Gom

That...would be.....most unfortunate.

We probably would if we didn't have Rivera. The way I see it is as follows. CC in Anaheim. Tex in Pinstripes. Sheets in Boston. Yanks repeat 3rd place finish.

I just might take you up on that Thumper.

I'm higher on Veras than both of you, and lower on Robertson than both of you. I can live with that. I'm not sure who will give him that money. His windup looks like it's a major risk for arm injury.

Kilo, I thought you were better than that. Guess you can only analyze things after you read a spread sheet. Sad. Watching the games is a key component of analyzing a player. Dumbass....why do teams send scouts when a team is interested in trading for a player? There should be NO REASON. You have the numbers in front of you. Who needs scouts?

I have no comeback as Thumper and Dreilly have double-teamed me. Pass the Ben Gay.

Not a scout Jacko. I don't plus plus anything baby! It's either a good pitch or it isn't. My definition. No, I don't think it's Cashman. You blame the person in charge. You think everything is George Bush's fault? Or Isiaiah Thomas's fault? No. However, you hold accountable the person in charge. He [his organization of scouts, etc.] is substandard in his tenure. He's the only one really negotiationg with free agents and other GMs. I think, at least. So the onus falls on him. Screw you, you fat bastard. You're not allowed to post here. Go back to zubaz.

Jacko...You are listing pitchers with below average fastballs. Ok...better question. Who has a sub-standard fastball? Wakefield? LOL! Any fastball that doesn't break 90 is below average. According to eFastball.com, the average fastball in the Pros [including the minors] is 91. I would guess that the majors has a fastball average slightly higher than that. Here's the link: http://www.efastball.com/baseball/pitching/grips/average-pitching-speed-by-age-group/ Yes, I judge hitters by how they swing. How else should I judge them? Their diet? Their movie preference? Their religion? Like I said, Pedroia didn't impress me. I'm not perfect. I miss sometimes. However, I'm much better than what I've seen from Cashman, and that pisses me off, because if me, a casual observer can pick this up, how the hell can't he? I just think you need to have played the game to know what to look for. I love watching former players, especially Hershieser, on BBTN. They point out things I never picked up when I played. I also love Todd Jones's weekly articles in The Sporting News. They tell me what to look for when I'm watching a game. To me, that's the fun of watching the baseball game [now that the Yankees are finished]. I don't call a pitch a plus unless it's a) a pitch he can throw a pitch he can throw for a strike with some regularity. There is a gray area there as to "regularity". The only exception I make is on a fastball. You can create better break on a breaking pitch, but you generally can't increase FB speed. With fastball, it's all about gaining location as you mature.

LOL!

So are you saying that gay bars in NO are that much more "gay" than the ones in NYC? I know how to handle myself. I just glue my butt cheeks together when I go out.

Hey man, gay bars are great places to pick up women. You have no competition. Everyone in there except for me is looking for dick. I am more than willing to supply it for the female persuasion.

About Hughes... Come on Jacko. With the exception of Jaime Moyer and Mussina, exactly who throws fastballs in the 80's? It is below average. About Robertson Like I said average pitchers. Don't think he'll be garbage, don't think he'll be someone you feel comfortable with. Assembly-line type RP. Average curve, average change. What he's got going for him is variety, what he's got going against him is control. About Edwar Ramirez I don't like him because he doesn't know how to pitch. Look, one thing about numbers..they only tell you after the fact. When you have a good changeup, it's a strikeout pitch, not a strike pitch. In order for a changeup to be effective, you should NEVER show it more than twice in an AB, preferably only once. He throws his changeups early in counts, then goes to his fastball. I realize you can't be predictable in your selection, but he's just plain stupid. I consistently see him shaking off Molina when Molina knows what he's doing, and Edwar doesn't. Without a third pitch, he's garbage, because his FB is only 90-91 with no movement. About Gardner... I don't know about how he starts or not, but his bat speed isn't there, his torque in his swing isn't there, and his ability, I fear, isn't there either. However, it's frustrating because I think he's OHSOCLOSE. I'd like to see him swing underwater in the minors to strengthen those wrists and rotate his hips on swings. Maybe a switch to a more open stance can help him learn to use his legs more on a swing.

Thank you for the post. It was very informative. My comments, since you included major leaguers: A potential solid #3. Lacks the fastball to be a dominating number one pitcher, and doesn't have that signature pitch. Sadly, came with so much hype that he can never live up to. I can't see him being a dominant pitcher. Agreed. A non-prospect, his numbers this year not-withstanding. A below average fastball that registers as 87-89 mph, and poor control. It's his fastball that makes me believe that he will never be anything more than an AAAA pitcher. Location he can acquire. Another 5 MPH he can't. He may make it as a junk-balling reliever, since he doesn't have the power or deception to get through an order more than once [this season, he can't get through it once]. Doesn't have plus pitches. His fastball is average for a reliever, and his secondary pitches are nothing to write home about. One in a long line of mediocre relievers. I'd move him if the right deal comes along. Could be good if he gets his control down. Live arm, good stuff, but leaves too many things in the middle of the plate. If he learns to live on the corners, he could be a shut down reliever. Total, unmitigated garbage. I'd trade him for anything you can get as soon as possible. A below average fastball and a great change when he controls it. However, batters are learning to lay off and are crushing his changeup. He will be the kind of pitcher that gets 7-8-9 out, but 3-4-5 will routinely destroy him. IF..and only IF...he develops a third pitch, he could turn into a useful 6th or maybe even 7th inning pitcher. I fear he simply doesn't have the hand-eye coordination to succeed in the big leagues. He was routinely late on fastballs in his cup of tea in the majors, while using just the upper body. Does not stride at all into the pitch, generating no power. Frustrating, because he'd be a perfect fit for the Yankees with his speed at the top of the order and range in the OF. If he can work on strengthening his wrists and using his lower body to generate gap-power, he'd be in the majors in a heartbeat. I don't know the rest, but thank you very much for your post. I learned a bit, but to be honest, I toned down every player you listed a notch

Maybe 2 or 3 a week. I know it hasn't escaped their eyes. However, players are stubborn, and they fall into predictable patterns. It's not the amount of ABs. All I need is about 10. True scouts pick it up in one AB. I take a little longer. Not only that, but I discuss it with my brother, who was also a very good baseball player in his day, better than I was in every way but power. I'd love to say that I saw that the Yankees would be better off without Posada, but he's the one who put me on to it. We'd watch an AB, then rewind, and see how he sets up, etc. It's a lot more fun for us than going through pages of statistics. Look, it's obvious that stats are important. I just don't think they're the end all of baseball analysis. Neither is the naked eye. Both, in conjunction, are the best course of action. I agree that stats are more important than the naked eye, but a lot of statheads are willing to discount what the naked eye can see as irrelevant.

Good post Jacko. However, using the words "budget" and "payroll flexibility" when using the word "Yankees" is kinda funny. I hated the Pavano signing. I wanted Pedro. I never wanted to trade Joba, but you know what? If the Twins wanted Joba for Santana, I would have done it. Win now at the expense of tomorrow. I'm fine with that. The Yankees have the fiscal resources to fix any long term mistakes. That's the way it goes. Yes, I advocated signing Zito. I also advocated getting Santana. Sad thing is, Zito's been better than Kennedy or Hughes. Santana would have had the Yankees fighting for the wild card. I like Fuentes because if they had Fuentes, one of the back end s***** bullpen pitchers we have [i really hate Edwar, but that's more emotional than anything else] would be gone. Not all of my calls have been perfect, no one is, but I'm a shitload more right than Cashman. I shouldn't be. That's what pisses me off. As for the Sox.....they developed Pedroia, Youk, Lester, and Paps. The rest is garbage or not "there" yet. Only one was around for the first win. It was the big guns, Papi and Manny and the trades, Drew and Beckett and Lowell that won the second one, not the young guys. Same as the first one. If you want Cashman in charge of minor-league development, fine. If you are not going to put Cashman as responsible for everything since he took over, you are looking at just "part of the season". We'll agree to disagree there, so I'll give him a pass. Let's see from 2005 what players he drafted that make an impact. As GM making trades and signing free agents? No way. Vazquez bombed in NY, so he dumped him. I give Cashman a pass on RJ. Why? Guy won the Cy Young the year before. However, Pavano instead of Pedro? Igawa over Lilly, who was willing to give the Yankees a DISCOUNT? Not getting Johan? Not trading a few prospects for CC? Why? Afraid of a rental? Afraid that after CC sees the big lights of the big city, the endorsement deals, the craziness that makes New York the place to play, he'll want to go to the laid back atmosphere of LA with the Angels? How many free agents have gone THAT route in the past? Brett Gardner is not a major league hitter. He does not use his legs AT ALL when he swings. He generates zero torque in his swing. I hope he changes it, because if he does, we've got the top of the order threat for a few years in center. However, I have my doubts. It took me all of 3 games to pick that out. That's what I mean. I look at HOW they play, not the end result as a rookie. Seeing what kind of location they have, their velocity, etc. Truth is, he ran the team into the ground. What he should have done is slowly shed his payroll of the fat while hoping to draft well. Supplement the team with 1-2 year deals until your experiment either panned out or failed. Here's a quick one, before I think about it a little longer in the off-season. Bring back Moose on a 1 year deal, 2 if necessary. Bring back Abreu for another season, he wants to come back. See if you have any takers on Cabrera and/or Kennedy while they still have SOME value. Push hard for CC and Sheets, with CC being the main target. Open the bank for Tex. See what the Mariners would want for Bedard. I'd trade Kennedy and Cabrera as a package in a heartbeat for Bedard. All of them saw their stock come down a bit. Just thinking out loud here. Explore the CF market. Get rid of Edwar, keep Veras, who has a live arm. That's a start. Let's see where your boy wonder goes.

Okay Jacko...let's have some fun here. I admittedly do not know much about the Yankees minor league system. You claim to. So.....here is the question. Which Yankee prospects are overrated? What I want to know from you is which prospects are getting good press and most likely will not amount to much. Which prospects should we trade away, and which ones are untouchable? Here you go. I am giving you every opportunity to back up everything you claim. Don't bother with Hughes, Kennedy, or Joba, their stock has already been for the most part determined. which players will improve, have great numbers, and then falter? Which ones will come in under the radar and become good players? Which ones are praised as future all-stars...and then become one? You get the idea. I can't debate you at all here, since I literally know nothing about the minors. This is your time to shine, kiddo. The thread....is yours.

He's too naive to realize what you're really saying. No wonder why you guys hate me. I see right through your condescending comments.

There. Now you're learning. Keep at it doc. Sooner or later, you'll get it. Right now Pedroia is a better player in every facet of the game. I do believe that Cano has more potential upside, but there is no debate this season. However, Cano MAY rebound and hit .330 with 25 homers next year. Pedroia just doesn't have that talent. I am actually very surprised he's lasted that long, as he steps in the buckett and has a big hole down and in and also up and away from his stance, but hey, Garrett Anderson has huge holes in his swing and steps into a tub, not just a buckett, and has been pretty successful in his career.

1 out of 10 equals 10%. Yes. There you have it folks! Thumper has now figured out percentages! Party in New Orleans to follow!

Kilo makes the point about the season.... ...Jacko tells him that April is not considered part of the season. You decide.

Cano sucks. He regressed big time this year. Guys, let Jacko off the hook with you "Kiss of Death" routine. He just doesn't know enough about baseball. He does the best he can with the time he has when he's not at the hospital. All he has is time to read what the Yankees front office tells him.

The only one crying about injuries is Hank. I make no excuses for my team.

They fire Cashman.