Move Posada to DH in 2010?

Heck no. But Yankees blog Was Watching makes a case for Jorge Posada DH-ing in 2010.

The first thing I thought when I heard the idea was, “Who’s gonna catch?” The article gave a vague response:

Who will catch if Posada is the D.H.? Well, here, you have to get creative. Whether it’s signing someone under the radar like David Ross…meaning getting someone with better catching skills than Posada but with a bat that won’t kill you like Jose Molina…or, swinging a trade for someone like Ryan Doumit…meaning someone who is not terrible behind the plate and who has some potential offensive upside…the Yankees have to do something here.

Hmm. Trading for someone with sub-par defensive skills, like Posada, is not the answer I was looking for at all. Here’s my case:

• The Yankees seemed to be just fine with Posada behind the dish in 2009, as they all wound up with World Series rings.
• Posada’s value as a catcher is extremely high because of his great production at the plate, something hard to find in the majors outside of Joe Mauer.
• Any DH the Yankees go with in 2010, even Juan Miranda, is a better hitter than Jose Molina or David Ross.
• Posada isn’t so awful that teams run on him non-stop. As long as a catcher has a bat to back up mediocre catching, he benefits the team.
• Most importantly, the Yankees finally do have the catching prospects to take over for Posada with Austin Romine and Jesus Montero. They already made the mistake of trading Dioner Navarro, so I have a feeling the Yankees will try and keep both of their new prospective catchers of the future.
 

Please, feel free to defend Was Watching. I’d love to hear some counter-arguments.

Jeter named SI’s Sportsman of the Year

Yet another cover of Sports Illustrated for Derek Jeter will release this week after he was named Sportsman of the Year today, confirming early reports from Gawker.

The award goes to a player who captures both achievement and sportsmanship in a year. Past winners include Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Lance Armstrong and Brett Favre. But Jeter is the first Yankee ever to take home the honor.

Congrats, Jete.

Mariano Rivera Featured Yankee Card of the Week

After he turned 40 yesterday, I am choosing Mariano Rivera as the Featured Yankee Card of the Week. Last year, he collected his fifth World Series ring by doing possibly the most a closer has ever done in a World Series.

Oh, and he had one of his best years of his career, at 39 years young. He was picked to his 10th All-Star team and received votes for the MVP award for the ninth time.

According to Baseball Reference, Rivera has the highest ERA+ of all-time, which is a statistic based on ERA but has other adjustments factored in. A 100 is average, below 100 is below average and above 100 is above average. Rivera is at 202.

Who’s next for the Hall of Fame?

The inductees won’t be announced until Jan. 6, 2010, but it’s still fun to look at.

Will Don Mattingly finally break through? Should players surrounded by steroid rumors, like Mark McGwire, be inducted? Feel free to debate in the comments section.

(* indicates first time on ballot)

Roberto Alomar*
Kevin Appier*
Harold Baines
Bert Blyleven
Ellis Burks*
Andre Dawson
Andres Galarraga*
Pat Hentgen*
Mike Jackson*
Eric Karros*
Ray Lankford*
Barry Larkin*
Edgar Martinez*
Don Mattingly
Fred McGriff*
Mark McGwire
Jack Morris
Dale Murphy
Dave Parker
Tim Raines
Shane Reynolds*
David Segui*
Lee Smith
Alan Trammell
Robin Ventura*
Todd Zeile*

List provided by Mark Feinsand.

Roy Halladay rumors update

Roy Halladay would waive his no-trade clause to approve a deal to the Yankees, according to Bob Elliot.

Elliot also pointed out that Halladay would be following the same path as David Cone and Roger Clemens did if traded to New York.

Jeremy Sandler has an update on the Blue Jays asking price.

The Jays want a major league-ready arm and bat, both young and affordable enough to stay in Toronto a while, plus prospects for Halladay.

For the Yankees, that could mean either Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain, possibly Melky Cabrera and then a couple of prospects.

If it were me, I’d prefer to give up Chamberlain over Hughes. And I would not be willing to part with Jesus Montero under any circumstances.

Baseball lacking a Tiger?

Tiger Woods backed into a fire hydrant yesterday and the whole world is intrigued by every detail.

For us baseball fans, this begs the question: Which baseball player makes that much of an impact on the world?

The answer? There is no one. The only person ever to matter as much to the world as Tiger was, of course, a Yankee. A guy named George Herman Ruth.

Tiger has to be the single most important person to his or her sport today. People who don’t know anything about golf still know who Tiger is. For baseball, that must-know guy varies depending on where you live.

Big ADVANTAGE to having a Tiger in a sport:	Big DISADVANTAGE to having a Tiger in a sport:
Having such a popular figure around helps the popularity and growth of the sport.	If he quits or gets injured, the sport loses so much, and won’t have a replacement.

The only baseball player I could single out would be – bias aside – Derek Jeter. But honestly, that’s probably just because of his looks. And, let’s say Jeter retired from baseball, there are still plenty of other players that are close to his popularity. Baseball does not need a Tiger.

Poll Results: Yanks should part with Melky for Halladay

The Yankees are, of course, in the discussion for landing Roy Halladay in what would be the blockbuster trade of the offseason. You fans have voted Melky Cabrera the guy to give up for Halladay. Obviously, the Blue Jays will be expecting more than Cabrera, but he isn’t a bad start.

For me, the only prospect I consider “untouchable” is Jesus Montero. The 19-year-old catcher has the best bat in the entire farm system and one of the best in the minors. In 92 games between Tampa and Trenton in 2009, Montero combined for 17 HRs, 70 RBI and a .337 BA before breaking his left middle finger to end his season.

Robinson Cano was picked the least to be given up, but he isn’t a plausible option in this deal because the Blue Jays already have Aaron Hill at second base.

I completely mispredicted 2009.

I completely mispredicted 2009. Yes, Wiktionary calls “mispredicted” a word, so it is.

Anyway, if you are a frequent visitor of this blog, you probably noticed my preseason predictions at the top of the page. I thought it would be fun to see if my predictions were close to correct, but they weren’t.

Here’s a review: (Correct answer)

Yankees Stats:
Yankees victories: over 96 CORRECT
Mark Teixeira home runs: under (0 INCORRECT (39)
Mark Teixeira RBI: over 129 INCORRECT (122)
Derek Jeter batting average: under .289 INCORRECT (.334)
Johnny Damon batting average: over .310 INCORRECT (.282)
CC Sabathia wins: over 22 INCORRECT (19)
A.J. Burnett wins: over 17 INCORRECT (13)
Joba Chamberlain wins: over 15 INCORRECT (9)
Mariano Rivera saves: under 32 INCORRECT (44)

Standings:
AL East: Yankees CORRECT
AL Central: Indians INCORRECT (Twins)
AL West: Angels CORRECT
AL Wildcard: Rays INCORRECT (Red Sox)
NL East: Phillies CORRECT
NL Central: Brewers INCORRECT (Cardinals)
NL West: Dodgers CORRECT
NL Wildcard: Cubs INCORRECT (Rockies)

Postseason:
AL World Series rep: Yankees CORRECT
NL World Series rep: Dodgers INCORRECT (Phillies)
World Series winner: Yankees CORRECT

Awards:
AL MVP: Evan Longoria INCORRECT (Joe Mauer)
NL MVP: Manny Ramirez INCORRECT (Albert Pujols
AL CY: CC Sabathia INCORRECT (Zack Greinke)
NL CY: Tim Lincecum CORRECT
AL ROY: Elvis Andrus INCORRECT (Andrew Bailey)
NL ROY: Cameron Maybin INCORRECT (Chris Coghlan)

AL East Division Standings:
Yankees 96-66 INCORRECT (103-59)
Rays: 92-70 INCORRECT (84-78)
Red Sox: 91-71 INCORRECT (95-67)
Blue jays: 76-86 INCORRECT (75-87)
Orioles: 64-98 CORRECT

Random:
Yankees vs. Red Sox: 11-7 INCORRECT (9-9)
Yankees vs. Mets: 2-4 INCORRECT (5-1)
First hit in new Yankee Stadium: Derek Jeter INCORRECT (Damon)
First home run in new Yankee Stadium: Jorge Posada CORRECT
Phil Hughes wins: 6 INCORRECT (8)
Ian Kennedy wins: 2 INCORRECT (0)
Other: Brett Gardner will NOT be the starting center fielder at the end of the season CORRECT

-----
That’s 11 for 38 if you are counting at home.

P.A. announcer Bob Sheppard calls it quits

MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch recently spoke with longtime Yankees P.A. announcer Bob Sheppard and he announced that he has “no plans of coming back.”

"Time has passed me by, I think. I had a good run for it. I enjoyed doing what I did. I don't think, at my age, I'm going to suddenly regain the stamina that is really needed if you do the job and do it well."

Sheppard, 99 years old, has announced the starting lineups for over 50 years, and is known for his deep, succinct voice.

Derek Jeter has said he will always step up to the plate to the sound of Sheppard’s voice, whether it is really his voice, or just a recording.

A lot to be thankful for

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I’m sure every Yankees blogger out there has a lot to be thankful this year! Winning the World Series in the first and last year’s of the decade is a nice way to leave a mark.

Three things I’m thankful for…

1. My Yankees winning it all!
2. My dedicated followers and readers!
3. And, the people who got me started on this blog! (you know who you are)

Predictions for the outfield next year?

According to the depth chart on Yankees.com, the outfield is Nick Swisher in left, Melky Cabrera in center and Nick Swisher in right. Hmm. I’m not sure if that’s possible.

Ok, so realistically, it would be Cabrera in left, Brett Gardner in center and Swisher in right, if the Yankees didn’t make any moves.

One problem. The Yankees have mentioned two of those players in possible trades this offseason (excluding maybe Gardner). There is a chance that you will see none of those three in the outfield next year.

Here’s the outfield that I’d love to see:

LF: Johnny Damon
CF: Curtis Granderson
RF: Jermaine Dye

I really like the Dye rumors floating around and the Yankees have always had a good trading relationship with the Tigers. And I’m sure the Yankees will work something out with Damon. He’s an idiot.

Here’s what I think it will really look like:

LF: Damon
CF: Cabrera
RF: A combination of Swisher, Austin Jackson and Eric Hinske

I think the Yankees really like Jackson, and with a good spring training and maybe first month or two in AAA, I could see an early call-up. The Yankees should also definitely re-sign Hinske for his power bat off the bench and his versatility (3B, 1B, LF, RF, DH). Oh, and the Yankees better not get rid of Swisher.

Any other predictions?

My letter to Brian Cashman

Via Peter Gammons:

The Yankees are planning to go to spring training with Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain being programmed to start. "They can always go from starting to the bullpen, but it's tough going the other way," says Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.

Cashman feels David Robertson and Damaso Marte can pitch the seventh and eighth innings in front of Mariano Rivera, but a Yankees run at John Lackey, Ben Sheets or another starter hasn't been ruled out. The feeling inside the Yankees' offices is that there will be some payroll cutback, but how much is not known.

This scares me. I really can’t believe Cashman believes this. If I were to send a letter to Cashman, here’s how it would read:

When you watched Joba pitch from your beautiful box behind home plate, did you notice how Chamberlain through 92 MPH as a starter and hit 98 MPH as a reliever? It takes Chamberlain’s arm a few appearances to get his arm strength back. So, he definitely can’t always go from starting to the bullpen.

Firstly, you are stupid to think Chamberlain is still a starter after his garbage year last year. Hughes could possibly live up to your expectations, but Chamberlain looked out of place (and I used to see him as a starter!).

Secondly, this means you are going with a rotation of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Hughes and Chamberlain for 2010. Cash, this isn’t the postseason where you can get away with only three legitimate starters. You need to go out and find another legit starter, and that doesn’t mean you have to spend the bank on John Lackey or the prospects for Roy Halladay (even though I’d like that).

Finally, taking both of those guys out of the bullpen leaves your pen short-staffed. Now you are going to have to give up a little for a Rafael Soriano or Mike Gonzalez.

So please, Cash, get your head screwed on right, put Joba back in the pen where he belongs and find a real starter!

Pettitte bolsters Hall of Fame argument

Andy Pettitte has the most wins of any active pitcher since 1995, and is second in starts and innings pitched, trailing only Greg Maddux.

I read that fact in Tom Verducci’s Sports Illustrated article earlier this month, titled “World Domination.” The premise of the story is that the Yankees had a lot of performances from older players exceeding expectations.

Anyway, after reading that fact about Pettitte, I started thinking about how he was a borderline hall of famer going into last year. Now he can call himself the winningest pitcher of his era, and that includes World Series rings as well. Here’s a look at his career line:

Years	W	L	GS	IP	ERA	SO	WHIP
15	229	135	458	2926.1	3.91	2150	1.361

What I think hurts him most is his high ERA.

I argue that it isn’t that high for the Steroid Era. Plus, he has a lot of other things going for him.

• He’s collected the most wins of any pitcher during his time
• He has five World Series rings and 18 postseason wins
• He has one of the best pickoff moves ever
• He has won 21 games in a season twice
• He spent most of his career on the big stage of New York

One thing I neglected to mention is his use of HGH. He admitted to using HGH twice in order to recover from an injury more quickly. His usage should hurt his chances a little bit, but I don’t think as much because at least he admitted it. Barry Bonds hasn’t admitted anything yet.

Cashman, Girardi speak at DVD premier

The official World Series DVD premiered last night (my friend who went said he liked it) at the Ziegfield Theatre in New York city, and Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi spoke to the media from the red carpet beforehand.

The big news is Cashman announced he will deal with Yankees FAs (presumably Andy Pettitte, Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui)before hitting the market.

"I don't want to make the mistake of having a conversation with somebody else's agent and it plays out as if I'm pursuing that guy, and somebody misinterprets it (and) that means I'm not pursuing our guy," Cashman said. "We're not even at that stage yet. So I'm trying to be very careful and respectful to our players first, makes sure they're aware of where they are in the process."

According to Marc Carig’s report, Girardi has spoken with Damon and Pettitte recently, but not Matsui.

"When you win like this, you want to keep everyone," Girardi said. "There's a bond there, and the bond is very special. You hope you can keep everyone but it doesn't always work out that way."

I think at this point, Pettitte is the guy with the biggest chance of returning to the Yankees for 2010. Without him, the Yankees only have two definite guys slotted in their rotation (CC Sabathia & A.J. Burnett).

I wouldn’t call Damon a guarantee yet because there are a lot of options in the outfield. I’d rather have a guy like Curtis Granderson, Chone Figgins or Jason Bay. Throw in Nick Swisher to that mix, plus, the Yankees haven’t decided what to do with Austin Jackson yet either.

Teixeira and Jeter settle for 2nd, 3rd MVP

Joe Mauer was just announced the MVP after receiving 27 of 28 first place votes. From there, it went:

2. Mark Teixeira
3. Derek Jeter
4. Miguel Cabrera
5. Kendry Morales
6. Kevin Youkilis
7. Jason Bay
8. Ben Zobrist
9. Ichiro Suzuki
10. Alex Rodriguez
14. Mariano Rivera
18. Robinson Cano
21. CC Sabathia

This marks the second time in three years when a Twin took an MVP award away from Jeter (this year wasn’t as close).

Mauer heads MVP discussion

The 2009 AL Most Valuable Player Award is being announced today at 2 p.m.

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com wrote an article yesterday that implied Derek Jeter has the best chance to win the award besides the heavy favorite Joe Mauer.

That surprised me, as I have thought all along that Mark Teixeira has the best chance because he led the league in homers and RBIs and played gold glove defense.

DiComo made a good point about this possibly being a chance for one of those “lifetime achievement” giveaways. He came close in 2006 but lost to Justin Morneau, and nobody expected him to make another run at the award again. Now that he has, the writers may feel it is time for him to pick up some new hardware.

The MVP debate is so hard to discuss because everyone has their own guidelines they go by. For example, some people say that it is amazing how Mauer was able to compile the numbers he did while missing the first month of the year. My argument would be that he didn’t do anything for the team for a whole month, so that loses a lot of value.

Also, some writers my weigh the fact that Mauer led his team to the playoffs without Justin Morneau extremely high, while others will ignore the fact that Mark Teixeira changed as a hitter when Alex Rodriguez joined the lineup in May.

I hope the vote isn’t a blow out, but I think it will be. Anyone dare to say Mauer isn’t the guy?

UPDATE: Beat writer Sam Borden predicts a second place finish for Jeter, while Mark Feinsand sees Teixeira taking second.

(Either way, Jeter and Teixeira are going to have World Series rings, and Mauer will not.)

So long, Shelley

It’s about time.

Shelley Duncan has tore up the Yankees farm system for the last six years, and has hardly gotten a chance at the major league level.

Now, the news is he has been outrighted to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, which is what the Yankees did with him last year. If he clears waivers, he has the option this time around to reject the assignment.

“I’ll wait and see,” Duncan said. “I might clear on Monday or something, and if do, then I’ll become a free agent.”

Hopefully, a National League team will find him and he will tear it up over there. I don’t want the Yanks to face this guy too often. He was a spiritual leader, and a good guy to have around the clubhouse.

My only personal memory of him was when I was at a game a few summers ago, and Duncan tied it up in the ninth on a three-run homer. Mariano Rivera blew the game later on, but still, what a hit!

What 12,000 pictures can do

If you like the sound of a piano, and you like the Yankees, you’ll enjoy this.

Just found this sweet time-lapse of Game 6 by Robert Caplin. Go figure, it was on a blog named after me.

Yankees Roy Halladay rumors

The Yankees have been in contact with the Blue Jays to talk about ace starter Roy Halladay, according to Jon Heyman.

As you know, I believe the Yankees should definitely go after Halladay. He is available to AL East teams this time around, his proven ability exceeds the cost of prospects and pairing him up with CC Sabathia translates to a 28th world championship.

Heyman mentions that the Red Sox are more determined then ever to add a big player. But Bob Nightengale is throwing in the Dodgers to the list of bidders for Halladay as well.

With free agents being eligible to sign with other teams after midnight tonight, some starters might be moving around and that could determine how competitively the Yankees will be going after Halladay.

Don’t expect any huge moves to happen tonight, but certainly look out for some over next week and December.

Going off of what I said earlier…

Last Friday, I posted about being careful of what you read with all of the hot stove rumors going to be flying around when the clock strikes 12:01 tonight. Here are some more key phrases you should be aware of.

I. Hate. Rumors.

USA Today: Swisher available

Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweeted some interesting news this afternoon:

The Yankees, ever so quietly, are letting teams know that RF Nick Swisher is available.

Swisher is under contract through 2011, but his price tag goes way up. Look at how his contract shapes up from when he signed back before the ‘07 season:

2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012*
$0.7M	$3.5M	$5.3M	$6.75M	$9M	$10.25M

*Club option ($1M buyout)

Despite his big increase in money over the next few years, I would hate to see Swisher go. Swish was a big part of the 2009 team’s chemistry. Now, some say that had nothing to do with the Yankees winning it all, but I disagree.

A great team like the Yankees last year is built with great talent and great team chemistry. If the Yankees do end up trading him, I hope they get a solid player or two in return.

Poll Results: Yanks should get Holliday

Despite the fact that the Yankees have no interest in Matt Holliday, the fans have voted Holliday as the player the Yankees should covet most.

Curtis Granderson and Johnny Damon finished in a close second, which are the two I’d like to have.

Next poll: Which young guns would you give up for Roy Halladay?

Can you argue Girardi as AL Manager of the Year?

Angels manager Mike Scioscia was named AL Manager of the Year for the 2009 regular season. Now, there is no question he is a great manager and definitely was a top candidate. But can you argue that the manager of the best team record should have gotten the award?

Looking back on the 2009 season, I can remember countless times when my tweeps and I would berate Joe Girardi for making the wrong call in the game.

He continued his strategy of short leashes on pitchers in the postseason, and as much as some people hated it, it paid off. The Yankees were world champions.

Of course, the major counter argument to Girardi is the idea that the players won the World Series – not the manager (I agree with that).

Does anyone dare stand up for Girardi?

Olney: Yanks have no interest in Holliday

Via Buster Olney’s Twitter:

NYY are not interested in signing Matt Holliday. They'll talk to Boras to keep other bidders honest, but corner outfield not a priority for them.

This may come as a shock to most (see poll on left), as he is the top free agent on the market and the Yankees are in need of an outfielder.

Is this the right move to avoid Holliday? Can you say with absolute certainty that the Yankees will not have Holliday in 2010?

Better yet, will you bet me 10:1 odds that the Yankees won’t have Holliday in 2010? If he is on the team, I get $100 from you, if he isn’t, I give you $10. Deal? (See Greinke)

Interested in the Yankees farm system?

If you are one of those dedicated fans that want to know the inside scoop on the Yankees minor league prospects, check out this interview with former MLB scout Frankie Piliere.

Joba Chamberlain and big-name prospects like Austin Jackson, Pat Venditte, Alan Horne, Mike Dunn, Wilkins de la Rosa, Jesus Montero are discussed.

I’m out $100 because of Zack Greinke

Here’s the instant message from my friend that I’ve been dreading for the past four months.

GREINKE WINS.....THE GREINKE WINS!!!....BALL GAME OVER, WORLD SERIES OVER, CY YOUNG OVER...GREINKE WINS!!!!

Thanks, Pankey. And damn you, Zack Greinke.

Here is the link to my original post that publicized the bet. Here is the overwhelming evidence that I in fact lost the bet. And here is what I owe Mr. Pankey.

Today’s the day

The Cy Young Award winners will be announced today. If Zack Greinke wins, I’m out $100.

Granted, this kid already owes me $45, and the school owes me $100, so either way, I’ll be in the positives by the end of the day.

We’ll have to wait and see!

Three reasons why Halladay should become a Yankee

I know it’s stupid to play the “what if?” game, but I feel the need to stress the effect Roy Halladay would have on the 2010 Yankees.

1. Halladay will most likely be moved this off-season, and almost certainly before the All-Star break because he no longer believes in the Blue Jays chances of winning. Last All-Star break, Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi was adamantly against trading within the division, but now he is gone and Alex Anthopoulos is in. Halladay’s on the market, and the Yankees are interested.

2. Halladay is going to come at a price, a huge one, that is. Well, I’ve thought about this, and I’ve come up with a rule. As long as the deal does not include premier catching prospect Jesus Montero, I will approve. Montero’s bat and on-the-rise catching ability will eventually be replacing Jorge Posada, and it’s extremely hard to find franchise catchers like Posada (just ask the Mets). I know the Yankees have catching prospect Austin Romine as well, but he doesn’t have the raw power that Montero has.

As for the other young guys that would most likely be involved, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes & Austin Jackson, I don’t mind the loss. Yes, we’re looking at two pitchers with great potential and and outfielder who hits line drives all night long. But I have lost all of my faith in Chamberlain becoming a starter, so now I believe he has the potential to be a mediocre closer. Hughes could be decent, but Jackson struck out way too many times with few home runs last season in AAA – and that’s a big problem. Halladay is a sure thing, and I believe is the best in the game.

3. “Pairing aces” is the key phrase here. If Halladay joined a team with CC Sabathia already in the rotation, the rest of the league might forfeit, seriously. The 2001 Diamondbacks were a great team because of Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling, but they didn’t have close to the same lineup the Yankees will have in 2010. Halladay and Sabathia are in the prime of their careers and would make for one of the nastiest one-two punches in the history of baseball. For me, if Halladay joined the Yankees this off-season, I’m already chalking up #28. (Also, the same goes for the Phillies. Cliff Lee and Halladay is near a World Series guarantee.)

For the other side of this argument, check out Pinstripe Alley.

Miguel Cairo Featured Yankee Card of the Week

It’s funny, because before the ‘09 World Series started, I thought, “where did Miguel Cairo go?” Then, a Mets fan told me he was on the Phillies!

Cairo was the utility man for the Phillies in 2009, but didn’t have the same kind of success he had with the Yankees back in 2004. Cairo played in the NLDS and NLCS, but was cut before the World Series began.

I wonder if the Yankees will ever see Cairo again.

My thoughts on team chemistry (audio)

I blurted out my thoughts on the importance of team chemistry on my friend Andrew Vazzano’s radio show. Listen in over at his blog. I come in around 55 seconds.

What are your thoughts on the matter?

Picking outfielders on a slow Saturday…

Looking over at my poll results so far, there seems to be some debate over who the Yankees should be going after. I am hoping the Yankees can land Johnny Damon and one of the other four outfielders I mentioned. Here’s how I would order my wish list:

1. Curtis Granderson
   Granderson had an off-year and slugged 30 homers. He has spent most of his career hitting leadoff, but he wouldn’t have that kind of pressure with the Yankees. I could see him batting as low as seventh, or even ninth. Granderson isn’t a free agent, but he is certainly on the trade market, and the Tigers and Yankees have a good history of getting trades done.
   
2. Chone Figgins
   If you can’t beat him, sign him! This ultra-versatile player has been a pest to the Yankees his whole career. Now, he’s become a premier player and is a free agent. He may be best holding down the fort at the hot corner, but he is certainly qualified to patrol any spot in the outfield. FYI, he had a higher OBP (.395) than SLG (.393) last year. I can definitely see him or Granderson in center field in 2010.
   
3. Matt Holliday
   Probably the hottest commodity on the market, Holliday can fit in any lineup. He might bat second, as he would probably only be signed if Damon was let go. Holliday can hit outside of Coors Field in Colorado. He proved that with St. Louis in the second half last year. Not to mention, he said he wanted to sign with a New York team last month.
   
4. Jason Bay
I don’t normally like Red Sox players, but I respect this guy. He was the face of the Pirates franchise for five years and got no respect. He goes to the Red Sox, and he carries a surprisingly weak offense. Bay is a professional guy that could fit well with Yankees. I wouldn’t take him over the three mentioned above.

What Red Sox fans do from Fairfield…

Read. This. Article.

Yes, a college student actually wrote this for a college Web site. And yes, the newspaper is reaping the benefits because the article hit deadspin this morning.

Fairfield is a Jesuit institution, which means some in the administration aren't too happy with the subject matter. Indeed the entire newspaper faces harassment charges, and could lose their funding.

The writer was wearing a Red Sox hat. Just sayin’.

Did Jeter get a haircut?

Ok, so it’s a wig. I can’t get over how dumb he looks.

According to Bryan Hoch, Derek Jeter will be playing himself in the movie “The Other Guys,” with Mark Wahlberg.

I will be seeing this movie.

Yankees fishing the market

Over the past few days, and for the rest of the offseason, you are going to hear a lot of names linked with the Yankees. I’d like to warn you now to be careful what you believe.

If a writer says something like, “Dejesus would be a good fit with the Yankees,” that doesn’t necessarily mean that those two parties have even met about making a deal. Look for explicit wording about what the actual communication between the parties involved.

As for the floating names recently, here they are: Roy Halladay, Johnny Damon, Jason Bay, Matt Holliday, Chone Figgins, Curtis Granderson, John Lackey and Aroldis Chapman.

Post – Granderson

Headline: Yankees likely to target Granderson

Believability: This is such crap I cannot believe Sherman. You think I’m kidding? Here’s his second paragraph:

The Yankees will almost certainly push to the front of the line when it comes to Granderson.

Where are the facts? That statement is solely going by the Yankees traditional plan of getting in the action. Nowhere does it say the two teams have met and discussed a deal.

Daily News – Halladay

The Blue Jays haven't decided whether or not to trade Halladay this winter, but if they choose to move the former Cy Young Award winner, a bidding war could break out between the Yankees and Red Sox.

Believability: Rumor

A source with knowledge of the Yankees' thinking said the Bombers already have their sights set on signing either Halladay or Cliff Lee if both become free agents after next season.

Believability: Reality. See the difference? (underlined)

Daily News – Bay, Holliday, Figgins

If Damon goes elsewhere, they'll likely get involved with Bay and Holliday, although there is talk they'd prefer to sign Figgins and move him to left.

Believability: Rumor for Bay and Holliday, reality for Figgins

MLB.com – Chapman

The bidding war for the 21-year-old Chapman's services figures to be extensive, as Mejia told The Globe that 10 teams are interested in meeting with the power left-hander. The Yankees are believed to be one of those teams.

Believability: Rumor. Where does it say the two teams met?

Sports Illustrated – Lackey

The Yankees will also take a look at top free-agent pitcher John Lackey.

Believability: Reality. Jon Heyman cannot use the word “will” in his writing unless he has been told by Yankees officials that they will pursue Lackey.

LoHud Yankees Blog – Damon

The agents for both Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui were in Chicago these past three days, but Yankees general manager Brian Cashman met with neither of them.

Believability: Reality. They have not met yet, it’s a fact.

Jeter & Teixeira win Silver Slugger

  The two just got their Gold Gloves on Tuesday, and now they have Silver Slugger Awards too.

Is it just me, or is that a pretty cool coincidence. The rest of the double-winners: Joe Mauer, Evan Longoria, Torii Hunter, Ichiro Suzuki, Ryan Zimmerman and Matt Kemp.

Props to Longoria for stealing the Silver Slugger from Alex Rodriguez at third base.

Picture via MLB.com

Poll Results: Fans didn’t know until one strike away

The majority of fans voted they didn’t know the Yankees were going to win the World Series until Mariano Rivera was one strike away. I was surprised to see the lack of confidence in the fans.

I wasn’t all that confident myself, as I voted for after they beat the Angels in the ALCS. That was the hardest step of their journey. But I had World Series thoughts as soon as they signed CC Sabathia as well.

There’s a new poll up on the left sidebar: Which outfielder should the Yankees covet most?

A great video to bookmark

Highlights of Yankees game 6 and ticker-tape parade

Yankees fans: If you are feeling sad, or it is a rainy day, all you have to do is watch this two minute clip.

A free video to relive the final game of the World Series and the parade. Genius.

Derek Jeter & Mark Teixeira snag Gold Gloves

And who said Derek Jeter has no range?

Jeter was honored with the AL Gold Glove for shortstop, and Mark Teixeira took home the Gold Glove for first base, Major League Baseball announced today. 

And no, these aren’t two big-name guys who win it every year. Both didn’t win last year, meaning both made improvements to earn back the honors.

Rob Neyer of ESPN.com had a major problem with the selected Gold Glove winners. I didn’t agree with him, especially after he said Kevin Youkilis deserved the Gold Glove for first base over Tex.

Update on Yankees free agents: Damon, Matsui & Pettitte

Yesterday, my busy newspaper-making Monday, was day 1 of the General Managers Meetings in Chicago. The big name thrown around the Yankees radar was John Lackey – just as Tim Dierkes expected. However, the Yankees have some housekeeping to do first.

The contracts of Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Andy Pettitte are all expired, and it’s time to make some tough decisions. I’ll run through each player and provide links to what we know so far.

First, here are two general nuggets conflicting on all three players. First, via Chad Jennings:

Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Andy Pettitte each played well in the playoffs, but don’t expect that to sway the Yankees decision on whether to bring them back. “What they were when they went into October, that’s what they still are regardless of how well or how poorly they played in October,” Cashman said.

Second, via Joel Sherman

Damon and Pettitte are the priorities. But when asked if that meant Matsui had played his last game in pinstripes, one team executive said, "No, I hope we can figure out a way to have them all back."

…the Yanks want to push for one-year contracts with Pettitte, Damon and Matsui, all of whom the organization believes want to return in 2010.

Now to each player:

Damon
If the Yankees offered him arbitration, he could expect around $15 million, according to Sherman, and the Yankees don’t want to pay him that much. If they try and negotiate a one-year deal on their own, the Yankees probably won’t have the highest offer. Normally, a Scott Boras client will take the highest bid, but who knows with Damon (idiot).

As Jerry Crasnick points out, the signing of Damon and Matsui will depend on whether the Yankees go after big-name FAs Matt Holliday and Jason Bay.

Matsui
Like Damon, Matsui just finished up a four-year, $52 million deal, so he is in line for a huge pay cut. All of these reports are conflicting my thoughts during the year that the Yankees would avoid re-signing Matsui because he clogs the DH spot. I happen to agree with that logic, but the Yankees seem to want him back.

Just think, Matsui may have earned himself a multi-million dollar contract because of three at bats in one World Series game.

Pettitte
Here is a tweet from Jon Heyman pertinent to Pettitte:

nothing definite yet, but andy pettitte apparently told #yankees teammates he'd like to come back for 1 more year.

This is great to hear, as it is the first step to an agreement. Now, it’s a question of the Yankees wanting him back and if they can work out a deal. Via Sherman:

"We would be very receptive," a Yankee official said of working out something with Pettitte.

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Here are two posts (and two blogs) worth reading.

Yankees Type A & B free agents

The  Elias free agent rankings are out, and all Type A and B free agents have been classified. (If you don’t know what that means, read this:)

Free agents are classified as Type A, Type B or not at all. The compensation applies to free agents offered arbitration by their former club by the Dec. 1 deadline or to those who sign before then.

If a team signs a Type A free agent, its first-round pick goes to the former team -- unless that pick is in the top 15, in which case a second-round pick goes to the former team. The former team also gets an extra pick between the first and second rounds.

If a team loses a Type B free agent, it gets an extra "sandwich" pick.

Two Yankees were misplaced, and the other two were placed correctly.

As expected, Johnny Damon is a Type A, and Andy Pettitte is a Type B. (Eric Hinske, Jerry Hairston Jr. and Jose Molina were of course unranked.)

But, instead of calling Hideki Matsui being a Type B and Xavier Nady being unranked, they were flip-flopped!

Photos of homeless adventure at World Series parade (part 2)

Continued…

It's everywhere!
Then we got on CBS.

Matsui on the big screen (he was the first player to come out).

A-Rod.

Burnett.

Kay.

Swisher (guy to the right of the woman in red hair underneath the cloud).

CC and Tex.

Pettitte (guy behind woman's cell phone).

Jeter.

Trophy!

That's all for pics. We didn't get good shots of the guys I didn't include, but I will still remember them through the other pictures.

It was a really awesome experience (even though I am still recovering from the sleep I lost), and I am not mad at my sister for leaving her apartment that night.

Photos of homeless adventure at World Series parade (part 1)

Now that you know what happened on this night, I will show you the visual proof.

One of my roommates on the left, and me on the right. He was prepared with two warm jackets, I brought one thin Yankees fleece.

Apparently, New York really is the city that never sleeps. This is at 2 a.m. on a Thursday night.

This is a wide shot of City Hall at 2:30 a.m., just in case you’ve never seen it. They were setting up all night. From where this picture was taken, there was a group of around 10 die-hard fans who were trying to reserve a spot for the parade. We were told they were going to be kicked out to across the street, so we headed to Broadway.

A close-up of the podium… 27! Then we went to Dunkin Donuts…
 
We weren’t with it, I’d say. Trivia began shortly, but then we all got cold because DD wasn’t heated.
   This is the first bank we stayed at.  My roommate is literally drawing a picture of himself, and I’m thinking about god knows what. Also, it kind of stunk that we were wearing the same hat, so I made a change.

Open at 5 a.m. We got there at 4:58.

The right is a thermal hoodie (extremely comfortable and warm), and the left is the official World Series champions hat. After going to Modell’s, we took our places for the parade (five hours before it began).

These two pics were snapped a couple hours before the parade started. Notice the toilet paper flying around in the first one.

It was everywhere.

Yes, a Yankees Snuggie exists

This “Northwest New York Yankees Comfy Throw” (aka Yankees Snuggie) can be found on MLB.com’s shop. It’s truly a miracle.

Also, if you care for the other New York team’s snuggie, check out my friend’s post here.

MLBTR’s offseason outlook

This is one post that every baseball fan should check out. Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors looked at the top 50 free agents of the offseason and predicted where each would wind up before next spring.

For the Yankees, he foresaw just one big move and a couple of re-signings. The big move is the signing of John Lackey, who Dierkes ranks the second best FA of the winter. The two re-signings are Andy Pettitte (ranked 6th) and Johnny Damon (12th). He left Hideki Matsui for the Mariners.

Oh by the way, Dierkes has the Red Sox signing Jason Bay, Marco Scutaro, Rich Harden, Aroldis Chapman and Tim Wakefield. If he is even half correct, I’m already scared of the Yankees’ rivals.

Please, check out Dierkes’ full post and then let’s debate about who the Yankees should and should not go after.

Hideki Matsui Featured Yankee Card of the Week

I think some honor is due for the World Series MVP, Hideki Matsui. What a series he had. He didn’t do much in the two prior series, but he hit .615 with 3 HRs and 8 RBIs in the World Series. Plus, six of those RBIs came in the clinching game.

All season I talked about how Matsui would not be re-signed by the Yankees because of his lack of versatility. He would hog the DH spot all year, disallowing Joe Girardi to give half-days off to some of his older players.

World Series parade: My homeless adventure of New York City

You may have been wondering why I did not post at all two days  after the Yankees won the World Series. Some of you learned I was at the World Series parade in N.Y.C. through twitter, but others were left in the dark.

Anyway, my two buddies and I arrived at Grand Central at 1:30 in the morning. Rather than staying at my sister’s lovely apartment less than a mile away from City Hall, we pulled an all-nighter. Here’s how it went down.

Getting to my sister’s apartment
After we made our spur-of-the-moment decision to take a train down to New York, I texted and called my sister to make arrangements. However, she never responded and never picked up. I figured she was in a meeting.

By the time we got to her apartment, I had texted her three times and called her eight times. We buzzed in several times in attempt to wake her up, but still, no response. So we began our homeless adventure.

Staying warm
Our first order of business was finding warmth. We had no other place to stay because my other sister and parents were too far away and asleep. So we went into the closest 24/7 convenience store we could find. It was a diamond in the rough. A fully-heated store with a bathroom. We nested there for about a half hour, but later regretted that decision to leave so fast.

We then walked close to a mile to reach City Hall, the culminating site of the parade. It was nice to see a few other die-hard Yankees fans loafing around in the middle of the night. We chatted with a group that stood sat right against the gates of City Hall with the best angle at the podium. We didn’t stay with them because we expected them to be kicked across the street by the police. But they did point us in the direction of a Dunkin Donuts.

Dunkin Donuts

We stayed in DD until around four, drinking hot cocoa, eating stale donuts and playing baseball trivia. “Name the eight states with at least two baseball teams.” (Thanks, Eddie.) We left when we realized it was freezing inside compared to the 24/7 convenience store. We needed a new nest, so we went exploring.

The banks
One of my friends saw a Wachovia, and it was his bank so we went inside the small ATM room to get money. We stayed their for an hour or so reading a free newspaper from DD. At 4:55 in the morning, I thought, “Won’t Modell’s open soon?” I asked my other friend with an iPhone to look it up, and I was right. So we bolted to Modell’s to pick up some Yankees gear. I bought a World Series champions hat and a navy blue thermal “Property of Yankees Baseball.”

We left and detoured past Ground Zero for my friend who had never seen it, and then proceeded to find more shelter and warmth, my other friend’s bank, Bank of America. At around 5:30, we found our standing room, on the corner of Murray St. and Broadway, right across from City Hall. We stood in the same spot for over seven hours, not including my brief trip to Starbucks for a small breakfast.

Post-parade
After the parade, I lost one of my friend’s in the mass of people, and it was nearly impossible to communicate due to everyone’s use of cell phones. Finally, my lost friend’s call got through to me, and soon found him a couple blocks away from where we were.

Instead of meeting up with the rest of my family for a small lunch, we bolted out of the city, finding a subway in Chinatown and then catching a 1:34 train, barely, back to New Haven. We waited a half hour for the shuttle home to Quinnipiac, and then waited 15 minutes for the driver to make an unnecessary cell phone call. The three of us were freezing and tired, and happy to be home when we arrived at school.

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The adventure with photos post is on the way.

World Series Photo Slideshow

Because of this slideshow, my blog’s right sidebar was down for two days. I wisely realized the photobucket slideshow was too wide and pushed my right sidebar to the bottom of my blog.

There will be no more photobucket slideshows posted directly to this site, but I can offer you the link to them, like so.

Poll Results: A-Rod for postseason MVP

Alex Rodriguez was easily the leading vote-getter in this poll. Even with his sluggish start to the World Series, he took 56% of the vote.

Now, who’s the World Series MVP?

Next week’s poll question: When did you know the Yankees were going to win the World Series this year?

Pettitte and Hideki appreciation post

With his win tonight, Andy Pettitte has won two World Series clinching games and has started three. He is one of the great Yankees to be apart of the four most recent championships.

Hideki Matsui got his first ring tonight, and he was very deserving of the World Series MVP Award. He went 8-for-13 with 3 HRs and 8 RBIs. Tonight, he had six RBIs. That’ll do it.

Both of these guys aren’t guaranteed to be in pinstripes for next year. But their performances certainly urge both to stay with the Yankees and be re-signed.

Video: Announcers call last out of World Series

I prefer John Sterling’s call. But that’s just me. If only it were a strikeout…

Yankees capture #27 for #27

Twenty-seven times the Yankees have won a World Series. It was Joe Girardi who chose to carry the burden of that number on his back for his first two seasons as the skip. Now, he won’t have a burden to carry, but a decision to change numbers awaiting.

The Yankees beat the Phillies 7-3 last night, propelled by Hideki Matsui’s six runs batted in, the World Series MVP.

Quick ‘Cap:
Matsui gave the Yankees an early lead on a two-run homer in the second inning, and then drove in two more on a single in the third. But he wasn’t done yet. After Mark Teixeira drove home Derek Jeter in the fifth, Matsui smacked a two-run double to make it 7-1.

The Phillies finally got to Andy Pettitte in the sixth with two runs, forcing him out of the game. Joba Chamberlain, Damaso Marte, and who else, but Mariano Rivera closed out the game, the series, and the season as John Sterling would say. Full box score here.

Thoughts:
In 1923, the Yankees won their first World Series in their brand new stadium. Last night, the Yankees won their last World Series in their brand new stadium. Absolutely amazing.

I cannot say enough about Hideki Matsui. Six RBIs in five innings is unreal. I was almost even more surprised with Marte’s ability to strike out Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. With Mo, there wasn’t too much surprise.

Line of the Night:
Matsui: 3-for-4, HR, 6 RBI, 2B, R. Meet your MVP, world.

Up Next:
The offseason!

Don’t worry. This blog isn’t shutting down until next April or anything. I’ll be continuing my Yankees blogging all winter and into next year. This is my final recap of the year, and I would like to thank all of my friends and followers for supporting me along the way. None of this would be possible without you, and for that, I am extremely thankful.

And on that note, GO YANKEES!

Yankees.com screenshot

Something tells me I’m going to want this pic. (click to enlarge)

Hideki Matsui World Series MVP!

Hats off to this man. GODZILLA! What a guy. Congratulations to Hideki Matsui and all of his fans in Japan. He was an excellent addition to the Yankees for the past six seasons, and I’m glad he’s finally got a ring to show for it. With, or without him next year, I wish Matsui all the best.

Yankees are 2009 World Series Champions!

I’m speechless.

Pregame talk: World Series Game 6

Tonight could be a good night. A very, very good night for Yankees fans. The stage is set. Two postseason poised pitchers, Andy Pettitte and Pedro Martinez, set to duke it out. For the Yankees, a World Series ring is on the line. For the Phillies, a chance to extend the series and repeat as champions. First pitch: 7:57 p.m. EST.

Phillies Lineup:	Yankees Lineup:
Jimmy Rollins SS	Derek Jeter SS
Shane Victorino CF	Johnny Damon LF
Chase Utley 2B	Mark Teixeira 1B
Ryan Howard 1B	Alex Rodriguez 3B
Jayson Werth RF	Hideki Matsui DH
Raul Ibanez DH	Jorge Posada C
Pedro Feliz 3B	Robinson Cano 2B
Ben Francisco LF	Nick Swisher RF
Carlos Ruiz C	Brett Gardner

I thought Joe Girardi might swap Cano and Swisher because of Cano’s awful postseason slump. And now Swisher seems to be getting back on track. Otherwise, I like the series back in the American League with the DH. It gives the Yankees the advantage with Hideki Matsui now.

Chan Ho Park spitball?

Remember when everyone thought Mariano Rivera threw a spitball? Well, this video of Chan Ho Park is a little more conclusive, in my opinion.

I. Hate. The. Phillies.

(Hat tip: Pinstripe Alley)

Still feeling confident

Yes, it would have been nice to get the series over with in Philadelphia. Yes, it stinks that A.J. Burnett couldn’t make it through the third inning last night. But still, the Yankees have it set up perfectly for the final two games in New York, leaving me a happy camper.

I know this may be a little contradictory to my previous thoughts on this, but having A.J. Burnett start yesterday makes Andy Pettitte the Game 6 starter (just announced) and presumably CC Sabathia for Game 7, which I like.

It’s always nice to win in your hometown too.

The Sports Authority jinx

That is the e-mail I received yesterday afternoon from a Sports Authority promoter. I know you want to get your gear out to the fans, but screw you, Sports Authority.

Why do they have to send out these e-mails before it happens? Just announce it as soon as they do win (if they win), like everyone else does.

Phillies send series back to Bronx

This time, Joe Girardi’s decision before the game cost the Yankees the win.

A.J. Burnett was sent out on short rest to face Cliff Lee on full rest in Game 5. Lee and the Phillies came away the victors, winning 8-6. 

Quick ‘Cap:
Alex Rodriguez got the Yankees going early with an RBI double in the first inning, but Chase Utley responded with a three-run homer off Burnett before he recorded an out. The Phillies responded with three more runs in the third, forcing Burnett out of the game.

The Yankees’ bullpen kept the team in the game until Utley and Raul Ibanez homered off Phil Coke in the seventh. The Yanks rallied for three off Lee in the eighth and added what would’ve been the tying run in the ninth. Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira had chances to tie the game in the ninth, but a double play and a strikeout put that idea to rest. Full box score here.

Thoughts:
Like I said in my twitter poll, I really believe this game should have been sacrificed to give Burnett a chance to win it in Game 6. I was glad to see the Yankees make a late comeback. It would have been ugly to lose 8-1 or 8-2.

Line of the Night:
Utley: 2-for-3, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, BB. He tied Reggie Jackson’s World Series record of five homers on his second homer. The way he is swinging, he’s on pace to break Mr. October’s record.

Up Next:
Game 6 is back in the Bronx, and will presumably see a couple of veterans battle it out: Pedro Martinez and Andy Pettitte. What a matchup. I’ll have preview and more chatter up tomorrow. Thanks for tuning in today.