Grading the Front Offices and Managers

Both the Yankees and Mets entered this season with a ton of question marks.  The Yankees lost out on Cliff Lee and saw Andy Pettitte retire leaving what appeared to be a gaping hole in their rotation.  The Mets were surrounded by questions about their economic stability and are embroiled in a billion dollar lawsuit and new GM Sandy Alderson has had to work around a media that is always asking him when he will start the big fire sale.  Life in New York is not easy.  Not for Brian Cashman and not for Sandy Alderson.  It doesn't get any easier on the field for Joe Girardi, who is expected to win the World Series every year, or Terry Collins who has to prove this Mets team is good enough to contend.  Here are their grades for the first half of this year:

Brian Cashman:  He lost out on Cliff Lee, saw Andy Pettitte retire, and saw the rival Red Sox sign Carl Crawford and trade for Adrian Gonzalez.  Things were not looking good for the Yankees.  It wouldn't get better for Cashman as days after losing out on Lee and with Crawford already in Boston, Yankee owndership circumvented Cashman and signed Rafael Soriano to a ridiculous contract leaving question about who is running the team swirling around the Bronx.  Cashman's offseason looked impotent, especially when he signed Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia to minor league deals.  Colon and Garcia were considered by many to be washed up has-beens with nothing left to give.  Still, Cashman needed arms to compete for roster spots.  So far, the Colon and Garcia signings might have been the salvation of the Yankees first half.  Both have pitched extremely well and have provided innings to ease the burden on a depleted bullpen that has seen Joba Chamberlain lost for the year and Rafael Soriano for an indefinite amount of time.  The other big free agent signing of the year, Pedro Feliciano, was supposed to give the Yankees a veteran lefty arm to supplement Boone Logan and get lefty hitters like Crawford, Gonzalez, and David Ortiz out.  Feliciano has yet to pitch in a game this year due to arm issues.  Losing Feliciano, Cashman's big free agent signing, hurt.  Cashman's first half, which includes this past offseason, was not very good when measured by expectations.  He is saved only because Colon and Garcia are pitching well.  Still, its hard to overlook the shot across his bow by the Steinbrenners with the Soriano signing, a disaster in itself so far, and the fact that he didn't land Cliff Lee, and Feliciano, who had been abused by the Mets over the years, goes down before getting into a game.  I'm not even mentioning the child-like way he handled the Derek Jeter negotiations.  Overall grade: C-


Joe Girardi:  It's never easy being the manager of a team that everyone expects to win every year.  Having the largest payroll will do that.  To Girardi it's just another day at the office.  Injuries to his main bullpen cogs not named Mariano have left him scrambling for answers.  He has had to rely on kids like Hector Noesi, Lance Pendleton, Cory Wade, Amaury Sanit, Jeff Marquez, and veteran retreads like Buddy Carlyle, Luis Ayala, and Sergio Mitre.  Some have surprised, like Wade and Ayala.  Others have been good.  While others, like Sanit have been disasters.  He has also had to deal with a contentious relationship with Jorge Posada whose outburst in Boston threatened to rip apart the team, questions about where a struggling Derek JEter should bat, and a host of other issues on a day to day basis.  A 1-8 mark against the Red Sox hasn't helped matters either.  Still, the Yankees are right there, hovering around first place with the Red Sox, and Girardi has this team playing well.  Take away those losses to the Red Sox and the Yankees have a 6 game lead in the East.  Right now the Yankees are on pace for 97-98 wins.  Not too shabby.  Grade:  A-


Sandy Alderson:  When he took the job as Mets GM he knew he was facing a daunting task.  He was handed over the keys to a car that needed major repairs but would still be expected to take to the road.  He surrounded himself with some very good baseball people in Paul DePodesta and J.P. Ricciardi, among others and has not blown up the team for the sake of a total rebuild.  The Mets have responded by going out and playing some good baseball despite the truckload of injuries to key players like David Wright, Jose Reyes, and Ike Davis, not to mention staff ace Johan Santana.  He just traded Francisco Rodriguez and cash to the Brewers to prevent the Mets from having to pay $17.5 million in a vesting option for two players to be named later.  Freeing up that money for next season helps pave the way to resigning Jose Reyes.  It would have been very easy for him to just blow up a team that has not played up to its potential in recent years or has been hit by enough injuries that would make entire hospitals weep at the workload.  With the trade deadline approaching he will have his work cut out for him but he has a plan and will be prepared.  With a baseball braintrust like he has assembled, how can he not be?  Alderson's overall grade:  B+


Terry Collins:  Managing the Mets might have been one of the least appealing jobs in all of baseball.  The financial questions swirling around ownership, the roster of underachievers and DL candidates, and the New York press hovering about like vultures waiting for the death to swoop in and pick at the remnants.  Into this cauldron stepped Terry Collins, a man who last managed in 1999 and whose 444-434 record didn't instill a ton of confidence in the Mets fanbase.  Collins has responded by leading the Mets to a 46-45 record at the break, leaps and bounds above where anyone expected to see this team at this point.  Throw into that the fact he has not had Johan Santana all year, has lost Ike Davis, David Wright, Angel Pagan, and Jose Reyes to injuries for parts of this season, and has juggled a lineup that has included Justin Turner playing second and third, Willie Harris playing everywhere, and Scott Hairston getting significant playing time.  Still, the Mets are above .500, a small miracle that has kept the Mets faithful hopeful that there might be a future for this club.  His overall grade:  B+

Updated Top Ten Yankee Prospects

Earlier this year I made my Top Ten List of Yankee Prospects which you can read here. Since we are now halfway through the 2011 season I thought I would do some revising. I have removed guys who have spent a significant amount of time in the Majors from the list so that eliminates Hector Noesi (#6) and Ivan Nova (#7). I don't think they have lost any shine from their future prospects but I felt they have acquitted themselves well enough at the big league level this year and that this list should focus on guys who have yet to make the Majors.

1. Jesus Montero, C. He was number one on my previous list and remains there. His season has been somewhat of a disappointment but he is still hitting .289 with 7 homers and 33 RBI's. Scouts have said he looks bored in Scranton and that could very well be the case. He proved last year he can handle AAA and this year is no different. Right now he is dealing with smoe back/side stiffness and is on the 7-Day DL but its nothing major. His defense isn't great but its improved a little this season. He would be a borderline backstop defensively in the Majors but that isn't what makes Montero special. He has good power and can hit for average. I am actually very surprised the Yankees have not made him the backup to Russell Martin yet like they did with Jorge Posada in the mid to late 1990's. He can use the challenge and a little love from the Yankees might go a long way. And, if the Yankees want to use him as a trade chip, having him show he can handle the Big Leagues would be a huge advantage.

2. Manny Banuelos, SP. He had a fabulous Spring Training this year but has regressed a little at AA but he retains the #2 spot on my list. His numbers aren't hideous or anything. In fact, his numbers still look quite good. In 16 games this season, Banuelos has compiled a 3-2 record, 3.28 ERA, and has struck out 77 in 74 innings. His one bugaboo so far has been his walks. He has allowed 39 walks this season after only allowing 25 in 64.2 innings all of last year. It isn't anything to get worried about. The stuff is still there. He has the makings of a future ace and the Yankees know it.

3. Dellin Betances, SP. Betances jumps from #4 to #3 and deservedly so. He could overtake Banuelos for the #2 spot at any time. His 2011 season at AA Trenton has been something of a display. He often gets into trouble by walking too many hitters but then proceeds to get out of those jams by striking guys out. So far this season he has a 4-3 record with a 2.62 ERA, and 86 strikeouts in 75.2 innings. He has allowed 40 walks, however, after allowing 22 in 85.1 all of last season. He has shown he can tame the wildness before and I am confident he will be able to do it in the future. What he projects to is either Mariano's heir or a staff ace. It might not be long before Betances is #1 on this list.

4. Gary Sanchez, C. He drops from #3 after a poor showing this year at Low-A Charleston. He was sent to Extended Spring Training after some attitude problems but has since returned and has shown some improvement. He is only hitting .239 at the moment but has 8 homers, which match last year's totals, and 30 RBI's. He is still very young, only 19, so I am sure he will outgrow his attitude problems. His defense has been awful this year, allowing a whopping 23 passed balls. He needs to focus more behind the plate and devote himself to the game. If he does that he could have a higher ceiling than Montero at least offensively. Sometimes kids just need a kick in the ass and Sanchez needs that right now.

5. Bryan Mitchell, SP. Mitchell was drafted by the Yankees in the 2009 Draft. They stole him away from the University of North Carolina with a huge bonus. He throws his fastball in the low 90's with a good slider and an outstanding, knee-buckling 12-6 curveball. It might seem like an awfully big jump for a 20 year-old kid with less than a full season of pro ball under his belt but this kid can pitch. He needs to cut down on his walks which are a result of him wanting to strike everyone out and be perfect all the time. If he learns to pitch to contact sometimes the Yankees could have another ace in their pocket who also has a "B" in his name. He should also be able to add some zip to his fastball as he packs on some weight to his 6'2" 175 lbs. frame. He makes it to number 5 based purely on talent and not statistics.

6. Mason Williams, CF. Williams is another of those toolsy guys and another first-timer on my list. Power was never considered to be a tool Williams possessed but that tool could develop over time. He has speed, an arm, hits for average, and understands the game. He is a pretty darn good outfielder, showing very good instincts and cat-like reflexes in the outfield. He might be a little too aggressive on the bases but he should learn when and where to steal a bag. In many ways he reminds me of a young Bernie Williams with a much better arm. He showed up to Staten Island ready to play this year, raking to the tune of a .325 AVG with 5 doubles, 1 triple, 2 homers, 12 RBI's, and 5 stolen bases (out of 9 attempts). The Yankees might have an upgraded version of Brett Gardner in Williams or the next Bernie Williams. Either way I think the Yankees would be happy. He just needs to cut down on the strikeouts.

7. J.R. Murphy, C/3B. Murphy has often been overlooked because the Yankees have like 400 catching prospects that rank. However, Murphy might just be the one who sneaks in and ends up squatting behind the plate for the Yankees. At Charleston he was hitting to the tune of .297 with 6 homers and 32 RBI before earning a promotion to High-A Tampa. He has struggled a little bit since his promotion but you can't base anything on the 41 at-bats he has at that level. He improved his defense significantly, enough so that the Yankees stopped playing him elsewhere on the field and started putting him behind the plate a little more often. He also has a great eye and is pretty hard to strikeout, at least for someone his age (20) and playing at his level. He is versatile enough so that if he doesn't make it as a catcher he can always play the outfield or DH or play some first or third.

8. Slade Heathcott, OF. He is currently on the DL but has earned himself a promotion to High-A Tampa. He still has some makeup issues after starting a brawl by getting hit by a pitch and then turning around and laying out the catcher. He served a 5 game suspension for that act but, considering his background, he has come a long way. He has one of the best outfield arms in all of minor league baseball and his bat looks like it is coming around. He hit .271 with 11 doubles, 4 triples, and 4 homers while amassing 16 RBI's and 6 stolen bases. He has the speed to become more aggressive on the basepaths but like Mason Williams he needs to learn when and where to steal. He should end up developing some decent power, probably in the 15-25 range at the big league level.

9. Andrew Brackman, SP/RP. Brackman entered the season at #5 on my list and closest to making the Majors out of the "Killer B's" but an extremely poor showing at AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has eroded some of the shine off his prospect status. Last year, Brackman made major strides, going 10-11 with a 3.90 ERA while striking out 126 and walking only 39 in 140.2 innings. This year, however, Brackman has lost control. He leads the league in walks (51), hit batters (10), wild pitches (14) and has an ugly 7.96 ERA and 1.84 WHIP. He was removed from the SWB rotation and placed in the bullpen but that hasn't helped. The stuff is there but something is missing. His fastball velocity has been up and down, reaching as high as 94-95 and as low as 87 for a game. At 25 years old and having signed a Major League contract after being drafted time is running out on Brackman who could become a free agent after this season or next season, I'm not sure which.

10. Mark Montgomery, RP. So far this year he has pitched in a total of 7 games but that was enough to earn him a promotion from Staten Island to Charleston. On July 1st of this year he struck out 5 batters in one inning. His slider is devastating and it shows in the strikeout totals, 19 in 7 innings. Think about that for a second. Nineteen outs out of 21 were by strikeout. Granted, he did have that 5 in one inning appearance but even if you take those two extra away that is still 17 out of 21 outs made being achieved by a strikeout. He is a reliever to the core so the Yankees don't really have to worry much about innings limits or any of that nonsense that can impede the arrival of pitching prospects in the Big Leagues. The Yankees have proven they will advance him as he earns it, having already done so after only 4 innings at Staten Island. If he keeps it up he could be in the Bronx in a year.

11. Austin Romine, C. Considered to be the better all-around catcher among the Yankees catching prospects, Romine has also swung a hot bat at Trenton this year. He has 11 doubles, 4 homers, and 35 RBI to accompany his .294 AVG. Right now the lack of a roster spot and regular playing time behind the plate at AAA Scranton is the only thing keeping him from being promoted. Once Montero gets promoted or traded then Romine will move up. He was #10 on my last list but the emergence of others rather than Romine's poor play caused a slight drop. One could argue that Romine is better than Murphy but I am taking into account overall prospect status which means Murphy might have a higher ceiling than Romine but Romine will surely be a catcher in the Majors.

12. Adam Warren, SP. He was #8 on my previous list but, like Romine, he slipped due to the emergence of others rather than his lack of production. Warren has done very well for himself at AAA so far, amassing a 6-3 record, 3.20 ERA, and 67 K's over 104 innings. He doesn't strike many hitters out and has a tendency to walk too many but he has a poise that you can't teach and escapes the jams he gets into with minimal damage. He probably won't develop into an ace but he could easily fit into the back end of the rotation and perform similarly to Ivan Nova this season.

13. David Phelps, SP. Like Warren he won't strike many hitters out and pitches to contact. He has gone 4-6 with a 3.38 ERA with 74 K's in 85.1 innings. He won't be an ace but could, like Warren, be a back of the rotation type guy.

14. Tommy Kahnle, RP. Kahnle is, like Montgomery, a strikeout machine. He also has developed a wild streak as he tries to strike every hitter he faces out. He has 64 K's through 50 innings with Charleston this year and could find himself on his way to Tampa soon. He just needs to eliminate some of those free passes, he has walked 30 in those 50 innings. He has held opposing hitters to a .196 AVG and only 1 homer this season but has a 3.96 ERA. The talent is there, he just needs to harness it and use it effectively.

15. Graham Stoneburner, SP. Injuries have really set him back in his development. He is undersized at 6'1" and 190 lbs. but he can bring the heat at 94 MPH. He was pitching well for Trenton this year before an injury sidelined him. He is now making rehab starts with the GCL Yankees. He has a good delivery which explains why he has been able to have the success he has enjoyed. He really needs to develop a second pitch, and maybe a third. If he can get an off-speed breaking ball to be as consistent as his fastball then the sky is the limit for Stoneburner. If not, it looks like a relief role in the majors is where he will end up. I have faith in him and think he could be a viable #3 guy in the Yankees rotation in one to two years. He just needs to stay healthy, get his arm stretched out, and develop another pitch or two.

Honorable Mentions: David Adams, 2B (needs to stay healthy otherwise he makes this list); Brandon Laird, 3B (has struggled at AAA this year); Cito Culver, SS (surprising a lot of people with his bat and arm at SS); Caleb Cotham, P (will make this list once he gets healthy and puts a few innings under his belt); Tim Norton (was on pace to make his MLB debut this year until a career threatening injury derailed those plans. If he can recover from it he can be an excellent middle reliever); Shaeffer Hall, SP (another pitcher in the mold of Warren and Phelps); Ben Gamel, 1B (younger brother to Mat Gamel of the Brewers, can flat out rake).

The Yankees farm system is one of the best in baseball. There are a lot of intriguing prospects scattered throughout the many levels and some of them will develop into legitimate superstars. However, there will also be plenty of flameouts. Right now, the Yankees system has a few power arms but their pitching prospects closest to the Majors are more finesse, pitch to contact types who can either do well or get bombed in the Majors. On the offensive side there are a lot of high strikeout guys but there are some with real potential. Lately the Yankees have been drafting more toolsy type players instead of power hitters. This year, however, they drafted Dante Bichette, Jr. who is a power type prospect. At every single level there are guys to watch and by the end of the season I'm sure my list will have to be changed once again as guys like Zoilo Almonte play their way into contention. Nothing is harder than trying to project baseball players. Ruben Rivera was the next Mickey Mantle and Brien Taylor was the next Nolan Ryan. And nobody knew where Chien Ming Wang came from and few predicted Robinson Cano would develop as he has. That's what makes this so much fun. Nothing is better than watching a kid get drafted and come up through the Minors and then emerge on the Big League scene. All you need is patience.

Is Jorge Posada Done?

Jorge Posada is one of the "Core Four" and has helped the Yankees to four World Series Championships. He has caught 1,573 regular season games. He is now 39 years-old, no longer catches, and is struggling mightily at the plate. Posada currently owns a .152 AVG, 15 hits in 99 at bats. Eight of those hits have been for extra bases, 2 doubles and 6 homers. He has struck out 28 times while walking 13 times which contributes to his .257 OBP. A stat line like that usually leads to a release or a demotion to AAA. A demotion to AAA won't happen, and, because of his prestige as a Yankee-great, neither will a release. But does that mean Manager Joe Girardi has to keep trotting Posada out there as the Yankees DH every game?

Much has been made about the Yankees failure to score without the home run and Posada is the embodiment of this. When six of fifteen hits go for home runs you can see there is not much diversity when it comes to Posada's hits this season. To make matters worse, he hasn't homered since April 23rd at Baltimore. He showed some signs of possibly breaking out of his slump from May 1-3 when he collected five hits, including two doubles, in twelve at-bats. However, he immediately fell into a 1 for 15 slump, one that he is currently mired in. Can he break out of it? Sure. But how reasonable is it to expect a thirty-nine year-old former catcher to be able to to suddenly erupt and bring his stat lines up to his career norms? The answer is, it isn't. One can make the case that he is trying to adjust to being a full-time DH but he has had 29 games in which to show something.

This brings us to the real question, can the Yankees afford to keep trotting Posada out there everyday with little expectation for something positive to happen? Right now, the Yankees might be able to get away with it because guys like Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson, and Russell Martin are all contributing something right now. However, if Posada doesn't snap out of it soon he might force Girardi to bench him. Especially if Eric Chavez comes back from his foot fracture and swings a hot bat. So, right now, Girardi can keep Posada at the DH spot but if he fails to hit over the next two weeks then Girardi should bench Posada in favor of someone who can actually contribute at the plate. Right now, all Posada is doing is holding up the development of Jesus Montero who is stuck at AAA, Austin Romine, who is stuck at AA because Montero is at Scranton, and Gary Sanchez who is behind those two.

At the very least, this should be Jorge's last year in professional baseball. The worst thing that can happen for the Yankees in the long-term is Posada catches fire and hits over 20 home runs and brings his average up to, say, .250, and the Yankees bring him back for next season. That would be Cashman's biggest mistake. Posada's best days are long gone. Sure, he will get a hold of a fastball down the middle of the plate and punish it every now and then but he won't improve much on those breaking balls which have been fooling him consistently all season. He has looked lost up there, as if his bat is stuck in cement and either strikes out or drills the ball into the ground. Personally, if I were in Girardi's chair right now I would have no problem with benching Posada in favor of Eric Chavez, or a Justin Maxwell or Jesus Montero. Hopefully, Yankee fans can enjoy a little bit of Posada before he retires. He is one of the all-time great Yankees and deserves to have a good send-off, hopefully his poor season doesn't sour the experience.

Pop Flies & Suicide Squeezes

-Derek Jeter went 259 at bats between home runs when he hit his first today against the Rangers. He then had to wait until his next at bat before belting his second one of the year, the shortest wait time for him between homers. Baseball is weird sometimes. By going 4 for 5, Jeter raised his batting average 20 points to .276. Baseball is a strange, strange game. But awesome as well.

-Francisco Cervelli hit his first grand slam today. He actually had to wait longer than Jeter between homers, going 307 AB's, last homering on June 24, 2009.

-Justin Verlander threw his second no-hitter of his career, and the second one this week which is also the second one this year. Verlander struck out 4, which tied his lowest output this year, which is also his other complete game this year.

-Mariano Rivera pitched 1 inning on May 6, 2011 and struck out more batter than the starter, Ivan Nova did in 7 innings.

-According to Ben Badler on Twitter, Blue Jays minor league shortstop Gustavo Pierre has 20 errors in 27 games. All that for the bargain basement price of $700,000.

-There will be no repeat this year in the NBA. The Dallas Mavericks completely outplayed the Lakers. The Lakers showed absolutely no class in their loss. Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom got thrown out for flagrant fouls and the Lakers had no control over their emotions, or the Mavericks. On a side note, I guess Kobe Bryant was right to feel like the Mavs could beat the Lakers, because, well, because they did. In four games. So, now I guess its time for Phil Jackson to take a hiatus from the NBA before he goes on to coach the Heat, Knicks, or some other team with some superstar power.

-Whose offense is more feeble? The Twins or Padres? The Padres have been shut out 8 times this year. The Twins have a team OPS of .614, the Padres are second to last at .620. The Padres are hitting .216 as a team and the Twins are hitting .230. The Twins have hit 14 home runs while the Padres have 20. I honestly can't decide who is worse.

-The Mets are one of the 16 teams with a higher team batting average than the Yankees (.250-.247). The other team with a higher team average are: Cardinals, Cubs, Angels, Royals, Astros, Indians, Rangers, Reds, Phillies, Dodgers, Tigers, Brewers, Mets, Red Sox, Marlins, and Blue Jays. Yes, the Royals are 4th in the big leagues with a .268 AVG. However, the Yankees do lead the majors in home runs with 49, 9 more than the Rangers.

-Justin Maxwell hit his 11th home run for the SWB Yankees in 101 at bats. He also has 45 K's, and 20 BB's. He only has 24 hits (11 of which are the homers) and has 3 2B's, and 1 triple. So, he either hits the ball a long way or not at all. Kind of Jorge Posada this year.

-SWB Yankees reliever Andy Sisco has yet to allow a run this year. That is 12 games and 11.1 innings. He has struck out 12, walked 8, and allowed only 4 hits. If he can cut his walks a bit he could be in the Bronx at some point this season. Or, he could just be this year's version of Zack Kroenke.

-The Royals have stayed true to their commitment to winning. Yeah, you read that right. They called up Eric Hosmer this past week without regard to starting his arbitration clock early. The Royals think he is ready and they needed some help at first base. Hosmer is just the first of a long line of Royals prospects who should make their major league debut this year. Mike Montgomery and Danny Duffy should be next in the parade, followed by Mike Moustakas. It could be the days of the Royals being pushovers might be coming to an end. If half of these prospects they have in their system live up to the hype the Royals are going to field an amazing team.

Well, that's all for now. Enjoy your sports.

Free Throws

Just some quick notes from around sports:

-Derrick Rose won the MVP award, becoming the youngest in the history of the NBA to win the award. He averaged 25 PPG, 7.7 APG, and 4.1 RPG. There is no doubt he is one of the brightest young stars in the NBA.

-Evan Longoria was activated from the 15-day DL by the Tampa Bay Rays. Longoria is one of the best hitters in the game and there is no doubt that Tampa's offense suffered in his absence.

-Shin-Soo Choo was arrested for drunken driving early Monday morning in Sheffield Lake, Ohio. This hasn't been the best season so far for the man many consider the Indians best player. This season, Choo is hitting 44 points below his career average of .294. The last three seasons, Choo has hit at least .300 while increasing his home run total each year as well.

-Phil Hughes's shoulder checked out in the battery of tests he underwent over the past week. That is excellent news for the young Yankee right-hander. However, his diminished velocity is still an absolute mystery and that is not good news. I think, if I were Hughes, I would want something found so I know what it is. This HAS to be weighing on him.

-The escapades of Milton Bradley continue as he was suspended for one game and fined an undisclosed amount after his ejection last weekend in a game against the Red Sox. Bradley has always had the talent but has never been able to translate it on the field because he could never control himself. Bradley does lead the league in career ejections and his record of hurting himself during an outburst at an umpire's call is still something to behold. I am not sure why any team would take a chance on him anymore. He is just too unpredictable.

-Rex Ryan won the Horrigan Award which is given out by the media for being the best non-player helping the media do their jobs. This is how you are rewarded for giving the media fodder on an almost weekly basis. I am not looking forward to listening to Rex Ryan this season. He just doesn't know when to be quiet and I am sure this award will fuel his hubris.

-Former NFL safety, Dave Duerson, was found to have moderately advanced brain damage when he committed suicide in February of this year. Duerson's condition was a result of blows to the head. I remember Duerson from the 1990 Super Bowl Champion New York Giants team where he provided veteran leadership to the Giants secondary. He made 4 Pro Bowls and was never afraid to put his body out there. Hopefully, Duerson's condition won't go unnoticed by coaches from grade school to the NFL and head trauma will finally be taken a lot more seriously than it is now.

-One reason for the Detroit Tigers struggles this year, aside from Victor Martinez being sidelined with an injured groin, has been the utter disappointment Magglio Ordonez has been this year. Through 19 games, Ordonez is hitting .151 with only 1 RBI and 1 extra base hit. The RBI, in case you were wondering, came as the result of a groundout. When one of three best hitters is performing as poorly as Ordonez is, and you combine it with Austin Jackson's pace to tie Mark Reynolds' record for most strikeouts in a season and Ryan Raburn's attempt to beat Jackson you are going to struggle on the offense. This Tigers team is a shell of the one that went to the World Series a few years ago and was considered a team on the rise. This Tigers team is on the way down and with Cleveland and Kansas City developing young talent I don't think we will be seeing this team in contention anytime soon.

-Andre Ethier extended his streak to 28 games. He is halfway to Joe DiMaggio.

-Yesterday, I mentioned Alfonso Soriano leading the major leagues in home runs with 11. Eleven also happens to be the total number of homers the rest of his teammates have hit this year.

-A lot was made about the Brewers acquisition of Zack Greinke this past offseason. However, the real surprise might be Shaun Marcum who is currently 3-1 and is currently 4th in the NL in ERA with a 2.21 average and owns a 1.06 WHIP, all below his career norms.

-The Yankees signed Brad Halsey to a minor league contract today. You might remember Halsey from his previous stint with the Yankees in 2004 when he appeared in 8 games. Halsey, 30, has been playing in the independent leagues for the past two seasons and has not appeared in the majors since 2004 when he was with the A's. This move is nothing more than adding pitching depth. The guy throws left-handed so of course he was going to get another shot.

-Mike Axisa put together an excellent graph over at Riveraveblues.com that charts the Yankees offense by inning. You can check it out here. IF you don't already read this blog, you should. These guys are good at covering the Yankees.

-The Nashville Predators are injecting life into hockey in the South. Their playoff run is filling seats and injecting life into a franchise and area once thought to be not hockey-friendly enough. The Pirates, Royals, and other small market teams that have not spent money on getting players to bring success to the field should take note.

-The Angels Jared Weaver was handed his first loss of the year last night by the Red Sox. The Red Sox just flat out own the Angels, winning 14 of their 15 matchups.

-I have been having a hard time getting into the NBA Playoffs this year. The reason? The ref's. Some of the calls these refs make have me believing some of these games are fixed. Calling fouls where none exist and not calling fouls on others that are blatantly obvious just angers me to no end. I understand the NBA is a stars league but this is getting ridiculous. The NBA needs to do something about these refs before they rip the heart out of the game.

-Speaking of the NBA playoffs...I don't think it is too early to announce that there is a changing of the guard taking place in the NBA right now. The Lakers and Celtics have huge warts this year and other teams might have found the answers to beating them. Sure, the Lakers and Celts can still put it together and make a run but age is definitely catching up to them as it has the Spurs.

-Even though the Knicks got knocked out of the first round and the Nets failed to make the playoffs, I can't help but feel excited for basketball in the NYC metro area. With Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire, Deron Williams, and Brook Lopez, there is more talent around now than I ever remember. And what is better, the best basketball is yet to come.

-If you don't know the story of Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich you are missing a truly feel good story in sports. Herzlich was diagnosed with a from of bone cancer in 2009 after an excellent year in 2008. That would stop most people in their tracks. Not Herzlich. He was back on the field in 2010 and produced. His girlfriend is also in Army ROTC and will soon embark on a stint in the Army. He went undrafted in last weekends draft but he hasn't let that stop him. He has been working out and readying himself in case some NFL team comes with a free-agent contract once the lockout is lifted. If the lockout isn't lifted, Herzlich can sign with the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League who took him in the 10th round of their draft. If I were an NFL GM I would be on the phone with Herzlich first thing. Character goes a long way in my book.

That's all for now. Enjoy the sports tonight.

The Curious Case of Kevin Millwood

The Yankees are going to have to make a decision regarding Kevin Millwood. Millwood is set to become a free agent on Sunday night if he isn't brought up to the Major Leagues. Millwood has been working his way through the Yankees minor league system, trying to get his arm in shape to possibly take a spot in the Yankees rotation. So far, Millwood has had a mixed bag in the minors. He has posted a 2-0 record and 1.29 ERA, one start each in AA Trenton and AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. However, those numbers are deceiving because he has struck out 6 and walked 5 and his fastball hovers around 85 MPH. Can he survive at the Major League level with a K/BB ratio lacking any disparity? Can he fool hitters with an 85 MPH fastball?

These are questions the Yankees need answers to as they race towards Sunday's deadline. So far, reclamation projects like Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia have been successful for the Yankees. Colon has shown a good fastball while Garcia has pitched very well while throwing between 85-97 MPH with his fastball. Could Millwood survive as Garcia has? Possibly. But if Millwood can't find the strike zone with his stuff he will get shelled in the Majors, especially in the AL East. Walking 5 minor league hitters in two starts is not exactly encouraging. However, that could be based on him trying to get his arm in shape, or trying to master his offspeed stuff. Whatever the reason, Millwood won't stay with the Yankees past Sunday if he isn't called up. After all, he was reluctant to sign a minor league deal with the Yankees, even as Spring Training was coming to a close.

The Yankees decision was made even tougher after Ivan Nova pitched so well against the White Sox on Tuesday night going 6.1 innings while allowing only 1 run. Had Nova not fared as well this decision about Millwood would be even easier for the Yankees. Nova does have one more start before the Yankees have to make a decision but if he pitches well I don't know if the Yankees should mess with the kid just for the sake of a 36 year-old pitcher. Is it more important to have one decent or good year, or maybe a disastrous one, rather than possibly several good years from Nova?

If I were in Brian Cashman's position I would not risk ruining the progress Nova has made, and will continue to make, as he gains experience. Millwood was terrible last season for the Orioles where he went 4-16 with a 5.10 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 65 BB's, and 132 K's. He allowed 223 hits in 190.2 innings which isn't good, even without the 65 BB's. Millwood is not anywhere near the pitcher he was for the Braves, and the Yankees have already rolled the dice twice on two aged veterans in Garcia and Colon. Do they really need a third? Or does Brian Cashman want Millwood around so that he has pitching depth? Does he think Nova would be better off in the bullpen or stashed at AAA in case one of the aged three breaks down? That would be a wise plan but you can't run your team based upon injuries that haven't happened yet. Or can you? Brian Cashman has a decision to make and the time is rapidly approaching for it to be made.

The Blitz

Some quick hits on some happenings around the sports world.

-Golfer Ian Poulter had a haunting experience in his Hilton Head, SC rental home.

-The Milwaukee Brewers might have a new mascot. I guess that is one way to get rid of a pigeon problem.

-Jesus Montero left Sunday's game early after taking a foul ball to the groin region. Reports are that he was indeed wearing a cup but it hit him just right. Hopefully, there is no serious injury here. He will miss a few days but was coaching first base according to swbyankeesTT via Twitter.

-The biggest surprise of the NBA Playoffs so far has been the Memphis Grizzles. Seriously, who thought they would have a 2-1 series lead over the Spurs? So far in Game 3 they are trailing by 3 in the 2nd as I write this.

-Wondering who is going to be on the Madden 12 video game cover? ESPN .com is hosting a vote to see who will grace the cover of the popular video game. It's down to Peyton Hillis and Michael Vick. You can Vote Here.

-District Judge Susan Nelson ordered an end to the NFL lockout. The NFL has appealed the decision so there will be more legal mumbo jumbo. Judge Nelson prepared an 89 page opinion and if the decision holds up this is a huge win for the players. Some NFL players like Giants WR Steve Smith and Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco have been posting exuberant tweets on Twitter.

-The Chicago Blackhawks have surprised a lot of people so far in this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs, taking the Vancouver Canucks, with the league's best record, to a deciding seventh game.

-Today was getaway day for the Rangers. After the series against the Capitals what else is there to say? Sure, there is a lot of potential on the club but, and the players said this a lot according to reports, there is a lack of "star-talent." I honestly think the Rangers are one or two offensive stars away from being Cup contenders.

-Speaking of the Rangers, it is time to close out the Sean Avery era. He makes waaaay to much money for what he brings to the ice. And mostly he brings bad calls that go against the Rangers. I honestly believe the refs are biased against Avery and don't call what should be penalties by other teams when he is involved and call penalties against him when there are none.

That is all for now. Be safe out there, wherever you are.

Slap Shots

Some more random stuff from around the world of sports.

-The Rangers season is now officially over. It looks like the Rangers were a rudderless ship against the Capitals. Losing Ryan Callahan hurt but someone needed to step up and although Brandon Dubinsky looked good it just wasn't enough. I have to wonder about Marian Gaborik's future in New York after his poor showing this season. He just never seemed to get comfortable. Perhaps getting a better play making center like Brad Richards would allow Gabby to flourish. If not, he won't be a Ranger after next season for sure. However, it wasn't all negative with the Rangers. They are still a VERY young team with a lot of grit. This team will be hungry next season and I expect them to win a playoff series if not more. This is a team on the rise.

-Russell Martin is one of Brian Cashman's best ever pickups. His hot start has helped stabilize the transition from Jorge Posada to whatever the future may hold. He has played in 16 of 17 games and now has six home runs after his two-homer performance tonight (and it still isn't over as I write this). For the price the returns are already paying dividends.

-Brandon Marshall is once again having off-field troubles. He was stabbed by his wife in the abdomen with a kitchen knife after an altercation. I'm no psychologist but it seems like he is having trouble dealing with former teammate Darrent Williams' death. IT is documented that Marshall was one of those present at the fight, or disagreement, that preceded the shooting. I honestly think, from an outsiders view, that Marshall might have a form of PTSD and he is trying hard to live with his friends death but is not finding an outlet. I hope he can get through this as he is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL.

-Kevin Millwood threw seven innings of two run ball for the SWB Yankees today. He never went above 89 on the radar gun and was around 85-87 throughout. It was reported on Twitter by SWBYankeesTT that there was good movement on Millwood's stuff. I guess this is encouraging. I believe there are 8 more days until the Yankees have to promote Millwood to the Yankees or grant him free agency. Could Ivan Nova's time in the rotation be in doubt? Probably. Or a move to the bullpen could be likely.

-So Orioles pitcher Josh Rupe drills Russell Martin in the back. There is no doubt that was intentional. Then, Brett Gardner takes Rupe deep. Brett Gardner of all people. Perfect.

-So, it looks like Jason Bay is happy to be healthy again. The Mets need him to play like this.

-The Pepsi Maxx commercial with C.C. Sabathia arriving "Field of Dreams"-like into a cornfield in Iowa with all the baseball greats hanging out. Great nostalgic commercial and having the three Rickey Henderson's in there is classic. Great job.

Well, that's all for now. Enjoy the rest of the night.

Pop Flies

Some more random stuff from around sports for today:

-The Brewers signed Ryan Braun to a five-year contract extension which extends his seven year deal he signed in 2008. He will make an additional $105 million for those five years which will take him to his age 36 season. I think I like this deal. Braun is much more likely to age better than fellow Brewers star Prince Fielder. Locking him up now until he is probably going to no longer be a star player is excellent financial responsibility. There is no telling how much Braun would have asked for in free agency. Of course, there is always the downfall that Braun loses his talent a bit too early, ask the Cleveland Indians about their contract extensions to their young players back in the early 2000's and ask them if they were the wise moves everyone touted them to be. Still, I think Braun should be a good player for years to come and the Brewers already locked up Corey Hart and Rickie Weeks for a few more years. Not to mention their commitment to Zack Greinke. Maybe things will turn around in Milwaukee one of these days.

-With the start the Mets are off to and the hot start for Jose Reyes maybe it is time to start feeling out trades for the shortstop. I don't know who would be looking to part with what the Mets would need to get out of Reyes but perhaps its time to start seeing what's out there. Maybe the Tigers, Red Sox, and maybe even the White Sox if they get sick of waiting for Alexi Ramirez could make a play for him. I'm not sure the Red Sox will though with Marco Scutaro already there and Jed Lowrie playing so well lately. Plus the money would be prohibitive for them.

-Speaking of the Mets, they should make a play for the recently designated for assignment Brandon Wood. Wood, a former first round pick of the Angels in 2007 still is young, 26, and the talent was there at one point. He can probably play adequate defense at second since he has played some shortstop in the past as well as third. Why not give this kid a shot? He has power, has a decent enough glove and won't cost much. Give the kid a shot and let him rip for 500 at bats from second base. It's not like he would be taking the spot of a hot prospect at second.

-According to reports, Kevin Millwood is going to be making a start for AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. So far his fastball is still sitting in the mid 80's, not exactly where it was when he was with Atlanta in the late 1990's. I don't know if he is a step up over what the Yankees already have.

-Bartolo Colon had a nice start against the Blue Jays on Wednesday but I don't know how long this guy can hold up. Health has been an issue with him in recent years, not to mention weight. Throw in the fact he pitched in winter ball and I see a breakdown coming one of these days. Still, I can't help but root for the guy and hope he can stay healthy and keep pitching like this.

-Speaking of oft-injured pitchers, Mark Prior went on the 7-day DL in SWB. Prior who has not pitched in the majors since 4,000 years ago hurt his groin. At least it wasn't his elbow or shoulder. I am rooting hard for this guy to make it back to the big leagues.

-Is there a quick fix for the Mets? No. But one way to ensure future success is to start drafting above slot which means you spend a little more per prospect but, as in the Yankees case in 2010, can actually save money on your first round pick to sign the guys you draft in rounds 2-7. The Mets need to restock their farm system and it wouldn't hurt to adapt a system that several teams are having success with.

-Commissioner Bud Selig has stated he would like to expand the MLB Playoffs by adding an extra wild card team. Make sense. You gotta get more markets excited about their seasons and giving the number one team a first round bye is the best idea out there. If you wanna be the best you gotta beat the best.

-Nets GM Billy King thinks newly acquired point guard Deron Williams will re-sign with the Nets. Man, for his sake I hope so. The Nets gave up a lot to get him and if leaves via free agency the Nets will be set back for another five years.

-Call me old fashioned, or nuts, but I HATE the NBA lottery system. When you're the worst team in basketball how can you expect to get better when you don't get the number one pick. Do you think Minnesota will be able to get much better if they get the number 7 pick instead of the first pick they deserve? Stupid, just stupid.

-Ike Davis hit a crushing home run to deep center field tonight. It came right after Jason Bay turned a routine fly ball to shallow right field into a four base error after Hunter Pence dropped the ball. Good job by Bay not giving up. He could have run a little harder out of the box but not much. I'll give him credit for scoring on what should have been an out. Chris Capuano was also surprising tonight. The Mets just need a bullpen and a young Carlos Beltran and a healthy Johan. But, since that ain't gonna happen they just need to play hard and keep going out there every night. Or maybe Terry Collins just needs to get ejected every night. Whatever works.

-The most surprising thing about the playoffs so far? The fact that a banged-up Knicks team has been able to hang tough with the Boston Celtics for two games. Honestly, with Amar'e Stoudemire being hurt and Billups leaving Game 1 I didn't think they had much of a chance. That's not a knock against them but rather props to the Celtics who ARE the defending Eastern Champs. The Knicks gotta be proud and confident they can beat this team and Knicks fans should be feeling good as well. Even if they lose this series they go into next year with something that has been missing from the Knicks since Patrick Ewing left town, hope.

-The biggest surprise this season? Not the Indians. Its the Royals. Honestly, what are THEY doing with a winning record? I bet nobody can name me 8 Royals and I'll spot you Melky Cabrera, Joakim Soria and Billy Butler.

-The percentage of black ball players in MLB has declined from 9.1 to 8.5 percent. This is a huge downswing from the 19% in 1995. I don't really know what the reason is for this, probably because football and basketball are more appealing to African-American youth today. Maybe its the lack of a huge star to get the interest of the kids. I don't know and I don't know how baseball fixes that. Of course, the RBI Program is a great thing and should make an impact in a few years but how do you get people, of any race, creed, or gender interested in baseball if they don't like the sport?

-Kei Igawa went 4 innings tonight for the SWB Yankees allowing only two hits and striking out 3. I can't imagine what is going through his mind. He has to know that he is never going to be brought up to the Bronx again and with the whole earthquake mess in Japan I am sure his mind is going in a thousand different places. I admire him for coming back to the States to honor the remainder of his contract. Would anyone blame him for wanting out?

-Andy Sisco has not allowed a run down in Scranton in 7 innings. The big, 6'10" lefty might be just what the Yankees are looking for, a lefty specialist. He has allowed only 3 hits during that span and opponents are hitting just .125 off of him. Unfortunately, all of those hits have been to lefties. They are hitting .273 off of him. How about a righty specialist?

Well, that's all from me tonight. Enjoy whatever sports are still on. If not, enjoy the replay of the Mets, it was a good game.

Pedro Felici-OW-no

Another Yankee LOOGY is down. Pedro Feliciano, who has yet to pitch for the Yankees after signing a 2 year, $8 million this past offseason has been diagnosed with a torn shoulder capsule according to Ben Shpigel on Twitter. This could mean season ending (did it even begin) shoulder surgery. I believe this is the same injury that Chien Ming Wang suffered from only a couple of years ago and he still has yet to make it all the way back. If he does have a torn shoulder capsule then Feliciano will likely never suit up for the Yankees during this current contract.

Much has been made between Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi taking potshots at the Mets for "abusing" Feliciano. My reply to them, you gave him the two year deal. Maybe the Mets knew something when they only offered Feliciano, who has led the majors in appearances the last three seasons, a one year deal. Last season, Feliciano appeared in 92 games! 92! Granted, he only threw 62.2 innings but he appeared in over half of the Mets games last season. That is not good for anyone's shoulder or elbow. The fact of the matter is Feliciano is another reliever that Brian Cashman has swung and missed on. Nothing about Feliciano really popped out. He was good against left-handed batters, holding them to a .214 career average against but $4 million per is grossly overpaying for a couple of outs every other day. Now, they won't even get that.

Personally, I am not a fan of LOOGY's. They severely limit the flexibility of a bullpen because they can only get one type of hitter out and can tax the rest of a bullpen because they can only face one to two hitters a game. I am a believer in maximum roster flexibility. There is only one specialist in a bullpen and that should be the closer who only pitches when you have a lead. Granted, certain situations allow for a LOOGY, but I wouldn't be paying $4 million per year for one.

Brian Cashman has yet to learn his lesson when it comes to paying big bucks to relievers. He gets a pass for Rafael Soriano because it was the Steinbrenner's and their braintrust that pushed for him. However, Kyle Farnsworth, Steve Karsay, Damaso Marte (another LOOGY on the Yankee DL), Antonio Osuna, Juan Acevedo, Felix Heredia, Paul Quantrill, etc. Relievers are volatile. You are better off developing your own relief corps through a deep farm system than you are paying big dollars for a bullpen arm. The only thing big contracts given to relievers does to your team is handicap it. Sure, once in a while you get a viable arm like a Chris Hammond was for a year. The Yankees have, for some reason, been hesitant to give their own relievers a chance and like to import used up arms for more money. The Yankees need to learn the lesson, and quickly.

Perhaps Brian Cashman forgot the lesson of Scott Proctor and how using a reliever every other day isn't good for them. Or maybe, the Red Sox getting two excellent left-handed hitters in Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez scared him into thinking he had to counter that. Whatever the case, consider this Mets 1, Brian Cashman 0.

To Trade or Not to Trade

SI's Jon Heyman reported today that a rival GM said he would trade Felix Hernandez to the Yankees for Jesus Montero, Ivan Nova, Manny Banuelos, and Dellin Betances. I figured this would make a fun post to debate whether or not this makes sense for the Yankees.

First, we all know what King Felix is capable of. He already has one Cy Young award under his belt and just turned 25. Still, at 25, Felix has 1,176.2 innings on his electric right arm. Does that mean anything? Well, no not really but given the injuries that have ruined careers, like those of Kerry Wood and Mark Prior, one has to look at the mileage on the arm as a possible negative. We have seen Johan Santana, arguably the best pitcher in baseball only a few years ago, miss significant time due to injuries the last couple of years. Santana is probably the best comparable to Hernandez right now. Is that saying Hernandez will suffer similar injuries? No. But with that many innings on an arm that young one has to proceed with caution. Could Felix come into the Bronx and dominate? Yes. For how long? Well thats a risk you take with every pitcher, including the young pitchers you would be trading away.

Speaking of the young kids, let's take a look at them and see if you would include them in a deal.

Jesus Monetero was traded away last year in the Cliff Lee deal only to see that trade fall apart after the Mariners reneged on the deal and sent Lee to Texas. So, Montero stayed a Yankee. So far this year, Montero has picked up where he left off in AAA, hitting a cool .480 (12 hits in 5 games) with a homer and 2 RBI and 3 doubles. The kid is flat out raking. We all knew he could hit but his defense has been called into question time and time again. Is it awful? No. I think he would be better than Jarrod Saltalamachia behind the dish. I also think his offense could overcome his defensive lapses. We are talking about possible 30 homers and .300 AVG from the catching position, or DH.

Manny Banuelos was the darling of Spring Training this year. He is a lefty which is always a premium when it comes to pitching. He also has a great fastball and command to go along with three other plus pitches. He rocketed up prospect rankings this offseason and is considered the Yankees #2 prospect behind Montero. Banuelos has the makings of an ace. The only question seems to be on his height as he is only 5'10" but the arm is there. Man-Ban has the makings to be a Hernandez-type pitcher in his own right but that is only potential right now.

Dellin Betances is one of the most intriguing prospects in all of baseball. He has a great frame at 6'8" and 255 lbs. He had some trouble finding the strike zone but seemed to put it together last year. He could be an elite starter or future closer because of the fastball and command of two-three other pitches on a given night.

Ivan Nova has been kicking around the Bronx for the second year in a row. His problem seems to be getting through the order the second and third time through. However, he possesses some excellent stuff, a low 90's fastball and decent breaking balls. He could be a #3 starter is he puts it together, or a swing man out of the bullpen. He should be a long term major leaguer regardless.

The Yankees, in this deal, would be trading 4 of their top 10 prospects, a hefty price for any player. Personally, I would not do this trade. I just don't feel good trading away two potential frontline starters and a 30 homer bat as young as Montero's. I have been wary about trading for young power arms with a lot of innings on them for some time now, and this is no different. Yes, King Felix is probably the best pitcher in the game now but I don't know if that warrants depleting 4 of the top 10 prospects from a highly ranked farm system. Montero, for example, was ranked in the top 5 prospects in all of baseball. I could see dealing Montero for Felix but not with Banuelos and Betances.

Let's say the Yankees do make that deal and Felix wins 20-23 games for a few years. Let's say, for arguments sake, Montero hits .300 and 30 for the same amount of years and that Banuelos wins 12-15 games a year when he is ready and Betances wins a similar number. Let's also say Nova wins 10 games a year over that same span. Would the Yankees be better off with Montero, Banuelos, Betances, and Nova or with just Hernandez?

As a free agent I would shower King Felix with dollars to pitch in the Bronx. As for making that trade, no, I'll keep the kids. It's not like King Felix would mean the difference between not making the playoffs and winning the World Series. Give me the kids and I'll hedge my bets on them winning down the road.

What would you do? Leave a comment and let the debate begin.

Goodbye Yankee Stadium

The 2008 baseball season, the final one at historic Yankee Stadium, looks to be just about done for the New York Yankees.  With 30 games remaining and the Yankees 7 games behind the Red Sox in the Wild Card it looks as if the Yankees will not make the playoffs for the first time since 1993.  This is a sad time in Yankee history.  With the Old Ballpark set to close this season it seems as if the Yankees turned the lights out a tad too early.  

Since 1996, the Yankees were about as synonymous with winning as any franchise in sports.  The pressure to keep up those winning ways might have, in fact, sunk the Yankees this season.  The Yankees have, by far, baseball's highest payroll.  This can be attributed to bad contracts such as Jason Giambi, Carl Pavano, Kei Igawa, Bobby Abreu, Hideki Matsui, and even Alex Rodriguez have put the Yankees over the top while limiting the identity of the team.  There are no scrappers like there were in the late 1990's.  There is no Tim Raines type who is a team first guy.  There is no Paul O'Neill to smash a water cooler to loosen up the team when times are bad.  There is no veteran leadership.  Derek Jeter, the Captain of the Yankees, is failing at his job.  His boring, unemotional comments after bad losses is tired and old.  It seems the Yankees machine has turned Jeter into an all-business, no emotion robot who is programmed with the same answers.  I hate to say it, but Alex Rodriguez has shown more emotion lately and as well he should.  He has had a horrid season worthy of a refund.  Speaking of refunds, Jason Giambi should personally apologize to every fan.  A $20 million professional hitter, a former MVP, who can't hit to left field unless by accident.  Wow!  I truly have seen everything.  

This brings me to Brian Cashman, the architect of this slop of a team.  I know you saw the writing you put on the wall Brian.  Why else would you all of a sudden commit to a youth movement with a team this old?  You misled your fanbase by telling them you were going to trim payroll, make the roster more flexible.  Well, the roster certainly has flexed.  Your use of the 60 day DL and the 40 man roster is dizzying.  It almost seemed that once things began to turn sour, Mr. Cashman, you hit the panic button and lost all semblance of a plan.  Why else would you bring Carl Pavano back to the major leagues?  Why else would you play eeney, meeney, miney, moe with the catching situation after Jorge Posada, the man you gave a $46 million contract to at age 36, went down with a bum shoulder?  Why is it that almost every other team can get service out of their pitching staff, with the exception of the Rangers, but you can't?  MMM, yeah, good answer, Brian.  The blame can't rest on George Steinbrenner for this mess.  No sir, the blame rests right on your head, Cashman.  You are the one that thought Carl Pavano would be of some service at any point.  As I recall, the Mariners were willing to take on Pavano last year.  Great idea!  Oh wait, you decided Pavano would be your Opening Day starter.  Boy, am I thankful about that!

Well, I can't blame for Cashman for all of the ills that this team has come down with.  The media, who need to stay on the good side of the Yankees to maintain a working relationship won't tell you the truth.  The truth is the Yankees have stunk from the get-go.  Derek Jeter got off to a slow start and seemed to hit into a double play every time up with the game on the line.  Alex Rodriguez seemed to be Derek's doppleganger this season only with more power and more strikeouts.  Robinson Cano proved how vulnerable a free-swinging kid can be at the plate.  when he is on, Cano is one of the best.  Sadly, I have seen blind church mice with better plate vision.  Jason Giambi has been an albatross in some fashion ever since he was signed to a contract the Yankees should have torn up long ago.  Jorge Posada finally broke down.  It was bound to happen.  He was probably the most used catcher in baseball over the last half-decade.  Of course, when your backup is Wil Nieves and company I would have hesitated to sit you too during that time frame.  Melky Cabrera lost his zeal for the game.  Sure, he looks like he has fun after a game, but during it he was awful.  He should have been benched or sent down to the minors long ago.  Joe Girardi doesn't escape blame either.  So much for the ability to read a game.  Girardi struggled to find a rhythm with this team.  He seemed to be afraid to take risks.  There was too little bunting, especially after it was discovered this team could not hit with runners on.  I also blame Girardi for this blind faith that he, and many others had, that the Yankees were going to someday, someway wake up and put it all together.  Well, it was his job to make sure it happened and it never did.  I am not asking for Girardi to be fired but rather to fire it up.  There is nothing wrong with being a fiery leader as he was in Florida.  Yell at players for not hustling.  Sit players who don't listen.  Take risks when the situation calls for it.  And, for God sakes, make sure your entire team knows how to hit to all fields and bunt!  The players get paid to win, not pad their stats.  

Yes, 2008 will go down as one of the saddest seasons in recent memory.  There is one more year for the Yankees to redeem themselves.  This offseason should be one of the richest in free agent pitching in many years.  C.C. Sabathia, Ben Sheets, and possibly A.J. Burnett headline a nice class.  The Yankees need to make a huge coup early in free agency.  They need to sign two of those three.  The Yankees rotation next year should look like this:  Sabathia, Chien Ming Wang, Ben Sheets, Joba Chamberlain, and Mike Mussina.  It is evident that Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy need a full year of triple A under their belts to work out some kinks.  They will be able to provide depth in case of injury and will be able to step right in, hopefully, when Mussina retires.  (For those of you who are wondering about Pettitte, I think he is retiring at the end of this season).  

The lineup also needs an overhaul.  Thankfully, the Yankees will have money coming off the books with some hideous contracts finally expiring.  A full court press should be made on Mark Texieria if he hits the market.  I doubt he will sign though.  However, that is not bad news.  There is a possibility Hank Blalock might become a free agent and he would be cheaper.  He would just need to accept the move from third base.  Elevating Juan Miranda who has had a good season at AAA would be another option, as would moving Xavier Nady over to first.  Joe Crede is also a free agent and might be convinced to save his back and move to first.  The Yankees need to allow Brett Gardner and Justin Christian chances tow in spots on this roster.  If one of them has a huge spring training then the Yankees might be able to package Melky and Ian Kennedy for a better bat.  

The Yankees need to do a quick turnaround here.  They have one offseason to do it.  They need to put a winning, championship-contending team on the field, while staying committed to bringing up the youth that served them so well recently and in the 1990's.  Cashman had better get it right this time around.  If not his job should be taken from him.  In the mean time I will be hoping the Yankees finally see the light that it really is the pitching stupid, and build around it.  Oh, and that the three-run home run thing is vastly overrated.

Pudge Behind the Plate

Ivan Rodriguez a New York Yankee.  There were many times in the 1990's and early 2000's that I wished that would come true.  Don't get me wrong, I loved Jorge Posada and think he will take his place as one of the greatest Yankee catchers of all time.  However, Pudge is Pudge.  Now, that dream has finally come true.  Ivan Rodriguez is now a New York Yankee.  And, to make it even better, all it cost was Kyle Farnsworth.  That is right, this is not a typo.  Kyle Farnsworth was traded for Ivan Rodriguez.  

With the season-ending injury to Jorge Posada, the Yankees needed to improve their catching situation.  Jose Molina has been filling in very well but his offense is lacking.  However, his defense has been amazing.  Chad Moeller is a career backup and is not the answer.  The Yankees needed some pop at this position.  Rodriguez brings exactly that.  Through 82 games this season, Pudge was hitting .295 with 5 homers and 32 RBI's.  His defense isn't what it once was but it is still among the games best.  

Pudge will help with the Yankee offense, be able to handle the Yankee pitchers, and will fill-in admirably for the injured Posada.  Adding Pudge will improve the Yankee lineup three-fold.  Imagine a lineup that looks like this:

C  Ivan Rodriguez

1B Jason Giambi/Richie Sexson

2B Robinson Cano

3B Alex Rodriguez

SS Derek Jeter

LF Johnny Damon/Xavier Nady

CF Melky Cabrera

RF Bobby Abreu

DH Xavier Nady/Giambi/Damon/Sexson

Not a bad lineup if you ask me.  GM Brian Cashman did an excellent job.  The bullpen has been a strength for the Yankees all season.  Adding Damaso Marte last week and Edwar Ramirez and Jose Veras emerging has given the Yankees the flexibility to turn Joba Chamberlain into a starter, release LaTroy Hawkins, and deal Farnsworth.  Give Cashman all the credit here.  He has done an excellent job of fortifying a team that seems to be on another second-half run.  I know I have been down on Cashman lately but I have to give him his due, he has done an excellent job.  This deal also doesn't put the Yankees in a payroll bind for next season either as Pudge is eligible for free agency after this season.  This means the Yankees will still have almost $80 million coming off the books next season.

As for the Jarrod Washburn deal, the Mariners are being foolish.  Suddenly they think Washburn is C.C. Sabathia.  According to ESPN.com and SI.com, the Mariners approached an NL team and asked for two of their top prospects for Washburn.  This is a far cry from reports late last week and early this week that had Washburn being traded to the Yankees for a marginal prospect.  Recently the Mariners asked for Melky Cabrera or Brett Gardner in return for Washburn.  That is a little much when you take into consideration the Mariners expect the Yankees to take on Washburn's full contract.  That, by the way, is $14 million.  A little much if you ask me when you consider the price they want in return player-wise.  Cashman is right in not pulling the trigger on this deal.  Phil Hughes, Chien Ming Wang, and even Carl Pavano (not that I'm counting on him to do anything) are all coming back from injury soon.  There is also Ian Kennedy who has been impressive in his minor league stint lately.  All are equal or greater than Washburn and all are cheaper.  

Here come the Yankees!

What the....?

It seems that the Yankees and Pirates adjusted their deal for Xavier NAdy and Damaso Marte.  Instead of George Kontos and Phil Coke going with Jose Tabata and Ross Ohlendorf it is now Daniel McCutchen and Jeff Karstens that are headed to Pittsburgh.  McCutchen was just beginning to excel and had been talked about as a potential replacement if Sidney Ponson had faltered.  

Jeff Karstens is a fringe player so his inclusion does not effect the Yankees much.  However, I think including McCutchen in this deal will come back to haunt the Yankees, much like trading Damaso Marte for Enrique Wilson.  

As for Tabata, I think the Yankees were turned off by his almost giving up on baseball.  Potential or not, the Yankees don't need a 20 year old prima donna.  Besides, Austin Jackson is the true prospect of the Yankees outfield.  He almost made the Yankees out of Spring Training and has not missed a beat at AA Trenton.  It will only be a matter of time before Jackson rightfully takes his place as the starting center fielder on this Yankee team.  Think Bernie Williams, at least I do when I hear about Jackson.  

Don't get me wrong, I think Nady will prove to be an X-Factor on this Yankee team.  I think he gives the Yankees a scrappiness they desperately need.  I just hope Brian Cashman realizes what he gave up to get it and that it does not come back to haunt the Yankees for years.

Nady and X-Factor?

The New York Yankees acquired outfielder Xavier Nady and left-hnaded reliever Damaso Marte from the Pirates in exchange for pitchers Ross Ohlendorf, George Kontos, and Phil Coke, and outfielder Jose Tabata.  The Yankees were in need of some offensive help after Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui went down with injuries.  Nady fits what the Yankees were looking for, a right-handed hitter with some power.    With the Pirates this season, Nady was hitting .330 with 13 homers and 57 RBI's.  Nady also has a .318 AVG and 39 RBI with runners in scoring position.  The Yankees have been terrible in that department this season so Nady does represent an upgrade there.  Not a superstar, Nady is a nice player who should be able to fit in very nicely in the Yankee clubhouse and on the field.

The real interesting player in the deal is Damaso Marte.  Marte, originally a Yankee farmhand who was sent to the Pirates for Enrique Wilson, is a solid lefty out of the pen.  The Yankees, this season, have not really had an effective lefty out of the pen.  Billy Traber and Sean Henn both failed miserably in their role as the lefty specialist so Marte will be a welcome addition.  However, I can't help but wonder if Enrique Wilson was really worth the price back in 2001.  Is Nady, a man who hit 20 homers once in his career and has never reached 100 RBI's worth Ohlendorf and Tabata?  

Tabata was the Yankees #3 prospect according to Baseball America and, at 20 years old, has loads of potential.  However, Tabata came close to quitting baseball this season after beig mired in a horrible slump.  He then injured his wrist, two alarms for the Yankees who may actually have been wise to unload him when they did.  

Overall, I can't see this deal hurting the Yankees in the long run.  Getting Marte back solves a problem that has existed since Mike Stanton left.  Xavier Nady should become a fan favorite at the Stadium.  He is the player with heart that has been lacking in the Yankee clubhouse since Paul O'Neill retired.  If it cost the Yankees the potential of Tabata and Ohlendorf then so be it.  Right now the Yankees are poised to make a run at the Rays and Red Sox.  If the Yankees make a the playoffs this deal will be well worth it.

Yuck

Horrible. Disgusting.  Underachieving.  Utterly pitiful.  These are some words that describe the New York Yankees season thus far.  This has been an absolute embarrassment.  from top to bottom, offense to defense, rotation to bullpen.  Brian Cashman has to be ashamed of himself.  Joe Girardi must go home at night and get sick.  This Yankee team, given the talent it has and the level it should be playing at, is the absolute worst team I have ever seen in Pinstripes.  

Yesterday, Johnny Damon injured himself attempting to make a play on a Kevin Youkilis hit.  He almost made the highlight reel.  Instead Damon might land on the DL.  He will join the only Yankee hitter that seemed to thrive in the clutch this season, Hideki Matsui.  

Derek Jeter has been thoroughly awful and I am sick of hearing about how the other team is just better.  Shut the hell up and hit.  You make almost as much as the ENTIRE first place Rays roster!  I don't want excuses.  That "C" on your chest means Captain, Mr. Jeter, not Crap which is what you have been pouring out of your mouth and what you have been playing like on the field.  Stop being so stoic.  Show emotion, it is OK.  

Emotion.  The one thing this bunch of over-paid losers does not have.  They are too damned serious and look like a group of zombies out there.  I miss the days of Paul O'Neill when the occasional fire came out.  I miss emotion.  

The Yankees are now 10 games behind the Rays in the loss column and 5 behind the Red Sox.  Right now, if the Yankees continue playing at this clip the season will be over before the All-Star game comes to town.  If that happens I think Hank Steinbrenner should thank Cashman for his services, give the reigns over to Damon Oppenheimer (the Draft master) and tell him to unload some players.  I am sure there is a market for some of these players.  Isn't there?  The age and contracts that are attached to some of these so-called baseball players makes me wonder is it were possible to trade any of them.  Nobody would take Abreu and his $16 million.  Nobody in their right mind would touch Jason Giambi and his $20+ million.  

This is the last season in Yankee Stadium.  Perhaps it is fitting that most of the Yankees on this team are not under contract for next season.  Giambi, Abreu, Carl Pavano, Mike Mussina, LaTroy Hawkins, Andy Pettitte, Kyle Farnsworth, and others all are without contracts next year.  

Whatever the Yankees do they need to be smart about it.  They don't need another high-priced, can't get the job done reliever.  Jose Veras, Chris Britton, David Robertson, Jonathan Albaladejo, and Dan Geise have all been very good.  They are all also very cheap, unlike Hawkins and Farnsworth.  The Yankees need to stop throwing money away and realize they have plenty of talent right at home.  

Maybe the Yankees should sell some of their excess pitching and beef up their lineup.  Matt Holliday would look very nice in Yankee Pinstripes.  If we can keep Hughes and Kennedy then I say the Yanks need to pull the trigger.  I wonder if the Rockies would go for Humberto Sanchez, Jeff Marquez, Juan Miranda, George Kontos, and another prospect?  Yeah, I didn't think so.  

Whatever, the Yankees do, they need to be smart, efficient, and quick about it.  Time is running out.  The playoffs are a lost hope.  I have to blame Cashman for this, he is the one who watched the Yankees get progressively worse year after year and was unable to do anything about it.  Time for Oppenheimer to show us what he's got, unless of course, Cashman has a plan that makes sense for the near and distant future altogether.