Yankees news and notes: Time to hurry up and wait

by Ed Valentine on Oct 6, 2009 8:11 AM EDT in New York Yankees News

Can't we just get to a playoff game already? Thanks to friggin' Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings, we are still waiting around to find out who the Yankees will play in the first round of the American League playoffs.

Oh well, here are some stories making the rounds of the Yankee Universe to occupy your time while you wait for the Minnesota-Detroit winner today.

While the Yankees wait, they have decisions to make about the schedule they will play and the 25-man roster they will utilize. Here is my pitching staff, based on the Yankees taking just 10 pitchers into the opening round. CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, Phil Hughes, Phil Coke, Alfredo Aceves, David Robertson, Joba Chamberlain and a tossup between Chad Gaudin and Damaso Marte. It's Marte if the Yanks play the Twins, Gaudin if it's the Tigers. Your thoughts?
Jon Heyman of SI.com listed his thoughts on the 30 best moves of the season by teams around the league. not surprisingly, several of the moves made by Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman this season appear on that list.
The Yankee Universe examines just how promising phenom Jesus Montero really is. Let's just say they conclude he is really, really promising. 'Kudos' to River Avenue Blues for this find.

The Boss issued a statement Monday calling this a "tremendous year" for the Yankees. Yankee fans have to hope it gets even better, but it is still always nice to hear from the aging Boss.

Mark Feinsand of the Daily News examines the changes in Alex Rodriguez this season.

We all know about the steroids controversy and the hip surgery and the most circus-like spring a player has ever had to deal with. When A-Rod returned to the Yankees on May 8, he talked to us about "trimming the fat" from his life and letting his baseball do his talking for him.

Like many, I was skeptical that he would be able to follow through, as he has a penchant for opening his mouth at the wrong time. At some point, he would say the wrong thing, spark some controversy or find himself on the gossip pages, and the whole sideshow would start up again. It was inevitable, right?

Wrong.

A-Rod stayed true to his word, granting few interviews outside of some postgang group sessions and laying low at the ballpark. He dealt with his hip injury throughout the season, and the fatigue that led to a pair of days off in June amounted to the most controversial headlines he would face all year - and that was only because the games were in his hometown of Miami.

"I didn’t expect any of you guys to take me at my word - and I don’t blame you," A-Rod said. "But for me, I think I’ve done a good job of that this year. Hopefully I can do that for the rest of my career. … I’m in a place in my life and in my life - professionally and in my personal life - that I want to hold on to. I definitely don’t want to change it."

But as we all know, if the Yankees fail to get out of the first round again, the first thing people will look at are A-Rod’s stats, and if they resemble the ones he posted in the last three playoff series, his reputation as an October choke artist will grow even larger.

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It was about time Rodriguez grew up.

And it was great to see him do it this year in a Yankee uniform.

by Ooofa on Oct 6, 2009 11:16 AM EDT reply actions

I'm sorry

but are complaining that the MNF game pushed back the one game playoff? That was the best possible thing that could have happened for us! Now the opponent has to use a top pitcher two games in a row AND come to Yankee Stadium on zero days rest.

by GMan83201 on Oct 6, 2009 11:29 AM EDT reply actions

As far as it concerns

Gaudin or Marte I have a comment to make. There is no way the Yanks can afford to not have Chad Gaudin on their playoff roster. I’d rather leave off Phil Coke or Marte. Marte has a reputation and that should stand for something, however he has not been good at all and he may not even be totally healthy. Coke is oddly ineffective against lefties and hangs his slider way too often. When he’s throwing it down and away to lefties he’s excellent, and at times the break is so late that the batter can’t help but commit. He got Mauer swiniging once this year on a fastball at 94 that just exploded away and out of the zone. I suppose they have to take a lefty, but Gaudin is much better than people think. We’ve seen him do well and he’s also a proven commodity. That can’t be ignored. In fact you could make a reasonable argument that he’s done nothing to merit being left off. He can start (He pitched a complete game with the Pads this year), he can long-relieve, and even pitch the sixth and seventh. Speaking of starting, would you really want Joba as a fourth starter? At least Gaudin does not walk people and pitches ahead in the count.

by chambliss76 on Oct 6, 2009 11:56 AM EDT reply actions

Gaudin

Gaudin should definitely be considered for the start should the Yankees reach the ALCS.
But that roster can be set in a week; the Yankees will be a (slightly) better club with someone else on the roster in the ALDS.

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

by jscape2000 on Oct 6, 2009 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Regarding Jesus Montero

“Bottom line: There’s a pretty good chance that Montero can hit like Prince Fielder. And while he won’t win any gold gloves, he’s also not nearly as fat as Fielder.”

Ballsy projection. I really do hope so.

by Scooby Snacks on Oct 6, 2009 12:03 PM EDT reply actions

Not many kids

earn a promotion to AA at the age of 19 then proceed to walk more and strikeout less than in A ball.

Strikeouts are boring- Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.

by CasanovaWong on Oct 6, 2009 12:11 PM EDT up reply actions

How on earth is it a toss up between Gaudin and Marte?

Have you actually WATCHED any of the games this season?

by HappyLuckyGoldenDragonNumber1! on Oct 6, 2009 12:10 PM EDT reply actions

Umm ... yeah I have

Part of that is gut feeling, and part of that is reading between the lines of who you know they will take. You know Girardi might want an extra lefty against the Twins.

by Ed Valentine on Oct 6, 2009 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Gut feeling

That’s what kept Mitre in the rotation, ‘gut feeling’ from Girardi while always telling us after Sergio got shelled: “he pitched a great game… but”.

by Mikhel on Oct 6, 2009 4:45 PM EDT up reply actions

You gut huh

You mean bring in an extra lefty that has pitched 13 innings and have given up 15 hits, 14 runs, and 6 walks. Will any lefty do? My cousin has a left arm and I have seen him toss a nerf ball once. Maybe he can come too? Gaudin has pitched 42 innings and has given up 2 runs more than Marte. Gaudin can pitch long relief or an inning. Marte is worthless.

by HappyLuckyGoldenDragonNumber1! on Oct 6, 2009 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Montero ...

I saw Montero smoke a double on an 0-2 pitch. I turned to my wife and said, “this guy is going to be a monster … but not as a catcher.”

I think a case could be made that he’s a full-time DH.

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

by Ronster22 on Oct 6, 2009 12:27 PM EDT reply actions

if they could teach the guy to catch decently

that would be huge. I mean, he’s never going to be Ivan Rodriguez but if at least he can catch like, Jason Varitek (based on what we saw last time we played Boston that shouldn’t be too hard), then I’ll trade the lack of defensive ability for 45 home runs a year. Add him to A-Rod and Teixeira in the order? My god thats fearsome.

by nyyrocks29 on Oct 6, 2009 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions

If he’s got a catcher’s arm, the shouldn’t he be a reasonable Ruben Sierra outfielder? Someone you DH in Fenway and Oakland, but who can play right field in NY and Baltimore.

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

by jscape2000 on Oct 6, 2009 12:33 PM EDT up reply actions

LOL maybe at Baltimore but Yankee Stadium is really hard because of the way balls carry and curve violently at times, at least that’s what Damon said in an interview, allegedly he now knows and has teached Melky on how to follow fly balls at The Stadium, altough Melky is really bad at times.

by Mikhel on Oct 6, 2009 4:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Damon is just looking for an excuse ...

as to why he sucks in the outfield.

As for Montero, I suspect he’s got a great arm, but I don’t know if he’d be quick enough to cover ground in the outfield. I’ll say this, I saw him in the bullpen warming guys up, and he dwarfs Posada.

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

by Ronster22 on Oct 7, 2009 4:41 PM EDT up reply actions

How 'bout this...

Season Team BB% K% BB/K OBP SLG OPS ISO Spd BABIP wRC wRAA wOBA
2007 Yankees® 10.1 % 16.8 % 0.67 .366 .421 .786 .140 1.1 .314 19.3 3.9 .373
2008 Yankees (A) 6.6 % 15.8 % 0.45 .376 .491 .868 .166 3.1 .362 99.0 29.5 .389
2009 Yankees (A+) 7.2 % 14.4 % 0.54 .406 .583 .989 .228 2.1 .384 40.3 18.5 .446
2009 Yankees (AA) 7.7 % 12.6 % 0.67 .370 .539 .909 .222 0.6 .321 31.6 10.8 .407

The continually falling K-Rate combined with a rising ISO is unbelievable.

by Leviticus6688 on Oct 6, 2009 1:40 PM EDT reply actions

Montero's gonna forcibly make the big league squad sooner rather than later.

I don’t know if he’s gonna catch so where he plays I don’t know (still could be catcher of course…he IS putting up those numbers as a catcher…tho as a DH too…)

What the f$%k is the internet?

by FreeBradshaw on Oct 6, 2009 7:04 PM EDT up reply actions