A full 162 game schedule couldn’t decide it, so tonight the Minny Twins and ChiTown Sox face off in a one-game playoff to decide the AL Central crown. The pitching matchup features a pair of young, 11 game winners: Bobby Abreu target Nick Blackburn and wouldn’t the Rangers like to have him back John Danks. Loser goes home, winner flies to Tampa and plays tomorrow Thursday.
TBS, despite inexplicably not having an HD channel, is carrying the game. First pitch is at 7:30 EDT; comment away here.
Three more years of Cashman
Via Kat O’Brien, we learn that Brian Cashman has decided to come back to the Yankees. He’ll sign a three year deal reportedly worth around $6 million. There aren’t many more details right now, though we’ll surely update you as we hear more.
Update by Ben (5:55 p.m.): You want statements? We’ve got statements.
From Brian Cashman:
I know I’ve said it before, but it’s an incredible opportunity and honor to hold the title of general manager for the New York Yankees. With it comes a great responsibility to ownership, the people who wear the uniform and our fan base.
I’ve got a job to finish here. That’s the bottom line.
I consider coming off a season where we didn’t reach the playoffs for the first time since 1993 as a personal challenge. I’ve never been one to run from a challenge, and I look forward to having the chance to go after this thing again.
From Hank and Hal:
Before we could move forward as an organization this offseason, we needed to come to a resolution on the person who would hold the important position of general manager and allow us to make another run at a 27th World Championship. We are thrilled that Brian has accepted to renew his commitment to this organization for at least three more years.
Holding the position of general manager for any Major League team is a challenge. But to do so in the great city of New York, where baseball is passionately followed 12 months a year, you must possess a number of unique attributes.
Brian has shown throughout his Yankees career that he has the dedication, integrity and know-how needed to perform-and succeed-in this environment. Having him in place allows us to begin an offseason of hard work, and we are pleased he will be working hand-in-hand with us to bring the New York Yankees back to the postseason.
The Yankees will sink or swim with the right man at the helm.
Moose misses out on Comeback award
MLB.com’s 30 team reporters voted for their Comeback Players of the Year this week, and Cliff Lee and Brad Lidge emerged as winners in their respective leads. Mike Mussina was the AL’s runner up, winning 20 games a year after getting yanked from the rotation en route to a 5.15 ERA and an 11-10 season. Had Cliff Lee – demoted to AAA last year — not emerged as the AL’s presumptive Cy Young winner, this recognition would have belonged to Mussina.
What to do with the coaching staff
Since I’ve never played Major League Baseball, I’m not quite sure how important the coaching staff really is to a team’s success. Nevertheless, there has been some banter on the topic since the season ended. PeteAbe thinks the team should hire former Yank Don Baylor to sit beside Joe Girardi. I’ve heard people mention Willie Randolph, which makes plenty of sense — unless, of course, he’d rather sit on his couch and collect his Mets paychecks rather than getting back into the game.
What are your thoughts? Does it matter? If so, cast your vote below. If not, well, you can vote anyway. If you have any write-in suggestions, leave ’em in the comments.
What should the Yankees do for Joe Girardi's bench coach
RAB Live Chat
Joba’s shoulder still bothering him?
Just caught this over at Baseball Think Factory. While many assumed that Joe Girardi pulled Joba Chamberlain in the eighth inning of Sunday’s early game because he was trying to protect Mike Mussina’s 20th win, that might not be the whole truth. “Several people” said that Joba admitted his shoulder felt tight. This, of course, comes with the “anonymous source” caveat. One scout speculated that a tight shoulder could have been the reason for Joba’s diminished velocity in September, as well as the reason for his throwing more sliders.
Thankfully, Joba won’t be pitching again until mid-February, so if this is an issue he has plenty of time to deal with it. This winter should be all about conditioning and building strength in that shoulder. Hopefully, Joba can get to the point where he can become a full-time starter in 2009.
Cashman eats breakfast, brushes teeth, doesn’t make a decision
In the ongoing effort to track Brian Cashman’s every move, Ed Price tells us that the Yanks’ GM has yet to decide on his future. Cashman is “intrigued” by the open GM spot in Seattle but feels a deep sense of loyalty to the Yankees. Why anyone would want to go from New York to Seattle is beyond me. Are the Steinbrenners really that bad?