The Elusive 27th - Yankees Blog

The Greatest Bullpen Ever Assembled???

2009-10-08T19:17:00.003-04:00

According to Joel Sherman, it seems as if the Yankees are sold enough on Chad Gaudin to keep Joba in the bullpen for the ALCS. Personally, I'm an advocate of this, the Yanks are 6-0 in Guadin's starts and Joba was unreliable in the rotation down the stretch.

Think about this...

Gaudin gives you five innings of 2 or 3 run ball with 100 pitches thrown (similar to what he's done with the yanks)

You can have Robertson thrown the 6th (best K rate of any pitcher in the AL). Save Marte for any situational lefties. Throw Joba in the 7th, sprinkled in with Phil Coke if necessary. Phil Hughes in the 8th, and Mo in the 9th.

For a team that has relied so much on high priced free agents, that homegrown bullpen (I'm including Marte because he was traded for prospects) looks awfully good huh?

Long time, but I said it would happen....

2009-10-08T19:16:00.001-04:00

It's been a long long time, but I just wanted to leave my Mark Teixiera prediction up there for all to read for a while. I said it would happen...it did.

The Master Plan - An Ace and Teixeira

2008-12-11T21:41:00.004-05:00

Remember this time last year? When the Yankees didn't want to spend money on free agents? Remember when they didn't want to give up young talent AND pay free agent money to Johan Santana? Here's why folks:

The Yankees were hoping that the Twins wouldn't be able to trade Santana, making him a free agent at the end of the season. If he got to free agency, he was clearly the #1 choice. The Yanks were able to hedge this bet because CC Sabathia was also due for free agency. If they missed out on Santana, CC was next in line. So they were spending $23 million a year on a pitcher regardless, but didn't want to part with young, cost controlled pitching.

Heading to the 2007 offseason, the Yankees had a gaping hole at first base. Don't think for one minute that they actually wanted Giambi to wear anything that said Rawlings on it. The plan was to sign Mark Teixeira, who at the time was coming into free agency with the Atlanta Braves. Instead of testing the market, Teixeira opted to sign a 1-year deal with Atlanta. With Teixeira off the market for another year the Yanks kept first base open and their checkbooks closed (save the new ARod contract).

Here's where things went horribly, horribly wrong. Cashman and company expected to get something out of Phil Hughes or Ian Kennedy last season. At least enough to pencil one of them into a spot in the 2009 rotation. Unfortunately, neither was able to deliver. The Yankees were probably hoping for a rotation of Wang, pettitte (to resign), hughes, kennedy, with joba in the bullpen (potentially). Instead, they are looking at Wang, Joba, ?, ?, ?. So instead of signing one big name free agent pitcher, they need a second.

I don't think it was ever the plan to sign AJ Burnett or Derek Lowe, but to quote 'Chip Douglas': "Necessity is the mother of invention."

The 2008 offseason was always about acquiring a bonafide #1 pitcher, and Mark Teixeira -- AJ Burnett or Derek Lowe are the reaction to last season's pitching problems.

Teixeira is the ideal Yankee first baseman. Gold Glove caliber defense, high OBP, switch hitter, hits for power. Teixeira is the best young position player to hit the market since Alex Rodriguez. Please don't let anyone fool you into thinking that the Yankees will let this kid play in Anaheim or Boston for the next 8 years.
I for one won't be surprised if Mark Teixeira is there to open the "House that George Built".

Yanks to add a bat?

2008-12-11T21:19:00.004-05:00

The pitching staff seems to have undergone a facelift, but let's face it, the (proposed) lineup has holes:

Damon LF (can he stay healthy and effective?)
Jeter SS (put together a nice second half, but a decline isn't out of the question)
Matsui DH (coming off of injury plagued seasons, also declining from age)
A-Rod 3B (it's an odd year, he wins MVP's every odd year - he'll be a monster)
Posada C (had a freak season two years ago, expect him to revert to career averages)
Nady RF (expect .280, 20 HR, 80-100 RBI if all goes well)
Cano 2B (Yanks are hopeful he can return to form and maybe be the #3 hitter)
Swisher 1B (Coming off a miserable season)
Gardner CF (Great speed, but can't hit a lick)

Not the Bronx Bombers that we all know and love. I would be VERY surprised to see the Yankees move into their new ballpark with this lineup. They created holes (letting Giambi & Abreu walk) in order to patch up the rotation. But face it, chicks dig the long ball. Here's my theory:

The Yanks will be serious about Mark Teixeira, very serious.

Reason #1 - Look at the lineup above.

Reason #2 - The Yanks have spent most of their drafting resources on power pitchers, therefore, have very little in position players in the minor leages. Eric Duncan is not the answer. Juan Miranda? Ehh, don't think so. Jesus Montero is a beast, but he's years away.

Reason #3 - No matter what they say, they can afford him. The Yanks say they want to keep payroll down. Why? I ask. They have $90 million coming off the books, and are moving into a cash flow monster of a new stadium!!!!

CC - 23 million per
AJ - 16 million per
Pettitte - 12 million per (hypothetically)
Rounding out the bench - $4 million
Total = $55 million

Add Mike Cameron's 10 million and you have $65 million in additions. That leaves $25 million dollars to spend on a bat. (Teixeira anyone).

The argument can be raised that they'll need payroll flexibility to extend Wang in the near future. Matsui and Damon are both off the books next year (another $25 million in AAV)

They can afford Teixeira, plain and simple.

Rotation version 2009?

2008-12-11T20:58:00.004-05:00

Ok, so C.C. Sabathia is now on board and it appears that A.J. Burnett and possibly Andy Pettitte are soon to follow. This leaves a rotation of: CC, Wang, Burnett, Pettitte, and Joba. I expect Aceves to be the long man with Hughes and Kennedy starting the season in AAA.

Assuming everyone stays healthy, I expect Girardi to get creative with the rotation right around the all-star break in order to limit Joba's innings to keep him ready for the stretch run. Figure on the hottest of the Aceves/Hughes/Kennedy trio finding their way into the rotation somehow.

An interesting thought on top of it, thinking way ahead here. Assume the Yanks get to the postseason with all five/six of their starters healthy, what does the playoff rotation look like? They may only need 3 starters for the opening round and then 4 for the ALCS and/or WS. Do you keep Andy Pettitte off the post season roster? Or, do you move Joba back to the bullpen and go with a rotation of CC, Wang, Burnett, and Pettitte? I know it's a reach, but it's thought provoking none the less.

The Science of the CC Free Agency

2008-11-23T08:57:00.008-05:00

The key to any negotiation is to have leverage. Enter CC Sabathia.

Over the past few days, the Yankees' bid for CC is being greeted with skepticism and panic. "Where is CC?" "Why hasn't he signed yet?" "He wants to hit and play in California?" "Money isnt important to him." "He hates New York."
Sheep, all of us, sheep.

Let's look at this whole thing in terms of leverage and rationality.

The Yankees have been telegraphing this move since last year when they wouldn't trade for Johan Santana. It was well known then that they would need to sign Sabathia. Forget the kids, even if Hughes and IPK dazzled last year, the Yanks were still going to go after Sabathia, and hard.

The Yanks clearly had zero leverage. Sabathia knows this. During the season, Cleveland knew this. After failed attempts to sign him to an extension, the Indians traded CC to Milwaukee for whatever return they could get; knowing they would not get a hometown discount versus the Yankees. Milwaukee made the deal for the short-term, they were not expecting to outbid the Yankees or retain CC's services. Instead, they were looking to make the playoffs for the first time in ages and hopefully bring life to a near dead franchise.

Milwaukee threw an offer of 5 yrs./$100M in good faith to show that they would like to have CC back, but that they knew it wouldn't be enough to outbid the Yankees. The Yankees have already shown their hand, and are expected to make a bid early in the offseason. On the first day, they make a 6 yr/ $140M offer, big enough (they hope) to scare the other teams away. The reasoning is simple, if nobody else bids on CC, he has no leverage and will come to NY on their first offer.

CC and his agent knows this. So the most obvious step in this 'business equation' , is to figure out how to regain leverage to receive a maximum return. The way to do this is to remain quiet, and wait for other offers to come in. Make the Yankees think that while their offer may be the highest, there are other factors involved. Make them wait, make them sweat, make them doubt their offer, make the media go crazy, make New Yorkers think there will be no Christmas without CC. Make the Yankees bid against themselves.

The rest of baseball knows this as well. Does anyone else find it odd that no team has made an offer to Sabathia since the Yankees? This is the #1 free agent on the market with a huge offer already in front of him, and while teams are interested, none of them have made an offer. Obviously they know something that we don't, that the longer they make the Yankees wait for CC, the less competition they will get from the Yankees on other free agents. In addition, there are a number of other free agent pitchers available, they cannot afford to let the Yankees set the market on pitching. If they do, the Yankees can pick and choose whoever they'd like.

While money has never been an object in New York, $140 million dollars is a lot and whether or not CC signs with the Yankees will have a huge impact on how they progress in this free agent period. The plan in New York is simple, sign CC and go from there.

On a side note, for those who are convinced that CC will sign with the Dodgers or Giants on a hometown discount, remember this: he didn't sign an extension with Cleveland on a hometown discount, and he didn't respond to the Brewers' offer either. This is a 28 year old pitcher with the world in the palm of his hands. This may be the last contract he ever signs, he needs to think about the rest of his life, the rest of his children's lives, there is no doubt that the lure of the new stadium and the megamillion dollar endorsement contracts in New York can help him settle in California six years later than he would have liked. In 2008, in this economy, you don't leave $40M on the table, and you certainly don't sign for $140M if you think you can hold out for $150M.

CC will be a Yankee. This isn't because I'm a Yankee fan who believes that every player wants to be a Yankee. He will be a Yankee for the same reason that other prime aged free agents have signed with the Yankees. Money, Money, and more Money.

Why no blogging?

2008-05-19T22:55:00.002-04:00

Just in case anyone has checked this and wondered why I haven't been writing a damn thing about the Yankees - the answer should be quite simple. They have been terrible. Watching them makes me so sick I can barely stand to read anyone else's blog let alone write my own.

I am going to try to get this thing going again - I am looking forward to reviewing the season so far and grading the roster. Also, I plan to look at the players on the farm who we may be seeing as soon as September...Stay tuned and thanks for the patience...

Trivia for you Don Swan - Who was the last Yankee to hit for the cycle? What year did he do it? What team was it against? What event in this player's career was a significant moment for Yankee history?

(Hint: This is Michael Kay's favorite trivia questions, you'll see it on YES twice a month)

Congratulations to Jon Lester

2008-05-19T22:51:00.003-04:00

As a Yankee fan, I hate to see the Red Sox, or anyone on their team for that matter do anything good. Tonight, however, is an exception. So much in fact, that I am blogging for the first time in almost two months to congratulate Jon Lester on his no-hit performance from earlier tonight. This feat is about more than baseball as only a year ago Lester was undergoing cancer treatments for lymphoma. His ability to recover from his illness, make it back to the big leagues, and now throw a no-hitter is a wonderful story for baseball and baseball fans everywhere. Don't get used to it, but tonight my hat goes off to a Red Sox player - Jon Lester, congratulations.

The Sights and Sounds of Spring

2008-03-16T20:46:00.003-04:00

After a month of inactivity due to nothing more than sheer laziness, let's take a look at the some of the questions/items I previewed last month:

1.) Joe Girardi - It's hard to judge a manager by a few weeks of spring training, but Girardi seems to have acclimated himself very well with his new position as the Yankees' skipper. The way General Joe carries himself has never been a mystery to Yankees' fans, and I have no worries he will be able to handle the media circus that is NY. The most telling sign to me is that the veteran players have really embraced their new manager. Players reported to camp in outstanding shape and what seems to be a very positive outlook. Girardi has handled the Andy Pettitte and Tampa Bay Rays controversies about as well as Torre could have (if not better).

2. Andy Pettitte - At the end of his first day at camp, Andy addressed the media and the rest of baseball via press conference from Legend's Field/George Steinbrenner Field. Andy's confession and apology was perhaps the most genuine account we have seen during the entire PED investigation. While he was wrong in doing what he did, I think Andy has handled this situation with grace and dignity - something I'm sure baseball fans will use to forgive him. As for his performance thus far, aside from a little bit of elbow tenderness, Andy seems fine and ready to pitch this season.

3. CMW Contract - Wang lost in arbitration but has no hard feelings. He has been working on his off speed stuff which should help him tally a few more K's and keep hitters off balance (7 K's today vs. Cleveland in 4.1 innings).

4. A-Rod's 10 year $275 million deal - Oddly enough, we haven't heard much about Alex this spring. While that certainly is a change, Arod's performance on the field hasn't as he is pulverizing the baseball this spring. Note to that AL - Watch out...

5. Jeter - Stay tuned on Jeter this year. He changed his training regimen this off season for more speed and quickness - hopefully we'll see some added range and few nagging injuries.

6. Joba - Joba's role has yet to be defined. He has gotten hit a little more than we are used to this spring, but I'm sure he'll put together a nice year.

7. First Base - Two words - Jason Giambi. The Giambino is in great shape (contract year), and has been playing a very good first base this spring. Girardi has made no secret that he wants Giambi to play first. Jason's career numbers are much better when he's at first base, and with the outfield log jam, Jason needs to be at first. Shelley looks great also, probably to back up and spell the OF's and Giambi vs. a tough lefty.

8. The Bullpen - Mariano is Mariano. Kyle is happier with Girardi around. Hawkins has looked good. Bruney lost a ton of weight. Aside from that, not much to write about here. We'll see what happens.

9. Phil & Ian - It's going to be a lot of fun to watch these guys this year. Aside from a rocky last start, Hughes has been nothing short of brilliant. He's in great shape and seems determined to live up to the hype. Ian has given up a couple gopher balls, but I wouldn't read into it. He's a cerebral pitcher who doesn't want to show too much to opposing hitters. I love this kid.

10. Moose - He was awful in his first start of the spring but has been great since. He's looking like he did in 2006. If he can come close to that, the pen will be much stronger with Joba in there. Moose is the key and so far it fits.

Spring Training Preview

2008-02-12T19:24:00.000-05:00

With pitchers and catchers reporting to camp on Thursday, I figured it'd be a good time for a spring training preview. The following are sure to be hot items heading into the spring.

1. Joe Girardi's first appearance as Yankees Manager - It's going to be very strange to see someone other than Joe Torre at the helm for Yankee players and fans, but it will be interesting to see how Joe handles the New York media, the young players, and the veterans. I'm a very big fan of Girardi and expect that he'll hit the ground running.

2. Andy Pettitte and the fallout from the Mitchell Report - The media is still eating this story up and I really don't foresee them slowing down. It's going to be a rough spring for Andy. Reports already indicate that he is behind schedule in his workouts. It will be interesting to see how well he responds. Andy has always been a class act and handled his inclusion in the report as best as possible; I am sure he will do the same with the media. I am hoping that the fans will be supportive of him and that the media gets bored with this.

3. Chien-Ming Wang and salary arbitration - It doesn't make much sense to me why the two sides can't agree on a one-year deal here. Wang is asking for $4.6 million and the Yanks are offering $4.0 million. For a team that shells out money like they do, it's hard to understand why the Yanks are trying to save money on their ace pitcher. Additionally, Wang would like to be tied up long term; however, he is not eligible for free agency until 2011. The Yankees are reluctant to sign any pitchers long term, especially if they don't need to. Stay tuned on this one, hopefully there is no bad blood here.

4. A-Rod's New Contract- 10 years and $275 million later, this has become Alex's team. After tearing it up last season and crawling back to the Yankees, maybe Alex has grown up a bit. I would imagine that there is less pressure on him that there has been in previous years. How will he respond? I expect big big things from him over the next 10 years.

5. Jeter - Jeter in my eyes had a very disappointing year last year. He was not the clutch player we've come to know, he hit into a ton of double plays, and he noticeably lost some range. This will be an interesting year for the captain, particularly after A-Rod's big deal. I think Jeter has gotten bored over the last few years, but may be a little more motivated this year to show people why he is indeed the Captain.

6. Joba - It looks like Joba is officially slated for the bullpen to start out the season. The updated "Joba Rules" seem to be the idea that Joba will throw his first 30 innings or so in the bullpen, then head to the minor leagues around June, build up his endurance and throw another 90 innings as a starter. It will be interesting to see if these plans hold up. Several factors can affect this plan, including the effectiveness of the bullpen, the rotation, and Joba's health.

7. First Base - First base is pretty much an open audition. I don't understand why they didn't at least offer Doug Mientkiewicz a spring training invite. The cast of characters includes Jason Giambi, Shelley Duncan, Wilson Betemit, Jason Lane, Morgan Ensberg, and Juan Miranda.

8. The Bullpen - The bullpen is a huge question mark - as always. It seems that 4 spots in the pen are booked with Mo, Farnsworth, Hawkins, and now Joba. The young arms are key, and I'm looking forward to seeing what these kids have.

9. Phil & Ian - A lot of eyes will be on these two as they will try to prove that Brian Cashman made the right decision in not trading them for Johan Santana. Not to put too much pressure on them, but these guys could be the key to the season.

10. Mike Mussina - Moose was awful last year. Some speculate that he was in bad shape coming in to spring training. He was not a fan of Marty Mitchell's training program and it's no surprise that he pulled a hamstring early in the year. The Yanks need Moose to be a serviceable starter. I think he has enough pride that he will finish his career on a good note. If Moose can be effective, it gives the Yanks a lot of options as to how to use Joba and the rest of the kids.

Yanks say NOhan to the Twins when it comes down to Hughes

2008-01-29T19:01:00.000-05:00

ESPN reports that the Twins have reached agreement with the Mets to trade Johan Santana in exchange for four prospects:

I don't care if this helps the Mets, I'm just hoping it helps the Yankees. I have been against the Yanks acquiring Santana from the start, especially when it came down to Phil Hughes.

"Phil Franchise," as he has so eloquently been dubbed by Bloggers everywhere, may never become the pitcher that Santana is. He may never become the #1 Starter that scouts have predicted. Maybe he'll only be a serviceable major league starter...a #3 at best, who knows. Even if he fizzles out and fails to live up to the hype, I would still agree with this 'non-trade'.

Yankees fans love Joba because of his electric stuff and his ability to decimate a lineup. To put it simply Joba = domination. Yankees fans love Phil Hughes for a different reason. They love Phil Hughes because of what his name means. Sure, we've all heard him compared to a young Clemens and as the future ace of the Yankees, but what "Phil Hughes" means is much more. Phil Hughes is the change in philosophy in the Bronx. "The Untouchable".

How many times have we heard the hype surrounding a prospect, only to see them packaged in a deal for a washed up slugger, or over the hill veteran? Not Hughes. There was only one person in baseball that anyone would consider trading this kid for -- the kind of player that makes an 'Untouchable' touchable.

That player is Johan Santana, he is the most dominating pitcher in baseball, a strikeout machine, a lefthanded ace - and still the Yankees balked. This non-move is a testament to the changing philosophy of the Yankees, one of fiscal responsibility and building from within.

We will now have an opportunity to see what Hughes can become, not in someone else's uniform, but in Yankee pinstripes.

We already know what he is capable of. He is a 21 year-old righthander who nearly no hit the Texas Rangers until he suffered a hamstring injury. He is a 21 year-old kid who battled back from an ankle injury, learned to pitch without his best stuff, and still won. He is the kid who pitched great down the stretch in September. He is the kid who took the ball from Roger Clemens in Game 3 of the ALDS and stood up to the pressure.

He is a Yankee, and to put it simply Phil Hughes = "Untouchable."

Uncle Sam or Yosemite Sam??

2008-01-27T09:17:00.000-05:00

Everytime I swear that I'm going to stop writing about steroids in baseball... I write something about steroids in baseball.

Reading the NY Daily News this morning, I came across an article discussing the government's intention on releasing the names of 104 players who failed MLB's first round of drug testing in 2003. Yes, the same test which was to be 'anonymous' and for 'research purposes only.' They even plan to prosecute the steroid users, now that's gonna bring the truth out.

Releasing the names is one thing, frankly, I couldn't care less about who is on there. There will just be a series of further denials and prods into the accuracy of the testing methods. The fact that players were doing steroids is obvious, we all know this.

Here's a few other things that we also know...

Steroid use is not limited to MLB. Steroid use has been rampant in all of professional, collegiate, scholastic, and recreational sports. Sports Illustrated had an article a few weeks ago about a 13 year old who was forced to take HGH by his father so he could become a championship speed skater. America's new pastime, the NFL, has had countless players test positive for performance enhancers. Shawn Merriman tested positive for steroids last year, was given a 4 game suspension AND STILL was voted as the runner up for defensive player of the year! Hell, he even has his own Nike commercial!!

But more importantly, I also know this...

We have kids dying in Iraq, our economy is in shambles, and the Hilary Clinton v. Barack Obama saga is a testament to the absolute joke that our political system has become.

Why does our government feel the need to waste time and money to perform a witch hunt on Major League Baseball?? What is it going to accomplish? Okay, so we find out a few more players that "cheated." "Great, grand, wonderful!"

Here's an idea:

I'll leave my house that's worth about 10% less than it was three years ago, fill up my tank with cheap quality gas that costs me about $3.00 a gallon, go to staples, buy a piece of paper and an envelope with my dollar that's losing money against other currencies by the day, and write a letter to my 18 year-old cousin in Afghanistan to tell him...

"Hey dude, great news, Congress released another 22 names that weren't in the Mitchell Report! Jose Canseco wasn't lying after all! Hopefully we can bring these cretans to justice! Best of luck out there, I'll let you know when we find Chuck Knoblauch."

Robinson Cano...don't you know

2008-01-24T19:11:00.001-05:00

In what could turn out to be the best move of the winter for the Yanks, it appears they are closing in on a 4-year contract with Robinson Cano in the $30M neighborhood.

I've been saying for a long time that the Yanks should try to wrap up Wang and Cano before they get very expensive. Typically, the Yanks have been very reluctant to extend contracts on their young players. Now, with $80-$90M coming off the books next year, it seems they have changed their thinking.

Some speculate that Cano may be slotted into the #3 hole ahead of A-Rod this year. That speculation alone speaks volumes of what this kid may be worth. $7.5M a year seems like a steal for a guy who hit .306, 19 Hr, 97 RBI in a year where he struggled early. I expect you will see Cano break out with numbers in the .315/30/115 range this year.

Great move if this deal gets done. Cano is only 25 and widely regarded as the best second baseman in the American League.

It's okay, he played in Boston too...

2008-01-07T19:15:00.000-05:00

This makes me feel better about life...

For those of you who haven't heard, Jose's plans for his second book, "Vindicated" have hit a snag. Don Yaeger, who was supposed to collabora....err... help Jose spell big words like "it" and "the," has dropped out of the project. Apparently Jose presented him with the material for the book and there is very little substance to it. Even more significantly, very very little concerning Arod:

"I had a chance to review the Jose Canseco [material] that he provided me. I don't think there's a book there. I don't know what they're going to do. I don't think he's got what he claims to have, certainly doesn't have what he claims to have on A-Rod. There's no meat on the bones."

More to brighten your day...

This too....

Roger Dodger

2008-01-07T18:34:00.001-05:00

On the way home from work tonight, I flipped to WFAN only to hear a sobbing and pathetic Brian McNamee pour his heart out to a stone cold Roger Clemens. Over the weekend, it's reported that Roger and Mac had an emotional phone conversation. Two days and one "60 Minutes" interview later, a recording of the phone conversation mysteriously gets leaked to the media. Coincidentally, Roger Clemens addressed the media the very same day. They can't write shit better than this in Hollywood!

Okay, so the "60 Minutes" interview told us little more than the fact that Roger pitched through pain and doesn't believe in lie detector tests. Being that this was a pre-recorded interview, it's safe to assume that the questions asked were authorized by Camp Clemens. Many journalists, bloggers, and laypersons are trying to decide Clemens' fate based on the number of swallows or sips of water there were in between questions. If all these people truly had Matt Parkman's "Heroes" mind-reading power, I think they'd be doing more with their time than paying attention to Roger. That's like Phil Hellmuth trying to bluff out some clown named "Imaturd69" on Poker Stars with Play Money. Get Real.

Tonight's press conference was a more convincing display by Roger. He was adamant in his denials and defiant to the end. More will be revealed, or not, in his defamation case against McNamee and his appearance before Congress.

Roger's best argument was when he asked, "How do you prove a negative?" When you think about it, he's right. There's nothing he can do to prove he is innocent. Not even a wimpering Brian McNamee recanting his Mitchell testimony will do that. The cloud of doubt is out there, and it will hover above Roger wherever he goes.

The one question I kept wondering while listening to the conference, phone call, etc. keeps echoing in my head. If Roger is guilty, why is he going to court with this? If he sauced up, McNamee will clearly repeat the testimony in the Mitchell Report. This wouldn't be a wise move, silence from McNamee is the best thing for Roger. The shadow of doubt on McNamee's testimony will be lifted if McNamee accuses Roger in a Court of Law, and the verdict in the Court of Public Opinion will likely be declared -- guilty.

Unless...

*Additional reading - great job by Buster Olney, a rational approach and some links to more on the Clemens saga

I can't stand this guy...

2008-01-05T10:37:00.000-05:00

So here comes my first "flip-flop" of the off-season. I loved the way Hank handled Arod, and the resigning of Jorge and Mo. He was tough, but not stupid with Alex, and in the end was willing to pay up to bring these three guys back.

The Johan Santana dealings make Hank look soft and stupid. Nobody takes this guy seriously anymore. His deadline at the Winter Meetings made headlines as he was adamant that the Yanks would no longer be involved in Santana talks. The Twins didn't bite and it seemed the Santana talk was over.

In a series of interviews since, Hank has repeatedly said that the Yanks are still in the Santana race. Which basically means that his deadlines and his tough stances are just a negotiating ploy. Only problem here is that he is only negotiating against his own organization. When have Theo Epstein or Larry Lucchino monologued over their trade offers?

Old senile George finally had it right when he turned over baseball operations to the actual baseball people in the organization. Now, as the Yanks are finally showing some fiscal restraint and willingness to develop the farm, this idiot decides that he will overrule Cashman and make the final decision on this deal.

Here's another great question...if Hank is so worthy of being the big decision maker in the organization (with brother Hal in the background of course), why was his father so willing to turn over the most prestigious franchise in sports to his deadbeat, alcoholic, son-in law??

If daddy could change his own Depends or chew his Gerber, maybe he'd wise up and let Cash take over.

Hello 2008!! Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T18:07:00.000-05:00

Those of you who know me know that New Year's isn't one of my favorite holidays, but nonetheless, I wish a very Happy New Year to you and your families. Enjoy the night, but most importantly, be smart and be safe, nobody wants to see 2008 without you.

The Cold Stove

2007-12-28T19:47:00.001-05:00

Not too much going on in the rumor mill as the holidays are around. It seems that even the GMs are allowed to turn off their cell phones and put away their PDAs for a couple weeks. But here's a few things going on:

- Yankees.com has a feature on Don Mattingly being on the Hall of Fame Ballot again this year. It's quite possible that nobody loves this guy more than I do (even though I wanted Girardi to manage), and I'd love to see him in the Hall. I know his numbers come up a little short, but he was an icon in his era and the only bright spot for the Yankees in the 80s. I'm wondering... with the steroid cloud looming over MLB -- should voters look at Mattinglyl's career differently?. (Just to throw some salt on the Mitchell wound) How many players have prolonged their careers due to their use of performance enhancers? Who is more deserving? A guy like Don Mattingly, who played through pain and was adored by his fans (possibly as much as any NY athlete ever); or a bloated needle smuggler like Mark McGwire whose credibility is in question, but his stats are HOF worthy?

- Jim Leyritz got hammered while celebrating his 44th birthday and was dumb enough to get behind the wheel. He struck another car and the passenger in the other car was killed. Good luck dude. Sad situation for both parties.

PS. "You're fucked" - The Management

- The Yanks have ordered Robinson Cano to stop playing in the Dominican Winter League. A no-brainer here as Cano is reportedly recovering from a calf injury that plagued him all year. Some speculate that he was asked to stop playing because he's involved in trade talks. That is just plain stupid. They are not trading Cano, period. Not to mention the timing is retarded, the best rumors on the hot stove involve Darin Erstad signing with the Astros and the Mets being interested in John Lieber. Hard to believe that Cashman is talking Cano with anyone unless the deal includes Kofax, Drysdale, Jackie Robinson, and Duke Snyder.

- Clemens is doing his own probe into the Mitchell Report. If I have to read one more article about this I'm going to shit myself. This is old news and I don't really think anyone cares anymore.

- The LaTroy Hawkins signing is now official. Any idea when Hawkins T-shirts will be available?? I can hang it in my closet in between my Kei Igawa and Kevin Brown shirts.

-There have also been some conflicting reports on whether we'll see Joba in the rotation or the bullpen. If the Santana deal does not get done (which it won't), Joba and Hughes are the only options the Yanks have as shut down power arms for the rotation. Unless Moose has been working out with the Rocket this offseason, I don't see any reason why the rotation should not be the Wang, Pettitte, and the Big Three.

Prior Warning

2007-12-20T21:52:00.000-05:00

I have to admit that when Mark Prior was non-tendered by the Cubs and became a free agent, I was all over it. I figured this would be a great opportunity for the Yanks to steal a potentially dominating pitcher. After having thought about Prior over the last week, I've changed my mind.

When Prior is healthy (see 2002, 2003, & 2005), the guy is downright filthy (10.5 Ks per 9). Unfortunately, over the past two years, he has only thrown 30 more innings than our favorite son, Carl Pavano. The Cubs did not tender Prior due to uncertainties regarding his health and their unwillingness to give him a multi-year deal.

There are said to be a dozen teams interested in the right hander who is recovering from shoulder surgery and is expected to pitch some time in May. Prior is reportedly looking prove he is healthy and sign a one-year deal, only to try to cash in as a free agent next year.

Signing Prior would be a bad move for the Yanks (think back to the Octavio Dotel signing). There are no guarantees that Prior will be fully recovered from his injury and signing Prior will cost the Yanks another spot on their 40-man roster. I think they'd be better off allowing him to sign elsewhere, preferably with an NL team and monitor him throughout the year. If he regains his form and seems to be worth the investment, he will be available next year via free agency.

Another key reason is the Big Three, the Trinity -- the Future. This year's rotation projects to include Wang, Pettitte, Moose (ehh), Joba, Hughes, and Misterrrrrrrrrrr Kennedy. For the '09 season, Wang, Joba, Hughes, and Kennedy will all be under contract and Pettitte is always a possibility to return. If the Yanks do sign Prior, and he pitches like most guys do when they come back from injury (mediocre for the first year) he will clearly take innings from the Big Three and impede their development. While no Yankee fan likes to hear it, this year is a 'rebuilding' year when it comes to the pitching staff. The young guys in the rotation and the pen need the opportunity to get their feet wet in order to see if the Yanks can build their 'new dynasty' from within.

Prior is a one year deal. If he's dominant, he will try to go after the most money possible (he did the same thing when drafted). If he stinks, well, then we're looking at the latest of Yankees pitching failures -- who will eat up too many valuable innings and be kicked to the curb afterwards.

The best option is to let Prior sign elsewhere and scout him. He will be an available free agent at the end of the year along with (possibly) Santana and Sabathia. The Yanks will have a year to see how Joba, Phil, and Ian do as starters. It is then conceivable that they can sign two of the three: Prior, Santana, or CC and move Joba to the pen to be Mo's successor.

The Pitching Staff - Part II - The Rotation

2007-12-18T19:19:00.000-05:00

First off, my apologies to Jonathan Albaladejo - who I left off the bullpen probables. (My brother, however, was happy with my omission as he thinks this kid will be the next Brian Boehringer - ouch.) Either way, the Yanks picked him up from the Nationals for Tyler Clippard. While I've never seen him pitch, Albaladejo is a power arm that throws strikes (they all do that until they come to NY).

The Yankees rotation is usually a hot topic in December as we usually toast the arrival of a new savior each year. The names are seemingly endless: Jeff Weaver, Hideki Irabu (haha), Kevin Brown, Javy Vazquez, Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright, Randy Johnson, etc. -- the high expectations usually flatten out like a Kei Igawa fastball and the Yanks are generally looking for more pitching by the trade deadline. Since he has taken over organizational control, Brian Cashman has been working diligently to revamp the farm system and develop in-house options to bolster the staff.

Despite the enormous speculation and hot stove activity, the Yankees have not landed the "true ace" that many believe they need.

Chien-Ming Wang's struggles this postseason have cast doubts as to whether he is a #1 starter. Wang's sinker is the best in the game (sorry Brandon Webb). He shows outstanding poise in pressure situations, and rarely gets flustered. When he is on, his velocity is anywhere from 94-96 mph with insane movement -- hitting his sinker on these nights is like trying to drive a bowling ball with a 7-iron (meaning that you're shit out of luck). He has won more games over the last two years (38) than anyone in baseball. Wang throws strikes, works deep into games, and always gives his team a chance to win. Isn't that what an ace is supposed to do??

Wang's strengths, ironically, are also his weaknesses. He relies almost exclusively on his sinker; and while it's a very good pitch, a big league hitter can hit anything when he knows it's coming. Wang also pitches to contact, and despite the effectiveness of his sinker, anything can happen when the ball is put in play. For Wang to be a true #1 "shut-down" Josh Beckett-like starter, many believe he will have to develop his secondary pitches and strike more batters out. Reports indicate that he is refining his slider (once his best pitch) and change in order to rely less heavily on his sinker.

I think this is the year that Wang wins 20 games if he can stay healthy. He missed nearly a month last season and still won 19.

Andy Pettitte, along with Mike Mussina, is the veteran leader on the staff. Pettitte had a good year with Bombers after his return from the Houston Astros. He had some hard luck losses early in the year, but finished strong and pitched well in the post season. Andy's stuff is still there and we all know that he has "balls as big as grapefruits." I'm not at all worried about the HGH debacle, as Andy seems to have put the issue behind him.

Moose is a question mark for me. His arm strength was clearly down last year. Were his struggles last year an indicator that his age has caught up to him? or is it a result of the hamstring injury he suffered early in the year as a result of Marty Mitchell's "training program?" Personally, I think it's a little of both. Moose is clearly a back of the rotation guy, especially in the AL East, who is capable of winning 12 or 13 games. He can still baffle a line up with finesse when he's on, but the lack of velocity will certainly hurt his consistency.

Now comes the fun part. The kids (who I will blog about more later) -- Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, and Ian Kennedy are considered the future of the Yankees. The three righthanders are the crown jewels of the Yankees' system and all three look to be big contributors to the '08 rotation. How will Joe Girardi handle the innings limitations on the three youngsters? Can Joba become the shut down starter the Yanks need? Which Phil Hughes will we see? The Phil Hughes who absolutely dominated the Rangers in his near no-hitter? or the Phil Hughes who fell victim to high pitch counts and hittable two strike pitches? Will Ian Kennedy be as good as he was in September? or will he lose out on a rotation spot to the aging Mike Mussina?

The rotation depends heavily on these youngsters, and how it will turn out is anyone's guess. The questions are there every year for the Yanks: "How long before Jaret Wright's arm falls off?" "How is "Big Bird's" back? " "Who is Carl Pavano?" "How do you pronounce Irabu?" "Where does Jeff Weaver score his weed? " "Did Jose Contreras really take a raft here?" "Why is Kei Igawa wearing sunglasses?" This year, however, the questions will be asked about home-grown 21-year old phenoms who are hungry to make their mark and create a new dynasty. I'll take those questions any day.

The Pitching Staff - Part I - The Pen

2007-12-16T15:34:00.000-05:00

As things appear to be quiet on the Yankees Hot Stove, I figured it'd be a good time to take a look at the pitching outlook for the '08 season. The Yankees have yet to reel in the big fish they are after, and really have not done much to bolster the bullpen. Here's a look at the bullpen.

The Yankees pen begins and ends in one place: Mariano Rivera - he is the shoulders on which the Dynasty was built. After some posturing, the Sandman signed a 3-year, $45 million deal which will almost certainly allow him to end his career in pinstripes. Despite a slow start, there really are no signs indicating that Mo is slowing down. He is the rock in the bullpen, and really the only one to depend on.

With Joba heading to the rotation, the Yanks are hoping Kyle Farnsworth can minimize the damage long enough to allow Bob Sheppard and the rest of the crew to warm up the PA and blast some of James Hetfield's best work. Skipper Joe Girardi has faith that Farnsworth can regain the success he had in Chicago and become a dominant late inning presence. While Farnsworth did not reach triple digits on the radar gun as frequently as we're used to, he showed some promise late in the year by gaining confidence in his slider. It's no mystery that he was not a fan of Torre; hopefully, a new manager can lead to some consistency.

Innings eater, Luis Vizcaino who declined arbitration and signed with Colorado, is being replaced by LaTroy Hawkins, who interestingly enough left Colorado for a one-year pact with the Yanks. I don't really see Hawkins being any sort of an upgrade here. While he enjoyed his best year in a long time last year, remember that he was pitching in the NL West, where the baseballs sit in a humidor and the bats are made of paper mache. The AL East is not a friendly place for a pitcher who's career WHIP is about 1.50. The best thing that can be said about Hawkins is that he was signed to a one-year deal.

The Yanks are interested in acquiring another left handed reliever such as Ron Mahay, Damaso Marte, or Jonathan Sanchez; however, there is nothing indicating that they are close with any of them. As it stands, it looks like Sean Henn is the only left hander in the pen.

The rest of the bullpen spots will most likely be filled with in house options:

Edwar Ramirez showed some flashes last year with a devastating change up that helped him rack up 31Ks in only 21 IP. He needs to pick up a little more velocity to consistently get big league hitters out.

Ross Ohlendorf, the big right hander from Princeton University acquired in the "Big Bird" trade, came up for a cup of coffee in September and impressed the Yankees brass. So much that he made the playoff roster and proceeded to get his tits ripped against Cleveland. He features a hard and heavy Wang-like sinker (94-96 mph), and a good slider. He also developed a split finger in the AFL which many predict will become his strike out pitch.

You can fill in the blanks from there. Jose Veras needs to stay healthy to be effective, but his stuff makes him a viable option to be a power arm out of the pen. The Yanks haven't given up on Brian Bruney and his electric fastball, but I expect him to start the year in AAA to try to refine his mechanics. Kei Igawa may be considered a left handed option, or as a long man with Jeff Karstens.

Three big names to remember: Humberto Sanchez, Mark Melancon, and J.B. Cox. All three right hander will report to spring training coming off of arm injuries, but each is expected to get to the Bronx this year. Sanchez's stuff is Joba-like, Melancon is rumored to be the closer of the future, he features a fastball that can reach the mid-90s and a filthy hammer. Cox, the former Longhorns closer, has a nasty slider and a big set of brass balls to go along with it.

The Yankee pen, like the rotation, will depend heavily on its young arms -- and the system has a ton of them. The Yanks also consider starters Alan Horne, Jeff Marquez, and Chase Wright as viable options in the pen if someone falters.

"Roger That...Good Buddy!"

2007-12-16T14:14:00.000-05:00

T plus 4 days since the Rocket was launched into the controversy of the MLB steroid scandal and the media can't get enough of it. After his best buddy and protege Andy Pettitte addressed the media yesterday, many are viewing Rocket's silence as a sign of guilt.

In the Court of Public Opinion you are guilty until proven innocent; and as we have seen so far when it comes to allegations regarding PED's, there is very little that can be done to sway public perception.

Roger's massage therapist and workout partner, Rohan Baichu is attempting to smear McNamee's name; citing that the former personal trainer is a troubled alcoholic who is jealous of Roger's 2004 Cy Young Award that he won in Houston after parting ways with the trainer. Baichu has worked very close with Clemens since his days in Houston and claims he has never noticed any behavior that would indicate steroid use.

Wonderful, a lovely case of he said/she said. Just last year McNamee told reporters that Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens had never asked him for performance enhancing drugs; only to flip flop when Mitchell and the Feds came calling. One of these trainers isn't telling the truth -- and at this stage in the game it's impossible to tell which one.

Interestingly enough, the head henchman of the Steroid Era, Jose Canseco, recently defended Roger Clemens in an interview with Dan Patrick. Canseco states that he had never seen or heard of the Rocket doing any kind of PEDs.

There is only one way for Roger Clemens to clear his name. While Andy Pettitte appears to have put the issue behind him after releasing a 'semi-apologetic' confession to the limited use of HGH, Roger faces a much larger hurdle, and as Canseco says, the only way for Roger to regain credibilty is to take legal action. While I generally try to disagree with anything Canseco has to say -- he put it best when asked what it would mean if Roger doesn't sue MLB, "Then he's guilty."

If this goes to Civil Court, and no new evidence turns up, there's a good chance Roger can win. But even after that case is closed, the file will always remain open in the Court of Public Opinion; and there's nothing Rocket can do about it.

BACK FROM THE DEADline

2007-12-15T17:55:00.000-05:00

Just as it seemed that Brian Cashman had once again seized control of baseball operations in New York, "Jabbering" Hank is at it again...

In an interview with the Star Ledger's Ed Price, Steinbrenner indicated that the Yankees have not completely shut the door on Johan Santana. "We haven't ruled it out completely. We're still considering it. I haven't closed the door completely on Santana."

Speculation is that the Yankees will look to move Hideki Matsui or Mike Mussina before they actively pursue a trade for the left-handed ace. It is unclear if there are any takers for either player. The SF Giants reportedly showed interest in Matsui; however, their signing of free agent center fielder Aaron Rowand may have eliminated the possibility of a deal. Reports also indicated that the Phillies have shown interest in Mike Mussina, who has a full no trade clause.

I think the Yanks will be looking to unload Matsui rather than Moose. With Phil Hughes as the likely center piece in any deal, I'd be hard pressed to see the Yanks give up two (or more if Kennedy is included in the deal) pitchers off of their roster, as they generally try to secure as much depth as possible.

It is highly unlikely that Bedard or Kazmir will be traded anywhere in the AL East. Dontrelle Willis and Dan Haren have already been traded. The free agent class of pitching is so thin that the non-tendered Mark Prior, who will not be available to throw a MLB pitch until mid-season, has a dozen teams interested. The only viable option to bolster the '08 rotation is Johan Santana - and you can bet your bottom dollar that the Haren trade will only increase Minnesota's trade demands.

This also brings us back to the question of whether the Yanks want to include Hughes in this, or any deal. The Yanks have made some terrible deals for pitching, both in free agent deals or in trades. Seriously though, what have Nick Johnson, Brad Halsey, Yhency Brazoban, and Ruben Rivera done since they were traded? Did Nick Johnson even play last year? List the prospects the Yanks have traded who have come back to bite them in the ass...

Bottom line is simple. The Yanks need to decide what they'd regret more. They trade Hughes (this is about Hughes, not money or other prospects) and he becomes the equivalent of Santana; and Santana disappoints in NY -- OR -- they don't make the deal, Santana gets traded or signs elsewhere after this season and continues his dominance, while Hughes becomes the #3 or #4 pitcher some project him to be.

If they don't pull the trigger, they are putting a huge amount of faith in the 21 year-old phenom. In the aftermath of the Mitchell report, there are question marks surrounding Andy Pettitte's future and it appears that Hankenstein is ready to eat his words again in Tampa.

THE MITCHELL REPORT

2007-12-15T11:22:00.000-05:00

The long awaited Mitchell Report was finally released on Thursday. This is the report that was supposed to "rock the baseball world" and add closure to the scandalous Steroid Era which has lasted at least two decades. For Bud Selig, it was the engine to help vindicate him from forever being branded as the leader of a tarnished Era.

MLB's revenues are at an all-time high with countless fans appearing in droves at the ballpark, the game appears to be thriving despite the black cloud that hovers above. Daily, there are images of Barry Bonds accompanied by subtitles containing the words "steroids", "BALCO", and "asterisk" among many others serving to cast a black eye on his legacy and the game itself. It is no mystery to this baseball fan, (and hopefully any others with a pulse) that this controversy ranges far further than Barry Bonds and the 80+ names listed in the Mitchell Report. To assume that this report offers any sort of closure and that the names stop here is about as wise as drafting Carl Pavano in your fantasy drafts next year.

While the initial purpose of the Mitchell Report can certainly be commended, Mitchell's inability to subpoena and/or persuade players and officials to testify made it impossible to achieve the initial goals of the report. This 400 + page document transformed an investigation of the scope and range of the steroid pandemic into an all-out witch hunt with the testimony of two disgraced drug lords serving as its "Malleus Maleficarum." In what was seemingly a last minute decision, the inclusion of names appears only to serve as justification for the immense cost of this otherwise shallow report.

Among the names listed in the report, 22 of them had worn Yankee pinstripes at one time or another. To many Yankee fans, the two most sacred names on the list were that of Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte -- perhaps Pettitte stings the most, as he is a "true Yankee" (whatever that means anymore), a home-grown product with seemingly immeasurable integrity and character. While the only "evidence" linking these two to performance enhancers is the questionable testimony of former trainer Brian McNamee, it is hard for this fan to believe allegations are truly false.

The book on Clemens is quite detailed, earmarking separate cycles including Winstrol and HGH on separate occasions. This report paints the picture of Clemens as a habitual steroid user who took advantage of the drug's recuperative effects during the latter part of the season in the late stages of his career. All that remains for Clemens, is the Hall of Fame. After he blew that final fastball past Victor Martinez in Game 3 of the ALDS, it seemed that Roger walked off the mound for the last time. The next five years will center around debate and counter debate on whether Roger is Hall worthy. To me, it will go hand in hand with the fate of Barry Bonds, who once seemed to be Roger's foil. In this fan's opinion, Roger and Barry were HOF's long before anyone can link them to PED's, and therefore, belong in the Hall. While so many have branded them as cheaters, do not forget that they played on a field with an immense number of players who were also using performance enhancers -- and they were still, by far, the best.

Andy's inclusion in the report is isolated to a 10-day visit from McNamee in which Pettitte apparently used HGH to help return from elbow tendinitis. I don't know about you, and maybe I'm just a stubborn "Yankee Mark", but I do not view this as performance enhancing. The guy used the stuff to heal (similar to the other players mentioned as HGH users, see Matt Williams and Gagne). I only wish Carl Pavano had tried the stuff, maybe I'd actually remember what the guy looked like in a baseball uniform. Anyone who read Mitchell's report -- and I'm talking the whole report, not just pages 200 on (where players are mentioned), would have seen the research he did on the drugs mentioned in the report.

Pages 57-58: "
A number of studies have shown that use of human growth hormone does not increase muscle strength in healthy subjects or well-trained athletes.31 Athletes who have tried human growth hormone as a training aid have reached the same conclusion. The author of one book targeted at steroid abusers observed that “[t]he most curious aspect of the whole situation is that I’ve never encountered any athlete using HGH to benefit from it, and all the athletes who admit to having used it will usually agree: it didn’t/doesn’t work for them.”32

HGH is an illegal substance; however, was not banned for use by MLB. This passage suggests it is NOT performance enhancing -- so why be branded as a cheater? How is this different than someone smoking a joint before a game because it helps them "harness their Zen??" (yes, it does happen, I've played with guys who do).

Pettitte's inclusion in this report does make one wonder if it all stopped here. To me, this is an acceptable question -- of course, with no answer as of yet.

In summation, I think the report was useless. The recommendations made could have been made by anyone. Hell, this could have been accomplished at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville at the winter meetings while Brian Cashman and Theo Epstein were downing Irish Carbombs. The blame is not on Mitchell, the report is as comprehensive as possible given the resources available. Several people believe Mitchell is biased due to his Red Sox ties; I do not think this is a fair assumption. The reason for the overwhelming exclusion of Boston sports stars and inclusion of so many NY players is simple -- the "sources" were either from BALCO (hence the Oakland and Baltimore players named), or directly related to Radomski and McNamee (both worked in the NY markets).

If an excess of 80 players were named solely on 3 sources of information spanning two sports markets -- perhaps the number of players involved is even larger than we imagined. More will be named, some will fess up, others will fight back. This thing isn't over -- not by a long shot

-27

A Lifelong Yankee Fan - Introduction

2007-12-15T11:07:00.000-05:00

I am as I say I am - a Yankee fan. I am not a journalist or beat writer like some of the other bloggers I come across during my daily Yankee searches - I am just a fan. I do not have inside sources for the latest rumors and clubhouse reports - I am just a fan. You won't find merchandise or gimmicks, after all - I am just a fan.

What you will find is opinion on a number of issues surrounding the Yankees, MLB, and Baseball in general. I like to think of myself as an "educated" baseball fan in that I've enjoyed success as a player and coach at the scholastic and collegiate level (Sorry folks, I didn't have the chops to cut it in the pros - oh well), and try to keep up to date on the latest in news, highlights, and player developments.

Please feel free to comment on any posts as you see fit, but please do it in a respectful manner. Looking forward to blogging with you.

-27