Yankees Hope, or simply Smoke? - Part two

Yankees Hope, or simply Smoke? - Part two
by Dan Salem and Todd Salem (9-6-13)

[Part one - Barring a miracle, the Yankees Stink]



TODD:
You and I are different. So what if Jeter, Mo and Pettitte all retire at the same time? I just don't understand the mindset. They should all retire if they are all washed up, have nothing left to offer their team, or are tired of playing. Otherwise, the whole coordinated goodbye is stupid. If Jeter is the Yankees' best option at shortstop in 2014 then I want him to come back. There's no nostalgia at stake anywhere for me. Thus, there's no final at-bats or last starts that I'm looking forward to.

Although, I must say, I kind of enjoy Rivera's trip around the country where he receives gifts from the other franchises. I don't know why this occurs. To say thanks for whooping their asses for years? To say good riddance? But it is quirky and funny anyway.

So this leaves me back at square one. The Yankees current mini-run not withstanding (they passed Baltimore for a hot second before falling behind the O's yet again), where are the young guys to root for? Even good teams should be able to bring up young prospects to acclimate into the major league squad. That is what September roster expansion is for. And New York seems to be near the bottom of the league as far as September call-up excitement is concerned. If we're not making the playoffs and we're not rebuilding with young guys, what are we doing?


DAN:
Mariano's league tour is totally unique and amazing! I can't recall a single player in any sport who got presents from the opposing teams during their final season. Now most players announce retirement after the season, so we don't know its their final year as they play it out. I love that Rivera said it up front, but has the present thing ever taken place before? The only chink in the armor here is Joe Girardi trying to convince him to play one more season. Then what? He's not getting gifts again next year if he comes back. More like tomatoes thrown at him for changing his mind. But you don't like goodbyes, so I'll move on.

We both agree this season has been super challenging, but I'm really proud of this season's Yankees, no matter how they finish. In New York, you're either great or you stink. So if this team misses the playoffs, then they definitely stink. But if they make the playoffs, unlike last season, it would be an accomplishment. We'd still say they stink if they got bounced in the Wildcard round, but whatever. I love the hope and have hope that they will pull this out. Playoffs!

I'm kind of lost on the whole young prospects thing, however. Robinson Cano was our last young stud who came up and dominated. It has been a rare thing for the Yankees over the last decade. So I'm not missing it per se, but I am pining for some glimpse into the future of the franchise. Every time a new guy took the field this season I got excited. None of them seemed to last more than a week or two, but I was still excited. It doesn't leave us in a good spot at all and I'm scared for next season. Last year I was scared for this season and rightfully so, considering how its played out. I'm having a real hard time seeing how next year will be any different, let alone better. If this year's team doesn't go down as a stinker, we are for sure due.

The Yankees stink, is that what's coming? It doesn't feel right and Brian Cashman needs to fix this. You're great with the sports management perspective. Give me two off season moves we can make? Get us some youth. And keep our salary down. Damn we're old and over paid.


TODD:
Whoa, you threw so many points at me here. First, it's not that I dislike goodbyes; I just don't care that they are occurring. If you tell me Andy Pettitte's last career start is tomorrow, then I'll simply ask who's taking his place in the rotation. For Rivera, the gift trip has been kooky and fun, but all I really care about is who'll be saving games next season if the organization doesn't believe in David Robertson.

I also disagree about the team's level of stink. Sure, missing the playoffs entirely will have a stench to it. But, considering the injuries, a playoff berth should be considered a successful season. Not all Yankees seasons are created equal. The bosses put a salary cap on this year's roster, handcuffing Brian Cashman and co. a bit. And with all the DL stints, Joe Girardi has had one of his best managerial seasons of his career. Making the playoffs would be a solid win for the 2013 club. Losing in the wild card round would put a damper on that of course, since it barely feels like you actually made the playoffs. It is like making the NCAA Tournament in college basketball but losing in the "first round" AKA the play-in games. You technically made it, but not really.

But whether they sneak into the playoffs here or not, next season is definitely starting to smell. The thing to remember though is that there will be no salary concerns. The one year plan was to get under the cap threshold to avoid the constant-cap-breaker clause or whatever it's called. If you get under once, the penalty for going back over is lessened substantially. So keeping the salary down is not an objective anymore. However, more relevantly, there are not many big name free agents hitting the market anyway. Teams are signing younger guys to longer contracts. But here goes, I'll give you a couple moves to improve the Yankees. Likelihood was not a requirement here, correct?

Move Number One: The New York Yankees trade Gary Sanchez, their top minor league prospect, to Tampa Bay for David Price. Everyone knows the Rays are looking to deal Price. He's eligible for arbitration in 2014 and they will not be able to afford whatever long-term deal he desires. Would they trade him inside the division? Probably not. Is Gary Sanchez even thought of as good enough anymore, after his disappointing 2013, to be the centerpiece of this deal? Also probably not. Would this keep our future salary down? Not in the least. Does it make our major league roster younger?...Why yes it does! One for four!

Move Number Two: Sorry, I only have one move. Seriously, things are looking grim. The Yankees have a few outfield prospects people are high on, but they are all at least two years away. Their pitching prospects have fizzled out and their major leaguers are all old and decrepit. Also, take a look at the top free agents coming up this off-season. Matt Garza and Jacoby Ellsbury (both 29) are the youngest guys. I don't see a logical move out there that gets the Yankees younger and better for 2014. I just don't see it.


DAN:
So you're saying there's hope for next season? ...... One positive, the team can't get more injured.

I will say this, I've grown to love the team this year even if I don't fully recognize it. From a pure logic stand point, I don't see how it can actually get worse. So if 2013 is the season of Rivera and over achieving, I'm thinking 2014 is the season of Jeter and one last title for the captain. We got this!

[If you missed Part one - Barring a miracle, the Yankees Stink]

Barring a miracle, the Yankees Stink - Part one

Barring a miracle, the Yankees Stink - Part one
by Dan Salem and Todd Salem (9-2-13)



TODD:
This Yankees season is pretty much over. Barring a miraculous, Tampa Bay-esk comeback or a Red Sox/Braves-like September collapse, New York is not going to be busy come playoff time. They currently sit 8.5 games back in the AL East and 3.5 games back for the second wild card, behind Baltimore, tied with Cleveland and only two games ahead of Kansas City. Being tied or on par with the Indians and Royals is awful. It has not been our year.

Everyone knows about the injuries. Although a valid reason for the disappointment, it is not an excuse. Brian Cashman, the Steinbrenners and company admittedly skimped on the bench and even on the starters in an effort to get under the luxury tax threshold for 2014. Depending on how the Alex Rodriguez saga plays out, this should be accomplished rather effortlessly if A-Rod's $25 million is not paid out.

So while looking ahead to the next year, the Yankees were also trying to compete this season. It was not a rebuild or even a retool. It was a monetary decision accompanying a winning clubhouse. It...didn't work. If everyone had stayed healthy it would have been interesting to see how far this team could have gone with their pitching, but that is partly the point. It was a squad of talented, older players.

This outcome seemed likely back near the All-Star break, when the Yanks were still up near the top of the division but things looked cloudy. At that time, I surmised that they should deal Hiroki Kuroda for a young bat of some kind. Kuroda has been amazing, would have been one of the top starting pitchers on the market and is not a part of the Yankees' future at age 38. It made all the sense in the world, except for the part where the Yankees are sellers at the trade deadline. They could have twisted into a sell-high situation or trading SP depth for a bat. but as the weeks progressed, even the overabundance of starters dwindled as Michael Pineda had yet another setback, Andy Pettitte was terrible and CC Sabathia was down right mortal.

Losing for a better draft pick is not something done in baseball. Finishing with a worse record than Baltimore or Kansas City is not something done in New York. Without fantasy baseball, it is hard to feel excited about the rest of the season. Am I missing something? Is this how Mets fans feel all the time? At least they have two young stud starting pitchers to talk themselves into. Where are the Yankees prospects?


DAN:
Here's some food for thought; as of today the Yankees have an 11% chance of making the playoffs. For those unclear, eleven percent is basically ten percent which is a one in ten chance of happening. Yet even knowing that blatantly pessimistic statistic, the Yankees are a mere 3.5 games back in the Wildcard race. That is not out of reach by any stretch of the imagination and this season is FAR from over for the New York Yankees.

Saying all of that, the season has been an abomination from a management stand point. Yes, Joe Girardi has been incredible and the old dudes who were added to replace the injured old dudes have performed admirably. One could say they have been outstanding, yet we all knew it wouldn't be enough. It's as if the entire team embodied Mariano Rivera for the season. It's been a swan song of sorts. Flashes of past greatness, with old age ultimately rearing its ugly head. But in the end, this will be Mariano's season no matter what happens. Every game in September will be special because of him. But enough about the good, because there is way too much bad.

I'm with you on Kuroda. Trading him would have been a stellar move. His last three starts have been horrendous. This team isn't winning anything with Sabathia, Kuroda and Pettitte performing at a AAA level. I liked our chances in July because the pitching was consistent. I knew our hitting would pick up and the addition of Soriano has been tremendous. But I never imagined such a prolonged stretch of starting pitching mediocrity. Its nearly doomed the team. The Yankees are done. I haven't seen enough in the last week to convince me they can rattle off multiple stretches of 9 out of 10 wins. They had one such stretch and will probably grab another, but they need at least two more to be in the hunt. Everyone else is playing at too high of a level. (Note my obvious desire for the exact opposite to happen. Optimism!)

I am excited for the remainder of the year and its because its the end of an era. It will be the last time Mariano Rivera sets foot on the diamond and might even be Derek Jeter's final game as well. It will probably be Andy Pettitte's final game. Imagine, all three of the Yankee's big three ending their careers together. Its not that far fetched right now. I'm excited to see if the team can keep winning, but mainly I'm preparing to say goodbye. The only way the Yankees can be great once again is to let go of the past dynasty and begin a new one. One step at a time.

As for Mets fans, I think they feel infinitely worse. Don't bring us down to their level, its unfair to both fan bases. I believe Matt Harvey's injury may have sealed my argument, but the Mets are annually out of the race by August 1st. That has to hurt. Months of solid baseball rendered meaningless by a poor team. And this season their biggest star in the lineup got injured. David Wright was lost with little left to root for. Leave the Mets alone.


TODD:
I guess this is the main difference between you and I. You wax poetic about goodbyes and ending eras and I could not care less. I want victories and October baseball, not a stinky team honoring the past.

[Part two - Yankees Hope or simply Smoke?]

"Liars & Cheats* get Love too" - What ha... happened (August Part two)

"Liars & Cheats* get Love too" - What ha... happened (August Part two)
by Dan Salem and Todd Salem (8-30-13)

[Part one - "Hey. Hey guys. Guess what the bat represents!"]



"What ha... happened," where we scour the internet for a crazy sports photo or GIF and someone must try to explain it. Seesaw Sports asks what ha... happened? Monday: Opening statement. Friday: Rebuttal.

Real photos. Real results. But what in the heck happened?



TODD:
Alex Rodriguez playing with his bat was great and all, but how about actual, sincere love from other human beings. Caught on camera no less. More GIFs baby!

I present to you the following:

Photo: A-Rod the... jovial?

Title: "Liars and cheats get love too"

Description: At some point, in some instance in his long career, teammates were rather fond of Alex Rodriguez. This may have been the only incident, but Andruw Jones and Robbie Cano seem to be having a...dare I say...good time with Rodriguez. A-Rod even seems to be playing along, feigning surprise and acting like a normal guy would while kidding around with buddies. How neat!

Will this ever happen again or will we look back in 30 years and find this GIF as the only remaining evidence that Alex Rodriguez was ever liked by anybody?

What ha... happened?


DAN:
You see the glass half full, teammates loving on Alex and having a good time WITH him. Not so my friend. Rather naive if you ask me. Let me tell you what went down.

Andruw Jones tricked Mr. Cano with the whole "let me draw your house in your palm" trick which always ends with an extra large swimming pool of spit in the hand. Andruw's chuckling and Robbie has a hand full of loogie. The only thing to do is pass on the prank to his buddy Alex. He casually rubs the spit on A-rod's shoulder, then hugs him as a distraction. A hug is always surprising, but especially for A-rod. Notice how Cano wipes off his hands at the end. He's cleaning away the rest of the evidence. Case closed and prank dismissed.

As for your other question, I have a funny answer and a real answer.

Real answer: Alex Rodriguez will get TONS of love from teammates and fans alike when he starts breaking baseball records. I don't care how much you hate him, breaking records and setting new ones is super cool. Whichever team he's on, his teammates will love him for it and look up to him as one of the all time greats. They understand how the game works. And fans, they'll love the spectacle if nothing else.

Fun answer: Since the GIF is obviously a prank caught on tape, its no real evidence of love. I'd venture to say love is returned when given and A-rod gives himself the most love of anyone. My first GIF brought this to light, but we all know about the centaur painting. He loves himself way too much to ever get a real public display of affection from another person.

[If you missed Part one - "Hey. Hey guys. Guess what the bat represents!"]

"Hey. Hey guys. Guess what the bat represents!" - What ha... happened? (August Part one)

"Hey. Hey guys. Guess what the bat represents!" - What ha... happened? (August Part one)
by Dan Salem and Todd Salem (8-26-13)



"What ha... happened," where we scour the internet for a crazy sports photo or GIF and someone must try to explain it. Seesaw Sports asks what ha... happened? Monday: Opening statement. Friday: Rebuttal.

Real photos. Real results. But what in the heck happened?



DAN:
The Alex Rodriguez crying photo is pretty awesome, but its only a warm up. An insightful cover for the sweet stuff inside. We got GIFs baby!

I present to you the following:

Photo: Nice and easy A-rod

Title: "Hey. Hey guys. Guess what the bat represents!"

Description: Are you familiar with Alex Rodriguez? The third baseman for the New York Yankees? He's been in the news a bit lately. Something about PED allegations, a ban by Major League Baseball, an appeal to MLB which has allowed him to continue to play for the New York Yankees and a potential lawsuit against the Yankees themselves for screwing him over with their doctors. Then he got hit by a pitch, hit a home run, dropped his lawsuit and now...

Oh good, you have heard. Well A-rod seems to be enjoying his time with the bat here. I wonder what he's thinking. I wonder who or what the bat represents to him. Why Alex; why are you man handling your wood like that?

What ha... happened?


TODD:
As hilarious as this might be, I feel like Alex Rodriguez has been taking too much heat. Enough heat to bring any man to tears, or a fit of passion with the bat.

I know it is an awful lot of fun to hate on the guy, but we've gone over the line. He's not evil; he hasn't hurt or injured others off the field. He has never gotten into legal trouble per say, other than going against baseball's own rules. And those rules seem kind of arbitrary and shallow to begin with. Why are some performance-enhancing actions legal and others are not? Alex is not the villain you want him to be and his fun time waiting on deck exemplifies this.

A true villain doesn't rub so hard. A-Rod is getting slammed all over and it doesn't seem warranted. Bud Selig tried to suspend him a year and a half for a violation that already has a set penalty of a 50 game suspension. Something doesn't add up! I don't like to be a Rodriguez supporter, but like the wood he's stroking, I'm with him for now.

If Alex Rodriguez was not A-rod, rather someone we previously liked, it would be interesting to see what penalty this situation would have warranted. If all the details were the same except the name of the player, I think Selig would have issued a much more reasonable suspension...which seems absolutely ludicrous! Imagine a professional sports commissioner airing out personal grievances against a player by slamming him with harsher penalties. It sounds like something out of the WWE.

So what happened? Alex has baseball by its balls and he's going to town on their bat.

[Part two - "Liars and Cheats* get Love too"]

The Jeter-less Yankees: A new era in New York - Part two

The Jeter-less Yankees: A new era in New York - Part two
by Dan Salem and Todd Salem (6-7-13)

[Part one - Derek Jeter: Gone or Just resting]



TODD:
Derek Jeter is retiring soon and the turnover on this roster was inevitable from an age standpoint, but Cano is in his early 30's. He was supposed to be the lynch pin connecting the 90's Yanks to the future Yanks. The young guys in the minors are still in the low minors; they are at least two more years away. If not Robinson Cano, who's team is this going forward? Don't say CC Sabathia; taking a look at his velocity this season, I'm afraid he may already be on the downside of his prime.


DAN:
I think Cano re-signs, but this is no sure thing. He will want a lot of money and other teams will be itching to pay it to him as well. But your question of 'what then' is nearsighted and a 'head in the sand' view of the future. Let's assume for a moment that Robinson Cano signs with a team other than the Yankees. Kuroda probably re-signs, Pettitte retires, Mariano Rivera retires and so does Derek Jeter because of injury more than anything. The only Yankee staples of the past five years will be Brett Gardner and Mark Teixeira, but neither man is the face of this franchise. Nor is CC Sabathia for that matter. I'll get to the man who has that honor in a moment. The team itself, the one on the field, will be brand new all over again, but just a great. This season has proven that a solid team can be assembled with limited financial resources. Now open up the books, clear them out, and things look much, much brighter. Without the big salaries of yesterday's star players, the Yankees have a lot of money to spend on what is shaping up to be an excellent free agent class for 2014. But who is the face of the franchise?

The face of the 2014 Jeter-less and Cano-less New York Yankees is their former catcher and World Series champion manager, Joe Girardi. He has been a Yankee since the titles of the late 90's. He managed the team to a title in 2009 and has proven his greatness with the lineup already in 2013. We have a great shot at the title this season, and after removing the team's star players, this Yankee team becomes its manager's ball club. Much like Joe Torre pushed the players of that 1996 team to greatness and stardom, Joe Girardi will wrestle the 2014 squad into a set of future stars of his own making. He embodies the team and he is the Yankees.

I can practically see you rolling your eyes over there, so what then, who do you have? Maybe Derek Jeter has another year in him, maybe he becomes a bench / hitting coach, but that doesn't make him the face of the franchise. If not Girardi, who's mug goes on the ticket stub?


TODD:
Yeah the Yankees will still be good with or without Cano. I know this. They have too many resources not to be at least pretty good. But Joe Girardi is no face of a franchise. Give me a break! If you ask an Atlanta fan who their favorite Brave was, does anyone answer by saying Bobby Cox? Managers in baseball are afterthoughts unless they make a glaring mistake. Unlike football or basketball where a gameplan can be administered, baseball coaches essentially just keep track of playing time and keeping everyone healthy/motivated. And you want to put THAT on your opening day tickets?

The reason I asked is because I don't see a clear answer unless New York makes a move. As you stated, assuming Rivera, Jeter and, for argument's sake, Cano are all gone, that leaves the aging Sabathia and Teixeira as the big boys. A-Rod will be around (unless the Yankees are able to void his contract after this HGH suspension business sorts itself out); whether that implies he's healthy or on the field or even given playing time is another story. He is still a very famous baseball player, but no NY Yankee fan wants to root for him as their guy.

I've heard idiotic sportscasters announce how the Yankees should "just trade for Giancarlo Stanton since the Marlins aren't going anywhere" as if Miami would simply give away their best player at the age of 23 just because they aren't winning very much this season. But a blockbuster trade is possible as a means to resupply the Major League club with a franchise star. New York does have a loaded crop of guys in the low minors who are probably two or three years away. Maybe Miami would be interested in a few.

We left ourselves with a lot of assumption-making but therein lies the groundwork for successful debating and predicting. The most realistic scenario sees Robbie Cano return after signing a near $200 million contract. The next most realistic possibility is New York playing the 2014 season behind Sabathia, Tex, and role players old and young. It's not fun nor exciting, just realistic.

But we are getting way ahead of ourselves. We're not even to the All-Star break of 2013 just yet and the Yanks are playing well. I sure hope Derek Jeter is ready to return next month. Lord knows we need an everyday shortstop who can at least hit his weight. The Captain has surprised us before; coming back on schedule now would be another pleasant surprise.


DAN:
Okay, okay so Joe Girardi is the opposite of a glamour pick, but he completely fits the "face of a franchise" mold. He's a former player for the Yankees, turned manager. That at least partially balances out the fact he isn't actually participating in the games. Plus, doesn't his stock sky rocket after this year, assuming things play out as good as or better than they have so far. Most years I agree, the manager is a "pat you on the butt" guy, but this season Joe is working some magic in the dugout.

As for Jeter surprising us all, if we've learned anything from his history then we're in for a show. He's always been full of surprises, exceeded expectations, pulled the Yankees by his teeth when necessary and taken the team to unbelievable heights. With Mo Rivera playing out of his mind, I'm pulling for a second half by Derek Jeter to match. Could we possibly have two historic players singing impressive swan songs together? Could they both go out on top? Damn I hope so!

[If you missed Part one - Derek Jeter: Gone or Just resting]

Derek Jeter: Gone or Just resting - Part one

Derek Jeter: Gone or Just resting - Part one
by Dan Salem and Todd Salem (6-3-13)



TODD:
Unpopular opinion alert: Derek Jeter is probably not playing this season. He has had setback after setback. His return date jumped from April to May to July to no timetable. The captain may not have an at-bat this season...which logically brings us to this harsh reality: Jeter may not play again.

Of course he's a Hall of Famer. His numbers are good; his postseason accolades are historic. His career outlook is not at risk if he never takes another swing. My question, Yankee fan to Yankee fan, is whether this possibility bothers you.

Now clearly not having a starting shortstop on your favorite club is troublesome. That's not what I mean. Does the fact that Derek Jeter may retire (and that Mo Rivera IS going to retire) bother you? You are certainly aware at this point of my ice cold heart and stony demeanor. I never become attached to players. The Yankees could trade Robinson Cano tomorrow and I wouldn't mind as long as the haul made them better off. But you never broached the analytic approach as far as I.

If Derek Jeter cannot play baseball anymore for the New York Yankees, how will that make you feel?


DAN:
My entire adult life has consisted of Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera in pinstripes. I have a vague memory of Don Mattingly playing for the Yankees, but my first true memories of our team come from 1996 and year the Yankees won their first World Series of my lifetime. I'm definitely blessed to barely recall a time before our team was dominant as hell, but that doesn't make it any easier to say goodbye. What does make Jeter's absence bearable is Mariano's dominance during his swan song of a season.

We know this is Rivera's final season and can enjoy it for everything it is. His greatness continues on and that continues to be absolutely amazing. On the flip side is Derek Jeter, who I assumed would take the field for at least another half year. Until you threw the facts in my face, I still expected him to return by August 1st. But if he is done, done, then I'm sad.

Its one thing to watch your team's captain and former best player, knowing he is going to retire. Its quite another to realize that the year before was his final season and nothing more is coming. If I'm being honest, I was surprised how well he played in 2012. He blew up expectations and destroyed any notion I had of his demise. But reality is here now and I'm not surprised he's on the bench. I would be shocked, however, if he didn't make at least a few plate appearances in September and the post season.

On a side note, how amazing is it for Jeter to be a Yankee, not from a fan's perspective, but from a player's? They are basically paying him this entire season to rehab an injury, knowing full well that he is about to retire. I don't think any other team does this, no matter the caliber of player. They should really name him an honorary bench coach and have him dress for the games. Not a mascot in the literal sense, but definitely a mascot! I would love that.


TODD:
Even though I have no heart or loyalty to specific players and my blood runs cold as the River Styx, I do agree that watching Rivera play out his final year knowing he will retire is more pleasant than waiting on Jeter's future. But really the nice feeling is 98% derived from the fact that he is playing so well. If Rivera turned into Fernando Rodney, I'd probably wish he was out rehabbing a devastating injury.

But with Rivera's future announced and Jeter's so up in the air, the Yankees have a different feel to them. The other injuries on the team play a large part in this as well. We didn't expect to still see Travis Hafner, Vernon Wells and Lyle Overbay playing in June. However, despite any injuries or whatnot, this is Robinson Cano's team. What now happens if the Yankees are not able to re-sign him? He is a free agent at year's end and will be asking for a lot, I mean A LOT, a ton, a great ton of money. With the Yankees' self-appointed salary cap ceiling for 2014, it is at least possible Cano does not wear pinstripes next season. What then?

[Part two - A new era in New York]

"Come on, Seriously?" - What ha... happened? (May - Part Two)

"Come on, Seriously?" - What ha... happened? (May - Part Two)
by Dan Salem and Todd Salem (5-17-13)

[Part One - "Not in my House"]



We scour the internet for a crazy sports photo and someone must try to explain it. Seesaw Sports asks what ha... happened? Monday: Opening statement. Friday: Rebuttal.

Real photos. Real results. But what in the heck happened?



TODD:
I present to you the following:

Photo: Oh no. That's not what I think it is, is it?

Title: "Come on, seriously?"

Description: This is low, even for this exercise.

W..Wh..WHY? Why did this happen!?


DAN:
The bad memories and horrendous nature of the event seem to have left you almost speechless. Arguably the best (or second best) pitcher in the history of the Boston Red Sox organization brutally assaults a historic member of our beloved New York Yankees, Don Zimmer, and all you can say is why. Zimmer was a staple of the Yankees dynasty from 1996 to 2003 and deserved better than this. But why this happened is simple.

Did you know, Don Zimmer was the manager of the Boston Red Sox from 1976 to 1980? He was manager for the infamous "Boston Massacre" which saw the Yankees eviscerate a fourteen game lead in the division to ultimately win the crown from the Red Sox on Bucky Dent's famous home run! Jump forward to 2003, his final year in the Bronx, when Pedro Martinez decided to exact revenge. The former Red Sox manager had jumped ship to join the arch rivals and now the franchise's premier pitcher had an opportunity to taste the sweet, sweet juice of bloody revenge.

Needless to say, this was not a fair fight and Zimmer never recovered. His embarrassment was so extraordinary that he was forced to leave the team and join the Tamba Bay Rays. The Rays! Pedro did what every thirty to fifty year old American wishes they could do, embarrass the elderly. He death gripped an old man by his shiny bald head and hurled him mercilessly to the dirt. Come on, seriously!

The Red Sox needed blood, needed revenge for the "Boston Massacre" all those years ago and Pedro Martinez got it. He struck quick, struck hard and the New York Yankees would never be the same.

That's what happened.

[If you missed Part One - "Not in my House"]

MLB April stats mean NOTHING - Part two

MLB April stats mean NOTHING - Part two
by Dan Salem and Todd Salem (5-10-13)

[Part one - MLB one month Over Reaction]



DAN:
As to the crazy yet real stats you through out there, I'm going to tell you if any of them will still be true at the All Star break and season's end. This should be fun!

- The Oakland A's and the Colorado Rockies scored the most runs in the AL and NL respectively
This is an obvious NO for both teams.

- Pittsburgh was in first place in the NL Central
I like them as a wildcard team, but not as division champs.

-Toronto was in last place in the AL East
I'm really surprised they aren't at least a .500 ball club, but last place seems right to me.

- The Rockies had the most April wins in the entire National League
Did you make this one up? I can't see this lasting even to Memorial Day.

- John Buck was on pace for 54 home runs and 150 RBI
I almost went to add him to my fantasy team, but then I realized it was John Buck.

- The following players had an OPS over 1.000: Dexter Fowler, Carlos Gomez, Wilin Rosario
This just means they aren't playing much, right? I should probably drop Rosario now from my fantasy roster..... Yeah no way, he's a stud.

- Jake Westbrook leads all starters in ERA with a mark of 0.98
Who? Is he available?

- Clay Bucholz and Jon Lester combined to go 9-0 after going 20-22 last year
No wonder the Red Sox are in first place. Not going to continue.

- Jason Grilli, the Pirates' closer, leads the league in saves and is a perfect 10 for 10 in chances
Who? Is he available? I now want him badly on my team.


TODD:
It seems counterproductive for you to react to ANY of the stats I listed for the month of April. Didn't I explain pretty clearly how things that happen in April are pointless? Hah. None of those things will continue; some have already begun to swing around in just a week and a half of May!

The dirty, little secret about baseball statistics though is that you can pick a sample size of thirty days from pretty much any point in the season and create a list that long or longer about idiotic things that make no sense. It is the problem with a small sample size. There is not enough time for a true outcome to be unearthed. Too much is based on luck in that short a time frame. The reason April stands out as "the pointless month" is because stats are easier to read starting from zero. That is really the only reason. It is harder to find someone's terrible July compared to the rest of the league because you have to sift through their stats prior to the beginning of July, or even make a point of keeping track before the trend even develops. April is way easier.

With that said, I love statistics. You can twist them and contort them to make any point your heart desires. Sports writers are really just cutting through all the numbers out there and cherry-picking ones that prove what they want to say. If someone is down on the Angels, they may bring up how many games back they are or how many games below .500 they are or how they only have an 9.1% chance of making the playoffs (according to ESPN's playoff odds).

But someone could just as easily bring up how they've only played one home series so far against a team who didn't make the playoffs last year, which was April 12-14 against Houston, and they won 2 out of 3 there. They are currently playing without their ace pitcher, without their closer and without their starting center fielder who was batting .313 when he went down and had one of the better Aprils of anyone on the roster. Also...hmm, well everything else with this team is bad. Josh Hamilton is so bad he's been below replacement-level for over thirty games now. So okay, statistics can't be manipulated to prove ANYTHING but the fact remains.

Let's tweak the question though. From this day forward, Anaheim wins more games than the Dodgers.


DAN:
Tweaking the question just makes it so your answer can be right, while the REAL question is what the fans really care about. Playoffs baby, playoffs. The Dodgers are in. The Angels are out.

As for stats, I enjoy the numbers behind the game of baseball, but could ultimately care less about my team's percent chance of making the playoffs at this point in the season. I don't care about their ERA or their OBP either. There are only two stats that matter to me as a baseball fan. Team wins and team batting average with runners in scoring position (RISP). Two stats, no more, no less.

I love following my team's wins because you can get a real feel for the energy and swagger of your ball club. Especially looking back at April, is your team clicking, starting to gel as a group, or are they much maligned like the aforementioned Dodgers and Angels. Even if your team is teetering at .500 you can be happy about a three or four game win streak. It shows the team has a chance to make a splash this season. Of course, the opposite is even more true. Any sort of long losing streak at this point in the year is rather damning. Lose two or three and you're like everyone else. But ratchet up a few six or seven game losing streaks and its a hole that only one or two teams in history have climbed out of by September.

April wins and loses have minimal importance as long as you aren't nine games back like the Angels. They can definitely recover, but they'll never be a great team this season. That we know for a fact after one month. As for the rest of the league, five games up or down in your division is neither a mountain or a mole hill. Its just a month sample size like you mentioned. Let's talk again on July 1st.

My other favorite stat is team batting average with RISP. As Yankees fans our team usually hits a lot of home runs, but I can always tell if our team is up for a deep postseason run based on that stat. Take last season for example, the Yankees stunk with RISP. They couldn't hit anyone home unless it was with a long ball. In the postseason, when power numbers drop and small ball gains importance, I knew this stat would haunt them. The team did not get the simple hits when it mattered, with runners on base, and you can't win a championship like that. Rarely can a team power hit their way past a lousy average with RISP. I'm keeping a close eye on this stat as we approach June. Things do look up this season for the Yankees, who added a lot of productive players to the lineup, guys who get the hit and get the man home to score. This season is nothing like last season and I'm loving it!

[Part one - Click here - MLB one month Over Reaction]

MLB Opening Day Mash up - Part One

MLB Opening Day Mash up - Part One
by Dan Salem and Todd Salem (4-1-13)

DAN:

Its opening day. Woo!!! The Yankees and the rest of the league are back. I kid. I kid. I'm really not that much of a biased baseball fan. Its just that the Yankees are infinitely more fun to watch because they are both my team and the New York Yankees. Let the games begin!

We broke down the AL East a few weeks ago in detail, nailed down this years Orioles and Pirates, the teams who both overachieve but one maintains it and makes the playoffs while the other peters out after the All Star break. What's left? You know what's coming...

AL MVP = ?
NL MVP = ?
Rookie of the Year = ?

I'll stop there as the impossible gets exceedingly impossible. But in all honesty, what's exciting you about the season? What's going to end up a boring news story? Are we in for a predictable year or one that takes the game to a new level?

TODD:

Remember when Stewie Griffin found out he was going to Disney World? That's me when I realized Opening Day was at hand. Woo!

Guessing the MVP and ROY winners is kind of a pointless exercise though. What happened when we tried to pick the March Madness Final Four teams months ago? You picked Texas, who didn't even make the NIT, let alone the big one. Although your Syracuse pick to win it all does have validity.

What isn't pointless is naming what we should be excited for and pay attention to these first few weeks of the season. Such as: how does the Yankees lineup turn out; does the newly acquired Brennan Boesch make the team; will Granderson and Teixeira be ahead of schedule; how will Jeter and Rivera look... oh, oh, I misread what you wrote. We are ditching the biases for this post? My bad.

Here's what we should be on the edge of our seats about in each division:

NL East - Will the Braves have the greatest outfield unit since 2000? Will the Mets have the worst since 1900?

NL Central - Are the Reds a juggernaut ready to vanquish all other National League foes? When will the Cubs start going all Dodgers on us and spend big?

NL West - What type of season can Colorado's offense give us if Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki can stay healthy?

AL East - it's been discussed

AL Central - Are people ready to move on from the Royals if their young hitters don't start off well?

AL West - Did the Astros actually move yet? Really, this already happened? Why has no one said anything? Oh, and Mike Trout.

DAN:

My completely baseless Final Four picks from January aren't that bad... Waiting... Waiting... Fine. Predictions sure to go wrong can be left to Mike and Mike for the start of the MLB season. But I'm not promising a complete ditch of Yankees bias. That's too far.

The main storyline keeping me on the edge of my seat, besides all of the Yankees questions you mentioned (damn its hard to set them aside) is who will be worse, the Mets or Red Sox. Both teams are setting themselves up for complete failure. The Red Sox even went as far as to issue a media plea to their fans in order to rectify the ever growing gap between fan expectations and the overall suckiness of the team on the field. I LOVE this! Who's going to suck worse? That's what I'm excited for this season!

Running down the divisions, let me answer your edge of the seat questions and pose one more:

NL East - The Braves will definitely field a tremendous team, but you knew I'd say this. I picked them to win it all this year. As for the Mets, they won't be as bad as an early 1900s squad, mainly because steroids now exist. What's exciting me about the division? If the Marlins, who literally sold off their entire team in the off season, finish with a better record than the Mets, who still manage to have a ridiculous payroll even with such a poor lineup, can we finally end this stupid money buys success debate? Ownership is the key to success. Money spent poorly (the Mets) will prove to be no different than collecting money (the Marlins).

NL Central - I think the Reds will be good, but great is highly questionable. As for the Cubs, they won't start spending until the curse of the billy goat is lifted. Or the curse of that guy who caught the foul ball and 'ruined' their above average season, Bartman. So never. This division kind of waddles in obscurity and that's how I like it.

NL West - Can the Dodgers live up to the unwarranted expectations the LA fans now have for them? Can they stay above .500 with Hanley Ramirez out for two months?

AL Central - Since when did anyone jump on the Royals bandwagon? I'm intrigued to see whether Justin Verlander can maintain the ridiculous pitching dominance he's had of late. Pitching is so up and down, but not him. Interesting?

AL West - Mike freaking Trout. Also, I did not realize the Astros moved either. What was the point of this? Do the Astros have anyone good?

You can now discuss the Yankees or Fantasy Baseball. I'll allow it.

[MLB Mash up w/ Fantasy - Part Two]

All out AL East 2013 Baseball Preview - Part Two

All out AL East 2013 Baseball Preview - Part Two
by Dan Salem and Todd Salem (3-15-13)

[Part One - Fantasy picks & AL East]

DAN:

Umm, wow, where do I begin? You're right about one thing, one run games are a sure fire way to an inflated or deflated record in baseball. However, you are DEAD wrong on the Orioles. They didn't just win one run games last year, they won games period. But assessing the Orioles record in 2013 is not merely about assessing them as a team, but assessing the other competition in the AL East. The Orioles have a well balanced lineup, Matt Wieters anyone, manipulated by a tremendous manager in Buck Showalter. Their pitching staff was decimated by injury last season and still managed to be great. They'll have both Zach Britton and Jason Hammel back at full strength. Don't tell me they aren't still a force.

But as to the real reason they finish second this season, the rest of the division just isn't any better save for the Rays. The Rays are a better version of the Orioles. Otherwise, the Blue Jays will do okay but are attempting to play the Yankees' game. The Yankees, all be it older, will play it better. And the Red Sox, come on. How can they finish ahead of the Orioles? They barely fielded a team last year, and last I checked, have done next to nothing to improve over the winter.

You conveniently left out your division standings. Afraid to put it on paper?  Man up.

TODD:

Actually, I hate to pull the "facts" card out on you like this, but the Orioles whole playoff berth was on the back of winning one-run games and pretty much nothing else. They went 29-9 in one-run games. That is the best mark in baseball history since the turn of the century; the century in question being 1900!!

If they were simply above average in one-run games, say a .600 winning percentage, pretty damn solid, they would have finished with seven fewer wins and missed the playoffs by a healthy margin. Their entire fluky season was built on fluky wins and a fluky bullpen.

It is true they have some young pitching but no one in their rotation is anything more than a third starter. Who is Baltimore's ace, Wei-Yin Chen?? As for their lineup, they have a few good hitters, some young talents and a nice mix of power and speed...which probably means they have the fourth best lineup in the division. Come on, this is the AL East we're talking about!

You actually think they're better than the Red Sox? Boston still has Ellsbury and Pedroia and Ortiz. They added Victorino, Stephen Drew, and lots of power in Mike Napoli and Jonny Gomes. As long as the starting rotation isn't below replacement level, this team will finish multiple games ahead of Baltimore.

Speaking of, I'm not one to back away from a prediction that no one will remember anyway unless I remind them of it because I nailed it on the head. So here is how the AL East will shape up this season:

(1) Tampa Bay
(2) New York
(3) Toronto
(4) Boston
(5) Baltimore

DAN:

I love LOVE your faith in the Yankees to finish in the two spot and I obviously agree about Tampa Bay, but I never ever pick against the eye test. Baltimore passed the eye test last season with flying colors. Throw your history making stats out the window for a moment and watch them play. Now go watch Boston. No contest. Boston may have improved, and on paper they sound like a pretty formidable opponent, but the eye test doesn't lie. Baltimore is better and a lot better than you think.

You make my Baltimore pick seem like a shot in the dark, akin to picking the Mets to make the playoffs or something equally as absurd. Any truly surprising teams this season? Who will be this season's Orioles and who will be this season's Pirates? Both had monster first halves in 2012, but only the Orioles were able to hang on for the full 162.

The Pirates for 2013 will be the Cleveland Indians, strong from April until July, but ultimately on the outside looking in come September. They added some nice hitters to the lineup, but the team is just average. Our season's Orioles will be the Milwaukee Brewers. I know they were good a few seasons ago, but the team is very different now and will once again make a run into the wildcard.

TODD:

The Indians is a very nice choice for this year's Pirates. They have a lot of talent on offense and some upside pitchers. This team is probably more talented overall than the Pirates were a season ago. But playing in the American League should certainly help see a second half decline here. I like that pick or their divisional foe, the Kansas City Royals. KC has even more talent than Cleveland does. It is certainly within the realm of possibility that their young hitters get off to a hot start and their veteran pitching staff does the rest. Of course there is little upside to a rotation of Ervin Santana, Jeremy Guthrie, Bruce Chen and Wade Davis, even with James Shields as the default ace; hence the second half collapse.

I can't get on board with your Brewers pick though. Not because they have no shot at contending for a wildcard; but because this team is too good to qualify as the 2013-version Orioles. Forget about Ryan Braun (AKA the number one fantasy player in baseball), Aramis Ramirez or the bats. Just look at that pitching staff. Yovani Gallardo is an All-Star candidate. Plus, Mike Fiers and Marco Estrada are solid starters. Baltimore won on the backs of a bullpen, a wing, and a prayer. Milwaukee deserves better.  The real Orioles run of this season will be made by the San Diego Padres.

All of the Padres' pieces fit:
- They have an underrated lineup; Chase Headley had a breakout season last year; young bats like Yonder Alonso and Cameron Maybin are ready to make a leap; and they have lots of speed to create trouble for opponents.

- They have an awful starting rotation; their "ace" is Edinson Volquez. According to baseball-reference's WAR stat, he's had only one season in his career worth more than one win and that was back in 2008 as a member of the Reds. So, other than 2008, there hasn't been a single season where he was more than one win better than a scrap heap, replacement schlub. In other news, he walked 105 batters last season.

- They have what should be a fantastic bullpen; Huston Street is a stud closer. Alongside him, Luke Gregerson is one of the best setup men in baseball. With Joe Thatcher and Dale Thayer, San Diego's late-inning army should be hard to score upon.

Also throw in the fact that San Diego will probably be predicted to finish last or fourth in the NL West this year and the parallels are perfect. Watch out National League; your day of reckoning is upon us!

Go Yankees!

[Part One - Top Fantasy picks & the AL East]

Fantasy Baseball and AL East 2013 Preview - Part One

Fantasy Baseball and AL East 2013 Preview - Part One
by Dan Salem and Todd Salem (3-11-13)

DAN:

Pitchers and Catchers have reported. I know for you east coasters this is probably the first real sign of spring. Yay for you! Here on the left coast it means we can start talking fantasy baseball and season expectations. As a transplant to Los Angeles I take every opportunity too see our Yankees play out west. This season they visit both the Dodgers and the Angels. Kick ass! But now for something tangible. A la the Coors Light Cold Hard Facts, I propose two cold hard truth based questions.

First, who goes number one in the Fantasy Baseball draft? Or, for people who like to have more fun and play in an auction league like us, who goes for the highest price?

Second, kick off our 2013 AL East preview and tell me who finishes with a better record, the Red Sox or the Yankees?

TODD:

Your first question is an interesting one. It almost comes down to the owner's personality. Do they want to go safe and reliable or take the riskier player? There are really only three options and anyone who throws in a different player is mentally unstable. The only three options for the top price in a fantasy draft are Miguel Cabrera, Ryan Braun or Mike Trout.

Miguel Cabrera is the safest play. All his hitting numbers will be massive; you know what you are getting.

Ryan Braun is probably the most likely to go first here because of the speed advantage he has over Cabrera. Where Cabrera will steal almost no bases, Braun has double digit steals every year, which is not something to be overlooked. All his hitting numbers will most likely fall just below Miggy everywhere else but not by much and not guaranteed. Braun is good enough to finish tops in the league in pretty much anything other than steals.

Which is where Mike Trout comes in. Trout may very well finish number one in steals. The other numbers are where the questions lie. Will he repeat that batting average and (more unlikely) all that power? If you're a believer in those categories, there is no way Trout would go anywhere but first. But, as fantasy is all about likelihood and minimizing risk, Trout is probably not going to be on the level of Cabrera or Braun in the power numbers or the average.

Does that help to not answer your question even remotely?

I suppose if it were me, I would take Ryan Braun first. Give me the safer bat with the added speed dimension even though the pick doesn't seem as fun as taking either of the other guys. Plus, who wants to root for Braun after all this PED business? ...Gah, picking first would be hard. I might rather have the third pick in a snake draft and let someone else decide.

The Yankees versus Red Sox is not an easy question either. Looking at it from a wider scope though, give me your predicted AL East finish, first through fifth. All five teams have talent and potential. I would really not be surprised by any order you give...with one exception. I know who is finishing last.

DAN:

What a total cop out on both questions, but at least you selected your top pick. I was on edge for a moment before I saw you included Mike Trout in your top three and I understand why you take Braun first. But come on, Mike freaking Trout will be featured in a line up including Josh freaking Hamilton and Albert freaking Pujols. Power numbers will pail in comparison to RBI, On base %, Runs Scored and Steals. He is hands down the number one selection and highest priced draft choice.

Oh hmm, I wonder who nabbed Mr. Trout in our keeper league last year in a trade for the ages. That's right, I got him at a $30 steal for as long as I damn well please. He's the top pick.

On to the real thing, actual players participating to account for wins and loses. You may know who is finishing last in the American League East, but here's how the entire division stacks up top to bottom, one through five, playoffs through beer and fried chicken. I'll even throw in the number of games back to paint a clearer picture.

1. Tampa Bay Rays

2. Baltimore Orioles (2 GB)

3. New York Yankees (4 GB)

4. Toronto Blue Jays (5 GB)

5. Boston Red Sox (10 GB)

I'm not buying the Blue Jays. Every year they do their darnedest to make a splash over the winter in free agency. This year they did quite well on paper, but games are played April through September. Time will prove me right. I envision the Yankees in the Wildcard play-in game, ultimately making the playoffs that way. The Red Sox finally have a real rebuilding year and the Rays and Orioles continue to prove youth means more than the size of your paycheck.

TODD:

I'm glad you took the time to write out your full AL East division standings with the amount of games back each team will finish. This makes it much easier for me to pinpoint how and why you're an idiot!

Really, this whole division comes down to one team: the Baltimore Orioles. Last year, they caught everyone off guard and had a miraculous season. Do you know where the term "miraculous" comes from? It's from the root world "miracle" meaning an act of a freaking higher power was needed for that to even come to fruition. The Orioles were the biggest bunch of fluking flukers who ever fluked in 2012.

Their whole season was built on winning one-run games, a statistic so fluky in and of itself that teams' records in one-run games year to year have absolutely no bearing on the team's success in subsequent seasons. They also hinged all their pitching on their bullpen arms since their starters were not even that good a year ago. Guess what we know about bullpen arms, especially middle relief pitchers? They are the flukiest position in sports, right ahead of field goal kickers in football. There is almost no correlation between a middle reliever's prior season and his current season's success rate. Remember when Luke Gregerson and Matt Thornton were the best arms in the game? Of course you don't because it only lasted one season! Hey Pedro Strop? Get ready to join this group.

There is LITTRALLY (said in the Rob Lowe as Chris Traeger voice) no way the Baltimore Orioles do not finish in last place this season, no way. Their lineup is average; their starting pitching is worse than that and their bullpen is coming back to earth faster than that meteor that hit Russia. What other facets of the game are there? Where is this team good?

[Todd's rankings, predictions and more on Friday]

The Penny Pinching NY Yankees: Off-season recap Part Two

The Penny Pinching NY Yankees: Off-season recap Part Two
by Dan Salem and Todd Salem (3-1-13)

[Part One]

DAN:

As a diehard Yankees fan I coped with the fact that after the 2011 season we would be stuck with an old team for another year, but I did not intend to sign up for this for two or three more. One more year is fine, you can get buy and hope people over achieve and in 2012 that's exactly what happened. I don't see this going nearly as well in 2013 or 2014 or 2015. Is it possible to transition a player into a hitting coach or third base coach under the terms of his current player's contract? If so then A-rod waving Robbie Cano home from the third base line while Derek Jeter pep talks the next batter up is fine by me!

Since our old guys will most likely continue to be old players, the Yankees will have a SUPER deep bench to go along with a lineup full of holes. I don't get it, what made you happy about this development? And isn't unsatisfied a bit underwhelming of an adjective here?

TODD:

I agree that the penny pinching plan, or P3, is stupid. (Caveat: If all these reports are true...) It seems admirable, even smart, on the surface to dip below the pending tax increase, but not if they are going to simply disregard it a year later. Smart and admirable suddenly becomes greedy and self-centered. The Steinbrenners would be pocketing the difference and making the team no better. P3 is not what I was hoping for.

Originally, I was happy for all the reasons you mentioned: because I thought this might be a sign of the Yankees becoming smarter, younger and savvier on the field. They would invest in young talent and surround veterans with players getting better. The team would have some energy to mix with the experience, all the while spending less on contracts and taking less flak from opponents about their payroll. P3 might mean missing the playoffs for a year, but it was a sign of a complete turnaround of the franchise's way of working; that's why I was excited. The part about taking less flak was especially promising. Just imagine if the Yankees won the World Series with an average payroll! People would FREAK! A man can dream can't he.

It still is too soon to bury Pinstripes brass for avoiding this plan. Who knows what the roster will look like in 2015. However, this off-season has not been encouraging. The Yankees managed to get older somehow. They have some young catchers and pitchers, none of whom seem to be ready for the majors yet. And the rest of the farm system is pretty weak. At this point, Brett Gardner is the closest thing we have to watching a young prospect develop in the big time, and he's nearly 30 years old with not much upside left in this game.

I am still behind Brian Cashman until we know he has no plan. Don't forget that this year's crop of available free agents did not really fit what the team needed either. That cannot be ignored. And maybe P3 somehow turns Curtis Granderson's .320 on-base percentage and $40 million owed into the Kansas City Royals' hot, young third baseman Mike Moustakas. Kansas City is going for it this year after all.

DAN:

I think the month of April will be telling this season. Most years it says little more than who worked harder in the off season, but a strong April rarely leads to a crappy year. At worst it leads to an average season. For our Yankees a dominant April is a necessity. Granderson is untradeable if the team can't win without him over the first month while he sits out with injury. And with Phil Hughes battling a bad back, Joba wanting to be a starter (I spit up my coffee when I read this. Is he serious?) and our prized young pitching arm yet to play a game in pinstripes, the team needs a strong start. If we can't survive April two games or more over .500 then I fear for the season.

A strong start allows Granderson to be moved at the All-star break. The Yankees need this to happen, to help clear the books and make room for their wealth of youth in the outfield. I'm psyched for this year because we haven't had a pitching team in years. Its always the hitters, always the lineup, with pitching needing to keep pace and not hold the team back.

Maybe a Yankee game won't average four hours this season. Maybe our pitching will dominate and the Yankees will be king of one and two run games. The NEW New York Yankees of 2013. Yeah, who am I kidding. Bring on the Bronx Bombers baby!

[If you missed Part One]

The Penny Pinching NY Yankees - Final Off-season thoughts Part One

The Penny Pinching NY Yankees - Final Off-season thoughts

by Dan Salem and Todd Salem (2-25-13)

TODD:

Let's wrap up the MLB off-season with one final conversation about the NY Yankees. It was a rather uneventful winter for a team known to out bid and out maneuver its rivals. Something enormous has happened here and I want to touch on this development.  The NY Yankees are now the "thrifty" men in pinstripes.

It has been announced and essentially confirmed that the Yankees are going to cut salary for the 2014 season to get under the new luxury tax threshold. They signed multiple players this off-season for one year deals to accomplish this. They have also pinched pennies at starting positions as to not get tied down to anything long-term. Rumor has it, this will be a one year plan. After they get under the luxury tax, they will then immediately get back over it the following season, but pay a cheaper penalty because of the lack of multiple seasons over the tax.

At first, I looked on this development fondly. For too long have I been forced to explain my Yankees allegiance to people as they taunted me about payrolls and made excuses as for why the NY Yankees were always good. It was always the money, and never the team, despite the fact that other, highly bankrolled teams were having no where near the success.

Yet nevertheless, I was always looking forward to the time when some other team would trump the Yankees' payroll and make us "just another team who spends a lot." The time has finally arrived, but it is significantly less exciting than I was expecting. There are no young, hot prospects coming up to get lots of playing time this season; we are not cutting money at premium positions to give a young guy a chance and watch a new team develop. The NY Yankees are still old as mud but just richer for it. It is...unsatisfying. I pray the season will not be.

DAN:

For someone who prides himself on being anything but a traditional fan, you've been completely played by the opinions of other fans. We Yankees fans don't care why we win, how we win, or what other fans think of our winning. Just win baby.  And now you're unsatisfied that a change in perception isn't living up to the hype. That's because its a show, a game to rile up the rivals.  By all means let us be the "Penny pinching" NY Yankees.

Thrifty is a fun word, but considering how much the Yankees are paying people, they're not actually being thrifty. They ARE in fact pinching pennies, counting every single one to miss the luxury tax in 2014. Since they are just working to avoid the multi-year penalty, I dislike this development a bit less now. They can just spend again in 2015. In principal I'm happy our team is thinking bigger picture, but reality is not nearly as squeaky clean.

I HATE this stupid idea. It only makes business sense and does next to nothing to help the actual team on the field. Our beloved NY Yankees can afford to pay the luxury tax. Lowering or removing it entirely is admirable, but it can't be a one to three year plan. That is asinine and leads me to believe the team will most certainly be sold in 2014 as rumored. The only way this works is if you actually start acquiring young talent for your big money guys, doing so when said players are worth something and not riding the bench because of injury, ahem Alex Rodriquez and Curtis Granderson and more to come I'm sure since our team is old as hell.

I'm sad, not because the team is old and we are stuck with old guys, but because Brian Cashman has always had a plan. He's filled holes with the best of them and made the Yankees a playoff contender for 17 years now. This current situation reeks of no team plan, no long term solution and the looming reality of no championship parade.

[Part Two]