I wanted the Yankees to keep Jose Contreras when Boston seemed intent on running him out of New York, game planning and even his old coach from Cuba on payroll, Jose Tipped his fastball and they had a field day against him. He was traded to Chicago and led them to a World Series title as the best pitcher in the league that season. Yanks should have kept Jose.
Now Matsui was George's last hurrah, a grab of a player who caught the imagination. Godzilla in Japan, here he was more like Paul O'Neil...a great Yankee. Matsui has long been talked about this season as leaving after his contract expires because his knees are bad and can only DH now. Well, he only hit 30 Home Runs and 90 rbi too; and he is only the most able clutch hitter on this team...which has two weaknesses... one starter short, and poor situational hitting.
The relief group is a plus, Mo and Hughes have made a great tandem, and sooo many great young arms: Melancon, Robertson, Coke...Aceves is a gem and Chad Gaudin has been a great pickup. He should stay as the new swing man [ long reliever/spot starter].
Matsui...I cannot imagine the logic that lets him go to another team. Next season he could produce another 30/90 year as DH. As of today, he has more homers(28-25) and RBI (90 to 87) than Youkilis the No. 3 man for Boston, The other players who need to DH are able to play on defense- Posada, ARod especially, need days off not DH days. That is the beauty of the Matsui situation he needs to DH and he is productive, when hot he produces as much as ARod and Posada, when not hot... his average effort is superior, he is the best at Sac Fly ball, and putting the ball in play against tough pitching. I'm with Jeter on this, except for Jeter...Matsui is my favorite player too.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Maybe it is just the sight of so many non-millionaires on the mound for the Yankees these days, that raises hopes, expectations and nostalgia; take the last time Sergio Mitre pitched, a guy whose work had been almost too painful to watch: hits, walks, runs scored ... turns in a one hit quality start; and now in the blink of the game and ink of the writers he has become a fixture in the rotation; a gritty throwback to a time when a starters job was to keep us in the game...not just to cost more than some nations can spend on oil in the winter. The Yankees have had many bulldogs..remember Jim Bouton, Mike Torres. They were not all Whitey, Guidry, Catfish Hunter, CC Sabbathia types...talented and relatively expensive stars.
I like the idea of Sergio in the rotation, Wang was that way too, occasionally dominant. I imagined Kei Igawa would be this way. The Yanks have finally recovered from a string of bad decisions: Kevin Brown, Randy Johnson, and most- trading Jose Contreras.
The Yanks have talented young arms: Melancon, Joba, Hughes, Robertson perhaps five others in various steps towards the Bronx. Boston seemed to have even more, but then got caught hording pitchers to keep them away from the Yanks[ Smoltz, Penny, Byrd, Wagner and so many relievers] that they have now regressed in young pitching- Lester is strong, Bucholz a question mark, and the young relievers have not held up this year for long periods. Matsusaka, maybe he finally realized how badly treated he was in the stealth acquisition from japan...so much paid to his former team relatively little to him, he is under market value if CC is worth $20 million a year, Matsusaka has more talent according to Boston he is on the Beckett level who is also underpaid or overrated... but I still think Boston leads the league in favorable ball/strike calls, and no Black starters in the field, an odd coincidence no doubt... but it catches my eye in baseball, or basketball or football, or soccer, or tennis, or swimming, or gymnastics, or ping pong, or fishing, anything except NASCAR... *grin*... I remember when the Celtics got booed at home, I think they had won 7 or 8 world titles in a row...but the lineup was maybe...Bill Russel, KC Jones, Sam Jones, Satch Sanders, and someone I can't remember...Willie Nauls maybe, Havlicek was the 6th man...they got booed in Boston, five Black players...another coincidence. Red Auerbach was the coach.
I like the idea of Sergio in the rotation, Wang was that way too, occasionally dominant. I imagined Kei Igawa would be this way. The Yanks have finally recovered from a string of bad decisions: Kevin Brown, Randy Johnson, and most- trading Jose Contreras.
The Yanks have talented young arms: Melancon, Joba, Hughes, Robertson perhaps five others in various steps towards the Bronx. Boston seemed to have even more, but then got caught hording pitchers to keep them away from the Yanks[ Smoltz, Penny, Byrd, Wagner and so many relievers] that they have now regressed in young pitching- Lester is strong, Bucholz a question mark, and the young relievers have not held up this year for long periods. Matsusaka, maybe he finally realized how badly treated he was in the stealth acquisition from japan...so much paid to his former team relatively little to him, he is under market value if CC is worth $20 million a year, Matsusaka has more talent according to Boston he is on the Beckett level who is also underpaid or overrated... but I still think Boston leads the league in favorable ball/strike calls, and no Black starters in the field, an odd coincidence no doubt... but it catches my eye in baseball, or basketball or football, or soccer, or tennis, or swimming, or gymnastics, or ping pong, or fishing, anything except NASCAR... *grin*... I remember when the Celtics got booed at home, I think they had won 7 or 8 world titles in a row...but the lineup was maybe...Bill Russel, KC Jones, Sam Jones, Satch Sanders, and someone I can't remember...Willie Nauls maybe, Havlicek was the 6th man...they got booed in Boston, five Black players...another coincidence. Red Auerbach was the coach.
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