I have a game-thread of the first five innings over at The Bronx Block. Some brief thoughts on what went down at Legends Field today.
"I [couldn't] care less," Posada said.I guess it's a little easier to project such bold disinterest when - barring anything unforseen - he has more leverage than Scott Boras fantasizes about. As one of the top-five offensive catchers in the majors last year behind guys like Mauer, McCann and Victor Martinez, Jorge can take advantage of New York's lack of upcoming catcher talent.
There are players who say they are not going to worry about their contracts and there are players who really mean it. Jorge Posada insists he's part of the latter group.
[Also] the stubborn and puzzling rumor that has centerfielder Aaron Rowand being shipped to the Padres for top setup man Scott Linebrink. The Padres can't afford to give up Linebrink, a model of consistency despite a spike in his numbers last season. The Phillies can't afford to give up Rowand. Their outfield depth is thinner than jailhouse clam chowder.With Victorino - speedy and underrated but low on power for a corner outfielder - the Phillies may have a lot of trouble replacing Rowand's bat, which is not a very strong one to begin with. The Padres continue to entertain offers, even though Trevor Hoffman is on the brink of retirement. Interesting and puzzling at the same time.
There are players who say they are not going to worry about their contracts and there are players who really mean it. Jorge Posada insists he's part of the latter group.I guess it's a little easier to project such bold disinterest when - barring anything unforseen - he has more leverage than Scott Boras fantasizes about. As one of the top-five offensive catchers in the majors last year behind guys like Mauer, McCann and Victor Martinez, Jorge can take advantage of New York's lack of upcoming catcher talent.
"I [couldn't] care less," Posada said.
[Also] the stubborn and puzzling rumor that has centerfielder Aaron Rowand being shipped to the Padres for top setup man Scott Linebrink. The Padres can't afford to give up Linebrink, a model of consistency despite a spike in his numbers last season. The Phillies can't afford to give up Rowand. Their outfield depth is thinner than jailhouse clam chowder.With Victorino - speedy and underrated but low on power for a corner outfielder - the Phillies may have a lot of trouble replacing Rowand's bat, which is not a very strong one to begin with. The Padres continue to entertain offers, even though Trevor Hoffman is on the brink of retirement. Interesting and puzzling at the same time.
I haven't been posting as much as I regularly do because I have been very busy & contributing to the Yankees MVN blogsite, The Bronx Block. Formerly known as "Off the Facade," the page has a very talented staff of Yankees writers, and is chock full of interesting stories, opinions, etc.WangPettitteMussinaIgawaPavanoHughesSanchez
Chien Ming Wang - 31 pitches and got six ground balls. He blew a fastball by Jeter.
Andy Pettitte - 30 pitches: Pettitte took the mound to loud applause [and looked] good. A-Rod homered off him to right field but he spotted everything well.
Mike Mussina - 35 pitches: I thought the Moose looked the best and there were only a few hard-hit balls.
Kei Igawa - 40 pitches: Igawa worked fast and threw the most pitches in his 10 minutes. He was “sneaky fast” according to Torre and spotted his curveball well.
Carl Pavano - 35 pitches: Pavano had good sink on his fastball, worked methodically and threw 23 strikes. He said afterward that it was just another step forward for him.
Phil Hughes - 34 pitches: Phil Franchise threw only half his pitches for strikes by my count. But six of the strikes were fouled off and only two were put in play. The rest were unhittable. Hughes showed a ridiculous curveball and the ability to spot his fastball inside or outside. “He’s filthy,” Giambi said.
Humberto Sanchez - 31 pitches: Sanchez was all over the place with his command, throwing one over the catcher’s head at one point. “Why did Detroit trade him?” Giambi said. “He’s huge and he throws 96.”
The trading deadline acquisition of Bobby Abreu was an excellent move on Brian Cashman's part. Aside from lengthening an already nauseating collection of powerful bats, Bobby offers Joe Torre the versatility he desires - hitting to the opposite field, bunting, stealing bases, showing speed on the bases. Bobby also sees a ton of pitches, further tiring pitchers weary of facing such a flammable lineup.Larry Bowa can still picture a half-dressed Bobby Abreu in the Phillies' clubhouse, his head hanging and his uniform soiled by the frustration of another defeat.
With Philadelphia, everyone seemingly expected Abreu to be "The Man" -- a power-hitting icon of a blue-collar club, perennially challenging to the edge of playoff contention.
As Abreu reports for his first full season with the Yankees, that pressure appears to have been lifted off the 34-year-old outfielder's shoulders.
"He's not going to admit it, but you can see the different body language," said Bowa, Abreu's former manager with the Phillies. "He used to feel like he let everybody down because he didn't drive the run in or he didn't get the big hit. He wants to do that, but he also realizes that there are other guys who can do it."
"It's nice," Abreu said. "It's a different mentality. You know you're going to have a chance to be in the playoffs, and this is what it's all about. I'm looking for a World Series ring, and this team is going to give me a lot of chances to win."
"Everyone in this lineup is a star," Abreu said. "Back on the Phillies, I was 'The Man' -- the one everyone pointed to over the years. It's a good thing to be here, because sometimes you'll make a mistake, and you can deal with that. On the other side [with Philadelphia], when you made a mistake, everybody pointed at you."
Here's to Abreu remaining in the 3-hole in 2007.With his services as a team spokesman no longer in heavy demand, Abreu has taken to quietly tutoring some of the younger Yankees farmhands. His locker neighbor this spring is 18-year-old Jose Tabata, a Venezuelan prospect who has drawn physical comparisons to a young Manny Ramirez.
Abreu spoke extensively with Tabata on Wednesday in Spanish, and said that the promising outfielder has been quizzing the veteran on all aspects of life in the Major Leagues.
"I'm trying to give these young guys as much as I can," Abreu said. "Whenever they ask me for something, I'm very happy and open to them to help them and give them the best advice that I can. Some of them are going to be All-Stars one day, and I hope they'll do the same thing for the young guys someday."
* Former bench coach and Popeye doppleganger, Don Zimmer, stood by his man today. Viewing the most recent episode in the Jeter & Rodriguez saga as an attack on the Captain's legacy, Zim decided to bury A-Rod. I think Zimmer is misreading the public, because most baseball fans are not blaming Jeter, they only believe he can do more to support Alex."They're making [Jeter] out to be the bad guy," Zimmer said. "What has he done wrong? If A-Rod hits a home run tomorrow, Jeter will be on the top step, the first guy shaking his hand. What do you want [Jeter] to do, put his arm around him and kiss him?
"Now, here's a guy. What's [Rodriguez] make, $25 million a year? What is it that Jeter's done any different with him than what anybody else has done? How in the hell can Jeter be criticized over A-Rod? I'm trying to figure it out. I don't even understand it, but it makes me sick because I'm a Jeter man -- me and millions others."
Zimmer was asked why he thought people would side with Rodriguez.
"All I know is I know what Jeter is," Zimmer said. "And for Jeter, they're making him out the villain. How in the hell could you ever make Jeter the villain, of all people, in this game?"
Zimmer expressed his opinion on how the perceived friction between Jeter and Rodriguez began.
"When it all happened, and A-Rod got the big contract, he made a comment, and you guys have to go back and look it up, he said Jeter can never get a contract like that because he doesn't hit home runs like I do," Zimmer said. "Is it Jeter's fault he's playing in New York with the Yankees and they win four World Series? You're going to hold that against him towards A-Rod, who has never won nothing?"
Donnie, come back to us. One of the 4000 New York columnists must have worded the question in a way they knew would get a rise out of Zimmer. Is his opinion really necessary? I know they're trying to sell papers, but Zim sounds more bitter-old-man than important observer.
"That's something we lacked in New York. It felt like everyone would go their own separate ways. Here guys go out and do things together," said Crosby, who was signed to a free agent contract in the off-season. "I think that's a huge part of the game. The Yankees have had $200 million-plus payrolls the last few years. Money doesn't mean championships all the time. You look at St. Louis, it looks like the guys love each other and hang out."Ok, let's relax Bubba. I liked you when you played for the Yankees and you were nice little player. But you're still Bubba Crosby. Lead the whole camp in hitting? What planet is this guy on right now. And the reason you will get a whole lot more atbats while in Cincinnati results from two factors:
"Even being a fifth outfielder for [Cincinnati], you're going to get three times as many at-bats as I would if I were with the Yankees again," Crosby said. "It's exciting to know I can play my game. Sometimes I'd get the green light, but I'd get the stare from Joe (Torre) that said I better be sure. Then you hesitate and just wait for (Hideki) Matsui to hit a two-run homer."
"I hit every spring training. I got to the big leagues with the Dodgers because I could hit," Crosby said. "I was ready to see what I can do, hitting. I knew I could go out there in spring and lead the whole camp in hitting and it wouldn't matter, I'd still be the fifth outfielder. It's nice to go to an organization that if you produce, you're going to play."
Well the wait is over. Over the last week, Tampa became a vigil. Homegrown products and hired-guns alike wondered if the grizzled four-time champion would once more ride into town & battle for a roster spot. But he never came.Bernie Williams rejected the Yankees' offer of a Minor League contract and will wait to see if a guaranteed job opens up for him on the team.Yankees manager Joe Torre spoke with Williams last week and tried to reach him, without success, on Sunday.
"Bernie told me he had talked with Joe. Other than the invite, there wasn't any information that led him to believe he would be a member of the team," Williams' agent, Scott Boras, said Tuesday. "He's continuing to work out, will wait to see if their position changes."
After Alex Rodriguez finally fessed up to the evaporating friendship between he and Derek Jeter on Monday, it was the Captain's turn. This morning Jeter gave his take on things:
"I don't have a rift with Alex," the New York Yankees captain said Tuesday. "We go out there. We work together. This is our fourth year to be playing together. It's annoying to hear about it all the time. Everyone assumes they know what our relationship is. Everyone assumes -- they see us on the field, if one person gives another one a look, it's a story. If we're at opposite ends of the bench, people say it's a story."It's not clear what people wanted to hear from Derek. Some thought he would simply brush A-Rod's comments aside and tell the media he will talk about baseball because his private life is just that. Other's thought he may lean toward a more artificial response. Personally, I would have liked to have heard Jeter agree more and display less combativeness."I don't see the relevance of it," Jeter said. "It has no bearing on us playing baseball."
Jeter refused to say how close he and Rodriguez are away from the ballpark.
"How would I characterize it? I would characterize it as it doesn't make a difference," he said. "What we do away from the field, how much time we spend together, really makes no difference when we're playing."
"From Day One I've said I support Alex," he said. "The only thing I'm not going to do is tell the fans what to do. ... I don't think it's my job to tell fans to boo or not to do."
We all saw this coming. After witnessing the frenzy around "dangerous" topics such as Mariano's extension or Bernie's future, a firestorm would certainly surround Alex's first day at camp. Today, Alex Rodriguez finally tried to put the Jeter-ARod fiasco behind him."People start assuming that things are a lot worse than what they are, which they're not. But they're obviously not as great as they used to be. We were like blood brothers," Rodriguez said Monday. "You don't have to go to dinner with a guy four, five times a week to do what you're doing. It's actually much better than all you guys expect, but I just want to let the truth be known."If you'd like to hear the entire interview, check out Peter Abraham's blog. Hearing the entire interview, unedited, offers a more honest portrayal of what was said. He also has audio of Steve Swindal's apology for his recent DWI arrest.
"We were best of friends about 10, 13, 14, years ago, and we still get along well. We have a good working relationship. I cheer very hard for him. He cheers hard for me. And most importantly, we're both trying to win a world championship," Rodriguez said.
"The reality is there's been a change in the relationship over 14 years and, hopefully, we can just put it behind us," Rodriguez said. "You go from sleeping over at somebody's house five days a week, and now you don't sleep over. It's just not that big of a deal."While Rodriguez won the AL MVP award for the second time in 2005, he is 4-for-41 (.098) without an RBI in his last 12 postseason games dating to 2004. He got just one hit in last year's playoff loss to Detroit.
"I stunk. And when you stink, sometimes, you have to call it," he said. "I went 1-for-14 last year with an error and that's pretty lousy."
He was dropped to eighth in the batting order for the first time in a decade as the Yankees were eliminated in Game 4.
"It was very disappointing," he said. "Yes, I was embarrassed."
"Let's make a contract: You don't ask me about Derek anymore, and I promise I'll stop lying to all you guys," A-Rod told reporters.
Not too much coming out of Yankee camp today. The final pieces appear in camp tomorrow for their physicals, meaning beat reporters will get their first crack at Alex Rodriguez. Following Igawa's shaky beginning to Spring - his first pitch sailed five feet wide of Jorge Posada - his wildness has settled and he apparently threw strikes yesterday.
"The kid belongs . . ."That maturity, it just stands out," Posada said. "The attitude, you see it. It's not about being cocky. It's just the way he walks around, he belongs here. He acts like a big leaguer."
Just another impressive moment during Phil's maturation.
According to a report in the St. Petersburg Times, Wigginton's wife, Angela, went into intense labor two weeks early. Against the clock, Ty was forced to deliver the baby in the bedroom closet of the their new North Carolina home.
Talk about clutch.
"He was out in less than a minute," Ty told the Times. "One or two pushes, and he was ready to see the world."
This may be the closest he comes to taking ground balls following the acquisition of Akinori Iwamura from Japan.
*Buster Olney may dedicate tomorrow's entire blog to his almamater's upset of the #1 team in the country. In a shocker, Vanderbilt defeated Florida 83-70.
*Mike Mussina and Carl Pavano made up today. Yesterday, Mussina read Crutch the riot act, asserting that the brittle one must regain the trust of him teammates after two years of clubhouse absenteeism."The teams that are involved, I think they've got really good clubs that are together, and if somebody stubs their toe and my phone rings in May, I might have to think about it," Clemens told KRIV.
Mussina ripped Pavano yesterday, but I had not yet read the actual quotes until last night. I had initially assumed that Yankee beat guys had taken things out of context, hoping to find a story where there wasn't one. Mussina's words, however, were brutally honest.
When Pavano said the media has pursued a non-story and that his teammates are not as distant as columnists have portrayed, Moose shot back:
"He's only looking at it from his perspective. We're looking at it from our perspective, those of us that have been through both years. We want him to go out there and show that he wants to do this," Mussina said. "It got to a point where we just didn't even want to hear about it or talk about it anymore."The extent of how much Pavano must do to regain respect was evident when Mussina was asked whether he would give Pavano the benefit of the doubt that he's going to do all he can to pitch.
"No, not just yet. Not yet, no," Mussina replied. "I want to see that he wants to do it."
Mikey questioned Pavano's ability to play through pain - something Moose, Sheffield, Giambi and Damon did throughout the season. When Pavano explained each injury led to another, making his return increasingly out of reach, Moose had another bullet in the chamber:
"I'm looking at from a perspective of just the way each thing happened and the timing of it and just piecing all those things together," Mussina said. "You get to form your own evaluation. It didn't look good. From a player's and a teammate's standpoint, it didn't look good. Was everything just coincidence over and over again? I don't know."
Good. It's about time one of the high-profile arms in the Yankee rotation took a defined stand on Pavano's inability to take the ball every fifth day. For two years now, the Yankees have collectively turned the other cheek to Crutch's lack of discipline, heart and teamwork.
The 75-year-old, who spent seven seasons with the Milwaukee Braves and Philadelphia Phillies from 1956-63, had a heart transplant in October 1996. The following day he watched from his hospital bed as his brother, Joe, managed the Yankees to victory in the World Series clincher against Atlanta.
"I talked to him yesterday. He sounded good yesterday," Joe Torre said Thursday. "His heart is working on the 11th year now. With all the rest of the medication you have to take, the rest of the organs take a beating. That's what it comes down to."
Joe Torre said his brother, who lives in Palm Beach Gardens, likely would learn next week whether one of his relatives was a match for a kidney transplant. If there is no match, he would go on a transplant list and have to wait, a process that Joe said could take a year.
The Palm Beach Post reported Thursday that Frank Torre's daughter, Elizabeth, might be a match.
"My heart is only 38 years old," Frank Torre told the newspaper, laughing. "The problem is, my body's 75. I'll be the bionic man by the time they're done with me."
At least he still has a sense of humor. Another tough break for the Torre clan, let us all hope Frank dodges another bullet, returning himself to good health for another run.
This projection assumes a few things.
Once again, the perceived roster would rely upon several assumptions.
"Me and my wife just looked at each other. It's like, 'an, it seems like we never left. It's all the same as it was,'" he said.
After three seasons with his hometown Houston Astros, Pettitte is back with the New York Yankees, his hair a little shorter and some hints of gray starting to show.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman remembered the conversation he had with Pettitte the day the two-time All-Star decided to sign with the Astros.
"You never know, you might come back this way again," Cashman said then.
"I feel good and I feel like I'm going to be strong and I'm going to hold up, or I wouldn't gave done this. I don't want to go through it. I don't want to go through the agony of feeling like I let everybody down if I'm not able to toe the rubber. To me it's just not worth it. I've made plenty enough money to live in Deer Park, Texas, for a long, long time."
The piece also discussed groundbreaking issues such as Andy's personal ringtone for his wife - "I'm So In Love With You" as performed by Al Green. Maybe Carlos Zambrano will interview Rickey Henderson during Cubbie training camp, giving columnists nationwide something to write about besides Mariano, Bernie and Torre. That interview might sound a little something like this:
Big-Z: Carlos Zambrano thinks you are the best leadoff hitter in the history of the game. What do you think?Ok, so maybe sports columnists aren't the only ones effected by dry, inactive February baseball-camps. Cubs GM Jim Hendry isn't worried about Zambrano.
Style-Dog: Rickey Henderson thinks that Rickey is the best period.
Big-Z: Carlos might take fellow Dominican, Alex Rodriguez, over Rickey.
Style-Dog: Rickey has something A-Rod don't (flashes World Series ring).
Big-Z: The Z abides.
Former All-Star Dmitri Young agreed to a minor league contract with the Washington NationalsDetroit Tigers cut him last year following legal and substance-abuse problems.
Young was released in September, and later that month he was sentenced by a court in Michigan to a year's probation for assaulting his former girlfriend. Last summer, Young spent 30 days at a rehabilitation center for depression and alcohol abuse.
Goodbye Sori, hello Da Meathook. Do the Nationals realize they are required to field a team in less than a month?
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