You could argue that the true turning point in the Roger Clemens saga was not December 13, 2007, the day Major League Baseball released the Mitchell Report, but January 7, 2008, the day that Clemens' attorney Rusty Hardin decided it would be a good idea to publicly air a taped phone conversation between Clemens and Brian McNamee, which included information about McNamee's sick son.
Not only did the tape fail to vindicate Clemens, but it turned McNamee from The Rocket's conflicted whistle-blower to his mortal enemy. McNamee knew so much about Clemens that he didn't disclose to Mitchell, and that information has trickled out for months, slowly, painfully.
Now, I don't know who leaked this latest story about Clemens' extra-curricular activities, but let's face reality. Who benefits from this? McNamee and his attorneys, and the singer, herself, who is now, (not) shockingly, confirming the report. After all, I had never heard of this singer before, and I've spent two weeks of my life in Nashville.
I agree with what Wally Matthews wrote in his column today, and I'll take it a step further: Not only is this irrelevant, but if McNamee's lawyers actually called this woman to the stand in Clemens' defamation case against McNamee, it would backfire.
History has proven that people don't like going into other people's bedrooms. Look at how Bill Clinton ended up benefiting from the Republicans' dogged pursuit of the Monica Lewinsky stuff. If this Clemens case actually goes to trial, and either Clemens or McNamee requests a jury, I think a jury would feel reviled by this information. The jurors would get upset not with Clemens, but with McNamee's lawyers, for trying to tie this into Clemens' credibility.
I feel no sympathy for Clemens. He opened this door when he released that tape. But my hunch is that McNamee's attorneys are too smart to introduce this information to a jury. They'll be content with the short-term public humiliation that Clemens and his family might feel right now. This will prove to be not a news story, only a gossip item.
Did anyone see the play in the bottom of the fifth when Jose Molina had Casey Blake picked off first base? Molina, who has a great arm, totally had Blake nailed. But Jason Giambi looked like Maury Chaykin (perhaps you know him as Harvey, the crazy producer from "Entourage") as he caught the ball, sloooowly wheeled around and tried to tag Blake, who had enough time to return to the bag and, if he had so desired, whip up a snack.
I understand that the Yankees like playing Giambi at first base so that they don't have to bench Hideki Matsui more often. But I don't agree with it. Giambi is an immense defensive liability.
Comments (23)
--Giambi is an immense defensive liability.--
From your keyboard to God's ears, Ken...hasn't someone been saying this all along? ;) (among other things, of course)
Maybe not Cooperstown...but perhaps Clemens should be considered for the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Nice acknowledgment re Zito, candor is appreciated. The Clemens-Clinton analogy is flawed. The President had a constituency, his party, his voters, Moveon.org ... Clemens has his lawyer, and maybe his family. Clemens is bring suit, Clinton was defending. Clemens' claim in his suit references his honor and reputation, thus they are themselves on trial and profoundly relevant to the matter at hand . Lies and affairs hit the courtroom daily without provoking backlash. That said, I expect McNamee's lawyers to depose and move on, never attempting to call the drug addles singer to the stand. The case looks more like his personal Alamo by the day. It ends when/if Roger raises the flag. Seems like he and Hardin are charting a course toward the ending of Travis, Crockett, and Bowie
To reiterate, it's not shocking that the young pitchers have been inconsistent and that the veteran players are banged up. I think 90 wins and third place still sounds right.
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Ken, seriously, do you still have the Blue Jays winning the division or finishing ahead of the Yankees? Have you seen the team lately? They have NO power whatsoever to speak of (even with Rios and Wells, two great hitters, no one on the team is slugging .500). The bullpen is going well, but the starting rotation is merely blah -- Halladay having another workhorse season with bad strikeout rates, and A.J. Burnett has a 6 ERA. Sorry, but I don't believe in former Rays batboy Jesse Litsch (though he continues to shock the world by getting outs without having an ounce of stuff).
I just don't see that team doing anything this year. From a talent standpoint, the Rays are much scarier. Especially since they have so much starting pitching now. Once David Price comes up this year or next, and if Kazmir is actually healthy, there's nothing stopping that team from taking a step right into third place.
And the Zito signing is officially the worse in baseball. Nothing compares.
At what point do I stop hating Roger for fooling me all those years and start thanking him for providing so many reasons to laugh and celebrate? And it's still just the beginning!
The Yanks should give Giambi a stool so he can sit out there while playing first base. When will that guy retire already?
baileywalk, I'm certainly not going to bail on the Jays winning the AL wild card (and the AL pennant) on April 29. The offense will warm up, I believe, and Burnett will improve to his standard (and stay healthy, since it's a walk year).
craig, fair points on Clinton vs. Clemens, but I still think that most jurors won't equate infidelity with honor and reputation. Nor will a judge, if the two sides opt against a jury.
Ken, its not like the Red Sox and Blue Jays are lighting the world on fired either. The fact that the Yankeesare 14-13 considering 3/5 of the rotation has been bad, and injuries left and right is consider lucky. Remember, the last 3 years the Yankees started out terrible, but went on to make the playoffs. I think what is going to happen is the Yankees will out and get another starting pitcher. I think Hudges and/or Kennedy will not finish the year in the rotation if they keep strugging. Joba will be in the pen the whole season because no one else steps up. The offense will hit sooner or later. The Blue Jays are overrated period. There too righthanded on offense. Their pitching doesn't pitch well enough, even with Roy Halladay. John Gibbons and the GM will be fired. The entired American League has every team with pitching issues. And until I see it happen, the Yankees will find a way to make the playoffs again. You watch Ken.
My bad, Ken. I thought you had the Jays winning the division, too. I know it's early, but I don't really find the Jays especially impressive.
I think Rios is a superstar in waiting, but Wells seriously has not hit for power going back to last year and they're counting on two guys -- Eckstein and Rolan -- who are worthless offensively and way over the hill, respectively.
Ken. Great Maury Chaikin ref.
Ken, you are right on the mark with Clemens. I would now expect his side to come out with some serious dirt on McNamee and wouldn't put it past them to get the woman from the Florida incident to come forward and maybe even file some type of lawsuit. Then, whatever the Yankees dug up on it and on him can be obtained during discovery. (Although, maybe she already sued and reached a settlement with the creep.) Either way, I think Roger won't be coming out of the lawsuit any worse than he is today.
Although I hate to admit it, as right now, your prediction of 1. Boston 2. Toronto 3. New York seems about right. The Yankees are the big "if". Will Cano start hitting or is a really down year in store for him? Will Giambi ever break .175? Can either of the kids become a winner? Is Moose through or can he win 13 or so games? Does Joba go into the rotation and can he win there and if so, who replaces him in the bullpen? Is Posada definitely done this year? If so, who will the Yankees pick-up to fill in?
One rumor floating around is that the Yankees might sign Mike Piazza to split time with Molina. Can Piazza be relied upon to catch even 70 games?
I wouldn't believe those Piazza rumors, Jim. Even if Posada is out for the year (and it seems like they're gonna go the rest route for now), that really wouldn't make much sense. Piazza was a subpar catcher even in his prime. If the Yankees don't have Posada's bat, they might as well emphasize defense with his replacement.
I agree Ken, and hope the Yankees don't make a knee-jerk signing. I have serious doubts about Piazza being able to catch even 70 games, but have no doubt his defense will be exceedingly lousy. Runners will obviously have a field day. Even at $2 million pro-rated he isn't worth it. (And I'm not sure he would sign for that anyway.)
One question I have is what is happening with Chad Moeller? I know he was DFA, but are they planning on getting him back in the fold?
Also, at what point do the Yankees pull the plug on Giambi? Do they ever get to that point? Is the possibility of him hitting a homerun enough to keep the guy in the lineup even if he is batting under .200 in a month or so?
There are times in life when you say, "I cant believe I actually thought that was a good idea at the time."
Ken is a bit stubborn but not afraid to say, "My Bad" so I'm going with August 3rd when he writes, "Blue Jays?? Check the blog date, it was my Syd Finch moment."
If Moeller clears waivers (we'll know by end of business tomorrow), Jim, then the Yankees will likely take him back and jettison Chris Stewart. As for Giambi, obviously, the Yankees' team-wide success will dictate their patience with him.
Richie, don't underestimate me! I am stubborn. I won't concede until mathematical elimination. ;)
Hughes pitched 3.2 innings tonight and threw 82 pitches. His ERA is 9.00. During the game it was announced that he is last in MLB among all pitchers with at least four starts in the length of an average start - at 3.2 innings.
At what point is it fair to say that neither Hughes nor Kennedy belong in the Major Leagues at this point in time? Maybe if they had started the year in the minors, at some point during the season they would have been able to move up to the big leagues. Yes, we are only one month into the season, but it is increasingly painful to watch these two kids struggle. It's not a knock against them to say they need more time in the minors, with less pressure, etc.
I don't think you can really argue about the Yankee position players or even the bench. Pitching has been the team's weakness for some time. Last year they put on one of the greatest offensive displays in MLB history and still fell woefully short of their goals. That led to Joe Torre's ouster.
Cashman has had quite a bit of time to do something - ANY
THING, and he hasn't found any solutions. I think he is doing a disservice to both Hughes and Kennedy by putting them through this. Baseball history is filled with young kids with potential who were rushed, crushed and a few years later were out of baseball. In fact, there has been plenty of that in the history of the Mets.
How can a team with the financial resources of the Yankees go into a season with a staff like this one? Why did the Steinbrenners allow this to happen?
Jim, obviously that Hughes IP number was impacted, significantly, by his two-inning outing in the rain delay in Chicago last week.
Look, in short time, perhaps even immediately, Hughes and/or Kennedy could go the minors, and Darrell Rasner and Kei Igawa will receive chances. But I have to disagree with you that the two kids are being "put through" anything. They're pretty tough kids. They're getting knocked around some. They can handle it. Both have displayed flashes of their potential, even this season.
A team with the financial resources of the Yankees went into the season with a staff like this one because they were willing to pay over slot for Kennedy two years ago. Both Hughes and Kennedy remain highly regarded throughout the industry, despite their rough Aprils.
Hughes looked pretty miserable, toughness and all, on the mound in the third inning tonight and seemed somewhat lost. He also crossed up the catcher a couple of times and just seems out of sync. Kennedy doesn't seem much different. I am certainly not saying the pair don't have talent nor that they don't have the potential for fine careers, just that they don't seem ready right now. A youth movement with homegrown talent is a good thing, but the players have to be ready. After last year, Hughes seemed ready. But, now he doesn't and should be sent down. Kennedy has shown few signs of being ready to play on the Yankees right now. There is dead wood, as usual, in the bullpen.
Being pounded on start after start doesn't make a pitcher tougher. It does destroy confidence. But hey, who am I to make judgments? I'm just a fan.
Ken, Hughes and/or Kennedy will not last in the starting rotation for the whole season. One of them will be replace and it will not be Joba because he's too important to replace in the bullpen right now, and no else has step up to the plate. Neither Hughes or Kennedy have thrown strikes consistantly. Of course it doesn't help that the Yankees offense isn't hitting yet, which puts so much pressure on both. Hank Steinbrenner wanted Johan Santana in the off season. But Brain Cashman convince him not to do it. If Hank wanted Santana, he should have overrule Cashman and made the deal himself. Instead he show no guts and now look what has happen to the Yankees so far.
Jim, obviously, you are a bright, passionate fan, and your input is very much appreciated here. I hope you know that.
Here's where I disagree with you and what you've been writing here lately. You wrote: "A youth movement with homegrown talent is a good thing, but the players have to be ready."
The next GM who finds a way to determine, undoubtedly and without fail, that his young players are "ready," will be the first. It's an extremely difficult science. So the Yankees committed to his plan, and just because Hughes and Kennedy have pitched poorly in April, I don't think that means the plan is wrong. It just means the kids need more time. They both pitched well enough in spring training to merit slots on the Opening Day roster.
Brian Cashman is signed onto the notion that the Yankees might have to miss the playoffs this year in order to achieve their longer-tem goals. That doesn't mean you have to sign onto that, too. But if you think that youth is the way to go, then you have to accept the potential pitfalls that come with it.
Hey Jim and Ken, How about some blame on Hank? If he wanted Johan Santana so badly he should have made the deal himself and not listen to Cashman. Instead Hank show no guts doing it.
I agree, Dennis. That said, I think the Yankees made the right decision not trading for Santana.
Ken -
With all due respect, the McCready stuff is only going to help McNamee. Clemens' character is shot, he'll lose the defamation suit and the whole thing could very well bring on a DOJ recommendation for incarceration due to perjury.
JRock, Esq.
iIn regards to the Johan Santana-Phil Hughes non-trade: It was more than Hughes for Santana, the twins wanted another arm (Wang, Kennedy) in addition to Melky Cabera. Cabera is the Yankees best defensive outfielder as well as becoming a force as a contact hitter with spped