Oh good, we didn’t have to give up Farnsie.

it’s a nice move for the yankees.

if SG shows up, it would be interesting to see how Molina compares to the average backup catcher.

Is Jose a better defensive catcher than Jorge?

Stat question:

How did Myers get credit for a hold when he pitched before L-Viz, who got credit of a win?

(Viz looks farkin’ great lately, btw… let’s hope Torre doesn’t destroy him with overwork like in May).

Also, regarding Molina, Nieves gets to play in 3 straight and as a result actually looked like a ML player, at the plate at least.  I get these Molina guys mixed up… is Jose the least talented of the bunch?

Neyer on holds (the latter definition would seem to apply here):

The hold was invented in 1986 by John Dewan and Mike O’Donnell, who worked together on The Chicago Baseball Report. Here’s their definition, as it appears in the STATS Baseball Scoreboard: 1996…

  A Hold is credited any time a relief pitcher enters a game in a Save Situation, records at least one out, and leaves the game never having relinquished the lead.

In other words, you have to enter a game in a save situation, get somebody out, and exit the game with the same save situation intact. John Dewan is now the big cheese at STATS, Inc., where they continue to tabulate holds based on that definition. Holds were first exposed to a wide audience a few years ago, when USA Today, through box scores supplied by STATS, listed them on a daily basis.

However, in 1994 STATS lost the USA Today account to SportsTicker, and the latter parties decided to come up with their own version of the hold. The <u>new definition</u> was different in two respects. One, <u>a pitcher does not have to retire a batter to get a hold. All he has to do is leave with the save situation intact, whether he gets anyone out or not.</u> There’s another difference. You know how a pitcher can get a save no matter what the score, as long as he pitches three or more innings? According to STATS, that save situation can lead to a hold opportunity as well, but SportsTicker doesn’t credit holds in those big-lead situations.

Myers left with the score 7-5 in the 6th inning.

As for Vizcaino’s success, I think it’s at least partly the result of Mariano being the team’s best pitching coach over the last decade.

If Mariano is such a great pitching coach, why can’t he help Bruney, Farnsworth and Proctor?  This is nothing against Mariano.  It’s just that Vizcaino was never as bad as he showed earlier.  Neither is he quite as good as he’s been lately.  He’s been a decent reliever throughout his career though, with an ERA under 4 the past three seasons (and that without having consulted with Mariano).  As for Molina, he’ll be a capable backup.  He’s very good defensively and will at least hit .220.  Steve Lombardi is afraid Jeff Kennard is the next Scot Shields but that’s going way overboard.  Shields is the best set-up man in baseball and can throw 100 innings per year.  Moreover, Molina was very expendable to the Angels so they didn’t really need much in return.

It’s a good trade.  The Yankees get better at backup C, and the piece they give up isn’t that big.  Also, w/o knowing his contract situation, there’s a solid chance Molina could be the backup for the next couple of years, until Cervelli is ready.

If Mariano is such a great pitching coach, why can’t he help Bruney, Farnsworth and Proctor? 

There are exceptions to every rule.

My post was intended to be a knock against Mel and Guidry as anything else.

I would like to see them hire a pitching coach who is more of a technician, like Peterson, or one who has a track record of success, like Mazzone.