Pre-Arbitration House Cleaning

They may not have gotten Cliff Lee or Andy Pettitte to solidify the rotation, but at least the Yanks are using the extra money for something, signing Phil Hughes, Joba, and Boone Logan to new deals today to avoid arbitration.  By all indications, the deals each guy got are good for the Yanks ($2.7 mil for Hughes, $1.4 for Joba, $1.2 mil for Boone Logan) and in Hughes' and Joba's case almost certainly less than what they would have received had they gone to arbitration.

The Yanks have money to spend after their top 2 pitching targets fell through, and they certainly haven't been shy about spending it so far.  As Vinny Mac likes to say...



... and the Yankees will always have plenty of money.  And if you got it, you might as well spend it.  Especially when you're spending it to make your team better.

Is There Trouble Brewing In The Front Office

 (Is this the battle Cash might be getting ready to fight?)

 The worst part about the Soriano signing last week was the multiple reports coming out that the signing was "ownership driven."  Anybody familiar with the Yankees over the last 10-15 should have shivers running down their spine from reading that phrase.  It's no secret that the Yankees of the late 90s and early 2000s were successful because of their ability to draft well and build up internal talent, sign free agents who fit the system they had in place, and make shrewd trades to add guys where they were needed.  The Dark Ages of the mid-2000s were the result of ownership, specifically Mr. Steinbrenner, demanding that certain guys be added based on name recognition and past performance and the results spoke for themselves.

The return to prominence over the past few seasons has been the result of Cash finally being granted autonomy in the personnel decision-making department in 2005 and the team getting back to what made them successful in the past.  A re-dedication to developing the farm system, making smart trades like the Swish and Kerry Wood pickups, and bringing in guys who were still in the primes (CC, Teix, C-Grand) have gotten the team back to the top of baseball and within 2 games of consecutive World Series appearances.

The point here is that when the ownership group keeps their nose out of on-field decisions, the team thrives.  The 2 times we have seen them interfere were the A-Rod re-signing in '07 (which looks like it could turn into a horrible contract if The Horse keeps throwing shoes) and the recent Soriano signing last Friday.  It's almost as if the contract handed out to Soriano was a panic reaction to the Yankees not signing Cliff Lee and the continued questions about the weak back end of their rotation.  If that is the case, then that makes the signing even more questionable than it already is.  It's not like Cash didn't do everything in his power to sign Cliff Lee.  Lee made the decision that he would rather play for somebody else.  Cash shouldn't be punished by Hank or Hal or Randy Levine because their prized target didn't sign by having his decision-making authority taken away from him a week after he declared his position on the matter.

Each time I have to read about somebody in the front office pushing for a certain player, it makes me feel bad for Cash for the way he gets dicked around.  Especially in this case, when he was dead set on sticking to his plan and then had that plan taken away from him by those above him in the front office.  It worries me that the battle lines between Cash and the ownership could form again, especially if the Yankees struggle out of the gate with what will in all likelihood be a weak starting rotation.  It also worries me that this incident or another one like it will re-ignite the talks of Cash leaving when his contract is up.  He might not be the best GM in baseball, but he's easily in the top 5, and under his guidance right now, the Yankees are set up to be successful in the present and in the future. 

If you give the guy full control over player personnel decisions, stick by that decision and let him run the team.  The players and manager have enough to worry about when it comes to the on-the-field stuff.  The last thing they need is to be flooded with questions from the media about the front office.

Does Anybody Know What's Going On?

The Yankees are the leading candidate to get Andruw Jones.  A deal is almost in place.  But they're battling him on his asking price.

Jesus Christ, does anybody ACTUALLY know what's going on with the Yankees and Jones?  If not, then please just shut the fuck up because between losing Cliff Lee when they were the supposed front runners and the ongoing Andy Pettitte situation, I've had about all I can take from "sources."  If the guy signs, report the deal and give me the details.  Otherwise be fucking quiet!

P.S.- If the Yanks are actually picking nits about money on the deal then I'm going to be pissed.  Give the dude 1 year and $ 2 mil with incentives and call it a day.  There's no reason to hold out hope (and money) that Andy is coming back.  Move on without him and spend to address the roster holes appropriately.

This Week In WTF

With rumors flying left and right about the Soriano signing being influenced by ownership, Randy Levine, and even Mariano himself, there's no shortage of serious topics to discuss this weekend.  Battle lines between Cash and the owners could be being formed again, and that would certainly not be good for the future of the Yankees, but there's something even more important than that situation that needs to be addressed.

What in name of Christ is going up with Robbie's facial hair?!?!  Good lord, that is hideous!  He looks like some kind of campy villain in one of those shitty Jason Statham action movies.  The only logical explanation for that has to be that Cano is getting an early start on his David Ortiz costume for Halloween this year, and any other explanation is simply not acceptable.

I know we've got a few months before we have to worry about seeing that every day, but come on, Robbie.  Clean that shit up.

Something To Consider Regarding The Soriano Contract

I never thought about this possibility when discussing the opt-out clauses in the deal.  Luckily, there are other bloggers out there smarter than me.  Observe:

"Because the contract is end-loaded, it isn’t likely that Soriano’s future performance would ever surpass his salary, so if the right hander were to allow his ego to send him back into the free agent market, the Yankees would be freed of the risk associated with the length of the deal. In other words, the Yankees would wind up with one great year from Soriano and Type-A free agent compensation, which means they’d swap one draft pick for two. Should that happen, the Yankees’ end of the bargain would look much better, which is exactly why the opt outs are probably more in their best interest than Soriano’s (i.e., it provides him with a temptation that isn’t likely to work toward his benefit)." (via The Captain's Blog)

Touche, William.  Touche.  That scenario playing out would be a win-win-WIN for the Yankees in that they would get maximum performance from a guy with closer talent (presumably in helping them go deep into the postseason), wouldn't have to suffer through the full $35 million, and would get compensatory picks if and when Soriano goes back into the FA pond that will help ease the suffering of all the draft pick lovers out there who are undoubtedly still crying in their soup as I sit here and write this.

Alright, I'm fully on board with this deal now.  Let's get this motherfucker fitted for a cap and jersey and get him out there now.  Just say a few "Hail Marys" for his elbow health and then run him out there in 2011 until his arm falls off!

Yanks Sign Soriano, Make Liar Out Of Cash

(The new guy)

Just a week ago we had Cash all but swearing on his grandfather's grave that he wasn't giving up a 1st-round pick to sign Rafael Soriano.  Well "liar, liar, pants on fire" on Cash because last night the Yanks agreed to a 3-year, $35 million deal with Soriano to become the setup man to Mo in 2011.

I've spent the better part of this morning reading everybody else's take on the situation and when I weigh all the positives and negatives of this deal in my head, I have to say I dislike it more than I like it.

The benefits of this deal are pretty obvious.  Increased bullpen depth, proven commodity stepping into the 8th-inning role, and injury insurance for Mo should his body finally start to realize it's 41 and shouldn't be this awesome anymore.  In essence, this deal re-creates the situation that the Yankee bullpen had after acquiring Kerry Wood at the trade deadline in 2010, and gives Joe more options to mix and match with.  Furthermore, the increased depth will allow him to keep a better handle on workloads and use guys accordingly to cover the weak back end of the rotation right now.

But right there is where the negative aspects of this deal start.  Signing Soriano, a reliever, does nothing to address the most glaring issue the 2011 Yankees are facing, their weak rotation.  And signing Soriano for the kind of money they did gives the Yankees less financial flexibility to address that starting pitcher issue.  For a team that has been through the ringer on long-term, high-dollar contracts for setup men before with almost always exclusively negative results (see: Farnsworth, Kyle; Gordon, Tom), this is a curious move that screams panic to me.  For all the names that have been thrown out as possibilities for starters, the Yanks haven't expressed any serious interest in any of them.  The Soriano signing to me signifies them having no intention of signing any of these bargain-bin arms and instead focusing on strengthening the 'pen to be ready should Nova and Mitre falter as the 4th and 5th starters early in 2011.

And then there's the issue of the opt-out clauses.  The deal includes the option for Soriano to opt out after the 1st and 2nd years of the deal, which, any way you look at it, is a lose-lose for the Yankees.  If Soriano gets injured (and he has before) he gets to kick back and collect millions while the Yankees take the hit in the wallet and on the field.  If Soriano dominates, he can test the FA waters again and leave if a team presents him with a better or similar monetary deal to close.  I just don't see the reasoning behind making that kind of concession if you're the Yankees.  Why commit that much money and give away that much contractual control to a guy that you don't actually NEED?

Losing the draft pick isn't as a big a deal to me as it will be to others.  Yeah, this draft is supposedly stacked, but the reality is the MLB draft is a crapshoot, the Yankees already have a stocked Minor League system, and they have shown great ability over the last couple years to find solid talent in later rounds.  The real issue here is the money being committed to a non-essential piece who could leave after any year of the deal, and the fact that Cash going against what he said a week ago has to make everybody a little more wary of how much we can believe what he says.  Don't get me wrong, I think Soriano is a great pitcher and I'm glad to have him in pinstripes for 2011.  I just don't think the added benefit that he will provide will be worth all the costs associated with bringing him in.

The Hitting Doctor Is Making House Calls

"He spent last week in Los Angeles working with outfielders Nick Swisher and Colin Curtis. Next week, he'll be in New York to work with first baseman Mark Teixeira.

He also plans on going to Miami to work with Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada before spring training starts." (courtesy of The Post)

Dr. Long is back!!  And he's getting an early start on the hitting rehab trail for 2011.  Dude has already seen Swishy and Colin Curtis, he's got plans to get to Tampa in a few weeks to work out Jeter's shit, and he's going to make time for Tex, The Horse, and Hip Hip in the next couple weeks.  On the one hand, I kinda feel bad for Long's family.  This guy eats, sleeps, breathes, and craps hitting.  He's a maniac!!  On the other hand, as a Yankee fan I love him for it and I would probably do anything he asked me to do if I ran into him at a bar short of sexual stuff (most sexual stuff, wink wink).

Seriously, now that the college football season is over, is there any way the Yankees can rent the big "College Gameday" bus and have Long travel all over the country in that thing to all these one-on-one hitting clinics he's having?  Shit, get a YES camera crew involved and you're looking at the next great YES reality show!  Fuck "Yankees On Deck" and "Centerstage," I would watch "WB Mason Presents: Kevin Long's Hit Parade" 25 hours a day, 8 days a goddamn week.  You could even have him stop at random indoor batting cages and Little League practices along the way to give free lessons/diagnosis to the kids there.

The best part about this story?  It makes for a perfect Photoshop opportunity.  POW!!

(Swanny Duckson comes through again!!)

Now The King Can Take His Throne

This slipped through the cracks yesterday, but adios, Trevor Hoffman, and congrats on a long and successful career.  And good riddance to you and your lame changeup, you Mariano Rivera wannabe.  Shit wasn't so unhittable once you lost the juice on the fastball, huh?

Your lameass saves record can finally come to a stop so Mo can plow through it and finish where he rightfully should, at the top of the all-time list.  So enjoy that 601 while it's still relevant, buddy.  This time next year, we'll either be talking about Mo bypassing it early in 2012 or discussing just how many saves Mo will finish with if he gets enough opportunities to rack up 42+ saves in 2011.  You just can't fuck with the G.O.A.T.

The Picture Starts To Become A Lot More Clear

Some comments from Cash on the status of Andy Pettitte today:

"I don't think he's determined if he's officially finished or not, but he's chosen at this stage at least not to start in 2011.  If that ever changes he'll call us. We're not going to hound him or bother him.  Andy's been very communicative on these issues and right now he's not in play, and if he does decide to play he'll play for us. "He's a Yankee from start to finish." (courtesy of the NY Daily News)

Well there you have it, folks.  It sounds like Andy may very well be done.  Cash may be trying to leave the door open here if Andy hasn't officially come out and said he's retired.  But if the guy isn't planning on starting the 2011 season (which means he hasn't started working out), then I think it's a safe bet that nothing is going to kick in once the season starts that will inspire him to start working out and come back some time in the mid- to late summer.

Call me naive, but in the back of my mind I still held this small glimmer of hope that Andy would wake up one morning after having some Yankee-related dream and realize he still had a little bit of an itch to play, enough of an itch that it would have been worth it to him to scratch it by playing one more year in 2011.

But if this is really it.  If he is really done, then I'm OK with his decision and every other Yankee fan should be too.  This man has given everything he's had to this organization, from the time they drafted him in 1991 to the time he stepped on the mound in Game 3 of the 2010 ALCS.  I could give a shit less about the years he spent with the Astros, Andy Pettitte has always been and will always be a Yankee.  Say what you want about the steroids, there is no denying that Andy Pettitte was a gamer, an ideal teammate, a professional, and a great Yankee.

Well, 1 Out of 2 Ain't Bad

 (Yes, Bud.  I'm actually going to heap a little bit of praise on you)

Any baseball fan knows that Bud Selig rarely ever says or does anything right, so the story in this link shouldn't come as a complete surprise.  Long story short, MLB has announced that they have no plans to expand the playoffs in 2011 and also have no plans to expand instant replay in 2011.

First the good part.  Good call on not expanding the playoffs, Bud.  3 division winners and 1 wild card is plenty and the rewards given to the division winners and competition inspired by the 1 wild card spot often make for entertaining baseball down the stretch, even if division titles are already locked up.  Adding more teams and more rounds to the postseason would be incredibly stupid.  For one, the baseball playoffs take too goddamn long as it is.  Sure, it helps teams like the Yankees stagger their best pitchers to avoid throwing A.J. Burnett out there at all costs, but it also creates no sense of flow, momentum, or drama to a series, even a good one.

Secondly, adding more teams serves only to reward mediocrity and lessen the competition and level of play down the stretch while punishing the division winners who would end up getting a first-round bye.  Baseball is not a sport where byes are as beneficial to success as they are in other sports.  Batters lose their timing sitting around for 7-10 days and pitchers can lose their feel for their stuff.  A division winner would be starting from scratch again in the 2nd round against a team that has just come off playing a series and still has their timing down.

If a supposed expansion plan of adding 2 teams to each league would have taken place last season, we would have had the Red Sox, White Sox, Cardinals, and Padres all playing in the first round.  Those teams deserved to be in the playoffs last year about as much as I deserve a nomination for "VH1 Hip Hip Honors."  Injuries or bad luck or whatever the fuck it was, those teams didn't win as many games as the other teams in their division and their league and they don't deserve to be rewarded for that (as much as MLB would love to have a way to shoehorn Boston into every postseason).  So kudos to MLB for not going this route for 2011.

On the other side of the coin, how the hell can MLB still insist of not expanding instant replay, even after another regular season and postseason of completely horrific umpiring?  You had missed home runs, missed fair/foul calls, and missed safe/out calls that could have very well changed the outcome of postseason games and you had poor Armando Galarraga getting fucked out of a perfect game because Jim Joyce is a moron.  Shit like this cannot be accepted as part of the game anymore!

When it comes to replay, baseball has the simplest, most black-and-white set of rules and calls to monitor.  There wouldn't need to be long delays and minutes of reviewing every angle of a play to determine fair or foul, safe or out, or home run or not home run.  10 seconds at the most would be all it would take to get the call right and ensure that the game plays out the way it is supposed to.  Umpires are human, they make mistakes, and that's OK.  Refs do it in the NFL, refs do it in the NBA, and refs do it in the NHL.  And guess what?  All 3 of those leagues have instant replay to make sure that human error doesn't affect the outcome of the game.  It's really quite simple:  every play, short of balls and strikes, should be open to instant replay and review in baseball, and until that is put into effect, MLB is going to continue to see games being affected and calls being made from everybody to expand.

So Bud, can you hear me, Bud?  Can you?  Take a clue from everybody else and expand the fucking replay rules.  It ain't that hard and it will make everyone's lives a little easier.  Players and managers will be happy, fans will be happy, and umpires won't have to sit in front of the media after they fuck up and dance around questions uncomfortably when they get grilled about fucking up.

Graham Stoneburner: Future Closer?

I saw this interesting nugget (copyright: Peter King) yesterday in Chad at LoHud's assorted Minor League notes post:

"Pretty much every scouting report you’ll ever read about Graham Stoneburner suggests his ultimate role could be as a reliever rather than a starter. The Yankees, though, will continue to use Stoneburner out of the rotation, and they believe that he could remain a starter if his changeup continues to develop. Stoneburner had a 2.41 ERA between Tampa and Charleston last season, and the Yankees won’t change his role until he pitches himself out of the rotation."

I'm already on the record as a huge Stoneburner fan and could really care less where he ends up pitching as long it's in pinstripes.  But the fact that the dude has arguably the coolest name ever makes me think that he could fit in better as a reliever.  I mean, "Graham Stoneburner."  That name screams closer.  It's the coolest closer name since The Duke in "Major League, " and that guy led the league in K/9 and hit batsmen.  And threw at his kid in a father-son game!  Pretty damn impressive if you ask me.

So if Stoneburner ends up becoming the closer of the future instead of a part of the rotation, that works for me.  He's already suited for it from a name perspective.  All we need to do now is figure out what his entrance music would be.  Do you focus on the "Stone-" aspect of his name or the "-Burner?"  What do you think?

(Just more awesome AB4AR-style analysis.  Scouting reports and secondary pitches be damned.  This kid has a cool name and that makes him a good closer prospect.  Beat that logic, Tim Kurkjian!)

Updated Yankees 2011 Rotation Candidate List

1) Andy Pettitte- enjoying Hawaiian vacations; doesn't know if he wants to come back

2) Jeremy Bonderman- flash in the pan; injury risk

3) Jeff Francis- coming off major injury; career numbers are "meh;" would be going from NL to AL

4) Freddy Garcia- dead arm; sucks

5) Kevin Millwood- washed up; completely sucks

6) Justin Duchscherer**- decent career numbers; can be starter or reliever; injury risk; pants pooping risk (because of the IBS)

      - indicates team no longer interested
** - indicates new addition to the list

Andrew Marchand Should Probably Stop Talking

 (Photo used courtesy of Getty Images)

 I know it's a slow time of year in Yankeeland, what with Andy still not officially making up his mind and the team following Cash's preaches for patience and not jumping to spend the extra money they have (Rafael Soriano, ZOMG!!!!!1!!111!!).  But this sadsack effort by Marchand to come up with something to write about on the ESPN:NY Yankee blog is laughable in its sweeping generalizations and complete disregard for the drastic differences between football and baseball.  Examine. 

"There are more similarities between Rex Ryan and Joe Girardi than differences. Both sincerely care about their players.. "

Pretty weak stretch for a comparison, Andy.  How many successful coaches can you name that DIDN'T care about their players? 

"... Both seem very true to their families. Both are consumed by the end result."

And there ends the list of similarities.  Now for some differences.  One is fat, the other is slender.  One is loud and boisterous, the other is quiet and calm.  One has braces, the other doesn't.  One is a former professional player, the other isn't.  One has been a part of multiple championship-winning teams, the other hasn't.  One likes to videotape his wife in foot fetish videos, the other would rather study his massive match up binder.  So there goes Marchand's theory. 

"It's how they get to the end result is where a dash of Rex could help Girardi. Ryan looks as if he is having the time of his life as the pressure mounts, while Girardi appears as if he is aging like a President.

At the end of last year, Girardi basically admitted it, saying during the pennant race that it was work, not fun. It shows."

Ummm, it WAS work.  Managing the team is Girardi's job, a job he takes very seriously.  And the Yankees were in the running for a division title right down to the last games of the season.  Ryan and the Jets haven't had to worry about a division title or even a playoff berth for weeks.  It was all settled by the Patriots' dominance and the rest of the AFC's suckiness. 

"It is not a terrible thing."

So then why the fuck are you bringing it up in comparison to another guy who coaches a completely different sport?  Not only is it not terrible, it's not even bad. 

"The reason he [Girardi] has achieved so much in his post-playing career is because of his intensity to detail. He studies numbers and charts probably as much or more than any manager in the game. He is always looking to improve how he does his job and, in turn, the Yankees. To his credit, he is very open-minded to change."

So let's see.  A guy who is generally regarded as one of the hardest-working managers in the game, a trait that has gotten him the job he currently holds as the manager of the most famous team in sports history, and who is also open to change and has shown an ability to change and loosen up in the past, and has used all of this to bring his team to one world championship and one ALCS appearance in consecutive seasons should try to be like somebody else?  Am I the only one that sees how stupid this is???  

"He can learn from Rex. He doesn't need to say that it is "personal" with the Red Sox. (Though, Joe, that would be fun, if you did.) But if he could find a way to ride the wave of New York and the enormity of the Yankees the way Rex has, he would be a better, more relaxed manager."

Wow!  Just... wow.  First of all, the "wave of New York" is far bigger for the Yankees than it is for the Jets.  That's like comparing the biggest waves at Maverick to a little kid throwing a skim board across the beach during low tide.  When you look at what he has already done and how he's handled the "wave" since becoming manager, there is no way you can say Joe has done a bad job. 

"Would this intangible translate into the translate into the tangible, more victories and more October success. That is impossible to say."

I'll gloss over the fact that Marchand doesn't even use a question mark to finish a sentence in which he is clearly asking a question and just say that no, Joe Girardi acting like Rex Ryan for the entirety of a 162-game Major League Baseball season would not translate to more success for the Yankees.  That act would grow tired in the media over that time period, tired in the clubhouse amongst a team of consummate veteran professionals who take what they do very seriously, and tired for the fanbase of the team that expects just as much success and professionalism as the team itself does.

What Marchand seems to not understand is that football and baseball are 2 completely different sports that require 2 completely different types of head coaches.  Football is a sport based on intensity, emotion, and constant violent physical contact.  That's not to say that there isn't thought and strategy involved and that patience and intelligence are not important to possess, but at it's core it is about the previous things I described.  A football coach needs to be able to draw upon these things to inspire his team and get them to play to their potential and build up that energy and intensity over a period of a week when it all culminates each Sunday.  This is why Ryan is so successful, because he is a loud, energetic guy who uses that energy to get the most of his team each and every week.  He is not the laid back, relaxed, Spiccoli-type that Marchand portrays him to be in this post, he is an intense motherfucker.

Baseball, on the other, is, at its core, a game of patience, strategy, and focus, and all 3 of those things have to be consistently done during the course of multiple games a week for multiple weeks a year.  Players cannot afford to be overly emotional, for better or worse, because there is another game to be played the next day and they have to re-focus their attention to that.  As such, baseball managers needs to be able to keep their players focused, calm, and ready for the next set of challenges.  Constantly blasting players with "rah-rah" speeches and motivational videos and shit like that distracts them for focusing on the small details that define the line between success and failure in baseball.  Joe Girardi excels at all of these things, sometimes to a fault (see: consulting the match up binder too much), but his makeup and approach to managing suits the sport he manages, just like Ryan's does.

Joe Girardi would not be a successful football coach with his personality, and likewise Rex Ryan as a baseball manager.  Each is perfectly suited to coach the sport he does, and the success each has had coaching his respective team is a testament to that fact.  To suggest that one should be more like the other in order to be more successful or for his team to be more successful is irresponsible, idiotic, and downright lazy as a writer.  I mean, Jesus Christ, Andrew, if the day is that slow that you have to write crap like this, just bite the bullet and throw up some links like I do.

Badassness 101

 (Photos courtesy of The AP)

That is the statue that was unveiled outside of Steinbrenner Field in Tampa last week and not only is it the coolest-looking honorary statue in the history of sports just for the way it looks, it has heaps of added badassery thanks to the inclusion of a championship ring on The Boss' left hand.

What a perfect way to honor Steinbrenner and capture what he was all about.  The guy didn't give a fuck what anybody thought about him or his practices, he just wanted to win.  And to include a reminder of that goal in the statue is pretty cool indeed.  Not to mention that the statue itself actually looks like him, unlike the Michael Jordan one outside the United Center or the Bobby Orr one in Boston.

Even in death, The Boss still kicks more ass than just about anybody.

Biggest Weekend News: Andruw Jones The New 4th Outfielder?

I don't remember where I read it, but I remember seeing something about the Yankees "starting talks" with Andruw Jones about joining the team to become the 4th OF and fill the void left by Marcus Thames most likely going to Japan to become the new Mr. Baseball (minus the awesome Selleck mustache).

For a guy who seems to be a shell of his former self, I actually think Jones is an ideal candidate for the Yankees 4th OF spot in 2011.  Nothing jumps out at you initially when you look over his 2010 numbers, but notice that he managed to get an .827 OPS out of a .230 BA, a sign of both patience and power at the plate, 2 things that the Yankees would both want and need out of their bench.  Jones' tripleslash jumps to .256/.373/.558 against lefties last season, another gap the Yankees need filled and another one that Jones should be able to do just as well, if not better, than Thames did last season.  Factor in that Jones is still a very competent defensive player in the outfield and not an abortion like Thames was, and there is really no downside to bringing Jones into the fold.

It's no secret that the Yankee outfield is set with Swish, Gardy, and C-Grand.  They are all productive bats in their own way and combine to make one of the best defensive outfields in baseball.  But all 3 of them missed some time with injuries last season, and it would be nice to be able to plug in one guy and feel confident that he can do the job should somebody go down for some time instead of having to play Russian Roulette with Triple-A guys like last year.

He might not be the all-world center fielder he used to be, and he might be a bit more pudgy than we remember from his Atlanta Brave days, but Andruw Jones is still an above-average outfielder who could play right, left, a/o center very easily.  And he's clearly the lefty-mashing bench bat that the Yankees would like to have available off the bench.  He had a limited role in Chicago last season so bitching about playing time wouldn't be an issue.  As it becomes more and more likely that Andy isn't returning, the Yankees still have plenty of money to burn.  If they use some of it to sign Andruw Jones, count me in as one of the people who will applaud the move.

Cash Has Spoken!

“I will not lose our No. 1 draft pick.  I would have for Cliff Lee. I won’t lose our No. 1 draft pick for anyone else.” (via LoHud)

Goddamn right, Cash!  You let them haters know what's up! 

Seriously, though.  Anybody who really wants the Yankees to sign Soriano or thinks they have to is a fucking moron.  Sure the dude is really good, but he's not filling a gaping hole in the roster.  Would it be nice to have him as the 8th inning guy and let D-Rob and Joba and the rest of the 'pen tear up the 6th and 7th innings as needed?  Sure.  Is not having Soriano as the 8th inning guy going to completely cripple the team and have them finish 83-79 as a result?  Of course not.  Cliff Lee was a necessity because of the holes in the rotation.  Soriano is a luxury.  You don't give up 1st round picks in a stacked draft for a luxury.

Come on, people.  Drink some reality potion.  And trust in Cash.  Dude can scale down the sides of buildings with the best of them.  He knows what he's doing.

Friday Afternoon Linkapalooza

There isn't much going on today in Yankeeland and I'm not feeling all that clever or creative right now, so once again we'll take a look at the stuff out there that's much much better than what I'm doing.

- Steve S. at TYU compares the Yankee and Red Sox lineup position by position.  As any sane person who watches baseball would know, the Yankee lineup looks just as good, if not a little better, than that of Boston, owners of the supposed best lineup EVAAAHHHH after signing Crawford and A-Gon.  And that's not even factoring in The Almighty...

- Gary Wallace at NoMaas has his 2 breakout stars for 2011 in the Minors picked out.  I'm not gonna lie, I didn't have either of the 2 guys he mentioned on my radar, but if they progress like Gary thinks they can then it just means a more jam-packed farm system and I'm more than OK with that.

- Emma Span at Bronx Banter has a quick little blurb on the possibility of Gary Sheffield coming back with the Rays.  I find Sheff to be wildly entertaining in his craziness, so that's fun news for me.

- Ben Kabak at RAB discusses the most important factor in the potential signing of Rafael Soriano a/o Johnny Damon, the Scott Boras Factor.  How I managed to not consider that factor is beyond me.  But since the Yanks are saying they're only interested in Soriano at the right price, I think it's safe to say he won't end up in pinstripes with Scotty B as his agent.

- Last but not least, Bob Klapisch at The Record talks about the potential effect the pending Roger Clemens trial might have on Andy Pettitte's decision to retire or return.  As the key witness in the case, Pettitte will be in the spotlight just as much as Clemens, so that factor is definitely worth considering.  Good call, Bob.

Or So???

According to Heyman's Twitter, the Yanks are willing to give Andy $12-13 mil to come back for 2011.

And Heyman has the audacity to compare Andy to Favre in that tweet??  Are you shitting me?  Am I living in bizarro world?  What the fuck is going on here?

The Yankees are staring down the barrel of Sergio Mitre or the previously-mentioned pile of free agent shit as their 5th starter heading into the 2011 season and they are really trying to lowball Andy on a 1-year deal??

If it were me, I would be offering him exclusive naming rights to the ad space on the right field wall, an iPad 5 and iPhone 6 (even though they haven't been invented yet), and a portion of the concession profits from each home game to get him to come back this season.  Let's not forget that in addition to Mitre, the Yanks are right now counting on A.J. Burnett for major contributions in 2011.  If Andy Pettitte tells you he wants Hank and Hal to personally inject him in the ass with HGH next season every Wednesday morning during every week of the regular season in addition to his salary, you fucking make that deal.  I don't give a fuck if the dude is only good for 15 starts next season, those 15 will still be better than any 15 the Yanks will get from any of their other current options.

Of course this could just be the beer talking.  But it makes perfect sense to me.

Andy Pettitte > Francis, Garcia, Bonderman, and Millwood on their combined best day.

Another Crummy Pitching Option Surfaces

Thanks, Jon Heyman.  Thanks for bringing my lunch back up to the back of my throat.

So this is what it's come to, huh?  Freddy Garcia, Jeff Francis, Jeremy Bonderman, and now Kevin Fucking Millwood?  Jesus Christ.

Jeff Goldblum, your thoughts?

A Quick HOF Post

You know it's Yankees, the whole Yankees, and nothing but the Yankees here at AB4AR (with a little Sawx and Mets bashing mixed in for flavor), but I have to take a quick minute to congratulate Bert Blyleven on finally making it to the Hall of Fame today, an accomplishment that should have taken place years ago.  He wasn't a Yankee, but any guy that can rock this t-shirt in the clubhouse...

..  and rocks multiple "fucks" live on the air is A-OK in my book.

P.S.- Donnie Baseball got 79 votes today and Tino got 6.  There we go, back to the Yankees.

Define "Interest"

"The New York Yankees have shown interest in free-agent starter Jeremy Bonderman, a major-league source told FOXSports.com." (via John Morosi)

I think I just died a little inside.

Offseason Space Filler Post: Hey, Remember When... ?

Hey, remember when Charlie Hayes caught the pop up to win the '96 World Series?  That was sweet.

Hey, remember when the Yanks and Orioles had that huge brawl in '98 after Benitez hit Tino with that fastball and Graeme Lloyd and Straw were completely losing their shit trying to go after Benitez?  That was fucking awesome.

Hey, remember when Tino yanked that 2-run homer off Byung-Hyun Kim in the 9th inning of Game 4 in the 2001 World Series?  That was incredible.

Hey, remember Jeter's homer the next inning?  Even more incredible.

Hey, remember the look on Kim's face when he gave up the game-tying homer to Brosius the next night?  That was funny.

Hey, remember some of the bombs Soriano used to hit back when he was a Yankee and didn't suck?  They were amazing.

Hey, remember The Flip?  That was nuts.

Hey, remember when Jeter dove into the stands?  That was insane!

Hey, remember when Boone smashed that home run off of Wakefield?  That was the shit.

Hey, remember A-Rod's 2-run homer off Joe Nathan in the 9th inning of Game 2?  That was clutch.

Hey, remember when Damon stole 2nd in the '09 World Series?  That was smart.

Hey, remember the goosebumps you get every time you're at The Stadium and the opening chords to "Enter Sandman" kick in?  Those are great.

Hey, remember all the great memories you have from watching the Yankees over the years.  Those are unforgettable.  And they're something that not a lot of other baseball fans have.

Funniest Thing I've Read So Far In 2011

Eric Ortiz of NESN is excited about the 2011 season.  I'm talking real excited.  So excited, in fact, that he has completely gone so far off the deep of the pool of blatant, ignorant, illogical homerism that he might not even be savable with a life raft.  Put on some adult diapers, because you're going to need them from all the bladder-releasing laughter you'll be guffawing, and check out this beast of a literary blowjob that somehow comes off as journalism.  Or if you don't have time for all that illogical Red Sox love, I've taken the time to sift through this mess and just hit the highlowlights for you.  Let the FJM'ing begin! 

"The Red Sox have won 100 or more games three times in their 110-year existence. They will make it four in 2011."

They will?  Oh, OK.  Good to know.  So we can just skip the regular season and get right to the playoffs where they can all forget their bats and have Jonathan Papelbon blow another series for them then, can't we? 

"But this team has the potential to accomplish something even bigger than winning 100 games."

Becoming the first team to win more than 100 games with the most insufferable douchebags on its roster?

"Bookmakers like the Red Sox’ chances. Current odds put them at 9-2 to win the 2011 World Series. Only the Phillies, at 7-2, are bigger favorites, with the Yankees not far behind at 5-1 shots."

So the bookmakers don't really like their chances that much, since they gave another team better odds than Boston and have the Yankees slated only slightly behind the Red Sox despite the fact that they've only added Pedro Feliciano this offseason.  But hey, whatever helps prove your pointless point, Eric. 

"Championships, of course, aren’t won in January."

No, they aren't.  They're just talked about incessantly by half-assed writers who are so blinded by the supposed star power of their favorite team that they can't even be bothered to check stats to support what they're saying.

"Look at the starting lineup.

Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Carl Crawford, LF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Kevin Youkilis, 3B
David Ortiz, DH
J.D. Drew, RF
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
Marco Scutaro/Jed Lowrie, SS"

First of all, anybody that honestly thinks Jacoby Ellsbury should continue to lead off for the Red Sox is a moron.  So right off the bat, Ortiz has fucked himself on making this "invincible" lineup and shown that he has no basic understanding of what makes a good leadoff hitter.  But I'll let him go...

"Speed. Power. Plate discipline. This lineup has it all. Good luck finding a hole from 1 to 7."

I think I just did that, no?  But if you want to keep going, I can point out that J.D. Drew fucking sucks and bats 7th and Big Sloppi will be another year older and more than likely will regress back to something similar to what he was in 2009.  Not to mention that this lineup has lefties paired together everywhere you turn.  And they do play in the same division as CC Sabathia, David Price, Ricky Romero, and Brian Matusz.

"Saltalamacchia is a bit of a wild card... "



If by "wild card," you mean that he is complete bust of a catcher who has passed through 3 organizations over the last 4 seasons with a tripleslash of .248/.315/.386 combined with some of the worst defense this side of Jorge Posada, then yes, you would be correct. 

"... but the 25-year-old could be ready for a breakout season."

Yeah.  And I might get to fuck Eva Mendes this year.

"Besides a potent offensive attack, the Red Sox will boast airtight defense, perhaps the best of any team in baseball."

A pretty big task considering they finished 23rd in all of baseball in fielding percentage last year and committed the 8th most errors, but they have Carl Crawford, damnit!!  He cures all ills created by Jacoby Ellsbury's shitty angles to balls in the gap and J.D. Drew's general lack of effort.  Also consider the previously-mentioned Salty behind the plate and Scutaro at short and then disregard Ortiz's previous statement.

"Youth, experience and versatility will ride the pine like lions waiting to hunt."

I don't even know what this means.  First of all, lions don't hunt, lionesses do.  Second of all, no.  You know what?  I'm just going to let the stupidity of that statement stand on its own as Ortiz dives into the Boston rotation.

"Beckett will notch more than six victories."

He will?  I think his increasing age, decreasing velocity, and general lack of interest in conditioning that keeps leading to his injuries argues against that.  But then again, he would win 8 games and prove the point right.  8 wins from your former ace?  Yeah, that's what you're looking for if you're Terry Francona.

"Lackey should be better equipped to avoid the one-bad-inning syndrome."

Because nothing cures "one-bad-inning syndrome" like being another year older, another year fatter, and having diminishing stuff.  Well that and some Vitamin C.

"And Dice-K might be the best No. 5 starter ever."

Which is like being the best looking ugly chick ever.  It doesn't mean shit.  Especially when he was signed for over $103 million and expected to team with Beckett to form a top tandem.  Dice-Gay's failures to be league average were part of the reason the Sox promoted Lester and Buchholz earlier and went out and signed Lackey.

"When Red Sox starters have to hand the ball to the bullpen this season, Boston fans won’t have to have to cover their eyes and pray."

The people sitting next to them can do it for them!

"The weak link in 2010 could be one of the best relief corps in the business."

Tim Wakefield, RHP- Sucks.  Completely washed up.
Scott Atchison/Matt Albers, RHP- Sucks/Sucks.
Hideki Okajima, LHP- Really sucks.  Couldn't get me out swinging lefty at this point.
Dan Wheeler, RHP- Decent, but getting older.
Bobby Jenks, RHP- Diminishing and stealing innings from a better pitcher.
Daniel Bard, RHP- Best reliever in the 'pen possibly being reduced to the 7th-inning role.
Jonathan Papelbon, RHP- Sucks.  Has seen all his numbers dip across the board over the last couple years.

So yeah, don't worry about covering your eyes, folks.  After some of the horrible outings that Beckett, Lackey, and Dice-Gay have, it might not even matter which of these slobs Tito decides to bring out of the 'pen!  YAY!!!! 

"Every day should feel like Christmas for Curt Young, the new Red Sox pitching coach."

If he spent Christmas in a broken home with abusive parents or a poorly-run orphanage.

"The former A’s pitching coach didn’t have anything close to the horses he has now, and Oakland’s staff posted a 3.56 ERA last season, the best in the American League and fourth-best in the majors."

Gee, maybe that was because they were actually GOOD PITCHERS!!!  Unless you, like Ortiz, are completely willing to ignore anything other than players' names and assume that name recognition and coaching are the 2 factors of determining success in baseball and not any actual talent.

"Imagine what he can do with a Grade A collection of arms."

Probably the exact same thing he did last season.  With a collection of Grade-A arms.

"The 2001 Mariners won 116 regular-season games to set the American League record for most wins in a single season and tie the 1906 Cubs for the major league record (though the North Siders accomplished the feat in 152 games). Both those teams failed to win the World Series."

Thus proving that it doesn't matter how many games you win during the regular season.  

"The Red Sox have no intention of suffering a similar fate."

Unlike all those other teams who come into each and every baseball season intending to lose.  Becawse the fahckin' Sawx have so much fahckin' hahht!!  They cannawt be stawpped!!

"The 2011 Red Sox possess all the pieces to have a season for the ages. If everything falls into place and the breaks go their way, they could do more than set records and become champions....."

Oh, I'm sorry.  You're finally going to get to the point that you so glaringly glossed over in the introduction to this disaster?

"They could unseat the 1927 Yankees as the greatest major league team of all time."

Of course!!!  The goal of any Red Sox player, coach, fan, commentator, and writer.  To do something better than the Yankees.  And here we have it, folks.  This piece of journalistic shit is just another attempt by somebody associated with the Red Sox to be better than the Yankees.  All the bitching, moaning, cursing, losing, steroid using, finally winning, and then winning again can't change the fact that the Red Sox are still the Yankees' little brother when it comes to sustained success and they are still treated as such by people in their OWN MEDIA.

It doesn't matter if the Red Sox win 10 games this year, 100 games this year, or 160 games this year.  It doesn't matter if they sweep the playoffs all the way or get swept in the divisional round by the Twins.  At the end of the day, their organization still won't hold a candle to the Yankee organization.  They won't have as many wins, as many championships, as many Hall of Famers, as much national and worldwide recognition, or as much prestige.  And that is what still eats at so many people in and around the Sox organization and that is precisely why something this idiotic was still written.

People can't just be happy that the Sox are favored this year and could win a title.  They HAVE to be better than the Yankees with this year's team or it won't be good enough.  The Yankees could give a fuck.  They just want to win to put another ring on their fingers and another pennant on the facade.

So good luck this year, Eric.  For your idiotic sake I hope the Red Sox DO win 119 games and the World Series this year.  Because I bet if that doesn't happen then you won't be satisfied.  And that is just sad.

By the way, Eva, if you're reading this, give me a call.  If Ortiz actually believes some of the shit he's writing is going to happen then maybe I do have a shot with you.

Available Options And How Much I Actually Want Them

While there hasn't been any signing activity since Pedro Feliciano was added to the 'pen, there still hasn't been a shortage of activity around the rumor mill involving players either on the Yankee radar or players discussed as possible options to fill holes.  Please note that this list is not done in any sense of order of which guys I want or which guys I think fit.  It's just a collection of the names I've seen thrown out there around the blogosphere.

* Jeff Keppinger- the Yanks had shown interest, far more interest than I had shown, but talks have reportedly fell apart recently.  The guy puts up numbers slightly better than Pena and Nunez and can play multiple infield positions, but to me he isn't that much better that he's worth giving up a prospect for.  If talks have broken down about acquiring J-Kep then I'm A-OK with that.

* Johnny Damon- another guy the Yanks were reportedly having talks with, but I don't see the point.  His defense isn't better than any of the Yankee starters or what they would get from Greg Golson, his arm isn't better than those of some limbless people on the planet, and Damon doesn't really fill the need of a bat who can mash lefty pitching.  His time in pinstripes came to and end for a reason.  No sense in bringing back a guy who doesn't fill holes and would be potentially stealing at-bats from Jorge and Jesus in the DH role.

* Scott Hairston- If Scott Hairston were a flavor choice at Cold Stone Creamery, I'd be going for the "Gotta Have It" on him.  He's everything the Yankees need: versatile outfielder who plays solid D, hits lefty pitching well, and has some pop in his bat.  He is a bit of an injury risk, but as a backup player, that isn't that important.  The dude can probably get a starting role somewhere, but if he wants a chance at a ring, something that worked out well for his brother, I would throw more money at him to be the 4th OF.

* Jerry Hairston- The Hairston who has already played for the Yankees also wouldn't be a bad addition to upgrade the utility IF role.  Like Keppinger, he hits better than Nunez or Pena and also has the versatility to play every IF position and some corner OF if needed.  Add in the fact that he's a free agent and wouldn't cost any prospects in a trade and I would be fully on board with bringing back JerHair.

* Rafael Soriano- Definitely the best reliever still available on the FA market and a guy that could fill the Kerry Wood 8th-inning role very nicely in 2011 if the Yanks are still skeptical about Joba and D-Rob finally stepping up.  He won't come cheap and the Yanks would give up a draft pick in the process, so it really comes down to how confident they are in what they have.  Personally, I would give D-Rob another shot at being the setup guy, and save the money and the draft pick that Soriano would cost.

* Joakim Soria- A name that was kicked around at the trade deadline in 2010, Soria has hit the rumor wire hard again recently after saying he would not block a trade to the Bronx.  Like Keppinger, he isn't as attractive to me as other options because he would have to come via trade and that trade would almost certainly involve at least 1 of the Yankees' Top 10 prospects.  On the positive side, he could slide in nicely as Mo's heir to the closer role.  If there's a way to get him without giving up the Killer B's or Jesus (highly unlikely), I would be all for a trade for Soria.  Otherwise, I say cut bait and go into battle with the 'pen as is. 

* Jeff Francis- A guy coming off a serious arm injury who has never exactly "WOW"'d anybody pitching in the National League?  No thanks, I'll pass.  I mean, why pay the extra money for a dude who will more than likely give you below-league average numbers from the 5th rotation spot when you can get the same for cheaper from your stockpile of Triple-A arms?

* Bartolo Colon- BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!  You're kidding right?  Only if he's hired to be the new hot dog vendor in the upper deck.

* Jon Rauch- His peripherals don't translate well to Yankee Stadium (see: high fly ball rate) and he really isn;t much of an innings eater, which would help the Yankees more than another "1-inning or less" guy (Joba, D-Rob, Logan, Feliciano).  His big frame and badass neck tat would look pretty cool in the uniform, but when that's the best thing I can say about you, it doesn't exactly tickle my fancy.  I'll pass.

* Todd Coffey- He's a guy that RAB profiled a few days ago and his peripherals (decent K rate, low BB rate, good GB rate) are much better than those of Rauch.  He has a proven track record of success and would likely be a better option in the middle of the 'pen than some of the Yanks' untested Triple-A righty arms.  I would be concerned about his jump to the AL, but as a low-leverage righty guy, you could do worse.

* Yu Darvish- Not available until after the 2011 season, but he will most likely be the #1 pitcher available in the FA market.  He has absolutely demolished the Japanese leagues, is still young (younger than Phil Hughes), and his stuff that translates to the top of a Major League rotation.  On the other side, the Yanks are still living the nightmare of getting burned by Kei Igawa and Dice-Gay hasn't exactly lit the world on fire in Bahhhhhston.  It's likely going to cost between $100-120 mil to get Darvish between the posting fee and what will be a hefty contract, but with the Yanks possibly looking at more pitching holes at the back end of the rotation after this coming season, he makes as much sense as anybody else.

* Andy Pettitte- Yes, yes, a thousand times YES!!!  Come on, Andy.  You can buy your family a lot of cool shit with another $16 million.  I think your kids can live for another year without you if you get them that awesome new XBox Kinect thing.  And then throw in a new 3D TV and bang!  The fam is taken care of and you can come back and be the #3 starter to try and get one last ring.  What I'm trying to say is, I want Andy Pettitte on the 2011 Yankees more than any of these other dudes and it's not even fucking close.

Taking Stock Of The 2011 Yankee Roster

Roster

1) Russell Martin- C
2) Mark Teixeira- 1B
3) Robinson Cano- 2B
4) Alex Rodriguez- 3B
5) Derek Jeter- SS
6) Brett Gardner- LF
7) Curtis Granderson- CF
8) Nick Swisher- RF
9- Jorge Posada- DH 

Rotation 

10) CC Sabathia- LHP
11) Phil Hughes- RHP
12) A.J. Burnett- RHP
13) Ivan Nova- RHP 

Bench 

14) Eduardo Nunez- IF
15) Ramiro Pena- IF
16) Francisco Cervelli- C 

Bullpen 

17) Mariano Rivera- RHP
18) Joba Chamberlain- RHP
19) Dave Robertson- RHP
20) Boone Logan- LHP
21) Pedro Feliciano- LHP
22) Sergio Mitre

23) ?
24) ??
25) ???

As you can see, the cupboard is still a little bare as we head into 2011 in Yankeeland.  There are 3 holes to be filled in the 25-man roster, one in the rotation, one on the bench, and the last either as another bench or another bullpen option.  Everyone has been assuming Sergio Mitre would be the 5th starter if the Yankees are unable to come up with somebody else, but let's be honest, Sergio Mitre is not going to be in the rotation by choice at any point this season so he gets bumped back to the bullpen where he belongs.

The most attractive option at filling the rotation spot is still Andy Pettitte, but with each passing day the indication is that he is going to choose retirement and stay home with his family rather than give it one last go.  There are a multitude of Triple-A options who can fill in, but none of whom can be considered "ready" to handle that role.  The trade and free agent market is also drying up quickly in terms of pitchers.

The bench is short outfielders and if the season started today we would most likely see Greg Golson and Kevin Russo there to fill out the roster, but once again the ideal situation would be to bring in some Major-League level guys who have the experience (and bat) to hold their own as bench players.  Also, don't forget about The Almighty, who will start the year lurking in 2011, waiting for his time to take over the catching duties from Martin.

So there ya go, people.  The same situation the Yankees were in in early December, mid-December, and late December has carried over to 2011.  You've got some work to do, Cash.  Let's put the fun Christmas gifts away, bottle up the rest of the leftover New Year's champagne, and add some bodies to this fucking roster.