MFY Off-Season/Pre-Season Circus

[Ceetar]

Ceetar wrote: more hip surgery for A-Rod. re-tear. likely missing the beginning of the season.

A-Rod so much pain he spent the entire playoffs on pain meds, a night in the emergency room. This probably explains his benching and why he didn't take offense to it at all. What it doesn't explain is how that all went two months without being known. Are the beat guys with the Yankees reporters, or lackeys?

[Guest themetfairy]

I think the unfocused expression is what really makes the picture. He doesn't merely have a gut - he has a gut and looks totally moronic as well.

[MFS62]

Ceetar wrote: more hip surgery for A-Rod. re-tear. likely missing the beginning of the season.

Hearing this news, and looking at the picture of Jeter, it looks like between them this year, ... there will be a lot of ground ball singles.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

This problem is apparently with the other hip and not the one he had worked on previously.
Surgery is being recommended and the team is expecting that he'll be out until June or July.
They're going to have dueling walkers over on that side of the infield.

Eric Chavez's price just went up.

[metsmarathon]

not that he needs a short porch, but i imagine putting mark reynolds in pinstripes would cause more than a few balls to leave the yard.

[Frayed Knot]

So the response to the ARod injury is apparently to throw a big-bucks ($12mil) one-year offer at Kevin Youkilis.
Youkilis supposedly has an offer from the Indians (and Francona) and has had discussions with others as well.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

My guess - they're going to trade Granderson for a serviceable 3B and sign Josh Hamilton.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I'll take Granderson for Lutz AND Satin.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I'll take Granderson for Lutz AND Satin.

For that, sure, but I'd just as soon trade for Corey Hart.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Youk is a Yank. One year, $12M.

[seawolf17]

Awesomely, the Yankees replaced Alex Rodriguez with the only third baseman in all of organized baseball who they hate more than Alex Rodriguez.

LIVING THIRD BASEMEN, in order of preference by Yankees fans:
1. Graig Nettles
2. Mike Pagliarulo
3. Aaron Bleeping Boone
...
...
...
8612. Some guy who hit .130 in the Mexican League
8613. A 57-year-old beer league softball player who strikes out every time up
8614. Alex Rodriguez
8615. Kevin Youkilis

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

seawolf17 wrote: Awesomely, the Yankees replaced Alex Rodriguez with the only third baseman in all of organized baseball who they hate more than Alex Rodriguez. LIVING THIRD BASEMEN, in order of preference by Yankees fans: 1. Graig Nettles 2. Mike Pagliarulo 3. Aaron Bleeping Boone ... ... ... 8612. Some guy who hit .130 in the Mexican League 8613. A 57-year-old beer league softball player who strikes out every time up 8614. Alex Rodriguez 8615. Kevin Youkilis

If we still had bullets of cool, this would be a winner!

[Edgy MD]

It's also a cool R.E.D.

I'd be curious to follow that list down --- see where Charlie Hayes, JIm Leyritz, and Robin Ventura rank.

Rodriguez, amazingly, is second all-time in games played at third for the Yankees. Yet somehow, he's still trying to culturally establish himself there.

It's like one of those TV shows you watch and it doesn't really make sense, you shrug, and assume it won't last long. Yet year after year, you switch through the dial and it's still there.

Alex Rodriguez = The Facts of Life, Alf, and Small Wonder rolled into one.

[Guest sharpie]

I think Scott Brosius makes that list of 3b that MFY fans have fond feelings for.

[metsmarathon]

Edgy MD wrote: It's also a cool R.E.D. I'd be curious to follow that list down --- see where Charlie Hayes, JIm Leyritz, and Robin Ventura rank. Rodriguez, amazingly, is second all-time in games played at third for the Yankees. Yet somehow, he's still trying to culturally establish himself there. It's like one of those TV shows you watch and it doesn't really make sense, you shrug, and assume it won't last long. Yet year after year, you switch through the dial and it's still there. Alex Rodriguez = The Facts of Life, Alf, and Small Wonder rolled into one.

i'm thinking more along hte lines of life according to jim and my wife and kids, that thing with damon wayans that lasted five seasons.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

Edgy MD wrote: Rodriguez, amazingly, is second all-time in games played at third for the Yankees. Yet somehow, he's still trying to culturally establish himself there.

He's the Ronnie Wood of the Yankees.

[MFS62]

WFAN reporting that Ichiro re-signs with the MFYs. They're not sure if for one year or two.

Pretty sure he'll be ranked above Hector "What a Pair of Hands" Lopez on their all-time list of living left fielders.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

So with Swisher skipping off to Cleveland for the next few years, the Yanx have now lost 94 of their record-setting 245 HRs from last year's squad (38%)
2012 Yanx taking their act elsewhere for 2013 include: Russell Martin (going to Pitt - 21 HRs in 2012), Raul Ibanez (Sea - 19), Nick Swisher (Cleve - 24), Eric Chavez (Ariz - 16), Andruw Jones (Japan - 14) with only Kevin Youkilis plus some odd parts yet to be determined to take their place.
And although they got "only" 18 HRs out of ARod, with his latest injury keeping him out until mid-season (if things go well) they certainly can't expect a bounce-back to his higher numbers of years ago either and may even get fewer there too.

Oddly (although perhaps not) this sounds like what many Yanqui fans spent last year claiming they wanted: less reliance on the HRs and more "small ball", although they should probably be reminded of the saying about being careful what you wish for.

[Edgy MD]

The big secret of homeruns --- they're a cathartic thing in general when they happen, but they generally make baseball more boring.

[Lefty Specialist]

Edgy MD wrote: The big secret of homeruns --- they're a cathartic thing in general when they happen, but they generally make baseball more boring.

I wouldn't know about home runs. I'm a Mets fan.

[Ceetar]

the Yankees are apparently franchising the steakhouse they have at the ballpark and opening one in Midtown.

[Frayed Knot]

Travis Hafner signing completed, will DH vs RHPs at least.

Was briefly a monster hitter--led MLB in OPS in 2006 and OPS+ in '04 & '06--but has been oft-injured since, not getting as many as 400 ABs since 2007.
Had just 219 ABs last year; still takes his walks, has a bit of punch when he does hit (40% of hits in 2012 for XBx), and then there's the whole LHB in YSIII thing where he can't help but mis-hit a handful out of the stadium.
Is a .186 hitter in 43 post-season ABs so I'm sure some MFY fans will see that as a fatal flaw before he ever suits up.
Turns 36 in June so maybe they're looking get younger after all.

[Edgy MD]

Travis Hafner can hit homeruns with one arm at Yankee Stadium III.

[dinosaur jesus]

Lefty Specialist wrote: Edgy MD wrote: The big secret of homeruns --- they're a cathartic thing in general when they happen, but they generally make baseball more boring. I wouldn't know about home runs. I'm a Mets fan.

A woman I used to know who'd been a Mets fan in the sixties and seventies said that the "Knocking those home runs over the wall" line in "Meet the Mets" used to make her cry. And I remember having ethical qualms in the early eighties about the heavy hitters the Mets had acquired--meaning Kingman, Ellis Valentine, and George Foster. There seemed something disreputable about winning games with those boughten sluggers. Fortunately, my worries were unfounded.

I was never meant to be a Yankees fan.

[Ceetar]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/08/sports/baseball/jeter-fans-line-up-shut-up-and-wait.html?smid=tw-share

Makes Jeter look like a primadonna. (well, he is) but that won't tarnish his image or anything.

[Frayed Knot]

I have a tough time whipping up much sympathy for (adult) autograph hounds because their ten hour wait for a 35th autograph by the same guy proves fruitless.


And speaking of disappointed Yanqui fans, Felix Hernandez is on the verge of signing a seven-year contract extension.
So many of those poor YLDBs simply assumed he would be theirs by now either via trade (lop-sided in their favor of course - just a coupla prospects) or upon first blush of free-agency. Competition really sucks sometimes.

Edited February 7, 2013 by Guest

[Ceetar]

Frayed Knot wrote: I have a tough time whipping up much sympathy for (adult) autograph hounds because their ten hour wait for a 35th autograph by the same guy proves fruitless.

you could argue that these hounds are part of the reason guys don't sign as much too. Harder to blame a guy for not signing when more often than not it's these guys he's not signing for.

[Guest vtmet]

Ceetar wrote: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/08/sports/baseball/jeter-fans-line-up-shut-up-and-wait.html?smid=tw-share Makes Jeter look like a primadonna. (well, he is) but that won't tarnish his image or anything.

those are some messed up people...camping out at 3am so that they can be in line to maybe get an autograph from a guy that doesn't know/care that they exist...and some of them are "professional" people with jobs that require them to be alert, not zombies from not sleeping for days waiting for Jeter to bless their paper...

�I guess I�ll have to come back again tomorrow if he doesn�t sign today,� said Melissa Davis, a patient-support technician at a hospital in Clearwater, whose prize for showing up at 4 a.m. was the sixth spot in line, a prime piece of real estate. She had not slept in two days, she said. Or was it three? She was, by her own admission, bordering on delirium. �I�m basically on a mission at this point,� said Davis, who kept herself occupied by reading �Fifty Shades of Grey� on her Kindle. �I want his autograph. You can�t really talk to him because he�s not going to sit and talk to you. So I want his autograph. That�s all I want.�

that Johnson guy definitely sounds like a dick...

[ashie62]

A few years ago the Yankees were at Detroit and Jeter accepted an award for his foundation from the Mayor

of Detroit at home plate. As quickly as Jeter shook the Mayors hand, a Mayor's flunkie jammed a ball and pen in Jeters face.

Caught Jeter off guard but he signed it on reflex..

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

This is horrible, and seems like he doesn't appreciate the people who pay that salary:

�Single file! No chitchat! He doesn�t want to hear about your personal life, so don�t ask him about his!�

Cal Ripken was legendary for going above and beyond in his treatment of fans.

I know it becomes a grind for these guys, especially when they have to deal with the professionals who are there not because they are fans, but because they want to sell them immediately.

But I wasn't surprised to read that about Granderson, who was very, very classy in my experiences with him.

He was in Grand Rapids for a couple rehab games with the Whitecaps -- the Tigers' Midwest-A team here -- and had the team call the city schools and say that he was available to do things with students in the down time. He came out to a middle school and gave a great assembly speech about staying in school and answered all kinds of questions.