…anyone that wants a place to rant, feel free to do it here.

-Posted by MJ

Here’s A-Rod‘s for example.

- Posted By Corey

Headline says it all…

…anyone that wants a place to rant, feel free to do it here.

-Posted by MJ

…anyone that wants a place to rant, feel free to do it here.

-Posted by MJ

…anyone that wants a place to rant, feel free to do it here.

-Posted by MJ

I’m not arguing against his on-field brilliance and I’m not trying to draw a comparison between their talents or accomplishments, but when A-Rod messes up, he sits on a podium in front of a microphone and says so.  When Pujols isn’t at his best?  He heads for the exit:

Pujols, 3 for 10 with an RBI and no extra-base hits in the series, left Busch Stadium without speaking to reporters. (ESPN.com)

Please note that Pujols’s .300 average with an RBI is WAY better than anything A-Rod had done in recent October memory.  That wasn’t my point.  I’ve got no bias or agenda against Pujols but I just felt like I had to point that one minor detail out.

-Posted by MJ

Add on from Steve: Well, back in August, we did have this report to share from Tyler Kepner:

[Alex] Rodriguez is a ghost in the clubhouse, at home and on the road, especially before games. He limits his availability almost exclusively to brief sessions with a group after games in which he has made an impact, good or bad. He does almost no one-on-one interviews, and nobody questions the rules.

But, to MJ’s point…this refers to the regular season and not the post-season.

[Adam Wainright] really speaks highly of the experience he had closing for the Cardinals back then [2006]. He says he takes the same mentality into his start. He said early in his career he tried to pace himself too much, trying to work deep into the ballgame; but his experience that he had in the bullpen where you just go after every hitter and every out is huge; he’s taken that same mentality to the mound as a starting pitcher.

Sound like someone we know? Maybe he’ll be better than a set-up man after all? Maybe all that hoopla about Joba’s mound celebration’s being too wild has caused Joba to change his pitching mentality while starting? Perhaps putting him back in the ‘pen for the playoffs is the best thing for his starting career moving into 2010.

- Posted By Corey

But if you drown out the background noise and read the important part of this story, you’ll really like what AJ Burnett says here.

I’ve thrown good to both [catchers]. My good games, I’m right. My bad games, it’s not the catcher, it’s me … When I’m good, it doesn’t matter which one is behind the plate.

Look at that, folks!  AJ Burnett took responsibility for his failures (Joba, take notes; this is how it’s done, son).  I’ll bet no ESPN scribe would ever point that out, as it would interfere with their effort to portray Burnett as a renegade clubhouse back-stabber.

It’s making me out to be the bad guy again…And obviously Jorge’s upset. He’s a big part of this team. He’s a leader on and off the field and hopefully his mind will be right to get in there and get a pinch hit when the time comes.

I love this Burnett guy.   I hope he lights up the radar gun and tosses zeroes.  I hope he teaches the mainstream sports media a lesson at the Twins’ expense.

How’s that for some rah-rah fanboy stuff on an off-day?

-Posted by MJ

Am I suddenly worried about the prospect of even getting out of the ALDS?  Yes, very much so.  Just a week ago, I would’ve said the Yanks could punch their ticket to the World Series.  Now I’m not even sure they won’t pull a “Mets” and cough up the division lead.

-Posted by MJ

I do, and if they aren’t I would. This would be my plan:

Sept  11 – andy
Sept 12 – aj
Sept 13 – cc
Sept 14 – scrub (mitre/gaudin)
Sept 15 – joba/ace + 1 extra day rest
Sept 16 – andy
Sept 18 – aj + 1 extra day rest
Sept 19 – cc + 1 extra day rest
Sept 20 – ace
Sept 21 – joba + 1 extra day rest
Sept 22 – andy
Sept 23 – aj + 1 extra day rest
Sept 25 – cc + 2 extra days rest
Sept 26 – ace
Sept 27 – joba + 1 extra day rest
Sept 28 – andy
Sept 29 – aj
Sept 30 – cc
Oct 2 – ace
Oct 3 – joba
Oct 4 – scrub/prospect

I figure Joba has 3-4 more starts this year, depending on how the Yankees use their off days. For his next start, I would again have Aceves piggy back him, coming in after Joba has reached his pitch count limit. For the final 2-3 starts, I say place Aceves in the rotation (making it a 6 man for 2 or 3 go-arounds). Now you have 6 pitchers (5 i’d give the ball to) stretched out for the playoffs, and you have it set up so that if Joba comes out of the gate walking the park (or AJ since he’s suseptible also), you can have him on a short leash with Aceves there to clean up the rest.

But, Aceves is already the long man you say? Yes, he can go 3 innings if need be, but then that kills the rest of the pen cause you still have innings to make up after that. My method allows the Yankees to have an extremely short leash with the rotation and, in the event you don’t need to use Aceves, he can come in for short relief on consecutive days, for multiple innings, since his arm is stretched out. i figure this way, the starters get extra days off right before the last week, that way they are in line for the playoffs.

Plus, it’s better than seeing Mitre or Gaudin come in during the 4th inning after Joba has thrown 100 pitches right?

- Posted By Corey