The story had become familiar around the American League. Robinson Cano's batting average dropped from .342 in 2006, to .306 in 2007, and then finally .271 in 2008. His on-base percentages in those years: .365, .353, .305. Those low numbers were due to walk totals of 18, 39 and 26. The word around the division was that Cano had no patience, and there was no reason to throw him good strikes. He didn't seem to get the message no matter how apparent it was to the world that he could not hit a double on a slider six inches off the outside corner.
But this year, Cano's approach has changed, and the early results are very encouraging. He has walked six times in his first 20 games, which puts him on pace for 48 walks this season. While that may not sound like much of an improvement, he has been having better plate appearances. He has been working the count into his favor, fighting off tough pitches and making contact. He has only struck out eight times so far, which is right on par with his career numbers. The kid makes contact. But this year, he is waiting for his pitch to do so.
The results so far are staggering. Cano is hitting .381 with a .418 OBP, and his slugging percentage has jumped from .410 last season to .619 so far this year. If Cano can keep hitting quality strikes, he is one of the most dangerous hitters in the Yankees' offense.
His newfound patience was illustrated last night in an outside-the-boxscore way. He had great at-bats against a dominant Edwin Jackson in the fourth and sixth innings. The first at-bat was a 12-pitch infield single, and the second a 10-pitch strikeout. Neither result was particularly awe-inspiring, but if you can take 22 pitches out of a pitcher's arm on a day when he is shutting your team out, you are doing your job. The Yankees reaped the benefits in the seventh, when they jumped all over the Tigers' bullpen.
Showing posts with label New York Yankees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York Yankees. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Hughes Impressive in Season Debut
Over the last weekend, the New York Yankees were unable to hold large leads against the Boston Red Sox en route to an embarrassing sweep that made the Bombers look very vulnerable.
As New York talk radio went crazy, I took a deep breath and convinced myself that a four-game losing streak is nothing to worry about. They happen to every team, but it is important that someone steps up and delivers a quality pitching performance when a team is scuffling.
Phil Hughes did just that in his first start of the season. Replacing the ineffective Chien-Ming Wang in the rotation for the time being, Hughes looked the part of rookie phenom in his 2009 debut. Against the formidable Detroit Tigers lineup, Hughes threw six innings of two-hit shutout ball. Along the way, he walked two and struck out six. It was Hughes first big league win since 2006, and it had to take a lot of pressure off of him after his 0-4, 6.62 ERA experience in the Majors last season.
Joe Girardi made it sound as though Hughes could be making an extended appearance with the big league club.
"I don't want him to think that no matter what happens, he could possibly go back," Girardi said. "We want him to pitch great and stay in the rotation."
Hughes fastball touched 96 miles per hour last night. With the increased velocity, the youngster has all of the tools necessary to set up his impressive off-speed stuff and assume the role of phenom that he temporarily separated himself from last season.
It will be interesting to see how the rotation plays out. But between Hughes' strong start at AAA and now a clear sign of success in the American League, it is pretty clear that the Yankees should still be optimistic about this kid's future.
As New York talk radio went crazy, I took a deep breath and convinced myself that a four-game losing streak is nothing to worry about. They happen to every team, but it is important that someone steps up and delivers a quality pitching performance when a team is scuffling.
Phil Hughes did just that in his first start of the season. Replacing the ineffective Chien-Ming Wang in the rotation for the time being, Hughes looked the part of rookie phenom in his 2009 debut. Against the formidable Detroit Tigers lineup, Hughes threw six innings of two-hit shutout ball. Along the way, he walked two and struck out six. It was Hughes first big league win since 2006, and it had to take a lot of pressure off of him after his 0-4, 6.62 ERA experience in the Majors last season.
Joe Girardi made it sound as though Hughes could be making an extended appearance with the big league club.
"I don't want him to think that no matter what happens, he could possibly go back," Girardi said. "We want him to pitch great and stay in the rotation."
Hughes fastball touched 96 miles per hour last night. With the increased velocity, the youngster has all of the tools necessary to set up his impressive off-speed stuff and assume the role of phenom that he temporarily separated himself from last season.
It will be interesting to see how the rotation plays out. But between Hughes' strong start at AAA and now a clear sign of success in the American League, it is pretty clear that the Yankees should still be optimistic about this kid's future.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Major League Baseball: What isn't the problem
It's easy to jump to conclusions in these trying economic times.
And it seems that a recent Washington Examiner column by Jim Williams about the economy and baseball does just that.
Williams relies on well-respected sources and broad conclusions to tie most of the game's recent attendance shortcomings, especially not being able to fill up the new stadiums in New York, into an economic issue.
Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. says he expects many Minor League parks to break attendance records because they are more affordable than the Major League venues. Political analyst David Gregory paints an idyllic and outdated picture of baseball as a summer right of passage. And CBS Sports President Sean McManus says the recent increases in sports TV ratings are related to people wanting cheap entertainment and staying home more.
Only the last one of those makes a whole lot of sense to me, and even that isn't a baseball issue.
The popularity of the Minor Leagues, which Ripken has become heavily invested in as an owner of multiple teams, has been growing in recent years because they can offer a more fun, family friendly experience in an intimate setting. Sure, cost has a lot to do with this, but attendance has been increasing every year anyway, and I don't think this is a new phenomenon.
Gregory's take is definitely outdated. Baseball has been passed by the NFL and at the very least, caught by sports like the NBA and NASCAR in popularity. In a long regular season while other pro sports are winding down with playoffs, it's logical to think that MLB should take a back seat during its first two months before getting a virtual monopoly on the market until football rolls around.
McManus' point is well-taken. It's understandable that major sporting events like the NCAA basketball tournament and The Master's will get more viewership in this tough economy. If a guy can't even afford the gas to take his family on a Sunday drive, he's more apt to flick on the TV and watch the Master's final round. But I don't think it's possible to turn it into a baseball issue because there are so many games on a given day that viewership gets spread out and more meaningful national numbers can be harder to compile, especially when there are teams like the Nationals out there.
Baseball has surely been hit by the economy, but I don't think it's fair to make the connections that Williams has attempted above. By the time summer rolls around, baseball will have its monopoly on the sports world and this column will be an afterthought.
But if the Yankees and Mets lowered their ticket prices for premium seats, that might also help this situation.
And it seems that a recent Washington Examiner column by Jim Williams about the economy and baseball does just that.
Williams relies on well-respected sources and broad conclusions to tie most of the game's recent attendance shortcomings, especially not being able to fill up the new stadiums in New York, into an economic issue.
Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. says he expects many Minor League parks to break attendance records because they are more affordable than the Major League venues. Political analyst David Gregory paints an idyllic and outdated picture of baseball as a summer right of passage. And CBS Sports President Sean McManus says the recent increases in sports TV ratings are related to people wanting cheap entertainment and staying home more.
Only the last one of those makes a whole lot of sense to me, and even that isn't a baseball issue.
The popularity of the Minor Leagues, which Ripken has become heavily invested in as an owner of multiple teams, has been growing in recent years because they can offer a more fun, family friendly experience in an intimate setting. Sure, cost has a lot to do with this, but attendance has been increasing every year anyway, and I don't think this is a new phenomenon.
Gregory's take is definitely outdated. Baseball has been passed by the NFL and at the very least, caught by sports like the NBA and NASCAR in popularity. In a long regular season while other pro sports are winding down with playoffs, it's logical to think that MLB should take a back seat during its first two months before getting a virtual monopoly on the market until football rolls around.
McManus' point is well-taken. It's understandable that major sporting events like the NCAA basketball tournament and The Master's will get more viewership in this tough economy. If a guy can't even afford the gas to take his family on a Sunday drive, he's more apt to flick on the TV and watch the Master's final round. But I don't think it's possible to turn it into a baseball issue because there are so many games on a given day that viewership gets spread out and more meaningful national numbers can be harder to compile, especially when there are teams like the Nationals out there.
Baseball has surely been hit by the economy, but I don't think it's fair to make the connections that Williams has attempted above. By the time summer rolls around, baseball will have its monopoly on the sports world and this column will be an afterthought.
But if the Yankees and Mets lowered their ticket prices for premium seats, that might also help this situation.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Wang to DL, A chance for Hughes
New York Yankees pitcher Chien-Ming Wang is headed to the disabled list. I had blogged about his ineffectiveness earlier, but this development is interesting.
The question of whether Wang is actually injured is a fair one. Doctors say he has weakness in his hip muscles stemming from his foot injury last season, but this strikes me as something entirely different. It's pretty clear that the Yankees just wanted a chance to send him to the minor leagues without exposing him to waivers.
Phil Hughes will come up and pitch on Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers. Their ballpark is one of the best to pitch in in baseball, though they do have a tough lineup. With Hughes' early success in the minors, this makes all the sense in the world. Let Wang figure his issues out, and give the once-jewel of the organization a chance to show how he has matured since his struggles last season. I lobbied heavily on my other blog for the Yankees not to re-sign Andy Pettitte and give the rookie a spot.
With Pettitte pitching effectively so far, I can't still hate the move. But Hughes is still very talented, and there is no reason to bury him in the minors. Every start he gets in the majors adds to his knowledge, and even if he has a tough time, it's good for the organization to get him the experience. Since Wang was a batting tee for his first three starts, this is a win-win for the organization until the Taiwanese righty can return to form.
The question of whether Wang is actually injured is a fair one. Doctors say he has weakness in his hip muscles stemming from his foot injury last season, but this strikes me as something entirely different. It's pretty clear that the Yankees just wanted a chance to send him to the minor leagues without exposing him to waivers.
Phil Hughes will come up and pitch on Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers. Their ballpark is one of the best to pitch in in baseball, though they do have a tough lineup. With Hughes' early success in the minors, this makes all the sense in the world. Let Wang figure his issues out, and give the once-jewel of the organization a chance to show how he has matured since his struggles last season. I lobbied heavily on my other blog for the Yankees not to re-sign Andy Pettitte and give the rookie a spot.
With Pettitte pitching effectively so far, I can't still hate the move. But Hughes is still very talented, and there is no reason to bury him in the minors. Every start he gets in the majors adds to his knowledge, and even if he has a tough time, it's good for the organization to get him the experience. Since Wang was a batting tee for his first three starts, this is a win-win for the organization until the Taiwanese righty can return to form.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Damon Airs Out Wang
You never like to see a team start with infighting this early in the season.
After Chien-Ming Wang (0-3, 34.50) fell apart for the third consecutive start en route to a 22-4 loss to the Cleveland Indians, Johnny Damon had some choice words for the former ace. "He's making it real tough on our bullpen right now. We have to count on guys in our 'pen to go seven or eight innings. We have six losses on the year right now, and he's got three of them. In all three of those games, we've been blown out and we've had to go to our bullpen, so maybe our bullpen's not sharp the following days. I don't know what more to say, but hopefully he can figure it out, because it'd be tough to keep on going like this," the outfielder said.
The Yankees are concerned about Wang psychologically right now. His mechanics are clearly off, and his sinker is not the biting pitch that it used to be. It is very alarming considering the fact that an opposing hitter once described hitting Wang's sinker as akin to smacking at the ball with a wet newspaper.
Damon should probably have kept his mouth closed. Nothing he said is inaccurate, but the last thing the Yankees need is for Wang to start feeling like an outcast on the team, or like a burden on his teammates. The guy won 19 games each in 2006 and 2007, years the Yankees were desperately thin in the starting rotation. He didn't mouth off about other pitchers who struggled, and he definitely didn't air out Damon during his forgettable 2007 season. Say what you want to about his current performance, but Wang is a soft-spoken, classy athlete. He doesn't deserve Damon's lacerating comments in a public forum.
Everyone in New York is very aware of Wang's ineffectiveness without Damon pointing them out. Last night at an artsy bar in Brooklyn, it was a recurring topic of conversation around the room. On Twitter, New York celebrities like Artie Lang and Joe Budden were weighing in on Wang's struggles.
The Yankees are talking about skipping Wang's next start, in Fenway Park, where he has struggled in his career. They have a day off before then, so it would not affect the other pitchers' rest. But what will likely need to happen if Wang doesn't pitch a gem in his next outing is a AAA assignment. Phil Hughes (2-0, 2.31) is off to a hot start with the 10-0 Scranton-Wilkes Barre Yankees, and Wang clearly needs to make some adjustments.
It would be a real shame if he really has lost his touch. Watching him pitch at the height of his game is a joy. No one hits the ball out of the infield. He is a master of inducing weak contact. No one expected this.
After Chien-Ming Wang (0-3, 34.50) fell apart for the third consecutive start en route to a 22-4 loss to the Cleveland Indians, Johnny Damon had some choice words for the former ace. "He's making it real tough on our bullpen right now. We have to count on guys in our 'pen to go seven or eight innings. We have six losses on the year right now, and he's got three of them. In all three of those games, we've been blown out and we've had to go to our bullpen, so maybe our bullpen's not sharp the following days. I don't know what more to say, but hopefully he can figure it out, because it'd be tough to keep on going like this," the outfielder said.
The Yankees are concerned about Wang psychologically right now. His mechanics are clearly off, and his sinker is not the biting pitch that it used to be. It is very alarming considering the fact that an opposing hitter once described hitting Wang's sinker as akin to smacking at the ball with a wet newspaper.
Damon should probably have kept his mouth closed. Nothing he said is inaccurate, but the last thing the Yankees need is for Wang to start feeling like an outcast on the team, or like a burden on his teammates. The guy won 19 games each in 2006 and 2007, years the Yankees were desperately thin in the starting rotation. He didn't mouth off about other pitchers who struggled, and he definitely didn't air out Damon during his forgettable 2007 season. Say what you want to about his current performance, but Wang is a soft-spoken, classy athlete. He doesn't deserve Damon's lacerating comments in a public forum.
Everyone in New York is very aware of Wang's ineffectiveness without Damon pointing them out. Last night at an artsy bar in Brooklyn, it was a recurring topic of conversation around the room. On Twitter, New York celebrities like Artie Lang and Joe Budden were weighing in on Wang's struggles.
The Yankees are talking about skipping Wang's next start, in Fenway Park, where he has struggled in his career. They have a day off before then, so it would not affect the other pitchers' rest. But what will likely need to happen if Wang doesn't pitch a gem in his next outing is a AAA assignment. Phil Hughes (2-0, 2.31) is off to a hot start with the 10-0 Scranton-Wilkes Barre Yankees, and Wang clearly needs to make some adjustments.
It would be a real shame if he really has lost his touch. Watching him pitch at the height of his game is a joy. No one hits the ball out of the infield. He is a master of inducing weak contact. No one expected this.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
With Nady Injured, Yanks' Overstock Turns Precarious
Now that Xavier Nady is likely out for the season, the Nick Swisher addition seems providential despite the Mark Teixeira signing. Besides the fact that Swish has been mashing [and pitching scoreless relief], how happy must Brian Cashman be that he does not need to start Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner for the remainder of the year?
An outfield of Johnny Damon, Cabrera and Gardner could have been one of the least productive Yankees' outfields since the dead ball era. And to the fans: don't even mention Hideki Matsui as an outfield solution. He is clearly not right, and I am relatively sure that he can not play the outfield regularly ever again.
Swisher now becomes a very important cog in that lineup. His attitude has been good for the Yankees so far. They desperately needed to be loosened up, and if there is any chance that Swisher can contribute at the level of his potential, the trade that sent Wilson Betemit to Chicago looks like a steal.
Austin Jackson is apparently on a tear in AAA, and thanks to Swisher, he will likely get the full year to develop. As the Yankees' heir apparent in center field, this can mean nothing but good things for the organization. Thankfully, they will not need to rush him because they accumulated some depth. This injury could have cost them the season in a parallel universe. But the peace in Yankeeland is precarious. An injury to Damon or Matsui could seriously hinder their ability to produce on offense.
An outfield of Johnny Damon, Cabrera and Gardner could have been one of the least productive Yankees' outfields since the dead ball era. And to the fans: don't even mention Hideki Matsui as an outfield solution. He is clearly not right, and I am relatively sure that he can not play the outfield regularly ever again.
Swisher now becomes a very important cog in that lineup. His attitude has been good for the Yankees so far. They desperately needed to be loosened up, and if there is any chance that Swisher can contribute at the level of his potential, the trade that sent Wilson Betemit to Chicago looks like a steal.
Austin Jackson is apparently on a tear in AAA, and thanks to Swisher, he will likely get the full year to develop. As the Yankees' heir apparent in center field, this can mean nothing but good things for the organization. Thankfully, they will not need to rush him because they accumulated some depth. This injury could have cost them the season in a parallel universe. But the peace in Yankeeland is precarious. An injury to Damon or Matsui could seriously hinder their ability to produce on offense.
Friday, April 17, 2009
New Yankee Stadium Allays my Fears
Watching the New York Yankees get pounded 10-2 by the Cleveland Indians at the New Yankee Stadium was tough to swallow. I was relieved that the Yankees picked up the first strikeout [C.C. Sabathia on Victor Martinez in the 1st inning], first hit [Johnny Damon single in the bottom of the frame], and first home run [Jorge Posada, who deserves it as much as Derek Jeter did], but it was definitely disappointing that Sabathia didn't pick up the win. The bullpen is becoming a concern for the Yankees, but I am not here to talk baseball.
During the YES Network telecast [thank you MLB.TV] I got to see a lot of the different parts of the ballpark for the first time. The biggest concern that I, and probably most Yankees fans, had about the new ballpark is that it would leave behind the sense of history that I became so accustomed to feeling the second I entered the old building. Monument park is still out there. There are 2,000 or so photos from the New York Daily News archives sprayed around the park, representing every era of Yankees greatness. In the bar in center field, giant baseball cards of all the great Yankees adorn the ceiling. Throughout the Great Hall, banners of the same titans rest high on the wall [including one for Paul O'Neill, which is awesome]. Monument Park even looks about the same out there. The famous Yankee Stadium facade now rings the back of the park, like in the pre-renovation days.
And then there are the modern amenities. High-definition big-screen TVs are everywhere. The jumbotron is one of the most impressive and terrifying creations made thus far by man [excluding nuclear weapons]. No one should see Derek Jeter's pores that clearly. But I kid. It is an awesome, impressive stadium, and I no longer feel like my youth was snatched away from me by corporate greed [though it was].
All in all, the place holds onto more than enough of the past to feel like home, and the modern amenities are breathtaking. It is a crown jewel for the organization, and I can't wait to get out there and see it myself [I have tickets for a game in June]. Unfortunately, the place seems to be cursed, because the Yankees have never won a regular season game there [sike, I'm not one of those fans].
During the YES Network telecast [thank you MLB.TV] I got to see a lot of the different parts of the ballpark for the first time. The biggest concern that I, and probably most Yankees fans, had about the new ballpark is that it would leave behind the sense of history that I became so accustomed to feeling the second I entered the old building. Monument park is still out there. There are 2,000 or so photos from the New York Daily News archives sprayed around the park, representing every era of Yankees greatness. In the bar in center field, giant baseball cards of all the great Yankees adorn the ceiling. Throughout the Great Hall, banners of the same titans rest high on the wall [including one for Paul O'Neill, which is awesome]. Monument Park even looks about the same out there. The famous Yankee Stadium facade now rings the back of the park, like in the pre-renovation days.
And then there are the modern amenities. High-definition big-screen TVs are everywhere. The jumbotron is one of the most impressive and terrifying creations made thus far by man [excluding nuclear weapons]. No one should see Derek Jeter's pores that clearly. But I kid. It is an awesome, impressive stadium, and I no longer feel like my youth was snatched away from me by corporate greed [though it was].
All in all, the place holds onto more than enough of the past to feel like home, and the modern amenities are breathtaking. It is a crown jewel for the organization, and I can't wait to get out there and see it myself [I have tickets for a game in June]. Unfortunately, the place seems to be cursed, because the Yankees have never won a regular season game there [sike, I'm not one of those fans].
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Swisher Making his Case for Playing Time
Yankees fans are breathing a lot easier after C.C. Sabathia's second start. The lefty went 7.2 strong innings, allowing no runs, six hits, no walks and six strikeouts against the Kanssas City Royals yesterday afternoon.
Sabathia was supported by Jorge Posada and Nick Swisher, who knocked in three runs apiece in the Yankees' 6-1 victory. Swisher connected on his second home run of the season, and added a triple. Swisher is stealing the show among the Yankees' new acquisitions so far, and is making a serious case to be a regular starter.
Through 13 at-bats, Swisher has seven hits, including six for extra bases, and nine RBI. His slugging percentage is a robust 1.385 thus far. He has also drawn three walks, pushing his on-base percentage to .625. If the Nick Swisher of old has come to play for the Yankees, Xavier Nady could find himself in a new uniform before long. His contract expires following the season, and the Yankees apparently think that his agent, Scott Boras, is going to demand too much money for Nady's worth, which is diminished by his low on-base percentage.
As much as I have campaigned for Nady, I also recognize that Swisher had an extraordinarily unlucky season last year. His batting average on balls in play (BABIP) was .248, which was the fourth lowest in the pros. That is not characteristic for someone who hits the ball as hard as Swisher does, and at his best levels, he is a far superior offensive player to Nady. If Swisher continues to play like his old self, it might be time to check the phones and see what the Yankees can get for a season of Nady.
Sabathia was supported by Jorge Posada and Nick Swisher, who knocked in three runs apiece in the Yankees' 6-1 victory. Swisher connected on his second home run of the season, and added a triple. Swisher is stealing the show among the Yankees' new acquisitions so far, and is making a serious case to be a regular starter.
Through 13 at-bats, Swisher has seven hits, including six for extra bases, and nine RBI. His slugging percentage is a robust 1.385 thus far. He has also drawn three walks, pushing his on-base percentage to .625. If the Nick Swisher of old has come to play for the Yankees, Xavier Nady could find himself in a new uniform before long. His contract expires following the season, and the Yankees apparently think that his agent, Scott Boras, is going to demand too much money for Nady's worth, which is diminished by his low on-base percentage.
As much as I have campaigned for Nady, I also recognize that Swisher had an extraordinarily unlucky season last year. His batting average on balls in play (BABIP) was .248, which was the fourth lowest in the pros. That is not characteristic for someone who hits the ball as hard as Swisher does, and at his best levels, he is a far superior offensive player to Nady. If Swisher continues to play like his old self, it might be time to check the phones and see what the Yankees can get for a season of Nady.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Adenhart's Death a Shocker
I just heard during the O's/Yankees game that Nick Adenhart, a rookie starter for the Los Angeles Angels has been killed in a car crash. The story is up on ESPN.com. What a horrible, horrible story.
The kid was one of the finest pitching prospects in baseball. I was excited to see what he was going to do in the Angels' rotation this year. But this story is way more important than the baseball side. It hurts to see someone my age (I was also born in 1986) rise so high and see them get it all senselessly torn away because some jerk in a hurry couldn't be bothered to drive safely.
This type of thing happens every day. People are so selfish, so caught up in their own personal zone, that they never think of the consequences. The other day, I was on my way out of the Metro on a long escalator. I was on crutches with a broken ankle, and some idiot businessman almost knocked me down face first so that he could get to the top 10 seconds quicker. He wasn't even running to catch a train. He just couldn't wait five extra seconds or maybe even slow down when he was trying to pass the guy on crutches, perched precariously on a step. Are people really that egotistical? Why do we allow others to have that kind of attitude and be self righteous about it?
There are tens of thousands of deaths on the roads every year. A good portion of them may be unavoidable. Machines fail. Vehicles have blind spots. Lighting isn't always perfect. And sometimes the roads are very chaotic and too many people move at the same time in a tightly-packed area. But another large portion is made up of people behaving selfishly who endanger others' lives for the hope of getting to the movie theater five seconds earlier. Drive safely, for the sake of society. This is real life. A wonderful 22-year-old talent just got stolen from baseball, and a 22-year-old man with his priorities straight just got taken from a family. Let's at least examine the part of this story that our culture is responsible for and address it.
The kid was one of the finest pitching prospects in baseball. I was excited to see what he was going to do in the Angels' rotation this year. But this story is way more important than the baseball side. It hurts to see someone my age (I was also born in 1986) rise so high and see them get it all senselessly torn away because some jerk in a hurry couldn't be bothered to drive safely.
This type of thing happens every day. People are so selfish, so caught up in their own personal zone, that they never think of the consequences. The other day, I was on my way out of the Metro on a long escalator. I was on crutches with a broken ankle, and some idiot businessman almost knocked me down face first so that he could get to the top 10 seconds quicker. He wasn't even running to catch a train. He just couldn't wait five extra seconds or maybe even slow down when he was trying to pass the guy on crutches, perched precariously on a step. Are people really that egotistical? Why do we allow others to have that kind of attitude and be self righteous about it?
There are tens of thousands of deaths on the roads every year. A good portion of them may be unavoidable. Machines fail. Vehicles have blind spots. Lighting isn't always perfect. And sometimes the roads are very chaotic and too many people move at the same time in a tightly-packed area. But another large portion is made up of people behaving selfishly who endanger others' lives for the hope of getting to the movie theater five seconds earlier. Drive safely, for the sake of society. This is real life. A wonderful 22-year-old talent just got stolen from baseball, and a 22-year-old man with his priorities straight just got taken from a family. Let's at least examine the part of this story that our culture is responsible for and address it.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Around the AL East 4/8/09
All five AL East teams were active for the first time today. Here is a look around the league at the results.
New York Yankees (0-1) at Baltimore Orioles (1-0)
Final: Orioles 7, Yankees 5
BALTIMORE:
Looking Sharp
Nick Markakis, OF. He is very hot starting off the year. He followed up a solid performance on opening day with a 3-for-3 to improve his batting average to .714 through two games. He hit his first home run of the season off Chien-Ming Wang and knocked in three to increase his season total to five RBIs. He will play the entire season at age 25, and still has a couple of years before he hits the typical peak seasons. He is going to be very, very scary for a long time. This year, expect him to take a step forward after a slight step back last year.
Adam Jones, OF. Jones didn't manage to draw any walks today after a surprisingly patient effort yesterday, but he did go 1-for-3 with a double and a sacrifice fly. He also knocked in his third run and scored for the fourth time so far. At age 23, it's hard to say what he is going to do this season, but the kid is a 5-tool talent. If Felix Pie is able to channel some of his skill, the Orioles will have one of the best outfields in baseball for the better part of a decade. Thank Erik Bedard for his one dominant season if you're an O's fan. Seattle gave up a lot for what Bedard has produced so far.
Koji Uehara, SP. I didn't know what to expect from Uehara this season. It's always hard to project out players from Japan, but Uehara pitched solidly today. He went five innings, allowing five hits, one walk and a run on the way to his first Major League victory. I see one scary thing in his line though: Uehara got three outs on ground balls, none on strikeouts and 12 on fly balls. According to NPB Tracker, the Japanese baseball blog of record for Americans seeking scouting, the biggest thorn in Uehara's side has been the home run ball throughout his career. If his fly ball rate stays close to what it was tonight, the bandbox that is Camden Yards could exacerbate these problems and give him major headaches as hitters adjust to him.
Also of note: Danys Baez, RP. Baez pitched two perfect innings, striking out one, in relief. Baez threw only 20 pitches over the two frames, 14 of them for strikes. He has always had good stuff, but has yet to really put it together and dominate. This is a good sign for Baltimore.
Off the Mark
Dennis Sarfate, RP. After helping shut down the Yankees' comeback attempt on Opening day, Sarfate imploded in the ninth with the Birds up 7-2. He allowed two runs on a Derek Jeter home run and another on Mark Teixeira's first hit with the Bombers, an RBI double that finished the team's scoring with two outs.
NEW YORK:
Looking Sharp
Derek Jeter, SS. Jeter followed up a three-hit Opening Day effort with another strong performance. Jeter went 2-for-4 with a home run, a walk, a stolen base and two RBIs. The Yankees have to be happy to see Jeter off to such a strong start after his struggles last year. Seeing him get on base and swipe bases bodes well for the lineup now that Jeter is the leadoff hitter. The Yanks are clearly trying to avoid station-to-station play.
Robinson Cano, 2B. A day after drawing what could be his only walk of the season, Cano went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a steal. If he can use his speed to swipe some bags, this team will really move with Alex Rodriguez, Jeter, Johnny Damon and Brett Gardner all in possession of some serious wheels. Joe Girardi seems to be sending the runners more, too, as Johnny Damon also picked up a steal today. This goes a long, long way in helping the Yankees rely less on the home run now that steroids aren't an option...
Edwar Ramirez, Jonathan Albaladejo, Jose Veras, RPs. These three stepped in and were very strong in relieving Chien-Ming Wang after only 3.2 innings. They combined for 4.1 hitless innings, but allowed three walks. Ramirez went 1.1 innings, walking two and striking out one. His control was poor, throwing only 12 of his 26 pitches for strikes, but he managed to get people out. He has one of the better changeups in the game. Albaladejo pitched two, walking one on only 21 pitches. He has allowed three baserunners over 3.1 scoreless innings so far. He can make a good Yankees bullpen even better. Veras pitched a perfect eighth, striking out one batter while throwing eight of 11 pitches for strikes. I have a strong feeling that Veras will replace Brian Bruney in the eighth inning role at some point this season.
Also of Note: Jorge Posada, C. Posada went 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored today, continuing to show extra base power in his surgically repaired shoulder. More importantly, he threw out Brian Roberts stealing for the second consecutive game. The Yankees win at least five more games this season with a healthy Posada.
Off the Mark
Chien-Ming Wang, SP. I didn't think it was possible, but Wang managed to outstink C.C. Sabathia's start today. He lasted only 3.2 innings, but allowed nine hits [including five for extra bases], seven runs and three walks while striking out nobody. He got six groundouts and only three flyouts, which is good, but you expect better results from a guy with such a dominant sinker. The extra base hits are very perplexing, and have to make you wonder how he is feeling on the mound coming off of his injury last season. I expect the Yankees pitchers will be very happy to leave Camden Yards this weekend. It hasn't treated them well so far.
Tampa Bay Rays (0-1) at Boston Red Sox (1-0)
Final: Rays 7, Red Sox 2
TAMPA BAY:
Looking Sharp
Evan Longoria, 3B. Longoria went 2-for-5 with a solo home run off of Takashi Saito and a double off Jon Lester. Seeing the kid mash against a quality lefty like Lester has to make Rays' fans feel confident that there won't be a sophomore slump. He is a very important piece of the offense because he is the righty complement to their two best hitters, lefties Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena. Pat Burrell eases the load against lefties somewhat, but there is no question that despite Burrell's formidable pop, this kid is their premier right-handed hitter.
Carl Crawford, OF. Check that whole bit about the Rays needing Longoria to hit the tough lefties. Crawford went 3-for-5 with an RBI today, picking up two hits off Lester and one off of fellow lefty Javier Lopez. His awesome speed was a factor, allowing him to pick up two infield hits. He is just such a complete hitter. Even if you manage to overpower him, there is no guarantee you are going to get him out.
Scott Kazmir, SP. Kazmir outdueled one of the better pitchers in baseball today in Lester. His final line: six innings, five hits, one earned run, three walks, four strikeouts. You would like to see Kazmir walk less batters, but he threw 68 of his 111 pitches for strikes. That isn't too bad, and the Red Sox are a tough offensive team. The Rays will take six innings of one run ball against them any day. When David Price finally joins this rotation of Matt Garza, Kazmir and Shields, the sky is the limit.
Also of Note: Carlos Pena, 1B. Speaking of Crawford's job hitting Lester, Pena's first hit of the season was a two-out, two run blast off of the lefty that sealed his fate in the fifth inning. If the big bopper is healthy all year, this team is even better than last season at another position. Where is the ceiling? Jason Bartlett, SS. The light-hitting shortstop added to the Rays' display today with three hits of his own in five at-bats. He scored once, and knocked a man in. If he hits too, this team is flawless [except the bullpen?].
Off the Mark
Pat Burrell, DH. Burrell went 0-for-3 for the Rays with a walk today. He is 0-for-7 so far on the year and is yet to drive in a run or score one for his new team. I will chalk up his struggles to switching leagues and facing Lester and Josh Beckett as a greeting card. He also doesn't need to hit for a high average. The team got him for his power, so as long as he hits his 30 home runs and knocks in somewhere near 100 runs, the Rays will not complain.
Dioner Navarro, C. Navarro went 0-for-4, and while he isn't the Rays' most important hitter, I do see some warning signs here. Navarro's numbers average jumped from .227 in 388 at-bats in 2007 to .295 in 427 in 2008. The big difference seemed to be a decrease in strikeouts for the 25-year-old catcher. Up until last season, Navarro averaged a strikeout every 5.98 official appearances. Last year, that number dropped to every 8.71 trips to the plate, but his patience apparently got slightly worse. He went from walking every 10.04 at-bats in his prior career to every 12.56 times up. That does not strike me as the kind of numbers a typical .295 hitter puts up, so I would expect a decline here. The three strikeouts in eight at-bats may just be the beginning to a frustrating season for a player with a flawed approach at the plate.
BOSTON:
Looking Sharp
Kevin Youkilis, 1B. Youkilis is one of the toughest competitors in the game, and he's a pretty darn good hitter, too. Today he went 3-for-4. As context, the Red Sox only had eight hits as a team. He picked up one of the team's two RBIs, but that shouldn't surprise anyone. This guy is a machine. On the flipside, he made a costly error today in the field, but I am pretty sure that will not become a trend.
Ramon Ramirez, RP. I think that Ramirez is an underrated commodity with a high upside. He is certainly a nice arm to add to an already-good bullpen. Considering how little the piece (Coco Crisp) the Red Sox had to give up to get him fit with the team, a solid season from Ramirez could be a real coup. He looked sharp today, pitching a perfect inning and striking out a batter while putting 10 of 13 pitches in the zone.
Off the Mark
Jon Lester, RP. The line speaks for itself: five innings, five earned runs, eight hits, two walks and five strikeouts. He got beat up a little today, but he will be fine. The five strikeouts show how tough his stuff is, even when he isn't at his best. He threw 60 of his 94 pitches for strikes, and had only allowed one run when he blew up for four in the fifth. This looks to me like a case of a guy running out of gas early out of spring training.
Mike Lowell, Jed Lowrie, Jason Varitek, 3B, SS, C. The bottom third of the Red Sox order went 0-for-10 today with two strikeouts and six left on base. The three are hitting a combined 3-for-22 over the first two games. Add in Jacoby Ellsbury's 1-for-9 and that is a 4-for-31 start for the seven through one hitters. That is too many automatic outs, and the Sox need at least two of these guys to be productive this year to contend in a tough division.
Toronto Blue Jays (2-0) at Detroit Tigers (0-2)
Final: Tigers 5, Blue Jays 1
TORONTO:
Looking Sharp
Marco Scutaro, SS. Scutaro went 2-for-4 today with a double and the Jays' only run scored. He has always been a pretty strong hitter for a middle infield guy. And with the Aaron Hill/Alex Rios/Vernon Wells/Adam Lind crowd forming in line behind him, a decent season would provide a lot of run scoring opportunities. He could be a sparkplug for that offense.
Off the Mark
Jesse Litsch, SP. Litsch got burned by the longball today, simply put. He gave up two home runs to Miguel Cabrera and one to Brandon Inge over six innings. He allowed five earned runs, walking one and allowing seven hits. He did manage to strike out five batters along the way, and 64 of his 106 pitches were strikes, which is a good sign.
New York Yankees (0-1) at Baltimore Orioles (1-0)
Final: Orioles 7, Yankees 5
BALTIMORE:
Looking Sharp
Nick Markakis, OF. He is very hot starting off the year. He followed up a solid performance on opening day with a 3-for-3 to improve his batting average to .714 through two games. He hit his first home run of the season off Chien-Ming Wang and knocked in three to increase his season total to five RBIs. He will play the entire season at age 25, and still has a couple of years before he hits the typical peak seasons. He is going to be very, very scary for a long time. This year, expect him to take a step forward after a slight step back last year.
Adam Jones, OF. Jones didn't manage to draw any walks today after a surprisingly patient effort yesterday, but he did go 1-for-3 with a double and a sacrifice fly. He also knocked in his third run and scored for the fourth time so far. At age 23, it's hard to say what he is going to do this season, but the kid is a 5-tool talent. If Felix Pie is able to channel some of his skill, the Orioles will have one of the best outfields in baseball for the better part of a decade. Thank Erik Bedard for his one dominant season if you're an O's fan. Seattle gave up a lot for what Bedard has produced so far.
Koji Uehara, SP. I didn't know what to expect from Uehara this season. It's always hard to project out players from Japan, but Uehara pitched solidly today. He went five innings, allowing five hits, one walk and a run on the way to his first Major League victory. I see one scary thing in his line though: Uehara got three outs on ground balls, none on strikeouts and 12 on fly balls. According to NPB Tracker, the Japanese baseball blog of record for Americans seeking scouting, the biggest thorn in Uehara's side has been the home run ball throughout his career. If his fly ball rate stays close to what it was tonight, the bandbox that is Camden Yards could exacerbate these problems and give him major headaches as hitters adjust to him.
Also of note: Danys Baez, RP. Baez pitched two perfect innings, striking out one, in relief. Baez threw only 20 pitches over the two frames, 14 of them for strikes. He has always had good stuff, but has yet to really put it together and dominate. This is a good sign for Baltimore.
Off the Mark
Dennis Sarfate, RP. After helping shut down the Yankees' comeback attempt on Opening day, Sarfate imploded in the ninth with the Birds up 7-2. He allowed two runs on a Derek Jeter home run and another on Mark Teixeira's first hit with the Bombers, an RBI double that finished the team's scoring with two outs.
NEW YORK:
Looking Sharp
Derek Jeter, SS. Jeter followed up a three-hit Opening Day effort with another strong performance. Jeter went 2-for-4 with a home run, a walk, a stolen base and two RBIs. The Yankees have to be happy to see Jeter off to such a strong start after his struggles last year. Seeing him get on base and swipe bases bodes well for the lineup now that Jeter is the leadoff hitter. The Yanks are clearly trying to avoid station-to-station play.
Robinson Cano, 2B. A day after drawing what could be his only walk of the season, Cano went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a steal. If he can use his speed to swipe some bags, this team will really move with Alex Rodriguez, Jeter, Johnny Damon and Brett Gardner all in possession of some serious wheels. Joe Girardi seems to be sending the runners more, too, as Johnny Damon also picked up a steal today. This goes a long, long way in helping the Yankees rely less on the home run now that steroids aren't an option...
Edwar Ramirez, Jonathan Albaladejo, Jose Veras, RPs. These three stepped in and were very strong in relieving Chien-Ming Wang after only 3.2 innings. They combined for 4.1 hitless innings, but allowed three walks. Ramirez went 1.1 innings, walking two and striking out one. His control was poor, throwing only 12 of his 26 pitches for strikes, but he managed to get people out. He has one of the better changeups in the game. Albaladejo pitched two, walking one on only 21 pitches. He has allowed three baserunners over 3.1 scoreless innings so far. He can make a good Yankees bullpen even better. Veras pitched a perfect eighth, striking out one batter while throwing eight of 11 pitches for strikes. I have a strong feeling that Veras will replace Brian Bruney in the eighth inning role at some point this season.
Also of Note: Jorge Posada, C. Posada went 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored today, continuing to show extra base power in his surgically repaired shoulder. More importantly, he threw out Brian Roberts stealing for the second consecutive game. The Yankees win at least five more games this season with a healthy Posada.
Off the Mark
Chien-Ming Wang, SP. I didn't think it was possible, but Wang managed to outstink C.C. Sabathia's start today. He lasted only 3.2 innings, but allowed nine hits [including five for extra bases], seven runs and three walks while striking out nobody. He got six groundouts and only three flyouts, which is good, but you expect better results from a guy with such a dominant sinker. The extra base hits are very perplexing, and have to make you wonder how he is feeling on the mound coming off of his injury last season. I expect the Yankees pitchers will be very happy to leave Camden Yards this weekend. It hasn't treated them well so far.
Tampa Bay Rays (0-1) at Boston Red Sox (1-0)
Final: Rays 7, Red Sox 2
TAMPA BAY:
Looking Sharp
Evan Longoria, 3B. Longoria went 2-for-5 with a solo home run off of Takashi Saito and a double off Jon Lester. Seeing the kid mash against a quality lefty like Lester has to make Rays' fans feel confident that there won't be a sophomore slump. He is a very important piece of the offense because he is the righty complement to their two best hitters, lefties Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena. Pat Burrell eases the load against lefties somewhat, but there is no question that despite Burrell's formidable pop, this kid is their premier right-handed hitter.
Carl Crawford, OF. Check that whole bit about the Rays needing Longoria to hit the tough lefties. Crawford went 3-for-5 with an RBI today, picking up two hits off Lester and one off of fellow lefty Javier Lopez. His awesome speed was a factor, allowing him to pick up two infield hits. He is just such a complete hitter. Even if you manage to overpower him, there is no guarantee you are going to get him out.
Scott Kazmir, SP. Kazmir outdueled one of the better pitchers in baseball today in Lester. His final line: six innings, five hits, one earned run, three walks, four strikeouts. You would like to see Kazmir walk less batters, but he threw 68 of his 111 pitches for strikes. That isn't too bad, and the Red Sox are a tough offensive team. The Rays will take six innings of one run ball against them any day. When David Price finally joins this rotation of Matt Garza, Kazmir and Shields, the sky is the limit.
Also of Note: Carlos Pena, 1B. Speaking of Crawford's job hitting Lester, Pena's first hit of the season was a two-out, two run blast off of the lefty that sealed his fate in the fifth inning. If the big bopper is healthy all year, this team is even better than last season at another position. Where is the ceiling? Jason Bartlett, SS. The light-hitting shortstop added to the Rays' display today with three hits of his own in five at-bats. He scored once, and knocked a man in. If he hits too, this team is flawless [except the bullpen?].
Off the Mark
Pat Burrell, DH. Burrell went 0-for-3 for the Rays with a walk today. He is 0-for-7 so far on the year and is yet to drive in a run or score one for his new team. I will chalk up his struggles to switching leagues and facing Lester and Josh Beckett as a greeting card. He also doesn't need to hit for a high average. The team got him for his power, so as long as he hits his 30 home runs and knocks in somewhere near 100 runs, the Rays will not complain.
Dioner Navarro, C. Navarro went 0-for-4, and while he isn't the Rays' most important hitter, I do see some warning signs here. Navarro's numbers average jumped from .227 in 388 at-bats in 2007 to .295 in 427 in 2008. The big difference seemed to be a decrease in strikeouts for the 25-year-old catcher. Up until last season, Navarro averaged a strikeout every 5.98 official appearances. Last year, that number dropped to every 8.71 trips to the plate, but his patience apparently got slightly worse. He went from walking every 10.04 at-bats in his prior career to every 12.56 times up. That does not strike me as the kind of numbers a typical .295 hitter puts up, so I would expect a decline here. The three strikeouts in eight at-bats may just be the beginning to a frustrating season for a player with a flawed approach at the plate.
BOSTON:
Looking Sharp
Kevin Youkilis, 1B. Youkilis is one of the toughest competitors in the game, and he's a pretty darn good hitter, too. Today he went 3-for-4. As context, the Red Sox only had eight hits as a team. He picked up one of the team's two RBIs, but that shouldn't surprise anyone. This guy is a machine. On the flipside, he made a costly error today in the field, but I am pretty sure that will not become a trend.
Ramon Ramirez, RP. I think that Ramirez is an underrated commodity with a high upside. He is certainly a nice arm to add to an already-good bullpen. Considering how little the piece (Coco Crisp) the Red Sox had to give up to get him fit with the team, a solid season from Ramirez could be a real coup. He looked sharp today, pitching a perfect inning and striking out a batter while putting 10 of 13 pitches in the zone.
Off the Mark
Jon Lester, RP. The line speaks for itself: five innings, five earned runs, eight hits, two walks and five strikeouts. He got beat up a little today, but he will be fine. The five strikeouts show how tough his stuff is, even when he isn't at his best. He threw 60 of his 94 pitches for strikes, and had only allowed one run when he blew up for four in the fifth. This looks to me like a case of a guy running out of gas early out of spring training.
Mike Lowell, Jed Lowrie, Jason Varitek, 3B, SS, C. The bottom third of the Red Sox order went 0-for-10 today with two strikeouts and six left on base. The three are hitting a combined 3-for-22 over the first two games. Add in Jacoby Ellsbury's 1-for-9 and that is a 4-for-31 start for the seven through one hitters. That is too many automatic outs, and the Sox need at least two of these guys to be productive this year to contend in a tough division.
Toronto Blue Jays (2-0) at Detroit Tigers (0-2)
Final: Tigers 5, Blue Jays 1
TORONTO:
Looking Sharp
Marco Scutaro, SS. Scutaro went 2-for-4 today with a double and the Jays' only run scored. He has always been a pretty strong hitter for a middle infield guy. And with the Aaron Hill/Alex Rios/Vernon Wells/Adam Lind crowd forming in line behind him, a decent season would provide a lot of run scoring opportunities. He could be a sparkplug for that offense.
Off the Mark
Jesse Litsch, SP. Litsch got burned by the longball today, simply put. He gave up two home runs to Miguel Cabrera and one to Brandon Inge over six innings. He allowed five earned runs, walking one and allowing seven hits. He did manage to strike out five batters along the way, and 64 of his 106 pitches were strikes, which is a good sign.
Win First, Spend Later
Thought I'd slide into Greg's territory a little bit with an economy-related note found on phillies.com.
The Phillies' payroll increased 25 percent this season to a franchise-record $132.3 million after winning their first World Series title in 28 years.
This is curious because 14 of the 30 Major League teams' payrolls decreased in the midst of the economic recession. However, this article places the credit for the Phillies ability to spend directly on the fans. Luckily for them, the Philadelphia-area hasn't been hit as hard by the recession as some parts of the country, and season ticket sales spiked nearly 19 percent for the World Champs. Add in increased sponsorship interest and merchandise sales, and the Phillies clearly had some money to play with in the offseason.They didn't just sit on it, either. They signed several of their free-agents-to-be to long-term contracts and brought in free agent outfielder Raul Ibanez (3-years, $31.5 million for the 36-year old).
With some other big-time players forced to take lesser deals this year (ie: new Washington National Adam Dunn), it begs the question if bigger is always better. The article notes that the Phillies will need some of their promising minor leaguers to start producing at the big league level soon to keep their payroll from going out of control. Without a salary cap in baseball, the economics of the sport will never truly make sense, but you wonder if other clubs are saying, "If we had only won the World Series, we might've been able to afford to overpay an aging outfielder." (For the record, according to USA Today's salary database, World Series runner-up Tampa Bay's payroll spiked nearly $20 million this year with its median salary jumping more than $800,00.)
Baseball seems to still be going relatively strong. (Monday's Orioles' Opening Day that I attended set a record for Opening Day attendance at Camden Yards.) But there's no doubt players who are free agents to be this offseason will be pushing harder than ever to have the career year that will land them a big contract when there might be fewer big contracts to go around. The Yankees, whose payroll actually went down $8 million this year despite committing more than $400 million to free agents, made their free agent spending binge to coincide with the opening of their new ballpark, so next year's free agents won't be able to fall back on them, either.
But in this economic era of uncertainty, the message right now to Major League teams is clear: Winning cures all woes.
The Phillies' payroll increased 25 percent this season to a franchise-record $132.3 million after winning their first World Series title in 28 years.
This is curious because 14 of the 30 Major League teams' payrolls decreased in the midst of the economic recession. However, this article places the credit for the Phillies ability to spend directly on the fans. Luckily for them, the Philadelphia-area hasn't been hit as hard by the recession as some parts of the country, and season ticket sales spiked nearly 19 percent for the World Champs. Add in increased sponsorship interest and merchandise sales, and the Phillies clearly had some money to play with in the offseason.They didn't just sit on it, either. They signed several of their free-agents-to-be to long-term contracts and brought in free agent outfielder Raul Ibanez (3-years, $31.5 million for the 36-year old).
With some other big-time players forced to take lesser deals this year (ie: new Washington National Adam Dunn), it begs the question if bigger is always better. The article notes that the Phillies will need some of their promising minor leaguers to start producing at the big league level soon to keep their payroll from going out of control. Without a salary cap in baseball, the economics of the sport will never truly make sense, but you wonder if other clubs are saying, "If we had only won the World Series, we might've been able to afford to overpay an aging outfielder." (For the record, according to USA Today's salary database, World Series runner-up Tampa Bay's payroll spiked nearly $20 million this year with its median salary jumping more than $800,00.)
Baseball seems to still be going relatively strong. (Monday's Orioles' Opening Day that I attended set a record for Opening Day attendance at Camden Yards.) But there's no doubt players who are free agents to be this offseason will be pushing harder than ever to have the career year that will land them a big contract when there might be fewer big contracts to go around. The Yankees, whose payroll actually went down $8 million this year despite committing more than $400 million to free agents, made their free agent spending binge to coincide with the opening of their new ballpark, so next year's free agents won't be able to fall back on them, either.
But in this economic era of uncertainty, the message right now to Major League teams is clear: Winning cures all woes.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Finding the Silver Lining in Yanks' Opening Day Loss
The Baltimore Orioles hammered the New York Yankees and C.C. Sabathia on Opening Day to the tune of a 10-5 defeat. Not much needs to be said about the game as a whole from the Yankees side. It was a sloppy performance from nearly every pitcher who hit the mound. But some good things happened for both ballclubs on the field that could prove interesting for both teams' chances this season. Some other scary developments appeared for both sides, as well. Let's start with the Orioles.
Baltimore Orioles
GOOD SIGNS:
1) Adam Jones, OF. Jones is an incredible talent. He is a true five-tool prototype outfielder, but he is very young and people still question his ability to be patient at the plate. Yesterday he drew two walks in the process of reaching base in all five of his plate appearances. That may not sound like a big deal, but the kid only walked 23 times while logging 477 official at-bats last season. His selectiveness clearly paid off as he picked up three hits and knocked home two runs.
2) Nick Markakis, OF. Markakis is establishing himself as one of the premier outfielders in Major League Baseball. Not too much needs to be fixed about this guy's game, but he still is probably reaching his potential. A 2-for-4 performance with a couple of RBIs in the opener doesn't hurt.
3) Dennis Sarfate, Jim Johnson, George Sherrill, RPs. These three guys really put out the fire when the Yankees were making a comeback. The Yanks were down 6-1 after the fifth, but they struck back for two runs in each of the next two innings to make it a one-run game. Once Sarfate entered the game with one out in the seventh, it was lights out for the New York offense. They combined for 2.2 innings, one hit, two walks, one strikeout and most importantly, no runs to close the game out.
4) Cesar Izturis, SS. Izturis is a defensive whiz at the 6 position. He made a play in this game that changed the momentum. With the Orioles up 6-1 in the sixth, Jorge Posada homered, Robinson Cano walked, and Xavier Nady hit an RBI double. After two outs were recorded, Derek Jeter hit a ground ball up the middle that seemed destined for the outfield and an RBI. Izturis managed to stop the ball, and gun down Nady who had rounded third base too hard, assuming the ball would go through. Izturis proceeded to hit a two-run home run off of lefty Phil Coke to expand the lead to 8-5 in the four-run Baltimore eighth. Not bad for a guy who hit one home run last year. He also had a single in the third and scored a run.
5) Brian Roberts, 2B. Roberts is heading toward the end of his peak years, but Baltimore decided to keep him in the offseason. There was one moment in the offseason when a rumored Roberts-for-Gavin Floyd deal popped up, and I vociferously called for the O's to make the trade. Roberts went 3-for-4 with two runs, a walk and a double. If he has some superstar gas left in the tank, this group of kids that Baltimore is assembling could turn out to be impressive.
BAD SIGNS:
1) Jeremy Guthrie, SP. Though Guthrie cruised through the first five innings, he clearly ran out of gas in the sixth, when he gave up two runs before recording an out, and was saved from another by the aforementioned Izturis play. I wouldn't worry too much if I were a Baltimore fan, but they really need innings out of him this season if the bullpen is going to have a chance to gel and rest. I'd probably chalk it up to an early season adjustment that needs to be made.
2) Chris Ray, RP. Ray could turn the O's bullpen from a midlevel group to a plus group if he exhibits the kind of stuff he had as the team's closer. Yesterday, he gave up a two-run bomb to Hideki Matsui that pulled the Bombers within one. Not what the O's are hoping for from him in a close game.
3) Team performance. The Orioles basically blew a 6-1 lead, and could have easily lost last night's game despite a bad start from the opposing pitcher and a pretty good one from their own. Teams have to intimidate their opponents when they have a large lead. The Yankees clearly never felt out of the ballgame until Izturis' bomb. Holding leads is a big key for this team, especially considering the state of the pitching staff.
New York Yankees
GOOD SIGNS:
1) Brett Gardner, OF. Gardner went 1-for-3 yesterday, which isn't overwhelming, but his speed had an impact. He nearly beat out a bunt, something I anticipate him doing a lot this year. He also succesfully sacrificed over some baserunners, executed a hit-and-run with Derek Jeter and threw out a runner at home plate. The Yankees could definitely use an intangibles guy, and the speedy little rookie looked the part yesterday.
2) Johnny Damon, OF. Damon went 2-for-3 yesterday with a triple. His slugging in that 2-hole could prove a real strength. With Jeter and Gardner ahead of him, he could be a serious X-factor in this lineup's production.
3) Derek Jeter, SS. If there is any need for an indicator of this player's importance to this team, just look at last season. Jeter slumps, the Yankees miss the postseason for the first time since he was called up late in 1995. The new leadoff hitter went 3-for-5 yesterday, and looked comfortable at the top of the order. The aforementioned hit-and-run with Gardner highlights a new solution for Jeter's propensity to hit into double plays. This section of the offense strikes me as potentially really good. Teixeira and A-Roid should have a lot of good chances.
4) Jorge Posada, C. Posada went 1-for-3 with a walk and a mammoth home run off of Jeremy Guthrie last night. With his injured shoulder last season he displayed almost no power. Seeing him comfortably cream a pitch off of a good pitcher yesterday made my little heart pitter-patter. Posada also gunned down the speedy Brian Roberts on a steal attempt yesterday, eliciting similar feelings of elation throughout New York. He also apparently made a good throw on Cesar Izturis' stolen base, despite C.C. Sabathia's notoriously slow time to home plate. What I said about Jeter's importance to the Yankees applies doubly to Posada because of the weak position that he plays and the fire he brings to the team.
5) Hideki Matsui, OF. Matsui only went 1-for-5 yesterday, which is not good. But he also hit a home run off of Chris Ray. Now that he is unfit to play the field, a lot relies on his ability to drive the ball and back up the two big boppers in the Yankees' lineup. He is a huge question mark because of the knee injuries he has sustained over the last couple of seasons, so seeing him hit a ball out is a very good sign for the Bombers.
Honorable Mention: Robinson Cano, 2B. Cano went 1-for-3 yesterday, but drew a walk. His batting average has dipped precipitously over the last 2 seasons, and the obvious reason is his lack of patience. If he can work the count, he could play a huge role on this team, because he sure can hit when he doesn't get himself out.
BAD SIGNS:
1) C.C. Sabathia, P. I have almost nothing to say about his performance. He struggled to throw strikes with his fastball and his breaking ball. He walked five batters, including one with the bases loaded, in 4.1 innings while allowing eight hits. He didn't strike anyone out. He looked uncomfortable in his mechanics and failed to bend his back on his release. It was just ugly. He has a reputation of blowing up in the playoffs, and I am officially concerned about his mental toughness. He can shut me up by dominating over his next several starts.
2) Mark Teixeira, 1B. 0-for-4 with a walk. The patience is nice, but without Alex Rodriguez for a month, the Yanks need Teixeira to not leave five runners on base. He needs to carry the load, and he looked uncomfortable yesterday. I am nowhere near as concerned about him, however, because I like his mentality and Atlanta and the Los Angeles Angels both relied on him down pennant runs before.
3) Phil Coke, Brian Bruney, RP. These two blew up in the eighth inning to squash a Yankee comeback. Coke was dominant last September and this spring. It was his second inning of work when Cesar Izturis took him deep, but that home run is simply unacceptable. The guy has no power, and it was a tight situation. Such things happen though, and I think the kid has a high ceiling. Final line: 1.2 innings, two runs, one walk, two hits, two strikeouts. Bruney, on the other hand, gave up two runs in .1 innings. He looked lost, walking two and giving up a hit. He is supposed to pitch for the Yanks in the eighth inning this year, and he did not look good yesterday. Jose Veras better be ready to step into his role if this continues.
Baltimore Orioles
GOOD SIGNS:
1) Adam Jones, OF. Jones is an incredible talent. He is a true five-tool prototype outfielder, but he is very young and people still question his ability to be patient at the plate. Yesterday he drew two walks in the process of reaching base in all five of his plate appearances. That may not sound like a big deal, but the kid only walked 23 times while logging 477 official at-bats last season. His selectiveness clearly paid off as he picked up three hits and knocked home two runs.
2) Nick Markakis, OF. Markakis is establishing himself as one of the premier outfielders in Major League Baseball. Not too much needs to be fixed about this guy's game, but he still is probably reaching his potential. A 2-for-4 performance with a couple of RBIs in the opener doesn't hurt.
3) Dennis Sarfate, Jim Johnson, George Sherrill, RPs. These three guys really put out the fire when the Yankees were making a comeback. The Yanks were down 6-1 after the fifth, but they struck back for two runs in each of the next two innings to make it a one-run game. Once Sarfate entered the game with one out in the seventh, it was lights out for the New York offense. They combined for 2.2 innings, one hit, two walks, one strikeout and most importantly, no runs to close the game out.
4) Cesar Izturis, SS. Izturis is a defensive whiz at the 6 position. He made a play in this game that changed the momentum. With the Orioles up 6-1 in the sixth, Jorge Posada homered, Robinson Cano walked, and Xavier Nady hit an RBI double. After two outs were recorded, Derek Jeter hit a ground ball up the middle that seemed destined for the outfield and an RBI. Izturis managed to stop the ball, and gun down Nady who had rounded third base too hard, assuming the ball would go through. Izturis proceeded to hit a two-run home run off of lefty Phil Coke to expand the lead to 8-5 in the four-run Baltimore eighth. Not bad for a guy who hit one home run last year. He also had a single in the third and scored a run.
5) Brian Roberts, 2B. Roberts is heading toward the end of his peak years, but Baltimore decided to keep him in the offseason. There was one moment in the offseason when a rumored Roberts-for-Gavin Floyd deal popped up, and I vociferously called for the O's to make the trade. Roberts went 3-for-4 with two runs, a walk and a double. If he has some superstar gas left in the tank, this group of kids that Baltimore is assembling could turn out to be impressive.
BAD SIGNS:
1) Jeremy Guthrie, SP. Though Guthrie cruised through the first five innings, he clearly ran out of gas in the sixth, when he gave up two runs before recording an out, and was saved from another by the aforementioned Izturis play. I wouldn't worry too much if I were a Baltimore fan, but they really need innings out of him this season if the bullpen is going to have a chance to gel and rest. I'd probably chalk it up to an early season adjustment that needs to be made.
2) Chris Ray, RP. Ray could turn the O's bullpen from a midlevel group to a plus group if he exhibits the kind of stuff he had as the team's closer. Yesterday, he gave up a two-run bomb to Hideki Matsui that pulled the Bombers within one. Not what the O's are hoping for from him in a close game.
3) Team performance. The Orioles basically blew a 6-1 lead, and could have easily lost last night's game despite a bad start from the opposing pitcher and a pretty good one from their own. Teams have to intimidate their opponents when they have a large lead. The Yankees clearly never felt out of the ballgame until Izturis' bomb. Holding leads is a big key for this team, especially considering the state of the pitching staff.
New York Yankees
GOOD SIGNS:
1) Brett Gardner, OF. Gardner went 1-for-3 yesterday, which isn't overwhelming, but his speed had an impact. He nearly beat out a bunt, something I anticipate him doing a lot this year. He also succesfully sacrificed over some baserunners, executed a hit-and-run with Derek Jeter and threw out a runner at home plate. The Yankees could definitely use an intangibles guy, and the speedy little rookie looked the part yesterday.
2) Johnny Damon, OF. Damon went 2-for-3 yesterday with a triple. His slugging in that 2-hole could prove a real strength. With Jeter and Gardner ahead of him, he could be a serious X-factor in this lineup's production.
3) Derek Jeter, SS. If there is any need for an indicator of this player's importance to this team, just look at last season. Jeter slumps, the Yankees miss the postseason for the first time since he was called up late in 1995. The new leadoff hitter went 3-for-5 yesterday, and looked comfortable at the top of the order. The aforementioned hit-and-run with Gardner highlights a new solution for Jeter's propensity to hit into double plays. This section of the offense strikes me as potentially really good. Teixeira and A-Roid should have a lot of good chances.
4) Jorge Posada, C. Posada went 1-for-3 with a walk and a mammoth home run off of Jeremy Guthrie last night. With his injured shoulder last season he displayed almost no power. Seeing him comfortably cream a pitch off of a good pitcher yesterday made my little heart pitter-patter. Posada also gunned down the speedy Brian Roberts on a steal attempt yesterday, eliciting similar feelings of elation throughout New York. He also apparently made a good throw on Cesar Izturis' stolen base, despite C.C. Sabathia's notoriously slow time to home plate. What I said about Jeter's importance to the Yankees applies doubly to Posada because of the weak position that he plays and the fire he brings to the team.
5) Hideki Matsui, OF. Matsui only went 1-for-5 yesterday, which is not good. But he also hit a home run off of Chris Ray. Now that he is unfit to play the field, a lot relies on his ability to drive the ball and back up the two big boppers in the Yankees' lineup. He is a huge question mark because of the knee injuries he has sustained over the last couple of seasons, so seeing him hit a ball out is a very good sign for the Bombers.
Honorable Mention: Robinson Cano, 2B. Cano went 1-for-3 yesterday, but drew a walk. His batting average has dipped precipitously over the last 2 seasons, and the obvious reason is his lack of patience. If he can work the count, he could play a huge role on this team, because he sure can hit when he doesn't get himself out.
BAD SIGNS:
1) C.C. Sabathia, P. I have almost nothing to say about his performance. He struggled to throw strikes with his fastball and his breaking ball. He walked five batters, including one with the bases loaded, in 4.1 innings while allowing eight hits. He didn't strike anyone out. He looked uncomfortable in his mechanics and failed to bend his back on his release. It was just ugly. He has a reputation of blowing up in the playoffs, and I am officially concerned about his mental toughness. He can shut me up by dominating over his next several starts.
2) Mark Teixeira, 1B. 0-for-4 with a walk. The patience is nice, but without Alex Rodriguez for a month, the Yanks need Teixeira to not leave five runners on base. He needs to carry the load, and he looked uncomfortable yesterday. I am nowhere near as concerned about him, however, because I like his mentality and Atlanta and the Los Angeles Angels both relied on him down pennant runs before.
3) Phil Coke, Brian Bruney, RP. These two blew up in the eighth inning to squash a Yankee comeback. Coke was dominant last September and this spring. It was his second inning of work when Cesar Izturis took him deep, but that home run is simply unacceptable. The guy has no power, and it was a tight situation. Such things happen though, and I think the kid has a high ceiling. Final line: 1.2 innings, two runs, one walk, two hits, two strikeouts. Bruney, on the other hand, gave up two runs in .1 innings. He looked lost, walking two and giving up a hit. He is supposed to pitch for the Yanks in the eighth inning this year, and he did not look good yesterday. Jose Veras better be ready to step into his role if this continues.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Jeter to lead off for Yankees
Since March 26th, manager Joe Girardi has been batting Yankees' captain Derek Jeter first and leftfielder Johnny Damon second. The flip-flop allows Jeter to utilize his on-base skills to create more runs and Johnny Damon to increase his run production. Girardi recently announced that the move would continue during the regular season.
Ultimately, I expect little impact on the offense. Jeter has a better career on-base percentage [OBP] than Damon [although Jeter's dipped last season with his average], but Damon clearly has more power at this phase in their careers. Girardi must be hoping that Johnny Damon's solo home runs will turn into two-run shots at least some of the time this year. And Damon is likely to still be good for 15-22 home runs this season if he is healthy.
I also expect the move to mean more runs scored for Jeter. He will get on base with nobody out more often, and this will impact his scoring opportunities especially when he can get extra-base hits. It never hurts to have a lefty up with a runner on second and nobody out. A ground ball to the right side of the infield places the runner at third and gives Mark Teixeira a chance to drive him in with a fly ball. The Yankees need to generate more offense without the solo home run, so this strikes me as a useful juggle.
Expect to see Jeter steal some more bases this season as well. Last year, he went 11 for 16 [68.8 percent], a career low in steals and attempts for a full season. But Jeter still has not lost much speed, so it is likely that with more opportunities, he will fare better. In his career he is 275 for 350 in stolen base attempts [78.6 percent].
Call me crazy, but I also expect Jeter to have a better season than he did last year. He looked much more comfortable at the plate in the second half of the season, and I attribute his early struggles to injury more than decline [Jeter has a nasty habit of getting hit in the hand with pitches because he dives out over the plate when he is getting ready to swing]. I expect his numbers to be much lower than the premium Jeter seasons [1998, 1999, 2000 and 2006 come to mind] but still considerably better than his 2008 average of .300.
And on a less baseball-influenced note, the move means that Derek Jeter will have the first Yankees' at-bat in the new Yankee Stadium. In terms of cosmic correctness, it seems only fair that the man with the most career hits at the old ballpark gets the first crack at getting the first one in the new park. And let's be real, if the last stadium was the House that Ruth Built, the new facility is the House that Jeter Built.
Ultimately, I expect little impact on the offense. Jeter has a better career on-base percentage [OBP] than Damon [although Jeter's dipped last season with his average], but Damon clearly has more power at this phase in their careers. Girardi must be hoping that Johnny Damon's solo home runs will turn into two-run shots at least some of the time this year. And Damon is likely to still be good for 15-22 home runs this season if he is healthy.
I also expect the move to mean more runs scored for Jeter. He will get on base with nobody out more often, and this will impact his scoring opportunities especially when he can get extra-base hits. It never hurts to have a lefty up with a runner on second and nobody out. A ground ball to the right side of the infield places the runner at third and gives Mark Teixeira a chance to drive him in with a fly ball. The Yankees need to generate more offense without the solo home run, so this strikes me as a useful juggle.
Expect to see Jeter steal some more bases this season as well. Last year, he went 11 for 16 [68.8 percent], a career low in steals and attempts for a full season. But Jeter still has not lost much speed, so it is likely that with more opportunities, he will fare better. In his career he is 275 for 350 in stolen base attempts [78.6 percent].
Call me crazy, but I also expect Jeter to have a better season than he did last year. He looked much more comfortable at the plate in the second half of the season, and I attribute his early struggles to injury more than decline [Jeter has a nasty habit of getting hit in the hand with pitches because he dives out over the plate when he is getting ready to swing]. I expect his numbers to be much lower than the premium Jeter seasons [1998, 1999, 2000 and 2006 come to mind] but still considerably better than his 2008 average of .300.
And on a less baseball-influenced note, the move means that Derek Jeter will have the first Yankees' at-bat in the new Yankee Stadium. In terms of cosmic correctness, it seems only fair that the man with the most career hits at the old ballpark gets the first crack at getting the first one in the new park. And let's be real, if the last stadium was the House that Ruth Built, the new facility is the House that Jeter Built.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Yankees' Third Base Battle Getting Interesting
Alex Rodriguez is apparently walking on his own two feet again [I am envious]. Yankees fans must be hoping for a speedy [natural] recovery. But the Yankees are still in need of a nice pair of crutches for the first month of the regular season to cover third base. If spring training is any indication [skepticism appreciated], there are a couple of nice options developing for the Yankees.
Cody Ransom, who hit .302 with four home runs and eight runs batted in [RBI] over 43 at-bats [AB] for the Bombers last season, is following up his cup of tea with an impressive Grapefruit League showing. He is currently hitting .364 with three doubles, a triple and two RBI's through 33 AB's. He has even stolen two bases without being caught. Maybe there is some magic in those 33-year-old journeyman legs after all. Defensively, Ransom has committed one error in 10 chances at third base over the course of his brief time in the big leagues.
And then there is his competition, 2003 Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award Winner Angel Berroa. Berroa was last seen hitting .230 with one home run and 16 RBI's for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season after being traded by the Kansas City Royals for a washing machine and an autographed copy of ex-President Bush's autobiography. But the air in Florida seems to be doing the former prospect well. He is hitting a robust .438 with two home runs and eight RBI's through his first 32 trips to the plate. Unfortunately, he had a lower fielding percentage at shortstop last season than the much-maligned Derek Jeter, and has yet to see an attempt at third base in his Major League career.
As well as these guys have performed in March, the Yankees are ultimately going to have to go with a subpar option at third base for the first month or month-and-a-half of the season. Rodriguez is obviously a big bat to replace, as well. Which is why I think that they would probably be better served by getting creative. Xavier Nady apparently played some third base in college, and was six-for-six in fielding opportunities at the hot corner over 18 innings at the position for the 2005 Padres.
No matter what the Yankees do, they are going to be playing someone out of position. Nady can't be much worse than Berroa or Ransom, and if he is even close to their level defensively, moving him out of right field would allow Nick Swisher to play until Rodriguez returns. Swisher was poised to play first for the Yankees until they swooped in and grabbed Mark Teixeira. Offensively, this is by far the best answer for the Yankees. Berroa has only gotten three chances at third this spring, and Ransom has an error in 16 tries. What do they stand to lose by giving Nady a look right now?
Cody Ransom, who hit .302 with four home runs and eight runs batted in [RBI] over 43 at-bats [AB] for the Bombers last season, is following up his cup of tea with an impressive Grapefruit League showing. He is currently hitting .364 with three doubles, a triple and two RBI's through 33 AB's. He has even stolen two bases without being caught. Maybe there is some magic in those 33-year-old journeyman legs after all. Defensively, Ransom has committed one error in 10 chances at third base over the course of his brief time in the big leagues.
And then there is his competition, 2003 Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award Winner Angel Berroa. Berroa was last seen hitting .230 with one home run and 16 RBI's for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season after being traded by the Kansas City Royals for a washing machine and an autographed copy of ex-President Bush's autobiography. But the air in Florida seems to be doing the former prospect well. He is hitting a robust .438 with two home runs and eight RBI's through his first 32 trips to the plate. Unfortunately, he had a lower fielding percentage at shortstop last season than the much-maligned Derek Jeter, and has yet to see an attempt at third base in his Major League career.
As well as these guys have performed in March, the Yankees are ultimately going to have to go with a subpar option at third base for the first month or month-and-a-half of the season. Rodriguez is obviously a big bat to replace, as well. Which is why I think that they would probably be better served by getting creative. Xavier Nady apparently played some third base in college, and was six-for-six in fielding opportunities at the hot corner over 18 innings at the position for the 2005 Padres.
No matter what the Yankees do, they are going to be playing someone out of position. Nady can't be much worse than Berroa or Ransom, and if he is even close to their level defensively, moving him out of right field would allow Nick Swisher to play until Rodriguez returns. Swisher was poised to play first for the Yankees until they swooped in and grabbed Mark Teixeira. Offensively, this is by far the best answer for the Yankees. Berroa has only gotten three chances at third this spring, and Ransom has an error in 16 tries. What do they stand to lose by giving Nady a look right now?
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