Spring Training has begun. Finally, the famine is over, new material to write about is pouring in faster than the Sox offense will score runs this year. So, what’s happening?
Jimmy announced that Manny Ramirez will play left field.
This is yet another sign that O’Leary is out of the mix. From all indications, Troy can’t play right field in Fenway. As I’ve said before, Trot Nixon is the second best right fielder in the AL, behind Jermaine Dye. And besides, Trot has a new Mizuno endorsement to sell batting gloves, placing him alongside Chipper Jones as the big Mizuno stars. Therefore, he must be good! Wait! What about Dan Duquette’s recent statements? The Duke has said recently that Trot Nixon was not a proven major leaguer, and, in response to Troy O’Leary’s comment that he will be traded, “he’s the GM now?” Doesn’t that show that Troy has incumbency on his side? Short answer: No. Dan Duquette, if he has shown one thing in his time as the GM of the Sox, has shown that he is a prick just to be a prick. He wants to motivate Trot, trim payroll, and be contrary just to show the media that he’s the one steering this boat. He clashed with Jimmy Williams on the “Izzy” issue just to show that him that he was the bigger fish. Jimmy, to his credit, did a damn good job of making the Duke look pretty powerless last year. Either way, look for the Duke to move O’Leary or Darren Lewis for a reliever or, more likely, some lower level infield prospects, possibly AA, with huge upside.
Bryce Florie pitched in live batting practice.
Yet another great story just waiting to happen, Bryce has come almost full circle in his recovery. Anyone who saw that bloody footage of Bryce has to be pulling for him to make a comeback. Add him to Saberhagen, Cone, and Shourek, and you have four comeback stories that are waiting to come to fruition. Good Luck Bryce.
Jurassic Carl Everett: A changed man?
I don’t think I’ve mentioned it before, but I love Carl Everett. It was great for him to come in here last year, talk trash about the Yanks, and then go on a tear before the All Star break. A trash talking, power hitting, slick fielding, center fielder with a knack for late inning heroics, Everett was easily my favorite player at the beginning of last year. Yes, I am blaspheming Nomar and God (Pedro), but it’s true. I’ll repent my sin later. Now, he comes into training camp respectfully declining to speak with reporters, signing autographs, and mending bridges between him and his teammates. Here’s a little secret for you all: It was Derek Lowe who was pissed with him the most, with Trot Nixon a close second. Lowe and Nixon were the anonymous players who were talking trash about Everett last season, claiming that he screwed up the team chemistry. But even as the Globe and Herald proceed to shine sunshine up our butts, the rest of the Red Sox team is waiting for the other shoe to drop. Does anyone out there think that John Valentin was kidding when he asked, “when are you going to beat up Jimmy”? Yes, he was, mostly, but that was a rather coy remark for him to make, and it shows how much of an impression that Everett made on the other players. Will the Red Sox as a group forgive and forget? Hell yes. Does Everett seem like a changed man? Yes. Do I think it will last? Naively, yes. The way I look at it, its just another thing that will make this year’s championship sweeter.
Jeter got a new contract.
Really, I should have addressed this earlier, but I’m going to use the old “I was on vacation” excuse. Does Jeter deserve this new contract? No, not really. He’s a good shortstop, but I’ll take Nomar, A-Rod, or Tejada over him any day of the week. He has had so much protection in that Yankee lineup. As much as everyone likes to bash the Yankee lineup, Steinbrenner and Cashman have made sure that they buy the new power hitting players they need (see: Justice, David and Hill, Glenallen). True, his RBI totals are affected adversely by his #2 hitting spot, but I’ll contend that Jeter doesn’t deserve the #3 or #4 hole. The guy didn’t even hit 20 homers this year. He’s not a power hitter. He hits for a good average. Torre has him hitting in the #2 hole and therefore likes to run with him, which is why people have this illusion that he’s faster than Nomar. If Jimmy ran, Nomar could be a 20 HR 20 SB guy, along with Carl Everett. Trot Nixon, for that matter, has the same potential. Either way, Jeter doesn’t deserve this contract. Do you support the Yankees giving him the contract? Yes, actually. I think it’s a move that is beneficial to the Yanks and the rest of the league. Instead of going after Giambi or some bigger name position player after this season, (knock on wood), the Yanks are now tied up with Jeter, an inferior player. Who is more valuable, a Jeter or a Giambi? The obvious answer is Giambi, because he was the MVP, but that’s not my question. Yes, Jeter plays a critical position, while Giambi plays a much less important position. However, as we have seen with the White Sox, defense is overrated, and the homerun is becoming the dominant force in the game. Defense is now a luxury, like pitching. These two factors will only play a major part in the post season or very tight games.
How bad/good are the Yanks.
I’ve refrained from doing a piece on this earlier, because I knew it would take up way too much time finding out the important statistical crap on it. And I’m still too lazy to look up the Yanks statistics. But here’s a quick overview:
While I still think the Yanks are overrated, they are good. However, several players are question marks:
Paul O’Neil is pulling a Stanley this year, count on it. How he could top 100 RBI’s last season is just a testament to how good Jeter and Knoublach were and how much Torre likes to have them run.
This is Tino Martinez’s last, or second to last year. Nick Johnson, the highly touted New York 1B prospect, will be put into a platoon at 1st this year. I’m almost positive. Martinez has been spiraling down, in a 1st baseman death spiral. Torre, if he is as smart as I think he is, will ease Johnson into the lineup, and avoid a Wilton Veras meltdown. Depending on how well Johnson responds, Martinez may be in his last year with the Yanks.
Roger Clemens. Every time I think he’s cooked, he comes back and spits in my face. At the beginning of last season, I thought he’d be back to a .500 pitcher with a 4.50 ERA. Then the Rocket comes up with an ERA in the threes. As the playoffs began, I said, “Roger doesn’t perform in the postseason. He’ll get shelled.” I said that the night before he pitched a one hitter. Me and my big mouth. Well, even though I’ve gotten burned in the past betting against him, I’m going to do it again. Roger is going down. I doubt that he’ll suck from the start. I’m predicting a midseason collapse, around the All Star break. Either some rookie Yank pitcher will amazingly fill his fat shoes, or the Yanks will break the bank once again and get another Denny Neagle type pitcher.
Scott Brosius. He’s the New York version of Darren Lewis: no Bat, all glove. Why do I mention him? The deteriorating offense of the yanks will no longer be able to handle having an automatic out as their 3rd baseman. Traditionally, 3B has been a power hitting position (Chipper Jones, Phil Nevin). If O’Neil and Martinez die, as they are supposed to, the Yanks will be in dire need of more offense. The Solution: Alfonso Soriano. Soriano, the other highly touted Yanks prospect, has a good bat, but his fielding at short is spotty. Look for Torre to try to convert him to a 3B. The Yanks have enough SS prospects to fill a Cuban refugee boat, a big Cuban refugee boat. I think that they’re all overrated. I suspect that Jimenez is the best of the bunch, but that no one will realize that until too late.
On a quick side note:
I was reading a baseball magazine yesterday in CVS and it had all these predictions and rankings on baseball. I found that it illustrated everything that was wrong with baseball, including the Yankee bias. Here are some examples:
Cy Young Winner: Ramiro Mendoza.
Um, PEDRO!
MVP: Nomar Garciaparra.
Where the hell did they get this one?
World Series Winner:
Yankees over Cardinals in 5.
Projected Yankee Record: 100-62
Projected Red Sox Record: 90-72
Jeter Homerun Projection: 30-35
Batting Champ: Derek Jeter
Hmm…doesn’t this seem a little warped? Even though the magazine was published in New York, I’d expect at least a show of being objective. How the Hell does Ramiro Mendoza win a Cy Young? How does Jeter get the Batting Championship? Does anyone else find this as absurd as I do? Whatever.
Pedro got BIG.
Pedro is listed as 5’10” to 5’11” at 170 pounds. I’m 6’0” and scrawny as hell, and I weigh 170. Pedro, with his shape, must be 180 pounds plus. Look at any picture of him; he’s ready to punch Robbie Alomar or Gerald “Ice” Williams if they try to start crap next year. This is just another reason why he’s my idol. And, even though he knows that he’s the best pitcher in baseball, he’s modest enough to say that, among others, Tim Hudson, Clemens, and Pettite were better pitchers than him. And then, after all this, he comes up with the best line ever. When asked what he thought happened with Clemens and Piazza’s bat, he responded “Brain Fart.”
Hmmm…does that make Clemens a giant ass?