New York Yankee notes: What have we learned?
by Ed Valentine on Mar 9, 2010 8:14 AM EST
in News
36 comments
Our New York Yankees are about a week into their exhibition season schedule. That makes today a good time to look and see what we have learned about the 2010 team thus far.
- We have learned that controversy will never be far away from Alex Rodriguez. Mike Lupica of the Daily News writes today that A-Rod's silence thus far speaks volumes about the mess that could be brewing.
- The fifth starter? We have learned that Alfredo Aceves might just take care of this whole 'Joba vs. Phil' debate by outpitching both of them and earning the fifth slot. After four perfectinnings Tuesday, Ace has now pitched six innings of perfect baseball this spring. And the Yankee brass has noticed.
"I'd like to start, honestly," Aceves said after his 34-pitch performance as his changeup dominated the young Pirates. "I'll do whatever the team wants. It's not my decision, it's early yet, it's a long spring training, we'll see."
Brian Cashman was impressed.
"He's giving us something to think about," said Cashman, who came to this game and did not stay in Tampa, which tells you something, too.
"Believe me, I feel we have five guys competing for one spot right now that could legitimately be in almost any rotation in the game. We're going to have a tough decisions to make." - This isn't really something we have learned, more like something that has been re-affirmed. We already knew Nick Johnson was a risky signing because of his injury history. It took one Spring Training game for Nick to remind us, but the Yankees think he can be worth the trouble. Johnson, by the way, returned to the lineup Monday.
- We have learned that Kei Igawa (16.87 ERA in two appearances) is still terrible.
- We have learned that maybe losing weight is not always a good thing. Jonathan Albaladejo lost about 30 pounds this off-season, and now seems to have at least temporarily misplaced his ability to get anyone out. In three games, Albaladejo has pitched 1.1 innings, surrendered 12 (yes, 12) hits and sports a bloated 47.25 ERA. I guess we can scratch him from the competition for the last spot on the pitching staff.
- We have learned the Robinson Cano (a scalding .778 avg.) really loves hitting when there is no pressure. Oops, I think that is another thing we already knew.
- I think we have learned that we might need to worry a bit about our man Francisco Cervelli. Two concussions a few months apart is not cool, even if Cervelli will be back to workouts today. You have to wonder what will happen the next time Frankie is in a home-plate collision or takes a wicked foul ball off the mask.
- We have learned that apparently nobody wants to win the competition for the final outfielder slot on the Opening Day roster. Jamie Hoffman is 1-for-14 (.071) and Marcus Thames is 1-for-9 (.111). In fact, Maybe none of the Yankee outfielders feel like hitting. Curtis Granderson (.000), Brett Gardner (.083) and Randy Winn (.143) are all scuffling.
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What have we learned?
This is what I have learned, that both Albaladejo and Contreras still suck. Jose, exactly how old are you now?
Five guys hitting a combined .078 AVG is downright unacceptable
Meanwhile there’s a stud wearing a Tiger uniform that is hitting .364/.417/.545. C-Money needs to call Detroit and make a 5-for-1 deal.
After a week
we know very little that is new.
Except that Cervelli may need to be watched and is not a lock top be the back up catcher.
Aceves. What does he have besides a change-up? No fastball to speak of and I do not know about a curve. He might last 2x thru a lineup, and then….
Ace has a big looping curve and a nice 2 seamer, from what I remember. 4-seamer isn’t much more then 89-90, but yea..I dunno about that 3rd time through the lineup.
Master of the squeegee
by FreeBradshaw on Mar 9, 2010 10:10 AM EST up reply actions
And just how many times do you think Joba can last through a lineup?
There were mighty few times when he made it 3x through.
Joba actually has good stuff, though. Given a full year of starting, I would bet that he would have better results than Aceves would.
What I've learned
Ha— what I’ve learned is that even if Joba ends up in “teh pen,” people around here will still say that anyone here who wanted him in the bullpen was dim-witted. And you’ll all insist you’re being logical, too.
Oh how I pray he ends up in the pen, I’ll be laughing all summer.
He's much better
as a reliever. As much as I would love to see him become a great starter, I think he’ll end up a great reliever. Nothing wrong with that!
Let's review the bidding
Joba already has had a full year of starting. He started 31 games in 2009; only 20 pitchers in the American League started more. And he had trouble, not the third time through the lineup, but the second time through. Opposition OPS was .756 the first time through the order; .865 the second. A big difference. As to his “good stuff”, yes he has a decent fastball, although it was a few mph slower in 2009 than in 2008. But no control; he walked 76 and hit 12 in 157 innings.
Who knows what Aceves will do the second or third times through the lineup. But the choice is Joba, who has proved unsuccessful in such situtations, or Ace, who hasn’t had the chance. That choice will be Girardi’s to make.
It's like beating your head against a well with you people isn't it
He hasn’t been “proven unsuccessful” in one year of starting on training wheels when he’s 23 years old.
That’s absolutely nonsensical. Dear god. It’s physically painful to even argue with that logic.
This sticker is dangerous and inconvenient, but I do love Fig Newtons.
one can beat heads against a well.
I’ve seen it.
Master of the squeegee
by FreeBradshaw on Mar 10, 2010 8:39 AM EST up reply actions
That’s exactly what I have seen.
Global domination, bizarre experiments on youth, our best player squatting in buildings drinking Bacardi, what you call the Evil Empire, I CALL HOME!!!!
by SteveBalboniHOF on Mar 9, 2010 2:27 PM EST up reply actions
A-Rod
A-Rod’s silence thus far speaks volumes about the mess that could be brewing
Lupica and everyone else harping on this story is a douche bag. A-Rod can’t win- he talks everybody wants him to shut up. He stays quiet- something must be afoot. I say give a frickin rest and let the dude play ball.
I agree
I have such hatred towards Mike Lupica. He has always hated A-Rod. Lupica should work for the Enquirer or TMZ. The guy is a complete joke just looking for stories. I have emailed that clown a few times to let him know my feelings towards him and his trash articles.
+1000
Global domination, bizarre experiments on youth, our best player squatting in buildings drinking Bacardi, what you call the Evil Empire, I CALL HOME!!!!
by SteveBalboniHOF on Mar 9, 2010 2:23 PM EST up reply actions
I wonder if Lupica still wants to have sex with Damon. He’ll have to call Boras and get a price.
Global domination, bizarre experiments on youth, our best player squatting in buildings drinking Bacardi, what you call the Evil Empire, I CALL HOME!!!!
by SteveBalboniHOF on Mar 9, 2010 2:33 PM EST up reply actions
Wrong...
Personally, I don’t mind Lupica, be is off-base on this one, Feds also talked to a couple of Mets
too, and there will probably be more the Feds talk too.
by Great Gatsby on Mar 9, 2010 12:45 PM EST up reply actions
What have we learned?
Nothing. It’s very difficult to teach us anything.
by designatedquitter on Mar 9, 2010 10:51 AM EST reply actions
webs? I thought this was a series of tubes…
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
What have we learned?
It looks like the Jays will take the East, just like I said.
Global domination, bizarre experiments on youth, our best player squatting in buildings drinking Bacardi, what you call the Evil Empire, I CALL HOME!!!!
We've learned we're doomed!
CC Sucks!
Javy lets up a HR on the first pitch!
Joba’s a starter! NOOO!
Joe Nathan’s on IR…Stony Brook is done!
AHHHHHH!
Master of the squeegee
I miss Damon already
a .100 average between all the outfielders (roughly in that range)? Thats pathetic, even for early spring training. Get it together.
On the bright side, Granderson tripled today. Johnson played and hit a homer (I think thats the first Yankees starter to hit a home run so far). The media just won’t leave A-Rod alone. Nothing that new though.
Spring is boring. I want to see the Yanks-Sox game on April fourth already.
All this talk this off-season about how we’ll be fine with the OF we have was driving me nuts. I think all of them will be eating their words shortly about Damon. Hell, I miss Melky. Those who say he’s only a 4th OF’er are nuts too. Grandy may be okay, and that’s a big maybe, but I’m not sure Swish will even come close to last year, which was okay, but Gardner just can’t be our starter all year, can he?
Jackson
First week of Spring Training. Means nothing.
by Ed Valentine on Mar 10, 2010 7:40 AM EST up reply actions
calling lupica
a douchebag is an insult to douchebags everywhere! He’s a cheapshot artist who’s too chickenshit to allow anyone to comment on his opinions.
by jerseybillfromva on Mar 9, 2010 6:56 PM EST reply actions
What I have learned...
All of the people concerned about the first week of spring training are: a) people that have too much time on their hands, b) like dogs running after a thrown ball – responding to the every whim of meaningless games, c) worried about 2012 being the end, d) all of the above.
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