SB Nation User Blog: NumberSeven

CC good to go?

NumberSeven — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:09:22 -0000

As per Pete Abe - updated in this post :

UPDATE, 4:15 p.m. Watching CC throw. Seems to have velocity and command.

UPDATE, 4:23 p.m.: He threw 30 pitches.

UPDATE, 4:29 p.m.: CC says he felt great and will start Friday.

Seems like good news to me, but we'll wait for an official announcement I suppose.

Pete also closed with this update:

UPDATE, 5:01 p.m.: The hitters all just went into a meeting. I bet it’s about getting more hits.

Ooooh, that witty Peter Abraham. He's still good for breaking clubhouse news, and if you hate A-Rod- Pete's your guy for sure.

Bringing Unity back to PA

NumberSeven — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:51:49 -0000

Here's some news that everyone can cheer for:

Yankees designated RHP Jose Veras for assignment. The club now has 10 days to trade, waive or release the 28-year-old, who had a 5.96 ERA in 25 2/3 innings for the Yankees this season.

From Rotoworld.com

Things like, hallelujah and 'bout time come to mind. Who gets the call up? Hopefully one of the young arms. This also probably keeps Hughes on the ML roster and in the bullpen for a while now- unless/ until CMW falters yet again.

Burnett Suspended Six Games

NumberSeven — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:04:19 -0000

From the Worldwide leader:

Yankees pitcher A.J. Burnett has been suspended six games for throwing a pitch over the head of the Rangers' Nelson Cruz in Tuesday night's game. Burnett has filed an appeal of the penalty, however, and will be allowed to pitch until the appeals process is complete.

Rangers pitcher Vicente Padilla, who hit Yankees slugger Mark Teixeira with two pitches Tuesday, was fined an undisclosed amount.

Okay, I get it- so if you actually hit the guy, you don't get suspended. Idiotic. If the intent was was there on both sides, they should be dealt with equally.

Get real, people

NumberSeven — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:03:52 -0000

This is in response to the whole Should Nick Swisher have been laughing stuff that still seems to be floating around here, and elsewhere.

I take issue with people- fans, really- saying how players should be acting during a blow-out, or after a tough loss. In addition to this crap with Swisher, I remember a couple of years back, hearing people on talk radio giving Robby Cano grief when he was spotted out at a bar having fun after the Yanks got bumped from the playoffs.

This is their job, people.

What do you do when you have a crappy day at the office?? I myself try and laugh it off. Maybe go out from some drinks afterward, you know, try not to let ruin my whole life. I don't sulk around to make sure that everyone who may see me knows I am having a bad day.

Being a fan is an emotional thing- that's all we have as fans, an emotional connection to the team we love. And while sure the players want to win every game, there is an understanding that they won't- just like I know everyday at work won't be the peachiest as I would hope- and I for one would rather see guys lose and still enjoying playing the game, rather than a bunch of long faces hoping they don't lose again tomorrow.

WBC... yeah, I'm watching

NumberSeven — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:12:23 -0000

I have to say, I have been pretty impressed with the quality of games in this year's WBC. Most of the games I have watched have been competitive, and as far as baseball in March goes- it truly beats meaningless Spring Training games in my book. It's great to see the prospects get their shot in the spring games- but as far as pure baseball goes, the WBC definitely has my attention this year.

The USA-Canada game was a back and forth, pretty exciting contest; and the pesky Netherlands team beating the Domincans twice, and nearly knocking off Puerto Rico as well, Australia wailing on host Mexico- it has all been fun to watch. I am not even watching from a standpoint of really caring who wins, just watching. And enjoying. Sure I would like the US to win, but it is certainly not a matter of personal or national pride as it is it in many of the other countries- and frankly (and obviously) I would rather the Yanks win the Series any day.

Would I prefer that these guys be in camp getting ready for the season? Yes. But for all that was said about WBC being less-than... I'm not ashamed to say I am watching. And it's good baseball to me.

BREAKING NEWS: A-Rod comes clean

NumberSeven — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:33:24 -0000

From an interview with Peter Gammons:

His voice shaking at times, Alex Rodriguez met head-on allegations that he tested positive for steroids six years ago, telling ESPN on Monday that he did take performance-enhancing drugs while playing for the Texas Rangers during a three-year period beginning in 2001.

"When I arrived in Texas in 2001, I felt an enormous amount of pressure. I needed to perform, and perform at a high level every day," Rodriguez told ESPN's Peter Gammons in an interview in Miami Beach, Fla. "Back then, [baseball] was a different culture. It was very loose. I was young, I was stupid, I was naïve. I wanted to prove to everyone I was worth being one of the greatest players of all time.

"I did take a banned substance. For that, I'm very sorry and deeply regretful."

Let the lashing begin. The full interview is airing on the 6pm SportsCenter tonight.

Jeter to CF?

NumberSeven — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:06:07 -0000

Interesting article posted on The Worldwide Leader article by Christina Kahrl of Baseball Prospectus. I know, I know- new article, old story. But it's certainly a story that is going to gain momentum in the next year or or so, as Jeet gets ready for a new deal.

In his prime, Jeter's tremendous position-relative value helped power the last Yankees dynasty. Even as recently as 2006, when Jeter was able to provide a Wins Above Replacement Player (WARP) mark of 6.9, the debate over Jeter's defense was puerile, if not downright academic. Ask any GM if he can have a seven-win player at shortstop, and he'll say yes. Players this good don't grow on trees.

However, Jeter's WARP dropped to 3.5 in 2007 and 2.5 last season. With his overall offensive contributions coming down from MVP-worthy to merely very good, especially in the power department, we start rekindling the question of whether or not Jeter really belongs at short.

She also more or less states, that more important than Jeter's declining value at SS, is the Yankees' current blaring need in CF, and offers a replacement for Jeter at SS:

Crying over last year's spilled Melky won't help you catch up to the Rays and Red Sox, but signing Orlando Cabrera would provide the team with a useful-enough hitter and a slick-fielding asset at short could make a small but important difference to a bad defensive ballclub.

(Gotta love that line about spilled Melky... )

If something like was to happen, it would need to happen soon. The guy's not getting any younger- if it's hard to convert someone to CF at 35, how about 36? 37? I'm not sure how likely this is, but Kahrl points out that other iconic-figures such as Ripken and Yount made the switch for the good of their teams.

So I ask you all two things -What does Jeter do? And what's best for the Yankees?

Excerpt from Torre-Verducci book

NumberSeven — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 20:05:00 -0000

SI.com is running an excerpt from the book we all know about by now.

So, do you want me to manage?

Joe Torre began the meeting with that simple question. He was sitting in the Legends Field office of George Steinbrenner. There was a time, as recently as only 24 months earlier, when Torre could look the Boss in the eye and propose that question, and he would get an answer that would let him know exactly where he stood. But Steinbrenner wasn't the Boss anymore; he was the aging patriarch of a seven-man tribunal. His family members and front-office lieutenants went through the exercise of playing to tradition and formality, anyway. Steinbrenner sat at his desk and the others sat at the table that ran lengthwise away from his desk. There was Torre, of course; and Steinbrenner's two sons, Hank and Hal; George's son-in-law, Felix Lopez; team president Randy Levine; chief operating officer Lonn Trost; and general manager Brian Cashman, who sat behind Torre's right shoulder.

And it goes on from there. There is nothing really new or shocking in this excerpt, mostly stuff we already knew.

All the same, I couldn't help but have a pit in my stomach while I read it. I want to read the book and I don't all at the same time. Here's hoping the post-Torre era in the Bronx get a little sunnier this year.

New Stadium Uniform Patches

NumberSeven — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:31:07 -0000

I am sure many of you have seen this. The Mets unveiled their new logo to be worn on the uniform sleeve to celebrate their innagural season at Citi Field.

via farm4.static.flickr.com

It is about as inspired as the Mets' late-season play the past two years. Pete Abe weighed in:

Yeesh. I’m tempted to arm my 3-year-old nephew Jason with his markers and see if he can do better. He certainly can’t do any worse.

So did Paul Lukas from UniWatch. Sports Hernia has some pretty funny ideas that didn't make the cut for the Mets. I personally love the Keith Hernandez one.

Maybe lost in all this- the Yanks' classy new logo to be worn on their sleeves.

via yankees.lhblogs.com

That, I like. It's not free agency or hot stove per se, but anything baseball-related in January is good for me.

Report: Pettitte rejects Yankees' offer

NumberSeven — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:57:10 -0000

From the Worldwide leader:

Andy Pettitte may not be returning to the New York Yankees after all.

The left-handed starter has rejected the Yankees' one-year, $10 million offer, The New York Times reported, citing a person with knowledge of the negotiations.

***

The door does not appear closed on Pettitte returning to New York. The New York Daily News reported that according to a person close to the situation, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has "had dialogue" in recent days with Pettitte's agents, Randy and Alan Hendricks.

***

Last month, Pettitte told The Times that he wanted to return to the Yankees but was leaving the matter to his agents. Randy Hendricks did not respond to an e-mail message on Monday, The Times reported.

This has gone on way too long in my opinion. Yes, he's a free agent, but come on already. When deciding his value, all factors need to be taken into consideration: age, health, stats from last year- notwithstanding the complete support he got from the Yankees last year in the wake of the Mitchell mess.

I think $10M is a reasonable offer. If he really wants to be Yankee, it's time to take the matter out of the agents' hands and get this thing done.