Cashman: Our Reports Say Wind Not A Stadium Factor
Via Kat O’Brien -
The Yankees had a wind study commissioned before construction of the new Yankee Stadium, general manager Brian Cashman said yesterday. But he said there was nothing in the study that indicated the ball might fly out to rightfield the way it has.
“They didn’t indicate anything about rightfield the way they’re talking, the way it’s playing right now,” Cashman said. “I can tell you that.”
Cashman did not want to get into great detail about the wind study. However, he said that most questions surrounded leftfield.
“There was nothing in the study that indicated the ball would be jumping to rightfield,” Cashman said. “There was a curiosity about leftfield, to be honest, over time, once the old stadium came down, whether that would have an effect or not on the balls carrying to left. But nothing to rightfield. There was no indication that this [stadium] would play any different than the other ballpark.”
I wonder if the party who did the new Stadium study was the same one who provided the scouting reports on Jeff Weaver, Javy Vazquez, Carl Pavano, and Kei Igawa?
I wonder if everyone is overreacting over 4 games?
Yes, that must be it. It’s always been part of a GM’s responsibility to have an advanced degree in aerodynamics, weather phenomena and the physical effect of structures on wind patterns, and to be able to conduct tests on his own, and to interpret those tests for their potential impact on the play of the game in a new ballpark.
No competent GM would ever rely on architects and engineers for their expertise in these areas. To quote Branch Rickey: “Favorable wind currents to the outfield are the residue of design.”
I’ll gladly admit to Steve and any other Cashman hater that Carl Pavano and Kei Igawa were botched moves, and whoever scouted them and recommended signing them did a piss-poor job. Nothing can make those moves look intelligent. but I can definitely argue with you on Weaver and Vazquez.
Weaver was a 25-year-old kid who threw 200+ innings the two previous years before the Yanks traded for him. Low WHIP, high strikeout totals and never gave up home runs. He also had three complete game shutouts before the Yanks got him in 2002. Vazquez was 26, threw 200+ innings the previous five years and put up close to or over 200 k’s each of those years. The year before the Yanks traded for him, he threw 230 innings, struck out 241 to a 3.24 era. That’s insane!
With the Yanks rotation aging fast by those times (Wells, Clemens, El Duque, etc.) and for Javy’s case, the Yanks rotation just walking away after 2003, the Yanks needed young aces and who would have passed on either Weaver or Vazquez at those times? I’d even go as far as to say I wish we never let Vazquez go for Randy.
So long story short, who can really blame the Yankees for going after Weaver and Javy? They were young, power-throwing aces who just didn’t work in NY for some reason.
Igawa was a perfectly reasonable signing as well… YankCrank, did you mean to post this in the “water cooler” thread?
Nope, Steve brought up “I wonder if the party who did the new Stadium study was the same one who provided the scouting reports on Jeff Weaver, Javy Vazquez, Carl Pavano, and Kei Igawa?” so I commented on those pitchers.
Raf wrote:
Igawa was never EVER a perfectly unreasonable signing. The Yanks had a chance to sign Lilly who had pitched effectively for the Yanks and the Jays in the same division. Instead, Cash Man went for sloppy seconds when the Red Sox got Dice-y K. Raf, no offense but at this point there is no way to spin that when Igawa has spent the majority of his time in AAA while he cost the team 50 million dollars. Igawa has made Pavano(the American Idle) seems like a great deal!
Speaking of Carlie P, isn’t it ironic that he pitched effectively with this wind factor? Something is definitely going on BUT it didn’t seem to hurt Pavano of all people. Maybe he made a deal with the devil……….
Igawa was never EVER a perfectly unreasonable signing.
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Check scouting reports, newspaper articles, blog entries, whatever, from when Igawa was signed.
Saying that “Igawa was never EVER a perfectly unreasonable signing” when just about everyone said he was is revising history.
Raf wrote:
Raf, you seemingly have a disconnect when it comes to Igawa in almost a total sense. Once again, Cash Man had a choice to choose a proven commodity like Lilly , who not only pitched for his team but also in the division.
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now THATS some revisionist history right there, ted lilly was not a “proven commodity” back then. lol and comparing the igawa signing to Operation Itaqi Freedom (NOT the gulf war FYI, thats a different conflict my man) is just ridiculous
Iraqi*
Corey wrote:
Corey, you are yet another one that has a disconnect. It’s shocking to see so many people drink Cash Man Kool Aid. I can’t believe ,I have to go through this one yet again. LIlly was able to pitch in the spotlight of Yankee Stadium, he was not a piker who pitched for KC or some low pressure situation.Lilly pitched for 3 years in the AL East and won 15 games for Toronto pitching in his last year with a 4.31 ERA. Lilly had been in MLB for 9 seasons. WHAT FREAKING STAT DID IGAWA HAVE IN THE MLB? Zilch, zero, nada. The last time I checked Lilly is pitching quite well for the Cubs, while Igawa is languishing in AAA! To rephrase an old adage, not a nice try and no cigar . BTW, I was talking about the Itaqi Freedom in the Twilight Zone, you did get that one right!:)Lighten up with the “Itaqi Freedom” example, it’s apples and oranges. My broader point was that some people can use any piece of information to trick people like Cheney, Bush and Co did. Except in this case, the Cash Man has been doing it to Yankee fans for years! What I want to see is someone saying that they would rather have Igawa right now rather than Lilly, now that would be absolutely hysterical……..
check lilly’s numbers with the yanks…or even better, did you ever watch him pitch on the yanks?
Raf, you seemingly have a disconnect when it comes to Igawa in almost a total sense. Once again, Cash Man had a choice to choose a proven commodity like Lilly , who not only pitched for his team but also in the division. AND he would have spent less money. Part of the disconnect that you have is confusing media reports that you liked to butress your argument.
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*sigh*
I’d rebut, but it’s obvious you’re not going to let facts deter you from your argument…