02/28: Spring Training Pictures
I know that most of you all won't think that this is news-worthy but hey, I just found the link (thanks to SG over at RLYW). Besides, it's been a while since we've all seen these guys out on the field, plus now you can put faces and uniform numbers to some of the new guys. Anyway, here are pictures of the Yankees going through all the paces in Tampa.
Here are a couple of things that I noticed from the pitcures:
-Tanyon Sturtze throwing in the bullpen under the watchful eye of Mel.
-There is a picture of Yogi talking with Chien-Ming Wang that cracks me up every single time.
-Joe Kerrigan seems to be keeping a close watch on Randy Johnson. (Let's hope that stays the case the entire year as we all know how he pitched last year after his sit-down with Kerrigan.)
-Robbie Cano does look a little bit bigger.
Anyone else see anything interesting?
Here are a couple of things that I noticed from the pitcures:
-Tanyon Sturtze throwing in the bullpen under the watchful eye of Mel.
-There is a picture of Yogi talking with Chien-Ming Wang that cracks me up every single time.
-Joe Kerrigan seems to be keeping a close watch on Randy Johnson. (Let's hope that stays the case the entire year as we all know how he pitched last year after his sit-down with Kerrigan.)
-Robbie Cano does look a little bit bigger.
Anyone else see anything interesting?
02/28: Spring Training Notes
There have been a number of articles about Robbie (or is it Robby?) Cano recently. We have talks about his added muscle, as he has come into camp quite a bit bigger.
Hopefully, this added muscle won't be detrimental to his growth as a player. The guy already has some issues with plate discipline and with his bigger guns, if he tries to jack everything out of the park, we could be looking at a OBP south of the .320 he put up in his rookie season.
A couple of other articles mention Cano's work with Larry Bowa this spring and how he is handling the responsibilities of being a younger starter for the Yankees.
Also of note are a couple of interesting posts at other Yankee blogs. Mike P. over at Canyon of Heroes pens a nice piece reflecting on the always classy Bernie Williams. Also, Mike A. over at In George We Trust has a great look at the 2006 season schedule and what the Yankees have in store for them.
Cano, with a noticeably bigger chest, said he added 10 pounds of muscle during the offseason and increased his weight to 205.
"I'm always working hard, trying to get better every year," Cano said yesterday. "I don't want to do the same thing every year. I want to keep getting better and better."
"I'm always working hard, trying to get better every year," Cano said yesterday. "I don't want to do the same thing every year. I want to keep getting better and better."
Hopefully, this added muscle won't be detrimental to his growth as a player. The guy already has some issues with plate discipline and with his bigger guns, if he tries to jack everything out of the park, we could be looking at a OBP south of the .320 he put up in his rookie season.
A couple of other articles mention Cano's work with Larry Bowa this spring and how he is handling the responsibilities of being a younger starter for the Yankees.
"I called him [Larry Bowa] right away to tell him I wanted to work on my footwork and things like that at second and for the double play," Cano said. "Last year, when Luis Sojo was a coach, we worked so I would get better every day, so now I'm doing that with Larry Bowa. It's not only [the technical] part of playing. My concentration is something I know I need to improve. I need to learn to focus on every play, and not to bring frustration onto the field with me after a bad at-bat. If I didn't get a hit in a big spot last year, I was thinking about that in field. I was a different player [at second base] when I was hitting, definitely."
"We've talked about focus and concentration," Bowa said. "This kid has great skills, but you have to remember he doesn't even have a full year in the big leagues. "He can appear to be — I don't want to say, 'lackadaisical,' — but his concentration sometimes leaves him. But he has big skills."
Jeter has had that same kind of talk himself with Cano."I've talked to Robbie to tell him to continue to work, because it was hard work that got him to this level," the captain said. "I want him to understand that it's a lot easier to make it than it is to stay here, and we all know how hard it is to make it."
"We've talked about focus and concentration," Bowa said. "This kid has great skills, but you have to remember he doesn't even have a full year in the big leagues. "He can appear to be — I don't want to say, 'lackadaisical,' — but his concentration sometimes leaves him. But he has big skills."
Jeter has had that same kind of talk himself with Cano."I've talked to Robbie to tell him to continue to work, because it was hard work that got him to this level," the captain said. "I want him to understand that it's a lot easier to make it than it is to stay here, and we all know how hard it is to make it."
Also of note are a couple of interesting posts at other Yankee blogs. Mike P. over at Canyon of Heroes pens a nice piece reflecting on the always classy Bernie Williams. Also, Mike A. over at In George We Trust has a great look at the 2006 season schedule and what the Yankees have in store for them.
02/28: Steinbrenner Family Notes
Posted by: Patrick
More visible Steinbrenner going strong at 75:
Q: How's your health? Are you still working out?
A: Every morning. I get up about 7:30 and work out at home — I've got a setup there — for an hour or more. I lift weights and do a lot of exercises. I don't do any running because of my knees. I feel as good as I have in years. If you can't sit in the saddle, you can't lead the charge. ...
Q: What's your view on upcoming collective bargaining agreement negotiations? The contract expires Dec. 19. You paid $34 million in luxury tax and $75.9 million in revenue sharing for 2005. Are you looking for changes to the current system?
A: I see in the paper today Boston is starting to whine about it. I think (commissioner) Bud Selig has a steady course now, but they can't continue to take so much money from us. It's crazy when you can't make money when you're doing like we're doing (4 million-plus admissions in 2005). I'm very supportive of Bud Selig but just hope he tempers it and makes it more equal. I'd like to see everybody competing, but we're not a socialist state. ...
Q: As former vice president of the U.S. Olympic Committee (1989-96), were you troubled watching the poor showing by United States athletes in this year's Olympics?
A: They didn't do well at all. When I was involved, I designed the future for them. It was a disappointment to watch them. That skier (Bode Miller) was out at night, chasing all over. That was no good.
A: Every morning. I get up about 7:30 and work out at home — I've got a setup there — for an hour or more. I lift weights and do a lot of exercises. I don't do any running because of my knees. I feel as good as I have in years. If you can't sit in the saddle, you can't lead the charge. ...
Q: What's your view on upcoming collective bargaining agreement negotiations? The contract expires Dec. 19. You paid $34 million in luxury tax and $75.9 million in revenue sharing for 2005. Are you looking for changes to the current system?
A: I see in the paper today Boston is starting to whine about it. I think (commissioner) Bud Selig has a steady course now, but they can't continue to take so much money from us. It's crazy when you can't make money when you're doing like we're doing (4 million-plus admissions in 2005). I'm very supportive of Bud Selig but just hope he tempers it and makes it more equal. I'd like to see everybody competing, but we're not a socialist state. ...
Q: As former vice president of the U.S. Olympic Committee (1989-96), were you troubled watching the poor showing by United States athletes in this year's Olympics?
A: They didn't do well at all. When I was involved, I designed the future for them. It was a disappointment to watch them. That skier (Bode Miller) was out at night, chasing all over. That was no good.
Posted by: James
Jason Giambi - First Base (Ooh - graphs - sorry, I'm easily distracted by colors!)
Age: 35 Years Old.
Three Year History and splits:
Outlook: Your outlook on Giambi depends entirely on how you viewed both parts of his last year. Through the first 47 games (6/12/05), Giambi posted a .234/.383/.340 line with just 7 XBHs. 6/14/05: NY starts a series with the Pirates. Jason goes 1 for 2 with a double and from that point until the end of the season, Giambi’s line was .290/.468/.634 with a HR every 9.86 ABs. What do you put more stock in? The idea that that Giambi had one last surge left and that we just witnessed it? Or that the trials that he went through (which he brought on himself) have helped and focused him? Was his second half resurrgence a fluke? I personally don't think so. You don't get Giambi good overnight...and you don't lose it overnight either. That being said, the man is another year older and is looking at the strain of a full year of playing first base (of course, we, and he, all know that he hits quite a bit better when he's playing first). His strikeout percentages are creeping up and he's probably not capable of putting up a .300 average anymore. Nevertheless, with that batting eye, he can still gets on base better than anyone in the AL. The real questions lie with his power and whether Jason can still be an elite-level hitter in that area as well. (Also, SG over at RLYW has a look at Giambi (and Phillips) if you want to check that out before making your predictions.)
Please post your predictions for the following stat line in the comments section:
Age: 35 Years Old.
Three Year History and splits:
| SEASON | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | CS | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 156 | 535 | 97 | 134 | 25 | 0 | 41 | 107 | 129 | 140 | 2 | 1 | .250 | .412 | .527 | .939 |
| 2004 | 80 | 264 | 33 | 55 | 9 | 0 | 12 | 40 | 47 | 62 | 0 | 1 | .208 | .342 | .379 | .721 |
| 2005 | 139 | 417 | 74 | 113 | 14 | 0 | 32 | 87 | 108 | 109 | 0 | 0 | .271 | .440 | .535 | .975 |
Outlook: Your outlook on Giambi depends entirely on how you viewed both parts of his last year. Through the first 47 games (6/12/05), Giambi posted a .234/.383/.340 line with just 7 XBHs. 6/14/05: NY starts a series with the Pirates. Jason goes 1 for 2 with a double and from that point until the end of the season, Giambi’s line was .290/.468/.634 with a HR every 9.86 ABs. What do you put more stock in? The idea that that Giambi had one last surge left and that we just witnessed it? Or that the trials that he went through (which he brought on himself) have helped and focused him? Was his second half resurrgence a fluke? I personally don't think so. You don't get Giambi good overnight...and you don't lose it overnight either. That being said, the man is another year older and is looking at the strain of a full year of playing first base (of course, we, and he, all know that he hits quite a bit better when he's playing first). His strikeout percentages are creeping up and he's probably not capable of putting up a .300 average anymore. Nevertheless, with that batting eye, he can still gets on base better than anyone in the AL. The real questions lie with his power and whether Jason can still be an elite-level hitter in that area as well. (Also, SG over at RLYW has a look at Giambi (and Phillips) if you want to check that out before making your predictions.)
Please post your predictions for the following stat line in the comments section:
| AB | R | HR | RBI | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG |
|---|
Posted by: James
Here's the basics of what we're trying to do. These posts will remain open until right before the beginning of the season.
Jorge Posada - Catcher
Age: 34 Years Old (Turns 35 in August).
3-Year History:
Outlook: To this point in his career, Jorge Posada has been one of a rare breed - a switch-hitting catcher who can hit with both patience and power. However, he's not getting any younger (34 on opening day) and you can see the pretty steep decline of his hitting stats over the course of the past three years. That being said, I am still willing to give Jorge the benefit of the doubt that he hasn't completely fallen off and attribute some of that last year's failures to both injury and bad luck. He had an absolutely horrendous July (.169/.259/.324 for a .583 OPS) which I think kept his overall numbers artificially lower than what he can still produce. He still has a good eye at the plate and as he showed in the second half of the year, still has some pop in his bat (.447 SLG vs. .416 SLG before the All-Star Break). The days of a .400 OBP and .475 SLG are probably gone but there should still be some life in Posada's bat and while he remains one of the top-tier catchers in baseball, he's no longer in the top 3. (Also, SG over at RLYW has a look at Posada (and Stinnett) if you want to check that out before making your predictions.)
Please post your predictions for the following stat line in the comments section:
Jorge Posada - Catcher
Age: 34 Years Old (Turns 35 in August).
3-Year History:
| SEASON | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | CS | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 142 | 481 | 83 | 135 | 24 | 0 | 30 | 101 | 93 | 110 | 2 | 4 | .281 | .405 | .518 | .923 |
| 2004 | 137 | 449 | 72 | 122 | 31 | 0 | 21 | 81 | 88 | 92 | 1 | 3 | .272 | .400 | .481 | .881 |
| 2005 | 142 | 474 | 67 | 124 | 23 | 0 | 19 | 71 | 66 | 94 | 1 | 0 | .262 | .352 | .430 | .782 |
Outlook: To this point in his career, Jorge Posada has been one of a rare breed - a switch-hitting catcher who can hit with both patience and power. However, he's not getting any younger (34 on opening day) and you can see the pretty steep decline of his hitting stats over the course of the past three years. That being said, I am still willing to give Jorge the benefit of the doubt that he hasn't completely fallen off and attribute some of that last year's failures to both injury and bad luck. He had an absolutely horrendous July (.169/.259/.324 for a .583 OPS) which I think kept his overall numbers artificially lower than what he can still produce. He still has a good eye at the plate and as he showed in the second half of the year, still has some pop in his bat (.447 SLG vs. .416 SLG before the All-Star Break). The days of a .400 OBP and .475 SLG are probably gone but there should still be some life in Posada's bat and while he remains one of the top-tier catchers in baseball, he's no longer in the top 3. (Also, SG over at RLYW has a look at Posada (and Stinnett) if you want to check that out before making your predictions.)
Please post your predictions for the following stat line in the comments section:
| AB | R | HR | RBI | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG |
|---|
Posted by: James
Wow, winter is starting to wind down and spring training is in full swing. It's the time of year when baseball is close enough for people to start making predictions but not close enough for them to lose their optimism. All over the league, fans are starting to put together what they think will happen this year, whether you believe Eric Milton will give up less than 40 HRs this year or if you think that Adrian Beltre and Jim Thome will hit 40 HRs again, this is the time for you. The realities of the season haven't set in and your player predictions can be as optimistic as you want them to be. In the same vein, we here at YanksBlog.com are going to be trying something new for the upcoming season: community player projections.
I first saw the idea in use over at John Sickels' fantastic Minor League Baseball site. With Mr. Sickels' blessing, we're going to see how it can work here because who knows the Yankees team better than Yankees fans, right?
For each player presented, we'll give you his three year stat profile and an outlook. Most of the people who read this site regularly know the rest of the story. Based on that, we'll be asking everyone to post your reasoned estimates/optimistic projections/wild guesses of his batting line for 2006. We'll be posting a different player (including pitchers) every day and then we can review, both during and after the season to see how we, collectively, are doing. The basic premise is that the more predictions we get, the more realistic the community projection will be. Here are the players covered so far:
C: Jorge Posada
1B: Jason Giambi
2B: Robinson Cano
SS: Derek Jeter
3B: Alex Rodriguez
LF: Hideki Matsui
CF: Johnny Damon
RF: Gary Sheffield
DH: Andy Phillips & Bernie Williams
SP: Randy Johnson
SP: Mike Mussina
SP: Chien-Ming Wang
SP: Shawn Chacon
SP: Carl Pavano
SP: Jaret Wright
SP/RP: Aaron Small
RP: Kyle Farnsworth
RP: Octavio Dotel
RP: Tanyon Sturtze
RP: Ron Villone
RP: Mike Myers
CL: Mariano Rivera
I first saw the idea in use over at John Sickels' fantastic Minor League Baseball site. With Mr. Sickels' blessing, we're going to see how it can work here because who knows the Yankees team better than Yankees fans, right?
For each player presented, we'll give you his three year stat profile and an outlook. Most of the people who read this site regularly know the rest of the story. Based on that, we'll be asking everyone to post your reasoned estimates/optimistic projections/wild guesses of his batting line for 2006. We'll be posting a different player (including pitchers) every day and then we can review, both during and after the season to see how we, collectively, are doing. The basic premise is that the more predictions we get, the more realistic the community projection will be. Here are the players covered so far:
C: Jorge Posada
1B: Jason Giambi
2B: Robinson Cano
SS: Derek Jeter
3B: Alex Rodriguez
LF: Hideki Matsui
CF: Johnny Damon
RF: Gary Sheffield
DH: Andy Phillips & Bernie Williams
SP: Randy Johnson
SP: Mike Mussina
SP: Chien-Ming Wang
SP: Shawn Chacon
SP: Carl Pavano
SP: Jaret Wright
SP/RP: Aaron Small
RP: Kyle Farnsworth
RP: Octavio Dotel
RP: Tanyon Sturtze
RP: Ron Villone
RP: Mike Myers
CL: Mariano Rivera
02/26: Yankees Hurting Already?
Spring training hasn't even really gotten rolling yet and we've already got reports of Yankee injuries. Carl Pavano still hasn't thrown off of a mound yet as a "minor back problem" has caused a delay of 2 weeks. He's been throwing off flat ground but Pavano is and will be well behind the rest of the pitchers. Mr. Torre isn't holding out hope for a miracle either.
Carl Pavano just can't catch a break, I guess. I personally hope that the guy can come back and have a successful season for the Yankees this year for two reasons. First, he is a pivotal part in the Yankees pitching rotation and if he pitches to his ability, he can be a solid #3 starter. Second, if the Yankees decide to trade him at some point, it's a lot easier to trade a winning, solid pitcher than a broken-down one.
"I'm not banking on him for Opening Day," said Torre, who stressed that Pavano has not had any setbacks. "The fact that we have a ton of off-days, you only need four -- and at times, only three -- to start. There's no rush to have him ready Opening Day."
"I'm progressing," Pavano said. "I'm doing everything but throwing off the mound. I think that's what puts the most pressure on the back, so that's why we'll take a little extra time to make sure that when I get out there, there's no setbacks and we can keep moving forward."
"I'm progressing," Pavano said. "I'm doing everything but throwing off the mound. I think that's what puts the most pressure on the back, so that's why we'll take a little extra time to make sure that when I get out there, there's no setbacks and we can keep moving forward."
Carl Pavano just can't catch a break, I guess. I personally hope that the guy can come back and have a successful season for the Yankees this year for two reasons. First, he is a pivotal part in the Yankees pitching rotation and if he pitches to his ability, he can be a solid #3 starter. Second, if the Yankees decide to trade him at some point, it's a lot easier to trade a winning, solid pitcher than a broken-down one.
02/26: Spring Training Fluff
Posted by: James
For me, one of the more interesting points about spring training are all the human-interest stories, prospect (and other non-roster invitee) profiles and question-and-answer sessions that the papers and beat writers work on. There aren't any games going on but the writers have to write something and since it's early on, they haven't worn out all their cliches just yet. I dont mind it though. I like learning a little bit more about the guys that I will be spending half the year rooting for. This is especially helpful in the free-agent era since there's such turnover in the rosters (especially in the Yankee bullpen). That being said, here are some of the more interesting stories that have popped up.
From a Q&A with Johnny Damon, who might just be playing to the media, but to me, comes off very well in the interview.
Another one that I liked was about New Jersey guy Ron Villone coming home to play for his favorite team (and pitching for his favorite player as a kid, Ron Guidry):
Good stuff. Credit to Off The Facade for the links.
From a Q&A with Johnny Damon, who might just be playing to the media, but to me, comes off very well in the interview.
Q: You were teased as a kid?
A: For stuttering.
Q: How have you solved it?
A: I slow down and collect my thoughts instead of rambling on and having no clue what I'm talking about. I still stutter when people try to interrupt me. I can't hear two or three things going on at the same time.
Q: What do you want to tell Yankee fans about their new center fielder?
A: I can't wait to start playing in front of them. Our team was put together to win the World Series. It's gonna be a fun one.
A: For stuttering.
Q: How have you solved it?
A: I slow down and collect my thoughts instead of rambling on and having no clue what I'm talking about. I still stutter when people try to interrupt me. I can't hear two or three things going on at the same time.
Q: What do you want to tell Yankee fans about their new center fielder?
A: I can't wait to start playing in front of them. Our team was put together to win the World Series. It's gonna be a fun one.
Another one that I liked was about New Jersey guy Ron Villone coming home to play for his favorite team (and pitching for his favorite player as a kid, Ron Guidry):
Q: How did you become a Yankees fan?
A: Family. Growing up, my family was -- both my mom's and my dad's side. At the time I was 6 years old I started going to Yankees games, 1976 on.
Q: When did you first become a fan of Ron Guidry?
A: I saw him throw in '77, I know that.
Q: Has it sunk in that you get to wear the Yankees uniform?
A: In April I think it will. We'll wait until then. Right now it's fun and it's nice to get ready. But not till you get the full set of pinstripes.
A: Family. Growing up, my family was -- both my mom's and my dad's side. At the time I was 6 years old I started going to Yankees games, 1976 on.
Q: When did you first become a fan of Ron Guidry?
A: I saw him throw in '77, I know that.
Q: Has it sunk in that you get to wear the Yankees uniform?
A: In April I think it will. We'll wait until then. Right now it's fun and it's nice to get ready. But not till you get the full set of pinstripes.
Good stuff. Credit to Off The Facade for the links.
02/26: Sheff Calm
Posted by: Patrick
Plenty of pieces on Sheffield. But, the summation: water under the bridge. For the moment.
"Gary and I sat down and had a good conversation," Cashman said. "I don't want to speak for him, but I'm glad to hear what's important for him. It was important we talked. I am glad we did. I hope it will continue." ...
"It's about doing it the right way; we are not going to let the media come between us," Sheffield said.
Sheffield is proud of the relationship he has built with Cashman after the initial encounter wasn't good.
"I was upset at the offer he made me when I was a free agent," said Sheffield, who has stated the first offer was two years for $8 million. He eventually got a three-year, $39 million deal from Steinbrenner. "We had to build on it. He knew we had to talk and we did. We are on the same page, 100 percent."
"It's about doing it the right way; we are not going to let the media come between us," Sheffield said.
Sheffield is proud of the relationship he has built with Cashman after the initial encounter wasn't good.
"I was upset at the offer he made me when I was a free agent," said Sheffield, who has stated the first offer was two years for $8 million. He eventually got a three-year, $39 million deal from Steinbrenner. "We had to build on it. He knew we had to talk and we did. We are on the same page, 100 percent."
02/24: Hughes Impresses
Posted by: Patrick
Posada calls Class-A's Hughes a 'can't miss prospect':
I certainly like the way that sounds.
"He's a can't-miss prospect," Posada said after facing right- handed pitcher Philip Hughes. "He's the best arm we've got in camp."
"The things that's unusual for a kid as young as he is, the curveball is really impressive," Torre said. "He's got one of those real-tight-rotation breaking balls. He's not commanding it as he's going to after a little experience, but his stuff is very real." ...
"Great arm, great poise, he just looks like he belongs," Posada said. "I would say, don't touch him. Leave him alone. Just put that tag on him already: 'untouchable.'"
"The things that's unusual for a kid as young as he is, the curveball is really impressive," Torre said. "He's got one of those real-tight-rotation breaking balls. He's not commanding it as he's going to after a little experience, but his stuff is very real." ...
"Great arm, great poise, he just looks like he belongs," Posada said. "I would say, don't touch him. Leave him alone. Just put that tag on him already: 'untouchable.'"
I certainly like the way that sounds.
Posted by: James
Wait, what? He's mad now? He was all smiles 48 hours ago! I think Gary finally understood that the meeting he had with Cashman didn't guarantee that his option was being picked up, but only that it would be a surprise if the Yankees did not.
What? A little while ago, wasn't he talking about retiring and perhaps finishing up his career with the Yankees?
Oy vey - this does bear watching as the season goes on. I don't expect Sheffield to dog it on the field but he does have a history of these "incidents". Hopefully, all of this will quiet down as the season progresses and I guess the key question will become, is Gary Sheffield worth $13 million in 2007 to man right-field for the Yankees? Looking at the alternatives, the answer is probably yes.
And as an aside, Mr. Davidoff, I haven't heard anything about contracts being an issue over in Anaheim.
The right fielder is stewing about having to wait for the Yankees to pick up his $13 million option for 2007, which is reason enough for those RPMs to run near the red line.
Sheffield says the Yankees are making a mistake auditioning him. If they need a few months, or even weeks to see if his bat is still quick, the slugger is ready with a countermove. Actually, it's a thinly veiled threat: wait too long, and he's moving on.
"If my body feels good I'm playing somewhere, here or somewhere else," Sheffield said. "Either way I'll get my 500 home runs. It's no sweat off my back where it happens."
Sheffield says the Yankees are making a mistake auditioning him. If they need a few months, or even weeks to see if his bat is still quick, the slugger is ready with a countermove. Actually, it's a thinly veiled threat: wait too long, and he's moving on.
"If my body feels good I'm playing somewhere, here or somewhere else," Sheffield said. "Either way I'll get my 500 home runs. It's no sweat off my back where it happens."
What? A little while ago, wasn't he talking about retiring and perhaps finishing up his career with the Yankees?
Sheffield could have the 2007 option guaranteed by the All-Star break, or even sooner if he hits well in April and May. That's just common sense money management with a 37-year-old player.
But don't try explaining that logic to Sheffield, who with open indignation says, "They can't just use me like that, waiting to see what I've got. They should be glad they got me at the [price] they did [three years, $39 million]. There are a lot of players with better contracts."
But don't try explaining that logic to Sheffield, who with open indignation says, "They can't just use me like that, waiting to see what I've got. They should be glad they got me at the [price] they did [three years, $39 million]. There are a lot of players with better contracts."
Oy vey - this does bear watching as the season goes on. I don't expect Sheffield to dog it on the field but he does have a history of these "incidents". Hopefully, all of this will quiet down as the season progresses and I guess the key question will become, is Gary Sheffield worth $13 million in 2007 to man right-field for the Yankees? Looking at the alternatives, the answer is probably yes.
And as an aside, Mr. Davidoff, I haven't heard anything about contracts being an issue over in Anaheim.
Mr. Dobrow has an open letter to A-Rod. You might have seen it already. If you haven't, it's an interesting and pretty amusing take on A-Rod's "image problem". I like the beginning as Dobrow does a good job in pointing out how everyone seems to feed on A-Rod's miscues while ignoring some other important factors:
However, this is where he and I differ. I like A-Rod the way he is. Do I wish every now and again that he would call out Curt Schilling or Ozzie Guillen and tell them off? Of course! It's only natural to root for your guys. However, I would rather shut them up on the field. if he has one monster playoff run and the Yankees win the Series at some point, doesn't all of this become a moot point? Other than that, what is there to change? He is a professional, intelligent (have you read his thoughts on investing in diversified investing and hedging with gold? He actually knows his stuff) and courteous family man who happens to be one of the best baseball players of all time. What's wrong with that?
Don't get me wrong: In theory, there's an awful lot to like. You never get hurt. You run out every ground ball. You're the only Yankees regular for whom a simple defensive play doesn't induce in me the cold dread usually associated with an imminent colonoscopy. Yet for all your numbers and professional polish, you've proved as embraceable as a sub-Saharan despot.
For some, it was the 2005 playoff no-show (these people ignore the six walks you drew in five games, which would seem to shift a bit of the blame to the fellas behind you in the order). For others, it was the Slappy McSlapRod incident against the Red Sox in 2004 (never mind your Ruthian 1.014 OPS in the postseason that year, nor your near-solo annihilation of the Twins in the divisional round).
For some, it was the 2005 playoff no-show (these people ignore the six walks you drew in five games, which would seem to shift a bit of the blame to the fellas behind you in the order). For others, it was the Slappy McSlapRod incident against the Red Sox in 2004 (never mind your Ruthian 1.014 OPS in the postseason that year, nor your near-solo annihilation of the Twins in the divisional round).
However, this is where he and I differ. I like A-Rod the way he is. Do I wish every now and again that he would call out Curt Schilling or Ozzie Guillen and tell them off? Of course! It's only natural to root for your guys. However, I would rather shut them up on the field. if he has one monster playoff run and the Yankees win the Series at some point, doesn't all of this become a moot point? Other than that, what is there to change? He is a professional, intelligent (have you read his thoughts on investing in diversified investing and hedging with gold? He actually knows his stuff) and courteous family man who happens to be one of the best baseball players of all time. What's wrong with that?
Posted by: Patrick
Here's a quote:
Also, check out Joe and George, feeling the love:
"My time in Boston was great,'' Damon said. "But now I'm here playing for the greatest franchise in the world. The team with the most championships.''
Also, check out Joe and George, feeling the love:
Steinbrenner walked into the manager's office while Joe Torre was talking with reporters. When a reporter asked, "Who is the best owner in the majors?'' Torre pointed at Steinbrenner.
"Who's the best manager in the majors?'' Steinbrenner then said, before pointing to Torre.
"Who's the best manager in the majors?'' Steinbrenner then said, before pointing to Torre.
02/23: Big Stein: This Is Our Year!
It's going to be the Summer (and fall!) of George!
First off, who's them? Secondly, after laying out $200 million dollars as an owner, what else would you expect? Still, this team, while better than last year, is no lock for the World Series. On paper, they have as good of a shot as any team in the majors but of course, that's why they play the games on the field. Regardless of how the season turns out, I am personally glad to see Big Stein seemingly healthier and out and about. I was a little worried after last year's fainting spell and the general malaise that seemed to show but Big Stein is showing that he's still got some pep. He's still got a heck of a sense of humor.
"It's been a while; we haven't won it," said Steinbrenner, who stopped to speak to TV and radio reporters. "We're going to win it this year. We're going after them this year."
First off, who's them? Secondly, after laying out $200 million dollars as an owner, what else would you expect? Still, this team, while better than last year, is no lock for the World Series. On paper, they have as good of a shot as any team in the majors but of course, that's why they play the games on the field. Regardless of how the season turns out, I am personally glad to see Big Stein seemingly healthier and out and about. I was a little worried after last year's fainting spell and the general malaise that seemed to show but Big Stein is showing that he's still got some pep. He's still got a heck of a sense of humor.
"I remember when we signed Jason, he said, 'Johnny Damon is out there,' " Torre said. "But he took all the money, so we couldn't do anything."
The words were barely out of Torre's mouth when Steinbrenner inserted his two cents into the conversation.
"You got some, didn't you?" Steinbrenner said.
"Thank you, sir," said a smiling Torre.
The words were barely out of Torre's mouth when Steinbrenner inserted his two cents into the conversation.
"You got some, didn't you?" Steinbrenner said.
"Thank you, sir," said a smiling Torre.
02/22: Passing on Vlad Was Wise
Posted by: James
So says Ken Davidoff. Listen, I like Gary Sheffield. A lot of people can't say that due to his tendency to mouth off. I wasn't a huge fan of the signing when it happened but I have grown to love watching the man's at-bats. He is absolutely ferocious at the plate and wants to win another ring very badly. There are very few other players that I would trust more at the plate in a big spot. However, if you were to ask me to be objective and say who I would rather have in right-field every day for the Yankees, it would have to be Vlad.
Think about it - Vlad for Sheff, 2004 AL MVP for the 2004 AL MVP runner-up, straight up. Do you think that the Angels would do that deal? Of course not! Vlad's the younger (by seven years!), better hitter and provides you with more options. We're talking about arguably one of the top 5 position players in all of baseball and someone whose closest historical comparison through his current age is Willie Mays! Signing Sheff proved to be a good move, but signing Vlad would have been a better one.
However, the crux of Davidoff's article & argument is that signing Sheffield was the better tactical decision in terms of providing the team with options. He maintains that a Sheff for three years at 13 million is worth Vlad for five for more. I don't buy that for one second and actually, I think he defeats his own argument in the first paragraph of his article:
Now, the money is even and you're talking about a five-year contract for Vlad. If Sheff's option is picked up, you're looking at having him man right field for 4 years. Is one year really that much of a difference Mr. Davidoff? I personally don't believe so, especially not when Vlad will be in his prime years and will only be 32 at the end of those 5 years while Sheff would be paid for his ages 35-38 years.
Think about it - Vlad for Sheff, 2004 AL MVP for the 2004 AL MVP runner-up, straight up. Do you think that the Angels would do that deal? Of course not! Vlad's the younger (by seven years!), better hitter and provides you with more options. We're talking about arguably one of the top 5 position players in all of baseball and someone whose closest historical comparison through his current age is Willie Mays! Signing Sheff proved to be a good move, but signing Vlad would have been a better one.
However, the crux of Davidoff's article & argument is that signing Sheffield was the better tactical decision in terms of providing the team with options. He maintains that a Sheff for three years at 13 million is worth Vlad for five for more. I don't buy that for one second and actually, I think he defeats his own argument in the first paragraph of his article:
On Dec. 12, 2003, Brian Cashman was well into negotiations on a five-year contract with free agent Vladimir Guerrero, for less than the $14 million per season that the outfielder now earns with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Now, the money is even and you're talking about a five-year contract for Vlad. If Sheff's option is picked up, you're looking at having him man right field for 4 years. Is one year really that much of a difference Mr. Davidoff? I personally don't believe so, especially not when Vlad will be in his prime years and will only be 32 at the end of those 5 years while Sheff would be paid for his ages 35-38 years.
02/22: Kevin Brown Retires
Posted by: James
I didn't realize it at the time but apparently Kevin Brown has decided to call it a career. Some would say that he waited one year too long to do so but that's neither here nor there.
Looking back over his career, he definitely had his share of high-spots and though most seem to have forgot about it, from 1995 to 2003, he was easily one of the best pitchers in baseball (though he did pitch in a friendly ballpark). In that time period, David Pinto's DbD database puts him at 119 wins with 67 losses while compiling a 2.70 ERA (second only to Pedro among starters), striking out 7.73 and walking only 2.13 per 9 innings. (As an aside, Mariano leads that table with an ERA of 2.49 for the time period.) There's no doubt about it - he had a heck of a run...and then the Yankees traded Jeff Weaver, Yhency Brazoban, Brandon Weeden and cash for him and well, we all know what happened from that point.
Dollars-wise, he made more money than he and his grandkids could probably ever spend (estimated at a little under $131 million). He was the first player to sign a $100 million dollar contract and led the league in salary (and probably surliness - though he and Barry could have had a nice little Celebrity Deathmatch going) from 1999-2002. All in all, not a shabby career though I'm sure every Yankee fan who remembers the wall-punching incident and the Game 7 start to the 2004 ALCS is glad to see him go.
Brown was placed on the disabled list three times last year and hasn't pitched since a July 23 loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
"Kevin didn't have me pursue any teams because he wanted to see how his health was," Scott Boras, Brown's agent, told the newspaper. "He decided after the painful process last year he was not going to play. His arm is still remarkably good, but it's about his back."
"Kevin didn't have me pursue any teams because he wanted to see how his health was," Scott Boras, Brown's agent, told the newspaper. "He decided after the painful process last year he was not going to play. His arm is still remarkably good, but it's about his back."
Looking back over his career, he definitely had his share of high-spots and though most seem to have forgot about it, from 1995 to 2003, he was easily one of the best pitchers in baseball (though he did pitch in a friendly ballpark). In that time period, David Pinto's DbD database puts him at 119 wins with 67 losses while compiling a 2.70 ERA (second only to Pedro among starters), striking out 7.73 and walking only 2.13 per 9 innings. (As an aside, Mariano leads that table with an ERA of 2.49 for the time period.) There's no doubt about it - he had a heck of a run...and then the Yankees traded Jeff Weaver, Yhency Brazoban, Brandon Weeden and cash for him and well, we all know what happened from that point.
Dollars-wise, he made more money than he and his grandkids could probably ever spend (estimated at a little under $131 million). He was the first player to sign a $100 million dollar contract and led the league in salary (and probably surliness - though he and Barry could have had a nice little Celebrity Deathmatch going) from 1999-2002. All in all, not a shabby career though I'm sure every Yankee fan who remembers the wall-punching incident and the Game 7 start to the 2004 ALCS is glad to see him go.
Posted by: James
I've never liked Tony Womack. He might be a great guy for all I know but articles like this annoy the heck out of me.
Are you serious? Does he really want people to look at the stats on his baseball card? The only consistency he has had in his career is that he has been consistently bad. The best he has EVER done in regular playing time has been to be 7% worse than the average and for his career, he has been 27% worse than the average. And that horrible last year that's he's talking about, it wasn't even the worst year of his career - that was 2003 when he hit .226/.251/.307. He actually made $6 million dollars that year for those "accomplishments"! He might be a great guy, good teammate or great in the clubhouse but you can't deny that he is a detriment to the winning percentage to any team that he's on. Well, I guess you can if you're Tony Womack. That self-delusion and constantly blaming someone else for your failures annoys the heck out of me. Good luck to you in getting your baseball card cleaned up, Tony. Good luck & good riddance.
"I went through it because they put me through it," he told MLB.com at Reds training camp in Sarasota, Fla. "It wasn't like I did it to myself. I still like to play. It's no fun knowing that you can still play and contribute to somebody when this team is holding you back. The Yankees held me back."
"The only thing that makes me mad is it messes up my baseball card," Womack said. "I was consistent for a long time and then that comes up. It was a learning experience for me. I'm a stronger person. I had to be. I had to bite my tongue a lot. I had to keep myself going and make sure I got my work in."
"The only thing that makes me mad is it messes up my baseball card," Womack said. "I was consistent for a long time and then that comes up. It was a learning experience for me. I'm a stronger person. I had to be. I had to bite my tongue a lot. I had to keep myself going and make sure I got my work in."
Are you serious? Does he really want people to look at the stats on his baseball card? The only consistency he has had in his career is that he has been consistently bad. The best he has EVER done in regular playing time has been to be 7% worse than the average and for his career, he has been 27% worse than the average. And that horrible last year that's he's talking about, it wasn't even the worst year of his career - that was 2003 when he hit .226/.251/.307. He actually made $6 million dollars that year for those "accomplishments"! He might be a great guy, good teammate or great in the clubhouse but you can't deny that he is a detriment to the winning percentage to any team that he's on. Well, I guess you can if you're Tony Womack. That self-delusion and constantly blaming someone else for your failures annoys the heck out of me. Good luck to you in getting your baseball card cleaned up, Tony. Good luck & good riddance.
02/22: Hot Flash!
Posted by: James
Tom Gordon is an angry man. Actually, he seems more like a sensitive man who feels that he was mistreated by the media. Whatever the case is, he doesn't come off as a happy man in the early goings of an article in the Daily News.
He does go on to explain his anger.
To be honest, I genuinely felt bad for the man. If I was a public figure and someone came up to me in front of my family and tried to pull something like that, I would be a little upset too (with my temper, probably more than a little). Nevertheless, I guess that is part of the price you pay when you sign on to play for the Yankees. That being said, keep in mind that he is mad at the NY media, not the Yankees or their fans. He had nothing but kind words about the Yankees organization and for the great one, Mariano Rivera:
Flash had a news flash: New York media, approach at your own risk. You're no friends of his.
"I don't want to hear about you guys missing me," Gordon said. "That's a lot of --- after all the abuse I took from you. You guys wanted Farnsworth? You got him!"
"I don't want to hear about you guys missing me," Gordon said. "That's a lot of --- after all the abuse I took from you. You guys wanted Farnsworth? You got him!"
He does go on to explain his anger.
"There was a headline," Gordon said. "'Not so Terrific Tom' and it prompted all kinds of abuse. I've been called everything in this game. I've even heard (N-word) a couple of times, too. Then, after that headline, I was in the city with my kids and this fan comes up to me and says: 'You're worthless!' How would you like to be told that? In front of your kids! "No player deserves that. But, if nothing else, it made me stronger."
To be honest, I genuinely felt bad for the man. If I was a public figure and someone came up to me in front of my family and tried to pull something like that, I would be a little upset too (with my temper, probably more than a little). Nevertheless, I guess that is part of the price you pay when you sign on to play for the Yankees. That being said, keep in mind that he is mad at the NY media, not the Yankees or their fans. He had nothing but kind words about the Yankees organization and for the great one, Mariano Rivera:
Posted by: James
The Asbury Park Press checks in with a story that has Jorge Posada talking about Chien-Ming Wang.
Of course, since this is spring training, there are always fluff stories about young pitchers coming into their own and learning the ropes - it makes for good copy and people like human interest stories, especially when the young man in question is now a huge star in his native country of Taiwan.
Personally, I really like Tiger Wang (I think he handles himself very well) and I believe that he is the goods. I don't believe that he is a No. 1 pitcher type but I think he can be a #2 and very soon (which the Yankees will need). The alarming lack of Ks that people seem to worry about are not an issue with me. First, he doesn't necessarily need to "miss bats" as often since he's a predominantly a groundball pitcher - he just needs to miss the fat parts of the bat (which he does very well as evidenced by his 2005 stats). Second, I fully expect his K rate to rise substanically this coming year, from 3.64 K/9 in 2005 to around 5 in 2006. I think this because of Wang's added experience and his experience in the minors (career 3.28 ERA and a 7.16 K/9 in 439.2 innings). The only caution flag is his arm - if he can remain healthy, we're going to be cheering the Wanger for quite a while.
Story via Brian.
"Randy is Randy and his power is incredible," Posada said Sunday. "But Wang has the best stuff in our clubhouse, no doubt. He'll be our No. 1 pitcher eventually."
"He does things that drive hitters nuts. I've never seen a pitcher get so many groundballs back to the mound," manager Joe Torre said. "That's all about movement."
Wang's sinker, according to Posada, is almost impossible to adjust to for a hitter.
"Even if he doesn't throw it perfectly, it still sinks and he still gets outs," the catcher said.
"He does things that drive hitters nuts. I've never seen a pitcher get so many groundballs back to the mound," manager Joe Torre said. "That's all about movement."
Wang's sinker, according to Posada, is almost impossible to adjust to for a hitter.
"Even if he doesn't throw it perfectly, it still sinks and he still gets outs," the catcher said.
Of course, since this is spring training, there are always fluff stories about young pitchers coming into their own and learning the ropes - it makes for good copy and people like human interest stories, especially when the young man in question is now a huge star in his native country of Taiwan.
Personally, I really like Tiger Wang (I think he handles himself very well) and I believe that he is the goods. I don't believe that he is a No. 1 pitcher type but I think he can be a #2 and very soon (which the Yankees will need). The alarming lack of Ks that people seem to worry about are not an issue with me. First, he doesn't necessarily need to "miss bats" as often since he's a predominantly a groundball pitcher - he just needs to miss the fat parts of the bat (which he does very well as evidenced by his 2005 stats). Second, I fully expect his K rate to rise substanically this coming year, from 3.64 K/9 in 2005 to around 5 in 2006. I think this because of Wang's added experience and his experience in the minors (career 3.28 ERA and a 7.16 K/9 in 439.2 innings). The only caution flag is his arm - if he can remain healthy, we're going to be cheering the Wanger for quite a while.
Story via Brian.
Wow. This is the most fiesty I've seen A-Rod in a while. He's usually trying to please everyone but he comes out and takes a direct shot at baseball's head honcho's in this ESPN article. He seems genuinely unhappy with the organizers of the World Baseball Classic for the way they handled his decision to play for the United States instead of the Dominican Republic.
He also addressed Ozzie Guillen's comments and dismissed them as a non-issue.
The New York Yankees third baseman took issue with reports that he vacillated between playing for the Americans and the Dominicans.
"Just to make it clear, I only spoke once and then I spoke again three months later," Rodriguez said Monday after reporting to spring training. "All the garbage in between was major league baseball. I didn't go back and forth. I said once I wasn't playing, and then at the end I said, 'So OK, I am playing.'"
Rodriguez wouldn't identify any officials he spoke with, opting to say only "central baseball."
"I told him I was disappointed with all the stuff going back and forth, the leaking of information," Rodriguez said, "especially with me not being involved in any way, shape or form."
"Just to make it clear, I only spoke once and then I spoke again three months later," Rodriguez said Monday after reporting to spring training. "All the garbage in between was major league baseball. I didn't go back and forth. I said once I wasn't playing, and then at the end I said, 'So OK, I am playing.'"
Rodriguez wouldn't identify any officials he spoke with, opting to say only "central baseball."
"I told him I was disappointed with all the stuff going back and forth, the leaking of information," Rodriguez said, "especially with me not being involved in any way, shape or form."
He also addressed Ozzie Guillen's comments and dismissed them as a non-issue.
"I already heard what he had to say, he apologized," Rodriguez said. "The apology has been accepted. We've move on from there. Ozzie and I have always been friendly. It's not really that big of a deal."
Posted by: Patrick