Uhm, I could have swore it was because they bought it.

Simple logic refutes that.

Money can’t buy happiness.

Yankees (and fans) are happy.

Therefore, Yankees didn’t buy it.

Jimmy Rollins.  You are a funny little man.  I have two words for you: Brad Lidge.

Wait, the Yankees won the WS? I thought the play the game right-ers Angels, Red Sox or Phillies won. no?Oh well. In that case, woohoo!

I’m still trying to figure out how the Phillies could possibly lose without being intimidated.

I’m still trying to figure out how the Phillies could possibly lose without being intimidated.

They thought the Red Sox were already awarded the championship and this was just exhibition.  Hard to be intimidated during an exhibition game.  Manuel will probably complain that the umpires didn’t tell him before the series that the ground rules included the games counting.

This year may have been the last shot this team had at winning the World Series; almost every player on the roster saw an improvement over his 2008 performance, and for many of the team’s stars, the effects of time are overdue.

Conversely, Hughes, Joba, and Robertson may take quantum leaps next season, and they will likely have A-Rod for a full season.

[6] Not too mention Gardner and Melky are still under the age of 27, and one or both could improve, possibly quite a bit.  And there’s the potention for a full season of healthy Marte, Melancon taking over Robertson’s role sometime during the season, Cervelli improving over Molina/himself, Cano will be 27, etc.

Realistically, if they either keep Damon/Matsui OR replace one of them with a quality-player, this team should project to 95+ wins again next year.  Which means they’re in playoff contention, and once there they should have the pitching to get deep in the playoffs.

Which means they’re in playoff contention, and once there they should have the pitching to get deep in the playoffs.

My english to english translator says that what you meant to say was we’d have to wait for the pundits at ESPN to determine how good the Yankees will be, other words, good enough to even be a wild card team.

Wild card team? The Jays have Doc, Boston is ESPN the Baseball Team, the Rays are young and fast and exciting and awesome; and the Yankees are old and past their prime and overpaid and unmotivated.

We’ll be lucky to be in 4th, come season’s end.

Aren’t the Rays going to have more players in their prime years?  They were by some measures one of the best teams in baseball - is there anything making them worse in some way next season?

With the off season here, I just can’t help but think about the Mets and how silly it was that they signed Oliver Perez simply because they had to sign a pitcher to a big contract. I guess someone who wasn’t worth the money, and hamstrung the organization from going after better pitching once the season began.

This is more or less in contrast to the Yankees getting Pettitte for a one year deal, and having very specific targets for FA spending, even if they were going to overspend.

From this list http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/11/2010-top-50-free-agents.html of their top 50 FA, while no one stands out, depending how the Damon/Matsui pans out, the good thing is that there should be some decent 1-2 year signable OF/DH/stopgaps.

is there anything making them worse in some way next season?

Trading Kazmir and Iwamura?  Bartlett and Zobrist falling back to earth?  Not having a catcher or a bullpen?

Gardner and Melky are still under the age of 27, and one or both could improve, possibly quite a bit.

I’ll have what he’s having.

Iwamura I missed.  Kazmir - 2 WAR the last two years, with David Price getting an extra ~60 IP next season.  Zobrist was almost a rookie; ok, Bartlett regresses, assuming his ankle wasn’t a problem this season.  Do they still have Longorias coming up?

[13] - Let’s get Gardner some HGH and who knows?  Maybe he can become Grady Sizemore.

Price will pitch more, but since he’s only going to be 24 he won’t necessarily pitch all that much better or more consistently.  IOW, he’s no more a CYA candidate than Chamberlain or Hughes.  Zobrist is going to be 29 next year; if you’ve got an “almost rookie” who’s 28, you shouldn’t count on him improving.  Fully formed Longorias are pretty rare.  Even if you keep drafting them, you really can’t count on them developing that way.

My english to english translator says

Nice!

I’ll have what he’s having.

We don’t expect players under 27 to improve?  Perhaps you’re reading me saying, “they’ll become All Stars”, but that’s not it.  Gardner had a wOBA (includes SB) of .337 last year and Melky was .331 (both about average).  I don’t see why they couldn’t get up into the low .340’s.  If they make it up to about .350, that would be improving “quite a bit”, but still be short of All Star material.  It *would* however, cover for a lot of age-related regression of older players.

What is this argument about?  Yes, the Rays are contenders.  Will anyone be shocked if a bunch of their players have good years and they win 100 games?  No.  Yes, the Yankees are better.  Will anyone be shocked if a bunch of their players have bad years and they win 90 games?  No. 

Obviously, we need the 2010 season to start soon, because Rilke and MC don’t know what to do with themselves, and for some reason, I am paying attention to them.

Go Yankees! Let’s call up AJax in August and watch him go on a tear!

[17] Semantics, semantics.  No matter how you parse your own words, here’s what it boils down to: you expressed optimism about Gardner and Melky, so I gave you shit (an appropriate response). 

But you’re right, I shouldn’t have said that.  I should have just said this.

What is this argument about?

I didn’t know there was an argument.  I’m just trying to preempt another incessant discussion of whether and how much Cabrera and Gardner are likely to improve.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/members.html?id=3366

this is an old picture that got a lot of attention, obviously for politicians playing games during a debate.  But, is that Andy Pettitte on the far-right laptop? Sure looks like it!

you expressed optimism about Gardner and Melky, so I gave you shit (an appropriate response).

Fair enough; you’ll understand with how last off-season went how I might be a bit overly-sensitive about appraisals of Gardner. 

But you’re right, I shouldn’t have said that.  I should have just said this.

I can’t access youtube from work; want to give me the cliff-notes version?  Or is it a, “you have to see it to understand” thing?

[22] “I’ll have what she’s having.”

The link was to the Meg Ryan diner scene ending with “I’ll have etc.”

When Harry Met Sally

Fortunately, I don’t get that way thinking about Brett Gardner…

I’d love to see Long work with Gardner on possibly retooling his swing.  At this stage of the game, it’s usually not a good idea to screw with a player’s mechanics all the way to completely changing how he comes through the zone.  But perhaps some slightly more than minor adjustments could help him get behind a few more balls better.  Maybe even become better at pulling the inside pitch.

is there anything making them worse in some way next season?

Trading Kazmir and Iwamura?  Bartlett and Zobrist falling back to earth?  Not having a catcher or a bullpen?

The Rays also might trade Crawford knowing he is gone after next season, and they have that OF prospect they got from the Tigers in the Edwin trade that they feel is his replacement.

Wild card team? The Jays have Doc, Boston is ESPN the Baseball Team, the Rays are young and fast and exciting and awesome; and the Yankees are old and past their prime and overpaid and unmotivated.

We’ll be lucky to be in 4th, come season’s end.

You’re forgetting that the O’s have WEITERS and he is like Babe Ruth hitting-wise combined with Molina’s defensive and game-calling prowess.

First to worst. Book it.

[26] Or just have Gardner bunt every time to prevent us from seeing his uppercut swing ever again, and it would fulfill Girardi’s bloodlust for smallball.

At this stage of the game, it’s usually not a good idea to screw with a player’s mechanics all the way to completely changing how he comes through the zone.

Didn’t he rebuild Cano’s swing pretty much from scratch in the off-season?  Seems to have worked fairly well.  Of course, each player is unique.  I think Gardner actually needs to be a little less-selective.  In the minors he could wait for his pitch b/c if it got to two-strikes he could foul off a lot of tough pitches and either get a pitch to drive in the gaps, or take a walk.  If he widens his zone - just a little - perhaps he can settle for some more soft-singles.

The Rays also might trade Crawford knowing he is gone after next season, and they have that OF prospect they got from the Tigers in the Edwin trade that they feel is his replacement.

True, but that might not make them worse, depending on what they get for Crawford and how good the kid is.

Cano’s swing looked exactly the same to me.  Maybe he changed Cano’s stance a bit (I didn’t notice).

So, right, the offseason. 

LF:  I like Holliday, and wouldn’t mind if the Yanks went and got him.  The price tag is the issue, of course.  Failing that, I’d be interested in a short-term deal for Cameron or Damon.  If Damon wants more than 2 years, seeya Johnny.  No to Bay.  No to Figgins.  Thanks for trying, Nady.

DH:  Matsui would be ok with me if it’s a 1 year deal.  Anything more and no thanks.  I think he’d take it, though.  If not Godzilla… what about Thome?  Any other no-glove guys who can still hit out there? 

Backup C: Cervelli.  Thank you for your service, Jose.

Rotation: Bring back Pettitte on another short-term deal.  Look at some bargain bin guys with upside (Harden, for instance) for extra depth.  Try to get Wang to take a MiL deal and work his way back (if he can) from AAA.  Make sure somebody pays lots for Lackey.  Make sure it isn’t you.

Bullpen: pretty much set.  Bruney - keep or cut loose?  Probably cut him loose.

Before Gardner got hurt, he hit .275/.354/.400, while maintaining his projected BB rate and doing much better than projected with his K rate.  He played sporadically when he got back and I don’t doubt that affected his timing and his performance at least somewhat.  I’m sure being pressed into starting duty in the World Series couldn’t have helped him either.

I have to think Gardner’s 2009 was a success, and I don’t think there’s any reason they’d need to tinker with his mechanics beyond making sure he does what he did from April through July.  He should add a little bit of power over the next few years as most players do, although I don’t see him ever being more than a .150 ISO guy.  So even if he doesn’t typically hit more than .275/.340/.425, with his defense and baserunning, that’s a valuable CF, especially if they minimize his exposure to lefties.  I also don’t think it’s unreasonable to think he could luck into a .300 season or two.  With the same ISOd and ISOp that’s what, .300/.365/.450?

@9. yep, Yanks will probably be contracted before the All Star Break. Oh well, fun while it lasted.

Any other no-glove guys who can still hit out there?

No thanks on the absolutely no glove guys. Matsui is okay, largely for his service time with the Yankees and other sentimental reasons. But if the Yankees are going to go after a DH type, at least get one that can play the field a little.

Maybe Dye? Coming off a down year? Not sure how good or bad his defense is.

Coming off a down year? Not sure how good or bad his defense is.

Remember the Yankee RF in 2008?  That’s a rough comparison of where Dye’s glove has been over the last 3-4 years. 

Not sure I like where his bat is now either, especially once you take him out of US Cellular.

even if he doesn’t typically hit more than .275/.340/.425, with his defense and baserunning, that’s a valuable CF

Hell, that’s Jacoby Ellsbury!

if the Yankees are going to go after a DH type, at least get one that can play the field a little

Nick Johnson is a free agent.

Make sure somebody pays lots for Lackey.

The contract the Yankees gave AJ last winter should take care of that!

Sidenote, I don’t mind them signing a Matsui or Thome for the DH role on a one year contract. Even if it’s someone who can’t play the field at all, they can afford to carry one guy like that. As long as the player is cool with not starting more than 120-130 games at DH, so DH can be used some to rest Posada/Jeter/ARod. Even when a player such as those two doesn’t start, they are useful in a PH role.

Nick Johnson is a free agent.

And the 60 day DL might have some spots open.

I kid. I kid. I actually wouldn’t hate that idea. As he would likely stay as healthy as Matsui at DH. I’d still prefer Matsui, but Nick isn’t a bad back-up plan.

I kid. I kid. I actually wouldn’t hate that idea. As he would likely stay as healthy as Matsui at DH. I’d still prefer Matsui, but Nick isn’t a bad back-up plan.

That’s awfully close to insulting My Precious.  Don’t make me drop the ban hammer on you.

Nick Johnson.  Yeah, there’s a thought for the DH spot.  If healthy, he hits.  Same as Matsui in that regard.  Both are injury risks.  Nick is younger.  I like it.

I think I prefer a DH who simply cannot/will not play the field (Matsui, Thome) to one who “can” play the field, but plays it poorly.  The team who signs the “versatile” DH type may fool themselves into thinking it’s a *good idea* to play that fellow in the field sometimes. 

A guy who signs to DH is either a bad defender or an awful one.  If your plan involves putting that guy in the field in anything other than “break glass in case of emergency” situtations, your plan is flawed.

Yes, the Yankees will need to rest some of their position players at times (Posada, mostly).  Ok.  Then sit the DH.  He’ll probably need some rest too.  Matsui did this year.

[41] Thinking somewhat outside the box, but Nick Johnson was an attractive trade piece for a lot of teams this offseason. If you pick him up on a 1 year deal and find him to be somewhat superfluous (not inconceivable if depending on how Melky, Gardner, Jackson and Montero progress) you could have a sell high guy on your hands.

I wasn’t actually serious.  ~450 PA in the past three seasons.

[44] Well, he is coming off a near 600 PA season. And on July 15th last year, you certainly could have had something decent off several teams rosters for Nick Johnson. He went to Florida, but I recall the Mets and Giants considering him as well.

We made it 4 days, 15 hours into the off-season before talking about Nick Johnson? That is some major restraint on the part of RLYWers.

Nick hit .291/.426/.405 this season, in FLA.  The SLG is low, but at least some of that is probably the home park.  (checks)  Hmm.  .398 SLG at home, .411 away.  Is Nick’s (never great) power gone?

Still, the OBP is crazy as ever.  You’d have to project a bit of a power surge from New Yankee Stadium.  He had a reverse platoon split, like Matsui did this year (three-year is basically even, just like Hideki).

If he could be had on a cheap deal, he’s an interesting option.

MC, once you open up the Nick Johnson box, there is no way to control what happens.

I think I prefer a DH who simply cannot/will not play the field (Matsui, Thome) to one who “can” play the field, but plays it poorly.

Couldn’t agree more. They have 5 bench spots assuming 13 positional players and once you remove the 8 positional starters from the equation. One will go to a BUC (Cervelli), one to a UIF (Pena), one with go to a 4th OF (Gardner), one will be some sort of DH, and then one more they can get creative with (another OF?). I don’t see why the DH guy has to be able to play the field. They already have all the positions backed up. As long as the DH is willing to occasionally sit and allow them to rest players at DH it doesn’t really kill roster flexibility.

Nick Johnson…

*drools*

I cannot remain objective about him.  I say the Yankees bring him back so I can finally buy his jersey (I almost did in 2003 but I decided to wait and see if he got traded).

In 1999 as a 20-yo he hit 345/525/548 in 581 PA in AA.  Wow I am old.

I don’t see why the DH guy has to be able to play the field. They already have all the positions backed up.

I’d guess my comfort level would be to have a Swisher type as the 4th guy, versus Gardner. I don’t know what everyone else is assuming, but I’m assuming - from age, from playing style, from freak bad luck - that injuries happen.

It’ll be interesting, cause something is going to happen: resigning, trading, FA, etc.

Well, he is coming off a near 600 PA season.

Yeah, my bad.  BB-ref is kind of a mess today—must be doing some end-of-season maintenance or some such—so I had to do my own arithmetic and needless to say, screwed it up.

And on July 15th last year, you certainly could have had something decent off several teams rosters for Nick Johnson.

This is what you could have had for Nick Johnson at the deadline:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=thomps001aar

And of course, Nick promptly got hurt following the trade.

[9] True for 2010.

The 2009 Yankees aren’t making the post season. I heard it on ESPN, so it must be true.