Jan 14
Feel free to use this post as a place for you to comment on anything Yankees-related (or within reach of tagging the bag of being Yankees-related on a decent slide) today. It could be a casual conversation offering, or, something you saw in the news, or something very detailed that you want to share that’s within the territory of Yankeeland.
Or, comment on something that someone else has posted here in the comments…
Have fun. Play nice. And, remember, keep it Yankees-focused.
19 Responses to “WasWatching.com Water Cooler Talk 1/14/09”
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January 14th, 2009 at 9:23 am
I just saw that Preston Gomez passed away (sort of “Yankees related” since he managed in the Yankee farm system). He’s most remembered for making one of the most controversial managerial moves in major league history when he was with the San Diego Padres by lifting starting pitcher Clay Kirby in the bottom of the 8th for a pinch hitter.
Kirby was pitching a no hitter at the time.
January 14th, 2009 at 10:28 am
Is anybody else very worried about our current bench? Molina, Berroa, Melky…you kidding me?
I understand the Yankees are in tough water with roster flexibility right now. The 40-man roster is all full so simply signing a bench player would require us getting rid of somebody, but with that bench don’t you need to do something? Simply look at the Sox bench that has Baldelli and Kotsay and you can see what i’m talking about.
January 14th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Is anybody else very worried about our current bench? Molina, Berroa, Melky…you kidding me?
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A backup catcher, a utility infielder, a 5th outfielder, and Nady/Swisher, depending on who’s starting. That sounds about right.
From a catching standpoint, you’re not going to get equivalent production from your backup that you will from Posada. Same with whomever steps in for Rodriguez, Jeter, Teix & Cano.
Yanks already have an equivalent to Kotsay in Nady/Swisher, and Baldelli carries a lot of risk. And who’s to say he’ll get AB’s with an OF of Bay-Ellsbury-Drew.
January 14th, 2009 at 11:01 am
From a catching standpoint, you’re not going to get equivalent production from your backup that you will from Posada. Same with whomever steps in for Rodriguez, Jeter, Teix & Cano.
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Totally agree, but once again I feel we’re screwed if a major injury goes down to a crucial player. I understand you can never get equal value for when an A-Rod or Damon goes down, but replacing them with Berroa and Melky would really, really suck. If the Sox lose Lowell or Bay than they can plug in Baldelli for the OF then throw Kotsay at 1b and move Youk to 3b. That’s a really good bench they put together.
With that in mind, I really hope we keep both of Nady or Swish. If for some reason one of them are dealt, picking up Hinske wouldn’t be a bat idea. The guy dropped 20 HRs last year in under 400 at bats. That’s pretty good.
January 14th, 2009 at 11:13 am
I’m with Raf here. The bench looks about as it should. Molina, Melky, and one each from the two pairs of Ransom/Berroa and Nady/Swisher.
Forget about Boston having Kotsay/Baldelli. The division will not be decided on the basis of who Boston’s 5th outfielder is.
January 14th, 2009 at 11:17 am
YankCrank, other than a reputation for defense, what does Mark Kotsay provide? Four of the last five seasons, OPS+ below league average. Don’t worry about Mark Kotsay.
Is he better than Melky? I’d say he probably is. But who cares? If your season hinges on the 5th outfielder, something else has gone horribly, horribly wrong.
January 14th, 2009 at 11:26 am
Actually, the bench sort of concerns me. We saw last season what happens if Posada goes down for an extended period. Molina’s bat is a KILLER to the offense. It would be nice to have a Jim Leyritz type in reserve – someone who won’t kill you behind the plate defensively, but also someone who could help with the bat when he plays.
The back-up infielder doesn’t sweat me as much. A-Rod, Jeter, Cano and Tex hardly miss time – unless it’s a freak thing.
The OF and DH is another whole story. This team needs a Chad Curtis, Straw, Raines, Shane Spencer type on the bench. Could that be Swisher? I dunno….
But, Damon needs to be spelled at times. Matsui could break down at any time these days. Sitting Nady against really tough righties once in a while is probably not a bad idea, And, if the center fielder doesn’t hit – whomever that is – it would be nice to have a big OF bat on the bench to PH for them in a game changing spot – and then shift Damon to CF to finish the game and have the PH OF go in to play LF.
Again, is Swisher that guy (assuming he and Nady stay)? Well, I’ve seen him play – and I’m not sure he’s in the class, with the bat, of a Straw, Raines or PED assisted Spencer…..coming off the bench.
I would love to see the Yankees get a 2nd string catcher who is not a waste with the bat, and a vet OF with some pop, for the bench – if possible.
January 14th, 2009 at 11:50 am
“Forget about Boston having Kotsay/Baldelli. The division will not be decided on the basis of who Boston’s 5th outfielder is.”
Who ever said it would? The division won’t be decided by our 5th starter either but we’re still free to disagree over which direction to take. How is that a valid argument?
I was just using Boston as an example of where a strong bench can benefit your squad. If you feel comfortable with Angel Berroa and his career 77 OPS+ filling in for A-Rod or Cano if an injury happens than that’s ok, but am I wrong in thinking we can possibly do a little better?
January 14th, 2009 at 11:57 am
Posada and Matsui are both locks to miss time this year. It’s just something the Yanks should expect. But I don’t know where you’ll find a backup catcher with some pop that won’t kill you defensively. BUC’s like that aren’t exactly a dime a dozen and the Yanks would have to trade for one.
As far as your vet OF with some pop, his name is Nick Swisher.
January 14th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
YankCrank, all I’m saying is that in the grand scheme of things, I’m not worried about Angel Berroa or the 5th OF role.
Would I ideally love to see the Yanks have starting-caliber players on the bench? Of course. There’s nothing I’d love more than to have a 25-man roster of 100% dependable guys. But I just won’t worry about the 25th man on the roster unless there’s a reason to. And right now there isn’t.
January 14th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Again, is Swisher that guy (assuming he and Nady stay)? Well, I’ve seen him play – and I’m not sure he’s in the class, with the bat, of a Straw, Raines or PED assisted Spencer…..coming off the bench.
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Well, in the case of Straw & Raines, you’re talking two HoF caliber talents, so I don’t think many people can match up to them. I don’t see any reason Nady & Swisher couldn’t replicate or exceed Shane Spencer’s numbers.
But if you’re looking for an OF with pop to come off the bench, I believe Mr. Bonds is looking for work…
January 14th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
MJ, I agree that if you have to worry about your 5th outfielder than something else has goe horribly wrong. Last year, we saw that happen. The season went horribly wrong when Alberto Gonzalez had 52 at bats with an OPS+ of 18 and Justin Christian had to get 40 at bats with an OPS+ of 65. Even if we had somebody average or below average it would have helped, but with the possibility of losing time from numerous players, having Melky and Berroa worries me. Is it crucial to our season? No, but I feel we can do a little better.
January 14th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
i’m with steve here. this is a big reason why i think you have to keep nady and swisher (to start at least). right now they make the bench. with them it’s decent, without them it’s atrocious. nothing wrong with molina backing up posada. and obviously nothing wrong with nady/swisher in a 4th OF, play 3-4 times a week with late PH ABs. but there are still two more spots to fill. melky/berroa/ransom isn’t overwhelming anyone, even in the context of bench players. it won’t mean much if everyone stays healthy. but we’ve seen how that has gone recently. you need depth, and we don’t have much, especially if we trade nady/swisher, which shouldn’t even be a consideration unless the return is too good to pass up.
January 14th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
i would add that i think john rodriguez is someone to watch as a potentially useful bench player. unfortunately, it’s at the one spot we don’t need any depth: corner OF.
January 14th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
But if you’re looking for an OF with pop to come off the bench, I believe Mr. Bonds is looking for work…
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I so don’t want to go there.
January 14th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
The season went horribly wrong when Alberto Gonzalez had 52 at bats with an OPS+ of 18 and Justin Christian had to get 40 at bats with an OPS+ of 65.
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92 AB’s out of 5500+ really isn’t that big a deal.
January 14th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
I so don’t want to go there.
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Regardless, it’d be foolish not to consider. Having said that, I don’t think he’d agree to being a 5th OF, PH deluxe, which would be his role here.
January 14th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Regardless, it’d be foolish not to consider. Having said that, I don’t think he’d agree to being a 5th OF, PH deluxe, which would be his role here.
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I agree, he wouldn’t take a non-starting job. Having said that, ugh…I cannot imagine him in NY. I can’t stand Bonds.
January 14th, 2009 at 10:48 pm
What I like about Kotsay/Baldelli is that the two of them are strong fallback options if Lowell isn’t ready to go April 1; if (when) Drew goes down; if it turns out that the Ellsbury of June-July is what we get all season (in which case Butchie can send me his hat and I’ll eat it).
If either outfield problem develops, Kotsay/Baldelli could make a very strong platoon.