On the Yankees beat

arod!!!!!

yankees 2-0 on arod 's mammoth hr

Thank god for the gift 3-1 strike. Way to come back and "K" Youkalis.

Wang has dogged 2 bullets in 2 innings.Youkilis strikes out.A rarity.

Dodged.

Ruse

High FIVE!!

As starts go...I'd say this one is "acceptable" lol

That roar they gave Wang gave me chills!!

And "chills" should be reserved for the later innings no? I need to calm down.

ITS OFFICIAL WE ARE HOT!!!!

THE BATS HAVE COME ALIVE LAST NIGHT WAS NO FLUKE!!

The bats are back!!!!

What's with that double steal ?

Even though Arod got thrown out, you gotta like the hustle. Granted, its against a knuckleballer, but I'd like to see more aggression on the basepaths on a daily basis. Show some fire!

I disagree w/ running in the 3rd inning leading 4-0.Wakefield would rather have pitched to Cano than Giambi.Why give away outs ?

Its not giving away outs running A-rod and Abreu (both with some wheels) against a knuckleballer. Pounce early and often.

But as you can see the strategy backfired.Cano hits a weak ground ball for the 3 out.

Its true that it failed, but more often than not it won't. The key is that we're running on Wakefield. I'm no statistician, but I'd bet the steal percentage is pretty high against Wake.

If you make an out stealing a base it's given an out away.Stealing 3rd is more difficult than stealing 2nd.They took the bat out of Giambi' hands.

it failed at that time but for games length the catcher has to be extra alert and could burden the load of not being too comfortable in his catchers stance

Tim Wakefield
Stolen base attempts career 329
caught stealing career 104

Ruse

You are my boy but I gotta disagree just this time. If we weren't so damned desperate as we are today to get the team fired up and excited I'd agree with you but I think Alex trying unsucessfully still may get them pumped a bit nomsayin...

Ruse,

Agree to disagree :)

I totally understand the theory behind putting the pressure on the oppositions D.Now Wakefield seems to have settled down abit .Another 3 -run bomb would fire me up, personally speaking of course

GITMO

Gotcha !

LOL...

{Gitmo bites tongue}

The game was amazing last night ... and I hope the Yankees can keep it up!

ANTHONY

What no doomsday prophecies ?

Run, Alex, Run

That's the Cano we need !!!

Nice, Robbie.

You get credit for that triple from Cano, Ruse. :)

Ruse...

;) lol

go easy...

NOMSAYIN

YOU WANT ME TO TONE IT DOWN ! I"VE BEEN TAKING LESSONS FROM YOU ! LOL

Explain to me why Torre let Wang stay in the game so long ? I think it's another dumb Torre move.What do you think Gitmo and Phucker ?

I really like the way Francona is managing. Keeping Wakes in there as long as he did is all part of the master plan. The yanks bats will be fatigued having so many times around the order so early. This will prove to be brilliant in the latter part of this game. There's a lot of time left yank fans... I wouldn't get too confident. You do remember our comeback against the orioles where they had 4 consecutive errors that produced a rally of 6 runs.

That was all made possible by Francona. It appeared dumb luck but that was only to those not fully acquainted with Francona's style and savvy.

If you watched that game you'd see with a discerning eye that those errors all resulted from the carefully planned exaustion of the Baltimore infield. Allowing them to swing literally 10s of times each left their bodies sluggish unable to field even average ground balls.

This you see is yet one more in a long line of examples that clearly exhibit the Sox's superiority from all teams in MLB. In fact it's almost unfair I'd rather, in the spirit of fairness allow the rest of the league to consolidate. This way the players and fans of other teams wont always be so devastated when they're routed by this titan of dominance that is now the Redsox. The depth of the pitching to the front office triumphant Dice K coup, to their innovative master of managerial prowess Tito Francona The list is endless.

You'll see yankee fans.

I'm only stating fair and obvious observations.

Excellent summation Casual Stunt double.

Ruse

I think Torre was and is concerned and rightfully so. Taking Wang out is not the easiest decision. These days we bring in the bullpen in this kind of must win game and the possibility for Farnsworth to give up 2 runs or worse all of the sudden is very real. IT SHOULDN'T BE But I think he feels snake bit.

Look it's looking good so far but I'd be lying if I told you my fingers wont be and are crossed for all 3 days. I think Torre feels a bit like I do in that respect. Wang is less dangerous than most of our pen at this current moment. Sad but true. I don't think it's something that wont work itself out though. I think I HOPE...This is the beginning of the turn around when and if it is our confidence as well as Joe's in his pen will return to what it was and should be.

Cano on the road to redemption !

how come we only hear from casual when the sux are winning???? it works both ways redsux fan!!!!
what happened to that 13-15 game lead you predicted?
it will be down to 5 in two weeks!!!! then what???

Mike, Let's not get too carried away.

It's only a two game winning streak.

Now you are sounding more like Red Sox fans than the more classy Yankee fans that we are.

Was anyone at the game tonight? I was. Fights all over the place, it was crazy. I've been to at least 4 Yanks/Sox games before and I've never felt or seen the atmosphere as intense as it was tonight. I loved it.

Espn Insider - Tale of two New York teams - By Peter Gammons

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=2877977&name=gammons_peter

[quote]

NEW YORK -- To some, the way to fix the hole is to throw a grenade into it and cover it with landfill.

Change. For the sake of change.

Yeah, fire Joe Torre without any clear vision of whom to replace him with, or how to deal with the veteran players whose backs have been tended by their manager these last dozen years.

Yeah, fire Brian Cashman for Igawa versus Okajima, or Humberto Sanchez and Ross Ohlendorf's injuries and too much Doug Mientkiewicz. Yeah, get someone who'll take everyone in Trenton and Tampa and trade them for the next Bobby Abreu, or maybe Jose Guillen and Russ Ortiz. Yesterday afternoon, they couldhaveshouldhave traded for Paul Byrd to avoid Tyler Clippard, just as the Red Sox could have had Mark Redman, not Kason Gabbard.

That'll shake things up.

The biggest difference between the Mets and the Yankees is that the Mets took steps backwards -- steps they didn't want to take -- but the Mets have two franchise players in Jose Reyes and David Wright who make the Earth and the skies move. The Yankees still have several star players, but the face remains just that on May 21, 2007: Johnny Damon's calf is so bad he moves and runs like he's 40; Jason Giambi's foot is so bad that not only does he have just one hit in his last 26 at-bats, but he can't run or play in the field; Bobby Abreu has slowed; Darrell Rasner is second on the team in games started; Mariano Rivera has five save opportunities.

As Neil Young sings in "Powderfinger," "He told me, red means run, son, numbers add up to nothin'."

It is easy now to pick apart the Yankees and point to the $10 million they are paying Carl Pavano to prepare for his next free agency and the $9 million to Kei Igawa, not to mention the $3 million they are paying for Javier Vazquez, the $2 million for Randy Johnson and the $3 million for Jaret Wright, or the $1 million apiece 8-10 teams will get in revenue-sharing thanks to the signing of Roger Clemens. Those are the prices for always having to win.

While there is little question that New York will crawl from the wreckage and challenge for the postseason (even though the Damons and Giambis and some of their veteran players might have hit the wall), it's the price the Yankees have to pay. Losing is not acceptable in an era when six different divisions have produced the last six world champions.

Look, there are problems. Damon believes he needs a few weeks to rest his calf and Giambi's rambling interview with the esteemed Bob Nightengale in USA Today reaffirms that the beauty of racehorses is that they don't talk; Giambi is a distraction the Yankees don't need. It might have been well-intentioned, but Giambi's words demonstrated a lack of judgement that has every party on mute because the admission of using "that stuff" has the Yankees looking into voiding the remaining $43 million on his contract, the commissioner's office looking for a big fish to use as an example, George Mitchell reaching for his tape recorder and the federal government questioning if Giambi's BALCO testimony was entirely truthful; when your foot is so bad you walk like Walter Brennan and you're sensitive, this is not good. Oh, yes, and the Yankees are justifiably furious that Giambi suggested that somehow the club knew about everything and should apologize.

One of those problems will not be Clemens -- if he still can pitch in the AL East. "Why are we answering questions about a situation that isn't even here?" asks Derek Jeter. Clemens will not allow his presence create problems, and he'll use the advice and consent of Torre, Jeter, Jorge Posada and others to insure that. Kyle Farnsworth spoke? To paraphrase what veteran players said about that in private, refer to Sonny Boy Williamson's "Don't Start Me to Talking (or I'll Tell You Everything I Know)."

But there are 27 teams other than the Yankees, Mets and Red Sox, despite what some of the national media might tell you. If Chien-Ming Wang, Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, Clemens and Phil Hughes can go around as a rotation for two months, Rivera gets meaningful and consistent work, Robinson Cano regains his strike zone and Abreu starts hitting, they will have a chance on Labor Day to be in it with either the Red Sox or the AL Central Four.

It's comical when one hears the drones for Torre to "spark" this team, as if a manager's spark is going to blow some joint. And what did Jeter and Posada do Sunday night? They grabbed their teammates and carried them on a night when they needed to win. Clippard was terrific, and the culture Cashman wants to develop was evident; better to bring in your own who know the Yankee Way than to go get Paul Byrd, or Russ Ortiz, or someone with a track record for whom the language known in New York as "Steinbrenner" is as foreign a language as Latvian.

The point is that this is not a Zoroastrian World of Good (Mets) and Bad (Yankees) any more than it was last September when it was Good (Yankees) and Bad (Red Sox). There is too much to like about the Mets to make every one of their decisions in Bronx lights.

Reyes, who might be on his way to 140 runs, 100 RBIs and 100 steals, might be the game's most energetic, dynamic player, and he's three weeks shy of his 24th birthday. Wright is the model player: responsible, respectful, tough and terrific. Yes, he hit six homers from the Home Run Derby last summer until May, but now he has seven homers in three weeks, was walked intentionally thrice Saturday and says it "was a simple matter of getting out of whack trying to pull too much, and now I'm back to going back through the middle."

Having Reyes and Wright -- not to mention Carlos Beltran -- allows for perfect roles for Carlos Delgado, Paul Lo Duca, Shawn Green and Moises Alou. What makes it so much fun is that when he comes back from the minors, Carlos Gomez is the next star. He is 21, Reyes' buddy (they live 10 minutes apart and work out together every day during the winter), and compared by GM Omar Minaya to Andruw Jones, a speed/power defender in center field who might fit in with Reyes and Wright for the next decade.

What the Minaya organization has is high-level players. They opened the season with the youngest player in the Eastern League (OF Fernando Martinez, 18), the youngest pitcher in the Florida State (Deolis Guerra, 18) and the youngest player in the South Atlantic League (Francisco Pena, 17, Tony's son). If they have to trade Lastings Milledge for a pitcher in July, they can do so, and in the meanwhile, Willie Randolph and pitching coach Rick Peterson have redirected the careers of John Maine and Oliver Perez, Jorge Sosa is throwing strikes and they could get Pedro Martinez back; he starts throwing off a mound next week.

Other general managers get what media nihilists don't. Minaya calls others to express his support for Cashman. Last summer, after the Yankees won Game 3 of the five-game sweep in Boston, Cashman told Pat Gillick that he was disgusted by the treatment Theo Epstein was getting in Boston, just as Epstein privately knows Cashman is the power to be feared and that if Cash were to go, it would make the job of running the Red Sox far, far easier. That's because they know the pressures, the layers that line decisions and the ownership pressures that make decisions more than simply Player A versus Player B. Cashman had Vladimir Guerrero and was overruled for Gary Sheffield. Steve Phillips drafted David Wright. Epstein was willing to pay even more for Pavano, but had Craig Shipley and Jon Deeble to convince him on Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima.

The powderfinger approach is going to go get someone, anyone. But the landfill is simply fill that is a lot more difficult to remove than the rubbish of a 19-23 start by a team that doesn't have one everyday player as young as Wright -- or Reyes. Which was precisely Brian Cashman's point.[/quote]

Cashman is a brilliant gm. At this point, even Steinbrenner knows that. The NY Media (specifically the Daily News and the NY Post) call for everyone's head all the time. If Cashman were allowed one year to be mediocre, the team would turn into the Cleveland Indians very quickly. The Yanks are STOCKED in young pitching, including potential impact guys like Hughes, Sanchez, and Ohlendorf, and solid starters like Chase Wright and Tyler Clippard. Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy are less than 2 years off. People are going to call for a big signing after Abreu leaves, but Bronson Sardinha will be ready in two years and Jose Tabata in 3 tops. Melky is a stop gap for them. This team is going in the right direction. The media has to stop encouraging the "sky is falling" mentality and let a year or two of downtime turn into another dynasty.

Excellent work by the Yanks last night.

Wang was solid if not dominating...A-Rod hit his 3rd dinger in as many games....good solid ballgame by the Yanks.

As far as the Sox go...Wakes left 75 mph knucklers that didnt knuckle belt high and paid for it....the Sox bats squander(once again) the chances they had early.

Yanks deserved to win that game.

On to tonight.

May 22, 2007 -- MLB isn’t the only outfit interested in Jason Giambi. According to a person with knowledge of the Angels’ thinking, the AL West leaders have an interest in acquiring the Yankees’ DH to bolster a lineup that is last in the league in home runs.

While MLB continues to look into Giambi’s quotes last week in which he all but admitted steroid use, the Yankees are waiting on MLB’s findings before deciding if they can void the rest of Giambi’s $120 million contract that runs through next season. There is an option for $22 million that won’t be picked up.

MLB and the Yankees, who are on the hook for $41.75 million, were tight-lipped about the issue. So, too, was Giambi, who returned to the lineup as the DH against the Red Sox last night after missing the three Subway Series games against the Mets when a bone spur in his left heel didn’t allow him to play first base. The commissioner’s office and the players’ association have held discussions about setting up a meeting with Giambi to discuss his comments, but nothing was firmed up yesterday.

Giambi homered in his first at-bat, drew walks in the next two plate appearances, scored from first on Robinson Cano’s triple in the fifth and grounded out in the seventh.

“It felt better with the new orthotics,” Giambi said of the heel. “It took a lot of pressure off. It made a difference and allowed me to swing the bat better.”

The Angels’ interest in Giambi, who was in a 1-for-26 slump and batting .268 going into last night’s game, was before the recent controversy surfaced. It’s likely the Angels, who have 30 homers, will wait to see what MLB does before pursuing a deal the Yankees would have to listen to very seriously.

The Angels have utility man Chone Figgins to move as well as backup catcher Jose Molina. And their farm system is loaded with young arms. However, if the Yankees have to eat a sizeable portion of Giambi’s salary to make the trade they would want more back for Giambi. As for Giambi, he has a blanket no-trade clause. However, the Angels play 20 minutes from West Covina, where he grew up, and an equal distance from the Orange County beaches Giambi enjoys.

Figgins, who missed the first month of the season with a broken finger, would give the Yankees much-needed speed. The 29-year-old switch hitter can play third, second and in the outfield. Most important, he would push Robinson Cano for playing time at second if Cano’s struggles across the first seven weeks continue. Figgins has appeared in 18 games, hitting .108 (7-for-65).

That would be an outstanding move for the Yanks if they could somehow finagle both Figgins and Molina.

Certainly a good move in the right direction.

Giambi is a sentimental fan favorite in the bronx because he told the truth unlike the others involved in the steroid scandal. The fans embraced him and it will be a shame to see him leave if this is true. But if you add some "young arms" from the angels farm system into the mix then it is a good future investment but in no means does this help this club for the now.

NFW the Angels will give up many arms for Giambi...he just aint worth it....they MAY, however be willing to move Molina and Figgins, who they would like to move anyway, for some LH power...but it will likely costly to the Yanks....they will have to pick up a lions share of Giambi's 'tract.

The Yanks would be fortunate indeed to get a Molina and Figgins for Giambi...forget the young arms.

And I could quit my constant whining about when are we going to get a real backup catcher, right?

I mean this guy is one of the legendary clan of catching Molinas stretching back to the Middle Ages, true?

Because one of the tabs reports that Jorge is not scheduled to get any time off in the coming week because all the games are too important to be left to whatsisname...

[sound of teeth grinding].

Diane,

True...Molina aint a youngster anymore...but he would be a fantastic backup/tandem to go with Posada. Still has a great arm..is even better defensively than Posada, and has a occasionally lethal bat. It would be, in my opinion, a great move by the Yanks.

Figgins is having a tough time of it so far this season...but that guy is a bonafide spark plug (which the Yanks just dont have right now) who can play about 7 positions...run like the wind...and is a high energy guy.

Be a coup for the yanks to get their paws on those two.

How much of a youngster does any Molina need to be to come in once a week, and be ready to fill in for Jorge in case he gets hurt.

Though the likelihood of injury is a bit less if Jorge isn't playing tired.

Not to mention that his bat will slow down less over the course of the season if we keep him fresh.

Okay. That was my catching rant for the week. I only allow myself one.

You rant rather well Diane....'tis a pleasure to endure.

Thanks, Casual, glad you're here today, wondered how you'd be. We all have much to endure from time to time and in the nature of things for these few days its going to be either you or most folks here.

Yankees fans at their best. Giambi is probably THE most un-tradeable player in all of baseball - huge contract, declining production, the epitome of the one-way DH-type player that is being phased out of the game and potential suspension issues with MLB to boot. And you think you are getting 'young arms' AND Molina and Chone Figgins who is probably their unsung MVP? Right, because the Angels want to help the Yankees so they can beat them in the playoffs, I forgot.

If you could get a bag of dirt for Giambi, Cashman is up for executive of the year. Stop being delusional.

Hmm, actually if you read the papers you'd find in this instance it is the media being, as you call it, delusional. The Angels' interest in such a trade was reported in some detail in one of the City tabs.

Diane - agreed - the delusion often starts with the tabs!

I liked that, Diane: The Clan of the Catching Molinas. We could even call them the Catching Molina Clan. Or the Molina's Catching Clan. Or even The Molina's Clan of Catchers. But no matter what we call them, one thing I know for sure, we've gotta go out and get us one of them there brothers.

Anyway, anyone who wants to fire Cashman forgets that he is a bonafide Jedi and makes absurd deals that make no sense whatsoever for the other team. So watch, I'm sure it happens.

Articles do mention the interest came before he ran his mouth to USA Today.

And in any case, as a likely suitor for ARod this winter why would Anaheim take on Giambi's salary now?

Whatever.

I think it is a trade possibility that has some legs...the Angels offense is anemic at best...a LH power bat is really what they need. Giambi would slip ionto the DH role rather well for them..not to mention it would be "going home" for him.

Both Figgins and Molina are on the block for the Angels...and would be good solid additions to the Yank squad...both provide something the Yanks dont have right now, but are really extra parts in LA.....so to say it is a disalusionment, is well, disalusional.

Especially if the Yanks pick up the lions share of Giambi's contract...which I think they would.

For what it is worth...I am not a Yankee fan...so I say this with no prejudice.

The reason Figgins might be available is because Los Angeles have similar type players in Erick Aybar and Maicer Izturis.Molina will be 32 in 2 weeks.Napoli and Mathis give the Angels better offensive production and are OK defensive catchers.Both are in their mid-twenties.
Like HMMMMM said it's unlikely the Yanks and Angels would make such a deal.
Although it sounds goo

d.

Diane,

In terms of last nights game...no worries. I have no qualms about giving the Yanks props when deserved...even if it is at the expense of the Sox.

What will be, will be.....I intend to enjoy the ride. I love baseball....love to watch it all play out. I think the Sox are the oods on favorites to win the division...even if the Yanks manage a sweep this week. But, you know, if the sox ulitmatley lose the east, and dont make the playoffs....I'll be fine...life goes on, and I'll still love baseball.

Its good to see the spirit has picked back up a bit here. This weekend it was brutal. My only complaint is having to read through that Gammons garbage someone pasted in. How do I get a paying job for being a moron like Gammons? He cant even be consistent article to article.

Gammons was obviously "in his cups" when he wrote that article.....as he often is.

Casual,

Glad to hear it.

Hmm,

You're right, we probably won't hear any new indications of interest in JG unless and until the 'foot-in-mouth' episode plays out.

Was there Bourbon in his cup?

Glad to see the Yanks beat the Sox. The Yanks also beat the Red Sox on Google. http://onlinesaleschannels.wordpress.com/2007/05/21/google-ranks-the-best-baseball-teams/

Scotch, more likely, Nudge

Casual,

Seasons over, Googles says so!

LOL...well, I think I'll stick around...just in case.

Casual, that's such a healthy attitude towards the game. It hurts to lose, but life goes on and we remain fans of our team no matter what. That's the sign of a truly intelligent and dedicated fan. Trying times may make us angry and we may threaten to give up for the moment (or the day), but when all is said and done, we know there's always tomorrow and the next game, and there's always next year (which comes rather quickly, I must say). Learning to appreciate the artistry behind each pitch, each hit, and each defensive play can be very rewarding. Learning to appreciate the talents of other teams, thereby enjoying good baseball in general, is truly a blessing (and I'm working on that one).

You see, now this is what baseball is about. Struggling team, gets a look at a few young guys, some hope is created, you get excited about their next start. Rather than focusing endlessly about what year you made a turn around from how many games and wishing for the other guys to collapse or get injuried or whatever. Just enjoying watching your guys develope into something and letting the season take care of itself.

By they way none of that attitude about baseball is even hinted at in the Gammons tripe.

Yankees #1
Sox #9
Mets #90

Following up on last weeks popular, Google’s first page results for “the best baseball teams” (no quotation marks in actual search), I am following up with every MLB team and their current Google search results. I would recommend an extensive SEO campaign for a number of clubs.

* #1 Yankees
* #4 Chicago Cubs
* #5 Detroit Tigers
* è#8 first HS team mentioned, Rio Rancho High School
* #9 Boston Red Sox
* #11 Los Angeles Dodgers
* #13 Oakland Athletics
* #14 St. Louis Cardinals
* #17 Baltimore Orioles
* è#20 first national team, Greek Olympic Team
* #28 Atlanta Braves
* #29 Cleveland Indians
* #31 Houston Astros
* è#32 first minor league team, the Gateway Grizzlies
* #32 Tampa Bay Devil Rays
* #39 Texas Rangers
* è#43 First Negro team, the Homestead Grays
* #44 Philadelphia Phillies
* #50 Colorado Rockies
* è#60 first college team, Oklahoma Sooners
* #90 New York Mets
* #131 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
* #199 Chicago White Sox
* #242 Cincinnati Reds
* #253 San Diego Padres
* #276 Milwaukee Brewers
* è# 341 Iranian Baseball team
* #615 Minnesota Twins
* è# 713 order to show you the most relevant results, we have omitted some entries very similar to the 703 already displayed.
If you like, you can repeat the search with the omitted results included.
* #725 Pittsburgh Pirates
* #731 Florida Marlins
* #761 Arizona Diamondbacks
* #981 Washington Nationals

San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, Kansas City Royals, and the
Seattle Mariners: Not found

So I guess the league now takes 10 wins away from the Mets adds 10 wins to the Yankees? It think that about makes them even.

That Google list actually reflects the most "popular" searches, not a "best" team analysis.

Wow, Blue Jays, Mariners & Giants not found. What does that say about Barry Bonds?

Nudge is right...to me, Tyler Clippard may of been the guy that "nudged" the Yanks into that direction...a young man (very young...looked to be 15) who was making his ML debut for they Yankees against the cross town rivals....it just doesnt get much bigger than that. Think about what must of been going through that young mans head. He performed marvelously. It was really a joy to watch it transpire. THAT, my friends is what baseball is truly all about.

I may of mentioned this before...but I'll say it again...three of the best years of my life was when I coached my son's little league team...watching those 10-12 year old boys play ball...experience the joys and heartbreaks of the most fantactic game known to man...is something I will always cherish. We should never lose sight of that in the middle of this "war" we put ourselves through each season.

Last I checked there were only 30 teams in MLB! Maybe Goggle has access to Gammons' cup!

LMAO....Rio Rancho High School is rated higher than the Boston Red Sox.

too funny.

Nudge,

Columnists can't worry about consistency. They have to take a Cano/Soriano attitude to errors and a baseball attitude to success. If they're right 30% of the time they're one of the best at their game, and when they're wrong they smirk and prance around in the public eye anyhow.

As a reader looking for support for your own position, though, just wait around a second. He'll be touting it soon. Not that that will make it any more correct, but it might feel good to have it out there where everyone can see it and some people can even agree.

Good point Lucy, says volumes about the interest in Bonds HR pursuit.

Wasnt Rio Rancho the High School in that cheerleader movie "Bring It On"?

Diane,
Yes thats a truth. The weather vane approach. I am reminded of a line from the movie "The Point"....a point in every direction is like no point at all.

Well folks...

Good conversation today...I see some bonding going on in here...which is a good thing.

Unfortunately my wife has "other ideas" for me...and it aint what you'd think...I have been directed to "Go mow the lawn" with her hand on her hip and her other finger pointing to the lawn.

I know when to follow orders.

Be back later.

Casual,

Sorry bout that, I on the other hand am fortunate in that I am leaving to take the Nudge Jr out on the boat. Junior is 2 inches taller than senior though!

Well, I'll bet there are a ton of searches for Barry Bonds himself, but his HR quest isn't helping his team's popularity. It's all about him, not the Giants. Teams win World Series, not individual HR contenders.

I could see Giambi being moved, but I have a feeling it would be some type of 3 way deal where the Yanks could get Figgins, Molina and Helton from Colorado. Yanks could then dismiss Doug M. Figgins could be the super-utility guy they desperately desire. Bench would then look like this

1) Cabrera OF
2)Phelps 1b/Emergency Catcher
3)Molina C
4)Bring Back Bernie
5)Figgins-Just about every position

The Rio Rancho High School search might be more movie-related than baseball-related.

Casual, at least you get some sunshine and exercise mowing the lawn. That's a good thing.

Figgins could definitely experience rejuvenation with us and help us tremendously, but I hope his health is not a concern. We seem to be taking on too many physical misfits and liabilities in recent years. Let's get some healthy players for a change.

Lucy, since most teams are loathe to give up players that are healthy, good, and young, it's mostly the ailing, questionable or aging that are out there to be had. Unless you're willing to get tied up in a huge long contract, which we already know costs much more than money in the long run.

Not the world it used to be when some of the smaller market teams served as virtual farm clubs for the elite.

YANKSFANMC

Let's look at what you just said.
1) Giambi has upwards of 40 million still owed to him and he's under investigation.
2)Where would he play on the Angels? DH
Where would Garret Anderson play w/ Willits playing great ball in LF and Juan Rivera due back later in the year?
3) Helton has said repeatedly he wants to stay in Colorado.Besides he's another lefty bat ,33 yrs old ,injury prone the last 2 years.I would welcome him w/ open arms.But.
4) Bernie is going to pick up a bat in mid-season and hit .280 is far fetched don't you think? Plus he's 38 .
5) Figgins is an everyday player the Yanks go with a set lineup.What position is available to him ? LF?
Matsui becomes the DH ?It's possible.
6)If Molina is available the Angels could use bullpen help.So a 1 for 1 swap is possible.

Nowadays if you want access to a healthy, talented, young player you raise him from a pup.

Global Warming is a bunch of B.S

good points ruse -

i cant see many of the current yanks being moved because of contracts, as Nudge has mentioned previously. Yanks need to work out kinks with guys they have, develop the young pitchers and look at trades / FA pick ups that add depth to bench.

I would jump on the trade to unload Giambi in a heartbeat. We started losing when this guy came. There is probably much more to this then the Post is writing. I am sure it will not be as easy as 1,2,3 to trade him. We would probably have to eat a large part of the contract and so on. If we do happen to get Figgins I would put him in left,Matsui to DH, and Melky share time with Damon in center. Figgins is the kind of guy this team needs. He is a pest on the bases and gives this team speed. He plays all around and to our knowledge is not cheating and blaming it on Major League Baseball. It is time Guambino packs his bags and leaves. I have been saying it all along on this board for awhile and maybe my wish is coming true. Trade this loser ASAP!

get young pitching for Jason !

Remember, Giambi has a "no trade" clause, so he has to OK any deal. Figgins would play CF, Damon goes to LF, and Matsui=DH. We played a pretty sloppy game last night. Matsui turned a "line out" into a double, Jeter had an error and dropped Abreu's perfect throw on the Ortiz double, Wang staggered thru the entire game, and Proctor looked like he was "running on fumes". I did get the scence that the R\Sox were not real comfortable facing Farns. We are headed in the right direction, but have a long way to go.

Yes! Young pitching for a fat, out of shape, steroid-admitted, defensively-non-existent, overpaid scrub. Where do I sign?!

After all we're all here to keep bailing the Yankees out of their own stupidity!

AJ

If the Angels have the opportunity to trade for Todd Helton or Giambi who do you think they would want ?
Giambi' contract is a killer unless the Yanks agree to eat at least half.
I just don't think he would be a good fit on the Angels.
Plus he's always got some nagging injury to deal with.
Knees,wrists,pituitary glands,feet.Head.

The crowing about the Google ratings is probably the dumbest thing I've ever herd. The Yankees are popular? Wow, what a news flash!

The Yankees are 100 years old and play in the city that has served as the entry point of over 50% of the US population. I wonder how they got to be so popular?

ROY

Figgins is a defensive liability.He often has to outrun his mistakes to catch up w/ fly balls.

I'm all about putting fannies in the seats. I'd take A-Rod too.

Roy: I agree with your summation of the game last night. The Yankees did enough to win, period. As far as Wang, he went to the slider and other off-speed pitches which had the Red Sox's off in their timing.

We played better but the defense is still shaky. Posada or the powers to be have been calling better games with the pitch selection.

Jeter's got hit by again

Proctor hits Cora to load the bases. Thats not what Proctor wanted to do. The very next inning, "oops" Jeter gets hit. That was no accident. To tell me that he gets hit the bottom of that very same inning was not on purpose is ludicrous. I wanted Farnsworth to drill one of them, but the win was more important tonight. I hope that goes in the vault though for the rest of this series. Unfortunately we have Mussina who is soft when it comes to throwing at guys. I wouldn't put it past Tavarez to throw at one of our guys and the same goes for Schilling.

It always happens to Jeter. Will anyone in the media ask Jeter how he feels about getting hit all the time vs. the Red Sox? Will someone tell Joe that his best players constantly get hit by the Red Sox? ESPN would never dare point this out either! Its long overdue.

I promise that if Ortiz or Manny gets drilled they will have a fit. They hit us 90 times and we hit them once I promise they'll be irate. Somehow we're supposed to be the evil team, lol! Its ridiculous.

My theory on why they hit Jeter is because they know he won't flip out and they continue to hit him because they want him to lose it and show anger. Jeter is always on his toes when it comes to this stuff. I wonder if he'll ever get thrown out of a game. The umpire who throws him out if it ever happens will catch a lot of grief. Umpires know this and allow Jeter to express his opinion knowing he won't show them up.

Second I think Redsox hits Jeter's because He leans over the plate or They think Jeter's some kind of scrub bench player off the bench.

I wish once just once Jeter would call out the Red Sox and say something like, "I don't know why they're hitting me, but I guess my success against them warrants it in their eyes." O how his words would sting! He's not a controversial guy. His words carry meaning.

Jeter is a lot more agile than David Ortiz. Ortiz leans over the plate and he doesn't get hit nearly as much. How can Jeter be getting hit so much more "not on purpose?"

Where theres smoke theres fire.

Here's a few stats on Jeter being hit:

Boston 784 PA, 15 HBP = 52 PA/HBP
Baltimore 790 PA, 12 HBP = 66 PA/HBP
Toronto 701 PA, 11 HBP = 64 PA/HBP
Tampa Bay 655 PA, 14 HBP = 47 PA/HBP

Anaheim 489 PA, 12 HBP = 40 PA/HBP
Seattle 515 PA, 7 HBP = 74 PA/HBP
Oakland 492 PA, 5 HBP = 98 PA/HBP
Texas 506 PA, 6 HBP = 84 PA/HBP

Chicago (AL) 418 PA, 3 HBP = 139 PA/HBP
Cleveland 416 PA, 6 HBP = 69 PA/HBP
Detroit 452 PA, 6 HBP = 75 PA/HBP
Kansas City 415 PA, 4 HBP = 104 PA/HBP
Minnesota 384 PA, 3 HBP = 128 PA/HBP

Interleague 796 PA, 15 HBP = 53 PA/HBP

Camden Yards and the Trop are the two road fields where Jeter has been hit the most. Although Boston is clearly in the upper half of hitting Jeter, they're not necessarily all that out of line with the rest of the AL East or NL. Considering the plate appearances against Boston are usually quite a bit more important, there are a lot of times where pitchers try to add that little bit of extra to their pitches. (I can't explain Tampa, except maybe that their kids are wild or they also try to add something extra when they see #2 in the box). Derek must love the AL Central trips, he can get a chance to nurse his wounds from the AL East.

Ruse-

Isn't Helton injury prone as well? Giambi's hometown is West Covina which is close to home for him to play. We just threw millions at Clemens I am sure we can throw millions to eat his contract. I hope the Angels are stupid enough to make this trade.

AJ

If the Angels are stupid enough then they deserve Giambi.He still would have to waive his no trade clause.Also MLB is still deciding what course of action to take regarding Giambi' recent statements.
Have you ever been to West Covina ?

Ruse, AJ,

Teams do not have to be stupid to need or want players that we don't need or want, just as NYY doesn't have to be stupid to need or want players that are surplus to some other team's requirements.

That's why there's horse trading.

Who Knew? In 21 games started by rookies, the Yankees are 10-11, about the best they could hope for. They have mostly failed to take advantage of the efforts by their top three starters, Chien-Ming Wang, Mike Mussina and Andy Pettitte. When those three have pitched, the Yankees were only 7-12 coming into last night’s game.

If the Angels wanted to go out and find a top notch hitter they wouldn't waste their time with a 36 yr old past his prime baggage laden injury prone DH.Angels have prospects and current roster players to procure anyone on any team that is currently available.Why settle for Giambi?

Ruse-

Yes I have been to West Covina. Secondly by the time MLB investigates this thing Giambi's contract would be up. It is better to trade him now and just count for our losses in money. I would rather not wait till 2009 for them to decide if he was on roids while playing for us.

Diane-
I agree. But you have to admit this would be a better trade for us any way you spin it.

AJ

You're right if such a deal is made the Yanks come out way ahead.
Angels are in town this weekend.The plot thickens?

On the lighter side. Did anyone notice last night th