This and that

This PED thing will probably get crazier!

No matter what happens these last few days, I'm firmly focused on February 14th!!!

Timing is Everything!...

Well, how about bad timing?

What A Contrast...

The Yankees refused to give Chien-Ming Wang the $4.6 Million he is asking for [the Yankees offered $4 Million] on the same weekend Carl Pavano comes sashaying into Tampa ready to collect the final $11 Million on the disastrous 4-year, $40 Million contract the Yankees signed him to, a few years ago! ...

As reported in "The Journal News" by Peter Abraham, Brian Cashman, said: "this is part of the process and part of being a big-league player" - when trying to explain and justify why the Yankees are taking such a hard-line stance with Wang by bringing this contract negotiation to "salary arbitration"...

I don't know, maybe it's just me...

But, since when is Pavano's 5-6 W/L Record in 19 Starts over a 3-year period worth a contract deal of $40 Million over 4-years...

And, Wang's 38-13 with a 3.67 ERA over the last 2 years [and, 46-18, with a 3.74 ERA in 80 Lifetime Starts] not worth [at least] the extra $600,000.00 Wang is asking for?

The Yankees made a smart move by signing Robinson Cano to a deal that could be worth $57 Million over 6-years [$9.5 Million per year]. A similar type deal to sign Wang for the next 4-6 years would also be a smart move by the Yankees! Certainly, a much more smarter deal then the one they gave to Carl Pavano !!! ...

After all, Chien-Ming Wang has already earned any increase he is asking for. In the case of Carl Pavano, he never has, or ever will, earn even the first penny of all the money the Yankees have wasted, and given to him!

Hopefully, the Yankees will go into Spring Training on a final good note, by completing the successful signings of the off-season, with a new 4-6 year deal for a valuable member of their Pitching Staff, Chien-Ming Wang!

Jimmy27NYY

http://baseballtheyankeesandlife.mlblogs.com/

I agree with you on this one Jimmy.

Pavano is probabaly the reason they don't want to sign Wang long term. Still, forcing him to go to arbitration is stupid beyond belief. Is $600 000 worth offending your ace? Because that's what he is now.

A one year contract of around 4.4-4.5 or even the 4.6 he is asking for sound's reasonable for the guy with the most wins over 2006-2007.

That being said, I am for a 3 year deal for Wang, with 1-2 option years. He is perhaps the single most underrated pitcher in baseball today. one bad series does not make you a bad pitcher.

If Pavano can eat some innings in August and September and we have a double digit lead on the RSox we’d all be happy, wouldn’t we?

Hey Bryan

Just a thought, but is there any chance of Pavano actually pitching for the Yankees this season, considering he is being paid for what? Being on the DL for nothing, sorry guys I just had to ask. Since no matter what $11 Million Dollars is still a $11 Million Dollars in my book and you might as well get something out of it.

I see nothing stupid in challenging Wang to become the ace he now is by default. It also lets the kids know the "ace" position is wide open!

New uni numbers posted on River Ave. Blues

http://riveraveblues.com/2008/02/09/the-numbers-game-2114/

I see where Manny may be a free agent after '08, George always said he would like to have Manny Now that Hank & Hal are in charge I wonder if they would make a play for him as a DH and backup. Jason will be gone and Manny would be a better hitter and DH. Just a thought. It's something to talk about..B4 ST starts.
"GO YANKEES"

the yanks would never sign manny thats for sure..

Manny says he plans to keep playing long into his mid-forties. I doubt that the next deal he signs will be to backup someone or DH, especilly with the way he's been working out lately. I doubt that if he has a Manny-like year in '08 and stays healthy, that the Red Sox will let him walk. But this is all pending on how good a season he has in 2008. If he bats under .300 and has under 30 HR again, than maybe Epstein will look the other way. That doesn't mean other ML teams won't jump on him though.

Wang: I see nothing wrong with going to salary arbitration. You can't justify giving Wang whatever he wants just because Pavano got a stupid POS contract. It would be a great steal I think if we could get a contract with Wang like we did with Cano, but I don't think we have to worry about ******* of Wang. I think he has enough respect to play hard either way.

Pavano: Lets pitch him into another injury. He screwed us over. Make him pitch until his arm falls off. Which reminds me how would the Red Sox have the ability to void Schilling's contract if he chose surgery???????? I don't get it.

People like TO holding out for increases in salary and teams trying to void contracts seems like garbage to me. You sign a contract. You take a risk. The team tries to get you for less than you are worth and the player tries to get more than he is worth. That's business.

Manny: I don't want Manny. He is a great player, but he is everything about the Red Sox I don't like. We don't need his lazy, pompous *** here. Plus he's 36! I thought we were trying to get young.

Starting Rotation: Frankly I don't think we have a great one. Wang and Pettitte will do well. Mussina will pitch very mediocre and inconsistent. I think Kennedy is garbage and shouldn't even be considered. Hughes will have an ok season with something like a 4.2 era. Joba will do something similar or end up in the bullpen. I don't see how we survive this season without another acquisition at the all star break. However, on the bright side with $80 mill coming off the books at the end of this year the future looks great for the new stadium. I like going young and I think our young ones will be ready by then to do what they can do.

I didn't say we should sign Manny, Only that George was a big fan of his. I think if he were still in charge he would sign him, no matter how you may feel. The Sox will keep him, if he has a decent year.
When Pavano signed with the Yanks he was healthy. Shil was injured when the Sox resigned him, but they knew that, what they didn't know was the extent of the injury. It seems their team doctors should have had some idea the extent of his arm troubles.

Our starting rotation will be fine, Mussina is still a question mark and 2 of the 3 younguns should do fine with the 3rd in the MiL for more seasoning or in the BP. I do agree that we should have picked up a good #4 or 5 starter as a precautionary measure. I guess Cash thinks we have enough young arms in the Minors for backups.

Wang will win in arbitration. I can't understand why the delay in signing him. Pay him 10mil for 2 years w/optional years 3 and 4. He's well worth it.

"GO YANKEES"

It's the fckng Yankees, they over pay almost everybody so the other teams don't get them and now they can't give Wang a miserable 600.000 extra

That's pocket money for the Steinbrenners

Pavano is absolute garbage, a total waste of money, period. There's absolutely nothing positive about having Pavano on this roster, this team. even when he was healthy, Pavano was nothing but a mediocre pitcher before the Yanks signed him Pavano only had one good season in his career, and that was the prvious season before he signed with the Yanks, definitely a mistake as the Yanks have found that out the hard way as they are stuck with garbage.

Having a mediocre pitcher start on your team solely because he has a large contract is noway to put a winning team together. The Yanks made a mistake by signing a mediocre pitcher to a large contract. he is what he is, garbage!!!! It already knows what it's getting in Pavano. The thought of starting a mediocre player at any position just because he has a large contract isn't just the dumbest idea anyone can come up with, you are hurting your teams chances of being successful and getting into the playoffs all that much more. That's not rocket science. The Yanks don't need mediocre players on their roster dragging them down. Keep that human grabage Pavano away from this team. Who cares how much he's making, he's a mistake the Yanks are going to have to live with unfortunately.

Like I said, limiting the younger pitchers to a set number of innings isn't necessarily the best thing for them, as a former pitcher I should know. It should be on an individual basis with each situation dictating how each itcher should be handled. Injuries always have been, and always will be a part of the game and can and will strike at any time. Limiting pitchers' innings IS NOT protecting them from anything, I have seen young pitchers go down with arm injuries in their careers, and I've seen as many vets go down with arm injuries. What happened to Wood and Prior could happen to any pitcher whether it be after throwing 50 innings or 200 innings pitch limits don't really protectect pitchers from injuries.

I'm just copy and pasting from earlier(a few additions have been made):

A minor league contract or even a low base/more incentive-laden deal should be Pavano's only option after this year, with any team not just the Yankees. I have been more than disappointed with his lack of performance or appearance, as has the rest of the Yankees' family. However, a lot of pitchers come back better after TJ surgery than before. Some of Pavano's injuries were freak incidents (the car accident, the butt injury haha), he still may have plenty left in the tank. Plus, he hasn't really pitched in 2ish years, so his body should be well rested and what not. Possibly a long relief role might suit him better.

I know this wouldn't happen, but Pavano should pipe his pride and come to the Yankees, asking for a low $base contract to prove they didn't make a TOTALLY bad decision. The Yanks do look like idiots with the deal, although it wasn't a totally bad deal (better than Carlos Silva getting $12mil per from Seattle) when it was done. As you all know, mediocre pitchers are commanding $10+mil/yr now, so the deal wasn't totally crazy. He should take a low contract and try to prove he's got something to offer.

Maybe that's a little much to handle, but who knows. I don't know what was more of a flop, Pavano's deal or Clemens' last deal :-/.

joe,

I agree with everything you said about Pavano, he remains the biggest FA bust in recent memory. It was a mistake to go after a mediocre pitcher based on one good season. you're right the Yanks have learned that the hard way. Pavano always has been and always will be a mediocre pitcher.

Also agree with your take on limiting innings for pitchers.

Joe,

I agree with you about Pavano. He is the biggest FA bust in recent memory. The Silva deal was by far the better deal at least he produced more than Pavano has, that makes it a better deal. Even when healthy Pavano has shown that he is nothing more than a mediocre pitcher even when healthy. OTher than his one 18- win season Pavano has only been able to crack the double digit win total one other time in his career, and that was back in and that was back in '03 when he won 12 games but also lost 13 and had a mediocre 4.00+ ERA. There is no way this team should take a risk by keeping this garbage in the rotation solely because of the size of his contract. He will only drag this team down. This team made a huge mistake by signing him and should just eat the contract and move on. This team has better quality pitchers who have more talent. Why should the Yanks keep him on the roster? Solely for the size of his contract? Please!!

IF this team is to be successful, it can't afford to accept mediocrity as the norm. Also agree with you Joe on limiting innings, I said the same thing in a previous post.

The Yanks shouldn't even consider having Pavano on this team!!!! The idea of having him on the roster solely because he has a large contract is laughable if not a joke!!

Big year coming up for this team. The future is bright, but I think they'll make some noise this year. General Joe is going to light a fire under these guys.

- www.bigapplesports.net

I think we all agree on Pavano and the bust signing. Just think back when they signed him, Most of us were glad he didn't choose the Sox. Our expectations were high, unfortunately he became the most injury prone player in history. I think that's all history now we have to look ahead and stop dwelling on a blunder that is irreparable, It's over. We'll have to see how this all plays out.
"GO YANKEES"