Comments on: No Rocket in New York for ’08 http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/no-rocket-in-new-york-for-08-1926/ A New York Yankees Blog Sun, 27 May 2012 08:59:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: brxbmrs http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/no-rocket-in-new-york-for-08-1926/#comment-43859 brxbmrs Fri, 04 Jan 2008 18:17:08 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/03/no-rocket-in-new-york-for-08-1926/#comment-43859 I didn't want Rocket back but I understood why it was done at the time - like Joseph said, the Yanks were desperate - not only b\c DeSalvo, Clippard and Wright were in the starting rotation but it looked like all the Yanks except for A-Rod, Jorge and Jeter forgot how to hit and I think the Yanks FO (read George) was afraid that the Sox were going to run away with the division by June and YS would be a ghost town come July. In short, it was done to keep the fans in the seats first and foremost. A reason to go to see the games and a reason for hope that the rotation could be salvaged. Rocket pretty much gave what I expected .500 record around a 4 era - of course he was "juiced out" come September\October, again no surprise. He pitched well at times but he wasn't worth the $ by a long shot if you evaluate him strictly on his performance on the field. He was probably worth alot more than the prorated amount we paid him in keeping people coming to the ball park during those tenuous stretches. I didn’t want Rocket back but I understood why it was done at the time – like Joseph said, the Yanks were desperate – not only b\c DeSalvo, Clippard and Wright were in the starting rotation but it looked like all the Yanks except for A-Rod, Jorge and Jeter forgot how to hit and I think the Yanks FO (read George) was afraid that the Sox were going to run away with the division by June and YS would be a ghost town come July.

In short, it was done to keep the fans in the seats first and foremost. A reason to go to see the games and a reason for hope that the rotation could be salvaged.

Rocket pretty much gave what I expected .500 record around a 4 era – of course he was “juiced out” come September\October, again no surprise. He pitched well at times but he wasn’t worth the $ by a long shot if you evaluate him strictly on his performance on the field. He was probably worth alot more than the prorated amount we paid him in keeping people coming to the ball park during those tenuous stretches.

]]> By: Nascar http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/no-rocket-in-new-york-for-08-1926/#comment-43799 Nascar Fri, 04 Jan 2008 03:45:54 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/03/no-rocket-in-new-york-for-08-1926/#comment-43799 For 20 million a year, the Yankees can get a lot more outstanding talent thats in development. There is no way the Roger is worth the $20 million going rate. For 20 million a year, the Yankees can get a lot more outstanding talent thats in development. There is no way the Roger is worth the $20 million going rate.

]]> By: Breaking Balls » Sue everybody! http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/no-rocket-in-new-york-for-08-1926/#comment-43788 Breaking Balls » Sue everybody! Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:47:17 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/03/no-rocket-in-new-york-for-08-1926/#comment-43788 [...] and by the way, Hank Steinbrenner is saying the Yankees will not sign Clemens for the 2008 season, even if he should decide he would play another year. Somehow, I think Clemens [...] [...] and by the way, Hank Steinbrenner is saying the Yankees will not sign Clemens for the 2008 season, even if he should decide he would play another year. Somehow, I think Clemens [...]

]]> By: Joseph P. http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/no-rocket-in-new-york-for-08-1926/#comment-43752 Joseph P. Thu, 03 Jan 2008 20:18:45 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/03/no-rocket-in-new-york-for-08-1926/#comment-43752 I wrote it, and I stand by it. Remember where the team was at at the time of that post. We were desperate. At the time, it was the only glimmer of hope we had. And no, it didn't work out. But it was a move we almost had to make at the time. I wrote it, and I stand by it. Remember where the team was at at the time of that post. We were desperate. At the time, it was the only glimmer of hope we had. And no, it didn’t work out. But it was a move we almost had to make at the time.

]]> By: Ben K. http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/no-rocket-in-new-york-for-08-1926/#comment-43750 Ben K. Thu, 03 Jan 2008 20:13:04 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/03/no-rocket-in-new-york-for-08-1926/#comment-43750 To nitpick a little, that wasn't my post, but it was here on RAB. So I won't deny that Clemens was a disappointment compared to what we expected him to do. In May, we expected better things out of Roger, and we were wrong. Happy? To nitpick a little, that wasn’t my post, but it was here on RAB. So I won’t deny that Clemens was a disappointment compared to what we expected him to do. In May, we expected better things out of Roger, and we were wrong. Happy?

]]> By: Malcard89 http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/no-rocket-in-new-york-for-08-1926/#comment-43749 Malcard89 Thu, 03 Jan 2008 20:10:24 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/03/no-rocket-in-new-york-for-08-1926/#comment-43749 "Well phew. Talk about $20 million poorly spent." I give you: http://riveraveblues.com/2007/05/07/wang-pettitte-mussina-clemens-hughes-371/ This is exactly what it means to never jump the gun on a signing that was just asking to fall apart. He may have been a little better than league average, but that's not what we paid $18 million for. If you're going to make a statement (and make a whole post detailing why the move was a great one while ridiculing those who thought it was far too risky), at least stand by it and own up to the mistake later. “Well phew. Talk about $20 million poorly spent.”

I give you:

http://riveraveblues.com/2007/.....ughes-371/

This is exactly what it means to never jump the gun on a signing that was just asking to fall apart. He may have been a little better than league average, but that’s not what we paid $18 million for. If you’re going to make a statement (and make a whole post detailing why the move was a great one while ridiculing those who thought it was far too risky), at least stand by it and own up to the mistake later.

]]> By: Ben K. http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/no-rocket-in-new-york-for-08-1926/#comment-43748 Ben K. Thu, 03 Jan 2008 19:38:12 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/03/no-rocket-in-new-york-for-08-1926/#comment-43748 Clemens was around average last year (1.02 RA+, 13.8 VORP), and for $18 mil, I think the Yanks were expecting more than 99 innings of 4.18 ball and one failed postseason start. Sure, Roger was better than the alternatives, but not $18 million better. Clemens was around average last year (1.02 RA+, 13.8 VORP), and for $18 mil, I think the Yanks were expecting more than 99 innings of 4.18 ball and one failed postseason start. Sure, Roger was better than the alternatives, but not $18 million better.

]]> By: Ben B. http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/no-rocket-in-new-york-for-08-1926/#comment-43746 Ben B. Thu, 03 Jan 2008 19:23:44 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/03/no-rocket-in-new-york-for-08-1926/#comment-43746 Spending another $20 million on half a season from The Rocket is probably not a good investment for 2008, but I don't think the money was poorly spent in 2007. He (and A-Rod, among others) essentially *saved* the Yankees' season in 2007. He gave the team 17 well-above-league-average starts. He wasn't an ace, he wasn't Rocket circa 1990, but he was much better than what Joe Torre had been trotting out there every five days, and he helped stabilize the rotation. Depending on injuries to the 2008 rotation, if he gets himself in shape and pitches in the Olympics, I wouldn't be opposed to seeing him in September and October, if we need him. The kids might be approaching their innings caps at that point, even if we have no injuries to the rotation, and I could see it helping to have him pitch the final month or so. Of course, Horne may deserve ML innings, if he isn't already in the rotation at that point. Spending another $20 million on half a season from The Rocket is probably not a good investment for 2008, but I don’t think the money was poorly spent in 2007. He (and A-Rod, among others) essentially *saved* the Yankees’ season in 2007. He gave the team 17 well-above-league-average starts. He wasn’t an ace, he wasn’t Rocket circa 1990, but he was much better than what Joe Torre had been trotting out there every five days, and he helped stabilize the rotation. Depending on injuries to the 2008 rotation, if he gets himself in shape and pitches in the Olympics, I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing him in September and October, if we need him. The kids might be approaching their innings caps at that point, even if we have no injuries to the rotation, and I could see it helping to have him pitch the final month or so. Of course, Horne may deserve ML innings, if he isn’t already in the rotation at that point.

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