The Yankees and Audi have announced that the German auto manufacturer will be the Official Luxury Vehicle of the New York Yankees. In what sounds like something of a corporate naming joke, the car company will sponsor the Audi Yankees Club, a member’s only restaurant on the H&R Block Suite Level in left field. The financial terms of the deal were not announced, but expect logos throughout the stadium and Audis in Babe Ruth Plaza on select dates. I wonder if any of the Audis come equipped with a panoramic vista roof.
Yanks to open gates at new Stadium earlier
For years, one of the things — besides Cotton Eyed Joe — that always annoyed me about Yankee Stadium was its opening time. The Yanks would open the stadium gates around two hours prior to game time or right as home BP was wrapping up.
With the new park, though, the Yanks are rectifying this oversight. Lost in the news about the food offerings at the new stadium was the following paragraph for the press release:
Yankee Stadium concessions will begin serving food when Stadium gates open, approximately three hours prior to the scheduled start times of games. Gates will open at 10:00 a.m. for games with a 1:05 p.m. scheduled start time, at 1:00 p.m. for 4:10 p.m. starts, at 4:00 p.m. for 7:05 p.m. starts, and at 5:00 p.m. for 8:05 p.m. starts.
Never before could fans enter the stadium that early. While the business man in me knows that the Yanks are kicking back their open hours to give fans more of an opportunity to spend money at the new ballpark, the baseball fan in me can’t wait to get up to the stadium one summer night for all three hours of batting practice.
For the last game at old Yankee Stadium, my dad and I went early to soak in the House that Ruth Built one final time. The doors opened six hours ahead of the game, and we sat there and watched all of BP. It was truly a special moment, and I’m glad to hear the Yanks will be opening the doors earlier from now on.
Almost a Yankee but never loved in the Bronx
Around these parts, we don’t harbor much love for Curt Schilling. When he announced his retirement via blog post yesterday, the jokes out of New York — from the Mystique and Aura references to a belief that now he’ll have time to really tell us what he thinks — were quick and obvious.
While Curt was and probably always will be, in the words of Ken Davidoff, a big jerk, he told it like it is. That’s something every New Yorker can appreciate. Schilling, on the other hand, is someone no one who roots for the Yanks wants to appreciate.
Ah, but what might have been. From 2004-2007, Schilling taunted the Yanks from up the road. Outside of October, Schilling didn’t really taunt them on the mound. Since arriving in Boston, Curt threw 101 innings over 15 games against the Yanks, and he went 6-6 with a 4.72 ERA. For a pitcher likely destined to Cooperstown and with a career 3.46 ERA, the Yanks fairly had his number over the last few years.
But, oh, the October torture. In 2001, Schilling helped drive a stake through the Yankee Dynasty while insulting the beloved Yankee mystique and aura. In 2004, he cemented his legacy by leading the Red Sox on a stunning and heartbreaking comeback while pitching on a bum ankle. Those are days Yankee fans long to forget.
What makes it worse though is the reality that those glory days for Boston could have been ours. So as Schilling gets set for a career as an outspoken baseball/political pundit, it’s time to rev up that ever-popular Wayback Machine.
The destination is November 7, 2003, and the Yankees are one week removed from a World Series loss at the hands of the Marlins. George wants Curt reports Tyler Kepner. “A lot of clubs are targeting him, but there’s no way we’re going to be out shopping Curt Schilling,” Sandy Johnson, Arizona’s assistant GM says. Famous last words.
Five days later, Jack Curry, in a rumor-laden article that makes for a fun experiment in “What If? The Yankees Years,” confirms the Yanks’ interest in Schilling. This time, though, the Diamondbacks are looking to cut payroll, and Curt will probably be moved.
The next day, Curry uncovers an early price tag: The Diamondbacks would swap Schilling and Junior Spivey for Alfonso Soriano and Nick Johnson. Today, that doesn’t seem like quite a high price, but five and a half years ago, it did to the Yankees. (Of note: Curry also reports for the first time that the Rangers would be open to trading Alex Rodriguez. It’s an early sign of things to come.)
By Friday, the Yankees had moved on to Javier Vazquez. The Yankees would not, according to Curry, “trade their two best young players for Schilling because they feel the monetary relief they would be giving Arizona eliminates the need for them to trade equal talent.” At that point, Schilling also expressed his desire to go to only the Yankees or the Phillies. Brian Cashman left the GM meetings with the team feeling insulted by the Diamondbacks’ offers.
That would, of course, be the end of it. The Yanks refused to budget; the Diamondbacks refused to budge. Despite Schilling’s public desire to play in New York, the two sides could not work out a deal, and when Theo Epstein turned on the Thanksgiving charm, the Boston/New York rivalry would never be the same.
As Curt goes off to the great beyond of retirement, I can’t decide if I want to tip my cap to him or give him a different kind of salute. I’ll always wonder though how we would feel today if Schilling wound up in New York. Would we still despise him if Schilling hand landed in New York? Would we still smile gleefully at his retirement? How different would the last five years have been had the Yanks shipped Soriano to Arizona for Curt Schilling? We’ll never know.
Joe’s 20 Most Important Yankees
1. Brian Cashman
It’s tough to argue against the guy calling the shots in the personnel department. With a three-year agreement tying him to the team through the 2011 season, the future of the Yanks is in Cashman’s hands. His decisions will determine their course, making him the most important person to the Yankees right now.
2. Hal Steinbrenner
How do you rank the guy who cuts the checks No. 2? He’s not the guy dictating who takes the field for the Yankees. He surely has veto power, and because of this you could arguably put him in the top spot. But Hal doesn’t know how to assemble a bullpen. He doesn’t know who’s coming up through the minors and on what schedule. In other words, he doesn’t know the day-to-day stuff that goes into building a team. Cashman gets the tie-breaker for nuance.
3. CC Sabathia
Right now, CC Sabathia is the most important player on the Yankees 25-man roster (Buster Olney agrees). The Yankees have struggled with their rotation over the past few years, and Sabathia presents them with something they haven’t had in quite some time: an undeniable ace. Cashman said that the Yankees No. 1 priority over the winter was to rebuild the pitching staff, and it all started with CC. His success or failure will likely coincide with that of the team.
4. Alex Rodriguez
Blasphemy! A-Rod above Jeter. Like it or not, though, Alex is under contract for the next nine seasons. He has a full no-trade clause. Even if he didn’t, his contract is pretty much untradeable unless the Yankees eat a significant — yes, that needed italics and bold — portion of it. Remember, the Rangers kicked in $67 million of A-Rod’s remaining $179 million when they traded him in 2004. In any trade scenario, he’d be going from the Yankees, so you can imagine how much money they’d have to eat. He’s here to stay, and like CC his success or failure will be a big part of this franchise.
5. Mark Teixeira
You might notice that Nos. 3 through 5 have something in common: they’re all tied to the Yankees for the long haul. You can talk about intangible importance all you want, but it won’t make Sabathia’s, A-Rod’s, or Teixeira’s contracts any shorter. That Tex plays first base means he’s blocking a position to which a number of vets switch once they’re unable to man other positions. His ability to hit for the duration of the contract means the world to the Yanks.
6. Derek Jeter
He’s the face of the franchise, and would have been higher on the list if the Yankees weren’t tied up in multiple ridiculously-long-term deals. There will be more talk than most of us can handle about Jeter’s contract situation following the 2010 season, which provides an indicator of just how important he is to the franchise. If his performance declines over the next two years, what do the Yanks do? Tough question to answer. Yet it will could be one of the most important ones the franchise faces in the near future.
7. Jorge Posada
After watching the team struggle last season it was tough not to put Jorge a bit higher. Unfortunately, he’s just a victim of a crowded organization. No. 9 doesn’t nearly do Jorge’s importance justice, as the team will rely on him to man the backstop position until the younger catchers in the system are ready to break in. His bat, which is at a premium for catchers, becomes pedestrian at DH. Combine that with a far inferior bat replacing him behind the plate and the Yanks in a difficult position. Jorge’s ability to stay behind the plate will keep a top bat there for years and years to come if one of Montero/Romine can take over by 2012.
8. Joba Chamberlain
This role was supposed to belong to Phil Hughes, but now it’s Joba Chamberlain who represents the Yankees new crop of pitching talent. He’s emerged as a potential ace, and he’ll try to reach that over the next few seasons. If Joba can place himself atop the rotation with CC Sabathia, the Yanks could have the best 1-2 punch in the league.
9. A.J. Burnett
Like CC, A-Rod, and Tex, this is about the contract. Five years is a long time for a pitcher, and if it turns out poorly it will seem like much longer. I like to say that when you sign a pitcher to a long-term deal you can probably expect to lose about a year due to injury. That Burnett has had just two healthy seasons by age 32 heightens that concern. If the Yanks need to replace A.J. at any point they’ll have a tough time doing so, considering his $16.5 million salary through 2013.
10. Damon Oppenheimer / Mark Newman
The Yanks simply won’t be able to play future free agency periods like they did in 2008-2009. Not only is it unlikely that the talent level will be there, but by signing three long-term deals in 2008-2009 (plus one in 2007-2008 that outlasts them all), management might not be so apt to enter another five-plus year deal. This means that development from within becomes that much more important. The guy who calls the shots on draft day and the guy who manages their path through the system will be of the utmost importance in the coming years.
11. Austin Jackson
Ajax is on the fast track to the majors, and could make his debut as early as this season if he continues his ascendancy in the minors and the Yanks don’t get the production they need from Melky and Gardner. The more realistic scenario is a 2010 debut, which would time out perfectly with the expiring contracts of Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon, and Xavier Nady. Jackson is the Yanks top prospect, and he’ll be much needed in the coming seasons.
12. Nick Swisher
Much like Jackson, Swisher’s success or failure could mean a lot for the 2009-2010 off-season. He’s the only corner outfielder under contract for next season, which means he’s going to have to recover in a big way from his uninspiring 2008 campaign. If he does, though, he might save the Yanks some bucks on a big-name free agent like Matt Holliday. If both he and Jackson come through it would be a huge win for the Yanks and their 2010 outfield.
13. Robinson Cano
There aren’t too many second basemen who will content for a batting title, let alone an MVP. There’s Dustin Pedroia, Ian Kinsler, Dan Uggla, and Chase Utley, followed by a pack of guys like Brian Roberts and Brandon Phillips. Robinson Cano has a chance to be right up there with the big four guys; even if he’s at the Roberts/Phillips level it would be a big plus for the Yanks. That means recovering from a poor 2008. He did show some more life with the bat in the second half. His return to 2007 form would mean big things for the Yanks.
14. Phil Hughes
Phil Phranchise was a bit higher on the list last year, but thankfully Joba Chamberlain was able to step up and take his place. Still, Hughes has an incredible ceiling and could be a second low-cost option for the next few years. A 2010 rotation of CC-Wang-Burnett-Chamberlain-Hughes would be ideal for the Yanks. It would mean not spending any more money on the rotation in the off-season, and would give the Yanks another chip from the system. The Yanks won’t live and die with the success or failure of Hughes, but his success would bring enormous benefit.
15. Nardi Contreras
I considered lumping him with Oppenheimer and Newman, but Nardi’s importance is a bit different. He’s charged with developing a system rife with pitching. The Yanks want to win with young arms, and Nardi’s ability to get these guys to the major league level is integral to that plan.
16. Dave Eiland
Once Nardi gets the guys to the majors, it will be Eiland’s job to make sure they keep doing what got them there in the first place. It appears the Yanks have a lot of faith in Eiland, and after hearing how he’s worked with pitchers and managed the bullpen I can see why.
17. Mariano Rivera
It pains me to put Mo this low, but a 39-year-old closer probably shouldn’t be high up on an organizational list of importance. This is not to discount what Mo has meant to the Yanks in the past. He was a big part of the four championship teams and he could be a big part of number 27. Looking into the future, though, Mo’s impact just won’t be as big as the guys ahead of him.
18. Jesus Montero
The Yanks have had big hopes for this guy since they signed him as an international free agent in 2006. Much of his importance lies in his ability to stay behind the plate since the position many scouts have envisioned him playing, first base, is occupied for the next eight years. Still, Montero’s bat can play anywhere, and his development will mean a lot for the Yanks’ future.
19. Mark Melancon
It’s tough to feel bad for guys who play a kids’ game for a living, but the expectations heaped on Melancon are quite daunting. Who, after all, can step into the shoes of Mo himself? No one, yet the hype around Melancon is that he’s the future closer the Yanks need. He’ll never be Mo, but his development into a Jon Papelbon or Joakim Soria would mean the world to the Yanks (and to Joba’s spot in the rotation).
20. Andrew Brackman
After watching him fall all the way through the first round, the Yanks snagged Andrew Brackman with the 30th overall pick in 2007. They took a significant risk, basically knowing he’d need Tommy John surgery. Now that he’s recovered, he’ll have a few years to prove he’s ready before running out of options. Like Joba and Hughes ahead of him, he means having a cost-controlled ace, which not only gives the Yanks another potential top of the rotation starter, but allows them to spend ace-money elsewhere.
Previously: Mike’s 20 Most Important Yankees
AL East Farm System Values
Beyond the Box Score has been running a series on the value of each team’s farm system – broken down by division – based on prospect values determined by Victor Wang’s research. The Yanks’ farm system is valued at $97.8M, thanks partly to having two top fifty position player prospects (Austin Jackson & Jesus Montero), but mostly thanks to the horde of Grade B and C pitching prospects. The $97.8M figure places them fourth in the division, ahead of only the Blue Jays at $94.1M. Baseball America and Keith Law both rated the Yanks’ system fourth in the division as well, so it’s nice to see the numbers support the popular opinion. Make sure you check it out, there’s some really interesting stuff going on there.
RAB Bracket Busters Update
Last week I put together a Yahoo group at the last second for this year’s NCAA Tournament, spending no more than a nano-second thinking up the RAB Bracket Busters nickname. Even though I posted the group info barely an hour before the first tip-off, we still managed to get forty-four people to join.
I’m not overly interested in college basketball, but I do have an idea of what goes on throughout the year. However I followed less than usual this year, so I figured my brackets were going to go boom before the weekend even started. I got lucky though, losing just seven of the thirty-two frst round games, and only one of those losses could haunt me beyond the second round (Wake Forest). The weekend went well, and I’m currently sitting pretty with thirteen of Sweet Sixteen correct (the misses are Wake, Washington, and Texas). I had Washinton in the Elite Eight, which kinda sucks, but whatever.
My Final Four is pretty standard – Louisville, Memphis, Pitt and Oklahoma – as is my Championship matchup (Pitt over Louisville). I’m tied for fifth place in our league with 51 points, and I’m well within striking distance of the leader’s 55 points. The scoring doubles each round (one points in the first round, two points in the second, four in the third, etc), so one game means a big swing now. Current standings are after the jump, if you’re interested.
Not another post on the Yanks lineup!
The discussion of optimized Yanks batting order was a good one last week, even though an optimal batting order vs. the worst possible batting order only nets a team maybe one win over the course of a year. Still, this isn’t about being right; it’s about looking at an aspect of the game and talking about it, seeing where conventional wisdom goes astray and where it makes sense. Today, though, we’re talking about an aspect of lineup creation that could have a greater impact on run creation.
Last week, John Walsh of The Hardball Times wrote an article on the double play and its detriment to a rally. After recalling Bill James’s argument that Darren Daulton was particularly adept at avoiding the DP, Walsh makes an important notation: we should be looking for GIDPs vs. GIDP situation. That is, just because a player has a good GIDP to at bats ratio, as did Daulton, doesn’t mean he’s particularly adept. The reason is that some players simply come up more often in DP situations.
Derek Jeter grounded into 24 double plays last year, fourth most in the AL. This comes at a high cost to the team because he hits second. The leadoff hitter, Johnny Damon, posted a sparkling .375 OBP, but a few of those on base instances were wasted because of Jeter’s propensity to hit into the twin killing. Of course, Jeter could turn it around this year, but he’s in his age 35 season and has shown a higher GIDP per at bat ratio than he did earlier in his career. Unfortunately I’m not able to find his number of GIDP situations, but considering his spot in the batting order I’m fairly certain it hasn’t changed much over the years (but could easily be wrong).
Many have suggested this off-season that the Yanks flip Jeter and Damon in the order. The logic goes that Jeter’s grounders won’t cause two outs and kill a baserunner. But what about Damon? Yes, his GIDP rate is low, but is that a function of his being a leadoff man? One might think so at first, but a look at Walsh’s article shows that this is not the case. In fact, Johnny has one of the best all-time GIDP per situation ratios. In his career he’s faced 1,373 opportunities to hit into a DP, but has done so only 75 times for a rate of 0.055. That’s good for the fourth best rate on Walsh’s chart, behind all-time leader Joe Morgan, Mickey Rivers, and Darryl Strawberry. This has led to 79 double plays avoided, sixth all time.
As I mentioned in the open thread, there’s a bit Bill James has noted about Jeter that factors in here. His batting average on groundballs has steadily increased since 2002, up to .291 in 2008. Yes, that’s a career high BA on groundballs despite a career high in GIDP. Could Jeter hitting in the leadoff spot, where guys won’t be squeezing the middle, possibly raise his groundball BA by affording him more hits up the middle? Perhaps. Given the available data I don’t think you can draw a definitive conclusion. It’s something to consider with this argument though. (Plus, his rising BA on groundballs might be a product of hitting around fielders who are squeezing for the DP…who knows?)
Given Jeter’s increased GIDP rate over the past two years and Damon’s ability to avoid the twin killing, would it then make sense to flip them in the order? Given the available evidence, I’d say yes. Not that it would ever happen — and, just to make a point clear from the last discussion, this isn’t written with the intent of mailing it to Cashman and Girardi. It’s just an exercise in baseball knowledge. If you guy who hits into a lot of double plays and a guy who is historically among the best at avoiding them, wouldn’t you want the latter hitting in back of the former, rather than the other way around?