As Lane Meyer says over at Nomaas, don’t believe it until after the deadline is over.  But yeah, it would suck if this happens.  Unless of course they get a blue-chip prospect with the pick next year

Oh fuck.

Can someone explain how this works?  Cole was what, #28 pick this year?  So if Yanks lose him, do they get another #28 pick PLUS whatever number they are supposed to draft at in ‘09?  In other words, do they get compensated with an extra first-round pick or what? 

Help!

In other words, do they get compensated with an extra first-round pick or what? 

yes.  but it’s unlikely that lightning will strike twice.

the yankees got top 10 talent at 28 this year.  this blows.

this blows.

Eh, could still just be posturing by Boras an co. in an effort to extract a bigger bonus.  The deadline is tonight at midnight, I’ll hold off on the rending of garments until then.

Scott Boras and signability will still be with us in 2009.  I expect that $7-10m will still buy top 10 talent at position 28 in the future as long as Boras understands that someone is willing to pay that much.  Towards that end, the Yankees should go ahead and make their best offer even if Cole never looks at it.

if Cole doesn’t sign they get pick 28A next year, basically 29. In addition to whatever other first round pick they get.

So if Yanks lose him, do they get another #28 pick PLUS whatever number they are supposed to draft at in ‘09?

I think the Yankees get pick “28a”.  They get a pick at the same spot as last year’s, but one-after the team who would normally pick at that spot.

but it’s unlikely that lightning will strike twice.

I’ve been thinking that too.  At the same time, Chamberlain was the 41st pick, and Huston Steet was a 40.  If they could get a player of Street’s calibar - maybe not the upside of Cole but - with 28a next year, I’d be damn happy.  This sucks and all, but it isn’t the end of the world. 

I still think Cole will get signed.  We’ll probably hear around 11PM tonight how, “after thinking hard about it, Cole decided playing with the Yankees was what he wanted to do most in the world”.

If Cole opts for college, he’s taking quite a risk.  One major injury and/or TJ surgery and he’ll drop in the draft.  Of course, if he has a great year, then he could jump into the top 3.  Question is, would he rather take Yankee money now or Royal money later?  Where will he make more money and enjoy more success in the long run?

If only I had those problems.

Eva Mendes.

Of course, if he has a great year, then he could jump into the top 3.

except he can’t be drafted for 3 years.

and also, i am SURE the yankees are offering the same “top 3” money that another team would offer.

in other words, i agree with your premise, he is taking a huge risk.

it’s a very poor financial decision, but not all decisions are financial.  good for him if it’s not.

I’m sure Boras is behind this, all Svengali-like. 

On a related note, do y’all think that when Boras finally goes to the big sports agency in the sky all the baseball GMs will show up at the funeral to spit on his grave?

I agree with those who believe too much is being made of this.  First off, the deadline is tonight, so any statements in terms of Cole not signing are premature.  Also, this scenario eerily recalls the Royals’ saga last year with first pick Mike Moutsakas - who signed at the last minute.  Second, the Yanks will put the pick to good use if Cole really is determined to attend UCLA.

it’s a very poor financial decision, but not all decisions are financial.  good for him if it’s not.

I agree.  If he’s looking to enjoy the college experience, then I think he’s making the right choice.  Going to UCLA is another good choice.

I guess it depends on how much he listens to Boras.  I’d think Boras would be more concerned about the financial aspects.

How old is Cole?  Could he be a draft-eligible sophmore?

Boras is posturing. He knows that the mission statement in college is win not develop, meaning pitch counts reaching 150+ and pitching on short rest in tournament games. You wanna gamble on how Cole’s arm will look like after 3 years of that? It’s worth the gamble if you’re a late round pick. Not if you’re the first round pick of the richest team in the sport. And, if Cole really hungers to become a useful, functionally literate member of American society rather than just a professional side of beef, he can get the Yankees to finance 4 years of college at Stanford…during the off-season.

As for Boras, the best way to beat him is to call his bluffs.  Boras insisted on seven years for Johnny Damon, the Yanks offered four and that’s exactly what they wound up with.  The man is not invincible, just clever.

If the Yanks don’t sign Cole and Bittle, they could have something close to 10-12 picks in the first two rounds, depending on their own free agents and if they sign anyone.

If that happens, Oppenheimer will be the busiest man in MLB up to the 2009 draft.

I guess it depends on how much he listens to Boras.  I’d think Boras would be more concerned about the financial aspects.

Somewhere - probably Lane Meyer? - I read that Cole’s father has been mostly calling the shots with this.  FWIW.

If Cole hungers for education, he can just read Nietzsche and Tolstoi on his own.  After all, there are plenty of dolts in academia and no guarantees that traipsing by ivy laden facades will lead to being intelligent or sophisticated.  Most guys in college are far more interested in the girls than the books anyway.  I certainly was.

Most guys in college are far more interested in the girls than the books anyway.

sure, and wouldn’t you agree that this is a pretty good reason to go to UCLA?

no one said he “hungers for education”, just that he “hungers” for going to college.

2 different things.  both had a ton of merit.

fter all, there are plenty of dolts in academia and no guarantees that traipsing by ivy laden facades will lead to being intelligent or sophisticated

Exhibit A: The RLYW message boards.

Huston Street sucks.

[megan fox] [megan fox][megan fox][megan fox][megan fox][megan fox][megan fox]

After all, there are plenty of dolts in academia and no guarantees that traipsing by ivy laden facades will lead to being intelligent or sophisticated.

SHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhh!

I am sure signing for $$$$$ with the NY Yankees can get the kid laid more easily. Even if he has matsui’s head on chris brittons body.

In other news, Sir Sid is now tied on the bottom of the list of most deserving knights. The “king penguin” was knighted in scotland.

actually sid is still on the bottom.

I like penguins.

I am sure signing for $$$$$ with the NY Yankees can get the kid laid more easily. Even if he has matsui’s head on chris brittons body.

maybe.

but college is really, really fun.  maybe his family has enough money that if he never makes a dime in baseball, it won’t be the end of the world?

Yeah penguins are cool. They probably take a lot of shit from other birds for the whole not flying thing.

I caught a few minutes of Yankees on Deck last night.  They were showing Phil Hughes’ house in a “cribs” type segment.  He opened his fidge and there was at least 1 bottle of Mike’s Hard Lemonade.

My growing excitement for his return was diminished a little.

He opened his fidge and there was at least 1 bottle of Mike’s Hard Lemonade.

My growing excitement for his return was diminished a little.

Becaaaaaaause…you expect him to drink protein shakes and gatorade all the time and spend 23 hours a day at a gym?  Not everyone can be Michael Phelps, you know.

Or….because you don’t like your manly men to drink girly sugary stuff?  Maybe the Hard Lemonade belongs to Phil’s girlfriend

when hughes was coming back up north from florida he picked up shelley duncan to take the ride. I wish I could have been a fly in the car for that one. Dont jump to conclusions maybe the mikes hard was for his girlfriend or something.

ha good thinking YM. Mikes hard are more alcoholic than most(domestic) beers.

I used to have Smirnoff’s Ice as my sugary girly beverage of choice.  Mike’s Hard…meh.

Either drink Bud and Jack Daniels like Wells or go dry and healthy- no in-between.  I knew Tartabull was gonna be a bust after he signed his big contract when his interview consisted of him talking about his #1 Hobby- fine wines.  That guy laughed all the way to the bank.

You know, Tartabull wasn’t really a bust his first two years.

You know, Tartabull wasn’t really a bust his first two years.

Not until Costanza started giving him tips.

Speaking of beer - is there a major U.S.-owned and/or operated beer company left?  Foreign companies now own Coors (Molson), Miller (SAB) and now Anheuser-Busch (InBev).

You can take Coors and Miller for all I care.  But I was crushed when Bud sold out.

even in his third year that 114 was pretty decent…and I really thought the Yanks were going to beat montreal in the playoffs. He’d be remembered totally differently if he led NY to glory.

Maybe now that the season is done SG can run some sims of 1994.
That will be entertaining, provided we win.

bud didnt sell out. they had no choice. The bid would have went hostile and they would have lost their shareholders a lot of money. They are still headquartered in St. Louis and InBev made some other concessions to maintain buds american roots.

In ‘94 league offense started getting nutsy, right?  Even so, that team really raked:

C   Mike Stanley       .300 .384 .545   140
1B *Don Mattingly     304 .397 .411   112
2B Pat Kelly         .280 .330 .399   90
3B *Wade Boggs       .342 .433 .489   141
SS Mike Gallego       .239 .327 .359   80
LF *Luis Polonia       .311 .383 .414 109
CF #Bernie Williams     .289 .384 .453   119
RF *Paul O’Neill     .359 .460 .603   176
DH Danny Tartabull     .256 .360 .464   114
  Randy Velarde     .279 .338 .439   102
  Jim Leyritz       .265 .365 .518   128
  Gerald Williams     .291 .319 .523 116
  *Matt Nokes     .291 .329 .595   136

It feels like we just had another all-star break as I haven’t watched a yankee game since tuesday night. Maybe the yanks feel that way too and will rattle off 8 or 9 in a row.

Millesky: you’re right- he was a better hitter than I remembered (still an awful fielder).  Those were the days when I only looked at avg and HR’s. 

Yatt: if Molson Coors are smart they’ll start advertising the fact that Bud is owned by the French (well, Belgians…kind of).  That will hurt Bud’s American image.  Canada is close enough to the US that nobody will hold the Molson thing against Coors.

Blame Canada.

Speaking of beer - is there a major U.S.-owned and/or operated beer company left?

I suppose on how big you want them to be “major”.  I’ll still take my Yeungling Lager (oldest continually operating brewary in the US!!) thank you very much.  However they’re still definitely an East Coast beer, though I don’t know if I would call them a “microbrew” any more.

I think Tartabull’s biggest problem was when he got that contract, it was supposed to be THE missing piece to make the Yankees serious contenders again.  At least, that’s the way my teen-age self remembers it being portrayed.  When he wasn’t hitting 60 home runs every year and winning games by himself, that wasn’t good enough.  Good thing we don’t treat players like that any more!

Mike K, thanks for the reportage ending the previous thread.

I do wonder if IPK wasn’t over 90 in part because he was supposed to be working on off-speed stuff.

You know, if Bud’s “American image” = “disgusting undrinkable slop,” then I give the Belgian the green light to scrap the whole thing and start over.

Sam Adams is still American-owned, isn’t it?

Besides, Brooklyn Ale is where it’s at, anyways.

My only use for Coors or Bud is Bud Light or Coors Light for beer pong and/or other drinking games my roommate and I come up with at school.

Ice cold Bud Light is pretty good.  Miller, Coors- not so much.  I will never drink Sam Adams.  Ever.

One of those games was an MLB 2k6 drinking game.  We changed it around so that we rewarded ourselves by drinking rather than punishing (because we were getting good enough at the game such that drinking as punishment wouldn’t happen frequently enough, again, the idea was to get drunk).  If I remember right, the rules went something like this,

single = 1 sip
double = 2 sips
triple = 3 sips

HRs varied.  If A-Rod or Giambi homered, it was just one big gulp (about a quarter of the can).  If Posada or Jeter homered (who had a surprising amt of power in that game), it was half the can.  If Cano, Matsui, or Bernie (yeah, he was still the centerfielder) homered, it was 3/4 of the can.  Now this last rule was awesome.  Somehow, my roommate acquired Juan Pierre (he sucks, but in that game, he hits a groundball anywhere not right at someone, he’d beat it out).  If he homered, it was the whole can.  Boy those 3 homers he hit that whole season were awesome when they happened.  That drinking game was a lot of fun.

So, um, is anyone actually going to watch the game tonight?

I’ll be watching and drinking a Mike’s Hard Bud Light.

So, um, is anyone actually going to watch the game tonight?

what game?  i thought they canceled the rest of the season?

yes.

I’ll be watching it while consuming beers not called Bud or Coors.

Kay a deep thinker wants to send down not just Melky but Cano also for the duration of the MiL season.  Betemit as everyday 2nd baseman?  I don’t think so.

coors is owned by fascists, i prefer the french.

Speaking of beer - is there a major U.S.-owned and/or operated beer company left?  Foreign companies now own Coors (Molson), Miller (SAB) and now Anheuser-Busch (InBev).

You can take Coors and Miller for all I care.  But I was crushed when Bud sold out.

Pabst is now the largest American owned brewer.

So, um, is anyone actually going to watch the game tonight?

I suffered through 1988-1992. I can suffer through this.

This team still has life if they decide they want to play well. Either way, I’ll watch.

“Kay a deep thinker wants to send down not just Melky but Cano also for the duration of the MiL season.  Betemit as everyday 2nd baseman?  I don’t think so.”

Speaking of Michael Kay, my brother spotted him at Sports Page pub in New Ro a couple years ago.  Of course, nobody talked to him.  He’s such a loser.  Anyway, after he left, somebody yelled out to his waitor/waitress, “Hey, how much did he tip you?”  He/she responded, “About 13%” and the guy responded, “That cheap bastard!”

I propose a new drinking game for tonight’s game.  Now keep in mind, this’ll have to played using Bud or some similar brand of crap beer, let you end up in the hospital:

Cano muffs a routine ground ball: 1 sip
Jeter bunts in the first inning: 1 sip
Melky does something stupid: 3 sips
Jeter GIDPs: 1/4 can
ARod pops out with the bases loaded and Yankees down a run: 1/2 can
Giambi grounds into the shift: 1/2 can
Rivera blows a tie game: 2 cans

InBev has ruined several Euro brands over the years, that is quality has gone down. That is what usually happens with these companies.

As for their *concessions*, once they are in full control, say two years out,  we’ll see how hard they work to maintain them.

Ky sucks…but much less than Sterling and Waldo.  I would consider sending Melky down if it would do anything for him.  But since I have never seen anything from hustle from that kid I don’t think he needs to be sent a message- he just needs to learn how to hit.

“I propose a new drinking game for tonight’s game.  Now keep in mind, this’ll have to played using Bud or some similar brand of crap beer, let you end up in the hospital:

Cano muffs a routine ground ball: 1 sip
Jeter bunts in the first inning: 1 sip
Melky does something stupid: 3 sips
Jeter GIDPs: 1/4 can
ARod pops out with the bases loaded and Yankees down a run: 1/2 can
Giambi grounds into the shift: 1/2 can
Rivera blows a tie game: 2 cans”

I like that.  Here are some other rules for people who are listening.

Every time Sterling goes into his HR call, gets it wrong, then spends the next 5 minutes making excuses such as “That ball was fair 95% of the way!  HOWDYA LIKE THAT?!” or “That looked like a sure HR!  That must have had some serious topspin!”: 1 can

Every time Waldman discusses the nuances of baseball she so clearly has no understanding of: drink until commercial

Jeter GIDPs: 1/4 can

Beer futures just went through the roof.

Mike K, thanks for the reportage ending the previous thread.

You’re welcome.  I know most here don’t get to actually see Scranton play, so I try to fill in whenever I can.

I do wonder if IPK wasn’t over 90 in part because he was supposed to be working on off-speed stuff.

He did throw lots of off-speed stuff, even on 2-0 or 3-1 counts.  And he threw some that were likely cutters or something similar (low in the zone, didn’t look like a slider, between 80-84 MPH).  But if the Yankees plan for him is to NOT try to throw in the low-90’s, it is a bad plan.

Besides, this kind of jived with what we’ve seen in the bigs this year.  I thought it significant since I made special not of how hard he was throwing in Scranton last year, and as far as I know they haven’t changed the gun or anything.

Every time Waldman discusses the nuances of baseball she so clearly has no understanding of: <strike>drink until commercial</strike> turn off the radio.

Every time Waldman discusses the nuances of baseball she so clearly has no understanding of: drink until commercial

You’d be dead before the bottom of the second.

Mike K—As I have posted earlier this season and again recently, this is what caused Kennedy to fall to the Yankees in the 2006 draft. His velocity was off quite a bit from his excellent 2005 season. Last year his velocity was back, this year down to 2006 levels.

An odd thing, but it has happened to Kennedy before. That is why I expect him to have a very good 2009, for some team.

But since I have never seen anything from hustle from that kid I don’t think he needs to be sent a message- he just needs to learn how to hit.

No, he doesn’t need to be sent a message.  However, if they don’t plan on playing him regularly for the rest of the year, perhaps it is better to send him down to AAA and call up Lane, Broussard, or even Shelley Duncan.  Perhaps if he’s down in AAA he can figure out his hitting woes by playing regularly against lesser competition.  Or maybe Butch Wynegar can see something that Kevin Long doesn’t.  Maybe I just want to see Melky in CF in the playoffs for Scranton.

Every tme Sterling breaks into a show tune finish your beer and then punch yourslef int he face.

Every time Waldo slurs something incomprehensible in a Bahston accent do the same.

Besides, Brooklyn Ale is where it’s at, anyways.

Just FYI, they’re deep in league with Ratner’s land grab.  That makes the beer more appealing to some, I’m sure, but not me.

Me, I’m obsessed with Dogfish Head 90-minute IPA.

90 IPA! The 60 ain’t bad either.

An odd thing, but it has happened to Kennedy before. That is why I expect him to have a very good 2009, for some team.

That’s true.  I believe he was coming off an arm-injury the previous year in 2006.  He’s had a couple of (reportedly minor) injuries since his good showing in 2007.  Another reason to let him get his innings in AAA I suppose, and hopefully some down-time in the off-season will help.

Still love “The Office” drinking game -

Drink everytime someone looks at the camera.

Don, that makes two things on the planet you and I agree on.

Oh, and Boulevard is where it’s at in terms of small breweries.

We know what Kennedy has done in 2008 compared to 2007. See his 2006 compared to 2005. Pattern? Too early to be certain.

2006 — 5-7 with a 3.90 ERA (101 2/3 IP, 100 H, 44 ER, 36 BB, 102 SO, .258 opponents’ batting average)

2005— 12-2 with a 2.54 ERA (117 IP, 85 H, 33 ER, 38 BB, 158 SO, .201 opponents’ batting average)...his 158 strikeouts place him fourth on USC’s single-season all-time list…his 12.15 strikeouts per nine innings ratio was the fifth-best in school history…in Pac-10 games, he was 7-1 with a 2.12 ERA (59 1/3 IP, 42 H, 14 ER, 17 BB, 88 SO, .200 OBA)

“Every time Waldman discusses the nuances of baseball she so clearly has no understanding of: turn off the radio.”

Yeah, I guess that beats death by alcohol poisoning by the bottom of the second as Mike K said.

“Still love “The Office” drinking game -

Drink everytime someone looks at the camera.”

Haha, I like our (roommate and I) version of the 24 drinking game.  It is:

Drink every time…

1. Jack kills someone
2. Jack screams, “Dammit!”
3. Jack says, “Son of a bitch!”
4. Jack says, “Please.”
5. Jack says, “Thank you” or expresses some sort of gratitude.

It’s funny how wasted the last two rules can get you.  Jack Bauer is a rather polite badass.

“Every tme Sterling breaks into a show tune finish your beer and then punch yourslef int he face.

Every time Waldo slurs something incomprehensible in a Bahston accent do the same.”

I don’t even think the punching yourself in the face is necessary.  The sound waves of their voices coming through the speakers do the job for you.

Mike and The Mad Dog broke up.

Please get a clue WCBS, the time is now to break up Sterling and Gravel Gertie.

If the Yanks were to fire Serling or Suzie Q who should go.  In my building if the elevator is in use CBS radio and the FAN are overwhelmed with static while ABC and ESPN or fine.  Does anyone else have sililar problems?

“Mike and The Mad Dog broke up.

Please get a clue WCBS, the time is now to break up Sterling and Gravel Gertie.”

Yeah, seriously.  I have no idea why Suzyn Waldman has a job doing anything.  Let alone ruining the eardrums and brain cells of Yankees fans.

I’m no fan of Sterling but Waldman is clearly worse.  Preferably, they would both be replaced though - ostensibly by someone who can call a HR correctly.  Also, the “Safe, no he’s out, no he’s safe!” routine needs to end as well.

caught tail end of stroy but sounds like Fransesca said Melky sent down, Gardner and Cody Ransom brought up

!!!

Lefty masher also DFAed

It’s the end of Melky/Sexson era as we know it, And I feel fiiiiiiiine….

caught tail end of stroy but sounds like Fransesca said Melky sent down, Gardner and Cody Ransom brought up

Pete Abe is reporting it, too.  I suppose Ransom gives more flexibility than Sexson, since Ransom can play all over the infield.  Ransom has some power, too, and makes more sense as a pinch-runner.

Kind of surprised they’re calling Gardner back up.  I figured they would want him to play regularly, and I don’t see him doing that right now.  They need offense, and though I think Gardner will eventually be a pretty decent hitter (for a CF), I don’t think it will be this year.  Lane would have made more sense, though then they would also need to free up another roster spot.

You’re losing your religion

87 was for 85

86 with Gardner and Christina on the team pinch running is our strength

Pinch running, hell.  The Yanks are just going to challenge other teams to the Apache Relay. 

Cano, of course, will hand off to the wrong person.

This sounds to me like it has something to do with making sure Melky plays everyday. Right now, Melky provides strong defense in the OF off the bench and nothing else. Gardner provides that and can steal a base. If they need to win games, I can see this move helping out.

Re 90: Yes, I’m sure it is that, and I agree.  I agree too that RIGHT NOW Gardner helps more than Melky.  However, if you are using Gardner that way, there is some duplication between Gardner and Christian.  Which is why someone like Lane who can hit a HR off the bench may have made more sense.

Oh well.  I’m going to SWB on Wednesday, we’ll see how Melky looks.

“I’m no fan of Sterling but Waldman is clearly worse.  Preferably, they would both be replaced though - ostensibly by someone who can call a HR correctly.  Also, the “Safe, no he’s out, no he’s safe!” routine needs to end as well.”

Yeah, that’s what drives me nuts most.  He can’t call a play when it’s happening.  Now I don’t like Gary Cohen, but this would be Cohen’s call followed by Sterling’s of the same play.

“Jeter lines one down the right field line, it’s a fair ball!  Church picks it up and fires it back in from the corner.  Damon’s rounding third.  Here’s the throw home from Reyes…it’s not in time!  And Jeter takes third as the ball trickled away from Castro.  So an RBI-double taking third on the throw by Derek Jeter, and the Yankees lead 1-0! (play over)”

“Swung on a lined down the right field line, it is…a foul ball…no it’s fair!  And…Jeter…is on third base! Damon scores!  (play over)  Now you see, that looked like a foul ball, we don’t have a monitor up here.  But then the ump called it fair!  Then the ball rolled into the corner.  Church got it back in.  Reyes threw it home, but Damon slid in ahead of the throw, and then Jeter being the smart baserunner that he is took third.”

It’s unlistenable.

Crap, I just realized - there goes my drinking game.  Curse you, Cashman! *shakes fist*

YM,

Replace,

Melky does something stupid: 3 sips

with

Runner advances on Damon’s weak arm: 3 sips

Should occur at about the same rate!

“Crap, I just realized - there goes my drinking game.  Curse you, Cashman! *shakes fist*”

Well you could change it to a new rule.

Every time Gardner fails to hit the ball out of the infield: 1 sip

It may not seem like a lot but, don’t worry, you’ll get plenty of opportunities.

#92.  that is spot on!!

And regarding the Yanks’ beer drinking game, I would like to add this suggestion:

Every time a runner does not score from third on an out with less than 2 outs:

Shake up can, hold it under your nose and open it.

Every time a runner does not score from third on an out with less than 2 outs:

Shake up can, hold it under your nose and open it.

What are you, a masochist?  Oh yeah, you watch the Yankees…

Pound a beer before the game starts every time Girardi leads off Gardner or Christian.

Hey, this looks familiar.  I liked SG’s question better.

“Pound a beer before the game starts every time Girardi leads off Gardner or Christian.”

Oh boy, that won’t be good for our livers…

Neither would this one,

Pound a beer every time Girardi brings in Damaso Proctor to be more than a LOOGY.