Saturday, October 11, 2014

CASHMAN'S BACK

Three more years. Last year, he went out and bought 3 superstars, but not a pennant. Now, there is no room for more super contracts, so he's going to have to find a different way. But first, he has to decide what to do with what he's got. The choices are: (A) Keep him, (B) Drop him or (C) Trade him. Let's go down the list of free agents -
Brandon McCarthy - (A) He's effective so they should try and sign him
David Robertson - (A) try to sign him but not for $15 million. $10 million or let him go
Hiroki Kuroda - (A) Word is, he wants to retire
Francisco Cervelli - (A) Sign him. He can hit
JR Murphy - (C) He's a good chip
Austin Romine - (C) He won't bring as much as Murphy, but it's something
Stephen Drew - (a) Why do we even have to discuss him (notice the small a). He can't hit but he's here and there isn't any viable alternative out there. Certainly nothing in the farm system.
Chase Headley - (A) He's the best 3rd baseman in the game and he'll hit enough.  
Ichiro Suzuki - (B) Past his prime. Not quite the hitter or fielder he once was and certainly not as fast. And speed was his biggest weapon.

What they really need is for these big sluggers to start slugging. McCann looked like he was starting to come around at the end of the year, but Teixeira, Ellsbury and Beltran have to step up. And if A-Rod can't produce, sit him down or release him. Yeah, I know it's a lot of money to eat, but if he can't hit, you're spending money on nothing anyway.

If the Yanks do bring Kuroda back, they could have a starting rotation called The 'A' Line.
TanakA
SabathiA
NovA
PinedA
KurodA

** Bad year for coaches
 Boston's Gregg Brunn and Atlanta's Greg Walker both resigned, perhaps before they were fired. Milwaukee fired both Johnny Narron and Garth Iorg. The Yankees have dumped Kevin Long and Mick Kelleher. Long was the hitting coach and the Yanks didn't hit, so someone had to go. Why Kelleher?
His job was infield coach and first base coach. It's not his fault that the Yanks didn't get enough guys to first. But when they did get there, only Kansas City stole more bases than NY in the American League. They should have canned 3rd base coach Rob Thompson. He made a lot of questionable decisions this year.
At least they were all "well respected."

**Speaking of money...
(Anytime you talk about the Yankees, you're talking about money). The Dodgers are having their own problems. Josh Beckett is retiring. Injuries have killed what was a promising career. In the last five years, his record is 39 - 52. The Dodgers have four starting outfielders and only three positions. Unless they can talk baseball into adding "Rover" as a tenth position, someone has to go. Something has to be done about Puig. To paraphrase Crash Davis in Bull Durham, "He's got million dollar body with a 10-cent head." St Louis got so deep into his head in the playoffs, that Mattingly had to bench him in the last game. But you can't give up on him, there's too much talent.
Word is that both GM Ned Colletti and Mgr Don Mattingly may be fired. Maybe so, but Mattingly is going out swinging: "I'm proud of our season."

***THEY SAID IT***
"We have a mix of veterans and younger players. It’s a good combination of experience and ignorance." Cardinal Matt Holliday
"We’re not willing to lose a ton of games and give up experienced players for draft picks and live to play another day.  Because even though the owner’s first name is Hal, the last name is still Steinbrenner, which is not German for “patience."  -- Brian Cashman
"Geno Smith said he missed a meeting before last Sunday's game in San Diego because he was confused by traveling from the East Coast time zone to the West Coast. This guy must be a nightmare when Daylight Savings Time ends."  -- Brad Dickson
"Jets QB Geno Smith missed a team meeting the night before Sunday’s 31-0 loss to the Chargers. Apparently it was the one in which they installed the touchdown plays."  -- Dwight Perry
"Brett Favre said he's glad Peyton Manning is about to break his record of 508 touchdown passes. Then, Favre was immediately struck by lightning."  -- Brad Dickson
"The Baltimore Orioles or Kansas City Royals were in the World Series around 30 years ago. Most fans weren’t even born then. The only reason Pete Rose remembers is because he bet on them." -- TC Chong
"The Flyers brought back their IceGirls because crowds jeered at the IceGuys. It’s Philly: they boo Santa on his sleigh; what chance do guys shoveling snow have?"  -- RJ Currie
"The Yankees fired hitting coach Kevin Long. Right, because it’s his fault all these sluggers making over $10 million a year suddenly forgot how to hit."  -- Janice Hough

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