It's interesting to have Pete blogging. Blogs like this one, RLYW, Was Watching,NoMass and Baseball Musings are great for thier objective analysis. They don't get mired in the old media mentality and you can learn a lot by reading them.

The thing that "Mainstream" media has that blogs typically lack, is access to the talent. No interviews with coaches, players, GMs.

Pete may be in a unique position to bridge this gap, because he has at least peripheral access to talent. I'd love to see an interview with reader generated questions for Cahsman, or one of the players.

Congrats Mike!!!

Congrats Mike, and welcome to fatherhood. Hope the little pinstriped-lefty-to-be gets into a regular sleep pattern soon, for you and your wife's sakes.

I would have liked to see Unit get his 300th win in pinstripes, but c'est la vie. I noticed that Pete A. said the prospects for the deal hadn't been agreed upon yet. I continue to hope that a hitting prospect (or more) is (are) on the way, if not in the Unit deal, then in the next one.

Congratulations Mike.

Pete's site, along with BB, Was Watching and RLYW are a must nearly every day (even during the dark days of counting down to pitchers & catchers -- now at 44 days.)

One question though; on the Randy Johnson trade update, Pete mentions getting some wins from a "Carl Pavano." Who is this guy? I haven't seen his name come up in the transactions this year, and I don't recall seeing his name on the Clippers' roster.

Hows about a CATCHA!

Ernie Koy died. Obit on ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2716882) laid out two important baseball tidbits: hit a homer in his first AB and appeared in the first televised game (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Barber). which of these accomplishments carries more weight?

In reading Mike's post over at COH I gleened one more difference between Japan and the U.S.A; it's several days later and Mrs. Plugh is still in the hospital and doing well. If everybody is happy and healthy they throw your backsides out of the hospital within 24 - 36 hours of the blessed event here. It looks like you get a nice long interval to contemplate what's about to happen to you Mike. Rest up; I hope you have a sleeper on your hands man.

I can't think of a better way to bring in the New Year. Congratulations Mike! Health, wealth and happiness to one and all.

It's good to have a new baby at the Banter.

As we wait on the RJ deal, I was curious if there has been any precedent for the man-love (not that there's anything wrong with that) between Pettitte and Clemens. What I mean is, have there been other instances (in any sport) where two All-Star caliber (at least at one point in their careers) players liked playing together so much that they became a package deal. My gut says yes, but I can't come up with any examples.

If it happens, I think replacing Unit with Rocket is an overall upgrade for the rotation. I do think it is a little strange that Clemens, who is probably the best pitcher of his generation and in the conversation at least for best ever, ends up being the one who "follows" Pettitte around.

6 Not quite the same, but Koufax & Drysdale did hold out together one year, asking for the same salary for each (they settled for less, and not the same numbers for each)

6 Mike Kekich and Fritz Peterson took the "love" thing to a new level.

this just in:

philadelphia rocks.

http://tinyurl.com/vt7d4

Thanks Alex, and everyone here that makes this place the best forum on the net. In Japan mothers stay in hospital for a week after the baby is born. After seeing how this whole process goes, I think it is the far more civilized and right-minded way to handle early motherhood. The main reason it works in Japan and is not feasible in the US, is that national health care pays for almost everything. In the US a hospital bed for a week would run you $10,000 or something probably.

All the more reason for us to push the politicians to get off their asses and give us the world's best health care system that is available to everyone, regardless of economic and social class.

Also, Sal Fasano rules!

Be careful what you wish for with universal health care. You wont get to choose your doctor, you wont get the best care, and you will wait longer than ever for any procedure. Theres a reason why communism didnt work.

But Sal Fasano does rule.

That's not true Jake. I don't want to get into it here, because this is Yankees baseball, but we've had the best health coverage I've ever seen in my life in Japan. We choose our doctors, we never wait very long for anything, we pay peanuts for medication and hospital stays and the rest, and the level of medical care here is on par with any country in the world.

The irony is, the American government designed this health care system in the wake of WWII. God Bless America! And, Sal Fasano.

I love Peter's blog. The one problem that I do see with it is the quality of the commenters - they are a bit childish and they are at least a couple steps below the level of commenter here at The Banter. I'm hoping that as LoHud gets more mature, so will the commenters.

13 I agree sabernar. I think they're a notch below the commenters here, but a notch above most of the other bulletin boards out there. Thank goodness for BB and LoHud.

i don't know if this has been mentioned here yet, if it has, i apologize.

i just found that donald arthur mattingly has a blog.

is this newsworthy? probably not, but as someone who still plays in a hardball league, even though he was never any good in his younger days and is always looking for a tip or two to potentially level the playing field, i share the following quote:

"I am also very excited about the book we have coming out in the spring. The book is about hitting. I am not much on doing books, but the idea was to wrap up all the fundamentals of hitting into one book. I hope this simplifies the thought process of what hitting is all about. This will give you a simple base to work on. When I talked to so many people growing up I would always get confused, so I hope this book simplifies things and roles [sic] it all in one nice package. I thought I would mention those things as I am very excited about them."

http://www.donmattingly.com/blog.php

i am so excited...

Jake this is a topic that hits close to home, it's a slow baseball day so here goes. Choice of physician is not unfettered in our system. Unless a patient's preferred doctor of choice chooses to participate in the health care plan purchased and made available (typically by an emplyer) there is no choice.

One reason communism didn't/doesn't "work" as a mode of economic and financial organization is that it maintains no efficient price mechanism through which goods and services can be valued and produced. As an economy grows it becomes increasingly more difficult to determine what should be produced and in what quantity. Planners ultimately have no idea if they should produce more toilet paper or underwear or both. Market failure is essentially built into the system.

One can argue effectively that the oligopolistic system of private third party controlled insurance and product delivery has already resulted in a similar set of market failure conditions in our healthcare system. We spend approximately 14% of our GDP on healthcare in the US. That's about twice what Canada spends per capita yet our system is approximately equal to the Canadian model in terms of quality. What we have on our hands is a relatively inefficient expensive mess.

Be careful what you ask for you may end up with more of the same.

End Rant/

The LoHud blog is a keeper. Tho' I could do without Pete's weird aversion to folks offering links to substantiate opinion. His complaint? He wants the blog to be a place for 'original' thinking, and links work against that.

Uhm. Someone oughtta explain to him how this whole internets web deal works. Links in particular.

i love pete abe's blog, as well. but i don't bother w/ the commenters there at all. i take it for what it is - a great blog with inside info. i check there quickly and frequently, since pete is on the beat scene and has tracks to important 411. i come to the banter for quality comments that are informative & intelligent.

i just started posting here (rather poorly, i might add!), somewhat recently though i've been an avid reader of both BB and Cliff's BRB, for years. i haven't posted anywhere else. i have emailed peter a few times - off-blog, if you will - and he was always kind in his replies, when one wasn't even necessary.

the banter is THE place for commentary. period, end of.

btw, the batters box (blue jays) have some great commenters...

Pete Abraham is a great dude, who is struggling to keep a bunch of slack jawed doofuses in line in his comments section. The comments at lohud were constantly spammed and that's why he's not keen on links.

I agree completely with the above comments. Pete's blog is great for scoops, rumors and breaking news due to his job as a Yankees beat writer. The Banter's level of sophistication and knowledge by its discussants is also impressive and enlightening. I'm sorry to be self-promoting, but I just started a blog yesterday, yanksandmore.blogspot.com which is just getting off the ground. It would be great if some of you could read or comment. Thanks, I apologize again for doing this, and have a happy new year

I go to Peter Abraham's blog often for updates on trades and the ongoings with the team.

I've given up on trying to make comments in that space.

While Abraham does have a lot of inside information, his analysis leaves a lot to be desired. I can't say I often agree with anything he has to say that goes beyond inside scoops.

16 When I saw the direction this thread as moving in, I vowed not to get involved. But...

"That's about twice what Canada spends per capita yet our system is approximately equal to the Canadian model in terms of quality."

Having moved to Canada a few years ago and having made considerable use of the health system here, this statement is laughable. I never fail to be either stunned or appalled by the level of care when I make a trip to the doctor or hospital, or when I hear a story from a colleague who goes.

It is not that the doctors are bad--far from it. But the system is thoroughly strained in terms of both manpower and hardware/equipment. I moved from a moderately sized midwestern US city: my health care is now a notch worse than it was before, and between taxes and employer benefits (taken from the ol' paycheck) I pay more now than I did before.

Just another two cents. I've never had to use the Canadian health care system, or the English health care system, but I've used the American, Japanese, and South African systems. The American system is laudable for its devotion to cutting edge research, state of the art equipment, and extraordinarily well trained physicians. The South African and Japanese social systems enjoy all of the above, perhaps to a slightly lesser degree, but are affordable to every citizen living under the protection of their flags.

That's the crux of it. The insurance and pharmaceutical industries take such a huge cut of the pie thanks to frivolous law suits, and designer drug development that the low income American either goes hungry or suffers the worsening of whatever medical condition they are enduring. Socialized medicine has its flaws to be sure, but there isn't a soul in Japan (for example) that is worried about where their medicine is going to come from, or if they can eat or pay their rent because they got sick. Just my two cents.

22 MonkeyP, that statement was not meant as praise for Canada's system but rather as criticism of our own. The W.H.O. ranked ours at 17 and Canada at 14 among "wealthy" nations in 2000. Here's an interesting article on the study and the dichotomy of public perception and ranking (well, interesting to me anyway):

http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/reprint/20/3/10.pdf
Note our per capita expenditure.

Now, back to baseball. I knew posting that rant was a mistake the moment I hit submit.

Guys... talking politics here is totally unreasonable (so let me add my 2 cents).

On a baseball Note: Petes blog is great... he is an 'insider', and so has access to info that sets him apart. However, BB is really more then a Blog... it has turned into a community. We celebrate marriages and births here, and at times even get sidetracked with debates on topics ALMOST as important as baseball. I have no doubt that if 20 of us met on the street, there would be man-hugs all around, and we would share some time, beers, family photos and Yankee stories. For me, living in the woods, BB has become an important source of connection... and if for some reason it was no longer, would definitely leave a hole in my life.

OFF THE FACADE also has some good info and opinions.... and seems to have some inside track.
YANKEES CHICK does not have fantastic analysis or editorials, but is at times thoughful, creative any funny. I mean ya gotta love a good looking young girl who's blog features the headline "Pardon Me, Are You Interested in My Unit?"

... In these conversations, changing the word Communism to Socialism helps, and then changing Socialism to 'Social Programs' allows us a less threatening debate.
... I read a few years ago, that an estimated 50% of all colected health care monies go to advertising, profits, and other NON care/overhead related costs. FIFTY PERCENT goes to things that have NOTHING to do with healthcare. Our system allows YOUR monies to go directly into stockholders pockets.

... For all us good Capitalists, please remember we have one ittt-bitty socialized program in the USA that, you could say, defines socialism.
1) TOTALLY FREE... no direct/individual costs
2) EVERYBODY is in... the very poor, handicapped, all colors, all races, all religions... everybody
3) ITS SUPER EASY... hardly any work, tests or forms. Just walk in, say "I Want" and basically you get. Very few questions asked. If you can't get there, they will even go get you and bring you to it.
4) IT RUNS SMOOTHLY year after year. While it has many, many problems as any/all systems do, in the by-and-large, as a system, it has been in place a long time and basically something that keeps working.
5) STUDY HISTORY and you will find that this little piece of pure socialism (no profits, no stock, free for everybody) is probably the biggest factor in America's greatness, in terms of productivity and America's national defense.
Unfortunately, due purely to neglect and being taken for granted, this sytem is falling on hard times. It is still a great system, but needs some serious help and participation.

In trying to name this system, all kinds of fancy 'Socio-' names were tried... but they couldn't agree on a good one, so instead, we simply call it:
The American Public School System
Capitalism LOVES to motivate and generate profit. There are some things however, where the product/service is more important then profit.

"I knew posting that (my) rant was a mistake the moment I hit submit." Guilty as charged

25 Brilliant.

Anyone want to take fake bets on when we'll get the word on the RJ trade, and which prospects we get? I say Friday at 2pm EST, Medders, Owings, Ohlendorf.

Ohlendorf is a sleeper to me. I don't know why, but I think he's going to be a good MLB pitcher.

Gordon Gekko said it best; "Greed is good". I will take my chances with Merck and Pfizer trying to find profitable cures for cancer and AIDS. You will have to wait a lot longer without the profit motvation. It is easy for other countries to take the "high road" of socialized medicine while taking a free ride off the inventions of US drug companies.

Regarding access to health care, any resident with a low income in NYC can sign up for free healthcare via Medicaid and other programs. Some of the "evil" profits do flow to those in need.

27 Dan Benton at Off The Façade, who has been all over this thing since last week and ahead of both the National and Local media, thinks it'll be Nippert and Owings as the MiL'ers. I think Medders will be the ML guy. Pete A at LoHud agrees with you on Owings and Ohlendorf (who I would prefer).

I've seen so much stuff over the last week on this (thanks for your breakdown btw) that they are all starting to look alike to me. I would have liked to get a 1b bat out of this. That kid Clark appears stuck behind Jackson. If we're really facilitating this deal as so many think between Unit and the Snakes I'd like to see us get more than the 3 arms mentioned. The Clark kid looks like he can rake and I like us to get him if we can.

The Big Lead passes the scoop from USA Today: Unit is about to be traded for two prospects plus a ML pitcher. Big Lead adds:

http://tinyurl.com/ybwkso

"So perhaps the rumors are true - the Yankees are stockpiling prospects to ship to Minnesota when it becomes inevitable the Twins cannot resign ace Johan Santana in a year or two."

Doesn't sound right, but I do think Cashman has something in mind for his big basket of prospects other than playing all of them. They have to be 'chips'.

28"Free ride?" How do you figure?

You can take a chance with Merck and Pfizer developing a cure for cancer and AIDS (even though they would most certainly hurt their profit margin by developing a cure), but there's nothing uncertain about the fact that they'll develop myriad treatment cocktails whose prices will rise four times the rate of inflation, they'll spend as much on marketing and administration in support of hair loss and erectile dysfunction drugs as they will on R&D, and that 25% of seniors will skip prescriptions because of the cost. There's no chances there. Those conditions are certain.

For what it's worth, my experience with the Australian 'socialized' medical system was very positive. I lived in Melbourne for a year and Canberra for six months. There is practically zero bureaucracy for the average patient; you just show your card and that's it. Technological diagnostics are a little worse than here -- I had to wait a day and go across town to get my imaging done, which I wouldn't have to do in Providence (metro area approx. the same as Canberra).

I normally try not to weigh in on political issues (especially since I am from deep in the heart of red state country), but on the topic of "Socialized Medicine" I did have this thought:

If you needed something sent across the country overnight would you use FedEx or the US Postal Service? You might choose the Post Office if the package was not very important. But what if the package was needed to save your life, who would you choose?

I admit that our health care system could use some changes but I am not sure that a government run system would be much of an improvement over what we have now.

2 things:

1st: I also read what Pete has to say. Good guy. I don't post there, though. I guess that explains why you guys don't like to read the comments section. No me. Sucks, huh?

2nd: I agree with the notion that this is a Yankees blog, not a social/political/medicinal blog. I will say this, though. My friend Sam has beaten leukemia twice. I don't know much about worldwide healthcare, but I do know that that wouldn't have happened in a lot of other countries. You can't put a price on that. She is the most honest person I know and she's only 15. Is any of this relevant? I don't know and I don't really care. Responding, however, would be futile as I've only read an 1/8th of the posts so far. Baseball, my friends, baseball.

Look the bottom line is that people who like baseball are still people, and have people-related concerns. Alex allows us to talk about house music so why not other modern issues (moreso in the offseason, anyway)? I think we will all agree that politics can get dangerous and ugly and I'm sure no one wants to go there. However for those of you not directly experiencing the problems of the medical system in the US, I'd just like to give my perspective.

My mother has had MS since she was 35, she is now 61. She was fired from her (professional, corporate) job because she could no longer compete. Social Security requires that she live under the poverty line so that she can receive benefits. That means she no longer has any savings, she can barely afford her medications (Medicaid does NOT pay for everything she needs) and her mortgage. She gets no welfare, no food stamps. She takes loans from friends which most likely she will never pay back, just so that she can have a place to live. She can only work part time because of the income restraints (she is mostly physically able and so COULD work more). Last month she received a holiday bonus and went $40 over the SS limit so she now has to pay back her SS benefits for that month. Merry f'in Christmas.

This is a former professional, hard working American. This is us. Yes, we could do better. Over 40 million Americans have NO health coverage, and they're not all lazy, lower class, whatever. Apologies for the rant, but this issue hits close to home.

A) I too love PeteAbe's blog, though I agree that the comments section can't hold water to this one. I think format has a lot to do with it, the Toaster has a much cleaner format than blogger. So Ken gets a lot of credit for that.

B) I've fought till blue in the face with fiscal conservatives about universal health care, and how it'll ruin progress and scare our doctors away and blah blah blah. Well I'm not a health care expert, or an economist, but there are people who are, and those people need to work out the kinks somehow. The status quo is approaching half of Americans without health care, and that is a travesty. That's all I'll say. If anyone wants to discuss it away from a baseball forum, I'd be happy to, hit me at this name on gmail.

C) Speaking of off topic things.... hey Bama, what do you think of your shiny new coach? Personally, I love any turmoil surrounding the too-proud-of-themselves Dolphins, though how does it feel to inherit a rival's coach? Would kinda be like Tito replacing Joe Torre, no?

I really like Pete's stuff too; he seems like a good, calm and smart person. It's nice to have a guy speaking from the inside "to us" rather than "down to us". I don't post there either though, I only do that here. The "Trog" factor is pretty high elsewhere.

I was hoping that we'd move this comming surplus of arms Texas way and bring back Texiera; this Minky madness would seem to put the kybosh on that dream. Oh well. There's always Santana to distract me from my work!

28 Also not wanting to get in on the debate, but the idea that Merck and Pfizer in a socialized system would try less to get cancer drugs is false. First, even in a socialized system, there is a profit motive for pharma. Second, most of the drugs that are developed come from universities NOT drug companies. Drug companies bypass the initial discovery (the most expensive part of the drug creation process) by licensing it from a university (which gets govt funding). The pharma then tests it and brings it to the market.

Additionally, Medicaid and Medicare are paid for by our taxes more than "evil" profits. Most companies hire very good CPAs to avoid paying their taxes as much as possible. This doesn't mean they are evil -- just maximizing their profits.

Also, if you make above the threshold for Medicare and Medicaid but your employer doesn't offer you healthcare, then you don't have access to free healthcare. That's where the 46 million uninsured come in. They aren't poor, but lower middle class.

Here is an interesting article about pharmaceuticals written by a Harvard doctor and researcher. She was the former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine:
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/17244

On a baseball note, does anyone think that it is worth waiting till Spring Training to trade RJ?

Right now, there is some skepticism about his health. Let him prove that he is healthy in spring training with a few innings of decent stuff.

Yes, if he pitches poorly, his trade value suffers. But I would wager that the batters are a little rustier than pitchers are in the early stages of spring training. After all how many of them have seen a 6'10" pitcher throw 95 in the offseason?

If he puts together one or two good outings, we could be getting a lot more for him.

Or we could decide to keep him.

33 TRUE STORY! On Sunday, December 24th, 2006, Christmas Eve, the Denver area (and surrounding areas) were still trying to dig out from a huge snow storm. The snow had finally stopped and the area was just finally beginning to recover.

It was a Sunday. It was Christmas eve. But hundreds of US Postal Service postmen and women hit their routes in the hopes to deliver the Christmas packages that were stuck in a state of blizzard limbo.

It was Sunday. It was Christmas Eve. FedEx and UPS did not open and none of their packages were delivered.

The USPS came to the rescue not because it was economically beneficial, but because the motto was "Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds".

To borrow from 25: "There are some things however, where the product/service is more important then profit"

Argh, I feel compelled to weigh in here as well, so please forgive me.

The anecdotal evidence that such and such person has always had good healthcare in the US or couldn't have gotten (A) elsewhere is not really an argument. Its clear that at the top rung, i.e. for the very wealthy or people with very good insurance the US system is wonderful. When I was 18 and needed a major operation I benefitted from my father's wonderful health insurance and was free to choose one of the best specialists in the country. Its clear in the US that if you have good health insurance the system works for you.

These points ignore the much larger problem that nearly half the population has little or no healthcare. Many of these are hard working Americans who are one major illness or accident away from being in debt for the rest of their lives. In addition many companies have laid off workers or opened plants in other countries so as to avoid having to pay what are fast becoming exorbidant healthcare costs for fulltime employees.

There are many versions of universal healthcare out there, and some yet to be invented. I see no reason why some amount of choices and flexibilty could not be built into the system. Its easy to say the system works when you are benefitting from it, but you then forget the millions of people who are being left out in the cold.

This health care conversation started as a set of well wishes and innocent remarks to Mike on his new baby. It seems to have expanded.

I think many of us have personal stories that we could share about how well the system has or hasn't worked for them. For all the miraculous stories of recovery and health I am grateful for your blessings. For the difficult experiences I wish you and those close to you relief from suffering and worry. There isn't a single person I have met here that I don't wish happiness for.

We all have our own ideas and sensibilities about what will or won't work or what is right or wrong. I find it helpful to share those ideas on different topics as we often do here; after all this is the "Bronx Banter" not "Baseball Banter" site. I'm not sure anyone needs to apologize for stating their opinion, sharing some sadness or inspiration or just getting something off their chest.

With all the talk about the other places this remains the best place on the net. Whether or not we see eye to eye on any of these issues I thank each and every one of you for being here.

end 2nd rant in 24 hours/ That's my quota.

Does anyone know why there are no NL West blogs on the "Around the League" blog roundup? I was curious to see what the DBack bloggers are saying about the proposed RJ trade.

Try the AZ Snakepit. There's not much.

42 Well said, wsporter.

44 Thanks.

28 Medicine for nothing is medicine good for nothing.

An very rough translation of an old Soviet joke, but then every joke has a grain of joke in it.

36 mehmattski, I would have to say that I am happy with our new coach. I have never really been a big Saban fan, but he is a proven winner in college and that is what Alabama was looking for. I am just glad that the Tide finally flexed some of that Yankee-like financial muscle to bring in a quality coach.

As for inheriting a rivals coach, I don't consider the LSU rivalry on the same level as Auburn or Tennessee. We would never have went after Tuberville or Fulmer under any circumstances. So in my mind it is a little different than Tito replacing Torre or Dean Smith/Roy Williams replacing Coach K in your case.

Probably a better comparision would be Bobby Cremins replacing the guy who replaces the guy (five more iterations) who replaces Coach K. I just hope when the time comes that Duke does not make the same mistakes Bama made trying to replace Bear Bryant.

Wow, lots of groovy intellectuals hanging out around here today. I know I don't belong. But I'll give it a shot to fit in.

As for cures, all I needed to know was when my hair started to fall out at age 23. No, not cancer - baldness. Why sell a cure when you can sell the snake oil in monthly installments. The best catch: if the patient stops using they revert to where they would have been had they never even used the product. Brilliant! I said to hell with it. If Steve Balboni could be big, bald, and beautiful, so could I.

Now what really ails me: The lack of a catching prospect in the Yankee system. The question is: Does Cashman have the cure?

35 Thanks for sharing.

39 I feel the exact same way. Why the rush? Every time the guy's been hurt he's shown the professional pride to come back strong. I don't expect this Spring to be any different. And for more pitching prospects? No thanks.

42 Thank you!

Ahhh, I love it when we rant off-topic, thanks wsporter and Mike! >;)

Speaking from the position of someone who has gone back-and-forth between having health insurance and not (my current status), socialization of medicine beyond what is currently offered to lower-middle class and beyond citizens would be a positive boon, provided that we understand and effectively modify the bureaucracies that feed into the problems, cracks and pratfalls of the current system; i.e. the income restraints that 3rd G 35 wrote about not only effect older generations, but younger as well. In each occasion whereas I don't have health care, I find I also cannot qualify for state-assisted healthcare and social benefits due to income (contract employee), assets (checking account), status (HoH with 1 dependent over 18) and physical condition (no disablity).

Yet, if I were to become really sick, it would be catastrophic for us because I provide the sole income in the household; I either pay rent or live in the streets (been there, done that), I either buy groceries or go hungry (been there, done that) I either buy some genetric brand of Tylenol and keep working or lose everything and wait on line for three months before I am certified for benefits that would entrap me in a cycle of poverty (close, but no cigar.)

If anyone wants to know how that feels from a vicarious point of view, I suggest you buy a ticket and watch The Pursuit of Happyness; know that there are a whole lot of people out there who can relate to the main character's drama, not to mention his motivation.

That said, there's something more to this than implementing a social program through legislation, and that's values in general. The structure in place in Japan works well for Japan, but would likely flounder for a generation in the U.S. because of different value systems in place. Not to say that it shouldn't be done in the U.S., but again I state, understand and effectively modify the bureaucracies that feed into the overall problems of the current health system in the U.S., which entail more than just socioeconomic restraints.

It involves a way of thinking beyond our single selves that is not being nurtured, promoted or otherwise acknowledged in other facets of our daily lives.

sigh... and yeah; all year round, Pete's great for info and insight, but I wish he was on Toaster. That way the feedback he gets would rival Jimi Hendrix's... >;)

48 Tuberville, is he from Idaho?

51 Yes, he was a neighbor of Tim Russert.

This might help on health care costs: http://tinyurl.com/ykxnjl

Hey, are you guys counting on Pavano being one of the five starters? Because if they move Randy, he is. . . . If not, I wonder which AAA'er gets the first shot. I guess that's what Spring Training is for.

52 Wow, you mean the guy from M*A*S*H*?

I just wanted to do a quick chime in on the health care discussion.

I believe all people should be entitled to health care (so yes, I am in favor of a universal system), however, I do not believe all people should be entitled to EQUAL health care.

So, someone who pays more for the services will naturally get better services--of course, there are kinks to this system involving what everyone should be entitled to and such, but that is my basic skeleton idea.

53 Yup, it's Meat or one of the kids. Phil Huge, is the name. I still can't believe they let Wright pitch in the MLB post-season, and Phil pitched in the MiLB post-season. Ugh.

BTW: Has anyone seen Clippard's numbers from the last few years. I thought he was a ways back of Phil. But he could be a solid #2 behind Phil for years to come.

2004 A Age 19 1.24 WHIP 9.24 H9 1.93 BB9 8.76 K9

2005 A+ Age 20 1.03 WHIP 7.21 H9 2.08 BB 10.32 K9

2006 AA Age 21 1.04 WHIP 6.38 H9 2.98 BB9 9.47 K9

Sure, more walks, but fewer hits last year. Why doesn't he get more cred from the prospect gurus? Does he just not have good "stuff"? Cause how can you argue with those results and at age 21?

just checking in, and i see 53 and the mention of health care costs and mr. pavano.

needless to say, i was worried for a moment.

i hope that all of you debaters contact your political representatives. your dialogue has been pretty comprehensive. everyone is making good points, and it illustrated just how complicated this system is.

all i can add to this discussion is two words:

donut hole

...have at it, people.

57 One word:

Munchkin

...closed topic >;)

58 why has no one mentioned this to legislators?

not only is this a solution to the donut hole dilemma, but is is also a tasty one.

chyll will & karim garcia in 2008.

55 But then that leads to the question of minimum health care; much like minimum wage, how much is enough to provide a humane standard of living without pushing inflation to an insanely insurmountable level; humdrum conundrum after another and then you are right back where you started. If we should model ourselves after another ideal system, we should also look at the values surrounding that system's success as well.

59 And what exactly are we running from?

Interesting stuff on the BB today. As an insured and an uninsured I feel I have something to add. I rarely go to the Dr. I'm still pretty young and in decent shape but as a contractor I don't get much help w/medical costs. So I've paid >$100/mo. for virtually nothing. When I was not insured (by choice) and needed minor surgery I was prepared for the worst. When the Dr. Said I should go to the ER, I said "Uh, is there any way we can avoid that?" Meaning: can I cut $1K off my already mounting ignorance cost? Luckily he was cool and I did not have any complications aside from a little pain from the lack of anesthesia. Ended up costing me about $400. Considering that I didn't have insurance for over 2 years I got off easy. Had it been something more serious I would have been in deep.
I really feel for the people who can't afford health care, but I'm also preturbed that I have to shell out of pocket for a service I rarely use. I'm probably adding very little to the discussion but wanted to add my $.02 (or $250 when the bill comes).

61 the munchkins, of course. i knoew that those huge lollipops scare the bejeezus outta me... not to mention those little liederhosen...

62 I failed to mention in 50 perhaps because it was implied in my mind, but the taxes we pay for services we otherwise wouldn't use or don't qualify for do go far enough to help my dependent housemate. That in itself is worth money I would otherwise spend foolishly. The taxpayers here don't hear it nearly enough, but thanks.

63 Hmm, that's right, the lollipops do have a strong union and if I need lawyer, I know just who to get; they'll get anything I want in court. But wow, could Tony Dungy have used them early on in the season... see, it'll all work out when you put your mind to it. Now, onto the UN.

57 IMHO, the biggest problem with the health care system in the US today is that these kind of intelligent discussions aren't happening at the national level. Perhaps the long-tried "ignore it and it will go away (we hope)" strategy should be tossed aside.

56 If Pavano is still hurt, then I expect either Rasner or Karstens to get the first shot at the 5th slot; the decision probably comes down to who does better in Spring Training. I also expect the 'loser' to be the long man out of the bullpen.

I honestly don't see Hughes in the bigs until September unless things are very dire, or he obliterates AAA. Give his age and value, the Yanks are going to limit his innings again. That means he could hit his IP limit in, say, early September - like he did last year at AA - and because of the IP limit, there would be a lot of starts where he doesn't go into the 6th. That would put more stress on the bullpen, a la Wright in '06.

BTW - presuming the Unit trade goes down, does anyone think Pavano will still be a Yankee on Opening Day if he pitches decently in Spring Training? The way Ca$hmoney is going, nothing will suprise me.

66 As the fifth starter, Phil's innings would be limited. Wight threw 140 innings last year, and I'm not sure he was the fifth.

I don't think Glass Carl is going anywhere. He's Cashman's boy. He could have traded him last year, and got something in return. Now the price is even lower.

67 7 innings x 20 starts = 140 and still leaves room for the post-season if necessary.

It's 2:30 EST and Randy Johnson is still a NY Yankee. Come onnnn I need some Yankees news.

If this gets done, the Yankees will have spend the offseason trading away three aging veterans for younger players, will have stayed out of the ridiculous contracts that are plaguing this offseason, and will have done their only free agent signings on three good pitchers at reasonable prices. If Cashman can go another couple months without signing Doug Mientenkiclavoizchiskiz, it will be the first time in a long time that I have been completely happy with a Yankees' offseason. And as we covered a few weeks ago, what Brian Cashman really needs in life, is my respect.

69 Until we see Cairo and Nieves for month-long stretches with a Robby tweak and a Jorge pull.

66 My uncle says that the standard operating procedure for intelligent discussions on a national level is to broadcast them on CSPAN-3...

CLiff -

I'm digging the new sidebar alignment, but any chance you'd want to move "The Professionals" to closer to Boston Bloggers. I keep getting screwed up when I go looking for it because it's not with the other "individuals".

69 "If Cashman can go another couple months without signing Doug Mientenkiclavoizchiskiz, it will be the first time in a long time that I have been completely happy with a Yankees' offseason."

TinyUrl is our friend >;)

"As the fifth starter, Phil's innings would be limited."

That's exactly my point. A 5th starter typically makes 27-30 starts; at 6 IP/start, that's 162-180 IP. A triple-A starter pitches a few less innings than that.

Hughes's IP limit will probably be in the 150-180 range - research shows jumping more than 30 IP over a previous high substantially increases a young pitcher's likelihood of getting injured - and I'll bet its closer to 150, because cautiousness is the name of the game with his arm.

So no matter where he pitches, he's going to hit that IP limit in early September (unless he gets hurt, heaven forbid). Seeing that he will not be available as a weapon for the playoffs, I think the Yanks are better off letting Hughes get as much experience at AAA as possible.

67 You are getting on Cashman for not trading Pavano last season when you think his value was high, but in 49 you say you want Cashman to wait to trade Randy until he proves he is healthy so Cashman can get more. There seems to be a disconnect there.

There is no reason to believe Cashman will be able to get more for Randy if he proves he is healthy. How much is one season of a 43 year old making $16 million and coming off surgery worth? Thats not to mention that by all acounts, Randy won't be ready for the beginning of the spring. All along the Yanks said they would take it very slowly with the Unit.

Also, Randy has a no trade. This isn't an open market type trade. He wants to go to the west coast. The Giants signed Zito and are out of the bidding. The Dodgers have tons of pitching. The Angels are in the AL and we haven't heard of them being interested. The Padres are, but I assume Cashman thinks he can get more for Randy from the DBacks.

Lastly, yes, I want a catching prospect. I think Cashman has done a poor job in this respect. A young 1B would be nice assuming that Duncan won't pan out (not a certainty). Other than those 2 positions, why are people in a rush for position prospects? Any good position prospect anywhere close to the majors is blocked. If it is position prospect not close to the majors then they are a crapshoot.

Cano, Jeter and Arod aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Damon and Matsui are entrenched 2 more years. Abreu is here at least one more year, maybe 2. We have Melky. We could have Tabata, Gardner or Curtis in the OF in the next 2-3 years.

Again, I agree, Cashman has failed at getting a viable catcher and that is troubling, but other than that, he should get what he can that is valuable. If he needs to trade for a position prospect for some reason, trading young pitchers will be the easiest way to do it.

75 Agreed on the catching prospect - the Yankees have been whistling past the graveyard with Posada for quite some time now. We need a guy who's ML ready in the next half a season or so...

The NY Sun has an interesting architectural review of the new Bronx Courthouse going up on 161st St., just east of the Concourse. It sounds good for those who will have to serve on jury duty.

http://tinyurl.com/ylptnh

74 When was the last time a fifth starter made 27 - 30 starts? Actually I just checked - it was 1999 with Fat Pussy Toad at 27 GS.

I agree with the reasoning, but Hughes threw 146 innings in 2006 after throwing 86 innings in 2005, so obviously they don't. 25 GS @ 6-7 IP = 150 - 175 innings. Perfect.

75 Excellent point. I'm a hypocrite.

The difference, IMHO, is that Pavano was a terrible signing to begin with while they traded way too much for Unit. Getting rid of Pavano earlier would have meant recouping more even if they threw in a bunch of cash. Getting rid of Unit later would do the same - they'd get better prospects - if the D'backs don't want him other West COast teams have prospects to offer. The point, I think, is recouping value. Pavano could have been written off as "not right for New York". Unit just needs to show he's healthy - solid gun numbers and mow down the minor leaguers. But if I were to bash Cash more over one of the moves, it's not moving Pavano. The Unit trade is good, but not great, b/c of their needs. Further, they don't really need to trade Unit.

Me, I'm not in a rush for position prospects. I just want a viable catcher. And I'd rather see Giambi at 1B for 80 games just so the OF's can get some rest and Melky can get some playing time, and also because he's a superstar hitter when he plays there but not when he DH's.

Also, don't forget the utility IF. There were many options out there at the start of the off-season. Now? Not so much.

SI is reporting that the Yankees have denied the Diamondbacks with the 72 hour window (I thought only the MLB can do that?).

Anyway, it looks like the Padres are making a late push for Johnson.

I kind of just want this to be over, so we can analyze the trade for a week. There is NOTHING going on in baseball anymore.

Football doesn't interest me beyond the games on Sunday, so I need something to keep me interested until pitchers and catchers report in about 6 weeks.

::continues to twiddle my thumbs and stare longingly at baseball websites that have very little to update with::

76 See Clement, Jeff or Mathis, Jeff - but neither are prob superstars. Still, with the way things are going in Seattle, Clement is probably the more likely available.

Wright only had 140 innings last season not because he was the 5th starter, but because he rarely made it into the 6th inning.

I don't see Hughes in a Yankee uniform until at least June and possibly even later. I do agree however, that he needs to be called up before September so the Yankees at least have the option of putting him on the post season roster.

As for keeping his innings down, I think they will do that at the front end of the season as opposed to the back end like last year. Last season until about the middle of July, Hughes was on the same pitch count as a major leaguer and consistently went 7 or 8 innings. It wasn't until later that he had to stop after 5 innings or 80 pitches.

Next season, assuming the Yankees are anticipating him getting called up at some point, I could see them saying that while he is in AAA he can only throw 5 innings and then gradually get him up to a normal pitch count during the year before the call up.

This way his innings are controlled at the minor league level where scores and such don't matter.

79 ::continues to twiddle my thumbs and stare longingly at baseball websites that have very little to update with::

'tis nice to know i'm not alone! and i have less than zero interest in football on any day of the week. in fact, i'm not a fan of ANY other sport besides baseball.

i thought i'd get a ton done in the offseason, but instead, like you, i (read above copy/pasted quote!)...

81 You're right. The point is that few MLB pitching staffs have a 5th, or even 4th starter, get anywhere close to 200 innings. In Yankeeland, the last time was in 1999. It seems silly to say they're going to control his innings, so he has to stay in the minors.

If they trade Unit, and Meat is still hurt, Phil should make the team because he will dominate in the Spring.

80 Despite an injury last year and a tough Haiwaiann summer league I think Clement could be a star and I'd love to have him. What do you think the Yanks would have to offer for him? Sanchez? That might get it done.

I see Mathis as a solid young C, but I think his value is mostly wrapped up in his defense.

"It seems silly to say they're going to control his innings, so he has to stay in the minors."

Perhaps, but AAA experience counts for something too. I'd say it seems silly for the Yanks to rush Hughes to the majors just because they can, and for Hughes to skip AAA altogether just because he dominated AA (or Spring Training).

79 Sounds like the Yanks are taking a hard line approach with Arizona. Sounds good to me!

84 I don't think they want prospects - the GM is under win now mode. That was the place for Pavano last year. Now? I have no idea - Sanchez seems fair, but no more.

Mathis - I was surpised to see him and Clement have almost exactly the same minor league numbers. But at least the Angels will take prospects because they have two guys in front of him.

85 Come on Shaun! He was throwing one and two hitters consistently in AA while striking out 7 to 10 guys each time out.

BTW: I think you're right. No matter how he does in the Spring they'll keep him in Scranton and give one of Rasner or Karstens the starts. That will last until May or June.

79 It's about god-damn time. They took the Yanks for Vazquez, Halsey, and Navarro plus 9 million in cash. Damn straight they should get a better return. Unit and 6 million should get Montero or Jackson or Tracey, Snake bitches.

breaking baseball news!

according to espn, the sox and joel piniero will sign a 1 year $4M deal.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2718865

...yawn...

88 Hear, hear!

89 I was encouraged by this 'stop the presses' snippet (via Rotoworld.com):

"The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo reports that RHP Julian Tavarez could be the favorite for saves in the Boston bullpen."

http://tinyurl.com/y87ed9

Latest update from 'Off The Facade' on the Pods getting into the RJ deal:

"Guys I am getting word that as the minutes and hours wear on this is becoming more and more likely. The Diamondbacks are having a hard time getting RJ to agree to an extension (it seems to be over an additional $4 million) and it stands a good chance of falling through. Should that happen the Padres are waiting in the shadows."

----

Just when my carpal tunnel was healing...

I would personally be excited if the Yankees had to rely on Pavano and "The Prospects" as their aggregate fifth starter. If Boston and Detroit and countless other organizations can rely on pitchers like Bonderman and Papelbon etc. why can't we? I would feel comfortable with a Rasner or Karstens pitching in the rotation and then going out and getting a Clemens for half of the season. Of course we all await the start of Philerup Hughes' MLB career and the acquisition of Micah Owings and Ross Ohlendorf would accompany a litany of near major league ready pitching talent. For more on the two pitching prospects who could come in the Unit trade, visit my blog and tell me what you think: bronx-bomberz.blogspot.com

Since we are all on the subject of Games Started and #4 or #5 pitchers, it got me thinking about a certain big name Japanese "star" that our Crimson colored friends up North recently paid a king's ransom to sign.

Matsuzaka is projected to be a #1, #2 or #3 starter for the Red Sox in '07. From 1999-2006, Matsuzaka averaged 25.5 GS per season. This is of course because the Japanese staffs are 6-man staffs and thus starting pitchers also pitch on every 6th day.

For $hits and giggles, let's compare Matsuzaka's Games Started to those of the Sox and Yanks' #1, #2, or #3 starters in 2006:

Schilling - 31 GS
Beckett - 33 GS
Wakefield - 33 GS in 2005 (injured in 2006)
Wang - 34 GS
Mussina - 32 GS
Johnson - 33 GS

So, it seems that Matsuzaka will have to increase his workload by 6-8 games started in order to provide the innings traditionally delivered by a top of the rotation starter. This is, of course, while he also has to adjust to a 5 man rotation AND the extensive travel for a MLB ballplayer.

Tell me again why many Sox fans believe that Dice-K is the "difference maker" in the AL East? With a history of providing 25 GS per season, is he realistically going to win 16+ games in 2007?

92 So you're saying he's going to have a scheduled annual "Pedro-esque" visit to the DL in August? Sweet.

92 That's interesting. I think folks aren't worried because of the 200 pitches he threw in each of those 25 starts.

Can we start the season already?

Its hard for me to be brief... but hows this.
I don't want socialized medicine necessarily.
I simply want health care distributed the same way public school is. Everyone gets it. It's paid for by taxes. Period. You can actually keep the vast majority of the current health structure in place. It is basically INSURANCE companys that screw things up. They are like scalpers and middlemen. The take an existing product (healthcare) and mark it up, so that THEY can cover advertising costs and ALL THEIR admimistration costs. 40% of Americans are uninsured. One serious hospital stay or disease costs enough to bankrupt 90% of our families (the average heart attack costs over $80,000, just in critical care). This is a rich, great country. 40% is simply UN-acceptable. We need a better way.

And while this might be incorrect to offer on this political action blog, I would like to lighten it up with some Yankee Baseball (yes.. baseball) thoughts.

I have actually posted these thoughts 3 different occasions over the last odd months, but seemed to get no feedback here(sniffles). But Pete has posted my thoughts on his blog, so I quote:

"I think Clemens would pick Boston. He has mended fences with the organization and has enough sense of history to want to end up where he started. I also believe Boston would be more likely to bend the rules for him in terms of travel and perks. Clemens is a true hero in Boston, not so much in New York."

When one is winding down any major phase in life, the emotional concept of "closure" has great meaning. Rog will wear a Red Sox hat into the HOF. I believe this one issue (closure) will outweigh all the others. Its one year. Its his last year(?). The other stuff is not that important. Putting a neat bow on history is.

Rog will dance with Cashman just to get Boston to throw is some more perks. He ain't coming here. So, who replaces RJ?

95 Please, oh please do not let our healthcare system be run by the same idiots who run our public schools. /shudder

95 I disagree (about Clemens, not health care)

Clemens loves Torre, is BFF with Petitte, and is close with Jeter, Posada, Rivera, etc. He's got a very recent history in NY and a "family" waiting to welcome him with open arms.

But let's say for argument's sake that Clemens resigns with Boston and gets all the perks that he is now accustomed to in Houston. How quickly do you think 'The Mouth' and Manny will be asking for the same concessions from Theo?

Clemens wants to fly home to Texas between starts? Well Manny wants to fly home to the Dominican Republic on every day off, on the first of each month, when there's a full moon, when there's a half moon, when he's got to get a haircut, and when Spanish language reruns of '24' are aired on local Santa Domingo TV.

97 Maybe the Yanks can sign one of Rockets other sons this next draft? What did HOU use, a 5th rd? I think George would be ok with sacrificing a 7-8th for his services in '07. Just sayin'

97 It's simple. If Rog leaves Texas, and the Sox DONT get Clem, the Yankees do. Thats BIG motivation on top of existing motivation.

You tell Manny this is Rogers 43rd birthday present. Manny gets the same when he is 43 and still an above average player at his position. Manny bright guy will think he's wormed an extra concession, and be very happy (then ask to be traded again).

Schrill?... It's his last year? You tell him to F'OFF if he doesn't like it. Manny, Schrill and others will happily live with it if they think it helps them beat the Yankees.

Lets make it real. May I ask all future posts to include ONE extra word to predict Rogers next team. Sox, Astros or Yankees.

100 Sox

Which reminds me...Bronson Arroyo does a Ford commercial:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otHKSpRf-7M

In the old days, outtakes ended up on the cutting room floor. Now, they end up on Youtube.

100 I'd love to take that internet bet. But there are too many variables at stake and it ultimately comes down to mind reading. So how's this:

a) If Houston is in the hunt (< 7 games out) then he stays home and avoids the tough decision.

b) If however it's clear they're out of it, then it depends on the AL East standings:

i) If Boston is close behind in the standings (< 7 games) then he goes to Boston to be a savior and to close the loop on history. If he pitches well (which he knows he can control) then he's still remembered fondly there even if his arrival fails to make a dent in the final outcome (though he could lead them to the wild card).

ii) If the Yanks are in second, then the same scenario applies to them as in (i).

Bottom line: Roger will stay home if Houston has a chance, otherwise he tries to be a difference maker rather than piling it on the worse team in the East. Since I can't see the Yanks in second, I expect he goes to Boston otherwise.

Happy? :)

The Twins have signed Sidney Ponson to a minor league contract.

103 I guess that paves the way for them to move Santana! :-)

104 I think it's more a sign of desperation, since Liriano will be out for whole year after his Tommy John surgery.

105 ... and you know what happens next: Sir Sid starts the All-Star Game — just 'cause...

Belated congrats to you, Mike! You know we are all counting down the days when the next Yankee-breed SP take the stage in 20 years.

Happy New Years to all.

106 I'm fully expecting him to be Jeff Weaver II, and pitch his team to a championship.

If the Twins juggernaut isn't derailed by the Reds, with their slugging CFer, Bubba Crosby, and their killer closer, Mike Stanton...

108 Ahh, good call on the Reds. And if they sign Leyritz and Karsay, I just don't see how that team can be beaten...

100 Yankees — if he wants one more ring.

NY Times says the Yanks are looking at Travis Lee for 1B.

108 & 109 The Reds must also sign a certain former Pedro Martinez target who was also the chief of Yankee bull pen security...

111 Who is Clay Bellinger?

112 LOL. Watch out, you don't want to get Clay Bellinger posts banned too... ;-)

Guys: Thanks for the (mostly) props. I fully admit that I was motivated to blog after reading Bronx Banter.

For those interested, my blog now requires registration, so the level of discourse has improved significantly, at least I think so.

Of course, nothing like here. :-)

Jeterupthemiddle: Come back, we miss you.

Thanks.

112 I wish he would come out of retirement... I'd love to break that curse.

The Post is reporting that the Yanks have signed Doug Mientkiewicz.

116 So is 1010-WINS

Looks like the Johnson deal is almost done. Word is Vizcaino plus one pitching prospect (probably one of Dustin Nippert, Ross Ohlendorf or Micah Owings).

I am not so sure I like this deal. Vizcaino plus two of the above I would like.

What do people think?

117 I guess this means goodbye Bernie.

PeteAbe was in the hisouse!

116 118 Ick to both.

I still like the notion of getting rid of RJ, but it sounds like the D'backs got off too cheap. Let's hope that means we don't pay any of RJ's salary in '07.

118 Ugh - that's disgusting - a salary dump to be sure. How exactly does Vizcaino help?

122 See {116] I could live with especially if he catches the last ball of the season in a win. But I'll be surprised if he's still with the team by July.

Always fun carrying three 1B's with Cairo and Nieves on the bench. Let's hold the Cashman is a genius talk until they win the Serious.

118 I don't believe the Yankees would make that deal. That deal would be shit. Vizcaino isn't a special pitcher at all, and the D'Backs prospects aren't so outstanding as to merit only one in a deal for Randy Johnson, even at 43.

Wait and see.....

124 Well, they just signed a sh!t 1b, so I don't know...

125 Hmmmmm....true.

The only thing that's running through my head right now regarding the RJ situation is this:

If the Yankees had, say, Humberto Sanchez, Tyler Clippard, and Joba Chamberlain in their system and a team came to us with Roger Clemens (for the sake of argument) would we be happy if the Yankees gave up Kyle Farnsworth and two of those young pitchers for him?

I wouldn't make that deal. You know the guy is in his forties, and will only pitch a year or two more. Regardless of what he gives you for that year or two, giving up a decent reliever and two very nice young pitchers is too much.

Now flip it and you'll be in the D'Backs shoes. Shouldn't we be happy that we cut $16 million of the payroll, and added another two arms? One will help us in 2007, and the other will either help us next year or could be packaged in a blockbuster.

Playing Devil's Advocate. Not sure what to think really.

I don't like the idea of signing Minky, but to try and be an optimist... well at least he has had one year where he has shown decent offense and defense. Yes, for his position, he will be close to league bottom. But if he can still be an above average glove, and can post a .750 OPS from the 9 hole, he may help the team some.

Thats about the BEST I can see. It ain't much. Thank God it's only a 1 year signing. I have to simply tell myself that Cashman knows more then we go.