Posts tagged ‘mlb’

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August 2, 2011

Yankees stand pat, win home stand

by Jamie Insalaco

After a 7-3 home stand that ended with the Yankees standing pat at the trade deadline, the Bombers head out on the road to play four games in Chicago with the White Sox and then 3 games in Boston with the Red Sox. When reached for comment, Don Henley remarked, “Hmph… .”

I’d hoped that the Yankees would have managed one sweet during the home stand that features competition including the Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners and the American League bottom rung in wins Baltimore Orioles and go 8-2, but you can’t have everything. After winning the first game of the road trip against the White Sox, the Yankees were able to gain a game on the Red Sox and are now only one game behind in the division – although at this point, it seems like a foregone conclusion that both teams will make the playoffs.

I can’t remember the last time the Yankees did nothing at the trade deadline, but I guess it just wasn’t in the stars. As Ubaldo Jimenez seemed to be the most likely candidate to be acquired, the YES Network reported during last night’s game that the Colorado Rockies weren’t willing to let the deal be finalized after Jimenez passed a physical. That’s a little suspicious, no? Oh well – it sounds like the Yankees were willing to give up the farm for him, and after reviewing his declining numbers coupled with the no physical clause, I’m OK with passing on this opportunity.

So that’s where the Yankees stand – we’re going to war with the team we have. And hopefully, there are more reinforcements coming from the disabled list in the persons of Alex Rodriguez and Damaso Marte; the latter has been gone so long that I don’t think I could pick him out of a line up.

So can the Yankees win the World Series with the pitching rotation they have? I’m not sure about that. If Bartolo Colon is healthy and throwing well in October, that certainly increases their chances. I’d say that Ivan Nova is on the verge of taking Phil Hughes‘ rotation spot, and if he’s throwing well come late September, Joe Girardi is going to have some tough decisions about who starts, who relieves and who gets left off the roster. Let the competition begin!

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July 28, 2011

If the Yankees acquire a pitcher, who is out of the rotation?

by Jamie Insalaco

Unless you’ve been living under a pinstriped rock, you know that the Yankees have been searching the trade market for elite starting pitching since… well, since before the trade deadline last year. Now that the 2011 season trade deadline is almost upon us, the rumor mill is spinning again with names like Ubaldo Jimenez of the Colorado Rockies and Ricky Nolasco of the Florida Marlins. But if the Yankees did acquire someone, who would they banish to the bullpen? Or, could that starter be part of the trade?

CC Sabathia is not worth discussing in either bullpen or trade scenarios. Besides being one of the best pitchers in baseball, he’s the team ace and the Yankees can’t go anywhere without him. If you’re looking at his opt out clause and thinking that makes him tradable, you’re very wrong.

A.J. Burnett might be frustrating to watch, but the guy takes the ball every five days and soaks up some innings. Burnett seems to have regained some form after last year’s debacle and now finds ways to wiggle out of jams instead of imploding. Plus, like Sabathia, he makes a ton of money, and most teams are not looking to add salary at this point in the year, nor would the Yankees be will to pay Burnett $16.5 million dollars to just sit in the bullpen.

Bartolo Colon has to be the most surprising story of the year, and Yankee fans know that he has been straight up dominant fairly often in 2011. Whether or not he can keep that for the rest of the season is a huge question, but the Yankees may as well keep rolling the dice and seeing how the fall.

Freddy Garcia is another guy who continues to shock the baseball world, but at least he pitched last year – making him just slightly less remarkable than Colon. I wouldn’t want to have Garcia on the mound with the season on the line against a powerhouse like the Red Sox’s offense, but Garcia can get it done.

Finally, we come to Phil Hughes, the organizational favorite. For me, the choice is obvious – if someone will take Hughes in a trade for a high end starter, you do it and you don’t think twice. If you still have Hughes and you get a high end starter, you send Hughes to the bullpen and you congratulate yourself for bolstering your pen while getting Hughes out of your rotation. I know the guy won a bizillion games last year, but let’s face it – he’s never really been dominant, and he can’t get through two consecutive seasons without missing major time. I don’t know what happened, but he’s a mess this year – since coming back from the DL, he cutter and change up are practically worthless (not that they weren’t before he went on the DL; I mean in comparison to 2010) and although his curve ball has improved, it doesn’t look like the same pitch that earned him the nick-name “Little Rocket.” Remember that? When people were comparing him to Roger Clemons? Those days are long gong and I don’t see a lot of promise going forward, but I could be wrong. Who knows, maybe it was the big bump up in workload from 2009 to 2010 that is impacting is 2011 ability? I don’t know and I don’t care, but if the Yankees can get Ubaldo Jimenez for a not totally unreasonable deal, they should do it and either include Hughes in the trade or just send him to the pen.

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July 13, 2011

Home Run Derby, All Star Game

by Jamie Insalaco

Over the last 15 or so seasons, I’ve done by best to give the All Star Break festivities as much attention as I could. I did not make the slightest effort to acquire tickets when the game was here at Yankee Stadium and probably won’t when it comes to Citi Field in a year or two, but still, I watched a fair amount of coverage on TV.

NOTE: If you found a way to watch workout day coverage, Bud Selig should kiss you full on the lips – tongue/no tongue, you’re choice.

I should mention that in the recent past, I have not felt any excitement leading up to the All Star festivities and watched them out of some strange sense of obligation. I think I hit a low point last year while I watched the Home Run Derby while replacing tiles on the basement floor.

This year, I decided, "The hell with it. I’ll watch movies on these nights. I’ll play with the dogs. I’ll cook dinner. I’ll change the oil in my car. I’ll get a head start on my 2011 tax returns. I’ll go to the dentist! But I am not, NOT, NOT going to bother with the All Star festivities.

So I skipped the derby and watched the first inning of the game. Hey, I can’t go baseball cold turkey, just like that – I’m hooked, I needed my fix!

The Home Run Derby
Anyway, Robinson Cano, as I’m sure you’ve already heard, won the home run derby. This immediately brought to mind articles I’ve read about the Home Run Derby effect. The home run derby effect (which I have heard championed by one Dr Alex Rodriguez a reason for not participating in said contest) states that if you participate in the home run derby, it’ll ruin your swing for the rest of the year, the primary example (and only that I remember) being Bobby Abreu. This article explains that because analysis that says the home run derby ruins a hitter’s swings is invalid because the experiment lacked a control group. Uhm… yeah, I guess so! That’s a little over my head; but this all started because of Abreu. Check it:

The idea grew in part from Bobby Abreu‘s performance in 2005, when he hit 18 home runs before the break, then 41 home runs in the actual Derby, but wasn’t the same player afterward. From July 14-to-October 2 of that year, Abreu belted only six big flies.

However, a lot of people don’t believe that argument. This article explains that many winners of the derby have seen an INCREASE IN POWER.

In fact, since 2000, the only year during which Derby participants experienced an increase in power after the contest was 2001, when the likes of Sammy Sosa, Jason Giambi, Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez were competing.

I wonder why.

…
Six of the past 10 Derby winners have seen their rates improve in the second half. For example, Prince Fielder went from hitting long balls once every 14 at-bats before the All-Star break last year to once every 11.8 afterwards.

Anyway, let’s hope that Cano sees an increase in power down the stretch and doesn’t fall off the map like Abreu did.

All Star Game – Who didn’t show up:
I feel as though almost all of the talk I’ve heard leading up to the All Star game was regarding who was going to be there. After all, who wouldn’t want to go to Arizona in July? Finally, after much gyrations and snubbing, CC Sabathia was selected to the All Star team. I have no idea what took so long, but I also don’t care. Anyway, he couldn’t pitch as he just pitched on Sunday, and I believe he didn’t go to the game. (Tampa Bay’s David Price was in the exact same situation and I believe he also did not attend. Haven’t heard a word about that from anyone… shocking.) As we all know, Alex Rodriguez had knee surgery and didn’t go to the game – obviously, he wouldn’t be available to play in it. Mariano Rivera did not play and I believe he also didn’t attend – I believe his arm is still sore. Derek Jeter bowed out, citing mental fatigue from his 3000 hits chase and that his calf is still not 100% – people seemed to have the biggest problem with Jeter’s absence. Apparently, MLB (or FOX) planned a video montage of his career and wanted to honor him, so even if he wasn’t going to play, they still wanted him to show up and wave his hat to the crowd – I guess he wasn’t into that idea. I’ve also heard a lot of people/sports media saying that as Jeter was voted into the game by the fans, so he had an obligation to go. I head Boomer & Carton (which is like a really pathetic version of Mike and the Mad Dog – which is way better with just Mike, by the way) saying that if George Steinbrenner was still alive, Jeter would have went and played in the game; uhm, presume much, guys? How on earth could you speculate what someone would do if they were still alive? And which George Steinbrenner do you mean: the one who spoke his mind loudly and often, or the one that was content to spend time with his family in Tampa and let other people run the team? Maybe they meant to say, "If this was 1997, Steinbrenner would have made Jeter play in the game." (Anyway, that show sucks.) The point is, the thought is that if you’re a player and your selected to the All Star team, you have an obligation to play, or, at the very least, go to the game. I don’t agree with this idea at all. The All Star game is a farce, and the idea that it determines home field advantage for the World Series is ludicrous. As long as the best pitcher doesn’t start the game and stay in for as long as possible, it’s not a real game. As soon as you make substitutions just to give everyone who showed playing time, it’s not a real game. And any time you interrupt a game (even in between innings) to give Roger Clemens a set of commemorative candle sticks, its not a real game! Hence, at this point, it’s probably best if they just shut the whole thing down all together – have the home run derby, and that’s it – although I don’t think even that is necessary. If the players need 3 days off in a row in July, I’m fine with that – they work every weekend for 6 months straight. I know that’s why they get paid the big bucks (amongst other reasons), but it still sucks, and a little break in the middle is a nice respite for the fans, too – even if you watch the festivities. But for me, I don’t want a single Yankee going to the All Star game, because if anyone gets hurt in that travesty (anyone see that sliding catch Jose Bautista made near the right field wall?), I will lose my mind! Can you imagine what Phillies fans would say if Cliff Lee or Roy Halladay got hurt during this game? They would curve the All Star Game until they were blue in the face, and they’d be right.

Anyway, the NL won – two years in a row after a long drought! There goes home field advantage. I bet the AL team would have scored more than 1 run if Jeter was there – don’t you?

TODAY’S MARKETING MAIL FROM THE YANKEES: Rent with Mini U Storage and get 2 tickets to a Yankees game.
You can’t make this stuff up. This is cross marketing at its finest. Kudos to everybody on this gem. Yankee fans everywhere could be heard to remark, "Damn it, if only I had something to put in storage – then I could get free Yankee tickets!"

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July 12, 2011

Jeter's 3000th Hit

by Jamie Insalaco

Is this the 3000th time you’ve read or heard something about Derek Jeter’s 3000th hit? Probably more like the 3 millionth, but I feel that I would be remiss if I didn’t comment at all after all of the other Jeter posts I’ve written about excessive media coverage, more coverage and the merchandising that goes along with his 3000th hit.

Jeter’s 3000th hit is a big deal, I can’t deny that – there are less than 30 players who have gotten to 3000 hits in all of baseball history, so 3000 hits is certainly the mark of someone with talent, longevity and good overall health. Its just annoying because until he got close, the press spent the previous year and half tearing Jeter down for his batting average hovering between 250 and 275, but now all of the sudden, he’s a golden god again. Now it was fair to say that Jeter wasn’t performing up to expectations, his contract or the role of the team captain or the lead off hitter, but some of the coverage we’ve seen has been more than extreme. Sometimes I think I’m tired of Jeter all together, but then I realize that its not the man that annoys me so much, just the way he’s portrayed, or, more to the point, the volume at which he is crammed down my throat!

The hypocrisy knows no bounds; before, everyone liked to write the aforementioned ‘Jeter can’t hit anymore’ articles (which weren’t totally unfair, but were certainly driven into the ground), but now everyone likes to write articles about how incredible it is given the legacy of other great Yankees players, no other Yankee has ever gotten to 3000 hits. Yet, if you stop and think about it, its not that incredible at all. Think about who the other great Yankee players were and what kind of players they were – mostly power hitters who walked a lot. Babe Ruth obviously came over from the Red Sox, so that scratches him off the list immediately. Lou Gehrig became ill and had to retire; otherwise, i’m fairly certain he’d hold most of the overall offensive records, because he was that good. Joe DiMaggio lost a few seasons to WW2; Mickey Mantle was always dealing with some injury or another (not to mention his lifestyle), and Yogi Berra was a catcher, and as good as he was, never had 200 hits in a season – not to mention the fact that none of these guys played in a 162 game season, so its fairly hard to compare. And then there are the zillions of other factors that separate different generations: ball composition, bat composition, the advent of the night game, coast to coast travel, free agency, personal trainers, and so on.

Jeter is great – he’s a first ballot hall of famer, and I don’t mean to take anything away from his accomplishments or his overall career. I think he’s great. But it sure would be great if we could put it in perspective – he got his 3000th hit, he’s relieved that the pressure is off (to paraphrase his quote a little) – lets all move on. I don’t care that the guy gave the ball back! Who cares? Why is this story so important to everyone? He gave it back; great. If he kept it, and then went on to keep it forever or sell it, well, that’s great, too. Maybe he’s got a mortgage, student loans, or just hates his job… who cares what he did with the ball? Jeter and everything around him gets so blown out of proportion that frankly, I don’t know how the guy doesn’t lose his mind.

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July 6, 2011

33 Dogs Named Jeter

by Jamie Insalaco

 

33 dogs named jeter

"I got it!"

If you frequent the New York Times as often as I do (almost daily), it’s still easy to miss articles because their publication is so massive, and is even more so online, so it’s understandable if you missed this gem: Some Pet Owners Judge Jeter Name Best in Show

Before we get to the article, let me say this: Jorge Castillo has OUTDONE HIMSELF. This is sports journalism at it’s finest. Seriously. Pulitzer – no, F that – Nobel! Castillo deserves the Nobel Prize for this article!

Here are some notable quotes:

New York City, you see, is home to 33 dogs actively registered under the name Jeter. Across the Hudson, at the Valley Animal Hospital in Clifton, N.J., there are seven clients who go by the name Jeter, and on a single mail route in nearby Montclair, there are at least two Jeters — both reported to be friendly. In Jersey City, a Labrador is named Jeter; in Stamford, Conn., the city’s lone Jeter is a beagle.

Oh, those two Jeter dogs are friendly – that the lord! What if they were vicious, insane killer dogs who bark and when they bark, bees come out of their mouths? So, this begs the question: is Jeter one of the more popular names for dogs in our area?

In New York, Jeter does not come close to cracking the city’s 10 most popular dog names. That list consists of traditional dog names like Max, which 942 dogs answer to in the five boroughs. The only top name that could possibly be associated with an athlete is Rocky, which is the third-most popular name in the city, with 644 dogs licensed.

Guess not. But, let’s remember: Mr. Castillo said “Some Pet Owners Judge Jeter Name Best in Show,” not all. But do people name their kids after Jeter? Turns out, they do.

Check it:

But pets are not the only Jeters around. According to the Social Security Administration, 47 baby boys nationwide were named Jeter in 2010, up from 39 in 2009. In 1998, five newborns were given the name.

Yet, Jeter as a baby name does not compare to another Yankees legend. In 1957, Mickey Mantle won the second of his back-to-back American league Most Valuable Player Awards and led the Yankees to the World Series title. That same, year 944 babies were named Mickey.

I was totally going to ask if Jeter was the most popular name for Yankee fans to name their kids, but nope, doesn’t look like it’s close. But, uhm, you know… nice factoid, I guess.

More Quotes:

Jack Beibel, 16, of Montclair said he named his dog Jeter because the shortstop was his favorite player. His cockapoo has taken to it.

“If we yell, ‘Yankees,’ he starts barking,’ ” Beibel said. “And if we yell, ‘Red Sox,’ he kneels down.”

When reached for comment, my German Shepard mix remarked, “I find this all very undignified.”

Additional Quotes:

Jeter, by this canine measure, is more popular than his teammates, according to statistics provided by the New York City Department of Health. There is, for instance, one licensed dog named A-Rod. There are eight licensed dogs named Tex in the city, although it is far from clear whether they are all named in honor of Mark Teixeira.

Take that, A-Rod! You may have MVP awards, a World Series ring, millions of dollars, fame,Cameron Diaz (you can keep her, actually), but hey, almost nobody is naming their dog after you. Almost nobody. Anyway, I asked my Golden Retriever for her thoughts on Jeter and she replied, “I go to my right better than he does.” I can’t argue with that – she’s the most gifted athlete since… well, since A-Rod. I think she could certainly field the ball at all infield and outfield positions, but I’m not sure how she’d do at making throws, especially to the plate from right field…

This is a real article. I did not make this up – I can’t stress that enough, because this seems like the sort of joke I’d make. (NOTE: see ‘Derek Jeter has a distinct old man smell.’) I can’t imagine what the New York Times wa thinking. I know the 3000 hit chase is nearing its close (as the article notes), so up until then, is it going to be general press policy to get these weird peripheral Jeter stories out there until he gets it done? Did everyone stop what they were doing and write their stories praising his career already so they wouldn’t have to rush when it happened, only to find that he got hurt and they had all the time they could need and now have nothing else to write about? I just don’t understand who comes up with this concept, writes the article and publishes it – via the New York Times. The Times! This is the sort of BS filler I expect from The Post. I love dogs, and to an extent, I’m a big fan of Derek Jeter; but lets get a hold of ourselves.

LINK DUMP:
If you haven’t already, check out NoMaas.org’s interview with Mark Newman concerning the Yankees farm system – it’s interesting stuff. If you are not familiar with NoMaas, please be advised BEFORE you click the link that I am not responsible for any content on their site or affiliated with them in any way. I don’t have a problem with their site, but they make this blog look like courtesy class – especially the comments. (Just FYI)

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July 5, 2011

Somebody wake up Joe Girardi!

by Jamie Insalaco

AJ Burnett is not necessarily the best pitcher to ever grace a mound with his presence. Sure, you’ll hear tales of his filthy stuff, and it’s true, to an extent: Burnett has some good pitches in his arsenal, including a hard fastball and a snapping curve ball. In yesterday’s fourth of July game, he struggled but overcame in the 1st inning but overall, pitched 6 solid innings. Sure, at the end of the 6th, he looked a little tired, but I couldn’t begrudge Joe Girardi for sending him out there for the 7th, especially after how much the bullpen worked in the Mets series. But at some point, you have to go to your bullpen.

AJ Burnett is not the sort of guy who saves your bullpen; he’s just not. Sure, he’ll go 8 innings every once and a while, but it’s just not who he is. So after that Shelly Duncan at bat, during which Burnett was clearly tired and didn’t have anything left and couldn’t snap off a curve ball to save his life, Girardi left him in there. He didn’t go to his bullpen, he didn’t send Larry Rothschild or even Russell Martin out there to give him a breather.

After the Duncan single, I thought it was obvious that it was time for a call to the bullpen to get somebody up before the ball got back to the infield, followed by a lengthy mound visit. Then, the next batter should have been given the unintentional intentional walk. By then, your bullpen guy ought to be ready to go, and you make the change. It’s that simple.

Instead, BOOM – home run, and the Yankees go on to loose a game they should have found a way to win. Nice job, Girardi!

YANKEESNEWS VIA TEXT:
Today’s text reads: “HBO & MLB Productions to produce a 1 hour special chronicling Jeter’s 3K chase.”
My guess is that working titles include, “Boring as Hell: Jeter’s 3000 Chase” or “Jeter Documentary: The Best Editing You’ll Ever See,” because this must be one boring film. How much drama could the end possibly have in store? Jeter did not have a good offensive year last year (.270 average, 179 hits), nor has he this year (.256 average, 68 hits), and he’s been hurt for the last several weeks with 6 hits to go. Maybe I’ll get more excited about this as we get to the end, but right now, I’m not interested in Jeter’s personal achievements – but I’m happy to have his glove back, because Edwardo Nunez can not field.

YANKEES VIA EMAIL:
subject – MLB best Six Yankees are headed to the All-Star Game
In case you didn’t already hear, the Yankees heading to the All Star game are

Can we PLEASE climb out of Jeter’s ass? A-Rod has been to the All Star Game a few times, why can’t we count how many times he’s been? And really, Jeter is one of the six best Yankees on the team? Really? Derek Jeter is having a better year and/or is more valuable to the team that Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia or Brett Gardner? Or how about David Robinson, for that matter? I feel like I spend a lot of time writing negative things about Jeter in this space, but I don’t hate the guy – I just don’t think he’s the golden god everyone else makes him out to be – at least he’s not anymore.

Whatever, I don’t care about the all star game and I wish no Yankees were going, because if anyone gets so much as a cramp from appearing in the farce, I’m going to be PISSED!

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June 28, 2011

Yankees get their Rockies off on old timers day

by Jamie Insalaco

The jokes really do write themselves, don’t they? "Yankees get their Rockies off" – classic!

So here we are; June is winding down and the Yankees are in first place. Obviously, the Red Sox were due for a slump after such a hot streak, but who would have guessed they’d lose a series to the Pittsburgh Pirates? Maybe Kevin Youkilis has a soft spot for the Bucs… he kinda looks like a Pirate, after all. That’s not to say the Yankees haven’t been playing great lately, because they have – I think it was Mike Francesca who said the Yankees were ‘playing superior ball right now,’ and it’s hard to argue with that. Sunday’s come from behind win was especially impressive as The Team That Hits Too Many Home Runs generated back to back jacks to tie the game after looking so sluggish the first time through the order. Before you knew it, things were going the Yankees way.

I didn’t catch much of Old Timers Day, but it was cool to see everybody again – and how about that hand for my man, Bernie Williams? Joe Torre might have gotten a longer ovation (and congratulations to him for making blowing kisses not look ridiculous), but I insist that Bernie’s round of applause had a lot more energy. And what was the deal with Joe Torre refusing to wear his sling on the field? The dude just had elbow surgery – what the hell was he thinking? I guess that’s pride for you.

So has everybody seen enough of Eduardo Nunez at short stop? I know I have. This guy just doesn’t look like an infielder to me – he can’t catch, he can’t throw, and his decision making is questionable at best… including his decisions about when to and when not to pay attention. Did you see that look Russell Martin gave to him when he was late on a throw down at second? I think everybody was thinking the same thing – "This guy sucks." That being said, since stepping into a full time player roll, the guy has hit extremely well, but that’s about all he’s done. But is he the short stop of the future? Given that he’s 24, I have a hard time believing he’s suddenly going to improve, but given that Derek Jeter is under contract for three more seasons and there really isn’t anywhere else to put him (Next year move A-Rod to full time DH and put Jeter at 3rd? Not sure I like that idea.), so I guess Nunez has some time to develop.

Tonight the Brew Crew heads to the Bronx for battle with the Bombers. (Say that three times fast.) I haven’t seen the Brewers play yet this year, but we all know about their big bats and impressive 2011 record, so this should be an interesting series. Let’s just hope they don’t have any replacement level left handers the Yankees have never seen before!

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June 23, 2011

Captain Cashflow

by Jamie Insalaco

The New York Times had an interesting article in Tuesday’s edition by Richard Sandomir which detailed all of the various merchandising opportunities that surround Derek Jeter and his historic 3,000th hit. I touched on this around Thanksgiving of last year, during which the Jeter contract debate was still ongoing, notating that there was a ton of t-shirt money to be made on this event. I guess it’s a good thing I’m not in the merchandising industry, because I missed a few options – like naming the event "DJ 3K." That didn’t occur to me.

I was thinking that Jeter was worth more than his on the field value to the team has a business entity because there was money to be made by the Yankees off the 3000th hit – not just ticket sales, but merchandising, and wow. I’ll try to condense the enormity of this:

- five gallons of dirt from the batter’s box, to be parceled off…
- five gallons of dirt from the shortstop’s patch, to be parceled off…

According to the NY Times, the dirt will be sold as follows:

1. poured into capsules to dangle on key chains
2. ladled into disks to be framed with photographs of the hit (in what is called a dirt collage)
3. glued into the interlocking NY carved into commemorative bats

Wow. As for me, I really need a key chain filled with dirt from the park where Derek Jeter hit his 3000th hit. But, let’s see what else we can grab…

4. T-shirts
5. caps
6. jerseys
7. bobbleheads
8. decals
9. cellphone skins
10. wall murals
11. patches
12. bats
13. balls
14. license plates
15. necklaces
16. flags
17. lanyards
18. pennants
19. travel mugs
20. pins
21. magnets

The license plates caught my eye right away! When I drive my extremely sexy Ford Taurus (celebrating it’s 10th birthday fairly soon…) down the road, I need people to know that Derek Jeter got his 3000th hit via vanity license plate… Even I’m not that big of a Yankees fan. (Although if someone made a subtle decal featuring an interlocking Yankees NY with the number 51 on it… yeah, I would probably buy that.) The Modell’s in Times Square is going to stay open until at least midnight on the day Jeter gets the hit, because I know that as soon as he gets the hit, I gotta go to Mos and get merchandise. That’s what everyone is think… "Damn it, I wish Jeter would get his hit so I can go buy the t-shirt!" I’m not saying no one wants this stuff, but the idea that we’re all bursting, in fact almost begging to take part in Jeter’s accomplishment via merchandise and we need to do so the instant it happens is a bit crazy. Just a bit. So we’re up to 21 items so far… The Times says Jeter "has designated proceeds from the sale of a silicone bracelet to benefit his Turn 2 Foundation." Hmm, are bracelets even on the list? I see necklaces…

Jeter can also decide if he wants to sell his:

22. cleats
23. wristbands
24. bats
25. batting gloves

Since those are his property, he can do what he wants with these items. However, items belonging to the Yankees that are under their control that will be for sale include:

26. uniform
27. warm-up jackets
28. caps
29. the bases
30. the pitching rubber

Imagine it’s 10 years in the future in you’re in the house of wealthy local Wall Street trader… Let’s call him Louis Winthorpe III. He takes you into his study and shows you a base encased in glass. Louis explains, "This was the third base that was on the field when Derek Jeter got his 3000th hit… it was a single to right, very Jeterian. There were already two outs, and the next guy up struck out, so he never got over there… but hey, it was on the field while he was waving to the crowd. He probably looked at it!"

Best quote ever:

Jeter will probably ask to keep things — perhaps the most valuable items like the 3,000th hit ball — for himself.

“When the time comes,” said the Yankees’ president, Randy Levine, “we’ll sit down with Derek and his representatives and reach a mutual accommodation that’s good for everybody.”

Really? They have to sit down and talk about who can keep the ball? Heading back to Withorpe’s house in the future, he shows you that he purchased, "jersey, batting gloves and cleats Jeter wore when he got his 2,994th hit." You stare at him blankly. You remember… hit 2,996! That’s was the one when… you know… hit the ball… with the bat… ran out of the batter’s box… and so on…"

One more quote from the article:

Smith, the M.L.B. executive, said Jeter approached the marketing with some trepidation, fearing that it might seem all too much. Smith said that during a recent meeting with Jeter and his agent, Casey Close, “I explained how appropriate it was for us to market these products. And Derek is like, ’I don’t want to take the limelight’; he felt weird about it. I said, ’It’s appropriate to be recognized; you’re a generational athlete.’ “

I’m not saying its wrong to market DJ 3K (wow, that iscatchy), and I’m not saying Jeter isn’t a generational athlete – but I can’t image saying that to anyone’s face. Can you imagine what it must be like to have someone say something like that to you? What the hell are you supposed to say. "Uh, thank; I appreciate that." That is a weird thing to say to somebody in a marketing meeting. Of course, "Look, we need to make as much money as we can while we can," doesn’t sound nearly as good.

I guess this whole piece comes off as a bit anti-Jeter, and I’m not. He’s the Yankees hit leader, the first Yankee to ever get 3000 hits. Considering the Yankees history, that’s pretty unbelievable – and it’s not like Jeter didn’t earn it. Sure, maybe the pitcher’s mound is 6 inches lower than it used to be, and maybe ballpark outfield walls keep moving in a little closer, the ball seems to be wound a little tighter, and the DH helps wear out AL pitchers in a way that would probably make even Mickey Mantle blush – but nobody but Jeter has been able to do it so far. Even Bernie Williams never did it, and he was with the club forever.

So give Jeter his due – and if you want a wall mural, that’s available, too.

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June 21, 2011

Winning and Injuries

by Jamie Insalaco

The Yankees are 8-2 over their last ten games and 13 games over .500, a 2011 season high, and I’m excited about that – but this team needs help. Don’t get me wrong, the Yankees deserve kudos for the winnings they’ve been doing, but this team has some glaring holes – some I understand, like the bullpen, but then, when they only score 1 run in Chicago against one of the worst pitchers in the game and let him hang around for 8 innings… it’s hard to know what to think. This and other Yankees issues are probably due to age, injury, regression or all three issues.

So who’s hurt these days? Its so numerous that it’s getting tough to keep track of. Fortunately, it looks like we’re going to get Jeter, Colon and Hughes back – 2009 Jeter is probably never going to show up again, but, he’s probably the lesser of alternative evils. Colon is a must and Brian Cashman is practically married to Phil Hughes, so if you don’t like Hughes… you’re out of luck.

Derek Jeter
El Calfstrain is just short of his 3000th hit, and while it’s kinda crazy that we get to watch the active hit leader and in the future can say, "I saw that guy play," you have to admit that he’s kinda dragging the team down with his bat and lack of range at short. On the other hand, Eduardo Nunez’s fielding can only be described as frightening, but more on that later.

Bartolo Colon
If you pray, please pray for Colon every night. We need this guy back at 100% – hopefully, right after the All Star break. Without him… I don’t know how realistic our chances are of actually going anywhere in the playoffs. He’s that important!

Phil Hughes
If you haven’t seen the reports, it sounds like his first rehab start went well, the velocity is there and he’s feeling good, so maybe we’re getting the good Phil Hughes back, but this guy is as unpredictable as they get – I know he won a zillion games last year, but I have trouble trusting this guy – he’s either going good, going bad or hurt. Consistency isn’t his strong point.

All Left Handed Relievers Except He Who Shall Hence Be Known As "The Crappy One"
Let’s see… I read somewhere that both Pedro Feliciano and Damaso Marte are starting to throw off flat ground, but who knows what that means in terms of a return time table. If neither of them can get David Ortiz out, then it doesn’t really matter anyway.

Joba Chamberlain
See you next year, Joba. Anybody got a spare setup man lying around that they’re not using?

Rafael Soriano
Oh right, you were supposed to be the setup man. I forgot. Joba was going to the 7th inning guy… anyway, Soriano is still supposed to be resting and maybe will come back in the middle of July, but I’m not holding my breath.

So we definitely need more pitching, but that’s not a surprise – although I thought it was going to be starting pitching, not bullpen help. So let’s take a look at who stinks.

Eduardo Nunez (fielding)
So, now that you’ve seen Eduardo Nunez for a while at short, what do you think? Obviously, he can’t field worth a damn – every time he picks up the ball, I say a silent prayer and everybody sitting behind 1st base braces for impact. Nunez can hit, but I’m starting to wonder whether or not this guy belongs in the infield.

Boone Logan aka "The Crappy One"
If Boone Logan was a Sioux, his name would be "Only On Team Because He’s Left Handed," or something more clever than that. Since he can’t get anybody out, he decided to try a different strategy against the Reds – just hit the guy, it’s faster. He’s given up 16 hits in 16 innings while walking 8 and striking out 11. That is NOT getting it done.

The Bullpen
We’ve got David Robertson, Mariano Rivera and a collection of stiffs. Seriously… the Yankees are, as of this writing, carrying 12 pitchers on there roster – and I’m sure it would be 13 if they could find another lefty. It’s that bad. I know Hector Noesi has looked good and Corey Wade has looked good so far, but we need more help, and we can’t count on any of the DL relief corps to come back. It’s time to go to the scrap pile (again) or make a trade.

Francisco Cervelli
I don’t expect backup catchers to hit, but this guy has got to field better. In fact, he’s got to field great – because if a backup catcher can’t catch, then what’s the damn point? It’s not like he’s a regular position player who you expect to contribute with the bat – Cervelli is a catcher and the guy just isn’t getting it done behind the plate. Cervelli and Nunez need to do serious work this winter.

Other Stuff
I guess Nick Swisher is finding his swing, but splits are still frightening. Jorge Posada is also looking better at the plate, but… who knows. The Brett Gardner Crisis of April has been officially over as he’s gotten his average almost up to .300 now – too bad he completely forgot how to run or steal bases. Kudos are due to Ivan Nova, who has really done well in his last several starts, especially last night. A-Rod is apparently playing hurt, but it doesn’t seem to be effecting him much; but, if he is truly hurt, the Yankees would be wise to DL him now rather than waiting – Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira can supply the power in the interim.

Now what?
The bench needs help and the Yankees desperately need relief pitching, and they need the two hardest things to get: a lefty and a setup guy. Can these holes be filled? I’m sure we can find guys to fix the bench, but the bullpen is going to be tricky. I hate to tie my hopes to Rafael Soriano coming back to the team healthy and effective, but I’m betting there aren’t many other choices.

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June 9, 2011

Can I Get A Quality Start

by Jamie Insalaco

I believe it was Al Leiter who said he was not impressed with the notion of a quality start. At some point, some wahoo made the term ‘quality start’ popular, which was meant to say that if a starting pitcher was able to stay in the game long enough to complete six (6) innings and allow only three (3) earned runs, then this was a starting pitching performance of quality. Mr. Leiter was quick to point out at the advent of his broadcasting career that if a pitcher produced a quality start, he’d have a 4.50 ERA, which is not so good – not to mention the fact that getting three innings out of your bullpen in the modern era of baseball is no simple accomplishment and is going to tax the arms down there as well. I tend to agree, and I do want to quickly mention that Mr. Leiter has quickly become one of my favorite broadcasters of all time.

However, as much as I reject the notion of a quality start as the standard to strive toward, the Yankees sure could use one right about now.

If you flip through your memory (which is hopefully more reliable than mine) and the Yankees 2011 calendar (without delving into the box scores), it looks like the Yankees have produced maybe one (that’s 1) quality start against the Red Sox this year in eight (8) tries. That, my friends, is a damn shame – or perhaps it would be better to say it’s shameful.

We all know the Yankees are short on pitching this year – that’s why it was easy to consider jumping into the Harlem River when the Yankees were not able to sign Cliff Lee. Since the Yankees were able to get Bartolo Colon and he’s pitched so beautifully, it seems as though we can count on both BC and staff ace CC Sabathia to deliver better than quality starts and get out backs in any pie eating contests. After that…

Whoooooooooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

The drop off in predictability is like going over that first big hill on a roller coaster. If Freddy Garcia doesn’t locate, he’s going to get hit hard by anybody, never mind a team with great hitting like the Red Sox, so nobody was really counting on him anyway – but, that being said, the Yankees would be wise to keep him from facing the Red Sox again this year if possible. AJ Burnett, who I didn’t want the Yankees to sign because of my concerns with his inability to stay healthy, has been healthy through his entire contract but as widely unpredictable as just about any other pitcher I can think of this side of Jose Contreras. Phil Hughes also sorta falls into that category, but is seemingly always hurt and Ivan Nova just doesn’t have enough experience to be thoroughly relied upon for anything. The trade market for starters is thin at best, so I don’t think there is any real help coming that will be a serious upgrade.

Looks like we’re stuck with these guys, but is that any different than 2009? Two good starters and AJ Burnett. It could be worse. (See Yankees 2008 season!)

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