My thoughts for the offseason and beyond
by 3460kuri
on Sep 11, 2008 4:56 PM EDT
In no particular order...
1.) Be afraid, be very afraid, of free agents - with $80 million dollars (potentially) coming off the books this offseason, it will be very tempting to dabble in the AJ Burnett, Ben Sheets, and Mark Texeira sweepstakes. Need I remind you that we have already have one player (Alex Rodriguez) signed to a long-term, big dollar contract that we consistently trash, despite consistently ranking among the top 5 offensive producers in the leauge, and another (Jason Giambi) who's long term, big dollar contract we despised, despite ranking in the top 5 first basemen in the league during 5 of his 7 years here.
AJ Burnett has been consistently mediocre. Ben Sheets has been consistently injured. Mark Texeira will cost too much money. I don't understand the affection for these guys on this board, unless we're worried that we won't have anybody besides A-Rod to trash next year?
2.) CC Sabatthia is the best free agent pitcher since Randy Johnson in 1998 - and we need to spare no expense in trying to sign him. There's really nothing more that needs to be said. If it's going to cost $150 million dollars (or more) to acquire a front-line starting pitcher, he's the guy to spend it on.
3.) Let's get realistic about Jorge Posada - In 2007, he had a career year offensively. Prior to 2008, he'd never caught fewer than 137 games in a full season. He plays an adequate defense behind the plate. Why is there talk of him being unable to catch anymore? He won't be able to catch forever, but one injury doesn't mean the end of his days behind the plate. The Yankees would be foolish to count on anybody other than Posada to be their regular catcher next year.
4.) Let's get realistic about Jose Molina - Jose Molina is a terrible hitter, even by backup catcher's standards. He is a terrible hitter, by National League pitcher standards. He is not a full time catcher. "Game calling abilities" and "catcher's ERA" are nice things we make up to say about guys who are simply below-average baseball players.
5.) Robinson Cano is our second baseman - You can count on one hand the number of second basemen with a career .800 OPS. You need one or two fingers to count the number of second basemen 25 and under to put up those numbers. Cano is somewhat of an undisciplined hitter, but to suggest that he's gotten "lazy" because of his $20 million contract completely ignores the fact that there's another $40-$50 million contract in five years, if he continutes to hit like he has in the past. His BABIP (batting average on balls in play) is 45 points lower than his career average. This is fluky bad luck, nothing more. Hitters as talented as Cano don't permanently regress like this at age 25.
6.) Once and for all, let's lay off A-Rod - I don't really need to say anything else. Nobody is worth $30 million per year, but that's what he's making, and he's the best player on our team. Let's all just shut up
7.) Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy are the keys to 2009 - Love them or hate them, they are still talented prospects. If we are willing to write them off after 150 big league innings combined, I can think of 29 other teams that would love to take them off of our hands. I would rather gamble that one of them reaches their potential in 2009 than sign any free agent pitcher not named CC to a multi-year deal.
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totally agree with
with #2 & 5.
1) mostly agree, but if they’re willing to take short term deals (2 years or less), it’s worth the risk.
2) Sabathia HAS to be acquired. the only thing that might stop us is that he might want to play in Cali and likes hitting…
3) you cant count on Posada catching at this point. not only could he not catch, but he couldnt hit either after the injury this year.
4) Molina IS a good back up catcher (at least as good as anyone we’ve had since Posada himself), so hitting .240/.280/.340 is acceptable for a BUC, especially considering his plus D. he’s just not supposed to play everyday.
5) people talk about trading Cano all the time, but who would they have play 2b next year? agree there.
6) i agree that Arod takes too much of the blame, but he has been disappointing this year, especially considering he’s the highest paid player in the game the our cleanup hitter.
7) not necessarily. we’ve managed to tread water with Rasner and Ponson in the rotation. any help we get from Ian and Hughes would be a benefit. but a top 4 of CC, Wang, Joba and Moose would be among the best in baseball. it almost wouldn’t matter who #5 was. could be Pettitte, Hughes, Aceves, Kennedy a FA, or even Igawa.
by Travis G on Sep 11, 2008 8:12 PM EDT 0 recs
Cano?
When you have a guy who hasn’t walked in 90+ at bats NINE-OH at bats, a guy who is consistently swinging and missing at pitches far out of the zone, a guy who vaporizes in the field from time-to-time, it’s time to make some changes.
I like Cano, but I really don’t want him coming back if he’s not going to change his approach. He has really regressed this season, and we really can’t afford a repeat.
"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will
by Ronster22 on
Sep 12, 2008 10:00 AM EDT
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who takes over 2b then?
a lot of fans are complaining about our age and D, but Cano has BOTH of those. he still plays very good D and is still 2 years from his prime. he’s not perfect, we know he’s impatient, but he’s still the 7th best 2b over the last 4 years. one horrible April and you’re ready to sell a 25-year-old former All-Star?
let’s give him at least another year to see what happens.
by Travis G on
Sep 12, 2008 3:42 PM EDT
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It's not just his down year
It’s also his lack of focus and perhaps even “laziness” on an everyday basis which even the most rabid Cano supporters cannot deny.
I don’t want anyone on the team who needs his own personal motivational coach to keep focus everyday. Nobody else on the team needs it and Cano shouldn’t get any special treatment.
by anaconda on
Sep 12, 2008 4:56 PM EDT
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there is really no answer here
Cano has tried our patience. Some of you are reasonably out of patience. Others (us) are not.
Neither position is really unreasonable.
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright (1876 - 1944)
by Cbeck3 on
Sep 14, 2008 7:42 AM EDT
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agreed
and he’s got a bunch of money owed to him now, which i would think would hurt his value in a trade. not to mention with the kind of year he is having, he won’t fetch what he’s worth talent-wise anyway.
The Jayfiss Report ...one fan's rants
by NumberSeven on
Sep 15, 2008 1:27 PM EDT
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Maybe ...
getting his ass pulled for a few days will be a good thing?
I’d love to see Cano thrive and be the .320 hitter he can be. The truth is we owe him big coin and we aren’t likely to deal him. But with the benching, a message has been sent. How he responds will dictate the next move—if there even is one.
"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will
by Ronster22 on
Sep 15, 2008 2:24 PM EDT
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I was very patient with him until I saw him dog it one too many times
It didn’t didn’t start this season. He’s always been that way but it seems much worse in 2008. He’s not a rookie anymore – this is his fourth season now. It’s time for Cano to get his shit together or move him.
I know the "he’s still young and immensely talented and a future All-Star or batting crown, blah blah blah" argument because I used to make that case myself not long ago.
But I’m tired of watching such a talented player dog it so much and I’m afraid he’s not going to ever live up to that great potential. It’s one thing to try and fail and just have a bad season – but something completely different to not give the 100% effort that is asked of every player on that field.
Patience is what we need to have with guys like Hughes and Kennedy. Not a guy who will be playing in his 5th season in the major leagues next April.
by anaconda on
Sep 15, 2008 5:16 PM EDT
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We are ...
in complete agreement Anaconda. I couldn’t have said it any better. Excellent!
I just wish Cano read it.
"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will
by Ronster22 on
Sep 16, 2008 11:57 AM EDT
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Hughes
will be in his third season and has shown a helluva lot less than Cano. Kennedy is 23, and hasn’t proven much at the ML level, but patience is tough to come by with a 25 year old former All-Star/.300 career hitter?
by Travis G on
Sep 17, 2008 1:43 AM EDT
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That's good spin....
but Hughes is 22 and has thrown a grand total of 94 IP in the majors leagues. Kennedy will be 24 in December has thrown a grand total of 58.2 IP in the majors.
On the other hand, Cano is a few weeks away from 26 and has played in 562 major league games and has had almost 2,200 AB during his career.
You tell me which one of these players shouldn’t be making the stupid rookie mistakes and shouldn’t need his own motivational coach to keep focused.
by anaconda on
Sep 17, 2008 6:24 AM EDT
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oh yes
Cano is certainly frustrating at times, but at other times he looks like an All Star. i cant defend some of his actions. but what i can defend is his talent and ‘proven-ness’ compared to our other young’ins. despite being just 2 years older than Kennedy and Melky, he’s a .300 hitter, one time All Star, potential gold glover. if he was first-baseman or corner OFer, that wouldn’t sound so good, but the fact that he plays a defense first position makes him that much more valuable.
if someone on another team wanted to get rid of a 25-year-old second baseman, .300 hitter, former All Star, what would you say?
he was an All Star at 23. you dont just give up on that. it would selling low. i guarantee neither Hughes, Kennedy or Melky will be All Stars until at least 2010 (with Ian and Melky having virtually no chance).
by Travis G on
Sep 18, 2008 1:36 AM EDT
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You put too much emphasis on someone being an All-Star
This team has a lineup loaded with current and former All-Stars and they’ll be lucky to finish in 3rd place. That’s been a big part of their problem. Too many All-Stars – not enough baseball players.
All-Star appearances don’t mean a damn thing, especially when every team has to be represented in that game and the fans are the primary voters.
Yeah, Cano hit .342 in 2006 – which has really skewed his overall career numbers because he hasn’t come close to those numbers any other season.
So it begs the question – was 2006 was just a fluke or a sign of his future “greatness”??? He’s not convincing me that it’s a sign of his potential greatness. It seems more like it was a fluke.
Look, it wasn’t that long ago that I made the very same arguments defending Cano and his potential greatness that you are now. In fact, it was just this past April and May. I also thought his long-term extension was a no-brainer when they inked him.
But, as I’ve said before, I’ve seen him dog it way too many times this season that he’s changed my mind. I’m no longer optimistic that he’s ever going to be that kind of player because every Yankee fan knows that he often lacks focus and motivation on an everyday basis.
It doesn’t take an ounce of talent to do the little things like hustle and stay focused yet he has all kinds of trouble doing it without a drill sergeant like Bowa in his face everyday.
That’s a really alarming sign that he’s never going to be the guy a lot of Yankee fans think he’s going to be.
by anaconda on
Sep 18, 2008 8:19 AM EDT
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honestly
he made a few ‘lack of hustle’ plays last year as well, even with Bowa around.
dont you see the difference between Cano and the other players? he’s moving TOWARD his prime. every other everyday starter is moving AWAY from theirs. they’re all safely in their decline phase. Cano is still in the improvement stage.
3.5 months (since May you said) of baseball should not be enough to give up on Cano, especially considering the other 2b options.
by Travis G on
Sep 18, 2008 9:49 AM EDT
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Yes it should
He doesn’t hustle. Hustle is important.
David Eckstein is the best player in baseball because he hustles and is pesky. Hardest player to strike out too.
by 3460kuri on
Sep 18, 2008 3:53 PM EDT
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A lack of hustle translates to a lack of effort
And that is unacceptable for any major leaguer.
by anaconda on
Sep 18, 2008 7:32 PM EDT
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Having Cano's production at second
was a luxury. C’mon he’s a Second baseman. It’s a defensive position.
Posada is the issue.
The teams going to the playoffs this year run. The Yanks don’t. Jorge can’t throw me out anymore. It’s over.
He also calls a mediocre game at best. Every time any Yanks pitcher could have any other “personal” catcher besides Jorge they took it. He’s got no highlights in almost ten years behind the plate. The man has value as a hitter. Let’s stop defending him.
Guys behind the plate always used to move on; it was a foregone conclusion. Why is Jorge so untouchable? ‘Cause he’s a hothead.
He’s not Jeter. He needs to move. The man needs to put the team first. I doubt he will. Because the Jorge I know loves to blow up.
"Here, if you have a milkshake, and I have a milkshake, and I have a straw. There it is, that's a straw, you see? You watching?. And my straw reaches acroooooooss the room, and starts to drink your milkshake... I... drink... your... milkshake!"-Daniel Plainview
by yankee come lately on Sep 16, 2008 12:44 AM EDT 0 recs
Jorge "untouchable"
He’s untouchable because he’s arguably the greatest Yankee catcher ever. Dickey, Yogi, Howard, Munson, Posada … He knows he’s mentioned with the greatest catchers ever, and someone like that doesn’t give up the ship so quickly. Imagine what the response would be if they asked Jeter to move from short to centerfield?
It’s pride, and Posada has his share. But the reign is coming to an end, and the Yankees—if not Posada have to be pro-active and nail down a young catcher who can become the heir apparent.
"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will
by Ronster22 on
Sep 16, 2008 12:01 PM EDT
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Posada is as good a catcher as Munson was
both offensively and defensively.
Neither of them is fit to carry the shoes of Elston or Yogi. I never say anyone who was clearly better than Elston. By the time I saw Yogi he was past his prime, but still a great hitter. The old timers said in 1960 that Bill Dickey was the best catcher ever. That means the thought he was better than Yogi or Elston.
Minson had throwing problems for long periods in his career. Posada is only an average defensive catcher. He had a well above average year defensively in 07. I think Pena helped him. Still he’s an offensive catcher.
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright (1876 - 1944)
by Cbeck3 on
Sep 17, 2008 12:38 AM EDT
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Dickey ...
My grandfather said Dickey was hands-down better than Berra, but lacked the spotlight-loving personna of Berra. My dad loved Berra, but conceded that Howard might have been better—especially if he were given the chance to play when he was younger.
A check of stats reveals that Posada matches up very favorably in virtually every category as Howard. That’s not to say anything, I just found it interesting.
"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will
by Ronster22 on
Sep 17, 2008 12:07 PM EDT
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Howard changed the position
He was the first great one handed catcher. He was a great reciever and while he always stood to throw he had a cannon. The catching and throwing is where he stands above Munson and Posada.
He made it look easy. He was very quick with his feet and always seemed on balance.
I was a catcher by 1956. They taught me to take my right hand and grip the right side of my glove. I remember getting a big glove with a hinge so you could bend it, like the ones you have now for my birthday in 1959. It was a Roy Camponella model, but was modeled on Howards.
Numbers are numbers but Howard belongs in the conversation on who were the best defensive catchers.
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright (1876 - 1944)
by Cbeck3 on
Sep 17, 2008 9:00 PM EDT
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I don't agree with your assessment....
I would swing for Sabathia but I also like the idea of taking on Burnett. The guy has Rich Harden like stuff. I know he has been an injury risk but what pitcher isn’t at risk. Wang went down. In stead of going after Texiera I might just put Posada at first. He is a below average catcher who lets too many balls go bye to advance runners and never blocks the plate. He has a big ego. If he doesn’t want to play first I trade him period. He can catch some games but thats it. Pudge is my catcher for next year. Cano is totally undisciplined at the plate and lazy in the field. I trade him maybe for a third baseman or centerfielder. One scenario is put Jeter in center and move Arod to short. Its time for Jeter to move and Centerfield is a glamour position that would be perfect for the Captain. Get a big slugging third basement that can be a 3 or 5 hitter. Good bye Bobby, Giambi, Pavano, either Mussina or Pettite. Matsui can be bench or DH or possible play first at times. 2nd scenario leave Jeter at short and get a real centerfielder. Sign Orlando Hudson for second. With the Rotation of Sabathia, Burnett, Chamberlain, Hughes, and Wang, with a sixth such as either Pettire or Muss. What a rotation.
by RollingThunder on Sep 16, 2008 3:14 PM EDT 0 recs
I don't think any of that will work....
Every pitcher is an injury risk to an extent. However, AJ Burnett will be 32 on Opening Day, and in five of the last eight seasons his inning totals have been 173, 23, 120, 135, and 165. He did manage to pitch 200 in the other three.
Somebody with this history of injury is likely to get injured more as he gets older. And so even though we want Burnett to be this horse that we can ride for 200 innings a year, it’s unlikely that he will for even a majority of the 5 year contract he’ll probably demand. On top of that, his ERAs have been consistently shaky, and his walk rate has increased over the past few years, which is scary, because by the time he’s in his late 30s and the 4th year of his contract, how likely is he to still be a strikeout per inning pitcher?
Truthfully, at this point, I would rather gamble that we can get the same VORP out of Hughes/Kennedy/Aceves over the next 5 years. Burnett will simply cost too much relative to what we could reasonably expect from him.
Maybe Posada is our first basemen in the near future, but you need to give me a better reason than “he has a big ego”. If he’s a bad defender behind the plate, what makes you think he’ll be a good one at first base? And you’re assuming he’s a bad defender – look at his fielding stats relative to the league and you’ll find in most seasons he’s been in the middle of the pack. Posada certainly isn’t going to be traded. Pudge is old and a shell of what he was 10 years ago. I would let some other team pay him to put up a .650 OPS.
Cano has some issues at the plate, but why would we want to sell low? Would you be criticizing him if he was posting his usual .830 OPS? The guy has had one bad year, not even that, just a few bad months interspersed with good ones, and he didn’t “hustle” a couple of times, which is bullshit anyway. What centefielder or third baseman do we trade him for?? Grady Sizemore? David Wright?
You’re not putting a lot of thought into this…
by 3460kuri on Sep 16, 2008 4:19 PM EDT 0 recs
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