I don't know if you're counting me in the devaluators of Pettitte, but I don't really fit in with them. I've been a proponent of bringing Pettitte back all along. I just don't think he's worth anywhere near $16M. Like I've said, I think $12M is the most fair compromise. There's no question having Andy Pettitte as your number 5 is huge. It's hard to argue with a rotation of CC, Wang, Burnett, Joba, Pettitte with Hughes and Aceves in the wings. I do agree Andy had some bad luck last year, but let's be honest, even if he was statistically improved, he clearly tailed off as the year went on. Again, 12 is more than fair. Hell, 10 really is fair.
Haven't seen her yet, but I heard she grew up a Mattingly fan, so she definitely has that going for her.
Eh, yeah, she's no prize winner, but I'd do her. And I just noticed who is in your avatar. Nice! :lol:
Here's a hoot. Indians sign Pavano to a one year deal. Money not released. Watch him go 20-7. http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/28526673/
The only discerning factor is that if you can get even 14 wins out of your number 5 it's not all that bad.
"Some other teams have been angry that the Yankees added three top free agents. The Yankees' payroll currently projects to start about $10 million to $20 million below last year's opening-day figure of $209 million." So if they stay in house for the #5 I guess they could still get a right or center fielder. "Girardi isn't sure whether the switch-hitting Teixeira will bat third ahead of Alex Rodriguez or cleanup behind A-Rod." http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/story/11229929/2
Yeah, let's be honest, if you can get 14 wins from your #5 you're basically mining gold. Now this makes no sense. The Yankees have a right fielder: Nady. They also have at least two centerfielders, and possibly 4: Damon, Swisher, Gardner, Cabrera. Chances are they aren't sending any outfielders to the All-Star game, but I don't think the outfield is really an issue when you have the chance to add a #5 starter of any reasonable caliber. I don't understand what Girardi is debating. Teixeira is a more well-rounded hitter than ARod. ARod provides enough protection for him to be a phenominal #3 hitter. Then whoever we bat 5th provides ARod enough protection, especially with the probability of Damon or Jeter in scoring position. I know people have called for Teixeira to protect Alex, but I think it's clearly better overall to have it the other way around.
The other theory would be if you provide better protection for A Rod by batting Tex 4, you get more bang for your buck because a "protected" A Rod gives you way more than a protected Tex. I guess?
Protection is way overrated. Any advantage A-Rod would get from having Teixeira hit behind him as opposed to, say, Posada (with the assumption that pitchers are even less likely to pitch around A-Rod to get to Tex, as opposed to pitching around him to get to Posada) is mitigated by the fact that pitchers are less likely to want to put another runner on base if any of Damon, Jeter, or Teixeira is on base.
I think the protection factor comes into play mostly when Arod is up with an open base. Jeter leads off with a double. Do they pitch around Arod with Tex up next? Porbbaly still so I mostly agree with it being overrated. A lot of the "game inside the game" stuff that baseball purists love is mostly bullshit.
You're right, that's when it would come up. And the results - from the point of view of the entire team, at least - wouldn't matter much either way. Pitching around A-Rod to put guys on first and second with no one out is a good thing for the Yanks, almost regardless of who is "protecting" A-Rod.
You know, I just went to compare their statistics, and I have to totally change my stance. ARod looks to be the far superior #3 hitter. Code: Player G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG AVG Teixeira 904 3414 566 989 223 13 203 676 1847 442 694 13 3 0.378 0.541 0.29 16.58 28.97 6.53 0.38 5.95 19.80 54.10 12.95 20.33 0.38 0.09 Rodriguez 2042 7860 1605 2404 428 26 553 1606 4543 980 1641 283 67 0.389 0.578 0.306 20.42 30.59 5.45 0.33 7.04 20.43 57.80 12.47 20.88 3.60 0.85 Obviously he's got the HR advantage by far, but what I didn't expect to see was that with the exception of Teixeira having an advantage in the doubles and a slight advantage in the triples and walks statistics, Alex leads him in everything else. (I had actually thought Teixeira had the advantage at least in AVG.) ARod presents the much bigger threat being in front of Teixeira, at least from what the numbers say.
Exactly. You can theoretically have him driving in more runs in the #4 slot... or be on base more often to be driven in in the #3 slot.
