Posted by: Patrick
Alright, here's a nickname for our first baseman: Doug "Did You Mean" Mientkiewicz. Why, you ask? Well, think about the random fan trying to find the guy on Google. How many times do you think they see this?
05/27: Mark Teixeira
Posted by: Patrick
From Ken Davidoff:
Teixeira, the winner of the last two AL 1B Gold Glove awards, is hitting .301 with a .385 OBA, 8 homers and 29 RBI. For his career, he is a .283 hitter with a .366 OBA. He's 27 years old. According to Cot's, he's making $6.4 million this year and $9 million next year.
It's worth pursuing because Teixeira is still a young guy and it'd be an upgrade. Of course, it always depends on the price. But, if we could pick him at a reasonable rate, we could do... whatever it is we can do with Doug Mientkiewicz. Of course, he's A-Rod's friend and he's over .300 for May, but he's hitting .235 overall and... he's not Mark Teixeira, to be sure.
Could the Rangers trade All-Star first baseman Mark Teixeira in the middle of the season? You'd have to think the Yankees, among others, would be interested.
"My hope is that Mark is a Ranger for his whole career," Rangers general manager and Queens native Jon Daniels said Friday in a telephone interview. "It's good for the industry when a guy sticks with one team.
"But you have to consider all possibilities, too."
... Perhaps the Yankees, suddenly replete with pitching prospects and lacking an everyday first baseman, would bite. Or the Red Sox, or Teixeira's hometown Orioles.
"My hope is that Mark is a Ranger for his whole career," Rangers general manager and Queens native Jon Daniels said Friday in a telephone interview. "It's good for the industry when a guy sticks with one team.
"But you have to consider all possibilities, too."
... Perhaps the Yankees, suddenly replete with pitching prospects and lacking an everyday first baseman, would bite. Or the Red Sox, or Teixeira's hometown Orioles.
Teixeira, the winner of the last two AL 1B Gold Glove awards, is hitting .301 with a .385 OBA, 8 homers and 29 RBI. For his career, he is a .283 hitter with a .366 OBA. He's 27 years old. According to Cot's, he's making $6.4 million this year and $9 million next year.
It's worth pursuing because Teixeira is still a young guy and it'd be an upgrade. Of course, it always depends on the price. But, if we could pick him at a reasonable rate, we could do... whatever it is we can do with Doug Mientkiewicz. Of course, he's A-Rod's friend and he's over .300 for May, but he's hitting .235 overall and... he's not Mark Teixeira, to be sure.
05/27: Damon Getting Some Time Off
Posted by: Patrick
From Joe Lapointe:
Melky Cabrera replaced Damon in center field and batted ninth. Bobby Abreu, the slumping right fielder, batted first. Damon and manager Joe Torre discussed putting Damon on the disabled list, but Damon said he would not need 15 days to recover from pain that has plagued him, off and on, all season.
“I told them not even 10,’’ Damon said of the days needed to recover, then quickly added that he might not even need five days. The problem has occasionally forced Damon out of his fielding role for use solely as a designated hitter.
“I told them not even 10,’’ Damon said of the days needed to recover, then quickly added that he might not even need five days. The problem has occasionally forced Damon out of his fielding role for use solely as a designated hitter.
Posted by: Jason
It's clear that something dramatic must happen to turn this season around. That is, if the season is not already past the point of rescue from a postseason perspective. The Yankees are on the brink of a free fall as they fell 5 games below .500 with a 3-1 loss vs. starting pitcher Kelvim Escobar. (who used to be an average relief pitcher for Toronto, and has been reborn as a starter in Anaheim. Or Los Angeles. Or Los Angeles of Anaheim. Wait a second, isn't Anaheim in Orange County? Whatever.)
The Angels did their damage in the first inning, and it was all that they needed. Gary Matthews, Jr. tripled in fresh face Willits and the perpetually frightening Vlad Guerrero. Casey Kotchman singled in Matthews, and that was the extent of the Angels' offense. After the rocky 1st, Wang surrendered only 3 hits over the next 7 full innings before Mariano took the ball in the 9th.
Escobar scattered six hits over seven full innings with the only Yankees run coming in the 4th as Mintkiewicz drove Alex in with a single. He was helped by a few good defensive plays but he was too much for the Yankees lineup.
At least Rivera looked good, mowing down the side in the top 9th...And then the ultimate flirtation in the bottom 9th when, with 2 outs, both Damon and Cabrera singled, putting the winning run at the plate in the form of Abreu. Bobby took four pitches, 1 ball and 3 consecutive strikes, to end the game. The final strike was easily 10-12 inches off the plate, and yet Abreu was called out. The call was so poor that the normally stoic Torre took the umpire to task in his postgame comments.
What's left to say? The Yankees season is now a series of one game must-win scenarios. If they can string 5 or 6 wins together, then we can begin to think about a longer term scenario.
The Angels did their damage in the first inning, and it was all that they needed. Gary Matthews, Jr. tripled in fresh face Willits and the perpetually frightening Vlad Guerrero. Casey Kotchman singled in Matthews, and that was the extent of the Angels' offense. After the rocky 1st, Wang surrendered only 3 hits over the next 7 full innings before Mariano took the ball in the 9th.
Escobar scattered six hits over seven full innings with the only Yankees run coming in the 4th as Mintkiewicz drove Alex in with a single. He was helped by a few good defensive plays but he was too much for the Yankees lineup.
At least Rivera looked good, mowing down the side in the top 9th...And then the ultimate flirtation in the bottom 9th when, with 2 outs, both Damon and Cabrera singled, putting the winning run at the plate in the form of Abreu. Bobby took four pitches, 1 ball and 3 consecutive strikes, to end the game. The final strike was easily 10-12 inches off the plate, and yet Abreu was called out. The call was so poor that the normally stoic Torre took the umpire to task in his postgame comments.
What's left to say? The Yankees season is now a series of one game must-win scenarios. If they can string 5 or 6 wins together, then we can begin to think about a longer term scenario.
Posted by: Patrick
Our final interview of the 2006-2007 Interviewing the Yankees Blogosphere season is with Peter Abraham of The LoHud Yankees Blog.
When you aren't doing something related to or depending on the Yankees, what are you up to?
I enjoy music a lot and spend a lot of time in the city seeing shows. I try and read as much non-fiction as I can make time for and I enjoy hanging out with my niece and nephew.
How long have you been blogging about the Yankees?
Since February of 2005.
What's the best and worst part of blogging?
When you aren't doing something related to or depending on the Yankees, what are you up to?
I enjoy music a lot and spend a lot of time in the city seeing shows. I try and read as much non-fiction as I can make time for and I enjoy hanging out with my niece and nephew.
How long have you been blogging about the Yankees?
Since February of 2005.
What's the best and worst part of blogging?
Posted by: Patrick
From the official site:
Phil Hughes rolled his left ankle while performing conditioning exercises at the Legends Field training complex on Friday, and will have an MRI performed to determine the severity of the injury.
"He was doing his agility drill and stuck a spike; [the] spike caught," manager Joe Torre said. "They don't think it's anything, just rolled it a little bit. It may set him back a couple of days." ...
General manager Brian Cashman said that Hughes will be sent for an MRI on either Friday or Saturday. Torre said that the injury is not expected to significantly alter Hughes' projected return date.
"He was doing his agility drill and stuck a spike; [the] spike caught," manager Joe Torre said. "They don't think it's anything, just rolled it a little bit. It may set him back a couple of days." ...
General manager Brian Cashman said that Hughes will be sent for an MRI on either Friday or Saturday. Torre said that the injury is not expected to significantly alter Hughes' projected return date.
05/25: Anybody Here....
Posted by: Seamus
...opposed to trading Luis Vizcaino for a bottle of ketchup?
Posted by: Patrick
From ESPN.com:
And, as I write this, our 10-6 loss to the Angels just went final. Gah.
"He's on a big hook," a spirited Steinbrenner told The Associated Press in a rare interview from this Tampa office. "He wanted sole authority. He got it. Now he's got to deliver." ...
As for Torre, the Yankees manager since 1996, Steinbrenner said "we are not considering a change." ...
Steinbrenner was less generous toward Jason Giambi, whose recent comments to USA Today that he was "wrong for doing that stuff" were interpreted by some as an admission of steroid use. Giambi told a federal grand jury that he used steroids from 2001-3 and human growth hormone in 2003, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. ...
"He should have kept his mouth shut," Steinbrenner said. "The matter is in the hands of the baseball commissioner."
As for Torre, the Yankees manager since 1996, Steinbrenner said "we are not considering a change." ...
Steinbrenner was less generous toward Jason Giambi, whose recent comments to USA Today that he was "wrong for doing that stuff" were interpreted by some as an admission of steroid use. Giambi told a federal grand jury that he used steroids from 2001-3 and human growth hormone in 2003, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. ...
"He should have kept his mouth shut," Steinbrenner said. "The matter is in the hands of the baseball commissioner."
And, as I write this, our 10-6 loss to the Angels just went final. Gah.
Posted by: Patrick
ESPN.com reports that Clemens will make his next start at Triple A on Monday for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre when they face Toledo. The article notes that it did not "appear" that he'd be with the Yankees when we face Boston next.
05/25: 5/25/07: Rumor Mill
Posted by: Patrick
From Pete Caldera:
From Troy E. Renck:
Update: Peter Abraham says there is no interest in Helton, which makes sense, of course.
He also mentions that if Brett Myers of the Phillies has a serious injury, they could be a destination for Kyle Farnsworth.
Via PSD.
The Yankees require another professional right-handed hitter off the bench and Mike Sweeney and Jeff Conine should be considered trade possibilities.
From Troy E. Renck:
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told reporters this week that although trades are always possible, nothing is warm right now. Still, multiple scouts said Wednesday the Yankees are interested in Rockies first baseman Todd Helton and closer Brian Fuentes, though nothing is brewing.
Update: Peter Abraham says there is no interest in Helton, which makes sense, of course.
He also mentions that if Brett Myers of the Phillies has a serious injury, they could be a destination for Kyle Farnsworth.
Via PSD.
