Ranking the Yankees, 1-20

[HoustonGM]

I don't even see that.

[YEAH DAAAAWG]

I definitely have.

[dickay]

Cano is a nice player...definitely good..but he's got a long long long ways to go and improve before being HOF level.

Although I absolutely hate mentioning the HOF with young players, and doing comparisons....in defense of those bashing Cano, prior to last season his first few seasons in NY DID COMPARE with or was better than any of the alltime great 2B's after their first 3 seasons. Last year was not a horrific year either, especially for a 2nd basemen.

Surprised to hear that some may actually be underrating Chamberlain here. He's an immense talent but has not proven at all that he can withstand the rigors of a full season which is why the HOF or god forbid the best pitcher in the game can't at all be mentioned in a sentence with him yet.

Hughes is at a make or break point. If he doesn't get some resemblence back this year, he may end up being chalked up with a long line of youngsters as head cases. Pitching in NY with all the expectations may have gotten to him. I remember two years ago WFAN pinned the 2nd half of the season all on his shoulders as a rookie and claimed he'd lead them to the promise land. Are you kidding me??? Poor kid.

I do hate people creaming themselves over the yankees farm. Nobody truly knows anything about those very young low level prospects, so stop calling them studs or claiming they have the makings of them. The only reason people say that is because the Yanks market these young players so that they can become better trade value. How many of the young yankee prospects dealt in recent years have panned out? We know not many of the ones they kept have. Lets stop the nonsense and just call it as it is...highly highly overrated.

[HoustonGM]

Hughes is at a make or break point. If he doesn't get some resemblence back this year, he may end up being chalked up with a long line of youngsters as head cases. Pitching in NY with all the expectations may have gotten to him. I remember two years ago WFAN pinned the 2nd half of the season all on his shoulders as a rookie and claimed he'd lead them to the promise land. Are you kidding me??? Poor kid.

The kid's been battling injuries. It has nothing to do with being a head case or being killed by the pressure.

[dickay]

The kid's been battling injuries. It has nothing to do with being a head case or being killed by the pressure.

how do you know? insiders again?

facts are there was a lot of skeptisism around his injuries in the NY area last year. Even prior to the injuries he greatly underperformed and after admitting to being healthy he struggled greatly in the minors. Stuff was in the papers about his parents not liking how he was being handled. This stuff usually equals head case. So please, spare us your know-everything regarding the health and psyche of professional athletes. I never claimed it was definetly a part of the reason for his struggles, I just don't see how you have any justifyable evidence that it definetly isn't.

[HoustonGM]

I'm saying that when a guy is known to have been battling a couple different injuries, the likely explanation for poor performance is that he's injured, even if he claims to be healthy. There's no need for your sarcastic "insider" comment crap.

[dickay]

I'm saying that when a guy is known to have been battling a couple different injuries, the likely explanation for poor performance is that he's injured, even if he claims to be healthy. There's no need for your sarcastic "insider" comment crap.

There's no reason to try and belittle others with your high & mighty I know it all comment crap either. If you have something concrete to explain it can't be the mental aspect, then bring it. If not, don't go out there and claim it has nothing to do with it while you really have no idea one way or the other and certainly no more so than I do. It could totally be an injury issue, it could totally be a mental issue. Its likely a function of both....who knows? But there are a lot of questions regarding occurrences last year that had many in the NY media market questioning his psyche/makeup. It's not new news. If you have something which definitively rules it out (insider information), well that is news....please bring it. If not, be a bit more open minded in your comments.

[HoustonGM]

I'm not bothering.

All I'll say is that, for what it's worth, I'm squarely in the middle of the NY media market, and I haven't heard anything about Hughes being a headcase or having poor psychological makeup.

[dickay]

I'm not bothering.

Oh but you are. Thanks.

[RedsoxRockies]

I definitely have.

As have I. Maybe I exagerated by saying THE best, but they claim he is one of the best

[200tang]

Will the next nine years be about chasing Barry Bonds or being part of a winner?

Is there really any difference between Arod breaking the home run record and trying to win games? I doubt if he was asked to bunt he wouldn't which is the only way I could see this sentence working.

[justanewguy]

There's no reason to try and belittle others with your high & mighty I know it all comment crap either. If you have something concrete to explain it can't be the mental aspect, then bring it. If not, don't go out there and claim it has nothing to do with it while you really have no idea one way or the other and certainly no more so than I do. It could totally be an injury issue, it could totally be a mental issue. Its likely a function of both....who knows? But there are a lot of questions regarding occurrences last year that had many in the NY media market questioning his psyche/makeup. It's not new news. If you have something which definitively rules it out (insider information), well that is news....please bring it. If not, be a bit more open minded in your comments.

With all due respect... YOU brought up that he was potentially a head case and couldn't handle the pressure. The burden of proof is actually on YOU. Where is YOUR insider information?

[dickay]

With all due respect... YOU brought up that he was potentially a head case and couldn't handle the pressure. The burden of proof is actually on YOU. Where is YOUR insider information?

first of all...with all due respect...please read the posts. I said nothing definitively. Houston came in and stated most certainly that it was solely due to injury. There's a big difference.

Here's my post;

If he doesn't get some resemblence back this year, he may end up being chalked up with a long line of youngsters as head cases. Pitching in NY with all the expectations may have gotten to him.

Here's Houstons;

The kid's been battling injuries. It has nothing to do with being a head case or being killed by the pressure.

I find it insulting that the kid who whines how others constantly misunderstand him and attack him unfairly, goes in and attacks my post in such a belittling manner to so quickly and definitively disregard it. Again, my post clearly says that something 'may' be the issue, his abruptly and rudely disregards it as fact. This is not our first time down this road and there's nothing wrong with asking for him to justify his position since he so abruptly disregarded my opinion.

Anyhow, after Hughes 'first' injury of 08 there was tons of skepticism in the NY local radio and blog banter. First they asked Cashman if he'd be sent down, he said something to the effect where they'd have to talk about it, then it was his vision, then it was an oblique strain, then a broken rib, then it wasn't broken only an oblique and he'd be up quickly, then he'd be gone for an extended period. The radio and blogs were full of skepticism for how the Yankees were handling it and many thought it was a Cashman PR stunt to try and keep other teams from thinking it was something mental effecting Hughes vs. something small and physical. After his return he struggled in the minors, and never really regained his consistent form. His AAA numbers were 5.9 ERA and a 1.48 Whip.

Is it in his head?? Who knows?? Is it injury specific?? Again, who knows.

I took a quick look and here's quite a few links about questions regarding his 'injury' or psyche. There aren't a ton of people questioning his mental makeup, and i'm not doing that here 'definitively' either....but there's no reason to abruptly rule it out.


http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ba...ake_minor.html

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/3...ersons-breasts

http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/0...a-chamberlain/

http://sportsfreakers.blogspot.com/2...different.html

[KowboyKoop]

They have HOF makes, as in, they're all absolutely topnotch talents that have shown they can perform professionally. I'm not saying they're going to be in the HOF. The huge majority of players that can be said to have HOF makeup will never sniff the HOF.



I, myself, don't see dynasty, but I see absolutely no reason to think they can't make the playoffs next season, or the season after. No, they're not the only team with money, but they have boatloads more money than any other team.

Well, I guess the phrase "have HOF makes" is pretty vague..but to me that would lead me to think that whoever says that thinks the players are off to a HOF start to their careers. Albert Pujols has HOF makes. David Wright has HOF makes. Not a 2B with a few nice years, a pitcher who hasn't even had one good week yet (obvious exaggeration...) and a reliever who can't stay healthy in the rotation. Saying that any player with potential has HOF makes leads me to think that you'd say there's about 10+ players in the Royals system with HOF makes...which would clearly be ridiculous.

[ohms_law]

goes in and attacks my post in such a belittling manner to so quickly and definitively disregard it.