E-Boland and the Bombers

fresh blog .... sweeeet. have at it boys!!!!

I'd vote for RICKY and only RICKY. McGwire dug his own hole
with his performance in front of that Congressional Comm. and
the nation. LaRussa also looks like a horse's rear by defending
McGwire, and then refusing to accept any responsibility or
accountability for not recognizing what was going on while he
managed both McGwire and Canseco. I could never vote for
LaRussa as a Hall Mgr. for this reason. This type of conduct
blemishes The Game, and is not worthy of The Hall.

who the hell is hank winnicki?

Great suggestion by Buster Olney in today's blog: He points out that there are teams that want to sign veterans but can't because they don't want to surrender a first round draft pick to do it.

In theory, let's say the Marlins needed a shortstop (we know they don't) and wanted to sign Cabrera to a two-year, $16 million deal -- but they didn't want to give up their top draft pick to do it. They could, in theory, pick up the phone and ask the Yankees to sign Cabrera to what the Marlins wanted to pay; the Yankees would give up only a fourth-round pick, and the Marlins could trade a prospect to the Yankees to offset the value of the fourth-round pick. Cabrera would have to waive his right to block the trade because any free agent signing a multiyear deal cannot be traded until June.

In short, Cabrera could get the contract he wanted, the Marlins could get the player they wanted and the Yankees could get a little extra value for their fourth-round pick. Everybody would win except the White Sox (who presumably would be apoplectic, because they are in line to get a first-round pick). Makes some sense, eh?

Royals made a great under the radar signing - picking up Willie Bloomquist. I was hoping the Yankees would have grabbed him up. Bloomquist can back up all infield positions as well as CF. Last year he hit .279 with a .377 on-base percentage

I know the moves the Yankees have made thus far are exciting, but right now the bench is Nick Swisher, Angel Berroa, Cody Ransom and Jose Molina. I think that needs to be upgraded with a person who has proven they can be productive coming off the bench.

I agree that a strong utility infielder would be really nice.

But any potential free agent can look at the Yanks' roster and see the names Rodriguez, Jeter, Cano, and Teixeira and realize very quickly that he'll hardly play unless he comes in as a defensive replacement in a lopsided game or the aforementioned starters having to deal with a significant injury.

For instance, one name that kind of intrigues me is Alex Cora. Excellent defender and a guy who won't embarrass you with the bat. An overall good fundamental ball player.

But I looked up his stats and saw that he played 75 games with the Red Sox last season.

Unless one of those guys come down with a serious injury, there's no way he's going to get anywhere near that kind of playing time with the Yanks.

I know utility guys are rather low on the totem pole and want to be on a strong team, but they want to play too and the Yanks would make that pretty tough for him.

Given the economy, it's certainly possible that those guys will take anything as we inch closer to Spring Training, so I guess we'll have to see.

But I think the Yanks are more likely to fill their bench with Ransom or Berroa types rather than Cora or Wigginton types.

In the meantime I'm glad they picked up Berroa though, if it means that the next time Jeter gets drilled on the hand Girardi will have AB play a few at SS while DJ recovers instead of dragging out the healing process just because there no plausible body to throw in there.

This off-season stuff from CC on down just makes too much sense so far, could it mean we have a functional FO this year? Don't want to jump the gun or anything, but it's quite a change from last year at this time when it didn't look to me like they were living in the same reality as the rest of the world.

It is crazy to think that the AL East could possibly house the three best teams in baseball this year.

With that said.....please go get us another 200inning pitcher.

The Red Sox signed reliever Takashi Saito

According to FOXSports.com, Saito's deal includes a guarantee between $1.5 million and $2.5 million. He could also earn more than $7 million if he reaches all of his incentives.

Saito, 38, joins an already impressive relief corps that includes Manny Delcarmen, Hideki Okajima and closer Jonathan Papelbon. Saito spent the past three years with the Dodgers, saving 81 games with a 1.95 ERA.

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Another good move by the Sox. Their FO is rolling the dice with some of these guys, but they could pay off big time. Looks like the Sox and Yanks are playing a game of chess, we may have taken out their Queen and two Rooks ( Tex, CC & AJ ), but they have taken our knights ( Smoltz and Penny ) and our bishops ( Baldelli and Saito ). And while we go tit for tat with the Sox, the young studs on the Rays are working hard in the gym, ready to take their games to the next level. I love Longoria and Price, those guys are going to be STUDS! If they were on the Yanks, Id be president of their fan clubs.

Diane, a functional FO? what a concept huh? Ill take it.

I can see gambling on 1 pitcher with the fortitude of SMOLTZ,
but not 3. Pitchers are a crap shoot even when healthy. The
Yanks quick-strike signings of CC and Burnett, leaves Lowe
the only reliable SP still available. After having been humbled by
Boras, there is no way the pompous John Henry will come
calling on Lowe. Hence this tri-fecta gamble. Pride goeth
before a fall. And fall they will.

Dru, I was thinking after I posted that message that it could be the most significant change we've seen, more important to the team in the long run than any sparkly acquisition.

That's if I'm not jumping to a premature conclusion here -- but, ever hopeful, eh?

from www.rototimes.com/mlb/index - MLB tab

January 10 @ 3:12pm CT
Swisher, Nady on Nats radar - The Nationals are interested in
acquiring first baseman/outfielder Nick Swisher or outfielder
Xavier Nady, and they are currently in trade discussions with
the Yankees, MLB.com reports.

Our View

Nady would add to an already-crowded outfield,
unless the Nationals give up a projected starter in return.
Swisher would presumably take the first base job from the
oft-injured Nick Johnson. We'll have more analysis should a
deal actually happen.

I would accept nothing less than Lastings Millege. Even though I really don't know if I like Millege. He goofed off a little to much with our cross town rivals.

Kat:
I love your beautiful Irish face and hair, but Donny Baseball
was the best at what he did while he did it.

Kat:
I love your beautiful Irish face and hair, but Donny Baseball
was the best at what he did while he did it.

Kat:
I love your beautiful Irish face and hair, but Donny Baseball
was the best at what he did while he did it.

Joe,
Joe,
Joe,

Kat did not write the blog entry today. Hank Winnicki, who posted it, may possess equal beauty, but perhaps without the Irishness. (Though who knows, since we are given no clue as to who this mystery contributor may be.)

I only voted for Rickey. My heart told me to vote for Donnie Baseball but having your career cut short or derailed because of injuries is no reason to make the HOF- or my man Thurman would be in.

I wanted to vote for Rice and wouldn't make a stink if he were elected and I think Andre Dawson may be a little underappreciated.

Bill Madden writes in today's Daily News that the offseason winners this season are the Indians and Phillies. He says the Indians deserve the nod for signing Kerry Wood, trading for Mark DeRosa and signing.....Carl Pavano.

He credits the Phils for replacing Pat Burrell with Raul Ibanez.

I want to lock Mr. Madden in a room with Viper for 30 minutes.

Ah, my pal Bill Madden.

Just another indication that he's a much better baseball historian than a prognosticator or analyst.

I mean, I like DeRosa too and Wood still has wickedly nasty stuff when he's healthy enough to pitch everyday.

But they are far from the biggest winners this offseason.

He also doesn't want to hear anything about the Yanks' farm system unless the kid is Joba-esque and dominates from the moment he steps on a major league field for the first time.

And that thing about "they can't win a World Series unless they have Mantle, DiMaggio, or a Bernie Williams talent in center field" has always made me chuckle.

But that's Madden for you.

Ricky and Bert

Blyleven pitched great ball for some very crappy teams was victim to perennial lack of run support.Tremendous curveball

60 shutouts
3701 K's
287 wins
5-1 in postseason w/2.47 ERA

with just 13 more wins he would have been a no brainer inductee yrs ago.

Donnie Baseball should be in! He had virtually identical numbers to Kirby Puckett who got in on the first ballot. The only real difference between the two was that Puckett got to play in the postseason and Mattingly only had one opportunity. And since baseball is a team sport, you shouldn't blame him for his lack of playoff appearances.

My thoughts about Mattingly are deeply tinged with the emotion that came from his being for a while about the only Yankee we fans could really celebrate. He seemed like the only brilliant light in some dimly lit times. It is hard for me to evaluate his HOF claims objectively. I would like to see him there but at the same time I complain that already too many borderline HOF'ers (heroes to someone else, no doubt) have been voted in. And a significant list exists of guys who haven't made it whose claims are perhaps as good as Mattingly's. So I'm still arguing with myself on this one.

I can't argue that Ricky is not good enough, but I won't celebrate his making it in because I just never liked his behavior. Let him in, but I won't listen to his speech.

Viper – “And that thing about ‘they can't win a World Series unless they have Mantle, DiMaggio, or a Bernie Williams talent in center field’ has always made me chuckle.

But that's Madden for you.”

How quickly ‘historian’ Madden forgets Mickey Rivers!

Ruse – “Ricky and Bert
Blyleven pitched great ball for some very crappy teams was victim to perennial lack of run support.Tremendous curveball
60 shutouts
3701 K's
287 wins
5-1 in postseason w/2.47 ERA
with just 13 more wins he would have been a no brainer inductee yrs ago.”
I couldn’t agree more!

I was paraphrasing a bit with Madden and the center field situation.

But one of his primary arguments against the Yanks and their chances this season is that he can't see a team with either Gardner or Melky in center winning a championship.

Why he places so much emphasis on one position player I have no idea.

Obviously, this is complete nonsense and the Yanks' season isn't going to be made or broken by the play of their center fielder.

Would it be nice to have Grady Sizemore or Carlos Beltran out there in center field everyday?

Sure it would. But their improved pitching staff and overall defense is going to make a much bigger impact on their chances to win a WS than who is playing center field.

His premise is quite absurd.

I don't recall Torii Hunter, Sizemore, Ichiro, Beltran, Granderson, Vernon Wells, Andruw Jones, or Griffey being fitted for rings over the last decade.

Mattingly had 6 excellent seasons 2 very good ones ,unfortunately that doesn't cut it.If Mattingly had stayed healthy and put up 4 more great yrs he would have easily been a 1st ballot HOF.One of the 2 or 3 greatest fielding 1B I've ever seen.

Puckett never had a bad season in his 12 yr career ,cut short by an injury.Yes his playoff heroics and 2 WS rings didn't hurt his cause.

the voting system su*ks

DON MATTINGLY was the 80's the only other guy near him was on his squad Rikey henderson,

DON MATTINGLY offensive numbers was brillant and was a bright star on that team .

Iwould like to know other 1b stats from that same time frame , the only one I can think of is Wil Clark

and Donnie's numbers is close injuries and all

Donnie Defense is one of the best all time

Donne only struck out a remarkable 444 times .

People are going to say well the frank thomas's , mark mcGuire etc . and I would say Tino Martinez but yet he never cracked over 300 ever.

Can Ricky go into Hall as a Yankee even though he spent about 14yrs in Oakland?