yankees228

And wow, a very smart play by Cano... EDIT: Even if this game remains tied, and even though they're on the road, I expect to see Mo in the ninth inning (if there is a bottom of the ninth). EDIT 2: Damn. Almost.

Right, I was at the last two games of the Texas series where Derek Jeter was a large part of the reason why the Yankees won. In all fairness, I agree with you...Derek Jeter has regressed this year. However, him batting second should be 100% on the manager. I mean, thank god we have Joe Girardi, because if Torre was still the manager he would probably move Jeter to 4th in the order...

Reminds me of Tiki Barber smiling after the Eagles knocked the Giants out of the playoffs a couple of years ago.

Lol, Gom, you're ridiculous. You're so up and down when you talk about this team. They go on a small winning streak and they're definitely make the playoffs, they go on a mini losing streak and the world is ending...

As for the bullpen, yes, Torre had a history of blowing out some arm... But I think the problem with judging managers on their bullpen use is that when the bullpen is pitching really well everyone says that the manager is doing a great job handling his pitchers, but when some of the guys come back down to earth he looks like an idiot. EDIT: And by the way Jacko, when it comes to Torre you really seem to have short term memory. Look, which pitchers did Torre not use on a consistent basis that cost them so many games. You always say that he never went to the kids in the bullpen, and I agree he favors the veterans, but lets see some names... I guess you've forgotten how much he trusted Mariano Rivera in his first full season, or how often he went to Ramiro Mendoza in crucial situations...

Definitely a good point. It's just that the way I looked at it at the time was that in order to win this game (because of factors I've already mentioned) they were probably going to need a big inning at some point. Bunting with Jeter definitely decreased the odds of having that big inning.

For what it's worth, the real Yankee fans had a great deal of respect for the year to year offensive production that Manny provided.

But we all know that if Joe Torre was the manager he probably would have been out after the fourth inning and the game would have ended 20-4 instead of just 11-4. Thankfully we have Joe Girardi now!!!!

Couldn't agree more. Actually I just created a thread where I attempt to point out some of the really poor moves Girardi has made over the past couple of weeks in key spots.

I figured I would make a thread separate from the gamethread where we can discuss/question in game moves made by Girardi. I know I'll get a lot of heat from the Yankee fans on this site because you guys all seem to dislike Torre, but Girardi is no better. He has really made some stupid moves over the past couple of weeks... -Letting Edwar Ramirez face Teixiera last Sunday with the bases loaded (with Marte ready in the bullpen). Turn Teixiera around and make him hit to the bigger part of the ballpark. Letting him hit lefty in that spot, with Edwar struggling against the previous three batters is the wrong move. And please, lets not make the argument that Teixeira was 5-6 career against Marte. -Letting Marte face Marlon Byrd on Monday. Marte had walked three guys in the inning. In my opinion, there were only two possible results. Either Marte was going to continue to be wild and walk in the winning run, or he was going to groove one to Byrd (which he did). You had Robertson ready in the bullpen and that would have given you a righty righty matchup, but most importantly it would have gotten Marte out of the game. -Bunting with Jeter today with first and second and nobody out in the seventh inning with the Yankees up 3-1. I already talked about this in the GT, but I figured I would mention it here too. You have the pitcher on the ropes, he gave up two home runs last inning, and three singles to open up the current inning (even Melky got a hit off him!!!). With the state of the Yankees bullpen, the explosiveness of the Angels offense, and the heart of the Yankees lineup coming up you play for the big inning. They had a great opportunity, and it usually ends poorly when you give away outs to really good pitchers. If the Yankees have a big inning, there's a good chance the Angels don't rally like they did in my opinion. -The first move should have cost them the game if the Angels defense didn't s*** the bed in the next inning and the other two moves did cost them the games.

And Edwar Ramirez has finally come down to earth. And it looks like I was absolutely correct, the call at home was as clear a turning point as you'll ever see.

That is why you play for the big inning. So stupid. You know, I'm not saying that Torre was a genius, but Girardi is f***ing stupid at times. This is not a game they should have lost.

I understand that. But it still doesn't make sense. Lackey is clearly struggling, and you're giving him outs. That really was a classic example of when you shouldn't bunt. You play for the big inning. And now it looks like they're going to lose the game because of it.

Or not. And what makes you think they're pitching around guys to get to Teixeira. That is not at all what happened. Veras choose to go to a curve on 3-2 and it was a pretty good one. It barely dropped out of the zone, and Izturis was able to hold up. By the way, how stupid can Joe Girardi be at times? How in the world can you bunt with Derek Jeter in that situation. Why are you giving away outs with your number two hitter? But most importantly, the previous inning Lackey gave up two home runs and had given up three straight hits to start the 7th. Incredibly dumb. However, that was a bad call on the next play. And the Angels get a big break as the ball hits off Shields glove, but Robbie didn't run out of the box right away.

Exactly. Manny grew up in Washington Heights and was a childhood Yankee fan. This is not the first we've heard of Manny possibly wanting to play for the Yankees. Now with this extra motivation I could really see it happening.

Ugh. I know they didn't show a definitive angle, and I know the throw beat him, but Melky really looked safe on the play at the plate in the 7th inning. That could prove to be a real turning point. EDIT: I'm really trying not to make excuses, and the game being tied is entirely Veras' fault. But I just watched the replay again online, that was a bad call. Changed the entire game. Instead of first and third, one out, and the score 4-1, it was first and third two outs and the score 3-1. Huge difference.

No, actually my family usually goes to one or two road Yankee series every year during the summer (I live in NY). So this year we choose to go to this series.

Nice...I was there too. Did you have good seats?

Hughes didn't use his change-up that often because his change-up sucks.

Nicely done Kilo. As E1 said, these are fun to read and debate over. The Yankees need two things to happen to exceed the win total you gave them, in my opinion. They need to really go on a prolonged tear offensively like they did after the ASB last year. There have been times where it looked like that would happen, only to see them fall flat on their faces for the next week. The lineup, for the rest of the season, should closely resemble this... Johnny Damon DH Derek Jeter SS Bobby Abreu RF Alex Rodriguez 3B Jason Giambi 1B Xavier Nady LF Robinson Cano 2B Ivan Rodriguez C Melky Cabrera CF For this "tear" to occur a few things need to happen differently than they have been over the course of the season. For one, Derek Jeter really needs to start hitting. So far this year Jeter is slugging .395. This is well below his career average. I understand a drop off is expected, but Jeter's really has been very extreme. It's possible that this will continue, but for the Yankees to be successful they cannot have Jeter hitting like that in the number two spot. If he starts performing better, it really transforms the entire lineup (many more RBI chances for Abreu and Jeter). Every single year, or so it seems, Giambi goes through hot and cold stretches. But not normal hot and cold stretches, but extreme ones. Giambi's season has really broken down into three parts so far this year. Very poor at the beginning. Scorching hot. And then he has been truly awful for a little over a month. Giambi has been killing the Yankees lately, and if he can pick it up, it would be a huge lift. I'm not saying he's due to get hot, but his trends over the last few years tend to hint that he may do so. He gets tons of RBI chances and he needs to start cashing in. Robinson Cano needs to get that hand healthy. He just really seemed to be coming around (I know he won't remain as hot as he was), and it would really hurt the Yankees for him to have to miss any more time. Guys like Damon, Abreu, and A-Rod need to just keep doing what they're doing and remain consistent. Obviously it would really hurt if one of them stopped performing well, and that possibility always exists. However, I don't view these guys as the problem. Also, Pudge and Melky don't need to do anything spectacular. They're not the worst 8-9 imaginable, and if they're just decent it should be more than enough (or at least one of them). I'm not going to offer an opinion on Nady because I simply don't know him well enough. The three through five spots in the rotation are the other key. Pettitte needs to start pitching much more consistently. He seems to be very up and down, and they need more of a consistent trend from him. He'll get a good test tuesday against the Rangers, which I'll be attending. The fourth and fifth starters pose the biggest problem. Rasner needs to go. That's clear. And with Ponson it really is playing with fire. He has the ability to put together some good starts, but there always seem to be a lot of base runners and some really good defensive plays need to be made behind him. The most likely option is Ian Kennedy, who has been pitching very well in AAA. I expect to see him make the start next friday against LAA in Rasner's place. Phil Hughes is a little further down the line, but it remains to be seen if they even want to bring him to the majors this year. It is also still possible that Jarrod Washburn will become a target again if the Mariners lower their asking price. Also, I know I'm going to get killed here, but another option, and one I would like to test out is Carl Pavano. It appears as if Pavano finally might be healthy (he has made two rehab appearances), and is currently building up his arm strength. During Pavano's time in the majors, albeit brief, he was pretty successful (and certainly better than what Rasner and Ponson have provided). Clearly health still, and always will be a question with him, but if he can remain healthy he can also be effective. I think he can be someone that could prove to be a difference maker for the Yankees. For what it's worth, I'm in no way counting on Carl Pavano for obvious reasons. Of course, Chamberlain and Mussina also need to keep pitching well. This is more of a Yankees discussion, so it can be continued in another thread, but as long as we were talking about what each team needs to do down the stretch, I figured it was appropriate to post this here.

The amount of times that Jacko and Gom gave up in this thread is kind of funny. Anyway, whoever complained about not going to Rivera in the 8th, he was suffering from back spasms. For what it's worth, the Red Sox are clearly in a better position than the Yankees, I don't see how that can be argued... The Red Sox are two and a half games better in the standings. The Yankees have a ton of road games coming up and they still have to play six games in Anaheim. Honestly, I'm still paying more attention to the Rays than I am to the Red Sox (in terms of who I think they can overtake in the standings).

JHB, I really do think that I have been fair this entire time in terms of this argument. I went into this with an open mind, and I honestly did not make a conclusion up front. On top of that, I think you've done a great job with all your research and analysis. You clearly know your stuff. I also admit that you bring up some interesting points. I don't disagree with all of them. I think it's possible, not definite, but possible that the Yankees are throwing money at some teams. In the end (and I know that this will be viewed upon as Yankee bias) I think it's much more probable that nothing unusual is going. I don't know for sure either way, and none of us do, but I think the probability is that nothing is going on. This does not have any statistical backing or any type of analysis, however there just simply isn't any true proof that something fishy is going on. On top of that, I believe that you have made a few errors. I think that you are proclaiming certain trades to be wins that aren't. But, and here's my main point, even if they are wins they do not help your case because the margin of victory is so incredibly small. The addition of guys such as Matt Lawton, Sal Fasano, and Tim Redding do not help your case. You are entitled to your opinion, and I respect that, but there is no use in us continuing to argue over those deals because we are both set on our opinions. Lastly, I think another thing that you might be overlooking is something that Jacko mentioned earlier. The Yankees, more than any other team, and this cannot be argued, are in the best position to take on salary (because of their ownership). This allows them to do deals that other teams cannot, such as the Bobby Abreu deal, because they're willing to absorb a salary that other teams might not be so quick to. Again, I think you've done a great job trying to prove your case, and I admit that it is possible that you're right. I just feel that it is more probable that you are incorrect, and because there is no proof either way (in my opinion) I'm going to go with the more probable (again, more probable in my opinion) option.

I figured I would start a thread where we can all talk about our favorite teams for the upcoming season. I know that there are a lot of Patriot fans but I'm also under the impression that a lot of teams have fans on this forum. Anyway, my favorite team is the Giants, and here's how I look at their team for this season. QB: Which Eli Manning is going to show up? The one that was able to control the ball and manage the game last January or the one from the regular season who lead the league in incompletions? I'd like to think he has permanently turned the corner, but only time will tell. Losing Shockey is going to hurt him because he won't have the same one on one match-ups on the outside (I understand that he didn't have Shockey in the playoffs but those were only a handful of games and not enough to make a judgment). David Carr is nothing special, but he's a better backup than the Giants have had the last few years. RB: Definitely the area on the team with the most competition. They already announced that all three running backs, Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw, and Derrick Ward, are going to compete for carries in training camp. I fully expect to see Jacobs to get the majority of the carries, but Bradshaw and Ward should also get their full share. Jacobs was very hot and cold last year, and the hope is that his injuries are behind him. Same goes for Ward. Bradshaw is obviously very talented but his success last year could be contributed to the fact that other teams were probably not game planning too much for him. Also, we have to hope that his legal troubles are behind him. FB: Madison Hedgecock did an excellent job last year of opening up holes for the running backs. There is no reason to think that won't continue. WR: The entire Giants passing game, without Shockey, is now going to fully revolve around Plaxico Burress. Clearly he has tremendous ability, and had an excellent year last year, but hopefully he can put his contract dispute behind him and stay healthy. If he stays healthy, and Manning continues to progress, there should be no stopping him. You really don't know what you're going to get from Toomer. He had an excellent bounce back season last year, and played incredible in the playoffs, but he is probably reaching the end of the line. With that being said, hopefully he has one more good season left in him. The guy I'm most excited to see play a full season is Steve Smith. He has excellent ability and played great in the playoffs. I expect him, at some point during the season, to see a lot of snaps out wide in Toomer's place. Mario Manningham is also someone to keep an eye on, but he is very raw, and I don't expect too much of a contribution from him this year. I have all but given up on Sinorice Moss. TE: How good is Kevin Boss? The only thing we have to look at is the end of the regular season (last three games) and the postseason. He did well, but who knows what'll happen this year. He has huge shoes to fill. Say what you want about Shockey, but when he was healthy he was productive and contributed to the success of the other receivers (see quarterback paragraph). OL: Chris Snee and David Deihl should continue to show that they are truly elite offensive linemen. Both are excellent in the run game, and more than adequate in the passing game. Shaun O'Hara is also one of the anchors of the line at center, and will hopefully improve on his season last year. Kareem McKenzie and Rich Seubert are also solid contributors. I look for the Giants offensive line to continue to be the strength it was last year. If anyone gets hurt Grey Ruegamer is a decent backup. DL: Normally it is hard for any team to recover the next year when you lose a future HOF'r like Michael Strahan, and I'm not saying the Giants will make the transition seamlessly, but they certainly have the personnel to do it. Osi Umenyiora remains on the outsides and will play opposite Justin Tuck. Tuck will move from playing on the inside on only passing downs to playing every down at DE. The Giants also had a great deal of success last year with the constant D-Line rotation, and they should still be able to implement that this year. They show great depth at defensive line with starters Barry Cofield and Fred Robbins playing on the inside. Both are very solid against the run. And guys like Dave Tollefson, Jay Alford, and Renaldo Wynn should be able to contribution within the Giants D-Line rotation. LB: The linebackers are anchored by the defensive captain and leader, Antonio Pierce. Pierce is excellent against the run, but tends to struggle in one on one coverage. Regardless, Pierce is the clear leader of the defense, and alone with Steve Spagnuolo (and Michael Strahan) helped to change the atmosphere around the Giants defense. I'm really excited for the return of Mathias Kiwanuka from a broken leg. It'll be interesting to see how he continues his transition from defensive end to outside linebacker, where he was steadily improving till he got hurt last year. Kiwanuka is also a great pass rusher, and will probably could play some defensive line on passing downs. Gerris Wilkinson will start opposite him, and Zak DeOssie will also see some significant playing time. DB: I have high hopes for Aaron Ross this year. He is excellent against the run and in blitz situations, and has shown improvement when it comes to guarding receivers. He had a very nice rookie year and that should only improve. Corey Webster will start opposite him, and will probably matched up against each team's number one receiver. Webster really turned it around last year in the playoffs after having been a disapointment much of his short career. Veteran Sam Madison will play as the nickel back on passing downs. The new safeties could also prove to be a huge upgrade. Sammy Knight will take James Butlers spot at free safety, while rookie Kenny Phillips should start immediately at strong safety. Losing Gibril Wilson is definitely going to hurt, but I think the new guys can fill his shoes. James Butler and Michael Johnson should also see some time on passing downs or in case of any injuries. ST: Will the inconsistent Lawrence Tynes from the regular season show up, or will it be the one that kicked the Giants to the super bowl (I know he missed two kicks prior so I shouldn't be too excited)? Jeff Feagles, although he doesn't have a booming leg anymore, is terrific at directional punting. Domenik Hixon did a very nice job of returning kicks last year and R.W. McQuarters was decent at returning punts (although he tends to fumble every so often). For the first time in awhile I'm also very confident in the coordinators. It's impossible to argue with the results that Steve Spagnuolo had last year, and Kevin Gilbride seems to have done an excellent job with Eli Manning, and he has done a nice job with the play calling. Overall it's going to be extremely difficult to repeat this year, but there is no reason that the Giants shouldn't be able to remain competitive and make the playoffs. I see things shaping up much like they did last year in the NFC East with the Cowboys and the Giants being the top two teams and both making the playoffs. As of right now, I would say the Cowboys do it by winning the division. Looking forward to hearing about some other teams as football season fast approaches!