Amazing how quickly the perception of a team can change. The Yankees were potentially in major trouble this offseason, as C.C. Sabathia had an out clause in his contract, and the rest of the starting rotation appeared to be in serious trouble. The lineup was old, and it appeared that the Yankees’ run may, in fact, have run it’s course.
Fast forward to January 23rd. The Yankees locked up Sabathia, providing them with a legitimate anchor for the rotation. Sabathia is, despite concerns about his weight, extremely durable and consistent. The Yankees then traded for rising star Michael Pineda, giving them a much needed young potential stud for the rotation. Three days later, they signed dependable veteran Hiroki Kuroda to a one year contract. Suddenly, the rotation, which looked like a severe weakness, had become a strength. 16 game winner Ivan Nova holds down the fourth starter slot, and despite the expected regression he will have this season, is a solid piece. The fifth starter will be either Phil Hughes, who imploded last year, or Freddy Garcia, who put up a surprisingly solid year. A.J. Burnett was traded to the Pirates, which will improve the Yankees’ rotation simply by his absence. The rotation, once a weakness, is suddenly a strength.
The bullpen is solid, with future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera returning to lock down the ninth inning. Even at age 42, he shows no signs of wearing down, and looks as dominant as ever. David Robertson may have been the top set up man in baseball last year. Despite his wildness (35 walks in 66.1 innings), he was virtually unhittable, holding the opposition to a .170 batting average against while striking out over one-third of the hitters he faced. Boone Logan, Rafael Soriano, and the recently signed David Aardsma provide excellent bullpen depth, and give the Yankees plenty of options should Robertson stumble or if Rivera gets hurt.
The outfield returns intact, with Nick Swisher in right field, Curtis Granderson in center, and Brett Gardner in left. Gardner is a solid player, capable of providing a bit of power, excellent speed, and a decent glove. Granderson had a career year last season, as he finally figured out how to hit left handed pitching. His 41 home runs were far and away his highest total, and he actually drew a solid amount of walks, showing an improved batting eye. While regression is expected, he may finally be past the possibility of being a platoon candidate. Swisher is a solid left fielder, able to get on base at a good rate, hit the occasional home run, and play decent defense. Even if the outfield is not spectacular, it is a solid group.
The infield for the Yankees is a solid group, although there are concerns at shortstop and third base. Derek Jeter returns at shortstop, but one has to wonder how long he will remain an effective major league player. 2010 looked like the beginning of the end, but Jeter returned with a solid 2011, particularly in the second half when he posted a .327 batting average and .811 OPS. Alex Rodriguez has been plagued by injuries over the past couple of years, and looks like he is nearing the end of the line. If he can stay healthy, Rodriguez can still produce at a level just below elite. The question is, how many games can he play? Otherwise, Eduardo Nunez may see a lot more playing time than a team with this payroll should allow. At second base is the dependable Robinson Cano, who is one of the top two or three second basemen in the game. While known primarily for his offense, Cano has won a Gold Glove, and is one of the best at making plays at his position. First baseman Mark Teixeira has seen his batting average on balls in play dip over each of the past five seasons, but remains a solid power hitter in the middle of the lineup. Teixeira is also a very underrated defensive player, having won four Gold Glove awards.
Russell Martin had a career rennaisance last season, and was rewarded with a $7.5 million dollar deal. While his batting average suffered a bit, he regained a power stroke, and showed flashes of his former ability. Francisco Cervelli is a capable backup, and may be one of the better backup catchers in the game. At DH, the Yankees finally put Jorge Posada out of his misery. Look for a platoon with Raul Ibanez and Andruw Jones to take over the position, as they finally get some production from the position over a full year.
The Yankees are poised to make a deep run this season. After having problems in the playoffs due to their pitching staff, they may return to the World Series again this season. At this point, they are the favorites to represent the American League in the Fall Classic.
Showing posts with label New York Yankees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York Yankees. Show all posts
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
A Tale of Two Milestone
When Derek Jeter was staring down 3000 hits, it was practically impossible to avoid coverage of his quest. Whenever one turned on ESPN, looked at a sports website, or listened to a baseball game, there was Jeter. It got to a point where it almost seemed as though it was a part of his contract that he needed to be mentioned everywhere. Of course, if it was, Alex Rodriguez would have negotiated a clause in his contract where he needed to be mentioned more than Jeter.
Meanwhile, there was another player marching towards a milestone. In fact, the milestone that he was chasing was more exclusive than getting to 3000 hits. While Jeter became the 28th player to get 3000 hits, only seven people had gotten to this other feat. Yet, due to the low profile approach to the game the player has, very little attention was paid to his quest. The player? Jim Thome. The milestone? 600 home runs.
With a two home run game last night, Thome became the eighth player to get to 600 home runs for a career. His name now joins players like Mays, Ruth, Aaron, Griffey, Bonds, A-Rod, and Sosa. Yet, it seems as though no one cares. Why is this?
There are a number of reasons for this. First, Thome never really captured the imagination of America. He has only been an All-Star five times over his twenty year career. He has never finished higher than fourth in the MVP vote. He has played for teams that aren’t exactly constantly on television with the Indians, Phillies, White Sox, Dodgers, and Twins. His peak was during the height of the steroid era, where he was being overshadowed by players like Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, and A-Rod. He just isn’t an exciting player.
Secondly, there is the entire steroid era. Thome has never been linked to PEDs, but he played during that era. Baseballs were leaving the yard with amazing frequency. In fact, three of the players he joins in the 600 home run club have been linked to steroids, and one is an admitted user. Yet Thome was never hauled in front of Congress, was never the focus of a smear campaign headed by Major League Baseball, and just destroyed the ol’ horsehide with regularity.
This actually leads to the third reason. Due to the steroid era, people are jaded with home run hitters. Remember the old baseball ad stating ‘Chicks dig the long ball’? Maybe they did back in the day, but now people just expect them to happen. Over the past decade, five players joined the 600 home run club. Meanwhile, only three players have joined the 3000 hit club in the same time frame. The oversaturation of the home run in baseball has led people to think that 3000 hits are a more difficult accomplishment to get to, when that is simply not the case.
When Derek Jeter got to 3000 hits, you could not escape the coverage. Meanwhile, Jim Thome got to 600 home runs to a collective yawn. It’s unfortunate that a player who did things the right way is not getting the due he deserves.
Meanwhile, there was another player marching towards a milestone. In fact, the milestone that he was chasing was more exclusive than getting to 3000 hits. While Jeter became the 28th player to get 3000 hits, only seven people had gotten to this other feat. Yet, due to the low profile approach to the game the player has, very little attention was paid to his quest. The player? Jim Thome. The milestone? 600 home runs.
With a two home run game last night, Thome became the eighth player to get to 600 home runs for a career. His name now joins players like Mays, Ruth, Aaron, Griffey, Bonds, A-Rod, and Sosa. Yet, it seems as though no one cares. Why is this?
There are a number of reasons for this. First, Thome never really captured the imagination of America. He has only been an All-Star five times over his twenty year career. He has never finished higher than fourth in the MVP vote. He has played for teams that aren’t exactly constantly on television with the Indians, Phillies, White Sox, Dodgers, and Twins. His peak was during the height of the steroid era, where he was being overshadowed by players like Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, and A-Rod. He just isn’t an exciting player.
Secondly, there is the entire steroid era. Thome has never been linked to PEDs, but he played during that era. Baseballs were leaving the yard with amazing frequency. In fact, three of the players he joins in the 600 home run club have been linked to steroids, and one is an admitted user. Yet Thome was never hauled in front of Congress, was never the focus of a smear campaign headed by Major League Baseball, and just destroyed the ol’ horsehide with regularity.
This actually leads to the third reason. Due to the steroid era, people are jaded with home run hitters. Remember the old baseball ad stating ‘Chicks dig the long ball’? Maybe they did back in the day, but now people just expect them to happen. Over the past decade, five players joined the 600 home run club. Meanwhile, only three players have joined the 3000 hit club in the same time frame. The oversaturation of the home run in baseball has led people to think that 3000 hits are a more difficult accomplishment to get to, when that is simply not the case.
When Derek Jeter got to 3000 hits, you could not escape the coverage. Meanwhile, Jim Thome got to 600 home runs to a collective yawn. It’s unfortunate that a player who did things the right way is not getting the due he deserves.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
The End For Posada
Since the second week of the 2011 season, it has been evident that Jorge Posada had nothing left. His bat was slower, he was no longer able to play in the field, and he was unable to provide anything beyond the mythical ‘veteran leadership’. Even the leadership was redundant on a team built around established veterans.
Yes, Posada started off the year hitting for power, but that was all he was doing. Finally, roughly five months too late, Joe Girardi realized that he could get the same production from a cardboard standup of Posada, and has benched him. Posada has now become just another veteran who hung on too long through his inability to recognize the inevitable – that he no longer has the skill necessary to play major league baseball.
At first glance, Posada seems to be having a passable season. His batting average stands at .230, which is not good, but is also not Adam Dunn. However, he hit .382 in June, has not hit a home run in his last 78 at bats, and cannot play in the field any longer. Presently, he has an OPS+ of 83, his lowest in a season with more than 200 plate appearances. His strikeout to walk rate is almost two to one, far worse than his career average. He is -8 at offensive runs above replacement, and -1.2 in WAR. In short, at the $13.1Million he is making this season, Posada is playing worse than your typical 25th man on the roster.
It rarely ends well for professional athletes when their career is winding down. Bouyed by their past successes, they feel that it is only a slump that they can work their way out of. More often than not, the only time they understand that the reality is that they no longer have the skills to play is when they are shown the door and they are forced into retirement, as the next prospect or free agent veteran is brought in to take their place.
And so, the writing is on the wall for Jorge Posada. Perhaps he can hang around for another year or two at a much lower salary on a team desperate for some of that ‘veteran leadership’. Maybe he will end up catching or being the designated hitter a couple of times a week and providing occasional power off of the bench. But his days of regular playing time are over. The best case scenario for Posada would be for the Yankees to have ‘Jorge Appreciation Day’ and he announces that he is going to retire after the season. This way, he can claim that he went out on his terms, which many athletes are unable to say.
Yes, Posada started off the year hitting for power, but that was all he was doing. Finally, roughly five months too late, Joe Girardi realized that he could get the same production from a cardboard standup of Posada, and has benched him. Posada has now become just another veteran who hung on too long through his inability to recognize the inevitable – that he no longer has the skill necessary to play major league baseball.
At first glance, Posada seems to be having a passable season. His batting average stands at .230, which is not good, but is also not Adam Dunn. However, he hit .382 in June, has not hit a home run in his last 78 at bats, and cannot play in the field any longer. Presently, he has an OPS+ of 83, his lowest in a season with more than 200 plate appearances. His strikeout to walk rate is almost two to one, far worse than his career average. He is -8 at offensive runs above replacement, and -1.2 in WAR. In short, at the $13.1Million he is making this season, Posada is playing worse than your typical 25th man on the roster.
It rarely ends well for professional athletes when their career is winding down. Bouyed by their past successes, they feel that it is only a slump that they can work their way out of. More often than not, the only time they understand that the reality is that they no longer have the skills to play is when they are shown the door and they are forced into retirement, as the next prospect or free agent veteran is brought in to take their place.
And so, the writing is on the wall for Jorge Posada. Perhaps he can hang around for another year or two at a much lower salary on a team desperate for some of that ‘veteran leadership’. Maybe he will end up catching or being the designated hitter a couple of times a week and providing occasional power off of the bench. But his days of regular playing time are over. The best case scenario for Posada would be for the Yankees to have ‘Jorge Appreciation Day’ and he announces that he is going to retire after the season. This way, he can claim that he went out on his terms, which many athletes are unable to say.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Trade Deadline Winners and Losers
In this case, the term trade deadline refers to the non-waiver trading deadline. Trades can still be made until August 31, however the players must make it through waivers first. Essentially, the biggest difference is that another team can make a claim to block a team above them from getting the player. Trades will still go down in August, and sometimes those moves make a huge difference for the teams involved (for instance, the Giants getting Cody Ross last year). That being said, the biggest moves come in July. As such, there are winners and losers at the deadline. Now, a look at the top three winners and losers.
Winners
1. Toronto Blue Jays: The Blue Jays made a major move in acquiring Colby Rasmus for Edwin Jackson (acquired in a move earlier that day) and a couple of relief pitchers. Rasmus is a major talent who clashed with Tony LaRussa’s totalitarian approach to the game. Getting out of St. Louis will give him a fresh start, and gives Toronto a middle of the order bat to protect Jose Bautista. With the addition of a second wild card team in 2012, the Blue Jays are setting themselves up to make a run at the postseason next year.
2. Texas Rangers: The Rangers desperately needed bullpen help, as everything before Neftali Feliz could go napalm at any given moment. Recognizing that, they made two moves to solidify their options. First, they acquired Mike Adams, a pitcher who throws hard and has been a dominant setup man for the Padres. Second, they essentially traded a bag of used sweatsocks to Baltimore for the vastly underrated Koji Uehera. Uehera throws strikes, doesn’t walk people (8-1 K/BB ratio this year) and has been dominant this season while pitching the the AL East. These moves may be enough to put the Rangers back into the World Series this year.
3. Milwaukee Brewers: The Brewers biggest move was actually made during the All-Star break when they acquired Fransisco Rodriguez from the Mets. This cleared up their eighth innning problem, and made the bridge to get to closer John Axford less terrifying if you happen to be a fan of the team. They also acquired Jerry Hairston Jr. from Washington as a solid pinch hitter/utility player. Now if only they could find a way to get rid of Yuniencky Betancourt…..
Losers
1. New York Yankees: Ok, you are Brian Cashman. You have a payroll of over $200Million. You have a team that basically prints money. Your pitching staff includes C.C. Sabathia, a roll of duct tape, a worn out pitching machine, and the corpse of Phil Hughes. Pitchers of the caliber of Ubaldo Jimenez are available. So, what would the logical move be? Definately not what the Yankees did, which is to stand pat. Apparently a solid pitcher with a reasonable contract that is locked up through 2013 was not considered an upgrade over Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon. Have fun in October with four starters that may as well be throwing batting practice.
2. Chicago Cubs: Here’s another team that did almost nothing, but is in the opposite boat of the Yankees. The Cubs are going nowhere, and pretty much haven’t for most of the past 100+ years. While they did make one minor move in trading Kosuke Fukudome to Cleveland, they still have a lot of aging veterans that would have provided at least some return. Instead, Jim Hendry (who may be one of the worst baseball GMs who does not get constantly lambasted due to being with the Cubs) sat still and moved none of them. What, exactly, was he waiting for? Was he completely unaware that the trading deadline was approaching? What value does he have on these players? To quote Vizzini from the Princess Bride – his not making more moves was ‘Inconceivable!’
3. Los Angeles Dodgers: Know how in every fantasy league there is that one person that you can constantly rip off on trades? Well, Ned Colletti is essentially that guy in Major League Baseball. He managed to give up one of his top power hitting prospects to fascilitate a trade between the Mariners and the Red Sox, and basically got back a possibly fourth outfielder and organizational depth. I wonder how many times Theo Epstein and Jack Zduriencik had to hit the mute button to keep from laughing during their phone call. Yes, the Dodgers are in limbo given the disaster that is/was the McCourt ownership, but that still does not excuse blatant stupidity.
Winners
1. Toronto Blue Jays: The Blue Jays made a major move in acquiring Colby Rasmus for Edwin Jackson (acquired in a move earlier that day) and a couple of relief pitchers. Rasmus is a major talent who clashed with Tony LaRussa’s totalitarian approach to the game. Getting out of St. Louis will give him a fresh start, and gives Toronto a middle of the order bat to protect Jose Bautista. With the addition of a second wild card team in 2012, the Blue Jays are setting themselves up to make a run at the postseason next year.
2. Texas Rangers: The Rangers desperately needed bullpen help, as everything before Neftali Feliz could go napalm at any given moment. Recognizing that, they made two moves to solidify their options. First, they acquired Mike Adams, a pitcher who throws hard and has been a dominant setup man for the Padres. Second, they essentially traded a bag of used sweatsocks to Baltimore for the vastly underrated Koji Uehera. Uehera throws strikes, doesn’t walk people (8-1 K/BB ratio this year) and has been dominant this season while pitching the the AL East. These moves may be enough to put the Rangers back into the World Series this year.
3. Milwaukee Brewers: The Brewers biggest move was actually made during the All-Star break when they acquired Fransisco Rodriguez from the Mets. This cleared up their eighth innning problem, and made the bridge to get to closer John Axford less terrifying if you happen to be a fan of the team. They also acquired Jerry Hairston Jr. from Washington as a solid pinch hitter/utility player. Now if only they could find a way to get rid of Yuniencky Betancourt…..
Losers
1. New York Yankees: Ok, you are Brian Cashman. You have a payroll of over $200Million. You have a team that basically prints money. Your pitching staff includes C.C. Sabathia, a roll of duct tape, a worn out pitching machine, and the corpse of Phil Hughes. Pitchers of the caliber of Ubaldo Jimenez are available. So, what would the logical move be? Definately not what the Yankees did, which is to stand pat. Apparently a solid pitcher with a reasonable contract that is locked up through 2013 was not considered an upgrade over Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon. Have fun in October with four starters that may as well be throwing batting practice.
2. Chicago Cubs: Here’s another team that did almost nothing, but is in the opposite boat of the Yankees. The Cubs are going nowhere, and pretty much haven’t for most of the past 100+ years. While they did make one minor move in trading Kosuke Fukudome to Cleveland, they still have a lot of aging veterans that would have provided at least some return. Instead, Jim Hendry (who may be one of the worst baseball GMs who does not get constantly lambasted due to being with the Cubs) sat still and moved none of them. What, exactly, was he waiting for? Was he completely unaware that the trading deadline was approaching? What value does he have on these players? To quote Vizzini from the Princess Bride – his not making more moves was ‘Inconceivable!’
3. Los Angeles Dodgers: Know how in every fantasy league there is that one person that you can constantly rip off on trades? Well, Ned Colletti is essentially that guy in Major League Baseball. He managed to give up one of his top power hitting prospects to fascilitate a trade between the Mariners and the Red Sox, and basically got back a possibly fourth outfielder and organizational depth. I wonder how many times Theo Epstein and Jack Zduriencik had to hit the mute button to keep from laughing during their phone call. Yes, the Dodgers are in limbo given the disaster that is/was the McCourt ownership, but that still does not excuse blatant stupidity.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Much Ado About Posada
Ever have a bad stretch at work where you're trying your best and nothing falls into place? Ever get ridden by a boss who claims to know what you're going through, but really doesn't because he's never been there? Ever been disiplined because your performance wasn't up to par? Chances are, most people have been in that position. The natural reaction when this happens is to want to take a couple of days, get yourself back into order, then come back focused.
That is, unless you happen to be a former All-Star catcher who was converted to DH and is slotted ninth in the batting order. Perhaps this is because of the media circus that is the New York Yankees, but Posada's tirade about being placed in the ninth spot in the batting order is roughly the same situation as described above. A bad day at the office. Nothing more, nothing less.
Yet, in typical Yankees and Steinbrenner fashion, they wanted more. They got upset when refused to rip Posada. There were internal discussions about releasing him, not for his .165 batting average, but for his so-called insubordination. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed, and Posada remains with the team.
If the Yankees are looking to be rid of Posada due to his performace, there are better ways to do so. Make him a coach. Give him a front office position. Have 'Jorge Posada Appreciation Day' at Yankee Stadium. You don't humiliate him and then demand a pound of flesh when he takes umbrage to this. Posada is a tue Yankees legend, and deserves to be treated with class.
That is, unless you happen to be a former All-Star catcher who was converted to DH and is slotted ninth in the batting order. Perhaps this is because of the media circus that is the New York Yankees, but Posada's tirade about being placed in the ninth spot in the batting order is roughly the same situation as described above. A bad day at the office. Nothing more, nothing less.
Yet, in typical Yankees and Steinbrenner fashion, they wanted more. They got upset when refused to rip Posada. There were internal discussions about releasing him, not for his .165 batting average, but for his so-called insubordination. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed, and Posada remains with the team.
If the Yankees are looking to be rid of Posada due to his performace, there are better ways to do so. Make him a coach. Give him a front office position. Have 'Jorge Posada Appreciation Day' at Yankee Stadium. You don't humiliate him and then demand a pound of flesh when he takes umbrage to this. Posada is a tue Yankees legend, and deserves to be treated with class.
Monday, March 14, 2011
2011 Preview - American League East
This is the first part of what is going to be a six part 2011 baseball preview. For Part One, the American League East is reviewed. The teams are listed in the order that I anticipate them finishing in.
1. Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox easily had the best offseason of any team in baseball. Signing Carl Crawford as a free agent and trading for Adrian Gonzalez dramatically improves a lineup that was already formidable in it's own right. The rotation features four starters that could be the number one on any number of teams in Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Josh Beckett, and John Lackey. The bench is filled with solid depth players and veterans. This is a team with very few weaknesses, and is the best team on paper.
There are several questions on the Sox, but they are relatively minor. First is the health on their team. Youkilis, Pedroia, and Ellsbury all missed significant time last year. Gonzalez is coming off of shoulder surgery. By all indications, they are all healthy and ready to go. Also, one must ask where Johnathon Papelbon's head is at. For him, he had an off year last year, and the Sox brought in Bobby Jenks in the event that he falters once again.
Nonetheless, this is the team that will win the AL East, and is likely to be the American League representative in the World Series.
2. Toronto Blue Jays: The Blue Jays managed to win 85 games last season despite Aaron Hill and Adam Lind hitting .205 and .237 respectively. While Jose Bautista's power is expected to decrease this season after hitting 54 home runs last year, it is worth noting that he hit 10 in September of 2009 after an adjustment to his batting stance. Even with a dropoff from Bautista, improved production from Lind and Hill should more than make up for the difference.
Despite trading Shaun Marcum to the Brewers, the Blue Jays still have a deep rotation. Brendan Morrow, Ricky Romero, and Brett Cecil all did a solid job last year. Jesse Litsch is being added to the mix, as he spent most of last year recovering from injuries. The fifth spot int he rotation is a battle between prospect Kyle Drabek and Marc Rzepczynski. The bullpen has been improved with the addition of Frank Francisco as their presumed closer.
The Blue Jays are a team with a good direction and a solid future. 2012 is the more likely year to expect them to begin to contend for the postseason, but this team has the potential to accelerate that curve.
3. New York Yankees: Despite their best efforts on the free agent front, the Yankees found themselves in an unusual situation - perusing the bargain bin looking for potential bargains. After missing out on Cliff Lee, they signed a plethora of low risk free agent pitchers in Mark Prior, Bartolo Colon, and Freddy Garcia. Russell Martin was signed to take over as the primary catcher from Jorge Posada. Rafeal Soriano was brought in to solidify the bullpen and as insurance in the even that the ageless Mariano Rivera falters. However, the Soriano signing was curious given the contract (3 years for $15 million) and that General Manager Brian Cashman went out of his way to remove himself from that signing.
The core of the Yankees in Jeter, A-Rod, Posada, and Rivera are getting old. Posada and A-Rod have become injury risks, and Posada has essentially become the Yankees full time DH at this stage of his career. The rotation behind C.C. Sabathia is littered with question marks and unproven talent. A.J. Burnett can be napalm at any given moment. Phil Hughes had a solid year in 2010, but is he able to build off of that? The battle for the fourth and fifth spots in the rotation is uninspiring at best, with Colon, Garcia, Ivan Nova, and Sergio Mitre battling to make the roster. Not exactly the team that one pictures the Yankees having.
Age and a lack of organizational depth that is ready to perform at the major league level are due to catch up to the Yankees. 2011 should be the first sign of slippage.
4. Tampa Bay Rays: The Rays got absolutely hammered in this offseason. They lost their starting first baseman in Carlos Pena, their closer in Rafael Soriano, and their starting left fielder in Carl Crawford through free agency. Matt Garza and Jason Bartlett were traded away for increased financial flexibility. This is a team that is definitely in rebuilding mode, and are planning on contending in another couple of seasons.
However, the Rays possess one of the best managers in baseball in Joe Maddon, a deep minor league system filled with prospects, and a smart front office. They have a plan, and they know how to execute it to perfection. It may not always be pretty, and there will be cycles where the Rays will not be competitive, but they will cycle back around. Jeremy Hellickson, Desmond Jennings, and Jake McGee are all expected to contribute at the major league level this season. Behind them are Hak-Ju Lee, Matt Moore, Chris Archer, and Josh Sale. The Rays, like Arnold in the Terminator, will be back.
Look for the Rays to return to prominence in 2013, but the future is bright down in Tampa.
5. Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles are a very perplexing franchise. They are easily the worst team in a ridiculously difficult division, yet every year they seem to delude themselves into believe that they are a competitive ballclub. They make signings and trades as though they expect to compete every year, and refuse to recognize that they are, in fact, awful. The offseason signings of Vlad Guerrero and Derrek Lee, along with the trade for Mark Reynolds, further prove that this organization does not have anything resembling a long term plan.
On the positive side, the Orioles have some solid arms coming up. Brian Matusz pitched well during the second half of last year. Chris Tillman should contribute this season. Zack Britton and Dan Klein are on the way to the major leagues, and may be called up in September. Manny Machado is an elite prospect at shortstop. However, behind them, there is not a lot to get excited about. Buck Showalter has a lot of experience in getting young teams ready to compete, but he has had a lot more to work with than what he has been given in Baltimore.
The Orioles desperate need to recognize their situation and go full bore into rebuilding mode. Until they do so, this team is destined to take up permanent residence in the American League East basement.
1. Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox easily had the best offseason of any team in baseball. Signing Carl Crawford as a free agent and trading for Adrian Gonzalez dramatically improves a lineup that was already formidable in it's own right. The rotation features four starters that could be the number one on any number of teams in Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Josh Beckett, and John Lackey. The bench is filled with solid depth players and veterans. This is a team with very few weaknesses, and is the best team on paper.
There are several questions on the Sox, but they are relatively minor. First is the health on their team. Youkilis, Pedroia, and Ellsbury all missed significant time last year. Gonzalez is coming off of shoulder surgery. By all indications, they are all healthy and ready to go. Also, one must ask where Johnathon Papelbon's head is at. For him, he had an off year last year, and the Sox brought in Bobby Jenks in the event that he falters once again.
Nonetheless, this is the team that will win the AL East, and is likely to be the American League representative in the World Series.
2. Toronto Blue Jays: The Blue Jays managed to win 85 games last season despite Aaron Hill and Adam Lind hitting .205 and .237 respectively. While Jose Bautista's power is expected to decrease this season after hitting 54 home runs last year, it is worth noting that he hit 10 in September of 2009 after an adjustment to his batting stance. Even with a dropoff from Bautista, improved production from Lind and Hill should more than make up for the difference.
Despite trading Shaun Marcum to the Brewers, the Blue Jays still have a deep rotation. Brendan Morrow, Ricky Romero, and Brett Cecil all did a solid job last year. Jesse Litsch is being added to the mix, as he spent most of last year recovering from injuries. The fifth spot int he rotation is a battle between prospect Kyle Drabek and Marc Rzepczynski. The bullpen has been improved with the addition of Frank Francisco as their presumed closer.
The Blue Jays are a team with a good direction and a solid future. 2012 is the more likely year to expect them to begin to contend for the postseason, but this team has the potential to accelerate that curve.
3. New York Yankees: Despite their best efforts on the free agent front, the Yankees found themselves in an unusual situation - perusing the bargain bin looking for potential bargains. After missing out on Cliff Lee, they signed a plethora of low risk free agent pitchers in Mark Prior, Bartolo Colon, and Freddy Garcia. Russell Martin was signed to take over as the primary catcher from Jorge Posada. Rafeal Soriano was brought in to solidify the bullpen and as insurance in the even that the ageless Mariano Rivera falters. However, the Soriano signing was curious given the contract (3 years for $15 million) and that General Manager Brian Cashman went out of his way to remove himself from that signing.
The core of the Yankees in Jeter, A-Rod, Posada, and Rivera are getting old. Posada and A-Rod have become injury risks, and Posada has essentially become the Yankees full time DH at this stage of his career. The rotation behind C.C. Sabathia is littered with question marks and unproven talent. A.J. Burnett can be napalm at any given moment. Phil Hughes had a solid year in 2010, but is he able to build off of that? The battle for the fourth and fifth spots in the rotation is uninspiring at best, with Colon, Garcia, Ivan Nova, and Sergio Mitre battling to make the roster. Not exactly the team that one pictures the Yankees having.
Age and a lack of organizational depth that is ready to perform at the major league level are due to catch up to the Yankees. 2011 should be the first sign of slippage.
4. Tampa Bay Rays: The Rays got absolutely hammered in this offseason. They lost their starting first baseman in Carlos Pena, their closer in Rafael Soriano, and their starting left fielder in Carl Crawford through free agency. Matt Garza and Jason Bartlett were traded away for increased financial flexibility. This is a team that is definitely in rebuilding mode, and are planning on contending in another couple of seasons.
However, the Rays possess one of the best managers in baseball in Joe Maddon, a deep minor league system filled with prospects, and a smart front office. They have a plan, and they know how to execute it to perfection. It may not always be pretty, and there will be cycles where the Rays will not be competitive, but they will cycle back around. Jeremy Hellickson, Desmond Jennings, and Jake McGee are all expected to contribute at the major league level this season. Behind them are Hak-Ju Lee, Matt Moore, Chris Archer, and Josh Sale. The Rays, like Arnold in the Terminator, will be back.
Look for the Rays to return to prominence in 2013, but the future is bright down in Tampa.
5. Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles are a very perplexing franchise. They are easily the worst team in a ridiculously difficult division, yet every year they seem to delude themselves into believe that they are a competitive ballclub. They make signings and trades as though they expect to compete every year, and refuse to recognize that they are, in fact, awful. The offseason signings of Vlad Guerrero and Derrek Lee, along with the trade for Mark Reynolds, further prove that this organization does not have anything resembling a long term plan.
On the positive side, the Orioles have some solid arms coming up. Brian Matusz pitched well during the second half of last year. Chris Tillman should contribute this season. Zack Britton and Dan Klein are on the way to the major leagues, and may be called up in September. Manny Machado is an elite prospect at shortstop. However, behind them, there is not a lot to get excited about. Buck Showalter has a lot of experience in getting young teams ready to compete, but he has had a lot more to work with than what he has been given in Baltimore.
The Orioles desperate need to recognize their situation and go full bore into rebuilding mode. Until they do so, this team is destined to take up permanent residence in the American League East basement.
Monday, March 7, 2011
LeBron James - Basketball's A-Rod
They began their careers as two 'can't miss' prospects. Talents that would transcend generations and be the faces of their respective franchises for years to come. From the time they arrived on the scene, they were compared to the all time greats of their sport. So, is it any wonder how closely the careers of Alex Rodriguez and LeBron James mirror each other at this point?
Rodriguez spent the first seven years of his career in Seattle, where he was a four time All Star, and finished as high as second in the MVP voting. He then left Seattle as a free agent, signing what was the richest contract in MLB history with the Texas Rangers. Along the way, the left the fans in Seattle feeling betrayed, and the animosity towards him began to grow.
LeBron, likewise, spent his first seven seasons in Cleveland. There, he was a six time All Star, and a two time MVP. Being from the area (he grew up in Akron), he quickly became the face of the franchise, the savior that could lead the team to prominence. However, like A-Rod, after his seventh season he left, spurning the city of Cleveland in a nationally televised production for the Miami Heat. This departure began to fuel anger towards LeBron.
Both have serious questions about their abilities to perform in the clutch. A-Rod is remembered for his atrocious showings in the playoffs from 2004 through 2007 for the Yankees, and the infamous 'glove slap' as he attempted to evade Bronson Arroyo's tag attempt. LeBron infamously quit on the Cavaliers last postseason, as though he had mentally left there following Game Four, and was protesting the perceived 'lack of talent' surrounding him.
Both players are exceedingly image conscious, to the point of narcissism and egomania. A-Rod infamously has a picture depicting himself as a centaur hanging over his bed. There was the picture in Details Magazine where he was kissing himself in the mirror. He interrupted the 2007 World Series to announce that he was going to opt out of his contract and file for free agency. LeBron did manage to upstage A-Rod's announcement by having his one hour special called 'The Decision', where he ripped the heart out of Cleveland in front of a national audience. LeBron is considered to be egotistical to the point where someone actually created a Twitter account that claims to be LeBron's Ego.
And yet, despite how image conscious these two are, they are completely incapable of understanding why people dislike them. A-Rod does not understand why people consider him to be a choke artist, a fraud, an egomaniac, and a mercenary. LeBron is unable to understand why people turned on him for going to Miami, why Cleveland burned his jerseys in effigy, and why he is also thought of as a fraud and choke artist. For the money these people spend on promoting their 'brand' and trying to, in their mind, do the right thing, it would make sense to have someone there to tell them when a concept is simply a terrible idea. Yet, they continue to surround themselves with 'Yes Men', and refuse to accept the consequences of their actions.
Along the way, A-Rod has managed to pick up a championship with the 2009 Yankees. Despite actually having a good run through the American League playoff series, he is still considered to have picked up his ring by riding the coattails of Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, and other True Yankees. LeBron may, in time, gain his own championship in Miami. However, like A-Rod, he will be considered to have ridden the coattails of someone else to get there.
These are two all time greats in their respective sports. Yet, they are completely unable to be identified with anything tangible other than their own egos and the hatred that fans everywhere have for them. This could have all been prevented, if they only could get out of their own way.
Rodriguez spent the first seven years of his career in Seattle, where he was a four time All Star, and finished as high as second in the MVP voting. He then left Seattle as a free agent, signing what was the richest contract in MLB history with the Texas Rangers. Along the way, the left the fans in Seattle feeling betrayed, and the animosity towards him began to grow.
LeBron, likewise, spent his first seven seasons in Cleveland. There, he was a six time All Star, and a two time MVP. Being from the area (he grew up in Akron), he quickly became the face of the franchise, the savior that could lead the team to prominence. However, like A-Rod, after his seventh season he left, spurning the city of Cleveland in a nationally televised production for the Miami Heat. This departure began to fuel anger towards LeBron.
Both have serious questions about their abilities to perform in the clutch. A-Rod is remembered for his atrocious showings in the playoffs from 2004 through 2007 for the Yankees, and the infamous 'glove slap' as he attempted to evade Bronson Arroyo's tag attempt. LeBron infamously quit on the Cavaliers last postseason, as though he had mentally left there following Game Four, and was protesting the perceived 'lack of talent' surrounding him.
Both players are exceedingly image conscious, to the point of narcissism and egomania. A-Rod infamously has a picture depicting himself as a centaur hanging over his bed. There was the picture in Details Magazine where he was kissing himself in the mirror. He interrupted the 2007 World Series to announce that he was going to opt out of his contract and file for free agency. LeBron did manage to upstage A-Rod's announcement by having his one hour special called 'The Decision', where he ripped the heart out of Cleveland in front of a national audience. LeBron is considered to be egotistical to the point where someone actually created a Twitter account that claims to be LeBron's Ego.
And yet, despite how image conscious these two are, they are completely incapable of understanding why people dislike them. A-Rod does not understand why people consider him to be a choke artist, a fraud, an egomaniac, and a mercenary. LeBron is unable to understand why people turned on him for going to Miami, why Cleveland burned his jerseys in effigy, and why he is also thought of as a fraud and choke artist. For the money these people spend on promoting their 'brand' and trying to, in their mind, do the right thing, it would make sense to have someone there to tell them when a concept is simply a terrible idea. Yet, they continue to surround themselves with 'Yes Men', and refuse to accept the consequences of their actions.
Along the way, A-Rod has managed to pick up a championship with the 2009 Yankees. Despite actually having a good run through the American League playoff series, he is still considered to have picked up his ring by riding the coattails of Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, and other True Yankees. LeBron may, in time, gain his own championship in Miami. However, like A-Rod, he will be considered to have ridden the coattails of someone else to get there.
These are two all time greats in their respective sports. Yet, they are completely unable to be identified with anything tangible other than their own egos and the hatred that fans everywhere have for them. This could have all been prevented, if they only could get out of their own way.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Pot, kettle. Kettle, pot
ri·val·ry (r
v
l-r
)
There was an article recently proclaiming how the Jets-Patriots are not a rivalry, mainly because the Jets haven't won anything. This is a true statement. There cannot be a rivalry unless both sides are legitimately good in their field, and can back this thought up in some way. For instance, even though LeBron went to the Heat, the Cleveland Cavaliers cannot consider them a rival because the Cavs are terrible while the Heat are really good.
As such, it is amusing that this article exists, and that it was written in a New York newspaper. After all, they know what it is like to have someone proclaim a rivalry without anything to back it up. They had the same thing happen in baseball for eighty six years. Red Sox fans proclaimed the Yankees as their rivals, yet could only base this on geography. The results from 1918 until 2004 would mean that their closest rival should have been the Chicago White Sox, given the futility and lack of championships.
In fact, Jets-Patriots have a lot in common with Sox-Yankees. Both have had vastly overrated players (Joe Namath, Tony Conigliaro). Both have, and had, egotistical drama queens (Brett Favre, Rex Ryan, Roger Clemens, Jonathon Papelbon). Both have iconic players (Namath again, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Tom Brady). And half have been able to be considered dynasties (Yankees and Patriots). Meanwhile, fans of the other teams (Jets and Red Sox) proclaim a rivalry without anything to truly back up the claims.
For the vast majority of their history, neither the Sox nor the Jets have won anything. They have not even been in a position to call themselves competitive with their self-appointed rivals. In fact, to Yankee fans, the Sox were that 'other team in the East' until 2004. In 2004, with an epic comeback, the Red Sox and Yankees could officially have a rivalry. Two teams, both competitive at the same time, both winning championships.
The Jets have a chance to be able to legitimately have a rivalry with the Patriots this season. It begins with their game this Sunday at 4:30 pm. If the Jets win, and manage to go on to win a championship, then they can consider themselves truly rivals. Otherwise, if the Patriots win, they go back to being ignored by Patriot fans and are relegated to being that 'other team'.
vl-r) n. pl. ri·val·ries
1. The act of competing or emulating.
2. The state or condition of being a rival
There was an article recently proclaiming how the Jets-Patriots are not a rivalry, mainly because the Jets haven't won anything. This is a true statement. There cannot be a rivalry unless both sides are legitimately good in their field, and can back this thought up in some way. For instance, even though LeBron went to the Heat, the Cleveland Cavaliers cannot consider them a rival because the Cavs are terrible while the Heat are really good.
As such, it is amusing that this article exists, and that it was written in a New York newspaper. After all, they know what it is like to have someone proclaim a rivalry without anything to back it up. They had the same thing happen in baseball for eighty six years. Red Sox fans proclaimed the Yankees as their rivals, yet could only base this on geography. The results from 1918 until 2004 would mean that their closest rival should have been the Chicago White Sox, given the futility and lack of championships.
In fact, Jets-Patriots have a lot in common with Sox-Yankees. Both have had vastly overrated players (Joe Namath, Tony Conigliaro). Both have, and had, egotistical drama queens (Brett Favre, Rex Ryan, Roger Clemens, Jonathon Papelbon). Both have iconic players (Namath again, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Tom Brady). And half have been able to be considered dynasties (Yankees and Patriots). Meanwhile, fans of the other teams (Jets and Red Sox) proclaim a rivalry without anything to truly back up the claims.
For the vast majority of their history, neither the Sox nor the Jets have won anything. They have not even been in a position to call themselves competitive with their self-appointed rivals. In fact, to Yankee fans, the Sox were that 'other team in the East' until 2004. In 2004, with an epic comeback, the Red Sox and Yankees could officially have a rivalry. Two teams, both competitive at the same time, both winning championships.
The Jets have a chance to be able to legitimately have a rivalry with the Patriots this season. It begins with their game this Sunday at 4:30 pm. If the Jets win, and manage to go on to win a championship, then they can consider themselves truly rivals. Otherwise, if the Patriots win, they go back to being ignored by Patriot fans and are relegated to being that 'other team'.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Cliff Lee's Decision
Up until last night, it seemed a foregone conclusion that Cliff Lee would either end up on the Texas Rangers or on the New York Yankees. Both teams had met with him multiple times, and extended contract offers that were lucritive in both length and dollar amount. Both teams had made it known to him that he was the focal point of their offseasons. It appeared that Lee was destined to either remain in the heart of Texas or to be wearing pinstripes.
Early in the day on Monday, rumors began to swirl that there was a third team that had offered a contract, a mystery team that had bid upon his services. Most pundits dismissed this notion as a negotiating ploy intended to drive up Lee's price on the market. Both the Rangers and Yankees held firm on their offers, secure in their belief that it would be down to those two. Then, late Monday night, Cliff Lee signed. Turns out, there really was a mystery team all along - the Philadelphia Phillies, who had just traded him to Seattle in the past offseason in a three team deal which garnered them Roy Halladay.
The rotation that Philadelhia is going to be sending out now has a top four of Halladay, Lee, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels. This is, quite simply, the best starting rotation in baseball going into 2011. The only team that is even close is the San Fransisco Giants, who they lost to in the NLCS just about a month and a half ago. The Phillies have four bona fide aces that will go out and pitch for eighty percent of their games. Oh, and their number five starter, Joe Blanton? He's gotten 25 wins in the two and a half seasons he's been in Philadelphia, and would slot as a solid number three on a lot of teams.
Speaking of the last NLCS, it appears that the Phillies are taking their defeat to heart. After watching that pitching staff shut down their offense and the offense of the Texas Rangers, they went out and built an even better rotation than the one they faced. Yes, their offense may be slightly worse than it was last season with the departure of Jayson Werth, but he was deemed expendable due to the presence of Dominic Brown, their top prospect. If Brown can produce even a fraction of what Werth gave them, then the trade off is worth it.
As it stands, the road to the World Series in the national League now runs through Philadelphia. Barring injury, no other team can boast the rotation and nucleus the Phillies have. And they are set up to rule the National League for years to come.
Early in the day on Monday, rumors began to swirl that there was a third team that had offered a contract, a mystery team that had bid upon his services. Most pundits dismissed this notion as a negotiating ploy intended to drive up Lee's price on the market. Both the Rangers and Yankees held firm on their offers, secure in their belief that it would be down to those two. Then, late Monday night, Cliff Lee signed. Turns out, there really was a mystery team all along - the Philadelphia Phillies, who had just traded him to Seattle in the past offseason in a three team deal which garnered them Roy Halladay.
The rotation that Philadelhia is going to be sending out now has a top four of Halladay, Lee, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels. This is, quite simply, the best starting rotation in baseball going into 2011. The only team that is even close is the San Fransisco Giants, who they lost to in the NLCS just about a month and a half ago. The Phillies have four bona fide aces that will go out and pitch for eighty percent of their games. Oh, and their number five starter, Joe Blanton? He's gotten 25 wins in the two and a half seasons he's been in Philadelphia, and would slot as a solid number three on a lot of teams.
Speaking of the last NLCS, it appears that the Phillies are taking their defeat to heart. After watching that pitching staff shut down their offense and the offense of the Texas Rangers, they went out and built an even better rotation than the one they faced. Yes, their offense may be slightly worse than it was last season with the departure of Jayson Werth, but he was deemed expendable due to the presence of Dominic Brown, their top prospect. If Brown can produce even a fraction of what Werth gave them, then the trade off is worth it.
As it stands, the road to the World Series in the national League now runs through Philadelphia. Barring injury, no other team can boast the rotation and nucleus the Phillies have. And they are set up to rule the National League for years to come.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Derek Jeter gets another Gold Glove why?
The American League Gold Glove awards were announced the other day. There were few surprises amongst those who received the awards (Ichiro getting his tenth in ten years, Mark Beuhrle getting his second, Franklin Gutierrez being recognized) and for the most part, there were few flaws with those who received this award. However, that is unless one looks at the winner of the Gold Glove award for shortstop - the essentially immobile Derek Jeter.
Looking at the metric for defensive capability (Rfield - which measures the number of putouts, assists, and double plays made by each fielder, and comparing those totals to positional norms of other fielders to arrive at a figure above or below average. Each extra out made, or hit allowed, is worth X runs which leads to the FR figure) Jeter ranked dead last in the American League, and 27th of 28 shortstops in baseball that played a minimum of 100 games at that position (here is a link to the chart at baseballreference.com: http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/9067 ). Now, this is taking nothing away from Jeter; he is a smart baseball player who knows almost exactly where to position himself with each hitter. If he is able to get to the ball, he typically makes the play, as exemplified by his six errors all season. However, he simply does not have any range at this point in time in his career. He has major problems getting to a ball hit in the hole or behind second base unless he is already shaded in that direction. Getting to a ground ball anywhere beyond two steps of his location either way is improbable at best.
The best choice for the AL Gold Glove award based on the chart would have been Jack Wilson. However, he plays in Seattle on a dismal ballclub and is not a 'name' for the fans. Let's face it, how many people out there care about Jack Wilson's baseball career outside of his family? Having the career that Jeter has had, and playing in pinstripes, definitely helped him get this award.
Looking at the metric for defensive capability (Rfield - which measures the number of putouts, assists, and double plays made by each fielder, and comparing those totals to positional norms of other fielders to arrive at a figure above or below average. Each extra out made, or hit allowed, is worth X runs which leads to the FR figure) Jeter ranked dead last in the American League, and 27th of 28 shortstops in baseball that played a minimum of 100 games at that position (here is a link to the chart at baseballreference.com: http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/9067 ). Now, this is taking nothing away from Jeter; he is a smart baseball player who knows almost exactly where to position himself with each hitter. If he is able to get to the ball, he typically makes the play, as exemplified by his six errors all season. However, he simply does not have any range at this point in time in his career. He has major problems getting to a ball hit in the hole or behind second base unless he is already shaded in that direction. Getting to a ground ball anywhere beyond two steps of his location either way is improbable at best.
The best choice for the AL Gold Glove award based on the chart would have been Jack Wilson. However, he plays in Seattle on a dismal ballclub and is not a 'name' for the fans. Let's face it, how many people out there care about Jack Wilson's baseball career outside of his family? Having the career that Jeter has had, and playing in pinstripes, definitely helped him get this award.
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