So many are upset with Ryan Howard’s contract extension – saying that it’s too may years and too many dollars.

Have these same people seen what’s left on A-Rod’s contract with the Yankees? Here it is:

2010: $32 million – Age 35
2011: $31 million – Age 36
2012: $29 million – Age 37
2013: $28 million – Age 38
2014: $25 million – Age 39
2015: $21 million – Age 40
2016: $20 million – Age 41
2017: $20 million – Age 42

*Age at All-Star Break

Those last 3 to 4 years on Alex’s deal with the Yankees are going to be very ugly. Hopefully, for Rodriguez’ sake, he will have built up enough good will with Yankees fans come 2014 that it will offset any bad feelings about how much he’ll be getting paid when he’s old and no longer worth those dollars…

Have you seen the cover?  What’s up with Andy and the spooning?  Is he confusing Mo for Clemens?  And, what’s  ‘Sado doing…asking Rivera to help him prevent his hands from getting callused and cracking?

Via George King –

Reggie Jackson’s belief that Robinson Cano has passed Dustin Pedroia as the premier second baseman in the American League isn’t simply Mr. October’s bias because he works for the Yankees.

“After this season he will be the best second baseman in the American League and then chase Chase [Utley],” Jackson told The Post. “He is a better player than Pedroia and I think Pedroia is a great player, an MVP.”

Jackson has company from the fraternity that scouts everything from tools to makeup.

The Post contacted six scouts and asked them who was better. Three clearly favored the sizzling Cano, another said it was close but went with Cano and while the fourth picked Pedroia, he admitted Cano was the better hitter. The sixth said Cano had better skills but Pedroia’s all-out effort every game made it a push.

“I’ll go with Cano over Pedroia. Cano is a left-handed hitter and can hit for more power,” said a scout who watched Cano go 6-for-11 (.545) and drive in three runs in a three-game series against the Angels this past weekend. “With Pedroia [Fenway Park] is made for his swing. Pedroia can do some things but Cano has better range, better arm strength and turns the double play better. However, neither one is ever going to be Chase Utley.”

“Cano has passed Pedroia,” said another scout who watched Cano at Angel Stadium. “He is more athletic and as far as baseball skills he has gone by him. He has a shorter swing than Pedroia and Cano will use the whole field. He has quicker hands and his athleticism is better. Getting it all out of him is the only question I have, but he is by Pedroia.”

I like Robby Cano. And, it’s pretty amazing to see him reach the level he has in the eyes of so many…since he was not considered to be…again, by many…to be a blue-chip prospect when he was in the minor leagues. Then again…part of me wonders…how many were saying the same type of wonderful things…in 2002…about Jose Vidro…as they are saying now about Cano? A lot can happen, sometimes, with young players who look like can’t-miss stars and future Hall-of-Famers…

Red Light Schilling offers some opinion/analysis on Javy Vazquez –

“I never ever thought the move to New York the first time was a good one [for Vazquez]. And I didn’t think this [move] was good as well,” Schilling said. “I don’t think he suddenly learned how to pitch when he went back to Atlanta and dealt last year. He’s a phenomenal National League pitcher. It’s hard to say this without sounding disrespectful and I don’t mean it that way — the National League is an easier league to pitch in, period. And some guys aren’t equipped to get those same outs in the American League, and he’s one of those guys.”

“[Vazquez] thrived in Montreal and he thrived in Atlanta, and those are both second-tier cities from a baseball passion perspective. He’s not a guy that I’ve ever felt was comfortable in the glow,” Schilling said. “You’re seeing what you’re gonna get from him consistently all year. Having said that, he could turn around next week and throw a one-hitter with his stuff. I just don’t see him being a consistent winner in the American League.”

It’s interesting to see this…just one week after Yankees G.M. Brian Cashman said that he has faith in Vazquez: “I wouldn’t have traded for him if I didn’t,” Cashman said.

OK, I’ll just hang up now and listen to your reaction…

Via WCIV-TV:

Charleston RiverDogs starting pitcher Graham Stoneburner has been named the South Atlantic League (SAL) Pitcher of the Week, the league office announced Monday.

Stoneburner, who is currently rated as the No. 21 prospect in the Yankees farm system according to Baseball America, threw 14.0 innings over two starts this past week, allowing two total runs on 11 hits, while walking three and striking out 16. It marks the first weekly honor for a RiverDog this season.

The former Clemson standout enjoyed his best professional start on April 24 against Rome, firing a career-best 8.0 innings while giving up just one earned run on three hits with no walks and a career-high tying eight punchouts. The Richmond, Va. native also retired 20 consecutive batters between the second and eighth innings in the outing.

A 14th round pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, Stoneburner leads the league in strikeouts (30) through 18 games, while ranking fifth in the circuit in innings pitched (25.2).

The Yankees spent 2nd round money to sign Stoneburner last year – despite being a 14th round pick. (Reportedly, on talent alone, he was closer to a 2nd round pick – but, he went late because he had the leverage to stay in school.)

It will be interesting to see if Graham Stoneburner soon passes pitchers like Jeremy Bleich, Andrew Brackman, Adam Warren and Ryan Pope – who the Yankees also recently drafted in much higher rounds.

This final round is about to close soon…so, if you don’t have your votes in yet, here’s your chance:

Greatest/Favorite Yankees Tournament – Championship Round

The video…in case you missed it.

Some news to share…

Dan LaTorraca, who has contributed to this blog in the past, is now authoring the Newark Bears Examiner. Be sure to bookmark that one and check out Dan’s work during the season. He’s a great writer – and, while he’ll be missed here, we’re lucky that he’ll just be a click away at the Newark Bears Examiner.

And, of course, my personal thanks to Dan for all his contributions to this site.

Via Adam Kilgore with a h/t to BBTF –

Tyler Clippard may not gain much notice outside of Washington, but he should based on one incredible fact: Clippard has made hitters swing and miss more than any other pitcher in the major leagues.

Batters have dared swing at a pitch from Tyler Clippard 102 times this season, and 40 of those whiffed. That 39.2 percent rate is highest rate in the major leagues among all pitchers, relievers or starters. The league average is 22 percent. (John Lannan, the lowest on the Nationals, is 8.6.)

Clippard has become a weapon for the Nationals, surprisingly one of the most overpowering pitchers in the majors. On Friday night, he oppressed the Dodgers in the seventh and eighth inning, allowing one hit and striking out four. He lowered his ERA to 0.66, upped his team-best strikeout total to 18 and lowered his WHIP to 0.80.

How does Clippard blow so many hitters away? He does not light up the radar gun; the fastest pitch he threw Friday was a 93-mph fastball. His herky-jerky motion gives hitters a unique look at all four of his pitches. Clippard most fools hitters with a four-seam fastball and his changeup. He can throw his changeup in either count, which makes hitters chase high, riding heaters.

“When he throws a fastball, it looks like a changeup,” said catcher Wil Nieves, who caught Clippard on Friday. “But instead of going down, it just stays straight. Hitters, they don’t see rotation. They cannot recognize his changeup. His delivery plus that nasty changeup that he has, a combination like that makes the hitters crazy. I’ve never seen so many pitchers swinging at the high pitch like they do to him. It’s unbelievable.”

Clippard’s success in the bullpen has sparked a question: Should he go back to starting? Clippard believes he could start, but he had no opinion – “It doesn’t matter, really,” he said. “That’s kind of up to the organization.” The other day, Manager Jim Riggleman said his brother asked him why Clippard wasn’t starting. The reason: He’s just too valuable as a durable, dominating set-up man.

I think, now, two years after, it’s pretty safe to say the Nationals got the best of this trade with the Yankees, no?

Via the Daily News –

Barbara Walters better brace herself for Bill Madden’s new book, “George Steinbrenner: The Last Lion of Baseball.” Though the two have insisted that they’re just good friends, Steinbrenner’s wife, Joan, apparently has doubts. During the 2000 Yankees-Mets World Series at Shea, the Yankees security staff was thrown into a panic when they learned Babwa and Joan were both headed to Steinbrenner’s private box.

File this one under: Ew^2

What’s next? A-Rod and Oprah?

Call this one* “Rough starts to a season by Yankees starting pitchers since Brian Cashman has been G.M. of the team” -

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So, what is that?  Something like 18% of the time under Cashman that a Yankees starting pitcher has gotten off to a rough start of the season?  What’s that on average?  Something like once per season a Yankees starting pitcher, since Brian Cashman has been G.M. of the team, has gotten off to a rough start?

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* the query for this list: From 1998 to 2010, Playing for NYY, as Starter, In team’s first 30 games, (requiring IP<=6 and ER>=4), sorted by greatest number of games in a single season matching the selected criteria

Now…even I will admit that this is crazy. (H/T BBTF.)

Alex takes about 3 seconds more than most to get around the bases? Three seconds?

Why would anyone make a big deal about that?

During the last few seasons, the top 3 baseball teams that we as Yankee fans have grown to hate are the Red Sox(duh), Angels, and Rays in that order. So, naturally, I can’t stand Scott Kazmir. During the top of the 2nd, Kazmir almost hit Robinson Cano with a pitch. The next pitch Kazmir throws nails Cano right in the rear. That pitch was most definitely on purpose. What a bum, Kazmir should have been ejected. Hey Scioscia, I thought the Umps were only helping the Yankees?

The Yankees did serve Kazmir some justice, even though he got credited with the win. After nailing Cano, Kazmir’s next pitch gets absolutely crushed by Posada over the center field fence. Cano would also hit a blast off of him in his next at bat. Posada’s homer rattled Kazmir as he then gave up a near home run to Marcus Thames, resulting in a double. This is when the questionable decisions start.

After the Thames double, Granderson bunts (on his own I believe). Kazmir is getting smoked and balls are getting hit hard, flying everywhere. you have the chance to deliver the knockout punch, and you give him an out? All to set up Cervelli? Don’t get me wrong, I like Cervelli and he’s been performing decently in the clutch. But the law of averages is coming soon. Granderson needs to get it out of his head that he can’t hit lefties.

Marte comes in and does a horrible job against Abreu and Hunter, but gets Matsui to ground out. David Robertson seemingly warms up for Morales during these at bats. For some reason, Girardi doesn’t take Marte out. So, Morales switches to the right side to face Marte and Cervelli stands up and calls for an intentional walk . Marte obliges and Girardi and Tony Pena yell to Cervelli not to intentionally walk him. Marte throws the next two pitches off the plate. Girardi and Pena start yelling to Cervelli warning him that Morales is going to swing 3-0. What happens next? Marte serves up a meatball and Morales hits a 3 run homer. Robertson is arguably one of the best strikeout relievers on the team. Why have him warming him up if you aren’t going to put him in against the opposing teams best hitter and you need a strike out? It almost felt like they were trying to lose.

But the real story of this game was Javier Vazquez. I have been standing up for him since he’s arrived, pointing out that he’s been pitching decently except for one inning in his first few starts. This game though, he was atrocious. Aside from the fact that Abreu dominates him, Vazquez seemingly wouldn’t throw his fastball in most counts during an at bat. His off-speed pitches are dynamite, but when you don’t show ‘em a fastball they aren’t exactly off-speed. He’s got a lot of work to do.

So, Javier Vazquez has now made four starts for the Yankees this season. Let’s review them:

• April 9th – @ the Rays: 5.2 IP, 8 ER, 11 H+BB allowed
• April 14th – vs. the Angels: 5.1 IP, 4 ER, 8 H+BB allowed
• April 20th – @ the A’s: 5.1 IP, 3 ER*, 9 H+BB allowed
• April 25th – @ the Angels: 3.2 IP, 5 ER, 8 H+BB allowed

*this outing should have been much worse. In the 2nd inning of this contest, the A’s had runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs against Vazquez. But, the next batter hit into a FC with the runner out at home. And, the following batter lined into a 1-3 DP to end the inning.

So, after four starts this season, Vazquez’ ERA sits at 9.00 (in 20 IP). Sure, there’s been talk that he’s had issues with his mechanics this season. But, one has to question that – because there was hardly any talk of this issue in Spring Training.

Bottom line: The Yankees only have 6 losses now, so far, this season – and three of them have come in games started by Javier Vazquez. (That’s half, for those not into fractions.) Therefore, at this junction – he is the Yankees weakest link.

Vazquez’ next start will be against the White Sox in Yankee Stadium. If he’s not sharp in that one, he’s going to hear it from the crowd at that game – and it won’t be pretty.

…will it be the best ever season by a Yankees starting pitcher, meaning a pitcher who qualified for league ERA title, in his last season? Well, here are the other such Yankees pitchers, in their last big league season:

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Bottom line…there haven’t been many Yankees pitchers who have qualified for league ERA title in their last big league season. And, of the few, Mike Mussina in 2008 is the gold standard. Can Andy Pettitte, if this is his last year, top Moose ’08? Maybe…I wouldn’t bet against him.

Via Pete Caldera -

After taking extra batting practice Friday afternoon, designated hitter Nick Johnson emerged with a stiff lower back. Though Johnson played in that evening’s game and snapped an 0-for-21 streak with a fourth-inning single, manager Joe Girardi rested Johnson on Saturday and might not play him again until Tuesday. And when he returns, he might be dropped from the No. 2 spot.

“I think he didn’t tell us exactly how sore he was,” said Girardi, who is extra cautious considering Johnson’s extensive injury history. Still, Johnson doesn’t believe it’s a potential serious issue. “I felt a little something,” Johnson said. It’s in a lower spot than the location of the tightness he experienced early in spring training.

With Johnson batting just .135 (7-for-52), Girardi will consider sliding Brett Gardner, Curtis Granderson or Nick Swisher behind leadoff man Derek Jeter.

Funny, I thought Cashman brought in Johnson because he was going to be the solution to losing Johnny Damon in the #2 slot in the line-up? So, if Nick’s not good enough to bat “two” as D.H., should he be in the line-up at all?

Via Joel Sherman -

The Yankees, for example, are very good. But a big reason they have won is because the other teams have lost. It is as if the Yankees just play competently and wait for walks and mistakes to mount by their opponent.

Well, one way to measure this is Sports-Reference.com’ s Simple Rating System (SRS):

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Well, this does suggest that there are only 5 good teams, right now, in the league – including the Yankees. So, maybe this is one of those seasons where one-third of the circuit is going to feast off the rest of the weak squads in it? But, to be sure, we’ll have to wait for more games to be played. It’s so early in the season now…too early to make a “yes” or “no” call on this one.

Ah, another WPIX memory from back in the day…

Mark Teixeira of the New York Yankees is safe at homeplate in the third inning against Bobby Wilson of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on April 23, 2010 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)

This photo, while excellent, doesn’t capture the speed of this homeplate collision.

In my lifetime, there have been some notable violent crashes at the plate.

There was Pete Rose and Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star Game. There was Lou Piniella and Carlton Fisk in 1976. There was Phil Bradley and Buck Martinez in 1985. And, there was Bo Jackson and Rick Dempsey in 1987. In that last one, Dempsey broke his thumb on the play and afterwards said “When he hit me, they had to send a proctologist in to fix that thumb. They had to send one in just to find it.”

These are just a few that immediately come to mind. And, this one between Mark Teixeira and Bobby Wilson is right up there – again, when you see it in real speed, etc. Here’s another photo of it:

Reuters Pictures – New York Yankees’ Mark Teixeira collides into Los Angeles Angels catcher Bobby Wilson to score on a basehit by Robinson Cano in the third inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Anaheim, California April 23, 2010.

Again, that was one heckuva hit.

Via Cindy Adams…yeah…Cindy Adams…I know…

Coming at us from HarperCollins — although they might not even have bound copies yet — is an unauthorized biography of our adored, beloved, king of the hill G. Steinbrenner. Title: “George Steinbrenner: The Last Lion of Baseball.”

Starts with his early days in Cleveland, years as a shipping magnate and the fact that he was and is a champion horse breeder. Pokes into his politics, like the few pages on his being a Nixon fund-raiser.

And then come the Yankee years. He bought the team in 1973 for $10 mil. Today The House That Ruth may have begun but that George built is valued at, according to this biography, a billion bucks — give or take a few — and its payroll has been $200 mil. It’s the team his father tried to discourage him from buying, saying that to own a sports franchise is “just a hobby.”

Author Bill Madden’s a sportswriter who’s covered major league baseball 30 years, calls the Boss “irascible” and, as usual, cites “hundreds of sources,” including personal interviews with anyone who had a love/hate relationship for his subject. That includes locker-room types, fired bat boys, front office personnel.

He cites the “epic” battles with Billy Martin, Reggie Jackson, Dave Winfield. He writes that George’s “ruthless free-spending tactics” made him a “lightning rod for controversy,” but they sure as hell paid off. The New York Yankees? The Gold Standard in baseball. In all of sports. In all the world.

Should be a good one.

Check out this list.

Note where some Yankees, Mets, and Red Sox fall on this leader board. Pretty interesting stuff…

I was just reading this about former Yankee Sparky Lyle –

One noticeable missing piece in the Somerset dugout was Sparky Lyle, the former great Red Sox and Yankees closer and long-time manager of the Patriots. Lyle, always feisty as a player), has proven to be equally spirited as a manager. Lyle, perhaps best known for authoring a tell-all book on the inner workings of the 1978 World Champion New York Yankees, was serving the second game of a 10-game suspension levied by the league for making two obscene gestures to the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs crowd during Game 3 of 2010 Atlantic League Championship Series. The reigning Atlantic League Manager of the Year began serving his sentence during Game 4—which was won by Somerset and clinched the championship for the Patriots—and fined an undisclosed amount by the league.

And, it got me wondering…when was the last time a Yankees player flipped the bird, or something like that, at Yankees Stadium? Was it Black Jack in 1995?

If so, it’s interesting that this never happened under Joe Torre. Not with David Wells, Gary Sheffield, Jason Grimsley, Chuck Knoblauch and some other characters who have come through the doors in Yankeeland. I wonder if it will ever happen under Joe Girardi’s watch…and which player would do it?

Check out Sammy Strang’s season in 1908.

Sorta looks like Nick Johnson’s season this year, to date.

Did you know that Sammy was a famous all-around player and pinch-hitter?

Click here for more on what this is about.

And, click here to make your picks.

Have fun – pick your favorites or pick who you thought was a better Yankee. It’s your choice. And, feel free to use the comments section here to discuss and debate the match-ups and your picks.

Got this from a buddy…Ken…who really knows his baseball (and other sports) trivia.

The Yankees have had their outfielders bat 7th, 8th and 9th – in a row – in their line-up more than a few times this year. The thought is that the all-time record for “this” is 27 – by the Baltimore Orioles in 2004.

The Yankees could blast past that mark before the All-Star break this year…

The skinny via Chad Jennings -

In a very bizarre game, perhaps the most bizarre moment came in the sixth inning when Alex Rodriguez got into a shouting match with Oakland starter Dallas Braden.

“He just told me to get off his mound,” Rodriguez said. “I was a little surprised. I’d never quite heard that. Especially from a guy that has a handful of wins in his career.”

The whole thing started when Rodriguez went from first to third on a foul ball by Robinson Cano. On his way back to first, Rodriguez ran across the pitcher’s mound, which Braden saw as a sign of disrespect.

“I don’t care if I’m Cy Young or the 25th man on the roster, if I’ve got the ball in my hand and I’m on that mound, that’s my mound,” Braden said. “… He ran across the pitcher’s mound foot on my rubber. No, not happening. We’re not the door mat anymore.”

Rodriguez said he had never heard the unwritten rule that a player shouldn’t run across the mound. When Braden started yelling at him, Rodriguez didn’t know what it was about. “I thought it was pretty funny, actually,” Rodriguez said.

Braden, though, went out of his way to call out Rodriguez. He spoke very kindly of the Yankees organization, but took great exception to Rodriguez.

“He should maybe watch his Captain a little more often,” Braden said.

I’ve seen guys cut across the infield on their way back…lots of times. It’s pretty much the norm. But, I’ve never seen a player step on the mound and get into the pitcher’s space. Since that’s what A-Rod did…then I can understand Braden getting rubbed the wrong way here.

One of the great things about the Complete Baseball Encyclopedia is that you can sort stats for players or teams that were World Champions, Pennant Winners, Made The Post-Season or Missed the Post-Season. And, here are the Yankees World Championship teams, via the Complete Baseball Encyclopedia, ranked by their RCAA and RSAA totals:

RCAA                          YEAR    RCAA    
1    Yankees                  1927      338   
2    Yankees                  1939      289   
3    Yankees                  1936      287   
4    Yankees                  1932      279   
5    Yankees                  1928      275   
6    Yankees                  1953      220   
7    Yankees                  2009      202   
8    Yankees                  1937      181   
9    Yankees                  1947      179   
10   Yankees                  1999      170   
11   Yankees                  1961      169   
12   Yankees                  1998      168   
13   Yankees                  1962      162   
14   Yankees                  1941      150   
15   Yankees                  1951      149   
16   Yankees                  1977      146   
17   Yankees                  1956      142   
18   Yankees                  1952      140   
19   Yankees                  1943      129   
20   Yankees                  1950      127   
21   Yankees                  1958       95   
22   Yankees                  1923       93   
23   Yankees                  1949       80   
24   Yankees                  1938       76   
25   Yankees                  1978       54   
26   Yankees                  2000        7   
27   Yankees                  1996       -4   

RSAA                          YEAR    RSAA    
1    Yankees                  1938      149   
2    Yankees                  1937      144   
3    Yankees                  1927      117   
4    Yankees                  1998      102   
5    Yankees                  1958       97   
6    Yankees                  1939       92   
7    Yankees                  1978       77   
8    Yankees                  1949       68   
9    Yankees                  1941       66   
10   Yankees                  1923       62   
11   Yankees                  1996       60   
T12  Yankees                  1956       57   
T12  Yankees                  1936       57   
T14  Yankees                  1952       54   
T14  Yankees                  2000       54   
16   Yankees                  1953       52   
17   Yankees                  1977       51   
18   Yankees                  1961       42   
T19  Yankees                  1950       40   
T19  Yankees                  1999       40   
21   Yankees                  1943       24   
22   Yankees                  2009       19   
23   Yankees                  1932       17   
T24  Yankees                  1947       11   
T24  Yankees                  1951       11   
26   Yankees                  1962       -8   
27   Yankees                  1928      -17   

Now, here comes the fun. If you were to add RCAA and RSAA for each team and then divide the team’s RCAA total by that number, it will tell you which of these teams were more dominant on offense or pitching. (The higher the “score” means more hitting, the lower means more pitching and a score around .500 says the team was pretty well balanced between it’s offense and pitching value that season.) Here’s the output of this exercise:

YEAR	RCAA	RSAA	Score
1996	-4	60	-.07
2000	7	54	.11
1938	76	149	.34
1978	54	77	.41
1958	95	97	.49
1949	80	68	.54
1937	181	144	.56
1923	93	62	.60
1998	168	102	.62
1941	150	66	.69
1956	142	57	.71
1952	140	54	.72
1977	146	51	.74
1927	338	117	.74
1939	289	92	.76
1950	127	40	.76
1961	169	42	.80
1953	220	52	.81
1999	170	40	.81
1936	287	57	.83
1943	129	24	.84
2009	202	19	.91
1951	149	11	.93
1947	179	11	.94
1932	279	17	.94
1962	162	-8	1.05
1928	275	-17	1.07

So, the 1928, 1962, 1932, 1947, 1951 and 2009 champs hit their way to the ring. And, the 1996 and 2000 champs depended more on pitching.

Lastly, the 1923, 1958, 1937, 1978 and 1949 champs could beat you both ways – pretty much the same way.

If you think this video is exciting…

Then check out this one that I shared back in January of this year.

While watching this afternoon’s game, Ken Singleton and John Flaherty were discussing a nice gesture performed by the Yankee GM the night before. Xavier Nady is now on the Chicago Cubs, and they are in Flushing currently playing the Mets. Brian Cashman took the liberty of going down to Citi Field to hand deliver Nady’s World Series ring. What did Nady think of his new ring? Well an article from the NY Post has this quote:

“It was funny. I didn’t know when I was going to get it so I was surprised,” Nady said. “It was pretty special.”

Nady praised Cashman for bringing it over himself and said the ring was “gorgeous.”

Whether you like him or hate him you have to admit that this was, as Ken Singleton put it, classy.

I realize it was a loss, but this just really needs to be pointed out.

Game over in 2 hours and 7 minutes?

Seriously Yankees?

Somewhere, Joe West is taking credit.