The Final Spots For The 2006 Post-Season Roster
We know that these Yankees will make the post-season cut:
Posada, Fasano, Giambi, Cano, Jeter, Rodriguez, Cabrera, Damon, Abreu, Williams, Cairo, Wang, Mussina, Johnson, Lidle, Wright, Rivera, Farnsworth, Proctor, Villone and Myers.
This leaves four spots open – to be filled from the following:
Karstens, Dotel, Bruney, Beam, Matsui, Sheffield, Wilson, Green, Phillips, and Guiel.
At this point, you can probably guess that Karstens, Dotel, and Beam will not make the cut. This leaves Bruney, Matsui, Sheffield, Wilson, Green, Phillips, and Guiel.
I’m going to make a leap now and say that Bruney and Matsui will make the post-season roster. This means that Sheffield, Wilson, Green, Phillips, and Guiel will be fighting it out for the final two spots.
Knowing Torre, I think that Green and Guiel will be left behind – leaving it between Sheffield, Wilson and Phillips for the final two positions.
Wilson and Phillips are sort of the same player. Torre seems to love Phillips’ defense. So, this could mean bad news for Wilson.
But, when I look at Sheffield, Wilson, Green, Phillips, and Guiel, I see Green and Guiel being more useful in a post-season series.
Green can play any infield position and Guiel can play first and the outfield. Sure, Wilson can play first and the outfield – and Phillips can play first and third. But, Wilson and Phillips can only hit LHP pitching. Guiel hits RHP – and there are more RHPs than LHPs.
Green can also pinch run. You need that late in a close game when you have guys like Posada and Giambi on base.
How can I leave off Sheffield?
It’s simple – is (at the most probably) 12 games enough for Sheffield to prove he can help in the post-season? Also, if Matsui is the DH, where does Sheffield play? Would you use him just as a pinch-hitter? Who would he bat for – Jeter? Giambi? Abreu? (I think you get the idea.)
In any event, it will be interesting to see how Torre handles this whole situation. It’s a tough call.
There’s no way the Yankees leave Sheffield off the post-season roster. I simply can’t envison any scenario (short of him re-injuring himself) that would include Sheffield being told that he was not playing in October.
Which is why I wish Sheffield weren’t coming back. It would be so much better for the Yankees if Sheffield simply hadn’t recovered in time. Honestly, despite what the back of his baseball card says, I don’t think the Yanks really need him. Abreu’s been great at the dish and fine in the field.
My ideal list of backups would include Matsui, Guiel, Green, and Bruney. I loved getting Wilson at the time but he hasn’t really been hitting very much. Green can play everywhere in the field and between him and Cairo, gives us nice speed options on the bench, and Bruney’s power arm is a valuable option for the bullpen, especially given Proctor’s workload issues and Farnsworth’s inconsistency. Matsui’s value, obviously, needs no explanation.
There is a way.
If Sheff comes back on 9/19 and bats .125 over the remainder of the season, there would be a case to leave him off.
I suppose that’s true. But think of the public relations disaster he’d cause. He doesn’t seem like the type to accept it the way Giambi accepted it in 2004. And while I know the situations are slightly different since Giambi also had the steroids issue hanging over him at the time, he still exudes a more “whatever you say, Skip” attitude than Sheffield does.
In the first round they probably only carry 10 pitchers, leaving Wright or Lidle off.
Sheff’s contract is up on 11/1. Any stink that he causes in October will be short-lived.
Also true.
I guess it boils down to me looking forward to 11/1 no matter what. I fell in love with Sheff in 2004 but he began to grate on my nerves as 2005 wore on. I don’t regret the fact that we had him for 2 quite productive seasons but I’m just ready for him to be gone. And judging by the fact that he’s played on 6 teams in his 19 seasons (and there’s likely going to be a 7th team in his future), I think most people feel that way about him. He’s good, but he’s a pain in the ass.
I do not see them leaving Wright or Lidle off the roster, but it could happen. If Villone can’t get a grip I’d prefer to see him off the roster in favor of Karstens, or if only 10 arms then keep Wright and Lidle and leave Villone. But Torre’s loyalty being what it is, I doubt he stays behind at this point. If Shef shows that he can hit with authority he’ll be around in Oct, because of Torre’s veteran bias, but clearly he is not at the same level as Matsui in terms of helping the team either physically or emotionally. I think at this point I’d rather see Guiel than Shef, and make room for Green, but I can’t say that opposing pitchers would share that assessment. Torre views Green and Cairo as the same, only Cairo hits better and is more experienced. He stays, Green goes. My guess is he takes Bruney, Matsui, Sheffield and Guiel.
The first series is only 5 games and rosters can be changed for each series. If Cairo is healthy I don’t think there’s a need for both Cairo and Green on the roster.
Steve
I cant believe that you would consider Melky Cabrera a lock to make the postseason roster over Matsui. I know Melky has been a decent player and even decent may be a little much, but there is no way you can leave Matsui off the roster with his experience as a big time player and particularly his patience that would make this lineup even deeper.
Think about it, everyone talked about how Abreu’s addition made the Yankees lineup a pain to work through because they took so many pitches and made pitchers work hard but Melky is the exact opposite of that philosophy. He swings at bad pitches and grounds into an inordinate amount of double plays for a guy with what looks like good speed.
Also, Matsui’s career OPS is more than 100 points higher than Melky’s, which alone should be enough to put him over the top. And, Matsui should have plenty of time to shake off the rust and I believe he should even get some PT in the outfield so he can be ready to play the field for the playoffs.
If not for all the injuries to various players, Nick Green would have been DFAed by now. If Cairo is healthy, there is no good reason to have Green on any sort of roster, spring training, regular season, post season, softball league, whatever.
Ahem, I think that’s bashing Green a little too much, his line with the Yanks is actually fairly good for a utility guy.
If Cairo is in then Green is out though, that’s plain and simpl… espically since that if healthy, Cairo is a damn good pinch runner. (he’s what.. 11 for 11 this year
IF Sheff is hitting he’s obviously in, no brainer there.
Bruney is in most likely. the real question is between Guiel/Phillips/Wilson.
any of the three would make some sense. though I guess since the primary job here is to defensive sub Giambi, then Phillips probably have the upper hand, Wilson’s lefty killing ability is useful, but seriously, even with the very lefty heavy Yankee lineup, you probably won’t PH Wilson for Cano or Giambi or Damon… the three guys that have somewhat crappier splits against lefty..
Though it also depend on wether the Yanks are serious about letting Sheff play 1B, if he does comeback and plays a adequet 1B then it might end up being Guiel, who is a much better defensive CF sub then Bernie…