Bronx to Back Bay

Jim Rice Belongs in the Hall

2005-01-10T01:30:00.000-05:00

This past week, it was great to see the new Hall of Fame inductees: Wade Boggs and Ryan Sandberg get their due recognition. Unfortunately, it was another year of Jim Rice falling under the Hall of Fame radar despite a career that suggests he should be recognized with baseball’s highest honor. In his 16-year career with the Red Sox, he hit .298 with 382 home runs and 1,451 RBI. His best season was 1978 when he hit .315 with 46 homers and 139 RBI. He was a huge contributor to the postseason-bound seasons of 1975, 1978 and 1986, and was named to the All Star team 8 times. For some reason, he is overlooked by the Hall of Fame committee every year. Here is a comparison of Rice’s accomplishments to some recent inductees. (Avg/HR/RBI)

Jim Rice (OF, 16 seasons) .298/382/1,451 + 8 time All Star, 1 MVP
Ryne Sandberg (2B, 16) .285/282/1,061 + 344 SB, 9 Gold Gloves, 1 MVP
Paul Molitor (IF, 21) .306/234/1,307 + 504 SB
Gary Carter (C, 19) .262/324/1,225 + 3 Gold Gloves

Rice had a tremendous career, and deserves his recognition. Hopefully the year will come when his name does not slip under the radar.

Bam-Tino

2005-01-04T00:53:00.000-05:00

I'd like to take this lull in any offseason activity, while we wait for everybody that has ever met Randy Johnson to sign off on his trade, to discuss the Yankees other recent addition, Tino Martinez.

I want to implore every Tino fan out there to take this for what it really is. Tino will not be playing every day. Tino will not hi 30 home runs. Tino will not bring a championship to New York simply because of his Yankee mystique. That said, he is an above-average backup that can deliver just as high an average as John Olerud, with much more power than Tony Clark, and defense comparable to Travis Lee. Add in the sentimental value, of, well, that Yankee mystique, and you have yourself a signing that makes a lot of sense. Is it the ultimate answer? Of course not. Hopefully we won't have to see a whole lot of Tino this season, as our question marks at first base are solved. Hopefully. But if we need him, he certainly is not a bad option off the bench. I only wish all of our signings made this much sense.

Is the Deal Done? Really?

2004-12-31T15:55:00.000-05:00

I wouldn't say anything's a done deal until I see a press conference unveiling Randy in pinstripes. Until it's officially official I don't buy it, no matter how imminent the deal seems.

That being said, it appears every last roadblock is gone, and though it pains me to see Vazquez go, there's really nothing I nor any other Yankee fan can do about it. We have to just sit back and look at the bright spots:

1. We are getting not just one of the greatest pitchers in the game today, but one of the greatest of all-time. Johnson has long been feared as the best lefty in the game, and will be an indisputable first-ballot Hall of Famer. If he can even come close to the numbers he produced for Arizona last year, he will be a major boost to our staff.

2. We could have given up a lot more. In fact, we almost did. Of course, I'll be shocked if Vazquez doesn't remold himself as an ace in Arizona, and I in no way think that the deal was worth it, but two weeks ago we were dangling the top prospect our club has seen in a decade as well. Navarro is gone, yes, and that loss will force us to eventually look to the free agent market for catching help. Halsey is gone as well, and despite the fact that I have been quite high on him for a long time now, Yankee management was never going to give him the shot he deserved. It's sad, but I'd almost rather see him go have a good season as a middle-to-back-of-the-rotation starter for Arizona than see him dazzle in Columbus with no chance of a real shot to prove himself in the bigs. I would not be surprised at all if Halsey turns into the next Ted Lilly (although his stuff admittedly is not nearly as good), but the fact remains that I would rather give up three Brad Halseys than one Eric Duncan.

3. We are not getting Kaz Ishii.

As for Clement, and the Red Sox offseason as a whole, you're absolutely right. Clement is not being overpaid if you compare him to the rest of the free agent class of 2005, and Theo is having a good offseason in the sense that the Sox will be better in 2005 than in 2004. I never disputed either of those facts. What you fail to mention, however, is that the Yankees have improved by a greater margin than has Boston, which casts a bit of a pall over every Wade Miller and David Wells signing that Theo has pulled off.

Here's wishing everyone a safe and happy New Year, and I think every Yankee fan can agree with me when I say that I hope this one is better than the last. ;)

The Deal's Done

2004-12-30T16:48:00.000-05:00

Randy Johnson will be the ace of the Yankees pitching staff in 2005. It will be challenging to face him on the field, but Red Sox fans can’t be too upset about the effect that this move will have on the long-term status of the Yankee franchise. They bailed on Vasquez who was inevitably going to return to his ace form regardless of where he was pitching. Now they will face increased financial strains and they have to be at least approaching the point where it will be unprofitable to continue to increase their payroll. Yankee Fan agrees with me on the stupidity of this trade, but it gives us in opportunity to look at the statistics provided by soxrepeatin05 in his latest comment.

You’re just not going to give up on your baseless Clement argument, Yankee Fan, are you? By pointing out the flaws of the other pitchers on my list, you’ve only supported my argument. We agree that Pedro is overpaid, and of the remaining pitchers, only Clement has had three consecutive solid years. Ace-caliber? No. But Solid. Despite this, all the pitchers are making about the same amount of money with the exception of Pavano who is making way more with the Yankees. These pitchers were not hand-picked by me – they were the pitchers on the 2005 market. Based on this market it is impossible to argue that Clement was overpaid. As for the validity of my three-year analysis, you forgot that I tried to even things out by replacing missed 2003 seasons with 2001 for two pitchers on the list. It may not be pretty for your argument, but hey, the truth hurts.

Apparently you’ve run out of arguments about Theo’s off-season as well. That’s probably because he doesn’t see in black and white. Is the story of his off-season that he lost his ace? No, it’s that he made the right decision in not re-signing Pedro at an outrageous price, and then proceeded to construct a new pitching staff that is statistically projected to exceed the success of last year’s staff. Do they have question marks? Absolutely – along with every other player in baseball. The bottom line is, the defending World Series Champion Red Sox will be even better in 2005.

Either Trade Him or Don't

2004-12-30T01:21:00.000-05:00

So the latest reports out of Arizona state that the Yankees are once again close to trading for Randy Johnson. Whoopee. I just want a definitive answer as to if this is going to happen. Just a plain old yes or a no. I've resigned myself to the fate that if we acquire him we will be vastly overpaying, so the exact terms seem almost irrelevant right now. I jsut want to know if Randy Johnson is going to be the newest member of the Yankees, or if he is going to once again be the lone bright spot out in the desert of Arizona.

As for your nifty Clement analysis, take a step back and look at that list. Benson. Milton. Wright. First of all, this isn't exactly a Who's Who list of MLB starting pitchers. Not a single name on that list is an ace, making obvious my earlier point that they are all overpaid. Yet the most ridiculous part is that you attempt to justify your claims of Clement being the superior bargain by comparing the three-year stats of those seven starters, which is simply unfair. Every name on that list, with the exception of Clement and Pedro (who is by far a superior pitcher to Clement, but obviously is not worth the money) has had a major arm injury within the past five years. Take Pavano out of the mix as well, and every other name on the list missed a significant portion of the 2003 season due to injury or rehabilitiation, making a three-year stat comaprison absurd. And, as you already noted, several of those players came back to post stellar 2004 seasons despite everything, making a three-year comparison unjust and unfair. If you look at a one-year analysis, suddenly Clement does not look so good, and the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately faithful up in Boston should be quick to point that out in 2005.

I find it simply unfathomable that you could say that Theo wanted to have an offseason such as this one. Sure, he got his shortstop, but he lost one of his aces, and every pitcher he has signed to date has serious question marks surrounding him. Was Wade Miller an excellent signing? Sure. Wells? Maybe. But none of those signings are going to add much to what was one of the best rotations in the league last year. Right now the Yankees have a better starting rotation than do the Red Sox, and I can't see a scenario in which that makes Theo a happy man.

Baseball's Luxury Tax

2004-12-28T01:23:00.000-05:00

Three teams will have to pay baseball’s luxury tax based on 2004 payrolls: Boston, New York (obviously) and Anaheim. The Red Sox will be paying 3 million dollars, and the Angels 1 million. New York on the other hand will be paying 25 million dollars – more than the entire payroll of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. It is estimated that the Yankees will pay 60 million dollars in 2005 – more than the payroll of 14 different teams.

In the recent past, the Red Sox have been only a few years behind the Yankees in total payroll. Since the tax level increases with each consecutive year of exceeding the tax threshold, it is important for the Red Sox to find a way to get below the threshold soon. They can’t do it in 2005 but they need to avoid the hole that the Yankees have found themselves in. As for the Yankees, they are doomed if they expect to ever fall below the threshold in the reasonable future.

Hypocrisy

2004-12-28T01:06:00.000-05:00

I have to admit, I’m disappointed in your latest attempt to attack the off-season moves of the Red Sox. You’ve only restated your previous points that have already been disproved with valid sources, and again failed to document any of your own claims. Worst of all, you’re at the height of hypocrisy accusing me of avoiding subjects that I made a point to respond to, while ignoring the vast majority of my points, including the minor league system which I had already specifically noted.

Here is a brief comparison of Matt Clement to the other starting pitchers who have signed for 3 years or more. I’ve included some 3-year stats:

Clement: 3 years, 25.5 million -587.67IP, 576k, 241bb (2.52 k/bb), 3.80ERA
Pavano: 4 years, 40 million -496.67IP, 323k, 129bb (2.50 k/bb), 4.02ERA
Benson: 3 years, 22.5 million – 435.6 IP, 281k, 147bb (1.91 k/bb), 4.59ERA
Lieber: 3 years, 21 million –550IP, 337k, 71bb (4.75 k/bb), 3.94ERA *01,02,04
Milton: 3 years, 25.5 million –592.67IP, 439k, 166bb (2.64 k/bb), 4.62ERA *01,02,04
Wright: 3 years, 21 million –261IP, 221k, 120bb (1.84 k/bb), 5.03ERA
Pedro: 4 years, 54 million –603IP, 672k, 148bb (4.54k/bb), 2.84ERA

You could say that they’re all overpaid, but this is the market and based on the market, Clement is not overpaid. Only Lieber represents a better value. To be fair, Wright had an outstanding 2004 season and those numbers are skewed for him.

Theo is having a similar off-season to what he envisioned. His goal with Pedro was to make the right decision, not to blindly sign him to an enormous contract. He is not George Steinbrenner. He wanted to fill in the whole left in the rotation by Pedro and Lowe, and he did that and exceeded it by signing Wells, Clement and Miller. Those moves are not Beane-esque at all. Oakland would never have signed Wells and Clement. The Miller signing was just capitalizing on an amazing opportunity. Furthermore, Theo got his targeted shortstop in Renteria, pulled an amazing trade for Roberts, and re-signed Varitek and Mirabelli. I’d love to hear where you see failure in his transactions.

Great News for Both Sides

2004-12-27T18:17:00.000-05:00

Eric Milton signs with the Reds!

Now neither the Red Sox nor the Yankees have to worry about getting a guy that gave up an incomprehensible 43 home runs last year, a guy who only had one month (April) with an ERA of under 4.54, a guy whos ERA was actually worse away from Philadelphia's new band-box than in it, and, worst of all, a guy who was one of the biggest pitching names on this year's free agent market.

Hey, it's too bad for the Reds, but then again, Milton instantly becomes their ace. And if there's anything that Yankees and Sox fans can agree on, it's hat Cincinnati is a horrible excuse for a professional baseball franchise. Thanks for taking a stand on this one, Cash.

Such Avoidance

2004-12-24T18:30:00.000-05:00

I love how you just skirted right around the fact that Clement is still being ridiculously overpaid, harping instead on the fact that Pavano is being paid more, and then launching into a discussion of who the better pitcher is. You can talk about that stuff all you want, but the bottom line is, guess what, Matt Clement is being overpaid.

And another thing: If Matt Clement has been so much more effective over the past three years, why do you shun the fact that I said you'd rather have Clement than pavano on your roster? Unless of course you're worried about that wildness, hot-headedness, and ineffectiveness that just keeps on popping up. You keep flopping back and forth, depending on which argument fits your needs.

The fact is, Theo is not having the offseason he envisioned. Every big signing he wanted to make outside the organization (and some, like Pedro, inside the organization), he simply did not make. He's doing his best to make up for it with his best Billy Beane buy-cheap-sell-high impression, most recently evidenced by the signing of Wade Miller (a great signing, without question), but when you've got money to spend those deals simply are not going to make that much of a difference. Somewhere along the line, the lack of a marquee signing very well may come back to hurt the Red Sox.

I have not gotten a chance to update since the Randy Johnson deal officially fell through (for the second time), but it's not too hard to know what my feelings are on that subject. Hopefully this one stays dead, and Duncan, Navarro, and Vazquez all prove their worth in the Yankees system in 2005. Remember, guys...not too long ago, Javier Vazquez was an ace.

Manipulation

2004-12-21T23:17:00.000-05:00

Manipulation can be fun, but it’s the most worn out tool in your toolbox. While it can be used to fabricate a false set of weak arguments from your opponent in a debate, it cannot bring victory to its user, and certainly not conclusion to the argument. A more effective tool to use is backing up opinions with facts. Did I say that Clement is not overpaid because he’s getting a contract similar to Pavano’s? No. I said we signed him for far less (15 million dollars less) than the price you paid for Pavano. The contracts were not that similar. However, my prior point still stands that Clement has been the more effective pitcher over the past three years:

Pavano: 496.67 IP, 323k, 129bb (2.50 k/bb), 4.02ERA
Clement: 587.67 IP, 576k, 241bb (2.52 k/bb), 3.80ERA

You said “Sure sounds to me like you'd rather have Clement than Pavano on your roster, but that sure wasn't the case two weeks ago”. Hmmm. That’s an interesting conclusion. So far in this blog, I had mentioned Pavano in two places. Let me refresh your memory:

1. “We'll see if we land prime free agents like Carl Pavano and Brad Radke or if we trade for a superstar like Tim Hudson. In the meantime, we should take a second to appreciate Theo and the Trio's re-signing of Doug Mirabelli.” (12/7/04)
2. “Wells is cheaper than Pavano and comes with as much short term potential. The chances of re-signing Pedro seem better with signing him than had we signed Pavano” (12/12/04)

Wow. I guess I clearly stated that I preferred Clement over Pavano...

So, about Clement’s history of hotheadedness, where was the roster of hotheaded players that you found? Is it online? You said that last time you checked he has that history. Can you back that up?

What about his history of ineffectiveness? A pitcher’s primary goal is to minimize the runs scored by the opposing team. The Earned Run Average is the most accurate indicator of how well a pitcher meets this goal. This is a measurement of effectiveness. Walking batters is obviously not something that increases the chances to minimize runs, but it is something that can be, and is often overcome. Those batters need to score in order to be affect the overall goal. Walks alone are not equivalent to ineffectiveness. If you want to use Clement’s numbers from 5-7 years ago to skew his statistics, you might as well call yourself Omar Minaya and sign Pedro to a 54 million dollar contract. Those numbers aren’t indicative of what he’s accomplishing now – Martinez and Clement are both different pitchers than they were then.

In regards to your further comments about the move of Clement and Wells to the AL East, you have to keep in mind what they’re replacing. They’re replacing Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe. Last year, Clement and Wells both had better ERA’s than Martinez’s 3.90, and far better than Lowe’s 5.42. Should they each suffer a little bit in the ERA department from facing tougher opponents, they have more than enough room to spare in order to improve on the stats of their 2004 counterparts.

Before I finish this entry, Yankee Fan, I also wanted to thank you for your detailed and well-written response to my criticism of your claims about the Yankees farm system. Well done. But hey, don’t feel too bad – you were right about Billy Traber. He certainly won’t cut it in 2005 since he’s no longer a member of the team.

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

2004-12-21T00:06:00.000-05:00

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the Hot Stove,
There were rumors and rumblings coming in droves!

The pennants were hung on the facade with care,
In hopes that Randy Johnson soon would be there!

The fans were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of Championships danced in their heads;

And I in my jersey, and you in your cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap.

When out in the Bronx there arose such a clatter,
I sprang to my computer to see what was the matter!

Away to the PC I flew like a flash,
To see what was going on with Steinbrenner and Cash.

The headline screamed across my home page;
It gave me a start and soon I was in a rage.

For what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a trade for Randy Johnson was drawing quite near!

With George negotiating so clever and shrewd,
I knew in a moment we must be getting screwed!

More rapid than eagles the rumors they came,
And Cash whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now Duncan! Now Navarro! Now Green and Ishii!
On Penny, on Weeden, On Koplove, oh gee!

To the top of the league, to the top of them all,
Randy's replica jerseys will be flying off the wall!

We won't have much time to let the ink dry,
Before he steps up and lets the first fastball fly,

So up to the Stadium we'll travel with delight,
Opening Day vs. the Sox, it'll be such a sight!

Then suddenly a twinge I heard from his knee;
Gene Monahan rushed to the mound to look and see,

I craned my neck from the bleachers to get a look,
Knowing that Ishii was there if Johnson got the hook.

Then off the field Randy began to limp,
Crap! We just gave a three-year extension to a gimp!

A bundle of treasure we dealt for this guy,
And now all the Bronx faithful can do is sigh.

His knee - how it twisted; his mouth in a frown!
His elbow was hurting and his release point was down!

His 6'10" frame was slumped down in shame,
Never would he have another World Series to his name.

His pride he held close when the boos began to pour,
And up in centerfield they flashed the Dodger score.

One to nothing final? Vaz shut 'em out again?
Is he ever going to lose? I'd like to know when!

Javy's stringing up zeroes while Randy's on the shelf,
I laughed at that thought in spite of myself.

But a wink of Cashman's eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
Calling all the GMs like some kind of jerk,

And trading Hughes, Cano, and White all in one deal,
He got us a guy that would sure be a steal,

"I hear this Jon Lieber, he isn't half bad,
He's coming back to the Bronx, so don't you be sad!"

And I heard Cash exclaim, as he drove out of sight,
"Happy Hot Stove to All, and to All a Good Night!"

Fact is, Those Were the Facts

2004-12-20T13:17:00.000-05:00

So wait, now it's all coming clear. There's no way Clement is overpaid, because he's getting a contract similar to that of Pavano. And there's no way the AL East will cause Clement and Wells to struggle because - and here's the kicker - Pavano is moving to the same division as well. I'm real sorry bud, but last time I checked, Carl Pavano's contract and his move to the AL East has no bearing on how much the Sox overpaid and on how much he will struggle this year. Pavano was overpaid too, and he won't post a 3.00 ERA next year, any idiot knows that. Good thing I never said he would. Sure sounds to me like you'd rather have Clement than Pavano on your roster, but that sure wasn't the case two weeks ago.

Oh, and I'm terribly sorry about fabricating Clement's history of hotheadedness. But last time I checked, he does, and many teams shied away from pursuing him because of it. Will it be a major problem? Doubtful, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

And wildness and ineffectiveness, oh boy I shouldn't have even gone there. I mean the guy in his career has struck out 8 guys every nine innings, but still can't manage to have a career K/BB ratio over 2.00. Do you know what that means, Soxfan? Well, I did the math, and that translates to a guy that walks more than four guys every nine innings. Sure, he's shown some signs of improvement, but his lowest walk total in a season remains 77, which he accomplished this year. Only thing was, he also pitched fewer innings than he has any year since 2001. So, to draw all our conclusions together, what happens when you walk guys? Bingo, you become ineffective.

Remember, I never said he couldn't improve. All I said is that a guy with a career ERA of 4.34 who has walked 544 guys in a career 1156.1 IP, who is now getting around $8 million a year, is, you guessed it, overpaid, with a history of wildness and ineffectiveness.

Let's get the facts straight

2004-12-20T01:52:00.000-05:00

How do you figure that we overpaid for Clement? We signed him for far less than you paid for Pavano and Clement has been the far more successful pitcher over the last 3 years. If we overpaid for anyone, I'd say it would be Wells. I also find it hypocritical for you to use the move from the NL to the AL East as the basis of your prediction for Clement and Wells to struggle - in case you didn't notice, you play in our division and Pavano will be making the same adjustment. Oh and also, let's just decide to call Clement ineffective, wild and hotheaded because we can. That's solid.

Boston's farm system sucks? There's a mature and well-founded analysis. You're right that both the Red Sox and Yankee farm systems are sub-par. This year, Baseball America ranked the Red Sox farm system 23rd and the Yankee farm system 27th. With the departure of Duncan and Navarro, the Yankee system is even worse. For some reason, you want to argue that your farm system has been improving every year. Here are your rankings by Baseball America since 2000:

2000: 1
2001: 7
2002: 5
2003: 17
2004: 27

I'm not sure that I need to say anything further to discredit your statement. As for a possible Sheets deal, it's important to remember that most possible suitors will want to sign him to an extension. If a team doesn't have the resources to do that, they may not even be in negotiations with Milwaukee, regardless of the strength of their farm system. It takes two to tango. I'll let the rest of your post slide - I agree that a trade for Johnson is not in the best interest of the Yankees. Although, it will be a blast the first time we have a Schilling - Johnson game.

It's Okay, Kaz Ishii Can Save the Day!

2004-12-20T01:13:00.000-05:00

Dear Brian Cashman,

I understand where you're coming from, I really do. George wants Randy Johnson, and he won't take no for an answer. You want to keep your job, so going after him makes sense. He's been target number one for a long time now, and this is your best chance to snag him.

Sure, you've got your history with Arizona. Some say it was a conspiracy theory that Jery Colangelo basically gave Curt Schilling to the Red Sox last summer, when you easily could have offered just as much. He could have made it up to you at the trading deadline by giving you Johnson, but he didn't. That didn't make you happy. But now you're sensing a little desperation, and you've got just the cure. Johnson for Vazquez, Navarro, and Duncan? It makes perfect sense.

No one would miss Vazquez. After all, he went through quite a bad stretch at the end of the year, and in this city, having a couple of bad months is a capital sin. It's certainly not Mel Stottlemeyer's fault, that much is certain. He's a top of the line coach, and if Vazquez is ahving problems working with him, that's no fault of Mel's. The media might second-guess your trading of Javy, but then again, that's their job. Plus once Johnson starts posting 10 Ks a game, nobody will even notice what Javy is doing all the way across the country. I wonder what Jeff Weaver is up to these days, anyways?

You know Dioner Navarro is good, you've seen him play. You know Duncan's good, that's why you drafted him. But you also know that they remain prospects, and Duncan especially has no apparent role on Yankee clubs of the future. You'll probably wind up trading him anyways, so why not now, when Randy Johnson is on the line? Everybody says our farm system is bad anyway, so we can't get much worse. And hey, we did the same thing with Brandon Claussen, and that's working out just fine!

And as if all that wasn't reason enough, what's this? We're getting Kaz Ishii in the deal as well?! This is getting sweeter by the second, especially if you ignore those 99 strikeouts against 98 walks in 2004. No, seriously, just ignore it.

So go ahead, Cash, pull the trigger. I want to be able to pinpoint the exact day and time I completely lost faith in the way the Yankees' management is running this team. So give Randy his season tickets to the Knicks, make a few phone calls, do whatever it takes to make this happen. After all, you've got nothing to lose.

Nothing, that is, but the last half of this decade.

Clement is a Hot-Head

2004-12-19T01:08:00.000-05:00

I don't know exactly what you're arguing about there, Soxfan. Everything I predicted would happen came true. The Sox wound up with Clement, and they did so by overpaying him. I hate to break it to you, but Wells and Clement are not going to have a combined 3.70 ERA in the AL East. They'll be lucky to pull out a 4.50. And you can't honestly say that you'd rather plug Clement in there over Pedro or Pavano. That's just stupid, especially with Clement's history of wildness, ineffectiveness, and hotheadedness.

Getting off that topic, your comments on the Yankees and Red Sox farm systems are just plain off-base. First of all, compared to the rest of the league, Boston's farm system sucks. They're just plain bad. Jason Lester is not a future ace, and if Milwaukee or any other team wants pitching help, they're not looking to you guys. There's plenty of teams out there with far deeper systems that would be willing to deal guys far more talented than anything in Boston's system to get a guy like Sheets.

Second of all, I don't know where you come off knocking the Yankees farm system. Is it good? No. Is it better than the Red Sox? It's hard to tell, seeing as the vast majority of the best guys in both systems are all playing at or around A-ball right now. Is it improving? Every year, and the past two drafts have been the best drafts we've had since the mid-90s. You can say whatever you'd like, but pit Dioner Navarro, Eric Duncan, and Philip Hughes against any trio in your system, and I'd probably take the Yankees. I'm quite sorry if Jim Callis and Peter Gammons think otherwise, but then again, they're probably still a little woozy from all that champagne after the Red Sox won it all.

That said, this is exactly the reason why the deal for Johnson absolutely should not be done. Vazquez alone for Johnson I would have qualms about, seeing as the team is ready to throw out an ace like nothing because he had one bad half of a year. But throwing in the top two prospects in our system in addition to Vazquez is just too much. It would be a blow that the system could not afford, and would cripple us for the latter half of this decade. There are plenty of guys in the system to trade. Get rid of Cano if you want, or trade away a Major League-ready Chien-Ming Wang. I don't even have anything against trading away Duncan, as long as the price is right, but right now it is very, very wrong. It's almost as if Cashman & Co. are buying into the popular perception that, hey, they're in the Yankees farm system, they must be bad. Well they're not. Duncan isn't just the best prospect in the system, he has a very good chance to emerge as one of the best power prospects in the game. Remember, this is a guy that had an outside shot at being taken in the Top 10 in the 2003 draft, and could be a potential answer at 1B. And what about Navarro? Sure he's no Posada, and doesn't look to become one anytime soon, but he has the chance to become just as good as anything the Yankees could overpay for on the free agent market in two years, so why not keep him around? Is it that bad to develop some talent within the system? Brian Cashman, I am begging you, I do not want to see Randy Johnson anywhere near Yankee Stadium in 2005.

No surprise.

2004-12-18T01:14:00.000-05:00

As Matt Clement just agreed to a 3 year, 25 million dollar contract, it appears that Theo did in fact leave his options open. In essence, Derek Lowe and Pedro Martinez are going to be replaced in 2005 by David Wells and Matt Clement. It is interesting to compare their recent stats:

2004 (combined)
Martinez + Lowe:
399 IP, 4.59 ERA, 332 k's, 132 bb (2.52 k/bb)
Wells + Clement:
377 IP, 3.70 ERA, 291 k's, 97 bb (3.00 k/bb)

Last 3 years (average season)
Martinez + Lowe:
201 IP, 3.46 ERA, 169 k, 57 bb (2.96 k/bb)
Wells + Clement:
200 IP, 3.84 ERA, 153 k, 54 bb (2.83 k/bb)

Martinez and Lowe have been only slightly better over 3 years, and they have both had declining effectiveness while Wells and Clement have improved. Clement's ERA in the last 3 years has been directly related to his ability to strike out hitters. For every 1/5 of a strikeout per inning above .85 (his 2002 rate) his ERA decreases by about 0.02. In his case, more strikeouts seem to be indicitive of better stuff and therefore more effective pitching.

As for Theo being unlucky, no one said "Theo was unlucky because he didn't leave options open." It is a fact that Theo was unlucky to face a set of circumstances where a pitcher strongly indicated that he was going in a direction other than his ultimate direction. Luckily, he handled the adversity well and filled in the vacancy.

You seem to be unconfident in our chances of getting Sheets. While it's obviously not a likelihood, it is a better possibility than you suggest. First of all, the Brewers may make offers, but if they don't have him re-signed they know they can't comptete in the open-market and will certaintly look to trade him. If they want pitching, the Red Sox have plenty of prospects in their steadily improving farm system. Speaking of which, how's that Yankee farm system looking, especially with the impending departure of Duncan and Navarro?

As for your search for a scapegoat in Boston, what exactly are you looking to blame on someone? The offseason has been as expected. We knew we would either resign Pedro or find an adequate replacement. No major surprise there.

Luck? Doubtful

2004-12-16T21:21:00.000-05:00

How is it "bad luck" that Theo didn't keep his options open, and pretty much dropped off all negotiations with Pavano before knowing for sure what Pedro's decision was. If he was that sure that Pedro would stay, well then he needs to seriously work on his perception of things, and if he wasn't, then he never should have become passive in the Pavano sweepstakes. How you can say that is unfathomable.

As for Sheets, sure it's a great idea on paper, and I hate to be the one to break it to you, but things usually don't work out that nicely. Yes, Sheets is entering a contract year, and yes, Milwaukee probably won't be able to re-sign him. But don't you think they'll at least try? That alone will keep him in Wisconsin at least until mid-summer, at which time the Brewers, who are stacked with hitters (Rickie Weeks, Prince Fielder) in the minor leagues, will probably look for, guess what, pitching. Unless Hanley Ramirez develops a wicked curveball between now and then, I don't see it happening.

So what's the solution for Red Sox Nation? Like I said previously, Clement or Perez. I'm not disagreeing that the Red Sox will make a move within the next couple of weeks, but the team is in a position where it is going to be forced to overpay a mediocre pitcher. Blame it on Theo, blame it on the economy, blame it on Kris Benson, or whoever else you want. The fact remains, Theo screwed up, and this offseason is already not what anybody in B eantown envisioned.

Sox rotation

2004-12-16T17:12:00.000-05:00

You're right, Theo did want either Pedro or Pavano and got neither. But it's unfair to blame him for the way negotiations unfolded. He knew that he could only have one or the other, and the Saturday before Pedro agreed to terms with the Mets, Pedro seemed to have indicated to Theo that he would return to Boston and the nuances of the contract were just a formality from that point foward. Hence, Theo let Pavano be wooed by the Yankees. When Pedro sold out to the Mets, Theo was just the recipient of bad luck.

Rumor has it that the Red Sox did not want to part with Hanley Ramirez unless it meant getting Tim Hudson in return. With Hudson dealt to Atlanta, that's probably out of the question now. They have an offer on the table for Matt Clement, who is expected to choose a team very soon. They may have interest in Odalis Perez and A.J. Burnett but I'd prefer to stay away from them. The only pitcher on the market that I would be happy to part with Hanley for is Ben Sheets. Pitching in Milwaukee, his amazing season slipped under the radar of a lot of fans. Somehow (3.53 run support), Sheets went just 12-14 despite a 2.70 ERA in 237 IP over 34 starts. He struck out 264 batters and had an unbelievable 8.25 k/bb ratio. At just 26 years old, he has plenty of time to improve and contribute to the team for many years.

Right now, the rotations are:
RED SOX - - YANKEES
Schilling - - Pavano
Arroyo - - Mussina
Wells - - Vasquez
Wakefield - - Wright
Halama - - Brown

I can't imagine that the Sox will allow the season to start like this. Expect a move to be made soon.

Which team is which?

2004-12-15T23:54:00.000-05:00

Sorry Sox fan, I was trying to give you the benefit of the doubt that maybe Billy Traber could have a decent impact on the big club in the next few years. It's an outside shot, but a shot that is still there.

So who, if not John Halama, do you see in that last rotation spot? Odalis Perez? Matt Clement? Outside of those two, you're out of luck. Last time I checked, there's not a lot out there anymore, and you know that Texas and Baltimore, and their deep pockets, would love to have either of those guys. Unless of course, with the loss of Pedro, Lucchino & Co. loosen up their budget a bit. Don't get me wrong, I have little doubt that the Sox will sign some other starter before opening day, but it's no secret that Theo wanted either Pedro or Pavano, and got neither. Now, as supply creeps lower and demand stays steady, he will be forced to overpay.

The signing of Renteria was, well, Yankee-esque. You're right, there's no doubt that Hanley Ramirez has to go now, and it's a damn shame. Not just for that reason though. Renteria's on-base-percentage dropped 67 points from 2003 to 2004 - in fact, his 2003 OBP, SLG, SB, RBI, and walks are all numbers he has not come close to at any point in his career. Many thought it was because he finally busted out in 2003, but if that's the case, what happened this year? His numbers aren't likely to improve in a lineup no better than the Cardinals had this season, and though he could benefit from having more at-bats at the top of the order, he batted only .276 in the two-hole in 2004. Is he a bad signing? of course not, he remains one of the better shortstops in the league. Is he a smart signing? For $40 million, the Sox might be regretting this in three years when Hanley Ramirez has a starting job with some other team, especially when they could have taken signed a one or two-year plug like Julio Lugo instead. And yes, that $40 million is money that could have been spent on Clement or Perez.

Whoa whoa whoa

2004-12-15T23:28:00.000-05:00

Yankee fan I've gotta say that while reading your most recent entry I had nothing but respect for what you wrote. But then, you throw this out there: "Sorry Sox fan, but John Halama and Billy Traber are not the answer. Not in 2005." Billy Traber? It was so unnecessary to even bring him into the equation here. You know what, Yankee Fan? Felix Escalona sucks. TOUCHE! And then the "not in 2005." Explain this one to me. Was it necessary to say 2005 here? Is it important to distinguish 2005 as the specific year where Billy Trabers and John Halamas are not all star caliber players? You better keep holding on to your dream that John Halama is on our rotation on opening day (voided by possible injury to Schilling being the only reason for this to come true).

In other news, I'm a little disappointed in our signing of Edgar Renteria. I will enjoy having him on the team and appreciate what he does both offensively and defensively, but I was hoping to have the chance to watch Hanley Ramirez play a huge role in 2006 and beyond. A 4- year deal for Renteria means that Hanley will be traded. It's dissapointed not to see home-grown players on the field competing at the Major League level.

Ace-High Flush(ing)

2004-12-13T23:20:00.000-05:00

So Pedro reportedly won't be back in Boston. We'll probably hear a million different stories of who's at fault here. Could be Theo, for not pressing hard enough. Could be Pedro, for not taking the hometown discount. Could be Omar Minaya, for ridiculously overpaying. At any rate, Pedro is going to be back-page tabloid fodder for the next four years, and everybody loses in this situation - except Pedro.

The Mets got ripped off. That's how they lose. $13 million a year for the next four years is worlds too much to guarantee for a pitcher who scouts since the late 90s have been predicting will drop off the table within the next couple of years. He already began showing signs of it last season, and, though he's good enough of a pitcher to overcome a loss of velocity, he is nowhere near the guy he was 5-6 years ago. Just look at Game 7 of the ALCS.

The Sox also lose, because without Pedro their rotation suffers greatly. I never thought I would be able to say this anytime in the near future, but the Yankees very well could have a better rotation than the Sox on opening day. Schilling, Wells, Arroyo, Wakefield, and Halama is a rotation that frankly is not as good as Mussina, Pavano, Wright, Vazquez, and Milton/Brown. Unless Theo makes a charge at another free agent (Odalis Perez and Eric Milton are possibilities, though they'd have to overpay for either), or tries to wrench Tim Hudson from the Athletics (which is all but impossible as long as Los Angeles is dangling Edwin Jackson in front of Billy Beane), I will be quite underwhelmed by 1-5 in Boston. Sorry Sox fan, but John Halama and Billy Traber are not the answer. Not in 2005.

So that leaves Pedro as the only one who will still be happy with this deal in 5 years. And he has no reason not to be. I just can't wait until interleague play.

Red Sox bullpen

2004-12-13T01:09:00.000-05:00

In his short but outstanding career as the General Manager of the Red Sox, Theo Epstein's weakest area has been his bullpen strategy. He lost badly on expensive risks in Ramiro Mendoza and Byung-Hyun Kim. Foulke had a great season as a closer but getting through innings 7 and 8 was never comfortable for me. I respect Timlin and Embree but with Timlin on the mound I always feel like any pitch could be a home run - kind of like Way Back Wasdin used to make me feel. Embree doesn't seem to throw anything but 91 MPH fastballs on the outside corner of the plate. No one seems to point out that he throws 91 now but threw 97-98 when we acquired him only 2 years ago.

So far this offseason, we have added Matt Mantei and John Halama. Both are inexpensive, and have had impressive streaks of success. Mantei should be an outstanding set-up man, and Halama has added value in his ability to start a game if necessary. That seems critically important now with the increasing age of our rotation. We've also claimed Tim Bausher and Billy Traber off waivers - no-risk deals with decent potential even if neither makes the big league roster. I am still amazed that Traber cleared enough teams for the Red Sox to claim him.

Mantei and Halama will have established roles and should give the bullpen improved stability from last year. I'm thrilled with these signings, and even more thrilled with the fact that Theo has clearly reviewed his progress and developed a strategy to improve as he sees fit.

Wells

2004-12-12T23:51:00.000-05:00

David Wells. I have to say I have mixed feelings about this acquisition. From a purely baseball and business perspective I have to say I understand Theo's reasoning. Wells is cheaper than Pavano and comes with as much short term potential. The chances of re-signing Pedro seem better with signing him than had we signed Pavano. Wells had a solid 2004 season and has 3 consecutive seasons of 30 or more starts under his belt. Like Pavano, he doesn't record a lot of strikeouts (4.65 k/9) and relies on his excellent control (5.05 k/bb) for success.

He pitched a total of 4 seasons with the yankees between two stints, but I still seem to associate him with New York more than any other team. It seems awkward to shift gears and have him join the Red Sox even though he already turned his back on the Yankees after 2003.

His personality issues shouldn't a problem considering the cast of characters we already have - but then again with guys like Kevin Millar already on the roster, this may be like dumping gasoline on a previously well-controlled fire.

The bottom line is that Wells could be a great addition to the rotation. If he avoids physical or mental problems, he will be an excellent number 4 starter, and he will give the rotation a new look as a lefty. Most importantly, we'll probably see Wells and Ortiz sitting next to each other in the same dugout and that could be priceless.

Carlpalooza is Over

2004-12-11T23:19:00.000-05:00

Well that was unexpected. Carl Pavano agreed to sign with the Yankees on Day Two of the Winter Meetings, as both sides came to terms on a 4-year deal worth a total of $44 million. There is no denying that Carl benefitted from being the best in an overall mediocre crop of free agents this year, but he still is a phenomenal young pitcher that adds both youth and skill to our rotation. Though critics point to his relatively low 139 Ks in 222.1 IP this year, equating to just 5.63 K/9 innings, the fact that his road ERA (2.83) was lower than his ERA in pitcher-friendly Pro Player Stadium (3.20) is encouraging. Equally impressive is the consistency the 28-year-old showed throughout the year, never finishing any month with an ERA over 3.97. Pavano was clearly the top prize in the offseason arms race between the Yankees and Red Sox, and New York's signing of him does wonders to balance the rotations of the two teams.

Perhaps unbalancing those rotations, however, is Jaret Wright, who reportedly failed his physical today, and as such the three-year deal he agreed to has not yet been completed. With the acquisition of Pavano, I'm actually higher on Wright than I was at the beginning of this week, simply because he will be asked now to be a middle-of-the-rotation starter, as opposed to a front-line guy. That said, he is still not worth the risk of a guaranteed $21 million deal, and I would not be terribly disappointed if he went the way of previous physical failer Ugueth Urbina.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox are said to be closing in on a deal with free agent SS Edgar Renteria, who could not duplicate his career year of 2003 last season with the St. Louis Cardinals. Renteria would be a solid bat for the Sox near the top of the order, and would fit ideally into the team's lineup in the two-hole. Adding speed behind Johnny Damon, Renteria will look to improve upon an OBP that dropped 67 points in the past year, and it should be interesting to see if 2003 was a fluke career year, or a true breakout season for the 29-year-old. Either way, he would quite adequately fill one of the Sox' most glaring holes going into this offseason.

The Sox also agreed to terms with lefty John Halama, who will likely serve as a long man out of the bullpen for the team. Another low-risk signing for Theo, although this one also seems to have little reward. It's doubtful they'll find a Tanyon Sturtze out of John Halama.

After losing out on Pavano, the team will likely look to finalize a deal with Pedro before the close of the winter meetings in Anaheim.

Perfect I'm Not

2004-12-11T15:52:00.000-05:00

The Sox countered New York's acquisition of Jaret Wright yesterday with a move of their own, picking up the hefty lefty himself, David Wells, who they project as a #3 starter behind Schilling and, presumably, Pedro Martinez.

This is the type of move that only time will tell if it was really worthwhile or not. Boy wonder Theo Epstein signed Wells to a deal that guarantees at least $8 million for 2005, and could be worth as much as $18 million over two years if he can stay healthy. Wells is a true innings-eater, who, despite being 41 years old, has averaged over 200 innings pitched for the last three years. But don't discount being 41 years old. If Wells gets hurt in the middle of the season, it could potentially be a huge blow, especially if the team loses Pavano to the Yankees. Wells seems like an unnecessary risk, perhaps prompted by the sheer lack of quality starters on themarket this year.

We're now almost two full months into the offseason, and Carl Pavano's destination is not any clearer. Pavano represents this year's ultimate prize between the Yankees and the Red Sox, just as Alex Rodriguez and Jose Contreras have been before him. Yet Pavano seems even more important than those two because of what he could potentially mean to both teams. A Yankee rotation of Mussina, Pavano, Wright, Milton, and Vazquez is, though not spectacular, relatively solid all the way through. A Red Sox rotation of Schilling, Pedro, Pavano, Wells, and Arroyo, likewise, would trump anything the Yanks could throw out there. Pavano is clearly the wild card in this situation, because whoever gets him will be strengthened while the other team will be weakened; in essence, he will have twice the effect of the Yankees and Red Sox as any other free agent signing.

The winter meetings are in full swing in Anaheim right now, and the market is really starting to heat up, with several marquee signings already in the books. Look for the Yanks to (regrettably) sign Milton by early next week, with the Sox closing on Pedro.

Also, just a note, the Sox Fan has had some circumstances come up that have not allowed him to post for the past few days. He should be posting again by the end of the weekend, and then the debate will really begin. Don't worry, he's not just a slacker. I promise.

More Rumors and Rumblings

2004-12-09T15:34:00.000-05:00

One would think that after the signing of Jaret Wright the offseason would begin to clear up a bit, but it has only gotten more complicated. Reports are flying all over the place that the Yanks are close to finalizing a $24 million deal for lefty Eric Milton, but still are aggressively pursuing Carl Pavano at the winter meetings. Depending on who you talk to, Pavano is either definitely coming to New York or definitely going to Boston, and, oh yeah, Baltimore is "seriously" in the mix now too. This one might not be settled for a while.

If the Yankees can potentially sign both Milton and Pavano, that would point to an imminent departure for Kevin Brown to Atlanta, and some have suggested that Cashman's signing of Wright was designed to create a little more desperation down South. Perhaps it's true, but I still sincerely doubt a rotation hole would scare the Braves' into giving up Andruw Jones, at least not without George paying just about all of his salary, and even then only if Atlanta found it necessary to gain the money to re-sign breakout star J.D. Drew. And even if all of that falls into place, the question remains whether New York would keep Jones for itself, or try and sign Beltran as well, and spin Jones off to Oakland for Hudson and Zito. Right now I don't see any of that actually happening, but it should be interesting to look back on this offseason in six weeks or so and see if the Wright deal was an isolated event, or just the first of many dominoes.

Another rumor flying around is that the Yankees have all but finalized a deal with 35-year-old Korean left-handed pitcher Dae Sung-Koo, at two years and a total of about $3 million. If this is true, I am simply flabbergasted. Koo had a unsensational 5-10 record and 4.39 ERA while playing in the Japanese league this past season, and his worth, if he has any, would be as a second LOOGY out of the bullpen. Either the Yankees have all but given up on signing Steve Kline, or there is more to Kline's injury problems than was first expected. Regardless, Koo would fill our bullpen to the brim and would not allow for any more relief signings, unless Gordon or F-Rod were spun off to Arizona in a Randy Johnson deal.

One other note: The Sox signed Matt Mantei yesterday to a 1-year deal worth $750,000, and potentially up to $2.5 million with health and performance clauses in the mix. This is a low-risk-high-reward gamble on a guy that was lights out as Arizona's closer two years ago, but played in only 12 games this year in an injury-plagued season. If he returns to form he could be a valuable eighth-inning setup man akin to Tom Gordon; if he doesn't, the Sox are out three quarters of a million dollars. Which begs the question: Why can't the Yankees make signings like this? Why do we have to consistently throw three-year guaranteed deals in front of risky pickups, while the Sox are economizing and taking calculated low-risk gambles? It can't be that hard to find a bargain if you just know where to look.

What a Mess

2004-12-08T02:22:00.000-05:00

The past four hours have been absolutely filled with rumors and unofficial announcements, and it is looking very ugly.

First, the good news. MLB.com is reporting that the Yankees are close to signing a deal with former Yank Tino Martinez, who was declined salary arbitration by the Devil Rays. Tino would be a great backup first baseman, still has some pop from the left side, and yes, he's a True Yankee. Unfortunately, that's where the good news ends.

Easily the biggest news comes from ESPN.com, which is reporting that the Yankees have signed free agents Jaret Wright and Tony Womack, and will be announcing these deals later this week. This is just horrible work by the front office. Wright, though he had a stellar season last year in his first full year since 1998. Wright could potentially be a great starter, but I just don't see it happening. The guy has had myriad problems since that 1998 campaign, and though he seemed to fix most of them under Atlanta's pitching guru Leo Mazzone, I'm sure Mel "Where Young Arms Come to Die" Stottlemeyer will have something to say about that. Wright did show a lot of potential with his 2.27 K/BB ratio and .646 OPS against last year, but he's still a risk, and $7 million a year for three years is simply too much to be paying to gamble, especially when better options remain out there. This move reeks of front-office restlessness and pressure to make a splash in the market.

Womack, who was reportedly signed at $4 million over two years, just does not make sense to me. The signing undoubtedly spells the end for Miguel Cairo in New York, and adds nothing to the team. A stolen base threat for the National League Champion Cardinals last year, Womack is now 35 years old, and is the proud owner of a paltry .319 OBP and .681 OPS. His 2004 numbers are extraordinarily similar to Cairo's, which is why the signing just does not fit. Why pay more for a Miguel Cairo replica, when you could just re-sign a guy who admittedly would take less money and less playing time to stay with New York, and who won over the hearts of Yankee fans this year with his gutty at-bats and desire to play? Not to mention that Polanco, a guy that would actually be a significant improvement, was still taking offers on the free market. Cairo was the one bargain in our lineup, and grew to be one of my favorite players on the 2004 Yankees. And just like that, the front office throws him out on the street.

Perhaps the worst news, however, comes from the New York Times, which is reporting that Jon Lieber will be signing with the Phillies. Andy Pettitte revisited, anyone? New York showed no interest whatsoever in re-signing their most consistent pitcher of 2004, and basically threw the investment they made two years ago out the window by not exercising his $7 million option for 2005. It is not at all surprising that he would leave, based on the way the Yankees have been treating him this offseason. Instead, it is shameful that Cashman & Co. would act like this. Though Lieber has not signed with Philadelphia yet, it appears imminent, and would add a bitter end to a horrendous week. Moreover, the loss of Lieber makes it seem even more likely that the Yankees will sign lefty Eric Milton instead, a move that would be worse than any that have occurred this winter to date. The only glimmer of hope here is that about two hours before the NY Times release, WFAN radio was reporting that the Yankees offered Lieber, along with Ruben Sierra, salary arbitration. Stay tuned on this one, it could get ugly.

I am greatly distressed at the direction in which this organization seems to be going. Lieber and Cairo were two of the biggest reasons we made it as far as we did this past year, and it certainly isn't being appreciated by the Yankees' brass. I don't think it's a very bold statement to say that Jon Lieber and Miguel Cairo are a better tandem that Jaret Wright and Tony Womack.

Doug Mirabelli

2004-12-07T13:54:00.000-05:00

Following their 2004 World Series Championship, the Red Sox are faced with the most daunting potential free agent losses in baseball. Sixteen members of the championship roster were eligible to file for free agency; most notably Pedro Martinez, Jason Varitek, Orlando Cabrera and Derek Lowe. It was advantageous to sign Trot Nixon and David Ortiz to long-term deals before the season to avoid an even more difficult offseason challenge.

So far this offseason, Gabe Kapler has signed to play in Japan and Doug Mirabelli has signed a two year extension. Gabe's absense will undoubtedly weaken the bench - he's good enough to start for most teams. The re-signing of Mirabelli was critically important. If we lose Varitek to another team, not only is Mirabelli (note: the best back-up catcher in baseball) capable of stepping up to catch more games, but he will bring continuity to the relationship between the catchers and the pitching staff. He has worked with the pitching staff for several years and also with Varitek. The loss of both catchers would have eliminated that intagible familiarity that is so important in game-calling strategy. Last year, Mirabelli led American League catchers (minimum 40 games) in slugging percentage. Doug plays with a great attitude, never complaining about his back-up role, and using his time in-between starts wisely - studying opposing pitchers to imporve his at-bats and studying opposing hitters to develop a strategy for his next game. He is also prepared to enter any game at any time.

We will soon see if the Red Sox and Satan (Scott Boras) can close the 2 million dollar-per-year gap in their proposals, whether Pedro will accept his generous offer, and who will be the Red Sox starting shortstop. We'll see if we land prime free agents like Carl Pavano and Brad Radke or if we trade for a superstar like Tim Hudson. In the meantime, we should take a a second to appreciate Theo and the Trio's re-signing of Doug Mirabelli.

Strength in Numbers?

2004-12-07T12:37:00.000-05:00

A couple of words about the Yankees' recent acquisitions of Felix Rodriguez and Mike Stanton to bolster the bullpen. Both have their weak points, especially Stanton who is nowhere near what he used to be, but what we're getting versus what we're giving up here is more than worth it. Kenny Lofton is useless to us and is just an attitude problem waiting to happen, and that other Felix, well, I don't even want to comment. Good riddance.

These acquisitions have painted a lot better picture of what Torre is going to do with the bullpen this year. The fact that Stanton, a lefty, is actually better against righties, and F-Rod, a righty, is actually better against lefties, indicates that Torre probably won't be hinging around a LOOGY as he tried to do this year with Heredia. The seventh inning is probably F-Rod's unless he does something to lose Joe's trust, the eighth belongs to Gordon, and the ninth goes to Mo. This also may affect future signings, as there's really not much room in the pen anymore for Kline, unless the front office knows something about Karsay or Quantrill that we don't. If we do wind up signing Kline, however, this could be the best bullpen I've seen in the Bronx in a long time.

Welcome to the Blog

2004-12-07T00:39:00.000-05:00

You've reached the new home on the web for all things Yankees-Red Sox. My Sox-loving companion and I will be squaring off on this blog, discussing everything going happening on and off the field from two different perspectives. It'll be up to you, the readers, to determine who's right. ;) Hope you all enjoy, and are as excited about this venture as we are.