Archive for Asides
Phillies made an offer for Wang
Posted by: | CommentsVia some schmuck at MLBTR, the Phillies offered the Yanks an unknown prospect for Chien-Ming Wang, but apparently the prospect was not to their liking. After sticking with Wang through all his early season struggles, you can bet the Yanks weren’t going to just give him up for a prospect. If they’re going to move him, they’re going to want a significant piece in return.
Happy Birthday, Big Stein
Posted by: | CommentsGeorge Steinbrenner turns 79 today, and although he’s scaled back his involvement with the team, his impact still resonates throughout the organization. The New York Yankees wouldn’t be what they are or where they are today without him.
Happy Birthday, big guy. And thanks.
Tickets available for tomorrow afternoon’s game
Posted by: | CommentsWe have a pair of tickets available for tomorrow afternoon’s game against Toronto. The seats are in section 428, row 10, which is the upper deck on the third base side. The seller is asking for $44 total for the two tickets ($20 face value plus $4 ticket forwarding fee). If you’re interested, email me at mike (at) riveraveblues (dot) com, and I’ll put you in contact with the person trying to move the tickets.
Update (7:44pm): The tickets have been claimed.
Yanks keeing an eye on Qualls
Posted by: | CommentsVia MLBTR, the Yankees are keeping a close eye on Diamondbacks closer Chad Qualls. The bullpen has been tremendous of late, but if Brian Bruney continues to struggle and Phil Hughes has to rejoin the rotation for whatever reason, all of a sudden the team is in need of a late game reliever. Qualls has all the qualities you’d want in a relief pitcher - high strikeouts (8.2 K/9), low walks (1.1 BB/9), high groundballs (3.56 GB/FB) - but he’s struggled of late, pitching to a 5.32 ERA and a .810 OPS against since earlier May. He’ll be a free agent after 2010.
The D-Backs are in complete freefall, sporting the worst record in the game (non-Natinals division) and winning just 6 of their last 22 games. They should be in full blown sell-off mode in short order, making everyone not named Upton or Haren available.
2009 International Signees
Posted by: | CommentsAs expected, the Yanks officially signed Dominican catcher Gary Sanchez to a contract that includes a $3M signing bonus today. It’s the largest bonus the Yanks have aver given to an amateur hitter, draft included, eclipsing the $2.44M they gave Wily Mo Pena back in the day. Kiley McDaniel at Baseball Prospectus says the Yanks will spend $4.25M total this signing period, probably landing just three players. Ben Badler tweets that the Yanks signed Dominican righthander Christopher Cabrera for $400k, while Jorge Arangure says Dominican shortstop Damian Arredondo will get $850k out of the Bombers.
Three players isn’t a whole lot, but McDaniel says those will be the Yanks only signings today. Badler compared the international market to electronics, saying you could get the big new thing now for lots of money, or wait a little while and get the same thing for half the price. Hopefully this is the route the Yanks go. For reference, the Yanks signed nine players in 2007 and at least five players last year.
Chat this afternoon
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s Friday Thursday, so let’s get our chat on this afternoon since most people will be starting their July 4th weekend early tomorrow. Chat starts at 2, see you then.
Eastern League All-Stars announced
Posted by: | CommentsAll-Star teams for the Double-A Eastern League were announced today, and Zach McAllister, Josh Schmidt, Reegie Corona, Eduardo Nunez and Jorge Vazquez will represent Trenton with the Northern Division club. McAllister and Vazquez were voted in by the fans. Here’s the Southern Division squad. Double-A Trenton manager Tony Franklin and the rest of his coaching staff will run the team since they won the league title last year.
The game is being played at Trenton’s Waterfront Park on Wednesday, July 15th, so if you’re nearby or just want to check out some of the very best young players in the game, here’s a chance to do so without too much hastle.
July 2nd Signing Period Primer
Posted by: | CommentsESPN’s Jorge Arangure Jr. has a post up (behind the Insider wall, unfortunately) updating us on all of the recent international free agent stuff. He says the Yanks have been linked to more players than any other team, mostly because they invite pretty much everyone to work out at their Dominican academy. We know they’ve already come to an agreement with catcher Gary Sanchez for $2.5M, but they’re also interested in outfielders Leonardo Fuentes and Jose Alberto Pena, righthander Cristopher Cabrera and shortstop Daimian Arredondo. The Yanks have also been connected to Cuban defectors Jose Iglesias and Noel Arguelles, a second baseman and a lefty pitcher, respectively. And, of course, they’re in on megaprospect Miguel Sano.
Teams can sign amateurs at least 16 years of age starting tomorrow. Don’t miss my talk with Baseball America’s Ben Badler about what he thinks the Yanks could do. Here’s Ben’s list of the top 25 prospects available this year.
Quick hits: Joe Girardi, Teixeira’s All Star chances
Posted by: | CommentsBy Joe: No topic divides a fanbase quite like the debate over the franchise’s current manager. It takes some serious string of winning, a la Joe Torre in the late 90s, for a manager to get near universal approval. Joe Girardi has not come close to achieving that. Fans take issue with him for some reason or another; some legitimate, some a bit less than. Gary Armida, formerly of the excellent FullCountPitch.com and now writing for NY Baseball Digest, takes a look at the situation. He’s not a fan, so he’s a bit more detached. The conclusion is mostly positive, though Armida is not hesitant to point out the skipper’s flaws. His best line: “It’s time to let go of the Torre era and realize that there is a manager in place who has grown from mistakes and isn’t afraid to try new things.” As with most things Armida, I suggest a full read.
By Ben: With just 54 hours and 30 minutes left until All Star voting closes, Mark Teixeira and Kevin Youkilis are locked in a close battle. While last week Teixeira had the lead, this week, the Red Sox’s first baseman — who actually manned third for the past week — has a slim 40,000-vote lead. To get Teixeira to St. Louis, Yankee fans will have to vote their requisite 25 times a day between now and Thursday night. Voting is here. Vote also for Ian Kinsler too. He leads Dustin Pedroia by 7000 votes. Unseating an undeserved Josh Hamilton would be a-OK with me too.
RAB Lunch: Noon at Foley’s
Posted by: | CommentsJust a quick reminder for those just getting to work who didn’t catch the word last night: This morning at 11 a.m. the guys behind the Save the Yankee Gate 2 movement are going to appear on Mark Healey’s Baseball Digest Live, a weekly Internet radio show that broadcasts out of Foley’s in Manhattan. Click here for info on the show, and check out my post about the movement. A few RABers are going to meet for lunch at Foley’s at noon. We’ll check out the show and meet the Save the Gate 2 guys. Look for me at noon inside Foley’s by the front of the bar. Foley’s is at 18 W. 33rd St. between 5th and 6th Aves.
