Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
Ian O'Conner of the Bergen Record gets the money scoop of the season: he talks to the Boss directly on the phone. I'm happy to report that the Boss sounds like the same old Boss you always knew and loved to hate.
"I have full control," Steinbrenner says of his organization. "I'm doing all right, I'm fine." The Boss is angry that the Yankees lost the first two games of the ALDS--"They'd better show what they're made of," he said.
Dig this Vintage George 101:
On Torre:"His job is on the line," the Yankees' owner said in a phone interview. "I think we're paying him a lot of money. He's the highest-paid manager in baseball, so I don't think we'd take him back if we don't win this series."
On Bruce Froemming:
"The umpire was full of [expletive]," Steinbrenner said of the retiring Froemming. "He won't umpire our games anymore."
In the wake of that Game 2 defeat, Steinbrenner said the Yankees had complained to baseball commissioner Bud Selig about the decision to play on. "[Selig] just said, 'That's in the umpires' hands,' " Steinbrenner said. "But Jesus Christ, it was terrible. It messed up the whole team, [Derek] Jeter, all of them."
On Alex Rodriguez:
"I think we'll re-sign him," Steinbrenner said of Rodriguez. "I think he's going to have a good run the rest of the [postseason]. I think he realizes New York is the place to be, the place to play. A lot of this [postseason] is laying on his shoulders, you know, but I think he's up to it."
Well, there you have it. The King, thought to be lost, reminds us that above all, this is still is his team. We all know his bite can be worse than his bark. If the Yankees lose tonight, all bets are off.
No pressure, guys.
1 - when is torre's job NOT on the line in big stein's mind?!
2- and this is an honest question, not a smart-ass one... does a team actually have a say in whether an ump can officiate for them? i would think not...
With that said, Piniella really looked impressive managing those heavy favorite Cubs, didn't he?
1) Of all years, this is the year Torre is most likely to win "Manager of the Year"
EVERYONE wrote this team off. There are dozens of "NO Chance" quotes from 'reknown' writers. We set records for rookie pitchers debuts, we have serious injury problems early on. This was a BANNER YEAR for Torre. His hardest and his best.
Just imagine Lou, or someone else at the helm when we were 21-29. You think we would be in the PS now?
George is smart. He would NOT make an announcement like that if it would hurt the team. No owner is his right mind (although is that an issue for George?) would make a statement like that at this point in time.... unless.....
Can YOU think of a better way to light a fire under Clemen's ass, no less Jeter's, Posada's, and everyone elses then to threaten Torre's job?
Maybe Torre will go. And while sitting Giambi and other moves are questionable, our 2 loses so far are primarily on the shoulders of (1) Bugs (2) Wang (3) Posada and Matsui (4) The WHOLE DAMN OFFENSE!
So maybe Torre will go, just because it might be in time. But EVERYONE on the Yankee team credits Torre for holding this team together, when they themselves didn't really believe they would make the PS.
But it's been a long time for George, and he might feel change is necessary.
if guidry goes, i'm down w/ dave eiland stepping up. i think it's more the talent of the arms that are/were in our system, but he seemed to well harnessing them.
yeah, as far as the umps, that was classic Boss! everyone knows froemming is retiring, big stein just wanted to phrase it like he had some say in the matter. as if. if teams were actually able to pick and choose the umpiring team, laz diaz, cb bucknor and especially angel hernandez, would be outta work.
well, fuck it, let's just go out and win.
GO YANKS!!!
Also, who plays 3B next year? More importantly, where do you get 54 HR and 156 RBI? The minor leagues?
I agree completely with 14 . Torre has consistently managed poorly in the playoffs since Popeye left his side. Off the top of my head, I think you can pin the following on Joe in this series alone:
1) Not starting Wang at home, despite not one or two, but three years of splits that clearly show he is a full 1.5 runs better at home. That isn't a trivial amount. It's huge...and Torre completely ignored it.
2) Starting Matsui twice despite his having horrendous ABs. What's more, he has kept him in the middle of the lineup, and worse, as Arod's protection in Game 2. One major difference between game 1 and 2 is Arod looked more anxious to swing in the latter. Well, can you blame him? While Posada was providing back up in game 1, Arod looked more willing to take a walk. With Matsui's feeble bat behind him, however, Arod went out of the zone. If you were Cleveland, why would you even throw Alex a strike with Matsui struggling so mightly behind him.
3) Not hitting and running with Arod up to alleviate some pressure, and not putting on many plays at all, despite the offense struggling so much.
4) Giving up on game 1 when it was only 7-3 in the 5th inning. Did it really make sense to bring Ohlendorf in when the game was still in play.
5) Wasting Hughes in game 1 garbage time instead of saving him for game 2, when he would have been a better option than Vizcaino.
6) Not realizing that Joba was completely flustered by the bugs and summoning Mo to save the game. While this one is a pure second guess, I am not paid to manage the team. Joe is. In retrospect, he should have seen that Joba was bothered by the bugs. He could have gotten Mo up at the last minute and then gone out to have a 10 minute argument with Froemming. Heck, he didn't even suggest to Froemming that the game be delayed. As usual, Joe fiddled while Rome burned.
7) Allowing Veras and Ohlendorf to win a roster spot based on end of season innings, while leaving Britton off, even though he has the best track record of throwing strikes.
These are all fair criticisms of Torre and, when combined with his past postseason gaffes (Weaver walk off; no bunting on Schilling; no stealing on Wakefield; Batting Arod 8th; etc.), expose Torre's role in the Yankees failure to win a playoff series in 3 years.
If the Yankees drop out early again, Joe has to go. Bringing him back would be the height of foolishness.
Re: Torre leaving. What I think about when Torre leaves are the players. I almost feel like Jete, Mo, Po, and some others will treat the new manager like some new kid that doesn't belong. All those guys know is Torre. It must be weird for them having to listen to "get fired up" speeches from some newcomer. Are they going to celebrate just as much if they win the '08 regular season with their new adopted father? It's just weird. It's Torre's team, the players love him, so do I, let him stay for cryin' out loud.
Are Mo and Po really going to want to re-sign and play for a new manager? What if they don't resign because of it? Isn't it then a huge mistake to let Torre go?
I almost want to see Mo and Po leave along with all the coaches and the for the team to fall apart because of this. Not really, but in another world.
As for Arod's post season performance, have you even bothered to look at his numbers, or do you just prefer to make baseless statements. Arod's career post season numbers are .268/.357/.464. He has been very good in 4 series and bad in 4 series. That's hardly the record you portray. What's more, do you know what Dimaggio's post season line is...it's .271/.338/.422. Compare that to Arod. As for Mantle, check out his numbers from 1961 to 1963. Like any superstar, Mantle wasn't perfect and suffered a pretty bad 3 year post season run. Why, exactly, do you think Arod should be condemned for having similar struggles?
You keep talking about facts...I suggest you actually check them out.
Why do I get the feeling that if Torre did all those things you suggested, you would "create" another list of things to hound him with? I could be wrong, but I think its gotten to the point that you look for any reason at all to add to your list. Thing is William, if you watch every post season game, you and I could compile a list like that for every manger. So what is it you really want? A perfect managger? Not gonna happen. You're going to get your wish, I just hope you know what you're wishing for.
What in the litany above do you disagree with? If it was one or two, that'd be one thing, but each post season, Torre racks up a laundry list. Unless Torre is the only manager who can handle a clubhouse, I don't see why the team should continue to put up with his poor game management. Torre has had a very long and lucrative run as Yankee manager. He isn't a sacred cow and he isn't owed anything. The only way I would retain Torre would be if I didn't believe I could find a better candidate. I find it hard to believe there isn't one good manager in waiting out there.
By the way, do you know what Mr. October's LCS averages were. How about .227/.298/.380. Reggie did all his damage in the World Series, but seldom did much to get his team there. Had Reggie's teams slumped as much as Arod's have, he would never had gotten the chance to be Mr. October and guys like you would be making similar baseless claims.
he is painful to watch such a talented guy psych himself out. i can hardly watch when he's up to bat.
does that mean we should count him out? no. i'm still holding out hope that he'll come through.
Willie Mays in the post season: .247/.323/.337
Why did the Giants put up with the bum?
1997 alds: .313 .313 .563
2000 ALCS: .409 .480 .773
2004 ALDS#: .421 .476 .737
2004 ALCS#: .258 .378 .516
#with the Yankees
28 I remember when the same spiels about Mel were overtaking the Banter. Rick Peterson or any other pitching coach was supposed to be the answer to the Yankee pitching woes. Mel was fired/forced out and nothing has changed.
It should be expected that a NY Yankees team with Petite, Jaba, and Mo pitching be accountable in the playoffs to hold onto a 1-0 lead.
Finally, why isn't Cashman taking more heat. He's the damn architect isn't he??
Cashman isn't taking more heat because he has been rebuilding while keeping the team in contention. There are areas he could have done better, but if the manager and players performed better, the team wouldn't be getting bounced in the first round.
They've all been bad. Jorgie actually hit a couple of balls hard Friday night, which is more than the rest of them could say.
I hope I'm not just being irrational here, but I just don't see why Jorgie, of all people, should be PE Number One (Five-O said "Freeze!" and I got numb. Can I tell him that i really never had a gun, but it's the wax that the Terminator-X spun."--sorry, couldn't resist).
Seriously, why Jorgie and not Derek or Alex?
Frankly, I really don't think we have any clearly identifiable goats on the offensive side of the ledger.
1) Not starting Wang at home. My guess is polling 100 knowledgeable candiddates would yield a 60/40 split for Wang pitching 2 games on full rest
2) Starting Matsui twice Agreed. A have been stating that Giambi should play in the PS since a month before the PS.
3) Not hitting and running with ARod There haven't been many opportunites, and running into an out in a 1 run game is not good. I have no opinion... it's nit picking.
4) Giving up on game 1 I don't know if bringing in Ohlendorf constitutes giving up. I'm glad we saved JabaMo for game 2. I might have brought Hughes in instead. Again, the options were limited. I don't see this move as a 'fu*kup'.
5) Wasting Hughes in game 1 Who would you have brought in? It was a move that surprised me.
6) Not realizing that Joba was completely flustered I was fine will Joba. I would like to have seen Torre put up a fuss, but Froemming wasn't delaying the game.
7) Allowing Veras and Ohlendorf So you wanted Britton instead of Veras? Fine. They both have potential, they are both unreliable right now. I can't say you are right, but you may be.
PLEASE. Lets hear some other opinions.
Nobody is calling Jorge PE. He just disappointed us, as he had the 2 best spots to affect the game in a positive way.
(5) I wouldn't have brought in Hughes AFTER Ohlendorf and Veras. I would have brought Hughes in after Wang or not at all. Once he decided to let Ohlendorf add fuel to the fire, I would have let both he and Veras take one for the team. One other option could have been to give Viz an inning to see what he had. After struggling so much down the stretch, it would have been better to take a look at what he had instead of crossing your fingers.
It was strange, actually, because he'd done such a good job of fouling of the previous pitches, which had me feeling confident.
Oh well, tonight he'll fatten up.
He'd better.
They'd all better.
1) I would've started "the ace" in two games instead of one.
2) Also agreed; I would've started Giambi either @ 1b or DH in at least one game
3) Agreed, there haven't been many opportunities. With they'd use it more in general
4) I was surprised to see Ohlendorf in so early (thought he'd be the last man out the pen), but I didn't think he would do as bad as he did. Can't really fault Torre for bringing him in.
5) The move also surprised me, but I know he needed the work.
RE: 4 & 5, play today's game today, worry about tomorrow's game tomorrow.
6) Can't really fault Joba. Personally, I think Posada could've done a better job on the wild pitches, but it's one of those things that, to me, could've gone either way.
7) I would've rather have had Britton, but once again, it's something that could work out as easily as it backfires.
I believe he used Dorf, then planned to have Hughes go to the 7th or 8th, and then see what the score was. But your statement that Torre GAVE UP on the game is unfair.
2) Agreed. Just like starting Justice when it was clear to anyone with eyes to see he couldn't hit the broadside of a barn with a paddle. It's a serious problem of his to go with his guys even when his guys are clearly not capable of performing as they are wont to do. It's human beings, not the backs of baseball cards he's putting in there. If Hideki broke his leg would Joe send him out there on crutches because, after all, Hideki's our guy?
3) Agreed.
6) I don't know about taking Joba out, but certainly, he should have argued for a "rain delay" or something, anything to slow down the action and regroup.
I don't know, but watching from home, I was AMAZED they allowed baseball to be played. My wife remarked it was worse than rain.
I mean, standing in against a fastball with the possibility of a bug flying in your eye at any moment?
Joe should have played the game under protest or something. Anything.
As to the pitching issues, not my forte, so I can't offer a particularly reasoned opinion.
The fact that he K'd in those spots, though, seemed more a product of superior pitching than Jorgie losing focus, being over-anxious, etc.
But point taken.
http://yankees.lohudblogs.com/2007/10/07/alds-game-3-indians-at-yankees/#comments
if these things anger you ...
I dont like it either. it just makes NO sense to me.... we need dougie at first, put giambi at DH, and we can always have Mats come in later. Matsui has good #s against Westbrook, but that was when he was at 100% (or at least 90%). He's NOT at 100% right now, not even close.
Comment status: comments have been closed. Baseball Toaster is now out of business.