Saturday, October 07, 2006
Beer League Softball Stars won't cut it in NY
The Clarion was told the answer earlier this week and we couldn't manage it.
We sent a lightly mocking email out to a few of our Mets friends the day after El Duque’s calf injury. We had a modicum of sympathy for these Mets fans. El Duque, Orlando Hernandez, was their second tragic, serious injury to a starting pitcher in two weeks. Pedro Martinez had just found out that he had a major injury to his shoulder, in addition to a calf problem of his own. Still seeing the Mets suffer has been a hobby for 19 years. We've loathed the Mets for more than double the time the Clarion's loved the Yanks.
Yet, one of those Mets fans replied back to the Clarion’s email slight with the perfect three and a half word answer, “You gotta believe!” And lo and behold, if the Mets aren’t up 2-0.
Unfortunately, we were unable to respond with similar faith in our beloved Yankees. Two weeks ago, as the playoffs approached, the Clarion was a little worried. Today, the Yanks stand on the precipice. The beginning of our uncomfortable feeling started the moment they began to move back to the slow pitch, beer league softball line-up by putting Sheffield at first base. A line-up of All-Star’s indeed, please, Jason Giambi might be an All-Star at keg parties and strip clubs, but on the field? A-Rod, he is an All-Star in April or any game the team is winning or losing by more than eight runs.
This column however is less about today and more about what next. The Clarion thinks even if the Yanks miraculously escape this series with the Tigers, defeat lays ahead. We cannot muster the Mets fan’s faith. We cannot believe that a team built this way is going to succeed. In fact, they haven’t been able to win it all with this group. In our mind’s eye the downfall began with a Luis Gonzales single off of Mo Rivera, over a drawn-in infield, in Arizona, 2001. Things haven't been the same since.
Today the Yanks must get a lead against a guy who was second in the league in strikeouts, Bonderman. Other than Jeter and Posada the rest of the fellas are tighter than the skin on Joan Rivers face. A-Rod is the most nerve wracked of all, but it is pervading the team and Joe Torre has done nothing to change it. So today it comes down to winning with Jared Wright, a guy who might have been considered the 6th or 7th best pitcher when the Yankees left spring training in Florida. Here they are again in October with the season on the line and the lack of pitching and defense is killing them.
Here’s a link to the guy from the New York Daily News making much the same point…
No matter what happens today, the Clarion is done with A-Rod. Goodbye. Like we said, two months back, just before the Bobby Abreu deal, we’d love to see the Yanks trade him for Chipper straight up. From a strategic point of view, we’d spend Steinbrenner’s money to pay the Braves the difference between their salaries. But the again, that’s the thing, it is not our money. It’s Steinbrenner’s. At this point, though, hey whatever, we hope Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman can trade him for two decent minor league pitching prospects, or straight up to the Devil Rays for Scott Kazmir. A 60 win Tampa Bay team would be the perfect place for A-Rod to feel comfortable he’d hit 50 dingers and have 140 RBIs.
Also, as far as the Clarion is concerned, porn star look-a-like* and all but admitted juicer Jason Giambi could go, though we hear his contract makes him all but unmovable.
*This line was borrowed from Bill Simmons column, but it is so right on the money.
As for Gary Sheffield, good riddance, goodbye, don’t let the door hit you in the ass.
The guys who came up through the system can stay, Jeter, Posada, Cano, Mo, Melky.
Other keepers include Matsui, Damon and Mussina, though he should be no more than the number three starter next season.
Pitching and defense. Can the Yanks get some pitching and defense?
If the Yanks lose today, Joe Torre, beware for your job security. All the talk is about re-tread, dirty pool player, Lou Pinella, but don’t forget Joe Girardi. The Clarion does not want to see Torre go. But if the Yanks lose today there will be big changes in the Bronx. If it has to happen the Clarion would much prefer the fired Marlins skipper or if there were someway to steal Willie Randolph back from the Mets…
Okay, that when you know it’s time to end a post, when the Yankees fans are talking about anything they want from the Mets…
Sad note on the A-Rod era, the Yanks are 3-10 in the post season since Game 3 of 2004 LDS against the Red Sox.
What the Clarion would like to see next year’s Yankee line-up look like
CF Damon
SS Jeter
RF Abreu
3B Jones, Chipper
DH Matsui
2B Cano
C Posada
LF Cabrerra
Alternating in 9 spot and DH/1B/Outfield
Bernie
and
Andy Phillips
OR
what the Clarion would sign for today over the current line-up
CF Damon
SS Jeter
RF Abreu
LF Matsui
DH Giambi
2B Cano
C Posada
Alternating in 7 and 8 spot and DH/1B/Outfield
Cabrerra
Bernie
Andy Phillips
Hitting 9th
3B Prospect to be named later
One final note, regular readers know the Clarion hates the wild card, period. It devalues baseball best asset, the annual tapestry of the 162 regular game season. But if they have to have it, have to let extra teams in to boost their revenue, KNOW that the best of five series SUCKS!! The playoff series need to be best of seven from the beginning. How can you turn an event that runs from April to October into a crapshoot that takes less than a week. The NBA doesn’t get through half a playoff round a week, and their playoffs have something like seven or eight rounds.
Not that the NBA playoff scheduling is to be emulated, but baseball’s playoff schedule runs against the flow of the good of the game. Just another reason, the used car salesman, Bud Selig must go. They should go back to two division winners from each league, only, make the playoffs...it'll never happen...and oh and the team with the best record gets home field in the World Series...a current Bud Selig brainswamp has the outcome of an exhibition game deciding home field in the World Series...
We sent a lightly mocking email out to a few of our Mets friends the day after El Duque’s calf injury. We had a modicum of sympathy for these Mets fans. El Duque, Orlando Hernandez, was their second tragic, serious injury to a starting pitcher in two weeks. Pedro Martinez had just found out that he had a major injury to his shoulder, in addition to a calf problem of his own. Still seeing the Mets suffer has been a hobby for 19 years. We've loathed the Mets for more than double the time the Clarion's loved the Yanks.
Yet, one of those Mets fans replied back to the Clarion’s email slight with the perfect three and a half word answer, “You gotta believe!” And lo and behold, if the Mets aren’t up 2-0.
Unfortunately, we were unable to respond with similar faith in our beloved Yankees. Two weeks ago, as the playoffs approached, the Clarion was a little worried. Today, the Yanks stand on the precipice. The beginning of our uncomfortable feeling started the moment they began to move back to the slow pitch, beer league softball line-up by putting Sheffield at first base. A line-up of All-Star’s indeed, please, Jason Giambi might be an All-Star at keg parties and strip clubs, but on the field? A-Rod, he is an All-Star in April or any game the team is winning or losing by more than eight runs.
This column however is less about today and more about what next. The Clarion thinks even if the Yanks miraculously escape this series with the Tigers, defeat lays ahead. We cannot muster the Mets fan’s faith. We cannot believe that a team built this way is going to succeed. In fact, they haven’t been able to win it all with this group. In our mind’s eye the downfall began with a Luis Gonzales single off of Mo Rivera, over a drawn-in infield, in Arizona, 2001. Things haven't been the same since.
Today the Yanks must get a lead against a guy who was second in the league in strikeouts, Bonderman. Other than Jeter and Posada the rest of the fellas are tighter than the skin on Joan Rivers face. A-Rod is the most nerve wracked of all, but it is pervading the team and Joe Torre has done nothing to change it. So today it comes down to winning with Jared Wright, a guy who might have been considered the 6th or 7th best pitcher when the Yankees left spring training in Florida. Here they are again in October with the season on the line and the lack of pitching and defense is killing them.
Here’s a link to the guy from the New York Daily News making much the same point…
No matter what happens today, the Clarion is done with A-Rod. Goodbye. Like we said, two months back, just before the Bobby Abreu deal, we’d love to see the Yanks trade him for Chipper straight up. From a strategic point of view, we’d spend Steinbrenner’s money to pay the Braves the difference between their salaries. But the again, that’s the thing, it is not our money. It’s Steinbrenner’s. At this point, though, hey whatever, we hope Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman can trade him for two decent minor league pitching prospects, or straight up to the Devil Rays for Scott Kazmir. A 60 win Tampa Bay team would be the perfect place for A-Rod to feel comfortable he’d hit 50 dingers and have 140 RBIs.
Also, as far as the Clarion is concerned, porn star look-a-like* and all but admitted juicer Jason Giambi could go, though we hear his contract makes him all but unmovable.
*This line was borrowed from Bill Simmons column, but it is so right on the money.
As for Gary Sheffield, good riddance, goodbye, don’t let the door hit you in the ass.
The guys who came up through the system can stay, Jeter, Posada, Cano, Mo, Melky.
Other keepers include Matsui, Damon and Mussina, though he should be no more than the number three starter next season.
Pitching and defense. Can the Yanks get some pitching and defense?
If the Yanks lose today, Joe Torre, beware for your job security. All the talk is about re-tread, dirty pool player, Lou Pinella, but don’t forget Joe Girardi. The Clarion does not want to see Torre go. But if the Yanks lose today there will be big changes in the Bronx. If it has to happen the Clarion would much prefer the fired Marlins skipper or if there were someway to steal Willie Randolph back from the Mets…
Okay, that when you know it’s time to end a post, when the Yankees fans are talking about anything they want from the Mets…
Sad note on the A-Rod era, the Yanks are 3-10 in the post season since Game 3 of 2004 LDS against the Red Sox.
What the Clarion would like to see next year’s Yankee line-up look like
CF Damon
SS Jeter
RF Abreu
3B Jones, Chipper
DH Matsui
2B Cano
C Posada
LF Cabrerra
Alternating in 9 spot and DH/1B/Outfield
Bernie
and
Andy Phillips
OR
what the Clarion would sign for today over the current line-up
CF Damon
SS Jeter
RF Abreu
LF Matsui
DH Giambi
2B Cano
C Posada
Alternating in 7 and 8 spot and DH/1B/Outfield
Cabrerra
Bernie
Andy Phillips
Hitting 9th
3B Prospect to be named later
One final note, regular readers know the Clarion hates the wild card, period. It devalues baseball best asset, the annual tapestry of the 162 regular game season. But if they have to have it, have to let extra teams in to boost their revenue, KNOW that the best of five series SUCKS!! The playoff series need to be best of seven from the beginning. How can you turn an event that runs from April to October into a crapshoot that takes less than a week. The NBA doesn’t get through half a playoff round a week, and their playoffs have something like seven or eight rounds.
Not that the NBA playoff scheduling is to be emulated, but baseball’s playoff schedule runs against the flow of the good of the game. Just another reason, the used car salesman, Bud Selig must go. They should go back to two division winners from each league, only, make the playoffs...it'll never happen...and oh and the team with the best record gets home field in the World Series...a current Bud Selig brainswamp has the outcome of an exhibition game deciding home field in the World Series...
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