The Boys of Summer

[Grape Ape]

I'm not a Papi fan and always root for the Red Sox to lose, but that was a brutal ump show in the Bronx last night.  MLB should bring in an automated strike zone FFS.

Live, the strike 2 call looked horrendous.    Replay, especially the overhead, actually made it look like a strike.  BUT, Ortiz should have been ejected for arguing balls and strikes either way, and not even got to strike 3.

Either way, I was just reading the predictions we did.  I could easily be 100% wrong.   Yankees have been putrid - everything is going wrong.

[tom joad]

Live, the strike 2 call looked horrendous.    Replay, especially the overhead, actually made it look like a strike.  BUT, Ortiz should have been ejected for arguing balls and strikes either way, and not even got to strike 3.

Either way, I was just reading the predictions we did.  I could easily be 100% wrong.   Yankees have been putrid - everything is going wrong.

any chance they deal like a Chapman at the deadline or is Cashman not allowed to go in seller mode?

[Grape Ape]

any chance they deal like a Chapman at the deadline or is Cashman not allowed to go in seller mode?

If they are toast by the deadline, he should absolutely do that, and your team should be all in on it.

You could argue Miller as a well.

Yankees need Harper more than any other team.

By the way -  pitch #5 was the one that they all went nuts about:

[Grape Ape]

Joey Bautista was just the recipient of one of the greatest baseball punches I've ever seen.   Adrian Beltre saved his ass.


At the 3 min mark.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/178354174/bautista-odor-spark-blue-jays-rangers-fracas

[CalvinH]

Joey Bautista was just the recipient of one of the greatest baseball punches I've ever seen.   Adrian Beltre saved his ass.


At the 3 min mark.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/178354174/bautista-odor-spark-blue-jays-rangers-fracas

Dude has a strong jaw.

[funk51]

Joey Bautista was just the recipient of one of the greatest baseball punches I've ever seen.   Adrian Beltre saved his ass.


At the 3 min mark.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/178354174/bautista-odor-spark-blue-jays-rangers-fracas

that's exactly what i said when i saw it.. beltre saved joey b the embarrassment of a major ass kicking.

[tom joad]

With the all star break nearly here and the Bombers currently 5 games back in the wildcard, do you Yankees fans want Cashman to be a seller or buyer or to stand pat with this squad?  Who would you like to see shopped?

[njflex]

With the all star break nearly here and the Bombers currently 5 games back in the wildcard, do you Yankees fans want Cashman to be a seller or buyer or to stand pat with this squad?  Who would you like to see shopped?

i'm torn being a yankee fan,
I like didi and starling castro

I like headley as a clubhouse /team guy but man his numbers suck,he's inching to repectable lately

arod/tex are like watching 2 guys running in mud...

gardner/ellsbury need to wake up and be a solid 1/2 punch up top or one has to go....

pitching has been pretty good/bullpen is really good,some hiccups but still solid..

they are yrs away from being the 'Bronx bombers 'again sad as a fan to see after 1995/2010 2011 ?12/13/14  ..

and godbless carlos beltran he has been superb...

[tom joad]

i'm torn being a yankee fan,
I like didi and starling castro

I like headley as a clubhouse /team guy but man his numbers suck,he's inching to repectable lately

arod/tex are like watching 2 guys running in mud...

gardner/ellsbury need to wake up and be a solid 1/2 punch up top or one has to go....

pitching has been pretty good/bullpen is really good,some hiccups but still solid..

they are yrs away from being the 'Bronx bombers 'again sad as a fan to see after 1995/2010 2011 ?12/13/14  ..

and godbless carlos beltran he has been superb...

kinda sucks for Cashman to have the Yanks climb to .500 at the break and still on the cusp of the WC race.

[njflex]

kinda sucks for Cashman to have the Yanks climb to .500 at the break and still on the cusp of the WC race.

YEAH,,HARD TO SAY SELL THE FARM OR TRADE AWAY FOR NEXT YR..YANKEES HAVE ONLY RECENTLY FELL INTO THIS KIND OF LOSING CLUBS .

[Grape Ape]

kinda sucks for Cashman to have the Yanks climb to .500 at the break and still on the cusp of the WC race.

Most Yankee fans I know want them to lose so the front office has no choice but to sell players.

Could get great returns for Miller / Chapman, and maybe something decent for a Beltran/McCann/Garnder.

Then, let the kids play.

The thing is, if Severino / Pineda were anywhere close to where the Yankees thought they were, they'd be five games better.   Almost glad they're not, because they got exposed.

They need to reload, then spend goobers of $$ on Harper and Machado.   That would make the great again for 2019+

[tom joad]

Most Yankee fans I know want them to lose so the front office has no choice but to sell players.

Could get great returns for Miller / Chapman, and maybe something decent for a Beltran/McCann/Garnder.

Then, let the kids play.

The thing is, if Severino / Pineda were anywhere close to where the Yankees thought they were, they'd be five games better.   Almost glad they're not, because they got exposed.

They need to reload, then spend goobers of $$ on Harper and Machado.   That would make the great again for 2019+

Yeah, that's what they should do ... rebuild with an eye towards that great free agent class of 2018.
I'd actually like to see Harper in pinstripes ... coming to Toronto 9-10 times a year in his prime!
But it'll be a little sad if the Yankees aren't in the WC mix the rest of the way because it ain't a party in the AL East without meaningful games against NY.

[njflex]

Yeah, that's what they should do ... rebuild with an eye towards that great free agent class of 2018.
I'd actually like to see Harper in pinstripes ... coming to Toronto 9-10 times a year in his prime!
But it'll be a little sad if the Yankees aren't in the WC mix the rest of the way because it ain't a party in the AL East without meaningful games against NY.

blue jays are playing well right now even with bautista's 12 hrs  ..tulo is having good start ..

[tom joad]

when should the Yankees release Arod?
a) right now
b) sometime in August or Sept.
c) this off season
d) keep him around till his contract expires after next season
e) extend him now!

[Grape Ape]

when should the Yankees release Arod?
a) right now
b) sometime in August or Sept.
c) this off season
d) keep him around till his contract expires after next season
e) extend him now!

Only way they'll know if he has anything left is to let him play.

Either way, Yankees are trending in the right direction, big time.

[tom joad]

Only way they'll know if he has anything left is to let him play.

Either way, Yankees are trending in the right direction, big time.

Yes, the Yanks did very well with their recent deals.

Assuming Arod doesn't have anything close to a David Ortiz-like bat still in him (and he does get cut before his contract expires) is he a slam dunk to get his number retired one day?

How about Tex?  What's the overall verdict on his 8 years (and one ring) in pinstripes?

[polychronopolous]

Only way they'll know if he has anything left is to let him play.

Either way, Yankees are trending in the right direction, big time.

Any truth to the statement that they simply don't want to see him pass Ruth after all the animosity between him and the club?

The issues between him and the training staff plus the failed ped tests being 2 that really stick out.

[Grape Ape]

Any truth to the statement that they simply don't want to see him pass Ruth after all the animosity between him and the club?

The issues between him and the training staff plus the failed ped tests being 2 that really stick out.

I doubt it.  He's appeared to have mended the fences the last few years, especially with the fans.   The rookies all love him too.

Who knows though?   I  think it's more now that Yankees need to give the kids at bats and he's in the way.  They're not contending right now, and the sooner the young guys get their reps, the better.

[Grape Ape]

Yes, the Yanks did very well with their recent deals.

Assuming Arod doesn't have anything close to a David Ortiz-like bat still in him (and he does get cut before his contract expires) is he a slam dunk to get his number retired one day?

How about Tex?  What's the overall verdict on his 8 years (and one ring) in pinstripes?

For me:

Tex:  Thanks for 2009, but largely underperformed to his contract.   Decent guy.  Money hungry history, and suspected roid guy from being young while in Texas clubhouse full of roidy mcroiders.  No retired number.  He has Giambi's and Giambi was better.

Arod:  Nope not getting retired.  Too much baggage.

[tom joad]

Arod press conference tomorrow ...

[polychronopolous]

I doubt it.  He's appeared to have mended the fences the last few years, especially with the fans.   The rookies all love him too.

Who knows though?   I  think it's more now that Yankees need to give the kids at bats and he's in the way.  They're not contending right now, and the sooner the young guys get their reps, the better.

They did a fine job of improving their future in the past week. The consensus seems to be that the Yankees and Rangers were the big winners at the trade deadline.

[Grape Ape]

They did a fine job of improving their future in the past week. The consensus seems to be that the Yankees and Rangers were the big winners at the trade deadline.

They both definitely were.

I still think Texas should have tried to get Sale though.

[tom joad]

after the 2010 season ... with 7 years left on his contract ... and just 87 HRs shy of 700 ... who would've bet that Arod would fall short?

[polychronopolous]

I used to hate that guy as a Ranger. You could tell the guy never gave a rip about the team or the town and was just biding his time to get out of there.

Is Mark Teixeira worthy of Cooperstown?



As you are probably well aware of, Mark Teixeira has announced his retirement after 14 seasons in the league. It will bring to an end a great career that came with a World Series title in 2009.

But is he a Hall of Famer? Let's take a look at some of Teixeira's career highlights.

14 seasons, .269/.361/.511, 127 wRC+
404 HR
Best seven seasons average a 141 wRC+
All-time great defensive first baseman with 104 DRS at the position
Part of 2009 World Series Champion Yankees
52.1 WAR/ 37.9 WAR7/ 45 JAWS
Ranks 28th all-time among first basemen by JAWS
Teixeira combined offense and defense like few first basemen in history have. Generally, first base is where you put big bats because that’s where their poor fielding skills will do the least amount of damage. If we take a look at some of the best first basemen all-time by JAWS, we see some terrible defenders such as Willie McCovey, Frank Thomas, Jim Thome, and Mark McGwire. More recent examples are Jason Giambi and Prince Fielder. What they all had in common is that they raked. McCovey and Thomas crushed the ball so hard that it deservedly landed them in the Hall of Fame, and Thome will likely join them.

There’s a lot of factors working against Teixeira. He did hit very well in his career, but his 127 wRC+ ranks only 47th all-time among first basemen with at least 5,000 PA. Coincidentally, he’s tied with Hall of Famer Eddie Murray. There are 20 first basemen whose entire career wRC+ are equal to or better than Teixeira’s seven-year peak average of 141.

It’s difficult for defense to make up for offensive shortcomings with an offense-first position like first base. Keith Hernandez is the best example of this. He’s arguably the greatest defensive first baseman ever and he has a higher career wRC+ than Teixeira, but he couldn’t even last more than nine years on the ballot, let alone get anywhere close to election. Don Mattingly and Gil Hodges are two other players who brought good defensive skills to the field, but whose offensive contributions fell far from the standard at the position. They didn’t get anywhere with voters either.

Teixeira wasn’t just “good” at first base, though. He’s one of the greatest fielding first basemen ever.

 He’s very similar to Keith Hernandez and John Olerud. I already discussed Hernandez, and Olerud got a mere four votes on his one and only year on the ballot. They both rank higher than Teixeira by JAWS.

Unfortunately, Teixeira does not compare favorably to Hall of Fame first baseman. By WAR, he falls well short of the Hall average for career and peak. The fact of the matter is that first base has provided many all-time great bats that set the bar too high for Teixeira’s defense to overcome. Being part of the 2009 World Champion Yankees will help, though I’m afraid it’s not nearly enough to make up the difference.

Voters put more weight on counting stats than I believe they should, but there isn’t much there to help Teixeira either. A career total of 404 HR doesn’t really stand out at first base. He doesn’t even have 2,000 hits, and his 14 seasons aren’t very high when evaluating his longevity.

I believe that Mark Teixeira doesn’t meet the Hall of Fame standard at first base. My prediction is that he’ll last a few years on the ballot before falling off. At best, it’ll be several years. With voters becoming smarter and smarter, I just don’t see how he even gets close to induction. He’s firmly a “Hall of Very Good” player. And there’s nothing wrong with that. That’s still pretty awesome. He had a great career of which he should be extremely proud.

[tom joad]

Obviously Jeter's the captain and was the real face of the team.

But for me, the "faces" of the Yankees in recent times were Teixeira and Nick Swisher