There's actaully a journalist who knows the real Yankee deal

by andyroth on Nov 29, 2007 1:23 AM EST

From the Village Voice on November 27th. Just what I've been saying all along especially when it comes to this pathetic bullpen. By the way, I don't follow the National League that closesly but the pathetic Yankee management blew another one in not taking a flyer on Troy Percival, who, once again like Kerry Wood at least was a big time talent in his career. I was shocked to see Percival's numbers from last season: 40 IP, 26 Hits, 10 BB, 36 K, 171 BAA, and a 1.80 ERA. The Yanks would prefer garbage like Veras and Vizcaino over this? The stupidity of this organization is beyond belief. Now to the Village Voice article:

After the euphoria over the return of A-Rod, Posada, Rivera, and (probably) Andy Pettitte has passed, where does that leave the Yankees? And the answer is: Just about exactly where they were at the end of last month's playoff flop. Essentially, the Yankees' brain trust--and we use the word in the broadest possible sense--has paid an extraordinary amount of money simply to run in place.
The assumption on the part of Yankee fans is that the new young starters--Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, and, presumably, Joba Chamberlain--will carry the team next year. This is questionable. Promising as this trio is, they have won just nine major league games. Hughes may not develop as fast as the Yankees need him to, and who knows for certain if Kennedy really is a top-flight starter? For that matter, who knows if Joba can be a starter, or, if he can, how long it will take him to develop into the kind of starter who can average six or seven innings per start (which is the only kind of starter the Yankees really need)? (As we go to press, the rumor is that Hughes may be involved in a deal for Twins pitcher Johan Santana. But if the price is Hughes and Melky Cabrera, it's a tossup as to whether the Yankees really come out ahead.)
And what is the bullpen going to be like without Joba? The Yankees are now left with the problem of how to find set-up guys for an aging closer who appeared to be slipping toward the end of last season--and hoping an aging catcher can hold up for all of them.
So far, the Yankees and the Mets are reacting to their disappointing seasons in similar ways. The Yankees are pouring tons of money into their problems, but so far have come up with little more than cosmetic surgery by hiring Joe Girardi as manager.

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Comments

Yeah, I read the Village Voice

for all of my Yankee news coverage and analysis.

Chill out, dude. It's Nov 29th and the Winter Meetings have yet to take place. Anything can happen over the next few months.

I guarantee you that the roster they have now won't be the same one they have in April.

by anaconda on Nov 29, 2007 2:21 AM EST reply actions

You actually think this team

is going to have a quality bullpen when Cashman hasn't been able to build one for seven seasons and with Joe Girardi coming out with the absurd statement that he expects a big season from Kyle Farnsworth? You come back with the easy response to chill out, but you tell me what quality relievers are out there in the free agent market that will significantly upgrade this bad bullpen? Give me some specific names. Show me your knowledge of the free agent market? And tell me what team is going to trade a high quality reliever to the Yankees, when such pitchers are at a premium. Come back with something concrete instead of "chill out.". And by the way, you'll probably get more truthful reporting from the Village Voice which doesn't care about politics like so much of the media in this town does when it comes to the Yankees?

by andyroth on Nov 29, 2007 10:03 AM EST up reply actions

Bullpen

Going into the season in '96 did you have any concrete knowledge that David Weathers and Graeme Lloyd would be lights out in the bullpen? I doubt it, you were probably booing them off the field like the rest of yankee fans at some point in time over that season. Now people look back wistfully on the days of lloyd and weathers and they have become almost folk heros. Theres no way of knowing who is going to have a big year so, yes, chill out.

p.s. I heard Santana does a tell all in the next Martha Stewart Living.

by seanp23 on Nov 29, 2007 10:17 AM EST up reply actions

What about Mo?

A failed starter who was 5-3 with a 5.51 and 1.50WHIP is now setting up for John "Let's Walk 'Em Loaded" Wetteland? If we were as spoiled then as we are now, we would have flipped our shit! Let's give the kids a shot.

By the way, Cat Fancy has a wonderful piece on our lack of production from 1B last year and how we can address it this offseason.

Nuke the whales. Save Phil Hughes!

by marcbouch9 on Dec 2, 2007 9:55 AM EST up reply actions

Ahem

Ohlendorf, Melancon, Whelan, Cox, Sanchez.

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."

by jscape2000 on Nov 29, 2007 10:17 AM EST up reply actions

Yep

We've got lots of arms in the minors to try out in the pen.

And don't forget the possibility of Joba if we land Santana or Haren and return Pettitte.

I think David Riske is worth offering a few-year deal to. And there's the rumored possibility of trading for Rafael Soriano.

by SenorSwanky on Nov 29, 2007 12:37 PM EST up reply actions

We've got lots of arms

in the minors to try out for the pen. That's such a comforting feeling. And where have you seen or read that any of these is even ready for the majors and would be expected to pitch on a high level. When are you guys going to wake up that Cashman hasn't been able to put a quality bullpen together since the big 3 of Nelson, Stanton, and Mendoza left, and a matter of fact has failed miserable at almost every turn. Keep on living in fantasy land when the guys they'll rely on are Farnsworth, Veras, Ohelendorf, maybe the horrible Vizcaino and a situational lefty they sign. Let's see how Troy Percival stacks up this season agains the rest of the Yankee setup men.

by andyroth on Nov 30, 2007 2:22 PM EST up reply actions

I read in Reader's Digest

that Percival is one pitch away from retiring due to major arm injuries yet again. You act like the Yanks passed up on bringing in Papelbon or Joe Nathan. Percival is an old, fragile retread who caught lightning in a bottle last season and was completely handled with kid gloves. He could very well turn into Joe Borowski this spring.

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Nov 30, 2007 3:11 PM EST up reply actions

You idiot. I'd rather spend small money

on Percival as a flyer. How did you feel at the time when the Yankees spent millions of dollars on pitchers with major arm problems in the past like Hitchcock, Karsay and Wright. You are pathetic and mentally incapacitated.

by andyroth on Nov 30, 2007 3:19 PM EST up reply actions

Um, dude?

Cut back on the name calling or I will show you the door.

Percival signed for an $8 million base with incentives that could run the deal to $12 million. And he wanted to be a closer so he could improve his Hall chances.

I'd hardly call that a flier.

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."

by jscape2000 on Nov 30, 2007 3:33 PM EST up reply actions

It's cool

I can take it. I would rather let roth's posts speak for themselves. Besides, I can't complain since I broke my own cardinal rule of "ignore the douchebags and they will go away"

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Nov 30, 2007 3:35 PM EST up reply actions

It's not about you

incredible as that may seem ;)

Andy has been rude and condescending to everyone on the blog with every post. I'm tired of it.

He hates the job Cashman has done constructing a pen in his tenure, that's fine. You and he should be comrades-in-arms.

If anyone can't make their point without calling names, I don't want to hear it.

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."

by jscape2000 on Nov 30, 2007 3:43 PM EST up reply actions

Understood

The kid is a total douchebag with absolutely nothing insightful or meaningful to add. As I have said before, he should be ignored until he goes away just like we did with strappedyankee and his disjointed billy ball rants.

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Nov 30, 2007 3:49 PM EST up reply actions

just rename him

andy froth (at the mouth)

"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 30, 2007 4:37 PM EST up reply actions

Not a kid

I think he's a senior citizen or close to it.

by anaconda on Nov 30, 2007 5:21 PM EST up reply actions

He definitely

has that "get the hell off my lawn, you damned kids" vibe to him.

by docgonzo on Nov 30, 2007 5:29 PM EST up reply actions

that's hilarious

"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 30, 2007 5:36 PM EST up reply actions

in that case

we should ring his bell and run away

"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 30, 2007 5:36 PM EST up reply actions

I like the ringing the bell metaphor,

which I think would make aroth into Boo Radley. In that case, who's Atticus Finch?

Anaconda? Jscape?

I always feel pressure. What I don't have is fear. -- El Duque

by LateInningRelief on Nov 30, 2007 8:40 PM EST up reply actions

I'd be proud

to be Atticus Finch- but I think I act more like Jem.

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."

by jscape2000 on Dec 2, 2007 1:44 AM EST up reply actions

This is the key

There is still PLENTY of time for anything/everything to happen. Very few free agents have signed, and there are still plenty of trades to be made.

"It's great to be young and a Yankee"

by stillmonster on Nov 29, 2007 10:03 AM EST up reply actions

Just ignore him

and he will go away.

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Nov 29, 2007 10:16 AM EST up reply actions

Not true

I read in Better Homes and Gardens that the Yankeees in fact aggressively pursued Percival but that he preferred to close. When faced with this dilemma, the Yankees, according to an article in Motor Trend, approached Rivera about a demotion to the setup role but he declined.

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Nov 29, 2007 7:15 AM EST reply actions

In Highlights

I was able to find the Yankee bullpen in the tree.

"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 29, 2007 8:30 AM EST reply actions

Now that is funny

Great old school reference.

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Nov 29, 2007 8:32 AM EST up reply actions

Nice

In the same issue Hank made a special guest appearance as Goofus and Cashman was Galant.

by matthaggs on Nov 29, 2007 8:36 AM EST up reply actions

Ranger Rick

Predicts the Yankees will finish fourth in the West. Go figure. I can't wait to get this month's Backyard Living--apparently they are doing a six-page spread (with photos) on Kei Igawa's Koi pond ... Oh, I can't wait!

"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will

by Ronster22 on Nov 29, 2007 9:42 AM EST up reply actions