Baseball Toaster: Bronx Banter : VORS

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Players

25-man Roster:

Infielders:
J. Giambi BR BP E MLB
R. Cano BR BP E MLB
D. Jeter BR BP E MLB
A. Rodriguez BR BP E MLB
W. Betemit BR BP E MLB mi
C. Ransom BR BP E MLB mi

Outfielders:
B. Abreu BR BP E MLB
J. Damon BR BP E MLB
X. Nady BR BP E MLB
H. Matsui BR BP E MLB mi
B. Gardner BR E MLB mi

Catchers:
I. Rodriguez BR BP E MLB
J. Molina BR BP E MLB

Starting Pitchers:
M. Mussina BR BP BC E
A. Pettitte (L) BR BP BC E
S. Ponson BR BP BC E mi
D. Rasner BR BP BC E mi

Relief Pitchers:
M. Rivera BR BP BC E
D. Marte BR BP BC E
J. Veras BR BP BC E mi
E. Ramirez BR BP BC E mi
B. Bruney BR BP BC E mi
D. Robertson BR BC E mi
B. Traber (L) BR BP BC E mi
C. Britton BR BP BC E mi

15-day DL:
J. Chamberlain BR BP BC E
D. Giese BR BP BC E mi
J. Posada BR BP E MLB
C. Wang BR BP BC E
60-day DL:
C. Pavano BR BP BC E mi
J. Albaladejo BR BP BC E mi
A. Brackman BC
H. Sanchez BC mi

Coaches:
J. Girardi (Mgr) BR BP BC
R. Thomson (Bench) BC
Kevin Long (Hit) BR
D. Eiland (Pitch) BR BP BC
B. Meacham (3B) BR BP BC
T. Peña (1B) BR BP BC
M. Harkey (Pen) BR BP BC

40-man Roster:
AAA
S. Duncan BR BP E MLB mi
J. Miranda BR BC mi
M. Cabrera BR BP E MLB
J. Christian BR BP E MLB mi
P. Hughes BR BP BC E mi
I. Kennedy BR BP BC E mi
C. Wright (L) BR BP BC E mi
S. Patterson BR BC mi
AA
F. Cervelli BR BC mi
J. Marquez BR BC mi DL

Select Minor Leaguers:

AAA Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees:
B. Castro BR mi DL
C. Basak BR BP BC E MLB mi
E. Duncan BC mi
N. Green BR mi
B. Broussard BR mi
M. Carson BC mi
C. Moeller BR BP E MLB mi
C. Stewart BR BP E MLB mi
J. Brown BC mi DL
A. Aceves BR mi
K. Igawa (L) BR BP BC E JB mi
P. Coke (L) BC mi
M. Melancon BC mi
J.B. Cox BC mi
S. Strickland BR BC mi
S. Jackson BC mi
E. Milton BR BC mi DL
V. Zambrano BR BC mi DL

AA Trenton Thunder:
K. Russo BR mi
R. Peña BC mi DL
C. Malec BC mi
M. Vechionacci BC mi DL
A. Jackson BC mi
C. Curtis BC mi
E. Gonzalez BR mi
P.J. Pilittere BC mi
J. Jones BC mi
G. Kontos BC mi
J. Nuñez BC mi
B. Smith BC mi DL
A. Claggett BC mi
O. Perez BR BC mi
M. Gardner BC mi
K. Whelan BC mi
W. Arias (L) BC mi

A Tampa Yankees:
E. Nuñez BC mi
C.J. Henry BC mi DL
T. Battle BC mi
K. Anson BC mi
J. Gil BC mi
A. Horne BC mi DL
Z. McAllister BC mi
W. De La Rosa (L) BC mi
C. Garcia BC mi

Low-A Charleston RiverDogs:
J. Snyder BC mi
M. Cusick BC mi
B. Suttle BC mi
A. Romine BC mi
J. Montero BC mi
D. Betances BC mi
J. Heredia BC mi
J. Ortiz BC mi
C. Heyer BC mi

Low-A Staten Island Yankees:
D. Adams mi
P. Venditte mi

Rookie Gulf Coast Yankees:
C. Joseph mi
C. Smith mi
K. Higashioka mi

Key:
BR = Baseball-Reference
BP = Baseball Prospectus
BC = Baseball Cube (past mL stats)
mi = MiLB.com (current mL stats)
E = ESPN (current splits, game logs)
MLB = MLB.com hit charts
JB = Japanese Baseball.com

The Recently Departed

2008 Yankees:
R. Sexson BR BP E MLB
M. Ensberg BR BP E MLB
A. Gonzalez BR BP E MLB mi
K. Farnsworth BR BP BC E
L. Hawkins BR BP BC E

Nady/Marte Trade:
J. Tabata BC mi
R. Ohlendorf BR BP BC E
D. McCutchen BC mi
J. Karstens BR BP BC E mi

2008 Campers/mLers:
C. Woodward BR BP BC E MLB PHI mL
J. Lane BR mi BOS mL
G. Porter BC mi WAS mL
J.D. Closser BR mi SD mL
S. Henn (L) BR BP BC E mi SD
H. Phillips (L) BR BC mi TB mL
S. White BR BC mi

2007 Yankees:
J. Torre (Mgr) BR BP BC LAD
D. Mientkiewicz BR BP BC E MLB PIT mL
A. Phillips BR BP BC E MLB mi CIN mL
J. Phelps BR BP BC E MLB STL mL
M. Cairo BR BP BC E MLB SEA
K. Thompson BR BP BC E MLB mi PIT
B. Sardinha BC mi SEA mL
W. Nieves BR BP BC E MLB WAS mL
R. Clemens BR BP BC E mi
T. Clippard BR BP BC E mi WAS
L. Vizcaino BR BP BC E COL $7.5m/2yrs
M. DeSalvo BR BP BC E mi ATL mL
M. Myers (L) BR BP BC E LAD mL
R. Villone (L) BR BP BC E mi STL mL
S. Proctor BR BP BC E LAD
J. Brower BR BP BC E mi CIN mL
C. Bean BR BP BC E mi ATL mL

2007 Campers and mLers:
E. Durazo BR BP BC E MLB mi
A. Cannizaro BR BP BC E MLB mi TB mL
A. Chavez BR BP BC E MLB mi LAD mL
K. Reese BR BP BC E MLB mi
R. Chavez BR BP BC E MLB mi PIT mL
O. Santos BC mi BAL mL
T. Pratt BR BP BC E MLB
T.J. Beam BR BP BC E mi PIT mL
B. Kozlowski (L) BR BP BC E mi Japan

Molina Trade:
J. Kennard BC mi

Abreu Trade
M. Smith (L) BR BP BC E mi PHI
C. Monasterios BC mi PHI
J. Sanchez mi PHI

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VORS

2008-06-10 05:28

by Alex Belth

Last Friday I went to see Forgetting Sarah Marshall. I didn't expect much even though I like Jason Segel. The thought of another comedy about a self-loathing/pitying sensitive meathead turned me off, and I thought the trailers were shaky. But Segel is ideally suited for the role, he was shrewd enough not to over-play it (his woe-is-me rendition of "The Muppet Show" had me in stiches) and I enjoyed the movie a good deal. Russell Brand and Kristen Bell were both winning and Mila Kunis was fine as the down-to-earth wild child. But there was something missing in Kunis' performance. Like I said, she was fine, but not inspired.

The part was limiting--it was more of a fantasy than a real-life character--but she didn't add anything to it. If anything, it showed her limitations as an actress--she's all big eyes and pursed lips, like a young girl, not woman. Which is a shame because there was an opportunity for something more. At first her character seems innocent, later it turns out that she's had a volatile past. But the movie doesn't turn--like it did when Ray Liotta showed up in Something Wild and the movie really became threatening, wild. Which is also fine.

But it got me to thinking about actors who go beyond the limitations of the script, who bring more to the table. I'm thinking of Debra Winger in Urban Cowboy or Officer and a Gentleman. Maybe there should be a VORS (Value Above Replacement Script) award. For me, no actor has consistently been better than his material than Gene Hackman. Some great actors can be miscast, but that never seems to be the case with Hackman. But he's been in some lousy movies. Still, he is always credible, authentic, and has the ability to make magic out of bad material. Not every great actor can do that.

Who are some others? Spencer Tracy. Who else?

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Comments

2008-06-10 06:37:22

1. Felix Heredia

Lance Henriksen. He's always credible - even in some truly horrible movies.

2008-06-10 06:43:38

2. rsmith51

I think that Chris Cooper always seems to be very good.

2008-06-10 06:46:32

3. Sliced Bread

Good call on Hackman. Jerry Orbach was another guy who could sell just about anything without overdoing it.

2008-06-10 06:57:15

4. yogifan

John Turturro and William Hurt come to mind.

2008-06-10 06:57:50

5. Mr OK Jazz TOKYO

Great call on Hackman! always one of my favorites and always brings it. Cate Blanchett is heading that way, William Hurt another one, also Alfre Woodward.

2008-06-10 07:11:09

6. JasonO

Jean Reno.
Gary Oldman.
Dennis Farina.

2008-06-10 07:12:21

7. Chyll Will

If you say Spencer Tracy, you also have to say Henry Fonda and even Joseph Cotten to a lesser extent. Agnes Moorehead... how about Jack Lemmon? I love Hackman, he's the guide for all character actors who want top become big stars.

2008-06-10 07:19:09

8. dianagramr

Christopher Walken
Alan Rickman

2008-06-10 08:30:10

9. Bagel Boy

I'll get crap, but I've recently come to see Dicaprio in this way. Blood Diamond was a movie I was loathe to see, but he made it. The Departed itself was okay, but he made that movie even as it would have gotten similar box office/reviews with Mark Wahlberg in the part.

DiCaprio has gotten some critical recognition through the years, but I think it's still a few years before he's truly recognized.

Great call on Hackman.

2008-06-10 08:36:21

10. OldYanksFan

I've always like Brian Dennehy. I'm still pissed he wasn't McMurphy in Cuckoo's Nest. Charming, funny, potential violent, and always one step from the ledge.

Michael Keaton is great. A great comic and a great psycho.

2008-06-10 08:49:58

11. Schteeve

Ray Liotta's performance in Something Wild is one of my favorite acting jobs ever. I LOVE that movie.

2008-06-10 08:53:20

12. Schteeve

Great call on Keaton. If you've never seen the movie The Paper, you are missing out on some great acting and writing.

Also, and this will be potentially controversial, Angelina Jolie had a shot at being a really compelling actress. She did a film early in her career called Playing By Heart, and Altman-esque ensemble thing, and she was wonderful in it. Unfortunately she bacame larger than life, and it's hard to watch her act without just seeing Angelina Jolie. Also, she's in a lot of dopey or half baked movies. But Playing By Heart is a superbly written movie.

2008-06-10 09:21:35

13. Chyll Will

9 I won't give you crap. I listened in on a conversation among industry folk and he gets a lot of respect for his effort to build the characters he portrays. I didn't list him, just as I didn't list Johnny Depp because I figured this was a question about below-the-title character actors, though as I alluded Hackman is an exception.

Good call on Dennehy as well. I heard about his performance in Death Of A Salesman; people were really impressed about how small and deconstructed a big man like him made himself as Willy Lohman. Would have been interesting to see as an acting student.

I wish to add Jeffrey Wright to the list, please...

2008-06-10 09:25:35

14. Chyll Will

Hal Holbrook... Bruce Dern?

2008-06-10 09:39:22

15. Matt B

Richard Boone. Quietly walks off with every scene he's in.

2008-06-10 10:03:32

16. Bagel Boy

13 Thanks. It's true about the top-billing, and I thought about Depp as well. But Dicaprio, for me, is really in his own league at this point. Blood Diamond was a perfect example of that. He made it watchable. And I guess that's the difference. Some actors may guarantee returns for for their investors. But he does that while improving the art. Hard to beat that combination (Depp comes closest - any one else of this generation?).

Departed is also a fine example. In a movie of heavyweights, he stole the show. By contrast, Nicholson was hamming his way through the part. And Damon showed no real affect. It would have been a ridiculous movie without Dicaprio grounding it (even as I suspect the box office and critics wouldn't have noticed).

Off-topic (and spoiler alert): What a horrible movie the new Indiana Jones is. Butchers the character (Col. Jones? WTF?). Awful script. Terrible direction (might be Spielberg's worst). Ridiculous conclusion. I can't believe so many critics gave it good marks. My wife and I just recently watched the National Treasure two-parter and at least that manages to get the genre right. I mean, is it really that hard?

2008-06-10 10:55:58

17. Chyll Will

16 You expect too much of the popcorn crowd, my friend >;) And I hated The Departed; rote Scorcese and a waste of so much talent. I think even Marty was a little embarrassed for winning the Oscar on that as opposed to others he could've won with...

2008-06-10 11:51:11

18. Bagel Boy

17 Probably - but Indiana Jones!? It was the Phantom Menace but with Spielberg directing and Ford starring!? Most annoying to me is the critics were in collective fanboy mode. Probably for Departed too. But at least the latter was watchable (because of Dicaprio IMHO).

2008-06-10 12:11:36

19. AbbyNormal821

Daniel Day Lewis - I don't know, I'm just mesmerized when I watch him act.

2008-06-10 13:12:40

20. Nick from Washington Heights

Tom Wilkinson, especially of late. He stole the show in two recent HBO features, which I generally was unimpressed by: John Adams and Recount. He's the best part of both, and he's always good, no matter the role.

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