Aug
10
Fan Confidence Poll: August 10th, 2009
ByRecord Last Week: 6-0 (38 RS, 15 RA)
Season Record: 69-42 (619 RS, 525 RA), 6.5 games up
Opponents This Week: vs Toronto (3 games), @ Seattle (4 games)
Top stories from last week:
- After getting their butts beat in the first three games against the White Sox before rebounding on Sunday, the Yanks came out of Monday’s off day starting a matchup with Roy Halladay in the face. Andy Pettitte held the fort down before some late inning homers sealed the win, then the lineup picked up the disappointing Sergio Mitre for a quick series sweep.
- Heading into the four game set with a 2.5 game lead, all the Yanks had to do was beat the Red Sox once to remain in first place at the end of the weekend. Yankee pitchers walked way too many on Thursday, but the offense picked them up and team walked away with their first win against the Beantowners this year. The game also set a New Stadium attendance record. The pitching staff straightened themselves out the next day, but we waited 15-innings before Alex Rodriguez ended the game with a walk-off two run homer. It was fitting considering all the talk about his homerless drought. With a series split already in the bag, CC Sabathia got greedy and shut down the Sawx for another shutout win on Saturday. But the best was saved for last, when Johnny Damon & Mark Teixeira went back-to-back in the 8th to crush the hearts of everyone in teh nation.
- The Yankees did make a few minors moves during the week. Chad Gaudin was acquired from the Padres for a PTBNL, while Robbie Cano and three bullpen pieces cleared waivers. Ramiro Pena was called up to replace the DFA’d Cody Ransom, while Josh Towers was recalled for bullpen insurance on Saturday and then DFA’d the next day. Ian Kennedy’s rehab continues to … uh … continue. Oh, and first rounder Slade Heathcott wants $2M with the signing deadline a week away.
- And finally, the Old Stadium continues to come down. Sad.
Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.
Given the team's current roster construction, farm system, management, etc., how confident are you in the Yankees' overall future?
76 Comments»
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9. First 9 of the season from me after a steady string of 8′s…but these 4 games told me alot about this team (things I’m sure I was the last to notice around here…heh).
6.5 games up, Holmes.
Yeah, fixed now. Thanks.
mike, no more new comment indicators?
We’re going to get them back up today. We had to turn them off during the Sox series because they slow the side down too much. The 8th inning last night would have crippled the site.
Was that the record for most comments in under what 10 minutes?
word. that’s my favorite part cause especially now with all the exposure it makes it virtually impossible to folllow anything without them
Bumped from a season long 8 to 9.
Why the increase?
• Cannot argue with best record in the majors.
• Contributions from young players each year. Wang, Cano, Melky, Joba, Hughes, Aceves, Coke, with more to come…
• Face of the team has changed where free agent pick ups are leading the team rather than trying to fit in with the “core.” (Jeter, Jorge, Pettite, Rivera)
• Clubhouse chemistry has improved – Swisher, Burnett, Texeira, etc.
Why not a ten…
• What is going on with Joba’s innings? Will he start or relieve in the post season?
• Why is Hughes in the bullpen? Will he start next year?
• Will they flip flop roles for the post season?
What will happen with #5 starter?
Another ‘why not a 10′: Monstero
Well, that’s not something they could control.
It’s a broken finger. It’s not an indication of injury-proneness, nor is it going to be a factor in the future once it heals. He’s going to be a top-5 prospect at the end of the year regardless.
What is going on with Joba’s innings? Will he start or relieve in the post season?
Cash has basically said that he will be a starter in the post season. I assume now that the Yankees have a bigger lead in the division, they will skip Joba a few times down the stretch to keep his innings down.
Why is Hughes in the bullpen?
Because they have a need for a lock-down bullpen arm.
Will he start next year?
Cashman has said that he will.
Will they flip flop roles for the post season?
I doubt it. I thought they would, but with Joba’s shoulder injury last year and Aceves’ tired shoulder this year, I am assuming they feel transitioning him mid-season is too much of a risk.
Well put and I understand your answers.
The question is whether the Yankees are correctly handling Hughes and Joba. I hope they are, but the question about transitioning them successfully into the #3 and #4 (#2, #3?) starters in 2010, 2011 and beyond remains.
Screwing with Joba’s arm like last year is probably the last thing the yankees want to do. He’ll stay as a starter and probably just get skipped every so often until the playoffs when all bets are off, IMO. There’s no reason to worry about Joba transitioning successfully to the rotation since that “transition” is already complete. Now the yanks are just dealing with total innings per year.
Given what happened with Joba, that could be a big reason why they have continually said that they aren’t going to move Hughes from the bullpen. They simply want to protect from any chance of injury to his arm by going back and forth from rotation to bullpen to rotation all in the matter of a couple of months. I doubt that half a year in the bullpen is going to hurt Hughes going back to the rotation next season. That’s what Spring Training and the offseason are for, building up his strength for the rotation.
I agree with that assessment. I think you are on the money
Also, ditto – first 9 after being an 8 all year.
I was at 8 all year, but I bumped it up to nine. That was a huge series, and they won games in every way imaginable – blowout, pitching duel, comeback, it had everything.
I’m a hard grader, I can’t imagine eve voting a ten because there’s always room for improvement.
I’ve always been an “8″ for every single week as well, but I think I might bump it up next week – it’s just getting harder and harder to defend my position of staying still.
Same. I’m still an 8, but I really wanted to go 9 due to excitement. Let’s face it, this is the team we expected (hoped for?) all year and they’re finally living up to it. I wouldn’t say I was disappointed prior to this weekend, but I knew the Yanks had more in the tank. They finally showed it. In amazing fashion no less.
Still at 8 as well, as I’ve been all season (even in May/April)
I’m with this group of 8′s, but really wanting, hoping to put a nine down. Throughout the year, I was a sold 8, 8.1. Now, I’m more of an 8.6, 8.7.
Nine. Not ten because there is always room to be better.
But easily the best any of us have felt all year.
easily the best any of us have felt all year.
amen! what a series. there really was EVERYTHING you could have wanted out of it as a baseball fan. most of us probably had no expectations for andy pettitte last night but he really stepped up and absolutely battled yesterday.
also – you really have to like what cashman has done as far as building this team for going forward. he’s picked up multiple guys that give girardi “options” – versatility and depth, if you will – for virtually nothing (swisher, hinske, hairston, gaudin).
of course there’s always the argument that anyone can do what he’s done with the resources he has, but he’s made very shrewd moves since taking complete control of the team.
Best I’ve felt in at least 6 years.
Agreed. It’s a damn good feeling six and a half up with the sweep completed. Let’s keep it going versus the Jays.
I went from an 8-9. What is crazy that some people are a 7. I think right now after this 4 game high that most people would be at least an 8.
Mike, they are 6.5 games up not 5.5.
8, staying the course, hell of a weekend, and obviously in a great situation.
9, what else is there to say. Like Andy said, they need to keep the pedal to the metal. Want them to keep it going on their West Coast trip and enter Boston with a similar lead, looking to expand it.
9 because Phil Hughes is still a reliever.
You kiss your mother with that mouth?
I am still a 9, not a 10 because the games still have to be played and as we have all heard and seen before “the best team doesn’t always win”.
while it’s a freakin’ great feeling to have the best record and biggest divisional lead in baseball, we have to still remember the red sox have won 4 more games against us and we have another 3 game set against them later in the month.
It goes to 11…
Of course, this is my confidence level at this exact moment. Everyone on this board knows that moments of shere Yankee driven joy can be fleeting (Cough 2004 Cough). Thinks might take a bad turn.
But right now…at this every moment…yeah, it goes to 11.
Any of you realize that Yankee starting pitching hasn’t allowed a run since Thursday?
But I thought we couldn’t play well against good teams
we can’t
fawk yooos chowdah heds!!!
That’s ridiculous, the Yankees only have 2 real starters in their rotation. They NEEDED Roy Halladay or they’re going nowhere in the postseason. NOWHERE!
oh stop.
9 only because Wang and Montero are hurt, and Mitre hasn’t put it together yet.
But really should be 9.5 because Cody Ransom was replaced by Ramiro Pena.
9 because I won’t go 10 until the Yanks are 162-0.
And the offense wasn’t too hot against Beckett and Lester (or Buchholz for that matter).
Hey, we played the ol’ waiting game like we used to do with Pedro. Nothing wrong with that…
Agreed. Just sayin, there’s always room for improvement
I’m going up to 9 for the first time this season, this is the happiest I felt about this team since Massacre ’06!
People who continually vote in the 1-4 range have some ‘splaining to do. Unless they’re damn trolls.
They are.
that’s offensive. don’t condescend. just being a troll does not exempt you from ‘splainin.
My response was not meant to sound condescending. I’m still unclear as to how it can be interpreted as such. In any event, your argument is not with me. It’s with the individuals who have been voting 1-4. I have yet to see a single person on RAB admit to voting such a low number. It would be irrational to follow the team regularly and have a confidence level that low with our strong rotation, excellent lineup, financial flexibility, farm system, and front office.
Their only explanation would be to rile folks up. So, again, I was in fact confirming that they’re very likely to be trolls and the chance of them giving heed to your suggestion that they proving explanations is, at best, unlikely.
*provide, not “proving”
FAIL
…i think pete was making a joke–just cause you a troll dont mean you dont got no splainin to do…
If any week deserved a “10,” this is it, so they get a “10″ from me this week for the first time. What I saw from this team I have not seen in ten years. Watching each guy out of that bullpen top the guy before him on Friday was just amazing. This team knows what it wants, and I think they’re going to get it. Amazing job.
We can nitpick, but the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and this is one damn good “whole.”
Moved from a 7.5 to an 8.5 and I’m leaning 9 after a great weekend.
The farm is looking good, the rotation has a hole in the 5-spot, losing Wang for the season sucks. I liked Joba’s 2nd half start and the offense is pretty much the very best in baseball. This season is looking very promising.
I’d like to believe more in Melky (especially to avoid anything silly like giving a pile of money and years to Matt Holliday). I’d like to see Ajax cut down his K rate. More Melancon, please. Hughes to the rotation.
Coke worried me last night. Hughes/Mo/Ace I have a lot of confidence in. After last night I am not so sure about Coke anymore. Him/Robertson I just wouldn’t feel comfortable bringing in when its a one run ball game in the playoffs.
In the playoffs, I don’t think we’d need Coke/Rob in a close game. With all of the off days, we should be able to rely on Hughes, Mo and Ace in tight games.
Agree with both of you about Coke. It’s never easy for this guy. Too many good ABs against him. Disagree about D-Rob. I think he will be important down the stretch. Good power arm who throws strikes. He just needs more experience.
I went to 10 after reading all the Yankee hate on Twitter. You know we’re doing well to hear such venom even from non baseball fans. 10 for support but realistically an 8.
Cano actually cleared waivers, he wasn’t just placed on them? That doesn’t seem right, does it?
Probably no one bothered to claim him because there’s a near zero chance of the Yankees trading him now. It would just be a waste of time to claim him.
That seems a bit dumb. Claim 100 guys and just once maybe something comes of it. Its not like there’s any downside.
sure there is–if you don’t want actually them, you can get stuck with them
Save the effort for something more productive. I have no idea if there are fees involved in making waiver claims, but at the very least you need someone in the front office occupying their time filling out paperwork.
There probably is a fee, but no paperwork: it doesn’t take more than the click of a mouse to claim a player. It’s all computer-based.
All year long have been a 7, but this weekend got to me like no other has in a LONG time. Awesome.
Some guy on the Boston Globe website posted this comment on a fan confidence poll:
“I voted “no playoffs.” Ordinarily, if they had at least four decent starters, I would have voted “It’s OK”. But only Beckett and Lester can be depended on and although the team will probably get out of its batting slump in general, there’s still too many holes in that lineup for any 2-man effective starting rotation to overcome. Now, it’s time to rebuild, although that may take a couple of years because nobody will take huge expiring contracts a year or two down the road for ineffective players just yet, unless the Red Sox eat those contracts. They’ve eaten far too many contracts recently anyway.
Posted by Moe August 10, 09 07:34 AM”
Now that is what I call overreacting. Last time I checked, the Red Sox were Wild Card leaders…..
But nothing is better than overreacting Red Sox fans!
Well tied for the wild card, but otherwise yeah.
Eh, but it’s all pretty much true…
10
http://www.baseballprospectus......ddspec.php
In terms of confidence, this is the DEFINITION of a 10. That doesn’t mean that the Yankees will win it all, but in terms of CONFIDENCE, when will Yankees fans EVER feel better about their team than today, other than the morning after a World Series victory?
My first ever 10, and my first ever comment on the confidence poll, all rolled up in one. What a great day.
31-20. That’s what we need for 100 wins. Seems likely at this point. Gotta win 3 out of every 5, essentially.
8.
I’ve been at 7 all year, this is the first time I’ve bumped it up.
Before anyone gets upset because my number is lower than most people’s, let me say I think 8 is an excellent grade right now. I think my grading rationale/scale just starts a bit lower than most people’s.
The reasons I’m at 8… Lost of season left to play, the farm system is middle of the pack and certainly has room to improve, questions at the back-end of the rotation, wasn’t happy with the decision to put Hughes in the bullpen, uncertainty about Joba’s innings, etc.
This past week was definitely awesome and the pitching and bats both came through in big ways (thus the bump-up of my score), but I don’t want to go too overboard about it. I think we have to be careful to not go too overboard with the positivity after beating up on Boston the same way we have to be careful to not jump off any bridges when the Yanks lose to Boston or any other team in the regular season. It’s early August, and as big as the sweep of Boston was, the teams they beat this week weren’t so great.
Again – I’m not sure I’d ever go to a 10 during the regular season, so 8 is still a vote of pretty extreme confidence from me.
Just a general question; how do you guys ‘grade’ your team? Based on your expectations or about the situation of other teams?
Love the trolls who are voting 3′s, 2′s, and 1′s.
Is this the all-time high for fan confidence? Glancing at the results, it looks close to a 9.0 AVERAGE!!
10.
I feel like a mix of Pollyanna, Giselle, and Pippi due to the joy the Yankees have brought me. Everyone in my office is so pleased.
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