Thanks for the memories Hideki

[jacksonianmarch]

I also think the yankees did not offer arb to Damon because they fully intend on resigning him on their terms

[Gom]

I'm not even going to touch on the Molina point, because it's clear we're far apart on that one. So lets look at your three other criticisms point by point.

 

1. It was a mistake not to sign Lackey - Again, while acquiring a pitcher of Lackey's ability would certainly be a huge help, after what they did last offseason (and if you consider all the guys they have locked up long term), I'm inclined to believe that ownership simply isn't going to give Cashman the go ahead to spend the required amount of money. To me, this is a logical and plausible scenario.

 

2. It was a mistake not to sign Matsui - http://www.talksox.com/forum/508092-post28.html

 

3. It was a mistake not to offer Damon arbitration - While I expressed my displeasure with this decision at the time it was made, for the reason you mentioned, I understand that this is an example of the fact that the Yankees are going to be very money conscious (at least for the moment) after what they did last offseason. For whatever reason, they believed there was a possibility Damon might accept, and they just could not take that risk.

I think I'm very good at predicting the market and the money trends. I am shocked that Cashman is nowhere near as good as I am. He gets paid millions for it, and I'm just a fan. This is why I'm shocked at how bad he is at guessing the market.

 

Let's take a look at my predictions for money in my Plan For Yankee Dominance:

 

So far three players have signed:

 

4. Resign Matsui. One year/$7 million. A professional hitter with the ability to hit lefties and righties, his market is limited as there are many DHs on the market. Winning is it's own drug, and the reality is we're starting to see what we saw in the 90's...players WANTING to play in New York. Winning does that for you.

Angels, one year, 6.5 million.

5. Resign Pettitte. One year/$12 million. Pettitte will pretty much go year to year at this point. I don't think he will retire, he still has the ability to pitch effectively. He wants to come back, and the Yankees want him back.

Yankees, 11.75 million

6. Sign John Lackey. 6 years/$100 million

Red Sox, 5 years, 85 million. My AAV is 16.7 million, he gets 17 million AAV.

 

I don't miss often, although I will probably miss on Wang, and the jury is still out on Damon and Molina. The Yankees are arguing about the years with Damon..why not just go year to year with him in arbitration?

 

How can I see this and not Cashman?

[yankees228]

That had absolutely nothing to do with my post. You're ignoring my point that, in my opinion, the Yankees simply aren't willing to spend that type of money after last offseason.

[Gom]

That had absolutely nothing to do with my post. You're ignoring my point that' date=' in my opinion, the Yankees simply aren't willing to spend that type of money after last offseason.[/quote']

 

They need to in order to stay ahead of the Sox. Better to spend 200 million and win the world series than 180 and lose in the first round.

 

Next year the Yankees have no free agents they will probably lose, except for Pettitte, who will in all likely hood finally retire. Rivera and Jeter will come back at comparable salaries.

 

The Red Sox will lose Ortiz, Lowell, Beckett, and Vmart. Only Beckett is a concern. The excess money could be used on Mauer.

 

The Yankees don't really have bad contracts at this time, just long ones, with the exception being Posada. If I was Cashman...I would explore the option of trading for Mauer, and seeing if I could trade Posada. You know Minaya would go apeshit for Posada, recouping some of the loss you'd incur for Mauer. Just a dream, anyways.

[jacksonianmarch]

Gom, you cannot get into the game of one upping the red sox. This yankee team is great in all phases of the game and was 8 games better than Boston last yr while on cruise control for the last 45 games or so. We really have one hole and that's in LF, something we could fill right now, or that could easily be filled by the trade deadline. Its not like we are lacking an ace, or even a top 3 pitcher.

[Gom]

We are lacking in SP depth. I really could care less about LF. I wouldn't mind going with what we have, maybe bringing back Nady to play against lefties, and DH'ing Miranda and rotating the rest of the team in that role.

 

We won last year for one simple reason. Pitching, pitching, pitching...and clutch hitting from Arod, the new Mr. f***ing October!!! Sorry, couldn't help it.

 

If we face the Sox in the ALCS, we lose 3 out of 4 pitching matchups. Bringing in Sheets pretty much evens it out.

[riverside sluggers]

They need to in order to stay ahead of the Sox. Better to spend 200 million and win the world series than 180 and lose in the first round.

 

Next year the Yankees have no free agents they will probably lose, except for Pettitte, who will in all likely hood finally retire. Rivera and Jeter will come back at comparable salaries.

 

The Red Sox will lose Ortiz, Lowell, Beckett, and Vmart. Only Beckett is a concern. The excess money could be used on Mauer.

 

The Yankees don't really have bad contracts at this time, just long ones, with the exception being Posada. If I was Cashman...I would explore the option of trading for Mauer, and seeing if I could trade Posada. You know Minaya would go apeshit for Posada, recouping some of the loss you'd incur for Mauer. Just a dream, anyways.

 

Yankee players whose contracts are coming to and end this season are Jeter ($21 million), Rivera ($15 million), Pettitte ($12 million) and Mitre ($3 million). They will re-sign the obvious 3 out of 4 free agents, but comparable salaries at their ages?

[jacksonianmarch]

Pitching matchups are relative to the lineup being faced. I would take Burnett vs Boston's lineup sans Bay over Beckett vs NYY's lineup

[Gom]

Yankee players whose contracts are coming to and end this season are Jeter ($21 million)' date=' Rivera ($15 million), Pettitte ($12 million) and Mitre ($3 million). They will re-sign the obvious 3 out of 4 free agents, but comparable salaries at their ages?[/quote']

Yes. The Yankees will probably sign all three at comparable salaries, just shorter deals. Jeter will probably get 3-4 years, Rivera 2-3, and Pettitte year to year. Not saying I agree with it, but it will probably happen. I can't see the Yankees playing hardball with any of them.

 

Pitching matchups are relative to the lineup being faced. I would take Burnett vs Boston's lineup sans Bay over Beckett vs NYY's lineup

 

Not with Posada catching.

[yankees228]

They need to in order to stay ahead of the Sox. Better to spend 200 million and win the world series than 180 and lose in the first round.

 

Next year the Yankees have no free agents they will probably lose, except for Pettitte, who will in all likely hood finally retire. Rivera and Jeter will come back at comparable salaries.

 

The Red Sox will lose Ortiz, Lowell, Beckett, and Vmart. Only Beckett is a concern. The excess money could be used on Mauer.

 

The Yankees don't really have bad contracts at this time, just long ones, with the exception being Posada. If I was Cashman...I would explore the option of trading for Mauer, and seeing if I could trade Posada. You know Minaya would go apeshit for Posada, recouping some of the loss you'd incur for Mauer. Just a dream, anyways.

 

You continue to bash Cashman, yet you fail to grasp his philosophy and the financial side of things. On top of that, you throw out ridiculous scenarios like trading for Mauer.

 

What's incredible to me is that you think you're reading the market correctly, while Cashman is way off. Lets take a look at Matsui. Even if Cashman thought he would receive more than 6.5 million dollars, I'm sure if they wanted to sign him at the last minute (judging by everything I've ever heard about Matsui) he would have accepted the same offer from the Yankees. It's not that they got beat out by the Angels or something. The Yankees know the health of their players better than we do. Obviously, in their estimation, it's important to leave the DH spot unoccupied, and whether you agree or not, you have to see the merit in the argument.

 

As for Lackey, I'm sure they would have loved to get him, and I doubt they misread the market. I don't know how many times I have to say this, but after what they did last offseason, I think it's very possible that they're simply not going to pay top dollar for free agents this winter. I think you're getting too caught up in calling people sheep to realize that Cashman's claims that the 2010 payroll will be less than the 2009 payroll make sense. On top of that, in the case of Damon, they've already proven that they'll avoid even the possibility of paying five million dollars more than they want. If that doesn't tell you what kind of offseason this is going to be, I think you're blinding yourself from reality. For one offseason the Yankees are forced to act like the majority of the other clubs. After what happened last offseason, and after what happened last season, I think you should be able to live with that fact.

[ORS]

Pitching matchups are relative to the lineup being faced. I would take Burnett vs Boston's lineup sans Bay over Beckett vs NYY's lineup

Really? This is from last year.

 

Burnett vs. Boston: 8.85 ERA, 1.98 WHIP, 1.024 OPSA

 

this is with Bay going 4/8 with 2 2B

 

Beckett vs. NY: 5.34 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, .804 OPSA

 

Bay did not account for the difference. You need to slow your roll a bit. The Sox, overall, are not as good as the Yankees, but they are still a very good baseball team, and you've gone off the deep end. You've pretty much favored your team over the whole 25 man roster from top to bottom in the last few weeks.

[26 to 6]

That sense only comes on when all other sense goes out the window. This was the right move if you truly desire flexibility. And with Posada' date=' ARod, and probably Jeter needing DH time, this was the right move.[/quote']

I agree, this was definitely the best move. I'm still gonna miss having him in the lineup though.

 

I hope so. I would much rather have Molina.

 

It will be a huge mistake to not sign Molina. Since Cervelli is not the long-term answer, his value is more in a trade. Montero or Romine or Mauer is the catcher of the future, not Cervelli.

Relax Gom, Cervelli will do fine. He may not be the everyday catcher of the future, but I can see him sticking here for a long time. A catching tandem of Montero and Cervelli or Romine and Cervelli (with Montero as a DH) should be more than adaquete. I don't even want to think about Joe Mauer. It's such a glutonous thought, I truly hope he stays in Minnesota. I'm pretty confident that we're good behind the plate for a long time. Losing Molina is NOT going to be a devestating blow to the Yankees. He's a completely one dimensional player, and while he may be one of the best 2 or 3 DEFENSIVE catchers in the league, Cervelli isn't much of a downgrade and can also hit and run much better than Molina. You're always bitching that Cashman doesn't draft and promote through the organization well...well give him a chance. Forget about Mauer, forget about Molina. Give the young catchers a shot, I really think we have something there.

[26 to 6]

I just realized that the Yankees open up at home against the Angels. It's nice that Matsui will get to be there to get his ring and be a part of the ceremonies.

[a700hitter]

I just realized that the Yankees open up at home against the Angels. It's nice that Matsui will get to be there to get his ring and be a part of the ceremonies.

Heartwarming

[yankees228]

Come on 26, we all know that Jose Molina is the linchpin of the Yankees' pitching staff.

[26 to 6]

Heartwarming

 

Smart ass lol

[Optimist]

Just saw a picture of Hideki in the Angels uniform. Do not like.

[riverside sluggers]

Very odd to see him play against the Sox in an Angels uni

 

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/rids/20091217/i/r3616502306.jpg

[26 to 6]

Just saw a picture of Hideki in the Angels uniform. Do not like.

Very awkward sight.

[Emmz]

He still looks just like Shemp...

[Spudboy]

I wish him luck.

 

I always kinda liked the guy. Too bad his knees are s***.

[Emmz]

Yeah, I sort of had a respect for Matsui, just like I have respect for Derek Jeter. I have absolutely no respect for Alex Rodriguez, though. For obvious reasons.