Call Your Shot : Yankees Mega Prediction Game

I have been playing this mega prediction game on this sports forum and it is really fun so I figured I would share. What you do is predict whether the Yankees will win or lose each game in a series and put a point total to the game. How many point allotted depends on how many games there are in the series. On a three game series you get ONE three point game, ONE two point game, and ONE one point game. Here is MY example for the Blue Jays series.

7/16-7/18 NYY vs. TOR

Game 1: WIN 3 pts (Hughes 9-7, 4.33 ERA vs. Alvarez 5-7, 4.36 ERA)
Game 2: WIN 2 pts (Sabathia 9-3, 3.45 ERA vs. Cecil 2-1, 6.75 ERA)
Game 3: WIN 1 pt (Kuroda 8-7, 3.67 vs. Romero 8-5, 5.03 ERA)


I do not think there is a prize, other then bragging rights, for this but it is fun as hell. Especially when you are getting down to the wire and you purposely have to be strategic to get back into the game. We have a first half winner and a second half winner then those two battle it out in a playoff. All the rules are in the thread, seen HERE, so maybe some of you would be interested in playing?


Totally free and spam free to sign up. 

Blue Jays @ Yankees 7/16/12

UPDATE:

Russell Martin hits a home run to put the Yankees up 1-0. 

No this is not a typo...

Robinson Cano RBI double extends his hitting streak to 19 games.

Raul Ibanez hits a go ahead grand slam in the bottom of the 8th to put the Yankees up 6-2!!!

Yankees win 6-2

Tonight the Yankees continue their 13 games in 13 days stretch after the All Star break by going to Toronto to take in the last place Toronto Blue Jays. Do not let the record of the Blue Jays fool you, they are a good team with a ton of power and flashes of brilliance with the pitching staff. Tonight on the mound for the Yankees will be Phil Hughes and he will be taking on Henderson Alvarez for the Jays. The game will be televised at 7:05 pm ET on the YES Network

Lineup

1. Jeter SS
2. Granderson CF
3. A-Rod 3B
4. Cano 2B
5. Teixeira 1B
6. Swisher RF
7. Ibanez LF
8. Chavez DH
9. Martin C

Go Yankees!!

Yankees Trade Targets : Shane Victorino

UPDATE:

Gardner said that he felt some soreness in his elbow after his rehab game. Joe Girardi is concerned and puzzled by this. We do not know if it is just fatigue, much like David Aardsma, or if it is yet another set back. Only time will tell...

The Yankees seem to be monitoring the left field and outfield market this year at the deadline. We should have a pretty good idea of how Brett Gardner is going to be by July31st. Brett Gardner is set to come back on July 27th to the big leagues, barring any more setback. The Yankees seem to be looking for a Plan B though and one of those plan B's is the Phillies Shane Victorino.

The flying' Hawaiian Shane Victorino has been the Phillies center fielder for what seems like forever but now that they are losing he seems likely to be traded this July. Shane is currently on the final year of a three year $22 million deal. Victorino has a ton of speed and would a terrific replacement for Gardner, if needed, both defensively, offensively, and on the base paths. It is widely thought that the Phillies will not be able to get any compensation for him so he should come pretty cheap if he is traded. Not to mention that he is not having a great season anyway only helps our case.

Assuming that Brett Gardner cannot come back this season and assuming that we cannot get Justin Upton this season then I would be all for Shane Victorino coming to the Bronx. He has lots of playoff experience and is basically an older version of Brett Gardner. He would fit right into the bottom of that lineup and would give us the versatility that builds championships. Bring on Shane Victorino as an obvious plan C kind of situation behind Gardner and Upton.

Yankees Trade Targets : Cole Hamels

Cole Hamels will ultimately sign a contract extension or get traded in the next 15 days, bottom line. The Phillies are trying their hardest to re sign Cole according to reports coming out of their camp, and I could see why they would want to, but those reports can be unreliable. Just think... if the Phillies re sign Cole for a similar deal that they gave Cliff Lee, as is being reported, then next season the Phillies would have $129 million invested in 7 players for the 2013 season.

Hamels - $25 million

Lee - $25 million

Halladay - $20 million

Howard - $20 million

Utley - $15 million

Papelbon $13 million

Rollins - $11 million

What can I say that you guys do not already know about Cole Hamels. What can I say to describe how well he has pitched this season and what he would mean to this team this season in the post season. He is the kind of work horse and hard nosed pitcher, ask Bryce Harper, that the Yankees "need" to compliment ace CC Sabathia. What Can I Say? Nothing... so I won't. Hamels is a no brainer if you are against the $189 million goal for the 2014 season. He would essentially make it impossible to keep both Cano and Granderson by signed a $20 million + AAV deal. Granted that this team "needs" more pitching then they do offense but I have kind of grown attached to Granderson and his play and personality on and off the field. I am kind of growing tired of the hired mercenary types that come, win a ring, then trash us when they leave. Cole kind of screams that kind of attitude to me. 

IF we are going to sign Cole Hamels I would much rather let the Phillies trade him elsewhere, maybe the Dodgers, and sign him in the offseason. We would not have to give up a draft pick or a prospect... just money. When it is someone else's money I have zero issue with spending as much as we can to put the best product on the field. 

I truly dislike emptying the farm, even if it was possible, for a rental. We will only have Hamels guaranteed for the rest of this season. The worst part about it is that we could not even get draft pick compensation because of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that the Players Union struck with the league. Wouldn't it be nice though? Another guy for the fans to hate and make us Yankees fans "Get Greedy" and another guy with a knockout wife for the Wives & Girlfriends section...

Extend Cano & Granderson?

Brian Cashman Said What?

The Yankees have a strict policy not to extend players during the season and before their current deals expire. The Yankees brass is considering breaking this rule, and for good reason, for both Curtis Granderson and Robinson Cano.

See the Yankees are trying to get under the $189 million threshold for payroll by the 2014 season and the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) says that your salary is based on an Average Annual Value (AAV) and not what you are making this season. For example Alex Rodriguez's contract is heavily front loaded with Arod making as little as $20 million at the end of his deal but his AAV has been and always will be $27.5 million. The AAV is what counts against the luxury tax threshold. While this does not work in our favor for Alex, it can work in our favor for both Granderson and Cano.

As it stand now, including club options, Cano's AAV is only $9.5 million because of him only making $3 million in 2008, $6 million in 2009, $9 million in 2010, and so on and so on. If the Yankees choose to extend Cano's contract for, let's say for simplicity sake, $20 million a season for 5 more season Cano's AAV would be $14.28 million. If we let the contract run out and re sign him as a free agent to that same 5 year $100 million dollar contract then Cano's AAV becomes $20 million. Extending Cano now saves us roughly $5.5 million towards the 2014 goal AND allows us to keep him.

Curtis Granderson's AAV as it stands now is a measly $6.88 million because of him only making $1 million in 2008, $3.5 million in 2009, $5.5 million in 2010, so on and so forth. Let us say, again for simplicity sake, we extend Granderson for that same 5 year $100 million contract that we gave Cano. Granderson's AAV would only be $12.84 million as opposed to the $20 million that he would garner if he were re signed as a free agent. That is a $7+ million savings right there.

If we extend both Cano and Granderson NOW instead of letting them technically hit free agency we can save around $13 million bucks AAV, stand a much better chance at getting under the $189 million tax threshold, AND keep our two best hitters in the lineup. Sounds like a no brainer to me Cash... so get it done. 

Yankees Trade Targets : Matt Garza

The trade deadline is officially in 15 days on July 31st. Like I said in an earlier post the Yankees are going to be linked, whether true or not, to every single starting pitcher available at the trade deadline. The Cubs look to be in rebuilding mode and will be looking for the lower level prospects that we have boat loads of. Let us look at potential trade candidate for the Yankees Matt Garza.

Matt Garza is halfway through a 1 year $9.5 million contract that he signed with the Cubs this offseason. He is under team control for all of 2013 though because of him being arbitration eligible. The Yankees will have some competition for Garza if they choose to get involved because the O's, Dodgers, Tigers, Blue Jays, and Red Sox just to name a few have expressed some serious interest in the Cubs right hander. Garza is having a typical Matt Garza season when you look at FIP, K/9, BB/9, GB%, K's, BB's, BABIP, and WAR. 

I have never really understood why everyone is so high on Matt Garza. Sure he has had some sorts of success in the AL East and all that but the guy, to me, seems wildly inconsistent. I know that kind of contradicts the statement above about Garza having another "Garza like" season but I think that he has always been inconsistent. Garza is nothing more then a #3 or #4 pitcher but has played on teams that needed him to be a #2 pitcher. We do  not need a #3 or #4 pitcher in my opinion, especially if we are going to be paying like he is a #2 pitcher. I say pass on Garza.

Yankees Trade Deadline Targets : Justin Upton

UPDATE:

Justin Upton has told us that the New York Yankees are one of the four teams that are on his no trade list that he can block a trade to. So much for wishful thinking...

Do not get me wrong... In no shape or form do I think we will have the best offer nor do I do think we will have the MLB ready prospects that Arizona wants in order to make a trade. This is more of an obligatory posting since Arizona seems to be willing and ready to trade 24 year old outfielder Justin Upton. 

Justin Upton, as stated earlier, is only 24 years old and has a very team friendly contract. He also plays right field where we will have a big hole after this season. If we could replace Nick Swisher with a younger, better, and cheaper alternative then we could improve the team AND keep on track for the 2014 goal of an $189 million payroll. Here are Upton's payroll obligations for the remainder of his contract:

12:$6.75M, 13:$9.75M, 14:$14.25M, 15:$14.5M

It needs to be said that Upton has limited no trade protection which allows him to block a trade to four teams, four teams that we do not know about. Justin Upton has put up some very nice batting numbers in what is widely considered a pitchers park down in Arizona. Not including the small sample size of the 2012 season Upton has averaged nearly 28 home runs in the last three seasons, averages 20 stolen bases, a .285 average, with nearly a 5.0 WAR.  There is a concern of Upton being lazy though, similar to the same concerns put on his brother BJ Upton, and his sometimes unwillingness to play hard in the field and on the base paths.  For some reason, maybe it is guys like Derek Jeter and CC Sabathia and company, I do not see that being a problem in New York. 

Kevin Towers worked with the Yankees for a season not too long ago so he knows the Yankees prospects quite well. He also has a great relationship with Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman, which cannot hurt in the negotiation process. This is one guy that I think, to an extent, I would empty the farm for. The only way it happens is if we get a third team involved... but I can hope. I am TOTALLY for this trade if we can make it work and not get totally taken in the trade. This is the perfect example of GETTING GREEDY in Yankees land by getting the best guy available and sticking him on an already stacked team... I love it. Not to mention we may see the return of this...

Chad Qualls Future In Our Bullpen

Hey Chad... do you hear those footsteps?

I think you may have sealed your fate for good in the Yankees bullpen this afternoon after giving up hit after hit after hit. I was on the guys side but enough is enough for Qualls. Joba cannot come back soon enough to lock down that bullpen. 

Angels @ Yankees 7/15/12

UPDATE:

After Nova allows two solo home runs in the first inning Alex Rodriguez comes up after a Curtis Granderson single and knocks one out to tie the game. 2-2 Tie

Cano extends his hitting streak to 18 straight games.

Derek Jeter gives the Yankees a 3-2 lead with an rbi single

Nova getting home run happy. He finds himself down 5-3 in the 6th

If the Yankees lose this game they have no one to blame but themselves. The base running mistakes and doubles plays we worked ourselves into made it hard. 

The Grandy Man Can! 5-4 Angels!

Eric Chavez is 3-3 today after hitting his 8th home run of the season, which chased Jered Weaver, and pulled the Yankees within 1 to 6-5. 

Yankees 9th inning comeback falls short.

Yankees lose 10-8

Wow July is already half way over and the Yankees have done nothing , much like their June, but win win win. It is too bad the World Series is not played in June or July because I think the Yankees would probably have about 57 World Series Titles instead of 27. I digress...

The Yankee will look for the sweep today against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim this afternoon in the Bronx. This will be no easy task, as it never is an easy win against the Angels, with Jered Weaver on the mound for the Angels. We remember the last time that Weaver saw the Yankees and I am sure he does too. He gave up 5 runs in the first inning and did not make it out of the first before being placed on the DL. The Yankees will send Ivan Nova to the mound who has already beaten the Angels once this season. The game will be televised at 1:05 pm ET on YES and TBS.

Lineups

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Nick Swisher RF
Raul Ibanez LF
Eric Chavez DH
Russell Martin C

Go Yankees!!

I Agree With Cashman... No Big Trades

With the trade deadline looming, and people starting to talk about guys like Ryan Dempster, I was thinking about contract situations that are more important to the Yankees.

More like "Dumpster"... am I right?

I really don't think the Yankees should pay a lot for a rental. Especially a rental that is not really necessary. The Yankees can win without acquiring Matt Garza, so why pay for him? But what if they could trade for a guy to help them this year, and then be in a better spot to re-sign or extend for 2013 and beyond? Like... say... Cole Hamels? 

Well, when it comes to paying a guy $20 million, I think the Yankees could spend their money a bit better. Their chances of getting down to a payroll of $189 million are slim already, and signing a guy like Hamels is going to force them to fill other spots from within. More to the point... how can they bring back Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson, if they spend $20 million a season on Hamels? In short... they can't, unless they say "to hell with the austerity budget". 

So how should the Yankees spend their money? 

Well, Robinson Cano comes first.

Number 1 on the field, and number 1 in your pretty little heart.

Why? Angelo Gumbs is the only middle infielder in the organization ranked in the top 20 Yankee prospects (19th by River Avenue Blues), and he's only 19 years old. Cito Culver could take over for Cano even though he's a shortstop (Cano is a former SS), but Cito's only 19 too. Then there's Corban Joseph, who is in AAA now, but he's batting .259 this year, and hasn't quite shown the same power that Cano provides the Yanks. I'm not saying Joseph won't ever be a viable MLB starter, I'm just saying that betting on the guy right now is not smart. I could be singing a different tune after next season, but the decision on Cano should come before Opening Day of 2013, not at the end of the 2013 season, due to how extensions affect team payroll for the Luxury Tax.

Then the Yankees need to figure out what to do with Curtis Granderson.

"I may be a nice guy, but I will hurt you if you don't do the right thing."

Why? Mason Williams is really interesting to the future of the team, but he's probably 3 years away (currently in high A ball). The same for Tyler Austin, another good OF prospect. Zoilo Almonte is a possibility I guess, but he's also only got an OBP of .32o above high A ball. Ravel Santana, Ramon Flores, and Ben Gamel are top 25 prospects for the Yankees, but they are all 3+ years away from being MLB-ready. That leaves Ronnier Mustelier.

I'm not a big prospect guy, as I've said in the past, but I'm intrigued with this guy. In 267 plate appearances with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season Ronnier is hitting .302/.357/.475.  But due to the fact he's not done well in LF (.968 Fielding Percentage), and his experience in CF is extremely limited (6 games), I see him as a possible replacement for Swisher... but not Granderson. 

That leaves the Yankees with an outfield in 2014 consisting of Brett Gardner and... being optimistic... Ronnier Mustelier. Barring a trade, you can see that this situation with Granderson is not so cut and dry. 

I love you, Nick, but you're not irreplaceable.

So, in my oh-so-humble opinion, there is no way the Yankees should pursue Cole Hamels. And seeing as how they don't really need a rental to get them to the "Promised Land" this season, I see no reason for them to make any big moves... unless that move includes an OF that could take over for Granderson (offensively and defensively) in 2014 and beyond.