SB Nation User Blog: chrisNYY

New Rotation Twists

chrisNYY — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 03:25:16 -0000

Moose's rebound game adds a little intrigue to the rotation for the rest of the regular season and into the playoffs. Much as I hate to repeat a David Justice comment, he was right in pointing out that he'd take a revamped Moose over Kennedy in the post. I'd actually say the same goes for Hughes. Question is, is Moose revamped? I think a little time off did him good, and he pitched more than respectably tonight. So he's going to get another start or two to find out if tonight or his previous few starts was/were the fluke.

If he performs at or better than Kennedy and Hughes' levels---good enough, but nothing to bank on in a 7 game series--and Rocket continues to battle inflammation and blisters, who're the odd men out in the post season?

Poll

Who joins Wang & Pettitte in the post-season rotation

Clemens & Moose

11 votes

Hughes & Kennedy

4 votes

Clemens & Hughes

15 votes

Three man rotation w/ Clemens

8 votes

Clemens & Kennedy

7 votes

Three man rotation w/ Moose

0 votes

Moose & Hughes

0 votes

Three man rotation w/ Hughes

1 votes

Moose & Kennedy

1 votes

Three man rotation w/ Kennedy

0 votes

47 votes | Poll has closed

Keeping A-Rod?

chrisNYY — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 19:37:03 -0000

I'm curious what the consensus is on keeping A-Rod, given the contract issues. Since I'm wiling away the afternoon, pre-Labor Day, thought I'd pull together some of the stuff that's been posted on this.

Unless A-Rod stops hitting entirely for the next month, he looks like a lock for MVP. Given that his assent on the HR record will make him a draw for any team, I can't see him resisting Scott Boras' inevitable enjoinder to `take care of his family' and opt out of his contract. He surely doesn't need more money, but I actually kind of see his perspective on this. Taking out the astounding dollar figures (he's making $24M/yr and wants $30M/yr), he's looking for a 25% raise, which is actually fairly reasonable considering he's earned three MVP awards in the 7 years since he signed the 10-year contract.

The difficulty is still really Tom Hicks' original sin of giving him such a ridiculous contract. From a July post in Texas Ranger's blogland:

"To put Hicks' stupidity in perspective, Barry Zito is only getting $10 million this year. Mark Buehrle $9.75 million. Brad Penny $7.5 million. Josh Becket $6 million. Johan Santana $12 million. Jason Schmidt $12.5 million. Roy Oswalt $13 million."

The same year A-Rod signed with Texas, Manny Ramirez signed an 8-year $160M contract with Boston. Unless I've missed one, I believe A-Rod and Ramirez still have the #1 and #2 largest contracts in the game--seven years later. Clearly, these two guys benefited from Internet bubble-era economics almost as much as the Google boys. (Remember Alan Greenspan's caution of `irrational exuberance'? He could easily have been referring to A-Rod and Ramirez's contracts.)

Anyway, fast forward to today. A-Rod's breached 500 HRs, and at 32, he's arguably got more upside for a team today than he did when he signed the contract. Imagine what Bonds' home run chase would have been like if everybody outside of San Francisco didn't hate him. So A-Rod wants a raise. He's got two choices: negotiate with only one team OR opt out and see what the market will give him.

Clearly, Cashman is betting on the former. A couple of weeks ago, Newsday reported that Cashman wouldn't go after A-Rod if he opted out. Perhaps it's just positioning, but the Ranger's end of A-Rod's salary through 2010 is $21M, plus $9M in deferred money. This means that the Yankees are only really paying A-Rod about $17M a year, or 60 cents on the dollar. If he opts out and gets what Boras wants, then the Yankees (or whoever picks him up) would have to pay full freight.

I doubt A-Rod wants to leave storied New York, where a four-year freelance stint does not get you a place in Monument Park, but another contract likely does. But he is a.) arguably the greatest player ever, b.) in the midst of a torrid season and c.) represented by Scott Boras. So Cashman is in a tight spot. How does he play it?

Poll

How Should Cashman Handle A-Rod's Contract?

Whatever it takes, Cashman must ultimately bring A-Rod back

45 votes

If A-Rod opts out, Cashman should let him walk

26 votes

No extension, no raise: $30M is way too much

5 votes

Not enough information yet to make the call

4 votes

80 votes | Poll has closed

Keep Chamberlain in the Bullpen

chrisNYY — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 17:45:03 -0000

There's been an interesting discussion in the Torre's status thread on (surprisingly) Joe's use of the bullpen. Brings up, I think, an interesting issue.

It appears to be holy writ in the Bronx that Joba's going back to the rotation in 2008. Why?

Whatever you think of Derek, Bernie, Andy et al, Mo shut down all those series championships. Until 2001. Remember Gonzalez's little bloop single off him? Brought the dynasty to a close. The Yanks haven't been the same since.

Chamberlain could be that guy. Haven't seen anybody else even remotely close in the last four or five years.

And on the flip side, do we really foresee a rotation next year made up of 60% baby bombers, in Chamberlain, Hughes and Kennedy?

I say keep Chamberlain in the pen, feed him whatever the sox fed Papelbon and spend some money on a free-agent starter.

It may be too soon to anoint Chamberlain, but it certainly gives one pause.

Is Steinbrenner's Absence A Positive or Negative?

chrisNYY — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 22:53:38 -0000

Saw an article somewhere (the Post maybe?) that the last time the Yankees didn't have Steinbrenner meddling in day-to-day affairs (the early 90s, when he was suspended from baseball), they stocked up on the great farmhands--Pettitte, Jeter, Bernie, Mariano--who made the Yanks so dominant in the 90s.

Now that he's getting on and letting Cashman run the operation, we have the remarkable comparison of Joba reminding us of a young Clemens VERSUS Eric Gagne blowing saves in Boston. In his prime, George would NOT have been able to resist Gagne--or at the least, some pick-up with more cachet than Betemit.

Clearly, Cashman has been able to to stock up on a pitching rotation (Wang/Chamberlain/Hughes/Kennedy/maybe even Sanchez) that could power the Yankees for the next 10 years BECAUSE George hasn't been trading the farm for the latest over-the-hill batting champ or Cy Young winner.

The question is: Is George's absence from the trading table outweighed by the lack of immediacy in the Yankee's organization? I'm all for patience with the young talent, but there doesn't seem to be the organizational fire in the belly the old George provided.

I love Torre for what he did in the 90s, for his grace under pressure, etc. But I gotta believe the old George would have replaced him in June with Girardi or Mattingly. Good thing? Bad thing?