Baseball for the Thinking Fan

Login | Register | Feedback

btf_logo
You are here > Home > Baseball Newsstand > Baseball Primer Newsblog > Discussion
Baseball Primer Newsblog
— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand

Monday, April 21, 2008

N.Y. Observer: Megdal: Yanks Need Posada or a Miracle

Presenting the Miracle de San Miguel.

The Yankees have managed all these years without a legitimate second option at catcher due to Posada’s durability. In fact, the last time the Yankees had someone ready to step in for Posada, it was a familiar name: current manager Joe Girardi.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and if Posada can’t catch, the only player who might potentially replicate his offense is the still-unsigned Mike Piazza. While he is 39, and coming off of a down year with Oakland, Piazza is just a season removed from a 122 OPS+ in 99 games of catching for San Diego. He has also been praised for his handling of young pitchers—though his throwing prowess is likely little better than Posada’s at this point.

Other than that, it’s time for the Yankees to pray for Jorge. Because without him, the offense that scored 968 runs last season just isn’t the same.

Repoz Posted: April 21, 2008 at 04:12 PM | 18 comment(s) | Login to Bookmark
  Related News: GeneralNY Yankees

Reader Comments and Retorts

Go to end of page

Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

Page 1 of 1 pages
   1. bibigon Posted: April 21, 2008 at 04:28 PM (#2753121)
For a sense of the scarcity at the position, the Mets needed to deal Lastings Milledge just to go pick up Brian Schneider—career OPS+ 82, or 18 percent below league average.


1. They got back Church too.

2. Howard, I know you think the Mets overpaid there.
   2. JRVJ (formerly Delta Socrates) Posted: April 21, 2008 at 04:30 PM (#2753123)
In re: the Yankees, the irony is that Molina and Moeller have NOT been the ones who've let down the Yankee offense this youngish season (it's been Damon, Cano and Giambi, in that inverse order).
   3. Avoid running at all times.-S. Paige Posted: April 21, 2008 at 04:31 PM (#2753124)
The Jays reportedly rejected a Joba for Barajas package, which gives you an idea of the market for middle-of-the-road catchers.
   4. Avoid running at all times.-S. Paige Posted: April 21, 2008 at 04:33 PM (#2753128)
In re: the Yankees, the irony is that Molina and Moeller have NOT been the ones who've let down the Yankee offense this youngish season (it's been Damon, Cano and Giambi, in that inverse order).

Oddly enough, these two have been good on the offensive side.
   5. Cowboy Popup Posted: April 21, 2008 at 04:35 PM (#2753132)
For a sense of the scarcity at the position, the Mets needed to deal Lastings Milledge just to go pick up Brian Schneider

Did they really need to?

Hideki Matsui, Jason Giambi, Shelley Duncan and Johnny Damon all would best be served in that role as well.

Not to pick on Howard but I don't know how many times this is going to be said before people realize that Damon is a plus defensive left fielder, even with his arm. He is not a DH.

Piazza is just a season removed from a 122 OPS+ in 99 games of catching for San Diego.

I'd rather the Yanks give 400 AB to Molina than try Piazza out. Molina can catch and throw and right now, shutting down the running game is important. They're just giving away outs defensively and the Yanks need a catcher who is able to take some pressure of the pitchers when they let runners on. I'm way more concerned about the running game than the offense right now.

But the main point holds, the Yanks are in a lot of trouble if Posada can't get behind the plate. Before the season, a couple Yankee primates (and Howard too IIRC) suggested he was the most irreplaceable Yankee. That's pretty apparent. Nothing short of either Giambi or Ensberg hitting like its 2005 will help them cover up that hole.

Edit: Re: #2, Damon has a 103 OPS+ with a .215 average. He's going to be fine at the plate.
   6. Russlan will never be fond of Jason Bay Posted: April 21, 2008 at 04:39 PM (#2753142)
1. They got back Church too.

Not to hijack the thread but Church was the prize in that trade for the Mets.
   7. JRVJ (formerly Delta Socrates) Posted: April 21, 2008 at 04:44 PM (#2753150)
BTW - As long as Cleveland and Detroit are sucking worse than the Yanks, I'm not too concerned about the Yanks record....
   8. As foretold by the prophesy (JFSE) Posted: April 21, 2008 at 04:56 PM (#2753168)
Yea, you've got to watch out for the class of 2008, Boston, Chicago, LAnaheim and Oakland...
   9. Raskolnikov Posted: April 21, 2008 at 05:00 PM (#2753178)
Not to hijack the thread but Church was the prize in that trade for the Mets

I've been pleasantly surprised by Church. He's not just a good RFer - he's excellent. He gets good jumps, takes good routes, and has a great arm.
He's also handled lefties pretty well. The only thing I'd like to see is for him to draw more walks.
   10. Cowboy Popup Posted: April 21, 2008 at 05:06 PM (#2753187)
Looking over the numbers, Robinson Cano leads Yankee qualifiers with a 20.3% LD rate. His BABIP is .179. Holy cow! Some of those balls are going to fall in soon.
   11. willcarrollsux Posted: April 21, 2008 at 05:48 PM (#2753223)
if Posada can’t catch, the only player who might potentially replicate his offense is the still-unsigned Mike Piazza.
Interesting idea. Just curious, though: In Yankee Stadium, how far is it from home plate to second base?
   12. jyjjy Posted: April 21, 2008 at 08:39 PM (#2753353)
Posada has missed 7 games. The Yankees are 5-2 without him and 5-8 with him.
   13. Swoboda is freedom Posted: April 21, 2008 at 09:08 PM (#2753363)
Yankees need a miracle?

Jeez, the Pope was there yesterday. How much more help do they need?
   14. HowardMegdal Posted: April 22, 2008 at 04:16 AM (#2753781)
Not to pick on Howard but I don't know how many times this is going to be said before people realize that Damon is a plus defensive left fielder, even with his arm. He is not a DH.

CP, what are the numbers on this? I have seen this claim made- he looks just terrible out there to me. Is there a lot of data that says otherwise? I'd certainly rethink my position if so...

FWIW, the Mets, to my mind, traded a present Milledge for present Church- about even. This means they traded Milledge's upside for Brian Schneider- perhaps this is a more accurate way to describe it.

Looking over the numbers, Robinson Cano leads Yankee qualifiers with a 20.3% LD rate. His BABIP is .179. Holy cow! Some of those balls are going to fall in soon.

I'd have to think a lot of them will. Is anyone seriously worried about Cano?
   15. SoSH U at work Posted: April 22, 2008 at 12:34 PM (#2753873)
Jeez, the Pope was there yesterday. How much more help do they need?


According to Winn Shares, that would actually have a negative effect.
   16. Barry`s_Lazy_Boy Posted: April 22, 2008 at 12:40 PM (#2753878)
According to Winn Shares, that would actually have a negative effect.

What does Randy have to do with this? Or Frank Tanana?
   17. Cowboy Popup Posted: April 22, 2008 at 10:10 PM (#2754874)
what are the numbers on this? I have seen this claim made- he looks just terrible out there to me. Is there a lot of data that says otherwise? I'd certainly rethink my position if so...

Howard, SG and AROM both have the numbers, IIRC he falls between + 5-10, with his arm costing him somewhere in the neighborhood of 5. As for data, this year he's third (last I checked) in AL ZR in LF. In the past, like when he played for the Royals, he was fairly good (his career ZR in LF, .906 is nasty, Crawford's career rating is .905). Last year was a bit skewed by a couple of bad games when his calves made him immobile. I think it's very likely that Damon will continue to be a good fielder out there, and I don't think he's looked bad out there this year, although I don't have any great catches to point to, just generally solid play with good range and this years small sample of ZR.

Is anyone seriously worried about Cano?

Nah, I was just surprised to see how many line drives he's hitting and still failing to get hits.

BTW, why don't we have dugouts anymore? I want somewhere to go taunt the Red Sox fans about Beckett being scratched tonight.
   18. OCD SS Posted: April 22, 2008 at 11:07 PM (#2754961)
Cowboy, it took me a little while to figure out you were talking about Damon in LF and not the Pope.
Page 1 of 1 pages

You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.

 

 

<< Back to main

Support BBTF

donate

Thanks to
Bob Dernier Cri
for his generous support.

Bookmarks

You must be logged in to view your Bookmarks.

Hot Topics

NewsblogPrimer Dugout (and link of the day) 2-10-2012
(4 - 5:37am, Feb 10)
Last: Not The Real Fausto Carmona (Dan Lee)

NewsblogJeff Sullivan: The Worst Team Ever Projected?
(50 - 5:37am, Feb 10)
Last: Sam Hutcheson is the 'saur with the rainbow roar

NewsblogOrioles Scouts Banned from Korea
(6 - 5:27am, Feb 10)
Last: Fancy Pants Handle is the AntAgonizer

NewsblogNY Daily News: Brian Cashman's accused stalker says Yankees GM misled feds on steroid probe
(49 - 4:34am, Feb 10)
Last: Ron J

NewsblogWhatever Happened to the Spitball?
(19 - 4:19am, Feb 10)
Last: toratoratora

NewsblogFangraphs: Cameron: The 10 Worst Transactions Of The Winter
(83 - 4:15am, Feb 10)
Last: drdr

NewsblogKnobler: Stay away from steroids -- but vote how you want
(19 - 4:02am, Feb 10)
Last: smileyy

Transaction Oracle2012 ZiPS Projections - Texas Rangers
(19 - 3:53am, Feb 10)
Last: Jebuddhallah

NewsblogGrantland/Bill James: An Open Letter to the Hall of Fame About Dwight Evans
(26 - 2:04am, Feb 10)
Last: DanG

NewsblogL.A. Times: 11 bidders remain in running to buy Dodgers
(7 - 1:56am, Feb 10)
Last: Joe Kehoskie

NewsblogNYT: Alderson Remakes Needy Mets From Bottom Line Up
(41 - 1:37am, Feb 10)
Last: PreservedFish

NewsblogSources: Cubs’ Starlin Castro Accused Of Sexual Assault
(5843 - 1:12am, Feb 10)
Last: He's Bought a Bat Like Prince Fielder

Newsblog'Duk: Tim Lincecum slims down with swim routine, loses appetite for McDonald’s
(282 - 12:44am, Feb 10)
Last: MM1f

Jim's Lab NotesPlease Excuse the Mess
(174 - 12:06am, Feb 10)
Last: SoSHially Unacceptable

NewsblogThe Book Blog: MGL: Today on Clubhouse Confidential
(78 - 11:50pm, Feb 09)
Last: RayDiPerna

Buy MLB playoff tickets, plus 2011 World Series, 2011 ALCS tickets and NLCS game tickets. We also have Texas Rangers playoff schedule, tickets to Red Sox games and Yankees game tickets. Plus, buy Phillies baseball tickets, Tigers playoff tickets and the biggies like ALDS baseball tickets and 2011 NLDS tickets.

Demarini, Easton and TPX Baseball Bats

 

 

 

AllianceTickets.com has cheap MLB Tickets. Get all your Colorado Rockies Tickets, Seattle Mariners Tickets, San Francisco Giants Tickets and all your favorite baseball tickets here. We also carry cheap Denver Broncos Tickets, Seattle Seahawks Tickets and Denver Nuggets Tickets.

Page rendered in 0.4357 seconds
40 querie(s) executed