As CC Sabathia goes for his 20th win this season today, I find myself wondering about what he told Mark Hale roughly two weeks ago, with respect to his opt out clause that comes into play at the end of next season:

…the Yankees ace told The Post that he won’t “even consider” becoming a free agent after 2011, even though that provision exists in his seven-year, $161 million mega-contract.

“I’m here,” Sabathia said. “Hundred percent.”

“I think you know I’ve built a house here, right?” he said. “My kids go to school here. We live here year round. So I’m not going anywhere.”

That is a pretty definitive statement from Sabathia, and good news for the Yankees, who obviously want their magnificent left-hander to stay in The Bronx…

I know and appreciate what CC is saying here – but, if he has another season in 2011 like he’s had the last two years running, could it be possible that some team out there might start whispering into the ear of Sabathia’s agent and suggest that they have a better deal for the big lefty?

Me? I think it would be tough for anyone to offer CC what he’s getting in New York in terms of dollars, the team behind him, the benefits of being in this city with this team, etc.

The only risk would be if the team falls apart in 2011 and it’s starting to look like the new Yankees will be a team with an aging Jeter and A-Rod clogging things up and with CC being the only starting pitcher on the team worth anything. Then, maybe, if some other team came along with a really good offer, then Sabathia may change his tune.

What team could match or better the Yankees offer where it would interest CC? Maybe the Angels? Or, the Giants? Or, as a long shot, the Phillies? There’s really not many teams out there, who could be in play on a thing like this, is there?

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On December 8, 2009 the Yankees (via trade) gave up Phil Coke, Austin Jackson and Ian Kennedy to acquire Curtis Granderson.

This season, to date, Coke has pitched in 66 games for the Tigers with an ERA+ of 159. Kennedy, for the Diamondbacks, has made 28 starts, thrown 173 innings, and has an ERA + of 112. Jackson, for the Tigers, is considered to be in the running for the A.L. Rookie of the Year Award and has been mentioned as a candidate for the Gold Glove Award as well.

Curtis Granderson’s first season in New York has been up and down.

Regardless of how you felt about this trade at the time it was made, what’s your opinion of it now? Could this be one of the worst ever made by Brian Cashman – if not the worst, period?

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Via Will Leitch:

But there is trouble brewing, and it’s best described by a quote that [Brian] Cashman might recognize from his old rival across the country in Oakland, Billy Beane. In Moneyball, Beane confesses, “My shit doesn’t work in the playoffs.” What Beane meant was that for all his work at roster construction, once the strange dynamics of October take over—short series where a hot pitcher or a random bounce can prove decisive—winning is a crapshoot. Anything can happen. It’s a lesson Yankees fans should keep in mind, because one can make a strong argument that this team’s postseason prospects are shakier than anyone is willing to admit.

This season, A. J. Burnett will make more money than Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada, and Robinson Cano. His $16.5 million salary makes him the twentieth-highest-paid player in the game and the sixth-highest-paid pitcher. And he has been terrible. His 5.15 ERA is easily the worst of his career, and he’s compiled a 10-12 record, which, on a team that’s more than 30 games over .500, is difficult to achieve even if you’re trying. Girardi has kept him in the rotation for the same reason Girardi makes most decisions—he has a solid enough lineup, and a big enough cushion in the standings, that he can keep sending Burnett out there and hope he figures it out. In October, he will have no such luxury.

Burnett is just the highest-profile symptom of the Yankees’ biggest postseason concern. The rotation is springing leaks everywhere. After CC Sabathia, who has been terrific, the Yankees don’t have a single reliable starter. Andy Pettitte hasn’t pitched since mid-July, and it’s far from certain he’ll look like the old Andy when he returns from his left-groin injury. Phil Hughes was the team’s best pitcher the first three months of the season but has cooled off lately (and is nearing his innings limit). Javier Vazquez has vindicated fans who screamed when the Yankees traded for him in the off-season (funny how Game 7 grand slams given up to the Red Sox don’t fade from public consciousness) and was recently plying his trade in the bull pen. Rookie Ivan Nova has been a pleasant surprise, but he’s still a rookie. Dustin Moseley, Chad Gaudin, and Sergio Mitre are guys you throw in the game in case one of the above pitchers can’t make it out of the second inning.

And that’s it. That’s all the Yankees have as a rotation. A $213 million payroll, and the Yankees have one reliable postseason starter. So much of October comes down to starting pitching—that and Mariano Rivera have been the constants during every Yankees World Series run—and the Yankees, the vaunted Yankees, have no idea who starts Game 2 of a series. Sure, they’re planning on its being Pettitte, but that’s assuming he’s ready and able. If he’s not, the Yankees are looking at Burnett, Hughes, or Vazquez. Never mind Game 3.

This ties into what I mentioned a week and a half ago. As I said then: “…the Yankees starting rotation, excluding #52, is a mess. It’s a shame that the Yankees front office has turned a blind eye to this as it has been unfolding. Because, now, it may be too late to do anything about it.”

There’s no way this rotation carries the Yankees through three rounds of post-season baseball. Maybe, just maybe, it might get them through the LDS – because you only need three wins there. But, come LCS and WS time, it’s going to be a sad time in Yankeeland, should New York make it that far.

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Some nature pix, for those into that type of thing, taken today straight from what used to be Vito Genovese’s backyard – with little “labor” involved. As usual, click on the thumbnails to enlarge the photos.

(more…)

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Yankees lose to Baltimore 4-3.  [Expletive deleted].

It’s such a strange phenomenon; I am so completely wrapped up in each game that I lose the big-picture perspective with each excruciating moment in games like these.

Being held to five hits and three runs against one of the worst teams in baseball is awful.  Knowing that AJ Burnett (7 7 4 4 4 5) didn’t completely implode makes the lack of offense against cruddy Oriole pitching loom even larger because, frankly, if Burnett can make it to seven innings on 104 pitches and only give up four runs, you have to believe the Yanks can (should?) win those types of games.

Alas, you can’t win ‘em all.  The Yankees did just reel off an eight-game winning streak so dropping a game to the O’s probably isn’t the end of the world.  Fortunately for me and my fragile psyche, CC Sabathia goes for his 20th win of the season tomorrow evening.  The big man has never won 20 in his career so it would be doubly sweet if he gets #20 on the same day he snaps the team’s two-game losing streak.

Perhaps I should take solace in the fact that A-Rod hit his 22nd homer of the season.  A-Rod needs just eight more homers in the team’s final 24 games to reach the 30/100 plateau for the 13th consecutive season.  Can he do it?  It’s unlikely…but I wouldn’t bet against him either.

In the meantime, enjoy what’s left of the holiday weekend and, awful as it sounds, please root for Boston to beat Tampa tonight at The Fens.  I feel gross even suggesting such a thing…

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Via Paul White –

Josh Hamilton says he feels like “I’ve been in a car wreck.”

Cliff Lee will miss his start Tuesday against Toronto.

Getting their top players healthy would seem the priority for the Texas Rangers, still cruising with an eight-game lead in the AL West and hardly threatened by the division’s under-.500 cast. But excuse longtime Rangers fans if they’re getting a sense of “deja vu all over again.”

Hamilton, a leading MVP candidate, probably will miss at least a week after bruising ribs crashing into a wall Sunday at Minnesota. Lee’s history of back issue has continued and he’ll likely not pitch until at least Sunday against the Yankees.

Oh, and there’s the big deal, in case you’re not among the longest-suffering of Texas fans. The three weekend losses in Minnesota left the Rangers 4 1/2 games behind the Twins for the second-best record among AL division leaders. Given the likelihood of the Yankees and Rays finishing 1-2 in the East, that matches the Rangers and Yankees in the first round of the playoffs.

Just like 1996, the first time the Rangers made the playoffs. That was the good year, when Texas actually won once in the best-of-five series. The Rangers also faced the Yankees in their only other two playoff years — 1998 and ’99 — and were swept out of the Division Series.

No matter who the Yankees play in the LDS this season, the schedule breaks down as follows:

Game 1 10/6/10
Game 2 10/7/10
10/8/10 NO GAME SCHEDULED
Game 3 10/9/10
Game 4 10/10/10
10/11/10 NO GAME SCHEDULED
Game 5 10/12/10

And, this leads to some interesting question – Do you start Sabathia on 2-days rest in Game 3 and then have to start Burnett, Hughes or Vazquez in Game 4 (assuming Pettitte goes on Game 2)? Probably not. So, then you have to start Burnett or Hughes in Game 3, have Sabathia pitch in Game 4, on 3-days rest, and save Pettitte for Game 5 (if needed).

Face it, either Burnett or Hughes is going to have to start a game in this series – it’s just a matter of when…Game 3 or Game 4. Of course, this all assumes that Pettitte is good to go. If Andy is out, then both Burnett and Hughes get at least one start in the LDS – which is scary in a best of five situation.

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Here are the numbers:

Starts: 20
IP: 116.3
ERA: 5.26
Opp BA: .277
Opp OBA: .326
Opp SLG: .472
BF: 499
HR: 21

Man, if you just saw those numbers, without a name, you’d swear it was a typical Jaret Wright season when he was a Yankee, no?

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Here’s one…click on the thumbnail to enlarge it – as well as on the ones to follow.

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The numbers are in, for those interested.

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Via Murray Chass this AM –

This column is dedicated to A. J. Burnett because he is responsible for it. More precisely, his won-lost record gave me the idea for it. The idea centers on a question: how can a starting pitcher on a winning team have a losing record?

Burnett, whom the Yankees lured to New York with an 16.5 million contract for the 2009 season, has a losing record, 10 wins and 12 losses. With four weeks left in the season, he has been the losing pitcher in 24 percent of the 50 losses the Yankees have.

By comparison CC Sabathia has been the losing pitcher in 10 percent of the team’s losses. Sabathia has also been the winning pitcher in 22 percent of the Yankees’ victories while Burnett has received credit for 11.6 percent.

I asked Brian Cashman, the Yankees’ general manager, how Burnett could have a losing record with a team as good as the Yankees have been. At the start of the week, they continued to have the major leagues’ best record.

“He’s earned it,” Cashman said of the pitcher he pays 16.5 million each season. “He had a good stretch, then he had a bad stretch, an extremely bad stretch. He’s earned it.”

After his first six starts this season, Burnett had a 4-0 record and a 1.99 earned run average. Even after May, Burnett had a good 6-2 record. The Yankees’ euphoria, however, quickly evaporated.

Burnett lost all five of his starts in June and had a 0-4 record in five starts in August. In June, July and August, Burnett staggered to a 3-10 record.

I have to wonder if the Yankees would try and move Burnett after this season. Of course, they would have to eat a lot of his contract. At the least, they should try and pick up a front-end guy to make Burnett more of a #4 starter in the rotation. But, then again, I sorta/kinda said that at the start of this season too – and the Yankees weren’t listening.

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Clearly, someone didn’t hide Thames’ glove well enough. Good thing it didn’t cost them this game.

As much as I preach against Thames patrolling any portion of the outfield, I preach for his name to be consistently in the line up until this hot streak is over. That’s now 7 homers in his last 9 game started. That’s good for a slugging % of .943 in his last 35 at bats. Insane.

As far as the Javy Vazquez early yanking goes, I think Girardi was half right. The reason I say half right is, at the moment it looked like Javy was about to lose it on the mound after a tough day on the hill overall. So while I agree  with the pitching change, I don’t agree with who was selected to relieve Vazquez. I’m sorry, Mosely while not killing us overall, is just not the pitcher Vazquez is. If he was, he’d have been starting the game in the first place. You want to go to David Robertson for the strikeout? Sign me up. Want to see what Joba can do in a non-8th innings high leverage situation? Go for it. But when it comes to Mosely, I’d rather have seen Javy try to wiggle out of it.

With 26 to go, the Yankees have a 2.5 team game lead on Tampa and a 10 game lead on Boston. The Yankees have 86 wins and, aside from Tampa, there isn’t a single team with 80 wins. All of this without a typical A-Rod breakout month all year. He could return today, hopefully he can catch fire the rest of the way.

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Has anyone read this one yet? I have an interest in it – but, I’ve yet to see a review on it, anywhere.

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Via Joel Sherman today:

The 2009 Yankees season was filled with themes:

• The first season in a new stadium.
• The introduction of four new key members of the roster — A.J. Burnett, CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher.

l The follow-up campaign to the organization’s first playoff-less year since 1993.

But the dominant theme of last season became the timelessness of the Core Four. The quartet produced seasons that would fit seamlessly into the best of their prime.

Derek Jeter finished third in the AL MVP voting. The only catcher who had a better offensive year than Jorge Posada actually won the AL MVP, Minnesota’s Joe Mauer. Mariano Rivera won the AL Rolaids Relief Award. And in an August when the Yankees went from a half-game up to total command at 61⁄2 up in the AL East, Pettitte was 4-0 with a 2.50 and the Yankees won all six of his starts.

The foursome earned a fifth ring with distinction; as key contributors, not as hangers-on.

Nevertheless, a year later, the Core Four is showing some gray. Much of that revolves around the most famous member, Jeter, who is having his worst season. But it also is about the Yankees believing that Posada’s defense has slipped another notch and Pettitte not even pitching this August because of a groin injury. Of course, the outlier remains Rivera, who began the weekend with his lowest ERA ever and no certifiable proof that he is made of flesh and blood rather than coils and springs.

So where does this group stand now and projecting to the future.

In the end, I would not call A.J. Burnett a “key member” of the Yankees roster. Yes, last season, he was huge. This year? Not so much.

But, it is interesting to see, this season, how the power behind the team in Yankeeland has somewhat shifted from historical base of Pettitte, A-Rod, Jeter, and Posada to being Cano, Swisher, Teixeira and Gardner.

In fact, I would say that the Yankees 2010 season would be terrible without Sabathia, Rivera, Cano, Swisher, Teixeira and Gardner. And, they probably could have survived without A-Rod, Jeter and Posada this season. Crazy? Well, Jeter’s stats could be replaced by anyone. Posada’s value these days are at DH and you can always find another hitter there. And, A-Rod? Just check their record this season when he’s not in the line-up.

Andy Pettitte is a tough call here. He was a huge part of their record this season before he went on the D.L. And, until this 8-game winning streak against some terrible teams, Andy being out was a big part of why the team was hovering around .500 for about a month. Also, he’s key to their post-season chances too.

If you were to ask me, I would say that Andy Pettitte still is part of what powers the Yankees. And, the fact that he’s been out of action for so long now, and is being counted on so heavily this October, concerns me. How about you?

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Or, should I say, stick a fork in the Red Sox?

It’s just a matter now of whether the Yankees want to win the East or not. They could go pedal to the metal and balls to the wall and try and top the Rays. Or, they could just play out the rest of this month trying to get keep everyone sharp, avoid injury and reach some personal milestones.

If you were the Yankees, which route would you take?

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A case could be made that both Jesus Montero and Austin Romine deserve promotions to “the next level” in 2011. For sure, I would like to see Romine at AAA to see how he stacks up there. But, if you do move up Austin, and don’t move Jesus, that would cut into Montero’s catching time at Triple-A.

So, how about this?

Promote both Montero and Romine next season – with Jesus joining the Yankees and Austin going to Scranton.

And, then, at the big league level, have a “catching rotation” that works like this:

Game 1: Posada catches, Montero is the DH, and Cervelli sits.
Game 2: Montero catches, Posada is the DH, and Cervelli sits.
Game 3: Cervelli catches, Posada is the DH, and Montero sits.
Game 4: Posada catches, Montero is the DH, and Cervelli sits.
Game 5: Montero catches, Someone other than Posada is the DH, and Cervelli sits.
Game 6: Cervelli catches, Posada is the DH, and Montero sits.

And, then just keep repeating this rotation, over and over again.

This way, Posada, Montero and Cervelli each end up catching 54 games next season – and, no one catches two days in a row. That’s good for Posada’s aging body and for hiding Montero’s defensive shortcomings. And, Posada gets another 81 games in at DH – giving him 135 starts on the season (which is about the right number for him). Also, Montero gets to play in another 54 games at DH – giving him a total of 108 games in the majors next season. Plus, you could always use Montero as a PH for Cervelli in a big spot – giving him some more PAs next season.

Makes sense, right?

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This one is for the older gents among our readers. (H/T to my buddy Chris the Super Yankees fan for the link.)

So, who’s right, Spock or Kirk? Is beauty is transitory, or, does it survive?

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I am thinking about adding a photos page to WasWatching.com.

One part of it would be where we could display photos of the authors and readers here, if they desire, so that we can put a face with the name – again, if that’s something the author or reader wanted to do. And, hopefully, they’d be in some sort of Yankees attire or setting.

The other part would be for Yankees-related photos that are unique and interesting – sort of like what they do at Fantography.net.

Again, I stress, I’m just thinking about it now. They key factor would be if anyone had any interest in such a thing. So, what do you say? And, thanks in advance for your feedback.

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Via Wally Matthews –

Why would anyone “fire” an agent while continuing to pay his fee for the next seven years?

That is among the burning questions hanging over the divorce between Alex Rodriguez and Scott Boras, which right now appears amicable but certainly has the potential to get very messy.

Following several days of unconfirmed and unacknowledged published reports that the A-Rod/Boras alliance had ended after more than 17 years, Rodriguez finally addressed the issue Friday after ESPNNewYork.com asked about it.

“Well, I’m not going to get into any details, that’s for sure,” he said during a brief interview before a game between the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays. “But what I can tell you is this: Scott and I had a good run. Nothing drastic happened, but at this point in my career, my goal is to finish as a New York Yankee and be a world champion again. And some of the things I needed 20 years ago I really don’t need now.”

It was a statement that answered one question but leaves many more unanswered.

What caused a player to split from an agent who had secured nearly a half-billion dollars in baseball salary for him over the past decade? Who is representing him now? And why would you fire someone who still has a legal claim on your baseball earnings from now until 2017?

Rodriguez was unavailable for comment after the game. But as one Yankees source told me Friday, “I have no idea what Alex is doing here. There has to be more to this than meets the eye.”

From interviews with several sources familiar with Rodriguez and Boras — none of whom who would speak for attribution — the consensus of opinion is a familiar one: A-Rod has fallen under the spell of a cadre of Hollywood types, led by Guy Oseary, Madonna’s PR guru, who want to take over control of his career.

But behind the scenes, sources with knowledge of the situation tell ESPNNewYork.com that friction has been brewing since Oseary became part of Rodriguez’s entourage in 2007. According to one source, Boras has objected to the relationship from the start, believing A-Rod’s infatuation with Hollywood stardom detracts from the things he must do to continue playing at the level that earned him his original 10-year, $250 million deal from the Texas Rangers, and the 10-year, $275 million extension the Yankees gave him following his 2007 MVP season and subsequent opt-out from his contract.

“[Boras] doesn’t like any of that crowd, doesn’t like the scene, and has said so may times,” the source said. “And every time, it really pisses Alex off.”

The same source said there also is a possibility that after nearly 20 years of listening to Boras’ attempts to control everything from his diet to his after-hours conduct, A-Rod has simply tuned him out.

“He’s just tired of listening to him,” the source said. “He’s under a lot of pressure from his new people to get rid of [Boras]. Alex wants to please people, and believe me, those people are driving this kid nuts.”

Longtime associates of Rodriguez who for years went through Boras to arrange access to A-Rod now must go through Oseary or Lisa Gilson, Rodriguez’s personal assistant. “Alex just lost confidence in Scott,” a Yankees source told me. “The people he’s wth now, they all got egos and want to be in control of the show. That’s why they want Scott out.”

“[Rodriguez] thinks he needs Oseary to meet people like Cameron Diaz and Kate Hudson,” said one source, who is admittedly pro-Boras. “He’s so enamored of that whole Hollywood scene, and he knows [Boras] is against it.”

What’s the old song lyric? Oh, that’s right…

Out where they say, let us be gay, I’m goin’ Hollywood.

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With today’s victory, the Yankees have now won seven games in a row. Coming into this run, New York was tied for first place with the Tampa Bay Rays. And, the Boston Red Sox sat just five games back of them in the all-important loss column. However, with this afternoon’s win, the Yankees now have a one-game lead over Tampa in the loss column (which could move to two if the Rays lose this evening). More importantly, New York is now 8 1/2 games ahead of Boston – with 27 games left to play.

Basically, this all means that any combination of Yankees wins and Red Sox losses that equals 20 between now and the end of the season ensures New York’s place in the post-season.

It don’t bounce much better than that, does it?

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Once again, it’s Baseball America’s Prospect Hot Sheet time.  This week’s edition includes catcher Jesus Montero (Triple-A, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre) as the 6th hottest prospect of the week and honorable mention notice goes to RHP D.J. Mitchell (Triple-A, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre):

JESUS MONTERO, C
Team: Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (International)
Age: 20
Why He’s Here: .324/.324/.676 (11-for-34), 3 HR, 3 2B, 12 RBIs, 6 R, 0 BB, 6 SO
The Scoop: In many ways, Montero epitomizes player development. Young for his level, he got off the blocks slow in Triple-A by batting .210 and slugging .330 through his first 53 games. That’s terrible production even for a 20-year-old catcher at an advanced level, and it wasn’t anything like the hitting machine we saw in 2009. But Montero made the necessary adjustments to hit his way back into the Yankees’ good graces. Counting from June 11 onward, he leads all International League batters with a 1.030 OPS, which ranks just ahead of Freddie Freeman and Lucas Duda. Montero has batted .340/.397/.632 in those 253 at-bats, smacking 40 extra-base hits in 68 games.

One can decry the value of slicing and dicing minor league data, but to do so ignores why players are in the minors in the first place: to improve. Player development people stress that with prospects, it’s what they show you in short bursts that counts. From there, it’s about stringing together productive at-bats or positive starts. So any time a prospect of Montero’s caliber shows such sustained excellence at a high level of competition, well, let’s just say it’s a good sign for his development.

D.J. MITCHELL, RHP
It’s impressive enough that Yankees RHP D.J. Mitchell has already made it to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in just his second full season, but it looks even better when you consider the 23-year-old didn’t take up pitching full-time until the summer of 2007. In his second Triple-A start on Sunday, Mitchell threw seven innings of one-hit, shutout ball against Buffalo, striking out five and walking four.

Separately, Baseball America did a little story (subscription required) about LHP Josh Romanski (High-A, Tampa), a former Brewers 2008 fourth round draft pick.  After handing him a $247,000 bonus, the Brewers cut ties with him when an injury and subsequent perceived disciplinary problem derailed the relationship.

I say “perceived disciplinary problem” because the Brewers assert that Romanski wasn’t diligent in his injury rehab.  As these types of things can be very much a matter of perception, I’ll choose to believe that it was an isolated incident and that the Yankees are in a position to reap the benefits of the Brewers’ short fuse.

In any case, if he was good enough to be a fourth round pick and the Yanks can get anything out of him, it’s a bonus for us.  Here is the scouting report on Romanski from Baseball America’s 2008 draft roundup:

Despite a smallish 6-foot, 185-pound frame, Romanski has doubled as a two-way player for three seasons for the Toreros. A fine all-around athlete, he ranks among the best-fielding pitchers in the nation, and while he’s a good college hitter, his future is on the mound. His fastball sits in the 88-89 mph range with some armside run. He shows an outstanding feel for his secondary pitches, which include a slow curveball, a changeup and a hard slider. Romanski’s best pitch is his hard breaking ball, thrown in on a righthanded hitter’s hands. Mechanically he is sound, but he will need to make adjustments. His arm action is short on both the back and front end, with a rushed, off-balanced finish. The total package reminds some of Rays lefthander J.P. Howell, though Howell’s stuff was considered a bit more firm. As a pro, Romanski fits as either a back of the rotation starter or middle reliever. He offers a nice repertoire of pitches and decent command. He’ll also help himself with his glove and bat.

As I always say: don’t let anybody convince you that the Yankees don’t have a solid (if unspectacular) farm system.  The system is deep with pitching and while it may not be teeming with future Bob Gibsons and Steve Carltons, the system doesn’t have to only possess high-ceiling #1 starters to be a good system.  There’s tremendous value in the sort of depth the Yankees have.

For every mid-rotation starter and relief pitcher the team can develop internally, that’s one more player the front office doesn’t need to go out and get on the open market where, quite frankly, prices for these important but marginal players far exceeds their worth.  You pay the big bucks for the best players like CC Sabathia, not guys like Carlos Silva…

Have a nice holiday weekend, folks.

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There’s no such thing as “Pasta Diving Waldman!”

Via Bob Raissman -

So it has been these tales of the Captain “slowing down” and slumping, accompanied by visions of [Derek] Jeter, 36, walking to shortstop with a cane followed by a ball boy carrying a package of Depends, that is feeding the media. Once again, Jeter, in this alleged “twilight,” is throwing a banquet for notebooks and microphones.

Thursday, on the other end of the telephone, Suzyn Waldman (aka Ma Pinstripe/Georgie Girl) was talking about 2004 when Jeter had an 0-for-32 stretch in April. She remembered how he stood and answered all the questions. This time around it’s more complicated. It’s September. He’s older. And there’s a contract negotiation, likely his last, waiting for him.

“All the people doing the talking are shortsighted, very shortsighted,” Waldman said. “I don’t think any of the talk, any of the stories, affect Derek at all. Everybody is jumping to conclusions because they need something to talk about.”

“You’re watching a career go full circle,” Waldman said. “It’s not over, trust me. Wait and watch how this season plays out. Stop looking at it game to game. Baseball is a game of attrition. Let’s see where Derek’s standing in October. Then shoot your mouth off.”

“The Jeter contract is not a delicate situation at all. I think the Yankees will give Jeter what he wants,” Waldman said. “But nobody knows what he wants. They’re all jumping to ridiculous conclusions.”

Suzyn is starting to remind me of the old aunt in your family who you love because she’s your aunt, but, who you love even more because she’s an older lady who shares your passion for baseball. However, as much as you love her, you cringe every time she starts to talk something baseball-related and is wrong, since you really don’t want to tell her that she’s wrong because she’s your old baseball-loving aunt who you love very much…

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Just a PSA for those interested in this…

I’ve heard that the Yankees will be sending out invoices, to season ticket holders, for 2010 post-season tickets between September 8th and 10th.

This is much later than normal for them. I wonder if this means a jack in prices this year?

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Via the Tampa Bay Business Journal –

The Tampa Yankees could head to Orange County, if a site for a new stadium and baseball museum can be found.

Former Miami businessman Armando Gutierrez Jr. said in an Orlando press conference he and the ownership of the New York Yankees are looking at potential sites in Orange County to build a stadium that would send the Tampa Yankees to the area in three years.

The move would not affect the New York Yankees, which use Steinbrenner Field on Dale Mabry Highway for spring training, Gutierrez said. However, it would allow Orlando to once again become a baseball market.

Gutierrez and his investors are looking at various sites in the Orlando area and are keen on a plot of about 17 acres near SeaWorld that could be home to a new facility.

The Tampa Yankees draw less than 1,600 fans per game, fewer than the nearly 2,382 people who attended Orlando Rays games in 2003, a former Class AA minor league team of the Tampa Bay Rays, according to minor league baseball. The Orlando team moved to Alabama in 2004 to become the Montgomery Biscuits, continuing its relationship with the Rays.

Montgomery averaged 4,043 tickets sold per game in 2009, third best in the Southern League. Orlando finished at the bottom of the league in attendance in its final year.

Gutierrez said Orlando could support a minor league team, even if it’s considered on the lowest run of Major League Baseball’s farm system because of its affiliation with the Yankees.

Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty said no public funding would be earmarked to construct a stadium in Orlando. Gutierrez, however, said the county could help in acquiring land, allowing private investors to then foot the bill for construction.

The message has always been clear to any community hosting a minor league and indy league team: If you don’t support the team, they’re going to move, sooner or later. There’s always another market for them, somewhere. The FSL Tampa Yankees have been around since 1994. If it hasn’t worked for them, there, by now, it’s time for them to move.

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So I forgot to do the game-time open thread for yesterdays game, as I received some exciting personal news and it just slipped my mind. Let’s have this post count be the recap for yesterdays and the open thread for today’s game.

Sabathia kicked some serious butt yesterday giving up just one hit and 3 walks over 8 strong innings. He comes the first Yankees pitcher to turn in back to back 19 win  seasons since Chien-Ming Wang did it from 06-07. (Speaking of which, looks like the Yanks made the right call on him).

Posada went deep, and Granderson kicked in a pair of bombs. If there’s any time to get hot its the last month into October. I hope they keep it up.

As for today, the Yanks send out young Ivan Nova in hopes that he can continue where he left of in his last start. The Jays send out Morrow for his last start of the year (they are shutting him down due to innings limitations). Should be a good one, feel free to hang in the comments and talk about the game as it happens.

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Please consider taking the following poll:

Thanks in advance. And, please feel free to add comments on your opinion in the comments section.

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Much maligned for an admittedly sub-par 2010 season at the plate, Curtis Granderson is quietly putting together the makings of a comeback since the All-Star Break.

Including his 2-for-3 afternoon so far today, in the 45 games since the ASB, Granderson has put together a .262/.331/.517 batting line with 10 HR and 21 RBI.  He may not make anyone forget about Bernie Williams’s stellar offense in CF but it’s an improvement over his first half .240/.309/.409 with 7 HR and 24 RBI in his first 59 games.

A 130-point improvement in Granderson’s OPS is certainly not a bad thing as the Yankees start gearing up for the playoffs.  We can all agree on that, right?

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Read all about it.

My money is on Teixeira.

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Craig Calcaterra has the story.

Well, if this can happen, what’s next? This is sort of like Katie Morgan firing her vajayjay, ain’t it?

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Another game against the green-and-gold results in another victory for the Yanks, this time a 4-3 win in a somewhat tense affair.  The Yanks did all their damage early against Oakland’s LHP phenom Brett Anderson (6 8 4 1 2 4) whose error in the 2nd inning ended up costing him the game.

The real stories in this game were the continued hot hitting of Mark Teixeira (3-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI) and the return to acceptability (for one night, anyway) of AJ Burnett (6 6 3 3 2 8).  Burnett was cruising through the first three innings, had a few hiccups in the fourth and fifth, and managed to compose himself just enough to get through a clean-ish 6th inning before turning it over to #62 (1 2 0 0 0 1), Boone Logan (0.1 0 0 0 0 1) and Kerry Wood (0.2 1 0 0 1 0).  Rivera came on in the ninth and registered his 28th save in defense of Burnett’s 10th win.

Going back to Burnett for a moment, I saw some real improvement last night.  He showed flashes of his trademark velocity (sitting 93/hitting 96) and the depth and bite on his breaking pitch was outstanding last night, registering eight swing-and-miss strikes.  The problem with Burnett, of course, is that results vary from start to start so there’s no reason to fully expect even this level of competence his next time out (against Baltimore on Labor Day).

Sadly, Tampa and Boston both won so the Yankees could not add cushion to their lead.  Despite that, the Yanks have won five in a row and 11 of their past 15.  The team is slowly beginning to show signs of warming up again and they should only get better as Alex Rodriguez and Lance Berkman rejoin the ranks of active players.

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Some pictures from where I was this evening…for your viewing pleasure.

(more…)

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