The Knicks were trying to set things up this off-season to sign LeBron next summer. Things have not worked out too well.
First, the team went after Jason Kidd and then Grant Hill.
The goal was to lure talent to New York in order to sign LeBron. Kidd expressly chose to go back to Dallas because he did not think the Knicks would land LeBron. Grant Hill also shied away from Knicks to re-up with the Suns.
Also, the salary cap was lowered by $1 million and that shrinks the amount the Knicks can spend beyond that of other - more talented - teams.
The one thing going for them is that the Knicks play in the biggest city in the country.
LeBron will be playing the Cleveland in all likelihood, but if he leaves, its going to be to play with a contender, not the Knicks.
I would make them a 60-1 long shot to land him, a even longer if they do not make the playoffs next year.
Yaros
Which New York All-Star Starter is the Most UNdeserving?
Sunday, July 12, 2009
What a Waste of Time!
The Yankees forgot that there was a weekend series prior to the all-star break. Two horrifically pitched games began the horrid series and then there was today's game.
When the bases are loaded with no outs and Teixeira and A-rod coming up - the Yankees must score!!!
The bottom of the line-up did the job in the 8th and Swisher got unlucky on a web gem, but the game was lost in the 7th inning.
Kudos to the Angels for consistently dominating the Yankees over the past decade, but, this series was just plain embarrassing!
Yaros
When the bases are loaded with no outs and Teixeira and A-rod coming up - the Yankees must score!!!
The bottom of the line-up did the job in the 8th and Swisher got unlucky on a web gem, but the game was lost in the 7th inning.
Kudos to the Angels for consistently dominating the Yankees over the past decade, but, this series was just plain embarrassing!
Yaros
Friday, July 10, 2009
Mets Trade Church For Francoeur According To ESPN Report!
The Mets are swapping out of favor outfielders with the Braves according to some sources. Buster Olney was very surprised by the alleged deal because of Francoeur's current standing among scouts.
I personally think the Mets would be getting a steal because Church is five years older than Francoeur and has far less upside. Francoeur has had 100 RBIs twice and he is only 25!
I think there is something wrong with the Braves hitting instructors because guys with relatively big swings seem to struggle there. Andruw Jones fell apart, as has Francoeur.
Yaros
I personally think the Mets would be getting a steal because Church is five years older than Francoeur and has far less upside. Francoeur has had 100 RBIs twice and he is only 25!
I think there is something wrong with the Braves hitting instructors because guys with relatively big swings seem to struggle there. Andruw Jones fell apart, as has Francoeur.
Yaros
Thursday, July 9, 2009
The Murphy Play, The Hot Yanks and an Intriguing Start in Minnesota Today...
It was a heck of a play, one that will likely not be seen again in the next 20 years. First, the odds of the ball bouncing off first base like that is very low and also, Murphy made a nice play.
If you haven't seen it, here it is...
I would argue that the runner was safe, but, that is a moot point.
Regarding the Yankees, they are playing really well right now and even superb play by the boppers in the Twins' lineup has not prevented the Yankees from winning every game played between the 2 teams thusfar (6 games).
You may recall the play on Monday in which Jeter stupidly tried to steal third base with no outs in the first inning and he was called out solely because the throw beat him to the base. In reality, the tag was on Jeter's chest and he was safe. Jeter got made and Joe Girardi got tossed because of the argument.
The same thing happened last night - twice. Both times were at second base. Brett Gardner gave the second base ump some serious lip after wrongly being called out for the same reason as Jeter on a steal. Swisher used his classic 'I don't agree with you' smile in response to being called out on an attempt at reaching second base on a shot to right field.
The umps ought to watch the play more carefully and stop ASS-U-M(E) ING!
Finally, Alfredo Aceves has been fabulous as a reliever and his nice mix of pitches could work well as a starter. There were questions as to why Girardi pushed Aceves for a fourth inning on Sunday, perhaps one reason is that Aceves is starting today and Girardi wanted to further stretch his arm out.
Yaros
If you haven't seen it, here it is...
I would argue that the runner was safe, but, that is a moot point.
Regarding the Yankees, they are playing really well right now and even superb play by the boppers in the Twins' lineup has not prevented the Yankees from winning every game played between the 2 teams thusfar (6 games).
You may recall the play on Monday in which Jeter stupidly tried to steal third base with no outs in the first inning and he was called out solely because the throw beat him to the base. In reality, the tag was on Jeter's chest and he was safe. Jeter got made and Joe Girardi got tossed because of the argument.
The same thing happened last night - twice. Both times were at second base. Brett Gardner gave the second base ump some serious lip after wrongly being called out for the same reason as Jeter on a steal. Swisher used his classic 'I don't agree with you' smile in response to being called out on an attempt at reaching second base on a shot to right field.
The umps ought to watch the play more carefully and stop ASS-U-M(E) ING!
Finally, Alfredo Aceves has been fabulous as a reliever and his nice mix of pitches could work well as a starter. There were questions as to why Girardi pushed Aceves for a fourth inning on Sunday, perhaps one reason is that Aceves is starting today and Girardi wanted to further stretch his arm out.
Yaros
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Oh Those Light-Hitting Mets!
It is hard to blame the Mets for their struggles. They have half their team injured and the team was playing with 2 guys (David Wright at third and the well-liked (jk) Louis Castillo at second) of the regular 8 in their proper positions.
That being said, it is really pathetic for the position players as a group to have left the last 33 men on base and have 0 RBI's since the seventh inning on Friday. The lone RBI since then was knocked in by a pitcher.
The Mets need some pieces to have a shot and there is not enough internally to get it done. The injuries have mounted and are making up for the injury luck the Mets had last year. There is no telling when the limping legends will return, but, if its late August when the cavalry return, my guess is that it will be far too late.
Yaros
That being said, it is really pathetic for the position players as a group to have left the last 33 men on base and have 0 RBI's since the seventh inning on Friday. The lone RBI since then was knocked in by a pitcher.
The Mets need some pieces to have a shot and there is not enough internally to get it done. The injuries have mounted and are making up for the injury luck the Mets had last year. There is no telling when the limping legends will return, but, if its late August when the cavalry return, my guess is that it will be far too late.
Yaros
Friday, July 3, 2009
NBA Trade Stuff/Signings!
A lot of NBA stuff has happened over the past few weeks. The Jefferson to the Spurs move, the Carter to Orlando move, the Shaq to LeBronville move, the Artest/Ariza flop between the Rockets and Lakers, the supposed Hedo to the Blazers move and all the other garbage that is floating out there.
Of the 4 big moves that were made, I would rank them in the following order.
Artest to the Lakers is ridiculous. The team is now far more stacked then any team in the league (not that they weren't close to it before). The Celtics could have beaten them with a healthy Garnett, not anymore. Pierce and LeBron are shooting only a combined 41% from the field against Artest over the past 2 seasons. With good help defense from Odom, Gasol and Bynum, those numbers will sink further. He is also a legit 2nd option and here he is 3rd or 4th.
Jefferson plays a very similar game to Manu. Both guys run the floor and can shoot. I think the Spurs have fears about Manu's continuing health and are looking for other options. The Duncan window is closing and Jefferson can push them close to the top.
The Hedo deal may not be official yet; however, he could have a similar leadership role to the one he had in Orlando. The Blazers have a lot of talent and should make the second round of the playoffs with Hedo next year.
Carter is essentially a worse replacement for Hedo in Orlando in terms of scoring. He is going to try to do too much (as usual) and will take zillions of bad shots. Hedo is what made that team go and he will be sorely missed. From the Nets perspective, the deal was great because he was not the future and the team got out of a bad contract. Getting Courtney Lee in a salary dump is not too bad either.
Shaq to the Cavs is just plain pulling straws. He may have a little left in the tank, but something fundamental went wrong in the playoffs for the Cavs and I expect them to struggle to play to the same level they did last year. They are a one man show - period. Mo Williams is NO SCOTTIE PIPPEN!
Yaros
Of the 4 big moves that were made, I would rank them in the following order.
Artest to the Lakers is ridiculous. The team is now far more stacked then any team in the league (not that they weren't close to it before). The Celtics could have beaten them with a healthy Garnett, not anymore. Pierce and LeBron are shooting only a combined 41% from the field against Artest over the past 2 seasons. With good help defense from Odom, Gasol and Bynum, those numbers will sink further. He is also a legit 2nd option and here he is 3rd or 4th.
Jefferson plays a very similar game to Manu. Both guys run the floor and can shoot. I think the Spurs have fears about Manu's continuing health and are looking for other options. The Duncan window is closing and Jefferson can push them close to the top.
The Hedo deal may not be official yet; however, he could have a similar leadership role to the one he had in Orlando. The Blazers have a lot of talent and should make the second round of the playoffs with Hedo next year.
Carter is essentially a worse replacement for Hedo in Orlando in terms of scoring. He is going to try to do too much (as usual) and will take zillions of bad shots. Hedo is what made that team go and he will be sorely missed. From the Nets perspective, the deal was great because he was not the future and the team got out of a bad contract. Getting Courtney Lee in a salary dump is not too bad either.
Shaq to the Cavs is just plain pulling straws. He may have a little left in the tank, but something fundamental went wrong in the playoffs for the Cavs and I expect them to struggle to play to the same level they did last year. They are a one man show - period. Mo Williams is NO SCOTTIE PIPPEN!
Yaros
It's About Time!
My wife and I had a blast in Hawaii and we are now home sweet home! And now... (drum roll please)...the first post back!
Burnett pitched another dandy again today in an afternooner against the Jays. With Burnett's fourth great start in a row coming on the heals of a weak start my CC, the significance of the start is more in the consistency than the game itself. The pick up from one starter to the next is the way to prevent losing streaks and as the saying goes, "a team is as hot as the next day's starting pitching".
If the Yankees pitch well, they will win. And win, they better, because the Sox are rollin' and the Rays have 4 fab young starters!
Yaros
Burnett pitched another dandy again today in an afternooner against the Jays. With Burnett's fourth great start in a row coming on the heals of a weak start my CC, the significance of the start is more in the consistency than the game itself. The pick up from one starter to the next is the way to prevent losing streaks and as the saying goes, "a team is as hot as the next day's starting pitching".
If the Yankees pitch well, they will win. And win, they better, because the Sox are rollin' and the Rays have 4 fab young starters!
Yaros
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Yanks and Mets Both Sliding!
The Yanks have lost 3 of 4 against weaker NL East opponents after a solid series win against the Mets. It is critical to continue to win series after series to remain in contention with the Red Sox. The Yankees fell 3 back yesterday and can not afford to fall further - even in the midst of a lengthy road trip.
CC feasts of NL hitters (recall last season) and must be dominant against the Marlins today. Chris Volstad has been awful lately (14 earned in his last 2 combined starts) and is 4-7 overall.
The Mets MUST win Johan Santana's starts. Granted his start against the Yankees was a stinker, but that could happen once or twice over the course of a year. That game is not the reason he is a mediocre 8-5 (mediocre for Johan). The 3.22 ERA has he is a statistical anomaly purely bloated based on 1 start and it is the 3-1 loses like yesterday's that really hurt his record and the team. He was great yesterday (although he did give up a big dinger to a lefty (Carlos Pena) and that game must have been had!
Tampa does seem to be playing much better of late and the return of Scott Kazmir will give the Rays the dilemma of keeping David Price in the rotation or finding what to do with Andy Sonnanstine.
The Mets have a biggie coming up against the the Cardinals in Queens. If one goes to the Cardinals Yahoo! page, said person will notice that in the right hand column, there is one player who leads the Cardinals in all noted batting statistical categories. Pujols' IBBs are conversely related to Ryan Ludwick's OBP. Ludwick had a career year last year and Prince Albert won his second MVP. Pujols must see pitches in order to dominate. The guy is scary good (hopefully...Yes, any true baseball fan would say hopefully, not on the juice) and should be the most feared hitter in a team's everyday line-up (whether A-rod is in the Yankees' everyday line-up or not (yes, that is a cheap shot at Joe Girardi as I am not a fan of giving players days off to relax them).
Benching A-rod is just dumb. The best way to get out of a slump is to continue to hit. If he is injured or needs rest physically, then give him a day, but adding the second day creates a story, creates pressure, and is just Girardi over-managing in his classic form.
Yaros
CC feasts of NL hitters (recall last season) and must be dominant against the Marlins today. Chris Volstad has been awful lately (14 earned in his last 2 combined starts) and is 4-7 overall.
The Mets MUST win Johan Santana's starts. Granted his start against the Yankees was a stinker, but that could happen once or twice over the course of a year. That game is not the reason he is a mediocre 8-5 (mediocre for Johan). The 3.22 ERA has he is a statistical anomaly purely bloated based on 1 start and it is the 3-1 loses like yesterday's that really hurt his record and the team. He was great yesterday (although he did give up a big dinger to a lefty (Carlos Pena) and that game must have been had!
Tampa does seem to be playing much better of late and the return of Scott Kazmir will give the Rays the dilemma of keeping David Price in the rotation or finding what to do with Andy Sonnanstine.
The Mets have a biggie coming up against the the Cardinals in Queens. If one goes to the Cardinals Yahoo! page, said person will notice that in the right hand column, there is one player who leads the Cardinals in all noted batting statistical categories. Pujols' IBBs are conversely related to Ryan Ludwick's OBP. Ludwick had a career year last year and Prince Albert won his second MVP. Pujols must see pitches in order to dominate. The guy is scary good (hopefully...Yes, any true baseball fan would say hopefully, not on the juice) and should be the most feared hitter in a team's everyday line-up (whether A-rod is in the Yankees' everyday line-up or not (yes, that is a cheap shot at Joe Girardi as I am not a fan of giving players days off to relax them).
Benching A-rod is just dumb. The best way to get out of a slump is to continue to hit. If he is injured or needs rest physically, then give him a day, but adding the second day creates a story, creates pressure, and is just Girardi over-managing in his classic form.
Yaros
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Mets/Yankees and the Trip!
The Mets and Yankees have duked it out for 2 split games thus far. One was a bit crazy with a very strange outing by Joba and K-rod's (albeit unfair) first blown save.
This series is more hype than anything else. Granted its fun and gives one team bragging rights, but, these games are just as meaningful as playing 3 against the Angels and less meaningful than three against the Sox.
Pettitte seems to be pitching in last year's fashion (really bad!).
Over his last 6 starts, Pettitte have walked the ball park and given up massive amounts of hits. His WHIP during that time is 1.875 and his ERA is 5.19. Granted he happens to be 3-2 during the stretch, but he is no vintage Andy and he is wildly inconsistent.
The Yankees are definitely behind the 8-ball thanks to Santana being on the mound tomorrow at the stadium. It is going to be mighty tough to beat him.
I will be very busy over the next couple of weeks. Anyone interested in writing for the blog during that time and beyond please email me at yaros@talkingNYsports.com.
We are always looking for new writers and opinions.
Yaros
This series is more hype than anything else. Granted its fun and gives one team bragging rights, but, these games are just as meaningful as playing 3 against the Angels and less meaningful than three against the Sox.
Pettitte seems to be pitching in last year's fashion (really bad!).
Over his last 6 starts, Pettitte have walked the ball park and given up massive amounts of hits. His WHIP during that time is 1.875 and his ERA is 5.19. Granted he happens to be 3-2 during the stretch, but he is no vintage Andy and he is wildly inconsistent.
The Yankees are definitely behind the 8-ball thanks to Santana being on the mound tomorrow at the stadium. It is going to be mighty tough to beat him.
I will be very busy over the next couple of weeks. Anyone interested in writing for the blog during that time and beyond please email me at yaros@talkingNYsports.com.
We are always looking for new writers and opinions.
Yaros
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Things to Look for in Wang...
Here is what are the important things to look for in tonight's start versus the Sox.
-How does Wang do in the first few innings while his pitch count is still low. He is still coming back from the bullpen and was good for a few innings last start.
-What is the speed on Wang's sinker. If it is back to 94/95, he should be in good shape.
-Does Wang's sinker have that late left to right break that sneaks over the outside corner against a righty and back over the inside corner against a lefty.
Yaros
-How does Wang do in the first few innings while his pitch count is still low. He is still coming back from the bullpen and was good for a few innings last start.
-What is the speed on Wang's sinker. If it is back to 94/95, he should be in good shape.
-Does Wang's sinker have that late left to right break that sneaks over the outside corner against a righty and back over the inside corner against a lefty.
Yaros
Darryl Strawberry's "Straw" - a Point of View
I'm halfway through Darryl Strawberry's new Book, Straw, and I have to share some thoughts. For one thing, it is impossible to put down. It is a riveting story of the most talked about athlete in New York sports over the past 25 years. I don't think that is an overstatement. Not Ewing, Messier, Arod, Jeter, Piazza, Rivera, Brodeur, NO ONE has been a bigger topic of conversation on Mike and the Mad Dog and other talk shows than Darryl Strawberry. Unfortunately, it was mostly for the wrong reasons.
I've watched Straw on SNY on and off the past couple years and was intrigued by this book. He is brutally honest about his upbringing and about the mistakes he made. His father was verbally abusive and very physically abusive. That no doubt helped shape the man he became. As a 21 year old he got caught up in the drugs, sex, and drinking that the lifestyle of a mid 80s New York Met provided him. He was so addicted to speed that he would have to take more and more speed in order for it to take any effect. One time he and David Cone were out drinking till 8 am for an afternoon game. Cone wasn't pitching but Straw had to overdo the speed in order to be able to play. At one point he crushed a triple and as he slid into 3rd, he had the worst headache, his world was spinning, and Cone was sitting in the dugout cracking up.
The book is not really about baseball. In his account of the 1986 postseason, the name Bill Buckner isn't mentioned; the whole Astros series takes about 2 paragraphs. The book is much more about his struggles against alcohol and drug abuse, and the part I have yet to read - his victory over those diseases. Much like with Josh Hamilton, one can only hope and pray that his recovery is permanent, and one must respect him for being so honest and open about all of hit setbacks, all of his flaws, and all of his mistakes.
I highly recommend this book.
Sussman
I've watched Straw on SNY on and off the past couple years and was intrigued by this book. He is brutally honest about his upbringing and about the mistakes he made. His father was verbally abusive and very physically abusive. That no doubt helped shape the man he became. As a 21 year old he got caught up in the drugs, sex, and drinking that the lifestyle of a mid 80s New York Met provided him. He was so addicted to speed that he would have to take more and more speed in order for it to take any effect. One time he and David Cone were out drinking till 8 am for an afternoon game. Cone wasn't pitching but Straw had to overdo the speed in order to be able to play. At one point he crushed a triple and as he slid into 3rd, he had the worst headache, his world was spinning, and Cone was sitting in the dugout cracking up.
The book is not really about baseball. In his account of the 1986 postseason, the name Bill Buckner isn't mentioned; the whole Astros series takes about 2 paragraphs. The book is much more about his struggles against alcohol and drug abuse, and the part I have yet to read - his victory over those diseases. Much like with Josh Hamilton, one can only hope and pray that his recovery is permanent, and one must respect him for being so honest and open about all of hit setbacks, all of his flaws, and all of his mistakes.
I highly recommend this book.
Sussman
Yankees Notes + Some BBall
Two quick notes from the Yankee game. Aside from Beckett kicking tushi and Burnett being just plain bad, there are 2 rather notable things that happened in the game tonight.
-It is so classic that Ortiz, amid his season-long slump does tremendous damage against the Yankees. He has more hits and RBIs against the Yankees this year than any other team. He is hitting over .300 against the Yankees. Argggggg!
-I am curious if there was any intent when Veras hit Jason Bay tonight. After all, Bay is killing the Yankees and it was square in the ribs. Hmmmmmmm?
BBall Notes:
-Kobe killed his team tonight with the missed free throws.
-Nelson should not be playing right now.
-Dwight Howard has about as much of an offensive game as Mutombo - no shot, no post moves - squadush!
-Odom will win or lose each game for the Lakers
-THE SERIES IS STILL OVER!
Yaros
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Knicks Looking Point!
The Knicks are apparently looking wholly at point guards with Steph Curry, Ty Lawson and Jonny Flynn as the most likely candidates.
I question the idea of picking a point guard that is not a sure-fire pick because middle of the draft point guards are a dime a dozen. None of these guys are Derrick Rose.
Curry is very small for a 2 and he is not a pure point guard. He is a great shooter, but the transition to the NBA will hurt his effectiveness.
Lawson is just not good enough to be picked 8th. He is only 6 feet tall (on a very good day) and he is not a good defender or shooter. Quickness only can get you so far. Plus, he is injury prone.
Flynn is the best prospect of the three because he is strong and has good size for the position. He is not a good shooter and is definitely a project. But, he is a fabulous athlete and definitely has NBA talent.
Yaros
I question the idea of picking a point guard that is not a sure-fire pick because middle of the draft point guards are a dime a dozen. None of these guys are Derrick Rose.
Curry is very small for a 2 and he is not a pure point guard. He is a great shooter, but the transition to the NBA will hurt his effectiveness.
Lawson is just not good enough to be picked 8th. He is only 6 feet tall (on a very good day) and he is not a good defender or shooter. Quickness only can get you so far. Plus, he is injury prone.
Flynn is the best prospect of the three because he is strong and has good size for the position. He is not a good shooter and is definitely a project. But, he is a fabulous athlete and definitely has NBA talent.
Yaros
The MLB 2 Step: Pitcher Stinks, DL Stint
I love how this works. Granted there are some guys who are legitimately injured (ex. JJ Putz), but there are definitely a lot of guys who get magic injuries to put them in the minors for a while.
Chin Ming Wang is a clear example as he had a very curious injury.
Oliver Perez is likely another example
and third on that list of guys in this area is...
Brad Lidge who has a "sprained knee" (otherwise known as a lack of control) and is now on the DL after back-to-back blown saves.
Granted we will never know, but pitching badly does not automatically equate to an injury.
Yaros
Chin Ming Wang is a clear example as he had a very curious injury.
Oliver Perez is likely another example
and third on that list of guys in this area is...
Brad Lidge who has a "sprained knee" (otherwise known as a lack of control) and is now on the DL after back-to-back blown saves.
Granted we will never know, but pitching badly does not automatically equate to an injury.
Yaros
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Prioritizing Injuries!
With Reyes, Delgado, Perez and Putz all on the DL, the Mets are missing a significant piece in every aspect of their game. From a speed perspective, Reyes is missing; from a power perspective, Delgado is missing; Perez is a starter and Putz is a reliever.
With the Mets weaker in all four catagories, in terms of replacement, what should take priority?
Obviously, a matter to consider is replacement players and length of injury among other factors.
Parnell has looked good so far - and he is very young; however, he is another one of those guys with a very high WHIP (1.59) and could blow up at any time. No relievers are ever particularly reliable (outside of closers) and replacing the good Putz is basically impossible.
Reyes can be spelled by the recently reactivated Alex Cora until the hammy is ok. I expect the hammy to take far longer than the always over-optimistic Mets' training staff.
Delgado is the most in need of replacement. He has the same injury as A-rod, but, he is not in close to as good shape as A-rod and is a few years older. It will take him much longer to come back from the injury than A-rod. Also, 1B are easier to find than anyone else. I expect Travis Hafner will be available with his big contract (4 year, $57 million) and poor team. Another possible option is Lyle Overbay who is a solid player. Aubrey Huff and Adam LaRoche are also decent options. Finally, Paul Konerko seems like a really good option because of he is right-handed and very powerful. One issue is however, that the White Sox think they are still in the race and are buyers, not sellers.
In any case, to replace someone without giving up prospects, the Mets will need to take on large amounts of salary. Fred Wilpon, enjoy writing the checks or losing games!
Yaros
With the Mets weaker in all four catagories, in terms of replacement, what should take priority?
Obviously, a matter to consider is replacement players and length of injury among other factors.
Parnell has looked good so far - and he is very young; however, he is another one of those guys with a very high WHIP (1.59) and could blow up at any time. No relievers are ever particularly reliable (outside of closers) and replacing the good Putz is basically impossible.
Reyes can be spelled by the recently reactivated Alex Cora until the hammy is ok. I expect the hammy to take far longer than the always over-optimistic Mets' training staff.
Delgado is the most in need of replacement. He has the same injury as A-rod, but, he is not in close to as good shape as A-rod and is a few years older. It will take him much longer to come back from the injury than A-rod. Also, 1B are easier to find than anyone else. I expect Travis Hafner will be available with his big contract (4 year, $57 million) and poor team. Another possible option is Lyle Overbay who is a solid player. Aubrey Huff and Adam LaRoche are also decent options. Finally, Paul Konerko seems like a really good option because of he is right-handed and very powerful. One issue is however, that the White Sox think they are still in the race and are buyers, not sellers.
In any case, to replace someone without giving up prospects, the Mets will need to take on large amounts of salary. Fred Wilpon, enjoy writing the checks or losing games!
Yaros
Federer Looking Sharp!
Roger has already broken Soderling twice within the first ten minutes of the match and that is a fabulous sign, because Federer generally dominates if he wins the first set.
I can't see this match reaching a 5th set.
Congrats on the win Roger!
Yaros
I can't see this match reaching a 5th set.
Congrats on the win Roger!
Yaros
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Wang Iffy (thus far), Pelfrey Bad, Willis Ugly!
Chin Ming Wang has been just so-so through 4 innings. His slider is so different than his classic sinker that even bad ones fool hitters. He is still leaving some sliders up. I wonder if he is being over aggressive to try to get the most out of his 80 pitches. That may be working against him.
Pelfrey was horrific through 3+. He just did not have anything going and was all over the place.
Dontrelle Willis had a very odd line today against the Red Sox.
Detroit
---------- IP - H - R - ER - BB - K - WHIP - ERA
D. Willis 2.1 - 0 - 5 - 5 - 5 - 3 - 1.64 - 6.84
Pelfrey was horrific through 3+. He just did not have anything going and was all over the place.
Dontrelle Willis had a very odd line today against the Red Sox.
Detroit
---------- IP - H - R - ER - BB - K - WHIP - ERA
D. Willis 2.1 - 0 - 5 - 5 - 5 - 3 - 1.64 - 6.84
Suspended?
Relax, AJ will not miss a start.
He was suspended for throwing up and in on Nelson Cruz in response to the recently waivered Vicente Padilla's beanball against Mark Teixeira.
Padilla is known for hitting players intentionally and the Teixeira beaning was clearly an example. To only fine Padilla and suspend AJ six games is ridiculous.
For this reason, AJ Burnett has appealed the suspension and it will be shifted to 4 games. That will allow him to not miss a start. Nonetheless, the principle is stupid! Peter Gammons called out the MLB office for being so dumb! This is another example of Cap't. Bud's awful management!
One note about today's game:
Wang needs to view this as a new season, starting today. Forget about the first 3 starts!
Yaros
He was suspended for throwing up and in on Nelson Cruz in response to the recently waivered Vicente Padilla's beanball against Mark Teixeira.
Padilla is known for hitting players intentionally and the Teixeira beaning was clearly an example. To only fine Padilla and suspend AJ six games is ridiculous.
For this reason, AJ Burnett has appealed the suspension and it will be shifted to 4 games. That will allow him to not miss a start. Nonetheless, the principle is stupid! Peter Gammons called out the MLB office for being so dumb! This is another example of Cap't. Bud's awful management!
One note about today's game:
Wang needs to view this as a new season, starting today. Forget about the first 3 starts!
Yaros
Wang Jacks Hughes Spot!
Chin Ming Wang will start today and Phil Hughes will be pitching from the pen for the time being.
It was only one poor start that pushed Hughes to the pen. This tells me that the Yankees were really interested in putting Wang back in the rotation and were simply looking for the smallest of windows.
Hughes did not pitch poor enough to get the typical demotion, it was Wang's recent success that caused the switch.
Yaros
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
A Report From The Stadium...
As my wife and I made our way to the fabulous seats in section 119 (14 rows up, right behind the Yankees on-deck circle), the concern was the weather.
As it was my second time in the new stadium, I was less concerned with my surroundings and far more concerned with what happened on the field.
My wife's interest in baseball is marginal at best and I knew that I would need to explain many aspects of the game to her. To start, her interest in the music played as a hitter walked up to the plate was far greater than her interest in what he actually did while up there. Also, in the 5th inning, I was watching a pitch and she said to me "wow, that girl has got really nice hair. Well, sort of, I like how it's cut, but she needs to re-dye her roots". I was quite amused and tried to refocus her.
All in all, the game sucked but the company was lovely. My wife learned a lot about the game we all love and we shared a Carvel Ice Cream over teachings about the terms double-play, pinch hit, pick off among others.
A quick funny note irrelevant to the game: There was a guy sitting across the aisle from us who was just a big ole moron who loved yelling at the on-deck hitter. Usually he would yell the guy's name, but at one point he yelled "A-rod, fix your pocket!" I was like, WHAT? I then looked, and the lining of A-rod's back pocket was completely inverted and sticking out of his pants. It actually looked quite funny and the guy kept yelling at him to fix his pocket. Coming from a drunk young lad, the comment was continuously hilarious.
One last non-game comment: Eli Manning was at the game and he got a big hand.
On to the game:
Pettitte was terrible. He gave up far too many walks and a bunch to lead off innings. He made an error that cost the Yankees another run. Just bad!
Posada got lucky on a double steal because the batter swung and hit him so the runners had to return to their respective bases. It was clear that they would have been safe - but his tally for the game was not too bad. Oh, and he can freaken hit, so glad to see him back in the lineup.
A-rod's boos got very loud towards the end of the game as he essentially blew the game. He grounded into a DP with the bases loaded and 1 out and struck out with a guy on third and 1 out. The other day Teixeira was intentionally walked to load the bases in front of A-rod. He delivered in the clutch, gotta keep doing that or the boos will continue to rain down. The expectations on him are ridiculous, but, he needs to successfully get at least one RBI in those 2 lost opportunities last night.
Finally, the pen pitch well. Tomko has been excellent all year. Interesting to note, Robertson called out Phil Coke for walking the lead off batter late in the game against Cleveland. He did the same last night!
Yaros
As it was my second time in the new stadium, I was less concerned with my surroundings and far more concerned with what happened on the field.
My wife's interest in baseball is marginal at best and I knew that I would need to explain many aspects of the game to her. To start, her interest in the music played as a hitter walked up to the plate was far greater than her interest in what he actually did while up there. Also, in the 5th inning, I was watching a pitch and she said to me "wow, that girl has got really nice hair. Well, sort of, I like how it's cut, but she needs to re-dye her roots". I was quite amused and tried to refocus her.
All in all, the game sucked but the company was lovely. My wife learned a lot about the game we all love and we shared a Carvel Ice Cream over teachings about the terms double-play, pinch hit, pick off among others.
A quick funny note irrelevant to the game: There was a guy sitting across the aisle from us who was just a big ole moron who loved yelling at the on-deck hitter. Usually he would yell the guy's name, but at one point he yelled "A-rod, fix your pocket!" I was like, WHAT? I then looked, and the lining of A-rod's back pocket was completely inverted and sticking out of his pants. It actually looked quite funny and the guy kept yelling at him to fix his pocket. Coming from a drunk young lad, the comment was continuously hilarious.
One last non-game comment: Eli Manning was at the game and he got a big hand.
On to the game:
Pettitte was terrible. He gave up far too many walks and a bunch to lead off innings. He made an error that cost the Yankees another run. Just bad!
Posada got lucky on a double steal because the batter swung and hit him so the runners had to return to their respective bases. It was clear that they would have been safe - but his tally for the game was not too bad. Oh, and he can freaken hit, so glad to see him back in the lineup.
A-rod's boos got very loud towards the end of the game as he essentially blew the game. He grounded into a DP with the bases loaded and 1 out and struck out with a guy on third and 1 out. The other day Teixeira was intentionally walked to load the bases in front of A-rod. He delivered in the clutch, gotta keep doing that or the boos will continue to rain down. The expectations on him are ridiculous, but, he needs to successfully get at least one RBI in those 2 lost opportunities last night.
Finally, the pen pitch well. Tomko has been excellent all year. Interesting to note, Robertson called out Phil Coke for walking the lead off batter late in the game against Cleveland. He did the same last night!
Yaros
The Defensive Run Ends...
With another tailing throw on a steal attempt against Jorge Posada. The guy has given up 16/19 stolen bases in his last 10 games in which he has caught. That is a truly embarrassing number.
Posada has been a prolific hitter throughout his career and this year is included, but the arm issues are certainly continuing.
The bottom line is that Posada will have this problem until he retires and the Yankees will simply need to live with it.
He is a solid stopper behind the plate, calls a decent game and is one of the best hitting catchers in baseball (likely 4th behind Mauer, Victor Martinez and Brian McCann).
I've been internally debating whether the Yankees streak of 18 errorless games was lucky or incredible. I'm leaning towards lucky with an exemption given to Mark Teixeira for saving a boatload of errors for Jeter and A-rod.
Note:
Jose Veras is so freaken talented that the only reason he is inconsistent must be something mechanical or mental. The guy has electric stuff and if he puts it together could be the 8th inning guy. He may have an arm slot issue - his slot may be a bit low.
Yaros
Posada has been a prolific hitter throughout his career and this year is included, but the arm issues are certainly continuing.
The bottom line is that Posada will have this problem until he retires and the Yankees will simply need to live with it.
He is a solid stopper behind the plate, calls a decent game and is one of the best hitting catchers in baseball (likely 4th behind Mauer, Victor Martinez and Brian McCann).
I've been internally debating whether the Yankees streak of 18 errorless games was lucky or incredible. I'm leaning towards lucky with an exemption given to Mark Teixeira for saving a boatload of errors for Jeter and A-rod.
Note:
Jose Veras is so freaken talented that the only reason he is inconsistent must be something mechanical or mental. The guy has electric stuff and if he puts it together could be the 8th inning guy. He may have an arm slot issue - his slot may be a bit low.
Yaros
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Putz Problems!
JJ Putz had a terrible outing last night (granted many of the hits were seeing-eye) and he is really pitching poorly this year.
Its more than that - the bottom line is that he must be compared to Heilman because that is the guy he replaced. The bottom line is that both give up a ton of runners and far too many walks (Putz did that last year as well) to be consistently effective.
Relievers are funky in that they are not generally good year after year. Putz seems to be of that ilk - and not of the elite closer ilk.
The Mets will have bullpen problems if K-Rod is the only trustworthy guy out there.
The most stark difference between the pitchers is their pay. Heilman made $1.2 mil last year which allowed the Mets to sit him if he was ineffective. However, with Putz making $6 million, it is a steep price for a guy sitting in the pen day in day out.
Yaros
Monday, June 1, 2009
Matsui Trade?
Remember the days when Matsui played in left field and didn't miss a game for years.
At one point he was the Japanese Ripken (and that carried over to the Yankees).
All has changed in the last 3 years. In all likelihood, Matsui is now feeling the ill-effects of his run of straight games. He has not played 100 games in 2 out of the last 3 years and at this point he can hardly run to second base.
He will surely be on the DL at least once this year with knee ______ (insert word that is means swollen, sore or whatever). Even if he miraculously does not make a trip to the Limping League, he will surely miss at least 15 games do to soreness.
If there is any time to trade Matsui it is sooner rather than later. He is clearly on the downside and the Yankees may need to get some pitching later in the year. He is a ground out to second (when trying to pull an outside pitch) waiting to happen, and he is not that important to the Yankees at this point. Posada will need to DH a few days a week, Damon will need some rest and Nady may need a day at DH here and there as well. With Matsui having no position and being very limited in his current skill set, it may be time to bring in some decent pitching for the guy.
Yaros
At one point he was the Japanese Ripken (and that carried over to the Yankees).
All has changed in the last 3 years. In all likelihood, Matsui is now feeling the ill-effects of his run of straight games. He has not played 100 games in 2 out of the last 3 years and at this point he can hardly run to second base.
He will surely be on the DL at least once this year with knee ______ (insert word that is means swollen, sore or whatever). Even if he miraculously does not make a trip to the Limping League, he will surely miss at least 15 games do to soreness.
If there is any time to trade Matsui it is sooner rather than later. He is clearly on the downside and the Yankees may need to get some pitching later in the year. He is a ground out to second (when trying to pull an outside pitch) waiting to happen, and he is not that important to the Yankees at this point. Posada will need to DH a few days a week, Damon will need some rest and Nady may need a day at DH here and there as well. With Matsui having no position and being very limited in his current skill set, it may be time to bring in some decent pitching for the guy.
Yaros
Roger's Chance!
After Rafa Nadal lost is one of the most shocking upsets in tennis history, Roger Federer has his chance at becoming the greatest player in history.
Perhaps a French Open win would have been sweeter if he were to personally beat Nadal - but, this would still be sweet and look just as good in the history book.
Nadal clearly is less effective against tall players and it basically took a perfect storm from a very talented tall player to beat him on clay.
Federer nearly blew his chance this morning against Tommy Haas; however, he has fought back and should get to the quarters.
Federer may lose to Andy Murray in the finals, but if he gets there against anyone else, I can't see him losing.
Don't screw this up Roger!
Yaros
Perhaps a French Open win would have been sweeter if he were to personally beat Nadal - but, this would still be sweet and look just as good in the history book.
Nadal clearly is less effective against tall players and it basically took a perfect storm from a very talented tall player to beat him on clay.
Federer nearly blew his chance this morning against Tommy Haas; however, he has fought back and should get to the quarters.
Federer may lose to Andy Murray in the finals, but if he gets there against anyone else, I can't see him losing.
Don't screw this up Roger!
Yaros
3 Headed Issues!
3 guys, 2 spots and 1 guy with no options.
That equates to Chin Ming Wang needing to be on the roster with the decisions coming at the potential cost of Joba or Hughes.
This is not a problem that is going away. The Yankees expect Burnett, Sabathia, Wang, Joba and Hughes to all be the future of the rotation. However, if Pettitte continues to have a solid year, he is likely want to come back next year (and the Yankees will probably take him) and the Yankees have a tendency to buy veteran pitchers for no reason. Therefore, I expect the Yankees to sign someone to a large deal post-Pettitte. That would again leave the Yankees with 6 starters (or 5 and Joba).
I have to think that Joba will eventually go to the pen because of this issue and his inconsistency as a starter. He is clearly far more effective throwing 2 pitches than throwing 4.
All those comments "oh, well, Joba should start because he has four quality pitches" is ridiculous because those pitches are not particularly good and they eliminate some of the usage of his fastball.
The other fear is that Joba has been down in the MPH department. It may be due to an injury; however, it also could be that he is trying to save his arm to pitch more inning - not an issue in the bullpen. He didn't have the crazy control issues that he has as a starter (avg. approx. 5 walks per 9 as a starter this year).
Joba must eventually be in the pen (unless Hughes is traded).
Yaros
That equates to Chin Ming Wang needing to be on the roster with the decisions coming at the potential cost of Joba or Hughes.
This is not a problem that is going away. The Yankees expect Burnett, Sabathia, Wang, Joba and Hughes to all be the future of the rotation. However, if Pettitte continues to have a solid year, he is likely want to come back next year (and the Yankees will probably take him) and the Yankees have a tendency to buy veteran pitchers for no reason. Therefore, I expect the Yankees to sign someone to a large deal post-Pettitte. That would again leave the Yankees with 6 starters (or 5 and Joba).
I have to think that Joba will eventually go to the pen because of this issue and his inconsistency as a starter. He is clearly far more effective throwing 2 pitches than throwing 4.
All those comments "oh, well, Joba should start because he has four quality pitches" is ridiculous because those pitches are not particularly good and they eliminate some of the usage of his fastball.
The other fear is that Joba has been down in the MPH department. It may be due to an injury; however, it also could be that he is trying to save his arm to pitch more inning - not an issue in the bullpen. He didn't have the crazy control issues that he has as a starter (avg. approx. 5 walks per 9 as a starter this year).
Joba must eventually be in the pen (unless Hughes is traded).
Yaros
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