Aug
26
Open Thread: Rest and relax
By
It's baseball. Smile. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
The Yankees are off tonight, so I hope that you’re taking advantage of this opportunity to rest and escape from the stress of baseball for a day. I know I am. This season won’t get any easier, but remember, this is supposed to be fun. You can’t treat every game as life and death, otherwise you’ll die a lot of times.
Anyway, here is tonight’s open thread. The Mets are playing the Marlins, and MLB Network will bring you tonight’s Cliff Lee-Francisco Liriano matchup at 8pm ET. That should be fun. The Colts and Packers are also on ESPN in preseason NFL action. Talk about whatever, just be cool.
Oh, if you have any mailbag questions, send them in via the Submit A Tip box in the sidebar.
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The Tyler Austin Watch
Is Cliff Lee’s nickname of “Future Yankee” official yet?
Cliff Lee was not thrilled by what Colin Cowherd said.
Who, aside from Colin Cowherd, has ever been thrilled by anything Colin Cowherd has said?
Fact: Inserting the word fact several time in an opinion makes it a fact. FACT!
A. Who is Colin Cowherd?
B. What did he say?
“Fact: He loved pitching in Philadelphia and was awesome,” Cowherd said. “He has always pitched well in New York and has said he likes it. “He’s elite, fact. He has also, fact, never pitched well in Texas. Fact, he’s not there pitching well again in Texas. Fact. He’s in a contract year. When the deal came down that he was going to the Yankees, he was completely excited, according to three different scources at this network. Fact, against the Yankees this year, who he could end up pitching for, he’s been excellent. Fact, he’s been horrible against Baltimore, the worst team in the sport. Now you tell me, coincidence?”
/stupid’d
Speaking of stupid let’s talk about Francesa’s master pan on bringing the Mets back to contention. Check this out, their biggest need isn’t another hitter or someone to shore up their rotation.
Their biggest need…is a voice. A team leader.
K-rod certainly has a voice
Their biggest need is a competent front office. IMHO
Yup. Fire Omar and fire Minaya while you’re at it and you’re set.
And kill whoever designed ShittyField.
Honestly, all they need to do is fucking lower the fences. You want a deep field? Fine. But make the fences eight feet like they are everywhere else. Ridiculous.
A competent front office won’t be any good until they get a competent owner.
In other words, the Mets are screwed.
They need a consistent message. From top to bottom. They. Need. A. Winning. Message. They don’t need a RF w/an OBP higher than .285 or a consistent 2B. They need a message.
Or a SS with an OBP over .323, or a 1B and a LF who have an OPS over .750
How that team is .500 amazes me
How that team lost every away series except for 3 this season and is managing to go .500 astounds me more.
Doesn’t that streak go back to last August too?
As bad as they are, imagine if they didn’t have R.A. Dickey? (I can’t wait until they pencil him in as their #3 next year)
Not that Fatso needs any help from me, but that’s not really what he said…
it was more like ‘their biggest need as an organization is having a voice’ to get their fan-base from completely bailing on the team.
i.e., someone to tell people “we’re doing a, b, and c over the next 5 years” or whatever.
The Mets are playing the Marlins, and MLB Network will bring you tonight’s Cliff Lee-Francisco Liriano matchup at 8pm ET. That should be fun. The Colts and Packers are also on ESPN in preseason NFL action.
I am appalled that you forgot to mention that there’s a new episode of Jersey Shore on tonight.
Is there anything more important than that? I say no.
This.
Congratulations, you two are What is Wrong with America ™
If I’m what’s wrong, I don’t want to be right. I enjoy shutting off my brain and ridiculing guido* culture.
*Not trying to be offensive and I don’t think being Italian has much to do with being a jersey shore-type guido.
that could be the name of a reality show.
What is Wrong with America
The only reason people fear a Nuclear Holocaust is because it would mean the end of Jersey Shore.
Bryce Harper has a mohawk. Then again so does every ballplayer.
Awesome picture. I wrote about it on TYU but I’ll say it again: it was really great to see the Yankees work closely with kids with disabilities. As always, big ups to HOPE Week and the Yankees.
HOPE week is one of the best additions since the interlocking NY behind home plate. In both cases, you wonder how they ever played without it.
I’m at the Staten island game. Maquinito (sanchez) homered on the first pitch he saw.
Ain’t nothing
…but a G (Sanchez) thing, baby.
ICWUDT
Hahaha nice.
I look forward to the day where Montero, Romine and Sanchez will all catch in the majors. Montero will catch 10 percent of games, Romine 70 and Sanchez 20 while raking with the bats of course.
/dream’d
The 1B/DH/C rotation FTW!
KLaw chat
“John (NYC): The Killer B’s. Brackman, Banuelos, Bentances. Who cracks the top 100?
Klaw: All three.”
I think I need to change my pants.
Same here. Wow. Who asked that question anyways? Props for promoting Killer B’s.
Yeah suck on that Boston. Killer B’s >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Casey Kelly.
They lose the props for misspelling “Betances” though.
I just asked him via Twitter if Montero, Romine, Heathcott, Sanchez, and all 3 B’s would be top 100. His response: “No, probably 5 of those.”
I think he’d leave out Romine and Heathcott.
That was my exact follow up, especially since he recently commented that JR Murphy might be viewed higher than Romine but he hasn’t responded yet.
I can see him leaving of Heathcott ’cause of the K’s and lack of power.
the K’s and lack of power
Hmm that sounds a lot like a recent Yankee CF prospect.
He had a lot of walks, too.
But, I have a lot of faith in Heathcott developing power.
Ajax wishes he could take walks like Slade.
Over .100 IsoD, ftw!
Except Jackson doesn’t have Slade’s ability to walk. Slade’s walked 39 times in 66 games. Jackson’s walked 36 times in 117 games. (This doesn’t mean much, but interesting to note)
Sanchez over Romine?
I dunno…Romine he was pretty high on earlier, around July he was saying that they don’t need to find a long term solution to Frankie’s shittiness and Posada’s injuries since Romine should be ready in 2012. I find it hard to believe that a bad August at age 21 in his first full season catching changes that. I’d keep Romine in my top 100. I mean, he kept Lars Anderson there last year, at least Romine’s been good considering his position and age for the level. I’d have Montero pretty high on the top 100…dunno where Banuelos and Betances would be, Romine probably 40-60 and Sanchez and Brackman towards the end. Mainly due to Sanchez’s age and Brackman’s injury history and age considering the level.
So anyone in or around NYC looking for a roommate, or know of someone (preferably not crazy) who is?
I heard SBGL, mryankee, Hitman, Robert Goulet, touchtoneterriost, Joba or Hughes to the pen, Adrian-Retire21, blazini, Iron Horse, Brazilian Yankee, Bret, Abby, Jim the Jew, Frittoman, and Jake are all looking for a roommate.
I think living with blazini would be fun.
Buddy of mine, big Yankee fan, looking in Hoboken/Manhattan/Queens.
Thanks, but I’m the one looking to move.
Montero IBB’ed, FEARED!! First ballot HOF
/JimRice’d
haha. Just came to post this (without the Rice meme).
IT’S THE 3RD INNING! And he got walked for Juan Miranda!
/nobodyfuckswiththejesus’d
Hello folks,first time long time. Re: the Francesa comment. Mike has mentioned the Mets need a leader in the clubhouse, in fact he suggested the franchise back up the truck after the 08 debacle. He was an advocate of dissolving the core, he didn’t think any of the “core” guys had leadership skills and that particular group couldn’t win it all. A large percentage of fans were less than enamored. IMO he’s been very consistent with his concepts of “how to fix the Mets” whether he’s right or not is another story.
Oh I’m sure he’s consistent….consistently wrong.
Sorry if it’s been covered but KLaw says Cano is both the MVP and the best defensive player in the league.
http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/34010
MVP no. Best defensive player in the league I don’t think so.
Excellent rebuttal. I’d like to argue, but your case is air tight.
That is how you debate!
I would’ve liked to have seen it condensed to a curt “NO!”
When does Noesi start for Scranton?
I hope next Friday night against Pawwwtucket. I’ll be there for fireworks night and on to the Yanks/Toronto at the Stadium next day.
Jason Kubel: The Chubby Leonardo DiCaprio.
Delmon Young is not impressed with Cliff Lee.
Should have walked him
Is Ivan Nova more valuable to the Yankees moving forward (i.e. past this season) as a cheap rotation option or as trade bait?
Trade bait. He was allegedly the centerpiece to a potential Haren deal.
I thought Joba was a part of the package that included Nova.
http://sports.espn.go.com/new-.....id=5405807
It remains to be seen. I hope the former. I love the home grown guys and would like to start working on our next core four. I love his changeup. There is 4 years age difference between our current core from Mariano (40) to Jeter (36). That gives us time to solidify the next core….
Cano, Montero, and Hughes would be the start of a good core next year.
our old homie Ian Kennedy 12 ks 1 hit 7 innings.
The start after I drop him from one team. Awesome.
That’s not possible! 89 MPH!
THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE!
http://tinyurl.com/azhphb
Cliff Lee is getting smacked around by the Twins.
Ughh, ESPN’f front page is touting GB-IND preseason game as a potential Super Bowl preview. That somehow manages to be more annoying than that stupid playoff preview nonsense we hear every time the Yankees play a good team.
I spent my off-day pitching a perfect game in MLB ’07 The Show with my career player. Boom.
Nice.
I once did that in MLB ’05. With Carl Pavano. In the World Series.
The greatest thing I’ve done in my copy of The Show is strike out the first nine batters I faced in my first start for the Yankees. It was against Baltimore and it was my first start since I was traded from Milwaukee (I was traded for Jake Westbrook). Speaking of the Show, I’ve taken a weird path through the Majors in that game:
My teams in MLB 10 The Show:
Colorado – 1 season
San Francisco – 2 seasons
Tampa Bay – 3 seasons
Milwaukee – 1 season
New York – 1 season
Toronto – 2 seasons
I’m in the 2012 season of a Franchise w/the Yankees. My lineup:
1. Nick Johnson, DH
2. Nick Swisher, RF
3. Tex, 1B
4. Rodriguez, 3B (approaching 3K hits)
5. Cano, 2B
6. Doumit, C (Jorge retired after ’11)
7. Granderson, CF
8. Jeter, SS
9. Willingham, LF
Rotation:
1. CC
2. Hughes
3. Chamberlain
4. Guy I traded A.J. for
5. Generic MLB 10 player w/Joba’s delivery and arsenal
The long men in my ‘pen are Bondo and Kaz. Set up guys are D-Rob and Broxton (claimed off of waivers in mid ’11) w/Mo still closing.
That’s scary good. meep
Doumit, Cano, and Willingham have been cold all season (in June) but everyone else is playing well.
And now, my defense allowed a triple on a botched popup (currently playing as a closer for the White Sox). -__-
Your defense in the show does one of two things on a game-to-game-basis: it either makes the most spectacular plays in the history of baseball or plays like it’s made up of nine Adam Dunns.
As an added note, my pitcher (LHP for Toronto) has these career marks:
2.48 ERA
1764.2 IP
217 BB (!!!)
1808 K (!)
1.013 WHIP
9.2 K/9
1.1 BB/9
8.3 K:BB
I have 4 Cy Young Awards, 2 WS rings (1 with Tampa and 1 with Toronto), and 4 Triple Crowns (24 wins in 2016). And I’ve done all this as a 27 year old.
in MLB 10 the show i just made a SP and got drafted by the Yankees. They won’t call me up to AAA even though my ERA is 0.14 and my K/9 is like 11
You won’t get the call to AAA until you’ve done at least a full year at AA. They make you do a year at each level.
I play an old baseball game (MLB 2004) because I’m too much of a lazy ass to learn how to play te show (played one game, lost 22 to 0).
I’ve played two awesome series in those games. The rosters of the teams are the rosters from 2003, just to clarify. I like just going through the playoffs with teams.
So once, I go through the playoffs with the Rays. I fall behind 2 games to 0 in the first 5 game series with the Angels, win game three behind the strength of three runs in the tenth against Troy Percival, and take the series.
I play the next seven game series vs. the Yanks. I win game 1 in extras (I’m the home team) despite blowing a run ninth inning lead.
I fall behind three games to one. I come back from 2 runs down in the 8th during game 5 at Yankee Stadium and hold a 2 run lead in the ninth. I give up one run with two outs, but throw out Nick Johnson at third base (for some dumb reason down by one run in the ninth he went for a triple and was thrown out. Imagine if that really happened).
I win game 6 thanks to a big 6th inning, tie game Grand Slam, and then win game 7 by coming back in the ninth inning against Mariano (Brent Abernathie HR) and win on a walkoff suicide squeeze.
I lose game one of the WS but end up winning in 6 games. In game 6, on the road, I come back from a 6-0 defecit to win 7-6.
Best. Playoff run. Ever.
Oh, and my pitching staff had a 6.75 ERA.
In my other awesome series I played as the also sucky Brewers and came back from a 3 games to none defecit against the Red Sox in the WS. I won gamee 7 1-0 after en Sheets outdueled Pedro Martinez.
The winning run was sccored in this game on a suicide squeeze.
And during the series some dude named Hammonds hit for the cycle.
Chad Jennings gave Mike’s “stop freaking out” article a nice little plug over at LoHud.
Sooo much better than Pete Abe, in my opinion.
Yeah, terrific piece by Mike today. Can’t get that kind of stuff from most newspapers these days, and folks wonder why they’re dying.
Quick survey, probably obvious to most but not me. Would you rather have A. Cliff Lee in 2010 and cruise to a WS Championship, or B. Jesus Montero career Yankee with top tier offensive tools faking it as a catcher.
Both.
Nah, one team is clearly better.
I’d have Cliff Lee too but if this is from the 2010 standpoint I’d rather keep Montero then buy Cliff Lee the year after.
But if the question was really, Montero or Lee but if you get one you lose the other, then obviously it should be Lee.
Right, but the Lee deal was all about 2010.
Let’s try this. Current team has a 25% chance of winning a WS and the Lee team has a 75% chance of winning this year. Is it worth it then?
IF you increase the odds THAT much, sure.
But I don’t think the odds increase NEARLY that much. Maybe a five percent increase in odds.
Cliff Lee>AJ Burnett is huge in a short series. Maybe I overdid it, but it’s a big difference.
Big? Yeah.
An increase of fifty percent? No.
I considered 30/60, but 30 seemed a bit high and 60 seemed a bit light with Lee. But forget the numbers, just call the Yanks a prohibitive favorite with Lee.
A pitcher of Cliff Lee’s talent is the rarest of commodities. While a top hitting 1B/C/DH is relatively rare as well, you have to consider that you have Posada signed for next season(+) and Romine in the works to take his place. Until Posada stops hitting, it’s an easy call.
Which is the better team? The one with Posada/Cervelli catching and Clifff Lee as your #2 starter or the one with Posada/Montero catching and AJ Burnett as your #2?
Not even close. Option #2 is frighteningly bad defensively and horrendously inconsistent. Option #1 wins a ton of games and is built for October. Didn’t people learn anything from 2004-06?
I guess I should have said we get Lee as a FA in option 2 as well. What I was getting at is would you trade away Montero for 1 ring and 3 months of Lee if it he totally lives up to the hype and is a career Yankee. Let’s say Romine supplants him as a catcher and Montero exclusively becomes a 1B/DH? Does the answer change?
The Lee deal was all about 2010. Of course they can just sign him as a FA, so when Cash included him in the deal (which he did) he told the world that Lee was worth 6 years of controlling Montero to him. It’s the ultimate win curve move, where one deal makes you almost unbeatable and stacks the deck heavily in favor of winning a WS.
Another thing, we really should stop referring to Montero as a ‘Catcher’ until he proves he can play there. BA killed his defense in their most recent report, and just because you stick someone there doesn’t mean they can play the position. Until he proves otherwise, he’s a 1B/DH and therefore not a fit going forward.
Just hypothetical questions on my end. But yea it certainly seems like the catcher thing won’t stick, unfortunately.
Oh, don’t mind me ranting. That wasn’t aimed at you, just a general statement.
Some flaws here:
1. We’re going to have an excellent chance of winning in 2011 too. I think we can be reasonably certain of this. And we can get Lee in 2011.
2. I don’t think one player, however good they are, makes as big a difference as you’re saying.
3. Preparing for the future, where we’ll also have a chance to win the WS, and getting (keeping, whatever) Montero AND Lee > than increasing our chances (which are already high) of winning the WS this year and weakening our chances in later years w/o Montero.
1-We all know this already. Not what we are talking about.
2-If you underestimate the impact of starting pitcher, particularly ELITE starting pitching in the playoffs, then we’re not watching the same game. Put another way, if you took CC off this team would it (in your words) noy make that much difference? Lee is every bit the pitcher CC is.
3-Again, you don’t get your cake and eat it too. The question is Lee for this year, give up Montero. Discuss.
In a VACUUM, of course I’d do it, but the season’s not in a vacuum. Other years need to be discussed too.
We’re already in excellent position to make a playoff run this year. The question is, is increasing our odds by, say, ten-15 percent this year worth weakenig our chancce to win the WS in later years?
I say no.
Checking out those leaked MLB financial statements. The Pirates made a LOT more money than the Rays in 2008.
And the Angels too. Wow.
MLB should just move one of the Florida teams out. Preferably the Rays.
Could not agree more about this.
I wonder if the Rays to CT thing has legs.
Would the Yankees and Red Sox fans of CT switch allegiances though? Both fanbases are pretty passionate, I think it would take a generation to generate any real fans.
Yeah, moving them to CT would be the same as being in FLA: a non-loyal fan-base in a not-heavily-populated-enough-area.
The non-populated area is sort of half relevant in this case though. Although the physical numbers aren’t there, the advertising in CT (especially in Fairfield County) is crazy because there’s a lot of money to be spent. The UConn football team can sell out a 38,000 seat stadium in the middle of nowhere so a 45,000 seat baseball stadium strategically located would probably draw ok with a winning team.
It’s also worth noting that after the Patriots fiasco, there will never EVER be any taxpayer money thrown at a sports team again, so any team wishing to come to CT would have to be totally self-financed. Probably not the best scenario for a team like the Rays.
Good points on both ends.
I wonder where the right place for a baseball stadium in CT would be. I’d like to see an affiliated MiL team (not an independent team like the Bluefish) on the western side of the state.
New Haven would seem like a reasonable place. Meriden is equidistant between Hartford and New Haven so maybe there? You’ve got the Torrington Titans up in the great Northwest!
Oh and I forgot about the Rock Cats. They’re still in New Britain, right?
I figure New Haven could work but they might be gun shy since the Ravens left for New Hampshire.
There’s an insanely high number of bandwagon fans. If both the Yanks and Sox went into a downturn at the same time, they could pull some fans. There is an undying loyalty to the deceased Whalers so there is a definite passionate fanbase to be had, but I find it unlikely.
Both the Yanks and the Sox would go insane at the loss of some of their media markets too. I’m in Manchester, CT (middle of the state) and I get both NESN and YES.
Also, how unlikely would it be to have both teams go into a downturn at the same time?
slim/none.
As a CT resident I can all but guarantee you it does not.
+1
Why would you do such a thing?!?!? Further killing the small market Red Sox territory would make it so unfair to them.
The Vegas Rays. Make it happen Bud!
Fact: Jim Thome is good at baseball.
Fact: Bears eat beets. Bears, Beets, Battlestar Galactica
Michael!
(waits a beat)
MICHAEL!
I miss when that show was awesome
Yeah, the last two seasons have just been so bad, borderline unwatchable. Every episode builds a story arc, but then nothing ever comes of it. Looking back, the show should’ve ended after season three.
Nats just blew a good lead in the 8th and 9th vs. the Cards. I’m in a great baseball viewing region lol.
I wonder if the Charlotte region would be a viable landing spot for one of the Florida teams.
Modammit, reply fail.
That makes some sense, that’s a pretty big a populated area that doesn’t have a team. Are most of them Braves fans you think?
I think the Triangle would be a better spot for a team – Ironically the Durham Bulls are Tampa’s affiliate.
I got home not long ago but this Cards/Nats game is like an embarrassment of awesome pitching no ._.
Extra Innings! Wooooo
Aceves THEN Noesi on Friday for whomever said they were going to the SWB game tomorrow.
Haha. Buster Olney is ranting about sabermetrics on twitter right now.
Yanks claim Manny off waivers? Does anyone think that could be a good move?
Wait, what?
What does that mean? Do we actually have a shot to land Manny?
Because if so, that’s GREAT.
Maybe in 2003.
Steve (mystiqueandaura.com)
If Manny gets to the Yankees on waivers, what are they odds they would take him? 1%? What if they never got Berkman, do you think Manny would have been a legitmate possibilty for the stretch run?
Wallace Matthews
Zero. That is one thing the GM told me that I believe I can share
For whatever reason Cash does seem to talk to Wally, so I’d believe what he wrote today.
I dont think it could happen. I’m just thinking out loud. I’m getting worried about the yanks rotation getting past tampa then the phillies. Of possible moves I think getting manny would tip things in their favor heavily against anyone.