It's been a minute or two since I did a Top Ten Tuesday post, but back when I was blogging constantly (AKA when I had even less of a life than I do now), they were one of my fave posts to craft up - so let's bring 'em back!
As each member of the Yanks rolled into camp for Spring Training and were pounced upon by the media, every single one of them reiterated the same cliched sentiment: "we just want to repeat what we did last year." A lovely goal, but as history has shown us, a tough one to realize. There are so many variables involved in winning even one World Series - not just your own team's injuries, slumps, and luck (good and bad), but that of 29 other teams, too! - that winning two in a row is no small feat, even with a spectacular team.
The Yanks do have a spectacular team, of course - arguably even better than last year's championship roster. They've got about as good a chance of repeating as any team in recent history, but there's a few things that need to fall into place just right if they want any chance of back to back titles.
Top Ten Things the Yanks Need to Get Ring #28 in 2010:
10) A big year from Cano. Robby Cano Dont'cha Know had a dandy year last year in most regards - solid defense, stellar average, and a nice burst of power (25 home runs compared to his previous career high of 19). However... he couldn't always hack it in big situations and hit into 22 double plays. If he can get his act together just a tiny bit more, it'd be huge for the team. Let's just hope he's not too distracted by the loss of his BFF to play well - we don't want a repeat of 2008's performance.
9) A decent performance from the Gardner/Winn/Thames contingent. I've said several times that because of the depth of the rest of the lineup, having a mediocre player in that outfield spot isn't really that big of a deal. That may be true, but there's still no room for a wretched performance. Whoever ends up in that spot needs to at least be consistent and able to contribute to the team in some way - we can't have a .200 hitter going out there every day.
8) Minimal injuries. It's a "duh" one to even put on here, but really: some of these dudes ain't spring chickens, and we've got at least one guy that is particularly injury-prone (I'm looking at you, Nick Johnson. Try not to trip over a sunflower seed on your way to the dugout.) A rash of ill-timed minor injuries or a totally debilitating injury to a key player like A-Rod or Sabathia could be fatal. To their dreams. And anyone sitting near me when it happens.
7) We need the 2008 Granderson, not the 2009 one. Last year was a relatively rough year for Curtis, at least in comparison to his previous seasons - he only hit .249 with a .327 OBP (although he did hit 30 homers, which he can hopefully duplicate with the Yanks' homer-friendly right field). Worst of all, his splits last year were heinous - he only hit .183 against lefties last year. We need better.
6) No burnout for Sabathia. Sabathia has earned a reputation for being a workhorse, never turning down an opportunity to pitch one more inning or on one fewer day of rest. This was key last year, but can he keep it up?
5) Jobamania AND Hughsie need to be ON all year. Wherever they end up, they both need to finally live up to their hype - and stay healthy. Whichever one ends up starting is going to make a huge impact on the team every five days, and whoever ends up in the 'pen has the ability to be a stabilizing force on the team. Both are important roles, obviously, but it would also be a big morale booster for the team to see both of their young "future stars" finally become stars.
4) A drama-free A-Rod. I think after last year, we can pretty much confirm that A-Rod's attitude makes a WORLD of difference in his performance - and it also makes it easier for the rest of the team to relax and play their best, too. If A-Rod gets entangled in a baby-mama drama with a Real Housewife of New Jersey or continues to be thrust into the spotlight for past transgressions, all bets are off.
3) Jorgie MUST be able to catch (and preferably hit) as often as humanly possible - and he needs to hug it out with Burnett. No offense to Cervelli, but Jorgie better be prepared to play 140 games. Plus, with no Molina to fall back on this year, AJ's gonna have to suck it up and learn to get along with Posada - work on those signs, kiddos.
2) Mariano not to wake up and realize he's 40 years old and shouldn't by any stretch of the imagination still be this good. For a closer to still be this automatic at this stage in his career is obscene... and absolutely necessary for the Yanks' success. If the Yanks lose the luxury of being able to count on winning just about every game when they take a lead into the 9th inning, maintaining momentum and confidence will get a lot trickier.
1) Girardi needs to prove that his strategy wasn't a fluke. I cannot begin to count the number of times last year that I hollered and ranted about Girardi's "over-managing". By the end of September, the man was driving me insane - taking pitchers out when they clearly had more in the tank, giving people days off - I felt like it was killing the rhythm. Clearly, it worked... but I'm not sure I'm convinced it's the best way to do things. Girardi needs to pay close attention to his team this year and make adjustments if necessary (or not - I'm willing to be proved wrong again!)
What say you, YC-ers? Anything you'd like to add to the list?
The Yanks won their second ST game this afternoon, thanks in large part to Jorgie Porgie's homer and RBI dub. My sympathetic shoulder pain is subsiding with each successful Jorgie at-bat and I'm feeling very optimistic about his role on the team this year. He wasn't catching yet, of course, but he'll get there. At least his swing is working.
My main concern for today's game, though, was Hughsie. In his short time on the major league roster he admittedly hasn't given us much reason to expect greatness out of him, but I'm not giving up yet. He's only 22 and wowed everyone who saw him in the minors, and I think there's plenty of time left for him to get it together and contribute to the team. Now that the Yanks have added CC and AJ to the roster, Hughes's success is not quite as crucial as it was last year (it was both unwise and unfair [and cheap] for the Yankees to expect Hughsie and IPK to fit right into the rotation last year - did we really think that was going to work out perfectly?! Man we're stupid) but he could certainly be a vital part of the rotation at some point.
So how'd he do today? Well... the good news is that he pitched two hitless/scoreless innings! He threw 33 pitches and 22 of them were strikes. Unfortunately, he somehow managed to hit two of the first three Rays he faced. Never mind, though - still a positive outing overall and Girardi thought he did well for his first time out.
IPK tomorrow! Yeah, I'm still holding out hope for him too.
The Yanks are all BFF, Seriously. Wait, Where's Jorgie?
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
A-Rod continued his Groveling Tour 2009 today by holding a press conference down in Tampa, and this time he had a posse with him. Just about every Yank on the roster showed up, as did much of the staff, including Girardi, the Cash Man, and many of A-Rod's coaches. While A-Rod "explained" his actions (give the guy a break, who among us wouldn't allow our cousin to inject us with a mysterious substance? Come on, it's available over the counter in the Dominican! That means it's safe) and shed a tear or two, his teammates sat stoicly by his side, kindly reserving judgement for their dear, dear friend.
Oh, except for Posada, who got up and left in the middle of the soul-bearing session (in case you missed it: A-Rod is embarrassed and disappointed; repeat that sentiment 10,000 times if you'd like to recreate the press conference for yourself in your own brain) and didn't manage to make a return appearance. Without knowing the full story/his excuse, let's just pretend he ate some bad cheese at the pre-event luncheon and couldn't leave the bathroom. Certainly he wasn't just being a dick, right?
Actually... I don't even care where Jorgie ran off to or what the player's have to say about this latest apology. What's done is done, A-Rod clearly feels bad and he certainly won't be doing anything (that) stupid again. Please let this be the last leg of the Sorry-a-thon.
A couple weeks ago, when I read that the Red Sox had agreed to give Varitek $5 million with a $5 million club option for 2010*, I actually cackled aloud. "Bobby Abreu can't find a job and this chump gets $5 mil?!"
Then I remembered that the Yankees have a similarly well-loved but aging catcher on their books, and they're paying him a hell of a lot more than that**, and I shut my trap.
In case you've forgotten, Jorge Posada scored himself quite the lucrative deal after his out-of-nowhere 2007 successes (.338/.426/.543), but we didn't see much of him last year. In 2008, the first of his 4-year deal, he played just 51 games thanks to a nagging shoulder injury that eventually resulted in surgery at the end of July. Jorgie performed decently in the few chances he had last year, hitting .268 with 3 homers, but he never had enough time to really warm up before or after the surgery. While he was gone, the catching position was a little bit of a disaster (fit right in with the rest of the team!), with Molina, Pudge, and Chad Moeller (remember?) trying to contribute what they could to the cause while we all wished that Posada would not only make a triumphant return but somehow duplicate what he did in 2007.
So what's going to happen this year? With each year that goes by since the 2000 win over the Mets, the desperation to win another World Series seems to expand exponentially. The mega signings of CC, Burnett, and Tex are really piling the pressure on for the team to succeed this year, and everyone knows that a World Series win (or at least appearance) would do wonders to improve A-Rod's legacy. A healthy, productive, reliable Jorge Posada is key to a successful 2009.
The good news is that Jorge has already arrived in Tampa to start preparing for Spring Training, and everyone - including Jorgie - is optimistic about his health. While only time will tell if he is fully healed from his surgery, there don't appear to be any lingering ill effects. He won't catch a ST game until the middle of March, and the plan for the season is to have him catch about 100-110 games and he'll spend the rest of his time sharing the DH spot with Matsui and Damon. It wouldn't be wise to expect him to hit .300 again, but if we could count on .270 with 20 homers, he'd be worth every penny of the $13 million the Yanks will be paying him this year.
*BTW: Varitek DECLINED arbitration that would have gotten him about $10 million in favor of filing for free agency, and this is what they were able to come up with. Has Boras lost his touch or his mind? **BTW again: Jorge Posada is far better than Varitek.
BTW... a) This is the first time I've been able to use the Bern Bernie Bern tag in 9 months b) It is also the first time I've used Jorgie Porgie's tag since his injury
So! Y'all know that I've been more than just a tad disappointed about the FAIL way the team played in the middle of the season and truly think that they HAD the potential to make it to the post-season and simply squandered away their chances by playing sloppily and without passion. I do understand that a team can't make the playoffs every year and blah blah blah, but when a team is packed with talent it's still a disappointment.
Last night, though, I completely forgot about that disappointment. In a word, last night was magical. I know that sounds a bit cheesy, but I implore you to deny that it was just that. I could not have imagined a better send-off for the stadium - it was incredibly well done. The turnout of Yankee legends made the night so special, especially to see them all on the field. The highlight for me was the tribute and special attention given to Bernie, since nothing like that was done after his final game back in '06. I kind of thought they might take the opportunity to retire his number, but perhaps they'll do that once he finally "officially" retires.
Other fave moments:
Boomer! God I love that man. He seems like such good times, even though I fear that if I were to hang out with him (how 'bout it, Boom Dawg?) I would wind up in a jail cell in Tijuana (even if we were partying at a bar in NYC. Somehow, we would end up there.)
I'm so glad Jorgie was there. It was awesome to see him back in the dugout and chit-chatting with the Jeet et al.
Having Babe's daughter throw out the first pitch was the most perfect choice they could have made.
Even though he can be annoying, I appreciate them giving Michael Kay the mic for all the pre-game announcing. He's the TV voice/face of the Yanks and deserved the honor.
Mariano's 1-2-3 9th was the perfect way to end the game and cap off 85 years of Yankee Stadium. He's the best closer in the history of the game and to have anyone else throw out the final pitch would have been a shame.
Obviously, the fact that they won was ideal. Woulda been a bust if they went out on a loss.
Jeet's fan-appreciation speech after the game was classic and heartwarming. Things wouldn't be the same without all the hardcore fans, and it was nice to see the crew tipping their hats in thanks.
I am not one of those folks that think moving to a new stadium is some horrible act of sacrilege that will ruin tradition - I'm looking forward to it and think sparkly new digs suit the grand aura of the Yanks. Last night was the perfect way to end the era, celebrate the past and get excited for the future.
One last thing: I honestly and truly believe that ANY true baseball fan should have enjoyed or at the very least appreciated the extravaganza last night. I don't care if you're a Red Sox fan, lifelong Yankee hater, engaged in a plural marriage with Manny Ramirez and Pedro Martinez - last night was about history. I've already heard a couple Red Sox fans denouncing it and saying "YOUR TEAM DIDN'T EVEN MAKE THE PLAYOFFS LOLZ" and I find that pathetic. Don't bother calling yourself a baseball fan.
One more last thing: Here's a vid of the final inning I found on the ol' You Tubez. Relive the magic!
"Bad news for Posada. He will see Dr. David Altchek tomorrow and may soon have season-ending surgery to repair the torn lambrum in his shoulder. The surgery is such that he may need to get it now to make sure he will be ready for next season.
Posada admitted that he can’t throw and that it has been bothering him all season."
I guess he wasn't doing much for us anyway... Molina has been doing a much better job behind the plate than dear Jorgie and at least he gets hit by pitches.
Bad news, folks: the Yanks are going to be without their catcher for a lot longer than all of us had hoped.
Last week Jorgie checked into the DL Resort for the first time in his illustrious career; his "dead shoulder" (whatever that means... if I didn't know better I'd almost think it sounded suspicious) had finally gotten the best of him. He was only put on the 15-day DL, leading us to believe that he just needed a short rest and that he'd be back in no time at all. Sadly, that proved to be false - it's now being reported that he'll need at least 5 weeks to get back in shape.
Sigh. He was having a good start to the season, batting .302 with 11 RBI in 18 games, and with the way Giambi and Cano are hitting (or NOT hitting, more accurately) his bat was really needed in the lineup. Unfortunately, his replacement Jose Molina isn't providing even close to the production the Yanks were likely to get out of Posada - he's batting a sad .218 with an even sadder .214 OBP. Interesting, his backup catcher Chad Moeller is actually doing well, hitting .333 in 7 games, so I suppose it's nice to at least have a decent backup.
In addition to my usual Yankees Chick posts, I have also begun writing regularly for AOL's FanHouse blog on all things AL East. I will post the beginnings of those articles here on YC, and then you'll have to click the link to jump on over to FH to read the rest... stick with me here, amigos! --------------------------------------------------------
After 14 years of service, 1,450 games, 4,877 at-bats and 338 potential base-steelers thrown out, Jorge Posada is going to the DL for the first time in his career.
Jorgie has been plagued with what he called a "dead shoulder," initially diagnosed as a simple strain but now sounding like something more serious than that. He took several days off already this year and a few partial rest days by DH'ing, but alas, the bench and DH time wasn't enough to let that shoulder heal.
Understandably, Jorgie is pretty upset about the necessary DL time:
It's very disappointing. It's the biggest disappointment in my career, probably, being on the DL and not being able to participate in games. It's really tough. I thought it was coming along, but it's not. It's something that we've got to find out what's really bothering me and take it from there.
It's nice that he feels so bad and all, and obviously it's not his fault that's he injured, but this little snafu does put the Yanks in a bit of a pinch. The only catcher left on the roster is Jose Molina, who has proved to be a perfectly adequate backup catcher in Posada's stead, but the Yanks are going to need a backup catcher if Molina is going to be the starter for the foreseeable future. They had journey man Chad Moeller while Jorgie was taking his break, but when they thought he was ready to come back they designated Chad for assignment.
Injury Update: Spirit Coordinator Out, Jorgie and the Jeet IN
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Last night was a disaster offensively. They managed to put seven hits together but couldn't score a run to save their pathetic lives.
This has got to stop.
The good news here is that neither Jeet nor Jorgie is hurt enough to require a vacation at the DL Resort and should be back in the lineup in a matter of days. The MRI on Jorgie's shoulder revealed nothing more than serious than a simple strain, which can be remedied by a nice rest, and Jeter is already tossing the ball around, a good sign for the state of his quad muscle boo-boo.
Unfortunately, they were both mired in slumps before getting injured, which makes me fearful that even upon their respective returns they might not be contributing as much as we would hope right away. I have no doubt that they'll both get rolling eventually, but it sure would be nice if they could put their goddamn bats in a manner that would not result in a double play or pop out -- wouldn't that be fun to watch?
The sad news, by the way, is that our dear Spirit Coordinator was busted down to Triple-A to make room for Alberto Gonzales, who came up to play shortstop yesterday. The Yanks chose to send Shelley down instead of one of their other bench boys because he was the only one with a minor league option and can be brought back up after just ten days and start boosting morale with copious amounts of enthusiastic fist pumps, so he is not gone forever. It's a good thing, too, because I can't stand seeing Giambi play first base for much longer.
It's been but one week since the start of the season and our dear team has already been struck not once but twice by Pavano's Patented Pain Plague. Jeter was the first to go down, with a strained quad and/or groin muscle - I'm actually not sure which one... I keep reading/hearing different things. If anyone has a direct line to Jeter's groin, please ask it if it's OK - on Monday, and yesterday Jorgie Porgie had to be taken out of the game because his bum shoulder was acting up again (perhaps it was just tired of not throwing people out and decided to take a breather).
Neither Jeet nor Jorgie has been busted down to the DL just yet, but they're both out for the time being. Jorgie is going in for an MRI on that pesky shoulder today, so we'll know more this afternoon, I'd imagine. I'm far more worried about Jorgie than I am about The Jeet - not only is he older and more fragile, he's also tougher to replace. That is no slight to Jose Molina - a team could do far worse than a Molina brother when it comes to backup catchers (sorry, John Flaherty) - but the catcher is traditionally the heart of your team, and Posada has exemplified that role for the Yankees throughout his career. The team will absolutely notice his absence every day he's not on the field. Furthermore, the Yanks simply have a lot more options when it comes to plugging someone into an infield slot.
Just yesterday I was remarking how odd it felt to rely on our pitching while the offense sat around gorging themselves on sunflower seeds, and unfortunately all signs are pointing towards more of the same. Cano and Giambi are still muddling through ridiculously slow starts and now Jeter and Jorgie are out before even having the chance to pull themselves out of their own slumps. I hope Better Mint, Mo-Ens, and J-Mo are ready to back up our pitching, since our starters apparently don't feel like it...
The usual M.O. for the Yankees teams of the 2000s has been to stack the roster with powerful offense and worry about pitching second, relying on the bats to propel the team to winville. The Yanks are off to a good start this year (especially compared to last year. And compared to the Tigers.), but it's actually been the pitching that's been winning the games while the batters swing and miss over and over again. Even though we're only one week into the season and obviously don't need to be rushing to conclusions, it's a bit frustrating to see the pitching produce while the offense struggles to provide them with run support.
After six games, only four starters are hitting over .300: MVP-Rod (.333), Matso Ball Soup (.350), the Melkinator (.364), and Abreu (.318); on the other side of the spectrum, there are four starters hitting under .200! Those losers are Jorgie (.143), Giambino (.083), Demon (.136), and Robby (.174). What's worse, the team is only hitting .146 with runners in scoring position! FOR SHAME!
Again, it's only been a few days. There's no need to panic (it's not like they're 0-6 or anything...). I'm confident that Jeter and Cano will end up with .320 BA's, Giambi will work his OBP magic as usual. Girardi will fire everyone up (he has something we haven't seen in a Yanks manager in 12 years: emotion other than sentimental tears and loving pats on the back) and all will be well in the world.
Let's just hope that happens before our pitchers get tired.
You probably noticed that he was not in the lineup last night, but twas not because he needed a day off after one game (he's not that old and rickety... yet). He's got a "stiff shoulder" (that sounds vaguely sexual) but is thankfully not heading for the DL Resort - they are just going to keep an eye on him and reevaluate every day.
Hopefully the stiffness is just do to the chilly weather (elderly ladies and gentleman often have joint troubles when the weather gets colder) and not something more serious. I like Molina well enough, but no one wants to see Jorgie out for longer than a day or two. We need the Yanks to get off to a better start than they did last year (sorry for the sad reminder) and Jorgie's bat would obviously be a big help.
In better injury-related news, Pettitte is doing just fine and should be back to attack on Saturday as planned.
Sidenote/complete change of subject: I still haven't finished my 2008 Team Previews! Failure am I. Is anyone even reading those? No matter - I shall finish by the weekend while the season is still just a few days old.
Poll: Is It Wrong To Play Dirty in Spring Training?
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Yesterday's game against the Rays turned out badly, and not because they lost or even because of another mediocre performance by anyone the Moose. No, the trouble was much worse than that - a busted up right wrist for young Yank catcher Francisco Cervelli. As Devil Ray Elliot Johnson attempted to score on a hit to left field by Willy Aybar, he threw himself full force into Cervelli, who was blocking the plate. By most accounts Johnson's smash into Cervelli was done with unnecessary force.
Girardi was obviously quite unhappy with the result of that run-in. With Jorgie and Molina both lined up to catch during the season it was unlikely that Cervelli would have been on the roster anyway, but the fact that it happened at all worries him - and I'm with him. What if it had been Jorgie Porgie Pudding and Pie? Or even Molina?
"You should play hard, but that's a play that there is no memo ... Cervelli didn't have a chance to do anything. But one thing that you teach catchers is that when you do have a chance to do something and there is going to be contact, try to be the one to initiate it instead of absorbing it."
As for Rays manager Joe Madden, he didn't seem too concerned, despite the fact that Johnson suffered a separated shoulder from the incident:
"We'd like to see more plays like that from our team."
Top Ten Tuesdays: This Glass of Yankees Juice is Half-Full
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
February is drawing to a close, and as we head into March, I must say that all seems right in the world at long last. I've been sprung from the clink, the boys are throwing the ball around down in Tampa, and Pavano has made his annual weak "See, world? I'm totally still a pitcher! Change my label from "Pavano must die" to "Pavano must LIVE" again, YC!" performance. Perhaps I'm simply projecting my glee over being free from the clutches of doctors (not to mention phlebotomists, YC's blood's mortal enemy), but I am feeling ridiculously positive about the upcoming season - and I think y'all should feel the same way. Need a reason? I've got ten of them!
Top Ten Reasons To Be Optimistic About The 2008 Yanks:
10) I-Ken 9) Joe Girardi 8) Santana is safely sequestered in Queens 7) Posada's still looking sharp. Age shmage. 6) Hughsie 5) There are no talks of bringing Bonds to the team. 4) Joba. 3) The Steinbrothers have shown they are not as quick as Papa to make big trades. 2) They are hungry for a title. Starving. Salivating. (Now I'm starving... for In N Out). 1) A-Rod.
As we're all well aware, winter meetings are underway and I'm sure you're all just as frenzied with anticipation as I. Day one has come and gone, and while no bombshells were dropped in the way of Santanamania or Danny-Boy Haren trades, the Yanks did bid adieu to one old friend and signed on a decent backup catcher that can hopefully serve as a viable back up for Old Man Jorgie Porgie as he further advances into his twilight years (of playing... not of life). Jose Molina, who joined the team in the middle of last year to replace poor sweet Wil Nieves, is 32 years old with a lifetime "backup catcher batting average" of .243 and hits an average of, oh, a whopping 3 or 4 homers a year, will be sticking with the team for two years. Sure, he is no power hitter and he's not going to be working walks like Giambi, but he is a solid defender and seemed to get along with the team swimmingly last season, so for a backup catcher - which everyone needs, particularly teams who sign 36-year-olds to 4-year contracts (not that I'm knocking that contract, I'm all for it and have been from the get-go) - we surely could have done much worse (sorry, Kelly Stinnet). As for that "adieu" I mentioned, sadly that was bid to Andy Phillips as he was DFA'd to make room for BengieYadier Jose. I doubt I am alone in having a soft spot in my heart for AP, but logistically it made the right sense. While no one wants to see Giambino manning first base all year, it is surely much easier to plug that hole (throw Posada in there sometimes, Damon if Melky is still on the team, one of the youngsters like Alberto Gonzolez....) than one behind the plate.
Goodness gracious great balls of fire, my lovelies.
After all the uproar over the changes that took place at the beginning of the offseason, things are beginning to fall into place quite quickly. In fact, the 2008 crew is actually shaping up to look... well, a lot like it looked in 2007.
In 2007, Jorge Posada caught 138 games. In 2008, he'll be back behind the plate.
In 2007, A-Rod hit 54 homers, had 156 RBI, and made 13 errors at 3rd base. In 2008, he'll be making a f*ckton of money and playing 3rd base again.
In 2007, Mariano Rivera pitched in 67 games, earning 30 saves. In 2008, he'll be pitching to the tune of Enter Sandman for a 14th season.
In 2007, Kevin Long hitting-coached the team to a collective .290 batting average. In 2008, he'll be working with the cream of the crop again... let's shoot for .291 this year, kiddos.
In 2007, Tony Pena parked himself on the first base line to pat baserunners on the ass and send them on stealing missions. In 2008, he'll be right back out there with his butt-patting hand at the ready.
In 2007, Rob Thomson was the "Major League Field Coordinator" for the team (what does that mean? No one knows.) In 2008, he'll be The Girardino's right hand man on the bench.
I am very pro-Girardino, and I sincerely have high hopes for the 2008 season. I like the idea of keeping so much of the core 2007 team together while injecting some fresh blood to shake things up a bit. What the Yankees were missing last year was not talent. It was unity, motivation, attitude... factors that I feel a little shaking up could help. A lot.
Now that Jorgie Porgie's spot on the team has been secured for the next 4 years and all indications point to a 3 year deal for Mo, we can effectively stop worrying about those two roster spots and instead start thinking about what we're going to do with those old dudes in the last years of their respective contracts. Jorgie will be 40 when his contract ends and Mariano will be close to 41, old by any baseball standards (unless you're on the juice, or are Roger Clemens or are Roger Clemens on the juice) but especially ancient for catchers and closers. It's possible that they'll both still be able to play well at that old age, but it is more likely that the Yanks will have to find something else for them to do. I've got some ideas...
Top Ten Things Mo and Jorgie Can Do In Their Final Contract Year 10) Make daily calls to Tampa Bay to see if they will sign them once they're done with the Yanks 9) No longer afraid of not being re-signed, begin telling Steinbrenner what an ass he is. Constantly. 8) Run the stadium tours while the team is out of town (because the team surely won't be taking them on the road trips) 7) Whiskey. 6) Tell stories to the youngsters about the olden times when they had to walk uphill in the snow 2 miles each way to the stadium every day. 5) Taunt Bernie by repeatedly asking him where HE is playing this year 4) Embrace new role of "token Yankee veteran" at public affairs with gusto. 3) Botox parties!!! 2) Start campaigning for coaching jobs in LA with Torre 1) Enjoy lavish retirement parties and gifts, and then un-retire.
Good news, all of ye who, like me, live in daily fear of players going to other teams: the Yanks managed to lock Jorgie down in a contract before he even had time to hit the free agent market. The deal is reportedly for 4 years, $52 mil, meaning the Yanks are going to be counting on Jorgie Boy to contribute to the team in some way till he's at least 40 years old - a tad on the nutso side, sure, but after the performance he put up this year surely he earned himself a good deal. Also, I'm sure the fact that there are no catchers of his caliber available at the moment and the team doesn't even have anyone in the farm poised to become a Jorgie Backup any time soon made the long-term contract a no-brainer for the Three Steinmeteers.
Next up? Mariano, who has allegedly also been offered a similar deal. Cross your fingers.
I don't know about the rest of y'all, but I keep forgetting that the Yankees only very recently wrapped up a season of actually playing baseball. My Yankees Chick brain is very focused on the future of the team, anticipating what The Girardino will do or wont do, resigning Po and Mo, and frantically scouring the Interwebs every hour for new rumors or ideas on who will be playing 3rd base in 2008. However, there was indeed a season of baseball played in 2007 and if you haven't blocked out the entire season from your memory to stave off painful flashbacks of things like Pavano pitching and the team buckling under the superior Cleveland pitching in the ALDS, you might recall that a few of the Yanks played very well all year. Those folks are being rewarded now as the yearly deluge of awards comes raining down upon the baseball world - not just good old-fashioned awards like MVP or Rookie of the Year but the fun corporate-sponsored accolades (I still maintain that being named "DHL Delivery Man" should be considered less of an accomplishment and more of an insult; if I were a Mariano/Trevor/Paplebon/Etc-caliber pitcher I certainly would not want my glorious pitching to be associated with that shoddy slow delivery service), too. The "big" awards - Cy Young, Manager of the Year, and MVP - won't be announced until later this week, but there have already been some trophies (or whatever the hell you get for winning these... pride? Stack of cash? Free DHL service for a year?) given out. Here's what the Yanks have won so far...
Silver Sluggers: Jeet, A-Rod, and Posada were all honored for their work at the plate, and rightfully so. It is A-Rod's 9th Silver Slugger, Jorgie Porgie's 5th (and sidenote: did you realize that he is the first Yankeee catcher to finish in the top 10 in batting average in the league since Thurman Munson? Shit, I should have saved that for a Fun Fact O' The Day...), and Jeet's 2nd (another sidenote: I am somewhat suprised that this was only the second time Jeter has won a Silver Slugger, since he has had so many consistently solid batting average and OBP seasons, but when we consider that he was losing them to A-Rod all those years that he was playing shortstop I suppose 2nd place ain't so bad).
Hank Aaron Award: As expected, A-Rod won. Not as expected, though, was his snub of the event honoring him and Prince Fielder. Nice touch, Mr. Classy McClasserson. The man I spent 3 years defending continues to break my heart with selfish choices and disrespectful actions. Sickened.
AL MVP: Technically this won't be announced till a week from today, but with my excellent powers of intuition and honed psychic abilities I think I can accurately predict the name of the winner - and maybe for this one Mr. Classy McClasserson will show some gratitude.
Gold Glove Award: Jason Giambi was honored for his excellent defensive work at first base... his lunging is top-notch and he certainly never looks out of place or awkward there. Nosiree. Oh wait, he didn't win? You've gotta be kidding me.
In 2009 Curtis Granderson published a book: All You Can Be: Dream It, Draw It, Become It! Granderson "shares the lessons that he learned growing up--the importance of family and choosing the right friends, the power of listening and staying positive, and most important, the value of being yourself."
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