Hitdecki moves to CF.

Cashman strikes again.

We here always like to lament on who ‘got away’, although upon careful study, I don’t think we have done that badly.

Javier Carlos Vazquez: $11,000,000
REC 10-13 | SV 0 | ERA 4.59 | WHIP 1.24
And this is in the NL, where I think for pitchers you have to increase numbers 10% or so to compare performance to the AL.

For us, it’s not that Javy, El Duque and Contraras have done that well, as much as how poorly our ‘big 3′ acquisitions have done.

Would it be an interesting read (oh Cliffy) to look back on who we let get away in the last 2 years and see how they are doing?

And lastly, I am looking at ARod vs ‘Manny the Clown’ numbers this year. While I am very glad we have ARod, I’m REALLY glad the Sox did not get him. While ARod is not a pull hitter, I can’t help think he would be playing ping-pong off the Green Monster if he played in Fenway. Where might ARod’s numbers be if he played in Fenway and not the Stadium?

For whatever it’s worth, that’s the post of the day.

Otherwise, I share you dislike of current unform trends, but I don’t think the Yankees deserve special treatment. Rather, I think the offending teams should clean up their unform schemes for all 162 games. I’m especially upset with the Royals because they had such consistancy over the years (just one cap before they added the black), and because I can’t stand the use of black as an accent color. If your team has black as a primary color (Pirates, Giants, even the Rockies) then fine, but otherwise (Mets, Rangers, Royals, Reds etc.) NO!!!

For more on this sort of thing, check out Paul Lukas on the side bar (under columnists).

The Royals wore their 3rd alternative, road, batting practice, reversible, rain-proof, stain resistant, limited edition, night vision uniform tops today. A lot of teams come to the Stadium with a few uniforms to showcase over 3 or 4 games. I hate it. Just my opinion, but I hate when they do this.

It’s not just that I really hate the 3 or 4 uniform/cap thing….which I do…..but more that a team would come into Yankee Stadium wearing it. You gotta be you, and if you wear your neon pink and green road uniforms every 3rd Sunday of the month then by all means…..but to me it’s embarrassing.

Fenway and Yankee Stadium are kind of baseball cathedrals. It’s like living baseball history. I wish teams would come in to play us in their most traditional uniforms and match the Yankees’ reverence for the continuity of the game. It’s just a personal pet peeve, but I wonder if anyone sees where I’m coming from….

You can always show up in Toronto at the SkyDome and wear the caps with the propellers and the uniform tops with collars, but when you come to play in the House that Ruth Built, where the home team wears the same uniforms that Yankee teams have worn for almost a century (no names on the back), maybe it would mean something to your franchise to take a lesson and build a tradition of your own, starting with some uniform continuity. Damn the marketing profits.

Just my opinion….I could be wrong.

’97: .274-58-123 1.039
’98: .299-70-147 1.222
’99: .278-65-147 1.120

McGwire did hit .312 in 423AB in ’96, but he also fell short on RBIs that year:

’96: .312-52-113 1.198

He never hit .300 in any other season of more than 236 AB (.305 in 236 AB in ’00)

Albert Belle stands out in 1995 and 1998. He put up unreal numbers year after year. He had a terrible temper and his body broke down on him early…..hmmmmm.

Luis Gonzales in 2001 is sick. Fitting that he impacted the WS title in that year. Seriously sick.

Todd Helton and Larry Walker should be taken with a grain of salt. They are both terrific ballplayers but put them on any other team in any other city and they wouldn’t be on this list. They’d probably still be on some notable lists, but not this one.

I assume it’s because his BA was not usually that high. Did he ever bat .315+?

Where did McGwire’s best year fail that selection?

Lot of Albert Belle, too…

HOMERUNS………………….YEAR……HR…….AVG……OPS……HR…….RBI
1….Barry.Bonds…………..2001…….73……328….1.379…….73……137
2….Sammy.Sosa………….2001…….64……328….1.174…….64……160
3….Babe.Ruth…………….1927…….60……356….1.258…….60……164
4….Babe.Ruth…………….1921…….59……378….1.359…….59……171
T5…Jimmie.Foxx…………..1932…….58……364….1.218…….58……169
T5…Hank.Greenberg……..1938…….58……315….1.122…….58……146
7….Luis.Gonzalez…………2001…….57……325….1.117…….57……142
8….Hack.Wilson…………..1930…….56……356….1.177…….56……191
T9…Mickey.Mantle…………1961…….54……317….1.135…….54……128
T9…Babe.Ruth…………….1928…….54……323….1.172…….54……142
T9…Babe.Ruth…………….1920…….54……376….1.379…….54……137
T12..George.Foster………..1977…….52……320….1.013…….52……149
T12..Mickey.Mantle…………1956…….52……353….1.169…….52……130
T12..Alex.Rodriguez……….2001…….52……318….1.021…….52……135
15…Willie.Mays…………….1955…….51……319….1.059…….51……127
T16..Albert.Belle……………1995…….50……317….1.091…….50……126
T16..Sammy.Sosa………….2000…….50……320….1.040…….50……138
T16..Jimmie.Foxx…………..1938…….50……349….1.166…….50……175
T19..Lou.Gehrig……………1936…….49……354….1.174…….49……152
T19..Albert.Belle……………1998…….49……328….1.055…….49……152
T19..Larry.Walker………….1997…….49……366….1.172…….49……130
T19..Ted.Kluszewski……….1954…….49……326….1.049…….49……141
T19..Lou.Gehrig……………1934…….49……363….1.172…….49……165
T19..Babe.Ruth…………….1930…….49……359….1.225…….49……153
T19..Todd.Helton…………..2001…….49……336….1.116…….49……146
T19..Frank.Robinson………1966…….49……316….1.047…….49……122
27…Jimmie.Foxx…………..1933…….48……356….1.153…….48……163
T28..Lou.Gehrig……………1927…….47……373….1.240…….47……175
T28..Babe.Ruth…………….1926…….47……372….1.253…….47……146
T28..Rafael.Palmeiro……….1999…….47……324….1.050…….47……148
T31..Babe.Ruth…………….1929…….46……345….1.128…….46……154
T31..Babe.Ruth…………….1931…….46……373….1.194…….46……163
T31..Babe.Ruth…………….1924…….46……378….1.252…….46……121
T31..Joe.DiMaggio………….1937…….46……346….1.085…….46……167
T31..Barry.Bonds…………..1993…….46……336….1.136…….46……123
T31..Lou.Gehrig…………….1931…….46……341….1.108…….46……184
T37..Hank.Aaron……………1962…….45……323….1.008…….45……128
T37..Willie.McCovey………..1969…….45……320….1.108…….45……126