I figured I would take a little time out and publish a quick guide to collecting sports memorabilia. Today, major companies in the industry like Steiner Sports has caused the price of autographs to go through the roof. There is also a lot of controversy surrounding some formerly reputable authenticators of autographed memorabilia ongoing. Neither of these is good for the industry, or for collectors. There are ways to grow your collection of autographs without investing a lot of time or money into it. While, my method of autograph collecting is not of authenticated stuff, it is a fun hobby and all the autographs can be authenticated later if so desired. So, how do I build my autograph collection?
Through the Mail, hereafter known as TTM, is one way to quickly build an autograph collection. There are still several Hall of Famers that will sign for free or for a nominal fee. Yogi Berra, for example, will sometimes sign for free, or if you want a surefire Yogi Berra autograph, send him $40 and you'll get your item signed for sure. $40 vs. over $100 at a place like Steiner. You do the math. others like Bobby Doerr, will sign for as little as $5. But, not everyone signs, nor does everyone charge for their signature.
All you need to get started is a pen, paper, looseleaf, envelopes (2 sizes preferably so one can fit inside the other and get the peel and stick to make it easier on the person signing), and stamps. First, write a nice note asking the person you are writing to for an autograph. Be polite. Always add a "please" and a "thank you." You don't have to write a book, usually two short paragraphs are enough. Remember these athletes get hundreds to thousands of requests for their signature and usually don't even bother reading the letter but there are some that do.
Include an item to get signed. NEVER ask for an autograph and expect the signer to include something. You should be the one providing the item, like a baseball or trading card. I always send no more than 1 to 3 cards, depending on the signing habits of the player. You can do some research on the signing habits of players at www.sportscardforum.com in the Autograph Central/Through the Mail section. It's a free membership and the folks on the site are very helpful, I should know, I'm a moderator there.
OK, so now you have your letter written and have found a card of that person to get signed. If the card is glossy, like most modern cards are, take a mechanical eraser and just gently co over the surface of the card. The eraser removes some of the gloss without damaging the card and allows the ink to adhere to the cardboard. Fold the letter up and drop the card into the letter. OK, now you need to get an address for that player. Sportscardforum.com has a pretty nice sized database of addresses for players both current and retired. There are also lists like Harvey Meiselman's list which is what I use. Just Google Harvy Meiselman and you should find his website for purchasing his address lists. If you want more info on the Harvey lists drop me a line and I will be happy to help you.
Address the bigger envelope to the player and include your return address in the top left. This is important because if the player refuses the letter, or the address is out of date (this happens but don't get discouraged) you will want your item to be returned to you, especially if it is a photo or ball. Then, on a small envelope (known as a SASE for self-addressed stamped envelope) write your address. Don't forget to put postage on it. NEVER expect the signer to pay for postage.
Put it in the mail and wait. I have had thousands of successes over the past few years and have had some athletes write me nice notes in return. One year I got a Christmas card from former Eagles running back Heath Sherman. Another time, former Giants running back sent me back my card signed, along with the unused SASE in a large package that included an 11x14 picture that he signed and personalized to me. It was one of the coolest returns I've ever had. I've also gotten Redskins WR Anthony Armstrong (he reads the letters) to sign for me twice, on the second go around he put "second time around" on the card. He is a pretty good guy and reads his mail. The first time he included a note complimenting me on my handwriting. Over the years I have gotten a lot of players who have sent nice notes wishing me luck on my collection, especially from former New York Giants. It's these little added notes and stuff that really make the collection fun. Other times players will include a signed testimonial card which describes how they found Jesus Christ. I like these because it is like and added bonus and kind of represents a certificate of authenticity for me. Frank Tanana, Kurt Warner, and a bunch of others send testimonial cards. Warner will only send signed testimonial cards but will return your card as well, albeit unsigned.
If you are going to try this hobby expect failure. Even with guys who are great signers you are not guaranteed anything. Letters get lost or moved...stuff happens. Don't get discouraged. Right now my success rate is hovering around 60% but I still get a SASE from a few years ago catch up to me, my old address in PA scrawled out in my handwriting. Just this past week former Cardinals pitcher Ricky Horton signed my two cards and sent them back. Considering I have been gone from PA for about two years I was amazed it caught up to me but it did.
I'll name a few atheltes who are good signers and help you get started. I have gotten signed cards back from everyone listed but I can't guarantee the same success. The addresses can be found at sportscardforum.com:
Josh Hamilton (takes a while but he signs), Lawrence Taylor, Leonard Marshall, David Robertson, C.C. Sabathia (only during Spring Training and it takes about a year), Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Aaron Rodgers, Karl Malone, George Martin, Devin McCourty, Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Bob Griese, Anthony Armstrong, Frank Gore, Charlie Hough, Ike Hilliard, Mark Herzlich, Henry Hynoski, Jared Allen, Peyton Manning (requires small donation to his charity), Chad Greenway, Jason Giambi, Jeff George. The list goes on and on.
All it takes is the cost of two stamps and a trading card. That's a helluva lot cheaper than spending hundreds of dollars through Steiner Sports or some other outfit. Give it a try, what have you got to lose?
Thursday, December 29, 2011
2014 Yankees
I thought I would have a little fun and project the 2014 Yankees roster. I'm sure it will be completely wrong, but let's see how I do anyway. I would throw in the Mets as well but I don't know where they will be in their rebuilding stage and don't know about the financial situation that could have a tremendous impact on how they acquire players so I won't try as of yet. Anyway, here are the 2014 New York Yankees:
C Austin Romine - The Yankees may or may not end up trading him. Russell Martin is still younger than 30 right now but he has taken a lot of abuse behind the plate. I could see Martin being kept as a backup who plays 60 games.
1B Mark Teixeira - He still has power and still plays an excellent first base. He is one of four Yankees signed through 2014 and he isn't going anywhere.
2B Robinson Cano - He is due for a huge pay raise and deservedly so. He continues to get better every year but soon that won't be the case. By 2014 we will see Robbie peak and then see a slow decline as most middle infielders do when they get over 30.
SS Eduardo Nunez - Derek Jeter will most likely be retired by this point. If he isn't retired then he will not be the starting shortstop. Nunez is thought highly of by Yankee brass and will probably get first crack at replacing the legend of Jeter. I don't think he will perform terribly, giving the Yankees slightly below average defense but above average offense. He can hit, he just needs consistent playing time.
3B Alex Rodriguez - He will be approaching 40 years-old at this point or will be 40. He might be more of a DH at this point but don't expect the Yankees to go out and acquire a big name free agent. They will replace in house. It could be Brandon Laird splitting time with A-Rod or the Yankees using Nunez here and Hideki Nakajima at short. Whatever they do, don't expect a big-name free agent. Another darkhorse candidate would be Corban Joseph or David Adams.
LF Brett Gardner - Gardner has had his ups and downs. However, he will still be relatively cheap and still offer the Yankees the best base-stealing threat along with Nunez. There is no reason why the Yankees should get rid of Brett.
CF Curtis Granderson - Grandy will be starting to face some decline at this point. His days in center will be numbered with Mason Williams knocking on the door at AAA at this point. Granderson still holds some value, and can still hit for power and run. By 2015 he will be the Yankees right or left fielder while Mason Williams takes center.
RF Zoilo Almonte - Almonte is one of the Yankees most overlooked prospects. He has struggled at every level until he has adjusted and by 2014 he should start to be turning things around. I don't see him becoming a superstar but something along the lines of Juan Rivera isn't much of a stretch.
DH Jesus Montero - When the big righty isn't DH'ing he will be catching. He will be the big bat in the Yankees lineup at this point, hitting third or fourth. Right now he is the Yankees #1 Prospect for the 3rd year in a row and by 2014 he should be on his second All-Star team.
SP C.C. Sabathia - Another one who is actually signed to a contract for the 2014 season, Sabathia isn't going anywhere. He might start to decline, and given his physique, it will be interesting to see if it is rapid or gradual. He should still be an ace pitcher at this point, however.
SP Phil Hughes - I am one of the believers in Phil Hughes. There is a chance we have seen the best he had to offer in the first-half of 2010. But, there is also a chance that the pitcher we saw at that point is really the pitcher he will become. I am a believer that the best is yet to come. If Phil can stay healthy, a big if most assuredly, he can be a top of the rotation starter.
SP Manny Banuelos - He will start to come into his own at this point, his second full season. I believe Banuelos will be on his way to becoming the Yankee ace by 2014.
SP Ivan Nova - Nova enjoyed a lot of success last season and became the de facto number two starter. I don't see him as a top of the rotation kind of guy, and I don't know if the Yankees do either. Sure, he pitched well, but was it an aberration? Either way, I think Nova could be a consistent 12-17 game winner at the back end of the rotation like Orlando Hernandez.
SP Hector Noesi - The Yankees are grooming him to be a starting pitcher and I think he beats out Adam Warren and David Phelps. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if any of these three were in the Yankee rotation by 2014.
RP David Robertson - There is no reason he would be going anywhere unless he suddenly loses his ability to get hitters out. He might be in line for the closer's job along with Joba Chamberlain and Dellin Betances.
RP Joba Chamberlain - again, he could be the closer but I think he is better suited for a set-up role if he remains in the bullpen. I wrote a post yesterday that I think he would be better off as a starter, a position I have held since 2007.
CP Dellin Betances - IF he can control his walks he has the stuff to be a dominant closer. That is a big if, however. I don't know if Betances will be able to stick in the rotation but he has the stuff to close out games.
All of this is pure speculation on my part, of course. I don't see the Yankees going nuts for any free agents in the near future with the luxury tax hanging over their heads. They could still be a playoff team with this roster. I won't speculate on the bench positions or other bullpen arms because those are the most volatile positions in the game, changing everyday like a pair of underwear. Going forward, the Yankees will invest more time and effort into scouting players and developing them themselves. Having a few years of team control at affordable prices is the only way for the Yankees to keep away the luxury tax demon. There is plenty of talent in their minor league system, with the exception of the outfield corners, to keep young talent infused on this roster for years to come. Prospects that might begin playing a key role on the 2014 Yankees are as follows: Dante Bichette, Jr., 3B/1B; Gary Sanchez, C; Slade Heathcott, OF; Mason Williams, OF; David Adams, 2B; Corban Joseph, 2B; Ravel Santana, P; J.R. Murphy, C/1B/OF; Mark Montgomery, P; Tommy Kahnle, P; Graham Stoneburner, P; Jermey Bleich, P; Angelo Gumbs, SS; Ben Gamel, OF.
C Austin Romine - The Yankees may or may not end up trading him. Russell Martin is still younger than 30 right now but he has taken a lot of abuse behind the plate. I could see Martin being kept as a backup who plays 60 games.
1B Mark Teixeira - He still has power and still plays an excellent first base. He is one of four Yankees signed through 2014 and he isn't going anywhere.
2B Robinson Cano - He is due for a huge pay raise and deservedly so. He continues to get better every year but soon that won't be the case. By 2014 we will see Robbie peak and then see a slow decline as most middle infielders do when they get over 30.
SS Eduardo Nunez - Derek Jeter will most likely be retired by this point. If he isn't retired then he will not be the starting shortstop. Nunez is thought highly of by Yankee brass and will probably get first crack at replacing the legend of Jeter. I don't think he will perform terribly, giving the Yankees slightly below average defense but above average offense. He can hit, he just needs consistent playing time.
3B Alex Rodriguez - He will be approaching 40 years-old at this point or will be 40. He might be more of a DH at this point but don't expect the Yankees to go out and acquire a big name free agent. They will replace in house. It could be Brandon Laird splitting time with A-Rod or the Yankees using Nunez here and Hideki Nakajima at short. Whatever they do, don't expect a big-name free agent. Another darkhorse candidate would be Corban Joseph or David Adams.
LF Brett Gardner - Gardner has had his ups and downs. However, he will still be relatively cheap and still offer the Yankees the best base-stealing threat along with Nunez. There is no reason why the Yankees should get rid of Brett.
CF Curtis Granderson - Grandy will be starting to face some decline at this point. His days in center will be numbered with Mason Williams knocking on the door at AAA at this point. Granderson still holds some value, and can still hit for power and run. By 2015 he will be the Yankees right or left fielder while Mason Williams takes center.
RF Zoilo Almonte - Almonte is one of the Yankees most overlooked prospects. He has struggled at every level until he has adjusted and by 2014 he should start to be turning things around. I don't see him becoming a superstar but something along the lines of Juan Rivera isn't much of a stretch.
DH Jesus Montero - When the big righty isn't DH'ing he will be catching. He will be the big bat in the Yankees lineup at this point, hitting third or fourth. Right now he is the Yankees #1 Prospect for the 3rd year in a row and by 2014 he should be on his second All-Star team.
SP C.C. Sabathia - Another one who is actually signed to a contract for the 2014 season, Sabathia isn't going anywhere. He might start to decline, and given his physique, it will be interesting to see if it is rapid or gradual. He should still be an ace pitcher at this point, however.
SP Phil Hughes - I am one of the believers in Phil Hughes. There is a chance we have seen the best he had to offer in the first-half of 2010. But, there is also a chance that the pitcher we saw at that point is really the pitcher he will become. I am a believer that the best is yet to come. If Phil can stay healthy, a big if most assuredly, he can be a top of the rotation starter.
SP Manny Banuelos - He will start to come into his own at this point, his second full season. I believe Banuelos will be on his way to becoming the Yankee ace by 2014.
SP Ivan Nova - Nova enjoyed a lot of success last season and became the de facto number two starter. I don't see him as a top of the rotation kind of guy, and I don't know if the Yankees do either. Sure, he pitched well, but was it an aberration? Either way, I think Nova could be a consistent 12-17 game winner at the back end of the rotation like Orlando Hernandez.
SP Hector Noesi - The Yankees are grooming him to be a starting pitcher and I think he beats out Adam Warren and David Phelps. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if any of these three were in the Yankee rotation by 2014.
RP David Robertson - There is no reason he would be going anywhere unless he suddenly loses his ability to get hitters out. He might be in line for the closer's job along with Joba Chamberlain and Dellin Betances.
RP Joba Chamberlain - again, he could be the closer but I think he is better suited for a set-up role if he remains in the bullpen. I wrote a post yesterday that I think he would be better off as a starter, a position I have held since 2007.
CP Dellin Betances - IF he can control his walks he has the stuff to be a dominant closer. That is a big if, however. I don't know if Betances will be able to stick in the rotation but he has the stuff to close out games.
All of this is pure speculation on my part, of course. I don't see the Yankees going nuts for any free agents in the near future with the luxury tax hanging over their heads. They could still be a playoff team with this roster. I won't speculate on the bench positions or other bullpen arms because those are the most volatile positions in the game, changing everyday like a pair of underwear. Going forward, the Yankees will invest more time and effort into scouting players and developing them themselves. Having a few years of team control at affordable prices is the only way for the Yankees to keep away the luxury tax demon. There is plenty of talent in their minor league system, with the exception of the outfield corners, to keep young talent infused on this roster for years to come. Prospects that might begin playing a key role on the 2014 Yankees are as follows: Dante Bichette, Jr., 3B/1B; Gary Sanchez, C; Slade Heathcott, OF; Mason Williams, OF; David Adams, 2B; Corban Joseph, 2B; Ravel Santana, P; J.R. Murphy, C/1B/OF; Mark Montgomery, P; Tommy Kahnle, P; Graham Stoneburner, P; Jermey Bleich, P; Angelo Gumbs, SS; Ben Gamel, OF.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Filling a Need
Entering this offseason, the New York Yankees had one major need above all else, starting pitching. They re-signed C.C. Sabathia after he opted out of his old deal. They brought back Freddy Garcia who pitched very well for the Yankees but seemed to fade down the stretch. They ignored the agents for C.J. Wilson, Mark Buehrle, Edwin Jackson, and passed on trades for John Danks and Gio Gonzalez. The Yankees even put it out there that they would eat some money if a team were to take A.J. Burnett off their hands. The Yankees have liked Hiroki Kuroda of the Dodgers for a few seasons now but have yet to pull the trigger on a one-year deal because there is no room on the payroll. They have also distanced themselves from Roy Oswalt, a high caliber pitcher when healthy, who is looking for a one-year deal. Why? Why would the Yankees suddenly become so tight-fisted when it comes to money?
The answer is simple. The luxury tax. The Yankees are sick of paying it. It isn't like this Yankee team is horrible, because it isn't. Remember, they finished 7 games ahead of Tamp in the AL East last season. There are a couple of obvious reasons outside of the money why the Yankees won't invest big dollars in a free agent, even if it is for one year. One reason is Alex Rodriguez. His contract is like a noose hanging around the neck of a condemned man, it is only a matter of time before it snaps the neck. What I mean is the Yankees WERE getting help from Texas to pay A-Rod's salary. Then A-Rod opted out and the Yankees went gaga for A-Rod and signed him to a ridiculous contract that will average about $27 million for the next SIX years! Considering A-Rod is 36 next year this is a big deal, especially when taking into account the fact that he hasn't been healthy. His MVP days are gone.
Another reason is Manny Banuelos, Hector Noesi, Dellin Betances, Adam Warren, David Phelps, Ivan Nova, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, and D.J. Mitchell. Some of those kids have yet to make a Major League appearance but can certainly battle for a rotation spot in the Spring. Others, like Hughes, and Chamberlain, are once highly regarding prospects. Chamberlain is included because the Yankees can take advantage of his injury and keep him in the minors rehabbing while he stretches his arm out to be a starter. Look, we can't judge Chamberlain's past performance on less than 230 innings pitched as a starter. Yes, he is very effective as a reliever. No, I don't like keeping an arm as rare as his in the bullpen unless it is Mariano Rivera-like. Chamberlain averaged over 9 strike outs per nine innings. That's not bad. If he had not walked as many as he did in his first true foray into starting we might not be having this debate because Joba would be the Yankees #3 starter right now. I know this has beaten into the dirt before but the Yankees don't need bullpen help, they need starting pitching. Joba is only 26 years-old and won't turn 27 until September of next year. He is coming off of Tommy John surgery and the Yankees could stretch his arm out easily during the rehab. They also might want to protect his arm long-term by not pitching him on consecutive days. With David Robertson stepping up the way he has and Rafael Soriano and his contract in the bullpen there is no need for Joba to be there. Joba could slide into a starting spot sometime in May or June and give the Yankees 150+ innings. Hey, it's an option. Otherwise, they hide Joba in the sixth inning.
You'll also notice that Ivan Nova and Phil Hughes made my list as well. Both are unproven but have had success in the past. Nova's came last year, Phil's two years ago when he won 18 games. Both are major cogs moving forward. Both should be able to hold down a rotation spot. Phil will turn 26 this season and Nova is going to be 25 next month. There is talent among those two and there is no reason why they can't build on past success. Signing a Kuroda only means the Yankees are throwing millions at a player who is 37 years-old and might not be as good as either Phil or Nova in the American League. These pitchers are still kids and there is no reason the Yankees should go out and spend millions on a problem that might not even be a problem moving forward.
Warren, Phelps, Noesi, and Mitchell represent the next crop of starting pitchers. None of them really project to top of the rotation starters but they have had success at every stop in the minor leagues. Can they get out Major League hitters? Who knows. we won't know until they try. Warren reminds me a little of Ian Kennedy in that he doesn't have overwhelming stuff but will get the job done. Kennedy can rack up the strikeouts, something Warren has not done but both have good breaking pitches, Warren just uses his to induce contact. Adam Warren can, and mark my words here, make the jump to the majors. The Yankees know what they have in the minor leagues. They know what these young kids are capable of. They are part of the reason the Yankees haven't gone crazy and signed a whole slew of pitchers this offseason.
Maybe the Yankees would have signed a Roy Oswalt or Mark Buehrle or C.J. Wilson or Yu Darvish if they didn't have all that money tied up in A-Rod, Soriano, and Burnett. Maybe they would have signed Prince Fielder if they didn't give a huge contract to Mark Teixeira. The fact is the Yankees did give out those contracts. They gave Derek Jeter a huge contract last offseason given his previous year's performance and his age. If you noticed last season, the Yankees played hardball with Jeter and Jeter eventually signed a contract that was good for both sides given the circumstances. The Yankees let Hideki Matsui, the 2009 World Series MVP walk after the 2009 season. The Yankees let Jorge Posada walk after this past season. These are not the Yankees of George Steinbrenner. These are the Hal Steinbrenner Yankees, led by Brian Cashman. Hal learned the hard way last year what happens when Brian Cashman is forced into signing a player like what happened with Rafael Soriano. Hal and his boys were wrong and Cashman was right. Cashman re-signed this year because he knows he is in charge now. He knows what the plan is. He has a plan. The Yankees will be getting younger and cheaper. Sure, they will be stuck paying A-Rod, Jeter, Tex, and Sabathia for over $20 million per player per year for the next three to six years. But, little by little the money will start to come off the books. Little by little, guys like Jesus Montero, Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances, Adam Warren, Mason Williams, Gary Sanchez, Austin Romine, and on will get their shot wearing pinstripes.
Yankee fans have grown accustomed to going out and fixing any hole with money. The 2009 World Series was won that way. the Yankees threw money at C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Teixeira. They went on to win the World Series. These Yankees don't operate like that anymore. Think back to 1996. I know it seems like forever ago but you can remember, I'll give you a second. You remember 1996 now? Derek Jeter, the rookie shortstop? Mariano Rivera the flame-throwing second year reliever? Jorge Posada the young catcher who got his first taste of the Majors? Andy Pettitte, the second year starter who blossomed into an ace? Would the Yankees have won any World Series titles if they didn't develop those players? Maybe one, no more than that. OK, now think back to 2005. The Yankees second baseman going into that season was Tony Womack, the free agent acquisition who was supposed to take over the leadoff spot for the Yanks and play second. Well, let me tell you how that turned out, Robinson Cano played 132 games at second that year. Womack was banished to left field and gone from the team after the season, and out of baseball the year after that. Robinson Cano was mentioned in trade talks but Cashman didn't budge. Another Yankee came up in 2005 that had a few good years before getting bitten by the injury bug, Chien Ming Wang. He won 19 games twice for the Yankees before injuries got the better of him.
My point is, some of the best Yankees weren't bought, they were developed. This is why I am glad the Yankees trade for Cliff Lee with the Mariners fell through. Jesus Montero for ten to fifteen years is more valuable than Cliff Lee for five. Granted, not every prospect becomes a great Major Leaguer. For every Robinson Cano there is a Ruben Rivera, Drew Henson, and Ed Yarnall. However, these kids don't cost as much as the A.J. Burnett's, A-Rod's, and on down the line. The way the Yankees are currently being run is the way they should be run. There may not be a World Series win in the immediate future but a few years down the line there will be a few, mark my words. The Yankees are rebuilding without tearing themselves apart. They will make the playoffs but they might not go far. I can deal with that while I watch Jesus Montero develop, Robbie Cano mature into a force, and Mason Williams and Dante Bichette, Jr. climb the ladder in the minors. I can deal with watching Banuelos and Betances struggle if in the long run they realize their potential. I can watch Joba pitch every five days and give the Yankees a solid performance if that's what happens. I can deal with the growing pains of Nova, Hughes, and Montero. Welcome to the new New York Yankees.
The answer is simple. The luxury tax. The Yankees are sick of paying it. It isn't like this Yankee team is horrible, because it isn't. Remember, they finished 7 games ahead of Tamp in the AL East last season. There are a couple of obvious reasons outside of the money why the Yankees won't invest big dollars in a free agent, even if it is for one year. One reason is Alex Rodriguez. His contract is like a noose hanging around the neck of a condemned man, it is only a matter of time before it snaps the neck. What I mean is the Yankees WERE getting help from Texas to pay A-Rod's salary. Then A-Rod opted out and the Yankees went gaga for A-Rod and signed him to a ridiculous contract that will average about $27 million for the next SIX years! Considering A-Rod is 36 next year this is a big deal, especially when taking into account the fact that he hasn't been healthy. His MVP days are gone.
Another reason is Manny Banuelos, Hector Noesi, Dellin Betances, Adam Warren, David Phelps, Ivan Nova, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, and D.J. Mitchell. Some of those kids have yet to make a Major League appearance but can certainly battle for a rotation spot in the Spring. Others, like Hughes, and Chamberlain, are once highly regarding prospects. Chamberlain is included because the Yankees can take advantage of his injury and keep him in the minors rehabbing while he stretches his arm out to be a starter. Look, we can't judge Chamberlain's past performance on less than 230 innings pitched as a starter. Yes, he is very effective as a reliever. No, I don't like keeping an arm as rare as his in the bullpen unless it is Mariano Rivera-like. Chamberlain averaged over 9 strike outs per nine innings. That's not bad. If he had not walked as many as he did in his first true foray into starting we might not be having this debate because Joba would be the Yankees #3 starter right now. I know this has beaten into the dirt before but the Yankees don't need bullpen help, they need starting pitching. Joba is only 26 years-old and won't turn 27 until September of next year. He is coming off of Tommy John surgery and the Yankees could stretch his arm out easily during the rehab. They also might want to protect his arm long-term by not pitching him on consecutive days. With David Robertson stepping up the way he has and Rafael Soriano and his contract in the bullpen there is no need for Joba to be there. Joba could slide into a starting spot sometime in May or June and give the Yankees 150+ innings. Hey, it's an option. Otherwise, they hide Joba in the sixth inning.
You'll also notice that Ivan Nova and Phil Hughes made my list as well. Both are unproven but have had success in the past. Nova's came last year, Phil's two years ago when he won 18 games. Both are major cogs moving forward. Both should be able to hold down a rotation spot. Phil will turn 26 this season and Nova is going to be 25 next month. There is talent among those two and there is no reason why they can't build on past success. Signing a Kuroda only means the Yankees are throwing millions at a player who is 37 years-old and might not be as good as either Phil or Nova in the American League. These pitchers are still kids and there is no reason the Yankees should go out and spend millions on a problem that might not even be a problem moving forward.
Warren, Phelps, Noesi, and Mitchell represent the next crop of starting pitchers. None of them really project to top of the rotation starters but they have had success at every stop in the minor leagues. Can they get out Major League hitters? Who knows. we won't know until they try. Warren reminds me a little of Ian Kennedy in that he doesn't have overwhelming stuff but will get the job done. Kennedy can rack up the strikeouts, something Warren has not done but both have good breaking pitches, Warren just uses his to induce contact. Adam Warren can, and mark my words here, make the jump to the majors. The Yankees know what they have in the minor leagues. They know what these young kids are capable of. They are part of the reason the Yankees haven't gone crazy and signed a whole slew of pitchers this offseason.
Maybe the Yankees would have signed a Roy Oswalt or Mark Buehrle or C.J. Wilson or Yu Darvish if they didn't have all that money tied up in A-Rod, Soriano, and Burnett. Maybe they would have signed Prince Fielder if they didn't give a huge contract to Mark Teixeira. The fact is the Yankees did give out those contracts. They gave Derek Jeter a huge contract last offseason given his previous year's performance and his age. If you noticed last season, the Yankees played hardball with Jeter and Jeter eventually signed a contract that was good for both sides given the circumstances. The Yankees let Hideki Matsui, the 2009 World Series MVP walk after the 2009 season. The Yankees let Jorge Posada walk after this past season. These are not the Yankees of George Steinbrenner. These are the Hal Steinbrenner Yankees, led by Brian Cashman. Hal learned the hard way last year what happens when Brian Cashman is forced into signing a player like what happened with Rafael Soriano. Hal and his boys were wrong and Cashman was right. Cashman re-signed this year because he knows he is in charge now. He knows what the plan is. He has a plan. The Yankees will be getting younger and cheaper. Sure, they will be stuck paying A-Rod, Jeter, Tex, and Sabathia for over $20 million per player per year for the next three to six years. But, little by little the money will start to come off the books. Little by little, guys like Jesus Montero, Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances, Adam Warren, Mason Williams, Gary Sanchez, Austin Romine, and on will get their shot wearing pinstripes.
Yankee fans have grown accustomed to going out and fixing any hole with money. The 2009 World Series was won that way. the Yankees threw money at C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Teixeira. They went on to win the World Series. These Yankees don't operate like that anymore. Think back to 1996. I know it seems like forever ago but you can remember, I'll give you a second. You remember 1996 now? Derek Jeter, the rookie shortstop? Mariano Rivera the flame-throwing second year reliever? Jorge Posada the young catcher who got his first taste of the Majors? Andy Pettitte, the second year starter who blossomed into an ace? Would the Yankees have won any World Series titles if they didn't develop those players? Maybe one, no more than that. OK, now think back to 2005. The Yankees second baseman going into that season was Tony Womack, the free agent acquisition who was supposed to take over the leadoff spot for the Yanks and play second. Well, let me tell you how that turned out, Robinson Cano played 132 games at second that year. Womack was banished to left field and gone from the team after the season, and out of baseball the year after that. Robinson Cano was mentioned in trade talks but Cashman didn't budge. Another Yankee came up in 2005 that had a few good years before getting bitten by the injury bug, Chien Ming Wang. He won 19 games twice for the Yankees before injuries got the better of him.
My point is, some of the best Yankees weren't bought, they were developed. This is why I am glad the Yankees trade for Cliff Lee with the Mariners fell through. Jesus Montero for ten to fifteen years is more valuable than Cliff Lee for five. Granted, not every prospect becomes a great Major Leaguer. For every Robinson Cano there is a Ruben Rivera, Drew Henson, and Ed Yarnall. However, these kids don't cost as much as the A.J. Burnett's, A-Rod's, and on down the line. The way the Yankees are currently being run is the way they should be run. There may not be a World Series win in the immediate future but a few years down the line there will be a few, mark my words. The Yankees are rebuilding without tearing themselves apart. They will make the playoffs but they might not go far. I can deal with that while I watch Jesus Montero develop, Robbie Cano mature into a force, and Mason Williams and Dante Bichette, Jr. climb the ladder in the minors. I can deal with watching Banuelos and Betances struggle if in the long run they realize their potential. I can watch Joba pitch every five days and give the Yankees a solid performance if that's what happens. I can deal with the growing pains of Nova, Hughes, and Montero. Welcome to the new New York Yankees.
Surprise, Surprise
I figured I would take a look at the most surprising stories, at least for me, in this past year in sports. I know there are still a few days left but there can't be anything too shocking that takes place so here it is, my year in review.
Best Story of the Year: Dallas Mavericks. Their playoff run went through the Lakers and the Heat. Everyone had basically given the Heat the championship at the beginning of the season and those that didn't figured the Lakers would reign. All were wrong. The Mavs used defense and teamwork to overcome every playoff hurdle. I'm not a huge NBA fan, I enjoy watching the Knicks and Nets... occasionally. It was nice to see the Mavs, the underdog every step of the way, pull through.
Worst Story of the Year: Everything that happened at Penn State. The coverups, the ignorance, the elitism. Everything that was ugly about human nature and college athletics was brought into the limelight. One of the best coaches in college football history, Joe Paterno, left disgraced. Jerry Sandusky left a more than just bad press for Penn State in his wake, he left victims who are still trying to overcome their trauma. Everything about this story makes me sick, angry, and disgusted.
Biggest NFL Surprise: Cam Newton. I was wrong about this kid and happy to say it. He rewrote the rookie record books and his future looks as bright as the sun. If this is what he can do as a rookie I wonder what the future holds.
Biggest NFL Disappointment: The Philadelphia Eagles. It takes a lot to overtake the New York Jets in this category but the Eagles have proven, and I wrote about this before the season began (you can find the story in the archives), you don't win the Super Bowl in the offseason.
Biggest MLB Surprise: The Tampa Bay Rays. For most of the season it looked like they were going to be the third place team in the AL East, on the outside looking in. Then, with a little help from the Boston Red Sox, or rather every team that played the Red Sox, the Rays took off and ended up sneaking into the playoffs on a walk-off home run by Evan Longoria. The whole country was abuzz with excitement. The Red Sox choked, the Yankees overcame a 7 game deficit in July to take first, and the Rays snuck into the playoffs. It was the greatest night in baseball history.
Biggest MLB Disappointment: This is a toss up between the Red Sox and Ryan Braun testing positive. The reason Ryan Braun isn't alone here is because there is a chance that his positive test result was an aberration. Besides, the Red Sox collapse was historic. You can't leave history out of this one. The Red Sox were crowned before the season began, see Eagles, Philadelphia, and looked pathetic early on. They caught fire midway into the season and had a 7 game lead on the second place Yankees. It all fell apart from there resulting in the most epic collapse in baseball history. Gone are General Manager Teho Epstein and Manager Terry Francona. The collapse by the Red Sox changed the entire makeup of the Red Sox team that won two World Series' since 2004. Ryan Braun, on the other hand, all I can say is wow. In this day and age, knowing that there are tests, to use use steroids is the epitome of stupid.
Biggest NHL Surprise: The Boston Bruins. Nobody thought they were Stanley Cup contenders. Nobody. They played the game right and won. They were like the Dallas Mavs of the NHL so everything I said about them echoes here.
Biggest NHL Disappointment: Vancouver Canucks. They won 54 games, tallied 117 points and lost in the 7th Game of the Stanley Cup. To make matters worse, the friendly neighbors to the North rioted after the game, turning Vancouver into a war zone for a few hours. The Mayor of Vancouver blamed anarchist thugs. Yeah, and I'm sure the fact that your city provided gathering places around the city with alcohol being sold had nothing to do with it.
Biggest NBA Surprise: Duh, the Mavs. See above.
Biggest NBA Disappointment: The Miami Heat. See above.
Crazy Predictions for 2012:
World Series winner: Philadelphia Phillies
Super Bowl Champions (for the 2012 season): Atlanta Falcons
Stanley Cup Champs: New York Rangers
NBA Champs: Miami Heat
Best Story of the Year: Dallas Mavericks. Their playoff run went through the Lakers and the Heat. Everyone had basically given the Heat the championship at the beginning of the season and those that didn't figured the Lakers would reign. All were wrong. The Mavs used defense and teamwork to overcome every playoff hurdle. I'm not a huge NBA fan, I enjoy watching the Knicks and Nets... occasionally. It was nice to see the Mavs, the underdog every step of the way, pull through.
Worst Story of the Year: Everything that happened at Penn State. The coverups, the ignorance, the elitism. Everything that was ugly about human nature and college athletics was brought into the limelight. One of the best coaches in college football history, Joe Paterno, left disgraced. Jerry Sandusky left a more than just bad press for Penn State in his wake, he left victims who are still trying to overcome their trauma. Everything about this story makes me sick, angry, and disgusted.
Biggest NFL Surprise: Cam Newton. I was wrong about this kid and happy to say it. He rewrote the rookie record books and his future looks as bright as the sun. If this is what he can do as a rookie I wonder what the future holds.
Biggest NFL Disappointment: The Philadelphia Eagles. It takes a lot to overtake the New York Jets in this category but the Eagles have proven, and I wrote about this before the season began (you can find the story in the archives), you don't win the Super Bowl in the offseason.
Biggest MLB Surprise: The Tampa Bay Rays. For most of the season it looked like they were going to be the third place team in the AL East, on the outside looking in. Then, with a little help from the Boston Red Sox, or rather every team that played the Red Sox, the Rays took off and ended up sneaking into the playoffs on a walk-off home run by Evan Longoria. The whole country was abuzz with excitement. The Red Sox choked, the Yankees overcame a 7 game deficit in July to take first, and the Rays snuck into the playoffs. It was the greatest night in baseball history.
Biggest MLB Disappointment: This is a toss up between the Red Sox and Ryan Braun testing positive. The reason Ryan Braun isn't alone here is because there is a chance that his positive test result was an aberration. Besides, the Red Sox collapse was historic. You can't leave history out of this one. The Red Sox were crowned before the season began, see Eagles, Philadelphia, and looked pathetic early on. They caught fire midway into the season and had a 7 game lead on the second place Yankees. It all fell apart from there resulting in the most epic collapse in baseball history. Gone are General Manager Teho Epstein and Manager Terry Francona. The collapse by the Red Sox changed the entire makeup of the Red Sox team that won two World Series' since 2004. Ryan Braun, on the other hand, all I can say is wow. In this day and age, knowing that there are tests, to use use steroids is the epitome of stupid.
Biggest NHL Surprise: The Boston Bruins. Nobody thought they were Stanley Cup contenders. Nobody. They played the game right and won. They were like the Dallas Mavs of the NHL so everything I said about them echoes here.
Biggest NHL Disappointment: Vancouver Canucks. They won 54 games, tallied 117 points and lost in the 7th Game of the Stanley Cup. To make matters worse, the friendly neighbors to the North rioted after the game, turning Vancouver into a war zone for a few hours. The Mayor of Vancouver blamed anarchist thugs. Yeah, and I'm sure the fact that your city provided gathering places around the city with alcohol being sold had nothing to do with it.
Biggest NBA Surprise: Duh, the Mavs. See above.
Biggest NBA Disappointment: The Miami Heat. See above.
Crazy Predictions for 2012:
World Series winner: Philadelphia Phillies
Super Bowl Champions (for the 2012 season): Atlanta Falcons
Stanley Cup Champs: New York Rangers
NBA Champs: Miami Heat
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
New York, New York
Half of the New York Metro area had a great Christmas while the other half did not. That's what happens when the Giants and the Jets play on Christmas Eve with the playoffs on the line. There was a lot of talk going into this game, mostly coming from the Jets camp and led by the Great Bloviator Rex Ryan whose mouth is actually bigger than his stomach but whose team's heart isn't nearly as big. OK, OK. So I took a shot at the Jets there. Sorry. Call it leftover hostility from some Jet fans who paraded into this season like they were the big dogs on the block in this city when it came to football. It was only made worse after the Jets beat the Giants in the preseason. Well, now that fifteen games are behind us there is only one team in New York in control of their own playoff destiny, the New York Giants.
OK, now I shall begin the objectivity.
If someone told me Eli Manning would be 9 for 27 I would have told you the Giants would lose. Enter Victor Cruz, the most prolific receiver the Giants have ever had. He saved the Giants and deflated the Jets with his 99 yard TD catch and run.
If you would have told me Mark Sanchez would complete 30 passes and have a worse QB rating than Eli Manning in this game I would have asked you when you were going to rehab. But, Eli had a 61.5 rating and Sanchez owned a 54.2 rating.
I can't understand why the Jets coaching staff thought it was a good idea to pass the ball 59 times. 59! And, that's not including the five sacks Sanchez took. What went through the heads of the Jets coaching staff to drop Sanchez back 64 times in a game? Why wouldn't they run the ball more? It made no sense. This isn't Sanchez's fault. His offensive line has been awful most of the season and the Giants are one of the better pass rushing teams in the NFL. Sure, the Giants secondary has been exploited a lot this year but you don't drop your QB back 64 times. That is insane. It's not like Shonn Greene and LaDanian Tomlinson were doing a bad job running the football. The Jets as a team rushed the ball 25 times for 105 yards. The failure of the Jets coaching staff to adapt their strategy during the game shows that they didn't know how to adapt. Maybe they don't.
During the first half, the Giants were held to 6 rushing yards. At the end of the game they had accumulated 115 yards on 26 carries. Whatever was working for the Jets defense obviously didn't translate into the second half. Again, it comes back to the Jets coaching staff. They weren't able to adapt to the Giants game plan.
Darrelle Revis talked a good game all week and backed it up. He is the best corner in football. He spent the afternoon shutting down Hakeem Nicks who only had one catch for twenty yards. Revis, for the most part, looked like he was a part of Nicks' jersey. The rest of the Jets secondary did a very good job...with the exception of a few plays. One of those being Cruz's 99-yard TD. Cruz was the target of a lot of criticism from some Jets going into this week. They made it seem like he was a nobody. Now, he will haunt their dreams.
The Jets, overall, are a good football team. There is talent on the roster. However, they are not a Super Bowl contending team. They are far from it. Their offensive line needs a lot of work. Their defensive line does not get to the quarterback often enough, causing the Jets to blitz too much. Aside from Darrelle Revis, the Jets secondary can be either very good or very bad. The loss of Jim Leonhard hurts a lot. He was the QB of that secondary. There doesn't seem to be any consistency in the unit after Revis.
The Jets linebackers are excellent. However, they are asked to pick up the slack too often for a line that can't get to the quarterback. This opens up the middle of the field for opponents to exploit. If the Jets want to be Super Bowl contenders they need a monster like Jared Allen, Jason Pierre-Paul, Jason Babin...someone like that who can create havoc on the opposing quarterback. Right now Aaron Maybin is their leader in sacks with 6. That is nowhere near good enough. The Jets as a team have 34 sacks, most coming from linebackers and blitz packages. That is not a good sign. It's not like they have DeMarcus Ware back there, someone who can get to the QB when sent on a blitz. David Harris, Calvin Pace, and Bart Scott are all good linebackers. However, they are not QB killers. If the Giants, for example, had those three linebackers to go along with the front four, the Giants defense would be head and shoulders better than they are now.
The bottom line is the Jets are taking steps backwards this season. The Giants, meanwhile seem to be running in place.
Injuries have decimated the Giants this season. They lost their best corner in Terrell Thomas before they even played a single regular season game. Then they lost their starting middle linebacker in Jon Goff. Then one of their more dynamic wide receivers in Domenik Hixon. Their big free-agent pick-up, center David Baas has spent a bunch of time on the sidelines with neck and head injuries. Marvin Austin, a rookie who was to be counted on to fill the middle was lost for the season before he even played a game. First round pick, Prince Amukamara, didn't play in his first game until November 20th and the lack of practice and game experience are showing in the limited amount of playing time he has had. However, he has shown glimpses of being a very good corner and should only improve going into next season.
Despite all the injuries, the Giants have once again proven to be a first-half team. The second half collapses the Giants have continued to undergo while under Tom Coughlin's leadership are mind-boggling. The talent is there. they ran with Green Bay and could have beaten them. They beat New England. The talent is there, contrary to the Jets. But, for whatever reason, the Giants come up wanting in the second half of the season year in and year out. They are, however, still the better team in New York. That, however, isn't saying much these days. Once again, New York will be watching two teams from outside the city (or Jersey as the case is) competing for the Lombardi trophy.
What's funny is if you combine Rex Ryan and Tom Coughlin you have the ultimate coach. Unfortunately, that won't happen, just like a Super Bowl...or the playoffs, for either team.
That's right, I said the Giants won't make the playoffs. They have had their chances time and time again and have come up short this season. Dallas comes into Giants Stadium, or MetLife Stadium as it is now formally called, and will beat the Giants. Not because Dallas is a better team. Not on paper they aren't. Dallas will win because Giants fans are riding high right now. Giants players are patting themselves on the back. And, worst of all, Giants players are talking smack about Dallas. So far this season, the Giants have disappointed every time they raise expectations. This week will be no different. This will be the third straight year the Giants miss the playoffs and Tom Coughlin will retire at the end of the year. I don't know who will replace him. I doubt it would be someone like Rob Ryan because he isn't the Mara type. Whomever it is, he will have a very good team to take over and will guide the Giants to the playoffs because this team is the most playoff ready team in New York. The New York Giants are the most Super Bowl ready team in New York...sadly, that isn't saying too much.
OK, now I shall begin the objectivity.
If someone told me Eli Manning would be 9 for 27 I would have told you the Giants would lose. Enter Victor Cruz, the most prolific receiver the Giants have ever had. He saved the Giants and deflated the Jets with his 99 yard TD catch and run.
If you would have told me Mark Sanchez would complete 30 passes and have a worse QB rating than Eli Manning in this game I would have asked you when you were going to rehab. But, Eli had a 61.5 rating and Sanchez owned a 54.2 rating.
I can't understand why the Jets coaching staff thought it was a good idea to pass the ball 59 times. 59! And, that's not including the five sacks Sanchez took. What went through the heads of the Jets coaching staff to drop Sanchez back 64 times in a game? Why wouldn't they run the ball more? It made no sense. This isn't Sanchez's fault. His offensive line has been awful most of the season and the Giants are one of the better pass rushing teams in the NFL. Sure, the Giants secondary has been exploited a lot this year but you don't drop your QB back 64 times. That is insane. It's not like Shonn Greene and LaDanian Tomlinson were doing a bad job running the football. The Jets as a team rushed the ball 25 times for 105 yards. The failure of the Jets coaching staff to adapt their strategy during the game shows that they didn't know how to adapt. Maybe they don't.
During the first half, the Giants were held to 6 rushing yards. At the end of the game they had accumulated 115 yards on 26 carries. Whatever was working for the Jets defense obviously didn't translate into the second half. Again, it comes back to the Jets coaching staff. They weren't able to adapt to the Giants game plan.
Darrelle Revis talked a good game all week and backed it up. He is the best corner in football. He spent the afternoon shutting down Hakeem Nicks who only had one catch for twenty yards. Revis, for the most part, looked like he was a part of Nicks' jersey. The rest of the Jets secondary did a very good job...with the exception of a few plays. One of those being Cruz's 99-yard TD. Cruz was the target of a lot of criticism from some Jets going into this week. They made it seem like he was a nobody. Now, he will haunt their dreams.
The Jets, overall, are a good football team. There is talent on the roster. However, they are not a Super Bowl contending team. They are far from it. Their offensive line needs a lot of work. Their defensive line does not get to the quarterback often enough, causing the Jets to blitz too much. Aside from Darrelle Revis, the Jets secondary can be either very good or very bad. The loss of Jim Leonhard hurts a lot. He was the QB of that secondary. There doesn't seem to be any consistency in the unit after Revis.
The Jets linebackers are excellent. However, they are asked to pick up the slack too often for a line that can't get to the quarterback. This opens up the middle of the field for opponents to exploit. If the Jets want to be Super Bowl contenders they need a monster like Jared Allen, Jason Pierre-Paul, Jason Babin...someone like that who can create havoc on the opposing quarterback. Right now Aaron Maybin is their leader in sacks with 6. That is nowhere near good enough. The Jets as a team have 34 sacks, most coming from linebackers and blitz packages. That is not a good sign. It's not like they have DeMarcus Ware back there, someone who can get to the QB when sent on a blitz. David Harris, Calvin Pace, and Bart Scott are all good linebackers. However, they are not QB killers. If the Giants, for example, had those three linebackers to go along with the front four, the Giants defense would be head and shoulders better than they are now.
The bottom line is the Jets are taking steps backwards this season. The Giants, meanwhile seem to be running in place.
Injuries have decimated the Giants this season. They lost their best corner in Terrell Thomas before they even played a single regular season game. Then they lost their starting middle linebacker in Jon Goff. Then one of their more dynamic wide receivers in Domenik Hixon. Their big free-agent pick-up, center David Baas has spent a bunch of time on the sidelines with neck and head injuries. Marvin Austin, a rookie who was to be counted on to fill the middle was lost for the season before he even played a game. First round pick, Prince Amukamara, didn't play in his first game until November 20th and the lack of practice and game experience are showing in the limited amount of playing time he has had. However, he has shown glimpses of being a very good corner and should only improve going into next season.
Despite all the injuries, the Giants have once again proven to be a first-half team. The second half collapses the Giants have continued to undergo while under Tom Coughlin's leadership are mind-boggling. The talent is there. they ran with Green Bay and could have beaten them. They beat New England. The talent is there, contrary to the Jets. But, for whatever reason, the Giants come up wanting in the second half of the season year in and year out. They are, however, still the better team in New York. That, however, isn't saying much these days. Once again, New York will be watching two teams from outside the city (or Jersey as the case is) competing for the Lombardi trophy.
What's funny is if you combine Rex Ryan and Tom Coughlin you have the ultimate coach. Unfortunately, that won't happen, just like a Super Bowl...or the playoffs, for either team.
That's right, I said the Giants won't make the playoffs. They have had their chances time and time again and have come up short this season. Dallas comes into Giants Stadium, or MetLife Stadium as it is now formally called, and will beat the Giants. Not because Dallas is a better team. Not on paper they aren't. Dallas will win because Giants fans are riding high right now. Giants players are patting themselves on the back. And, worst of all, Giants players are talking smack about Dallas. So far this season, the Giants have disappointed every time they raise expectations. This week will be no different. This will be the third straight year the Giants miss the playoffs and Tom Coughlin will retire at the end of the year. I don't know who will replace him. I doubt it would be someone like Rob Ryan because he isn't the Mara type. Whomever it is, he will have a very good team to take over and will guide the Giants to the playoffs because this team is the most playoff ready team in New York. The New York Giants are the most Super Bowl ready team in New York...sadly, that isn't saying too much.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Hall of What?
Have you seen the list of first-year eligible players on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot? Not exactly a team of all-stars by any stretch. Let's take a look at the 13 first time eligible players:
Bernie Williams, CF, Yankees. Probably the most deserving of any of the new candidates for Hall consideration. I don't know if that is a compliment to Bernie or an insult to the rest of the field. Bernie was a very good player. He won a batting title in 1998, won 4 Gold Gloves, made 5 All-Star appearances, and won a Silver Slugger in 2002. He finished his career with a .297 batting average, 287 home runs and 1257 RBI. He eclipsed 100 RBI 5 times in his career and 90 RBI 7 times. He gets a slight boost because he did this without steroids. He only hit 30 home runs once in his career but hit more than 20 homers 7 times during his career. He also drove in a record 80 runs in the postseason which has to count for something. Is he deserving of the Hall of Fame? Probably not. However, he was a main cog on 4 World Series winning teams and did accumulate 2,336 hits and scored 1,366 runs. Not shabby but not enough to make the Hall.
Vinny Castilla, 3B, Rockies. He put up some monster years in Coors Field before they figured out the humidor. Leads all Mexican-born Major Leaguers in home runs (320), hits (1,884), runs (902), and RBI (1,105). For a power hitter those numbers just aren't enough to garner Hall consideration.
Jeromy Burnitz, OF. From 1997 to 2004 he averaged 31 homers and 94 RBI. Still, he only had 315 homers and 981 RBI in his career while hitting .253. Sorry, Jeromy, you don't make it.
Brian Jordan, OF. Jordan was a fairly good player. He also started 31 NFL games for the Falcons. Sadly, being a fairly good player doesn't make you eligible for the Hall. Neither does hitting 184 homers or hitting .282.
Ruben Sierra, OF/DH. Oh, Ruben. You came into the league with such promise. Then your ego got ahold of you. The Rangers once traded Jose Canseco for him, when both players were considered to be among the best in the game. The Yankees traded Danny Tartabull to the A's for Sierra, got sick of Sierra's attitude and flipped him in 1996 for Cecil Fielder. The Yankees won the World Series and Sierra famously quipped that he didn't like Joe Torre because all he cared about was winning. Wow. Ruben changed organizations a whopping 16 times, including 3 times with the Rangers and twice with the Yankees. His career numbers of .268, 306 homers, and 1,322 RBI are not worthy of a Hall election, especially after 20 seasons in the Bigs. He will best be remembered for changing his attitude and becoming a good bat off the bench for the Yankees in early to mid-2000's.
Brad Radke, P, Twins. Radke was a decent pitcher. However, he was also an unlucky one. He led the league three times...in losses once (16 in 2000) and home runs surrendered twice (32 in 1995 and 40 in 1996). Those kind of distinctions are not exactly Hall material. Radke did win 20 games once, in 1997 and played for the Twins when they were awful. Still, you can't sport a 4.22 career ERA into any Hall, let alone the Hall of Fame. It also doesn't help when you averaged almost a home run given up per start, 326 in 378 games.
Terry Mulholland, P. Terry helped the Phillies to the 1993 World Series. You know, the one where Joe Carter showed Mitch Williams what to do with his fastball? Terry was a mediocre starting pitcher. But, because he was lefty was able to carve out a 20 year career with 15 teams. Finished with a 124-142 win/loss record and a 4.41 ERA. Ummm, sorry Terry.
Javy Lopez, C. Lopez was an excellent hitting catcher. He was even a 3x All-Star, something not many first year eligible players can say this go-around. He even drove in 100 runs twice in his career! At least he can say he was a good player and has a World Series ring to show for it.
Bill Mueller, 3B. When your career is only 11 years long it either says you suffered a catastrophic injury or you were mediocre. I'm not even sure which category he falls in. He did win a batting title in 2003, never made an All-Star game, but did help Boston win their first World Series in 86 years. So, there's that.
Phil Nevin, 1B/3B/OF. I was amazed to find out he made an All-Star game (2001 as a Padre) and he did hit 41 homers once (also 2001). His career numbers of .270, 208 homers, and 743 RBI are nice enough to make you a few million dollars over the course of a career but that's it.
Tim Salmon, OF. Started his career off right, winning the Rookie of the Year in 1993. He then finished in the top ten for MVP twice (he finished 7th both times in 1995 and 1997) in his first five years in the league. Then the injuries started. From 1998 until his retirement in 2006, Salmon would play in over 150 games only once (158 in 2000). He missed the entire 2005 season as well. He was a very good player who never made an All-Star team, never led the league in anything and finished 1 homer shy of 300. He was a good player, one I wouldn't mind roaming the corner on my team. If he had stayed healthy he might actually garner some interest but alas...
Tony Womack, 2B (sort of). Womack might be most famous for driving in the game-tying run in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series. I was shocked to learn he made an All-Star team but then I saw it was with the Pirates back when I was the second best player on the Pirates and I never played baseball professionally. Womack did lead the league in triples once (14 in 2000) and stolen bases three times (1997-1999). So umm, yeah, at least he made $4 million from the Yankees for only hitting .249 and driving in only 15 runs while hitting 0 homers but he did steal 27 bases. Sorry, Tony, but you need to buy a ticket to visit the Hall.
Eric Young, 2B. He was a very good player and had some wheels on him. Unfortunately, when you are a base stealer you don't want to lead the league in caught stealing more than stolen bases (2 to 1). Still, Young was a nice player and there isn't much else to say about him.
So, ummm, wow. A player needs at least 5% of the vote to get on the next year's ballot and I think Bernie should get that. He was an excellent player on one of the best teams in baseball. That will count for something but not enough to allow him entry into the Hall of Fame but he should get his own plaque out there in Monument Park. He also plays a mean classical guitar.
Bernie Williams, CF, Yankees. Probably the most deserving of any of the new candidates for Hall consideration. I don't know if that is a compliment to Bernie or an insult to the rest of the field. Bernie was a very good player. He won a batting title in 1998, won 4 Gold Gloves, made 5 All-Star appearances, and won a Silver Slugger in 2002. He finished his career with a .297 batting average, 287 home runs and 1257 RBI. He eclipsed 100 RBI 5 times in his career and 90 RBI 7 times. He gets a slight boost because he did this without steroids. He only hit 30 home runs once in his career but hit more than 20 homers 7 times during his career. He also drove in a record 80 runs in the postseason which has to count for something. Is he deserving of the Hall of Fame? Probably not. However, he was a main cog on 4 World Series winning teams and did accumulate 2,336 hits and scored 1,366 runs. Not shabby but not enough to make the Hall.
Vinny Castilla, 3B, Rockies. He put up some monster years in Coors Field before they figured out the humidor. Leads all Mexican-born Major Leaguers in home runs (320), hits (1,884), runs (902), and RBI (1,105). For a power hitter those numbers just aren't enough to garner Hall consideration.
Jeromy Burnitz, OF. From 1997 to 2004 he averaged 31 homers and 94 RBI. Still, he only had 315 homers and 981 RBI in his career while hitting .253. Sorry, Jeromy, you don't make it.
Brian Jordan, OF. Jordan was a fairly good player. He also started 31 NFL games for the Falcons. Sadly, being a fairly good player doesn't make you eligible for the Hall. Neither does hitting 184 homers or hitting .282.
Ruben Sierra, OF/DH. Oh, Ruben. You came into the league with such promise. Then your ego got ahold of you. The Rangers once traded Jose Canseco for him, when both players were considered to be among the best in the game. The Yankees traded Danny Tartabull to the A's for Sierra, got sick of Sierra's attitude and flipped him in 1996 for Cecil Fielder. The Yankees won the World Series and Sierra famously quipped that he didn't like Joe Torre because all he cared about was winning. Wow. Ruben changed organizations a whopping 16 times, including 3 times with the Rangers and twice with the Yankees. His career numbers of .268, 306 homers, and 1,322 RBI are not worthy of a Hall election, especially after 20 seasons in the Bigs. He will best be remembered for changing his attitude and becoming a good bat off the bench for the Yankees in early to mid-2000's.
Brad Radke, P, Twins. Radke was a decent pitcher. However, he was also an unlucky one. He led the league three times...in losses once (16 in 2000) and home runs surrendered twice (32 in 1995 and 40 in 1996). Those kind of distinctions are not exactly Hall material. Radke did win 20 games once, in 1997 and played for the Twins when they were awful. Still, you can't sport a 4.22 career ERA into any Hall, let alone the Hall of Fame. It also doesn't help when you averaged almost a home run given up per start, 326 in 378 games.
Terry Mulholland, P. Terry helped the Phillies to the 1993 World Series. You know, the one where Joe Carter showed Mitch Williams what to do with his fastball? Terry was a mediocre starting pitcher. But, because he was lefty was able to carve out a 20 year career with 15 teams. Finished with a 124-142 win/loss record and a 4.41 ERA. Ummm, sorry Terry.
Javy Lopez, C. Lopez was an excellent hitting catcher. He was even a 3x All-Star, something not many first year eligible players can say this go-around. He even drove in 100 runs twice in his career! At least he can say he was a good player and has a World Series ring to show for it.
Bill Mueller, 3B. When your career is only 11 years long it either says you suffered a catastrophic injury or you were mediocre. I'm not even sure which category he falls in. He did win a batting title in 2003, never made an All-Star game, but did help Boston win their first World Series in 86 years. So, there's that.
Phil Nevin, 1B/3B/OF. I was amazed to find out he made an All-Star game (2001 as a Padre) and he did hit 41 homers once (also 2001). His career numbers of .270, 208 homers, and 743 RBI are nice enough to make you a few million dollars over the course of a career but that's it.
Tim Salmon, OF. Started his career off right, winning the Rookie of the Year in 1993. He then finished in the top ten for MVP twice (he finished 7th both times in 1995 and 1997) in his first five years in the league. Then the injuries started. From 1998 until his retirement in 2006, Salmon would play in over 150 games only once (158 in 2000). He missed the entire 2005 season as well. He was a very good player who never made an All-Star team, never led the league in anything and finished 1 homer shy of 300. He was a good player, one I wouldn't mind roaming the corner on my team. If he had stayed healthy he might actually garner some interest but alas...
Tony Womack, 2B (sort of). Womack might be most famous for driving in the game-tying run in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series. I was shocked to learn he made an All-Star team but then I saw it was with the Pirates back when I was the second best player on the Pirates and I never played baseball professionally. Womack did lead the league in triples once (14 in 2000) and stolen bases three times (1997-1999). So umm, yeah, at least he made $4 million from the Yankees for only hitting .249 and driving in only 15 runs while hitting 0 homers but he did steal 27 bases. Sorry, Tony, but you need to buy a ticket to visit the Hall.
Eric Young, 2B. He was a very good player and had some wheels on him. Unfortunately, when you are a base stealer you don't want to lead the league in caught stealing more than stolen bases (2 to 1). Still, Young was a nice player and there isn't much else to say about him.
So, ummm, wow. A player needs at least 5% of the vote to get on the next year's ballot and I think Bernie should get that. He was an excellent player on one of the best teams in baseball. That will count for something but not enough to allow him entry into the Hall of Fame but he should get his own plaque out there in Monument Park. He also plays a mean classical guitar.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Yu Gotta Be Kidding Me
The Texas Rangers have won the rights to negotiate a contract with Japanese star pitcher Yu Darvish with a $51.8 million bid. That's a lot of dough for a an unproven commodity. Many thought the Yankees would be the favorite to land the Japanese import but the Yankees have become...wait for it...FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE! That's right, the Yankees didn't go out and spend like crazy for Yu Darvish, Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, and C.J. Wilson. They were scared away by the money being thrown at Mark Buehrle. They didn't even glance in the direction of Jose Reyes. Why? Because baseball's new labor agreement is taking aim at teams that exceed the luxury tax. The Yankees are sick of paying for everyone else to field a team and, quite frankly, I don't blame them.
The Yankees plan is to get under the $189 million luxury tax threshold by 2014. That won't be easy. Currently, the Yankees have a ton of money invested in Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, and C.C. Sabathia. That's about $85 million when you factor in pensions and other benefits and the like. Three players, essentially $85 million gone. Rodriguez also gets a $6 million bonus for hitting home run #714 so if he does that, an unlikely scenario but a scenario nonetheless, add on another $6 million. That puts it at $91 million for the 2014 payroll and the Yankees haven't paid Robinson Cano yet. That could cost as much as $22 million or more. Now, the Yankees need to field a catcher, a center fielder, a left fielder, a right fielder, and a DH. Curtis Granderson should be a Yankee for a while but he could be very expensive in the future, at least $15 million. Derek Jeter also has an $8 million player option for 2014. This money is going bye-bye faster than a Kim Kardashian marriage.
I know what you are thinking, fellow Yankee fans. How do the Yankees actually get UNDER $189 million? Sure, the Yankees could try to trade away a contract or two. But, realistically, who will take on Rodriguez's contract or even Mark Teixeira's? A trade won't happen unless the Yankees eat most of the contract, kind of like what is happening with A.J. Burnett right now. By the way, Burnett will be off the books by 2014 in case you were wondering.
You know why the Yankees aren't giving up on their prospects? They are the replacements for the aging, high-priced veterans the Yankees have clogged their roster with. Figure if Jeter does come back in 2014 he will be in his twilight, most likely his last season or two. Also, who knows how long Rodriguez is physically capable of playing third base. His hips aren't getting any better and age will not help any. So, they could be in the market for a third baseman. Could Brandon Laird be that guy? Doubtful but possible.
Don't expect the Yankees to go crazy signing anyone in the next few years. Instead, start to get to know Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances, Jesus Montero, Mason Williams, Gary Sanchez, Austin Romine, J.R. Murphy, Zoilo Almonte, Dante Bichette, Jr. and a host of other prospects in the Yankees system. They will be replacing the older veterans. There is no way the Yankees can re-sign Nick Swisher after his contract is up. There is no way they sign Cole Hamels next year. There is no way they can afford to bring in any big-name free agent. Instead they will be relying on the young kids to take their place.
This is a complete philosophical change from Yankee teams in the past. George Steinbrenner's Yankees are gone. These are Hal's Yankees now. Fiscally responsible. In a lot of ways this will work out in the Yankees favor. They have an excellent scouting department and have uncovered a lot of talent in recent years. It also means no more A.J. Burnett contracts. That's a good thing. It also means no more Pedro Feliciano contracts. No more giving $4 million per year to a lefty veteran who blows out his arm without throwing a big league pitch in Pinstripes. Did you see what the Yankees did with the bullpen this past season? Did you see Luis Ayala put up a decent season? How about Cory Wade? The Yankees bullpen was one of the best in the game and it featured guys taken off the scrap heap or developed in their own system. Rafael Soriano was the exception. Expect David Robertson, Joba Chamberlain, or some other prospect the Yankees bring up to get first crack at replacing Mariano Rivera. Don't expect the Yankees to go out and sign away some other closer from elsewhere. It ain't gonna happen. It can't happen if the Yankees are serious about this luxury tax threshold.
Free agents are not going to be raking in the kind of money they are now. No team wants to put themselves in a position to pay half of their payroll in luxury tax for being a repeat offender. On a $190 million payroll that would be $95 million in taxes. That is crazy. Think of it like a salary cap of sorts. Free agents will have to take less because teams won't offer as much. It's the way of the future in baseball. If the Yankees went into 2014 without changing the way they operate they would pay $105 million in taxes on a $210 million payroll. That's $315 million for player salaries alone. That is unsustainable. The Yankees need to change. They need to adapt. It starts now. This is why there was no Yu Darvish under the Christmas tree for Yankee fans and there will be no Yoenis Cespedes to ring in the new year. There will be no Prince Fielder at DH. No Cole Hamels to keep Yankees fans warm next winter. The times are changing.
Top Five Yankees Prospects
I am by no means an expert, just a man with an opinion and a love for Yankees baseball. That qualifies me to put in my two cents on future Yankee stars with my Top 5 Prospect List right? Well, you're here and I'm writing it so you might as well read it.
1. Jesus Montero, C. He finally got his taste of the Majors this year and did not disappoint. He hit .328 with 4 homers and drove in 12 runs over 18 games. He sported a slash line of .328/.406/.590/.996. To have an OPS of .996 in your first big league taste is sick, like off the charts sick. He showed great opposite field power, using right field like his own personal landing zone. The potential has always been there offensively. It was his defense that many people questioned. The Yankees let him get a feel for action behind the plate, having him catch in 3 games. They will allow him to catch more this year while giving him the majority of his at-bats at DH. He is going to be a spectacular player and the Yankees will be glad they never traded him, even for Cliff Lee.
2. Manny Banuelos, P. This small lefty has kept his spot in the Top 3 because he is still very young, he won't be 21 until March, still has a lot of talent, and should get his first taste of the Majors this season. He didn't have a phenomenal season last year at AAA but you can't expect a kid, and he was the youngest player in AAA after getting called up, taking the distinction away from Jesus Montero, to dominate at every level. His walk rate rose a little, allowing 19 free passes in 34.1 innings at Scranton. However, his strikeout rate remained the same. Pitching is about learning and Banuelos showed he is a learner. He still projects to be a top of the rotation starter and should see some time in the Majors this season.
3. Dellin Betances, P. Betances got his feet wet in the Majors this season and showed he needed more seasoning. He walked 6 in 2.2 innings and sported a 6.75 ERA. The good news? Opponents hit only .125 off of him in those 2.2 innings. Betances has loads of talent. He suffers from loss of control at times but that can be corrected. He didn't do especially well in Scranton, making 4 starts and walking 15 in 21 innings. If he can cut the walks down he projects to a top of the rotation starter. There is a reason his name comes up along with Montero and Banuelos in every trade discussion. The Yankees are right in holding onto him.
4. Mason Williams, OF. He really seemed to put it together last season at Staten Island. His slash line was very nice for a 19 year-old, ..349/.395/.468/.863. The power isn't there and I'm not sure he will become a power hitter in the future but this kid has tools to work with. He has speed, is very good defensively, can steal bases, and make contact with the ball. He can be a dynamic player for years to come if last season is any indication. He won't hit for enough power to be a corner outfielder but when he is ready to take over centerfield for the Yankees Curtis Granderson should be sliding over to left or right.
5. Gary Sanchez, C. He was one of the top prospects in all of baseball going into last season. Then, he decided he was too cool for school and started acting out. The Yankees sent him down a level and humbled him very quickly. Then, he started to produce again. He is very young, still only 19, and immaturity can sometimes be part of dealing with young players. When he slumped early he acted out and found out that isn't the way to deal with things. If he can realize he needs to work his ass off to get to the Majors and continue to work he could be Montero-like, or better. However, he needs to prove it.
Honorable Mentions: Dante Bichette, Jr., 3B. Austin Romine, C. Slade Heathcott, OF. Ravel Santana, P. J.R. Murphy, C/1B. Adam Warren, P. David Phelps, P.
1. Jesus Montero, C. He finally got his taste of the Majors this year and did not disappoint. He hit .328 with 4 homers and drove in 12 runs over 18 games. He sported a slash line of .328/.406/.590/.996. To have an OPS of .996 in your first big league taste is sick, like off the charts sick. He showed great opposite field power, using right field like his own personal landing zone. The potential has always been there offensively. It was his defense that many people questioned. The Yankees let him get a feel for action behind the plate, having him catch in 3 games. They will allow him to catch more this year while giving him the majority of his at-bats at DH. He is going to be a spectacular player and the Yankees will be glad they never traded him, even for Cliff Lee.
2. Manny Banuelos, P. This small lefty has kept his spot in the Top 3 because he is still very young, he won't be 21 until March, still has a lot of talent, and should get his first taste of the Majors this season. He didn't have a phenomenal season last year at AAA but you can't expect a kid, and he was the youngest player in AAA after getting called up, taking the distinction away from Jesus Montero, to dominate at every level. His walk rate rose a little, allowing 19 free passes in 34.1 innings at Scranton. However, his strikeout rate remained the same. Pitching is about learning and Banuelos showed he is a learner. He still projects to be a top of the rotation starter and should see some time in the Majors this season.
3. Dellin Betances, P. Betances got his feet wet in the Majors this season and showed he needed more seasoning. He walked 6 in 2.2 innings and sported a 6.75 ERA. The good news? Opponents hit only .125 off of him in those 2.2 innings. Betances has loads of talent. He suffers from loss of control at times but that can be corrected. He didn't do especially well in Scranton, making 4 starts and walking 15 in 21 innings. If he can cut the walks down he projects to a top of the rotation starter. There is a reason his name comes up along with Montero and Banuelos in every trade discussion. The Yankees are right in holding onto him.
4. Mason Williams, OF. He really seemed to put it together last season at Staten Island. His slash line was very nice for a 19 year-old, ..349/.395/.468/.863. The power isn't there and I'm not sure he will become a power hitter in the future but this kid has tools to work with. He has speed, is very good defensively, can steal bases, and make contact with the ball. He can be a dynamic player for years to come if last season is any indication. He won't hit for enough power to be a corner outfielder but when he is ready to take over centerfield for the Yankees Curtis Granderson should be sliding over to left or right.
5. Gary Sanchez, C. He was one of the top prospects in all of baseball going into last season. Then, he decided he was too cool for school and started acting out. The Yankees sent him down a level and humbled him very quickly. Then, he started to produce again. He is very young, still only 19, and immaturity can sometimes be part of dealing with young players. When he slumped early he acted out and found out that isn't the way to deal with things. If he can realize he needs to work his ass off to get to the Majors and continue to work he could be Montero-like, or better. However, he needs to prove it.
Honorable Mentions: Dante Bichette, Jr., 3B. Austin Romine, C. Slade Heathcott, OF. Ravel Santana, P. J.R. Murphy, C/1B. Adam Warren, P. David Phelps, P.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Welcome to Bizarro World
I know it's been a while since I last posted and for that I apologize.
The baseball world has gone completely insane in the past couple of weeks. The Yankees announced they want to cut payroll to $189 million by 2014 to avoid hefty luxury taxes and the Miami Marlins and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have gone insane and have shelled out over $400 million on four players. The Angels signed Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson within hours of each other and the Marlins, who offered Pujols more money than the Angels did, signed Jose Reyes and Mark Buerhle. The Angels alone spent almost $400 million in new contracts for two players. Owner Arte Moreno only paid $186 million for the whole franchise when he bought the team years ago. I bet they will regret those contracts, each team and each contract beofre they are all half-done.
The Mets were right to let Jose Reyes leave. He last played a near full season in 2008 when he appeared in 159 games. He has appeared in 36, 133, and 126 games over the past three seasons. He is a big injury risk with his hamstrings seemingly giving out every other month. That money is best used elsewhere for the Mets who are obviously rebuilding. I don't know if they should trade David Wright right now but they would be foolish not to listen to offers and see what falls in their laps. I think Sandy Alderson stole from the Giants in the Angel Pagan trade. Great job by him getting back Ramon Ramirez and Andres Torres. Torres is essentially the same player as Pagan and Ramirez will be a useful arm out of the bullpen. Alderson also did well in signing Jon Rauch and Frank Francisco. At worst Alderson might be able to flip those two at the deadline for prospects.
The Yankees are staying true to their word so far this offseason and have not gotten involved with C.J. Wilson, Albert Pujols, Mark Buehrle, or anyone else because they deem the price tags too high. Both Pujols and Wilson's agents contacted the Yankees but were rebuffed. Yankees GM Brian Cashman feels that the pricetag is too high on Edwin Jackson as well and has not shown any interest. In a thin free agent market, Cashman is being wise not to overspend for questionable talent. He could jump in if the price tag comes down but right now it makes no sense. He is also offering $8 million to anyone who takes A.J. Burnett off of his hands. So, who will the Yankees feature in their rotation next season? After C.C. Sabathia there are nothing but question marks. Hughes has to show he can stay healthy and can get back to being the pitcher of the first half of 2010. Ivan Nova has to show that last season was not a fluke. Freddy Garcia has to prove last season was not an enigma as he wore down late last season. A.J. Burnett has to prove he can be an above replacement level pitcher, something he has not done in the past two years. Hector Noesi is doing well in Winter Ball but has a lot to prove. Can one of the young, highly touted prospects out of Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances step up? Will Adam Warren, David Phelps, or D.J. Mitchell be this year's Ivan Nova? so many questions, few answers. It remains to be seen if the Yankees put a bid on Yu Darvish but if they win the bid adding him should at least give another choice to the multiple choice question.
The New York Rangers are one of the best teams I have seen wear the blue sweater in years. They play team hockey, have an outstanding goaltender in Henrik Lundqvist, and have improved their special teams play. They still make stupid penalties here and there and will need to improve in that area going forward but at least they are overcoming their deficiencies. Also, they are playing without their number one defenseman in Marc Staal and are watching Brandon Dubinsky go through a recession in production. All in all, though, the Rangers should be in contention until the end.
Victor Cruz! That's all you need to say about that subject.
And finally, Jake Ballard and the giants were robbed of a TD in the Packers game. Instead of having a touchdown, the Giants had to settle for a field goal. Who knows how the game might have played out if the refs made the right call? Here is photo evidence of Ballard's knee being inbounds when it touched the ground:
The baseball world has gone completely insane in the past couple of weeks. The Yankees announced they want to cut payroll to $189 million by 2014 to avoid hefty luxury taxes and the Miami Marlins and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have gone insane and have shelled out over $400 million on four players. The Angels signed Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson within hours of each other and the Marlins, who offered Pujols more money than the Angels did, signed Jose Reyes and Mark Buerhle. The Angels alone spent almost $400 million in new contracts for two players. Owner Arte Moreno only paid $186 million for the whole franchise when he bought the team years ago. I bet they will regret those contracts, each team and each contract beofre they are all half-done.
The Mets were right to let Jose Reyes leave. He last played a near full season in 2008 when he appeared in 159 games. He has appeared in 36, 133, and 126 games over the past three seasons. He is a big injury risk with his hamstrings seemingly giving out every other month. That money is best used elsewhere for the Mets who are obviously rebuilding. I don't know if they should trade David Wright right now but they would be foolish not to listen to offers and see what falls in their laps. I think Sandy Alderson stole from the Giants in the Angel Pagan trade. Great job by him getting back Ramon Ramirez and Andres Torres. Torres is essentially the same player as Pagan and Ramirez will be a useful arm out of the bullpen. Alderson also did well in signing Jon Rauch and Frank Francisco. At worst Alderson might be able to flip those two at the deadline for prospects.
The Yankees are staying true to their word so far this offseason and have not gotten involved with C.J. Wilson, Albert Pujols, Mark Buehrle, or anyone else because they deem the price tags too high. Both Pujols and Wilson's agents contacted the Yankees but were rebuffed. Yankees GM Brian Cashman feels that the pricetag is too high on Edwin Jackson as well and has not shown any interest. In a thin free agent market, Cashman is being wise not to overspend for questionable talent. He could jump in if the price tag comes down but right now it makes no sense. He is also offering $8 million to anyone who takes A.J. Burnett off of his hands. So, who will the Yankees feature in their rotation next season? After C.C. Sabathia there are nothing but question marks. Hughes has to show he can stay healthy and can get back to being the pitcher of the first half of 2010. Ivan Nova has to show that last season was not a fluke. Freddy Garcia has to prove last season was not an enigma as he wore down late last season. A.J. Burnett has to prove he can be an above replacement level pitcher, something he has not done in the past two years. Hector Noesi is doing well in Winter Ball but has a lot to prove. Can one of the young, highly touted prospects out of Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances step up? Will Adam Warren, David Phelps, or D.J. Mitchell be this year's Ivan Nova? so many questions, few answers. It remains to be seen if the Yankees put a bid on Yu Darvish but if they win the bid adding him should at least give another choice to the multiple choice question.
The New York Rangers are one of the best teams I have seen wear the blue sweater in years. They play team hockey, have an outstanding goaltender in Henrik Lundqvist, and have improved their special teams play. They still make stupid penalties here and there and will need to improve in that area going forward but at least they are overcoming their deficiencies. Also, they are playing without their number one defenseman in Marc Staal and are watching Brandon Dubinsky go through a recession in production. All in all, though, the Rangers should be in contention until the end.
Victor Cruz! That's all you need to say about that subject.
And finally, Jake Ballard and the giants were robbed of a TD in the Packers game. Instead of having a touchdown, the Giants had to settle for a field goal. Who knows how the game might have played out if the refs made the right call? Here is photo evidence of Ballard's knee being inbounds when it touched the ground:
I promise to update the blog more often.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Yankees and Free Agency
The Yankees are entering this offseason without a lot of fanfare. There is no C.C. Sabathia (well, not since the Yankees re-signed him anyway), no Cliff Lee, and no Mark Teixeira. There is an Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder but the Yankees are not going to go after those two because they are set at first base. The general consensus is that Texas Rangers lefty C.J. Wilson is the best starter on the market. However, his October struggles this year might have scared a couple of teams away from offering him a big contract, including the Yankees. However, Wilson did go 16-7 with a 2.94 ERA with 206 strikeouts in 223.1 regular season innings. that stands in stark contrast to his postseason numbers of 0-3, 5.79 ERA, and 26 K's in 28 innings. He walked 19 batters in the postseason and gave up 6 homers after walking 74 and giving up 16 homers during the regular season. Which pitcher is Wilson? That is the question Yankees GM Brian Cashman needs to ask himself and find out an answer to. Is Wilson worth an offer similar to the one the Yankees offered Cliff Lee? No. Is he worth an offer similar to A.J. Burnett? Yes, I would say so. Surely Wilson is better than A.J. and better than John Lackey so he will get a bigger contract than those two. The question is, can Cashman afford to have Wilson, Sabathia, and Burnett on the same payroll? Not many teams would be able to. The Yankees can afford it but it hampers their long-term flexibility.
The Yankees need a number two starter. Ivan Nova certainly gave the Yankees a lot of hope down the stretch last season and they have to hope he continues to develop along those lines. However, young pitching can be very finicky as evidenced by Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes. Counting on young pitching is not something the Yankees can afford but will gladly take contributions from if available. Will Phil Hughes bounce back and resemble the guy who won 18 games only two seasons ago? Will Ivan Nova fall back to earth or will he continue to exceed expectations? Will A.J. Burnett contribute anything of value going forward or will he just be a newer version of Kevin Brown, Randy Johnson, Kenny Rogers, or Javier Vazquez? Will the Yankees roll the dice on guys like Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon again and hope they can contribute as they did last season? Surely Freddy Garcia deserves a new deal, nothing long term but something. There are so many questions surrounding the Yankees rotation for the second straight year. Cashman needs to find a solution. Wilson is the biggest name but is he the best solution?
Cashman has a couple of options entering the free agency period. He can avoid giving up a draft pick for someone like Wilson and bid to receive the services of Japanese ace Yu Darvish. There is a lot of talk about the Yankees past experiences with Japanese pitchers but Darvish is not Hideki Irabu or Kei Igawa. The Yankees admitted they didn't scout Igawa enough and reacted to the Red Sox signing of Daiske Matsuzaka. Darvish is only 25 years old and has pitched well in world tournaments like the World Baseball Classic. Sure, the history of Japanese pitchers having great success in the Major Leagues is not the best but it isn't devoid of success. Can Darvish buck the trend? Darvish is a high risk-high reward prospect, someone who can either be that top starter or someone who will remind the Yankees never to dabble in Japanese pitching ever again. Then again, nobody thought Japanese hitters could survive in the Majors and yet Ichiro is one his way to a Hall of Fame career and Hideki Matsui was the Yankees World Series MVP in 2009 so you can't judge one person based on the experiences of others. I would like to see the Yankees go after Darvish who I am willing to bet will be better than Igawa and Irabu. Most importantly, signing Darvish won't require the surrender of a draft pick. No matter what the Yankees do, if Darvish is posted they should make every attempt to get him. He might not be an ace but he might be good enough to hold down the fort while prospects like Dellin Betances and Manny Banuelos get more seasoning at AAA. Darvish also represents a safer option to C.J. Wilson because he is five years younger and has, at this stage, a more lively fastball.
Cashman has gone into this offseason preaching about being conservative. What this means exactly is anybody's guess. It could mean he will chase someone like Mark Buehrle, who has pitched his entire career in the American League and has shown he can shut down an opposing offense on any given day as evidenced by his perfect game. Buehrle has not pitched less than 200 innings since his rookie campaign in 2001 so health is not a huge concern. He is 32 years old so age and mileage might come into question if he is asking for a long term deal. However, he is a known commodity, one that will give your team a chance to win every time out. His career ERA sits at 3.83, not bad considering he played a majority of his career in the steroids era of the longball and big offense. He won 13 games last year for a horrible White Sox club and posted a 3.59 ERA and 1.30 WHIP while owning a 4.8 K/9, 2.0 BB/9 and .92 HR/9 and getting hitters to hit groundballs 44.9% of the time. Not terrible. On the surface Buehrle reminds me a lot of Andy Pettitte and, if he doesn't require a long term deal, could be just what the Yankees are looking for. He is no stranger to postseason play, having won a World Series with the White sox. His groundball numbers will not be a problem with the Yankees defense playing behind him so Buehrle could thrive in Yankee Stadium.
Right now the Yankees don't have much in the way of top prospects ready to contribute at the Major League level. Sure, Betances and Banuelos will be at AAA but they haven't exactly had much experience beyond a few starts at that level. Betaces got his feet wet this year and showed real promise but that is such a limited sample size you can't take anything away from that. Adam Warren and David Phelps are the two starters most ready for the majors but neither is projected as a top of the rotation starter. Granted, neither was Ivan Nova and look at what he gave the Yankees this year. However, do the Yankees want to enter the 2012 season with a rotation of Sabathia, Hughes, Garcia, Nova, and Burnett and Warren/Phelps battling amongst Garcia, Hughes, and Nova for a spot? Would the Yankees be better off with Sabathia, Buehrle, Nova, Hughes, and Burnett with Darvish/Warren/Phelps waiting in the minors to take over? Maybe Hughes goes to the bullpen and if he does that further complicates matters. Maybe the Yankees aren't planning on bringing A.J. along for the ride anymore. Maybe Cashman is comfortable using Warren and Phelps until Betances and Banuelos are ready. If I know the Yankees I think they will bring back Garcia, sign a pitcher or two amongst the Wilson, Darvish, and Buehrle group, maybe add another starter from among the second tier pitchers like Edwin Jackson for good measure, and hope that they have a surplus of pitching so that they can trade for any spare parts that pop up along the way while being able to retain top prospects like Jesus Montero, Banuelos, Betances, and Gary Sanchez. One thing is certain, the Yankees do not need much, if any help on the offensive side of the ball. This offseason should be all about stockpiling pitching because we have seen it is pitching that wins championships and having too much doesn't exist.
The Yankees need a number two starter. Ivan Nova certainly gave the Yankees a lot of hope down the stretch last season and they have to hope he continues to develop along those lines. However, young pitching can be very finicky as evidenced by Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes. Counting on young pitching is not something the Yankees can afford but will gladly take contributions from if available. Will Phil Hughes bounce back and resemble the guy who won 18 games only two seasons ago? Will Ivan Nova fall back to earth or will he continue to exceed expectations? Will A.J. Burnett contribute anything of value going forward or will he just be a newer version of Kevin Brown, Randy Johnson, Kenny Rogers, or Javier Vazquez? Will the Yankees roll the dice on guys like Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon again and hope they can contribute as they did last season? Surely Freddy Garcia deserves a new deal, nothing long term but something. There are so many questions surrounding the Yankees rotation for the second straight year. Cashman needs to find a solution. Wilson is the biggest name but is he the best solution?
Cashman has a couple of options entering the free agency period. He can avoid giving up a draft pick for someone like Wilson and bid to receive the services of Japanese ace Yu Darvish. There is a lot of talk about the Yankees past experiences with Japanese pitchers but Darvish is not Hideki Irabu or Kei Igawa. The Yankees admitted they didn't scout Igawa enough and reacted to the Red Sox signing of Daiske Matsuzaka. Darvish is only 25 years old and has pitched well in world tournaments like the World Baseball Classic. Sure, the history of Japanese pitchers having great success in the Major Leagues is not the best but it isn't devoid of success. Can Darvish buck the trend? Darvish is a high risk-high reward prospect, someone who can either be that top starter or someone who will remind the Yankees never to dabble in Japanese pitching ever again. Then again, nobody thought Japanese hitters could survive in the Majors and yet Ichiro is one his way to a Hall of Fame career and Hideki Matsui was the Yankees World Series MVP in 2009 so you can't judge one person based on the experiences of others. I would like to see the Yankees go after Darvish who I am willing to bet will be better than Igawa and Irabu. Most importantly, signing Darvish won't require the surrender of a draft pick. No matter what the Yankees do, if Darvish is posted they should make every attempt to get him. He might not be an ace but he might be good enough to hold down the fort while prospects like Dellin Betances and Manny Banuelos get more seasoning at AAA. Darvish also represents a safer option to C.J. Wilson because he is five years younger and has, at this stage, a more lively fastball.
Cashman has gone into this offseason preaching about being conservative. What this means exactly is anybody's guess. It could mean he will chase someone like Mark Buehrle, who has pitched his entire career in the American League and has shown he can shut down an opposing offense on any given day as evidenced by his perfect game. Buehrle has not pitched less than 200 innings since his rookie campaign in 2001 so health is not a huge concern. He is 32 years old so age and mileage might come into question if he is asking for a long term deal. However, he is a known commodity, one that will give your team a chance to win every time out. His career ERA sits at 3.83, not bad considering he played a majority of his career in the steroids era of the longball and big offense. He won 13 games last year for a horrible White Sox club and posted a 3.59 ERA and 1.30 WHIP while owning a 4.8 K/9, 2.0 BB/9 and .92 HR/9 and getting hitters to hit groundballs 44.9% of the time. Not terrible. On the surface Buehrle reminds me a lot of Andy Pettitte and, if he doesn't require a long term deal, could be just what the Yankees are looking for. He is no stranger to postseason play, having won a World Series with the White sox. His groundball numbers will not be a problem with the Yankees defense playing behind him so Buehrle could thrive in Yankee Stadium.
Right now the Yankees don't have much in the way of top prospects ready to contribute at the Major League level. Sure, Betances and Banuelos will be at AAA but they haven't exactly had much experience beyond a few starts at that level. Betaces got his feet wet this year and showed real promise but that is such a limited sample size you can't take anything away from that. Adam Warren and David Phelps are the two starters most ready for the majors but neither is projected as a top of the rotation starter. Granted, neither was Ivan Nova and look at what he gave the Yankees this year. However, do the Yankees want to enter the 2012 season with a rotation of Sabathia, Hughes, Garcia, Nova, and Burnett and Warren/Phelps battling amongst Garcia, Hughes, and Nova for a spot? Would the Yankees be better off with Sabathia, Buehrle, Nova, Hughes, and Burnett with Darvish/Warren/Phelps waiting in the minors to take over? Maybe Hughes goes to the bullpen and if he does that further complicates matters. Maybe the Yankees aren't planning on bringing A.J. along for the ride anymore. Maybe Cashman is comfortable using Warren and Phelps until Betances and Banuelos are ready. If I know the Yankees I think they will bring back Garcia, sign a pitcher or two amongst the Wilson, Darvish, and Buehrle group, maybe add another starter from among the second tier pitchers like Edwin Jackson for good measure, and hope that they have a surplus of pitching so that they can trade for any spare parts that pop up along the way while being able to retain top prospects like Jesus Montero, Banuelos, Betances, and Gary Sanchez. One thing is certain, the Yankees do not need much, if any help on the offensive side of the ball. This offseason should be all about stockpiling pitching because we have seen it is pitching that wins championships and having too much doesn't exist.
Monday, November 7, 2011
First and Goal
- I think Eli went a long way in quieting his critics with his come from behind win over Tom Brady and the Patriots this past Sunday. Eli now has the best 4th quarter quarterback rating in all of football. Not too bad for a guy who many Giants fans wanted to run out of town only a month ago.
- I don't think I have ever seen an implosion like the one that has been occurring in Boston since the beginning of September. Not only did they blow a huge lead but they blew up their team afterwards with GM Theo Epstein and Manager Terry Francona bolting from the franchise. Epstein is now in Chicago with the Cubs to tackle a bigger curse and Francona is free to take another managerial job elsewhere (Chicago?) or to get into broadcasting which he did pretty well in his limited use during the American League Playoffs. Boston now will be without John Lackey next season and is facing big free agent decisions on closer Jonathan Papelbon and DH David Ortiz. With all the tumult that is surrounding this team I can't envision big free agents rushing to Boston. Just ask Carl Crawford how that worked out last season.
- The New York Giants are facing the toughest schedule in all of football over the rest of the season. However, they currently hold a two game lead over the Cowboys for first place in the NFC East and bolstered their confidence by going into New England and beating the Patriots on their home turf, something no team has done since 2008 when Matt Cassell was the starting quarterback while Brady recovered from injury. Nobody expected the Giants to be where they are now at this point in the season, not after losing their best cornerback in Terrell Thomas and losing key players like Kevin Boss and Steve Smith and overhauling their offensive line over the condensed offseason. If the Giants can continue to play good football and force more turnovers than they give up they can be a Super Bowl contender. There are a lot of ifs and the Giants have been getting hit hard by the injury bug all season long but the chance is there and thats all a fan of any team ever asks for.
- The San Francisco Giants traded once top prospect to the Royals for Melky Cabrera.Sanchez struggled with his control this year but has very good stuff. IF the Royals can keep him healthy and Sanchez can find the strike zone the Royals might have a very good number two or three starter as they continue to introduce their young prospects to the Majors. The fact that Sanchez is still just 28 years old and helped carry the Giants to the 2010 World Series Championship represents a huge win for the Royals. Cabrera, although coming off of a career year, was made expendable by Lorenzo Cain who hit .312 at AAA this year and is a cheaper option for the Royals. Great job by the Royals. I have one mantra in baseball and that is never trade a possible impact arm for a fill-in bat.
- I don't understand how caddie Steve Williams' comments about Tiger Woods made global news. I don't believe there should be room for racism in sports but I also don't see how Williams' comment of wanting to "shove it up his [Wodds'] black arsehole" after winning a tournament with his new golfer was overtly racist. OK, so he mentioned the part-color of Woods' skin. Racially insensitive? Absolutely. Racist? No. I am sure Williams regrets those comments, something said in the heat of the moment in a relaxed atmosphere but I don't think the man is racist. I know he was a friend of Woods' through the many years he caddied for him and the two had a falling out after Williams left Woods following Tiger's sexual escapades and fall from the top in golf. One comment does not make a man racist. Silly, yes. I think the media is making way to much of this and should relax. Society has become so sensitive these days. Would there be any uproar if a black caddie had mentioned a white arsehole? Nope, probably not and rightfully so. Had Williams mentioned another golfer and said "white" in front of his statement people would have laughed and moved on.
- The New York Rangers look they are finding their stride. After a long and difficult road trip that saw them playing in Europe, then on Long Island, then on the West Coast, the Rangers returned home to the Garden and won 4 of 6 during that homestand giving them a 7-3-3 record in the teams first 13 games. Marian Gaborik seems to have found new life, Ryan Callahan continues to progress, Brad Richards is showing why he was the #1 free agent target of the off-season, and the Rangers have shown an ability to score on the power play as well, something that haunted them all of last season. And, they are still playing without Marc Staal, arguably their best defenseman. This team should only get better.
- It is looking like the Colts will be winners of the "Suck for Luck" sweepstakes. I can't see them discarding Peyton Manning and pinning their hopes on a rookie QB but I can see Andrew Luck sitting behind Peyton for a couple of years, like Aaron Rodgers did behind Brett Favre, and then taking the starting job. I can also see some team willing to give up three #1 picks to obtain the rights to Luck. Either way the Colts are sitting pretty.
- Does anyone really notice there is no NBA right now? I mean seriously? Football, on both the collegiate and pro levels has been phenomenal and even the NHL has been enjoying a slight resurgence. Personally, I'll wait for college basketball as the pro game has lost all credibility with me. First its refs fixing games, then its stars getting calls despite the lack of fouls, now its a lack of agreement on financials between owners and players. The NBA didn't learn a thing from the NFL lockout and probably won't. So long, NBA, who cared to begin with?
- I don't think I have ever seen an implosion like the one that has been occurring in Boston since the beginning of September. Not only did they blow a huge lead but they blew up their team afterwards with GM Theo Epstein and Manager Terry Francona bolting from the franchise. Epstein is now in Chicago with the Cubs to tackle a bigger curse and Francona is free to take another managerial job elsewhere (Chicago?) or to get into broadcasting which he did pretty well in his limited use during the American League Playoffs. Boston now will be without John Lackey next season and is facing big free agent decisions on closer Jonathan Papelbon and DH David Ortiz. With all the tumult that is surrounding this team I can't envision big free agents rushing to Boston. Just ask Carl Crawford how that worked out last season.
- The New York Giants are facing the toughest schedule in all of football over the rest of the season. However, they currently hold a two game lead over the Cowboys for first place in the NFC East and bolstered their confidence by going into New England and beating the Patriots on their home turf, something no team has done since 2008 when Matt Cassell was the starting quarterback while Brady recovered from injury. Nobody expected the Giants to be where they are now at this point in the season, not after losing their best cornerback in Terrell Thomas and losing key players like Kevin Boss and Steve Smith and overhauling their offensive line over the condensed offseason. If the Giants can continue to play good football and force more turnovers than they give up they can be a Super Bowl contender. There are a lot of ifs and the Giants have been getting hit hard by the injury bug all season long but the chance is there and thats all a fan of any team ever asks for.
- The San Francisco Giants traded once top prospect to the Royals for Melky Cabrera.Sanchez struggled with his control this year but has very good stuff. IF the Royals can keep him healthy and Sanchez can find the strike zone the Royals might have a very good number two or three starter as they continue to introduce their young prospects to the Majors. The fact that Sanchez is still just 28 years old and helped carry the Giants to the 2010 World Series Championship represents a huge win for the Royals. Cabrera, although coming off of a career year, was made expendable by Lorenzo Cain who hit .312 at AAA this year and is a cheaper option for the Royals. Great job by the Royals. I have one mantra in baseball and that is never trade a possible impact arm for a fill-in bat.
- I don't understand how caddie Steve Williams' comments about Tiger Woods made global news. I don't believe there should be room for racism in sports but I also don't see how Williams' comment of wanting to "shove it up his [Wodds'] black arsehole" after winning a tournament with his new golfer was overtly racist. OK, so he mentioned the part-color of Woods' skin. Racially insensitive? Absolutely. Racist? No. I am sure Williams regrets those comments, something said in the heat of the moment in a relaxed atmosphere but I don't think the man is racist. I know he was a friend of Woods' through the many years he caddied for him and the two had a falling out after Williams left Woods following Tiger's sexual escapades and fall from the top in golf. One comment does not make a man racist. Silly, yes. I think the media is making way to much of this and should relax. Society has become so sensitive these days. Would there be any uproar if a black caddie had mentioned a white arsehole? Nope, probably not and rightfully so. Had Williams mentioned another golfer and said "white" in front of his statement people would have laughed and moved on.
- The New York Rangers look they are finding their stride. After a long and difficult road trip that saw them playing in Europe, then on Long Island, then on the West Coast, the Rangers returned home to the Garden and won 4 of 6 during that homestand giving them a 7-3-3 record in the teams first 13 games. Marian Gaborik seems to have found new life, Ryan Callahan continues to progress, Brad Richards is showing why he was the #1 free agent target of the off-season, and the Rangers have shown an ability to score on the power play as well, something that haunted them all of last season. And, they are still playing without Marc Staal, arguably their best defenseman. This team should only get better.
- It is looking like the Colts will be winners of the "Suck for Luck" sweepstakes. I can't see them discarding Peyton Manning and pinning their hopes on a rookie QB but I can see Andrew Luck sitting behind Peyton for a couple of years, like Aaron Rodgers did behind Brett Favre, and then taking the starting job. I can also see some team willing to give up three #1 picks to obtain the rights to Luck. Either way the Colts are sitting pretty.
- Does anyone really notice there is no NBA right now? I mean seriously? Football, on both the collegiate and pro levels has been phenomenal and even the NHL has been enjoying a slight resurgence. Personally, I'll wait for college basketball as the pro game has lost all credibility with me. First its refs fixing games, then its stars getting calls despite the lack of fouls, now its a lack of agreement on financials between owners and players. The NBA didn't learn a thing from the NFL lockout and probably won't. So long, NBA, who cared to begin with?
Friday, October 7, 2011
Bring on the Offseason
The Yankees season is officially over. It still hurts a little to say that but that's what happens when you load the bases twice in a game with one out and fail to score one run. Now, it is time to look forward to next year, if we can do that already. The free agency picture isn't completely clear right now because there are a lot of guys with options and a few with opt out clauses. However, we know the Yankees will have to be busy this winter because some of those options and opt-outs are currently on the roster.
Right now, the Yankees hold options on Robinson Cano and Nick Swisher. Cano is a no-brainer but I'm not so sure about Swisher. Sure, Swisher hits well enough in the regular season but his post-season numbers are atrocious. He has hit .169 in 5 ALDS series, 3 ALCS, and 1 World Series. .169! This past ALDS he hit .211 for the Yankees with 1 homer and 1 RBI. He doesn't do anything particularly well, hitting between 20-30 homers but has hit over 30 (35) only once and that was in 2006. He isn't worth the $10 million that the Yankees will have to pay him if they pick up his option. Sorry, Swisher, but your days of saluting in right field at Yankee Stadium are over.
C.C. Sabathia can opt out of his contract and elect for free agency. I see him opting out but I don't know if the Yankees will let him walk away. Yes, his conditioning is a major issue. I don't think I've ever seen a pitcher add weight during the season since David Wells and it looks like Sabathia ate all of Wells' portions on top of his own. Sabathia made three appearances in this ALDS and gave up at least one run in every single appearance. Not good. Sabathia needs to learn about how to get fit. Imagine what he could do if he stayed in shape?
Jorge Posada's Yankee career is over. There is no reason to get nostalgic over a 40-year old DH who had a great ALDS this year. It seemed as if Posada was always starting or always in the middle of a rally. He will be missed, as all Yankee legends are, but it is time for the Yankees to bring Jesus Montero up and give him a shot. Montero is younger and is probably a much bigger offensive threat at this point. The time has come to let the next generation of Yankee stars show what they can do.
As for the Yankee rotation, well let's just say there is no sure thing in this rotation at all. Sabathia can opt out. Burnett is a disaster, ALDS start included. Nova had a great year but he hasn't shown he can do this year and year out. Phil Hughes was a complete mystery this year. Bartolo Colon is probably done, his fighting with C.C. over post-game spreads won't be tolerated and the Yankees really don't want to bring back a 40-year old pitcher with health issues. They were lucky this season and shouldn't roll the dice on him again. Freddy Garcia pitched very well and was probably the Yankees most consistent starter all year long. The Yankees wouldn't be going out on a limb to give him a one or two-year deal and see what he can do.
I would expect the Yankees to target at least one starting pitcher this offseason even if Sabathia opts out and re-signs. C.J. Wilson, a lefty who has done nothing but win the last two years is probably going to get the phone call from GM Brian Cashman, who the Yankees also need to re-sign. After Wilson the talent level drops off, depending on options and opt-outs. Mark Buehrle of the White Sox has hinted at retirement but is still 33 years-old and has the ability to shut down opponents. He might get a courtesy call this winter from the Yankees as well.
Right now, none of the Yankees top pitching prospects are ready for the Majors. Adam Warren and David Phelps might be the closest but they are middle of the road prospects, not like Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances who projects as top two starters. Maybe the Yankees see what Warren can do, Nova, after all wasn't a top prospect either but he learned how to pitch. Either way I expect the Yankees to give one of Warren and Phelps a shot and for them to sign at least one other starter (Wilson) to go with Sabathia and Burnett and Nova. Phil Hughes will remain a question mark for the time being because of whatever arm issues he was dealing with. He pitched very well out of the pen and the Yankees could use him there. Having a bullpen that has Joba Chamberlain, Rafael Soriano, Phil Hughes, Boone Logan, David Robertson, Luis Ayala, Cory Wade, and Mariano Rivera in the mix is something to hang your hat on. Whomever doesn't make the team in Spring Training out of the Hughes, Wade, Ayala group could be used in a trade.
As for the offense, well there are a lot of question marks here even with Curtis Granderson, Brett Gardner, Mark Teixeira, Derek Jeter, and Alex Rodriguez being penciled in. A-Rod was not the same player he was before all of the injuries sapped him of his ability to hit. The Yankees might consider using him at DH more next year to keep him fresh. Eduardo Nunez was terrible in the field but was pretty good offensively and on the base paths. He could continue to spell A-Rod at third while he DH's. Another option might be to have A-Rod see what right field is like. Certainly he has the speed to cover ground out there and the wear and tear is nothing like it is at third. If A-Rod wants to show he is all about the team he should volunteer to take some fly balls out there. You never know, he could save his career out there. Jesus Montero showed what he was capable of and the Yankees will have to find a way to get his young, explosive bat into the lineup. He could be the backup catcher when he isn't DHing and should show the world why it was smart for the Yankees not to trade him. He is certainly better than Francisco Cervelli on both ends of the plate and it only makes sense for the Yankees to do this. If A-Rod DH's more than Montero can spell Martin behind the plate more often. The fact is the Yankees need to get his bat into this lineup. As for Swisher, he should not be brought back, as mentioned before. The Yankees would save themselves a lot of money and heartache in the postseason. Replacements for him aren't clear yet. I think the Yankees might kick the tires on Grady Sizemore or Jason Kubel. Sizemore has an injury history longer than Carl Pavano's, ok maybe not that bad, but this once promising player has seen his career go awry because he can't stay healthy. He is still only 29 or so and can be an upgrade over Swisher in right field if healthy. If the Yankees were willing to gamble on Colon, why not Sizemore who is younger? As for a utility guy I am a fan of bringing in Mark DeRosa who is a free agent. He can play anywhere on the field and has a .358 career postseason average. He is up there in age (37 next year) but can still hit, he hit .279 this season for San Francisco in a limited role and has shown his bat has some pop. He is also a Yankee fan who attended Bergen Catholic and he might be so excited to be a Yankee he surprises people. at worst you get a guy who plays solid defense everywhere he plays and will slap singles all over the field. He won't be expensive at all and has dreamed of being a Yankee since he was young. The Yankees need a guy like this who understands his role, has won a World Series and has performed in the postseason on a consistently great level.
The Yankees are in for a busy off-season. The first step is getting a GM in place, whether it is Cashman or a replacement. Then, bring in a starting pitcher, re-sign C.C., exercise option on Cano, hope Soriano opts out of his contract, stay away from ANY relievers in free agency, and find a new right fielder. It should be interesting to say the least.
Right now, the Yankees hold options on Robinson Cano and Nick Swisher. Cano is a no-brainer but I'm not so sure about Swisher. Sure, Swisher hits well enough in the regular season but his post-season numbers are atrocious. He has hit .169 in 5 ALDS series, 3 ALCS, and 1 World Series. .169! This past ALDS he hit .211 for the Yankees with 1 homer and 1 RBI. He doesn't do anything particularly well, hitting between 20-30 homers but has hit over 30 (35) only once and that was in 2006. He isn't worth the $10 million that the Yankees will have to pay him if they pick up his option. Sorry, Swisher, but your days of saluting in right field at Yankee Stadium are over.
C.C. Sabathia can opt out of his contract and elect for free agency. I see him opting out but I don't know if the Yankees will let him walk away. Yes, his conditioning is a major issue. I don't think I've ever seen a pitcher add weight during the season since David Wells and it looks like Sabathia ate all of Wells' portions on top of his own. Sabathia made three appearances in this ALDS and gave up at least one run in every single appearance. Not good. Sabathia needs to learn about how to get fit. Imagine what he could do if he stayed in shape?
Jorge Posada's Yankee career is over. There is no reason to get nostalgic over a 40-year old DH who had a great ALDS this year. It seemed as if Posada was always starting or always in the middle of a rally. He will be missed, as all Yankee legends are, but it is time for the Yankees to bring Jesus Montero up and give him a shot. Montero is younger and is probably a much bigger offensive threat at this point. The time has come to let the next generation of Yankee stars show what they can do.
As for the Yankee rotation, well let's just say there is no sure thing in this rotation at all. Sabathia can opt out. Burnett is a disaster, ALDS start included. Nova had a great year but he hasn't shown he can do this year and year out. Phil Hughes was a complete mystery this year. Bartolo Colon is probably done, his fighting with C.C. over post-game spreads won't be tolerated and the Yankees really don't want to bring back a 40-year old pitcher with health issues. They were lucky this season and shouldn't roll the dice on him again. Freddy Garcia pitched very well and was probably the Yankees most consistent starter all year long. The Yankees wouldn't be going out on a limb to give him a one or two-year deal and see what he can do.
I would expect the Yankees to target at least one starting pitcher this offseason even if Sabathia opts out and re-signs. C.J. Wilson, a lefty who has done nothing but win the last two years is probably going to get the phone call from GM Brian Cashman, who the Yankees also need to re-sign. After Wilson the talent level drops off, depending on options and opt-outs. Mark Buehrle of the White Sox has hinted at retirement but is still 33 years-old and has the ability to shut down opponents. He might get a courtesy call this winter from the Yankees as well.
Right now, none of the Yankees top pitching prospects are ready for the Majors. Adam Warren and David Phelps might be the closest but they are middle of the road prospects, not like Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances who projects as top two starters. Maybe the Yankees see what Warren can do, Nova, after all wasn't a top prospect either but he learned how to pitch. Either way I expect the Yankees to give one of Warren and Phelps a shot and for them to sign at least one other starter (Wilson) to go with Sabathia and Burnett and Nova. Phil Hughes will remain a question mark for the time being because of whatever arm issues he was dealing with. He pitched very well out of the pen and the Yankees could use him there. Having a bullpen that has Joba Chamberlain, Rafael Soriano, Phil Hughes, Boone Logan, David Robertson, Luis Ayala, Cory Wade, and Mariano Rivera in the mix is something to hang your hat on. Whomever doesn't make the team in Spring Training out of the Hughes, Wade, Ayala group could be used in a trade.
As for the offense, well there are a lot of question marks here even with Curtis Granderson, Brett Gardner, Mark Teixeira, Derek Jeter, and Alex Rodriguez being penciled in. A-Rod was not the same player he was before all of the injuries sapped him of his ability to hit. The Yankees might consider using him at DH more next year to keep him fresh. Eduardo Nunez was terrible in the field but was pretty good offensively and on the base paths. He could continue to spell A-Rod at third while he DH's. Another option might be to have A-Rod see what right field is like. Certainly he has the speed to cover ground out there and the wear and tear is nothing like it is at third. If A-Rod wants to show he is all about the team he should volunteer to take some fly balls out there. You never know, he could save his career out there. Jesus Montero showed what he was capable of and the Yankees will have to find a way to get his young, explosive bat into the lineup. He could be the backup catcher when he isn't DHing and should show the world why it was smart for the Yankees not to trade him. He is certainly better than Francisco Cervelli on both ends of the plate and it only makes sense for the Yankees to do this. If A-Rod DH's more than Montero can spell Martin behind the plate more often. The fact is the Yankees need to get his bat into this lineup. As for Swisher, he should not be brought back, as mentioned before. The Yankees would save themselves a lot of money and heartache in the postseason. Replacements for him aren't clear yet. I think the Yankees might kick the tires on Grady Sizemore or Jason Kubel. Sizemore has an injury history longer than Carl Pavano's, ok maybe not that bad, but this once promising player has seen his career go awry because he can't stay healthy. He is still only 29 or so and can be an upgrade over Swisher in right field if healthy. If the Yankees were willing to gamble on Colon, why not Sizemore who is younger? As for a utility guy I am a fan of bringing in Mark DeRosa who is a free agent. He can play anywhere on the field and has a .358 career postseason average. He is up there in age (37 next year) but can still hit, he hit .279 this season for San Francisco in a limited role and has shown his bat has some pop. He is also a Yankee fan who attended Bergen Catholic and he might be so excited to be a Yankee he surprises people. at worst you get a guy who plays solid defense everywhere he plays and will slap singles all over the field. He won't be expensive at all and has dreamed of being a Yankee since he was young. The Yankees need a guy like this who understands his role, has won a World Series and has performed in the postseason on a consistently great level.
The Yankees are in for a busy off-season. The first step is getting a GM in place, whether it is Cashman or a replacement. Then, bring in a starting pitcher, re-sign C.C., exercise option on Cano, hope Soriano opts out of his contract, stay away from ANY relievers in free agency, and find a new right fielder. It should be interesting to say the least.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Looking Back...Swami I am Not
OK, the baseball season is now officially over, and what a finish it was. Who would have thought that the Red Sox would lose after taking a 3-2 lead into the ninth with two outs and two strikes on Nolan Reimold? Who would have figured the Rays would come back from being down 7-0 to the Yankees and win in the 12th inning on an Evan Longoria home run? Who would have figured the Braves would lose out on the playoffs in a similar fashion to the Red Sox and the Cardinals would come back from the dead to sneak in as a Wild Card? Well, let's see if any of my predictions came true:
1. The Braves will win the NL East: Ummm, no they didn't. 0 for 1
2. Curtis Granderson will flirt with 40-40 and have a breakout year: Hell yeah he did! He hit 41 homers but stole only 25 bases and got caught stealing 10 times. Well, he did something he never did before, he hit 40+ homers, that's gotta count for something, right?1 for 2!
3. Adrian Gonzalez will hit 45-50 homers: Nope, he didn't. 1 for 3.
4. The White Sox will beat out the Twins in the Central: Guess I forgot about the Tigers and all. 1 for 4.
5. The Mets will lose 95 games: Nope, they lost 85. 1 for 5.
6. Mark Prior will make an impact on the Yankees. Wow, I must have been drinking. 1 for 6.
7. The Giants will miss the playoffs. Yes, they did. Woohooo 2 for 7.
8. Austin Jackson will hit .300 and strike out 180 times. Well, he hit .249 and struck out 181 times. 2.5 for 8.
9. Jesus Montero will be traded. No he wasn't and thankfully I'm wrong. 2.5 for 9
10. The Red Sox will beat the Reds in World Series. Neither team made the playoffs. Oops. 2.5 for 10.
11. Derek Jeter will bat .309 and Ichiro will fail to reach 200 hits for first time. Jeter hit .297 and Ichiro only had 184 hits. Another half point, 3 for 11.
1. The Braves will win the NL East: Ummm, no they didn't. 0 for 1
2. Curtis Granderson will flirt with 40-40 and have a breakout year: Hell yeah he did! He hit 41 homers but stole only 25 bases and got caught stealing 10 times. Well, he did something he never did before, he hit 40+ homers, that's gotta count for something, right?1 for 2!
3. Adrian Gonzalez will hit 45-50 homers: Nope, he didn't. 1 for 3.
4. The White Sox will beat out the Twins in the Central: Guess I forgot about the Tigers and all. 1 for 4.
5. The Mets will lose 95 games: Nope, they lost 85. 1 for 5.
6. Mark Prior will make an impact on the Yankees. Wow, I must have been drinking. 1 for 6.
7. The Giants will miss the playoffs. Yes, they did. Woohooo 2 for 7.
8. Austin Jackson will hit .300 and strike out 180 times. Well, he hit .249 and struck out 181 times. 2.5 for 8.
9. Jesus Montero will be traded. No he wasn't and thankfully I'm wrong. 2.5 for 9
10. The Red Sox will beat the Reds in World Series. Neither team made the playoffs. Oops. 2.5 for 10.
11. Derek Jeter will bat .309 and Ichiro will fail to reach 200 hits for first time. Jeter hit .297 and Ichiro only had 184 hits. Another half point, 3 for 11.
Monday, September 12, 2011
2 Minute Drill
-The NFL Season is now truly under way and one thing is evident: Players are paying the price of the lockout. Injuries to key players through the preseason and the first week are really adding up. Chiefs safety Eric Berry joins Carolina LB Jon Beason, Giants LB Jon Goff, CB Terrell Thomas, and a slew of others on injured reserve, their season already over. Conditioning was a major concern among coaching staffs around the NFL and their fears are being realized. This is a violent game and injuries happen but teams will suffer because of the shortened camp and complete lack of mini-camps over the summer.
-The Giants will be terrible this year. Sure, they have the talent to turn it around but the amount of injuries to key personnel have really added up and seems to have devastated this team. It showed in Week 1 against the Redkins. The Giants receivers were not holding onto the football, Eli Manning was still making mistakes, Ahmad Bradshaw is not the answer in short-yardage situations, and the Giants secondary looked lost at times. Throw on top of that, the Giants offensive line is still adjusting to new roles and new faces and it has the makings of a loooong season. I did pick the Giants to make the playoffs and they still could. However, right now, they have a lot of work that needs to get done and it doesn't look like its gonna happen this year.
-The Jets-Cowboys game was a wild one. The Jets didn't do anything great until the second half when the blocked punt was returned for a TD and Darrelle Revis intercepted Tony Romo at a key time. The Jets defense stepped up when it needed to to, forcing turnovers and never giving up despite being down 14 points in the 4th quarter. This is a great win for the Jets and horrible loss for the Cowboys. Tony Romo is less trustworthy in key spots than Eli Manning in any spot. If Romo throws for only 9 interceptions in a season the chances are that all 9 will be significant because they will come at crucial points. The Cowboys are a QB away from being a damned good football team.
-As bad as the Giants looked yesterday there is a lot of talent on that football team. What is even scarier is how good they can be if they are healthy. Think about a secondary with Terrell Thomas, Corey Webster, Prince Amukamara, Aaron Ross, Antrell Rolle, Kenny Phillips, and Deon Grant backing up a defensive line of Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul, Osi Umenyioura, Marvin Austin, Chris Canty, and Linval Joseph. Think about how good the Giants will be if Mark Herzlich becomes the player many thought he could become before cancer. Think about Greg Jones getting invaluable on-the-job training at middle linebacker and how much potential he has. Mathias Kiwanuka is a pass-rushing nightmare on QB's and O-linemen. This defense can be great. It just needs to be healthy and happy. Next year the Giants will be a playoff team, regardless of who coaches them, and will be back in a Super Bowl within three years. This was a freak offseason for the Giants and if it is Tom Coughlin's last year, the Giants will find a suitable coach who will be able to get the best out of this team. Take it to the bank.
-Cam Newton sure shut his critics up with one of the best week 1 performances I have ever seen out of a rookie QB. I certainly didn't think he was capable. Good job, Cam. Who knows, maybe you are that good.
-Do you think the Colts miss Peyton Manning yet? Do you think Kerry Collins wishes he stayed retired or is just thankful his name is not Donovan McNabb?
-Speaking of McNabb, I don't think he is THAT bad. I still don't think he has much left to offer but he could still be a playoff caliber QB for the Vikings.
-So Tedd Ginn, Jr. still plays football. Great game for him against the Seahawks. He always had the ability but he never allowed to translate. Fantasy owners everywhere are rushing to pick him up.
-George W. Bush performed the coin toss at the Jets-Cowboys game. In a predominantly democratic area the formerly unpopular Bush got a smattered of boos but they were hushed out by thunderous appaluse and chants of "U-S-A!"
-When did Ryan Fitzpatrick learn how to play QB? The Bills QB tossed 4 TD's against the Chiefs on Sunday as Buffalo romped and stomped Kansas City 41-7.
-Enjoy the double-header tonight on Monday Night Football. If the weekend has taught us anything it is to expect anything at anytime. What a crazy beginning to the football season.
-The Giants will be terrible this year. Sure, they have the talent to turn it around but the amount of injuries to key personnel have really added up and seems to have devastated this team. It showed in Week 1 against the Redkins. The Giants receivers were not holding onto the football, Eli Manning was still making mistakes, Ahmad Bradshaw is not the answer in short-yardage situations, and the Giants secondary looked lost at times. Throw on top of that, the Giants offensive line is still adjusting to new roles and new faces and it has the makings of a loooong season. I did pick the Giants to make the playoffs and they still could. However, right now, they have a lot of work that needs to get done and it doesn't look like its gonna happen this year.
-The Jets-Cowboys game was a wild one. The Jets didn't do anything great until the second half when the blocked punt was returned for a TD and Darrelle Revis intercepted Tony Romo at a key time. The Jets defense stepped up when it needed to to, forcing turnovers and never giving up despite being down 14 points in the 4th quarter. This is a great win for the Jets and horrible loss for the Cowboys. Tony Romo is less trustworthy in key spots than Eli Manning in any spot. If Romo throws for only 9 interceptions in a season the chances are that all 9 will be significant because they will come at crucial points. The Cowboys are a QB away from being a damned good football team.
-As bad as the Giants looked yesterday there is a lot of talent on that football team. What is even scarier is how good they can be if they are healthy. Think about a secondary with Terrell Thomas, Corey Webster, Prince Amukamara, Aaron Ross, Antrell Rolle, Kenny Phillips, and Deon Grant backing up a defensive line of Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul, Osi Umenyioura, Marvin Austin, Chris Canty, and Linval Joseph. Think about how good the Giants will be if Mark Herzlich becomes the player many thought he could become before cancer. Think about Greg Jones getting invaluable on-the-job training at middle linebacker and how much potential he has. Mathias Kiwanuka is a pass-rushing nightmare on QB's and O-linemen. This defense can be great. It just needs to be healthy and happy. Next year the Giants will be a playoff team, regardless of who coaches them, and will be back in a Super Bowl within three years. This was a freak offseason for the Giants and if it is Tom Coughlin's last year, the Giants will find a suitable coach who will be able to get the best out of this team. Take it to the bank.
-Cam Newton sure shut his critics up with one of the best week 1 performances I have ever seen out of a rookie QB. I certainly didn't think he was capable. Good job, Cam. Who knows, maybe you are that good.
-Do you think the Colts miss Peyton Manning yet? Do you think Kerry Collins wishes he stayed retired or is just thankful his name is not Donovan McNabb?
-Speaking of McNabb, I don't think he is THAT bad. I still don't think he has much left to offer but he could still be a playoff caliber QB for the Vikings.
-So Tedd Ginn, Jr. still plays football. Great game for him against the Seahawks. He always had the ability but he never allowed to translate. Fantasy owners everywhere are rushing to pick him up.
-George W. Bush performed the coin toss at the Jets-Cowboys game. In a predominantly democratic area the formerly unpopular Bush got a smattered of boos but they were hushed out by thunderous appaluse and chants of "U-S-A!"
-When did Ryan Fitzpatrick learn how to play QB? The Bills QB tossed 4 TD's against the Chiefs on Sunday as Buffalo romped and stomped Kansas City 41-7.
-Enjoy the double-header tonight on Monday Night Football. If the weekend has taught us anything it is to expect anything at anytime. What a crazy beginning to the football season.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Eli(te)?
Recently Eli Manning came under fire from various circles because he considered himself an elite quarterback. Many of those taking fire at Eli were Giants fans. In fact, during the Giants preseason home opener against the Bears on August 22nd, there was a sign scrawled on a bedsheet that read "Eli-te? Show us!" As many of you know I am a Giants fan and I just don't understand the hatred some Giants fans show towards Eli. So, as any history major would do I did some research.
Many Giants fans consider Phil Simms to be the greatest Giants QB in the modern era. Also in this category are Y.A. Tittle, Fran Tarkenton, Charlie Conerly and even Kerry Collins. Eli Manning has a better career (during their time with the Giants) completion percentage than any of those except Kerry Collins who beats Manning by .5%. Manning has a higher completion percentage with the Giants than Hall of Famers Tittle, Tarkenton, and Conerly. Manning ranks second all-time in passing yardage with 22,646. Phil Simms leads all Giants QB's with an all-time mark of 33,462. The major difference is Simms, who was my favorite Giant growing up, had from 1979 to 1993 to amass that yardage. Eli has amassed his numbers since 2004 when he took over the reigns from Kurt Warner. Manning ranks third all-time in touchdowns behind Simms (199) and Conerly (173) with 156. Simms needed 14 years and Conerly 13 years to amass those numbers. Eli is on pace to break Simms' record in about 2 years. So by the end of 2012, Eli's 8th year in the league, he will have set the all-time mark for touchdowns by a Giants QB.
Eli's detractors will point out that he throws too many interceptions. Yes, Eli has thrown 113 INT's and is thrid all-time in that category as a Giant. However, Eli has the same interception rate as Phil Simms, 3.4%. That puts him ahead of Norm Snead, Charlie Conerly, Y.A. Tittle, and Fran Tarkenton to name a few. What makes that even more remarkable is Eli is second all-time in completions for a Giants QB and should surpass Simms in another 2 years. He is also second in career attempts so Eli has thrown a helluva lot more balls than some Hall of Famers and still has a lower interception percentage.
Eli's detractors will point out Eli doesn't win football games. Well, Eli owns a 60-43 mark as a QB. Only Phil Simms has more wins (95-64) than Eli. However, Eli bests Phil in career QB rating, 80.2 to 78.5. Quarterback rating is the only place Eli doesn't shine when compared with his Giants contemporaries.
Is Eli Manning an elite quarterback? Well, maybe he is. He is certainly the best quarterback the Giants have ever had and is on pace to set every single record for Giants QB's. There have only been four seasons in which a Giants quarterback has thrown for over 4,000 yards. Eli is the only one to do it twice. Eli is also only the second Giants QB to ever throw for 30 TD's in a season. Y.A. Tittle did it twice. Of the top ten all-time single season touchdown leaders, Eli makes the list five times. Tarkenton and Tittle make the list twice and Simms just once. Oh, and his 62.9 completion percentage from last season ranks tops all-time for a Giants QB.
Say what you want about Eli Manning. The facts are he is arguably the best quarterback the Giants have ever had. A case can be made for Tittle but he only played a few years for the Giants. Sure, a case can be made for Simms but the numbers show Manning is better. Is he elite? Well, Giants fans shouldn't be complaining about Eli to say the least.
Many Giants fans consider Phil Simms to be the greatest Giants QB in the modern era. Also in this category are Y.A. Tittle, Fran Tarkenton, Charlie Conerly and even Kerry Collins. Eli Manning has a better career (during their time with the Giants) completion percentage than any of those except Kerry Collins who beats Manning by .5%. Manning has a higher completion percentage with the Giants than Hall of Famers Tittle, Tarkenton, and Conerly. Manning ranks second all-time in passing yardage with 22,646. Phil Simms leads all Giants QB's with an all-time mark of 33,462. The major difference is Simms, who was my favorite Giant growing up, had from 1979 to 1993 to amass that yardage. Eli has amassed his numbers since 2004 when he took over the reigns from Kurt Warner. Manning ranks third all-time in touchdowns behind Simms (199) and Conerly (173) with 156. Simms needed 14 years and Conerly 13 years to amass those numbers. Eli is on pace to break Simms' record in about 2 years. So by the end of 2012, Eli's 8th year in the league, he will have set the all-time mark for touchdowns by a Giants QB.
Eli's detractors will point out that he throws too many interceptions. Yes, Eli has thrown 113 INT's and is thrid all-time in that category as a Giant. However, Eli has the same interception rate as Phil Simms, 3.4%. That puts him ahead of Norm Snead, Charlie Conerly, Y.A. Tittle, and Fran Tarkenton to name a few. What makes that even more remarkable is Eli is second all-time in completions for a Giants QB and should surpass Simms in another 2 years. He is also second in career attempts so Eli has thrown a helluva lot more balls than some Hall of Famers and still has a lower interception percentage.
Eli's detractors will point out Eli doesn't win football games. Well, Eli owns a 60-43 mark as a QB. Only Phil Simms has more wins (95-64) than Eli. However, Eli bests Phil in career QB rating, 80.2 to 78.5. Quarterback rating is the only place Eli doesn't shine when compared with his Giants contemporaries.
Is Eli Manning an elite quarterback? Well, maybe he is. He is certainly the best quarterback the Giants have ever had and is on pace to set every single record for Giants QB's. There have only been four seasons in which a Giants quarterback has thrown for over 4,000 yards. Eli is the only one to do it twice. Eli is also only the second Giants QB to ever throw for 30 TD's in a season. Y.A. Tittle did it twice. Of the top ten all-time single season touchdown leaders, Eli makes the list five times. Tarkenton and Tittle make the list twice and Simms just once. Oh, and his 62.9 completion percentage from last season ranks tops all-time for a Giants QB.
Say what you want about Eli Manning. The facts are he is arguably the best quarterback the Giants have ever had. A case can be made for Tittle but he only played a few years for the Giants. Sure, a case can be made for Simms but the numbers show Manning is better. Is he elite? Well, Giants fans shouldn't be complaining about Eli to say the least.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Some NFL Predictions
I figured I would throw out some predictions for this upcoming football season. Why not? The "experts" have a similar batting average as I do.
-The New York Giants, despite all of the tumult this offseason and the injuries this preseason will make the playoffs.
-Mike Vick will throw 14 or more INT's this year. He also won't play in all 16 Eagles games.
-The returns of kickoffs will drastically go down. Currently kicks are being run back from the halfway point of the endzone. Much of this can be attributed to guys trying to make NFL rosters and the only way they can do that is if they return the kicks for big yardage. Expect more touchbacks once the season starts. Currently, this preseason has seen 37% of kickoffs end up as touchbacks, up from 10% last year. That rate will only increase, probably somewhere close to 50% once the regular season starts.
-The Eagles will win the NFC East but won't get very far in the playoffs and certainly won't win the Super Bowl.
-The Raiders will not continue to improve and instead will regress this year. An 8-8 record is not gonna happen. 4-12 maybe, not 8-8 or 7-9.
-The Lions will make the playoffs IF Matthew Stafford stays healthy. Since he probably won't the Lions will once again miss the playoffs. But they are on the rise.
-Plaxico Burress will have more TD catches than Santonio Holmes.
-Eli Manning will throw less than 20 INT's this year. Hakeem Nicks will be a Pro Bowl WR and Mario Manningham will have over 1,000 yards receiving. And, Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs will each have 1,000 yards rushing.
-The Chicago Bears will not make the playoffs.
-The Green Bay Packers will not repeat as Super Bowl Champions but will win the North handily.
-Colt McCoy will show people he can be a QB in this league and will have better numbers than Joe Flacco.
-The Dallas Cowboys will finish the year 8-8.
-The Cleveland Browns will make the playoffs. Their toughest games are against division opponents (except the Bengals) and if the Browns can go .500 in their division they could sneak into a Wild Card spot.
-The Denver Broncos will improve, by 2 games on last years 4-12 record and finish ahead of Oakland.
-The San Diego Chargers will win the AFC West.
-Nobody will care who wins the NFC West.
-The NFC South will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.
-The Redskins will win less than 5 games.
-Ray Rice will lead the league in rushing.
-Larry Fitzgerald will lead the league in receptions.
-There won't be any arrests of New York Jets players during the regular season.
-Kansas City will go 8-0 at home.
-The loss of Terrell Thomas will hurt the Giants but it won't kill them. Prince Amukamara, Aaron Ross, and Corey Webster will be able to fill the void well enough making this unit a huge strength going into 2012.
-Jason Pierre-Paul will have 13 sacks. Justin Tuck will have 12. And Osi Umenyiora will rack up 10 as the Giants lead the NFL in sacks.
Well, that's all for now. Got your own predictions? Click on the comments link and share 'em.
-The New York Giants, despite all of the tumult this offseason and the injuries this preseason will make the playoffs.
-Mike Vick will throw 14 or more INT's this year. He also won't play in all 16 Eagles games.
-The returns of kickoffs will drastically go down. Currently kicks are being run back from the halfway point of the endzone. Much of this can be attributed to guys trying to make NFL rosters and the only way they can do that is if they return the kicks for big yardage. Expect more touchbacks once the season starts. Currently, this preseason has seen 37% of kickoffs end up as touchbacks, up from 10% last year. That rate will only increase, probably somewhere close to 50% once the regular season starts.
-The Eagles will win the NFC East but won't get very far in the playoffs and certainly won't win the Super Bowl.
-The Raiders will not continue to improve and instead will regress this year. An 8-8 record is not gonna happen. 4-12 maybe, not 8-8 or 7-9.
-The Lions will make the playoffs IF Matthew Stafford stays healthy. Since he probably won't the Lions will once again miss the playoffs. But they are on the rise.
-Plaxico Burress will have more TD catches than Santonio Holmes.
-Eli Manning will throw less than 20 INT's this year. Hakeem Nicks will be a Pro Bowl WR and Mario Manningham will have over 1,000 yards receiving. And, Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs will each have 1,000 yards rushing.
-The Chicago Bears will not make the playoffs.
-The Green Bay Packers will not repeat as Super Bowl Champions but will win the North handily.
-Colt McCoy will show people he can be a QB in this league and will have better numbers than Joe Flacco.
-The Dallas Cowboys will finish the year 8-8.
-The Cleveland Browns will make the playoffs. Their toughest games are against division opponents (except the Bengals) and if the Browns can go .500 in their division they could sneak into a Wild Card spot.
-The Denver Broncos will improve, by 2 games on last years 4-12 record and finish ahead of Oakland.
-The San Diego Chargers will win the AFC West.
-Nobody will care who wins the NFC West.
-The NFC South will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.
-The Redskins will win less than 5 games.
-Ray Rice will lead the league in rushing.
-Larry Fitzgerald will lead the league in receptions.
-There won't be any arrests of New York Jets players during the regular season.
-Kansas City will go 8-0 at home.
-The loss of Terrell Thomas will hurt the Giants but it won't kill them. Prince Amukamara, Aaron Ross, and Corey Webster will be able to fill the void well enough making this unit a huge strength going into 2012.
-Jason Pierre-Paul will have 13 sacks. Justin Tuck will have 12. And Osi Umenyiora will rack up 10 as the Giants lead the NFL in sacks.
Well, that's all for now. Got your own predictions? Click on the comments link and share 'em.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Weathermen aren't the only ones....
Wouldn't we all be so lucky at our jobs if we could routinely get stuff wrong and still show up the next day at our jobs? Well, unless you are a weatherman or Major League umpire, keep dreaming. Last night, home plate umpire Chad Fairchild forgot what a strike zone was supposed to look like, especially during Jorge Posada's at bat that ended the game and then Crew Chief Dana DeMuth got a home run call wrong AFTER video replay and then refused to comment about it after the game. Major League Baseball needs to crack down on these umpires. The strike zone shouldn't differ by umpire on a given night but rather by the batter's height. Letter to the knees, the width of home plate. Is this so hard? And as for Mr. DeMuth, someone needs to understand the ground rules of the ballpark he is the crew chief in! Seriously, this is a home run, a play you have time to take a video replay on. And then, to add insult to injury, you refuse to comment, thereby refusing to take accountability or offer an explanation on the call? The audacity! The nerve. Umpires should always be a peripheral of the game, something that is part of the game but isn't THE game. When umps do this kind of stuff, thumbing their noses at the teams and the fans, that crosses a line. What's next? Umps ejecting fans for booing?
Needless to say I am not a fan of umpires. They don't enforce rules when they should, such as the 12 second rule between pitches, routinely letting pitchers take up to 30 seconds between pitches with nobody on base. If MLB were serious about speeding up the games they should enforce this rule instead of sending a note to a pitcher asking them to speed it up. Take longer than 12 seconds? Ball. Wanna do it again? Ball. And the same goes for hitters. Who needs to adjust batting gloves after every pitch? Seriously, you didn't even swing and you need to step out of the box? Stop it. Check out a game from the 1970's or early 1980's and check how many times batters stepped out of the box. Count how many seconds between pitches. How come games back then took about 2 hours and today we have to sit through games twice as long? I can understand a slugfest where outs are impossible to come by, like A.J. Burnett pitching against Carlos Zambrano with no bullpen help, but a 3 hour pitchers duel? MLB needs to tell its umps to get on players that bore us into not giving a damn anymore. I really have time to go take a leak between John Lackey pitches? I could have done that and gotten a beer with Steve Tracshel on the bump. Enforce the damn rules or eliminate them. And make the umpires accountable for calls they make. If MLB wants to keep the human element in the game then force the humans to be held accountable for calls they make.
Needless to say I am not a fan of umpires. They don't enforce rules when they should, such as the 12 second rule between pitches, routinely letting pitchers take up to 30 seconds between pitches with nobody on base. If MLB were serious about speeding up the games they should enforce this rule instead of sending a note to a pitcher asking them to speed it up. Take longer than 12 seconds? Ball. Wanna do it again? Ball. And the same goes for hitters. Who needs to adjust batting gloves after every pitch? Seriously, you didn't even swing and you need to step out of the box? Stop it. Check out a game from the 1970's or early 1980's and check how many times batters stepped out of the box. Count how many seconds between pitches. How come games back then took about 2 hours and today we have to sit through games twice as long? I can understand a slugfest where outs are impossible to come by, like A.J. Burnett pitching against Carlos Zambrano with no bullpen help, but a 3 hour pitchers duel? MLB needs to tell its umps to get on players that bore us into not giving a damn anymore. I really have time to go take a leak between John Lackey pitches? I could have done that and gotten a beer with Steve Tracshel on the bump. Enforce the damn rules or eliminate them. And make the umpires accountable for calls they make. If MLB wants to keep the human element in the game then force the humans to be held accountable for calls they make.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
You Don't Win Super Bowls in August
The NFL lockout is over and teams have started their training camps. Some NFL free agents are still looking for homes and the Eagles have been declared the winners of the free agent signing frenzy that saw over 130 players switch teams in a little over a week. Media comparisons between the Eagles offseason and that of the Miami Heat last year are already making the rounds. I say rubbish. Yes, rubbish. You don't win Super Bowls in August. It has never happened and will never happen. Football is a game of attrition. It is 16 games over 17 weeks of pounding and pain. Players get hurt and others have off years. Before I go anointing the Eagles the 2012 Super Bowl Champion I would like everyone to take a few things under consideration:
-Michael Vick has only played in all 16 games once during his entire career, in 2006. He has played in 15 3 times and last year missed 4 weeks due to injury. He is not an iron man and the Eagles backup is Vince Young who has talent but is new to the system and has had issues in the past showing he can learn a teams system and thrive in it.
-There is a reason they play the games. As a Giants fan I came to truly understand this during the 2007 Super Bowl run. I, like most people in this country, had only a slight glimmer of hope that the Giants would beat the previously unbeaten Patriots. Well, they did and the Giants got the parade. The Patriots will only be remembered as the team that couldn't seal the deal. Like the 2001 Mariners. Nobody remembers they broke the record for the most wins in the AL in a regular season because they didn't win in the playoffs.
-Because of the lockout there is precious little time for new players to learn and adapt to new offensive and defensive schemes. This could possibly hurt teams that are relying on new free agents or rookies to make an immediate impact. Hell, its hard for players to learn new systems with full camps and access to playbooks starting in June and July and it is sometimes evident in the first weeks of a season. Now, they have 1-2 fewer months to get up to speed. This could mean certain players who are expected to make an impact right away might not do so until midway through the season.
-The Eagles start off their year in St. Louis and Atlanta followed by a home game against the Giants. If Philly loses in week 1 to St. Louis there will be a lot of pressure on this team to go into Atlanta and beat a Super Bowl contender in their own building which is tough. Then, they have to face a team that still remembers the sting left from that comeback win last December that knocked the Giants out of the playoffs. You can bet the Giants will be ready for that game. Can you imagine the pressure on the Eagles if they go into the Linc 0-2 with the Giants opening the Season in Philly? It is true that the Eagles could already be flying high and go into that game 2-0 with a confidence that comes with going into Atlanta and beating them at home.
-Much has been made about the new Eagles secondary after the addition of Dominque Rogers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha to Asante Samuel. But their linebacking corps lacks experience and impact. Sure, Casey Matthews has a lot of potential but he won't be a clone of his brother. Of course, as I write this the Eagles might be in negotiations to bring in a linebacker or two to shore up a unit that is, at the current moment, unimpressive.
-Jason Babin and Cullen Jenkins, two very good players from the Titans and Packers respectively, were brought in to shore up the defensive line which is led by Trent Cole. Cole is a very nice player, and had 10.0 sacks last year and 12.5 the year before. However, Jason Babin is coming off a career year where he recorded 12.5 sacks. He was in Philly in 2009 and despite playing in 16 games, only managed 11 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Could he have just broken out last year? Yeah, sure he could have. Could he have benefitted from Jeff Fisher's defensive schemes? Yes, that is possible as well. Call me a skeptic, but a guy who suddenly finds his game at 30 in the NFL makes me a little wary. Where was his supposed talent in Houston, Kansas City, and Philly before? As for Cullen Jenkins, he too is coming off of a career year, recording 7 sacks in only 11 games. Not bad. But that was as a 300+ lbs. defensive end. Most likely, Philly will have him play inside a lot more where he will be more susceptible to double teams. He has the power to shed them but, from what I have seen, he doesn't have much finesse. A quick look at Jenkins' sacks shows you he got them playing against some pretty mediocre offensive lines. He got 2 against San Francisco on December 5th, 1 each against Philly, Buffalo, Chicago, Atlanta, and Detroit. Out of that group Atlanta had the best O-line. Jenkins just doesn't strike me as an impact player. Could I be wrong? Yes. But I am willing to bet Jenkins goes down for at least 2 games with an injury.
-I rely on history an awful lot. History has shown us that teams that bring in a boatload of new faces generally don't click right away. Last year's Miami Heat come to mind. The South Beach Trio had some trouble clicking early on and in the Finals their lack of depth caused them big problems. The 1992 Mets spent a then-ridiculous amount of money of what they hoped was a return to their late 1980's glory. Bobby Bonilla, Eddie Murray, Bret Saberhagen, and Vince Coleman were brought in and the Mets flopped, becoming more famous for their off-field antics than their on-field heroics. Then there were the Cowboys the last couple of seasons. They were a sexy choice to win it all the last couple of seasons. They failed to live up to expectations. Granted, Andy Reid is not Wade Phillips but sometimes teams struggle to live up to the hype. Then of course, there is the 2008 Giants team. They were great, Super Bowl contenders, then their season went up in the smoke of Plaxico's gun. Or the 2009 Giants that started 5-0 and finished 8-8. Football has a strange aura about it. Sometimes great teams flop while teams emerge from out of nowhere and make a run. The Bears were supposed to be awful last year and made it all the way to the NFC Championship game. The Seahawks weren't even supposed to make the playoffs but did so with a losing record and then went out and trounced New Orleans.
You just never know in the NFL. This is why Super Bowl Champions are not crowned in August. The NFL season is long and teams are literally one injury away from being Super Bowl contenders to pretenders to chicken tenders. You play the games for a reason. Go ahead and crow Eagles fans, you have had a great offseason. Sadly, there is no award for good offseasons. Super Bowl titles are earned on the field not by the contracts that are signed.
-Michael Vick has only played in all 16 games once during his entire career, in 2006. He has played in 15 3 times and last year missed 4 weeks due to injury. He is not an iron man and the Eagles backup is Vince Young who has talent but is new to the system and has had issues in the past showing he can learn a teams system and thrive in it.
-There is a reason they play the games. As a Giants fan I came to truly understand this during the 2007 Super Bowl run. I, like most people in this country, had only a slight glimmer of hope that the Giants would beat the previously unbeaten Patriots. Well, they did and the Giants got the parade. The Patriots will only be remembered as the team that couldn't seal the deal. Like the 2001 Mariners. Nobody remembers they broke the record for the most wins in the AL in a regular season because they didn't win in the playoffs.
-Because of the lockout there is precious little time for new players to learn and adapt to new offensive and defensive schemes. This could possibly hurt teams that are relying on new free agents or rookies to make an immediate impact. Hell, its hard for players to learn new systems with full camps and access to playbooks starting in June and July and it is sometimes evident in the first weeks of a season. Now, they have 1-2 fewer months to get up to speed. This could mean certain players who are expected to make an impact right away might not do so until midway through the season.
-The Eagles start off their year in St. Louis and Atlanta followed by a home game against the Giants. If Philly loses in week 1 to St. Louis there will be a lot of pressure on this team to go into Atlanta and beat a Super Bowl contender in their own building which is tough. Then, they have to face a team that still remembers the sting left from that comeback win last December that knocked the Giants out of the playoffs. You can bet the Giants will be ready for that game. Can you imagine the pressure on the Eagles if they go into the Linc 0-2 with the Giants opening the Season in Philly? It is true that the Eagles could already be flying high and go into that game 2-0 with a confidence that comes with going into Atlanta and beating them at home.
-Much has been made about the new Eagles secondary after the addition of Dominque Rogers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha to Asante Samuel. But their linebacking corps lacks experience and impact. Sure, Casey Matthews has a lot of potential but he won't be a clone of his brother. Of course, as I write this the Eagles might be in negotiations to bring in a linebacker or two to shore up a unit that is, at the current moment, unimpressive.
-Jason Babin and Cullen Jenkins, two very good players from the Titans and Packers respectively, were brought in to shore up the defensive line which is led by Trent Cole. Cole is a very nice player, and had 10.0 sacks last year and 12.5 the year before. However, Jason Babin is coming off a career year where he recorded 12.5 sacks. He was in Philly in 2009 and despite playing in 16 games, only managed 11 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Could he have just broken out last year? Yeah, sure he could have. Could he have benefitted from Jeff Fisher's defensive schemes? Yes, that is possible as well. Call me a skeptic, but a guy who suddenly finds his game at 30 in the NFL makes me a little wary. Where was his supposed talent in Houston, Kansas City, and Philly before? As for Cullen Jenkins, he too is coming off of a career year, recording 7 sacks in only 11 games. Not bad. But that was as a 300+ lbs. defensive end. Most likely, Philly will have him play inside a lot more where he will be more susceptible to double teams. He has the power to shed them but, from what I have seen, he doesn't have much finesse. A quick look at Jenkins' sacks shows you he got them playing against some pretty mediocre offensive lines. He got 2 against San Francisco on December 5th, 1 each against Philly, Buffalo, Chicago, Atlanta, and Detroit. Out of that group Atlanta had the best O-line. Jenkins just doesn't strike me as an impact player. Could I be wrong? Yes. But I am willing to bet Jenkins goes down for at least 2 games with an injury.
-I rely on history an awful lot. History has shown us that teams that bring in a boatload of new faces generally don't click right away. Last year's Miami Heat come to mind. The South Beach Trio had some trouble clicking early on and in the Finals their lack of depth caused them big problems. The 1992 Mets spent a then-ridiculous amount of money of what they hoped was a return to their late 1980's glory. Bobby Bonilla, Eddie Murray, Bret Saberhagen, and Vince Coleman were brought in and the Mets flopped, becoming more famous for their off-field antics than their on-field heroics. Then there were the Cowboys the last couple of seasons. They were a sexy choice to win it all the last couple of seasons. They failed to live up to expectations. Granted, Andy Reid is not Wade Phillips but sometimes teams struggle to live up to the hype. Then of course, there is the 2008 Giants team. They were great, Super Bowl contenders, then their season went up in the smoke of Plaxico's gun. Or the 2009 Giants that started 5-0 and finished 8-8. Football has a strange aura about it. Sometimes great teams flop while teams emerge from out of nowhere and make a run. The Bears were supposed to be awful last year and made it all the way to the NFC Championship game. The Seahawks weren't even supposed to make the playoffs but did so with a losing record and then went out and trounced New Orleans.
You just never know in the NFL. This is why Super Bowl Champions are not crowned in August. The NFL season is long and teams are literally one injury away from being Super Bowl contenders to pretenders to chicken tenders. You play the games for a reason. Go ahead and crow Eagles fans, you have had a great offseason. Sadly, there is no award for good offseasons. Super Bowl titles are earned on the field not by the contracts that are signed.
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