Archive for April, 2009
Where have you gone, Colter Bean?
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Remember Colter Bean?
The Yankees signed the righty reliever as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Alabama back in 2000, and he proceeded to annilate the minor leagues over the next 8+ seasons. He struck out 719 batters and allowed just 471 hits in 590 IP thanks to his quirky sidearm delivery, although he struggled in three cups of coffee with the Yanks. Many statheads clamored for him to be called up at a time when the Yanks’ bullpen was struggling, and there was even a website dedicated to the cause. Alas, Colter’s career came to end after 2008, and he’s since moved on to bigger and better things.
Nowadays, Bean is a part owner and instructor at the Bases Loaded Training Facility in Birmingham, Alabama. The facility is over 20,000 square feet and has four full fields with an indoor training area, and has about 10,000 participants that take lessons, play in tournaments, the whole nine. Bases Loaded was founded by Jeff Segar, another ex-Yankee farmhand drafted in 2000, and it continues to expand.
Bean may or may not have received a fair shot at the big leagues, but most sidearming righties tend to dominate the minors before getting exposed in the big leagues. Very few manage to have a significant Major League career, but it looks like Colter found something to keep himself occupied after his playing days were over.
(h/t RABer Eric Sanlnocencio)
Photo Credit: FCB
The sensitive side of Randy Levine
Posted by: | CommentsFor the last week, the Yankees have been slammed by the press over the empty, high-priced seats at Yankee Stadium. All of the city’s papers and sports pundits have been talking about it, and even I got to appear on TV to discuss it.
But when the head of Major League Soccer raised the issue on Friday, well, Randy Levine finally lost it. The Yanks’ team president unleashed his inner beast on MLS, and I have to wonder if Levine would have been better off just keeping quiet.
Here’s how it started: On Thursday, Don Garber, MLS commissioner, said, “It’s incomprehensible that you watch a game, and there will be front-row seats empty.”
On Friday, when informed of the soccer head’s barb, Levine went on some rant. “Don Garber discussing Yankee attendance must be a joke,” Levine said to the AP. “We draw more people in a year than his entire league does in a year. If he ever gets Major League Soccer into the same time zone as the Yankees, we might take him seriously. Hey Don, worry about Beckham, not the Yankees. Even he wants out of your league.”
Later int he day, Garber defended his remarks. “The Yankees are one of the world’s strongest sports brands and the context of my comments about a few empty seats at Yankee Stadium was to illustrate the economic challenges we are all facing,” he said in a statement. Garber shouldn’t have backtracked.
With this silly spat, Levine hasn’t exactly endeared himself to a Yankee fanbase already skeptical of his role in the organization. Ross at New Stadium Insider called Levine’s attack classless and noted that it makes the Yanks look bad. His co-writer there noted the continued disconnect between the Yankee Front Office and fan perceptions of the team.
The Yankees are treading on dangerous ground right now. While a lot of fans have no problems with the high ticket prices, a good number feel slighted and scorned by the Yankee Front Office. Levine is practically spitting in those fans’ collective faces here. It would do him wonders to step back for a few days and listen to Bud Selig. Humility has never done anyone wrong.
An A-Rodian ‘What If?’
Posted by: | CommentsNo one elicits more back-and-forth in the Boston/New York debate that A-Rod. During the winter of 2003-2004, A-Rod was thrust into the spotlight when he was nearly traded to Boston and then was actually acquired by the Yanks. Since then, A-Rod has, rather undeservedly, come to embody the last five seasons’ worth of futile (by their standards) seasons for the Yanks. With the Yanks up in Beantown for a three-game set, Gordon Edes decided to play the “What If?” game with A-Rod. What if, he asks, A-Rod had actually landed with the Red Sox?
His answer is particularly absurd. Apparently, had A-Rod and Magglio landed in Boston in 2004, replacing Manny and Nomar Garciaparra, life would have turned out differently. The Red Sox would have won everything, and A-Rod would be the toast of Boston. The Sox would still have Hanley Ramirez, and the Fenway Faithful would have cheered A-Rod this Opening Day following Sports Illustrated’s PED revelations.
Edes’ best line though is this about A-Rod’s potential 2008 press conference :
After the press conference in which A-Rod tearfully spoke of how sorry he was and vowed that for every home run he would hit, he would make a donation to the Taylor Hooton fund, Red Sox fans gave him a standing ovation on opening day.
Somehow, by landing in Boston, A-Rod would have been able to put away his personal tendency to insert his foot into his mouth, and he would have been something more than aloof, socially-awkward superstar. He’d be an entirely different person. “A-Rod basked in the attention,” Edes writes, “but surrounded by outsized personalities like Ortiz and Damon, Pedro Martinez and Schilling, there was plenty to go around.”
Edes’ piece is an exercise in absurdity. A-Rod will be A-Rod wherever he goes. He’ll be the highest paid player of the game and among the top performers. He’ll be an offensive force and a tabloid sensation. He’ll be the guy who should just stop talking sometimes and the whipping boy for everyone else. In Boston, in New York, in Texas, it’s always A-Rod, and no destination five years ago would have changed that.
SWB wins see-saw extra innings affair
Posted by: | CommentsTriple-A Scranton (17-14 win over Rochester in 13 innings) they tied the game with two runs in the top of the 9th, took a 1 run lead in the top of the 9th, blew it in the bottom hald, then did it again in the 11th and 12th before scoring 3 in the 13th and preserving the lead … and you thought the Yanks-Sox game was nuts
Doug Bernier: 0 for 7, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K
John Rodriguez: 5 for 7, 4 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K – matches his hit total over the last 9 days
Todd Linden: 2 for 4, 2 R, 1 RBI, 3 BB – on base 22 times in last 8 games
Shelley Duncan: 3 for 7, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 1 BB – doubled in the go-ahead runs in the top of the 13th
Juan Miranda: 2 for 8, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 K, 1 SB, 1 E (fielding)
Austin Jackson: 2 for 7, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K
Eric Duncan: 4 for 7, 3 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 SB – hitting .360 through 13 games
Chris Stewart: 2 for 6, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K
Chris Malec: 0 for 2, 1 RBI, 1 K – called up to replace Angel Berroa on the roster … entered the game as a pinch hitter in the top of the 9th
The Ghost of Kei Igawa: 4 IP, 9 H, 8 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 5-5 GB/FB – 52 of 78 pitches were strikes (.667) … gave up 4 homers, making it 8 in 16 IP on the year
JB Cox: 2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 WP, 4-2 GB/FB – 23 of 35 pitches were strikes (65.7%) … his stuff just hasn’t come all the way back from TJ
Zach Kroenke: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1-3 GB/FB – 22 of 34 pitches were strikes (64.7%)
Brett Tomko: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 0-3 GB/FB – 28 of 46 pitches were strikes (60.9%)
Anthony Claggett: 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 4-0 GB/FB - 19 of 30 pithes were strikes (63.3%)
Eric Wordekemper: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 0-2 GB/FB – 8 of 12 pitches were strikes (66.7%)
A-Rod nearing game action
Posted by: | CommentsAs the Yanks limp away from their 16-11 defeat to the Red Sox, how about some good news for a few hours? According to the AP, A-Rod is just days away from a rehab assignment. A-Rod ran the bases again on Saturday, and he reportedly increasing the intensity of his work outs. The Yankees have to tread carefully over the next few weeks with A-Rod though. With Cody Ransom out and Angel Berroa filling in at third, the Yanks are playing with less than a full deck, and the tendency would be to rush A-Rod. I still think he’ll be back before May 15th, but the team will proceed carefully.
Game 17 Spillover IV: The umps are watching the NFL draft
Posted by: | CommentsBy my count, the umps have cost the Yanks five runs today. The home plate ump blew a third-strike call to J.D. Drew, and thus, Jason Varitek was able to hit a grand slam. Had the call on Drew been made, Varitek isn’t up.
Then, just now in the bottom of the 8th, Posada throws Jacoby Ellsbury out by a foot, but the ump is in no position to see it. Ellsbury scores. While I know this sounds like sour beans, the truth is that baseball has instituted instant replay in a ridiculously arbitrary way.
Anyway, the Yankees were going to need to score 13 to win. Let’s see if they can hold the Sox at 13 and come back. Again.
Game 17 Spillover Thread III: The death of me
Posted by: | CommentsWhen do we get to see Mark Melancon? Yanks clinging to a 10-9 lead in the bottom of the seventh with no one and Kevin Youkilis on second.
Game 17 Spillover Thread II
Posted by: | CommentsGirardi was perfectly content with letting this one get out of hand before removing Burnett.
Just 21 days 'til pitchers and catchers report.
