NYC's Weak Sisters, 2007 (part II)

[Frayed Knot]

Willets Point wrote: The next question is: Why did the Yankees want him back? Do they really buy their own "true Yankee" propaganda?

In part, yes. At least many of the fans & media types believe it, hard to say about the front office.

Mainly he was brought back as a FA to replace the traded Randy Johnson, a move many took as an improvement simply based on the "TY" principle. Johnson was ornery while in NYC and was neither as good as he had been (Duh!, he's 43) nor worth the money they were paying him (again, who told you to give contract extensions to senior citizens?). But some failed to realize that failing to live up to the hype & cash isn't the same as being bad and therefore made the mistake into thinking that Pettitte - who had about 1-1/2 good seasons in 3 years w/Houston - was an automatic upgrade even though it will likely be more along the lines of treading water. Pettitte is also younger but they're paying him as much as they were paying Johnson and are on the hook for next year as well (player option).

[Guest Iubitul]

I would enjoy this losing streak more if the Mets cooperated, and had a better week...

[Willets Point]

True, losing the Rockies and the Nationals back-to-back leaves no room for boastfulness.

[stevejrogers]

Frayed Knot wrote: Mainly he was brought back as a FA to replace the traded Randy Johnson, a move many took as an improvement simply based on the "TY" principle. Johnson was ornery while in NYC and was neither as good as he had been (Duh!, he's 43) nor worth the money they were paying him (again, who told you to give contract extensions to senior citizens?). But some failed to realize that failing to live up to the hype & cash isn't the same as being bad and therefore made the mistake into thinking that Pettitte - who had about 1-1/2 good seasons in 3 years w/Houston - was an automatic upgrade even though it will likely be more along the lines of treading water. Pettitte is also younger but they're paying him as much as they were paying Johnson and are on the hook for next year as well (player option).

Also it has been looked at as "fixing a mistake" and unlike trading nothing for Tom Seaver in 83, this was seen more as something that really could help the team, because Pettitte would bring something that was "missing" since he left.

Since Pettitte left, the media/Yankee fan base really drove home the point that Pettitte was somehow on the Whitey Ford level of staff aces when the reality is that Pettitte is a soild #2 guy, and never really has been the ace of any staff he has been on. See Leiter, Al for an example.

Another point could be made that Pettitte in The Bronx was a way to lure Clemens in as well (a conspiracy point along with Robinson Cano suddently switching from 22 to 24 over the offseason)

[nymr83]

But the most telling A-Rod stat of the month was this: The Yankees went 1-11 in April games he didn't homer in

[stevejrogers]

No clue why MLB calls attention to this on the main page though, generally it's through 6 when things really get serious

[nymr83]

too bad A-rod hasn't homered, the Yankees are 1-11 in games where he hasn't homered this year and i was hoping to keep that nice stat going

[stevejrogers]

Now it's through 6

[Gwreck]

Hughes hurt his leg with 2 strikes and one out in the seventh. Looked like a hamstring pull.

[stevejrogers]

And the bad luck continues!

[Guest Edgy DC]

SteveJRogers wrote: No clue why MLB calls attention to this on the main page though, generally it's through 6 when things really get serious

None?

[Willets Point]

I know we're supposed to gloat when bad things happen to Yankees, but that's just fucked up.

[nymr83]

Yankees losing a no-hitter because the pitcher got hurt? priceless. though i hope he's ok.

[stevejrogers]

Edgy DC wrote: ="SteveJRogers"]No clue why MLB calls attention to this on the main page though, generally it's through 6 when things really get serious None?

Well, okay, I'll give you that point, but thats about all I'll give you. I mean its not as bad as acting as if there is a no-no chance after 2 or 3 innings, but it still seems on the early side.

[nymr83]

depending on what else is going on in baseball that night a no-hitter through 5 isn't the worst "story" to have up there.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I really didn't make a point. It's just so maddeningly self-evident, but you are just looking for windmills to tilt at.

Their job is to drive you to a game. Find a story and drive you to it. Make one up if there isn't one.

If the number two prospect in the game is starting for the most storied franchise, it's already as compelling a story as there is before the night even starts.

[nymr83]

]If the number two prospect in the game is starting for the most storied franchise, it's already as compelling a story as there is before the night even starts.

edgy knows prospects?!?!

[MFS62]

="Edgy DC"]If the number two prospect in the game is starting for the most storied franchise, it's already as compelling a story as there is before the night even starts.

As was asked on The Prisoner, "Who is Number 1?"

Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

I don't know. Delmon Young. Point missed.

[metirish]

Torre on the no hit bid...

] "It was going to happen. That was the sense in the dugout," Torre said. "We didn't talk about it, but everybody couldn't wait for him to get out there again."

I wouldn't want to be the yankees strength and conditioning coaches,last week on the FAN Torre thought it was to early to make a connection between the rash of injuries and the fact that they have new strength coaches,Cashman is starting to wonder it seems.

] "You've got to be concerned about it; you try to figure out if there's any connection," Cashman said. "Some of them are explainable more so than others, but we have to look into everything. I can't tell you it's coming from the conditioning program, but you have to be objective and look at every aspect."

Thing is that most of the injuries have been various muscle pulls/strains.

[Frayed Knot]

The worst part for the strength & conditioning staff is that the Yanx just changed to a whole new crew this year - and, while it's certainly early to be jumping to cause-and-effect conclusions, this doesn't look good on the new S&C guys.



"It was going to happen. That was the sense in the dugout," Torre said

As long as you say so.






* Hey, I'm Cliffy!!

[MFS62]

Here's a benefit of living up here in the suburbs - I picked up today's Daily News and it was the early edition. It didn't mention Hughes' game or the injury.
How many pages did the NY editions devote to them?
Later

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

My copy of the snooze back headline reads WOE HITTER

[Frayed Knot]

The new strength & conditioning coach we were just discussing ... the Yanx just fired him.
Not only the recent injuries but apparently he was a guy who hadn't worked in baseball for a number of years and was doing things differently than what the players were used to and some were reluctant to work with him.

[soupcan]

Johnny Dickshot wrote: My copy of the snooze back headline reads WOE HITTER

Ooh, that's a good one.

[metirish]

This is all on Cashman though,he hired this guy Miller who was working at a Country Club in Florida before this,his 24 year old assistant is now the head guy until they find someone else.

[Guest Edgy DC]

How hard can that be? Dale Torborg, come on down!

[Guest silverdsl]

metirish wrote: This is all on Cashman though,he hired this guy Miller who was working at a Country Club in Florida before this,his 24 year old assistant is now the head guy until they find someone else.

Miller had to know someone to get hired. Otherwise I can't figure out what Cashman was thinking to hire someone who had zero experience working with baseball players on the major league level, and whose only experience with professional athletes at all came ten years ago when he worked for a time with a minor league team. I'm sure he was a knowledgeble guy, but seems to me that when they've got millions of dollars invested in the players, they'd want to make sure they've got the best of the best with years of experience working with them.

[metirish]

From everything I have read Miller had zero experience working at the MLB level.

From Newsday....

] In search of greater insight into the training philosophies of Miller and Cavalea, we did a little Googling this morning and found a few interesting Web sites into their pasts. Miller, as has already been widely reported, spoke with the Palm Beach Post about his new Yankees job for an article published on April 4. Described as a lifelong Yankees fan from Buffalo, Miller worked as a minor-league trainer with the Expos in the mid-90s before spending the last eight years as the fitness director of a Florida country club. The story also said he has a master's in performance enhancement and injury prevention from California University of Pennsylvania. As for the Yankees, he said, "I've been able to come in here and really kind of change this whole department around." Internet searches tell us that Cavalea is a local, having attended Mount Sinai high school; he even appeared in several Newsday high school roundups for his feats on the baseball field. His official Web site, www.mlstrength.com, tell us that he has a bachelors from South Florida and is currently working on his master's degree in the same program and same school as Miller earned his. Cavalea writes, "Our training approach that focuses on total body movement, strength, and stability combined with education and lifestyle training will yield the balance we are looking for and in the end, an athlete with a great understanding of their body and what it takes to maintain optimal function."

[soupcan]

As Edgy points out though, how hard can this job be?

Any personal trainer at New York Sports Clubs is qualified for this deal.

Supposedly Miller didn't believe so much in pitchers running to increase their endurance so he didn't push them to do so. Whether or not that played a part in the HammyGate I don't know, but professional athletes, especially the vets, who know their bodies should know that the routines they've followed their entire careers should most likely be continued.

And how do you blame Miller for Hughes?

I think Omar should forward Mackey Shillstone's number to Cashman. Maybe Mr. Slate will give him a leave of absence from the quarry.