2008 New York Yankees Thread [Archive] - Page 10

Bulldogcakes

01-07-2008, 05:15 PM

Sorry for the long post, but I just LOVED this guys rating system for prospects. It gives not only their ceiling, but their probability of reaching it. I also agreed with most of the rankings from stuff I've read elsewhere.

SWB Yankees (http://emedia.thetimes-tribune.com/Blogs/SWBYankees/tabid/552/Default.aspx)

Baseball HQ (http://www.baseballhq.com/)

Deric McKamey is the director of minor league analysis at BaseballHQ. He's a graduate of Major League Baseball's scout school and he's been an advisor to the St. Louis Cardinals since 2004. He's also the author of the annual Minor League Baseball Analyst, and it's that book that's at the heart of this post.

McKamey agreed to give us an early look at his Top 15 Yankees prospects, along with their potential ratings. He has also agreed to a Q&A. In the comments section of this post, feel free to comment on the list and offer up some questions you'd like me ask. I'm going to email questions to McKamey later this week and I'm planning to post his answers either Sunday or Monday.

Here are his Top 15 Yankees prospects, along with his potential ratings key. This is the tip of the iceberg, and I still highly recommend the book. I bought the 2007 edition and kept it with me throughout the season. The book goes into detail -- pitch repertoires, speed ratings, etc. -- for more than 1,000 prospects and offers quick, easy to understand information, from a guy who knows what he's talking about.

New York Yankees Top 15 Prospects

1. Joba Chamberlain (RHP) - 9B
2. Jose Tabata (OF) - 9C
3. Ian Kennedy (RHP) - 8B
4. Austin Jackson (OF) - 9C
5. Alan Horne (RHP) - 8C
6. Andrew Brackman (RHP) - 9D
7. Dellin Betances (RHP) - 9D
8. Jesus Montero (C/1B) - 9D
9. Humberto Sanchez (RHP) - 8C
10. Jeff Marquez (RHP) - 8C
11. Kevin Whelan (RHP) - 8C
12. George Kontos (RHP) - 8D
13. Ross Ohlendorf (RHP) - 7B
14. Shelley Duncan (OF/1B) - 7C
15. Kelvin DeLeon (OF) - 9E

PLAYER POTENTIAL RATING
Scale of (1-10) representing a player's upside potential
10 - Hall of Fame-type player
9 - Elite player
8 - Solid regular
7 - Average regular
6 - Platoon player
5 - Major League reserve player
4 - Top minor league player
3 - Average minor league player
2 - Minor league reserve player
1 - Minor league roster filler

PROBABILITY RATING
Scale of (A-E) representing the player's realistic chances of achieving
their potential
A - 90% probability of reaching potential
B - 70% probability of reaching potential
C - 50% probability of reaching potential
D - 30% probability of reaching potential
E - 10% probability of reaching potential

The 2008 Minor League Baseball Analyst profiles over 1000 minor league prospects and includes detailed scouting reports, sabermetrics, Major League Equivalencies, organizational lists, Top 100 list, and Potential Ratings. The book can be purchased through Baseball HQ at http//www.baseballhq.com where the purchaser will also receive a free update to the lists in the book. People may also purchase the book through any of the major on-line bookstores. The Minor League Baseball Analyst is expected to arrive mid-January.

This has been Oppenhiemer's strategy in recent years, high ceiling guys who may or may not make it. The ones who do should be very good, but half that list won't make it for one reason or another. Also, some of the guys with very low probability are simply lower level guys, those rankings can go up as they move up the system. Good stuff.

Snoogans

01-07-2008, 05:19 PM

[QUOTE=Bulldogcakes;1574125]Sorry for the long post, but I just LOVED this guys rating system for prospects. It gives not only their ceiling, but their probability of reaching it. I also agreed with most of the rankings from stuff I've read elsewhere.

says who? Who is this guy to decide what a players ceiling is or whether he will reach it? Most of the guys in an organization cant tell you that for sure. And if he agreed with most of the other rankings stuff, then he didnt really do anything. He just copied stuff from other websites that are just guessing about things. Like you do

TheGameHHH

01-07-2008, 05:29 PM

Snoogans

01-07-2008, 05:30 PM

he's just offering up some guys opinion. he's not stating its Bible truth or anything. Just the evaluation of one man. thats all you should really be taking it as.

wow larry literal. Way to piss on all the fun. What is happening in this place

TheGameHHH

01-07-2008, 05:36 PM

wow larry literal. Way to piss on all the fun. What is happening in this place

i gotta work on my ability to read funny. i thought you were being larry literal, and then i go and piss on the fun. if we were discussing McRibs, then i would have known to be funny.

Snoogans

01-07-2008, 05:37 PM

i gotta work on my ability to read funny. i thought you were being larry literal, and then i go and piss on the fun. if we were discussing McRibs, then i would have known to be funny.

NOTHING ABOUT MCRIBS ARE FUNNY. THATS PURE 100% SERIOUS DELICIOUSNESS

Ritalin

01-07-2008, 06:56 PM

Question, Yankee fan: Was Andy Petitte ever a legit contender for the Hall of Fame?

What about now, after what he's admitted to doing?

Doctor Z

01-07-2008, 07:07 PM

No.

cougarjake13

01-08-2008, 01:08 PM

Question, Yankee fan: Was Andy Petitte ever a legit contender for the Hall of Fame?

What about now, after what he's admitted to doing?

maybe a fringe possiblity before

now im not sure

Bulldogcakes

01-08-2008, 02:43 PM

Question, Yankee fan: Was Andy Petitte ever a legit contender for the Hall of Fame?

What about now, after what he's admitted to doing?

If you read the Mitchell Report, HGH is nowhere near as powerful as steroids. So a few uses shouldn't define someone's career. That being said, my first impression is no. But here's the numbers.

G IP H R HR BB SO W L Sv P/GS WHIP BAA ERA
Career 403 2527.2 2636 1196 211 790 1844 201 113 0 101.7 1.36 .270 3.83

The only thing that jumps out at you is the .640 career winning pct. But that says as much about the teams he played on as it does him. He's not the kind of pitcher who will amass any eye popping strikeout numbers or Cy Young awards. He'd have to get close to 300 wins to get serious consideration, and that would require him to pitch effectively for another 6 years. At 35 (with a history of elbow issues) he's already talking about retirement, and has been for a while. I don't see it happening. He's a fan fave and always will be, but he's not a HOFer in my book.

But then again, I wouldn't have voted for Gossage either. I still can't figure out what they're going to put on his plaque.

TheMojoPin

01-08-2008, 06:11 PM

Pitching wins should not carry that much weight. It's so goddamn dumb that they do.

TheGameHHH

01-08-2008, 06:25 PM

If you read the Mitchell Report, HGH is nowhere near as powerful as steroids. So a few uses shouldn't define someone's career. That being said, my first impression is no. But here's the numbers.

G IP H R HR BB SO W L Sv P/GS WHIP BAA ERA
Career 403 2527.2 2636 1196 211 790 1844 201 113 0 101.7 1.36 .270 3.83

The only thing that jumps out at you is the .640 career winning pct. But that says as much about the teams he played on as it does him. He's not the kind of pitcher who will amass any eye popping strikeout numbers or Cy Young awards. He'd have to get close to 300 wins to get serious consideration, and that would require him to pitch effectively for another 6 years. At 35 (with a history of elbow issues) he's already talking about retirement, and has been for a while. I don't see it happening. He's a fan fave and always will be, but he's not a HOFer in my book.

But then again, I wouldn't have voted for Gossage either. I still can't figure out what they're going to put on his plaque.

thats pretty insane dude, check his numbers......a lot are actually better then Mo in their first 7 or 9 years as full time closers (i cant remember which number year), plus he pitched in an era before relievers were just tossed in situations simply to acquire a save. i know you'd be first in line to vote Mo in.

ralphbxny

01-08-2008, 06:38 PM

Now my goose gossage autograph will be worth something!

Bulldogcakes

01-09-2008, 03:52 PM

thats pretty insane dude, check his numbers......a lot are actually better then Mo in their first 7 or 9 years as full time closers (i cant remember which number year), plus he pitched in an era before relievers were just tossed in situations simply to acquire a save. i know you'd be first in line to vote Mo in.

I'm just not big on relievers in general for the HOF. They just don't pitch enough innings and it seems unfair to hold starters to much higher standards. He pitched in an era where saves were much harder to come by (the rules were different) so I wasn't looking at saves. He had a great stretch from 75-85 where he was clearly an elite player. That and the 1800 career innings are his best qualifications. But again, I just have a hangup when it comes to relievers. I wouldn't have voted for Sutter, either. As great as Sutter was he didn't stay on top of his game long enough for me (6-7 years). If anything Gossage should go in before Sutter, not after. He pitched much longer and was every bit as good in his prime.

Bulldogcakes

01-12-2008, 04:15 PM

Updated pix on the new Yankee stadium (http://slidingintohome.blogspot.com/2007/12/new-yankee-stadium-construction-update.html)

Bulldogcakes

01-12-2008, 06:03 PM

Cash-"Joba's role is fluid" (http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080111/SPORTS/801110364/-1/SPORTS)

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman remains pessimistic about adding Johan Santana in a trade, but he described Joba Chamberlain's status as "a fluid situation" in regard to his role.

Appearing on the YES Network yesterday, Cashman said that due to an unspecified innings limit on Chamberlain in 2008, the 22-year-old right-hander might start the season in the bullpen and be "transferred into the rotation later on."

Cashman also offered that Chamberlain could be skipped over a start occasionally, or that a sixth starter could be used at times. These potential options have yet to be fully discussed, and Chamberlain will "prepare as a starter" during spring training.

Without mentioning Phil Hughes, Melky Cabrera or Jeff Marquez, Cashman said it would be "hard-pressed for us to move some of the parties involved in the discussions" with Minnesota for Santana.

He'll be in the pen.

cougarjake13

01-12-2008, 06:08 PM

Cash-"Joba's role is fluid" (http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080111/SPORTS/801110364/-1/SPORTS)

He'll be in the pen.

all year ??? or he'll only be moved to the rotation if need be by injury ???

HBox

01-12-2008, 06:08 PM

Cash-"Joba's role is fluid" (http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080111/SPORTS/801110364/-1/SPORTS)

He'll be in the pen.

booooooooooooooo

Bulldogcakes

01-12-2008, 06:23 PM

booooooooooooooo

If they're serious then they're doing this ass backwards. He said he could go into the rotation later in the year after relieving for a few months. Its one thing to convert a starter to a reliever, thats easy. To ask a guy to do it the other way around is more hard. And more risky. But I don't believe Cash one bit. He'll be in the pen all year.

Its the same thing like the Bosox have with Paps. Its tough to take these guys out of a role they are very successful at.

TheGameHHH

01-12-2008, 07:01 PM

If they're serious then they're doing this ass backwards. He said he could go into the rotation later in the year after relieving for a few months. Its one thing to convert a starter to a reliever, thats easy. To ask a guy to do it the other way around is more hard. And more risky. But I don't believe Cash one bit. He'll be in the pen all year.

Its the same thing like the Bosox have with Paps. Its tough to take these guys out of a role they are very successful at.

yes, they are doing it backwards.....but Joba broke into this league as a reliever, so there was really no other way to do it.

cougarjake13

01-12-2008, 07:11 PM

yes, they are doing it backwards.....but Joba broke into this league as a reliever, so there was really no other way to do it.

so any chance that joba becomes the yankees papelbon ???

Bulldogcakes

01-13-2008, 07:22 AM

yes, they are doing it backwards.....but Joba broke into this league as a reliever, so there was really no other way to do it.

I was looking at Johan Santana's stats (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?statsId=6441)this morning, and the Twins actually did something similar with him. He wa used as both a starter and reliever for his first 4 years in the bigs. They were all over the map with him. Spot starting early in the year and then relieving for a few months and then starting full time later in the year. He turned out OK. So maybe its not as crazy as we all think.

BoondockSaint

01-13-2008, 07:49 AM

But Hank said he would be a starter. Are you telling me not to believe everything that Hank says?

TheGameHHH

01-13-2008, 10:20 AM

I was looking at Johan Santana's stats (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?statsId=6441)this morning, and the Twins actually did something similar with him. He wa used as both a starter and reliever for his first 4 years in the bigs. They were all over the map with him. Spot starting early in the year and then relieving for a few months and then starting full time later in the year. He turned out OK. So maybe its not as crazy as we all think.

so then maybe we're better off just letting Joba do whatever is planned for him and make a decision AFTER we see what happens.

cougarjake13

01-14-2008, 02:34 PM

so then maybe we're better off just letting Joba do whatever is planned for him and make a decision AFTER we see what happens.

hindsight is 20-20

HBox

01-14-2008, 05:16 PM

ESPN.com -
TAMPA, Fla. -- New York Yankees (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=nyy) senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner has not closed the door on a trade for Minnesota Twins (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=min) left-hander Johan Santana (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=6441), despite reports to the contrary.

 "It's still in the deciding process," Steinbrenner said Monday night outside Legends Field at the Yankees' spring training complex. "We're still discussing it. There's still a little talk back and forth."
Earlier on Monday, a baseball official with knowledge of the talks told 1050 ESPN Radio's Andrew Marchand that the Yankees had pulled their Phil Hughes (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=7913)-centered trade offer for Santana off the table. The source said Steinbrenner could still change his mind.

...................... (http://heyhank.ytmnd.com/)

TheMojoPin

01-14-2008, 06:05 PM

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/d/d3/180px-Hank115.jpg

Bulldogcakes

01-23-2008, 05:15 PM

Matsui’s knee not quite there yet? (http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/22/matsuis-knee-not-quite-there-yet-2030/)

Matsui is going to go to USA 10 days earlier in order to check his right knee condition with the doctor in New York who help him operate his right knee surgery. He will then go to Tampa to check his right knee condition with Yankee Trainers again. This is not a normal action which go to USA earlier for Matsui. He usually trains with his formal Japanese team and then reports in spring training.

Right now, Matsui doesn’t feel pain about his right knee, but he can’t run. He is not sure he can run or not when he reports to Tampa. He understands he has to fight with Johnny Damon for left outfielder job and wants to do his best. That’s why he decides to go to USA earlier.

BoondockSaint

01-23-2008, 05:29 PM

Whoever wrote that not know English very well.

TheGameHHH

01-23-2008, 08:22 PM

I read that whole report in Borat's voice.

Kevin

01-23-2008, 08:50 PM

Reporting live from my Mom's basement in upper NY...This is Ben K... ESPN....

spoon

01-23-2008, 09:24 PM

I was looking at Johan Santana's stats (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?statsId=6441)this morning, and the Twins actually did something similar with him. He wa used as both a starter and reliever for his first 4 years in the bigs. They were all over the map with him. Spot starting early in the year and then relieving for a few months and then starting full time later in the year. He turned out OK. So maybe its not as crazy as we all think.

Whey the HELL would you compare to that awful fucking pitcher?! U basically were happy that the NEW evil empire in Boston had him wrapped up according to your idiotic/retarded home sources in Bayside.

Jujubees2

01-24-2008, 05:28 AM

But Hank said he would be a starter. Are you telling me not to believe everything that Hank says?

Of course you should. I mean didn't he say that once A-Rod opted out that he was gone and the Yankees would not negotiate with him?

Didn't he set a deadline at the winter meetings on Santana?

Hank is a man of his word!

Knowledged_one

01-24-2008, 05:40 AM

Snacks

01-24-2008, 07:47 AM

Well the top payrolls are out guess whos the highest by a whopping 63 million dollars

FINAL 2007 PAYROLLS
1. New York Yankees $218,311,394
2. Boston Red Sox $155,402,595
3. Los Angeles Dodgers $125,581,316
4. New York Mets $120,927,727
5. Chicago Cubs $115,943,318
6. Seattle Mariners $114,367,309
7. Los Angeles Angels $111,038,577
8. Philadelphia Phillies $101,823,122
9. San Francisco Giants $101,539,796
10. Chicago White Sox $100,189,832

Honestly take a look at this list - the yankees double the payroll of the #8 team in the entire league. This is what is wrong with baseball

Baseball needs a salary cap. That way to can see who really knows how to build a baseball team.

cougarjake13

01-24-2008, 03:50 PM

Well the top payrolls are out guess whos the highest by a whopping 63 million dollars

FINAL 2007 PAYROLLS
1. New York Yankees $218,311,394
2. Boston Red Sox $155,402,595
3. Los Angeles Dodgers $125,581,316
4. New York Mets $120,927,727
5. Chicago Cubs $115,943,318
6. Seattle Mariners $114,367,309
7. Los Angeles Angels $111,038,577
8. Philadelphia Phillies $101,823,122
9. San Francisco Giants $101,539,796
10. Chicago White Sox $100,189,832

Honestly take a look at this list - the yankees double the payroll of the #8 team in the entire league. This is what is wrong with baseball

i disagree

its within the current rules so you can fault them

but where i disagree is that even though they outspend everyone they havent won since 2000, and got bounced in the first round the last 3 yrs

so if they were winning every year i'd agree that its wrong with baseball

TheGameHHH

01-24-2008, 04:02 PM

Cano close to deal....

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3212899

Kevin

01-24-2008, 04:11 PM

Cano close to deal....

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3212899

If the source of that link does not say Ben K... Then i REFUSE to take it with any seriousness whatsoever!!!

HBox

01-24-2008, 06:54 PM

It's about fucking time they ditch that asinine policy of not signing their young players to deals early.

Knowledged_one

01-25-2008, 05:14 AM

i disagree

its within the current rules so you can fault them

but where i disagree is that even though they outspend everyone they havent won since 2000, and got bounced in the first round the last 3 yrs

so if they were winning every year i'd agree that its wrong with baseball

You know on the other hand i can understand the same article said the Yankees raked in over 400 mil in revenue and had to give 100 mil to profit sharing

Its the disparity that the yankees doublt the payroll of the #8 spending team

Bulldogcakes

01-26-2008, 03:33 AM

It's about fucking time they ditch that asinine policy of not signing their young players to deals early.

Yep. Teams generally come out on top in these extensions if the player stays healthy. The Twins and Cleveland have been doing this for years. The Mets did it recently with Reyes and Wright. The player gets security, the team gets a bargain.

That deal will average 7.5 per if the Yanks don't p/u the options, 9 per if they do. Takes Cano into his free agent years where if he ever did hit free agency, he'd earn 15 per given his production at the position he plays. Plus figure in 5 years salaries will escalate even further, making the deal look even cheaper.

Bulldogcakes

01-26-2008, 05:55 AM

Fastball 101: Bringing The Heat (http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=705)

PEAK VELOCITY • STARTING PITCHERS, 2002 PROSPECT HANDBOOK

PITCHER AGE MPH ERA IP ERA+
Erick Threets* 19 101 19.29 2 23
Colt Griffin 18 100 N/A N/A N/A
Bobby Jenks 20 100 3.26 174 144
Sean Henn* 20 99 7.53 57 59
Ben Howard 22 99 5.20 83 77
Brandon League 18 99 4.37 95 103
Seth McClung 20 99 6.16 263 73
Francisco Rodriguez 19 99 2.37 383 188
Carlos Zambrano 20 99 3.41 1193 130
Aaron Cook 22 98 4.47 718 109
Brad Lidge 24 98 3.30 401 132
Nick Neugebauer 21 98 4.99 61 82
Anthony Pluta 18 98 N/A N/A N/A

Good article about not getting overly seduced by guys with big fastballs. Of the 13, only 3 have become big pitchers. A few others have been steady MLB players and the rest are crap. I totally forgot about Sean Henn. For most of them, BB/9 is key. They won't have success in the bigs if they cant control it.

and for any of those who are still wondering where Hughes fastball went after his hamstring injury, this is from his blog (http://philhughes.wordpress.com/2008/01/23/chat-answers/).

After coming back from my injury last season my mechanics were a little out of whack. This led to a little loss of velocity and command. When Dave (Eiland) arrived in September we were able to work out some things and I think that had a lot to do with the success I had at the end of the season. It was nice to finish off the year on a good note so I have something to work toward to get back to my normal self in 2008.

He consistently threw around 93-95 in the minors. That, plus his movement and control is why he was rated so high. He's also still only 21, so he might add some velocity as he fills out.

Doctor Z

01-26-2008, 06:46 AM

Did Ryan Howard ever get that record-setting 10mil/yr. deal from the Phillies?

Bulldogcakes

01-26-2008, 06:57 PM

Howard has an arbitration hearing set for Feb 20th (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3214505)

Also, the Yanks signed two Australian teenagers today. (http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/01/26/meet-your-new-catcher-for-2014/)

Who knows how these two will turn out, but when I hear international and teenagers my ears perk up a bit. Some of the top prospects the Yanks have now (Jose Tabata/Jesus Montero/Kelvin DeLeon/Jairo Heredia) were signed overseas as teenagers.

cougarjake13

01-27-2008, 04:22 AM

man in the offseason this thread becomes the bulldogcakes yankee blog

no harm intended bdc

Bulldogcakes

01-27-2008, 04:42 AM

None taken, CJ.

From someone with a real blog Peter Abe (http://yankees.lhblogs.com/), a guest writer posting about the Joba situation

Amidst the debates surrounding Joba Chamberlain’s role with the Yankees next season, fans, bloggers and analysts alike seem to be forgetting a very logical option that could appease both parties and help strengthen the Yankees pitching staff.

It’s easy to understand each side of the Chamberlain argument. Those in favor of using Joba in the pen envision a strong Yankee relief corps that will help make tight games a seven-inning contest. They feel that 60-70 appearances would influence the overall record more than the 150 innings Joba would likely record as a starter, plus he would be groomed as the heir to Mariano Rivera.

Meanwhile, those in favor of using Joba in the rotation see an ace in the making and the potential for an incredibly deep Yankee rotation now, and in the future. They don’t want to see Chamberlain’s talent wasted in a relief role, and they want to maximize his development as soon as possible.

Both arguments are quite sound, but logic dictates that Chamberlain would be better suited for the rotation, even if it does weaken the bullpen. A pitching prospect with his potential and stuff belongs in the rotation, mainly because a league average relievers (4.47 ERA) are a dime a dozen; or in this case, $11 million a year.

Enter Mike Mussina.

Yankee fans watched as Moose’s effectiveness quickly diminish during the 2007 season. His fastball no longer hovered around the high 80s, and his breaking stuff seemed flat.

His endurance also became a major issue. Mussina averaged 5.6 innings per start last season, signifying a drop in the six inning average he posted from 2004-2006. Out of his 27 starts, Mussina only went more than six innings seven times.

Interestingly, Mussina averaged a 3.37 ERA in the first two innings of his first 20 starts, but after throwing 111 innings, he hit a wall. In his next seven starts, Mussina posted a 9.89 ERA during the first two innings.

Although examining only the first two innings doesn’t really indicate that he’d make an efficient bullpen arm, his deflating endurance suggests that Mussina is now better suited as a reliever.
On the surface, the move would lower Mussina’s chances of an injury and keep him fresh; but it could also increase the velocity of his fastball. Many starters encounter a slight increase in velocity after shifting to the pen, simply because they no longer have to pace themselves for six innings.

Given the context of the situation, Moose would have little to whine about. A successful move to the bullpen and stellar numbers during the season would surely help him get another contract, thus extending his career. It’ll also leave Yankee fans with a good taste in their mouth: Mussina sacrificing his needs and (or) wants for the good of the team, and the good of the future.

I'm still not sure it will work, but thats a damn good argument. You don't know how his arm would bounce back after relief stints and back to back appearances and if he would remain effective. But its something for Girardi to consider as an option.

cougarjake13

01-27-2008, 04:48 AM

None taken, CJ.

From someone with a real blog Peter Abe (http://yankees.lhblogs.com/), a guest writer posting about the Joba situation

I'm still not sure it will work, but thats a damn good argument. You don't know how his arm would bounce back after relief stints and back to back appearances and if he would remain effective. But its something for Girardi to consider as an option.

i say as far as the yankees go they should try it in spring training and see how it works, hopefully moose doesnt complain and will prefer to remain a reliever with a contending team then whine and get moved to a shittier team and start

BoondockSaint

01-28-2008, 08:40 AM

David Cone coming back to Yankees. (http://www.nypost.com/seven/01282008/sports/yankees/david_cone_to_return_to_yankees_in_yes_b_567784.ht m)

Bulldogcakes

01-28-2008, 03:34 PM

David Cone coming back to Yankees. (http://www.nypost.com/seven/01282008/sports/yankees/david_cone_to_return_to_yankees_in_yes_b_567784.ht m)

This might be the wrong thread for this, but God knows half the people who post in this thread aren't Yankee fans.

How do you think of Cone? As a Yankee or a Met?

Came up with Mets
Best years (1988 20-3 with a 2.22 ERA/Led NL in SO 90/91) were as a Met
Won 4 rings with Yanks
Pitched perfect game as a Yank
Played 6 seasons with both.

Despite all his exploits with the Yanks, first impressions stick with me. He was a self described 'hired gun' by the time the Yanks got him. He had the signature years of his career as a Met. He's still a Met to me. I think he belongs in the Met booth.

Kevin

01-28-2008, 03:53 PM

This might be the wrong thread for this, but God knows half the people who post in this thread aren't Yankee fans.

How do you think of Cone? As a Yankee or a Met?

Came up with Mets
Best years (1988 20-3 with a 2.22 ERA/Led NL in SO 90/91) were as a Met
Won 4 rings with Yanks
Pitched perfect game as a Yank
Played 6 seasons with both.

Despite all his exploits with the Yanks, first impressions stick with me. He was a self described 'hired gun' by the time the Yanks got him. He had the signature years of his career as a Met. He's still a Met to me. I think he belongs in the Met booth.

Seriously.. How are you going to list those accomplishments he had as a Yank, take the fact that He was not a home grown Met, and he played the same amount of years with both teams. How are you going to say all of that and say you consider him a Met? Unless you played at least 10 years with a team.. You get dealt from that team, and you do not go back, and you have great years with another team.. You can not be considerd apart of that team.. The man won 4 rings (big part of 3) And a perfect game, ANYONE in their right minds would consider him a Yank more than a Met.. You can make the case that he was niether, and was a hired gun nomad.. But you CAN NOT make him a Met over a Yank!

cougarjake13

01-28-2008, 05:21 PM

Seriously.. How are you going to list those accomplishments he had as a Yank, take the fact that He was not a home grown Met, and he played the same amount of years with both teams. How are you going to say all of that and say you consider him a Met? Unless you played at least 10 years with a team.. You get dealt from that team, and you do not go back, and you have great years with another team.. You can not be considerd apart of that team.. The man won 4 rings (big part of 3) And a perfect game, ANYONE in their right minds would consider him a Yank more than a Met.. You can make the case that he was niether, and was a hired gun nomad.. But you CAN NOT make him a Met over a Yank!

i think of him as a blue jay

just kidding

if he won the 86 ring with the mets you might be able to make a case, but he didnt, he won 1 ring with the jays, a cy young as a royal and all the accomplishments you listed above with the yanks

i think you have to say he's a yankee

Basedow

01-29-2008, 04:57 AM

Terms of the Cano Deal via Pete Abe's Blog:

The Yankees have completed their negotiations with Robinson Cano on a four-year contract. Here is how it will break down:

2008: $3 million
2009: $6 million
2010: $9 million
2011: $10 million
2012: $14 million or a $2 million buyout
2013: $15 million or a $2 million buyout

So at worst Cano will make $30 million over four years but could make $57 over six. He will be in Manhattan sometime in the next two days for a physical that will complete the deal. Cano is in Dominican Republic at the moment.

Analysis: This seems to be a deal that makes sense for both sides. The Yankees get Cano for an average of $4.5 million over the next two seasons, probably a slight savings over what he could get via arbitration. They will have greater payroll flexibility by 2010, when Cano will hit $10 million.

If he performs well, his option years could prove to be a bargain. If he does not, the Yankees can cut him loose for $2 million.

Bulldogcakes

01-29-2008, 05:48 PM

Here's another breakdown of the Cano deal from NoMass (http://www.nomaas.org/canodeal.html)

They like the option years alot, and so do I. Thats where alot of the money is, and they're team options so they're not guarenteed. So if he gets seriously hurt you can cut him loose if needed. Gives them the kind of flexibility they wish they had with Giambi and Pavano in recent years. But one part makes no sense. They like the flexibility they have in years 5 and 6, but they're also buying out his arbitration years. You can get rid of any player you no longer want during the arbitration years by simply not offering the player arbitration. Now they're committed for at least the initial 30 mil even if he gets badly hurt. But he's young and healthy, so thats pretty unlikely.

Also, the deal is more of a bargain than most realize. Cano would be a 13-15 mil player on TODAYS free agent market, but he wont make that money for another 4 years. If present trends for inflation of salaries continue (over 10% annually for the past 10 years) then 15 today will be almost 22 mil four years from now. So its a very good deal for the Yanks. Teams usually come out on top with these extensions.

Bulldogcakes

01-30-2008, 02:26 AM

Pettite to testify against Clemens (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/30/sports/baseball/30clemens.html?ref=sports)

WASHINGTON — When Andy Pettitte gives a sworn deposition to staff members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, lawyers for his former personal trainer, Brian McNamee, say they know part of what he will say.

Pettitte and McNamee talked in 2001 and 2002 about Roger Clemens’s use of steroids and human growth hormone, McNamee’s lawyers, Earl Ward and Richard Emery, said Tuesday.

They said that Pettitte, who has acknowledged receiving H.G.H. from McNamee in 2002, will provide the first account of contemporaneous conversations with McNamee about Clemens’s use of performance-enhancing drugs in earlier years. Emery and Ward said that not only did McNamee and Pettitte talk about Clemens’s drug use on several occasions, but that Clemens might have influenced Pettitte the first time Pettitte asked to use a performance-enhancing drug....

...Emery and Ward said that not only did McNamee and Pettitte talk about Clemens’s drug use on several occasions, but that Clemens might have influenced Pettitte the first time Pettitte asked to use a performance-enhancing drug.

“There was a conversation in the gym where Pettitte came over to Brian and told him, ‘Why didn’t you tell me about that stuff?’*” Emery said in a telephone interview Tuesday. “It appeared to be after a conversation with Clemens, but he didn’t know what was said in that conversation.”

Ward, in a separate telephone interview, said, “Brian discouraged him at first, and then less than a year later he came back and that is when Brian injected him.”]

This doesn't surprise me. Andy's a very religious guy and you'd think he would have a problem with lying about this. I was wondering how he would deal with this, and apparently he's just going to tell the truth.

It doesn't make Andy look good either though. He looks like he's stabbing a friend and teammate in the back. I wonder how Clemens will handle this publicly.

Basedow

01-30-2008, 12:12 PM

Pete Abe had some interesting things to say about the Santana trade in a recent post (http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/01/30/yankees-red-sox-eyewitnesses-to-a-crime/). Seems the Yankees could have had him for Ian Kennedy, Melky Cabrera and a prospect. I guess NYY front office REALLY didn't want to pay that extension because that is more than a fair price for Santana in my opinion. The Yankees would keep the two better pitching prospects and only be forced to part with Kennedy, who some project to a high three starter that will soon be at his ceiling, a 4th OF in Cabrera and a prospect - presumably Marquez or Horne. Take the financials out of it and thats a great deal for the yanks

Knowledged_one

01-30-2008, 12:18 PM

Pettite to testify against Clemens (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/30/sports/baseball/30clemens.html?ref=sports)

This doesn't surprise me. Andy's a very religious guy and you'd think he would have a problem with lying about this. I was wondering how he would deal with this, and apparently he's just going to tell the truth.

It doesn't make Andy look good either though. He looks like he's stabbing a friend and teammate in the back. I wonder how Clemens will handle this publicly.

This makes no sense to me, how does Andy Petite look bad if he is coming clean and telling the truth. And i would say telling the truth under oath is more important then his friendship with Clemens, what kind of role model would he be if he did lie, its better to come clean rather then continue to lie in the face of facts like Clemens is doing

badorties

01-30-2008, 12:22 PM

Basedow

01-30-2008, 12:47 PM

This makes no sense to me, how does Andy Petite look bad if he is coming clean and telling the truth. And i would say telling the truth under oath is more important then his friendship with Clemens, what kind of role model would he be if he did lie, its better to come clean rather then continue to lie in the face of facts like Clemens is doing

i think the only group that Andy could rub the wrong way would be his fellow players, but even of that i am not convinced. this situation isn't exactly Andy stabbing Clemens in the back. It is likely that after their names surfaced in the Mitchell report that Andy told the truth, and Roger lied. Now Andy is going before Congress and is going to do the same thing - just tell the truth to any questions he is asked. It isn't as though he is actively and aggressively seeking to discredit Roger Clemens, he just isn't going to lie to protect him.

Knowledged_one

01-30-2008, 12:48 PM

i think the only group to which Andy could look bad would be his fellow players, but even of that i am not convinced. this situation isn't exactly Andy stabbing Clemens in the back. It is likely that after their names surfaced in the Mitchell report that Andy told the truth, and Roger lied. Now Andy is going before Congress and is going to do the same thing - just tell the truth to any questions he is asked. It isn't as though he is actively and aggressively seeking to discredit Roger Clemens, he just isn't going to lie to protect him.

Its amazing that we agree on so many of these things are you sure we arent related

Basedow

01-30-2008, 12:50 PM

Its amazing that we agree on so many of these things are you sure we arent related

great minds...

Snacks

01-30-2008, 03:08 PM

Basedow

01-30-2008, 04:37 PM

let me interrupt this circle jerk. The reason Andy looks bad is simple. You dont rat out your friends. He doesnt have to go and testify to congress. He is being asked to do it, he can say no, or nothing. So many writers agree congress has other things to worry about and have no place in baseball. This is only being done to get some asshole politicians some press. Dont give me the shit about Andy being a religious man. He did steroids, he cheated on his wife (reported years ago) and he lied about it last year when asked about steroids. He is only coming clean because he is trying to save face. I dont believe he used juice for 1 day and then felt bad and stopped. He is no more better or worse person then any of them. I love how all of you selfish assholes would rat your friend out to save yourself. Especially in this case when there is no reason other then to brush off what he did and get someone else in trouble.

wow dude, what a fucking overreaction. im fucking asshole? why? when in this thread did i rat somebody out or advocate doing so. i was analyzing the pettite clemens situation. I never once anywhere on this board or any place else on earth have ever expressed that andy pettites religion had any impact on his actions. i said he told the truth (whole or not) when he was called out in the mitchell report and that HE SHOULDNT LIE TO THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS either. Roger clemens and andy aren't the friends the media made them out to be. so i should believe that you would lie to congress to protect a co worker? you wouldnt - stop it. And its a HUGE stretch to accuse us of being rats because we think Andy P should tell the truth about his steroids incidents and conversations related to steroids to congress. makes no sense. like you fucking know me personally or know the regard in which my freinds and relatives hold me for standing by them in a crisis. gimmie a break.

I totally agree with you that congress has more important shit to worry about, but this is happening whether you agree with it or not. I totally agree with you that the religion thing has little impact on his actions and never said otherwise ever. I agree with you that he COULD be no better or worse thanBrian Roberts/ R Clemens.also you know about as much as the rest of us when it comes to how many times andy used steroids - nothing. id have to agree that he likely did it more than once but we may never know that.

HBox

01-30-2008, 04:51 PM

Bulldogcakes

01-30-2008, 04:52 PM

The reason Andy looks bad is simple. You dont rat out your friends. He doesnt have to go and testify to congress. He is being asked to do it, he can say no, or nothing.

Especially in this case when there is no reason other then to brush off what he did and get someone else in trouble.

I agree with those two statements. He can simply say "no comment" when asked about Clemens. If they push him on it, he can plead the 5th for that line of questioning and ask them to proceed to the next set of questions. If he did that, everyone would understand why he's doing it and he would gain respect among his peers. Instead, by going this far, he'll lost the respect of many around baseball.

He doesn't HAVE to say anything about Clemens. Its a stab in the back to a long time friend.

Bulldogcakes

01-30-2008, 04:57 PM

1. No, he has to talk to Congress. If he didn't accept their "invitation" he would have been subpeonaed like Knoblauch, And its kind of hard to go on the lamb if you have a family. Although maybe in your world not being a "rat" is more important than family.

2. Pettitte assumes no responsibility for this happening in the first place. If Congress wants to waste their time with this Pettitte can't do anything about that.

3. I'm not sure if you are familiar with perjury and it legal consequences.

4. Because Clemens decided to lie that means Pettitte is obligated? Fuck no. Stop taking your stop snitchin tapes so seriously, Carmelo Anthony don't know shit.

He doesn't have to committ perjury. He can simply say "no comment" or "I'm here to answer questions about myself". Again, if they push him on it he can plead the 5th and everyone will understand why he's doing it and I think few will have any problem with it.

If anything, the Congressmen run the risk of looking absurd making Baseball players plead the 5th while we have a 9 trillion $ national debt and a war going on overseas. I suspect they'd back off before going that far.

TheGameHHH

01-30-2008, 05:08 PM

He doesn't have to committ perjury. He can simply say "no comment" or "I'm here to answer questions about myself". Again, if they push him on it he can plead the 5th and everyone will understand why he's doing it and I think few will have any problem with it.

If anything, the Congressmen run the risk of looking absurd making Baseball players plead the 5th while we have a 9 trillion $ national debt and a war going on overseas. I suspect they'd back off before going that far.

so pretty much youre saying he goes the McGuire route and says, "im not here to talk about this past" over and over again? i dont think answering the call of Congress means youve lost respect all over baseball.

Bulldogcakes

01-30-2008, 05:14 PM

so pretty much youre saying he goes the McGuire route and says, "im not here to talk about this past" over and over again? i dont think answering the call of Congress means youve lost respect all over baseball.

Not exactly. McGwire refused to answer questions about HIMSELF. He was trying to save his own ass, and he lost the respect of most observers in the process. Andy can fully answer whatever they want to ask him about himself, and then say "no comment" when they ask about anyone else. And I think most people would respect that. With the path he's chosen, he'll lost the respect of many of his peers.

What makes it worse is he really doesn't have to say anything. He's volunteering this info.

TheGameHHH

01-30-2008, 05:21 PM

Not exactly. McGwire refused to answer questions about HIMSELF. He was trying to save his own ass, and he lost the respect of most observers in the process. Andy can fully answer whatever they want to ask him about himself, and then say "no comment" when they ask about anyone else. And I think most people would respect that. With the path he's chosen, he'll lost the respect of many of his peers.

What makes it worse is he really doesn't have to say anything. He's volunteering this info.

ok i need something cleared up.....was Pettitte asked to go before Congress or not? its my understanding he's going because he was asked by Congress, not because he just feels like paying a visit to Washington. He's volunteering information because Congress is asking him to tell them stuff. If the United States Congress wanted to know things about my past, I would choose to tell them as well. I don't see where this whole loss of respect angle plays in.

Bulldogcakes

01-30-2008, 05:39 PM

ok i need something cleared up.....was Pettitte asked to go before Congress or not? its my understanding he's going because he was asked by Congress, not because he just feels like paying a visit to Washington. He's volunteering information because Congress is asking him to tell them stuff. If the United States Congress wanted to know things about my past, I would choose to tell them as well. I don't see where this whole loss of respect angle plays in.

Yeah, he was asked. That doesn't mean you have to say anything. He has a 5th ammendment right to say nothing if he chooses.

He could offer to cooperate partially. He can do some public good exposing how steroids are distributed and how prevelent they are. But talking about Roger serves none of those purposes. Its just stabbing him in the back. It only damages Clemens image and HOF candidacy, he won't be prosecuted for any of the current allegations.

I think it makes Pettite look bad as well. It would be more understandable if he was in MacNamee's shoes. Desperate and facing prison. But he's not. He may have good intentions but within the fraternity of baseball players he will be viewed by many as a backstabber. Especially doing this to a long time friend.

TheMojoPin

01-30-2008, 05:42 PM

I think Clemens shoving needles in his bulbous ass makes him look pretty bad.

Snacks

01-30-2008, 05:44 PM

I agree with those two statements. He can simply say "no comment" when asked about Clemens. If they push him on it, he can plead the 5th for that line of questioning and ask them to proceed to the next set of questions. If he did that, everyone would understand why he's doing it and he would gain respect among his peers. Instead, by going this far, he'll lost the respect of many around baseball.

He doesn't HAVE to say anything about Clemens. Its a stab in the back to a long time friend.

Wow we finally agree on something!!!

As for the other posts. I never said he should lie to congress. I said he shouldnt go and if he does go he should not talk about anyone else but himself. At the end of the day why should he. Congress should worry about the president and all the shit he lied about and has done rather then go after guys and then try to put them in jail just to get their name in the paper.

Yes, ratting is one of the worst things you could do to a family member or a friend, at least to my friends and family. I love how NOW it comes out that they werent as close as previously reported. Please! some of you people will believe everything and anything. You dont have to say anything in this country. These players that did steroids arent hurting anyone but themselves.

The only reason this became such a big issue is the non athletic sports writers who watched their childhood heroes records fall made these guys want to know why. Everyone knew that players were doing juice. No one cared because its a none issue. But the jerkoffs like Bob Costas stand on their moral mountains shouting how bonds and the rest cheated their heroes. Bob Costas is an egotistical asshole and should have played A sport. Id rather here people who played a sport and played well then some nerd who only knows by reading a sports card.

TheMojoPin

01-30-2008, 05:46 PM

Can you say "no comment" the next time you randomly decide to call people here a bunch of assholes for no reason?

Bulldogcakes

01-30-2008, 05:51 PM

I think Clemens shoving needles in his bulbous ass makes him look pretty bad.

I never noticed his ass, but I'll take your word on it.

TheMojoPin

01-30-2008, 05:53 PM

I never noticed his ass, but I'll take your word on it.

Take your eyes off of the groin for two seconds.

Bulldogcakes

01-30-2008, 06:09 PM

Buster Onley said on the 6 PM sportscenter that the Twins had called at the last minute and asked for Hughes and Kennedy, were turned down and then asked for Wang and Kennedy and were turned down again. Madden had something similar in todays post.

If this is true, I suspect that Smith didn't want to deal Santana in the AL. Both the Yanks and RedSox packages were far better than the Mets deal, yet he consistently kept asking both teams to increase the offers. At first I thought he didn't like the Yankee prospects, but Kennedy won MILB pitcher of the year, Hughes was Baseball America's #1 guy last year, Horne was Eastern league pitcher of the year. I doubt he's that much of an iconoclast to not think any of those pitchers are any good. It seems like he wanted to be blown away by the AL teams in order to deal with them, or just wanted them to bid up the Met price.

If that's the case, he's putting his own image above the good of the franchise. Unless he was ordered to deal him to the NL by Polad, which is also possible.

Basedow

01-30-2008, 06:49 PM

Buster Onley said on the 6 PM sportscenter that the Twins had called at the last minute and asked for Hughes and Kennedy, were turned down and then asked for Wang and Kennedy and were turned down again. Madden had something similar in todays post.

Pete Abe actually had a post in his blog saying that the yankees rebuffed the twins at the last minute when they asked for kennedy, melky and another prospects(presumed to be horne or marquez.)

Snacks

01-30-2008, 06:53 PM

Can you say "no comment" the next time you randomly decide to call people here a bunch of assholes for no reason?

No Comment

Knowledged_one

01-31-2008, 04:44 AM

Good Christ what color is the sky in Yankee world where a guy telling the truth is an asshole and a rat but the one who lies is the good guy in the situation?

Kevin

01-31-2008, 09:19 AM

Good Christ what color is the sky in Yankee world where a guy telling the truth is an asshole and a rat but the one who lies is the good guy in the situation?

To be fair KO.. (And i think it is stupid) It is not just in Yankee land where things are thought of that way.. People generally love the bad guy and hate the rat.. There are incredibly gullible and stu[id people in the world... I do not know if you watch the Wire.. But you see how Clay Davis gets all that support from people he fucked? People are just stupid. Rating has never been condoned.. Stupid, but the case since the world can remember..

Kevin

01-31-2008, 09:22 AM

Pete Abe actually had a post in his blog saying that the yankees rebuffed the twins at the last minute when they asked for kennedy, melky and another prospects(presumed to be horne or marquez.)

Sounds more right than then saying they still asked for Hughes and Kennedy or Wang and Kennedy after only having that Mets garbage offer to fall back on.. That would have been utter insanity. And the Yanks should have said no.. Kennedy and Horne or Marquez alone makes the deal better than that Met offer, let alone both.

Knowledged_one

01-31-2008, 09:23 AM

To be fair KO.. (And i think it is stupid) It is not just in Yankee land where things are thought of that way.. People generally love the bad guy and hate the rat.. There are incredibly gullible and stu[id people in the world... I do not know if you watch the Wire.. But you see how Clay Davis gets all that support from people he fucked? People are just stupid. Rating has never been condoned.. Stupid, but the case since the world can remember..

Shiiiiiiiiittttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt tttttt if i had known i was gonna do a perp walk i wouldnt have stolen the money from campaigns

I hear ya i guess it was being called an asshole because i thought that Andy Petitte shouldnt lie to congress and tell the truth as opposed to Clemens and his ongoing Mark McGwire type lie. And if Petite were to go the plead the 5th im only hear to talk about me route then he could have kissed the HOF goodbye just like McGwire has. And im not saying that his goal should be to get in the HOF by any means just that he would put the nails in his own coffin if he did

Kevin

01-31-2008, 09:30 AM

Shiiiiiiiiittttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt tttttt if i had known i was gonna do a perp walk i wouldnt have stolen the money from campaigns

I hear ya i guess it was being called an asshole because i thought that Andy Petitte shouldnt lie to congress and tell the truth as opposed to Clemens and his ongoing Mark McGwire type lie. And if Petite were to go the plead the 5th im only hear to talk about me route then he could have kissed the HOF goodbye just like McGwire has. And im not saying that his goal should be to get in the HOF by any means just that he would put the nails in his own coffin if he did

Yea, you are absolutely right on it.. But like i said.. You can go as far as the Nuremberg trails and see that in Germany the guys who rated out the Nazis were treated like shit, because they rated, and the Nazi's were treated great, even when there was every fact in the world that proved them guilty beyond a doubt. That is how this stupid crazy world is.

And btw i did Mark out on the shiiiiiiiit.

Knowledged_one

01-31-2008, 09:40 AM

And btw i did Mark out on the shiiiiiiiit.

I was whistling the farmer and the dell as i read your post

Basedow

01-31-2008, 10:00 AM

Kevin

01-31-2008, 10:02 AM

Baseball Prospectus published its list of the top 100 prospects (https://baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=7092) today.

Yanks have 5 in the top 100, 4 of which are in the top 50:
4. Joba
34. IPK
47. A Jax
48. Tabata
67. Horne

In the top 25 there are :

5 Tampa Bay Rays
3 Cincinnati reds
2 Dodgers
2 Red Sox

If they are not going to consider Hughes a prospect, then they can't consider Joba one either.. He has spent too much time in the majors.. Almost the same as Hughes.

And the only reason i can possibly see Bucholtz ahead of Joba, is his no hitter. Otherwise i think people think more highly o Joba. Joba is rated #1 in many lists. But like i said.. If you do not list Hughes, you cant him.

BoondockSaint

01-31-2008, 10:05 AM

If they are not going to consider Hughes a prospect, then they can't consider Joba one either.. He has spent too much time in the majors.. Almost the same as Hughes.

I think it's based on service time and Hughes' time on the DL counts towards that.

Basedow

01-31-2008, 10:05 AM

If they are not going to consider Hughes a prospect, then they can't consider Joba one either.. He has spent too much time in the majors.. Almost the same as Hughes.

Chamberlain still qualifies because he only threw 24 major league innings. Hughes threw 74. the cut off to qualify as a prospect is 70. there you go.

Kevin

01-31-2008, 10:07 AM

I think it's based on service time and Hughes' time on the DL counts towards that.

Prob right on that..

Kevin

01-31-2008, 10:08 AM

Chamberlain still qualifies because he only threw 24 major league innings. Hughes threw 74. the cut off to qualify as a prospect is 70. there you go.

I hear ya.. But i am saying.. You really can't say he is a prospect anymore..

Basedow

01-31-2008, 10:10 AM

Prob right on that..

not based on service time, based on major league innings pitched. cannot exceed 70 IP and be considered a prospect. Hughes started 13 games racking up 74 IP. Chamberlain had 24 IP.

Kevin

01-31-2008, 10:13 AM

not based on service time, based on major league innings pitched. cannot exceed 70 IP and be considered a prospect. Hughes started 13 games racking up 74 IP. Chamberlain had 24 IP.

They should have sept guidlines for RP and SP..

BoondockSaint

01-31-2008, 10:17 AM

They should have sept guidlines for RP and SP..

Face it Kevin! Joba is nothing but a prospect! A lowly prospect! He's going to have to carry Mariano's bags again!

Kevin

01-31-2008, 10:19 AM

Face it Kevin! Joba is nothing but a prospect! A lowly prospect! He's going to have to carry Mariano's bags again!

Bags full of money, thanks to the Yanks.

BoondockSaint

01-31-2008, 10:25 AM

Bags full of money, thanks to the Yanks.

Big Bank Hank.

Kevin

01-31-2008, 10:34 AM

Knowledged_one

01-31-2008, 10:38 AM

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d50/jcoleman76/Knowledged_onesig.png

Wow am i retarded... Nice head..

Dont worry im gonna send Bird and Stinkums' over to take care of you

Basedow

01-31-2008, 11:30 AM

Keith Law at the world wide leader posted his top 100 prospects (http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/insider/columns/story?columnist=law_keith&id=3222287&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fmlb %2finsider%2fcolumns%2fstory%3fcolumnist%3dlaw_kei th%26id%3d3222287) today too, and there is some significant variation from the Baseball Prospectus List. (https://baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=7092)

BoondockSaint

01-31-2008, 12:45 PM

Yankees sign Morgan Ensberg. (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3224591) I guess you can't have enough first basemen.

Bulldogcakes

01-31-2008, 03:52 PM

Yankees sign Morgan Ensberg. (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3224591) I guess you can't have enough first basemen.

Page 82 (http://www.ronfez.net/forums/showthread.php?t=63921&page=82)

Morgan Ensberg: Career 116 OPS+, draws BBs, and sees lots of pitches; averaging 3.92 per plate appearance over his career. That #P/PA rate is better than the career rates of Johnny Damon, Jorge Posada, and Derek Jeter. Ensberg had a poor 2007 season, but could be a great addition for the bench. Buy low.

Wow, that is an interesting one. As a career 3B who's played a little 1B you could use him if Duncan flops. His numbers (http://www.baseball-reference.com/pi/bsplit.cgi?n1=ensbemo01) are good vs lefties, which is a perfect fit for the Yanks.

I'm so smart. Glad to see Cash is reading my posts.

Kevin

01-31-2008, 03:54 PM

Yankees sign Morgan Ensberg. (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3224591) I guess you can't have enough first basemen.

Fucking Cashman.. Always going after Jews..

ralphbxny

01-31-2008, 05:33 PM

Fucking Cashman.. Always going after Jews..

:lol:

Bulldogcakes

01-31-2008, 05:45 PM

Keith Law's Top 100 prospects (http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/insider/columns/story?columnist=law_keith&id=3222112&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fmlb %2finsider%2fcolumns%2fstory%3fcolumnist%3dlaw_kei th%26id%3d3222112)

#45
Ian Kennedy
RHP
New York Yankees
TOP '07 LEVEL: Majors
23
Kennedy's stuff alone would put him in the lower reaches of this list. He is here because he has superb command of average or fringe-average stuff, so superb that he is going to succeed in the majors where many guys with superior stuff will fail. He works with a fringe-average fastball that touches 90 mph on occasion but mostly falls in the 87-88 mph range, and he commands it to all four edges of the zone. His best secondary pitch is his changeup, slightly above average with some tailing action, but it works extremely well because he keeps his arm speed consistent. His curve is solidly average as well. Kennedy repeats his delivery as well as any prospect on this list, commands all of his pitches and has a great feel for pitching. With plus stuff, he would be in the top 10 overall, but with his stuff, he will have to settle for an upside as a borderline No. 3 starter or a great No. 4 starter.

Thats a better explanation than I've been able to come up with on why I like Kennedy so much. He has average stuff, but great control and a great feel for pitching. I'd add he knows who he is, and doesn't try to do things he's not capable of. He'll walk a guy rather than challenge him to a battle he'll likely lose. So add maturity to the list, or as some say he's the "most polished" of the big 3. People compare him to Mussina because of his delivery, but he reminds me much more of Jimmy Key (one of my all time faves) in terms of stuff, style and demeanor. If he can add some wrinkles to his changeup like Key (who threw 4 different variations) did, he could be even better than currently projected.

On days he's doesn't have it, he'll get clobbered. But guys with plus command/plus control tend to be pretty consistent. We already saw him gut out his first few starts where he was clearly nervous in the first few innings and yet still gave up no runs. I also think his maturity will serve him well in the post season. The guys who tend to do poorly in October are usually ones who try to do too much. I can't see him doing that.

Bulldogcakes

01-31-2008, 05:49 PM

For HHH, from the same article

24
Austin Jackson
CF
New York Yankees
TOP '07 LEVEL: A (Tampa)
21
Jackson is my favorite kind of hitting prospect -- the athlete with a clue. Jackson was a top basketball prospect in high school, but the Yankees flexed their financial muscles and gave him first-round money in the eighth round, a move that looks brilliant in hindsight because of how advanced Jackson is for a multi-sport prospect. Jackson has good speed, a solid-average arm in center and good instincts on fly balls, but still has some work to do at the plate. His setup is excellent and his path to the ball is short, but he needs to continue working on keeping his weight back to get more power from the contact he makes, and he's too eager to chase the ball up. He's a potential middle-of-the-order bat because of his power and improving plate discipline.

TheGameHHH

01-31-2008, 06:59 PM

That's my boy!!!!! Austin Jackson fan since day 1!

Doctor Z

02-01-2008, 10:48 AM

Oh, another 1st baseman...

OH GOOD, THANK GOD.

Bulldogcakes

02-06-2008, 04:05 PM

Tino returns to Yanks as special instructor (http://riveraveblues.com/2008/02/06/ti-no-ti-no-2101/)

Everyone’s favorite late-1990s first baseman is back with the Yankees. Tino Martinez has joined the Yanks as a special instructor. His first task, it seems, will be to get Shelley Duncan used to the idea of playing first base. Tino will be assisting the team throughout the year.

Bulldogcakes

02-07-2008, 02:47 PM

Sheppard, health in doubt, may not return (http://riveraveblues.com/2008/02/07/sheppard-health-in-doubt-may-not-return-2104/)
By: Ben K.
Despite a report in January that promised good health, Bob Sheppard, according to Richard Sandomir of The Times, may not resume his duties at Yankee Stadium in the spring. According to the Yanks’ PR guy Howard Rubenstein, Sheppard is “struggling to recover his health” following his bout with a bronchial infection in September. It will be a sad day in Yankeeland when Sheppard, believed to be 97, must step down or worse. Our thoughts are, of course, with the family.

He will never be replaced. A fixture at the ballpark since 1951. Check this out, from his wiki page

The first Yankee lineup Sheppard announced contained 5 future Hall of Famers: Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Johnny Mize, Yogi Berra, and Phil Rizzuto.

Would have been nice to have him do the final year at the stadium.

TheGameHHH

02-07-2008, 04:31 PM

Bulldogcakes

02-07-2008, 04:31 PM

Updated 2009 Free agent list (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2007/12/2009-mlb-free-a.html)

Between Giambi, Abreu, Mussina, Farnsworth and Pettite the Yanks will have around 72 mil coming off the books, so figure they'll be in the market for a 1B and a starter. Maybe also a short term RF/CF if Ajax isn't ready yet.

Snoogans

02-07-2008, 04:33 PM

Bulldogcakes

02-07-2008, 04:38 PM

I'm amazed he's made it this long, the man literally looks like a walking skeleton. I love him for everything he has contributed to the Yankees and their organization and if he's gone for good he will truly be missed. However with that said, the man is almost 100 fucking years old. It's probably time for him to "hang em up" so to speak.

Also, Abraham got some nice pictures of the new stadium today its really starting to take shape. It's still tough for me to get excited about steel and concrete but I love the way the outside is looking. I love how it's modeled after the original stadium.

Yeah, I'm starting to come around on it. Looks like an updated version of the old stadium meets the Roman Collesium. White granite facade beats the shit out of the current cement one. I didn't like the artists renderings, but often they don't do it justice. They also said its going to be around 60+% BIGGER (stadium, not field dimensions) than the current stadium, with a monster video screen. Tons of amenities. Sounds great.

TheGameHHH

02-08-2008, 01:41 PM

Ok, here's two quotes from Abraham today that somewhat shocked me:

First, "Cashman said that Wang, Andy Pettitte and Mike Mussina are in the rotation." Why is Moose promised a spot in the rotation? Maybe kennedy is the better option for this season, why is this an already pre-determined issue?

Second, "Carl Pavano showed up in Tampa today and played catch." That's just too funny to even talk about. How that man has the balls to show up there is beyond me. If I were him I'd cease any contact with the Yankees whatsoever.

Doctor Z

02-08-2008, 08:05 PM

Wait, I thought after last year, Pavano's contract was done... I thought he was out, forever.

TheGameHHH

02-08-2008, 08:09 PM

Wait, I thought after last year, Pavano's contract was done... I thought he was out, forever.

no, he has a year left of doing nothing except recovering from tommy john

Doctor Z

02-09-2008, 08:25 AM

no, he has a year left of doing nothing except recovering from tommy john

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e393/djbjkxua/caddyshack.jpg

Kevin

02-09-2008, 08:46 AM

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e393/djbjkxua/caddyshack.jpg

I am hearing th Yanks are going to pick up his 10mil option next year too.

A.J.

02-09-2008, 09:49 AM

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e393/djbjkxua/caddyshack.jpg

Judge Smails is probably more durable than Pavano.

Bulldogcakes

02-10-2008, 10:34 AM

From PA's blog

Wednesday: Joe Girardi meets with the media in Tampa.

Thursday: Pitchers and catchers report.

Friday: First workout.

Feb. 19: Position players report.

Feb. 20: First full-squad workout.

Feb. 29: Yankees vs. South Florida at Legends Field

March 1: Yankees vs. Phillies at Clearwater

I'm looking forward to this year more than any other in recent memory. Can't wait to watch the kids develop into what we all hope will be another championship run.

The thing I'll be watching most closely is the bullpen. It sounds like Cashman wants Joba to start the year in the bullpen and then be shifted to starter around mid season. His innings ceiling is the lowest of the big 3, so it makes sense. Its splitting the baby between those that want him to start and those that want him in the pen. Though this tells you the Yanks think of his as a starter long term. So for spring training and the first 3 months of the season, they'll be looking for his eventual replacement. Even if a solid candidate doesn't emerge, they have Humberto Sanchez and Mark Melancon in camp coming off TJ surgery and figure they'll be 100% by mid season. Scouts think both have closer potential.

Bulldogcakes

02-10-2008, 10:55 AM

Here's PA's big questions for this season (http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/02/10/it-wont-be-too-long-now/)

Here are the major topics for the Yankees:

1. Joe Girardi replacing Joe Torre.
2. The return of prodigal son Alex Rodriguez.
3. How best to use Joba Chamberlain.
4. Phil Hughes trying to validate the faith shown in him.
5. Ditto Melky Cabrera.
6. Is Mike Mussina finished as he enters the final year of his contract?
7. Ditto Jason Giambi.
8. Can Jorge Posada repeat his walk-year production?
9. Is Mariano still Mariano?
10. Who’s at first base?
11. Who’s pitching the eighth inning?
12. Who’s pitching the seventh inning for that matter?
13. Can Brian Cashman live in harmony with the Steinbrenner Brothers?
14. Is Hideki Matsui healthy?
15. Can Bobby Abreu hit lefties?
16. Beyond the Big Three, who do the Yankees have coming up?
17. Will Robbie Cano let his new deal go to his head?
18. Can Chien-Ming Wang recover from the ALDS disaster?
19. Can Kei Igawa pitch?
20. Is Derek Jeter still Derek Jeter?

1. Love it.
2. Can't expect a monster year like 07, but anything even close will be great.
3. Pen till mid-July, 2 weeks to stretch out his arm and then starts in August/Sept.
4. Only the media worries about these things
5. What I just said
6. Yes, and Joba will take his spot in the rotation in August
7. He'll get on base enough to live with it. Or end up on the DL and we can forget about him
8. Probably not. Hitting isn't going to be a big issue. Pitching will. Plus I love Molina as his backup.
9. He's been slipping for the past few years, I'll be happy if he repeats last year. If not, time to dust off the changeup.
10. Duncan/Giambi platoon
11. Joba
12. Open auditions. Although Farnsworth will get first crack at it.
13. Yes. If he can get along with George, he can get along with George lite and the bookkeeper. I suspect him and Hal are closer than peopel realize. They were on Johan.
14. Who knows, and I have no idea when or where he'll play. Damon's starting in LF.
15. Yes. I expect a good season in his walk year.
16. Sanchez, Melancon, Horne, Marquez, and Brett Gardner as 4th OF/pinch runner for Giambi. Plus about 12 other relievers.
17. He plays lazy, but everyone says he's a hard worker. Its just his style.
18. Yes. That was more Torre's fault than his. He wins 20 if healthy.
19. Are you serious?
20. I certainly hope so.

Bulldogcakes

02-11-2008, 04:27 PM

Pettitte Asks to Be Excused From Hearing (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/12/sports/baseball/12clemens.html?ex=1360472400&en=eb6cecb5846e044e&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink)

WASHINGTON — The chairman of the House Oversight Committee is supporting Andy Pettitte’s request not to have to testify publicly against his former teammate Roger Clemens at a public hearing on Wednesday, a congressional staff person said Monday.

The chairman, Democrat Henry A. Waxman of California, wants to take Pettitte off the witness list but he is consulting with Republican members of the panel first, said the person, who asked to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

Two other people familiar with the case said it is also possible that Clemens and his accuser, the former trainer Brian McNamee, may be the only witnesses who will ultimately testify on Wednesday.

This is significant because it means he doesn't want to lie, and he doesn't want to implicate Clemens. If he is forced to testify, he's in a very tough spot. Stay tuned.

Bulldogcakes

02-11-2008, 04:29 PM

Cashman confirms, Joba's starting year in pen (http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080211/SPORTS01/802110371/-1/SPORTS&referrer=NEWSFRONTCAROUSEL)

“We’ll prepare him as a starter, get through spring training and then determine where he starts,” Cashman said. “He has an innings limit and won’t go start to finish as a starter. That won’t be allowed.
“It wouldn’t be safe, that’s our belief. You have to put the brakes on and make sure he stays healthy.”

Bulldogcakes

02-12-2008, 05:03 PM

Hardball Times (http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-vintage-baby-pictures-quiz-volume-3/)

Would you believe that both of these prospects became Cy Young Award winners?

Pitcher No. 7

Year Age League Class G IP W L H HR BB SO ERA WHIP
1979 20 Mdw. A 15 43 4 0 33 2 17 33 2.09 1.16
1980 21 Texas AA 49 109 5 9 120 7 59 75 3.55 1.64
1981 22 Texas AA 42 102 7 6 94 12 50 95 4.68 1.41
1982 23 P.C.L. AAA 47 124 9 6 121 10 63 93 3.71 1.48
1983 24 P.C.L. AAA 49 134 10 8 132 16 58 95 4.09 1.42

Pitcher No. 8

Year Age League Class G IP W L H HR BB SO ERA WHIP
1981 18 G.C.L. Rookie 14 67 6 4 52 0 33 45 2.55 1.27
1982 19 Sally A 16 105 9 2 84 4 47 87 2.06 1.25
1982 19 Fla. St A 10 72 7 1 56 1 25 57 2.12 1.13
1983 20 (On disabled list)
1984 21 South. AA 29 179 8 12 162 9 114 110 4.28 1.54
1985 22 A.A. AAA 28 159 9 15 157 13 93 115 4.65 1.57
1986 23 A.A. AAA 39 71 8 4 60 3 25 63 2.79 1.20
1987 24 I.L. AAA 3 11 0 1 10 1 6 7 5.73 1.45

Pitcher No. 7: Orel Hershiser

Pitcher No. 8: David Cone

Well, pitching performance is of course the least predictable outcome this side of a roulette wheel. But even acknowledging that, these two were exceptional long-shot payoffs.

With Cone, at least, one could see the latent outstanding talent in his superb teenaged low-minors performances. But then he'd gotten seriously hurt, and his post-injury stats were completely pedestrian. His rate stats got a boost with the demotion to the bullpen in 1986, but a 23-year-old putting up nice-but-unspectacular numbers as a Triple-A long reliever isn't exactly cause for excitement. The truth is that nobody saw Cone's subsequent tremendous blossoming coming, least of all the Royals, who blithely packed him off in a swap of seeming nobodies at the end of spring training in 1987.

And with Hershiser there wasn't even the glint of what-might-be. Not only was he a year or two older than most of his competition at each rung of the ladder, he put up nothing more than blandly so-so numbers across four full seasons. A guy being deployed as a long reliever/spot starter in that circumstance, and putting up those kind of forgettable results, is obviously and properly slotted as roster filler by his organization. His major league upside is back-of-the-bullpen marginal. Hershiser's sudden development into a brilliant pitcher at the major league level was an astonishing turn of events.

Since the Yanks have so many young pitchers on the roster and in the works, I thought I'd post this here. Its just something to consider when you hear player X has a ceiling of being a #4 or 5 starter. Scouts are right more often than not, but of course nobody really knows what any player's true ceiling or floor is. That's why I like the fact the Yanks have so many of them. You figure a few will surprise you on the upside, while many others will disappoint. You only need a few to have a great staff, especially in the playoffs.

Bulldogcakes

02-12-2008, 05:16 PM

Here's another good one

Year Team Lg Age Org Level W L ERA G GS CG SH GF SV IP H R ER HR BB SO WP BK H9 HR9 BB9 K9 WHIP GB%

2000 Staten Isl NYPL 20 Nyy A- 4 4 2.48 14 14 2 1 0 0 87.0 77 34 24 2 21 75 7 1 7.97 0.21 2.17 7.76 1.13 --
2002 Staten Isl NYPL 22 Nyy A- 6 1 1.72 13 13 0 0 0 0 78.1 63 23 15 2 14 64 1 2 7.24 0.23 1.61 7.35 0.98 --
2003 GCL Yanks GCL 23 Nyy Rk 0 0 0.00 1 1 0 0 0 0 3.0 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 6.00 0.00 0.00 6.00 0.67 --
Trenton East 23 Nyy AA 7 6 4.65 21 21 2 1 0 0 122.0 143 71 63 7 32 84 3 10.55 0.52 2.36 6.20 1.43 --
2004 Trenton East 24 Nyy AA 6 5 4.05 18 18 0 0 0 0 109.0 112 53 49 6 26 90 2 9.25 0.50 2.15 7.43 1.27 --
Columbus IL 24 Nyy AAA 5 1 2.01 6 5 2 1 1 0 40.1 31 9 9 3 8 35 0 6.92 0.67 1.79 7.81 0.97 --
2005 Columbus IL 25 Nyy AAA 2 1 4.24 6 6 0 0 0 34.0 40 16 16 4 6 21 1 0 10.59 1.06 1.59 5.56 1.35 --

That choppy, up and down minor league record belongs to Mr Chien Ming Wang.

Bulldogcakes

02-13-2008, 03:39 PM

Bulldogcakes

02-13-2008, 04:26 PM

Jack Curry NYTimes (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/12/sports/baseball/12yankees.html?ex=1360558800&en=ee7c42dbb321ce81&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink)

When Girardi managed the Florida Marlins in 2006, they became the first team to have four rookies with at least 10 victories in the same season. Aníbal Sánchez threw a no-hitter and won 10 games, Josh Johnson and Scott Olsen won a dozen games apiece, and Ricky Nolasco won 11. They were all 23 or younger, just like Hughes, Kennedy and Chamberlain.

But a year later, Sánchez had surgery for a torn labrum, Johnson had elbow surgery, Nolasco missed most of the season with an elbow injury, and Olsen’s earned run average increased by nearly two runs a game. Girardi, who had a turbulent relationship with the Marlins’ management and was dismissed after the 2006 season, has heard the belated criticism about how he handled the pitchers. He called it unwarranted.

Since it is Girardi’s job to protect and guide the Yankees’ elite young pitchers, his experience with the youthful staff in Florida is noteworthy. Did he overuse the Marlins’ pitchers and contribute to three serious injuries? Or were the injuries coincidental?

Girardi insisted that he was diligent about protecting the pitchers, estimating that there were “about 14 or 15 games” in which they threw 110 or more pitches. He excluded Dontrelle Willis from this analysis because he said Willis, a former 22-game winner, was in his fourth season and was more durable.

“I would tell anyone to check what we did with them,” Girardi said.

A review of pitch counts showed that Girardi’s recollection of how often Sánchez, Johnson, Olsen and Nolasco reached 110 or more pitches was accurate. The four did it 13 times. They combined to go to 100 or more in 40 starts. None of them started a game on short rest, although Johnson was once used after an 82-minute rain delay.

When Jeffrey Loria, the Marlins’ owner, was reached by telephone Monday, he declined to comment on Girardi.

“I don’t think any of those pitchers would tell you they were overworked,” said Mike Harkey, the Yankees’ bullpen coach, who was the Marlins’ bullpen coach in 2006. “If anything, they weren’t used as much as they could have been.”

I got into it with someone(?) about Girardi being at fault for the Marlin young pitchers getting hurt. Jack Curry has looked into it, and found no evidence that he overused anyone. The only thing that is noteable is bringing Johnson back from an 82 minute rain delay, which isn't anything radical.

Its important to note that Girardi left the Marlins on bad terms, and openly fought with the (absolutely impossible) owner Loria. So I always considered the pitching accusation to just be a smear on the way out, and a weak justification for firing the 2005 Manager of the Year. Which made the Marlin brass look like fools.

TheMojoPin

02-13-2008, 05:02 PM

I got into it with someone(?) about Girardi being at fault for the Marlin young pitchers getting hurt. Jack Curry has looked into it, and found no evidence that he overused anyone.

I'd argue that the evidence you bolded points to the exact opposite. Those are very high pitch counts for pitchers that young, and it's difficult to gauge the effects of that season at this point. By and large, however, those counts are really pushing it or worse with pitchers that young.

The only thing that is noteable is bringing Johnson back from an 82 minute rain delay, which isn't anything radical.

Are you kidding me? He was rightly crucified by and large for that because it's flat out dumb almost every single time it's done.

TheGameHHH

02-13-2008, 05:13 PM

Pettitte excused from spring training until Monday (http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/02/13/breaking-news-pettitte-excused-until-monday/)

I just hope he doesn't have second thoughts about playing this year.

can he even do that if he signed a contract? although id argue he is probably going to under-perform this year because of the mental toll this whole steroid saga is taking on him.

Bulldogcakes

02-13-2008, 05:30 PM

I'd argue that the evidence you bolded points to the exact opposite. Those are very high pitch counts for pitchers that young, and it's difficult to gauge the effects of that season at this point. By and large, however, those counts are really pushing it or worse with pitchers that young.

Ahhhh so it must have been you. Couldn't remember.

High? Those are well within the accepted norms. If there was evidence of him leaving guys in for 120-130 pitches, that would be a legit criticism. But generally keeping guys under 110 and always keeping them under 120 is generally considered conservative. Its a bogus knock on Girardi, Jack Curry agrees and he's one of the most respected writers in the area.

Are you kidding me? He was rightly crucified by and large for that because it's flat out dumb almost every single time it's done.[/

We're not talking a rain delay of hours and hours, its an hour and 22 minutes. Pitchers have to deal with layoffs, its part of pitching. If a team has a long rally and there's a few pitching changes, an inning like that can take 40 minutes. In that case you'd simply tell him to stay loose in the trainers room and throw a few extra warmup pitches. Nobody would say a word if he went on to get hurt. That's just scapegoating him for an injury that would have happened anyway. The reality is many young pitchers get hurt, no matter how gingerly you handle them. Its a copout to blame the manager unless there's specific evidence of abuse. This doesn't make the cut for me.

Bulldogcakes

02-13-2008, 05:36 PM

can he even do that if he signed a contract? although id argue he is probably going to under-perform this year because of the mental toll this whole steroid saga is taking on him.

If he doesn't want to pitch, the Yanks can't make him. If he walks away from the deal they wouldn't have to pay him. But his contract is one they'd gladly pay, especially with the rotation being so young and inexperienced. They need him badly, this would be a bigger loss than Schilling is to the Bosox.

But it's just for a few days this week, hopefully this whole thing blows over by then. He'll get asked questions when he shows up, and by next monday the Yankee PR dept will have some answers prepared for him.

TheMojoPin

02-13-2008, 05:39 PM

Ahhhh so it must have been you. Couldn't remember.

High? Those are well within the accepted norms. If there was evidence of him leaving guys in for 120-130 pitches, that would be a legit criticism. But generally keeping guys under 110 and always keeping them under 120 is generally considered conservative. Its a bogus knock on Girardi, Jack Curry agrees and he's one of the most respected writers in the area.

120-130 would be extremely bad. Repeatedly putting them out there for 100-110 pitches isn't as bad, but it's still a bad idea as many times as Girardi opted to. Jack Curry can't see into the future. Ultimately, those guys might all luck out and be fine, but by and large it's considered a bad idea to ride pitchers that young that many times over 100 pitches. Some people might not like it, but that's the game.

We're not talking a rain delay of hours and hours, its an hour and 22 minutes. Pitchers have to deal with layoffs, its part of pitching. If a team has a long rally and there's a few pitching changes, an inning like that can take 40 minutes. In that case you'd simply tell him to stay loose in the trainers room and throw a few extra warmup pitches. Nobody would say a word if he went on to get hurt. That's just scapegoating him for an injury that would have happened anyway. The reality is many young pitchers get hurt, no matter how gingerly you handle them. Its a copout to blame the manager unless there's specific evidence of abuse.

40 minutes rallies are very, very rare. Putting pitchers back out after rain delays that last around an hour or more is generally considered a very, very bad idea. Talking like any kind of break for a pitcher lasting more than half an hour is a normal thing is completely bogus.

Bulldogcakes

02-13-2008, 06:05 PM

40 minutes rallies are very, very rare.

Well, maybe I'm the wrong guy to ask. The Yanks scored an MLB best runs 968 last year. I saw quite a few of them.

Snoogans

02-13-2008, 06:17 PM

We're not talking a rain delay of hours and hours, its an hour and 22 minutes. Pitchers have to deal with layoffs, its part of pitching. If a team has a long rally and there's a few pitching changes, an inning like that can take 40 minutes. In that case you'd simply tell him to stay loose in the trainers room and throw a few extra warmup pitches. Nobody would say a word if he went on to get hurt. That's just scapegoating him for an injury that would have happened anyway. The reality is many young pitchers get hurt, no matter how gingerly you handle them. Its a copout to blame the manager unless there's specific evidence of abuse. This doesn't make the cut for me.

you are insane. After a long inning of like 25 min they give pitchers a few extra throws to get loose, you cant come back after over an hour, esp on a rainy, heavy air night, and still eb as effective. Did you ever play baseball? Did you ever even throw a piece of bread and have any idea how an arm works?

Snoogans

02-13-2008, 06:18 PM

Well, maybe I'm the wrong guy to ask. The Yanks scored an MLB best runs 968 last year. I saw quite a few of them.

shut up you fuckin douche. That is the kinda statement that is why we all fuckin hate you.

first of all, you would have to either have al leiter and 5 runs or like a 10 run inning for it to take 40 minutes. YOU HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT ANYTHING RELATING TO SPORTS OR LIFE

TheMojoPin

02-13-2008, 06:22 PM

Well, maybe I'm the wrong guy to ask. The Yanks scored an MLB best runs 968 last year. I saw quite a few of them.

No, you didn't.

"I saw..." is pretty much the least accurate judge of anything in a sport as stat-heavy baseball.

HBox

02-13-2008, 09:09 PM

Kevin is gay.

That is all.

Kevin

02-13-2008, 09:24 PM

Kevin is gay.

That is all.

You must of misremembered.

HBox

02-13-2008, 09:28 PM

You must of misremembered.

Oh yeah. i was talking about your wife.

Kevin

02-13-2008, 09:32 PM

Oh yeah. i was talking about your wife.

I will have you know sir, that i am worth more than 1000 Arab baseball players!!

HBox

02-14-2008, 09:39 AM

Steinbrenner family conducts circle jerk, rest of world vomits. (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring2008/news/story?id=3245786)

DanMarino

02-14-2008, 09:40 AM

sure, get rid of legends, which stood for all the greats, mick and babe and joe and all them, and replace it with an insane douche owner

Snoogans

02-14-2008, 09:41 AM

thats a great point, Dan. I was going to say the same exact thing but forgot to log out and ended up letting you say it instead

i fuckin hate when that happens

HBox

02-14-2008, 09:42 AM

sure, get rid of legends, which stood for all the greats, mick and babe and joe and all them, and replace it with an insane douche owner

You forgot to sign out again, didn't you?

A.J.

02-14-2008, 09:42 AM

Steinbrenner family conducts circle jerk, rest of world vomits. (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring2008/news/story?id=3245786)

And Daniel Snyder gets inspired....

Snoogans

02-14-2008, 09:48 AM

You forgot to sign out again, didn't you?

yup

Bulldogcakes

02-14-2008, 06:18 PM

The Joe Giradi effect (http://riveraveblues.com/2008/02/14/the-joe-giradi-effect-2142/)

Brian Bruney has dropped significant weight. He says he lost 18 pounds and should be down 20 before the season. He wanted to get to 240 and is at 237, and looks even leaner…He also said he focused on his nutrition.

“I’m just in all-around better shape,” he said. “I’ve never really pitched in good physical shape before. I’ve always been kind of average. I knew going in that Joe [Girardi] was kind of a stickler for that, so that was one reason, but mostly I just wanted to do it for myself.”

This never happened. As we all know from listening to the FAN, the manager makes no difference. And the Torre way is the only way to manage a baseball team in NY.

The bullpen is an open competition of at least 10 guys for 2 spots plus another probable spot for Joba's replacement late in the season. Good to see Bruney growing up some and taking it more seriously.

Dan 'Hampton

02-14-2008, 06:25 PM

Plz keep Bruney he's great.

Bulldogcakes

02-14-2008, 06:35 PM

Plz keep Bruney he's great.

If you need 2 walks, then yes.

I'm just glad to see guys showing up in shape for a change. Mattingly and Kevin Long both said this off season that the that when the team left spring training last year it wasn't ready to play. Big surprise that they had a rash of injuries and got off to a slow start. Boy, I'm gonna miss Torre.

and BTW

http://multimedia.heraldinteractive.com/images/0669ea2a28_beckett_02132008.jpg

Beckett looks great.

BoondockSaint

02-14-2008, 06:38 PM

If you need 2 walks, then yes.

I'm just glad to see guys showing up in shape for a change. Mattingly and Kevin Long both said this off season that the that when the team left spring training last year it wasn't ready to play. Big surprise that they had a rash of injuries and got off to a slow start. Boy, I'm gonna miss Torre.

So it didn't have anything to do with that trainer that Cashman hired and had to fire a month into the season?

Bulldogcakes

02-14-2008, 06:58 PM

So it didn't have anything to do with that trainer that Cashman hired and had to fire a month into the season?

That was part of it. 3 pitchers (Wang/Mussina/Hughes) all getting hamstring injuries is quite a coincidence. But that had nothing to do with Damon and Abreu who both showed up with pot bellies and had different injuries. Also, the fact they hired that trainer in the first place was because the Yanks got off to bad starts in 2 of the 3 previous years. It wasn't just last year, its now 3 of the past 4. Then they had to break their tails to get into the playoffs, and in a few of those years they were clearly out of gas when they got there. Thats just bad managing by Torre. If you take care of your business early you're in a much better position.

Bulldogcakes

02-16-2008, 03:38 PM

Some spring tidbits

Meanwhile, Hughes has his locker moved. It was Mike Mussina’s idea. He wanted Hughes on one side and Ian Kennedy on the other so he'd talk to the kids all spring.

Jason Giambi lives in Las Vegas, so I asked IPK whether he had hung out with the Big G this winter.

Turns out he didn’t. But he ran into a friend of Giambi’s who informed him that Jason has been working hard since November. The Big G has dropped a lot of weight, has been hitting nearly every day and will show up next week in great shape.

In other news, the Journal News has learned that Giambi is in the final year of his contract.

Bulldogcakes

02-17-2008, 04:19 AM

Yankee brass feel duped after giving Andy Pettitte $16 million (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/02/17/2008-02-17_yankee_brass_feel_duped_after_giving_and.html)

While Pettitte might be acclaimed as "St. Andy" by the blathering bureaucrats on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform for what they feel was the forthrightness in the sworn testimony he gave them regarding his involvement with human growth hormone, I can assure you he is now regarded as something else by Yankee officials. How about disingenuous for starters? Or duplicitous?

The fact is, Hank Steinbrenner has a right to feel Pettitte duped him when on the eve of the winter meetings in Nashville, the quiet and sensitive 35-year old lefty called GM Brian Cashman to inform him he was ready to accept the Yankees' standing one-year, $16 million offer. At the time, there was elation all around, especially from Cashman, who used Pettitte's "I shall return" proclamation as the incentive for walking away from a deal for the Twins' Johan Santana - a deal he never wanted to make. With Pettitte taking up $16 million in payroll, the Yankees could no longer afford Santana, Cashman argued, and Hal Steinbrenner, Hank's partner and the primary financial expert in the business, agreed.

"Take your choice, guys," Hal reportedly told the group of Yankee higher-ups in a meeting on the Santana deal prior to Cashman's departure for the winter meetings. "Pettitte or Santana?"

I'm told that in addition to Hank, VP of scouting "Stick" Michael and team president Randy Levine, who handles all the big contracts, wanted to go ahead with the Santana deal anyway. In the end, Hank reluctantly deferred to his brother and Cashman and the baseball people. But when he did, he had no idea of the scope of Pettitte's involvement in baseball's steroids scandal. He knew Pettitte was going to be mentioned in the Mitchell Report, but he had no reason to believe it was going to be any more than in the context of using the same trainer as Roger Clemens. He didn't know Pettitte was going to admit to having taken HGH at least three times and that the last time he took it, he got it from his father, Tom, who got it from a trainer at a gym in Pasadena, Tex., near Pettitte's home in Deer Park called 1-on-1 Elite Personal Fitness.

Hank Steinbrenner didn't know that Pettitte had had conversations with Roger Clemens, his close friend and former teammate, about using HGH and that he would offer this up as part of his testimony to the House committee. Hank didn't know that the trainer at the local gym who dispensed the illegal HGH to Tom Pettitte was a relative of Pettitte's wife, Laura, who herself became involved in this mess when she offered corroborating testimony about Andy's account of those conversations with Clemens.

In short, Hank Steinbrenner didn't know Andy Pettitte, whom he welcomed back for $16 million last December at the expense of pursuing a deal for Santana. He didn't know he was this much of a participant in the baseball steroids investigation and was this much involved in a gym that could become a part of a federal investigation now that this is all coming out. He didn't know any of this because Andy Pettitte didn't tell him.

Had Hank known this, do you think he would have been so willing and eager to bring Pettitte back?

"I'm not going to comment on that right now," Hank said to me in a phone conversation. "All I know is, we never had that conversation."

"I feel for Andy," Joe Torre was saying the other day in Vero Beach, "and I know in the past he's always enjoyed the fact that we always had someone else the press could talk to other than him. Now it's all him and I know that's going to be very uncomfortable for him."

What? Huh? "Basket case"? Are you serious?

First of all, rename this article "Hank feels duped" Everyone knows he wanted Santana and didn't get his way. When Pettite decided to return, the urgency within the organization to get Santana dissipated, as the article says.

Second, whether he was in the Mitchell report or not, nobody could have known all of the fallout that would follow. Had Clemens simply said "No comment" and had PR people undermine MacNamee instead of doing it himself, the Mitchell report would be old news and those hearings the other day never happen. Chm Waxman said he didn't want to hold those hearings, but Clemens people were the ones who insisted on it. EVERYONE, including Clemens (who's getting killed in the 'who do you believe' polls) would have been better off had Clemens not gone down this road.

This is also possibly the stupidest way imaginable to deal with this. To attack someone who already is shaken by all this is throwing gasoline on a fire that could destroy the Yanks playoff hopes. Whatever the background behind this, the Yankees NEED Pettitte this year badly, there is no plan B for someone with his experience to anchor this staff. They should be rallying behind him, and instead this happens. I can't begin to express how wrongheaded and idiotic this is.

I can only hope they don't know something we don't, maybe they're getting reports that Andy is a wreck. Its the only explanation that makes any sense of this. And even then its still a colossally stupid way to deal with this.

Snacks

02-17-2008, 07:03 AM

Yankee brass feel duped after giving Andy Pettitte $16 million (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/02/17/2008-02-17_yankee_brass_feel_duped_after_giving_and.html)

What? Huh? "Basket case"? Are you serious?

First of all, rename this article "Hank feels duped" Everyone knows he wanted Santana and didn't get his way. When Pettite decided to return, the urgency within the organization to get Santana dissipated, as the article says.

Second, whether he was in the Mitchell report or not, nobody could have known all of the fallout that would follow. (1)Had Clemens simply said "No comment" and had PR people undermine MacNamee instead of doing it himself, the Mitchell report would be old news and those hearings the other day never happen. Chm Waxman said he didn't want to hold those hearings, but Clemens people were the ones who insisted on it. EVERYONE, including Clemens (who's getting killed in the 'who do you believe' polls) would have been better off had Clemens not gone down this road.

This is also possibly the stupidest way imaginable to deal with this. (2) To attack someone who already is shaken by all this is throwing gasoline on a fire that could destroy the Yanks playoff hopes. Whatever the background behind this, the Yankees NEED Pettitte this year badly, there is no plan B for someone with his experience to anchor this staff. They should be rallying behind him, and instead this happens. I can't begin to express how wrongheaded and idiotic this is.

I can only hope they don't know something we don't, maybe they're getting reports that Andy is a wreck. Its the only explanation that makes any sense of this. And even then its still a colossally stupid way to deal with this.

(1)Clemens said nothing for 7 days Petite came out and admitted it before Clemens said a word So fuck him, he should have said nothing and waited to discuss it with his "friend" to decide who and how to handle it.

(2) Once again fuck him, he should just retire then. Why should he be off limits to criticism? I dont understand the complete sympathy for Petite when no one else has sympathy for anyone else? Why because he religious? Who cares. He even lied when he apologized and said he only used hgh 2 times and thought it was wrong and stopped. When he testified to congress he admitted to doing it much much more.

Bulldogcakes

02-17-2008, 07:21 AM

(1)Clemens said nothing for 7 days Petite came out and admitted it before Clemens said a word So fuck him, he should have said nothing and waited to discuss it with his "friend" to decide who and how to handle it.

(2) Once again fuck him, he should just retire then. Why should he be off limits to criticism? I dont understand the complete sympathy for Petite when no one else has sympathy for anyone else? Why because he religious? Who cares. He even lied when he apologized and said he only used hgh 2 times and thought it was wrong and stopped. When he testified to congress he admitted to doing it much much more.

1-Pettitte's only fault is telling people the truth when they ask him a question. I think he should have handled it differently and kept his mouth shut. But I don't fault him one bit.

Let me ask you this. Most of the other players (Knoblauch, LoDuca, etc) all came out and admitted the report was accurate. Are they wrong as well? Why the different standard for Andy? Answer-Clemens and his stupid lawyer. The only reason why this was a problem was Clemens refusal to admit what we all know. Clemens drove this whole trainwreck, not Pettitte.

2-Nobody's off limits, this charge is simply pointed at the wrong target. And I don't have complete sympathy for Andy. I think he should have kept his mouth shut about anyone other than himself. But thats after the fact and not what Hank . . . I mean Madden is saying. He's claiming the Yanks were mislead when he picked up his option back in early December, which is absurd. It was at the time they were deep into the Santana negotiations, and Cashman was against trading Hughes. Pettitte coming back lessened the need for Johan, and Cash had surrogates like Girardi push Andy to return. If anything, the Yankee front office pushed him to come back after Andy initally declined the option.

This is just Hank with a bug up his ass over getting talked out of the Johan deal. Every time Hughes gives up 4 runs I expect to hear more of this garbage.

Sinestro

02-18-2008, 11:08 AM

Pettite is on right now

Zorro

02-18-2008, 11:26 AM

Pettite is on right now

Man sports reporters ask some stupid questions

Sinestro

02-18-2008, 11:34 AM

Can someone ask him if Roger knew he was taking HGH?? And when Roger knew.

Sinestro

02-18-2008, 11:34 AM

Roger hasn't talked to him in months.

NortonRules

02-18-2008, 11:45 AM

I'm still not understanding why Pettitte is being called a cheater for doing something that wasn't against the rules and wasn't illegal.

I also can't figure out why the NFL and their announcing teams aren't obsessed with Rodney Harrison for doing the same thing while it was banned.

Sinestro

02-18-2008, 11:55 AM

I'm still not understanding why Pettitte is being called a cheater for doing something that wasn't against the rules and wasn't illegal.

Barry Bonds collateral fall out and the white media not wanting Barry to break those "cherished' records.

Bulldogcakes

02-18-2008, 03:47 PM

Mattingly 'grateful'

Says he's relieved he didn't get job as Yanks manager (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/02/18/mattingly.girardi.ap/index.html)

Bulldogcakes

02-18-2008, 04:34 PM

#5 Dellin Betances
By EJ Fagan | February 18th, 2008
E-mail | Print | Share

Age: 20
Height: 6′9″
Weight: 230 lbs
Position: Starting Pitcher
Throws: Right
Scouting Report: Betances throws a fastball that tops out at 98 mph. He uses his height to throw on a good plane. His best secondary pitch is a plus knuckle-curve, which he commands very well. He’s spent much of extended spring training working on improving his changeup, and it’s coming along very well by all accounts. For a tall man, Dellin has very good command and clean mechanics, although they got a little screwy in 2007, resulting in reduced control and some shoulder worries. He has the kind of overpowering stuff that brings a guy a lot of hardware over the course of a career.

History: Dellin was drafted by the Yankees in the 8th round. He was projected as very early 1st round pick, but fell mostly due to a strong threat that he would go to college if picked by any other team than his hometown Yankees. He got his wish, and his 7-figure bonus. The Yankees and Nardi Contreras quickly got fairly messy mechanical problems straightened out with Dellin, improved his curveball, and got him throwing a changeup very quickly. Dellin, like most high school stars with overpowering stuff, didn’t throw the change much to the inferior hitters he was facing. Dellin spent some time in the GCL, pitching 23 innings with 27 strikeouts, 7 walks, and a 1.16 ERA.

This Season: Most of Betances’ work this season happened behind the scenes. He worked on all the things that young pitchers do - from holding runners to mechanics to secondary pitches - before making his debut for Staten Island. He pitched only 25 innings in the New York-Penn League before being shutdown with a very mild shoulder injury as a precaution. He maintained an ERA of 3.60, with 29 strikeouts, 17 walks, and no home runs allowed. All and all, those numbers are essentially meaningless.

Outlook and Movement: We’ll see him at Charleston this season. Betances has the kind of ability to make his move through the minors much quicker than even your average blue chip pitching prospect. In other words: when/if he breaks out, its going to be big. Until then, the primary goal of the Yankees has to be to simply get Betances innings. Quantity over quality is the concern. He’s 20 years old now, so the Yankees need him to start to pick up the pace, although he should have little to prove once he gives himself a chance to do so.

Ranking: I haven’t soured on Betances one bit. The Yankees held him back to Staten Island as a part of their super-cautious young approach to young arms. Things would have worked out rosier if he hadn’t come down with the shoulder problems. Maybe our big mistake last year was expecting the 6′9″ giant to really be able to keep his mechanics straight at such a young age. Ashish and I have Betances at #4 while Eric has him at #6. The Yankees basically have two of the same pitcher in Dellin Betances and Andrew Brackman - and at least one of them is going to turn into an absolute monster. That’s why he’s rated so high, similar to the reason that Jesus Montero is. No doubt, Betances will have dozens of chances to fail in the coming years, but the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is pretty darn huge.

HHH has Austin Jackson, I have Dellin Betances. Because of his size and stuff he draws comparisons of becoming a right handed Big Unit. As the article says, once he puts things together, he could move quickly and be an absolute beast. He just has 2 big very ifs. Staying healthy and keeping his mechanics straight. He's a high risk-high reward prospect.

TheGameHHH

02-18-2008, 04:37 PM

Dellin sounds promising..........i wanna fast forward 3-4 years and see where Austin and Dellin are.

Bulldogcakes

02-18-2008, 04:51 PM

Dellin sounds promising..........i wanna fast forward 3-4 years and see where Austin and Dellin are.

Me too. I know all of these guys won't pan out, some will fail and others will end up getting injured and never being the same. But some of them will pan out, and the Yanks just have so many of them. Plus I think Girardi is so well suited to helping these guys along in their development. He's a scout at heart, he'll help them work on their weaknesses and improve their game. Casman is already talking about the 70+ mil coming off the books next year and some of these guys taking those spots. By the end of this year the bullpen will probably be 3/4 homegrown guys and the rotation 3/5. Very exciting stuff.

Bulldogcakes

02-18-2008, 05:42 PM

Rumor: Yanks offer Edward Salcedo $5 million contract (http://pinstripespa.blogspot.com/2008/02/rumor-yanks-offer-edward-salcedo-5-mil.html)
According to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, rumors are swirling around the Dominican Republic that the Yankees have offered uber-prospect Edward Salcedo a $5 million contract:

The talk in the Dominican Republic is that the Yankees have offered 16-year-old shortstop Edward Salcedo a $5 million contract. The Indians, at one time, had reportedly signed Salcedo for between $4 and $5 million, but that proved to be false.
A scout who has seen a lot of Salcedo said he dominates his age group.

"He's a big, strong kid with a good arm, good hands and some power," said the scout. "I'd like to see him play against some tougher competition." (source)

If the Yankees were to sign Salcedo, he would immediately jump ahead of Carmen Angelini as the best shortstop prospect in the organization. I know Angelini is a great defender and line drive hitter, but Salcedo's raw ability and sky-high potential make him an instant top prospect.

I've heard this kid is a Boras client, could just be Boras shenanigans. But reports are he's a real stud. Who knows.

TheGameHHH

02-19-2008, 12:20 PM

Best news out of camp today? Yogi's golf clubs arrived.

Bulldogcakes

02-19-2008, 04:22 PM

How many starts will they make? (http://riveraveblues.com/2008/02/19/how-many-starts-will-they-make-2169/)
Posted by: Joseph P. in Pitching. Tagged: Andy Pettite, Chien-Ming Wang, Ian Kennedy, Joba Chamberlain, Mike Mussina, Phil Hughes
I was thinking aloud on this one this morning, so I thought I’d bring it to you guys for a public review. Keep in mind that this is a best case scenario. It’s assuming that no one completely bombs or gets injured for more than two weeks or so. So let’s break this down:

Andy & CMW: 33 or 34 — so we’ll say Andy with 33 and CMW with 34.
Mussina: 28 — could be more if he’s effective, but he does have a tendency to wear down.
IPK: 28 — at 7 innings a start, that brings him to 196, right around his projected goal number.
Hughes: 22 — at 7 innings a pop, he’d be at 154, or right around his goal.
Joba: 8 — could be 10, could be none.

Add ‘em all up, and we’re looking at 153 starts, so that’s nine that have to be filled by the likes of Igawa, Karstens, Rasner, Wright, White, Marquez, and Horne. Not too shabby.

Alot has been made of the innings limits placed on the Big 3 kid pitchers. Here's an excellent article breaking it down. Its really not such a big deal, and it will give us a chance to get a look at some of the AAA pitchers who are said to be ready.

Bulldogcakes

02-19-2008, 04:52 PM

Here's the Hal Stienbrenner GQ article (http://men.style.com/gq/blogs/gqeditors/2008/02/steinbrenner-tk.html). Very good read. Clears up alot of things about the Yanks.

Doctor Z

02-20-2008, 12:31 PM

Oh that's right... Igawa is still on the team. el oh el.

Bulldogcakes

02-20-2008, 03:20 PM

#3 Austin Jackson (http://mvn.com/milb-yankees/)

Age: 21
Height: 6′1″
Weight: 205 lbs
Position: Center field
Bats: Right
Scouting Report: The Yankees were scouting Austin Jackson when he was a pre-teen. He’s a wonderful all-around athlete. His baseball skills took a little longer to develop than most prospects of his talent, but he’s never lacked the tools. Jackson is very fast (not Brett Gardner fast, but faster than your average center fielder), and is progressively getting more efficient on the base paths. He has significant opposite-field power, which should keep his line drive rate and batting average up despite an above-average penchant for the strikeout. He also takes his share of walks and plays strong in center. He’s a true 5-tool prospect.

History: Austin Jackson was lured away from a basketball scholarship at Georgia Tech with an 800,000 dollar bonus, setting a record for an 8th round pick. The Yankees would later break that record with Dellin Betances. He was sent to the Gulf Coast League - where he shined on a team with Jose Tabata and C.J. Henry by hitting .304/.374/.405 with 26 strikeouts and 18 walks in 40 games. A lot of teams would be ecstatic with that kind of performance out of a raw 18 year old, but the Yankees were not. Feeling that he would never hit for significant power the way he was swinging (he was inside-outing the ball like Derek Jeter), they began to adjust it. Jackson played more basketball than baseball in high school, so the Yankees decided to take their malleable material and mold it their way. He spent 2006 struggling with a new swing intended for him to hit for more power, which he did, but at the cost of his contact ability. He hit .260/.340/.346 with 151 strikeouts against 61 walks in 134 games. The Yankees decided to keep him at Charleston for another year.

This Season: The Yankees sent the struggling Jackson back to Charleston. He continued to work on his new swing. 60 games in, the Yankees obviously saw something in his method that didn’t become prevalent on the field. He was hitting .260/.336/.374 with 59 strikeouts in 60 games. He walked 24 times and hit 3 home runs and 3 doubles. There weren’t many signs toward Jackson vaulting himself to #3 overall. However, I noted in June that we saw streaks where Jackson’s K rate was significantly reduced, and that he was due to break out. The Yankees went all in, promoting Austin to Tampa. He rewarded them by starting out hot and not letting up. The final batting line after 69 games was .348/.398/.566, with 48 strikeouts and 22 walks to go along with 10 home runs, 6 triples, and 15 doubles. Projected over 160 games, he hit 23 home runs, 14 triples, and 35 doubles. He also stole 32 bases with 11 caught stealing between the two levels. He finished the season by getting his feet wet in the high minors, going 1 for 3 with 2 walks and a double for Scranton and 5 for 13 with a double for the Thunder in the Eastern League playoffs. Jackson wasn’t done yet - he hit .271/.368/.489 in Hawaii with 3 home runs, 5 triples, and 10 doubles in 39 games.

Outlook and Movement: Trenton Thunder fans will get to see Jackson at the start of the season. Considering the Yankee’s fairly crowded outfield situation, he probably won’t make it to the majors until September. However, if he continues his hot streak and Melky Cabrera does not break out, he could easily displace the young outfielder by the middle of the season. Jackson will also be competing with Brett Gardner, Jose Tabata, and Colin Curtis for spots on the Yankee 40-man in September. Jackson probably has the best combination of experience and talent of the group to make an immediate impact on the majors.

Ranking: I ranked Jackson at #3 while Ashish and Eric had him at #2. I think we all agree: we’re looking at a blue chip outfielder. Jackson has a lot of things going for him - he’s shown the ability to maintain a high BABIP (due to strong line drive, speed, and opposite field fly ball rates), power, and patience. Those are your three essential skills to become a .315+ hitter without having to slap the ball all the time. I think that Jackson could very well become a .310/.380/.530 hitter in his prime, while playing great defense at the key position. His offensive performances before and after his breakout actually compare favorably to those of Hanley Ramirez.

Damn, number three. That was Kennedys spot a few months ago. Austin gettin the love after a good winter ball. AA is the biggest jump for most prospects, this is a big season for him.

TheGameHHH

02-20-2008, 04:18 PM

that's my motherfucking boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TheMojoPin

02-21-2008, 05:40 PM

Seriously, what is up with shit like this? STOP MAKING IT SO EASY.

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20080221/capt.ebdc3f650d334238ab209ba74295e6a5.yankees_spri ng_baseball_fljj102.jpg

Bulldogcakes

02-21-2008, 05:49 PM

Seriously, what is up with shit like this? STOP MAKING IT SO EASY.

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20080221/capt.ebdc3f650d334238ab209ba74295e6a5.yankees_spri ng_baseball_fljj102.jpg

Andy does look a bit uncomfortable there.

and Jeter can't wipe the smile off his face.

Who knew? Turns out Jeter's a pitcher and Andy's a catcher after all.

TheMojoPin

02-21-2008, 05:59 PM

Andy does look a bit uncomfortable there.

and Jeter can't wipe the smile off his face.

Who knew? Turns out Jeter's a pitcher and Andy's a catcher after all.

It's not even like I want to go for the easy gay joke, but come on. Why do they take pics like that?!? STOP TAUNTING US!

I think Jeff Goldblum is going to have a monster year.

Kevin

02-21-2008, 06:07 PM

It's not even like I want to go for the easy gay joke, but come on. Why do they take pics like that?!? STOP TAUNTING US!

I think Jeff Goldblum is going to have a monster year.

He has had some great minor league stats.

Bulldogcakes

02-22-2008, 05:13 PM

Jeter: Forget MVP, I’d rather win the Series (http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/02/22/jeter-forget-mvp-id-rather-win-the-series/)

Alex Rodriguez said yesterday that that Derek Jeter would win the MVP. Asked about that prediction today, Jeter looked like he was chewing on dirt.

“I don’t even think about it. I have to be honest with you guys, man. I’d much rather win. That’s the bottom line. I’ve said time and time again, you play to win,” he said. “You always want to do well because the better you do, the better the team will be. But the bottom line from day one is whatever we can do to win.”

TheGameHHH

02-22-2008, 05:16 PM

OMG, Jeter and A-Rod dont get along, they hate each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! its gonna cause all sorts of turmoil in the Yankees clubhouse, team unity is out the window!!!!!!!!!! we're fucked this year, its over already.

cougarjake13

02-22-2008, 05:18 PM

Jeter: Forget MVP, I’d rather win the Series (http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/02/22/jeter-forget-mvp-id-rather-win-the-series/)

a rod put the malooika on the yanks

Bulldogcakes

02-22-2008, 05:43 PM

A.J.

02-23-2008, 10:27 AM

Bulldogcakes

02-24-2008, 06:37 AM

Good article about Girardi.

Girardi still as straightforward as ever (http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080224/SPORTS01/802240368/-1/SPORTS)

Tired as they may be from running, the Yankees agree. The new manager is getting good reviews.

"Awesome. Very to the point, get after it and do it the right way," said Joba Chamberlain, the 22-year-old right-hander whose development will figure heavily into how the season plays out. "He's not going to settle for mediocrity and I think that's awesome with the mix that we have.

"When he was in Florida, he had all those young guys, and he played with a lot of the guys here. Everything goes together, it just clicks, and it all makes sense."

He's the anti-Torre in so many ways. Not just the emphasis on hard work, also in his direct 'deal with things as they happen' approach. The team will be prepared for anything that comes their way. Torre was much more concerned about the players being happy and keeping the clubhouse and front office quiet. He let problems fester for days and sometimes even months, since he wanted to show trust and loyalty to his guys. Torre would often stick with his favorites in situations where the splits clearly favored other players. Girardi will field the team that gives him the best chance to win, period.

He's also the right man for the job going forward. The young players who are eager to learn will soak up his criticisms. The Yanks plan on incorporating at least one or 2 big prospects each year for the foreseeable future, liuke they used to in the 90s. Next year Jackson/Horne, the year after that Tabata/Brackman, year after that Montero/Betances, etc. His hands on approach will help them learn quickly how the game needs to be played at the professional level.

Bulldogcakes

02-24-2008, 09:25 AM

Contrary to earlier reports, the legendary Bob Sheppard will be back (http://riveraveblues.com/2008/02/23/yanks-give-two-year-extensions-to-key-cog-2200/)

The Yanks locked up their last remaining free agent on Saturday. Bob Sheppard, who, despite earlier reports, will return to the booth this year, signed a two-year deal with the Yankees. This contract will career Sheppard through his age 99 season. According to Ken Davidoff, Sheppard, recovering from a severe case of pneumonia, will return to the Bronx sometime around the beginning of June.

Very nice to see. Wouldn't be the same without him. Maybe the contract helps him recover, gives him something to look forward to.

TheGameHHH

02-24-2008, 09:32 AM

who doing the first two months?

sailor

02-24-2008, 09:40 AM

who doing the first two months?

they're going in a new direction:

http://www.buffalo.edu/reporter/vol34/vol34n1a/images/Homecoming2.jpg

Bulldogcakes

02-24-2008, 09:44 AM

Nice article on David Oppenhiemer (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/02/24/2008-02-24_scoutmaster_in_the_bronx_oppenheimer_fin.html?p age=1), the guy who rebuilt the farm system.

"You can get fooled," he said. "I'll always remember David Walling, a college pitcher for Arkansas who we made our No. 1 pick in 2002. I saw him pitch a big game at Long Beach State, about 4,000 people in the stands, and he's coming off the mound after a strikeout pumping his fists. I said, ‘Man, this kid is into it.'

"Well, it turned out he hated baseball. He lasted a couple of years in the minors and then quit to run an ice cream store in Tulsa. So our scouts do a lot of talking to a kid's coaches, his teachers, his parents, trying to get a complete picture. I really believe the makeup side is the thing that pushes guys further toward their potential, or away from it."

If you really want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse.

Oppenheimer's role as scouting director in this improvement has earned him praise from both Cashman and Hank Steinbrenner, to the point where he is viewed as a potential successor to Cashman should the current GM leave on his own or be replaced in the coming years.

Which tells you that the Yankee youth committment is real, and will be continued for the foreseeable future. The reality is there is no alternative. The Yanks tried for years to patch up the late 90's group with free agents and trades and got nowhere.

BTW-Read the comments. The first few are bitching about Lupica, which has nothing to do with this article. Very funny!

Bulldogcakes

02-25-2008, 03:07 PM

Surprisingly positive article on Melky from Baseball Prospectus (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=7053)

Melky Cabrera. Cabrera went backwards in ’07, but not by enough for concern. Remember that he is just 23 years old and has more than 1100 plate appearances in the majors, with average to average-plus defense (good physical tools, but very raw, takes bad routes) and a very good 129/96 K/BB. He is a mature player offensively, patient at the plate and fair on the bases (25-for-35 stealing in his career). One interesting quirk is his G/F ratio, which is 1.63 for his career and was a whopping 1.81 last season. Cabrera is listed at 5’11” and 200 pounds. He’s not Willy Taveras, but rather a player who should be developing power and learning how to drive the ball, rather than hitting the ball on the ground 60 percent of the time.
I’m reminded of Alex Rios, who doesn’t look a thing like Cabrera. Rios was largely disappointing in 2004 and 2005, hitting just 11 homers in more than 900 at-bats, with an isolated power of 117. The problem: Rios was hitting the ball on the ground too much, a 1.82 G/F in those two seasons. Starting in ’06, Rios put the ball in the air more than half the time, and became a star. When you look at Cabrera’s body, his established control of the strike zone, and his ability to hold his own at a young age, you recognize that all it’s going to take is for him to start elevating the ball. Cabrera may not get there in 2008, but he’s going to pop 80 extra-base hits and slug .500 in a season very, very soon.

I've yet to see it, but who knows. I've always thought the key to his game was taking his walks. He's going to need to get his SLG% up if he plans on staying a Yankee over the next few years. Especially with Jackson and Tabata on the move.

TheGameHHH

02-25-2008, 04:21 PM

I submitted a question to Hughes today asking him to describe his workout routine because him and Abraham are doing a joint Q&A thing. I hope he answers my question

cougarjake13

02-25-2008, 04:47 PM

I submitted a question to Hughes today asking him to describe his workout routine because him and Abraham are doing a joint Q&A thing. I hope he answers my question

as long as it doesnt include liedacain and b-12 shots

Bulldogcakes

02-27-2008, 04:14 PM

From RAB (http://riveraveblues.com/2008/02/27/joba-the-great-2219/)

Joba the Great

In a subscriber-only piece in Baseball America, the BA prospect experts engage in a little Joba-Buchholz debate. The piece ends with John Manual’s take: “Chamberlain’s superior fastball makes him the better bet to be a long-term ace. In fact, it makes him the best pitching prospect to come around since I’ve been at BA, surpassing Josh Beckett and Mark Prior.” That is some high praise.

Bulldogcakes

02-27-2008, 04:26 PM

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/01Ro6SOaYa2UY/340x.jpg

A.J.

02-28-2008, 04:34 AM

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/01Ro6SOaYa2UY/340x.jpg

"Mammy....how I love ya, how I love ya..."

Bulldogcakes

02-28-2008, 03:09 PM

Interesting piece on Edwar (http://mvn.com/milb-yankees/2008/02/28/girardi-please-dont-default-to-the-vets/)

13. Edwar Ramirez - Notice the control theme? That’s why I put Edwar right on the fringe. People knock Edwar for having a weak fastball, but in reality that had nothing to do with his 8.14 ERA at the major leagues last year. Edwar’s problem was command. When he was able to control his 91 mph fastball, his changeup took over and he struck out more batters than any pitcher I can remember, ever. When his command was bad, he’d walk three guys before giving up a home run. Edwar needs to stay ahead in the count. If his command improves in spring training, by all means he should start the season in the majors. For now, I’d say keep him at Triple-A. There’s something to be said for striking out 13.29 while pitching the worst baseball of your life, which Edwar did in the majors last year. At Double-A, two thirds of his outs came via the strikeout.

Spot the fastball, put em away with the change. Sounds like a plan. He is a strikeout machine, I also think getting regular work would help him stay sharp. We all remember the fiasco he had after 2 weeks off under Torre. Eiland could be a big help here. I'm rooting for Edwar, hope he makes the team.

Bulldogcakes

02-28-2008, 04:01 PM

Good article about Hank from ESPN Magazine. (http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3264301)

Some claim George Steinbrenner's eldest child went south in search of a life beyond his father's gravitational pull. Others call it an exile. Whatever the reason, Hank has always felt a kinship with Kinsman. For two decades, he fed his obsession for detail by poring over racing statistics, charting bloodlines and lineage. The endless jigsaw puzzle of searching for the perfect match between stallion and mare taught him the value of patience. Sure, he could have thrown a sack of cash at a can't-miss 3-year-old. But he got more satisfaction out of success with a horse of his own creation, such as Majestic Warrior, one of this year's early Derby favorites and a fourth-generation Kinsman-bred racer. On the farm, Steinbrenner quietly built a thriving Thoroughbred-racing enterprise. And while his father tried to anoint others heir to the Yankees throne, Hank quietly prepared for the moment when—if—he'd get the nod.

"I think my breeding background has absolutely had a bearing on my approach to baseball," Hank says, sitting in his new office overlooking the Yankees' training complex in Tampa. "Building through scouting and the draft, then having the patience to see it through, to see the young talent reach its potential, without panicking. While I was at Kinsman going over all of that data about the horses, I was also getting the scouting reports and minor league stats for the Yankees. Way back in the 1970s, I can remember seeing LaMarr Hoyt's numbers in Double-A and thinking, Wow! Then Dad traded him to the White Sox for a quick fix. He also traded Scott McGregor, José Rijo and Doug Drabek, and he wanted to trade Ron Guidry before they stopped him. We basically provided most of baseball's Cy Young Award winners, and it drove me nuts. I was sitting at the farm thinking, If I ever run the team, I won't be doing things that way. "

But as unfamiliarity erodes, a surprising truth emerges. All those baseball people who feared Hank's dad? Well, they don't want to like Hank, either—except that the more they get to know him, dammit, the more they do.

It's the curse and the blessing of a famous surname. Earnhardts are expected to race, Mannings to play quarterback and Steinbrenners to scream at nervous employees—especially here at newly renamed Steinbrenner Field, located at One Steinbrenner Drive. "That's not how it is anymore," Hank says with a disarming smile. "The fear, it's not how I operate. The people here in the front office already know that. The people who know me know that. The Yankee fans have been very good to me so far, but I think it might take some time for people to get used to the fact that I'm not my dad."

Remember George had a Football background, Hank has one in Horse breeding. He's not the George clone we're being led to believe.

HBox

02-29-2008, 06:33 AM

Bobby Murcer might be in for trouble. (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3270102)

TheMojoPin

02-29-2008, 12:28 PM

Good article about Hank from ESPN Magazine. (http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3264301)

Remember George had a Football background, Hank has one in Horse breeding. He's not the George clone we're being led to believe.

Correct. George was a bright, intelligent human being. Hank seems one step away from chewing broken glass.

King Hippos Bandaid

02-29-2008, 12:32 PM

[quote=Bulldogcakes;1641243
Hank has one in Horse breeding. He's not the George clone we're being led to believe.[/quote]

so bet the Yanks to win the Kentucky Derby, got it

Kevin

02-29-2008, 02:51 PM

Correct. George was a bright, intelligent human being. Hank seems one step away from chewing broken glass.

Good ol Hank, does it again.. (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3271124)

Red Sox Nation? What a bunch of [expletive] that is ... This is a Yankee country. We're going to put the Yankees back on top and restore the universe to order.

"Go anywhere in America and you won't see Red Sox hats and jackets, you'll see Yankee hats and jackets. This is a Yankee country. We're going to put the Yankees back on top and restore the universe to order."

:blink::wallbash:

Bulldogcakes

02-29-2008, 03:21 PM

Igawa back in form, pitching like the guy we all know and love (http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/02/29/igawa-lone-downer-as-yankees-roll/)

Igawa entered the game today in the sixth inning with a 9-0 lead After getting an out, he walked the No. 9 hitter on five pitches. A walk and a hit batter loaded the bases with two outs.

Igawa then left a slider high that a pinch hitter, Eric Baumann, hit for a grand slam. Baumann had two at-bats all season and struck out both times. Keep in mind he was also swinging a wood bat and missed the 2006 and 2007 seasons with a shoulder injury.

I know, I know, it's just spring training. But he's one of the guys competing for a roster spot, so it matters for him. If he could just be OK he would fill 2 openings, long man and lefty. Then you can use another bullpen spot for someone else.

TheGameHHH

02-29-2008, 03:40 PM

HBox

02-29-2008, 03:46 PM

Bulldogcakes

02-29-2008, 03:47 PM

this has been his problem since he first took the mound in the majors (aside from his lack of control), leaving his pitches high. it doesnt matter how hard u throw or how nasty your pitch moves, if u leave it up major leaguers (and apparently college kids) will drill you.

Did you see the game live? From what I read Joba and Hughes were terrific, Kennedy had a little trouble but worked out of it.

TheGameHHH

02-29-2008, 04:40 PM

Did you see the game live? From what I read Joba and Hughes were terrific, Kennedy had a little trouble but worked out of it.

no, i was working. but honestly everybody should have been terrific, they were playing college kids.

Bulldogcakes

02-29-2008, 04:52 PM

no, i was working. but honestly everybody should have been terrific, they were playing college kids.

I bet Igawa would dominate High School players. Just toy with them and fist pump after he makes them look silly.

Kevin

02-29-2008, 04:52 PM

no, i was working. but honestly everybody should have been terrific, they were playing college kids.

But they were really really good Collage kids..

Bulldogcakes

02-29-2008, 05:21 PM

For anyone interested, here's the TV schedule (http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/schedule/index.jsp?c_id=nyy&m=3&y=2008)and Radio schedule (http://www.wcbs880.com/2008-Yankees-Spring-Training-Games-on-WCBS-AM-880/1440407)for spring training games.

Bulldogcakes

03-01-2008, 03:53 AM

Cashman calls on Cabrera to improve, and uses a choice term to refer to some other Yanks (http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080301/SPORTS01/803010388/1274/RSS0901)
"Melky has to fight for what he has," Cashman said. "I can't stand here and tell you he's going to be our center fielder moving forward. That's up to him."

Cabrera hit .273 with eight homers and 73 RBI last season, taking over for Damon in early June. But there were concerns. Cabrera hit .180 in September before going 3 for 16 in the division series against Cleveland. His on-base percentage fell from .360 in 2006 to .327 last season.

"I'm working every day with (hitting coach) Kevin Long to try and get better," Cabrera said. "The other players, they're staying on me. I know I have to keep getting better."

It wouldn't be wise to get comfortable. In 24-year-old Brett Gardner and 21-year-old Austin Jackson, the Yankees have one player on the verge of being ready for the majors and another who is moving quickly in that direction.

Gardner is an unusual Yankees outfield prospect in that he's small of stature (5-foot-10, 180 pounds) and short on power (six home runs in 1,115 minor-league at-bats. But that's the point, Cashman said.

"Brett Gardner is not your typical Yankee-profile type of player," he said. "We're trying to break that profile to some degree because there's more to this game than hitting for power.

"We think he could be a Juan Pierre who takes a walk. Here's a guy who can steal bases; he can get on base; he plays the short game. We need athleticism like that, especially when you have a bunch of these old farts filling the roster out. Those young burst-of-energy, athletic guys really stand out on a team like ours."

I can't say this enough times, the Yankee brass has a bias toward going with youth, developing from within, and Cashman calling some of his current players "old farts" is just another confirmation of that.

Dan 'Hampton

03-01-2008, 09:11 AM

Good ol Hank, does it again.. (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3271124)

Red Sox Nation? What a bunch of [expletive] that is ... This is a Yankee country. We're going to put the Yankees back on top and restore the universe to order.

"Go anywhere in America and you won't see Red Sox hats and jackets, you'll see Yankee hats and jackets. This is a Yankee country. We're going to put the Yankees back on top and restore the universe to order."

:blink::wallbash:

I love this guy! How can anyone hate him? I'm too young to remember his dad going off on tangents much beyond senile statements. Keep up the good work Hank.

Kevin

03-01-2008, 09:43 AM

I love this guy! How can anyone hate him? I'm too young to remember his dad going off on tangents much beyond senile statements. Keep up the good work Hank.

There is a HUGE difference between him and his dad. His dad was a douche too, but when he went off on tangents it was usually sensible and made sense. This dude is a total douche who has no idea what he is talking about.

A.J.

03-01-2008, 09:44 AM

Good ol Hank, does it again.. (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3271124)

Red Sox Nation? What a bunch of [expletive] that is ... This is a Yankee country. We're going to put the Yankees back on top and restore the universe to order.

"Go anywhere in America and you won't see Red Sox hats and jackets, you'll see Yankee hats and jackets. This is a Yankee country. We're going to put the Yankees back on top and restore the universe to order."

:blink::wallbash:

It's more than a Yankee country apparently....it's a Yankee Universe (http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060410&content_id=1393266&vkey=pr_nyy&fext=.jsp&c_id=nyy).

http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/images/2006/04/10/a9hdHouF.jpg

Kevin

03-01-2008, 10:04 AM

More Hank!

Hank Steinbrenner says he isn't adding gasoline to the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry by saying the Red Sox take a backseat to his team when it comes to marketing their brand. "You can't create any controversy with fact," Steinbrenner said last night when reached for his reaction to an upcoming magazine story. "You can ask any marketing expert who is the No. 1 brand of any team in any sport in the country, and it's the Yankees. We are the No. 1 brand in the country." In the article, Steinbrenner accuses ESPN as being an accomplice to spreading the "Red Sox Nation" propaganda because ESPN is "filled with Red Sox fans." Last night Steinbrenner was a tad contrite. "Maybe I shouldn't have said that about ESPN because I watch ESPN in the morning like everybody else," Steinbrenner said. "I like ESPN."

Bulldogcakes

03-01-2008, 02:20 PM

PA's blog (http://yankees.lhblogs.com/)

Lots of buzz about Austin Jackson. He’ll head down to minor-league camp in a week or so. But he’s catching a lot of eyes.

“The best athlete in the organization is Austin Jackson. He moves better than LaDanian Tomlinson.”

- Reggie Jackson

TheGameHHH

03-01-2008, 02:22 PM

thats a crazy quote from Reggie.......god i love this kid, i wanna see him in the bigs so badly

Bulldogcakes

03-01-2008, 02:31 PM

Reggie's going to claim that Austin Jackson is his son by the end of spring training.

lleeder

03-01-2008, 02:46 PM

Cashman calls on Cabrera to improve, and uses a choice term to refer to some other Yanks (http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080301/SPORTS01/803010388/1274/RSS0901)

I can't say this enough times, the Yankee brass has a bias toward going with youth, developing from within, and Cashman calling some of his current players "old farts" is just another confirmation of that.

Thats some harsh language. I wish Cashman would have said old fuddy duddies instead.

Bulldogcakes

03-01-2008, 02:56 PM

Thats some harsh language. I wish Cashman would have said old fuddy duddies instead.

With the way Mussina and Giambi played last year, I would have went with "scum-sucking cuntholes" But that's just me.

Bulldogcakes

03-02-2008, 03:42 AM

Good article about Cano in the NYTimes (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/sports/baseball/02yankees.html?_r=2&ref=baseball&oref=slogin&oref=slogin)

Trades not made, and offers not accepted, are part of baseball lore. In 1997, the Yankees wanted Pedro Martínez, who had priced himself out of Montreal. They offered a young catcher, Jorge Posada, and a third baseman, Mike Lowell. The Expos opted for Boston’s offer of pitchers Carl Pavano and Tony Armas Jr.

Posada and Lowell have had long and productive careers. Pavano and Armas have not. The Yankees would have liked a young Martínez, but they are glad they still have Posada.

So it is with Canó. He was never offered cheaply, but only luck spared him from leaving.

“Sometimes, I heard about getting traded and I thought, ‘Oh, God, I don’t want to get traded; I want to be here,’ ” Canó said. “I love being a Yankee. This is where I started my career, and I want to end it right here, too.”

With a new contract that could tie him to the Yankees through 2013, Canó may be on his way. Yet before the 2004 season, he was offered in the trade that sent Alfonso Soriano to Texas for Alex Rodriguez. The Rangers passed on Canó for a different infielder, Joaquín Árias, who has played only briefly in the majors.

In June 2004, when Kansas City shopped Carlos Beltrán, the Yankees shifted Canó to third base to showcase him. They offered Canó and catcher Dioner Navarro, but the Royals sent Beltrán to Houston in a three-team deal that got them third baseman Mark Teahen, catcher John Buck and pitcher Mike Wood.

A month later, the Yankees were prepared to trade any prospect the Arizona Diamondbacks wanted for Randy Johnson. A Diamondbacks scout recommended Canó, but the front office held on to Johnson until the winter.

It goes on to say he was never listed in the Top 100 of Baseball America's prospect list. To be fair, he took great strides in winter ball the year before he was called up. But BA should notice things like that.

Kevin

03-02-2008, 09:11 AM

Hank Officially in Redsox Nation. (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3273421)

"I'm a big Hank fan," Henry wrote in an e-mail to the newspaper. "Just to ensure he knows how cool Red Sox Nation is, [Saturday] we officially inducted him as a member of Red Sox Nation and we are sending him his membership card giving him access to an array of options including our newsletter, bumper stickers, pins, Green Monster seats and a hat personally autographed by David Ortiz."

I want to see how this dummy reacts.

TheMojoPin

03-02-2008, 09:24 AM

I want to hear more about how Hank's experience in the world of horses is going to lend itself to running the Yankees.

Kevin

03-02-2008, 09:29 AM

I want to hear more about how Hank's experience in the world horses is going to lend itself to running the Yankees.

Winning, Steroids and going full speed towards the finish line. Don't you see it, MAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNN!

Also, if any player breaks a leg, he will have them destroyed.

Bulldogcakes

03-02-2008, 09:32 AM

The Giambino!!!!!

I Dont Care If It Doesn't Count!!!!!

A.J.

03-02-2008, 09:55 AM

I want to hear more about how Hank's experience in the world of horses is going to lend itself to running the Yankees.

He'd be qualified to run FEMA.

Dan 'Hampton

03-02-2008, 10:03 AM

Party pooper (http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2008/03/hank_wont_join.html)
He's scaring me with the business partner stuff. Maybe a RouschFenwaySteinbrenner Racing team in the future?

Crippler

03-02-2008, 10:53 AM

Well, there's something to be said for consistency...same ol' Farnsworth…pitch #2 of the day finds a home over the left field wall. :lol: Welcome back Kyle.

Bulldogcakes

03-02-2008, 12:24 PM

I want to hear more about how Hank's experience in the world of horses is going to lend itself to running the Yankees.

The minute you tell me why a company the sells newspapers owns the Cubs and one of the guys you want to buy them (Cuban) made his money in the computer biz.

Is there a single owner in Baseball who didn't make his money elsewhere?

TheMojoPin

03-02-2008, 12:51 PM

The minute you tell me why a company the sells newspapers owns the Cubs and one of the guys you want to buy them (Cuban) made his money in the computer biz.

Is there a single owner in Baseball who didn't make his money elsewhere?

You really think I'd defend the Cubs's current owners?

The only reason I want Cuban is because of his success with the Mavericks. It shows he knows how to run a sports franchise. If he didn't have that history, I'd b just as wary of him as I am of everyone else who is likely to buy them.

It's now about how he made his money...it's how you brought it up and how it gives him some kind of different "perspective" than his father or something along those lines...all in all, it was pretty inexplicable. I fail to see how being involved with horses offers anyone any kind of advantage in running a human sports franchise, or how it makes Hank sound like any less of a idiot. I hope to God that the other Steinbrenner brother is actually running things, for the sake of you guys.

cougarjake13

03-02-2008, 12:58 PM

You really think I'd defend the Cubs's current owners?

The only reason I want Cuban is because of his success with the Mavericks. It shows he knows how to run a sports franchise. If he didn't have that history, I'd b just as wary of him as I am of everyone else who is likely to buy them.

It's now about how he made his money...it's how you brought it up and how it gives him some kind of different "perspective" than his father or something along those lines...all in all, it was pretty inexplicable. I fail to see how being involved with horses offers anyone any kind of advantage in running a human sports franchise, or how it makes Hank sound like any less of a idiot. I hope to God that the other Steinbrenner brother is actually running things, for the sake of you guys.

ahhh so kinda like a good steinbrennar, bad steinbrennar

TheMojoPin

03-02-2008, 01:05 PM

ahhh so kinda like a good steinbrennar, bad steinbrennar

Ideally. Let one be the loudmouth, possibly retarded jackass everyone focuses on, but the other brother is actually working with Cashman to get things done not moronically.

cougarjake13

03-02-2008, 02:04 PM

Ideally. Let one be the loudmouth, possibly retarded jackass everyone focuses on, but the other brother is actually working with Cashman to get things done not moronically.

an idea so brillant that my mind would explode if i even tried to think about it

Bulldogcakes

03-02-2008, 02:08 PM

The only reason I want Cuban is because of his success with the Mavericks.

http://www.sneakerfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/jordan_baseball_2.jpg

"That's what I said. Basketball, Baseball, what's the difference?"

TheMojoPin

03-02-2008, 02:11 PM

http://www.sneakerfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/jordan_baseball_2.jpg

"That's what I said. Basketball, Baseball, what's the difference?"

Except that Cuban has shown he understands how to run a SPORTS TEAM. Not basketball specifically, HE KNOWS HOW TO RUN A SPORTS ORGANIZATION. You listen to him talk about baseball, he demonstrates the same understanding as to who to hire to handle trades, scouting, managing, etc., he shows an incredible understanding of modern bseball from both the perspective of what should be seen on the field and how the team should be run as a business.

Michael Jordan doesn't know shit outside of playing basketball, gambling addictions and banging porn stars.

Bulldogcakes

03-02-2008, 02:14 PM

Except that Cuban has shown he understands how to run a SPORTS TEAM. Not basketball specifically, HE KNOWS HOW TO RUN A SPORTS ORGANIZATION. You listen to him talk about baseball, he demonstrates the same understanding as to who to hire to handle trades, scouting, managing, etc., he shows an incredible understanding of modern bseball from both the perspective of what should be seen on the field and how the team should be run as a business.

Michael Jordan doesn't know shit outside of playing basketball, gambling addictions and banging porn stars.

That was an obvious joke. Unclench los culo, amigo.

TheMojoPin

03-02-2008, 02:18 PM

That was an obvious joke. Unclench los culo, amigo.

Be funny.

Bulldogcakes

03-03-2008, 03:46 PM

Yanks hope to honor Bernie (http://riveraveblues.com/2008/03/03/yanks-hope-to-honor-bernie-2250/)

Despite an acrimonious divorce following the 2006 season, the Yankees still appreciate all that Bernie Williams gave to the game. To that end, they would like to honor him before the Stadium closes down in
seven months. “Obviously, Bernie is special to us,” Hank said yesterday. No date has been set for Bernie Williams Day, but that is sure to be a hot ticket.

Very nice, hope it happens. He's one of the few Yanks who've retired or left recently who's # I think deserves to be retired. THey could give him a day and not retire it as well, and just give him a car and the keys to the city or something.

TheGameHHH

03-03-2008, 04:08 PM

Bernie deserves a day at the stadium, im looking forward to it this year.

Bulldogcakes

03-03-2008, 04:27 PM

In An Alternate Reality (http://mvn.com/mlb-yankees/2008/03/03/in-an-alternate-reality/)
Yesterday, Jim posted an interesting “What If” regarding the Yankees and Pedro Martinez. That got me thinking about how the Yankees roster might look if Brian Cashman had always refused to trade prospects or shell out big money on free agents. I did a bit of research and put together a roster with a few ground rules. 1) No trades at all, unless prospects are obtained. For example, trading Hideki Irabu for prospects is allowed, but trading those prospects for David Justice is not. 2) No major free agent signings. For example, signing Tom Gordon is allowed, but Jason Giambi and Mike Mussina are not. Also, re-signing their own players is allowed (I did not include Andy Pettitte because I have no reason to believe he would have re-signed after 2003 under these circumstances, and the rules preclude the team from signing him prior to the 2007 season). Obviously, it is unlikely that the resulting club would have been as successful as the real team over the last decade. The point of the exercise is to see how the club would look for the 2008 season. I am sure I have left some players out, so feel free to correct me in the comments.

Lineup

Alfonso Soriano LF

Derek Jeter SS

Nick Johnson 1B

Jorge Posada C

Mike Lowell 3B

Robinson Cano 2B

Juan Rivera DH

Wily Mo Pena RF

Melky Cabrera CF

Bench - Marcus Thames, Ricky Ledee, Shelley Duncan, Christian Guzman

Starting Pitching

CM Wang

Ted Lilly

Phil Hughes

Jake Westbrook

Ian Kennedy

Eric Milton

Bullpen- Joba Chamberlain, Damaso Marte, Brad Halsey, Yhency Brazoban, Kyle Farnsworth, Mariano Rivera

Interesting exercise. Something you always wonder about. The lineup is good, although not as good as the current one. The OF is weak. Rotation clearly needs work, the bullpen is actually MUCH MUCH better. Its almost the reverse of the team we have now. I think he went too far disallowing all FA signings, and there's no way to know who those draft picks would have turned into had they kept the pick and not signed the FA.