Open Thread: All about A-Rod
By
(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Let’s talk about Alex Rodriguez a little bit. He hit his 30th homerun of the season last night, a total most of us thought he had no chance of reaching just two weeks ago. A five homeruns in six days binge helped get him there, and he’s now posted the most consecutive 30+ HR, 100+ RBI seasons in baseball history (13, and 14 overall). Alex has only been with the Yankees for seven years now, not much in the grand scheme of things, but let’s see how he stacks up in the team’s record books…
bWAR: 40.9, should jump into the top ten sometime in 2012
OBP: .394, outside the top ten by .001
SLG: .560, fourth best behind Babe Ruth (.711), Lou Gehrig (.632), and Joe DiMaggio (.579)
OPS: .954, fifth best behind Ruth (1.195), Gehrig (1.080), DiMaggio (.977), and Mickey Mantle (.977)
HR: 268, seventh best but could finish as high as third behind Ruth (659) and Mantle (536)
K: 838, sixth most with everyone above him well over 1,000
OPS+: 147, one point behind Reggie Jackson for sixth best
HBP: 80, fifth most and he should eventually settle in behind Derek Jeter (152) for second most all-time
AB per HR: 14.3, second best behind Ruth (11.0) and … wait for it … Jason Giambi (14.0)
WPA: +26.0, fifth best and within shouting distance of Yogi Berra (+32.4) for second
WPA/LI: +28.3, third most behind Mantle (+94.4 (!!!)) and Jeter (+32.7)
At $168,389,252 in salary, I’m willing to bet A-Rod‘s second only to Derek in that department as well. Here’s the link to the full leaderboards if you’re interested. It’s pretty amazing to see where he ranks among the all-time great Yankees despite being in pinstripes for just seven years. I’m glad he got to 30 bombs this season, but I’d be even happier if he manages to find those 40 missing points of on-base percentage next season.
* * *
Anyway, here’s your open thread for this wet, rainy evening in the Tri-State Area. The Mets are playing the Brewers, and according to my guide there will be another game on the MLB Network, but the teams are TBA. With any luck it’ll be the Padres-Cubs, the only game going on tonight with any playoff implications. I suppose it could be Royals-Rays, which would obviously impact the Yankees, but meh. Chat about whatever, just don’t be a dick.
Oh, and I need some mailbag questions, so send them in using the Submit A Tip box in the sidebar. I’ve gotten one so far this week, and it’s not even about the Yankees.
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Yankees News from YESNetwork.com
- New York Yankees top Baltimore Orioles in dramatic fashion at Camden Yards
- Rehabbing Alex Rodriguez partakes in defensive drills, hits in batting cage
- Robinson Cano surprises a young fan at the MLB Fan Cave
- New York Mets sign RHP David Aardsma to a Minor League deal
- Texas Rangers designate RHP Derek Lowe for assignment
- Mark Teixeira makes first appearance in Extended Spring Training game
- Yankees-Blue Jays finale rained out
- Yankees continue to dominate Blue Jays, improve to 8-1 in the season series
- With a strong start against the Blue Jays, David Phelps makes a case for himself as a regular starer
- Cano homers twice to help Yankees beat Blue Jays for the eighth time
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Alex Rodriguez is good at baseball.
Also: in last night’s thread, we talked about the worst games of the season. That sucked. So, favorite games of the season? I’ll be back later to share mine.
The comeback against Broxton. It sucks that we broke him, but it was a hell of a win. Cano’s homer almost made me yell out in happiness.
agreed, i remember watching that on espn and couldn’t believe that we ended up winning that game
I’ve got to go with the Steinbrenner tribute night game.
colin curtis homerun game…i was there for that or the one against the dodgers
Brett Gardner grit slam
I’m watching the Mets as a form of humor. I’m thinking about going with my dad to attend the end of the season. It works because I think there’s hardly going to be anybody there. Which means:
ALL THAT FUCKING FOOD IS MINE!
Yo.
OK, I’ve got it set up. Ready whenever you are.
Bueno
What are you guys talking about?
Some Met beatwriter Tweeted “here’s one reason to go to Citi Field” yesterday, and it was just a picture of Shake Shack with absolutely no one waiting on line. Kind of amazing.
I’m going to have to beg, but it will be worth it. If the Mets win, it’ll just be icing on the icing.
Shake Shack is meh. Its like 7 bucks for a shake the size of a mcdonalds small cup
I’ve only been to Citi once, last season. I liked the park, yet that’s hardly a surprise. I thought Shea was such a pit, that anything would be an improvement. I also was sitting in some of the better seats, courtesy of a friend’s friend. Best of all, it was the game against the Phillies that ended on the unassisted triple play. It was nice to see a little bit of history. It’ll be hard to top that for my second trip there, which is not happening this year.
Any word on rookie hazing yet? I mean, there are a bunch this year, too…
Wow for the hate A-Rod gets I’m surprised that HBP is just a bit over half of what Jeter got.
A-Rod has plenty more years in pinstripes to catch up.
Time to catch up on TV shows. First up: Fringe!
Also, if any of you geeky types haven’t set up XBMC media center yet… do it. Right now.
Also, if any of you geeky types haven’t set up XBMC media center yet… do it. Right now.
Tell me more.
[Ed. note: Tommie responding to this comment does not serve as legal admission of Tommie being a geek.]
It’s an open source front-end media center solution that is all kinds of awesome. http://xbmc.org
Here’s a nice preview of the skin I use and what it looks like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHZU755i3Jg
Danke.
Dude, XBMC rules. I recently set up my home theater with a dedicated pc to run all my movies, music and tv shows that are stored on my central server pc. I’ve got everything controlled with my Logitech Harmony 880. No keyboard or mouse required.
I love being able to watch any of movies on demand without having to hunt for the dvd’s.
I would love for the Yankees to finish with a better record than the Twins, just so that we get to see the rather-common irony of a better team W-L wise opening up the playoffs on the road.
Seconded.
Anything that gets MLB to realize the team with the better record deserves home field advantage, regardless of whether or not they wont their division.
Those extra forty OBP points should return next season, or at least most of them. Unlike Jeter, A-Rod has shown he’s past the flat point he was having this year, thanks to whatever hip rotation flaw that Kevin Long found right before A-Rod hit those three bombs in KC.
What are his stats since that game? If he didn’t miss those couple or so weeks with the calf issue, he’d probably be closer to 40 HRs than 30.
Including that game and going forward, he’s hitting .315/.383/.728 with 12 home runs in 107 PAs.
Needless to say, that’s pretty insane.
since (and including) the 3-HR game:
.315/.383/.728/1.111
since coming off the DL (in other words, his September):
.309/.385/.667/1.052
You, Kit and I have some weird mind-meld thing going on.
I believe the technical term is ~brain twins~ good sir.
Thanks Ross and Bex.
Those extra forty OBP points should return next season, or at least most of them.
Why do you think that’s the case? It wouldn’t be unusual for a 35 year old to be entering his decline phase.
This is true.
I also think that, with the rise of Cano as an MVP candidate, Alex will benefit hitting in front of him.
That’s interesting from a pitchers perspective. Alex will hit more HRs, but Cano will make more solid contact. Guess it depends on the situation.
Not only is not unusual for a 35-year-old to regress, it should be expected on some level, and in fact A-Rod has entered his decline phase. Just look at his stats since 2007. His OPS+ has moved from 176, to 150, to 138 to 124. Not that OPS+ is the be-all and end-all, but it does show a clear trend.
Yet when Derek Jeter regressed in 2008 at 34, I expected him to have a better 2009, even though he was heading into his age 35 season, based on what I believe caused his dip in ’08 and what I saw from him later in ’08. He did not disappoint, although I was not expecting what he actually did do in 2009. I’m essence, I’m doing the same with A-Rod next year. I don’t expect him to go back to his peak form of 50-HRs and a .420 OBP, but I do think he’s still *capable* of an upgrade from 2010 that could get him back in the .290/.370/.550 range. His skill set is still intact, even if it’s reduced. That was my point.
I am not predicting a come-back for Jeter!
WPA/LI: +28.3, third most behind Mantle (+94.4 (!!!)) and Jeter (+32.7)
On Mantle’s WPA/LI … holy cow. Phil Rizzuto couldn’t say it with enough amazement. That’s pretty good, huh?
FACT: Every single time Mickey Mantle stepped to the plate from 1955-1957, the Yankees were down by either three or four runs and there were two outs. He hit a grand slam every time.
In only half of those plate appearances were the bases actually loaded.
That sounds about right to me …
The only thing my Grandfather could never understand was why Mantle didn’t get the ’55 and ’57 MVP awards … just that triple crown one in ’56.
Baseball writers and “dumb” go together like peas and carrots.
(Graduating class at Yale)
Teacher-”OK class, lets go around the room and see what each of you plans to pursue as a career.”
Student A-”I’m going to be a lawyer, I’ve already been recruited by dozens of Manhattan firms”
Student B-”Quantitative analysis. Have a job lined up at Morgan Stanley in their emerging markets department.”
Student C-”I’M GONNA BE A SPORTSWRITER!”
…(awkward silence)
My favorite recently-learned collegiate fun fact:
Southern Methodist University’s colors are “Harvard Red” and “Yale Blue”.
Now that you know that, I invite you to go peruse the SMU Mustangs uniforms and compare them to those of the Harvard Crimson (Crimson, mind you) and Yale Bulldogs.
#TexasFAIL
The colors come from the colors in the logos of the respective schools.
That red isn’t Harvard Red, and that blue isn’t Yale Blue. The SMU colors are too bright/intense/saturated in each instance.
He put the word clutch in clutch.
/lame’d
He puts the “laughter” in “slaughter”.
/better’d
Mickey Mantle: Greatest player ever?
Not career, but greatest peak. If you say Barry Bonds I will kill a kitten.
That would be a great debate. One of the top 5 greatest position layers at their peak, for sure?
Top 5 position players at their peak:
5.) Mantle
4.) Ted Williams
3.) Ruth
2.) Bonds
1t.) Hensley Meulens
1t.) Casey Kelly
Any chance to get Bam Bam Muelens into the mix is well worth it. Well done … well done. I’d like to see Mel Hall on the top 5, but he’s probably a close #6 in my book.
WHAT ABOUT LARS?
He’s tied to a tree with honey on his chest
/Heavyweights’d
If you say Barry Bonds I will kill a kitten.
You’d better go get a shitload of kittens. Nobody’s peak was better than Barry Bonds.
Nobody’s.
Ruth.
That is all. Hide your head.
Nope.
Bonds >> Ruth.
Bonds’s 5 year peak from 2000-2004 is .339/.535/.781/1.316 (241+).
Ruth has no contiguous period of any amount of time (3 years, 4 years, 5 years, 6 years, etc.) that can top 241+. His 2-year peak of 1920-21 is 246+ (.377/.522/.847/1.368), but once you widen it out to larger peak samples, the best you can do is 239+ for a 3 year peak (.360/.502/.790/1.292 from 1919-1921), 231+ for a 4 year peak (.368/.511/.788/1.298 from 1920-1923), 229+ for a 5 year peak (.370/.511/.777/1.288 from 1920-1924), 227+ for a 6 year peak (.363/.503/.759/1.262 from 1919-1924).
FACT: Nobody was ever as good at baseball as Barry Bonds was from 2000-2004.
My mind = Blown
AB per HR: 14.3, second best behind Ruth (11.0) and … wait for it … Jason Giambi (14.0)
Wow, great find. I would have never guessed that in a million years.
It’s pretty amazing to see where he ranks among the all-time great Yankees despite being in pinstripes for just seven years.
Yeah, sort of. There’s no doubt he’s an all-time great, but he ranks high in rate stats during the prime of his career. It’s fair to assume those averages will drop as he ages. So comparing a guy in his prime to full careers is unfair to the rest of the guys on those lists. But again, there’s no doubt he’s an all-time top 10 Yankee, maybe top 3 by the time he’s done.
Giambi didn’t do a lot of things, but three things he did do was pound the homers, pound the Jack, and rock the gold lamé.
Think about that Ruth number for a minute. He batted 3rd most of the time, so he could have easily got 11 ABs every 2 games. OK, say they walked him a lot. That’s still roughly one blast every 3 games. You bought a ticket to watch the Yanks in the 1920s, you had a good shot of watching Ruth hit one out.
he pounded a lot of fast food as well
But again, there’s no doubt he’s an all-time top 10 Yankee, maybe top 3 by the time he’s done.
The current Top 10, by current Yankee fans:
1.) Mo
2.) Jeter
3.) Mantle
4.) Mo
5.) Donnie Baseball
6.) Paul O’Neill, Tru Warier
7.) Scotty Bro
8.) Babe Ruth
9.) Mo (the 8th inning guy)
10.) Some other miscellaneous Yankee who won a ring under Joe Torre, who’s way more of a True Yankee©®™ than punks like Curtis Granderson or Nick Johnson will ever be… like, say, maybe Miguel Cairo or El Duque or Mike Stanton — yeah, let’s roll with Mike Stanton
11.) ARod (although we reserve the right to turn on him if he strikes out in a big spot or is found out to be gay or something)
Cross Mantle off the list, what has he done for me lately?
MY DAD NAMED ME MICKEY YOU TAKE THAT SHIT BACK
Nominees for #10:
Chad Curtis
Homer Bush
Luis Sojo
I think both El Duque and Mike Stanton were too good at what they did to qualify. But that’s just me.
BUT MIKE STANTON PITCHED TEH 8TH
I was going to suggest Tino but I love Tino too much, sob sob.
Again, too talented. You’d be better off suggesting Shane Spencer.
Heh heh heh
You forgot BOOMAH Wells !!11!1!
BTW-It’s worth noting that he missed around 6 weeks in 09 and a month this year, and still hit his 30 dingers. Pro-rates to around 38 last year and 36 this year.
FIRE GIRARDI
/for the angry superficial yankee fans in hiding.
Jorge Posada is the worst player on this team! And that really says something considering we have Curtis Granderson on the team!
(Ugh, it hurt my heart to write that, even in jest)
Ugh there’s a new… comment
http://riveraveblues.com/2010/.....nt-1172041
First Name Only Male Handle Rule, again.
I love his advanced metric:
“Posada will not be missed after next season, guaranteed. I shake my head watching him more times on plays he is involved in more than anybody else. ”
What’s the abbreviation for that? Head Shakes / Game (hs/g)?
I like how one comment above that, Tom indignantly rebuts my characterizing Brian’s argument as being a strawman fallacy by… attacking a strawman version of my argument.
http://riveraveblues.com/2010/.....nt-1172075
Summamabitch.
For some reason, I find this ridiculously, utterly hysterical.
Oh lord.
http://riveraveblues.com/2010/.....nt-1172131
v-mart is much better than posada…hence he bats in the middle of a good lineup…posada has always 5th-8th…he’s a hack…
I just… I don’t…
Obama’s Death Panels can’t get here soon enough.
WAIT WAIT:
What the fuck is happening to American schools?
They’re discouraging kids from being “elitist”
I was literally going to post this exact comment
I’ll be stunned if he doesn’t get another 3 years, no matter what happens in the playoffs.
Lou Gehrig hit 163 triples in his career. If he was playing in a more normal home park, he’d probably be well over 550 HR’s (and Ruth would probably have more HR’s too).
There is no question about how incredible Lou was. Think about this stat: Seven times he knocked in 150 or more runs. BA of .340, Triple Crown Winner, you name it.
Think about this: Gehrig has been dead for over 1/2 a Century and gets more discussion than any retired athlete this side of Ruth or Jordan.
All Time Yankees: Top 10 for today’s fan.
1: Ruth
2: Gehrig
3: Jeter
4: Rivera
5: Mantle
6: B. Williams
7: Berra
8: O’Neill
9: Arod
10: Jackson
Sorry to say Joe D. Has been forgotten about to a large extent.
He was unbelievable. Another former Yankee who gets mentioned frequently? Tommy John. For reasons not dissimilar to Gehrig’s mentions.
I was actually just checking out Joe D’s B-R page a few minutes ago. He averaged .325/.398/.579 (155 ops+) for his career. That’s as a righty in YS1. If he had played in Fenway, he would’ve hit 500 HRs easily. Yet he played fewer games than Mattingly, Roy White and Bernie. Interestingly, he only stole 30 bases in his career.
He was a force. I guess him retiring at an early age (36) both helps and hurts his memory. He didn’t amass huge counting stats, but people never saw a Bad Joe DiMaggio.
The most incredible DiMaggio stat was 363 career home runs and 369 career strikeouts. Almost a 1-1 ratio.
+5
There is no question about how incredible Lou was. Think about this stat: Seven times he knocked in 150 or more runs.
It helps to have the second best OBP guy in history batting right in front of you, you know.
Januz, I highly doubt that today’s Yankee fan puts Bernie Williams at #6 and Joe DiMaggio off the list completely. It’s more like the other way around.
I have praised DiMaggio countless times on this blog (I personally rank him 3rd behind Ruth and Gehrig). I am referring to the Younger Yankee fan. On to Lou. He knocked in 150 or more RBI’s 3 times WITHOUT the benefit of Ruth. So it was not just the Babe.
Even the younger Yankee fan doesn’t put Bernie Williams in the top 10. Bernie is the forgotten great player of this generation.
And Joe D’s penis ensures that he will never be forgotten.
In the early 00s (or aughts, have we figured this out yet?) when my non-Yankee friends (I’m diverse and allow them to enter my world) would talk about how NY always overrates its players, I’d casually point to both Bernie Williams and Jorge Posada as two excellent players that don’t get that much ink in NY and certainly out of NY. Bernie started to be appreciated more toward the end of his career, same as Posada is now. Bernie is now once again fading away in the minds of many Yankee fans. I wonder if the same will happen to Posada.
So today’s fan is an ignoramus?
Yes.
Older fans were likely ignoramuses as well.
Worthless bum; didn’t the Yankees go something like 20 and -4 while he was on the DL? Pena is so much better at third than A-rod with his bad hip and is almost as clutch as Cervelli. This guy just brings the club down.
Wait, you mean he’s an all-time talent who can carry the team on any given day with his ridiculous numbers and routinely knocks in game-winning home runs? … I can’t think of any good MSM comments to respond to that with, but yeah. Whatever.
I’ll take him on my team any day, thank you. Even with a bit of a decline the past couple of years, he seems to be enjoying the game more than ever, which is really fun to watch.
So during the ASB I put together a meme list of the first half. It was pretty good (need to find the link to it), so I want to see how many we can put together for the second half. Contribute to the list please.
Second Half RAB Meme List:
1) Deep and Thick
2) Tremendous Depth
3) FIVE ACES
4) RISP FAIL
- Arodys Vizcaino = Felix Hernandez
- 2000004!!!!
- Release the Moeller
- Chad Ho Moseley (was that included in the first half list?)
- The Fightin’ Showalters
http://riveraveblues.com/2010/.....ent-967953 (addendum by TSJC here: http://riveraveblues.com/2010/.....ent-959681)
That’s the first list. Surprisingly enough Chad Ho Moseley didn’t make that.
I also want to add the Cleveland meme to this current list.
Yes to Cleveland.
Carlosologist, this should be a bi-annual (possibly tri-annual for the offseason as well) regular RAB post. Excellent idea, young sir.
Memes of the Quadmester.
thursday nights are so good for tv:
1.) It’s always sunny
2.) JERSEY SHORE
enough said.
3)30 Rock
4)The Office
5)The League
Community? That show has at least one joke every ten seconds. It’s nonstop hilarious absurdity. One of the best NBC comedies to come along in a while.
Snooki is writing a book.
No, seriously.
http://www.newser.com/story/10.....novel.html
hahahaha
Damn, I was hoping for her triumphant return to historical fiction.
I’m assuming her followup book will be a modern-day re-researching and updating of Plutarch’s Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans.
Damn. I always thought one should read a book before writing one. Silly me.
Hmmm so I’m trying to think of the strengths/weaknesses for every playoff team, including the NL. Anyone wanna help?
(Obvious weaknesses of other teams: Not the Yankees.)
the rays: their stadium blows and their fans dont go to games
Best team right now is probably the Phillies, Yanks will be favored in each round but could easily get picked off by the Rays or Twins. Rangers could beat the Yanks, but that would be more surprising.
The Giants: They need outfield range. They run out an outfield of Burrell, Torres, and Guillen/Huff/Rowand/batboy at some point every week. Torres can’t go and get them all. If the Yankees play San Francisco and Gardner hits a liner over Burrell, hilarity will ensue.
The Reds: They need pitching. Badly. Their NLDS Game One starter is Bronson Arroyo. Yes, the Bronson Arroyo of the 86 MPH and ~.250 BABIP.
The Phillies: I dunno, maybe bullpen security? I’m not comfortable with Lidge in the back end of the pen.
The Braves: Offense consistency.
My new favorite baseball name:
http://www.baseball-reference......ge01.shtml
Had a nice career, obviously shouldn’t be in the HOF though, but I dont’ really consider the Veteran’s Committee guys as being HOFers anyway.
Nice, but you’re about to get trumped . . . . (waits for Eric)
http://www.baseball-reference......hi01.shtml
I am a sucker for names that are complete thoughts. If it were a full sentence, then I’d be 100% on board.
http://www.baseball-reference......oy01.shtml
Mr. Oyster Burns played 2 games for the great Wilmington Quicksteps. Hilarious. I’ve never heard of either one.
Which leads me to this guy:
http://www.baseball-reference......th01.shtml
I’d love to see Nolan Ryan get him in a headlock to prove him wrong.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Only_Nolan
Blackface AND drag? And many performers wanted to imitate this?
Oh, 19th century, we hardly know ye.
How about Peek-a-boo?
LINK
What I like about ol’ High Pockets was that he played his last game as recently as 1932. By that time the names were much more reasonable.
If only he could have lasted into the 1980s, he could have rechristened himself “Hot Pockets Kelly” and gotten some sweet product placement money.
https://www.economist.com/node/17144853
660cc engine would be weak for a motorcycle. Would you drive one? Beats riding a bike, I guess.
660cc might be weak for a cruiser or touring bike, but a 600cc sportbike is more than fast enough. Not that literbikes are bad, but I ride a GSX-R 600 and believe me, it’s anything but weak. Makes more horsepower than my Chevy Cavalier (at ~1/5 the weight counting driver). Would I drive one? No, I’d just ride my motorcycle. But if they can keep the weight down, throwing a 660cc engine in a tiny car wouldn’t be awful.
On second thought, the issue is that in order for people to actually want one they would have to come as an automatic transmission, which would likely kill any ability to rev into the powerband, and you’d be stuck with a glorified golf cart. But whatever.
I’ll take your word for it. I haven’t rode a bike in years, but I remember friends having 700 and above.
Newer sportbikes are pretty high-tech; 600ccs will get you ~120 horsepower, 130-135 with a couple aftermarket parts. 1000s from the 90s made probably ~140, but with more weight, too. Anyway, I don’t expect that car will weigh 425lb wet and do 0-60 in the 3.2 of a 600cc bike, but it could be enough for cheap, somewhat efficient transport.
Those Japanese 1000s were fucking death machines. Seemed like everyone who got one drove it like a lunatic.
No I wouldn’t drive that. Gimme low mpg old school V8′s all day. But yea, new 600 sportbikes are fast as hell. Pretty sure you can’t buy a new car faster than a 600cc bike that isn’t well into the 6 figure range.
Living in central Illinois, I get a lot of guff from Yankee haters. Whenever I hear a Cubs fan bashing on A-Rod, I simply ask them, “If your team could afford it, would you like to have him on your team?” The answer is always “Yes.” Then I laugh, because the Cubs only spend large amounts of money on, well, not-so-great players.
All you need to know about the Cubs is this… 1908 Also known as the last year they won the World Series. I wonder who wins a Championship First? Cubs or Northwestern. The Wildcats have not won a Bowl Game since 1949? Interestingly enough Girardi played for those two losers, and could not win until he came to The Bronx.
Reading your comments makes me dizzy.
http://riveraveblues.com/2010/.....ent-751547
that’s some straight-up faulknerian stream-of-consciousness right there
If only he had Chad Gaudin with him back in those days. We’d be singing a different tune.
Knowing the Cubs, they could have had Banks, Williams, Jenkins, and Santo and still would blow it…….. Wait that already happened. The Billy Goat Lives. The answer to the Championship question is Northwestern. They won two Big 10 Championships since the Cubs last won the NL in 1945.
Lol thats pretty priceless.
I go to a lot of A’s games (I’m only 35 minutes away from the Coliseum), and I get a lot of crap from A’s fans. I simply ask them that if they had our money, if they would spend it like we do.
They always pause like this is some sort of giant revelation. WHAT WILL WE HATE THE YANKEES FOR NOW??
http://www.economist.com/node/17147862
Stuxnet. BOOM! Your hard drive is dead.
Neat, good(?) to see espionage is alive and well.
it’s scary that something that would only destroy something that we lived without up until 15-20 years ago could be considered extremely dangerous
I am little bit concern about Berkman’s relative inexperience vs AL pitching. I think he will be an important cog in our offense. The man has not faced MN pitching all season.
1998 World Series Game 4 on Yankees Classics right now!!! (jumps, squeals)
The Villa Clara assassin shines and Scotty Bro wielded his might stick!
http://twitpic.com/oadh6/full
Why am I laughing so hard at this picture?
It’s probably Scotty’s face, with a little of BK Kim’s general suckitude mixed in.
Bexy, are you able to help Andy out with his ..muscular problem ?
I selflessly volunteer myself for any and all massages he may need.
You are so generous.
A-Rod is my favorite baseball player. In other news, my life is far more dramatic than it should be.
In other news, my life is far more dramatic than it should be!!!!
Fixed.
http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/20.....r-rex-ryan
Daddy likes.
White step-brother likes as well. Do you think they bring back Green?
With Miguel Cabrera not playing the last games of the season, who’s willing to bet that A-Rod get’s to number one in RBI’s? He needs three to tie, four to take it.
He’s in great position to win the Single Crown.
Hey, I think it would be pretty good if, after a year of the MSM saying how bad he’s been in comparison to his past, he took the RBI title. He could moon Joe Morgan!!
Dellin Betances, SP/RP, NY Yankees. For obvious reasons, the Yankees placed injury restrictions on Betances this year. He responded in dominating fashion, even adding a good looking change-up to his plus fastball/curveball combo. But how will he respond with the restrictions removed? Does he have the endurance to last late into games?
http://www.hardballtimes.com/m.....ugh-love1/
Huh? All young pitchers have innings limits, and Dellin’s huge guy in good shape. Why is this a question for him and not everyone else? Am I missing something?
126 comments and no one has mentioned Paul Zuvella. I am stunned.
The year Alex Rodriguez won the batting title, he had a .382 BAbip.
Lucky bastard.
I’m surprised his career BABIP is only .318.
Fun Fact: The three highest career BABIPs are:
1.) Tom McCreery .390
2.) Ty Cobb .378
3t.) Wee Willie Keeler .375
3t.) Tuck Turner .375
So, was BAbip just generally higher in the Dead-Ball era, due to funny shaped parks and lesser-skilled fielders?
That.
One plausible explanation could be the defense are generally poorer in those era due to lack of modern day equipments.
Or, the Defense are just poorer because today’s players are just more agile and athletic.
I would also think having to catch baseballs with an oven mitt would be to the benefit of the hitter. We might also want to give some credit to the fielders for actually playing baseball with an oven mitt.
Need some FF advice: Would you do Thomas Jones for Calvin Johnson?
In a second. Johnson is a top fantasy wideout, his QB getting hurt knocks him down a few pegs, but he’s still going to get a ton of looks.
Yeah, but I tried to convince him to throw in someone else, and he made a deal with someone else. I’m kicking myself now.
Yeah I would have. Johnson’s a better bet to stay healthy and effective, and gets Stafford back in a week or two. He’s really their main option outside Best and is a good garbage time TD bet.
Looks like we’re getting some help from both the Royals and the Jays.. Hopefully they both pull out the win and the Yankees can make it count in Boston.
3-1 Royals over Rays in the 5th. Ka’aihue with two RBIs already.
FEAR THE KILAMONSTER!!!
Do you think his AVG is ever going to be high enough to get that OBP north of .350?
ugghh if only the yankees had won against the jays and sox, then they would have been able to take advantage of the ray’s scuffling this week.
We still can.
If the Royals win tonight, we both have three game sets on the weekend and we just need to win one more than they do.
oh. that makes me feel better. thanks. lol
Change a letter around and you get Ron Washington’s favorite Sesame Street character.
Watching the 98 WS game brings back really fond memories of when I first fell in love with baseball as a sport.
how old were you?
I was 10. I started playing little league that year because apparently, I was way too fucking hyper, and I had no idea how to play at all so my brother thought I should watch the games so I could learn more. Went to my first game at the stadium that year too.
That’s awesome – do you remember anything about that first game at the stadium?
It was a night game, but I can’t remember who they were playing, which is really sad. I think I whined and complained about being tired the whole time.
Haha, if only you could travel back and really watch the game!
I was a very impatient child…don’t know what was wrong with me, but I was really annoying. Wish I could go back though. That year was amazing.
Yep, watching the game too. Great team.
Me too. That team was just special. I was only 12… I really wish I could go back and relive it.
I was 11! I went to my first Yankees game at the stadium in 98, and saw Roger Clemens pitching. They lost. But it was an amazing game because I got to experience crazy Yankees fans and finally understood what it was all about.
Let’s all build a time machine, youse guyse.
10? 11? 12? You goonies are making me feel old, very old. Stop it!
Glad you had such a great team to follow when you were kids…uhhh, even if you still are kids.
We’re not kids! *temper tantrum*
I think I was 6 when I went to spring training in Florida with my parents. I got whiny and I think we only stayed til the 5th inning. So that would have been 1993. I guess I had fun? Heh.
fucker. I was 7 and living outside of boston. I just assumed that the Yankees always won and shit. By the time I started really paying attention, they had kindof fizzled into early-2000s meh-y postseason play.
And yet, I’d say there’s 27 teams that would trade their last decade with the Yankees’.
I was 13 and wasn’t crazy into baseball like I am now, but I do remember them steamrolling everyone that season. I got to go to a game that summer when we visited family out in NY. I remember going apeshit with my dad when they won game 4. He even let me have a sip of beer! Oh, the joys of family bonding and baseball, haha.
Can you imagine, we’re gonna be tied for HFA tonight.
This weekend will be for all the marbles.
The bad news is AJ is pitching Saturday and probably Nova for Sunday.
could be worse…we could be battling for a playoff spot against boston with AJ pitching satirday and Nova for Sunday.
Saturday i mean. wow cant believe i made that mistake lol
Instant permanent ban. GET THE F#$% OFF THE SITE NOW!!!!!
lol
Rays have the tie-breaker, so we’re effectively a game behind for HFA. We need to beat them in the division, not tie them.
I suspect that both the Yankees and Rays really don’t want to win first place and play the Rangers.
I hear Girardi is considering having Javy Vazquez start all three games in Boston. Try and top that, Rays!
i love alex rodriguez, in a total non sexy way. like in a brotherly, punch ya shoulder kinda way.
In a bromance way.
Watch yourself. Someone got offended when a commenter said he loved a Yankee player in a non-sexual way.
I love A-Rod in every conceivable way, so take that.
/biggerfan’d
Well there go Lester’s chances at the Cy Young, eesh
what happened?
4 IP
9 H
8 R/ER
5 BB, 5 K
2 HR, including a GS
hahahaha thats hilarious. id feel bad for the guy, but then i look at his uniform and can’t help but laugh
If A-Rod was a free agent after the season, what do you think his contract would look like? 5/100? 4/94? Less? More?
He could still get $20 million a year for five, I think, because he can generate additional marketing dollars for a team that other run-of-the-mill 30 HR/100 RBI guys can’t.
I’d expect that to lead teams to spend more for a shorter amount of time. 4/90. The Angels, Yanks and Red Sox would all bid. Maybe the Giants too. Someone MIGHT go to 5/100, but I’d expect the Sox to come in at 3/75, and be willing to go to 4/80. Then the Angels or Yanks to go to 4/90. Maybe the Giants come in with 5/100 if they want to make a big splash.
Definitely less. Power is there but I think the hip makes every team cringe. I’d actually see something similar to what I think Jeter will get after the year is over.
…and if you can tell us exactly what Jeter will get after this year you will win the prize! Uhhh, that is as soon as we figure out the prize.
The hip issue is a concern and wasn’t thinking of that when I said five years. Yet I don’t see anything less than four, and the shorter the contract the higher the dollar per-year, is my guess. Yet all it is is a guess, since A-Rod is ours for many, many more years.
I posted this in the OT but I only got 1 reply but FF help. I got Vick off waivers but should I start him over Brees?
I wouldn’t. Vick’s been tremendous but Brees is elite with a nice matchup against Carolina this week.
This is gonna be a kick-ass final three games. Intense.
…But before any comments on this, I do NOT want the Yanks to go all out, because health is greater than home field advantage.
My FF team has 3 WR spots, a TE spot and a flex W/T spot.
I’ve got Maclin (WAS), Collie (@JAC), Colston (CAR), Mike Wallace (BAL), Vernon Davis (@ATL) and Aaron Hernandez (@MIA). I can start all 4 WR and 1 TE or both TE with 3 WR.
Any suggestions?
I’m leaning towards sitting Wallace against a tough Ravens pass D and playing both TE.
We’re all tied up with 3 to go
woo hooo rays loose!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YEAHHHHHH!!!!!
So Bautista hit his 53rd HR, a grand slam. If you were the Blue Jays GM, what would you do with Bautista this off season?
Send him to “Don’t be a bitch” camp.
No one will take him.
Damn, as I’m typing this I see he just hit #54. His first opposite-field HR.
I was discussing this with my brother earlier, but does anyone think that the Rangers opting for a three man rotation gives whatever team they’re facing a slight advantage? Lee has apparently never pitched on short rest and their other pitchers are Wilson and Lewis. I think Lee will probably be okay, but my brother thought there’s a definite chance he can’t pitch to his full ability when he’s doing something he’s not used to, giving the opposing team (whoever they may be) an advantage. Thoughts?
Meh, I would do it if I were the Rangers Manager. The more you get Lee pitching, the better.
With their pitchers, I would have also done the same thing. It’s not like anyone besides Lee is reliable, but I was wondering if having him pitch on short rest is wise, won’t hurt them in the long run.
they are trying to break cliff lee again before we get him…
http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas.....f-rotation
Well, that kills the discussions I was having with my brother. Thanks for the link.
No problem. I thought the Phillies made a big mistake last year by not pitching Lee on short rest, and I think the Rangers would be making the same mistake this year.
However, I still wouldn’t be surprised if Lee pitched game four if they were down 2-1.
Tied with 3 to play. If the Yankees take a 1 game lead tommorow, what does Girardi do? More importantly, what should he do?
Play exactly as he would otherwise.
I wouldn’t worry too much about resting the regulars. At this point there are 3 games left and then they’ll have a couple of days off before the playoffs start.
I wouldn’t use the main bullpen arms on back-to-back days, but other than that, I’d play the pretty much A-lineup.
No great reason to sit multiple regulars.
So the Yankees could very well end up with the best record in the AL, with a statistical tie with the Rays for first, yet they won’t win first place, and they won’t have home-field advantage against the Twins, who will have a worse record (maybe).
i don’t know if it’s good or not that everyone in the AL are limping into the Play offs.
Trying to lull the NL into a false sense of security?
Oh, that Ban Johnson. Always up to no good.
i loved jason giambi especially post 05 giambi cause all he did was walk and hit hr’s. he’s hit a couple big HR’s for the rockies the last 2 years and those highlights, with that mustache are always the best