I hope Alex hasn't ruined his marrymoon by watching the highlights of these dreadful games.

Didn't he have only the one start in the minors, and wasn't his gb/fb ration something like a very un-Wangish 1:1?

Oh, and Mfhfdjxk has been a below average 1B for at least the last three years. Combine that with his woeful inability to get on base, and the choice should be clear from this point forward.

Unfortunately, it's going to take another three weeks of full-time play. The another few of occasional starts and LIDRs.

From what I've seen thus far watching every game, he gets to a few balls Phelps doesn't and makes a few scoops Phelps won't, and is vastly superior to Phelps on making plays that require him to act as an infielder (charging balls, diving, making throws, etc.). I think Phelps should start behind everyone else, but Minky just might have value behind Wang.

I can see the argument for playing Minky, and I might even agree with it.

That said - and this is a very small sample - Wang has pitched 27.7 innings at the Trop, 29 hits allowed, 1 HR, 4 BB, 12 K, 3.90 ERA, 1.19 WHIP. 7 IP with Sheff at 1B, 8.3 IP with Phillips, 6.3 IP with Giambi, and 6 IP with Tino. Maybe it doesn't matter who plays first.

Only because Wang tends to give up more runs on the road, I'd play Phelps and hope for the best.

So far Phleps has been twice the hitter. And if he's not half the fielder (which at 1B seems impossible), then I see no reason for Mfhsdfjg on the team.

Look at is this way, all those fews you've seen so far (hits, scoops, bunts, throws) do they add up to ten to 12 total bases?

Anyhow, just wanted to let you know that I'm STOKED!!!

I never wanted to see a Taiwanese Wang so badly. I lust for that Wang. I'm hoping that Wang can go deep into the game today. I want our Wang to go deeper than a Ron Jeremy anal scene.

I am stoked and I'm ready for the Wang. Give it to me!!!

Even worse news - I just checked Extra Innings's schedule, and its not on there either!!!!!

Is MLB.TV still running their free promo?

I really, really hope I'm right.

I won't, however, give up on my girl on Mary Jane - at that point the Yankees better figure it out.

Not a good night at all.

Thank God I spent the weekend on an air mattress waiting for furniture to arrive and had no tv hookup. Went to a sports bar for Friday night, but the knuckleheads were so festive -- one could feel hopes rising in the nation. Isn't it like this every year? Why are these people never CLUED IN?

I like the Minky-Wang connection. So I concede 30 starts, about as many as I would like to see Will Nieves, come to think of it. We need to get together and fax Joe the moves we actually approve of.

Looked up Dave Pinto's Probalistic Model of Range for Phelpsie as Catcher yet? I've always felt we would have a season where Jorge goes down for a while and we would REALLY REALLY find out who this team's MVP is. God I hope it's not this year.

The great teams deal with adversity. This is a great team. My final word.

Is this another dumb ass case of keeping a silly meaningless steak alive, or can this fix itself? With Matsui back, isn't this the perfect time to DL the oft-tweaked Center Fielder?

Either way, I thought Clemens would be great but not neccessary. However, it is becoming clear that Igawa is not ready from prime time, and should probably be pitching in Tokyo, not Gotham. I am back on the Roger Clemens band wagon. If only because he and Andy would feed off of each other.

He said he is overcompensating for the calf injury, and that is causing strain on his back. Isn't that a pretty clear sign that he should sit until the calf is 100% and the weather is a tad better 15 days from now? I guess I just dont see the point of sending JD out there at 50% just so he can keep his non-DL streak alive, a streak that will have no meaning to actual educated fans who are fully aware that he should have been DL'd numerous times while playing for other squads, not only the Yankees. Gritty tough players play through injuries and get better (E.G. Cal Ripken), they dont take every other day off when they should be on the DL. Its easy for any player to tell the press they want to play when they know ahead of time that the manager isn't going to play them.

Agreed concerning Jorge. He may not be the team MVP, but he is certainly more important day to day than most any player we've had. I hate to think how this team would have performed had we had an average reciever and dead spot in the lineup like most teams. If he played for another team, he would get the props he has always deserved. Its not sexy to write about Jorge when you have Jete, Arod, Boggs, Clemens, Cone, etc.

To be fair, Ripken had a Clemens-like legendary off season routine, years before many players gave up golf and beer in the off-season, for training. I agree about the type of injury determining the need for a DL stint. I guess my argument would be that if you can play on again off again with the same injury, and it isn't getting better, that is the type of injury that likely needs a period of time to heal. I appreciate that he wants to help the team, but I'd rather he be healthy for 100 games if possible, than 50% for 50 games, and out for another 30 or 40 games. It just seems to make sense that when you have a lineup that can absorb a DL stint, that you should take advantage of it and get better. Make use of the Yankees' depth and heal.

Agreed. Isn't Torre supposed to take the blame for the hurt pride and do what is best for the team? In this case, to DL Damon. Posada has never been on the DL either, but I dont remember him going through a period of months where he was playing 3 out of every 6 games, while playing at 50% and not helping the team, the way JD is now. The reality is that Melky is a serious upgrade in Center defensively, and we are scoring runs without JD. I think its better to do it now rather than later when we might have other offensive guys who are out. I guess it just makes sense to me from a management perspective.

I wonder if he said that he won't opt out. That is like music to these ears....

Do we have another catcher in the minors who could do as "well" as Nieves? I would seriously give the idea of starting Phelps behind the dish on Jorge's days off a thought if I were Brian Cashman. I've said this before, but Nieves cannot throw runners out, cannot hit, and isn't any better than average at blocking the plate. What is the benefit to having him on the squad, if not defense, which he doesn't have either?

He didnt say "I've always admired Willy Randolph," did he? Just kidding.

The problem is, NY media will. He might have made a tactical mistake saying that.

Seriously? No way. Arod may have let something silly come out of his mouth, you don't say.

YANKEES
Damon CF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Giambi DH
Matsui LF
Posada C
Cano 2B
Phelps 1B
Wang RHP

GO YANKS!!!

I would appreciate a Yanks bashing BBRod game.

Exactly. Look, Manny is the only player (maybe Sheffield) moronic enough, and Boston fans the only fans dumb enough, to accept a player who says two years in advance that he isn't coming back.

If a Yankee player said "I am gone after this year, no matter what," like Manny did (2 years), he would get booed even if he hit 50 HR in April, and rightfully so. I give Arod credit for not stirring the pot during the season. Manny on the other hand should be swallowed by the Green Monster and never heard from again, he's bad for baseball.

They're not cheating anymore. I would guess Donnelly preceeded an internal MLB investigation and the team got a talking to. Mike S. knows how to cheat, he taught Dodger pitchers well. Then again, it could be a conspiracy theory.

Unless we get the Rocket...

WHAT HAPPENED?!?!?

Still 12 pitches to close it out. That makes me feel warm and fuzzy.

WHAT'S UP WITH JETER?!?!?!

By the by, I noticed in his few spring treaining starts and his rehabs that Wang was striking out a few more guys, so lets hope that continues. If he can throw in 5-7 ks per game in addition to that sinker, then we relly have an ace!

Matdui-san is back!!!

My god...

Fingers are crossed, and I'll stop posting in caps now.

Hey, did you guys notice that the psych-out cowbell dude was doing it in the bottom of the 1st when the home team was up, too?

...Idiot.

i'm just getting in. no game on tv - just braves. hope derek's okay. i was salivating at our lineup. now cairo - ugh. nice on the HR.

boston tied at 1 after 2...

i wish i could see the yanks game. just watching crappy internet scoreboard. braves on tbs.

i was enjoy seamus and zack talking to themselves!

OUT - by a ½ step.

Posada not handlng that hop again.

pretty ugly game in florida. 12 hits, 12 runs after 3...

Shows how spoiled we are as Yankee fans, that we can't enjoy ourselves until the real October, while every team that plays us in April treats it like their own little October.

Questionable calls tonight?

And I swear, if Wang suffers any negative affect from that ball, we are officially cursed this season! We can't BUY a break when it comes to health!

we have a whopping TWO hits thru six. two hits.

Phelps nearly threw that away, it was a nice play by Cairo, but yes there is no need for Stink on this team.

HA! has anyone seen the manny being manny highlight yet from left field tonite? hysterical!

much of the reason i'm thrilled with the play is that hopefully it shows how minky's not needed

my scoreboard has wang pitching to posada. great...

BTW, i love those espn commercials with Po, i just love seeing the guy

jays have a 10-spot up. we really need to win this sucka...

252 yeah, i'm sure jetes will play manana...

and there's scrabble in for 'defensive purposes' ugh. melky in center for the same. so now, when the pen gives up the lead, we'll have cairo, stinky and melkdud at the plate. wonderful.

at least tiger is still in...

The Yankees should be actively shopping Farnsworth to the Phillies or some other team who needs a reliever. If he is going to sit smiling in the bullpen, he isn't of much use.

Farnsworth hasn't ptiched in forever, and Henn is more rested. Viz has pitched a gabillion innings this season already!

a K! a K!

well, this one is wrapped up, now that MKZ is in, we're perfection. i assume damon was pulled to save his knees/back etc.

April 19 - 33 pitches
April 20 - 10 pitches
April 22 - 18 pitches
April 23 - 20 picthes

Does anyone else here agree that he might not be the right guy to bring in?

Guess it doesn't matter...looks like the Yankees are just going to find a way to lose anyway.

and now vizcaino who has looked exhausted for DAYS.

Any Torre defenders have an answer for this one?

...then again, F**K it, let him walk in the tying run.

but christ, now who the fuck is going to pitch the 8th? procter, AGAIN? Farns? haven't we been there... oye vey...

unbefreakingleavable....

This is so rediculous, This push button managing is killing us! Torre could either just leave Wang out there to rest the bullpen or try for the win and make the right moves, and manages to do neither.

Sooooo, anyone else excited to see Phil Hughes on thursday?

Anyone think there's going to be a team meeting after the game if they don't come back to win?

this is getting so tiresome.

What? The crowd is right.

Sigh, except that we really DO suck

Torre should have just resigned after last year - this has to hurt his legacy.

Back-up catcher, and a new manager all in one!

does anyone seriously know what is up with farnsworth?

and at least we were up against kazmir, who's no joke. sigh

bets on that realization happening?

...extending an olive branch (or just some olives and we'll make martinis!???)

I shall try to from now on.

minky Ks to end it. shock.

Oh well. Maybe they'll win tomorrow.

Nowhere to go from here but up.

Ironically, their play-by-play guy is Dwayne Staats, who was the Yankees TV guy in the early 90's when they were the closest thing in baseball to the D-Rays.

On offense, I'll give him a pass on subbing for Damon, maybe he was hurting. But taking out Phelps, when he's been getting on base, htiting the ball hard and fielding well for Minky is inexcusable. It seems sometimes like Joe has a rule: When up by x runs in inning y, must make LIDR irrespective of what's going on. I mean, was he watching the game?

http://www.americanlegends.blogspot.com/

7th inning

1. Torre had decided to intentionally walk Rocco Baldelli in an effort to get the double play.
2. Torre brings in Vizcaino to get the DP.

What the heck????

Wang got more ground ball outs then ANY OTHER PITCHER IN THE MAJORS last year. He had 12 ground ball outs in the game. Brendon Harris was 0-3 WITH THREE GROUND BALL OUTS.

Wang only had 81 pitches. Why pull him?????

And let's not forget the dandy: Melky pinch-running for Phelps. Instead of Cano-Phelps-Damon in the ninth, we had Cano-Cabrera-Mientkiewicz.

At least I remember them starting 11 and 19

NOW WHAT HAPPENED?
Torre sees something that overrides ALL of that? That's pretty overwhelming.

Why not go out, talk to Wang a second - doesn't matter if he doesn't understand. Give him a chance to rest a second. Plan to give up a run with your superstar groundball pitcher and then lean on the offense to get out of the tie against a mediocre bullpen? Wang might even have pitched through the 8th. Mister Farnsfurth Occasional would get the save.

Frankly, even if it had worked out, I'd be pissed with the overuse and high tension strategy. That's not how you win season long. I'm a Torre supporter, but this was awful long before the grand slam.

As Tommyl said, you have to watch the games and pay attention to who is actually playing well. I'm actually not a big Myers basher. I think he will have his role. But he OBVIOUSLY wasn't getting it done against the Red Sox. So, why bring him in here?

It's like Rivera. I love the guy and in no way think he is losing it. But do I have the confidence in him now that I do when he is in peak form? No. Maybe he'll get there in a week or a month, but I don't lie to myself and pretend that he is there now.

These are just some of the ways Brian Cashman has destroyed our pitching staff since taking over this team. If Cashman were the GM in 1995 we never would have picked up guys like Stanton, Nelson, Wells, or Cone. He has no skills in pitching talent evaluation, and so I can only blame Torre so much for having to put these schlubs in the game.

By all accounts, Torre had a quality pitcher at his fingertips and he took him out of the game.

Besides, Johnson was George's fault.

Can I add Jeff Weaver, Ron Villone, and now Humberto Sanchez to that list? It's getting pretty sad.

Myers is a real mistake, not the man, but the idea of a LOOGY on a team with an old, creaky staff and Joe's style of BP management. They need to replace him with a long man.

Seriously, do you really trust the next Mike Myers to be any better just because he has the Cashman seal of approval?

Fans are falling in love with him while the Joe Torre era comes crumbling down, but if he is smart he won't take the job this year. This roster blows. Let Mattingly inherit Cashman's circus and get fired after this season or next season when he inevitably fails to turn it around. By 2009 the roster may be improved enough to make it safe for Girardi to take the reins.

Not all of Cashman's moves have been mistakes. How about Wang? How about pulling a rotation together with Aaron Small? And Chacon?

And since when was Villone a bust? I have confidence that guy could still be a key piece of the puzzle for the Yanks this year.

If anything, Cashman can be faulted for not bringing in the #1 starter that they need. But Igawa as your #5? For the money, not a bad choice. Just don't count on him.

Small and Chacon were desparation moves that worked out for a few months. Remember, Cash didn't improve the staff much after '05 because they were counting on Small and Chacon staying hot, which they obviously did not.

I'll take Cashman over most of the GMs in the game. What he's done with the offense is nothing short of magical.

Doesn't this perhaps suggest that Cashman recognized their value but Arizona didn't?

Personally, bringing in Viz was incompetence. There is no way you can justify bringing him YET again. Does Torre not see the decline in his stuff as a result of repeated use? Does he not see it??

Matsui, Damon, Giambi, A-Rod, and Abreu all became available, and Cashman made the obvious decision to sign/trade for them. When you have the Yankees budget, those moves are obvious.

When it comes to pitching, he has had to be more clever, and has shown he has no ability to find diamonds in the rough.

But your attacks on the bullpen are off-base. Guys like Quantrill, Villone, Gordon, Proctor, Farnsworth, Sturtze are quality pitchers. Some were harmed, if not destroyed by Torre's overuse of his setup men.

But look arount the league. Nobody else but you and Torre expect setup guys to be aces. You want solid pitchers, sure, but get real.

He traded four marginal prospects for an on-base machine and a very servicable fifth starter who played a pretty big role for the Yankees as a fill-in down the stretch.

He made the decision to take the CF job away from a Yankee icon and give it to one of the most despised Sawks.

Gee, it all sounds so much better when I say it.

Steve Treder: Well, Jason, all I can tell you is I wonder exactly the same thing. This tactic was in fact rather commonly seen in the 1950s and 1960s, but by the 1970s, it faded out and has never come back with any degree of regularity. Why?

I think it's an illustration of the culture of hyper-specialization among pitchers that has prevailed since the 1970s, and only gotten stronger. The modern mode features, to my way of thinking, an extreme concern with strictly defined, highly predictable "roles." The very apparent belief is that pitchers perform significantly better when they are allowed to do the same thing, over and over, with the greatest possible minimization of variation. My sense is that while there is some basis of truth to this notion, its importance is vastly overemphasized.

Thus we have the intense reluctance to use starting pitchers in even the most occasional relief appearance. When a starter is taking his regularly scheduled side session anyway, assuming he's healthy and feeling good, why not have him take an inning if the game situation presents itself, or face a batter or two? What exactly is the downside?

I strongly suspect the true reason this practice remains effectively extinct is nothing more sophisticated than, "Because we just don't do that." In all realms of human behavior, lots of things are handled this way. We're creatures of habit and custom, which serves the convenient purpose of forgiving us the requirement of thinking all the time.

Everyone knew the Yankees wanted to dump him. If the Rangers had called me about A-Rod on that fateful day, I would have offered them Soriano too without any hesitation.

You can knock the Small and Chacon moves all you want, but they were bold chances made when, in many times past, the Yankees would have just opened their wallet.

Similarly, Cashman has an eye on the future and is actually building a minor league system with some talent.

And, frankly, the Abreu/Lidle move was brilliant. But you'll probably blame Cashman for Lidle's piloting skills.

But that's overreacting. We're all over reacting. Take a deep breath and see where we are next week. And the week after that.

But the starting pitchers need to get healthy and start eating innings like they were potato chips. Just be league average for 7 and a third for a week of two, and things will straighten out. But if that doesn't happen, this season could turn into a disaster pretty quick.

From now on, I just skip most of the posts and read yankz, Bama, Orly, Sliced, etc.

So, you know, can we just cool it on the round and round about who is and isn't a great GM and why he is/isn't one? AS I have said before, it was tired and used up a few months ago...

On another note, if you really want to be masochistic, go read Bill Simmons' piece on ESPN, its even more smarmy than usual. I used to like the guy too, but his schtick has worn thin for ahwile now...

You make it sound as if boston still thought they had a chance before new york came in and stole arod. The yankees signed arod after the boston deal completely collapsed. You might want to research that deal before speaking about it.

"The balls to give up the then very popular Soriano AND convince A-Rod to play third. If boy-wonder had thought outside of the box like that, then maybe A-Ro has a B on his cap."

You have no idea what you're talking about. It was Lucchino's mouth and the refusal of the ownership to give more money that sunk the arod deal. Theo had nothing to do with it.

I'd love to have seen arod in a boston uniform. If someone's going to bring why he isn't up they should know what they're talking about.

You are correct that the deal had collapsed, but the Yankees still came out of nowhere, because no one thought that there was a slot on the Yanks for a second SS. Cashman (presumably) had the dexterity to come up with a somewhat novel solution. Again, no one envisioned that A-Rod would make a position change. Yeah, in retrospect the trade was no brainer, but Cashman deserves some credit for pulling the trigger. My main point is that it is unfair to criticize Cashman for bad moves but give him no credit for good moves--this is just as bad as giving him a free pass for every questionable move and blaiming it on the Tampa faction.

Thank you for telling me I don't know what I am talking about.