The Return Of Sir Sidney

Yes, it’s true. The Yankees have signed Sidney Ponson.

“Ponson” is Aruban for “Hit Me!” Via the Complete Baseball Encyclopedia, from Opening Day 2006 through June 17, 2008, the worst ratio of hits allowed per 9 IP, compared to the league average, minimum 25 starts and 170 IP:

Pitcher		DIFF	PLYR	LGE	GS	IP
Mike Maroth	-2.87	12.28	9.41	29	170.0
Jae Seo		-2.70	12.10	9.40	36	209.0
Sidney Ponson	-2.55	11.76	9.21	32	178.1
Zach Duke	         -2.31	11.50	9.19	67	407.2
Horacio Ramirez	-2.24	11.56	9.32	34	174.1
David Wells	-2.21	11.53	9.32	42	232.2
Odalis Perez	-2.20	11.51	9.31	59	334.0
Bartolo Colon	-2.09	11.45	9.36	34	188.2
Jeff Weaver	-1.99	11.38	9.39	58	318.2
Brian Moehler	-1.95	11.14	9.20	28	227.0

Some reports suggest that Ponson might get a start with the Yankees sooner rather than later.

Ah, Brian Cashman, the “Father of Exiles,” strikes again.

June 18, 2008 | Filed Under Roster Moves

Comments

12 Responses to “The Return Of Sir Sidney”

Lee Sinins on June 18th, 2008 8:57 pm

1 word sums up this signing–

D’OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hopbitters on June 18th, 2008 9:07 pm

He must have pictures of GMs with their hookers or something.
yankees76 on June 19th, 2008 1:11 am

Steve, is Ponson bigger than Aceves?
ukyankee on June 19th, 2008 4:10 am

6 years into my love affair with baseball….this is still something I don’t understand. In soccer, if you prove yourself to be less than average….you get sold to a lesser team…usually in a lesser league. In baseball…if you prove yourself to be a terrible pitcher…every GM thinks he can fix you and catch himself some lightning in a box
Joel on June 19th, 2008 7:35 am

So, Cashman is taking a shot at Ponson. It’s not costing the Yanks anything, and he’s been decent this year. He’s not going to be the future of the franchise. We’re talking about a number 5 starter or spot starter at best.

Take it easy.
OnceIWasAYankeeFan on June 19th, 2008 7:46 am

Well, one thing is for sure: Ponson will fit very comfortably in the line of hard drinking, hard partying Yankees, past and present.

Kinda like the memorable episode of Seinfeld:
“Ruth, Gehrig, Dimaggio, Mantle, COSTANZA?”

“Ruth, Martin, Mantle, PONSON?”
Tex Antoine on June 19th, 2008 9:13 am

Haven’t we seen this horror movie before? Didn’t Cashman already sign Ponson to a minor-league deal, and wasn’t he awful? What is his obsession with recycling his own mistakes? Does he really think if he keeps trotting Ponson and Kei Igawa back out there they will eventually pitch well and prove him right from the beginning? This really borders on the magical thinking of a seriously disturbed individual.
baileywalk on June 19th, 2008 9:21 am

Chill out, guys. It’s a minor-league deal. And he wasn’t pitching that poorly for the Rangers — they released him because he’s a disgusting individual (or apparently was with them). (You know that if a team with pitching issues like the Rangers, who already have Milton Bradley on board, dumps you because of characters issues then you’re a real f—up).

Anyway, I don’t hate this move so much because Ponson might get a start or two with the Yankees, but because the AAA rotation is already really crowded and is already going to get more crowded. Kennedy will be in it soon, Hughes will be in it in a month, Aceves has to be promoted, Jason Jones even deserves a promotion.

It’s not a horrible move to bring him in, but I think they had better options in the minor leagues.
OnceIWasAYankeeFan on June 19th, 2008 10:03 am

The AAA rotation won’t stay crowded long. Its pretty obvious Cashman plans to use Ponson when they need the extra starter for the doubleheader against the Mets. After that, if Geise hasn’t pitched well, its Ponson, I’m nearly certain.

As to his character, certainly one of the funniest lines of the year has to be Milton Bradley talking about Ponson:

“That guy’s got issues!”
Raf on June 19th, 2008 11:59 am

In soccer, if you prove yourself to be less than average….you get sold to a lesser team…usually in a lesser league.
—————–
The game is structured differently, but players who don’t succeed at MLB can be found in the minor leagues, in the independent leagues, or playing overseas in Japan or Korea.
hopbitters on June 19th, 2008 2:00 pm

Ponson’s been in the majors for 11 seasons now. He’s 31 and has had one season that was slightly better than average. Other than that, he’s been average or less (considerably less in 2005 and 2006). And along the way The Straw that Drinks the Drink has spent as much time with local law enforcement as with his teammates. What is it that anybody expects out of this guy that you couldn’t have the same chance of getting out of any AA+ pitcher with less baggage?
Sir Sidney Blutarsky Goes “Boom!” : WasWatching.com on July 27th, 2008 10:33 pm

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