although one name is a bit surprising

DeSalvo?

In the NY Post today, Torre intimated that the Yankees would be one pitcher short post AS break.  So, which one goes?  My bet right now is on Bruney.  Vizcaino, Rivera, Proctor, and Farnsworth aren’t going anywhere.  Torre likes both Myers and Villone.  And Ramirez seems to have caught Torre’s favor (and deservedly so).  So unless a trade occurs in the next couple of days, I think Bruney is going to be sent to Scranton to, “work on his control”.

I know it must sound a bit like fogeyism…i.e., back when I was a teenager Yankee Stadium was much cooler, but it’s not. Something defintely changed after 1996.

whoops, I had a post get eaten or something. I was just talking about how much louder Yankee Stadium was in the 1995 division series than it ever has been since.

“DeSalvo? “

yeah.  huh?

Perhaps the Yanks will send Igawa down to Scranton to work on everything.  Substituting Hughes for him will go a long way toward helping the Yanks run off a decent sized winning streak - although in order for that to happen, the team will also need more consistent contributions from Abreu and Damon.  What makes the Igawa signing all the more befuddling is all the pitching depth the Yanks have in the high minors, although I’m sure Cashman would say, and rightly so, that a team can never have too much pitching.  The best scenario at this point would be to trade him to an NL team, which shouldn’t be that hard given his modest salary.  After all, Alan Horne, Joba, Kennedy and Jeff Marquez will be better options by next year - not to mention Clippard and Ohlendorf.

The best scenario at this point would be to trade him to an NL team, which shouldn’t be that hard given his modest salary

They perhaps needs to get his numbers to look decent or try and send him somewhere where a pitching coach feels like they can fix him.

Of course, they could try to fix him themselves, but that obviously isn’t happening.

whoops, I had a post get eaten or something. I was just talking about how much louder Yankee Stadium was in the 1995 division series than it ever has been since.

I don’t know.  The Stadium was actually shaking during the 2001 series of Game 4 and 5.  And Game 7 in ‘03 was just as loud.

What makes the Igawa signing all the more befuddling is all the pitching depth the Yanks have in the high minors, although I’m sure Cashman would say, and rightly so, that a team can never have too much pitching.

i am not trying to justify the Igawa signing, but it’s easy to say this NOW.  Kennedy and Chamberlain were very realistically 2+ years away at the time of Igawa’s posting.  to their credit, they have placed themselves on the fast track, but back in November they had not even played winter ball yet.  Guys like Jackson and Ohlendorf were not in the system yet.  i’m not sure what the timetable on Clippard was, but he is obviously not ready.  DeSalvo was coming off a terrible year, etc.

Igawa seems superfluous now b/c the Yankee farm system has had a great 2007.  this is a nice “problem” to have.

my point is this: Igawa was obviously not the right guy, but i understand why the Yankees felt they might need another starter.

also, the Yankees had no idea they would be able to sign Pettitte when Igawa was posted.

i would guess that at that point, it was > 75% likely he would return to Houston.

“DeSalvo? “

yeah.  huh?

Quick, re-print that list everywhere, then trade him.

Re Igawa:

I agree with everything yup said.  I’d also like to add that I think it may have been partly Cashman responding to the Yankees losing out on Matsuzaka.  That is, they wanted to show they were serious about signing a pitcher from Japan, and Igawa seemed like the best one (he may have been the only other starter available as well, I’m not sure about that).

Also, it is too soon to give up on Igawa.  I’m not saying I want/expect him to be a major player going forward this year, but there is still some hope for him over the course of the contract.

I don’t know.  The Stadium was actually shaking during the 2001 series of Game 4 and 5.  And Game 7 in ‘03 was just as loud.

It’s one thing to talk about loudness during a huge moment like a big homerun, but those 1995 crowds were just nuts from beginning to end. There’s too many rich people at the stadium these days. Not as many lunatics. On mlb.com you can watch the clip of Mattingly’s homerun. I love to see the cascade of celebratory beer and garbage that rains down from the upperdeck in the aftermath. Those must have been some wild nights.

The Pacific Rim scout who recommended Igawa should be fired. I can’t see any justification for signing him for the money they paid (posting fee + contract) because it was done with the idea that he would contribute this season from April on. Obviously, that has been a total failure. If they thought he can help down the road after an extensive minor league assignment, that would be one thing, but then he would have been worth a lot less money.

I don’t think that the signing is justifiable based on underbidding on Matsuzaka. If that was Cashman’s thought process, I would be really disappointed that he would be so myopically reactive.

As I have said, if Bruney has option years remaining, I would send him down to work with Gil Patterson on his command (i.e., learning to consistently repeat his mechanics). If not, based on the way Torre’s Yankees do things, I would be surprised if Ramirez isn’t demoted. I hope I’m wrong.

Perhaps there are too many rich people at the stadium these days, but at least the crowd is slightly more civilized.  After all, who would want to take their girlfriend/wife to a Yankee game back when the stadium was filled with scurrilous, drunken cads.  Obviously, there is probably a bit too much politeness now and most likely even more tolerance for the mistaken ilk that are Red Sox fans, but I’m not going to have a fit because the stadium is more decent place these days.  I would, however, like to see “God Bless America” put to bed finally.

“I love to see the cascade of celebratory beer and garbage that rains down from the upperdeck in the aftermath. Those must have been some wild nights.”

A beer at the stadium costs you what, $8 now?  $10?  I’m pretty well off and if I’m paying those prices (I won’t), I’m not throwing it anywhere but down my throat.

The Pacific Rim scout who recommended Igawa should be fired.

i think i read somewhere that he was.  but i have no source for that.

the annoying thing is that they scouted Igawa for 3 years.  i don’t think it was really a “kneejerk reaction” type thing at all.

If not, based on the way Torre’s Yankees do things, I would be surprised if Ramirez isn’t demoted. I hope I’m wrong.

one thing we can’t lose sight of is that Edwar has pitched as many innings as Proctor this year, just not in the majors.  if he were to become a torre “favorite” and ridden like Proctor, we may never see him again. i think they actually have to limit his usage a little no matter how good he is.

Edwar Ramirez is not some sort of A prospect that needs to be used carefully nor is he a tender-aged youngster.  If he’s effective, Torre can Villone him all he wants as far as I’m concerned.  Speaking of the bullpen, one reason (among many) to deal Farnsworth would be so that Chris Britton, who may very well be a better pitcher right now, can be promoted.

Obviously, there is probably a bit too much politeness now and most likely even more tolerance for the mistaken ilk that are Red Sox fans, but I’m not going to have a fit because the stadium is more decent place these days.

That’s true.  And at least people aren’t throwing pizza’s at each other or anything.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztPQieRucKE

God bless the superior Yankees fan.

There’s actually a dude named Evan Longoria? Did he marry Antoinette Parker of the San Antonio Storm this weekend?

Hey SG, remember those simulation ideas we were discussing a while back?  High-variance vs low-variance teams?

rilkefan, yep, I’ve already run them, but I haven’t sat down to look at the data yet.  That’s something good to tackle over the next couple of days I think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztPQieRucKE

God bless the superior Yankees fan.

If you’ve ever actually been to Yankee Stadium you would know that the bleacher creature fans always sing that song during the 6th inning YMCA song performed by the grounds crew.  When they target someone in the stands its usually because they are wearing Sox gear or apparel of the opposing team that day.  Its done in a kidding manner.

I’d rather have that happen to me in good fun then get food thrown at me.  (or get swiped at and have beer poured on me while trying to field a ball.)

When they target someone in the stands its usually because they are wearing Sox gear or apparel of the opposing team that day.  Its done in a kidding manner.

maybe.  but that clip was still pretty embarrassing.

Yes, that clip is saddening.  Humans are an ‘interesting’ bunch.  The most uplifting kindnesses and the most sickening atrocities are all perpetrated by us humans.  How to get more of the first and less of the second, I wish I knew.

It is partly to escape the realities of life that I follow baseball.  It is a nice escape for me.  I wish that clip were not shared, or, at least that I had not seen it. 

Let’s talk about Hughes instead.  Pete Abraham has a nice update on his site.  Let’s go Yankees!

Weekly Journalist, you are so spot-on re. the ‘95 Division Series.  I wasn’t at the Mr. November game in ‘01, though I was at Game 7 of the ‘03 LCS and it was NOTHING compared to the atmosphere in ‘95.  I swear the stadium shook when Mattingly homered.  The Leyritz walkoff is probably the most exhilirating thing I’ve experienced at the ballpark.  Not to say we’re fat and spoiled now, but there was a level of gratitude to be back in the postseason after 14 years, which made the noise and excitement what it was.

Is it too corporate now?  I don’t know.  I sit in the upper deck and haven’t found it so.  I don’t think fan enthusiasm has to be equated with rowdiness and anti-social behavior.  For that, go back 20-25 years, when an overall seediness permeated the place (as it did all of New York City).  I kid you not—I saw lines of coke snorted in the upper deck in 1982 or ‘83.