High and Tight.

Friday, June 29, 2007

Who's On First?

The first base situation isn't getting any better. As previously mentioned, Shea Hillenbrand is not the answer either. The Times has some fairly obvious ideas though:
More and more, to Torre and the front office, there is a sense that the season cannot be saved unless the existing players produce as expected. They are not seeking to make any significant trades, even one for first baseman Mark Teixeira of the Texas Rangers.

The Yankees are no longer interested in trading for Teixeira, who is on the disabled list and will command a better offer than they will be willing to make.
Good. He's a FA after next year and a Boras client and would command not only a huge prospect investment (so long, Joba) but would not sign an extension for anything other than ridiculous over-market money. Make a run at FA Teixeira? OK. But don't mortgage the future now.
The Yankees are leery of dipping into the depth they have built in their farm system to make a trade for short-term help. That explains their reluctance to jump at Los Angeles Angels first baseman Shea Hillenbrand, who was told he would be designated for assignment on Friday.

The Yankees would take Hillenbrand, but only if the Angels paid almost all of his salary and accepted very little — probably a low-level prospect — in return. Hillenbrand is making $6 million this season and is batting .254, with an on-base percentage of only .275.

The Yankees flirted with signing Hillenbrand as a free agent last winter, but they wanted Doug Mientkiewicz all along, mostly for his defense. Mientkiewicz has a broken wrist and is out for at least another month. His right-handed complement, Josh Phelps, was designated for assignment last week when Torre lost faith in his defense.

Andy Phillips was promoted to replace Phelps, and after saying Phillips would be the starter, Torre sat him for seven of the first eight games on the trip. Phillips started on Thursday for only the second time; Miguel Cairo started at first six times on the trip and Posada once.

Wait, did everyone catch that? Let me repeat: after saying Phillips would be the starter, Torre sat him for seven of the first eight games on the trip. Phillips started on Thursday for only the second time; Miguel Cairo started at first six times on the trip and Posada once. Does anyone actually think Miguel Cairo is a better choice at first base than Andy Phillips besides Joe Torre? And why does Torre always lie about playing time, but never stick to his guns when it comes to lineup cards? The guy needs to go.
General Manager Brian Cashman is considering almost anything at this point, and if the Yankees do not get Hillenbrand, they may turn to Shelley Duncan to see if he can help at first base. Duncan, the brother of Chris Duncan of the St. Louis Cardinals, is batting .302 with 19 home runs and 58 runs batted in for Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
K. Show of hands - who thinks Torre would play a rookie, especially a rookie not known for his defense (which as we all know is the most important aspect of a productive first baseman) over Miguel Cairo? Anyone? A prospect with a future over a wily veteran with heart and guts and grit and hustle and playing the right way ability and doing the little things that don't show up in the boxscore and being a leader by example? Nobody? Good, you've been paying attention the last 11 years.

Labels: andy phillips, brian cashman, joe torre, josh phelps, miguel cairo, shea hillenbrand, torre is dumb

posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 9:17 AM 4 comments

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

George King Embodies Everything That Is Wrong With Sports Journalism

When he's not making up fake trade rumors, he's making insane theories about which player is better than another, but only if you completely ignore any and all numbers you geeks.

Phelps has numbers; Phillips should get job

By GEORGE KING

I can already taste the bile forming...

Josh Phelps has won the numbers battle with a better spring than Andy Phillips. But Phillips deserves to be Doug Mientkiewicz's backup at first.

Battles are not about numbers, people! Battles are about guts and intangibles and things that cannot be proven with any type of statistic! That's a battle!

For all the geeks who live in the black and white world of baseball, Josh Phillips has to be the Yankees’ backup first baseman over Andy Phillips. Yet, the choice here to play first when Joe Torre sits Doug Mientkiewicz is Phillips.

I'll translate that for you: for anyone who can look objectively at baseball, understands the game, and wishes to have their team comprised of the best possible players, Josh Phelps (yes, I see that George King doesn't even know one player from the other) has to be the Yankees' backup first baseman over Andy Phillips. Yet, for some soon to be described insane reason, I, George King, declare the better choice to be Andy Phillips. Do not look at numbers! If you do you are a geek! And you have poor eyesight ... and ... acne! I wonder if King knows one can use a "com-pew-ter" to read his articles.

Why? Doesn’t Phelps’ .438 average (14-for-32) with three homers and 10 RBIs this spring count for something? Yes and no. Fall in love with spring training numbers at your own risk. Nothing can be more hollow than March digits.

No, not "yes or no." Yes. Statistics do count for something. That was kind of the reason to have a roster competition. Otherwise the Yankees should have just said "fuck Spring Training!" and headed right for the Bronx with 25 guys and played exhibition games against the Newark Bears for as few weeks.

However, here is the real reason it should be Phillips over Phelps despite Phillips’ 190 (4-for-21) average after fanning four times Tuesday against the Twins: his swing is shorter than Phelps’ and that fits into a bench player better than Phelps’ long hack.

George King, complaining about hacks. Will irony never cease? King describes some very valid reasons for Phelps to make the team here, as Phillips has been downright awful this spring. But at least it's only spring, and those statistics don't matter, so we should instead look at Phillips' regular season results, right? Oh yes and also because his swing is shorter.

And there is more. No doubt Phillips’ 2005 season in which he batted .240 in 246 at-bats was a disappointment. Yet, his wife battled cancer all summer so that had to be on his mind. Phillips is a better fielding first baseman and has minor league experience at all infield positions.

Alright. George King already proved that he doesn't know which player is which. Now he compounds it by showing that he doesn't even know what year it is. Phillips only had 27 ABs in 2005. Those are 2006 stats, George. Also Friends is off the air, that's not the first Bush in the White House, you cannot buy a brand new Datsun, and man has developed the internal combustion engine. Hope that catches you up. Yes, Phillips is better defensively. However the Yankees already have a defensive first baseman who is not a good hitter. First base is the easiest position to defend and it's where you can stash the fielder who is just not good enough to play elsewhere in the infield. In addition the Yankees have Miguel Cairo (who also cannot hit) but can play all four infield positions.

Phelps has done everything asked of him and he can catch in an emergency. But that swing isn’t going to cut it against the Johan Santanas, Tom Glavines and Scott Kazmirs he is going to face after extended pine time.

Tom Glavine? This is still 2007, right? Phelps should be fearful of Tom Glavine? If Phelps looks silly against Santana, so be it. Everyone looks silly against Santana. But is he really worried about Scott Kazmir (who hasn't put it all together yet) or Tom Glavine? Wouldn't a "long" swing be better suited to a guy who throws a 35 mph heater?

The Yankees’ bench is better with Phillips than Phelps because spring training numbers have never been a true indicator of the real deal.

I'm George King and I just reiterated my premise without giving you any reason why it should be so! I don't have to because I write for the New York Post! Go screw yourselves, stat nerds!

Labels: andy phillips, douchebag, eyechart, george king, josh phelps

posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 8:40 PM 5 comments

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Say Goodbye to Andy Phillips

The handwriting is on the wall for homegrown-player Andy Phillips. Although considered a Torre "favorite," it's hard to imagine any scenerio in which he wears a Yankee uniform this year. He entered Spring Training in a positional battle with Josh Phelps for the "platoon" first base position with Doug Mientkiewicz. Well, by all accounts, he's lost that battle:

	G	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	TB	BB	OBP	SLG	BA
Mientkiewicz	18	38	2	5	0	3	8	7	.277	.211	.132
Phelps	18	32	5	14	3	10	24	3	.472	.750	.438
Phillips	13	21	1	4	0	0	4	0	.190	.190	.190

The Yankees are definitely going to keep Eyechart on the roster (even if I was against his signing to begin with.. and still am). This means that they lose either Phelps or Phillips. Phelps was a Rule V pick from Baltimore, which means if he doesn't make the roster he must be offered back to the Orioles. Phillips is out of options - if he is sent down to Scranton, he must pass through waivers (which he may or may not do). If no team claims him, he could be outrighted to Scranton, but where does he play? Eric Duncan is going to be the first baseman at AAA. Phillips has shown that he's not a great defender at third or second, and I'm sure the Yankees would rather groom or showcase higher profile prospects there anyway. Unless he decides to become a AAA utility man, I don't forsee any scenerio in which George Andrew Phillips remains with the organization, and may just be granted his outright release.

While I'm sure that there are some who would miss his mop-haired good looks, there's simply no room for him on the team or with the organization.

Labels: andy phillips, eric duncan, eyechart, josh phelps, spring training

posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 1:51 PM 5 comments