Some thoughts as the Deadline Passes

by jscape2000 on Jul 31, 2007 4:44 PM EDT Comment 25 comments

Here's what I see looking forward:

We've got one of the best teams in baseball. Only Detroit has scored more runs than we have. We're seventh best in runs allowed in the AL (third among contenders).

We've got the second best differential in baseball (ten runs behind Boston), and Cleveland has been playing over their heads.

The Yankees win the Wild Card.

Our pen shakes down to some combination of Mo, Viz, Joba, Farns, Edwar, Britton, Bruney, Henn, Myers, Villone, and Ohlendorf.

We talk about the bridge to Mariano- well there's one there if it's used properly. If you didn't see the news about Ross over at River Ave Blues, check it out.

The rotation is strong with Phil Franchise starting on Saturday.

Our bench finally looks decent with Betemit, Molina, Duncan, and Cairo. When Giambi comes back and forces Cairo off the team things will look even better. Rotating Melky through the outfield spots will be major concern going forward.

As I think about it, the trouble is Joe Torre. How will he use the bullpen? Will he recognize that Betemit's OPS is .170 points lower against lefties?

So how would you get the most out of this roster? Do you think Kyle Farnsworth could clear waivers? Who'll get playing time and who'll be riding the pine?

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Farns

He'd almost certainly clear waivers, wouldn't he? For a team to claim him they'd have to eat his whole contract, which I'd find acceptable even in exchange for a bag of balls.

by SP on Jul 31, 2007 4:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

He would

clear waivers since no team would probably want to take on that contract.

Pride, Power, Cocktease

by ReLaunch on Jul 31, 2007 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Contracts

If I recall correctly, Manny cleared irrevocable waivers a couple years ago because no one wanted to pick up a 5yr/$20M/yr contract. No one is going to pick up the remaining 1.5yr/$8M for worthless.

by SP on Jul 31, 2007 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

5 mil aint that much in today's MLB

Farnsworth's contract isn't so big that some team in the hunt might not pick it up. I know he's not doing it here. But he wouldn't be the first pitcher to suddenly pitch better once he left the Yankees. He has closed before.

Maybe the Phils, D-Backs, Indians?

I can dream right?

by collink on Jul 31, 2007 5:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Happy w/o Gagne or Proctor

I feel as good about this team as I did yesterday.

The offense has to stop being all feast or faminine. 20 runs one game and 0 the next is bad. This nothing Joe, etc. can do to fix this. The Yankees hitters need to spread out the scoring.

The starting pitching needs to go a lil deeper into games. The Yankees seem to have at least one horrendous start a week. Replacing Igawa with Hughes could fix that.

The bullpen needs to be shaken up, and Joe has to change his pen management a bit. Losing Proctor is fine, getting rid of Farns on waivers seems needed.

The one plus from the trades I see is what Jscape said the bench could be much better than it was pre-break. Joe needs to get the bench guys in the games enough to rest the big guys and keep the bench sharp.

Maybe the Red Sox got better today, but the Yankees can't just concern themselves with the sox. Going for Gagne seems a bit desperate. The one place where the sox were all buttoned up was the pen. The questions they have about drew, lugo and crisp are still there. And there are health questions about Ortiz and Schill.

No trade made this week changes the degree of difficulty the Yankees face in winning a playoff spot and then making a run for a ring.

by collink on Jul 31, 2007 5:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

A rabid Dodger fan

told me that Bet is a tremendous pinch hitter...When he connects it goes out of the park and he gets a ton of walks..That's why he's got 10 jacks so far and not a starter....
He really likes him....
We helped the bench, but now the bullpen rests with Joba...

by John Amato on Jul 31, 2007 5:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

out in LA

I've seen Betemit a few times out here and he does seem comfortable pinch hitting, which should be plus off the bench.

by collink on Jul 31, 2007 5:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Let's Look at 2008

With Gagne addition, Bosox is a clear favorite to win the AL East not to mention WS. NY would be lucky to catch Cleveland and win the wild card spot. I sure hope NY gets to the playoff in any way they can. What interests me is 2008 when the contracts of Posada, Mo, Abreau, Rocket and possibly A-Rod come out of the payroll. Just an early thought, but I hope B. Cash has a plan or two.

by yankeesintexas on Jul 31, 2007 5:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yanks were

also favorites to go deep in the post season last year. St. Louis was expected to blow their playoff spot and not even win a game.

Pride, Power, Cocktease

by ReLaunch on Jul 31, 2007 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Collink's post...

With all due respect, I don't agree at all that we are no worse off. The Sox of all teams, have gotten significantly better. With Oki, Gagne and Papelbon, they have the ability to play 6 inning games when they need to. At some point we have to get past the Sox to get the ring. And next year, we play these guys 19 times again. We did not keep up with the competition. It kills me. I;m only getting more depressed with this post and others I've written today, but we need to banish Farns and eat the damn contract if that is what it takes. The big question as mentioned above is how well Joe and Gator handle the arms in the pen. This is not his strong suit and it will mean the wild card chase.

When asked what he thought of Canseco being the first to do 40/40, Mickey Mantle replied "Hell if I knew that y'all would make such a fuss, I'd 'a done it!"

by mickey07 on Jul 31, 2007 5:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I understand

We'll have to worry about the postseason in the postseason. Catching the Sox was a long shot at this point. Thankfully Seattle and Cleveland did not improve their teams.
Gagne is a free agent after this season. If the Sox can sign him then, they sign him. It could have happened anyways.

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

by jscape2000 on Jul 31, 2007 6:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sox are not the ring keepers

The Yankees could make the World Series and not face the sox in the post season. It's not a competition between the Sox and Yankees only. That thinking has screwed up the Yankees before, just look at the Igawa signing.

Gagne is not on the Sox for next season, he's a free agent this off season.

The Yankees have a hard road ahead but it didn't really get harder because the Red Sox got better. Also I'm not resigned to the fact that the Sox will be better in August than they were in April. We'll see.

Again I've got serious questions about why the Sox picked up Gagne. Their pen was the only area that didnt' seem to need fixing, so why was that the only area they added to? It makes me question the Sox faith in paps health. If drew, lugo and crisp go cold again the Sox could face problems that a strong bullpen can't fix.

by collink on Jul 31, 2007 6:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Karstens

will be back and in the pen as the long man soon.

I didn't know a captain could be as bad as Varitek

by yankeechaser on Jul 31, 2007 6:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hope springs eternal

/sarcasm.

by docgonzo on Jul 31, 2007 6:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

TLVP

if the Red Sox is so much better than us can someone explain why we are .640 over the last 50 games and they are .540?

50 games is not a big enough sample? Probably not but it should be close to being relevant sample size...

IF we went 0.64 over the rest of the season we'd be at 93 wins... If Red Sox went 0.54 they'd end up at 94 wins

I'm not saying we will or that they will BUT lets not give up just yet...

On a more realistic ambition level perhaps Cleveland is .500 in the last 50 games and Seattle 0.560 and would end up with 88 and 90 wins each if they keep those rates...

by TLVP on Aug 1, 2007 8:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think that is generous for Seattle

They aren't good and are finally coming back down to Earth.

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Aug 1, 2007 8:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes but if

we are so bad why are we .64 over the last 50 games?

the first 50-60 games we were really bad but for a reason - how many starters were injured? Easier to ask - who was not?

I agree with everything said about relying on Pavano and Iguana as starters but even taking them out of the equation we suffered freekish levels of injuries (maybe for a reason)

Since we got a reasonably stable rotation we've played well enough to get the post season and honestly we've played better than the Red Sox

My prediction - we'll get to the post season but once there Detroit and Boston are better built for the post season than we are

by TLVP on Aug 1, 2007 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't recalll

mentioning the Yanks in my post. Pretty sure I commented on Seattle only.

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Aug 1, 2007 11:15 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

true

my mistake - it was honestly a question to everyone on this site

Why do we alway assume that the players/team/manager/owner etc etc are bad

I wonder what we'd say if we saw a repeat of teh 1998 season... Worry that the team is overachieving and that the salary demands will go up too much in the off season?

by TLVP on Aug 1, 2007 11:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Torre and or Cashman out?

I'd say if they make the playoffs Cashman will save his job but Torre will be out

But who would you want instead Mattingly or Girardi? Those are the only realistic alternatives I think

A second question - who would you want instead of Cashman? Steinbrenner jr?

by TLVP on Aug 1, 2007 1:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The opposition in the last 50 games...

the teams we played in those 50 games are on average 0.473 today so not good but not crap...

Boston? They played teams at 0.485

by TLVP on Aug 1, 2007 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes they are horrible

I'm just saying that during the last 50 game period we played 0.640 and Boston played 0.540 the teams both of us played were on average fairly similar (.473 vs .485)\

And 50 games was not a goal seek measure but a figure I chose before knowing the exact result

by TLVP on Aug 1, 2007 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

When did xeifrank

move to Europe?

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Aug 1, 2007 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know

and that comment wasn't even a complaint. I was just trying to make a funny.

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Aug 1, 2007 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sigh

Okay, we've surrended all hopes of winning the division. Now we pin our hopes on the Wild Card--certainly within our reach ... But even if we do make it, I fear we are done--as well all know good pitching shuts down good hitting...

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

by Ronster22 on Aug 1, 2007 4:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs