A Biased Look at the New York Yankees, the Greatest Franchise in the History of Sports
[powered by WordPress.]
It’s not too often that I criticize the Yankees front office but this time I have to say WTF. You can’t tell me you couldn’t find a better use (i.e. pitching) for the $13 million option we have on Gary Sheffield. The same Gary Sheffield who was hurt most of this season. The same Gary Sheffield who doesn’t even want us to pick up the option? The same Gary Sheffield who’s whining about playing first base?
First off on Sheffield, you signed the contract, bone head. Don’t piss and moan about the fact that you’re only going to have one more year guaranteed. This team has paid you $39 million over the past three years, including while you were one for twelve in the ALDS.
On the Yankees, I know you don’t want the Red Sox to get your hands on Sheffield but we need pitching. $13 million per is going to get you a pretty good arm or a solid bullpen. Unless you already have a deal in the works, Sheffield’s stock must be pretty low right now with injury last year.
Derek Jeter was given the American League’s Hank Aaron award, which is given to the best offensive player. There’s no double Jeter had an outstanding season. He just about did it all, at least during the regular season.
There’s little doubt that Jeter will also win the MVP this year as well. Fat Papi might provide some token competition but as is usually the case, the Red Sox will be second fiddle to the Yankees.
I know, I’ve been lazy about my writing. It’s just depressing when I have to watch another World Series without my Yankees. Once this lame World Series is over with, I’ll probably get a bit more motivated.
Here are a few tidbits though. Brett Gardner, the Yankees’ third round draft pick last year, is tearing up the Arizona Fall League. He leads the league with 12 walks and ten runs. Not too shabby. We might have an opening in right field next year and this guy might make a cheap alternative, giving us some cash to get some pitching. You can check out how all of the Yankees’ prospects are doing both in the AFL and out in Hawaii by checking out this story.
Jason Giambi and Randy Johnson both went under the knife recently. Both players are supposed to be ready for the start of the 2007 season.
Alright, it’s been over a week since the Yankees lost to the Tigers in the ALDS. Yes, it was disappointing. Very disappointing. And something definitely must be done to fix this. I don’t think canning Joe Torre and hiring Lou Pinella is the answer though. Pinella has one championship to his name, and that was a team that Pete Rose pretty much built. Since 1990, he hasn’t done a whole lot either, other then take the Mariners to a 116 win season and then choke in the ALCS.
The name of the game is pitching and the Yankees haven’t done a good job in this department. Randy Johnson, Jaret Wright and Carl Pavano have all underperformed and Mike Mussina isn’t getting any younger. That leaves Chien-Ming Wang and a bunch of unprovens. I’m thinking we should pass on Gary Sheffield and use that money to get some pitching.
The death of Cory Lidle was tragic. My initial reaction to the crash was “oh crap, here we go again.” Then when it came out that it was Lidle, it seemed to make for a bizare twist for me. I was eight when Thurman Munson passed and I only remember it a little bit.
So, what’s on tap for the offseason? A couple of things. I’m going to start my Joe DiMaggio retrospective and then come 2007, I’m going to work on a 1927 Yankees diary. If you’re not familiar with this, you should check out Gas House Gang. He just finished up a 1926 Cardinals diary with the Cardinals winning their first World Series against the New York Yankees in seven games. And of course I’ll be following the offseason exploits of the Yankees.
Damn it. Not much to say outside of explitives. Stop by in a couple of weeks and I’ll probably be cooled off.
Well, I guess we won’t be sweeping the Tigers. No biggie. The Unit should take care of business tomorrow and I see the Yankees jumping all over Rogers. It could get ugly. And on the bright side, Mariano Rivera didn’t have to throw.
All the Yankees got was a three run homerun though. They threatened in the first (bases loaded) and second innings but left a bunch of men on base. Johnny Damon got us on the board with that three run shot but the Tigers’ pen lived up to their reputation and shut down the Yankees in the final four frames.
So we’ll see what happens tomorrow night. The Tigers got a boost in their confidence, but hopefully the Yankees slap them back down tomorrow.
One down, two to go. Chien-Ming Wang was hardly spectacular, but with this lineup, all he needed to do was pitch fairly. That’s what he did and that’s why he got the win.
Derek Jeter was a man on a mission. He went five for five and scored three times. He also started a very nice double play in the third inning to stop the first Tigers surge. Had that double play not been converted, the Tigers would have scored an early run and we might have had a much different game then we did.
Bobby Abreu was another big hitter. He drove in four runs with a single and a double. Johnny Damon scored twice and Jason Giambi of all people stole a base and hit a homerun in the same game.
Tonight it’s Mike Mussina vs. rookie phenom Justin Verlander. Let’s make it 2-0 and then finish things up on Friday.
Playoff time is like an annual tradition for Yankees’ fans. Unlike other losing franchises (Red Sox), the Yankees always seem to put it together in the end. At least they have since the mid-90s. Now it’s time to get down to business. The Yankees playoff runs haven’t gone so well the past couple of years and now it’s time to make that change.
It’ll be the Tigers not the Twins who the Yankees face first. After a five game losing streak and a sweep at the Royals, the Tigers will be limping into Yankee Stadium to take on the Bronx Bombers. It’ll be Nate Robertson going up against Chien-Ming Wang. I like our chances in that one.
My playoff predictions are simple. Yankees win. You can see mine and other Yankees’ bloggers predictions over on this thread.
[powered by WordPress.]
11 queries. 0.321 seconds