Talk about it on our message board.  Speaking of, if you're looking for a place to talk Yankee baseball, then why not join a board with over 2,000 registered users?  For anyone who joins the board in the next few days and posts coherently in a baseball forum, you'll receive a special surprise from NoMaas.  Oooooooo...
 

12.02.2008 Sensei John Kreese to rock the m-i-c

On Sunday, December 7th, everyone's favorite karate instructor will be appear on Mike Silva's NY Baseball Digest to talk about the Winter Meetings and defending crane kicks.  We'll post the listening information as we get closer (and whenever Mike decides to give it to us). 
 

12.01.2008 When one door closes, another one opens

As of 7pm on Monday:

It appears the Diamondbacks are leaning against offering salary arbitration to slugging outfielder Adam Dunn, who has hit at least 40 home runs the last five years (actually, it's exactly 40 the last four).

While Dunn certainly was productive -- 40 HRs, 100, RBIs, .236 -- the Diamondbacks don't sense a thriving market for him and don't want to chance Dunn accepting arbitration, which could result in a salary of $16-18 million in arbitration. (Source)

It's not just the Yankees declining arbitration to potential draft pick-yielding free agents. 

To Lane Meyer's earlier point of the Yankees possibly being able to benefit from a deflationary free agent market, Dunn could be a perfect example of this.  If teams are fearful of spending money in the face of a horrific economy, the Yankees could really capitalize here and grab some quality talent on reduced terms.
 

12.01.2008 Gee whiz, maybe the Yankees are a real business after all

Over and over again, we've been saying that the Yankees do not defy the laws of business. Exhibit A can be found in today's arbitration decisions. NoMaas' Lane Meyer checks in with his reaction to the news:

Lane is in pain. With the news just out from Friend of NoMaas, Peter Abraham that the Yankees will not be offering arbitration to any of their free agents, I very nearly defenestrated myself from my mid-town Manhattan office. If you'll remember, about a month ago I was falling all over myself at the prospect of having somewhere in the vicinity of five additional draftpicks in the 2009 draft. As of 6 pm today, December 1st, the Yankees stand to actually have less picks than they started with come next June. 

The cause many have cited for the stunning lack of arbitration offers is the economy. We are currently facing the worst recession of most Americans' lifetimes, and it appears this may be the first legitimate sign that the economy is actually going to directly and thoroughly impact baseball contracts - something we haven't seen in decades. If this is the case, something else needs to be realized and remembered here: The Yankees still have the most money.

If the Yankees do not want to offer Bobby Abreu arbitration for fear that he would accept what amounts to approximately one year and $16 million, that means they don't believe he is likely to best that number on the open market. If the Yankees are fearful that Bobby Abreu can't pull down, lets say a three year deal for $36 million and don't want to risk paying him way over what they believe he will get on the open market, what does that say about the rest of baseball? To me, that means they believe whole free agent market stands to be trashed.

In that regard, we can refer back to the paragraph prior to the last one: the Yankees have the most money. If the free agent market, short of Sabathia and Teixeira, is to be decimated,  perhaps having the most money will lead to more quality free agents being signed at lower prices? While I'm completely frustrated right now at the realization that the 2009 draft will be nothing like I anticipated, the chance of the Yankees driving this offseason free agent market is intriguing. 

Could guys like Ben Sheets could be had with a high bid of $10 million over 3 years? If so, the Yankees stand to benefit greatly from this market environment. If things really are as dire as these non-offers suggest, this could start to get very interesting, very quickly.

If not, I can't say I'm looking forward to an offseason where AJ Burnett is the biggest acquisition.
 

11.30.2008 Phil speaks out

While the rest of the beatwriters are taking their kids to school, Marky Mark Feinsand delivers a very interesting interview with Phil Hughes.

On his poor start to last season:

"The last start I made, I was hurting," Hughes said. "The starts before that, I really didn't feel it at all. It would be easy to say I was hurt the whole time, but I'm not the kind of guy to do that. It wasn't the case. I was just struggling."

On his Arizona Fall League experience:

"I was there for the innings, but at the same time, I didn't want to go out and get walloped every time I took the mound," Hughes said. "I worked on some things, got my innings in and was pretty successful at the same time."

On getting rid of his slider:

"My slider wasn't working at all," Hughes said. "I worked a lot this fall on my cutter and my changeup, and both have come a long way."

On possibly not being included in the opening day rotation:

"Especially the way my season went, that's realistically going to be the case," Hughes said. "I had the same attitude in spring training when I was 19 and had no shot at making the team as I did last year when everyone expected I would. I'll just work hard and see where that takes me."

Feinsand also noted that Hughes aims to get his innings total to at least 150 next season.  You can view the full article here.
 

11.30.2008 Hot dog in a hallway

Arod spends Thanksgiving with Madonna.

Come on, dude, seriously?
 

11.24.2008 Gobble gobble

11.24.2008 Vince Gennaro, Part II

Baseball economist Vince Gennaro returns to answer the questions of our readers.  From Mark Teixeira to the recession's impact on baseball, we cover all things financial.  This is some great original content.  NoMaas rules your world.

Click here to read our followup interview with Vince Gennaro.
 

11.23.2008 What Brian Cashman does in the offseason

11.20.2008 Interview with the Kansas City Star's Bob Dutton

Since the Red Sox continued their quest to field the lightest-skinned team possible by trading Coco Crisp to the Royals, many Yankee fans are wondering who's the next player to be unloaded from Kansas City.  Lane Meyer sat down with Royals beat writer Bob Dutton to talk DeJesus, Greinke, and other issues affecting Rob Neyer's favorite team.

Click here to read the interview.
 

11.20.2008 Hal: "I'm the biggest boss that you've seen thus far."

11.20.2008 Good luck in your future endeavors, Moose

11.19.2008 Good news: Sabathia spotted partying at Bronx nightclub

11.19.2008 Teixeira update

Teixeira is from Maryland and is thinking about the possibility of playing in Washington. He played baseball, basketball and soccer at Mt. St. Joseph's High School in Baltimore. He set Maryland state records for career homers (29), RBIs (105) and runs (128).

"[Maryland] is his home," said the source. "In some instances, I think players often tend to look at that in a different light than other franchises."

The source didn't go into details about Teixeira's contract demands, but said the switch-hitting first baseman is looking for a contract that is better than Miguel Cabrera's deal. The Tigers first baseman signed an eight-year, $153.3 million contract during Spring Training last season. The source pointed out that Teixeira is a complete player and is in better shape than Cabrera. (Source)
 

As an aside, can anyone find anything on Adam Dunn's contract demands?
 

11.18.2008 NoMaas speaks with Burnett's agent

In a late-night phone conversation, NoMaas spoke with AJ Burnett's agent, Darek Braunecker.  NoMaas learned that not only is Burnett asking for big money, but he also is requesting a company car from the Yankees:

11.18.2008 This would be so incredibly stupid

The Yankees, for the second time inside a week, are on the verge of making an eye-popping offer to a free-agent pitcher and behaving like the days when The Boss threw money at free agents with both hands.   The Yankees, according to several industry insiders, spent yesterday preparing an offer - perhaps a five-year deal worth about $80 million - for Toronto righty A.J. Burnett. (Source)

If this happens, our confidence in the front office will be severely dented.  Giving that amount of money to a pitcher who has averaged less than 150 innings per season over the last 9 years is absolutely ridiculous.  Wow.  This contract would be reminiscent of how the Yankees were run back in the day with wasteful, reckless spending.  If he's signed, we'll be taking over/under bets on how many times Burnett will be on the DL.  Leave it to the Yankees to reward a guy for not showing up to work.

By the way, Andy Pettitte's 200 innings and 1-year contract say hello.
 

11.16.2008 Interview with Vince Gennaro, author of Diamond Dollars: The Economics of Winning in Baseball

NoMaas' Lane Meyer sat down with pioneering author and major league baseball consultant, Vince Gennaro, to talk about this year's free agent class and what these guys are actually worth according to Vince's proprietary method of player valuation.

Click here to read the interview.
 

11.16.2008 Senile Gammons continues his "Sabathia won't sign with NY" crusade

And whether Steinbrenner realizes it or not, Sabathia will give the West Coast teams every opportunity to make him an offer that his family lifestyle cannot refuse. Signing him will take a while.

Sabathia is fascinated by the Dodgers and the Angels, and knowing the Dodgers are in it offers him the chance to make due diligence on his opportunities for his financial and familial futures. It's clear this weekend, as he relaxes with friends, that he isn't stirred up by the immediate frenzy. (Source)

11.15.2008 We told you so

On October 7th, we said that it wasn't realistic that the Yankees would sign both Sabathia and Teixeira.  However, most fans believe that the Yankees defy the laws of business and have an unlimited supply of money to spend.  Well guess what, they're wrong.

In fact, in an exclusive interview with The Post, Cashman strongly indicated the Yankees will not even sign Sabathia and Teixeira in tandem.

"At the pricetags I have read, that is fantasy land, not reality land," Cashman said yesterday of bringing in Sabathia and Teixeira. A Yankees executive said the club has not even created scenarios for assembling a 2009 roster in which it signs the most attractive starter and position player in the free-agent market.

A Yankees official said the club has no plans to spend all of the approximately $88 million coming off the payroll. The expectation is the $209 million 2008 payroll will be sliced to the $190 million range or lower.

Cashman refused to state his budget or his wish list beyond "starting pitching." But he was revealing in saying, "There has been speculation that we can pull down two or three of the top [free agents], and people are just getting carried away. That is not feasible. That is completely unrealistic." (Source)
 

11.13.2008 Swish

So what do we think of the deal?  NoMaas' Brisco County Jr. explains using the help of some very dorky stats which would prevent you from getting a girlfriend.
 

11.12.2008 Of all the options available, they chose the worst one

It was announced on Wednesday that the Yankees signed left-handed reliever Damaso Marte to a 3-yr, $12 million contract.  We hope this is not an indication of how the rest of the offseason will go, because this deal makes no sense to us.

It makes no sense because there were two much better options available to the front office in their dealings with Marte.

First of all, it's not often that you have the opportunity to grab two draft picks in exchange for a player who will only contribute in about 60 innings per season.  The Yankees have the opportunity to make a killing in the next draft.  Keeping Marte reduces the potential plunder.

Next, if you believe the Yankees need Marte in 2009 (which is definitely a valid argument and one we originally advocated), why in the world would you sign him for 3 years when you only had to keep him for one?  While Marte is good, there is no need to sign him through age 36.  Relievers are notoriously volatile.  Signing one into his golden years doesn't seem very logical, especially when you have young arms in waiting.  The Yankees also lost the possibility of obtaining draft picks for him after the 2009 season, which likely would have been the case if they simply picked up his one-year option.

A bullpen needs to be fluid and cost-effective.  We were under the impression that the front office understood that.  This blunder makes us a little less confident.
 

11.11.2008 Rare public words from Hal

"We're going to do what we do every year, and that's try to field a championship team," co-chairman Hal Steinbrenner said on Tuesday. "That's not going to change. We know that we've got some weaknesses, and we're going to fix the problems as best we can. If that means spending money, obviously that means spending money. The philosophy has not changed."

"Everything has a price," Steinbrenner said. "We understand free agency. We're going to go after what we need, and if what we can do and what we're willing to do is not enough, then it won't be enough. But we're going to pursue the market aggressively." (Source)

"Everybody's got a price."
 

11.11.2008 Missed opportunity<

Florida traded Josh Willingham and Scott Olsen to Washington yesterday for a package of three minor leaguers, none of whom is a better prospect than a guy like Jairo Heredia.  Willingham has a career 117 OPS+ and plays solid defense.  Olsen is a troubled kid, both with injuries and his attitude, but despite the obstacles he threw 200 innings with his left hand last year and his career path appears eerily reminiscent of Oliver Perez.  We can only hope that the reason Cashman didn't jump on these two intriguing players is because Jeremy Hermida is the next Marlin to be auctioned off.  Even if he is, the price on the package the Nats got was ridiculously low, and raises some questions about what Cashman's thinking was here.
 

11.10.2008 What Alex Rodriguez does in the offseason

11.10.2008 Well that sucks

Holliday to the A's
 

11.09.2008 NoMaas offseason idea #9: Keep it on the down Lowe

Over the last few days, more reports are stating that Mussina is heavily leaning towards retirement.  If he does, that's a significant hole the Yankees need to fill in their rotation.  Without Moose, the rotation only has Wang and Joba as definites for next season.  Mark Feinsand of the Daily News told us that Phil Hughes is slotted in for the # 5 spot, but he's been inconsistent in his Arizona Fall League appearances so far.  Some of his peripherals look good -- 9.9 K/9, 7.65 H/9 -- while some of them don't look so hot, 5.40 BB/9.  Also, in his 5 AFL starts, he's only lasted past 3 innings three times.  In light of this erratic performance, it's premature for the front office to pen him in as the # 5 to start the season.

So what do the Yankees do with only two starters and potentially three spots to fill?

1. If the Yankees don't sign Sabathia, you should probably not watch baseball next season.

2. Re-signing Pettitte is extremely important.  Anyone who fails to the see the logic in this needs to have their head examined.  At minimum, he'll provide a big chunk of innings and most likely be around league average.  If he sticks with his 2-year contract demand, then beggars can't be choosers.

3. Sign Derek Lowe as long as the length of the contract isn't plain stupid.

While we're not thrilled with Lowe being 35, the sinkerballer has been a very good since he was converted into a full-time starter in 2002.  Since that point, his ERA+ of 119 ranks 14th among MLB pitchers with at least 1000 innings pitched.  Over the past three seasons, he ranks 10th in MLB with an ERA+ of 126.  He's proven to be durable as well, as he's thrown 628 1/3 innings over the last three years, good for 5th most in the NL (Matt Cain ranks 7th by the way *shameless plug*).  He also has excellent control averaging 2.28 BB/9 since 2006.  In 2008, he was even better with a rate of 1.92.

With all that said, being in his mid-30s does freak us out tad, and thus, this would be an instance where would we like to see the Yankees offer a higher salary in exchange for less years.

If all of these plans were executed, the rotation would look something like this:

Sabathia, Wang, Lowe, Joba, Pettitte

That's quite the formidable collection.  Plus, with this rotation, the Yankees can allow pitchers like Hughes and Aceves to further their development, and have added depth in case Wang breaks his legs or Joba drives into a crowd of bystanders.
 

11.06.2008 To reiterate

If Pettitte wants to return, it makes a ton of sense for the Yankees to re-sign him.  We've already stated that we want him back on a 1-year deal, but even a 2-year deal (which he supposedly wants) wouldn't be the end of the world -- it wouldn't be optimal, but we could work with it.  Detractors shout, "He had 14 losses and a 4.54 ERA!11!!" -- but that argument displays a mere surface level understanding of pitcher evaluation.  Let's recap some of the points we've already made about the large-nosed Texan:

1. Only 11 MLB pitchers have thrown more innings than Pettitte over the last two seasons (419 1/3 IP).  Innings are kind of a big deal.

2. His ERA was 4.54, but his FIP was 3.74, which shows that he was a victim of some poor defense and bad luck.

3. His groundball rates, K/9, and K/BB were all better in 2008 than in 2007.

4. His line drive percentage was only 0.5% higher in 2008 than in 2007.

Andy is still a quality starter.
 

11.04.2008 Red Sox issue press release in response to Obama victory

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

While we congratulate President-elect Obama on his historic victory, he will not receive an invitation to throw out the first pitch at Fenway.
 

11.04.2008 Gammons: "My sources tell me that McCain has won the election."

Another offseason, another round of falsehoods from Peter Gammons.  Here's the latest from Fenway's Press Secretary:

CC Sabathia has told friends he doesn't want to play in New York, and the Brewers are making a huge push. Manny Ramirez will get his money. Mark Teixeira will get his; there are people in Orange County who swear he's already asked about a particular house. (Source)

Does anyone even take Gammons seriously anymore?

11.04.2008 Idea that we've pushed since Nov '07 -- Moving Matsui

During last offseason, we pushed hard for trading Matsui.  We viewed this porn-loving outfielder as a marketable asset who could have been used to acquire a young and talented player.  Fast forward to the present and it's clear the front office made a sizeable mistake in not moving him.  Matsui has been pegged as the 2009 DH, but there seems to be whispers that the Yankees might try to move him afterall:

There's a growing likelihood that Matt Holliday will be traded at some point, given that the Rockies have conceded they won't be able to sign him long-term. When surveying executives about a possible landing spot, the Yankees continue to pop up. One scenario floated: Yankees trade Hideki Matsui to Seattle and land Holliday with a package focusing on starter Phil Hughes. (Source)

Lots of info there including Hughes for Holliday, but we're concentrating on Matsui in this post.  Matsui will make $13 mil this season and has the knees of Joe from Family Guy.  But, if they can move Matsui and then grab a huge bat like Adam Dunn, we'd do backflips.
 

11.04.2008 It would be, it would be so nice

The Rockies' Matt Holliday made a surprise appearance at the GM meetings, raising curiosity among onlookers. An appearance by any major leaguer at these meetings is very rare, and Holliday's appearance is sure to raise speculation about possible deals. The Rockies have Holliday on the trading block, but little is known about possible suitors. The Yankees and Nationals are two known interested teams. (Source)

11.04.2008 If you really think Manny should be signed, then you're mentally ill

From Peter Abraham:

Scott Boras stopped to talk to writers in the lobby...He suggested that Manny Ramirez is the same kind of “transcendent” hitter as Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez and deserves a contract that would take him to the age of 42 like they received. (Source)
 

11.03.2008 Election Day

11.02.2008 What to do with Marte?

According to the NY Post, the Yankees will be declining Damaso Marte's 2009 option.

Add Damaso Marte to Jason Giambi and Carl Pavano as players the New York Yankees aren't likely to exercise options on - which will make them free agents.

Declining Marte's $6 million option isn't an indication the club doesn't want the lefty reliever back. It means the Yankees don't want to pick up the option ($250,000 buyout) that trailed Marte from Pittsburgh when he was acquired with Xavier Nady for Jose Tabata, Ross Ohlendorf, Jeff Karstens and Daniel McCutcheon on July 26.(Source)

When we issued our first offseason recommendation back in early October, we advocated picking up Marte's option.  Since Marte is one of those rare relievers who has shown consistency throughout his career, we believed that a one-year deal for him made perfect sense.  However, since Marte has acquired Type-A free agent status, it's made us do some thinking.  When a team can acquire two high draft picks for a reliever, that's an opportunity which is difficult to pass up -- especially when the Cash/Girardi combo has demonstrated the ability to construct an effective bullpen with low-cost, young arms.  So, at this point, we're letting Marte walk and taking the picks.
 

10.31.2008 Trick or treat

10.29.2008 Derek vs Tiger: Battle of the ridiculously out-of-date haircuts

Source: Associated Press
 

10.28.2008 NoMaas offseason idea #8 - Every day should be a Holliday

Introducing NoMaas' Reginald Cornelius III:

Last week, Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd let it be known that several Colorado players would be available, including Matt Holliday. Taking a glance at Holliday's offensive numbers, it is easy to look at his career home/away splits and come away less than impressed. While he has mashed at Coors, his career OPS on the road is only .803. But the career numbers don't tell the whole story.

First, the 28-year old outfielder plays an unbalanced schedule in three parks that are brutal to right handers (Petco, Dodgers Stadium, and AT&T Park) and has increased his road OPS every year since his rookie season, improving to .892 in 2008. His road OBP has also improved every season, including a stellar .405 this year.

Need more evidence of Holliday's improvement on the road? Let's a take a look at IsoD/IsoP (Isolated Discipline/Isolated Power) numbers when he is not in Colorado:

04: .047/.127
05: .057/.160
06: .053/.205
07: .073/.184
08: .097/.178

His power numbers at Coors may have turned him into an MVP candidate, but there is no reason to believe he will not be a valuable hitter away from Coors, especially if he maintains his improved pitch selection. We struggle to see what the home/road splits can add to the park-adjusted statistics, which indicate that Holliday is still one of the best hitters in the game.

We also have to consider what Holliday brings in defense, where he has posted a top-5 zone rating every year he has been in the league.  And given his hard-nosed, grinding, "play the right way attitude", we could even give him Paul O'Neill's number and not worry about him having to dodge batteries.

The biggest questions about Holliday is what the Rockies will ask for in return. O'Dowd has mentioned that he is looking for young arms, and the Yankees have plenty of those. Some places will tell you that Cano will have to be part of any deal, but that is not necessarily true. Holliday is only under contract for 2009 and will want an extension from any team he gets traded to. A reasonable deal would start with Phil Hughes and add in an MLB tested bullpen arm such as Veras or Bruney (the Rockies may also lose Brian Fuentes this year).

Finally, we have to decide if Holliday is going to be worth the contract he wants. He supposedly turned down 5/100 from the Rockies, and is looking for up to 8 years. A 6/130 is more reasonable, and with Matsui and Damon free to roam after this season, Holliday would not severely impact our roster flexibility.

10.27.2008 NoMaas offseason idea #7 - The pipe dream that is Adam Dunn

If Adam Dunn was a woman, we'd make sweet love to her.  We have a fetish for players who walk all the time and hit a ton of home runs -- and are also durable.

Adam Dunn is quite simply a beast.  At 6'6" 275, The Big Donkey looks like a comic book character.  Not only does he possess imposing physical stature, but he's also lethal with the bat boasting a career 130 OPS+.   Since Dunn's first full season in 2002, he's walked 759 times (122 in 2008).  That's more than any other player not named Barry Bonds during that time period.  He also led the NL this season in pitches per PA with a whopping 4.32.  Additionally, Dunn has hit the 3rd most HRs in MLB since 2002.  One may be quick to point out that Dunn played nearly his entire career at the Great American Ballpark, which is a haven for power hitters.  So, if someone doesn't want to look at his park-adjusted numbers and solely isolate on Home/Away splits, then Dunn still checks out fine with a .934 OPS away from home in 2008 and an .897 Away OPS from 2005-2007.

Durability is also a huge strength of Dunn's.  He's averaged over 158 games played per season over the past five years.

Lastly, he turns 29 in November.  He's still in his prime.  This isn't signing Manny Ramirez into his 40s.

There's some speculation that Dunn is in line for a big money deal.  Yet, there wasn't much interest in him at the trading deadline and traditionalists may frown at his crazy strikeout totals and low batting average.  Maybe the contract will be reasonable.  All we know is that we'd love to have this genetic freak in the lineup.
 

10.26.2008 AJ Burnett is the subprime mortgage of this year's FA class

He may look appealing on the surface, but it's an investment that's likely to blow up in your face.

And now word is spreading that A.J. Burnett will shy away from The Bronx, too.

Burnett's agent, Darek Braunecker, denied his client has ruled out the Yankees.

"That is 100-percent wrong," Braunecker said. "If he does indeed opt out of the deal [with Toronto] he will see if the Yankees are interested." (Source)
 

10.23.2008 It's a mailbag, yo

There was such an overwhelming response to the Cano For Cain piece that we’ve put together some of the e-mails we received for the first official Meyer’s Mailbag.

10.20.2008 NoMaas offseason idea #6 -- Cain is very able

Click above to learn more about our blockbuster trade idea.
 

10.20.2008 11.0 K/9, 8 drinks/hr

New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain is to appear in court Dec. 17 for his arrest on suspicion of drunken driving.

His blood-alcohol content level was 0.134 at the time of his arrest; the legal limit in Nebraska is 0.08. (Source)
 

10.18.2008 License and registration, please: Joba arrested

New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain was arrested for driving under the influence early Saturday morning, the Journal Star has learned.

The Nebraska State Patrol pulled Chamberlain’s car over for speeding on U.S. 77 near Old Cheney Road south of Lincoln shortly after 1 a.m., according to Deb Collins, spokeswoman for the patrol.

The officer detected an odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle and saw an open container of alcohol on the front passenger seat, Collins said.

Chamberlain was taken to Cornhusker Place Detox and was lodged on charges of DUI, open container and speeding, according to Collins.

Chamberlain was driving a 2006 dark-colored BMW 75i with Nebraska dealer plates. (Source)
 

10.15.2008 Interview with NY Daily News' Mark Feinsand

When he's not DJing in New York City's hottest clubs, Mark Feinsand is covering the Yankees beat for the NY Daily News.  Mark checks in with us now to shed some light on the state of the Yankees' offseason.  With this contribution, Mark ties Tyler Kepner and Rob Neyer for the most interviews in NoMaas history.  We hope to soon get them all in a mixed martial arts cage and have them fight.

Click here to get inside info on the Yankees' plans.

Mark and Arod hanging out around Manhattan.
 

10.15.2008 NoMaas offseason idea #5 -- Free agents & the '09 draft

This offseason is the perfect storm for the Yankees to leverage their financial advantage over the rest of baseball, as there is really no downside to spending on big-name veterans.  Normally, if the Yankees were to sign a Type-A free agent, they would have to forfeit their 1st round pick in the 2009 draft to whichever team it was that the player came from, and this would detract from the net value of the transaction.  Considering how valuable building a farm system has become in recent years, 1st round picks have become a pretty significant price to pay.

At the same time, the Yankees have a number of their own players that could be filing for free agency. Pettitte, Mussina, Giambi, Abreu, and Pudge will all be free agents.  Marte has a $6 million option which, if declined, would make him a free agent.  Pettitte, Moose, Abreu, Pudge, and Marte all stand to be Type-A free agents, while Giambi will likely slot in as a Type-B.  Remember - each Type-A free agent that another team signs away from the Yankees will net the team two picks in the 2009 draft, while each Type-B brings back one.

Often times this compensation factor leads us to wonder if signing a player is worth it, as it could potentially cost the team a shot at an Andrew Brackman, Phil Hughes, or Joba Chamberlain.  In the case of this offseason it is clear that signing a Sabathia or Teixeira is clearly worth giving up the draft pick.  They are young, talented, and of elite production.  The beauty of this offseason though, is that with so many players coming off the books, there is not only money to spend, but a potential windfall of picks coming back to the Yankees if they let some of these players walk (after offering arbitration, of course).  Also, lets not forget that the team already has two additional picks in the 2009 draft from not signing Gerrit Cole and Scott Bittle.  Those picks, as well any picks that the Yankees gain from losing their own free agents, cannot be lost to the compensation rules.  The only picks he Yankees can lose are the standard 2009 picks they get based upon their record this past season.

So, going into this offseason, the Yankees' 2009 draft picks are:

1st round: #26, #31 (Cole)

2nd round: #76 (approximately), and #80 (Bittle)

Lets say they sign Sabathia AND Teixeira. They lose their natural 1st and 2nd rounders, and are still left with picks #31 and #80.  Now, lets say out of the six free agents that are coming off the books, Giambi, Pudge, Abreu, and Marte are offered arbitration and sign elsewhere.  This adds an additional SEVEN draft picks, in the first 80 or so picks of the draft, to the Yankees haul.

Not only could the Yankees land some prime free agents this offseason, but they could also simultaneously turn the first two rounds of the 2009 MLB draft into their personal playground.  It really is the perfect storm, as it allows the team to build for next year while not just maintaining their presence in the draft, but actually increasing it significantly. This could be a huge moment for the direction of the franchise and we can only hope that they capitalize on this incredible opportunity.
 

10.13.2008 NoMaas offseason idea #4 -- The rotation

There are lots of questions surrounding the starting rotation as we enter the offseason.  Other than Chien Ming Wang and Mr. Loverman Joba, there's nothing set for 2009.  Most of us are hoping that the Yankees sign C.C Sabathia, becoming the first Yankees pitcher since Shawn Chacon to wear his hat with a gangsta lean.

So let's say the Yankees sign Sabathia and he's added to the existing duo of Wang and Joba.  That still leaves two spots in the rotation.  For all the speculation about AJ Burnett and Derek Lowe, we hope the front office is evaluating all solutions and not just the sexiest ones.  We say this because there's two cost-effective remedies staring at them right in the face.

The first is Mike Mussina.  We''ve already outlined the case for retaining Moose and obviously he needs to make a decision on retirement.  But if he decides to play and the Yankees don't sign him, that's just plain dumb.  We can't imagine he'll want any more than 1-year deal, and for someone who finished 7th in AL ERA+, that's a no brainer.

That leaves us with the final spot in the rotation.  The candidates are Burnett, Lowe, Pettitte, Hughes, and whoever else you want to throw in there.  We've previously stated why we don't want Burnett: his elaborate injury history and past performance will not justify his likely contract demands.   We could also see Phil Hughes starting next season in AAA (and perhaps rightfully so).  That brings us to Derek Lowe, who we actually like better than AJ Burnett.  But, we assume he'll be looking for a multi-year contract and at age 36 next season, that causes us to initially hesitate.  That leaves us one of the charter members of the Four Rings crew, Andy Pettitte.  Again, this is a case we've already made.  Pettitte did not pitch nearly as bad as his 4.54 ERA might indicate.  With a FIP of 3.74, Pettitte was a victim of some crappy defense and bad luck.  Pettitte signed a 1-year contract for the 2008 season.  What if he were to do the same for 2009?

If Moose and Pettitte would take 1-year offers, how do you not do that?  It's not like you're signing bums.  You're signing quality pitchers who can help win in 2009, while also gaining financial flexibility for 2010.  Why give that up for pitchers who come with their own question marks and require multi-year investments?  In the meantime, you have Hughes waiting in the wings, still developing, and hopefully maturing enough to step in when needed.

10.11.2008 Hank's big mouth: Is he trying to overcompensate for something?

"The most important thing to remember is this: If you didn't get it from me or my brother [Hal], it doesn't mean [anything]. I don't care about some piss-ant employee. If you don't get it from me or Hal, it's meaningless."(Source)

Maybe Hank is trying to make up for deficiencies in other areas.
 

10.10.2008 Where will C.C. end up?

Probably not here.
 

10.09.2008 NoMaas offseason idea #3 -- Learning from past mistakes

Yankee fans are in a very unusual position with the Bronx Bombers not participating in October baseball for the first time in 14 years.  There is even a generation of fans who have never experienced a playoff-less year since they have become rabid followers of the team.  And with the emotion that results from this disappointment, we believe that some of them are throwing caution to the wind and advocating a balls-to-the-wall player acquisition strategy.  While there is nothing wrong with being aggressive on roster construction, we have to make sure that we're not pushing for moves which parallel the decision-making that caused the Yankees to be in their current state.

Case in point is Manny Ramirez.  Most fans would agree that the Yankees need to get younger.  Yet, there is a contingent of people who believe the Yankees should signing the aging slugger into his 40s...on big money.  This defies logic and represents a lack of understanding of what has crippled this franchise over the past few seasons.

Another example would be AJ Burnett.  While everyone raves about Burnett's pitching arsenal, his injury history and actual results seem to be disregarded.  He's only averaged 148.3 innings per year since 2000 and he'll be 32 in January -- that's a dreadful combination.  Also, his actual results don't warrant the reputation he has received.  His ERA+ of 106 this season ranked 25th in the AL (53rd in MLB) among pitchers with least 150 IP.  He ranked 45th in VORP among MLB pitchers, only slightly ahead of Mariano Rivera.  He's a good pitcher, but is he really going to be worth the risk of big money, long-term deal?  Does he even deserve a big money, long-term deal?  This has mistake written all over it.

It's one thing to be aggressive.  It's another thing to be careless and not learn from the errors of the past.
 

10.08.2008 If you had to pick one...

The more we think about it, the more sense it makes that the Yankees won't be able get both C.C. and Marky Mark.  We hope we're incorrect, but many of us might have the wrong impression of the Yankees' spending power this offseason.  So we ask...

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10.07.2008 NoMaas offseason idea #2 -- Two free agents we do not want

Pat Burrell:  He'll be 32 next season and he had a terrible 2nd half with a line of
.215 / .313 / .413 / .725.  While the sample size police might be able to disregard his poor close to the season and point to his 123 OPS+, he fits the mold of an old Yankee transaction - signing an older player into his mid-30s.  We need to learn from past mistakes.  If the Yankees are looking for another bat, there are younger and more potent options available.
 

Manny Ramirez:  While it would be amazing drama to see Manny in pinstripes, he's going to command serious dollah dollah billz.  He'll be 37 next season.  He missed 32 games in 2006 and and 29 games in 2007.  He's a historic hitter, don't get us wrong.  But again, durability and youth need to be a high priority on this team.  Plus, if you sign Manny, the opportunity cost would be enormous as it would dramatically impact spending in other areas.
 

10.07.2008 Is it realistic to think the Yankees can sign both Sabathia and Teixeira?

Many people believe the Yankees have the Treasury Department in their basement.  And with about $80 million in expiring contracts, some fans believe a sky-is-the-limit shopping spree is in order.  However, in recent comments, Brian Cashman has stressed that there is a cap that the Yankees would be hard-pressed to exceed:.

``Things are different in our industry from 10-15 years ago, when the Yankees could just show up and outspend everybody,'' he said. ``Everybody has a ceiling. There's nothing limitless in any business equation.'' (Source)

That brings us to the two headlining free agents, C.C. Sabathia and Mark Teixeira.  In light of Cashman's statements, is it realistic to think the Yankees can sign both of the Big Two?

The Yankees have about $80 million in expired contracts.  We don't think it's out of the realm of possiblity that Sabathia and Teixeria could each cost $25 mil a year.  That leaves the Yankees with about $30 mil to spend, decisions to make on Mussina and Pettitte, scheduled pay raises, buyouts, arbitration, and the need for flexibility to make adjustments in-season.

We have no idea what the Yankees budget is and we'll continue to make recommendations for certain players.  But if one takes Cashman's comments seriously, some of our recommendations may be an exercise in futility.

How will Cashman decide on which players to target?
 

10.06.2008 Trading Cano is the new black

It seems like the trendy thing to do nowadays is to clamor for a Robinson Cano trade.  While there may be valid reasons to do so, this isn't a new concept for us at NoMaas.  We advocated a trade involving Cano in July 2007.  Here's what we said then when Cano was off to a poor start to that season.

As Cano showed in 2006, he has the ability to be a very good hitter.  However, as he has shown this year, his lack of plate discipline can cause wide fluctuations in his performance.  He went from a 132 OPS+ last year to a 94 OPS+ this season.  Bottom line, if you swing at balls over your head or in the dirt, your slumps will last longer and you may have a poor season mixed in every so often.  We doubt Cano will ever become a patient hitter.  However, even with Cano's poor current season, he still has a ton of hype value.  Scouts love his swing.  He is an excellent defender.  And he did put up a .890 OPS last season.  By including Robinson Cano in a trade, the Yankees could open a door to a blockbuster deal.  (Source)

Just saying...

We're still open to trading Cano,  but we're not desperate to do so.  If a front line pitcher or premium position player can be had, we'd do a deal.  If not, fuggedaboutit.
 

10.05.2008 NoMaas' offseason plan begins: Idea #1 -- Who to let walk & who to retain

In what has become a NoMaas staple over the years, we're excited to once again present off our offseason ideas and recommendations.  We'll start off with the basics first and then move on to solutions which may be less obvious and require more detail.

So, let's begin with something simple -- Yankees who have expired contracts

Who to Let Walk

Jason Giambi: Great season with an OPS+ of 130, but will be 38(!!) next season and his durability is obviously a major issue.  He's also a big defensive liability at 1B.  With better options available and the Yankees needing to get younger, Giambi's Yankee career is over.  However, let's remember that Giambi was a beast of a hitter during his seven years in New York: .260 / .404 / .521 / .925

Bobby Abreu: Closed out the season with a great 2nd half (.327 / .408 / .522 / .930) and was one of the very few Yankees who hit with RISP (.822 OPS).  But, he'll be 35 next season and his walk rate has decreased two years in a row.  His OBP numbers reflect that.  While he's still a quality bat, his last two seasons have been the worst of his career.  He's clearly a player in decline.  Add in the fact that he was probably the worst defensive regular RF in the AL and there's really no reason to bring him back.
 

Who to Retain

Mike Mussina: He surprised the muthaf***** hell out of us this season by providing 200 innings of 128 ERA+ ball.  He was the Yankees' best starter this season and finished 5th in the AL in K/BB (4.84) and 5th in ERA (3.37).  His FIP was identical to his ERA too, so his performance was no joke.  Rumors are that he might retire, but if not, a one-year deal would be a move the Yankees would be foolish not to make.  Starting pitching is a very difficult position to fill.

Damaso Marte:  His 5.40 ERA as a member of the Yankees is probably what stands out to the less informed.  However, his peripherals read significantly better: 18 1/3 IP, 24K, 14 H, 10 BB.  Thus, you can see a huge difference between his Yankees ERA and his FIP (2.96).  Everything isn't always as it seems.  Plus, Marte has been a dominant and consistent reliever over his career, which as we've learned is quite difficult to find.  By picking up his $6 million option, the Yankees would have a quality bullpen piece on a short contract.  Yes, please.
 

Leaning Towards Retention

Andy Pettitte: By some measures, 2008 was the worst season of Andy Pettitte's career.  Based on that, one would think it would be easy to recommend that the Yankees let him leave.  However, Andy's case is not so cut and dry.  While Andy threw up a 95 ERA+ this season, he did provide 204 innings.  In 2007, he pitched 215 1/3.  The large-nosed lefty eats innings.  In fact, only 11 other MLB pitchers have thrown more innings than Pettitte over the last two seasons.  We've seen what happens when the Yankees have to resort to pitchers like Sidney Ponson and Darrell Rasner in the event of injury.  Having someone who can provide innings at around league-average quality is something to seriously consider.

Plus, if you look at his FIP, it was 0.8 less than his ERA, which suggests that Andy was a bit unlucky this season.  His Line Drive Percentage was only slightly higher than in 2007 (19.9% to 19.4%) and his groundball rates, K/9, and K/BB were all improved over the previous season.   Pettitte is still a valuable starter and for us, it comes down to contract terms, draft pick eligbility, and if the Yankees can acquire a better option.  But, if Pettitte would agree to a 1-year deal, we don't see anything wrong with that.
 

**Note: Between outgoing and incoming (hopefully) free agents, it will be interesting to watch the movement of draft picks.
 

10.04.2008 From green tea to protein shakes: Grading Joe Girardi

In his initial season as manager, the Yankees failed to make the playoffs for the first time since strike-shortened 1994.  Was it his fault?  NoMaas' Brisco County Jr. breaks down the first year of Joe Girardi. Click here to read.

10.02.2008 Setting the tone for the offseason

We started NoMaas in May 2005 because we were extremely frustrated with how the Yankees organization was being run.  It was an incredibly inefficient operation defined by outdated methodologies of player evaluation, financial mismanagement, and a dysfunctional hierarchy of decison-making.  We believed that philosophies needed to change, processes needed to be streamlined, and the Yankees needed to make much better use of their natural advantages.

Fast forward to the present, and the organization has made progress in all of these areas -- to what degree is up for debate.  Even though the Yankees didn't make the playoffs this season, the organization is closer to reaching a point where they can create a sustainable foundation and become a legit World Series contender every season.  With the resources at the Yankees' disposal, there is no excuse for this organization not to be flexible, fluid, and absolutely dominant machine.

The first step in this organizational revamp was to place focus back on player development.  No need to explain here, we all know that has happened.

The next step was to leverage the Yankees unmatched financial resources in a much more efficient and strategic manner.  Has that happened?  We've seen the Yankees pay more attention to the secondary talent market, such as the Rule 5 draft and waiver claims.  We've seen the front office acknowledge that bullpen performance is extremely volatile and thus should be stocked with low-salary young pitchers.  We've seen more minor leaguers getting opportunities.  We have seen the effort to become more fiscally responsible.

However, being fiscally responsible doesn't always mean saving money or showing restraint.  It also means knowing when to flex your financial muscle.  Unless the Yankees have invested in Washington Mutual or AIG, there is not a team in baseball than can outspend them.  You could make a case for the Red Sox in regards to spending power, but if you listen to their fans, you'd think they had the budget of the Pittsburgh Pirates...so we'll exclude them.  The point remains though that the Yankees have the ability to blow teams away when it comes to bidding on players.  It doesn't guarantee a player will come to the Bronx, but it certainly helps their chances.

As we enter this offseason, we are greeted by a tremendous free agent class highlighted by several premium players who are currently in their prime years.  This is exactly the type of scenario where the Yankees need to flash that chedda.  Now, there are definitely players in this year's class that we would be opposed to signing -- certain players that we've already seen other sites advocating for.  We'll get into that later.  Yet, what we hope the front office realizes is that they are the undisputed top revenue generators in the game and with that comes a huge advantage.  There's a time to penny-pinch, and there's a time to separate the men from the boys.  When there is elite talent on the free agent market, the Yankees need to man up.

Implementing these new philosophies, while also recognizing when to make major investments, is how this organization will truly become a monster.
 

10.01.2008 Offseason strategery

There is tremendous quality available this offseason and like we do every year, we will be posting our list of recommendations.  Stay tuned, b*tches.

In the meantime, enjoy this picture of a ripe cantaloupe.
 

10.01.2008 Overprotective no more

From Newday's Kat O'Brien:

As some of you noted, Brian Cashman said on WFAN that they plan for Joba Chamberlain to be a starter all next season. He confirmed that to me in an email. (Source)

Very welcome news.
 

09.30.2008 Returns

09.29.2008 When it comes to Joba, are the Yankees overprotective parents?

Resident NoMaas physician, Dr. Dale Beaverman, thinks the Yankees are way too paranoid when it comes to protecting Joba from injury.  Read why here.

Extra credit to Mike Silva of NY Baseball Digest for the graphic idea.
 

09.28.2008 Season over

While it's very weird for the Yankees' season to have ended in September, that's the way it is this year.  We would like to thank our loyal fans for continuing to visit NoMaas and providing us with the motivation to keep doin' what we do.  You have our appreciation.

09.28.2008 But he never won 21 games

While the most absurd way to judge a pitcher is to use a stat that's hugely influenced by his run support, we'd like to congratulate Moose on bringing a positive to an otherwise disappointing season.  It's safe to say that he tremendously exceeded all of our expecations this year.

09.26.2008 The debate is on

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 ="Arial,Helvetica">09.25.2008 Thanks, but no thanks

On the final homestand, general manager Brian Cashman inquired about Giambi’s interest in playing on with the Yankees, and wondered if he preferred to finish his career on the West Coast. Giambi told Cashman he wanted to remain in pinstripes.

“I enjoy winning. I enjoy playing good baseball,” said Giambi, adding that he’s looking for a multi-year contract. “I’d like to play into my 40s.”

“I love playing here,” Giambi said. “It’s been fun to come to work every single day. “I would definitely miss it, there’s no doubt.

“I just hope they remember I played hard every single day. I wanted to win,” Giambi said. “I got big hits when we needed them. I was that guy in the lineup that kind of really anchored it down.

“I hope they remember that.” (Source)

We would not be in favor of offering Giambi another contract, especially a multi-year one.  That would be rather insane.  He'll be 38 next season and we all know he's not the most durable of players.  Plus, there's a much younger and excellent first baseman who will be available in free agency.

Yet, let's not discount what Giambi has done in pinstripes.  You could make a very good argument that he's the best hitting 1B in Yankee history not named Lou Gehrig.  Sorry Donnie Baseball, but it's true:

Yankee 1B ranked by OPS+:
Lou Gehrig - 179
Jason Giambi - 144
Bill Skowron - 129
Don Mattingly - 127
Nick Etten (who?) - 127 (played 568 games at 1B for NYY from 1943-1946)
 

09.24.2008 Straw poll

I asked two friends of NoMaas for answers to the following questions:
1. If you were a betting man, do you think Cashman stays or goes?
2. If you were him, would you stay or go?

Mark Feinsand of the NY Daily News:
1. I think Cash stays, though he'll have to have some type of assurances from Hal
and Hank that he will still be running the show in terms of baseball ops. He has a
very good relationship with Hal, so I don't think it will be an issue. The minute
they decided not to trade for Santana, they should have given him an extension.

2. I would stay if I were him. Cash is a stubborn, proud guy, and I think he wants
to finish what he started. The three rings he has as GM were won with a nucleus of
players he didn't acquire, and I think he wants to win a title here with his own
team. Plus, the Yankees figure to pay him more than anyone else.

Tyler Kepner of the NY Times:
(keep in mind that we asked for 1-2 sentence answers to each question.  T-Kep is apparently very aware of his NoMaas reign):

That's a really, really tough question because there are so many compelling forces on both sides. Brian has to be assured that he can do his job the way he wants to, and he got those assurances from George Steinbrenner in 2005 when George was ready to turn over authority. Now, it's not George he has to deal with. It's Hank and
Hal. Cashman works very well with Hal, but Hank has made his job harder in many ways.

I know Brian would like to see through the vision he articulated three years ago. It takes time to build a farm system, weed out the overpaid veterans and get the payroll leaner, especially after the spending Hank did last winter. The question is whether Brian thinks that's still possible in a working environment that is different than it was 12 months ago, let alone three years ago.

Baseball-wise, I think he's intrigued by the idea of getting a fresh start somewhere else. But there's more to consider than just baseball. The Yankees are all he's ever known, he and his family love the area, and the Steinbrenners realize he's a smart guy they want to retain. They will pay him well and probably tell him what he wants to hear.

As long as Cashman trusts them (and that's a big if), I think he'll come back. He and Hal and Girardi work very well together and I think they share the same vision.

(As for the second question, I can't really say what I would do if I were him, because I don't know enough about his family situation.)

Much love to T-Kep and Mark (better nickname wanted) for their contributions to NoMaas.

Will Ca$h be bangin beats in the Boogie Down next season?
 

09.23.2008 We'll know soon

Brian Cashman was asked by the Steinbrenners to respond by next week to their offer to return as Yankees general manager, according to people familiar with the situation.  The Steinbrenners prefer Cashman to commit to them before they present him with a new contract for a significant raise. (Source)

If Cashman leaves, we'll be the first to admit that we were 100% wrong about Hank forcing out this lifelong Yankee and hip hop icon.  It seemed to us that Hank was initially on board with Cashman's "vision" and would allow him the autonomy he needed to do his job.  Now as the season comes to an end, it looks like we're staring at George Part II.

It's a sad situation in the Bronx.

Is this the end for Ca$hmoney?
 

09.23.2008 Hank Steinbrenner: Lunatic

We don't understand how anyone in their right mind can be excited about Cashman potentially leaving and having Hank decide which players to target.  He is a lunatic.

Steinbrenner, the Yankees' co-chairman, ripped Major League Baseball's divisional system in a column in this week's Sporting News, saying that the format allows teams to make the postseason even if their records don't warrant such an honor.

The biggest problem is the divisional setup in major league baseball. I didn't like it in the 1970s, and I hate it now," Steinbrenner wrote. "Baseball went to a multidivision setup to create more races, rivalries and excitement. But it isn't fair. You see it this season, with plenty of people in the media pointing out that Joe Torre and the Dodgers are going to the playoffs while we're not.

"This is by no means a knock on Torre - let me make that clear-but look at the division they're in. If L.A. were in the AL East, it wouldn't be in the playoff discussion. The AL East is never weak."

"People will say the Cardinals were the best team because they won the World Series," Steinbrenner wrote. "Well, no, they weren't. They just got hot at the right time. They didn't even belong in the playoffs. And neither does a team from the N.L. West this season." (Source)

While there is a great deal of truth to what Hank said, we wonder if this guy will ever shut up.  It's embarrassing.  It's like the man has no self-control.  We can also look forward to another offseason of Hank telling the world who the Yankees are interested in and who they're negotiating with.

09.22.2008 The polls are open

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09.21.2008 Arrivederci Yankee Stadium

In this tribute to the most iconic venue in professional sports, we decided to put as much effort into our graphic as the 2008 Yankees did for this season.

09.20.2008 Sensei John Kreese on the radio

On Sunday night, NoMaas' Sensei John Kreese will appear on Mike Silva's NY Baseball Digest.  Show starts at 6pm and the leader of the Cobra Kai will dial in at 7:30pm.
 

09.18.2008 Bad debt

The federal government, in what may be its most comprehensive attempt yet to contain the financial crisis, is poised to establish a program to let banks get rid of mortgage-related assets that have been hard to value and harder to trade.

Leaders from both the House and the Senate were briefed on Thursday evening by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

"The root cause of distress in capital markets is the real estate correction and what's going on in terms of the price declines in real estate," Paulson said at a press briefing after the meeting. "So we're coming together to work for an expeditious solution aimed right at the heart of this problem, which is illiquid assets on financial institutions' balance sheets." (Source)

It's yet to be determined if the federal government will bailout the Yankees of their bad debt.

09.17.2008 Warning

Be prepared for the flock of sheep known as the media to write countless articles about how Joe Girardi is not Joe Torre, and that St. Joseph would have used his magical powers to make the Yankees hit better with RISP, give Phil Hughes Lasik, heal injuries using the Mr. Myagi method, and buttpat Robinson Cano to a better season.
 

09.16.2008 Let's hope Phil has a good start

Phil Hughes is looking at his first start in more than four months as a chance to show the New York Yankees that he can still be the future ace they have touted him to be.

"I really am confident in the way I am pitching — knowing I can throw strikes," Hughes said Tuesday. "I think I'm more mechanically sound right now."

Hughes will bring a refined motion and a pair of glasses, instead of the contacts that irritated his eyes, when he takes the mound Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox for his first big league outing since he left his start April 29 with a stress fracture in his rib. (Source)

Phil is coming off a 5 IP, 12 K performance for Scranton in last Friday's International League championship.

A refined motion, a new pair of glasses, and a brain-enhancing device implanted into his skull will hopefully bring Phil Hughes success on Wednesday.
 

09.16.2008 Sometimes they listen

Less than a week ago, we wondered why Hideki Matsui hadn't been shut down and instructed to have knee surgery.  It looks like it might actually happen now.

Hideki Matsui might have surgery on his left knee before the season is over, the Yankees said yesterday.

Matsui went on the disabled list with left knee inflammation July 27, and several doctors recommended he have surgery at that time. He opted to try to rehab the knee without surgery in hopes of helping the team this year. He came off the DL Aug. 19 but has struggled, hitting .207 (17-for-82). And with the Yankees realistically out of the playoff picture, there is not much point in having Matsui wait any longer to have the surgery.

"There's a possibility," manager Joe Girardi said of having the surgery performed this month. "Obviously, we will continue to discuss his situation."

GM Brian Cashman said: "He's been playing hurt. We all know that. We are talking about if he should have the surgery or not before the end of the season. It's certainly on the table." (Source)
 

09.15.2008 He's no genius

But his most blunt and interesting answer came in a word-association segment near the end of the show, when interviewer Michael Kay asked the injured catcher about pitcher Joba Chamberlain.

"Leave him in the bullpen," Posada replied flatly, before being asked to expand on his answer. "If you start him and he pitches 200 innings, he won't be able to (last).

"You're going to lose him. He's going to get hurt ... I don't see him as a starter. I'd leave him in the bullpen." (Source)

Not exactly.
 

09.12.2008 A message from the dojo

"We're going to have to look at what has been done wrong over the last five years, which I've had one year to try and figure out," Hank Steinbrenner told The Associated Press Thursday at the team's training complex in Tampa. "Clearly, a lot of mistakes were made. ... I'm going to be reviewing the entire organization."

Steinbrenner has said that Joe Girardi will return for a second season as manager, but the future of general manager Brian Cashman remains uncertain.

Steinbrenner told The AP that he is looking into setting up an advisory group, such as the one his father established before the Yankees' late-'90s dynasty. "If Brian stays on as GM, that doesn't mean he won't be the No. 1 guy," Steinbrenner said. "But the fact is, the more opinions the better. I think that's probably the best way. It worked in the '90s, and it can work again."

"We're going to do everything we can to win next year. We're not going to wait," Steinbrenner said. "Do everything we can that makes sense. "We're going to fix what we have to fix. (Source)

This is Sensei John Kreese.  I'm writing on a personal level because my views on Hank's comments do not necessarily reflect the belief of each NoMaas staff member.  Thus, instead of writing a collective opinion as we so often do, I wanted to offer and identify my own thoughts out of respect for the rest of the staff.

Since I read Hank's diatribe Friday morning, I've felt very discouraged.  There's so many elements of his statement which bother me.  The first is his reference to how things worked in the 1990s.  Yes, the Yankees were incredibly successful in the late 90s.  However, what Hank doesn't seem to realize is that this success was created because his father was kicked out of baseball in 1990.  Without owner interference, the baseball minds were actually allowed to make decisions.  And what did they do?  They rebuilt the farm system.  They made smart trades.  They spent wisely.  When George was reinstated in 1993, he still let the baseball people do their thing.  The Yankees proceeded to rip off three straight championships because the organization was allowed to build a foundation of talent and efficiency.

It was at the turn of the century when it seemed that The Boss and his entourage once again became involved in the daily operations of the team.  And what did we see?  We saw financial waste.  We saw the farm system gutted.  We saw horrible acquisitions and terrible signings.  We saw the General Manager become just one of many advisors, as opposed to being the decision-maker.  And we haven't seen a championship since 2000.  Does anyone notice a pattern?

1980s/1st half of the 90s: George is hands on.  Yankees bad.
mid-90s to 2000: George is hands off.  Yankees good.
2000-now: George/Tampa Faction is hands on.  Yankees bad.

The last thing this organization needs is a return to the dysfunction of a George-type regime -- an administration of quick fixes, Tampa vs. NY factions, lack of patience, an owner thinking he has a superior baseball mind, and a minimized GM.

That brings us to the topic of General Manager.  A couple years ago, many Yankee fans seemed to view Brian Cashman as the savior.  He was seen as the white knight who could rescue our favorite team from the wrath of outdated and out-of-touch consultants.  Now many of those same fans are elated about Hank's comments and want Cashman pushed out the door.

Here's the thing about some Yankees fans.  They just don't get it.  I don't mean to be derogatory, but I believe their passion sometimes robs them of their insight and logic.  Let me explain.

Brian Cashman was named General Manager in 1998.  However, for much of his tenure, he has been GM in title only.  Many of the Yankee moves over the years were spearheaded by other members of the organization.  He did not have the authority that other GMs have.  He was simply one of many advisors to the Steinbrenners.  Do you seriously think Cashman would have advocated signings like Jaret Wright, whose physical was so bad that the terms of his contract had to be altered?  Come on, you're kidding yourself if you think so.  Why do you think "autonomy" was such a big issue during Cashman's last contract negotiation with the Yankees?  Could it be because signings like Carl Pavano or trades for Randy Johnson were made above him?  Absolutely.  I'd be willing to bet on it.

You could make a solid argument that 2006 was Cashman's first "official" year as General Manager.  We immediately saw the stress on player development and fiscal sanity.  We heard the outline of a philosophy that could bring the Yankees back to the glory days of the late 1990s.

And now the Yankees have a bad year in 2008 and fans are calling for Cashman's head.  Hank Steinbrenner now seems to envision a reduced role for the General Manager position.  Let us remember that it took six years after George was banished for the Yankees to become consistent winners.  It wasn't an immediate change.

When Cashman was given newfound authority in 2006, he inherited an organization that was a total mess -- a joke of a farm system, horrible contracts, and a warped hierarchy of decision-making.  We've seen major improvements in all areas.

But, have we?  Cashman publicly states that Alex Rodriguez will not return to the Yankees if he opts out the deal he signed with Texas.  Alex opts out.  He then signs a 10-year deal with the Yankees which will keep him in the Bronx until he's 85 years old.  Do you think that was a deal which Cashman orchestrated?  Word is bond.  That is obviously a deal that was made above Cashman.

To me, this is just simple logic.  Fans don't realize that the Yankees don't make pure baseball decisions.  They make moves based on PR.  They make moves based on business.  The amount of politics which take place in the front office must be ridiculous.

It shocked me that Santana deal didn't go through and it actually gave me faith that Hank Steinbrenner "got it."  Yes, Santana is a great pitcher.  He wouldn't have mattered this season with the problems of the offense, but that's besides the point.  There is a bigger concept at play here.  The Yankees dynasty was achieved because the baseball people were able to implement a system of sustainability.  If you're trying to implement a similar model, it doesn't make sense to make a blockbuster trade involving lots of prospects when you're just starting to build a breeding ground of talent on the farm.  You need to establish a system and see what you actually have down there before gutting it.  If you don't, you're facilitating a return to the era of waste and inefficiency.

So basically, what I'm saying is that we, spoiled Yankee fans, need to have patience.  Big deal the Yankees had a lousy season.  Who cares?  Give Cashman time and authority to unwind the misguided and poor decisions of the past several years.  It took years to recoup from the damage that George inflicted in the 80s.  It will take time to do the same now.

My fear is that even if Cashman stays, we'll continue to see him being overruled and the errors of the past will be made again.  The impatience of fans and ownership will become too dominant.  If I'm Cashman and I get a sense that this type of nonsense will continue, I'm probably taking a big check from another organization who buys into my vision -- a vision of sustainability.
 

09.10.2008 Andy Pettitte vs. Amy Winehouse

1. Both have big noses.
2. Both are a mess.
3. Both have used syringes.
 

09.10.2008 Godzilla Extinct

Since returning from injury, Hideki Matsui has posted a line of .227/ .293/ .360/ .653.

He's only helped push the Yankees further from the playoffs and reduce whatever trade value he may have had heading into this offseason. Why not shut him down and get him the surgery?
 

09.10.2008 Should we be concerned with Sabathia's workload in Milwaukee?

Friend of NoMaas and PITCHf/x wiz, Josh Kalk, writes over at the Hardball Times.

CC Sabathia has been on a tear since joining the Brewers just before the All-Star break. Okay, you knew that already. Brewers manager Ned Yost has worked Sabathia hard with a 130-pitch game, two other games over 120 pitches and all but two games over 100 pitches in a Brewers uniform. This has shot Sabathia up the list of most abused pitchers and he recently overtook Tim Lincecum(!) for the top spot.

In 2007, CC Sabathia threw many more innings than he had previously and didn't appear to suffer down the stretch. So far in 2008, Sabathia not only has thrown a good many innings but has had several high pitch counts as a member of the Brewers. While there might be a hint at a short-term drop in velocity after a very high-pitch-count game, Sabathia has quickly recovered after that.

The Brewers have been playing rather poorly lately and probably will be leaning on Sabathia hard to make the playoffs. While I am not saying that Yost should let Sabathia throw 130 pitches every time out, there it does appear that Sabathia's stuff doesn't take too big a hit when he does. If I am a GM trying to woo Sabathia in the of season, these large pitch counts would not bother me much. Sabathia has had no arm injuries and it appears that if used reasonably he can be a horse who carries a team on the days he pitches. (Source)
 

09.09.2008 Relinquishing the Yankees

Choose Third Place. Choose a catcher. Choose Lisfranc. Choose drained knees. Choose a drunken baron, choose a dazzling razor, ragu jars, craptastic players and electrical 88mph fastballs. Choose broken ribs, release points, and daily contacts. Choose 30 million megacontracts repayments. Choose a starter. Choose a first round draft pick. Choose fistpumps and matching GIDPs. Choose a three-piece chick on hire purchase in a range of f****** fabrics. Choose a lazy infielder and wondering where you are supposed to send that DP ball. Choose looking at that outfield wall watching mind-numbing, spirit-crushing doubles, stuffing Venezuelan junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pishing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, f***** up brats you woke up one day and made look stupid.

Choose your future.

Choose Fourth Place.
 

09.08.2008 Here's something to root for

Let's hope that Johnny Damon finishes the season as strong as possible.  In 2009, he'll be in the last year of his deal and will be coming off a very productive 2008 campaign.  As a result, he could be attractive alternative for other teams.  After all, he is THE bEsT LeAdOff HiTTer in The GAmE!!

If the Yankees can trade the soon to be 35-year old Damon and net a solid return, they should do so this offseason.  Sell high.
 

09.08.2008 Cash on A-Jax

Austin Jackson, perhaps the Yankees' top near-ready position player prospect, is probably a year away. The 21-year-old hit .285 with five homers, 69 RBIs and 19 steals at Double-A Trenton.

"I would think he'd still need more time," Cashman said, "but he could come in in the spring and surprise." (Source)
 

09.07.2008 Please do us a favor

09.07.2008 Who runs Yankees.com anyway?

Playoff hunt?
 

09.04.2008 Yanks ink deal with QVC

The New York Yankees announced today that three television shows featuring special Yankees gift items and "Final Season" products will air on QVC beginning midnight Monday morning, September 8. Emanating live from Yankee Stadium, all shows will celebrate the final season of The House That Ruth Built. Special guests on the programs will include Yankees Hall of Famers Whitey Ford, Goose Gossage and Reggie Jackson, as well as pitcher Don Larsen, who authored the only perfect game in World Series history in 1956.

Programs are scheduled for the following times on Monday, September 8:
(Please note: All times are Eastern Time) Midnight - 2:00 a.m.; 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.; and 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. (Source)

A NoMaas source has leaked information on some of the items which will be sold.  They include:

- An Ian Kennedy alarm clock which makes it easier for you to wake up and make everybody look stupid

- The Phil Hughes eyewear collection

- A selection of containers directly from the Stadium, each containing fluid drained from Hideki Matsui's knees (comes in 8 oz, 12 oz, and 3 lb tank)

- A Robinson Cano hammock

- A beer mug autographed by Sidney Ponson

- A Jason Giambi autographed apology written on the cover page of the Mitchell Report***  (***Mr. Giambi does not in any way endorse the information contained in the report, he would simply like to add "Just sayin.")

09.04.2008 Does this season come down to Robinson Cano?

Prince Akeem, Heir to the Throne of Zamunda explains...

As of Sep 3, Dustin Pedroia is hitting .333/.378/.505/.883.  He leads the Red Sox in VORP and is ranked fifth in the AL in this same statistic.  Our own Robinson Cano on the other hand, is currently sporting a very pedestrian .268/.304/.408/.712, with a 6.5 VORP.  For those of you who do not fully understand how awful that is, that's simply good for 69th out of 85 AL players with 400 PAs or more and - hold on - 45th out of 50 players with 500 PA or more. Simply put, Cano was one of the 10% worst regulars in the league this year.  Add in that his defense has recently taken a turn for the worst, and you get how abysmal his season has been.

Why do we mention Pedroia are you asking?  Well, with all the freak injuries, stagnant prospects and failed FO gambles that have plagued the Yankees this year, we still feel the irony that the gap between these two players accounts for most of the lead Boston has on our Yankees.

We know there are flaws in accounting for wins in this rather rough manner but please humor us for a few seconds. The WARP difference between these two second basemen is nearly four games. The difference in Win Shares (yes, yes, we know, shut up now) is 8, bringing us close to three games. Taking account the sheer number of face-to-face meetings between the two teams, combined with Cano's putrid line versus Boston this year (.230 /.254 / .344 / .598), it is not a reach to assume that more than half of the lead enjoyed by the Sox is attributable to the gap in production at the 2-bag.

Had you told us in April that the net difference in performance at that position would result in one of the teams being out of contention at the start of September, we probably would not have picked the right outcome. Of all the things that went wrong for the Yankees this year, Pedroia outperforming Cano by a mile is the one most unexpected, overlooked, and inexplicable.
 

09.03.2008 And the survey says

In recent days, we've had two pieces of news which will affect the Yankees in 2009.  We learned that the Steinbrenners want to bring back Brian Cashman and we've seen speculation that Joba will once again begin the season in the bullpen.  So in a bit of a switch from our tyrannical rule (Hello, Greg), we surveyed staff members, message board users, and whoever else we could find, and asked them to answer the following questions:

1. Should Cash be brought back?
2. In light of Joba not reaching his innings cap, should he start the year in the bullpen?

Sensei John Kreese:
1. Yes, absolutely.  I don't think any of us truly understands the politics of the front office and how it's probably more complex than with other organizations, but I'm big believer in his "vision."  His emphasis on player development was much needed after the organization abandoned the concept for several years.  When something as situational as hitting with RISP is one of the major reasons why the team disappointed, I have a hard time blaming the GM.  I do, however, think a chance to trade Matsui was missed.  .

2. No. Let him reach his innings cap in the way his career is headed: as a starter.  Plus, it would be nice if the Yankees actually got off to a good start next season.

Dr. Dale Beaverman:
1.Yes. Cashman should be brought back. His plan for revitalizing the farm system appears to be solid in spite of this year's failings. This will be the first off-season since attaining autonomy that he will have the flexibility to make the roster moves that are warranted.

2.  Joba should start in the rotation with the intent of transitioning back to the bullpen if necessary to manage his innings. Consideration should be given to repeating this year's plan if the right arms can be acquired for the right price making him expendable to the rotation.

Prince Akeem, Heir to the Throne of Zamunda:
1.  Yes. Although I share some of the concerns about his talent judgment, and especially the fact that the pendulum has swung way too far in the other direction as far as 'protecting the farm' is concerned, I still think the core plan is sound, and the upcoming FA class combined with added roster flexibility should offer him a chance to redeem this season.

2. If the stated goal of this franchise is to put long term development ahead of instant needs, then I think the argument for Joba to start the season in the pen is extremely thin. He should start the year in the rotation and should he reach his innings cap before the end of the year, that's actually a nice problem to have. A repeat of 2008, on the other hand, would be a little disaster.

Reginald Cornelius III (one of our new graphics designers):
1. Cash should be back. But with money coming off of the books and our farm getting stronger every year, he has no excuses left when it comes to building the team through FA and trades.

2. They proved they can transition him mid-season with success, but our rotation has to be strong enough starting the year. If the team doesn't acquire enough arms in the offseason, Joba should be in the rotation.

Lacey Underall:
1. Cash should be brought back. I think his ideas were good but this year was just awful from the start and they couldn't recover from the injuries. He should be given the chance to finish what he started.

2. Joba should definitely start. The rotation has the chance to be both scary (if some FA signings don't happen) and scary for opponents (if those FA signings do happen) and he needs to be in it.

Lili Von Shtupp:
1. Yes, bring Cashman back. Overall, he's been more unlucky than bad, and I expect he's learned his biggest lesson - don't depend so heavily on young, unproven pitchers.

2. Joba should start out next season in the rotation. As effective as he can be, he still has plenty to learn, and the only way he can do that is by getting as many starts as possible. His innings count can easily be managed.

Blake:
1. Cashman should be brought back. Virtually all of his "bets" from last offseason didn't work (passing on Santana, this lineup having another run in it, Kennedy, etc) but his history suggests a bright guy who can learn from his mistakes. Money coming off the books should give him the kind of flexibility he needs to bring us a contender in 2009.

2. Joba should start the season in the rotation. The best way to develop a starting pitcher is to let him start baseball games.

And lastly, we sought the opinion of two of more active and vocal message board users:

Bologma:
1. No. Whereas we once ignored his moves as bad luck or a victim of circumstance there have been too many Igawas and Pavanos to ignore. Too many Matsuzakas and Latroy Hawkins. Proving once again his inability to judge talent, the market, or the voices giving him advice, he entered this season with two rookie starters, a questionable veteran, and a seemingly missing backup plan (though that was probably more of the former). Although he promised to lower payroll, his increased influence couldn't prevent the team from bringing back players for more money and deeper into their decline phase than they should have been (A-Rod, Po, Mo, Matsui). Worse than any of this, the team doesn't appear to be in any better shape for next year. Fail.

2. I believe they should put him in the rotation to start the season, only modify it slightly. As usual, we probably don't need a 5th starter for the first couple of weeks. Perhaps we can start him late in ST, stretch him out in EST, and then have him take the 5th spot the for the first or second go around. That'll give plenty of time to evaluate what we need at the trade deadline and plan accordingly for the remainder of the season. And, if he has another DL stint, he'll have time to come back and be ready for the playoffs.

Notorious Mofo:
1. Yes he should be brought back. He has the right ideas for the team, they just look like they'll take longer then expected.

2. I would say Joba starting all depends on what the Yanks do in the offseason. If they fail to land any quality arms, then start him.
 

09.03.2008 Professionalism: Who needs it?

One could make a solid argument that NoMaas burst onto the scene due to our contrarian view of Joe Torre.  Our criticism of Four Rings was cited in most of the major NY newspapers, as we were essentially the first outlet (and one of the very few) to publicly critique St. Joseph.

Fast forward to the present.  Joe Torre is gone and there's a new Neanderthal in town by the name of Joe Girardi.  As visitors to our site would know, we were very much in favor of Girardi's hiring and still continue to support his position as Yankees manager.  However, there is another person who has taken over the role of vehemently criticizing a sitting Yankees skipper and that's Journal-News beatwriter, Peter Abraham.

For whatever reason, Abraham has been firing bullets at Joe Girardi since the season began.  He has repeatedly called him a liar.  He continously questions Girardi's credibility.  He mocks Girardi's optimism.  He claims that he can't discipline players.  He gets angry when Girardi doesn't give him the scoop on internal matters.  We can
just picture him slamming his fingers down on the keyboard when he types something about Joe.  He has this intense hatred for the man and we don't have any idea where it came from.  It seems like he has a very unhealthy obsession with tearing Girardi down.

Although we strongly believe that managers are open to critique -- after all, we made our initial claim to fame by doing that --  Abraham's obvious vendetta strikes us as unusual for two reasons.  First, the disdain for Girardi was evident right from the get-go.  Girardi hadn't even gotten his feet wet before the flaming began.  Did something happen that we don't know about?  At least give the guy a chance to show what he can do before you get all crazy.  Second, if your job and means to generate income is covering a sports team, and you interact with the members of that organization on a daily basis, wouldn't you show some sense of professionalism?  Perhaps a little maturity?  If we're Joe Girardi, I don't think we would be that cooperative with Abraham after being called a liar on so many occassions.

It's just a weird, weird sight to behold.

09.02.2008 More on how Mark Cole gave the Yankees the bird

Our friend Mike Silva of NY Baseball Digest sent us a link to an article from the Orange County Register (Cali, son) describing how UCLA beat the Yankees in the battle for Gerrit Cole.  Here's some excerpts:

Cole is the first high school pitcher who was drafted in the first round, but not signed, since Jeremy Sowers and the Cincinnati Reds couldn't come to terms in 2001. Cincinnati used the 20th pick in the draft on Sowers, who went to Vanderbilt. Three years later, Cleveland took him with the sixth pick, and Sowers got a $2.4 million bonus.

No one knows whether the Coles were just as savvy, because we don't know what the market will resemble in 2011, the next draft for which Cole will be eligible. Or if Cole will be as desirable or healthy.

But the rumors were that Cole wanted $7 million, a suspicion enriched by the fact that Scott Boras was advising the Cole family.

But Mark Cole says none of those numbers were real.

"We were never made an offer," he said. "We never made a specific proposal. We all felt it was more important for Gerrit to get his education, and we're very excited about his decision to go to UCLA and maybe go to Omaha (for the College World Series) along the way."

A $7 million deal would have been the largest in this draft, topping the $6.2 million that San Francisco handed Florida State catcher Buster Posey.

"It is a risk when you draft players like that," Savage (UCLA head coach) said. "You have to know how the young man feels about playing college baseball. We've had a good relationship with Gerrit and his family — we were all together the night of the deadline. What I like is the way he's developing all his pitches. It's obviously a big plus for our program." (Source)
 

09.01.2008 Dear Yankees, please keep losing

The Yankees currently have the 11th best record in baseball, or the 20th worst.  If the Yankees end up with one of the worst 15 records, their 2009 first round draft pick becomes protected.  If they sign a Type A draft pick (which we hope they sign at least two) after finishing in the bottom 15, then they won't lose this high selection.

They are currently 5.5 games above the bottom 15.  It's probably a longshot at this point, but we can dream, can't we?  It's all about setting goals.
 

09.01.2008 Scorned lover

08.31.2008 Countdown to September 21st

Thanks to this $200 million collection of overpaid underperformers, September 21st will be the date of the last game ever played at the Cathedral.

08.30.2008 The candidates have been finalized

08.28.2008 Hank goes to bat for Girardi

Hank Steinbrenner today said the entire Yankee organization is at fault for the team's unacceptable showing in the standings, with one notable exception: Joe Girardi isn't part of the problem, according to the Baby Boss.

"As far as Girardi is concerned, who I think is brilliant, this is his first year and he's had to play the hand he was dealt," Steinbrenner said during the YankeesNew York Yankees ' 3-2 victory over the Red Sox at the Stadium.  "Not only that, he lost a lot of his parts through injuries. Baseball managers can't perform miracles.

Steinbrenner said he hasn't considered the notion the results would be any different this season if Joe Torre were still managing the Yankees. Torre's Dodgers remain in the NL West title chase, albeit with a losing record.

"The Dodgers are in the easy division, the National League West," Steinbrenner said. "If the Dodgers were in the American League East, they would be nowhere, that's the bottom line.  (Source)

Well said, Hank.
 

08.27.2008 Based on a true story

08.26.2008 Cue her

08.24.2008 It's now or never

The Yankees are 5 games behind Boston for the Wild Card and there's only 32 games left to play.  Sweep the Red Sox.

Tues:  Pettitte vs. Wakefield
Wed:  Ponson vs. Byrd
Thurs: Moose vs. Lester

08.23.2008 So far, no buttocks injury reported

Pavano on the mound Saturday night versus Baltimore
 

08.23.2008 What is going on?

Last two starts at AAA: 7 IP, 18 H, 13 ER
Glass half-full: 10 K vs 1 BB

But still...
 

08.21.2008 Will the Yankees even finish in 3rd place?

 

08.21.2008 The most complete Yankees draft review you'll find anywhere

We don't know whether Lane Meyer is just a hard worker or mentally insane, but with the signing period over, he just evaluated and graded every single Yankee draft pick from 2008.

Click here to get a glimpse into the mind of this minor league madman.
 

08.21.2008 Shut Joba down for the rest of the season

Continuing to return from right rotator cuff tendinitis, Chamberlain threw to a target for the first time since he left an Aug. 4 game at Arlington, tossing at 60 feet across the outfield before Thursday's game.

The next step for Chamberlain will be getting back on a mound, which he is expected to do on Saturday in Baltimore. Chamberlain said that he will throw only fastballs and changeups in that session, and is looking forward to the change.

Chamberlain has said that he expects to be pitching in Major League games by the first week of September, but the Yankees have been reluctant to issue a definitive time frame. (Source)

With the Yankees clearly not making the playoffs, it doesn't make any sense to push Joba any further in an effort for game action.  Let him work on the side in a controlled setting, let his arm rest, and let him be healthy for next season.  With the current state of the team, risk dramatically outweighs reward.
 

08.21.2008 L(emon)ink Party

There's some good stuff out there we wanted to highlight:

Alex Eisenberg of the Hardball Times has published an article on his own site (Baseball-Intellect) about the mechanics of Joba Chamberlain.  You can find it here.

The hardest working man in show business, Mike Silva of NY Baseball Digest, has conducted a bunch of interviews in the last couple days -- one of which was with Mark Melancon.  You can listen here.
 

08.19.2008 Rasner allows 1 run and the Yankees still lose

Stop watching.  Pursue other interests.  Like we said a week ago, this team is not making the playoffs.

Even Freddy Sez is having a hard time these days.
 

08.18.2008 The return (maybe) of Glass Carl

...Carl Pavano could return to the New York Yankees this weekend.

New York needs a fifth starter on Saturday at Baltimore, and with Joba Chamberlain and Dan Giese on the disabled list, the choice comes down to Pavano or Phil Hughes.

Since signing a $39.95 million, four-year contract with the Yankees before the 2005 season, Pavano has made just 19 appearances, going 5-6. He's been a premed's survey course of broken body parts, sidelined by injuries to his shoulder, back, buttocks, elbow and ribs. He became a pinata for the New York media.

He missed the second half of the 2005 season and all of 2006, then made just two starts in April 2007 before hurting his elbow, an injury that required ligament replacement surgery in June last year. He started a minor league rehab assignment less than a month ago, on July 29, and has gone 1-1 with a 3.32 ERA in five starts with Class-A Charleston of the South Atlantic League and Double-A Trenton of the Eastern League. (Source)

Take a look back at Pavano's career with the Yankees.
 

08.17.2008 What to write about

Between us declaring that this team won't make the playoffs and the organization failing to sign their 1st-round draft pick, the Yankees aren't exactly holding our interest right now.

While we recharge our creative batteries, here's some links:

Melky walked 4 times in first game since being demoted to AAA.
Phil Hughes was not good in his Sunday start, citing a tired arm.
Carl Pavano made another start in Trenton.
With the signings complete, Lane Meyer initially grades the Yankees draft as a B-.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Our interview with PITCHf/x expert, Josh Kalk.
A picture of butternut squash.
 

08.15.2008 More on Gerritt Cole

As first reported last night by the NY Times' Tyler Kepner, Yankees 1st-round pick and high school fireballer, Gerritt Cole, is rejecting the dollars of the Yankees for UCLA.  This is a stunning development to say the least.  With so many questions from fans about this story, we decided to go straight to the source for further clarification.  Here is what Kepner told us about 10 minutes ago:

From what I understand, the Yankees drafted Cole believing he would sign with them and wanted to play pro ball.  Negotiations were not set to start until late, as usual with Scott Boras clients.  By the time they really started to talk, Cole and his father said Cole was committed to college and they did not even want to hear offers from the Yankees.  I am quite sure the Yanks would have paid over-slot for him, as is their custom, but in the end it made no difference because he didn't even want to hear an offer.  Now, there is still time before the deadline and Boras is known for (literally) last-minute deals.  But the impression I got late last night was that this thing was dead, no turning back, and the Yanks will take the pick next June.
 

08.13.2008 Pack it up, pack it in

As of this update, the Yankees sit 8.5 games behind Tampa and 6 games behind Boston.  Boston also has the best run differential in the AL East.  Although it pains us to say it, the party's over.  The Yankees will miss the playoffs for the first time since the strike-shortened season of 1994.  The most iconic stadium in American sports, home to so many championship moments, will shut its lights off for good in September.

We can point to several factors as to why this team so dramatically underperfomed expectations.  After all, most projection systems forecasted the Yankees to be the best team in the American League.  There has been a litany of devastating injuries which have reaked havoc on the offense and pitching staff.  Players like Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano have had terrible seasons.  We learned that good defense in CF doesn't mean much if the player cannot provide any offensive value.  Hughes and Kennedy have not only been hurt, but have greatly disappointed when they actually have pitched.

And perhaps the achilles heel of this team has been its inability to hit with RISP:

2008:  .259/.348/.382/.730
2007:  .293/.378/.451/.829
2006:  .286/.386/.479/.865

If this season's number resembled anything close to the previous two years, the situation could be very different. Here's the thing though.  Every mainstream writer and analyst will cite this statistic as they break down the Yankees season.  But what they won't say is how to correct that.  Why?  Because they can't.  How do you correct something which is so situational?  While the Yankees offense has been subpar this season, their OPS with RISP is 36 points less than their overall OPS.  How do you explain that?  Hitting with RISP is not some special skill which requires hitters to do something different in the batter's box.  At least in regards to RISP, we could be looking at a significant case of fluke circumstance.

Combine all of these factors together and we're looking ahead to 2009.  It's a very odd feeling.

Somebody had it in for the Yankees.
 

08.13.2008 D-Opp, Part II

With the signing deadline on Friday, Yankees VP of Amateur Scouting, Damon Oppenheimer, has returned with another update on the draft class of 2008.

NoMaas keeps bringin' it, son.
 

08.12.2008 Carl Pavano: Big fat phony

From our friend Mike Ashmore who interviewed Pavano after his Tuesday night Double-A rehab start:

“I’ve been through injuries since the beginning of my career.  I’ve been through adversity.  So I learned at a young age that you’ve just got to keep working.  I’ve never stopped working or pushing to be the best or striving to have success." (Source)

Carl Pavano: The epitome of hard work

08.11.2008 Girardi goes platoon crazy

We have been documenting for a while now about how Joe Girardi automatically sits Jason Giambi against lefties.  The level of pitcher quality is irrelevant. If the guy throws with his left hand, Giambi is hitting the pine.  (By the way, Giambi has a .919 OPS vs. LHP this season -- higher than his OPS vs. RHP).

Girardi took this platoon fetish to another level on Monday night, sitting Johnny Damon and replacing him with the right-handed and noodle-bat-wielding Justin Christian.  Incredibly, incredibly stupid.

"We've been kicking other people's as*es for so long, I figured it's time we got ours kicked."
 

08.10.2008 Eva Lee drops opening round match

NoMaas favorite Eva Lee lost to Canadian Anna Rice in the opening round of women's Olympic badminton.  While Rice was the favorite heading into the match, we didn't appreciate the arrogance she displayed after the victory:

"I was just trying to work the rally," said Rice. "I was making a lot of unforced errors so I decided I would try to let her make a few and she finally did at 19-all." (Source)

You'll get yours, Anna Rice.  You'll get yours.

Anna Rice pulling a Francisco Rodriguez with the inappropriate victory celebration.

Source: AP, Bullit Marquez
 

08.09.2008 Derek Jeter is so clutch...

...That he's saving all of his extra-base hits for if the Yankees make the postseason.

Derek is on track for career lows in SLG % and Line Drive %.  He has lost his pop.

In addition, we found out something else that is a little alarming.  Derek Jeter has put 377 balls in play this season (not including sac bunts) and 22.5% have been hit the other way.  That 5.5% increase from 2007 and a 2.9% increase from his career rate.

On the flipside, of those balls put into play, he's pulled 17.2%.  That's down 2.5% from 2007 and down 3.7% from his career rate.

So less power, and a slower bat.  Not good.
 

08.09.2008 Ian Kennedy's sense of entitlement

Let us recall what Ian Kennedy said back in May, after a start at AAA:

You’re giving them too much credit in the big leagues. These guys in Triple-A aren’t much different. They could be big leaguers tomorrow, and some of them have played in the big leagues. It’s not so much the hitters, it’s myself. (Source)

And on Friday night versus the Angels, he couldn't get out of the third inning.

But instead of admitting his struggles or expressing disappointment in a start which was critical to the Yankees playoff chances, Kennedy displayed what is becoming his trademark sense of entitlement and poor attitude.

From T-Kep:

The person who seemed to take the loss easiest was Kennedy...

“It’s the first bad outing I’ve had in a long time, since the All-Star break,” Kennedy said. “I’m not going to look much into it. I felt like I made some good pitches. I’m just not too upset about it.”

“What was it, a bunch of singles and three doubles or so?” Kennedy said. “I’m just not real upset about it. I’m going to move on. I already have done that.”

08.07.2008 Interview with Yankees' VP of Amateur Scouting, Damon Oppenheimer

Two worlds collide.  NoMaas and the New York Yankees finally decided to combine their powers for the greater good.

We sent our very own Lane Meyer to meet with the man who calls the shots in the Yankees draft and is largely responsible for putting the farm system back on the map.  We present our interview with VP of Amateur Scouting, Damon Oppenheimer.

This is information you will not find anywhere else.

08.06.2008 The real deal on Joba's injury

By NoMaas' Dr. Dale Beaverman:

Joba's official diagnosis is "rotator cuff tendinitis", which according to a certain Yankee beat writer is another way to say rotator cuff tear. Not exactly Pete.

First, a quick primer on the shoulder. The shoulder is comprised of three bones - the scapula (shoulder blade), the humerus (upper arm bone) and the clavicle (collarbone). The shoulder itself is a ball and socket joint similar to the hip but with a much more shallow socket. The rotator cuff is the name given to the group of muscles and tendons that hold it in place. The "cuff" part comes from the point where four tendons come together and form a hood over the head of the humerus.

Now, about tendinitis. By definition, tendinitis is the inflammation or irritation of a tendon. Because a tendon is a fibrous structure, microscopic tears can occur. That is the extent of the tearing that would be involved with this injury. Referring to tendinitis as another name for a tear is a bit sensationalistic to say the least.

Rotator cuff tendinitis is a very common injury in baseball especially amongst pitchers. This is a such a common injury in baseball that it is nicknamed "pitcher's shoulder." Over the next few days, you're going to hear how that is the same diagnosis given to Jorge Posada when he was first injured. Rest assured, that does not mean that this injury will have the same surgical result. Posada's degree of injury was much more severe than Joba's, even initially, given what we know about his symptoms.

The Yankees have said that Joba will rest the shoulder for a week then begin a throwing program. Reports that he could be pitching again in as little as two weeks are probably premature. Expect them to be very cautious with their prized jewel, but at the same time, there is nothing to gain by resting him once the tendinitis is resolved. We won't know how quickly Joba's body will respond to the rest and treatment being prescribed for a few days but we're cautiously optimistic that he will return to the rotation this season.
 

08.05.2008 What a joke

Rangers starter Matt Harrison entered Tuesday night's game with a 7.40 ERA, a .959 OPS Against, and 4 Ks vs. 14 BB...and the Yankees were shut down by him.  Pathetic.

If your mom was left-handed and started against the Yankees, Joe Girardi would probably sit Jason Giambi.

Melky Cabrera is truly an awful hitter.

Since 2007, the only major league player who has grounded into more double plays than Derek Jeter is Vlad Guerrero.  Jeter has grounded into 39 double plays since the beginning of last season (he is currently tied with Arizona's Orlando Hudson as of this update).

08.05.2008 The Keymaster

Yankee fans anxiously await the prognosis of Joba Chamberlain.  His status is key to the team's playoff chances.

08.04.2008 Yankees to draft pick, Rob Scahill: "Go back to school, kid."

Lane Meyer has received direct confirmation that Yankee draft pick and RHP Rob Scahill has been told by the Yankees to return to Bradley -- and Lane is not happy.  Once describing Scahill as "one of the most talented Yankee draftees in this year’s class," Meyer believes the organization blew a tremendous opportunity to grab a high-quality pitcher at a vastly discounted price.

Click here to read Lane's thoughts.
 

08.04.2008 All-Time Yankees vs. All-Time Red Sox

If you took the best players in the histories of these two franchises, who would win in a head-to-head battle?  With the help of WhatIfSports, we found out.  WIS simulated a 162-game season between two customized teams and compiled the statistics for us.  Here are the rosters: (special thanks for the input from NoMaas message board users I Stalk Herman L, Bruce, StatMan79, Pride Power Pinstripes, Kyle, Salty Catfish, hardrain)

Yankees Batting Order:
3B Alex Rodriguez
CF Joe DiMaggio
1B Lou Gehrig
RF Babe Ruth
LF Mickey Mantle
DH Charlie Keller
SS Derek Jeter
2B Tony Lazzeri
C Yogi Berra

Yankees Bench:
C Bill Dickey
RF Reggie Jackson
1B Jason Giambi
2B Joe Gordon

Yankees Starting Rotation:
SP Whitey Ford
SP Lefty Gomez
SP Jack Chesbro
SP Red Ruffing
SP Ron Guidry

Yankees Bullpen:
LR Allie Reynolds
LR Andy Pettitte
SU Dave Righetti
SU Sparky Lyle
SU John Wetteland
SU Goose Gossage
CL Mariano Rivera

Red Sox Batting Order:
CF Tris Speaker
3B Wade Boggs
LF Ted Williams
1B Jimmie Foxx
DH Manny Ramirez
RF Dwight Evans
SS Nomar Garciaparra
C Carlton Fisk
2B Bobby Doerr

Red Sox Bench:
C Captain Intangibles
DH David Ortiz
LF Yastrzemski
SS Joe Cronin

Red Sox Starting Rotation:
SP Pedro Martinez
SP Roger Clemens
SP Smokey Joe Wood
SP Cy Young
SP Lefty Grove

Red Sox Bullpen
LR Babe Ruth
LR Louis Tiant
SU Derek Lowe
SU Ellis Kinder
SU Dick Radatz
CL Jonathan Papelbon

In the simulation, the Yankees went 86-76 (.531).  You will also notice that the pitching numbers are very inflated due to these incredible lineups.

Click here to see the compiled statistics.

And then learn more about WhatIfSports' SimLeague Baseball and Hardball Dynasty.

Lastly, if you need a refresher on what type of data goes into their simulations and how they adjust for different eras, you can read our initial interview with WIS here.
 

08.03.2008 Power of Christianity

Huge swipe of 3B in Sunday's game.

Justin Christian stole 193 bases in the minors with an 85% success rate
 

08.03.2008 XXX

Xavier Nady since joining the Yankees:
.385/.467/.846/1.313

Xavier with film star, Peter North
 

07.31.2008 Another superstar, another smear campaign

It seems that whenever a star player leaves Boston, the Red Sox front office does its best to demonize him .  And usually, one of the main mouthpieces is Peter Gammons.

From Gammons' latest blog post on ESPN.com:

He used sycophants to insult ownership and everyone in authority, and one player who really cares for Ramirez said that he knew Ramirez could sit the last two months, collect his final $7 million and ride off into the $100 million sunset. The Red Sox knew that, as well. They had already threatened him with an unpaid suspension, but in a world where the union fights for those who don't work, the last two months were going to be a living hell of sit-down strikes, followed by suspensions. It would have been a half-season of what the past two weeks have been, namely a chokehold on the team's baseball culture.

Ramirez tried to sit, citing his knee. Problem is, after skipping Felix Hernandez and Joba Chamberlain, the Red Sox ownership and medical staff ordered him to take an MRI. If Ramirez hadn't forgotten which knee was bothering him, he would have been more convincing, but he got mixed up. Massachusetts General Hospital performed MRIs on both knees, found nothing and the next day ownership served Ramirez with a written notice that if he did not play, he would be suspended without pay.

Someday, when we really understand the whole 1980-2005 Steroid Era of which one admitted user says "the only guys who didn't do them after 1994 were either stupid or scared," we may ask the question: Was it worse to take performance-enhancing drugs to perform better and win, or decline to play and steal money?

Anyone who was watching John Lackey's run at a no-hitter continue in the seventh inning on Wednesday when Ramirez jogged to first in 5.7 seconds, realizes that he is one of those rare, gifted athletes who cares nothing about winning, about the integrity of the game or his teammates. (Source)

This is one of the biggest hitjobs we've ever read.  Gammons actually poses the question as to whether Manny's behavior was worse than baseball players taking steroids.  Absolutely disgusting journalism.  Gammons should be ashamed of himself.

07.30.2008 Pure stealth

As you all know by now, the Yankees pulled off an excellent and totally unexpected trade for Pudge Rodriguez.  This move was masterful.  Lane Meyer took a break from his kiddie blog to break down this secret-ops deal.  Read what he has to say.

Knowing is half the battle, b*tch.

07.30.2008 Our letter to Theo Epstein

07.30.2008 Hawkins nets an actual living human being

The busy New York Yankees traded reliever LaTroy Hawkins to the Houston Astros on Wednesday for minor league infielder Matt Cusick. (Source)

Why Houston did this?  No idea.  But, Cusick is actually a decent prospect.  He's not a stud by any means, but he has a bit of promise to him.  He's a 22-year old 2B who's put up solid numbers in the Sally League (Low-A) this season, showing increased power and a 40-to-42 BB:K ratio.
 

07.30.2008 Looking back at Kyle Farnsworth

While his tenure with the Yankees was marred with inconsistency, he did give us this gem.
 

07.29.2008 Yankees attacked again

Wilson Betemit: Wasted Talent
 

07.29.2008 Melancon promoted

The next big thing, Mark Melancon, was promoted to AAA Scranton

His line at Trenton: 49 2/3 IP, .183 BA Against, 3.92 K/BB, 8.51 K/9, 5.79 H/9, 0.89 WHIP, 64.2% Groundball Percentage, 6.7% Line Drive Percentage

Sources: milb.com and minorleaguesplits.com
 

07.28.2008 Birds beat up on Yankees

The Yankees fall to 4-6 versus the dismal O's this season.
 

07.28.2008 Aging fast

.746 OPS
 

07.27.2008 Yanks take 2 out of 3 from Red Sox

A quick thought though...
- We don't understand why Giambi needs to automatically sit versus left-handed starters, especially when the other option is Richie Sexson.  Sexson is really horrible.
 

07.26.2008 Happy Birthday, Alex

Alex Rodriguez turns 33 on Sunday and you know he'll be celebrating in style.

07.25.2008 The night he became a man

Joba dominated the Red Sox striking out 9 in 7 innings, while only allowing 3 hits and 1 BB.

Is there a person alive who still thinks he should be in the bullpen?
 

07.25.2008 Yanks pull off solid trade

REVISED: Nady, Marte for Tabata, Ohlendorf, McCutchen, and Karstens

Our opinion? This is a nice trade.  It isn't a crazy, back cover of the paper type trade.  But, it's a nice trade nonetheless.

Xavier Nady is a career 107 OPS+ hitter who is somehow putting up a 142 OPS+ this season, with a monster line of .330/ 383/.535/.918.  Some may say he's breaking out, but we think it's more a fluke season.  The main reason for his unusual success is that he's been crushing right-handed pitching this season (.335/.368/.538/.906), which is not something he has been particularly skilled at:

Nady vs. RHP over the last 3 years: .258/.307/.446 /.753

He also has a whopping .363 BABIP this season, which can indicate a great deal of luck.  However, his line drive percentage is up a big 5.2% over 2007, which is likely contributing to his higher BABIP.

So basically, we'll chalk up these inflated numbers to being a tad flukey.

However, what is true about Nady and has remained consistent over the years is his ability to hit LHP.  He kills left-handers.  So far this year,  he has put up a .956 OPS against them, and most importantly, this success is not a one-season thing (like his performance vs. RHP).  Over the last 3 years, he has averaged .319/.393/.488/.881 against lefties.

So this is a nice bat to add to a lineup which ranks 7th in the AL in OPS vs. LHP (.744). Plus, it gets Brett Gardner out of the lineup.

Although it's questionable why the Yankees felt they needed to add a reliever to their already lethal bullpen, Damaso Marte is quite good.  He has brutalized left-handed batters over the past 3 years, holding them to a line of .206/.309/.288/.597.  Oddly, he's been even better against RHB this season limiting them to a .562 OPS (compared to .783 from 2005-2007), while LHB have a .669 OPS.  Marte has also been a pitcher who has rung up the strikeout over his career, with a 9.59 K/9.

In return for Marte and Nady, the Pirates didn't receive all that much.  Obviously, Jose Tabata is the headliner, but his stock has decreased dramatically this season.  One of the top-ranked prospects in the Yankees system and someone we were always excited about, the young outfielder has been dreadful at AA this season.  Dreadful probably isn't even the right word to describe his performance this year.  His .248/.320/.310/.630 line is absolutely attrocious and he's had some discplinaryproblems too.

Ohlendorf was going nowhere fast as the Yankees have a large stable of young relievers and Ross just doesn't make the cut.

The addition of McCutchen to the deal makes it better for the Pirates (and stings a little bit for us). The 25-year old SP does have legit value and is probably ready for a shot in the bigs.

Karsten stinks, so no loss there.

A good, solid trade.
 

07.25.2008 Even Mussina agrees, Girardi > Torre

"[Girardi] has done a great job of using a lot of people in a lot of situations," Mussina said. "He hasn't grabbed hold of one guy and ridden him until he couldn't do it any more. He hasn't used two guys in winning situations and two guys in losing situations. He's used everybody in every situation. So anybody out there thinks he can pitch the seventh inning, the eighth or close a game out. And when you have seven guys all feeling that way, it's pretty good. We have a team now that feels pretty good about itself, no matter who we're playing." (Source)

Meanwhile, Scott Proctor has not pitched in a month due to elbow problems.

Thank you, Baseball Gods.  Thank you.
 

07.24.2008 Interview with PITCHf/x guru, Josh Kalk

The PITCHf/x system is revolutionizing the way we examine pitching.  No one has studied this new technology more than Hardball Times author, Josh Kalk.  NoMaas' Dr. Dale Beaverman sat down with Josh to talk about what he's learned from applying Pitchf/x to his pitching research.  It's one of the most insightful interviews we've ever done.

Click here to read the interview.
 

07.24.2008 Quick info

As we wait for Friday's game versus the Boston Scrappy Underdogs, let's take look a the Yankees' Runs Scored versus Runs Allowed, which often provides a more accurate depiction of how a team is playing.  Also known as a team's Pythagorean record, actual wins and losses seem to gravitate towards this Runs Scored vs. Runs Allowed relationship.

According to the Yankees' Runs Scored vs. Runs Allowed, they're actually a tad better than Tampa at this point.  What does this mean?  The Yankees are back in business.
 

07.23.2008 Next stop: Fenway

07.23.2008 Interview with 32nd round pick, UC Davis' Andy Suiter

Seriously, are you not reading our draft blog yet?  If you're not, you better ask somebody!

Click here to read this excellent interview.
 

07.22.2008 We would not trade the Utz potato chip sign for...

The Yankees noticed Monday when the Mariners left-hander Jarrod Washburn held the Red Sox to two runs over five and two-thirds innings in a 4-0 loss in Seattle. Washburn is one of the pitchers the Yankees are evaluating as they approach the July 31 nonwaiver trading deadline. (Source)

Washburn has an ERA+ of 84, an OPS against of .815, a WHIP of 1.48, a K/9 of 5.32, and a FIP of 4.45.  He's also due to make $10.35 million in 2009.

We would vomit if a trade was made for him.

Isn't she so cute?
 

07.21.2008 The difference between Girardi and Torre

Entering Monday's game: 10.50 K/9, 3.00 K/BB, 5.25 H/9, 0.97 WHIP, .559 OPS Against

Of American League relievers who have thrown at least 20 innings this season, Edwar ranks 11th in K/9, 15th in WHIP, 16th in K/BB, and 15th in OPS Against.

It's nice to have a manager who gives young players the chance to succeed.

Unrelated note: Great move by Girardi in Monday's game, bringing Edwar in during the bottom of the 6th with runners on first and third.  That basically shut the door on the Twins.  His bullpen management this season has been exceptional.

Girardi signals to the bullpen as he makes a pitching change.
 

07.21.2008 Posada to the DL, the Yankees should target...

In a big blow to the Yankees offense, we learned that Jorge Posada will be sent to the DL for the second time this season, again with shoulder problems.  He could be lost for the season.

While the return of Johnny Damon will help alleviate the loss, the Yankees will still have a large hole in their lineup due to Posada's injury.  You figure that Damon will now DH in the near-term because of his gimpy shoulder, which means more Brett Gardner in LF (not good).  And when Damon is healthy enough to play LF, there will then be an open DH slot (also not good).  We'd rather not see Richie Sexson in that role.

So how do the Yankees fill either that LF or DH spot?

Our target: Pittsburgh OF Jason Bay (who has been rumored to be on the move)

Here's why we like him.

He can flat-out rake.  He's a 130 OPS+ hitter for his career, posting a line of .281 / .376 / .515 / .891.  His career home/away splits are nearly identical, meaning he hits in all ballparks.  And he's in the midst of another great season at the prime age of 29.

He also has a financially-friendly contract situation.  He's only the books through 2009 and is scheduled to make a moderate $7.5 million next season.  With the amount of money the Yankees will spend (we hope they spend) in free-agency and with the roster in a likely state of flux, it would be advantageous to have a reasonable-salaried, high-quality player like Bay.

The downside to Bay is that he lacks range in LF.  He has consistently ranked near the bottom of the barrel in Zone Rating among NL left fielders over the last few years.

We absolutely love his bat though, and when Damon can actually play LF, Bay can then DH and all those with a defense-fetish can be happy.

In regards to who we'd be willing to trade for Bay...probably anyone but Austin Jackson and Phil Hughes (yes, we still believe).  If Pittsburgh insisted on one of those two, we would walk away.
 

07.21.2008 Lane Meyer = internet celebrity

Lane Meyer's draft blog continues to spread like salmonella.  Phil Allard of WCBS 880 interviewed Lane about the Yankees' 2008 amateur selections.

It's a great conversation between two people who have "no credentials."
 

07.20.2008 Yanks kick off 2nd half with sweep of Oakland

Yanks only 3 games behind Boston and 4.5 behind Tampa.
 

07.20.2008 Let's be real, son

With all the griping from us and other fans about what the Yankees should do at the trading deadline, we sometimes overlook what really needs to happen to propel this team into the playoffs.  We need to see some of the existing Yankees perform near their means.  We can point the finger at the front office all we want, but if players like Jeter, Cano, and Abreu continue to underperform, there are only so many things Cashman & Co. can do.  You can't trade for a whole new lineup.

OPS+ 2008 vs. 2007

Derek Jeter: 99 vs. 121 (currently having the worst year of his career)
Robinson Cano: 75 vs. 120
Bobby Abreu: 110 vs. 114 (.23 point higher OBP in 2007)
Melky Cabrera: 76 vs. 89 (it's gotten worse every year since 2006)
Jorge Posada: 112 vs. 154
 

07.19.2008 **NoMaas exclusive** Interview with Yankee draft signability case, Blake Monar

Proving once again that NoMaas is your best resource for Yankee draft coverage, the tireless Lane Meyer had a one-on-one conversation with 2008 26th-round pick and major signability case, LHP Blake Monar.

Check out our Yankees draft blog to read this great interview.
 

07.19.2008 Signing Sexson does not address the Yankees problems

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman had admitted the club's interest in Sexson recently, with the franchise in need of an additional power bat due to Hideki Matsui's lingering injury troubles. (Source)

Let's assume that Richie Sexson is not a corpse of a baseball player.  Let's also assume that he doesn't have a .370 BABIP against left handed pitching and that he hasn't been extremely lucky this season.  Lastly, let's assume that he didn't have a .238/.333/.419/.752 against LHP in 2007.

The main point here is that acquiring Richie Sexson does not address the Yankees biggest offensive problem, which is having Brett Gardner and Melky Cabrera in the same outfield (unless you like seeing a corner OF bunt his way on to first base).

As you saw in Friday's game, Sexson played first base (not a replacement for Matsui) and as a result, makes the lineup actually worse because you're sitting Jason Giambi to get Sexson in there.

A lineup with Gardner-Melky-Sexson-and-most-of-the time-Molina is rather putrid.  Giambi has a .903 OPS versus LHP this season.  He does not need to be platooned for.

If Sexson continues to play at Giambi's expense, then this isn't the "no-risk" move that some are describing it as.  If you take Giambi out of the lineup for Richie Sexson, then this is an acquisition which could hurt the Yankees.

This team needs someone to actually replace Matsui and the banged-up Johnny Damon.  They don't need a platoon partner for Jason Giambi.
 

07.17.2008 Would you rather?

Have this happen to you:

or have this be their attempt to solve the Yankees problems:

Serious question.
 

07.16.2008 Report card time

NoMaas' Gilbert Lowell provides his mid-season grades for all the position players and our protein-supplemented manager.

07.15.2008 Interview with the NY Sun's Tim Marchman

Tim Marchman covers the Yankees for the New York Sun and he's one of the best at what he does.  In his first interview with your beloved NoMaas, we hit on several topics including Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter, and the Yankees future in the AL East.

Click here to read.
 

07.15.2008 Papelbon: "I can't believe I wasn't well-received by Yankee fans."

After declaring that he, not Mariano Rivera, should be the closer for the AL All-Star team, baseball's biggest imbecile, Jonathan Papelbon, was shocked that he wasn't welcomed kindly by Yankee fans:

MLB.com reported that during a red carpet parade for the All-Star Game that went down Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, Papelbon and his wife Ashley were bombarded by insults from fans.

"I feel like I needed to be in a bullet-proof car," Papelbon said, according to the Web site. "My wife is pregnant and she's getting her life threatened. It's stupid."

Papelbon told MLB.com that he was so disturbed by the parade incident that he didn't even care if he pitched on Tuesday.

"Your family gets involved like that and you're trying to enjoy an experience with your family, and you have a wife who's pregnant who doesn't feel safe riding in a red-carpet event, you know what I mean? How would you feel?" Papelbon said, according to MLB.com. (Source)

07.15.2008 Brett Gardner is not the answer

With the news that Matsui may be gone for the season and Damon will be out longer than expected, the Yankees are left with an outfield which contains two poor hitters in Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner.  Let's take yet another look at the player which many believed to be The Great White Hope.

At NoMaas, we never clamored for Brett Gardner nor did we believe he was some
great prospect.  In fact, we suggested that it would be wise to trade him while his hype value was at its highest in AAA.  When you strike out at a high rate in the minors and you have zero power to make up for those strikeouts, then your potential as a major leaguer is significantly limited.  It doesn't matter how fast you are if pitchers can challenge you without fear of consequence.

The sample size police may caution us that he's only had 44 plate appearances, but his lack of production is just so logical to us.  In his 44 PAs, he's either struck out or hit the ball to the infield 28 times (not including 2 sac bunts).  His ground ball rate of 54.2% is very, very poor for a corner OF.  He's doing exactly what we thought he would.

The point of this isn't to rip on Gardner.  He's just a kid and as fans, we'd love to see him improve.  However, what we are saying is that this team is not making the playoffs with a Brett Gardner/Melky Cabrera combination in the OF.  The offense just can't afford that.  An acquisition needs to be made.
 

07.14.2008 Clash of the Titans: 1927 Yankees vs. 1998 Yankees

With All-Star festivities in full effect, we decided to have some fun of our own and have WhatIfSports run a custom simulaton for us.  We thought it would be very cool to see how the vaunted 1927 Murderer's Row Yankees would play versus the 1998 team that steamrolled its way to 114 regular season wins.

So, we had WIS simulate a best-of-seven series 1,000 times.  The rotation for the '27 Yankees was Waite Hoyt, Herb Pennock, and Urban Shocker.  Taking the mound for the '98 Yankees was David Wells, Orlando Hernandez, David Cone, and Andy Pettitte.

Without further adieu, here are the results:
Game 1: 1927 Yankees win 8-5 (Box Score)
Game 2: 1998 Yankees win 7-6 (Box Score)
Game 3: 1998 Yankees win 7-4 (Box Score)
Game 4: 1927 Yankees win 8-7 (Box Score)
Game 5: 1927 Yankees win 4-2 (Box Score)
Game 6: 1998 Yankees win 5-2 (Box Score)
Game 7: 1927 Yankees win 6-2 (Box Score)
 

07.13.2008 Interview with Rob Neyer

It may be a break for baseball, but we're not breaking at NoMaas.  In our first of two great interviews this week, we kick things off with a return from baseball historian, author, and ESPN columnist...the world famous Rob Neyer.

In this latest exchange, Rob offers his opinions to Sensei John Kreese on the Yankees' first half.

Click here to read.

P.S. Rob Neyer now ties Tyler Kepner for most interviews with NoMaas.Your move, T-Kep.

Rob Neyer and Sensei John Kreese go back a long way.
 

07.13.2008 At the break: Comparing NYY, Tampa, and Boston

The following data was obtained from Hardball Times and Baseball-Reference.

Offensive categories:
 

Team	Runs/G	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS+	Pitches/PA	BA/RISP	OPS+
NYY	4.63	.267	.339	.414	.752	3.85	.256	103
TB	4.63	.262	.337	.412	.749	3.84	.253	103
BOS	5.14	.282	.355	.452	.802	3.86	.272	113

Observations: Tampa and the Yankees have nearly identical performing offenses.  Boston is in a league of their own.

Not included in the chart:  Tampa has stolen 100 bases in 133 attempts -- The Yankees have stolen 60 in 82 attempts -- Boston has stolen 78 in 100 attempts.

Also not included:  Talk about home field advantage, Boston is averaging 5.91 runs per game at home and 4.42 runs per game on the road.  It must be nice to play in a little league field.

Pitching categories:
 

Team	Runs/G	ERA	FIP	K/G	BB/G	ERA+
NYY	4.34	4.12	3.91	6.90	3.10	99
TB	4.11	3.77	3.87	7.00	3.2	109
BOS	4.11	3.83	4.04	7.30	3.70	113

Observations:  With the pitchers that Tampa still has on the farm, their staff is going to be crazy good for years.

Not included in the chart: Not only does Boston light up the scoreboard at home, but they also allow less runs at home than they do on the road (3.78 vs. 4.42).

Defensive categories:
 

Team	Def Efficiency	RZR
NYY	.690	.832
TB	.710	.836
BOS	.706	.833

Observations: Defensive metrics are much more difficult to obtain and evaluate, but on the surface, the Yankees convert less batted balls into outs than both Boston and Tampa.  Also, if you look at the team ERAs and FIPs of both Boston and Tampa, it looks like their pitching may have benefited from some solid defense.  The reverse seems true of the Yankees.
 

07.11.2008 If not scoring runs is cool, consider the Yanks Miles Davis

As the offense continues to defecate the bed, the Yanks say they're not interested in Bonds.

Barry Bonds is not considered an option. Cashman said: "I guess I can say that they have engaged us in the past and I've told them that I have too many people, maybe not too many people with the same ability, but too many people at the same spot that you have a lot of dollars committed to." (Source)

We're aware of the "Yankees have too many DHs!1!!" argument that many fans have.  However, the longer Damon and Matsui remained sidelined, the less it makes any sense and the less runs the Yankees score.

Plus, we find it unsual that the Yankees can pick up everyone's "tired, hungry, and poor", but yet can't take a chance on one of the greatest hitters* ever.
 

07.11.2008 Yankees aim to lead the league in HRs allowed next season

The Yankees signed left-handed starter Eric Milton to a Minor League contract on Friday. The 32-year-old, who is recovering from surgery on his left elbow, has been assigned to Triple-A Scranton and will be placed on the disabled list. This will allow him to continue his rehab at the Yankees Minor League complex in Tampa, Fla. (Source)

Year -- Home Runs Allowed by Milton -- Rank
2000 -- 35 -- 2
2001 -- 35 -- 2
2004 -- 43 -- 1
2005 -- 40 -- 1
2006 -- 29 -- 5
(Source)

07.10.2008 NoMaas partners with WhatIfSports

You may have noticed that we've started to accept some advertising.  We were always somewhat hesistant to do so, as our main goal was always to keep the site clean, quick, and friendly on the eyes.  However, as the site has expanded and our visitor base has increased, we need to generate some revenue to cover our costs and introduce new features that require some benjamins.  With that being said, we believe that we can accomplish this objective and still keep the same navigation experience for all of our interested readers.  In fact, we thought it would be really something if we can pick an advertiser who could actually add value to the NoMaas experience.

This is why we're very excited about our partnership with WhatIfSports(WIS).  For those not familar with WIS, the company is the internet's foremost sports simulation provider.  What does this mean?  We'll be able to do things like put Yankee teams of the past versus Yankee teams of the present -- complete with box score.  We can accept bets on how many home runs Babe Ruth would hit off Kyle Farnsworth.  We can create an all-time Yankee team (SCoTT BRoSIUS AT 3B!!11!!) and see how they match up against other franchises.  We'll be able to perform season forecasts using sabermetric calculations and fancy algorithms. Basically, we're adding a new dimension to our analysis and will be able provide some very entertaining features.

WhatIfSports has also taken their simulation technology and created the most intense online baseball games you've ever seen.  A few NoMaas staffers have been playing them for a while.  They're quite nuts.  If you're looking to further decrease your productivity at work, check them out.

To introduce the capabilities of WhatIfSports, Sensei John Kreese sat down with WIS Quantitative Analyst Paul Bessire and talked about a wide range of topics including their sabermetric approach to simulation, how they rank against other sim technologies,  their successful forecasts and of course, their amazingly detailed games.

Click here to read the interview.
 

07.09.2009 You know your website has hit it big when...

...You get emails from strip clubs.  We got this today:

The sexy ladies at Rick's Cabaret Gentlemen's Club on West 33rd Street in
Manhattan are raring to go if Madonna and A- Rod stop into Rick's anytime soon.
A-Rod has been widely reported as a Rick's customer, and his penchant for
strippers is undeniable.  Stories of Madonna's bisexual attraction to women have been circulating for years, most recently in reports of her brother's upcoming tell-all book. "There is no better place than Rick's for these two to enjoy a titillating night on the town and fuel the fire of their new relationship," says Violet, a 23 year-old (36-24-36) dancer at Rick's, who admits she has a huge crush on the couple. Although another dancer, 21 year-old Lindsay (brunette all-natural 34-24-33), is not impressed by the new hot couple. "A-Rod and Madonna? Madonna? She's so old. Like, my mother likes her."

Dear Violet and Lindsay,

Please email us...with video.

Thank you.
 

07.09.2008 You think this season is frustrating?

Through 91 games in 2007, the Yankees were 47-44 and 8 1/2 games out of first.

Through 91 games this season, the Yanks sit 49-42 and 6 1/2 games out of first.

Cheer up, sugarplums.
 

07.08.2008 Harden traded to the Cubs for...basically nothing

The Chicago Cubs acquired pitcher Rich Harden yesterday in a six-player trade with Oakland, a deal that came a day after division rival Milwaukee added Cy Young Award-winner C.C. Sabathia.

Chicago also received pitcher Chad Gaudin and sent pitcher Sean Gallagher, catcher Josh Donaldson, infielder Eric Patterson and outfielder Matt Murton to Oakland, the teams said. (Source)
 

Gigantic injury risk?  Yes.  But Harden is in the last year of his deal and has a very affordable $7 mil team option for 2009.  He's also been phenomenal this season with a 162 ERA+ and a K/9 of 10.75.

The Cubs acquired him without surrendering any player or prospect of great importance -- basically a bunch of stuff.

It makes you wonder...

Sidney Ponson will be starting on Wednesday.
 

07.08.2008 Andy tosses a gem against Rays

8 IP, 4 H, 5 K, 0 BB, 0 ER

Andy Pettitte's infamous schnoz
 

07.07.2008 Interview with the NY Times' Tyler Kepner

With this being Tyler's third interview with our site, he is now the all-time NoMaas leader.  Congratulations, friend.  Feel free to use us as a reference if you decide to ever leave the Times.  Employers love us.

As always, we appreciate Tyler's insight and in our latest sit-down, we talked about trade deadline deals, the status of injured players, and other Yankee happenings.

Please click here to read.
 

07.06.2008 Gardner slays Papelbon

A victory for little people everywhere, as Brett won the battle versus AnusMouth.
 

07.06.2008 Another bat bites the dust

The Yankees placed Johnny Damon on the disabled list on Sunday for the first time in his 13-year career because the outfielder's strained and bruised left shoulder hadn't improved much since he injured it against the Red Sox on Friday.

Damon bruised the shoulder and strained his left AC joint during a violent collision with the left-field fence. General Manager Brian Cashman said it's "50-50" that Damon will return to the active roster when he is eligible to.

"It could be longer," Cashman said. "I certainly don't want to represent that he'd be ready in 15 days. It's probably a push." (Source)

Seriously, what is it going to take for this team to look at Bonds?
 

07.06.2008 This has to be a mistake

American League All-Star selections:

Somewhat surprising was the selection of Varitek, if only because the team's captain is mired in what he recently referred to as "the worst rut of my career." He is hitting .219 with seven homers and 27 RBIs.

However, Francona and other players on the team always refer to how much Varitek contributes to wins even when he's not hitting. And the fact that his peers voted in him despite his offensive numbers probably demonstrates that better than anything.

"I'm honored," Varitek said. "You've got to appreciate it while you can. Cut out the last three weeks, and I'd be OK. It's flattering either way. It's an honor that your peers feel that way." (Source)

We would have to assume that this is one of the worst All-Star selections in baseball history.  Captain Intangibles is hitting .218 with a .300 OBP and .358 SLG....and he makes the All-Star team?  Insane.  Even a Red Sox fan must believe this selection is pure madness, right?

Here's Keith Law's take:

Varitek has been so bad at the plate this season that he's below replacement level for catchers -- that theoretical player who any team could grab from Triple-A to fill that roster spot. (Source)
 

07.05.2008 Mussina throws a masterpiece

Mussina had 5 happy little strikeouts through 6 innings.
 

07.05.2008 Dear Interested Reader, we get it

You don't like Girardi.

UPDATE, 5:55 p.m.: Veras for Moose. No idea whether Moose wanted to continue, but he was only at 89 pitches. The next three Boston hitters are 0 for 6 against him today.

How do you take a guy out who has a four-hit shutout going in a game you really need to win? Joe Torre does that and people would be marching on the Stadium with torches and pitchforks. (Source)

Oops:

* Mike Mussina felt light-headed in the sixth inning, which is why he didn’t come out for the seventh. (Source)
 

07.05.2008 Food for thought

Through 87 games, the Yankees have scored 410 runs and allowed 389.
(+21 run differential).

Through 87 games in 2007, the Yankees had scored 489 runs and allowed 396.
(+75 run differential).

Based on this simple comparison, one could make an argument that the 2007 team was in better shape than the 2008 version.  However, as NoMaas' Prince Akeem pointed out a couple weeks ago, both A-Rod and Posada missed significant chunks of this season and thus the 2008 Pythag may be a little misleading.  It makes for an interesting debate.
 

07.04.2008 It's tough to win games when your team is full of this

07.04.2008 A rotation anchored by Mike Mussina?

Who would have ever thought that?  But, according to ERA+, it's true.

Mike Mussina's ERA+: 104
Andy Pettitte: 96
Darrell Rasner: 91 (before Friday's poor start)
Sidney Ponson: 70 (in his 2 NYY starts)

And then the injured guys:
Chien Ming Wang: 99
Ian Kennedy: 54
Phil Hughes: 45

We obviously left Joba out of this analysis, but it's clear that this rotation is in a sad state of affairs.  When Mike Mussina is your best non-Joba starter, then you're in some serious trouble.
 

07.04.2008 Now on sale

07.02.2008 Finally

Yankees offense explodes for 18 runs, actually get hits with RISP
Giambi continues his monster season: Grand slam, 2B, 6 RBI - OPS at .964
Arod is good: 2-3, HR, 2 BB, 4 R, 3 RBI - OPS at 1.011
 

07.02.2008 Red Sox limp into the Bronx

Looking at movies from a male point of view
 

07.02.2008 International free agents

In 2006, the Yankees signed then-16 year old catcher Jesus Montero for $1.6 million.  Montero was regarded by many as the best international free agent that year.  Would the Yankees make another big splash in 2008?  At first glance, it looks like they didn't.  With this season's biggest prize going to the A's and the Padres dropping some serious chedda, the Yankees seemed to be a tad cost-controlled in their acquisitions.  From SaberScouting.com:

The Yankees have also made their signees official:

- INF Giancarlo Arias
- C/3B Jackson Valera
- OF Ramon Flores
- SS Anderson Felix
- RF Yeico Calderon

As mentioned above, Felix was for $500,000, and all of these players were fringe seven figure talents that the Yankees locked up early in the process. While the bonuses aren’t clear yet for all of these players, it appears all five were for below-market, value-type deals between $500,000 and $900,000.

Calderon, Flores, and Arias...all are excellent hitters with corner player type skills, though Arias may stick at second base. Felix is a hitability shortstop with gap-to-gap power likely moving to second base, and Valera keeps with the theme as a very good bat with plus power but no clear position.

The Yankees focused on guys with high-probability bats that they were able to get at below-market prices, all in an exploding market. (Source)
 

07.01.2008 You would think someone who makes $30 mil a year could get better-looking girls

Us Weekly reports in its new issue, on newsstands tomorrow, that Madonna's seven-year marriage to Guy Ritchie has stalled out – and the singer has been hosting late-night visits from New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez at her Central Park West apartment in New York City.

A source tells Us that the $28-million-a-year Rodriguez, 32, has made numerous solo nighttime visits to Madonna, 49, at her spacious home and would sneak out "as late as midnight." Says the source, "All the doormen are talking."

Rodriguez attended Madonna's April 30 NYC concert; the singer sat in his seats at a Yankees game on June 22 (it was the first time she ever was photographed at a Yankees game).(Source)

Rodriguez, 32, and Madonna, 78, photographed in NYC.
 

06.30.2008 Leave it to the Yankees to make Rangers' pitching look good

The Texas Rangers entered Monday's game with a staff ERA+ of 83.  For those not familiar with ERA+, we'll put that number into words the common people can understand:  God Awful.

Wasting an 8 strikeout performance from the reborn Mike Mussina, the "Bombers" continued to showcase their ineptitude with runners in scoring position, going 0-for-6 on the night.

The Yankees season line with RISP:
.253 BA / .336 OBP / .374 SLG / .710 OPS

How absolutely terrible is that?  It's shockingly bad.  Only two teams in the AL have been worse, and the next team above the Yanks is Kansas City, who have a .751 OPS with RISP.

06.28.2008 Ca$hMoney: A little too overboard with the kids?

Here at NoMaas, our love of all things Ca$hmoney is legendary. We take a backseat to no one in our adulation of the man who brought stability and growth to our farm system -- a farm system that was at one time the biggest joke in the majors and now makes us one of the biggest players in both producing talent for our own team and making deals.

However, an interview with Cashman in yesterday's Newsday does give us pause. The following quotes especially leave us a little confused, and we're hoping that's the intended effect.

Some highlights:

People are clamoring for Yankees general manager Brian Cashman to stop sitting there and do something already -- something big -- to improve the Yankees' tattered pitching staff.

Go get C.C. Sabathia, they scream. Pry Erik Bedard out of Seattle. Enough with these journeymen and castoffs and overmatched kids that the Yankees keep trotting out, even on occasions like the Subway Series.

Cashman hears you, all right. And he disagrees.

"It's almost like doing what we used to do has become people's binky, their pacifier, their security blanket," Cashman said with a mix of derision and weariness Saturday.

Let's be clear about something. We were hugely successful in the past in large part due to the trades for, and acquisition of, premier starting pitchers. In fact, this style of rotation building was far more responsible for our success than building from within, considering that Andy Pettitte was the only homegrown starter during what we'll refer to as "The Security Blanket Period."

Recently, the premier starting pitching that's been available was actually quite young relative to the Clemens and Cones of yesteryear. The Santana ship has sailed, but it just so happens a guy like Sabathia may be available soon. Isn't he precisely the kind of player Cashman has said you build up your system in part to acquire should he hit the market?

"Hopefully, we'll give people the opportunity to see that they don't have to buy into that old thinking here that we need to go out and bring some old, aging, overpriced veteran in here, like we used to," he said.

This comment, if made by someone who didn't bring in people like Andy Pettitte, Roger Clemens, and LaTroy Hawkins would sound great -- not to mention handing out gigantic contracts to our "old, aging" catcher and closer. **(We're not necessary arguing against those deals.  We were firmly behind Po's signing, but we did think the Mariano deal was ridiculous.  But, what we are saying is that they wouldn't seem to fit into Ca$hmoney's stated philosophy here.)

Finally, there was this:

The Yankees' revolving door of pitchers has resembled a cattle call at times this year. But Cashman, smiling now, preferred Saturday to call it his "Statue of Liberty" play.

"Give me your tired, your hungry, your poor," he joked. "We're into giving opportunities here now, seeing who lasts and who doesn't."

This is what's referred to as "Throwing sh*t at a wall." It's not so much a strategy as it points to a lack of one. And yes, for $200 million, you'd think we could get a little bit better grade of crap than Sidney Ponson.

It is our profound hope that as we head into the heat of the trade deadline, this article is simply serving as a means for Cashman to let other GMs know that the house may be crumbling, but the air conditioning is working just fine. Everything's still cool. If we had to place a bet, it would be with Cashman.

However recent months, and one very public non-move (the Santana deal that never was), do give us some cause for concern that perhaps Cash is a little too enamored with his farm system. Perhaps he's also a little too enamored with trying to prove he doesn't need $200 million dollars to build a baseball team. All commendable, but to a point. There is middle ground between Sidney Ponson and CC Sabathia (not much, obviously, because they're both really fat). At the end of the day, we sincerely hope Cashman does understand the difference between value and cheap.
 

06.29.2008 This is what happens when you act like you're entitled to pitch

From friend of NoMaas, Tyler Kepner of the NY Times:

Ian Kennedy threw five shutout innings for Class A Tampa on Saturday, but Joe Girardi is not closely tracking his progress. Kennedy is no longer rehabilitating his strained lat muscle, Girardi stressed Sunday morning.

“This is him getting right,” Girardi said. “He’s not on the D.L. now. This is earning his way back, just like the other 175 players or so in the minors.”

The Yankees have two fill-in starters now (Darrell Rasner and Sidney Ponson), but Girardi said Kennedy needs to prove that he deserves to be here.

“That’s the thing,” Girardi said. “You have to pitch well to earn your spot back.” (Source)
 

06.28.2008 It makes too much sense now

The Yankees acknowledged that Hideki Matsui could need surgery on his ailing left knee if it doesn't start feeling better. The slugger was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday.

"Hopefully, this is a 15-day thing and we get him healthy and get him better," manager Joe Girardi said. "Could it be more? Yes." (Source)
 

06.28.2008 Congrats to David Robertson

Meanwhile, the Yankees added a fresh arm to their bullpen Saturday, purchasing right-hander Dave Robertson's contract from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. New York also optioned lefty Kei Igawa back to Triple-A, one day after he was called up.

The 23-year-old Robertson was 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA and one save in 20 relief appearances for Scranton. He had 48 strikeouts and 16 walks in 33 innings. (Source)

We've been writing about David Robertson for a while now, and we even included him in our 2008 Top Prospects report.  He has been nothing short of amazing in his blaze through the Yankee farm system.  Having rung up 187 Ks in 136 innings (12.375 K/9) and having NEVER ALLOWED A HR, this is well-deserved promotion for the young reliever.
 

06.26.2008 Uh oh, what are we saying now?

Teams have shied away, not wanting to deal with the glare of attention Bonds would bring. The outfielder, who turns 44 on July 24, has been offered by Borris to all 30 teams for a prorated share of the $390,000 minimum.

Borris said Bonds even would play for free — offering to donate whatever salary he receives to purchase tickets for children. (Source)

You have to wonder why nobody has picked up Bonds, especially when he would only seek the minimum.  Something is definitely up.  We know he would bring a media circus to whoever signed him, but the guy had a 170 OPS+ last year with a .480 OBP!!  Do you realize how insane a .480 OBP is?  Do you?

So, we're sitting here looking at this.  Barry Bonds is available, and he could be had for what MLB teams consider pocket change.

Not a person on earth could make the argument that Bonds wouldn't instantly and significantly improve a team -- including the Yankees.

Yet, can you imagine bringing Barry Bonds to the capital of the world?  It would be a media spectacle beyond belief.  Pure craziness.  A possible PR nightmare.

You know what though, we would do it.  Everybody hates the Yankees anyway.  Can you even comprehend putting Bonds in a lineup which also features Alex Rodriguez and a slugging Jason Giambi?  Dear God.

Plus, with Hideki Matsui having the knees of a 75-year old man, Damon getting older and more banged up, and Giambi an at-bat away from tearing some part of his damaged body, it may make sense just to have another elite (super-elite) bat on the roster (then again, we have BRETT GARDNER!!1111!).

But seriously, throw roster depth and injury replacement theories out the window.  We're looking at this in a very simple way.  Pitchers are petrified of Barry Bonds.  He can be signed for virtually nothing.

Isn't the goal to win games?
 

06.25.2008 Joba to critics: "Tell me how my a** tastes."

Where are the people who criticized Joba's move to the rotation?

Joba's last three starts:
18 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 18 K, 16 H, 1.56 G/F

06.25.2008 Raising money for a great cause

It's not often a columnist from the Journal News contacts us without using an alias, but Sam Borden did just that today.  It turns out that on Friday, Sam is walking the 10 miles between Shea and Yankee Stadium to raise money for the American Cancer Society.  His goal is to raise $5,000 and he's very close to that number.

For more information about volunteering and/or donating to this great cause, please visit Sam's site here.  No word yet on whether Sam will be packing heat.
 

06.24.2008 Quite possibly the worst game of the season

For a few different reasons...

The Yankees have blown an opportunity to move up in the standings as Boston has lost 3 out of their last 5, and Tampa has split their last 4.

The problems with runners in scoring position continued as the Yankees only managed 3 runs versus a Pirates starter who walked five and threw only 47% of his pitches for strikes.

The Yankees are now 1-3 versus the Reds and Pirates.  The Reds and Pirates have been outscored by their opponents by a combined 93 runs.  The Yankees can't beat them.

Jeter left 3 men on base versus the Pirates and grounded into his team-leading 10th double-play.
 

06.24.2008 The decline of Robert Abreu

Always noted for his consistency, Abreu's numbers have fallen off consistent with the decline phase of a typical player. His OPS+ since age 30: 145, 126, 126, 114, and currently sitting at 106 (entering Tuesday's game). Even more startling is that the noted base-on-balls king is seeing a dramatic decline in his walk rate.  It's down to a meager 8.7% of his plate appearances, a decrease of 3.3% from 2007 and way off his career clip of 15.1%.

Regardless of what he does for the remainder of the season, the Yankees should be cautious when it comes time to decide whether or not to bring him back.  It's looking like a a draft pick (hopefully) might be the way to go.
 

06.24.2008 Everybody wants Brett Gardner

Go to just about any Yankees website and you'll see the calls for Brett Gardner (and for the head of Melky Cabrera).  Although we wrote about Gardner in April, NoMaas' SABR freak, Marty McFly, decided to take another look at the speed-demon who everyone and their mother wants to see in CF.

Click here for the article.
 

06.23.2008 Another look at the offense

On May 2, we took a look at how the Yankees' offense stacked up against the rest of the AL.  As you can remember, it was terrible.  Let's examine how it ranks now.

May 2:
Runs per game: 4.30 (10th)
OPS: .735 (6th)
OBP: .327 (10th)
SLG: .408 (6th)
BA/RISP: .241 (12th)
Pitches per PA: 3.77 (10th)

June 23rd:
Runs per game: 4.62 (6th)
OPS: .767 (4th)
OBP: .341 (3rd)
SLG: .425 (4th)
BA/RISP: .251 (12th)
Pitchers per PA: 3.83 (6th)

The offense is trending upwards, but BA/RISP still continues to be a problem.  The league average is .268 and the Yankees still are at the bottom of the pack.
 

06.23.2008 Another plug for our draft blog

The information that Lane Meyer has compiled about this year's Yankee draft picks is nothing short of remarkable.  Today, we were the first Yankees site to report the signing of Matt Richardson.   But, it's more than just signing updates.  The draft blog provides local stories, background information, scouting reports, quotes from coaches, and much more...all from a plethora of different sources.

If you're not checking this out everyday, then you're not in the know, son.
 

06.22.2008 Andy, Giambi help Yanks save face against Reds

06.22.2008 $200 million payroll and a blossoming player development machine...

And the Yankees might start Sidney Ponson in a game versus the Mets?  What? Since the Yankees seem to have an obsession with hard-throwing sinkerball pitchers, they probably aren't paying attention to Ponson's terrible track record and current peripherals:

4.04 K/9 (the lowest of his entire crappy career)
11.47 Hits/9 (almost 1.5 hits/9 above his career average)
LD rate: 18.0% (very consistent with his 2006 & 2007 LD%)
.782 OPS Against

His groundballs are up and his HRs are down, but we don't see anything other than luck which is the reason for this.  We looked for older pitch F/X data on him to see if his pitches are any different this season, but we couldn't find that information.  But, we'll go out on a limb and say that he still stinks.
 

06.18.2008 As reported by Interested Reader...

The Yankees have signed Sidney Ponson to a AAA contract and he is en route to Scranton. (Source)

We're always fans of signing once-productive players to minor league deals, but Ponson is pure garbage.  Between his horrible pitching and terrible personality, we have no idea how he's still in baseball.

If he pitches in a major league game, do something else that day.  Spend time with your girlfriend.  Read a book.  Go for a nice jog.  Light yourself on fire.

These are all better options.
 

06.17.2008 Yanks ride the mustache to 5 wins in a row

Back to back shutouts.  Runs Scored vs Runs Allowed getting better and better.  Looks like the Yankees finally woke up.

2-3, 2 HRs, OPS now at .998
 

06.17.2008 Yet another example of how Hank isn't usurping Cashman

Asked later if the Yankees would balk at trading youngsters for a pitcher, Steinbrenner acknowledged, "It depends on who it is. But all our top pitchers who we like, our top prospects? No chance." (Source)
 

06.16.2008 Another major injury for the Yanks, this time a broken Wang

Just about every news source, including Interested Reader, is reporting that Wang will be out for at least 10 weeks with a serious foot injury.

The C.C. Sabathia speculation has already begun.  We'll have our opinion in the coming days.

06.16.2008 The limitations of ERA

NoMaas' spreadsheet geek, Marty McFly, explains why ERA isn't an accurate method of judging a pitcher.

Click here to indulge your sabermetric fetish.
 

06.15.2008 Interview with Trenton beat writer, Mike Ashmore

A few weeks ago, we spoke with Trenton Thunder beat writer Mike Ashmore about the disciplinary problems of the highly-touted Yankee prospect, Jose Tabata.  Mike has returned and this time we talk to him about what else is going on at the Yankees' Double-A affiliate.

Click here to read the interview.
 

06.15.2008 A piece of blame pie

Robinson Cano, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy -- these three players would be identified by many fans as the biggest disappointments of this season.  However, flying a bit under the blame game radar has been Derek Jeter and his early 1990s haircut.

Heading into Sunday's game with Houston, Jeter's OPS+ was an abysmal 91 which was the 3rd lowest among Yankee regulars (Cano & Melky).  His .329 OBP is a whopping 57 points below his career average, and his line drive rate of 15.2% is down 4% from 2007.  He currently ranks 116 in VORP among MLB position players.

Although we'll probably get emails now for critiquing St. Derek, it doesn't change the fact that Jeter has been pretty terrible so far this season.

06.15.2008 Pythagorean fun

From NoMaas' Prince Akeem, Heir to the throne of Zamunda:

Some of the Debbie Downers in the Yankees fan base like to point out that contrary to last year, the team's poor start may be explained by fundamental weakness rather than a simple combination of bad slumps and poor luck. They usually point out that our net scoring differential (ie, runs scored minus runs allowed) is negative (314-315 before the 13-0 drubbing of the Astros), usually a telling sign that the team should play under .500 ball.

Not to play the injury card, or worse, to go all Eric Van on our readers, but we believe that with the significant injuries which have plagued the team so far, run differential might not be a very telling indicator of the strength of this team.

Yes, the Yankees had injuries last year too, but this time, we have had two of our main offensive contributors miss significant playing time, which in our view resulted in a real understatement of our RS potential. Well, that and Robinson Cano doing his best Tony Womack impersonation at 2B.

Moreover, we also note that the injuries did not only happen to two of our best hitters, they happened to hit our two best right-handed hitters. With Jeter posting a .715 OPS in May, these injuries made this lineup an extremely left-handed one, essentially useless against lefties, to the tune of a 340 / .386 / .726 collective line year to date.

From May 20 on, that is, the day we got Alex Rodriguez back in the lineup, our run differential is a much more decent 135 to 118, which in Pyth terms, translates into a .567 winning percentage. Nothing to write home about (this amounts to a 92 wins season), and we also understand that the super hot streak of Jason Giambi (1.139 OPS in June) will probably recede somewhat, but we thought it was worth pointing out that with our C and 3B positions yielding above replacement level production again, the run differential might be due for some correction, and our overall record might look brighter two months from now.

In any case, we stay tuned and refuse to believe that this team is going to stay around .500 for much longer.
 

06.13.2008 Best. Draft. Pick. Ever.

41st round, OF Mykal Stokes (Tustin High School, CA)

He sings, he cheats on his math tests, and he likes booty.

For more about the phenomenon that is Mykal Stokes, check out our draft blog.
 

06.12.2008 173 Ks in 127 innings

That's what David Robertson has done in his brief minor league career.  Oh yes, he's only allowed 68 hits too.  His numbers are all types of crazy.

He's currently making hitters look foolish at AAA, striking out 34 in 24 innings with a BA against of .170.

We eagerly await his callup.
 

06.11.2008 The Yankees are bad for baseball

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced today that Standing Room Only tickets for all three Pirates home games against the New York Yankees are now on sale. A total of 2,300 tickets per game are available at a cost of $8 each.

The Pirates will host the Yankees for the first time since the 1960 World Series during the three game series from Tuesday, June 24 through Thursday, June 26. Each game is scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m. (Source)

The Pirates are currently next-to-last in attendance.
 

06.11.2008 Is Phil Hughes injury prone?

Now reportedly out until August, NoMaas' Dr. Dale Beaverman takes a look at the young pitcher with a lengthy injury history.

06.09.2008 BFFs

Cano: .231 / .273 / .336 / .609
Cabrera: .270 / .322 / .386 / .708

So awful together.
 

06.09.2008 Ian O'Connor: Terrible hair, even worse analysis

This could be the worst article we have ever read about any subject.

The kid likely will be a good starter, but that’s not the point. Chamberlain is a reliever, a devastating one at that. He needs that three-out adrenaline rush the way Kobe Bryant needs his hang time.

Actually, it is the point. So you admit he will "likely be a good starter", yet you'd rather use him for 3 outs at a time because...it's more exciting?

Never mind that the Yankees shouldn’t be orchestrating this awkward transition in-season, treating a June game like a split-squad scrimmage in March.

Yet both times, their plan to piggyback Joba with Giese has yielded a combined quality start and given the Yankees a chance to win. So you are basing your objection on what, aesthetics? Have you seen your hair, Ian?

If Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy were what they were advertised to be, or if the deal for Johan Santana were made, Chamberlain would’ve been the man in the eighth Sunday, not Jose Veras, who got the outs (this time) Kyle Farnsworth doesn’t often get.

That's your opinion, even though it stands in direct contradiction to every single word from the Yankee brass dating back to last summer. But hey, keep making stuff up, it's only "journalism".

It’s all water under the bridge to Mariano Rivera, the closer Joba was scheduled to succeed. But the Yankee owners and scouts and wayward starters got in the way, and so Chamberlain will be the Bronx’s Beckett when his mentality screams that he should be the Bronx’s Papelbon-to-be.

Ian, I am not sure the word "scheduled" means what you think it means.

Ian, buddy, are you serious?
 

06.08.2008 Somebody doesn't like NoMaas (and seems to be a little off his rocker)

We've put many, many hours of work into our site since we launched in May 2005.  We try to bring a unique blend of insight, comedy, and analysis to our loyal visitors.  When we recently launched our draft blog, we thought it would be a great resource for fellow draft-geeks to follow the many different storylines which surround these new prospects.  But apparently, not everyone is a fan of our efforts.

In one of his first draft blog entries, NoMaas minor league correspondent Lane Meyer received the following comment from a user named "Interested Reader":

Interested reader Says:

June 4th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
No offense, “Lane” but you won’t even use your real first name on the information you provide. Yet you are presented as some sort of expert.

What credentials do you have?

It’s hard to trust anything on the internet, much less from somebody who’s pretending he’s a character in a cheesy movie. (Source)

And then a few entries later, Lane Meyer received another comment from "Interested Reader":

Interested reader Says:

June 5th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Schooled by LoHud. Ha. (Source)

These comments sounded a little suspicious to us, so we decided to do a little bit of research.  We cross-referenced the IP address used by "Interested Reader" with the IP addresses of posters on our message board.  And wouldn't you know, our CSI:NoMaas team found a match.  Ladies and gentleman, we give you the Journal News' Peter Abraham.

Apparently, Peter goes out of his way to post messages on our draft blog in an attempt to discredit our work.  Hey, that's fine.  When you publish your opinions on the internet, you are fair game to criticism.  It comes with the territory.  We receive plently of feedback from visitors who disagree with us.  We think that's great.

We just find it highly amusing that a Yankees beat writer is fixated on a site run by a small group of fans with full-time jobs and who run NoMaas as a hobby.  It's also odd for Peter to critique our anonymity, but then post inflammatory comments under an alias.

You're a weird guy, Pete.  Very weird.
 

06.04.2008 Cash, Hank talk extension

But we thought HANK WAS FORCING CASHMAN OUT!!!1111!!!

A potential contract extension for Yankees general manager Brian Cashman will be discussed this week while the club holds a summit in Florida, according to a report published on Thursday by the Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger.

"We're going to be talking about it," Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner was quoted as saying.

Asked if he wants to keep Cashman and if Cashman wants to stay, Steinbrenner told the Star-Ledger, "That's the impression I get." (Source)

Ain't no such things as halfway crooks.
 

06.04.2008 Damon: Great season, poor IQ

Damon on Joba Chamberlain's transition to the rotation:

"I just felt like our bullpen was our strength," Damon said. "I think it still could be, but when you move a guy like that, everyone's trying to find a role. Everyone's trying to replace a guy who was possibly the best in that role.

"You don't take Jeter out of the two-hole and put him in the seven-hole just because you're leaving the '4' and '5' guys on base," he said. "You let him do what he does best." (Source)

Damon is another one who believes that the 3 outs in the 8th matter more than the 21 outs in the first 7.

Stupid!  You're so stupid!
 

06.03.2008 Introducing our MLB Draft Blog

With the big league team continuing to sink into the abyss, it's time to focus your attention on something actually worth your time:  Thursday's baseball draft.

In our attempt to rule the World Wide Web, we are very excited to roll out our new MLB draft blog.  Run by our minor league guru Lane Meyer, we'll cover anything and everything about the Yankees' selections -- providing analysis, commentary, interviews, signing updates, and more.

So check in early and often.  You can find our new feature here:
NoMaas' MLB Draft Blog
 

06.02.2008 Yanks split series with Twins, fall back below .500

06.02.2008 Joba to make his starting debut

06.02.2008 Sixty percent of you were incorrect

A month ago we ran a poll asking which would happen first: A Phil Hughes win or a Joba Chamberlain start.  Of the 1401 people who voted, 60% thought Phil Hughes would earn a win before Joba would get a start.

The 40% of you who were correct will be receiving a nice piece of fruit.
 

06.01.2008 Through 56 games

2008: 28 W, 28 L
2007: 25 W, 31 L

It's an improvement!!

06.01.2008 For $15 million a year, he should be pitching like this

We're joking.  Kind of.

25 IP, 0.38 ERA, 0.56 WHIP, 11 H, 24 K, 2 BB, .304 OPS Against, 93.63 mph cutter

06.01.2008 A quick update on the next impact bullpen arms

J.B Cox (AAA): 8.1 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 3 K, 2 BB
Mark Melancon (AA): 14.2 IP, 3 ER, 13 K, 2 BB, 9 H, 1 HR

And don't sleep on little David Robertson:
(AAA): 16.0 IP, 4 ER, 21 K, 11 BB, 10 H, 0 HR (obviously needs to cut down the BBs)
 

06.01.2008 Joe Girardi: "Chris Britton will only pitch if we're up by 100 runs."

05.30.2008 What's going on with Jose Tabata?

Highly-regarded Yankees prospect Jose Tabata is having a very poor season at Trenton, in more ways than one.   His batting line is terrible with a ladylike slugging percentage of .287 and a miniscule OBP of .313.

But this isn't where Tabata's struggles end.  For the second time this season, Tabata has been reprimanded by the team due to poor behavior.  In the latest incident, the outfielder was yanked from Thursday night's game for disciplinary reasons.

In our attempt to find out what happened and what's going on with this kid, we checked in with Trenton Thunder beat writer, Mike Ashmore.  Mike offered a great commentary for our visitors.  It's a good read, and you can view it by clicking here.
 

05.28.2008 Salivation

05.28.2008 Big disappointment

05.28.2008 Ask and you shall receive

The 25-year-old Britton was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre yet again on Wednesday, taking the place of the injured Ian Kennedy on the Yankees' pitching staff.

Now that Joba Chamberlain has started his transition to the rotation, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he is open to offering Britton a few more innings.

"You try to pick situations, just like any other pitcher, where a guy in your mind you believe is going to be successful," Girardi said. "We're going to need him. He'll get his opportunities when we call upon him and he's done well for us." (Source)

Hopefully he sticks around this time.
 

05.26.2008 Interview with Rob Neyer

NoMaas' Sensei John Kreese sat down with ESPN's Rob Neyer to discuss his new book, baseball history, dinosaurs, and a traumatic childhood event.

Click here to read the interview.
 

05.26.2008 No fat chicks (or relievers)

How else can you explain Chris Britton not being given a chance?  He's pitched 13 innings at AAA, allowing 12 hits, striking out 12 and walking 4.  We've been pushing for Britton's inclusion since last season. We don't think he's some lights-out reliever by any means.  But, what he can be is a decent middle reliever.  He's also already had success in the AL, pitching 53 2/3 innings for Baltimore in 2006.

So, what's the deal?

Chris Britton with his manager Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
 

05.26.2008 What's right with Edwar?

NoMaas' Dr. Dale Beaverman:

Edwar Ramirez so far this year in 12.2 innings pitched, has struck out 15 and walked 6 while giving up just 7 hits. His ERA still sits at 0.00. What is most baffling is that Pitchf/x shows that his fastball has nearly doubled it's movement. There are rumors that he's learned to throw a cutter. Gameday says he's throwing a splitter. So what's really up with Edwar?

It as simple as this: he's lowered his release point. If you examine the Pitchf/x data closely, you will see that he has very subtly moved a little closer to a 3/4 arm slot. That position change produces a greater horizontal movement. This also explains the approximate one mph drop in his fastball's velocity. An over the top delivery is a little quicker and is necessary to throw a curve but since that is not in Edwar's repertoire, he doesn't need it. The additional movement is more beneficial than the slight increase in velocity. His fastball and change-up still look identical when they leave his hand. This increased horizontal movement combined with better control has simply allowed him to do what we all knew he needed to do in order to succeed - utilize his fastball to set up his change-up.
 

05.25.2008 5 wins in a row, first victory when trailing after 7 innings

Prior to Sunday's win over Seattle, the Yankees were 0-22 this season when trailing after 7 innings.  Amazingly, it was only their 2nd win when trailing after 4 innings.
 

05.25.2008 The Jason Giambi revival (again)

Leads Yankees in OPS+ (146)
Leads Yankees in HRs (9)
Leads all AL 1B in BB/PA, 5th overall in AL (16.4%)
Leads all AL 1B in BB/K, 4th overall in AL (1.37)

All with an incredibly low BAbip of .202.  You would figure this stat would typically be low because of THE SHIFT, but it's even lower than normal for Giambi.  In 2007, his BAbip was .263.  In 2006, it was .245.  Plus, his line drive rate is 3% better so far this season than in those two years.  Could more improvement be possible for the Big G?

05.22.2008 Cano stars with walkoff single, interview

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE WORDS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH?"
 

05.22.2008 Girardi: First Blood

05.22.2008 Your brain cells die when you read Joel Sherman articles

Sherman on Chamberlain now being transitioned to the starting rotation:

Because the Yanks now hand the eighth inning to an untrustworthy brigade of Kyle FarnsworthKyle Farnsworth , Edwar Ramirez, Ross Ohlendorf and really anybody not answering to the unique name and abilities of Joba.

So we will see a bunch of eighth innings now that are prescribed for Chamberlain. And the Yanks are going to feed an appreciative opposition a Farnsworth or a Ramirez or some other mystery guest. And they are going to take a greater risk of blowing games and blowing up their clubhouse.  (Source)

In order for the Yankees to "blow games", they actually have to be ahead.  With a 22-25 record, that situation hasn't happened too often.  But you're right, Joel, let Joba pick splinters in the bullpen and minimize his talents as much as possible.

After all, as you said on April 17th:

It was a reminder that even with Hideki Okajima and Manny Delcarmen that Boston lacks a setup man to Jonathan Papelbon anywhere near Chamberlain's ability. It is an area in which the Yanks have a huge edge on their rival. Why give up that edge?

Boy, I'm sure the Red Sox and their 7.5 game lead are really shaking in their cleats about our 8TH INNING EDGE.

Quit your job.
 

05.21.2008 21-25

Yankee pitchers have thrown 403 2/3 innings this season.  Joba Chamberlain has pitched in 20 1/3 of them.  That's 5.0%.

It's a good thing we have such an 8th inning weapon.

Joba swarmed by some of the imbeciles who said he should stay in the bullpen.
 

05.20.2008 Excrement

Main Entry:
ex·cre·ment
Pronunciation:
\ek-skra-ment\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Latin excrementum, from excernere

1, waste matter discharged from the body;
2. 2008 New York Yankees

05.20.2008 NoMaas is on facebook

LOL BRB BFF ILY JK TTYL ROFL...NoMaas now has a facebook page.

We did this because we not only enjoy speaking in the vernacular of a 14-year old, but we thought it would be a good way to interact with our visitors.  We'll be posting NoMaas pictures from the last 3 years, links to our favorite sites, and whatever else we feel like doing.  We may even answer one or two questions.

You can also link up with other fellow NoMaasians and post your own photos & videos.

The NoMaas facebook page
 

05.20.2008 Notable promotion / demotion

Pitcher Daniel McCutchen has been promoted to AAA.  He was excellent at Trenton pitching 50 innings, striking out 46, walking 15, and allowing 38 hits.  He had a 2.52 ERA.

Here's what we said about McCutchen in our 2008 Top 20 Yankees Prospects:
# 16 -- NoMaas' sleeper prospect. He may be 25, but he throws hard, has a good breaking ball and a solid changeup. We see McCutchen opening eyes in 2008.

In other news, organizational black sheep Chris Britton was sent back to Scranton for the 87th time this season.  This really makes no sense to us, especially since Ross Ohlendorf has been terrible.  Give Britton a chance.  He deserves an opportunity.
 

05.19.2008 Who is the greatest women's basketball coach of all-time?

Best women's coach of all-time? Pat Summit Geno Auriemma Joe Girardi Isiah Thomas view results

05.18.2008 It's that time of year again

The WNBA season has begun!

Let's look at the season predictions of ESPN's Mechelle Voepel:

MVP: Lisa Leslie (Sparks)
Coach of the Year: Bill Laimbeer (Shock)
Rookie of the Year: Candace Parker (Sparks)
Scoring Champ: Diana Taurasi (Mercury)
League Champion: Detroit Shock
(Source)

It should be a great year for the WNBA and NoMaas plans on bringing you the best coverage anywhere.

Can Candace Parker and Lisa Leslie lead the LA Sparks to a title?
 

05.16.2008 Yankees rained out, still score nearly as many runs as they usually do

American league offensive rank:
10th in Runs Scored per game
9th in On-Base Percentage
10th in BB
10th in Batting Average w/ RISP
 

05.14.2008 Mussina overcomes pathetic Yankee offense

Mike Mussina over his last 5 starts:

29.1 IP, 27 H, 17 K, 3 BB, 2.76 ERA
 

05.14.2008 Jeter's defense has been surprisingly good this season

Instead of his occupying his usual dead last position, Derek Jeter currently ranks in the top half of fielding among AL SS -- according to the Hardball Times.

Jeter ranks 6th out of 13 qualified AL SS, with a revised zone rating of .836.  He's also made 12 plays outside of his designated zone.

We hope it lasts.
 

05.13.2008 Rays kill Yankee comeback

05.13.2008 Notable promotions

Five games in the Thunder bullpen was enough to convince the Yankees that reliever J.B. Cox was ready to move on to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Highly-regarded Class-A right-hander Mark Melancon has been added to a Trenton relief corps... (Source)

Since these former college closers were drafted, both Cox and Melancon have been flagged as key future bullpen arms.  Big things are especially expected from Melancon.  They are now flying through the system and should be Bronx-bound in the very near future.  Here are their 2008 numbers so far.

Cox:
Tampa (A+): 6 G, 6 IP, 8 H, 2 K, 2 BB, 0 HR, 3.00 ERA, 3.25 G/F
Trenton (AA): 5 G, 6.2 IP, 3 H, 6 K, 2 BB, 0 HR, 1.35 ERA, 1.00 G/F

Melancon:
Tampa (A+): 13 G, 25.1 IP, 26 H, 20 K, 6 BB, 2 HR, 2.84 ERA, 1.00 G/F

Another recent promotion to watch is RP David Robertson.  The 5'11", 180 pound pitcher with the low 90s fastball (odd profile, right?) has put up video game numbers since kicking off his minor league career in 2007.  The 23-year old split time between A, A+, and AA last season and registered 113 strikeouts in 84.1 IP.  That's insane.

His dominance continued in 2008 by K'ing 26 in 18.2 IP at Trenton, before being promoted to AAA.

If you recall, we listed Robertson as one of our Most Interesting Prospects of 2008.
 

05.12.2008 The comeback kids

The Yankees record when trailing after specific innings:

When trailing after the 1st inning, the Yankees are 2-8.
When trailing after the 2nd inning….2-8
3rd inning….1-12
4th inning….1-16
5th inning….4-17
6th inning….1-18
7th inning….0-17
8th inning….0-18

(courtesy of Baseball-Reference)

What this teaches you is that when the Yankees are behind at the end of inning, you should go do something else.

Did this team decide to retire without telling anyone?
 

05.10.2008 Praise the Lord

15 IP, 12 K, 0 BB, 6 H, 0.00 ERA
 

05.10.2008 Early injuries hurting Yankees for 2nd year in a row

2007:

April 1, 2007 Placed RHP Chien-Ming Wang on the 15-day disabled list
April 8, 2007 Placed outfielder Hideki Matsui on the 15-day disabled list
April 15, 2007 Placed pitchers Carl Pavano and Mike Mussina on the 15-day disabled list
April 29, 2007 Placed pitcher Jeff Karstens on the 15-day disabled list with a fractured fibula in his right leg
May 20, 2007 Placed RHP Darrell Rasner on the 60-day disabled list with a fractured right index finger
June 1, 2007 Placed 1B/DH Jason Giambi on the 15-day disabled list
June 5, 2007 Placed first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz on the 15-day disabled list

2008:

3/28/08 Placed LHP Andy Pettitte on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 21, with back spasms; Placed RHP Jeff Karstens on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right groin
4/14/08 Placed INF Wilson Betemit on 15-day disabled list (conjunctivitis)
4/25/08 Placed RHP Brian Bruney on the 15-day disabled list (now 60-day)
4/28/08 Placed C Jorge Posada on the 15-day disabled list
4/30/08 Placed INF Alex Rodriguez on the 15-day disabled list with a Grade 2 strain of his right quadriceps, retroactive to April 29; Placed RHP Phil Hughes on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right oblique

And now add Albaladejo and Betemit (again).
 

05.09.2008 Keep in mind the Yankees paid $26 million just to talk to this guy

3 IP, 11 hits, 6 ER

A better career path for Igawa?
 

05.07.2008 Emotionally detached

This team is extremely boring.  Wake us up when something exciting happens.
 

05.07.2008 Ian Kennedy: Not nearly as good as he thinks he is

Ian Kennedy speaks about his start at AAA:

“I’m trying to say it humbly, but it doesn’t matter what I say, it’s going to come out cocky,” he said. “You just know. I woke up today and told my wife, I just have a feeling I’m going to make these guys look stupid.”

“I just felt like I could do no wrong,” Kennedy said. “Whether it was 2-0, I didn’t care, I could place a fastball away. I’ve been working on it every start, getting my mind set in the big leagues. I felt like I was getting better and better every time. It just led up to this. It was inevitable for me to do well. It was just a matter of time.”

 “It’s not so much here, it’s that I know what I can do," he said. "That was the main thing I was battling with (in New York). It goes back to trying to be too perfect. You’re giving them too much credit in the big leagues. These guys in Triple-A aren’t much different. They could be big leaguers tomorrow, and some of them have played in the big leagues. It’s not so much the hitters, it’s myself.” (Source)

For someone who has been putrid in the big leagues, Kennedy sure speaks highly of himself.

05.06.2008 He's not a machine, he's a man

Joba lets up game-winning HR vs. Cleveland
 

05.06.2008 Kennedy starts in Scranton

7.1 IP, 1 H, 8K, 0 BB, 90 pitches (58 strikes) vs. Charlotte
 

05.05.2008 What do you think?

Which will happen first? Phil Hughes gets a win. Joba Chamberlain gets a start. view results

05.05.2008 An unfortunate event Terrible, horrible, attrocious, despicable

We received tons of emails about this, so we thought we should post it.

A woman accused of running down a man in her car after a Red Sox-Yankees argument in a bar never hit her brakes as she accelerated toward the small group he was in, a prosecutor said Monday.

"She never braked, and she accelerated at a high speed for about 200 feet. She went directly at this group of people," prosecutor Susan Morrell said of Ivonne Hernandez, who is charged with reckless second-degree murder in the death early Friday of Matthew Beaudoin, 29.

Authorities won't describe the argument beforehand in Slade's Food & Spirits, but witnesses said it heated up when Hernandez identified herself as a New York Yankees fan. Like the rest of New Hampshire, Nashua, 45 miles northwest of Boston, is Red Sox country.

Bartender Tanya Moran said the argument spilled outside, and at least one person in a group that included Beaudoin began chanting "Yankees suck!" when they saw a Yankees sticker on Hernandez's car. (Source)
 

05.04.2008 The correct decision

Five days ago, we said that Kennedy should be demoted.  On Sunday, it was announced that Ian and his 49 ERA+ would be sent to AAA.  It's definitely the right move as Kennedy has looked as lost as Hughes.

Since Kennedy doesn't have dominant stuff, his command and control are vital to his success.  With a K:BB ratio of 0.80 and a BB/9 of 7.6, "terrible" isn't even the right word to describe his pitching.   We've never rated Kennedy as high as other people have, but like Hughes, his performance so far has been shockingly bad.

Kennedy, however, disagreed with the decision because apparently an 8.57 ERA is worthy of a rotation spot.

He said Saturday he "shouldn't be" the one to go down..."I can't say I'm happy about it," Kennedy said. "I feel like I was making progress, but it was bound to happen if you don't win. Especially here." (Source)

"Especially here?"  Right, Ian, the Yankees are just being impatient.  Sorry to break the bad news to you, but you actually have to earn your playing time.
 

05.02.2008 A look at the Yankees offense (or lack thereof)

Entering Friday night's game against Seattle, here's how the Yankees offense stacked up against the rest of the AL:

Runs per game: 4.30 (10th)
OPS: .735 (6th)
OBP: .327 (10th)
SLG: .408 (6th)
Ground ball %: 47% (t-3rd highest % in AL)
BA/RISP: .241 (12th)
Pitches per PA: 3.77 (10th)

A quick look at some of the culprits:

Derek Jeter: .286 / .317 / .357 / .674, hitting for no power and he's only walking in 2.9% of his plate appearances (career rate is 9%).  He's also hacking away in the box, averaging 3.09 pitches/PA (3.75 career avg).

Robinson Cano: .155 / .212 / .236 / .448, one could make the argument that he has been very unlucky, considering his ground ball and line drive rates are right within career averages, and his BA on balls in play (BAbip) is a microscopic .160.  The outrageously low BAbip could have something to do with him swinging like a girl.

Jason Giambi: .164 / .315 / .411 / .726, still getting his walks, but the man just refuses to hit the ball to the left side, even though everyone and their mother plays him to pull.

Bobby Abreu: .277 / .331 / .438 / .769, walk rate is way down (7.4% compared to 15.3% career avg).  This could be the 2nd year in a row we see a decline in Abreu's walk rate.
 

05.01.2008 We stand corrected

Looks like our post yesterday was way off-base, as it's been announced that Phil Hughes has been pitching with a broken rib.

Phil Hughes has a stress fracture in one of his ribs, and the New York Yankees' pitcher is expected to be sidelined for at least two months.

Hughes, placed on the 15-day disabled list Thursday, had tests that revealed a stress fracture in the ninth rib on his right side. He will be shut down for four weeks and then re-evaluated. Cashman said the team probably can't expect the 21-year-old right-hander back before July.

"His fastball command has been uncommonly off. Now we get an idea why," Cashman said.  (Source)

This could very well be the source of the puzzling velocity and command issues Hughes has experienced so far this year.  It's one thing to initially struggle against a higher level of competition.  It's another thing to not show any of the tools which got you to that level.  Hughes has looked like a completely different pitcher than the highly-prized prospect we have been following.  A broken rib would explain this, although we don't yet know when or how the injury occurred.

Perhaps the Yankees are not run by propagandists.
 

05.01.2008 Robinson Cano: Worst player in baseball?

Right now, yes.

Out of 588 position players in MLB, Robinson Cano ranks 588th in VORP.

This season is awesome.
 

04.30.2008 The Yankees propaganda machine

After being less than truthful about the physical conditions of Jorge Posada and Alex Rodriguez, the Yankees are now spinning a tremendous tale about the performance of Phil Hughes.  Instead of admitting that he is struggling due to mechanical issues, lack of confidence, poor command, or some other pitching-related reason, we're being told some rather outrageous things -- none more ridiculous than this:

"His night vision isn't great," Girardi said. "It is something we will have to talk about."

Hughes said he has been checked several times and that he has "perfect vision." He said his troubles come from the glare of particularly strong lights at night, which he finds problematic at Yankee Stadium. He said there has been some talk in the past of outfitting him with neon glasses to counteract the glare.

"I have an issue with shadows, not all the time, but some of the time," Hughes said. (Source)

Come on, really?

And now, out of nowhere, Phil Hughes has suddenly landed on the DL with a strained oblique.  What is going on???

We realize he's still a kid and they might be trying to protect him, but we don't think management is doing him any favors by offering such blatant falsehoods.  They're making a spectacle out of him.

In our opinion, the best thing to do for Phil is to send him to the minors, let him throw in real games, and work out his pitching issues.  This seems like a logical and normal recommendation.

Hughes will wear this contraption to fix his problems.
 

04.29.2008 Send Phil down

And Kennedy too.

Both of these pitchers are ridiculously lost right now.  Hughes now has an ERA of 9.00.  In four out of his six starts, he hasn't made it past the 4th inning.  His acclaimed control is nowhere to be found.  His K:BB is 1.  That's right, he's walked 13 batters while striking out 13.  He's letting up lots of line drives.  There is something clearly wrong here.  Send him back to the minors and let him sort this out.  He's an extremely talented kid, but this isn't getting fixed in the Bronx.

In the meantime, this team needs innings.  Call up Darrell Rasner.  He just won International League Pitcher of the Week.  He's been fantastic at AAA so far this season.  He's not spectacular by any means, but he can provide some innings.  Currently,  Hughes and Kennedy are not giving the Yankees any chance to win games.  At some point, you have to pay attention to the standings.

Will the real Phil Hughes please stand up?
 

04.28.2008 A Mussina renaissance

Another good start for Mike Mussina

We're a family website.
 

04.27.2008 Po is getting old

A week ago, we raised the question of whether Jorge Posada was finally entering his decline.  With him being unable to recover from his mysterious shoulder injury and now hitting the DL for the first time in his career, it certainly looks like our worry was well-founded.  Losing Posada is a gigantic blow for the Yankees and fans can only hope he won't be sidelined for long.
 

04.27.2008 NoMaas makes key hire

With speculation flying as to how long Jorge Posada will be out of commission, NoMaas hired an executive placement service to assist us in a search for a resident medical guru.  We are happy to announce that we have added one of Washington DC's foremost physicians to our staff.  Welcome, Dr. Dale Beaverman.  After agreeing to a $2.3 million signing bonus, she offers her first commentary -- this one offering clarification on Posada's injury.

The Doctor writes:

During Sunday's game, it was reported that Jorge Posada had "torn something" in his shoulder. Afterwards, Joe Girardi stated that, although Posada was experiencing another "dead arm" episode, no further diagnostics had been performed. What exactly does this mean? To be honest, we have no idea what it means to Posada right now. What we do know is that semantics are frequently a factor in getting the true story on injuries.

On April 10, it was revealed that Posada's MRI showed nothing more than a strained right shoulder. A collective sigh of relief all around. A strain is no big deal, right? It could have been torn!  But in reality, this is where the confusion always seems to fall, as many do not possess a complete understanding of what a "strain" actually is.  A muscle strain is the stretching or tearing of muscle fibers. How severe the injury is depends on the degree of that tearing. Strains are graded according to the following criteria:

Grade I: A mild strain and only some muscle fibers have been damaged. Healing occurs within two to three weeks.
Grade II: A moderate strain with more extensive damage to muscle fibers, but the muscle is not completely ruptured. Heals within three to six weeks.
Grade III: A severe injury with a complete rupture of a muscle. This typically requires a surgical repair of the muscle; the healing period can be up to three months.

We'll have to wait for more information on the seriousness of Posada's current injury but we do know that simply because the word tear is used, it does not automatically mean surgery or even a long stay on the DL. Any feeling of panic is premature.
 

04.26.2008 One too many protein shakes for Girardi

What is it about tie game on the road that is kryptonite for major league managers? Over and over, managers let their best relievers rot in the bullpen in hopes of using them to protect a lead that may never come.  Apparently, Joe Girardi also follows this failed logic.

Instead of using Mariano Rivera to get his team another at-bat, Girardi chose Ross Ohlendorf to hold down the Indians in bottom of the 9th inning.  The Yankees promptly lost.  Maybe Mariano can get a save in his sleep tonight.

04.26.2008 Jeter loves DP

Double plays, that is.

After grounding into 21 double plays last season (t-3rd most in the AL), Derek Jeter picked an awful time to pick up his third of 2008.  With runners on 1st and 3rd in the 9th inning of a tie game, Jeter clutched his way into a inning-ending double play.

Jeter's lack of production is symptomatic of this entire team, who was hitting a putrid .249 w/ RISP heading into Saturday's game.  This is the 4th worst mark in the AL, where the league average for BA/RISP is .275.

04.26.2008 Bruney gone for the year, tough loss for Yankees

Fortune did not smile on Brian Bruney on Thursday. He learned that his uncle was in a coma, his truck was damaged in an accident involving the 18-wheeler transporting it to New York, and his right foot was killing him.

Bruney left Chicago hoping that Friday would be a better day, but it brought more discouraging news. A magnetic resonance imaging test had already indicated torn ligaments in his foot, and a visit to a specialist Friday confirmed Bruney’s worst fears.

Bruney has a Lisfranc injury to the foot, which he hurt when he slipped covering first base Tuesday. Doctors have recommended surgery. Bruney will not return before September, and his season could be over.

These days, the operation requires months to heal. The Yankees’ John Olerud sustained the injury in the 2004 playoffs and did not play again until late May the next season. Lisfranc injuries also ruined the 2006 season for Michael Strahan and Justin Tuck of the N.F.L (Source)

This is indeed a blow for the Yankees bullpen.  Bruney came into the season clearly in better shape and more serious about his career.

He was averaging 9.52 K/9 and 2.00 K/BB, both above his career averages. Hitters were batting .175 / .292 / .350 / .642 against him.  He was also allowing much fewer line drives (10.3% compared to 17.1% in 2007) and more ground balls (41.4% compared to 30.8% in 2007).  He was having an excellent start to the season.

It's an unfortunate loss for the Yankees.
 

04.26.2008 Traber sent down

Shelley Duncan was recalled from the minor leagues and started in right field Saturday for the New York Yankees, who sent left-handed reliever Billy Traber back to Triple-A before facing the Cleveland Indians.

A converted starter, Traber made 11 relief appearances and had a 4.50 ERA.

"It's a new role for Billy (in the bullpen) and he needs to get a little better control of his breaking ball against lefties,'' Girardi said. "I'll encourage them (at Scranton) to use him against a ton of lefties. Billy knows what we want. He's a bright kid.'' (Source)
 

04.26.2008 Jason Giambi: C***tease?

After starting the season hitting an abysmal 5 for 46 (.109 / .288 / .283), Jason Giambi is now 6 for his last 13 with 3 HR's. He has raised his OPS from .571 to .839 in just four games. The Yankees need Giambi to be the hitter he was in 2006 to help kickstart their erratic offense.
 

04.26.2008 The unluckiest Yankee?

He's hit too many infield flies (20.8%), but if you go by his career averages on ground balls, line drives, and outfield fly balls, Cano would have 16 more hits, 6 more 2B, and about 2 more HR, which would give him a line of .289 / .340 / .456. / .796.

We're not sure not all of it is luck, as he really was making weak contact to start out the year. But we're sure bad luck is a main culprit for the discrepancy between his actual line (.156 / .216 / .222 / .438) and the above. On the plus side, he's walking in about 7% of his PA, and if he maintains that, he'll have raised his walk rate every year of his career, all while keeping his strikeout rate about the same.

Luck like this won't continue, so look for Cano to start hitting closer to his career averages from here on out. And if the improved walk rate is for real... watch out.
 

04.24.2008 Lock your medicine cabinets

Friday's Starting Pitchers:
NYY - Andy Pettitte
CLE  - Paul Byrd
 

04.24.2008 The no spin zone

There has been tremendous debate in Yankeeland about 21-year old Phil Hughes, specifically regarding the speed of his fastball.  The reason for this debate stemmed from his post-hamstring injury starts at the end of 2007, and also from his first few starts of this season.  In these series of appearances, Phil's fastball seemed to sit 90-91 mph and top out at 92.

Many Yankee fans believed that this velocity was significantly lower that what was previously reported during his time in the minors.  Obviously, this is important because, generally speaking, higher velocity means increased pitch effectiveness.

Then, there were other fans and interested parties who claimed that Hughes' fastball always sat in the low 90s.  In fact, even Phil Hughes himself issued a comment on Thursday about his hotly-debated velocity:

Immediately, Hughes was pegged as a power pitcher who threw in the mid-90s. It's a label he says was wrong.

"I never threw that hard, even when I was going good at Trenton (Double-A), I looked at the reports and it was 93. There were three times all year I touched 95," says Hughes, who routinely pitches at 91-92 mph. (Source)

Is Phil Hughes speaking the truth?  Are the legions of fans who raised concern about his fastball wrong?  We think the answers to both of those questions are "no."

In fact, we think the spin doctors were out, somehow trying to convince people that Baseball America's 2007 best pitching prospect always possessed a low-90s fastball.

So, as a refresher, we took a look back at some of the reports which were published while Hughes was still in the minors.

Before you take a look at these, it is worth noting that Phil's velocity has improved significantly over his last couple starts.  In Thursday's rain-delayed game versus Chicago, he was sitting 93-94 according to Pitch F/X.

Essentially, the point of showing you these reports is to prove that Hughes was never billed at a low-90s fastball pitcher.  So anyone who tries to tell you that is speaking out of their buttocks.  It's just not true.

The Old Reports
 

04.23.2008 Po, Bizarro Moose top White Sox

Someone who resembled Mike Mussina went 7 innings, allowing only two runs on four hits.  Jorge Posada told us to eat a fat one and went 4-5 with 3 doubles.

04.23.2008 Two bullpen items

1. Mariano is simply amazing.  We've said this before, but it's worth saying again.  We may never see another reliever as good as Rivera in our lifetime.

Mo's line so far this year: 9 IP, 4 H, 8 K, 0 BB, 0.00 ERA

Incredible.

2. Billy Traber is very close to getting the NoMaas thumbs down.  He's the designated left-handed specialist, but he's been awful against lefties (as of Wednesday):

.333 BA / .474 OBP / .600 SLG / 1.074 OPS

If your job is to basically get one batter out per game, you shouldn't have a very long leash.  With that being said, his BAbip is a very high .400.  He's also been very good historically versus lefties: .219 / .316 / .330 / .646.  We say give him a couple more chances and then move on to a more deserving reliever currently in AAA.  There are some quality arms down there.
 

04.22.2008 Spanish fly

Abreu's grand slam leads Yankees over White Sox

04.21.2008 Hank speaks, media freaks out over nothing

Hank Steinbrenner's comments about Joba Chamberlain which caused the media frenzy:

“I want him as a starter and so does everyone else, including him, and that is what we are working toward and we need him there now,” Steinbrenner said Sunday by telephone. “There is no question about it, you don’t have a guy with a 100-mile-per-hour fastball and keep him as a setup guy. You just don’t do that. You have to be an idiot to do that.” (Source)

When we first read this quote, our initial reaction was a positive one.  Hank is on board with the plan for Joba.  After all, the phrase "we are working toward" doesn't mean "make it happen immediately."

However, for some reason, the media either doesn't have a firm grasp of the English language or would rather sensationalize.  Writers and analysts went off to the races saying that Hank is going to force out Cashman, that he's taking control over baseball decisions, and Joba will be starting against the White Sox.  As often is the case, many baseball "experts" exhibited that their awareness of the game is severely limited.

Where is the evidence to support these Hank the Tyrant claims?  Has he done anything which shows that Cashman's power has been usurped?  No.  Santana is pitching for the Mets.  Hughes and Kennedy are in the rotation.  Joba is limiting his innings in the bullpen.  Where is the proof, knowledgeable baseball writers?

Until Hank does something which overrules his baseball people, these accusations are just nonsense.
 

04.21.2008 For anyone whining about Farnsworth's pitch to Manny

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, since 2002 Yankee batters have been hit 69 times by Red Sox pitchers as opposed to 48 Red Sox hit by Yankee hurlers. But the figures are even more dramatic when you narrow it down to just the primary combatants, Jeter, Rodriguez, Ramirez and David Ortiz.

Over that same six-year span, including postseason, Jeter has been plunked 12 times by Red Sox pitchers and A-Rod 10 times. By contrast, Yankee pitchers have hit Manny only three times (not including Farnsworth's near-miss Thursday night) and "Big Papi"? Never. (Source)

No longer will aggression be tolerated against the Yankees.
 

04.20.2008 When does the WNBA start?

In 2007, the Yankees finished April with a 9-14 record.  The 2008 Yankees are 9-10 in April.

In 2007, the Yankees scored 131 runs in April versus 125 runs allowed.  You could say they were a bit unlucky to finish with such a poor record for the month.

In 2008, the Yankees have scored 78 runs versus 92 runs allowed.  You could say they are bit lucky to have even won 9 games.

The only AL teams which have scored less than the Yankees: Detroit, Texas, Minnesota, Kansas City.  Such great company.
 

04.20.2008 The beginning of Posada's decline?

When it comes to catchers, Jorge Posada has defied the odds.  With the exception of 2005, Posada has really seen no dropoff in his offensive output as he has advanced through his mid 30s.  In 2007, at age 35, he had his best season ever, posting a career high OPS+ of 154.  It is this production which has made Posada the top-hitting catcher in MLB and an irreplaceable piece of the Yankees.

What has also been amazing about the aging Posada is his durability and health.  It is well documented that the urine-dipped catcher has never been on the disabled list.  His body has remarkably held up to the rigors of his position.

Enter 2008.  Posada hasn't caught a full game since April 8th due to a dead shoulder.  His recovery time has been longer than most people expected.  His date for resuming catching duties keeps getting pushed back.  Neither Jorge or Girardi are offering any clear statements.  In fact, some of the comments being made are a little alarming:

"I'm a catcher," Posada said. "I'm playing first base today, but I don't know what's going to happen later. I see myself as a catcher later, just getting ready [for that position]. I like thinking the way I do as a catcher. ... If I have to help out the team by playing other positions, I will." (Source)

To us, this doesn't sound like a casual injury.

We're not trying to start a panic, but there are certain facts we cannot ignore.

1. Jorge Posada will be 37 by the end of the 2008 season.
2. He's played a very physically demanding position during his MLB career.
3. He has had a dead shoulder since the beginning of the season.

Could this be the beginning of Jorge Posada's decline?
 

04.17.2008 So much for that idea

On Feb 27:

On Tuesday, Giambi focused on hitting to the opposite field during batting practice, lining balls to left and left-center with ease. With fresh legs for the first time since last April, Giambi is hoping to recapture some of the magic that prompted the Yankees to sign him after the '01 season.

"It will keep my swing a lot better if I work on hitting the ball the other way instead of hooking it to right field," said Giambi, who batted .236 with 14 homers in 254 at-bats last year. "I'm just trying to work on the things that have made me successful. (Source)

Heading into Thursday's game, Giambi had put the ball into play 30 times.  Of those 30 times, three balls went to the opposite field.

The guy is a mess.  Give Morgan Ensberg more time.
 

04.16.2008 Bombers beat up Boston

Chien-Ming Wang and Laptop Thief didn't get the job done for their teams, but the bats were out and the Yankees lineup slugged its way to a 15-9 victory.  Boston was within striking distance, but Terry Francona decided to give the game away by putting in Mike Timlin.  Girardi, on other hand, managed his bullpen very well, and stability was brought to the game by LaTroy Hawkins and then Brian Bruney.

Unrelated to the game...

Source: Boston Herald
 

04.16.2008 Hawkins changes number due to idiotic fans

Embarrassing.  That's the only word we can think of to describe the behavior demonstrated by Yankee fans towards Latroy Hawkins for having the audacity to wear Paul O'Neill's number.

Let's get something clear right now on one point: O'Neill doesn't deserve to have his number retired. Period. He was a good player on some great teams, but the idea that his name belongs with Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Mickey Mantle is ridiculous.

The real issue isn't about retiring a number though.  Several players had their number retired after others had worn them. This is about something much more shallow.

This is about a section of the fan base that has decided they're the Keepers Of The Dynasty.

These are the folks that wanted Bernie back in CF when it was obvious he couldn't play there anymore. They cheered Tino Martinez upon his return, and embarrassed themselves by demanding curtain call after curtain call if he so much as took a ground ball successfully. Their most recent temper tantrum prior to the Hawkins was delivered when their beloved St. Joe (Torre) left town because he was "insulted" by being offered millions of dollars to manage the New York Yankees. If you don't think St. Joe and these fans have a lot in common, consider how "insulted" they've felt the last few years by Alex Rodriguez's output.

They're spoiled, they're arrogant, and the sense of entitlement to a legacy that's long over has become pathetic.

Here's a helpful reminder from your friends at NoMaas:

It's over, guys. The dynasty from the late 90's isn't coming back. Time for a new one. Go watch your Yankees Fall Classics DVD set a few times, get it out of your system, and welcome to 2008. This might be shocking for you to contemplate, but who knows - maybe we'll even have someone on the team over the next few years that gives us a good reason to retire #21.
 

04.16.2008 And Paul O'Neill offers a classless comment

"What can I say? The fans have always been unbelievable to me there," O'Neill said in a telephone interview from his home in Ohio. "I don't really know how to explain it. It makes you feel good that the fans still think of you as wearing that number." (Source)

What an egomaniac.  The fans who chanted Paul O'Neill's name at LaTroy Hawkins did so to humiliate the pitcher.  Instead of voicing disapproval at the treatment of Hawkins, O'Neill embraces the fans' derogatory behavior.  Horrible, Paul.  Just horrible.
 

04.15.2008 Yanks win two in a row, now face Red Sox in the Boogie Down

Dustin Pedroia and the Red Sox will visit the Bronx for a two-game series.
 

04.14.2008 He's alive

04.14.2008 A quick look at the defense

Using Hardball Times' Revised Zone Rating, let us take a look at each Yankee defender and see how that player compares to his AL peers.

A quick definition of Revised Zone Rating or RZR:
Revised Zone Rating is the proportion of balls hit into a fielder's zone that he successfully converted into an out. Zone Rating was invented by John Dewan when he was CEO of Stats Inc. John is now the owner of Baseball Info Solutions, where he has revised the original Zone Rating calculation so that it now lists balls handled out of the zone (OOZ) separately. (Source)

Data as of Sunday, April 13:
Jason Giambi: .714 RZR, 8th out of 14 qualified 1B
Robinson Cano: .833 RZR, 8th out of 14 qualified 2B
Derek Jeter: .714 RZR, would be last among AL SS if he had logged enough games
Alex Rodriguez: .808 RZR, 1st out of 13 qualified 3B, 7 outs converted outside zone
Hideki Matsui: 1.000 RZR?!?, hasn't played enough in LF to qualify, but wow
Johnny Damon: .778 RZR, not enough games to qualify but would be near the bottom
Melky Cabrera: 1.000 RZR, 1st out of 12 qualified CF, 9 outs converted outside zone
Bobby Abreu: .923 RZR, 6th out of 11 qualified RF

Small sample sizes we know, but interesting nonetheless.
 

04.13.2008 All we need is just a little patience

A poor result, but there are some positives to take from Hughes' start.  According to the ESPN gun, his fastball velocity was back to the levels we heard about in the minors.  His curveball was sharper too, but he just didn't throw it enough.  Keep in mind that he's the youngest pitcher in MLB.  There will be growing pains.

Calm down.

85
 

04.12.2008 Ghost of seasons past

Pitching to Manny Ramirez in that situation was a very poor decision.

04.11.2008 Masterful

9 IP, 2 H, 3 K, 0 BB, 93 pitches

P.S. Special thanks to Terry Francona for using Mike Timlin in a tight situation.  We always welcome relievers with poor strikeout rates, especially one who has become a flyball pitcher in recent years.
 

04.10.2008 Congrats, you're the only one

Yanks head to Boston for the first time in 2008.
 

04.10.2008 Earth to Robinson

.184 BA / .205 OBP / .211 SLG

Cano looks clueless right now.  Where is his head at?

04.09.2008 Help wanted

The Yankees entered Wednesday's game vs. KC with a team OPS+ of 85.  That got worse.
 

04.09.2008 Through rain, sleet, or snow

In Wednesday's game, Joe Girardi elected for Ian Kennedy not to make his scheduled start due to high probability of rain.  He didn't want to use Kennedy only to have the game delayed or postponed, thus wasting the young pitcher.

Even though it rained throughout the night, the game was never delayed.  Turns out the umpires were big fans of Slip N' Slide:

04.08.2008 The dirty dirty

Big prospects on display in South Cakalaka.
 

04.08.2008 What the dily, Phil?

Another start with sub-90 mph fastballs.  Yes, we're a little concerned.  Not much.  But a little.
 

04.07.2008 Yankees play their best game of the season

Despite not having Jason Giambi or Jorge Posada in the lineup, and then losing Jeter early to a strained quad, the Yankees earned a well-played win over Tampa, 6-1.  The cerebral Mike Mussina was superb as he only surrendered 2 hits through 6 innings.  The bullpen threw 3 innings of scoreless ball (excellent management by Girardi).   And wouldn't you know, the Yankees can actually hit.  Bobby Abreu led the Yankees by going 3-for-3 with a HR, triple, single, and a signature walk.

Unrelated, the fans who chant "Paul O'Neill" towards LaTroy Hawkins are really, really dumb.  The guy has only pitched 3 innings.  Calm down.

Abreu leaving the Stadium after a big game versus Tampa
 

04.06.2008 Hey Theo, you going to call out your own players now?

Classy Red Sox GM Theo Epstein on February 22nd about the Yankees' 2004 Japan trip:

The Red Sox open this season against the Oakland A's in Japan. Appearing on Boston radio station WEEI last Friday, Epstein said, "Kevin Brown and Mike Mussina spent the whole time bitching about it ... and by the time the Yankees team got back from the trip they were all using it as a crutch." (Source)

And now Jonathan Papelbon on Boston's 2008 Japan trip:

"It’s been pretty ridiculous,” Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon said after his team’s first regular-season game in the eastern time zone.

Believe me, Papelbon isn’t on an island with his opinion. Even before the final out was registered last night, the Sox’ well-worn description of the 19-day road trip as “a business trip” had morphed into downright disgust.

“I feel like if we start struggling toward the end of the year, don’t ask questions. That’s if we do. I’m not saying we are,” Papelbon said. “We might breeze through that last month. But if aches and pains are starting to come that normally don’t, and intensity starts to lower, which I hope it doesn’t . . .but if that does happen don’t ask questions.”

“Not only to start out in Japan, but all the responsibilities they asked of us in Japan, the appearances, all the extra (stuff) besides going to Japan. Not only that but I think things were said and promised and not held up,” Papelbon said. “That certainly starts the trip out on the wrong foot.

“There’s not an exact reason why you’re going to win or lose a ballgame, but there are certain things that help predict the outcome and this trip is definitely starting to feel its effects,” he said. “It’s not just me, but I think a lot of other players. (Source)

Papelbon no like  poo-poo platters.
 

04.05.2008 Offense, whenever you're ready

The Yankees are averaging three runs a game through their first five, and both of their wins were in 1-run games.  The Yankees could easily be 0-5 right now.  We're not close to panicking, but would it kill this team to get off to a good start?  Give the fans a break.

The Yankees forgot something at the airport when they returned from spring training.
 

04.03.2008 Sir Philip solid in his 2008 debut

Phil Hughes headed into the 2007 season as baseball's best pitching prospect, and he kicked off 2008 with a very good performance in the Bronx.  Hughes went 6 innings while only allowing 4 hits and 2 runs.  He stuck out 4 and walked one.

The only aspect of Hughes' start which we didn't like was his velocity.  Assuming the YES guns are accurate, his fastball sat at a less-than-impressive 89-91 all night (he did command it well though).  However, it was cold and it was his first start of the year.  Don't sound any alarms yet, but keep a watchful eye.

On another note, Toronto has a nasty rotation.  Don't sleep on them.
 

04.03.2008 Minor league opening day

Thursday was opening day for the minors and here's a roundup of some notable Yankee prospects.

Dellin Betances (A): 5 IP, 8 K, 2 BB, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 HR
Brad Suttle (A): 3-5, 3B
Jesus Montero (A): 1-5
Brandon Laird (A): 1-5, 2B
Carmen Angelini (A): 1-4, BB
Austin Romine (A): 1-5
Abraham Almonte (A): 1-4, 2B, BB
Kyle Anson (A+): 0-1, 3 BB
Austin Jackson (AA): 0-4
Jose Tabata (AA): 1-4
Brett Gardner (AAA): 1-4, 3B
Eric Duncan (AAA): 2-3, 3B
Alberto Gonzalez (AAA): 1-2, BB

Not a prospect, but rather a waste of money....
Kei Igawa (AAA): Perfect through 6 innings, 7K

Remember that you can view the season stats of Yankee minor leaguers by clicking on the links on the left side of the page.  At minimum, you should be checking Charleston out on a daily basis.  That team is loaded.
 

04.02.2008 Burnett, Jays pitchers shut down Bomber bats