Hmm, good point, I didn’t really look at the numbers and was going off the memories of highlight reels. He had a knack for getting crucial outs over the last month or so, but over the bulk of the season he was very average. In September and October his stuff was dynamic, even if not always effective.
All the same comments apply to Vazquez though, except for age. We’ll have to see how much cash the D-Backs are sending along with him before making a final analysis but if the Sox absorb alot of his contract they definately gave up too much.
Probably a good move for the White Sox.
Vazquez is a good pitcher who failed in the Bronx because Mel Stottlemyre had outstayed his usefulness in the Bronx.
He’ll probably pitch very solid for the White Sox.
As a Yankee fan, I think our biggest improvement was in the coaching staff.
Mel Stottlemyre retired. Ron Guidry and Kerrigan are now Pitching and Bullpen Coach.
Larry Bowa should be an improvement over Luis Sojo who while loved, still needed to learn the job.
Speaking of the Dodgers it seems they’ve just inked Bill Mueller to be their 3B for the next two years.
I don’t have financials yet but if he’s not too expensive it could be a good signing. Put him #2 in the order behind Furcal and that can be a goodly number of baserunners for Kent and the rest to drive in.
Ausmus is still an amazing defensive catcher, can play 1B at times and is the only guy Roger Clemens will throw to. Did they overpay? Yes, but not horribly.
They should’ve traded Podsednik. He’s more expensive and his stock his higher. The Sox prolly could have gotten a bit more out of the Phillies by dangling him.
I think the impetus behind that trade was to come up with a good reason not to resign Frank Thomas. Thome can be a capable DH for them, and I imagine they had a good idea that Konerko would come back.
I’m not saying dealing Rowand was the best idea, but I’ve seen worse trades.
They overpaid for him, I think, and there’s always the amusing possibility that he’ll fail his physical because he has no shoulder left… but… wow. It makes the Sox look pretty bad, and it makes that Yankee lineup look absolutely ridiculous. They’re going to have either their 1B or DH (whichever Giambi isn’t playing) hitting ninth with the team as it’s presently set up, and there’s always room for them to sign another guy there. If that pitching holds up at all…
That’s nuts. I’m not a big Damon fan, but he’s without question a good fit for that team. Good leadoff center fielder, exactly what they needed. Personality-wise I think it’s going to be a disaster. I don’t know too much about Damon, but I get the impression he’s going to hate playing in NYC. He seems to like the media attention, but I bet that it’ll get venomous in NY. Steinbrenner and the Yankees don’t go for the long hair and goofy act. The NY media is going to see him as a total rube and eat him alive. His defense is bordering on awful these days, so that could become an issue, but that lineup is damn near perfect if everyone plays to last year’s standard.
They may have overpaid a little, but they stuck to their four-year offer. Now they really do have a leadoff hitter and like I was saying, many of the other hitters can drop to normal spots in the order. I think that’s a big deal. And even if he can’t throw, he’ll cover more ground than Williams could in his last years.
I’m not really worried about how he’ll adapt to New York. He seems personable, and I think everyone will get along if he plays well.
It’s a good pick up for them offensively, although it will be nice to know that people will still be able to go from first to third on a shallow fly to center. I don’t think the Yankees had many other options. I wonder what the Sox are going to do.
In other news, the Rangers kept up their busy offseason by picking up Eaton and Otsuka for Sledge, Young and Adrian Gonzalez. Frankly, I think the Rangers gave up way too much here. Eaton’s pretty good, but he’s older and only a year from free agency. Chris Young is younger, the Rangers would control him for longer and, frankly, I think Young is better than Eaton. I don’t really see what the Rangers were doing here. And Otsuka isn’t so good that he makes up for it.
Yeah, I think the Rangers were after the certainty of an established pitcher. Given the TANSTAAPP rule I can see where they’d make that decision. I might have preferred to take the chance myself but only time will tell. I’ll certainly be bidding on Young in my auction next year.
Damon is a good fit for the Yankees. Whether it makes them a winner or not is always the question. They’ve certainly acquired top players in recent years but it hasn’t won them any titles.
I don’t think the TANSTAAPP rule applies. Young isn’t that young - he’s 26, so he’s well past the injury nexus that generally kills pitching prospects. He posted a K/9 of 7.49 and a K/BB of 3.04 in 2005, after posting a K/9 of 6.69 and a K/BB of 2.70 in 2004. His only weakness in his peripherals is that G/F hovering around .70.
Not only that, but Young’s K/9 is holding in line with what he put up in the minors. In 2004 he put up a K/9 of 7.64 in the Texas League and 10.09 in the PCL. And in 2003 he put up a 6.94 in the AA Eastern League and a 7.02 in the FSL. His K/BB has held steady, too. His lowest K/BB was a 2.44 he put up in the Texas League in 2004.
Frankly, I think Young is as much of a sure thing as you can find. Certainly more of a sure thing than a injury plagued starter who has never pitched 200 innings and whose best ERA in the National League was 4.08 - and that’s beginning to look like a career year.
The more I look at this trade, the more ridiculous I think it was.
Sox fan, sorry to see him go, but if he’s seen as a defensive liability in NY, all the better. Once he cuts those sideburns (the source of all his power ) we’ll see. More money to offer Raw-jah now, is all.
I’m a bit late posting this, but the Royals have signed 2B Grudzielanek and 1B Mienkiewicz.
I was hoping that they might snag SS Garciaparra and have the least euphonious double-play combination in baseball history, but now the Dodgers got him. Think there’s a chance Buddy Biancalana can be pulled out of retirement?
I must admit that I’m surprised, I thought the Royals were committed to a plan of the strangest first names in baseball (Runelvys Hernandex, Ambiorix Burgos).
) we’ll see. More money to offer Raw-jah now, is all.