And I thought the Sparky Lyle “From Cy Young to Sayonara” move was an unbeatable record. Go figure.

From Messiah to ‘Bye ya’
- now takes the top spot in the baseball one-eighty department.

So, unless he pulls a Ken Macha, Theo Epstein is no longer with the Boston Red Sox. And, we have Larry Lucchino to thank for it.

Big Stein warned them about Larry. Remember when he said (just about three years ago):

I’ve learned this about Lucchino: he’s baseball’s foremost chameleon of all time. He changes colors depending on where’s he’s standing. He’s been at Baltimore and he deserted them there, and then went out to San Diego, and look at what trouble they’re in out there. When he was in San Diego, he was a big man for the small markets. Now he’s in Boston and he’s for the big markets. He’s not the kind of guy you want to have in your foxhole. He’s running the team behind John Henry’s back. I warned John it would happen, told him, “Just be careful.” He talks out of both sides of his mouth. He has trouble talking out of the front of it.

Edward G. Robinson’s voice is echoing in Fenway Park this evening. And, it’s saying “Where’s your messiah now?”

Throw in the Josh Byrnes and Mike Port moves and all of a sudden there’s a whole lot of empty desks in the Boston Front Office.

It’s damn hard work to make that Boston Schlemiels label stick, I guess. And, if you have to shed some blood in the process, so what if organizational directory starts looking like a Schilling ALCS sock, I suppose.

I wonder if Bill James should give Brian Cashman a call in the next day or two?

Well, he is, according to more than 1,300 cyberspace baseball fans.

David Ortiz was the number two choice on most ballots.

Up next, the BBWAA.

From a story in the Post about the current Yankees organizational meetings:

Items on the table include where to find a center fielder (Torii Hunter, Milton Bradley) and bullpen help (B.J. Ryan, Julian Tavarez). For the first time in eons, the Yankees aren’t expected to chase starting pitching in the free-agent pool.

Tavarez? Are they kidding me? The Pine Tar and Tantrum boy?

Pass. Pass at 118 MPH.

From the Daily News:

The Yankees may have several former managers on their coaching staff next season, as they have looked into hiring former Royals skipper Tony Pena, the Daily News has learned.

There are several advantages to bringing in Pena, who won the 2003 AL Manager of the Year award in Kansas City but stepped down in May after a difficult start. First, the Bombers are looking for a Latino presence on the staff since former third base coach Luis Sojo is not expected to be with the major league club in 2006. Sojo, who will be replaced by former Phillies manager Larry Bowa, has expressed interest in becoming the manager of the Class-A Tampa Yankees because that is where he lives, and he likely will be accommodated.

Sojo was very popular with the Spanish-speaking players on the Yankees and had a particularly good relationship with Robinson Cano.

….

The second benefit to adding Pena is that the Bombers currently are without a specialized catchers coach.

Pena has fire – like Bowa. It seems to be a theme with the new Yankees coaches. But, for the record, Pena did not step “down in May after a difficult start” – he quit because of some other messy business in K.C.

From the San Fran Chronicle:

Scott Eyre will be wooed elsewhere: The Giants already made Eyre a multiyear offer, but relievers (especially effective lefties) will be a hot commodity for big-market teams, including the Yankees and Red Sox, who easily could outbid the Giants, a team that doesn’t generally re-sign its guys once they become free agents.

34-years-old. Lefty middle reliever. Over his career, been just average. Became somewhat effective once he moved to the NL and a pitchers park home field. Had a career year last year in his walk season.

Oh, this has Yankees signing written all over it.

With the recent passing of Al Lopez, Phil Rizzuto now becomes the oldest living member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Frankie Crosetti lived to see 91. I hope Scooter – assuming he maintains good of quality of life – matches that number or betters it.

Mike Blowers
Dave Collins
Rich Dotson
Andy Hawkins
Hideki Irabu
Jeff Johnson
Tim Leary
Bobby Meacham
Omar Moreno
Joel Skinner
Rondell White
Ed Whitson
Mike Witt
Tony Womack

Boo!

I was just playing around with the latest edition of the Sabermetric Baseball Encyclopedia, running some sorts and the like, and then I can across this one:

These are Ken’s lifetime stats and Bernie’s through the 2005 season. Could they be any closer? And, it’s fun because they were both switch hitters.

What’s telling to me is the last season for each batter. Singleton’s last year was 1984. And, it was the worst season that he had in his career. Last year was Williams’ worst season in the bigs with the bat. Ken elected to retire. I think Bernie should do the same.

From the Daily News:

The reshaping of the Yankees’ coaching staff continued yesterday as the Bombers informed Neil Allen that he no longer will be the bullpen coach.

Reached at home, GM Brian Cashman confirmed the move and said Allen had been offered a new position within the organization that is not on the major-league level.

Former Phillies manager Larry Bowa will be the Yanks’ new third-base coach, former third-base coach Luis Sojo has been moved – likely to a minor-league managerial spot – and first-base coach Roy White has been let go.

Lee Mazzilli is expected to become the new bench coach, replacing Joe Girardi, the new manager of the Marlins, while hitting coach Don Mattingly will remain in his role.

The reshuffling is part of the Yanks’ stated commitment to giving Torre and Cashman more authority, in hopes that will quell the internal bickering between the New York and Tampa offices.

Why do I have a strange feeling that Tino Martinez will be the new 1B coach?

From the Boston Herald:

Left-handed reliever Eddie Guardado, one of the Red Sox’ backup choices two offseasons ago had they not been able to sign Keith Foulke away from Oakland, can be added to the list of free agent closers – a list that also includes B.J. Ryan and Billy Wagner – that the Red Sox are expected to peruse.

The Mariners are not going to pick up the 2006 option worth $6.25 million on Guardado but have not yet officially declined to do so. As part of his complicated deal, once the Mariners decline the option, Guardado can then test free agency before deciding whether or not he will exercise his option, which is now worth $4.5 million plus incentives.

Guardado and David Ortiz, both former Twins, are friends and the lefty is interested in the Red Sox. The Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres are also expected to be suitors of Guardado.

The Yankees have to be players on this chase – even if it’s just to run up the price for the Red Sox. Guardado is not a great pitcher – but, he’s been good and steady for the last decade. Cashman and company cannot let the Sox get him as a gimmie.

From Newsday:

An internal debate among team officials already is taking place about whether it would be prudent for them to commit big money to Red Sox free-agent centerfielder Johnny Damon or give up young talent to acquire the Twins’ Torii Hunter, who likely would want an extension and perhaps a raise from his $10.75-million salary.

The Yankees like the thought of Orioles free-agent closer B.J. Ryan, 29, setting up for Mariano Rivera and are expected to push for him. He has said he is open to setting up, but many teams, including the Mets, will be interested in having him close, which means a higher price tag.

The only starting pitcher the Yankees were expected to go after probably won’t be on the market after all. According to a report in the Japan Times, the Seibu Lions say they will not give up Daisuke Matsuzaka, 25, a hard-throwing righthander.

Bummer on Matsuzaka. If the choice is Damon or Hunter, I would take Hunter – even though he’s just an average batter at best. Damon’s defensive play in Yankee Stadium for 81 games is not an attractive thought. But, no one knows how Hunter will rebound from his injury. Do you really want to wait until Spring Training to see and potentially miss another CF on the market? Is there a Plan C? I hope there is one.

Ryan is an interesting call. I just have a feeling about him not doing well in a big market like New York or in post-season pressure. It’s just a hunch. I have no facts to back it up. It just seems like he’s folded in some big spots before. But, maybe that’s just my memory playing tricks on me?

Thanks to James Varghese of YanksBlog.com for bringing the story of the AL post-season OFer mystery ‘roider to my attention.

First of all, I doubt this is a Yankees player. I would be shocked if it’s Matsui. And, if it were Bernie Williams, at this point, do we even care? As Jen of NoSenseWorrying.com points out in a comment over at BaseballMusings.com, if there’s an agent involved, that sorta suggests that it’s not Sheffield.

Therefore, from the Yankees fans perspective, this should just be a “fun” wait and see rumor/story – and not something to fret over.

There are at least a dozen suspects – and at least 3 or 4 strong ones in that group. Let the speculation begin.

A recent comment to an entry made earlier today had me wondering about how well the Yankees pitched in the second half of 2005. So, I looked at their performace, compared to the rest of the AL, from July 4th through season end, using Runs Saved Above Average (RSAA):

Not bad. New York had the best pitching in the AL East during the 2nd half of the season. But, it’s still not in the class of the very good pitching teams in the AL Central and West.

How do the Yankees close the gap?

Well, their starting pitchers are sorta locked in. You know that it’s going to be Johnson and Mussina at the top. And, because of his contract, if he’s healthy (and not traded), then Pavano gets a spot. And, Chacón and Wang each warranted getting a slot in the rotation next year (based on what they did in 2005). That’s five. Also, there’s Jaret Wright (who’s much like Pavano in terms of status) in the wings.

To improve this bunch, and how they did in the 2nd half, the Yankees need Pavano and Mussina to be healthy and pitch well – and for the others (Chacón, Wang, and Johnson) to do what they did in the 2nd half last year.

And, in the pen, there are huge areas where they can improve. Basically, the Yankees need to add 3 to 4 quality arms in the pen to assist Mariano. (And, I’m assuming that Gordon is gone.) Here, in the end, it may be Brian Cashman who is the person who can make the most positive impact.

Mussina, Pavano and Cashman – three to watch for 2006.

From the Sports Network:

“I am very happy that Brian will continue as General Manager,” said Steinbrenner. “Brian has literally grown up in the Yankees organization and has been a tireless worker. He is very knowledgeable about the game and the business of Baseball and is extremely loyal. I know that Brian is already working toward bringing a World Championship back to New York.”

This may be something to look back at next October.

From the Record:

He [Yogi Berra] was the first to know, for example, that Hideki Matsui personally apologized to Joe Torre after the Yankees’ collapse in the division series. After batting .200 against Anaheim and making the final out in Game 5, the Japanese outfielder told the manager, “I played bad for you. I’m sorry. I hurt the team.”

Berra knows this because Torre told him so during a recent golf outing. It was the manager, Lee Mazzilli and Berra on the links for an afternoon, during which Torre confided that George Steinbrenner has been “better” about communicating lately.

Gotta love Yogi – but, should he be the one to tell the media this story? It was between Joe and Hideki – and, if they wanted the public to know, they would have shared it.

Somewhat related – Matsui and A-Rod missed zero games last year – and then ran out of gas in the ALDS. Memo to Torre: Think about this in 2006.

From the Hartford Courant:

Cashman, 38, accepted a three-year deal that will pay him between $5.5 million and $6 million over the course of the contract, making him one of the highest-paid GMs. He was looking not only for money, but for assurances that the continual discord in the Yankees organization will ease next year.

The language in the contract spells out the job description more specifically, giving Cashman more conventional GM powers to shape the roster. After long negotiations with Steve Swindal, who is George Steinbrenner’s son-in-law and heir apparent to run the Yankees, Cashman was apparently convinced things will improve. One thing under discussion is more frequent and inclusive meetings, in which Cashman, manager Joe Torre and possibly scout Gene Michael, whom Cashman regards very highly, will have Steinbrenner’s ear nearly as often as the Boss’ Tampa-based advisers. Billy Connors, Bill Emslie, Mark Newman and Damon Oppenheimer, all of whom work at the Tampa minor league complex, are among the chefs stirring the broth, a source of irritation to Cashman and Torre in New York.

Cash should be careful. Job descriptions, outside of a union shop, are usually not worth the paper that they’re printed on.

From the AP via ESPN.com:

Rodriguez said that the White Sox have shown during the postseason that they are the best team in the American League.

“That exhibition of pitching and defense we’ve been able to see, with timely hitting, just really reminds us of what wins championships, and the White Sox have done a beautiful job,” he said. “It reminds me of the old Yankees team.”

Pitching, defense, and timely hitting. Maybe that can be the T-shirt for 2006?

I’ve been hearing a lot in the last 12 hours where some folks are saying that the 2005 Chicago White Sox compare to the Yankees teams of 1998 and 1999. Do they?

Let’s look at the Runs Created Above Average (RCAA) and Runs Saved Above Average (RSAA) for each squad:

For those not aware -

Runs Created Above Average (RCAA) is a Lee Sinins creation. It is the difference between a team’s Runs Created total and the total for an average team who used the same amount of outs. (A negative Runs Created Above Average indicates a below average team in this category.)

And, Runs Saved Above Average (RSAA) is another Lee Sinins creation. It is the amount of runs that a pitching staff saved versus what an average staff would have allowed. It is similar to the statistic Pitching Runs detailed in the book Total Baseball – except (1) both have different ways of park adjustments and (2) Total Baseball added a procedure to take into account the amount of decisions the staff had while Runs Saved Above Average does not. (A negative Runs Saved Above Average indicates a below average pitching staff in this category.)

The 2005 White Sox were a poor offensive team. The 1998 and 1999 Yankees were strong offensive teams. There is no comparison here.

The 2005 White Sox were an excellent pitching team. In fact, they were one of the best pitching staffs the American League has seen in the last decade – if not the best.

Still, the 1998 Yankees were a very strong pitching team as well. And, the 1999 Yankees were an above average pitching team.

This all said, because of the 2005 White Sox offensive attack – or lack thereof – there’s no way that they should be compared to the 1998 and 1999 Yankees. Yes, they are World Champions – but, they’re a one dimensional team. And, that one dimension was so strong that it covered their weakness and carried them to a World Series victory.

I wonder if Tomonori Maeda is on the Yankees radar at all? Yes, he’s not young. But, he’s a CF-speed type player. And, Brett Butler (who Tomonori Maeda is like in size and style) was still productive in his late 30′s. And, yes, Maeda is a free agent now. This is another guy that would warrant an invite to Spring Training – if that’s something he’s willing to do.

Who are the only three right-handed batters in Yankees history to play in 162 games during a season?

Bobby Richardson 1961
Roberto Kelly 1990
Alex Rodriguez 2005

Who are the only three left-handed batters in Yankees history to play in 162 games during a season?

Chris Chambliss 1978
Don Mattingly 1986
Hideki Matsui 2003, 2004 & 2005

I think Roberto Kelly is the one that very few would guess at correctly.

Bill Madden suggests it:

If you believe the scuttlebutt from the GMs at the World Series, Brian Cashman’s prolonged negotiation with Yankees general partner Steve Swindal is directly related to Theo Epstein’s holdout in Boston.

“They’re pals,” said one GM, “and I’m sure they’re both holding out as long as they can, if nothing else, to give Theo additional leverage so he gets what he wants from the Red Sox. In any case, Brian’s going to get his money.”

I doubt this is true. But, if it were true, I would find it troubling that there is a friendship between the two GMs.

Mutual respect and admiration are fine. But, if there’s a chance that having Theo Epstein as GM helps the Boston Red Sox, then it should be Cashman’s concern that he does not get the job – and Cash’s goal should not be that Theo gets the job and is rewarded financially for doing it as well.

But, again, before I really start to rant, I would want to see more proof that this could be true.

From the Hollywood Reporter:

It may not be “Dinner and a Movie,” but legendary New York Yankees Hall of Famer Yogi Berra will co-host a series of sports-related movies on the YES Network.

Berra and YES studio host Bob Lorenz will introduce a movie night called “Yogi and a Movie” that the regional sports channel will screen Thursday nights through March as well as discuss the movie in brief vignettes between reels and commercials. Up first: “The Bad News Bears,” the 1976 movie about a ragtag youth team starring Walter Matthau and Tatum O’Neal.

Most but not all of the movies are baseball-related, from “The Natural” and “A League of Their Own” to “Major League: Back to the Minors” and “The Bad News Bears Go to Japan.” Others include “Jim Thorpe: All American” and “The Joe Louis Story.”

What’s next – rebroadcasts of “Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert” hosted by Bernie Williams?

Peter Bergeron is now a six-year minor league Free Agent. The Yankees should sign him to a contract to play in Columbus with an invite to the 2006 big league Spring Training camp.

Bergeron has average range in CF and was once a prospect (albeit 5 years ago). He was rushed to the bigs by the Expos a few years back. Still, he’s presently under 30.

Maybe there’s something there that can help the Yankees in some way next year? Hey, they invited Doug Glanville down to Tampa last Spring. A Bergeron invite is not bad compared to that.

A minor league deal is no risk with the potential for some reward.

When I see the Houston Astros’ Adam Everett play in this current World Series, I cannot help but think of Fred “Chicken” Stanley. There’s just something about the kid Everett that makes me think of Chicken.

Ironically, Stanley (like Everett) was drafted by the Houston Astros (back in the 8th round of the 1966 amateur draft).

Here’s a trivia question for you: How many Yankees players appeared in at least one game in the pinstripes, every year, for the period 1973 through and including 1980? The answer: Just two – Fred Stanley and Graig Nettles.

Try that one on your Yankees fan friends someday.

….report in just 3 and a 1/2 months.

Sorry, I just felt like saying that.

Reading the recent edition of Tim Kuhls’ That’s Kuhls, Baby got me wondering.

The White Sox might win the World Series this year – with Ozzie Guillen in just his 2nd year as their manager. (If the Astros win, they will win with Phil Garner also in his 2nd year with the club.)

The Red Sox won the World Series last year – in Terry Francona’s first year as their skipper. The Marlins won the World Series in 2003 – in manager Jack McKeon’s first year with the team. The Angels won in 2002 – in Mike Scioscia’s 3rd year with the club. The Diamondbacks won in 2001 – with rookie manager Bob Brenly.

Maybe there is something to this new blood theory? Michael Kay always likes to talk about the Jeff Van Gundy line of ‘You can only tell the same speech so many times before it loses impact – then it’s time to get a whole new audience for it to work.’ By this, he means that either it’s time for the coach to move to a new team – or to replace all his players – after being in one spot for a long time.

Ah, but, Torre did keep the team focused this year after the bad start – and, he got them to within one win from reaching the ALCS.

Plus, most of the guys on the Yankees have been with New York less than four years. So, it is basically a new team (since the last Torre ring teams).

So, I don’t think that Tim Kuhls’ theory holds anything here.

USA Today is running a fun story on the final resting place of last out balls from recent World Series. Here’s the Yankees info:

1996

• Where’s the ball? Displayed in [Charlie] Hayes’ living room.

1998

• Where’s the ball? With [Tino] Martinez’s glove in a safe-deposit box. “I’m never going to use the glove again,” Martinez says.

1999

• Where’s the ball? [Chad] Curtis gave it to a security guard, Dan Weiss, who helped Curtis and his family when they lived in New York. When Weiss said he wanted to give the ball back, Curtis said he autographed it, “To Dan,” and said, “Now what am I going to do with a ball that says, ‘To Dan?’ He would have never sold it, but I wanted it to have value to him as a friend.”

2000

• Where’s the ball? [Bernie] Williams had it signed by his teammates and keeps it in his trophy case at home.

I’m a little down on Bernie for his comments on the 2000 ball:

Williams has the final-out ball from the Yankees’ 2000 World Series win and said the team would have to win a court case to get it from him.

Too bad he wasn’t as greedy with the ball from the 2001 World Series:

Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams picked up the ball and gave it to [Luis] Gonzalez, who gave it to team owner Jerry Colangelo. It was in Colangelo’s desk drawer until he left the team last year. “I’ve been chasing that dream of a championship my whole life, as a competitor, an athlete and then in terms of management and ownership,” Colangelo says. “It signifies the culmination of a lifetime pursuit.”

I would rather have seen that ball blown up into a million pieces.

From the Times tonight:

Brian Cashman may announce his intention to return as the Yankees’ general manager as early as Tuesday. Cashman’s contract expires next Monday, but he has interviewed coaching candidates for the Yankees in recent weeks and has given no internal signals that he intends to leave.

A person who works for a major league team and spoke with Cashman recently said that he would be shocked if Cashman decided to leave. The person requested anonymity because he did not want to betray Cashman’s confidence and because Cashman has not announced his intentions.

I am the Cashman, I got the cash man.
I am the walrus, goo goo g’joob.

From Bob Raissman of the News:

You know [Kim] Jones. She sometimes was forced to ask Joe Torre postgame questions fed to her by Yankees brass, through her boss John Filippelli. The questions had one – and only one – purpose: To placate George Steinbrenner by second-guessing his manager in an attempt to make Torre look bad, stupid, or both.

On Thursday, [YES Network spokesperson Eric] Handler said Jones was “not available.” I asked if she might be “available” on Friday. Handler said he would check. On Friday, Handler called to say Jones, again, was “not available.”

Please. John Madden might be “not available” for two days, but Kimberly Jones?

Something’s happening here. What it is is exactly clear. Al Yankzeera suits put Jones in such a bad position (they set her up to fail when they hired her) it would serve her – or them – no purpose to talk to me.

If I asked how it felt being a tool of Yankees management, forced to deliver questions designed only to second guess Torre, would she say she absolutely “loved” the experience?

Or if Jones decided to turn around and rip the suits who manipulated her, well, her chances of returning for a second season on YES would be flushed down the toilet.

So, Jones ain’t talking. That is understandable.

I can just see Kim doing her next YES pregame, throwing back an answer to Bob Lorenz……..

You know Bob….

Well, I don’t know why I came here tonight.
I got the feeling that something ain’t right.
I’m so scared in case I fall off my chair.
And I’m wondering how I’ll get down the stairs.
Clowns to the left of me,
Jokers to the right, here I am
Stuck in the middle with you.

I think Kim should take this whole thing to a higher power and ask “WWSWD?” (What Would Suzyn Waldman Do?)

From the Post via S.I.:

Word is, George Steinbrenner is blaming Billy Connors for allowing Leo Mazzone to use the Yankees to get a sweeter deal with the Orioles and has eliminated Connors, a friend of Mazzone’s, from meetings.

Big Stein is getting soft. In the old days, he would have made Connors drop down and give him twenty – followed by three laps.

Actually, is it such a bad thing that he got the O’s to spend more than they would have without the extra bidding from New York?