http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/archives/119

If the Yanks are going to trade for Gagne and use Joba in the BP, then they have to clear two spaces.  I’m assuming Farnsworth will be traded.  The other spot might come from trading Proctor for Betemit.

I’m still wary of using one of your best starting pitching prospects, who has limited pro experience, in the BP during a tight post-season race.

In case anyone noticed, Joba struck out the side last night in his inning of relief work.

I don’t like the idea of burning any assets with a significant upside for a two month rental, especially one with a injury issues. If, however, Gagne is going to be a Type A free agent, and the package doesn’t include Horne, it makes more sense.

I don’t think the Betermit acquisition would have anything to do with A-Rod, because I highly doubt that he is leaving.

Does Elias have known metrics for grading free agents or is there a list of Type A guys from previous years?
I’m not confident that Gagne is going to be a Type A after throwing 49 (let’s say 70 at the end of the year) innings in 3 season.

Using Joba out of the bullpen isn’t such a bad idea by itself.  Many pitchers, even some who turn out to be great, cut their teeth as long men before easing into starting roles.

What bothers me is putting such a valuable prospect in Joe Torre’s bullpen.  Historically, Joe has given zero priority to developing young pitchers and doesn’t recognize the role of long man.  If Bobby Cox was managing the Yankees bullpen, I would be welcoming this development.  With the Yankees present bullpen managers, I fear it.

Subjecting Joba to the Sturtze/Proctor treatment could endanger the development of a player who could be an important part of the Yankees’ future.  One or two bad performances and a trip back to Scranton, might be bad for his confidence.  At least trading him could have brought in a premium player who could help the team in the future.

Compared to Betemit,How do we trade anyone for Ensberg?

Compared to Betemit,How do we trade anyone for Ensberg?

I just did… here

Does Elias have known metrics for grading free agents

Yes, though I’m afraid I don’t know/remember what it is.  I’m sure someone else here knows it, or could point you to a link.

Betemit = much better than Cairo going forward.  Considering how “important” Cairo is and has been, I don’t mind replacing him with someone probably better.

Mike K- saw your comment in the last link regarding fan behavior. If any of you watch old films of the 76-78 team such as featured in the movie Bronx is Burning, you would see that Yankee fans of that era were extremely out of control. They ran on the field after Chambliss homered and did it again in 77 so much so that Reggie had to knock someone down to get to the dugout. As a midwesterner I was also shocked to see footage at the time from the overhead balloon which showed wild out of control fires burning in nearby neighborhoods. I visited Yankee Stadium for the first time in June of 79 and for the most part the fans were ok. I think something changed big time since that time as fans today, some admittedly bad as you pointed out in May, are no comparsion to the roudy types that were prevelant in the 70’s. Do you remember how Bogg’s rode the horse around the park after 96 WS win? Fans just stayed in their seats. Even the horse would have been mugged in 77.

Here’s what you do with Joba—send him out to begin the sixth inning in each of Mussina’s remaining starts, and let him pitch one time through the lineup.  He helps the big league team while continuing to pitch in a regular rotation with a starter’s approach and mentality, and there’s no risk of either over- or under-use.  No manager could mess that up.  The only problem is that it would have to be imposed on Torre and Guidry by Cashman, and that ain’t too likely.

Joeln,

Oh yes, I’ve seen that footage lots of times.  I’m too young to “remember” it, but from other video I have seen from that time and earlier I don’t think it was that unusual for fans to come down onto the field after the game - though admittedly that was extreme.  I can only comment on my previous stadium visits, which were both much more good-natured, including a Yankees-Mets game in 2003.  It’s always possible that the one earlier this year - just by chance - happened to have some of the worst elements from both teams’ fans there.

The fans stayed in their seats in 1996 because of mounted police, quite a few of them, and maybe police canine squads as well. There were no mounted police or canine squads at the Stadium in 1977, 1978.

I believe the Philadelphia police used this method c. 1982 and other cities followed suit. Sure works at keeping the fans in their seats.