A Confession of True Love

A few weeks ago, Jane Heller of Confessions of a She-Fan sent me an advance copy of her new work, Confessions of a She-Fan.

I have just finished reading her "fan diary" as she calls it, and really liked it. It's an honest portrayal of a fan's relationship with a team, and, especially the 2007 season--one with which I am sure most of us are familiar. While fans tend to bond together and help each other any way they can, the team itself can be cold and unforgiving--but not because they want to, but because they have to, for their own security.


There's being a fan of a team, and then there's being a fan of the Yankees. It's a completely different animal...

The book is a short and fairly fast read, which, after just finishing reading heavy historical fare was a nice change of pace. Perhaps most interesting, however, is that Confessions puts into perspective how amazing the 2007 season really was, even if October left us all a bit deflated.

You can preview or purchase your own copy here

Pettitte Takes a Pay Cut

According to Buster Olney on 1050, Andy Pettitte has agreed to a $6 million deal with "easily attainable" incentives.

More on this as it develops.

[edit]:

The deal reportedly includes incentives that, if reached, will total Pettitte's salary to $12 million, more than the original $10 million offer the Yankees had on the table.

However, Pettitte is (apparently) only guaranteed $6 million, which would result in a considerable pay cut from last year.

For the Yankees, however, this deal is excellent.

Pettitte, as has often been stated, was by far the best fit for the Yankees' needs, and while the Yankees seem to have gotten the better end of the deal, from a financial point of view, Pettitte could still surpass the original offer the Yankees had made.

Whether Pettitte can pull a Mussina in '09 is another story entirely, but it seems as though now the Yankees have their rotation sorted out:

1) CC Sabathia
2) AJ Burnett
3) CM Wang
4) Andy Pettitte
5) Joba Chamberlain/Phil Hughes/Winner out of ST.

I don't know about you, but I think that's a pretty sweet rotation, provided everyone stays healthy, of course...

Now, if the Yankees want to sign Sheets (I still doubt they will for reasons previously stated), they can do so without taking the risk that Sheets won't be able to pitch 200 innings. However, given Sheets' caliber, I doubt he will sign anywhere without a guaranteed rotation spot.

Torre Tell-All Trashes Yanks

According to this article, a tell-all book, ghost-written by Tom Verducci, has Joe Torre revealing a bitter rift with the New York Yankees.

It would have been foolish, of course, to suggest that Torre's entire 1996-2007 tenure with the New York Yankees was without fault on either side, but such a work can only harm Torre's relationship with the team that employed him for twelve years.

My brother linked me to the story, and his opinion on the situation isn't that much different than my own:

...My biggest gripe about it is that it isn't only a rip on the players, but consequently it's a rip on the fans saying like "lol you follow a scummy team." Keep some of that shit in the clubhouse Joe, you just lost a lot of my respect...and the respect from most New Yorkers who think you are a class act guy. It obviously sounds astounding to have a grudge against someone who helped brought your favorite team ... four World Series...but there was no reason to trash a former team.

A Yankees fan would have to be an idiot not to be grateful for Torre for the four World Series, but at the same time, my brother has a point--a slight on the team like this is also a slight on the fans.

Perhaps more importantly, and more unfortunately, it's a bit harder to go around calling Torre a class act right now.

I don't know about you, but for all of Jeter's faults (ie, his lack of range and tendency to GIDP), I can't see the Captain ever doing something like this...

An Act of Piracy?

Was it pure piracy?

We won't know for sure for a couple of years, when Jose Tàbata should be major league ready, but for now, it sure looks it.

Who the Yankees got:

Xavier Nady: Corner outfielder with pop in his bat.
Dàmaso Marte: Left-handed relief pitcher who was more or less the most sought-after relief pitcher this season.

Who the Yankees gave up:

Ross Ohlendorf: You've seen him before. Hard throwing pitcher who could turn into a starter or a reliever.
Jose Tàbata: Last year, he hit .305 with a broken bone in his wrist. This year, the youngest player at the AA level, he has had some red flags go up with his attittude when dealing with a tougher level of competition.
Phil Coke: AA pitcher who has looked stronger recently, but is already 26 years old.
George Kontos: Potential servicable #5 starter.


EDIT:

Coke and Kontos have been replaced in the deal with Jeff Karstens and Dan McCutcheon.

Jeff Karstens: Marginal starter.
Dan McCutcheon: Could turn into a very reliable bullpen arm.


So, what does this do for the Yankees?

Well, going into the trade deadline, the Yankees had three needs, viz:

1) A right handed bat, preferably one that could play the outfield corners--left field this year, while Damon's shoulder is still not 100%, and potentially right field next year, if the Yankees decline to bring back Bobby Abreu.

2) A starting pitcher to spell Darrell Rasner or Sidney Ponson.

3) A left-handed reliever.

They have now, pending physicals, filled numbers one and three on their list, and done so without giving up anyone on their twenty-five man roster, without giving up Austin Jackson, Jesus Montero or Mark Melancon, and done so while the combined cost of Nady and Marte is under $11 million.


It's hard to know exactly how everything will play out, but right now, the Yankees could be heading into the latter part of the year with a starting line up of:

Johnny Damon DH
Derek Jeter SS
Bobby Abreu RF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Jason Giambi 1B
Robinson Canò 2B
Xavier Nady LF
Melky Cabrera CF
Jose Molina C

Sound a bit longer than the line up currently in place? Thought so.

Now think about what the bullpen might look like:

Mariano Rivera
Kyle Farnsworth
Jose Veras
Edwar Ramirez
David Robertson
Dàmaso Marte
Dan Giese (okay, so Hawkins will probably still be here, but that's not the point).

That is a formiddable bullpen.

For all of the talk of this being a rebuilding year, Brian Cashman and company have made a move that will do that much more to help this team well now.

Two-Way Street

The Yankees have traded Brett Gardner, who many believe will make a significant impact, if not in 2008 then in 2009, and prospects Austin Jackson and Dellin Betances to the Oakland Athletics for relief pitcher Huston Street and outfield prospect Ryan Sweeney.


Source

Now, I know that the rain out addles neurons, but I can't quite see the benefit of this trade. I mean, for Oakland it's easy enough when your outfield is Mark Kotsay, Chris Denorfia and Jack Cust and you have some starting pitching questions, but that's like Billy Beane, fleecing the farm system. I mean, I've heard nothing but good about AJax and Betances, and if you look at Sweeney's career numbers, we don't seem to be getting too much in return.

I'm generally a Cashman fan, but this one has me baffled.

Are You Not Entertained?

So on Sunday, or tomorrow, I'm driving back up to my one-bedroom apartment, where I'll have a precious few hours to get everything clean and ready for the first day of class on Monday.

I know it sounds really weird, but I like everything to be neat and clean when I'm at the start of the semester because I know it only gets way, way worse from there.

Anyway, the point is, with the Spring Semester starting, it can mean only one thing:

Baseball is on its way!

I will give you that February in Syracuse does not lend oneself to thinking about spending lazy afternoons in the ballpark, but that's why they train down in Florida and Arizona.

So that means that now might be a nice time to take stock of the off-season, if not just for the Yankees, for baseball as a whole as well.

There is still a month to go before pitchers and catchers, but that doesn't mean we can't look at what has happened thus far.


The biggest news this off-season, of course, has nothing to do with any trades or FA signings (I'll get to A-Rod in a moment), but with that thing that some call a report. I won't recount the details of the MR; unless your dwelling involves a subterranean existence, you'll know to what I'm referring.

However, there's no denying the MR has been a major source of gossip, especially now as the McNamee-Clemens saga has ceased to be about 'roids, but instead has turned into "As the Roid Turns" soap opera. (Playing every day on ESPN, et al). It's a he said-he said, the truth somewhere buried on that island in Lost, and kind of like Britney or Paris, no matter how much we want to, we just can't stop paying attention to the anamoly.

Thank heaven, then, that other things have occurred this off-season as well!

Among the things you may have forgotten:

First, there was the A-Rod non story. In short form, A-Rod went from Deity-Rod to Playoff-Goat-Rod to Opt-Out-Fraud and then back to A-Rod. I certainly don't know A-Rod's thought process, but he might just be the most clever guy on the planet, willing to sacrifice his sense of dignity and pride just to get a top contract...wait, no, A-Rod would never do that...but that Agent dude, Boras (Bore Us? ), he might be just the type...

Second, there was that bit where Detroit and Florida did this thing where you send some players from Team A to Team B and vice versa. In baseball we like to call this a trade. Detroit sent Cameron Maybin, et al, to Florida for Dontrelle Willis an Miggy Cabrera. Most people think Detroit came off better in the deal, but I am actually of the belief that Florida will come out better. Consider:

1) Willis is an NL pitcher who struggled last year and now has to pitch in the bat-happy AL.
2) Miggy C has weight issues and defense issues that may be a concern, and will easily command a top dollar contract, like Willis.
3) Florida likes the five year rule, having won their first world series five years after their inception, their second five years after that (1997, 2003) and now, 2008...whaddya know, five years? Okay, so 2003-1997 is actually six years...so maybe the Marlins are more due in 2009 or 2010, but that's besides the point.


Third, Oakland fleeced Arizona, giving 'Zona "ace" Dan Haren for basically the entirety of 'Zona's farm system. 'Zona's got a nice young team as is, but, as Yankees' fans know from the years 2003-2006, it's generally a good idea to have a farm system no matter how good your team is on the top level.


Fourth, Johan Santana is still a Minnesota Twin. First he was supposed to be a Yankee, then a Red Sox, now local articles have him as a Met, but if tomorrow was February Fourteenth, he'd be reporting to Twins' camp. There are all sorts of different ways this can be interpreted, and yes, I admit that it can be fun to play "let's pretend you're Bill Smith and he's Theo Epstein and I'm Brian Cashman and she's Omar Minaya", but that won't actually make the trade happen. Unless you actually are Bill Smith or Theo Epstein or Brian Cashman or Omar Minaya, in which case I say "Hello, and Thank You for reading the blog. Go Yankees!"


Fifth, in case you forgot, the Yankees managed to resign their most "key" free agents besides A-Rod: Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and Jose Molina. Mo and Po earned their keep, getting unheard of contracts for closers and 36 year-old catchers. Andy Pettitte came back after, among other things, incredible fan support. If you missed it, Steve Lombardi of Was Watching initiated P46, a letter writing project to get Pettitte to come back, and it looks like it worked.


Sixth, in what seems like ages and ages ago, Joe Torre turned down a contract offer and in something that sort of resembled the dating game, Joe Girardi beat out Don Mattingly and Tony Peña for the manager's job. Torre landed softly on his feet in a job managing the LA Dodgers--Torre grew up a Brooklyn fan--and, whaddya know, his favorite reliever of all time, Scott Proctor is right there waiting for him. Of the Yankee coaches on staff for next year, perhaps none is more welcoming than the appointment of Dave Eiland as pitching coach--Eiland worked with the Trinity (that is, Phil, Joba and Ian) in the minors, and, well, we know what they can do...


There is still a month of the off-season to go, and anything can happen--if I know myself correctly, the second I post this, we'll all see Johan Santana has gone to the Angels and the Cubs have decided to stop playing at Wrigley--but that's the fun of it.


So, all things considered, I have to ask, of the past few baseball game-less months, in my best Russell Crowe voice, ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?



I know I am very, very entertained.

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.

Johan Philler

Things to think about when thinking about Santana. Or, how I rationalize the world when I go to sleep tonight:


1) Every trade you make is a risk, but the biggest risk is not taking one.

2) We're arguing about Phil Hughes and Johan Santana, not Phil Hughes and Ben Sheets or Phil Hughes and Mark Prior.

2a) It's Johan freakin' Santana.

3) No matter what, our rotation will have at LEAST Wang, Joba, one of Phil/Kennedy and likely either Santana/one of Phil/Kennedy and Moose or Pettitte. That is a better rotation than most teams can dream of--young (except for Moose/Pettitte), but talented. Holy crap is there talent.

4) I don't want to see Melky go, of course, but with that exception, we have the same line up we had in 2007, which, in case you forgot, wasn't really a bad line up. Actually, it was pretty good. Actually, we'd still have guys like A-Rod, Jeter, Robbie, Bobby, Johnny D...hell, we have Jason GIAMBI coming off the BENCH. Not to mention Shelley Duncan or Jose Molina, etc. It's not a line up I want to pitch to...even in a slump.

5) We also have a coaching staff teams would kill for...and I like it. A lot.


It really isn't a bad time to be a Yankee fan.

Boston won the World Series twice in five years, sure, but it's not like the Yankees' Universe has suddenly imploded.


I love Phil Hughes. I want him to be a Yankee, but I am not going to cry myself to sleep if he goes for Johan Santana.

Whatever happens, happens, but if you're considering trading in your Yankee pinstripes for a Twins' cap if Phil goes, you need to take a few deep breaths.

(Then call 911 and tell them you've gone off your rocker)

Third-Degree Burn: The Prodigal Son Returns?

By now, if you're reading this, you're hearing that it seems increasingly likely that Alex Rodriguez will return to the Yankees.

While I am a little conflicted by this, I am encouraged that it seems that A-Rod has done or is doing this without Scott Boras, and the statement he made on his website re-affirms that he went to the Yankees, and not the Yankees going to him.

If it is true, then the Yankees won't have to worry about filling a hole at third, and can instead focus on putting together something vaguely reminiscent of a bullpen, resigning Mo, resigning Molina and convincing Pettitte to come back for one last time.

Alex, dude, if this is true, you don't need to go on a 54 home run barrage. Play solid defense, get those hits in the ninth inning, when it matters, and if a guy's on second or third in October, get a hit. Even a dinky single.

Oh, and if you really did go behind Scott Boras to do this, let's just say I'll be noticeably impressed.

Hip Hip Jorge!

Okay, for the record, sometimes you just know that something is going to happen.

Like, for example, when Pete Abraham decrees that no deals will be made today, you know something is going to happen.

So, of course, when The Daily News reported that Jorge Posada has agreed, in principle, to a 4-year, $52 million deal I was greatly, greatly amused.

Now you might be thinking, Four years? What the hell is Cash smoking? To which, I respond:

We're the Yankees, not the Mets. We have this thing called the 'designated hitter' spot in the line up. Sure, it's extremely unlikely Jorge will be able to catch more than another two years, but as we have the DH spot and Giambi's money likely coming off the books in 2009, it should work out well.

Now, if Posada has another year like he had in 2007, we'll probably all be thinking Jorge, what are you smoking and where can I get some?, but his 2007 was so good that even if he drops off, he'll still be a critical part of the Yankees' line up.

All right, so here we go.

Yankees' 07-08 Free Agents:

Alex Rodriguez: Opted out of contract. Good bye, so long, auf weirdersehn, etc.

Andy Pettitte: Yankees or retirement. Please, for the love of G-d, return!

Doug Mientkeiwicz: Didn't spell it right. Free Agent. Not high on concern list.

Jorge Posada: One and done.

José Molina: Free Agent. Dude, Cash, when you're done with Mo, Po and the 'pen, get this guy back, pronto!

Luis Vizcaino: Free Agent. If we bring back anyone from the '07 pen aside from Mo, it'd be him. I almost called him José. Oops. Anyway, Torre isn't managing, his arm will hopefully not fall off.

Mariano Rivera: Supposedly close to deal. Hope this is true. Enter Sandman!

Roger Clemens: Rumor is he's accepted a position on the Houston staff. Thanks for the spark that made 2007 one of the most memorable Yankee seasons after 1 June!

Ron Villone: Free Agent. Low priority--we need a bullpen, high priority, but we need guys that can get guys out with runners on base. Have heard Ron is a wonderful guy in person, though.

Nothing Petty About This One, Either

It would seem that the Yankees have a thing against Victorian literature.

See, any time I sit down and try to get some reading done for my English class, something happens with the Yankees. It happened with Joe Torre, with Alex Rodriguez, and when Joe Girardi went official.

Anyway, as you probably know by now, Andy Pettitte has declined his player option for 2008.

Now, before you go freak out about how he’s not returning to the team, keep in mind that he declined the option not because he wants to explore the free agent market, but because Andy has yet to make up a decision as to whether or not he wants to continue to pitch—this according to Pete Abraham, as well as SI and ESPN.

Now, Andy Pettitte is what many of us consider to be the embodiment of a true Yankee. He’s a gamer, and at his best when it means the most—there’s no one else I want pitching after a loss. He’s got tremendous heart, and grit. Most important, he’s class in a true form—he didn’t have to say he’d play only for the Yankees or retire, but he did, as just one example.

He has given the Yankees so much over the years—on the team in 1995-2003, which are (not) coincidentally the years of the Yankees’ late 1990s dynasty. Yes, he did go off to Houston for 2004-2006, but he came back to the Yankees.

That tells you something.

Whatever decision Andy Pettitte makes, he needs to do for himself.

Yes, I’m a Yankees fan and I really really really want him to come back and will be a little depressed if he doesn’t, but I would much rather have him retired and happy, finally getting to spend time with his family, than I would him pitching unhappy at Yankee Stadium.

He has given the Yankees so much, both on field and off field, that unless he suddenly bolts for another team (which I just plain can’t see him do), that we—the fans do owe him this in return…that is, we owe him the ability to take his time to make the judgment. We owe him the time for him to figure out if one more year is in his best interest, and his family’s. We know it’s in the Yankees’ best interest for him to come back, but on this occasion his wants are more important.

When he does decide to finally call it quits, I expect the works: Andy Pettitte day at the Stadium, plaque in Monument Park… I’d also mention the number retiring, but I have a feeling the Yanks will retire #46, #21, #51, #42 and #20 all on the same day (and possibly #18 as well).

You know, the Old Timers’ Day when we honor the 1998 Yankees?

That’s going to be something. I will so be there.

A (Friday) Night at the Movies

Okay, so my camera battery kept dying as I was trying to do this...I know I say 'uh' and 'umm' way too much.

It's kind of long, but stick through it to the end...





...Yes, I do know that I need a hair cut. Play nice.

A Welcome Letter to Joe Girardi

To Joe Girardi--

Welcome back! We've missed you!

You will find that while much has changed, there are still some things you will find familiar: Derek Jeter is still here, King George is still around (even if it's the princelings Hank n' Hal doing most of the work), anything other than a World Series is a failure...you'll remember it well!

You will also find that there are a few things that need to be done before April, such as finding a third basemen. Wilson Betemit is good, yes, but you do need someone with that Aaron Boone or Scott Brosius ability to play CLUTCH in the playoffs...speaking of which, I have it on good authority (namely, Tyler Kepner's blog) that Aaron Boone is a free agent. I'm not advocating anything here, just find it a wee bit amusing. Anyway, you might also want to hire a proper bullpen, and proper bullpen coach, but you knew that.

Please be advised of the following:

Damon plays best in left.

Wilson can't hit from the right. Shelley can.

Shelley could probably kick Chuck Norris' ass bare handed, so be careful.

Alberto Gonzalez has probably never actually been to the White House, and unlike the chap that shares his name, he should be used for defense only

Bronson Sardinha is not a fish...and neither are you!

I still need season tickets. Bleachers will do just fine.


Good luck in 2008,

Rebecca

PS: You did a great job with Jorge. Never properly thanked you for that one, so Thank You!

Breaking News Yadda Yadda...

Take this with a grain of salt. It might just be a stunt by Boras, who I really, really don't like and that's not easy for me to do if I've never met someone, but we'll find out soon enough.

This has more or less been confirmed by ESPN and Sweeney.

Sports Illustrated is reporting that A-Rod is opting out of his contract.

When I don't have massive thesis work to do for tomorrow, I will work on a proper post, but this is one of those news things that you just have to 'stop everything and post' or something.

My basic, quick take?

If you don't want to be in New York, we don't want you here. It was great while it lasted, but truth be told, I'm not that fussed. A-Rod's been one of the marquee Yankees from 2004-2007, and with the exception of June-September 2007, they aren't exactly years (baseball wise, at least) that I'd like to remember.

Again, tremendous respect for what A-Rod did for the Yankees in four years, not too fussed about it, and will have something more impressive to post tomorrow or the day after.

WS postgame notes coming at the appropriate time.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, or Lack Thereof

Be warned. Eternal optimist is angry.

Now that I’ve had time to think about it…

What is there to say?

Part of me wants to play the perennial optimist. Part of me wants to collect a book of everyone’s favorite Torre moments, put ‘em in a binder and mail ‘em to wherever it is that Joe lives.

Part of me wants to walk right on up to Randy Levine and shake him silly. Part of me wants to yell in his face that Joe Torre was the best thing that ever happened to his Yankees, and that he will never, ever, ever have as much class as Joe. Not after the front office pulled that stunt.

It’s not an issue of whether or not Joe should have been brought back, but the issue in which the entire thing was handled, trying to make the Brass look good and Torre a lame duck.

Torre’s a stronger person than that, a classier person than that and a better person than that.

Look, I know that bad front offices are part and parcel, but there’s no reason to be silent. I know New York is New York and if you can’t handle the media you need to get out, but this isn’t about handling the media.

It is, quite simply, about treating people with the respect they deserve.

Could you imagine Atlanta doing this to Bobby Cox? Could you imagine the Patriots doing this to Bill Belichick? Could you imagine the Spurs or the Red Wings doing this to their coaches?

New York coaches might always seem to get the short end of the stick, but, and I’m thinking of Coughlin and Thomas right now, when you consider the recent on-field records and off-field shenanigans of the two, I can’t say it’s not deserved.

You can’t say the same about Torre. He was as much a father to the Yankees as it’s possible to be. No matter what happened in April or May, the team was there, playing in October. Forget about winning or losing for a second, and think about this: no team other than the Detroit Red Wings and the New York Yankees has an active playoff streak of longer than ten seasons.

That includes the Spurs, the Devils, the Patriots…

Yes, Yankee fans are used to winning, but perhaps more importantly, they’re used to rooting for a team that’s always been considered an example of class.

If this is how the Front Office treats a guy that will soon get a plaque in Monument Park, I’m not sure I want to see how they treat Don Mattingly (the odds-on favorite, right now, to take the job) if the team starts 21-29 again.

I love Mo. I love Posada. I love Andy. I would sell body parts, corporeal and otherwise, to keep them on the Yankees….but if, after this, any or all of them decide to walk, I can’t say I’d blame them.

Most of us have put up with Steinbrenner for a long time, and, well, with thirteen straight postseasons, he’s obviously done something right…but Hank and Hal are not King George.


Right now, though, Yankees fans need to do something.

Yankee fans—oy, I’m talking to you, blogger!—need to make it clear that we won’t stand for this.

You want to talk about groundswell, internet, mass communication, whatever, now is the perfect time to put it to use.

The greatest American sports franchise needs to know that the outrage isn’t because Torre isn’t coming back, but because cowardice, hiding behind a contract veil so thin that even the blind can see through it, is not something that will win you any medals.

Or Rings.