Baseball Toaster: Bronx Banter : Hey Mr. DJ Play that Song

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Major Leauge 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
J. Miranda BR BC 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
M. Cabrera BR BP E MLB mi

Catchers:
I. Rodriguez BR BP E MLB
J. Molina BR BP E MLB
C. Moeller BR BP E MLB mi
F. Cervelli BR BC mi

Starting Pitchers:
M. Mussina BR BP BC E
A. Pettitte (L) BR BP BC E
P. Hughes BR BP BC E mi
C. Pavano BR BP BC E mi
A. Aceves BR E mi

Relief Pitchers:
M. Rivera BR BP BC E
J. Chamberlain BR BP BC E
D. Marte (L) 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. Giese BR BP BC E mi
C. Britton BR BP BC E mi
P. Coke (L) BR BC E mi
D. Rasner BR BP BC E mi
S. Ponson BR BP BC E mi
D. Robertson BR BC E mi
H. Sanchez BC mi

15-day DL:
C. Wang BR BP BC E
60-day DL:
J. Posada BR BP E MLB
J. Albaladejo BR BP BC E mi
A. Brackman BC

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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. Christian BR BP E MLB mi
I. Kennedy BR BP BC E mi
C. Wright (L) BR BP BC E mi
J. Marquez BR BC mi

Designated for Assignment:
B. Traber (L) BR BP BC E mi

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. Stewart BR BP E MLB mi
J. Brown BC mi DL
K. Igawa (L) BR BP BC E JB 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 CLE mL
A. Gonzalez BR BP E MLB mi WAS
K. Farnsworth BR BP BC E DET
L. Hawkins BR BP BC E HOU
S. Patterson BR BC mi SD

Nady/Marte Trade:
J. Tabata BC mi
J. Karstens BR BP BC E mi
R. Ohlendorf BR BP BC E
D. McCutchen BC 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
A. Phillips BR BP BC E MLB mi CIN
J. Phelps BR BP BC E MLB STL
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
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
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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Hey Mr. DJ Play that Song

2008-08-21 05:40

by Alex Belth

I got caught up working late last night and didn't catch a single pitch of the Yankee game. By the time I got home, shortly before ten, it was over. I turned on Baseball Tonight and waited for the score to appear on the crawl. Wouldn't you know it, the Yankee-Toronto game was the last of the AL scores to appear. While I waited I felt sure that the Yankees had won and for a few moments I thought about sure things. Mariano Rivera is as sure as you get, though he's not perfect of course. The Yankees themselves have been a sure thing for a long time too. That isn't the case this year, sure-things don't last forever, but the fact that you can have them, even for a little while, is something to savor.

Still, the longer it took to get to the score the more I started thinking, maybe they lost again.

But they didn't. Andy Pettitte pitched a nice ball game and Derek Jeter had three hits, including a two-run dinger as the Yanks beat the Jays, 5-1. His batting average is up to .298. The Yankee captain is also two hits shy of 2,500 for his career. Even though he's shown signs of decline this year, unless Jeter gets hurt or starts to deteriorate rapidly, he's virtually a sure thing to reach 3,000. If all goes well he could reach the milestone in three more seasons.

Pretty cool, huh?

Comments

2008-08-21 06:16:00

1. JL25and3

monkeypants isn't here yet, so I'll second his emotion before he even expresses it.

For a superstar player, Derek Jeter is probably in decline. But for a regular old baseball player - and a shortstop, at that - he's still very, very good. We shouldn't let the player that he was obscure the excellence of the player that he is now.

2008-08-21 06:30:18

2. monkeypants

1 Wow, I have a reputation, and it precedes me!

More seriously--at the start of Jeter's career, and even as recent as a season or tow ago, he looked like a lock for 3,000 hits and good bet for 4,000. This season has raised some warning flags. If he starts to decline in earnest, he will still probably get to 3,000, but in what will be (or should be) his last season.

On the other hand, if rebounds a little he could put up some very interesting career numbers.

I am probably too optimistic about Jeter, as I have shown this season (though if anyone scrolls back through old threads they will find more than prediction by me that he would end the season at .300/.360/.410/.770/~110 OPS+. That's looking like a pretty good guess right now, eh?). But I have a sneaking suspicion that he has one more great season in him, or at least very good.

2008-08-21 06:30:43

3. Sliced Bread

Yeah, Alex. A sure thing that lasts in baseball is usually a good thing, and when the sure thing is greatness -- that's Mo, and we'll likely never see the likes of him again.

It might be my imagination but the score of the Yankees game, especially when they win, is usually last on the ESPN crawl -- and I'm pretty sure the results linger on-screen longer (accompanied by a laugh track) when they lose. At least the ESPN snakes are consistent (in my imagaination) I'll give them that.

Jeter's consistent. Andy's consistent. Their reliablity (dependability if there's a difference) has made them very easy to root for all these years.

2008-08-21 06:32:08

4. monkeypants

2 "prediction by me that he would end the season at .300/.360/.410/.770/~110 OPS+. That's looking like a pretty good guess right now, eh?"

Of course, that would only be a 105 OPS+ this season. But y'all get my drift...

2008-08-21 06:33:06

5. Shaun P

Alex, I was in the same boat as you. I didn't even think of checking the score until around 9:45, and imagine my surprise when I saw "Final: NYY 5 TOR 1"

Now, as my dad said to me last night, they need to go on a big winning streak, or they are probably toast.

2008-08-21 06:48:47

6. Schteeve

My love for objective analysis when it comes to baseball goes out the window when it comes to Jeter.

In my mind, he's been the most exciting player I've ever seen. A career that has been well above average, a solid citiczen, a mascot for the "dynasty" years. I don't want to see Jeter playing anywhere else, and that would lead me to want to carry him, even after his production falls off.

Part of the reason that I'm a baseball fan is because I like watching the Yanks win, but part of it is the "intangible" stuff the aesthetics, the continuity.

One of my favorite sayings is "Things Fall Apart." Circumstance isn't permanance and we should be careful not to fall too much in love with transient things.

This season is a good reminder of that. But when Jeter is gone, I will miss him a lot.

2008-08-21 06:50:37

7. Chyll Will

2 Jeter shouldn't have to carry the load with this lineup; that would make getting 3,000 a piece of cake and 4,000 an interesting likelihood. But they've underperformed most of the year and locked themselves in a bad situation where going on a run is very dependent on Jeter's bat maintaining it's current pace. Not impossible at any age, but it didn't have to be this way, and shouldn't have to be that way when they do chart next year's lineup. A couple of steady .300 hitters right behind him and he'll get 3,000 just blowing bubbles.

My biggest worry is up-the-middle defense...

2008-08-21 06:56:25

8. Chyll Will

6 Chinua Achebe. One of the toughest stories I've ever had to read. I don't know about you, but it makes me pissed, so I only read it once every three or so years...

2008-08-21 07:22:43

9. williamnyy23

7 Jeter is still a lock for 3,000 hits, especially if he continues the decline in his walk rate. I can't see him making it to 4,000 hits though. That would be 10 more years at about 140 hits per season, which means Jeter would have to keep playing until age 45.

2008-08-21 07:32:19

10. JL25and3

8 With all due respect to Chinua Achebe (whom I've never read), he probably got it from William Butler Yeats:

Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

2008-08-21 07:35:15

11. Chyll Will

9 Agreed. I may be wrong, but I seem to remember an interview wherein he doubted himself reaching 4,000, implying the same reason. I'm just saying that the hits would come easier if he wasn't burdened with picking up the rest of the lineup. If 1-6 produced at potential, he could've hit 3-thou even by the middle-end of next year. But that's neither here nor there...

2008-08-21 07:38:59

12. Chyll Will

10 Well now I'm all pissed off... >;)

2008-08-21 07:40:29

13. ms october

oh so true about the espn crawl.
i am at my mom's house and she doesn't have extra innings - so every so often i switch to one of the espns to get the score - and my mom keeps wondering why we are watching the llws or poker - and damn if i don't just miss the al scores most times.

6 nice senitment schteeve.

and well said about derek all.

2008-08-21 07:41:31

14. williamnyy23

11 Do you really think he is burdened with pikcing up the lineup though? I think that responsibility falls on Arods shoulders, which is why he seems to have those spells whne he seems helpless. When you are essentially a singles hitter like Jeter, you have the luxury of not having to carry the team, whereas a guy like Alex is expected to do so.

I also don't understand how he could get to 3,000 by next year. Even if you gave him 100 more this season (which would smash his season high), Jeter would still need 400 more in 2009 to reach 3,000.

2008-08-21 07:47:21

15. Chyll Will

14 I must have read something wrong; I thought he needed 250. My bad.

I can't read Jeter's mind, but I get the impression that he tries harder especially when A-Rod gets in those funks.

2008-08-21 07:49:21

16. williamnyy23

15 He may or may not try harder, but what he is trying to do is easier (hit a single up the middle/the other way) than what someone like Arod is (hit HRs).

2008-08-21 07:50:46

17. JL25and3

14 OK, so he'd have to have a helluva year. Batting .640 or so would do it (but only if his walk rate doesn't go up)

2008-08-21 07:54:00

18. JL25and3

12 At least he steals from the best places. That's one of my all-time favorite poems, one I quote pretty frequently. ("The best lack all conviction, while the worst/Are full of passionate intensity" describes the political scene of recent years all too well.)

2008-08-21 07:58:31

19. Chyll Will

17 He still wouldn't get a unanimous MVP vote. Still, the positives would far outweigh the negatives...

2008-08-21 08:05:37

20. Chyll Will

18 Good Ol' Schteeve, the G. Gordon Liddy of Banter! >;)

2008-08-21 09:26:45

21. RichB

It might be surprising to note that at the end of last season, Jeter was 19 hits ahead of Pete Rose's pace. They had their first full seasons at the same age, so it's an interesting comparison. But, starting at his age 34 year (this year for Jeter), Rose went on a tear, averaging 207 hits for 5 seasons.

So, to keep up, Jeter would have to get up to 191 hits this year (which is reachable) and then average 207 for the next 4 years. It's that last part that's not very likely at all, of course. Forgetting even the signs of decline we're seeing this year, he's only had two seasons where he hit more than 207 in his career so far.

Next year will tell us a ton about where he'll end up on the career list. Bill James "Favorite Toy" predicts he'll end up at 3266 (assuming he makes 191 hits this year) - mostly because it assumes he'll play for only another 3.6 seasons. Then again, it would have predicted Rose to end up at 3285, so you know there's a reason James refers to it as a "toy".

2008-08-21 10:34:21

22. Sliced Bread

re: DJ
just caught this over at Sweeny blog:

Derek Jeter (1,252) needs 18 hits in the final 16 home games to pass Lou Gehrig (1,269) for most hits EVER in Yankee Stadium.