You don't have to go home...

YANKEES MINOR LEAGUE SCOREBOARD July 23, 2008

Richmond (Braves) POSTPONED
Scranton/WB

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Trenton 3
New Hampshire (Blue Jays) 1
W: M. Melancon (6-0, 1.93); L: Z. Dials (2-3, 3.74)
HR: None.
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2008_07_23_treaax_nhmaax_1&t=g_box&did=milb
Brevard County (Brewers) 4
Tampa 6
W: W. Arias (4-0, 2.61); L: E. Shanks (0-1, 3.21)
HR: TAM: J. Kreuzer (2).
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2008_07_23_breafa_tbyafa_1&t=g_box&did=milb
Charleston 4
Greensboro (Marlins) 3
W: J. Ortiz (3-2, 1.85); L: S. Cishek (2-5, 4.40)
HR: CHA: J. Snyder (5).
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2008_07_23_crdafx_gboafx_1&t=g_box&did=milb
Staten Island 2
Jamestown (Marlins) 7
W: D. Clothier (2-0, 4.05); L: N. Asselin (0-1, 4.50); SV: A. Campbell (1)
HR: STA: M. Lyon (3).
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_23_staasx_jamasx_1
GCL Braves 7
GCLYankees 1
W: B. Oberholtzer (3-0, 1.90); L: R. Marte (1-1, 1.40)
HR: None.
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2008_07_23_brarok_yanrok_1&t=g_box&did=milb
You may also see http://www.yankeesdaily.com for details.

I do recal a promise that if the bombers showed they could compete there would be help provided from above. I assume it's time to bring out the check book.

Gammons admitted if Mussina wins 20 this year, he is a hall of famer.

Ok one down! I was so hoping to see something like that. I was not hoping to see a struggling Moose, unable to locate or get the call, etc...

Excellent start to the second half by both the Yanks and Moose.

I think if Maddux is a HOF, then Moose is too. I tell ya what though, I have been totally impressed with how Moose has done. Remember when he called some guys out and you (well I did anyway) thought to yourself, well yeah, but you can't exactly call them out when you're performing like that (like they had at that time)?

Now just what is it? It is more mental toughness? More focus? A little of both? I mean I doubt he's devised some new way to deliver the ball... Obviously something's going in Moose's favor though... and I hope it keeps right on going!

I think Girardi may be right, he very well may be our MVP.

Gee thanks Petuh Gammuns for givin Moose your Blessing (IF he gets 20). So if he only gets 15, 16, that's not good enough? BS. Consistency is what gets Moose in, not some magically elusive 20th win. I mean I know it helps bolster the argument but really if Maddux is a HOFer then so is Moose.

Gammons says Moose needs career 280.
I hope the Embree rumors are false, been there, never wanted to do that.

"If Maddux is a HOF, then Moose is too." That statement is ridiculous (no offense intended) - they're in different worlds. Maddux is probably one of the top 2 pitchers of this generation - Moose isn't even in that conversation. Moose is solid, no doubt, but unless he ups his wins (he's around 262 now, while Maddux is around 350 - talk about worlds apart), and manages to win 20 this season he probably won't be in the HOF discussion. Moose has been good for a long time - Maddux won multiple Cy Youngs, and had a 20 win season (Moose has none of those), and if memory serves me correctly, Maddux was on a team that won the World Series (Moose was not), and Maddux spent much more time in the playoffs. You know what, forget I said "different worlds" - they're really in different universes.

That being said, I am a Moose fan, and I'm pulling for him to win 20 this year, even if he ends up short on a bid for the HOF. He's been the bulwark of the rotation all season, and he's reinvented himself into a pretty damn good pitcher.

Trade prediction:

Yankees will nab Yorvit Torrealba from the Rockies. He has World Series experience, and he's a solid hitter/catcher.

ALL of you just watch this go down, then we'll see Posada sent to surgery ASAP.

My final guy on the wish list: Kenny Lofton. FORGET about Juan Pierre.....everyone and their mom knows that by signing Kenny Lofton that you're serious about making the playoffs -- hasn't he played in something like 10 straight playoff seasons?

Cheers,

Lofton is not allowed in the clubhouse.

Imagine if Moose had jumped from the O's back in the mid-90's when he was in his prime and came to the Bronx? He'd have had his 20-gamer (if not more) and a handful of WS rings and we wouldn't be discussing this. But while Maddux was sitting pretty in the OTHER eastern division with the "team of the 90's" (until 1996 of course!) Of course, winning games with the Cubs was not small feat! And I've been wanting to say this for a LONG time but, if the Braves are the "Team of the 90's" then the Buffalo Bills are ALSO the "Team of the 90's"!! AHAHAHAHAHAAHAAHAHA. The only difference is that The Braves won once.
And Trevor Hoffman has only durability on his side. He has no WS ring. He has no CY. He's just been around a long time, pitching in one of the weakest divisions in MLB his whole career and in his 1 WS appearance, he pitched in 1 game and blew it for his team.
I'm not arguing Maddux vs. Moose. You can't do it. But Moose should be mentioned in talks of some of the best pitchers of their time. Moose was winning games for a crappy team in one of the toughest divisions in baseball. And he's been doing it a LONG time and still proving he can be solid if not dominant. Maddux hasn't had a "Maddux year" in the last 4. He's been hovering around .500. What is "dominant"? Strike outs?? Wins? Win Pct?

And I think he HAS found a different way to pitch. In fact, the Yes commentators mentioned that just yesterday. the fact that he's using this curve more, throwing it for first pitch strikes, using the whole plate, not just the outside. Pitching like he is now makes his 88mph fastball work much better.

Anyhow, I don't need to make a case for Moose, he's doing it himself. If he stays healthy this year (and I'll admit thats a big if) I believe the Yanks will give him a 1 year deal with some incentives with maybe an option that will keep him pitching another couple of years.

Yanksrox,
And Moose has played in 7 straight playoff seasons. How has that made a difference in the outcome?

How is getting Kenny Lofton, yet ANOTHER aging slugger (who hasn't exactly "slugged" in several years) going to help? He's 40, he's not exactly going to upgrade our OF......

Since the 2008 All-Star Game, here are the batting averages and home run totals by Justin Morneau (winner), Josh Hamilton (runner-up), and A-Rod (non-participant), according to MLB.com:

Morneau: 4 for 20 (.250) with 1 HR
Hamilton: 4 for 20 (.250) with 1 HR
A-Rod: 9 for 23 (.391) with 2 HRs

Looks like A-Rod may have been right about the Home Run Derby affecting the swing of some of the HR Derby participants.

Pettitte is way better than Moose, Pedro Martinez too, forget the records.

Moose is a borderline HOF pitcher, Pettite is not. Pedro is a surefire hall of famer because of his win percentage, strikeout to walk ratio and insane career ERA. And his deadball era type seasons.

The Orioles of the mid-90s weren't a crappy team. They had some bad luck w/ Jeffrey Maier, but otherwise, they were competitive for a few years in there. The point being that Mussina didn't play for the Royals or Brewers, or Rays for that matter - the Orioles were in the mix. I agree that Mussina has put together a pretty excellent career - his career record is something like 100 games over .500 which is pretty amazing in its own right, and he's on the verge of joining elite company (if he pitches another 3-4 yrs).

I agree though, if he hits 18-20 wins, the Yanks ought to consider giving him a 1-2 year deal w/ incentives, but an otherwise large pay cut.

Yikes, I didn't mean to incite stat-by-stat comparisons to Maddux, more of loose comparison. They're in the same realm of styles, both control pitchers.

Maddux does have a LOT more wins, but again as was said, Maddux had a team(s) around him while Moose had not-so-much in Baltimore. I just felt and feel that having that '20' win season is not nearly as important in the overall discussion than people think it should be. If Moose won #19 in his last start and it put the Yankees into the playoffs, would it really matter if he didn't get 1 more win? That's all I'm trying to say. Would it really tip a scale in his favor to have 1 more win too? Nope sorry, I can't vote him into the Hall, he didn't get #20... that seems like a pretty weak statement compared to the rest of his resume.

Besides I think you're going to start seeing pitchers get in with less... pitchers aren't getting 300 IPs anymore and the majority barely go above 250 if at all. That makes each start much more of a premium and makes 20 wins in 35-40 starts look less appealing. The Braves used primarily a 4-man rotation with Avery, Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz, which obviously gave them more oppotunities for 20 wins in half of their starts while in a 5-man rotation you'll be lucky to have more than 16 wins if you use the same criterion (50% of your starts), which is evidenced in Maddux's career as he had 35 and 36 starts in each of his 20 win seasons. Moose got both of his 19 win seasons in years he had 32 and 36 starts respectively with the O's back in 95 an 96.

Maddux has a lot more years of starting 30+ games as well, which says a lot for his longevity, but I just feel that the 20 win plateau is a bit over-rated when you're talking about fewer starts and 1 lousy win.

Again though, not that Moose is better than Maddux, but comparable and worthy of consideration to the hall rather than an immediate, "oh no he's not" argument.

Even if Moose does win 20 games this season, I don't think we should give him a 2 season contract. Maybe a one year extension if we can't find a suitable replacement. Letting him go would be a huge loss but we have to move on soon. That fastball has been losing juice every year and there is only so long that he can make adjustments to make up for it.

Unfortunately, even the greatest players fade with time. That is, unless they follow the Roger Clemens work out plan.

Knuteroc, you're dead on. I think most fans are aware of the changes in the sport and how it would affect career numbers. Randy Johnson has a good shot at 300 and Moose would if he is willing to play on for long enough to get there. One of these two wll likely be the last to ever reach 300. In the last two seasons, there have been a combined total of one 20 game winner.

Bottom line, the 300 wins that pitchers have had to accumulate over the last 20 years in order to get into the hall pretty much means that we won't see another 300 game winner aside from Randy Johnson for decades. In an era marked by pitch counts, specialist pitchers, and 5 man rotations, it's possible that we will NEVER see another 300 game winner again. So, I think if Moose can get to 275 wins before he hangs them up, then he should certainly be considered for the HOF. He's awesome.

As far as re-signing Moose, I think he would make a great 5th starter for next season. We will still have a very young staff next season with Hughes and Chamberlain, and it might be nice to have a reliable 5th starter to mentor those two young guys.

Either Moose or Rivera is the first half MVP, you can't say enough about either dudes. I remember David Cone during an interview in the offseason, when he said that the Yanks were drilling Moose to pitch inside to hitters, change up his approach, great move Yankee pitching staff. Anyway I have an ESPN rant: What's with this Title Town stuff? What's there to discuss, New York City is Title Town, Boston comes in a close second maybe. Maybe I'm salty cause they didn't do a piece on Dallas....Uh we have the Cowboys, they won a few titles, the Dallas Stars won a NHL championship...our baseball team the Rangers have won...oh yeah nothing, our basketball team the Mavs have won...oh yeah nothing...damn! At least we have professional teams unlike some of the podunk towns ESPN did pieces on...Louisville, KY? Please!!!! I'm done complaining.

Robby Cano looks like the second half MVP right now. He's having a multi-hit game everyday. The guy is the next Vlad Guerrero.

-EJ/Kid From New York

http://yankeesquad.mlblogs.com = Check out my Yankee blog.

Cano is insanely talented but he is so streaky I can't stand him sometimes. He might make it back to .300 but does he have to make it so hard every year? If he becomes more selective he could win a batting title, maybe a few.

It can be frustrating to be a Cano fan, I was close to trashing my Cano shirt, just kidding! But the next Vlad Guerrero? I think Vlad is in a class by himself. I thought Cano got compared to Rod Carew no?

Arun,
I think what you've seen in Moose's fast ball is that he's figured out how to NOT throw it so hard, perhaps accounting for a little more velocity loss. One could make a case for him actually trying to overthrow his fast ball and thus losing control of it in recent years to try to hit that magic 90-mph plateau. Now that he's settled back to the upper 80's, I think he may be able to extend himself a little bit more.
Again, all as long as he can be healthy.

If in fact Moose has found a winning formula (and who can argue right now?) that allows him to remain relatively healthy he could easily pitch another couple years and likely push 290 wins.

But right now, I'm focused on his next 7 starts. Come on Mike!

What I have seen from Moose that is making him successful this season is the fact that he's a complete JUNK baller. I don't think I saw him throw the same pitch in an at bat all day yesterday. Slider, Changeup, Curve, Knucklecurve, 2-Seamer, 4-Seamer, Forkball. I watched a Tony Gwynn interview years ago, and he was talking about an AB he had against Moose in an All-Star game. He was talking about how Moose struck him out with a pitch that he must have just invented right on the mound, because he never saw a pitch like it before in his career. When Tony Gwynn says you are one of the best pitchers ever, maybe there is a case for Moose to have a spot in Cooperstown. 7 more, old man, you can do it! MOOOOOOOOOSE!

YANKEES MINOR LEAGUE SCOREBOARD July 24, 2008

Richmond (Braves) 5:30p (2)
Scranton/WB

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Trenton
New Hampshire (Blue Jays) 12:05p
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Dunedin (Blue Jays) 7p
Tampa

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Staten Island
Jamestown (Marlins) 7:05p
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GCLYankees
GCL Indians 12p
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You may also see http://www.yankeesdaily.com for details.

LOL. Moose reminds me of Eddie Harris from the movie, Major League. "I'm throwing every peice of junk I can at 'em, Skipper. I got enought left for one more hitter."

Rick Vaughn: [Seeing Harris take off his shirt, revealing white suff on his chest] What's that **** on your chest?
Eddie Harris: [Looking at his chest] Crisco.
Eddie Harris: [wiping it across his head]
Eddie Harris: Bardol.
Eddie Harris: [wiping it along his waist line]
Eddie Harris: Vagisil. Any one of them will give you another two to three inches drop on your curve ball. Of course if the umps are watching me real close I'll rub a little jalapeo up my nose, get it runnin', and if I need to load the ball up I just...
Eddie Harris: [wipes his nose]
Eddie Harris: ...wipe my nose.
Rick Vaughn: You put snot on the ball?
Eddie Harris: I haven't got an arm like you, kid. I have to put anything on it I can find. Someday you will too.

Title town is about college towns. Its just another stupid way ESPN tries to get "hip". SNOOOOOooooooozzzzzzzzz..

Anyways, I don't like any of what I am reading here. Embree?
Lofton?

LOFTON?? He stinks.

Juan Pierre? I'd rather have lofton.

I'd rather have Mitchel Epstein for crying out loud.

I do NOT like the Derek Lowe/juan Pierre idea. Both are way past their prime.

I can see torrealba if Posada is out for the season, but you'd hope they can do more then just that.

and I am liking the Washburn deal less and less. I'd rather have the guitar of the same name. He is a disaster waiting to happen.

Great quote, chaz. You and I always seem to be on the same page. the "mitchel epstein" quote was from Major League too.

"well, you may run like hayes but you hit like ****"

how about this deal:

Kennedy and Tabata +++ for The Braves Francuer and Gonzalez.

The Braves aren't willing to deal Gonzalez, Francoeur wouldn't be a bad addition.

Kenny Lofton is pretty much done as a player, he's not worth going after, and Pierre isn't much. But at least Lowe has been able to keep his ERA under 4.00 while with the Dodger which is more than I can say for what we hae gone after in Ponson, Rasner, and Washburn. Lowe would be an upgrade over those guys. I'm not crazy about Torrealba either, he's not that good of a hitter, but he is the best option out there.

Francouer is GOD AWFUL. Among outfielders with 300 or more at bats, he 3rd from DEAD LAST in OBP. He's already been demoted to AAA this season for hitting like crap. Where would we even use him? If you would've ran this trade by me last year, I might have been on board, but Francoeur is clearly NOT hitting well at all. As far as Gonzalez goes, I would rather have Will Ohman from Atlanta. He's a great lefty.

An on base average less than .300? That means he walks little, hits little, and strikes out often. NOT exactly an upgrade to our offense.

Michael, by Gonzalez are you talking about the relief pitcher Mike Gonzalez? As a left reliever, he has solid career stats (199 games, 186IP, 2.32ERA, like a 2.5K/BB ratio, 34S in 37chances. He's also fairly young (29yrs. old), but I don't think we should give up Kennedy, Tabata and more for Francoeur and Gonzalez. Tabata is one of our most touted positional prospects right now (and he's only 20yrs. old). Don't get me wrong, I do think we're going to need another right-handed bat because of Posada and Matsui's health issues right now, but I don't think we want to give up all of that for that deal. We also have to look at the catching situation, obviously. We most likely won't see Posada behind the dish again for the rest of the year, and with Molina throwing out just about 50% of would-be base stealers, I'll take the defensive trade off. However, the offense produced from the C position isn't typically what it has been in years past due to Posada being a solid offensive contributor. Then again, we don't need our catcher to be one of the main offensive producers if the lineup continues to play how it's been playing since the All-Star break.

On another note Mr. Cashman... PLEASE DON'T GO AFTER WASH(EDUP)BURN OR LOWE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!! Thank you.

We can get Will Ohman for a cheaper price too. Mike Gonzalez is a better pitcher than Ohman, I will admit.

I'm willing deal Tabata. His attitude sucks, and he's having a poop year. I say deal him before he loses all his value. We have Gardner, Christian, and a few other outfield choices, do we not?

Mussina is a borderline HOF pitcher, he's going to have to get a whole lot closer to the 300-win mark, if not actually win 300+ career games. Consistency alone should NOT be the only criteria to enter the HOF. Every player who is there now has that on their side big deal!!!!! What has Mussina done over his career other than being consistent? He has never won a Cy Young, never won 20+ games in his career (this could definitely be the year for him), his postseason numbers are average so he isn't a big game pitcher. If he had spent his career with the O's being "consistent" would we even be talking about this? Is the HOF going to be watered down with "good" talent simply because players were consistent enough or lasted long enough to compile 500 HRs? I guess the HOF should allow someone like Tommy John in as well for his consistency. The HOF should be reserved for "GREAT" players only.

Yanks looking at catchers
The New York Yankees have reportedly been inquiring about a catcher to fill the hole created when Jorge Posada went down with an injury.

Dan Graziano of the Newark Star-Ledger writes the Yankees have check on several different possibilities,including Gerald Laird, Paul Lo Duca, Miguel Olivo and Rod Barajas.

New York's exectutives are at the team's office in Tampa, Fla. to discuss various trade options this week.

Tabata's stock as a prospect has fallen badly during this season, when GMs hear about his troubles they will be turned off by him. Yanks have Austin Jackson as well.

Where is the cutoff, though, Matt? Does a pitcher HAVE to win 300 games to become a HOFer? What's the difference between 275 and 300? 2 more seasons? 1 more season, and 1 more win per year? What sets the standard? Because if it's 300 wins, then we need to move several pitchers OUT of the hall of fame. 300 wins is the hallmark of a "consistent" pitcher anyway, ANY pitcher that can hang around as a starter in the big leagues for 15-20 years has a real shot at earning 300 wins. Maybe it should be ERA and winning percentage that gets you in? I don't know, but Moose has a real shot at being in the hall. I agree that the HOF should be reserved for the elite, but I think Moose is in that conversation. He's no Koufax, Walter Johnson, or Jenkins, but he's at least at the tail end of "elite".

With Posada wanting to still hit, I don't see the Yankees being able to make any trade at all for any hitting. If Posada is going hit, he's going to DH. So, where are we going to play the new guy? We already have every other postion on the field filled. The only way we are going to be able to add to the offense this season, is if Posada is willing to take the knife (which he should do), or if we can magically come up with a good hitting catcher (where there is a better chance of pulling gold bricks out of my butthole).
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Jorge, I love you, but if you are not at the top of your game, then you need to shut it down for the rest of the year. If you think you can still contribute with the bat, YOU HAD BETTER BE RIGHT. If you are wrong, then we won't be able to pick anyone up to improve the offense of this team.

I guess we need to look at dealing Abreu and possibly Damon. Otherwise, I can't see how we would even be able to add a bat to the lineup. Any acquisition would just logjam the corner OF/1B/DH spots. I don't want to lose Cabrera just yet, Cano stays, Giambi finishes his contract, Jeter and A-Rod obviously stay. What does that leave us? Abreu and Damon.

I guess with Damon hitting over .300, we really don't need to deal him either, do we? So I guess it's Abreu that gets moved for the "new guy", whover that may be.

chaz,

Usually, I wouldn't say that winning 300 games alone should be the standard cutoff, but in Mussina's case I feel it should or as close to 300 as possible. There are players like Don Sutton who simply "hung around" long enough to win 300+ wins who shouldn't be in the HOF. Sutton won 10+ games '66-'82, five of those years he had a losing record. Today's athletes have a better chance of having longer careers while at the same time posting bigger numbers. I say it should be an accumulation of accomplishments over a whole career to determine a HOFer not merely longevity

I feel Posada should shut it down for the rest of the season rather than risk his health, and wait for him next season when he is health and can contribute as a 1B/DH. IT's just too risky to use an injured player.

I see that we are once again under speculation that Melky Cabrera is some expendable trade chip. That's rich. I'd like to see where people think speedy centerfielders with great glove and a HALL OF FAME arm, that don't completely embarass themselves with a bat grow on trees. I'll make this simple: we deal Melky, we have a hole in centerfield that won't be filled for at least 5 years. He should be the last outfielder we trade from this team.

What are we going to do, put Damon's frail, old carcass and noodle arm back in center? Whatever. Don't fuking trade Melky.

BREAKING NEWS: HANK SAYS HE WANTS BONDS AND WILL TELL THEM THAT AT THE MEETING. LIKE WITH SANTANA IT DOESN'T MEAN HANK WILL GET WHAT HE WANTS.

As for the catchers mentioned. The Toronto guy is most appealing, I liked his backup Fasano (former Yankee) too but I can't see Toronto helping us out, they didn't exactly give us Cone or Clemens.

Where's this breaking news from? An internet message board, or your vivid imagination, Bpark?

I'll be the 1st to admit that I wanted Moose gone last season. I'm glad he's making me appologize for bad-mouthing him. However, 2 yr contract is 1 yr too many for him. Lowe & Pierre do not belong on this team. Not only does Pierre blow as a lead off, he's on the DL. Lowe is a Blosox retread. No thanks. Keep Lofton away from this team too! His best days were on Cleveland his 1st time around. Remember how good he was on the Yanks? I'm not wasting my time on Bonds. I still don't like Cano. He shouldn't be in the same sentence as "I got mad hits like I was Rod Carew"! What's anyone's take on acquiring Casy Blake? He plays mulitple positions. I like Fasano but, he is no upgrade offensively.

Bottom of the screen on ESPN.

1 more thing. Paul LoDuca? No way. Is he even playing? He's past his prime too.

Its under the mlb news on the bottom line. No articles yet but Hank is quoted.

LoDuca is worthless.

chaz,

There's an AP piece posted on Foxsports.com about Steinbrenner "discussing" Bonds as a possibility not "wanting" him on the team.

Blake would definitely be a good option as a benchplayer, at least he's better than Betapuke, Suxson, and Moehler. From what I hear the Mets' Omar Minaya really likes Blake.

Why even discuss him? He is not a good fit. He would be limited to being a pinch hitter.

Matt is correct and I apologize for my lack of specificity towards HOF criterion. No, longevity shouldn't be the criterion or only criterion, but in that same vein, longevity is implied when the 300 game plateau is put out there.

As we move past the era of 4 man rotations and big inning-eater pitchers, Bullpen specialists and pitch counts, the criterion has to be re-defined otherwise you'll likely have only relievers qualifying and how would they do that too? For example, one could say that Maddux has hung around too, while he's had very par to better seasons than a lot of pitchers, over the last 5-10 years his dominance has certainly diminished. He also lives in one of the worst divisions in baseball. I do not mean to take anything away from Greg, I like the guy, he's a stud... but the point is simply that the old measuring sticks may no longer apply and if that's the case as I believe it should be, then criterion should be discussed and be more concrete than "nearly 300 wins" or something else.

I didn't mean consistent when speaking of Moose as far as, he's not on the DL often, I meant as far as W's go. He has won more than 10 games every year except his rookie year I believe. As well, saying only CY-Young winners are deserving is a stretch too, there's only one per league per year. Surely we can do better than that! I agree too, the HOF shouldn't be watered down per se', but just like it's not too smart to compare eras in Baseball, you shouldn't keep the same criterion for entry when clearly the rules and opportunities have changed.

CF not being filled for 5 years? Or maybe just 1 when Austin Jackson comes up mid 2009. He's touted as a "superstar" level prospect (at least the Baseball Prospectus guys on ESPN think so) and also as the best athlete in the Yankees system. I don't necessarily think Melky is expendable, but his glove isn't "great" - his arm is definitely special, but he's only above average as a CF. And prior to the break, he was embarrassing himself with the bat.

Nonetheless, I agree that keeping his is the right thing. He's only, what, 23? Still has time to mature as a hitter, fielder, and tack on some power. If he ups his power, he's probably Abreu's replacement in 2 years.

I wouldn't deal Abreu or Damon at this point either - first, no one is going to want either of them anyway. Abreu is overpaid at 16 mil and Damon has one more year left, at something close to 12 mil. Aging outfielders outside of their prime (one with injury prone legs and another who's defense is questioned) aren't easy to shop.

If we want a bat, IPK is probably one of the better chips we have (maybe Ohlendorf too), and I'm sure they can fish in AA to pull out someone else. Tabata isn't going anywhere, nor is Jackson, Montero, Horne, Hughes, Cabrera, or Melancon. No need to mortgage the future to get a rental, an indicted fallen from grace DH, or a catcher who's clubhouse poison (looking in LoDuca's direction). Of all the moves I've heard about, the two I like the most are

1. Jarrod Washburn - viable 4-5 starter, lefty, with good numbers in the Stadium. On the hook next year as well, meaning the Yanks can have some semblance of continuity if Pettite or Moose don't come back.

2. Gerald Laird. Solid hitting catcher, young guy, with more time left than say Pudge, and a better bat than Torrealba. Also, 2 more years of arbitration sounds mighty nice considering Jorgie's ability to stay behind the plate may be a question in early 2009. Also, Molina is signed, if I'm correct, for 2009 as well, so Laird could become a trade chip or insurance. Not to mention Tex needs pitching like nobody's business. Ohlendorf for Laird straight up sounds like a pretty good idea - Ohlendorf's sinker/ground ball style would be a thing for Texas' batter's park.

that's my rant - thoughts?

Austin Jackson up in mid-'09. I highly doubt that. He is going to have to prove himself in AAA which he hasn't done yet. Lets not get ahead of ourselves here. I would be very careful about labeling any prospect as a "superstar" at any level, especially when they haven't done anything. This team has had quite a few prospects labeled as superstars in the past only to see them go up in flames. Anyone remember Hensley "Bam Bam" Meulens, Juan Rivera (granted he hasn't gone down in flames, but has never come anywhere close to what people thought he would be), Drew Henson, etc., etc. The Yanks and most other ML teams always overrate their prospects so take everything with a grain of salt. Other than Jackson there is no one else who could replace Cabrera in CF for years. He may never hit more than 15-20 HRs or drive in more than 80-85 RBIs but there isn't a better game in town than him. Also, he is still developing as a hitter, whether he has hit his ceiling, only time will tell.

Again, Washburn's number at Yankee Stadium can be deceiving since he has always given the Yanks problems regardless of where he has pitched. He's definitely on the downside of his career, plus he is way overpriced for a #5 starter, this team is going to be on the hook for his salary for next season as well, and who knows what if anything this team will have to give up for him to waive his no-trade contract, plus this team is going to most likely take Vidro with him as well so he just got a lot more expensive. The Yanks should at younger, less expensive options than him if possible.

Gerald Laird has been on the DL with a strained right hamstring, I think the Yanks will hold off on him until they see how he recovers. It may take someone other than Ohlendorf to get Laird, especially with Ohlendorf's struggles.

Blake would definitely be a good option as a bench player, and has pop in his bat, so he is capable of generating offense which is more than I can say about anyone else the Yanks have had on their bench this season.

I would've had a response to you, hassid, but Matt pretty much posted exactly what I was going to say. It's simple really, it's not worth creating one hole to fill another. We already have a center fielder for the future, Melky Cabrera. Why make one of the most important positions in Yankee stadium a revolving door when we don't have to?

knute,

I agree with what you said about Mussina, and the HOF. Again winning 300 games in a career should not be the only determining factor to get into the HOF nor should longevity or consistency, it should be based on an accumulation of accomplishments over a career (i.e. # Cy Youngs, 20 win seasons, ERA titles, No hitters etc.). If Nolan Ryan hadn't accomplished what he accomplished, I doubt he would be in the HOF. Lets not forget there are quite a few pitchers in the HOF who don't have close to 300 wins.

Abreu and Damon would be a hell of a lot easier to shop if they were attached to prospects. We have enough pitching prospects right now that we can afford to deal a few of them to get the players we actually want.
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As far as Washburn goes. He's worth Kei Igawa and that's IT. Any other players attached to that deal, and WE ARE GETTING PIG F-ED. Wash is old, painfully average, and grossly overpaid. In order for it to be worth carrying his salary, this deal would have to be a salary DUMP on the M's part exclusively.
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While I like the idea of getting Laird, exactly when would that deal start to pay dividends? When he comes off the DL? When is that? Otherwise, what is he worth to Texas? Just a struggling Ohlendork? Highly unlikely. Especially since everyone knows we need a decent hitting catcher.
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Again, I still think that Posada wanting to DH for the rest of the season pretty much knocks us out of contention for any position players aside from catcher. That is, unless we are willing to move Abreu or Damon. If we can't add some propects to them to create a compelling trade package, we might as well chase a lefty reliever, another starter, and then call it good.

Bet you a million bucks Damon has a full no-trade clause in his contract.

You just lost that bet chaz!!!! He has a partial no-trade clause. Pay up!!!!!!

I hope Posada's pride is not clouding his judgement. Is he capable of putting up good numbers? Is he able to swing a bat with 100% of his ability? Does it hurt him to swing? I don't know.

Partial? Do you know how many teams he has excluded?

I'm just hoping this team signs a few players before the deadline. With just a week left before the deadline this team hasn't signed anyone of consequence, I don't like how slowly things are moving with so many holes to fill.

Check's in the mail, Matt. Do you want it sent to your office......or your mansion?

Can't find that info., yet!

Can't find that info., yet!

My mansion, I'll have Hugh Hefner take care of it for me!!

I can't even believe that we would consider trading Melky Cabrera for Jarrod Washburn, but it looks like that's what's going to happen. This will be the dumbest trade in the history of this franchise if this happens
http://www.nj.com/yankees/index.ssf/2008/07/yankees_talks_on_seattle_lefty.html

Posada moving to first base completely takes us out of the conversation for Mark Teixeira next season. That pisses me off to no end.

On MLBtraderumors.com, it said the Mariners were in no way interested in Cabrera as they didn't think much of him as an OF.

I found a partial answer tyour question regarding Damon's partial no-trade clause. He does not want to go to any small market teams like Kansas, Tampa, florida, Seattle or Minnesota since they won't be able to afford his contract.

I'm not sure how much the Yanks were in contention for Teixeira to begin with.

A 23 year old, gold glove, switch hitting, fireball throwing centerfielder for a 35 year old number 5 starter? And we are "willing to discuss it"? Who's running this Mickey Mouse outfit?

Well, since we need a 1B for next year, and we basically have unlimited funds to spend for next season, you would think we would be favorites in off-season discussion for Tex. Especially since Tex is all business (Boras is his agent) and will go to whoever pays him the most money.

NOOOOOO!!!!! no to trading Melky!!!!

Which is easier? Finding a solid hitting catcher, or finding a perennial all-star 1B? You'll find a catcher who can hit about as often as you'll find a tree that grows naked ladies, and just about every team has a first baseman that can rake.

Funny you say that trade rumors said the M's were not interested in Melky, while I got that link from trade rumors in the first place. Which is it? I'd sure like to sit in on that Tampa meeting and teach these pencil pushers how to trade. Just give me a phone, a list of prospects, a rolodex of GM's, and MLB:08 The Show. I'll get pig naked, and have 3 deals done inside of 20 minutes.

It may come down to how the Braves do the rest of the week, and what trade package is the most appealing. The Braves are 6 1/2 games out of 1st place, if they fall further back you could expect to see competition from Tampa (who can offer a few high end prospects for Teixeira), Dodgers, and Angels (both of whom can also offer high-end prospects), and the Red Sox heat up.

Chaz ...

I hope that trade rumor "is not true" regarding the Yankees trading Melky Cabrera - IN ANY DEAL ... I totally agree with you: "Melky for Washburn" would def be one of the dumbest trades in Yankees history ... Melky brings so much energy to this team, is a great defensive centerfielder, and brings many intangibles to the Yankees - both on the field and in the clubhouse ... Yes, Melky's lack of hitting [so far], and swinging at too many pitches, has been a big disappointment; but, overall, I think Melky brings many more positives to this team, than negatives ... The Yankees have an awesome winning chemistry on this team right now ... Trading Melky will be a major mistake!!! ... Also, hopefully, the Yankees do not make another mistake, by signing Barry Bonds [it seems like there has also been some renewed talk about that possible disaster happening] ... Go Yankees!!! ... and, a big sweep of the Red Sox over the weekend !!! ... Jimmy [27NYY] ...

http://baseballtheyankeesandlife.mlblogs.com/

I just reread the article you were looking at, and it says "Yankees are willing to discuss Melky Cabrera, and Brett Gardner". I don't know why the Yanks are wasting their time with this crap, they know they don't want Cabrera, and Gardner is a young OF who has a lot of upside, he's worth a lot more than Washburn!!

It's all a bunch of crap. I was ok trading for Washburn when it was Igawa that was the likely trade candidate, but losing a front-line, future all star center fielder like Cabrera or even Gardner for an aging number 5 starter is absurd.
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If Hank Steinbrenner thinks putting Bonds on this team is fullfilling the promise of "marquee players" that "the Yankee fans deserve", he is sadly mistaken. If he wants to sign Bonds that means he wants to lose fans of this team such as myself. Winning shouldn't cost you your integrity, honor, and self-respect. How can Hank want SCUM like Bonds on this team, and still look at himself in the mirror? I get it, Hank is PRO-Steroids? PRO-Controversy? PRO-Shame?

You will see my final post on this blog if Bonds is signed to a Yankee contract. I feel that strongly about getting performance enhancing drugs out of baseball. So, for those of you that don't like me, you'd better hope Bonds gets a deal.

I'll say it again, for the 3rd and final time:

Yankees will land Yorvit Torrealba -- he's currently sitting on the Rox bench...

I was joking about Lofton -- it just seems that every time a team makes a run they sign Lofton halfway through the season and he plays well. He is DONE as a player.

I would prefer landing a bigger bat than Pierre. Someone with some pop from the right side of the plate who can play outfield and MAYBE corner infield, i.e.: Brad Wilkerson type player.

Why do you guys keep bringing up old dudes. Lofton, Fasano, Embree. Are you kidding?

Take a trip to Trenton. Austin Jackson is the player at Trenton. Maybe not 2009, but he is for real. You can trade Tabata now. Bad attitude and way over hyped.

Posada needs to have the operation now. Then he can be our catcher next year. Gerald Laird is the best out there, but health is a concern. I would ask the D'Backs if Miguel Montero could be had.

Brian Fuentes or Damaso Marte. We have to get one, because they are going and the competition will get them.
How about Kennedy, Tabata and Alan Horne for Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte.

Any interest in Bronson Arroyo and Paul Bako from the Reds for two prospects?

Don't sell the house for a quick fix. Just need a little tweak. We can win this thing with what we have

Cabrera is and should be our centerfielder for the next 5-7 years.
Time to eat the contract. LaTroy Hawkins must go.
Mark Melancon will be a big part of September in the bullpen.
Washburn--sorry, no way.
Tim Redding has pitched very well for the Nationals.
Johnny Estrada was just released. Before anyone thinks about him---NO, NO, NO.
Keep Ohlendorf--he has a shot as a starter. Daniel McCutchen could be ready for next year. Hughes will be back.
Stop wasting starts at Scranton with Igawa. Package him in a trade.
Will Juan Miranda get a call-up in September?
Some teams might want Ramiro Pena. Great fielder--will there ever be a spot for him in NY? Probably not.
Just to follow-up on my putting Kennedy, Tabata and Horne in a trade. You guys will never let Kennedy forget his comments about pitching in New York. He will win, but not in NY. Tabata, as mentioned before and by others, has a bad attitude, lack of hustle and wrist problems. Horne was signed with a bad arm, and has been plagued since. Talent yes, but too fragile.

Paul Bako? He hasn't even hit .215 in 4 of the past 5 seasons. He hasn't hit .250 or better in a significant number of games since '99. This team has enough mediocre hitters at the catching position, he adds nothing. The Yanks should not waste a prospect on this guy, he's another "old dude" you can add to your list of old dudes.
Arroyo is a very average pitcher with a bloated ERA. His career ERA is 4.36 and he has allowed 142 career HRs in 1158 2/3 IP, that's just ridiculous. He's just going to get ripped like he has been his entire career, another player not to waste prospects on.
It's going to take at least 4 prospects to get Nady and MArte, I wouldn't include Horne in that package, he's just too good a prospect.

Horne's biceps injury was the only serious injury he has had in the minors,don't think that makes him fragile. Still has too much upside to get rid of. Miranda's numbers have been okay, but not real eye popping. He's an overrated prospect based on what he did last season.

Thank you for making sense. I wouldn't have wanted Bako or Arroyo either. Just tossed it out there.
I agree Horne is a talent, but he just never stays healthy. We have seen enough of that.
Does everyone realize that Horne, Kennedy, Chamberlain and Brackman were drafted with questionable arms. Relievers Melancon and Cox also. White, Karstens, Hacker and Garcia have trouble staying healthy. And then there is Hughes.

Actually Brackman was the most serious, since this team drafted him knowing about his TJ surgery situation. I would still stick with Horne though there's not a whole lot this team can do about that situation now. Bad arms have been a troubling epidemic for years in the organization.

YANKEES MINOR LEAGUE SCOREBOARD July 24, 2008

Richmond (Braves) 6 (7)
Scranton/WB 3
W: J. Rouwenhorst (8-9, 5.66); L: R. Ohlendorf (1-1, 4.03); SV: J. Julio (3)
HR: SWB: B. Broussard (6).
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2008_07_24_ricaaa_swbaaa_1&t=g_box&did=milb
Richmond (Braves) 1
Scranton/WB 4 (8)
W: S. Strickland (3-0, 2.10); L: R. Basner (1-2, 7.68)
HR: SWB: B. Broussard (6).
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2008_07_24_ricaaa_swbaaa_2&t=g_box&did=milb
Trenton 3
New Hampshire (Blue Jays) 4 (7)
W: B. Magee (4-11, 4.88); L: E. Hacker (5-2, 2.78)
HR: None.
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2008_07_24_treaax_nhmaax_1&t=g_box&did=milb
Dunedin (Blue Jays) 1
Tampa 2
W: I. Nova (6-11, 4.23); L: C. Polanco (2-2, 2.25); SV: J. Schmidt (9)
HR: DUN: M. Cabral (3). TAM: T. Battle (9).
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2008_07_24_dunafa_tbyafa_1&t=g_box&did=milb
Staten Island 7
Jamestown (Marlins) 4
W: T. Dennehy (2-1, 1.71); L: E. Villanueva (0-1, 3.00); SV: P. Venditte (10)
HR: STA: A. Maruszak (3).
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2008_07_24_staasx_jamasx_1&t=g_box&did=milb
GCLYankees 9
GCL Indians 13
W: C. Jones (1-2, 3.13); L: G. Tatis (1-2, 5.73)
HR: YAN: Z. Almonte (3), S. Lucian (1). IND: L. Basabe (1).
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2008_07_24_yanrok_indrok_1&t=g_box&did=milb
You may also see http://www.yankeesdaily.com for details.

way to go Kansas City!!! the Bombers are now only 3 games out of BOTH the Wild Card AND the AL East title

The value of Posada to our team over the last decade cannot be overstated. Aside from Piazza, he was arguably the best ofensive catcher in baseball. But, if we do get Tex, Posada is a DH/pinch-hitter from here on out. Which means we have to either sit Matsui or Posada, as with their contracts they aren't getting traded.

That is unless Tex can play right field. We need to replace Abreu in right.

Giving up IPK, Tabata and Horne for Nady and Marte is lunacy. I agree that IPK is likely a trade chip. But Tabata is 18!!! For such a highly touted kid, don't you think we oughta let him grow up a bit?? And Horne - giving away a good pitching prospect for Nady, who is having a good year, but in the end is unlikely to be better than a 4th outfielder or career platoon player - that's nuts in and of itself. If IPK could net anyone, that might be worthwhile, but even then.

As for Jackson, my reference to him being a "superstar" level prospect was only in reference to his projection - sorry for the confusion on that. Clearly he's not a known quantity, but he projects to be better than Melky in almost every toolset. Not to mention, classifying Melky as a "gold glove" CF is crazy - to the best of my knowledge, he's never won a GG. He's got upside, certainly, but I wouldn't call him an untouchable.

As for Gardner, I love the guy's speed, but if ever there was trade bait, it's him. So far, he hasn't demonstrated that he even has singles power, let alone doubles power, or an ability to get on base consistently enough