On the Yankees beat

jon heyman of si.com reports that santana sweepstakes is finalyl narrowed down to mets and bo sox. he stated that yanks have not included p. hughes in any talks/ trades, therefore essentially eliminating them from getting santana.

i certainly hate to pass up on santana, but at the same time commend hank et. al for sticking to thier guns and not parting ways with young guys. only time will tell if this pays off. and if it does, it sets a nice message to all players within the organization that a new philosophy is being maintained and also sends a nice message about the yanks to the rest of the league - we are going to win with what we got!

Miguel, I'm 110% with you about keeping the young guns and agree with the points you made about the message it sends.

Let's just hope that if, in fact, the Yanks don't do the deal for Johan, that he goes to the Mets (at least not to Boston!)

I almost feel sorry for Phil Hughes. This kid has a lot of weight on his shoulders. Not only does he bear the burden of the being the guy the Yanks wouldn't trade for the best pitcher in the game, he pretty much has his GM's job security in his hands.

I hope this kid is the real deal!

Kat: Get some good rest, have some fun and we look forward to hearing from you when you get to Tampa.

It seems that the Twins are taking "final" offers for Johan ... they want to unload him before spring training. Not sure why the Yanks don't put an offer of Ian Kennedy, the choice of either Alan Horne or Jeff Marquez (Twins choice), Melky + Eric Duncan. That seems alot stronger than either the Mets package or the BoSox. Don't know why we don't toss that out there ... we can manage w/ Damon in CF for one year or go get Cory Patterson or even give Bret Gardner a shot out there. Can you imagine this rotation: Santana - Pettite - Wang - Hughes - Moose/Joba ... this gives us some needed protection and depth (otherwise all 3 rooks will be on innings counts) and sets us up for 2009 and beyond w/ 4 guys under the age of 30.

Throw it out there Hanky ... you never know!!!!

If I wasn't such a true Yankee fan, I'd almost root for the Sox to get Santana just to show you prospect lovers exactly what the ramifications are for your foolishness!

Quick question
Does Bobby Murcer have a plaque in monument park?
I know his number isn't retired.
But they have some players whose numbers aren't retired out there like Lefty Gomez and Catfish Hunter.

With all he's meant to the organization I can't imagine they don't have a plaque for him.

Murcer is kind of like Mattingly...
Beloved, terrific player in a down time for the team and had jaw droppingly bad luck in terms of the post season.

Murcer arrived in the late 1960s missing the Mantle/Maris years... was traded away before the Bronx Zoo championships, arrived back in time to lose the 1981 World Series and retire ringless.

Mattingly arrived in 1982 and left in 1995... perfecting bookending the 1981 and 1996 World Series.

Both were classy stars and beloved and deserved better luck.
And walking arguments against the number of rings equating the level of winner a player is.

Was Chuck Knoblauch or Jim Leyritz or David Wells a bigger winner than those two?

Either way, if Murcer doesn't have a plaque, they should put one in in the new park

I've been quiet for a while, but I do have two things to say:

1. Jim A. - Hughes will handle the pressure with pose and confidence and he'll come through with mixed results this season, but very solid numbers for a 3/4 pitcher. He'll show flashes of brilliance, but also have some rough outings. At 21/22 years old, I'm more than content with that outcome. He and Joba are so dedicated and hard working that they're already in Tampa working with Eiland. It's going to be a good year to be a fan of the Yankees and an even better year to be HYD!

2. Rick and those that speak like his 15:39 post: Your comments make me think that you view managing a baseball team (business) like you would a video game. Trade prospects/draft picks for known quantities, pay them all you want, and take chances that no one gets hurt or underperforms. This is A LOT of money we're talking about. I know Jim A. and I have had this debate. I don't think prices will come down and they shouldn't as long as people keep buying tickets for OVER face value on ebay. Why should the Yankee owners lower ticket prices so that season ticket holders and others fortunate enough to get tickets to games can profit on the secondary market? Do you think instead that the prices of games should vary in price (i.e. games against the Red Sox would cost more than games against the Royals)? I don't. I think the current system works. I think a lower payroll makes sense too or at least a smarter payroll. I think that there's something special about watching homegrown talent succeed. I think that winning with a lower payroll really shows something. You want to win and to have the competition have no excuses. You don't want to win because the other team was injured or couldn't afford to play in the same league as you. That doesn't cut it for me. On that, do I want the Yankees to win every year? Sure do. Do I want the Yankees to go 162 - 0 to get there? Nope. That would bore me. For that matter, so would 150 - 12 and 140 - 22. Maybe if it happened once, it would be magical, but if the Yanks were to post consecutive years of utter dominance with a $200+ million payroll, I wouldn't be happy.

And I'm sure you all know that I'd not be happy with any scenario that saw Hughes wearing anything but pinstripes.

Since this is my third try, I'll add something else:

For those minor league fans, April 1 is a must see. Trenton Thunder vs. SWB in Trenton. Get to see a bunch of Yankee prospects in action all at once!

Welcome to Coffee Talk. I'm the guest host Linda Richman. My friend, the regular host Paul Baldwin asked me to fill in this week. Long story short, he's going to recover nicely. Now, I don't offer him coffee. It gives me shpilkes in my genecktecessoink. And it aggravates my hiatus hernia. I'm a little verklempt myself over Santana. Give me a second. Talk amongst yourselves.

That one was for you Kat...lol

=====

Miguel...I just heard the same thing on Mike and the Maddog..NICE!!!

Yanks..yup

Jim A..yes, tons of pressure. If he comes out of this one with his head high and the numbers to back it up, it will be the start of a new Yankee Legend.

Bri...Im curious as well why another offer without Phil isnt on the table. Maybe the Twins said any offer needs to include Hughes? We may never know.

Rick...loving the prospects or not, I dont think we had any factor in these deals. If Johan goes to the Sox, wins 4 CY Youngs, 3 WS while Phil is the next Brandon Claussen...are you going to blame us? WOW, I would love to think we had any say in this. If thats the case then if Johan goes to the Sox, blows out his elbow, while Phil wins a CY young two years from now...do we get all the credit??? AWESOME!!!!! If the Sox get Santana, good for them and good for Johan for getting a 6 year 150M deal. Im gonna let you in on a little secret Rick...PSST over here...

Johan at Fenway Park
1-3...15IP...21 hits...6.89 ERA...1.85 WHIP...328 BAA

Thats not just the Sox hitters since LHP’s seem to always dominate their lineup, most lefties have a hard time in Fenway. Especially one like Johan that got tons of fly ball outs to left field in the Metrodome. I can hear the Green Monster ringing now..PING...PING..PING!!

Also, just like the Yanks over the past 7 years that grabbed every #1 FA on the market and were predicted to win the WS by vegas and sportswriters each of those years, nothing is guaranteed.

BRING IT ON!!!!!!

Sully...Mercer is not in monument park, I think he will eventually. I love the story of him tracking down balls in the old monument park when it was ON THE F'IN FIELD!! Running through the monuements looking for the ball, then have to get it 450 feet back to home...any old timers have input on these stories???

HYD - How you been brother! Long time. Ive been trying to work out getting down to Trenton that day, sucks its a Tuesday.

Welcome back HYD and Rick...you guys have been MIA for quite a while.

HYD: I am certain Hughes will handle the pressure of being a starter very well, but having the burden of the GM's unflinching faith could be tough, especially when fickle fans will remind him every time he has a bad outing that the GM kept him over Santana. You know Hank will be heard as well. I am okay w/ not trading Hughes for Santana but I'd like to see the Yanks make some kind of offer for him, just to stay in it. Why hand him to Boston or the Mets? Obviously the Mets will be the preferred destination if he has to be dealt.

Regarding payroll, let me ask you this: Let's say all three kids are lights out fantastic, and next year AJax comes up and he's awesome, the year after that comes Tabata, Brackman, Sanchez etc. and they are terrific. Now it comes time to pay these guys....are you okay with letting some of them go in the interests of keeping the payroll down? You know I don't care about the payroll because I don't care what they spend in dollars, it's the years that matter to me so I would say keep the stars and pay them, much like the Yanks did w/ Jeter but if you state that they shouldn't get this player or that player because it will raise the payroll too high, what will you do if the FA's happen to be home grown?

As for Payroll, I love Joel Sherman's take on it =

The annual "woe is baseball" reaction arrived last week with news of the Yankees' 2007 official payroll again being well over $200 million ($218.3) and again well ahead of the next-highest team, the Red Sox ($155.4 million). I hardly want to be a Yankees apologist, but it is much easier for me to justify the Yankees payroll then the projected 2008 Marlins payroll. The Yankees payroll is about half of their reported revenue.

That payroll has helped create a roster that has done what used to be thought of as impossible, drawing four million annually to The Bronx, while also is helping to launch a network. That payroll has created tremendous wealth around the sport in luxury tax dollars, and also via attendance drawn in visiting stadiums. Meanwhile, the Marlins' highest-paid player in 2008 will be Kevin Gregg at $2.5 million and their total payroll is unlikely to exceed $20 million. That total is less than one-third of what the Marlins receive in revenue sharing/luxury tax (about $35 million) and from the central fund (around another $35 million), which covers, among other items, national TV and radio, the Internet and merchandising.

So before the Marlins sell a ticket, they get $70 million from the Commissioner's office.

Again, what is more offensive to your senses: a team spending the money it takes in or a team not spending the money it takes in?

YEEEEESSSSSS!!!!

Twins agree to deal Santana to Mets for prospects
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Enlarge By Eric Miller, AP

The New York Mets have a reached a deal to acquire two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana from the Minnesota Twins.

Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY
The New York Mets have agreed to a trade for two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana, giving up four prospects to acquire the left-handed ace of the Minnesota Twins, according to two high-ranking Twins officials with knowledge of the talks and a person close to Santana.
The deal is pending the Mets and Santana reaching agreement on a six- or seven-year contract extension and that Santana passes a physical; they have been granted a 48 to-72-hour window to do so. Santana has a no-trade clause that he will waive if agreement is reached on a contract extension.

The Mets paid a high price in prospects to land Santana, agreeing to send the Twins outfielder Carlos Gomez and pitchers Phil Humber, Deolis Guerra and Kevin Mulvey.

The deal would give the Mets the much-needed ace at the front of their rotation. Santana won the American League Cy Young Award in 2004 and 2006 and is 93-44 lifetime. He went 15-13 with a 3.33 ERA for the Twins last season. Santana has struck out at least 235 batters each of the past four seasons.

While the deal drains much of the talent out of the Mets' farm system, they did manage to hold on to top prospect Fernando Martinez, an outfielder. Instead, they headed the package with Gomez, who turned 22 in December and spent 58 games with the Mets last year.

I've been a Yankee fan since about 1972 and while I like Bobby Murcer, I don't consider him anywhere near Don Mattingly as a player or as a Yankee icon. He was good, no doubt about that, but he wasn't Donnie. It's tough to explain.

Have any of you thought about what might have happened if Donnie became the Yankees manager and all this stuff with his wife went down? Can you imagine him resigning before he ever got started? That could have been a disaster especially since Girardi would have probably been somewhere else.

Second try.....

Thanks DRU, I said the same thing, YEEEEEESSSSSS!!

WOW....well the Santana drama may finally be over. The Mets got a great deal, they gave up prospects who didn't excite anyone. They could've had Hughes, Ellsbury, Lester etc. Their GM should be cleaning out his office right about now.

If George were still.....well, George, he'd be pissed that the Mets just got the best pitcher in the game.

I feel like the munchkins on the wizard of OZ when the wicked witch was crushed by the house...

I can see Minaya in Ruby Red Slippers..

DING DONG THE SANTANA WITCH IS DEAD!!!!

Horse$hit deal...

If they didn't have to give up Martinez than Bill Smith is an A$$hole.

Omar gave him basically a base stealer and 3 3rd and 4th tier pitching prospects.

Yeah they may storm the GM's house with torches and pitch forks after this one. The Mets got a GREAT deal, now its time for them to Pony up the money!!!

Santana just jumped up my fantasy list BIG TIME.

Dru

HAH

No$HIT!!

Santana in the NL is gonna be a fantasy MONSTER!!

Man, I wish I knew a Twins fan right now so I could call and see how he/she is feeling about this trade. I think I know how I'd feel if I were them.
I guess this is why I don't know any Twins fans...hahaha.

I also find it funny that ESPN has not reported the story yet, considering all the money they have and they got scooped by USA Today!

Jim,

I know there are going to be some Yankee fans (Rick) who are going to be irate that the Yankees didn't get Johan. But looking at what the Mets gave up (presuming they sign Santana) I think we can draw one conclusion: The Twins want Santana out of the American League. Of the three trades on the table this December, the Mets were offering the weakest package and still got the deal done. Congrats to them, Phil and Melky can take some deep breaths, and let the games begin.

Chip,
I agree, this was the closest to the best case scenario for the Yanks. They don't give up Hughes/Melk and the Sox don't get Santana either.
Sure, I hope Santana just says "no thanks" to the Mets and goes back to Minnesota for the season and becomes a FA, but this is good enough.

It is very clear that the Twins didn't want to see Santana a few times per season so trading him to the NL was the smartest thing they did in this whole debacle, but their fans cannot be happy with the players they got in return.

Think the Twins regret not taking Hughes, Melk, Marquez + 1?

Gomez never had an OPS over 777, strikes out about 100 times in 500 AB's, has 18 HRs in 1291 AB's...batted .232 for the Mets in 07. This is the guy that's gonna start for the Twins in CF? Melk would have started for them right out of the gate. I bet they send Gomez to the minors.

Humber....4.11 ERA in the minors, only registered one season at AAA ( 4.27 ERA ) and got rocked in his only MLB start for the Mets last year. Could have had Hughes.

Deolis Guerra - 18 year old at A+, nothing that stands out.

Kevin Mulvey is a decent prospect it seems, low ERA, low WHIP, good BB/9 rate, weak K rate though. Still he just registered 6 IP at AAA this season so he wont be ready.

The Twins got 0 MLB ready players when they could have had Hughes, Melk, Lester or Ellsbury. Forget the AL, clearly the Twins did not want to trade Santana to the Yanks or Sox. The Sox because Minn has been @ss raped by Boston with Papi and KG. The Yanks because...well...everyone hates us.

Im so relieved guys...I feel like I won the lottery today. We never have to talk about the Santana trade EVER AGAIN!!!!!!

hey, I'm happy it's not the Sox or Angels but truthfully, if you're the Twins, what deal looks better to you?

outfielder Carlos Gomez and pitchers Phil Humber, Deolis Guerra and Kevin Mulvey.

or

outfielder Melky Cabrera and pitchers Ian Kennedy and Alan Horne (or Jeff Marquez) and infielder Eric Duncan.

Oh well ... onward and upward w/ the Kiddie Corp.!!

Hey now that Santana is out...what about a deal for Nathan?

Jim: My thoughts on payroll regarding your scenario:

1. If ALL of those guys developed, I'd truly be amazed and in awe, but I suppose it could happen;
2. Assuming that 1 does happen, they won't all be up for big contracts at the same time, so some will be on rookie contracts and others will be on Cano type contracts and then the earliest to arrive will possibly be on Jeter type contracts. For the various types, we'll call them rookie = 0.5 million, Cano = $9 million (average), and Jeter = $18 million (which very few players make btw);
3. Let's make-up a proposed future crew. Let's use the final year of Cano's contract, 2013 at $15 million. This is under the assumption we don't sign FAs, we just use internal candidates (so, no Tex at first, Sabathia as an SP, or Nathan in the pen, though I would potentially support all of those moves). I will use some assumptions and go on the higher end of things as a general rule. In 2013, some of the guys I have at $9 million will probably not be that high.

C - Romine $7 million
1b - Miranda $9 million
2b - Cano $15 million
SS - Jeter $18 million
3b - AROD $27.5 million
RF - Melky $6 million
CF - AJAX $9 million
LF - Tabata $9 million
DH - Montero $9 million

Position Players Total Cost: $109.5 million

SP1 - Hughes $12 million
SP2 - Joba $12 million
SP3 - Kennedy $8 million
SP4 - Horne $7 million
SP5 - Betances $0.5 million

If we're taking a best case, then all of these guys develop and Wang is gone.

Starting Rotation Total Cost: $39.5 million

I'm not naming the RPs, just counting them and putting dollars assuming they are all homegrown talents.
RP1 $0.5 million
RP2 $0.5 million
RP3 $0.5 million
RP4 $3.0 million
RP5 $3.0 million
RP6 $6 million
Closer - $8 million

Bullpen Total Cost: $21.5 million

Bench:
Catcher - $2 million
OF - $3 million
Utility - $3 million
PH - $4 million

Bench Total Cost: $12 million

Recap:
Position: $109.5 million
SP: $39.5 million
Bullpen: $21.5 million
Bench: $12 million

Total: $182.5 million

So, assuming I underestimated in some areas (I think I balance that out by overestimating in others), there is still a $17.5 million cushion before we get to $200 million. Throw in the fact that everyone else's payroll will increase (inflation, etc) over the next 5 years and I don't think that payroll will be an issue the way I see things.

Dru

HAH

NATHAN?

If they took garbage for Santana maybe we can put together an Igawa/Britton package for him?

HYD...wanna do my taxes this year?? lol Good analysis.

Mike...NOW WE'RE TALKING!!!!!

FYI - I took a peak at the message board for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The trade is getting mixed reviews. Seems like some of the fans expected to get nothing for Johan. They're just glad they didnt have to pay him 13M this year, while ending up with just 2 draft picks next season. Others though are hitting the suicide lines. Poor bastards, I just left them alone.

DRU: It's nice to be back, but still wish this posting thing was together. You mentioned at some point you work for Bear. We should meet up for lunch or a drink sometime when I'm in the city to talk baseball, I work for KPMG only a few blocks away, though I'm rarely in the office. wag279@gmail.com Let me know if you're going to the game in April

I chose today because I knew Hughes was out of harms way. I had a source who texted me a message early in the day reading, "Santana to Mets...done deal". So, I decided to come to the blog BEFORE the news came out.

Funny you ask about taxes, I have my Masters in Tax and used to work in tax. I switched into an accounting advisory role. I don't think KPMG would let me, especially since you work for a client.

MEts get Santana for a nothing. Brilliant moves by Omar. Where is Cashman? They gave up nothing. We could of gotten him for Ian Kennedy and a rosin bag!

I was just bustin chops with the Tax thing.

Im back and forth as well between Madison Ave and our Jersey office in Whippany. We should absolutely meet up next time we're both in the city. I see you guys are on Park Ave, before we built our new HQ we were at 245 Park, at the corner of 45th. Now we're a block over on Madison. Plenty of places to have a drink and shoot the sh!t.

Either way, Ill let you know about April 1st ( the Yanks better not be pulling an April Fools day joke with this game )

; )

The Twins unloading Johan is a salary dump in the face of a coming global economic Tsunami.

I like that he's on the Mets because I have always rooted for them and it does not upset the Red Sox vs Yanks balance by him going to the Sox.

As an aside, Cindy Adams wrote in the NY Post today that Jim Leyritz is busy selling his autograph these days.

After killing that poor woman in a DWI, and leaving her kids without a mom, would you be insular and reflective and despondant, or selling your autograph?

Three Questions:

Who would sign autographs weeks after a murder?

(Besides OJ)

Who would buy autographs from Leyritz now?

What does this say about the Yankee organization?

Ant,
Jim Leyritz is not part of the Yankees organization so it says nothing about them.

Would companies you formerly worked for be held liable for things you are doing now?

Wow, Santana to the Mets. Every time I go away, something big happens, it seems like. I know most of you are happy to still have Hughes, Cabrera and Co.

Kat, we've discussed this for so long on this blog we have no idea how to feel at this point. I guess it's the best case scenario for the Yanks.
What surprised me is that it appears as if the Twins gave Santana away and didn't even get Mike Pelfrey or Fernando Martinez.

DRU & Michael PTRS are funny but Ant takes the cake. I couldn't help but laugh aloud bringing people in from other rooms.

2nd try

My 3rd Try, Happy to keep the young guys and if the team is faltering in the beginning. I 'm willing to wait for the good times which I believe will be 2009 at the latest.

Realistically the team is not bad on paper or in the field.

Jim: Any thoughts on my salary proposal?

Jim A.,

Fortunately I am okay now, and not like, murdering anyone with a DWI.

I quote from the NY Post, January 29th, 2008, National NY Post edition, page 12 of Cindy Adams "Sports Memorabilia raises questions."

Article states ...

"I was told Jim Leyritz, whose alleged druken driving [twice the allowed BAC] caused a woman's death [leaving behind two children] was to give autographs at a 'Yankee Pride' show featuring the 1998 World Series champs."

YANKEE PRIDE SHOW?

Jim A, my friend, you know I like you and your son, mailed you the Field of Dreams stuff bla bla bla.

Should a man who murdered a woman, while drunk, sign autographs at a TEAM function? Official YANKEE TEAM FUNCTION so soon after this horrible nightmare has unfolded?

Consider the rest of the darkness hovering over this team this offseason ...

Again, only two teams would dare to do business with the Peking people in spite of their horrible human rights abuses. The Yanks are one. Theo's boys are the other. (Big surprise. So much for Holocaust denial: Tibet, forced sterilization, slave labor, bla bla bla)

Do YOU AGREE Jim, my friend, that the Yanks should have an official team function and have Leyritz there signing autographs a month after his murder of this poor woman?

I spoke with the police here in Florida. They ALL say he is going to jail and will lose millions.

Why isn't he in mourning? Why be out there singing autographs with the team?

Doesn't he have a soul?

Doesn't the team have a soul?

Don't the fans have a soul?

Yes, he should be forgiven. But it's too soon right now to carry on as normal.

Yes?

No?

I know how to fix the world ...

Joba in the Pen

Ron Paul as President

George Bush Jr. as President of Iraq

Hillary Grand Marshall in the PRC Politburo

Colby Rasmus in CF

Igawa back to Japan

Giambi, Mussina and Damon to San Diego

Why not?

I, for one, am elated that Santana is in the NL. Neither the Sox or the Yanks gave away the farm for him.....as far as I'm concerned, everyone except possibly the Twinks won with this deal.

Now that Johan is out of the picture...so to speak, we can debate who has the "upper hand" in the AL east. It should be a pretty good debate...because both the Sox and Yanks are going to be reliant on the very same kids they were (almost) willing to trade for Santana.

Ant and Omar have the last word!

Just shut up, Ant.

Nobody cares what you think about world events or morality.

I do have to agree with Ant that having that killer Leyritz signing autographs so soon after murdering that woman is pretty bad.

Yes Thank you Sully,

You maybe should shut up Viper.

See, Sully agrees.

It was a YANKEE PRIDE team event.

If I was so so so drunk (Viper I know you said you don't drink, you stopped after you graduated from Per-don't) ... and I ran over and killed let's say God forbid, Sully, and left his beautiful twins without a father, I don't think I would EVER recover.

I would be totally despondent and sad, hysterical really.

I wouldn't be out signing autographs a few weeks later.

Where is Leyritz's sense of shame and decency?

He's an animal. He's up there with the people who killed Abeer Hamza and Channon Christian and even Michael Vick, at least in my book.

This wasn't just an accident.

2X the legal BAC content. 3 am. He couldn't call a taxi? Couldn't drive slow?

No he was racing around town, s __ __ t faced drunk and murdered a woman in cold blook with his insane recklessness, running around drunk like he ran the bases after the WS HR vs Atlanta.

He's going to prison.

He's going to lose most of his money.

Considering the never ending series of Yankee darkness this off season, there is NO WAY he should be, this soon, signing autographs, at a YANKEE PRIDE T E A M event.

This is up there with C-Rod's F word tank top in front of 50,000 fans and small children near by and Cashman doing nothing.

He should be FIRED immediately for yet again embarrassing the team. Instead of running to the Super Bowl Cashman should have stopped Leyritz from being invited to that team event.

Abu Ghraib ruined America's status to all normal people.

It doesn't take that much to ruin a great thing.

The Yankees are being ruined by a total lack of character.

McNamee and his date R __ __ E drugging of that poor woman come to mind.

What's wrong with people?

Is nothing sacred?

Is life that cheap?

Have we fallen that far as a society?

All that said, he should be forgiven in time.

It is just a very horrible thing.

The St. Petersburg Times said the woman he killed had been trying to get off from working nights for several weeks. She wanted to be home to care for her children.

She must have been psychic.

Sorry, murdered in cold blood.

Not cold "blook"

Nice squad you bunch of losers.

Murderers , Roid Heads, Cheaters, Liars, and now RATS !!!!!

Your boy Pettite singing like a canary now that he got caught in his web of lies.

RETURN THE RINGS !!!!!

love,

TITLE TOWN......Giants might lose by 40......Bunch of ny losahss

So, I decided to google Yankee Pride events and I got an interesting bunch of postings:

Yankee Pride Quilting
Yankee Pride Braided Rugs
Yankee Pride Forums
And others

So, I googled Yankee Pride Event Leyritz and only got articles about the accident.

I went to www.yankeepride.org and that's just a discussion board.

I was determined though, so I kept googling. I tried Yankee Pride 1998 and I think I found what I was looking for:
http://www.mab-celebrity.com/c-132-yankee-pride.aspx

This event IS NOT sponsored by the Yankees it is sponsored by MAB Celebrity and THEY chose who to invite. Additionally, if you look at the website, they aren't even advertising Leyritz as being there. So, what I'm thinking is, he was invited because he was part fo the team (before the accident) and the organization realized it might not be a good idea and he decided to go anyway.

So, Ant, it's not a Yankee issue and I'm not condoning what Leyritz did in anyway, strictly defending the Yanks where necessary. And Ant, I've said it before and I'll say it again, you're clearly not a Yankee fan, so go cheer for the Mets or the Angels, whomever you'd like, but leave the Yanks (and this board) to rest.

This isn't about Leyritz and his manslaughter charge.

It's about one individual's insistence on trying to lecture the rest of us on morality regarding every topic. People are really tired of it since he likely has more skeletons in his closet than John Wayne Gacy.

Nobody cares because it's not relevant to the subject at hand.

LETS GO METS, LETS GO METS!!!
SIGN THAT CONTRACT, SIGN THAT CONTRACT
150 MILLION, 150 MILLION

Sorry guys and gals, Im just too happy about this!!!!!!! For some reason it feels like the Yanks traded away Johan for Hughes, Melk and Ian...cutting payroll and getting younger. Years ago they would have traded those three and threw in Gardner. I think that's what makes me so happy, the change in thinking from the Yankee brass.

I love some Yankee fans at my job. "Man I cant believe the Mets got Santana". I ask them " Who gives a sh!t what the Mets do?, Johan is out of the AL, aside from him staying on the Twins, what else is better? Imagine if he went to the Angels or the Sox?" Some fans wont be happy until the Mets and Sox finish dead last every year. I dont get it, we play the Mets 6 times a year, some years we wont even see Johan, others we would see him twice MAX. And sorry, Im not worried about seeing him in the WS, if the Yanks can make it that far in the next two years, win lose or draw, sign me up! Imagine if we do make it to the WS two years from now and its a Subway series. Imagine Phil going blow for blow with the great Santana and coming out on top? Now thats a story!!!

HYD, thanks for clearing up the Leyritz thing. Im with people by saying he should hang from the rafters, but lets not bash the Yanks for this one. The guy played for us 10 years ago, what the hell do the Yanks have anything to do with this?

HYD,

Think someone can make the Yankee association without permission from the Yankees? Not if they are going to make a few bucks from it. The Yankees will have their hand out for their cut for the promotional use of their name. Thats business.

For Cashmans sake....Hughes better out pitch Santana over the next five years or else it looks like another GM blunder. Imagine if the Mets are in the WS 2 times and the Yanks finish second again and out of the playoffs. Even if Hughes wins 15 it doesn't look good.

But water under the bridge at this point. After that late season collapse the Mets needed a bit of good news.

I think this coming season will be very interesting. There will certainly be many oppurtunities for second guessing.....for evaluating the youth....for second guessing of the evaluation of the youth....and probably a good pennant race to go along with it.

Nudge,

Not sure if you follow football at all. But just like Eli Manning defined Ernie Accorsi's legacy with the Giants so too will the young guys determine Cashman's.

As I said earlier, what you take from this trade is that either every talent evaluator on TV and print is wrong about saying that the Yankees and Red Sox were offering better players or the Twins top priority was to move Santana to the National League.

The only team that can't be second guessed in this is the Mets. Doesn't matter what the prospects do or what Santana does, they HAD to make this deal.

Chip,

I agree that Cashmans fate is in the young uns hands. But I cant concieve there being no price to pay if the Yanks come up 2 games short and Santana is 19-8 while Hughes is 15-11.

Assuming the reports are correct (and you know Im always skeptical) then the Twins REALY blew it. But the Yanks could also have done themselves well.

I rightly understand the desire to keep the youth based on past experiences. But just like with the "we dont negotiate mid-contract" rule....there are exception cases. Mariano was one for that rule and when a guy like Santana is available you make the exception on the youth rule.

BTW I will go put myself out there for the abuse by revealing I am a Blue Bleeding Giant fan and an Eli fan as well (for which I have taken much abuse. But I think my vindication has come).

Hey Sully

I hear there's a Boston vs New York football game this weekend??

think I need to get myself a subscription to TV Aztecka. They seem to have cornered the market on sports babes. Between Ines Sainz and Ines Gomez Mont (the lady who proposed to Tom Brady yesterday) I could easily forget about the game results.

Google them and have some fun.

There is indeed a Boston/NY Football game
As I wrote here before, despite my intense love for the Red Sox and my never dying loyalty to the Celtics... I stopped rooting for the Patriots in the 1990s and became a Giants fan.

And because I hate bandwagon jumpers, I didn't go back to the Pats when they got good.

So even though I could have with impunity and everyone ASSUMES I am a Patriots fan... I'm not.

My team IS playing this Sunday
But in this battle of Boston and NY, I'm on the side of New York

GO GIANTS!!!!!!!

Nudge: Yankees may have had their hand in the event, but as I pointed out, it was scheduled BEFORE the accident. To get all of those former players together in one spot, it was probably scheduled several months in advance. So, once it was agreed/allowable their hands are more or less tied.

Now, let's take the other side, why must the Yankees have their hand in the event? Legally speaking, the event could be held WITHOUT the Yankees consent. You see, having a Yankee Pride event is allowable. Having all of those former players sign autographs for a profit, is allowable. There is NOTHING that says they have to have the Yankees consent. So, while you are presuming the Yanks were involved, I see no reason to believe that presumption. The linked I provided does not anywhere say the Yankees sponsored, endorsed, or event acknowledged the event. I don't see anything about it on the Yankees' website. I haven't heard anyone really even mentioning the event. So, while you LOVE to play devil's advocate, it's pretty much out there that you're as wrong as Ant on this one.

Nudge, Sully - Great to see that you are Giants fans - I myself have been a Celtics fan ever since Cousy. Geography is not always the final determinant.

This year may be the Celtics year!

HYD,
I checked out your salary structure yesterday, sorry for not responding but my first thought was the projections were pretty low. Look at what Cano will make in his 5th year if his option is picked up and you will see that the salary trend is hardly going down and I just don't see the Yanks signing these guys on the cheap. What the Yanks are paying Jeter now ($18M) will probably be the norm for decent starters before too long as Zito and now Santana are going to move the market upward.
Hey, let's just hope we have this discussion in a few years because these guys are so good we can't let them go.

Ant: I think HYD gave you the correct answer on the Leyritz thing. You have to know that the Yanks would not be involved in promoting Leyritz at any event right now. One thing HYD did not point out was the source of the article. Cindy Adams? the gossip columnist....are you kidding me? You know better than to believe anything you read in the gossip column of a rag like the Post.

Second try....

ANTAGONISTIC COLONY

You are not very bright, are you? And you claim to be an educated writer? Yea, right. Helloooooooooo. Leyritz DID NOT SIGN AUTOGRAPHS. This unreliable rag sheet gossip columnist says he “WAS TO” sign autographs – try reading ALL the words --- which means he WAS SUPPOSED to or IS SUPPOSED to. This is an annual event so it would OBVIOUSLY have been scheduled before Leyritz committed this atrocity six weeks ago -- therefore his name would be on the original list. That doesn't mean he'll STILL be invited or will even show up, does it? You don't know what will happen, do you? Why the hell don't you wait and see if he actually does any signing and see if he's STILL invited before you engage in the usual diarrhea of the mouth? Besides as Viper intelligently pointed out this is NOT a Yankees event, it's a celebrity event. As usual you're spewing your nasty venom in the wrong place. Your posts are becoming increasingly sickening. Get a f**king life already, you hell burning brimstone threatening satanic moron!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, that was HYD who did the research and should be applauded for his intelligence -- but Viper is wise as well in his comments to this Ant infestation and I applaud him as well.

Even if Hughes wins 15 games it isn't good? You are a dumbell Nudge and surely take it it in the fudge.

Jim: My salary numbers are not low for the year I identified. If you consider that Cano had 2 full years of service before he got his contract and his salary this year is $3 million. Wang is coming off of back to back years as a Cy Young candidate and he'll make less than $5 million this year. So, to say my numbers for starters is low appears to be arguementative to me at best. I chose a specific year. If all players pan out, yes, salaries will continue to increase after that. Additionally, if you have a player that has performed well in the Bronx for two years, there is much less risk in signing that player. You know they can handle the NY pressure already. So, it's not like signing a FA and the money does not become dead weight (Giambi, Pavano, etc.). In a perfect situation, you continue to blend veterans with youth keeping the youth that best serves the club. If all pan out, fine, increase the numbers each year. But tell me, how many pitchers are currently making more than $15 million/year? Look at the money that Ryan Howard is making or Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder? How's about pitchers like Scott Kazmir, Dan Haren, and Eric Bedard?

If you want me to throw more stats/numbers, financial figures, I can, but my numbers were, for the year I stated, conservative as a general rule.

4th try...

Ant's Exorcist? LOL

Nudge,

I had a feeling that you liked the Jints. I knew that Sully liked them but he's not a big football guy. I'll be in Vegas this weekend and I'm thinking of dropping some cash on them. The only problem is when I bet with my heart, I lose. I think that I'll just stay in the bowling alley at the Orleans and spend my money there.

Jon K