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New York Yankees Hot Stove: How To Be Insanely Sane By Doing Nothing

Posted by on 11 January 2012, 4:42 am
CC Sabathia

Ace CC Sabathia Image via Wikipedia

Since winning the 2009 World Series, the New York Yankees have been desperately trying to add a legitimate starting pitcher to the rotation, unsuccessfully.

THROWING A HAIL MARY:

As defending champs heading into 2010 season, GM Brian Cashman’s solution was Javier Vazquez, again, which irritated Yankee fans to no avail, again. No need to chat about Vazquez ever, so if you don’t know trust me that it is a good thing. Just for when, click HERE but you were warned, it was sad.

Then last off-season; after Vazquez happily packed his bags and Andy Pettitte retired the situation went from a priority to desperately needed.

Cashman did all he could offering ace Cliff Lee the sun and the moon to come play in the Bronx. And thanks to some Yankee fans for spitting and taunting Mrs. Lee during the 2010 ALCS, Mr. Lee opted for Philadelphia for less money and years.

This left the Yankees stumped, but to his credit Cashman pieced together veteran tryouts in Spring Training, which gave the Yankees Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia. The two literally saved the 2011 season, surpassing all expectations by winning 20 games and throwing 300+ innings combined.

IS THE 2012 STARTING ROTATION INSANE?

Freddy Garcia, Pitching Coach Larry Rothschild & Catcher Russell Martin - Pre-Game

So where does this leave the Yankees rotation now?

Well, sorry to break the news but extending ace CC Sabathia’s contract and getting Garcia for one more season were necessities’, not improvements.

And since no World Series ring is equated to a busted season in New York, throwing another Hail Mary and almost catching it again will be tough.

So my question is….

Wouldn’t one think the general consensus might be that repeating a 2011 campaign that ultimately failed to be a tad insane?

WHY MY ANSWER WAS YES:

A very clever man once said:

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. - Albert Einstein

Personally, I always thought the dumbest, smart guy must have come up with that one. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees Hot Stove: How To Be Insanely Sane By Doing Nothing’ »

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MLB Hot Stove: New York Yankees Looking At Wrong Royals Pitcher

Posted by on 2 December 2010, 10:31 am
Donald Zackary "Zack" Greinke, an am...

Image via Wikipedia

Rumor has it that the Kansas City Royals have been dangling 2009 CY Young winner Zack Greinke as trade bait to the New York Yankees.

This seems sketchy when you consider that Greinke has a no-trade clause in his contract, with the Yankees being first on the list.

Greinke has also suffered major depression and anxiety issues that have interfered with his playing time.

Even as a Yankee fan, it is completely understandable why playing in the Bronx would not be ideal for a player tormented with Greinke’s problems.

New York’s big lights cause major pressure, and good pitchers have collapsed under them too many times—just look at Javier Vazquez or Carl Pavano.

Looking at that the meek 2010 free agent pitchers market, Cliff Lee is the only certifiable superstar on it.

It is no secret that the Yankees are rolling out the red carpet for Lee. The Royals are well aware that if Lee is not in pinstripes next season, the Yankees could go all out in desperation for an arm like Greinke. Continue reading ‘MLB Hot Stove: New York Yankees Looking At Wrong Royals Pitcher’ »

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MLB Hot Stove: Yankee Fans Happily Say Adios To Javier Vazquez

Posted by on 29 November 2010, 12:31 pm

The second time was not a charm for Javier Vazquez as a New York Yankee.

After almost winning the NL Cy Young in 2009, Vazquez bravely returned to the Bronx in 2010. He had high hopes to end the Yankee fans smear campaign, which dated back to the 2004 season.

Just in case you were subconsciously blocking out 2004 (trust me I do), it was the year the Boston Red Sox finally beat the Yankees in the ALCS. The Yankees blew the series after being up 3-0 in games, with three outs to sweeping the series.

Obviously, Vazquez is by no means to blame, as the Yankees imploded pretty well as a team.

Vazquez started a tremendous emotionally charged Game 7, by giving up two homeruns, one of which was a grand-slam, to than Red Sox Johnny Damon.  It was the breaking point for Yankees fans and no need to reminisce anymore.

Still, I have to give credit to the Red Sox, as Boston deserved to win the 2004 World Series. That ALCS is hands down one of the greatest comeback stories in sports history.

If you are really interested in Vazquez’s round one in pinstripes ESPN did a 30 for 30 called Four Days In October – Don’t Let The Red Sox Win! Yankees Self Destruct. You might have caught it on October 5, 2010, when ESPN debuted the short film the night before Game One of the 2010 ALDS.

So, Javy’s second chance did not go over well with the Yankee fans making it quite an unhappy reunion to say the least. This was evident when Vazquez got booed before throwing his first pitch at the Stadium.

Call it ill-fated timing with Alex Rodriguez finally being clutch in the post-season set the precursor for Yankee fans to open a can of whoop ass on Vazquez. It was pretty ruthless and pointless, as the only place that should want to remember 2004 is the city of Boston.

Vazquez couldn’t hide his sadness and the damage clearly affected his production in 2010. The proof that it was New York and not Vazquez was that he had been first-rate everywhere else he has pitched.

Vazquez as an Atlanta Brave finished 2009 with a 2.87 ERA, throwing for 219 innings, giving up 20 home runs, 44 walks and striking out 238 batters.

As a Yankee in 2010 he only pitched 157 innings, with an ERA of 5.32, giving up 32 bombs, 65 walks and striking out over 100 less batters with a total of 121.

Skipper Joe Girardi had no choice but to cut Vazquez from the 2010 playoff roaster. Translation is that AJ Burnett was more reliable than Vazquez had been.

The Yankees and Vazquez were done. Vazquez couldn’t be happier to get the hell out of the Bronx, and I don’t blame him.

So when the Florida Marlins came knocking Vazquez ran and took a significant pay cut from the Marlins due to the Yankees offering him aberration. Textbook call by GM Brian Cashman as there was no way Vazquez would accept it, and the Yankees came away with the Marlins best draft pick. Presumably, this is the reason for the discount given by team Vazquez to get the deal done.

It’s about darn time the Yankees have no reminders of the 2004 season on there roster, and let’s hope we never do again.

All I have to say to Javy Vazquez is “Adiós para siempre!” (“Goodbye Forever”)

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MLB Hot Stove: Carl Pavano to the New York Yankees Only If He Pays

Posted by on 15 November 2010, 4:34 pm

This player’s name is the last one any New York Yankee player or fan wants to hear: Carl Pavano, also known in the Bronx as the “American Idle.”

Let me put it this way, for those of you who thought Javier Vazquez was disliked in the Bronx, Pavano makes Vazquez the Yankees prom-king.

Truth remains that Pavano is the next free agent considered to be worthwhile behind Cliff Lee, for at least 29 MLB teams.

Here is my warning…PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

Most Yankees fans never saw Pavano on the mound. That is because he only pitched 26 games, with injuries all the way from his shoulder to his buttocks. Pavano had record of 9-8 while in pinstripes, so his option for a fourth year was never going to happen.

Pavano’s three years in the Yankees rotation turned into more like $39.95 million vacation.

Pavano left New York with the impression of a slacker, as ironically the minute he was out of Yankees uniform he preformed well again and injury-free.

In 2009, Pavano made 33 starts, 21 games as a Cleveland Indiana and 12 as a Minnesota Twin. Pavano threw 200 innings in total, 50 more innings than his three-year total in the Bronx. Pavano threw one shutout and one complete game in 2009, to go along with his 147 strikeouts.

To go from zero to hero in one offseason is all the proof that was needed.

This past season Pavano was the Twins ace, finishing with a 17-11 record, over 221 innings, striking out 117 batters and an ERA of 3.75. He spent a total of zero days on the DL for the second season in a row. Pavano also was named the Twins pitcher of the year for 2010.

Nothing is more cowardly than not trying, taking the easy way out. Pavano might be a rich man, but one who can’t walk around publicly in New York City. At least I would not advise it, nor would he want to run into me.

Whether or not Pavano says his elbow, shoulder, knee, ribs and ass injuries were all real became irrelevant by his actions. They told another story, of a pitcher Yankee fans never knew, and it happened in too short a time considering the extent of this man’s injuries.

Hopefully, Pavano is a changed athlete because of the weak market sans Lee he is sure to go for a much higher price in this offseason market.

At least I know one fact, Carl Pavano won’t be an overpaid Yankee and that is a sentence  rarely said about any player and the Bronx Bombers.

More of a reason—Yankees better offer Cliff Lee the moon, sun and Pavano’s ass to get him in pinstripes.

GM Brain Cashman says the Yankees don’t need Lee. I agree, it’s much more desperate than that, the Yankees will bleed Lee if necessary.

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Yankees Are Screwing With Vazquez’s Head

Posted by on 17 May 2010, 4:59 pm

If I were Javier Vazquez, I would be insulted.

Not only is moving Vazquez to the bullpen ridiculous, it is such a blow to the ego.

Vazquez has always been a good starter for thirteen seasons in the majors. In his career, Vazquez has a 4.24 ERA, with 2280 strikeouts and has pitched 200+ innings in nine seasons.

Vazquez was in the NL Cy Young race last season, but a weak Atlanta Braves team didn’t help his case.

Vazquez has struggled big time this season, but had majorly improved in his last start. Even though the team lost, it surely was not Vazquez fault as the Yankee bats were dead in Detroit.

Moving him to the bullpen, instead of letting him start against a NL team is a low blow by the Yankees. Continue reading ‘Yankees Are Screwing With Vazquez’s Head’ »

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Way To Go Javy Sorry We Forgot To Play

Posted by on 12 May 2010, 6:25 pm

Way to back-up a strong start from Javier Vazquez, as the New York Yankees batters strand 30 base-runners in the last two games. Losing the first two to the Detroit Tigers.

The fantastic news is Vazquez delivered big-time.

Javy held the tough Detroit Tigers up for 7+ solid innings, allowing just two runs to score, walking two and striking out seven. He left the door wide open for the team to win easily, but rather the Yankees extend losing streak to three in a row.

The Yankees batting order was throughly disappointing in a situation with the door wide open to win this game. Continue reading ‘Way To Go Javy Sorry We Forgot To Play’ »

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Vazquez vs Tigers Not Going To Be Easy

Posted by on 11 May 2010, 12:54 pm

Javier Vazquez knows what he has to do tonight against the Detroit Tigers.

It’s time to pitch.

To no surprise, the New York Yankees are on the cusp of a losing streak and it’s Vazquez who will decide it’s fate.

The team is frustrated and believe me when I say Yankee fans want Vazquez to fail.

This is not the minor leagues anymore, but that reality is next for Javier Vazquez does not get back to being major league ready.

Previously, Vazquez has done well against the Tigers as a team pitching a minimum of 6+ innings and over last five meeting striking out 37 Tiger bats. Continue reading ‘Vazquez vs Tigers Not Going To Be Easy’ »

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