But Dice-K pitched great 10 years ago in big high school games, of course he’ll be great in the American League playoffs!
Supposedly, some teams are in the playoffs
But the Yankees still — like always — bring in the news. Look at the top stories on FoxSports.com:
Debating the A-Rod/steroid connection
Well, this was bound to happen. The A-Rod/steroid rumbling is picking up steam even if it has no basis in any sort of reality. Take a look.
Over at the blog Steroid Nation, Gary Gaffney, an M.D. at the University of Iowa’s College of Medicine, writes about Scott Boras’ clients’ ties to steroids. Gaffney points to this article in Sunday’s Daily News about the relationship and dynamic between the Yanks and the A-Rod/Boras camp that is sure to unfold over the next few weeks.
Interestingly, the article gets into the Boras-Steroid tie in relation to Rick Ankiel and Scott Schoenweis. Boras, who likes to say he is very involved in the lives of his clients, represents these two players who were outed in the press for receiving steroid shipments. It’s a classic issue here of “What did Boras know and when”?
The Daily News article also touches on some of the Jose Canseco steroid claims, and Gaffney uses that mention to discuss a previous post of his about Jose Canseco. Earlier this year, Jose Canseco – who was never a teammate of A-Rod’s – claimed that he had “other stuff on Alex Rodriguez.”
Immediately, everyone assumed that Canseco was going to point a finger at Alex Rodriguez, the performance-enhancing drug user. But that brief mention in July was all we ever heard about it. No one followed up on it, and we refused to write about it.
But I think it’s worth a mention now because this is just totally absurd. Gaffney highlights a passage in the Daily News that features an anonymous baseball official expressing skepticism toward Boras’ clients. To me, this seems like just another way to smear Boras’ name. Are Arn Tellem’s clients any better off? I don’t think so.
Now, I have no overwhelming love for Scott Boras. I think he puts his monetary interests in front of what some of his clients would rather do. This will be especially true if A-Rod opts out and leaves New York. But to start dragging his clients into this steroid mess because some anonymous officials want to cast some doubts on Boras’ integrity over the PED issue is absurd.
Until we know who did what when, writers shouldn’t be idly fingering people on the steroid issue. It transcends irresponsible rumormongering and is bad for baseball.
Pettitte likely returning for 2008
Ken Davidoff yesterday penned a piece about the Rocket’s desire to pitch in 2008. Luckily for Yankee fans, the Rocket probably won’t be back in the Bronx. But Davidoff also notes that Andy Pettitte “almost certainly will” exercise his 2008 option. A rotation of Joba, Hughes, Pettitte, Wang and Kennedy has me eagerly anticipating next season.
Hat tip to YanksBlog.com on this one.
Ajax just keeps on hittin’
AzFL is off on Sundays.
HWB Honolulu (5-2 win over Waikiki)
Ajax: 1 for 3, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB – on base 19 times in his last 8 games
Bradley Suttle: 1 for 2, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K – hey look, he’s got a 2-game hit streak!
Venezuela Winter League
Marcos Vechionacci: 3 for 5, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI – one of those hits came off a guy who spent a good part of the year in the bigs
Edwar Gonzalez: 2 for 3, 1 RBI, 1 K
Gerardo Casadiego: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Justin Pope: 1 IP, zeroes
Juan Francia: 1 for 4, 1 RBI
Steinbrenner brothers take the helm
The New York Post reports that Hal and Hank Steinbrenner are now in charge of baseball operations for the New York Yankees.
“There’s always been a succession – and that’s myself and my brother,” Hank told The Post in an exclusive interview.
He said he and Hal will have final say on baseball decisions as well as the running of the YES Network and the construction of the new Yankee Stadium.
“I’ll pay more attention to the baseball part. The stadium, that’s more Hal. But basically everything will be decided jointly.”
This move was foreshadowed late last week when Hank announced that Joba will start in 2008. The NY Post article quotes Hank as saying “That’s something I’ll insist on,” when referring to Joba and Phil starting 2008 in the rotation. I’m beginning to grow fond of Hank Steinbrenner.
“I tend to be more volatile than my brother,” Hank said. “Hal is calmer – and that will probably be a good influence.”
Behind the scenes, the boys have impressed.
“Both Hank and Hal are extraordinarily smart, extraordinarily articulate and, like their father, very genuine people,” said Levine. “And they like each other a lot. I think the Yankees are in very good hands.”
This is starting to sound good. True, this article is probably a PR pitch. But it’s nice to know that 1) we’ll have a fiery guy at the helm in Hank, and 2) he’ll have a counterbalance in Hal. I really do think that the brothers will work well with our front office tandem of Brian Cashman and Damon Oppenheimer.
The best news of all from this is that the Yankees won’t be sold. I know it was a longshot when it was mentioned earlier in the year, but at least we’ve put it to rest.
In the court of public opinion, Torre wins
Jon Heyman has an interesting piece up on at CNNSi.com on the fate of Joe Torre. We should know by Tuesday at the earliest if Joe is staying or going, and Heyman speculates that with Joe’s enjoying the support of both the public and current Yankee fans, the Steinbrenner sons may have a hard time summoning up the strength to fire the beloved Torre. All of this leaves me to wonder: Outside of A-Rod, is Joe Torre now the most powerful figure in New York baseball? He sure has seemed to eclipse George Steinbrenner.