Sunday, October 25
Sunday, September 27
How they got here..............
It has been a while since my last post, partly because the Yankees have essentially been on cruise control since sweeping the Sox in that four game thrashing in early August, and partly because work is, well, work, and the idea of writing on the weekends seemed somewhat............disheartening.
But, today, on the 27th of September, after a well-earned sweep of the Sox yet again, the New York Yankees have clibched the American League East and the best record in the AL, meaning homefield advantage throughout the playoffs (including the World Series, if they make it that far. Thanks All Star Game!). So, I thought this would be a good time to rank the most important factors to the Yankees success this season. Without these different parts all coming togther, the Bombers never, ever would have gotten to where they are now.
5.) Nick Swisher - It is easy to overlook the Swish man on this team because he isn't an all star, nor is he one of the big guns at the top of the lineup. But Swisher's presence on this team has been one of the more important additions of the year.
First, look at the numbers: Swisher is batting an umimpressive .250, but he has 27 homers (most of which were not hit at homer-happy Yankee Stadium), 79 RBI, 80 runs scored, a .370 OBP, and 93 walks. By the end of this season he could have 30 homers and 85 RBI, with close to 100 walks. I would bet anything that, if one were so inclined, they could research all of the corner outfielders in the league and one would find that Swisher is comparable to all but the top, top performers. It is the type of year the Yankees were PRAYING to get out of Xavier Nady. It is the type of season good teams get out of their second-tier players.
Add in the fact that Swisher has gotten consistently better defensively in the outfield and has batted almost everywhere in the lineup effectively, and the strange and often baffling Nick Swisher has been a huge, underrated reason why this team has been on such a roll.
4.) Team Bounceback (Jorge Posada, Hideki Matsui, and Robinson Cano) - Coming into the season, none of us had any real idea how this threesome would do. Posada and Matsui were coming off of injuries that all but destroyed their 2008 seasons, and Robinson Cano had played such lackluster, uninspired baseball the previous season it was anyone's guess as to whether he would live up to his natural talent or fade away into a mediocrity. Well, the verdict is in, and all three would have to be ranked as unmidigated successes. Posada never really re-established himself as a top-notch defensive catcher, and his days behind the plate appear to be quickly coming to an end (especially with Francisco Cervelli looking like the real deal), but his offensive skills returned to form as he quickly reaffirmed why he has always been a middle-of-the-lineup type of hitter.
At times early in the season Matsui looked to be all but cooked, running on a stumpy leg that seemed to actually age him from game to game. Then, the old man proved that it doesn't take two legs to swing one bat. Big hits and pressure spots have been Matsui's specialty again this year, and it would take a super computer the likes of Joshua from Wargames to calculate how many big hits the veteran batter has gotten over the last six months.
Then, we come to Robinson Cano, who was one bad half of baseball from being shipped out of town. Cano, last year, became the symbol of the ills that plagued the Yankees all year long. He didn't seem to hustle or play with the desire that would be consistent with Yankee teams of the past. He also didn't seem to play smart baseball, always making the wrong choice at the worst possible time. And his entire demeanor seemed to scream Manny Ramirez.
So, with everything to prove, Robby C seemed to come into this season with a purpose. With a week left in the season, Cano is batting .321, 24 homers, 80 RBI, 100 runs scored, 47 doubles, and 200 overall hits. It is the type of season you should expect to see many, many more times over the course of Cano's career.
But, perhaps most impressive has been Cano's defense. He would have to be given major consideration for a gold glove and he has solidified the Yankees as one of the best infield defenses in the league. Coming into the year, most of us felt that Cano was either going to become a star or a bust. Well, the light is shining brightly right now for 24.
3.) Phil Hughes (and the entire bullpen) - It must have been somewhere around late May when, one day, I tuned into Mike Francesa on WFAN and his rotundness was spouting off that the Yankee bullpen would NEVER be any good unless the Yanks wised up and moved Joba back behind those walls. The guys just weren't there and, Francesa screamed, you can't just move anyone into the pen and have them be a success. A while later, the Yankees decided to move Phil Hughes from the rotation to the pen, slotting poor, lonely Chien Mien Wang into the rotation. Again. Francesa was incredulous about the move, stating as FACT that Hughes would be one step bellow dog dung in such a roll.
How's that prediction looking now, Mikey?
Phil Hughes hasn't just become a shut-down eighth inning guy, bridging the infamous "bridge to Mariano" as well as anyone in the past 10 years. He has become one of the most dominant relievers in the game, instilling confidence that is usually reserved for Rivera. Hughes has been every bit as good as Joba was in 2007, striking guys out on a consistent basis, and doing it with a quiet swagger that exudes intimidation. His blazing fastball (which now clocks at 95-96), combined with a 12-6 curve and a newly-rediscovered slider, makes him, at times, untouchable.
And his dominance has also translated to overall success for the entire bullpen. Everyone has been slotted into their appropriate roles. Phil Coke, Dave Robertson, Alfredo Aceves, and Brian Bruney have all stepped their game up knowing that they have ownership of certain moments and times in the game. Girardi seemed in love with the idea of sticking different guys in different roles on an almost everyday basis. Today, you might be a long man, while tomorrow you'll be the eighth inning guy. That just didn't work. Now, everyone has a role, and Hughes' success is what has allowed such consistency. Without it, one could see Girardi still trying to force such a hodgepodge approach to the pen.
Hughes may eventually live up to his billing as a top-quality starter (though I think all of us shutter at the thought of the Phil Rules replacing the Joba Rules) but, for now, he has been the backbone (along with Mo, obviously) of one of the, if not the best bullpens in the entire league.
2.) CC Sabathia - Yes, the entire rotation has been important. I agree. And, one can make the arguement that CC has simply been the pitcher Mike Mussina was for this team last year, when the Yanks missed the playoffs. But as GREAT as Moose was, Sabathia has been an ace. The big lefty has been tremendous, especially in the second half of the year when, in my opinion, he became the Cy Young award winner (Zach Greinke's numbers are startlingly good, but one has to give consideration to the fact that the next big, important, pressure-packed game in which Greinke pitches will be his first. Pitching for something meaningful in high-pressure situations has to count for something, right?).
Sabathia's dominance at the top has allowed the team to weather terrible stretches by both AJ Burnett and Joba Chamberlain and inconsistent starts from the likes of Sergio Mitre and Chad Gaudin. He has also pitched well against the team's biggest rivals (Sox and Angels) and has matched up with the likes of Justin Verlander, always seeming to win that battle.
Having CC as the ever-present win, especially in the second half, has been invaluable, and having a player the caliber of CC, who signed for such a huge contract in the offseason, live up to expectations, has been even more important.
1.) Mark Teixeira Speaking of living up to expectations....................Tex gets my top slot for two very important reasons: first, he has been the main cog in the offense since the middle part of May, when Alex Rodriguez returned and teams couldn't pitch around him constantly. He has the most RBI's in the league, is second in homers, and is batting .294 with a .380 OBP. Teixeira lengthened the lineup the way Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield never could, and unlike those guys, who became all or nothing hitters towards the end, Teixeira has proven to be not only a great power hitter but also a terrific situational hitter, a great baserunner, and a hustler on every play (anyone remember Luis Castillo dropping that ball in the Subway series? It would have meant nothing if Tex wasn't busting it from first the entire way).
But, what makes Tex so special is his defense and his obvious ascension, already, as a team leader. How many errors has he saved with his glove? It would be hard to measure, but I doubt one could make an accurate count only using two hands. Forget the obvious scoop plays and high snags on throws that appear to be going astray, how about the errors that were saved simply by his mere presence? Don't you get the sense that Jeter, A-Rod, and Cano are all more confident and comfortable throwing to first knowing that, if one gets away from them, they have a guy there more than capable of cleaning up the mess? That kind of confidence has probably made them more accurate, simply by removing the fear of overthrowing or underthrowing the guy standing on the bag.
It is that kind of immense influence he has had on both the offense and the defense and it is why I believe Tex is the most important piece to the Yankee puzzle this season.
Honorable Mentions - Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez
I still hold out some hope that Jeter will be able to sneak in as the MVP this year, just because the future hall of famer has deserved the award, in my opinion, two other times. His year has been amazing from beginning to end and he has been the sparkplug of the team all year long. His play in the field and his overall offensive game (running, hitting, stealing) has been a joy to watch.
A-Rod has been the most impressive I have ever seen him. No, his numbers don't compare to his 2007 season, but forgive me if look at that year with a somewhat jaudiced eye, considering his admission this year that he used steroids.
Nope, this year, after missing 5 weeks, he has been brilliant. He has come up with HUGE hits, played very good defense, run the bases extraordinarily well, even when still hampered by his hip inury, and has played great defense. And, he has stayed off the back pages and truly become "one of the team."
The only reason I didn't include these two on the top list is because, in large part, these two future residents of Cooperstown (I think A-Rod will still get in) are doing what you would expect. They are great players playing great.
But, today, on the 27th of September, after a well-earned sweep of the Sox yet again, the New York Yankees have clibched the American League East and the best record in the AL, meaning homefield advantage throughout the playoffs (including the World Series, if they make it that far. Thanks All Star Game!). So, I thought this would be a good time to rank the most important factors to the Yankees success this season. Without these different parts all coming togther, the Bombers never, ever would have gotten to where they are now.
5.) Nick Swisher - It is easy to overlook the Swish man on this team because he isn't an all star, nor is he one of the big guns at the top of the lineup. But Swisher's presence on this team has been one of the more important additions of the year.
First, look at the numbers: Swisher is batting an umimpressive .250, but he has 27 homers (most of which were not hit at homer-happy Yankee Stadium), 79 RBI, 80 runs scored, a .370 OBP, and 93 walks. By the end of this season he could have 30 homers and 85 RBI, with close to 100 walks. I would bet anything that, if one were so inclined, they could research all of the corner outfielders in the league and one would find that Swisher is comparable to all but the top, top performers. It is the type of year the Yankees were PRAYING to get out of Xavier Nady. It is the type of season good teams get out of their second-tier players.
Add in the fact that Swisher has gotten consistently better defensively in the outfield and has batted almost everywhere in the lineup effectively, and the strange and often baffling Nick Swisher has been a huge, underrated reason why this team has been on such a roll.
4.) Team Bounceback (Jorge Posada, Hideki Matsui, and Robinson Cano) - Coming into the season, none of us had any real idea how this threesome would do. Posada and Matsui were coming off of injuries that all but destroyed their 2008 seasons, and Robinson Cano had played such lackluster, uninspired baseball the previous season it was anyone's guess as to whether he would live up to his natural talent or fade away into a mediocrity. Well, the verdict is in, and all three would have to be ranked as unmidigated successes. Posada never really re-established himself as a top-notch defensive catcher, and his days behind the plate appear to be quickly coming to an end (especially with Francisco Cervelli looking like the real deal), but his offensive skills returned to form as he quickly reaffirmed why he has always been a middle-of-the-lineup type of hitter.
At times early in the season Matsui looked to be all but cooked, running on a stumpy leg that seemed to actually age him from game to game. Then, the old man proved that it doesn't take two legs to swing one bat. Big hits and pressure spots have been Matsui's specialty again this year, and it would take a super computer the likes of Joshua from Wargames to calculate how many big hits the veteran batter has gotten over the last six months.
Then, we come to Robinson Cano, who was one bad half of baseball from being shipped out of town. Cano, last year, became the symbol of the ills that plagued the Yankees all year long. He didn't seem to hustle or play with the desire that would be consistent with Yankee teams of the past. He also didn't seem to play smart baseball, always making the wrong choice at the worst possible time. And his entire demeanor seemed to scream Manny Ramirez.
So, with everything to prove, Robby C seemed to come into this season with a purpose. With a week left in the season, Cano is batting .321, 24 homers, 80 RBI, 100 runs scored, 47 doubles, and 200 overall hits. It is the type of season you should expect to see many, many more times over the course of Cano's career.
But, perhaps most impressive has been Cano's defense. He would have to be given major consideration for a gold glove and he has solidified the Yankees as one of the best infield defenses in the league. Coming into the year, most of us felt that Cano was either going to become a star or a bust. Well, the light is shining brightly right now for 24.
3.) Phil Hughes (and the entire bullpen) - It must have been somewhere around late May when, one day, I tuned into Mike Francesa on WFAN and his rotundness was spouting off that the Yankee bullpen would NEVER be any good unless the Yanks wised up and moved Joba back behind those walls. The guys just weren't there and, Francesa screamed, you can't just move anyone into the pen and have them be a success. A while later, the Yankees decided to move Phil Hughes from the rotation to the pen, slotting poor, lonely Chien Mien Wang into the rotation. Again. Francesa was incredulous about the move, stating as FACT that Hughes would be one step bellow dog dung in such a roll.
How's that prediction looking now, Mikey?
Phil Hughes hasn't just become a shut-down eighth inning guy, bridging the infamous "bridge to Mariano" as well as anyone in the past 10 years. He has become one of the most dominant relievers in the game, instilling confidence that is usually reserved for Rivera. Hughes has been every bit as good as Joba was in 2007, striking guys out on a consistent basis, and doing it with a quiet swagger that exudes intimidation. His blazing fastball (which now clocks at 95-96), combined with a 12-6 curve and a newly-rediscovered slider, makes him, at times, untouchable.
And his dominance has also translated to overall success for the entire bullpen. Everyone has been slotted into their appropriate roles. Phil Coke, Dave Robertson, Alfredo Aceves, and Brian Bruney have all stepped their game up knowing that they have ownership of certain moments and times in the game. Girardi seemed in love with the idea of sticking different guys in different roles on an almost everyday basis. Today, you might be a long man, while tomorrow you'll be the eighth inning guy. That just didn't work. Now, everyone has a role, and Hughes' success is what has allowed such consistency. Without it, one could see Girardi still trying to force such a hodgepodge approach to the pen.
Hughes may eventually live up to his billing as a top-quality starter (though I think all of us shutter at the thought of the Phil Rules replacing the Joba Rules) but, for now, he has been the backbone (along with Mo, obviously) of one of the, if not the best bullpens in the entire league.
2.) CC Sabathia - Yes, the entire rotation has been important. I agree. And, one can make the arguement that CC has simply been the pitcher Mike Mussina was for this team last year, when the Yanks missed the playoffs. But as GREAT as Moose was, Sabathia has been an ace. The big lefty has been tremendous, especially in the second half of the year when, in my opinion, he became the Cy Young award winner (Zach Greinke's numbers are startlingly good, but one has to give consideration to the fact that the next big, important, pressure-packed game in which Greinke pitches will be his first. Pitching for something meaningful in high-pressure situations has to count for something, right?).
Sabathia's dominance at the top has allowed the team to weather terrible stretches by both AJ Burnett and Joba Chamberlain and inconsistent starts from the likes of Sergio Mitre and Chad Gaudin. He has also pitched well against the team's biggest rivals (Sox and Angels) and has matched up with the likes of Justin Verlander, always seeming to win that battle.
Having CC as the ever-present win, especially in the second half, has been invaluable, and having a player the caliber of CC, who signed for such a huge contract in the offseason, live up to expectations, has been even more important.
1.) Mark Teixeira Speaking of living up to expectations....................Tex gets my top slot for two very important reasons: first, he has been the main cog in the offense since the middle part of May, when Alex Rodriguez returned and teams couldn't pitch around him constantly. He has the most RBI's in the league, is second in homers, and is batting .294 with a .380 OBP. Teixeira lengthened the lineup the way Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield never could, and unlike those guys, who became all or nothing hitters towards the end, Teixeira has proven to be not only a great power hitter but also a terrific situational hitter, a great baserunner, and a hustler on every play (anyone remember Luis Castillo dropping that ball in the Subway series? It would have meant nothing if Tex wasn't busting it from first the entire way).
But, what makes Tex so special is his defense and his obvious ascension, already, as a team leader. How many errors has he saved with his glove? It would be hard to measure, but I doubt one could make an accurate count only using two hands. Forget the obvious scoop plays and high snags on throws that appear to be going astray, how about the errors that were saved simply by his mere presence? Don't you get the sense that Jeter, A-Rod, and Cano are all more confident and comfortable throwing to first knowing that, if one gets away from them, they have a guy there more than capable of cleaning up the mess? That kind of confidence has probably made them more accurate, simply by removing the fear of overthrowing or underthrowing the guy standing on the bag.
It is that kind of immense influence he has had on both the offense and the defense and it is why I believe Tex is the most important piece to the Yankee puzzle this season.
Honorable Mentions - Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez
I still hold out some hope that Jeter will be able to sneak in as the MVP this year, just because the future hall of famer has deserved the award, in my opinion, two other times. His year has been amazing from beginning to end and he has been the sparkplug of the team all year long. His play in the field and his overall offensive game (running, hitting, stealing) has been a joy to watch.
A-Rod has been the most impressive I have ever seen him. No, his numbers don't compare to his 2007 season, but forgive me if look at that year with a somewhat jaudiced eye, considering his admission this year that he used steroids.
Nope, this year, after missing 5 weeks, he has been brilliant. He has come up with HUGE hits, played very good defense, run the bases extraordinarily well, even when still hampered by his hip inury, and has played great defense. And, he has stayed off the back pages and truly become "one of the team."
The only reason I didn't include these two on the top list is because, in large part, these two future residents of Cooperstown (I think A-Rod will still get in) are doing what you would expect. They are great players playing great.
Sunday, August 30
The Joba Rules............are you kidding me?
I just have to vent about the stupidity of the Joba Rules and how, now, they have taken on a new definition. Supposedly, after the Yankee cracker jack team of investigators realized that giving him sporadic starts with different days of rest wasn't working out too well (they might have been tipped off by his 9 ERA in those outings) the braintrust that has done everything to stunt and stymie this young man's growth came up with another set of "rules" to go by. Now, Joba will be treated, for the foreseeable future, as really a starter in name only. Essentially, he is going to "start" games but not really look to finish them in any way. Will he go three innings? Will he go five innings? No one knows except for, well, Joba and the coaching staff.
Am I the only one that thinks this whole thing is utterly ludicrous?
I understand the premise behind these actions and, in a way, I agree with it. I do believe that stretching relatively young kids out well beyond what they have been accustomed to is dangerous and we have seen that starters who have jumped up, especially into the 200 inning mark after coming no where close the season prior have had arm issues and performance problems.
But when is enough enough?
Joba is currently at about 130 innings pitched. The Yankees decided that they want him to pitch somewhere around 160 or so innings this season. Let's say that Joba has 6 starts left (it might only be 5 but we'll say 6 to be safe) and let's make a HUGE assumption and say he were to average 7 innings in those 6 starts. That would mean he would pitch an extra 42 innings this regular season, not counting the playoffs, where it would be impossible to predict what kind of innings he would receive (would he be moved to the pen, in which case he would only be asked to pitch one inning at a time, or would he be kept in the rotation as a fourth starter, in which case he might not be needed at all in certain series?).
We know that Joba wouldn't average 7 innings, so let's say he averaged 6, which would be an added 36 innings, which would put him right in line for the "innings limit" they have set up.
Are you telling me that, if Joba went 172 innings as opposed to 165 innings, his arm would fall off? Are these guys robots? Is there no pitcher in human history who has seen their innings go over 170 and live to tell about it? Really?
Just let the freakin kid pitch.
He isn't good enough to threaten this dreaded innings limit anyway. Plus, what no one has talked about is that Joba's inning limit, to me, is a joke anyway because the concern isn't the innings but the pitches. Joba's 40 pitch innings, I am sure, put far more stress on his arm than a 8 inning, 90 pitch game ever would. How many of those games has he had already this year?
And all of this ignores the fact that Joba has not, in any way, proven that he should remain a starter for his career. In the best of circumstances, he hasn't shown the ability to conserve innings, pitches, and go deep into games. He hasn't shown that he can be the pitcher the Yankees want him to be.
Now, I still believe he has that type of talent, but he has to be allowed to show it before any of us can say, categorically, that he is the next great thing in the rotation.
And how unfair has all of this been to Joba?
I get as frustrated with Joba as anyone, mostly because I still firmly believe he can be a great pitcher, but when you consider how much they have juggled this kid and played with his head, it is really a miracle he has done as well as he has. Think about it: Joba, who has been starter all of his young career, was brought up and turned into an eighth-inning reliever in 2007; in 2008, as if still trying to figure out what to do with the young man, they started him in the bullpen then "transitioned" him, in season, to the rotation, doing something similar to what they are doing now in limiting his innings and trying to "build him up"; because of that strange decision to transition Joba in the majors rather than the minors, he hurt his arm, was placed on the DL, and when he returned he was placed, again, in the pen; start of the 2009 season he was announced as a starter, but he was essentially only allowed to go 100 pitches (if that) per game and, after a very onconsistent first half, he came back in the beginning of the second half and pitched lights out, only to have the Yankees decide to begin their "Joba Conservation" plan in between starts, which has now morphed into the new Joba Rules.
Pitchers are creatures of habit and Chamberlain's entire season has seemed more like a laboratory experiment rather than a season focused on winning baseball games. It hasn't been fair to him and it hasn't been fair to the team. I said this about Phil Hughes and I'll say it about Joba Chamberlain: the Yankees do not exist to ensure that they develop as seamlessly as possible. Chamberlain and all the young players exist to try and help this team win.
Keeping an eye on their health and trying to do what is best for them in the future is fine, but the Yankees seem to be overdoing it a bit, don't you think? Instead of treating these kids as professionals, they seem to be treating them as youngsters on a little league soccer team. Maybe Joba's arm is stronger than what the yankees are assuming, or maybe he is like Francisco Liriano, who never came close to exceeding some innings limit because his arm exploded well before it. Maybe Joba is CC Sabathia or maybe he is Mark Prior. The point is, numbers on a page don't tell you that, only time and experience does.
All I know is I am as sick of the Joba Rules as I am of the "Joba to the pen" arguement. Maybe, one day, they'll treat the kid like a professional. If they don't plan to do that, send him down to the minors because people at MLB should be there to help the team win, not learn.
Am I the only one that thinks this whole thing is utterly ludicrous?
I understand the premise behind these actions and, in a way, I agree with it. I do believe that stretching relatively young kids out well beyond what they have been accustomed to is dangerous and we have seen that starters who have jumped up, especially into the 200 inning mark after coming no where close the season prior have had arm issues and performance problems.
But when is enough enough?
Joba is currently at about 130 innings pitched. The Yankees decided that they want him to pitch somewhere around 160 or so innings this season. Let's say that Joba has 6 starts left (it might only be 5 but we'll say 6 to be safe) and let's make a HUGE assumption and say he were to average 7 innings in those 6 starts. That would mean he would pitch an extra 42 innings this regular season, not counting the playoffs, where it would be impossible to predict what kind of innings he would receive (would he be moved to the pen, in which case he would only be asked to pitch one inning at a time, or would he be kept in the rotation as a fourth starter, in which case he might not be needed at all in certain series?).
We know that Joba wouldn't average 7 innings, so let's say he averaged 6, which would be an added 36 innings, which would put him right in line for the "innings limit" they have set up.
Are you telling me that, if Joba went 172 innings as opposed to 165 innings, his arm would fall off? Are these guys robots? Is there no pitcher in human history who has seen their innings go over 170 and live to tell about it? Really?
Just let the freakin kid pitch.
He isn't good enough to threaten this dreaded innings limit anyway. Plus, what no one has talked about is that Joba's inning limit, to me, is a joke anyway because the concern isn't the innings but the pitches. Joba's 40 pitch innings, I am sure, put far more stress on his arm than a 8 inning, 90 pitch game ever would. How many of those games has he had already this year?
And all of this ignores the fact that Joba has not, in any way, proven that he should remain a starter for his career. In the best of circumstances, he hasn't shown the ability to conserve innings, pitches, and go deep into games. He hasn't shown that he can be the pitcher the Yankees want him to be.
Now, I still believe he has that type of talent, but he has to be allowed to show it before any of us can say, categorically, that he is the next great thing in the rotation.
And how unfair has all of this been to Joba?
I get as frustrated with Joba as anyone, mostly because I still firmly believe he can be a great pitcher, but when you consider how much they have juggled this kid and played with his head, it is really a miracle he has done as well as he has. Think about it: Joba, who has been starter all of his young career, was brought up and turned into an eighth-inning reliever in 2007; in 2008, as if still trying to figure out what to do with the young man, they started him in the bullpen then "transitioned" him, in season, to the rotation, doing something similar to what they are doing now in limiting his innings and trying to "build him up"; because of that strange decision to transition Joba in the majors rather than the minors, he hurt his arm, was placed on the DL, and when he returned he was placed, again, in the pen; start of the 2009 season he was announced as a starter, but he was essentially only allowed to go 100 pitches (if that) per game and, after a very onconsistent first half, he came back in the beginning of the second half and pitched lights out, only to have the Yankees decide to begin their "Joba Conservation" plan in between starts, which has now morphed into the new Joba Rules.
Pitchers are creatures of habit and Chamberlain's entire season has seemed more like a laboratory experiment rather than a season focused on winning baseball games. It hasn't been fair to him and it hasn't been fair to the team. I said this about Phil Hughes and I'll say it about Joba Chamberlain: the Yankees do not exist to ensure that they develop as seamlessly as possible. Chamberlain and all the young players exist to try and help this team win.
Keeping an eye on their health and trying to do what is best for them in the future is fine, but the Yankees seem to be overdoing it a bit, don't you think? Instead of treating these kids as professionals, they seem to be treating them as youngsters on a little league soccer team. Maybe Joba's arm is stronger than what the yankees are assuming, or maybe he is like Francisco Liriano, who never came close to exceeding some innings limit because his arm exploded well before it. Maybe Joba is CC Sabathia or maybe he is Mark Prior. The point is, numbers on a page don't tell you that, only time and experience does.
All I know is I am as sick of the Joba Rules as I am of the "Joba to the pen" arguement. Maybe, one day, they'll treat the kid like a professional. If they don't plan to do that, send him down to the minors because people at MLB should be there to help the team win, not learn.
Sunday, August 16
A tally of right and wrong calls here in the dog days..........
I have tried posting a couple of times over the last month but, for some reason, blogspot hasn't been very receptive to my desire to opine about all things Yankees, so I'll try it one more time.
Really, things have settled down in Yankee land. In fact, it is the first time in several years where it feels like the dynasty days where, as a fan, you expect the team to win every time they take the field.
So, with the Bombers rolling and the dog days officially here, I thought it would be a good time to take stock of some of the "predictions" I have made throughout the year and see how I'm doing. There is still plenty of time for me to be right or wrong, but August seems to be a perfect time to really see where I stand.
What I was right about:
Oh, the list is so long..............:)
First, the thing I am most proud of is my early championing of Phil Hughes to the pen. While such beat guys like Sweeney Murti and Peter Abraham poo-pooed the idea from the get go, and resident blowhard Mik Francesa emphatically professed that Hughes "won't be good in the pen at all," Franchise has taken to relief work like Lindsay Lohan to a Vegas cathouse. The eighth inning and the "bridge" to Mariano has never been more secur, and Hughes is the biggest reason why. Only required to throw two pitches, Hughes' fastball has added life and his curve is devastating. And there is a swagger about him on the mound that has not been there before. He looks almost annoyed when someone gets a hit or he gives up a walk.
Second, I was right about the pen in general. WHile everyone was suggesting that the pen would NEVER be the equal of other teams' relievers, I predicted the Yankees were not that far away from having a very capable group. Did I know they would be this good? No way. But I saw the talent in Phil Coke, Alfredo Aceves, Brian Bruney, and even David Robertson, all of whom have become valuable commodities in a pen that is about as shut down as you're going to get. Bully for me.
Third, while I can't give myself that much credit for this, I'll take a bow none the less. While the likes of Joel Sherman (another moron making comments with little knowledge to back it up) were suggesting that Derek Jeter was simply a "singles hitter" now and others were typing in their calculations to prove that Jeter was the worst fielder since Todd Hundley ventured out to left field, I quietly predicted that Jeter would have a return-to-form season, which would be a prelude to next season (contract year), which promises to be even better. Right now, Jeter is at .320, 15, 53, 20 stolen bases, and a near .400 OBP. He's on pace for 20 homers, 75+ RBI, 30+ stolen bases, 200 hits, 100 runs, and his best defensive season in the last five. And, yes, I saw it coming.
Fourth, I believe it was me who saw Damon's contract year coming. Of course, a lot of other people did as well, so I'll just add my name to the list. But, remember, it is a list of people who were right about something.
Fifth, I was right that the Yankees were the best team in the East and that the Rays would be the odd ballclub out.
Really, things have settled down in Yankee land. In fact, it is the first time in several years where it feels like the dynasty days where, as a fan, you expect the team to win every time they take the field.
So, with the Bombers rolling and the dog days officially here, I thought it would be a good time to take stock of some of the "predictions" I have made throughout the year and see how I'm doing. There is still plenty of time for me to be right or wrong, but August seems to be a perfect time to really see where I stand.
What I was right about:
Oh, the list is so long..............:)
First, the thing I am most proud of is my early championing of Phil Hughes to the pen. While such beat guys like Sweeney Murti and Peter Abraham poo-pooed the idea from the get go, and resident blowhard Mik Francesa emphatically professed that Hughes "won't be good in the pen at all," Franchise has taken to relief work like Lindsay Lohan to a Vegas cathouse. The eighth inning and the "bridge" to Mariano has never been more secur, and Hughes is the biggest reason why. Only required to throw two pitches, Hughes' fastball has added life and his curve is devastating. And there is a swagger about him on the mound that has not been there before. He looks almost annoyed when someone gets a hit or he gives up a walk.
Second, I was right about the pen in general. WHile everyone was suggesting that the pen would NEVER be the equal of other teams' relievers, I predicted the Yankees were not that far away from having a very capable group. Did I know they would be this good? No way. But I saw the talent in Phil Coke, Alfredo Aceves, Brian Bruney, and even David Robertson, all of whom have become valuable commodities in a pen that is about as shut down as you're going to get. Bully for me.
Third, while I can't give myself that much credit for this, I'll take a bow none the less. While the likes of Joel Sherman (another moron making comments with little knowledge to back it up) were suggesting that Derek Jeter was simply a "singles hitter" now and others were typing in their calculations to prove that Jeter was the worst fielder since Todd Hundley ventured out to left field, I quietly predicted that Jeter would have a return-to-form season, which would be a prelude to next season (contract year), which promises to be even better. Right now, Jeter is at .320, 15, 53, 20 stolen bases, and a near .400 OBP. He's on pace for 20 homers, 75+ RBI, 30+ stolen bases, 200 hits, 100 runs, and his best defensive season in the last five. And, yes, I saw it coming.
Fourth, I believe it was me who saw Damon's contract year coming. Of course, a lot of other people did as well, so I'll just add my name to the list. But, remember, it is a list of people who were right about something.
Fifth, I was right that the Yankees were the best team in the East and that the Rays would be the odd ballclub out.
Sunday, July 19
Joba teaches a reminder course.........
Here is the thing about Joba: he is so damn talented, and burst on the scene with such an amazing display of electric stuff, it is impossible to lower the impossible standards to which he is subjected at this point.
Before the All Star Game Yankee fans had essentially done a 180 on Chamberlain. The most beloved young player on the Yanks was being booed and, once Roy Halladay's name was mentioned in trade rumors, everyone was wondering how much gas it would cost to drive Joba to the station to make the exchange.
But this afternoon, Joba reminded us of a few important facts.
Joba reminded us that he still has the stuff to be one of the best pitchers in the game. He reminded us that his fastball hasn't gone the way of the dodo bird and that, when his slider is diving in and out of the strikezone, he can go on an extraordinary run of creating swings and misses.
He also reminded us that he is 23 years old, something we have a tendency to forget, and while all of us would love for him to have matured to the point of consistent dominance, sometimes these things take a while.
It was pretty darn interesting to watch Joba duel Edwin Jackson this afternoon, considering where Jackson is in his own maturity as a pitcher. At 23-years old, while with the Rays, Jackson, in his first full season as a starter, went a terrible 5-15. He went 161 innings and gave up 195 hits, accounting for a 5.76 ERA. Last year, at 24 and a full season under his belt, Jackson lowered his ERA to 4.42, nearly 1.5 runs per game better, winning 14, pitching 183 innings and giving up 199 hits.
Now, in Detroit at age 25, Jackson has begun to fully realize his outstanding potential. He is projected to win anywhere between 13 and 15 games with an ERA under 3, going 230 innings and striking out 182. He made the All Star team for the first time and is establishing himself as one of the best young pitchers in the game.
Can you imagine if Jackson had put up those kinda numbers for the Yankees early in his career? He would have been shipped off to the next available team for a bag of balls.
Joba, in New York, at 23, has a 4.05 ERA, is on pace to pitch 169 innings, give up 178 hits and strike out 153 while winning 10 games. For his first full season as a starter in the majors, after having only 150 innings at the minor league level, that isn't too bad, is it?
Look, Joba can be absolutely infuriating to watch pitch, and I am sure he will pop up another sub-par performance before too long that makes us all scratch our head, but for today Joba was able, with his 97 MPH fastball and devastating slider, to collectively slap us all across the face and remind us that the talent is there and, sometimes, you do have to wait a little while for it to come around. The Rays didn't and they handed the Tigers a guy who could be a top pitcher for 10 years. The Yanks can't make that kind of mistake.
Before the All Star Game Yankee fans had essentially done a 180 on Chamberlain. The most beloved young player on the Yanks was being booed and, once Roy Halladay's name was mentioned in trade rumors, everyone was wondering how much gas it would cost to drive Joba to the station to make the exchange.
But this afternoon, Joba reminded us of a few important facts.
Joba reminded us that he still has the stuff to be one of the best pitchers in the game. He reminded us that his fastball hasn't gone the way of the dodo bird and that, when his slider is diving in and out of the strikezone, he can go on an extraordinary run of creating swings and misses.
He also reminded us that he is 23 years old, something we have a tendency to forget, and while all of us would love for him to have matured to the point of consistent dominance, sometimes these things take a while.
It was pretty darn interesting to watch Joba duel Edwin Jackson this afternoon, considering where Jackson is in his own maturity as a pitcher. At 23-years old, while with the Rays, Jackson, in his first full season as a starter, went a terrible 5-15. He went 161 innings and gave up 195 hits, accounting for a 5.76 ERA. Last year, at 24 and a full season under his belt, Jackson lowered his ERA to 4.42, nearly 1.5 runs per game better, winning 14, pitching 183 innings and giving up 199 hits.
Now, in Detroit at age 25, Jackson has begun to fully realize his outstanding potential. He is projected to win anywhere between 13 and 15 games with an ERA under 3, going 230 innings and striking out 182. He made the All Star team for the first time and is establishing himself as one of the best young pitchers in the game.
Can you imagine if Jackson had put up those kinda numbers for the Yankees early in his career? He would have been shipped off to the next available team for a bag of balls.
Joba, in New York, at 23, has a 4.05 ERA, is on pace to pitch 169 innings, give up 178 hits and strike out 153 while winning 10 games. For his first full season as a starter in the majors, after having only 150 innings at the minor league level, that isn't too bad, is it?
Look, Joba can be absolutely infuriating to watch pitch, and I am sure he will pop up another sub-par performance before too long that makes us all scratch our head, but for today Joba was able, with his 97 MPH fastball and devastating slider, to collectively slap us all across the face and remind us that the talent is there and, sometimes, you do have to wait a little while for it to come around. The Rays didn't and they handed the Tigers a guy who could be a top pitcher for 10 years. The Yanks can't make that kind of mistake.
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