Archive for ‘Off-Season’

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February 6, 2012

Speculating on the Yankees 2012 Starting Lineup

by Jamie Insalaco
johnny-damon

I took this photo of Johnny Damon from seats in the upper deck by the right field foul poll while he was in left field... which is why it looks so crappy.

The season hasn’t started yet and the Yankees still have one hole to fill, but I’ve already got a guess at what lineup the Yankees will run out on most days.

  1. Derek Jeter, SS
  2. Curtis Granderson, CF
  3. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
  4. Robinson Cano, 2B
  5. Mark Teixeira, 1B
  6. Nick Swisher, RF
  7. Johnny Damon/Andruw Jones, DH
  8. Russel Martin, C
  9. Brett Gardner, DH

I think this is the year to sandwhich A-Rod between the powerhouse of Curtis Granderson and Robinson Cano. Imagine how long it will take when the 2, 3 and 4 spots come up inthe 7th inning? Managers with two lefties in their pen will go to their first LHP for Granderson, then to a RHP for A-Rod, and then back to a lefty for Cano. We’ll be there for half an hour.

A-Rod and Teixeira are both due for bounce back years with the stick, but until they prove they can hit their way into better spots in the lineup, I say let them hit 3rd and 5th, respectively.

Yeah, I think the Yankees are waiting for Johnny Damon to drop his asking price and then they’ll sign him to be the DH against RHP and an emergency guy off the bench for the outfield, and maybe even first base. (I swear I’ve seen Damon play first base!) Damon has a great Yankee Stadium swing, it looks like he can still run OK and we all know he’s got the right attitude. I think he’s the right choice – it’s only a matter of time before they sign him.

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January 16, 2012

Who Will Be The Yankees 4th and 5th Starters?

by Jamie Insalaco

new-york-yankees-2012-pitching-rotation-battle

At this point, I think it’s pretty clear that the Yankees intend to front their rotation with C.C. Sabathia, Michael Pineda and Hiroki Kuroda.  But who will they slot in as their fourth and fifth starters, and in what order?  There is a case to be made for all the candidates.

Freddy Garcia

Garcia gave the Yankees 25 starts, 146.2 IP of 3.62 ERA ball – not exactly setting the world on fire, but more than serviceable.  He’s a veteran, he’s been this guy for two seasons in a row, and, like any pitcher, you know what he’s going to get unless he breaks.

A.J. Burnett

At this point, the only positive thing I can say about Burnett‘s tenure with the Yankees is he always takes the ball when it’s his turn and he soaks up innings.  If the Yankees are willing to eat say…  75% of his salary, they can probably trade him, but that’s a spicy meatball.

Ivan Nova

Nova’s rookie campaign have the Yankees 165.1 IP of 3.70 ERA ball in 27 starts while going 16-4.  That’s impressive.  Now I think it’s fair that no one expects him to repeat that performance in 2012, but Nova looks like the real deal, and I don’t see any reason why the Yankees would want to disrupt his progress (Hughes style…  Chamberlain style… sigh.), so it stands to reason they’ll find a spot for him.

Phil Hughes

Hughes has been the Yankees pet project for years, but I think it’s finally over.  Hughes has repeatedly shown success in the bullpen while the injuries just keep piling up.  Sure, he had that one strong year in 2010, but his health is a concern.

So what’s a team with four arms for two spots to do?

Nothing.  Having too many starting pitchers is the sort of problem that could work itself out before opening day as someone could get injured.  Phil Hughes’ fastball velocity could be in the toilet again…  Burnett might get punched in the face again…  Garcia might have another kitchen accident… who knows?

Make a trade.  The bullpen is already pretty crowded, so maybe the Yankees try to move Hughes.  On the other hand, his value is low now, so the Yankees would be selling low, which doesn’t make a lot of sense.  They have been reportedly shopping Burnett for months now, and, because they are sick of his act, may be willing to eat a ton of money just to get rid of him – especially now, with this influx of too many arms and a need for a part time DH.  (Of course, they can keep Burnett and pick up Johnny Damon or Carlos Pena for straight cash.

But what will they do?  What do I think they’ll do?  I think they’ll force Burnett out the door for a bag of balls…  but we’ll see.

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December 22, 2011

Upgrading the Yankees Starting Pitching Rotation: Trade, 1 Year Deal or Bust

by Jamie Insalaco

Now that the big non-trade pitchers are off the board, the Yankees options for upgrading their starting pitching rotation are narrowing – but I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing.

I don’t know if I necessarily want (wanted) any of the big names available – Yu Darvish might be great, he might be average, he might be below average and he might be Kei Igawa. It’s probably not going to take CC Sabathia money for the Rangers to sign him, but it is a lot to spend on someone that’s not a known MLB star. As for CJ Wilson… I know he’s had good numbers, but his track record is short and as the Rangers let him go and then bid $50 million to negotiate with Darvish… this makes me think the Angels may come to regret signing Wilson. (I.E., what do the Rangers know that everyone else doesn’t know? I bet we find out in 2013 or sooner.) Sure, it might have been nice to have Mark Buehrle, but he got a ton of money, and he seems like the kind of starting pitcher the Yankees give a 4 year deal to and then everyone connected immediately regrets it – Buehrle’s age, contract length and amount prohibited the Yankees from making a move here.

Maybe the Yankees will make a trade. The Yankees are always linked whenever anyone says Gio Gonzalez, but I’d expect Money Baller Billy Beane to ask for the sun, the moon and the stars – meaning Jesus Montero, Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances, and that’s not going to happen… oops, Gonzalez has just been traded to the Nationals for a four player hall. Scratch him off the list! And John Danks already signed an extension with the White Sox, so trade options are evaporating.

At this point, I’d look to see the Yankees kick the tires on Roy Oswalt (although they might be afraid of his bad back) and Hiroki Kuroda as both of these pitchers will reportedly accept 1 year deals. Like last year, I think this is what the Yankees want – inexpensive veterans on cheap 1 year deals.

I think Yankees GM Brian Cash-Money is waiting to make a bigger acquisition next year. In the mean time, maybe they’ll grab somebody on a 1 year deal, make a trade, or stand pat and go with their prospects.

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November 29, 2011

Derek Jeter Sculpture at Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory

by Jamie Insalaco

I’m sure you’ve already heard, but the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory has unveiled a Derek Jeter sculpture, or statue, or whatever. Sorry, this sat in my inbox for nearly two months and I’m just now getting to it. The press release is below… if it says what the sculpture is made out of, I don’t see it. The thing has a weird look… is he wood, or maybe wax? I can’t tell. Also, it doesn’t look much like Jeter, although I do think they sorta got his expression right, if that makes any sense.

I’ve never been the Louisville Slugger facility, and this isn’t really motivating me to change that. In fact, the whole thing is sorta weird. Now, the museum has four statues: Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Ken Griffey, Jr. and Derek Jeter… that’s a Cooky Quartet if I ever heard of one. Griffey was a great player (though often injured) and Jeter has obviously amassed a career that few could boast, but I would never say either of them are on an even playing field with Ted Williams and Babe Frigging Ruth. It boggles the mind!

Anyway, here’s the press release.

Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory Unveils Derek Jeter Sculpture

Museum will honor Yankee Captain with “Derek Jeter Day” on Saturday

Louisville, KY (October 12, 2011) — Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory added another superstar to its roster Wednesday as it unveiled a lifelike sculpture of Derek Jeter, team captain of the New York Yankees and future baseball Hall of Famer.

To welcome the new sculpture, the museum will celebrate “Derek Jeter Day” this Saturday, honoring the Yankee Captain. As part of the celebration, a game used Derek Jeter bat will be added to the museum’s Hold a Piece of History exhibit, allowing guests to hold a bat actually used by Jeter. Guests will also receive Jeter mini bats at the conclusion of each factory tour, while supplies last.

In addition, for “Derek Jeter Day” the museum will offer a special $2 admission in recognition of Jeter’s #2 jersey. Proceeds from Saturday’s ticket sales will be donated to Derek Jeter’s Turn 2 Foundation.

“We are thrilled to feature Derek Jeter in the museum,” said Anne Jewell, Executive Director at Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory. “Jeter is a baseball rockstar, an ambassador for the game and a huge fan favorite. We’re proud to include him in our lineup of baseball greats and we know our guests will love it. ”

Jeter, the longtime Yankees shortstop, joins elite company as he is just the fourth person honored with a statue at Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory. The only other player sculptures in the museum are baseball legends Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Ken Griffey, Jr.

“It’s a true honor to be recognized in this way by Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory,” said Derek Jeter. “Louisville Slugger is synonymous with baseball. I’ve used the same bat model (P72) throughout my career and it’s a privilege to have such a tribute in this great museum devoted to the skill and history of hitting,” he said.

Since his major league debut in 1995, Jeter has been one of baseball’s most popular figures and is currently the all-time New York Yankees hit leader. He has been selected as an All-Star 12 times, won the Silver Slugger award four times and earned the Gold Glove award on five occasions. He won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1996 and helped the Yankees win the World Series the same year.

Jeter was also an integral part of World Series championship-winning teams in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2009. He is the only player in history to win both the All-Star Game MVP Award and the World Series MVP Award in the same year. He has served as the Yankees’ team captain since 2003 and collected his 3,000th career hit earlier this season.

The sculpture unveiling coincides with Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory’s 15th Anniversary Year. In May, the museum welcomed its record 3-millionth guest. With 234,771 visitors last year, Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory broke its attendance record in 2010; a record unmatched since the museum opened for its first full year in 1997.

Earlier this year, the museum unveiled its newly renovated, 3,000-square-foot Museum Store, which was designed with a fresh layout to bring a feel of the museum to the store that offers hundreds of gifts, apparel and collectibles.

Also new in 2011, Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory announced that its factory is now producing bats year round on Saturdays, and for the first time ever also producing bats during tours on Sundays and holidays, enabling visitors to view bat production on every tour.

Follow Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory on Facebook for more information.

About the Turn 2 Foundation

The Turn 2 Foundation was created during Derek Jeter’s 1996 rookie season with a goal to create and support signature programs and activities that motivate young people to turn away from drugs and alcohol and “TURN 2” healthy lifestyles. Through these ventures, the Foundation strives to create outlets that promote and reward academic excellence, leadership development and positive behavior so that children of these programs grow safely and successfully into adulthood and become the leaders of tomorrow.

About Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory:

Experience history-in-the-making as you stroll through the factory where world-famous Louisville Slugger bats are created. Award-winning factory tour, newly renovated galleries with interactive exhibits, historic memorabilia, the World’s Biggest Bat, and more. Create a Louisville Slugger bat with your very own name on it, just like the pros. Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, 800 West Main Street, is open Monday – Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Sundays 12 noon – 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors (60+), $5 children (6-12), and free for children 5 and under. For more information, log on to sluggermuseum.com or call 502-588-7228.

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November 28, 2011

Bringing Freddy Back To The Fold Indicates Yankees Rotation Plans

by Jamie Insalaco

Now that the Yankees have agreed to a one year deal with Freddy Garcia, I think Brian Cashman’s plan for rebuilding the rotation (his top off season priority) has become evidently clear.

The current roster currently has five starters under contract: indisputable ace C.C. Sabathia, rookie sensation Ivan Nova, "Look out, I don’t know where it’s going," aka A.J. Burnett, "He came into Spring Training a little out of shape last year," and former 19 game winner Phil Hughes and the aforementioned Garcia. So there’s your rotation right there…

Or, maybe not. Hughes and Garcia aren’t exactly a guaranteed picture of health and you never know when Burnett’s tendency to pitch like Charlie Sheen in Major League before he gets the glasses is going to get so out of hand that he can’t pitch anymore, so there are going to be chances for the kids down on the farm to make their case.

But what this early off season move by Cashman truly indicates is that the Yankees are not interested in dumping piles of money on C.J. Wilson or Yu Darvish, and I tend to agree with that logic. Wilson’s short career as a starter doesn’t warrant the dollars he wants and Darvish has never pitched in the majors, and I think Kei Igawa has left a bad taste in the Yankees months. Now that’s not to say that they won’t snatch either (or both) of these guys up if they are able to be had at a below market price, but otherwise, I wouldn’t start stitching their names onto the back of Yankee jerseys.

It’s trade or bust for adding another starter to the Yankees rotation.

If the Yankees can work out a reasonable deal for someone like John Danks, Gio Gonzalez or Jair Jurrjens, then they’ll do it. Maybe they’re willing to part with some of their many catching or pitching prospects that their minor league system is currently awash with to make a deal for one of these guys, but otherwise, the Yankees are going 2008 style and waiting on the better 2009 free agent class – or, in this case, the 2012-13 free agent class.

This is a tentative list, but there are some attractive names here – proven commodities that are better risk/value for the dollar than Darvish or Wilson. Besides, do the Yankees really need a third starting pitcher with initials for a first name?

Free Agent Starting Pitchers in 2012-2013 Off Season
Scott Baker
Joe Blanton
Matt Cain
Fausto Carmona
Kevin Correia
John Danks
Jorge De La Rosa
R.A. Dickey
Scott Feldman
Gavin Floyd
Zack Greinke
Jeremy Guthrie
Cole Hamels
Dan Haren
Tim Hudson
Colby Lewis
Francisco Liriano
Kyle Lohse
Derek Lowe
Shaun Marcum
Daisuke Matsuzaka
Brandon McCarthy
Brett Myers
Carl Pavano
Jake Peavy
Anibal Sanchez
Jonathan Sanchez
Ervin Santana
Joe Saunders
James Shields
Jake Westbrook
Randy Wolf
Carlos Zambrano

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November 23, 2011

Yankees Raise Bleacher Ticket Prices

by Jamie Insalaco

I concede that the Yankees have not changed or reduced 70% of their ticket prices, and that’s great. So the solution to pick up the lost revenue from reduced prices is to raise the cost of the bleacher seats? (And I use the term seat loosely.) This is an awful idea. In my early twenties, I loved to sit int he bleachers with the drunks and chant, yell and just be an ass, but that part of my life is officially over. Now that I’ve entered an older, more crotchety stage, I’m ready to tell the Yankees that charging $20 for half a seat sucks.

Yeah, half a seat, because that’s what a bleacher seat is – it’s a bench with no back. If you’ve never done it before, sitting in a bleacher seat over a three and a half hour game isn’t exactly comfortable, and the view is less than stellar. It’s great that they added a few TVs back there (for the obstructed views, I guess?), but it’s still not a great experience.

BLEACHER TICKET PRICING BY YEAR:
2010: $12
2011: $15
2012: $20

What’s the deal with the bleacher seat prices going up two years in a row? Why stick it to the fans who can least afford it? Or, in the case of the Bleacher Creatures, why punish your most loyal fan base? These folks go to every single game and this jacks their bill up for a complete season package by $405! If I was a Creature, I’d bounce – this is blatant disrespect.

But there it is; a 33% increase for a bench seat with no back. That’s brilliant. Starting in 2010 and the previous five seasons, I’ve been going to just a handful of games each year, but in 2011, I didn’t make it to a single game, and I wasn’t sorry – the view from HD TV is great. Now, I think I’m just going to stop going to games on principle. If the Yankees think it’s good policy to charge $20 for a backless bench seat and $9 for beer, well, I don’t think that’s the sort of place I want to hang out.

Catch ya’ll on YES!

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November 1, 2011

Sabathia staying in Bronx, Cardinals win World Series

by Jamie Insalaco

image

Papa Bear CC Sabathia did jot opt out after all but  instead accepted a contract extension.  Now, the Yankeess and Sabathia are linked for 5 more years and $122 million – a 6th year automatically vests (as long as he’s healthy) at $20 million.

Oh yeah, the cardinals won the world series…  nice pun, Bergen Record.

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October 14, 2011

CJ Wilson: Yea or Nay?

by Jamie Insalaco

If you’re like me, you’re already looking past the end of this Yankee-less post season and on to free agency and trades, when the Yankees can hopefully find ways to upgrade their starting rotation. The most obvious candidate is free agent lefty C.J. Wilson of the Texas Rangers.

CJ Wilson is a tough one – despite being nearly 31, he’s only been a starting pitcher for 2 years It should be pointed out that he’s pitched well as a start in home ballpark that is hard to pitch in – the numbers speak for themselves:

2010: 204 IP, 3.35 ERA, 161 hits, 170 Ks, 93 BB, 10 HR
2011: 223.1 IP, 2.94 ERA, 191 hits, 206 Ks, 74 BB, 16 HR

Those are pretty good numbers. He got his ERA and walk rate down and strike out rate up, but the hits per nine and homers per nine also went up. You could also argue that since he has not started much in his career, he has a lot left in the tank, but who really knows what that could mean for his longevity. He’s also left handed, and that usually works well in Yankee Stadium – or at least it did in the Old House, but the dimensions are comparable, so it’s safe to assume he’d be able to pitch to the big part of the park, Andy Pettitte style.

Should the Yankees pursue Wilson aggressively? It’s a tough call. Does Wilson even want to come to The Bronx? I have no idea – I’ve also read that he wants one of those $100 million dollar deals, and as desperate as the Yankees are for starting pitchers, I’m not sure this is the sort of financial commitment they want to make right now. Then again, I could easily argue that the Yankees don’t really have much of an alternative – assuming the Yankees can resign CC Sabathia after he inevitably opts out, that’s really only one proven starter in your rotation. Sure, AJ Burnett is still under contract, but the only good thing I can say about AJ these days is that he takes the ball every time it’s his turn. As good as Ivan Nova was last year, he’s still just a kid, and we can’t really trust him. And Phil Hughes is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get! (I’m wincing at that last line, too.)

This is a case where you have to put contracts and money aside and just decide if you think: A. Wilson is a real number two starter; B. Can handle pitching in New York; C. Two years of work as a starter is enough to make that determination.

After watching the way Brian Cashman has conducted business since he got full autonomy of the team, I think he will make Wilson an offer, but it won’t be good enough to land him. I don’t think the Yankees front office wants to turn around in five years to see another wounded 36 year old stinking up the joint. As for me, I’m willing to wait and see how the prospects develop – I just don’t believe that Wilson is the answer for the Yankees.

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March 29, 2011

Rounding Out The 2011 Yankees 25 Man Roster

by Jamie Insalaco

I guessed at the Yankees 2011 25 Man Roster a while back, and things have changed since then.

The bench, which was the biggest question mark of all coming into the 2011 spring training camp, will reportedly include Eric Chavez at the corner infield positions, Andruw Jones in the outfield, Eduardo Nunez at the middle infield positions, and Gustavo Molina as the backup catcher.  I think the Yankees did the right thing with the backup catcher position:  Jesus Montero still needs to play every day (it would have been OK for him to come north for a few weeks, but there’s not much of a point) and Austin Romine has never played a game above AA ball, and yes, I understand that they play at a high level down there and Romine has skills, but lets give the kid a break.  Not sure if they’re going to carry four or five outfielders; if they go with five, you assume that Chris Dickerson is a lock for the fifth spot.

Romulo Sanchez, who is out of options and I thought had a shot at the last spot in a crowded bullpen before the Yankees started signing reclamation projects like Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia, is out of here.  The Yankees sold his contract to a Japanese team, but I didn’t hear which one.

As expected, Mark Prior is going to stay down in Florida and continue to work on getting stronger – Kevin Millwood will be down there too as he gets his throwing arm ready as he insurance man.  The Yankees are really deep at the fifth starter position this year!  (If it’s not clear, that was a poor attempt at humor.)

Pedro Feliciano is going to start the year on the disabled list – not to be confused with Damaso Marte, another left handed Yankee reliever who is supposed to begin throwing soon, so I wouldn’t count on either of these guys until late April or early May.

It sounds like Curtis Granderson is going to avoid the disabled list, which is awesome because I love that guy – he’s got all the tool I love in an outfielder, but then, I’ve always been a sucker for a speedy outfielder who can hit for power.

Francisco Cervelli is supposed to be out of his cast or whatever by now, but when he’ll be able to return to the team, or even start practicing, I have no idea – so, keep him, Marte, Feliciano, and if needed, Prior and Millwood on your May reinforcements list.

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March 26, 2011

Yankees Sign Millwood, Trade Mitre, Shape Up Rotation

by Jamie Insalaco

UPDATED:  GARCIA HAS WON THE FIFTH SPOT IN THE YANKEES ROTATION AND COLON WILL GO TO THE BULLPEN.

With Spring Training winding down, the Yankees tweaks to their roster and starting rotation are nearly complete.

After about a zillion weeks of negotiation, the Yankees have finally landed Kevin Millwood to the minor league deal they’ve been dangling since the beginning of time.  Millwood was holding out for a guaranteed major league deal; I think he must have forgotten he finished the year with an ERA over 5 last season, but whatever.  Now that the music is about to stop and Millwood suddenly took his eyes off the floor and noticed there weren’t any chairs, he’s accepted a stool from the Yankees – not that he has any choice in the matter; given that he hasn’t thrown a pitch in a game yet this spring, he’ll have to go down the minors or extended spring training to get ready, so don’t expect him to be available until nearly May, if not later – and if everyone is pitching well, he could be in Scranton for a while.  (I presume he’s the team’s 7th starter, after whoever is the Yankees MLB long man.)

Sergio Mitre, who I have an irrational soft spot for, has been traded to the Brewers for Chris Dickerson, and outfielder who can play multiple positions and I assume is an insurance policy in case the oblique injury to Curtis Granderson causes him to start the season the DL.  If that is the case, I would expect Andruw Jones to start in left field, Nick Swisher in right and Brett Gardner in center, with Dickerson as the fourth outfielder.  (I hope Dickerson gets some playing time as I have a ton of Dickerson jokes waiting in the wings!)  Given that Brewers hurler Zack Grienke is currently injured, it looks like Mitre is going to get a chance to start there – so good luck to him!  Pitching in the inferior league’s weakest division could have an Ian Kennedy effect on Mitre.  Anyway, rumor has it that Mitre was going to be released at the end of spring training, so this was a good move by Brian Cashman.

It looks like Ivan Nova‘s solid spring has earned him a spot in the rotation, so the Yankees just have to decide if they’re going to start Bartolo Colon or Freddy Garcia.  It’s a tough decision; Colon has had the better spring, but he’s an older guy with a history of injury and didn’t pitch at all last year while  Garcia pitched over 150 innings in 2010.  I’d guess the Yankees are going to start the year with Garcia as there fifth starter, but we’ll find out for sure early next week.

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