Pull on Your Thongs: Yanks-Pirates Gamer II

Mere days ago, the Yankees were rolling.  It's amazing how much losing 3 of 4 to sub-.500 NL teams and batting .178 with RISP in their past 5 games can make those days seem like weeks.  Joe "we stunk" Girardi sure is feeling that way, and he let the team know it after last night's game.  Let's see if the Yanks have taken his words to heart.

They look to get back on track tonight with Matsui and Damon out of the line-up for a second straight game.  Speedy young Justin Christian will be patrolling left field again after his 2-hit 1-RBI major league debut last night.  Joba, free of all talk of a pitch count and coming off his 9-K performance vs. the Padres will be looking for his first decision as a starter against a surprisingly potent Pittsburgh offense (5th in the majors in runs scored).  Every night Joba pitches is exciting - let's see if it's exciting enough to wake up the Yankee bats.

Oh, and a propos of nothing, the combined age of tonight's two starters in the Boston (Wakefield) / Arizona (Johnson) game is 85.  The combined age of the starters for the Yankee (Joba) / Pirates (Duke) match-up is 47.  What does that have to do with anything?  Nothing really.  It'll just take me a few more seasons to get used to the Yankees being on the youth-side of those equations every once in a while.

Comment away...

Comments

[krueg]

I'm going to commit ritualistic Hari Kari if they lose tonight...

[IronHorse (yf)]

I think the one thing I want to see tonight is some production with RISP (assuming we get some RISP!). They've been leaving villages on the basepads for a week now.

And as much as I hate to say it, the Captain has been one of the more frustrating of late. I feel like he hits into a DP every other night lately (no stats, just whiny fanboy impressionistic stuff here - though he is team leader in DPs with 10).

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Speaking of Hari Kari, I was left speechless on this stat today:
Jeter's OPS is .717, Lugo's is.706. Yikes.

[A YF]

Yeah but Jeter's BABIP is 50 points below his career average whereas Lugo's is 15 points above his. Meaning = they'll be going in opposite directions by the end of the season, maybe as soon as tonight!

[A YF]

Yeah, Joba is good. After his first "start", the last four:

22 IP, 19 H, 4 ER, 9 BB, 22 K

Four of those walks, against only two 2 Ks, came in one of the starts. It's going to be a pleasure to watch him develop.

[A YF]

Crap, they kept him out there.

After his first "start", the last four:

22.6 IP, 21 H, 4 ER, 9 BB, 23 K

Now hopefully this inning ends...

[Lar]

I haven't paid attention to Yanks game in awhile. Just got back home and not exciting at all. Okay, just saying, no need to bring in Farns..

[Lar]

How's Joba's pitching anyhow? The numbers look good, but just curious.. =)

[A YF]

And I'm talking into wind.... heeeellllllloooooooooo!

[Hudson]

No Sox gamer tonight?

Wakes allowed just two hits through seven... And I just tuned in three seconds before Cash hit his first home run of the year, way over the Monster into the parking lot, to put the Sox up 5-0 in the 8th.

[Micah-SF]

Since there doesn't appear to be a Sox gamer, I note here that Kevin Cash has hit a three run home run after being intentionally walked earlier in the game. That HAS to be the first time in his entire career that those two events have taken place in the same game.

[A YF]

Lar!

Three of the six hits were in one inning and two in his last. He's, umm, good.

[Paul SF]

Sorry about the lack of gamer, guys. I was gone all day and didn't get in a position to even check my e-mail at either home or work until just now...

[A YF]

In one night, Jeter's OPS jumped 20 points to .737. Lugo's, ummm, didn't.

[Lar]

I hope the Yanks saved some hits in those bats for tomorrow and this weekend!

[I'mBillMcNeal]

A YF again completely misses the point.

[Lar]

Cheapest save ever. Complaining because the other guy has Paps in fantasy.. haha..

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Lar, agreed.
Buck Showalter was making that very point.
Come in up by 5, but becaause the tying run is on deck it's a save. MLB should reconsider that.

[Lar]

I think I would be okay with tying run at the plate. At least that means your next pitch could tie the game..

Ah well.

Yanks win an easy one. Tomorrow we go!

[I'mBillMcNeal]

To clarify the Lugo-Jeter point (Jesus, I don't know why I'm doing this for one insipid soul) ...
The fact the Jeter's OPS is anywhere NEAR Lugo's (and not because Lugo's is good) at the end of June is not only an attention-getter, but illustrative of how very mediocre Jeter has been thus far this season.
A very, very surprising number.
That is all.

[A YF]

Ummmm, see Jeter's start 2004 and research "small samples" and "BABIP" then get back to me.

But yeah, thanks for your "insight". We're blessed to have your "perspective".

[Atheose]

Haha A YF makes us all laugh.

[IronHorse (yf)]

Tonight was just what the doctor ordered. Offensive mash-fast with starters coming out early; superb pitching; strong defense (Melky was everywhere, Abreu gets an assist on an inexplicable but most welcome call by the Pirates 3rd base coach. I feel whole again. At least until 7:05 tomorrow night.

I'm trying not to go overboard on Joba, but this is superb stuff to watch. Mound presence up the wazoo, no sense of panic or wildness, pitches uber-aggressively especuially with the lead and yet able to bear down with runners on and get Ks - and quick ones. Plenty of 0-2 and 1-2 counts tonight for him. I love having him start.

[sf rod]

please start the "Chacon Picked Up By Yankees" thread now!

[A YF]

"I'm trying not to go overboard on Joba, but this is superb stuff to watch."

It's really hard, isn't it? And to think the Yanks could have signed Bartolo Colon and kept Joba in the 8th inning!

"I love having him start."

Don't we all!? SF? Calling, SF? Is SF there? Heeeellllloooooo, SF?

[Atheose]

Haha A YF makes us all laugh.

Off days are the work of the devil.

[Atheose]

Hey, what's up with the Yankees' schedule?

http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/schedule/index.jsp?c_id=nyy

According to that on Friday they play a double-header with the Mets, with the first game at home and the second game away. Are they really going to try to fight rush-hour traffic on a Friday in New York city to get to Queens for the second game? Or are both games in the same stadium?

[Brad]

Jesus. When can both teams stop playing the NL and get back to normal. I'm excited to see this kid pitch when the other team owns a couple bats. Not taking anything away from him at all, just wondering how much of his success last night (and really, the line wasn't excellent by any stretch), will carry over the AL. Although, Pitt does have two good bats, so kudos to him for getting thorough them.

A - it's easy to jump on the "hello sf?" wagon when the score was 10-0. But what happens when Farnsworth or Ramirez blow three or four 2-1 ballgames in a week? - if/when that happens, your respect for the guys who shut the door surely will not be overlooked.

[krueg]

Bill: You come into a Yankees gamer basically putting down Jeter. ((comparing Jeter to Lugo is any way is a put down, no matter how you want to spin it Bill)and A YF points out how ridiculous that is...SCANDALOUS! That you would feel it necessary to come in here and put down Jeter and NOT expect to get something back is a little ridiculous. Who's baiting who?

[IronHorse (yf)]

"Who's baiting who?"

Isn't that a Chaka Khan song? Or the Pointer Sisters?

Anyway, on Joba, there really is no way to argue against him starting Brad, even if the Yanks start giving away 8th inning runs. Nobody will argue that finding someone to pitch the 8th inning is harder than finding a quality starter.

I agree that he needs to be tested vs. AL teams more and if all goes according to schedule he'll have the biggest test as a starter next weekend against the Red Sox. But his performance so far as a starter (25 IP, 1.80 ERA, 26 K) is exceptional for the guy's first 5 major league starts, no matter who he is facing. And it even ranks well against his cumulative '08 stats out of the bullpen (23.2 IP, 2.28 ERA, 30K).

It's too early to talk this way, but depending how he does the rest of the way this year, he may not only fill a hole in teh rotation, he might even become the ace they have been lacking for years. There is nothing that could possibly happen in the 8th inning of games that could justify not taking a shot at that possibility.

[YF]

I think Jeter's been playing with a nagging injury through most of the first half, and I think that accounts for the poor performance. The drop in the walk rate is a concern, but i'm guessing it will all come back, and the babip rate is encouraging, though it doesn't seem to be the whole story.

A: we're really not interested in having you around here if you can't keep you obnoxiousness in check. I'm not sure why you're calling out SF here so antagonistically. If you want to engage in an interesting discussion, simply make your point and move on. Spare us all the grandstanding. Grow up.

[YF]

Brad: My guess is that Okajima has blown as many saves as the Farnsinator. I'm a lot happier risking the 8th with the combo of him, Veras, Ramirez, and whomever else than giving up Joba's innings as a starter. At this point, I think the argument is no longer even an argument.

[IronHorse (yf)]

I think you're right on Jeter YF. Both the hamstring injury and then the hand-smashing pitch a few weeks ago had to have lingered. Last night was nice. Even when he was healthy I don't remember him scalding the ball the way he did last night. I thought his first and third hits were on the way out of the ballpark last night. Always nice to see someone swing away on 3-0 and crush the ball.

[IronHorse (yf)]

Atheose: the split doubleheader on Friday is indeed as you have understood it. The game at the blue and white stadium is a makeup for the May 16 rainout.

I have to say that notwithstanding my joy after last night, I am a bit wary of what we are heading into this weekend. In 3 out of the 4 games we are starting Giese (looking forward to that actually but certainly not confident), Ponson (neither looking forward nor confident about that - I don't like seeing this man in the Yankee uniform ever, even when he pitches well), and Rasner who has been really hairy lately. The one sure Yankee starter (Pettitte) faces Santana. They're going to need to bash the ball so I hope the bats stay warm.

[Brad]

I didn't mean to come off as being against him starting, so sorry if that's how it came out. I just don't think the other side is as easily overlooked. And, YF, I didn't even mention Oki, or the Red Sox, or anything having to even remotely do with Boston or it's pitchers. Why the need to throw Oki under the bus in a statement made about Farnsworth. But if you really wanted that statement to hold water, why not look up how many times Oki and Farnsworth have given up the lead in the past two years?

[Brad]

To clarify, I'm not sure on the number for either, and don't really know where to find it..

[A YF]

"we're really not interested in having you around here if you can't keep you obnoxiousness in check. I'm not sure why you're calling out SF here so antagonistically. If you want to engage in an interesting discussion, simply make your point and move on. Spare us all the grandstanding. Grow up"

Thanks Dad. I'll try to become a better person in your eyes. I hope some day you'll accept me for who I am rather than who you've always wanted me to be. I love you any ways.

Brad - I bet you didn't know the Pirates - yes the Pirates! - have scored the fifth most runs in baseball. And there is only two AL clubs ahead of them - Texas and Titletown.

http://tinyurl.com/5syyqv

Still, point taken. Call me not worried. Great comp on the aggregate, IH.

Atheose - What traffic? They're all walking for charity with Sam Borden:

http://tinyurl.com/5jdzod

[krueg]

The thing about Jeter though is that even though his numbers are down, he still comes through. In the middle of that bad slumps about two weeks ago he was 1-5 against someone (can't remember)but his one hit was a 2 out RBI single that broke open the game...Jeter will be fine.

Did anyone else read yesterday that...Pavano, yes Big Carl, might be back in August??? How do we feel about that?

[krueg]

Speaking of Captain Clutch:

"Derek Jeter extended his hitting streak to 13 games. Jeter, who went 3-for-3 with a walk and an RBI, is batting .353 (18-for-51) during the streak and has raised his average to .286"

He'll end up hitting over .300 like always.

[Mark (YF)]

Said Brad:

"Not taking anything away from him at all, just wondering how much of his success last night (and really, the line wasn't excellent by any stretch)"

Don't know what your standards for excellence are, but going 6.2 IP, striking out 7 and giving up no runs is pretty damn good. Agreed that the NL isn't up to snuff, but you'd take that line from any pitcher against any opponent on any day of the week.

"But what happens when Farnsworth or Ramirez blow three or four 2-1 ballgames in a week?"

But how do you even get to a 2-1 ballgame in the eighth without an effective starter? By any objective measure, a good starter is a lot more valuable than a good reliever.

[A YF]

Jeter in June: .322 .396 .456

[A YF]

One more note on Joba:

Except for his abbreviated first "start" (2.1 innings), the Yanks have won all four of his other starts.

>> Sorry about the lack of gamer, guys. I was gone all day and didn't get in a position to even check my e-mail at either home or work until just now... <<

To repeat an oft-made suggestion: Typepad allows you to schedule posts hours, days, weeks or months ahead.

In theory, gamers could be set up for every single game of the season ahead of time.

If front-pagers want to customize the headline (i.e., more than a generic team names/date description), those can be changed at any time.

I can't see any reason why the hosts of this site would not want to do this, to avoid missing gamers like yesterday. It would only require a couple of hours' work once per season by a single front-pager, sitting in front of the computer with the complete schedule. No more missed games!

[Hudson]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^

(That was me above about pre-scheduling gamer threads.)

[Brad]

I agree, Mark. His line was good.

A - I also agree, the Pirates are one of the best bad teams in baseball. They have a couple good hitters in that lineup. Again, I clarified the statement right up front by saying that I wasn't trying to take anything away from Joba's night, but you'd have to be the biggest homer in sports to feel that playing Pittsburgh is anywhere near playing Detroit, Cleveland, Boston, or the Angels (to name a few). Runs scored aside, they're middle of the road in OPS and BA, which tells me they're a huge swing and miss team who have batted well with RISP. They're nearly last in walks, and dead last in pitching. They are playing catchup nearly every night. Spin it however you want to really, but they're not a good team.
I just want the interleague fattening to be over with is all. I mean, they have to play who the schedule makers put on the schedule, but it's really, really out of whack right now.

[IronHorse (yf)]

To your point Brad, as I noted in a previous thread, the interleague matchups can sometimes be grossly imbalanced and this year they are - esp. when we compare who the Yanks play and who Boston plays. I am making this point now though it is a Sox-friendly argument because I think it stinks and if and when it swings against the Yankees in a future season I do not want to be called a hypocrite for only speaking about it then. Again, taking out those games played against the same NL opponents, the Sox play some of the best teams in the NL, all with winning records including a couple division leaders, while the Yanks play 4th placed-teams all with losing records. It is not remotely fair and that big a difference over the span of a full two weeks of games is plenty significant for divisional races that often come down to 1-2 game swings.

As for Joba, I'll suffice with he has pitched as well as any Yankee fan could hope for against the teams he has faced. We'll see how he does against the rest of them. But the uncertain prospect of greater hardship in the future in no way makes me feel like he can't or shouldn't be celebrated for how well he has done so far.

I did not like him at the plate last night - while he looked like he could hold his own he also looked amped and injury-prone and I just wanted him to be out of the batter's box as fast as possible.

[krueg]

I agree that interleague is garbage but as far as unbalance schedules go...didn't the Sox have the easier go last season? It balances out...

[IronHorse (yf)]

A YF, just back from meetings and noted the exchange between you and YF above. You won't like it but I agree with him. It's not something to start WWIII over but I don't think confrontational calling out of SF or anyone else is necessary and it really couldn't lead anywhere but downwards for otherwise good threads. I for one like and agree with many of your arguments - though your BABIP obsession makes me wonder if your first child is or will be named Babip - and lately especially you seem to put them forward convincingly without getting nasty - even ignoring periodic baiting by others. Why not just try to keep it cordial - that way we will outnumber all SFs and win all the substantive debates - through quantity even if not quality...

[IronHorse (yf)]

"It balances out..."

This is what I have a big problem with Krueg. I mean, if something balances out within a season, then I'm OK with it because it doesn't adverely affect the divisional races. Bbut balancing out over on year vs. another is annoing to me. What if a great Yankee team has by far the tougher IL schedule one year and, as a result, loses out, and then has a mediocre team the next year but ekes the division out thanks to an imbalanced schedule? I don't know - I just don't like the multi-year balancing argument that much.

[SF]

I hesitate to even visit this thread, but the dumbest thing about the comment directed towards me is that I have never questioned whether Joba should be a starter, as the comment indicates. Rather, I have questioned whether or not they should have made him a starter earlier.

I had the same issues with re-converting Papelbon from the rotation back to the bullpen, as I am conceptually always in favor of using a guy who might be an ace starter as an ace starter and not as an ace reliever. Obviously there is context that renders that absolute position flexible, and the success of the Sox last year, to an extent, bears that out. But innings are innings and I'd rather get more of them than less of them.

If someone wants to bait me, the least they could do is get their facts straight.

[IronHorse (yf)]

SF, if we are going to discuss the issue and not the baiting, let me at least put forward the view that both I hold and that I think others have put forward in the past. Joba is and has to be on an innings limit this year because of never having served as a starter over a full ML season. Why is that not a compelling point?

[Lar]

In either case, I think since we're talking about baseball, a sport dealing with pure probabilities than others, I think we can say that for some stuff, it's good enough to be "probabilistically" right. I mean, just because something works out doesn't mean it was the smart move..

That said, the Wang injury only makes the need more obvious. I truly think that, all things considered, Joba should be a starter, but the transition probably shouldn't be in the middle of the season. Now, Greise has done a wonderful job thus far, but those 2-3 games where the game is given to Greise could have turned out less forunate.

And since the Yanks figure to be around the Wild Card range this year, those 2-3 wins could potentially be huge.

I guess it all worked out.. so far. But it's a high volatility play that should scare you.

That said, Joba, if this holds up, now has more wins than the IPK, Hughes combo. And if he can keep this up, the postseason could scary opponents as anything can happen! AP, Joba, Wang, Moose. There's a lot of "ifs", but this could be the best starting pitching in the last few years..

[SF]

With regards to my position, I have never argued that Joba should still be a reliever, as the antagonistic comment implies. That's the issue, and it isn't baseball-related.

It's about being honest.

[IronHorse (yf)]

"this could be the best starting pitching in the last few years."

I can't believe how intrigued I have started to get by Moose's starts, but I realyl do now. I know you've been a long-time fan of his Lar - at least I think it has been you lauding him from time to time here - and I've been much less so, but it's hard not to really like what he is doing this year and the intrigue around making a run at 20 wins this late in his career (as unlikely as it is, it is at least still very much in the realm of possibility for him) is compelling.

[Lar]

It would definitely be amusing if this is finally the year he makes it. I would love to see Moose make it (obviously) but also it'll be amusing to see Moose pitch after Joba's fast stuff.

I think I'm the only one around here that is a huge fan of Moose.. I will nostalgically add that I grew up playing "Hardball 5" on the computer, loving baseball. Moose was almost certainly the best pitcher in the game (or close). Imagine my excitement when he joined the Yanks!

He is definitely smart enough to adapt, even if it took him awhile to do so.. but can hardly fault him for that..

[Lar]

Also, it would be great to see Moose start the All-Star game, though it's probably a bit of a stretch (or a few really good games..)

[IronHorse (yf)]

What I can't help thinking about Lar is now that he has adapted, how long could he actually keep this going? Toward the end of last season it really seemed like he was done and that he would have to ignominiously play out his Yankee contract to - at best - a .500 record or so. Of course, he may still end up there if things gou south, but all indications are that he is pitchign as well as he ever has and that it is not fluky. But could he sign on for another multi-year deal??? Would the Yankees offer that? I would think that if he plays the rest of the season the way he has to date, another 2 years and maybe even 3 might not be at all out of the realm of possibility. But one thing at a time I guess...let's see how he does tonight and in the rest of these '08 starts.

[A YF]

There was no attempt on my part to "bait" any one. I was joking. It was purposefully over the top. Glad Atheose got that, at least.

[A YF]

And like I've told my Dad, I'll try to be a better human being.

[A YF]

More to what SF was complaining about - *earlier* - I'm glad that's been now put to rest. The team was right in the decision and the timing. The present facts make that obvious.

[krueg]

I admit it...I was finished with Moose until about two months ago!!!

IH- I get the argument about year-to-year differences in scheduling but there really is nothing they can do about it, short of scheduling due to previous years standing like the NFL does...short of that, just chuck interleague play in my opinion.

[John - YF]

"I think I'm the only one around here that is a huge fan of Moose.."

That sounds about right.

[YF]

Okay, then. Nice to see we're all back and happy.

Re Jeter, I think the injury that's at issue isnt the hand or the hammy but a shoulder ailment. The lower BABIP may in part be a product of his approach at the plate as much as luck. The reduced walk rate suggests there is (or was) something going on beyond a mere run of random outs. But who really knows?

[YF]

Also, not to be a naysayer--I love watching Moose pitch, too—but this is not the first time he's had a stellar first half in recent years. Sustaining that performance after the ASB has been an issue.

[SF]

Call me a lemming, but I hate Moose. I hate his grumpiness. I hate his stupid windup from the stretch. I hate most everything about him, especially the part of his persona that makes it seem as if playing baseball is beneath him, that he obtains no joy from it and that, were he actually good at doing something else lucrative, he'd be doing that instead.

This is not rational, I freely admit. My guess is that Mussina appreciates his good fortune at having such skill, such finanical rewards for his efforts, that he works hard and wants to win, I know that this is very likely the case. But he's always projected joylessness to me, which though may not be representative of his feelings towards baseball, still comes out. He's the anti-Manny. No outwardly silly joy at playing a kid's game. A little of that goes a long way with me, however superficial that seems.

[A YF]

As for Moose, he's had similar stretches before. I worry that the adjustment is temporary. He's a great #4 but I won't be comfortable with him ranking higher than that on a team with playoff aspirations. His stuff is just so diminished at this point, I'm happy he's doing well but I'm skeptical it will last.

[A YF]

"especially the part of his persona that makes it seem as if playing baseball is beneath him"

He went to Stanford! Of course, it's beneath him!

I agree with that sentiment though. But then he hangs a whiteboard by his locker and a poster of a view outside. And by all accounts he's a great teammate (including proper derision toward Pavano). Moose has grown on me through the years. Still, he should never be pitching in the playoffs ahead of Hughes (see 2007). The difference in talent at this point says he's not elite. The problem for him (almost HOFer) is and was realizing that.

It will be interesting to see though if he can make a run at 20 wins. I'll be rooting for him.

[John - YF]

I really have no feelings about Moose, he's one of those nondescript players. He's in the same class as Abreu in my eyes. I agree with SF that there are a lot of qualities that just make him come off wrong. For me it's the 3 bears pitching issue he has, too little rest/too much rest/just the right amount of rest that drives me crazy. It's a shame to say it but I won't miss him, nor will I miss Giambi or Abreu. Part of rooting for a team means accepting even the players you really don't like. I often dream of the Yankees having an entire roster of players I really do like, but unfortunately each year there has been a Duncan, Farnsworth, Giambi or Mussina. Maybe 2009 is that year?

[A YF]

How could you not like Shelly Duncan!?

[I'm Bill McNeal]

I posted that Jeter-Lugo comment in here last night (no baiting, no schadenfreude intended) because there was no Red Sox thread and there were a few comments about the Red Sox game on this thread.

And again: I was making an observation. We're halfway through the season. It is a comparison that is very much worth noting.
We regularly dump on Lugo (and he deserves it), and we know that his current OPS is about where it usually is (career .727.)
And Jeter gets a pass (he usually deserves it, he's pretty much earned it), and we know that he'll probably pull his OPS up closer to his career .874.

Tell me those comparable OPS numbers aren't eye-opening? They are. Half a season, injuries or not, is a pretty sample size. (The Gritty David Eckstein is right there with these two, as well.) It speaks as much to Jeter's injuries and relative ineffectiveness thus far (not to mention the NYY slow start until about 2-3 weeks ago) as it does to our continued ripping of Lugo.

...
I have tried to be as objective as possible in this blog, especially this year, especially since that day last year when most of us went way overboard in lockstep with Suzyn ("Of all the dramatic things I have ever seen ...") when The Rationalizer appeared in GS's box at the Stadium.
With a few exceptions (a silly postseason comparison of Schilling and Mussina being one) I have stuck to that.

Yeah, I'll still toss out an occasional bomb just for fun. We all will. But the meaningful dialogue that results from our insightful observations and subsequent goes a lot farther than the tizzies people twist themselves into because they foolishly bite the bait.
Sometimes the best dialogue comes from an observation that gets the hackles up a bit, such as the note about Jeter and Lugo.
And almost all of it is better than listening to a drunken spat between a Cubs fan and a White Sox fan ("You suck." "Well you suck more." ... both breathe through their mouths and then chug Old Style.)

And now that I have gone way over the top in defending myself, I will return to work.

[I'm Bill McNeal]

Jesus, there's a lot of missing words in that previous post.

[krueg]

"...(he usually deserves it, he's pretty much earned it)."

Yes and yes. Jeter is worth a lot more than his first-ballot HOF'er stats show. He is inevitibly going to have a dcline in his "numbers' as he gets older but I don't think there are many YF's that don't dread the day when someone other than #2 is the starting SS for the Yankees.

It's kinda like you came down here to good ole' Memphis, TN and talked down about Jesus!!! :)

[I'm Bill McNeal]

krueg, I ain't pickin on you here, but ...
I yearn for the day when the words "First ballot" and not used to classify Hall of Famers.
Either you're in or your not.
Yeah, not all of them are no-brainers, like Teddy Ballgame and Lou Gehrig. But categorizing them, that's silly.
It doesn't matter if Jeter or Manny get in the first year of eligibility, even though both should.
Voters who sit on a player for a year or two because they don't think they're "first-ballot worthy" are asses.
I had that attitude about Sandberg and I regret it. The guy was a HoF'er from the minute he was eligible.

Thanks for the rant time.

[I'm Bill McNeal]

"It's kinda like you came down here to good ole' Memphis, TN and talked down about Jesus!!! :)"

or Jerry Lawler. (Sorry. Andy Kaufman moment. Baby.)

[krueg]

In reality there are "first-ballot" guys, no doubters, and then there are guys that as history unfolds their achievements carry more water...not first-ballot-ers(????) No vacuum here my friend. Example:

Jeter and Manny = first ballot

Papi and Moose = probably not first ballot, but perhaps over time their stats and play become more "legendary" or something and they get in...

What's wrong with that?

[krueg]

Jerry Lawler looks like a Mensa member compared to most down here...

[A YF]

From PeteAbe:

The 'stache in all it's glory.

As Scott Rolen told The Big G: “It’s so awful it’s awesome.”

http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/06/26/the-stache-in-all-its-glory/

I'm with Rolen. So funny.

[IronHorse (yf)]

Krueg,

I realize I am beating a dead horse on this imbalanced interleague scheudle issue, but why couldn't divisions be paired up against each other each year (i.e. this year the AL East will match up with the NL East, next year with the NL West, next year with teh NLC Central), with all teams in each division playing against one another in that specific year. Yes, this would do away with annual meetings of Mets/Yankees and other AL-NL rivalry/inter-city matches, but at least the teams fighting for the same division title will be matching up their records knowing that they all played the same teams the same number of times. And besides, I think a once every 3 year meeting of those rivals would actually make it more special and exciting than the current annual affair. This way we could preserve interleague without giving in to imbalance.

[krueg]

IH- I hear ya. I was really playing devils advocate more than anything. If it were up to me there would be no interleague play at all...I hate it.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Krueg, I guess that's gonna be an ongoing debate, with no right or wrong answer, just individual perspective.

But we do agree on one thing: interleague sucks.
It's bad enough that we have it at all, but then when teams within the same division play vastly different IL skeds, that's horseshot.
Make me commish for a day, I get rid of interleague and the unlbalanced sked, too.

[I'm Bill McNeal]

Memphis, Tenn.: Birthplace of Shannen Doherty.