Looking back these last weeks, it’s hard to believe it’s real.

The optimism. The despair. The cynicism.

The long wait. Interminable, really. First the bragging, then the doubts. Never losing hope. Never daring to hope for more.

But I wake up today, and it wasn’t just a dream. It really happened.

Yes, my Commemorative Deker Jeter Half-Dollar Plated in Pure 24k Gold, with Bonus Mark Teixeira Quarter Set has finally arrived !

Hmm, no mention of the prize that RLYW owes me!

And nope, I don’t write for an NBC sitcom in my real job…

And the blog isn’t about nothing.

More seriously, the interview reminds me of how much the internet has contributed to my understanding of statistics. When I grew up, the entire emphasis was on counting stats, and it’s been kind of fun to realize that some of the players that I thought were great as a kid actually weren’t, and that others were underappreciated.

Great interview SG!  I had similar feelings about 1985 (my first season as a true-fan as well), and Winfield was my favorite before Mattingly.  I also read your first post you linked as well.  I noticed this near the top:

The biggest problem the Yankees will face in maintaining their success going forward will be the age-related decline and increasing likelihood of injuries to their star players.

Seems I’ve been reading that here every year *I’ve* been a reader…

I know some of the hardcore stat stuff can get a little boring/dry, and baseball is supposed to be entertaining, which is why I try to mix in a little bit of sarcasm/humor when I can. The readers and commenters on the blog do a good job of that too, and help keep the blog from getting a little too serious.

I’ve never really cared for the statheads that seem to foster no disagreement or assume we can glean everything from the numbers. There’s a lot of stuff that we can’t quantify, and there are a lot of reasons that a lot of the numbers we look at should at the very least be taken with a grain of salt. That’s another reason to not take everything too seriously.

This is exactly why I come here.  Some stat heads (which I like to consider myself among) think a 5.3 WAR is definitive proof a players is better than a guy with a 5.1 WAR and anyone that doesn’t see that needs to be called an idiot.  Everything is serious, literal, and perfectly quantifiable even though the stats they use have evolved greatly over the past 5 years because a lot of people don’t understand how those stats were calculated and their weaknesses but are unwilling to admit that. 

Here I can come and ask questions, challenge, and most of all learn from those who know more than me while for the most part enjoying the humor.  I enjoy getting other peoples takes without being beaten over the head with them or being mocked for what in hindsight may be stupid questions.

In summary you are doing a great job not only with analysis but setting the tone of this place and this is the perfect time to say “Thanks!” and “Great job!”

Good stuff, SG.  I’d never come across the Yankeeist before.

Keep on doing what you’re doing.  In other words, Whatever!  (Yankees win odds -100%)

Nice to see you get some much-deserved attention, SG.

This site has changed the way I enjoy baseball and the Yankees.  It’s the best Yankee site going.  It has the best analysis, with a tone that’s neither crass in its criticisms nor smug in its beliefs, and the commenters generally follow suit.  As I wonder “What happened to the Yankees?” or “What’s best for the Yankees?” I come here and always leave feeling several steps ahead of whatever is being talked about among fellow fans, the mainstream media, and even the broader sabermetric community.

Please keep up the great work!

Enjoyed the interview, SG, and I second the above commenters who are appreciative of your efforts and the way in which this site provides a great forum for insightful (and humorous) Yankees commentary!

Hooray Yankees!  Hooray SG!  This site occupies the top left panel on my Google chrome home page, and for good reason.  I share the sentiment that RLYW transformed my love and understanding of the game.  Although SG still considers this Larry’s site - and I respect and appreciate Larry - this site has had a heart transplant, to be sure.

This is the first offseason in some time that I’m not obsessed with baseball.  I’m at peace, and excited for February…but life is just good.  I’m still living in memory of this great season.  Plus I’m buried with school work.

Before reading this interview I thought nothing could further raise my intense esteem for SG.  I was wrong.

Put another way: SG is SG.

Sometimes I don’t open this site first when I open my browser. Mostly because my mouse infrequently glitches and clicks on the link to my online banking.

Thanks SG!

Good stuff, SG.

Winfield is still my all-time favorite player.

Nerds.

[14] Thanks for the compliment!

Hey cool, from the linked interview, I was at the Wells perfect game too.

Also top left on my chrome homepage. Yay site!

Hey cool, from the linked interview, I was at the Wells perfect game too.

I almost missed that game.  I saw the first inning and my wife (then girlfriend) called and talked my ear off for like 2 hours.  I came back to the TV and asked, “how are they doing?”  My Dad was like, “top of the ninth, Wells is pitching a perfect game”.

I also missed most of Cone’s perfect-game b/c she wanted a day out.  Caught the last inning waiting for a table at Red Lobster.  Whenever there’s a no-hitter through like 2 innings now and she wants me away from the TV I remind her of these incidents…

she wants me away from the TV I remind her of these incidents…

So… basically you are admitting it’s your fault, Moose, Pettitte, AJ, Mitre, etc.

[19]  yep!

The only reason this link isn’t the top left on my chrome homepage is because I use firefox; where it happily sits at the top left.

Great interview; you do a pretty incredible job with the site. It’s by far my most-visited sports-related website. It’s been such a relief finding a site that’s statistically-oriented while realizing there’s always going to be something we can’t quantify.

And the dry humor is fantastic. Keep up the good work!

Seems I’ve been reading that here every year *I’ve* been a reader…

One day, it will be true.  Unfortunately.

Hey cool, from the linked interview, I was at the Wells perfect game too.

Actually, I wasn’t there in person, I worded that answer kind of poorly.  I was at El Duque’s debut and did see Knoblauch make an error or two though.

Thanks for the kind words all, I appreciate it.  But feel free to resume complaints if desired, this is a complaint thread after all.

One day, it will be true.  Unfortunately.

It was basically true in 2008. It’s why I wouldn’t give Damon two guaranteed years.

I’d give Damon four years.  Of course, he wouldn’t take the salaries I’d be offering.

[19] Yeah, it is.  She’s also an amazing Yankees-jinx.  She can glance at the TV and it is a guarantee they will let up a HR or hit into a DP within seconds.  I tried my best to keep her away from a TV during the playoffs.  She walked into the room while AJ was pitching a couple of times…

[24] I don’t see what the problem is with a 4/$2.5M contract.  I’d sign one in a minute!

[26] You do have a plus plus make up…

[26] Damon can view it as an annuity.

Actually, I was thinking something like $9M/$6M/$3M.  The fourth year would be Pinstriper’s Commemorative Jeter Half-Dollar and Bonus Teixeira Quarter.  Plus incentives of course.

An autographed Johnny Damon card if he reaches 20 homers.

Great interview SG. My personal favorite moment growing up was a game I went to in 1988 in which Gary Ward hit a pinch-hit, 3 run home run to win in extra innings against the Tigers. I guess that was my Pat Clements moment. It was inconceivable to me that the Yankees would let him go the next year. If only I understood that he had an OPS+ of 74 that year.

[30] Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Come on, give him some real value.

Bravo, SG! But you lived in New Jersey?

There was just something amazing about the methodical way that ‘98 team destroyed the competition that year, plus I was living in New Jersey at that time and got to attend about 20 games in person. The Wells perfect game, El Duque’s MLB debut, Chuck Knoblauch’s defense. Well, maybe not that last one.

40 man roster set, I’m surprised they protected all three of Reegie Corona, Eduardo Nunez and Kevin Russo.

Who is this “Cutter” fellow mentioned in the interview?  He sounds like a moron.

Good stuff with the interview, SG.

[34] They must think they are more likely to be able to stick on another team’s 25 man roster.

Everyone here should make sure to spend as much time as possible on other Yankee blogs. Nothing will make you appreciate this place more.

Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Come on, give him some real value.

You don’t honestly believe Phil Hughes would part with that, do you?

40 man roster set, I’m surprised they protected all three of Reegie Corona, Eduardo Nunez and Kevin Russo.

That means they have at least two UIF already on the 40 man (Pena and Russo), so I hope it means they would go forward with the plan of turning the UIF job over to Pena and not signing someone like Craig Counsell for the job.

Everyone here should make sure to spend as much time as possible on other Yankee blogs. Nothing will make you appreciate this place more.

Preaching to the choir. I just got into an argument with a fellow on another Yankees blog in which I had to explain that a pitcher’s ERA with RISP will obviously be higher than his ERA with no one on base, and that it be higher doesn’t necessarily mean the pitcher freaks out with RISP.

*being

These were my personal fav’s:

Chris Carpenter, rhp 30 - Nothing special, coming off injuries, but a serviceable starter.

Roger Clemens, rhp 43 - Will Roger play another season? Would he come back to New York to do it? Unlikely on both counts.

This one was pretty much hitting the nail on the head:

Carl Pavano, rhp 29 - Another good young starter, but has a somewhat shaky injury history and is really just starting to show the promise he’s had for a long time. I think he’s a got a bit of uncertainty that would make me wary.

[35] Jonathan, is ‘Cutter’ a nickname or an hommage to our collective favorite Yankee pitcher?

Am I the only one who finds it a bit odd that the Rule 5 draft is held before the non-tender deadline?  Wouldn’t it make more sense the other way around?

I read the Yankeeist interview with the Bronx Banter guys, and they linked to their piece on Steve Karsay and basically an indictment of Joe Torre’s bullpen management:

http://bronxbanter.baseballtoaster.com/archives/178976.html

I live out in LA so prior to last month I had a lot of Dodgers fan asking me, “Is it weird to see Torre manage another team?  Were you upset when he left?”  And I responded with, “great guy in the clubhouse, terrible tactician that cost the teams games.”  Every single I was asked that question, I would remember something like starting Miguel Cairo at 1st base and go livid.

Man, it’s been a long journey since 2000.

[35] Jonathan, is ‘Cutter’ a nickname or an hommage to our collective favorite Yankee pitcher?

Partly, yes.  I also threw a fastball in high school that had some cut to it.  Usually cut right into the dugout.

But you lived in New Jersey?

Yep, lived in Parsippany from 1997-2001.

SG - what everyone else has said.

Changed the way I watch/think about baseball.

Changed - radically - the way I hear announcers.  Why didn’t I realize this before?!  (Well, I knew about McCarver…)
And changed the way I think about pie.
Thanks for everything, guy!

Vill, I wonder if I saw you at the Wells game.
How many of us caught BOTH NYA regular-season perfect games?

[45] Parsippany, huh? I worked in Boonton in the early 90’s. Very nice area but the parking during the snow season was treacherous.

I did not witness either perfect game, but I bet I’m the only regular poster here who’s been present for Yankee Staidum home runs by both Kevin Maas and Tom Shopay.