It's about F'ing time, Cherington is one of the worst GM's in Baseball history, his claim to fame is that he won a World Series during a year when everything came together(Fluke), the overrated Farrell is next.
Our National Pastime: 2015 Baseball Thread
- Thread starter rumpleforeskiin
- Start date
I agree. The Red Sox will finish last again. That's three out of four years. Embarassing! As for John Farrell, his job will be saved by his recent cancer diagnosis. The Red Sox won't fire a guy with cancer. They'll wait until he comes back and fire him halfway into the season. But i predict he'll see the writing on the wall and resign in order to make his resume look better.
p.s. I'll even predict that this will be Bill Bellichick's final season as Patriots' head coach.
SOX'S MOVE TO DOMBROWSKI THE RIGHT ONE, BUT NOT CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION
by Ken Rosenthal
First, a word about Ben Cherington. Red Sox fans won’t want to hear it, given all of Cherington’s recent mistakes, but their outgoing GM is one of the classiest, most honest people in the entire sport.
I actually learned that the hard way, early in Cherington’s tenure, when I reported the possibility of a trade even after he told me that it was not true. This happens sometimes, when a reporter isn’t sure whom to trust. I trusted the wrong people. Cherington reacted with exasperation, a rare emotion for someone so even-keeled . And I never made that mistake with him again.
Why even bring this up on the occasion of the Red Sox naming Dave Dombrowski their new president of baseball of operations, with Cherington stepping down? Because the episode demonstrates again that baseball is blood sport in Boston – and in the entire industry, really.
Not that this is the wrong move – Dombrowski is one of the best GMs of this generation. But Red Sox officials signaled for weeks that Cherington was safe, even as the team stumbled toward its third last-place finish in four years. In fact, owner John Henry said in June that he expected Cherington to remain GM for “years to come.” I know what Henry will say now: “Well, we offered Ben the chance to stay.” Offered him the chance, with his legs cut off.
For all the Red Sox’s misdirection, we all should have seen this coming, given that Dombrowski was Henry’s GM with the Marlins from 1998 to 2001. Even the Sox’s statement on manager John Farrell’s diagnosis of lymphoma four days ago portended change. The statement made no mention -- none -- about Farrell possibly returning in ’16.
This is Dombrowski’s show now, a sea change from the Theo Epstein-Cherington succession that produced three World Series titles in 10 years. Henry is a strong proponent of analytics; Dombrowski historically leans more toward scouting. His replacement with the Tigers, longtime assistant Al Avila, said upon taking over that the team needs to “catch up with the industry” in its use of data.
Cherington had to leave, knowing that Dombrowski -- like Theo Epstein with the Cubs and Andrew Friedman with the Dodgers -- will be in complete control. Dombrowski will hire a GM -- former Braves GM Frank Wren is a leading possibility, as first reported by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale -- and almost certainly a new manager, too.
The Red Sox will not completely abandon the numbers; these days, all teams blend the subjective and objective, only to different degrees. Dombrowski’s first task will be to undo some of the mess that Cherington created, whether it’s dumping Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval, just one of them, maybe others. But once Dombrowski gets rolling, the Red Sox could be formidable again quickly, considering their vast resources and wealth of young talent.
Most teams would love to start with a core of 25-and-under players that includes Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., Blake Swihart, Christian Vazquez, Eduardo Rodriguez and eventually, Yoan Moncada. The Red Sox have other prospects coming, too, not to mention players in the 25-to-30 range such as Brock Holt, Rusney Castillo and, ahem, Sandoval.
The team is far from perfect, particularly on the pitching end, but Dombrowski will look for his beloved hard throwers wherever possible, and eventually remake the staff. It will be very surprising if the Red Sox again finish last in 2016. Frankly, it would have been surprising if they had finished last under Cherington, too.
Yes, Cherington made mistakes -- it’s an occupational hazard, all GMs do. But ownership drew the line on re-signing Jon Lester, and ownership approved the club’s biggest expenditures, surely intrigued by the potential for Ramirez and Sandoval to boost NESN’s ratings and the overall bottom line. When a team falls as hard as the Red Sox have since winning the 2013 Series, there is plenty of blame to go around.
Dombrowski undoubtedly will thank Cherington one day for developing the core of the Red Sox’s next championship club. Cherington undoubtedly will land with another club and make a positive contribution, though perhaps not as a GM.
It’s the right move, but not exactly cause for celebration.
Cherington had worked for the Red Sox since 1999.
by Ken Rosenthal
First, a word about Ben Cherington. Red Sox fans won’t want to hear it, given all of Cherington’s recent mistakes, but their outgoing GM is one of the classiest, most honest people in the entire sport.
I actually learned that the hard way, early in Cherington’s tenure, when I reported the possibility of a trade even after he told me that it was not true. This happens sometimes, when a reporter isn’t sure whom to trust. I trusted the wrong people. Cherington reacted with exasperation, a rare emotion for someone so even-keeled . And I never made that mistake with him again.
Why even bring this up on the occasion of the Red Sox naming Dave Dombrowski their new president of baseball of operations, with Cherington stepping down? Because the episode demonstrates again that baseball is blood sport in Boston – and in the entire industry, really.
Not that this is the wrong move – Dombrowski is one of the best GMs of this generation. But Red Sox officials signaled for weeks that Cherington was safe, even as the team stumbled toward its third last-place finish in four years. In fact, owner John Henry said in June that he expected Cherington to remain GM for “years to come.” I know what Henry will say now: “Well, we offered Ben the chance to stay.” Offered him the chance, with his legs cut off.
For all the Red Sox’s misdirection, we all should have seen this coming, given that Dombrowski was Henry’s GM with the Marlins from 1998 to 2001. Even the Sox’s statement on manager John Farrell’s diagnosis of lymphoma four days ago portended change. The statement made no mention -- none -- about Farrell possibly returning in ’16.
This is Dombrowski’s show now, a sea change from the Theo Epstein-Cherington succession that produced three World Series titles in 10 years. Henry is a strong proponent of analytics; Dombrowski historically leans more toward scouting. His replacement with the Tigers, longtime assistant Al Avila, said upon taking over that the team needs to “catch up with the industry” in its use of data.
Cherington had to leave, knowing that Dombrowski -- like Theo Epstein with the Cubs and Andrew Friedman with the Dodgers -- will be in complete control. Dombrowski will hire a GM -- former Braves GM Frank Wren is a leading possibility, as first reported by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale -- and almost certainly a new manager, too.
The Red Sox will not completely abandon the numbers; these days, all teams blend the subjective and objective, only to different degrees. Dombrowski’s first task will be to undo some of the mess that Cherington created, whether it’s dumping Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval, just one of them, maybe others. But once Dombrowski gets rolling, the Red Sox could be formidable again quickly, considering their vast resources and wealth of young talent.
Most teams would love to start with a core of 25-and-under players that includes Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., Blake Swihart, Christian Vazquez, Eduardo Rodriguez and eventually, Yoan Moncada. The Red Sox have other prospects coming, too, not to mention players in the 25-to-30 range such as Brock Holt, Rusney Castillo and, ahem, Sandoval.
The team is far from perfect, particularly on the pitching end, but Dombrowski will look for his beloved hard throwers wherever possible, and eventually remake the staff. It will be very surprising if the Red Sox again finish last in 2016. Frankly, it would have been surprising if they had finished last under Cherington, too.
Yes, Cherington made mistakes -- it’s an occupational hazard, all GMs do. But ownership drew the line on re-signing Jon Lester, and ownership approved the club’s biggest expenditures, surely intrigued by the potential for Ramirez and Sandoval to boost NESN’s ratings and the overall bottom line. When a team falls as hard as the Red Sox have since winning the 2013 Series, there is plenty of blame to go around.
Dombrowski undoubtedly will thank Cherington one day for developing the core of the Red Sox’s next championship club. Cherington undoubtedly will land with another club and make a positive contribution, though perhaps not as a GM.
It’s the right move, but not exactly cause for celebration.
Cherington had worked for the Red Sox since 1999.
Will Red Sox change philosophy under Dombrowski?
by Alex Speier, Boston Globe
At 9:39 p.m., the ground beneath Fenway Park cracked open.
The Red Sox issued a press release announcing the hiring of Dave Dombrowski as president of baseball operations, reporting directly to principal owner John Henry and team chairman Tom Werner. Ben Cherington, the statement said, “declined the opportunity to continue as general manager,” but will assist the transition of the man now in charge of the team’s baseball decisions.
With those changes in place, the Red Sox now enter into a world that is both known and completely foreign.
Cherington had been the bedrock of organizational stability, someone who had risen from a low-level scouting job under Dan Duquette 16 years ago to his current post. Few players or members of the team’s baseball operations department have spent a day with the Red Sox in which Cherington hasn’t been a part of the team.
“I’ve known Ben my whole time with the Red Sox. He’s a big part of a lot of things in my career. I’ve got a lot of memories. Obviously this is new,” said Dustin Pedroia, minutes after learning of the news. “We’re going to miss him. I’m going to miss him. He has a lot of special relationships with guys. It’s tough.”
His absence creates a sense of unfamiliarity, even as Dombrowski represents a known quantity. He’s one of the most respected executives in the game with a lengthy list of credentials.
Dombrowski was the GM of a championship Marlins team in 1997 (subsequently working with Henry when he bought the franchise in 1999) and transformed the Tigers from a downtrodden franchise into a perennial contender that reached the World Series twice and won the AL Central for four straight years from 2011-14. He’s now been entrusted with the challenge of restoring the Sox to success.
“I am anxious to get to Boston and to focus on playing an important role in helping this great franchise continue its recent history of world championships,” Dombrowski said in the statement.
When he was fired by the Tigers earlier this month as a disappointing season in Detroit led to a trade deadline sell-off of David Price and Yoenis Cespedes, several suitors for Dombrowski’s services were expected to form. Yet the Sox, despite being in transition with the departure of CEO/president Larry Lucchino, were not expected to be among them — in part because team owners continued to express belief in their guiding operating philosophies and the people who were in charge of implementing them.
On June 2, Henry said that Cherington would remain in his job “for a long time,” noting the philosophical alignment that existed between the GM and the team’s owners, and saying unequivocally that Cherington was the right person to lead the process of improving the team’s evaluations.
Yet the Sox seemingly changed course, deciding that after a series of player evaluation misses, they would entrust a new voice with leadership of their baseball decisions in hopes of restoring the standing of the franchise. With Dombrowski on board, the Sox’ decision-making environment may change considerably from the longer-term view that has guided most decisions under first GM Theo Epstein and then Cherington.
Epstein articulated the desire to create a scouting and player development machine whose construction was entrusted largely to Cherington as the farm director. After Cherington played a number of roles under Epstein, he ultimately emerged as a GM with like-minded principles.
During his nearly four-season tenure, Cherington encountered startlingly disparate results at the major league level. He oversaw last-place finishes in 2012 and 2014, along with what looks almost certain to be a third in 2015. Those massive — and high-priced — disappointments surrounded an improbable title achieved when the Sox rolled sevens on nearly every player signed in the offseason of 2012-13.
“Ben won a World Series,” said David Ortiz. “You can’t forget about that that quick.”
Though the major league team spiraled out of contention over the subsequent two years, Cherington’s commitment to sustaining and deepening a robust prospect infrastructure appeared to be realizing successes. Multiple publications described the Sox’ farm system as the best in the game — suggesting several players who could either succeed in Boston or become the centerpieces of trades.
Yet he will not be the one in charge of determining how to parlay potential into results at the big league level. And the man who is replacing him may have very different designs on how to use the team’s minor league assets.
Cherington had preserved his inventory of top prospects through the years. Dombrowski has done the opposite, frequently making aggressive moves to deal players without big league track records for stars in their primes, as when Detroit landed Miguel Cabrera from the Marlins.
Several of Dombrowski’s moves with the Tigers proved enormously successful, including the acquisition of Cabrera and landing Max Scherzer and Austin Jackson in a three-team deal with the Diamondbacks and Yankees. Other moves put Detroit in a bind this year, particularly high-risk, long-term deals to retain players such as Justin Verlander well into their 30s.
Regardless of the success of their strategies, industry sources have often cited the Red Sox and Tigers as organizations on opposite ends of the baseball operations spectrum.
Detroit built through free agency and trades while supplementing with homegrown players. The Sox had sought to accomplish the opposite. The lack of philosophical alignment, some industry sources speculated on Tuesday night, might explain the rationale for Cherington’s decision to decline the opportunity to serve as GM under Dombrowski.
Just last week in New York, after all, Cherington had expressed comfort with the possibility of the Sox hiring a president of baseball operations or someone else to whom he would report. But when the Sox entrusted Dombrowski with that responsibility, Cherington made the decision not to remain in his post.
Dombrowski will have the authority to decide how to reshape the team’s baseball operations, starting with a search for a GM. With his hiring, the fate of numerous Red Sox front office and staff members is highly uncertain.
Yet those behind-the-scenes responsibilities are merely the tip of the iceberg for a club whose major league club owns a 53-66 record. Limited roster flexibility due to long-term contracts to players such as Hanley Ramirez (signed through 2018), Pablo Sandoval (signed through 2019), Rick Porcello (signed through 2019), and Pedroia (signed through 2021) creates a mandate for creativity on a team that lacks a clear front-of-the-rotation starter, needs several bullpen pieces, and faces a defensive conundrum that centers around the future positions of Ramirez and Sandoval.
Ultimately, the Sox owners believed Dombrowski to be the right person to confront those challenges. Given the choice between remaining true to the course they’ve largely followed for 14 seasons or altering directions, the team elected the latter, even if it meant a rupture with the past.
Change looms, and it may be some time before the dust settles and a clear picture of the organization going forward comes into view.
by Alex Speier, Boston Globe
At 9:39 p.m., the ground beneath Fenway Park cracked open.
The Red Sox issued a press release announcing the hiring of Dave Dombrowski as president of baseball operations, reporting directly to principal owner John Henry and team chairman Tom Werner. Ben Cherington, the statement said, “declined the opportunity to continue as general manager,” but will assist the transition of the man now in charge of the team’s baseball decisions.
With those changes in place, the Red Sox now enter into a world that is both known and completely foreign.
Cherington had been the bedrock of organizational stability, someone who had risen from a low-level scouting job under Dan Duquette 16 years ago to his current post. Few players or members of the team’s baseball operations department have spent a day with the Red Sox in which Cherington hasn’t been a part of the team.
“I’ve known Ben my whole time with the Red Sox. He’s a big part of a lot of things in my career. I’ve got a lot of memories. Obviously this is new,” said Dustin Pedroia, minutes after learning of the news. “We’re going to miss him. I’m going to miss him. He has a lot of special relationships with guys. It’s tough.”
His absence creates a sense of unfamiliarity, even as Dombrowski represents a known quantity. He’s one of the most respected executives in the game with a lengthy list of credentials.
Dombrowski was the GM of a championship Marlins team in 1997 (subsequently working with Henry when he bought the franchise in 1999) and transformed the Tigers from a downtrodden franchise into a perennial contender that reached the World Series twice and won the AL Central for four straight years from 2011-14. He’s now been entrusted with the challenge of restoring the Sox to success.
“I am anxious to get to Boston and to focus on playing an important role in helping this great franchise continue its recent history of world championships,” Dombrowski said in the statement.
When he was fired by the Tigers earlier this month as a disappointing season in Detroit led to a trade deadline sell-off of David Price and Yoenis Cespedes, several suitors for Dombrowski’s services were expected to form. Yet the Sox, despite being in transition with the departure of CEO/president Larry Lucchino, were not expected to be among them — in part because team owners continued to express belief in their guiding operating philosophies and the people who were in charge of implementing them.
On June 2, Henry said that Cherington would remain in his job “for a long time,” noting the philosophical alignment that existed between the GM and the team’s owners, and saying unequivocally that Cherington was the right person to lead the process of improving the team’s evaluations.
Yet the Sox seemingly changed course, deciding that after a series of player evaluation misses, they would entrust a new voice with leadership of their baseball decisions in hopes of restoring the standing of the franchise. With Dombrowski on board, the Sox’ decision-making environment may change considerably from the longer-term view that has guided most decisions under first GM Theo Epstein and then Cherington.
Epstein articulated the desire to create a scouting and player development machine whose construction was entrusted largely to Cherington as the farm director. After Cherington played a number of roles under Epstein, he ultimately emerged as a GM with like-minded principles.
During his nearly four-season tenure, Cherington encountered startlingly disparate results at the major league level. He oversaw last-place finishes in 2012 and 2014, along with what looks almost certain to be a third in 2015. Those massive — and high-priced — disappointments surrounded an improbable title achieved when the Sox rolled sevens on nearly every player signed in the offseason of 2012-13.
“Ben won a World Series,” said David Ortiz. “You can’t forget about that that quick.”
Though the major league team spiraled out of contention over the subsequent two years, Cherington’s commitment to sustaining and deepening a robust prospect infrastructure appeared to be realizing successes. Multiple publications described the Sox’ farm system as the best in the game — suggesting several players who could either succeed in Boston or become the centerpieces of trades.
Yet he will not be the one in charge of determining how to parlay potential into results at the big league level. And the man who is replacing him may have very different designs on how to use the team’s minor league assets.
Cherington had preserved his inventory of top prospects through the years. Dombrowski has done the opposite, frequently making aggressive moves to deal players without big league track records for stars in their primes, as when Detroit landed Miguel Cabrera from the Marlins.
Several of Dombrowski’s moves with the Tigers proved enormously successful, including the acquisition of Cabrera and landing Max Scherzer and Austin Jackson in a three-team deal with the Diamondbacks and Yankees. Other moves put Detroit in a bind this year, particularly high-risk, long-term deals to retain players such as Justin Verlander well into their 30s.
Regardless of the success of their strategies, industry sources have often cited the Red Sox and Tigers as organizations on opposite ends of the baseball operations spectrum.
Detroit built through free agency and trades while supplementing with homegrown players. The Sox had sought to accomplish the opposite. The lack of philosophical alignment, some industry sources speculated on Tuesday night, might explain the rationale for Cherington’s decision to decline the opportunity to serve as GM under Dombrowski.
Just last week in New York, after all, Cherington had expressed comfort with the possibility of the Sox hiring a president of baseball operations or someone else to whom he would report. But when the Sox entrusted Dombrowski with that responsibility, Cherington made the decision not to remain in his post.
Dombrowski will have the authority to decide how to reshape the team’s baseball operations, starting with a search for a GM. With his hiring, the fate of numerous Red Sox front office and staff members is highly uncertain.
Yet those behind-the-scenes responsibilities are merely the tip of the iceberg for a club whose major league club owns a 53-66 record. Limited roster flexibility due to long-term contracts to players such as Hanley Ramirez (signed through 2018), Pablo Sandoval (signed through 2019), Rick Porcello (signed through 2019), and Pedroia (signed through 2021) creates a mandate for creativity on a team that lacks a clear front-of-the-rotation starter, needs several bullpen pieces, and faces a defensive conundrum that centers around the future positions of Ramirez and Sandoval.
Ultimately, the Sox owners believed Dombrowski to be the right person to confront those challenges. Given the choice between remaining true to the course they’ve largely followed for 14 seasons or altering directions, the team elected the latter, even if it meant a rupture with the past.
Change looms, and it may be some time before the dust settles and a clear picture of the organization going forward comes into view.
The word on the street back home in Detroit is that Dumb-Dom wasn't fired because of the current record. He was fired because he was out kicking tires with other clubs. The Ilitches said they wished to free up Mr. Dombrowski so that he can pursue other opportunites.
On another note, Justin Verlander is pitching great baseball these days. We all know that records mean almost nothing. He has found his control and the movement on his fastball and he has always had a Blylevin like curve.
On another note, Justin Verlander is pitching great baseball these days. We all know that records mean almost nothing. He has found his control and the movement on his fastball and he has always had a Blylevin like curve.
Toronto prospect LH starting pitching Daniel Norris who came over to Detroit in the Price deal had his first at bat today in the MLBs. It was Tiger vs Cubs at Wrigley Field. Norris took the first pitch from John Lester and hit it 420' over the Centerfield wall for his first home run. The bad news is that Norris pulled his left oblique and had to leave the game with two outs away from the minimum number of innings to qualify for a win. Bummer
Norris really put a show on in BP today at Wrigley. He broke part of the scoreboard in right field.
Norris really put a show on in BP today at Wrigley. He broke part of the scoreboard in right field.
Daniel Norris was very well-liked in his brief time with the Jays. He's a bit of a throwback, eccentric type. Okay, he's a southpaw. I heard that he was living in his old van during spring training. The Jays hated to see him go. He started the season with the big club, but had control problems and they sent him back to the minors. Greg Zaun noted at the start of the season that he wasn't a big fan of his awkward pitching motion and that it was the reason for his control problems. He also said that Norris would wind up having arm problems later on unless he made changes to his motion, which puts a lot of strain on his arm.
The one prospect i absolutely didn't want to see traded was the kid (Jeff Hoffman) who was sent to the Rockies in the Tulowitzki/Reyes deal. He'll be a good one, possibly a #2 (or better) starter in a couple of years.
p.s. I hate the fact pitchers have to bat during interleague play. Too risky for an injury. Norris probably got injured when he swung earlier.
I love the sarcasm (which i hadn't realized until now) in Ilitch's remarks. He basically called David Dombrowski a traitor.
Cashman once told Jeter he'd prefer having Tulowitzki
by ESPN
Four years before hanging up the pinstripes for good, Derek Jeter reportedly was told by Brian Cashman exactly where he stood during testy contract negotiations with the New York Yankees general manager.
According to Sports Illustrated, Jeter, in the midst of talks after the 2010 season, asked Cashman who he'd rather have playing shortstop for the Yankees.
Cashman's answer: Troy Tulowitzki, among others.
"Do you really want me to answer that?" Cashman told Jeter, according to SI. "We're not paying extra money for popularity. We're paying for performance."
Jeter was coming off a 2010 season in which he had 10 home runs, 67 RBIs and a then-career-low .270 batting average. Tulowitzki, meanwhile, was coming off another stellar season with the Colorado Rockies, belting 27 home runs with 95 RBIs and a .315 average.
Jeter, who was seeking a four- to six-year deal in the area of $22 million to $24 million a year, eventually signed a three-year, $51 million extension with the Yankees, with whom he retired after 20 seasons in 2014. Tulowitzki was traded to Toronto this season and has sparked the Blue Jays' run toward the top of the AL East standings, where they trail the Yankees by two games entering Thursday.
Cashman told the New York Daily News on Wednesday that he didn't provide any quotes from Jeter's negotiations to Sports Illustrated but that he "didn't confirm or deny" the report and didn't take issue with it. He confirmed that SI spent time with him but also that the magazine talked to others and "did a lot of homework."
And despite Jeter being the "greatest player I will have ever had," the general manager told the Daily News that he still has a job to do and has no problem answering players' questions "directly and honestly."
"Sometimes honesty hurts. But if you're being paid to do a job, do the job," Cashman told Sports Illustrated. "You have to honor the job description; if not, you're a fraud or stealing money. You can't fake your way doing this. You either do it or you don't."
Cashman told Jeter he'd rather have Tulowitzki
by ESPN
Four years before hanging up the pinstripes for good, Derek Jeter reportedly was told by Brian Cashman exactly where he stood during testy contract negotiations with the New York Yankees general manager.
According to Sports Illustrated, Jeter, in the midst of talks after the 2010 season, asked Cashman who he'd rather have playing shortstop for the Yankees.
Cashman's answer: Troy Tulowitzki, among others.
"Do you really want me to answer that?" Cashman told Jeter, according to SI. "We're not paying extra money for popularity. We're paying for performance."
Jeter was coming off a 2010 season in which he had 10 home runs, 67 RBIs and a then-career-low .270 batting average. Tulowitzki, meanwhile, was coming off another stellar season with the Colorado Rockies, belting 27 home runs with 95 RBIs and a .315 average.
Jeter, who was seeking a four- to six-year deal in the area of $22 million to $24 million a year, eventually signed a three-year, $51 million extension with the Yankees, with whom he retired after 20 seasons in 2014. Tulowitzki was traded to Toronto this season and has sparked the Blue Jays' run toward the top of the AL East standings, where they trail the Yankees by two games entering Thursday.
Cashman told the New York Daily News on Wednesday that he didn't provide any quotes from Jeter's negotiations to Sports Illustrated but that he "didn't confirm or deny" the report and didn't take issue with it. He confirmed that SI spent time with him but also that the magazine talked to others and "did a lot of homework."
And despite Jeter being the "greatest player I will have ever had," the general manager told the Daily News that he still has a job to do and has no problem answering players' questions "directly and honestly."
"Sometimes honesty hurts. But if you're being paid to do a job, do the job," Cashman told Sports Illustrated. "You have to honor the job description; if not, you're a fraud or stealing money. You can't fake your way doing this. You either do it or you don't."
Cashman told Jeter he'd rather have Tulowitzki
Yep. It makes sense now. Dumb-dom was a good one. He made a few big boners in the past few years but he will be missed. We never did win that WS title but he got us there twice.
YAY!!!, my second favorite team is in first place in the East, it is essentially a two team race between my two favorite teams, meanwhile there is only one sad, pathetic team in the running for the basement of the East.:yield:
BOYZZZ!!!!!!!!!!
That is a complete DITTO from moi!
Go Yankees and Go Blue Jays!
And yes about that sad pathetic cellar dweller.... pee uuuuu!
That is a complete DITTO from moi!
Go Yankees and Go Blue Jays!
And yes about that sad pathetic cellar dweller.... pee uuuuu!
It sure looks like a two-team race in the AL East, but don't count out the Orioles.
The Jays are in Texas to face the Rangers in a 3-game series starting tomorrow. Meanwhile, the Yankees meet the Astros tonight while the Orioles are in KC. This series against the Royals may determine the Orioles' fate in whether or not they can still contend for the AL East lead or simply finish the season battling it out for one of the final wildcard spot.
The Yankees lost starter CC Sabathia yesterday to what appeared to be a serious knee injury which had been bothering him for some time. I'm not that surprised considering the size of the man and his age. I learned that Sabathia hadn't been pitching with the knee brace over the past 2-3 games, which may be a reason why he'd be pitching better. The Yankees had planned to go with a 6-man rotation in order to give him & Tanaka a much-needed extra day's rest. However, it looks like they'll now likely stick with the current 5-man rotation if Sabathia misses an extended period of time.
The Jays, meanwhile, are red-hot after sweeping the Angels in Anaheim by a large margin in all three games. Their series against the Rangers should be interesting. The Rangers have a very good team and the Jays have never had an easy time playing them.
I have a question for our fine Yankees fans:
Let's assume that the Yankees end up with one of the wildcard spots and need to win that one game. Let's assume Sabathia doesn't miss the rest of the season and can pitch on that given day. Who would the Yankees send to the hill for that crucial game?
As for the Red Sox, they're so brutal that it's hard for me to comment on how bad they are. It'll be interesting to see if Dave Dombrowski can work his magic in rebuilding that team. He's not a sabermetrics guy and over the past decade the Red Sox have relied on sabermetrics considerably. Will Dombrowski clean house? Will he fire the entire scouting staff and management types?
One thing will be even more interesting. Dombrowski has always been a buyer and never a builder. I wouldn't be surprised if the owner foolishly tells him to spend as much as he likes, a formula that rarely works. But the question is: Will there many quality talent open to joining a last-place team?? This is a team which has finished last in the last 3 out of 4 seasons. They've been absolutely brutal. So why join such a bunch of losers? Just saying.
The Jays are in Texas to face the Rangers in a 3-game series starting tomorrow. Meanwhile, the Yankees meet the Astros tonight while the Orioles are in KC. This series against the Royals may determine the Orioles' fate in whether or not they can still contend for the AL East lead or simply finish the season battling it out for one of the final wildcard spot.
The Yankees lost starter CC Sabathia yesterday to what appeared to be a serious knee injury which had been bothering him for some time. I'm not that surprised considering the size of the man and his age. I learned that Sabathia hadn't been pitching with the knee brace over the past 2-3 games, which may be a reason why he'd be pitching better. The Yankees had planned to go with a 6-man rotation in order to give him & Tanaka a much-needed extra day's rest. However, it looks like they'll now likely stick with the current 5-man rotation if Sabathia misses an extended period of time.
The Jays, meanwhile, are red-hot after sweeping the Angels in Anaheim by a large margin in all three games. Their series against the Rangers should be interesting. The Rangers have a very good team and the Jays have never had an easy time playing them.
I have a question for our fine Yankees fans:
Let's assume that the Yankees end up with one of the wildcard spots and need to win that one game. Let's assume Sabathia doesn't miss the rest of the season and can pitch on that given day. Who would the Yankees send to the hill for that crucial game?
As for the Red Sox, they're so brutal that it's hard for me to comment on how bad they are. It'll be interesting to see if Dave Dombrowski can work his magic in rebuilding that team. He's not a sabermetrics guy and over the past decade the Red Sox have relied on sabermetrics considerably. Will Dombrowski clean house? Will he fire the entire scouting staff and management types?
One thing will be even more interesting. Dombrowski has always been a buyer and never a builder. I wouldn't be surprised if the owner foolishly tells him to spend as much as he likes, a formula that rarely works. But the question is: Will there many quality talent open to joining a last-place team?? This is a team which has finished last in the last 3 out of 4 seasons. They've been absolutely brutal. So why join such a bunch of losers? Just saying.
Tanaka or Pineda, Doc, as to who i would start in a crucial game. Both are Studs. At this point i would even let Severino take the start, the kid is only 21 and has ice in his veins.
Even the great Dumbroski wont turn that mess in boston around in one year, or two or three.....
Even the great Dumbroski wont turn that mess in boston around in one year, or two or three.....
I listen to MLB Network Radio pretty much every day. Earlier today, one of the hosts who seems to be a Yankee fan was saying that unfortunately, the Yankees are better with Sabathia on the DL than they are with him. It nearly seemed like he wanted him gone for the rest of the year.
Severino has been very impressive. But he only faced teams once so far. Things may change once they've seen him twice or three times. But no doubt he's impressive and they seemed to have done well in not trading him away.
You know what? I thought you were going to say Tanaka. I'd also prefer Severino to Tanaka, who now reminds me of Chien-Ming Wang when he was still pitching for the Yankees. The fact he's elected to postpone Tommy John surgery is showing. He's still a good pitcher, but not as good as he was last season. He may never get TJ done, but he should. He was dominating last season and many pitchers who undergo the surgery come back even better and with more zip on their fastball.
As for Pineda, i've never been a big fan of his. He can be great one game, then so-so the next. Very inconsistent in my opinion. Plus the fact he seems to be made out of glass (he's the Joffrey Lupul of pitchers) and every year goes for an extended period on the DL. Great talent, though. But it now appears that he'll never fulfill that tremendous potential.
How about Eovaldi Iggy, he is one of the hardest throwers in all of baseball and has been pretty good all year and even better lately, one expert analyst from MLB.com whose name escapes me said earlier this year that Eovaldi has the best combined stuff of any pitcher in baseball!!!, pretty impressive compliment if you ask me, especially when Miami essentially gave up on him.
As for the terrible Red Sox, the first order of the day for Dombrowski is to fire that no good for nothing never was never will be overrated bum Bill James and his Sabercrappola system that he invited which is flawed and is an epic failure, the Red Sox are well on their way to eclipsing last year's 25 GB, what an embarrassment of an organisation, interesting to see what they will do in the off season.
Boston Red Sux
As for the terrible Red Sox, the first order of the day for Dombrowski is to fire that no good for nothing never was never will be overrated bum Bill James and his Sabercrappola system that he invited which is flawed and is an epic failure, the Red Sox are well on their way to eclipsing last year's 25 GB, what an embarrassment of an organisation, interesting to see what they will do in the off season.
Boston Red Sux
Ya know Joe, there is no bigger supporter of Big Nate than myself. I loved that trade from day one and mainly because of Larry Rothschild (man that guy reminds me of someone who USED to be 'round these parts) and Brian McCann who i felt would turn big Nate's career around and boy have they in a huge way. With that said, Nathan scares me a little in a CRUCIAL one game must win situation like Doc asked about but he still has time to change my mind. The way Eovaldi has progressed since getting ripped apart in that game down in Miami is pretty incredible and the credit goes 3 ways, Himself first and foremost, then Larry and Brian. Eovaldi is one of the most exciting pitchers in the game right now and hopefully for years to come.
Imagine going forward with a staff of Tanaka/Pineda/Eovaldi/Severino/Nova for years to come
Imagine going forward with a staff of Tanaka/Pineda/Eovaldi/Severino/Nova for years to come
I was watching ESPN and Girardi mentionned that Sabathia's season may be over. The people on the broadcast also mentionned it's quite possible he's pitched his last game as a Yankee.
He's 35 years old and is still owed $25 million in each of the next two seasons (ouch!!!!). The second year is an option he has, which i'm sure he'll opt for if he's still able to play. From what i understand, his knee has nearly no more cartilage left in it and he's needed to get it drained several times this season. There was also word that should he come back next season, he may have to try pitching with a different type of knee brace. He's hated pitching with the current one throughout the season and actually removed it 2-3 starts ago, which likely led to the current injury.
Very good game right now on tv. It's scoreless going into the bottom of the 6th in a pitcher's duel, although the Astros had their chances. A boneheaded baserunning blunder by Colby Rasmus (not the smartest player in the game, i assure you) kind of helped the Yankees' cause in the top of the 6th. I'm glad this weirdo is out of Toronto!
He's 35 years old and is still owed $25 million in each of the next two seasons (ouch!!!!). The second year is an option he has, which i'm sure he'll opt for if he's still able to play. From what i understand, his knee has nearly no more cartilage left in it and he's needed to get it drained several times this season. There was also word that should he come back next season, he may have to try pitching with a different type of knee brace. He's hated pitching with the current one throughout the season and actually removed it 2-3 starts ago, which likely led to the current injury.
Very good game right now on tv. It's scoreless going into the bottom of the 6th in a pitcher's duel, although the Astros had their chances. A boneheaded baserunning blunder by Colby Rasmus (not the smartest player in the game, i assure you) kind of helped the Yankees' cause in the top of the 6th. I'm glad this weirdo is out of Toronto!
He faced Cleveland twice in a week and did fantastic both times.
To quote Mister Michael Kay after the game tonight, "Nathan Eovaldi has been absolutely FILTHY lately" ....... nuff ced! eh rumps?
To quote Mister Michael Kay after the game tonight, "Nathan Eovaldi has been absolutely FILTHY lately" ....... nuff ced! eh rumps?
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