Multi-media time, folks. Check out frequent Bronx Banter commenter and author of Canyon of Heroes and Matsuzaka Watch and proud new papa Mike Plugh as he discusses the Red Sox’s new ace on Baseball Prospectus Radio. Also, check out Matsuzaka Watch for Mike’s counter interview with BP Radio host Will Carroll and a pretty bad-ass Matsuzaka/Red Sox-themed Japanese beer commercial.

Another audio hit for you iPod owners out there, and a bit of shameless semi-self promotion, check out this podcast with Newsday‘s David Lennon and the Daily News‘s Roger Rubin, authors of The Great New York Sports Debate, a book I had a part in editing (more like a cameo, but a part nonetheless).

While we’re on the interview tip, check out this Sports Illustrated piece with Baseball-Reference’s Sean Forman (hat tip to Dodger Thoughts for the link). The new features on B-Ref that incorportate Retrosheet’s box score data are tremendous, if you haven’t full explored the splits and game logs and other additional features added this winter, be sure to take the time to do so.

As for actual Yankee-related news, the best I can do right now is this item on Mel Stottlemyre joining the Diamondbacks as an organizational pitching instructor, which also points out that Goose Gossage will be in Yankee camp as instructor for the first time in a few seasons, neither of which is really new information. Speaking of Yankee camp, Jorge Posada and Kei Igawa are already there, according to Peter Abraham. Man, I can almost taste the hot dogs . . .

Cory Lidle’s back in the news as the National Transportation Safety Board has released the details of its investigation into his fatal small plane crash. Unfortunately, they have been unable to determine whether Lidle or his flight instructor, Tyler Stanger, who was also killed in the accident, was actually flying the plane when it crashed, which leaves Lidle’s family in a lurch regarding a $1.05 million accidental death benefit. In fact, there’s very little new information in this AP story whatsoever. What they have determined is that the ban on small planes flying below 1,100 feet over the East River enacted after Lidle’s accident should be made permanent, but even that is merely a recommendation to the Federal Aviation Administration.

In other news, the Associated Press noticed that Jorge Posada’s contract is up after this year and that he doesn’t yet have an extension. I’m sure he’ll get one in time. The only other Yankees playing on multi-year deals whose contracts expire after this season are Mike Myers and Joe Torre, and Mariano Rivera, who is playing out his option this year. Bobby Abreu and Andy Pettitte have options for 2008. This season could change a lot, but I expect extensions for Jorge and Mo and Abreu’s option to get picked up. Myers won’t be back. As for Joe and Andy . . . difficult to see, always in motion is future.

Football is my second favorite sport after baseball, and the stretch between the Super Bowl and Opening Day has always felt like a long, dreary, entertainment-free wasteland to me. I can’t force myself to care about college sports, so March Madness leaves me flat (even though I finished second in the only NCAA bracket pool I ever entered), and the selection of movies this time of year is the absolute pits, especially once the Oscars pass and the re-released contenders looking to build buzz disappear from the theaters. Of course, some of that has changed since I started blogging, as the need to cover spring training involves me in those games even though precious few of them are aired even on the Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network, which tends to stick to the Yankees’ home games, and none of them count. Of course, the day we all look forward to all winter is Pitchers and Catchers, which is just ten days away, but really that’s a whole lot of nothing. There are no games to watch until March arrives and all the reports prior to then are all the same sort of empty optimism that occurs every year. Heck, we’ve already heard that from Crash Pavano. (Incidentally, Pavano is technically not on the 60-day DL, but he’ll be listed that way on the sidebar until he throws in his second spring training game. In the words of our president, “Fool me once, shame on . . . shame on you . . . you fool me . . . you can’t get fooled again.”)

Between then and now, all that’s left is Bernie Williams’ decision on the Yankees’ offer of a minor league contract and non-roster invite to spring training. The latest is that he’s leaning toward accepting with the idea that he’d retire if he doesn’t make the team. That sounds reasonable enough, though I worry that would leave the final decision in Joe Torre’s hands, and I can just see Joe finding a way to squeeze Bernie onto the roster should he have a few good spring at-bats. In other roster news, Matt DeSalvo, who was designated for assignment to make room for Miguel Cairo on the 40-man roster, cleared waivers and has accepted a non-roster invite of his own.

In the meantime, here’s a fluff piece on Joe Girardi, who will rejoin the YES team this year as well as co-host a show called “Behind the Plate” with John Flaherty, and some fluff on former Mets prospect and new Red Sox hitting coach Dave Magadan. Lastly, Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith coaching in the Super Bowl prompts a less than encouraging look at baseball’s hiring practices.

Congrats to Tony Dungy, Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and the Colts. Not a terrible game, though I’m sure it was maddening for Chicago fans. I loved the fact that the weather had an impact. Manning won the big one. Good for him. Also, I thought Prince killed at halftime. A lot of lesser performers would have wilted under the conditions, but I think they were ideally suited to his sense of drama and theater. He made the most of it; nice guitar work too.

I was a devoted football fan from about 1979-87. I rooted for the Cowboys during their declining years and, locally, for the Jets, during their typical Jets years (some promise, much frustration). My favorite players were Tony Dorsett and Tony Hill, Wesley Walker and Kenny Easley (the AFC’s answer to Ronnie Lott). The greatest game I ever watched was the Chargers-Dolphins playoff overtime game, a week before the most painful game I ever experienced—“The Catch.” I would religiously get together with friends growing up, play a big game of pick-up football on Super Bowl Sunday, no matter how cold. Then we’d go to one of our houses to watch the (usually lousy) game.

I don’t care much for football anymore, though I will watch games during the season. It’s hard for me to make it all the way through one though (I get bored so easily), and I don’t know many of the players and coaches in the sport. Still, I was thinking the other day, that I’ve watched every Super Bowl since 1979. Haven’t missed one. To my mind, the first one I saw is still the best, in terms of sheer excitement and great plays: Super Bowl XIV between the upstart Rams and the powerhouse Steelers, Jack Youngblood playing the game with a broken leg, Vince Ferregamo almost pulling off a Joe Nameth, John Stallworth’s brilliant receptions, Jack Lambert’s game-ending interception. After that, Super Bowl XXIII (49ners over Bengals) was incredible, as were XXV (Giants v. Bills), and Super Bowl XXXIV (Rams over Titans). Recently, the Patriots have played in two damn good games too.

So, will you guys be munching away, watching the game, or at least the commercials, later this evening? I’m rooting for the Colts, but wouldn’t be terribly upset if the Bears won (so long as Manning has a good game in defeat). Whatta ya hear, whatta ya say?

Carl Pavano spoke with the media yesterday.

Couple of few tidbits:

Tim Marchman on Phillip Hughes; Steve Lombardi on the best seasons ever by a Yankee shortstop (peace to Repoz for the heads up); also, there are a bunch of good new Yankee blogs out there–two of the best are Yankees for Justice, and Bronx Liaison. Oh, and Sweeny Murti is going to blog about the Yanks this season over at WFAN’s site. He won’t really get rolling for a couple of weeks, but that’s one to keep an eye on.

Every so often on my way to work on the IRT, I’m on the train with a real cut-up of a conductor. He’s a cheery guy who likes to make many announcements. “Good morning New York, we’re doing Fridays today, not Mondays, not Thursdays, this is Friday.” Some people smile, others roll their eyes. The man is nothing if not persistent. Today, he offered this gem. “Today is February second, Manhattan. Since we don’t have any ground hogs in New York this is what we are going to do: If you see two rats, we’re in for a long winter, if you see one rat, then we’re going to have an early spring.” That got some laughs in my car. Then I overheard a high school kid tell his friend, “I saw ten rats the other day.” Watch the closing doors.

Mel Stottlemyre will not be at spring training in Tampa with the Yankees this year. Speaking of Mel, just where would you guys place him on a list of the greatest starting pitchers in team history?

I think most of us will agree that the addition of Mr. Minky represents the worst move the Yankees made this off-season. And while I believe that many think the team would be better off without the services of Bernie Williams, other fans don’t want to see him go. What to do? Jon Heyman has the latest over at SI.com.

Elsewhere, Mike Mussina tells it like it is; David Pinto links to a story about Melky Cabrera; Steven Goldman compares the Yankee and Red Sox hitting, and according to the AP, the Yankees will host the All-Star Game in 2008.

While the Todd Helton trade talks have stalled (for now), the Times has one nifty headline.

In other news, Billy Martin’s old drinking partner, Art Fowler passed away yesterday. If I get a chance, I’ll take a look through my Yankee literature tonight to see if I can find a good Fowler story.

Todd Helton might not be the offensive beast he once was, but he ain’t chopped liver, either. If he lands in Boston, the Sox will have some kind of formidable line-up, no?

There have been great players who never had a great moment; men who went on year after year, running up formidable statistics, but were no more fearsome than anybody else in the few, crucial moments of their careers. They popped up or flied out in key at-bats, or did not even fail that spectacularly. They simply singled when they should have homered, cut the ball off from going into the gap when they should have made the diving, sliding catch. They played on no great teams, took part in no immortal moments, and passed quietly and respectably from the game, vaguely admired by all.

From Sometimes You See it Coming, a novel by Kevin Baker

I ran across this passage the other night and it got me to wondering: How many great baseball players can we put into this category? (And I think Baker is talking about great playoff moments, really.) Ernie Banks, Dick Allen, Jeff Bagwell, and Alex Rodriguez come to mind. I might even be wrong about them. What do you guys think? Something to chew-over on a bright, but brutally cold day in The Big Apple.

When the Yankees announced their spring training invitees a little less than two weeks ago (see the list under “Players” on the sidebar), I was struck by the absence of one name: J. Brent Cox. As it turns out, Cox, who is widely regarded as one of the organization’s ten-best prospects, has a broken bone in his pitching hand and will thus get a late start to his third professional season. Mystery solved, thanks to super sleuth Peter Abraham.

Peter also provides this link to Michael Kay’s Tuesday interview with Bobby Murcer, who plans to return to broadcasting as soon as spring training. Much as hearing Kay’s voice (and dreadful theme song) makes my skin crawl, it’s great to hear Murcer. In addition to his good spirits and strong voice, his graciousness with Kay’s callers is tremendous.

The Yankees will hold a press conference today to announce a new “international venture,” which Murray Chase believes will have something to do with Randy Levine, Brian Cashman, and Jean Afterman’s upcoming trip to China and Japan.

Jorge Posada made a few comments about Bernie Williams before Tuesday’s Baseball Assistance Team (BAT) dinner, unleashing a torrent of articles all of which have used the same quotes. The gist of Jorge’s jive: Bernie won’t play for another team, Bernie won’t sign a minor league deal, Bernie wants to play one more year. Sounds like Bernie’s in denial. Tyler Kepner‘s version of the story suggests that Bernie could take that minor league deal and then retire in a Yankee uniform in spring training like Al Leiter did last year. Jorge suggests that Bernie might take the Roger Clemens rout and stay in shape in the hope of being needed at some point during the season. Again, I think Bernie’s setting himself up for disappointment.

Major League Baseball will officially announce on Wednesday January 31 that the 2008 All-Star Game will take place in Yankee Stadium. The announcement is expected to take place at City Hall.

Bob Timmerman over on the Griddle has a link to a story about Aaron Guiel and his decision to play in Japan this year.

Finally, on the topic of erstwhile Yankee first basemen, the Devil Rays appear to be close to inking former Columbus Clipper Carlos Peña to a minor league contract. They’ll already have Hee-Seop Choi in camp. Either of those lefties would have been preferable to Stinky Minky.

The big story yesterday was that Robinson Cano has switched his uniform number from 22 to 24 in anticipation of the still entirely speculative arrival of free agent Roger Clemens, who has worn number 22 for the Yankees and Astros since early 1999. The story was broken by the New York Post‘s Michael Morrissey, who reported that the team asked Cano to make the switch. Subsequent articles on ESPN and MLB.com reported that it was Cano that approached the team with the idea for the switch. An MLB.com radio interview with the writer of the later piece, Bryan Hoch, provided a clue to the most likely scenario. Since rosters are currently being finalized and uniforms tailored, the Yankees likely approached Cano about the possibility of having to switch numbers mid-season, offering to let him switch now instead. Cano likely opted to switch now–no doubt with some gentle nudging from the team looking for some cheap headlines in a slow news cycle and a chance to make an overture to Clemens–and the team subsequently spun the decision as Cano’s. For what it’s worth, Cano wore number 14 when first called up in May of 2005 and is named after Jackie Robinson, whose number 42 is the inverse of 24 (and is already taken by Mariano Rivera and otherwise retired throughout baseball). Tino Martinez was wearing number 24 during Cano’s rookie year when he switched from 14 to 22. Last year 24 was only used briefly by Sidney Ponson.

As for Clemens, he was seen sporting one of his Yankee World Series rings at the Sundance Film Festival over the weekend, which suggests to me that the chances of him returning to the Bronx are excellent. Last season Clemens made public appearances wearing Astros gear prior to resigning with the team. Per Morrissey’s article, Clemens’s agent, Randy Hendricks, recently said that Roger’s decision won’t come until after the start of spring training and possibly not until after the start of the regular season. Last year, Clemens didn’t sign with the Astros until May 31 and didn’t make his first start for them until June 22 (there’s that number again). By then the 20-year-old Philip Hughes very well may have eliminated the Yankees’ need for the 44-year-old Rocket. Either way, by June the Yankees look to be in a great position regarding the rotation spot vacated by the Randy Johnson trade.

In other non-news, Bernie Williams‘ retirement is looking increasingly imminent as the Yankees don’t appear to be willing to offer him anything beyond a minor league contract and an invite to spring training where he really wouldn’t even have a job to fight for.

Finally, Yahoo!’s Tim Brown takes a look at former Yankee prospect and 1998 World Series hero Ricky Ledee who has been through seven organizations in his nine-year career and may very well have run out of employers at the age of 33. Whenever I think of Ledee, who was sent to Cleveland in the David Justice deal in mid-2000, I recall his pre-game interviews with Michael Kay on WABC in which Ricky, fighting Shane Spencer and Chad Curtis for the left field job, repeatedly insisted “I weel heet” in a tone of voice that betrayed his lack of belief in what he was saying. Outside of a few small samples, he never did hit.

While I was trapped in a small room and chained to BP07, the Yankees made three moves which directly impact their 25-man roster for the coming season. Among the comments to my previous post were a few requests for me to weigh in on those three moves, which, having been so gently prodded, I intend to do. I need to shake off some rust and get back in fighting shape here, so I’ll start with the least significant of the three, the decision to re-sign infielder Miguel Cairo for $750,000 for the coming season.

One can infer my initial reaction from what I wrote about Cairo in my infield post mortem back in November:

The Yankees got something of a career year out of Cairo in 2004, then botched resigning him, leading to the eminently regrettable Tony Womack deal. Cairo fell back to replacement level as a Met in 2005, but Brian Cashman, perhaps overeager to right the previous offseasons’s supposed wrong, rather than considering Cairo a bullet dodged, gave him a million-dollar contract for 2006. Cairo rewarded Cashman’s good deed by repeating his Met performance almost exactly. Here’s hoping the Yankees have learned their lesson.

That lesson, of course, being: Cairo’s 2005 was a fluke, move on. Sadly, that lesson has gone unheeded.

Lamenting the state of the Yankee bench in recent years, I took a look at the Yankee reserves over the entire Joe Torre era, which now consists of eleven full seasons. Here are the Yankees’ primary middle infield reserves over that period:

(more…)

Peter Abraham has a good piece on Brian Cashman in The Journal News:

In the 14 months since he wrestled power away from George Steinbrenner’s cabal of advisors in Florida, Cashman has reformatted the Yankees into an organization determined to develop star players rather than pay a premium for them. Along with significant roster changes, Cashman has made a series of personnel moves within the baseball operations department, firing several longtime scouts and coaches and reassigning others.

“In 2005, we had a 25-man roster of veterans and got out of the gate terribly. The Boss said it was up to me to fix it, and it made me a little mad because I hadn’t participated fully in making some of those moves in the first place,” Cashman said during an interview at Yankee Stadium. “My contract was up after the season, and I said, ‘I’ll fix it, but I’m going to do it my way or I’m out of here.’ “

Meanwhile, there is a lengthy interview with Michael Morrissey over at Was Watching. Morrissey covers the Yankees for The New York Post, and he’s written a book about the ’06 Bombers: “The Pride and the Pressure: A Season Inside the New York Yankee Fishbowl.” Check, check it out.

As fate would have it, my good pal Pat Jordan has a piece in today’s Sunday Magazine on his father. It’s a good one. Check it out.

USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale has some interesting notes on Brian Cashman and the Randy Johnson trade. In addition to revealing the degree to which the Johnson deal was influenced by Randy’s unhappiness in New York, the article contains some remarks from Cashman confirming the approach that has been evident on the transaction wire. Sez Cash: “I’ve been very vocal and stated our goals. We want to reduce payroll, improve our farm system, get younger and have more flexibility.” Can’t get much clearer than that.

Speaking of the Johnson deal, about which I’m surprisingly lukewarm, the Yankees inked Luis Vizcaino, the homer-happy righty setup man they acquired in the deal, to a one-year, $3-million contract on Wednesday, thus settling with their only arbitration-eligible player.

On a personal note, my apologies for my disappearance from this space over the past month. I’ve just finished editing Baseball Prospectus 2007, a monstrous task, as you may have heard from my cohort Steven Goldman (Steve and Christina Kahrl are BP’s editors on the book; starting with this year’s edition and for the next two years, I am the publishing house’s editor). With that done, I’m back in action as we hurtle toward pitchers and catchers, which is now just 27 days away.

As much as I feel that this is a place for me to share parts of my life with you, I also realize that you guys are primarily coming here to check out all the latest news on our beloved Yanks. I have to say that the words of support that you all have shared over the past several days has been enormously helpful. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.

In the meanwhile, there are some Yankee tidbits–like the upcoming publication of Gary Sheffield’s autobiography, which should be good for some sour grapes. More importantly, the 2008 All-Star Game may be held at Yankee Stadium. Wasn’t ’77 the last time an All-Star Game was hosted in the Bronx? I think it would be fitting for the House that Ruth Built to host another in its final year of existence.

For links to all of this Yankee news, and more, please refer to the great list of Yankee blogs you can find on the right-hand column of this page. If Was Watching, and Yanksfan vs. Soxfan, and Pete Abraham’s blog, and the rest of the stellar sites listed here haven’t covered it, it probably hasn’t happened.