It sounds odd to say just days after Friday afternoon's debacle, but when one takes a step back and looks the the 2008 New York Yankees after 81 games (44-37) they are much improved compared to the 2007 version (40-41) at this point. Which not to slight Torre, but makes me wonder with the kind of talent he had if Buck Showalter wouldn't have done as good if not better or if Don Zimmer really was the "man behind the curtain" whom Torre had little post-season success without from 2004-2007. In any event the Joe Girardi Yankees aren't perfect but they are better.
Jorge Posada (A): I know Jorge hasn't had a huge sample given injuries, but he can still flat out hit and his presence alone on this team really shows.
Jason Giambi (B+): Who says the ghosts don't still come alive at Yankee Stadium? This guy was dead in April, but now leads the team in homers and is in the top five in the American League and probably should be an All-Star. Contract year sure, but Girardi really cracked the whip on him in Spring Training and it shows.
Robinson Cano (F): I know that Robbie has picked it up the last two weeks or so, but given his new contract he has just looked lethargic this season. Terrible on base percentage.
Derek Jeter (B-): Ok its a bit of a pass but Jeter is a gamer, coming back quickly from a strained quad and playing regularly after getting hit on the hand. Jeter like Cano has picked it up in the average department the last couple of weeks, but it would be nice to see some more power output.
Alex Rodriguez (A): Sure Mike Lowell would've plugged in nicely, but like with Posada and Kobe and Shaq, the Yankees couldn't do without A-Rod. A-Rod has been blazing a trail since his return and is still near the top of the A.L. with 15 homers and a .327 batting average.
Johnny Damon (A): Another guy who looked almost completely lost but has been burning up the basepaths of late. Damon has been the consumate table setter, leading the team in hits with 93, doubles with 20, steals with 13 and is sporting a .322 batting average.
Melky Cabrera: (C): Melky got off to a hot start which really raised expectations in a hurry. No he's not Bernie Williams yet (if ever) but he does give the Yankees a plethora of contributions either in the field or on the bases even when he's not hitting.
Bobby Abreu (A): Probably the most consistent of all Yankees hitters to date. Abreu leads the team with 53 RBI, is second in hits and third with 10 homers.
Hideki Matsui (A): Was tearing it up, now his knee might be torn up, again. Helped to carry the team in the early going, but with all of these knee injuries I really have to start wondering about steroids with this guy.
Bench (D): The bench pretty much gets a D. Duncan didn't play enough, Betemit was hurt too much and Ensberg was a Josh Phelps-esque bust. Moeller and Molina have provided some stout defense as well as Gonzalez but this group just can't hack it. Bring back Bernie anyone?
Mike Mussina (A): Speaking of those ghosts at Yankee Stadium, Mussina has been flying around New York but instead with a super-hero's cape. Moose was being counted on as a 4th/5th starter to win 10-11 games. In order to keep the Yankees in the race he's had to pitch like a 3rd starter and has already won 10 to lead the staff before the All-Star break. He would've probably tied last year's total had the Yankees game in Pittsburgh not been rained out. Who would've thunk Mussina would be the leader in wins and Giambi the leader in homers at this point?
Andy Pettitte (B+): After a rocky start Andy looked a little tired from all of the off-season circus that was the Mitchell Report. But with 9 wins and a recently concluded 20.2 scoreless innings streak, Pettitte looks primed for another huge 2nd half. Pettitte is the best 2nd half pitcher in baseball and who wouldn't rather have him at $16 million for this year than Johan Santana for $150 million minus your best prospects?
Chien-Ming Wang (B+): Wang looked as if he'd put those doubters to bed with a rapid 6-0 start. He tailed off a tad and was just starting to get back into a groove before his freak injury.
Darrell Rasner (C): Some of his early starts Rasner got no run support. In some of his more recent starts he's gotten knocked around. But Rasner is what he is, an adequate back of the rotation guy who can eat up innings and keep you in the game.
Phil Hughes & Ian Kennedy (F): It should probably be an incomplete because of injuries but a combined record of 0-7 doesn't cut it boys.
Joba Chamberlain (A): Last year contrary to popular belief, he not Roger Clemens spurred this team onto the post-season. Joba was lights out again in the pen and will try to save the Yankees bacon again, this time as a starter. One can tell already just how mentally tough those late inning situations out of the pen have helped in Joba's progression.
Mariano Rivera (A+): You can tell I don't throw around A+'s lightly. Think the Yankees may have wanted to give MO a 4th year on that contract? Rivera an ERA under 1.00 and perfect in saves with 22, enough said.
Kyle Farnsworth (C+): Has been better than most in the Yanks pen which isn't saying a lot, but he does seem a little more confident with Girardi at the helm.
LaTroy Hawkins (F): I'm sorry but did anyone mention to Brian Cashman that this guy has the worst ERA of any pitcher at Yankee Stadium? Forget O'Neill or Clemente, why does this guy have anyone's jersey number?
Ross Ohlendorf (F): Maybe the Yankees should groom his as a starter because his confidence looks shot.
Edwar Ramirez (C+): If this guy could learn a pitch to compliment his change-up he might really turn out to be something good.
Jose Veras (B-): Sometimes he's lights out, sometimes he's lit up. Effectively wild with some great velocity.
Bullpen etc: Bruney and Albaladejo were solid early before getting hurt, Giese was decent in long relief, but Traber and Igawa have looked like flops as lefties out of the pen.
All in all Joe Girardi has navigated this group fairly well in the early going. He's done a much better job of balancing the bullpen and seems to have instilled more aggressiveness into this squad. Given injuries to A-Rod, Posada, Wang, Jeter, Matsui, Hughes, Kennedy, Bruney and Albaladejo, considering the Yankees are only four games back in the loss column to Boston speaks volumes about Girardi. No Girardi hasn't been as "rah-rah" in public as say Billy Martin, and sometimes he does look like a 2nd year manager still learning the ropes, but he does know and uphold the principle of the "Yankee-way" of the late 1990's.
This Yankees squad, somewhat in transition is in almost the same place as another pioneer Yankee team. The 1993 Yankees under 2nd year manager Buck Showlater posted a record of 46-35 after 81 games. That was the last Yankees team in a non-strike year to miss the playoffs, however had there been a Wild Card back then they would've made it. This Yankees squad is better than that one talent wise and this time around there is a Wild Card, but the division is still very much within reach.
Apparently that brand new HD scoreboard in Kansas City didn't come with a quality drainage system, though the Yankees bats seemed to go right down it on Wednesday night. If we're going to have a Northeast team that can't hit in the cold weather, be it April or October, perhaps they may want to add a retractable roof on the new digs across the street.
Honestly though in all fairness, this was a game that only "Mr. Slip 'n Slide" former catcher Rick Dempsey could love. No there weren't any "Lake Erie Midges" out there this time, though there may have been termites.
While I understand it is early and some guys are hitting .700, I still can't understand how Jason Giambi is batting .056, Robinson Cano .194 and Johnny Damon .212. And before everyone jumps on me about there being no such thing as "clutch hitting," there is such a thing as timely hitting and this group leaves a lot of people on base, 14 to be exact, scoring no runs against the Kansas City Royals!
Way to go Brian Cashman! A-Rod's not going to duplicate last year's totals, nor is Posada who is a year older. And then you are naieve enough to think that Jason Giambi is going to play first and be productive for 130-140 games a whole year older? Thus with no power in center or at first you neglect to sign either Torii Hunter or Aaron Rowand? Having Cabrera-Hunter/Rowand-Abreu in the outfield seems like a much more solid configuration to me!
And oh what you couldn't afford these guys or decided not to sign off on a Johan Santana deal because of lack of "payroll flexibility." And yet YOU sir signed our vaunted Triple-A "ace" Kei Igawa for $46 million and gave A-Rod a "hardball offer" of $300 million (yeah you guys really show him huh?) and somehow with the four-million plus migrating to the final year of Yankee Stadium and the flood rush of revenue coming in next year from the new ball park, you were having issues with "payroll flexibility?" OH COME ON PALLY!
To be fair for the record I was for getting Santana, but not for getting ripped off by the Twins in order to get him, just as they were by the Mets. But really YOUR "genious" robbed us of another year from Bernie Williams, because you said Jason Giambi couldn't play first base a year ago and so you decided to give him the boot, sign Josh Phelps who didn't even last through June and Doug Mientkiewicz who is now history. And yet now again Giambi is somehow capable of playing first and you have no true defensive first baseman off the bench. Oh and the Yankees could've used Bernie off the bench to DH when Giambi was hobbling around last October in the playoff and Matsui was having knee issues hitting into double-plays!
Bomber Bites: Can't say I blame manager Joe Girardi too much on his pitching strategy, except for when it comes to using another brilliant Brian Cashman signing, Kyle Farnsworthless. FARNSWORTHLESS SHOULD NEVER EVER EVER BE USED AGAIN PERIOD!
While Girardi said he was sure he could straighten out his old battery mate from Chicago, its too bad he couldn't coax Cashman into bringing back another one of his old Cubbie teammates, Jon Lieber. Lieber who pitched pretty decent with the Yankees in 2004, is the long-man/spot-starter for the Cubs this year (something the Yankees don't have) and is 1-1 with a 0.00 ERA pitching in two games striking out three in five innings of work.
The Yankees had won two in a row with Giambi out of the lineup, they've lost two in a row since his return. Well ain't that a co'inkie'dink!
Mr. Matsui, Johnny Gomes and Ross Gload thank you for contributing to their hit totals on this young season. I guess it always was King Kong who was more prone to scaling large buildings than Godzilla.
Memo to Cashman, I applaud your willingness to cultivate the farm system, but I'm starting to believe that the Yankees need their own version of the "football Giants" Jerry Reese.
The offense exploded and Mike Mussina never imploded as the Yankees cruised on by the Tampa Bay Rays by a final of 6-1 Monday. The win gained the Yankees a split in the series and finished off their first homestand with a record of 4-3 as they head off to play the Kansas City Royals.
Mussina was superb, going six strong allowing only one run on two hits. Moose, who also had three K's was dialed in enough to tie Hall of Famer Bob Gibson with 251 career wins.
The offense struck early as Bobby Abreu who finished a double away from the cycle, continued his barrage of hitting heroics with an early 2nd inning HR, a two-run shot to put New York out in front 2-0. Abreu is hitting .400 on the young season.
Flashing ahead to the 6th, Abreu tripled, Alex Rodriguez singled him in and Hideki Matsui doubled in A-Rod, increasing the lead to 4-1. The Yankees tacked on two more in the 7th on hits by Matsui and Cano, making the final 6-1.
Finally Brian Bruney, Kyle Farnsworth and LaTroy Hawkins pitched brilliantly, thus saving the arms of Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera for the next series in KC.
Bomber Bites: Should the Yankees have hung on to Doug Mientkiewicz or Andy Phillips instead of signing Morgan Ensberg? I'm getting the feeling he might be this year's version of Josh Phelps.
Brian Bruney is making me feel a lot better about the Yankees trading away Scott Proctor. The guy who was the "2006 version of Joba" has looked sharp thus far, velocity wise and with his control.
Hey Joe Girardi, with Derek Jeter out can I please see A-Rod at SS, if only for a few games?
Phil Hughes faces former Mets pitcher Brian Bannister in KC and they wonder why people decry the "Los Mets" philosophy, this guy for Ambiorix Burgoss?
For the first time since October 4, 1995, (Game 2 of the ALDS to be exact) a Yankee manager not named Joe Torre led the Bronx Bombers to a victory. That man was Buck Showalter and just as Buck had a young up and coming star centerfielder in Bernie Williams, so too does the Yanks new skipper Joe Girardi in Melky Cabrera.
And as we embark on a change from this Yankee Stadium to a "new Yankee Stadium" it is evidently clear that change is a good thing (and no I'm not an Obama supporter). That change in philosophy, brought on by Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman should put the minds of Yankee fans at ease. When we wonder if we'll ever see the next "Bernie Baseball" we get a young switch hitting kid with speed and a rocket arm, making diving grabs and catches up against the wall with a new confidence and swagger. That confidence with a little help from the "Ghosts" hanging out on the Bambino's short porch, allowed Melky to take Toronto ace Roy Halladay deep.
Yes it is that same peace of mind we get as fans as we once pondered if we'd ever get an "Andy Pettitte type" pitcher out of the allegedly dry farm system until it produced Chien-Ming Wang. Like Pettitte, Wang isn't flashy, but he's a workhorse and all the guy does is win and give the team an opportunity to win.
And it is that same pitching first philosophy on the farm which has given us a glimpse of hope that we may have the next Mariano Rivera in Joba Chamberlain.
Folks, Opening Night 2008 was certainly "night and day" in scope from Opening Day 2007. Wang was on the hill, not Carl Pavano, Cabrera was in center, not Johnny Damon, in the 8th inning Chamberlain was on the mound, not Kyle Farnsworth and at first base it was Giambi, not Josh Phelps.
I know it's only the first game and that Melky is projected to hit 80 homers and Wang to win 30 games and the Yankees to go 162-0, but one can't help but notice the drastic change in preparedness in this ball club. This team just looks primed, ready and in shape to win. A lot of that credit goes to manager Joe Girardi
Change is good for these Yankees, especially if the "winning" refrain remains the same.
Bomber Bites: A-Rod looks very comfortable and motivated this season already. It is obvious that he has taken to New York and the feeling is mutual. The reassurance that he'll be a Yankee for life, makes him an even more likeable figure in the Bronx.
Anyone else thankful that Melky was doing that in our yard and not in the Metrodome? Well that and thankful that one is allowed to appeal Spring Training suspensions.
Robbie Cano, slowly but surely creeping up to 6th in the batting order.
Jason Giambi flashes the leather. Donnie Baseball left the building and apparently left his glove. Well at least Giambi has a glove, unlike that Shreck character up in Boston.
And finally, though Jonathan Papelbon may be in his prime and the premiere closer over the length of the season in the American League, there's no question in my mind that when it comes down to getting one batter out with the game on the line I'm taking Mariano Rivera every time, hands down.
If the Minnesota Twins want Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain for Johan Santana, the New York Yankees should tell them to go fish. In fact the Yanks may be just as wise to fish somewhere else, namely revisiting trade talks with the Florida Marlins. While the Yanks have been virtually ruled out of the Miguel Cabrera sweepstakes since re-signing A-Rod, they may be better served to make a deal with the Marlins rather than the Twins.
First on the Santana front, for one thing if the Twins are asking for a king's ransom in the neighborhood of a five for one deal involving say either Phil Hughes and or Joba Chamberlain, Robinson Cano and other prospects, then it's a bad deal. Look I'm not saying the Yankees are entitled to Santana and should get him for Wilson Betemit, Shelley Duncan and Kyle Farnsworth, but to gut your farm system or core young players for one guy as great as he is doesn't make a lot of sense, especially given that the Twins have little to no leverage when it comes to keeping Santana.
If the Yankees made a reasonable package sending one of the big three in 2007 minor league pitcher of the year Ian Kennedy, centerfielder Melky Cabrera and perhaps a pitching prospect like Eastern League Double-A pitcher of the year Alan Horne and or outfield prospects Austin Jackson and Jose Tabata, then I'd say it's a pretty fair deal. Especially considering even without Hughes, Chamberlain or Cano, that's still a better deal than anyone else is throwing out there, so why should the Yankees bid against themselves unless the Mets want to get crazy and throw in Jose Reyes or the Red Sox get in there with a package of Jacoby Ellsbury, Jon Lester, Clay Bucholz, even though they've said Ellsbury is off limits.
Now onto what the Yankees could actually do to fill in more holes and that involves going back into talks with the Marlins. Think about it, if the Yankees are going to give up a plethora of four to five players to get one in Santana, then why not make a multi-player deal with the Marlins and fill more holes in return?
I'll preface this by saying I don't want to give up Phil Hughes in either deal, however giving Hughes to Florida makes more sense if you can get the Marlins to give you more back in return, rather than giving up Hughes along with other players to Minnesota for "just" Santana.
Originally it had been bantered around that the Marlins would want Kennedy, Cabrera, Horne and one of the two minor league outfielders between Tabata and Jackson for Miguel Cabrera. However, had they wanted Hughes in the deal instead of Kennedy, the Yankees could've easily asked back for not only Cabrera but Dontrelle Willis and a couple of the Marlins young bullpen arms such as Matt Lindstrom, Taylor Tankersley, Henry Owens etc.
Now honestly given everything in the way of the number and value of prospects traded, you tell me what looks better? Trading a bevy of prospects for one guy in Johan Santana who will cost a fortune. Or filling 1st base for the next decade with Miguel Cabrera, adding a still young lefty workhorse starter in Dontrelle Willis and potentially filling a couple of bullpen spots with a possible successor to Mariano Rivera with a guy like Lindstrom, Owens and or Tankersley?
Of course if the Yankees really didn't care at all for their minor league system, they could technically pull both deals off. If they sent Kennedy, Cabrera, Jackson and Horne to Minnesota for Santana and then sent Hughes, Tabata and another couple of pitching prospects to Florida for Cabrera, Willis and either Lindstrom, Owens and or Tankersley, they'd have a pretty sick roster, especially if to replace Melky Cabrera as many are expecting, they sign Aaron Rowand.
After another disappointing first round post-season exit if I were New York Yankees Owner George M. Steinbrenner III, I would make some serious changes to this ballclub. In fact I would make a lot of changes to this roster and get back to square one. Though it seems odd a 94 win playoff team with a payroll in excess of around $200 million would need a drastic overhaul, but alas here we are and here are the changes that must be made:
(Moves to be made by The Boss)
First the General Manager Brian Cashman. While I continue to applaud Cashman's willingness and philosophy to develop young talent in the farm system and holding onto prized prospects instead of dumping them for the Eric Gagne's of the world, I wouldn't bring him back. Whether since 2001 you want to blame him or the Tampa contingent for moves like Jason Giambi, Kevin Brown, Steve Karsay, letting Andy Pettitte go etc. is your call. However since supposedly took back the reigns in 2005, he's responsible for Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright, Kei Igawa, Tony Womack, Kyle Farnsworth, re-signing Mike Mussina and letting Bernie Williams go.
(OUT)
My new General Manager(s): Gene "Stick" Michael and Buck Showalter. These guys layed down the foundation for the turnaround of the Yankees and this most recent dynasty in changing the culture of the way things are done in the Bronx. Both are excellent talent evaluators, know how to run an organization, how to bring in quality people and hard nosed ballplayers and especially how to cultivate, scout and develop a farm system.
(IN)
What to do about the manager Joe Torre? There's two ways to look at this. 1.) Torre always wins and gets the Yankees to the playoffs, despite starting the year with two-fifths of the starting rotation comprised of Carl Pavano and Kei Igawa and followed by the many rookies that would come. Not to mention in the post-season they essentially had about two automatic reliable relievers in Mariano Rivera and Joba Chamberlain. In addition to having 45 year old Roger Clemens not able to pitch more than two innings and Mike Mussina pitching so poorly down the stretch he has to be relegated to long-man status, while Chien-Ming Wang had to get run out there on three days rest. That and Jason Giambi was a total $20 million waste just sitting there on the bench because he's all roided out. 2.) The Yankees have a lot of All-Stars, Hall of Fame guys and have spent hundreds upon millions of dollars to at least do something more than get bumped in the first round for the 3rd straight year.
(OUT)
My new Manager: Joe Girardi. Girardi is just a flat out winner everywhere he goes. As a player Girardi made the playoffs as a catcher with the Cubs, Rockies and Yankees. As a manager Girardi won with the Florida Marlins, with a payroll of $15 millon and a bunch of Double and Triple-A players not named Dontrelle Willis or Miguel Cabrera. Some have compared Girardi's managerial style and makeup to former Yankees skipper Buck Showalter. Girardi knows talent and how to motivate and get the best out of youner players and is a no nonsense type of guy. Which is a positive because he won't be attached to this roster, will be given a clean slate and there are a lot more youngsters on the way. Girardi also knows how to succeed in New York which is very imporant, he learned strategy from Don Zimmer and how to handle a clubhouse from Joe Torre and there are enough of his old teammates still around to back him up and support him, namely Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte. Girardi would be the logical fit to replace Torre, much in the way Ralph Houk replaced Casey Stengel.
(IN)
The Thirdbaseman: Did A-Rod light it up in the playoffs this year? No. Was A-Rod the absolute reason the Yankees lost in the playoffs this year? Hell no! Honestly here's my take, if A-Rod wants to stay and sign an extension and end his career with the Yankees then bring him back. However if A-Rod wants to opt-out, get paid $40 million a year and ultimately take up one-third of the payroll they might just want to spend and use their resources elsewhere. A-Rod is very marketable for YES, the new Stadium, the All-Time HR chase and on and on. He's a good guy who seems more relaxed and more comfortable with the city embracing him and he seems to have taken on more of a leadership role in the clubhouse. Either way I don't think the Yankees can lose. If A-Rod is back, they have one of the All-Time greats in the lineup. If he's not, they probably have a solid guy like Mike Lowell holding down the hot corner, who has a great glove, came up with the Yankees, is mostly a doubles hitter and can hit for average and power and the Yankees have won with players like him at 3rd before, like the guy who stood in his way back in 1998, Scott Brosius. That and the Yankees can allocate more money towards pitching and or outfield help.
Speaking of the outfield, nobody is safe. It will be quite interesting to see if the Yankees try to perhaps package Melky Cabrera in a deal for Johan Santana. Or whether they keep Melky in center or move him to one of the corner spots given his arm and bring in a Torii Hunter or Aaron Rowand who are excellent defensively and provide much more pop at the plate. Will Bobby Abreu's 2nd half resurgence and steady post-season be enough to retain his services or will the Yankees do a Gary Sheffield, pick up his option and trade him for some pitching help? Hideki Matsui rebounded well this season, but has been injury plagued the last couple of seasons. Though Matsui has been pretty solid as a Yankee and the organization likes the whole Japan marketing thing, the next GM or skipper might want to consider a different path and deal him for some pitching help before he potentially breaks down. Lastly Johnny Damon may have saved himself with his October heroics, that or he possibly showcased himself for another team should the Yankees look to deal him for some pitching. I say the Yankees have to at least bend off one of those guys for some pitching help and need some serious pop either for the outfield or DH spot.
Catcher: Obviously bringing back Jorge Posada is a no-brainer and retaining Jose Molina would be a wise decision as well.
1st base: Working out something between a platoon of Doug Mientkiewicz, Andy Phillips, Shelley Duncan and Wilson Betemit should be just fine at the moment for the Yankees.
Up the middle the Yankees are more than set with Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano.
Finally the most important, the starting rotation. Assuming everyone comes back and they don't pull off a blockbuster for a Johan Santana type, here's what my starting rotation would be in no particular order. Andy Pettitte, Chien Ming Wang, Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy. That's right, no more Roger Clemens, Mike Mussina, Kei Igawa or Carl Pavano. Go with youth here and you heard me right, Joba starts!
In the bullpen Mariano Rivera must be brought back, even at his age, when it counts he's still better at 80% than most closers in this league at 100%. Plus who else are you going to sign Eric Gagne? Please. Kyle Farnsworth must be shown the door. They have to make some deals as I mentioned earlier to bring in some workhorses. They should probably bring back Luis Vizciano. And there should be a healthy competition between more young guys (if they're not traded) like Ross Ohlendorf, Humberto Sanchez, T.J. Beam, Darrell Rasner, Jose Veras and Chase Wright. Perhaps Mussina is retained as a long-man or a spot starter in the pen or if Girardi is hired as manager they bring in Jon Lieber for help as an innings eater. Another option might be to try and swing a deal for Minnesota Twins closer Joe Nathan.
Finally the deadweight must be cut. Some how some way the Yankees have to shed the bad karma and equally bad contracts of Carl Pavano, Kei Igawa, Jason Giambi, Mike Mussina and Kyle Farnsworth. A big reason the Yankees can't afford to give A-Rod the moon if he opts out is that these guys are taking up a huge chunk of the payroll without actually living up to those salaries or in some cases not contributing at all.
In summary the Yankees have an array of directions they can go. Continue to get younger and more fiscally responsible. Trade some of that youth or those big contracts for some "sure things," i.e. Johan Santana or Joe Nathan. Spread out their resources to create more depth on the roster. Or they could just go all out and spend $300 million.
I'm not expecting them nor do I want them to revert back to the 1980's style of doing things or even what happened after the 2001 season. With potentially more payroll flexibility and more leverage for the owner, this will be the biggest turnover since 1995 and 1997, both year's the Yankees made the playoffs as a Wild Card and got bumped in the ALDS. Oddly enough it may all turn out to be very cyclical for Joe Torre, who like Buck Showalter before him was a successful well like skipper by the fans who brought the team back from extinction to the playoffs only to lose and be let go. Hopefully these changes like those made in '95 and '97 bring about a new dynasty for these Yankees and hopefully they'll remember what those changes made at that time that were, when they're thinking about making them this time around.
They were American league rivals back in the late 1940's and early 1950's. A.L. East rivals until the mid-1990's. Heck they even faced eachother in the movie Major League. From 1995 through 2001 it was always either the Yanks or the Tribe playing for the American League in the World Series.
During that time span the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees met twice, each team splitting, with the Indians winning the ALDS in 1997 and the Yankees winning the ALCS in 1998. However there's about a handful of players left from those teams.
Setting the table: The Indians are the A.L. Central champs while the Yankees took the Wild Card. The Yankees went 6-0 against the Indians this season and have fared well historically at Jacobs Field. Here's the positional breakdown.
Catcher: Jorge Posada vs. Victor Martinez - Given the speed of the Yankees top four and Melky Cabrera, if they don't get aggressive and actively run on Martinez, Joe Torre needs to have his head checked. Martinez at the plate has numbers that make one gush, he's been over .300 most of the year until recently and his 25 HR and 111 RBI lead all catchers. Posada however has been scorching the ball all year, a sparkling .337 batting average not only leads all catchers but is 5th in the league and he has 20 HR and 89 RBI to boot. Posada is hitting over .300 in every possible situation, lefties, righties, day, night, home, away, grass, turf, and Posada isn’t slowing down hitting around .390 this month.
Edge: Yankees
1st base: Doug Mientkiewicz vs. Ryan Garko – If one is merely looking at total stats the edge would clearly go to Garko. Garko strikes me as a clutch hitter who you can’t afford to fall asleep on if you’re a pitcher even though he’s lower in the order. Mientkiewicz has been red hot with the bat since coming back from injury and hit .429 in the month of September. Mientkiewicz is the best I’ve seen at first defensively since Don Mattingly wore the pinstripes, he also has playoff experience.
Edge: Yankees
2nd base: Robinson Cano vs. Asdrubal Cabrera – Cabrera looked overmatched against the Yankees in August but picked it up gaining more confidence down the stretch. Its guys like Cabrera who in October get a hit in a key spot and everyone says who the heck is that guy? However Cano ripped up the league in the second half. Cano goes surging into the playoffs, finishing up with 19 HR’s and 97 RBI, both career highs. Beware C.C. Sabathia, this lefty hits lefties at a .328 clip.
Edge: Yankees
Shortstop: Derek Jeter vs. Jhonny Peralta – Some fools dare to call Jeter overrated in the regular season, but if one doesn’t call him the best playoff performer of his generation if not ever, they just haven’t been paying attention the last decade plus. For Jeter the one-time World Series MVP his ALDS stats read like this, .370, 9 HR, 20 RBI along with 67 hits in 46 games. Peralta has had a bounce back season of sorts with his power numbers, 21 HR and 72 RBI. While he does hit well at home batting .297, he’s not much of a road warrior hitting just .243. Do I even have to ask? Clearly it’s Jeter.
Edge: Yankees
3rd base: Alex Rodriguez vs. Casey Blake – As much as I’ve praised Jeter’s playoff prowess it would only be fair to mention A-Rod’s post-season misfortunes of the last couple of seasons. However in baseball A-Rod is what we call due. He’s clearly the best player in the game and consensus MVP and nothing seems to get to the guy this year. He had 6 of his 54 homers against Cleveland including a walk off grand slam at the Stadium. Blake on the other hand is a solid, gritty player with some pop at 3rd base. He’s essentially Peralta in reverse, hitting .247 at home and .294 on the road. Blake is a pesky player but not in A-Rod’s class, but really who is?
Edge: Yankees
Leftfield: Johnny Damon vs. Kenny Lofton – Two guys winding down solid careers and two guys who’ve been through the playoff wars before. Lofton has given the Tribe a veteran boost as a guy who has been there before the last time the Indians tasted October. His acquisition from Texas allowed the Indians to slot Grady Sizemore into the number three slot in the order. However when it comes to postseason Lofton despite his experience is hitting a paltry .244 overall. Damon on the other hand seems to have gotten his legs back under him and has recaptured his stroke at the right time. Damon is still a threat on the base paths leading the Yanks with 27 and is hitting .390 in his last 41 at bats. In ALDS play Damon is hitting .337.
Edge: Yankees
Centerfield: Melky Cabrera vs. Grady Sizemore – The one position where Cleveland gets a definitive edge. Sizemore has a great glove, can beat a team with power 24 HR or speed 33 SB. Sizemore can create runs in so many different fashions and isn’t afraid to take a walk. Sizemore is hitting .375 in his last 32 at bats. Cabrera gives the Yanks a shot of enthusiasm and has the best centerfield arm this side of Ichiro. Cabrera though may have tired down the stretch as his late season numbers would show, hitting only .154 in his last 39 at bats.
Edge: Indians
Rightfield: Bobby Abreu vs. Franklin Gutierrez – Abreu has really picked up the slack in the second half for the Yanks, hitting 16 HR with 101 RBI. Abreu was one of the few impressive Yankees along with Jeter and Posada in last year’s playoffs against Detroit hitting .333. Gutierrez is a young player with a little pop. Gutierrez socked 13 HR’s but is only hitting .247 in the last month.
Edge: Yankees
DH: Hideki Matsui vs. Travis Hafner – Even if this turns out to be Jason Giambi or Shelley Duncan in game one, even with Hafner having a “down year” for his standards, the man they call “Pronk” gets the edge. Hafner who last year was Mr. Grand-slam, is one of those dangerous players who can carry a team on his back in a short series. Hafner hit 24 HR and drove in an even 100 RBI and is also smashing the ball of late, hitting at a .485 clip in his last 33 at bats. For Matsui, yes the stats are there .285, 25 HR, 103 RBI. However it has been somewhat of a streaky and injury plagued season for the man they call “Godzilla.” Matsui suffered early on from a hamstring injury and really didn’t heat up until July where he won A.L. Player of the Month honors, but a cranky knee stunted his power to an extent in September.
Edge: Indians
Starters: Chien-Ming Wang vs. C.C. Sabathia – Both 19 game winners, both have different styles, but neither are particularly bat shy. Both pitchers won their team’s last postseason game. Both are workhorses who’ve pitched fairly well down the stretch. I’m not saying that either is invincible for a number one starter, but based on the fact that Sabathia going against a lefty laden Yankee lineup is only allowing lefties to hit .203 and Wang has a 4.91 road ERA, I have to give the slight edge to Sabathia.
Edge: Indians
Starters: Andy Pettitte vs. Fausto Carmona – In 2003 Pettitte was also number two, however that year he was anything but, bailing out the Yankees and winning each time they went down 1-0 in a series. Pettitte also has 14 postseason wins to his name. Pettitte was also the ultimate Yankee stopper and carried the team with a brilliant second half going 11-2. While Pettitte has fared well against the Indians this season, Carmona has gotten knocked around by the Yankees. However Carmona was no slouch this season, like Sabathia he also won 19 games and actually pitched to a better ERA 3.06. Carmona also pitched well down the stretch going 9-4 in the second half and has won his last five starts. Though I get the strange feeling that things change when the calendar changes. Pettitte was brought back for this reason and he will rise to the occasion.
Edge: Yankees
Starters: Roger Clemens vs. Jake Westbrook – Contrary to popular belief, Roger Clemens and not A-Rod will be the determining factor as to whether the Yankees advance deep into the 2007 postseason. Unless one has the rare combo of a Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale or Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling, having at least three solid starters in the playoffs is pivotal. One only needs to look at Clemens’ last two starts to know what to expect. If he’s healthy he’s usually on and will give an automatic six innings of two-hit shutout ball. If not, Phil Hughes will be pitching in the 3rd inning. Westbrook the former Yankee has had if nothing else an up and down season. Lefties seem to hit him well and the Yankees absolutely drilled him in two starts this year. While Westbrook has pitched better of late, his 4.78 road ERA doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence. If nothing else Clemens will gut it out and try to capitalize on an impatient Indians lineup.
Edge: Yankees
Starters: Mike Mussina vs. Paul Byrd – The two squared off on August 11th at Jacobs Field, with Byrd getting smacked for seven hits and seven runs in just two innings of work. Mussina on the other hand picked up the win, pitching into the 8th striking out six along the way. While Mussina has had the roughest season of his solid career, the Yankees have just absolutely eaten up Byrd, including smacking him around when he was a member of the Angles at Yankee Stadium during game three of the 2005 ALDS.
Edge: Yankees
Bullpen: In Mariano Rivera the Yankees have the best postseason closer if not pitcher ever. In the ALDS Mo has a record of 2-0 with a microscopic 0.42 ERA and overall in the playoffs a record of 8-1, 0.80 ERA, 34 saves, a World Series MVP in 1999 and an ALCS MVP in 2003. Finally, unlike the last five years or so the Yankees have someone who can get the ball to Mo without him being overly taxed. That man is none other than Joba Chamberlain. Joba who gives opposing hitters the “Gas-Chamberlain,” is the Yankees Mariano Rivera to Mariano Rivera’s, John Wetteland making them the best 1-2 relief punch in the Bronx since 1996. Did I mention Chamberlain has an ERA of 0.38 in with 34 strikeouts in 24 innings? Joba Rules indeed! The rest of the bullpen is really a tossup depending on the durability of Luis Vizciano’s arm and the stability of Kyle Farnsworth’s head. Personally I’d give Phil Hughes a bigger role in the pen if he’s not going to start. On the Indians side, former Yankee Joe Borowski led the A.L. in saves with 45. Borowski in his lone postseason appearance with the Cubs in 2003 fared well, going 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA and six strikeouts in five games. The Indians bullpen also likes the tunes of Raffy. So much so they have two, lefty Rafael Perez who is sporting a 1.78 ERA with lefties hitting only .145 off him. And righty Rafael Betancourt who has an even more impressive 1.47 ERA and righties are only hitting .147 off him. Jensen Lewis has also been a pleasant surprise.
Edge: Yankees
Bench: Both teams have a solid mix and presence on the bench. For the Yankees it’s Jason Giambi, Jose Molina, Shelley Duncan and Wilson Betemit. For the Indians, Jason Michaels, Kelly Shoppach, Chris Gomez and Trot Nixon.
Edge: Even
Manager: Joe Torre vs. Eric Wedge – Torre has struggled without Don Zimmer by his side the last few postseasons. For Wedge this is his first go-around in the playoffs.
September is a time for call-ups in baseball. Which was further illustrated last night when the Yankees went through a slew of players in their 14 inning afair with the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium last night. Thus it begs the question, when teams are forced to cut back down to 25 on the roster for the playoffs, who makes the cut for the Yankees? It will be the first time since 1981 that a Yankee playoff roster will not include Bernie Williams.
Jorge Posada: The starting catcher, batting over .330 with over 20 HR's and 85 RBI, been through the battles and has the rings to show for it.
Derek Jeter: The starting shortstop, captain clutch, you've heard it all before, he's got the hits, the rings and a nice shiny World Series MVP trophy from 2000, the last time they won it all.
Mariano Rivera: Not to take away from his career in the regular season, but if anyone could get into the hall on playoff numbers alone, Mo would be your guy. Once again another guy with the rings along with the 1999 World Series MVP and 2003 ALCS MVP to boot.
Andy Pettitte: Is it any suprise or wonder I went with the dynasty guys first? Pettitte is back with the Yankees just like David Lee Roth is back with Van Halen, no more imposters with the likes of Randy Johnson and Kevin Brown playing the roles of Sammy Hagar and Gary Cherone. Oh yeah, Andy also has the rings, 14 playoffs victories and a 2001 ALCS MVP.
Alex Rodriguez: A reminder to come back and read this after the playoffs are over, without A-Rod in 2007 there are playoffs for the Yankees. A-Rod thus far has 52 HR's and 143 RBI, if he just tries to stay relaxed and not try and duplicate those numbers within a span of three weeks, he should no doubt thrive in October.
Robinson Cano: Has had quite a jolt of power this season, hopes to revert to his playoff form of two years ago.
Hideki Matsui: Salvaged his season with a hot July and August, however he's also endured a bit of a September swoon. Absolutely tore up the playoffs in his first two seasons in 2003 and 2004, the last two not so much. Will be counted on once again.
Bobby Abreu: Another guy who when on can beat you in so many different ways with the bat. Nice to have a third hitter who can lay down a bunt in a crucial spot and also have 16 HR's and 98 RBI. One of the few guys who hit in the playoffs last year for the Yanks.
Melky Cabrera: Has cooled off somewhat of late, but speed and defense don't go into slumps for very long and count big time come playoff time. It's the little guys like Melky who emerge as the un-sung heroes with big hits in October.
Doug Mientkiewicz: Staying on that theme of defense, with apologies to Tino Martinez, Mientkiewicz has to be the best defender at first since Don Mattingly. While on occasion Doug can slug, his defense will same at least one to two runs a game and when one scales that down to a playoff series, usually that's all it takes to win a game. Again has a ring and the playoff experience, he'd be my starter at first and is a sleeper pick for a clutch hit or two.
Johnny Damon: Damon can still be useful, has the ring and has been through the playoff wars before. Another guy capable of beating you in so many different ways. He'd be my starting DH and depending on Matsui's health, possibly LF.
Jason Giambi: Don't push it with this guy, he reminds me of Jose Canseco circa 2000. Can still be useful as a pinch hit bopper off the bench or as DH, but in the field, uh no thanks.
Chien-Ming Wang: Ace of the staff, 18 wins. Won their only playoff game last year, Yanks just feel confident when he pitches, no matter what. A cool customer on the mound, important in the pressure of the playoffs.
Roger Clemens: Just get him to October in one piece please. Given his Hall of Fame ledger, Rocket's playoff stats aren't quite what one would expect them to be. However his presence and ability at any time to pitch dominantly to the tune of two hits and one run over seven innings, still makes him very dangerous. Has the rings from the days of the "old guard."
Mike Mussina: Veteran who has rebounded of late and deserves a roster spot, possibly even a start. Not so sure if I'd pitch him with my season on the line in game four. It will be interesting to see if pitches like David Cone did in the 1999 playoffs after falling off a bit down the stretch or if he'll be like the Cone of 2000 and see little to no action.
Phil Hughes: Has stepped up of late and might warrant a start in October. That or he could be a righty specialist out of the pen or relieve Clemens or Mussina in case of injury or if they're getting pounded.
Joba Chamberlain: An absolute witch on the mound. Chamberlain is clutch, embraces the big moments and soakes in the spotlight. Don't be shocked if you see Joba coming in during the 6th inning of some playoff games if the situation dictates it.
Jose Molina: If the Yankees need to pinch run for Posada in a late spot, they won't lose much in Molina defensively, very important. Won a ring with the Angels and has actually hit some in limited post-season action.
Luis Vizcaino: Meet the new Ramiro Mendoza of the Yankee bullpen. If kept fresh, Luis is lights out. Another guy with a ring from the Chicago White Sox.
Wilson Betemit: Has had his action and plate apperances reduced of late. However he is Mr. Versatility, Betemit can play virtually any infield position, has some pop from the left side off the bench and can switch-hit. Blasted the ball with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2006 NLDS.
Ron Villone: On the roster if for no other reason than he's a veteran lefty. If fresh can be effective, best not to push it though.
Shelley Duncan: Gets the team pumped and is a long ball threat off the bench with some righthanded pop. Also has a rocket arm in the OF.
Ian Kennedy: Another solid young arm who can get the Yankees innings should one of their starters go down or i####ame goes into extras. Having guys like Kennedy, Vizcaino, Hughes, Chamberlain, Rivera out of the pen could make most games a 5-6 inning affair. These guys will be important especially if Clemens and Mussina can't give them length for whatever reason.
Kyle Farnsworth: As much as it pains me to give him the 25th spot, they're paying him way too much and probably won't leave him off. Though with the depth they have in the pen, I'm not sure what his role is anymore and if it's end of the line aka 14th inning guy, he's not the guy you want in there with the game on the line like Jeff Weaver in the 2003 World Series. Other candidates would likely be Edwar Ramirez and Ross Ohlendorf.
The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees hook up for the final time in 2007 this weekend, including Saturday afternoon on Fox. That is final time unless they meet up in the ALCS for the first time since 2004 which would be the 3rd time in five seasons. Of course the California Angels (no that's not a typpo I'd rather call them that) may be standing on top when it's all said and done. Or even because baseball is so hard to predict, maybe the Cleveland Indians will slip under the radar right into the Fall Classic. Anyhow onto previewing the weekend series at Fenway Park!
The Red Sox at (89-58) lead the Yankees (83-63) by 5.5, including five in the loss column. New York leads the season series 8-7 over Boston, sweeping the last series they played at the Stadium. Here's the head-to-head positional matchups:
1st base: Kevin Youkilis vs. Jason Giambi: Aside from his grand-slam against Toronto, Giambi has looked overmatched lately and all season, he is 2-26 in his last ten games. Youkilis has cooled off somewhat of late, but tops Giambi in every category from HR's 16, AVG .287, RBI 80, OBP .391, SLG. 457 and his defense has been absolutely sick all season.
Edge: Red Sox.
2nd base: Dustin Pedroia vs. Robinson Cano: Both have shown great range at 2nd base this season defensively (ask Clay Bucholz and Mike Mussina). They've both been hot of late, in their last ten games Pedroia is batting at a .370 clip, while Cano is hitting .308. Pedroia may well win the A.L. Rookie Of The Year award. Pedroia is lighting it up this month in particular hitting .373, while Cano is at .279. This matchup looks fairly even on paper but Cano with 16 HR and 82 RBI, has more pop currently so he just edges out Pedroia.
Edge: Yankees.
Shortstop: Julio Lugo vs. Derek Jeter: Do I even have to ask? Jeter is a little ####ed up of late and it has shown. In his last ten games he's hitting .162, seeing his average drop from .325 to .314. While Lugo over his last ten is batting .302. Looking on paper one might think aside from the hits, average and runs scored that Lugo is having the better season. However Jeter still kills Lugo in OPB and SLG, so the nod goes to Jeter.
Edge: Yankees.
3rd base: Mike Lowell vs. Alex Rodriguez: There's a possibility that next season both of these men will be wearing the opposite uniform. While Mike Lowell may be the Red Sox MVP, A-Rod is the league MVP. Lowell has been having a solid season and has carried the Red Sox of late, with a .326 AVG, 18 HR and 103 RBI, with a .500 SLG and solid defense. A-Rod though is having an historic season, with a .317 AVG, 52 HR, 140 RBI with a .423 OBP and .664 SLG, simply sensational. While Lowell is batting .326 this month, A-Rod is hitting .463 with 7 HR and 11 RBI in his last ten games.
Edge: Yankees.
Catcher: Jason Varitek vs. Jorge Posada: The only guy hitting hotter this month average wise than A-Rod is Jorge Posada. This used to be a fairly even matchup and while Varitek still handles the pitching staff very well and can still play to the dramatics hitting the clutch HR in a big spot, Varitek is on the decline while Posada astonishingly enough continues to rise. Varitek of late is only hitting .219 this month while Posada is nailing the ball at a .483 clip. Catchers are not supposed to hit .483 in September! The HR numbers are fairly close (20-13), but Posada is hitting the tar out of the ball, .423 OBP, .556 SLG and .338 AVG. Barring a monumental slump Posada will become the 1st catcher Yankee catcher since Thurman Munson in 1978 to finish in the top ten in the AL batting race. Though I must note, where the Red Sox pitching imploded last year without Varitek late, they've mostly stayed intact and that's a big credit to the BoSox captain and backstop.
Edge: Yankees.
Leftfielder: Manny Ramirez vs. Hideki Matsui: Assuming he plays Manny is just a machine and a Yankee killer, no other way around it. While on paper the stats may lean a bit towards Matsui, Matsui has been in a funk of late hitting just .121 in his last ten games this month. Ramirez tops him in AVG .292, OBP .385 and SLG .495. Safe to say if Manny plays, Yankee pitching pays.
Edge: Red Sox.
Centerfielder: Coco Crisp vs. Melky Cabrera: Crisp has been hotter at the plate than Cabrera of late this month. Both fairly even defensively, though Crisp obviously looks more poised on certain balls whereas Melky has the tendency to not assert himself as much as the leader of the outfield. Cabrera however leads Crisp in virtually every important offensive category and that's with starting the 1st month as basically the 4th outfielder.
Edge: Even.
Rightfielder: J.D. Drew vs. Bobby Abreu: At the start of the season fans wanted both of these guys playing RF back in the National League. Now it appears the Yankees are on the cusp of picking up Abreu's option, while the "J.D." in J.D. Drew has continued to stand for "Just Dreadful." Drew has been scorching this month batting .345 in his last ten games and everything can change with a solid October. The power numbers though are just not befitting of a corner outfielder, especially one getting paid to hit like Dwight Evans. How hot has Abreu been in the 2nd half? Considering some scouts in the early going were quoted as saying it looked as if he had quit, Abreu with 16 HR and 94 RBI has almost double that of Drew in those two categories.
Edge: Yankees.
DH: David Ortiz vs. Johnny Damon: Ortiz and Damon aren't having their typical seasons and have been pretty ####ed up all year. However of late Big Papi has been red hot and clutch, just ask the D-Rays if they thought Mr. Walkoff looked back to form, with 5 HR, 11 RBI and a .351 AVG. in his last ten games.
Edge: Red Sox.
Starting Pitching:
Daisuke Matsuzaka vs. Andy Pettitte: As off-season signings go, it's one of the more over-hyped vs. one of the more under-valued. I'd laugh at the Red Sox for dumping $100 million on this guy except the Yanks went and dropped $46 million on Kei Igawa. Matsuzaka has been erratic of late, going 3-6 in his last 10 starts with an ERA of 5.52. Matsuzaka is also apparently not loving the band-box, with his ERA of 5.24 at home and his ERA of 4.81 at night ain't to great either. Pettitte on the other hand has only gotten better as this season has progressed. Pettitte got jobbed early, whether it was poor run support or an utter collapse by the bullpen. Pettitte was electric in August and in his last 10 starts is 8-2 with a 3.19 ERA. Pettitte has been the complete opposite of his Friday night counterpart, his ERA under the lights is 3.63.
Edge: Yankees.
Josh Beckett vs. Chien-Ming Wang: Beckett and Wang with their league leading 18 wins are certainly in the discussion for the Cy Young award. Tell that to Verlander, Lackey, Escobar, Sabathia, Santana and Haren. Both have been solid down the stretch in their last 10 outings with Wang going 8-1 and Beckett 6-3 but with an ERA a full run lower at 3.14. Both are workhorses with contrasting styles, groundout vs. strikeout. The Yankees usually hit Beckett pretty well, but Wang's 4.83 road ERA causes me some concern. Saturday's game could oddly enough be a high scoring affair, one of those long drawn out four plus hour Yankee-Red Sox games between two 18 game winners no less.
Edge: Red Sox.
Curt Schilling vs. Roger Clemens: Both starters have had their struggles down the stretch this season. Schilling seems to get wacked around quite a bit by the Yankees of late and in his last ten starts this season he is 3-5 with a 3.96 ERA. On the other hand if Clemens does start he'll have to be a healthy indimidating presence to improve on his 4-3 record and 5.06 ERA in his last ten, including a road ERA on the season of 5.93, yikes. This one could come down to the battle of the bullpens.
Edge: Even.
Bullpen: Consider these insane stats for the two closers of late. Neither closer has allowed a run this month. For Jonathan Paplebon in his last ten outings he has an ERA of 0.00 with 6 SV's and 16 K's in 10 IP allowing only 1 hit and no walks during that period. Mariano Rivera in that same time frame has an ERA of 0.82 with 6 SV's and 12 K's in 11 IP allowing 8 hits and 2 walks. Both teams have incredible depth for all sorts of matchups. The Joba Rules and The Bucholz Stops here.
Edge: Even.
Bench: Yanks have more pop off the bench than the Sawx. Ok so here's the stats assuming who's starting here. The Yankees combined bench of Wilson Betemit, Doug Mientkiewicz, Shelley Duncan and Jose Molina have 25 HR's, 91 RBI, 54 extra base hits, 75 runs scored and 58 walks. The Red Sox combined bench of Jacoby Ellsbury, Eric Hinske, Bobby Kielty, Alex Cora and Doug
(Moves to be made by The Boss)
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Edge: Red Sox.
Edge: Yankees.
Edge: Yankees.
Edge: Yankees.
Edge: Red Sox.
Edge: Even.
Edge: Yankees.
Edge: Red Sox.
Edge: Yankees.
Edge: Red Sox.
Edge: Even.
Edge: Even.