There is a lot of conversation these days about Brian Cashman's new contract.
Brian is making defensive noises against all accusations that his reign hasn't really been that productive.
A lot of focus centers on some horrendous deals ( The Big Unit Giveaway; The Gary Sheffield Giveaway; Kevin Brown; Kei Igawa ; Andy Morales; The Jose Contreras Giveaway to the WhiteSox) that Brian had a role in, as well as the bare cupboard of the Yankees' minor league system.
Judgements about Kennedy & Hughes were like recent investment decisions made by the CEO's of Bear Stearns and Lehman.
Brian wants us to give him a " clean slate, " so he can proceed with overhauling this old and aging Yankees' team
In this regard, let's take a look at next season's likely starting line-up:
1. Third Base - Can we all agree that A-Rod will be here until he is 41?
2. Short-Stop - Can we all agree the Yankees have no replacement ideas for Derek ?
3 Second Base - Can we all agree that Cano must go ( not likely to get concensus on this one )? However, what is the likelihood of getting someone better and younger?
4. First Base - The current favorite is Jorge Posada ( 40? ) when he needs a break from catching. We can't keep Jason as a defensive replacement for Jorge, can we? So what are we talking about here, Brian? Another Duncan, for youth? Can you get a quality, young guy and still keep Posada in the lineup?
5. Left field - Nady? OK. He is a fine player.
6. Centerfield - Our young guy is Gardner. Great on defense. A terror on the bases. A .183 singles hitter to replace Mantle, Dimaggio and Bernie?
We have no one else. So here is an opportunity to upgrade.
7. Right Field - What are the odds that the Yankees pass on Boby Abreu? He puts up really good numbers and has a fine arm. But he is "more of the same; " neither young nor exciting.
8. Catcher - A combination of Jorge and Jose? Both older, slower, and Jorge coming off arm surgery. A youth movement?
In the minors, we have....Austin Jackson ( .295 at AA with 10 or so HRs ). The new Mantle? At least this guy isn't over-hyped.
If Brian is going to do anything in 2009, it needs to be trading young prospect pitching for young prospect position players. And we have little track record on spotting quality players, I fear.
The Yankees' totally blew this last draft, so trading is all that remains.
So, I don't see a youth movement. I see pretty much the same team that we had this year, only older.
Meanwhile, I'm signing on for another three years as chief scout for the South Mexico Dirt Field Independent League. The good news is I get paid in Pesos. The bad news; only the equivalent of $6 over the contract term.
Adios.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
A Few Thoughts About the Next Few Years
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9 comments:
Alphonso I fucking hate you.
click this dumbfuck and read it
Alph,
I'll take your gut instincts over some 13-year-old, logrhythmic, never-had-a-woman, bad-skinned, own-one-pair-of-underwear, computer wonk's Stratomatic fantasy baseball analysis any day.
I think they may resign Abreu for two years with a third year option.
Just a feeling, like when my hand was under your wife's sweater.
We have an bad farm system and it needs to be overhauled. They say Jeter and Arod are the only safe positions. Really Id say the only one is Jeter because of his legacy. If Cashman wanted he could trade the whole team away this year and get a young army for the farm and starting roster. But it wont happen. First year in the new stadium, First year not in the playoffs, they want are going to want a championship team out there in 2009 not a gamble. We wont trade away any youth this year and give up on it but we definitely will stay (somewhat) old.
I think after hearing Kellerman say it I can safely lobby for my most wanted trade ever. Trade for Ichiro. He thinks we can get him for Matsui + Melky + parts while they are down on him. Ichiro would bridge us to Jackson.
First base has a free agency too good to pass up just to leave empty for our aging crew. If Posada is done as a catcher in 2010 he can go out in left. Jeter will retire at SS. Arod in left/right/dh but that is long time off. Our corner outfielders right now are not long term commitment and both have a good chance of getting traded for prospects in the near future. The slots will be open.
Get CC. Thats all there is too it. He's a horse. But what if he has a slow year in 2009 because of all the pitching hes doing now? Sure maybe but hes held up this way for 3 years now. He seems like an old school pitcher and could probably handle it (david wells). More importantly, hes an Ace(not 35 years old) and he only cost money. Get him. And only him if we can get Moose to come back. Burnnet is the second coming of Pavano.
Ichiro cf (old)
Jeter ss(stud)
Tex 1st (young)
Arod 3rd (stud)
Manny dh (old)
Posada c (old)
Nady rf (temp)
Cano 2b (???)
Damon lf (old)
Wang
Joba
cc
Moose (no ring, new stadium, winning team, not going to retire)
SP depth: Hughes, Coke, Kennedy, Pettitte (alot cheaper)
Wang and CC are a post season tag team dynasty. Along with Joba and Hughes right behind them. Our rotation has the potential to be dominant for a very long time. Giving us alot of opportunity to find some more yankeeography candidates to play the field.
CC, Tex, Manny, Ichiro = 28
Oh and Gardner is a 4th outfielder until we see some power.
Sign Pavano. You can save money on uniforms and like that.
If he gets injured again, he can be the bench coach!
Brilliant, right?
el duque, I used to think I liked you (and, I might add, I used to think like you) but you're just as useless as the rest of BBWAA now. Screw science, right? There's no reason why the Athletics have been so solid on minimal payrolls.. there's no reason why the Rays are suddenly winning the AL Fucking East.. it just happens, right?
If you want to look at baseball like that, fine. But leave the people making true managerial decisions alone, because the "logrythmic" calculations are what win championships these days. The Sox won in '04 and '07 because they have one of the best front offices in baseball that utilize the "cutting edge" of baseball statistictry, and they will continue to crush the Yankees until Cashman gets his way. I think he's smart, though he could use some grooming. If the Yankees don't take a serious change in philosophy over the next few years, I'm going to lose faith in this team in addition to the faith I've already lost in our average fan. Cashman is right. You dumbfucks are the reason why we've been so, so wrong in the past. The science says the Yankees would be great (and were great) if not for injuries. They're right. Injuries just come when the average age of our field player is 45.
Postscript: Fuck you. I bet you graduated from college with a Comm or English degree (that is, if you have graduated from college to begin with) and lead a weak, pointless life.
Adam;
if you wish to proposition Dukey, please do so on your own time. We are very tolerant of divergent views and "lifestyles" but draw the line at such overt sexual propositions as they may involve state lines and possibly livestock.
Your affection for him has been conveyed and your desire to "know" him in the biblical sense has been noted.
It is up to him to respond or not as I'm sure you know from previous "encounters" with other men throughout the tri-state area.
Henceforth, please observe the protocol and stay within the bounds of decency and good taste, or you can restrict your online activities to the LoHud Mets blog.
Thank you for your patience and forbearance.
Adam, Unanimous, Anonymous,
You guys are welcome here anytime. You give my pointless life great meaning, knowing that whem I spewing, you're worse off than me, because you're reading it.
As the hackey mam (our next v.p.) would say, bless yer hearts.
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