Berroa I don’t get.  I get Johnson (break glass in case of emergency, small chance of finding Aaron Small ‘05) and Rodriguez.

Do you think Kenny Lofton would pick up the phone if the Yankees called him and mentioned Joe Torre is gone?

Here’s what I’m seeing from the bench:

BUC - Molina: can’t hit a lick, but he’s the BUC, and what BUC can?  Can throw runners out like nobody’s business. 
4th OF/1B/DH - Swisher/Nady: not a bad PH option and either could be a starter
5th OF - Gardner/Melky: defensive sub, and pinch runner (Gardner)
UIF - Ransom/Berroa: the real weakness here.  Berroa at least seems like he could play all the IF positions.  If one of the infielders goes down for an extended stay, this could be an issue.

I guess I look at that and the only real weakness I see is the UIF.  I’m not sure too many other AL teams have a bench that would be better than having those first three.  Getting a decent UIF is going to be the key.

I’m not sure that’s a strong enough bench.

Having Nady/Swisher on the bench is good.  Though some may say different, I’d think either of those players would be a starter on at least half of the teams in the majors.  That’s good.  Molina is strong too.  Not starter-strong but strong for a backup.

Backup IF…would like a little stronger there.  I think Berroa goes down to Scranton.  Right or wrong, I think the Yankees like him better as a backup SS if Jeter goes down than Ransom or Pena (who’ll probably start at AA again, I think).  Gardner/Melky could be real weak or real strong, so it’s a risk.  Really would be nice if they could get a veteran IF who can hit a little and play all the IF positions.

Do you think Kenny Lofton would pick up the phone if the Yankees called him and mentioned Joe Torre is gone?

AFAIK he never officially retired.  I’m surprised he didn’t end up somewhere in 2008, but I don’t think he’s likely to do very well after a year off.  But it’s an interesting idea if he’d be willing to come to camp on an NRI.

Having Nady/Swisher on the bench is good.

Yeah, I agree with that.  But I’m not crazy about Melky or Gardner as 5th OF, although I suppose they have tactical uses.  I don’t like Molina’s bat and don’t expect his defense to be as good as it was last year, and backup IF is a problem, although I’d like Ransom if he could play passable defense, which I don’t think he can.

Really would be nice if they could get a veteran IF who can hit a little and play all the IF positions.

Someone like Miguel Cairo? 

I kid, but there’s not much out there on the free agent market.  Here are the non-compensatory free agent IF that are available according to ESPN’s list.

Rich Aurilia
Miguel Cairo
Alex Cintron
Craig Counsell
Joe Crede
Ray Durham
Damion Easley
David Eckstein
Nomar Garciaparra
Mark Grudzielanek
Ramon Martinez
Ty Wigginton
Omar Vizquel
Jason Smith
Luis Rivas
Argeni Reyes

Counsell’s probably the best glove of the bunch, but he’s got no pop, although he may still be able to manage a league average OBP. 

Most of them can’t play short either, which is an issue.

I just thought of this while reading Puj’s post in [2]:

Let’s say there’s a situation a la ALCS ‘04 with Dave Roberts-type hanging out at first base (I know this is traumatizing, but bear with me).  Do you pull Posada and put Molina in for defense?  Importantly, will you then survive the wrath of Jorge if you do that?

In the regular season?  I don’t think you do that.  Just not worth it for 1 game in a 162 game season.  In the playoffs?  Maybe…

No, I meant playoffs.  Hence the ALCS ‘04 reminder…

A definite maybe then.

A definite yes.  With a one run lead?  I’m sorry, but that’s what’s best for the team.

maybe the manager should just call a pitchout when everyone in the stadium knows the runner is going to steal?

A definite yes.  With a one run lead?  I’m sorry, but that’s what’s best for the team.

I agree completely, but I wonder if Girardi (or whoever) would have the guts to do it.

I’m not even sure it’s a bad idea to do so during the regular season either.  I mean, if it’s fine to make defensive substitutions at other positions late in the game, why not at catcher?  If the game is tied maybe not, but the Yanks have the lead and Mariano is on the mound - why not?

SG, what do you want out of a 5th OF?  Just curious.

No, I meant playoffs.

Yeah, I think you have to.  Especially if Posada’s arm is worse this year after surgery.

Hence the ALCS ‘04 reminder…

I am still pissed they canceled that ALCS after game 3.

Girardi better have the guts to do it, because if the Yanks lose a playoff series because he left Posada in with one the league’s best defensive catchers sitting on the bench, he may well get fired a la Grady Little.  The key is letting Jorge know that if the situation comes up, that’s an option he is going to keep in mind.

Based on this discussion I assume no-one has a problem batting A-rod 8th when he’s in a funk?

SG, what do you want out of a 5th OF?

A true 5th OF, I’d be perfectly fine with a Melky/Gardner type.  Or someone like Aaron Guiel.

My concern is that the Yankees are going to trade Nady or Swisher, or Damon or Matsui are going to get hurt, which moves the loser of the Melky/Gardner derby up to 4th OF.  And frankly, whomever loses that derby is probably not going to be very productive.

If they keep John Rodriguez, he’d assuage my concerns somewhat I think.  He’s not a horrible player.

I just don’t want to see a Terrence Long type brought in.

Based on this discussion I assume no-one has a problem batting A-rod 8th when he’s in a funk?

Huh?

A true 5th OF, I’d be perfectly fine with a Melky/Gardner type.  Or someone like Aaron Guiel.

Ah, okay, that makes sense.  I guess we’ll see whether the concern over that trade is warranted.  I personally feel like they’ll hang around unless it’s a good deal.

Re. UIF, defnitely an upgrade needed.

Aurilia strikes me as the right type/a good fit.  I think he was actually an All-Star SS at one point in his career.  And a NY-area native too.

Someone here mentioned Juan Uribe.  A little more stick than Ransom/Berroa, albeit with, I believe, atrocious on-base skills.

Easley ain’t so bad…how long since he’s played short?

Honestly, I was thinking that Cairo’s name was going to be sprinkled several times throughout that list of non-compensatory FA’s.

Why would the Yanks need Cairo?  They already have a first baseman.

They already have a first baseman.

This is true.  However, their GQ (that’s grit quotient) is still way below replacement level.  Picking up a Cairo or, in a pinch, an Eckstein, would go a long way toward improving that.

I was thinking that you could always use an upgrade, especially at 1B.

[22] just made my morning.

Maybe I’m missing something but wasn’t the point of these 3 signings to add depth to the organization without using up a spot on the 40 man roster? They now have 3 replacement level players in the organization giving them coverage in the utility infielder, outfielder, and starting pitcher spots without using a 40 man roster spot on any of them.

Ha, remember when we thought Ensberg/Betemit/Duncan was a solid bench?

Let’s say there’s a situation a la ALCS ‘04 with Dave Roberts-type hanging out at first base (I know this is traumatizing, but bear with me).  Do you pull Posada and put Molina in for defense?  Importantly, will you then survive the wrath of Jorge if you do that?

Interesting that you’d pick that example, since the fact is that Posada made a perfect throw and Roberts was clearly out.  Anyway, that’s my story and I’m sticking with it.

A true 5th OF, I’d be perfectly fine with a Melky/Gardner type.

Yep.  The easiest way to upgrade the bench would be to get a real CF and make the winner of the Cabrera/Gardner competition the 5th OF.

their GQ (that’s grit quotient) is still way below replacement level.  Picking up a Cairo or, in a pinch, an Eckstein, would go a long way toward improving that.

Eckstein has more grit than the rest of MLB combined.  Cairo couldn’t carry his gritty jockstrap.  Even the mighty Grit-droia bows in supplication before him.

Seriously, Eckstein would probably be about as good a UI as you can get.  He actually can play SS, and as of this writing, is likely to have a higher OBP than the Yankees’ starting CF.  He probably isn’t quite ready to take an NRI just yet, though.

With Eckstein, you know, it’s all about championships.  And he’s grittier than Pedroia since Lil’ Dustin has only one title to his credit while scrappy Eck has two.

My prior tangential A-Rod point was this: 
Over the past few years Molina is throwing people out at 40% whereas Posada is at 30%.  Dave Roberts is a great basestealer and Rivera doesn’t hold people well so knock down the odds some more.  The upgrade in chance of throwing out a baserunner doesn’t seem worth the potential for putting your starting catcher, who is miles better than your backup, in a funk or putting his teammates in said situation.
I suppose I would consider it in the 9th inning of a game 7 when the score is tied.  To extrapolate to playoffs in general though is an idea that should never get off the drawing board.
Similarly there is probably a non-significant chance that the hitter in the four hole will have a better opportunity to impact the game offensively than the 8 hitter will.  A-Rod was clearly in a slump, yet Torre was decried for psychologically damaging the team.  I’m not saying the situations are identical but there are certain analagous psychological factors at play.

The easiest way to upgrade the bench would be to get a real CF and make the winner of the Cabrera/Gardner competition the 5th OF.

How much of a difference is the winner going to be over the loser?

Concerning Posada-Molino, we should also factor when is Posada due to bat. If he just made the last out, then probably the best thing to do is just replace him before the inning starts, which is something you can probably do during the regular season and sell it to him as saving his arms and legs. If he is going to bat in the next inning if the game gets tied, than the marginally better odds of throwing out the runner should be smaller than the possible offensive impact he could have.

Also, changing catchers for defensive reasons midinnings must be very rare, and it will be perceived as a big slight. I think I recall a game in the last two seasons where this has happened, after 7sb or so, and the manager was so apolegetic he almost cried. Does anyone remembers something similar?

How much of a difference is the winner going to be over the loser?

Why does it matter, unless it’s a tie?  And even then, the bench is still arguably better because it’s less likely to be overexposed due to a weakness in the starting lineup.

Tangential hypothetical: who would benefit more from a full year at AAA, Cabrera or Gardner?

Since when does Posada throw out 30% of would be base-stealers?  Also, if Molina enters the game, perhaps the other team decides against stealing second base altogether - which keeps the double play in order for a groundball pitcher like Mariano.

Why does it matter, unless it’s a tie?

That’s why I asked how much.  I personally don’t think there’s going to be too much difference between the two, so swapping the winner out for the other won’t lead to too much of an upgrade for the bench.  Now, getting a real CF to start, that is a big improvement, and your point about how having an honest-to-Gob MLB player in CF helping the bench is a good one.

Tangential hypothetical: who would benefit more from a full year at AAA, Cabrera or Gardner?

Is Melky eligible for AAA?  I think he is; I think if he spends ANY time on the 25 man roster this year he can’t be sent down w/o clearing waivers, but if he starts the year in AAA he’s okay.  To me, that means that if it’s a tie, Gardner starts with the big-league club.  Because if Gardner is having problems, he can be sent down, whereas Melky cannot.  Let Melky play every day and build some value (for a trade), if Gardner works out.

Oh, and go get Eckstein, now that I see him.  Looks like he’ll be worth about a half-win above replacement (looking at FanGraphs), which is probably better than Ransom.

The Molina sub would be in a high-leverage situation.  The difference in roster construction between 4th and 8th is minuscule, and ARod in a funk is still a very good batter, and switching him in such a humiliating way is only likely to worsen his funk.  I find the comparison risible.

the manager was so apolegetic he almost cried. Does anyone remembers something similar?

I remember this, I want to say it was 2-3 years ago with the Nats when Frank Robinson was managing.

Since when does Posada throw out 30% of would be base-stealers?

Feel free to add the numbers yourself but I got 29.6% thrown out over 2006 & 2007.  For Molina’s numbers I added in 2008 obviously.

I find the comparison risible.

I’m glad I inspired you to laugh…and use uncommon words.
Seriously though, you said yourself that he found it humiliating, Posada would likely find this situation equally humiliating.

Similarly there is probably a non-significant chance that the hitter in the four hole will have a better opportunity to impact the game offensively than the 8 hitter will.  A-Rod was clearly in a slump, yet Torre was decried for psychologically damaging the team.

no, Torre was decried for STARTING the series with A-Rod in the 6th spot, despite NOT being in a slump (.358/.465/.691 for September), while putting Sheffield in the 4 spot after missing 2/3’s of the season.

dropping him to 8th in game 4 was just pouring gasoline on the fire, especially when the guy he was dropped for, Sheffield, had done jack and shit all series.

and it’s not like the criticism is just coming from us yahoos on the internet:

”“I think that affected the morale and psyche of the entire team, not just A-Rod,” Sheffield said. ““I’m not making any excuses, but everyone was wondering what was going on. It made it a real weird day. You would like to be treated with a little respect, I don’t care who you play for.

“We were worrying about all of that stuff, and we still had a game to play. If I’m on the other side, and all of a sudden they’re putting Rodriguez eighth and putting me or Jason on the bench, you wonder what’s going on. Those guys [the Tigers] were asking me about it. I think it boosted their morale. It gave them confidence they didn’t have. “[Tigers manager] Jim Leyland took advantage of that. He can make you believe anything. He can put a fire under your belt like you never had before in your life. “

You’re making my point.
The effect of humiliating someone on the team > than the expected benefit of having Molina trying to throw out Roberts as opposed to Posada (the one situational caveat I mentioned being an exception).

Eckstein, oy.  If we win the WS this year with Eckstein playing, we’ll be hearing about grittitude forever.  Strike that - we’ll be hearing about it at double volume.

The point is that putting in Molina for an out to reach the WS is a smart thing to do - it has a huge upside, with a slight downside that Posada might remember to feel insulted during the wild celebration.  Futzing with the lineup for entirely non-baseball reasons in a way obviously likely to make the situation _worse_ from a psych perspective is just not in the same universe.

Eckstein, oy.  If we win the WS this year with Eckstein playing, we’ll be hearing about grittitude forever.  Strike that - we’ll be hearing about it at double volume.

He could ride the pine for the entire WS, and if the Yanks won, it would be because of him.

The question is silly though.  If Mo is in the game and it is time to use defensive replacements then Molina should be put in at the beginning of the inning with all the other defensive replacements. 

He’s not just better a throwing people out, he is better period.

I think if he spends ANY time on the 25 man roster this year he can’t be sent down w/o clearing waivers, but if he starts the year in AAA he’s okay.

I’m not sure this makes any difference.  Well, let me put it this way, I haven’t been able to find anything on the internet tha makes it clear to me that it works that way.  However, I’ve come across some claims that Cabrera has an option left because of when he was sent down last year.  Apparently, an option is not burned if the player spends less than 20 days total on optional assignment prior to September 1 (when rosters expand).

Anyway, your point seems to be that all else being equal, it would be better for the organization to start Melky in AAA and Gardner in the show.  But my hypothetical question was about the players, not the team.  Gardner has about a full season’s worth of AAA experience over two years, which is twice as much as Cabrera has had spread out over three seasons.  I was wondering if anyone thought there was an argument to be made that of the two, Cabrera is the one more likely to improve with 500 or so (consecutive) AAA PAs.

But my hypothetical question was about the players, not the team.

Yes you are correct.  I should have prefaced my “answer” with, “I’m not sure which player it would be better for, but…”.  I can see arguments for both.  For there to be a “tie” either both players would have to be playing poorly, or both would have to be playing well.  So…I would say if both are playing well, it would be better for Melky to be in the majors.  If both were playing poorly, Gardner.

Melky seems more fragile emotionally to me, so I’d want to do everything for his confidence.  If he’s playing well and you send him down you could hurt his confidence.  If he’s playing poorly sending him down could help his confidence (since he’ll have more chances to succeed).  I think Gardner is more likely to let it roll off his back.  That’s my untrained psycho-babble for you.

I couldn’t find anything either on whether or not Melky had options.  It just *seems* to me that in the past there have been players who were with their original team - i.e. not veterans that signed MiL contracts - who started the year in the minors but once called up couldn’t be sent back down.  I can’t claim that as a fact however.

If we win the WS this year with Eckstein playing, we’ll be hearing about grittitude forever.

If Eckstein helps the Yankees in the slightest to win a WS, I’ll live with hearing about “grittitude”.

Maybe I’m missing something but wasn’t the point of these 3 signings to add depth to the organization without using up a spot on the 40 man roster? They now have 3 replacement level players in the organization giving them coverage in the utility infielder, outfielder, and starting pitcher spots without using a 40 man roster spot on any of them.

Yeah, that makes sense, although I’d argue that Johnson and Berroa are probably sub-replacement level.  But you’re right, it’s depth that doesn’t affect the rest of the roster, whereas signing someone from the list of free agents probably does.

The effect of humiliating someone on the team > than the expected benefit of having Molina trying to throw out Roberts as opposed to Posada (the one situational caveat I mentioned being an exception).

rilkefan is making the point much better than i can, but it boils down to the fact that pulling someone for a defensive replacement is a much smaller insult than batting a 2 time MVP eighth.

it’s depth that doesn’t affect the rest of the roster, whereas signing someone from the list of free agents probably does.

Yeah, I don’t see any of those signing minor league deals.

What’s the year by year breakdown in terms of Posada’s efficiency in throwing out baserunners in 2006 and 2007, if I may be so bold?  If I remember correctly, he was unusually good in 2006 but back to his old ways in 2007.  From here on out, I would assume his average would be closer to 2007 than 2006.

“Interesting that you’d pick that example, since the fact is that Posada made a perfect throw and Roberts was clearly out.”

Heh.  It was a perfect throw, actually.  Just a tiny bit too late.  Roberts was in just ahead of the tag.  It was really perfectly executed all around.  Good baseball, if you will.

:vomit:

Having a good bench is usually a luxury.  The way it works out now seems decent enough.  Could it be improved?  Sure.  But its not like the bench is going to kill this team from game 1.  Having Swisher or Nady on the bench (either whom could easily start for the majority of teams in the league) isn’t such a bad deal.

“Ha, remember when we thought Ensberg/Betemit/Duncan was a solid bench?”

Yeah.  I’ve been turning that over in my mind.  In theory, it was (especially Ensberg & Betemit).  It just didn’t work.  Neither did another good idea - Josh Phelps (though I’d argue it had at least something to do with how Phelps was used).

The problem with constructing a bench is that if a player is really good, they’re not going to accept a bench role… they’ll usually go somewhere they can start even - if it’s for the Royals.  This is the reason BUC’s can’t hit.  If they could, they’d be starting.

So you have to hit the bargain bin and bet on guys who might surprise you.  Guys like Phelps or Betemit (failed, or at least not terribly successful, prospects) or Ensberg (vets with injury issues).  Nomar, for instance.

Heh.  It was a perfect throw, actually.  Just a tiny bit too late.  Roberts was in just ahead of the tag.  It was really perfectly executed all around.  Good baseball, if you will.

:vomit:

Need we relive such horrid events?

Throw out one little hypothetical and BAM! 40+ posts.

Going forward, pulling Posada really depends on what he shows during ST and regular season.  If he’s throwing like he was before he got the surgery last summer, I don’t see how there can be any sort of question whether to pull him for defense.  Posada himself may not think so, but if he’s 20-hopping throws to 2nd, forget it.  And the sooner it is addressed the better (ie, not in the 9th inning of a tied game 7 of the playoffs).  If Giambi or Damon could come out for defense, Jorge will just have to swallow his ego and deal with it.

Also, I really don’t see how this is at all akin to batting ARod 8th, for the reasons others have already discussed rather eloquently.

Need we relive such horrid events?

I’m so sorry.  It’s all my fault for starting it.

FYI in 2007 Posada threw out 24%.

if he’s 20-hopping throws to 2nd, forget it.  And the sooner it is addressed the better (ie, not in the 9th inning of a tied game 7 of the playoffs).  If Giambi or Damon could come out for defense, Jorge will just have to swallow his ego and deal with it.

If he is that bad Molina would start over him so there would be no need for a defensive replacement.  I think you have to assume 2007 Posada.

IMO, Nady or Swisher would be a much better bench bat than what the Yanks have had in recent years- I could even see a player of that caliber being upset about it. Not that that should stop them, of course.

FYI in 2007 Posada threw out 24%.

Another thing with Posada, even if he tosses out a decent amount, 30% a little plus, teams are still going to run crazy on him.  It takes a long time to overturn a reputation. It’s a little of a catch 22, it gets harder to have a decent % as the attempts increase.

“in 2007 Posada threw out 24%”

One sigma away from 28%, 1.5 from 30%.

The way I see it, if attempts increase, this is probably done by worse basestealers trying to run, and thus your % should be better, not worse.

Also, isn’t 76% just break-even?

Apropos, Rickey Henderson managed 81%, in an era where the break-even point may have been lower.

One sigma away from 28%, 1.5 from 30%.

How did you calculate the standard deviation?

I agree - if the attempts go up, so should the % thrown out. 

It’s sorta like OF assists.  Guys run on guys with bad reps for their arms (Manny, for example).  If the OFer manages to nail them at a decent clip, it dies down (as Manny did, being that LF at Fenway is deep SS).  If they don’t (Damon), the attempts continue.

Also, isn’t 76% just break-even?

As I recall its closer to 70%.

SG, if we’re talking rotation depth, and you’ve projected what Jason Johnson’s numbers would look like out of the #5 slot, can you project Freddy Garcia in the #5 slot?

John Heyman is reporting that the Yankees are one of three teams showing interest, and that he’s likely to sign by the end of the week.

As I recall its closer to 70%.

It varies depending on the run environment.  You have to look at the value of an out vs. the value of moving up a base in the era that you are looking at.  Right now I think it’s around 73%.

SG, if we’re talking rotation depth, and you’ve projected what Jason Johnson’s numbers would look like out of the #5 slot, can you project Freddy Garcia in the #5 slot?

With a caveat about projecting pitchers coming back from injury, Garcia’s projection looks like this:

110 IP, 119 H,  15 HR, 33 BB, 72K, 4.82 ERA, 7.0 runs saved above replacement.

He projects around the same as Aceves or IPK, but if healthy I’d trust him to meet his projection more than them.  But that’s useful depth with some upside I think, especially if Pettitte doesn’t return.

“How did you calculate the standard deviation?”

I looked up his SB/CS #s on bb-ref - sqrt(CS) is (I guess I should say a good estimator for) the standard deviation.

But that’s useful depth with some upside I think, especially if Pettitte doesn’t return.

Thanks for running those numbers. I agree he has some upside, but I wonder if he’d take a minor league deal to compete for a 5th spot (something the Yankees could readily offer) or if he can get himself a guaranteed ML deal (something they may not be willing to offer)?

Jorge will just have to swallow his ego and deal with it.

There’s a simple way to finesse the issue of lifting Posada for defense in the ninth—pinch run for him in the eighth.  Sure, he’d have to bat in the eighth, and not hit a HR or make an out.  Don’t bother me with details.

Can you pinch run for him when he’s going out for warmups in the 9th?

Catchers seldom get pinch hit or run for much, because few teams carry more than one catcher, and if the second one gets injured, then you’re SOL.  The most ancient of us remember teams carrying a third catcher, or later, a third catcher just for the playoffs, but as the bullpen eats up more and more roster each year, that seems to be dying off.  It’s a shame, because third catchers tended to be very gritty.

The most ancient of us remember teams carrying a third catcher,

I seem to remember the Mike Scioscia Angels routinely carrying three catchers up until very recently.  Of course, those teams had a pitching coach who knew how to use a bullpen and they seldom carried a lefty specialist reliever.

Just a few years ago (was it 2005?) I remember them carrying two Molinas and Josh Paul.  Other years, they would carry someone like Shawn Wooten who could catch, but also played another position.

Has a team ever resigned or conceded or whatever the term is a game due to injury, e.g. no one to catch?

I wouldn’t think so, mainly because it’s not too hard to get a guy to squat behind the plate and try to catch pitches.  If teams will use position players who used to pitch in high school at some point when they burn through the whole bullpen, I can’t see them conceding because they don’t have a catcher, but a quick search didn’t give me anything of substance.

I wouldn’t think so, mainly because it’s not too hard to get a guy to squat behind the plate and try to catch pitches.

I remember this game:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BAL/BAL198308240.shtml

Lenn Sakata came in to catch in the tenth inning against Toronto after the Orioles ran out of catchers.  Tippy Martinez picked three batters off.  Sakata hit the game winning home run in the bottom of the tenth.

I guess it happens occasionally in games that aren’t this memorable.

Nice work EB. I remember that game as well.
I still have the next weeks Sporting News in a box in the basement.
Lenn friggin Sakata. I even have a few of his Topps cards.
Man, you could buy a new Oldsmobile Delta 88 and get 10.9 interest on your loan back in the 99 luftballoons days.

That games happened 2 months before I was born.  Not to make you guys feel old or anything….

I was doing some volunteer work at an elementary school showing kids the wonders of science, and was disheartened to learn that the kids were born after I graduated high school. Ugh.

Nice work EB. I remember that game as well.
I still have the next weeks Sporting News in a box in the basement.
Lenn friggin Sakata. I even have a few of his Topps cards.
Man, you could buy a new Oldsmobile Delta 88 and get 10.9 interest on your loan back in the 99 luftballoons days.

This is one of the greatest posts of all time.

...thanks, EB, for tonight’s rousing of the wit-demon in OTF’s belly.

That games happened 2 months before I was born.  Not to make you guys feel old or anything….

3 years and ~10 months before I was born.

Must have been a great game to watch/listen to.

Must have been a great game to watch/listen to.

With their thick spectacles and hearing aids cranked up.

With their thick spectacles and hearing aids cranked up.

Hey, we didn’t need any of that stuff back then.

Anyway that was pre-hearing aids, and all spectacles were thick.

otf: “somebody answer that goddamn phone!”

That game wasn’t before TV was invented?

insomniac eelz is watching Jim Abbott’s no-hitter on iTunes. It features Manny Ramirez in his second M.L. game and Jim Thome playing third. Mike Gallego plays 2nd for the Yanks and wears #2. Baseball is an amazing game.

Manny just took out Nokes on the back-swing.

He did it. He did it. No hitter for Jim Abbott.

Where’s my ambien.

If I remember correctly, he was unusually good in 2006 but back to his old ways in 2007.

Using BBref, I calculated (rounded to the third decimal) Posada’s CS% every year from 1998-2008.  1998 was his best (.400), and 2006 his second-best (.373).  Until 2007, he was between .272 (2004) and .327 (2000) every other year.  I think it’s a pretty fair statement to say that through 2006 at least his “true talent” was somewhere between 28%-30%.  Not sure what the league-average was during that timeframe, but that seems to be pretty decent.

In 2007 he was at .239.  I remember a lot of talk at the time, and *one* theory was that the pitchers were doing a poor-job of holding the runners on and getting the ball to Posada quickly.  I seem to recall Joe Torre saying they had timed Posada from the time it hit his glove until the time the ball got to 2nd, and he was as good as 2006.  Another possibility is that his skill was declining, and a third was a bit of randomness.  I don’t think we’ll see 2006 Posada again.  But 2004 Posada we’d probably live with.

The problem with constructing a bench is that if a player is really good, they’re not going to accept a bench role…

I think the best way to construct a good bench is through the farm.  Having some young players who project to future starters - maybe not stars but starters - is good.  They’re cheap, aren’t likely to complain (since they’re in the majors) and since they’re “future starters” could probably start now.  Alternatively, the farm players could come up and force the issue to turn a veteran signed to start into a bench player.  Building a bench through FA is hard.

Hey, we didn’t need any of that stuff back then.

But we did tie onions to our belts, since it was the style at the time.

insomniac eelz is watching Jim Abbott’s no-hitter on iTunes.

The afternoon after I met my wife, Labor Day Weekend ‘93.

But we did tie onions to our belts, since it was the style at the time.

Hey MC, can you give me five bees for a quarter?

“I think the best way to construct a good bench is through the farm.  Having some young players who project to future starters - maybe not stars but starters - is good.”

Unfortunately, it not very good for their development to sit on the bench and play once a week.  You really need at least a semi-platoon to justify keeping a potentially starter-calibre prospect on the bench.

Unfortunately, it not very good for their development to sit on the bench and play once a week.  You really need at least a semi-platoon to justify keeping a potentially starter-calibre prospect on the bench.

I think your UIF and 4th OF being “future starters” you are fine with.  Each of them you’ll probably still get regularly into the field and get 400PA.  I think 400PA in the majors is worth more than 550PA in the minors, assuming the player has already had success at AAA.  You’re backup catcher you are *probably* good with as well, unless you have a rare starter - like Posada for most of the last decade - that can catch 140+ games year after year. 

You’re 5th OF and 2nd UIF (if you have one), you’ll probably want more of a veteran, perhaps one that has limited skills.  E.g. a nothing-special 1B/LF who can’t hit lefties for a lick but crushes righties.  That player will only get 200PA or so, and won’t really develop.

400 PA for the UIF?  That’s nearly a full 2/3 of games.  How often does that happen, on the Yankees if not generally?

How often does that happen, on the Yankees if not generally?

That’s a good point.  I suppose I was thinking mostly of, “young player who projects to a starter”, because you would *try* to get that player a lot of PT.  It’s not so much that the player *is* a utility infielder, as it is they are filling that role for the team.

Randy Velarde is a player I had in mind, and twice for the Yankees he had more than 400PA (1992 and 1995) and played 20 or more games at at least 3 positions (if you lump OF as a “position”).  He had a shot at 1994 as well but of course the strike occurred.

Chone Figgins is another example.  Between 2004 and 2006 he had over 600PA each year, and played all over the field.

I think when people complain the bench isn’t deep enough, we want players like this; players that can fill a variety of positions, and hit well enough that they can start if there is an injury.  You’re not going to find players like this in FA, and they’re actually pretty rare.