Worst New York Yankees of the Decade
by Ed Valentine on Dec 15, 2009 11:00 AM EST
in Analysis
54 comments
We had some fun the other day debating the Pinstripe Alley Yankee Team of the Decade. Good points were raised on several controversial choices.
Along the way, some of you asked for the 'Worst Yankees of the Decade' team. I thought that would be fun, so I decided to take a shot at it.
Looking at the rosters over the years, though, I found it almost impossible to narrow it down to a single team. Instead, position-by-position, here are some of the most forgettable -- and regrettable -- Yankees of the past decade.
I am sure there are many other names that could or should be added to this list. But, this should get you started strolling down the wrong side of Yankee Memory Lane.
C -- Alberto Castillo, Chris Turner, Chris Widger, Todd Greene, Joe Oliver, Bobby Estelalla, Wil Nieves, Sal Fasano, Michel Hernandez,
1B -- Travis Lee (.105 in 7 games)
2B -- Tony Womack
SS -- Erick Almonte,
3B -- Wilson Betemit, Drew Henson,
INF -- Alex Arias, Felix Escalona (.000, 5 games in 2004), Mark Bellhorn (.118, 9 games, 2005), Cody Ransom, Angel Berroa, Morgan Ensberg
OF -- Kenny Lofton, Matt Lawton (.125, 21 games, 2005), Mike Vento, Justin Christian,
DH -- Jose Canseco
SP -- Kevin Brown, Tim Redding (54.00 ERA in 1 game, 2005), Carl Pavano, Kei Igawa, Jaret Wright (Carl Pavano BEFORE Pavano), Christian Parker (one 2001 start, got hurt, never pitched again), Jeff Weaver, Darrell May, Sidney Ponson (multiple times),
RP -- Alex Graman (19.80 in 3 games, 2004) & 13.50 in 2 games, 2005), Colter Bean, Bret Prinz, Sean Henn, Gabe White, Billy Traber, Anthony Claggett (33.75 ERA in 2 games).
I am ashamed to admit so many guys like this have worn the pinstripes during the course of the last decade. Yuck!
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And Felix Heredia
Former Cubs relievers should be forbidden from wearing the Pinstripes. Oh, that reminds me of another one LaTroy Hawkins.
Good one
LaTroy should be on the list.
by Ed Valentine on Dec 15, 2009 11:23 AM EST up reply actions
In the realm of baseball ambassadors,
I’d have to throw Clemens at the top of the list of worst Yankees. No doubt, the guy is a great pitcher, but his performance in front of Congress made me sorry the guy had ever been a Yankee. Ponson was just a fat ass; Clemens is a horse’s ass.
I always feel pressure. What I don't have is fear. -- El Duque
by LateInningRelief on Dec 15, 2009 11:09 AM EST reply actions
These guys were
terrible (even though I always liked Fasano and his ’stache lol).
But we should make a list of guys who wore the Pinstripes for more than one game or start. Like worst Yankees that actually made a negative impact.
List
I really didn’t say, OK, he had to be a Yankee for a certain number of games. That might have been a better way to do it. Still, kinda fun to toss around some of these ridiculous names.
by Ed Valentine on Dec 15, 2009 11:24 AM EST up reply actions
Yup
But Justin Christian wasn’t that bad, if I remember right it was him and Gardner fighting for an outfield spot a couple seasons ago.
And Womack was pretty good too, well..he wasn’t good, but not THAT bad….but seeing as the 2B before him was Soriano and after was Cano, 2B was probably Womack’s spot.
See, much like the Best Team of the Decade
…I feel like the “Worst” team of the decade should be filled with guys we paid a lot of money to underperform, either because they were just bad or because age (or steroids) caught up to them. So I would exclude injuries like Matsui’s broken wrist or CMW’s exploded foot, but I would count Giambi’s steroids-related tumor, or Knoblauch’s Steve Sax disease.
So while I generally agree with your pitchers (Pavano ought to be the starter, for the amount of money we wasted on him, and Farnsworth the closer), I would say for example that our worst Catcher should be Jorge Posada/Jose Molina, 2008, because we paid a combined $15 million for a sub-.600 OPS.
Another candidate: Scott Brosius and his .693 OPS in 2000.
I might think about it more tonight, but I bet we could easily come up with a $100 million payroll team that would lose 100 games.
by PortlandYankee on Dec 15, 2009 11:28 AM EST reply actions
I should have added in there...
that it should be based on single-season non-excellence, not a decade of underperforming.
by PortlandYankee on Dec 15, 2009 11:29 AM EST up reply actions
So, Portland
what would your team be? Initially, I was going to do it that way. But, I was having so much fun poring thru names of guys I had forgotten ever even wore the Yankee uniform I just started listing them. This, for better or worse, is what happened.
by Ed Valentine on Dec 15, 2009 11:43 AM EST up reply actions
I am in the midst of grading...
but I will take a crack at it tonight. Let’s just say I’ve been thinking about offensive output compared to the league average, as well as earnings compared to output. Once I find a defensive comparative measure that I’m happy with, I’ll incorporate that and give you my list.
My big argument here is that we pay scrubs to be scrubs. Justin Christian sucks? Big deal…he’s PAID TO SUCK. For me, the “worst” players would be the ones that are supposed to contribute, but end up making the team worse.
by PortlandYankee on Dec 15, 2009 12:16 PM EST up reply actions
Bingo
I think Rondell White’s 2002 was actually worse than a leadoff hitter batting .250 (Knoblauch in 2001).
Looking back at Bernie’s numbers, I’m shocked by how little he contributed to some of those teams, for the amount he was being paid.
I also think I agree with you on Cano 2006 (I prefer 09, because he played a full season) over Soriano 2002, though I am a little wary of having that little spped on a team. Maybe I’m breaking my own rules.
by PortlandYankee on Dec 15, 2009 1:03 PM EST up reply actions
+1
Much better than just tossing out random names for whatever bias reasonings you have.
by Scooby Snacks on Dec 15, 2009 1:19 PM EST up reply actions
I think Cody Ransom
is the only guy who could make the best list and the worst list for a lot of guys here.
he will be referred to as The Great Cody Ransom, thank you:)
by BlackandGoldSSgt on Dec 16, 2009 11:24 PM EST up reply actions
You should limit your list to the high priced guys
The Kevin Brown types.
There are just too many failures to make it meaningful, otherwise, and besides, some of these guys (for example, all of the backup catcher types) really weren’t expected to contribute much.
Or keep this list
and make a “Biggest Busts” list…not THAT kind of bust. Pervs!
And that would lead to a “Biggest Surprises” list. Guys who way overachieved.
Eric Almonte does not belong on the list. He is exactly what he is. A minor leaguer making league minimum and filling in for the injured Derek Jeter after he separated his shoulder. He put up a .321 OBP in his 31 games- better than Francisco Cervelli.
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
You forgot Chase Wright
The pitcher that gave up back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs in fenway in 07
by RicketyCricket on Dec 15, 2009 12:52 PM EST reply actions
Very true
See. At least you guys put your thinking caps on.
by Ed Valentine on Dec 15, 2009 1:17 PM EST up reply actions
Jose Veras should be on here
"To the second baseman Cano, THE YANKEES ARE BACK ON TOP!!! WORLD CHAMPIONS FOR THE 27TH TIME!"
-Joe Buck. 11/4/2009
why?
Veras sucked this year, but he was one of the top relievers on the team in 2008. Whatever happened to him, I don’t know. I have no idea how someone could go from so good to so bad in one year, but it happened with Veras. But no way should he be on here.
Travis Lee
I almost forgot he ever existed.
by long time listener on Dec 15, 2009 2:09 PM EST reply actions
There ya go!
Forgot all about him. Man, apparently, I must have been into too many glasses of wine when I did this. LOL!!
by Ed Valentine on Dec 15, 2009 6:28 PM EST up reply actions
Amazing that you could come up with this list and leave out
the man that started it all: Miguel Cairo. Even on a list of baseball futility, he gets no respect.
Cairo
I didn’t even consider him. He did plenty of good things with the Yankees. I never even considered him at all.
by Ed Valentine on Dec 15, 2009 6:27 PM EST up reply actions
Playing 39 games at first including 18 starts with a .358 SLG is not a “good thing.”
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
Sal Fasano?
the guy with the huge mustache? He was on the Yankees? When??? I must have missed him.
Also, Enrique Wilson was one of the worst hitters ever to play for the Yankees. He could hit Pedro Martinez. He did NOTHING else. He should be on.
He had a brilliant 2004 playing 2B until he got hurt. Miguel Cairo took over, and just like Joe G. forgot he’d platooned Melky and Gardner after Gardner got hurt, Torre forgot he’d had another option when Cairo’s bat went cold.
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
Lost my old post, but here's my list
C- John Flaherty/Will Nieves. Honorable mention: Posada/Molina, 2008.
1B- Jason Giambi, 2007.
2B- Enrique Wilson, 2004. Honorable mention: Knoblauch, 2000.
3B- Morgan Ensberg, 2008. Honorable mention: Brosius, 2000.
SS- Erick Almonte (by default), 2003.
LF- Rondell White/Shane Spencer, 2002.
CF- Bernie Williams/Tony Womack/Bubba Crosby, 2005.
RF- Raul Mondesi/Jon Vander Wal. 2002.
DH- David Justice/Chuck Knoblauch, 2001.
I should probably platoon
Giambi with Doug M., Josh Phelps, and Andy Phillips
I should probably also platoon Morgan Ensberg with Cody Ransom, just to be fair.
My position player payroll is at about $69 million (that is without Posada/Molina, Knoblauch 2000, or Brosius).
For pitching:
SP – Carl Pavano, any year ($10 million), Kevin Brown, 2005 ($15 million).
RP – Kyle Farnsworth, 2007 ($5.7 million).
That’s $90 million right there, and I bet I could find three more SP that were pretty bad and still cost us $10 million combined, giving the team a payroll of $100 million for probably 100 losses.
by PortlandYankee on Dec 16, 2009 10:15 AM EST up reply actions
Whoops...actually it's $99 million with just those three pitchers.
by PortlandYankee on Dec 16, 2009 10:16 AM EST up reply actions
Denny Neagle in 2000
Ouch.
LaTroy Hawkins in the pen. At least Farnsworth occasionally struck somebody out. Hawkins just threw his so-called “sinker” right down the pipe and got crushed.
Despite his poor outing, Hawkins in 2008 at least had a .2 WAR
whereas Kyle Farnsworth 2007 was actually worth less than a replacement player taken from the minors, despite being paid $2 million more.
by PortlandYankee on Dec 16, 2009 12:24 PM EST up reply actions
A couple problems
I think you missed some huge pitchers that belong to be on this list. Jose Contreras, Octavio Dotel, Kyle Farnsworth, Latroy Hawkins, and last but not least Esteban Loiza. I also think you put some guys on here that don’t belong. The only problem I had was Justin Christian and Sal Fasano. These guys were brought in in very small roles and for very little money which they did. I don’t think anyone expected Justin Christian to be the next Joe D or Sal Fasano to be the next Yogi.
I forgot about Vasquez. Think about all the pitchers we brought in while Andy Pettite was in Houston for those few years. They are all bums. Not keeping him around was one of the worst mistakes we ever made and that is factoring in that he was hurt one of those years in Houston. Still a billion times better then his replacments. If we had kept Pettite we probaly would have had Clemens for a few more years. The two of them used to be inseparable.
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