The Official New York Yankees 2009 Season Thread

[phightin]

when will this team get it? you think by now they would realize that you can't buy a championship anymore in today's modern game. If the yankees wanna win a championship the best off season move they can make next season is to fire the whole front office and replace it with everyone from the marlins one. Draft a good core of young talent and mix and match it with free agency. Hell the marlins front office doesn't even have the chance to think of free agency.

[Russ]

I thought Girardi was the worst decision this team made. That and CC, Burnett, T-bag.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

My buddy disagrees with me when I say that it could be his foot ligament still bothering him and altering his delivery. I hope my buddy is right.

Dan Plesac did a great breakdown of his delivery last night on MLB Network. He agrees with you that something is bothering him. I think Plesac's the best guy on the network. Leiter, too. If you can catch it on the replay, give it a look. It may not be everything, but his delivery is definitely different than last year. He's not as straight on the right leg, left leg isn't coming up as high. Basically he's releasing from a lower point and it's stopping the movement on his pitches.

At this point, you need to be concerned about him.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by mrskippy

What happens when the Yankees finish dead last?

It's very early and some things will get fixed over the course of the season. Nobody sane would guarantee any team winning a division championship, much less a pennant, but I feel pretty strongly that the Yankees will finish up pretty close to the top, certainly not last.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Russ

I thought Girardi was the worst decision this team made. That and CC, Burnett, T-bag.

Ok, I'll bite (no puns, please). Is "T-bag" Texeira and is that nickname popular or your own invention? Pretty catchy, though.

[Tony M]

Nice to see Pavano doing well at Yankee Stadium

[Russ]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Ok, I'll bite (no puns, please). Is "T-bag" Texeira and is that nickname popular or your own invention? Pretty catchy, though.

It's what we call him in Baltimore. That or Doucheira.

[Russ]

Originally Posted by EMSoccerCoach

Dan Plesac did a great breakdown of his delivery last night on MLB Network. He agrees with you that something is bothering him. I think Plesac's the best guy on the network. Leiter, too. If you can catch it on the replay, give it a look. It may not be everything, but his delivery is definitely different than last year. He's not as straight on the right leg, left leg isn't coming up as high. Basically he's releasing from a lower point and it's stopping the movement on his pitches.

At this point, you need to be concerned about him.

The orioles' Chris Ray throws harder than Wang but he relies a lot on his movement to get hitters out. He was struggling and getting lit up early when the pitching coach saw that his arm slot was just slightly lower than before. He made the adjustment and he's lights out again. It's possible it could be something as minor as this.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Russ

It's what we call him in Baltimore. That or Doucheira.

LOL!

[Left-handed Badger]

Originally Posted by Tony M

Nice to see Pavano doing well at Yankee Stadium

Pavano always has one good game before he spends the rest of the year on the DL.

[Left-handed Badger]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

God, this is the longest game in the history of mankind. 22-4, with Damarso Marte giving up four hits in a row just now.

This is my nightmare, and you are all in it!

Nah, Longest 9 inning game I ever saw was a 15-12 blastfest 10 years ago between the White Sox and Tigers. Most boring game I ever saw that was a 3 run or less game. That game I almost got to thinking the 2 teams made a pact to walk 2 batter per half inning.

This game at least had the mystique of 20 runs. Only the 3rd MLB game I ever watched where a team did that. Note: And I have never seen a no-hitter ever either.


2nd Note: In high school, I was a relief pitcher one game on the losing side of a 21-3 game (14 unearned if I recall, one inning I pitched we made 4 errors in the field)

[Left-handed Badger]

Originally Posted by mrskippy

I will add that if A-Rod can get healthy and if he remains a Yankee -- he WILL pass Bonds. I can see him smashing 60+ in the new park.

Way things are going, I could just about see Rafael Belliard hit 15-20 in this park.

[Left-handed Badger]

Originally Posted by Russ

We're going to be bad until June. We have a rotation of Guthrie, Uehara, Eaton, Hendrickson, and probably Bergesen. We need to replace at least 2/5ths of that to be legit.

Looking at those 5 names made me wince. Yeah, you definitely need to get away from Eaton and Hendrickson. Ouch. Should be a law against having those 2 on the same team. (though I have seen Hendrickson do good in occasional small doses)

[Tony M]

4 days to go...

Wang v Lester
Burnett v Beckett

should be good. And it's another season of chasing a team starting with T, but surprisingly it's Toronto this time.

[thomamon]

OK, am I the only one who thinks the Yanks are off to a pretty good start?

OK, I know Wang has his problems. He has single handedly responsible for at least 3 losses. Why at least 3? Because he's wiped out the pen for the games following his starts as well.

Once he gets it turned around or Hughes takes his place and A-Rod comes back watch out.

I really am enjoying watching this team, they seem to have a team essence about them that I have not seen in quite a while. Nick Swisher, CC and AJ have all been positive effects on the chemistry of the team, and I don't mean talent wise.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by thomamon

Nick Swisher, CC and AJ have all been positive effects on the chemistry of the team, and I don't mean talent wise.

I really have enjoyed Swisher so far, and not only because he's had such a great start. You can see how much he enjoys the game and supports his teammates. The guy smiles and cheers like a high schooler!

His bat may cool off and he may get bumped back to the bench when Nady returns, but I hope he sticks around for a long while. By the way, Gabe Kapler and the rest of the Rays can kiss his ass as far as I am concerned (they were upset when "relief pitcher" Swisher struck Kapler out and looked a bit too jovial doing it).

[Russ]

I hate the Yankees, but I really like Swisher. He really should have found another team.

[thomamon]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

I really have enjoyed Swisher so far, and not only because he's had such a great start. You can see how much he enjoys the game and supports his teammates. The guy smiles and cheers like a high schooler!

His bat may cool off and he may get bumped back to the bench when Nady returns, but I hope he sticks around for a long while. By the way, Gabe Kapler and the rest of the Rays can kiss his ass as far as I am concerned (they were upset when "relief pitcher" Swisher struck Kapler out and looked a bit too jovial doing it).

Swisher has been a breath of fresh air, nice to have someone like him on the team. I wonder if he'll be one of those guys who really comes to NY and shines, he has the talent.

Tampa Bay can kiss my ass for all I care. Idiots.

[Déjà Bru]

I guess the game's rained out, huh? One look at YES just now with those tight uniforms, afro's, and Billy Martin back in the dugout gave it away. Also, the "Yankees Rainout" thingy in the corner, which I did not want to believe.

I KNOW how this game comes out. Yankees Classics suck as an alternative.

[phightin]

Originally Posted by thomamon

OK, am I the only one who thinks the Yanks are off to a pretty good start?

OK, I know Wang has his problems. He has single handedly responsible for at least 3 losses. Why at least 3? Because he's wiped out the pen for the games following his starts as well.

Once he gets it turned around or Hughes takes his place and A-Rod comes back watch out.

I really am enjoying watching this team, they seem to have a team essence about them that I have not seen in quite a while. Nick Swisher, CC and AJ have all been positive effects on the chemistry of the team, and I don't mean talent wise.

Well if you're from new york I'm pretty sure that yes, you are in fact the only person there that thinks they got off to a good start. and i mean that with no maliciousness. They're in the toughest division in baseball, although the nl east might be a close second, and even though it's one game a 22-4 loss along with starting pitching implosions is never a good sign.

I think the problem with the yankees is that they're their own worst enemy each year, and many of the players have poor attitudes, although mentality is the better word for it. I've mentioned this before, all be it with controversy, about the reason why so many huge signings have gone to new york over the years and haven't panned out, it's simply due to the poor mentality of the players once they're there with all the guaranteed money and nothing left to play for. Think about it, most ball players work the first part of their careers for one thing the pay day. Sure everyone would like to win a world series, but at the end of the day it's all about the long term guaranteed contract--the pay out that, if they weren't already rich, they're now filthy rich. The yankees dish these out more lucratively and better than anyone else out there. So in essence there's the reason why a bunch of talented kids on the rays making 390k a year will beat the monopolistic yankees and other mlb teams, they simply have more incentive to do so. They know that the better they perform over the next few years the greater the reward etc so they have a greater work ethic and mentality about themselves. Meanwhile the players on the yankees with the huge contracts in front of them have paid their dues, established themselves, and have less incentive to work as hard. Not to deny that they don't work hard or are not motivated, just not as motivated as the guy trying to prove to himself. Also, I think having all those established players in the clubhouse doesn't do a whole lot for team chemistry at all. In my opinion it helps to have a few of those young guys out there that have that desire. It rubs off on the other guys, and gives the team a sense of comradery. I'm not questioning the yankees talent, and you can take my opinion for what it's worth, but from watching and observing other teams in the mlb, they have to have one of the worst team chemistries in the league each year. They just don't seem to have that bond that teams like the phils, red sox, rays, even the padres and others have where they go out each day and play for each other etc. This post reminds me of my microeconomics class back at school a couple years ago. it's all about the opportunity cost.