2011 MLB Season

[Chalupa]

Pujols is going to sign w/ the Cubs. Did you see the photo of him hugging the Cubs GM this week?

Yankees should have fired Cashman years ago. Totally overrated.

[Dan Gould]

There is no "buying out" of players under any circumstances. They are guaranteed their salaries, unless they announce their retirements, and neither A-Rod nor Jeter strike me as the kind of player who would walk away from tens of millions of dollars.

So the only option is to trade or DFA those two. With the money they are owed, trading doesn't get you anything of value unless the Yankees take on 90% of the outstanding salary. So while Jeter is unlikely to ever again have a sustained positive impact on a team's prospects, how does the idea of giving A-Rod away so he can hit 30 home runs for someone else - maybe in your own division - sound?

They made their bed with A-Rod and Jeter and they have no choice but to lie in it.

As for Cashman, someone was in charge when they signed those guys that everyone wants to see on the major league team. Is there really a reason for Cashman to be fired outside of the fact that he seems so comfortable standing up and saying things like "I didn't want to spend the money on Soriano" and things like that?

Girardi is way down on the list of problems for that team.

Are Yankee fans so certain they can't compete with the roster as presently constructed that they really want to get rid of so much supposed deadwood in order to give a bunch of AA players a chance? You don't want them to try to compete now while giving those youngsters the best chance to finish their development and then have success in the majors on their time-frame, not yours?

Probably the smartest and only thing the Yankees can do, aside from making some sort of trade to improve the rotation, is to give Posada a few more weeks to right the ship and then DFA him and name Montero the DH. Its obvious there is no sentimentality in the team, Posada isn't going for any personal statistical accomplishments like Jeter is, they should decide whether he is worth some more time to figure it out or they should just cut ties now.

[Matthew]

What's wrong with Buck's voice?

We have the Dodger / DBack game out here, in an empty Dodger Stadium *Yawn*

I thank the heavens that I was able to miss Sarah Silverman & Joe Buck because the game out here was the Dodgers/DBacks. I don't even want to go to You Tube to hear how bad that must have been. I feel your pain for those who endured it -- now you know why the West Coast is the best coast, we miss stuff like that.

[JSngry]

If Bobby Valentine is the answer, that's one jacked up question.

[Matthew]

If Bobby Valentine is the answer, that's one jacked up question.

Well, he's a master of disguise...

[Neal Pomea]

Glad we didn't get swept by Florida! Nice save situation for young pitcher Cole Kimball.

Can't wait for Tuesday's day game "businessman's special" (more like playing hooky special!) which I will be attending! I try to go to as many of their one-a-month weekday day games as I can. Must have been amazing in the 50s in NY with people leaving work in suits to watch their teams. Well, they did that in DC too, but the baseball wasn't as good.

Edited May 15, 2011 by Neal Pomea

[ghost of miles]

Lonesome Dave speaks to what the Yankees need to do. It's probably best that you not read beyond this point if you believe everything will be fine and no changes are necessary.

GM: FIre Cashman and make an offer he can't refuse to someone with a proven track record of success in building a farm system and developing and acquiring talent. Someone like Larry Beinfest from Tampa Bay or Andrew Friedman from Florida.

Managerial: Fire Joe Girardi and bring in Bobby Valentine. Valentine has already shown that he can handle the 500-watt light bulb that is New York baseball. He's also an ass kicker and that's precisely what this team needs.

Position players: Buy out Jeter and A-Rod. Release Posada. Promote Jesus Montero, let him DH and, on occasion, catch a game.

Pitching: Garcia, Colon, Nova, Chamberlain: all gone. Bring up Brackman, Betances and Banuelos and let them pitch at this level. Either for purposes of developing them as future starters or as an enticement to other teams as a trade option.

The most important thing the Yankees need to acknowledge is that they are in the opening throes of a death spiral. I say, chuck it all and start from scratch. You've had a nice run. Time to restock, use the tremendous resources available to you more wisely and get ready to get back in the game in 2-3 years.

That's it. Easy. Really.

Dave, re:

GM: Cashman is indeed getting a bit too talkative for my taste (hard not to do, I'd imagine, when you're in the NY media spotlight), and sometimes I think he tends to inflame ongoing situations (the Jeter negotiations, for instance, or last night's brouhaha with Posada--who was totally out of line, by the way, and who ought to issue an apology for having caused such a stink, instead of trying to cover up with the "back stiffness" excuse). He did make some good moves for us in the offseason--picking up Russell Martin, for instance. At 73 Gene Michael is probably a bit long in the tooth to come back as GM, but if Cashman were to leave, either voluntarily or at the behest of the Steinbrenners, I'd love to see somebody as good with the farm system as Michael was in the 1990s (laying the foundation for much of the Yanks' ongoing success between the mid-1990s and now) move into that position. Still, the farm system isn't doing too badly right now; I think it's more an issue of how the Yankees are managing it (and that ties in a bit to the issue with having handed veteran stars overly-long, overpaid contracts.)

Managerial: Joe Girardi does make some boneheaded decisions from time to time (Pinstripe Alley has mounted a generally level-headed critique of them), but in general I think he's been a good manager for the team... being able to keep the clubhouse relatively free of drama is an important asset for any Yankee manager. (Another reason why Posada's hissy fit last night is really problematic for me; too many shades of the George I era. I mean, even A-Rod, for all of his problems with Joe Torre, took his lumps when Torre moved him way down in the batting order during the playoffs a few years ago.) Anyway, I don't think firing Girardi would solve their problems, and would almost certainly add to them in the short term. Any kind of decision like that would be best made in the off-season, anyway (again, too reminiscent of the Yankees' 1980s/early 90s desert years for me.)

Position players: nothing to be done about Jeter and A-Rod's contracts. At some point we may need to move Jeter down in the lineup if he can't at least maintain a .270 BA, and that will be more possible drama. I highly doubt that he retires at the end of this season, unless his performance becomes so abysmal that he ends his career out of pride. More likely that he ends up making a slight improvement on last year's numbers, then continues to decline over the next two. Doesn't he have an option to take a fourth year as well? A-Rod's still got some offense left in him, but last year's .270/30 HRs numbers may be looking good in another year or two...who knows? I was happy to see him start off so well in April, but he's really been in a bad slump, ever since he went out with that oblique injury. There was a lot of optimism about him in spring training due to his being able to work a 100% offseason conditioning program for the first time in two years, but he's still on the verge of turning 36, and it's hard to say what level of hitting we can expect or hope to see from him in the next several seasons.

I'd give Posada another month or so to try to get whatever's left of his groove back. I do think they should bring up Montero soon, possibly in June (that delays his arbitration clock, right?), but in the meantime they should bring up another Jorge--Jorge Vazquez, who's smoking the ball for Scranton, and who, in addition to DHing, can back up first and third while Chavez is out.

Pitching: the Killer B's work-load and minor-league experience really precludes bringing any of them up in 2011 as a full-on season-long starter. Colon has pitched well for us, Garcia too, and Nova had three good starts in a row before that last blowout. I think it's too soon to make a call on Nova, and my biggest concerns with Colon and Garcia are how well they're going to hold up across the stretch of the year. Another question mark is Phil Hughes--when he comes back, will we see April-May 2010 Phil, or June-October 2010 Phil? Again, hard to say. What I would not want to see happen is us trading away lots of farm talent for an overvalued starter at mid-season. If we can pull off an artful deal that bolsters the staff, I'm all for it, but I'm not counting on a King Felix pickup or anything like that. (Andy, Andy, why hast thou forsaken us? I wish Pettitte would reconsider his retirement and return for a half-season, but that's about as likely as seeing King Felix in pinstripes. Here's an interesting stat: Pettitte went out with his groin injury last year on July 18; the Yankees still won, putting them at 58-33. Since that date, the Yankees' record (including last year's playoffs) is 62-55. Since July 31 of last year, it's 54-51. They've been essentially a .500 team.) We may simply be looking at a team somewhat comparable to the 2008 edition, coming in on the high side of a mid-80s win total (maybe another 8-game drop, like the one from 2009 to 2010). By Yankee standards of the past 15 years, that would be pretty mediocre, and it seems like small results for such a big-noise payroll. But it's that payroll itself that creates some of our problems. In the meantime, we have a good outfield (though Nick Swisher can start hitting, like, any time now!), and an excellent asset in Robinson Cano. Posada is gone after this year anyway, freeing up $13 million in payroll. Biggest problems will be dealing with the aging A-Rod and Jeter, whether or not Tex can be a consistently threatening hitter in the #3 hole, finding a replacement for Mo (who I'd be surprised to see pitching, or at least pitching effectively, beyond 2012), and dealing with CC's opt-out clause.

We're only a fourth of the way through the season, and hopefully NY can turn it around--I'd counsel patience. But I agree that the signs right now are pointing to a struggling year for the Yanks. I still don't see how Boston doesn't end up running away with the division, esp. with two of their five starters pitching so well (Lester and Beckett) and Buchholz showing signs of a return to 2010 form. And Gonzalez is a menace in that batting order! Sure, their slow start precludes them winning 110-115 games or some such, but they've still got a great shot at racking up 100 wins and the division title.

EDIT: apparently Posada has indeed apologized to Girardi. One rosy scenario would be that this comes to be seen as an early low point in the season. Off the Yankee Twitter feed at the NY Times:

Jon Heyman

Girardi told posada: "I believe you can turn this around." Joe g doing nice job in press conference 50 minutes ago

Jack Curry

Girardi admitted he's managing some great Yankees who are aging and that there's "no manual for that." 52 minutes ago

Jack Curry

Girardi and Posada were emotional in meeting. Girardi said he wouldn't say Posada cried, but said it wasn't the "typical Jorge Posada face.

Edited May 15, 2011 by ghost of miles

[JSngry]

After losing more than a few we probably should have won, it's so nice to have one go the other way.

And I bet nobody feels better about it that Adrian Beltre, whose 3 run HR put the Rangers up on the board and out of an early innings funk, but whose rare defensive gaffe allowed the Angels to tie it up, and whose discipline at the plate (sic!) allowed hi to work a leadoff walk that eventually became the winning run in the bottom of the 8th. The look on his face once he scored told me all I need to know about this guy. Not taking the game seriously is not a character flaw for him.

And now that we've finally won a series, I feel non-whiny in saying that the sooner we get Hamilton, Cruz, and ever Bourbon back, the better. David Murphy is a good player, but.... And to keep the reference going, if Endy Chavez is the answer, it must be a really jacked-up question, which, of course it is. Not to take away from the personal triumph that is his for making his way back, I'm just sayin'...

Now we take to the road. Hope we can put some wins up against the ChiSox & KC, because we ain't ready for Philly, not this offense at this time, no way.

But hey - moral victory and an actual victory in the same game, finally. SWEET!

[ghost of miles]

Two NY Times articles about the Indians for Patrick:

The Indians' Manny Acta: follow me

Indians first in standings, last in attendance

[ghost of miles]

One for Jsngry:

Rangers' sluggers Cruz and Hamilton nearing rehab games

[JSngry]

Josh has been taking BP & it's been going well. Wash is already on record as saying that wehn he comes back, he'll be the DH for a week or so, which opens the can of worms as to where do you play Michael Young in the field every day during that span, because that cat's been nonstop doing it with the bat.

Nellie was in a deep slump when he came out, so who knows where that leads. Me, I think he needs to see a hypnotist, b/c I think he's subconsciously haunted by that swinging strike three to end the WS last year.

Is this chick still available?

[ghost of miles]

Josh has been taking BP & it's been going well. Wash is already on record as saying that wehn he comes back, he'll be the DH for a week or so, which opens the can of worms as to where do you play Michael Young in the field every day during that span, because that cat's been nonstop doing it with the bat.

Nellie was in a deep slump when he came out, so who knows where that leads. Me, I think he needs to see a hypnotist, b/c I think he's subconsciously haunted by that swinging strike three to end the WS last year.

Is this chick still available?

If she is, the Yankees may soon be bidding for her services as well. Of course, she'll probably spurn both of us for the City of Brotherly Love...

[Matthew]

3 hours and 41 minutes to complete a nine inning game. These Yankee / Red Sox games are boring as heck to the rest of the non-East Coast world, thank goodness for basketball being on at the same time...

[Brad]

Regarding Ghost's post above, I have never been a big Cashman fan and do think he is a bit too talkative. This team, stretching back from the 90s, was formed by Gene Michael and you could do worse to have him back in the saddle. I've never been a huge Girardi fan but, hey, the guy did a pretty good job with the Marlins, and has won a World Series here so that's hard to knock.

I think some of the players are getting old and sometimes it's better to get rid of a player a year too soon than a year too late. We may be seeing that with Posada and he's probably having trouble adjusting to that. No one likes to be told it's time but in corporate America that's what happens. If it were me, I'd probably show him the door and get someone younger up here. It's time for some of the younger guys to take that mantle of leadership.

[JSngry]

These Yankee / Red Sox games are boring as heck to the rest of the non-East Coast world,

Not really boring, just that all the "drama" there is real enough if you're directly involved in it, but hell, we all got dramas of our own, and frankly, my baseball dramas of, say, which Matt Harrison is going to show up on any given day, or when is Elvis Andrus going to decide to drop in a totally boneheaded defensive f-up in the middle of a field of gems, and, oh, by the way, who's going on the DL next, or is it finally over, these are all things that matter to me significantly more than Jorge Posada's little baseball-male-menopause psychodrama (hey dude, it's over, or almost over - deal with it, ok) & whether or not Boston makes .500 last night or one day this week (of course they're going to get to .500, and of course they're going to become the dominant team in that division, barring some really weird shit, and that would be the big news for me there, when/if that happens).

That's the beauty of MLB TV coverage - they know that every team has its own stuff going down and they report accordingly. There's still a tilt towards the Eastern Behomouths, not necessarily because that's the way it "should be", but just because that's the way it is, like it or not. Nevertheless,if you want real coverage of both leagues, that's where you go, and that's where you stay.

As for Girardi, I think he showed himself to be a class act all the way, kudos to him for that and for being a fine manager in general. He's ok in my book, in all chapters, and anytime he's the problem I think you gotta ask yourself if maybe the wrong questions are being asked. As for Posada, hey, yeah, I know it's the "500 watt lightbulb of New York baeball" & that light's been on a long time, but bottom line - tens of thousands of men daily have to face the realities of impending-and-beyond middle age "adjustments", so he's hardly unique in that regard, and....I just think it's too much drama for the sake of drama in a world that seems to loves its own dramas being played out on a national-scale level. The stage is right there for them to use, with apparently no admission fee.

[Dave James]

Since May 2, the Yankees are 21 for 95 (.221) with runners in scoring position.

[Dan Gould]

Getting to .500 now or a little while from now ... fact remains that having wasted 1/4 of the season, to make 95 wins the Sox have to play .614 ball the rest of the way. I can't remotely imagine that.

My wife was shocked when I told her that if they don't complete the sweep, they'll fall into last place. Now their two worst starters face the Orioles and then the streaking Tigers come to Fenway. They struggle and struggle to reach this level and you just know they're going to hang around this level anyway. They'll be lucky if they're eight games over .500 by Indpendence Day.

As for drama, I guess its a matter of which side you're on. Yankee fans were probably certain that their flailing team wouldn't get the job done against Bard or Papelbon, while I was equally certain that a flyball would go over the Pony League fence (I didn't think it would come off Salty's bat though) and they'd fall to 0-5 in attempts to reach .500.

As far as Girardi goes, I think the strain is showing in the way they kept showing him yapping at the ump about balls and strikes. That's the mark of a manager desperate to get a win somewhere, somehow.

[JSngry]

Dan, I think you're letting the math get the better of you!

Barring injuries, the Red Sox have the proven talent to hold up over the season, moreso than they Yanks, and until proven otherwise, the Rays.

It might be that this year the AL East plays out like the AL West often does, where it's not uncommon to have a divisional winner circling around the 90 win mark.rather than the 100.

But in the interim...how 'bout them Indians?

[Matthew]

I think this year, for both AL & NL, if you're above .500, you have a great shot at the playoffs, there doesn't seem to be any great teams out there right now. Now, if the Rangers had stayed healthy, they would be ten games in front by now, they were red hot at the start.

[JSngry]

Now, if the Rangers had stayed healthy, they would be ten games in front by now, they were red hot at the start.

Yeah, well, when all the bodies get back, the question is this - what then? Especially with the pitching as unpredictable as it now is. And nobody's saying it yet, but I'm not so sure that the spring experimentations with Feliz starting haven't messed him up a little (or, god forbid, more than a little). In a perfect world, the young starters all mature enough around mid-july to lock in good enough to support the offense, and we play ball the way we are certainly capable of playing ball. After that, what happens happens. I think wethe division, but that really does depend on the pitching, which right now generates screams and night sweats.

[JSngry]

As far as real baseball drama goes, I'd keep an eye on the future Cards/Reds series...looks like their might be some genuinely bad blood a'brewin' there...

[Matthew]

You have got to be kidding me? The Yankee front office is mad at Jeter, of all people, because of some innocuous comments he made about Posada? I'm no Yankee fan, but even I know that you don't treat either Posada or Jeter in such a condescending way. Sounds like some of these front office people don't realize that it's the players that win the games, not them.

[Dave James]

A rather ominous article from the pen of ESPN's Buster Olney. Not sure if it was stupidity or just good old garden variety hubris that brought the Yanks to this dark and lonely place.

http://bleacherreport.com/tb/b9xxM

Edited May 16, 2011 by Dave James

[AmirBagachelles]

Jeter and Posada have to lead by example, that's maybe not all they have left, but much of it. I don't imagine Torre or Showalter or Martin or Lemon or Houk would have worried much about the "consequences" of moving ineffective hitters down the lineup. More generally, IT has got to be what the skipper says, no matter the team, that's baseball.

[JSngry]

Not sure if it was stupidity or just good old garden variety hubris that brought the Yanks to this dark and lonely place.

If you want a "dark and lonely place" try being in the upper deck for one of the Twins-Mariners games in September. Tickets still available! http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/MLBEventInfo?pid=6970105&agency=MLB&tfl=Minnesota_Twins-Schedule-Twins_Schedule-na-x0