The Pinstriper

ALL POSTING WILL NOW BE DONE AT NEW WEBSITE

2009-12-13T21:05:00.002-05:00

We have a new website. We feel the techinical difficulties of this blog are becoming too much to handle so we have swtiched to wordpress.

Here is the link, PLEASE continue to read, bookmark, and follow us: http://nyypinstriper.wordpress.com
THANK YOU!

Wang Becomes Free Agent

2009-12-13T16:46:00.003-05:00

The Chien-Ming Wang era in New York has finally ended (*mixed boos and cheers*). The Yankees decided on not tendering Wangs contract before the 11:59pm deadline Saturday. New York opted to tender contracts to outfielder Melky Cabrera and pitchers Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre. The decision basically came down to starters/trade bait. Cabrera is the current left fielder (and trade bait), and Gaudin and Mitre are current candidates for the back of the rotation. Had the Yankees tendered his contract, arbitration would have given him 20% less than his $5 mil. contract for this season.

photo by AP/Franklin II

In 104 career starts as a Yankee, he went 55-26 with a 4.16 ERA in 5 seasons as a Yankee. Of course, his two 19-win seasons were considered his best, and his accuracy was pin-point. He started 2008 8-2 and everyone remembers that one June day in 2008 in Houston when he tore a muscle in his foot and sprained his ankle rounding third base causing him to be out until September. Then this past season came, and he got knocked around and had a record of 1-6 with a 9.64 ERA before he was shut down for the season due to shoulder surgery.
Wang and his agent expect to get offers from other teams very soon, and if it would be from the Yanks it would be for much less money.

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #1 Derek Jeter or #3 Alex Rodriguez?

2009-12-12T21:47:00.003-05:00

Mariano Rivera defeated Alfonso Soriano 18-1 in the last matchup.

Question for my blog readers: Which site do you think looks better? This or This? I am in the process of considering a new blog outline/template.

Song of the Day: Eminence Front by The Who

Due to technical difficulties all sidebar options of the blog are at the bottom of the page.

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #1 Mariano Rivera or #4 Alfonso Soriano

2009-12-11T21:25:00.004-05:00

Andy Pettitte defeated Enrique Wilson 18-0 in the last matchup.

Song of the Day: Shake it Out by Manchester Orchestra

Very sorry, but due to technical difficulties the polls are at the bottom of the screen, not the right side. Very sorry.

Keeping Your Eye on the Ball? Not Possible.

2009-12-11T16:17:00.007-05:00

(Photo by Chris Edwards)

Every once in a while we here at the Pinstriper like to talk amongst ourselves about the myths of baseball. So we decided why not share what we have discussed with our lovely readers?

Baseball Myths: Keep Your Eyes on the Ball

Aynone who played baseball, or any other sport involving a ball, as a child always heard the same advice over and over and over. Keep your eye on the ball. Keep your eye on the ball. You were supposed to keep your eye on the ball while you were hitting, fielding, and running. Heck, you had to watch that ball while you were on the bench. It was beaten into your brain like multiplication tables. But is it even possible? At the major league level, scientists say no.

A study by Ken Fold who is a visual psychophysicist who works at the University of New Hampshire concluded that it was physically impossible for hitters to keep their eyes on the ball. When the ball is traveling at major league speeds between 90 and 100 mph players can only see the ball 5 to 6 feet in front of the plate at best. So the next time you see Johnny Damon's head fly around in the box and his eyes start drifting towards the right field fence, don't get so upset, he can't do much better.

On a side note, how great would it be to have Fold's job title at Holiday parties or around the family table? So Bobby, what do you do now? Oh I am a publicist for a small chain of grocery stores. Thats nice, what about you Ken? Visual psychophysicist. No contest.

We will be back soon with more baseball myths. Thanks for reading!

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #1 Jorge Posada or #6 Enrique Wilson

2009-12-10T21:39:00.001-05:00

Andy Pettitte got the shutout 19-0 in the last matchup.

Song of the Day: Keep em' Separated by The Offspring

Rule 5 Draft Selections

2009-12-10T13:27:00.004-05:00

The New York Yankees made a very surprising choice with the first pick of the Rule 5 Draft.

They chose Jamie Hoffmann of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Hoffmann, a former 8th round pick of the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes, could make the club as a fourth outfielder. Hoffmann seemed to hit about 9-11 homeruns a year, with a solid batting average of .275+ and is known to have pretty good speed. He could steal up to 20 bases a year. Hoffmann is also known as a solid hitter against lefties and a great fielder.

Personally, I would have taken Kroenke now that Coke is gone, but I am not too upset with the selection.

YANKEES CHOSEN:

Zach Kroenke was taken by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Kanekoa Texeira was taken by the Seattle Mariners.

Analysis: I find it very impressive that Yankees keep getting chosen in the draft. It says something about their minor-league system.

Predictions:

Jamie Hoffmann sticks with the Yankees and makes their regular season roster. He is returned in June when the Yankees trade for a veteran version of him.

Zach Kroenke does not make the Arizona Diamondbacks and is returned. He does have a clause where he can become a free agent, but he chooses to go back to the Yankees, as they promise him a spot on the 40-man roster.

Kanekoa Texeira makes the Seattle Mariners and sticks with them for the entire 2009 season.

Free Agent Spotlight: Mike Cameron

2009-12-09T23:27:00.004-05:00

We move from the topic of pitchers on to outfielders, which believe it or not, is still a team need. Mike Cameron, 36, is one of the best available outfielders not named Bay or Holliday.
You might be wondering why the Yanks need another outfielder even though they just got Curtis Granderson. Well, with Granderson, we now have four outfielders; Brett Gardner, Melky Cabrera, Nick Swisher and Granderson. Many people are anticipating the resigning of Johnny Damon. And with this, many people anticipate the trading of Nick Swisher. Which leaves us with a very good centerfielder, a decent corner outfielder in Cabrera, a fast outfielder who needs to improve his hitting, and an aging corner outfielder with no arm. Our minor league outfielders could be drafted away from us, as Shelley Duncan and John Rodriguez are expected to be drafted in the Rule 5. So we’re left with Colin Curtis, and newly signed Jon Weber and Eladio Moronta as our backups in case of injury/other needs.

photo from Sports Illustrated

Cameron has always hit for a low average and many strikeouts, but he is a perfect middle-bottom of the order hitter because of his power and speed. He hit just .250 last year but hit 25 home runs and 70 RBIs (and his home was Miller Park, typically a pitchers park). Though his speed has been decreasing over the years, he can still cover the outfield and still has a great arm, which would make his transition to a corner spot (most likely left because of said speed, and Melkys cannon for RF) much easier. He has 3 gold gloves under his belt, most recently in 2006.
Cameron would be a great fit in New York for several reasons. We know he can handle the New York media, as he spent 2004-05 with the Mets without any controversy (many remember him for his nasty collision with Carlos Beltran, breaking several bones in his face and causing him to miss the rest of the season). Second, he hits well against AL East teams for the most part in his career; 10 HR 26 RBI vs Boston, 3 HR 23 RBI vs Baltimore, 6 HR 27 RBI vs Toronto, and 5 HR 22 RBI vs Tampa Bay. Remember, his six full seasons in the AL were with Seattle and Chicago, who would face these teams a max of 10 times a year.

Scenarios with Cameron:
- Damon signed, Swisher traded for starter/reliever/minor leaguer. Cameron takes 6 or 7 spot in order and takes over RF/LF
- Damon not signed, Swisher stays- Cameron bats in front of Swisher because of speed and better clutch hitting; Swisher becomes everyday DH with ability to start in the OF when needed.
- Damon signed, Swisher kept- Cameron becomes everyday outfielder, Swisher and Damon must fight for DH job, one of the two rot on the bench, until Swisher/Cabrera traded before deadline

If the Yankees sign him, look for a 2-year, $17 MM deal.
Cameron has said that he wants to play for a team with a chance at the postseason, let’s see if the Yankees make a run at him.

The Night Before: Rule 5 Rumor Roundup

2009-12-09T22:19:00.005-05:00

Here are the various rumors about the Rule 5 Draft (tomorrow in Indianapolis at the Winter Meetings)

-Fact-The Yankees have the first pick

-Jonathan Mayo says that the Yankees may have the Nationals (who techinically own the pick but will draft a player of the Yankees choosing) draft Zach Kroenke. This is to protect Kroenke from being drafted by other teams. The Nationals would then return Kroenke to the Yankees immediately.

-Chad Jennings predicts that the Yankees will draft either Chad Tracy (the minor-league son of Jim Tracy, not the former Diamondback), or Matt McBride.

-Steve Henson reports that the Yankees will likely draft Arquimedes Caminero.

-Frankie Piliere hears that the Yankees will draft John Raynor, though he does not know where they would put him if they drafted him.

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #1 Andy Pettitte or #6 Orlando Hernandez?

2009-12-09T21:36:00.003-05:00

Roger Clemens defeated Chuck Knoblauch 16-1 in the last matchup.

Song of the Day: Layla by Derek & the Dominos

Lots of Movement at the Winter Meetings

2009-12-09T18:41:00.004-05:00

Latest from the Winter Meetings:

- The Rangers traded RHP Kevin Millwood to the Orioles for reliever Chris Ray
- LHP Randy Wolf and RHP Latroy Hawkins both signed with the Milwaukee Brewers
- The Atlanta Braves GM officially stated that Rafael Soriano will be traded
- The Cardinals officially signed RHP Brad Penny
- The Marlins sent RHP Matt Lindstrom to the Astros for 2 minor leaguers and a Rule 5 pick
- 2004 Rookie of the Year SS Bobby Crosby signed with the Pirates
- The Phillies signed PH/1B Ross Gload

Interview with Chad Jennings

2009-12-09T17:29:00.013-05:00

Chad Jennings is a former beat writer for the AAA Scranton Yankees. He took over as a Yankees beat writer in October and has agreed to do a quick interview with The Pinstriper. We thank him for the interview. Enjoy and don't forget to check out his work here!

1. Thoughts on the Curtis Granderson trade? Who got the best of it?

I think every team got what it wanted. Granderson is a great fit for the Yankees. They gave up some real talent to get him, but that's what it was going to take for an impact player like that. I think some people are getting a bit too caught up in his splits. They're bad, and they're a factor in judging him as a hitter, but at the end of the day he's consistently hit 20+ home runs with 70+ RBIs while playing good defense in center field. He's also young and signed to a good contract.

2. Can you profile Austin Jackson and Ian Kennedy for us?

Jackson is going to be an everyday center fielder, but his lack of power suggests he'll be more of a bottom-of-the-order hitter. He could develop more power and become more of an impact bat -- wouldn't surprise me, actually -- but right now he's a guy with a little bit of speed who hits for a high average despite striking out a lot. He's also a good defensive player in center field. Kennedy started throwing a two-seam fastball during the Arizona Fall League and his curveball has improved since his bad 2008 stint in New York. It's easy to overlooked that he's been absolutely dominant in the minor leagues and that he pitched very well in the big leagues when he was first called up in late 2007. He throws strikes -- quality strikes -- and that makes him a good pitcher.

3. Any idea who the Yankees might want in the Rule 5 Draft? What position?

Can't figure it out, to be honest. Infield makes no sense because the 40-man is already packed with utility candidates, I can't imagine the Rule 5 providing a better backup catcher than Francisco Cervelli, and if the Yankees wanted a power arm, why not protect Grant Duff or Kevin Whelan? There are a few right-handed hitters available who can play the outfield and also have experience at catcher. I wonder if that might work for the Yankees, giving them a little bit more outfield depth -- which they need -- as well as a spare catcher for days when Cervelli is behind the plate and Jorge Posada is the DH.

4. Any idea of any players that might be taken from the Yankees?

I think Zach Kroenke will be taken, I think Kevin Whelan should be taken and I think Colin Curtis might be taken. There are other candidates -- Jason Hirsh, George Kontos, Grant Duff, Alan Horne -- but I tend to think Kroenke, Whelan and Curtis are the guys most at risk of being taken.

5. Do you think the Yankees need to improve the bullpen at all or they are good as it is?

I don't think they have to make a bullpen move, partially because I think they'll sign Andy Pettitte plus one more starting pitcher. That could leave either Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain to return to the eighth inning (I still think they should both be starters, but that's a whole other issue). David Robertson and Mark Melancon are also legitimate options for high-leverage bullpen roles. And you never know what young starter they might convert to the pen. If they were willing to move Hughes, they're willing to move anyone, and guys like Ivan Nova and Zach McAllister might work well in that role. You never know.

6. Is Zach Kroenke an MLB option at this point? Was he part of the reason they were willing to trade Coke?

I think Mike Dunn was the reason the Yankees were willing to trade Coke. After last year, it's hard to believe the Yankees see Kroenke playing a role in the big leagues. Kroenke was terrific in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last year. When he didn't get a shot then, and when he wasn't added to the 40-man this winter, it became obvious that the Yankees don't view him as much of a major league option. I hope he's taken in the Rule 5 because he deserves a shot.

7. If you had to predict the rotation for next year what would it be?

Sabathia, Burnett, Pettitte, Hughes, Chamberlain

I think they'll bring someone else in to compete, but unless that person is Ben Sheets or Rich Harden, I think it's entirely possible that Hughes and Chamberlain will outpitch the new competition and win the job.

8. The outfield? What could Melky Cabrera net in a trade and are the Yankees definitely more willing to trade him rather than Brett Gardner?

The short answer is, I have no idea. Cabrera is an enigma on the trade market. He's still cheap and he's coming off a nice year, but is his trade value that of a starting center fielder or a fourth outfielder? Everyone seems split on the way they ultimately view him. As for which one I would trade, it's no secret that I really like Gardner, but I'm not sure it makes sense to have two left-handed center fielders.

*Interview conducted by Brandon of The Pinstriper and Chad Jennings of the Lohud Yankees Blog*

Andys Back in Pinstripes!

2009-12-09T11:31:00.008-05:00

Photo by Getty Images

Brian Cashman was a busy man yesterday acquiring Curtis Granderson, and today he finalized a deal to bring Andy Pettitte back to the Bronx. The contract is rumored to be a one year deal worth $11.75MM. We are all glad to see you back Andy!

UPDATE: 1:38 PM: Brandon here. I like the move for both sides. Pettite gets a ton of money to return to the Bronx and the Yankees get a solid #3 or #4 starter. I was sort of hoping that he would give the Yankees some kind of a discount....but no.

Prediction: Pettite goes 12-8 with a 4.35 ERA. He does not go on the DL at all.

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #2 Roger Clemens or #5 Chuck Knoblauch

2009-12-08T21:50:00.001-05:00

Wonder who will win....

Paul O'Neill defeated Hideki Matsui 22-6 in the last matchup.

Song of the Day: Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys

Curtis Granderson Will Be A Hit In Pinstripes

2009-12-08T16:49:00.011-05:00

I love that the Yankees have picked up the lefty centerfielder Curtis Granderson. He seems to be a class act, a good fielder, and a good hitter (though he is terrible against lefty pitching) with speed whose power will be augmented by Yankee Stadium.

Of all the players the Yankees were rumored to be looking at outside of their own club this off season, I thought Granderson would be the best buy. The Yankees gave away a good prospect in Austin Jackson, sending him and lefty Phil Coke to the Tigers. They also shipped off Ian Kennedy to the Diamondbacks to secure the 28 year old Granderson who is a combination of speed, power, and youth that will do some damage in pinstripes. While this was more than I had anticipated the Yankees were going to need to give away, it is not unreasonable and I am fairly confident that Granderson will make it a worthwhile deal.

My prediction is that he hits around .270 with 30 homeruns and 70 RBI's with 25 steals. I know it is a lofty prediction but it is certainly attainable and expectations are always high in the Yankee Universe.

Check the post below for more analysis of the Granderson trade.

UPDATE: 5:40 PM: Brandon, here! Had my friend edit some pictures and get the traded players in their new teams caps. Little obvious that it was edited, but still, I find them interesting.

Yankees Acquire Curtis Granderson

2009-12-08T15:16:00.009-05:00

The New York Yankees have acquired Curtis Granderson from the Detroit Tigers in a three-team trade.

Here's the trade:

Yankees Receive: Curtis Granderson (Tigers)

Arizona Diamondbacks Receive: Edwin Jackson (Tigers) and Ian Kennedy (Yankees)

Tigers Receive: Max Scherzer and Daniel Schlereth from the Diamondbacks, and Phil Coke and Austin Jackson from the Yankees

Analysis: Love the move for the Yankees. The Yankees are essentially getting a better version of Jackson and giving up Ian Kennedy, who has been often injured but still has a bright future, and Phil Coke. Coke is not a necessary piece for the Yankees, of whom have Damaso Marte, Mike Dunn and Zach Kroenke.

OTHER NEWS:

-Jack Curry has left the NY Times.
-Peter Gammons has left ESPN.
-Ivan Rodriguez has signed with the Washington Nationals.
-The Mariners are "unlikely to get involved" in the Jason Bay sweepstakes.

UPDATE: 3:30 PM: Looks like each team got a fair amount in the trade. Jackson will most likely have a solid MLB career, as long as he can get some of his power back. Kennedy will likely be a 4th starter or 5th starter in the MLB if he can heal from his injuries. Coke will make a good lefty specialist for the Tigers.

As for Granderson, with the short porch in right field, he could hit up to 35 HR. Add about 20-25 SB and 70-80 RBIs, I'll take it. If Jackson can hit better against lefties (.183 Batting Average, .239 Slugging, .245 On-Base) he can prove to be a nice acquisition.

Don't forget Granderson hit .302 as recently as '07 and hit .280 in '08.

Prediction: Granderson hits .268 with 32 HR and 75 RBI in '10.

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #2 Paul O'Neill or #4 Hideki Matsui?

2009-12-07T21:04:00.002-05:00

Tino Martinez defeated Johnny Damon 26-1 in the last matchup.

Song of the Day: Iron Man by Black Sabbath

Brian Bruney Traded

2009-12-07T13:10:00.008-05:00

Brian Bruney has been traded to the Washington nationals for a player to be named later. Updates to come.

UPDATE: 4:50 PM: Sorry for the late update, I was working when I heard the news. If Mark Feinsand's report is true, and the Yankees get the first pick overall in the Rule 5 Draft, that is one heck of a deal. Getting rid of an arbitration pitcher that would have rotted in the back of the bullpen for a potential MLB ready prospect...nice deal in my opinion even if it is just a player to be named later and NOT the rule 5 pick.

UPDATE: 5:25 PM: Mark Feinsand confirms it. Great pickup considering the Yankees could have just let Bruney become a free agent.

Photo Courtesy of the Boston Globe. (Left to Right: Nick Swisher, Brian Bruney)

Free Agent Spotlight: Jason Marquis

2009-12-07T00:25:00.002-05:00

Let the Winter Meetings begin ! And since we’re on the free agent topic of starting pitchers, let’s stick with Jason Marquis.
Marquis was drafted in 1996 by the Atlanta Braves. His debut was in 2000, and he spent the following 3 years in the ATL. These years were rough for Marquis, as he never really showed improvement stats wise, going 14-15 with a 4.45 ERA. He lost his starting job for nearly all of 2003. In 2004, the St. Louis Cardinals took the risk of signing Marquis and naming him a starter. That year, Marquis broke out with a 15-7 record and a 3.71 ERA in 200+ innings. In his 3 seasons in St. Louis, he gave up 26, 29, and 35 home runs, which is a ridiculous amount. Marquis’ worst year in STL was in 2006, in which he went 14-16 with an awful 6.02 ERA, as the Cards went on to win the World Series. He spent the next two seasons in Chicago with positive records, and this past season in Colorado, where he was 15-13 with a 4.04 ERA; people thought he was the mid-season MVP before his ERA shot up.

Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Now, the question: should the Yanks sign him? While his career record is 94-83, his ERA is 4.48, which is very high for a longtime starter. His home runs allowed have gone down dramatically since his 3 years in STL. Marquis could be a good fit as the Yankees fourth or fifth starter, definitely not third. His inconsistency can be scary, and you know Yankee fans would jump on him if he does poorly as the 3rd starter. He isn’t a strikeout machine, but he does have accuracy. Another concern would be expecting him to jump into the AL, considering his entire career has been in the NL. He’s 31 years old and has good stuff. Look for a 4 year, $41 MM deal (around $10.2 mil/year) if he should get one.
Marquis grew up in Manhasset, NY, on Long Island. He went to the Little League World Series in 1991, where he pitched two no-hitters in the quarterfinals and 3rd Place game. He grew up a huge Yankee fan, and a Don Mattingly fan. This could effect his decision to play in pinstripes if the Yankees pursue…

Payroll and the Doc

2009-12-06T21:52:00.003-05:00

The Yankees are cutting payroll?! What an unbelievable thought. Except, in reality, if the Yankees are going to go out and get a free agent starter then the amount they cut from the payroll will not really be significant at all. Just thought I would mention that.

Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated twittered that the Red Sox have the best chance to land Halladay. He also notes that the Blue Jays would want a combination Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, Austin Jackson, and Jesus Montero from the Yankees. Combine that with the 20 million a year that Halladay will command for 4-5 years and unless the Blue Jays are willing to make a different deal it appears that the Yankees will not go that far to get the Doc.

After all who can blame them? You are talking about two of their best young pitchers who have both proven to be shutdown relievers and have, though Hughes more than Joba, potential to be great starters in the majors. Then you have two of the Yankees best prospects who are considered by many scouts to have MLB-ready bats. I ask, is giving up three of these players too much, even for a pitcher as dominant as Halladay?

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #2 Tino Martinez or #3 Johnny Damon?

2009-12-06T19:41:00.003-05:00

Alex Rodriguez defeated Bernie Williams 131-78 in the last matchup

Song of the Day: Hand of Blood by Bullet for my Valentine

Impact of the Marco Scutaro Signing

2009-12-06T15:58:00.005-05:00

Photo by AP

♫ The Rooters showed up at the grounds one day
They found their seats had all been sold
McGreevey led the charge into the park
Stormed the gates and put the game on hold
The Rooters gave the other team a dreadful fright
Boston's tenth man could not be wrong
Up from "Third Base" to Huntington
They'd sing another victory song ♫
--Dropkick Murphys

On Thursday the Red Sox agreed to a 2 year $12.5MM deal with middle infielder Marco Scutaro, who spent the last two seasons with Toronto. When analyzing exactly how much will Scutaro impact Boston's upcoming season one major aspect has to be looked at. Since Nomar left Boston after the '03 season Boston has had 5 different starters at SS over the last 6 seasons (Pokey Reese, Edgar Renteria, Julio Lugo, Alex Gonzalez, and Nick Green + Jed Lowrie spliting time with Lugo in '08 makes it 7). Scutaro gives them a reliable SS who now at 34 years old is actually seemingly improving, last season he had the most ABs of his career and put up the best stats. Scutaro's power is not overwhelming but his 12 HR equal the HRs put up by Lugo, Green, and Gonzalez last season combined. Scutaro may be able to use the wall to his advantage and put up another double digit HR season which would be the first by a Boston SS since Nomars 28 HRs in 2003. Scutaro can also fit into many spots in the lineup and actually started in 5 different spots in the lineup during his time with the Blue Jays (led off all of '09). He is also a very polished defender who rarely makes costly mistakes in the field. Overall I consider this a very intelligent pick up by Theo Epstein and this could even wind up being a major steal.

20,000 Readers

2009-12-06T11:55:00.005-05:00

The title speaks for itself. Wow.

Thanks for reading everyone and if you ever have any questions about the site or interviews or anything feel free to email me, if not, keep reading and bookmark the site!

The picture included is out of complete and total boredom by myself....I had someone edit Yankees caps onto certain players. Enjoy!

From left to right it is:

Free Agent SP-Justin Duchscherer
Free Agent LF-Jason Bay
Free Agent SP-Joel Piniero
Trade Candidate SP-Roy Halladay
Free Agent SP-Jason Marquis
Free Agent SP-Rich Harden
Free Agent LF-Matt Holliday

The Pinstriper Features

2009-12-06T11:32:00.003-05:00

If you are new to The Pinstriper there are some things you may want to know about.

-Look at the right side for our features.

-We are currently doing a Best Yankee of the Decade Tournament

-We have been mentioned on MLBTradeRumors various times.

-Comments are ALWAYS replied to.

-You can vote on polls, follow us on twitter, and email us at the links provided on the right sidebar.

Yanks Sign 2 to Minor League Contracts

2009-12-06T00:10:00.003-05:00

The Yankees have signed Eladio Moronta, a Dominican outfielder, and outfielder Jon Weber.

Moronta, who is just 20 years old, was suspended from baseball for a full season for misrepresenting his age as 17. He has been compared to Raul Mondesi with a better arm and blinding speed.

Weber, 31, spent the last 3 seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays' AAA club Durham Bulls. The Bulls defeated the SWB Yankees in the Governors' Cup (IL Championship). Weber won the Bulls team MVP, hitting .302 with 14 HR 69 RBI and 60 extra-base hits.

These additions likely officially mark the end of the Shelley Duncan era, as you can expect Weber to take his place both in the lineup and in the field.

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #2 Bernie Williams or #3 Alex Rodriguez?

2009-12-05T19:25:00.002-05:00

Derek Jeter defeated Robinson Cano 12-1 in the last matchup.

Song of the Day: Boom by Nelly

Pray for a Friend

2009-12-05T14:26:00.002-05:00

Fernando Arencibia is taking an indefinite leave of absence from The Pinstriper for personal reasons. I ask that you pray for him, as the circumstances are not very good and the leave is based on very serious issues that I cannot disclose at this time.

Please pray for him and understand while he is not physically hurt, he is likely being mentally tortured.

Figgins Signs with the Mariners

2009-12-05T14:25:00.005-05:00

Getty Images

"Hello Seattle, I am a mountaineer
In the hills and highlands
I fall asleep in hospital parking lots"

--Owl City

I don't know if Chone Figgins falls asleep in parking lots but I do know Mr. Figgins is now a member of the Seattle Mariners. Figgins has signed a 4 year $36MM preliminary deal with Seattle. Not a huge change of scenery for Figgins, a new town, a new jersey, and a lesser club, but he will be playing the same opponents he always face with the Angels (except now he gets to verse his old club). In his career Figgins has hit over .290 and averages 48 SB per year and is a sparkplug to the Seattle lineup behind the biggest sparkplug in baseball, Ichiro. Figgins will be replacing Adrain Beltre, who posted five decent seasons in a Mariner uniform. Seattle is the 3rd organization Figgins will play for after spending about five years in the Rockies System, and all his time with the Angels. Im sure Angel fans will miss him greatly and he will get an overwhelming reception when he returns to Angel Stadium this coming season.

Plea to the Yankees: Don't Sign John Lackey

2009-12-05T12:25:00.005-05:00

Many teams have been linked to top free-agent pitcher John Lackey. Among those are the Mets, Red Sox, Angels, Dodgers, and, of course, the Yankees.

Last year I pleaded to the Yankees that they should NOT sign A.J. Burnett. I was wrong so far and I will admit that.

What Yankees fans should be afraid of is that the Yankees could be paying their third starter equally or more than their second starter. While the rotation would be great for the upcoming years and the Yankees do have the money, why not spend the money on various holes, rather than one?

John Lackey was 11-8 with a 3.83 ERA last year. His career ERA is 3.81. Those are some average numbers for someone commanding $82M or more. Meanwhile, Lackey is also an injury risk having pitched in less than 30 games each of the last two seasons.

The Yankees can use that $82M over the next five seasons ($16.4M per year) and sign either a top outfielder (Jason Bay or Matt Holliday) OR one pitcher (Rich Harden, Jason Marquis, Erik Bedard, Justin Duchscherer) AND one outfielder (Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, Marlon Byrd, Jermaine Dye)

Don't you think you would rather have the latter of the two? Thoughts? Send em' along in the comments.

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #1 Derek Jeter or #4 Robinson Cano?

2009-12-04T20:35:00.001-05:00

This is the first matchup of the 2nd round.

Song of the Day: This is Shangri-La by Mother Love Bone

Free Agent Spotlight: Erik Bedard

2009-12-02T19:24:00.002-05:00

With Justin Duchscherer being reviewed with his mental problems, we turn to another high-risk, high-reward type pitcher in Erik Bedard. Yes, we all remember him as the guy who was traded from Baltimore to Seattle for soon-to-be All-Star Adam Jones and reliever George Sherrill, but obviously the trade didn’t go so well for the Mariners. Why you ask? Bedard started just 15 games in each of his two seasons in Seattle, going a combined 11-7 with a 3.24 ERA. In 2008, his season ended in June after tearing his labrum, an injury many doctors say a pitcher will never be able to return to true form from. The labrum is the joint that basically connects the arm to the shoulder and allows movement, so you can only imagine the pain. He had surgery in September and returned for Spring Training. In 2009, he left in June again after inflammation in the very same shoulder, and he missed the rest of the year. Note: He has been on the DL 6 times in the last 3 seasons.
photo from Getty Images

So, let us look back to the good old days when he was a strikeout machine. For the Orioles from 2004-2007 (and .2 innings in 2002) he went 40-34 (remember how below average the O’s have been this decade). A 3.94 ERA over that span; 658 innings, 639 strikeouts, including a team record 221 in 2007 (10.93 KPG) and walking just 254 [just over a 2.5-1 K-BB ratio]. He is a career 5-4 vs. Boston, 11-3 vs. Tampa Bay, but only 1-3 at Yankee Stadium as an opponent.

Now, seeing this, do we take the risk and go after the lefty? There’s a chance he could be a stud again, and there’s a chance he could get hurt again. Let’s face it..we need a starter for next year (more like two or three or four). Personally, I would rather go after someone like a Duchscherer, with Bedard next in line. Harden and Sheets (more Harden to me) are too great of risks to take, unless they remain free agents until late in the off-season. But if we want him, we better hurry, his drafter Baltimore is looking to sign him for some good money…

Free Agent Spotlight: Justin Duchscherer

2009-12-02T18:05:00.004-05:00

In the first installment of Free Agent Spotlight we will examine the value of SP/RP Justin Duchscherer who last pitched in 2008 with the Oakland Athletics, but sat out all of last season battling Clinical Depression. Clinical Depression and other anxiety disorders has become a common occurence in the MLB with recent battlers being Dontrelle Willis and Zack Greinke. When looking at Willis and Greinke you see exact opposites one who has only ad 14 starts the last 2 seasons with an ERA of about 8.00 and the other the 2009 AL Cy Young winner. So where exactly to you put Duchscherer? Willis had a few good seasons but his actually skill had been doubted, and Greinke has been seen for years as a talent who was just waiting to blossom. Duchscherer's career numbers look great and all of it has been done in the AL which has become important when lookin at performances by a pitcher (for instance Willis was great in the NL, but crumbled in the AL). I can also give Duchscherer a little break when diagnosing how worrysome his depression is on the fact his anxiety/depression was in large part because he did not want to be away from his son.

If he has truely gotten himself in a good place mentally he can be a huge FA steal along with Ben Sheets and Rich Harden if they stay healthy. Duchscherer has even more value because of the fact he had three very successful seasons as a reliever and then was a shut down starter in 2008 with the Athletics. In fact Justin Duchscherer may just fit perfectly into the Yankees plans. They could most likely get away with paying him much under his value and he is a slot guy who can pitch in relief or start depending on what happens with Hughes and Chamberlain. Overall I think Duchscherer will come away with about a 6MM contract filled with incentives that could make his deal worth up to about double whatever the contract ends up being for (if 6MM then 12MM). Duchscherer will be 32 at the start of the 2010 season and definitely has the potential to be the Zack Greinke of 2010. After all he has gone through I wish him much luck, unless he signs with Boston of course.

Best Yankee of the Decade: Round Two Coming Friday

2009-11-30T21:21:00.004-05:00

Hideki Matsui defeated Miguel Cairo 9-2 last round.

I'll be in Washington D.C. for the next few days so the next poll will be Friday.

Song of the Day: Tonight's Gonna be a Good Night by the Black Eyed Peas (sorry YouTube isn't working for me again, so no link)

Look Back - Alex Rodriguez's 2007 Resiging

2009-11-30T20:27:00.011-05:00

Photo Courtesy of Bleacher Report

There are a couple ways I wanted to go with this particular look back. I wanted to go back to when the Yankees signed Alex Rodriguez initially but then there would be too many possibilities. But, I found that it was a lot more feasible to discuss what might have occurred if the Yankees had chosen not to resign him in 2007.

After all it was perfectly reasonable that the Yankees would not resign A-Rod. Scott Boras operated in such a way that it was certainly possible the Yankees had had enough of dealing with Alex Rodriguez’s massive contract. They had offered him $230 million dollars and had previously said that they would not play around with A-Rod if he opted out.

So the Yankees do not sign Rodriguez which leaves 3rd base open. Here are a few possibilities:

RED SOX SIGN ALEX RODRIGUEZ

Despite the idea that Boston would never want to sign A-Rod because they dislike Boras or did not believe that A-Rod was a “Boston” guy, in reality it would make complete sense for them to sign him. With Mike Lowell’s contract up, they could sign Rodriguez to a huge contract and generate even more publicity for their campaign to defend their World Series title.

YANKEES SIGN MIKE LOWELL

In need of a 3rd basemen, the Yankees sign Mike Lowell away from Boston. This has the added benefit of slighting the Red Sox while gaining Lowell, who at the time, was regarded as a very potent third basemen. There was serious interest in Lowell on the part of the Yankees so do not mistake this as just a rumor. They might have even signed him even if they brought A-Rod back.

YANKEES SIGN MARK TEXEIRA

Pretty easy to see that this signing would still have occurred.

YANKEES MOVE ROBINSON CANO to third base and sign (gulp) LUIS CASTILLO

Of all the other free agent second basemen available, Castillo makes the most sense for the Yankees. His career average was around .300 and he was a fairly good defensive second basemen who might have have been able to replace Cano’s production at 2nd base.

Recap of the Yankees Starting lineup:

WITH LOWELL AND TEIXEIRA

1. Jeter SS
2. Damon LF
3. Teixeira 1B
4. Matsui DH
5. Posada C
6. Cano 2B
7. Lowell 3B
8. Swisher RF
9. Cabrera CF

WITH CASTILLO AND TEIXEIRA AND CANO AT 3RD

1. Jeter SS
2. Damon LF
3. Teixeira 1B
4. Matsui DH
5. Posada C
6. Cano 3B
7. Swisher RF
8. Castillo 2B
9. Cabrera CF

I have to say, even if one were to take into account the extra money that could be freed up to buy a pitcher, it would have been a very bad move to put Cano at 3rd and sign Castillo, or really any other 2nd basemen because the 2007 class was not stellar at that position. With Lowell and Teixeira in the lineup it looks infinitely better but, upon comparison to the lineup the Yankees have today with Rodriguez both of these lineups simply do not compare.

Jeter wins Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year

2009-11-30T17:53:00.006-05:00

*Photo Courtesy of SI*

Derek Jeter was named the SI Sportsman of the Year today. Jeter is the first Yankee in the awards 56 years to win.

Derek batted was third in the AL with a .334 avg, second with 212 hits, and led the league with reaching base 289 times. He also won his 4th Gold Golve, Silver Slugger, Hank Aaron Award, Roberto Clemente Award, and of course passed Lou Gehrig as the Yankees all-time hits leader. Congratulations Derek!

Ross Ohlendorf: Yankee, Pirate, and...Government Intern?

2009-11-30T12:06:00.006-05:00

Photo by AP/J. Scott Applewhite

Thats right Ross Ohlendorf is interning with the U.S. Government at the Agriculture Department. Some stories even if completely and utterly useless just have to be posted, and this is one of them.

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #4 Hideki Matsui or #5 Miguel Cairo?

2009-11-29T22:55:00.002-05:00

Paul O'Neill defeated Gary Sheffield 9-2 in the last matchup.

No song of the day, sorry! YouTube is malfunctioning so there will be no song of the day. If interested in finding it yourself, today's would have been Sweet Child O' Mine by the Guns N' Roses

LIVE CHAT: Tonight 8:30 EST

2009-11-29T13:30:00.003-05:00

The Pinstriper Live Chat

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #2 Paul O'Neill or #7 Gary Sheffield?

2009-11-28T20:53:00.002-05:00

Jorge Posada defeated Shane Spencer 9-1 in the last poll!

Song of the Day: Welcome to the Jungle by Guns N' Roses

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #1 Jorge Posada or #8 Shane Spencer

2009-11-27T21:17:00.002-05:00

Last matchup Andy Pettitte beat Luis Sojo 15-0.

Song of the Day: Won't Get Fooled Again by The Who (my favorite song of all-time)

Price for Doc Halladay Remains Too High

2009-11-27T13:26:00.009-05:00

Photo Courtesy of Getty Images

The Yankees would have to part with quite a bit if, as Peter Gammons reports (MLB Trade Rumors), the Red Sox would have to part with both Casey Kelley and Clay Buchholz. I can only imagine that the Yankees would have to give up Austin Jackson, Ian Kennedy, and maybe one other prospect to get Doc and then an additional $20 million a year to keep him. That is a really hefty price to pay and while I do love the idea of having Doc in our rotation losing three top prospects is not easy to stomach. Add onto that the fact that the Yankees made three blockbuster deals last year and it seems a little unreasonable that they would need to sign Doc. The rotation is far from set but resigning Pettitte while tinkering with Hughes and Chamberlain as well as with a healthier Chien-Ming Wang sounds like a perfectly reasonable option. After all, the Yankees won the world series doing just that.

Would I love to have Doc? Absolutely. But is he worth giving up three top prospects and 20 million a year? If that is the case, Doc might not be the Yankees huckleberry, even if he wants to be.

Talk About Something All Yankee Fans Appreciate...

2009-11-27T11:02:00.004-05:00

PHOTO BY JACOBSON/NEWS

Sources are saying that the Yankees longtime PA announcer Bob Sheppard has officially called it quits and is retiring. Sheppard took the helm as Yankees PA guy in 1951, and is known as "The Voice of God" amoung the Yankee Universe. Yankee stadium hasn't been the same without him in the recent seasons, and it would've been nice to have heard him at the new Yankee Stadium. Mr. Sheppard is one of the greatest Yankees who ever lived and even at 99 years young we wish him another long 100 years. We have held at hope he'd come back but now reality has set in and a new era will have to begin.

What do you Appreciate?

2009-11-25T18:45:00.002-05:00

As I thought of what to do for the blogs first real ThanksGiving...I realized: I shouldn't do anything!

This blog is for the readers and only the readers (and the occassional forum for me to vent my baseball opinions)

So heres what I want you, the readers, to do:

Tomorrow there will be NO POSTING here at The Pinstriper.

INSTEAD this will be an open forum for you to comment anything that you appreciate in life.

I will be checking in every hour to see the comments and reply and I will also post my own things that I appreciate.

PLEASE COMMENT ANYTHING THAT YOU APPRECIATE...anything...can be your family, your sports team, ANYTHING!

Thank you so much and one thing I definitely appreciate are you, the readers!

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #1 Andy Pettite or #8 Luis Sojo

2009-11-25T18:40:00.003-05:00

Roger Clemens defeated Jason Giambi 11-2 in the last matchup.

Song of the Day: Joker and the Thief by Wolfmother

**Since there will be no posting tomorrow, please excuse the 2 days of voting for this better Yankee of the Decade post.**

Montero and McAllister named Top Organizational Players

2009-11-25T16:54:00.004-05:00

RHP Zach McAllister and C Jesus Montero were named the Yankees' top organizational players of the year. Montero had an outstanding year at FSL Florida and Double-A Trenton, hitting .317 with 17 HR and 70 RBI, along with a .562 SLG and .951 OPS. McAllister went 7-5 in 22 starts at Trenton, and had an organization-best 2.23 ERA. In 121 innings, he allowed just 98 hits, 33 walks and 4 home runs. McAllister was called up to the Triple-A SWB Yankees for their playoffs. Both players were named EAS All-Stars this year.

photo from MiLB.com

Also a quick congrats: Class A Charleston RiverDogs manager Mike Williams was named South Atlantic League Manager of the Year.

Shelley Duncan Becomes a Free Agent

2009-11-25T14:07:00.002-05:00

Reported by MLBTradeRumors.com: MLB.com's Bryan Hoch posted on his twitter account that NY Yankees utility man Shelley Duncan has elected free agency after being outrighted to the minors the other day. Shelley a fan favorite during his few stints with the Yankees will likely not return to the club and we hope he finds success wherever he may land!

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #2 Roger Clemens or #7 Jason Giambi?

2009-11-24T22:23:00.001-05:00

#6 Orlando Hernandez upset #3 Scott Brosius 9-8 in the last matchup.

Song of the Day: Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #3 Scott Brosius or #6 Orlando Hernandez

2009-11-23T21:28:00.001-05:00

Chuck Knoblauch upset Ruben Sierra 13-8 in the last matchup.

Song of the Day: Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne

MY MVP Voting

2009-11-23T17:07:00.004-05:00

Photo courtesy of SI

Here is how I would have voted for the MVP:

1. Joe Mauer C- Minnesota Twins

2. Derek Jeter SS- New York Yankees

3. Mark Teixeira 1B- New York Yankees

4. Kendry Morales 1B- Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

5. Kevin Youkillis 1B- Boston Red Sox

6. Ben Zobrist SS- Tampa Bay Rays

7. Alex Rodriguez 3B- New York Yankees

8. Michael Young SS- Texas Rangers

9. Aaron Hill 2B- Toronto Blue Jays

10. Ichiro CF- Seattle Mariners

Big question: Why no Miguel Cabrera?

You may have heard that he had a fight with his wife the night before one of the last games of the season. He was busy getting drunk while the rest of the teammates were working hard to make the playoffs. I don't care about stats, that is the poorest excuse of a teammate I have ever seen and that shows no respect for your teammates or your team. No value in that at all.

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #4 Ruben Sierra or #5 Chuck Knoblauch

2009-11-22T21:50:00.003-05:00

Mariano Rivera defeated Kyle Farnsworth 21-2

Song of the Day: We Will Rock You by Queen

Vance Wilson is still in the MLB?

2009-11-21T22:31:00.004-05:00

A report by MLBTradeRumors.com mentioned MLB.com's Dick Kaegel said the Kansas City Royals have REsigned catcher Vance Wilson. I must be honest y'all I wasn't even aware the ex-Metropolitan was still playing baseball.

Just sayin'.

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #1 Mariano Rivera or #8 Kyle Farnsworth

2009-11-21T21:18:00.002-05:00

I think I know who will win this one!

Song of the day: TNT by AC/DC

Yankees Finalize 40-Man Roster for 2010

2009-11-21T15:06:00.007-05:00

MLB teams finalized their 40-man rosters Friday. Only teams with spots still remaining can partake in the December 10th Rule 5 Draft, where teams can basically steal players from other organizations that are not on their 40-man roster, to give these players a fair chance. In this case, the Yankees filled up 7 of their 8 remaining spots on the 40-man, leaving one empty, giving them one selection in the Draft. The 7 players added to the 40-man from the Minor Leagues were OF Austin Jackson, right hander pitchers Ivan Nova, Romulo Sanchez and Hector Noesi, and 2B Reegie Corona, SS Eduardo Nunez and 2B Kevin Russo; keeping them all safe for another year.

Austin Jackson is now safe, which is most important, because it would ensure him a spot on the 25-man roster in the event that the Yanks don't sign another long-term outfielder. Note: DH/OF Shelley Duncan was dropped from the 40-man roster, making him eligible to be drafted by another team. After winning IL MVP with 30 HR and 99 RBI, it is likely that we can say goodbye to Shelley.

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #2 Tino Martinez or #7 Bobby Abreu?

2009-11-20T21:08:00.003-05:00

Who was better for the Yankees this decade? Vote!

Alfonso Soriano defeated Mike Stanton 32-20 in the last matchup.

-Thanks to MLBTradeRumors and Big League Stew for mentioning us!

-Walk Up Song of the Day: Hurt by House Carpenter *This song was suggested by Stephen A. Crociata*

Nick Swisher's Appeal Ranges Beyond His Baseball Skills

2009-11-20T14:44:00.007-05:00

Photo Courtesy of Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Trading Nick Swisher would be a poor choice by the Yankees brass. Recent rumors about making Swisher available have been dismissed by the management but Swisher's place on the Yankees is clearly not set in stone. He is not the greatest player but his positive externalities have a lot of impact. Clearly Economics 120 has taught me a lot. Swisher definitely had a positive impact on the Yankees this year and no one is denying that. Those who defend Swisher primarily point to his help off the field first and his abilities second. People who think Swisher is overrated are saying that his abilities, average by all accounts in the field, good at the plate, and his mythical clubhouse appeal, are not necessarily worth keeping if he is a part of a trade that might bring Curtis Granderson or Roy Halladay to the Yankees. In the end it comes down to determining just how important Swisher is to the Yankees. The only problem is that externalities are exceedingly difficult to measure. So while his talent alone might not justify keeping him, it depends on whether his positive impact on the team justifies keeping him. Since we will never know just how much he helps, it is not easy for management to make that determination.

For me, however, the choice is very clear. KEEP HIM. Does any Yankees fan remember the team ever being this upbeat or together? Make fun of the pool tournament and pies all you wish, those things are great to see. Could you ever imagine the 2007 team hitting each other with pies? I feel like they would have started fighting each other. Swisher played an integral role in changing the culture of the Yankees from a group of players to a team and that, in my mind, is the difference between missing the playoffs and winning the World Series (getting three of the best free agents doesn’t hurt either). The point is, Swisher might not be the best player in the world, but he is important to the Yankees in other ways than just on the field.

There are two schools of thought when it comes to club house morale, it’s important or it isn’t. Pundits absolutely crushed the 2004-2008 Yankee teams for being too business-like or a collection of 25 players rather than a team. But, as soon as the Yankees become a fun team rather than a bunch of stiffs with the additions of CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, AJ Burnett, and most importantly Swisher, club house morale is suddenly overrated. I don’t quite see how this works.

I feel that the answer is that a happy club house helps but in the end talent is what determines a team’s success. In that case it would be a mistake to trade Swisher for anyone other than Halladay. He is the only person that the Yankees appear to be targeting that has the talent to justify the removal of Swisher’s swagger if talent is what wins out in the end. Is talent the key to winning and happiness overrated? Or is talent important for success and good team morale important as well? What do you think? Let me know in the comments section.

The Nick Swisher Rumor

2009-11-20T09:28:00.005-05:00

Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

Bob Nightengale of USA Today posted on his twitter the other day that the Yankees were making Nick Swisher available, and this morning Yahoo! Sports Rumors said the Yankee brass are claiming Swisher is not on the trading block. Mark J. Miller who wrote the Yahoo! Sports Rumors article also mentioned some people thought Swisher would be in a package deal for Roy Halladay. Personally I can't see Toronto taking any package that includes a player 29 years of age. Either way my question to the fans out there is: Can you at all justify any trade of Nick Swisher?

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #4 Alfonso Soriano vs. #5

2009-11-19T21:31:00.003-05:00

Who was the better Yankee this decade?

Alfonso Soriano or Mike Stanton?

Mark Teixeira beat Johnny Damon 11-10 in the last matchup

Minor Leaguers Filing for Free Agency; Who to Re-sign and Who to Look Into

2009-11-19T20:53:00.005-05:00

Key Yankee Organizational Players That Filed

-RHP Humberto Sanchez (AAA) [acquired in Gary Sheffield trade] Good stuff, possible MLB future
-C Chris Stewart (AAA)- Backup catcher, hit .280 with 18 RBI
- 3B Eric Duncan (AAA)- 2003 1st-Round draft choice, a fan favorite who can field the ball and can also hit for power.
- IF Cody Ransom (AAA)- Backup for most of the 2009 season for the MLB Yanks, but also filled in for Alex Rodriguez at 3B for the first month of the season until he hurt his own quad. In 122 at-bats in the MLB in 08 and 09, he has a .230 avg, 4 HR and 18 RBI, and can also play the field.
-OF Freddy Guzman (AAA) [if you consider him a SWB Minor Leaguer, acquired from the Orioles at the '09 deadline], extremely fast, can cover ground in the field. However,very little power. Solid player off the bench.
-OF John Rodriguez (AAA)- Signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent in 1996. Spent time with the Cardinals, Mets and Rays. Good power.

I would re-sign Sanchez and Duncan, because they still have MLB futures ahead of them.
My Players to Watch that Filed from Other Teams

- RHP Clint Everts (*WAS)- Picked by the Expos (Nationals) 5th overall in 2002 draft. Good stuff, went 8-1 with a 1.65 ERA, 68 Ks, 26 BB in 60 IP in the minors in 2009. Just 23 years old.
- LHP Rich Hill (*BAL)- With the Cubs and Orioles, a career record of 21-20. Nasty curveball. Would make a good long relief man or spot starter.
- LHP Chris Capuano (*MIL)- Another lefty with a good curve. Has been hit by some injuries in recent years, but the Yankees could take their chances. I like him as another long reliever/spot starter.
- OF Chris Denorfia (*OAK)- Good all around player, can come off the bench if needed.
- LHP Gustavo Chacin (*PHI)- You may remember him as the guy with the glasses from the Blue Jays a few years back. 25-15 in his MLB career, went 9-4 with a 3.20 ERA for AAA Lehigh Valley.
- RHP Chad Cordero (*SEA)- Longtime Expos/Nationals closer, led the league in 2005 with 47 saves. Career 20-14 with a 2.78 and 128 saves. Could be a great pickup to pad the back end of the bullpen.
Other players to watch: 3B Travis Metcalf (*TB), LHP Javier Lopez (*BOS), RHP Phillip Humber (*MIN), C Eliezer Alfonzo (*SD), 3B Joe Thurston (*STL), 3B Dallas McPherson (*SF), OF Tim Raines Jr. (*KC), 2B Josh Barfield (*CLE).
*=Former team

Walk Up Song of the Day: Runnin Wild

2009-11-19T16:54:00.001-05:00

The song of the day is Runnin Wild by Airbourne.

Remember the first 30 seconds would be the walk up music.

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #3 Johnny Damon or #6 Mark Teixeira?

2009-11-18T20:59:00.001-05:00

Next matchup:

#3 Johnny Damon vs. #6 Mark Teixeira

*Remember this is best of the DECADE not of the year....and only for the Yankees

Bernie Williams beat Ramiro Mendoza 19-0 in the last matchup

MLB Free Agent Predictions

2009-11-18T17:54:00.003-05:00

After slaving over this for many days, here are my free agent predictions! It is separated by current teams. I have written their new team next to their name. A/B=Elias Ranking. To make the list they must be ranked OR interesting free agents to me.

ATLANTA BRAVES
B - Anderson, Garret OF-Atlanta Braves
A - Gonzalez, Mike RP-Washington Nationals
B - LaRoche, Adam 1B-Arizona Diamondbacks
A - Soriano, Rafael RP-Houston Astros

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
B - Davis, Doug SP-Milwaukee Brewers

BALTIMORE ORIOLES
B - Mora, Melvin 3B-San Diego Padres

BOSTON RED SOX
A - Bay, Jason OF-Boston Red Sox
A - Wagner, Billy RP-Tampa Bay Rays

CHICAGO CUBS
A - Grabow, John RP-Cubs (already happened)
A - Gregg, Kevin RP-Baltimore Orioles
B - Harden, Rich SP-New York Yankees

CHICAGO WHITE SOX
A - Dotel, Octavio RP-New York Mets
A - Dye, Jermaine OF-Kansas City Royals

CINCINNATI REDS
B - Hernandez, Ramon C-Cincinnati Reds (already happened)

CLEVELAND INDIANS
None

COLORADO ROCKIES
B - Beimel, Joe RP-Atlanta Braves
A - Betancourt, Rafael RP-Colorado Rockies
Giambi, Jason 1B-Los Angeles Dodgers (pinch-hitting role)
B - Marquis, Jason SP-New York Mets
B - Torrealba, Yorvit C-New York Mets

DETROIT TIGERS
B - Lyon, Brandon RP-Chicago Cubs
A - Polanco, Placido 2B-Chicago Cubs
B - Rodney, Fernando RP-Seattle Mariners

FLORIDA MARLINS
B - Calero, Kiko RP-New York Yankees
B - Johnson, Nick 1B-Oakland A's

HOUSTON ASTROS
B - Brocail, Doug RP-Houston Astros
A - Hawkins, LaTroy RP-Houston Astros
A - Tejada, Miguel SS-Oakland A's
A - Valverde, Jose RP-Toronto Blue Jays

KANSAS CITY ROYALS
B - Olivo, Miguel C-Seattle Mariners

L.A. ANGELS OF ANAHEIM
A - Figgins, Chone 3B-Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
B - Guerrero, Vladimir OF/DH-Texas Rangers
A - Lackey, John SP-New York Mets
A - Oliver, Darren RP-Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

LOS ANGELES DODGERS
B - Belliard, Ron 2B-Los Angeles Dodgers
B - Garland, Jon SP-Boston Red Sox
A - Hudson, Orlando 2B-New York Mets
B - Mota, Guillermo RP-Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
B - Ohman, Will RP-St.Louis Cardinals
B - Padilla, Vicente SP-Colorado Rockies
A - Wolf, Randy SP-Minnesota Twins

MILWAUKEE BREWERS
B - Cameron, Mike OF-San Diego Padres
B - Kendall, Jason C-Milwaukee Brewers
B - Looper, Braden RP-Houston Astros
B - Lopez, Felipe 2B/3B/SS/OF-Los Angeles Dodgers
B - Weathers, Dave RP-Pittsburgh Pirates

MINNESOTA TWINS
A - Cabrera, Orlando SS-Toronto Blue Jays
B - Pavano, Carl SP-Cleveland Indians

NEW YORK METS
B - Delgado, Carlos 1B-New York Mets
B - Tatis, Fernando 1B/3B/OF-Houston Astros

NEW YORK YANKEES
A - Damon, Johnny OF-New York Mets
Hairston Jr, Jerry 2B/3B/SS/OF-Seattle Mariners
Hinske, Eric 1B/OF-Texas Rangers
Matsui, Hideki OF-Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Molina, Jose C-Los Angeles Dodgers
B - Nady, Xavier OF-St. Louis Cardinals
B - Pettitte, Andy SP-New York Yankees

OAKLAND A'S
B - Duchscherer, Justin SP-Los Angeles Dodgers

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
B - Eyre, Scott RP-Philadelphia Phillies
B - Park, Chan Ho SP-Philadelphia Phillies

PITTSBURGH PIRATES
None

SAN DIEGO PADRES
B - Giles, Brian OF-Tampa Bay Rays

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
B - Howry, Bob RP-St. Louis Cardinals
B - Johnson, Randy SP-San Francisco Giants
A - Molina, Bengie C-Detroit Tigers
B - Winn, Randy OF-Washington Nationals

SEATTLE MARINERS
B - Bedard, Erik SP-New York Yankees
B - Beltre, Adrian 3B-Philadelphia Phillies

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
B - DeRosa, Mark 3B-New York Yankees
B - Glaus, Troy 3B-San Diego Padres
A - Holliday, Matt OF-New York Yankees
B - Pineiro, Joel SP-St. Louis Cardinals

TAMPA BAY RAYS
B - Shouse, Brian RP-Tampa Bay Rays
B - Springer, Russ RP-Detroit Tigers
B - Zaun, Gregg C-Tampa Bay Rays

TEXAS RANGERS
B - Byrd, Marlon OF-Texas Rangers
B - Rodriguez, Ivan C-Texas Rangers

TORONTO BLUE JAYS
B - Barajas, Rod C-Kansas City Royals
A - Scutaro, Marco 2B/SS-Boston Red Sox

WASHINGTON NATIONALS
None

If you have any questions on why/who/where or anything PLEASE comment. I like comments and I will always comment back. I appreciate any feedback. Thanks for reading and please show this to anyone you know!

New Feature: Walk Up Music of the Day

2009-11-18T17:18:00.002-05:00

Here at The Pinstriper we like to keep things fresh. So from now on, I will be posting a new walk up song of the day!

The walk up song will be as if the pitcher was walking up for it (i.e. Mariano Rivera-Enter Sandman)

Todays Song:

The Kids Aren't Alright by the Offspring

We take suggestions for new songs on our twitter account and our other twitter account.

*Remember: The first 30 seconds or so would be what appears for the Walk Up Music

Scioscia, Tracy win Manager of the Year

2009-11-18T15:39:00.005-05:00

"This award is a true honor and a testament to the perseverance of our players and staff," Scioscia said in a release. "As a team, we overcame several obstacles to put together a successful season in 2009." (Photo courtesy of Stephen Brashear)
"One guy doesn't win an award like this," Tracy said in a conference call. "The Colorado Rockies won this award." (Photo courtesy of Associated Press)

The Roy Halladay Discussion

2009-11-18T12:03:00.007-05:00

No Doubt about it all fans of the MLB know the simple fact is that Roy "Doc" Halladay is an absolute beast. His career numbers pitching on a team that has never been able to get over the hump are outstanding, 148-76 with a 3.43 ERA. All teams in baseball would love to have him, but only a select few can steal Halladay from Toronto. Our beloved Yankees are one of those teams. What exactly should the Yankees brass look at when discussing bringing over Halladay? Here are the important numbers:

Highest ERA in a season with 16 or more starts: 4.20

ERA under 3.80 for 5 straight seasons

Less than 50 BB in every season but 1999 and 2002.

200+ Ks under 40 BB last two seasons

WHIP under 1.40 since 2001

ERA career Home/Away: 3.23/3.64 (Unlike most Yankee Starters who are only good home or away not both)

A slightly slow starter, 4.12 ERA in April, but under 4.00 in every other month and under 2.50 in September.

vs. BOS: 14-14 4.28 ERA, 4.09 ERA @ Fenway (Better than most)

vs. NYY: 18-6 2.84 ERA

vs. TB: 12-11 3.67 ERA

vs. BAL: 20-4 2.89 ERA

6'6'' 230 (We saw this season what big pitchers can withstand)

My favorite: Still only 32 and you know he has years left in that tank

So the evidence is there, and I was even surprised by some of the dominance. It seems essential the Yankees find away to swipe Doc up, and more importantly keep him far far away from Red Sox Nation.

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #2 Bernie Williams or #7 Ramiro Mendoza?

2009-11-17T21:08:00.001-05:00

Vote in the poll on the right.

Last matchup #3 Alex Rodriguez beat #6 Tom Gordon 23-3

Greinke wins the AL Cy Young

2009-11-17T15:32:00.003-05:00

Kansas City Royals' ace Zack Greinke runs away with the American League Cy Young Award. Greinke's 16 wins and 8 losses with a 2.16 ERA earned him 25 first place votes. It is a testament to how truly dominant Greinke has been this year, starting the year 5-and-0 with a 0.50 ERA and ending the year 5-and-0 with a 1.29 ERA. (Photo courtesy of AP)

Better Player of the Decade for the Yankees: #3 Alex Rodriguez or #6 Tom Gordon?

2009-11-16T21:27:00.002-05:00

Vote on the poll to the right.

Robinson Cano beat Jeff Nelson 12-6 in the last poll.

Bailey and Coghlan Earn Rookie of the Year Honors

2009-11-16T16:20:00.008-05:00

Garnering 13 first place votes Andrew Bailey wins the American League Rookie of the Year Award. Bailey’s performance in relief was solid all year, posting 26 saves with an impressive 1.84 ERA. The 25 year old beat the Ranger’s Elvis Andrus and the Tiger’s Rick Porcello whom received 8 and 7 first place votes respectively. (Photo courtesy of of Chris Lockard)

Out of a substantial list of contenders including the Braves’ Tommy Hanson and Phillies J.A. Happ, it is Chris Coghlan of the Florida Marlins who runs away with the National League Rookie of the Year Honors. Coghlan had a season average of .321 with 9 HR, 47 RBI, and 162 hits through 128 games earning him 17 first place votes. (Photo courtesy of Lenny Ignelzi/AP)

Joba Back to the Rotation?

2009-11-15T21:30:00.012-05:00

Getty Images By: Nick Latham

It has not been more than a few weeks since the Yankees won the 2009 World Series but already the team well known for its off season acquisitions is making a splash in the free agent market. Rumors of pursuing John Lackey, Curtis Granderson, and Roy Halladay have permeated the rumor basins. These kinds of things are nothing new to any Yankee fan who has watched the team make major moves almost every off season this decade. The big announcement that I believe has the most impact on the team, however, is not the pursuit of big name players but Brian Cashman’s statement that Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain will be starters next season (NY Daily News). My question is, why?

Hughes for the most part of the season was nothing short of spectacular in the bullpen. He became the 8^th inning guy that Chamberlain was before the experiment with Joba as a starter. Hughes had a stellar 2009 campaign in the bullpen, posting an ERA of 3.03, a WHIP of 1.12, and striking out 96 while walking only 28 in 86 innings pitched. If the Yankees resign Andy Pettitte and Chien-Ming Wang returns to be at least somewhat effective then Hughes’s presence in the starting rotation would not be absolutely necessary. But, if you absolutely had to put one of them back in the rotation it would be Hughes.

Joba simply isn’t cut out to be a starter with such stringent pitching limits. When he came up in the bullpen with the Yankees he was electric, energizing, and dominant. I watched his first save as a Yankee in a meaningless game against the Blue Jays late in the season a few years ago and the crowd went wild as Joba struck out the last batter on a fastball that clocked at 100 mph. His stretch as a starter ultimately ended with him traveling back to the bullpen so the Yankees management can say what they want but he was ineffective as a starter. Their unwillingness to pitch him during the playoffs speaks to that. Mariano cannot pitch forever and Joba is a better fit for being a closer than a starter with a pitch count.

If the Yankees go and get Halladay or even John Lackey putting Joba back out in the starting rotation would not be worth it if they were still going to protect him with a pitch limit. The only way it would make sense is if they simply let him pitch until his arm got tired the way Nolan Ryan has his pitchers work for the Texas Rangers. Otherwise he needs to be left in the bullpen where he is incredibly effective.

Tournament Matchup: #4 Robinson Cano vs. #5 Jeff Nelson

2009-11-15T21:01:00.003-05:00

Who was better this decade?

Robinson Cano (2005-present) 1 WS Win, 1 ASG Selection, 1 Silver Slugger Selection

OR

Jeff Nelson (2000, 2003) 1 WS Win

You choose!

Vote in the poll on the right. Voting ends tomorrow night at 9:00 Pm.

Derek Jeter defeated Scott Proctor 26-2 in the first matchup.

How Are the Kids?

2009-11-15T00:32:00.008-05:00

Hey readers, my name is Dan Reiner; I did a couple posts late in the season covering the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. I'm a die hard Yanks, Giants, Knicks, Rangers, Sentinels and PSU Nittany Lions fan. Though I am only in high school, I have complete knowledge of the MLB, and hope to someday study journalism in college, and follow my dream to be a sports writer. I'll continue to write about the minor league teams and players on here, so read up to see how the kids are doing, as well as all of the posts!

Well first off, I'd like to say that DH/OF Shelley Duncan and 2B Kevin Russo were named to the 2009 TOPPS Triple-A All-Star team for their great seasons. Duncan led the International League with 30 HR and 99 RBI, and Russo was third in the IL with a .326 batting average.

And now with the IL season finished and players needing to improve to try to take the next step in the organization, the Fall Leagues come around. I've been following the key players in the Yankee organization that are taking part. So..how are the kids doing?

-RHP Ian Kennedy (AFL) has 6 games and starts with a record of 1-1 and a 4.74 ERA; In 24.2 IP hes allowed 25 hits 23 K and the key.. just 5 walks.
-RHP Josh Schmidt (VWL) hasn't looked good. 7 games, 5 starts 1-3 4.63 ERA. In 23.1 IP, 22 H and 20 K
-LHP Mike Dunn (AFL) has looked shaky. In 8 games, a record of 0-2 4.32 ERA with 1 save. In 8.1 IP, 8 hits but a remarkable 15 K.
-RHP Romulo Sanchez (VWL) has looked solid. 11 G 2-2 3.83 ERA 14.1 IP, 10 H, and a very good 20 K with only 4 walks.
-LHP Zach Kroenke (AFL) has pitched 10 games. A record of 1-0 with a 5.02 ERA. 14.1 IP 13 hits 12 K and 4 BB
-RHP Ivan Nova (DWL), who we saw get a few postseason starts in AAA, has 5 games, 4 starts with a 1-0 record. A 1.05 ERA in 25.2 IP, with just 17 hits 4 walks and 17 Ks is exactly what scouts are looking for.
-1B Juan Miranda (DWL), just joined the league, and in 13 at-bats already has a 5 hits, 1 HR and 4 RBI
-C Jesus Montero (VWL) has been extremely disappointing to say the least. In 9 games, just 3 hits, a .115 BA, and 1 RBI.
-3B Brandon Laird (AFL) is tearing up opponents right now. In 20 games, he has a .313 BA, and is tied for 2nd in the league with 6 HR and 24 RBI
-2B Reegie Corona (VWL) has played 17 games, with a .314, 0 HR and 5 RBI
-OF Colin Curtis (AFL) has played 17 game, with a great .388 BA, 3 HR, 14 RBI, and 2 SB

AFL= Arizona Fall League, VWL=Venezuela Winter League, DWL=Dominican Winter League

Look for some of these guys in trade talks or even on the big club come next season.

Who was the Best Yankee of the Decade? Let's Find Out!

2009-11-14T20:41:00.004-05:00

As I watched college basketball last night, I thought of tournaments. I like tournaments. So then I thought: Any ideas for a tournament? Of course the Yankees came to mind! So then I thought again: Any ideas for a YANKEES tournament? Then I thought of one:

Who was the best Yankee of the decade?

-Instead of a 64 person bracket, I decided to do a 32 person bracket.

-Every night at 9:00 PM there will be a new poll on the right.

-YOU (the voters) make the decision of who moves on.

-My twitter friends also have votes...you can tweet @ me here OR here.

-Here is the full bracket

Captain's Bracket:

1. Derek Jeter
8. Scott Proctor

4. Robinson Cano
5. Jeff Nelson

3. Alex Rodriguez
6. Tom Gordon

2. Bernie Williams
7. Ramiro Mendoza

Sandman's Bracket

1. Mariano Rivera
8. Kyle Farnsworth

4. Alfonso Soriano
5. Mike Stanton

3. Johnny Damon
6. Mark Teixeira

2. Tino Martinez
7. Bobby Abreu

Catcher's Bracket

1. Jorge Posada
8. Shane Spencer

4.Hideki Matsui
5. Miguel Cairo

3. Mike Mussina
6. Enrique Wilson

2. Paul O'Neill
7. Gary Sheffield

SO for the first matchup we have the #1 Seed in the Captain's Bracket-Derek Jeter vs. the #8 seed Scott Proctor.

Please vote in the poll to the right.

**REMEMBER: This is based on the stats of the decade, NOT of the entire career of the player**

Mr. Clinch's Bracket

1. Andy Pettite
8. Luis Sojo

4. Ruben Sierra
5. Chuck Knoblauch

3. Scott Brosius
6. Orlando Hernandez

2. Roger Clemens
7. Jason Giambi

Are We There Yet?

2009-11-14T03:23:00.006-05:00

Hello Everyone my name is Stephen Crociata and I am the newest contributer to The Pinstriper. I am 19 years old and I'm currently attending Iona College for my degree in Sports Management. I hope to someday work for a MLB franchise and experience what is like to run things behind the scenes. I am a die hard NY Yankee, NY Giant, and Colorado Avalanche fan; I also spend most of my free time on Yahoo! Sports just so I know exactly what is happening. i only sleep about 7 hours a day at max so you can be assured I read up on exactly what is happening in the sports world as much as humanly possible. Enough about me though I have an issue I would like to get to.

Drew Henson, Eric Duncan, and Bronson Sardinha three names most Yankee fans know very well. They were all "up and comers" who were going to be the future of the Yankees. Only Duncan is still with the Yankees, but he is more and more looking like a career minor leaguer. These are notables but they are not alone the Yankees have dealt with this for a while and luckily of late with guys like Cano, Cabrera, and Gardner fortunes may be changing. The major difference is that the recent success of Yankee farm hand is actually more of a pleasant surprise, but the expected future hasnt materialized. Now welcome Austin "AJAX" Jackson the name that has been piped into the brains of all Yankee fans since 2005. The 2010 season is approaching and many may be asking "Are we there yet?" is this the time of Jackson, and it may be a surprise but I say still not yet. I have a lot of confidence in Austin, as do I with the other big Yankee prospects such as Romine and Montero, but I believe its just not his time. Almost a SO a game this season in AAA for AJAX and it was not because of a surplus of power, 4 HR in 504 AB. Jackson is still young, 21, and there are benefits for the team and him if he sticks with Wilkes-Barre for a little longer. In my opinion the Yankees can use a few "bridges" to their prospects.

This offseason may be very impactful on the future success of the NY Yankees. If a guy like Mike Cameron is brought in to solidify the CF job for a season or two he becomes the "bridge" to Austin Jackson. The same can be done for Jesus Montero, who has not shown to be a great catcher, if he is moved to RF fan favorite Nick Swisher becomes his so called bridge, and another could include Posada handing off his place behind the plate to Austin Romine. This all will be essential to keeping the Yankees young and establishing Cashman's initial goal which was to entirely build the Yankees from the inside (obvious with some outside additions).

Welcome to the Pinstriper!

2009-11-13T14:04:00.004-05:00

I noticed that we at the Pinstriper were mentioned over at MLBTradeRumors.com today.

Thanks to the entire MlbTradeRumors staff and if you are first visiting the site, check out the different features.

-Answer Polls
-Follow me on twitter and also at our other twitter account!
-Email me at bco004@yahoo.com
-Don't forget to bookmark us, as we update daily and often!

Plea to the Yankees: Tigers Edition

2009-11-11T15:00:00.007-05:00

There are reports coming out that the Detroit Tigers are considering trading Edwin Jackson and trading Curtis Granderson. If so, I plea, PLEA to the Yankees to trade for not one, but both of them.

Here is why:

Curtis Granderson would eliminate the Yankees need to re-sign Johnny Damon, or Hideki Matsui, and he would add pop to the lineup AND speed. Granderson, who hit .249 with 30 HR and 71 RBI, is only 28 years old. Granderson was signed to a five-year, $30.25 million deal with a club option for 2013 with the Tigers in February 2008. The Yankees could easily pay that contract.

Edwin Jackson was an all-star in 2009. He went 13-9 with a 3.62 ERA. The Yankees could use Jackson as their 3rd starter, which would eliminate the need to sign a John Lackey, or Jason Marquis type of pitcher. Jackson is being paid about $2 Million a year.

So the question remains: What would it take to get BOTH in a trade?

Here is my offer:

CC Sabathia, Alex Rodriguez, and Derek Jeter for Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson.

Kidding.

Here is my REAL offer:

Melky Cabrera, Reegie Corona, Josh Schmidt, and Austin Romine for Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson.

Is that too much? Too little? Good trade? Bad trade? Explain in the comments!

UPDATE: 2:01 PM: Apparently I don't know enough about prospects, as it seems like it will take either one of the Yankees big prospects (Hughes, Joba) and an additional prospect/OR a bunch of major prospects such as Zach McAllister, Ian Kennedy, etc.

Gold Glove Awards

2009-11-11T14:02:00.007-05:00

Image Provided by Getty Images, By: Rich Pilling

With Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira winning gold gloves, as well as Jeter winning the Roberto Clemente Award and Hank Aaron Award for being the best hitter in the American League, the recognition of the brilliance of the 2009 World Champion New York Yankees has rightfully continued (Yahoo Sports). This team was a truly masterful collection of great defense, even better hitting, and very good pitching. But, the Yankee defense has been largely overlooked throughout the course of the season despite being one of the best in the league. These awards have acknowledged that defense remains very important in the run to a championship.

The Yankees do not have a flashy defense but rely more on sound defensive play with the occasional top ten plays candidate. Jeter, who has been constantly assaulted for his poor defense in recent years, made a career-low 8 errors and had an astounding .986 fielding percentage. Even with a great first basemen it is clear that Jeter remains a top fielder as there is no way that Teixeira’s play was the sole cause for Jeter’s great defense during the 2009 season. Many people have accused Jeter of being one of the worst defensive shortstops in the league based on new statistical analysis. It speaks volumes, however, about his defense that he won an award that was voted on by the opposing teams who would not give him the award simply because he was Derek Jeter.

Teixeira’s defense during the postseason saved him from a great deal of attacks on his fortitude and ability to perform under pressure. Anyone who watched any Yankee game this year probably saw at least one play that Teixeira made that saved an error, a run, or stopped a base runner from advancing. He was a much needed improvement over past first basemen whose defensive skills were desperately lacking. He made the entire infield better by taking pressure off of Robinson Cano, Jeter, and Alex Rodriguez and just allowed them to concentrate on making the play rather than worry about throwing a strike to first.

Defense in many other sports is often the key to winning a championship. In baseball pitching is essentially the primary defense that any team has. For the Yankees their pitching and hitting led them to the World Series title but the defense certainly helped them get there so it is great to see the defense be rewarded with the Gold Glove Awards for Jeter and Teixeira.

Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/pinstripertweet

New Twitter Account!

2009-11-11T13:00:00.002-05:00

Here at The Pinstriper we are proud of our tweets! Please follow us @nyypinstriper (http://twitter.com/nyypinstriper) AND @pinstripertweet (http://http://twitter.com/pinstripertweet)

General Managers Meetings - Day 1

2009-11-09T21:15:00.010-05:00

As Yankee fans continue to celebrate their club’s 27th Championship, it’s back to business for GM Brian Cashman and all other MLB teams. No rest for the weary, I guess, so here is the baseball calendar for the remainder of this year:

Through Nov. 19—Free agent filing period.

Nov. 9-11—General managers meetings, Chicago.

Nov. 18-19—Owners meeting, Chicago.

Nov. 30-Dec. 4—Major League Baseball Players Association executive board meeting, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Dec. 1—Last day for teams to offer salary arbitration to their former players who became free agents.

Dec. 7—Last day for free agents offered salary arbitration to accept the offers.

Dec. 7-10—Winter meetings, Indianapolis.

Dec. 12—Last day for teams to offer 2010 contracts to unsigned players.

Not a lot of surprises coming out of the 1st day of the General Managers’ meeting in Chicago today:

The Red Sox have picked up the 2010 option for Victor Martinez who played in 56 games for Boston after being traded from the Indians. He hit .336 with 8 HRs and 41 RBI. Boston also declined options on catcher Jason Varitek (who has 5 days to exercise a $3 million player option) and SS Alex Gonzalez, and resigned knuckleballer Tim Wakefield after they came to an agreement on a 2 year contract worth $5 million.
The Tampa Bay Rays picked up the $10 million option on outfielder Carl Crawford for the 2010 season.
Carl Pavano is expected to meet with the Twins on tuesday whom, along with the Indians, have expressed interest in the free agent right hander.
And in the realm of unlikely possibilities, Mariners’ GM Jack Zduriencik said that he would “have to listen” to discussions regarding their ace Felix Hernandez in a possible trade. This is the same man who said back in August that Hernandez would be in a Mariners uniform in 2010 unless they get “Koufax or Maricahl”. File this report under “Fat Chance”.

If you are following the free-agency market at home, here is a link to all 2009-2010 MLB free-agents by team.

Photograph courtesy of the Associated Press.

2010 Roster Preview

2009-11-09T21:09:00.009-05:00

Heres my updated 2010 Roster Preview: (/=more than one choice bold=my choice)

C- Jorge Posada, Francisco Cervelli/Jose Molina
1B- Mark Teixeira, Juan Miranda/Shelley Duncan
2B- Robinson Cano
3B- Alex Rodriguez,
SS- Derek Jeter, Ramiro Pena/Jerry Hairston Jr.
LF- Jason Bay
CF- Brett Gardner
RF- Nick Swisher
DH- Johnny Damon

SP- CC Sabathia
SP- A.J. Burnett
SP- Zach Duke
SP- Andy Pettite/Jarrod Washburn/Jason Marquis
SP- Phil Hughes

Long Relief- Alfredo Aceves, Chad Gaudin
Middle Relief- Dave Robertson, Mark Melancon
Lefty Relief- Phil Coke, Damaso Marte
Set-Up- Joba Chamberlain
Closer- Mariano Rivera

CHANGES:

-Jason Bay instead of Melky Cabrera in the Outfield. Bay would be taken away from the Redsox, who choose Matt Holliday over him, after Bay negotiates with the Yankees and other teams.

-Melky Cabrera and an additional prospect traded to the Pirates for Zach Duke. The Pirates can use a 3rd/4th OF and the Yankees can use pitching. It is well documented that the Pirates and Yankees are very amiable trading partners. The Pirates also have former Yankees prospect Daniel McCutchen waiting in the wing to take over a spot in the rotation.

-Johnny Damon over Hideki Matsui at DH. Damon can play the Outfield and has better speed and is less of an injury scare.

-Andy Pettite re-signed, OR Jarrod Washburn signed, OR Jason Marquis signed. If Pettite chooses not to retire it is a definite that it will be with the Yankees. If he doesn't they will look to either an older player like Washburn or Randy Wolf. I think Wolf goes to the Astros though AND Washburn goes to the Brewers. That leaves me with Jason Marquis. Innings-eater that the Yankees can benefit from.

-Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain switch roles. Simple move to me. Bring any arguments over to the comments.

CONTRACTS:

Jason Bay- 5 Years, $75 Million

Andy Pettite/Jarrod Washburn- 1 Year, $8.5 Million OR Jason Marquis- 4 Years, $40 Million

Thoughts? Comments? Concerns? Bring em over to the comments!

*Photo courtesy of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

UPDATE: 2:10 PM: Once again excuse me for my bad judgement of prospects. Apparently a Pirates fan feels that the Pirates have enough OF prospects to deal with the 3rd outfield situation. If so, maybe a Reegie Corona or Eduardo Nunez will do.

Ending the Decade On Top

2009-11-07T16:47:00.004-05:00

It has been a couple days since the Yankees won the World Series. I have gathered myself enough so that I feel comfortable writing about it, though I still find myself smiling and whooping from time to time. If I had written even two days after the Yankees won, the comments would have been pretty inane, mostly just Woooooooooooo!!! and other celebratory phrases. Don’t get me wrong I still bust out a celebration every now and then but now I have enough self-control not to write them down. The reason every New York Yankees fan feels so strongly about this win, I think, is just how much has changed over the past decade.

In 2000, everything was going great. The Yankees had just come off their third straight World Series win and looked to be the team that would dominate the first decade of the new millennium. The baseball season was going great in 2001 until September 11^th happened. The world changed and so did New York baseball. Anyone who watches the video of President Bush throwing out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium barely weeks after 9/11 cannot help but feel an indescribable swell of emotion. Baseball helped distract Americans from the terrible events that had occurred. The Yankees made it to the World Series and fought for their city and made New York proud by reaching the World Series, serving a higher purpose simply by winning baseball games. Then a bloop hit ended the series but I did not think the coming years would go the way it did even after a crushing World Series loss. The Yankee’s decade went downhill from there.

Dominated in 2003 essentially just by Josh Beckett, the Yankees looked poised to return to form until the 2004 postseason and the historic collapse that I shudder to discuss any further. After 2004 things just didn’t feel right. The Yankees, always big spenders during the Steinbrenner era, spent gobs of money on free agents who never seemed to help the team in the ways that really matter. Postseason struggles continued until 2008 when the Yankees did not even make the playoffs during the final year at the old Yankee Stadium. Having all the Yankees on the field saying their goodbye’s to the old Yankee stadium and welcoming in the new ballpark before October ball had even started was painful, all the more so because of the discouraging years that came before 2008.

There is a reason this team got a ticker-tape parade. Too much has been made about Yankees fans complaining about not winning a title in 9 years, which is like a lifetime for other clubs. It is not about the length of time, it is about what happened during that period. The Yankees entered the decade as a dynasty and then, much like everyone else in New York, had their legs cut out from under them in 2001. After plodding around for 8 years of over-priced aging talent, epic postseason failures, petty clubhouse squabbles, tabloid reports, Joe Torre’s dysfunctional termination, the Boss’s declining health, the first missed postseason in 14 years coming in Joe Girardi’s first year, and being everyone’s favorite punching bag throughout the decade, the Yankees needed to win to close out the decade.

Throughout other teams' championship droughts or even postseason droughts, I doubt that their failures were as highly criticized or over-publicized as the Yankees were. The stress of growing up being a Yankee’s fan in this era has been great. Not only is the team losing, but they are still paying the most money and everyone continues to love to hate the Yankees. Being a Yankee fan when the Yankees are not winning, or even when they are, is difficult because you constantly are being forced to defend them from any number of worn-out attacks. Other teams are able to be bad quietly without much attention, the Yankees aren’t.

That is why it has been a long decade. But, now that the Yankees have won I can enjoy this victory with my friends and more importantly my family. I can enjoy this victory because of all the problems it washes away and how one season is able to change my outlook on an entire decade and because winning just feels great. It will be a memory that I will treasure for a long time. Some people say that the Yankees have won so many championships that the fans aren’t able to appreciate them as much as they should. I disagree.

How Things End

2009-11-07T13:57:00.004-05:00

When my wife and I got married, we’d only known each other for two and a half months. There were many skeptics. When I told my father the news, he said something that has stayed with me to this day: “these things,” he said “are not measured by how they begin, they are measure by how they end”. I think this is an appropriate criteria for the 2009 New York Yankees. To say that we had an inauspicious beginning is an understatement, I’m not much for hyperbole but consider the following:

Before the first pitch of spring training The Yankees had to deal with Alex Rodriguez’ steroid circus, the accusation, the mea culpa press conference, and concerns over A-Rod’s mental fortitude to deal with it all.
Then it seems that the universe was piling it on to A-Rod, books by Selena Roberts and Joe Torre painted an even dimer view of Rodriguez in and out of the locker room. He pulls out of the World Baseball Classic with a hip injury, has surgery, and misses the first few weeks of the year.
CC Sabathia labored during his first few outings
Teixeira had his infamous slow start in April
Going 0-for-8 against the Red Sox to start the season, were criticism of Girardi’s over-managing gained momentum
Chien-Ming Wang goes 1-for-6 with a 9.64 ERA, hurts his shoulder, then his foot

The Yankees were 8 back of the Red Sox before getting it together in June and turning their season around in a hurry to get to their 27th Championship. Everything came together for this team, the pitching solidified, the offense became more consistent, the defense was sharp, all things that can be attributed to talent and execution. But then we began to notice other aspects of their game develop, the kinds of things that make a team special or at least poised for something great.

Things that we notice which excite us a fans and makes us wonder aloud: this could be the year. Two-out rallies, numerous comeback wins, consistent contributions from the bottom of the lineup, scoring almost 1/2 of their runs after the 6th inning, poise at the plate, working the count, no desperation when loosing by a few runs, bullpen contributions. These characteristics are the result of more than talent and execution, they are the tangible result of team character and chemistry.

Even after winning 103 games, the most in the league, there were questions about the way that Girardi was setting up the pitching rotation, the Joba experiment, would A-Rod finally come through in the postseason, can Sabathia improve his postseason record specially when asked to pitch with 3 days rest, how can the Yankees loose Posada’s bat in order to accommodate AJ Burnett with Molina behind the plate, which Burnett would show up...but this team embraced a blue collar approach and was determined to work through any obstacles to be victorious at the end.

The Yankees did not hesitate in their approach to the job at hand, they did not shy away from challenges, they didn’t get too high or too low, and they did not allow for doubt to permeate their thoughts. They were clear in their purpose and continued to do what was necessary to become World Champions. No one in sports is under more pressure to finish the job than the New York Yankees, to whom much is given much is expected, and finish the job they did. This is how things end, not with a whimper, but with the bang of fireworks and the loud proclamation that the 2009 New York Yankees are World Champions.

This is the Guy with the Predictions?

2009-11-05T19:23:00.004-05:00

Overrated. That's all I have to say. I respect the Phillies. I like the Phillies. I do not respect or like this man. He should not be even called a man. (In case you didn't know that is Jimmy Rollins, who stated that if they were lucky the Yankees would win one game this series)

Enjoy This New York Yankees World Series Win!

2009-11-05T13:50:00.005-05:00

Not much else to say. It is a great day for any Yankee fan. The Yankees have played great this postseason and got the win. They won it for the boss, for themselves, for the fans, and for everyone who supported them.

The Yankees won the World Series. That is really really nice to say. It is especially nice to say because it quiets so many people! Now that they are all quiet we can unite as fans and enjoy this moment.

Happy thoughts everyone. The-e-e-e-e-e Yankees WIN!!!

Matsui wins MVP

2009-11-05T00:03:00.000-05:00

Hideki Matsui won the World Series MVP award. Congrats to him and the Yankees and lets enjoy the moment, folks.

New York Yankees Defeat Philadelphia Phillies in Six Games, Win World Series

2009-11-04T23:28:00.006-05:00

The Yankees defeated the Phillies tonight 7-3, and won the World Series in six games. With tonights victory the Yankees have 27 World Series victories and 40 pennants.

Random Notes:

-Clutchest Pitcher in baseball history=Mariano Rivera

-Only the Yankees fans would go crazy over not winning a World Series in 10 years. In a place like Kansas City, making the playoffs twice in 10 years is an amazing feat.

-I was in Philadelphia earlier today and I was booed heavily (I wore a Yankees jersey)

-I was cursed at by two 80-year-old ladies and challenged to a fight by a teenage girl

-Philadelphia has great food, so they at least have that going for them

-Damaso Marte just skyrocketed his status with the Yankees fans. What a postseason for him.

-This could have been Andy Pettite's last career game.

-What a postseason for Hideki Matsui. It will be very tough not to bring him back next year....don't be surprised if the White Sox sign Damon and the Yankees sign Matsui/Bay/Holliday.

-Cano needs to step it up in the clutch.

-The Yankees won the World Series.

-Spike Lee is one impressive fan.

-Alex Rodriguez finally won a World Series.

-The Yankees won the World Series

-Tough loss for the Phillies, even tougher for dirt-bag Jimmy Rollins. (I don't mind any other player on the team)

-THE YANKEES WON THE WORLD SERIES

Yankees vs. Phillies World Series Game 6 Live Chat!

2009-11-04T21:20:00.007-05:00

Yankees vs. Phillies Game 6 Live Chat!

Why So Worried?

2009-11-04T14:09:00.006-05:00

Tonight the Yankees come back home to New York after a fairly successful stretch in Philadelphia. I am curious as to why the mood has swung in the Phillies favor. The Yankees took two out of three as visitors to Citizens Bank Park and did so with one dramatic victory in game 4 and a sound victory in game 3. They lost game 5 but only because AJ Burnett imploded in the early innings. The Yankees fought back, scored 5 runs off of Cliff Lee who has been the most dominant pitcher this postseason and were in a position to win the game. Not only does this show that the Yankees have regained some offensive prowess that was lacking in the first two games but it also shows that the bullpen was able to hold things together and give the Yankees a chance to win. With Andy Pettitte working on short rest in game 6 the show of strength from the bullpen has got to count for something because it puts less pressure on Pettitte to get directly to Mariano Rivera. So my question is, why all of a sudden does every Yankee fan, anti-Yankee fan, Philly fan, or sports pundit all of a sudden think that the Phillies have the momentum in the series?

The only thing that really should make the Phillies confident is that Chase Utley has been a man among boys and that some, but not all, of the Phillies bats are starting to wake up. But has their pitching, both starting and in the bullpen, been any better? Has Ryan Howard stopped slumping? Did they demolish the Yankees at home and take a lead in the series? All of these questions are answered simply by saying no. Brad Lidge was given a mental health day in game 5. And how confident should the Phillies be if they win game 6? Are they going to start Cole Hamels who apparently doesn’t even want to be playing baseball anymore or are they going to mix and match Joe Blanton and JA Happ? Howard seems to be doing his best to tie the World Series strikeout record. Oh, and by the way, the Yankees lead the series 3-2! For all the questions being raised about the Yankees, shouldn’t there be more about the Phillies? The Phillies have a much tougher task than the Yankees do.

Certainly I would have liked the Yankees to win game 5 and end the series. But for seemingly the entire sports world to suddenly believe that the Yankees should hit the panic button after game 5 is fairly ridiculous. All we need to do, as fans, is have faith in the Yankee’s ability to win the series. And that is pretty easy to do considering the winningest pitcher in postseason history is taking the mound for the Yankees tonight.

GAME RECAP: WORLD SERIES GAME 5

2009-11-03T14:44:00.003-05:00

AJ Burnett gets rocked early, Yankees unable to complete the comeback late

FINAL SCORE: YANKEES 6 PHILLIES 8 (F9th)

SCORING PLAYS

Top of the 1st: Johnny Damon singles to center field. Alex Rodriguez doubles to right field, Damon scores (NYY 1, PHI 0)
Bottom of the 1st: Jimmy Rollins singles to center field. Shane Victorino hit by pitch. Chase Utley homers to right field. Rollins, Victorino, & Utley scores (NYY 1, PHI 3)
Bottom of the 3rd: Chase Utley walks. Ryan Howard walks. Jayson Werth singles to center field. Utley scores, Howard to 2nd base (NYY 1, PHI 4)
Bottom of the 3rd: Raul Ibanez singles to right field. Howard scores, Werth to 3rd (NYY 1, PHI 5)
Bottom of the 3rd: Carlos Ruiz grounds into a force out, Werth scores (NYY 1, PHI 6)
Top of the 5th: Eric Hinske draws a 1-out walk. Derek Jeter singles to right field, Hinske to 3rd. Johnny Damon gounds out softly to first base, Hinske scores (NYY 2, PHI 6)
Bottom of the 7th: Chase Utley homers to right field (NYY 2, PHI 7)
Bottom of the 7th: Raul Ibanez homers to right field (NYY 2, PHI 8)
Top of the 8th: Johnny Damon gets an infield hit. Mark Teixeira doubles to left field, Damon to 3rd. Alex Rodriguez doubles to left field, Damon & Teixeira scores (NYY 4, PHI 8)
Top of the 8th: Nick Swisher moves the runner (ARod) to 3rd on a ground out to 1st. Robinson Cano out on a sacrifice out, Rodriguez scores (NYY 5, PHI 8)
Top of the 9th: Jorge Posada doubles. Hideki Matsui singles to left field, Posada to 3rd. Derek Jeter hits into a double play, Posada scores (NYY 6, PHI 8)

STARTING PITCHING (from Yahoo Sports)

AJ Burnett: 2 innings, 4 hits allowed, 6 earned runs, 4 BB, 1 HR, 2 SO, 7.00 ERA
Cliff Lee: 7 innings, 7 hits allowed, 5 earned runs, 3 BB, 3 SO, 2.81 ERA

KEY PERFORMERS: Chase Utley 2-for 3 with 2 HRs and 4 RBI

OBSERVATIONS: 10 down, 1 to go.

The Comforts of Home Heal Game 5 Wounds

2009-11-03T14:15:00.007-05:00

The Yankees were unable to close out the series last night and there really are not very many positives that came out of that game. The only things I can say are that they were able to hit Cliff Lee and that Alex Rodriguez and Johnny Damon are really picking it up during the World Series. Other than that there is not much to be pleased about.

Last night I tried to find some more positives but couldn’t. I tried to convince myself that if Mark Teixeira had found a way to get on base, Rodriguez could have tied the game for us. This seemed perfectly reasonable at the time given how well he had been playing but today it just seems unreasonable because they had no business winning the game last night. How often are you going to win when the starting pitcher goes less than 3 innings, gives up 6 earned runs, and the bullpen gives up two more insurance homeruns? The answer is pretty much never. Barring an historic collapse from Lee, the Yankees were going to go back to New York up 3-2 in the series and that is exactly what happened despite a decent effort in the 8^th and 9^th innings.

Placing aside my negativity concerning the game last night, however, I actually am not unduly worried or upset. Where normally I would be incredibly nervous about the Yankee’s chances to close it out, today I feel confident. Andy Pettitte, our wily veteran with more postseason wins than any other pitcher in history, is on the mound in Yankee stadium. Cliff Lee won’t be pitching for the Phillies tomorrow night. They are playing in a ballpark that has baffled opposing teams so far this postseason. And, there is nothing like the comfort of your own bed. Experience on the mound, not facing a dominant pitcher, and the comforts of home all lead me to believe that game 6 will be the final game in the World Series. The Yankees have too many things swaying in their favor. And, if all else fails and for some reason the Yankees cannot pull it out tomorrow, there is always the comforting fact that CC is waiting in the wings.

2009 World Series Game 5 Live Blog

2009-11-02T19:41:00.019-05:00

Hopefully you guys can join me in this live blog!

Yankees Phillies 2009 World Series Game 5 Live Chat!