Baseball Toaster Bronx Banter
Help
No Sweat
2006-09-07 04:58
by Alex Belth

Randy Johnson threw six no-hit innings in Kansas City last night as the Yankees clobbered the Royals 8-3. The Red Sox were blown-out at home--and had some salt poured onto their wounds down in Florida to boot--as New York's lead is back to nine games. Johnson (16-10) absolutely cruised, getting ahead of batters, and then putting them away. He threw only 81 pitches in seven full innings of work, walking two and striking out eight. To be sure, the Big Unit was aided by home plate umpire Charlie Reliford's more than generous strike zone and an impatient KC lineup. But hey, the Yanks'll take it.

David DeJesus broke up the no-no with a lead off triple in the seventh, but he was promptly picked-off of third by Jorge Posada. Down 5-0 at the time, I was surprised how DeJesus--who robbed Robinson Cano of a hit and also threw the Yankees' second baseman out at the plate earlier in the game--could make such a careless play. Good as he is, I suppose this is why the Royals are in last place.

Posada powered the Yanks with two, three-run home runs. In the sixth, Jason Giambi--who had hit the ball hard in his previous at bat--doubled to the gap in right center. Alex Rodriguez followed with a walk and then Posada crushed a dinger to right. In the eighth, Andy Phillips--who had replaced Giambi in the seventh--doubled and Rodriguez walked again. This time, Posada hit one out to dead center, good for his 19th tater of the season (he also has 79 RBIs).

About the only drag for the Yanks was the performance by Kyle Farnsworth, who gave up a couple of runs in the ninth. Fortunately, the Bombers are winning without Mariano Rivera, who isn't expected to begin throwing a ball around again until tomorrow at the earliest. According to Sam Borden in the News:

"We've been winning some games without him but no one is delusional enough to think we can do that in the future," [manager, Joe] Torre said. "He could go out and pitch right now. What we're trying to do is alleviate the discomfort. He's very important to us. The ability to get it all the way well is our priority."

Meanwhile, the Yankees' future DH, Godzilla Matsui went 1-3 in his first rehab game since busting his wrist. In all, it was a fine night to be a Yankee fan wouldn't you say?

Comments (112)
Show/Hide Comments 1-50
2006-09-07 05:44:35
1.   Sliced Bread
Hopefully, Farnswacker just has to shake off some rust, and can get back on track.

If not, Bruney and/or Dotel will have to step up.

Mo's on the mend, and otherwise all is indeed well.

Does anybody want the AL Wild Card? Here come the Angels, 5 in a row, and tied with Boston behind Twins and White Sox.

2006-09-07 06:07:09
2.   Sliced Bread
Peter Abraham has a great piece on Bruney today:

http://tinyurl.com/e8hz2

Don't let the fact that Bruney hated the Yanks (before they plucked him from the Arizona scrap heap) prevent you from rooting for him. I say the guy's the nuts. The way he's been pitching for us I don't give a rat's rear-end if his aunt was named Ted Williams.

2006-09-07 06:08:17
3.   Shaun P
1 Sliced, I'm going to go out on a limb and say the there is a team that wants the Wild Card - the Tigers. I say they falter but end up with the WC, and the Twins win the division.

Of course, I'm also the guy who said Pavano was going to contribute to the Yanks this year . . .

2006-09-07 06:14:24
4.   rbj
Went to the Mudhens - Knights playoff game. The starter for the Knights was Tim Redding - yes, that Tim Redding, he of the one game started for the Yankees (2005) and gave up 6 ER in 1 IP. Only this time he pitched a CG 4 hit shutout. Different level of talent, to be sure, but this guy looked nothing like he did last year.

I caught a bit of the Yanks game last night, I'm sure this question was asked and answered in last night's comments, but why was Scott Proctor pitching in an 8 - 0 game? Did he need to get some work in?

2006-09-07 06:20:07
5.   Sliced Bread
4 Wow, a Tim Redding sighting.

The answer to your Proctor question: he was using a spare arm. His real arm was in a cooler in the clubhouse, along with Pavano's ice cream sandwiches.

3 Yeah, I could see a Tigers collapse, but I have an uneasy feeling about the Wild Card. Angels and Red Sox six back. hmmm...

2006-09-07 06:23:53
6.   mikeplugh
Proctor had to throw. He has a rare condition called Hyper-Rotator Calendarius. It's also known as "Mike Marshall Disease". You may be able to find it at Wikipedia, but it is an untreatable malady that requires a guy to throw upwards of 200 innings out of the bullpen on any given year. Tragic. I wish Scottie well. We're behind you bro.
2006-09-07 06:26:29
7.   Jim Dean
2 Thanks. I loved:

"I didn't go to college, I don't have a fallback plan,'' he said. "It's big leagues or bust for me. I have nothing to lose, and I'm trying to pitch that way."

2006-09-07 07:08:12
8.   pistolpete
1 Oh please God, not the Angels. I'd actually rather have Boston win it over them.
2006-09-07 07:57:09
9.   Shaun P
5 8 Since I think everyone is by now on board that the AL East will be won by the Yanks . . .

BP Postseason Odds
Generated Thu Sep 7 08:53:15 EDT 2006

Odds of Winning AL Wildcard:

Minnesota - 53.49368
ChiSox - 33.74467
Detroit - 11.42299
Boston - .73554
LA/Anahiem - .37277
Oakland - .14763
Toronto - .06183
Texas - .00676
Cleveland - .00035

Here's why neither Boston nor LA/Anahiem will win the wild card. Detroit is currently 85-55. Even if they collapse the rest of the way, say play .272 ball (6-16), their final record will be 91-71. The Tigers play KC and the Orioles 10 more times this year. I think its safe to bet the Tigers win more than 6 more times.

LAA is currenly 75-65. To get 92 wins, they'd have to go 17-5 down the stretch - ie, play .772 ball . . . with 20 games left vs Oakland, Texas, Toronto, and Chicago.

The Red Sox are also 75-55, which means they too would have to play .772 ball (go 17-5) to get 92 wins. They play the Yanks 4 times, Twins 3 times Torono 4 times, TB twice = 13 games. Just 5 losses in there, and they'd have to not lose another game to get 92 wins. Meanwhile, their only effective reliever is on the shelf, and 3/5 of the Boston rotation is Kevin Jarvis, Kason Gabbard, and Kyle Snyder.

I really wouldn't worry.

2006-09-07 08:04:03
10.   pistolpete
Odds, schmodds. Remember 2004? ;-)
2006-09-07 08:13:05
11.   Jim Dean
9 Thanks for the sanity! I'm going to post that over at LoHud for all the Chicken Littles. Hopefully that will get them to shut up for the rest of the season.
2006-09-07 08:14:41
12.   Paul in Boston
I live in "Theo Epstein is God" land, so I thought I would share this list of spectacular successes that the Sox have traded away in the last few years (thanks to Buster Olney's ESPN blog) with my fellow Yankee fans:

P Anibal Sanchez, Marlins: No-hitter, 7-2, 2.89
P Bronson Arroyo, Reds: 12-9, 3.33
P Cla Meredith, Padres: 4-1, 0.79
SS Hanley Ramirez, Marlins: .283, 13, 49, 104 runs
SS Edgar Renteria, Braves: .298, 12, 58
C Josh Bard, Padres: .321, 7, 34
3B Freddy Sanchez, Pirates: .344, 6, 73
OF Johnny Damon, Yankees: .298, 22, 75, 103 runs

Doesn't that make it easier to remember losing Jay Buhner?

2006-09-07 09:04:32
13.   Jim Dean
12 Even better, look at who they got when they traded them away:

Anibal and Hanley: Beckett and Lowell
Cla and Bard: Mirabelli
Edgar Rentaria: Marte: Crisp
Freddy: half season of Jeff Suppan

What the worst one on that list?

The Freddy one is looking really bad now. As is the Belli one.

In two more years, the Beckett trade may top them both!

Now even as Cashman hasn't been great, he's never been so dumb as to trade away prospects (well, except Dioner, Westbrook, Nick the Stick, and Juan Rivera) - he'd rather squeeze them to death. That's one way you can seldom look bad.

Shouldn't that lesson be the first chapter in the GM handbook? For every sport too esp. with draft picks.

2006-09-07 09:12:27
14.   pistolpete
13 Yeah, but:

Dioner, Nick Johnson and Rivera essentially equal Randy Johnson. Not exactly a balanced trade - the only one I'd really say we would miss would be Navarro, and only because of what 'could be' with Posada in the next few years.

Westbrook essentially gave us Kevin Brown (when you add up all the transactions), so yeah that was pretty much a bust.

2006-09-07 09:22:36
15.   Alvaro Espinoza
14 Westbrook went for Justice, no?
2006-09-07 09:23:12
16.   Zack
Was the Suppan trade a Theo trade? Man, seems like so long ago...Didn't realize that was for Sanchez either, crazy. And not just a half season of Suppan, but a crappy half season at that...
2006-09-07 09:25:45
17.   pistolpete
15 Right, my bad. We had Westbrook twice, and traded him both times. The 2nd time was for Justice.
2006-09-07 09:26:32
18.   Schteeve
I said this in the game thread last night and I'll repeat it, I think Jorge Posada might be one of the most underrated players of all time.
2006-09-07 09:38:29
19.   Travis
Don't forget, the Sox also traded away Mike Gonzalez (3-4, 2.17, 24 saves in 24 opportunities) in the Suppan/Sanchez trade.
2006-09-07 09:44:00
20.   Alvaro Espinoza
I suppose the other side of the equation is: what was Theo's contribution to the '04 Championship (groan) team? Schilling is obviously a big one. What else?

btw - he/they also let Pedro walk.

2006-09-07 09:46:25
21.   Cliff Corcoran
17 Nope, just once. Got him from the Expos in the Fat Pussy Toad trade, then delt him with Ledee and Zach Day for Justice. Thassit.

18 He's definitely in Bill Freehan territory right now in terms of the gap between perception and reality. I mean, how many of you knew that Freehan went to 11 All-Star Games, won 6 Gold Gloves and recieved MVP votes in 6 different seasons with a second and third place finish among them? The problem is that Jorge's career is still too short, this is only his seventh season as a full-time starter, preceeded by two seasons split with Girardi and three "rookie" seasons.

2006-09-07 09:47:33
22.   Alex Belth
I just saw Hanley Ramirez's stats for this year. Jeez, I didn't realize he was doing THIS well. What a nice offensive season he's had, man.
2006-09-07 09:47:41
23.   SF Yanks
2 "I didn't go to college, I don't have a fallback plan,'' he said. "It's big leagues or bust for me. I have nothing to lose, and I'm trying to pitch that way.''

Cool!

2006-09-07 09:49:49
24.   SF Yanks
7 Ahh cripes! (Don't think I've ever used that word before) How did I miss that one? Oh well, great minds...
2006-09-07 09:53:48
25.   Shaun P
21 My first thought was, wow, if you gave Jorge 3+ seasons' worth of ABs, we'd be talking about a HoF catcher, no?

Then I wondered if he wouldn't have lost the last 3+ years due to the "catcher falls off a cliff at 32" trend.

Nonetheless, Schteeve is certainly right 18.

2006-09-07 09:54:12
26.   JohnnyC
20 That was a bag job through the triangulation of Bud Selig-Jerry Colangelo-John Henry. You'll remember Bud tried to get them ARod as well but Hicks wouldn't cooperate fully forcing them to try to get Alex to lower his own salary. Something Schilling freely admits is that in 2003, his shortlist of teams the DBacks could trade him to was topped by the Yankees, followed closely by the Phillies. Theo's surprise Thanksgiving visit had very little to do with the trade actually getting done. But it reads well for the kiddies, don't it?
2006-09-07 09:57:05
27.   Jim Dean
14 We could have used this from Nick:

.940 OPS 16 HR 67 RBI this year instead of Phillips, Guiel, Cairo, Wilson and even the next few years. Nick turns 28 next week.

And we could have used this from Juan:
.888 OPS 21 HR 74 RBI in left or right. And he just turned 28.

And Dioner - just turning 22 at a .733 OPS is pretty nice too.

Let's just say Cashman has had his 'moments'. This season, though, he has done good (after of course, Terrence Long, Scott Erickson, Kelly Stinnett, Cairo).

20 Trading Nomah was gusty. Since then, not so much.

2006-09-07 09:59:30
28.   pistolpete
21 Must have read it too quick. Leave me alone, I'm sick! ;-)
2006-09-07 10:00:27
29.   pistolpete
20 Did he sign Ortiz?
2006-09-07 10:01:20
30.   SF Yanks
Anyone have any recommendations on some great Yankee books? Either about one player (DiMaggio, who is supposedly my distant cousin - whatever that means) , an entire team, or an era? I just want a good Yankee read.
2006-09-07 10:12:13
31.   JohnnyC
29 That was a Bill Lajoie suggestion, who is no longer in the Sox front office. The much-maligned Bill Emslie of the Tampa Gang had whispered Ortiz's name in George's ear earlier that off-season. Ironically, we passed on Ortiz in order to hold onto Nick the Stick. But, hey, even the Red Sox had no idea they were getting an MVP-caliber hitter in Ortiz.
2006-09-07 10:16:39
32.   Alvaro Espinoza
29 Correct. The story I recall is that good friend, Pedro, lobbied Theo to sign him. Also, wasn't Jeremy Giambi supposed to be the 1B answer that year? Once he stunk up the joint, Ortiz got more playing time.
2006-09-07 10:20:44
33.   Alvaro Espinoza
31 I could be wrong about the Pedro thing. Just going off a rusty memory.
2006-09-07 10:28:00
34.   rusty
SF Yanks - Joel Shermans Birth of a Dynasty was a great read, all about the 1996 season that started the current yankees dynasty. Has lots of great history regarding Mariano and Jeter, all these crazy stories about near trades and front office moves that would have dramatically changed the team - much of the book is written from a 'what-if?' perspective regarding particular players and managerial decisions. I tore through it in a week.
2006-09-07 10:29:06
35.   Zack
We really had no place for Ortiz with Giambi and Johnson already on the team. And for all that negative talk about trading away Nick the Stick and Rivera and Dioner etc, well, Rivera was a late bloomer, and its still just this one season; Johnson couldn't stay healthy until this year; and Dioner remains to be seen. But we knew all of that when we traded them. And besdies, Randy was a George-pushed trade...
2006-09-07 10:32:46
36.   Sliced Bread
18 21 re: Posada's underratedness (huh?):

I think Jorge is widely underrated because he's on the Yankees, the perception outside NY being; since he's a Yankees star, he's overrated in NY.

I've said it here before, and I've been saying it for years, there's not a catcher in the league I'd rather have than Posada. Nada one.

2006-09-07 10:34:39
37.   Schteeve
36 Agreed, if he was on another team he'd be a star, but he gets overshadowed by Jeter, Mo, Clemens, Randy, Giambi, A-Rod, etc etc. But man, I love that he's our guy.
2006-09-07 10:34:43
38.   SF Yanks
34 Thanks Rusty. Looks like a good one. In fact, I'm stopping by a local to pick it up.
2006-09-07 10:42:12
39.   Sliced Bread
37 At least he's not underappreciated, or undervalued by the Yanks, and the fans.

Hip Hip Jorge! is the best chant for an individual ballplayer I've ever heard, and he makes a pretty good buck, too.

Has Jorge, or Joe ever talked about his possible future as a manager?

2006-09-07 10:44:54
40.   Jim Dean
35 You're prob right on the Unit trade being pushed by George, but:

Nick played 210 games in the two years with the Yanks. And he played 130 games last year. So he's been healthy before this year.

Rivera just turned 28 - so:
age 28, LAA, .888 OPS, 374 AB
age 27, LAA, .770 OPS, 350 AB
age 26, MON, .829 OPS, 391 AB
age 25, NYY, .773 OPS, 173 AB

If by late bloomer, you mean late to show top 50 MLB performance, you're right. But he showed himself to be a solid OF well before this year.

2006-09-07 10:46:47
41.   Jim Dean
39 With his son, I bet he beomes a family man for a few years, and maybe enters back in the fold a la Donnie. But man, with his red ass streak, he'd be fun.
2006-09-07 10:55:41
42.   pistolpete
41 I see Jorge more as a bench-coach type. He would get thrown out of way too many ballgames as a manager. Heh.
2006-09-07 10:55:47
43.   Mystique of Me
39 Really?? That chant has always made me cringe. It's like something John Sterling would come up with.
2006-09-07 10:58:53
44.   Sliced Bread
43 It's cornball, but it always cracks me up for some reason.

42 If you've ever seen vintage clips of Joe blowing his top (Piniella style actually) when he was managing the Braves, for example, you could picture Jorge maturing into the type of father figure Torre has become.

2006-09-07 11:03:44
45.   Cliff Corcoran
I don't see Posada managing or coaching.
2006-09-07 11:04:21
46.   Sliced Bread
45 Family commitments?
2006-09-07 11:20:12
47.   wsporter
46 Death penalty. He's so red assed that he coudn't handle managing players who don't bust it every second. He'd have to murder someone just to set the right tone in the club house.
2006-09-07 11:29:13
48.   Simone
39 Actually after his season last year, there was a clamor on several Yankee forums for Jorge to be traded for the likes of Ramon Hernandez, etc. Never underestimate the stupidity of some Yankee fans.
2006-09-07 11:30:53
49.   Shaun P
MFD, if one was to read your 47 out of context, that might once have also been said about whether or not Billy Martin would ever coach or manage.

I'm not comparing Posada to Martin - they are nowhere near alike - just noticing that red assery is a trait of both (was in Martin's case).

2006-09-07 11:31:04
50.   Sliced Bread
48 True. Good point.
Show/Hide Comments 51-100
2006-09-07 11:33:31
51.   AbbyNormal821
47 It's Posada's 'red-assedness' that I adore so much! (yeah...ASSEDNESS...I mde that up!!!!), that fiery Latin temperament! I think it's admirable that he doesn't take any crap and were he to manage - sure, he'd be demanding, but I don't think it'd be in the obnoxious way that say...oooh, I dunno - Ozzie Guillen is!

But man, how awesome would it have been t see him & Pedro go at it at Game 3 of the '03 ALCS1???

2006-09-07 11:51:18
52.   LI yankee
51 That wouldn't have really been a fight. More of a slaughter. I wouldn't want to fight a pissed off Jorge...
2006-09-07 12:11:02
53.   JohnnyC
52 Petey made a nice move on Zimmer though. Of course, he was spotting him about 35 years.
2006-09-07 12:15:25
54.   JohnnyC
33 When Lajoie was the Detorit GM, he had tried to trade for Ortiz but the Twins thought he was better than Mientkawhatsis...then the guy hit like .300 after the Olympics and took playing time away from Ortiz and relegated him to part-time DH. Lajoie was hired by Lucchino as a safety valve in case Theo couldn't handle the GM duties. He and Mike Port came up with a lot of the better ideas that Theo later took credit for.
2006-09-07 12:21:57
55.   Sliced Bread
54 But let's give Kid Kong his props, the grrilla suit was all him.
2006-09-07 12:38:21
56.   Chyll Will
Do you know how many current front-office generals and even owners have either come out of or have been minority partners with the Yankees within the past 20 years?
2006-09-07 13:03:09
57.   wsporter
56 No?
2006-09-07 13:12:10
58.   Bama Yankee
56 Is the Space Pope Reptilian?
2006-09-07 13:15:29
59.   mehmattski
42
2006-09-07 13:21:26
60.   wsporter
49 MFD, I think you're right. Billy's intensity was hard to handle for very long. He was great but he burned guys out both emotionally and physically.

Some of that stuff was also done for show by Billy. Going after Reggie in the dug-out was just plain silly; Reggie would have drop-kicked his ass into the monuments. I think there was more symbolism there than actual substance; he was going after George by going after his prize guy in Reggie.

Yeah Billy was crazy but he was a little guy. Jorge is a big dude, he could actually hurt someone. Besides Billy was crazy like a fox whereas I think Jorge really means it.

2006-09-07 13:29:13
61.   Chyll Will
58 touche

Brian Sabean, Jean Afterman, Bob Watson, John Henry... um, help me out somebody (it's almost like the Table of Elements in a way...)

2006-09-07 13:33:22
62.   Chyll Will
60 Posada: "Whaddya doing?? You know there are no cameras allowed down here!"
Cairo: "Well, that's the end of tonight's show, kids! Hopefully I'll see you next time!"
2006-09-07 13:34:29
63.   Adam B
Everyone heaps praise on Dioner, but one area he would hurt in is that he has an awful arm. 43 of 59 baserunners have been successful stealing on him.

I believe Milwaukee's GM Doug Melvin was with the Yankees at one point.

2006-09-07 13:38:07
64.   mehmattski
61 Kim Ng?
2006-09-07 13:53:28
65.   pistolpete
62 Is that clip anywhere on the 'net? YouTube, perhaps?
2006-09-07 13:58:51
66.   Chyll Will
65 I was just paraphrasing Cairo since his reaction was rather sheepish, but I swear that's exactly what Jorge said. I dunno, that's worth checking...
2006-09-07 14:28:20
67.   Chyll Will
66 Nope, couldn't find a thing. Oh well, I'm sure it won't be the last time he says or does something like that...
2006-09-07 14:28:42
68.   randym77
Remember that post Peter Abraham put up, about Posada's scale? He weighs each of his new bats when he gets them, to make sure they weight exactly what they're supposed to.

He got annoyed at everyone using his scale, so he put up a sign saying, "Scale is not free," charging 25 cents to use it.

I dunno if he has the temperament to be a manager, but I could see him being a coach. I've noticed some of the other players talking to him before they go to bat. Getting some tips about the pitcher, I think.

2006-09-07 14:35:17
69.   standuptriple
68 I wouldn't let them use my scale either. Next thing you know and it's off calibration and you're getting shorted on your sack...er, I mean BAT.
2006-09-07 14:47:59
70.   bobtaco
48 If you could go back in time to 2003, and do the Pyrzenski trade from the Twins to SF, but instead swap in Jorge, would you do it?

Would you rather have Nathan setting up for Rivera and Liriano in the rotation, or Jorge?

Just curious what you guys think...

2006-09-07 14:57:50
71.   Zack
70 I would do that trade in a second. No offense Jorge. But at that point we would still have Dioner as well...
2006-09-07 14:59:46
72.   wsporter
70 Would we get to have Mauer in the farm system as well?
2006-09-07 15:03:57
73.   Schteeve
I hate no game nights.
2006-09-07 15:05:01
74.   standuptriple
70 But they's have a year of Pyrzinski-cancer as well. I think NY could handle him as well as anybody, but I would not like it one bit. I doubt the Yanks would have asked for those guys in the SF system though. They just don't evaluate the same way MIN does.
2006-09-07 15:10:18
75.   Bama Yankee
73 I agree, but off nights are good for Ron Burgundy's blood pressure... ;-)
2006-09-07 15:18:47
76.   LI yankee
75 What happened to Ron anyways? He hasn't been present for a while. Speaking of AWOL, where has Rob Gee been for the past few months?
2006-09-07 15:26:33
77.   randym77
Alas, Rob Gee was kicked off the board.
2006-09-07 15:27:06
78.   bobtaco
72 No Mauer, just Navarro -- like 71 says.

But the Yankees always could have signed I-Rod as a free agent after 2003 to keep the position warm for him...

2006-09-07 15:29:36
79.   LI yankee
77 Oh, I was unaware.
2006-09-07 15:31:11
80.   wsporter
76 Rob took his ball and left when he was asked to go home after not playing nicely. He was pretty rude to Ken who asked him to stop some nastiness with another poster. It was really just Rob being Rob up to the point of attacking Ken. So what are you gonna do?

He was invited back and I hope he takes them up on the invitation. So far no luck, I thought he was posting under a new alias for a while but it wasn't the man.

2006-09-07 15:46:29
81.   wsporter
70 Given the way things have worked out and given it may have saved us from 2004 (I doubt we would have gotten as far as game 7)I guess I'd make the trade and sleep pretty well after having done it.

Hate to give up Jorge though, he's been a great one for us. I'd like to see him get some of the old man love GOB is getting now, when his time comes. Oh crap! I don't know. Maybe not. Oh hell, Liriano though! Man that's tough to say no to.

Lots of folks were screaming about trading Jorge at what was assumed to be his high water mark after '03. I wasn't one of them. Maybe that would have been the right deal if it was available. Jorge is and was certainly more valuable than Prickhead.

2006-09-07 15:54:29
82.   LI yankee
80 Yeah I just read the archive with that. I wasn't present that day I guess.
2006-09-07 16:02:29
83.   Jim Dean
80 Somebody actually got kicked out of this place!? Wow, that must have been really bad? Some of the stuff I've seen on Pete's blog I've never seen here.
2006-09-07 16:12:09
84.   randym77
83 It wasn't that bad. It wasn't very nice, but nothing even close to what gets posted at Pete's blog.
2006-09-07 16:16:40
85.   Jim Dean
84 Swear words? I mean, of course there's a certain ethic in a place like this, but what boundaries were crossed?
2006-09-07 16:25:14
86.   LI yankee
85 It wasn't really the cursing, it was more so that Ken was personally attacked I guess.
2006-09-07 16:25:20
87.   wsporter
85 No swear words per se but Rob could paint a pretty explicit picture without em.
2006-09-07 16:33:19
88.   Jim Dean
86 Who's this Ken's guy - just so I know to treat him with kid gloves.

87 Usually I think that kind of stuff is pretty creative. Still it must have gotten annoying if they kicked him out for it.

There's folks I wish Pete would kick out. Nothing worse than the guys who are just annoying - they have a way of mucking up the whole blog.

2006-09-07 16:51:44
89.   Schteeve
Somewhere in Baltimore, Joe Torre has entered Scott Proctor in an arm wrestling competition tonight.
2006-09-07 16:53:53
90.   wsporter
88 No he wasn't usually that way, he just happened to drill hard one day and strike a nerve he shouldn't have touched. It was a wrong place wrong attitude kind of accident that ended badly. It's too bad really because he is a smart, opinionated guy who knows his baseball.

If I'd get in late from what ever I'd be working on and too geeked to sleep or read I could sometimes count on Rob for a good late night argument about nothing particularly earth shattering. Oh well, nothing lasts forever.

2006-09-07 16:56:50
91.   randym77
Ken owns the joint. Baseball Toaster is his baby.

And he doesn't bother with TOS's or CoC's. Doesn't have the time, so he just boots those he finds disruptive.

2006-09-07 16:59:22
92.   Jim Dean
91 Oh, okay! Has any one else been booted? What were their offenses?
2006-09-07 17:05:03
93.   yankz
Man, I really hate off days.
2006-09-07 17:10:46
94.   wsporter
93 This is silly I'm out.
2006-09-07 17:20:50
95.   3rd gen yankee fan
Well shoot guys! The Twinkies-Tigers game is gonna be interesting at least. I gotta work though.
2006-09-07 17:21:41
96.   singledd
40 RIVERA -- Age 25, .773 OPS, 173 AB
Melky currently has an OPS of .765, and is a better fielder then Rivera. Might have a better arm, but I'm not sure. Anyway, an OPS of .773 or .765, is in the BOTTOM 10% of corner outfielders.

Rivera's average OPS over the 3 years age 26-28 is .829, which is almost exactly the middle of the pack. So Rivera, AFTER he left the Yanks turned into an (almost exactly) average LF'er. However, on a weak hitting team, in his best year to date, his looks good.

He's not a bad player. Matsui, as a Yankee, has an OPS of about .850. A good player (Matsui), if not somewhat overrated and overpaid.

2006-09-07 17:21:58
97.   randym77
92 I'm not sure, really. Some posts have vanished, but I don't know if their authors were banned. Basically, it's personal attacks. Not necessarily obscene, just attacking people rather than their ideas.

I'm trying to decide whether to watch football or the Tigers-Twins game. It is the first football game of the year. But no Big Ben...

2006-09-07 17:35:43
98.   SF Yanks
Mauer & Jeter = .344
2006-09-07 17:35:57
99.   Jim Dean
96 Rivera would have been a serviceable 4th OF - unlike the other guys trotted out there the last few years when Bernie, Matsui, or Shef were DH'ing.

This year his .888 OPS would be top 50 across all positions In MLB if he had a few more PA. And still, he's only only 28.

That Vazquez trade is looking pretty bad now. But I'll admit I liked it at the time. Worse was the follow-up for Unit - that I didn't like, nor the extension.

97 Wow, vanishing posts? And thanks Ken!

2006-09-07 17:56:32
100.   Bama Yankee
99 If you want to read the posts involving Rob Gee that are referenced above (with the exception of the deleted one, of course) here they are:

https://bronxbanter.baseballtoaster.com/archives/403834.html

https://bronxbanter.baseballtoaster.com/archives/406340.html
(you only have to read down to #19)

https://bronxbanter.baseballtoaster.com/archives/410099.html

It wasn't really that bad, more of a misunderstanding IMO. I agree with the people who miss Rob Gee he was a good poster, but I also think a simple apology might have kept him around.

Show/Hide Comments 101-150
2006-09-07 18:07:43
101.   RIYank
Mauer singles...
2006-09-07 18:16:12
102.   pistolpete
What, no one watching Game 4, 2001 on YES?

I forgot some of this stuff - what a horrendous relay throw by Soriano to try and get the go-ahead run in the top of the 8th. Makes me wish we had Cano out there.

As much as I'd want Soriano's bat in this lineup, I sure don't miss his fielding.

2006-09-07 18:18:41
103.   Bama Yankee
I think we beat the Rob Gee issue to death, but what about Ron Burgundy? Did the Yankee futility in the first 7 innings of Monday's KC game finally do him in?
2006-09-07 18:21:52
104.   Bama Yankee
102 You feeling any better pete? I believe you mentioned this morning that you were sick. I'm afraid I'm coming down with something myself. Maybe that worm from yesterday cursed us. I can see it now, the Curse of the Smoldering Worm
2006-09-07 18:40:54
105.   pistolpete
Been sick since Monday night - so I was sick before my work on the worm. But thanks for your concern!

It's been a bad head cold, but I'm well enough to sit up and do some work at home. Right now I'm about to heat up my 4th bowl of chicken soup of the week - yummy!

2006-09-07 18:41:51
106.   pistolpete
I'll be watching (and probably recording) that game on Saturday just in case our friend gets on camera...
2006-09-07 18:53:26
107.   Bama Yankee
106 Me too. I think I'll be getting the YES feed on EI Saturday so maybe I'll get to see if they show the signs. Of course, Bama plays Vanderbilt at the same time so I will have to have one eye on each game. I trust you will let us all know if you spot your handywork during the game.

BTW, I also had a bowl of the chicken soup tonight. Here's hoping we both get well soon.

2006-09-07 18:58:09
108.   RIYank
Mauer grounded out in the sixth, now 1 for 3. But .345.
Twins are being rocked, and they can't touch Verlander. Well, not really true, but they haven't scored.
2006-09-07 19:26:08
109.   RIYank
Fernando Rodney whiffs Mauer to end the eighth, almost certainly his last at-bat. He'll finish at .344.

Let's go JE-ter!

2006-09-07 20:23:21
110.   Jim Dean
100 Thanks - too funny!

I guess lesson number 1 is "Don't insult people around here" - that's fair enough. And corollary to that is "Don't tell the owner to eat stew."

106 That would be so great! I'm getting them printed tomorrow. You get the YES feed? Anyone get the MASN feed?

2006-09-07 21:26:13
111.   Ken Arneson
110 Yeah, I guess that's about right. I suppose lesson number 2 would be that if/when you do insult somebody, even if it was unintentional, apologize for it.

I'm not exactly sure why I have an aversion to making hard-and-fast rules of behavior. Malcolm Gladwell did a pretty good job of explaining part of it here:
newyorker.com/talk/content/articles/060904ta_talk_gladwell

Another reason is that I hate it when someone says, "what I did was legal according to rule 7b, subsection 4."

It doesn't matter to me whether what you did was technically legal or not. You should value the friendship more than the rule. Apologize anyway, and stay friends.

2006-09-08 07:26:53
112.   pistolpete
110 YES 'feed'? I live in CT - I get YES! ;-)

Comment status: comments have been closed. Baseball Toaster is now out of business.