Isn’t it time for the Yankees to admit it was a huge mistake to take Cito Culver in the 2010 draft over players such as Bryce Brentz, Taijuan Walker, Nick Castellanos and Mike Olt?
Steven Resnick: MLB Strikes Out By Not Televising The Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners Series
I have to a agree. Between the repeats on the MLB Network this AM and the crap on ESPN’s extra channels (outside of Mike & Mike), there’s no excuse not to have these games on TV.
If the games are THAT boring and unattractive to have on live TV in the States, then it makess no sense to have them played.
Yesterday, I wore my “Yankees” jacket for the first time in 2012.
Actually, it was the first time that I have worn it in a while. How long? Read on.
When I put on the jacket, I realized there was something in one of the pockets. When I pulled it out, I realized that it was my ticket stubs from Game 5 of the 2011 ALDS between the Yankees and the Tigers.
Yes, the game that everyone in Yankeeland thought was a gimmie win – and the game where New York had:
And, in the end, the Yankees lost, 3-2.
That was four months ago – the last time that I wore my Yankees jacket.
Like a lot of Yankees fans, I have put that game far away in my memory. Now, I wonder, is that a mistake?
I love the MLB Network.
Really, I know it has not been around all that long. However, I don’t know what I would do, now, without it.
It’s my “go to” channel any time I turn on the T.V. and I do not have something specific in mind to watch…
But, gosh, they keep playing that New Era “Rivals Are…” commerical over and over and over….
It’s so annoying. Is that the only advertiser that they have?
Anyone else watching how the Rangers went about their business in the 9th inning of Game 2 last night think “My goodness, why couldn’t the Yankees do this in Game 5 of the ALDS this year?!?”
And, if you did, who do you blame for it not happening? The Yankees players? Girardi? Both? Neither?
Here are Mark Teixeira’s post-season numbers, to date, as a member of the New York Yankees:
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | Series | Opp | G | PA | AB | HR | RBI | BB | SO | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 29 | NYY | AL | ALDS | MIN | 3 | 13 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .167 | .231 | .417 |
| 2009 | 29 | NYY | AL | ALCS | LAA | 6 | 31 | 27 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 8 | .222 | .290 | .259 |
| 2009 | 29 | NYY | AL | WS | PHI | 6 | 27 | 22 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | .136 | .296 | .318 |
| 2010 | 30 | NYY | AL | ALDS | MIN | 3 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | .308 | .357 | .615 |
| 2010 | 30 | NYY | AL | ALCS | TEX | 4 | 17 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | .000 | .176 | .000 |
| 2011 | 31 | NYY | AL | ALDS | DET | 2 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .143 | .250 | .286 |
.
Mr. Notober?
Via Jerry “I’m Not Dead!” Izenberg -
The Yankees’ current Triple-A franchise is anchored in the twin cities of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, an area in northeast Pennsylvania that has always supported baseball on some level. But the Yankees organization decided that PNC Field, the Triple-A team’s home park, is in desperate need of renovation. The job will take all of 2012.
And back in New York, management came up with a magnificent public relations idea. Newark had been the bellwether of all Yankee minor league teams dating as far back as when Jacob Ruppert was paying Babe Ruth’s salary across the river. Newark, through horrendous mismanagement, has seen its minor league team dissolve.
Newark has a ballpark. With that in mind, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman visited the city’s Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium, which does need work. He met with Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo. Together, they hammered out an agreement that could be done for the least money.
To understand the mechanics of what followed, you have to understand that Major League Baseball has a 90-year-old Supreme Court ruling giving it an antitrust exemption. The Boy Scouts of America have no such exemption. The NFL, NBA and NHL have no such blanket exemption. Chains of cloistered nuns or Trappist monasteries do not have an antitrust exemption.
Under baseball’s rules, the exclusivity of the Yankees and Mets territory is shared. The Yankees called the Mets and asked permission to put their Triple-A team in Newark for only a single year.
The Mets declined.
The Yankees tried again. They pointed out that it was only for a single year.
The Mets declined again.
The Yankees tried once more. They repeated that this was just for a single year. They said that if the Mets agreed for just that one season they would offer an evergreen matching proposal. In essence, they would give the Mets the same shot if they had a team with a minor league park in jeopardy, no matter how many eons into the future.
The Mets declined, saying their organization would only do something like that with mutual and immediate reciprocity as they did when the Yanks put a minor league team in Staten Island and allowed the Mets to do the same in Brooklyn.
But those were permanent moves. This was only for a year, the Yankees argued. They also offered a permanent waiver if a similar situation ever arose for the Mets. In addition, there was Yankee money involved in this final offer.
And once again, the Mets declined.
Today, DiVincenzo thanked the Yankees for their consideration and Brian Cashman, the Yankee GM, for his “professionalism.” But he could not hide his obvious disappointment:
“Unfortunately, the Mets exercised their territorial rights to block this temporary partnership and have prevented the chance for baseball fans to come to Newark and Essex County to watch players in minor league baseball’s highest classification on their way up to the major leagues. It would have rejuvenated interest in one of the highest levels of the sport in an important urban area.”
One of the concerns that influenced the Mets was their belief that a minor league team in Newark might have weaned potential Mets fans away from the affluent New Jersey suburbs.
Man, are the Mutts looking like big league arse-holes for making this call. And, if I’m the Yankees, I file this one away – but never forget it. And, the first time that they have the chance to screw the Mets in the future, the Yankees should call upon this memory and stick it to the Mets…right between the ears.
I waited on Yankees Weather tweets as long as I could today – but, then I had to make the call and head out to the Stadium.
I left my house at 4 PM – and, thanks to the rain and rush-hour traffic, I didn’t get up to the Stadium until a few minutes past six. Yes, two hours, bumper to bumper, door to door.
Once there, I parked – for forty bucks – with my pre-paid parking ticket. And, then, my daughter and I grabbed some sandwiches from our favorite deli and went into the Stadium. I’m guessing that we sat down around 6:40 PM, thereabouts.
Around 7:10 PM, I knew the game wasn’t going to start on time. So, I asked my daughter if she wanted to go out to Monument Par…Kave.
She did – so, we went. As we were coming back to our seats, we took a look at the Great Hall, from up above, and I saw people walking out of the Stadium. And, then, I figured bad news was coming…
We went into the Yankees Museum and then I saw the announcement that the game was called. I reached out to my wife, via the cell, and she said that the Yankees just called our house with an automated message – saying that the game was rained out. Duh.
So, back to the car, where I just pissed away $40 on parking, and time to head home. We left the garage around 7:45 PM and I got home around 9:15 PM.
My daughter had fun – enjoyed her sandwich, liked the Monument Park and the museum. And, she likes the fact that now she can see another game…maybe Sunday…or next year.
But, boy, do I feel like a sucker. I should have stayed home, never left, saved the gas and tolls – and the time in traffic! – and got a credit for the parking – and I still would have been able to get my rain-check on a game that anyone with a half a brain would have called this afternoon, based on the forecast.
MLB sucks for allowing this to go until just past seven to pull the plug. It’s just stupid and inconsiderate. And, I’m a sucker for playing into it.
Tweet from Mark Teixeira today -
Gee, Mark, maybe if you get your batting average up to a respectable level, then the booing that’s about to start at home won’t happen too!
Is there a difference between starting a game at 11 PM…and having it end at 2 AM…and then playing another game 11 hours later, and, playing a traditional double-header on one day? I would have to think the former is just as taxing as the latter.
Why MLB made the Yankees play last night – and screw their fans – makes little sense, no?
And, I think we’ve seen enough.
Just like Mike Griffin, he’s fooled us long enough. We found out about him today. That should do it for him.
Cashman can take the objective pipe and stick it up his poop chute.
Burnett is a turd. And, he must be flushed.
I had a long trip home tonight after work. So, after dinner, I hit the gym (to let off some steam). After a nice workout, I got home around 9 PM.
Instead of picking up the game, I decided to watch Predators on HBO In Demand. (I had never seen it before tonight.)
The movie ended just after the final out of the Yankees game – just in time for me to catch the recap of what happened.
A Burnett melt-down in the sixth. Mo taken yard in the ninth. And, the Grandy Man getting “Jeff Nelson’ed” to end it with the winning run at the plate.
Granted, I only saw the “low-lights,” but, is it just me, or, is this possibly the worst Yankees game of the season to date?
How many wins did A.J. Burnett have in July of this year?
It’s the same amount as he had in June and August of last year.
And, it’s the same as the amount he had in August of 2009.
Zero.
Think about that. This guy has pitched 16 months of regular season baseball for the Yankees to date, never missing a turn. And, in 25% of those months, he failed to win a single game.
Burnett is the 8th highest paid pitcher in baseball today. He should be an ace at that salary. But, he’s far from that. What a joke.
Did anyone see Maicer Izturis’ RBI “single” in the 9th inning of Saturday’s game?
Is it just me, or, is that a ball that an average major league shortstop makes a play on – with little problem – to get the out? (Maybe it was just me, it was late when it happened…)
In any event, maybe it’s time for the Yankees to get a defensive caddy that they can trust – meaning not Eduardo “Death To Flying Things” Nunez – on the roster to sub for Derek Jeter in late and close games? There’s no need to have Luis Ayala, Hector Noesi and Lance Pendleton on the roster at the same time. They’re all garbage time fillers. You don’t need three of them. Do you?
When did Laura Posada turn into the Latin Anna Benson?
It’s how you say Kyle Farnsworth in Spanish.
That’s Brian Cashman tending bar last night at Foley’s, wearing the same bandana-and-spiked-hair wig that he wore when he rappelled down a building in Stamford, Connecticut, last Christmas.
Enough with the “look at me” photo-ops, huh, Cash?
I know, I know, it’s for charity. Then again, remember what Big Stein always used to say? It was: “If you do something for someone and more than two people know about it, meaning you and that person, then you did it for the wrong reason.”
Word, Boss. Word.
At this point, I would much rather have someone who is “no name” – but a real and qualified “baseball person” – someone trying to make his bones as a hard working GM, running the Yankees. Someone who just wants to do his job, and well, with no fanfare or excuses, rather than someone who is running around town in a wig speaking at pancake breakfasts, jumping off buildings, tending bar – and getting his picture on TV and in the papers.
Gabe Paul and Stick Michael just did their job without using it as a platform to attain celebrity status. Cashman should follow that example instead of trying to be like Billy Beane, Theo Epstein and Kenny Williams – making a “name” for himself for doing things outside of the office. Guys like John Schuerholz and Pat Gillick did it right. Cashman’s inflated sense of self-importance and need for admiration is getting old in a hurry here. I just hope the Yankees put an end to it – and soon.
With the Yankees having now signed Rafael Soriano, I have to point out what Bill Madden wrote the other day -
The word is out on Soriano, whose refusal to take the ball on occasion or pitch more than one inning incurred the wrath of Rays manager Joe Maddon. Cashman, who has been burned too often on big-money contracts to set-up relievers in the past (Steve Karsay, Kyle Farnsworth, Damaso Marte) is also loathe to give up a No. 1 draft pick for Soriano, who’s a Type A free agent. He said flat out Friday he won’t do it.
And, I also want to point out what Mark Simon had to share on the pitcher as well -
The one warning sign that comes with Soriano is this: Some of his peripheral numbers weren’t as good as they have been in the past, such as his strikeouts per nine innings rate, which dropped from 12.1 in 2009 to 8.2 in 2010.
The Rays also did a particularly good job at turning his batted balls into outs. Opponents hit .212 when putting the ball into play last season, an 85-point drop from 2009. It’s rare for a pitcher to be able to pitch to a number that low, though Soriano also did it previously with the Atlanta Braves in 2007.
Soriano’s status as a fly ball pitcher may cause a little concern with his coming to Yankee Stadium, considering that 67 percent of the balls in play against him were hit in the air. He allowed six home runs in 2010 (four in the regular season), though three of them cleared the fence by less than 10 vertical feet or landed less than one fence-height beyond the fence, according to work done for HittrackerOnline.
Soriano’s contract is the second-largest given to a free agent reliever not named Rivera, in terms of average annual value. Rivera has netted a pair of $15 million per year deals. The only other pitcher to get a bigger contract will be pitching across the river from Soriano — Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez (three years, $12.33 million per).
Oh, and, then there’s the whole untucking of the shirt thing when he’s done with his inning of work:
So, in Rafael Soriano, the Yankees may have signed a combination of Kyle Farnsworth (won’t pitch more than an inning or on back-to-back days), K-Rod (too many on-field histrionics) and Billy Taylor (save numbers hide fact that ballpark and defense aided his numbers). And, they’re paying him huge bucks too (“second-largest given to a free agent reliever not named Rivera”). Attaboy Cashman.
The Yankees Alex Rodriguez is quoted, below, directly after the Yankees lost the 2010 ALCS, via a New York Post report entitled “A-Rod downcast after postseason without homer” –
“This is going to hurt. And it’s going to hurt for a while. And it should. We expect to win every year and our front office has put a team on the field that’s expected to win and should win, and we came up short.”
…This is going to hurt. And it’s going to hurt for a while. And it should…
O.K., remember those words. And, now, see this report from TMZ entitled “A-Rod Mourns Playoff Loss with LeBron” -
The day after the New York Yankees were eliminated from the playoffs, Alex Rodriguez partied at a Miami nightclub with someone who is no stranger to playoff failure … LeBron James.
The two kicked it at the grand opening of the Arkadia at the Fontainebleau Hotel on Saturday night to attend Drake’s 24th birthday party.
Spies inside the club tell us both A-Rod and LeBron partied until 1:00 AM — and were each seen drinking Grey Goose La Poire vodka.
Since they’re each worth roughly a bazillion dollars — who do you think pays for drinks?
Hey, what can I say? It’s stuff like this which is the reason why so many see A-Rod has being totally disingenuous.
In their last 67 games of the 2010 regular season, the Yankees went 34-33. During this time, their pitchers allowed 4.5 runs per game and their offense scored 5.1 runs per game. Clearly, for the last 67 games of the season – which is more than 40% of the schedule – the Yankees were in tread water mode.
And, it was worse towards the end. In their last 26 games of the 2010 regular season, the Yankees went 9-17. During this time, their pitchers allowed 5.4 runs per game and their offense scored 4.6 runs per game.
So, should be be shocked that the Yankees averaged 4.0 runs scored per game and allowed 5.0 runs per game this post-season? What the Yankees did, collectively, in the ALDS and ALCS was basically the same poor performance that they had over their last 26 games of the season.
Personally, I was concerned about their poor closing performance as they headed into the ALDS. Therefore, I’m not shocked that they Yankees went 5-4 in their 9 post-season games. Mediocre is as mediocre does, and all that.
More so, at this point, I’m more interested in the “why?” than the “what.” Why did the Yankees play so poorly for so long at the close of the season? And, who was responsible for realizing what was going on and what did they do to address it? There’s failure here. And, there has to be a root cause. Further, what will be done to address it for next season? And, who’s on point for that?
I have some preliminary ideas about all this – but, at this junction, I’d rather here from you. What do you think about this? How would you answer these questions?
So, the Yankees have now lost 12 of their last 18 games. And, a case could be made that they’re very lucky that it’s not 14 of their last 18.
Yeah, I know, they almost came back in the loss last night. Big whoops. It was a bunch of garbage time homers. And, in the end, it was all a date late and a dollar short.
Man, these are different times in Yankeeland. Do you think if this was happening before that church service for Otto Graham back in December 2003 that all this would be tolerated as much as it is today?
Me? To be candid, at first I was upset about how the Yankees are playing lately. But, now, I’m just flat out angry. Yeah, my state towards all this has gone from being troubled to being enraged now.
This team has eight games left to get their act together before the post-season. And, it would be beyond nice if they could start working towards that right now.
If angry comes after upset, what comes after angry? I’m really not looking forward to finding out.
If not for this man, the Yankees would have lost 13 of their last 17 games!
In any event, as it is, with their loss tonight, New York has now lost 11 of their last 17 games. So, how ugly is that?
It’s about as ugly as a leotard clad quinquagenarian with 1980′s big hair
acting like she’s getting her butt mud pushed in.
For a team with the most wins in their league, right now, the Yankees sure do stink.
Three days ago, I warned about this happening. And, this morning, I shared how important it was for the Yankees to win today. But, they lost – yet again. Make it eight of their last ten, now, that New York has dropped. And, at this moment, the A.L. Wildcard standings are:
W L PCT GB Yankees 88 58 .603 - Red Sox 82 64 .562 6
Yup, it’s a six game difference between the two teams with 16 games to be played – including six head-to-head match-ups between New York and Boston. Oh, and, by the way, the Yankees also have to play the Rays four times, too, in those 16 games.
Man, ten days ago, the Red Sox looked like toast. Heck, the Red Sox appeared dead back on August 24th.
But, those stupid ef’n blankety-blank Yankees have opened the door and let the Red Sox back into this thing. Criminy!
Damn, I just want to kick something now. Thanks Yanks. Thanks a lot.
When was the last time that the Yankees were involved in an extra inning game, with the score tied at zero, with only 18 games left to follow, while being in first place, and playing the team directly behind them, by only one-half game, and they brought in pitchers like Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre to pitch in the extra frames – when they had several other pitchers with better statistics available?
Lemme guess, if Mitre had pulled a Houdini, like Gaudin did, was Javy Vazquez the next in line to pitch in this one for the Yankees?
Man, punting is one thing. But, it’s even worse when you shank it.
Update: In his post-game presser, Joe Girardi said that Joba Chamberlain, David Robertson and Jonathan Albaladejo were not available as they needed rest. And, that he would not use Mo Rivera in a non-save situation. Well, Joba hasn’t pitched since last Friday. So, what’s up with that? And, Robertson last pitched on Saturday – throwing one and a third. And, in fact, over the last 13 days, he’s only pitched 6 innings (over five games). Therefore, how tired can he be – throwing 6 innings over a span of two weeks?
Since August 13th, I’ve seen some things in Yankeeland that haven’t been so great.
At the start of this time period, the Yankees lost 2 of their last 3 games to the lowly Royals. Oh, and, up in Toronto, they lost 2 of 3 to the Blue Jays. Plus, don’t forget, before this current series, they almost got swept, and ended up losing 2 of 3 to the Orioles. And, by the way, have you seen the last two terrible games in Texas?
On the bright side, the Yankees had an 8-game winning streak during this time – bolstered by taking 4 in a row from the ugly A’s in the Bronx. But, take out those 4 wins against Oakland and the Yankees are 12-12 in their other games since August 13th. Not exactly a championship pace, there, is it?
Lately, here, it seems that when it is shared that the Yankees have some issues to be concerned about, the reply from many is “But, we have the best record in baseball!”
However, with their loss last night to the Texas Rangers, the Yankees now have a winning percentage of .565 over their last 46 games. And, that’s a decent span of games – more than one-quarter, and close to one-third, of their season.
Now, yes, “.565 baseball” ain’t terrible. It projects to 91 or 92 wins over a 162-game season. But, a “91-win” team in the American League is a team that’s barely a playoff contender. And, it’s far from being “the best” team in baseball.
In a way, the 2010 Yankees are now like Michelle Pfeiffer – meaning, at this moment, they’re better looking than most and not bad at all. However, they’re not nearly as hot as they were earlier and anyone who looks at them now and makes a claim that they’re the best in the game is clearly ignoring the current state of things and living off lustful memories.
Derek Jeter went 0 for 4 in the Yankees rout last night. And, coming into that contest, since June 2nd, his BA/OBA/SLG line was: .244/.322/.342 (in 355 PA).
Yes, in his last 78 games, Derek Jeter is like a .240 hitter.
That’s a half-season worth’s of games.
Now, maybe Jeter is playing hurt. It’s very possible. But, that’s not a buddy pass on being accountable.
At this point, isn’t it time for Derek Jeter to be a team leader and go into Joe Girardi’s office and say “Skip, I’m not getting it done and I haven’t been getting it done for the last three months. You have to move me down in the line-up. I don’t deserve to bat first or second. I should be batting closer to seventh. I’m not helping the team where I’m batting now the way that I’m hitting”?
Seriously, since May 9th, through today, over his last 20 starts, A.J. Burnett’s ERA is 6.35 (78 ER in 110 2/3 IP). Wasn’t Dave Eiland supposed to fix him? What a joke. Oh, and, by the way, if the Yankees go on to lose this game today, they will be 6-14 in those 20 starts by Burnett. He’s killing this team and needs to be sent away. Perhaps to another planet?
I remember all my life.
Damon’s slam put the game on ice.
I kicked the trash can,
A fist through a window,
Curse died that night,
The night goes into,
Six years, later, now today.
He’s back, hell, oh,
no way.
Tears in my eyes.
What a bad memory.
Now we all realize
Just how crappy you can be,
oh Javy.
Well, you’re back
and your pitchin’ still crappy
Wanna send you away, oh
Javy.
Well you kill me and
make me swear like Satan
and you still suck today, Oh,
Javy.
