Nick Swisher prediction

Every year there are a ton players who don't perform up to their hype, sometimes this is for physical reasons other times mental issues due to problems on and off the field. Here is my Prediction for Nick Swisher, the definition of a player who did not perform up to his potential this past year.

Last year he saw roughly a 50 point drop in his batting average and over a 30 point drop in his ops+ although he did have 2 more homeruns the previous year. I believe this drop can be attributed to a lack of as consistent playing time (he did still have about 500 AB's but that is still 40 less than normal), a misuse of his skills Nick Swisher is not a leadoff hitter, and a bad change of scenery, with Ozzie Guillen at one point coming out to the media and saying how he was disappointed in how Nick had playing.

If he gets a fulltime job in the outfield, which assumes Nady is traded, he will, in my opinion put up the best numbers of his career. I predict a line of 260/390/520 with almost 40 homeruns next season. Now I know you might think I am crazy, but keep in mind a few things just 3 years ago in 2006 he hit 35 homeruns for Oakland. I can tell you it is a hell of a lot easier to hit a homerun in Yankee Stadium than it is in Oakland. Also keep in mind that Oakland's offense was pretty mediocre back then short of Frank Thomas and Nick himself, he will definitely have more opportunities as a Yankee.

Regardless of how Nick Swisher performs the 2009 season looks bright with the Yankees having one of their best rotations and lineups in a very long time.

I had a dream...

So i have crazy dreams about the Yankees... alot... especially durring the offseason when my mind needs baseball. Most of the time they aren't that farfetched, most of the time they are realistic and believable... last night, i had a very interesting dream... regarding... Kei Igawa...

It started out as the Yankees reportedly inviting Kei Igawa to spring training... Kei took this as his chance to shine... he worked on a few things in the offseason... curve ball... changeup... whatever shit pitches he throws....

So apparently my dream was all about Kei Igawa succeeding... i don't know if i can handle a Kei Igawa comeback.

Anyway... spring training roles around... and the Yankees play their first game against the Blue Jays.... at... the new Yankee Stadium? O.k... my dream land is starting to take over now...

Kei Igawa starts this game and there is a lot of media hype surrounding it, because Kei claimed he will prove to be the ace of the Yankees staff (what was i smoking last night?).

This is when my dream threw me for a loop... Roy Halladay... Yankee killa... came in to lead off for the blue jays... struck out on three pitches... big suprise... (it didn't hit me that Roy Halladay was leading off until i actually woke up...)

Next batter... Matt Stairs... (apparently my dream land still has Matt Stairs on the Blue Jays)... he strikes out on 3 pitches.... what the?... Kei Igawa is goood? nooo, can't be!

David Wright batted 3rd for the Blue Jays? (again, it didn't hit me as wierd until i woke up)... Kei Igawa picked an oppurtune time to throw his first fastball of the game... and....

David Wright hits it for a homerun.... guess my dream wasn't so farfetched afterall...

I don't think the dream continued after that, my mind gave up on Kei Igawa.

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It's always sunny in Philadelphia is a great show, if you don't watch it and love to laugh your ass off... check it out here.

Random thoughts

Not much really going on in baseball right now as most teams appear to be done spending including the Yankees... lets take a look at the rumor mill anyway

Ben why do all the teams think my arm is going to fall off Sheets is still looking for a 2 year deal which I doubt he gets. I'm going to hazard a guess that something in his medical report has scared the hell out of every major league team.

Jason Varitek may sign for around 5 million dollars on a one year deal. Man I wish I could get paid millions of dollars to be bad. He can't really hit anymore and his defense is rapidly declining he was just a bit over league average this past year. But if they don't resign him there pitching staff may suddenly fall apart, seeing as how Jason is one of the best game callers ever whos skills can be matched by no one! And the Florida Marlins are going to try and sign Manny Ramirez.. Okay, back to reality.

Spekaing of Manny Ramirez, he is still trying to get the Dodgers to bid against themselves in their pursuit of him. Normally, I'd say not even Scott Boras could make this happen, but Ned Colleti is the GM who gave Andruw Jones 36 million dollars.

Oliver Perez is still looking for a 4 year 40 million dollar contract and it looks like the Mets are going to give him something close to that. Highest walk rate in the national league + ERA over 4 = roughly 10 million dollars a year apparently... quick someone tell Jon Garland. And the biggest news of the day the Pirates may have just made their biggest offseason signing in Eric Hinske... I feel for all the Pirates fans out there.

So ya baseball is pretty boring right now, but to help you get through the times here is a hilarious video



lets get physical!

Andy Pettite signs...

We've all had our doubts and concerns regarding Andy Pettite this offseason, but honestly... you've gotta honor the deal that Andy accepted.

Andy turned down a deal that would have guarenteed him 10 MM, Yankee fans including myself were skeptic and the word 'selfish' was even thrown around a few times. But not long ago, as most of you reading knows... Andy accepted a deal with just 5.5 million guarenteed (6.5 can be added to that in incentives).

Shows how classy Andy Pettite is, and apparently... how confident. The right deal was sitting right under the Yankees noses the entire time, Andy wanted the Yankees to figure that out themselves. You have to have some real confidence and determination on your side to turn down a deal that guarenteed 10 MM and accept one for 5.5 with only 2 MM more after incentives.

Great signing for the Yankees... i'd all but given up on Pettite, but i was worried, and was considering pitchers like Randy Wolf, Ben Sheets and Freddy Garcia. But all of us Yankee fans wanted Andy back, he's the guy i would give the ball to, if my life depended on it.

This sure gives the Yankees one helluva rotation, with Andy Pettite as your number 4 starter? Yea you better feel threatened Red Sox "nation"... now, let's look at the Yankees 2009 rotation as of today:

CC Sabathia
Chien Ming Wang
AJ Burnett
Andy Pettite
Joba Chamberlain

This signing also gives the Yankees the oppurtunity to keep Phil Hughes in the minors to tweak the things that need adjusting. So when the time comes that Joba has to move to the bullpen, Phil Hughes can come up and replace him.

Sure looks like a solid team to me... i can't wait for opening day.

Just a few thoughts...

My internet is still off and on, so i'm taking a gamble here with making a post, but i will take the risk.

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Apparently Joe Torre has a book coming out...

i cut ties with Joe Torre once he left the Yankees last year, so i am not heartbroken over any of what he said like some fans are.

i have not given any time into reading any of what Joe Torre is saying, but from other people, this is the gist i am getting...

-A-Rod wants to have butt sex with Derek Jeter
-A-Rod's new nickname is... A-Fraud... clever
-Somewhere in the book the Steinbrenner's and Brian Cashman are bashed...

Some of you Yankee fans can sit and be disgusted, or you can be like me... and just take what Joe Torre gave us the last 12 or so years, say thanks... and move on.

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Rinku and Dinesh have a great blog that they update every so often... more than Phil Hughes who posts once a month.

In a recent post they explain how they got an autographed picture of 'The Rock'.. who is their favorite actor... they also seem to be fascinated with his muscle...

"We thanking mark Sir, and hope someday meeting Rock. If I meeting Rock i asking how he getting the muscules in biggest"

Little warning to you both, don't take any advice from the Rock regarding getting your muscles bigger.

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If you're like me, and love laughing your ass off... enjoy this man's humiliation.

Internet issues part II

Sorry again, my internet has been off and on the last few weeks so it's been hard to get a post in... as of right now, Ace will be taking over the posting for the next few days until i can get my internet situation handled...

But! i still have a video for you before i go...

Japan Game Show Funny Baseball - Funny bloopers are a click away
Why do i love Japanse shows like this? because you aren't wondering if someone gets hurt, it's just a matter of when it happens (i.e the girl who went 3rd in this video).

I love how the girl is clearly concussed and in agony while they are all standing there laughing at her...

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By the way... the fantasy league has spots, come on! it will be fun, email us.

Looking ahead...

Now that this offseason is all but over for the Yankees I feel it is a good time to address the Yankees farm system and what they have to do to get it back to where it was last year. The Yankees farm system dropped all the way from #5 to #15 this past year (Boston also had a huge drop) due to a variety of reasons. Graduations to the big leagues by Joba and Ian Kennedy, a multitude of injuries in the minors, players traded away in the nady/marte deal, and a failure to sign first and second round draft picks all combined to lead to this large drop in the rankings. This past year also exposed an extreme lack of organizational depth in the minors as when injuries began to plague the rotation our best replacement was Darrel freaking Rasner. Going forward this year I'd like to see the Yankees do two major things to really improve the farm system.

1. Don't draft the high potential toolsy players that the Yankees traditionally draft. Sure this has worked out great before (i.e. Joba), but often times will fail. What the Yankees system needs most out of the draft right now are polished college players who may not have the most upside but are more a sure thing. There are other ways to obtain high end talent aside from the draft.

2. Make a splash in the international market. I realize the international market has been pretty hit or miss for the Yankees the past 10 years. We've had our highs in Hideki Matsui and our lows in Hideki Irabu and then we've had our kei igawas... but in all seriousness the Yankees made a splash in 2006 signing Jesús Montero which has worked out well so far, but since then have only had a moderate presence. In my opinion this is where the Yankees should be looking for their higher end talent this coming year, this is where they should be looking to take some risks (should have tried harder to sign Inoa this past year). Also make a play at Yadel Marti and Yasser Gomez (the two guys who just defected from Cuba) these guys are said to be near major league ready players with a lot of talent and have interest in playing for the Yankees. It would be disappointing to see the Yankees let this opportunity escape them.

Anyway lets take a quick look at the positives. Right now with 3 Yankees ranking in the top 100 Austin Jackson (46), Jesus Montero (83) and Andrew Brackman (95). Austin Jackson projects to be an above average everyday centerfielder. Jesus Montero has an above average bat and will end up a catcher unless he outgrows the position and is forced to become a first baseman. Andrew Brackman by far has the most potential out of any recent yankees prospects short of Joba. He is 6'10 with a fastball that sits in the mid 90's and a devestating knuckle curve. He played well in the Hawaii league coming off of Tommy John surgery. If he lives up to his full potential he will be a true #1 starter. This coming year will be interesting as we follow those 3 and get to see which high end players will emerge from low and high A ball.

Cheap options...

Ok, i'll have to say 95% of Yankee fans which i've encountered are against the signings of Andruw Jones and Freddy Garcia. If you think the Yankees are going to give these two major league contracts, you are totally wrong...

The good thing about a minor league contract is they're always dispensable... if these two don't produce to what the Yankees are looking for, you can release them, or demote them.

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Andruw Jones...


I am not saying sign Andruw Jones to be our 2009 centerfielder, because at this point i would prefer Brett Gardner. I see Jones as washed up and overwheight as well, i'm not oblivious to this at all... but let's see what he can give us in spring training, he has tremendous upside if he can return to 05/06 form.

Again, Jones is a bum... he hit 158. last year... as far as i'm concerned, he's done. But we have to remember, he now has to prove himself as a quality major league ball player, determination can carry a player.

Sign him to a minor league deal, invite him to spring, if he tears it up... try him out, if not... dump him. It's really as simple as that, if he ends up sucking tremendously, you can make fun of him and call him a fat ass... but people will end up doing that whether he succeeds or fails.

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Onto Freddy Garcia...

It is looking more and more unlikely that Andy Pettite will pitch for the Yankees in 09, though i have not given up hope. But the fact remains, we need a number 5 starter, and when healthy... Freddy Garcia is a great option.

Don't get me wrong... i also wouldn't mind seeing Phil Hughes in the number 5 slot, but he could use another year in the minors to work on his cutter and getting back into near perfect game form...

It's not like we're bringing in Sidney Ponson or Darrel Rasner here, Garcia is a quality pitcher who could really help the Yankees and fit solidly into the number 5 role.

Garcia would have tremendous upside, if brought in on a minor league deal:

1. He could pitch a solid 150+ innings if he stays healthy with a decent ERA.
2. The Yankees need someone to eat up the innings that Phil Hughes and Joba can not, since they are on an innings limit.
3. The Yankee stadium scoreboard will say... "Freddy's Comin to get ya!" in every one of his starts... not quite as bad ass as having someone named Michael Myers in your bullpen... but still good.

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Both signings are risk free, there won't be another... 'you're fucked!' situation like what happened with Carl Pavano or Kei Igawa...

So Yankee fans, don't hate!

P.S- The fantasy baseball bloggers/readers league still has spots open, email us to join!

Fantasy baseball: the bloggers league

So, i'm a huge fantasy baseball guy and i came to thinking, how about i make a fantasy baseball league with my fellow readers/bloggers...

If you're interested, please email me at:
coasttocoastbaseball@yahoo.com

...the league would be 12 team head to head with a live draft.

So far i've got 2 spots filled, myself and Ace... the writers of Coast to Coast baseball. The rest of the spots will be given away on a first come, first serve basis. You don't necessarily have to write on a blog to participate, all baseball fans are welcome. This is just for fun, no prizes will be awarded to the winner.

I know the fantasy season doesn't start for a little bit, but might as well have the teams set.

Kids, don't do drugs...

Or you'll end up having a night like these guys on the 86' Dodgers did...



Orel will never live it down...

Rant to all Yankee Haters

Yankee fans deal with it all the time.. when people ask you who you're favorite baseball team is, you say, the Yankees. Their response... the Yankees? why the Yankees?

This is then followed by a long discussion as to why the Yankees suck, and me having to defend them.



Now, some questions that Yankee fans have to deal with all the time... and my responses to them. 'Please excuse my french... ahead of time'

1. You're a Yankee fan? you mean the team that overpays their players?

- Yes, i'm a Yankee fan... and when you have the money to spend, you fucking spend it!

2. The Yankees signed Mark Teixeira too?? What the hell, are they going to buy everyone in the free agent market?!

- Well, let's see... Jason Giambi, Mike Mussina, Bobby Abreu, Carl Pavano and Andy Pettite's contracts last year earned a total of 76 or so MM. That all came off the payroll...

A.J. Burnett, C.C. Sabathia and Mark Teixeira's contracts all combined when they're all over and done with are almost a half billion dollars, yes... but their combined 09 contracts are not the 76 million which was owed to all the players that left which were on the 08 roster. So how about you get off the Yankees asses for their offseason spending spree.

3. Oh... you're a Yankee fan? why? You're team just buys all their talent...

-Hey, you look at our roster and compare it to your favorite team's... i bet they have almost the same number of home-grown and free agent players.

4. Wow, the Yankees payroll is so much higher than my team's... it's just unfair.

- Try winning 26 world championships, then maybe you can make a case for your team's low payroll.

I know Yankee fans have to deal with questions like these all the time, especially when ESPN is a very Red Sox biased group of people.

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The final question i hear alot is 'You probably just jumped on the band-wagon in the late 90s, didn't you?'

No, that's not why i'm a Yankee fan... i'm sure a few people are fans because of the success that they had in the 90s... but for the majority of us, that's not the case.

You want to know the real reason i'm a Yankee fan today? I grew up in a very Mets loving household, watching the Mets all the time. But when i was about 4 or 5 i saw the Yankees play for the first time (around when they were still sucking in the early 90s), i knew the Mets were not the team for me.

But there was something about the uniform that the Yankees players wore that fascinated me. I'm still not sure what it is, but ever since that first game i saw the Yankees play, i've been a fan.

Before watching my first Yankee game, i'd visited Shea stadium for a few mets games, but it didn't do anything for me... i felt no love for the Mets.

It wasn't until i was about 7 or 8 when i went to my first Yankee game against the Orioles. When i first stepped through that hall leading to the field and saw how green the grass was and how incredible the stadium looked, i knew i would forever be a Yankee fan.

Should the Yankees add another starter?

The Yankees appear to pretty much be done adding any more new players this offseason, but the rotation still has me a little worried beyond just the #5 starter. Let’s take a look at the rotation to see just where my worries come from.

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#1 CC Sabathia- A true ace, one of the top 5 pitchers in baseball no can really deny this. But in the past 2 years he has pitched roughly a total of 500 innings. For those who don't know that’s a ton. On average aces will pitch about 220 innings per year. Now I'm not saying he is going to get injured, if anyone has the body to be able to withstand the stress of pitching that many innings it’s CC. But I do think we will see about 40 less innings out of him this year

#2 Chien Ming Wang- Obviously a very solid pitcher who should put up another 200 innings this coming year. All he has to do is avoid any more freak injuries and avoid running the base baths at all costs.

#3 A.J. Burnett- This is where my worries start, in the past 5 years AJ has only managed to pitch over 200 innings twice. No one can argue that the guy has some of the better stuff in the league, but I'm still not convinced he has gotten over the injury bug which he has displayed throughout his career.

#4 Joba- Joba has shown he has the stuff and the mentality of an ace, but also appears to be plagued by the injury bug. In college he suffered from triceps tendinitis and this past year suffered from rotator tendinitis. I don't think we can expect to see anymore than 150 innings out of him and that’s being optimistic in my opinion.

#5 Phil Hughes- As of right now it looks like Phil Hughes will be the #5 starter for the Yankees in the 09 season. Even though he had a poor 08 season brought to a close early by injury, after a strong showing in the Arizona fall league I still think he will be able to have a solid 09. Like Joba though I can't see him pitching anymore than 150 innings.

#6 Aveces,Ian Kennedy, Dan giese, Phil Coke, etc- After the mess that was the Yankees rotation last year I don't think we can rely on any of these guys to even be serviceable starters (no Ian Kennedy even if you believe you did not pitch that badly last year it doesn’t make it come true. ERA's of 8.17 are actually quite awful).

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So the starting five in my opinion project to total about 900 innings in total, which is a perfectly good number. But let’s say AJ Burnett and Phil Hughes gets injured then what? Can the Yankees really afford Sidney Ponson type production from the 4th and 5th spot in the rotation again? I personally don't think the Yankees can even with their improved lineup from last year. For this reason I believe it’s imperative that the Yankees go out and sign one more pitcher to give the Yankees the depth they need. Now this pitcher doesn’t have to break the bank or even put up above league average numbers.

Filling the gaps...

So i was looking over the holes that are still in the Yankees roster (according to the Yankees), and i came up with some options for a starting pitcher/centerfielder.

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Now the Yankees have a star centerfielder in the making... Austin Jackson, so don't expect them to make deals for guys with contracts that exceed the 2009 season. This cancels out players like Aaron Rowand, Curtis Granderson, Shane Victorino... but several players caught my eye.

Marlon Byrd, Reed Johnson, Gabe Kapler and Ryan Freel are all players who's contract runs out after the 09 season. Each have solid qualities the Yankees would be interested in, whether it's speed, fielding or the ability to hit.

Each can be obtained for cheap, since they are in their contract years and are most unheard of to the average baseball fan. I'm not saying swap Nady/Swisher for one of these guys, but a low A prospect who has potential but the Yankees know probably will never make it to the majors (deals like this happen all the time).

Now personally i would love to see the Yankees give Gardner a shot, but Hank/Hal still have the bad memories of relying on their young studs to get it done for them... i.e the 08 season. But if the Yankees wanted to obtain one of these guys and see what they are made of, it wouldn't hurt.

Look at it this way, if the trade doesn't work out the way the Yankees hoped, each player would be excellent off the bench and you can just plug Gardner/Melky in CF.

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Now onto the Yankees second problem... the number 5 starter.

Every Yankee fan would love to see Andy back in pinstripes in 09, but it seems to be more and more unlikely as the new season approaches. The Yankees have options, they can go into spring with Phil Hughes as their number 5 guy, or they can go get someone (I love Phil Hughes as the number 5 guy, but i think the Yankees want him to stay in the minors for a bit).

There are your obvious guys who the fans would love to see in pinstripes like Ben Sheets or Sidney Ponson... haha just kidding.

Ofcourse the Yankees are looking into the free agent market for a starting pitcher right now, players like Randy Wolf, Braden Looper and Freddy Garcia are all still available, but maybe the Yankees can pull in someone via a trade.

There were a few pitchers that caught my eye who's contracts run out after the 09 season such as Jarrod Washburn, Todd Wellemeyer, Doug Davis and maybe even Erik Bedard who can be obtained through a trade.

Again, i would love to see Phil Hughes as the number 5 guy, but these are options the Yankees may consider. Each could fit solidly into the number 5 role atleast until the Yankees feel Phil Hughes would be ready to take a spot in the rotation.

Strictly what i think the Yankees may be looking at here, i think they are ready for opening day with the lineup/rotation they have right now. But ofcourse Hank and Hal want to put the best possible lineup on the field for the upcoming season, and this may be what they're looking at.

Some thoughts: Plane Crash, Todd Drew

Several serious notes from thursday i thought i'd share...

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As most of you have probably heard, there was a plane that had to perform an emergency landing in the Hudson river today. Amazingly all 155 passengers survived, thanks to Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III, the pilot of the aircraft.

i don't know about everyone else, but i find this story absolutely fascinating... 155 people surviving a crash landing... in the freezing cold Hudson river. Truly a Miracle.

No, David Wright was not aboard this plane... the Mets said so...

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Blogger Todd Drew of Yankees for Justice died early thursday morning.

Before this afternoon, i'd never heard of Todd Drew, but i decided to read some of his work, and it truly touched me, as a baseball fan and as a person.

Take this piece for example, one of the last posts Todd Drew made.

Peter Abraham had a nice post dedicated to him, and it led me to this link.

Reading that article really changed how i view being a Yankee fan, i reccomend everyone read it.

R.I.P Todd Drew
May 13, 1967 - Jan. 15, 2009

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Cheer up...

Sneezing Panda to the rescue!

20 invited to spring training, don't get too excited.

Peter Abraham over on his blog listed 20 of the spring training invitees, and because i'm too lazy to list all 20... here's the link.

Just some thoughts and observations...

Kei Igawa was invited to camp...

I know "Oh-Kei" Igawa has been... not good... at all... in the majors, but his line in the minors really are appealing, and it's a little suprising to me that not one team decided to take a risk on him....

JUST KIDDING... he sucks... at everything... just look here.

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Shelley Duncan is back for spring training apparently, i thought he was long gone after they DFA'd him... so that's a pleasant suprise.

We shall see his scary elbow smashes intimidate yankee players once again!

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Jesus Montero and Austin Romine were also invited to camp... in my opinion the Yankees two most valuable prospects. But don't expect anything higher than double A for either of those two this year.

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Yes, Mark Melancon... who's name i have been butchering since the day i found out he existed... was invited to camp. He may have a shot to make the roster out of spring training, but it is unlikely... i can see him coming up shortly after the all star break.. if not, deffinately a september call up.

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Sergio Mitre was invited to camp, despite taking it in the butt Roger Clemens style...

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Lastly... i noticed Andrew Brackman wasn't invited to spring training, i'm not sure if he was on the 40 man roster or not, can anyone clear that up for me? I know everyone wants to see what he's made of.

Heated hearing over yankee stadium

I saw an intresting article today here dealing with city funding for the new Yankees Stadium. The Yankees are requesting an additional 430 million dollars in bonds to finish the stadium, but are facing strong resistance from Assemblyman Richard Brodsky of Westchester County.

A great quote I found in the article was "But the Yankees say Brodsky is a hypocrite because while he's against tax incentives for the Yankees he has also voted for tax breaks for Monticello Raceway and video terminals for Yonkers Raceway." Being a resident of Westchester county and living roughly 20 minutes away from Yonkers Raceway I can tell you that the hayday of Yonkers Raceway is long gone, as is the hayday of horse racing and any money invested into these raceways is potentially a waste.

Now lets say per chance the city rejects the Yankees request for additional funding what possible implication could this have for the Yankees in the future? Keep in mind they have already cut payroll by between 20 and 30 million dollars this year(assuming no more signings) and that 430 million dollars is not that much less than one year of Yankees revenue.

Some thoughts: Chien Ming Wang, New Yankee stadium

Sorry for not getting a post in the last few days... my internet has been out... anyway here are some thoughts:

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Chien Ming Wang's wife is pregnant and they are expecting their child in June. Congratulations to him, i didn't think he was married... no knocking the guy at all, but he's the hottest thing in Taiwan since... ever? He may even be bigger than Derek Jeter is in New York.

I'm just saying... i totally wouldn't expect him to settle down here, he could basically have any woman he wants over in Taiwan... any woman.

Maybe he can get some drawing lessons from Hideki Matsui and we can see what his wife looks like...


(Hideki Matsui's wife)
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Peter Abraham linked a video of the New Yankee stadium as portrayed in the new game MLB 09: the show.

That game is deffinately not going to be a dissapointment, i would totally reccomend any owners of the PS2 or PS3 to go and buy that once it is released in early March.

If you have an Xbox 360... like me... MLB 2k9 won't be as good... i'm letting you know right now. The show makes 2k sports look like shit.... just look at those graphics and compare them to what 2k8 was...

Here's the link for the video... please excuse the very strange out of place music...

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Must watch video of the week...

Ray Lewis didn't kill no motha fucking lion.

I can see it happening...

Well, i thought to myself recently... Joe Girardi is in great shape... maybe he could get back behind the plate for a few innings if he wanted to (we all saw him in the Yankees old timers day, not bad).

Now, what would happen if Jorge Posada gets injured... obviously the Yankees would substitute in Jose Molina (in the same game ofcourse). But what happens if Jose Molina gets injured...? Most teams would put in an infielder to take the role as the catcher, or someone who maybe tried out the position in highschool. But i don't see Joe Girardi not stepping up and saying... "get me the gear... i'm going in."

He's in great shape, he could still play the position if he wanted to, i can't see him not going in if the Yankees needed him.

Ofcourse i don't know how a situation like this works... or whether the Yankees would be allowed to do something like this.

All i know is, Girardi is a young manager and he can still get it done. How dramatic would it be... to see Girardi getting behind homeplate for an inning if the Yankees needed him to? I've heard of coaches playing before, which is why i bring this up, but obviously the game is different now, and this probably wouldn't be allowed.

Anyway, i was bored and i'm trying to cope with my Giants playing pooorly right now... so...

Remember when Derek Jeter was on SNL?

Well, i dug up the only video i could find of my favorite skit on it.... not the greatest quality, but still good... enjoy:



"Hello ladies.. your husbands are looking pretty sexy today... i think i'm going to sleep with them all."

Yankee projections:

Well, who doesn't love to read projections for their favorite players before the season starts? I know i do... so here are my projections for each player on the Yankees opening day roster:

Starting Lineup-



1-Johnny Damon- 313 AVG. 11 HR. 65 RBI. 115 R. 375 OBP.

he's getting older, but Johnny showed us in 07 he can still get it done... even after a slow start he hit over 300. Don't be suprised if you see these fantastic numbers out of your lead off guy.

2-Derek Jeter- 305 AVG. 18 HR. 85 RBI. 105 R. 350 OBP.

Jeter's days of a 320 AVG. may be over, but he is surely capable of hitting the 300 mark. I also see Jeter as hitting more HRs as we're accustomed to seeing out of him.

3-Mark Teixeira- 283 AVG. 33 HR. 115 RBI. 100 R. 380 OBP.

I see Mark's first season as a Yankee very solid, he could hit anywhere from 25-35 HR and will drive in over 100 RBI.

4-Alex Rodriguez- 295 AVG. 45 HR. 140 RBI. 100 R. 400 OBP.

I've noticed Alex is an 'every other year' type player... take a look at his past seasons with the Yankees. Maybe another AL MVP is in store for him?

5-Hideki Matsui-280 AVG. 19 HR. 94 RBI. 90 R. 340 OBP.

I like Hideki Matsui, but he's getting older... i think my predictions may be a little generous for someone his age with the bad knee problem. However; if there is one hitter who can pull off numbers like that in their condition... it would be him.

6-Xavier Nady- 275 AVG. 23 HR. 89 RBI. 80 R. 330 OBP.

Pending he is still a Yankee on this day... i don't see him hitting 330. like he did with the Pirates last year... but he will be a very solid guy in the number 6-7 slot for the Yankees down the stretch.

7-Jorge Posada- 278 AVG. 17 HR. 80 RBI. 70 R. 360 OBP.

Jorge is getting older, his 330+ AVG in 07 was no fluke, though it is unlikely he will be as succesfull... he's 36 and is coming off an injury plagued season.

8-Robinson Cano- 325 AVG. 20 HR. 105 RBI. 95 R. 350 OBP.

Yes... you read those numbers right, just two years ago Robinson Cano had a 300 AVG with 19 HR and 97 RBIs. Cano did not play to his potential at all in 08, i think the recent work he's done in the dominican with Kevin Long will get him back on track to his old ways.

9-Brett Gardner- 265 AVG. 5 HR. 35 RBI. 60 R. 340 OBP.

If the Yankees decide to go with the Brett Gardner/Melky Cabrera CF duo, i see Brett seeing more playing time. An average anywhere from 250-280 wouldn't be bad, maybe he'll swipe 20-30 bags as well.

9-Melky Cabrera- 273 AVG. 3 HR. 25 RBI. 30 R. 320 OBP.

Melky's time as the Yankees starting CF may have come to an end with his abismal 2008 season. He will still see playing time with Brett Gardner in the number 9 slot, he'll hit anywhere from 240-280 and have a few dingers.

Starting Rotation-



1-CC Sabathia- 235 IP. 220 hits. 3.25 ERA. 18 wins. 225 Ks.

CC may take some time adjusting to his new team, but after he settles in... i see a very solid season out of him. Maybe he can get up to 20 wins... but i don't want to push it. 2009 AL CY?

2-Chien Ming Wang- 198 IP. 200 hits. 3.80 ERA. 17 wins. 115 Ks.

Personally, i see Wang as the Yankees number 2 guy... he's been their ace for the last 3 years, i don't see how they could deny him this role after all he's done. Wang will have a solid season as long as he stays healthy, maybe he will reach the 200 inning plateau, but i see him at 198.

3-AJ Burnett- 214 IP. 185 hits. 3.50 ERA. 17 wins. 235 Ks.

Please stay healthy... his stuff is filthy, we as Yankee fans got a nice view of his repatoir in 08.

4-Joba Chamberlain- 150 IP. 135 hits. 3.00 ERA. 11 wins. 170 Ks.

He may spend some time in the bullpen throughout the season, but if he stays healthy, i see him having a very respectfull year as the Yankees number 4 starter.

5-Phil Hughes- 150 IP. 155 hits. 3.95 ERA. 9 wins. 140 Ks.

Phil has shown great improvement since the beginning of the 08 season, gaining the velocity he's lost on his fastball and even adding a cutter. His success in the AFL leads me to believe he can have a nice year.

5-Phil Coke- 35 IP. 38 hits. 4.15 ERA. 3 wins. 20 Ks (As a Starter)

Will start on days where the Yankees want to give Hughes and or Joba a day off.

5-Alfredo Aceves- 20 IP. 18 hits. 4.30 ERA. 1 win. 11 Ks (As a Starter)
*same as Phil Coke*

Bullpen-



Dan Giese- 60 IP. 55 hits. 4.50 ERA. 15 BB. 45 Ks.

Giese was solid in 08 for the Yankees, maybe i inflated his ERA a little high, but he'll still be a solid guy for them.

Phil Coke- 50 IP. 37 hits. 3.80 ERA. 20 BB. 40 Ks. (As a Reliever)

Don't look at the Yankees putting him in any late inning spots, he'll take a long relief/middle relief role.

Edwar Ramirez- 70 IP. 50 hits. 3.90 ERA. 39 BB. 90 Ks.

Edwar has filthy stuff, he displayed it last year... but he has a tendancy to be very streaky. He'll give you many good innings in a row, then he'll just explode giving up 10 runs... notice the 3.90 ERA. (He is capable of a 2.50 ERA)

Jose Veras- 65 IP. 60 hits. 3.30 ERA. 30 BB. 60 Ks.

Veras has always been a big question mark for me, he has nasty stuff... but is extremely wild around the plate. As long as he keeps the walks down... he can have another respectable year.

Mark Melancon- 35 IP. 20 hits. 2.40 ERA. 15 BB. 40 Ks.

he won't make the team out of spring training, but i see him getting called up either shortly before, or shortly after the All-Star break. Maybe have a similar role as Joba had in his first season.

Damaso Marte- 55 IP. 48 hits. 2.70 ERA. 20 BB. 65 Ks.

Marte and Bruney will take turns in the 8th inning as the bridge to Mariano Rivera. He wasn't great with the Yankees early, but he settled in and showed he can handle the AL east.

Brian Bruney- 45 IP. 35 hits. 3.30 ERA. 25 BB. 43 Ks.

Bruney has great stuff, and him shedding all the whieght showed his dedication to the Yankees. I can see him having a great season, if he keeps the walks down.

Mariano Rivera- 65 IP. 59 hits. 2.50 ERA. 8 BB. 60 Ks. 44 Saves.

Mariano is Mariano... he'll be solid throughout, maybe hit a few bumps in the road... but nothing ever seems to affect him negatively.

Offseason overview

There are officially 36 days until Pitchers and Catchers report to spring training, and 98 days until the Yankees play their first regular season game at the new stadium.

Get excited, this is a very different looking Yankee team from a year ago. We're younger, better defensively, and did i mention younger?

We've said goodbye to several Yankee favorites like Mike Mussina and Jason Giambi (haven't yet given up hope on Andy Pettite). Other Yankees leaving the team include Bobby Abreu, Sidney Ponson, Darrel Rasner, Justin Christiansen, Shelley Duncan, Chris Britton and i almost forgot... Carl Pavano.

With the departures came the reinforcements, most notably Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia. Honorable mentions include AJ Burnett, Nick Swisher, Angel Berroa, Sergio Mitre and many more that arent coming to mind right now...

From the looks of it, the Yankees are far from finished, they still have a crowded outfield. If they are going to trade away one of their outfielders... i would say Hideki Matsui, but that is very unlikely. Reports are saying that the Yankees are accepting offers for only Nady and Swisher saying Damon won't be traded... he will deffinately be their leadoff guy for next year.

Personally, i would like to see Swisher traded over Nady--i think Nady has alot more to offer the Yankees. Swisher would be a great guy to have around the clubhouse, but i'd prefer Nady's bat to his.

Should be an interesting next few weeks for the Yankees and the rest of baseball, i'm excited to see how everything unfolds...

Now for your viewing pleasure... may i present to you... the dancing idiot:


She's got moves... i'll give her that.

Some thoughts continued: Teixeira, Pettite

Well, it wasn't long since i last made a post, and i already have alot to talk about, i'll start with Andy Pettite.



Late last night, Andy Pettite declined the Yankees 1-year 10 million dollar offer. I'm a big fan of Andy... and i always will be, but where does he think he's going to get 10 million dollars a year coming off the season that he just had.

I've always supported Andy Pettite with everything, even later in the secondhalf of last year when he was struggling. In the steroid scandal with him and Roger Clemens, i supported him, the fans supported him, the team supported him. Andy has been a great player and teamate durring his entire time with the Yankees, he has a great attitude and knows how to win. Unfortunately for Andy, he is no longer a 16 MM dollar pitcher.

Andy recieving a 10 MM offer was a great oppurtinity for him to pitch in the New Yankee stadium and also still be one of the highest paid pitchers in Major League Baseball. Where he thinks he can go and get 10 MM a year, i don't know, i can't see any teams in the MLB forking over such money on a 36 year old player with a bad elbow.

Now, my feelings towards Andy on this matter are alot lighter than what i've seen with other Yankee fans; however i still am suprised with how Andy has handled the matter.

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Ok, enough with the serious talk... Mark Teixeira was introduced today, and i'm really excited. If you watched the press conference on YES like i did, you could see how happy Mark was to finally be introduced as a Yankee.

If you didn't watch the conference you also missed Brian Cashman or... i like to call him 'Caaashh mooneyyy' .. get the shittt scared out of him when the Microphone screeched.

If you get the chance, watch the conference again later tonight on YES (i'm sure they'll be replaying it)

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Sergio Mitre was suspended 50 games for abusing the league's drug testing policy...

So much for that great signing...

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Yesterday i posted a link to a post David Chase made on Roto Authority... he has since folllowed up with a part two.

Very interesting read if you get the chance.. here's the link.

Some thoughts: Andruw Jones, Projections

Hey everyone, just got back from vacation... i hope everyone had a Happy Holliday. So i haven't been really keeping up with baseball news the last week.. and i came back today to see the suggestion of Andruw Jones for CF.



I can't say there wouldn't be posotives to the signing, Andruw is in his contract year and if he wants to make up for his extremely sluggish 08... he will deffinately want to pick his game back up to get a nice contract after 09 as well.

why i don't want Andruw Jones is obvious... the guy is obviously declining... fast... and he hit 158 last year... 158!!! the Yankees have much younger and better options in Melky Cabrera,Brett Gardner and even Nick Swisher. Not sure about you Yankee fans... but i know i'd surely feel more comfortable with some kind of combination of those guys over signing Andruw Jones.

Even though the deal may be cheap and possibly for a minor league contract, the Yankees already have options for CF... wether you'd like to believe it or not.

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Ok, if you're curious to see what some of your favorite players are projected to do in 09, check out this site (projections made by Bill James).

right away of course i was curious to see what starters AJ Burnett and CC Sabathia were projected to do...

AJ Burnett- 32 starts, 14 wins, 3.62 ERA, 224 IP, 199 hits, 218 Ks

CC Sabathia- 34 starts, 16 wins, 3.48, 240 IP, 226 hits, 205 Ks

Ok, i'll take both of those starters numbers any day... however... when was the last time a Yankee starter had an ERA sub 4... started 32-34 games and didn't win 17+ games. Even Randy Johnson won 17 games with his incredible ERA of 5 in 06.

There were some other cool projections if you're interested, Phil Hughes, Mark Teixeira, A-Rod... check them out if you get the chance.

I also looked up Kei Igawa... he was projected for 62 innings... i'm sorry i just don't see the Yankees or anyone giving him the chance to throw 62 innings.

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Check out this link... David Chase takes a look at all the players who lost wheight/added muscle in the 07-08 offseason and looks at whether they improved or declined.