Baseball season started!

[Dan Gould]

Pedro looked like he was pitching on guts alone during the last playoffs, I thought for sure he had some arm trouble, what will keep him fresher this post season?

Simple:

Francona knows about Pedro losing effectiveness past the 100 or 104th pitch or whatever it is. And now he has Foulke to turn to.

Pedro stays fresher because Pedro isn't left to carry the load when he's clearly gassed.

[chris olivarez]

Unless the Yankees are willing to trade some of their front line guys, the Unit will not being going to New York.  The Yanks farm system is devoid of anyone that might possibly help the D-backs for at least three years, and not even a team as desperate as Arizona would be willing to stick their collective necks out that far.  Anaheim has the most to offer, but I'm hearing that Johnson is really only interesed in going to New York.  Stay tuned.

He's been flopping around on where he would want to go. St. Louis surfaced last week as one place to consider seriously.

I really don't see New York as an option for the D'Backs for the reasons you mentioned.

The only team I see with the requisite major league ready prospects is Anaheim and the Angels dont seem willing to fork over very many of them which is a problem because the unit won't come cheap.

[MartyJazz]

I think it was a major mistake for Torre to start Contreras yesterday.  The Red Sox have beaten him like a rented mule every time they've squared off and what with Contreras just starting to resemble the pitcher they thought they had signed for $32 mil, I'd have held him out to avoid any damage to his psyche-on-the-mend.  They're going to need him in the post season and what happened Sunday isn't going to do squick for his confidence. 

So, no point in giving him another taste of October baseball? No point in finding out if he could continue his recent string of excellent starts against the Red Sox? Does this mean that if the Sox face the Yanks in the play-offs, Torre should leave the 32 million dollar Cuban off the roster?

Yep, that's right, AFAIAC, Contreras doesn't belong in the regular rotation. At best, he's a pitcher you plug in when arms are tired and a day-night doubleheader is staring you in the face. I've heard enough excuses over the past two years for his inconsistency, I really don't want to listen anymore. He just doesn't seem capable of bearing down when it counts. Whenever the pressure is on, he fails to throw 1st pitch strikes, falls behind in the count and then grooves belt high pitches over the inside or outside part of the plate. You cannot get away with that with major league hitters. Periodic terrific displays against the likes of the Devil Rays, Tigers, etc., mean nothing to me. It's too bad that Yankee management is forever thinking that the occasional great one game outing signifies more than it does. I would never pitch him when October comes around unless it's in relief when the game is a rout one way or the other.

[Dan Gould]

And now we have A-Rod denying responsibility for the fight. Un-freaking-believable. From ESPN:

Associated Press

TORONTO -- New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez plans to appeal any suspension he might receive for his role in Saturday's brawl with the Boston Red Sox.

"Whatever it is I'm going to appeal it," Rodriguez said Monday. "When somebody attacks, you have to protect yourself."

Rodriguez

Boston pitcher Bronson Arroyo hit Rodriguez with a pitch Saturday, prompting the AL MVP to stare at the mound as he moved slowly toward first base. Boston catcher Jason Varitek positioned himself in front of Rodriguez and the two began jawing before Varitek, still wearing his mask, pushed Rodriguez in the face.

The dugouts and bullpens emptied.

Rodriguez said that Varitek started the fight.

"What was said, from my half, was simply a rebut and a reply," Rodriguez said. "What was said under the mask was a lot greater."

Rodriguez said he merely stood up for himself.

"If someone challenges you like that, I'm going to stand up to it," he said.

***************************

If there are any A-Rod defenders out there, what were the last words from the pretty boy before Varitek introduced his fists to his face?

LET'S GO

The facts are clear: Arroyo threw an 88 mph curveball that tailed in and hit him. A-Rod jawed at Arroyo, Varitek did what all catchers are taught to do-protect their pitcher-and jawed back. Then A-Rod precipitated physical contact by those words quoted above.

If Pretty Boy has the sac to take it like a man and take the base, nothing happens whatsoever. If there is any justice, A-Rod gets the greatest punishment, followed by Varitek, followed by Sturtze, who grabbed Kapler by the throat, followed by Kapler, Ortiz and Nixon, who only came to Kapler's defense. Every physical altercation was initiated by a Yankee, and no one can deny that.

The suspensions should be:

8 for A-Rod.

7 for Varitek.

5 for Sturtze.

3 or 4 for Ortize.

3 for Lofton, Kapler and Nixon.

[Dave James]

Dan,

No way. This is sticks and stones stuff. Varitek initiated the physical part of the confrontation. If anyone gets popped it'll be him. And if Ortiz only gets five games for that display last week, then no one involved in this latest dust up gets more than three.

Up over and out.

[Dan Gould]

Varitek initiated the physical part of the confrontation.  If anyone gets popped it'll be him.  And if Ortiz only gets five games for that display last week, then no one involved in this latest dust up gets more than three. 

Up over and out.

Number one, let's put this in real word terms:

You get in a confrontation in a bar. Dude says, "you want some of this? Let's go!" and you pop him before he pops you.

Who exactly started the physical part of the confrontation, really?

As far as your claim about Ortiz: Aside from bona fide attacks on umpires (like Carl Everett head-butting the guy), the League takes serious note when serious fisticuffs happen. This was a far more aggressive fight than the ALCS. Mark my words: suspensions will be in excess of five games.

Edited July 27, 2004 by Dan Gould

[MartyJazz]

Mark my words: suspensions will be in excess of five games.

[PHILLYQ]

Varitek initiated the physical part of the confrontation.  If anyone gets popped it'll be him.  And if Ortiz only gets five games for that display last week, then no one involved in this latest dust up gets more than three. 

Up over and out.

Number one, let's put this in real word terms:

You get in a confrontation in a bar. Dude says, "you want some of this? Let's go!" and you pop him before he pops you.

Who exactly started the physical part of the confrontation, really?

As far as your claim about Ortiz: Aside from bona fide attacks on umpires (like Carl Everett head-butting the guy), the League takes serious note when serious fisticuffs happen. This was a far more aggressive fight than the ALCS. Mark my words: suspensions will be in excess of five games.

If you pop him before he pops you, YOU initiated the physical action. when people are jawing away, either player has the option to walk away, muttering or otherwise. Once you throw the first punch/slap/shove, you have crossed the line.

That said, A-Rod should have just gone to first and forgot about it. He's a modern hitter- anything inside and he whines about it. Clemens dusted him once in the playoffs and A-Rod did nothing with the bat after that.

Ortiz is already looking at five games for throwing bats on the field, so this latest episode may bring him up to 8 or 10.

Yankees may get Johnson even if they have little in the way of prospects. Arizona is desperate to get out from paying the remaining $23 mil that's owed to Johnson, and if the Angels won't deal, who else has the $$ to pick up the Big Unit?

[BERIGAN]

Well Dan, another concern with Pedro is he always seems to break down, now he has a hip pain...he only pitch 189 innings last year 199 the year before that...his ERA...also since 1999 the highest ERA he has had for a season was 2.39....he is at 4.15 right now...hell just about every team has a weak rotation..makes for interesting ball til the Yankees get Johnson...

Edited July 28, 2004 by BERIGAN

[Big Al]

I hate to interrupt the Yankees-Red Sox thread, but in other baseball news: has anyone else noticed the sharp downturn the Rangers have taken since they announced that John Hart was gonna remain as GM, instead of Grady Fuson whom they promised the job to (and, in the opinion of practically everyone, is far more deserving of the job)? They're 2-6 since that decision. Coincidence? I don't think so. Tom Hicks may be the most clueless owner in baseball, and that's saying a lot.

[Dave James]

According to ESPN news, Johnson has vetoed a trade to the Dodgers. It's going to be the Yankees or no one. As much as I'd like to see him in Yankee pinstripes, I'm guessing at this point he stays in Arizona. That will make for an unhappy Unit, but so it goes. If they do work something out with New York and Boston and the Yankees hook up in the post season, how great would it be if Johnson faced off against Shilling? Now that would be fun.

Up over and out.

[Dan Gould]

Did you see the report of the exchange between Unit's agent and Garagiola?

"If you don't trade him to the Yankees, you're going to have a very unhappy player."

"And I would tell that how?"

At this point our best hope (us being Red Sox Nation) is for the D-Backs to continue to insist on real value in exchange for Johnson and never reaching agreement .... or better yet, they wait til the off season when they might have more suitors.

[Dave James]

Dan,

I saw that comment. Thought it was great. I think the D-backs owe it to the fans of theirs that remain to try and milk something of value out of Johnson. Problem is the feeding frenzy for a 40 year old with a huge contract will die down in the off season when pennants and possible trips to the World Series aren't at stake and cooler heads prevail. I would not want to be Garigiola or Coangelo right now.

Up over and out.

[PHILLYQ]

If the D-backs don't deal Johnson by the trading deadline, they may be in real trouble. They're desperate to reduce payroll, and a $16 million dollar pitcher is rather tough to swallow in that situation with no hope of contention. If they wait until the offseason, there may not be takers, as Dave pointed out. My gut feeling is that somehow the D-backs will suddenly find some Yankee prospects appealing, especially with a $ lubricant.

[chris olivarez]

While I don't fault the D Backs for their asking price for the Unit and Steve Finley I still think their demands for those two players are outrageous. If it was me I wouldn't fork over all my prospects for two players that close to the end of their career. I know there's a lot of pressure to win now but if it's done wrong you could gut your future like a fish(Marlins?). I know the Yankees have been doing it that way for year but their minor league system is now devoid of anybody who could help them anytime soon and I can't help but feel that it's just a matter of time before this catches up with the Bronx Bombers.

[Dan Gould]

If the D-backs don't deal Johnson by the trading deadline, they may be in real trouble. They're desperate to reduce payroll, and a $16 million dollar pitcher is rather tough to swallow in that situation with no hope of contention. If they wait until the offseason, there may not be takers, as Dave pointed out. My gut feeling is that somehow the D-backs will suddenly find some Yankee prospects appealing, especially with a $ lubricant.

The reason keeping Johnson is important if not critical is to give the fans a reason to come to the ballpark, especially if the team goes into full rebuild mode.

Furthermore, Finley and Johnson aren't just any old farts playing out the string. They're at the top of their game, still, and if they're your best players, why shouldn't you want value, serious value, in return?

As far as the Yankees are concerned, I think it isn't just a matter of time that their lack of farm team development catches up with them. It already has:

RJ stays in Arizona for at least the remainder of the year. You heard it here first.

[chris olivarez]

Admittedly Finley and Johnson are playing very well now but the clock is ticking and hitting that invisible wall could come at any time for either one of them. The Yankees are still a dominant club but I can't help but feel that won't last very much longer and help won't be on the way when it does.

[Dan Gould]

Admittedly Finley and Johnson are playing very well now but the clock is ticking and hitting that invisible wall could come at any time for either one of them. The Yankees are still a dominant club but I can't help but feel that won't last very much longer and help won't be on the way when it does.

Chris, they'll always be a dominant club because they have the revenue to buy every player they want.

Where their farm system will fail them is in the ability to swing mid-season deals with the have-not teams when they discover a need (like starting pitching, or a first baseman) that they didn't expect at the start of the season. That's what is happening now.

[Dan Gould]

Just read in the Boston Globe that when David Ortiz had his appeal heard with Bob Watson, he received indications that he will not be suspended for the brawl with the Yankees. They considered his actions to be geared toward separating combatants.

I think that leaves A-Rod, Varitek, Sturtze, Kapler, and maybe Lofton (did anyone spot what Lofton did to get ejected? The Sox pitcher thinks Lofton punched him, but I never saw where Lofton was even).

[Dan Gould]

OK, the suspensions are announced:

4 Games for Rodriguez and Varitek

3 for Sturtze, Kapler, Nixon

Fines for a couple of other guys.

Now, its good to see Sturtze getting a suspension because he was the instigator of that separate altercation. But like the equality of punishment between A-Rod and Tek, Bob Watson is unwilling to penalize the INSTIGATORS more for their actions. Sturtze pulls Kapler backwards in a choke-hold, Kapler responds, and they get even punishment??? Total bull shit.

What I want to hear from Yankee fans is, what do you think of Rodriguez' UTTERLY LAUGHABLE "I'm blameless" bull crap? "I was on my way to first base"? What a joke. Can anyone defend this guy?

Whatever respect I had for him is long gone.

Edited July 30, 2004 by Dan Gould

[MartyJazz]

What I want to hear from Yankee fans is, what do you think of Rodriguez' UTTERLY LAUGHABLE "I'm blameless" bull crap? "I was on my way to first base"? What a joke. Can anyone defend this guy?

Whatever respect I had for him is long gone.

Methinks you're overreacting a tad. He's in a pennant race, he doesn't want to miss four games, that's all. It's just harmless posturing. If you guys had signed him and Kevin Brown had plunked him and an identical altercation would have ensued with Posada, you wouldn't be talking about losing respect for A-Rod. I'm not defending him, I just don't think it's worth getting upset about on either side.

[Dan Gould]

Actually, you're incorrect, Marty.

Liars are liars, not posturers, and I have no respect for them.

After the fight, Varitek said his emotions got away from him, as they did for Rodriguez, and that its not good for their sport. He didn't say "A-Rod started it" and he didn't point out that A-Rod said, more than once, "Let's go".

Varitek owned up to it and is a stand-up guy.

A-Rod is a punk and a liar, and his lies make him look like a fool. If he had the guts, Watson ought to respond to his appeal not by reducing the penalty but by tacking on a day.

That might get would-be fighters attention.

But no, A-Rod is A-Rod, and its a pennant race, so the suspensions will be reduced to three games, probably.

Kapler got the rawest deal, undoubtedly. If the Red Sox are smart, they'll activate Nixon from the D.L. three days early, so he serves the suspension while he's not able to play anyway.

[Big Al]

Chris, they'll always be a dominant club because they have the revenue to buy every player they want.

Buying any player you want is no guarantee of success: ask the Rangers, who finished dead last despite having Mr. $252 at shortstop every year.

Or the Marlins, who BEAT the Yanks despite having a payroll that wasn’t even the same stratosphere as the Yanks.

Personally, I think keeping the Red Sox fans miserable is more important to Steinbrenner than actually winning the Series these days.

[Big Al]

Oh yeah, my guys are now 2-8 and OUT of first place since making the big announcement. At the end of the season, when the Rangers are dead last (AGAIN!) and are looking for that turning point, they'll need to look no further than Wednesday, July 21. The baseball gods strike again.

[Dan Gould]

Chris, they'll always be a dominant club because they have the revenue to buy every player they want.

Buying any player you want is no guarantee of success: ask the Rangers, who finished dead last despite having Mr. $252 at shortstop every year.

Or the Marlins, who BEAT the Yanks despite having a payroll that wasn’t even the same stratosphere as the Yanks.

But you're still missing the point:

The Rangers blew all their wad on a single player and found out that one guy can't make you a winner. If they were like the Yankees and still had money for other stars, they'd have had some success.

But the Yankees have virtually unlimited resources to buy anyone, that's why they are a dominant team. The fact that at a particular moment in time, a low-payroll team like the Marlins beat them doesn't change that fact; it just makes it obvious that you have to play the games and win them, and it goes without saying that if you are good enough to reach the play-offs or the World Series, you're good enough to win it all, regardless of your opponent.