On the Yankees beat

Good Job if you can get it.

Sure beats studying for Organic Chemistry, Fundamentals of Biology III and Bio-Statistics for 7 hours a day!!!

What, no lunch break? The players union is really slacking!

I read that Cairo will take some time in the outfield now.

This isn't a panic question and if somebody answered before, please provide the answer again.

Why didn't the Yanks sign Wilson to play 1b/Of?

A righty hitter, can hit for power. He'll put up better numbers than Philips and Phelps.

Craig Wilson did nothing to impress the Yankees while he was here, granted he didn't play much, but when he did he just seemed to be an older, slower, less defensively capable of Andy Phillips.

Baseball Prospectus -Hope and Faith
How the Boston Red Sox Can Win the World Series?

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=5914&PHPSESSID=005a3700e0ff42b9bc7f259bd431f08f

[quote]The Red Sox scored 820 runs last year. Add 15 runs for Pedroia over Loretta, 30 runs for Lugo over Gonzalez, and 20 runs for a return to form by Varitek. Pencil in 25 more runs for a reasonably healthy Drew over Nixon. Crisp's return offsets Ortiz's regression to his established level of play, and everyone else maintains their 2006 level of production, on average. That yields a net increase of 90 runs, or 910 runs scored, or about 235 VORP.

Combined, the offense and pitching in our rosy scenario post a 560 VORP. That would lead to a projected record of 104-58, and while any 100-win team has a legitimate shot at the World Series, those with three dominating starting pitchers do better than those with equivalent-but-deeper total talent. If Schilling, Beckett, and Matsuzaka are humming along, the wait for the next Red Sox World Championship won't be anywhere near as long as the last one.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/radio/audio/bpr_070227_1.mp3

[/quote]

104 wins, for the Redsox ? I'm just throw up in my mouth by reading this

Letrick: How many times have the Yankees been "paper champions" and it hasn't worked out? Keep your gorge down, it'll be okay.

Letrick:

Seriously? The first pitch of the first spring training game hasn't even been thrown and you're worried about a computer generated report that has Boston winning 104 games?

Not that I want to get wrapped up in that kind of foolishness, but that post does not take into account injuries - Drew, Manny, Varitek, Crisp are all candidates to miss time. It does not take into account the fact that Curt Schilling came into camp looking like he spent the winter dining at the Sizzler every night. It does not take into account the fact that Boston's pen is horrible, that the "anchors" in their rotation consist of a fat 40 year old, a pitcher who led the league in HR's allowed and a young converted reliever with shoulder issues and a Japanese pitcher who may or may not be the greatest thing since sliced bread.

But Chip, they have Julio Lugo at short...JULIO LUGO!!

Just having fun, let's see how it goes on the field. I actually liked a couple of the relievers Boston picked up but they still don't have a closer so someone will be "pitching out of position". I suspect they'll go after Chad Cordero of the Nationals and he does nothing for me so I say go get him. I don't think he will do well in the AL.

Thanks Chip.

But what has Philips shown? He had promise(vs. lefties) in the minors and that's been it. He's been nothing but a disapointment.

If the Yanks liked Philips, why grab Phelps?Phelps was inexpensive and worth a try. I get all that.

Why not try with someone who can also play the outfield and has proven MLB capability?

What kind of gap are we talking about with Wilson and his capabilities and Doug M/Phelps/Philips?

Given full time, Wilson has proven he can put up very good offensive numbers. Was his "D" as bad as Giambi's? I can't imagine it being that bad.

155 games in 2004, Wilson put up 29 HR, 82 rbi's, 97 runs for Pit. Now that's promise. Maybe it's his 169 K's that year?

I guess to me, it's easier to carry one capable guy, who can play 1b/OF than it is to carry 3 guys for DH/1b.

(for the record, I'm not related to Wilson :))

No, it's laughable that Baseball Prospectus are drinking same coolaid that Peter Gammons drinks. They're are anti- yankees biased and Redsox homers.

TonyT : if I can weigh in on this ...I think it's a combo of loyalty and contracts .Wilson was making 3.3 million per and Phillips the major league minimum for essentially the same type of player ,Phillips can play 3rd,2nd and if needed could play RF in a pinch...I agree w/your logic seeing that Wilson is the more established player...and only a 1/2 yr older .Phelps is another strikeout machine...I just don't think we've seen the final configuration at 1st .

I agree it's "not a bad life", TODAY. These guys are gifted physically, payed extremely well, and pampered beyond belief. But the strain on the family, living out of a suitcase 6 months a year, being under the media microscope daily, wondering if some "phenom" is going to get your job, the "Dog Days", and the relative brevity of this occupation are all there too. Not everything is as it appears at first glance.

...1 other thing ,the Yanks were trying very hard at the time to trade Shawn Chacon or would have been forced to release him...so they were probably happy to exchange contracts for Wilson and it also somewhat coincided w/ Phillips going on the DL for a couple of weeks...this would be August of 2006.

let's not read to much into it .To be young and a multi-millionaire playing a game is living a dream...To retire at 40 and not have to worry financially the rest of your life must be difficult.Also having the best retirement package known to mankind.To be a single male traveling to all those urban centers having hot chicks throwing themselves at you ,I guess everything is not what it appears !

I'm with Ruse on this. I could handle everything Roy just pointed out if I knew that by the age of 40 I would have enough money to send my great grandkids to college and still not have to work another day in my life.

As for Wilson vs. Phillips or Phelps, I really don't think it matters. Like Ruse said, Wilson makes 3 million to do a job that Phillips can do for 450k. I said something similar when there was an outcry about why the team didn't sign a better back up catcher, but if Craig Wilson is the reason the Yankees don't win the world series I'll eat my own pinkies.

To me, I guess it boils down to what kind of a life you have at the "age of 40", when your career is done. Many times, both You, and your Family, are Done.

I too questioned why Wilson wasn't brought back...he could fill in at 4 positions and had a nice bat. I understand about the money but sometimes you get what you pay for;):)

If you and your family are done by the time you hit 40 then that's an issue with you, not your job.

Frankly I have a pretty good job, I like what I do, I enjoy going to work most days. But if you told me that I could spend the next 12 years before I turn 40 playing major league baseball, I would drop what I'm doing and get my glove oiled up and ready to go.

I agree Chip. To make it simple, it's a kids game and these guys make silly money to play it. Not only do they not have to work for the rest of their lives, but their grandchildren shouldn't either if they took care of their money. We all make sacrifices for our careers, I travel quite a bit for work, do I like it? Not all the time but I get paid a decent salary to do it.
Roy, I understand your point about the autograph seekers, media etc. but there are many players who stay out of the public eye almost completely. Let's face it, if you want to go to a restaurant, you have your people call ahead and reserve you a back room so nobody can bother you-you have the power (power=money) to do it. Everybody is inconvenienced by work, but what usually happens when players who have complained about the media retire? They become the media! (announcers, analysts etc) or you see them at autograph shows. They may complain about it but I guess it is something they realize later on that they miss. It sucks being a "nobody" (who doesn't make millions) a heck of a lot more than it does being a rich "somebody".
Hell, I'm 40 years old and I still dream of playing for the Yanks.

Jim A.: They do have Yankee fantasy camps for wanabees such as your self.

TheHitMan and I agree once again.

I understand what you guys are saying. But, it's just not the comparison of Wilson vs. Philips.

Wilson would of eliminated the need for Philips(or Phelps) and Doug M. How much is Doug making?

That's my point. One guy to do the job over 2 guys. Wilson will not be the reason for the winning/losing of playoffs. Neither will Doug/Philips.

But, having Wilson, there's 1 more spot open on the roster. That spot could be a pitcher. Somebody who can make a difference.

To me, that would of been a better move financially and better flexibility on the roster.

Ruse -- maybe you hit the nail on the head. Loyalty. I'm guessing Torre doesn't like him for one reason or another. That's the only reason I can think of. Look how Torre handles Giambi/Arod - but that's a discussion for a different day ...