Author Archive
CC Sabathia: Is He Declining Faster Than the New York »
CC Sabathia has five more years to go. At least as a Yankee. For $23 million a year. Unless HE doesn't want to (given his player's option to quit after two more years). Unless he's the team's answer to Jamie Moyer or Phil Niekro, he won't be worth $23 million in his seventh year. More to the point, he hasn't been worth $23 million in this, his [...]
Javier Vazquez Isn’t Great, but Maybe Good »
Javier Vazquez didn't exactly win his most recent start against the Detroit Tigers. However, he pitched a seven-inning quality start, giving up only two runs in the sixth for the wrong end of a 2-0 tally. It's as well as he has pitched all season. That's including his nominally victorious 5.1-inning, three-run effort against the light-hitting [...]
New York Yankees: Looking Good For Postseason »
The New York Yankees have the second best record in baseball. That should be good enough to get them to the postseason. That's in spite of the fact that the Yankees are not favorites at this time to win the American League East, although they might still do so. For now, Tampa Bay has the division lead. Meaning that it's the Yankees' wild card [...]
New York Yankees: Is Javier Vazquez The New Chien-Ming »
Vazquez has now pitched 20 innings, just under half of Wang's 42 last year. Otherwise, their statistics are eerily similar. Both of them have ERAs in the 9s. Vazquez's FIP, or sabermetric ERA, is 6.32, actually higher than Wang's 5.38 was. (FIP is a formulated "ERA" that uses home runs, strikeouts, and base on balls as inputs.) That's mainly [...]
Yankees-Rangers: Should a Team Alter Its Offensive »
In baseball, there are such things as intentional walks on defense. Could there be such a thing as intentional strikeouts on offense? That is a question that may have been put to the Yankees last night. You're the home team, with one out in the bottom of the fourth. You have just made the breakthrough of a formerly tied game; first, having loaded [...]
Next Few Series’ Could Define the 2010 Yankees »
It's only April, but the New York Yankees already look like winners. I'm not ready to declare them playoff bound yet, but might be doing so before the month is out. That's because the next four series are almost as crucial as the ones that the Yankees just won. The Yankees took two out of three EACH against the two stronger division rivals, the [...]
New York Yankees: Calling Nick Swisher–To the »
The New York Yankees have one player, Nick Swisher, who can play at least three positions; right field, first base, and pitcher. Last night offered an opportunity for him to be used in the last role, after he was successful in his debut almost a year ago against the same Tampa Bay Rays, pitching one full inning of scoreless ball. The Chicago Cubs [...]
Strong New York Yankees Opening Series Portends a »
The New York Yankees won two out of three in their opening series. It was against the Boston Red Sox. In Fenway Park. That's AWESOME. That's because the Bronx Bombers will have no tougher opposition in the American League East with the possible exception of the Tampa Bay Rays. And probably no tougher opposition elsewhere in the entire American [...]
Nick Swisher: The Yankees’ Jack of All Trades »
Some of his individual statistics don't look all that impressive. But a relatively new Yankee, Nick Swisher is quite a "package." One would expect that from the first round 2002 pick of the Oakland A's "Moneyball" drafting process. In fact, Swisher finished with A's teammates Huston Street (the ultimate winner) and Joe Blanton in the top 10 [...]
Is CC Sabathia Signed To the New York Yankees for Too »
A Yankees fan has to be wondering about a certain contract today with regard to their ace, CC Sabathia, after last night's opening against the Boston Red Sox. What's nearly as bad is that he was drubbed twice, in spring training, by the otherwise lowly Pittsburgh Pirates. Sabathia, like almost any other player, has his "streaks." He pitched a [...]