Prop 12a: Catapulting Chad Gaudin

It's normally quite hard to complain when one's team has the biggest pay roll in baseball, Allstars at nearly every position, a CY candidate, and only one missed postseason in about a decade.

On the other hand, most teams don't have the player casually referred to as "that f*#&%&$ guy" - Chad Gaudin. Hence Proposition 12a was devised. The decision being contemplated pertains to whether the Yankees should catapult the young right hander. While the catapult trajectory has yet to be determined (although some speculate it to be into theHudson River), the medieval machine of war has been deemed the most effective means of promptly removing the maladroit hurler.

The tumultuous relationship between the esteemed franchise and disheartened pitcher first began during the August of 2009 when the Yankees chose to acquire Gaudin in return for a player to be named later from the then ailing San Diego Padres. Unfortunately, the Yankees were both surprised and disappointed to learn that the non-identified future player would in all likelihood, not be Chad Gaudin.

Said Cashman, "That was difficult to stomach. While we weren't certain that our organization would eventually loathe the guy, we were hoping for at least some degree of reassurance. The Yankees will certainly reconsider any future transactions with the Padre organization now that it's become apparent that all sales are final. That's the typical nonsense you find in dieing organizations desperately reaching for even the slightest sense of future success. Oh wait...never mind."

Ultimately, the Yankees would decide to cut ties with Gaudin in March 2010, after having already paid $737.5K of his $2.95M salary. As soon as it became apparent that tensions had mounted to a volatile point, the young pitcher responded, "F*#& those B*$&#&! Oh, and their Big League Chew sucks."

However, the uncomfortable divorce was not meant to be. The organization began courting the 27 year old once again in May, 2010. The reliever had been disenfranchised earlier by the Oakland A's.

Said Billy Bean, "Well the thing is, he really wasn't all that bad. He just wasn't really able to pitch. " However, the Yankees who had a renewed sense of optimism thought he'd offer exactly the type of support that their struggling bullpen desperately craved.

Much to the collective Yankees Universe's chagrin, old habits didn't quickly fade. Gaudin's pitched to a 4.30 ERA (5.77 FIP / 5.12 xFIP) over the course of 46 innings. His WAR has fallen to -0.6. Aside from his modest 1-5 record, Gaudin has also sported a 1.49 WHIP with a .304 BABIP. The relationship hit dire lows as he allowed 3 untimely home runs during the midst of the Yankees September hunt of a playoff birth.

When questioned, Girardi replied, "Well Gaudy's one of our guys. We expect him to go out there and get outs. As you can see by my graying hair and increasingly gaunt jaw line, it just hasn't worked out as we intended."

As the fans idle restlessly, Steinbrenner-esque sentiments have circulated through the clubhouse to the effect of, "Someone must pay! That someone is Chad."

In response, the Yankees' old guard devised a plan to increase team productivity and franchise-wide morale. Jeter excitedly described the solution. "Well we're going to try our best. We've been surrounded with the best selection of catapults available in the industry, and we've really been placed in a position where we can truly launch a human being. The rest is up to us. We think the fans will respect this decision, and inevitably receive the sense of compensation they deserve. This is NY, and we're lucky to have the best fans in the world. We owe it to them and the Steinbrenner family to do the right thing."

The trusted veteran voice of Jorge Posada concurred. "Well, I think mostly what it comes down to is he's terrible. We encourage all fans to vote 'YES' on Prop 12a." Voting ends by midnight, September 30th.

Matt Leaves Earth

I had been planning on breaking this news at some point over the next few weeks. The era of MoE has sadly come to a bittersweet end. Essentially, I had begun to feel like my personal ambition had outgrown MoE's potential. I wanted more articles complimented by a more sophisticated website.

For the past few weeks I have been diligently designing a new site with new features. I'm not going to lie. The new site was coming along well and was looking really sharp. In fact my new landing spot was probably about 75% complete when I received a very unlikely offer.

As it turns out the fellas over at Yankeeist are a bit deranged - so much so in fact, that they asked me to come join the team! In all seriousness, it was obvious to me that those guys are ardent fans of the Yanks, and their writing reflects it. I know they bleed pinstripes, and their site has some good name recognition. As you may have surmised, I not-so-reluctantly agreed. So from this point forward, Yankeeist shall be my new virtual home. For those of you who are into my (albeit often eccentric) contributions, check out the site and you'll find me there!

Cheers!

Yankees: Pleasantly Surprised

Last night was certainly enjoyable. The A's "fought the law, and the...law won." After seeing Oakland take a 3-0 lead off Dustin Moseley in the top half of the first, I was preparing to settle in for a long drudging game. In fact, earlier in the evening, I had expressed my apprehension of the match up to fellas over at Yankeeist.

Here's the conversation:

Me: "I'm not sure which is more unsettling -- Cahill tonight, or a pitcher we haven't seen all year. Sigh."

MJR: "The Yanks knocked Cahill around when we faced him in Oakland. Hopefully he hasn't adjusted."

Larry: "I'm not sold on Cahill. I can only imagine I'll be eating those words after he no-hits the Yanks tonight, but the negative delta between his ERA and FIP is the widest in the American League, which suggests a pretty healthy dose of luck. Additionally, his road numbers are all far worse than his home numbers. Not saying he's a bad pitcher by any stretch of the imagination, and if he possesses a changeup then God help the Yankees, but I don't know that Cahill is quite the superstud he's made out to be."

Way to call it, gentleman! As it turns out, the Yankees didn't simply "manage" Cahill. They actually made him look like some AAA callup. The "deer in headlights" expression was apparent from moment one. The Bombers battered him for 8 ER over 4 2/3innings. Cahill commented after the game, "I'm used to playing in Oakland, so I definitely didn't think they were home runs, but I turned around and realized we were playing in Yankee Stadium." Sorry Trevor. Half your games take place outside of Oakland. Get used to it.

Mosely certainly lived up to the "league average bill" in the first inning. After that he settled down and pitched into the 5th inning. At that point, Javy was brought in and provided 4 2/3 relief. He surrended 1 ER while striking out 6. Granted, the Oakland A's offense doesn't exactly qualify as prodigious. I suppose that's all the more reason to shut them down, though.

Said Javy after the game about returning to the rotation, ""I hope so -- I've always been a starter, and I would love to be in the rotation. If they feel like I can help the team in the bullpen, that's fine with me. I just want to win a championship." Like most, I am still a little reluctant to give Javy the reigns, but there is nothing I'd like to see more than another reliable starting pitcher. Did I mention that Javy got credit for the win last night? That makes him 10-9 on the season which also affirms his 11th season in a row of double digit wins.

For those of us who haven't noticed (and you should be slapped if that's the case), Marcus Markley Thames has been killing the ball of late. He's mashed 6 HR in 5 consecutive starts. I gave Marcus credit recently. I'll continue to tip my cap. The man knows his role on the team, and has flourished in it. Said Thames, "I got it good -- I just try not to miss my pitch. I know I'm not going to be in the everyday lineup when Alex gets back, but I'm just trying to do my part and help the ballclub out." It's true that Thames will not contend with A-Rod. If he keeps hitting this way, expect to see him vie for time with Berkamn.

Overall, the Yankees were quite productive last night with the bat (with the exception of Jeter and Granderson who both decided to decline their respective invitations to the party each going 0 - 4), and the rest is as we say, history. On the bump tonight is Phil Hughes who will be squaring off against Vin Mazzaro (at least we're not facing Vin Diesel). Hughes is coming off his worst start of the season. Although the Yankees haven't faced Mazzaro this season, they did see him last year. Perhaps we'll dodge another ignominious result. I'll hold off on making a prediction for tonight after last night's entree (shoe), tasted pretty bitter.

Yankees: Odds and Ends

Here's a bunch of (very) loosely related topics I decided to throw together into 1 hell of a montage. At least, that's my story and I'm sticking with it.

I've decided that the Rays organization would make an excellent addition to the Yankee farm system. By now, you've probably realized I am a huge supporter of Carl Crawford. I've made my feelings known on this matter here, and here. However, after this season Carlos Pena and Raphael Soriano will also (in all likelihood) test free agency.

The Yankees will look to acquire a DH. Good friend Larry of Yankeeist has made his case for Adam Dunn or Paul Konerko, here. Either of these guys would qualify as intellegent signings. Part of me wonders what Pena might look like in pinstripes, though. A quick pitstop at Fangraphs provides some additional data when contrasting the 3 sluggers. (click to enlarge).



Konerko is certainly having a very good year and Dunn is having a very typical year. Expect both players to make approximately what they're making this season (if not more). I wouldn't say that Pena is the same calibur player as either of those guys but he is still certainly productive. Given his struggles this season, perhaps he can be had at a bit of a discount next season. He might be an option worth considering for a DH. An additional bonus to acquiring Pena would be his solid glove. It's nice to know that should Teixeira need some time off, the Yanks won't be hurting at first.

Soriano will definitely not be cheap. He would be a solid addition to any bullpen though. More importantly, Soriano would allow the Yankees to release Kerry Wood if contract negotiations falter without big concern. Also, acquiring Soriano might relieve some pressure from Joba Chamberlain's shoulders as a potential heir to Mariano's throne. Or, in the event that Joba simply doesn't pan out, the Yanks would have (at the very least) a reliable set up man and potential future closer. Realistically, both these players can be chalked up to whimsical musing though. I'm not sure either would be considered a priority, and would be surprised if either landed in NYC.

MLB Trade Rumors discussed the Red Sox decision to claim Mike Napoli of the Angles off waivers. The teams are not expected to come to an agreement. The Red Sox were probably focused on preventing their fellow AL East rivals from trying to acquire the productive Angel slugger. This season has been rough on Napoli because of injuries. He is currently posting a tripple slash of .249 / 21 / 60.

Manny Ramirez was claimed by the White Sox and the Dodgers have agreed. I'm sure there is some correlation between the decision to part ways with Manny and last night's fiasco. Manny had been called to pinch hit (first at bat since being activated from the DL) at which point he immediately argued the first pitch of the at bat with the umpire resulting in an ejection. Now the White Sox can enjoy "Manny being Manny being an asshole." In any event, it's fortunate timing for the Yankees.

RAB wished it were possible for both the Red Sox and the Rays to lose. I also share these sentiments. Perhaps the Baseball Gods will put both teams into some horrid tailspin and allow the wildcard to come out of the AL Central. Hah, fat chance! Or, slim chance! Basically, whatever chance is less likely...

Yankees: A Deal with the Devil

This past weekend, I spent time with my girlfriend and her family up in Bar Harbor, ME. Maine isn't quite the heart of enemy territory, although it might as well be. I found it utterly nauseating seeing only NESN on the channel guide, hearing compelled locals comment on the NY insignia on my baseball cap all the while experiencing the Bostonian drawl despite being in an entirely different state.

As you may have guessed, I was delighted to witness Dan Johnson's walk-off homerun Saturday night. This euphoria had only intensified after Friday night's frustrating Yankee loss. I'm not going to lie. There's a part of me that wanted the Rays to triumph over the Sox simply out of principle. Afterall, they are the Red Sox. However, my official stance was that I was cheering on the Rays because a Sox loss would help the likelihood of a Yankee playoff birth. 2 teams competing for the division / wild card is better than 3, right?

Well, in about 30 minutes the Red Sox and Rays will start the third game of the set on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball. Once again, I'll be cheering on the Rays (again for the same reasons as formerly mentioned). However, there's no doubt about it in my mind. Cheering for the Rays is fool's gold. They are a good, good team. The Rays are perfectly capable of winning the division and should they face the Yanks in the playoffs, the games will proove quite daunting.

On one hand, a Red Sox loss will definitely take some pressure off the Yankees. The larger the spread in the standings, the less critical the matchups will be when the Yanks and Sox have to face each other later in the season. Of course, a winning Rays organization changes the dynamics of the playoffs. Wishing for Red Sox demise might prove to be a very short sighted solution. They have sustained substantially more injuries than any other team in baseball, and their rotation has been more vulnrable than the Rays. On the other hand, despite a plethora of injury, the Red Sox have still managed excellent offensive production while the Rays have experienced scoring droughts throughout the season. With that being said, I've already experienced enough Yankee / Red Sox playoff drama to last a life time.

I've taken a moment to compare the 3 AL East contenders. All data is compliments of Fangraphs. Check it out (click on the image to enlarge).



Those stats all reflect cumulative team totals. Knowing the stats and the key players on each team, I guess all that's left is picking the figurative poison. What can I say? Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

*hesitantly whispers "go rays"*

Yankees: Nova reintroduces "Pitching" concept

Ivan Nova certainly reinforced Girardi's decision to allow him another start after delivering yet another solid pitching performance. He threw 88 pitches over 5.2 frames allowing 5 H, 1 R, 1 BB, and 7 SO. After seeing slugfests the past few days, it was refreshing to see some quality pitching for change.

Girardi made the decision to pull Nova after he surrendered a walk to Paul Konerko. Boone Logan was brought in for relief support and was promptly removed after Nunez made a lousy throw to first after a sharp line drive by A.J. Pierzynski. Kerry Wood then walked Alexei Ramirez but managed to induce a ground out from Mark Teahen to end the inning. Long story short, the Windy City may reward Nova with his first career win. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

[Update: 8/29/2010, 5:38 PM] The Yankees just concluded their three game set with Chicago with a 2-1 win. Mr. Nova should probably buy Rivera a drink for securing his first official win. More importantly, by securing another "W" in the standings, the Yankees continue to pressure their AL East rivals. While this might prove to be a foolish decision, I suppose I'll be cheering on the Rays tonight. More to come!

On an unrelated note, MLB is currently investigating Ivan Nova and Wilkin De La Rosa (AA Trenton Reliver). Apparently, the two pitchers had injected each other with B-12. While B-12 is not on the banned substance list, the behavior certainly does provoke suspicion.

When asked about the situation, Girardi replied, "We talked to him about it. We are unaware of any investigation at this time. ...We talked to him yesterday just to say you might be asked about it. I feel like his head will be in the right spot."

I hope for Ivan Nova's sake (as well as the team's), that this is simply a misunderstanding. Honestly, I'm not holding my breath, though. If Nova had wanted B-12, he could have approached the trainer and had it administered perfectly legally. I'm sure if the substance turns out to be illegal, we'll hear the typical "ignorant player routine." If that's the case, Nova will face a 50 game suspension.

Click here for more information regarding the investigation.

Lou Piniella (Pros / Cons)

It's Friday morning. How about some humor compliments of The Onion?

Enjoy!

On a side note, many of the younger generation of Yankees fans don't realize that Lou Piniella wasn't just the ex-fireball manager of the Cubs (2007-2010). He also used to manage the Rays (2003-2005), Mariners (1993-2002), Reds (1990-1992), and even the Yankees (1986-1988) once upon a time.

Prior to his days as a manager, he was also a very solid ball player for the Bombers (.295 / 57 / 417) over 11 seasons. During his stay in NY, he was valued at a 8.5 WAR. Piniella was just as animated off the field as he was on. He was infamous within the NY club house for his often contentious relationship with Steinbrenner (albeit he wasn't unique in this regard). I wish Lou the best of luck and hopefully his mother's health improves.