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Ken Rosenthal tweets that the Yankees have signed Freddy Garcia to a minor league deal. Garcia is an upgrade over Sergio Mitre in the fifth spot and if he can replicate his 2010 performance (4.64 ERA over 157 innings) in 2011 they would be thrilled.
An area of concern is the drop in his strikeout rate and the increase in his walk rate, but overall this is a solid move. Nothing really risked and a definite upgrade over the current alternatives for the rotation.
The '27 and '61 Yankees faced off in Games 1+2 today with the 1927 Yankees winning both. While the '27 Yankees were the "home" team, the fact that they rocked Whitey Ford for four runs in the first inning leads me to believe that they will finish off the '61 squad quickly. Someone on the '61 team is going to need to slow down the '27 offense, they racked up 25 hits and 16 runs in the two games.
I suspect we will have a concluded series by the end of tomorrow, but we will find out.
Game results, info and stats can be round at http://greenmonsta.weebly.com/
Well, I guess we should never count out the 2004 Red Sox, neither in real life nor simulation.
The 2004 squad roared back to win the last 3 games and advance to the Red Sox finals. The 1946 team, enjoying some time off, is ready to take them on. Pedro finally pitched a good game and Manny's bat came alive.
So we are down to a 7-game series with the the 2004 Red Sox and the 1946 Red Sox with the winner heading to the Red Sox vs. Yankees finale.
Game Recaps:
We already know the 1946 RedSox are waiting for the winner of the '04 & '75 Series with the '75 team knocking on the door with a 3-1 lead. Curt Schilling was the starter in game 5 for '04 vs Luis Tiant. Schilling was masterful, pitching a complete game 5 hit shutout to keep the '04 Sox alive. Up 1-0 in the 2nd, the 2004 team scored four times, all of the runs unearned after Pudge Fisk mishandled a swinging bunt by Bill Mueller. Schilling cruised the rest of the way striking out five and walking one.
Game 6 - Pedro Martinez vs Bill Lee. Pedro to date was 0-2 and Bill Lee was 2-0. Unfortunately for the 1975 Sox, Bill Lee the 2004 Sox pounded him around for eight hits and six runs in three and two thirds. Johnny Damon hit two homers, a solo shot in the third and a two run shot in the fourth both off Lee. David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez hit back to back solo shots in the sixth off Dick Pole to ice the game, 2004 Sox and Pedro Martinez won 8-3 forcing a game 7.
Game 7 - Rick Wise vs. Tim Wakefield. A matchup that inspires...well...something. Manny Ramirez started things off in the bottom of the first with a two run homer putting the home team ahead. In the third, fourth and fifth innings the 2004 Sox added three, two and two runs respectively to go up 9-0 to end the 1975 Sox dreams of moving on. In total the 2004 Sox bats came alive for eighteen hits and 11 runs, winning 11-4 behind solid but unspectacular pitching from Wakefield. Manny hit a second homer in the scoring spree giving him three for the YRRS.
Up Next : 2004 vs 1946
The 1998 Yankees almost made a great comeback. Down 3-1 in the series, they rallied to tie things up with an incredible Game 6 performance. They actually had a lead in Game 7, but Jeff Nelson couldn't hold it and the 1961 Yankees advanced.
More details can be seen here
Personally, I am kind of shocked that the 1961 Yankees are in the finals of the "Yankees Bracket" Despite their 109 regular season wins, a lot of critics have dismissed them as overrated. While that label may be overstating it, they did have a pythagorean record of "only" 103 wins. I really thought the '98 team would take them out, but it was not to be and now we have a really good matchup between '61 and '27 to look forward to. Games 1+2 are Monday night.
Are you kidding me? The 2007 Red Sox are playing golf and the 2004 Red Sox are 1 game from fishing. The 1946 Red Sox swept the 2007 World Series Red Sox! The 1975 squad has a 3-1 lead and is sniffing the next round.
Wow, Pedro Martinez was just terrible (or has been so far as his 2004 team is still alive). The old school Red Sox are teaching the rich, young Red Sox players just what it means to be a Champion (in sim-world anyway). Well, at least the Yankees seem to be heading in the same direction.
We'll learn the outcome of this round tomorrow and then onto the "Conference Finals" for lack of a better term.
Game recaps:
#1 seed 2004 RedSox taking on #4 seed 1975 RedSox - Game 1 matchup: Curt Schilling vs. Luis Tiant. Both pitchers were effective through eight. 2004 held a 4-0 lead going into the 9th. Schilling came out for the 9th inning but only got 1 out before needing help. After a Yastrzemski single with one out, Pudge Fisk drilled a 3-2 pitch out of the park to give the '75 team life. After the pitching change, Fred Lynn drew a walk, was forced at 2nd on a groundball by Jim Rice. With two outs, Bernie Carbo jacked one out to tie the game at 4. After a 1-2-3 bottom of the 9th, the 1975 Sox came out immediately in the 10th with a single from Juan Beniquez and another 2 run homer by Cecil Cooper. Dick Drago recorded the win in relief, 1975 winning 6-4. Game 2 featured Pedro Martinez and Bill Lee on the mound. Pedro struggled, not completing the 4th and Lee was masterful, spacing out 5 hits and giving up a single run in 8. Behind Fred Lynn's three run homer in the first, the '75 Sox won 5-2. Game 3 had Rick Wise going against Tim Wakefield. Wakefield was good, giving up 4 runs on 8 hits over 8 innings, but Wise was better giving up only 2 runs through seven and a third. The highly effective '75 bullpen shut the door and the '75 Sox team opened up a 3 games to 0 lead. In Game 4, the shocked 2004 Sox sent Derek Lowe out to stop the hemorrhaging. The '04 Sox squeeked out a 6-4 win with Lowe pitching eight effective innings and going 2-0 in the YRRS. 1975 Sox lead 3 games to 1.
#2 seed 2007 RedSox against #6 seed 1946 RedSox - Game 1 featured Joe Dobson against Dice K Matsuzaka. Neither starter gave up a run, unfortunately for the 2007 team, Dobson pitched a complete game shutout while Dice K went seven and a third. The 1946 team got to Okajima in the eigth scoring twice on a bases loaded two run single by pinch hitter Roy Partee. Game 2 had Tex Hughson vs. Curt Schilling. Both pitchers fared well, giving up three runs apiece and leaving with their team having a chance to win the game. In the bottom of the ninth off closer Jonathan Papelbon, Wally Moses led off with a single. Johnny Pesky singled and JD Drew bobbled the hit letting Moses get to third. Dom Dimaggio was walked intentionally to load the bases, next up, Ted Williams. Papelbon struck the Splendid Splinter out on four pitches bringing up Catfish Metkovich with one out. He hit a ground ball to second, the play at the plate was late, 1946 won 4-3. Game 3 had Jon Lester facing Mickey Harris. This one wasn't close as Lester was roughed up early. The '46 Sox won 9-1 with Wally Moses leading the way with three hits and Rudy York adding a couple of his own. Could Josh Beckett stop the sweep in game 4 against Dave Ferriss? Manager Terry Francona kept with Beckett through six complete despite him giving up seven runs. A dejected Beckett left the field to some boos with his team behind 7-2. Wally Moses again had a big hit, a three run homer off Beckett in the sixth inning. Get the brooms out, this one is done. 1946 swept 2007 4-0.
Not much competition in these series as the '27 Yankees swept and the '61 Yankees have pushed the '98 Yankees to the brink of elimination. The 1998 Yankees won the 4th game of the series and will have to make their streak four-straight to advance to the finals.
Results can be seen here
By now I assume most of you have read the comments Brian Cashman made about Derek Jeter moving to the outfield. If not, try this or this for a recap and commentary.
Personally, I feel a bit sorry for Cashman. Francesca, or the "Sports Pope" as he has been nicknamed by Bob Raismann, has become a bombastic ass on the radio since Mad Dog left. Cashman after having to sit through a Francesca soliloquy about how he should move A-Rod to DH and Jeter to third probably just snapped. He probably just wanted to shut Mike up and didn't think about the impact his comments about Jeter moving to the outfield would have. It's unfortunate and should not have happened. Cashman should have just said that Jeter is our shortstop and there are no plans for that to change.
Instead he talked about the outfield, specifically centerfield and created a ruckus. The problem is, Jeter isn't going to be the centerfielder of the Yankees. He could have been, before the Curtis Granderson trade, but now the Yankees have a centerfielder, in fact they have two of them and Granderson is under contract through 2012 with a team option for 2013. Assuming they exercise that, and unless Curtis gets hurt, they will, Jeter doesn't have a spot to play in the outfield until 2014. That's the season he turns 40 and the Yankees would be committing a crime against baseball if they asked Jeter to play centerfield at that point. Cashman referenced Robin Yount in his Jeter example, but Yount started in center when he was 29 and his career was over at 37. Jeter is 36 right now.
In reality, the time to move Jeter to center was before the Granderson trade. However, we all know that wasn't going to happen and now the Yankees and Jeter are stuck with him at short. The Yankees made a bet that he would remain at least an average shortstop offensively for the next three years when they brought him back. If he isn't, the answer isn't a position change, it is a seat on the bench.
*****
The other nugget that Cashman dropped is that Joba Chamberlain hasn't been the same pitcher since he injured his shoulder in 2008. That's the reason du jour for not using him as a starter. This comment ignores two facts.
1- The Yankees still went with Joba as a starter in 2009. Why would they do this if they were concerned with his injury?
2- Joba went 7-2 with a 3.58 ERA in his first 20 starts of 2009. Doesn't that qualify as pretty good evidence that he could succeed as a starter?
I speculated in December that the Yankees just don't think Joba has the mental makeup for the rotation. But, with Soriano now in the fold are the Yankees seriously going to use Joba as a middle reliever? It seems more and more likely.
UPDATE- As I pressed "publish" on this post I saw a tweet from Joel Sherman saying the Yankees have signed Bartolo Colon and given him an invite to camp. They really will do anything to avoid Joba pitching in the rotation.
Please visit THIS LINK to see day 2 of the Red Sox, Yankees Rivalry Simulation.
PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO READ BOTH OF OUR COMMENTARY ON THIS SIMULATION AS WE ARE BOTH WITTY, YET VERY, VERY MODEST. DID I MENTION WE WERE WITTY? AND, MUCH WORK HAS GONE INTO THIS AND WE ARE HOPING YOU ENJOY IT AND CAN PROVIDE SOME MANAGERIAL ADVICE HEADING INTO THE NEXT ROUND. YES I AM YELLING, I SUFFER FROM VOICE IMMODULATION ALSO KNOWN AS VAN ORTON'S SYNDROME.
Ok, after a rough Day 1 for some Red Sox teams, some normalcy has taken over. Both recent World Series winning Red Sox team, versions 2004 and 2007, both made it through to the next round. Joining them will be the 1946 team and the 1975 team.
For the 2004 team, the hitting starts were David Ortiz (1.429 OPS), Jason Varitek (1.271...remember those days, or at least some of those days?), Trot Nixon (1.012 OPS) and Kevin Millar (1.194). Manny Ramirez had a disappointing series, perhaps readying himself for the next round (and completing his steroid cycle...er...excuse me, his womens fertility cycle) Mark Bellhorn also scuffled. The pitching star were Curt Schilling (0.00 ERA and a 0.48 whip). Pedro Martinez was terrible (8.44 ERA as was Derek Lowe, even though Lowe got the decisive win). Keith Foulke, Mike Timlin and Bronson Arroyo, working in relief, pitched well.
For the 2007 team, the offensive stars were Ortiz (1.150 OPS), Jacoby Ellsbury (.985 OPS), JD Drew (1.050 OPS...actually his OPS was fine, but very little production...sounds like the real life Drew). Manny Ramirez disappointed in this series as well (.686 OPS) as did Dustin Pedroia (.583 OPS) and a slightly older Jason Varitek (.325 OPS...older than his 2004 version anyway). The pitching stars were Jonathan Papelbon (2 saves, 0.00 ERA in 4 IPs, but he did give up 4 hits and a walk in semi-typical Papelbon fashion). Josh Beckett was great (1.80 ERA, 1.13 WHIP) so was Hideki Okajima (3 IP, 0 Hits, 1 BB, 5 Ks). Daisuke Matsuzaka was ok, a typical Matsuzaka game (6 IP, 5 H, 4 W, 5 K and 2 minutes between pitches).
For the 1975 Red Sox, the offensive heros were Carlton Fisk (1.021 OPS), and...well, that's really it. Jim Rice was ok (.800 OPS), as was Danny Doyle (.760 OPS), but all of the other batters left their bats at home. The pitchers who secured the series win were Bill Lee and Reggie Cleveland (both with a win and a 2.25 ERA and 8 IP) and relievers Dick "Don't Call Me Ivan" Drago (2 saves, 0.00 ERA) and Jim Burton (1 save and 1 clean IP).
And the first team to clinch was the 1946 lead on offense by (I mentioned this yesterday) Ted Williams (1.700 OPS...yes, other wordly), Wally Moses (1.051 OPS), Bobby Doerr (1.045 OPS), Rudy York (1.055), Dom DiMaggio (.967 OPS and the most famous of the DiMaggio brothers in my opinion...did I mention I've never been out of Massachusetts?), and Johnny Pesky chipped in (.439 OBP with 5 runs scored). The key pitchers were Dave Ferriss (2.00 ERA, 0.89 WHIP), Tex Hughson (3.38 ERA, 1.13 WHIP) and Mickey Harris (3.38 ERA, 1.00 WHIP). There were only 3 innings pitched by relievers in the 3 game series for the Red Sox, just like things were back in 1046.
Next up:
#1 2004 RedSox vs. #4 1975 RedSox - I put the 2004 team as the heavy favorites in this.
#2 2007 RedSox vs. #6 1946 RedSox - This one is a crap shoot, given the potential of Ted Williams.
Game Recaps:
#1 seed 2004 RedSox up 2 games to 1 entered game 4 against #8 seed 1978 RedSox. Derek Lowe was called on to close it out against Bill Lee. Both pitchers struggled, Lowe giving up 4 runs in 6 innings and Lee giving up 7 runs in 4 and two thirds. The 2004 Sox closed out the series with a convincing 9-5 win. Kevin Millar was the hitting hero, going 3-4 with a double and a homer and 4 RBI. He batted .438 for the series.
#2 seed 2007 RedSox were down 2 games to 1 against the #7 seed 2003 RedSox. 2007 threw rookie Jon Lester against John Burkett. Neither pitcher made it past the 5th as the runs piled up. The 2007 RedSox won game 4 by a score of 9-7 behind 16 hits led by Kevin Youkilis' 3 hits. Deciding game 5 pitching matchup? Pedro Martinez vs. Josh Beckett. Both pitchers pitched well into the 7th, score was tied 1-1 when the 2007 Sox scored 3 against Pedro on a run scoring single from Youkilis, a double by Ortiz and a sac fly from Manny Ramirez. Papelbon recorded his 2nd save of the series. Final score 5-2 2007 RedSox
#3 seed 1986 RedSox was swept by #6 seed 1946 RedSox (see day 1 post)
#4 seed 1975 RedSox was up 2-1 heading into game 4 against #5 seed 1967 RedSox. Reggie Cleveland vs. Gary Waslewski wasn't a marquee matchup but both pitched well enough to win. 1975 RedSox scored 3 in the third and added one more in the 5th to secure a 4-2 series clinching win. The '75 team had 9 hits, all singles with Rick Burleson smacking 3 of them. Pitching was the key for the '75 team in this series as the hitting never really exploded. All four starters went eight complete innings while the batters did enough to get the wins.
Three of the four series saw a team down 2-1 come back and win. The 1961 Yankees victory over the 2009 Yankees stands out to me. Not only did the '61 Yankees get to Mariano, but Roger Maris won Game 4 with a homer in the bottom of the 11th. Sabathia got shelled in Game 5, but the 2009 Yankees almost pulled it out, scoring five runs in the 8th to make it 10-9 and putting the tying run on first to start the 9th.
The '27 Yankees will now face the '78 version with the '61 and '98 squads facing off. All results can be seen here
#1 seed 1927 Yankees up 2 games to 1 heading into game 4 against the #8 seed 1923 Yankees. Dutch Ruether (27) throws a complete game, 1 run gem while his hitters amass 12 runs for the win. Shortstop Mark Koenig went 2-4 with 3 RBI and Ruth and Gehrig each knocked in 2 runs. For the series, Babe Ruth (27) hit .357 with 1 HR and 7 RBI and Mike Gazella (27) added a .455 average with 4 RBI. Yankees 27 win 3 games to 1 over Yankees 23.
#2 seed 1998 Yankees down 2 games to 1 vs. the #7 seed 1950 Yankees hoped Andy Pettitte would out pitch Whitey Ford to get the series even. Pettitte was ok giving up 4 runs in 6 innings and was bailed out by the offense in the 7-4 win. Darryl Strawberry continued his amazing series with a double and a single and 3 more RBI. Mariano Rivera saved his 2nd game. Game 5 had David Wells going against Vic Raschi. Both pitched very well, but Raschi gave up 2 runs in the 8th in a 1-1 game that was enough to give the '98 Yankees the 4-1 win and the series. Jorge Posada and Chilli Davis singled home the go ahead runs in the 8th. David Wells evened his record at 1-1 with 8 solid 1 run innings. Rivera recorded his 3rd save.
#3 seed 1961 Yankees, also down 2 games to 1 against #6 seed 2009 Yankees. Game 4 went 11 innings before '61 Yankees pulled out the 8-7 win. Both teams had 12 hits with Clete Boyer and Roger Maris hitting homers in the win. It was Maris' 3rd homer of the series. After an off day, game 5 pitted CC Sabathia against Whitey Ford in the game 1 matchup. In a thrilling game, the 1961 Yankees eeked out a 10-9 victory to take the series 3 games to 2. The '61 crew hit 5 homeruns, 2 off Sabathia, 2 off Phil Hughes and one off of Aceves. Roger Maris finished the series with 4 homeruns and 7 RBI while hitting .368. Tony Kubek hit .435 and scored 5 runs.
#4 seed 1941 Yankees were up 2 games to 1 on the #5 seed 1978 Yankees. Game 4 had Dick Tidrow throwing against Atley Donald. Both men pitched well with Tidrow throwing a gem. Eight innings, 5 hits and a single run was Tidrows line for the night. Thurman Munson hit the game winning 2 run homer in the top of the 8th. Goose Gossage closed the door in the 9th for his first save. Game 5 paired the starters from game 1 that both pitched amazing. Marius Russo vs. Ron Guidry. Both pitched well again, but Guidry pitched a little bit better, winning 3-1 with Gossage again getting the save. The '41 Yankees only managed two hits in the loss while Munson had 3 of the team 10 hits and hit .381 for the series.
Stunning departure of the 1986 Red Sox at the hands of the 1946 Red Sox. I guess Ted Williams was as good as they said he was. You've heard of him, right? Pedro turned in a terrible outing but the 2004 Red Sox hold 2-1 lead over the 1978 edition. The most recent Red Sox World Series winners from 2007 are down 1-2 to the Grady Little led 2003 Red Sox (it's only a 5 game series, so maybe Grady won't have to make any difficult decisions). Lastly, the 1975 Red Sox, led by Jim Rice (who wasn't there in real life but thanks to the miracle of simulation, we can see what could have been) hold a 2-1 edge on the Impossible Dreamers of 1967.
See all of the results here. http://greenmonsta.weebly.com/
#1 seed 2004 RedSox own a 2 games to 1 lead over #8 seed 1978 RedSox. Game 1 saw a dominating outing from Curt Schilling, pitching 8 and one third, one run ball. The offense scored 11 times with homers from Jason Varitek and David Ortiz and 5 team doubles. Final score was 11-1 with Dennis Eckersley taking the loss. Game 2 had Mike Torrez and the '78 Sox bounce back with a 5-4 win saved by Bill Campbell. Pedro Martinez took the loss for the '04 squad. Jim Rice and Fred Lynn both homered in the win. Game three went to the '04 Sox as they broke a 5-5 tie in the bottom of the 8th on a 1 out run scoring triple by Mark Bellhorn. Keith Foulke saved the game in the 9th.
#2 seed 2007 RedSox find themselves down 2-1 after 3 games to the #7 seed 2003 RedSox. Game 1 starters Josh Beckett and Pedro Martinez both went 7 innings without a decision. The '07 team won in 10 innings as Dustin Pedroia tripled home Jacoby Ellsbury with the go ahead run. Jonathan Paplebon saved the game in the bottom frame. '03 Sox evened the series in game 2 behind strong pitching from Derek Lowe and Scott Williamson. David Ortiz homered for both teams in the 6-4 win. Game 3 was another tight game with the '03 Sox winning 7-6. The '03 team chased Curt Schilling in the 4th inning scoring 5 runs off the veteran. Homeruns by Kevin Millar and Todd Walker led the hit parade for the '03 team.
#3 seed 1986 RedSox are the first team eliminated in the YRRS. Credit the #6 seed 1946 Sox for sending them packing in 3 games. Game 1 saw Tex Hughson pitch 8 good innings for the win. Roger Clemens struggled in 4 plus innings. Ted Williams was the hero, smacking 2 home runs and knocking in 5. Game 2 saw the '46 team outlast the '86 squad in 10 innings 8-7. Ted Williams hit his 3rd homer of the series and Dom Dimaggio had 3 hits in the win. Don Baylor hit a homer in the losing effort for the '86 team. Game 3 saw the series first dominant pitching performance by Dave Ferriss. A complete game 3 run outing. Oil Can Boyd was no match and the '46 Sox completed the sweep 8-3. The '86 team held Ted Williams hitless in the clincher but his 3 HR and 9 RBI in the series was impressive.
The #4 seed '75 Sox lead the #5 seed '67 Sox 2 games to 1. Game 1 went to the 1967 team in a good pitching matchup of Jim Lonborg and Luis Tiant. Both went 8 innings but the '67 team won 4-3. Jim Rice homered in the loss. Game 2 was another close contest with the '75 team edging out the win 3-2 with all 3 runs scored in the top of the 9th. Lee Stange was throwing the shutout before running into trouble, Sparky Lyle couldn't close the door either. Bill Lee got the win with the big hits coming from Pudge Fisk and Fred Lynn in the 9th. Game 3 was another 1 run game with the '75 boys winning 5-4. Rick Wise was very good through 8 and Dick Drago collected his 2nd save in as many days. Dwight Evans hit a homer in the 7th that ended up as the game winner. Rico Petrocelli, Carl Yastrzemski and Tony Conigliaro hit homers in the loss.
For those of you wondering how the Yankees-Red Sox simulation came out, the results don't come in until 8pm. Here's a brief recap of all the games:
#1 seed 1927 Yankee team took a 2 games to 1 lead over the #8 seed 1923 Yankees. In the opener, Waite Hoyt threw 8 strong innings giving up a pair of runs in the first and that was all. The '27 Yanks scored all 3 of their runs in the third with Babe Ruth knocking in 2 with a single. Game 2 saw the '23 Bombers bounce back with a 5-1 win behind dominant pitching from Bob Shawkey who went 7 giving up 3 hits and one run. The '23 Babe Ruth had two doubles and 3 RBI in the win. In the third game, the '27 Yankees bounced back with a 5-0 shutout. Starter Urban Shocker went 8 and held the '23 team scoreless despite 11 hits. 1927 Ruth hit his first homer with one on in the 5th and knocked in 3 total for the day.
#7 seed 1950 Yankees took 2 of 3 from the #2 seed 1998 Yankees. In game 1, David Wells (98) got shelled in 6+ innings, giving up 10 hits and 6 runs. The '98 Yanks never recovered. The big blow was a 2 out, 5th inning, bases loaded triple by Billy Johnson. Game 2 saw the '98 team bounce back in an 8-6 win. David Cone got the start and the win that saw both teams score 3 times in the last frame. Knoblauch knocked in 3 in the win with help from Jeter and Bernie Williams (two apiece). Game 3 saw the '50 Yankees rough up Orlando Hernandez for 6 runs in 4 and 2 thirds innings pitched. Darryl Strawberry hit two homers in the losing effort and Bernie Williams added a two run shot. Ed Lopat pitched well enough for the win. Johnny Mize knocked in two while every 1950 Yankee had one hit.
#6 seed 2009 Yankees hold a 2 games to 1 lead over the #3 seed 1961 Yankees. CC Sabathia pitched ok in the first game to get the win over Whitey Ford who was shelled and took the loss. Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon all homered for the '09 team. Roger Maris and Bill Skowron homered in the loss. Game 2 was also won by the '09 Yankees 13-3 behind good pitching from AJ Burnett and Alfredo Aceves. Posado and Teixeira both went deep in the lopsided game. Game 3 saw the '61 Yankees get a win behind Bill Stafford's 8 and 2 thirds pitching. Roger Maris hit his 2nd of the series off of Mariano Rivera with one aboard for the win, 4-2.
#4 seed 1941 Yankees beat the #5 seed 1978 Yankees 2 of 3 to start the series. Game 1 featured a beautifully pitched gem from both teams as Marius Russo shutout the '78 club on 9 hits. Loser Ron Guidry pitched a complete game himself, giving up only a single run in the first on a two out double to Joe Dimaggio. Game 2 was a dominating pitching outing as well as Red Ruffing shut out the '78 Yankees 7-0 for the 2nd game in a row. Ed Figueroa gave up 7 runs in the loss. The '78 Yankees avoided a sweep in game 3 with a 6-2 win behind Catfish Hunter's 7 inning, 1 run game. RBI from Willie Randolph, Thurman Munson, Reggie Jackson, Bucky Dent and Lou Piniella(2) led the way.
Personally, I am kind of shocked that the 1927 Yankees didn't sweep and that the 2009 Yankees have the lead right now- I figured the 1961 Yankees would win easily. And how about the 1950 Yankees taking a 2-to-1 lead over the '98 version? While pitching was never the strongest part of the '98 team, who would have thought they would surrender 6 runs in each of the first three games?
Back tomorrow with the conclusion of round 1 and check out a detailed breakdown of the action at http://greenmonsta.weebly.com/. Email me at peter@yankeesredsox.com with comments or suggestions.
The Yankees have signed Andruw Jones to a one-year/$2 million deal with incentives that could increase it to $3.2 million. I really like this deal.
Marcus Thames was a lot of positive things for the Yankees last year, but he wasn't an outfielder. Putting him in the outfield was an adventure at best. Now Jones is not the outfielder he once was, but he can still play out there and play all three positions. Throw in his .256/.373/.558 line against LHP last year and he is a perfect fit for a team with two lefty-swinging outfielders.
With Jones' addition, the Yankees pretty much have their roster set. I would imagine this is close to what they will come north with.
Catchers (3) Posada, Martin, Cervelli (Yup, if Posada is DH'ing every day they won't just carry him and Martin)
Infielders (5) Tex, Cano, Jeter, ARod, Pena (pencil in Pena for now)
Outfielders (5) Garnder, Granderson, Swisher, Jones and Golson (pencil in Golson for now
Pitchers (12) CC, AJ, Hughes, Nova, Mitre, Rivera, Soriano, Joba, Robertson, Feliciano, Logan, Sanchez (pencil in Sanchez for now)
Obviously, the big question is the fifth starter and the Yankees could make a move there. I think they will open with Pena and Golson on the roster, but Nunez and Laird could change those plans. I still think that Nunez will open in AAA, just to keep him sharp, but if he really has a big spring, the Yankees could go north with him. For Laird it will really come down to showing he can handle big league pitching and the outfield. If he can do both, he would be more valuable than Golson.
In the middle of an endless winter (at least in the Northeast) we thought it might be fun to try something a little different here at YankeesRedsox.com. Thanks to Steve, who goes by the name of Blmeanie on this site, we are going to spend the next few weeks running a simulation with the greatest teams from Red Sox and Yankee history.
From the Boston side we have the 1946, 1967, 1975, 1978, 1986, 2003, 2004 and 2007 Red Sox.
From the New York side we have the 1923, 1927, 1941, 1950, 1961, 1978, 1998 and 2009 Yankees.
The games will start next Monday and from there we will keep simulating until we have the greatest Red Sox team and the greatest Yankees team. Those two clubs will then face off in a seven game series commencing February 3rd.
We hope you will enjoy the series and participate in it. We will need some managers for later rounds and your comments are always welcomed. If you are interested in taking part in this, please email me at peter@yankeesredsox.com.
One of the classic definitions of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. With the news today that Brian Cashman considered bringing back Carl Pavano this winter, I am beginning to wonder if Cashman is actually insane.
I just don't get it. Yes, I know Pavano has done well since leaving the Bronx, but after what happened here how could you ever bring him back? You would think that Javier Vazquez part 2 would have taught Cashman a lesson, but apparently not. Pavano is one of those guys who should never, ever, ever, wear pinstripes again, what was Cashman thinking?
Oh and to add a cherry to the sundae, check out this quote from Brian today:
“Joba’s a bullpen guy" . . . (Borat pause) "for the 200th time.”
I'm feeling depressed now.
So, it sounds like the truth is that Hank, Hal and Randy Levine decided that they wanted Soriano and overruled Brian Cashman. I have no problem with that for a number of reasons.
1- I think Cashman was wrong about this decision. Yes, losing the draft pick is a downer, but this Yankee team is built for winning right now. Jeter, A-Rod, Mo, none of them are getting any younger. If the plan was to rebuild in 2011, Jeter and Rivera should not have been brought back. Since they were, I assume the plan is to go for a championship and Soriano helps them in that regard.
2- I think the Yankees structured this move brilliantly. People keep complaining about the opt-outs Soriano has because they make this a one-sided risk for the Yankees, but when is a free agent signing anything but a one-sided risk? What the Yankees have done is bet that Soriano will have a good 2011 and given him a way to cash in on that by opting out. Then the Yankees can offer arbitration and recoup the draft pick if Soriano signs elsewhere and would you expect a Scott Boras client not to opt-out if he could? Now, if Soriano gets hurt or sucks, the Yankees are stuck with him for at least another year, but that's the risk with any free agent signing. (Not to open a different can of worms, but I am sort of plagiarizing myself here because I felt the same way in 2008)
3- Ultimately, this is their team. Cashman works for the Steinbrenners, not the other way around. I think people tend to see "Steinbrenner" and "overrule the GM" in the same sentence and think back to the reign of George. But these cats are different. Hal is not his father and he runs the ship. I see this as an anomaly instead of the start of a new (or old) way of doing business.
4- Jon Heyman pointed out in one of his stories that even with the signing of Soriano, the Yankees have $20 million left in their 2011 budget. Even if Andy Pettitte comes back, you have to figure they have money to spend. Now, just because they have money to spend, doesn't mean they should spend it, but go back to point #1. This move made them better and they can afford it.
Buster Olney has reaction to the Soriano deal in his column today (subscription required) and it includes this bit of analysis:
The deal comes less than a week after general manager Brian Cashman declared that he would not give up the Yankees' first round pick for any pitcher on the market -- and now that's exactly what the Yankees are doing. The shift suggests that there is a major divide of opinion on Soriano within the organization, and that Cashman's autonomy in matters of baseball operations may have eroded.
Personally, I don't mind losing the first rounder. Yes, it could be a big deal down the road, but the Yankees have the financial muscle to pay over slot wherever they pick and international players are free to go to the highest bidder. They did it with Austin Jackson and Jesus Montero a few years ago and they will almost certainly do it again. That's the way you make up for the lack of a first round pick.
But, the part about Cashman's autonomy in baseball operations eroding does concern me though I'm not sure I agree. Yes, Brian Cashman went out and said he would not give up a first rounder last week, but how do we know that he wasn't simply lying? Remember, Scott Boras, the master of misdirection, is Soriano's agent. Perhaps Boras was seeking five years and $15 million per for his client and Cashman issued his proclamation to back him off a number. We may never know the truth, but I will be very interested to hear Cashman's answer when he is asked to reconcile his previous statement to this signing.
UPDATE Buster Olney tweets that this was more of an "ownership-driven" deal while Peter Gammons fingers Randy Levine as the force behind the signing.
The addition of Rafael Soriano is a move the Yankees were smart to make. There was no one else in the marketplace who could make the same impact on the Yankees that Soriano will. By adding Soriano, the Yankees have locked down the 8th inning and provided themselves with protection if Mariano gets hurt or suddenly ages- but the real question is what do they do next?
If they are smart, they use Soriano's presence on the roster as an excuse to move Joba back into the rotation. Yeah, yeah, I know all the arguments against this, but this to me determines whether or not signing Soriano was a smart move. Joba in the pen is now a complete waste, because Robertson-Soriano-Rivera should handle the 7th, 8th and 9th and you also have Feliciano and Logan to get out tough lefties. But, Joba in the rotation adds tremendous value because the Yankees need a 4th and 5th starter right now.
It's pointless to rehash all the arguments, the comments, etc., about this but there is one critical fact to remember- the guy is still only 24. He isn't a finished product yet. Put him in the 2011 rotation and you may get the 4.75 ERA and 157 innings you got in 2009. The Yankees won 95 games this past season with two guys putting up numbers much, much worse than that, so that wouldn't be a disaster. But, you might also get something much better from Joba, perhaps he shows off the form that allowed him to compile a 3.58 ERA in his first 20 starts of 2009. The Yankees are linked to a lot of mediocre pitchers to fill out their rotation, why not go with a guy who 18 months ago was considered one of the best prospects in baseball?
Bob Klapisch posted this article the other day speculating that Andy Pettitte is going to retire because of the upcoming Roger Clemens trial.
It's an interesting theory and certainly worthy of consideration. Andy is going to have to admit to lying in his original statements about HGH when he is called to testify and he will have to confront his current/former friend Roger Clemens. If he is still an active player, he would then have to return and face the press in the clubhouse. As a private citizen he can certainly avoid a big chunk of that scrutiny.
Ultimately, we will probably never know the reasons, but it sounds like Andy Pettitte is finished. He hasn't started throwing which is a pretty big sign and he said the other day "I really don't want [the Yankees] to worry about me. I just want them to go, just go on." That sounds like a guy ready to hang it up to me and the Yankees had better wake up to that possibility.
Here we are on the eve of January 7th. That means approx. 38 days until the voluntary reporting date for pitchers and catchers. Being the fans we all are, we expect our pitchers, catchers, everyday players, coaches, trainers, equipment managers and food procurement employees to report on the voluntary reporting date.
For the Red Sox it was quite an off-season. In my opinion, it makes the Red Sox a target for most, if not all of major league baseball. The Red Sox spent a ton on Crawford and will certaily spend a ton on Gonzalez. Here's what we know:
Line-up:
C - Saltalamacchia
1b - Gonzalez
2b - Pedrioa
3b - Youkilis
ss - Scutaro
lf - Crawofd
cf - Ellsbury
rf - Drew
dh - Ortiz
In no particular order I might add.
Bench:
UI - Lowrie (I think Lowrie should and will start at SS with Scutaro being the UI).
C - Varitek
OF - Cameron
OF - McDonald
Rotation:
SP - Lester
SP - Beckett
SP - Buchholz
SP - Lackey
SP - Matsuzaka
Bullpen:
RRP - Wakefield
RRP - Wheeler
LRP - Okajima
RRP - Jenks
RRP - Bard
RRP - Papelbon
RRP - Atchison
McDonald, Okajima and Atchison are hardly guarantees for the Opening Day roster, but as of now they look good. By signing Okajima, the Red Sox are giving Felix Doubront more time in the minors. McDonald and Cameron (or should I say the signing of Crawford and the presumed health of Ellsbury) should give players like Josh Reddick, Daniel Nava and Ryan Kalish more time to ferment in triple A.
This, is what I know as of now. More to come in 2011.