Comments on: Verdict: Wang Innocent, Torre Guilty

By: atc

atc — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 14:20:28 +0000

13. And a nice job by Bernie hustling down the line on the ball Tejada bobbled.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 12:55:47 +0000

12. Right on, Simone.

If Mariano is done, what's Foulke? 6 feet under?

I'm disappointed like anyone, but about Torre not putting the team in position to win: I don't really agree with the accessment that it "unacceptable." I mean, if you are saying that he is purposely throwing games, then that is a very serious accusation and if true, it is unacceptable. But, that's not what you're saying. Stanton had held lefties to a .176 BA and Roberts was hitting around .270 vs. lefties and over .400 vs. righties.

Would I have brought Mo in? Probably. But, is it "unacceptable" for Torre not to do what Cliff Corcoran, Patrick O'Keefe and (I am sure) plenty of others would have done or feel he should have done? No. So, I disagree with the choice of words. Best chance to win is a matter of opinion. Hindsight is 20/20. Assuming this is counted as poor performance, poor performance certainly isn't "unavoidable" in the dugout, not in a million years. Especially because it is so subjective.

By: KJC

KJC — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 12:23:56 +0000

11. // Foulke has been dreadful. There have been rumors that the Sox are trying to acquire another starter. //

Foulke is painfully bad right now. I don't know what rumors you heard -- why would the Sox need another starter? They already have 5 decent guys, plus Schilling is coming off the DL. It seems that both the Sox and Yanks could use some bullpen help...but at least NY has an actual closer!

By: JohnnyC

JohnnyC — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 11:33:38 +0000

10. On Gordon: Torre has never noticed (because he's clueless) that when Flash has to pitch to lefties (hello, David Ortiz!), he's forced to not use his best pitch, his curveball, for obvious reasons. Gordon's ability to spot his fastball in the lower quadrants of the strike zone are, let's say, below average. He ends up walking lefties or giving in and throwing fastballs down and in (not advisable). Gordon was not a top-tier closer precisely because he had no third pitch he could throw lefties (like a change-up) that could move down and away. He was somewhat successful as a closer in Fenway because of the park's bias against lefties who aren't dead pull hitters. Torre doesn't understand the fundamental reason that Gordon is the pitcher he is: deadly on righties with his curve/fastball combo, below average on lefties as he's reduced to just throwing one pitch. Alas, Torre will sooner be put out to pasture before he realizes this. All those observers who wonder why Gordon doesn't throw his curveball as much during his Yankees tenure...well, when your manager pitches you regardless of the match-ups by inning or opposing line-up...

By: JohnnyC

JohnnyC — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 11:18:01 +0000

9. Absolutely right about the media, Simone, but it has always been thus. It gets red hot when the Yankees are winning, as in the last decade. It's so short-sighted. It wasn't Ripken that brought baseball back after the strike/lockout of 94-95, it was the ascendancy of the Yankees, the only team in the sport that demands attention whether you love them or hate them. I'd like to see if Peter Gammons could get into the Writers' Hall of Fame by writing about Jerry Remy and Lou Merloni for 25 years.

By: rbj

rbj — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 09:22:26 +0000

8. Waste of a great outing by Ming. Feh. To be fair to Gordon, he hadn't given up a run in something like a month. Still, at 83 pitches, let the young arm go a bit longer.

By: Simone

Simone — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 09:19:07 +0000

7. Eh, another loss. The Yankees are a typical mediocre team, losing in a variety of creative ways.

When Mariano Rivera blew 2 seasons early this season, it was the lead story on SportsCenter with Olney and Gammons cheerleading. Rivera is DONE was the consensus. Now that the closer of the World Champion Red Sox, Keith Foulke is imploding with a sky high ERA, it gets a snippet of attention. This along with the coverage of the Yankees' internal meetin confirms what I have always said, the Yankees drive MLB and the sports media. If the Yankees' misfortunes continue for a couple of years all their critics in MLB and the media who are yukking it up at the moment will soon discover that it is the Yankees who put money in their pockets.

By: jedi

jedi — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 09:17:16 +0000

6. Whats this nonsense I hear of that the Yanks want to trade Sheffield for Cameron?

By: joe in boston

joe in boston — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 08:48:50 +0000

5. You know what ? As soon as I saw Stanton come in, I changed the channel. I just KNEW he was going to blow it. (Little did I know it was going to be just one pitch). At least I got to see the Red Sox implode....but boy, this one hurt. I too wanted to see Rivera in there.

By: Shaun P

Shaun P — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 08:28:57 +0000

4. I didn't destroy my DirecTV remote, as someone in the other thread did, but I too was pissed to see Stanton come in to start the 10th. I didn't think it was possible, but I think he's WORSE than f#%&#% Heredia was.

As for turning Roberts around, righties are hitting .478! off the Arsonist (as my dad calls him). I know, "small sample size" but geez, why even take the risk? You NEED this win - that should make Mo automatic. Doesn't Joe know that??

Bullpen mismanagement is Torre's tragic flaw. Is this the price we have to pay for all those years of success, when pushing buttons worked 99% of the time?

By: Rich

Rich — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 03:31:49 +0000

3. The reason I hated the Heredia for Stanton trade is that I feared that Torre would overuse him as a result of what he had accomplished in the past.

The FO needs to waive Stanton and Quantrill to deliver Torre from temptation.

Foulke has been dreadful. There have been rumors that the Sox are trying to acquire another starter. Their more pressing need may well be in the pen.

By: rilkefan

rilkefan — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 03:09:20 +0000

2. BTW, Foulke is in Stanton territory. Shockingly high ERA. On the night, 47 pitches, 5 earned runs. How bad would I be feeling if Mariano was having such an awful year?

By: rilkefan

rilkefan — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 03:01:42 +0000

1. Ignorant question - Wang's a rookie, how many pitches do the Yankees want him to throw this year? And how many innings? It's great how economical he is, but I'd rather not see a CG every time from him when he doesn't get rocked.