Comments on: Rest Assured

By: OldYanksFan

OldYanksFan — Tue, 04 May 2010 22:48:06 +0000

I expect Gardner to get better over the next year or 2. Not better then the nutzo .825+ OPS he has these days, but better the the .700 OPS most of us are expecting.

By: Raf

Raf — Tue, 04 May 2010 21:06:00 +0000

but today’s piece on Vazquez’s free agent status (Type A v Type B) and arbitration is a pretty concise read on exactly what the Yanks have riding on this guy.

Given Cashman’s track record on offering FA’s arbitration, I doubt it.

By: weeping for brunnhilde

weeping for brunnhilde — Tue, 04 May 2010 20:57:43 +0000

Or maybe NJ’s sick. I’ll bet that’s it.

By: weeping for brunnhilde

weeping for brunnhilde — Tue, 04 May 2010 20:56:20 +0000

[10] Errr, is that some kind of house money lineup? Except that this game’s not even for house money?

By: a.O

a.O — Tue, 04 May 2010 20:54:37 +0000

[14] Wow. Thanks. That is indeed very interesting and an excellent harbinger for Gardner’s season. Another few months of this might move Jeter back to No. 2.

Here’s an intriguing piece from Verducci on making contact generally and its effect on the game:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/tom_verducci/05/04/contact.pitches/index.html?xid=cnnbin&hpt=Sbin

By: cult of basebaal

cult of basebaal — Tue, 04 May 2010 20:48:12 +0000

Wow, this is something really interesting, from the guys over at RiverAvenueBlues:

Through 25 games, Gardner has struck out in just 12% of his at-bats and put the ball on the ground 56.9% of the time. He’s not striking out as much because he’s simply making much more contact. Believe it or not, Gardner has yet to swing and miss at the pitch in the strike zone this season, and he’s the only player in the game that can make that claim. Marco Scutaro is second in baseball with a 99.1% contact rate in the zone. If the ball was over the plate and Gardner hacked at it, he’s gotten at least a piece of the ball every single time. His overall contact rate is 91.7% (73.5% contact rate on pitches out of the zone), which is tied with Ichiro for the tenth best in the game. A player like Gardner can’t make up for strikeouts by hitting for power, so he needs to slap the ball around the infield to be successful. So far this year, he’s done exactly that.

A hearty OINK! to that!

By: Diane Firstman

Diane Firstman — Tue, 04 May 2010 20:25:35 +0000

[12]

I’m paying X $ to see that live tonight …. sigh.

By: cult of basebaal

cult of basebaal — Tue, 04 May 2010 20:22:54 +0000

[10] Gah. Beat me to posting it!

That looks like the lineup to a spring training split squad game …

By: rbj

rbj — Tue, 04 May 2010 19:54:29 +0000

[10] Thankfully, it is Baltimore the Yankees are playing.

By: Diane Firstman

Diane Firstman — Tue, 04 May 2010 19:50:59 +0000

NYY lineup vs BAL 5/4: Jeter DH, Swisher 9, Teixeira 3, Rodriguez 5, Cano 4, Thames 7, Gardner 8, Cervelli 2, Pena 6, Burnett 1

(ewwww)

By: ms october

ms october — Tue, 04 May 2010 15:23:42 +0000

[6] i think so. if an extra bullpen is not enough to show some strides, i think a trip to the dl makes sense and will be needed.

i still think he can turn it around, but i think he needs to be given an appropriate chance to turn it around.

By: a.O

a.O — Tue, 04 May 2010 15:19:37 +0000

I guess you guys are all regular readers of Joel Sherman, but today’s piece on Vazquez’s free agent status (Type A v Type B) and arbitration is a pretty concise read on exactly what the Yanks have riding on this guy.

By: Jon DeRosa

Jon DeRosa — Tue, 04 May 2010 15:15:08 +0000

[4] brilliant

By: Jon DeRosa

Jon DeRosa — Tue, 04 May 2010 15:13:36 +0000

I checked fangraphs velocity charts and from 2007-2009 his fastball averaged below 90 only 4 times total. in 2010, he’s been under 90 all 5 starts.

“shoulder fatigue” and a DL stint to follow quickly if he can’t turn it around in the next couple of starts, right?

By: Yankee Mama

Yankee Mama — Tue, 04 May 2010 15:09:20 +0000

Math was never my specialty, but Spaz + Vaz = Inspired.

Or is it Spaz + Inspiration = Vaz

Do the math.

By: Sliced Bread

Sliced Bread — Tue, 04 May 2010 14:42:37 +0000

[3] Javy’s next bullpen sessions will probably include cup stacking.

(whisper chant) Vaz… Vaz… Vaz… Vaz.. Vaz…

By: Bama Yankee

Bama Yankee — Tue, 04 May 2010 14:18:48 +0000

[1] & [2] LOL at the Spaz reference…

By: Sliced Bread

Sliced Bread — Tue, 04 May 2010 14:13:26 +0000

Spaz:

http://tinyurl.com/2dbc57u

By: Sliced Bread

Sliced Bread — Tue, 04 May 2010 14:09:22 +0000

No meatballs for Boston. Spaz will not be on the bus to Camp Mohawk.