Dec
07
Fan Confidence Poll: December 7th, 2009
By2009 Season Record: 103-59 (915 RS, 753 RA), won AL East by 8 games, finished with the best record in MLB by 6 games, won 27th World Series
Top stories from last week:
- Following the front office’s meeting with ownership, word got out that the Yankees will trim payroll in 2010. They also declined to offer any of their free agents arbitration (which I predicted), and that could be a sign of things to come.
- Halladay Zone: The Blue Jays’ ace set a Spring Training deadline for any trade, and it’s possible the Yanks will look at him as a one year option.
- Aside from Halladay, the Yanks are reportedly interested in several other starters, although their first priority is re-signing Andy Pettitte. They also have some interest in Rafael Soriano, ditto Brandon Lyon, however Cashman said he won’t give up a draft pick for a setup man. John Lackey is an outside possibility, though Chien-Ming Wang looks headed for non-tenderland.
- On the offensive side of the ball, the leftfield plans do not include Jason Bay or Matt Holliday. However, there are plenty of other options out there, including Mike Cameron. The Yankees won’t consider Hideki Matsui’s marketability they trying to re-sign him, though the Mets reportedly have some interest in him.
- Marco Scutaro joined the Yanks’ biggest competitor, while possible leftfield option Chone Figgins is on his way to Seattle.
- Former Padres’ GM Kevin Towers is “leaning towards” joining the Yanks’ front office.
- The Yanks farm system was again ranked middle of the pack, though they added Taiwanese infielder Fu-Lin Kuo.
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?
70 Comments»
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The Tyler Austin Watch
10 until players really start moving.
I’ll go with a nine.
http://www.istockphoto.com/fil.....-9mm-2.jpg (safe)
though the Mets reportedly have some interest in him.
Heyman tweeted that this isn’t going to happen…whatever that is worth.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/.....rlins.html
Heyman tweeted that this isn’t going to happen…whatever that is worth.
Well, we already knew, through logical deduction, that Matsui to the Mets was lunacy, but no, whatever Heyman tweets is never “worth” much of anything.
I’m down to an 8….I’m concerned about the shitty options for left field combined with the team’s stated desire to cut payroll….
I’m not so concerned about the cutting payroll thing. After all, they could field pretty much the exact same team as last year and still be under last season’s payroll. Even if they come back, there’s no way Damon or Matsui will be making $13MM.
I know. My thought though is that there isn’t anyone that is a perfect fit for LF….. Damon was horrendous out there last year. If Melky’s out there, then the offense will suffer a bit. I hate the idea of bringing in either Bay or Holliday (not to mention they don’t really fit into that cutting costs idea).
I guess the cutting payroll really doesn’t apply much, no sense spending money if there isn’t anyone worth spending it on. I’m just not 100% sold on bringing back Damon or Matsui or both. They seem to be the lesser of many evils, but I’m not sure it will be enough to help them get back to the WS.
What do you think would be a better option than Damon/Matsui in LF/DH to bring them back to the WS?
Reggie Jackson.
Let’s unretire that summamabitch.
My thought though is that there isn’t anyone that is a perfect fit for LF…
I think this is his key point. Matt Holliday would be better than Damon, but he’ll likely cost too much to sign. Carl Crawford might be available in a trade, but that would cost too much in prospects. When you weigh everything, bringing back Damon is probably the best idea but I don’t particularly like it.
The problem isn’t so much that the Yankee’s will make a bad decision, it’s more that there isn’t a really good decision to make.
Need another Nick Swisher to trade for.
I’m starting to come around on the DeJesus idea a little more. The .425 SLG for an LF isn’t exactly ideal, but the .358 OBP and the 18.8 UZR/150 in LF offset that a bit. If the price is right, do it.
Got an idea. Kelly Johnson?
Barry Bonds.
Mark McGwire.
Bonus: It hurts the Cardinals. They’ll have to hire a new coach.
I’m not sure there is much better. So that is why it is a concern for me.
Your suggestion of DeJesus below doesn’t sound terrible. I think his power could come up a little bit in YSIII as well. Great defense, decent OB, maybe a little bit of power, it could be a nice fit. And he’s not on a long-term contract.
I could see trading for DeJesus and resigning Matsui. I just worry about getting stuck with Matsui when the music stops (ie the bat speed goes).
They cut payroll last yr and that turned out fine. I wouldn’t worry too much about this.
10 with a bullet.
I love how the poll has slipped for 5 weeks in a row. HATERS.
The brain is just normalizing itself to the most recent emotional events. AFter a really high or really low emotional event, the brain slowly readjusts to “normal.”
Not that they aren’t “HATERS,” of course, but I just thought I’d toss out some knowledge on why the haters gotta hate.
“Andrew” is greek for wise, so I believe you.
Haters wanna hate
Lovers wanna love
I don’t even want
NONE OF THE ABOVE
I WANT TO PISS ON YOU
YES I DO, I PISS ON YOU, I PEE ON YOU
10 with a bullet.
http://files.sharenator.com/Bu.....42-580.jpg (safe)
Nice.
Are you interested in the Administrator position I promised you?
Yes.
Do I have to do any work? If so, no.
Zero work involved. You just get to lord over everyone else.
Oh, I’m great at that. I accept.
Of course, I expect a company car and a hefty per diem. These cranberry walnut prosciutto arugula salads and Citadelle martinis during “working lunches” at the Per Se aren’t going to pay for themselves.
It’s all in the compensation package I had messengered over to your office.
Which one, the Herald Square office, or the White Plains office?
I hope you sent it to Herald Square. My assistant in White Plains is out on maternity leave* and due to the global economic crisis, Vandelay Industries hasn’t approved a temp hire, so I’m having my au-pair fill in at the desk.
She’s not working out very well.
———-
* I had nothing to do with it, I swear.
And you call yourself a latex saleman.
I went with 8. Left field is a concern for me too, Damon is hard to watch out there. Also Hughes and Jobas performance as starters could be hairy.
Also Hughes and Jobas performance as starters could be hairy.
It could also be awesome.
Seeing as how both of them have shown a super-high ceiling as elite, ace-level starters, and the thing eluding them from that ace-level is consistency and veteran savvy, and they’re now a year older and stronger and wiser and more veteran, and both of them are now in that 23-25 age range where young starters often make “the leap”, I’d say it’s safe to point the needle more towards “they’re gonna be great this year” rather than “this is gonna be ugly”.
Highly possible: Flat out filthiness
Exceedingly probable: Solid, league averageness
Possible but less probable: Poor or injury-filled campaigns
For sure, I expect Hughes to step forward, and I just pray that Joba will too.
you just never know though.
Sincerely,
Joe Morgan
I don’t understand why you don’t expect Joba, who just threw a complete season as a starter, to improve.
Easy. Because he wasn’t as good as he was in the 8th in 2007-2008 and he wasn’t as good in the rotation as he was in the bullpen.
I’m looking forward to Joba and Hughes as starters next year. I think they are gonna be diesel.
I’m still thinking bringing back these three vets would be pretty good…a little more of moving melky to left and The Landscaper to center in late innings (and Nick Swisher teaches him how to leave his bat on his shoulder in spring training…yes, i’m asking for a lot, but dammit–these are the Yankees!). Matsui plays four, maybe five days a week. One of the new youngins takes Bruney’s spot–I’ll let Towers tell us which one. Arod’s hip improves, and we have an even better record than last year.
For my mouth to Mo’s ears.
Bruney + prospects for Lowe. Any interest?
Like always…it depends on the prospects
No.
Bruney + nonprospects for Kawakami, maybe. Probably not, though.
Hells no. Lowe was sucking in the NL east. Huge pass.
Me either. I’m failing to see the Braves reasoning here unless they’re dumping some salary.
Aren’t we glad the Yankees signed AJ instead of Lowe last season?
Yes.
(I’m still wary of what happens come 2013, but… yes, we’re glad we signed AJ and not Lowe last season.)
Meh. No reason to make a trade like that unless Pettitte retires.
I’m at a 9 again. There are too many unknowns right now to be higher. Sign Pettitte, Damon and Matsui to reasonable deals and I’m back close to 10.
find it interesting that the average rating has gone down consistently throughtout the offseason
11/16: 9.03
11/23: 8.77
11/30: 8.69
12/07: 8.59
I blame ARod.
Cody Ransom would make the poll go up.
When Cody Ransom is confirmed for starting 3B from now on I’ll be a 10. Obviously the Yankees finally won a World Series because Cody Ransom carried them through April.
Confidence Level: 10.
If we trade for Roy Halladay, my confidence level will drop to a 9.
What about if we sign John Lackey…
9.5
Nine. Things are great right now for the Yankees, but could be a bit better.
Wait until noon, when George shows up with the calzones.
THINGS JUST GOT BETTER!!!
It’s 12:05. He’s late!
I guess my vote depends on what the “Confidence” is pertaining to. Is it the confidence I have in the current team at the moment? Is it confidence regarding moves we’re going to make?
Right now I put my Fan Confidence at N/A.
Given the team’s current roster construction, farm system, management, etc., how confident are you in the Yankees’ overall future?
The question’s been the same for the past year. The debate about what the question means and how it should be interpreted has been hashed and rehashed.
I’m not sure when the ‘Future’ ends, but my concerns are 2013 and beyond, when ARod and Jeter are seriously old, when Teix and CC are approaching a decline phase, and these FOUR players alone are costing $90m+/yr.
And not having Mo anymore will be hard to swallow.
He is the most difficult player to replace in kind.
(Well, impossible to replace ‘in kind’, but ya get my drift).
I don’t know about you guys…but i’d lovee to get Rafael Soriano
Confidence level: 10. Cashman’s gonna fill the holes gently and with obvious experience.
Cashman’s gonna fill the holes gently and with obvious experience.
You’re just BEGGING for me to say something, aren’t you? Aren’t you?
You want it, you tease.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCUa9jXWn6s (NSFW)
That’s one of my personal favorite love rock ballads.
~~What’s your favorite dish? I’m not gonna cook it but I’ll order it from Zanzabar’s~~
(I can always count on you, TSJC.)
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