The dog ate my blog…

Shamed by Darren and co. over at Sox Therapy I thought it was time to fire up the CTR again, mostly with some random thoughts, Gammons-style. (And Mike Crudale.)

It’s time to give some PTI-style “dap” to Chien-Ming Wang. He’s a total and complete freak of nature. He throws in the mid-90s, and tonight according to YES he was throwing in the high 90s, yet he strikes almost nobody out.

In 156 innings, Wang has just 48 strikeouts against just 39 walks. With numbers like that you’d expect him to get killed. But tonight he threw eight shutout innings (running his scoreless streak to 18 total innings), inducing 15 ground ball outs, and a couple of soft liners that were caught by infielders. That’s just crazy.

Going into tonight’s 7-2 win versus Toronto, Wang carried an ERA of 3.77 – it now stands at 3.58. He’s leading the AL in groundball percentage at 64.6%, and almost amazingly 72% of the time when the opposition puts it play against Wang, the maligned Yankee defense turns it into outs.

Now before I get accused of putting Wang on the fast track to Cooperstown, let me say that its well-documented that guys who strike out as few batters as Wang does typically have a short shelf life. However, he’s a lot of fun to watch right now and one of two Yankee starters I have absolute faith in at this point. For the bargain price of about 300 large, I’m a big fan.

… The haters typically ripped the Yankees for making the uncreative, spend lots of YES money move by trading for Bobby Abreu, but Cashman worked the deadline like Wang works the bottom third of the strike zone. He just killed it.

Holding out and putting Philly’s feet to the fire let Cashman walk away with a new, all-star caliber right fielder and a fifth starter for the price of two fringy T-Yanks, future first-round flameout C.J. Henry and someone who is probably the best lefty left in Philly’s pen (Matt Smith). Just a master stroke.

Also, can the debate stop about the Yanks’ 2005 draft strategy vis a vis Craig Hansen vs. Henry/JB Cox and Austin Jackson? Hansen’s a contributor to a bullpen in a pennant race (so is Cox, but Trenton ain’t the AL East) and while Jackson’s put up solid numbers in the Sally League, Henry hasn’t been able to turn his athleticism into baseball skills yet and there’s a good chance he never will. Henry’s 20 year old right now and struggling in A ball… for comparison, when the Yankee he’s often compared to was 21, he was in the bigs.

That aside over, Cashman’s biggest move was the addition of Craig Wilson. Wilson was picked up from the Pirates for Shawn Chacon. The same Shawn Chacon I would’ve taken a box of Don Slaught rookie cards and a Ben Roethlisberger motorcycle helmet.

I think the funny guys at NoMaas.org had it right when they reference the underrated Gene Hackman vehicle Heist.
When I heard of the move, I instant thought of the movie for two scenes in particular… the first is about the Wilson move and Cashman – when the new addition to Hackman’s crew asks about the boss.

Jimmy: So, this Joe, is he cool?
Pinky: My motherf*cker is so cool, when he goes to sleep, sheep count him.

That’s how I felt about Cashman after the Wilson deal was announced – he’s just so cool.

The second was about the Yanks using their financial muscle on the Abreu deal. Just before the caper’s about to go down, Hackman and his partner are outside a coffee cart.

Server: Hey buddy, you forgot your change.
Hackman: Makes the world go ‘round.
Partner: What’s that?
Hackman: Gold.
Partner: Some people say love.
Hackman: Well, they’re right too. It is love. Love of gold.

With Abreu and Wilson in the fold, and Matsui expected back sometime near the end of the month, the Yanks will have some interesting roster decisions to make. Melky Cabrera has been a revelation in left, solid if not a spectacular bat and much improved defense. At 21, he’s ready to be a contributor to this team. Matsui and allegedly Sheffield’s return probably spell the end of regular time for him in the field, but as a fourth outfielder he’ll make me very excited.

The return of the regulars probably spells the end of the Bubba Crosby Era. On a team that finally has some outfield depth, there’s not really a place for a guy who’s just fast.

Andy Phillips could be facing a similar problem. Craig Wilson is a spit older than Phillips and is who we all though Phillips could grow up to be – the problem is he really hasn’t. However, he appears awful popular in the clubhouse, attempted to play second, which means he probably could play third in a pinch and just seems like he’s grown on Joe and Cashman. I think he stays when Robinson Cano, Sheffield and Matsui come back. Truth be told, the decision on Phillips probably won’t have to be made until the postseason (hopefully) because of roster expansion on Sept. 1.

The Yanks bullpen has been up and down all season, but lately its been up with Farnsworth and Proctor being solid in front of Mo, who’s as usual, being Mo.

Also, the next game Mo finishes will vest his option for 2007, meaning he’ll be under contract for $10.5 million. And he’ll still be a bargain.

There’s probably lots of stuff I ought to cover that’s happened since May, but if you’ve read this far down, you probably already know it.

For what its worth, I hope to be a bit more active in this space going forward, but here are some other places to check out some great Yankee blogage.

Journal-News beat writer Peter Abraham’s transcendant Yankee blog at http://lohud.com/blogs/lohudyankees.html
Steve Lombardi churns out great stuff over at Was Watching.
Alex Belth and Cliff Corcoran are a combo that would make Phil Rizzuto and Joe Gordon jealous at Baseball Toaster’s Bronx Banter.
For minor league updates and draft stuff, check out the rechristened Baby Bombers (formerly In George We Trust) as blogged by Mike A. at http://babybombers.beeplog.com/.

Oh, and head over to Sox Therapy once in a while and pick on Darren and the boys… after despite Cleveland’s bullpen horrificness, they’re still only second best.