The best thing about the off season

 

The World Series is over, The Parade is all cleaned up and everyone has gone back to their normal every day lives. The Yankees are the World Champions , some of them will go home to spend some time with their families before beginning preparation for next year, some will play in one or more of the various off season winter or fall leagues. You and I get to play a part in the best thing of all, Roster Speculation. To me trying to anticipate what Brian Cashman and the powers that be will do with the roster is the best thing about the off season.

Last year was particularly exciting because the Yankees had a lot of holes in the roster and their mission was to build a World Champion. Mission accomplished! Now the mission becomes to keep that World Champion title here in NY.So what we are going to do is break down the roster and speculate on who should stay and who should go. We will also look at what the Yankees needs are and who might be available to fill those needs. Lets start with a position by position breakdown.

Catcher:

Jorge Posada:  Posada is still under contract so will be returning next season. Their has been concern that Posada due to his age wouldn’t be able to catch as many games as in previous years. He proved he can still carry most of the load playing in 111 games and hitting a respectable .285 with 22 HR and 81 RBI.

As for Posadas back-up this is a little interesting. Jose Molina is still a great defensive catcher but has no pop in his bat. On the other side of the coin , Fransico Cervelli  proved that he can hit big league pitching  when Molina became injured in 2009.He is decent behind the plate with a strong enough arm and he fits into the Yankees plan of going younger and faster.  This being said I believe that the back-up catcher is a defensive position and Molina is the best their is in this department. Not to mention the relationship that he has developed with AJ Burnett as his personal catcher.  I believe the Yankees will offer him a deal in the neighborhood of 2 years 5 million dollars. Cervelli is only 23 he will get his shot.

First Base:

Nothing to talk about here Mark Teixeira will be around for many years to come.

Second Base:

Robinson Cano is also under contract and after having a rough 2008. 2009 was a career year for him. He batted .320 with 25 HR and 85 RBI’s  I would say his job is safe.

Short Stop:

Derek Jeter is the Yankees and he will be a Yankee until he doesn’t want to be a Yankee anymore. Many have wondered how long he will be able to physically play short stop the answer is as long as he wants to. He is ageless and shows no sign of decline.

Third Base:

Another no brainer in that A-Rod will be holding down the hot corner for many more years.

now the outfield is where it starts to get interesting

Left Field:

Johnny Damon does not fit the profile as getting younger and he does not have a very good arm. But he is a great Yankee, he just fits with everything this ball club is about. I think there is interest on both sides for Damon to return. In order for this to happen Damon would have to be willing to except quite a large pay cut. I see Damon coming back on a one year deal  of around 7 million + performance incentives that could bring it up to around 9 .With a second year 6 million dollar option or a 500K buyout. I think he would be primarily the DH and this would mean the Yankees would say goodbye to Hideki Matsui who has bad knees and can’t run but will certainly get a contract somewhere. My best guess is Seattle, they have a couple of other Japanese players already and it seems like the place that over the hill outfielders go to die.

Center field:

The tandem of Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner was mediocre at best. The Yankees have Austin Jackson waiting in the wings and if ready will probably mean the end of Melky Cabrera as a Yankee . Cabrera would certainly be worth something in trade. Brett Gardner has proven to be a great 4th outfielder that is adequate as an everyday player but even better as a pinch runner or defensive replacement, he stays.

Right Field:

I think we have all figured out by now that the odds of Xavier Nady coming back is slim and  Nick Swisher did a good job as his replacement and makes an adequate back up first baseman. Not to mention the fact that he is still under the Yankees control for another season. I predict that Swisher will be playing RF again next season however I don’t necessarily agree with it.

That is how I see the position players filling out from the current rosters. Tomorrow will will look at  the pitchers, the bench and who the Yankees might be looking to add.  Oh and don’t forget to follow us on twitter at Yankeemagzine

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Post World Series questions will soon need some answers

I know the World Series has just ended and they haven’t been world champs for even 24 hours yet but its time to start thinking about who will stay and who will go before next season . There are a number of players that are either free agents, have options or were just rentals to begin with.Some of these players we will say goodbye to, some will be offered a contract. Perhaps we should start to look at a couple of the big question marks. The two biggest are Matsui and Damon.  Now I personally believe that Matsui may have just hit himself into another contract. But when I say that we have to look at it realistically. Matsui is 35 years old and made 13 million last season and had had surgery on both knees. Do to these bad knees he did not play in the field in 2009. At times he looked like he was 90 years old running the bases but looked better running the bases towards the end of the season.  Now Im not going to sit here and tell you that he is ready to play in the field again only the Drs, trainers,coaches and Matsui himself can make that determination. What I can tell you is that even if he cant it would be a benefit to the Yankees to sign him for one more year. Granted we cannot pay him the 13 million that he made in 2009 that would be foolish. However if he likes NY and wants to stay I think an eight million dollar deal with incentives would not be horrible. Perhaps with a team option for a second year for an additional 5 million. If Matsui goes out tests the free agency waters he will certainly find interest. Seattle comes to mind as a team that he would fit in with well. He can probably even get a muti year deal elsewhere, however there aren’t many of these teams that can offer him contention at the 2010 WS.

As for Johnny Damon it appears that both sides have interest in him returning and I am confident that a deal will be reached.Damon is 36 and had a career season. Unlike Matsui Damon had good knees and can still steal a bag. His weakness is that he has a below average throwing arm. However he is still an asset to the lineup and a very productive hitter. I would give him a 2 year 14 million dollar deal that would be worth up to 20 million with incentives.

There are some other players that we have to wonder what will do with such as Hinske,Guzman,Nady,Hairston and a few other players namely pitchers that we will take closer looks at over the coming weeks. My guess is that Hairston will be given some kind of deal to to his versatility and Hinske will be invited to spring training on a minor league deal with a chance to compete for a 25 man roster spot and Guzman will probably be designated for assignment. Nady could be a wild card he is very popular with the other players and he is still quite young.

Also what will become of Chin Ming Wang ? There was speculation that the Yankees may non-tender him but I don’t see it. I think they will wait it out and see how it goes. Wang is only 29 years old and lets not forget he was a 19 game winner two years in a row and had the most wins of any pitcher over that period of time.

The Yankees have a lot of questions to be answered and now its time to slowly start thinking about them. But first lets enjoy the parade.

World Series Champs

The New York Yankees are World Series Champions. I was there for the action and it is single handedly the greatest live sports moment of my life.

Yankees are World Champions

The New York Yankees have clinched their 27th world championship and they did it in style. They took an early 2-0 lead and never looked back as they had control of this game from the Get go. Hideki Matsui surfaced as Pedros Daddy with a HR and 4 RBI’s off him. The Bull pen took over for the Phillies in the fifth but it was to little to late as the Yankees came away with a 7-3 victory.

They game ended as any Yankees classic should end with Mariano Rivera closing it out . The Yankees can finally put all the critics to bed. The Fact is that the Yankees are the Best team in baseball and the 2009 World Series Champions. Beating down last years World Champions to become the World Champion seems fitting. This was Alex Rodriguez first world series victory and probably one of many to come. This Yankees team is built to win and I would imagine that most of the pieces will remain intact next season as well. We will talk in the coming weeks about who will and wont be back next season but now is not the time. As Joe Girardi stood there with the Trophy he hinted that he might change to number 28 now that they have won 27.

In the Pre game I predicted that Matsui would be huge. This turned out to be an understatement as he was the world series MVP and had an incredible game six. Matsui was the first DH to ever win the MVP.Andy Pettitte ended  4-0 in the post season. No win was bigger than today. On short rest Pettitte took the ball and pitched his heart out.

Tomorrow we will take a look at each players world series performance and their likelihood of return. Before we all go to bed I just wanted to state that the Fox announcers were the worst I have ever heard in my life. They seconded guessed the managers throughout the entire series and you could tell that they were Anti Yankee from the start. Back tomorrow with sooooooooooooooo much more. But tonight we all go to bed fans of the WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!

Game six

Game six is the Yankees second opportunity to clinch their 27th world championship which would be the ultimate cherry on top of this tremendous season for the Yankees. Its funny how Brian Cashman is crucified when the Yankees fail and he is held to god like standards when they succeed. Fact of the matter is they have only missed the playoffs once in the last decade or so, so I think you gotta be happy with his performance. The Wheels in my brain are already turning as to who will be back next year and who the Yankees might pick up. Tonight though its all world series baby. Here are your starting lineups.

YANKEES
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Hideki Matsui DH
Jorge Posada C
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Brett Gardner CF

Pitching: LHP Andy Pettitte (3-0, 3.24 ERA in postseason)

PHILLIES
Jimmy Rollins SS
Shane Victorino CF
Chase Utley 2B
Ryan Howard 1B
Jayson Werth RF
Raul Ibanez DH
Pedro Feliz 3B
Ben Francisco LF
Carlos Ruiz C

Pitching: RHP Pedro Martinez (0-1, 2.08 ERA in postseason)

 

Im just going to leave you a couple of pre game notes and then we will be back afterwords for a complete wrap-up and hopefully a celebration.

1. Its really cold in NY right now low 40’s and it would not suprise me if you see a snow shower before its over.

2. Mo will probably go three innings tonight if the situation calls for it. Like I said before Yankees will be “All In”

3. Mark Texeria is soooooooooooo due and I have the feeling he and Arod will play a big roll in tonight’s game

4. Look for the Yankees to run on Pedro hes doesn’t have a great move like Andy

5. My advice to Joe Girardi: Stop pitching to Chase Utley. This man needs to be walked at every opportunity.

6. Matsui will be huge tonight mark my words

enjoy the game folks.

Game six calls for all in

In an effort to prevent the need for a game seven the Yankees will go all in. This could mean Mariano Rivera for as many as three innings if needed. I personally would not be surprised if CC came out of the bull pen as well for a couple of batters if it was necessary to secure a victory. You have to wonder how far the Yankees might go to prevent a game seven. Hopefully it will be unnecessary but I believe the Yankees will be all in.

Everyone step away from the ledge

All day I have been fielding E-mails and  reading articles about the fact that many of you believe that the Yankees are going to blow it because AJ Burnett got roughed up. I’m here to tell you all to step back away from the ledge and certainly don’t even think about jumping. The Yankees are still in the Drivers seat.  Game six will feature the man who holds the record for the most post season victories in the history of the game, Andy Pettitte, he will be facing off against an old nemesis in Pedro Martinez. Two pitchers that have faced off so many times before. The difference here is that Pedro is not the same pitcher that he once was and Andy Pettitte is still the brilliant work Horse that he has always been.  I will admit that after Andy’s melt down in the second half of 2008 I was a skeptic about signing him and I had doubts as to whether or not he would ever be the same pitcher that he once was. I was wrong Pettitte is a big game pitcher and has been huge this post season. He is 3-0 with an ERA of 3.24 in 25 innings Andy has given up 22 hits and struck out 23  giving up 9 runs along the way.

Pedro Martinez  started game 2 for the Phillies and pitched well. The Yankees ended up getting to him and Winning the game. Martinez back in 2000 was an unstoppable force but now he really isn’t fooling anyone and the Yankees having seen his 89 MPH fastball in game two should be all over it.

One of the big differences in game six as opposed to game two will be Alex Rodriguez.  In game two Alex was in a slump but now he has found his pre world series mojo.

Lets assume for a minute that somehow the Phillies work out a win in game six.  In game Seven the Yankees will bring CC Sabathia to the mound on short rest. I believe that CC is almost better on short rest. It forces him to slow down and focus and he becomes more of a dominant force than he already is. CC has been incredible all season. In this post-season he is 3-1 with an ERA of 1.98. Sabathia has thrown 36 innings and only given up eight earned runs. Sabathia is hardest on himself and is truly the definition of  a team player when he gets mad he gets unhittable. 

On the other side of the coin we have to ask who will the Phillies run out there? Basically as I see it they have three choices.

1. Cole Hamels – Hamels was last years MVP, this year he has been awful. He is 1-2 with an ERA of 7.58

2. JA Happ_ Happ had a decent season this year . But like Hamels has been less than brilliant in the postseason with an ERA of 6.75. He has only started one post game this post season and has worked out of the bull-pen in 5 others. Results were not good.

3. Cliff Lee on short rest- Lee has been absolutely Brilliant and If the Phillies somehow pull out another world series championship he will certainly be the MVP, but Lee has never in his career pitched on short rest and it would seem that now might not be the best time to experiment with whether or not he would be affective. It would be a big risk, one that I would probably take if I were them, but having watched the way Charlie Manual manages I think he goes with Hamels.

The Yankees took two of three in Philadelphia. A place where the Phillies had the advantage. The National league rules forced the Yankees to take Hideki Matsui from the starting line-up. Matsui is .308 in the post season with 3 HR and 7 RBI’s. Also in the game that AJ Burnett started they went with Molina instead of Jorge Posada who has 8 post season RBI’s. Back at Yankee stadium the bombers gain back all this offensive production.  Cliff Lee is the only Pitcher for the Phillies that has gotten a win in this World Series and having pitched yesterday he is probably done for this year.

So if anyone should be standing a little to close to the edge at least for now it shouldn’t be the Yankees.

 

Yankee Rally falls short

The Yankees tried to rally late after chasing Lee from the game after seven. It was to little to late. On a night that Chase Utley ties Reggie Jackson’s Home Run record the Phillies win 8-6.

So now we head back to NY where the Yankees have the upper-hand. Able to reinsert Posada and Matsui into the line-up and gain back that ninth spot  where the pitcher sat in Philadelphia. The Yankees should feel Great to have taken two of three in the city of brotherly love, they are really not built for national league style play.

Unlike the Previous two games in NY Alex Rodriguez is back to swinging his hot bat, last night going 2-4 with 3 RBI.  The Phillies will start Pedro Martinez in game Six, most likely against Andy Pettitte ,another pitching match-up that favors the Yankees as Pedro continues to let the Yankees” be his daddy “losing game two in the Bronx.

So rest up my friends as tomorrow we will continue this war which the Yankees have come to far to lose . I say things like that because Genevosey is superstitious and thinks im jinxing them. You and I both know that there is no such thing but its fun to get him worked up.

Back tomorrow much more to come.

 

Game 5 Lineups and Babble

 

The Yankees are looking to wrap up this series tonight in Philadelphia. It will not under any circumstances be an easy thing to do. It will be even more difficult under tonight’s circumstances, Cliff Lee is taking the mound. In case you forgot he pitched a complete game last time out. The Yankees hurt themselves even further at the plate tonight by letting Jose Molina catch in place of Jorge Posada. Molina has caught all of Burnett’s postseason starts. This move essentially takes two bats out of the lineup for the Yankees. Matsui is out of lineup tonight because the game is in the National League Citizens Bank Park. If the Yankees bats stall the pundits will once again turn on Girardi and say how awful a manager he is. If that is true I have no idea, I don’t think that it is but that is strictly opinion.  The Yankees are still in good shape and have the opportunity to end the Classic in five games. One important note Melky Cabrera is off of the roster with a hamstring injury and has been replaced by Ramiro Pena. 

Here are tonight’s lineups:

YANKEES
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Nick Swisher RF
Robinson Cano 2B
Brett Gardner CF
Jose Molina C
A.J. Burnett P

Pitching: RHP A.J. Burnett (1-0, 3.55 ERA in postseason)

PHILLIES
Jimmy Rollins SS
Shane Victorino CF
Chase Utley 2B
Ryan Howard 1B
Jayson Werth RF
Raul Ibanez LF
Pedro Feliz 3B
Carlos Ruiz C
Cliff Lee P

Pitching: LHP Cliff Lee (3-0, 0.54 ERA in postseason)

Yanks Take One In Philly

The Yankees took a much needed game in Philadelphia last night.  The game was delayed for over an hour due to rain. Once they did get underway it was all go. The Phillies jumped out in front 3-0 off of Andy Pettitte.  Pettitte would settle in and pitch six full innings fanning seven and letting up four earned runs.  Oh yeah the wily vet also pitched in with a game tying RBI single in the sixth inning. Any time your pitcher helps your cause you know things are looking up.

The Yankees got to Hamels the second time and third time through the lineup. Alex Rodriguez finally got a hit and it was a big one. With one on and out in the fourth inning A-Rod planted one right into the camera over the right field wall. What was initially ruled a double was overturned by replay. It was clearly a homerun. All of the dormant bats came alive last night for the Yankees. Nick Swisher had a double and a homerun and Damon got the bat working with a double as well. The Yankees bullpen was almost perfect letting up just one run over three innings of work. Phil Hughes was still shaky however. He was yanked after letting up a homerun in the bottom of the ninth. Mariano Rivera came in for the last two outs of the game. It only took him five pitches.

The Yankees have ensured a trip back to the Bronx for a game six with the win. The important things for the Yankees in this game is that A-Rod, Swisher, Damon, and Matsui all got going at the plate, and the bullpen for the most part righted the ship. Tomorrow the Yankees get Joe Blanton. Blanton is 0-3 with a 8.18 against the Yankees in four starts. Meanwhile the Yankees send CC Sabathia to the mound on three days rest. Should be a excellent baseball game in what is shaping up to be an outstanding World Series.

By Michael “Genevosey” Genovese