I don’t really think Joba let the Yanks down. The Yanks sure can’t hit though. Man, this is surprising.

I think WOE is killing this team.  They’re living down to our expectations.  It’s time for a change, for an acronym that the Yanks can aspire to, can, dare I say it?...live up to.  If we’re all positive enough, we can think of them as the Greatest Offense of All TimeS.

I’m going to go out on a limb and disagree with those who think that Melky needs time in SWB to figure it out. Similar to Hughes, whatever he needs to figure out, he needs to do so at the major league level. Perhaps a solid week to 10 days as a 4th OF/pinch runner would help him clear his head while giving Gardner a chance to show what he can do.  Melky’s last AB was just plain awful.

Are A-Rod and Madonnna really an item?

I meant the Madonna with two ‘n’s, not three.

The implication that Mo is somehow now “rendered” vulnerable in non-save situations is so asinine it begs for comment.  True, Mo hasn’t done well in those particular situations this year.  It has absolutely zero predictive value, “rendering” nothing.  Idiots.

There is no way I am pinning this on Mo.  We have scored a total of 7 runs in the last 4 games.  In non save situations, Mo has an ERA of 2.57, so that’s not bad at all, 4 runs in 14 innings.  What I don’t understand is why Melky wasn’t bunting in the 9th or why Jeter wasn’t pinch hitting.

Sorry Dave, but Steve Phillips copyrighted that one for the Tigers.

Bad news for the “Melky needs to ride the bench” and “Melky needs to go to Scranton” crowds in this morning’s Daily News:

https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/07/01/2008-07-01_slumping_melky_cabrera_still_at_center_o.html

“Melky’s our center fielder,” Girardi said.

He’ll get a day off, maybe even tonight, but he won’t get a week off and he won’t sit against lefties.

Also, here’s a better A-Rod story:

https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/07/01/2008-07-01_arod_helps_18yearold_cancer_patient_have.html

or why Jeter wasn’t pinch hitting.

It would have been a great time to give Jeter a shot in the OF.

Guys at RAB make a great point: go vote for Ian Kinsler 25 times today.

There is no way I am pinning this on Mo.

While the idea that he’s somehow not suited to pitching in tie games is ludicrous, and only one of the three hits was really hit, the fact remains that he did give up a leadoff double that became the game-winning run.  It’s pretty hard to argue that Rivera didn’t contribute to that loss.

What I don’t understand is why Melky wasn’t bunting in the 9th or why Jeter wasn’t pinch hitting.

Girardi wants Melky to know that he has all the confidence in the world in him.  I guess he must be hoping that Melky won’t figure out that the confidence is misplaced.  And he was saving Jeter to hit for Gardner.

Girardi wants Melky to know that he has all the confidence in the world in him.  I guess he must be hoping that Melky won’t figure out that the confidence is misplaced.  And he was saving Jeter to hit for Gardner.

All the confidence in the world doesn’t change the fact that he’s been a major liability for 2 months now. Also, if you need to save your best pinch hitter for the second spot, then there’s something seriously wrong with your lineup construction.

I’ve been inclined to defend Girardi so far, but this is getting ridiculous. Gardner might have the skills to be a good top of the order guy, but until he demonstrates anything at the major league level, he’s got to hit at the bottom, exactly because of situations like this.

For the record, I have no problem with not bunting in that situation, but leaving Melky in there was a terrible decision. I don’t want to see Melky and Gardner in the lineup at the same time until at least one of them shows that he can hit.

Are A-Rod and Madonnna really an item?

Who cares?

I’m going to go out on a limb and disagree with those who think that Melky needs time in SWB to figure it out. Similar to Hughes, whatever he needs to figure out, he needs to do so at the major league level.

I agree with the first point, but not the second one. Melky will likely remain what he is now. He plays his position well, but I don’t expect him to help much offensively.  Brett Gardner will likely be nothing more than a poor man’s Bubba Crosby.

Phil Hughes has the ability to get major league out. His problem is that he is physically too fragile to endure the demands of being a MLB starting pitcher. More time at SWB might toughen him up enough to succeed.

</i>I’m going to go out on a limb and disagree with those who think that Melky needs time in SWB to figure it out. Similar to Hughes, whatever he needs to figure out, he needs to do so at the major league level.</i>

Maybe we have figured out that Melky’s ceiling is as a 4th OFer.

I meant the Madonna with two ‘n’s, not three.

I think you made the wrong subconscious slip.  You sure you didn’t mean:

Are A-Rod and Mandonna really an item?

Are A-Rod and Madonnna really an item?

Who cares?

I am so ashamed.

All the confidence in the world doesn’t change the fact that he’s been a major liability for 2 months now. Also, if you need to save your best pinch hitter for the second spot, then there’s something seriously wrong with your lineup construction.

You need to crank up your sarcasmometer.

Brett Gardner will likely be nothing more than a poor man’s Bubba Crosby.

I think he’s more likely to be a rich man’s Bubba Crosby.  He’s faster and has a better arm.  And I think he’ll probably hit a bit more as well.

With Mo, the only thing I can think of his he may mentally change his approach when he enters a tie game.  I also think that over time, and with more chances to pitch in a tie game, his performance will approach the mean of his save-situation performance.

Yanks average with RISP is perplexing to say the least.  I would assume that a lineup with good veteran hitting would not only have a good RISP avg., but a marginally good RISP avg. even if/when they are scuffling a bit overall.  Good veteran hitters have lots of experience and probably don’t sweat the RISP situations as much as younger hitters.  Who knows why this is, but I would hope their fortunes will change soon.

Maybe the All-Star break will cure what ails them.  And I am glad A-Rod will skip the HR contest.  Great long-term move, even though the pressure to win it in front of the home crowd was probably great.

Until last night, I sort of harbored some hopes for this year. When they (Texas) were stealing bases at will and particularly stealing third, it made me realize that Posada is only going to be useful at dh or first and of course that makes the lineup weaker with Molina an every day guy. Combine that with Matsui, Wang, Hughes and Damon being out or injury suspect and it makes me feel that the playoff run is likely over this year.

The other thing that I’m grateful for is that Mattingly isn’t involved in this year’s troubles.  I don’t know if he would have been a good manager or not but like most of you I don’t like to see my favorite former players get ridiculed or mistreated when things aren’t going well by the press or front office.  I think Joe G. is a good guy but I don’t have the same feeling for him as I do Don. I truly didn’t understand why he didn’t bunt last night even though they may have walked the next batter. Melky did the worst thing possible and took presumably Jeter out of the equation. You just can’t afford to let a guy swing away with the kind of ground ball propensity Melky has.

I think he’s more likely to be a rich man’s Bubba Crosby.  He’s faster and has a better arm.  And I think he’ll probably hit a bit more as well.

My point was not that I am pining for Bubba’s return, but that I am skeptical about Gardner’s ability to get on base. In the minors BG stole more bases, but Bubba was the better hitter. They played in different leagues at different times, but at every level above A+ Bubba had the edge. I am not close to being convinced he will be an upgrade over Melky.
Bubba:
.296 BA 19 stolen bases in A+ ball
.302 BA 22 stolen bases in AA
.361 BA .410 on-base percentage and .635 slugging percentage in AAA

Brett:
.323 Tampa Yankees
.300 BA .392 OBP AA Trenton Thunder
.260 BA .343 OBP AAA Scranton/Wilkes Barre
in the minor leagues he has a .288 batting average, .381 obp, and .374 slugging percentage. He has stolen 114 bases, and been caught 22 times.

.361 BA .410 on-base percentage and .635 slugging percentage in AAA

That was at Las Vegas, right?  Park factor around 125, I think.  And he was 26.  I’m fairly skeptical about Gardner’s game translating to the majors myself, but I think this is a pretty unfair comparison.

I think this is a pretty unfair comparison

It’s not just unfair, it’s irrelevant. Gardner would be replacing Melky, not Bubba, and I just have trouble seeing him as an offensive upgrade.

Like most of you I am not an expert minor league talent evaluator but I do enjoy watching young players develop and so have been following our prospects via various blogs.  Most Cashman apologists acknowledge his poor track-record w/respect to veteran signings given the resources he has to work with.  However Cashman supporters counter- and I have generally been in agreement- that he has been instrumental in developing a powerhouse farm system.  But go through each league in which The Yankees have farm teams and look at the pitching/hitting leaders.  When you do this I don’t see how you can be excited about our farm system, especially the everyday players.  Yes, the pitching we have developed has potential but it seems we have very little offensive talent.  In fact, since the late 1990’s, Robinson Cano, Soriano (great), and Nick Johnson are the only above-average everyday players I can think of that have come up through our system, and only one of those guys came via the draft.  Cashman has been GM this whole time.  Why don’t we dominate the market for International signings?  Is it better to throw away $4m on Latroy Hawkins or use it to lock up a few Latin prospects? I really hope some of teh younger players turn into legit prospects but the stats so far in 2008 are not promising.

This Yankees team as of July 2nd is not going to the playoffs.  I’m not pulling a “OMG the Yankees suck!!!!1111!!!  Cashman sucks!!!1111” routine, but there are too many flaws with this team right now.

Point 1: This team has no depth.  With Betemit, Ensberg, Duncan on the bench, as well as the Matsui/Damon/Cabrera/Abreu outfield, this was looking like the deepest Yankee team in years.  Well, that didn’t quite work out.

Point 2: Too many injuries.  If you don’t have depth, then you can’t absorb a lot of injuries.  I’m not even talking about players being out of the lineup earlier, but as of today, Wang is out, Matsui is out, Posada is a liability behind the plate, and who knows if Jeter’s wrist is still hurting him.  Could the Red Sox win if they had Beckett, Ortiz, and a dinged up Lowell?  Maybe, but that would require…

Point 3: Young players need to make some sort of leap, and it doesn’t look like this is happening.  Cano is coming around, but unless he catches fire he’s going to have statistically the worst season of his career.  Cabrera is in a funk.  Hughes and Kennedy, ‘nuff said there.  We were banking on all those guys to contribute big, and they just haven’t been able to. 

Point 4: Too many underperforming seasons.  Maybe Jeter’s wrist is still hurting him, I don’t know.  But Abreu’s not more than an 800 OPS outfielder anymore, in my opinion, which isn’t bad but it’s not the .300/.400/.500 guy he used to be.  As of today, the only consistently strong hitters we have are Damon, A-Rod, Giambi, and Posada.

The Yankees could pull the trigger on a trade, or they could tread water and hope the team comes around, but I feel like the latter means 86 wins and watching Tampa Bay in the ALDS.

I’m not blaming anyone, so to speak, this isn’t a “Cashman sucks” rant.  Just telling it out I see it, and I’m just seeing a very average team with too many flaws.

This season can be saved right now.

1. sub for melky with gardner, start giving jeter some OF time IF you think Betemit can play short AND hit.

2. Sign Bonds to DH

3. DFA Farns. The bullpen is super strong right now. I have faith in Veras, Robertson, Giese, Mo, and basically everyone else rotting in AAA and don’t want to see Kyle ever again.0

4. No more bunting for anyone that can slug .410 in the majors

5. Get a new backup catcher. Start giving PO some shots at 1B on his days off by pinch hitting him and rotating into the field until his arm heals. He’s going to end up at 1B eventually anyway.

6. bring up Kennedy after one more good start. Ponson is useless.

7. Bat Jeter first, followed by damon. I don’t buy into protection, but he’s consistenly hit leadoff better than his HOF 2 hole stats. And maybe he needs a change of scenery.

That is all.

There is like one backup catcher in the entire major leagues with any pop whatsoever.

Someone call Philly and see if he is available.  Other than that, you have to play with the molina you are dealt.

go through each league in which The Yankees have farm teams and look at the pitching/hitting leaders

You have to be careful about this.  Minor league leaders are often guys who are old for the level, and/or repeating a level.  A 24 year old mashing at AA could easily be a lot less of a prospect than a 19 year old struggling in low A.

Why don’t we dominate the market for International signings?

We do.  Or at least we did until some other organizations caught on.  You complain that only one of the good position players developed in recent years came from the draft.  Well, where do you think the others, plus Wang, came from?

point 5: posada could not throw a little leaguer out so walks turn into triples

these past two games are an embarassment. I was almost hoping they didnt tie it up last night because I knew they would not score another run.

I almost dont want to go to the game on friday.

Jeter has played a good SS- it’s his hitting that is the problem.  Melkey is also a big problem- he is one of my favorite players and I real want him to be a good pro but I’m really unimpressed with his performance this year.  I’d platoon him and Garner until one gets hot.  Maybe Gardner can be a Pierre type.  I like Bonds- he gets a bad wrap for doing something 75% of the league was doing.  Everyone hates the Yanks- let them hate us more, especially when Bonds is wearing pinstripes ona float down Broadway in October.  Can someone please explain why we don’t dominate the International market?  Can’t we afford to have 2x the scouts and 2x the bonus money of almost every other team?

Some of the posters here are very funny.

I’d platoon him and Garner until one gets hot.

Gardner is a lefty, and Melky is a switch-hitter in name only.  He’s hitting .196/.286/.293 from the right side this year, and it’s not really a fluke when you look at his career splits.  The Yankees have no righthanded hitting outfielders, which makes platooning kind of tough.

6. bring up Kennedy after one more good start. Ponson is useless.

I have to disagree ml.  Ponson was pitching well for the Rangers and had a good outing for us Friday night.  IPK has pitched like crap all year.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I think in the long run IPK will be the better pitcher but now is not his time.  Ponson earned the right for the next start.

MC in VA: I understand the age explanation which is why I still have hope.  With regard to the international signings, Cano, Soriano, and Wang are all we have to show in a decade.  Not that Mets or RedSox are any better (Mets had Reyes, Sox Hanley) so I guess I’d say we are doing fine in terms of talent generation via International signings.  Still, I’m hoping the Yanks dominate in the next few years (starting 2 yrs ago) but so far I don’t see the fruits of Cashman’s labor w/respect to the Farm.  But I’m still hoping to see some successs…

You can platoon someone without it being a L/R thing, right? Just alternate them until one gets hot.  If it doesn’t happen then either make a deal or wait until next year.  Making a move would be tough right now.

With regard to the international signings, Cano, Soriano, and Wang are all we have to show in a decade

Melky is a pro, so that is something.

They have a couple on the farm they think are going to be really, really good.  Montero and Tabata.

Maybe Gardner can be a Pierre type.

Be careful what you wish for.  Pierre has a career OPS+ of 84.  Yeah, he steals a lot of bases, and those add value.  But the caught stealings subtract value.  All in all, I’d guess that adding in baserunning and defense still leaves him somewhat short of being an average major league player.

Ponson is useless.

Ponson should be useless.  Then again, Cano should be an all-star and Cabrera should be improving with experience, while Giambi and Mussina should be toast.  It’s been that kind of year.

Oh, and Matsui is a pretty good int’l (of a different ilk, obviously)

"It would have been a great time to give Jeter a shot in the OF.”

Yes, Jeter’s first OF appearance in his life (maybe he played there in Little League, I don’t know) should have come in the 10th inning of a tie game. Were you being sarcastic? If so, I am an idiot.

You can platoon someone without it being a L/R thing, right? Just alternate them until one gets hot.

Well of course you can alternate two players if you want to.  That doesn’t make it a platoon, since it doesn’t give you the platoon advantage.  Personally, I think it would be better for Melky to sit for a week and let Gardner play every day.  Then let Gardner play a few more days in a row by giving Abreu and Damon some rest.  If it doesn’t wake Melky up and the kid looks overmatched, then try something else.

MC in VA: that’s right- I don’t think he’ll be an average ML player but perhaps, surrounded by big bats, he could be useful in the 2-hole.  If he has years like Pierre’s in FL w/OPS+ of 94, 107, and 84 then he will be usefull if he steals 40-50 base (w/80% success rate) and plays + defense in CF.  Perhaps he can walk more than Pierre did and be more like a Brett Butler in which case he is a huge asset.  Or perhaps he is closer to Bubba in which case he is a pinch runner.  I was at the game and saw him for the first time last night and was impressed by his speed, patience at the plate, and his arm.  I’m hoping for Juan Pierre in FL with a bit more patience.

Were you being sarcastic?

Well, I don’t know if sarcastic is the right word, but I was not being serious. Just goofin’ around.

And the Yanks should thank their lucky stars if Brett Gardner turns into Juan Pierre.

Below average players aren’t exactly assets, unless they’re on your bench, in which case they probably don’t get the opportunity to steal 40-50 bases.  Pierre was really only a useful player his first two years in Florida.  Interestingly, his best year as a hitter was his worst year as a base stealer.  If he’d stolen bases at his usual 75+% rate that season, he’d have been something.

the Yanks should thank their lucky stars if Brett Gardner turns into Juan Pierre

I really doubt that he will.  Aside from being fast, they don’t seem like particularly good comps.  I’d be very happy if Gardner managed some seasons of .360 to .380 OBP, but I’d be pretty surprised if he did it by morphing into a .300 to .330 hitter with relatively few walks.

I really doubt that he will.

As do I.

Aside from being fast, they don’t seem like particularly good comps.

Eh, they’re not terrible comps. Same profile in terms of everything except Gardner walks a bit more, Pierre hit for better average. Same speed, same arm, same power, same D. Of course, Pierre made it to the majors quicker, but it’s not clear that he should have.

I’d be very happy if Gardner managed some seasons of .360 to .380 OBP

I’d be shocked if he did that.

but I’d be pretty surprised if he did it by morphing into a .300 to .330 hitter with relatively few walks.

I’ll be pretty surprised if Gardner turns in a .360 OBP and isn’t hitting .300.

Can someone please explain why we don’t dominate the International market?  Can’t we afford to have 2x the scouts and 2x the bonus money of almost every other team?

This is plain stupid. The Yankees generally do dominate the international market. For your evidence of how they haven’t you used 2 really good hitters and one of the consistently best pitchers in baseball. Sure we don’t remember all of the other guys but they get signed at 16 and most of them don’t make it past A ball. You also have to include all of the players the Yankees traded away to understand their historical dominance of the international market. Most teams are just now figuring out and trying to do what the Yankees have been for years. Thus the astronomical signing bonus/offers for Inoa and the trickle down from that.

I don’t have a lot of faith in Ponson tonight but Texas is throwig a mediocre righty with an era over 5 and those are the kind of pitchers we feast upon and when we get into their bullpen our score should look like an arena football team’s score

I have tickets to tomorrow’s game.  I was excited.  I’m no longer excited.  Yankees make me sad.

The Yankees generally do dominate the international market.

And, the players in the international market aren’t nearly as good as some may think.  Remember that Hideki Irabu was, “the Japenese Nolan Ryan”?  The Yankees got him, and he was intermittently good for a few years, and gone.  There are lots of other examples of players highly touted by international scouts (what was that Cuban 3B name, Morales?), who turn out to be nothing.  Ask a Mets fan about Kaz Matsui.

All that said, the Yankees do a fairly good job of getting good international players.  It is impossible to assume that they can get them all however, and if they did I’m sure the rules would start changing in a hurry.

I have tickets to tomorrow’s game.  I was excited.  I’m no longer excited.  Yankees make me sad.

I was going to fly into NY when I came home so I could catch a Yankees game with my Dad. Now I’m flying into Providence and don’t really want to waste a day to drive into NY and watch the Yankees lose. Especially since tickets are so expensive.

I have tickets to tomorrow’s game.  I was excited.  I’m no longer excited.  Yankees make me sad.

Take heart; Pettitte is pitching.

You want sad though.  I bought tickets at the beginning of the year to take a rare trip to the stadium, to make sure my son got to a game there before it closed.  I figured and afternoon game against Tampa (next Wed).  Should be a game where they score lots of runs, and beat up on a weak team.  Boy, I got that one wrong!

"Most teams are just now figuring out and trying to do what the Yankees have been for years. Thus the astronomical signing bonus/offers for Inoa and the trickle down from that.”

And using the millions they’ve received from the Yankees through the luxury tax and revenue-sharing I might add. Ain’t that a pip?

those are the kind of pitchers we feast upon and when we get into their bullpen our score should look like an arena football team’s score

Have you been watching the ‘07 Yanks by mistake?

Oh damn-I guess I’ve been watching Yankee classics too much.  Never mind!

Huh, Jeter’s ZR is up to .827. If he were hitting like he normally did, he would be close to a top ten player this year.

Weren’t Jesus Montero and Jose Tababa international prospects?

Weren’t Jesus Montero and Jose Tababa international prospects?

Shh, he’s on a roll!

They are not going to DFA Farnsworth. He may get them a draft pick next year, and has some value in a trade. Really bad idea.

Perhaps you meant Hawkins?

<Weren’t Jesus Montero and Jose Tababa international prospects?>

And Jairo Heredia, and Abe Almonte. The list of high upside young international signees in the Yankees system goes on and on. Seriously go look at the rosters of the the Rookie, A-ss, A- and even A+ Yankees affiliates.

The Yankees never dominated the IFA (International Free Agency) market.

Rumors abound that they have signed quite a few high upside OF’ers today, as July 2 is the date signings can take place for most, not all IFA’s. We’ll see,

I am going on friday...Rasner vs Beckett. Should be fun. I started an MVP chant for a-rod last year that turned the season around (vs Det in mid augustish) I will see if I can do it again.

Gardner’s OPS in the minors is better than Pierre’s was, but with more walks and less hits.  His SB% is also better.  Since he seems to have a better idea of what he’s doing at the plate than Pierre, as much speed, and as good defense then why couldn’t he be as good as him? He has also been improving.  Note, this is the glass half-full in me talking.  The glass half-empty is cursing the fact that this is our best ML-ready OF prospect.

As far as International signings- if you read my post I conceded the fact that we have done fine.  The draft, on the other hand, has been an unmitigated disaster for a long time.  The verdict is out on how the more recent drafting/scouting turn-around is going.

How can you guys speculate on what Gardner will do in the majors after two games?  Last season, Jacoby Ellsbury slugged over .500 in just over 100 at bats.  Now, in more than double the plate appearances, he’s at less than .400.  Personally, I would prefer to see Gardner play over Melky because his speed adds a dimension Melky lacks and the Yanks won’t lose anything defensively.  Given how awful Melky has been with the bat, any offense Gardner gives the team right now is a bonus.

How can you guys speculate on what Gardner will do in the majors after two games?

I’m not, I’m looking at his minor league numbers. It is nice to have a face to go along with the numbers though.

Apropos of nothing:  I’m looking at the Fernando Rodney Gameday picture and his hat is on crookedly.  Can someone explain the crooked-hat phenomenon?  I mean, I know it’s been around for years and years, but I can’t understand why.  What is supposed to be the point?  Anyone?

As for the draft, Joba by himself repudiates any characterization of Yankee drafts as being “an unmitigated disaster for a long time.” Did you like David Robertson last night?  Well, he was a Yankee draftee.  How about Austin Jackson?  Obviously, he hasn’t played in the majors yet, but he looks primed to take over CF within the next year and a half - and lo and behold he was also a Yankee draft pick in 2005.  This guy named Phil Hughes also has some upside, but that’s just a rumor going around the internet.  Obviously, the Yanks have had some clunkers, but from 2004 onwards, the Yanks have held their own.

No Melky or Posada tonight.  Betemit at 1b, Giambi at DH.  I’d prefer Posada at DH but I suppose Joe is giving Giambi a blow(not that kind of blow)

I’m going to see Wall-E tonight, so I will be blissfully ignorant of the disasters taking place at the stadium.  Then again, maybe a lack of me is what this offense needs to get on a roll?

It means one of two things, YM: 1) you are old or 2) you are too cloistered and overeducated to understand fads among the hoi polloi.

Wall-E was an amazing, amazing film. Enjoy.

It means one of two things, YM: 1) you are old or 2) you are too cloistered and overeducated to understand fads among the hoi polloi.

Both, actually.  It’s not easy being a 70 year old 300-lb man who resides on the top floor of his ivory tower while all the coolness oozes by below…

Wall-E was an amazing, amazing film. Enjoy.

Thanks!  I’ve been looking forward to it ever since I saw the first trailer.

Is there a good way to actually compare performance in international signings?  Any lists of players signed, what team, when, for how much, current status?

Damon LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Giambi DH
Posada C
Cano 2B
Betemit 1B
Gardner CF
Ponson RHP

The end of Melky?  Unlikely…

I’ve been looking forward to it ever since I saw the first trailer.

I’m in the same boat. I look forward to hearing what you think about it.

I’m off to Hancock tonight (hopefully), should be fun. I’ll be sure to report my feelings.

The Yanks will need at least six runs to win today, probably more.  It’s so incredibly frustrating that Yankee hitters have lowered themselves to the level of Texas pitching even as their own hurlers stepped up their games against the league’s best offense.

Is there a good way to actually compare performance in international signings?  Any lists of players signed, what team, when, for how much, current status?

About 5% of international signees make the bigs.

The end of Melky?  Unlikely…

Mark my words, this is Melky’s Wally Pipp moment

About 5% of international signees make the bigs.

That’s good to know.

The number varies a bit based on how much you’re paying for the talent, but the bottom line is that the international market (like much of baseball amateur talent acquisition) is a crapshoot.

I’m going to see Wall-E tonight

Hey so am I, for $3. Awesome. Granted I’m going to see it in the area of LA that boasts the highest violent crime rate. But still, $3!

Hey so am I, for $3.

You suck.

You might want to wear your track shoes to the movie in that case, Clay.

Unmitigated disaster referred to the period before the supposed turn-around within the organization.  Joba is a good start and is proving himself but, while the future may look bright for the other guys, every team is stocked with bright futures so we will see who does and doesn’t pan out.

I’ve actually never had any issues there, and the theater is in the nicer part of it. But I generally try not to be there too often after dark.

"Nicer” as in, they give you a 30 second warning before the gunfire starts?

“Nicer” as in, they give you a 30 second warning before the gunfire starts?

something like that.

Ah, retrospective one liner:

They shoot you and then apologize.

I’m sure you will all be pleased to know that Austin Jackson made the Eastern League all-star team.  Not bad for an 8th round draft pick.

A few conservative pundits Glenn Beck, Lars Larsen and others have dismissed Wall-E as leftist propoganda so if you see someone wearing a suit with black shoes and white socks taking pictures cover your face.

Wouldn’t they wear black socks in that case just so they could be inconspicuous?

...I’m just saying let’s give some of these few things a chance before I throw my laptop out of my sadly un airconditioned window.

"Take heart; Pettitte is pitching.”

So get ready for a 2-0 loss.