Every so often in this blog I will pose a question about a past yankee move or game or something. I will ask the question and then give my thoughts. Would love some feedback from everyone, I am curious what you think. Today's edition:
2004 Yankees Try To Aquire Randy Johnson at the trade dealine. They fail. Lose the 3-0 series lead to Sox. History is forever changed.
It's been reported many times what the Yankees were offering the D-backs in exchange for Randy Johnson in 2004. A package containing Cano, Wang and Navarro. In the end the D-Backs rejected the offer, the Yankees without a true dominant ace lose the series to the Sox. Then in the next year, Wang and Cano emerge as a new young core of future Yankee teams and potentially still to come Yankee dynasties.
If the trade was made, Johnson would have probably been the difference and the Yankees probably would have beat the Red Sox in 4 or 5 games in the 2004 ALCS. If the Yankees beat the Red Sox, let's assume they would have beaten the Cardnials. The Yankees are Champions. Theo Epstein would have made a few daring moves, like trading Nomar and not had a payoff of a championship. Epstein might not have survived his sabbatical. But enough about how that trade would have impacted the Sox...
If the trade happened in 2004 then in 2005 there would be no Cano and Wang to the rescue, and more to the point they wouldn't be there to prove that the Yankees can and should build from within. In fact, if they traded for Johnson and he helped them win the pennant, then it would have reinforced the notion of trading away the youth and brining in high priced guys.
In fact, I would theorize that Chamberlain, Hughes and Kennedy would be with other organizations, traded off, maybe for good major leaguers, but expensive guys with no upside. Cashman might have quit because Tampa would have been emboldened by trade, too.
The positives of the trade. Well the curse would have continued, and even if the Sox won last year, it was not through the Yankees. The pain of blowing the 3-0 lead would never have happened, either. And Boston fans wouldn't have much to hold over New Yorkers heads.
So what's is my answer? Well every year the pain from that lose goes away. At the time when the trade was being discussed, I said to a friend, "if the Yankees get Johnson, doesn't that take some fun out of it all"? Obviously I never want to go through 2004 again, and it hurt and still hurts. But I am more excited about the Yankee team than any time since 1996. And I am excited about the future of it.
After watching the Football Giants win with young guys and a cinderella story I remember what a great feeling it is watching a team that is not supposed to win, actually win. Now I don't want the Yankees to always be young and under dogs, but I like seeing guys play for the fun and watch these players grow up.
I think this new Yankee youth will pay off with a championship in the next 4 years. And when they win, it'll purge all those 2004 deamons.
So my answer is this: I am glad they didn't trade away Wang and Cano. We'll look back and the 2004 ALCS collapse will turn into a Yankee positive.
What do you guys think?
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Testing, testing, 1-2-3.
Mussina passed the test last night. Obviously I am unconvinced, but hey if I'm wrong the Yankees will do well so I can't complain. Unless they give him another contract.
Solid wins the last couple of days. Yanks played clean good baseball. Finished the opening home stand 4-3. The way they hit it could have been worse. So we'll take it.
The last few days showed some more "tests" for the Yanks.
Girardi. He passed the bullpen test on Sunday brining in Joba to the high leverage situation in the 7th inning. Torre may, or may not have done that. But if Torre was manager, Farnsworth would have been in the game at some point, or Mo would have gone 2 innings. So the same point, Joba passed the test. He realized that he doesn't HAVE to strike everyone out. Obviously coming into the 7th with 1st and 3rd he needed a strike out and get got it, then went for another one and got a double play.
The next inning he went to throwing 2 and 4 seamers, letting the hitters make contact and trusting his fielders, he ended up only throwing 16 pitches for the two innings. Now if this 23 year old can think like that and trust his stuff while pitching in the 8th inning of a 2 run game, imagine what he'll do as a starter. I can't wait.
Girardi has another test coming up. The injured Jeter test. If Jeter is out for more than a game or two or three best team the Yankees can field is, Ensberg at third and Giambi at first. And yes, with A-Rod at short stop. Now Torre wouldn't do this, but Giardi can and he should. I hope it doesn't come to that, because we need the Captain healthy and contributing. But, man that would be interesting.
Johnny Damon. Damon's test is coming up. Is he washed up? Can he have a decent season? I'd give him another two weeks, but if Johnny's not producing then he needs to be dropped in the lineup. Jeter or Melky can lead off.
It's off to KC for the Bombers. They should win this series. Bummed I'm not going to see Phil's start today in the glory of HD, I'll have to settle for the SlingBox again.
Solid wins the last couple of days. Yanks played clean good baseball. Finished the opening home stand 4-3. The way they hit it could have been worse. So we'll take it.
The last few days showed some more "tests" for the Yanks.
Girardi. He passed the bullpen test on Sunday brining in Joba to the high leverage situation in the 7th inning. Torre may, or may not have done that. But if Torre was manager, Farnsworth would have been in the game at some point, or Mo would have gone 2 innings. So the same point, Joba passed the test. He realized that he doesn't HAVE to strike everyone out. Obviously coming into the 7th with 1st and 3rd he needed a strike out and get got it, then went for another one and got a double play.
The next inning he went to throwing 2 and 4 seamers, letting the hitters make contact and trusting his fielders, he ended up only throwing 16 pitches for the two innings. Now if this 23 year old can think like that and trust his stuff while pitching in the 8th inning of a 2 run game, imagine what he'll do as a starter. I can't wait.
Girardi has another test coming up. The injured Jeter test. If Jeter is out for more than a game or two or three best team the Yankees can field is, Ensberg at third and Giambi at first. And yes, with A-Rod at short stop. Now Torre wouldn't do this, but Giardi can and he should. I hope it doesn't come to that, because we need the Captain healthy and contributing. But, man that would be interesting.
Johnny Damon. Damon's test is coming up. Is he washed up? Can he have a decent season? I'd give him another two weeks, but if Johnny's not producing then he needs to be dropped in the lineup. Jeter or Melky can lead off.
It's off to KC for the Bombers. They should win this series. Bummed I'm not going to see Phil's start today in the glory of HD, I'll have to settle for the SlingBox again.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
O'fer
The title above reference me, not the Yanks. I'm O'fer in seeing a game this year on a real TV from home. I hope to break that spell today for the 1:05 tilt against the 'Rays.
Anyway, I did see the later innings on Thursday night. Just the kind of game you need to win to have a shot at the playoffs. In fact, through the first 4 games this team looks an awful lot like the Team that played .650 ball in the second half of last year. Before they went on the tear last year, the Yanks, lost a lot of 3-2 games and a lot of 3-2 games they had turned into 7-2 but the incendiary bullpen or the injured starting staff.
Friday night's blowout also reminded me a lot of last years team. It's gonna happen with the young kids. Remember second half of last year the Yanks would win 3 in a row, then lose 12-3, and then win 4 in a row? That's the importance of having a veteran team. They move on. I just hope Ian Kennedy didn't get his confidence shaken. For what it's worth he looked like Andy Pettitte circa game 6 of the 2001 World Series, not my prediction of Andy Pettitte circa 1997.
And speaking of Pettitte he makes his season debut today. Remember, he only did it twice and it was to help his teammates. Well what his teammates need are a minimum of 6 innings and a maximum of 3 runs. It's doable. And I'll finally be watching...
Anyway, I did see the later innings on Thursday night. Just the kind of game you need to win to have a shot at the playoffs. In fact, through the first 4 games this team looks an awful lot like the Team that played .650 ball in the second half of last year. Before they went on the tear last year, the Yanks, lost a lot of 3-2 games and a lot of 3-2 games they had turned into 7-2 but the incendiary bullpen or the injured starting staff.
Friday night's blowout also reminded me a lot of last years team. It's gonna happen with the young kids. Remember second half of last year the Yanks would win 3 in a row, then lose 12-3, and then win 4 in a row? That's the importance of having a veteran team. They move on. I just hope Ian Kennedy didn't get his confidence shaken. For what it's worth he looked like Andy Pettitte circa game 6 of the 2001 World Series, not my prediction of Andy Pettitte circa 1997.
And speaking of Pettitte he makes his season debut today. Remember, he only did it twice and it was to help his teammates. Well what his teammates need are a minimum of 6 innings and a maximum of 3 runs. It's doable. And I'll finally be watching...
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Moose for Pedro Straight Up
I do it in a second. Pedro on the DL or under a mango tree, for that matter, is better than Mike Mussina at this point.
In all seriousness, though, the Moose is cooked, in the AL. He'd be a very good NL pitcher, I think, but right now he can't put the AL batters away. That 0-2 meatball he served up to give up the third run, really got my blood boiling. But not as much as seeing columnists say, "well he didn't really pitch that bad" Yeah well he pitched just "good" enough to lose, again.
Here's hoping that in June/July a certain NL West team is in need of a veteran starter and wants to give up a few prospects, maybe an 8th inning guy. We'll call that NL West team the "Rogers," for argument's sake. Then the Yankees take that 8th inning guy and transition Joba to the rotation, or take a handful of prospects from the "Rogers"and a handful of our own prospects and turn them into a legitimate starter. Something. Anything. Just not Mussina.
Although all of this is moot in the end because AJ Burnett pitched really well for the third time in two years against the Bombers. He's legit. Probably better all around stuff than Pavano, he just can't stay healthy. But if he and Halladay can, boy the Jays will be tough to handle.
One other thing to note from this game, A-Rod picked up right where he left off. If Abreu has a good start, or should I say a normal start unlike last year, A-Rod may drive in 160. He brings a lot of baggage and when he opted out I was ready to say, "good bye, I rather in 85 games without you then 95 with." That really masked the devistation of not being able to see the best player of my generation play every day for 6 months. He's back and I think I, and the rest of Yankee fans are lucky to be able to see this guy, in his prime go after the record books (and Canseco's wife).
Oh and by the way, I am going to the game on Monday night. And guess who's scheduled to start? Yeah, that's right, stuck in the middle with Moose. I've never prayed so hard for a rain out. Anyone but MUSSINA!
In all seriousness, though, the Moose is cooked, in the AL. He'd be a very good NL pitcher, I think, but right now he can't put the AL batters away. That 0-2 meatball he served up to give up the third run, really got my blood boiling. But not as much as seeing columnists say, "well he didn't really pitch that bad" Yeah well he pitched just "good" enough to lose, again.
Here's hoping that in June/July a certain NL West team is in need of a veteran starter and wants to give up a few prospects, maybe an 8th inning guy. We'll call that NL West team the "Rogers," for argument's sake. Then the Yankees take that 8th inning guy and transition Joba to the rotation, or take a handful of prospects from the "Rogers"and a handful of our own prospects and turn them into a legitimate starter. Something. Anything. Just not Mussina.
Although all of this is moot in the end because AJ Burnett pitched really well for the third time in two years against the Bombers. He's legit. Probably better all around stuff than Pavano, he just can't stay healthy. But if he and Halladay can, boy the Jays will be tough to handle.
One other thing to note from this game, A-Rod picked up right where he left off. If Abreu has a good start, or should I say a normal start unlike last year, A-Rod may drive in 160. He brings a lot of baggage and when he opted out I was ready to say, "good bye, I rather in 85 games without you then 95 with." That really masked the devistation of not being able to see the best player of my generation play every day for 6 months. He's back and I think I, and the rest of Yankee fans are lucky to be able to see this guy, in his prime go after the record books (and Canseco's wife).
Oh and by the way, I am going to the game on Monday night. And guess who's scheduled to start? Yeah, that's right, stuck in the middle with Moose. I've never prayed so hard for a rain out. Anyone but MUSSINA!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
1 down 99 to go?
So the Yankees win another opening day. A great game, even though I had to watch on my slingbox in the edit room. I love the youthful enthusiasm. Halladay can yell all he wants at Melky for taking the curtain call, and Joba can yell all he wants when he punches out Frank Thomas. Melky with a heck of a game
Nice win for Girardi and the Bronx Bombers.
NOTE:
As for my love of the Yankee bench, I am not too worried about late inning defensive substitutions. Last year Torre replaced Giambi a bunch of times and the other team came back to tie bringing in Doug Mandladhjslfkhjdfkjd who would inevitably bat with a chance to win it and blow it. We shall see if at some point Giambi or whoever is at first boots the game away late.
Nice win for Girardi and the Bronx Bombers.
NOTE:
As for my love of the Yankee bench, I am not too worried about late inning defensive substitutions. Last year Torre replaced Giambi a bunch of times and the other team came back to tie bringing in Doug Mandladhjslfkhjdfkjd who would inevitably bat with a chance to win it and blow it. We shall see if at some point Giambi or whoever is at first boots the game away late.
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