Rangers Shine For My First Game

A sponsor of ours graciously invited my co-worker and I to watch the Carolina Hurricanes take on the New York Rangers from their suite within the RBC Arena. This was my first game at the Raleigh arena. When I worked at the Meadowlands back in 2004-2005, I was able to watch many basketball games and other events from our suite. When it was known as Continental Airlines Arena, the Devils were not playing due to hockey’s lockout, so I was forced to watch the Nets. Since RBC Arena is only 6-7 years old, it is state of the art compared to Continental. I am very surprised by the enormous support that the Canes have here in the South. I swear every fan had a Hurricanes logo on of some sort. As the only fan of the NY Rangers in the suite (and a guest) I was ridiculed throughout the game. I actually held back my celebration when they scored their first two goals. Someone in our suite told me he has been coming to Canes games for years and they have won each time he was at the game. Oops! Needless to say, I don’t think I will be invited back. Oh well, the hospitality was still great and I had a blast. Rangers won 4-2.

While we are talking about the South; I have been living in NC for almost a year and I still don’t know what grits, collared greens, mustard salad, and chitlins are. I found out the other day that pig’s feet are actually…well pig’s feet. Any other foods I should know about?

When I first moved here, my co-worker took me to the best barbecue place in town. I asked him, what should I order? He said the barbecue. I said barbecue what? The barbecue he snapped. I know, barbecue what? Well this went on for another minute or so like the Abbott and Costello routine and I walked out of there with barbecue and still didn’t know what the heck I ordered. For you Yankee-ites out there that don’t know what barbecue is, barbecue is just smoked pork. Huh you say? Yes, I said it. It’s funny how barbecue is a flavor in the north, you know barbecue chicken, barbecue chips, barbecue ribs…that stuff. Barbecue down in the South is just meat and a lot of it. And man do they take it seriously. I could go for some BBQ ribs right now. By the way they say grillin’ here, not barbecuing. I am still learning.

Quote of the night:

“My town is really getting built up; we have a Walmart now.” (Hey you guys make fun of Yankees [people from north of Richmond] all the time, it’s your turn, and it’s my blog.)

Clemens is Going to Need a Bigger Shovel…

because he is digging himself a deeper hole and on the other side of that hole is prison. I have said before that I don’t particularly like to talk about steroid allegations in baseball, but this Clemens situation clearly needs to be addressed.

I am a big proponent of innocence before being proved guilty, but the case keeps building up in favor of McNamee. McNamee told the truth about Pettitte and Knoblauch…strike one. (By no means is McNamee a credible witness, especially after his affinity for lying, but nonetheless correct) Pettitte gave a detailed deposition in which Clemens is said to have discussed HGH and steroids with Pettitte on at least one occasion. And now Clemens claims his trustful and truthful buddy had misunderstood the conversations between them…strike two. Also, if a stranger or my best friend injects my wife or significant other with anything, even water, I might have a few harsh words for them and then proceed to really lose my temper…strike three. The picture of Clemens at Canseco’s party doesn’t help his case either.

Heck, stick him on the new show, Moment of Truth. Every question should be, “Did you take any performance enhancing drugs or HGH during your career”, but asked in a different way.  That would make for the greatest hour in television history.  That would have to top the last Mash episode.  I would even allow him to keep the money, but I can guarantee that he doesn’t get past the first question.  Who should be the special guest that asks him the question…Pettitte?  His sons?  Or the biggest Clemens fan?  To quote Terrell Owens, “Get your popcorn ready.”

Clemens is probably the best pitcher that I have seen in my short lifetime and will never forgot his achievements. But I will also not forget the fact that he could have potentially used performance enhancing drugs and HGH. I am sure the new federal investigation is going to undercover something damaging to Clemens’ testimony. Before that happens I would like Clemens to save some face and admit his wrong doings and publicly apologize to his fans worldwide. I really do think that this might make the situation somewhat easier for the Rocket. It may be too late for some people, and I will never admire him like I once did, but if he doesn’t want to do it for himself and his family, please do it for the fans around the world. As Americans, it is in our nature to forgive and I can surely do that. We really don’t want to see the once mighty pitcher behind bars. Clemens might not get enshrined in Cooperstown, but there is a much bigger issue at hand. We need baseball to get back to normal, and by Clemens coming clean, this would be a huge step in the right direction…more than Congress could ever do.

Guest Contributor

Hello Quite Yankly-ers,

My name is Paul and from time to time, I’m going to post my two cents about the Yankees.  Here’s a little information about me.  I’m Chris’ brother and I know absolutely nothing about baseball.  That’s it…my complete bio.  At this point you’re wondering, “Why would I keep reading on, and why would Chris let this baseball-less ninny muggings blog on a well respected Yankee blog?”  The answer is simple.  My sole purpose is to entertain.  While Chris is busy informing, persuading, and seducing you with his endless baseball knowledge, I plainly will entertain.  

I was never fond of baseball.  I remember mostly being afraid of the ball.  I’m still afraid of a baseball, or any ball for that matter.  I’ll only catch a football if I’m wearing a Starter jacket.  The first time I ever got up to the plate in Little League, I was beaned in the face.  Derek Jeter I am not.  However, I do have a large amount of respect for these pin-striped athletes, who day in and day out push their bodies to the limit.  But their bodies are not the only thing being tested.  Baseball is a game of minds.  There are not a lot of sports that require both superior mental and physical ability.  It’s our Nations great American pastime.  It’s the game that brought families closer for decades.  It’s truly a representation of the human race as we know.  In fact, I would bet my entire paycheck ($34.67) that if aliens or otherworldly beings landed on Earth and studied us, they world write down in their intergalactic marble notebooks with their laser ball point pens that baseball is the sport that best exemplifies the human spirit.  The game is skillful, beautiful at times, downright disgusting at others, and altogether brilliant.  AKA: The Human Race.

So I call to action all those Yankee fans out there, to take pride in the fact that the Yankees are the dominating force in baseball.  Take solace in the fact that somewhere in the vast world of cyberspace, there is a blog that will let you know what’s going on in Yankeedom all year long.  It may not be the most eloquent or coherent, but it will be statistically immaculate and emotionally invested.

Welcome to Quite Yankly!

Joba Can Only Play the Waiting Game

Joba Chamberlain quickly ascended through the minors and made an immediate impact in the majors. This is a very unusual situation for any player having been drafted the previous year in 2006. But Joba was a man among boys during his brief stint in the minors. His attitude, work ethic, emotions, and desire to be great set him apart in the Yankees system. Oh yeah and I forgot to mention that he has “filthy stuff.” He has everything you are looking for in a pitcher. So how did he fall to the Yankees in the 1st round? Joba has battled weight issues and a minor arm problem during his time at Nebraska. But that didn’t deter the Yankee doctors from giving upper management the green light.

After dominating all levels, Joba is now ready to take the next (baby) step. Joba is under strict inning limits called, “The Joba Rules.” Having thrown just over 100 innings in the minors and majors last year, it is necessary to hold Joba back as to not blow out his arm and his bright future. Clearly the Yankees see something quite special in Joba and want a return on their investment for many years to come. The plan of attack is to have Joba start the season as a reliever and finish the season as a member of the Yankees rotation. Not everyone agrees though.

What is the best role for Joba as a member of the NY Yankees? I personally think that is an easy question, but many others see it a different way…aka Posada. The Yankees have been searching for a legit ace for the past 5 years or so. Randy Johnson, Carl (pick a nickname) Pavano, Jaret (Wrong) Wright, and Roger Clemens never really panned out. Wang emerged as our top of the rotation starter, winning 19 games in 2006 and 2007. But Wang lacks the pure stuff of a true ace and his K/BB is clearly nothing to get excited about. Instead of trading the farm away for a legit ace (Santana), Cashman and the Yankees are looking internally.

Joba is the classic power pitcher with more than one plus plus pitch. He has a fastball that has touched 100 mph. His slider is another plus plus pitch that bites hard. Those were his two main pitches as a reliever last year and that was all he needed. Joba also has a big curveball and he is developing a changeup. He has to work those pitches in his repertoire effectively when he takes the mound as a starter. He has been a starter in college and the Yankees want to keep him a starter. Wouldn’t you rather have Joba for 200+ innings instead of 80-100 innings over the course of a season? Of course he would be an effective reliever as well, but front rotation starters can go deep into the game and can spell some of the relievers every fifth night. He can be the ace that the Yankees are so desperately looking for, but it is going to take some time, as the Yankees want to make sure he reaches his full potential. We still have Rivera and our bullpen needs to reach their potential. It’s a no brainer.

Joba is part of the Yankees new master plan. The Yankees have installed a new philosophy which includes more emphasis on the draft and international signings. Instead of spending all of their money on free agents past their prime, Brian Cashman and Damon Oppenheimer have decided to overpay for talent in the draft and overseas. For example, many teams were scared of Austin Jackson’s commitment to play basketball at Georgia Tech. Not the Yankees. The combination of a prestigious organization and Steinbrenner’s big wallet will certainly make young players think twice about going to college. This new philosophy is an extremely efficient and effective way of amassing high-end talent. The Yankees have put themselves in a very unique situation. They are in a rebuilding process while still competing year in and year out. How many teams can do that? Veteran leadership and promising youth…sound familiar Yankee fans? I cannot wait to see what the future brings.

Jeter Plays Defensive With His Head

Last week in The Boston Globe, Shane Jensen discusses the findings regarding Derek Jeter’s defense in an article titled: “Numbers tell a glove story”. Jensen happens to be a huge Red Sox fan and received his PhD from Harvard. Maybe Jensen and George Mitchell should have dinner together. Anyway, it is relatively known and the article agrees with the fact that defense is really difficult to quantify. The article really doesn’t scream Jensen’s bias, but his statistical analyses have to be explored further.

I am not disputing the fact that Jeter’s defensive has taken a dive in the past few years, but I am disputing the fact that he is in fact the worst shortstop in all of Major League Baseball. By watching Jeter, like most Yankee fans, from year to year, we can safely admit that Jeter (now 33) has lost a step in recent years. But I will not say this is because of lack of effort and not knowing what to do in every situation. Jeter is and will always be the smartest player on the field at all times. Since 1996, I can remember Jeter screwing up twice (mentally)…did you read that…TWICE! He clearly knows what to do with the ball and where to be in every situation. I think this analysis leaves out what pitcher is throwing, how hard he throws, types of pitches he throws, and how hard and soft the ball gets hit. It is commonly known that fielders adjust to what which batter is at the plate (and on deck), to what pitch is being thrown to the batter, and what the count is when the ball is put in play. For the most part Jeter is able to get to most balls hit his way, but he will always be in position and make every effort to catch or knock the ball down in the infield (another overlooked stat).

FYI-I believe Arod might be too big to play shortstop now.  Also, Arod was a better shortstop in the majors when they both were playing shortstop.

Jeter has the intangibles and the intellect that every manager covets in all players. I don’t know where I would rank Jeter, nowadays, but he wouldn’t rank dead last if I had anything to say about it.  You just don’t become Captain of the most recognizable sports franchise in history for nothing.  In my opinion, what Jeter brings to the table day in and day out make him irreplaceable in the field, and I don’t care what the unreliable statistics say.

C: Posada Still Going Strong

Having just completed, arguably his best season in pinstripes, Posada is back with another tour of duty behind home plate for the Yankees. His durability as catcher (a big surprise) and performance earned him a nice pay day in the off season. It was said that he might jet across town to the Mets, but in the end the Yankees brass and fans wanted him back.

Posada is still considered one of the best offensive catchers in the game today due to his continued success at his age. It is amazing to see how Posada continues to impress in such a taxing position. He has played in at least 137 games during the last eight seasons. Posada has always been in great shape for a catcher and works hard at every practice. Of course it helps to have ex-catchers Tony Pena, Joe Torre, and now Joe Girardi to push him. Posada will be 36 next season, really old for a catcher. But he has shown no signs of slowing down just yet. Last season he looked more fit and seemed to get around on the ball much quicker. It is hard to expect the same production this season, especially with his focus on handling such a young staff in Hughes, Chamberlain, and Kennedy…and rightfully so.

It is highly unlikely that Posada will be a full time catcher at the end of his new contract. So in the event of a potential switch of position in the future, he might see some time as DH and 1B. Remember, Posada did get drafted as an infielder and eventually made the switch behind home plate in the minors. The Yankees are still waiting for some catchers to pan out in the minors. It might be a few years before one turns some heads, just when Posada’s deal is over.

Jose Molina is the perfect backup catcher and the Yankees realized that as they signed him to an extension in the offseason. He is not known for his bat but he can sure hold is own at the plate. He is a better defensive catcher than Posada, which is nice to see. I really hate it when Posada backhands pitches in the dirt, when they don’t need to be. Anyways, expect a more than capable backup compared to others in the past. He will surely give Posada some rest, which Posada could use once and maybe twice a week. They both should remain relatively healthy throughout the season and into the playoffs.

1B: To play Giambi or not to play Giambi?

Girardi is faced with a tough decision this year: How many starts does he give Giambi at first base? This can have an effect on the DH and left field positions. Giambi has declined dramatically during the latter years of his contract with the Yankees. This can be attributed to poor health, steroids, and age. Although through all of this, Giambi remains a positive person and yet an integral part of the Yankees lineup. Giambi is immovable due to his large contract and other issues mentioned above. Heading into his walk year with the Yankees, Giambi should feel motivated and should do well, health pending of course.

Giambi came into spring training with a sense of purpose. He heeded his manager’s directions-to come to spring training in shape. A thinner Giambi can only mean a more mobile hitter and especially first baseman. I think Giambi’s lack of time at 1B the last couple years have only hurt his defensive skills. I am willing to give Giambi a chance at 1B because if he doesn’t play, he will be slotted as the DH and that means Damon or Matsui have to sit out of the lineup. I think he has something to prove and that can only mean production from him. Giambi has always been great at hitting HR and getting on base and I anticipate that won’t change either in 2008. But if he hits the ball one more time to right field during the Giambi shift (when he gets an outside pitch), I just might lose it. If he somehow can’t remain healthy or his production slips, Shelly Duncan, Wilson Betemit, and Morgan Ensberg will vie for the open position.

Shelly Duncan was a cult hero last year an gave the Yanks the energy that was so evidently lacking. Shelly Duncan has light tower power and that will always be there, but he has to be a consistent hitter. His strikeouts continue to be a problem just like it was throughout his minor league career. The lack of contact was the sole reason he did not make it to the show earlier. I can’t imagine Duncan’s defense is any better than Giambi’s. The only difference is that he is taller and more agile than Giambi, which allows him to get more balls hit to the left and to the right. But now his time has come, on the biggest stage of his career, he has to take it and run with it if given the opportunity. I would say that Giambi has the inside track at winning the 1B job, but Duncan his lurking closely behind.

Wilson Betemit has always impressed me. He seems to always come up big in a key situation. Being a switch hitter really helps his chances. An utility infielder by nature, Betemit was acquired for Scott Proctor. After last season, Cashman had stated that Betemit had the 3B job when Arod opted out. Now if he was considered as Arod’s replacement at all, why wouldn’t he make an adequate 1B? He can field and and is impressive with the stick. He probably won’t give you the HR power that Duncan and Giambi will give you (1B is a power position), but he can play defense which will help limit runs in the long haul. I think he is more valuable as our first baseman than his role of utility infielder. A utility infielder is supposed to be great with the glove and that should be easy to fill…Alberto Gonzalez. If Giambi is not healthy I think Betemit should win the job at 1B. Duncan should be the HR threat coming off the bench in late innnings.

As for Morgan Ensberg, I really think he is a non factor. The transition from the NL to the AL will make it very difficult for him. He is there as another body, or another option if you will. He should make Duncan, Giambi, and Betemit play harder. He will probably be with AAA SWB next season and will be the first called up if they need a stop gap of some sort.

Please check back later for more positional battles and reports.

Thanks for reading!

Plans…To have fun (can you do that?)

I really would hope to post on Quite Yankly quite often. I plan on breaking down the roster and give my take on all players and news stories.  My favorite thing to talk about are prospects. I do however would like to stay away from all STEROIDS talk, unless I feel that I need to comment on it. Obviously all my posts are going to be my opinion and encourage everybody to comment positively or negatively…but please keep it clean. This is supposed to be fun for me and fun for you. So have fun with it would ya!!!

By the way, my grammar is not always the most eloquent…mispellings or what have you…so I apologize in advance for the these small mistakes.

Hi Yankee Fans

Hi, my name is Chris and I am a huge New York Yankees fan. I have decided to start a blog for many different reasons. For starters, I am a very passionate Yankee fan. I really think being a fan is a 12 month endeavor. The offseason is just as important as the season is. Out of all my family and friends, I am the biggest Yankee fan I know. When I am not working, my daily activities consist of scanning the Internet for various Yankees articles and checking out updated blogs. By no means am I a journalist, writer, or expert. In fact, I actually do not enjoy reading and writing. I do however enjoy reading and talking about the Yankees with other fans and non fans alike. Since I do consider myself somewhat of an intelligent fan of baseball and would like to communicate with all fans around the world, I have decided to create my own medium. I am just a fan like you, just want to talk a little baseball every once in a while. Also, originally from NJ (20 minutes from NYC) and now living in NC (to work in baseball), I need to keep myself sane since I do not live in the Tri-State area anymore. I really think this could be fun and really looking forward to the challenges and hopefully to the many comments and questions that get thrown my way.

I would like to share some things about myself so that everyone gets to know me. My favorite teams are the Yankees, NY Giants (congrats…Had a dream they repeated in 2009), and the NY Rangers. I really despise basketball and don’t think it is that entertaining. Although, Lebron James is the savior of basketball in my eyes. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t watch it at all. The guy is just an athletic freak of nature. My favorite current baseball player is David Wright ( yeah I know, I will get into that later). My favorite Yankee is Hideki Matsui. My favorite player of all time is Luis Sojo!!! And I think the best ballplayer is Ty Cobb. The worst moment in my life is when the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004. The greatest moment in my life would be A. Boone’s walkoff HR against the RSox in 2003. Also, I love to play fantasy sports, mainly baseball, football, and hockey. I graduated from York College of Pennylvania in 2005 with degree in Sport Management. My older brother just got engaged, so congrats to him!