Jeter never should have moved, ARod made the decision to go for money instead of winning when he signed w/ Texas. Jeter is a HOF SS and the best position player on the Yankes, why should he move for ARod? ARod is a great fantasy player but folds in big spots whether it's at the plate, on the basepaths or w/ the glove. Is he more talented than Derek? Absolutely, there aren't many in the history of the game more talented than ARod but w/o hesitation if I had a choice I'd take Jeter and Jeter is the face of the Yankees now and has been for a while and there's absolutely no reason why he should have even thought of moving to make room for ARod. ARod wanted his big contract then he wanted to piggy back on Jeter and win Championships, there are many other teams w/ openings at SS that he could have gone to but he thought he'd have guaranteed WS chances here- the only problem is his lack of big game play has helped to keep us out of WS contention. We also won 4 WS and 6 AL pennants w/ Jeter playing SS so obviously the crappy player that Derek is didn't prevent us from winning and the greatness of ARod has never helped his teams win and let's also not forget that ARod is more athletic and could adapt more easily to another position. There was just no way Jeter was going to move and no way he should have moved.
http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070221/SPT05/702210327/1027 I guess it never dawned on Bubba that he's just not that good.
Alio, check this out hahahah relationship with Jessica Biel or Mariah Carey or whatever starlet of the moment Derek Jeter was romancing. When it comes to that, Jeter is right. His off-the-field associations have nothing to do with on-the-field results. Thus, he has decided to make them off-limits and I totally respect him for that. But this was not about Page Six. This was about E-6, error on Jeter for malfeasance as a leader. His relationship with Alex Rodriguez has mattered because Rodriguez matters so much to the success of the Yankees, and A-Rod has cared deeply about Jeter's approval. Rodriguez attempted to recast the bond between the two and, perhaps, the power dynamics Monday when he admitted that their association had dwindled from "blood brothers" to "a working relationship." It was, perhaps, a liberating moment for Rodriguez, a chance to stop having to act as if something existed that does not any more. Jeter's opportunity to take the cathartic baton came and went yesterday with the Yankee captain defiantly sticking to his cover story that nothing is wrong, and nothing has ever been wrong. Jeter is not dumb, so we must assume he just continues to play dumb. The ice prince wants to freeze A-Rod out, and then haughtily dismiss any discussion of the subject. As he did last year, Jeter returned to the nonsense that "I don't think it's my job to tell fans to boo or not" when it comes to A-Rod. Well, first of all, Jeter did exactly that in June 2005, instructing the fans to start cheering the beleaguered Jason Giambi for the good of the team. And, at that point, Giambi had been shamed as a drug cheat and someone who pulled himself out of a World Series game. The difference, of course, was Jeter likes the easily likeable Giambi. But reducing this to lecturing the fans about etiquette is just obfuscation. Jeter did not have to tell the fans what to do. He simply had to make Rodriguez feel more comfortable, more welcomed. Instead, Jeter has shown the unforgiving nature of a Soprano. "I don't see the relevance of it," Jeter said of his relationship with Rodriguez. "It has no bearing on us playing baseball." Of course, it does. Rodriguez permits outside distractions to impact his play in a way Jeter does not. Shame on Rodriguez for that. He is, after all, a 31-year-old man and should not be enslaved by what others think. This also, ultimately, is his fault. It was his envious, misguided words in a 2001 Esquire article that created the rift. But for the true feelings of the two, perhaps it is best to return to the onset of the rift. Back in spring 2001, when A-Rod recognized the ramifications of the story, he immediately drove from where he was training with the Rangers in Port Charlotte to Tampa. Jeter knew A-Rod was waiting at his house, but refused to cut short a meal and made Rodriguez squirm for hours. When the two finally met, a teary-eyed Rodriguez asked for forgiveness. But that forgiveness has never really come, not even yesterday. Ironically, one of the shots A-Rod took at Jeter in the Esquire piece was that Jeter "never had to lead" because others from the championship era carried the weight. Years later, when Rodriguez needed Jeter to lead, he discovered that Jeter is more qualified at being the captain to those he likes, such as Giambi. When it came to Rodriguez, Jeter said yesterday that he did ask last year if he could support the third baseman better and was told by A-Rod no. What did Jeter expect, for Rodriguez to say, "yes, be nicer to me." That is just more playing dumb for a guy who isn't. And there is a penalty for this. Jeter is forever protecting his image, moving cautiously as to never damage Jeter Inc. and all the endorsement dollars that flow to an athlete perceived as a good-guy winner. But Jeter has suffered some dents in that persona now. It turns out that in hurting A-Rod with indifference, Jeter also has hurt himself. joel.sherman@nypost.com
now Im not the biggest joel sherman guy, but hes on the money this time...mostly because he agrees with me and 10penn and bigcountry...and whomever else I left out....as for you and junc who are missing the boat on this one...wel.......hahahha just bustin balls my friend
John Harper had a good column in the Daily News today about the big mistake Jeter made yesterday, and just overall not being a very good captain.
When they were bedroom buddies ... By DJ Gallo Page 2 "The reality is there's been a change in the relationship of 14 years and, hopefully, we can just put it behind us. You go from sleeping over at somebody's house five days a week, and now you don't sleep over. It's just not that big of a deal." -- Alex Rodriguez, commenting on how his friendship with Derek Jeter has cooled over the years Ah ? sleepovers. Those were the days. Watching scary movies, roasting marshmallows, playing video games all night long. A-Rod's relationship with Jeter is now fragile at best. Oh, to be 12 years old again. Or -- oh, to be a famous professional athlete, because apparently Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter had sleepovers together well into adulthood. But what were those sleepovers like? What do the two biggest stars in baseball do together during a slumber party? Here's a brief look at the sleepover history between Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter: 1994: Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter have their first sleepover together while still in their late teens. The duo stays up all night telling each other scary stories about spending their careers on small-market teams with low payrolls. 1995: During yet another sleepover, A-Rod and Jeter get bored and play dress-up in Jeter's mother's clothing, jewelry and makeup. It is then that Jeter falls in love with fragrances and decides he will one day release a scent of his own, while Rodriguez secretly steals all of Mrs. Jeter's purple lipstick. 1996: A-Rod and Jeter get in a good-natured pillow fight during a sleepover at Rodriguez's Seattle apartment. They stop midway through and decide to never pillow-fight again because it really messes up their hair. 1997: Jeter invites A-Rod over to his apartment for an offseason sleepover. After a few hours they decide to show each other tricks that they can do. Rodriguez impresses Jeter with a card trick and a short juggling routine, while Jeter blows his friend's mine by displaying all of his intangibles. 1998: During a cold, winter night in New York, Jeter and A-Rod rent scary movies to watch at Jeter's apartment and then pop some popcorn and stretch out in their sleeping bags on the living room floor. Midway through the first movie they decide it would be OK to watch from the same sleeping bag for extra warmth and security. 1999: Rodriguez invites Jeter over for a New Year's Eve sleepover. Worried the world could end due to Y2K, the duo decides to get their tips frosted so if they die, they die looking as handsome as possible. 2000: Rodriguez has Jeter over for a sleepover to celebrate his 10-year, $252 million contract. The two roast marshmallows over burning $1, $5, $10, $20 and $50 bills A-Rod says he no longer has any use for. 2001: Up to no good during a sleepover at A-Rod's place in Texas, the pair prank-calls fellow superstar shortstop Nomar Garciaparra and asks him if his refrigerator is running. Garciaparra says it is, and then a giggling Jeter and A-Rod tell him he should go catch it -- upon which Garciaparra tears his hamstring. 2002: Angered that Rodriguez spoke somewhat poorly of him in an Esquire article, Jeter invites Rodriguez over to his apartment for a sleepover, but purposely doesn't stock his fridge with A-Rod's beloved Zima. 2003: A further rift develops in the relationship when Jeter has a sleepover and doesn't include Rodriguez, but instead plays host at his Manhattan apartment all night long to a dozen Sports Illustrated swimsuit models. 2004: In A-Rod's first season in New York, he invites Jeter over to a sleepover with several of his high-stakes, underground poker buddies. Rodriguez then loses Jeter in a game of Texas hold 'em. He is able to win him back, however, by promising to throw every playoff series he ever plays in for the rest of his career. 2005: The relationship between the two becomes even more fractured during a sleepover game of Truth Or Dare. Jeter dares Rodriguez to drive in a meaningful run once in his Yankees career, prompting Rodriguez to ask Jeter to admit the truth that no one would have ever heard of him had he played his career in a city like Kansas City or Milwaukee instead of New York. 2006: Following the Yankees' shocking playoff elimination at the hands of the Detroit Tigers, A-Rod sleeps over at Derek Jeter's apartment for the last time. (Technically, this sleepover was not at Jeter's apartment but outside of it, as Rodriguez fell asleep on Jeter's doorstep after crying and wailing for several hours about how he was "so sorry" about hitting 1-for-14 and asking Jeter to "please let me in and tell me you'll still be my friend.")
The two youngsters threw BP today. 'A Young Rocket' Starting pitchers threw live batting practice to hitters today, and Phil Hughes caught everyone's attention. Jason Giambi called him a "young Rocket," and he mentioned several times that Hughes "could have really helped us last year." The Yankees insist Hughes won't break camp with them this year, but I don't think there's any doubt he will be in the majors this year. Get ready to read a lot of Hughes stories off this. Phil Hughes (34 pitches, faced Giambi, Chavez, Pratt, Matsui): Phil Franchise threw only half his pitches for strikes by my count. But six of the strikes were fouled off and only two were put in play. The rest were unhittable. Chavez and Pratt had what looked like singles. As “Ain’t No Other Man” by Christina Aguilera played, Hughes showed a ridiculous curveball and the ability to spot his fastball inside or outside. “You almost never see that at this stage of the spring,” said Ben Davis, who caught him. “He’s filthy,” Giambi said. Matsui took the worst swing you’ll ever see him take at a Hughes fastball. Humberto Sanchez (31 pitches, faced Matsui, Chavez, Pratt and Giambi): Sanchez was all over the place with his command, throwing one over the catcher’s head at one point. But he did get seven swing-and-misses. “Why did Detroit trade him?” Giambi said. “He’s huge and he throws 96.”
BP released its Top 100 Prospects list. 5 Yankees made the cut. http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=5892 2. Philip Hughes, RHP, 21 22. Jose Tabata, OF, 18 56. Joba Chamberlain, RHP, 21 65. Humberto Sanchez, RHP, 24 92. Dellin Betances, RHP, 19 And in the "10 Who Just Barely Missed the Cut" Tyler Clippard, RHP, 22
Article on Hughes and Sanchez from the NY Times. TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 22 — There were cheers for the past at Legends Field on Thursday when fans saluted Andy Pettitte. There was the intrigue of the unknown, when Kei Igawa took the mound. But mostly, there was the promise of youth. The Yankees’ five regular starters threw batting practice, and when they were done, Phil Hughes and Humberto Sánchez did the same. They are the Yankees’ two prized pitching prospects, and they did not disappoint. Hughes threw 34 pitches, and the hitters put two in play. Sánchez was a bit wild, but Jason Giambi guessed that he threw 96 miles an hour. Hughes and Sánchez are the cornerstones of the Yankees’ emphasis on young pitching. “From the first day when we all walked in, it looked like a corral — just a bunch of horses,” the backup catcher Todd Pratt said. “I’d be pretty happy if I was Mr. Cashman.” Brian Cashman, the general manager, has no plans to put Hughes or Sánchez in the majors out of camp. But Hughes, especially, drew raves. He might be the best pitching prospect in baseball. “He’s the real deal,” Giambi said. “He’s unbelievable. Great composure, great tempo. We could have used him last year. You forget he’s, what, 20? He reminds me of a young Rocket.” Giambi was referring to Roger Clemens. He never actually faced a young Clemens, but that did not seem to matter. This was a day to gaze hopefully to the future. Pratt compared Hughes to a young Curt Schilling, whom he caught in Philadelphia, and a younger Brett Myers. “You’ve just got to sit back and look at yourself in the mirror,” Hughes said. “It’s great to hear those comparisons. They feel good, but it really doesn’t mean much.” Hughes has dominated the minors since the Yankees made him their first pick in the 2004 draft. He is 21-7 with a 2.13 earned run average in 47 games, but has never pitched above Class AA. The only thing he seems to lack is experience, and a refined slider. His fastball, curveball and changeup are outstanding. “Hughes is just special,” said Ben Davis, who caught him Thursday. “I’m not mocking anyone on the team; I’m just saying the way the ball comes out of his hand is different than the way it comes out of other people’s hands. I mean, his fastball explodes and his curveball is devastating. That’s the only word I can say: devastating. “The four-seam fastball away is pretty much your only shot. You miss it, you’re done. He’s got that kind of stuff. The ball just gets on you. I know what’s coming as a catcher back there, and it still surprises me how much it gets on you. He’s definitely blessed.” Hughes says he uses his legs to generate strength, the way the best power pitchers do. But his mechanics make him seem as if he short-arms the ball, causing it to jump on hitters. Awkward swings are common. “He’s deceptive,” the pitching coach Ron Guidry said. “Everybody knows he has great velocity, but he actually doesn’t look like he’s throwing it that hard.” Sánchez is different. He is 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, and seems to come hurtling at the hitter. The Yankees acquired him during the off-season from Detroit in the Gary Sheffield trade. “He’s huge,” Giambi said. “I don’t know how you let a guy like that go. I guess when you throw 96, it’s not enough to make that ballclub. In Detroit, every player throws 100.” Sánchez said the Yankees were a better fit for him than the Tigers, who have a staff of young starters in their prime. It is also a natural fit, because Sánchez grew up in the South Bronx. Born in the Dominican Republic, Sánchez moved to New York with his parents at age 10. In the Dominican, his mother worked at an airport and his father for a newspaper. In New York, his mother found work as a maid, and his father worked for a company that made brakes for trains. Sánchez loved baseball as a child — “It’s all I could think about,” he said — and his favorite player was Lee Smith, the longtime closer who saved 478 games, the second-highest career total in baseball. Sánchez did not know then that he would grow up to be almost exactly the same size as Smith. “He threw gas, bro,” Sánchez said. “When you’re a kid, you like that stuff. He looked intimidating.” Sánchez, 23, attended South Bronx High School and often went to Yankees games. Early in the 1996 season, he had a rain check and was given the choice of seeing the Chicago White Sox, the Kansas City Royals or the Seattle Mariners. It was an easy choice. The Mariners were loaded with stars like Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez and Randy Johnson. Sánchez chose the Mariners game and sat in the upper deck just past first base with his younger brother. That was the night Dwight Gooden threw a no-hitter for the Yankees. “We were standing up the whole last inning,” Sánchez said. “We were like, ‘No shot he’s gonna do it. No way, no way.’ And the last out of the game — who was it? Paul Sorrento? — popped up to short.” Sánchez pitched once at Yankee Stadium, at a tryout in 2000. He took a line drive off the side of his right elbow and got an emergency visit to the trainers’ room in the Yankees’ clubhouse. “It was pretty cool,” Sánchez said. “I don’t remember much of it. I was kind of in pain, trying to see if my arm was broken.” It was not, though other arm injuries have slowed Sánchez’s progress in the minors. He reached Class AAA with the Tigers last year, going 5-3 with a 3.86 earned run average in nine starts. Pitching to the more famous Yankees on Wednesday did not make him feel as if he had arrived. He has not been back on the field in the Bronx since that line drive at the tryout. “It won’t settle in until I actually step into Yankee Stadium,” Sánchez said. “I’m still at Legends Field, trying to make the squad.”
Ugh. Jorge wants to play 3 more years. TAMPA - Closer Mariano Rivera probably is the most irreplaceable of the Yankees who could depart after this season. But catcher Jorge Posada isn't far behind. Posada, 35, is a switch-hitter who gets on base, hits for power and throws out a high percentage of opposing base stealers. What's more, he's coming off his best all-around season in years, thanks to the help of Yankees first base coach Tony Pena, a former catcher. "His game was elevated, like night and day, totally different, completely different," Rivera says. "He and Tony worked hard. The results showed." Pena not only helped Posada refine his throwing mechanics, but also taught him other nuances — "veteran moves, little things I needed to do," Posada says. Posada ended the season ranked fourth among major-league catchers in both on-base/slugging percentage and opponents' stolen-base percentage. Among switch-hitting catchers, he was a better hitter than the Red Sox's Jason Varitek, 34, and a better thrower than the Indians' Victor Martinez, 28. "I had a great corner — Tony and Bo and Gator were the reasons I felt great," Posada says, sounding like a prizefighter as he refers to Pena, third base coach Larry Bowa and pitching coach Ron Guidry. "The way they approached me was completely different, especially Tony. He was so positive the whole year. It was a lot of fun to work with him. He took it upon himself to really help me." While Mariano Rivera is the most important looming Yankees free agent, Jorge Posada isn't far behind. (Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images) The same coaches return this season, and Posada remains as vital to the Yankees as ever. His potential backups — Todd Pratt, 40, and Wil Nieves, 29 — are strictly reserves. General manager Brian Cashman, when asked about trading Posada during the 2005-06 off-season, said he was more worried about eventually replacing him. Nothing has changed, except now Posada is entering the final year of his contract — and the drop-off to his replacement might be as significant as the drop-off from Rivera to another closer. No catcher in the Yankees' farm system is close to becoming a major-league regular. And while the 2007-08 free-agent class will include Michael Barrett, Paul LoDuca and possibly Ivan Rodriguez — if the Tigers decline his $13 million option — none is as presently appealing as Posada. All that could change if Posada suddenly declines, but he produced his highest slugging percentage since 2003 last season and his best throwing percentage since 1998. Posada says he wants to play three more years, and Pena and others in the Yankees' organization believe that is possible. "He's 35 years old, but he has a 28- or 29-year-old body," Pena says. "Catchers with that kind of body can last a long time." Posada, a converted infielder, is more athletic than most catchers. He is diligent about his conditioning. And manager Joe Torre did a better job keeping him fresh last season, giving Posada 121 starts at catcher, his fewest since 2000. Try to imagine the Yankees without him. It's almost as difficult as imagining them without Rivera.
Considering our best catching prospects are 3 years away, I wouldn't mind him re-signing for that length. I don't know which catcher will come along during that time who will be much of an upgrade over Posada, unless Jorge completely falls off the map within the next few years.
Once again giving up Navarro was bad. Jorge is an ok hitter but a horrible defensive catcher who doesnt have great chemistry with his pitchers. I think hes very overrated.
I don't agree. The only pitcher he didn't have chemistry with was RJ, who is now gone anyway, but seemed to wind up respecting Jorge's dilligence coming in last year. Posada is a very good catcher these days. IMO, he was better last year than he's been in the past, defensively speaking. Couple that with the fact that he's a switch hitter, and can hit for power, and that's about all you can ask for in a catcher. My only issue is that they are talking about him as though his body is still young. His knees have been bad for years now. That's the bad of being a catcher (I know from experience.) 3 more years he may barely be walking. Since there are no prospects available to bring up yet, I'd say give him a year extension now, but I wouldn't go as far as 3 years right now.
I'd be willing to give him an extension, but I'd also try and teach him to play first base just in case his body really does break down and we get stuck in a Mike Piazza situation.
Damon granted personal leave from camp. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2778300 They haven't said why he's leaving, but I hope it doesn't involve some complication with his newborn daughter.
He should have moved for the very same reason Mattingly openly said he would move to left field for Keith Hernandez to come to the Yankees... it makes the team better. You can talk about contracts and whatever else you want (it's clear you have a personal beef with Arod and man love for Jeter) but the bottom line is that ARod is a far better SS then he is a 3rd baseman and he's a far better SS then Jeter. Playing him at 3rd is wasting his talent. If you're okay with putting a lesser team on the field just to stroke Jeters ego that's your prerogative.
