On Joba

So, last night I was called out by Joe at River Ave. Blues for some tweets I made during yesterday’s game pertaining to the new Joba Chamberlain rules and regulations.

Much like Ross, who was actually at yesterday’s game, seeing Chamberlain throw 35 pitches only to be taken out is enough to be frustrated.  I think the babying of Chamberlain has gone a bit too far.

Chamberlain has looked fairly ordinary this year, and who can blame him?  The Yankees have changed his routine almost on a weekly basis by altering his days off, capping his innings and pitches, etc.

It’s frightening to know he’s the No. 4 starter in October if the Yankees advance past the Division Series.  The Yankees are simulating spring training in the middle of a race to attain home-field advantage, and I’m not too confident in Chamberlain being playoff-ready.  That’s the root of my concerns with this plan.

Chamberlain threw 35 pitches in three innings.  In starts where there weren’t innings limits, he nibbled more, elevating his pitch count early.  Did he change the way he pitched yesterday because he knew he’d only hang around for three innings?  Perhaps.  I want him to be at the top of his game when the playoffs roll around.

No, I don’t have a plan for Chamberlain, but I’m not convinced the Yankees know what they’re doing either.  I was tired of hearing that “we have a plan” and “we’re on schedule” all summer from the front office.  I think if they really had a plan, they would’ve been forthright from the beginning.

I just hope it all works out in the end, because if it doesn’t, the Yankees will be the butt of jokes for years.

I think I’m with everyone when I say I can’t wait until next year when “the training wheels are off,” because frankly, this whole situation has gotten to the point where it’s ridiculous, just as the previous quoted phrase has gotten old.

And that is why I hate the bunt

Frank Francisco is on the ropes and Nick Swisher, in his infinite wisdom, decides to give him a free out.  What a joke.

If Joe Girardi called that, he should be fired on the spot.  Even if he didn’t call it, Swisher squared up earlier in that at-bat.  He could’ve made it crystal clear that the bunt was not on.

What a terrible ending to an equally terrible game.

Update – 11:25 p.m.: During the postgame, Girardi said that he was trying to move the runners over and that Swisher has been a good bunter all year.

I can’t even begin to wrap my head around the idiocy of this move.

Impending free agency for Damon, Pettitte, Matsui

MLB Trade Rumors links to three separate articles talking about the impending free agency of Johnny Damon, Andy Pettitte and Hideki Matsui.  Keep in mind that I’m not looking toward next year at all – in fact, I hate articles like this during the season – but today is an off day.

We’ll go one-by-one, starting with Damon (Gordon Edes from Yahoo! Sports reporting):

“I realize the business side of it,” said Damon, whose four-year, $52 million deal with the club is approaching its expiration date. “But I hope at the end of the season we could lock something in for a couple more years.

“I mean, I don’t want to go anywhere else. I love this team, my family loves New York, six weeks of spring training in Tampa, close to my home, and three trips to Tampa (to play the Rays). Yeah, I don’t want to go anywhere.”

Out of the three players named, I’d want Damon back the most, but I don’t know how I’d feel about a multi-year deal.  I think the absolute longest I’d go with Damon is two years.  While he is still a terrific offensive player and clubhouse presence, he is an absolute adventure in the outfield.  Damon also said he doesn’t expect the Yankees to do anything during the season – which is how the team normally operates – so this is a conversation for another day.

*****

Onto Pettitte, who said he doesn’t want a repeat of last offseason where there was a lengthy back-and-forth between the two sides, via Christian Red of the Daily News:

"I wanted to come back here and it looked like it might not happen towards the end. In my mind-set, I was coming back no matter what," he said. "That's where I was at. It's tough when you're getting offers from other clubs, and it's not even comparable.

"As far as next year - I'm trying to get through this year. I hope I can stay healthy and try to help this club win. That's all we're looking at right now. I'm not through - we got a lot of starts left (this season). I want my arm to be healthy. Once I get closer, I can start thinking about that. Maybe start talking to my family and my wife about that."

I don’t think I want Pettitte back.  But if the Yankees are so inclined, I’d hope it’s a one-year deal at $7 million or less.

*****

And finally Matsui, who didn’t say too much about his future, with Anthony McCarron of the Daily News reporting:

"My honest answer is I don't know," Matsui said. "I don't have an answer. As a player, you just try to do better than what you've done before. It's not so much about how the organization or other clubs look at me. All I'm focused on is winning a championship."

Would he prefer to stay in New York? "I try not to think about that," he said. "I like New York, the Yankees, the Yankee fans. It's definitely someplace I feel comfortable."

Matsui is an interesting case.  He hasn’t played an inning in the field all season, his knees flair up every now and then, but he has 23 home runs this season.  Matsui is notorious for his hot and cold streaks, but the way he is playing this season, it will be hard for the Yankees to let him go.

To Matsui’s credit, he said in the article that he wants to play defense to help out his team.  He said it limits the team’s choices, which is completely accurate.  Unfortunately, he still had to get his knee drained this season without playing in the field.

If the Yankees want him back, they should go year-by-year with him.  When healthy, he’s a productive player, but that hasn’t been a certainty with him in his latter years.

Marte’s back; Jim Rice is a fool

First, Damaso Marte is finally back up with the big club.  He had been on the 60-day disabled list with left shoulder tendinitis since April 26.  Ramiro Pena was sent down, as the Yankees have decided to carry 13 pitchers.  Remember, the rosters expand to 40 on Sept. 1.

However, this isn’t the biggest news of the day.  One of the newest Hall of Famers, Jim Rice, is none too pleased with today’s major leaguers, calling some of the big names self-absorbed.

It was fine when he cited Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez as examples.  I dislike both and agree with him there.  But then he put Derek Jeter in that category.  I honestly have no idea how he gets off lumping Jeter with Ramirez and Rodriguez.

"You see a Manny Ramirez, you see an A-Rod [Alex Rodriguez], you see [Derek] Jeter ... Guys that I played against and with, these guys you're talking about cannot compare," Rice said to Little Leaguers gathered in the cafeteria.

Have at it, Yankees fans (even A-Rod die-hards).

Mitre to make his next turn

Joe Girardi said after last night's game that Sergio Mitre will make his next turn in the rotation.

"He threw the ball well," Girardi said. "His miscue cost him a really good outing, in a sense. You're looking at just a couple of solo home runs and that's basically it."

Right.

It's nitpicking complaining about the fifth starter on a first-place team, but Mitre is a below average fifth starter at this point. While the Yankees are 3-2 in his starts, he hasn't pitched more than 5 2/3 innings. Last night, Alfredo Aceves, one of Girardi's most trusted relievers, had to pitch four innings. Whatever the reasoning, Aceves is out until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest.

In his latest column on FoxSports.com, Ken Rosenthal notes that recently-signed pitcher Russ Ortiz could be the next option for the Yankees should they decide to remove Mitre. Apparently, Ortiz can ask for his release after three starts. Last Thursday, in his first and only start for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he threw six shutout innings. While Ortiz instills as much confidence in me as Mitre does, he's another arm to throw against the wall.

It's really just about eating innings at this point and praying the important starters don't get hurt. Watching Mitre throw games away - literally - is frustrating as hell. But if you continue to get good starts from the other four starters, you'll be in good shape.

Sweep success

One of my friends had an extra ticket to last night's game, so I was able to take in all the action in the expensive field level seats down the left field line. The area had waiter service and padded seats, but I digress.

The game was absolutely incredible and the atmosphere was great. It really felt like we were watching old playoff games in the old Stadium. As critical as I have been of the crowds and the Stadium itself, the fans really came out this series.

When Victor Martinez hit his two-run home run in the eighth, despite cursing Joe Girardi and Phil Coke, I never had the feeling that the game was actually over. This year, the way the Yankees have won games, they have given us reason to believe. I haven't felt this great about a Yankees team since the dynasty years.

By no means am I saying "Get the ticker tape ready," but the confidence I have in this team getting to that point is great. For someone as pessimistic as I usually am, this is a stunning development.

What a game, and thoughts on Ortiz

Five-and-a-half hours later, the Yankees were able to extend their lead over the Red Sox to 4.5 games when Alex Rodriguez broke a scoreless tie with a two-run shot in the 15th inning.

But for me, the story was A.J. Burnett.  Yes, he walked six, but he one-hit the Red Sox over 7 2/3 innings.

After a game the saw 19 runs the night before, this game was refreshing.  You just can’t predict baseball, Suzyn.

And this brings me to David Ortiz’s press conference from this afternoon.  What a joke that was.  Ortiz said nothing, and the Players Association made it more about itself and the list than it did about Ortiz.  Then I hear Eduardo Perez on ESPN saying he was honest and genuine.  How disgusting.

Where was this support for Rodriguez?  Many know I’m not his biggest fan, but he was seemingly more honest and genuine.  I’m disgusted.

Dear Brian Bruney

Dear Brian Bruney,

Shut up.  Just shut up.

To refresh everyone’s memory, this is what Bruney said about Francisco Rodriguez after pitching in Trenton:

“Couldn’t have happened to a better guy on the mound, either. He’s got a tired act,” Bruney said. “He gets what he deserves, man. I just don’t like watching the guy pitch. I think it’s embarrassing.”

How about you actually help your team before you start putting your foot in your mouth?  The man they call K-Rod, obviously, is none too pleased.  I don’t really care how he feels, but the Yankees are in no position to be talking at all.

Oh, and manager Joe Girardi, the one who is supposed to be setting an example, called out Brad Penny for hitting Alex Rodriguez.

Now we know where the players get it from.  Word of advice: open your mouths after you beat Boston for once and legitimately beat the Mets.

I’m all for a team having a certain swagger and an attitude, but there is a time and a place.  Right now, this team is playing horrible baseball.  They have no right to say anything.

Swisher is making me look bad, really bad

Was this a knee-jerk reaction or what?  After six at-bats back in April, I started my “Draft Nick Swisher for starting RF” campaign.

Yes, Swisher had a great April, belting seven home runs and hitting to a tune of a 1.144 OPS.  As great as his April was, his May has been impossibly awful.

He’s batting .119/.291/.224 in May compared to his April numbers of .312/.430/.714.  Yes, his slugging percentage is down .490 points!  What??

To say he’s been exposed would be a severe understatement.  It’s unfortunate because for a long while it looked like the Yankees stole him away from the Chicago White Sox for just the incompetent Wilson Betemit.

As quick as I was to anoint Swisher as the savior, I won’t be as quick to bury him.  There is talent there.  He has just proven he’s not an everyday player.  Xavier Nady needs to come back soon, and Brian Cashman looks pretty good right now in deciding not to trade either of them last offseason.

Papelbon whines, Mets win

The Mets have done what the Yankees have been unable to do this season thus far: beat the Red Sox.  And they’ve already done so twice.

But I really want to talk about what Jonathan Papelbon did in the bottom of the ninth inning tonight.  Papelbon, of course, gave up the game-winning home run in the top of the ninth.

With a runner at first and no outs, Jason Bay grounded to third.  David Wright made a great play just getting to the ball.  He then fired a one-hopped to Luis Castillo who somehow kept his foot on the bag to record the force out.

Papelbon came running out of the dugout and started doing the “safe” motion with his arms.

Now, I ask you to imagine the uproar if a Yankee, more specifically, Joba Chamberlain, did something similar.  Chamberlain is killed for pumping his fist, but guys like Papelbon take it to the next level.  If Chamberlain did the “safe” sign like that, he’d be all over ESPN, Mike Francesa would be calling for his head and columnists would talk about how he’s showing up the opponent.

I want to watch MLB Network or “Baseball Tonight” and see these “analysts” call out Papelbon.  If they don’t, something is seriously wrong.

It was nice to hear one of the Mets’ announcers tell Papelbon to “sit down,” but I want to hear more of a reaction tonight.

AP Photo

Meet the Mets

This weekend presents and interesting rooting scenario for the fans of New York’s baseball teams.  The Yankees are taking on the Phillies in the Bronx tonight while the Mets are shipping up to Boston to face the hated Red Sox.

The always hilarious New York Sports Jerk has already written his post cheering for the Mets, so I felt it’s my turn.  Like the Jerk, I don’t hate the Mets.  They aren’t our rivals and they never will be.  Under normal circumstances, I really wouldn’t care what the Mets do.

However, that all changes this weekend.

The Yankees are rolling but they are still behind the Red Sox in the division (yes, I know it’s only May).  The Mets have a unique opportunity to help the Yankees and do what the falling Blue Jays failed to do this week.  Of course, the Yankees have to take care of business themselves.

The Mets come into this series on a four-game losing streak, but they are only 1.5 games behind the Phillies.

We’ll scratch your back if you scratch ours.

So Yankees fans, it’s time to bleed some orange and blue and sing “Meet the Mets” this weekend.  Just don’t take it as far as George Costanza did when he tried to get fired from the Yankees to take a job with the Mets.

Everything will return back to normal on Memorial Day.

Words of wisdom from Lonn Trost

Two posts down, I mentioned how whenever Lonn Trost speaks, the more I can’t stand him.  Well, that was before I read this post from the great Neil Best.

Yankees COO Lonn Trost made it quite clear about an hour ago that the team has no current plans to reconsider its policy of not allowing fans into the Legends Suites area during batting practice to seek autographs or simply to get close to their heroes.

I asked him the rationale behind the policy. His blunt comment on that:

“Well, if you purchase a suite, do you want somebody in your suite? You purchase a home, do you want somebody in your home?’’

Wow.

When I think “suite,” I think of private luxury boxes with their own bathrooms and food above the field.  The seats behind the plate are just that: seats.  Yes, they look like first class seats that you would find in an airplane, but they are seats nonetheless.  The concrete moat that is in place is just another metaphor for Yankee greed.

Dear Alex

Dear Mr. Rodriguez,

OK, I’ll admit it.  I’m not the biggest fan of yours.  In fact, I don’t like you at all.

However, you are probably the most important member of my favorite baseball team.  Said baseball team is in trouble right now and we need you and your purple lips badly.

Luckily, you’re coming back tonight as the team is on a five-game losing streak.  The team is bruised, maybe even broken.  It has lost bullpen help, its No. 2 starter, its starting and backup catchers, its starting right fielder, and your replacement.

But you can ride in on your white horse and save us.  No, you won’t retire batters in the latter innings, but you can help them score valuable runs and make the lineup better as a whole.

I’m just asking for one thing in return: cut the crap.  Don’t cause any distractions.  Just perform well on the field and all will be forgiven.

We need you, b**** t***.

Sincerely,

Andrew J. Fletcher

Great post by Kepner re: Yankee Stadium

There is not much more I can add to this post by Tyler Kepner about the atmosphere at Yankee Stadium.

All I can say is that the Yankees have focused more on the food options (garlic fries, a carving station, a steakhouse and Hard Rock Cafe) than they have on the game-watching experience.  All we hear from the organization is the gushing about the wide array of choices.  This is evidenced by the ridiculous sports bar in center field, the pushing back of the upper deck and the decrease in capacity.  They don’t care that the place sounds like a morgue.

I’m glad the empty seats have been an issue and I’m glad the place looks terrible on television.  They messed up.  Big time.

(H/T to Ross for tweeting about this article)

Wang can be skipped, not demoted

Yes, we all know Chien-Ming Wang has been terrible.  Six innings in three starts is literally impossible.  Well, it was.  His ERA rose from 28.93 to 34.50.

But what can we do to solve this situation?

According to Tyler Kepner, the Yankees can’t option him and they can’t put him on the disabled list.

Wang is out of minor-league options, and according to Girardi, there is no way he could be sent to the minors without allowing other teams the chance to claim him. There is no scenario under which Wang could agree to an assignment and bypass the waiver system. If the Yankees try to send him down, they would lose him. It’s that simple.

Girardi is also on record as saying Wang is not injured, so the disabled list is not an option, either. The most logical route is to skip Wang on Friday and let him pitch on April 28 at Detroit. That gives him nine days off to work on mechanics and re-build his confidence.

Kevin Devaney Jr. explains more about the waiver rule:

A team cannot send a player to the minors unless they have options or the player agrees and has at least five years of service. Wang has no options and hasn’t been in the majors long enough.

So what can the Yankees do?  In Kepner’s entry, he explains that because of this Thursday’s off-day, the Yankees can skip his turn in Boston.  Joe Girardi said “there’s some room to play with some things.”

Nothing has been made final, but something has to be done.  The Yankees can’t keep throwing him out there like this.

Good, I’m glad

Two games have been played at Yankee Stadium, and there has already been much backlash and attention focused on the empty seats and overall attendance of the games.

The top photo comes from Bronx Banter’s Cliff Corcoran at yesterday’s game, and he said this picture was taken around the third inning.  The bottom photo is from Getty Images.  I’m not sure when it was taken.

From everything I’ve seen and heard, it seems the upper decks have been full and the lower deck attendance has been sparse.  The Yankees will be forced to do something if this continues to be an issue.  I hope it continues to be an issue.

I love it.

First photo: Clifford J. Corcoran, 2009
Second photo: (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

‘The House that Mute Built’

That title came from Joel Sherman’s fingers in his latest column.

The claustrophobic feeling an opponent encountered in tough times is gone forever now. The upper deck no longer drapes over the action, but is rather higher and inclined away from the field. The bleachers -- and their creatures -- are now further recessed. The Yanks have played class warfare with their tickets and the result is that their most ardent fans -- those who helped create a 10th-man feel across the street -- will have to all bring microphones to be heard in full in this facility.

Those fans are rumors now to the visiting team. Indians starter Cliff Lee faced runners in scoring position in each of the first five innings. Yet the game might as well have been in Cleveland for all the hostility that reached him. On the other side of 161st Street, Lee would have been made to feel like a gladiator awaiting the lions, the fans in his ear, making him battle for concentration while also coping with the Yankees lineup.

And I agree with every word.

Listen, it’s no secret that the upper deck was pushed back.  We’ve seen the plans since 2006.  But to actually see and hear a real game yesterday was mind-boggling.

Another thing that stood out to me was the attendance figure.  Yesterday’s game was attended by 48,271 people.  Last year’s home opener drew over 55,000 people.  Games this year could be in 30,000s against a weak opponent on a weekday night game.  For a team that consistently drew 4 million people for the last few seasons of the old building, this is a scary thought.  I hope they realize what they’ve done.

How may I help you?

Can you pitch out of the bullpen?

Yes, I’m still upset and very angry.

AP Photo found on Big League Stew

This one is on Girardi

Can someone explain to me why Joe Girardi took out Damaso Marte after recording two outs on 11 pitches in the eighth inning?

Exactly.

It didn’t make sense at the time and it still doesn’t, after The Mexecutioner struck out the side to record the save and prevent a sweep.

Girardi used three pitchers in the eighth to record three outs.  If you want to remove Marte, put in Mariano Rivera.  He didn’t pitch yesterday.

Billy Butler, a righty, came into to pinch hit for Mike Jacobs, a lefty, when Jose Veras was brought into to pitch.  Butler only has one hit this season thus far.

Following Butler was Brayan Pena.  Pena's splits against lefties and righties aren’t all that different.  Yes, Pena hits slightly worse against righties (.222 vs. .234), but that difference is negligible and the sample sizes on both sides are awfully small.  And it doesn’t mean anything when your right-hander, Veras, is wild as can be. 

And I forgot to mention this originally: in 2008, righties hit only .196 against Marte, as compared to the .247 lefties hit against him!

And please, don’t even bring up the "Joba to the pen” argument.  He was decent today and will only get better.  The ‘pen would’ve held this lead if Girardi didn’t turn into Tony LaRussa before our eyes.

I’ll leave it at this: there was no reason to make all of these moves.  Marte wasn’t struggling and it wasn’t a tight game at the end of the year.  Marte started the inning; let him finish it.

I’m too angry to write a full recap.

(Photo by G. Newman Lowrance/Getty Images)

Start Nick Swisher

3-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 2 R as a Yankee.

Update – 4:40 p.m.: He just hit a two-run double in the ninth.  He’s now 4-for-6 with one home run, five RBI, one BB and three runs scored as a Yankee.