http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/e...eo-missed-call-clears-way-for-orioles-victory HORRIBLE CALL.....where is the INSTANT REPLY to fix a blown call that very well could have playoff seeding implications, etc. Horrible umpiring on such a significant occasion. ....but dang CC in a funk, and our bats....our bats....oh my goodness.
wow...from the HBP... Horrible news here for the first-place Orioles. According to Richard Justice of MLB.com, outfielder Nick Markakis has been diagnosed with a broken bone in the middle of his left thumb and is expected to be sidelined for the next six weeks.
Guys, guys it's ok. Use your 27 World Series Championship flags to wipe away those tears. Ok seriously, yeah it was a terrible call and another reason MLB needs instant replay and umpire accountability for bad calls.
Man Girardi and the Yankees are starting to crack. This does feel a little like the 2011 Red Sox right now where they can't catch a break, whether it's ump blown calls, guys just not coming through, bloopers being catch etc. But since BigDog is the resident DJ for the Red Sox thread, I want to dedicate this song to Joe Girardi and the rest of the Yankees this morning: [video=youtube;BWdLt3Afjrg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWdLt3Afjrg[/video]
Not sure what the argument was about, just heard about it but Girardi (who's always been known to being a hot head) should know better not to try and pick a fight with the media right now. Even if Girardi was 100% right, this is just another unneeded distraction right now.
Sherman asked CC if he was hurt, CC said "no, he just stunk today".....then Sherman went to Joe in the hallway, and between him and other reporters, Joe basically answered the same question multiple times about the health of CC (typical Q&A garbage that happens really). Girardi finally told Sherman, in a loud voice, "I answered the question, I am not lying....he is healthy, etc...." then the "argument" moved into a 1-on-1 into the managers office, and they stood nose to nose over typical Sherman coverage of late, etc. I think it was more HEAT of the moment of the blown call, etc...and not really a issue just between Girardi and Sherman. Sherman has covered Yanks for many years....and he and Girardi have a decent relationship, so i am sure the game's call was the trigger point and not the same question multiple times,or recent articles by Sherman, etc. Wouldnt be surprised to see it be water under the bridge today...etc.
They only have 3 games left on the schedule against teams over .500..... Translation.....they will back door into the playoffs...
I still think they will win the division with TB knocking Baltimore out of the WC spot. The Yankees, as bad as they are playing, should have no problem this week against the Red Sox and with their last 10 games against Toronto, Minnesota and the Sox it would be a huge collapse for them not to make the playoffs. But I just don't see the Yankees making any type of run in October. They just seem too beat up, and Buster Olney has been reporting non-stop that scouts have told him Sabathia is pitching like he's hurt. Without him healthy and pitching well it's going to be tough for the Yankees to get very far.
Sorry, missed this comment from prior pages......to clarify, I listed the article to show that certain injuries impact a team a certain way, not that they are the reason for our struggles in the sense of we are the only team that has them, etc - I agree with that mindset that all teams suffer them. I was really saying, in the context of how the team was built, an injury such as Gardners for example really forced us to be much more of a station to station offense, with no baserunning pressure on the D, etc. Hurts and forces our hand. Its little injuries like that (not where you dont have OF depth to replace his bat (Jones, Ibanez, Ichiro, etc had done a decent job) but its his legs. And Yanks didnt have lots of speed to begin with, etc....his impact on being able to play smallball when necessary has turned out to be a huge impact. And the arms injuries just impact the depth is all.
I agree and also Tex is out for the year most likely with him batting in pinch hitting roles....2nd time in as many years with this late season injury for him too.... Hey just get in and see what happens, baseball is a weird animal...
Didn't Teixeira hurt himself in the 2010 playoffs too? So that's 3 season ending injuries in the last 3 years? Or is it 2 injuries in the last 3 years?
I think thats what Finyank was referencing. I know 2010 he hurt his hamstring and now this year his calf. 2011 he was fine in the playoffs
Unless you count his .167/.286/.278/.563 stat line.... (well played Finkle, high five). Yeah you're right, it was the 2010 playoffs. This year will be the first year since 2008 that he didn't play over 165 games. Say what you want about his declining production (and wow can we start to talk about that again since this will be the 4th straight year of declining performance?) the guy plays almost everyday. And I do give him credit he always seems like his hustling out there and playing hard (you can say the same about Arod and Jeter too), which is what you want to see from all players but especially the high paid players.
Serious question, when was the last time you were honestly pumped up for a Sox/Yankee game? Like pumped up that it was a must watch no matter what and you were so excited for it you couldn't think straight. For me it was probably the last 3 games of the 2005 season when the teams were pretty much tied for 1st in the AL East and the loser would have to be the wild card team. There hasn't been any juice to this rivary for years, mainly because the games are just way too long and boring.
for me the last ALCS......it doesn't get any better....but yes I agree I cant sit through 4 hour regular season baseball games..... as for last night the the plague continues..... they dont get runners over, they REFUSE to hit with RISP.....and they don't take advantage of whats given to them....when the opposing pitcher walks 5 batters in the first 3 IP.....you are supposed to make him pay, NOT score 1 run.... and Girardi is being his classic overthinking the situation self.....he benches Suzuki Dickerson...STARTS Pierce at 1B, and play Andruw Jones....come on Joe....
Exactly, that ALCS was almost 8 years ago now. The juice/hype of the rivalry has been lost since 2005 or 2006. Yeah last night was a terrible loss for the Yankees. Lester walked 6 guys in 5 innings, put on tons of base runners and the team just couldn't capitalize. Even Jeter's double that scored the 2nd and 3rd run was an excuse me luck jam shot (not taking anything away from the hit but they didn't really have solid contact off Lester all night). And the 8th inning with the defense was pretty funny too. The team seriously looks like the 2011 Red Sox right now. They just look tight as hell and seem to all be pressing to do too much at the plate, on the mound and in the field. I'm honestly rooting for a Red Sox sweep with Tampa Bay winning the next 2 in Baltimore to set up a 3 way tie for 1st place in the AL East with 2 weeks left in the season. And I'm not just saying that because I'm a Sox fan, I think having tight races is great for baseball. Especially if you have a 3 way tie for 1st that late in the season.
Yes tight absolutely like in the playoffs....dude it is like for a team that shouldn't shrink, they do late in the season, it is crazy..... They showed A-Rod right before he came up against Bailey and he had that all too familiar "tight" look......I posted it on twitter....yeah, he struck out in like 4 pitches lol...
It's a mix of age and lack of depth. They are starting Steve Pierce in big games in September because of that lack of depth. The guy has been in 3 organizations this season and was signed/traded for by the Yankees twice already this season. I think that's a big knock on Cashman, much like it was on Theo last year.
yup, and as well I starting to think as the Granderson----Jackson/Coke trade starts to reveal itself, I am starting to believe he lost that trade.... At the time I though it was okay, but I also said (go back and look) I wish they took a look at Jackson at the big league level.....the Yankees never gave him a shot....they just traded him...Cashman to me anyway besides spending money on players, has lost alot of deals....imo...
Hmm interesting questions really. The Yankees gave up Ian Kennedy, Austin Jackson and Phil Coke for Granderson. Granderson had a really really good 2011 for the Yankees but the 2010 & 2012 seasons he's been ok. He's been a valueble Yankees, minus the BA and OBP and he plays a decent CF (he's rated pretty poorly by the metrics). His 3 year WAR average is 3.8 (4.1, 5.3, 2.1). Austin Jackson has really stepped it up this year after a lousy 2011 and decent rookie 2010 year. He will probably never had Granderson's power but he's a much much better CFer and his change in batting stance and pitch selection really changed his game at the plate. His 3 year WAR average is 4.8, although a lot has to do with his D. Ian Kennedy has been pretty good with Arizona, granted his numbers wouldn't be as good in the AL East but he was a young pitcher at the time and the Yankees might have traded the wrong guy (instead of trading Joba or Hughes). As for Phil Coke, eh he's a LHRP, he's been ok in Detroit but he's production has probably been equaled by Boone Logan. I don't think he's that big of a deal. Looking back, I think you can absolutely make the arguement that the Yankees might have been better off keeping Jackson and Kennedy instead of getting Granderson but it's pretty close. Again just looking at the stats pretty quickly. But you're right Cashman does have a spotty trade record (most GMs do). But you have to wonder if Jackson would have been as good if he didn't change his approach like he did when he got to Detroit and if Kennedy would be as good in the AL East. Of course Granderson turned into a different hitter against LHPs too. He was once viewed as a possible platton player and now he holds his own against them. I do think it's hard to really judge the job Cashman does since he's working with seemingly bottomless payroll cap. When was the last time the Yankees truly wanted a big name FA and didn't land him (besides Cliff Lee who actually took less years but more money in Philly)? People want to give him credit for the 2009 WS but a lot of that had to do with getting Sabathia, Burnett and Teixeira all in 1 winter. I think someone smarter than me should do a study on this deal and see what they come up with. I'm sure one will probably come out this winter.
Listening to Francesa during lunch today and although I normally don't agree with him but he's got a point. This Yankee team is just old, they really need an overhaul this winter to bring in some new young talent. However again the question remains who? The Yankees are locked up at 1B, 2B, SS, 3B, LF (assuming Gardner is still their guy) and CF. That just leaves C, RF and DH. All of the guys that are currently slated to be starters on the 2013 Yankees only Brett Gardner will be under 30 years old, he's currently 28. That's just crazy. As far as SPing goes under Pineda, Hughes, Nova and possibly Phelps are under 30. So it's possible at this very moment the 2013 Yankees will have a total of 5 starters under 30 years old, with only 1 of them being a position player. I think it's a major problem and something that absolutely has to be addressed in the offseason. The major question is what can the Yankees realistically do to get younger? Most of their position minor leagues are 2 or 3 years away and their 2 "big" pitching prospects took big steps backwards (Betances probably isn't even considered a prospect anymore he's been so bad). So it doesn't look like the Yankees have many trading chips nor do I think they will be able to just unload guys like the Red Sox did in August to free up payroll (not like it matters) but position flexibility as well. Not that I think it will happen but this could mark the beginning of down years in New York with the Yankees as the other teams in the AL East continue to get younger. This offseason, the 3 teams to watch will be the Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers. Because all 3 offseasons are going to be really interesting.
No I think your pretty spot on about this deal....one thing that cant be discounted as well is the money...what the Yankees are paying CG as opposed to what Det is paying AJ and will be paying him a while as he is cost controlled....
Dude you know where I stand on this team as of right now, I would have been perfectly fine and would have embraced it if the Yankees reigned it in for a year or 2 and made that deal, pennant race or not...I dont care at all about being in a race for one year, I am looking for consistently being set up for the future...so unless the Yanks find another lunatic partner like they could have in LAD there really isnt much they can do, unless they plant kiddie porn in A-Rod's room or something.....but these contracts need to go away...and with it these older guys... Except for this guy.....this guy you just let him do whatever he wants...
Yeah you're right the money and years of team control are big factors too. Yankees only have 3 years control of Granderson, with a 4th year option in 2013 (assuming they pick it up which they will) and would have spend 36.75 million on him while giving up 6 years of control for Jackson, 6 years of control for Kennedy and 5 years control of Coke. That's one of the reasons why if you look at, for example, the Adrian Gonzalez for Kelly, Rizzo, Fuentes, Patterson deal it was a win for SD because all they did was give up 1 year of control of Gonzalez for at least 18 years of control of Kelly/Rizzo/Fuentes and at the time (and even now) Kelly and Rizzo were thought very highly as prospects. That was the main knock on the Red Sox side of the deal at the time that, even though they signed Gonzalez to the extension they still traded for just 1 year of control for him. Now looking back it looks like a terrible deal for the Sox, unless De La Rosa, Webster and Sands turn into something good.
Jeter to a certain degree is a liability though on defense and that's not something that will get better with his age, even if he hasn't stopped hitting yet. The problem is his bat isn't good enough to DH and you can't move him to another position (nor would the Yankees unless Jeter was willing to do it) since the obvious choices 1B, 2B and 3B are locked up.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post wouldn't be surprised to see the Yankees abandon their plan to get under the $189MM luxury tax threshold for 2014 if they wind up missing the playoffs. However, should that happen, Sherman suggests that the Bombers should stay the course as the four other largest payroll teams would all miss the playoffs if they started today. The Yankees invested $423.5MM in C.C. Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, and A.J. Burnett after missing the playoffs in 2008. It did result in the club's 27th World Series Title in 2009.
[video=youtube;r-FcLpbjlcY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-FcLpbjlcY&feature=player_embedded#![/video]
But if the Sox never got Gonzalez you have to assume they would still have Rizzo and Kelly, perhaps they re-sign Adrian Beltre or sign other players and who knows what would have happened in 2011 and beyond. I mean we will have to see if the Kelly/Rizzo/Fuentes package is better than the one they got from LA. A lot of factors going in but right now that first Gonzalez trade looks poor.
Maybe but you also saved 260M plus too, where and how could you have made that up with Gonzo? You still would have had CC, Beckett etc...
You can't assume they would have still signed Crawford or not. Who knows it's possible they could have made a trade for an OF and there wouldn't have been any room for Crawford. I believe Beckett signed his extension a day or two after the 2010 season started so the team still would have had him but his salary isn't as big of a deal as Crawfords and Gonzalezs were.
.... he exercises it, then you offer arib.....which would be 12.25 so you are paying less then the 14M the contract had...if he doesn't take it, ehhh you take the draft pick and run.... reign in the spending boys...although without him they would be missing alot, provided Mo doesn't come back...
Its really win/win with Soriano from Yanks perspective....Soriano must choose between another year in New York with a salary of $14MM and opting out for a $1.5MM buyout and the uncertainty of the open market. If Soriano opts out, the Yankees can still make him a qualifying offer valued at $13MM-plus and link him to draft pick compensation. 1) He agress to 1 year deal @ the $14M then we have depth and insurance just like this year. Only negative is if he sulks and pouts once Mo comes back. And if he does, you might be able to trade him during the season, etc. 2) He opts out for 1.5MM and we live with Roberston and Joba and gang to get to Mo. 3) He opts out and we offer the compensation contract which gets us a pick (as he would turn it down since his contract is higher than comp offer). Mo will be back....not really even debating that.
Would LOVE for this to happen....if he opts out, probably the best closer on the market....some team will pony up for him...
