Can Yanks dump Alex? Yanks looking at Hafner

Joel Sherman today reported that the Yanks’ brass (and some of his teammates) have had it with A-Rod. As I stated yesterday, if A-Rod did dope it up AFTER his mea culpa in the spring of 2009, then he is a bigger dumb-ass than we thought.

He is too big of a distraction. Not only this, but the hitting on a model in the middle of a playoff game… the Yanks are looking for ANY reason they can find to void the $114 MM and 5 years left on his deal. They’ve had enough.

I can say that if he’s gone, good riddance. Especially if it helps them get under the cap.

Meanwhile, the Yanks are supposedly interested in Travis “Pronk” Hafner of the Indians to fill the DH role. Hafner will be 36 next June. He hit .228-12-34 OPS+ 121 in 2012 in 66 games. His lefty bat plays well in Yankee Stadium, but Hafner has not played the field since 2007. Since 2007, Hafner has averaged just 86 games a season, .259-12-43, OPS+ 117. His 162 g. ave for his career is .278-30-102, OPS+ 137 (great) but he never plays. I mean, 86 g. a year since 2007?

Hafner did finish 5th & 8th in MVP voting in 2005 & 2006 but that seems so long ago.

Hafner has been compared to Fred Flintstone in the way he looks and runs. I wonder, should he join the Yankees, if John Sterling’s HR call will be “Yabba Dabba Doo!”.

More holes created, and none are being filled.

Ok, the few names out there I wanted were Victorino, Soria and Keppinger.

All are gone. Keppinger went to the White Sox today.

Meanwhile, another hole to be filled. Chavez goes to Arizona.

Meanwhile, the Yankees haven’t added ANYONE. There were rumors about Schierholtz coming to the Yankees to be a platoon OF. He signed with the Cubs.

So the Yanks still have holes at C, 3B (and now Chavez is gone, along w/Alex out for 1/2 a year), SS (if Jeter isn’t ready on Opening Day), RF and DH… and Ichiro and Ibanez, granted both old, are getting restless waiting for the Yanks to make an offer (as Chavez probably was). Are they even interested in them?

When are these holes going to be filled?

Are the Yanks interested in Youkilis (would fill the 1b/dh/3b Chavez role) or Reynolds (likewise)? If so, Youk and Joba on the same team? Reynolds and all those strikeouts?

Are they interested in Ross?

What’s the Yanks move? Their plan? I can’t figure it out. All I can figure out is their sudden frugality.

 

Ruppert makes HOF, A-Rod to miss 1/2 of 2013

Jacob Ruppert was elected to the Hall of Fame today by the Veterans Committee. The Yanks’ owner in the Ruthian era built the original Yankee Stadium.

Meanwhile, GM Brian Cashman will need to do yeoman work to build a team. We already knew that a catcher and RF may need to be found, what with Martin’s departure and Swisher’s probable departure. Throw in DH if they don’t bring back Ibanez.

Now count 3B into the mix.

Alex Rodriguez will need surgery on his other hip (possibly explaining his poor postseason) and will miss half of the 2013 season.

You wonder if his body is breaking down. It sure appears so. Alex will be 38 in July. You also wonder if that steroid abuse while in Texas has anything to do with it.

You also wonder if he’ll even get the 53 HR he needs for 700. (He needs 99 hits for 3000 and 50 RBI for 2000).

Meanwhile, do the Yanks now bring back 35 year old Eric Chavez for 3B? He’s brittle and would need to platoon. But with whom? Where does Eduardo Nunez slot in, especially if Jeter isn’t ready for Opening Day?

The left side of the Yankees’ infield is now a mess. Two aging, injured players.

Do David Adams (26 in May, AA .306-8-48 in 86 games) or Ronnier Mustelier (28, .314-15-69, AA/AAA, 114 games) get a shot? Platoon one or the other with Chavez?

So now Cashman has to deal with a catcher (unless they are going with Cervelli or Romine), 3B (do you bring back Chavez, and who platoons with him?), possibly a SS if Jeter isn’t ready, a DH (do you bring back Ibanez?) and a RF (do you bring back Ichiro?) Do you sign someone like Cody Ross, Shane Victorino or Ichiro for RF? Trade for a Justin Upton or Mike Cuddyer? Give Melky Mesa a shot at a platoon role? Trade for a catcher? What about DH? Utility infielder?

Position-wise, there are some four positions there where things are a mess.

Cashman has some work to do.

Forget Mike Napoli at C (the Yanks never had interest). The power hitting, but weak defense C signed a 3-yr. deal w/Boston—-to play 1B.

I was kind of hoping that the Yanks would take a flyer on Joakim Soria, thinking that Soria, coming off TJ surgery, might be worth a shot to replace the expected-to-depart Rafael Soriano. Instead, Soria signed with Texas.

Ruppert for the Hall

The Veterans’ Committee is looking at a list of people, with a winner to be announced December 3rd for induction into the Hall of Fame.

The list includes Bill Dahlen, Wes Farrell, Marty Marion (1944 NL MVP, but a war year; his .263 b.a. that year is the lowest by any MVP that was a position player), Tony Mullane, Bucky Walters, Deacon White, Sam Breadon, Hank O’Day, Al Reach and Jacob Ruppert.

Frankly, I find it quite shocking that the man who built the original Yankee Stadium, who brought Babe Ruth to NY, and who built the Yankee dynasty, isn’t in the Hall of Fame yet.

Ruppert for the Hall. It is WAY overdue.

Reggie benched by Yanks front office after comments

Reggie Jackson always was a controversial figure in Yankee lore. Now, over 30 years after he played his last game as a Yankee, and almost 25 years after his last game, period, he once again is broiled in controversy.

Reggie made some statements to Sports Illustrated about Alex Rodriguez, and some hall-of-famers that was not too flattering to say the least. Among some HOF’ers that Reggie deemed not worthy of the Hall were Bert Blyleven, Phil Niekro, Don Sutton, and the late Kirby Puckett and Gary Carter (Hey Reggie, stop looking at the 563 HR and the five WS rings and maybe start looking at your defense, strikeout total and .262 career batting average… just saying).

Reggie, a special advisor with the Yanks has

 been instructed to stay away from the Yankees indefinitely following his controversial comments in a magazine article, though the Hall of Famer’s position with the club is not believed to be in jeopardy.

As someone on Twitter put it, Reggie will be back with the Yanks but is in the penalty box for now.

But the message is clear. Management wishes Reggie had “zipped it” and weren’t happy.

 

Game 81. Season half over.

Today is game 81. After today, the season will be half over. The Yanks have off tomorrow. To pro-rate the stats, just multiply by two.

The Yanks have lost nine in a row at the Trop, a new “House of Horrors.”

The Yanks are 48-32, five up in the AL East and 1 1/2 behind Texas for the best record in baseball. They are two games better than their Pythagorean record.
OPS+ 109, ERA+ 115. (100 is average, higher the better).

Lineup vs. David Price:

BA/HR/RBI    SB/total attempts    OPS+

Jeter SS .301-7-25  6/8  103   101 hits, 3189 for career
Granderson CF .244-23-48  6/9
Teixeira 1B .246-13-45   1/2   107
The error Monday night was his first of the season.
Rodriguez DH .262-13-35   6/6  109    642 HR
Cano 2B .315-20-48  1/2  153
Swisher RF .261-12-46  1/2  111
Jones LF .229-7-16  0/0  107   427 HR
Martin C .182-8-21  1/1  75    See below.
Nix 3B  .236-2-6  3/4   85   13 for 55

Phelps RHP  1-3, 3.16   ERA+ 134    Third MLB start.

You have to worry about A-Rod. He’ll be 37 at the end of this month, and is on target for .262-26-70… Not bad, but not worth $28 million or so, and he has five years left on his deal.

Martin is another concern. Since the walkoff HR to beat the Mets, he is 4 for 50. His average has dropped every season since 2007. He hasn’t been above .222 all season, and that was after the games of April 13th. Francisco Cervelli is just .248-2-29 at AAA, with 13 passed balls. If ever there was a time that Austin Romine, 23, could make a name for himself, now would have been it. Romine, however, hasn’t played a game yet this year due to back issues, and is currently working out in order to return. He should get some action soon, but it’s a lost year for him. It’s too bad because with Martin being ineffective, the kid may have gotten a shot.

Enjoy the day. July 4th, what was the Boss’ b/day, and more importantly, the birthday of the U.S.A.

 

S.T. Game 26. Kuroda starts vs. Braves, ESPN @ 1

Today’s game is on ESPN at 1 p.m. for those who can watch.

Eduardo Nunez SS
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Raul Ibanez DH
Eric Chavez 3B
Francisco Cervelli C
Dewayne Wise CF
Chris Dickerson RF
Justin Maxwell LF

RHP Hiroki Kuroda

Only in S.T. can you get away with a cleanup hitter who is 3 for 42.

Joba had a press conference last night in which he refuted some of the stuff that came out regarding his injury (amount of blood, limb or life-threatening, etc.). Apparently he got hurt jumping from one trampoline to another, and he felt it on takeoff, not landing. Whatever… it’s still a bad injury and we’ll see how it heals and affects him from here on.

Interesting baseball news in that Magic Johnson’s group was awarded the Dodgers.

Seattle and Oakland started the major league baseball season today with their game out in Japan.

S.T Games begin today for Yanks

Ok, it’s only South Florida, a group of  college kids, but games do begin today for the New York Yankees. They’ll take on the Phils this weekend as S.T. action begins.

Today’s lineup:

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Raul Ibanez DH
Nick Swisher RF
Brett Gardner LF
Eduardo Nunez 2B
Gustavo Molina C

RHP Adam Warren

I bet you forgot about Gus (I’m not one of the brothers) Molina. Expect the regulars to get one at bat, maybe two, then depart. Get their work in, show up for the fans, and out.

Jeter and A-Rod are old enough to almost have fathered the college kids they are going up against.

Cano won’t play until Sunday. He just got back from attending his grandmother’s funeral.

Warren isn’t as touted as Betances or Banuelos, but he is trying to make a good impression for a possible midseason callup. AAA SWB should have a very good rotation this year with the two “Killer B’s”, Warren, D.J. Mitchell and Dave Phelps.

Warren 24, was 6-8, 3.60 for AAA last year.

Just to refresh your memory, here are the records of the others:

Betances: 4-6, 3.42 (AA); 0-3, 5.14 (AAA); Total minors 4-9, 3.70.
142 K in 126.1 IP. 24 in a few weeks.

Banuelos: 21 in 12 days. 4-5, 3.59 at AA; 2-2, 4.19 at AAA. 6-7, 3.75 overall.
125 K in 129.2 IP

D.J. Mitchell, 25 in May: 13-9, 3.18 at AAA.

Dave Phelps: 25, 7-7, 2.99 total (6-6, 3.19 AAA & another 2 games Rookie Lg.)

Hopefully they blossom at AAA this year. They’ll be important. You may have seen Hal Steinbrenner’s statements yesterday reconfirming the Yankees’ goal of getting under $189 MM for the payroll in 2014. With some position players and CC getting big contracts, that means young, inexpensive pitching must step up.

JD not in DH mix anymore

Apparently Johnny Damon isn’t a consideration for the DH spot anymore, per conversations Damon had with some NY Post writers.

Along with reports that the Yanks are in extensive talks with Ibanez, it appears as if a deal with Ibanez will be announced soon.

In other news, there is a report that the Yanks don’t have enough for Ibanez AND to bring back Chavez, unless Hal agrees to more $$$. So, for now, it appears that the Yanks are concentrating on Ibanez, no Chavez, and that the door is open for Branyan (like Chavez, 1b/3b/dh, and a lefty hitter) or Hall (righty hitter, but 2b/3b/ss/all 3 of positions) to grab a bench spot.

Torre: Owner?

Joe Torre left his post at MLB today to concentrate on putting together a coalition so that he could be part-owner of the Dodgers.

As stated elsewhere, Don Mattingly could only hope for that.

Seattle is said to be the leader to get P Hisashi Iwakuma.

Fernando Rodney to the Rays.

It looks like the Yanks won’t sign Nakajima. If so (deadline Friday at 5 p.m.) expect them to go back and try to re-sign Eric Chavez.

Nice piece by Baseball America,  not only on the Yanks top prospects, but also a guess at the 2015 Yankees (40 year old A-rod at 3B?).

Apparently the Cubs are dealing talented head-case Carlos Zambrano to Miami for Chris Volstad.