The 2011 Winter Meetings have come and gone this week, with the Yankees taking an actively inactive approach. They were tied to almost every big name free agent available, especially the starting pitchers, were connected in some form to almost every stater reportedly to be on the trading block, and even added some potential depth in small deals . The Yankees had goals and areas for improvement, but they had already done the majority of their important work prior to these meetings. CC Sabathia and Freddy Garcia agreed to new deals weeks ago and so adding to the starting rotation was going to be a much more careful process where the Yanks were only going to make a deal if it felt right. In the end, no major moves were made by Cash, but that doesn't mean the Winter Meetings were a loss for the Yankees.
For starters, they put the finishing touches on the current rotation by making the Freddy Garcia signing official. He gets a boost in pay as a result of 2011's success but not enough that it's still not a good, safe deal for the Yanks. They also won the posting for a Japanese player, but not the one we expected. Hiroyuki Nakajima, a star infielder from the Japanese League, could be a replacement for Eduardo Nunez as the backup IF next year and could also fill the Eric Chavez role of caddy to A-Rod. He isn't a sure thing to sign, but this has to signal an attempt by the Yanks to make Nunez more of a trade chip.
The Yanks were active below the Major League radar as well. They added a pair of pitchers through the Rule 5 draft, righty Brad Meyers and lefty Cesar Cabral. Neither should be expected to be major contributors in 2012 if they even make the team, but maybe one becomes a useful bullpen piece. They did have to release Greg Golson to make roster room before the draft, but that's an acceptable loss. There were reports that the Yankees signed former White Sox OF Dewayne Wise, so a replacement for Golson's role shouldn't be an issue. And both Manny Corpas and Adam Miller, 2 other interesting bullpen possibilities, have also been linked to the Yankees.
Perhaps the biggest news to come out of the meetings was the report that the Yankees had been contacting other clubs and offering A.J. Burnett plus some salary relief. Many passed this off as a small story and say A.J. will be back in the rotation while I argued that the report alone meant A.J. had to go and I still stand by that argument. A.J.'s value could be easily approximated by a combination Hector Noesi and the other guys in Triple-A next year and a better season from Phil Hughes. And freeing up some more money by eating any portion of his salary, even significantly more than the $8 million the story mentioned, allows them to be more active in their pursuits for an upgrade through a trade. You can't tell me that getting rid of A.J., paying him less than you would have had to to stay in the rotation, and adding John Danks is not a winning scenario.
The meetings are over but that doesn't mean the Yankees are done. The posting period for Yu Darvish will end this Wednesday and New York is expected to a major player. The trade talks with the White Sox and Athletics should continue and eventually they will come to their senses and drop their incredibly high demands. And the potential still exists for the Yankees to fill out the bench through a small deal and maybe rid themselves of A.J. through another small one. What happened at the meetings this week probably helped finalize Cash's plan to attack these paths. Now we get to sit back and watch him really go to work.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
Freddy Officially Back
The Yankees made it official today with a press release. The Garbage Man will be back in 2012, most likely as the de facto #5 starter but probably closer to the #3-#4 he was in 2011 if A.J. and Hughes don't rebound.
Freddy's working on a $4 million deal this year, a significant increase from his non-guaranteed deal last last season, with another $1.575 million available in incentives. To make room for Garcia on the 40-man, the Yanks DFA'd Colin Curtis.
As of right now, the 2012 rotation is set. We'll see if that changes over the next month or so.
Cash Weighs In On Albert
"He's a special player. I don't know him personally, but I see what he does with that bat. It's Montero-like."
It was a quiet week for the Bombers at the Winter Meetings, but that doesn't mean Cash is going out lying down. No sir. He's always playing the game, 25 hours a day, 8 days a week, and I love it. Somebody get a slow clap going.
(Quote via Bryan Hoch)
It was a quiet week for the Bombers at the Winter Meetings, but that doesn't mean Cash is going out lying down. No sir. He's always playing the game, 25 hours a day, 8 days a week, and I love it. Somebody get a slow clap going.
(Quote via Bryan Hoch)
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Rule 5 Wrap-Up
Flying well under the "Albert Pujols/C.J. Wilson Free Agent Mega Orgy" radar today was the Rule 5 draft. The Yankees had a few guys out there who could have been taken, but ended up not losing anybody through the draft while adding 2 pitchers. Here's the quick recap.
- To clear space before the draft, the Yanks released Greg Golson. He wasn't much with the stick despite being a tremendous athlete (copyright: Jay Bilas) and solid defensive player. Just lessens the back end depth of the "4th OFer" pool.
- Yankees selected RHP Brad Meyers from the Nationals. Dude throws 4 pitches and has decent MiL peripherals, but injuries have derailed his progress. He'll be looked at as a candidate to fill the long man role out of the bullpen.
- Yanks also added a LHP through a trade with the Royals, who selected Cesar Cabral from the Fraud Sawx and then shipped him to New York for cash. Cabral's stuff and R/L splits don't make him an ideal 2nd lefty option, but his high K rate could make him a diamond in the rough.
It's likely that neither Meyers nor Cabral will stick with the Yankees, but it's always good to give yourself cheap options. I can't imagine they were expecting much from the Cory Wade trade last year and look how that turned out.
- To clear space before the draft, the Yanks released Greg Golson. He wasn't much with the stick despite being a tremendous athlete (copyright: Jay Bilas) and solid defensive player. Just lessens the back end depth of the "4th OFer" pool.
- Yankees selected RHP Brad Meyers from the Nationals. Dude throws 4 pitches and has decent MiL peripherals, but injuries have derailed his progress. He'll be looked at as a candidate to fill the long man role out of the bullpen.
- Yanks also added a LHP through a trade with the Royals, who selected Cesar Cabral from the Fraud Sawx and then shipped him to New York for cash. Cabral's stuff and R/L splits don't make him an ideal 2nd lefty option, but his high K rate could make him a diamond in the rough.
It's likely that neither Meyers nor Cabral will stick with the Yankees, but it's always good to give yourself cheap options. I can't imagine they were expecting much from the Cory Wade trade last year and look how that turned out.
The Stove Is Finally Heating Up
It isn't Yankee-related, but big news from the Winter Meeting is breaking this morning as both Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson were signed by the Angels.
ESPN is reporting that Pujols' deal is for 10 years/$250-260 million and includes a full no-trade clause, and Wilson's is for 5 years/$75 mil, less than what he was asking for and less than most people thought he'd get. Hometown discount, anybody?
The Yanks didn't seem to be major players in the talks with either of these guys, but it will be interesting to see how, if at all, these 2 coming off the market influences their plans moving forward. With Buehrle coming off the market yesterday and now Wilson today, FA starter options are disappearing fast.
ESPN is reporting that Pujols' deal is for 10 years/$250-260 million and includes a full no-trade clause, and Wilson's is for 5 years/$75 mil, less than what he was asking for and less than most people thought he'd get. Hometown discount, anybody?
The Yanks didn't seem to be major players in the talks with either of these guys, but it will be interesting to see how, if at all, these 2 coming off the market influences their plans moving forward. With Buehrle coming off the market yesterday and now Wilson today, FA starter options are disappearing fast.
The Nail In A.J.'s Coffin
(Now that the word is out that the Yanks are trying to shop him, we should expect to see a lot more of Bad A.J. in 2012)
There's no point in trying to sugarcoat it. A.J. Burnett's Yankee career has been an absolute disaster. It's been dismal. A.J. has become the latest in the long line of failed Yankee high-profile free agent pitching signings and made himself the newest poster boy for the "He Can't Hack It in New York" argument that people love to use when guys fail in pinstripes. And with the recent NY Post report that the Yankees are actively shopping A.J. this week at the Winter Meetings and are willing to eat some of his remaining salary to sweeten the deal, the Yankees are now in a position where they basically HAVE to trade A.J.
Let's review his time as a Yankee quickly. In 2009, A.J. was mediocre in his first full season in The Bronx. He was more bad than good, and did not show the consistent results and dominance he had shown the previous year. In the end, though, A.J. was a part of a World Series-winning staff and even contributed to that title with a solid Game 2 outing in the World Series. In 2010, A.J. nose dived off the productivity ladder, putting up one of the all-time worst individual pitching seasons in Yankee history and almost being left off the postseason roster . And this past season, the downward spiral continued as A.J. put up comparably bad numbers to 2010, lost his spot in the rotation, and once again found himself the centerpiece of the Yankee playoff rotation as they tried to figure out a way where they did not have to use him.
More maddening than the poor performance, at least for me, has been all the baggage and BS that's come with the last three years of A.J. The bouts of inexplicable inconsistency, the failure against the Fraud Sawx, the constantly-changing mechanics, the personal catchers, the inability to be objective about his own performance, the different haircuts, the black eye, the arguing with his manager on the mound and cursing him out after being taken out a game in which he was pitching poorly, the 6-man rotation, and the constant efforts by everybody in the organization (teammates, Joe, Cash, Levine) to take turns playing CYA for him along the way.
And now after all of this, the Yankees are out at the Winter Meetings trying to do the baseball equivalent of giving A.J. away, and that's supposed to help him pitch better in 2012? Not on your life. This story, which appears to be true, represents the Yankees finally admitting that they don't have confidence in A.J. and don't want him anymore. And when they've spent the past 3 seasons trying to convince the media, the fans, A.J., and probably even themselves that they did and it hasn't gotten them anything from A.J., why would throwing up their hands and saying, "We've had enough of this clown. Somebody PLEASE take him!" work any better? The guy couldn't pitch worth a damn when he had support from the team. He'll barely be able to function on the mound now knowing that he doesn't, and the team can no longer step up and try to cover for him after this move. This has to be the end of A.J.'s Yankee career.
By outing themselves for their lack of support, the Yankees have effectively killed any chances they had of getting something positive from A.J. over the next 2 years. After making these offers, there's no way the Yankees can bring him back and expect anything from him. He's a wasted roster spot. And the $33 million they still owe him has now gone from being an opportunity cost to essentially a sunk cost for the Yankees. The majority of the contract is a sunk cost already, so if it's about money you're really just putting a lipstick on a pig at this point. This isn't the NFL where they can cut him and not have to pay him. One way or another, A.J. is getting his $33 million that's still owed to him and the Yankees are going to at least pay some of it. With the contract that Mark Buehrle signed today with Miami, all of the guys the Yankees could target are going to want more than the Yankees are going to be willing to offer. By admitting A.J. was a mistake and moving him, for anything, the Yankees will pass some of the cost off to somebody else, and give themselves a bit more payroll flexibility to use in the trade market that they seem more involved in anyway.
They'd still be left with CC, Nova, Freddy, a Phil Hughes that they're expecting a big rebound from, and a Hector Noesi that's been turning heads in the DR. Put that together with the bodies in Triple-A and some potential top-of-the-rotation trade targets, and it's not like the Yankees would be up the creek without A.J. Sure they're going to end up losers in whatever trade they make for him, assuming any trade gets made. But when the message the Yankees are sending as an organization right now are that they've given up on A.J., then they've already lost. And in this case, it'd be better for both sides to just cut the losses and move on.
Yanks Win Posting For Japanese SS
He isn't Yu Darvish, who could be posted today, but the Yankees did win the posting for Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima yesterday for $2 million. Not a major move by the Bombers, but one that should help bolster the Yankees IF depth if they can negotiate a deal with Nakajima by January 6.
The most important thing about this move may be what other moves it signals the Yankees are interested in making. Allow me a minute to play hypothetical trade carousel. If they sign Nakajima, the Yankees essentially cover second base, third base, and short, filling both the Eduardo Nunez and Eric Chavez roles from last season. This frees them up to use Nunez as a trade chip and they include him in offers to bring in a John Danks or Gio Gonzalez while at the same time coming to an agreement with another team for how much of A.J.'s contract they will eat and moving A.J. for a bag of balls. That would leave the Yankees with their backup infield covered, some more flexibility to fill the other bench spots, and the upgrade for the rotation that they were looking for through both the addition of solid #2 pitcher and the subtraction of their worst pitcher.
I don't see any way any Yankee fan couldn't be happy with that playing out, but first things first, the Yanks have to sign Nakajima. If they don't, they just don't pay the posting fee and they're right back where they were. But if they do, I expect things to start happening and players to start moving quickly afterwards. Even if they don't make any moves after, adding Nakajima is still a smart, cost-effective move to help fill the bench for 2012. There's no really downside to this move by the Yankees.
The most important thing about this move may be what other moves it signals the Yankees are interested in making. Allow me a minute to play hypothetical trade carousel. If they sign Nakajima, the Yankees essentially cover second base, third base, and short, filling both the Eduardo Nunez and Eric Chavez roles from last season. This frees them up to use Nunez as a trade chip and they include him in offers to bring in a John Danks or Gio Gonzalez while at the same time coming to an agreement with another team for how much of A.J.'s contract they will eat and moving A.J. for a bag of balls. That would leave the Yankees with their backup infield covered, some more flexibility to fill the other bench spots, and the upgrade for the rotation that they were looking for through both the addition of solid #2 pitcher and the subtraction of their worst pitcher.
I don't see any way any Yankee fan couldn't be happy with that playing out, but first things first, the Yanks have to sign Nakajima. If they don't, they just don't pay the posting fee and they're right back where they were. But if they do, I expect things to start happening and players to start moving quickly afterwards. Even if they don't make any moves after, adding Nakajima is still a smart, cost-effective move to help fill the bench for 2012. There's no really downside to this move by the Yankees.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Ken Williams Smokes Two Joints In The Morning...
... And Billy Beane smokes two joints at night. That's really the only logical explanation I can come up with to explain the completely batshit insane trade requests these guys are making. I'll be honest, I thought Williams' "Jesus and ManBan for John Danks" idea was cute. I really did. I mean, I'm sure Williams is still salty over Cash giving him the business on the Swisher trade. It's understandable. But this batch of nonsense from Billy is just awe-inspiringly stupid. Jesus, ManBan or Betances, and Mason Williams. I understand wanting to take a big reach on your first go round to see if the Yankees are serious, but THAT big a reach?
Come on now, guys. Cut the malarkey. And fire another one up. My guess is, once you start feeling it and Cash calls back talking about throwing in some Beef Baja Chalupas and Jr. Bacon Cheeseburgers with D.J. Mitchell, you'll be singing a different tune.
P.S.- 4 years/$58 mil for Mark Buehrle? Really? Really???
Come on now, guys. Cut the malarkey. And fire another one up. My guess is, once you start feeling it and Cash calls back talking about throwing in some Beef Baja Chalupas and Jr. Bacon Cheeseburgers with D.J. Mitchell, you'll be singing a different tune.
P.S.- 4 years/$58 mil for Mark Buehrle? Really? Really???
A.J. Being Dangled? Will Anybody Bite? What Does It Mean?
(Could we be saying goodbye to A.J. Two Face?)
A story in The Post this morning discussed the Yankees' reportedly offering up A.J. Burnett to other teams and being willing to eat some of the money remaining on his contract. There's no mention of any specific teams or trade proposals that were discussed, and no real indication that there is a market out there for A.J., so before you jump for joy realize that the odds of A.J. actually being dealt are slim to none. But this does shed some more light on what the Yankees' plans could be to address the rotation this year.
First and foremost, I think this is a clear indication that the Yankees have given up on A.J. The Yankees, with their constant "win now" mentality, are the type of team to take on contracts through trades if they feel it can help the team, not eat their own contracts and pay players to NOT play for them. If the Yankees are openly stating that they are willing to pay money for A.J. to not be on their team next year, then it's a clear sign that they think they are better off without him than with him in the rotation. That $8 million number they threw out almost certainly wouldn't be enough for other teams to take them up on the offer, but coming out and giving a number establishes a willingness on their part to talk, and that's a bad sign for A.J.
Secondly, I think this play by the Yankees shows that they are more serious about adding a pitcher through a trade this offseason than through free agency. There is almost 0 talk right now relating to the C.J. Wilsons, Mark Buehrles, and Roy Oswalts of the world and any connection to the Yankees. There is plenty of talk, however, regarding John Danks and Gio Gonzalez, and Cash listening to trade proposals in general. And while the asking prices for both are incredibly steep right now, the Yankees must feel like they can negotiate a trade that is better for them and pursue that route to improve their rotation. If they didn't, they wouldn't be looking to remove a piece from their current rotation, and eat money for that piece, to open up a spot..
Again, this will likely result in a lot of nothing. But even from nothing can something be extracted, in this case some more clues as to what the Yanks might be looking to do to follow through on their efforts to bolster next year's rotation.
The Worst Part Of Hot Stove Season So Far
(Screen cap courtesy of ESPN.com)
I don't know why I was surprised to see this on my TV last night, but I damn near coughed water all over my screen when I picked my head up and saw Bobby V, unbuttoned tie-less white guy gangsta swag and all, chumming it up with Terry Francona as they talked about the stuff that comes with managing the Fraud Sawx.
Are they any lows that ESPN won't stoop to in order to keep their beloved Fraud Sawx at the forefront of their baseball coverage? I mean, we haven't heard a peep about what the team's offseason plans are other than offering arbitration to Big Sloppi and then BOOM! Fraud Sawx managerial ho-down right in your fucking grill. It's pathetic. The Marlins are trying to scoop up every big name player out there, Albert Pujols is weighing offers from them and the Cardinals, there's rumors surrounding the FA pitching group, Hanley Ramirez is pissed, the Yankees are laying in the weeds watching everything unfold, and yet ESPN decides the best thing to do is stick the current and most recent Fraud Sawx managers together to suck each other's dicks for five minutes. Hot Stove coverage at its finest, folks!
I'll make it real simple. Managing the Fraud Sawx is a shitty job because of all the prima donnas in the clubhouse, the upper management and ownership just waiting to cut your throat and smear you in the media, and the equally idiotic local media and fanbase. Working for ESPN is a tits job because you can come on the air, say whatever you want without any knowledge base or support to back up your theories, be completely subjective when talking about any team, ignore statistics that tell the true story, and not be held accountable for anything.
P.S.- I was shocked they didn't have Buster Olney standing by to give updates on the discussion between Francona and Valentine and what it meant for the Fraud Sawx moving forward.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Say It Ain't So, Jerry
(Best Jerry Hairston moment ever. Courtesy of Getty Images)
Say it ain't so!
I don't know why, but I always had this idea that Jerry Hairston would end up back with the Yankees at some point. Dude was here in '09, won a ring, played well, and would be a one-man bench to fill all the key spots the Yanks have. Play a little backup third base to A-Rod, little backup first for Teix. Play some left field or right field on days when Swish and Gardner need off. Shit, could probably cover Jeter at short in a pinch. And now that's all gone because the fucking Dodgers, who I thought didn't have an owner, a GM, people that cared, or even any money to spend this offseason, locked Hairston up to a 2-year deal. I thought it was a sign when the Brewers brought him in this year. A sign that I was meant to watch Jerry and Jerry was meant to be where I wanted to watch him. But I guess I was wrong. Damn.
P.S.- Ken Rosenthal breaking this story makes me hate Ken Rosenthal more than I already do.
The Sounds Of Silence
Leading into this week's Winter Meetings, the Yankees have been relatively quiet. This quietness on the part of the Yanks is just a small part of the overall sluggish offseason so far, but after they came out and openly declared that they were going to focus efforts on upgrading the rotation they have been very slow to follow up on the CC Sabathia deal and find the #2-type starter that they reportedly seek.
Let's remember that this is a team who, despite Cash's masterful ability to slow play the market and stir the pot to drive up deals for everybody else just by attaching his team to a particular player, has been very proactive in their attempts to follow up on recent efforts to bolster the rotation. They were fast and decisive in locking up CC and A.J. Burnett in the '08-'09 offseason, and the same in their efforts (albeit losing ones) to bring in Cliff Lee in 2010. They've tried to make trades for both Felix Hernandez and Zack Greinke in the last 2 years, and they took all the drama out of the CC opt-out story by squashing it and re-doing his deal this year. When this team says they need starting pitching, they get starting pitching, which makes this recent streak of inactivity a bit surprising. While there are pros and cons to all the available options in this year's FA class, and the cons associated with each pitcher could be enough for the Yankees to pass on all of them, there could be two other scenarios playing out in the background that are influencing the Yankees' tactical decisions this offseason.
1) Confidence In The Young Pitching
After missing out on Lee this past offseason and then scrambling to make some low-risk Bartolo Colon/Freddy Garcia moves to fill the rotation, the Yanks weren't going to risk not having a backup plan this year. And they didn't waste any time on that plan and executed it very quickly, declaring that both A.J. and Phil Hughes would be back to join CC and Ivan Nova in the 2012 rotation and then re-signing Freddy for another 1-year deal.
And behind that five, the Yankees have a growing number of capable Triple-A arms, some that could step up and be the 2012 version of 2011 Ivan Nova if needed. David Phelps is coming off of his 2nd straight strong MiL campaign, putting up a 3.19 ERA/3.69 FIP with a solid K/9 rate (7.55) and BB/9 rate (2.18) in 107.1 innings in Triple-A this past season. Adam Warren did a similarly solid job for SWB in 2011, putting up a 3.60/4.05 line with a 6.56 K/9 in 152.1 innings. His numbers represented a bit of a step back, but Warren is still capable of stepping into a spot in the back of the rotation. And Hector Noesi, after stepping up and becoming a key part of the 2011 Yankee bullpen, has been very good stretching back out to pitch starter innings in winter ball this year. Noesi has pitched to a 2.38 ERA and 2.70 FIP, while striking out 19 and walking 7 in 34.0 IP, and has shown some serious juice on the heater.
These three give the Yankees the depth behind their starting 5 that they didn't have at the beginning of this past season. With another year of experience at Triple-A under their belts, there should be no doubt that the likes of Warren and Phelps could fill in and cover the back of the rotation if needed. And with Noesi's strong performance in the hitter-friendly DR league, he could very well be in line for a rotation spot out of camp in 2012. The presence of these three young pitchers behind the starting 5 and the continued improvement that they've shown at each level could be lessening Cash's desire to spend money in a market of uncertainties. And that's before we even get to The Killer B's.
2) Preference For Next Year's Class
The potential list of starters who could be available as free agents after the upcoming 2012 season includes Cole Hamels, Zack Greinke, Matt Cain, Dan Haren, John Danks, Francisco Liriano, Brandon McCarthy, Anibal Sanchez, Tim Hudson, Gavin Floyd, Shaun Marcum, Jonathan Sanchez, and James Shields. That's a damn good list, much better than this year's. Included in that list is 1 legit ace, 4 no-doubt #2's, and a group of guys who could be solid #2-#3's with maybe a #4 in there somewhere. It's a much deeper, must more talented list than what the Yankees are choosing from this year, and it comes with the added benefit of many of the top guys being in their primes, similar to when the Yankees signed CC originally.
With the 2012 class shaping up to be this good and this deep, perhaps Cash and the front office are already looking ahead to then and holding back on the spending reins this year. I know I'd feel a lot more comfortable plunking the type of dough down that C.J. Wilson is reportedly asking for (6 years/$100 million) for Cole Hamels or Zack Greinke as opposed to Wilson. That kind of money for that number of years is a risky investment by itself, so better to spend it on a pitcher with fewer question marks and higher upside (Hamels, Greinke, Cain, Danks) than guys from this year's class with more question marks (Wilson, Buehrle, Oswalt). Because they've already re-signed CC and Freddy to fill out a rotation, the Yankees have less of a need to take a risk on those guys this year. They can stay patient, stay quiet, and see if a deal that's more friendly to them presents itself. If not, they can work with what they've got and wait until the next crop becomes available in 2012.
It's been said all along that this year's FA pitching class isn't the best one in the world. And after recent failings with A.J. Burnett and Carl Pavano, the Yankees should be looking to get the most bang for their buck from whoever they sign. And that's not to say that Cash isn't just pulling a fast one again and is going to swoop in this week and sign somebody, but adding up all the current factors doesn't make it look that way. Next year's potential group of pitchers should be much stronger than this year's, and with plenty of young arms in Triple-A ready to contribute and five guys in their rotation who they say they're confident in, the Yankees could be staying silent this offseason and waiting to make their noise next year.
Let's remember that this is a team who, despite Cash's masterful ability to slow play the market and stir the pot to drive up deals for everybody else just by attaching his team to a particular player, has been very proactive in their attempts to follow up on recent efforts to bolster the rotation. They were fast and decisive in locking up CC and A.J. Burnett in the '08-'09 offseason, and the same in their efforts (albeit losing ones) to bring in Cliff Lee in 2010. They've tried to make trades for both Felix Hernandez and Zack Greinke in the last 2 years, and they took all the drama out of the CC opt-out story by squashing it and re-doing his deal this year. When this team says they need starting pitching, they get starting pitching, which makes this recent streak of inactivity a bit surprising. While there are pros and cons to all the available options in this year's FA class, and the cons associated with each pitcher could be enough for the Yankees to pass on all of them, there could be two other scenarios playing out in the background that are influencing the Yankees' tactical decisions this offseason.
1) Confidence In The Young Pitching
After missing out on Lee this past offseason and then scrambling to make some low-risk Bartolo Colon/Freddy Garcia moves to fill the rotation, the Yanks weren't going to risk not having a backup plan this year. And they didn't waste any time on that plan and executed it very quickly, declaring that both A.J. and Phil Hughes would be back to join CC and Ivan Nova in the 2012 rotation and then re-signing Freddy for another 1-year deal.
And behind that five, the Yankees have a growing number of capable Triple-A arms, some that could step up and be the 2012 version of 2011 Ivan Nova if needed. David Phelps is coming off of his 2nd straight strong MiL campaign, putting up a 3.19 ERA/3.69 FIP with a solid K/9 rate (7.55) and BB/9 rate (2.18) in 107.1 innings in Triple-A this past season. Adam Warren did a similarly solid job for SWB in 2011, putting up a 3.60/4.05 line with a 6.56 K/9 in 152.1 innings. His numbers represented a bit of a step back, but Warren is still capable of stepping into a spot in the back of the rotation. And Hector Noesi, after stepping up and becoming a key part of the 2011 Yankee bullpen, has been very good stretching back out to pitch starter innings in winter ball this year. Noesi has pitched to a 2.38 ERA and 2.70 FIP, while striking out 19 and walking 7 in 34.0 IP, and has shown some serious juice on the heater.
These three give the Yankees the depth behind their starting 5 that they didn't have at the beginning of this past season. With another year of experience at Triple-A under their belts, there should be no doubt that the likes of Warren and Phelps could fill in and cover the back of the rotation if needed. And with Noesi's strong performance in the hitter-friendly DR league, he could very well be in line for a rotation spot out of camp in 2012. The presence of these three young pitchers behind the starting 5 and the continued improvement that they've shown at each level could be lessening Cash's desire to spend money in a market of uncertainties. And that's before we even get to The Killer B's.
2) Preference For Next Year's Class
The potential list of starters who could be available as free agents after the upcoming 2012 season includes Cole Hamels, Zack Greinke, Matt Cain, Dan Haren, John Danks, Francisco Liriano, Brandon McCarthy, Anibal Sanchez, Tim Hudson, Gavin Floyd, Shaun Marcum, Jonathan Sanchez, and James Shields. That's a damn good list, much better than this year's. Included in that list is 1 legit ace, 4 no-doubt #2's, and a group of guys who could be solid #2-#3's with maybe a #4 in there somewhere. It's a much deeper, must more talented list than what the Yankees are choosing from this year, and it comes with the added benefit of many of the top guys being in their primes, similar to when the Yankees signed CC originally.
With the 2012 class shaping up to be this good and this deep, perhaps Cash and the front office are already looking ahead to then and holding back on the spending reins this year. I know I'd feel a lot more comfortable plunking the type of dough down that C.J. Wilson is reportedly asking for (6 years/$100 million) for Cole Hamels or Zack Greinke as opposed to Wilson. That kind of money for that number of years is a risky investment by itself, so better to spend it on a pitcher with fewer question marks and higher upside (Hamels, Greinke, Cain, Danks) than guys from this year's class with more question marks (Wilson, Buehrle, Oswalt). Because they've already re-signed CC and Freddy to fill out a rotation, the Yankees have less of a need to take a risk on those guys this year. They can stay patient, stay quiet, and see if a deal that's more friendly to them presents itself. If not, they can work with what they've got and wait until the next crop becomes available in 2012.
It's been said all along that this year's FA pitching class isn't the best one in the world. And after recent failings with A.J. Burnett and Carl Pavano, the Yankees should be looking to get the most bang for their buck from whoever they sign. And that's not to say that Cash isn't just pulling a fast one again and is going to swoop in this week and sign somebody, but adding up all the current factors doesn't make it look that way. Next year's potential group of pitchers should be much stronger than this year's, and with plenty of young arms in Triple-A ready to contribute and five guys in their rotation who they say they're confident in, the Yankees could be staying silent this offseason and waiting to make their noise next year.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Hiroki Kuroda, Anyone?
(Courtesy of Getty Images)
Another free agent pitcher the Yankees could pursue is former Dodger Hiroki Kuroda. He's a name that's been mentioned before, but he can now officially be considered a potential target after the Dodgers signed Chris Capuano and spread some other money around elsewhere to fill their 2012 roster. He's a longshot, so I'll spare the in-depth stuff and just go with some quick Pro/Con bullet points.
Pros
- Solid peripherals: 3.45/3.55/3.62 career tripleslash in 4 seasons with the Dodgers; 7+ K/9 in each of last 2 seasons; at least 2.1 WAR in each of his 4 seasons.
- Good command: career 2.10 BB/9
- Reliable: 180+ innings in each season he hasn't been hurt.
- Good fit for Yankee Stadium: career 48.6% GB rate.
Cons
- Old and expensive. Kuroda is 36 now and will be 37 at the start of the 2012 season. And based of his recent contract, he's going to be looking for at least 2 years and at least $12 million per. Not exactly the commitment the Yankees are looking to make.
- Trending the wrong way: His GB rate dropped significantly in 2011 to a career-low 43.2%, which lead to higher LD and FB rates and a career-high HR/FB rate. Traditionally Kuroda has looked like a good match for Yankee Stadium, but 2011 casts some doubt on that.
- Preference: Kuroda has said all along that he wanted to stay in LA or as close as possible to Japan. The Yanks would be fighting another uphill battle if they really wanted him.
Kuroda likely plays as a #3 starter at best in the Yankee rotation, so he's not an ideal candidate to give multiple years and 8 figures to. He probably ranks somewhere around Edwin Jackson levels of interest as a last resort, and becomes even less likely for the Yankees to pursue given that they've already locked up Freddy Garcia to be their back-of-the-rotation older innings eater. But hey, he's out there and it's Winter Meetings week so we might as well address the possibility.
Noesi Killing It In Winter Ball
While the Hot Stove Season does a slow bubble and questions continue to surround the Yankees and their plans, assuming there are any more, to address the 2012 rotation, one man continues to fly under the radar as a possible rotation option.
That man is Hector Noesi, who after a few rough outings has really started to light it up in the Dominican Winter League, a league known for hitting. Noesi recently won Player of the Month for November in the Liga de Beisbol Dominicano after going 3-1 with a 2.22 ERA and 17 K to just 6 BB over 28.1 IP. For the season he has a 2.38 ERA and 2.70 FIP in 34.0 IP in the league with a 1.26 WHIP, just 7 total BB, and 0 HR allowed. He's been on strict pitch counts as part of the effort to get him back up to a regular starter's workload, but he's shown improvement each time out.
Perhaps the biggest bit of news to come out his Winter League performance, however, is the report that Noesi has been sitting mid-90s on his fastball, sometimes touching 97-98. Obviously this has to be taken with a small grain of salt, as there's no way to know how accurate the guns down there are. But if this is even remotely true, and Noesi has upped his velocity without sacrificing his calling card command (evidenced by the 7 BB), then the Yankees could be looking at Ivan Nova 2.0 in 2012 as I suggested in October. One things for certain, as my colleague Eric Schultz at TYA put it, A.J. and Phil better watch their necks.
That man is Hector Noesi, who after a few rough outings has really started to light it up in the Dominican Winter League, a league known for hitting. Noesi recently won Player of the Month for November in the Liga de Beisbol Dominicano after going 3-1 with a 2.22 ERA and 17 K to just 6 BB over 28.1 IP. For the season he has a 2.38 ERA and 2.70 FIP in 34.0 IP in the league with a 1.26 WHIP, just 7 total BB, and 0 HR allowed. He's been on strict pitch counts as part of the effort to get him back up to a regular starter's workload, but he's shown improvement each time out.
Perhaps the biggest bit of news to come out his Winter League performance, however, is the report that Noesi has been sitting mid-90s on his fastball, sometimes touching 97-98. Obviously this has to be taken with a small grain of salt, as there's no way to know how accurate the guns down there are. But if this is even remotely true, and Noesi has upped his velocity without sacrificing his calling card command (evidenced by the 7 BB), then the Yankees could be looking at Ivan Nova 2.0 in 2012 as I suggested in October. One things for certain, as my colleague Eric Schultz at TYA put it, A.J. and Phil better watch their necks.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Yanks Hiding In The Weeds On International FAs?
Not to beat a dead horse, but it's been a slow offseason so far, both in general and for the Yankees, who went in with the stated goal of upgrading the starting rotation. With the Winter Meetings starting tomorrow and not a lot of talk connecting the Yankees with any of the big Major League pitching targets, perhaps Cash and his staff have been playing possum on the other 2 big fish in the free agent sea, Yu Darvish and Yoenis Cespedes.
Consider all of this: The Yanks have scouted both of them extensively; Darvish is a young, potential top-of-the-rotation talent who comes with the added benefit of not having his posting fee count towards the luxury tax and not requiring the Yankees to forfeit a draft pick; Cespedes is a young, power-hitting OFer who also won't cost the Yankees anything in terms of picks; both guys play positions that the Yankees could have a need for after this season.
And with news coming out yesterday that both Darvish and Cespedes could make themselves available some time in the next 1-2 weeks, it seems like the Yankees could be in prime position to strike on both of these guys if they truly have been spending time behind the scenes working on potential plans to sign both. Just something to think about heading into next week's meetings.
Consider all of this: The Yanks have scouted both of them extensively; Darvish is a young, potential top-of-the-rotation talent who comes with the added benefit of not having his posting fee count towards the luxury tax and not requiring the Yankees to forfeit a draft pick; Cespedes is a young, power-hitting OFer who also won't cost the Yankees anything in terms of picks; both guys play positions that the Yankees could have a need for after this season.
And with news coming out yesterday that both Darvish and Cespedes could make themselves available some time in the next 1-2 weeks, it seems like the Yankees could be in prime position to strike on both of these guys if they truly have been spending time behind the scenes working on potential plans to sign both. Just something to think about heading into next week's meetings.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Reading Cash Between The Lines Part II
(Photo and all quotes below courtesy of Chad Jennings at LoHud)
Last month I picked apart what Cash said and turned it into what he was really saying when he spoke at the end of the year press conference. He was up in Stamford doing his rappel thing yesterday, and luckily for us he was a bit of a chatty Cashy. Let's see what he said and what he really meant this time.
What He Said: “I’ll make a recommendation to ownership and they can bless it or they can tell me no, but right now we’re going to go to Dallas, we’re going to continue to engage."
What He Meant: "Hey, Randy and Hal! You guys remember when I advised against Rafael Soriano last year and you guys overrode that recommendation? Yeah, how'd that work out last year? You should probably listen to me when I make my recommendations and follow my lead at the Winter Meetings. Morons."
What He Said: “… Right now, if you’re asking me do I expect to do something in the next week? No. But I’ve had enough conversations where I could wind up doing something today. A lot of work has been done. A lot of conversations have been had. If somebody bends or adjusts, then I’m ready to make a recommendation for us to make a move.”
What He Meant: "We know exactly who we want to target and exactly what we're willing to pay or give up to get them. Right now, asking prices are too high, but I'm not as stupid as these other GMs may think and I expect them to come down. And when they do, we'll make our offers to get our guys."
What He Said: “There’s not a primary, obvious, stated target that everybody knows about."
What He Meant: "You idiots think we aren't flying under the radar on some guys? Have you been around the last couple offseasons??? Duh!"
What He Said: "Obviously a big effort on our part was CC Sabathia and retaining him."
What He Meant: "Oh yeah, did I mention we signed the biggest potential free agent starting pitcher this offseason before he even became a free agent? Funny how everybody seems to have forgotten that move already."
What He Said: "At the same time, we’ve got a lot of talent on this payroll, I mean, on this roster. And our payroll is not limited, it’s just not."
What He Meant: "Any teams out there interested in Wilson or Darvish better be ready to come with the check books open. Because seriously in on them or not, I can spend more than you and I'm not afraid to fuck around in the rumor mills just to drive up the price you eventually pay. So if you think I'm bluffing on a better offer than yours, you better be guessing right."
What He Said: "If it makes sense, we’re ready to rock and roll, but if it doesn’t make sense, we’ll look at what we have and appreciate what we’ve got and be ready to go with what we’ve got.”
What He Meant: "I know what I'm willing to trade to get the guys I want and what I'm willing to offer to the free agents I want. If those scenarios don't come up, I know we can win with the team we have right now. That's why I re-signed Freddy quickly, and that's why I haven't been quick to offer up our young pitching prospects because I know they can do the job if and when they're called on."
What He Said: “As we continue to look outside for pitching, the next guy we’ve got coming is Noesi. Behind that is Betances and Banuelos and Warren and Phelps. We are producing some serious pitching that we’re proud of. Robertson and what he did this past year, just the continuation of what’s been a great pro career so far. We’re going to continue to look for ways to reinforce it, but we’re proud of what we’ve got and have high hopes for what’s coming.”
What He Meant: "All you other teams and scouts and ESPN personalities that think we can't develop young pitching can suck my dick."
Just Cash being Cash. Loves what he has, knows he can win with it, knows everybody else knows that too, and is still out there stirring the pot and preparing for any good situation that presents itself for the Yankees. The guy seems locked in and ready to do his thing at the Winter Meetings. It wouldn't surprise me if he swindled some other GMs out of their wives by the time he's done.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Friday "Best In The Biz" Linkapalooza
As is inconsistent tradition on Friday afternoons, it's time again for another batch of links to get you through the rest of your work week. Today we're just taking a hot lap around the Yankosphere and seeing what the best in the industry have to offer.
- It's been out there for a few days already, but if you haven't checked it out, Sensei John Kreese of NoMaas talked to Sr. VP of Baseball Ops Mark Newman about the new CBA and how it affects the Yankees. Must read, it's as simple as that.
- William of The Captain's Blog examined Bernie Williams' HOF candidacy, both in the context of comparing him to other CFers and comparing him to his steroid-tainted peers from his era. As a Yankee fan, I'd love to see Bernie get in, but I don't see how it happens.
- Also on the topic of 'roids, Brien of IIATMS explains his rationale for not considering PED use when he looks at HOF candidates. If only all the voters felt the same way.
- Brandon C. of Pinstripe Alley discusses Jorge Posada, who has yet to officially retire or be signed by another club, and how he could potentially damage his Yankee legacy if he decides to play in 2012. For me, it was permanently damaged after he took himself out of the lineup against the Fraud Sawx.
- Larry Koestler at RAB takes a graphical look at just how good the Yankee starting pitching was in 2011, and makes a couple of other good observations.
- Lastly, if you haven't been checking out the "Trade Match" Series that my colleague at TYA Steve S. has been doing, you're doing yourself an incredible disservice. He talks about Chad Billingsley here, Matt Cain here, and if you go back further you can find a few more. Definitely fun to read if you're looking to start up some interesting trade talks in the comments section.
- It's been out there for a few days already, but if you haven't checked it out, Sensei John Kreese of NoMaas talked to Sr. VP of Baseball Ops Mark Newman about the new CBA and how it affects the Yankees. Must read, it's as simple as that.
- William of The Captain's Blog examined Bernie Williams' HOF candidacy, both in the context of comparing him to other CFers and comparing him to his steroid-tainted peers from his era. As a Yankee fan, I'd love to see Bernie get in, but I don't see how it happens.
- Also on the topic of 'roids, Brien of IIATMS explains his rationale for not considering PED use when he looks at HOF candidates. If only all the voters felt the same way.
- Brandon C. of Pinstripe Alley discusses Jorge Posada, who has yet to officially retire or be signed by another club, and how he could potentially damage his Yankee legacy if he decides to play in 2012. For me, it was permanently damaged after he took himself out of the lineup against the Fraud Sawx.
- Larry Koestler at RAB takes a graphical look at just how good the Yankee starting pitching was in 2011, and makes a couple of other good observations.
- Lastly, if you haven't been checking out the "Trade Match" Series that my colleague at TYA Steve S. has been doing, you're doing yourself an incredible disservice. He talks about Chad Billingsley here, Matt Cain here, and if you go back further you can find a few more. Definitely fun to read if you're looking to start up some interesting trade talks in the comments section.
Still Quiet On The Hot Stove Front
The Winter Meetings are right around the corner and it's looking like we're going to be in for another week of twiddling our thumbs and writing about how the Yanks could swing a 3-way trade to get Wandy Rodriguez and Ryan Braun without giving up Montero or ManBan.
Cash is going beyond just preaching patience this year. He's flat out said he doesn't expect to get anything done. It sounds like most trade talks he's had with other clubs are stalled because the asking price is too high, so it's probably for the best that he doesn't get too deep into those. And truth be told, I'm OK with the Yankees standing pat on the trade front. The only guys who really intrigue me are Danks and Matt Garza, and I don't see Ken Williams letting himself get swindled again like he did for Swish or Theo making a straight salary dump for Garza and trading him to his former rival for peanuts.
The lone bit of news on the free agent side is also a lot of nothing. After their first face-to-face with C.J. Wilson's agent, the report from Marc Carig is that the Yankees haven't been rushing to set up a second meeting, which suggests a lack of interest from the Yankees' side. Again, I'm alright with this play if the Yanks truly aren't interested in Wilson. He's going to be the most expensive guy to sign in terms of years and money and the $100 million figure has already been thrown out there. Thanks, but no thanks, dude.
It's boring and it's slow, but when you already have pretty much your entire roster intact and not a lot of holes to fill like the Yankees do, that's alright.
Cash is going beyond just preaching patience this year. He's flat out said he doesn't expect to get anything done. It sounds like most trade talks he's had with other clubs are stalled because the asking price is too high, so it's probably for the best that he doesn't get too deep into those. And truth be told, I'm OK with the Yankees standing pat on the trade front. The only guys who really intrigue me are Danks and Matt Garza, and I don't see Ken Williams letting himself get swindled again like he did for Swish or Theo making a straight salary dump for Garza and trading him to his former rival for peanuts.
The lone bit of news on the free agent side is also a lot of nothing. After their first face-to-face with C.J. Wilson's agent, the report from Marc Carig is that the Yankees haven't been rushing to set up a second meeting, which suggests a lack of interest from the Yankees' side. Again, I'm alright with this play if the Yanks truly aren't interested in Wilson. He's going to be the most expensive guy to sign in terms of years and money and the $100 million figure has already been thrown out there. Thanks, but no thanks, dude.
It's boring and it's slow, but when you already have pretty much your entire roster intact and not a lot of holes to fill like the Yankees do, that's alright.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Why I Hate The New CBA
There's been CBA talk out the wazoo lately, and with good reason. The new agreement between Major League Baseball and the players will lead to over 2 decades of continuous labor peace for baseball, which is great news if you're a Yankee fan or a baseball fan in general. And generally I agree with all that's already been said in analyzing the new agreement. I agree that today's players and owners made a sweet deal for themselves while overlooking future players; I agree that the new rules on draft slotting and limits put on international free agent spending are a blow to the Yankees; I agree that the new luxury tax rules that will come work to the Yankees' advantage. All of my colleagues at TYA have already done a fantastic job at breaking down the good and bad in this new deal, and I agree with their points so there's no sense in re-hashing any of that here.
My biggest problem with the new CBA, and the whole labor negotiation process in sports as it's been a big part of the recent NFL and NBA news, is the constant talk about "competitive balance" and the strive for parity amongst the teams that has become the new goal in baseball. In my opinion, that goes against everything that sports is supposed to be about and what life is supposed to be about. In professional baseball, the goal is to win. You get more hits, you score more runs, you make more good pitches and good plays in the field, you win the game. You win more games, you make the playoffs. You win in the playoffs and get a championship. It's similar in life. You use your talents and skill sets to the best of your ability to make a more successful life for yourself, whether it's a better job, more money, a nice house, a family, whatever.
Some people are bigger than others, faster than others, smarter than others, prettier than others, work harder than others, and some people come from backgrounds and family situations that give them greater opportunity to be successful in life. And in the world there are a bunch of winners and a bunch of losers. It's harsh, but it's reality. Baseball is no different. Some teams have better players, better coaches, better scouts, better facilities, and more money and resources to help maximize the opportunity for success for their players as individuals and their organization as a whole. And this constant drive for parity, evening things out so the loser teams can catch up to the winner teams, is flat out unfair to those winner teams.
It's not the Yankees' fault that they have better players on their roster and more money than everybody else to spend on better players, be they high school or college draft picks, international free agents, or high-profile MLB free agents. It's not their fault that the Pirates don't have that much money to spend, or that the Orioles can't develop any of their high draft picks to become "great" players, or that nobody wanted to go watch the Marlins in their crappy old stadium. And the Yankees shouldn't be treated like it is. They already contribute their chunk to revenue sharing every season and to the luxury tax. It's the price they have to pay as a winner and they accept it. But to continue to have their advantages taken away from them and to continue to have to pay more prices in ways that limit their strengths in an attempt to try to turn everybody into a winner is wrong. Whether the new rules help achieve that goal or not is irrelevant. It's the fact that the losers are being given opportunities to be a winner that they didn't earn at the expense of teams, like the Yankees, who have already earned their winner statuses.
My biggest problem with the new CBA, and the whole labor negotiation process in sports as it's been a big part of the recent NFL and NBA news, is the constant talk about "competitive balance" and the strive for parity amongst the teams that has become the new goal in baseball. In my opinion, that goes against everything that sports is supposed to be about and what life is supposed to be about. In professional baseball, the goal is to win. You get more hits, you score more runs, you make more good pitches and good plays in the field, you win the game. You win more games, you make the playoffs. You win in the playoffs and get a championship. It's similar in life. You use your talents and skill sets to the best of your ability to make a more successful life for yourself, whether it's a better job, more money, a nice house, a family, whatever.
Some people are bigger than others, faster than others, smarter than others, prettier than others, work harder than others, and some people come from backgrounds and family situations that give them greater opportunity to be successful in life. And in the world there are a bunch of winners and a bunch of losers. It's harsh, but it's reality. Baseball is no different. Some teams have better players, better coaches, better scouts, better facilities, and more money and resources to help maximize the opportunity for success for their players as individuals and their organization as a whole. And this constant drive for parity, evening things out so the loser teams can catch up to the winner teams, is flat out unfair to those winner teams.
It's not the Yankees' fault that they have better players on their roster and more money than everybody else to spend on better players, be they high school or college draft picks, international free agents, or high-profile MLB free agents. It's not their fault that the Pirates don't have that much money to spend, or that the Orioles can't develop any of their high draft picks to become "great" players, or that nobody wanted to go watch the Marlins in their crappy old stadium. And the Yankees shouldn't be treated like it is. They already contribute their chunk to revenue sharing every season and to the luxury tax. It's the price they have to pay as a winner and they accept it. But to continue to have their advantages taken away from them and to continue to have to pay more prices in ways that limit their strengths in an attempt to try to turn everybody into a winner is wrong. Whether the new rules help achieve that goal or not is irrelevant. It's the fact that the losers are being given opportunities to be a winner that they didn't earn at the expense of teams, like the Yankees, who have already earned their winner statuses.
You Know It's Christmas Season When...
Cash is rappelling down the side of the Landmark Building in Stamford, CT again! I was more excited for this last year when he did his inaugural rappel than I was for anything else during Christmas season and it's going to be more of the same this year when Cash repeats the feat. Because if Cash is rappelling down buildings in elf suits, that means it's time for the Cashman Elf Photoshop!
Happy Holidays indeed!
Happy Holidays indeed!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Sawxenfreude 2.0 Has Already Started...
You can't make this stuff up.
"A Boston Red Sox official told at least one player at the beginning of the managerial search that they 'weren't going to hire Bobby Valentine or someone like that,' a clubhouse source told ESPNBoston.com last week.
The conversation suggests that Valentine, known as a no-nonsense manager in stints with the Mets and Rangers over 15 years, was perceived by some as a darkhorse candidate that would not be popular with some players.
'They're going to have a mess on their hands,' the source said when asked what would happen if Valentine, who at that time was just one of several candidates, was hired.
ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney had heard similar rumblings, citing sources Wednesday saying that 'some Red Sox players have been upset' that Valentine had emerged as a candidate and have been 'grumbling to each other, through texts and phone calls.'"
Holy shit, are you serious??? Already?????
I mean, I knew this was going to blow up in Bahhston's face. I was only 20% joking with my Bobby V posts the last couple days. But the dude has literally been on the job for less than a day and word around the Fraud Sawx water cooler is that players aren't happy and they're texting each other about it like little girls because their days of not working out, skipping their side sessions, and playing MW3 online are over. Sources are popping up out of the woodwork to talk anonymously to anybody with a press credential. It's like Beer&ChickenGate all over again.
And it's FUCKING AWESOME!!!
(story courtesy of The Worldwide Leader in Fraud Sawx Nation)
"A Boston Red Sox official told at least one player at the beginning of the managerial search that they 'weren't going to hire Bobby Valentine or someone like that,' a clubhouse source told ESPNBoston.com last week.
The conversation suggests that Valentine, known as a no-nonsense manager in stints with the Mets and Rangers over 15 years, was perceived by some as a darkhorse candidate that would not be popular with some players.
'They're going to have a mess on their hands,' the source said when asked what would happen if Valentine, who at that time was just one of several candidates, was hired.
ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney had heard similar rumblings, citing sources Wednesday saying that 'some Red Sox players have been upset' that Valentine had emerged as a candidate and have been 'grumbling to each other, through texts and phone calls.'"
Holy shit, are you serious??? Already?????
I mean, I knew this was going to blow up in Bahhston's face. I was only 20% joking with my Bobby V posts the last couple days. But the dude has literally been on the job for less than a day and word around the Fraud Sawx water cooler is that players aren't happy and they're texting each other about it like little girls because their days of not working out, skipping their side sessions, and playing MW3 online are over. Sources are popping up out of the woodwork to talk anonymously to anybody with a press credential. It's like Beer&ChickenGate all over again.
And it's FUCKING AWESOME!!!
(story courtesy of The Worldwide Leader in Fraud Sawx Nation)
Just Say No To Matt Thornton
As the Hot Stove season continues to be lukewarm for the Yankees, people are starting to get a little antsy and understandably so. There's only so long we as fans and bloggers can wait to see which free agents the Yankees sign and what killer trades Cash makes to build the team up to the 160-2 juggernaut we all wish it would be next year. But when the talk starts turning back to mid-30s lefty specialist relievers and there is serious analysis being done on the most expensive one, that's where the line from "antsy" gets crossed and we start jumping into 'bizarro world" territory.
So to everybody out there who's reading the chatter and rumors and analysis, and either seriously considering wanting Matt Thornton in the bullpen next year or already craving him, let me say this.
Stop it. Just stop it. The Yankees don't need Matt Thornton in the bullpen next season anymore than they need A.J. Burnett to be a part of the bullpen next season. Let's review the current lay of the land out there beyond right field:
I get that Matt Thornton is nasty, I do. In the right situation, it would make perfect sense to bring in a guy with a career K/9 slightly below 10 and a very low HR/9 rate who murders left-handed hitting. But when the situation is what it currently is in the Yankee 'pen, and adding this lefty murderer is going to cost prospects as well as 2 years and $12 million, that just doesn't make sense. It's like spending time putting expensive rims on a Maybach. It's already a badass fucking car, it doesn't need anything else gaudy on it. Just leave it alone and let it be badass.
In short, just say "No" to Matt Thornton.
So to everybody out there who's reading the chatter and rumors and analysis, and either seriously considering wanting Matt Thornton in the bullpen next year or already craving him, let me say this.
Stop it. Just stop it. The Yankees don't need Matt Thornton in the bullpen next season anymore than they need A.J. Burnett to be a part of the bullpen next season. Let's review the current lay of the land out there beyond right field:
- Mariano Rivera (greatest closer of all time)
- Dave Robertson (best setup man in baseball in 2011)
- Rafael Soriano (former closer/setup man with shutdown stuff when healthy)
- Boone Logan (serviceable LOOGY most of the time)
- Cory Wade (above-average middle innings guy)
- Joba Chamberlain (solid career reliever who should be back by late summer)
- Hector Noesi (above-average reliever who should be a starter but could get bumped back to the long man role)
I get that Matt Thornton is nasty, I do. In the right situation, it would make perfect sense to bring in a guy with a career K/9 slightly below 10 and a very low HR/9 rate who murders left-handed hitting. But when the situation is what it currently is in the Yankee 'pen, and adding this lefty murderer is going to cost prospects as well as 2 years and $12 million, that just doesn't make sense. It's like spending time putting expensive rims on a Maybach. It's already a badass fucking car, it doesn't need anything else gaudy on it. Just leave it alone and let it be badass.
In short, just say "No" to Matt Thornton.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
My Bobby V Pleas Were Heard!!
And I couldn't be happier. Congratulations, Fraud Sawx Nation. Embrace your new savior. Judging by his past choices of dugout wear, he should fit right in with the biggest group of phonies and phony fans in the world.
I'm especially loving the details from the story that seem to indicate ownership and the GM might not have been on the same page on this decision too. Because nothing helps start the recovery process from the biggest collapse in baseball history like having a fractured decision-making group making major personnel decisions. Especially when that fractured group is bringing in a known question mark when it comes to dealing with players. Things are already looking up in Beantown!
P.S.- I really hope Cash comes out of left field some time in the next 48 hours with a monster trade just to steal the Fraud Sawx's thunder here.
I'm especially loving the details from the story that seem to indicate ownership and the GM might not have been on the same page on this decision too. Because nothing helps start the recovery process from the biggest collapse in baseball history like having a fractured decision-making group making major personnel decisions. Especially when that fractured group is bringing in a known question mark when it comes to dealing with players. Things are already looking up in Beantown!
P.S.- I really hope Cash comes out of left field some time in the next 48 hours with a monster trade just to steal the Fraud Sawx's thunder here.
Happy Birthday, Mo
It still feels weird wishing a cybernetic organism from some distant planet in the future a birthday. I mean, honestly, do they even technically have birthdays? And if they do, what are you supposed to get them? But according to his cover story, today is Mo's birthday and I am obligated as a Yankee blogger, Yankee fan, and pathetic mere mortal to wish him a happy birthday and bow down to his all-worldly greatness.
He doesn't know if he's going to come back after his contract is up at the end of the 2012 season, so this may be the last time we get to wish him a happy b-day while he's still active and not returning to his home planet.
Happy birthday, Mo. You're the greatest individual athlete at one position in the history of sports and I think I speak for Yankee fans everywhere when I say that we love having the privilege of watching you do your thing each and every year and will truly miss it when the day comes that you decide to no longer do said thing.
P.S.- I feel so much cooler knowing that my birthday is so close to Mo's.
He doesn't know if he's going to come back after his contract is up at the end of the 2012 season, so this may be the last time we get to wish him a happy b-day while he's still active and not returning to his home planet.
Happy birthday, Mo. You're the greatest individual athlete at one position in the history of sports and I think I speak for Yankee fans everywhere when I say that we love having the privilege of watching you do your thing each and every year and will truly miss it when the day comes that you decide to no longer do said thing.
P.S.- I feel so much cooler knowing that my birthday is so close to Mo's.
Morning Trade Whispers
According to Joel Sherman, the Yankees aren't having any "hi-level" trade talks with other teams right now. With rumors swirling about Matt Garza, hopes being had by many for John Danks, and dreams (however unrealistic they are) still existing for King Felix, I think we can assume that those guys aren't being discussed right now as they would all be "hi-level" targets.
And that can mean only one thing. The Yanks are looking to move A.J. After all, a 5.15 ERA and 4.77 FIP doesn't exactly scream "hi-level" performance.
/crosses fingers
And that can mean only one thing. The Yanks are looking to move A.J. After all, a 5.15 ERA and 4.77 FIP doesn't exactly scream "hi-level" performance.
/crosses fingers
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