Archive for May, 2009
Game 49: Saturday night’s alright for fightin’
Posted by: | CommentsTo be honest with you, these Saturday night games are not my favorite. After spending all time bumming around Brooklyn, I’m ready to go out, and yet, as I write this at around 5:30, the game hasn’t started yet. Such are the demands of a national TV schedule.
Anyway, CC Sabathia will take the mound tonight in Cleveland. After 117 home starts for the Indians, this is the first time Sabathia will be on the mound in his road grays. In those starts, he has thrown 747 innings with a 3.84 ERA. So far, May has been kind to Sabathia. Over his last four outings, he is averaging 8 innings per appearance and has a 1.69 ERA. He has 24 strikeouts in 32 innings, and opponents are hitting just .183/.223/.243 off the Yankee ace.
For the Indians, Fausto Carmona takes the hill. Yankee fans remember him most from his nine inning, three hit effort against the Bombers in the ill-fated 2007 ALDS. Recently, however, he has been far more pedestrian. On the season, he is 2-4 with a 6.42 ERA. Carmona has walked three more than he has struck out and is coming off a 1.1-inning appearance last week against the Rays. In his career against the Yanks, Carmona is 1-1 with a 4.61 ERA. While this one looks like a laugher on paper, I’m not going to count my baseball chickens before they hatch.
No matter the outcome of this game, though, the Yankees will stay in first place. The Blue Jays scored two runs off Ramon Ramirez in the bottom of the 7th and held on to beat the Red Sox 5-3 in Toronto earlier today. With that loss, the Red Sox fell to 23-22 against non-Yankee opponents.
Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Cano 2B
Posada C
Matsui DH
Swisher RF
Gardner CF
And on the mound, the big man, number 52, CC Sabathia.
2009 Draft: KLaw’s latest top 10 rumblings
Posted by: | CommentsWith the draft just over two weeks away, we’re starting to get a better idea of which teams are linked to specific players. Over at The Draft Blog, Keith Law posted some notes on the recent talk he’s heard about the top ten. It’s a subscriber only article, so I can’t go into too much detail, but here’s the latest on how the top ten might shake out:
1. Nationals: Stephen Strasburg, RHP, SDSU
2. Mariners: Tanner Scheppers, RHP, indy ball
3. Padres: Dustin Ackley, 1B/CF, UNC
4. Pirates: Tony Sanchez, C, BC
5. Orioles: Aaron Crow, RHP, indy ball
6. Giants: Tim Wheeler, CF, Sacramento State
7. Braves: Alex White, RHP, UNC
8. Reds: Tyler Matzek, LHP, Cali HS
9. Tigers: Jacob Turner, RHP, St. Louis HS
10. Nationals: Kyle Gibson, RHP, Mizzou
The Pirates might go cheap at #4 because they’re expected to break the bank for Latin American prospect Miguel Angel Sano. KLaw also echoes the rumblings that the Yanks are in on Slade Heathcott, noting that scouting director Damon Oppenheimer and two other execs have been on hand for his recent games.
Pettitte’s back and an incentive-laden deal
Posted by: | CommentsWhen I heard that Andy Pettitte had to be taken out of the game last night due to a balk back, my thoughts first turned to Chien-Ming Wang. After burning through millions of pixels discussing the Yanks’ treatment of the erstwhile ace, it seemed all for naught. With one bad back, Wang would find himself back in the rotation by Wednesday.
Not according to Andy Pettitte. The Yanks’ veteran lefty maintains that he will make his next start. It’s just old age, he says about the back he aggravated in Texas. When asked by the beat writers if he would take a time out in five days, he replied, “No, no, no. I’ll be there.”
Now, Pettitte is not one to take himself out of the lineup when he’s injured. Last season, he pitched nearly two months with a sore shoulder, and his performance suffered because of it. This year, the Yankees are seemingly paying more attention to Pettitte’s aging body. Still, he will lobby hard to make his next start.
While Pettitte has long been a competitor, a note on Twitter from RAB reader dispatcher307 got me thinking. He wrote: “Andy will pitch his next start even if he shouldn’t. The downside to incentive-based contracts.”
That’s an astute observation about Andy Pettitte’s situation. Last season, Pettitte had the backing of a $16 million deal. This year, he signed for a $5.5 million base salary with numerous performance-based incentives. According to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, Pettitte can earn up to $4.5 million in bonuses based on the number of innings he pitches and $2 million in roster bonuses based on time spent off the disabled list.
So far, Pettitte is on pace to throw around 205 innings this season. If he makes it to 210, he earns an additional $750,000. If he misses a start and doesn’t even reach the 200-inning mark, he’ll lose out on the 210 IP bonus as well as another $750,000 he earns at 200 innings pitched. So missing his next turn through the rotation on Wednesday could cost Pettitte up to $1.5 million. Of course he wants to make his next start.
In the end, the ultimate decision with rest with the Yankee coaches and medical staff. The team is concerned that Pettitte’s back is preventing him from finishing his pitches, something very evident in the sixth last night, and if the team feels that Pettitte puts himself at risk by pitching on Wednesday, he just won’t do it. “It’s something that we’ll have to watch over the next four days,” Girardi said. The money though watches over all.
A mid-Saturday Joba roundup
Posted by: | CommentsOn Thursday we spent a couple of posts talking about Joba Chamberlain‘s role. While we talk, analyze, and debate, the Yankees are surely doing the same. They want to make sure they handle their roster and farm system in the manner which benefits them best in both the short- and long-term. It’s not easy, of course, with different roster permutations bringing different results.
Since Ben, Mike, and I have made it clear what we think the Yankees should do, perhaps today we should listen to what the Yankees themselves are thinking. Thankfully, they’ve provided some fodder in the way of quotes. We’ll start with Joe Girardi via Pete Caldera:
Quickly, here’s what Joe Girardi said when asked about the possibility of Joba Chamberlain heading to the bullpen to accomodate Chien-Ming Wang: “That is not something we’ve talked about.”
As Pete notes, that’s not to say that they won’t talk about it. For now, though, it appears there are no plans to mess with Joba’s role. Which is a good thing. As I wrote on Thursday (in the very first link in this post), the Yankees have no reason to make any moves right now. They have a good problem. With Wang, Hughes, and Chamberlain still out to prove something to some degree or another, the Yankees can afford to move forward in this manner and reassess in a few weeks. Not many teams have this luxury.
The new Newsday beat writer Erik Boland has some quotes from Cashman on the situation; “It’s just a topic we have to deal with,” Cashman said, stating the obvious. But then he lays into B-Jobbers (again, our euphemism for those who want Joba in the pen):
“That’s all crap,” he said. “Wake up and smell the coffee. If he’s on national television on ESPN and throws 91 on the 22nd pitch, why would you think if he comes in in the eighth inning protecting a 4-3 lead [he'd throw 96]? Stop, he’s a starter.”
It’s hard to get more definitive than that. “Stop, he’s a starter.” Good to see Cashman sticking to his guns on this one. It’s frustrating to watch Joba struggle during the first innings of his starts, but the idea is to keep working him and get him used to the role. The man has, after all, been a starter his entire life.
Meanwhile, Tyler Kepner compares Joba to Johan Santana. Others have made this comparison too, and for good reason. Santana started off in the Twins’ bullpen, though he certainly wasn’t the designated eighth inning guy. The Twins saw the talent they had on hand and transitioned Johan to the rotation in mid-2003. By the time the playoffs started he was their Game 1 starter, and the next season he won the Cy Young. Despite Joba’s relative struggles in the rotation this year, his ERA is still two full points better than Santana’s through each player’s first 21 career starts (each had his 21st start at age 23). Joba also has a better K/9 at that point, and has fewer walks in more innings pitched.
Still, the best commentary for this comes from a comment to Kepner’s post:
I no longer believe that Joba should be moved to the bullpen. Instead, as I’ve posted twice elsewhere, I strongly believe that he should be moved completely out of the Yankees organization. He is an over-rated distraction. if the Yankees spent one-fourth the energy they’ve spent on Joba on either Wang (who is a proven winner) or Hughes (who shows great character) or Aceves (who shows great resolve), the team would be much better off. We would be best served by just trading Joba for a potential Mariano replacement—if anyone would be willing to take him off the Yankees’ hands.
Quick! Get this guy on Jimmy Fallon’s writing team. They’d increase the comedic talent tenfold with this MSS Rao guy.
In all seriousness, I’ve had a discussion like this with Mike, Ben, and a number of friends over the past few days. It boils down to this: 1) The Yankees could trade Joba straight up for any closer in the game right now. Not only that, but the other GM would be in a rush to get it done, in case Cashman decided to change his mind. 2) If the Yankees did trade Joba to another team, he’d be in that team’s rotation. The question, of course, is why Yankees fans want their team to play by different rules. I understand doing things differently in an attempt to exploit inefficiencies. But since when is putting a guy in the bullpen at the cost of a long-term rotation cog exploiting an inefficiency?
We’ve presented our argument numerous times, and obviously feel it is a stronger one than the Joba to the bullpen counterpart. It doesn’t mean we’re right, per se; baseball isn’t always black and white like that. But because of baseball’s random nature, it’s best to find the optimal strategy and stick to it. If you follow a good process, good results will follow, even though they won’t follow in every instance. Still, the debate will rage on, even if Joba turns a corner and starts pitching into the seventh with regularity. Hell, it will probably rage on even if he gets to 100 wins and picks up a Cy Young. To that extent, Joe Girardi has the last line:
“The good thing about the presidential debates is that they end. … This one doesn’t.”
2009 Draft: BA’s Mock Draft v2.0
Posted by: | CommentsBaseball America released their second mock draft of the year yesterday (subscription req’d), and now have the Yanks taking Texas prep outfielder Slade Heathcott. In their previous mock draft they projected the Yanks to take Cal center fielder Brett Jackson. As you can see from his scouting report, Heathcott is a true five tool player that hits from the left side, and he’s also a good prospect on the mound. Lane Meyer at NoMaas interviewed him earlier this year, and Heathcott said the Yanks have been in contact with him.
Yanks praising Girardi’s leadership
Posted by: | CommentsThe mold for a good manager is cut from many a cloth. For 12 seasons starting sixty years ago, the Yankees had a cantankerous old man at their helm. For 12 seasons starting in 1996, they had a master of calm leading the charge. In between, they had strategic geniuses, feisty former players, the calm wisdom of Yogi Berra and everyone in between heading the team.
This year, we have seen Joe Girardi grow into the mold. A few weeks ago, as the Yankees were struggling their way out of April, it seemed as though Girardi was on the hot seat. Now that the Yanks have gone 15-5 over their last 20 and find themselves in first place by themselves, everyone loves Joe.
Take, for example, this George A. King III column. Since King is relying on quotes and stories from the Yankees themselves, we can’t go too wrong with it. In it, he talks to Mark Teixeira about playing for Girardi. The Yanks’ first baseman seemingly loves Girardi.
“The good thing about Joe is that he is consistent. He expects a lot out of us but you look at him and you can’t tell if we won or lost,” Teixeira said. “Your leader needs to show confidence. The manager can’t be upset after every loss. He can’t be angry all the time.”
Later on, Teixeira added a bit of hyperbole. “Out of all the managers I have had, he is the best I have had by far,” he said to King.
Now, that’s high praise considering how Teixeira’s last two managers were Mike Scioscia and Bobby Cox, both highly respected in their own rights. Of course, Teixeira could just be saying what anyone would say of his or her employer. Of course, I love my boss! Who doesn’t?
In a way though, what Teixeira says about Girardi is something we Yankee fans saw in Joe Torre for 12 seasons. The Yankees would win, and the Yankees would lose. They would top all of baseball three years running, and lose in the first round of the playoffs three years running. When they would lose, though, Torre remained mostly unflappable. Some criticized it, but the players responded well to his stoicism.
The job in the Bronx isn’t Girardi’s first. He had a tumultuous one-year term in Miami heading the Marlins. However, he earned his stripes, so to speak, while serving as Torre’s bench coach, and perhaps he’s finding his way now as a similar type of manager.
In the end, it’s never easy to discern how much credit a manager deserves for a team’s success. Clearly, Joe Girardi’s team isn’t perfect. After all, he couldn’t trust another reliever last night and used Al Aceves to relieve Andy Pettitte in the 6th and then serve as the bridge and set-up man to Mariano Rivera. That’s not Girardi’s fault though; he plays the cards that are dealt to him.
When the dust settles in October, we’ll have a better sense of how Girardi handles a team with the potential go all the way. Right now, as the Yanks sit in first place at the end of May he looks good. Let’s see where the chips fall in four or five months.
Montero continues to rake, but Tampa falls
Posted by: | CommentsTwo years ago today on DotF, Eric Duncan went 3 for 3 with a pair of homers, and I foolishly started to believe that he might be putting it together.
Jesus Montero was the hottest prospect in the minors this week, and I’ve heard some rumblings that the Yanks are ready to move either Montero or Austin Romine up to Double-A so both guys can catch on a full-time basis. Montero’s the clear favorite for the promotion.
Ray Kruml was placed on the DL with a lower body injury, and JB Cox was disabled with an unknown injury. Also, the college baseball postseason started tonight, and The College Baseball Blog has got you covered.
Triple-A Scranton (4-1 win over Louisville)
Reegie Corona: 1 for 4, 2 K – hitting .127 in 14 AAA games
Austin Jackson: 0 for 4, 1 K
Todd Linden: 1 for 4, 1 R
Shelley Duncan & John Rodriguez: both 2 for 4 - Shelley scored a run
Juan Miranda: 1 for 4, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 K – jacked a 3-run homer off a southpaw … he’s actually hitting LHB better than RHB this year (.953 OPS vs .798)
Justin Leone: 0 for 2, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Eric Duncan: 2 for 3, 1 E (fielding)
Chris Stewart: 1 for 3, 1 RBI
The Ghost of Kei Igawa: 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 7-8 GB/FB – 67 of 103 pitches were strikes (65%)
Mark Melancon: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 2-2 GB/FB – 19 of 30 pitches were strikes (63.3%)
Game 48 Spillover Thread
Posted by: | CommentsCan the bullpen hold down the fort for two more innings?
Ben’s Correction: Just to update a prior item: The Yankees did not DFA Kevin Cash. Per Bryan Hoch, Cash had an option left. So the Yanks were able to just option him down to AAA, and he remains with the organization. Either the Yanks and Cash’s agent negotiated an option or he had one remaining. Works for me.
Game 48: Hip Hip, Cleveland!
Posted by: | CommentsThe Yanks have won 12 of their last 15, and things continue to look up as they head into Cleveland to play the last place Indians. The perennial trendy pick, Cleveland’s been doomed by the American League’s worst pitching staff, which sports a 5.41 ERA. They just ripped off four straight wins against the defending AL Champs and are sending the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner to mound tonight, so they probably feel pretty good about themselves right now.
Thankfully, the Yankees are getting a boost of their own in the form of Jorge Posada, who is returning from his hamstring injury tonight. In case you missed it earlier, the Yanks designated Kevin Cash for assignment to make room on the roster for Georgie. In all likelihood Cash will clear waivers and return to Triple-A, assumed he doesn’t opt to become a free agent. The Yanks also have an empty 40-man roster spot to play with, so they could call up an outfielder if Melky’s injury is worse than originally thought.
Here’s tonight’s lineup:
Jeter, SS
Damon, LF
Teixeira, 1B
A-Rod, 3B
Cano, 2B
Posada, C
Matsui, DH
Swisher, RF
Gardner, CF
And on the mound, the grizzled vet Andy Pettitte.
Note: In case ou’re interested, Stephen Strasburg takes on Virginia tonight on ESPNU. Game starts … now!
Update (6:57pm): Bryan Hoch says they rolled the tarp out and the game will not start on time. Consider it a blessing and flip over to check out some Strasburg action.
