SB Nation User Blog: jpoppejr

Lineup Concerns for 2010

jpoppejr — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:07:39 -0000

So, with a great season behind the Yanks, meetings taking place this week and trades already completed, let's talk about the Yanks lineup next season.

Who is batting 5? I do not trust Cano there and I think the Yanks need a lefty in that slot. But who? Matsui is just too much of a luxury. I wish he could play the field somewhat, but he can't so I do not see how the Yanks pay him. I'm assuming Damon gets resigned but he will bat 2nd again. Nothing enlightening there. No one on the farm for the 5th slot. And the free agent market is horrible!

So, where does that leave the Yanks? A trade? But what do the Yanks have to trade? Melky? Joba? Hughes? Not much. Unless Cano, but that does not accomplish a thing. Cano is a solid 6 or 7 and maybe one day develops into a 5.

So, with all of the above what do the Yanks do? I do not see a good solution. Maybe just sign Damon, bring up AJax have him play CF, move Melky to LF and keep Swisher in RF? Although not too excited about: Jeter, Damon, Tex, ARod, Posada, Cano, Swisher, Melky, AJax. It is missing something. Maybe add a Type B FA or do you think the Yanks are going after Holliday or Bay? Seems like they may be forced to.

Johnny just secured a new two year deal & AJ to throw tomorrow

jpoppejr — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:50:02 -0000

Incredible! What an at-bat from Damon and great base running! He deserves a thank you contract.

The Yanks are playing fantastic response ball. They seem to get motivated when the Phils do something positive.

AJ should throw tomorrow. No screwing around with Guadin. Seal it now! The Phils must be downtrodden and Lee will not duplicate his Game 1 performance.

Good to see Joba throwing hard again. I blame to 1-2 slider call for the 3-2 gopher ball. But that damn bat of Posada, just keeps making up for it. Go Posada!

And finally, A-Rod. Has he done enough to earn our admiration? I think so.

I'm excited. Just like in '96.

AJ's Conspiracy

jpoppejr — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:33:29 -0000

I think AJ did a great thing last night. Really. Because of his inexcusable pitching in the 7th, the Yankees now get to fill the Stadium for another two games (it is going seven) and the team makes another $5mm in profit from these two games.

Add this to the departing players and the Yankees have a nice war chest to spend: Matsui ($13mm) + Damon ($13mm) + Nady ($7mm) + AJ's contribution ($5mm) = $38mm. Yum! Yum! I'll take a Holliday ($15mm) but who else? Hmmm...

Thanks AJ.

Smoltz?

jpoppejr — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:51:53 -0000

What will it cost the Yanks to take a flier on Smoltz? I know, I know. He has been horrible. This is simply a matter of risk / reward. If it is relatively low cost then what is the risk? He could be a decent #5 option (no worse than Mitre and maybe gets a shot in the arm playing in NY) or a good option in the pen. The man can still throw and he has been a "warrior" for years.

Cannot let Halladay go to the Red Sox

jpoppejr — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 04:09:35 -0000

If the Red Sox get Halladay the Yanks will be the second class citizens of the East for the next four years. Cashman cannot let that happen. Halladay is a franchise changer for either the Yanks or Red Sox.

I'm not saying I want the Yanks to get Halladay. I think it will cost too much in youth. So, I hope Halladay goes to the NL (Phils or Dodgers). But if it looks like Halladay is going to the Red Sox then even if we have to give Joba or Hughes, Cashman has to pull the trigger.

Take Well's horrible contract to get Halladay?

jpoppejr — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 03:59:32 -0000

So would you take Vernon Wells' horrible contract to get Halladay? Could the Yanks get both Wells and Halladay and only give up Melky and a couple of mid-level prospects or servicable MLB players (maybe Kennedy and Aceves?) because the Yanks are taking one of the worst contracts in baseball?

Let's look at the numbers:

After '09 Yanks free up $31.55 million in OF payroll with Matsui, Damon and Nady gone. The Yanks also free up $10.5 million in SP payroll with Pettitte and Wang gone. So, there is a total of $42 million coming off after the 09 season.

Here are the added payroll costs with this possible move:

Halladay $15.75 million and Wells $12.5 million in 10 = $38.25 million

Halladay $22 million (prj extension) and Wells $23 million in 11 - $8 million (part of Toronto "eating" $40 million of Wells' salary as part of this trade) = $37 million

So, the Yanks actually reduce overall payroll with the trade and have an incredible rotation with flexibility of: CC, Halladay, AJ, Pettitte, Joba in 09, and slide Hughes in Pettitte's spot in 10. Put Wells into RF, make Gardner the everyday CF, and Damon/Swisher share LF. A lineup of Jeter, Damon, Tex, A-Rod, Cano, Wells, Posada, Matsui, Gardner in 09 and Jeter, Swisher, Tex, A-Rod, Cano, Wells, Posada, A-Jax, Gardner in 10 and beyond.

A horrible move? Not really. Now if the Yanks could get Rios instead of Wells with maybe only Melky and Hughes going I think I would prefer that.

What do you think? Is this too unfair for the Jays?

Possible trades?

jpoppejr — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 04:33:04 -0000

Looking at the other teams, I think a trade for a temporary replacement to fill A-Rod's void will be very tough, but here are a couple of ideas:

Pirates - Jack Wilson (horrible contract, slides to 3B); Nate McLouth (who the Yanks love but is another lefty hitter) for Hughes, Melky, Swisher (Yanks cover $3 million of salary) - this is effectively a way for Pirates to get rid of Wilson's salary and get MLB ready youth and a servicable player in Swisher

Arizona - Chad Tracy (another lefty) for Swisher (Yanks cover $3 million of salary) and Kennedy - another salary dump for Arizona.

Brewers - Bill Hall (yikes, those strikeouts) for Kennedy and Coke - salary dump

Orioles - this is a long shot - Mora for Kennedy and Melky (Pie who?)

A's - Nomar (no Crosby!) for Kennedy

My favorite possiblity is the Pirates, but I think we are looking at Ransom.

Comments.

Jeter above reproach?

jpoppejr — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:00:49 -0000

As a Yankee fan, and more importantly a baseball fan, I am somewhat concerned about today and the remaining names on the "list". I love this game and my fear is the possiblity that Jeter may have used. We all know that he is the golden boy of baseball and what happens if he is on the list?

While Jeter's ABs per hits and RBIs are fairly consistent the ABs per HR appear strange. I know there are a lot of quantitive bloggers here, any plausible explanations?

						ABs per
	AB	H	HR	RBI	AVG	H	HR	RBI
2001	614	191	21	74	311	3.2	29.2	8.3
2002	644	191	18	75	297	3.4	35.8	8.6
2003	482	156	10	52	324	3.1	48.2	9.3
2004	643	188	23	78	292	3.4	28.0	8.2
2005	654	202	19	70	309	3.2	34.4	9.3
2006	623	214	14	97	343	2.9	44.5	6.4
2007	639	206	12	73	322	3.1	53.3	8.8
2008	596	179	11	69	300	3.3	54.2	8.6

Relative strength to the Yankees

jpoppejr — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 12:53:38 -0000

With pitchers and catchers reporting today, I figured I would take a look at the projected lineups of the teams I think the Yankees will need to battle this year.

I may be a subjective Yankee fan, but I think they have the best team going in. Although the Red Soxs are close.

Your thoughts?

Projected Lineup (per Rotonews)
	Angels	Rays	Red Soxs	Yankees
C	Napoli	Navarro	Varitek	Posada
1B	Morales	Pena	Youkilis	Teixeira
2B	Hendrick	Iwamura	Pedroia	Cano
SS	Aybar	Bartlett	Lowrie	Jeter
3B	Figgins	Longoria	Lowell	A-Rod
LF	Abreu	Crawford	Bay	Swisher
CF	Hunter	Upton	Ellsbury	Damon
RF	Guerrero	Joyce	Drew	Nady
DH	Rivera	Burrell	Ortiz	Matsui

SP	Lackey	Shield	Beckett	CC
SP	Santana	Kazmir	Dice K	Wang
SP	Saunders	Garza	Lester	Burrnett
SP	Weaver	Sonnanstine	Wakefield	Pettitte
SP	Ortega	Price	Smoltz/Penny	Chamberlin

Position strength relative to Yankees (5 point scale)
C	-1	-1	-2
1B	-2	-1	-1
2B	-1	-2	1
SS	-1	-1	-1
3B	-2	-1	-1
LF	0	2	1
CF	1	1	1
RF	2	0	1
DH	0	0	1
OFF TOTAL	-4	-3	0


SP	-1	-1	0
SP	0	1	1
SP	-1	-1	0
SP	0	0	0
SP	-1	0	-2
SP TOTAL	-3	-1	-1

Bullpen	-1	-1	0

TOTAL	-8	-5	-1

Terminate A-Rod's Contract?

jpoppejr — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 05:11:01 -0000

For the lawyers out there, do the Yankees have a basis for terminating A-Rod's contract? Did he misrepresent himself through the use of steroids?

If not, can the Yankees refuse to play him? Stick him on the bench or designate him to the minor leagues? As long as they pay him, can they do want they want? Or would A-Rod have a claim that the Yankees were acting in bad faith? Would the union step in and stop such actions?

I would love to see the Yankees take a stand, even if it hurts the team financially or winning. Similar to what the Knicks are doing with Marbury.

Poll

What would you like the Yankees to do with A-Rod?

Try to terminate the contract

20 votes

Send to the minor leagues or sit him on the bench

6 votes

Nothing, let him play

53 votes

Trade him (eat a significant part of the contract)

6 votes

85 votes | Poll has closed