Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
ESPN reports this morning that Nomar Gaciaparra will sign with the Dodgers:
Garciaparra, who still needs to take a physical and finalize contract details, will likely play first base for the Dodgers. The deal has a base salary of $6 million and could be worth as much as $8 million, the New York Post reported.
Phone calls from Joe Torre and Jason Giambi proved fruitless for the Yanks, as it appears that home is where the heart is for Nomar.
The Yankees held a lead in each of the playoff games last year, including the Randy Johnson game. The pitching/defense simply could not hold a lead, in spite of Figgins and Vlad having horrible series.
We don't need a new center fielder because our old one couldn't hit. Anyone thing Bubba is a better hitter than Bernie? Of course not. Bernie sat down because he couldn't play the field. Damon can't throw, and he's not getting any younger.
An extra bat is always welcome, but not at the expense of several years of declining defense in center field. Didn't we just go through that? Either play Bubba until we can sign a real center fielder, or trade Pavano for one now.
Just say No to Johnny Damon.
BP
said recently they weren't optimistic. The Post's report said that Nomar didn't like the
idea of having to deal with NY media---that
would be obvious, considering how he refused to
speak to the Boston media. He & his wife live out there, he also thought the climate would be
better for his legs. It wasn't going to happen.
I'm sorry Torre & Giambi wasted the 25 cents
calling him. I'll never forget Nomar's face in
the dugout.
Some good names are being rumored to be non-tenderered (Gerut, Craig Wilson, Choi, Patterson, Bayonne's own Joe Borowski). I hope that the Yankees are very aggressive in that market. Perhaps, that has influenced Cashman's strategy.
This team will be appredciably better if they can somehow acquire a Reggie Sanders and/or Jacques Jones to split time in right. Give Sheff the full-time DH job, trade Wright and Proctor for some prospects, and sign Tavarez.
And, please, give Bubba a chance. He's a short-term solution, to be sure; but he'll play exceptional defense and (hopefully) hit at or just below league average. The fact that he knows how to bunt already sets him apart from every other Yankee offesively.
Only thing better would've been Womack for Johann Santana straigt up. :=:
Agreed re: Wright and Pavano.
Speaking of Wright - was there another pitcher on the planet who had more things hit back at him toward the end of the season? Man - that was crazy.
BP
And kudos to bp1 for talking some common sense.
Nomar was not right for this town and at least he was honest enough with himself to act on it, saving the organization, fans and press the trouble. He can underachieve in LA knowing more people there read the 'Calendar' section (arts and entertainment) of the LA Times than the Sports section.
I want the kind of guy who will knock down his mother for the chance to wear the Pinstripes. Not someone who is concerned with how reporters will accept him.
While it was a fairly interesting thought to consider him on the '06 roster for a minute or two, it's good to move on and look at the non-tendered talent now available that could fill defined holes, or at worst provide trade bait for a future deal.
#8 jonm — Bingo! Let Nomar fall in a 2-30 slump and see how that ritual would play in The Bronx. I think he made the right choice.
did someone say corey patterson?
c'mon, sections 37&39,
HEE-SOP-CHOI!
HEE-SOP-CHOI!
HEE-SOP-CHOI!
(i like this a lot already)
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