Open Thread: El Duque
By
(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Has there been a more entertaining pitcher in baseball, nevermind just on the Yankees, in the last 20 years than Orlando Hernandez? I don’t think so. The trademark leg kick was every bit for show as it was for throwing the baseball, and he was the kind of guy that was completely unpredictable on the mound. He’d throw eephus pitches, go sidearm, all sorts of stuff. I’ll never forget the time a batted ball got stuck in the webbing of his glove and he just threw the glove over to Tino Martinez at first. Instant classic. I’ll also never forget his first career playoff start, when he fired seven shutout innings in Cleveland with the Yankees down two games to one in the 1998 ALCS. El Duque’s playoff record during his first stint with the Yankees was impeccable, we’re talking 12 team wins in 16 games with a 2.51 ERA in 97 innings pitched. There’s almost zero chance that El Duque was whatever age he claimed to be, but who cares. The guy was an absolute joy to watch on the baseball field, reminding us all that this is just part of the entertainment business.
Once you’re done reminiscing about El Duque, use this as your open thread. The late NFL game has the Aaron Rodgers-less Packers at the Patriots, which should be fun. Unless you have Rodgers on your fantasy team and are in the playoffs, like me. Talk about whatever you want here, just don’t be cool.
211 Comments»
RAB Info
The Founders
Mike Axisa, Ben Kabak, Joe Pawlikowski
Editor-In-Chief
Mike Axisa Archives | Email
Managing Editors
Ben Kabak Archives | E-mail
Joe Pawlikowski Archives | E-mail
Contributing Editors
Larry Koestler (Archives)
Moshe Mandel (Archives)
Eric Schultz (Archives)
Weekend Writers
Hannah Ehrlich (Archives)
Matthew Warden (Archives)
Special Contributor
J.R. O'Grady (Archives)
Technical Consultant
Jay Gordon
Subscribe to RAB by RSS
Follow @RiverAveBlues
Search RAB
Yankees News from YESNetwork.com
- Alberto Gonzalez clears waivers, will report to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
- Seattle Mariners option Jesus Montero to Triple-A
- Thriving with the Yankees, Vernon Wells fulfilling his father's dream
- Kuroda leaves early as Orioles win rubber game
- New York City Football Club names Claudio Reyna Director of Football
- Yankees, Manchester City to own NYC MLS team
- Yankees, Manchester City announce NYC MLS team
- New York Yankees fall to Baltimore Orioles on Nate McLouth's homer in the 10th
- Ex-New York Yankees pitcher Scott Proctor retires
- Ex-Yankees farmhands Gil Velazquez and Cody Johnson find new homes
Banner Design By
The Tyler Austin Watch
Is anyone else still taking finals because it is pissing me off that I won’t be done for another two days it is awful.
Also by favorite El Duque memory would have to be when he stomped on the Red sox in the ALDS I don’t really have memories of him as a Yankee.
I JUST finished my last paper for Grad School…at least for the semester. This blog has served as a huge, much-needed distraction though. I probably would have finished earlier, but the refreshing of comments every 5 minutes hasn’t helped. With that said…anyone else completely bored by this offseason? I really hope something happens this upcoming week.
I dunno, I think there’s been enough mystery teams and surprise trades to make it a decent offseason.
If only the Yankees were a part of a surprise trade……
Haha, yea from the Yankees perspective, signing Russell Martin is not exactly exciting.
Don’t forget megastar Pedro Feliciano.
Yeah, we’ve definitely upgraded in important positions during the offseason…no doubt. But, I’m still yearning for something more in the rotation. Nothing special or anything…just something. Even a rumor will do at this point lol.
The “megastar” bit was sarcasm. Martin’s a good acquisition, and I’m ambivalent on the Feliciano pickup. Hopefully, Cashman has something up his sleeve in regards to starting pitching. Do something there, add a utility player or two (one or both Hairstons? Keppinger?), and we’ll be ready to roll.
Ha! Yeah, I picked up on the sarcasm lol. I totally agree with you. Cash obviously has some sort of plan, other than patience…I’m just losing mine as time goes on. Let’s just hope as soon as a rumor surfaces, it will be one that won’t want to make me throw my lap top across the room. Not much is out there in the trade market, but I’m counting on Ninja Cash to make a decent move regarding the rotation.
“With that said…anyone else completely bored by this offseason? ”
How do you think the guys doing the hot stove show feel? They got tons of juice from the Jeter saga and then things came to a screeching halt. Pretty hard to fill 30 mins twice a week with little to no news
Yes. I’m not done until Thursday. And I only get a week off before starting up again.
Where do you go? That is just plain awful!
Med school. Truth is, I was always bored by the last few days of winter break back in undergrad. Still, more than a week would be nice.
McGill is almost like that for undergrad. My better half comes home on tuesday and goes back like January third. Fucking Canada.
I still have finals too. One of my professors was supposed to give us a take home exam on Thursday night but didn’t give it to us till Saturday night. Not only that but he gave us 7 essays when in class he said he would give us only 5 and consider giving us less essays and some multiple choice.
what class is that for?
That ALDS game against the Red Sox in 2005 was one of the most awesome middle relief performances I have ever seen.
http://www.baseball-reference......0070.shtml
I was happy I went to a school that ended finals ~a week before Christmas. I had friends who were in school till the 22dn or 23rd.
My last final’s tomorrow afternoon and then I still have a paper to write.
Heh. I got out this past tuesday. Being a music major fucking rocks (insanely bad pun intended).
He was awesome. I did security for the yankees spring training in fla. he was always very cool.
Any gossip about other players? Inquiring minds want to know.
nah not really. giambi was very cool but most kept a low profile. I will say that Lee Mazilli was an ass. thought his shit dont stink
Ha, interesting.
I worked one night at a charity function at a Yankee’s home (randomly ran into a friend who was working for a catering company during summer ’97 and he brought me along for the job… random, like I said), and the one guy, amidst all of the World Champ Yankees, who kinda gave off the impression that he thought he was a really important guy was… Michael Kay. Surprise, surprise.
“I will say that Lee Mazilli was an ass. thought his shit dont stink”
So I guess Sal Licata was right about Mazilli
“just don’t be cool”? Ok. You guys are dickheads! FU! Should have traded Montero, Betances, Cano, CC, and Cashman for Greinke! You guys suck!
Cubans represent!
You can’t reminisce about El Duque without watching this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRMJQvSJyQg (safe)
Awesome
Beat me to it.
Damn! This was the first thing i thought of! Thanks for link.
My favorite Yankee starter ever, covering almost 40 years.
This Jets game is gonna kill me.
Oh thank God. Good thing both NY teams didn’t lose at the last second.
So are the Jets still terrible and is Mark Sanchez still incapable of beating good defenses like everyone was saying the last two weeks?
Yeah the Steelers D is not the same without Polomau. He’s probably a top ten, and at the very least top 20, player in the league. Sanchez kinda sucks, despite the good start today…remember when Kei Igawa had that awesome relief outing for like 6.2 against Boston? Bad players can have good days against good teams. He’s young enough that he can improve, but I’m not optimistic. He just doesn’t seem to have the physical tools to be anything than a poor man’s Chad Pennington. That isn’t to say that the Jets suck or anything, they’re a pretty good team with a legit shot in the playoffs, but just not because of Mark Sanchez.
Yeah, I was thinking what you said last week. I don’t know why you’re so down on him. He’s still young and pretty inexperienced. He’ll probably never be a great QB, but I don’t know why you think he can’t be at least average.
It’s not that I think he can’t can’t be average, I just don’t think he will be. Why am I so down on him? A Quarterback rating in the 60s while playing for pretty good teams with good WRs, a good ground game, and a good OL has quite a bit to do with it.
Since when is it in the 60s?
Career it’s 69.6, he had a good day today which brought it up from the depths it was at before (it doesn’t take much to get you out of the 60s) I just don’t see him ever being average or above average.
Francesa is gonna be great tomorrow because he’ll barely be able to hold back his vomit.
“Jets with anotha luck win very very lucky win.”
Anyone watching the WWE PPV tonight, haha.
Shit. What’s the main event?
1998 called. It wants its programming back.
David Spade called. He wants his joke from 1998 back.
buuuuuuuuuuuuuuurn.
Heh, couldn’t resist. You walked into that one.
truly epic. I hold nothing against Kiersten or her joke, but that was epic. Air high five!
Favorite memory would have to be El Duque and Coco Crisp jitterbugging at first base. Coco kept dodging El Duque’s tags at first, then finally Orlando crossed him arms and stared as Coco just turned around and went back to the dugout.
Speaking of Crisp, remember when Boston traded for him and he was going to be a younger, better version of Johnny Damon, who had just signed with the Yanks? Those were some good times.
And then Ellsbury was going to be Jesus himself?
Wait, he’s not? I thought he missed time last year because he was off performing miracles.
No, now he’s just a piece o’shit. /smear campaign’d
ellsbury is sick, he was hurt last year because mike cameron ran into him
dont let one injury plagued year lead you to mis-label him a POS
Pretty sure she was being sarcastic. And Ellsbury is not good enough to be labeled “sick.”
This. I was talking about the way the (Boston) media treated him. He was on fiyahhhh in his call-up in 2007, so he was anointed, like, Jesus. Then the team turned on him to a ridiculous this year.
He’s a fine player when not hurt but he’s not Jesus/Johnny Damon/etc.
Ellsbury is a below average centerfielder both offensively and defensively with above average speed. That’s all. No more, no less.
Fact: Jacoby Ellsbury has never had a full season OPS+ above 100. His career OPS+ is 92. His wOBA is barely above league average.
He’s got the potential to be better, but at the age of 27, it’s not exactly likely.
Amazing how Brett Gardner has completely and utterly surpassed him as a baseball player. And not one mention of Gardner being a superstar. The highest praise I’ve heard of him from the MSM is that he’s a ‘capable’ and ‘dynamic’ player.
Not to mention “gritty” and “gutty” which is rarified air for Yankees players.
He is a much better basestealer than Gardner though, I have to give him some praise.
I don’t even know how true that is.
Ellsbury–136 SB in 160 attempts (85%)
Gardner–86 SB in 101 attempts (85.1%)
Ellsbury also has a decently lower career OBP (.344 to Gardner’s .358), but the extra attempts come from having 516 more career PAs than Gardner.
If Gardner can put up a high OBP again going forward, he is clearly the superior player.
Remember when Penny and Smoltz were going to help lift the Red Sox to another championship, and when they would only trade Penny for a Smoak-type bat? More good times.
“Potentially the greatest starting rotation in baseball history.” -Ravech
(pours one out for run prevention)
Man, those really were the days. We should all bask in Theo’s genius.
He’s made some good moves this offseason, while hin general he’s overrated he’s had a good winter. Now isn’t the time to talk shit, especially with the Winter that the Yankees had.
He’s a good GM. That doesn’t mean Yankees fans have to refrain from talking shit.
He’s a good GM, but not the “boy genius” the media likes to make him out to be. Just like the Red Sox are a good team, but not the unstoppable force they’ve been made out to be.
I’d say you summed things up nicely.
This would be the basis of my comment. There are many who talk about him as though he’s never made a single bad move.
!!!MASTERSTROKE OF THE MASTER PLAN!!!
Sorry Giants fans. D:
Does anyone have a clip of the El Duque glove throw? I was somewhere between the ages of 7 and 10 during his first time in pinstripes, and I don’t remember much of it at all. Plus, I’d love to see one of my favorite Yankees during that era, TINO!
Tino was my favorite too:
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play......d=13062967
I was only two when Tino hit the grand slam in 98, but it gives me chills every time I see the clip.
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play......id=2685727
And then the stadium explodes with cheers.
I was there. Behind home plate about ten rows behind Patrick Ewing (you couldn’t miss him). The thing I remember most is the Stadium literally shaking.
I was 14.
Damn you’re a baby!
Thank you much!
I was around 11 when El Duque came up, and was so enthralled by him. I remember imitating his motion as a little league pitcher and confusing the hell out of the other teams. It was awesome. Duque was the man. And hey, he pitched in the Nationals organization last season, so I guess he’s still the man. Long live Duque.
So, uh, Black Swan. Eesh.
No good? I heard good reviews and I love me some Natalie Portman. She’s my Andy Pettitte.
No, I meant “eesh” in a good way. It’s gonna stick with me for a while.
Also Natalie Portman is so freaking beautiful. I wouldn’t say she’s hot (then again, straight girl alert, so I wouldn’t really know), but she’s gorgeous.
Good I can’t wait to see it. I don’t know why she doesn’t get more attention. A lot of my friends always look at me weird when I mention her. I guess she doesn’t have the “sex appeal” of the Megan Fox’s or Scarlett Johansson’s of the world but I think she’s gorgeous.
I’m also semi-in love with Mila Kunis (Macaulay Culkin? Really?) and Darren Aronofsky is one of my favorite directors. In fact… I’m not sure why I haven’t seen this movie already.
Heh, I feel like all guys think she’s gorgeous. And for good reason – she is.
I liked Kunis from Forgetting Sarah Marshall, though this is obviously a very different movie. I definitely highly recommend this one but it’s almost Requiem for a Dream-style disturbing (same director, right?), my friend had to leave the theater.
Yeah same director. Aronofsky is a genius. If you like his work check out Pie, although that one is extremely weird and not as good as Requiem, you’ll still recognize his work.
I remember watching Pie with a couple of friends. After it was done nobody could talk for like five minutes. Then my friend Greg finally found words to sum up the movie: “Well…that Indian girl was pretty hot.”
Pi, not Pie.
Yeah, that was pretty stupid of me. I was actually thinking of how I could type the symbol, then I said screw it and spelled it wrong.
Natalie Portman is the only celebrity/person I don’t actually know who I can honestly say that I’m attracted to. I mean I guess to a lesser extent Emma Watson, but that’s only because she’s Hermione.
That’s an odd statement to make. You have to know someone to be attracted to them? Not making fun, just have never heard anyone say that before.
I feel bad for the Packers. They are going to get completely wrecked without Rodgers.
Not so much
So is there anyway Montero plays his way on to the opening day roster with an awesome spring training where it becomes obvious that he is a man surrounded by boys?
Montero rules but he could have an OPS of 5.000 in ST and it would mean, like, nothing.
I just got a poster in of Duque/Roger/Andy/Mo/Moose and I was trying to explain to my mom about why he did the leg kick…she didn’t get it..
My favorite memories of him were basically saving our 2004 season out of nowhere (although now that I think about it I wish we didn’t make the playoffs). And secondly, when I think he was with the White Sox he threw a 50mph pitch to Arod and he hit it like 4 miles.
That second was when he was with the Yankees and A-Rod was still with the Rangers, I think. It went COMICALLY far.
I went to that game. Pretty sure he threw A-rod two of them. The first one he missed. The second one landed around that green fence to the left of the left field bleachers, basically further than Monument Park.
I want a clip of that. Someone find it, please.
Just want to ask why Wheeler is not a target for Yankees? He is better than Jenk for several years.
Wheeler isn’t a target for us because he’s a member of the Red Sox.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/.....eeler.html
Who cares? They’re a small market team, just buy them out!
Rauch could possibly be a target for the BP. I remember hearing Leo Nunez might be available too.
Also, someone on another board mentioned the possibility of trading for the Cubs Sean Marshall and inserting him into the rotation. Don’t know much about him or the Cubs situation so I have absolutely no idea…but I was thinking, if they are trying to shed payroll, I wonder if Dempster is available. Any way to avoid the Zambrano conversation.
I mentioned those guys the other day. I’d really like the Yankees to look into Nunez, Marshall, Betancourt, and Hanrahan. I don’t think they are all available, but Cashman wouldn’t be doing his job if he didn’t at least inquire. I also am a big Breslow fan as my former HS teacher and him work together on Breslow’s Strike 3 foundation, i’d love to see him in pinstripes.
We don’t have a need for a ROOGY
I just want to take a moment to say, “Fucking Giants.”
And where do I send the bill for medical care after I had about 15 heart attacks at the end of the Jets game?
Note to NYG: You play a 53-minute game!!! You don’t just put up a 31-spot and call it a day!!!
(And because of this I’m getting shit from WAS fans who think they can talk trash despite their shitty team losing to DAL.)
So, go see Black Swan.
What was the plot about?
Answer: does it matter?
So it’s like a real-life “Rochelle, Rochelle”?
Basically, a ballerina dancer who is determined to be perfect wants the lead role in Swan Lake. It’s… a lot more than that though.
Haha, I like how we both talked about this.
Haha, like I said a few nights ago: we’re totally twins.
That film was definitely worth the wait.
Question.
Does either Natalie Portman or Mila Kunis get naked in the movie?
/DwightSchrute’d
(MEGA SPOILER ALERT)
They make out and have sex.
Oh my dear sweet Lord.
(sprints to theater)
(waits for theater to open Monday morning)
(can’t wait that long, breaks in to theatre, steals reel)
(realizes can’t watch reel anywhere but the theater, breaks back in, watches it in the theater)
Thought this was common knowledge by now?
I’m pretty sure it’s in the trailer but I figured I’d give it the ol’ spoiler alert just in case.
please describe this in full detail, kthxbai
No but its still very very very very very NSFW. (and hot)
Can anyone recommend a good book or article about comparing baseball stats across generations? My dad and I always discuss, but it’d be nice to have some stats to actually back up our discussion. I know that batting averages used to be much higher, but I don’t know much beyond that. Anyway, any recommendations would be much appreciated. Thanks.
baseball-reference.com
CWIDT?
But, seriously, grab “Baseball Beyond the Numbers” by the Baseball Prospectus staff. It’s older now, but it’s still a great place to start.
Ha yeah, I’ve been spending a lot of time on baseball reference, but was looking for a book. Thanks for the rec.
What are some Yankee/baseball books I need to read?
I just got a Nook and I’m in a “need to download a million books for it” phase.
The Year I Owned the Yankees, by Sparky Lyle.
Our Mickey-Cherished memories of an American Icon by Bill Leiderman and maury Allen (foreward by Yogi Berra)
Want books on old Yankee greats or more recent?
Halberstam’s Summer of ’49, too.
The Bullpen Gospels by Dirk Hayhurst
Ball Four
Veeck as In Wreck
Odd Man Out
The Book: playing the percentages
Moneyball
Bronx Zoo
Birth of a Dynasty
Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty
Reynolds, Raschi and Lopat: New York’s Big Three and Great Yankee Dynasty of 1949-1953
A professor of mine (taught me Baseball in the 20th Century) wrote it and it’s quite good.
http://www.amazon.com/Reynolds.....0786430559
I didn’t see Swan Lake last night, but I did see The Fighter. Damn good movie. Christian Bale was awesome.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrvMTv_r8sA
Dahdah dahdah dadah! What don’t you fucking understand? Do you have any fucking idea about, hey it’s fucking distracting… having someone walking in the middle of the fucking scene!
ANSWER ME!
Great actor though…
Black Swan was my favorite film of the year. Darren Aronofsky is one the best directors ever.
+1 ass2ass
ICWUDT
Oh I know it’s pretty baby, but I didn’t take it out for air…
Ooof, can’t hear that without cringing after Requiem for a Dream.
most disturbing movie error. i’ll never watch it again
*ever
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0870984/
Also, I’d put Hostel up there because of the gore and Hard Candy because of one infamous scene. The movie itself isn’t terribly disturbing.
Oh geez I heard about this one. Never seeing it.
Dogville by the same director was good though. Weird but good.
These are pretty disturbing, but what about ‘A Serbian Film.’ Totally NSFW or sanity.
BTW, how do we use italics or links?
Human Centipede?
98 yankees, what a year. that’s the kind of action i’m talking about…
i think there’s a good shot at greatness again this year, it’s all up to a few key players to really step up their game this year and make it happen. i feel like making a list, so here they are in order:
AJ
hughes
AP*
cano
tex
a-rod
jeter
gardner
posada
montero
CG
d-job & the loogy’s
expect big things from this extremely talented roster coming off a down year. hopefully this summer’s not as brutal so our guys hold up a little better in the fall, that was a major concern, a lot of our big guys were completely gassed out by the end. maybe some lighter linen uniforms this year?
George approaches Buck Showalter at Yankee Stadium.
GEORGE: Hey, Buck. Talk to you for a second?
SHOWALTER: Sure, George.
GEORGE: How’s everything going? Everything O.K.?
SHOWALTER: Well, all of a sudden there’s a problem with Tartabull’s swing…
GEORGE: Listen, Buck, I uh…obviously I don’t need to talk to you about the importance of player morale, but uh…I’ve been talking to some of the guys, and some of them – I don’t want to mention any names – but some of them…they’re not too happy with the polyester uniforms.
SHOWALTER: How so?
GEORGE: Well, they get very hot in the polyester. You know, it’s not a natural fibre. I think they would prefer cotton.
SHOWALTER: Cotton, huh?
GEORGE: Yeah. Cotton breathes, you see, it’s much softer. Imagine playing games and your team is five degrees cooler than the other team. Don’t you think that would be an advantage? They’re cooler, they’re more comfortable…they’re happier – they’re gonna play better.
SHOWALTER: You may have something there, George.
GEORGE: Oh – I’ve got something.
SHOWALTER (considering): Hmm. Cotton uniforms.
So I was looking over the 2011 Scranton schedule-checking out the Montero opportunities since the feeling is he won’t open with the big team- and the 2010 Scranton team finished 21.5 games ahead of Pawtucket (Sox) and 29.5 games ahead of Lehigh Valley (Phillies). Too bad the trends veer so sharply from AAA to MLB.
I can see Montero just raking over the first month or so. He only needs to be in Scranton for a couple weeks to get that extra year of eligibility, but I suspect he will be up sometime in June as to prevent Super 2 status. If the Yankees had not gotten Martin, Montero would be starting IMO.
So how was that Giant-Eagle Game. Man that was crazy.
Vick beat us harder than his puppies
Hey now lol…
LOL!!!
terrible memories of the Pisarcik fumble to lose a game to the Eagles many years ago.
We owe those guys!
For a Yankees/Giants/Knicks fan, this was one of the most disturbing weeks I can remember….first the Lee rejection, then the Celts/Heat/Cavs fiasco, and the Giants put the cherry on top.
More of a Jets fan, but root for the G-Men too as a proud Ny’er. Yea, lousy sports week big time.
1- Lee goes to the Phillies and everyone else rather sign for less then play for the Yankees
.
2- Amar’e Stoudemire’s step-back jumper at the regulation buzzer doesn’t count find out later that it should of. Followed by a blowout lost to LeBron’s Heat and a lost to the lonely Cavs.
3-Watching the Giants blowout the Eagles while Washington ties Dallas after being down 27-7 in the 3rd. To have the Giants lose historically and Dallas win on a last minute field goal.
Apparently I’m in the 5th level of sport hell with no way to get out.
Well it’s been a tough week in deed except, imma Eagles fan lol…so yeah wat a win.
I’m a Bucs fan and have hated the Eagles for as long as I’ve watched football (the playoffs between 2000-2002 didn’t help). Right around the time the Giants went up 31-10, the Bucs kicked a go ahead FG with under two minutes left.
The next 10-15 minutes for me might be the worst I’ve ever had as a football fan, and I’m not joking about that. Both games literally collapsed simultaneously, with the worst outcome in both. As I said to a buddy of mine afterwards…
“fuck me sideways”
As much as the loss sucked royally, I will give props to MV. I thought he put the team on his back and ran with it.
(It didn’t help NYG seemed to sleepwalk the last 7 minutes.)
What do you mean Amar’es three should have counted?? It appeared to come well after the light came on
Time should of been add to clock it was later reported.
nice win by the Jets, can’t same the same about the Giants
Stupid Tim Tebow getting to stupid start for the stupid Broncos. effing ridiculous. Evidence that that pick was influenced just as much by ownership as it was by stupid cheat-face McDaniels (if not more).
Yeah I agree. Tebow has a butt for a face.
Considering how bad the Broncos are there is no reason not to start Tebow to see what he can do.
My favorite El Duque moment was him laying down a bunt, and then leaping over the first baseman and beating it for a hit. He then talked all kinds of smack to the other pitchers because none of them had hits yet.
Best. Kick return. Ever.
That was awesome.
If I hear another Felix to the Yankees rumor I’m going to lose my mind. There is no f’ing way they trade him. The Yankees probably had a better chance of prying Ken Griffey Jr. away from the M’s in 1993.
It’ll take a king’s ransom but I have a feeling the rumor mill will be buzzing by the deadline next year. I’d offer Montero, Romine, and all of the Killer Bs without thinking twice about it.
Wow
Nolasco close to three year extension for 27(!!!) million. Seems like a steep price to me for two arb years and one FA year. Wouldn’t expect the Marlins to splurge, but they do seem to spend money in strange ways when they spend it (wouldn’t extend Ugg to the deal he will get from ATl but signed Buck for three years).
Good. I wanted no part of him in a Yankees uniform.
Yea, I didn’t think he would fit in well at YSIII either. While he would have more upside than Nova, he wouldn’t be worth the cost in prospects, illustrated by this extension. Seems like a huge overpay to me, he only made 3.8mil last year.
Bummer
Well, he’d of made 15-17 mil in his first arb year, so if they pay him 5, then 8, then 14, it would be a nice deal.
15-17?? How do you jump from 3.8 to 15???
Oops, I meant 1st FA year.
I guess by end of business tomorrow the only trade targets that might make sense for Cashman all wear White Sox uniforms.
With Nolasco seemingly gone, Cashman better hope Mariano can persuade Andy to return for one more go-around.
I can’t blame Andy if he decides he can’t do it. Would he really want to come back to a situation where the media will be going nuts over CC’s impending opt-out decision, DJ’s decline, Arod’s decline, an uncertain catching situation, and a certain divisional opponent welcoming the talents of Adrian Gonzalez into the mix. Ugh.
Stay home Andy. Watch the Yanks from the safety of your home.
It’s not like Andy’s been involved in any crazy media frenzy with the Yankees before. The Yankees aren’t ever involved in stupid overblown media frenzies. Not like he had to deal with all the A-Rod stuff in ST 2009, or Andy himself was named on the Mitchell Report. Oh wait.
And after all that, you want Andy to stay home? Because that’ll make the team better, and all.
“I can’t blame Andy if he decides he can’t do it. Would he really want to come back to a situation where the media will be going nuts over CC’s impending opt-out decision, DJ’s decline, Arod’s decline, an uncertain catching situation, and a certain divisional opponent welcoming the talents of Adrian Gonzalez into the mix. Ugh.”
Woe is us.
In other words, we’re doooooooomed.
Anyone else think that the Dayton Moore screwed himself in the Greinke trade? I mean, Oddorzzi is pretty good and all…but Alcides Escobar and Lorenzo Cain aren’t all that great. I know it was Escobar’s first full season in the bigs at age 23, but a 67 OPS+? Gross. I’m surprised that Dayton Moore didn’t call up the Yankees and ask them if they’d be willing to top that package, not that it’d take much to do.
I don’t think Dayton Moore will be able to maximize the potential of that epic farm due to idiocy.
I agree with most of your comment. That being said, we don’t know he didn’t call (do we? I saw Heyman’s tweet saying Greinke was not scared of NY, but some fam was).
I mean, how many of those guys are top 100 prospects? Is Jeffries even still included (he’s also one substance abuse arrest away from being banned for life, anyways) Oddorzzi is the only guy that can be even lose to a top 100 guy. I still think that for a guy like Greinke you ought to be able to do better than that.
Escobar was like #12 in Baseball America’s top 100 coming into 2010. Odorizzi will be in the top 100 too. Cain isn’t and I doubt Jeffress will be. Jeffress reminds me of Bobby Jenks when he was in the minors in that he throws 100 MPH, has major control issues and questions about his makeup. Base case scenario he puts it all together and becomes a Jenks. He can also perhaps more likely become Mike Macdougal, or worse Colt Griffin.
Escobar had a 67 OPS+, he’s like the combination of all the good qualities between Eduardo Nunez and Ramiro Pena. Granted that’s a starter, but I think that’s more of a secondary piece in a deal for Zack Greinke not the head liner.
As far as Jeffress goes, one more arrest and he’s done. So unless he goes Josh Hamilton I have quite a few concerns about him.
There are only a few organizations possessing that combo of quality SS + CF prospects, while pitting the pitching prospects as the complementary pieces.
The NYY lacked both. TB has Desmond Jennings but i can’t blame Moore for not being too impressed with Tim Beckham. The Cubs would never part with Starlin Castro; Brett Jackson couldn’t headline that package alone.
For what Moore wanted, few teams lined up well. Lets not forget Odorizzi is also a quality pitching prospect. If he were on the Yanks, Odorizzi would make the top 5.
I like Odorizzi, but I’d take Montero, Sanchez, and the Bs over him. When your team sucks as hard as the Royals you need improvement everywhere, not just “up the middle.”
Yeah no question Jimmy. No one in the deal other than Odorizzi has star upside, and he’s 2-3 years away. I’d be shocked if Cain, Escobar and Jeffress are ever all-stars. Jeffress can be as a reliever but the odds are against it.
I think Odorizzi comes in at #6 in the Yankee system behind Jesus, Sanchez and the B’s and ahead of Romine, Noesi etc.
He could have been, the Yankees drafted Cole ahead of him…
Yeah, he didn’t get any high end talent. Oddorzi is the guy I like most in the deal but the B’s are better prospects than he is, they’re closer to being big league ready. Klaw had a write up today about the deal that I liked. He pretty much said they took their “once in a decade talent” and didn’t get much for it. He compared it to the Beltran deal when they only got Mark Teahan and John Buck (and Chris Getz). He also said how three out of the four come with substantial risk. Cain is a speed guy who had a serious knee injury in ’09, Escobar has had off the field problems and doesn’t get along with his coaches and Jeffress has had multiple suspensions due to drug use.
Escobar was very highly regarded going into the season by Baseball America but only because of his glove really. I think it’s pretty stupid for a GM to limit what he’ll take to specific postions like Moore did. Get the best players available and sort it out later
Escobar is a solid pick-up for KC. Escobar’s glove will put DJ to shame, and though Escobar had a rough go at it at the plate, he’s shown solid OBP in the last couple years down in the Brewers’ farm.
The haul isn’t a stunner, but Escobar is a quality, young player. Cain…i’m less impressed over.
However, at the end of the day, Moore got his “up-the-middle talent.”
It’s stupid. Escobar is a glove guy…whoopiety fucking do. His career high slugging in the minors was .437 and career high OBP was .363 color me unimpressed. Yeah, he’s better than Eduardo Nunez, but I’m under the impression that the guy who leads the haul for a Zack Greinke should be able to double Eduardo Nunez’s production, at the very least.
Nah, Escobar never really showed good OBP skills at all. He never walked more than 36 times in a season despite having a lot of PA’s in each of his last 3 seasons in professional ball. He’s really Nunez with a better glove, perhaps elite glove.
For what it’s worth, total zone isn’t a fan (-2 runs total), while UZR puts him at +2.4. He’s had a year and change out there, so SSS warning applies, but that hardly seems elite.
Interesting. I’ve seen him make some crazy highlight plays at SS though. Very athletic and strong arm.
I’m really surprised the Yanks weren’t more aggressive on Greinke. Seems like the weren’t interested in him at all.
They weren’t which pissed me off
also alot of errors i believe
Bexy,
I love you. It’s been way too long since I’ve told you.
K byez
I’m… flattered?
Who knew Andy Pettite was a Wil Nieves fan?!?
There’s a long list of celebrity Wil Nieves fans. Javier Bardem, Michael Dukakis, and Sandra Bullock just to name a few.
Wow just terrible play calling by the packers at the goal line.
Yankees sign Vizcaino again.
http://twitter.com/#!/Ledger_Y.....4888397824
http://www.minorleagueball.com.....#storyjump
Sickles’ Rays list.
definitely loved el duque. a girl i know that i turned into a big yankees fan for awhile during that awesome era named her cat El Duque. so awesome.
i’d pretty much give anything for one of those big cut out displays of him. there was one of zimmer and cone too i think. adidas ads?…..
“The Marlins and Ricky Nolasco have agreed to a three-year contract extension worth $26.5MM.”
Take another one off the old trade board.
El Duque was a great competitor.he won his first 8 postseason decisions until finally losing to the Mets in 2000 although he pitched a good game.I remember his 1-hit 7 inning gem against the Braves in the 1999 WS.I could go on and on.9-3 in the postseason covering over 100 innings with a 2.55 ERA.
Does anyone remember “El Duquecito“ Adrian Hernandez ?
El duque is negotiating with a Panamanian amateur team (Herrera province). It’s and amateur baseball league with some players that we’ve seen in the show. Ramiro Mendoza, Davis Romero, Rafael Medina, Roger Deago. It’s also the start point of the carreers of some good players like Carlos Lee, Bruce Chen, Manny Corpas, Manny Acosta, Ruben Tejada (Ny Mets secondbaseman), Ruben Rivera, and… you know… Mariano Rivera, among others.
Oh, Mo started playing for the Panama’s Metropolitan team as shortstop. Have you realized how good is he fielding?