Killeverything's (New)NeverEndingBaseballThread

[Rainbow Bright]

Can we vacuum seal Ken Griffey to make SURE he'll be injury free by opening day?

[JakeYonkel]

As promised... lame pictures from today. I was sitting in outer space so I couldn't get good shots.

Here's two from where we were sitting:



The best shot I could get of Hideki Matsui at bat, playing his first back-to-back days of the spring:


And then for the hell of it, me with the kid enjoying his first ball game in the sun (and ultimately the reason we only lasted 2 innings!):

[tin00can]

Jake Jr is gonna break some hearts...

[killeverything]

A-Rod to have surgery. Expected to miss 6 - 9 weeks.

Well too bad there's not a product out there which will promote muscle growth and regeneration, thus allowing for a quicker return to action.



Hey someone had to.

[Machado]

A-Rod to have surgery. Expected to miss 6 - 9 weeks.

Very true. Plans are for A-Rod to have surgery this morning and spend a few weeks
in Colorado. Read the doctor plans for an "agressive" rehab. Idea is for A-Rod to begin swinging a bat after approx 1 week. That does seem agressive.

I'll be happy if Alex returns within 8 weeks. If he returns sooner, I guess that could be considered a small miracle.
This option is best for the team.
If he was to have the "major" surgery, his recovery time would be approx 5 months or so.
Can't afford to have him gone for that long.

Cody Ransom has been pegged as the starting 3b for now. Personally, his name does not scare anybody, but his a veteran, and did well hitting for us last September.
I still would prefer him over Berroa(the former rookie of the year).

[killeverything]

Here's some food for thought with Arod's absence.

The MFY have a rough road ahead of them after the first two series with Baltimore and KC. They spend the next month playing TB, CLE, OAK, BOS, DET, LAA, BOS, TB. That is a potentially brutal stretch of 24 games in 25 days.

The starters and bullpen will need to carry them ( which they very well could ). I think a lot of people have been writing off the pitching staff, unfortunatley I think it could be a pleasant surprise for NY. Especially at the start of the season.

Let's say Arod is back in the line-up by 5/15. This is actually a potentially huge problem if he is not back until mid to late May, as expected. Here is where the Yankees have stood in the AL East the past 4 years on May 20th:

2008 - 5th
2007 - 3rd
2006 - 2nd
2005 - 3rd

This recent history of slow starts is not exactly going to be helped by removing your best hitter from the line up for the first 6+ weeks.....that will be 37 games as of 5/15. If they play ~600 ball up till then; the second place team will have had to play ~460 ball to be 5 games back. Good luck with having the Rays, Sox, and Jays get off to that slow of a start.

I was saying for a bit now, that I think the Division will come down at the beginning of the season. I also expected ( pre-Arod surgery ) for NY to come out of the gate firing at full blast. This could be a lot bigger of "hit" than people are expecting.


* For the record. I surfed/scouted other baseball sites for the reference numbers. I did not crunch all of those on my own.*

[Machado]

Starting the '09 season w/ARod on the DL makes "running away with the season" very difficult.

Here is the line-up I forsee while ARod is out:

Damon LF
Jeter SS
Tex 1B
Matsui DH
Cano 2B
Nady RF
Posada C
Ransom 3B
Gardner CF

It's possible that Cano can be placed in the 3 hole. Moving Tex to clean up and
Matsui in the 5th spot.

[Machado]

Gardner will bat before Ransom.

The problem is, will Posada be catching. if he's not, is he going to go in and out of the cleanup spot with matsui. I don't like that. I like Cano there. Give the guy a carrott.

I don't think A-rod on the shelf for five weeks means they can't still run away with it. They have a lot of pitching now. And A.J. Burnett seems to be doing well. Although I would feel more confident with Carol Burnett actually.

I placed Gardner 9th because A.L. teams these days like the idea of having a "second" leadoff batter in the 9th spot(whenever possible)

The jury is still out on Posada. All spring the team has said he will make his debut
behind the plate on Mar 17th. 1 week from today. If he can catch approx 130 games this year, I think that would be a very good sign for the team.

Cano is now a bigger key to the line-up. If he can hit like he did 2 yrs ago, the team won't miss A-Rod as much.
No matter what, A-Rod will be missed on the offensive side. No way he can be "replaced".

[Machado]

The one thing I don't want is Gardner put in the second spot, and Jeter dropped to third and then Tex fourth. I'd hate that. Supposedly Tex is a notorious slow starter, as is Sabathia.

I heard Girardi on the radio today and batting Cano fourth is being considered.

Now that the mighty DR has been eliminated, Cano can return to his team and continue to work on his new swing. I really think if Cano has a great start at the plate, it will help the team win some games without A-Rod
It's true, Tex is a notorious slow starter. That is no secret. We'll see how he gets going in a few weeks.

I can not imagine Gardner batting 2nd. Just won't happen. He should bat 9th and the days Damon is off, Gardner could lead off. It's that simple.

[killeverything]

Jake Jr is gonna break some hearts...

Yep.

I can see it now.

*Fastforward 20 years....*

Over the PA:

"and with the third pick in the draft for the American League, the Boston Mighty Red Sox select third baseman....Something Yonkel."

Dad's heart breaks......

[JakeYonkel]

He just turned one, so now is when I start tying his right arm behind his back.

If Boston were to draft him, fuck. I can't even think of anything witty here except that I remember Lickety saying that he'd honestly disown his kid if he ever played for the Yankees.

So yeah, there's that.

[tin00can]

He just turned one, so now is when I start tying his right arm behind his back.

If Boston were to draft him, fuck. I can't even think of anything witty here except that I remember Lickety saying that he'd honestly disown his kid if he ever played for the Yankees.

So yeah, there's that.

What if he got drafted by the Yankees and then they traded him to the Red Sox?

[Facedown]

He just turned one, so now is when I start tying his right arm behind his back.

If Boston were to draft him, fuck. I can't even think of anything witty here except that I remember Lickety saying that he'd honestly disown his kid if he ever played for the Yankees.

So yeah, there's that.

What if he got drafted by the Yankees and then they traded him to the Red Sox?

Or he's a 2 sport guy who gets drafted by the Yankees but decides to go the football route and signs with the Pats?

[Machado]

papelbon compares manny to cancer

Jonathan Papelbon is apparently still unhappy with Manny Ramirez.

The Boston Red Sox closer calls Ramirez a "cancer" in the April issue of Esquire.

"It just takes one guy to bring an entire team down, and that's exactly what was happening," Papelbon said, according to the magazine. "Once we saw that, we weren't afraid to get rid of him. It's like cancer. That's what he was. Cancer. He had to go. It [stunk], but that was the only scenario that was going to work. That was it for us."


The Red Sox dealt Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers at last season's trade deadline after a messy divorce, in which the Red Sox believed Ramirez -- who had a pair of $20 million team options slated for 2009 and 2010 -- was trying to play his way out of town so he and his agent, Scott Boras, could test free agency during the offseason.

Ramirez eventually signed a two-year, $45 million offer with the Dodgers -- the only team known to have offered him a deal.

"He was on a different train!" Papelbon said of Ramirez, according to Esquire. "And you saw what happened with that. We got rid of him, and we moved on without him. That comes from the manager, and it comes from guys like Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield and David Ortiz. Nobody is ever going to be allowed to do that."


"So Manny was tough for us," Papelbon added, according to the story. "You have somebody like him, you know at any point in the ball game, he can dictate the outcome of the game. And for him not to be on the same page as the rest of the team was a killer, man!"

But the atmosphere in the clubhouse changed after the trade, Papelbon said, according to Esquire.

"And after, you could feel it in the air in the clubhouse," he said, according to the magazine. "We got Jason Bay -- Johnny Ballgame, plays the game right, plays through broken knees, runs out every ground ball -- and it was like a breath of fresh air, man! Awesome! No question."

At Dodgers camp, Ramirez seemed unfazed by Papelbon's comments and declined to lash back at his former teammate. "That's fine,'' Ramirez said. "I've already moved on with my life. I wish everybody the best. I'm in L.A. now.

"I'm just focused on playing here. I've got no control over what people said or what I did in the past or whatever. I've moved on already. We're in L.A., and it is what it is.''

In the Red Sox clubhouse before playing the Cardinals in Jupiter, Fla., on Thursday, Papelbon backed up his assertions.

"I'm not afraid to say it," he said. "If it's the truth and I believe it, I'll say it."

Papelbon also said he had not heard from teammates or anyone else asking him to soften his statements about Ramirez.

"Because I think they all know that's the truth," he said. "If I said something that was out of line, then yeah. But I don't think I said anything that's out of line. I spoke the truth.

"There's no secrets here. So, I'm not coming up with some new big hidden secret that nobody knows about. This is something everybody's been knowing about ... and it is old news," he added. "But I know those comments just came out today from a magazine [interview] that I did in the first of December. But there's no secrets here. The writing is on the wall."

Manager Terry Francona didn't condone Papelbon's remarks, while noting the closer usually says what's on his mind.

"That's Pap's personality," Francona said Thursday in Jupiter, Fla., before the Red Sox played the St. Louis Cardinals. "The one thing we don't ever want is somebody criticizing their own teammates. They know that."

Francona would have preferred that Papelbon kept his thoughts to himself.

"Pap is pretty open about how he feels about everything," Francona said. "From my point of view, if I ever have something to say to a player, I'll say it to him in my office."

Ramirez was sent to Los Angeles on Aug. 31 as part of a three-team trade in which Boston received Bay from Pittsburgh. Ramirez became a free agent after the season, then agreed last week to the deal with the Dodgers.

"As an organization, we do what we think is in the best interests of our ballclub," Francona said. "That's what we did. That's what we'll continue to do. The moves we make, I think that speaks volumes enough."

Dodgers manager Joe Torre said he hadn't read Papelbon's comments, and added that he only judges players from personal experience. He said Ramirez has been showing up each day at 6:15 a.m. since he signed with the Dodgers last week, and has been a positive influence since his arrival in Los Angeles last summer.

"I've had a lot of players who have been controversial over the years,'' Torre said. "I had Darryl Strawberry in the middle of the 1996 season. I went to St. Louis [as a player] with a bad tag, so I always appreciated it when people judged me when they got to know me as a person. I try to do the same thing.

"I'm not going to go into what made people make comments, and I'm certainly not going to criticize them for making comments. My concern is Manny and how he plays for the Dodgers. And so far, so good.''

[Machado]

Yankees vs red sox tonite on MLB Network.
I can sense the playoff atmosphere at the stadium,

Now that my MLB Network channel is working properly, I'll be checking out the game.

I think the match up is Wang vs wakefield. Don't quote me on that.

[bighairdiscs]

papelbon compares manny to cancer

Jonathan Papelbon is apparently still unhappy with Manny Ramirez.

The Boston Red Sox closer calls Ramirez a "cancer" in the April issue of Esquire.

Mike Timlin pretty much said the same thing on MLB homeplate radio yesterday afternoon.... I was very surprised to hear that coming from Timlin (not so much with Papelbon)....... when the Sox management sat down with the players, all but one said it was time to get rid of Manny - so, obviously he had completely worn out his welcome with the team, and was no longer considered part of the "team".

As a side note, Manny opted out of yesterday's Dodger game with a "tight hamstring".... as anyone who has watched this guy over the years knows, this is NOT a good sign.... the hamstring is usually the first step in "Manny Shut-Down Mode" - He may feel disrespected by Dodger management, and this could be his way of getting back at them......

Manny's tight hamstring =

[JakeYonkel]

Just got back from Lakeland to see the Mets play the Tigers. Left after 4.

Freddy Garcia looked shot. Was throwing junk, never broke 87 mph. Not good.

Edwin Jackson cruised through 3 perfect innings before giving up back-to-back jacks in the 4th. Looks like he got fatigued.

Wonder who's going to take the 5th starter spot for the Mets, at this point it might be *shudder* Livan Hernandez.

[UtahRatt]

As a side note, Manny opted out of yesterday's Dodger game with a "tight hamstring".... as anyone who has watched this guy over the years knows, this is NOT a good sign.... the hamstring is usually the first step in "Manny Shut-Down Mode" - He may feel disrespected by Dodger management, and this could be his way of getting back at them......

I really wished the Dodgers would have released his ass and went after someone else.
The pick up during the break was a sweat deal but this is where it turns sour.

It's going to be a long season unless the Dodger youth comes into form.

[johnk5150]

Holy shit the Puerto Ricans beat the piss out of the US last night.

[JakeYonkel]

Boricua!!!

[JakeYonkel]

Pudge to the Astros for $1.5M guaranteed + $1.5M in incentives.

[WOLF]

Cole Hamels leaves Phillies camp with elbow issues - Fantasy Baseball owners beware!

[Machado]

FYI:

Kei Igawa has not given up a run so far this spring training. He pitched
another 3 scoreless innings today in relief.

Nobody has to tell me this is "only" spring training. I realize that.

Even so, he has pitched very well through 11 innings so far this spring.
I wonder if Igawa has a shot as the long reliever when camp breaks? He might have competition from Tomko(also in camp as a long man)

**Ian Kennedy was sent down to AAA over the weekend. He was a long shot to make the team out of ST, but his subpar performances did him no good**

[JakeYonkel]

Machado, Igawa has no shot at being the long man. I would honestly be surprised if he makes an appearance at the ML level this year - he's off the 40 man roster, and passed through waivers untouched last year. He's shot.

[killeverything]

Cole Hamels leaves Phillies camp with elbow issues - Fantasy Baseball owners beware!

Not too worried about it........yet.

When they had it on MLBN I didn't think too much of it either. More than likely just precautionary ST aches. Not something pointless like having players injured in WBC ( Pedroia, Youks, Chipper ). On the WBC note I think Japan could repeat.

On the MFY note. Talks about Ranson, Igawa, Kennedy, Gardner. Your season I think hinges on Hughes. If he stays healthy and continues to perform at the level he's touched in ST. That staff will be fucking wicked. Sabbathia's slow start or not. Just fucking wicked.

[WhiteHouseSubsAC]

I would be more worried about Manny looking like a cow running around LF than Hamels' elbow.

[Machado]

[quote="killeverything"

On the MFY note. Talks about Ranson, Igawa, Kennedy, Gardner. Your season I think hinges on Hughes. If he stays healthy and continues to perform at the level he's touched in ST. That staff will be fucking wicked. Sabbathia's slow start or not. Just fucking wicked.[/quote]

Where does Hughes fit?
As a long man? Probably not
As a starter for the Yankees in '09? We already have 5 starters

Believe it or not, I think this might be a good time to send Joba back to the pen and open
up that #5 slot for Hughes.

A-Rod will be out for at least the 1st month of the season=less runs scored=tighter played games. If the Yankees can use Joba as the 7th and 8th inning guy, then that shortens the game and gives the team a much better chance to win.

I heard ESPN mention this idea about 2 weeks ago. Around the time A-Rod was injured.
Did not make much sense to me then, but I have done a 360 and am now in favor
of the move.
Comments??

As for Igawa, well someone could win the job as the long man. If Igawa is this impressive, maybe he deserves a look. Even if he's not on the 40 man. Tomko is also vying for that same job.

[killeverything]

On the MFY note. Talks about Ranson, Igawa, Kennedy, Gardner. Your season I think hinges on Hughes. If he stays healthy and continues to perform at the level he's touched in ST. That staff will be fucking wicked. Sabbathia's slow start or not. Just fucking wicked.

Where does Hughes fit?
As a long man? Probably not
As a starter for the Yankees in '09? We already have 5 starters

Believe it or not, I think this might be a good time to send Joba back to the pen and open
up that #5 slot for Hughes.

A-Rod will be out for at least the 1st month of the season=less runs scored=tighter played games. If the Yankees can use Joba as the 7th and 8th inning guy, then that shortens the game and gives the team a much better chance to win.

I heard ESPN mention this idea about 2 weeks ago. Around the time A-Rod was injured.
Did not make much sense to me then, but I have done a 360 and am now in favor
of the move.
Comments??

As for Igawa, well someone could win the job as the long man. If Igawa is this impressive, maybe he deserves a look. Even if he's not on the 40 man. Tomko is also vying for that same job.

With Hughes durability issues, I don't think it really needs to be worried about where he'll slot into the rotation yet. The point is, somehow....someway get him there. Joba and Hughes both have the same issues, I think they could figure something out. I'm in the leave Joba in the pen camp myself.

[Machado]

On the MFY note. Talks about Ranson, Igawa, Kennedy, Gardner. Your season I think hinges on Hughes. If he stays healthy and continues to perform at the level he's touched in ST. That staff will be fucking wicked. Sabbathia's slow start or not. Just fucking wicked.

Where does Hughes fit?
As a long man? Probably not
As a starter for the Yankees in '09? We already have 5 starters

Believe it or not, I think this might be a good time to send Joba back to the pen and open
up that #5 slot for Hughes.

A-Rod will be out for at least the 1st month of the season=less runs scored=tighter played games. If the Yankees can use Joba as the 7th and 8th inning guy, then that shortens the game and gives the team a much better chance to win.

I heard ESPN mention this idea about 2 weeks ago. Around the time A-Rod was injured.
Did not make much sense to me then, but I have done a 360 and am now in favor
of the move.
Comments??

As for Igawa, well someone could win the job as the long man. If Igawa is this impressive, maybe he deserves a look. Even if he's not on the 40 man. Tomko is also vying for that same job.

With Hughes durability issues, I don't think it really needs to be worried about where he'll slot into the rotation yet. The point is, somehow....someway get him there. Joba and Hughes both have the same issues, I think they could figure something out. I'm in the leave Joba in the pen camp myself.

I go back n forth with the Joba situation. All reports are going into '09, Joba is starting and there is no further discussion about his spot on the team.

With Kennedy already being sent down, he is out of the picture for now.
That leaves Hughes.
If he can not make the team out of ST as a starter, then of course they send him down to AAA.
But with A-Rod out, I think maybe we should ask Joba to bridge the gap to Mo and have Hughes as the #5 starter???


Read a report today that Bruney lost another 18 lbs and is in the best shape of his life. Last year in only 32 games he posted a 1.80 ERA. Not bad. If he can repeat that performance, then maybe we won't miss Joba
in the pen so much.

Looks like Gardner wants to win the opening day CF job because the guy is performing at the plate this spring. Not sure Melky can do anything about
it.

[killeverything]

I go back n forth with the Joba situation. All reports are going into '09, Joba is starting and there is no further discussion about his spot on the team.

With Kennedy already being sent down, he is out of the picture for now.
That leaves Hughes.
If he can not make the team out of ST as a starter, then of course they send him down to AAA.
But with A-Rod out, I think maybe we should ask Joba to bridge the gap to Mo and have Hughes as the #5 starter???


Read a report today that Bruney lost another 18 lbs and is in the best shape of his life. Last year in only 32 games he posted a 1.80 ERA. Not bad. If he can repeat that performance, then maybe we won't miss Joba
in the pen so much.

Looks like Gardner wants to win the opening day CF job because the guy is performing at the plate this spring. Not sure Melky can do anything about
it.

Don't get drunk on Bruney yet. There is a really good chance that he's turned the corner so to speak, but with regression to the mean plus the small sample size. I find it hard pressed he'll repeat that performance this season. Possibly the same thing Tampa experienced last season with their bullpen, and inherited runners on base not scoring.

Until I see Joba go 200IP if he even can, I think he in the eighth with Mariano in the ninth would be untouchable. The arguement of assigned value ( bullpen or starter ) has been a rhetoric around here for a while now. That's not even comparing Win Shares vs. a starter or closer either ( I should look into that ).