While A-Rod is continuing to ruffle the feathers of the Yankees team brass he's laughing all the way to the bank.
He's still guaranteed about $153,000 dollars per day for the duration of the baseball season whether he plays or not. The Yankees staff doctors have still not cleared him to play, but A-Rod insisted on sticking it to GM Brian Cashman and the organization by getting a "second opinion" from an independent NYC area doctor who has stated in the press that A-Rod is "ready to go". He's ready to go alright.
I don't see how much longer this back and forth of one-upmanship between management and player can go on. The Yankees are fed up and want him out badly, but this is a circumstance of their own making in their catering to him even when he chose to opt out of his contract a while back. The Steinbrenner's threw more feathers in his nest hoping he'd be productive long enough to break the all time home run record in pinstripes. He won't even come close now. At age 38 he's broken down. Two bad hips, and various other ailments. He's a shell of the player he once was, both before he took steroids and after.
The Yankees really need to move on at this point and rebuild an aging ballclub going forward. Alex Rodriguez' ongoing steroid issues with MLB and his long term contract is the 800lb. gorilla standing firmly in the way of making that happen.
I just took a glance at the NL east standings, and it's quite an eye opener to see that on July 25 only the first place Atlanta Braves are playing above .500 ball in the division.
Who expected the Nationals to be struggling this season? They are too good a ballclub all around. It's Davey Johnson's last hurrah there as manager and I suspect they'll put it in gear and give Atlanta a run for the top spot before too long. The veteran Phils are hanging right in there too and can still be dangerous. Cliff Lee is having a bounceback season, and they still have some quality bats in that lineup. How well Philadelphia finishes this year will probably determine if they break up this group or not.
Memorable game today that evoked the days of Yankee glory past as Jeter returned and homered on the first pitch, and Soriano contributed a homer and a walk-off single (with Rivera getting the win). One game will not a season make but at least for the first time this year, I could enjoy a game reminscent of the old days.
When I said the Nationals would eventually get it in gear I hoped it would be after they played against the Mets! Oy vey.
Ahh.. I should have known it was going to be a tough weekend after the Mets scored 11 runs against the Nats in the first game of a doubleheader on Friday in the Jenrry Mejia start and then Matt Harvey hands the Mets another fabulous start on a silver platter in the second game and the offense once again dozes off on him. Too much excitement I guess in the first game. Harvey should be right up there with Detroit's Max Scherzer in wins right now, but Scherzer pitches on a team that is most likely going to the World Series once again and Harvey is pitching on a team that will consider the season a success if it can finally reach .500. Harvey has been outstanding in almost every start and has found himself at the mercy of a team which simply cannot provide him enough run support. Former Mets ace Johan Santana found himself in much the same situation as Harvey is in now.
The one positive the Mets can take from losing three of four to Washington is the solid effort by Jenrry Mejia getting the win in the first game. It seems like Mejia has been around forever in the Mets farm system waiting for a breakthrough as others have passed him by and it was good to see him out there again. Mejia has always had the injury bugaboo, and if he can stay just healthy for once he could turn out to be an unexpected surprise in the rotation moving forward.
The trade deadline is rapidly approaching, and there has been a lot of talk around moving 35 year old rightfielder Marlon Byrd. Byrd has turned out to be a good offseason veteran signing for once by Alderson. Since Byrd was signed for one year at only $700.000 he's been a flat out bargain for what he's provided so far (.281 average, 17 home runs, 59 rbi). He hustles and plays good defense, and his offensive numbers this season have actually been much better than Michael Bourn's in Cleveland. Bourn of course was the star free agent outfielder the Mets passed on signing this winter, and he would have cost them a ton more money and years.
I don't think they'll get very much in return if they move Byrd to a contender. They'll most likely be offered lower level minor leaguers in any deal. He's been their only consistantly productive bat in the lineup this season besides David Wright, and if the Mets have any hopes of finishing the season on a high note they will need him continuing to drive in runs in what has so far been a feast or famine offense in 2013.
RIP George "Boomer" Scott who has died at the age of 69.
Scott was a 3 time All-Star who won 8 Gold gloves for fielding excellence as a first baseman in a 14 year playing career that began in 1966 with the Boston Red Sox. This guy could pick it at first base.
Greinke is now lost for an extended period of time, and for what reason?
I'm not sure what led up to the brawl but these free for all's have to stop and MLB has to come front and center and lay the law down with severe punishments that actually will make the nonsense stop. The players association should just shut up for once on this one. Slaps on the wrists with these millionaires only hurt when they are suspended for long periods of time with their money taken away for games missed due to the idiocy.
That said..
The Mets are scheduled to play a game tonight in the frozen tundra of Minnesota. A freak spring snowstorm arrived there mid-week and temperatures will be cold enough tonight to remind one more of a Vikings game of the early 1970's with Joe Kapp behind center than an April major league baseball game.
If I were Terry Collins I'd keep a close eye on Jon Niese and put him on a strict pitch limit tonight. They simply cannot afford to lose Niese to possible injury playing in these types of conditions that are not suitable for baseball. The Twins of course no longer play in the Metrodome, and we knew when they moved to their new ballpark which was built without a retractable roof that this type of weather situation in that part of the country was a possibility.
The above post was mine from April 12, and sure enough now we're finding out that Jon Niese's torn rotator cuff problem that's sidelined him may have been caused by those early bitterly cold games that the Mets played on the road earlier this year. I had a bad feeling about this then, but he will return to the rotation later this year. It's a partial tear but they still have to be cautious. Niese is an important part of the rotation moving forward.
Today is the day MLB announced the player suspensions for PED use. What a farce that A-Rod will appeal his upcoming year and a half suspension and play in the starting lineup tonight for the Yankees. This is all turning into a sideshow. A-Rod is a disgrace. And he's just delaying the inevitable. Bud Selig is a weakling Commissioner, and his tenure (which has been pretty awful) cannot get much worse than this. Watch the players association attempt to wear him down piecemeal over the next several months to eventually get the length of the original punishment reduced.
You can bet A- Rod's A-Team of expensive lawyers is on the case right now to do just that. No contrition from him this afternoon. No admission that he used and acted as a liaison, or that he hindered MLB's investigation. You know, all the stuff he was suspended for in the first place. He talked of his struggles to get back, and how "grateful" he was to wear the Yankee uniform. Just the usual A-Rod spin. A-Rod called it all a "process". He'll play until the appeal process is resolved.
Mets headcase utilityman Jordany Valdespin will be one of the players suspended. Not a surprise. Nothing surprises me about some of these skunks anymore. Valdespin wore out his welcome this season with his attitude and behavior and will be looking for another team to play for if or when he's allowed to play again.
I too am not happy to see this person in the lineup and able to be the only one named today who is still playing. Selig should have invoked the best interests clause and kept him out. Unfortunately, I am seeing in some quarters (not here) a backlash of sorts from some people that seems to be centered on a desire to not see the Yankees get payroll relief from a long suspension of A-Rod so now they want to see something happen that will only result in inconveniencing the Yankees even if that means A-Rod still plays. Try to apply this line of thinking to any other walk of life where an employee defrauds his boss in effect and it becomes evident how absurd it is.
The Yankee season is over and done. It's been a disgrace of 1965 level proportions and I can only hope they can do some soul-searching and retooling next year that will be without this blight on the team. His presence is the ultimate sign of how the year has become a farce.
Agree --- in any other profession, there would be no appeals or dragging of feet. At this point, is he even bringing fans to the games? I could understand (but not condone) a business decision for selling tickets, but what kind of a role model is he? A spoiled, entitled boy at the end of his career. He should admit his guilt and go enjoy his millions on some island. He is tarnishing the game.
Jhonny Perralta is gone for the next 49 games. He will be eligible to play the last 3 regular season games for the Tigers and in the post season, but should he? He admits he screwed up last year. He had a horrible year last year.
Jhonny Perralta is gone for the next 49 games. He will be eligible to play the last 3 regular season games for the Tigers and in the post season, but should he? He admits he screwed up last year. He had a horrible year last year.
Tigers 9 Yankees 3. Ok so the Yankees snapped our win streak last night. Even a certain Yankees fan will admit the drama in the 9th inning last night. Miggy is playing hurt and still plays better than anyone you can name.
Last night's win was very unsatisfying because the sight of Rivera giving up game tying HRs with two outs two games in a row was a painful thing to see. I had a feeling of dread though that when Overbay missed the pop-up something terrible was going to happen and it did. Not even the win helped because it was another reminder of how bad the year has been.
Today only cemented that. This team is the living reincarnation of the Yankees of 1965-1966 with star players injured and unable to do anything, castoff veterans who can't perform and terrible minor leaguers who represent a barren farm system at this point. The time has come to destruct this team and reset in a big way and part of the changes I think should be the sacking of (1) Kevin Long who is proving his worthlessness as a hitting coach again and again and (2) Brian Cashman who has been in the job too long now IMO. Of all the GM's in Yankee history, only Ed Barrow from 1920-1944 had a longer tenure. I would rather see an outsider who has experience brought in.
And now after today I understand exactly how people in 1973 felt when they saw Willie Mays stumbling and falling down in the outfield. To see this happen to Rivera three times in a row is the most brutal thing I have ever seen happen to a legend who deserves better than this.
This season it seems just seems to keep finding new ways to rewrite the definition of sadistic for me. No matter how many times I try to accept the badness of it to let myself accept that its a bad team and a bad year, something else has to happen to rub it in further.
Rivera did it again. . Homers by Cabrera and Martinez to tie it in the 9th. First time in his career Rivera has allowed two HRs in the 9th with a lead as a closer. Score now 4-4.
I was watching a bit of the Yankee game the other night and when Yankee first baseman Overbay didn't catch that foul ball off Cabrera to end the late threat I had a feeling that he'd come back and crush one off Mariano Rivera. These are the kind of matchups that make for great drama in baseball. Future Hall of Fame pitcher against future Hall of Fame hitter with the game in the balance. Cabrera had just been limping around home plate after fouling two balls hard off his own leg against Rivera, and lo and behold he hits the big home run. Another day at the office for Miguel Cabrera who is having yet another MVP year for Detroit.
Mariano Rivera has given the Yankees and their fans a fantastic run for close to 20 years now. But he's obviously been slipping a bit in his final season. At age 41, major league hitters are catching up to him. He's going to go down as the greatest closer in baseball history. Even at this stage, he's still better than a lot of the younger closers out there today. As a old pro and a veteran of the game, Rivera knows his own limits and he will go out on his own terms this year. A great pitcher, and an even better human being. His dignity and class will be sorely missed around baseball.
The Tigers came in on a roll this weekend and the Yankees were struggling to stay relevant in the wild card chase and they pulled off some victories this weekend that could have very easily gone the other way against a powerhouse like Detroit.
Hiroki Kuroda has been superb for the Yankees this year. I enjoy watching pitchers who know how to pitch. He goes after hitters and hits his spots. Steady as she goes. Another "ageless wonder" story. He's pitched in a lot of bad luck this season because of a lack of run support. What a difference a year has made. Last season the Yankees home run lineup struck fear in opposing pitchers, and this year it has been a totally different story. Kuroda is finishing up a one year deal, and even though he's pushing 40 the Yankees would be foolish not to try to keep him on for at least next season.
Last night's win was very unsatisfying because the sight of Rivera giving up game tying HRs with two outs two games in a row was a painful thing to see. I had a feeling of dread though that when Overbay missed the pop-up something terrible was going to happen and it did. Not even the win helped because it was another reminder of how bad the year has been.
Today only cemented that. This team is the living reincarnation of the Yankees of 1965-1966 with star players injured and unable to do anything, castoff veterans who can't perform and terrible minor leaguers who represent a barren farm system at this point. The time has come to destruct this team and reset in a big way and part of the changes I think should be the sacking of (1) Kevin Long who is proving his worthlessness as a hitting coach again and again and (2) Brian Cashman who has been in the job too long now IMO. Of all the GM's in Yankee history, only Ed Barrow from 1920-1944 had a longer tenure. I would rather see an outsider who has experience brought in.
Of them all I think manager Joe Girardi has made the best of a bad situation this year with the team he has had to work with. He had to really work at managing this year because all the home runs dried up and eventually stopped coming. Cashman thought this spring that when veterans Teixiera and Jeter came back they could jettison the replacements that were holding their own and make a serious run. Both Teixiera and Jeter wound up back on the disabled list, and the castoffs came back down to earth. Those castoffs did very well for a while though. What Cashman didn't count on was veteran pitcher Andy Pettitte probably being through, a worn down innings weary C.C. Sabathia, and Phil Hughes going totally in the tank.
Pettitte is getting rocked early in almost every start. Pitches that used to work for him with regularity 10 years ago are being turned around and have become base hits and line drives that put him in a hole early. Only veteran Hiroki Kuroda has been steady in their rotation this season. Cashman I think will get another year at least to try to get it turned around. He got tons of praise when things were looking up not so long ago. The Yankees just recently won another World Series in 2009 and fans talk about the organization on sports talk shows lately like they're the Chicago Cubs. But Cashman has got little to work with right now and the Yankees are old at basically every position except Cano at second and Gardner in center. And then there is the issue of the organization trying to keep payroll where it is.
Across town, the Mets are young and have a solid foundation of good pitching down the road. After almost a decade of rebuilding, if ever the Mets suddenly took over the back sports pages in New York in the next several years watch out. You can be sure as your foot hits the floor each morning that Hal and Hank Steinbrenner will make wholesale changes within the organization. Nothing upsets the Yankee hierarchy more than when the Mets are doing better than they are. That's just a fact.
While I wait for the Matt Harvey show to start tonight out in LA, I caught some of the Yankee game. It seems that the Yankees have built up a little head of steam after Detroit could not put the hammer down against them over the weekend. Tonight the Yanks are crushing the Angels at Yankee Stadium. As bad as they've played lately they are still in the mix for that wild card. Get some of those slugging greybeard bats going and they may be able to get a bit of a streak together to offset some of the bad starting pitching. There's still the big ick factor of seeing A-Rod continuing to play in these games though..
Matt Harvey does not have it tonight. The Dodgers are hotter than a spaghetti pot on a rolling boil right now offensively and they are roughing him up pretty good. It should be a short night at this point. Collins should give him the hook and an early shower. Bring on the bullpen to finish this one out. It happens. Harvey has been magnificent for most of this year and he has 4 pitches in the arsenal that when on are all effective most of the time. Tonight the Dodgers are not fooled by any one of them.
Like it or not (I'm not a fan of pitch counts at all) both Harvey and Zack Wheeler are going to be on strict pitch counts for the rest of the season. When they reach their limits, they'll both be shut down. With the Mets out of contention this year it makes no sense to stretch Harvey out any more tonight.
Oy vey.
. Homers by Cabrera and Martinez to tie it in the 9th. First time in his career Rivera has allowed two HRs in the 9th with a lead as a closer. Score now 4-4.