2015 Baseball season/Off Season Discussion

[pilferk]

I do wonder how much of this is really on Cashman though? Are Hal and Hank telling him to reign in the spending and not trade the future?

There was similar speculation at the Trade deadline...and the reports were that ownership told Cashman to handle it how he thought best. They gave him the greenlight on trading some of the young talent if it would get them in contention for a WS...or stand pat if he thought the team, as constructed, could contend.

They HAVE asked him to control payroll a bit....but there is a difference between controlling payroll (they want under 189) and just picking up crap off the pile because they happen to play a position that you need someone in.  How many "projects" has Cashman brought in that actually worked out? One (Beltran...and only sporadically)?  Even his off season moves have been marginal, at best, and abject disasters in some cases.  And, in terms of payroll, he's overpaid the market on the pieces that HAVE worked (Headly), short term.

And, if you look at most of the options discussed that were available for the yanks at the deadline...a bunch of them were cheap, young, team controlled bullpen arms/help...and half season rental right handed bats.

None of that was going to blow their bank.

If (I almost feel like I should say "when") the Yanks lose tonight....I think it's time to take Cash to the woodshed.  They won't....and he's too buddy buddy with people like Kay and Sweeney and Lupica for the NY media to actually start calling for his head.  But if you look at his actual job performance, he should be.  The last 3 or 4 seasons have been TERRIBLE.

[tim_m]

I agree he hasn't done the best job the last few seasons.

[JAEBALL]

I will take it to my grave...

How they were unwilling to go a dollar over 180 for Cano but gave 153 to Ellsbury...... is really beyond me. Cano's deal is insane... but the Yankees handled that terribly and Cano would give back 70 million to come home to NY.

Giving that kind a deal to a player that relies on speed.. and has had ONE all star season in his whole career is fucking insane.. I said it then , so i'm not being a monday morning QB.

Fifty million bux to Chase Headley....

NOW... I truly don't blame Cashman for the state of this team right now.

A) The way we are talking you would never think the Yankees are in this wild card game tonight...

B) it is simply not as easy for the Yankees to acquire players anymore... all these teams keep their own now and the yankees were locked in with Teixeira, Arod, Sabathia... nobody was complaining in 09 when they won a title... we are paying for it now on the back end.

I'm not Cashmans biggest fan... and I hate that he seems to have a lifetime contract... but there is not a whole lot he could have done in acquiring big time talent the past few years without trading away those top prospects, and I'm glad he didn't. Certain moves like Headley, Drew and giving GUARANTEED 5 million to Capuano really are head scratchers, but overall I can't kill him for the overall roster at the moment, unless you want to give back the plus years those aforementioned veterans have given us.

With all that said... one little win tonight... and I'll be ecstatic.. no reason why they can't knock off the Royals in the division series.

[TheBaconman]

I would love for the ya mess to win tonight then to beat KC

The. To get swept by the Jays !!!!!!    Crying all the way back to new york city!!!

I will be cheering for them today

[JAEBALL]

I would love for the ya mess to win tonight then to beat KC

The. To get swept by the Jays !!!!!!    Crying all the way back to new york city!!!

I will be cheering for them today

I'd worry more about ur own team advancing then worrying about the yankees!

[pilferk]

I will take it to my grave...

How they were unwilling to go a dollar over 180 for Cano but gave 153 to Ellsbury...... is really beyond me. Cano's deal is insane... but the Yankees handled that terribly and Cano would give back 70 million to come home to NY.

Giving that kind a deal to a player that relies on speed.. and has had ONE all star season in his whole career is fucking insane.. I said it then , so i'm not being a monday morning QB.

Fifty million bux to Chase Headley....

NOW... I truly don't blame Cashman for the state of this team right now.

A) The way we are talking you would never think the Yankees are in this wild card game tonight...

B) it is simply not as easy for the Yankees to acquire players anymore... all these teams keep their own now and the yankees were locked in with Teixeira, Arod, Sabathia... nobody was complaining in 09 when they won a title... we are paying for it now on the back end.

I'm not Cashmans biggest fan... and I hate that he seems to have a lifetime contract... but there is not a whole lot he could have done in acquiring big time talent the past few years without trading away those top prospects, and I'm glad he didn't. Certain moves like Headley, Drew and giving GUARANTEED 5 million to Capuano really are head scratchers, but overall I can't kill him for the overall roster at the moment, unless you want to give back the plus years those aforementioned veterans have given us.

With all that said... one little win tonight... and I'll be ecstatic.. no reason why they can't knock off the Royals in the division series.

Just to throw a little salt: Ellsbury's not starting tonight...Gardner, Young, and Beltran.

[TheBaconman]

I would love for the ya mess to win tonight then to beat KC

The. To get swept by the Jays !!!!!!    Crying all the way back to new york city!!!

I will be cheering for them today

I'd worry more about ur own team advancing then worrying about the yankees!

The rangers are probably the only team I actually think has a shot against the Jays

I would love for the ya Kees to win however.  Just to crush there hopes.  Joey Bats style

[Falcon]

I do wonder how much of this is really on Cashman though? Are Hal and Hank telling him to reign in the spending and not trade the future?

There was similar speculation at the Trade deadline...and the reports were that ownership told Cashman to handle it how he thought best. They gave him the greenlight on trading some of the young talent if it would get them in contention for a WS...or stand pat if he thought the team, as constructed, could contend.

They HAVE asked him to control payroll a bit....but there is a difference between controlling payroll (they want under 189) and just picking up crap off the pile because they happen to play a position that you need someone in.  How many "projects" has Cashman brought in that actually worked out? One (Beltran...and only sporadically)?  Even his off season moves have been marginal, at best, and abject disasters in some cases.  And, in terms of payroll, he's overpaid the market on the pieces that HAVE worked (Headly), short term.

And, if you look at most of the options discussed that were available for the yanks at the deadline...a bunch of them were cheap, young, team controlled bullpen arms/help...and half season rental right handed bats.

None of that was going to blow their bank.

If (I almost feel like I should say "when") the Yanks lose tonight....I think it's time to take Cash to the woodshed.  They won't....and he's too buddy buddy with people like Kay and Sweeney and Lupica for the NY media to actually start calling for his head.  But if you look at his actual job performance, he should be.  The last 3 or 4 seasons have been TERRIBLE.

Lupica actually has influence?

Really?

He's always seemed the little fella with a big case of Napolean syndrome, a total blowhard buffoon.

[tim_m]

I would love for the ya mess to win tonight then to beat KC

The. To get swept by the Jays !!!!!!    Crying all the way back to new york city!!!

I will be cheering for them today

I'd worry more about ur own team advancing then worrying about the yankees!

The rangers are probably the only team I actually think has a shot against the Jays

I would love for the ya Kees to win however.  Just to crush there hopes.  Joey Bats style

I'm not so sure. The Rangers stumbled into the division title.

[tim_m]

Gonna be a long night for the Yankees with this blind as a bat umpire.

[GeorgeSteele]

Lupica actually has influence?

Really?

He's always seemed the little fella with a big case of Napolean syndrome, a total blowhard buffoon.

Sadly, in a city with no shortage of little fellas with a big case of Napoleon syndrome, total blowhard buffoons often hold sway...

But I still love NY.

[TheBaconman]

Gonna be a long night for the Yankees with this blind as a bat umpire.

That was the worst calling of a strike zone I have seen in a while

That being said

The Yankees sure stu I up the joint.   Was nice to finally see a crowd alive there though.  First time I have seen that from that stadium this year

And some how the Jays are playing durring the afternoon?!?!?    What a joke.  We should be in prime time!    Prime time baby!!!

[pilferk]

I do wonder how much of this is really on Cashman though? Are Hal and Hank telling him to reign in the spending and not trade the future?

There was similar speculation at the Trade deadline...and the reports were that ownership told Cashman to handle it how he thought best. They gave him the greenlight on trading some of the young talent if it would get them in contention for a WS...or stand pat if he thought the team, as constructed, could contend.

They HAVE asked him to control payroll a bit....but there is a difference between controlling payroll (they want under 189) and just picking up crap off the pile because they happen to play a position that you need someone in.  How many "projects" has Cashman brought in that actually worked out? One (Beltran...and only sporadically)?  Even his off season moves have been marginal, at best, and abject disasters in some cases.  And, in terms of payroll, he's overpaid the market on the pieces that HAVE worked (Headly), short term.

And, if you look at most of the options discussed that were available for the yanks at the deadline...a bunch of them were cheap, young, team controlled bullpen arms/help...and half season rental right handed bats.

None of that was going to blow their bank.

If (I almost feel like I should say "when") the Yanks lose tonight....I think it's time to take Cash to the woodshed.  They won't....and he's too buddy buddy with people like Kay and Sweeney and Lupica for the NY media to actually start calling for his head.  But if you look at his actual job performance, he should be.  The last 3 or 4 seasons have been TERRIBLE.

Lupica actually has influence?

Really?

He's always seemed the little fella with a big case of Napolean syndrome, a total blowhard buffoon.

Influence over the organization? Not directly.

But a LOT of people read his column...so in that sense he's an opinion shaper.

And it's not JUST him.  It's a lot of the New York sports media.  They'll go after Girardi. And Hank/Hal.  But not Cash.  Because he's "one of the boys", so to speak, off camera.  He socializes with those folks...and it shows in their coverage, IMHO.

[JAEBALL]

I do wonder how much of this is really on Cashman though? Are Hal and Hank telling him to reign in the spending and not trade the future?

There was similar speculation at the Trade deadline...and the reports were that ownership told Cashman to handle it how he thought best. They gave him the greenlight on trading some of the young talent if it would get them in contention for a WS...or stand pat if he thought the team, as constructed, could contend.

They HAVE asked him to control payroll a bit....but there is a difference between controlling payroll (they want under 189) and just picking up crap off the pile because they happen to play a position that you need someone in.  How many "projects" has Cashman brought in that actually worked out? One (Beltran...and only sporadically)?  Even his off season moves have been marginal, at best, and abject disasters in some cases.  And, in terms of payroll, he's overpaid the market on the pieces that HAVE worked (Headly), short term.

And, if you look at most of the options discussed that were available for the yanks at the deadline...a bunch of them were cheap, young, team controlled bullpen arms/help...and half season rental right handed bats.

None of that was going to blow their bank.

If (I almost feel like I should say "when") the Yanks lose tonight....I think it's time to take Cash to the woodshed.  They won't....and he's too buddy buddy with people like Kay and Sweeney and Lupica for the NY media to actually start calling for his head.  But if you look at his actual job performance, he should be.  The last 3 or 4 seasons have been TERRIBLE.

Lupica actually has influence?

Really?

He's always seemed the little fella with a big case of Napolean syndrome, a total blowhard buffoon.

Influence over the organization? Not directly.

But a LOT of people read his column...so in that sense he's an opinion shaper.

And it's not JUST him.  It's a lot of the New York sports media.  They'll go after Girardi. And Hank/Hal.  But not Cash.  Because he's "one of the boys", so to speak, off camera.  He socializes with those folks...and it shows in their coverage, IMHO.

100 percent accurate. Teflon Cashman...

Very frustrating last night... but not at all surprising.

Good luck to the Cardinals, Mets and Blue Jays.. I think that covers everybody here who is left right?

If I wasn't so dejected .. I'd watch tonight's game because it should be a great one... but instead i'll watch Rangers/Hawks.

[pilferk]

That went pretty much the way I expected.....

The strike zone WAS atrocious, Bacon....unfairly so.  The Astros had a +3% margin on called strikes. That breaks down to the fact that 35% of their pitches were thrown in the strike zone and weren't swung at, but 38% of their pitches were called strikes (no swing).

The Yankees had a -11 margin.  The Yanks pitchers threw 35% of their pitches in the zone, with no swing.  24% of their pitches, thrown in the strike zone with no swing, were actual called strikes.  

That's a -14 margin, team to team.  One team was given an expanded zone and the outer and bottom edges....and one team was squeezed toward the middle of the plate.

That's horribly bad and one sides.  I don't think it effected the outcome all that much..but...maybe.  There's a logical case that says the Yanks were swinging at bad pitches...because they were being called strikes.  And likewise, the Astros could sit on the middle of the plate because the Yanks pitchers were being squeezed...which meant more opportunity for power swings.  I'm not sure I feel that way, but I can see the point.

What I WILL say is: This is yet another great example of why it should be a 3 game series...and not a 1 game elimination.  Because one horrific umpiring job COULD hinge a teams season.  While I'm all for the division "meaning something"....I'm not real keen on that "something" being "less likely to be screwed by the umps" (even if that's NOT what happened here, it raises the specter).

The fact is, the Yanks offense ended the season sometime around the middle of September. Jobu obviously abandoned the team, and they couldn't channel their inner Serano and do it for themselves.  They stunk the place up, and how.  Going into the game, I didn't think they had much of a chance.  They haven't scored runs. They haven't hit lefties.  They haven't looked motivated or alive since early September.  They looked like a team dead on it's feet....with zero motivation.  And not JUST the oldsters, either.  The youngsters looked just as blah.

I thought the pitching last night was fine.  A 3.00 team ERA isn't terrible, and shouldn't be insurmountable.  But honestly, once it was 2-0, I was pretty sure the game was out of reach.  Tanaka, again, had his pitch count pulled up by a terrible strike zone...on that I don't think we can really argue.  But even so, his command wasn't overly sharp...and I'm pretty sure they would have found a way to scratch a run or two out even WITH a more "fair" zone.  I'm not sure I could say the same bout the Yanks.

I have generally been a Girardi fan since he came...and for most of this season, I was, too.  The last couple weeks....either he was seeing things not publicly known...or he made some very odd choices along the way. I don't think they were "fire him now" mistakes..but they sure were odd given his history.

And, I think I've said enough about Cash in recent posts.  He's making this team hard to root for, honestly.  It's time to go.

Now...I guess....since I have to adopt a team for the rest of the run....Go Mets?

[JAEBALL]

I'd like to see the Cubbies make a run... its only been 107 years...

[GeorgeSteele]

Now...I guess....since I have to adopt a team for the rest of the run....Go Mets?

Yes!!  I hope their run last more than 3 games.  I'm actually leaning optimistic on their chances against the Dodgers.  Although they've lost 5 of the last 6, the pitching has been very good lately after they were less than sharp while the bats carried them to a division title during that 6-7 week tear. 

[Falcon]

I'd like to see the Cubbies make a run... its only been 107 years...

To hell with that - the longer they stay down the better (I've got a long time friend who's a devout Cub fan so giving his the biz year after year has become my national past time!)

Beyond that...The game tonight with the Cubs/Bucs should be great.

Arrieta vs Cole, the Bucco's fans going nuts in the prettiest park on the planet.

A great setting for a great matchup (although the play in game is still goofy regardless) 

[pilferk]

I'd like to see the Cubbies make a run... its only been 107 years...

And, you know....there's the whole "Back to the Future 2" thing predicting it.

But I refuse to adopt a team that might be going home tomorrow.  I just dealt with that.  I'd like to get at least 3 more games out of my rooting interest, this time. 

[JAEBALL]

I'd like to see the Cubbies make a run... its only been 107 years...

And, you know....there's the whole "Back to the Future 2" thing predicting it.

But I refuse to adopt a team that might be going home tomorrow.  I just dealt with that.  I'd like to get at least 3 more games out of my rooting interest, this time. 

A best out of three Monday Tuesday Wednesday really is the way to go... that's not just sour grapes from me...

Look at the game tonight... these two deserve better than a one game take all.