Home runs may make for great highlight reels but for a true baseball fan there are few things more fun to see than a triple play. The New York Yankees pulled off the feat tonight in their game at Tampa Bay.
A couple of interesting things about this play. The Yankees pitcher, CC Sabathia, has been the pitcher on the mound for the last three Yankee triple plays. In addition, Scott Sizemore, who was playing first base was making his major league debut at that position. Talk about a baptism of fire.
Hat tip: Hardball Talk
Showing posts with label New York Yankees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York Yankees. Show all posts
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Wednesday, October 09, 2013
Joe Girardi Made A Tough Call the Right Way
I'll admit I'm a little disappointed that Joe Girardi decided to re-sign with the Yankees. As a Cubs fan, I had high hopes that he might go to Chicago. I even wrote a post last week outlining, in a baseball-only sense, the reasons that he should consider leaving. Whether he made the right call will only become evident over time. But as his press conference showed, he went about making this decision the right way. From ESPN:
The fact that he discussed the decision with his family first says a lot about where his priorities lie. Many men would consider a job change without even considering the effect that such a decision will have on his family.
It's hard to predict how the next few years will go for Girardi and the Yankees. But this much is certain: Girardi has his priorities in order. That means considering what's best for this family even if that mean giving up a better job opportunity.
"After talking with my family, we decided that this was where we wanted to come back," Girardi said on a conference call with reporters Wednesday afternoon. "It's a special place to manage because of the opportunity that you have every year and the tools that they give you. The history of this organization is unbelievable. There are special things that happen here every year."
But in the end, it came down to the values Girardi said he has always held most dear: His family, and his love of competition.
"We talked [about] the possibility about a lot of things basically that I could possibly do if I decided not to manage," Girardi said. "We brought up everything, and we did it as a group. My kids love coming to the ballpark. Sometimes you feel like you're missing things that they're doing, but they love the tradeoff, and that allows me to do what I love to do, and that's to manage."
The fact that he discussed the decision with his family first says a lot about where his priorities lie. Many men would consider a job change without even considering the effect that such a decision will have on his family.
It's hard to predict how the next few years will go for Girardi and the Yankees. But this much is certain: Girardi has his priorities in order. That means considering what's best for this family even if that mean giving up a better job opportunity.
Wednesday, October 02, 2013
Joe Girardi Should Say No to the Yankees
When the Chicago Cubs fired manager Dale Sveum earlier this week, rumors immediately began to swirl that Joe Girardi should be hired to replace him. It makes sense: his contract with the Yankees runs out on October 31st. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman met with Girardi's agent today. No doubt the Yankees would like to retain Girardi. He's a big reason why the Yankees were still in the wild card race until the last week of the season. But no matter how good the offer sounds Girardi's best bet would be to say no to a contract extension even if he doesn't take the Cubs' job. 2014 promises to be a tough season for the Yankees. Here are several reasons why:
1. The Yankees are looking to cut costs in 2014. After having the second highest payroll in 2013 at just over $228 million they have made a committment to be under the luxury tax threshold of $189 million in 2014. This is the reason why they will have an uphill battle trying to replace some key personnel (see below).
2. They may not be able to re-sign Robinson Cano. His demand for a 10-year, $305 million contract is not likely to be met. He's making $15 million this year and will likely get a raise with his next contract. But the Yankees aren't going to be a spending mood. If they can't re-sign him then they will have a big hole at second base to fill. But there are other personnel issues as well.
3. Derek Jeter may not be back in 2014. He was shut down for the year on September 11th after struggling with his rehab all season long. His age is also a factor - he'll be 40 next summer. It's not a certainty that he will be able to come back at all and even if he does he's not going to be up to full strength.
4. Then there's the issue of Alex Rodriguez. His appeal hearing got underway yesterday and it's not clear what the outcome will ultimately be. He's going to almost certainly be suspended. The question will only be how many games he will have to serve. Like Jeter, age is not on Rodriguez's side, either. He'll be 39 next summer. He's also battling hip issues too. Although he was somewhat effective when he came back earlier this year it's clear he's lost a step.
5. Mark Texiera has been out the entire year. If he manages to come back will he live up to the lofty expectations in his contract? He admitted in an interview before the season that he was overpaid.
6. The Yankees need pitching. With Andy Petite and Mariano Rivera's retirements this year, those are two huge holes in the pitching staff to be filled. Rivera's slot will be more difficult to fill since they don't have a reliable closer to step in.
7. The farm system isn't ready to help out. Yes, the Yankees have more talent than most folks give them credit. But the fact is that they don't have any players ready to immediately contribute to the major league club. With the payroll pressures that are already in place it's going to make it more difficult to restock the roster especially if one or more of their key players mentioned above
Given all of these factors, it may be wise for Girardi to think twice about accepting any contract extension offers. The next few years are likely to be difficult ones for the Yankees. Unless Girardi really wants to be presiding over an inevitable decline it might be a good time to quit while he's ahead of the game.
1. The Yankees are looking to cut costs in 2014. After having the second highest payroll in 2013 at just over $228 million they have made a committment to be under the luxury tax threshold of $189 million in 2014. This is the reason why they will have an uphill battle trying to replace some key personnel (see below).
2. They may not be able to re-sign Robinson Cano. His demand for a 10-year, $305 million contract is not likely to be met. He's making $15 million this year and will likely get a raise with his next contract. But the Yankees aren't going to be a spending mood. If they can't re-sign him then they will have a big hole at second base to fill. But there are other personnel issues as well.
3. Derek Jeter may not be back in 2014. He was shut down for the year on September 11th after struggling with his rehab all season long. His age is also a factor - he'll be 40 next summer. It's not a certainty that he will be able to come back at all and even if he does he's not going to be up to full strength.
4. Then there's the issue of Alex Rodriguez. His appeal hearing got underway yesterday and it's not clear what the outcome will ultimately be. He's going to almost certainly be suspended. The question will only be how many games he will have to serve. Like Jeter, age is not on Rodriguez's side, either. He'll be 39 next summer. He's also battling hip issues too. Although he was somewhat effective when he came back earlier this year it's clear he's lost a step.
5. Mark Texiera has been out the entire year. If he manages to come back will he live up to the lofty expectations in his contract? He admitted in an interview before the season that he was overpaid.
6. The Yankees need pitching. With Andy Petite and Mariano Rivera's retirements this year, those are two huge holes in the pitching staff to be filled. Rivera's slot will be more difficult to fill since they don't have a reliable closer to step in.
7. The farm system isn't ready to help out. Yes, the Yankees have more talent than most folks give them credit. But the fact is that they don't have any players ready to immediately contribute to the major league club. With the payroll pressures that are already in place it's going to make it more difficult to restock the roster especially if one or more of their key players mentioned above
Given all of these factors, it may be wise for Girardi to think twice about accepting any contract extension offers. The next few years are likely to be difficult ones for the Yankees. Unless Girardi really wants to be presiding over an inevitable decline it might be a good time to quit while he's ahead of the game.
Friday, September 20, 2013
Who Will Be Baseball's Wild Card Teams?
Major League Baseball's Wild Card games are in their second year and the races in both leagues are much tighter than anyone could have anticipated even a couple of weeks ago. Sure, nobody really likes the game but having the opportunity to play one more game to advance into the playoffs is something a lot of guys would want to have the opportunity to do.
What makes things more complicated this year is that there are no clear favorites in either league with just ten days left in the regular season. In both leagues there are teams in the mix that at the beginning of the year wouldn't have been picked to have a chance to make the playoffs. In one league not only are the two wild card spots but one division title is in play while in the other there are six teams with a legitimate shot at the two wild card spots.
Let's start in the National League. As of right now, the St. Louis Cardinals hold a one game league over the Pittsburgh Pirates for the division title and a two game lead over the Cincinnati Reds. The Pirates have a one game lead over the Reds in the wild card standings and the Washington Nationals are the only other NL team with any chance at the wild card trailing the Reds by five games.
This is where it gets interesting: Thanks to some brilliant planning by the scheduling office, the Pirates and Reds get to face each other six times in the final ten days. I seriously doubt that whoever put together the schedule thought that the Pirates would be playoff contenders. Consequently, games at the end of the season that would have probably thought to have very little significance become incredibly important.
Also, thanks to the fact that the NL Central has been such a tight division down the stretch, it's conceivable that any one of the three teams (Cardinals, Pirates and Reds) could end up the division champ. Or we could end up with a tie for either the wild card or the division (or both) and then chaos would ensue.
Let's suppose for a moment, however, that on the final day of the season we will know both the Central Division champ and the NL Wild Cards. Which team has the best chance of making it to the playoffs? Here's the remaining schedule for the contenders:
Cardinals: 3 games @ Milwaukee, 3 vs. Washington, 3 vs. Chicago Cubs
Pirates: 3 games vs. Cincinnati, 3 at Chicago Cubs, 3 at Cincinnati
Reds: 3 games @ Pittsburgh, 3 vs. New York Mets, 3 vs. Pittsburgh
Nationals: 3 games vs. Miami, 3 @ St. Louis, 3 @ Arizona
The one team I'm not sure about in this list is the Nationals. I think they're a pretty good team but they have a lot of ground to make up (5 games with 9 to play). Of course, they benefit greatly from having Pittsburgh and Cincinnati facing each other 6 times. If it weren't for that little scheduling quirk I'm not sure they would have a chance. The only series they have remaining that would be of concern to me is the 3 games at St. Louis. By that point, they may be playing the role of spoiler rather than contender.
As for the other three teams, both Cincinnati and Pittsburgh have the toughest road by virtue of the games against each other. The Pirates and Cardinals both must also face the Cubs who could do some real damage as spoilers in the final week. I would give the Reds a better shot at winning the division if they didn't have those six games against the Pirates.
Final prediction: NL Central Division Champ - Pirates, wild card - Reds and Cardinals
The American League has its own set of issues. As of right now, there are six teams that can be considered legitimate contenders for the two wild card spots. For the sake of simplicity, I am going to assume that Detroit and Oakland will win their respective divisions though there is a slim chance that one of the wild card contenders could slip into the division lead if everything plays out just right.
Here's how the wild card standings stack up right now:
Team Record Games Back
Texas 83-69 --
Tampa Bay 83-69 --
Cleveland 83-70 1/2
Baltimore 81-71 2
Kansas City 80-72 3
New York 80-73 3 1/2
Let's take a look at them in reverse order:
New York Yankees - games remaining: 3 vs. San Francisco, 3 vs. Tampa Bay, 3 @ Houston
The Yankees are getting older by the day. Every New York fan knows that time is running out for this team to win another championship. With Alex Rodriguez's suspension looming chances are good he's not playing next year. Derek Jeter is still battling ankle issues. Mariano Rivera is retiring. Today we find out that Andy Petite is calling it quits too. Manager Joe Girardi's contract runs out at the end of the year and there are rumors he may leave New York to manage the Chicago Cubs. There's also the fact that Girardi has been working miracles with this team to keep them in contention. Their offense at time has been pitiful and if it hadn't been for the mid-season acquisition of Alfonso Soriano from the Cubs they might not even be here.
But the question remains whether they can win the wild card. The big worry for me is the three games against Tampa Bay. That's the most difficult series facing them on their remaining schedule. The Yankees seem to be one loss away from a complete collapse for the past couple of months. There's no doubt they've been successful. But given the teams they would have to move past in the standings to get to the playoffs I don't see it happening.
Kansas City Royals - games remaining: 3 vs. Texas, 3 @ Seattle, 4 @ Chicago White Sox
The best and worst news for one of the two AL Cinderella teams (Cleveland is the other) is that their next 3 games are against Texas. (see my analysis of the Rangers below) The key for the Royals will be taking at least 2 out of the three games from Texas. If they can do that they have an easier path to one of the wild card slots.
Baltimore Orioles - games remaining: 4 at Tampa, 3 vs. Toronto, 3 vs. Boston
The AL Cinderella team of 2012 won the inaugural wild card game against Texas before losing the division series to New York in five games. The 2013 incarnation has not been as lucky as the 2012 version particularly in close games. To make matters worse, they have the toughest schedule of any of the remaining contenders. The key series for them will be the four games against Tampa. If they can take three of the four games. If not, then they will likely be out of the race. My predicition: they just miss making the playoffs.
Cleveland Indians - games remaining: 3 vs. Houston, 2 vs. Chicago White Sox, 4 at Minnesota
The Indians certainly represent this year's surprise team in the American League. They have the biggest advantage going into the home stretch: none of the three teams they will face have a winning record. At only 1/2 game behind the Rays and Rangers they are the team best positioned to make a move. My predicition: Cleveland wins one of the wild card spots by winning 6 of 9 games down the stretch.
Tampa Bay Rays - games remaining: 4 vs. Baltimore, 3 @ New York Yankees, 3 @ Toronto
Their remaining schedule might be a little cause for concern but the fact is that Tampa has become a consistent contender for one simple reason: their manager, Joe Maddon, is a genius. Some would say a mad genius. Maddon is somehow able to figure out how to maximize the use of every single player on his roster in a way that no other manager can. The key for Tampa will be how they do against Baltimore and New York. If they can win both of those series they will make the playoffs yet again. The fact that they also control their own destiny as they are tied with Texas in win/loss record helps a great deal. My prediction: Tampa wins the other wild card slot and will host the Indians in the Wild Card game.
Texas Rangers - games remaining: 3 @ Kansas City, 3 vs. Houston, 4 vs. Los Angeles Angels
The Rangers are coming off one of the worst two week stretches they have had this season: a seven game losing streak including being swept by both the Pirates and Indians before snapping the streak during a four game split with Tampa. The Rangers definitely don't have the same kind of offense they had in 2010 and 2011 during their back-to-back World Series appearances. It's bad enough that rumors of Ron Washington's dismissal at season's end if the Rangers miss the playoffs (though both Nolan Ryan and Jon Daniels say that's not going to happen). If they can survive the series with the Royals then they stand a fair shot at making the playoffs. My predicition: the Rangers will just miss winning the wild card.
What makes things more complicated this year is that there are no clear favorites in either league with just ten days left in the regular season. In both leagues there are teams in the mix that at the beginning of the year wouldn't have been picked to have a chance to make the playoffs. In one league not only are the two wild card spots but one division title is in play while in the other there are six teams with a legitimate shot at the two wild card spots.
Let's start in the National League. As of right now, the St. Louis Cardinals hold a one game league over the Pittsburgh Pirates for the division title and a two game lead over the Cincinnati Reds. The Pirates have a one game lead over the Reds in the wild card standings and the Washington Nationals are the only other NL team with any chance at the wild card trailing the Reds by five games.
This is where it gets interesting: Thanks to some brilliant planning by the scheduling office, the Pirates and Reds get to face each other six times in the final ten days. I seriously doubt that whoever put together the schedule thought that the Pirates would be playoff contenders. Consequently, games at the end of the season that would have probably thought to have very little significance become incredibly important.
Also, thanks to the fact that the NL Central has been such a tight division down the stretch, it's conceivable that any one of the three teams (Cardinals, Pirates and Reds) could end up the division champ. Or we could end up with a tie for either the wild card or the division (or both) and then chaos would ensue.
Let's suppose for a moment, however, that on the final day of the season we will know both the Central Division champ and the NL Wild Cards. Which team has the best chance of making it to the playoffs? Here's the remaining schedule for the contenders:
Cardinals: 3 games @ Milwaukee, 3 vs. Washington, 3 vs. Chicago Cubs
Pirates: 3 games vs. Cincinnati, 3 at Chicago Cubs, 3 at Cincinnati
Reds: 3 games @ Pittsburgh, 3 vs. New York Mets, 3 vs. Pittsburgh
Nationals: 3 games vs. Miami, 3 @ St. Louis, 3 @ Arizona
The one team I'm not sure about in this list is the Nationals. I think they're a pretty good team but they have a lot of ground to make up (5 games with 9 to play). Of course, they benefit greatly from having Pittsburgh and Cincinnati facing each other 6 times. If it weren't for that little scheduling quirk I'm not sure they would have a chance. The only series they have remaining that would be of concern to me is the 3 games at St. Louis. By that point, they may be playing the role of spoiler rather than contender.
As for the other three teams, both Cincinnati and Pittsburgh have the toughest road by virtue of the games against each other. The Pirates and Cardinals both must also face the Cubs who could do some real damage as spoilers in the final week. I would give the Reds a better shot at winning the division if they didn't have those six games against the Pirates.
Final prediction: NL Central Division Champ - Pirates, wild card - Reds and Cardinals
The American League has its own set of issues. As of right now, there are six teams that can be considered legitimate contenders for the two wild card spots. For the sake of simplicity, I am going to assume that Detroit and Oakland will win their respective divisions though there is a slim chance that one of the wild card contenders could slip into the division lead if everything plays out just right.
Here's how the wild card standings stack up right now:
Team Record Games Back
Texas 83-69 --
Tampa Bay 83-69 --
Cleveland 83-70 1/2
Baltimore 81-71 2
Kansas City 80-72 3
New York 80-73 3 1/2
Let's take a look at them in reverse order:
New York Yankees - games remaining: 3 vs. San Francisco, 3 vs. Tampa Bay, 3 @ Houston
The Yankees are getting older by the day. Every New York fan knows that time is running out for this team to win another championship. With Alex Rodriguez's suspension looming chances are good he's not playing next year. Derek Jeter is still battling ankle issues. Mariano Rivera is retiring. Today we find out that Andy Petite is calling it quits too. Manager Joe Girardi's contract runs out at the end of the year and there are rumors he may leave New York to manage the Chicago Cubs. There's also the fact that Girardi has been working miracles with this team to keep them in contention. Their offense at time has been pitiful and if it hadn't been for the mid-season acquisition of Alfonso Soriano from the Cubs they might not even be here.
But the question remains whether they can win the wild card. The big worry for me is the three games against Tampa Bay. That's the most difficult series facing them on their remaining schedule. The Yankees seem to be one loss away from a complete collapse for the past couple of months. There's no doubt they've been successful. But given the teams they would have to move past in the standings to get to the playoffs I don't see it happening.
Kansas City Royals - games remaining: 3 vs. Texas, 3 @ Seattle, 4 @ Chicago White Sox
The best and worst news for one of the two AL Cinderella teams (Cleveland is the other) is that their next 3 games are against Texas. (see my analysis of the Rangers below) The key for the Royals will be taking at least 2 out of the three games from Texas. If they can do that they have an easier path to one of the wild card slots.
Baltimore Orioles - games remaining: 4 at Tampa, 3 vs. Toronto, 3 vs. Boston
The AL Cinderella team of 2012 won the inaugural wild card game against Texas before losing the division series to New York in five games. The 2013 incarnation has not been as lucky as the 2012 version particularly in close games. To make matters worse, they have the toughest schedule of any of the remaining contenders. The key series for them will be the four games against Tampa. If they can take three of the four games. If not, then they will likely be out of the race. My predicition: they just miss making the playoffs.
Cleveland Indians - games remaining: 3 vs. Houston, 2 vs. Chicago White Sox, 4 at Minnesota
The Indians certainly represent this year's surprise team in the American League. They have the biggest advantage going into the home stretch: none of the three teams they will face have a winning record. At only 1/2 game behind the Rays and Rangers they are the team best positioned to make a move. My predicition: Cleveland wins one of the wild card spots by winning 6 of 9 games down the stretch.
Tampa Bay Rays - games remaining: 4 vs. Baltimore, 3 @ New York Yankees, 3 @ Toronto
Their remaining schedule might be a little cause for concern but the fact is that Tampa has become a consistent contender for one simple reason: their manager, Joe Maddon, is a genius. Some would say a mad genius. Maddon is somehow able to figure out how to maximize the use of every single player on his roster in a way that no other manager can. The key for Tampa will be how they do against Baltimore and New York. If they can win both of those series they will make the playoffs yet again. The fact that they also control their own destiny as they are tied with Texas in win/loss record helps a great deal. My prediction: Tampa wins the other wild card slot and will host the Indians in the Wild Card game.
Texas Rangers - games remaining: 3 @ Kansas City, 3 vs. Houston, 4 vs. Los Angeles Angels
The Rangers are coming off one of the worst two week stretches they have had this season: a seven game losing streak including being swept by both the Pirates and Indians before snapping the streak during a four game split with Tampa. The Rangers definitely don't have the same kind of offense they had in 2010 and 2011 during their back-to-back World Series appearances. It's bad enough that rumors of Ron Washington's dismissal at season's end if the Rangers miss the playoffs (though both Nolan Ryan and Jon Daniels say that's not going to happen). If they can survive the series with the Royals then they stand a fair shot at making the playoffs. My predicition: the Rangers will just miss winning the wild card.
Saturday, December 05, 2009
Sportsman of the Year - Derek Jeter
I'm not much of a fan of the New York Yankees but admire their consistency. One of the keys to their success is Derek Jeter who this year garnered Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year award. After reading Tom Verducci's profile of Jeter in this week's magazine, I came away impressed with the man who could easily be called Mr. Yankee. Congratulations to Derek Jeter for an outstanding season and an impressive career so far.
Monday, August 17, 2009
A Most Unusual Baseball Game
It's not every day that you'll read about baseball being played at 3 a.m. at Yankee Stadium. But this story explains why.
Hats off to the Yankees for making this happen.
Hats off to the Yankees for making this happen.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Joe Says No
Joe Torre has shown what a truly classy guy he is by turning down a one-year contract extension offer to manage the New York Yankees:
Yankees owner George Steinbrenner had publicly stated before the final game of their divisional series with the Cleveland Indians that if Torre didn't take the team to the World Series this year that they would have to seriously consider whether Torre should continue to be their manager. Obviously, four World Series titles and 12 straight playoff appearances (including overcoming a horrible 21-29 start this year to make it to the postseason) was not enough for the Yankees. Their offer was nothing less than a slap in Torre's face and Joe wasn't going to stand for it.
Joe Torre is by far one of the best managers in baseball and a shoe-in for the Hall of Fame. He doesn't need the aggravation associated with managing the Yankees. He'll no doubt end up managing somewhere else next year. Wherever it is, they'll be much better off for having Joe Torre as their manager.
As for the Yankees, their dominance in the American League is over. They will certainly go downhill from here. It may take a while but they'll eventually realize what a hugh mistake they have made.
NEW YORK -- After all he had accomplished -- four World Series titles, 12 straight years in the playoffs, almost certain entry into the Hall of Fame -- and after all the indignities, this was one Joe Torre wasn't going to stand for.
He wasn't going to take a pay cut from the New York Yankees, no matter that he still would have been the highest-paid manager in baseball, and he certainly wasn't going to prove himself all over again.
Torre walked away Thursday, turning down a $5 million, one-year contract --
$2.5 million less than he made this season, when the Yankees failed to make it past the first round of the playoffs for the third straight year.
Yankees owner George Steinbrenner had publicly stated before the final game of their divisional series with the Cleveland Indians that if Torre didn't take the team to the World Series this year that they would have to seriously consider whether Torre should continue to be their manager. Obviously, four World Series titles and 12 straight playoff appearances (including overcoming a horrible 21-29 start this year to make it to the postseason) was not enough for the Yankees. Their offer was nothing less than a slap in Torre's face and Joe wasn't going to stand for it.
Joe Torre is by far one of the best managers in baseball and a shoe-in for the Hall of Fame. He doesn't need the aggravation associated with managing the Yankees. He'll no doubt end up managing somewhere else next year. Wherever it is, they'll be much better off for having Joe Torre as their manager.
As for the Yankees, their dominance in the American League is over. They will certainly go downhill from here. It may take a while but they'll eventually realize what a hugh mistake they have made.
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