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?]

MLB at the Break: 2nd half thoughts & The Derby - Part two

MLB at the Break: 2nd half thoughts & The Derby - Part two
by Dan Salem and Todd Salem (7-12-13)

[Part one - Let's knock some Dingers!]



DAN:
True, true, the Home Run Derby has the stars. It would definitely stink without them, but you missed on your analogy. The Home Run Derby isn't repetitive, its completely different than the NBA dunk contest! The goal of the HR derby is to hit as many home runs as possible. That goal gets amazing and awesome when a guy is hitting dinger after dinger, fifteen, sixteen or more out of the park. It works in reverse too, as everyone wants the player to get at least one homer. That's a great show!

To compare it to the NBA dunk contest we have to change the rules. What if the HR Derby's objective was to hit the longest long ball? Each HR gets measured and the player has ten chances for the longest dinger. That's boring and that's what the dunk contest has become. Do your wildest and craziest dunk and then get a score for it. You have three shots, or whatever. This worked with the stars involved only because it was the stars, not because the idea itself is a good one. The NBA Dunk contest should copy what works for the MLB Home Run Derby. Give a player sixty seconds and let him dunk away. How many dunks will he get? Does he clang a few off the rim and will that cost him the crown? I love this new idea! I'd like to replace David Stern now, thank you.

Let's move on. How about that second half of the season coming up? You know, the half that matters. When we find out if a team is actually good or not. I'm liking the Dodgers chances right now of fulfilling my prophecy from May 1st and making the playoffs.


TODD:
All that gibberish about multiple dunks and long home runs sounded just awful. But it did remind me of something actually interesting! Remember how in those "MLB The Show" video games they had a mini-game where there were locations on the field or items on the field that batters had to hit? It was like a non-home run derby, batting accuracy I suppose. Anyways, it was great fun and I would be totally in if they ever televised a real one, just to see who had the best bat control. I know this doesn't help the dunk contest but, come on, the most dunks in 60 seconds? Really?

Real quick, before we move on to the second half of the MLB season, David Wright and Robinson Cano picked their derby teammates. Wright went with Carlos Gonzalez (leads the NL in dingers) who was replaced by Pedro Alvarez because of injury, Bryce Harper (currently ranks second in the NL in awesomeness after Yasiel Puig) and Michael Cuddyer (apparently a hometown/childhood buddy of Wright's so we get it, tossing his friend a bone). Cano chose Prince Fielder (past derby king), Chris Davis (ML leader in home runs) and ... that's it. Supposedly he's asked Miguel Cabrera as well, but Miggy is waiting to see if his back is going to be healthy enough. If it isn't, who knows who Cano will take with him?

Update: The AL's final derby spot has been taken by Cuban phenom Yoenis Cespedes, who, I suppose, is literally the next best thing to getting Yasiel Puig in this thing.

I think the AL wins in a landslide but, individually, I kind of like Harper. I could see him going Josh Hamilton circa 2008 on this bitch (Of course, astute readers will recall that Hamilton actually lost that year's derby to Justin Morneau, but whatevs). With that being said, if we were to rank the contestants in likelihood of victory, the AL has to have something like three of the top four favorites.

Now, onto the real baseball coming up. The AL East looks like it is rounding into shape. Unfortunately for us, that shape has the Yankees in fourth place. Unless Jeter and A-Rod return with a vengeance, this team is not making the playoffs. They simply cannot score runs. I personally wouldn't mind if they dealt away one of their starting pitchers for a young bat, but that isn't exactly a Yankee thing to do. It wouldn't be quitting on the season either necessarily, since they have seven legit starting pitchers in line for the second half. But still, the Yankees are not ones to trade for prospects or deal away a strength.

The other AL team we are keeping our eyes on, the Angels, sit just 1.5 games behind the Dodgers! This impressive run LA has gone on has been matched nearly game for game by...LA. Now sure, the Angels are actually 9 games behind in the AL West, and stand little chance of making the playoffs. But you should not benefit by the suckiness of the NL West. Just because San Francisco has fallen off a cliff, Colorado came back to what we expected and San Diego stinks, does not mean you should get credit if the Dodgers make the playoffs. This is why I wanted it to be a strict record comparison: who finishes with a better record. Who cares about the standings? That's all arbitrary, like a win for a starting pitcher. Too much is out of their hands as far as a win goes. It's all about the xFIP baby! Get rid of those factors out of your control and hold a real apples to apples comparison. Or are you scared the Angels are going to pass your Dodgers? In other news, Matt Kemp is on the DL AGAIN.


DAN:
Apples to Apples is all well and good, if not a tiresome board game after thirty minutes. But I'm sorry, you can have your Angels sitting at seven games over .500 and out of the playoffs come season's end. I'll take the Dodgers at a mere three games over .500, in first place in the NL West and heading to the post season. Hmm. I wonder which will be considered a successful season? The team that sits at home in October, or the one that won its division and is playing for a championship. The Dodgers are only 1.5 games out of first, by the way.

Also, let me throw your argument further back in your face. Yes, the NL West is a significantly weaker division than the AL West. That is non debatable. But comparing the two divisions is hypocritical and is apples to oranges. The Dodgers don't get to choose their competition, they only have the simple goal of being better than them. Same with the Angels. Prediction, the Dodgers and Angels finish with identical records. The Angels sit at home and the Dodgers head to the playoffs as division champs. That way I win without your asterisk.

More importantly, Derek Jeter returned to action yesterday with a solid performance at DH. So check off number one on your list please, assuming his MRI is negative. The Yankees' offense can be offensive, but its also quite powerful. Overall its been streaky, but with dominant starting pitching only improving down the stretch, I'm confident in our guys winning enough one and two run games to pull out a playoff spot. They may have to win the wild card game (thank you new system), but I'm fine with that.

In October what wins year after year? Its pitching. Hitting goes cold and pitching wins. Our hitting is already cold, so it can only heat up.  And last I checked the Yankees have a solid rotation and a stacked bullpen. I like our chances!

[If you missed Part one - Let's knock some Dingers!]

MLB All-Stars: Yes, please stuff my Ballot Box - Part one

MLB All-Stars: Yes, please stuff my Ballot Box - Part one
by Dan Salem and Todd Salem (7-1-13)



TODD:
MLB All-Star ballots are out. Voting is in its final days and we will know the starters on Saturday.

Never mind that having fans vote for these things is bound to generate problems. We'll find out those horrible, horrible mistakes in a few days. But this year's ballot has some real, head-scratchingly tough decisions. There are some easy ones too, like AL first base, AL third base or NL catcher. But then we get into positions like NL shortstop where three guys have legit claims to the starting spot; and AL shortstop where probably no one deserves to even make the All-Star team, let alone start.

Which begs the question, is getting the starting nod really the fair way to reward the best season a player is having? Not only is playing the ninth inning more important to the game itself than playing the first inning. But should we just elect the nine best players from each league, regardless of position, and have the managers fill out the rest of the lineup in reverse?

Maybe it's just me but I get a little queasy electing someone to an all-star game who doesn't deserve it. Let the managers do that dirty work later on. Let me pick the guys who are having the very best seasons, regardless of team, regardless of position, regardless of past success: just based on the numbers. That's the way it should be.

The fans are probably going to do something stupid anyways, like vote Derek Jeter as AL starting shortstop. So allow me the satisfaction of putting both Everth Cabrera AND Jean Segura on the NL squad, when neither one is probably going to win out over Troy Tulowitzki when the votes are counted.

By the way, as someone with a heart and loyalties and such, do you vote Yankees ahead of more deserving players on your ballot? Brett Gardner comes to mind here. He's had a pretty solid first half. He probably doesn't deserve to make the starting outfield, but it wouldn't be egregious. Are you one to just blindly vote him in because he wears the pinstripes?

In the same vein, will you put someone slightly less deserving in as starting AL DH just so you don't have to vote for David Ortiz?


DAN:
The MLB All Star balloting is a never ending conversation, riddled with controversy. I love it! For the players, getting the starting nod has to mean a lot for the ego. Not only are you having a great season, but its so great that fans nationally recognize your success. Either that, or you've been so great in the past that you're still recognized as one of the best. Win, win for the players, especially the ones with substantial careers. But since the All Star game is for the fans and takes place mid season, its not exactly rewarding anyone. The best half seasons will get acknowledged, if not by the fans, then by the managers, but beyond that its more of a party. The players in the game don't care which inning they participate in. The game barely matters in the first place. Yes, yes, home field advantage for the World Series. Like that means a lick to the players in July. They are only beginning to think playoffs, with the World Series still a struggling goal.

Being an undeserved All Star is like a badge of honor. You must have done something right at some point in time. And I LOVE that someone from each team has to make it. Its an event for the fans and having every club represented ensures this. Each team certainly has its own All Star, even if they are not one of the top nine in the league. Its great fun to vote for your team's guys and I have little issue with the current system. Again, this is an exhibition game basically.

I can smell the meat of your distress, you want the best of the best in the game. A true showcase of strength. How's that working out for the NFL? They chorale the best together with a full season's worth of stats and no gives a crap. The NBA and NHL go mid season with little drama. But the MLB All Star game gets the spotlight, the mid summer classic. Like all things baseball, its glorified to no end. I won't vote Derek Jeter into the game this year, but his place on last year's squad was totally warranted by the end of the season. He had a great year and as a future hall of famer, I had no issue with him making the team.

I love your final question and for me its a grey area. All things being equal, I pick the Yankee every time. Being slightly less deserving is a close call and I'd probably lean pro Yankee in that case as well. I don't got anti Red Sox. Hating the Yankees is Boston's thing and it doesn't go in reverse for me. But I'd definitely start a Yankee if its even a close comparison. Otherwise no, get the All Star in the game. I don't like stuffing the ballot box.

Prediction time! What three things will you hate about the final All Star lineups?


TODD:
Predicting the stupidity of others is a tall task. Also, it is hard to know which fan bases will come out in droves to irrationally support one of their players who is either (a) having a breakout season but still isn't on that all-star level or (b) is the best player for a team making surprising waves but, again, isn't worthy of an all-star appearance. That being said, I do have some guesses as to where America will infuriate me most.

It won't be AL First Base. Chris Davis is a lock there. He is dominating the position and plays for a popular team. Done and done.

It won't be AL Second Base since no one has broken away as the most deserving candidate. I could see Robinson Cano, Dustin Pedroia or Ian Kinsler winning. Jason Kipnis may be having the best year, but his deliriously atrocious beginning to the season may have put him out of the minds of anyone who doesn't live in Cleveland. Jose Altuve might also make it, if nothing else then as the resident Astro.

AL Shortstop is a similar situation in that no one deserves it. JJ Hardy has been okay. A certain result may surprise me, but if it's someone other than Hardy I wouldn't be upset by any means.

Third Base for the American League will have the same result as first base. Miguel Cabrera will win it in a landslide. Situation (a) described above would have been possible for Orioles fans and Manny Machado, but not with the season Miggy Cabrera is having. He's too good.

For Catcher, I think Joe Mauer deserves the start. He may get overlooked though because of consistency. The Astros' Jason Castro has been solid, as have a few other guys. Nothing would upset me here, even if Mauer gets slighted.

Now AL Outfield is where controversy has room to develop and it most certainly will. There are two locks for the three spots: guys who play in big cities and are having deserving years. Those two are Mike Trout from the Angels and Adam Jones of the O's. The last spot should go to Alex Rios but I'm afraid it won't. The potential spot stealers all play in the AL East and can wrack up huge vote numbers. Jacoby Ellsbury, Nate McLouth, Brett Gardner, Nick Markakis and Jose Bautista are all having years that put them on the precipice of making the All-Star game, but none deserve it. The worry here is that they all could easily tally more votes than Rios, who is having the best overall season. Even as a Yankees fan, I wouldn't be the least upset if Ellsbury stole Rios' spot. Either of those Orioles players starting in the All-Star game would be infuriating.

That wraps up the American League because DH is a non-issue. David Ortiz deserves to get the start and he will. As for the NL... [read Part two].

[Part two - Predictions sure to hate]

 

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]

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]

The NY Yankees Black hole at Third- Wrap up Time!

 

The NY Yankees Black hole at Third - Wrap up Time!

by Dan Salem and Todd Salem (1-18-13)

[Part One from Monday]

TODD:

The Yankees' corner man situation won't be pretty. As I tweeted the other day, @sportspinata, the Yankees have turned into an owner in a fantasy auction draft. They had a plan and didn't want to go over budget on certain guys, rightfully so. But, instead of waiting out the other players for a bargain, they waited too long and are left with nothing but scrub options. Sometimes, in these auction drafts, you look back and wish you had gone four to five dollars more on that guy who can actually walk and chew gum.

As for Youkilis, why the vitriol? Why do you care who he used to play for? I never understood this argument from other fans or even analysts. I have never met any of these MLB players, know nothing about who they are and really couldn't care. If they are wearing a Yankees uniform, I will root for them to succeed! Fans get all bent out of shape about the lack of loyalty in professional sports. Here's an idea, stop being so loyal to people you don't know, have never met, will never meet and will never be friends with! You root for a team; that should be enough.

If Youkilis the Yankee bats over .280 I will welcome him with open arms. If he is confirmed as washed up, I will root for his exit, which has nothing to do with who he used to play for.

DAN: 

Completely love the auction draft guy analogy. I've been that guy. I've also been the guy who pays the extra five bucks only to see said player hit IR within a week. Fantasy!!

You've opened a can of worms with the fan debate. I whole heartily agree that as a fan of a team you root for your team and the guys on it to succeed. I don't think I'd care much for Santonio Holmes if he wasn't a Jet, considering he's a demon in the locker room.  But here's where you've got it all wrong.  We root for a team as a fan, but we love our teams because of the guys on it. And we love it even more because of our team's enemies. As a Jets fan I'm grateful to hold the Patriots as an enemy, and as a Yankees fan we have the Red Sox to some extent. Considering the Red Sox have been a vastly inferior product for much of my life, I never really 'hated' them, but as a fan I did come to hate some of their players over the years. Particularly my years living in Boston.

Back to third base and Kevin Youkilis.  It’s not that I hate having him on my team; I’m thrilled to root for whoever is playing third for the Yankees, but I despise him a little. I hold some vitriol for the Red Sox and their players from the successful seasons of 2003 through 2008, a five year stretch in which I spent the first three living in Boston. I do not care for those players, except maybe Johnny Damon who I was thrilled to have as a Yankee. He seemed anti Red Sox by the end of things. Loved it.

As fans we love and hate irrationally and that's what makes it fun! To not hold loyalty to any player is to hold loyalty to a logo which is just color and design on fabric. I'm human and I like to connect with other humans. I want another Derek Jeter!

TODD: 

This is where my irrational love of statistics and my ice cold heart come into play. I could not care less if Derek Jeter played for the Minnesota Twins tomorrow as long as the Yankees had someone to take his place (Hey there Eduardo!). I really have no loyalty to any players of any kind in any sport. I don't know how this developed really. When I was a little kid my favorite players (Ken Griffey Jr. in baseball) were never on my favorite teams. And now that I have no favorite players, I strictly root for fantasy success and the Yankees, end of story.

Columnists always wax poetic about how sports are a business and fans need to see that in the decisions teams make. I actually don't think teams go far enough sometimes. Let's use Jeter as another example. Everyone was fine with this past contract the Yankees gave him because he had earned it with everything he did previously. How idiotic is that!? Would an owner of Home Depot pay an old man who cannot mix paint anymore just because he used to be the best paint mixer in town? Sports seem to show MORE loyalty than regular jobs, not less; and it is because no one roots for or pays to watch that old man mix paint. Teams would be much better off in most situations if they took their hearts out of decisions.

Just know that my heart is cold and black when it comes to professional athletes. Most people think they care about certain players, but they're just too stubborn to admit otherwise. How many of those Yankees fans rooted for Jeter's head when he got off to a terrible start a few seasons back; and how many diehards will yell and scream in favor of Kevin freakin' Youkilis the first time he goes four for five in a game?

DAN: 

Even though I root for players, I'd fire the elderly paint mixer.  I'm forced to agree as both a realist and a big picture guy. I love having players to root for and I've loved rooting for Derek Jeter over the years. But the Yankees should have given him a one year deal and seen how it went. He played great, so give him another year. But signing any old guy long term is dumb. Good franchises don't fall into this trap more often than not, and bad franchises never have this trap to worry about in the first place.

Speaking of a bad team, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I've actually enjoyed rooting for Mark Sanchez over the three seasons prior to this current one as a Jet. Living in Los Angeles I got to see him kick ass on the USC Trojans and then get drafted by my favorite team. Win, win! However, I'm not blind. He has to go. So it doesn’t have to be as cut and dry as you make it. You can root, root, root for your guys until they are no longer valuable to your team. As for the Yankees and Youkilis, he is an excellent one year stop gap at 3B, 1B, DH etc. Great pick up. At least that's what I keep telling myself.  I'll find it in my heart to root for him. It’s not cold and black like yours.

[If you missed Part One from Monday]