I promised myself, when the blog craze worked its way down the food chain to me, that I would never blog while on vacation. Yet I'm in my hotel room, the rest of the family is asleep, I'm not tired and I'm trying to stay up to see what happens in this Yankees game. As I type, it's White Sox 6, Yankees 5, top 6th. Tough break for Phil Hughes. Why didn't Joe Girardi start a reliever?
Anyway, here I am, breaking my self-imposed embargo, following the tradition of the vacation-ignoring Watchdog. Figured I'd check in to see what was on your minds.
I've been following the scores and basic news on my Blackberry and complimenary copy of USA Today. I watched the last inning and a half of last night's Yankees-White Sox game, since it was on ESPN, but that's been it for me since the game when Kyle Farnsworth earned his suspension.
So, some quick thoughts:
Regarding Hank Steinbrenner's outburst, I won't believe that Hank will follow his dad's lead and actually dictate on-field policy until I see it. Nevertheless, Hank's diatribe impacted Brian Cashman's day, as the Yanks' GM had to do damage control with the myriad media that cover the team. I think that if Hank continues to spout off, Cashman will leave the Yankees when his contract runs out after the season. Then again, I thought that Cashman would leave three years ago.
Regarding the Mets, my parting image from leaving New York on Tuesday was my apartment building doorman, Paul, screaming, "They've got to get rid of Heilman!" That might be a little harsh, but clearly, the Mets should give Aaron Heilman a little breather, let him work out his issues in situations that aren't so high-leverage.
Regarding the Dodgers, which Jim mentioned late in the last post, Joe Torre has a serious problem with Andruw Jones. I can't believe how poorly Jones has played. The Dodgers have a very interesting team, replete with pitching depth and young, talented position players, but Jones is just dragging them down at the moment. Look, as much as people hate Torre, this is his specialty: Helping teams stay afloat, spiritually, during rough starts (for which he absolutely deserves blame).
Relaxation and family time haven't altered my stances on any of the key issues: Still think that the Yankees should start Joba, still think that the Yankees made the right call in not trading for Johan Santana, still think the Dodgers will win the NL wild card, still think that Santana will lead the Mets to a World Series victory over the Blue Jays. Remember, it's only April. There is so, so much more baseball to be played. It's way too early to abandon any of your preseason opinions/predictions.
Okay, 6-6 now in the bottom of the 7th, but I'm not going to make it until the end. My son gets up between 6:30 and 7 every morning, and I've got a tennis clinic at 9. I need my rest, despite the fact that my hall voted me as the "Person Who Never Sleeps" in my freshman year of college. Hope you all are well. See you Monday (or maybe sooner).
Comments (11)
Hope all is well you, Ken.
Tough game for the Yanks last night. I thought Hughes looked destined to have a good outing and pitch deep into the game. I do think Girardi made the right decision taking him out, something he didn't do to a young Marlins pitcher who later got hurt I believe.
I was surprised Girardi didn't IBB Crede with 1st base open and 1 out with what I think was a weak hitter on deck.
And it's ridiciulous the Yankees don't have a long-man in the bullpen not named Ohelndorf.
I feel for Heilman. He's gone home-run-crazy. Seems like all the homers are coming on changeups. As Ken said, it's time to give this guy a break. Sosa, too. But Sosa, I think, just isn't that good of a pitcher. Hopefully this hasn't gotten into Heilman's head.
Joba really hurt himself last night messing around with Carlos Quentin. He's blowing fastballs by him and then he throws a hanging curve that Quentin flicks into left for a double.
As for the rain delay: it's fine to err on the side of caution, but I really think a pitcher can stay loose for fifty minutes. Pitchers often have thirty-minute delays during really long innings. I'm not sure why Hughes just couldn't keep his shoulder loose soft tossing inside. But all the same, it's understandable, and I know they want to protect his arm at all costs.
Looks like it is going to be a very interesting and competetive season, in all divisions. So much for Detroit going 0-162. Leyland can't pitch, but is an excellent manager. A somewhat respectable start by the Giants and Astros, who both looked very weak on paper. Enjoy the balance of your vacation
A "Neil Best" baseball blogger? Oh, my!
Wasn't Joba ahead of Crede 0-2? Earlier I saw him shake off the catcher 3 times. Is he young to be shaking off the catcher? How many pitches does he throw?
When it comes to the pitching, maybe it wasn't Guidry after all? I don't see much of a change with Eiland.
Which was Cashman's worst signing: Farnsworth, Pavano or Igawa. BTW, Igawa has some excellent numbers at SWB.
Hawkins started out terribly again last night. The guy can't get through an appearance without giving up at least one run. The HR he gave up really came back to haunt the Yankees.
Wasn't Joba ahead of Crede 0-2? Earlier I saw him shake off the catcher 3 times. Is he young to be shaking off the catcher? How many pitches does he throw?
When it comes to the pitching, maybe it wasn't Guidry after all? I don't see much of a change with Eiland.
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He throws four pitches -- plus fastball, plus slider, good curve, and a changeup he's apparently working on. I think Joba has done enough to shake off a catcher. Though in a critical situation like that, the catcher might want to have a chat. I'm not really sure why Joba went with the curve to Quentin -- I guess he figured the change of speeds would throw him off.
I'm not sure I understand the pitching comment. We're only in April -- I don't think you can blame or praise Eiland at this point. It's still so early. The difference between Guidry and Eiland is that Eiland has a clue. You think Guidry ever watched film or game-planned? I loved him as a player, but he was useless as a coach, and you have to have more up your sleeve than stories about fishing for catfish. Guidry had no idea how to diagnose mechanics problems or deal with his young pitchers. Hughes and Kennedy need someone to lean on, and Eiland knows them both from their minor-league days. Eiland apparently also has the ear of Mussina, who's the only other starter that really needs assistance from the pitching coach -- Pettitte and Wang seem to just do their thing.
As for people like Farnsworth and Hawkins -- well, no matter how you dress up a pig, it's still a pig. I'm not sure any pitching coach can transform those guys. Hawkins just isn't very good. Farnsworth hasn't been totally awful, and I guess right now he's a decent-though-very-overpriced middle reliever. Eiland did have Bruney throwing the ball well, though he's injured now.
Re: Joba - It's interesting he threw the one pitch (out of four) the catcher didn't call. He's 21 years old. I'm surprised Giardi lets him call off the catcher once, let alone four times. I don't care what he did last year. He's a kid. I think he can be a very good pitcher, and he showed it last year, but he's still human with lots to learn. No one can argue with that, can they?
The comment on Eiland wasn't an indictment of him more than it was an observation that as of today, I haven't seen anything noticeably different between how the pitchers threw under Guidry. Hughes threw too many pitches last year and he's doing it again. Didn't Stump Merrill know a lot of the kids from his days in the minors? I don't know if Guidry watched film or not, but I sure do hope Eiland has better results. But, maybe it's the personnel, not the coach.
Don't get me wrong, I always laugh when the pitching or hitting coaches get lots of credit. This isn't HS ball.
Farnsworth has stunk for three years. Even after a couple of performances that didn't end in disaster, his ERA is still 4.35 - very high for a reliever IMHO. Even last night he couldn't throw a dozen pitches without giving up a hit. Hawkins can't blow the ball past batters any more and doesn't have a second pitch that can consistently get anyone out.
Ken,
You elitist tennis-clinic-attending insomniac blog loving fool. Welcome back!
Hey Ken, if you are going to put Joba in the rotation, who's going to be the set- up man for Mariano? Farnsworth stinks. Hawkins stinks. Burney Stinks. Ohelndolf I have seen enough of him, he stinks. Before everybody put Joba in the rotaton, give me a guy who can pitch in the 8th Inning and set-up for Rivera. If you can't, then keep Joba in the pen until the Yankees can find someone. And one more thing, can tthe Yankees offense score more runs so that Hughes and Kennedy don't have pressure to pitch shutout ball every time they pitch, and can either Hughes or Kennedy throw strikes so that they don't drive the pitch count up and expend the bullpen out everytime they pitch?
Dennis,
If there is no lead to protect, Joba is worthless in the bullpen. He should be a starter. At least until Ken says otherwise. Then I will write another 4 sentences explaining why I always agreed that Joba should stay in the bullpen.
Hey, has anyone seen a byline on espn.com from TJ Milli Quinnilli lately? Man, I thought Ken took some long vacations. I guess I got out of the sports writing business a little too soon.
In the true spirit of Mr. Best, a picture of Mrs. Connie Tesh (nee Sellecca) or Ms. Shari Belafonte should have graced this posting.....