Sunday Night Open Thread

October 14, 2012 by Mike Axisa 225 Comments

Robinson Cano-001 — (Bruce Bennett/Getty)

The Yankees lost another playoff game because, to paraphrase Joe Girardi in his post-game press conference, the hitters aren’t making adjustments. The offense scored a whole zero runs, squandering a brilliant performance from Hiroki Kuroda on short rest. He was awesome I hope that wasn’t the last start of his Yankees career. I would be really bummed if it was.

Anyway, relax and enjoy the night. The Cardinals and Giants kick off the NLCS tonight (8pm ET) plus the late football game is the Packers at the Texans. Talk about those games or anything else (no politics!) here. Enjoy.

paul a

Afewpoints
1. Cano looks as if hes just going thur the motions
2. Why the hell was Russell Martin hitting fifth.
3. Any way we can take Nick Swisher off the playoff roster.
4. They’re done, they’re toast
5. TIME TO CLEAN HOUSE AND THAT INCLUDES THE GM AND MANAGER.
- stuart a
  
  who else should hit 5th idiot?? they literally all suck…
  
  more hysterics with no solutions.. fire them all, blah blah blah….
  
  play gardner that is a reasonable option…
  
  firing everyone is just a spoiled baby acting out….
  - Deep Thoughts
    
    Voice of Reason™
- David N
  
  About Point #5:
  
  I wasn’t even considering firing Girardi before this game, but then I heard his postgame comments. He talked about having to make adjustments at the plate (true), and was then asked (and I paraphrase) “this isn’t a team of rookies, you’ve got a lot of veterans here, why aren’t they making adjustments?”. His response? “I don’t know.”
  
  That’s unacceptable. It could be a sign that he’s lost the team, and if that’s the case then he needs to be replaced. It has nothing to do with his skills as a manager – he could be the best in-game manager in the world but if he can’t compel his team to stop swinging for the fences in every at-bat, they’re not going to win with him.
  
  I’m not saying I definitely want him fired, but I am now at least considering the possibility.
  - fire joe girardi
    
    Joe Girardi is definitely not the best in-game manager in the world.
    - David N
      
      I definitely don’t think he is – his bullpen management over the last two games has been head-scratching (to put it mildly), and that’s just one example.
      
      My point was that even if he were, if he’s lost the team then he needs to go.
  - Laz
    
    A manager really can only do so much. I view Joe as a middle of the road manager, I wouldn’t mind them finding someone better, but really; who is available. He isn’t bad enough to just dump because, you only dump him if you find someone better.
    
    He can’t go to bat for these guys.
  - toad
    
    “I don’t know???” WTF?
    
    That’s what he said? Unbelieveable.
    - Need Pitching & Hitting
      
      How would you like him to answer that?
      - toad
        
        Wrong question.
        
        The issue is, why doesn’t he know? He’s the manager, remember. If hitters are making the same mistake over and over it’s his job to get them to stop.
        
        I mean, if it’s just a question of “making adjustments” maybe he could, you know, suggest that they make them. It;s not like these guys have any basis for arguing with him. What they’re doing isn’t working.
        
        Need Pitching & Hitting
        
        Clearly what they’re are doing isn’t working.
        How do you know he and KLong aren’t making suggestions?
        
        I’m sure they are. They can’t hit for the players. They can make all the suggestions they want, the players still have to follow them.
        Why doesn’t he know? Know what? He know’s they aren’t doing what they are supposed to be doing. There is no good reason for professional hitters to not be making adjustments.
        The choices to answer that question of why the hitters aren’t making adjustments would basically be:
        a) the hitters suck
        b) the hitters are dumb and aren’t listening
        c) the hitters are choking
        
        Of course he’s not going to publicly say any of that. Nor should he.
        
        toad
        
        OK.
        
        If Girardi (and Long) can’t get the hitters to make those adjustments, despite the obvious desperate need, maybe the team needs a manager who can.
        
        I mean, if you have a guy like Cano setting records for futility and you can’t make an impression on him maybe you need to think about a different line of work.
        
        What is Girardi’s job, anyway?
        
        Need Pitching & Hitting
        
        That would be a lot more of the hitting coach’s job than the manager. And it may not be that the player’s aren’t listening. It might be the players listen and realize they need to change but press and fold when the time comes. Not much any manager or hitting coach can do about that. It’s not nearly as simple as just telling them to do something and they are immediately able to execute.
FIPster Doofus

I thought my days of getting truly angry about sports were over, but I am enraged.
stuart a

playing chavez against the hard throwing righty is a option, playing nunez over nix is not unreasoanble, playing gardner over swisher is a stretch but not incomprehensible…

to bad gardner did not get more ab’s at the end of the season then they would have some options.

swisher is the guy i simply despise… he has done thsi for 4 years.. not 6 games but 4 years…….he swings for the fences literally all the time…
billy’s bartender

is it possible that they score less than zero runs against Verlander?
- Deep Thoughts
  
  It’s “fewer,” and no.
McLovin

At least the Seahawks beating the Patriots saved the day and The Walking Dead starts tonight too
Dino

Not only can Granderson not hit at all, he can’t get a jump on a flyball to save his life. On Berry’s ball that landed over his head, he froze initially, ran sideways, and then decided he should go back on the ball. Paging Brett Gardner
NePa Yankee

This team should apologize to the Orioles for knocking them out.
El Tigre

How great were the Giants today? Statement game. Knocked the Niners off whatever BS pedestal they were on. Just have to hope Nicks gets healthy ASAP.
- Pat D (I’m not adding to my handle. Aw, crap.)
  
  Indeed. Nicks’ health is of great importance.
  
  I was really happy with the defense. After those first two drives it looked like they’d get shredded, but then they woke up and made a lot of plays for once.
GRJ

Was frankly great to see Nix in there hustling. Cano is pretty pathetic. A-Rod and Granderson; I do believe they want it but psychologically its not there. Swisher is not doing himself any favors in arguing he is worth Jason Werth money. He’s looking at Miguel Cairo money. Getting rid of GM and manager is not the answer but getting rid of these guys who hit sub-.250 in the regular season and .100 in the playoffs – if that option is available – take it.
- Rob
  
  At what point does the person bringing in the players become responsible?
  - True blue
    
    The farm is void of MLB ready position player talent. Coupled with a complete inability to judge pitching talent make Cashman a liability.
    - Need Pitching & Hitting
      
      Kuroda?
      CC?
      - True blue
        
        Steve Phillips could get those right, $$$ talks on those deals.
        
        I’m talking Joba, IPK, Hughes, Banuelos, Betances, Brackman, etc.. We can’t grow a pitcher to save our lives. I’m not even touching into trading for a fat, bum shouldered idiot whose only record his year was a DWI
        
        Need Pitching & Hitting
        
        Kuroda signed for 1/10M. That’s hardly a bid $ deal.
        Complete inability to judge pitching talent seems an odd complaint considering the pitching has been borderline dominant this postseason.
        He’s certainly had plenty of misses, but he’s had successes as well.
        
        Even CC, he passed on Santana to wait for CC. I’d say that turned out to be a great move.
        
        True blue
        
        Again.. Any GM with the funds can land top FA talent.. I’m talking about growing talented starters. It isn’t done here..
        
        Need Pitching & Hitting
        
        I mostly agree with that.
        But they still have to evaluate and choose that FA talent.
        He could have had Santana instead of waiting for Sabathia.
        Or instead of Kuroda, he could have chosen one of several other options.
        Growing starters isn’t a question of judging talent, it’s a question of developing talent.
        It’s not like Cashman or the Yankees were the only ones that were high on the talent of Hughes or Joba. (And Hughes is still developing into a potential solid mid-rotation starter). Banuelos still has a chance, he just got hurt. Brackman and Bettances were always high-upside long-shots.
        
        Andrew 518
        
        This is the system working the way MLB wants it to work. Yeah, it’s easier to find good talente when you aren’t picking at the bottom of each round in the draft.
        
        I’ve never understood completely because it just encourages spending bigger on FA’s but the idea is that the good teams will not be sustainable and the bad teams will become good.
        
        Pretty much every revenue sharing/luxury tax/competitve ballance issue is directed at the Yankees. Sucks but there’s only one Yankee owner and 29 others.
        
        DT
        
        It’s easier to draft when you get top 10 picks…
      - radnom
        
        Not exactly “finds”, be fair.
        
        Need Pitching & Hitting
        
        Didn’t say they were “finds”.
        But complete inability to judge pitching talent doesn’t really make sense considering the performance of the pitching this postseason.
        Freddy and Bartolo were “finds” in 2011. Guys like Eppley and Wade were very useful for a while. Like all GM’s, he’s had some hits and some misses.
        I agree his pitching track record hasn’t been great, but ” complete inability to judge pitching talent” is a severe overstatement.
  - AndrewYF
    
    You mean the guy who brought in Kuroda, Ibanez and Ichiro?
    
    Cashman’s is the safest job among Yankees management right now.
- Jose M. Vazquez
  
  But Werth is not werth Werth money. How can Swisher want that.
WhittakerWalt

The real question is, do the Yankees score another run this season? It’s a legitimate question.
stuart a

it is a legitimate question.

the day off will not hurt…

i almost liked what kevin long said, usually it is total bull trying to protect his guys but it was only 85% bull this time.

cano is not getting huge money it is not happening. swisher blew himself at least $30 mill with his 4th implosion in 4 postseasons….
- FIPster Doofus
  
  “cano is not getting huge money it is not happening.”
  
  It’s absolutely happening.
  - bobtaco
    
    If you add up the ridiculous hot streak from right before the post season, and the ridiculous cold streak during the post season, Robbie is batting 26 for 71, or .366
    - FIPster Doofus
      
      A regression was definitely inevitable after that ridiculous .615 tear at the end of the season. People kept saying Cano was hot at the right time, but I was worried about the oncoming cool-off. That cool-off has been way worse than I could’ve imagined.
      - Laz
        
        I think it’s dumb to think he is hot so he will be big. Players can just as easily get cold. It is often before you realize it that all of a sudden you got a 0/15 streak.
      - toad
        
        Yes, but “a regression” doesn’t mean 2 for 30 or whatever he is. It means a return to his normal level of performance, which is usually pretty good.
        
        The idea that a player who has a hot streak will “regress” with a cold streak is a complete misunderstanding of the idea of regression.
        
        dave
        
        no it doesnt. normal level of performance is an average of his highs and lows..after that tear it was inevitable for him to go on cold streak..obvi he could have continued it but that wouldnt be expected
    - Barrel Roll
      
      I don’t. I count the 2-32, where he’s batting less than a buck.
- Laz
  
  Swisher did not blow himself $30M. Regardless of how you feel he will get paid because he performs in the regular season. There are a lot of teams out there that could really use swish to get them to the postseason.
  
  Even Yankees, if they simply had a replacement player there they wouldn’t have won the division.
Moo Shu Pork (Currently Eddard)

I doubt Girardi and Cashman go anywhere but at the very least Kevin Long should be sacrificed. Isn’t it Long’s job to help the hitters make adjustments? They’ve been swinging for the fences all year and striking out on the change/curve since April. They had one contact hitter, picked up Ichiro so they had two, but Jeter went down so it’s just Ichiro. And he’s hitting .300 in the postseason, go figure.
Athenian

Here is the deal, regardless of how they are performing you can count on these things:

1. Girardi will not be fired.
2. Steinbrenners and Cashman will see to it that Cano gets paid. They will panic and think that without him they cannot win. This of course is total bullshit but that is how this ship is ran.
3. They will pick up the option on Granderson because he hit 43 HR’s. They will ignore his putrid BA and his high strike out rate and his mediocre arm.
4. They will make or try to make a trade in the offseason, squandering what is left of prospects
5. And last, they will have basically the same team next year as they do this year – bench may be a little different.
- FIPster Doofus
  
  If they “squander” the prospects for Upton or someone of his ilk, I won’t be upset.
  - stuart a
    
    upton is a younger version of granderson with more speed and less power.
    
    he is a 250 hitter max…..
    - FIPster Doofus
      
      Justin is a career .278 hitter. You might be thinking of his brother.
    - DT
      
      Justin > BJ. BJ is not worth the risk.
- Get Phelps Up (wins needed: 8)
  
  Picking up Granderson’s option is absolutely the right move.
  - Athenian
    
    I am sorry, but I disagree. His defense, unlike Tex’s, does not warrant the money he will be paid. HIs offense is mediocre and only hinges on the occasional hanging curve ball that he can pull. He is no longer a productive out, failing on multiple occasions to advance a runner either into scoring position or scoring a run.
    
    With KRod batting, streaky Tex, Mendoza Martin, and then a finger crossing supporting cast, they cannot afford to keep Granderson in the line up. THAT is there problem, they have traded hitters for power types and power types fail more than they succeed.
    - Need Pitching & Hitting
      
      They should absolutely pick up the option.
      Whether they should keep him or trade him is the question.
    - Get Phelps Up (wins needed: 8)
      
      I am not worried about how much he’ll get paid – they don’t need to be at $189M for another year and I highly doubt he’ll be around in 2014. If he repeats this season next year, I’ll be happy and also, is there really a viable option to replace him? As bad as he has looked lately, he still put up 2.7 WAR and a 116 wRC+ this season, and they can easily switch him and Gardner in the OF to take care of the defense.
      - OldYanksFan
        
        His option is $13m, which means he needs to be close to a 3 WAR player. He has posted 12.1 WAR over 3 years, so he probably should be resigned. However, he really needs to improve his OBP/OPS.
        
        Need Pitching & Hitting
        
        It’s actually $15M, because of his top 5 MVP finish last year. I agree they should pick up the option. If they don’t want him, they can trade him. I’m sure several teams would be willing to take a chance on him rebounding at least slightly for 1/15M and a potential draft pick after the season.
    - Laz
      
      Granderson hit 43 hr in the regular season. He is an important part of this offense. I wouldn’t object to trading him if the right deal came along, but if not just keep him. If you trade him or let him go, who replaces him? sure gardner can move over, but you still have 2 open outfield spots and no prospects ready to fill them. So then Yankees would probably dumb 5-6 good prospects to fill outfield out because you dont like swish or grandy.
Karl Krawfid

Mike Axisa ?@mikeaxisa

It’s going to suck so much when the Yankees re-sign Ichiro to play RF next year. 10 HR between LF and RF.

Sorry Mike, this home run or nothing attitude needs to change. Ichiro won’t hit a home run, he can at least catch some fucking balls.
- Moo Shu Pork (Currently Eddard)
  
  And doesn’t swing for the fences every at bat. Maybe speed and contact hitters is what this team could use a little more of. Ichiro has been one of their best hitters in the postseason so I don’t know why they’re ragging on him and not Cano, Swisher, ARod Granderson take your pick.
  - FIPster Doofus
    
    I fear Ichiro’s Yankee tenure is a classic dead cat bounce. If he can be anywhere close to this good over a full season, then it’ll be great to have him next year. But I’m skeptical.
    - Get Phelps Up (wins needed: 8)
      
      I’d be fine with having him back on a 1 year deal with a low base salary (low risk), but no way I’d want to do any more than that.
      - FIPster Doofus
        
        A multiyear deal is a definite no-no.
- JonS
  
  Detroit got 380 HRs from their starting OF (including their LF platoon) this year. How’s that working out for them? Stop falling into the OMG, what will we do without Granderson boat.
  - JonS
    
    haha I meant 38.
    - Andrew 518
      
      There needs to be a culture change more so than a single player. Unloading Granderson doesn’t stop everyone from swinging for the fences, it only eliminates the one guy who can actually do it.
      
      Don’t get me wrong, I’m furious with Granderson right now, but it’s him and everyone else as well. I almost wonder about his vision, (remember when Bernie got eye surgery and was good again?) Cano/A-Rod/Swisher are swinging at balls and missing. Granderson is missing balls right over the plate.
  - DT
    
    They have Fielder and Cabrera to make up for the lack of an OF. Also they were an 88 win team. 88 wins won;t get anyone into the postseason in the AL east.
- radnom
  
  No. The entire point of baseball is to assemble a lineup with the highest collective wOBA possible. There are no other factors at play. If you disagree, you are a moron.
Karl Krawfid

Pete Abraham ?@PeteAbe

Nick Swisher spoke on the record about some of the things he has been hearing from fans in RF. Raunchy, personal stuff.

GTFO Swish.
- Moo Shu Pork (Currently Eddard)
  
  Yeah, he shouldn’t be brought back. Let Boston give him the Jayson Werth money he thinks he deserves. We’ll take a younger, cheaper option who can actually hit in the postseason.
- Knoxvillain
  
  Did he say what it was? It was deserved either way, no matter what.
  
  >Sucks in the playoffs
  >Can’t field a fucking baseball
  >Broke Jeter’s ankle
  
  He will always be remembered in New York.
- Adam
  
  Sorry, but I think Swish probably has a thick skin. If these boards are a sampling, I would not be surprised if he has heard really inappropriate stuff. Great job by the fans, for someone who has played his heart out as a Yank. Sad.
  - Knoxvillain
    
    Playing your heart out doesn’t cut it, dude. He sucks when he’s needed most.
    
    That loser couldn’t get out of New York sooner.
    - Adam
      
      Thanks for just proving my point. I hate spoiled Yankee fans.
      - True blue
        
        Results are results. He has been an abysmal playoff performer, regardless of what metric you want to use. Smiling and slapping asses is nice, but he has been dreadful and 4 years worth of results are more than enough for me to want him move on. The truth hurts.
        
        Adam
        
        That is fine, and there is a reasonable type of booing that is fine (though honestly, I think history proves that it does nothing but make a player tighter). But personal stuff…that is just sad anad pathetic. A good way to keep players away.
        
        dave
        
        thanks adam! finally someone with some sense..its not like swish walks out grounders like cano..swish has been nothing but a consummate yankee albeit with poor postseason numbers…and no fan let alone fans of the greatest team ever should get personal with them, anyone remember why we didnt get cliff lee??
  - Mick taylor
    
    You’re fucking crazy any little injury he was out of the lineup. He played for the 44 million dollars the yanks gave him he cost us game 1 with his fielding and contributed greatly to the 2nd loss to the tigers. Heis statistically the worst hitter in playoff history.
    - Adam
      
      By the way, is a great strategy to draw future free agents here, for the fans to act like a bunch of aholes. Brilliant.
      - DC
        
        +1
      - True blue
        
        This is the only place that ever happens… Riiiiiiiigt..
        
        Money talks dude.
        
        Andrew 518
        
        That’s the breaks…that’s what makes New York New York. The fans will be really really hard on you if you fail and it will suck. If you achieve the fans will be better to you and you will get more fame and glory out of it than anywhere else.
        
        I’d rather have a highly critical fan base than an overly polite one like STL.
        
        Luis Gonzalaz is much less of a big deal in Pheonix than Aaron Boone is in NY. Swisher loves the attention that comes with playing RF in Yankee stadium and makes a show out of it, this of course is the downside.
        
        Any player who shies away because of the fans is a player that isn’t right for here. Yankee fans booed Maris they haven’t had much trouble landing FA’s as a result.
        
        Playing on the big stage comes with risks, most people are willing to be verbally abused for large sums of money.
        
        Hugh
        
        So to summarise:
        
        Come and play for my club. I’m a stupid a’hole with pathetically low standards of behaviour. If you play badly, I will try to make you feel worse about it even if you try your absolute hardest to succeed for my club. I am so stupid that I think this is a good idea and a good way to make things better. I am rich so will pay you lots of money. Politeness is a bad thing for losers like St Louis who never win the World Series.
      - JohnnyC
        
        I guess no one ever wanted to play in Boston or Philadelphia.
JonS

I hope the Steinbrenners took notice of the stadium being 40% empty. That’s the only statement fans can make to show discontent and boy are they showing it.
- stuart a
  
  40 % that is a little high. maybe 10%, 40 is a joke…
  
  i pick up grandersons option since it is for 1 year.. that is the end of his tenure with the yansk unless they trade him before next season…
  - JonS
    
    Got that number from Wallace Matthews.
    
    “Once again, the Yankees played before a much-less-than full house for Game 2 of the ALDS. Yankee Stadium was no more than 60 percent full at first pitch despite beautiful, summerlike weather and the possibility that this would be the last home game of 2012. “
    
    http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/yankees/
    - stuart a
      
      first pitch is not in the 3rd….
      
      your point being?
      
      steinnrenners print money…
- Athenian
  
  Steinbrenners are like all businesses or corporations, they don’t give a fuck what the customer/fan wants. They are making money from TV rights, stadium money, so 40% empty, means nothing to them. People showing up are still going to pay $20 for a beer, $15 for a frozen burger, and spend hundreds on worthless tshirts, game jerseys, programs, and whatever else.
  - JonS
    
    True, but the stadium attendance will be reflective of other things as well, TV numbers ill be down, people will buy less merchandise, etc.
- Chris
  
  As long as you, me and others watch YES all regular season long and tune into TBS to watch their offensive futility, I doubt the message will be received as clearly as you would hope.
http://www.inqu.me Inga

Find out if others think that we can win the world series: https://www.inqu.me/vote#!qid=what_do_you_think__will_the_ny_yankees_win_the_world_series

I voted YES :-)
mitch

at least robertson and soriano will be well rested for game 3
- Athenian
  
  um they won’t need to pitch in game 3. Relievers are used when a team is losing by more than 3 runs. Yanks have a better chance of being no hit by Verlander than robertson/soriano pitching.
Mick taylor

Gardner needs to replaceswisher Chris Stewart for Martin for I game
- FIPster Doofus
  
  Stewart vs. Verlander is like a tadpole against a great white shark.
- Joe F
  
  STEWART?! lol no. Martin actually has been doing decent in comparison to everyone else.
  - Andrew 518
    
    Of any of the players swinging a dead stick at least give Martin credit that he has caught 5 days in a row with three of them being extra innings.
    
    Baseball is a complete package and that should really count for something.
    
    Sometimes I think that having Jorge for all of those years made Yankee fans forget that most catchers suck at hitting.
Joe F

Hey all. My weekend blew after Friday night.
mustang

Just wondering since I seen enough negative comments to fill up a boat does anyone give the Yankees a chance to pull this off?

Just for record I do.
- FIPster Doofus
  
  They’ll have to channel the ’04 Red Sox after Tuesday.
  - mustang
    
    How about the 1996 Yankees after today :)
    - FIPster Doofus
      
      I like that better.
- JonS
  
  I have a bridge to sale you. It cross the east river. Very historic.
- Get Phelps Up (wins needed: 8)
  
  I actually think they have a pretty good shot if they can win game 3. They’ll have CC, Pettitte, Kuroda, and CC for the next 4, and common sense tells me the offense just HAS to get better.
  - botz
    
    Do you really give this team, with the way they’ve been hitting, any shot against Verlander in game 3? I just can’t see it.
    - Get Phelps Up (wins needed: 8)
      
      Sure. It looks unlikely but anything can happen. Maybe a day off is exactly what they need.
  - jesse
    
    I agree with this. Unfortunately, I see them losing Game 3 and checking out if they haven’t already.
- Tom Q
  
  I think the negative juju of unlucky bounces/bad calls in the field/cruel Jeter injury (along with, yes, much vapid Yankee hitting) has demoralized the sane people here, and enabled the bridge-jumpers to seize active control of the site (scrolling down this thread, I saw multiple posts from the constant/repetitive gripers, and almost nothing from the normal posters — the ones who don’t disappear when things are going well).
  
  It doesn’t remotely FEEL like the Yanks have much chance, but, you know, it didn’t feel that way when they went down 0-2 in the ’96 World Series, or to Oakland in the ’01 ALDS. All it takes it a decent break to change the mood. I’m not expecting it, but I’m certainly not ruling it out from a team that survived near-death more than once this season.
  - mustang
    
    Ladies and Gentlemen a voice of reason in the Desert of Despair.
    
    Well, done !!!!!!
  - Deep Thoughts
    
    Voice of Reason™ Part Deux
  - John
    
    true but we didnt have bums like swisher, cano, granderson and rodriguez …. we had bernie, paul oneill, tino, jeter , posada all gamers… now we dont have those type of players. people forget game 5 when luis polonia hit the ball to right and oneill with a bad hammy and all caught up to the ball to make the final play … swisher wouldnt make a play like that in his lifetime!
    - mustang
      
      “had bernie, paul oneill, tino, jeter , posada all gamers”
      
      Believe me after game 2 in 1996 no one saw these guys as “gamers”
- Andruw’s Smile
  
  I actually do as well. Just gotta scratch out some runs off Verlander (so simple, I know!), and be liberal with the pen. Soriano and Robertson should be able to get you 9+outs (12 in reality). WIth CC in game 4, you can burn the pen out.
- toad
  
  I do too.
  
  A win in game three puts them in a reasonable position. They get CC in game 4, and maybe get the monkey off their back.
  
  Say they beat Verlander and then win behind CC, bringing it to 2-2. In those circumstances I’d say they are the favorites.
  
  Do I think all that’s likely? No. But it’s not impossible either. Dams break, sometimes.
Big “Nostradanus” Member

i see that everyone in jumping from the bridge becasue our offense is not very good but they don’t understand one thing about playoffs. in playoffs, picthin is the most important part. yankees simply don’t have the pitchers to win games. kuroda and hughes have no wins COMBINED this post season. thats wright folks, zero. how do you expect yankees to win if their pitchers cant?

also many of you are probably very wondering what big member would do about the line up. my ideal line up would look like…

Ichiro
Ibanez
Granderson
Ichiro
Ibanez
Granderson
Ichiro
Ibanez
Granderson

How will we accomplish this? Easy. All we need are their look alikes. we already have kuroda for ichiro, soriano for granderson and pena+ nunez for Ibanez. but we’ll need to reach into the FA market for the rest. we just need to sign dice k, mike cameron. joe will give this line up to the ump:

Ichiro
Ibanez
Granderson
Dice K
Nunez
Cameron
Kuroda
Pena
Soriano

In reality, instead of the 4-9 hitters, Ichiro, Ibanez and Granderson will hit. Umps have gotten so stupid they wont really notice the difference.

we are taking game 3
- JonS
  
  Are you fucking serious? The rotation has been awesome. If an offense can’t score 4 runs, they fucking suck.
- OldYanksFan
  
  Big member…. little brain.
- Giancarlo Stanton 2017
  
  your abrupt racism amuses me
- DT
  
  Right pitchers not winning has nothing to do with the offense not scoring.
- Jarrod
  
  Epic Fail Post. I feel dumber for having read it.
Alfredo

they need to take the day off to themselves and get away from the baseball scene… Then comeback Tuesday and find a way to beat Verlander on Tuesday!
- mustang
  
  Agree.
Karl Krawfid

https://twitter.com/MarcCarig

Read the swisher stuff here
- Deep Thoughts
  
  Article up here:
  
  http://www.newsday.com/sports/.....-1.4114096
Mick taylor

That is why I want Stewart because all Martin does is swing for the fences and that uppercut swing of his won’t work against. Verlander wherasstewart might get some bloopers hits.
- Get Phelps Up (wins needed: 8)
  
  Stewart MIGHT manage to foul off a couple of pitches against Verlander.
- Need Pitching & Hitting
  
  Martin 357/438/571 against Verlander.
  He’s going to play (as he should).
- OldYanksFan
  
  Of available Yankees with 10 PA or more, Martin has the 4th highest OPS.
- Deep Thoughts
  
  Why does anyone even engage this repetitious troll? It is wasted breath – his comments are one-way communication.
  - mick taylor
    
    yeah i am a wasted troll and you are swisher’s b.or his agent do you take it up. i was right about everything before this series . first that swisher would cost us game 1. that the umps would screw us like swish is your man. and if we had signed beltran last winter when i wanted you dick head we win this series
BigBlueAL

Ive been reading all the Swisher quotes and Bald Vinny’s tweets about how Swish basically totally ignored the fans in RF the entire game today. Safe to say he aint returning next season.
- WhittakerWalt
  
  Bald Vinny is an entitled ass. You know how people complain when umpires act like they’re part of the show? BV is just as bad as any ump. To hear him talk, you’d think he and the Bleacher Creatures invented clapping.
Michael Mirabella

Going into Detroit down 0-2 is certainly not ideal, however I think if we win game 3, we win the series. This would have ment we scored at least ONE run and then we have Sabathia, Pettitte, and Kuroda coming up.
herby

I’d like to see a fan boycott for a at the start of the season at the gates of all major league parks to protest the need for instant replay. Each stadium has a day where the fans don’t show to send a message to MLB that Instant replay is needed.
- OldYanksFan
  
  Start an internet petition. Give the link to EVERY baseball blog you can find on the net. It could be very cool.
  http://www.ipetitions.com/star.....ampaign=10
  - herby
    
    Thanks for the info…it’d be an interesting way to send a message…love to be able to do it for opening day around the league
Chris

Much like everyone else I have my own ideas of what an ideal lineup against Verlander should look like:

RF Ichiro
C Martin
2B Cano
1B Tex
LF Ibanez
3B Chavez
DH Nunez
SS Nix
CF Gardner
- OldYanksFan
  
  I’d switch Martin and Nunez. His Speed at the top of the order is nice.
- jesse
  
  Flip Ibanez and Cano.
- DT
  
  Chavez still has done nothing. At least Arod hit a few line drives today.
Mick taylor

Swisher cost us game1 if idiot cashman had replaced him last winter with Carlos Beltran we win this series . Beltran is the greatest hitter in postseason history but cashman was too dumb last winter to realize we could really usehim inthe playoffsinstead he kept the choke king
- Laz
  
  Alot of playoff hitting is a crapshoot. You put the best team out there that you can and that is that. Sometimes players get hot, sometimes players go cold.
  
  Take these two players in postseason batting.
  .265/.373/.470
  .308/.374/.465
  
  First one is Arod and 2nd one is Jeter.
https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

I’m watching Packers-Texans, mostly because the Yankees have completely bummed me out about baseball right now.

If the Tigers win this series, I hope St. Louis comes out of the NL. What isn’t enticing about a World Series between two 88-74 teams?
Laz

Some of you really need to stop panicking.
This team
-Led AL in wins
-Made it to the ALCS

For 80% of teams this would be a very successful season, and the fans would be thrilled; while tons of you want them to tear the team apart because they lost 2 games.

We should be happy we get to watch a contender every single year, you don’t win WS every year, nor should you expect to. There are 30 teams, even if you can win one every 5-10 years you are winning way more than everyone else.
- Andruw’s Smile
  
  Also, the season isnt over. Is it really possible for Cano to keep sucking like this? Maybe getting out of NY is exactly what he needs. Who the hell knows at this point.
- OldYanksFan
  
  STOP THE SANITY!
  Just stop.
  We don’t like reasonable, thoughful people here.
  (Isn’t there SOMEONE you would like to eviscerate?)
  - Laz
    
    Oh, I am really annoyed that the same players keep coming up and striking out or grounding out, but it all depends who they would replace with in the offseason. I’m sick of them doing it, but it would annoy me alot more if we had to watch a mediocre player everyday for the whole season.
Andruw’s Smile

Seems inevitable that this teams gonna have a different look next season (unless they pull off the comeback, of course).

Swish seems to be on his way out, Grandy seems to be playing his way out of even his option year, and ARod is almost definitely not going to be hitting 3rd/4th next season all the time. I really will miss Swish if this is it for him. He really gave the team something they didn’t have before.
- Laz
  
  It is unwise to have the players performance over 1-2 weeks change your perception of them. They will bring back who they feel they need to, This team led the AL in wins and they are not going to tear it apart because it didn’t win the world series. Sure they might want to make a few moves, but fact of the matter is that even if they do get eliminated by the tigers they still made it farther than they did in the 2011 postseason. I expect the team to be roughly the same next year, although we may see granderson in left, or we might see a new RFer, or a new DH.
Hoss

I just got back from the game. Second time I’ve been to new YS and it will likely be my last. Not because of the way the Yankees played (although that was pathetic) but the unruly, drunken fans around me who were giving a couple of Tiger fans a hard time was inexcusable. On top of that, there was no usher presence whatsoever (plenty of vendors, photographers, etc. however), and the beer vendor kept serving them even though it was clear that they were intoxicated. One of the ‘fans’ had passed out by the 8th inning.
These were good seats, too, field level. I understand now why families don’t feel that a professional baseball is always a good experience. I now wish that I had stayed home and watched on TV, but I thought that if I saw another Samsung, Captain Morgan, Chevrolet, State Farm, Miller or avocado commercial I would have thrown the remote through the TV. Or was that if I saw Grandy, Swish, A-Rod, etc. K again on a pitch outside the strike zone? Either way the TV was history.
- Chris
  
  Wow…
- Laz
  
  You don’t like avocados from Mexico?
- Kevin G.
  
  What section was that? I want to sit there
- Andrew 518
  
  Sorry you had a bad time (I don’t see you could have had a good time even if they were handing out lolly pops) but were you ever at the old stadium?
  
  I mean at the old stadium pre-selling out days?
  
  It was a lot worse I once saw a brawl in the upper deck in which someone got chucked luck three four rows. Great stuff. It’s always interesting to see different perspectives, because I’d take those days over the sanitized morgue that is today’s stdium.
OldYanksFan

Over the 4 years as a Yankee, Swisher has posted a 124 OPS+ and been worth about 10 WAR, or $45m. We have paid him $31,600,000. So, who are the other OFers who have hit Free Agency who have been a better deal?

He will onviously not get a ‘Werth Deal’, but then again, look at what some moron gave Carl Crawford.

However you slice it, over the last 4 years, Swisher has been about the best bang-for-the-Buck Yankee (not including guys who haven’t hit FA yet).
- AnthonyD
  
  Shhhh. You aren’t allowed to be rationale – certainly not allowed to use evidence to support your claim.
  
  Don’t you know as a fan it’s your obligation to be a blowhard that boos your own players and feels entitled to pelt your own with personal insults and degrading comments?
  - OldYanksFan
    
    Um…. you’re right.
    Swisher made Jeter get injured.
    SWISHER BROKE DEREK JETER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Laz
  
  You got it. If they can get him on a reasonable deal I would like to have him back, just because I would prefer they stop trading the austin Jacksons of the farm system for over the hill hitters.
  
  Over the past 8 years they really haven’t been able to produce any new postition players other than cano and gardner. I’d like to see if they can keep the outfielder prospects so that next season they have someone ready so we can say goodbye to granderson when he wants $18M a year.
joey12508

time for homeland and boardwalk empire.
Pat D (The “D” is for Depression…Manic Depression)

Glad to see this board is all second-guessing and gloom-bagging.

If I bother to watch the game on Tuesday, since it’s hazardous to my health at this point, I’m pretty sure I won’t be hanging out around here.
Cy Pettitte

should of traded Swish and signed Beltran who murders all pitchers in the postseason.
- JobaWockeeZ
  
  I actually was an advocate when everyone was confused at the Yankees’ interest in Beltran.
  
  I mean staying with Swish is fine but Beltran freaking asked to play for this team. With a discount. Twice.
- hogsmog
  
  OH.
dkidd

watching the cardinals hit is just glorious
Joe F

I say we beat Verlander and then we have CC in game 4 making it 2-2.

Odd, but it can happen. Making it a best of of 3.
- https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries
  
  From your lips to the Yankees ears.
  
  The only shred of hope I hold onto right now is that a change in venue can resuscitate the bats now. Sometimes, when a homestand starts off bad, it just never gets better. The monotony of the ballpark, fans, uniforms, batting 2nd (not 1st), etc. and it can snowball.
  
  Time to take the “Fuck You All” approach to Detroit and do some serious damage.
  - Joe F
    
    This would be nice. I can’t understand why the bats go cold when our pitching decides to pitch as well as it ever has this year.
  - toad
    
    +1
- Tom
  
  I think they actually might get to Verlander.
  
  I think he’s the type of pitcher that the Yankees will not go up to the plate trying to drive a ball 500 feet; combine that with not playing in Yankee stadium and I have this irrational (?) belief that they may step into the box with a much more disciplined approach – take an outside pitch the other way, focus on putting the ball in play with men on base, etc.
  
  Sometimes I get the feeling (more so in the Baltimore series) that some of the hitters step into the box thinking this guy can’t throw anything by me, we are going to smoke this guy and get into launch mode.
  
  Of course if Verlander is truly on, the Yankees approach won’t matter.
- DT
  
  We beat Verlander twice this year…Arod homered in both games.
I Collect Brett Gardner Cards

sorry if it’s been posted, but heres some of the Swisher quotes.
sounds like he wouldn’t mind leaving.
don’t let the bullpen door hit you on the way out, bro.

http://bombersbeat.mlblogs.com.....creatures/
- El Tigre
  
  Sorry I didn’t see this post. Feel free to delete mine from below admins.
- Cy Pettitte
  
  yea let’s all feel bad for the guy who’s making millions of dollars a year to play a game. I agree it’s unfair to blame Swish for Jeter getting injured but I don’t have much of a problem with fans booing at this point, this isn’t a one time thing with Swish in the postseason. Fans, who for the most part aren’t millionaires, pay out the ass to come see a game and you score 0 runs in 20 out of 21 innings when not even facing the Tigers best starting pitchers, after a miserable offensive series against the Orioles extremely average pitchers. They’re not even making adjustments or having good at bats for the most part, if they’re just gonna pretend the’yre going about this the right way and don’t need to make any changes and everything will magically get better then go ahead and boo them.
- Laz
  
  IMO, nothing he said was really that bad.
  
  Also, I really don’t think you should ever boo your own players. Sometimes you let out a groan, but everytime that they go up there I am rooting for them to win.
  - Andrew 518
    
    I think it’s possible to boo a performance but not an individual.
    
    I’m pretty sure everyone is rooting for them to win, you have to admit that they are really putting up a boo worthy performance. I mean this is beyond remarkable.
    
    I would consider Cano my favorite player (I respect Jeter and Mo the most but in the enjoyment I get out of watching I really like Cano) right now I’d boo him. That doesn’t mean I hate they guy. That doesn’t mean I don’t want him to play for the Yankees for a long time and be successful, that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like to play catch with the guy, but his performance, and approach is dreadful right now and I wouldn’t at all feel in the wrong to let him know that’s how I feel any more so than I would to cheer him for a good performance.
    
    At a hockey game (if there was an NHL this year) you can boo a bad power play and no one’s feelings get hurt, I’ll never understand why someone would feel that being a fan of a team entails being polite all of the time.
    
    We’re watching a bunch of guys get paid more in a year than I’ll make in my lifetime throw a ball of string and leather and hit it with a piece of wood. The whole afair is irrational, I reserve the right to be irrational in response to it.
- DT
  
  If Swisher got half the shit Arod has gotten, he’ll probably run home crying. I hate booing and the shit fans give players, but seriously Man up. Arod takes this shit every season.
endlessjose

Watching the NLCS and yeah we should have gotten Carlos Beltran.Twice we should have gotten a legitimate postseason hitter.
- Yankeefan
  
  agreed i always wanted beltran and he always wanted to come according to rumors but the yankees always backed out.
- Yankee
  
  How many homers will Hughes give up?
  - JohnnyC
    
    Verlander’s given up more home runs to the Yankees (4) than Hughes has given up to the Tigers (2) this season. But go on with your bad self.
El Tigre

Swisher’s comments about the fans from that Karl Krawfid referenced above. I hope he’s not trying to be critical of Yankee fans with the way he’s playing right now.

http://bombersbeat.mlblogs.com.....creatures/
pistol pete

Football Giants are the direct opposite of the Yankees. They play better in bigger games with more pressure. They have a ton of injuries but play through them. The Yankees have a ton of regular season talent that just hasn’t produced in the playoffs. You can’t get rid of all of them or you won’t get to the playoffs but that said Swisher’s gone. No multi yr deal at a significant salary for a guy who I love but can’ t play in the playoffs. He’s repalceable, even Ichiro would be acceptable if cheap enough maybe a year with an option at about $7 or $8m. He’ll hit 15 HR’, field and run better than Swisher and play better in the playoffs and is cheaper. Granderson’s option must be picked up, he’s worth more than $13m for 1 yr and the yanks could still trade him if they wanted he has more value than his contract. I’d move Gardner, we’re too left handed and he has no power and as fast as he is he’s a lousy base stealer. I’d sign Cano now to a multi year deal, he’s devalued himself and might be cheaper than at the end of next year. Out biggest problem is going to be ARod and Jeter. No way after this injury Jeter can play ss. Move him to 3rd and DH Arod. Need a right handed left fielder maybe a Scott Hairston or someone. Ichiro Jeter Cano Tex Arod Grandy Hairston Martin and whoever we get for ss. Any ideas for ss next year.
- Yankee
  
  Hughes is the home run giver upper!
  - JohnnyC
    
    You probably just threw up in your mouth.
- Andrew 518
  
  You’re absolutely right in that the Yankees need to play bigger. They aren’t making the big plays that win well pitched games. (Jackson catches Chazez’s drive, Swisher loses the ball in the lights), but really?
  
  You’d replace Swisher with Ichiro because he’s fast and a better fielder, but then dump Gardner because all he has is speed and defense? He can’t bunt but he can steal bases.
  
  Jeter will be playing short stop next year.
  
  Really, Jeter will certainly be starting short stop next year.
  
  Anyone who thinks Cano is playing himself out of money is fooling themselves. The other 29 teams couldn’t give a rats ass and Cano/Boras know that very well.
- John
  
  nunez at short ..but really you think hairston is the answer … doubtful .. also on gardner not being a good base stealer? where were you last year when he had 49 .. if he wouldnt have been hurt this year he prob would have gotten just as many .. also he was off to a fast start .. this could have been his breakout year .. who know anymore.
RkyMtnYank

So, haven’t been on today but was just watching the Cards and Giants tonight and just wanted to remind everyone how bad Fox, Buck/McCarver are. Many have been complaining about the TBS crew, myself very included, but, I have been reminded how bad it can really be. Not that we will have to watch/listen to these guys for the Yanks but it’s nice to know that they just suck no matter who is playing!
- WhittakerWalt
  
  Buck and McCarver would actually be an upgrade over the TBS crew. As much as they suck, TBS is worse.
  - RkyMtnYank
    
    I dunno man, I just saw McCarver call multiple pitches wrong despite replaying it several times. Even though TBS are opponent loving Yankee haters at least they can call the play correctly despite irrefutable replay evidence. Even Darling acknowledged the blown second base call for the Yanks.
    - Andrew 518
      
      A). I really hate Fox/Buck/McCarver
      B). At least Fox will get you back from a commercial before you miss half an at bat. WTF!!!
      
      3). Darling said that “Cano is very selective with the pitches he swings at” last night. He really said that and what’s worse, he got paid to say it.
Nice Scheister

Line-Up for Tues…

Ichiro RF
Chavez 3B
Teixieria 1B
Ibanez DH
Cano 2B
A-Rod SS
Granderson CF
Martin C
Gardner LF
- Jarrod
  
  I would have:
  
  Ichiro – RF
  Cano – 2B
  Teixeira – 1B
  Rauuulll – DH
  Chavez – 3B
  Martin – C
  Granderson – CF
  Nix – SS
  Gardner – LF
  
  Grandy, Ichiro & Gardner is a super defensive OF with fly ball Phil on the mound. Can’t have A-Rod out there against the toughest RHer in the game.
28 in 2012

Robbie has the record for the worst performance as a hitter in the playoffs. Delmon Young runs so slow, our cool cucumber Cano could not turn a routine dp. That just sucked so bad..
I am glad its just another day at the office with a chance to get back out there tomorrow and hammer Verlender.
Is there anyone who thinks this can be turned around?
Has there ever been better pitching in the playoffs to be wasted by a the worst offense.
If you take out the runs Ibanez and Ichero produced, what are we left with? A Granderson hr?
I cant see how Gerardi is blamed for any of this.
All these bums talk about playing for a team that plays in the post season. Then they get a chance and do nada.
I envy these young hungry teams…
Remember when AJax was striking out a ton? Coke came in and slammed the door in Grandyman’s face… Whats up with that guy, what a joke, 41 hr!!!!
Do these fools know its the playoffs?
Ok sorry im done.
- toad
  
  I think it can be done. As I and others said above, beat Verlander Tuesday and you get a big boost, andf frankly, I think going on the road will probably help at this point. Sure it’s going to be tough and require some luck, but Verlander is not invincible. And that win might be what the Yankees need to wake up the bats.
  
  I’m not betting my retirement fund on it, but teams have come back from 0-2 before. Let’s at least try.
Karl Krawfid

Baldvinny Twitter rant inc.
Karl Krawfid

nm his rant sucked
paul a

What scares me is that next years version of this team could become the Red Sox of this year, only the Sox were fortunate enough to find a dumb team like the Dodgers to take the huge contracts off their hands. Who is left thats dumb enough to take A Rod off our hands.
The only pleasure i am getting out of this is imagining Scott Boras cringe with fear everytime Cano and Swisher make an out.
adam

I sat in 104 (RF field level, fair side of the pole) on Saturday night and, to be honest, there were only two or three fans in the field level RF seats that were really harshing on swisher. Every at-bat with people on, EVERY HITTER (including a-rod) was getting a standing cheer. The boos came after the failure, not before. One fan that tried to get negative AND loud in 103 got his ass shot down by a girl before being talked to by stadium security. The fans that were there actually cared.

The saddest thing about saturday night, other than the absolutely DEAD yankee clipper train home (I have never been on a quieter mode of MTA transport) was the sheer emptiness of the stadium. We sat in row 19, which was about half full. In the rest of the rows in section 104 behind us, there were maybe ten people. First off, those seats shouldn’t be $170, even for the ALCS. Second off, I shouldn’t be able to buy them on the secondary market for under a third of their face value. The seats in front of us were probably half full. They posted another attendance figure in the mid 40s, but I’d guess the actual number was probably around 30k.

Someone is not doing their job at some point in this supply chain. There are people that would see these games if they knew how cheap the seats actually were. Yet we still have the yankees pushing their own tickets for the legends suites on Stubhub until game time and 4000 aftermarket tickets going unsold every game. GREAT WORK YANKESS MANAGEMENT.

The fans that were there actually gave a crap, as did some of the players on the field. It’s a shame we can’t get more of both at the park.
- Andrew 518
  
  Back in the day you used to be able to go to yankees.com and get tickets. Just hit “best available” and see what comes up.
  
  Now when you choose that option it should come equiped with a fog horn or laugh track sound effect. Well, yeah but I meant best available for less than $750 each. It’s just become easier to buy from the secondary market from a customer service standpoint, they’ve just created too many sub sections, give me Upper Deck, Loge, Field, and bleechers and take those suites and clubs and dinner and a movie with a wine tasting sections and shove them up your ass…thanks
adam

In other news, I can’t even spell the damn team’s name right, so take my comments with a grain of salt.
El Tigre

Not only is our team a joke but our stadium and fans are too.

USA Today: “This is a very easy place to play right now,” said Detroit Tigers outfielder Quentin Berry after the visitors took the first two games in the American League Championship Series from the Yankees.

“Coming from Oakland and how rowdy they were and how loud … that was the loudest place I’ve ever been in my entire life,” Berry added, saying many other Tigers players felt the same way.
- bobtaco
  
  Maybe the Yankees can start tarping off entire sections of the Stadium…
DZ

So has there ever been a greater chance of a no-no being thrown than verlander on tuesday. This team is pathetic, I really think their season is over. It’s a shame, I was hoping they would rally after losing jeter, but apparently they’re just gonna bend over and take it like a bitch.
- dan gen
  
  they are taking up the you know what dry……………..and enjoying it.
adam

El tigre: It’s hard to get excited when you have pretty much no one sitting next to you. I’m amazed that no one is snapping up the $15 terrace seats on stubhub that are available before EVERY GAME SO FAR THIS POSTSEASON..
- dan gen
  
  why to see them lie down like dogs……..
Effthisnoise

Why is everyone so against putting Gardner in for Swisher. Way better defense and are we worried he wont be as productive at the plate as Swisher???
- Jarrod
  
  Agree! Has good numbers vs Verlander too – .455/.571/.545 in 16 PA. Swisher on the other hand – .180/.265/.393 in 68 PA’s. I say do it!
- Jarrod
  
  + we will need good defence in the OF with fly ball Phil on the mound. No brainer really.
- toad
  
  Another point: If you have to scramble for runs Gardner’s speed could be a big plus.
Jarrod

We can absolutely do this.

Verlander has a 5.11 ERA in 14.1 postseason innings vs the Yankees – not exactly scary. Yes, he is pitching well but that means nothing come first pitch on Tuesday.

Then, as someone has already said, we go with CC, Pettitte, Kuroda, CC who have all been outstanding.

If we win tomorrow, especially with some hitting, look out.
- Robinson Tilapia
  
  That’s the spirit.
Robinson Tilapia

I think I need to go do some math or something to reignite my brain after reading about 90% of this.

Crap game. Didn’t watch a bit of it. Listened to John and Suzyn here and there.

This would be a great time for the guys to try making those adjustments Girardi alluded to, don’t you think? If not now, then when? Lots of baseball to be played, anything can happen, yadda yadda yadda. I swear this is the worst small stretch of Yankee offense I can remember since they’ve fielding contending teams for the past 15 years.

You can’t count on late inning heroics every night.

Proud of overcoming adversity and being in the ALCS. It’d still be a shame to go out with a whimper. Time to really start going into these games with a very different offensive mindset.

Everyone wants to get rid of this guy and that guy, but no one has any other solution. When all else fails, suggest you fire the manager. Welcome to the RAB comment section in 2012.
- Deep Thoughts
  
  I would humbly suggest rebranding it “Sons of Sam Pearce.”
  
  One thing the old NoMaas forums did very well was create a dedicated “F*** THIS TEAM” thread for funneling all of the venting and ranting into one place, thus leaving actual baseball discussion and media critiques in their rightful places unimpeded.
Rivera Venue Blues

Let’s go out get Justin Upton or Choo this offseason depending on how available they are. I’ve defended Swisher and Granderson for a while but they’ve worn out their welcome at this point and it’s best for both parties if they move on. Bring back Martin and hopefully Kuroda. Dunno what the best thing to do at LF though, we could possibly try to bring back Ichiro and/or Raul and find a right-handed bat that can mash and try to cobble together a solid platoon there.

C Martin
1b Teixeira
2b Cano
3b Rodriguez
SS Jeter
LF Ichiro+righty platoon?
CF Gardner
RF Upton/Choo

DH Ibanez

Right now we have too many guys that swing exactly the same on 1-2 with a man on third as they do 3-1 no one on base. It’d be fine if our lineup had a few of those guys but right now it’s more like two thirds so we’re gonna have to get rid of some of them.
- Barrel Roll
  
  Hahaha! More guys who can’t put the fucking ball in play! Can’t wait to bitch and moan when those 2 assholes strand their 1st runner on 3rd with less than 2 out.
  
  This team needs guys who can put the ball in play, like a Marco Scutaro. The Yanks of the late ’90s weren’t littered with all or nothing guys. Guys like Paulie O, Tino and Bernie hit the sac flies, actually drove in a 100 runs -‘and I don’t want to here it from the cyber geeks that RBIs is a useless stat. Look at Swisher – he has hit behind Arod, Cano, Jeter, Tex, Damon and Matsui during his time here – all players who get on base a lot, and yet he has NEVER driven in more than a 100 runs. He has had just as many opportunities as the other guys.
  
  So please, let’s find or begin to develop some fundamentally sound players who know how to put a bat on a ball, move a runner over, and for crissakes – can drive in a run with less than 2 out!
- toad
  
  Steinbrenner moves. Lose and go out and sign someone for ridiculous money to be a savior.
The Guns of Navarone

I don’t care that the Yankees are losing.

I don’t care they’re down 2-0 only to face Verlander in Game 3.

I don’t care about an umpires missed call.

What I’m upset about – REALLY UPSET – is the culture and attitude surrounding this team and it’s fan base. I am being completely honest when I say that I am EMBARRASSED to be a Yankees fan today. There is a culture of negativity that is surrounding this team right now. The players expect to fail. The fans expect the players to fail. And you can see it plain as day.

I’m embarrassed by this performance today. I’m embarrassed by their absolutely dreadful approach at the plate. I’m embarrassed by their lack of hustle. I’m embarrassed by their play in the field. And, most off all, I’m embarrassed by the empty seats that litter the morgue that is known as Yankee Stadium. I’m embarrassed by the boos, and the dreaded sense that everyone seems to have expecting these Yankee players to fail. I’ve honestly never seen anything like it.
I’m embarrassed by quotes like this from the AP Recap:

There were many empty seats near the foul poles, and a subdued crowd spent much of the day venting its frustration, booing the punchless Yankees. The 47,082 in attendance reserved its biggest cheers early for Jeter, who broke his ankle in the last inning of the Game 1 loss.

“I don’t know what’s going on here, it seems like something is going on here,” Tigers reliever Octavio Dotel said. “I mean, I don’t want to wake them, I don’t want them to get loud. I don’t know what’s going on but I like it.”

From USA Today:

“This is a very easy place to play right now,” said Detroit Tigers outfielder Quentin Berry after the visitors took the first two games in the American League Championship Series from the Yankees.

“Coming from Oakland and how rowdy they were and how loud … that was the loudest place I’ve ever been in my entire life,” Berry added, saying many other Tigers players felt the same way.

I’m sorry… but that is FUCKING EMBARRASSING. I don’t want to sound over-dramatic, but I don’t feel like this is the franchise I grew up rooting for any longer and I’d like to know if anyone feels the same way.
- Andrew 518
  
  Which came first the chicken or the egg?
  
  Do they fail because I the fan expect them to fail (and honestly I really do right now) or to I expect them to fail (and I honestly do but it still manages to drive me crazy every time) because they are in fact failing at every opportunity?
  
  I want to be a positive fan but right now it just isn’t waranted.
  
  It’s been said a million times before but this stadium isn’t for the fans. The greatest asset of YSII was the atmosphere, the noise how the place could actually shake. We’ve taken the reverse aproach, place the people who care the least closest to the field (people who wear A-Rod t-shirst and will interfere with a play) and marganlized the dedicated fans to the furthest sections. It has increased revenue but sacrificed the home field advantage that you can’t buy.
  
  It’s here to stay, It will be the home of the team likely for the rest of my lifetime, we can only pray that there will be a correction, that management (it’s on them) will see the light and lower prices, take those double wide (probably 1.5) seats and replace them with two half priced ones, let the real fans get close again, make it loud again.
  
  Empty seats and a Times Square atmosphere is very very embarassing.
WhittakerWalt

LOL at all you guys going “this is what my starting lineup would be for Tuesday!”

Newsflash: NONE OF THEM ARE HITTING. Shuffle the deck any way you want to. Results are the same.
g

You know what guys think about it this way why we can’t come back like the 04 Sox did against us?
- Barrel Roll
  
  Because the Red Sox offense never looked feeble. Even when the Yanks tattooed them for 19 runs, the Sox scored 8.
Rev Max

Fellow “fans”

Try hanging with your team through thick and thin. Like they do. Someone said Kuroda probably hates his teammates. Clearly they’ve never played ball. Girardi is doing a great job keeping them together. You hear nothing but team comments and accountability. This is the streakiest team I’ve ever seen, NYY or not. Deep droughts open up into mega trains. Watch them break Verlander open.

Be positive people.