Like The Way Things Are Going or Not?

by bxgrl1 on Nov 17, 2007 12:18 AM EST

There's a post over at RAB about how the boys (as in Hank and Hal) are handling things. The poster over there likes Hank's blathering. Some agree, some think the boys (especially Hank) have mishandled things.

When the season ended it was "OMG!" time...they "fired" Torre (as the story goes) and Donnie Baseball, a Yankee icon is in Dodger Blue, they brought in young and tough Joe Girardi who has no experience with a bunch of veteran superstars, Arod opted out, Mo, Po and Pet were FA's, Bowa, arguably the best 3rd base coach in baseball was also LA bound.

THE YANKEES WERE IN SHAMBLES!!! Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my!

And Hank just wouldn't shut up.

Well we all know how things have gone and most Yankee fans seem to be breathing a sigh of relief and not even that worked up over Mo and Pettitte not being re-signed yet. In fact, most Yankee fans are kinda on the boys' side where Mariano is concerned and overall everyone likes how they handled the Arod optout and crawl back or the Boras stare down.

There was an article in the NY Daily News today about Arod's displeasure with Boras because Boras convinced him that Big Stein would never let him go...but they never banked on Hank saying, "We don't want anyone who doesn't want to be a Yankee." They say that stung him as well as their pursuit of Lowell because Arod didn't want to be in Boston and who else would need him/afford him?
Apparently Hank rattled them pretty good. Does anyone think he didn't mean it? I think he did.

Some people think they overpaid Posada. I don't. I think he was THE MOST IMPORTANT of the 3 FA's (Mo, Po, Pet) to resign. Jose Molina, bless his heart, is a great backup catcher but not good enough to be the Yankee every day catcher...so we got the deal done.

Andy may or may not come back...and Mo is being not Mo (I don't know who he is) but I don't fault the boys for this non-signing. I'm blaming Mo. No one is going to match the Yankee offer and no one should. If he goes to LA (though I don't know why he would), that would be terrible but we can and will survive it.

So what does everyone think now? I'm sleeping better at night and have the old "off season Yankee optimism" again.

I am not about to throw my arms around the boys yet...I'm sure they have plenty of F up opportunities to come...and Hank will undoubtedly shoot his mouth again at the wrong time...but right now I'm actually happy with how things are shaking out.

Thoughts?

Tweet Comment 14 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Mo..Being a baby....

3 @ 45 million. That's way overpaid already. He needs to remember that he's not 30 anymore. But he's not happy with that? He wants 4 years. If they sign Lowell, in 4 years they'll need Gerital as a sponsor.

I say let him go if that's not good enough. I'm sure I'll get blasted for that statement, but that's what I think. Save the 45 million and use it on a stud starter. Put Joba in where Mo was. Blast away on that statement also. I know that most of PA thinks Joba will be just as effective as he was as a closer. I'm just not on that train yet. I hope so, but I'd rather take my chances with him closing and going after a true 1-2 starter.

Blast away my friends.

by AKJoe on Nov 17, 2007 3:45 AM EST reply actions

nah

what you say makes sense.. but the best thing for the Yanks for next year is to have Mo back.. give Joba a shot in the rotation. that said, if Mo doesn't take the 3/45, i think the yanks will let him walk.. but i don't think that's gonna happen.

You don't realize how easy this game is until you get up in that broadcasting booth. -Mickey Mantle

by NumberSeven on Nov 17, 2007 10:52 AM EST up reply actions

What stud pitcher are you referring to?

The best available FA is probably Kenny Rogers and I kind of recall seeing that movie before.

Everything looks nicer when you win. The girls are prettier. The cigars taste better. The trees are greener. --Billy Martin

by garp on Nov 17, 2007 11:44 AM EST up reply actions

My thoughts

1)A-Rod: I like this signing only because we did not have to give up young arms to replace A-Rod. As we all know, Boras is bad for baseball.

Jorge/Abreu: We did not have any choice, simple as that.
Mo: He should accept the 3 yr/45Mill. I don't know why he insist on a 4 yr deal.
Molina: This was a must deal although the deal itself is not for much.
Andy: We need Andy as he is our only LHP.
What else: We may trade either Matsui or Damon as neither will be happy sharing LF. NYY may go after Santana if he's available, but everyone wants overcompensation from NYY. We'll see.

by yankeesintexas on Nov 17, 2007 9:16 AM EST reply actions

The are doing just fine

I was a bit concerned a couple weeks ago, but they are doing just fine. Hank, for all his fire and brimstone, has proved to be a reasonable guy. All the moves they have made make baseball sense- for next year anyway.

While they didn't overpay Jorge, the four years may be a touch long- but they had to guarantee the four years to make sure he came back. No problems there.

All signs point to Mo coming back, and he should with that offer. Once again, perhaps a little more in $$ and years than Yanks wanted to go, but they understood what needed to be done to get their guy. I don't think he will wind up LA-- it would be much less money, and he'd be a setup guy.

Abreu was easy, and a must- to give them flexibility to move one of the other OF if the want to (Matsui is probably immovable now with the knee surgery).

Andy has a standing offer, and they are giving him all the time he needs- not forcing his hand. They need him back, but the ball is completely in his court.

All's well. They need to add some bullpen arms, but so far the lil Steins are doing just fine. Seems like Hank's there for sound bytes- but Cash is still pulling the strings.

You don't realize how easy this game is until you get up in that broadcasting booth. -Mickey Mantle

by NumberSeven on Nov 17, 2007 10:45 AM EST reply actions

I like the winter so far

although a lot of the moves were no-brainers (Senor Hustle, Posada, Mo). I think it is pretty cool that they were able to make Boras look like an ass but I am a little worried about how much they are going to be paying a guy on the wrong side of 40 at the end of the megadeal. The only thing that irks/worries me is Hank the media whore. While I think he has been right in what he has said, he comes across as a pompous ass and makes the team look bad even when he is 100% correct. Just imagine how bad he'll look when he is wrong.

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Nov 17, 2007 10:55 AM EST reply actions

I imagine that he will look a lot like

his dad. As I recall, ESPN just recently made a movie about that.

Everything looks nicer when you win. The girls are prettier. The cigars taste better. The trees are greener. --Billy Martin

by garp on Nov 17, 2007 11:41 AM EST up reply actions

It's funny

if you read non-Yankee blogs and sites everyone is crucifying the Yankees for just about every move but the NY Post or NY Daily News (can't remember which) did an on-line poll about how the fans feel about bringing Arod back and giving Jorge the 4th year and it's almost 70 percent approval all around.

"The secret of managing is to keep the guys who hate you away from the guys who are undecided." -Casey Stengel

by bxgrl1 on Nov 17, 2007 12:10 PM EST reply actions

Damon/Matsui

I agree with pretty much everything we've done so far, and I understand why we have to keep Giambi and Abreu for this season. Fine. No Problem. But why on earth do we need Damon or Matsui? They really are just not going to get any better. Damon is 34 and Matsui is 33. Both have bodies that are beginning to fail, and if we are intending to take this team in a new direction, I just don't see them being a part of it. I think any yankee fan can agree watching matsui step in the bucket and flail at pitches in the playoffs against the Indians is nothing less than gut-wrenching. Damon batted under .260 for a good part of the year. I really think we can get excellent value now for either or both of them, and the value we get now will be better than it will be if we wait much longer. I'm sure we can get a more than serviceable, young left fielder, or maybe a few solid bullpen arms. Have Duncan and Giambi platoon at 1st and DH, and call it a day. I just don't know how anybody who follows the yankees to consider damon or matsui players we want to build this team around.

Yankees '08

by sswenson10 on Nov 17, 2007 12:44 PM EST reply actions

I guess that if we ignore the existence

of no-trade clauses, high salaries and off-season knee surgery we could get very high value for them.

Everything looks nicer when you win. The girls are prettier. The cigars taste better. The trees are greener. --Billy Martin

by garp on Nov 17, 2007 1:23 PM EST up reply actions

took the words out of my mouth

I think Girardi would have sat Matsui during the playoffs (at least I want to believe it).

I don't think we're building the team around them. I think we're "stuck" with them and I hope they each can be productive this coming year.

I read a thing recently where Joe Torre basically said he didn't study stats and watch films like "younger managers". I think he was phoning it after a while. I know Girardi studies the films and the stats so hopefully he doesn't go blind when it comes to his own players and how best to utilize them (or when to bench them esp when you have good players on the bench).

"The secret of managing is to keep the guys who hate you away from the guys who are undecided." -Casey Stengel

by bxgrl1 on Nov 17, 2007 1:57 PM EST up reply actions

I think that

the value we could get for them now, while it may not be an all star player, it is better than it will be a year from now.

by sswenson10 on Nov 17, 2007 3:56 PM EST reply actions

Optimism?

You've gotta be kidding. If you think they're going to compete for a World Championship with three rookie pitchers, one with 74 innings of experience (Phil Hughes), another with 19 (Ian Kennedy) and another with 24 innings (Joba Chamberlain) you are as deluded as the organiaztion, media and fans are. With the young trio being limited on pitch counts and the Yanks having a pathetic bullpen, whom do you suggest is going to give them high quality innings in innings 6-8. And why is everybody taking such a leap of faith that all three will stars/high quality pitchers? Again, I'll throw out the names of Wood,Prior,Liriano,Harden,Pulsipher,Wilson,Isringhausen,Fidrych.Just a few players who looked like they would have major careers or were considered big prospects and look what happened.
The fact that the Yankees have even taken a glance at Kerry Wood as a possible setup man to Mariano shows how dumb this organization is.

by andyroth on Nov 23, 2007 12:12 PM EST reply actions

Yeah, optimism

It seems like you are willing to go for broke by making irrational and stupid decisions that will affect this team's long term success.

That doesn't make sense.

I guess since some young arms in the past haven't worked out - that means the Yankee trio won't work out either. Right? Your argument lacks substance.

It's probably not a stretch to assume that you didn't give Chamberlain much of a chance back in August before he actually took the mound and started blowing away hitters.

Give these kids a chance to show their stuff before you write them off.

by anaconda on Nov 23, 2007 5:00 PM EST up reply actions