SWB Blog Revisits Top Prospects List

Chad Jennings revisited Deric McKamey's prospect list with an interview contending Humberto Sanchez is obviously best suited as a reliever, Jose Tabata is currently the superior prospect to Austin Jackson and George Kontos is underrated.

During the first piece, Jennings posted McKamey's top 15 prospects in the Yankees organization. Rankings of note included Dellin Betances at #7, Sanchez at #9, Kevin Whelan at #11 and Kontos at #12.

The rankings of these four prospects - which I agree with - have dropped on the lists of several other prospect outlets like Baseball America and John Sickels.

I chose a few highlights from the lengthy interview:

Is Humberto Sanchez's rating as a starting pitcher? Would it be any different assuming he was going to the bullpen?

Even though the Yankees haven’t made a definitive decision on Sanchez’ role, his rating is based on him becoming a reliever. The TJS not-withstanding, I feel he doesn’t change speeds well and his arm action has some recoil at the finish, which may always present stamina problems.

A move to the bullpen should preserve his arm and since he can focus on his fastball and two solid breaking pitches, he should do very well in that role.

What should we make of the long list of prospect relievers (Melancon, Cox, Whelan, Robertson, and Sanchez)? What role do you see those guys filling in the big leagues?

Sanchez, Whelan, and Melancon are the better arms of this group and all three have the goods to close in the right situation. Sanchez was discussed earlier. Whelan, despite being used as a starter in 2007, projects as a reliever for me. He has a very nasty splitter and exceptional movement to his 88-94 MPH fastball. His command can be erratic at times, but he misses bats easily.

Melancon missed the 2007 season with TJS, but his recovery has gone well and is expected to be ready for spring training. He throws hard (90-95 MPH) and can notch strikeouts too, but relies more on groundball outs than Sanchez and Whelan. He utilizes a curveball as his secondary pitch. He didn’t possess much of a change-up prior to his surgery and being that pitch is a “feel” pitch, I wonder how long it will take for him to get it to the average level, especially if the Yankees alter his mechanics, which was reported.

Cox is coming off of TJS and because he doesn’t have anything to offer LH batters, his upside is that of a setup reliever. Robertson is a short (height-wise) reliever with a deceptively quick fastball and two solid comps (curveball and change-up). Despite his ability to miss bats and command the plate at both Class-A levels, he projects as a setup reliever as well.

Which Yankees prospect do you like more than most analysts and which do you like less?

I like George Kontos better than most, ranking him #12 on my top 15 list. Kontos has shown excellent command, along with the ability to notch strikeouts and keep the ball low at every level he has pitched at. He throws hard (89-94 MPH) with two and four-seam fastballs, has a solid slider, and changes speeds well. He does have a tendency to overthrow which flattens his pitches and can make him hittable at times.

Finally, two pitchers I've been hesitant to get too high on: Jeff Marquez and George Kontos. You obviously like them. Why?

Kontos, I talked about earlier, but what I like about Marquez is his smooth/quick arm action, which gives him excellent pitch movement. He can touch 95 MPH, but hasn’t been able to hold it deep into games. He did pitch 155.1 innings, which alleviated any stamina concerns, but I feel he could add some strength to help him maintain his velocity. Both of his secondary offerings (curveball and change-up) are at least Major League average and he knows how to pitch.

Good stuff on Kontos, but I would have liked to have seen more thoughts on Melancon and Horne. I support the contention that Gardner is a good potential fourth outfielder, but not much more.

And, after seeing Juan Miranda several times last year at Trenton, McKamey is accurate in marginalizing the Cuban defector as a hitter without a glove. He looked more like Pele than Mattingly booting balls around the infield last season.

At Least He's Got HOF Level Rants

This is a bit of old news I first saw at Fire Joe Morgan. I hadn't listened to the audio in its entirety until this morning and therefore missed some pretty funny stuff.

"Get In The Ring" by G'N'R comes to mind.



Flipping buffet tables must be fun. It's like Major League the movie but with real pitchers. Still, Todd Stottemyre ain't got a thing on Rickie Vaughn.

Even Trump Wouldn't Pay That Tab

If you have a couple extra million bucks stuck between the couch cushions, maybe you'd like to make an investment in Yankees season ticket packages.

This sale item is somehow still listed at StubHub.com:

Because the package is only available in five ticket quantities, the total bill works out to approximately $3.5 million. Carry the one, yes that's right.

And that's before adding Stubhub's other related charges which at last glance included fees for convenience, shipping and breathing.

[hat tip to LoHud poster Jennifer]

Joba Rules '08: Start Season In Pen?

The Yankees need to watch Joba Chamberlain's innings totals next season and one solution has become feasible, start the season with Joba in the bullpen.

According to the Daily News' Anthony McCarron, New York may use such an avenue to protect Chamberlain:

The Yankees envision Joba Chamberlain as a starter and they are eager to see what his blazing fastball and electric slider can do as part of their rotation. But the Bombers also are concerned about how many innings the 22-year-old will throw next season, so Chamberlain may start the year in the bullpen.

"We're going to prepare him as a starter and we see him as a starter," Yankee GM Brian Cashman said yesterday. "But we have an innings limit that he won't exceed. How we manage the innings limit remains to be seen. The plan is to have him start, but there are a number of scenarios that we'll review."

Cashman refused to reveal Chamberlain's innings limit. Asked if Phil Hughes or Ian Kennedy have limits as well, Cashman said, "We'll manage innings limits on everyone who's got them."

Cashman first talked about using Chamberlain in the bullpen next season during an appearance on the YES Network on Thursday.

This may be the most conceivable technique to limit Joba's innings while allowing him to spend the majority of the season pitching in the rotation.

Meanwhile, the Associated Press caught up with Phil Hughes who is in Tampa beginning his workouts. Here's what Hughes had to say on the ongoing trade rumors involving his name:

"I try to avoid the rumors the best I can, but you eventually hear it from friends [and] family," Hughes told The Associated Press in Tampa, Fla. "You never want to hear your name out there ... at least it's good to know that other teams think highly of you. I wouldn't say [it's been a] tough winter, but definitely an interesting one."

"I actually heard my name out there for the first time from my dad," Hughes said. "Then I just called my agent to see if there's anything to it, and found there was. That's the exact of the contact I've had."

Hughes is focused on the one thing he can control, preparing for the 2008 season. He started a throwing program four weeks ago.

"I want to get on a mound before spring training starts, and maybe get four or five bullpens in," Hughes said. "Physically, everything is good."

Two other pitching prospects, Humberto Sanchez and Andrew Brackman, are taking part in throwing programs after elbow ligament replacement surgery last year.

Sanchez, one of three pitchers obtained from Detroit for outfielder Gary Sheffield, expects to throw off a mound by late next month.

"It's going well," Sanchez said. "So far, so good. We're on the right track. Hopefully there are no setbacks."

As usual, the kid says all the right things. It will be interesting to see the progress Sanchez and Brackman can make over the next 12 months.


McNamee After Rocket's Behind

In other news, Brian McNamee is trying to whip Roger Clemens' ass, literally.

McNamee contends Clemens developed an abscess on his buttocks in 1998 and implied it came from frequent needle use. The Toronto Blue Jays staff disputed McNamee's claims, saying they "did not recall Clemens having an abscess."

This whole thing is really getting down-in-the-dumps dirty. And that's not metaphorical, this is just some foul garbage.

Bud Selig needs to alter Major League Baseball's advertising slogan and it should read like this:

MLB: Giving You Steroids & Santana 24 Hours A Day!

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Rosenthal: Sources Say Yanks Out On Santana

Within Ken Rosenthal's update on the Brewers signing of Mike Cameron came an update on the Santana-Yankees talks:

Another source, however, says the Yankees no longer are talking to the Twins about Santana and simply chose to keep their outfield intact rather than sign Cameron. Hank Steinbrenner has been the Yankees' executive most adamant about landing Santana, but he seemingly has backed off in his most recent public comments.

However, the preceding paragraph read like this:

The Yankees had pursued Cameron, but their decision to pass on him indicates that they still could be considering a trade for Twins left-hander Johan Santana. They might not have been willing to absorb the salaries of both Cameron and Santana, sources say.

The Brewers had wanted a quick answer from Cameron, intending to pursue other free agents if he signed with another club. The Yankees declined to jump.

So which is it? Pursuing Santana or out in the cold? Sources say a lot, huh? And thusly Rosenthal covers all the bases without being deemed crazy.

K-Rose is crazy. . . like a fox.

· CBS Sports has some quotes from Santana's agent:

Santana has been in Venezuela since the regular season ended, but he recently arrived in Fort Myers, Fla., to start his workouts. In his first published comments this winter, Santana told the local newspaper that he didn't know what to think about the situation.

"I'm a Minnesota Twin. That's all I know. It's up to them. Whatever they have to do is going to happen. It has nothing to do with me at all," Santana told the News-Press. "I said it from the beginning during the season last year, whatever will be the best for this team and this organization, I'll agree with that."

Santana's agent, Peter Greenberg, said Friday his relationship with Smith has remained strong through this drawn-out process as rumors -- both founded and otherwise -- swirl throughout the oversaturated sports media market.

Greenberg, in an e-mail, also insisted that he has not demanded to Smith that he complete a deal before Twins pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report on Feb. 17.

Please Mr. Greenberg, find a way to coax Bill Smith into ending this absurd hijacking of the MLB offseason.

Report: Brewers Sign Cameron

According to ESPN, the Brewers have reportedly come to terms with centerfielder Mike Cameron. The deal is supposedly a one year contract with a club option for 2009.

A-Rod and the Yankees can scratch Cameron off their centerfield wishlist, allowing Melky Cabrera to live another day in pinstripes.

The Milwaukee Brewers have reached an agreement with center fielder Mike Cameron, according to major league sources.

Cameron, 34, hit 21 homers and drove in 78 runs for the Padres last year. He will miss the first 25 games of the 2008 season, as he serves a suspension under the terms of baseball's drug-testing program.

Cameron will presumably play center field for the Brewers, who have reportedly spoken with Bill Hall, the team's center fielder last year, about moving to third base. If that happens, Ryan Braun would shift from third base to left field.

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2004 World Series BoSox Player Used PEDs?

Everyone's favorite pessimist, Steve from WasWatching.com, came across a nice little nugget. Apparently, at the close of the radio show hosted by Kevin Kennedy and Ron Dibble, Kennedy said he witnessed a member of the 2004 Red Sox championship team inject himself with performance-enhancing-drugs.

On the drive home tonight, from work, I caught the very last minutes of The Show on X-Radio (MLB Home Plate) with Rob Dibble and Kevin Kennedy.

At that time, Kevin Kennedy was addressing a caller who had some thoughts on the Mitchell Report.

I was pretty surprised at what Kennedy had to say there. In wanting to make a point about the Mitchell Report not being the all-inclusive bible of naming PED users, Kevin Kennedy said that a current colleague of his, who was with the Boston Red Sox in 2004, told him that he (the colleague) witnessed, for a fact, a member of the '04 Red Sox injecting himself in the buttocks with a needle full of PEDs. Kennedy said that the user is no longer a member of the Red Sox - but, he was a player on the team that won the ring in 2004. As per Kennedy, his colleague said that the "user" was giving a demo (to the "colleague") on how to do the injection.

It's pretty interesting that Kennedy would throw this out there, in the last few minutes of a radio broadcast.

Gee, wonder why this player never appeared in the Red Sox Mitchell Report? Someone will look into this further, but Keith Foulke, Kevin Millar, come to mind and Gabe Kapler would be to easy, right?

If a former player can uncover this much, imagine what a senator not employed by the Boston Red Sox might uncover.

Yanks Sign Lane, Chase Cameron

The Yankees signed Jason Lane to a minor league deal, according to the LoHud Yankees blog.

Brian Cashman said on YES tonight that the Yankees have signed Jason Lane to a minor-league deal.

A right-handed bat, Lane can play all three OF spots and a little first base. He’s 31 and coming off two hideous seasons. He did hit 26 homers in 2005.

Ken Rosenthal reported earlier that the Brewers were considering signing Mike Cameron. However, Rosenthal now believes the Yankees are competing with Milwaukee for the center fielder's services.

The Yankees are showing serious interest in Cameron, major-league sources say, figuring that they could trade center fielder Melky Cabrera even if they do not send him to the Twins for left-hander Johan Santana.

Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez is a supporter of Cameron's; the two were teammates with the Mariners in 2000. Cameron also has recent experience playing in New York; he was with the Mets in '04 and '05.

Cabrera, 23, is part of the Yankees' offer for Santana, but could fit for several teams that are in the market for a young, affordable, switch-hitting center fielder.

Damon would remain in center for the start of the season while Cameron serves a 25-game suspension for testing positive for a banned stimulant.

Cameron, 35, likely would sign a two-year deal, giving the Yankees time to continue developing their top center-field prospect, Austin Jackson, who split last season between Class A and Class AA.

The Cubs are on the fringe of the Cameron pursuit, and the Twins' interest could grow if they fail to land a center fielder in a trade for Santana. But Cameron is likely to sign with the Yankees or Brewers before the Santana question is resolved.

Interesting. As Rosenthal points out, signing Cameron does not necessarily mean Melky is heading to Minnesota as part of a Santana package. Other teams would be interested in Cabrera with the return probably being a decent prospect or two.

And Ken, A-Jax split his time between A-ball Charleston and A+ Tampa - not AA Trenton - though he did play one game at AAA Scranton Wilkes-Barre before heading to Hawaii for winter ball.

Phelps Signs Minor League Deal With Cards

Ken Rosenthal reports Josh Phelps - the 1st baseman who never had a chance but was overrated by most Yankees fans - has signed a minor league contract with St. Louis.

Phelps, who turns 30 on May 12, will serve mainly in a pinch-hitting role if he makes the club while also serving as a backup to first baseman Albert Pujols and third catcher.

His contract includes a major-league salary of $750,000 and $250,000 in performance bonuses, according to a major-league source.

Phelps was the Opening Day first baseman for the Yankees last season, but eventually lost time to Doug Mientkiewicz and was waived on June 12.

After getting claimed by the Pirates, Phelps batted .351 in 77 at-bats with a .463 on-base percentage and .649 slugging percentage, and did not commit an error in 22 games at first base.

Phelps put up pretty good numbers he put up in Pittsburgh, though the sample size was a mere 22 games. He certainly is able to hit and is probably adequate at first base, but he has always and will always be too inconsistent a hitter to hand a starting job. Though if he proves me wrong I will eat some crow without complaint.

He will always have a place in the heart of Yankees fans for his solo homer which sparked that six-run bottom of the ninth, capped by a walk-off homerun by Alex Rodriguez off of Joe Borowski.

A Break From Steroids

Movies In Theaters I Recommend:

1) Charlie Wilson's War
2) Juno
3) I Am Legend [read the book]

[Dan In Real Life was OK]

Will Pay To See:

1) There Will Be Blood
2) Cloverfield
3) Into The Wild

· Though I never read George Crile's book, the film version of Charlie Wilson's War was hilarious and heartwrenching, interesting and ridiculous. Any movie which is directed by Mike Nichols and written by Aaron Sorkin is required viewing for me. Sorkin's written dialogue alone is worth the price of admission - just as it was in The West Wing. Phillip Seymour Hoffman absolutely steals the movie, though Tom Hanks is very good in a different role and Julia Roberts is tolerable.

· Juno is quirky, funny, sarcastic and fresh. The acting is very good - surprisingly Jennifer Garner is included in that statement - and the writing is extremely sharp. If Knocked Up were written by a woman, instead of Judd Apatow, this would be it. Don't get me wrong, both films are great, but very different stylistically. This makes them both distinct while remaining relevant.

· I Am Legend was very good. Unfortunately, I am a enormous fan of the book it is loosely based on and the film took some equally enormous departures from the essence of the novel. If you haven't read the book already, go see the movie and be entertained. If you have read the book, keep your expectations intact and expect some major liberties to be taken.

· Any movie Daniel Day-Lewis appears in is going to get my attention. Movies like The Boxer or My Left Foot or In The Name of the Father and The Last of the Mohicans are unbelievable films lifted on the shoulders of Day-Lewis' performances. There Will Be Blood appears to be no different, especially considering the film was written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson who directed one of my favorite all-time films: Magnolia. Anderson also directed Boogie Nights which is a very solid effort as well.

· As far as Cloverfield, just watch the trailer. That should be enough.

Apologies for the non-baseball post, but some sort of escape from the mindless steroid talk was needed.

MLB vs. PED Part Infinite

Major League Baseball plans to join forces with the NFL, the Olympic Committee and and the US Anti-Doping agency in the hopes that it will help Bud Selig further scapegoat use of performance-enhancing-drugs curtail drug-use in professional sports.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The United States Olympic Committee (USOC), United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), Major League Baseball (MLB) and National Football League (NFL) announced today the formation of a landmark research collaborative designed to further curtail the use of banned and illegal substances in sport.

The Partnership for Clean Competition (PCC) will, for the first time ever, combine the resources and expertise of many of America's leading sports entities to underwrite meaningful and scientifically-legitimate anti-doping research. Beginning this year, the focus of the PCC will be to fundraise and make targeted grants in support of non-partisan and independent scientific research to be conducted at universities and other world-class research institutions. Priorities for the collaborative will include underwriting research that addresses:

• New methods to more cost-effectively detect and deter the use of banned and illegal substances at every level of sport

• Identification and detection of designer substances the consequences of doping, from both a medical and ethical perspective

• The further development of a widely-available, cost-effective test to detect Human Growth Hormone (HGH) As the initial Founding Partners, the USOC, USADA, MLB and NFL have collectively committed to contribute $10 million to this landmark collaborative. Each Founding Partner will have one representative on the Board of Governors, which will oversee the research collaborative.

Also participating and contributing financially to the research collaborative are the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Hockey League (NHL) and Professional Golfers' Association of America (PGA). The Founding Partners will seek to raise additional funds and include other entities (both sport and non-sport) in the collaborative as well.

Instead of playing baseball games, how about just lining up all stars so MLB can test their urine samples on live television. It will be like the ultimate reality t.v. show, only the athletics aspect will probably suffer.

Santana: Mets Moving Forward & Yanks Backward?

An update on the previous post has Joe Christensen reporting Mets owner Fred Wilpon gave Omar Minaya authority to offer Johan Santana an extension topping th $100 million mark. Of course a Santana deal would begin at the $126 million contract Barry Zito received a year ago, so this may not mean too much. If Wilpon told Minaya to part with Fernando Martinez, that would be something to get excited about.

From the article:

A turning point came when Wilpon gave the green light to GM Omar Minaya. If Minaya swings the trade, as I wrote about today, Wilpon is confident he’ll get Santana signed. In the Mets’ camp, there is a belief that the price for Santana won’t be quite as high as advertised. Santana might ask for a six-year, $150 million extension, but there’s a belief teams could negotiate down from there.

In the meantime, the Daily News reports Hank Steinbrenner is "leaning away from" a Santana trade. From Peter Botte's article:

While stressing there is "absolutely nothing new" in terms of recent trade discussions with the Twins, Hank is beginning to sound convinced - if not nearly ready - to walk away from any potential blockbuster deal for Johan Santana.

"We went into this with me making the final baseball decisions and Hal more addressing the financial aspects of the company, but we both do everything," Steinbrenner said yesterday in a phone interview. "We're equal partners, but at this point, to tell you the truth, I'm leaning away from it anyway, so it doesn't matter. Same thing with Brian, he's another integral part of it, obviously, being the general manager, and one day he's leaning to do it and the next day he's not sure.

"But what it comes down to right now is giving up a lot (in a trade) and then having to do the big contract, as well. If (Santana) was just a free agent, we could just go ahead and do it. There's a big difference this way. We have to sign him as if he's a free agent, plus you have to give up major talent. That's a tall order."

Steinbrenner added that opinions offered by several unspecified Yankees "during the course of conversation" in recent weeks have contributed to his change of heart.

"I'm growing more and more comfortable with what we have, and the veteran players I've talked to seem to be pretty comfortable with what we have. But we'll see what happens," said Steinbrenner, who reiterated that the plan is to shift Joba Chamberlain into the starting rotation. "I'm hoping we'll be set to go (to spring training).

Bingo! All hail Hal.

UPDATE: From LoHud:

Exchanged some e-mails with Phil Hughes the last couple of days. He started working out in Tampa a few days ago. Phil Franchise used some of his bonus money to get a place in Florida and he’s one of the first to report to the complex.

Good to see, now keep him there.

Report: Mariners Closing In On Bedard

Ken Rosenthal's latest post suggests the Mariners could be closing in on a deal for Erik Bedard centered around outfield uberprospect, Adam Jones.

A trade between the Orioles and Mariners is only one player away from completion, major-league sources say, but that one player could be right-hander Chris Tillman, a 19-year-old that the M's would prefer to retain.

Outfielder Adam Jones would be the centerpiece of the deal for the Orioles, and left-handed reliever George Sherrill and 17-year-old shortstop Carlos Triunfel are among the other players under discussion.

The Mariners also have inquired about A's right-hander Joe Blanton, but the A's would insist upon Jones and the Mariners might not be willing to trade their top position prospect within the division.

After today's trade of Brian Roberts to the Cubs and with Bedard potentially on the move, could this deal be the catalyst which aides in bringing a conclusion to the entire Santana saga?

A new post from Minnesota columnist Joe Christensen suggests the Mets may have the top offer. Nothing new to report - as is the prerequisite for most Santana articles - with Christensen reporting the Mets offer will not bring back Johan unless outfield top prospect Fernando Martinez is included. This has been the snag for the Mets for weeks, as their offer currently on the table is believed to include Humber, Gomez, Mulvey and Guerra.

Rosenthal also reports Mike Cameron - A-Rod's choice in center should Melky be moved - could be on his way to Milwaukee.

Hank: We'll Only Give Johan Five Years

Hank Steinbrenner says the Johan Santana situation "is my decision," though he will not give the lefthanded ace more than a five year deal, Kat O'Brien reports.

"There's definitely still a possibility," Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner said by phone yesterday afternoon.

But, Steinbrenner cautioned, there is "nothing new" with regards to Santana.

Steinbrenner acknowledged that there are several concerns that give the Yankees pause about trading for Santana: The high level of players the Yankees would have to give up in a trade, the large and lengthy contract Santana would command (and the effect on the Yankees' payroll), and the fact that not everyone in the organization is thinking the same way.

It is believed that general partner Hal Steinbrenner (Hank's younger brother) and general manager Brian Cashman have reservations.

"The bottom line is, it's my decision," Hank Steinbrenner said, "but there's disagreement within the organization. I've got to keep everybody happy in the organization, including Brian ... That includes my partner, which is my brother."

If the Yankees do complete a trade for Santana, Steinbrenner said they would not go beyond a five-year contract extension (one that expires after the 2013 season).

"I wouldn't do it if it were a six- or seven-year contract," Steinbrenner said. "I wouldn't go past five, on an extension."

On Joba Chamberlain:

Steinbrenner said the Yankees remain committed to having Joba Chamberlain in the starting rotation, and are not looking at him as a possible eighth-inning answer.

I was starting to get worried, there hadn't been a quote from Hank in almost two days.

Remember, a five year extension would be tacked onto the 2008 season in which he is under contract with Minnesota. That would mean any Santana trade finalized before the regular season would necessitate the Yankees paying a five year extension plus his entire 2008 salary. Already Hank's proposed five year cap would transform into essentially a six year contract.

As a sidenote, a poll displayed beside the mentioned article asked how badly the Yankees need Johan Santana. The responses were overwhelmingly in support of keeping the young pitchers (Hughes, Joba, Kennedy) with 41% believing "they'll be OK sticking with the young guys."

The second most popular response at 29% said the Yanks need Santana "Badly, but if they don't get him, I won't be let down." The next response received 23% of the votes, believing the Yankees need Santana "Very badly, but they shouldn't sell the entire farm system to get him." And finally, only 5% responded with "Are you kidding??? They should sell the entire farm system if they can get him!"

So Cashman wants to keep Hughes, Hal is against a Santana deal which would - including luxury tax - approach $200 million and the Yankees fanbase is overwhelmingly against a Santana trade that robs the farm system.

* According to Pete Caldera, Hank polled some of the veteran Yankees about a potential Santana trade, and surprisingly most of the players were "pretty darn confident" about this year - without Santana on the team.

While speaking to some of his trusted veteran Yankees on other matters, senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner also has sought input about a possible deal for Johan Santana.

According to the majority opinion of his players, the team doesn't need to make a blockbuster deal with the Minnesota Twins to put them over the top.

"Nobody would say that we don't want Santana, but, yeah, they're pretty darn confident in what we can do this year [as is]," Steinbrenner said during a phone conversation Tuesday.

"We're still throwing it around and talking about it. It may happen, or it may not happen," Steinbrenner said. "But a few of our best players seem very confident in the way that things stand right now."

Steinbrenner would not reveal which veteran players he had spoken to, but offered that "they feel fairly confident that we've got a lot of great young pitchers."

So the players, the GM, a general partner and the fans feel the Yankees are fine "as is," but Hank still has yet to see the light.

McNamee: There's Another Tape

Just when you thought it was safe to talk on your phone again, trainer to the stars Brian McNamee has alerted Congress that another taped phone conversation exists between the trainer and his client, Roger Clemens, the AP reports.

NEW YORK -- A lawyer for Brian McNamee called on Congress to demand and make public the recording of a December interview between his client and two private investigators hired by Roger Clemens' attorneys.

A lawsuit filed Sunday by Clemens against his former trainer contains what appears to be an excerpt of the interview, which took place Dec. 12. That was one day before the release of the Mitchell report, in which McNamee accused Clemens of using steroids and human growth hormone.

"They should ask for the entire tape of the interview back in December. That's the tape they should ask for," Earl Ward, one of McNamee's lawyers, said Tuesday. "According to Brian, they tried to get him to recant. Brian said, look, what I told the [Mitchell and federal] investigators was the truth."

Ward said the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which has asked Clemens and McNamee to testify Jan. 16, should ask for the recording. If it isn't turned over, Ward said the committee should subpoena it.

"I think it would be important for Congress to show how consistent Brian has been," Ward said. Joe Householder, a spokesman for Clemens' lawyer, Rusty Hardin, said Congress has not yet made a request for the tape.

Between the Clemens filibuster and the Santana saga, the MLB offseason can't get much more inconclusive can it?

Pettitte Undecided If He'll Testify

From the ESPN article:

When Congress convenes hearings next week about the Mitchell report, one current Yankees pitcher still doesn't know if he'll be in attendance.

Jay Reisinger, the lawyer for New York pitcher Andy Pettitte, told 1050 ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand that it is "premature" to say if Pettitte will attend next Wednesday's hearings on Capitol Hill.

Reisinger, who also represented Sammy Sosa at the 2005 steroid hearings before the same congressional committee, said he expects to soon hear what the committee's plans are for Pettitte. When he gets those answers, he will discuss the options available to Pettitte.

For Pettitte, this is like the time your big brother crashed the family car with you in it, and little brother has to either spill the beans or protect big bro under the possibility of collecting full blame.

Maybe Pettitte will do what I did in my early years. That is, plead the fifth and hope mom and pops don't revoke our illegal HBO privileges. Speaking of which, thank the Lord for The Wire's return.

HOF Inductees Announced At 2PM

UPDATE 2:05 pm: Goose lone inductee, Rice 14 votes shy

Like last year, my HOF votes go to Goose and Rice.

We'll know by 2pm.

From last year's post at Bronx Liaison:

Goose met the requirements as he dominated the Majors for an extended period of time (my personal timeline is eight years) and was one of the top lock-down closers of all time. During his era, pitchers like Sutter and Gossage were usually called upon for multiple inning saves - whether that be two or even three frames. This was a time when the term "Fireman" meant what it implied. Closers came in when there was trouble and were expected to douse the flames.

His most dominant years came between 1975 and 1985. At which time his average ERA was 2.41; average WHIP was 1.09; had a 2.38 k/bb ratio; and a 7.94 k/9. If that's not a hall of fame caliber, I don't know what is. His career WHIP of 1.23 and career ERA of 3.01 further impresses since his career spanned 22 seasons.

During Sutter's nine-year period of dominance (his final 3 years unimpressive) his WHIP of 1.10; k/9 of 7.41 and 3.13 k/bb rate is extremely comparable to Goose's eleven-year averages. One could make the argument that Gossage should have been voted in before Sutter (or at least simultaneously) because Goose was able to remain very good even after his most dominant seasons.

As far as Rice goes, it is an absolute travesty that he's been denied the opportunity to drop an F-bomb or two on an induction stage. During a twelve year span Rice was one of the most dominating and feared hitters in the AL.

Between 1975-1986 Rice averaged .304, 29 homers, and 106 RBI, earning himself six top-5's in MVP voting. Rice led the league in total bases four times and is an eight-time allstar. He also racked up four 200-hit seasons, eight 100 RBI seasons, and eleven 20 homerun seasons. His career numbers are: 2,452 hits, 382 HR, 1,451 rbi, 79 triples. In three different seasons Rice was able to generate 39 homeruns. In 1978 Rice clocked 46 homeruns, 139 RBI and batted .315 to assure himself the AL MVP. (Important to remember that 40 homerun type seasons were not a dime-a-dozen as they are today)

Baseball IQ's Top 15 Prospects

Here is a top prospect list I can dig. The compilation is based on several factors with a strong emphasis on each player's ceiling - an attribute I rate very high as well.

1. Joba Chamberlain (RHP) - 9B
2. Jose Tabata (OF) - 9C
3. Ian Kennedy (RHP) - 8B
4. Austin Jackson (OF) - 9C
5. Alan Horne (RHP) - 8C
6. Andrew Brackman (RHP) - 9D
7. Dellin Betances (RHP) - 9D
8. Jesus Montero (C/1B) - 9D
9. Humberto Sanchez (RHP) - 8C
10. Jeff Marquez (RHP) - 8C
11. Kevin Whelan (RHP) - 8C
12. George Kontos (RHP) - 8D
13. Ross Ohlendorf (RHP) - 7B
14. Shelley Duncan (OF/1B) - 7C
15. Kelvin DeLeon (OF) - 9E

PLAYER POTENTIAL RATING
Scale of (1-10) representing a player's upside potential.
10 - Hall of Fame-type player
9 - Elite player
8 - Solid regular
7 - Average regular
6 - Platoon player
5 - Major League reserve player
4 - Top minor league player
3 - Average minor league player
2 - Minor league reserve player
1 - Minor league roster filler

PROBABILITY RATING
Scale of (A-E) representing the player's realistic chances of achieving their potential.
A - 90% probability of reaching potential
B - 70% probability of reaching potential
C - 50% probability of reaching potential
D - 30% probability of reaching potential
E - 10% probability of reaching potential

About time somebody threw Humberto Sanchez and Dellin Betances ahead of Gardner or Marquez. Too bad Melancon wasn't in there as well, but hey nobody's perfect. I also like the inclusion of Kontos in the top 15. He is an intriguing prospect entering a crucial year in his development.

[Hat Tip to SWB Yankees Blog]

Mitchell, McNamee Hug It Out

Sports Illustrated's best newsbreaker, Jon Heyman, offers the exclusive with Brian McNamee. In it, McNamee speaks of his sorrow for burying his client and idol, Roger Clemens. He also explains Senator Mitchell embraced the troubled trainer after confirming testimony detailing the Rocket's use of performance-enhancing-drugs. Weird.

From SI.com:

McNamee speaks fondly about his successful pairing with Clemens; apparently, he hasn't quite let go. There are signs that he'd like their old relationship back. Clemens revealed on 60 Minutes that McNamee emailed him for fishing tips days before Mitchell's findings were divulged without hinting what was to come, an assertion that McNamee didn't deny.

McNamee explains that he was prohibited from revealing to anyone what he had told Mitchell. "It was killing me," he says. "I got sick. I could not talk about it. It was a federal investigation.'' McNamee also explains that at the time he was still reasonably hopeful that none of the names Mitchell learned from him or anyone else would be made public. "Why would I tell Roger or Andy something they might not even find out about?'' he says.

McNamee received the first call from the feds way back in May. "I was pretty compelled to tell the truth,'' is the way McNamee put it. "It made me sick,'' he says. 'I was hospitalized for the stress.''

Three months later, in August, he was called before Mitchell, and asked to nod to what he told the feds the month before. When he was done nodding, he says Mitchell hugged him. But he claims he took no pride in it.

"Within the culture of what was going on, he was just a small part of it. A lot of guys did it. You can't take away the work Roger did. You can't take away the fact that he worked out as hard as anybody.'' When McNamee, also a former strength and conditioning coach with the Blue Jays from 1998 through 2000, is asked to estimate how many major leaguers were involved with steroids during that period, he answers without hesitation. "More than half,'' he says.

"When Clemens claims to have no knowledge that Andy Pettitte -- Clemens' close friend and training partner, and another former client of McNamee -- had twice taken HGH, thus corroborating McNamee's testimony in the Mitchell Report, the trainer interjects, "I believe that."

As the 60 Minutes interview draws to a close, Clemens, who will repeat his denials in a news conference the next day, discusses the possibility of taking a lie detector test. "I think he's the one guy who could probably beat the test," McNamee opines. "He might actually believe that he's telling the truth."

More than anything else, the distressed, desperate voice used by McNamee on the strange recorded phone call was caused by a sadness in overseeing his friend and hero's fall from grace. This would explain his desire to recover the friendship he had with Clemens. It also accounts for McNamee's refusal to retract his testimony.

Not saying anything is proven, but it is a passable explanation for McNamee's actions. There's no doubting the trainer's shady nature, just as there is no concurring Roger's denials. The trainer shot first and mortally wounded Clemens before he was even able to load up a defense. The rest is history, and a clouded one at that.

The Tape, The Ape and The Trainer

I just heard WFAN's broadcast of the tape recording of a phone conversation which took place on Friday, January 4th.

Pete Abe quickly explains the craziness of the today's Clemens press conference as well as outline one of the strangest phone calls to be released on ESPN, YES, etc:

Clemens just asked McNamee (on the tape) “Why would you say I did steroids?”

McNamee didn’t say, “Well, because you did.” Instead he keeps saying, “What do you want me to do, Roger?”

This is pretty ugly. McNamee doesn’t sound like a well man whatsoever. He’s on the verge of tears. This will play well for Clemens.

UPDATE, 5:37 p.m.: I’m no lawyer but can you tape record a conversation like that? This is wild stuff.

UPDATE, 5:41 p.m.: Hardin says Clemens will go to Congress next week.

UPDATE, 5:42 p.m.: I’ve been around Clemens at various times since 1996 or so. I’ve never seen him this furious.

UPDATE, 5:43 p.m.: Hardin says taping the call was legal. Seems like Clemens set him up. His lawyers were in the room.

UPDATE, 5:45 p.m.: Going on 60 Minutes, doing this press conference and the McNamee tape will gain Roger a lot of support in the public, I suspect. If he does well in Washington, he could swing this thing his way.

Clemens continuously asks McNamee why he said Clemens did steroids and the trainer repeatedly replies with "what do you want me to do?" Obviously, McNamee is feeling remorse for his actions.

Whether this regret spurs from lying or telling the truth remains to be seen. Whatever the case, McNamee's shown himself to be a truly disturbed individual at the time of the recorded phone call.

As the syringe turns, so do the days of our lives. This did not change my mind at all, you?