7:51pm Posada just makes a fair and solid throw to get Ellsbury. Not a very good throw. Again. There are still around 2 weeks to get to regular season.
7:57pm Burnett has been very impressive so far for 4 innings. If Burnett can stay healthy, he can help us a lot.
8:17pm I don't think they know internet in Australia is so expensive especially after mid day before midnight, but this game is gone through so quickly.
8:41pm It will be criminal at this point for Gardner not to be our center fielder once season starts. The first run of the game for Yankees is basically Gardner's run. It's very exciting to have this kind of speedy and exciting player on our team. By the way, Good job for Damon as well. Damon is behind the count and hit the ground ball to get the run in.
8:55pm Mo is Mo. However, I think Mo's velocity and location hasn't all the way back yet.
9:17pm Am I watching the same game Michael Kay watches? Kay says Marte doesn't look shape at all. I actually think Marte looks much better than his first spring outing. Even though there is a wild pitch and many full count, I think Marte throws a lot of good pitches.
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9 comments:
Glad to hear Gardner is doing well. And I agree that sometimes its like the announcers are watching a totally different game!
I agreed with Michael Kay, sorry Jessica. I think Marte was missing his spots, and his stuff did not look sharp.. considering he is a veteran, late inning pitcher. I'm excited about our young center fielders. Melky, Brett, and Austin, all had very good, to great springs. I hope they get a chance to compete. I'm not sold on anyone. Melky can play right, Gardner in center, and Jackson in left. Thats 3 CFs, and an awesome outfield in 2011, and on. Anyone agree? It may be a light hitting outfield, but a run saved is a run earned. Defense is undervalued.
danny...
I totally agree with your future OF situation. I'd like to see those 3 manning those positions for many years. I hope Melky can turn it around and Gardner and Jackson live up to their great springs. With those 3 we'd have a lefty (Gardner), a righty (Jackson), and a switch hitter (Melky) in the OF...nice. If those guys can hit for average and OBP, there are plenty of guys to get them home. Then if they keep Swisher, we'd have a power hitting utility man for when we need a little extra pop. (although I'm not personally sold on Swisher yet, though I'm succumbing to fan propaganda).
Ha! It's ok. We can agree to disagree. As long as they are all healthy and get their works in, I don't care their performance and numbers too much.
The outfield situation you talk about will be a ideal outcome everyone hopes. However, it is too optimistic, not realistic even though I am always more positive on everything. If one of three(Melky, Gardner and Jackson) pan out and becomes a star player we hope for at CF, it will be my ideal outcome. Not to mention, we can go with Swisher at RF and move Jeter to LF after 2010 season.
Find a great shortstop to replace Jeter after 2010 season and replace Posada with one of catching prospects from our farm system after Posada's contract expired, it will give us good defense up to middle. Don't forget, A-Rod eventually has to move to DH spot.
I agree with you. Defense is so important. Having good defense makes pitching look even better.
I'd like to say that I expect them all to grow, develop, and mature, and then start for the Yankees by that date. As far as I know, Austin, Melky, and Brett are 22-24. Melky Might be 25, not sure. But as they play, and perform at this present date, its obvious they aren't ready, but I think the potential is there! Very exciting to think about. And yeah MJB, I took a look at Swisher's numbers, and was surprised to fin out that this will only be his fifth full season (although he will likely have a bench role) http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/swishni01.shtml that is plenty-o-pop off the bench. I haven't seen him in the field yet, but I'm impressed with Nady's glove, and arm. (He doesn't have impressive wheels, but will always make the right plays, hold runner's etc.) I think Swish is a great clubhouse guy, is under control for a couple years, and is such a great guy, you really can't get rid of him! lol.. at least thats my impression of it. I think Nady/Swisher/Damon is pretty much a toss up in terms of production/defense. What do you guys think? Use these 6 players: Melky Cabrera, Xavier Nady, Nick Swisher, Johnny Damon, Brett Gardner, Austin Jackson, and place them in starting OF spots for 2010 AND 2011. (I know they are not all controlled for that long, but I'm curious as to the perception of them) Here is mine:
LF:Nick Swisher
CF:Brett Gardner
RF:Austin Jackson
4th outfielder..Melky Cabrera (late inning defense for swish, spot starter)
Jess, I've got no love for Jeter. He can get his 3,000 hit, and then head to the Orioles, or the Padres or something. It doesn't make baseball sense to have him on the team once his contract expires. Cashman will not want him, but Hank and Hal will get their way. I think its completely realistic to expect the young center fielders to be starting in 3 years.(2011) They are young, developing players!! They don't need to be all-stars. They are from our system, play hard nosed baseball, and play good defense.
Swisher and Jeter in the outfield? I don't agree with that. Swisher, yes, if he bounces back, but Jeter couldnt play shortstop in 2006, how can he cover left field in 2011?
I can see Gardner in CF and Jackson in LF, but I think they'd probably go after a really good FA right fielder if they can. As much as I'd like to see Melky in that spot, he's got quite a hole to dig himself out of.
I don't think Damon or Nady will still be around after their contracts are up, but you never know. Everyone seems to hate Nady, but I'm postponing judgment until after this year. Many people compare his career and abilities to Paul Oneill, but then in the same breath call for Swisher to start. I don't get it. Lets wait until this season gets moving along.
What to do with Jeter? Jeter is synonymous with Yankees and it would be a huge shame to let him go. I think he can still play short stop for now. The saber-metrics crowd clamor about his fielding sucking, but I just don't see it. Just because he's not grabbing every ball hit in the infield, doesn't mean he's terrible. His athleticism has declined a bit with age, but I'm still comfortable with him at SS. The young prospect Pena seems to be a viable replacement in a couple of years if he can develop further. As for Jeter, I don't know where to put him. Maybe he can DH (Matsui should be gone), but what about Posada? And Arod will be "getting old" soon too.
This is why I don't understand giving Texiera such a long term deal. So many people were happy with Swisher playing 1B (not me, but other fans). The only good thing I saw coming from Swisher at 1B was that Jeter could move there in a year or so. Now what to do? You are right, its not much better in the OF. Then again, if Manny and Abreau (or Berkman, or Griffey, or whomever) can play out there, so can Jeter.
When players play for New York Yankees, they need to at least very close to above average at their position. Unless, they sit on the bench. Even if they sit on the bench, they need to have something and can't be too below average.
That is why I think it is unrealistic to expect Yankees put three young outfielders with average offense and excellent glove at the same time.
Don't get me wrong. I love players from our farm system and hope your ideal situation will come true. But, it is unrealistic to expect to have many prospects pan out, especially prospects play in New York City.
As for Jeter, I just can't see they let Jeter go for many reasons as long as Jeter stay healthy and doesn't decline dramatically next two years. Of course, Jeter needs to move to another position and accepts pay cut. But, I just don't see and don't want to see Jeter wears other team uniform.
If we have a young center fielder and relatively young right fielder, I don't think we can't put Jeter at left fielder. Posada may need DH spot during last 2 years of his contract and A-Rod will move to that spot eventually.
I just can't see them go out to give out another long-term contract to outfielder or starting pitcher next off-season. Only Damon will have a little chance to come back next season, but it only will be a short term contract(maximium 2 year).
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