Tag: Yankees

Monty Hall: Let’s Make a Deal

michael-taylorThere is another three way deal on the horizon, this one involving the Phillies, the Blue Jays, & the Mariners.  Philadelphia would get righthanded ace Roy Halladay from the Blue Jays & pitching prospect Phillippe Aumont (plus another Seattle youngster, yet to be named) from the Mariners, Seattle gets Cliff Lee from the City of Brotherly Love, and Toronto picks up superstar phenom outfielder Michael Taylor, sky’s the limit starter Kyle Drabek (Son of Doug), and minor league catcher Travis d’Arnaud from the Phils.  In a deal involving two former Cy Young Award winners switching uniforms, the third party player might end up being the big winner, that’s how good Michael Taylor might end up, he’s that good!  Trader Billy Beane jumped into the frey to make it a four-way deal, sending 1B-3B Brett Wallace, a 2008 1st round pick out of ASU by the Cardinals who was traded to Oakland in the Matt Holliday trade, to Toronto for Michael Taylor.  While Wallace has some serious power 20 or more homers in each of the last two seasons, he also swung & missed 106 times in the minors this past year.  To me, the A’s look to be the big winner getting the highly skilled outfielder Taylor.

This three way deal was probably made possible when the Red Sox inked John Lackey away from the Angels.  Once the Bronx Bombers knew Boston was no longer in the hunt to pickup either Halladay or Lee, the Pinstripers could relax and let the trade proceed without outside interference from NY.

In another move, not made by the Yankees, World Series MVP Hideki (Godzilla, but you can call me Shemp) Matsui headed west to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  The Orange County team needed to bring somebody on board after losing leadoff man Chone Figgins (now with the Mariners) & ace starter Lackey (over in Bean Town) already this offseason.  Still I don’t know if it’s much of a consolation prize, seeing the Mariners added Figgins & Lee, while on this day the Halos, in effect, swapped Lackey for Matsui.

Throw Another Log on that Old Hot Stove

curtis-granderson-stealsSo far, the biggest trade was the three-way deal involving the Yankees, the Diamondbacks, and the Tigers.  New York got All Star centerfielder Curtis Granderson, enough said, they got the best player in the deal.  Arizona got starting pitchers Edwin Jackson & Ian Kennedy.  While Detroit landed centerfield prospect Austin Jackson, starting pitcher Max Scherzer, and a couple of lefties for their bullpen Phil Coke & Daniel Schlereth.

The Texas Rangers traded starter Kevin Millwood to the Orioles in exchange for reliever Chris Ray and Rule V selection Ben Snyder, the move was designed to free up money so Texas could sign free agent starter Rich Harden.  The Rangers had enough money left over to acquire thirdbaseman Mike Lowell for catching prospect Max Ramirez from the Red Sox.  Boston is interested in signing free agent thirdbaseman Adrian Beltre.

Pirates reliever Jesse Chavez has to be wondering whether it’s safe to unpack his bags, as he’s on his third team this offseason.  He was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays, who just dealt him to the Atlanta Braves for reliever Rafael Soriano.  The Braves no longer needed Soriano, since bringing in Billy Wagner & Takashi Saito.

The Chicago White Sox brought in former Seattle Mariners closer J.J. Putz to replace Octavio Dotel, whom they chose not to retain.

Move Over Damon Here Comes Curtis

I was doing some more research on kids whose stars shined brightly in the desert in the 2009 AFL and came across the story of Colin Curtis, which is a story too good not to be told.  Curtis is the property of the World Champion New York Yankees.

The Yankees are currently trying to decide on whether or not to bring back Johnny Damon and/or World Series MVP Hideki Matsui.  I have a sneaking suspicion they’re going to go after outfielder Matt Holliday, that sounds okay to me, but I’d let both Damon & Matsui walk if I chose to sign Holliday, and give youngster Colin Curtis a shot at the leftfield spot, with Holliday becoming the regular DH.

I’m sure you’re asking, who is this Curtis kid, known also as C-2?  Colin was the three year starting centerfielder for the Arizona Sun Devils, where he batted .300, .342, & .335, with a total of 40 stolen bases.  Maybe more impressive than this kid’s baseball talents is his makeup.  As a high school senior he was the leader of his Issaquah, WA team which won the state championship, all this after he beat testicular cancer.

I’m not saying the Yankees should just give this kid the job based on a sappy sentimental story, he can play!  Colin batted .397 (2nd in the league) with a .472 OBP in twenty games in the AFL, showing patience at the plate with eleven walks.  To be fair this 2006 4th round draft has struggled since being drafted, not hitting above .270 above Single A, with a disappointing .235 at Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2009 most recently staring back at him in his rear view mirror.

This game isn’t just about numbers, it’s also about character, as the Yankees might’ve finally found out, it’s about overcoming adversity, and if that’s the case, then I look forward to watching Colin Curtis in the New York Yankees outfield very soon.

48 years ago: Roger Maris 1961 MVP

roger-maris This week 48 years ago, Roger Maris got his second consecutive MVP award.  The year was 1961 and was, of course, when he hit 61 homeruns. 

Yankee teammate Mickey Mantle came in second place in the voting.  He almost overcame Maris in the voting (202-198).  The stats WERE close. Maris (.269, 61 HR, 142 rbis. Mantle .317, 54 HR, 128 rbi)

For the $64,000 question, who came in 3rd in voting?  Try not to use your Google-fu before answering.  He wasn’t TOO far behind Maris and Mantle in votes and actually had a higher batting average, on-base percentage AND slugging percentage than Maris.

Here’s the answer

New York Yankees capture 2009 title

I’m no Yankee fan but I give credit where credit is due.  The Yankees played like the Champions they are.  Indeed, with 40 league championships and 27 World Championships, it seems their franchise has been one long dynasty with short interruptions here and there.  

As I alluded to yesterday, the World Series MVP would probably be decided in last night’s game.  And Hideki Matsui left no room for error in judgment.  ‘Shemp’ drove in six runs in Game Six’ 7-3 clincher.   For the series, he hit .615 with three dingers and 8 rbis. 

The Yankees seem to be the team of New York and New York only.  They’re the Evil Empire.  But, let’s face it.  Without them, baseball wouldn’t be the same and probably wouldn’t be in as good as shape. 

In 2010, I’ll probably root for any team playing the Yankees as I do every year.  But for now, congrats to the to all the Yankee fans out there.  A job well done by the Bronx Bombers.

Baseball Reference’s stat summary of the World Series

Bronx considering ‘Jeter Bridge’

Bronx officials have confirmed that they are considering naming a 512 foot bridge after Derek Jeter.  Which prompted this rather ‘ugh’ comment from Angela Montefinise of the NY Post:

Big Apple women may soon be able to take a ride on Derek Jeter — the bridge, that is.

As a commenter to her article notes, what happens if he somehow ends up on the Red Sox?  Yeah, yeah, Yankee fans, he’s Mr Pinstripes.  Don’t forget, he’s a businessman first and foremost.  Remember, Johnny Damon took the reverse route.

Good luck on the bridge thing New York fans.  And have fun, ladies.

(via Circling the Bases)

Utley: A case for a losing World Series MVP?

Outside of possibly Johnny Damon who is currently hitting .381 with 5 runs scored and 4 rbis, the Yankees are without a clear choice of a World Series MVP at this point.  Is it outside the realm of possibilities that even if the Yankees win it all, Chase Utley be named for this honor?

Through Game 5 of the Series, Utley leads both teams in runs scored (6), rbis (8) and of course homeruns (5).  Not only that, he was primarily responsible for two of the Philadelphia Phillies victories. 

The last and only player to win the World Series MVP for a losing team, ironically, was a Yankee.  In 1960, it wasn’t World Series hero Bill Mazeroski who garnered the award but Bobby Richardson. 

4954Bobby_Richardson Secondbaseman Richardson went 11 for 30 (.367) and drove in 12 runs and scored eight behind two doubles, two triples and a homer.  Most impressive credentials, indeed. 

That all said, my prediction is that conventional practice will prevail and the winner will share the spoils.  Should the Phils pull one out, Chase will most likely get the honor. 

It’s a crap shoot if the Yankees win.  Most likely, it will depend on what happens tonight but I’m giving Damon the edge right now. 

Chase Utley takes Phillies to Game 6

Chase Utley is playing like a man on a mission.  A mission to get the Phillies their second straight championship.  Last night, his 2 homerun, 4 rbi performance keyed the Phils’ 8-6 win over the Yankees. 

He’s also playing like a World Series MVP.  For the Series, he’s batting .333 with five homers.  He could easily get that MVP award assuming Philadelphia wins it all.  Not an easy task considering that they’re down 3-2 going into the heart of the Evil Empire for Game 6. 

Cliff Lee was on his game last night despite his linescore.  He left the game with an 8-3 lead.  It’s not his fault that the Phillies seem to find value in Chan Ho Park and think he can get the job done.  Rumor has it that Lee might be ready for Game 7 should there be one and he might give Chase a run for his money for that MVP award.  Lee is already 2-0 for the Series with a 2.81 ERA in 16 innings.

 

World Series bits

Looks like the frequency and duration of mound meetings by Yankee pitchers and catcher Jorge Posada are giving MLB some pause.  They’ll most certainly be discussing it this winter. 

Nice going, Jorge.

 

The LA Times’ headline reads Another tight game means big numbers for Fox.  Nice sentiment but I’m giving more credit to the fact that the Series is taking place in two big market cities. 

 

On a related note, Business Weekly notes that World Series TV ratings are indeed up despite the influx of web streaming of the games.

 

YFSF presents:  Reason(s?) Why The World Series Isn’t Over

 

Finally, who doesn’t like a little trash talk?

Yankees Turn to Sabathia on 3 Days Rest

85125458JM010_BALTIMORE_ORIC.C. Sabathia was matched up against fellow Cleveland Indians starter Cliff Lee in the opener of the Series.  Lee outpitched C.C. in that game, but only Sabathia was ready to go on three days rest, Cliff would need one more day before he could go.  So on Sunday night Joe Blanton would answer the bell for the Phillies versus big C.C.

Derek Jeter got the Yankees going in the 1st with a leadoff single, went to 3rd on a Johnny Damon double, and Derek would score on a Mark Teixeira groundout, and then Damon would be plated on a Jorge Posada sacrifice fly, after Alex Rodriguez was drilled by a pitch, Yanks up 2-0 with the Phils coming to bat.  Back to back first inning doubles by Shane Victorino & Chase Utley would cut it to a one run game, 2-1 after one.

BIG Ryan Howard got a leadoff single in the bottom of the 4th, stole 2nd, and scored on a Pedro Feliz base knock to knot the game at two.  It was time for New York to get to work in the top of the fifth, Nick Swisher started it with a base on balls, went to 2nd on a Melky Cabrera single, and then C.C. Sabathia struckout trying to bunt the runners up.  With one out Derek Jeter plated Swisher with a single, then Cabrera scored on a base hit off the bat of Damon, and the Yanks again had a two run lead, 4-2.

The Phillies got their first two guys on in the bottom of the 5th as Jimmy Rollins singled & Shane Victorino walked, bringing up Chase Utley (who had homered twice in game one off C.C.), BIG Ryan Howard, and Jayson Werth, the meat of the order.  Two popouts & a strikeout later, and the threat was over.  Neither starting pitcher allowed a run in the 6th, Ben Francisco batted for Blanton, ending his night.

Chan Ho Park pitched a scoreless 7th.  When Sabathia delivered his 98th pitch of the night in the 7th it struck me, while thinking about this superhuman’s accomplishments, pitchers routinely went the distance in the olden days, often times throwing 200 pitches in a game, sometimes working on two days rest.  Still it was great to see this workhorse, C.C., going about his job, mowing down the top of the Phillies order, one, two…  But then Utley chased Sabathia from the game with his third home run of the Series off C.C. (so much for platooning), once again it was a one run ballgame, all six Philadelphia home runs being solo shots.  Damaso Marte was brought on to get BIG Ryan Howard to popup to end the inning, 4-3 NY.

There were two on & one out in the top of the 8th, Nick Swisher could’ve iced it, but he took strike three down the middle, shaking his head, rather than lighting up reliever Ryan Madson.  Joe Girardi didn’t want to have Mariano Rivera pitch more than one inning, thus Joba Chamberlain was called on to face the hot hitting Jayson Werth (down on strikes), Raul Ibanez (K’s him on heat), & Pedro Feliz took the kid over the wall for a game tying homer.  Oh brother, wasn’t supposed to happen that way if you’re a Yankees fan, what a ballgame, what a Series!  A wicked breaking ball to Carlos Ruiz, and Joba’s struckout the side, but now it’s all tied at four, going into the 9th.

I know this from experience, sometimes you try to save your closer for tomorrow, and then there is no tomorrow.  Chamberlain looked overpowering, but Rivera is overpowering.  Charlie Manuel called on his closer Brad Lidge to work a tie ballgame in the top of the 9th, getting the first two before Damon singled to left, stole 2nd & went around Feliz, and went all the way to 3rd (the Phillies had a shift on for Teixeira), he’s credited with 2 SBs on that one play.  Lidge hits Teixeira, bringing up ARod (1 for 13 in the Series).  Alex hits a double off the leftfield wall, big moments for big players.  With the Yankees up, Mo starts seriously loosening up to try to close it out with the lead.  A couple of insurance runs score when Posada delivers a single into leftcenter, continuing on to 2nd, where he is tagged out easily, 7-4 Yanks.

Not that it matters, but Rivera faces pinch hitter Matt Stairs and then the top of the order.  A groundout, a popout, & a  groundout, all three to firstbase, and it’s over.  The Bronx Bombers now have a three games to one Series lead, with one ballgame in Philadelphia before heading back to New York (if necessary).  Philadelphia needs to win three straight, if not impossible, close to it.  Game five features Cliff Lee versus nasty A.J. Burnett on three days rest.  Joba Chamberlain was credited with the win in this one, but we all know it was C.C. Sabathia on three days, getting the job done.