Have the Yankees Gone Into Overkill?
by Chris McKeown on Jul 9, 2010 2:58 PM EDT
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Lee thought bubble: "What am I doing in Seattle?"
As I type up this brief fanpost, the Yankees could very well be wrapping up a successful trade for coveted lefty Cliff Lee. The news of Montero, Adams and McCallister for Lee has definitely rattled PSA, along with the baseball world, today. Let's take a look at the grand scheme of things here...
If the Yankees do in fact attain Lee, is this TOO unfair? There's been talk (although it doesn't seem likely) of Javier Vazquez for Jayson Werth as well. Really?
The Yankees have the best record in baseball sitting at 54-31. This puts them 2 games ahead of Tampa Bay and 4.5 games up on the injury-riddled Boston Red Sox. The starting rotation for the Yankees includes two 11-game winners in CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte, one 10-game winner in Phil Hughes, and two 7-game winners in A.J. Burnett and Javier Vazquez. Burnett and Vazquez have had their share of struggles at different times this season, but for the most part the Yankees have been BLESSED with the starting pitching they have. Out of the 54 wins they have, 46 have come courtesy the starting pitchers. They have the best overall starting five in baseball. Oh yeah, and this guy by the name of Mariano Rivera in the bullpen.
The Yankees have an MVP-candidate in Robinson Cano, two spectacular sluggers on the corners of the infield in Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez (who are both, conveniently, just hitting their strides), even more All-Stars in Nick Swisher and Derek Jeter, a blossoming star in Brett Gardner (the only Yankee starter that hasn't been to an ASG), and past All-Stars in Curtis Granderson and Jorge Posada. Not too shabby.
Will the playoffs be exciting? It almost seems as if the Yankees won't have a sense of achievement if they win it all this year. Right now, not only do Yankee fans expect to win, but the rest of the league quite literally expects nothing less than the World Series Championship. Is it becoming too ridiculous now? Obviously, what the Yankees are doing is not illegal. It is envied by other organizations because they opt not to do the same thing by investing more in their teams. Some people love having All Stars at every position, which is understandable. Others would rather keep a prospect like Jesus Montero and try to win without a person that isn't necessary. This is especially true because the Yankees are one of two/three teams that has enough money to sign Cliff Lee after the season. On most other teams, such as: Rays, White Sox, Rangers, Mets, Twins, Angels, Dodgers etc.. Lee would make a much bigger impact on.
The playoffs would be a lot more exciting if Lee went to another team. It would be great to beat him again. This is just me throwing down a bunch of ideas and trying to get everyone to look at the broad spectrum of the Yankees and MLB. Let the debate begin on whether or not this is good for the Yankees and for the rest of the league.
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I don't want the playoffs to be exciting
I want the Yankees to win 11 straight games 25-0.
"I condone fun things" ~~ Cortland Finnegan
Hello ladies. Look at your man, now back to me, now back at your man, now back to me. Sadly, he isn't me.
lol
"If you're a Yankee fan, or if you're not a Yankee fan - you have to admit, we're winners." -Paul O'Neill
by Chris McKeown on Jul 9, 2010 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Agreed.. it's getting pretty ridiculous
I just don’t see myself being as excited if they win it this year as I was last year… that could change when October creeps closer though
"If you're a Yankee fan, or if you're not a Yankee fan - you have to admit, we're winners." -Paul O'Neill
by Chris McKeown on Jul 9, 2010 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes it is overkill.
And I wasn’t that excited last year compared to ‘96, ..etc etc… that said, I’ve been very engaged and excited this year. I like the current team composition.
That said, I thought getting GIAMBI was overkill and too much and just not fair etc etc too back in the day, and they didn’t win SQUAT with him(!)
by PinstripedHippie on Jul 9, 2010 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Oh wow agreed
Giambi.. lol so unnecessary
"If you're a Yankee fan, or if you're not a Yankee fan - you have to admit, we're winners." -Paul O'Neill
by Chris McKeown on Jul 9, 2010 5:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Being as big a Yankee fan as I am
This makes me blush a little. I kinda feel dirty.
+1
"If you're a Yankee fan, or if you're not a Yankee fan - you have to admit, we're winners." -Paul O'Neill
by Chris McKeown on Jul 9, 2010 3:30 PM EDT up reply actions
It's complete overkill
they have the best team in the game already. Lee isn’t needed. I can’t believe Cash is going through with this. Do the Yankees have ANY “untradeable” prospects? For once, can’t they keep the prospects?
It’s almost just not fair now. There is a point where a team can get too good. And the Yankees seem to be getting to that point where they are going to overkill.
"I'm looking at 600 as first base. I want to run right through it and use it as a platform and a spring board for more to come"- Alex Rodriguez
overkill.
trade players for needs.
Not cuz you want to be better then already best in the league. Not cuz your frightened that your cute little opponents in Boston or Tampa or Minnesota might get him..
I thought that’s what we have CC for? Is CC not good enough to beat Cliff Lee? BS that he hasn’t…HE WILL (or would have…).
Bye, Lee :(
The Mariners backed off
lol
Alright, let’s bring it home the all natural way
"If you're a Yankee fan, or if you're not a Yankee fan - you have to admit, we're winners." -Paul O'Neill
by Chris McKeown on Jul 9, 2010 3:50 PM EDT up reply actions
damn that happened fast
im not sure i care about this being overkill as much as it is unnecessary for where we are. i am a big believer in team chemistry and we have that right now. why mess it up by trading the very likeable javy vasquez. if you noticed the way everyone in the clubhouse stood by him during his dark days, you can tell that he means something in that clubhouse, so why mess with it when it is working so well? not to mention we can have lee and montero in 6 months time
by BronxBeliever on Jul 9, 2010 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions
What up NY
This is my time here at PSA but what a time to show up. I have been a Yankee fan ever since they drafted a kid from K-Zoo by the name of Derek Jeter. I don’t know him personally but had a few chances to watch him play in HS. I’m all for Cliff Lee coming to NY since the Tigers don’t have a shot at him, there is know such thing as overkill in sports. Each team has the same oppurtunity as another some owner just want to take there money to the grave funny thing the more NY spends the richer they get.
I'm glad it didn't go through
Yeah, the overkill thing does rub me the wrong way. It doesn’t bother me that much since as we know anything can happen in the playoffs, and winning it all is still a great accomplishment even if you’re fielding an all-star team.
Giving up Montero would have bothered me a lot. It already bothers me that he’s now been included in 2 trade offers (Halladay and Lee), and I’m starting to get the sinking feeling that at some point he will be dealt and we’ll never see him in the Bronx. I don’t think that’s the right choice. We’ve already given up a lot from the farm in the past few months. I understand we have a lot of catching prospects and that we’re not exactly sure where on the field Montero will end up, but for offensive potential like that, you find a place for him. We can live with him playing a sub-par right field and DHing for a few years. When Teixeira’s contract ends, Montero will be all of 27 so can still have a long career at 1st base.
We didn’t need Cliff Lee to win the World Series in 2010. Would he have improved our chances? Sure. But odds are he’s going to be a Yankee in 2011 anyway, especially if the Texas deal is accurate. They don’t have the money to even think about re-signing him. An extra 3 months of Lee are not worth giving up a top 5 prospect in baseball.
by Let's Talk About Tex Baby on Jul 9, 2010 5:17 PM EDT reply actions
Not to say that I disagree with you, but
it’s not exactly like this is happening in 2001 when the yanks have won 4 of the past 5 WS. Granted they won last year and they are looking great now, but by no means does that equal winning or even going to the world series. Especially with how the playoffs work, hot teams usually take them.
also
“It would be great to beat him again”
umm again? the phils won both of his starts in the series last year.
by MichaelGGBGrabow on Jul 9, 2010 7:00 PM EDT reply actions
His team... I'm not THAT out of the loop
"If you're a Yankee fan, or if you're not a Yankee fan - you have to admit, we're winners." -Paul O'Neill
by Chris McKeown on Jul 9, 2010 7:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Now that the trade didnt happen, I’m going to laugh at all the “overkill” people. The Yanks have had the best team in the league the entire decade, and how many world series have they won? They lost to an inferior D-Backs team, they blew a 3-0 lead to the Sox in the ALCS. Anything can happen. Improving your team is the GM’s job, saying it is overkill shows you are bandwagon fans and have no idea what this sport is really about and how fast it can turn on a dime. Having the best team doesn’t guarantee you a Championship, and having Cliff Lee wouldn’t have guaranteed the Yanks 28
No, they haven't had the best team for the past decade.
No team from 2003-2008 really sticks out to me as a team that SHOULD have won it all and none of them were the best team in the MLB.
How do you figure saying “it’s overkill” is being a bandwagon fan? You completely contradict yourself. You make a point of saying that they Yankees had the best team and lost to all those other “inferior” teams last decade and you say that having the best players doesn’t guarantee anything… but then you say that we’re bandwagon fans for not wanting all the best players? What??? How fast it can turn on a dime? Please, explain.
We CLEARLY know what baseball is all about if we didn’t want anything to do with Cliff Lee. You’re a moron, “gimpsta”
"If you're a Yankee fan, or if you're not a Yankee fan - you have to admit, we're winners." -Paul O'Neill
by Chris McKeown on Jul 9, 2010 7:55 PM EDT up reply actions
actually, the Yankees had the best record in baseball
in 2002, 2003, 2006, and last year
and I'd never call you a bandwagoner
but I really don’t understand the “overkill” argument. Aside from the fact that I want the Yankees to win as many games as possible (maybe I’m greedy), and it’s the front office’s job to field the best team they can, every year and over an extended period of time, I think Cliff Lee is a dynamic pitcher who is fun to watch, and I would have loved the chance to root for him. I don’t buy the idea that prospects should be held on to just for the sake of it.
I think the real debate should be over whether consistently dealing younger players for established stars results in a roster back-loaded with over-the-hill vets down the road. Though in this case I think the trade would have been a defensible move, just because I’ve always been a little lukewarm on Montero, anyway. That’s just me, though
I said from 2003-2008
2002 and 2009 teams weren’t even part of my argument… so please understand that. 2003 team’s record was inflated and 2006’s team had pretty terrible pitching other than Wang and Mussina.
"If you're a Yankee fan, or if you're not a Yankee fan - you have to admit, we're winners." -Paul O'Neill
by Chris McKeown on Jul 10, 2010 9:44 PM EDT up reply actions
How do you inflate a record? It isn’t the dollar…
by Michael Uhlhorn on Jul 10, 2010 10:10 PM EDT up reply actions
and I guess the question is just how you define "best team" then
Like, most likely to win the most games over a season, or most likely to win one 5 game series. And even in ‘06, despite the pitching problems, I don’t remember an AL team, at least, that appeared markedly better (the Cardinals were pretty nasty that year)
by jeeptheheap on Jul 11, 2010 10:03 PM EDT up reply actions
And you’re a jackass who was just proven wrong in 16 words by jeeptheheap.
by Michael Uhlhorn on Jul 10, 2010 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions
Um.. no
How about you use some statistics and useful information to back your argument, sir?
"If you're a Yankee fan, or if you're not a Yankee fan - you have to admit, we're winners." -Paul O'Neill
by Chris McKeown on Jul 10, 2010 9:45 PM EDT up reply actions
lol +1
"If you're a Yankee fan, or if you're not a Yankee fan - you have to admit, we're winners." -Paul O'Neill
by Chris McKeown on Jul 10, 2010 9:37 AM EDT up reply actions
Did I say that they were idiots? Nope, that would be you. But now that you mention it, thinking you have a better understanding of making a team than Brian Cashman sure doesn’t make you smart.
by Michael Uhlhorn on Jul 10, 2010 5:37 PM EDT up reply actions
That's silly to say
Brian Cashman isn’t infallable. No GM is. Cashman ha’s made plenty of smart moves and also plenty of mistakes as GM. There’s nothing wrong with a fan criticizing a GM. Sometimes we’re right sometimes we’re wrong. That’s part of the fun of being a fan.
by Let's Talk About Tex Baby on Jul 10, 2010 6:07 PM EDT up reply actions
I wasn’t saying he is infallible (watch your spelling), I was saying to argue that we know better than him is laughable. Sure we like to play armchair GM, I’m guilty of that too, but to assume any of us are as good at that job as he is would be ridiculous.
by Michael Uhlhorn on Jul 10, 2010 10:10 PM EDT up reply actions
dumbass post!
"I'd like to thank the Good Lord for making me a Yankee." Joey D
by Nintendo vs Sega on Jul 9, 2010 11:09 PM EDT reply actions
Well, we didn't go through with the trade
So I’m still thinking Cashman wanted to jack up the price. But if Seattle accepted, I’d be pissed. Montero for a half a year or C.Lee? Granted, it might bring us closer to a WS, and WS’s are what remain immortal, not prospects. So you do go for what is being done now. But Vasquez for Werth is overkill imo.
I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious.
Vince Lombardi
The announcer just called Brett Gardner "Brett Anderson"
"If you're a Yankee fan, or if you're not a Yankee fan - you have to admit, we're winners." -Paul O'Neill
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