I don't. The Red Sox are smart.Quote:
Originally Posted by koolzach1
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I don't. The Red Sox are smart.Quote:
Originally Posted by koolzach1
Which, at the end of the day, makes for great baseball.Quote:
Originally Posted by YEAH DAAAAWG
I would love to see them trade Lars Anderson.Quote:
Originally Posted by koolzach1
Well, if they don't then they're f'ed.Quote:
Originally Posted by HoustonGM
Oh well? I'd rather trade unproven talent that may never fulfill itself for a hitter like Prince who has proven himself.Quote:
Originally Posted by koolzach1
Not at all.Quote:
Originally Posted by koolzach1
What an amazing offseason so far for the Yankees. We upgraded our rotation, and added another power hitter(something we only had one of last year--Giambi isn't really a true power hitter anymore). Not to mention we added a good "Chone Figgins" type guy in Nick Swisher.
Best part of it is that our offseason isn't even over yet. Let's add a good bench bat
anything can happen in a season.Quote:
Originally Posted by koolzach1
Yeah, but it'd be kinda ironic. The Yanks trade for Nady and Marte by giving up prospects and people (especially Sox fans) say, "same old Yanks, trading prospects/trying to buy a championship."Quote:
Originally Posted by YEAH DAAAAWG
Also, I am not sure how well Prince will hold up... I mean, the guy is freaking huge and historically big/fat position players don't hold up as well. Prince's father, McGuire, Big Papi, (even Howard has shown signs of regression). Still, I would be willing to bet that Prince is still a stud by in early 30's.
Well... I mean Big Papi looks done (may not be, but he is a huge question mark), Lowell is a major question mark, Bay is good, but we'll see how well he does next year, Drew is a question mark (inconsistent), and Youk just came off of a career year, but will he repeat that?... I mean, what else power they got?Quote:
Originally Posted by HoustonGM
Exactly. Let's play the games first before we hand someone a trophy and call the Yankees supreme beings of baseball.Quote:
Originally Posted by 200tang
Again, lol. This fascination that the Yankees are suddenly the best team around is hilarious to me. The Yankees are no better than either the Red Sox or the Rays, but they're probably equal with the both of them. All the team's have killer pitching and hitting on paper. The one thing the other two have that the Yankees really don't is fielding, which Teixiera helps substantially, but it still isn't on par with the Red Sox and Rays.Quote:
Originally Posted by koolzach1
If anything, the Rays have the potential to blow the rest of the division out of the water. I think a lot of this season's divisional race in the east hinges on how B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria mature and improve. If they take big steps towards their full potential, then it'll be a race for second place between the Red Sox and Yankees.
This is all very subjective at this point anyways. Anything could happen between now and April, and what we're talking about is all on paper, and it's never that simple when it comes to playing baseball in New York.
I'm honestly intrigued to see what, if anything, the Red Sox will do to try and counter some of these moves by the Yankees. I have a hard time believing that the Red Sox will just stand idly by while the Yankees add Teixeira, Sabathia and Burnett. The Red Sox also seem to be the type of team that "thinks" in a way that if they didn't win the World Series that they have to do something to get better. It's not there M.O. to overpay greatly for anyone, so I don't think they'll do that, but I think they'll definitely be on the prowl for a slugger, and I think Fielder makes the most sense.
They scored the 3rd most runs in the majors this year despite being in the middle of the pack (12th) in home runs (mostly because they were 3rd in slugging, lots of double hitters).Quote:
Originally Posted by koolzach1
I don't expect Ortiz to return to his peak level, but I think he'll do better next year than this past year. Maybe a 135 OPS+. I'm not counting on too much from Lowell, but I think he'll have an average year. Drew is actually very consistent, OPS+'s since 2003:
132
157
145
126
105
137
There's one outlier there - his first year in Boston in which I remember hearing about him having some personal life issues that may have affected him. One down year doesn't make him inconsistent. His only issue is staying on the field. When he's on the field, he's an excellent bat. In his last 5 years, he's played 140+ games 3 times. The 2 times he didn't were last year, and 2005 where he missed the rest of the season due to a freak injury (hit by pitch if I recall correctly).
Youk did have the best year of his career, but it's not out of the question that he just simply improved, and it's not just a "career year." I don't think he'll repeat it, but I easily see him putting up a 130 OPS+.
Jason Bay will easily repeat his 2008. Again, his 2007 is coloring people's views. Since his rookie year in 2004, his OPS+'s have been:
132
150
138
93
134
That 93 was 2007, in which he battled knee injuries all year long if I recall correctly. He's good for a roughly 130 OPS+.
Add in Pedroia who has a good chance of improving, a full season of Jed Lowrie instead of the black hole of suck that is Julio Lugo, improvement from Ellsbury...This team is every bit as excellent as it was last year.
Congrats to the Yanks. I gotta be honest, though, every time I see yet another player sign with the same massive spending teams, it's one more nail in the coffin for the cause of me giving a crap about baseball. It's just boring. Sure, you can have the smaller markets compete...for awhile anyway. Then their talent inevitably comes up for free agency and gets bought up by the teams with all the resources. Sorry, but it's a joke. :(
Yep, the Red Sox exhibited all of those characteristics in trying to sign Teixeira to a lowball $170 million deal. Then the Yankees went all irrational and threw common sense and logic out the window in offering him $180 million.Quote:
Originally Posted by StreetMedic
:confused:
C'mon man. Don't inject common sense and logic into this! :pQuote:
Originally Posted by JayC
wrrryyyy!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by jayc
He could be referring to the fact that the Yankees already had the two highest-paid position players in the market...or that the Yankees just commited a quarter-billion to two free agents...or that the Yankees traded for Nick Swisher to man 1B post-Giambi...
Even the Nats were offering in the $165-180mil range, so I don't think he has an argument that the Yankees agreeing to that number was irrational.
Anyway - in the Christmas spirit, I won't harp on Yankees anymore, I have enough here in the office to beat up during the season. Congrats on winning a great free agent.
The joys of having the biggest revenue stream...Quote:
Originally Posted by Alloutwar
Swisher was acquired more for his versatility (being able to play all 3 outfield spots PLUS first), than to be Giambi's replacement.Quote:
or that the Yankees traded for Nick Swisher to man 1B post-Giambi...
The last time I checked the World Series is not handed out to the team that has the best offseason or has the best team on paper (which is still, like it or not very much open to debate). Sabathia and Teixeira are excellent signings, but I wouldn't put Burnett in that category. He's not pitching for a contract this year, and he is an emotional powderkeg to put it mildly, who has now placed himself on baseball's biggest stage where all the players are under huge pressure and every minute detail about them is analyzed to death. He had trouble with the Toronto media; he ain't seen nothing yet.Quote:
Originally Posted by defense
Posada will be 37 and is definitely heading downhill. He still has a very good bat, but with the general trend towards the stolen base in baseball, his arm is a liability. Matsui, Damon, and Jeter will be 35. Jeter is a very good hitter, defensively not. So. Much. Matsui appears to have a "health rating" Mogully speaking of around 50 after being perfectly healthy his first three years and looks like his best years are behind him. Good bat when healthy. Damon's horrible arm and declining range are not as much of a liability, but you've gotta figure that if they brought back Rico Carty at his current age of 69, he would have the green light to score from second on a single to left. Very good bat though. Congratulations Xavier Nady on playing your first full season as a regular at age 29. Can you be as effective at age 30? Rodriguez - best player in the game today. Teixeira - probably the best at his position today. If you want to go ahead and put Swisher in CF be my guest. He probably played there so much last year due to the presence of Konerko and Dye more than anything else like um defensive proficiency. Cano is still young at 26 and I think he can bounce back with the bat, but having him and Jeter as your keystone combo defensively conjures up those grainy images of the "Keystone Cops".
Awesome, so far durable, LH starting pitcher in Yankee Stadium - what's not to like about Sabathia? Discussed Burnett already, hopefully the new stadium has a state of the art training room for him to spend at least 1/3 of the season in when "the sharks" in his elbow start biting him. Wang is a mystery to me. So many balls are put into play against him (most of them on the ground) and yet he continues to have success despite the sieve up the middle. Could it be that his devastating sinker results in ground balls that are easy enough for even a "weekend warrior"? I'm at a loss to explain it. Chamberlain has filthy stuff and at 23 along with Hughes 23, Kennedy 24, and the young arms in the bullpen represents the remnants of the famous youth movement the Yankees were about to embark upon (Yeah, right). Rivera is now 39 and every year the "experts" say he's done and every year he makes them eat crow, particularly last year.
There's no denying that the 2009 Yankees appear to be better than the 2008 Yankees. The proof will be in the pudding and even a playoff spot is not as much of a slam dunk as justifiably excited and exuberant Yankee fans would have you believe. They're calling the city to make sure the "Canyon of Heroes" parade route is booked for reveling in the ecstasy of the 27th World Series title. Down boys and girls: let the first pitch be thrown in anger in the toughest division in baseball.
And... they're still going to be paying out less in salaries than last season, and they have a huge investment in a new stadium that they have to fill. Common sense and logic -- and the basics of running a business -- would dictate doing whatever you can do to maximize profitability. Which is really what Major League Baseball is about.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alloutwar
And yeah, that can be sad to face, I know. But the reality is that the Yankees are being nothing but rational, sensible, and logical in this off-season.
Oh man, how that Pujols guy is forgotten :(.Quote:
Originally Posted by actionjackson
:p
:rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by JayC
Sox didn't respond with $190M, did they? No, they didn't, but they probably could have.
But I'll bet your dimes to my dollars, if they did, the Yankees would have come back at $200M. And so on. And so on.
Face it, the Yankees' front office is in panic mode because they've thrown stupid money all over the place in recent years (and would argue the Sox have done the exact same thing), except they've got bupkus to show for it.
They've got four of the highest-paid players in the MLB already, are on the hook for nearly half a billion dollars :eek: in free-agent signings, this year alone, and they're probably not done gobbling up players yet. Even given all that, it's still anyone's guess whether they'll be able to take down the Sox, or the Rays, or anyone else, for that matter. Their ridiculous CC contract shows just how desperate they are.
But the problem with their situation is simply this: they'd better win something next year.
If they do... "Well, yeah, no sh-t they won. Duh."
If they don't... "Can you believe the freakin' Yankees couldn't win anything this season, either? OMG! LMFAO!"
Good luck with that. No pressure, or anything.
Oops, got me Houston. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by HoustonGM
Yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria yes mark teixeria
Nope. Doesn't matter if the win the World Series next year. Oh sure, if they miss the playoffs there'll be a lot of noise, because the playoffs mean millions of dollars.Quote:
Originally Posted by StreetMedic
But what matters most is that they bring people into the new stadium and sell lots of cable packages. That's what these signings have to do, and they will. The signed a bunch of players who people will want to see play, and whether it means a championship or not it almost certainly will mean a competitive team and active fan interest.
Those new seats are going to be expensive. It'll take big names to fill them.
From purely a business standpoint, sure, but this isn't from purely a business standpoint. They have put a ton of expectations on themselves. The average fan in New York is going to see that they signed three of the top ten names on the free agent, on top of what they already have, and EXPECT a championship.Quote:
Originally Posted by JayC
I am not sure CC, Burnett and Tex's playoff numbers. but if I remember correctly the playoff season is a completely different year then the reg season. They are just signing more A-Rods. guys who put up great reg season numbers. minus the defense. pay them half a billion and I don't believe, correct me if i'm wrong, but none of them have much playoff success to show off. Isn't this the same reason the cubs suck each year in the playoffs? cause they expect guys like dempster and zambrano to win big games for them when these guys are only aces when the game doesn't really matter.
At a time when the world is allegedly heading into the biggest recession since the 1930's. The seats are already paid for this year. Who will pay for them in year 2 after 2009 which allegedly isn't looking so good economically? I know they're awash in money and that the TV revenue is pretty much guaranteed, but bums in the expensive seats paying outrageous prices for concessions and suits in luxury suites drive the ticket/concession side of their revenue streams. While a lot of teams are holding the line on ticket prices, the Yankees have significantly increased theirs. Let's see how thrilled everyone is with these massive contracts after the effect of the downturn has been fully felt.Quote:
Originally Posted by JayC
C.C. was a beast at the end of the season last season for the Brewers. It wasn't the post-season, per se, but he pitched some games almost as big as his waistline and won all of them. Tex' did pretty well in the post-season with the Angels, if I'm not mistaken, but otherwise has no post-season experience. Burnett I'm not sure of.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeffy25
I'm not sure what to make of this comment, are you suggesting there are people out their who they would be better off signing than Teix and A-Rod? Because I would take both of those guys any day over someone who has a great postseason record in 75 ABs.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeffy25
Alex Rodriguez in the postseason: .279/.361/.483 in 147 at bats. Not up to par with his regular season numbers, but A-Rod has had many 147 at bat stretches during the regular season where he's hit much worse than that. Small sample size, as applies to each and every of these players in the postseason.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeffy25
Burnett has never pitched in the postseason. Sabathia has been terrible (7.92 ERA)...in 25 innings. In April of 2008, Sabathia had a 7.88 ERA in 32 innings. Small sample size.
Mark Teixeira only played in the postseason this past year, and he hit .467/.550/.467 in 15 at bats.
Ryan Dempster has pitched in 2 postseason games, only 1 start, and judging anybody by that little sample size is even more wacky than judging any player by his postseason performance at all.
Zambrano has a 4.34 ERA in 29 innings. Again, small sample size, but that's hardly terrible.
At any rate, any GM that takes postseason performance into his evaluation of players should immediately be fired. The overwhelming majority of players don't have enough of a sample size for it to be meaningful. The only players with large sample sizes in the playoffs are those that spent at least a decade playing on a team that went to the playoffs every year (Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, John Smoltz, and the like). Even then, it's much better to judge a player based on his overall performance record, and not his playoff performance record.
Playoffs: Small Sample Size, therefore data unreliable.
woooooooooooooooooooooo hoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
But if a guy goes like 0-for-30 in the playoffs, small sample size or not, I think you can say that he is bad in the playoffs.
Small sample size.Quote:
Originally Posted by metsguy234
You can say that he's BEEN BAD in the playoffs. You can't say that he WILL BE bad in the playoffs. You can't make any judgment about a player off a 30 at bat sample size. All a 30 at bat sample size will tell you is what he has done.Quote:
Originally Posted by metsguy234
Not really. 0-30 stretches are far from uncommon in baseball. The postseason is only (roughly) a month long and any player could go on a huge tear in that time, just as easily as they could implode.Quote:
Originally Posted by metsguy234
Sure... and if they don't it, so what? Do you think Hank or Hal care what the "average fan" thinks of them personally? Do they ever even encounter one?Quote:
Originally Posted by YEAH DAAAAWG
If the average fan is furious because 2009 doesn't result in a championship, only one thing will really matter: what the team does in <i>that</i> off-season to again create an expectation for 2010.
Sure, that can't go on forever. But a championship within four or five years would probably work the long range plan well. As long as each season up to that point is competitive, fan support (with some grumbling, but again... so what?) will remain.
After all, why is the "average fan in New York" is still going to Mets games? Because they've been competitive... until the last couple of weeks anyway. :D
Derek Jeter has a reasonable career playoff sample size of 495 AB, during which he has a .309/.377/.469 line, good for an .846 OPS. His career line during the regular season? .316/.387/.458 good for an .845 OPS. I can't see the difference, can you see the difference? Yet he is fawned over and showered with nicknames like "Mr. November" and "Captain Clutch". 1 whole point of OPS. Wow!