scratch “barely”

Tell me, how many ML clubs can withstand the injuries the Yanks took on last year? Players young and old got hurt. Regular injuries and freak injuries. You lose Wang, Chamberlain, Matsui, Posada, Rodriguez, Bruney, Hughes, etc, etc you’re going to have a problem. Combine that with Cano having an off year, Melky falling off a cliff, and Jeter’s decline, and Giambi and Abreu giving back as much runs on defense that they do on offense, and what you expect?

The Yanks are gambling that 2008 was an outlier for Cano, because he has a body of work from 2005-07, as well as a track record in the minors that shows that he isn’t as bad as he was in 2008. Same for Melky. Swisher and Nady are there to back up the corners @ 1b depending on who’s starting. While Matsui’s the primary DH, there are several players (Swisher, Nady, Teix, Posada, Damon, Jeter) can be rotated in and out of DH depending on who’s starting and who needs a rest…

And the 2006 Red Sox has just won the WS in 2004 and very much used 2006 to rebuild their team. I don’t understand why you don’t see that.

Because the moves they made, acquiring Beckett and Lowell, resigning Arroyo, among others don’t speak to a team that’s rebuilding.

The rotation was Schilling – Wakefield – Beckett – Clement – Wells, among others. Lester didn’t fit into the plans until later in the season. Same with Pedroia (Mark Loretta started @ 2b). Youklis finally became a FT player in 2006, splitting time @ 1b & 3b. The OF consisted of Ramirez, Crisp & Nixon, with players like Youk, Wily Mo, and others seeing time in the OF. Papelbon came up late in the 2005 season, and became the primary closer in 2006 (Foulke, Schilling & Timlin were the closers the year prior). I don’t see how 2006 could be considered a rebuilding year.

Yes, thats true. But using those three as proof that we as a fanbase have no right or reason to be unhappy with the product on the field isn’t.

I never said you had a right or reason to be unhappy. I do find overreaction a bit much to take given that it’s barely a month into the season.

but really, are you saying that you are happy with the Yankees since 2004?

Sure, why not? Late season charges in 2005, 06 & 07 make for exciting baseball. Am I happy with the postseason results? Nope, of course not, but the playoffs are a crapshoot. The luck that followed the Yanks in other years hasn’t happened as of late, whether it’s Rivera blowing a couple of saves, midges, reversed calls, etc, etc, etc.

Not for 200M+, not for ridiculously expensive tickets to see that happen, and not for the talent on the roster.

About that $200+ payroll, a number I see thrown around quite a lot. The reason why the payroll is so high, is because we get to see players like Rodriguez, Abreu, Giambi, Jeter, Moose, Rivera, Pettitte, etc, etc, etc. If you have better options than those players when they were acquired, I would really love to hear about them.

The ridiculously expensive tickets are a byproduct of the new stadium. The Yanks have drawn 4M+ from 2005-2007, of course they’re going to try and take advantage of that.

As for the talent, they have a body of work that says they have more talent than they have shown so far. And the nature of the game dictates that there will be good times to go along with the bad.

So chill.

according to Petey, JoPo has a sore hammy, which is why he isn’t starting tonite.

not sure if he had it before the ab yesterday or if he tweaked it on the way down the line, but that probably explains his jogging to 1st in the 9th.

Still pretty expensive, though…

Again, excuses. YOu say “general suckiness” from players, whereas other than Cano, that is probably who those players are. Aging, frailer, and declining or just bad. The team underperformed across the board. You can sight whatever reasons you want, but my point remains the same. They were a 3rd place team whose very real weaknesses were exposed. And you know what? Most of those injuries etc happened after April.
And the 2006 Red Sox has just won the WS in 2004 and very much used 2006 to rebuild their team. I don’t understand why you don’t see that. 2007 saw them with a much different lineup and rotation, the seeds of which were set in 2006. Getting Papelbon, Lester, Pedroia, Delcarmen, and Youkilis experience proved huge for them the next season. It was what last season was SUPPOSED to be in a way.

“Anyway the point is that it’s early and a lot can happen between now and the end of the season.”

Yes, thats true. But using those three as proof that we as a fanbase have no right or reason to be unhappy with the product on the field isn’t. A lot can happen, but the likelihood of 2005 or 2007 comebacks AREN’T likely. So each game lost now with the caveat that they will eventually turn it around is one step closer to digging too deep a hole.

Whelp, I remember the “infectious enthusiasm” of Cano & Cabrera, watching Kennedy, Hughes & Chamberlain make their ML debuts, getting a chill when the trade was made to bring RJ here, watching Sheffield, Rodriguez, Abreu, etc ply their offensive trade, the Boston Massacre 2, etc, etc, etc…”

None of those things indicate a team that was playing well or up to its level, however. Of course there have been moments, but really, are you saying that you are happy with the Yankees since 2004? That you are perfectly content to watch their wins drop, win the wild card, and lose in the 1st round of the playoffs if they make it at all, and spend all season making up for mediocre 1st halfs? Fine, but not me. Not for 200M+, not for ridiculously expensive tickets to see that happen, and not for the talent on the roster.

Yanks are cutting ticket prices, PeteAbe has it up here

hey Bama – are you planning on coming here to Atlanta for the Yanks series end of June? i hope to go to at least 1 game (Thursday). there’s some bullshit about having to get a block of 6 tickets at a time. hopefully that’ll change…

i’m playing in Birmingham in August, or right outside of there, but it’s a private party…

I think there was a hangover on Sunday from Saturday, but none last night against Verlander. The guy was just on; it happens. I really believe the only problematic performance was Sunday vs the Sox. That was just bad, in almost every way.

The Yankees played the Saturday game seemingly waiting to see how they would lose. Then on Sunday (and Monday for that matter), you have Berroa’s errors lead to a run and Pettitte’s carelessness lead to another…a mistake compounded by allowing the distraction to lead to a big inning. The offense was anemic in that game for sure, but having Gardner lead off probably didn’t help matters much. Finally, on Monday, you had a similar situation wherein the Yankee offense squandered multiple opportunities (one aided by Posada simply not running out the DP ground ball) and a pitcher who caved at the first distraction.

I don’t know…I can’t accept these past three games as mere losses. They strike me as the result of a team lacking in focus. Ultimately, that filters back to the manager…so, if the level of concentration doesn’t increase, maybe a kick in the pants is needed.

In flu crisis, US has planned for the worst

WASHINGTON – If the Mexico swine flu becomes a global pandemic, the routines and comforts of daily life would vanish in the blink of an eye. Small towns and big cities alike would go into a protective crouch.

The worst case scenario, according to U.S. government planners: Two million dead. Hospitals overwhelmed. Schools closed. Swaths of empty seats at baseball stadiums and houses of worship. An economic recovery snuffed out.

Obviously, the people who bought those seats behind home plate in Yankee Stadium are staying home for fear of swine flu.

Seriously…they did ban fans from soccer matches in Mexico. That must have been weird, playing in front of 100,000 sold-out seats…that were empty.

Must have been expensive, too, because they refunded everyone’s money.

Yep, the team won 89 games despite Rodriguez, Posada, Wang, Matsui & co missing considerable time, and general suckiness from Cano & Cabrera. Jeter had an off year too. An offense that led the league in runs the year prior, scored about 200 runs less. Also, they basically suffered the same number of injuries to the same caliber of players that the 2006 Red Sox did. Did the Red Sox fire Theo? Francona?

Anyway the point is that it’s early and a lot can happen between now and the end of the season.

2004 is pretty amazing when you consider the starting rotation:

Less amazing when you consider the lineup

I mean, does anyone think this team post 2004 has really been well built and really good and fun?

Whelp, I remember the “infectious enthusiasm” of Cano & Cabrera, watching Kennedy, Hughes & Chamberlain make their ML debuts, getting a chill when the trade was made to bring RJ here, watching Sheffield, Rodriguez, Abreu, etc ply their offensive trade, the Boston Massacre 2, etc, etc, etc…

You think 2006 was a rebuilding year for the Red Sox? Wow!

In addition to a couple of games that Girardi mismanaged, the way the team responded to Mariano blowing the save is a major red flag to me.

The Red Sox closer did his job, the Yankee closer didn’t. And they “responded” by scoring 11 runs the following day, 6 off the “Big Game Pitcher Red Sox Ace.” Unfortunately, the pitching gave up 16. And even within that game they were going back and forth answering runs in each 1/2 of the inning until their closer did the job again and prevented the Yanks from scoring.

That would be a very good thing, indeed.

But MY question is, for the doomsters … what are you proposing? Sign Barry Bonds? Kill Damaso Marte? Haul up Austin Jackson’s ass, pronto? Reverse the decision not to sign Beltran? We have no right, unless we declare it for ourselves, to a winning April, and everyone who paid attention had to know that Sabathia and Teixeira are not swift starters and most people here were aware we were missing our 3rd baseman, who matters a bit.

I badly wanted to win last night, but Verlander was at 99 on the gun and throwing the breaking stuff for strikes, it happens. I seem to recall a few people here saying .500 end of April and we’ll deal with it.

I think a lot of this is triggered by the BoSox going crazy.

A-Rod may stabilize the infield and make them throw strikes, but it don’t make up for weakness up the middle, the absence of an outfield defense, no clutch hitting, uncharged backups, sluggish running, a porous bullpen, erratic starting pitching, inutility infielders, and no proven designated hitter. And they don’t run the bases well either.

…and he still shut down. wonderful!