Daily Archives: June 3, 2003

CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN

According to ESPN news, the Yankees will hold a press conference today at 4 pm to announce that Derek Jeter will be named team captain. He will be the 11th captain in Yankee history, the first since Don Mattingly. I guess the next logical question is: Do captains play third? (Of course they do, just ask Craig Nettles.)

This is classic George, trying everything he can do to boost the spirit of his sluggish Bombers. Jeter deserves it too. (It would have been nice for Bernie to be named as co-captain, but I don’t think Williams really cares for that kind of thing.) As much as I’ve harped on Jeter’s fielding this year, I’d hate to give the impression that I don’t love the guy. (I just don’t love Yankee fans’ misconceptions about his talents.) He’s been the leader of the Yanks for several years so this announcement has been a long time coming. Of course being captain of the Yankees comes with added pressure, but that won’t phase Jeter. Especially now that he and George star in commercials together.

MR. GAMMONS, I’M READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP

The irrepressible Will Carroll of Baseball Prospectus will be featured on ESPN’s “Outside The Lines Nightly” tonight (check local listings). This is most likely the begining of a beautiful career for Will, and I’d like to wish him all the best. As hard as he’s worked, he deserves the spotlight. Kudos, baby.

JETER IS GOOD, BUT HE’S NO TANNER

With the highest payroll in the sport, it’s no wonder the Yankees owner, the New York media, and Yankee fans act like Chicken Little everytime something doesn’t break their way. But one thing has been obvious all season: the Yanks have a lousy bullpen, and lousy team defense, particularly up the middle.

Here is Mike C’s take on Sunday’s meltdown inning:

Jeter and Soriano had consecutive errors. Soriano had another on the day and Jeter could have been called for a ball he missed to re-start the Tigers’ rally in the fifth. This was a ball maybe two steps to Jeter’s right that even Tanner from The Bad News Bears could have gotten to but was scored a hit by a liberal, homer scorer. Maybe the Yankees don’t need relief pitchers but rather relief middle infielders to cover for Jeter and Soriano. In fact on the Eric Munson ball that Soriano threw away in the fifth it appeared that Clemens (correctly) dove for the ball as it went by him rather than allow his infielders to touch the ball.

David Pinto had an interesting post over at Baseball Musings regarding the Yankees defense:

As I’ve spent a lot of time listening to Yankee games with my dad over the last few weeks, I’m more convinced than ever that the Yankees can’t win with the defense they have in the middle of the infield. I don’t know how many times I heard, “Slow roller up the middle, through for a base hit.”

What’s the solution? You certainly don’t want to lose Jeter’s bat. And I don’t think you can move both Jeter and Soriano. I think the best solution would be to find a defensive wizard at SS, and move Jeter to third. Ventura is good, but he’s old. It’s possible that he could be traded to a contender for such a SS, or a three way deal with Cleveland where the Yankees end up with Vizquel. I really think Jeter’s future is at third, not a SS.

Makes sense to me. Perhaps they could even keep Ventura and use him as the extra lefty-bat they are seeking. But do you really think Joe Torre is going to up and move Derek Jeter to third in the middle of the season? That is highly unlikely.

Here is what reader Dan Mulvihill thinks:

I’d love to see it happen, if only to see how Jeter would react to it. He always comes across as a “team first” guy, but that would be a real test of his sincerity. Plus, he’d probably be insulted. He likes to think of himself as a great defensive guy – remember that puff piece in the Times last summer about his fielding?
Jeter can’t move to his right anymore, so the sooner he gets to third the better. They’re not gonna win the Series (or get there) with this defense, so I’d do that trade to get Vizquel. And yeah, I think Ventura would make a great PH/DH.

I too, am interested in how Jeter would handle such a move. After all, he is famous for being a team player, who will do anything it takes to win. When will the Yankees see what has already become painfully clear to many observers? And what will it take for them to change their minds? A terrible post-season error? I don’t think Jeter will lose any star appeal or sex appeal shifting to third. Part of me thinks the only reason Jeter is at short is because he ‘looks’ good as a shortstop. Hey Jete, are you really a shortstop? “No,” he might say. “But I play one on TV.”

RIGHT ON

Allen Barra had an excellent column on two of New York’s best—yet somehow underappreciated—players, Mike Piazza and Bernie Williams, in the Times on Sunday. I’ve argued with Yankee fans for years about the merits of Bernie Williams, the team’s quiet star. If Derek Jeter is overrated by the casual fan, then Bernie Williams is clearly underrated:

The strongest argument for Williams’s value, though, might not be found in his personal statistics. “How many guys,” said David Cone, who owes several of his victories to Williams’s bat and glove, “have made so substantial a contribution to a dynasty as Bernie Williams and not made it to the Hall of Fame?”

Certainly not many. If Derek Jeter is considered on track for Cooperstown, why not Williams, whose contributions to seven consecutive Yankees playoff teams and five World Series teams have been neck and neck with those of Jeter?

The Yankees’ rise to prominence in 1995 coincided with Williams’s emergence as a star; the dynasty began to sputter a few weeks ago, close to when Williams hurt his knee. If the Yankees’ rise and fall with Williams is a coincidence, it’s the kind of coincidence Yankees fans will be hoping for again when, with luck, Williams returns in July and picks up his Hall of Fame bid.

Some Mets fans seem to want to blame all of the teams problems on their catcher’s weak throwing arm. As if his lousy arm outweighs his tremendous offensive contributions, and completely obscures his other talents as a reciever (calling a good game, blocking the plate). Hey, when was the last time you didn’t see Piazza bust his tail down the first base line?

This is the greatest offensive player at his position in the history of the game, but many Mets fans ask: what have you done for me lately? Again, I think this is a product of their overall frustration, but it is a shame, because although Piazza didn’t have his peak years in New York, he did lead them to a World Serious, and has been the best hitter in team history:

The only question is how far Piazza is ahead of everyone else. Most baseball analysts agree that what a player hits on the road is much more indicative of his overall ability than what he hits in his home park. In Piazza’s case, he has had the spectacular misfortune of spending most of his career playing his home games in perhaps the two worst hitters’ parks in the National League – or for that matter, in all of baseball – Dodger Stadium (1992-98) and Shea Stadium (1998-present) with a five-game stint in Florida before coming to the Mets. The difference is almost heartbreaking. While most players tend to have slightly better numbers playing at home, Piazza’s career batting average in his home parks (including this season) is .302 and his career average in other parks is .338, according to Stats Inc.

The gaps between home and road in his other stats are equally eye-opening. His career on-base percentage on the road is .405, 34 points higher than his home mark, and his career road slugging percentage is 72 points higher.

WHAT ME WORRY?

The Yankees played poorly in Detriot over the weekend, but escaped with two wins. Still, the New York media is all over the team, and George Steinbrenner has chosen the opportunity to take center stage (a shocker, huh?). When not bitching about the inter-league schedule his team has been handed, George is telling his team to hurry up and relax (or else).

Jeff Weaver, who has looked about as lively as Lurch of late, has been yanked from the starting rotation in favor of Jose Contreras. Weaver committed the cardinal sin of calling out his teammates on Saturday afternoon, after another frustrating performance, making it easy for manager Joe Torre to make the switch.

The Yanks play three against the Reds tonight before they move to Chicago for three against the Cubbies this weekend (Christian Ruzich gets his wish as Clemens will go for win number 300 this weekend vs. Kerry Wood). Quite frankly, I don’t know how the Yankees will fare this week. I’m not down on them, but realistically, they haven’t played crisp ball lately. They seem to play up or down to the competition. Will they bust out the whooping stick against the Reds in their homer-happy stadium, or will the Reds pound them?

We shall soon see.