Saturday, December 8, 2007

Nobody beats the Viz--Not even an Arbitrator.

This is a wonderful article by ESPN about Andy Pettitte accepting arbitration and thus officially officially coming back to the New York Yankees.

However, the more important part of the article is among the last lines, where it states that Luis Vizcaino has declined arbitration.

This does not leave us with any reliably good arms in the bullpen aside from Mo Rivera.

While I am 100% behind a rotation of young starters, especially ones as talented as Ian, Joba and Phil, if we go into the season with them as a crucial part of our rotation and without a bullpen to back it up, it is worrying, even for an optimist.

Young pitchers are going to falter on occasion. It's why we call them growing pains. The Yankees need to have a plan ready to implement when this happens--it could just not just save a game, but a season as well.


Now, I am sure Brian Cashman has something up his sleeve. He already traded Tyler Clippard for Jonathan Albaladejo, and I'm sure there's more where that came from. However, as we saw with Johan Santana, nothing is definite and until something is announced as official, you have to plan as if it isn't happening.


I've made no secret about thinking that the bullpen is our biggest issue for '08, and I am reiterating it here.



Also, guys, gals, trans and undecideds (since it seems we've got some of each), we need a name for Ian, Joba and Phil!

A) The Trinity
B) The Big Three
C) The Three Musketeers
D) _______ your own suggestion


Most votes win and that is henceforth how the three will be referred to on this blog.

15 comments:

  1. Put my vote down for "The Big Three" I think it's an optimistic attitude toward them. AND... if some trade DOES happen and we lose one we can say "The Big Two" for whoever is left. :)

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  2. Hey, Rebecca, I owe you a $10 Amazon Gift Certificate. Send me your postal address and I'll mail it to you.

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  3. kill-schill:

    I am not comfortable giving out my postal address where everyone can see it; you can send the gift card via email or else email me at the address on the side

    =D

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  4. Hey R--OP

    I prefer Triumvirate or even Trilogy to Trinity.

    Also like Tres Hombres from the kick ass ZZ TOP album of the same name.
    I know the boys aren't Spanish, but neither was the band.

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  5. Can The Melkman Get Some Love?





    There has been some serious Melky hating going on in the national media ever since it started to look like the Yankees were close to getting Santana...

    Has he peaked @ 22 Neutral or is there more to come?


    Rios
    23 age, 426 ab, .286 avg, 24 2b, 7 3b, 1 hr, 28 rbi, 15 sb, 84 so, .721 ops
    24 age, 481 ab, .262 avg, 23 2b, 6 3b, 10 hr, 59 rbi, 14 sb, 101 so, .703 ops

    Williams
    22 age, 320 ab, .238 avg, 19 2b, 4 3b, 3 hr, 34 rbi, 10 sb, 57 so, .686 ops
    23 age, 261 ab, .280 avg, 14 2b, 2 3b, 5 hr, 26 rbi, 7 sb, 36 so, .760 ops

    Melky
    21 age, 460 ab, .280 avg, 26 2b, 2 3b, 7 hr, 50 rbi, 12 sb, 59 so, .751 ops
    22 age, 545 ab, .273 avg, 24 2b, 8 3b, 8 hr, 73 rbi, 13 sb, 68 so, .718 ops


    Melky played 06 + winterball and then practically everyday in 07. He hit the wall in September but had a .296 avg and .790 ops at the end of August.

    Sometimes I wonder if he was only 3" taller if the entire view of him would be different.


    I love how he supposedly has limited range but is somehow #3 in Range Factor behind only Crisp & Granderson.
    And his outfield assist totals are somewhat inflated because nobody knows about his arm...even though he was in the top of the league in OF assists the year before as well. You can't tell me people were running on him because they didn't know about him so he got lucky a bunch. It's crap.Especially since he's been playing outfield in NY for 2 years now. It's not like Melky's been in the bigs for just a few weeks so nobody knows his deal.

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  6. Anon--Hey, man, I LOVE Melky!

    He's not one of the 'big three' because he's not a pitcher!

    But, seriously, I LOVE his arm.

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  7. I would call them "The Triple Crown!" Joba will lead the league in strike outs, Hughes will lead in wins, and Kennedy will lead in ERA. And Yanks go on and win the World Series!

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  8. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  9. Three the Hard Way

    title of a 74 film by Gordon Parks.
    Jim Brown, Fred Williamson and Jim Kelly.
    Badass all the way

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  10. The Three Caballeros?
    Huey, Dewey, and Louie?

    [yeah, yeah, stole 'em both, but first to post 'em here!]

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  11. I like the term "The Triumvirate" in a nod to Roman history, which has always interested me. Otherwise, I'd go with the Trinity.

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  12. Triumvirate was a good suggestion. But I just love the visual that the Three Musketeers suggests. And the "All for One and One for All" motto is perfect and reflects what Phil Hughes was saying when interviewed about the three of them pitching together.

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  13. I must concur with The Triumvirate.

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