The Joe.T Memorial Yankees Suck Thread for 2007

[EagerBeaver]

Tony,

No. Duke runs a totally different offense than UConn does. In the Duke offense you penetrate, kick and pass to a player who is spotted up to shoot at the three point line. UConn runs a pro set offense predicated on transition, meaning that Allen was frequently pulling up on the run 1 on 2 or 1 on 3 and letting fly 3 pointers from 4 feet behind the line.

Redick could shoot a deep 3 pointer, but he wasn't pulling up in transition. Redick was a classic spot up shooter. If you tracked his 3s at Duke, most of them were spot up as opposed to off the dribble like Allen. Allen is a vastly superior player to Redick, both in college and the pros.

BTW, you ever want to see choke performances look at how Redick performed in the NCAA tourney, notably in the Final 4 loss to UConn in 2004 when the Duke team folded under withering defense by UConn in the final minutes, and in his final game in 2006. In Allen's last college game, he dropped in 36 against the national champion that year (UCLA).

 

[EagerBeaver]

To my mind, the most interesting thing that happened today was the Yanks picking up Wilson Betamit. A third baseman. Why would the Yankees be picking up a third baseman? Have they seen into the future?

No, the plan is to occasionally rest Jeter and A-Rod who are playing every game and were overworked of late. When Betemit plays third, A-Rod will DH or Jeter will DH and A-Rod will play shortstop. By doing this the Yankees will rest Jeter and A-Rod and keep them fresh for the playoffs as soon as the Indians are overtaken.

When you DH a player in this fashion, it's like getting a half day off.

Betemit also provides a backup at first base, DH and a better pinch hitting alternative to Miguel Cairo.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Jesse Litsch pitching tonight against the Devil Rays

Interesting game between the Jays & the Devil Rays tonight. Pitching for the Jays is Jesse Litsch. He used to be the Devil Rays' batboy a few years ago. Now, how the hell did the Rays miss out on that kid? He sitting right next to them in their dugout!

 

[EagerBeaver]

Lol. I would never dream of arguing that.


And sorry, didn't read the fact that you were talking about pull ups. I thought you were simply talking about players who were able to knock down 3s from way beyond the arc on a consistent basis.

Actually, I was talking about players I saw at UConn. But I will grant you that Redick could shoot a deep 3 as well as anyone when left open. When he is guarded by someone halfway decent and athletic as when Duke choked against UConn in 2004, it's a different story.

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

No, the plan is to occasionally rest Jeter and A-Rod who are playing every game and were overworked of late. When Betemit plays third, A-Rod will DH or Jeter will DH and A-Rod will play shortstop. By doing this the Yankees will rest Jeter and A-Rod and keep them fresh for the playoffs as soon as the Indians are overtaken.

When you DH a player in this fashion, it's like getting a half day off.

Betemit also provides a backup at first base, DH and a better pinch hitting alternative to Miguel Cairo.

And, so, when Jeter or A-Rod DH, what does Giambi do? Ooops, there goes your logic.

The real plan is that Betemit will be the starting third baseman next season.

 

[Special K]

I fail to see what one has to do with the other.

Had the other teams known Donnelly would be gone for the season there price would've definitely gone up, knowing the Sox would need Gagne more with BD being out.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Rumples,

Betemit could be insurance at third base if the Yankees lose ARod, but he has not distinguished himself as an everyday player in the major leagues so I don't think that is the thinking at all.

Giambi will DH against righties and possibly play first base against lefties (or sit) if ARod or Jeter DH. That's the plan.

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Had the other teams known Donnelly would be gone for the season there price would've definitely gone up, knowing the Sox would need Gagne more with BD being out.

Dunno. Under normal circumstances this might be true, but as strong and deep as the Sox bullpen is, they really didn't have to have Gagne. That said, it sure will be nice to see this Montrealer in a Sox uni tomorrow night.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Dunno. Under normal circumstances this might be true, but as strong and deep as the Sox bullpen is, they really didn't have to have Gagne.

Until I heard about the Donnelly injury, I was thinking the same thing. I thought the Sox needed a bat in the middle of their lineup, more than relief help.

As it turns out, I heard a report tonight that Jermaine Dye invoked his no trade clause and vetoed a trade to Boston. It's being reported that Theo Epstein, in a tacit admission that he fucked up in signing J.D. Drew, sought Dye to platoon with Drew. Dye, who is in a contract year and is having a poor season, simply could not afford to allow himself to be traded to a team that has no intention of playing him every day. Thus, he invoked the no trade clause and told the Red Sox to go fly a freaking kite.

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Until I heard about the Donnelly injury, I was thinking the same thing. I thought the Sox needed a bat in the middle of their lineup, more than relief help.

You've heard perhaps of David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez? The middle of the Sox lineup is just fine, thank you, now that Manny is being Manny.

As for the "admission" that he'd fucked up on the Drew signing, that's no more true than is the trade for Gagne and admission that the Sox are unhappy with Papelbon, Delcarmen, and Okijima. It's quite common for a National League player to need a year to adjust to the AL and that's likely the case with Drew.

The mistake is Wily Mo Pena, who is an awful baseball player in every facet of the game. That said, Wily Mo could really have used more minor league seasoning, seasoning denied him by the fact that he was signed quite young by the Yankees and was out of options at a similarly young age. Another team might find Wily Mo a very valuable player; he needs a lot more action than the Sox are able to give him. Placed in the Minnesota lineup, for example, he might turn into a major power force.

 

[korbel]

Yankee guts?

Hello all,

What I find interesting is how the Yankees function when they can't just throw money at a player in a free-agency situation. It seems that when the Yankees have to actually give up someone of value to them like Melky Cabrera to trade for another key player like Gagne they can't come up with enough guts to deal with a real risk. Where was the nerve of the "Yankee mystique" today?

Tsk tsk tsk,

Korbel

 

[EagerBeaver]

Pena was not the only highly touted ex-Yankee to be rushed up to the majors, only to show no real baseball skills. I can recall one other stinging example of a guy signed young by the Yankees, rushed to the majors and released by several teams because he was never able to get on base and appeared utterly confused not only about how to hit a baseball, but life in general. That would be Mariano Rivera's younger cousin Ruben Rivera, who was touted as a would be superstar in the mid 1990s.

Many of you may recall the infamous 2002 spring training incident in which Rivera, then in his second stint with the Yankees, stole Derek Jeter's bat and glove after a game and sold them to a memorabilia dealer for $2,500. Joe Torre immediately held a team meeting, during which a secret vote was held and the Yankees players voted Rivera off the team. The Yankees front office accepted the players' vote, and released Rivera the next day.

But Rivera's misadventures in the majors were not yet over. In 2003, he committed what has come to be known as the "worst baserunning play in the history of baseball", and is further described below courtesy of wikipedia:

Baserunning gaffe

The other incident for which Rivera is known happened on the field, also involving famed baseball broadcaster Jon Miller and involved multiple errors by both Rivera himself and the Arizona Diamondbacks defense on May 27, 2003. With one out in the bottom of the ninth in a 2-2 game, Rivera was a pinch runner on first base for Andres Galarraga, who had reached on a Tony Womack error. Marquis Grissom then hit a fly ball to deep right-center field, which David Dellucci misjudged; by this time, Rivera, who had gone past second base, was on his way back to first base, believing that Dellucci would catch the ball -- but he failed to tag second base as he was going back. Realizing his mistake, he then went back to step on second base, and then oddly enough decided to try for third base. He would be out easily except that Junior Spivey's relay throw bounced off the glove of Alex Cintrón, covering third base. Having reached third base, Rivera, for no conceivable reason, chose to go for home, but the ball bounced to Womack, and Womack threw him out easily at home, preventing the would-be winning run.

Miller, when he was calling the play, after Rivera was thrown out, made the following statement, often-played on highlight shows for some time after the play:

"That was the worst baserunning in the history of the game!"

The gaffe probably was not the only reason why Rivera was released by the Giants a month later, but it certainly did not help.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Hello all,

What I find interesting is how the Yankees function when they can't just throw money at a player in a free-agency situation. It seems that when the Yankees have to actually give up someone of value to them like Melky Cabrera to trade for another key player like Gagne they can't come up with enough guts to deal with a real risk. Where was the nerve of the "Yankee mystique" today?

Tsk tsk tsk,

Korbel

How about having the guts to keep your young players and and not give in to the pressure of mortgaging the future to try and guarantee winning now? Isn't that also gutsy, especially with 55,000 fans at every game who want to win now?

 

[EagerBeaver]

Yankees Hit 8 Homers Tonight!

The Yankees have hit 8 homers tonight, an all time team record (ties a record set in 1939).

Included in the batch was an upper deck job by Damon.

 

[korbel]

Mr. 900

How about having the guts to keep your young players and and not giving in to the pressure of mortgaging the future to try and guarantee winning now? Isn't that also gutsy, especially with 55,000 fans at every game who want to win now?

Hello EB,

Congratulations, you have the 900th post on this thread.

I know I am talking like a biased fan EB. You are right that either way there is some guts to it. I can't make an honest assessment of the trade since I don't know enough about either player. I like Cabrera as much as I know about him. But you have to admit the Yankees need pitching now more than they need Melky. So why didn't they have the guts to make the better move???

Thanks for the sideways commendation of the Red Sox who had the guts to refuse to pay Damon excessively as the Yankees did. Or is a .250 average and a bad arm really worth $13.5 million or so this year. As for the Yankees future...they seem to prefer building that by tossing the biggest bankroll in sports at free agents. That's definitely NOT GUTS! That's just lust with the cash to back it.

Cheers,

Korbel

PS

How about the 1000th poster on this thread getting a free hour with the LDL SP of his or her choice???

 

[korbel]

The Yankees have hit 8 homers tonight, an all time team record (ties a record set in 1939).

Included in the batch was an upper deck job by Damon.

Hello EB,

Congratualtions again. Too bad it was in Colorado where the baseballs have wings anyway. But...they are the first to hit 8 there or anywhere obviously.

Yaaaaaahooooooo...sort of,

Korbel

 

[Doc Holliday]

How about having the guts to keep your young players and and not give in to the pressure of mortgaging the future to try and guarantee winning now? Isn't that also gutsy, especially with 55,000 fans at every game who want to win now?

That's a first!

p.s. I just saw the news again re: the Garnett trade. Minnesota would have been crazy not to do that trade. It's not just the players that Boston sent to Minnesota, it's the two first-round picks that they gave them. Wow!!!

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

The Yankees have hit 8 homers tonight, an all time team record (ties a record set in 1939).

Included in the batch was an upper deck job by Damon.

What's most remarkable is that Chicago keeps giving the ball to Jose Contreras, who has allowed at least 5 runs in 8 of his last 9 appearances, including 26 in his last three.

The Yankees have shown a remarkable ability to load up their offensive stats against lousy pitching and get shut down by good pitching. None of the Chicago pitchers getting beaten up tonight has an ERA under 6.35. While this helps in salary negotiations, it won't play well against Cleveland, Detroit, or Boston.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Hello EB,

Congratualtions again. Too bad it was in Colorado where the baseballs have wings anyway. But...they are the first to hit 8 there or anywhere obviously.

Yaaaaaahooooooo...sort of,

Korbel

No, the game was in Yankee Stadium tonight.

 

[EagerBeaver]

While this helps in salary negotiations, it won't play well against Cleveland, Detroit, or Boston.

The Yankees swept Cleveland and won 4 of their last 6 against Boston, guess you missed those games.

Contreras has allowed 27 earned runs in his last 14 innings.