3/16 - Yankees vs. Phillies

Another Vote!
Fan Confidence Poll: March 16th, 2009
By Mike A. RAB
http://riveraveblues.com/2009/03/fan-confidence-poll-march-16th-2009-9079/

So what do you guys think about this line-up:

Bonds
Giambi
Pudge
Pierre
Manny
Cameron

Starting Pitchers:
Jason Johnson
Brett Tomko
Kei Igawa
Pedro

I would LOOOOOOOVE to hear what you all have to say about this "master line-up". A great baseball expert told me that these players are a shoe-in for great years in 2009.

Cano has bursitis??? I thought that was something only older people got.
http://thisfanslife.mlblogs.com

Well bursitis is better then a lot of other things it could be.

Julia
http://werbiefitz.mlblogs.com/

Anybody can get bursitis. It's just another type of inflammation. I still can't figure out why Cano played with it and didn't tell anyone. AAARGH.

- http://janeheller.mlblogs.com

Apparently, international competition is extremely important to non-American players. There's a lot of pressure to participate in things like the WBC.
http://thisfanslife.mlblogs.com

mm40,

There's a "great" lineup all TRUE Yankee fans can really be proud of. Yeah right!!!! Just looking at that roster makes me want to puke up a lung. I'd like to know the name of that "expert" who said they were shoe-ins to have a great season. Was it an escapee from the local nut farm?

As for Jason Johnson, he has always been a mediocre pitcher. I just don't him with much of a role on this team. He's going to have to pitch his butt off to beat out some of these guys.

I never thought Giambi would make this year's team, it was absolutely the right move to dump him. He may walk a lot, but so what that didn't help the Yankees last year, and that's not what they were paying him to do anyway. Teixeira is definitely a huge upgrade over Giambi, he is younger than Giambi and is definitely more than capable of matching Giambi's offensive numbers if not beating them. Except for his first full season in the majors in which he hit 26 HR's and 84 RBI's, the dude has hit 30+ HR's and had 100+ RBI's in every single full season. There's not too much difference between their career OBP. So to say that Teixeira isn't an upgrade over Giambi or that the Yanks will miss Giambi is absolutely wrong.

In regards to your previous post, the Giants may have dropped the ball by not signing Owens. They were terrible after losing Burriss last year.

One last thing, you need to watch what you say on this blog otherwise certain people will start accusing you of being me.

"Maybe if I said from the beginning, it would be good by this time," Cano said. "The good thing is that it's only a few days. This is about your country. It's not about just going to play and have fun.

"I don't want to be one of those guys that they say, 'We needed you and you didn't want to play.' The good thing is that this didn't get worse. It's still the same and I'll be ready for Friday."

Cano said that if he has an opportunity to be in a similar situation again, he plans to be more forthcoming with the Yankees' medical staff.

"The next time that I feel something, I'm going to tell the team before I leave," Cano said. "This is more important than the Classic. That's only three weeks – this is where I belong. If I wasn't in the big leagues, I wouldn't be invited to play. I've got to put them first."

I think what the Yankees should do with Cano is buy him a brain.
Unless he has forgotten the Yankees pay him the big bucks and not his country

I think Cano needs to remmember that the Yankees are paying his contract, not his WBC team. We reward this guy with a nice contract and expecting him to contribute and he's out there hiding an injury -- next he'll tell his he was in an accident in south Florida and not report it.

I've having flashbacks of Pavano.

It is a great sigh of relief for me because I thought Cano would have something worse. We don't want to lose Marte our bullpen is shaky enough without injuries. Go Yanks.
http://whereplayersbecomelegends.mlblogs.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The 64 Team field is set, check out the Baseball History Tournament in my blog. You can get there by the URL or by clicking Legends on the main page.

Interesting, Cano now at bat for The Yankees, a single on a 3 and one pitch, has to be good news somewhat. Also that he let the first three go by something he was not doing in the past. Lets hope he shows a disciplined approach this season and from the outset.

Aussie B

MM,
You need to breakdown the word EXPERT phonetically:
EX is a HAS BEEN and
SPURT is a drip under pressure.

Tomko seem to be the biggest surprise this spring! He looks to be leading the long relief competition over Giese though Johnson got a late start and could catch up!!!

And if only Pudge had hit for us last year like he's now hitting for Puerto Rico! The pitching hasn't always been MLB quality but the hitting will probably get him a job!!!

Get of Robbie Cano's case will ya? I dont see any of you question the right for Jeter or Yuk-olis to represent the USA.

WBC rules are agreed by the ML teams and the league. If Cano is called up by his country, he has to answer the call. Not his fault he is hurt. It comes with territory.

BTW, those of u that called the race in Gardner's favor at the beginning of the spring must be having some second thoughts eh? :) I remember cautioning that we needed to see how the race between Melky & Brent went till the end of the season, and IMO, this race is far far from over.

Also the Yanks seem to have found some chemistry with the Minor leaguers at this time. If they keep up hitting throughout spring training, I would seriously consider starting the season with some of these players, especially Berroa at shortstop (Yes,...why not?).

Finally, what do u think of Kei Igawa? Can someone say "Ball-pen"?

Has Kei Igawa been hijacked by an alien spaceship then returned to the Yankees? Who is this guy pitching in spring training?

sure, Cano going to the WBC is not the problem....not telling about the injury is the problem...Berroa at SS? no way, except if Jeter was hitting .100 or so and Berroa tearing the cover off the ball, but otherwise no chance...yeah, and it really seems someone finally told Igawa where the strike-zone is, great work so far this spring, really worth considering him for a long relief-spot...let's see how things go on for him

12 runs
20 hits
0 Error!

I know its spring, but,......DAMN! :)

BTW, Kei deserves a second chance in the pen based on his performance to date.

Just remember, Igawa's facing mostly Double-A and Triple-A hitters here in the spring. We already know he can get guys at those levels out. It's the big leaguers he's had trouble with, though they're pretty happy with his strike-throwing so far.

How many chances is garbage like Igawawful going to get? How many has he had so far? We've seen him do this before against scrubs, and minor leaguers. He has made a career of this, yeah right really worth the contract he is getting paid. Don't take chances keep him in the minors where he belongs? That's all he has or ever will show himself to be, a minor league pitcher. I'm getting tired of seeing this repeat.

All I am saying is that he is doing what he is expected to do in spring training in order to be considered on the 40 man roster.

Maybe he has addressed his control and confidence issues of the past, and if he has, then we have to forget the past and give him his due chance.

Forget the past? Ummmm..... I don't think so. Until he shows he can get major league hitters out on a consistent basis like it was hoped he could do before he signed his contract a few years ago, he will continue to be thought of as garbage. Getting minor leaguesr out ain't gonna' cut it. He's been given more than a fair chance.

Bob, Matt, the all-star line up I concoted is purely based on players that a certain popular commentor said over the past year on this blog that the Yankees should have signed or traded for.

Let's just say he needs to ge to Bennigans in time to celebrate is birthday.

And Igawa is a waste of $50 Million (posting fee and salary)

And how do you get him to prove he can get MLB hitters out consistently? During String Training when most of them dont care much or are taking it very easy????

Matt, I understand your skepticism, but Igawa has been consistently good against all hitters, minor and major during this spring training at least, so in my books he has earned another shot at the big leagues.

Besides, if we do not give our hitters/pitchers another chance to redeem themselves from their past horrors, especially when they seem to prove they deserve the chance,...Then what is the whole point of trying minor leaguers out during spring training? what is the point of telling them to continue to work hard because it will pay off? What is the point to keep Igawa, Kennedy, Duncan and so many others that have tried, failed and are trying again,...to keep on trying for the good of the team?.

I think you need to get over your bias of Igawa and be more objective when considering who deserves another chance at the big leagues.

mm40,
Loving the lineup. Get your expert to name you some infielders to round it off. As for pitchers, not sure who you want for your pen but you must add Roger Clemens as your ace. You may have to pay him 30 million to coax him out of retirement but it will be worth it

kaisersoser,
The thing with Igawa is, as Bryan put perfectly, we already know he can get minor leaguers out. With the limited innings available now, if management has given up on him he would have been sent down already, so maybe he will get a chance. But if he does get that chance I'm betting he bombs again. As for Cano, he should have reported the injury, it's not that he got hurt at the Classic but that he's been an idiot about it.
I'll spare you the Usual Suspects jokes, Awesome movie though, and Kaiser Soze is a legend.

I hear what you're saying, but Igawa is a totally different case altogether. We aren't talking about a young FA who has yet to prove himself. We are talking about a 30 year old pitcher who is in the middle of a 5-year $5 million contract with very average stuff who has never shown any ability to pitch at the major league level. OF course he is good against minor leaguers that's why he has succeeded in the minors. He was good last ST as well until he started facing major leaguers more often and he hasn't faced that many major leaguers this ST. It is early ST after all, and hitters are still trying to get into the swing of things with limited AB's so the limited success he has against them is pretty meaningless a lot of hitters don't care about getting hits this early in ST. So there is no comparison between a player as expensive as Igawa to guys who cost next to nothing and know they will struggle just to make a roster. Those guys know might not have enough talent to stick while expectations for someone like Igawa are much different and much higher.

Yeah, I have a bias against Igawa, but at least it is based on fact. The more he fails the farther behind other pitchers who are younger and more talented than him.

mm40,

I gotcha' now.

Matt, you what I'm talkin' bout!

Yeah, I'll add Clemens to my "alldouche" team. I'll call them the "Summer's Eves".

My Bias against Igawa is the fact that he sucks. He might as well be tossing a beach ball up there.

All are forgetting Igawa's win over the Red Sox at the Stadium in 2007. He relieved Karstens (or was it Rasner?) after he was hit by a comebacker early and had to exit the game. Igawa completely shut the Sox down! Makes me think most of his problem is mental!!!

I guess the Yanks should have signed Pavano to another contract to give him a chance to show what he can do. After all he didn't get a chance to show what he could do since he was hurt so much. IF you remember he did win 18 games at one time.

JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!!!!!

That's just one game. Big deal!! What about the others?

Bob, apparantly, you forgot too. Karstens...Rasner....who cares same difference.

All you all can do is quote the past facts as reasons why Igawa does not deserve another shot at the Bigs.

I am looking at current Spring Training numbers, and they put Igawa as one of our best relievers (11 innings of ZERO run baseball).

At least, I can respect people that have a bias against Igawa and can say so openly. The problem is that there isnt much of a debate if you are not willingly to consider you might be wrong about him.

I for one am thankful that Girardi is calling the shots, and hopefully he is at least spared from making passionate decisions based on fear rather than facts.

I say give him another chance if he continues this form throughout spring,....Case closed!

The4 case is emphaticaly NOT closed. You, my friend, are wrong. Kei Igawa is not major league material, and he is one of the all-time yankee scouting blunders. Can you find a paper trail to who green-lighted that deal? Or hows about the name of the scout who said he was "better than matsuzaka"? That's because when Igawa was signed, they all scattered like cockroaches when the light is turned on.

The Hanshin Tigersover exagerated his value and he was on his way down in 2006 in Japan. The Tigers covered up this fact and over-promoted him to ML teams, especially the yankees. They wanted to get rid of him in the worst way. Igawa was even sent to the Japanese minors and was under serious scrutiny because he was rapidly losing his skills. After he was the leagues "best pitcher" in 2003, he wound up becoming a Japanese version of Barry Zito.

He also tips his pitches. Igawa's decline started 5 years ago in Japan, and his Fastball doesn't top out any higher than 85-87 MPH. His change up is over rated, and he is a head case to boot. If he was so great, then why doesn't any team in Japan want him back?? The yankees tried to offer him back toi the tigers, but they declined and would sell or trade his rights to any other japanese team. This guy has not been good in almost 6 full seasons of pro-ball.

Based on these compelling truths, how can ANYONE think that this guy will be productive on a ML level? He is an above average AAA pitcher at best having a decent spring training.

How do you like those facts, MR Soser??? You seem to think that "facts" are conjecture, which ios all you have right now about Igawa.

the fact of the matter is that Brett Tomko has a better chance of making this team and contributing.

You are 100% wrong because NOTHINg you are saying is based on fact; it's only based on a few weeks against AA and AAA level of talent when most people are just trying to work on their swings. Based on this perspective, Joba should be DFAed and the Yanks should Sign Pedro.

Useless. Utterly useless. If you were a scout, you'd be fired MR Soser...if you are who you say you are....

What else can anyone base facts on the past? What players do in ST doesn't mean a whole lot. It's like pre-season in any other sport. Everything that players do is somewhat scewed because they aren't in the same game situations they will find themselves in the regular season. Igawa will not find himself pitching against minor leaguers or major leaguers who are simply working to get into game shape. the situations are real and they will count once the regular season starts. ST, like pre-seasons in every other sports are used to look at future prospects, and FA and get in shape for the season.

Although, I can only speak to what Igawa has done in the past, and say that he hasn't proved himself at the major league level and that he has been nothing but a waste of money based on that, absolutely no one can disprove that based on anything except on meaningless ST games, and yes he did have a decent ST last year until he hit a wall when he started facing major league hitters late in ST. Yes, what he has done in ST is nice so far but it is no better than what he has done in the minors so far in his career.

Of course I can admit that I might be wrong about him, but he has yet to prove me wrong. Like I said before, what he does in ST doesn't cut it. A lot of what mm40 said about Igawa is true, the Japanese don't think much of Igawa anymore. Apparently no one in the majors does either as no one has come knocking on the Yanks door about Igawawful.

I have nothing more to say about this subject. the proverbial horse is beaten dead; chewed to bits.

What i can say is that the Yankees MUST focus on their conditioning woes. have you Noticed that in the past 5 years they have an inordinate amount of stupid/bizarre injuries?

Igawa will only see the light of day if that pattern continues to run its course. Then at that point, kiss the season goodbye.

Kei is a crab people. He only wants to see the destruction of the empire. He is a spy from boston. Ship him off to Abu Dabi, I don't care.

crazy.