Thursday, April 30, 2009

Yankees update

I know everybody hates the Yankees, so it's probably pointless to write any of this, but:

1) The Yankees starting pitching is starting to come around to where it needs to be: Last night Joba Chamberlain threw 7 strong innings, and the night before Phil Hughes threw six two-hit innings. These are two of the young guns that were supposed to carry the Yanks last year, but weren't quite ready. When you add their potential contributions to the already demonstrated capabilities of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett (who were both signed in the offseason), and returning aces Chien-Ming Wang and Andy Pettitte, you start to come up with a staff that can approach Boston's and Tampa Bay's. The last time the Yankees won the World Series was 2000, and their starting staff included Pettitte, Clemens, El Duque, and David Cone. Strong starters are key to winning in the playoffs, and since 2002, the last time the Yanks made it to the Series, they just haven't had dominant starting pitching. I'm not saying we're there yet, but in another year....

2) Speaking of another year, Joe Girardi is still developing as a manager: Last night he panicked and brought in Mariano Rivera with a five-run lead in the ninth and two runners on base. Granted, the previous guy was getting shellacked, but Rick Sutcliffe, a former ace pitcher, who was commentating on the TV, said, to him, it didn't look like Rivera was ready. Curtis Granderson promptly took him deep to make the score 8-6, before Rivera got a pop up to end the game. The Yankees started the inning with an 8-2 lead, and there is no way, in my opinion, that Rivera should have even warmed up. He's old and needs his rest. Despite having been named Manager of the Year in his one season at Florida before being hired by the Yankees, Girardi has never led a team to the playoffs and stills needs to learn a little bit of patience. That said, I think he's doing a good job and will turn the Yankees around if given enough time - meaning next year is their year.

3) A-Rod continues to be a sideshow/circus, but we miss his bat: Selena Roberts' book about him apparently says he's been juicing since high school and continued to juice after joining the Yankees. This would explain the serious hip injury he suffered after MLB starting testing for that stuff. That said, if he can come back and be effective, it sure will help Mark Teixeira, the Yanks $20 million per year first baseman, who is hitting like .197. All I've seen him do is walk. Apparently, pitchers would rather face Matsui, or Posada, or even Nick Swisher (who is actually red hot), who have all been batting behind Teixeria in the clean-up spot unti A-Rod gets back.

Cheers.
Ralph

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dude,

There are millions of Yankee fans out there. It's just that there are also millions of people who hate the Yankees.

Don't let it get you down. After all, being a Bills fan, you are entitled to root for a winner.

The Yanks still have to get past the Red Sox this year. It will probably go down to the wire...

Ralph said...

I guess I'm just kind of depressed about all the bad publicity this new stadium is getting. It's being called a palace of decadence built during these economically difficult times. That's really not the kind image I want my team projecting. Plus, I really liked the old stadium.

stan langerhaus said...

R, the only reason why i am rooting for the NYY is that i was lucky enough to pick up swisher on waivers for my fantasy team right before he got good. but having damon in my line-up sort neutralizes it.

and now swisher took one in the elbow. oh well...

Ralph said...

Swisher has been amazing this year, great pick-up for both the Yanks and you. I didn't think Damon was playing that bad for a 35-year-old whose greatest asset throughout his career has been speed.

As Shakespeare said, "Oh what a tangled web we weave, when with fantasy baseball drafts we precede." Or was that Robespierre? Either way...