07.02.2009 Happy Independence Day from NoMaas

07.01.2009 Ortiz invests in restaurant biz

Big Papi is taking a swing at the restaurant business.

David Ortiz, the Red Sox designated hitter and fan favorite, is lending his nickname and backing to Big Papi’s, a restaurant that’s expected to open in late July on Route 9 in Framingham.

Ortiz is partnering with Classic Restaurant Concepts, which will rebrand its Metro 9 Steak House into a more casual, but still upscale, eatery. Its more diverse menu, with some less-expensive items, will include chops, seafood, gourmet burgers and salads in addition to steak.

We’ve been friends with David Ortiz for a number of years, and we’ve been talking about doing a restaurant together for a number of years, so this is sort of the fruits of what we’ve been planning,” said Peter Sarmanian, president and co-owner of the Framingham company, which also owns the Kinsale and Asgard Irish pubs and restaurants in Boston and Cambridge. (Source)

The Massachusetts company is also looking to attract celebrity patrons, like Miley Cyrus, seen below with David Ortiz at a recent charity appearance.

07.01.2009 Coke is it

Much has been made recently about the stabilization of the Yankee bullpen, and deservedly so. The bullpen, despite NOT HAvInG JoBA In DA EIgT88th, has turned into a nice little asset. One attractive piece has been Phil Coke. 

It's true that his FIP is significantly higher than his ERA (4.65 vs. 3.16).  The delta between those two numbers can be attributed mainly to the 5 HRs he's allowed in 34 innings.  However, he hasn't allowed a HR since May 26th, so if that trend continues, the difference between his FIP and ERA should become smaller.

Otherwise, he's posted very solid rates of 7.14 K/9, 5.55 H/9, and 2.25 K/BB.  He's been effective against both RHB and LHB, something he also did in the minors, holding each to a sub-.640 OPS (he's actually been better against RHB -- .614 OPS Against).

Safe to say, Coke is no zero.  HA!  You see what we did there?
 

06.30.2009 Yankees love them some journeymen

Eric Hinske come on down, you're the next contestant on "How many bust-out veterans can the Yankees put on the roster?"

We kid, we kid.  Unlike Angel Berroa, Cody Ransom, and Brett Tomko, Hinske does have some redeeming qualities.  Historically, he has hit RHP fairly well, with a career line of .264/.347/.456.  However, his success against RHP has been mixed over the past few seasons:

2009: .250/.357/.381
2008: .262/.344/.500
2007: .205/.311/.398

Hinkse does draw a good amount of walks, with a 10.6% career walk rate and a 13.5% rate this season.

So considering Hinske has exhibited some appealing hitting qualities in the past, it's safe to say he's an upgrade over Cody Ransom.  So when Arod has to rest, the chance of getting some type of offensive contribution from 3B has increased.

We don't however get the reason why Ramiro Pena is being sent back to AAA, and Cody Ransom remains on the roster.  Pena does not need more ABs in the minors, because it's quite obvious he's never going to hit.  He's never going to be a starter, especially on the Yankees.  So the "More AB" argument is dumb.  It's also being reported the Yankees want Pena to learn the OF and become the 21st century's Jose Oquendo.  The Yankees currently have 4 OFs on the roster (5 if you include Hinske), so what's the point of Pena learning now?  Let him shag fly balls in the offseason.

Bottom line is that Pena helps this team more than Cody Ransom.  Cody Ransom is awful on both sides of the ball.  Pena will at least flash some glove.  He's been above-average defensively at all the infield positions he's played. 

Berroa was on the roster too long, and now so is Cody Ransom.  Not sure what the infatuation is with infielders who belong in men's softball leagues.

The journey for Tomko, Ransom, and Berroa unfortunately led to the Yankees.
 

06.29.2009 "He went through us in the seventh and eighth inning like he was facing little leaguers."

Sirius XM Radio sent us this quote from Kevin Kennedy, co-host of the daily radio show Inside Pitch.

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Kennedy, who managed the Red Sox in 1995 and 1996, recalled being on the receiving end of a particularly dominant performance by Rivera while in his early years as a set-up man for the Yankees.

Kevin Kennedy: “I’ll never forget this as long as I live, it’s a true story: we’re in New York, the old Yankee Stadium, Rivera comes in and he just blows it by Mo Vaughn, [Jose] Canseco, Reggie Jefferson, whoever. He went through us in the seventh and eighth inning like he was facing little leaguers. And you’re talking about the [1995 AL] MVP [in Vaughn].

I’ll never forget after the eighth inning, I think he struck out Mo, and I saw Derek [Jeter] cover his glove over his mouth and Rivera happened to get the ball and look at him, and Derek just kind of shook his head and laughed. Now, he covered his mouth out of respect because he wasn’t laughing at the Red Sox. He was laughing like, ‘I can’t believe how good this guy is, how dominant this guy is. I’m glad I’m not facing him.’ It was a respectful thing. I knew what Derek was doing. It wasn’t about, ‘Oh, we’ve got you guys.’ It wasn’t about that. I’ll never forget that, watching that from the visiting dugout, and I’m thinking the same thing on the bench. Now, all these years later, did I know Rivera would have 500 saves and be able to do this for, you know, 15 years in a row? No, but I did know there was something special we were watching that year in ’96.”
 

06.28.2009 And God said, "Let there be Mariano."

In one of the most amazing baseball sequences we've ever seen, Mariano Rivera picked up his 500th save and 1st RBI.

Derek Jeter reacting to the Mets pitching to him with 2 outs, runners on 2nd and 3rd, an open first base, and Mariano due up next:

Mariano drawing a bases-loaded RBI walk from Francisco Rodriguez in a 7-pitch AB:

Mariano enjoying the moment at first base:

One Yankee legend to another, Derek Jeter congratulating Mariano Rivera on his 500th save:

Joe Morgan asking Mariano if he's ever met Dave Concepción (joking...or are we?):

06.26.2009 Brett Gardner to NoMaas: "How does my a$% taste?"

.303/.374/.441/.815, 17/19 SB

Ladies and gentlemen, Brett Gardner is kicking our virtual arses.

The biggest reason for his success so far has to be the extreme reduction in his strikeout rate. Gardner is a guy who was no stranger to 22%-24% K rates in the minors, and even posted a 23.6% in 42 games with NYY in 2008. Entering Friday's game versus the Mets, he was at a startling 14.4%, second on the team only to Derek Jeter. According to Fangraphs, he's handling fastballs and curveballs much, much better.

Needless to say, we're pretty shocked so far. We have no idea how Brett suddenly acquired the ability to make consistent contact, but if he can continue this trend, he could be an enormously valuable player. Hopefully, this isn't too good to be true.

Brett Gardner's toilet paper
 

06.25.2009 Arod to the Braves: "Beat it."

Arod knocked in four runs in a 3-for-5 performance
 

06.25.2009 Mistress of South Carolina governor revealed

06.25.2009 Derek turning 35

06.24.2009 Joe Girardi gets deliberately ejected, rallies troops to victory

"If you put your effort and concentration into playing to your potential, to be the best that you can be, I don't care what the scoreboard says at the end of the game, in my book we're gonna be winners."

06.24.2009 And there will be no Berroa

Berroa was DFA'd. Brett Tomko should be next.
 

06.23.2009 Senior circuit continues to own the Yankees

In yet another loss to a National League team, the Yankees offense went 0-8 with RISP against the Atlanta Braves.  Leading the scoreless parade was Derek Jeter, who grounded into a clutch rally-killing double play in the top of the 6th.  That makes 203 career GIDPs for the Captain, passing Sammy Sosa on the all-time list.  Congrats Derek!

Derek's moving on up in the record books (thanks to NoMaasian David Hauck for the idea)
 

06.22.2009 Bulls & Bears, v3

In our recurring Bulls & Bears feature, we survey members of the NoMaas staff, in a bit of a temperature check, as to whether they are currently bullish or bearish on the Yankees chances to win the AL East.

Gilbert Lowell -- Bearish (Downgrade from Bullish)
Left biceps tightness. What else is there to say? For the first time since A-Rod returned, my confidence is shaken. Even during this lackluster stretch, the Yankee pitching has been decent. In the last 7 games, they've given up only 18 runs (2.57 per), yet have gone 3-4. Over the course of a season, that is unlikely to happen again with a quality offense like the Yankees'. Burnett is quietly rounding into form and the bullpen is showing improvement. But it's not rocket science: the Yankees can't win the division without CC Sabathia.

Sensei John Kreese -- Bearish
Boston +61, Tampa +76, Yankees +36. Looking at those numbers and then observing how the Yankees are playing, I think it would be wildly optimistic to argue that the Yankees are the best team in the AL East.
 

06.22.2009 AJ Burnett 2009 vs. 2008

% of pitches thrown in the strike zone: 47.9% vs. 50.2%
% of pitches hitters are swinging at: 41.2% vs. 44.3%
% of pitches hitters are swinging at outside the zone: 21.0% vs. 24.3%
Hitters contact % when swinging at pitches: 80.3% vs. 76.2%
Hitters contact % when swinging at pitches outside the zone: 51.3% vs. 43.4%
First-pitch strike percentage: 61.6% vs. 59.3%

The only area that Burnett has improved on is throwing first-pitch strikes. You'd think that would be a good thing, but it looks like he's losing it after the first pitch. Hitters are being more selective against Burnett, and when they do swing, they're making more contact. Not a good combo.

Stats courtesy of Fangraphs
 

06.21.2009 Girardi: "Hell no, we won't go"

In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Marlins pinch-hit outfielder Alejandro De Aza for pitcher Renyel Pinto, who was batting ninth. When the inning ended, Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez made a double-switch. Reliever Leo Nunez entered the game, and Chris Coghlan remained in left field.

Nunez threw one pitch to Derek Jeter, a called strike. At that point, Yankees manager Joe Girardi brought to the attention of home plate umpire Tim Timmons that Coghlan was supposed to be out of the game, with De Aza in left field.

For more than five minutes play was delayed, eventually with Coghlan leaving the field. De Aza headed to left field, only to be replaced by Jeremy Hermida.

After more discussion, it was determined that both Coghlan and De Aza were no longer available. So the mistake cost the Marlins two players, with Hermida remaining in the game and slotted ninth. Nunez was placed in the leadoff spot.

What the Yankees are hoping is the game is resumed from the top of the eighth inning, no outs, with the Marlins ahead, 6-3.

When Girardi was asked if he hoped the Yankees would return to Miami to resume the game in the eighth inning, he responded: "I do."

"I know they put Nunez in the one spot. And De Aza was supposed to stay in the game," Girardi said. "They have never seen it before. So that's why I protested it, and it's something that we just need to clear up what the ruling is."

Gonzalez called the situation embarrassing.

"As soon as [Girardi] went out, I looked around wondering, 'What happened?'" Gonzalez said. "I looked around, and I see Coghlan out there in left. My heart dropped -- it really did. It's an embarrassing thing in the Major Leagues. It's not good. It's my responsibility." (Source)

06.21.2009 Please no Berroa

Manager Joe Girardi said he plans to give A-Rod one complete game off a week until the All-Star break, even if the Yankees have an off-day, as they do today.

"We'll pick a day and just stick to it," said Girardi, who said he won't DH Rodriguez on that day.

Said Rodriguez: "That sounds like a good plan." (Source)

Angel Berroa has an OPS+ of get this: -6.  Yes, that's a negative six.  And his fielding has also been attrocious with a UZR/150 of -34.5.  We have no idea how he's even in professional baseball, but if he makes one appearance when Arod is resting, then Joe Girardi needs to be pelted with cans of whey protein.

At least Ramiro Pena can make a positive contribution with the glove.
 

06.21.2009 FIP bits, v3

In our FIP bits feature, we break down Yankees' pitching and examine if the surface level statistics are giving fans the most accurate picture of the staff.

The Yankees currently rank 25th out of 30 in team ERA at 4.64.  Needless to say, this is fairly shocking considering the Yankees had arguably the best staff in baseball heading into the season.  Has the pitching really been this disappointing?  We'll take a look at FIP to help us out.

First, while the Yankees' ERA may be 4.64, the team's FIP is 4.76.  According to that metric, this means the Yankees' pitching has been slightly worse than its ERA suggests.

Here's the breakdown as of the completion of Saturday's games:

CC Sabathia: 3.67 ERA / 3.79 FIP
AJ Burnett: 4.24 ERA / 4.84 FIP
Joba Chamberlain: 3.89 ERA / 4.52 FIP
Chien Ming Wang: 12.30 ERA / 6.13 FIP
Andy Pettitte: 4.25 ERA / 4.60 FIP

Mariano Rivera: 3.25 ERA / 3.35 FIP
Brian Bruney: 2.61 ERA / 0.93 FIP
Phil Coke: 3.38 ERA / 5.00 FIP
David Robertson: 2.08 ERA / 2.21 FIP
Alfredo Aceves: 2.54 ERA / 3.87 FIP
Brett Tomko: 5.11 ERA / 5.65 FIP
Phil Hughes: 4.78 ERA / 4.70 FIP

Takeaways: It's pretty clear who the high-leverage bullpen guys should be.  Why is Brett Tomko even on the team?  Robertson has been a superb addition.  Coke seems to be all smoke & mirrors.