jacksonianmarch

Ah yes, because you obviously saw all of America. The 50 states and all. And every single one is absolutely the same and every person is a stereotypical idiot. Of course. Listen man, our country is massive, and incredibly regional in terms of their values, intelligence, acceptance, etc. Labelling a massive country with such different regions as a single entity is just wrong. Enjoy living in England. One day I hope to visit.

YES has appeal for Yankee fans as there are Yankeeography's, replays, and a few other interesting tidbits. There are also spring training games, which I think is the most important part of having YES, IMO. But you are right, the MLB Extra Innings is going to kill billions in TV revenue for a national TV channel predicated on a baseball team. Regardless, it will earn much more money by going national, and I wouldnt be surprised if it ends up adding other networking to it so that it can mold itself into a TBS type program

Virginia is full of a bunch of transplanted northerners and watered down southerners. It's south lite. Go to Alabame, Louisiana, Mississippi or the panhandle of Florida. You need a frickin translator

Your gain from Ells to Crawford isnt as big as you think. The only change is in power, which Crawford maybe gives you another 5 homers in a sox uniform. And that gain would be paid for massively in contract. Dealing Ellsbury right now is a bad idea. You dont trade a stock when it bottoms out, and his value is at an all time low. I think the sox put Cameron on the bench/platoon with Drew and sign Werth. Then move Ells back to CF and you have an OF with average D who will produce significantly for you. A Werth-Ellsbury-Drew OF might be the highest OF WAR in the AL

I have been sitting back and thinking of ways to improve this club in the offseason. Obviously, it is wonderful that this team is in the playoffs, but everyone knows my favorite times of yr are October through December (playoffs through the majority of the hot stove). When it comes to lineup.... Catcher and DH you have Posada and Cervelli. Posada put up another solid offensive season, but his defensive skills have massively eroded to a point that he is a detriment as a regular catcher. Cue Posada being relegated to 2-3 day a week catcher and 3-4 day a week DH. I think this is the time for Jesus Montero to rise to the bigs. He has shown enough defensively (especially with his arm) to warrant big league time. He could use the tutelage of a veteran like Posada, and I think Posada could benefit on both sides of the ball when he isnt catching 100 times in a season. And Montero is probably the #1 or #2 offensive prospect in the minors right now. You keep Cervelli around as the true backup while Posada and Montero split DH and C. After a 3 month period of mediocrity, Montero OPS'd nearly 1.100 as the regular catcher in AAA. He's ready, nothing left to prove in the minors First-base- Tex has another 6yrs on his deal. He should avoid his ridiculous 2 month slump this upcoming season, seeing as he never slumped THAT badly. My guess is that he continues the 30HR 100RBI pace, but with an OPS over .900 next yr. Second-base- Robinson Cano is around through 2013 at least and coming off an MVP caliber season, he is going nowhere. He fluorished behind ARod and became a legitimate power threat. He has a sweet swing, he made strides in the walks department and really showed some impressive opposite field power as well as power vs lefties. He is entering his prime, so he might be even better next yr. Regardless, pencil him in as the #5 hitter again. Short-stop- Obviously Jeter is back. They arent going to hardball him, but I do think a deal in the $14-$15 mil range for 3 seasons is about what he gets. The biggest thing Jeter needs to do in the offseason is go back to AP and work on his agility. His hands were as good as ever, but his range suffered and his bat was slow. He is aging, so the time comes where you either succomb to it or you fight it by working even harder. Seems like he didnt work hard enough in the offseason. The other thing that Jeter being back would require is a good enough backup to start about 2 games a week between SS and 3B and not be an absolute black hole in the lineup. This is where I think Eduardo Nunez comes in. If I had it my way, I would actually look to Nunez as a starter for next yr and upgrade elsewhere, but what do I know. It is nice to have a prospect who is absolutely ready for the starting role be your backup. Third-base- ARod has an interesting yr. The homers came once he finally got healthy and the RBIs were there, but his eye disappeared and his OPS plummeted. If Girardi plays him like an older player and rests him in the DH role once a week, I bet ARod comes out and puts up an MVP caliber season. This yr, he was obviously slowed by the hip for the first half of the yr, then the 600HR chase and then the calf kinda hindered him a bit. As long as he isnt run into the ground, I am betting his bat comes back to life with a .900+OPS season and another 30/100 yr. Left-field- Brett Gardner had a great season for those who never thought he should start. He saw the most pitches in the AL, had a great OBP and stole 45+ bases. The next thing they need to figure out is if he can be a leadoff hitter for good. He should not be batting in the 9 hole next yr or in the 8 hole when Cervelli or Nunez starts. He has no power, he doesnt hit well in the clutch and cannot lift a ball when needed. But his entire game is about getting on base and being a total pest, which helps the team immensely especially with him seeing a ton of pitches to start off the game. The question is if his finish is due to fatigue or is it an adjustment pitchers made to him. My guess is fatigue, since this was his first full season in the bigs as a starter and baseball through September is new for him Center-field- Curtis Granderson had a tale of two seasons. His first half showed the ability to club righties but an absolute inability to hit lefties. Then, after working with Long, he started hitting lefties and finished the yr with a respectable OPS and 24 homers. He has a ton of power and is a solid baserunner, yet not a good base stealer. Regardless, the question is if he can continue to hit lefties with regularity. If he cannot, then he should be a platoon player. If not, then he could emerge as a top flight CFer in the bigs. It all depends on that ability to hit southpaws Right-field Nick Swisher is under control through 2011. He had a hell of a yr, although he had pretty much the exact same OPS as 2009, although he hit 40 points higher. We are seeing a lot of that this yr, with a lot of patient hitters not walking as much as they did in the past. Not sure if it is the umpires or not, but that is definitely interesting. Regardless, no reason to think he cannot continue an OPS in the high .800s, but how he does it is anyone's guess. My bet is that he drops off in AVG and we see the BBs go up Rotation Here is what we know: CC will be the ace and should be counted on once again for nearly 20 wins, 200+IP and a low 3's ERA like clockwork Hughes will probably be the #3 and should build off a promising, yet erratic first full season as a starting pitcher in the bigs. My guess is that he puts together a very good yr next yr, even better in terms of peripherals, although the wins will probably be the same (he was a recipient of ridiculous run support this yr). Burnett will probably be the #4 starter. Burnett had a horrible yr and a horrible finish. I refuse to believe that he will continue to be a 5-6ERA guy. He should drop back into the 4s in terms of ERA even by accident. But his days as our #2 are over after they barely began. Here is what I think happens: 2 scenarios..... With Cliff Lee: With Lee, you have two left handed dominant innings eaters who should combine to throw 440IP and win 40 games. Plus, you have Hughes who looked very promising in what really amounted to his rookie campaign out of the rotation. Those three would make the top of the Yankee rotation incredibly formidable. That would leave Burnett as a guy who just needs to give innings and a #5 spot that could be used as a rotating audition for the many young pitchers in the AAA ranks for this club. Without Cliff Lee: If somehow Lee spurns NY (really only feasible if Lee doesnt want to come to NY), then the Yankees are in trouble. Resigning Pettitte would be a must, as he would close out the #3 spot, move Hughes to #4 and Burnett to #5. But that would leave the #2 spot open. A trade would be a significant likelihood as I dont think Lilly or Kuroda could fill that spot (those are the second tier SPs after Lee). The good thing is, they have the prospects to make it happen. The bad thing is that the guy they need is a FA and if we dont get him, then we have to not only pay for a player with cash, but overpay with minor league talent. Regardless, unless a bona fide dominant AL starter comes our way, this scenario is a dire one for the Yankees. Bullpen This one is intriguing. Rivera is resigning. My guess is a 2 yr 30 mil deal. Wood wants to close, so the Yankees probably lose him (although they might offer arb and grab a pick). But having Rivera, Robertson, Joba, Logan back is a great place to start. There should be plenty of relievers available if the Yankees go that way, but they could also fill the ranks from within. Well, there it is. That is my hot stove. I think the only signings on the offensive end are Jeter and maybe a bench bat. The big pitching signing will definitely be a rotation guy and Rivera. Regardless, if Cliff Lee suits up in NY for 2011, then we will be nearly impossible to keep out of the playoffs if healthy.

Crawford isnt exactly what you need. The sox need power, they need a middle of the order bat. Crawford doesnt offer you a lot of power. He's a lefty, so entering Fenway would kill any power he has and he doesnt walk, something that Theo values significantly (and rightfully so). I honestly and truly think the Sox are going to be a front runner for Werth. But they are going to have to pay him very heftily. But his bat in Boston with his eye and his right handed power would be absolutely f***ing deadly. If he goes to Boston, he is easily a 35HR 120RBI guy who would probably reach base at a 40% clip. Youk-Papi-Werth would be deadly

Obviously, I am a Yankee fan. But gun to head, who do I think makes the World Series? I'd go with Phillies-Rangers in probably the least viewed WS of all time. Reason being? Well, Philly has the rotation, the lineup and a serviceable pen. They shouldnt face any opposition in the NL. And the Rangers have Cliff Lee and CJ Wilson to start their rotation, as well as a hell of a lineup and a very good pen. I think the AL East teams beat the s*** out of each other a little too much. NY has CC and then what when it comes to playoff reliability. And Tampa Bay has been in a free fall for a few months as well as their offense has fallen off the map. Hope the Yanks prove me wrong, but I think this offseason teaches the Yankees that a second ace is necessary to navigate the AL East and then the playoffs. Another thing hurting NY is the lack of home field advantage. I do think they take out the Twins, as I think the Twins are a team completely built entirely for the regular season. But in the ALCS, having home field instead of spending 4 of the 7 games in balmy Texas would have been very important.

Ah, missed that one. My bad

If it is anything like what he did with the sox, he'll put some money into it and get it back to respectability, but there will always be a major emphasis on value

Golson is faster, so I think they are banking on having a pinch runner

Beltre isnt signing as a stopgap. He's getting a 4 yr deal

It depends on the situation, IMO. If NY is up 2-1 after 3, then Burnett will probably start with the hopes that CC can be held for game 5 or game 1 of the ALCS. If the Yankees are down 2-1, then Burnett will be a reliever

Any team that scouts Darvish needs to take a lesson from the sox scouting of DiceK. He came as advertised. Tons of pitches, hard fastball and capable of domination. The biggest thing DiceK lacked was an ability to be coached. He always seemed very resistant to change his ways, something that has left him in the middle of the road category when it comes to starters instead of seeing him blossom into an innings eater. Darvish, by most accounts, has better stuff, but if he is as resistant in changing his ways as DiceK was, then he will be no better. The bigs are about adjustments. Even the guys with the best stuff need to make adjustments on a regular basis or they would end up getting creamed. So if Darvish is coachable and his coaches attest to that, then go out and get him. If he assumes rock star status like DiceK did, then let him go somewhere else. And as an aside, Matsui had achieved rock star status in Japan and came over here and had a successful first season. But what I respected most about him, was that he adjusted his game constantly and became a solid LFer for us for awhile.

I think he bounces back. His FB is still hard, his breaking ball is still tight and his changeup is still pretty good. His location was absolutely abysmal on his return, which is not characteristic of him. I dont think he returns to ace status, but an ERA right around 4 and mid teens wins is likely, IMO

The posting fee is sunk cost.

If the Yanks go with CC in games 1 and 4 and whomever is the #2 starter in #2 and #5 if needed. The option needs to be available if we are facing elimination

Your backups played over their heads. By production, your loss of Pedroia and Youkilis was probably made up for by a margin of 6 games by the play of Kalish, Hall, and others. You shouldnt take too much from their finish aside from some strong heart and good leadership. If the sox pretend like they can hold form and just try to stay healthy, they are going to end up in 3rd again. You have to figure that NY is going to upgrade their only major weakness (that being a #2 starter). So the sox not only need to stay healthy AND get similar production from their three spots that are currently holes, but they also need to improve by whatever changes NY makes in the offseason as well. The hole is deep, a lot deeper than their finish would suggest. NY played .500 the last 3 months and still beat the sox by 6 games, and if you factor in the last 3 weeks were essentially played with a "get healthy" attitude, then the difference is much bigger.

The thought is that Pettitte isnt ready to go on short rest if needed AND it breaks up your lefties

It is speculation, although it has been speculated pretty heavily on ESPN, on the YES broadcasts and through the numbnuts on the Yankee radio broadcasts

I think Hughes is going to go in game 2 and Pettitte in game 3.

The sox played 3 extra games last season. I highly doubt that was the toll that put them over the edge