High and Tight.

Point/Counterpoint

This is a post in which Gerry Fraley will make an asinine point, and I will offer a counterpoint rebuttal.

POINT:
Manager Joe Torre should go.

Torre has had a superb 12-season run with the Yankees, but as another coach (Bill Parcells) in another sport has pointed out, any leader who stays in the same spot for more than a decade runs the risk of turning stale. The Yankees of recent seasons did not play with the same verve as the clubs early in his tenure. That says as much about the players as it does about the manager.

The Yankees are edging toward a youth movement, particularly on the pitching staff. That is not a good fit for Torre at age 67.

COUNTERPOINT:
Manager Joe Torre should go. But not for any of the reasons listed above. Joe Torre should not be re-signed because he has no killer instinct (won't bunt on a wounded Schilling when he's allowing his team to collapse in historic fashion because that's not "how they play"), has no ability to manage a bullpen, plays favorites constantly and alienates certain players, gets a free pass by the media who then in turn must find a new scapegoat in the newest acquisition (Giambi, Rodriguez), refuses to play talent over "guts and experience" and also blows out relievers' arms.

POINT:
Third baseman Alex Rodriguez should go, exercising the escape clause in his contract.

If agent Scott Boras could use a similar vehicle to get lethargic outfielder J.D. Drew a better deal in Boston for this season, he can break the bank with Rodriguez.

What his new employer will get is the player whom peers refer to as "The Cooler." Rodriguez will put up big numbers and vanish when most needed.

He did it again in the division series, going 4-for-15 with a meaningless homer late in the final game. When the Yankees needed Rodriguez to do something in the first inning, when they had two on against canny Paul Byrd, he struck out.

Starting with the 2004 implosion against Boston in the AL Championship Series, the Yankees have lost 13 of their last 17 postseason games. In that span, Rodriguez has hit .138 with two homers and three RBIs in 61 at-bats. He is 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position in that span and is hitless for his last 27 postseason at-bats with runners on base.

COUNTERPOINT:
Rodriguez should be extended if that's what it takes to keep the best player of his generation in his prime.

Where are the calls to trade Jeter, who had probably the worst post-season of any hitter? Non-existant. The announcers constantly refered to Matsui as the "red-hot Hideki Matsui" because of his two hits in the series. Rodriguez goes 0 for 2 with 2 walks in game one and is deemed a failure.

You know, a guy is about to win his second MVP award in 3 years and in both of those years your team doesn't make the playoffs if not for him. But seriously, dump the bum, because he only hit a meaningless homer. He should only hit meaningful homers when his team is down by 4 runs and there's nobody on base. Or maybe he should just say "fuck it," whip out his willie and piss all over home plate. What exactly should one do, Gerry Fraley? Isn't hitting a homer and trying to get your team back into a game important? No, it's meaningless, that's right.

POINT:
Catcher Jorge Posada should go.

Posada heads into free agency off a career year. Torre helped turn him into an All-Star catcher. Without Torre in the dugout, it would not be the same for Posada. Better that he move across town and bring a sense of accountability to a clubhouse sorely in need of that trait.

COUNTERPOINT:
Catcher Jorge Posada should be re-signed.

Torre didn't "turn Posada" into an all-star catcher. How does Torre get the credit here? Torre is lucky Posada's knees haven't fallen apart because he refuses to give him a day off. Any why suggest Posada move to the Mets because their clubhouse sucks? Wouldn't that be a negative?

Offer Posada a 2 year contract with an incentive option for a third. Yes, he'll be 40. So was Carlton Fisk at the end, and he was still a pretty good catcher.

POINT:
Commercial star Roger Clemens should go.

No more mid-season drama about where "Rocket" will land. Clemens, the seven-time Cy Young winner, made the mistake of coming back for one too many paydays. He averaged less than six innings per start and finished at 6-6.

In truth, Clemens has hurt his team in each of the last two seasons. Houston went 9-10 in his well-paid starts last season, and the Yankees were 8-10.

COUNTERPOINT:
Yes, Clemens should retire. But he didn't "hurt" his team in 2006. He "hurt" the Astros because his team was under .500 in his starts? How much futher under .500 would they have been without him? For what it's worth, Roger Clemens, 2006: ERA 2.30, ERA+ 197 WHIP 1.041. ERA+ 197! What a piece of garbage! Gerry Fraley doesn't understand statistics or team sports.

POINT:
Closer Mariano Rivera should go.

Given the hunger for relievers, Rivera will have appeal on the free-agent market. He may want to sign on with another contender rather than hang around for the razing and rebuilding that lies ahead for the Yankees.

COUNTERPOINT:
Rivera should stay.

He's beloved by the fans, and is on his way to a plaque in Mo-nument Park (did you see that? I used his name as a pun!).

Rivera had a down year (for him) but let's face it, it was a good year for most closers. He was money in the Indians series. Sign him to a 2 year deal and maybe have a club option for a third that can be guaranteed with incentives.

There will be no "razing and rebuilding" in the Bronx. It will not happen.

Rivera's legacy is in New York, where he has his home and restaurant. Retain Rivera.

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I hope you've enjoyed today's Point/Counterpoint. Be sure to check back soon, when I'll debate another douchebag by picking apart his article bit by bit and showing how stupid people paid to write about sports can be.

Until then, goodnight.

Labels: douchebag, gerry fraley

posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 11:29 AM 2 comments