everybody's cup of tea, but they deserve the right to go out on their own terms.
Besides, would you really want to miss out on shit like this?
I mean, come on. No replacement announcer is going to have a game-winning call better than that.
The opinions on John and Big Suze usually fall on either the "they are dimwitted blowhards and unapologetic Yankee homers who make the game borderline un-listenable" side or the "they are entertaining and fun to listen to because of their story telling and Sterling's over-the-top calls of plays" side with not much in between. Because of this, Sterling and Waldman not coming back as the team's radio announcing team in 2012 would be met with cries of joy and thunderous applause from many and also cries of sorrow and disappointment from may more.
Personally, I would like to see Sterling and Suzyn come back. I know they are at times painful to listen to because of their constant ability to get wrapped up in drama and story telling and reminiscing about the past, and because Sterling's eyesight has deteriorated to the point that every fly ball could be a home run or a pop up to short in his book, but their style has become part of Yankee tradition. Sterling's home run calls are among the most widely-known in baseball and arguably sports. And Suzyn, homerism and crying during Joe Torre interviews aside, can actually bring a few useful bits of info from her pre- and postgame reports from time to time. After all these years, it would be strange to hear another voice doing the play-by-play for the Yankees and when you think about it, who else is there out there who could do a good enough job that isn't already employed?
I think it's a safe bet that WCBS and the Yankees will come to an agreement on a new deal. ESPN will get into the mix since adding the Yankees to their broadcast lineup would certainly help their listener numbers, but with their weak signal issue in the greater NY area, that will be their downfall. If the Yanks are back on CBS in 2012, I think it's only right that Sterling and Waldman be brought back. They're as synonymous with this generation of Yankee baseball as the Bleacher Creatures, big contracts, pies in the face, and championships. They may not be everybody's cup of tea, but they deserve the right to go out on their own terms.
Besides, would you really want to miss out on shit like this?
I mean, come on. No replacement announcer is going to have a game-winning call better than that.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Well It's Better Than "No"
Andy Pettitte on his future when asked if he was coming back in 2011:
“I’m just going to wait and see what my heart wants me to do. Right now, I can tell you my heart’s right here in Deer Park. If something happens and I play one more year that would be it. It would be one more year and that would be it.”
It doesn't exactly inspire hope or give any kind of indication that he'll be back next year, but it's better than Andy not saying anything or saying he was done. It's still a little too early after the season for him to be thinking about baseball. Give it another month or 6 weeks for the itch to get out and start throwing again to kick in. This was basically a nothing statement by Andy and it's STILL the best news I got this weeked. What does that tell you about my weekend?
“I’m just going to wait and see what my heart wants me to do. Right now, I can tell you my heart’s right here in Deer Park. If something happens and I play one more year that would be it. It would be one more year and that would be it.”
It doesn't exactly inspire hope or give any kind of indication that he'll be back next year, but it's better than Andy not saying anything or saying he was done. It's still a little too early after the season for him to be thinking about baseball. Give it another month or 6 weeks for the itch to get out and start throwing again to kick in. This was basically a nothing statement by Andy and it's STILL the best news I got this weeked. What does that tell you about my weekend?
Friday, November 12, 2010
And The Hits Keep On Coming
It looks like everybody is climbing on the "Derek Jeter Should Not Be Getting a Huge Contract" Express that Hal is conducting and I'm riding first class in. When Cash was asked about Jeter's off-the-field earning potential factoring into his contract last night on YES, he dropped this gem:
"Iconic, off-the-field value doesn't translate in my world."
BOOM!! That's like a roundhouse kick to the ego if I've ever read one. And Cash is completely right. He doesn't get paid to make sure Jeter gets paid all sorts of appearance money after he retires. He gets paid to put the best team on the field each season that can win the most games possible and come home with a World Series trophy. That's his focus, that's his goal, and that's what Jeter's negotiations should really be focused on and how his declining skills fit into that goal.
In his column this morning, Joel Sherman joined in on the perfectly justifiable Jeter contract bashing with this:
"This is a baseball team, not a fan club or an alumni association. Realistic discussions of Jeter are too often scuttled with his intangibles or his class or his history. That is all nice. But what do they have to do with winning games from 2011 forward? If you are honoring those elements with unquestioned playing time or a spot atop the order, you have lost what Jeter himself claims he is all about, which is team and winning."
SHAPOW!! There isn't a single word in that paragraph that isn't true. And that last sentence is particularly interesting because it's something that both the Yankees and Jeter need to be aware of in these negotiations. The Yankees need to make sure they stay focused on winning in 2011, which it appears they are, and Jeter also needs to be cognizant of his 'team first' reputation and not get caught up in discussions about intangibles, legacy, and post-career earning potential.
All in all, it's been another rough couple days of having reality slap Jeter in the face. I love the guy, and it pains me to say this, but Derek,
"Iconic, off-the-field value doesn't translate in my world."
BOOM!! That's like a roundhouse kick to the ego if I've ever read one. And Cash is completely right. He doesn't get paid to make sure Jeter gets paid all sorts of appearance money after he retires. He gets paid to put the best team on the field each season that can win the most games possible and come home with a World Series trophy. That's his focus, that's his goal, and that's what Jeter's negotiations should really be focused on and how his declining skills fit into that goal.
In his column this morning, Joel Sherman joined in on the perfectly justifiable Jeter contract bashing with this:
"This is a baseball team, not a fan club or an alumni association. Realistic discussions of Jeter are too often scuttled with his intangibles or his class or his history. That is all nice. But what do they have to do with winning games from 2011 forward? If you are honoring those elements with unquestioned playing time or a spot atop the order, you have lost what Jeter himself claims he is all about, which is team and winning."
SHAPOW!! There isn't a single word in that paragraph that isn't true. And that last sentence is particularly interesting because it's something that both the Yankees and Jeter need to be aware of in these negotiations. The Yankees need to make sure they stay focused on winning in 2011, which it appears they are, and Jeter also needs to be cognizant of his 'team first' reputation and not get caught up in discussions about intangibles, legacy, and post-career earning potential.
All in all, it's been another rough couple days of having reality slap Jeter in the face. I love the guy, and it pains me to say this, but Derek,
Don'tcha Know
(Photo courtesy of The AP)
In the shocker of the century, Robbie Cano picked up the AL Silver Slugger Award yesterday for 2B to go along with his Gold Glove. I'm not even going to rattle off his numbers again for fear that I might cum in my pants, but I think we can all agree that the award was well-deserved. Too bad MLB doesn't give out a Bronze Cannon Award for best throwing arms or something like that so Cano could complete his medal tally.
Next up for Robbie is the AL MVP vote later this month. After that we'll have to wait for the Nobel Prizes and the nominees for the Grammys and Oscars to be announced to see what else Cano can win this year. With the kind of season he had, I wouldn't count him out of anything right now.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
AB4AR's First Fictional Yankee Mailbag
We don't get too many emails here at AB4AR, but since I know there are some of you readers out there who are just too lazy or scared to write in, I took the liberty of asking (and answering) the questions I know everyone is dying to ask me. Let's face it, my Yankee insight and opinions know no boundaries. It would be wrong to keep these answers to myself. Let's get to the bag!
* What's your take on the Yankees not starting any negotiations with Mo yet? I would argue that he's more important than Lee or Jeter, right? - Matt, The Bronx.
Good question, Matt. I also think it's a little strange that the Yankees haven't reached out to Mo and his agent to lock him up for next year. And your argument that Mo is more important to next season's success than Lee and Jeter is correct. Mo is the one guy that the Yankees absolutely can't be without next year (would you feel good about D-Rob or Joba having to close?), so he should be a higher priority. But if you think back, this is kind of how Mo's new contracts have always gone. He's such a low-maintenance guy that it's almost a foregone conclusion that he will re-sign. And he's still at the top of his game so there really isn't much to negotiate about. The Yankees are going to pay him a shit ton of money and he's going to be happy with it. My guess? 1-year deal for 2011 at $16 mil with a player option for another year. No worries, Mo will be back.
* What kind of deal should the Yankees offer Andy to come back next year? And what's the backup plan if he decides to retire? - Sarah, Charleston, SC.
I don't think there's a certain dollar value that is going to swing Andy one way or another. The Yankees gave him $11.5 mil to come back in 2010 and that worked out pretty well, so I would imagine the next contract would be almost identical, maybe bump him up to an even 12. But my take is still that Andy isn't coming back after how badly his body broke down at the end of this season. He's going to be 39, and while it's obvious he still has the talent to get it done out there, it just doesn't seem like his body can keep up with his skills anymore. After he sits down and talks to his family, I think he's going to hang it up.
Which brings us to the backup plan. Assuming the Yankees get Lee, which I believe they will, that would leave them with CC, Lee, Hughes, A.J., and an open 5th spot. I'm not in love with any of the other free agent options (Kuroda, Westbrook, etc.) and Zach Greinke has said he doesn't want to come here, so I would pencil Ivan Nova into the 5th spot and see if he improves enough in Spring Training and early in the season to lock down the job. If not, we've established that the Yanks have a ton of pitching talent in Double- and Triple-A (Killer B's, Noesi, Warren, Phelps), so the 5-spot could be the audition role for some of those guys. You gotta find out if these kids can get it done in the Majors at some point, right?
* Now that Jorge has been told he will be primarily DH'ing next season, how do you see the Yankee catching situation going next season? Can The Jesus really win the job and hold it down all year? - Jake, Middlebury, CT.
I don't see any reason why he can't. All indications are that the Yankees are going to give him the job to lose in Spring Training, and I still say there's no way he can be as bad a defensive catcher as Jorge so why not give him the job and let him learn? For the most part the Yankees call pitches from the dugout anyway, so there's no pressure on Montero to call games, and the more experience he gets both behind the plate and at it, the better he's going to get. Jorge's sun is setting on his career while Montero's is just starting to rise. It's time to get the kid into the lineup and see what he can do. My vote would be to have him catch 100-120 games next year and let Cervelli and Posada split the difference. Then, depending on matchups and health, have either Posada or Jesus DH on the days that Cervelli catches with the other at attention to step in for Frankie as a late-game pinch hitter/replacement.
* What's Option B if the Yankees somehow lose out on Cliff Lee? Does Cash get back on the phone with KC with an offer for Greinke that they can't refuse? - Ruben, Valencia, CA.
Since they've already got the ball rolling on the Lee situation while Andy is taking his time on his decision, the immediate Option B becomes "bring Andy back at all costs." If they can do that, then at least you're still coming back with CC, Andy, Hughes, and A.J. Just like the same situation if Andy doesn't come back, I would make the 5th spot in the rotation the 'Ivan Nova/whoever else from Triple-A earns a start if Nova sucks' role and go from there.
I personally don't like the idea of giving up any amount of top prospects for Greinke. Yes, he's a stud, but unlike many of the other sites out there, I will admit that his SAD scares me to death. I could see the kid bombing out in NY because of it. It's easy to deal with that when you're pitching in KC where nobody gives a fuck. Try handling your freakshow pussy disorder when you've got the NY media breathing down your neck on every inning you pitch. Plus, with a stockpile of arms like the one they have now, I think it's in the team's best interest to try to build up the next generation of core Yankees around them. Pitching wins championships and the Yankees have a shit ton of high-quality pitching in the Minors. Why trade it all away before you have the chance to see what they can do for you?
Now if the Yankees don't sign Lee AND Andy decides to retire, then you've got a problem. The Yanks would be situated with CC, Hughes, A.J., Nova, and a big old question mark. If this scenario, unlikely as it is, plays out, that's when you'll see Cash on the phone calling up the agents for Kuroda or Westbrook or offering 2 of the 3 Killer B's, Gardner, and Austin Romine for Greinke.
* Of all the Yankees that had down years this year (Teix, A-Rod, Jeter, Jorge, A.J., Joba), which one do you think will rebound to have the best 2011? - Marcus, Manhattan.
Definitely Teix. He has the best overall skill set, is still in his prime, and should be back to 100% healthy by the time Spring Training 2011 rolls around. If he had any kind of consistency this year, he could have hit .280/.390/.530 with 40 HR and 125 RBIs. I expect him to work with Kevin Long in ST on fixing his issues from last year and finding that consistency.
A-Rod will have a better year next year, but no longer the monster numbers he used to put up, Jorge will be better without getting beaten up behind the plate all the time but not what he used to be, Jeter will probably be about the same, Joba might not even be a Yankee next year, and it would be tough for A.J. to be any worse than he was in 2010. But the smart money for a big bounce back would still be on Teix.
* You're such a smart and funny guy and your blog is the best!! How do you manage to come up with such awesome material? I think you are incredibly sexy and I want to have your babies. - Kristy, Pewaukee, WI.
Why thank you, Kristy. I am quite awesome and I appreciate you taking the time to not only notice that, but to compliment me on it. I can't really say where I get my material from. A lot of it is just spontaneous ideas that pop into my head and then I just let it roll from there. I would also have to give some credit to the copious amounts of alcohol I drink and the occasional paint huffing session. I guess what I'm trying to say is that my awesomeness and the blog's awesomeness are complicated issues with more than one source, all pulled together into a tight little package by the natural levels of awesomeness within my own chiseled, hard body. And yes, I am a sexy motherfucker.
Thanks for the fictional emails, kiddies. Until next time...
Take A Quick Moment Today
(Only uniform besides the pinstripes that Joltin' Joe looked good in)
... And thank a veteran that you know. Or at the very least take a moment to sit and reflect and be thankful for all they've done for you and this country. It's because of these brave people that I even have the ability to write this blog and say whatever I want so a big thank you to everybody who has served or is serving right now to protect our freedom. I know I'm too much of a pussy to ever be able to do it, so much respect to all those ballsy enough to put their country and its citizens before themselves.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Perfect Visual Representation Of This Blog
That's 2 playoff series worth of pre and postgame notes right there, people. Front and back. And the majority of the shit written was usually done either super late at night or super early in the morning at the office.
Just wanted to give a little visual reminder of what we're all about here at AB4AR. No crack staff of dedicated writers and advanced sabermetricians or anything like that here. Nope, just one dude who knows enough about what statistics really matter to be dangerou , his opinions (misguided as they may be), and his sticky notes . I'm just a man who loves his Yankees and knows how baseball works and enjoys writing about it.
And I hope some of y'all enjoy reading it.
Meeting & Greeting Mr. Lee
Well that didn't take long. According to multiple sources, Brian Cashman flew to Arkansas today and is probably in the middle of meeting with Lee and his family right now as we speak. No word on whether or not he brought a few Bleacher Creatures with him to spit on and throw things at Lee's wife, but I would imagine not.
Guess re-signing Jeter and Mo weren't the biggest priorities after all, eh?
Guess re-signing Jeter and Mo weren't the biggest priorities after all, eh?
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
It's A Golden Infield
And the winners are...
Robbie Cano (of course), Mark Teixeira (naturally), and Derek Jeter!!
Wait, what?
Yeah, you heard right, folks. Somehow Derek Jeter won his 5th Gold Glove award today in a year where he posted negative defensive numbers across the board. Shit, you didn't even have to look at the numbers. Just watch a game or 2 and it would have been painfully obvious to everybody who isn't John Sterling and Joe Morgan that The Captain was not a Gold Glove defender this season. I'm a Yankee fan and one of the biggest homers around and even I think that Jeter winning the award is a joke.
Oh well. We'll take it. God bless the mainstream baseball media.
The Best Offseason News So Far
It isn't Yankee news, but it's certainly news that every baseball fan will enjoy.
"Jon Miller and Joe Morgan's 21-year run on ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" is over.
Morgan's contract is expiring and he will not be renewed. Miller's contract is also expiring though he may remain at ESPN working the "Sunday Night Baseball" series and postseason baseball for ESPN Radio.
"Jon and Joe have contributed greatly to the success of 'Sunday Night Baseball' for the past 21 seasons," ESPN executive vice president Norby Williamson said in a statement Monday. "Over the last two decades, Joe went from Hall of Fame player to one of his sport's top analysts and Jon's Hall of Fame voice and tremendous knowledge of the game have connected with baseball fans everywhere. We owe them our deepest thanks for an outstanding body of work." (via ESPN.com)
In actuality, Miller is a rambling boozebag who flip flops between making over-exaggerated calls of insignificant plays and then downplaying big game-changing moments, and Morgan is a self-righteous asshole who has used his position on 'Sunday Night Baseball' to do nothing more than reference his own accomplishments and playing career and downplay the improvement in today's players and statistics. Both are sadly behind in the times when it comes to baseball and should have been out a long time ago. But nice try on the praise, ESPN. Next time take it easy on the literary blowjobs.
P.S.- Whoever ESPN decides to replace these clowns with, Orel Hershiser better be at the top of the list.
"Jon Miller and Joe Morgan's 21-year run on ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" is over.
Morgan's contract is expiring and he will not be renewed. Miller's contract is also expiring though he may remain at ESPN working the "Sunday Night Baseball" series and postseason baseball for ESPN Radio.
"Jon and Joe have contributed greatly to the success of 'Sunday Night Baseball' for the past 21 seasons," ESPN executive vice president Norby Williamson said in a statement Monday. "Over the last two decades, Joe went from Hall of Fame player to one of his sport's top analysts and Jon's Hall of Fame voice and tremendous knowledge of the game have connected with baseball fans everywhere. We owe them our deepest thanks for an outstanding body of work." (via ESPN.com)
In actuality, Miller is a rambling boozebag who flip flops between making over-exaggerated calls of insignificant plays and then downplaying big game-changing moments, and Morgan is a self-righteous asshole who has used his position on 'Sunday Night Baseball' to do nothing more than reference his own accomplishments and playing career and downplay the improvement in today's players and statistics. Both are sadly behind in the times when it comes to baseball and should have been out a long time ago. But nice try on the praise, ESPN. Next time take it easy on the literary blowjobs.
P.S.- Whoever ESPN decides to replace these clowns with, Orel Hershiser better be at the top of the list.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Important Award Dates For The Yankees
It's not all Cliff Lee and Derek Jeter contract drama in the offseason, people. There are still awards to be handed out and the Yankees figure to play a big part in almost all the major categories. Here are the biggest chances for the Yankees to bring some hardware home to the Bronx.
* Tuesday, November 9th: AL Gold Glove Awards- Robbie Cano should be a shoo-in for his first Gold Glove after a fantastic year at 2nd, and Mark Teixeira should also be the favorite for the award at 1B. A sleeper could be Brett Gardner in LF. He's probably going to get beat out by Carl Crawford, but their numbers stack up very well. At the very least he'll be in the mix.
* Wednesday, November 10th: Silver Slugger Awards- This should be another cakewalk for Cano to collect this award, which would be his first. There could be some consideration thrown the ways of Teix, A-Rod, and Swisher for their collective numbers, but with better, more productive options all around I would be surprised if any Yankee other than Cano walked away with some silver.
* Thursday, November 18th: AL Cy Young Award- I certainly wouldn't consider him the front runner, but CC is going to get some serious consideration for the award thanks to his 21 wins, high innings, and respectable ERA and WHIP numbers. At worst, he finishes last out of the top 3 contenders (CC, King Felix, David Price). At best, he takes the award thanks to a high number of voters who still focus too much on wins and ERA and not the sabermetrics.
* Tuesday, November 23rd: AL MVP Award- Like CC, Robbie Cano won't be considered the favorite for the award, but he stands just as good a chance as Josh Hamilton or Miguel Cabrera. Working in his favor is his all-world production from the 2B position, not one traditionally associated with gaudy offensive numbers, and his Gold-Glove caliber defense that he played all year long (Hamilton missed some time) and did for a contending team (Detroit was out of the race ages ago). Working against him is the fact that Hamilton and Cabrera's numbers, both the regular ones and more advanced ones, ARE better than Cano's. In the end, I say Cano gets a few more votes than expected and finishes 2nd behind Hamilton.
* Tuesday, November 9th: AL Gold Glove Awards- Robbie Cano should be a shoo-in for his first Gold Glove after a fantastic year at 2nd, and Mark Teixeira should also be the favorite for the award at 1B. A sleeper could be Brett Gardner in LF. He's probably going to get beat out by Carl Crawford, but their numbers stack up very well. At the very least he'll be in the mix.
* Wednesday, November 10th: Silver Slugger Awards- This should be another cakewalk for Cano to collect this award, which would be his first. There could be some consideration thrown the ways of Teix, A-Rod, and Swisher for their collective numbers, but with better, more productive options all around I would be surprised if any Yankee other than Cano walked away with some silver.
* Thursday, November 18th: AL Cy Young Award- I certainly wouldn't consider him the front runner, but CC is going to get some serious consideration for the award thanks to his 21 wins, high innings, and respectable ERA and WHIP numbers. At worst, he finishes last out of the top 3 contenders (CC, King Felix, David Price). At best, he takes the award thanks to a high number of voters who still focus too much on wins and ERA and not the sabermetrics.
* Tuesday, November 23rd: AL MVP Award- Like CC, Robbie Cano won't be considered the favorite for the award, but he stands just as good a chance as Josh Hamilton or Miguel Cabrera. Working in his favor is his all-world production from the 2B position, not one traditionally associated with gaudy offensive numbers, and his Gold-Glove caliber defense that he played all year long (Hamilton missed some time) and did for a contending team (Detroit was out of the race ages ago). Working against him is the fact that Hamilton and Cabrera's numbers, both the regular ones and more advanced ones, ARE better than Cano's. In the end, I say Cano gets a few more votes than expected and finishes 2nd behind Hamilton.
And The Great Cliff Lee Race Has Begun
Well that didn't take long. The Yanks contacted Lee's agent on Sunday and are planning to send their contract offer to him some time this week.
So the obvious big question, what is this offer going to be? It's no secret that the Yankees are head over heels in love with Lee, but would they throw him a bigger offer than what they gave CC, their big man, their ace? CC seems like a 'team first' guy, but I wouldn't blame him if he was a little chapped at the new guy in town, friend or no friend, getting a bigger deal than him when he's 2 years older and was on the losing end of their battle in the 2009 World Series and got beat twice in the 2010 World Series.
If it were up to me, I'd offer Lee a 5-year deal at $112.5 million, slightly less than the average per-year value of CC's deal, with a player option for a 6th year. It gives Lee the biggest deal in baseball outside of CC, keeps CC happy, and more than likely knocks whatever offers the other interested teams are going to make out of the park. The Yankees will probably go more than that, somewhere in the 6-year, $135-140 million range to make damn sure they get Lee. Is that the right move to make? I don't know. All we can do now is sit and wait.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
2010 Yankee Report Cards Part IV: The Lineup
Here's what you should have had to read yesterday:
* Mark Teixeira- C: It was a whole season of alls or nothings for Teix at the plate, and even though his 33 HR and 108 RBIs make you think he was productive this year, if he had any kind of consistency he probably would have hit 20 points higher and had a chance for 40/130. Teix made the most of his hot streak to put up some good peripherals but let's be honest, a .256/.365/.481 year is just not good enough from Teix. He's going to win another Gold Glove at 1B, and maybe I'm being too harsh here, but his down year at the plate and no-show in the postseason again even before the injury make this an underachieving year for Teix in my book.
* Robinson Cano- A+: I'm just going to let the numbers speak for themselves. A .319/.381/.534 tripleslash with 200 H, 103 R, 41 2B, 29 HR, 109 RBI, 334 TB, 6.1 WAR and his situational numbers are even better than that: .909 OPS with runners on, .922 with RISP, 1.635 with the bases loaded. And after that monster regular season, Cano went on to post a .343/.361/.771 line in the playoffs with 8 R, 6 XBH, and 6 RBI. He officially became the best 2B in baseball this year, he's going to win a Gold Glove, a Silver Slugger Award, and going to finish in the top 3 of the AL MVP vote. Kind of hard to give him anything less than an A+.
* Derek Jeter- C-: It was a rough year for The Captain as we all were witness to the beginning of his end as a productive full-time player. The .240/.340/.370 line is bad enough, and the 111 runs scored are more of a testament to the guys hitting behind him than to how well Jeter hit, but perhaps worst of all were the constant images we were not used to seeing. Jeter showing no patience at the plate, Jeter grounding everything to the left side instead of going the other way, Jeter almost never coming up in the clutch, Jeter cheating on fastballs and still swinging late on them, and Jeter looking almost statuesque on everything hit to his left or right at shortstop. It was just not a good year for The Captain.
* Alex Rodriguez- B-: Like Jeter, A-Rod had a down year this year, but he was still able to be very productive even in a "down" year. Despite a career-low .270/.341/.507 tripleslash, A-Rod still managed to swat 30 homers and drive in 125. His numbers with RISP and the bases loaded were terrific and allowed him to still be a dangerous presence in the lineup despite all the injuries and age-related decline he dealt with. His range is also limited at 3rd, but on the balls he did get to A-Rod played Gold Glove-caliber defense. He couldn't replicate his 2009 postseason, but I still call this year a success for The Horse.
* Jorge Posada- C+: Another player of the Yankee elder statesmen not aging so gracefully, 2011 was another year of injuries, inconsistency, and rapidly-declining defense for Jorge. At this stage in his career, he's basically just a pitch back behind the plate, and he probably couldn't throw me out trying to steal 2nd. But he can still work counts (.357 OBP) and still has some pop (18 HR, 57 RBIS, .454 SLG), so his numbers in fewer at-bats stack up well against his competition. At DH next year, he should be a more productive bat. It's just a matter of Jorge swallowing his pride and accepting the role change.
* Nick Johnson- F: Just terrible. Got on base but didn't hit or field worth a lick when he was healthy. And didn't stay healthy for more than 5 fucking minutes. Definitely a waste of money on the signing and definitely looking forward to not having his ass back next year.
* Brett Gardner- B: An overachieving year for Gardner (even with the weak 2nd half) that probably saved the Yankees a bunch of money on a Carl Crawford contract offer. Gardner hit well enough and got on base thanks to great patience at the plate (.277 BA, .383 OBP) and utilized his speed to hit 7 3B, steal 47 bases, and score 97 runs from almost exclusively the 9-spot in the lineup. Combine that with outstanding defensive numbers in the outfield (21.9 UZR, 27.9 UZR/150) and Gardner was worth 5.4 WAR in a solid first full-time year and hopefully a predictor of future success.
* Curtis Granderson- B-: Early-season struggles, injuries, and swing rebuilds aside, Curtis Granderson did manage to produce when he was healthy. Even with the .247 BA, he still posted an OPS close to .800 (.792) thanks to improve patience and solid power numbers. 48 of C-Grand's 115 hits were XBH and he put up positive defensive UZR numbers as well. So for as much crap as he took from the media and fans before turning his season around, Granderson still posted a 3.6 WAR and was the Yankees' 2nd best postseason hitter behind Cano. Something tells me 2011 could be a big comeback year for C-Grand.
* Nick Swisher- A-: The continued evolution of Nick Swisher as a baseball player took a huge step this year as we were witness to a new, less patient, more compact swinging Nick Swisher that rocked balls all over the ballpark while continuning to play better than expected defense in right field. Swish posted a career high .288 BA to go along with an .870 OPS, 29 HR, 89 RBIs, 163 H, 91 R to earn himself his first ASG berth. And while some people couldn't, I'll let Swish's 2nd straight rough postseason go since nobody else hit in the ALCS and he was a 4.1 WAR player in the regular season.
* Mark Teixeira- C: It was a whole season of alls or nothings for Teix at the plate, and even though his 33 HR and 108 RBIs make you think he was productive this year, if he had any kind of consistency he probably would have hit 20 points higher and had a chance for 40/130. Teix made the most of his hot streak to put up some good peripherals but let's be honest, a .256/.365/.481 year is just not good enough from Teix. He's going to win another Gold Glove at 1B, and maybe I'm being too harsh here, but his down year at the plate and no-show in the postseason again even before the injury make this an underachieving year for Teix in my book.
* Robinson Cano- A+: I'm just going to let the numbers speak for themselves. A .319/.381/.534 tripleslash with 200 H, 103 R, 41 2B, 29 HR, 109 RBI, 334 TB, 6.1 WAR and his situational numbers are even better than that: .909 OPS with runners on, .922 with RISP, 1.635 with the bases loaded. And after that monster regular season, Cano went on to post a .343/.361/.771 line in the playoffs with 8 R, 6 XBH, and 6 RBI. He officially became the best 2B in baseball this year, he's going to win a Gold Glove, a Silver Slugger Award, and going to finish in the top 3 of the AL MVP vote. Kind of hard to give him anything less than an A+.
* Derek Jeter- C-: It was a rough year for The Captain as we all were witness to the beginning of his end as a productive full-time player. The .240/.340/.370 line is bad enough, and the 111 runs scored are more of a testament to the guys hitting behind him than to how well Jeter hit, but perhaps worst of all were the constant images we were not used to seeing. Jeter showing no patience at the plate, Jeter grounding everything to the left side instead of going the other way, Jeter almost never coming up in the clutch, Jeter cheating on fastballs and still swinging late on them, and Jeter looking almost statuesque on everything hit to his left or right at shortstop. It was just not a good year for The Captain.
* Alex Rodriguez- B-: Like Jeter, A-Rod had a down year this year, but he was still able to be very productive even in a "down" year. Despite a career-low .270/.341/.507 tripleslash, A-Rod still managed to swat 30 homers and drive in 125. His numbers with RISP and the bases loaded were terrific and allowed him to still be a dangerous presence in the lineup despite all the injuries and age-related decline he dealt with. His range is also limited at 3rd, but on the balls he did get to A-Rod played Gold Glove-caliber defense. He couldn't replicate his 2009 postseason, but I still call this year a success for The Horse.
* Jorge Posada- C+: Another player of the Yankee elder statesmen not aging so gracefully, 2011 was another year of injuries, inconsistency, and rapidly-declining defense for Jorge. At this stage in his career, he's basically just a pitch back behind the plate, and he probably couldn't throw me out trying to steal 2nd. But he can still work counts (.357 OBP) and still has some pop (18 HR, 57 RBIS, .454 SLG), so his numbers in fewer at-bats stack up well against his competition. At DH next year, he should be a more productive bat. It's just a matter of Jorge swallowing his pride and accepting the role change.
* Nick Johnson- F: Just terrible. Got on base but didn't hit or field worth a lick when he was healthy. And didn't stay healthy for more than 5 fucking minutes. Definitely a waste of money on the signing and definitely looking forward to not having his ass back next year.
* Brett Gardner- B: An overachieving year for Gardner (even with the weak 2nd half) that probably saved the Yankees a bunch of money on a Carl Crawford contract offer. Gardner hit well enough and got on base thanks to great patience at the plate (.277 BA, .383 OBP) and utilized his speed to hit 7 3B, steal 47 bases, and score 97 runs from almost exclusively the 9-spot in the lineup. Combine that with outstanding defensive numbers in the outfield (21.9 UZR, 27.9 UZR/150) and Gardner was worth 5.4 WAR in a solid first full-time year and hopefully a predictor of future success.
* Curtis Granderson- B-: Early-season struggles, injuries, and swing rebuilds aside, Curtis Granderson did manage to produce when he was healthy. Even with the .247 BA, he still posted an OPS close to .800 (.792) thanks to improve patience and solid power numbers. 48 of C-Grand's 115 hits were XBH and he put up positive defensive UZR numbers as well. So for as much crap as he took from the media and fans before turning his season around, Granderson still posted a 3.6 WAR and was the Yankees' 2nd best postseason hitter behind Cano. Something tells me 2011 could be a big comeback year for C-Grand.
* Nick Swisher- A-: The continued evolution of Nick Swisher as a baseball player took a huge step this year as we were witness to a new, less patient, more compact swinging Nick Swisher that rocked balls all over the ballpark while continuning to play better than expected defense in right field. Swish posted a career high .288 BA to go along with an .870 OPS, 29 HR, 89 RBIs, 163 H, 91 R to earn himself his first ASG berth. And while some people couldn't, I'll let Swish's 2nd straight rough postseason go since nobody else hit in the ALCS and he was a 4.1 WAR player in the regular season.
My Bad, Y'all
I know I was supposed to put up the lineup report cards yesterday, but I was a lazy forgetful asshole. So to make up for it, here's a picture of Minka Kelly. Even if Jeter doesn't get the contract he wants, he's still got this to fall back on.
The lineup reports will be in this afternoon.
The lineup reports will be in this afternoon.
Friday, November 5, 2010
2010 Yankee Report Cards Part III: The Rotation
* CC Sabathia- A: I was thinking about bumping old Parachute Pants down for his miserable postseason performance, but I'll give him a pass because of the knee injury. Who knows how long the guy was dealing with it through the 2010 season and he still managed to put up insane numbers: 237.2 IP, 21 W (I know, I know, it's a flawed stat), 3.18 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, .656 OPS against, 134 ERA+, 5.4 WAR. So far he's been every bit the ace the Yankees signed him to be, and he did it again this year with a bum knee and a constantly unstable rest of the rotation behind. That's OK in my book.
* A.J. Burnett- D-: The only reason this isn't an F is because of his strong start to the season (4-0 with a 1.99 ERA through his first 6 starts). But from then on it was all bad news for A.J., whose basic stats are so ugly (5.26 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, .285 BA against, .824 OPS against) that it makes going into the advanced and sabermetric categories completely unnecessary. But he was top 10 in the AL in losses and walks, so I guess it's not all bad news, right? A.J. Burnett has been a complete abortion in his 2 years in pinstripes and if he doesn't get his shit together next season, I would be all for outright releasing him and eating the rest of his contract or paying somebody connected to just off him.
* Andy Pettitte- A-: Only gets bumped down to the "-" because of the lost time due to injuries. When he was on the mound, Andy Pettitte was hands down the Yankees' 2nd best pitcher this season, sometimes their ace, and the only starter in the postseason who consistently pitched well (and he pitched VERY well). At age 38, Pettitte had one his 5 best seasons in 2010, posting a 3.28 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 130 ERA+, and 3.1 WAR, and continuing to use his Tom Glavine 2.0 repertoire to outwit opposing batters. Unlike the rest of the Yankee pitching staff, Pettitte shined with runners on, often limiting potential big rallies or crushing them altogether by making big pitches in clutch situations. If this was his last season, it was a damn good one.
* Phil Hughes- B: It was a tale of 2 halves for Phil Hughes this year: outstanding first half (11-2, 3.65 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, .239 BA against pre-ASG) and a bit of a rough second half (7-6, 4.90 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, .250 BA against post-ASG). But at the end of the day his yearly totals aren't bad for a 24-year-old in his first full-time season as a starter, and the future looks bright for Phil if he can continue to evolve his approach and improve his secondary pitches. Even with his second half struggles, Hughes finished second on the team in total Ks, finished just behind CC as the #1 starter in terms of K/9, and posted 2.7 WAR. Rest assured that my Phil Hughes boner will be back in full effect in 2011.
*Javy Vazquez- F: Not so surprisingly, Javy's second stint in New York was just as bad, if not worse, than his first. It's one thing to be a big blubbering pussy who melts down at the first sign of trouble when it's 2004 and you still have your stuff. It's another thing completely when you're still a big blubbering pussy who melts down at the first sign of trouble in 2010 when you have absolutely no stuff left. In 8 starts through June and early July, Javy was actually one of the best Yankee starters, but it was all downhill from there and his final numbers (5.32 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 1.86 K/BB, .818 OPS against) show just how putrid he was.
** 2010 Report Cards wrap up tomorrow with the lineup. Try and guess what Jeter's will be. **
* A.J. Burnett- D-: The only reason this isn't an F is because of his strong start to the season (4-0 with a 1.99 ERA through his first 6 starts). But from then on it was all bad news for A.J., whose basic stats are so ugly (5.26 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, .285 BA against, .824 OPS against) that it makes going into the advanced and sabermetric categories completely unnecessary. But he was top 10 in the AL in losses and walks, so I guess it's not all bad news, right? A.J. Burnett has been a complete abortion in his 2 years in pinstripes and if he doesn't get his shit together next season, I would be all for outright releasing him and eating the rest of his contract or paying somebody connected to just off him.
* Andy Pettitte- A-: Only gets bumped down to the "-" because of the lost time due to injuries. When he was on the mound, Andy Pettitte was hands down the Yankees' 2nd best pitcher this season, sometimes their ace, and the only starter in the postseason who consistently pitched well (and he pitched VERY well). At age 38, Pettitte had one his 5 best seasons in 2010, posting a 3.28 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 130 ERA+, and 3.1 WAR, and continuing to use his Tom Glavine 2.0 repertoire to outwit opposing batters. Unlike the rest of the Yankee pitching staff, Pettitte shined with runners on, often limiting potential big rallies or crushing them altogether by making big pitches in clutch situations. If this was his last season, it was a damn good one.
* Phil Hughes- B: It was a tale of 2 halves for Phil Hughes this year: outstanding first half (11-2, 3.65 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, .239 BA against pre-ASG) and a bit of a rough second half (7-6, 4.90 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, .250 BA against post-ASG). But at the end of the day his yearly totals aren't bad for a 24-year-old in his first full-time season as a starter, and the future looks bright for Phil if he can continue to evolve his approach and improve his secondary pitches. Even with his second half struggles, Hughes finished second on the team in total Ks, finished just behind CC as the #1 starter in terms of K/9, and posted 2.7 WAR. Rest assured that my Phil Hughes boner will be back in full effect in 2011.
*Javy Vazquez- F: Not so surprisingly, Javy's second stint in New York was just as bad, if not worse, than his first. It's one thing to be a big blubbering pussy who melts down at the first sign of trouble when it's 2004 and you still have your stuff. It's another thing completely when you're still a big blubbering pussy who melts down at the first sign of trouble in 2010 when you have absolutely no stuff left. In 8 starts through June and early July, Javy was actually one of the best Yankee starters, but it was all downhill from there and his final numbers (5.32 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 1.86 K/BB, .818 OPS against) show just how putrid he was.
** 2010 Report Cards wrap up tomorrow with the lineup. Try and guess what Jeter's will be. **
Thursday, November 4, 2010
2010 Yankee Report Cards Part II: The Bullpen
* Mariano Rivera- A: Another gem of a season from the ageless wonder: 33 saves, 1.80 ERA, 0.83 WHIP in 60 innings of regular season work, then another scoreless 6.1 innings with only 4 baserunners allowed and 3 saves in the postseason. As usual, Rivera was the one shining constant in the always treacherous seas that are the Yankee bullpen and continues to put up numbers at age 40 that are so much better than what 99% of relievers can put up in their primes that it really isn't funny anymore.
* Dave Robertson- B-: Started off the season horribly (14.21 ERA on May 5, 7.31 ERA at the end of May), but was lights out for the remainder of the regular season, finishing up with a respectable 3.82 ERA for the season. Some of his peripherals are still impressive (10.42K/9) but 33 walks in 61.1 innings killed him and he melted down in the ALCS. With Kerry Wood unlikely to come back next season, D-Rob will be the early favorite as Mo's setup man but needs to show some improvement over the last 2 seasons to keep the job.
* Joba Chamberlain- C-: The long, strange journey for Joba took another turn for the worst this season. Like D-Rob, Joba had some impressive peripherals (less than 1 hit per IP, 9.67 K/9), but showed a frustrating inability to pitch well in close games and to limit damage on days where he didn't have his best (cough, cough, Brian Bruney, cough cough!!). By season's end he had fallen so far down Joe's depth chart that he was a postseason afterthought in the bullpen pecking order. For a season that could have been his last in pinstripes, it was nothing to write home about for Joba.
* Boone Logan- B: After a rough patch to start the year and a demotion to Triple-A, Boone Logan came back to replace Marte as the lefty specialist out of the 'pen and didn't disappoint. He rattled off 25 consecutive scoreless outings from July to September and finished with a respectable sub-3.00 ERA and only .85 H/IP. He, like pretty much everybody else in the bullpen, gave up too many walks, but Logan should start next year as the #1 lefty in the 'pen and has certainly earned that right with the way he pitched for the majority of 2010.
* Sergio Mitre- C+: After making a few early-season starts, Mitre settled into his role as the main long man in the 'pen after the loss of Aceves. His numbers look good (3.33 ERA, 1.09 WHIP), but Mitre didn't miss a lot of bats and didn't log a lot of high-pressure innings, so you can't put a whole lot of weight into what he did. And then there's the whole business of turning into a home run derby pitcher in the postseason, so yeah. He's basically an innings eater who did what he was supposed to do so he gets an average grade from me.
* Kerry Wood- A: Hands down the best move Cash made at the deadline, Wood was money from the time he put on the Yankee uniform. He was effectively wild at all times, allowing more walks (18) than hits (14) in his 26 regular season innings of work, but he worked out of trouble and missed a lot of bats (10.73 K/9). That effective wildness carried over to the postseason where Wood was the only pitcher not named Mo to completely shit the bed. He wouldn't be a bad part to have in the 'pen in 2011, but he'll be too expensive. For what they brought him in to do and for what they gave up to get him, though, Wood was everything you could ask for and then some.
* Chad Gaudin- C-: He's like Sergio Mitre Version 0.2. He serves the same purpose but doesn't do the job as well. Joe rode him in September, possibly as a postseason audition, but in the end Gaudin just wasn't good enough. His second stint with the Yankees went much like the first and I wouldn't expect him to break camp with the team next year.
* Alfredo Aceves & Damaso Marte- I: Ace was effective in his limited work (3.00 ERA, 1.17 WHIP in 12 innings) while Marte wasn't (11 BB in 17.2 IP), but neither gets an actual grade because of the injuries that shortened their seasons. Getting Aceves back for 2011 would be a big boost to the 'pen, but I'm not holding my breath on getting anything from Marte, who becomes the latest in the long line of bad Yankee bullpen signings.
* Chan Ho Park- F-: I hate Chan Ho Park so fucking much that I can barely even describe it. How he lasted as long as he did in a Yankee uniform is beyond me. 5.60 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 7 HR allowed in just 35.1 innings. "Fuck" and "you," sir. The most productive thing he did in a Yankee uniform was get diarrhea. Thankfully, this is the last time I will ever have to mention him on this blog.
** Check back tomorrow for the rotation report cards **
* Dave Robertson- B-: Started off the season horribly (14.21 ERA on May 5, 7.31 ERA at the end of May), but was lights out for the remainder of the regular season, finishing up with a respectable 3.82 ERA for the season. Some of his peripherals are still impressive (10.42K/9) but 33 walks in 61.1 innings killed him and he melted down in the ALCS. With Kerry Wood unlikely to come back next season, D-Rob will be the early favorite as Mo's setup man but needs to show some improvement over the last 2 seasons to keep the job.
* Joba Chamberlain- C-: The long, strange journey for Joba took another turn for the worst this season. Like D-Rob, Joba had some impressive peripherals (less than 1 hit per IP, 9.67 K/9), but showed a frustrating inability to pitch well in close games and to limit damage on days where he didn't have his best (cough, cough, Brian Bruney, cough cough!!). By season's end he had fallen so far down Joe's depth chart that he was a postseason afterthought in the bullpen pecking order. For a season that could have been his last in pinstripes, it was nothing to write home about for Joba.
* Boone Logan- B: After a rough patch to start the year and a demotion to Triple-A, Boone Logan came back to replace Marte as the lefty specialist out of the 'pen and didn't disappoint. He rattled off 25 consecutive scoreless outings from July to September and finished with a respectable sub-3.00 ERA and only .85 H/IP. He, like pretty much everybody else in the bullpen, gave up too many walks, but Logan should start next year as the #1 lefty in the 'pen and has certainly earned that right with the way he pitched for the majority of 2010.
* Sergio Mitre- C+: After making a few early-season starts, Mitre settled into his role as the main long man in the 'pen after the loss of Aceves. His numbers look good (3.33 ERA, 1.09 WHIP), but Mitre didn't miss a lot of bats and didn't log a lot of high-pressure innings, so you can't put a whole lot of weight into what he did. And then there's the whole business of turning into a home run derby pitcher in the postseason, so yeah. He's basically an innings eater who did what he was supposed to do so he gets an average grade from me.
* Kerry Wood- A: Hands down the best move Cash made at the deadline, Wood was money from the time he put on the Yankee uniform. He was effectively wild at all times, allowing more walks (18) than hits (14) in his 26 regular season innings of work, but he worked out of trouble and missed a lot of bats (10.73 K/9). That effective wildness carried over to the postseason where Wood was the only pitcher not named Mo to completely shit the bed. He wouldn't be a bad part to have in the 'pen in 2011, but he'll be too expensive. For what they brought him in to do and for what they gave up to get him, though, Wood was everything you could ask for and then some.
* Chad Gaudin- C-: He's like Sergio Mitre Version 0.2. He serves the same purpose but doesn't do the job as well. Joe rode him in September, possibly as a postseason audition, but in the end Gaudin just wasn't good enough. His second stint with the Yankees went much like the first and I wouldn't expect him to break camp with the team next year.
* Alfredo Aceves & Damaso Marte- I: Ace was effective in his limited work (3.00 ERA, 1.17 WHIP in 12 innings) while Marte wasn't (11 BB in 17.2 IP), but neither gets an actual grade because of the injuries that shortened their seasons. Getting Aceves back for 2011 would be a big boost to the 'pen, but I'm not holding my breath on getting anything from Marte, who becomes the latest in the long line of bad Yankee bullpen signings.
* Chan Ho Park- F-: I hate Chan Ho Park so fucking much that I can barely even describe it. How he lasted as long as he did in a Yankee uniform is beyond me. 5.60 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 7 HR allowed in just 35.1 innings. "Fuck" and "you," sir. The most productive thing he did in a Yankee uniform was get diarrhea. Thankfully, this is the last time I will ever have to mention him on this blog.
** Check back tomorrow for the rotation report cards **
Taking Stock Of The Current Rotation Situation
Those Locked In
- CC Sabathia: Recovering from recent knee surgery to repair his meniscus tear, the big fella was seen walking without a limp at the Nets game last night. He's scheduled to begin a 3-6 week rehab stint to get ready for Spring Training 2011. All looks well so far after surgery but the revelation by Joe that he had dealt with the knee injury all year in 2010 has to be a concern going forward.
- A.J. Burnett: In all likelihood he will be relegated to at least the 4th starter role next year after this season's debacle. A change at pitching coach could bring improvement next season. Shit, it would be hard to not improve on last year's numbers, new pitching coach aside. He'll be in the mix next year because of his hefty contract, but his 2011 performance could determine how much longer the Yanks are willing to put up with him.
- Phil Hughes: Probably still taking some time off after his career-high workload this season. All restrictions should come off next year as far as innings and Phil will be expected to make improvements on his weaknesses from 2010 and become the likely 3rd starter. The changeup needs to become a part of the everyday arsenal next year.
The Internal Question Mark
- Andy Pettitte: The post-ALCS story about Andy's postseason injury woes casts a dark cloud over the possibility of his return next season. He's surely doing the family thing right now and will probably take a few more weeks to decide what his plans are for 2011. Given how badly he broke down at the end of this season I don't expect him to go through that again.
The Big Free Agent Prize
- Cliff Lee: sitting at home licking his wife's wounds from her Yankee Stadium treatment and getting ready to hit the open market with a big payday on the horizon. I still don't think he will get CC money (7 years/$161 million), but he'll certainly get north of 20 mil per year, especially with the Yankees making the biggest push for him. No way he doesn't get the best offer from the Yanks, whether he decides to take that is up to him.
The Internal Backup Plan
- Ivan Nova: The most likely candidate to take the 5th rotation spot should Andy decide not to come back a/o Lee decide to not take the money. Nova was like a mini-Phil Hughes last year in his first Major League work experience, flashing brilliant stuff and a willingness to attack hitters, but failing to change his approach the 2nd and 3rd times through the lineup. Even if he doesn't break camp in the rotation in 2011, he will be the first one to fill in if/when injuries strike, so he'll be expected to produce.
The External Backup Plans
- Zack Greinke: According to the latest rumors, Greinke said he wouldn't accept a trade to the Bronx, but the Royals might feel differently depending on the package the Yankees offer. I know Greinke is a stud and entering his prime, but I would have serious reservations about giving up some top prospects and possibly Gardner for a potential headcase. We've seen guys who didn't have SAD wilt under the NY media spotlight.
- Hiroki Kuroda: Would really only be considered if Pettitte and Lee don't end up in pinstripes, but I know I wouldn't want him.
- Jake Westbrook: See above.
The FA Injury Risks
- Erik Bedard & Chris Young: Both officially hit the open market after not having options picked up by their teams yesterday. The Yanks have shown interest in Bedard in the past, but after not going after similar cases in Ben Sheets and Justin Duchsherer last season I can't see either of these guys getting consideration unless absolutely everything else fell through.
The Unthinkable
- Javy Vazquez: Don't even think about it!!
- CC Sabathia: Recovering from recent knee surgery to repair his meniscus tear, the big fella was seen walking without a limp at the Nets game last night. He's scheduled to begin a 3-6 week rehab stint to get ready for Spring Training 2011. All looks well so far after surgery but the revelation by Joe that he had dealt with the knee injury all year in 2010 has to be a concern going forward.
- A.J. Burnett: In all likelihood he will be relegated to at least the 4th starter role next year after this season's debacle. A change at pitching coach could bring improvement next season. Shit, it would be hard to not improve on last year's numbers, new pitching coach aside. He'll be in the mix next year because of his hefty contract, but his 2011 performance could determine how much longer the Yanks are willing to put up with him.
- Phil Hughes: Probably still taking some time off after his career-high workload this season. All restrictions should come off next year as far as innings and Phil will be expected to make improvements on his weaknesses from 2010 and become the likely 3rd starter. The changeup needs to become a part of the everyday arsenal next year.
The Internal Question Mark
- Andy Pettitte: The post-ALCS story about Andy's postseason injury woes casts a dark cloud over the possibility of his return next season. He's surely doing the family thing right now and will probably take a few more weeks to decide what his plans are for 2011. Given how badly he broke down at the end of this season I don't expect him to go through that again.
The Big Free Agent Prize
- Cliff Lee: sitting at home licking his wife's wounds from her Yankee Stadium treatment and getting ready to hit the open market with a big payday on the horizon. I still don't think he will get CC money (7 years/$161 million), but he'll certainly get north of 20 mil per year, especially with the Yankees making the biggest push for him. No way he doesn't get the best offer from the Yanks, whether he decides to take that is up to him.
The Internal Backup Plan
- Ivan Nova: The most likely candidate to take the 5th rotation spot should Andy decide not to come back a/o Lee decide to not take the money. Nova was like a mini-Phil Hughes last year in his first Major League work experience, flashing brilliant stuff and a willingness to attack hitters, but failing to change his approach the 2nd and 3rd times through the lineup. Even if he doesn't break camp in the rotation in 2011, he will be the first one to fill in if/when injuries strike, so he'll be expected to produce.
The External Backup Plans
- Zack Greinke: According to the latest rumors, Greinke said he wouldn't accept a trade to the Bronx, but the Royals might feel differently depending on the package the Yankees offer. I know Greinke is a stud and entering his prime, but I would have serious reservations about giving up some top prospects and possibly Gardner for a potential headcase. We've seen guys who didn't have SAD wilt under the NY media spotlight.
- Hiroki Kuroda: Would really only be considered if Pettitte and Lee don't end up in pinstripes, but I know I wouldn't want him.
- Jake Westbrook: See above.
The FA Injury Risks
- Erik Bedard & Chris Young: Both officially hit the open market after not having options picked up by their teams yesterday. The Yanks have shown interest in Bedard in the past, but after not going after similar cases in Ben Sheets and Justin Duchsherer last season I can't see either of these guys getting consideration unless absolutely everything else fell through.
The Unthinkable
- Javy Vazquez: Don't even think about it!!
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