Things I'm Looking for in the New Stadium

Tonight I will be making my way to the new Yankee Stadium, weather permitting, of course.

While I'll the beginning ceremonies, I should still get there with plenty of time to go exploring. Here are the things I will be looking at/for:

1) That screen in the outfield. I heard that it's pretty darn big. I want to see just how big.

2) The food options in the lower and upper concourses. As someone with a digestive condition, I can't eat most stadium or arena food, so usually I survive on a pack of Swedish fish or a lollipop or two from home. However, the new Stadium is supposed to be full of all sorts of food options so, hopefully, there will be something there I can ingest!

3) The bathrooms. Women's restrooms are supposed to be at a 2:1 ratio to those of men; I want to see what the bathrooms are like. I'm not expecting anything spectacular, of course, a stadium bathroom is a stadium bathroom, but even something moderately clean will meet with my not-so-strict approval.

4) The other attractions on the concourse. What is there to do during a rain delay? How easy is it to navigate the concourse?

5) The seats in the upper deck (ie, the seats I have). How far recessed are they? I actually never sat any higher than loge level in the old Stadium, but I expect that the upper deck and I will become fast friends at the new Stadium. So, are my tickets really worth the $40 I paid for each?


I will take as many pictures as I can and I'll try to post them tonight, but I'm staying with a friend tonight and may not get a chance to post them until tomorrow evening.

Here's hoping the rain holds off.

Reports: Mets Sign Garcia, Ricketts to buy Cubs

According to this report, the NY Mets have signed or will sign Freddy Garcia to a minor league deal.

Garcia had been considering the Yankees as well; had he signed, it would have likely forced Andy Pettitte out.

The closer it gets to Spring Training, the more it seems like Pettitte really is the only option the Yankees want to consider, though Pettitte apparently wants more money and the Yankees aren't biting.

***

In other news, the Ricketts family has won the bidding war to buy the Chicago Cubs.

Perhaps new ownership will spur the Cubs on to...

Eh, who am I kidding--these are the Cubs!

Just joking.

Good luck to the Ricketts family--and remember, leave the baseball to the baseball people!

Fearless Playoff Predictions, 2008

Brief LDS previews--I'll do LCS previews at the appropriate times.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Angels over Red Sox

To me it comes down to pitching--the Angels have the better rotation and the better bullpen. I can see this series going five games, because October is funny like that, but the Angels are a better constructed team, and unlike last year, they're not nearly as banged up.

Rays over White Sox.

While Bobby Jenks is the best pitcher in either bullpen, I think Tampa as a whole has a better team. The Sox barely scraped into the playoffs; they have momentum on their side, but let's see how that momentum carries away from the South Side.


NATIONAL LEAGUE

Phillies over Brewers

I like the Brewers well enough, and Ryan Braun is amazing, but outside of CC, what starters do they have? As much as the Brew Crew might want to, they can't pitch CC every day. The Phillies do have to worry, though, about putting Brad Lidge out there in a close game in the ninth--Albert Pujols still has a resonance.

Cubs over Dodgers

The Cubs are easily the best team in the National League. Whether or not this translates to postseason glory is yet to be seen, but if the Cubs can figure out how to pitch to Manny, they'll walk all over the Dodgers

Congratulations go to Carlos Zambrano for his no-hitter against the Houston Astros tonight.

It is the first no-hitter for the Cubs in 36 years.

A Preview A Day Keeps the Winter Away, #8

Between yesterday and today, this is the first chance I've had to update, so I'll do one now, and one tomorrow morning.

For the month of March I will be doing a season preview, with a new team each day, going in alphabetical order by team so I can save the Yankees for last, because I am, in fact, that devious.

As this is a Yankees' blog, the previews for AL East teams will be more detailed than those of AL Central and AL West teams, and any AL team previews will be more detailed than NL team previews, save maybe for the Mets. Each preview will involve consideration of how much 'threat' a team is to the Yankees, for fairly obvious reasons.

Up Today: The Chicago Cubs

If you don't feel for the Cubs, a team that hasn't won a World Series in exactly 100 years or been to the big show in over fifty, well, you're not much of a baseball fan.

Thus, when there finally is a competitive Cubs team out there, like there is now, you can't help but pay attention.

The last time the Cubs flirted with a National League Pennant was 2003, which many agree should have happened if not for one "fan" who thought more about a foul ball than the fortunes of his club. Before that, it was a team built around the youth of Kerry Wood and Mark Prior, which...well, let's just say there's a reason Phil, Joba and Ian are under an innings cap.

Anyway, this year's Cubs team has a good chance, given the overall weak NL Central to do some playoff damage.

The rotation will be built around Carlos Zambrano (of the mammoth $90 million contract extension) and Ted Lilly, while in terms of the line-up the most intriguing development is the addition of the most sought-after Japanese player this off-season, Kosuke Fukudome (Foo-Koo-Doh-May. Not...yeah, you get it.) Also, keep an eye on Geovany Soto, who was the Pacific Coast League MVP

Threat Level to the Yankees: Yellow, Proceed with Caution

The Yankees won't play the Cubs unless in the World Series, but the Cubs, if they remain healthy, have a great shot at the Postseason, and, well, if the Red Sox could win in 2004, who knows what might happen in 2008?

So the Cubs aren't likely to threaten the Yankees, but imagine, a Cubs-Yankees WS the final season of Yankee Stadium?

Yeah, I just felt a shiver up my spine.

You learn Something New Every Day, Last Friday of the Semester

(A thanks to Jay Destro for the idea, and to Baseball Reference for being the G-d of baseball statistics!)


Right, for this week's YLSNED, I thought I'd take a look at some historical teams that had started a rotation with three or more pitchers under thirty, perhaps as some food for thought given the Yankees' probable rotation next year.

First of all, you have what I consider the 'classic, best scenario example', the 1993 Atlanta Braves, with John Smoltz, Greg Maddox and Tom Glavine.

Maddox and Glavine were both 27 and Smoltz was 26.

The Braves won 104 games. Glavine was 22-6, Maddox 20-10 and Smoltz 15-11. The Braves only made it to the NLCS that year, but the year before they had made it to the World Series, and in 1995 (with no WS in 1994), they won it all.

I consider the Braves the classic success story because of the fourteen straight chances at a World Series, and the team they were able to build around their 'big three' that lasted nearly all of the nineties and into the beginning of the new millennium.


Right. Next example:

The 2003 Chicago Cubs. They are a great example of having something great...and then having it go way, way astray.

Kerry Wood, at 26, was 14-11. Mark Prior, at 22 was 18-6. Carlos Zambrano, at 22, was 13-11.

The team went to the NLCS, and if not for a fan's interfering with a foul ball (and a curse of some sort of goat thingie) would have likely met either the Yankees or Red Sox in the World Series (THAT would have been some series!)

Of those three starters, however, only Carlos Zambrano now still pitches on a regular basis, having just signed a massive $90 million contract extension. Wood has not won more than 10 games since, and Mark Prior has battled serious injury concerns, going just 1-6 in 2006.

The culprit? Overuse of the young pitching arms, which has had almost immediate effects with other teams across the league, which for Yankee fans will be familiar with two words: "Joba Rules"


Third example:

The team that beat the Cubs, AND the Yankees in 2003. Also known as 'why Loria will never be my friend'.

The Florida Marlins in 2003 won the World Series with a pitching rotation that included Dontrelle Willis, Mark Redman, Josh Beckett, Carl Pavano and Brad Penny.

At 21, Willis went 14-6. At 23 Josh Becket was only 9-8, but came up huge in the postseason. At 27, Carl Pavano was 12-13, but the next year 18-8. At 25 Brad Penny was 14-10.

The rotation was largely kept in tact through the 2004 season, but by 2006 Dontrelle Willis was the only one still left, and as you probably know now, he has been traded to the Detroit Tigers.



So, as you might have guessed, there is no way to tell exactly how a rotation of young studs could pan out--for every Maddox, Smoltz and Glavine, there's a Mulder, Hudson or Zito, or Wood, Prior, Zambrano.

There is no question that Hughes, Chamberlain and Kennedy have the talent to be a Maddox, Smoltz, Glavine (or, who knows, even better...), but there are so many unknowns as well.

So, basically the message regarding the Trinity/the Three Musketeers is thus: hope for the best, but keep your feet on the ground.

Wrangled at Wrigley (LDS notes 6 October 07)

You think you know pain.

You think that you, the Yankee fan, memories of '01 and '04 still etched firmly in your mind, know heartbreak.

You think you know the depths of despair.

You think you know Postseason heartbreak.


You know nothing.


Ninety-nine years now The Chicago Cubs have gone without a World Series title.

If it's not billy goats, it's black cats, if it's not black cats, it's Steve Bartman, if it's not Steve Bartman, it's those @#$@-ing double plays.

What else do you say?

The Cubs had their chances tonight, they had multiple innings of more than one man on base with less than two out, but they grounded into four double plays.

You want to celebrate for 'Zona, a young team that is the National League's only 90-win record, a team that deserves a shot at the LCS, but instead you find yourself mourning for the Cubs yet again.

Just to be clear: This is the purist in me talking. I'm a die-hard Yankee fan. If it came to a Yankees-Cubs World Series, I'd sell my soul before rooting against the Yankees. That said, if the Yankees don't win a World Series, I want it to be the Cubs. The Cubs are the one team the Yankees could lose to, and I wouldn't feel like retching.

They deserve so much better than they've gotten.

The signs at Wrigley say 'It's Gonna Happen', and it will. Nothing lasts forever...but for the faithful in Chicago, for that legion of fans that, well, would make the list of world's-oldest-people if they remember the last time rings were handed out...

...they will all have to suffer through the long, cold, bitter Chicago winter yet again.


(On a positive note, the Bulls should be pretty good this year).



Less than 24 hours until we find out if the Yankees live to fight another day. Leave the discussion about next year until next year. Let's get through tomorrow first.

Sizing Up the NL Final Four

Well, this one is a lot harder because I know very little about the National League. Please do yourself a favor and don't use this post to make your NL picks...


Arizona Diamondbacks: Not quite the team from 2001, but young, and they know how to win. They have the best record in the National League, so Chicago has its hands full.

Strengths: Webb gems. Brandon Webb is my vote for NL Cy Young; three straight shut outs is beyond impressive. He can be the spark for this team, and propel them to a World Series.

Weaknesses: Inexperience. Arizona is a YOUNG team. Justin Upton is only nineteen! Like Cleveland, the playoffs are likely to be a growing experience as much as anything else.

Chicago Cubs: For a while it didn't seem like anyone wanted to win the NL Central, but eventually the Cubs decided to do it. Billy Goats better watch out.

Strengths: They're due. Oh, dear G-d are they due. Note: This is a cover for the fact that I can't really name any Cubs players aside from Soriano, Lee, Zambrano and Lilly...If Zambrano's on, the Cubs will be hard to beat.

Weaknesses: History. Billy goats, black cats, what have you, and a 105 year-long drought. As long as Steve Bartman stays clear of Wrigley, I guess they have a chance...

Colorado Rockies: Fourteen out of fifteen isn't just hot. Fourteen out of fifteen is you-don't-even-have-to-touch-home-plate-to-win hot. People better start taking them seriously now...

Strengths: Momentum, and geography. The Rockies need to ride their momentum for all it's worth, because it's capable of carrying them far. Also, playing at Coors Field at home means they're used to the altitude, which will likely provide a bonus.

Weaknesses: Inexperience. I'm not sure anyone on the current Rockies roster have playoff experience...maybe Kaz Matsui when he was with the Mets? I'm not sure about this so you guys have to help me out!

Philadelphia Phillies: Simply put, they shouldn't be here right now, but they are. It's what makes baseball the greatest sport, ever...

Strengths: Lady Luck. You don't survive injuries to your second basemen, your all-star slugger and G-d knows who else and no real pitching staff to speak of aside from Cole Hammels without some help from above.

Weaknesses: Lady Luck. Lady doesn't stay around forever...


Not going to try to make predictions here, because my gut tells me that every team's going to win and we all know that's not possible...


Anyway, enjoy tonight.

If what happened last night means anything, we're in for one of the best Octobers ever. Hold onto your hats folks, it's going to be one wild ride...