2008 Random Yankees Ramblings

[BuckFoston]

Like Browntown said last year, its never to early to start.

Angered that Yankee integrity was called into question, Hank Steinbrenner spoke out this past week about the Mitchell Report that last month named 20 current or former Yankees as users of steroids or human growth hormone. Mostly Steinbrenner defended the legitimacy of the four championships won from 1996-2000.

"Don't make any mistake about it," the Yanks' senior VP told an Associated Press reporter in Tampa, "our teams in the late '90s beat everybody, and we beat everybody because we were that much better than everybody. And they had just as many players doing stuff - all the teams. I guarantee you, go through every team in baseball and they all have the same basic percentage of players doing stuff. They just weren't as good as us.

"You think the Red Sox didn't have players doing stuff back then? Give me a break. They just weren't as good as us, and neither was anybody else."

In the same interview, Steinbrenner pledged to be patient with the Yankees' young pitchers, but also issued what could be interpreted as a warning to Brian Cashman that the GM better be right in not wanting to trade for Johan Santana.

It is Cashman, as well as Hal Steinbrenner, who so far has convinced Hank not to trade Phil Hughes and other prospects to the Twins for Santana.

"I will be patient with the young pitchers and players," Steinbrenner said. "There's no question about that because I know how these players develop. But as far as missing the playoffs - if we miss the playoffs, I don't know how patient I'll be.

"But it won't be against the players. It won't be a matter of that. It will be a matter of, maybe certain people in the organization could have done something else."

CANO DEAL: Some baseball people wonder if it was a smart move to agree to give Robinson Cano a four-year contract worth a guaranteed $30 million, given that he is still three years away from being eligible for free agency. As one AL scout said yesterday. "He has a tendency to put it on cruise control. He's got a world of talent, but I know the Yankees had concerns at one point about his work ethic. Sometimes young guys get that first big contract and their intensity comes and goes." - Harper

Hank Steinbrenner: Don't question Yankees' championships

[browntown653]

This is one of the instances where I love Hank.

[BuckFoston]

Chamberlain may start in the pen:

Joba Chamberlain could begin this season in the bullpen before moving to the New York Yankees' starting rotation.

Chamberlain, a sensational reliever as a big league rookie last season, is already throwing off a mound -- more than two weeks before the start of spring training. The Yankees plan to use him as a starter this year, the role he was accustomed to in the minors and college. But the team wants to limit his overall innings, which means beginning 2008 in the bullpen is one option under consideration.

"We're going to have a plan going into spring training," new Yankees pitching coach Dave Eiland said Monday. "There already has been ideas tossed around. I think we have a pretty good handle on what we're going to do going into it."

The 22-year-old Chamberlain wasted little time getting back to work Monday. Just hours after receiving an award Sunday night in New York, the hard-throwing right-hander returned to Florida for his second bullpen session.

"We're right on the schedule that's going to lead us up to the opening of camp," Eiland said. "It's a real good situation here."

Phil Hughes and Jeff Karstens also are working out with Eiland, and both have thrown two mound sessions. Other pitchers, including Ian Kennedy, who don't live near the Yankees' facility are taking part in throwing programs at home.

"It's running along smooth like it always has here," Eiland said. "I've already talked to all the veteran guys, too. We're all on the same page. We're all preparing to get started."

Yankees RHP Joba Chamberlain could start season in bullpen before moving to rotation - MLB - Yahoo! Sports

[nyjunc]

I am happy Johan didn't go to Boston. It's amazing what Minny settled for though, a couple of months ago they could have had a package involving Hughes, Jon Lester or Jose Reyes and they settled for some prospects and didn't even get the Mets top prospect. Good job by the Mets, terrible job by Minny and a good day for the Yanks as well as Boston didn't land him.

[BuckFoston]

Shall we sticky this thread and unsticky the other one?

2007 record
94-68, American League Wild Card

Projected batting order
1. LF Johnny Damon:
.270 BA, .351 OBP, .396 SLG, 12 HRs, 63 RBIs in 2007
2. SS Derek Jeter:
.322 BA, .388 OBP, .452 SLG, 12 HRs, 73 RBIs in 2007
3. RF Bobby Abreu:
.283 BA, .369 OBP, .445 SLG, 16 HRs, 101 RBIs in 2007
4. 3B Alex Rodriguez:
.314 BA, .422 OBP, .645 SLG, 54 HRs, 156 RBIs in 2007
5. C Jorge Posada:
.338 BA, .426 OBP, .543 SLG, 20 HRs, 90 RBIs in 2007
6. DH Jason Giambi:
.236 BA, .356 OBP, .433 SLG, 14 HRs, 39 RBIs in 2007
7. 2B Robinson Cano:
.306 BA, .353 OBP, .488 SLG, 19 HRs, 97 RBIs in 2007
8. CF Melky Cabrera:
.273 BA, .327 OBP, .391 SLG, 8 HRs, 73 RBIs in 2007
9. 1B Shelley Duncan:
.257 BA, .329 OBP, .554 SLG, 7 HRs, 17 RBIs in 2007

Projected rotation
1. Chien-Ming Wang, 19-7, 3.70 ERA in 2007
2. Andy Pettitte, 15-9, 4.05 ERA in 2007
3. Joba Chamberlain, 2-0, 0.38 ERA, 1 SV in 2007
4. Phil Hughes, 5-3, 4.46 ERA in 2007
5. Mike Mussina, 11-10, 5.15 ERA in 2007

Projected bullpen
Closer: Mariano Rivera, 30/34 saves, 3.15 ERA in 2007
RH setup man: Kyle Farnsworth, 4.80 ERA in 2007
LH setup man: TBA

The new guys
Jonathan Albaladejo: Picked up from the Nationals for right-hander Tyler Clippard, Albaladejo will be in the mix for one of the final bullpen slots in Spring Training, and his control could help him. He has a good strikeout-to-walk ratio as a professional, and his 1.88 ERA in 14 games with Washington provides a small sample size to suggest that he could be effective in the Major Leagues.

LaTroy Hawkins: Signed as a free agent, Hawkins effectively fills the void left for the sixth and seventh innings by Luis Vizcaino's departure to Colorado. Though he's had his troubles in the past, Hawkins has also experienced success when not thrust into the closer's role. Having tweaked his delivery to induce more ground balls at Colorado could carry over into New York.

The Official Site of The New York Yankees: News: New York Yankees News

I'm very excited to see how this team does. We've got a lot of questions about this team but I think that they will be able to gel together and play as a team and make it to the playoffs again. I'm also very interested to see how the young guns perform this year. I can't wait to get a chance to watch the four prospects they mentioned in this article. We still need some pen help though. I'm not worried though, every time the Yankees need a player Cashman will go out and get him.

[BuckFoston]

The Girardi Rules-

1. Be on time. No excuse for lateness.

2. Shorts and T-shirts only permitted during spring training.

3. Curfew of 1 a.m.

4. Jewelry - only one chain is permitted. No earrings.

5. Only neatly cut beards, mustaches, goatees. No long hair or “unshaven looks.”

6. No family members in the clubhouse until after games.

7. No cell phones in the dugout.

8. Cell phones only allowed in the clubhouse until one hour before games.

9. No competing speakers in the clubhouse.

No. 2 makes it seem like these are the Girardi rules. No. 5, then, looks like it supersedes King George’s Law.

No. 7 should be fairly obvious…

River Ave. Blues | Girardi lifts facial hair ban?

Another story on it- Girardi sets different tone from the old Joe -- Newsday.com

[BuckFoston]

Wang more then likely to be opening day starter:

Chien-Ming Wang is getting the opportunity to do something he was scheduled to do last year until a hamstring muscle in the right leg popped during spring training: Be the New York Yankees' Opening Day starter against the Blue Jays on March 31 at Yankee Stadium the New York Post reported.

Joe Girardi didn't officially name the right-hander as his starter, but when the manager said Wang will start Saturday's exhibition game against the Phillies, that lined Wang up for the final Opening Day game at the Stadium. Ironically, Wang will be 28 that day.

"That's pretty safe," Girardi said when asked if Wang was a solid guess.

Source: New York Post

[browntown653]

Good stuff, I would guess the rotation will be Wang-Pettitte-Hughes-Kennedy-Moose, or maybe the last 2 spots switched.

[BuckFoston]

I just watched a movie on Yahoo! Sports and it gave what they thought the projected lineup was going to be and they said: Wang-Pettitte-Hughes-Chamberlain-Kennedy... But that video was from YES Network.

[browntown653]

Well being that Joba's starting in the bullpen, we don't have to consider that rotation a possibility...the rest of it seems in order though.

[BuckFoston]

Yeah thats kinda what I was thinking when I saw that movie but its probably a little older because I never say the date. I'm excited to see Kennedy pitch this season, though.

[BuckFoston]

Cashman and Yankees to discuss new contract:

Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner plans to speak with general manager Brian Cashman about a new contract during the 2008 season.

"I want to concentrate on the season, and he does, too," Steinbrenner told The Associated Press on Monday. "But during the course of the season, we will talk. It will just happen. We'll be sitting together at the game, and we'll start talking about it. It's just that simple."

Cashman is in the final year of a three-year contract worth approximately $5.4 million. He has said that he would prefer to keep any discussions between himself and the Steinbrenner family. Steinbrenner said he has not yet spoken with Cashman on the topic.

Cashman, 40, has often been cited as the Yankees' example of moving from the mail room to the board room. He joined the Yankees as a 19-year-old intern in June 1986 and worked his way up the ladder to New York, where he was installed by principal owner George Steinbrenner before the 1998 season, replacing Bob Watson.

"I've known Cash for a long time," Steinbrenner told the AP. "He's been with our family for a long, long time. I think the big thing is with Brian is the organization he put in place. You know, it's not based on just one decision as far as, 'Do a trade' or 'Don't do a trade,' or 'Sign a free agent' or 'Don't.'"

The Official Site of The New York Yankees: News: Report: Yanks' VP plans deal for GM

[NYgiantsfan5689]

rotation = wang, pettitte, hughes, mussina, kennedy with Joba in the pen. That's what I'm calling. It definatly will be interesting to see Ian pitch again this season. We'll see what he's got for sure. I think it's definatly going to be a rotation to contend with.

[BuckFoston]

ESPN Projects A-rod's numbers for next year:

AB-602
R-137
HR-55
RBI-158
BB-96
SB-27
AVG-.316
SLG-.640
OPS-1.060

Can anyone say MVP?

[BuckFoston]

Matsui Gets married...

Hideki Matsui chuckled Thursday while recounting his big week. Yes, the Yankees slugger really did get married and win a bet with teammates Derek Jeter and Bobby Abreu at the same time.

Matsui made the wager at the start of spring training about who would wed first, then flew to New York on his off day Wednesday to get married.

Matsui said Jeter, who claimed not to have a girlfriend, has one year to get married to win the bet. Yankees outfielder Bobby Abreu, who said he has a girlfriend, has six months to win the bet.

Since Matsui said he knew six months ago he was going to get married, he was able to pull a fast one on his teammates, who both said Thursday they would play off their losses immediately.

“He won,” Jeter said. “I’m going to give him the money today.”

The amount of wager was not disclosed.

“I’m happy for him,” Abreu said. “I’ll have to send him a check.”

Jeter didn’t believe reporters at first when told about the marriage. He went to Matsui’s locker to confirm it.

“Yeah, I’m surprised,” Jeter said. “Good for him.”

Even Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who was informed about Matsui’s wedding this week, got a good laugh out of it.

“Sometimes you should get all the information before you make a bet,” Girardi said.

When asked if he got married just to win the bet, Matsui laughed and said “Maybe.”

Yankees' Matsui gets married, pulls fast one on Jeter and Abreu at same time - MLB - Yahoo! Sports