The Joe.T Memorial Yankees Suck Thread for 2007

[rumpleforeskiin]

... if he stays healthy.

Quite an if considering his lengthy injury history despite his tender age. He just spend two months on the DL with back to back injuries and, I believe, missed time in 2005 due to injury.

He should be pretty fabulous, as should Chamberlain. That said, I wouldn't expect much from either of them at their tender ages. The Yanks are in the unfortunate position of having to rush these guys in a last ditch desperate effort to make the post season. The Red Sox have seen what can happen to a top prospect rushed with the failures of Hansen and Meridith. Merideth was fixed by a change in organizations; Hansen is still trying to get his confidence back.

Both teams are loaded with pitching prospects. The Yanks, in addition to the two above, have Horne and Kennedy, a bit further down the prospect list. The Sox, in addition to already promoted Lester and Delcarmen, have Buchholz, Masterson, and Bowden, the latter two not as highly regarded as Buchholz, possibly the best pitching prospect in the minors today. By 2009, the Sox could have a pitching staff mostly developed in their own system.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Masterson, and Bowden, the latter two not as highly regarded as Buchholz, possibly the best pitching prospect in the minors today. By 2009, the Sox could have a pitching staff mostly developed in their own system.

I read an article on Masterson, I think in the NY Post yesterday or today, indicating that he is 6'6" and 230 pounds and the Red Sox Sox intend to call him up and use him in the bullpen this year. Evidently, the Red Sox are very high on him, although it is not like they really need bullpen help at this time. Perhaps they will use him in long relief.

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

I read an article on Masterson, I think in the NY Post yesterday or today, indicating that he is 6'6" and 230 pounds and the Red Sox Sox intend to call him up and use him in the bullpen this year. Evidently, the Red Sox are very high on him, although it is not like they really need bullpen help at this time. Perhaps they will use him in long relief.

I'd be shocked to see Masterson recalled this season. He's only 22 and has only 5 starts at AA. He started the season in Lancaster, in the worst pitching environment in all of pro ball. Since his promotion to AA, he's thrown 33 innings, allowing 15 hits and 8 walks, while striking out 35.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Buchholz called up before August 31 so that he can be added to the post-season roster as a reliever.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Another Wild Play Involving Melky Cabrera

I saw yet another unprecedented play today involving Melky Cabrera.

Early in the game today, Hideki Matsui homered into the lower right field stands in Yankee Stadium. The ball was caught by a guy wearing a beige/brown T shirt and a baseball cap.

In the 6th inning, Melky hit his 7th homer into the lower right field stands, and the ball was caught by the same guy who caught Matsui's homerun!

I have gone to many Yankee games and never caught a ball, fair or foul. Closest I ever came was a foul ball pop up hit by Dale Sveum when he was with the Brewers, back in the 1980s. I was on the first base side and I had a bead on the ball and then some fucking big gorilla lunged from behind me and in the process sort of bodychecked me into the seat in front of me. I am sure that if I had been able to jump forward unimpeded, I would have had a shot at that ball. I did have my glove with me at that game.

The gorilla ended up missing the ball. It glanced off his hands and the ball went into the aisle. A scramble ensued and some kid got it. I was out of position to make a play due to being bodychecked by the gorilla.

 

[EagerBeaver]

What Should Walter Kowalczyk do?

A-Rod's 500th homer was caught by 29 year old Walter Kowalczyk, a Rutgers graduate student who is pursuing his master's degree. He is also a Yankees season ticket holder and lifelong Yankees fan. What should Kowalczyk do with the ball?

(a) Keep the ball.
(b) Offer to sell the ball to Scott Boras for 50% of Boras' fee on A-Rod's next contract.
(c) Sell the ball to A-Rod for $20,000, its likely fair market value at this time.
(d) Give the ball to A-Rod in exchange for an autographed bat, ball, glove and the "game worn" underwear he was wearing when he fucked that Vegas stripper.
(e) Demand $100,000 for the ball and sell it to the highest bidder, whether that happens to be A-Rod, a memorabilia collector/dealer, the Yankees, or a Saudi Arabian prince with ties to al Qaeda.
(f) Offer the ball to the Yankees if they pay for the rest of his education at Rutgers.
(g) Give the ball to A-Rod for free, and wish him luck on the rest of the season.

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

A-Rod's 500th homer was caught by 29 year old Walter Kowalczyk, a Rutgers graduate student who is pursuing his master's degree. He is also a Yankees season ticket holder and lifelong Yankees fan. What should Kowalczyk do with the ball?

(a) Keep the ball.
(b) Offer to sell the ball to Scott Boras for 50% of Boras' fee on A-Rod's next contract.
(c) Sell the ball to A-Rod for $20,000, its likely fair market value at this time.
(d) Give the ball to A-Rod in exchange for an autographed bat, ball, glove and the "game worn" underwear he was wearing when he fucked that Vegas stripper.
(e) Demand $100,000 for the ball and sell it to the highest bidder, whether that happens to be A-Rod, a memorabilia collector/dealer, the Yankees, or a Saudi Arabian prince with ties to al Qaeda.
(f) Offer the ball to the Yankees if they pay for the rest of his education at Rutgers.
(g) Give the ball to A-Rod for free, and wish him luck on the rest of the season.

C plus D, at the very least

 

[korbel]

A-Rod's 500th homer was caught by 29 year old Walter Kowalczyk, a Rutgers graduate student who is pursuing his master's degree. He is also a Yankees season ticket holder and lifelong Yankees fan. What should Kowalczyk do with the ball?

(a) Keep the ball.
(b) Offer to sell the ball to Scott Boras for 50% of Boras' fee on A-Rod's next contract.
(c) Sell the ball to A-Rod for $20,000, its likely fair market value at this time.
(d) Give the ball to A-Rod in exchange for an autographed bat, ball, glove and the "game worn" underwear he was wearing when he fucked that Vegas stripper.
(e) Demand $100,000 for the ball and sell it to the highest bidder, whether that happens to be A-Rod, a memorabilia collector/dealer, the Yankees, or a Saudi Arabian prince with ties to al Qaeda.
(f) Offer the ball to the Yankees if they pay for the rest of his education at Rutgers.
(g) Give the ball to A-Rod for free, and wish him luck on the rest of the season.

Hello EB,

How about, put a huge asterisk in indelible marker on it then sell it to the AHF (Asterisk Hall of Fame) so they can put it next to the new Bonds 755 homers ball.

Bronx cheers,

Korbel

 

[Joe.t]

A-Rod's 500th homer was caught by 29 year old Walter Kowalczyk, a Rutgers graduate student who is pursuing his master's degree. He is also a Yankees season ticket holder and lifelong Yankees fan. What should Kowalczyk do with the ball?

(a) Keep the ball.
(b) Offer to sell the ball to Scott Boras for 50% of Boras' fee on A-Rod's next contract.
(c) Sell the ball to A-Rod for $20,000, its likely fair market value at this time.
(d) Give the ball to A-Rod in exchange for an autographed bat, ball, glove and the "game worn" underwear he was wearing when he fucked that Vegas stripper.
(e) Demand $100,000 for the ball and sell it to the highest bidder, whether that happens to be A-Rod, a memorabilia collector/dealer, the Yankees, or a Saudi Arabian prince with ties to al Qaeda.
(f) Offer the ball to the Yankees if they pay for the rest of his education at Rutgers.
(g) Give the ball to A-Rod for free, and wish him luck on the rest of the season.

(A) I would keep the ball, in ten years when A-Rod smashes Bonds all time home run record the ball will be worth a hell of a lot more, he will be able sell it and then retire comfortably at 39 for the rest of his life.

 

[Joe.t]

A-Rod's 500th homer was caught by 29 year old Walter Kowalczyk

Thats who i was referring too my dear delusional korbel and not A-Rod.

Cheers.

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Easy on Pay-Rod, Korbel. Odds are better than even money that he'll be playing for the Sox next year.

 

[korbel]

No hypocrisy here.

Hello Rumpleforeskiin,

There are some players I will criticize no matter who they play for, even if it is my beloved Red Sox. No one gets an automatic 100% pass with me just because they are on the team. For instance, I loathed David Wells and long before the steroids element was clear, having Canseco on the team was like having poison ivy. I would have liked Clemens for sentimental reasons three years ago, but haven't been able to stomach him for two years because of his obvious greed. As for A-Rod, he comes off as a mega millionaire spoiled brat. He certainly doesn't have the class of a Cal Ripken Jr., or the heart and ethic of players like Varitek, Youkilis, or Wakefield. To me, slapping the glove shows how he plays the game: any way you can, skirting the rules or possibly breaking them. Like Pete Rose trying to knock the life out of a catcher to win, you wonder just what else he may do or have done that is questionable.

A-Rod may play for the Red Sox, but it's going to be like putting on an old unwashed t-shirt you last wore while mowing the lawn on a hot steamy day. No matter how much he contributes, having him around will have a certain...STINK...to it.

Puuuuuu,

Korbel

 

[korbel]

Rebuked

Thats who i was referring too my dear delusional korbel and not A-Rod.

Cheers.

Hello Joe. t,

I guess poking fun at you got in the way of understanding the post properly. I stand justly rebuked. Post deleted.

The Red Sox are going from tough to toughest in facing the Angels with the second best record in baseball, while the Yankers go from a bottom dweller to slightly over average. And Schilling is making his return tonight. So are there any more predictions you want to fail at?

More laughs please,

Korbel

 

[EagerBeaver]

Korbel,

You seem to have left Carl Everett off of your list? How about Shea Hillenbrand, whose body upon death should be given to Sloan Kittering for study on cancerous tumors?

Of course, as a Yankees fan, my least favorite cancers were Raul Mondesi and Mel Hall. Hall should have been released immediately after he started harassing Bernie Williams, but in the case of Mondesi, the Yankees released him the day after his act of insubordination towards Joe Torre. Of course there have been others like Ruben Rivera, but I think the Yankees have acted very quickly (moreso than the Red Sox) when it became apparent that the character of the player clashed with the team concept and objective, at least in the Torre years (this was not true of Mel Hall who was pre-Torre).

Say what you want about A-Rod but they asked him to move to a new position to accomodate Jeter when in reality, at, the time, Jeter should have been asked to move to center field, a position I think still would have been suitable to his talents. Now A-Rod may win his first gold glove at third base for this very unselfish sacrifice to the team. His defense this year has been stellar.

Make sure you get your history straight-

EB

 

[korbel]

What a year.

Korbel,

Say what you want about A-Rod but they asked him to move to a new position to accomodate Jeter when in reality, at, the time, Jeter should have been asked to move to center field, a position I think still would have been suitable to his talents. Now A-Rod may win his first gold glove at third base for this very unselfish sacrifice to the team. His defense this year has been stellar.

Make sure you get your history straight-

EB

Hello EB,

You are imposing a subject I did not address. I did not question his stats, I questioned his ethics. Here are some excerpts from his bio on Wikipedia...pretty isn`t it...lol. As for this year...do you smell "contract negotiations"!

With the 2007 season came a new attitude. Rodriguez reported to camp lighter, having reduced his body fat from 16% the year before to 9%. Alex made light of this fact during a Late Night with David Letterman sketch filmed during Spring Training, which featured a shirtless A-Rod being rubbed down with sun tan lotion. He revealed to the press that he and Derek Jeter were no longer close friends. Alex also reduced his high leg kick at the plate, increasing his bat speed, making him less-apt to strike out and a more dangerous hitter. Additionally, Alex opted to wear high stockings instead of wearing his pants long.

Much of the criticism regarding Rodriguez is focused upon his alleged inability to produce hits in clutch situations. However, during the 2003-05 regular seasons, Rodriguez posted a .371 batting average with the bases loaded and maintained an on base percentage of .422. In 2006, his numbers improved to .474 and .500 respectively. In 2007, through July 14 he hit .444 and .455, respectively. Additionally, Rodriguez`s other batting lines during this period included a .432 average with a runner on third (.333 in 2006), .381 with a runner in scoring position (.302 in 2006), and .392 with a runner in scoring position and 2 outs (.313 in 2006; .333 in 2007 through July 14th).

In May 2006, Rodriguez responded to the criticism directed at him, saying:

Rodriguez ready to hit in June 19, 2007

In an issue of Sports Illustrated, Rodriguez surmised further reasons why he has become an apparent magnet for criticism, saying:
“ "When people write [bad things] about me, I don`t know if it`s [because] I`m good-looking, I`m biracial, I make the most money, I play on the most popular team."[17] ” Nonetheless, sportswriters, fans, and teammates have continued to debate Alex Rodriguez`s performance in the clutch. Some writers such as the New York Post`s Joel Sherman have asked, "How do you disregard your eyes completely? How do you ignore that at the most intense moments Rodriguez seems to be carrying his 32-ounce bat and the weight of the world into each at-bat?" Other sportswriters including ESPN`s D.J. Gallo openly mocked Rodriguez`s harshest critics while discussing an off-day in the Yankee schedule: "Typical A-Fraud -- the Yankees manage to win back-to-back games against the Red Sox and he needs a day off. Pathetic." In the same issue of Sports Illustrated cited earlier, teammate Jason Giambi also criticized Rodriguez, remarking:"...you`ve got to get the big hit." However, Rodriguez and Giambi implied that the story was taken out of context, with Giambi claiming that his comments were part of a "pep talk", and not an argument, because he "was just trying to find a way to help him out." Rodriguez agreed, "This is the most support I`ve ever gotten from any team. I couldn`t be more proud."

In the 2004 American League Championship Series, Rodriguez hit the ball out of Boston Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo`s hand while he was attempting to apply a tag. Rodriguez was subsequently called out by the umpires. Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling criticized Rodriguez by referring to the move as an example of “junior high school baseball."

Rodriguez also received considerable bad press when on May 30, 2007, he yelled something (he says he yelled "Ha!"; the Blue Jays contend he yelled "Mine!") while rounding the bases in the ninth inning, distracting third baseman Howie Clark of the Toronto Blue Jays from making a play on a fly ball in the infield. Many Jays players and sports personalities considered this poor sportsmanship and against the "unwritten" rules of baseball. Even Yankees manager Joe Torre considered this probably out of line, saying "It was probably inappropriate to do it at the time he did it, but you can`t change it, unfortunately."

On July 29, 2007, former baseball outfielder and steroid-user Jose Canseco said that he was planning to publish another book about steroids in Major League Baseball, after his 2005 book Juiced. Canseco said the book has "stuff" on Rodriguez, concerning steroids.

http://i.cnn.net/si/pr/subs/swimsuit/images/04_arodriguez_01.jpg
Now that`s what I call a selfless work ethic...bwahahahahaha. Just A-Rod being A-Rod.

Big Bronx cheers,

Korbel

 

[Joe.t]

Barfiled sucks

Is there a worse commentater than Jessie Barfield, he is the most biased stupid assinine one out there, here are some of the comments from today's game, i just couldnt wait for the game to be over and i almost put the game on mute.

-Criticized Vizcaino for showing up the Blue Jays by catching a throwback by Posada with his bare hand instead of using his glove.

-Criticized the home plate umpire for not giving Litsch the same calls that he was giving Pettitte.

-Repeated 4 times how the Jays had a chance because Rivera was not the same Rivera as before, Rivera then goes out to strike out the side in the ninth on just 16 pitches.

Surprise surprise look who is tied for the wild card spot,http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/standings

 

[EagerBeaver]

Kowalczyk Still Weighing Options

Fan Who Caught A-Rod's 500th Mulls Options
By REBECCA SANTANA | The Associated Press

TRENTON, N.J. - Walter Kowalczyk's brother wasn't surprised that he caught the ball from Alex Rodriguez's 500th career home run. He's seen his little brother make tougher catches.

"He's got great hands. I've been throwing the football to him since we were really young," Brian Kowalczyk said. "He would catch the ball any which way possible,"

After the 6-foot-4-inch Walter Kowalczyk caught the ball, he used his roughly 250-pound frame to protect his prize from a scrum of crazed fans Saturday.

He was retrieved by stadium security guards who took him to a suite to watch the rest of the game and then drove him home.

Brian Kowalczyk said his brother, who has been staying in New York with his fiancee as his family has been swarmed with interview requests, hasn't decided what to do with the baseball.

Although the value of baseball memorabilia has stagnated recently because of the widespread federal inquiry into steroids use, items such as home run balls and jerseys can still fetch steep prices at auction.

Brian Kowalczyk said Monday that his brother, a lifelong Yankees fan, was forced to sell his house after being unemployed for a spell.

Kowalczyk grew up near Trenton, playing both baseball and football during high school, and his brother said he referees high school football games. According to his brother, Walter Kowalczyk started studying labor law in January at Rutgers University.

Brian Kowalczyk said his brother has been considering going on a New York sports radio show, "Mike and the Mad Dog," to ask the hosts' opinion on what to do with the ball.

Rodriguez has said he would like to have the ball.

"I'm kind of just going to let it sit for a few days," Rodriguez said. "It's his ball. Let him enjoy it and then go from there."

Jason Zillo, a spokesman for the Yankees, said the team is willing to make an exchange with Kowalczyk for the ball. "If his favorite player is Roger Clemens, I think Roger Clemens would give him some stuff," he said.

Brian Kowalczyk said his brother, a big fan of Derek Jeter and former Yankees star Don Mattingly, used his entire savings to buy his season tickets and has been going to every game he can.

The Kowalczyk brothers are going to Shea Stadium on Tuesday night to watch the Mets take on Atlanta, but Brian Kowalczyk said when it comes to catching game balls, he doesn't have his brother's touch or luck.

"I never even caught a foul ball in Little League," he said.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Re: An ex-teammate of Bonds is practically saying that he cheated

Only an idiot couldn't obviously see that Bonds was on roids & human growth hormones for years in order to totally alter his physique. Yes, these drugs gave him the power to hit all of those homeruns that he never would have been able to hit with that previously scrawny body of his. However, i object to hearing people say that he 'cheated' in order to do this. How did he cheat? At the time he was juicing himself, there were no rules against doing this & some might even make a case that Major League Baseball was condoning it.

In order to be accused of 'cheating', you have to have done something that was against the rules at the time. In Bonds' case, it wasn't so.

p.s. I hate Bonds as much as anyone else, but not because he juiced himself in order to be a better power hitter. I hate him because he's a major league A-Hole & he doesn't give a crap about anyone else except himself. But i believe it's wrong to call him a cheater. Raphael Palmeiro was a cheater. Bonds never got caught for anything & i doubt he ever will.

 

[Joe.t]

Down to 6 games!!!

Like i predicted all along the August collapse has begun.

Where the hell are you btyger, the only time you show up is when i accuse a Red Sox of being on steroids, nice bounce back season that Beckett is having, "the clear" is certainly working for him this year.

Oh by the way the Red Sox are going up against a pitcher who is 5-0 ERA 3.10 tonight, Clemens is due for a good game so it is safe to assume down to 5 games by tonight.?

 

[EagerBeaver]

some might even make a case that Major League Baseball was condoning it.

In fact, Jose Canseco has already forcefully made that case, both in the book "Juiced", and in many interviews since then. It was Canseco's book that led to the Congressional inquiry and the serious public scrutiny of steroid use/abuse in baseball.

On a related note, when Bonds hit #755 the other day Bud Selig, who was seen in attendance, stood up and did not clap, but appeared to jiggle the coins in his pockets. When asked about this later, Selig said: "I didn't know what to do!" If this is not the most insulting and ridiculous bullshit I have ever heard, I don't know what is. Selig, at best, turned a blind eye to steroid use in baseball during the height of its use in the late 1990s. There is a tremendous hypocrisy at work here with Selig and MLB and there is no way he is going to wiggle out of it, even if he doesn't show up for #756.

However, we should only single out baseball because baseball was the slowest of the major sports to respond, and because baseball openly marketed steroid abusing players. For years I wondered about what McGwire had done to alter his physique because when he came up in 1987, although he did have tremendous power as a rookie, he did not have anywhere near the physique he possessed in his glory years of 1998-1999 when his souped up body was evident.

By the ways, Bonds hit #755 off a pitcher who had been suspended for using steroids and is now back in the minor leagues. Can we call this homer, at least, a wash?

 

[korbel]

Luv ya.

Down to 6 games!!!

Like i predicted all along the August collapse has begun.

Where the hell are you btyger, the only time you show up is when i accuse a Red Sox of being on steroids, nice bounce back season that Beckett is having, "the cream" is certainly working for him this year.

Oh by the way the Red Sox are going up against a pitcher who is 5-0 ERA 3.10 tonight, Clemens is due for a good game so it is safe to assume down to 5 games by tonight.?

Hello Joe. t,

You are incredible. One loss and the August collapse "has begun". The Sox are palying the second best team in baseball. Some losses are quite possible given the competition, unlike the Yankers who have been feasting on bottom feeders and also rans. Don't forget you turn to take on the tough teams will come.

Yes, the Sox will face a very tough pitcher. But to say Clemens is due is laughable. He has been due since he came back. What is news about that.

I wouldn't mention steriods considering you are a Yankers fan. Giambi practically admits, and Canseco's next book could severely damage A-Rod's reputation if it doesn't destroy it.

Be careful of hypocrisy,

Korbel