This little phrase has been resonating in my head for almost two weeks now.

“Core Four”, “Core Four”, ”Core Four”, ”Core Four”.

I guess that means that I need to do a post about it, huh?? 

It’s harder to rank players while they’re still active.  One phenomenal season by any one of these guys and the rankings could change.  Jorge Posada may decide he wants to pitch next year and if he wins 20 games, the rankings would certainly change.  Mariano Rivera may decide he wants to play Center field next year and if he steals 100 bases, the rankings would certainly change.  Derek Jeter may put on 45 pounds of muscle in the offseason and if he crushes 75 home runs, the rankings would certainly change.  And Andy Pettitte  may decide he wants to play catcher next year and if he throws out every base runner, the rankings would certainly change.  

See what I mean??  Since it is so hard to predict the future of these 4 guys, my rankings will be solely based on what they have done from their debuts in the major leagues through the 2009 post season.

Here we go!!

4.  Jorge Posada – My favorite of the bunch, Posada doesn’t get close to the credit he deserves for driving the Yankees ship for close to 15 years now.  A 5-time All-star and 5-time Silver Slugger winner, most of what Jorge Posada does on the field goes un-noticed.  This guy has been able to adapt and work with new veteran and rookie pitchers almost every season he has been in the league.  He has worked with future Hall of Famers like Roger Clemens and Randy Johnson.  He has worked perennial Cy Young caliber talent like CC Sabathia, Mike Mussina, and Andy Pettitte as well.  Then you add all of the guys that the Yankees have tried to bring in to fill voids, and it is Posada who has taken them in and prepared them for games.  Enough cannot be said for his dedication to his pitching staff – it’s just too obad that it doesn’t show up in the stat sheets.

Posada is closing in on 1,500 career hits and has 243 home runs and 964 RBI.  In 2010, he should be able to eclipse the 1,500 hits, 250 home runs, and 1,000 RBI plateaus with relative ease.  Keeping in mind that he averages 130-140 games a year, and his numbers are pretty solid. 

Owner of 4 World Series championships, Jorge Posada has played in 111 post season contests. 

3.  Andy Pettitte – Pettitte could rank higher on this short list had he not defected to Houston for 3 big league seasons in the mid 2000’s.  A picther with unquestionable talent, Pettitte has finished in the Top 6 for the Cy Young award 5 times in his career.  While doing so, he appears to be getting better with age as well.  In his 15 big league seasons, he has reached double-digit wins 14 times. 

With a career win-loss record of 229-135, one has to wonder if 300 wins is in Pettitte’s future.  At the age of 37 there is a possibility if he remains healthy and wants to pitch for 5-6 more years, but 250-260 is more realistic.  Pettitte will enter the 2010 season with 2,150 career strikeouts on his resume.  2-3 more strong seasons from him and he should have no problem joining the 2,500 K’s Club.

Andy Pettitte owns 5 World Series rings.  He has stared 13 games in the Fall Classic and owns a 5-4 record.  For his post-season career, Pettitte has a 18-9 record.   Just this past season, he took to the mound as the New York Yankees clinched their ALDS, ALCS, and World Series victories!!

2.  Derek Jeter – Not enough can be said about the captain of the Yankees.  It is very hard to not like Derek Jeter, and it is almost impossible to not respect his dedication to winning and the city of New York.  The biggest star on a team full of superstars, the Yankees are Jeter’s team.  And it will be this way until he retires from the sport.

The former 1996 Rookie of the Year is the all-time leader for career hits by a Yankee.  And when you review their incredible history, that stat says quite a bit.  Jeter is a 10-time All-star, 4-time Gold Glove winner, and 3-time winner of the Silver Slugger award.  On top of that, he has finished in the Top 10 for the MVP voting 6 times.  Derek Jeter has 2,747 career hits.  At his current pace, he should gain entry into the 3,000 hits club sometime during the middle of the 2011 season.  At the age of just 35 and with 4-5 good years of solid production still left in him, it’s also very possible that Jeter reaches the 300-HR plateau as he currently rests with 224 round trippers.

Derek Jeter owns 5 World Series championship rings.  When the spotlight has been on him, he has shined brightly.  To date, Jeter has a .321 World Series batting average while amassing 50 hits in 38 games.  He has also collected the most hits in post-season history by any player!

1.  Mariano Rivera – I don’t value the role of the closer as much as the next fan.  But I do marvel at how calm and relaxed Mariano Rivera appears to be each and every time he takes to the field.  In a pressure filled spot, we have all seen countless players attempt to close games.  Some do well, many fail, and only 1 guy truly dominates – and that is Rivera!

In 15 big league seasons, Rivera has collected 526 saves, good for 2nd place all-time.  He also owns a 71-52 record alongside a 2.25 ERA.  In 1,090 innings pitched, Rivera has struck out 1,006 batters while walking just 256.  His career 8.3 K’s/innings pitched and 3.93 K’s/walks ratios are incredibly impressive when you look at how many pressure filled situations these accomplishments have been obtained in.  Rivera is the king of cool – and like his fellow Yankee teammates, he seems to get better with age as well.  In 2009, ‘Mo’ collected his 7th 40+ save season.  A few more of these and 600 career saves looks like an inevitable accomplishment.

Rivera has won the World Series 5 times.  During the Fall Classic, he has recorded 11 saves alongside a 2-1 record.  In 14 seasons in which his teams have made the post-season, Mariano Rivera has closed the game a major league record 39 times.

So there you have it.  If I had to rank these 4 players on their careers as of today this is where they would place.  Now if you ask me the same question 5 years from now, things could possibly change.  I think that Rivera and Jeter have the top 2 spots locked down regardless of what they do for the rest of their careers, with Pettitte and Posada in a distant 3rd and 4th place.

What is fun to think about are the possible momentus occasions that may be on the way.  Who knows how many more World Series championships these guys will win.  And with Rivera, 600 saves sounds pretty cool.  But for me, the greatest challenge that lies ahead, can be met by Derek Jeter.  If health and time are on his side, I can see Jeter joining the very rare company of the 3,000 hits / 300 home runs / 300 steals club.  And if he does that, I think he easily vaults into the top of the ‘Core 4′ group.

Then the question becomes, where does Jeter rank all-time…  Oh, boy.  Let the debates begin!!!

I recently read a quote from the legendary Babe Ruth “Never let the fear of striking out get in your way”  I know he meant it in the baseball sense of the phrase-striking out-but I actually read that differently the first time I read it.  I read it as striking out on your own.  Leaving your comfort zone.  Expanding your horizons.  Letting go of that which is familiar and embracing the unfamiliar.  I am well acquainted with this fear.  For quite some time I knew my professional life was heading in a different direction from what I’d been doing since graduating from college.  While I was very good at my job, it wasn’t exciting me anymore and it looked to me like that aspect of media sales was starting to implode.  Yet I stayed put, for well over a year after I started talking the big talk about leaving.  Oh I was a really good talker.  Yup, I was going to leave this place and follow my dream.  I even had a date all picked out but changed my mind at the last minute.  In truth I was scared to death to leave the security of benefits and a steady paycheck.  I think it was the hysterical tears that clued me in.

Fate has a way of intervening when we least expect it.  4 weeks after I was going to quit, my employer of 11 years closed.  Kaput!  No mas.  So there I was faced with what I’d been putting out to the universe all those weeks.  It was put up or shut up time.  Time to walk the talk.  Crap.  Now what?

You know what?  It’s not so bad!  I still have my days of paralyzing, and I mean paralyzing fear.  But I think I’m going to be ok.  I might actually succeed. How’s that for overcoming fear?  As far as the corporate world is concerned, I may be out but I’ll be back for another round of at bats with my new team.  And yeah, I’m pointing to center field.  Step aside Babe.

This season, Melky Cabrera has been worth 0.7 WAR as a center fielder. He’s not hitting particularly well (wOBA is .326, second lowest in the AL) and his defense has been below average (UZR/150 of -6.9). He’s basically better than he was a year ago, but when you consider that Melky was 0.1 WAR last season (barely better than replacement), the upgrade we’ve seen this season isn’t very tremendous.

That brings me to Mike Cameron. In the offseason, the Yankees were said to be interested in acquiring Cameron from the Brewers. We heard a few trade ideas floating around, including a package that featured Melky Cabrera and Kei Igawa (while I’m not sure about Igawa, Melky always seemed like a centerpiece for any deal). However, the Yankees apparently wanted to keep Melky after his strong play in the Dominican League and they wondered if they had something with Brett Gardner. Plus, Cameron’s $10 million salary was a bit of a hurdle, especially after adding Andy Pettitte and Mark Teixeira (and CC and A.J.). For these reasons, Mike Cameron did not join the Yankees this winter and the team was relatively content with trying Melky and Gardner in 2009. Looking back on it, though, I wonder if it was the right decision.

Melky has been mediocre and Gardner has been solid (2 WAR), especially on the defensive side of things, yet Cameron has been stellar in center for Milwaukee. His .258/.358/.459 line and .354 wOBA would have been a significant upgrade over Melky or Gardner and his defense (7.7 UZR/150) is on par with Gardner’s, although Gardner has been better. Cameron’s speed has all but faded, though, as he has only stolen 6 bases on the season. All in all, because of his bat and his glove, Cameron has been a 3.9 WAR player, good for 5th best in baseball.

Knowing what you know now about Melky, in particular, Gardner and Cameron, would you have traded Melky for Cameron in the offseason (Gardner could have been a stolen base threat off the bench)? He seems like he would have provided the Yankees the best of both worlds—hitting and defense—and, although $10 million isn’t chump change, being a 4-win player has made him more than worth it. Imagine a lineup that featured him behind or in front of Cano—that would be something.

The Angels now have 81 games in the books following last night’s 9-4 win over the Texas Rangers, and the Halos find themselves where they usually have been at the halfway mark over the past few seasons… in first place.

At this point last year, the Angels (who would go on to win a club record and MLB-best 100 games), were 48-33. This year’s Angels, with all the ups and downs, would only be 2 games off that pace with a record of 46-35.

The Halos have won the AL West division 4 of the past 5 years, so being #1 isn’t all that new to them.

But this year, things are much different. It was a year of big changes and adaptation for the Angels.

Preseason

Noteworthy Re-signings:

• OF- Juan Rivera (3 yrs./$12.75 million)
• OF- Vladimir Guerrero (1 yr. club option/$15 million)
• SP- John Lackey (1 yr. club option/$9 million)
• 3B- Chone Figgins (1 yr./$5.775 million)
• SP- Ervin Santana (4 yrs./$30 million) – 2008 All-Star selection
• SP- Joe Saunders (1 yr./$0.475 million) – 2008 All-Star selection
• 2B- Howie Kendrick (1 yr./$.0465 million)
• SP- Jered Weaver (1 yr./$0.465 million)
• INF- Maicer Izturis (1 yr./$1.6 million)
• RP- Darren Oliver (1 yr./3.665 million)

Noteworthy Additions:

• CL- Brian Fuentes (2 yrs./$17.5 million) – 3-time All-Star with Rockies in ‘05, ‘06, ‘07 seasons
• OF- Bobby Abreu (1 yr./$5 million) – .300 batting average, .405 on-base percentage for his career

Noteworthy Subtractions:

• 1B- Mark Teixeira (Yankees – 8 yrs./$180 million) – .358 avg., 13 HR, 43 RBI with Angels in 54 games
• CL- Francisco Rodriguez (Mets – 3 yrs./$37 million) – MLB record 62 saves in ‘08, 194 saves in 4 full seasons as closer, 208 total saves with Angels, won 5 games in ‘02 postseason as 20-year-old phenom
• OF- Garret Anderson (Braves – 1 yr./$2.5 million) – Was an Angel for 15 years, 2,368 hits, 489 2B, 272 HR, 1,292 RBI with Angels, starter in left field for ‘02 World Championship team

To this current point in time, the Angels haven’t exactly had that gold-paved road to the top of the division, that they’ve seemed to have in years past. Injuries decimated the Angels’ rotation to start the year, and an unexpected tragedy would rock the Angels organization and the baseball world in the opening month.

April

Month record: 9-12

Highest point: 1-0 (the only time during the month they had over a .500 record was after the Opening Day win)

Lowest point: 6-11

3+ Game Winning Streaks: 1- 3 games (April 26, 28, 29)

3+ Game Losing Streaks: 1- 3 games (April 17-19)

April Player of the Month: Torii Hunter (.325 avg./.379 OBP/8 HR/16 RBI)

A look back on April

It all started great, nothing like an Opening Day shutout of an in-state division rival. Joe Saunders would dazzle in the April 6th season opener, en route to a 3-0 Halo win against the visiting Oakland A’s.

The A’s would take game 2, and then the bullpen would blow a tremendous outing (soon to become a recurring theme) from young hurler Nick Adenhart in game 3 of the series, a game in which he threw 6 innings of shutout ball, striking out 5 Oakland batters.

But just hours after that April 8th Angels loss, the Angels would be dealt a loss that no one saw coming.

In the early hours of April 9th, that same Nick Adenhart who threw 6 magnificent innings for the Halos in his season debut, would be killed by a drunk driver, as well as 2 of the other 3 people in the car. He was only 22 years old. This was a kid who you just knew was going to be special. At 22 and having good, yet still improving control of a knee-buckling curveball complimented by a mid-90s fastball, as well as having composure and resiliency on the mound… not many come around like that, especially that early in a career. He was exuding with promise. Such a promising career that I believe in all my heart he was going to have, now is just a “what could have been” thought.

The final game of the series against Oakland was postponed in wake of the tragedy.

It just put baseball on the shelf and really put into perspective what’s important in life.

The Angels’ first game following Adenhart’s death would be Friday April 10th against the Red Sox. Before the game, the Angels put together a brief video in memory of Nick Adenhart that I thought was pretty neat, and you can hear (as well as not hear for the moment of silence) the fan appreciation for the fallen Angel.

It still kills me to see that face following the end of the “Calling All Angels” video that the Halos play just about 5-7 minutes before the first pitch of every home game at the Big A.

In that game against Boston, Jered Weaver, who was scheduled to move in and room with Nick Adenhart within the week, was the scheduled starter. When he was removed from the game in 7th inning after throwing 6 2/3 ball where he allowed 1 unearned run, he pointed up to the sky on his way back to the dugout, as if he was saying, “this one’s for you, Nick.” They’d win the game 6-3.

The rest of the month would come with it’s fair share of anemic bats and horrendous bullpen work.

It would also take the Angels the longest amount of time to string together back-to-back wins, becoming the last team in Major League Baseball to do so (wins on April 26th, 28th).

The overall character, resiliency and companionship of the Angels’ organization was tested early by having all-stars John Lackey, Ervin Santana and Vladimir Guerrero all on the DL at the same time to go along with Kelvim Escobar among others. Then with the additional blow of losing a teammate, the Angels showed incredible heart to finish the month at 9-12, a success in my honest opinion.

I think a lot of that reflects upon Mike Scioscia and the way he runs his team. He treats his major league squad not as a team, but as a family. It was a month that I believed would go 1 of 2 ways: the Angels fold completely or they rise up and persevere.

Towards the end of April, perseverance was beginning to break through.

May

Month record: 16-12 (25-24 overall)

Highest point: At 18-15, Halos had won 9 of their previous 11 games.

Lowest point: 9-13 to start the month, tough 10-9 loss to the Yankees to begin May.

3+  Game Winning Streaks: 2- 3 games (May 2, 4, 5), 4 games (May 7-10)

3+ Game Losing Streaks: 1- 3 games (May 15-17)

May Player of the Month: Matt Palmer (6 starts/4-0 record/1 blown lead/3.76 ERA/26 K)

A look back on May

To sum it up quickly, May was a very “up-and-down” month for the Halos. Right when you think they’re picking it up and starting to play quality baseball, they go on and lose 2 or 3 in a row. And then, right when you think they’re stuck in a rut, they go on and win 2, 3, or 4 in a row.

Their hottest hitter, Torii Hunter, continued to kill the ball for the Halos game in and game out, recording 26 RBI during the month of May. Had it not been for Hunter making up for the lack of a clean-up hitter (Vladdy on the DL), who knows where the Angels who have been after May, and even now into early July.

But Torii’s stellar player was not even close to being the story of the month.

No doubt about it, the story of the month would be that of 30-year-old rookie right-hander Matt Palmer.

Palmer, a journeyman for years in the minor leagues who could never seem to get his shot with a major league ballclub, contemplated giving the game up altogether at one point. Although it took some convincing, Matt’s wife Michelle convinced him to keep giving baseball a try (Matt wanted to start a landscaping business if baseball didn’t work out for him in his hometown of Caruthersville, Missouri… a small town of just over 6,000 people!).

He would break through with the San Francisco Giants in 2008, and have 3 rough outings, prompting the Giants to let him go after the ‘08 season.

The Halos would sign him as a minor league free agent in January of 2009, and by the end of May, Palmer would find himself to be 5-0 to begin his Angels career. Palmer still continues to wear his wedding ring underneath his glove as a reminder of why he’s still on the mound.

The Angels’ play of the year, and a top candidate for the top play in all of Major League Baseball to this point in the season came in the 9th inning of a 1-run game against the Royals on May 10th from Spiderman himself, Torii Hunter. Check out the video below to see his absolutely incredible grab.

As much as the ground he covered and the catch itself are just flat-out remarkable, you can’t help but love the passion, fire and competitiveness and that Torii shows after the catch. That’s what baseball is all about.

June

Month record: 17-9 (42-33 overall)

Highest point: 42-32 (highest amount of games over .500 all year to that point)

Lowest point: 29-29 (Scioscia would give the team a tongue-lashing, and would finish the month by going 13-4)

3+ Game Winning streaks: 3- 3 games (June 3-5), 7 games (June 12-17, 19), 6 games (June 23-24, 26-29)

3+ Game Losing streaks: 1- 3 games (June 20-22)

Player of the Month: Juan Rivera (.290 avg./29 hits/6 2B/8 HR/24 RBI)

A look back on June

July would mark the start of the Angels… well, playing like the Angels. While relying on small ball to win in May (36 doubles, 20 home runs, 37 stolen bases), the Angels would start pounding the ball and playing uncharacteristic long ball (53 doubles, 33 home runs, 15 stolen bases), en route to their most successful month of the season.

Juan Rivera would no doubt be the hottest hitter of the month with his aforementioned June statistics, but guys like Torii Hunter (9 XBH), Bobby Abreu (10 XBH) and Kendry Morales (15 XBH) would compliment Rivera’s hot hitting with some consistent extra-base hitting of their own.

The Halos would rack up 2 impressive winning streaks (7 games and 6 games respectively) and really start to hit their stride on their way to getting as high as 10 games over .500.

Pitching stayed solid and consistent, and meanwhile, the arms of the bullpen seemed to have settled in and really calmed down after a rocky 2 months to start the season (thankfully).

Matt Palmer’s remarkable run would continue, with him ending June with a 7-1 record in 11 starts.

But Jered Weaver would no doubt be the Halos’ best pitcher through the first 3 months. Weaver would compile a record of 8-3 by June’s end, and post one of the MLB’s lowest ERAs with a mark of 2.65. To compliment his ERA, his command would be nothing short of outstanding all the way through June by recording 83 strikeouts to only 32 walks.

Brian Fuentes would sit atop the MLB with the most saves (22) at June’s end, going 9-for-9 in save opportunities over the course of the month.

June would also mark the end of Interleague Play. The Halos would post the top record in the MLB against the opposing league, by going 14-4 against National League teams (11-1 against teams not named the Los Angeles Dodgers).

Player Grades

Now that we’re in early July, let’s take a look at some 1st half stats and grade some players:

(bold statistics indicate team-high)

(* denotes All-Star selection)

All statistics are as of the first 81 games.

Torii Hunter *- .307 avg./.382 OBP/86 H/56 R/19 2B/1 3B/17 HR/65 RBI/13 SB

Grade A+

The Angels’ MVP, no questions asked. He’s done everything for the Halos so far. He’s hit for average (.307 avg.). He’s hit for power (37 extra-base hits). He’s driven in runs (65 RBI is 5th in all of the MLB). He’s stolen bases (13). And like the typical Torii Hunter always does, he’s played Gold Glove-caliber defense game in and game out. He picked up the slack for the offense when Vladdy Guerrero was out for over a month, and is one of the first-half MVPs for the American League, no doubt. And talk about a clubhouse leader, he handled everything regarding the Adenhart tragedy so well, and really rallied his team to stick together and face everything with a smile and a positive attitude. It’s really hard to measure the impact that Torii Hunter has had on this team, because his impact reaches far beyond the playing field and stat sheets.

Chone Figgins- .311 avg./.393 OBP/97 H/63 R/16 2B/5 3B/1 HR/25 RBI/24 SB

Grade: A

He’s been the table setter for the Angels’ offense this year, and has really developed his plate discipline since the end of last season, and Bobby Abreu’s presence and influence seems to be the main reason why. For his career, Figgy has an on-base percentage of .359, and this season alone, he’s on pace to post a new career high with a current mark of .393. His defense has been spectacular at 3rd base and should be in the consideration for a Gold Glove, no doubt. He’s getting on base, he’s stealing bases, and he’s scoring runs. The Angels go as Figgy goes. If he scores at least 1 run, the Angels have a remarkably higher record compared to when he doesn’t score a run in a game. You get an A from me Chone, and deserved an All-Star nod in my honest opinion.

Bobby Abreu- .302 avg./.405 OBP/83 H/45 R/16 2B/2 3B/6 HR/51 RBI/17 SB

Grade: A-

Talk about a steal and a bargain. I was hoping and praying that the Angels would go after Abreu, because he’s the type of #2 hitter that Mike Scioscia had been begging the front office to get for years. A guy who, over his career, is a .300 hitter and has an OBP of over .400, Bobby is right at his career levels at the midway point of the year. He’s stealing plenty of bases too, so he’s still got some wheels despite being 35 years of age. He’s played adequate defense in right field, but more importantly, has been able to compliment Figgy’s high on-base percentage with that of his own, which sets up run-producing situations for Torii, Vlad, Kendry, Juan etc. Although Abreu doesn’t have his typical home run numbers (6, but averages roughly 20 per season over the course of his career), he’s been worth every penny.

Juan Rivera- .312 avg./.353 OBP/87 H/34 R/15 2B/0 3B/14 HR/50 RBI/0 SB

Grade: A-

I wrote an article on Juan a number of weeks ago talking about how this is his first year being back as an everyday player for the Angels after a few years of being the odd-man out in the stacked Angels outfield. I was thrilled to hear that the Angels inked him for 3 years in the offseason, because he can be a productive hitter when given regular at-bats. He’s impressed me every bit so far this year. He’s been on a power surge after a slow start (home run-wise) and has been driving in runs, all while leading the Angels in batting average with a .312 mark. His defense has been solid in left field as it usually is, and I hope Juan can continue his success because he played the role of a true professional the past couple of years; knowing he could be easily getting everyday at-bats while he wasn’t and not making a scene about it like Jose Guillen did years ago… it’s a feeling of clarity for the man.

Brian Fuentes*- 24 saves/3 BS/3.38 ERA

Grade: A-

After blowing a save in his 2nd appearance as an Angel, Fuentes has calmed down and performed nicely late in games lately, converting on 11 straight save opportunities, as well as 18 of his last 19 save situations. I was a little shaky on him early on, but then again, the whole bullpen was imploding before Angel fans’ eyes. He’s been mowing down opponents lately, and with his league-leading 24 saves, made the All-Star team in his first year as a Halo.

Jered Weaver- 9-3 record/3.15 ERA/114.1 IP/95 K/12 QS

Grade: A-

As you can see, Weaver’s the team leader in every major pitching category (most wins, lowest ERA among starters, most strikeouts, most quality starts). Over the years, Weaver had been the kind of pitcher who would run his pitch count up towards 100 early, and have his night be finished after the 5th inning. This year, he’s done a much better job of controlling his pitching, to where he can pitch deeper into ballgames (recorded his first career shutout back on June 14th against San Diego). He’s been much more composed than in years past too, where sometimes his emotions used to get the best of him. He’s a special pitcher with good stuff, and has far exceeded my expectations this year by being the most consistent pitcher the Halos have to throw out, and he’s not only acted, but also performed like a legitimate #1 starter for the Angels as well.

Kendry Morales- .285 avg./.340 OBP/80 H/37 R/23 2B/2 3B/14 HR/45 RBI/0 SB

Grade: B+

Talk about coming in with some big shoes to fill. KMo had to fill the void of All-Star slugger Mark Teixeira, who opted for the New York Yankees and the 8 years and $180 million dollars they threw at him. A raw talent from Cuba with great power from both sides of the plate, Kendry has done a better job than I thought he would do. He leads the team in extra-base hits (39), and to my surprise, has played pretty good defense at 1st base for the most part. As long as he continues to hit well in the 5 or 6 hole in the lineup, the Angels will continue to have a steady attack if guys like Vladdy, Torii and Bobby continue to get on base. For having such high expectations, he’s responded incredibly well and has produced much more than I could’ve imagined going into the ‘09 season.

Matt Palmer- 7-1 record/4.88 ERA/70.1 IP/42 K/4 QS

Grade: B+

What a story Matt Palmer has turned out to be. Right when Mike Scioscia needed to find another starter, when he could’ve thrown a talented young arm into the regular rotation, he took a chance on a 30-year-old journeyman… and Matt Palmer has made Scioscia’s decision look nothing short of brilliant. He won his first 6 decisions, and has been eating up innings for the Angels as a starter, and has even appeared in relief in 3 games. They say “all good things must come to an end”, but for Matt Palmer, he has been defying that old saying for just about 3 months now.

Maicer Izturis- .303 avg./.351 OBP/56 H/37 R/9 2B/3 3B/2 HR/26 RBI/7 SB

Grade: B+

He’s been a space-filler for most of his tenure with the Angels, but now people are really taking note of how Maicer’s play is deserving of making him an everyday player for Mike Scioscia. Consistent with the bat, and clutch when you need him to be, Maicer’s been very productive through the first half of the season, all while playing impeccable defense at shortstop and 2nd base. Now with Howie Kendrick back from the minors (yet still sputtering), I hope that Maicer won’t find himself as the odd man out again, because he has played far better than Erick Aybar has at the plate and in the field. I’d take my chances with Maicer over Aybar any day.

Erick Aybar- .271 avg./.314 OBP/60 H/26 R/11 2B/2 3B/2 HR/22 RBI/5 SB

Grade: B/B-

Aybar and Izturis create the problem at shortstop that Napoli and Mathis create behind the plate… who to start? Aybar is lightning fast and may be one of the most athletic shortstops in all of the league, but is a streaky hitter whose defense can be erratic at times. While Izturis doesn’t have the speed, range or athleticism that Aybar has, he is a much more consistent hitter at the plate, and is one of the more clutch hitters the Angels have to offer with runners in scoring position. Izturis has impressed me more than Aybar, but when Aybar goes on a tear, look out.

Joe Saunders- 8-5 record/4.44 ERA/107.1 IP/61 K/9 QS

Grade: B-

Coming off an All-Star year where he went 17-7, expectations were high for the former Virginia Tech Hokie. He started the year by throwing 6 2/3 innings of shutout ball en route to an Opening Day shutout, and would move on to compile a 6-2 record at one point. But recently, he hasn’t quite had his pinpoint command, thus giving him his B- grade. He’s put forth 9 quality starts, but the rising ERA is worrisome. He’ll have one more start in all likelihood before the All-Star break, and it’ll be interesting to see how he does following the break. Entering the All-Star break last year, he would go 5-2, but have his fair share of rough outings. We’ll see how he responds, but as of now, he’s been fading quite a bit.

Mike Napoli – .288 avg./.376 OBP/55 H/28 R/10 2B/0 3B/10 HR/30 RBI/2 SB

Grade: C+/C

Pretty good stats for Nap with limited at-bats, so why the low grade, you ask? The defense. Napoli and Mathis foil each other perfectly. Napoli can hit the ball and get on base, but can’t play good defense. Mathis can’t hit the ball or get on base, but plays very good defense. Put them together, and they’d create the unstoppable catcher! Too bad that can’t happen or the Angels would be a juggernaut. Nap’s quietly batted .288 and still works his way on base with pretty good plate discipline, but after this year, management has a decision to make with who to keep and who to let go (if any). Both of their contracts are up following this season… will they stick with one or platoon both like they have this season and last season? Time will tell.

Jeff Mathis – .205 avg./.295 OBP/25 H/17 R/3 2B/0 3B/3 HR/19 RBI/0 SB

Grade: C-

Had it not been for his good defense behind the plate, he’d be a D- or an F. Mathis’ poor hitting continues despite hitting well in Spring Training (.340 avg./6 2B/4 HR/13 RBI in only 54 at-bats). He’s done a great job of calling games and has played waaaaaaay better defense than Mike Napoli this year. I just don’t know how much longer I can give Mathis the benefit of the doubt by saying “well, his defense makes up for it”… because his hitting has been nonexistent ever since he’s been in the majors.

Howie Kendrick – .227 avg./.275 OBP/45 H/26 R/7 2B/2 3B/4 HR/22 RBI/7 SB

Grade: D-

What an unexpected disappointment. After hitting .285, .322., and .306 in his first 3 years in the MLB, his .227 average just came out of nowhere. After being a .360+ average hitter in the minors, his hitting translated well through his first 3 seasons, but has dramatically dropped off so much that Mike Scioscia sent him down to AAA Salt Lake for 3 weeks to find his swing. His defense hasn’t been all that great either, which opened the door for Maicer Izturis, and he’s taken full advantage of the opportunity. Kendrick doesn’t deserve to start at this point, in my opinion, but it’s Mike Scioscia’s opinion, not mine, that matters.

Vladimir Guerrero hasn’t had enough at-bats for me to give him a fair grade, but he’s been picking up the pace ever since he shaved his head (good idea, because those dreads were getting a little nasty!). He’s starting to look like the Vlad of old, and the Big Daddy has been racking up the extra-base hits over the past week, which is a welcome sign to Halo fans as well as the rest of the lineup.

John Lackey has been regaining his stuff over the past few starts and is looking like the Lackey of the past few seasons. Meanwhile, Ervin Santana has been on and off of the DL this year, but has struggled mightily in his starts.

Still 81 more games to go, but so far, the Angels have faced a lot of adversity, and have done the most that they’ve been able to do with the hand they’ve been dealt.

I still truly believe their best baseball is in front them.

After today’s All-Star team rosters were announced, I’m proud to say that two very deserving Angels made the squad, those two being the Halos’ first half Superman in Torii Hunter, and first-year closer Brian Fuentes.

In 75 games played, Torii has posted a .304 batting average, along with a club-best 17 home runs and 63 RBI to go along with some stellar center field play (still 0 errors on the season… hopefully this won’t jinx him!). He’s been on fire all year long, and without his hot bat during Vlad’s DL stint, who knows where the Angels would be. One thing’s for sure, they sure as heck wouldn’t be sitting atop the AL West.

He will be making his 3rd All-Star appearance, as he finished 4th in outfield voting, barely missing a starting spot behind Seattle Mariner hit machine Ichiro Suzuki, Boston Red Sox slugger Jason Bay, and the Texas Rangers’ comeback kid in Josh Hamilton, who has only played in 35 of the team’s 80 games this year (but I guess that’s what you get when the fans vote).

And for Fuentes, he’s been successful on 24 of 27 possible save opportunities this year, and that 24 saves is tops among all MLB closers. After a rocky start to the season (blowing 2 of his first 7 save opportunities), Fuentes has been in a groove, shutting the door in 19 of his past 20 opportunities. He hasn’t given up a run since May 30th and in 10 appearances during the month of June, he allowed no runs and only surrendered 3 hits to opposing lineups.

Fuentes was selected in by the players and coaches, with this being his 4th All-Star appearance of his career (All-Star from 2005-2007 with the Colorado Rockies).

The 2009 All-Star game takes place on Tuesday July 14th under the Gateway Arch in beautiful St. Louis, Missouri.

During yesterday’s Sox/Rangers tilt, after making a phenomenal catch, Jacoby Ellsbury reinjured the shoulder he tweaked earlier in the game, forcing him to have to come out. With the return of Mark Kotsay to the Sox bench, there are now two center field options, him and Rocco Baldelli and it seems neither was particularly excited to play center. The two men squared off in the oldest of baseball traditions, deciding who plays where via Rocks-Paper-Scissors. Baldelli wins and gets to play right.

I like that Tito allowed this, after all, what’s the difference? Both men play the position solidly and no one else was available with JD Drew having received a cortisone shot earlier in the day. No reason to make it a big deal. I like it!

[Sox & Dawgs]

The White Sox recent offensive performance has caused fans to start watching games with Maalox handy.  One of the biggest areas of concern is the situation in center field.  So far in 2009, regular White Sox center fielders are hitting a combined .252, with 1 home run and 14 RBIs.  It does not help that virtually everyone on the team is having a less than average season.

The White Sox have been unsuccessful at replacing Aaron Rowand in center field following the 2005 championship season.  The list of players who have graced center field for the Sox since 2006 rivals that of Bears quarterbacks since Jim McMahon. Brian Anderson, Rob Mackowiak, Ryan Sweeney, Jerry Owens, Darrin Erstad, Luis Terrero, Andy Gonzalez, Scott Podsednik, Nick Swisher, Ken Griffey Jr, Dewayne Wise, Alexei Ramirez and Brent Lillibridge have all tried their hand in center.

In the three complete seasons since the Sox traded Rowand, he has averaged .284, 17 home runs, and 69 RBIs.  In 2007, Rowand was an All-Star and won his first Gold Glove.  Those numbers are not outstanding, but are certainly better than those of the merry-go-round of players the Sox fielded.

The White Sox traded Rowand to Philadelphia for Jim Thome prior to the 2006 season.  Thome has brought a big bat and a great attitude to the Sox.  Yet the team has never been able to replace the chemistry Rowand brought to the South Side.  Rowand signed five year, $60 million contract going into 2008.

There is no way to tell what the fate of the Sox would have been if Rowand had been manning center field.  The Sox missed out on Gary Matthews Jr. and Torii Hunter in the free agent market, both of whom signed with the Angels.  Four years later the White Sox are still struggling to find a regular center fielder.  The decision to trade Rowand will be debated as much as the infamous “White Flag Trade” from the trading deadline in 1997.  As it stands, Sox fans are forced to live with the underwhelming play from the current rotation of players.

The New York Yankees have announced that Brett Gardner will be the starting Center Fielder.It was thought to have been a very close position battle between Gardner and Melky Cabrera but I guess the Yanks saw something in Brett that will make them better.  Gardner is hitting .364 in Spring Training with 6 RBIs and 5 SBs, while Melky Cabrera is batting .345 with 9 RBIs and 2 SBs.  I know Brett Gardner has the speed but I think Melky is the better fielder.  I know Melky is not the best hitter but he has a great arm in the field.  That arm will be missed.

Brett Gardner just hit his second HR of the spring — this one, off of Aaron Harang to tie the game, 3-3. Gardner is hitting .444 with 2 SB while Melky is hitting .125 (1 single in 8 AB). Joe Girardi is certainly impressed with Gardner and seems to like what he brings to the table.

I know it’s early and I know the Yankees aren’t evaluating players until the end of spring training, however, Melky better start showing the team something if he expects to compete in this CF “battle.”

UPDATE - Nice quote from Nick Swisher on Gardner:

“That’s the fastest white dude I’ve ever seen.”

After Melky Cabera’s terrible 2008, the door is wide open in CF, creating quite an interesting position battle that will play out this spring. Based on Pete Caldera’s latest, it seems as though the two candidates — Melky and Brett Gardner — are already pushing each other as they both attempt to win the starting job.

Cabrera admitted that the competition against Gardner forced him to drop out of the World Baseball Classic, where he was listed on the Dominican Republic’s roster.

“I need to play [here],” Cabrera said. “I need to show the manager I’m here every day, and play hard.”

Smart move by Melky. Initially, I thought CF was basically his to lose in camp, however, after hearing Girardi rave about Brett Gardner’s speed, I’m not too sure if that’s true.

“He creates havoc. I think that’s probably the best way to describe him offensively,” Girardi said of the lefty-hitting Gardner, who stole 13 bases in 14 attempts in 42 games with the Yanks last summer. “Every time he’s on the base paths, it changes the way the pitcher thinks, it changes the way the defense thinks.”

If Willy Taveras can be a regular outfielder, there’s no reason Brett Gardner can’t be, as well. In fact, he’s been working on putting the ball on the ground this off-season so that he can take advantage of the speed that Girardi and others seem to love.

Gardner spent the winter working on his bunting. “It’s something I plan to incorporate more this season,” he said.

Gardner’s speed, patience and defense could allow him to become the favorite. Basically, Melky will have to hit his way into the lineup, as that is the only skill he posseses that Gardner doesn’t necessarily have. Of course, if Melky fails to hit, not only will he find himself on the bench or in AAA, but he could also find himself sitting in another organization’s clubhouse.

From the Anthony McCarron (Daily News):

“I think he’s innately a confident guy,” said Mark Newman, who runs the farm system as the Yanks’ VP of baseball operations. “He believes he can be a player. He’s never been a high-profile guy. He is a hugely committed player, and guys with that kind of makeup it’s hard to say they’ll never make it.”

Gardner hit .153 in his first 17 games in the majors last year, but hit .294 over his final 25 after a three-week stint in the minors. The scout noted that Gardner’s speed could be a weapon unlike anything the Yankees currently have.

“If he hits the ball on the ground to the right of second base, they’ll have one hell of a time throwing him out,” said the scout, who last season clocked Gardner to first in 3.5 seconds on a bunt. “I’d spend a lot of time with him on bunting, dragging it and pushing it. He could add another 15 hits a year. And even if he doesn’t get a hit, he can cause the infielders, especially the shortstop, to hurry their throws and they’ll screw it up sometimes.”

But Gardner has struggled at times to keep the ball on the ground. “We don’t want him to hit the ball in the air and he doesn’t want to, either,” Newman said. “He’s aware of it. He’s not a little guy who thinks he should hit home runs. The lion’s share of balls he puts in play need to be flat.

“There were a lot of center fielders like him in the majors 20 years ago. There are not many of them now, but that doesn’t mean his skill set doesn’t translate. Mickey Rivers would be the last time we’ve had anybody like this, so it hasn’t been the typical model for the Yankees. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be.”

If Willy Taveras can be a “successful” major-leaguer, then so can Brett Gardner. It’ll be interesting to see if that success comes with the Yankees however, as Newman notes he’s not the prototypical center fielder for this team.

With that said, who would you to see start in CF next year? Melky or Gardner? As a starting point for discussion, Melky’s CHONE projection (.280/.345/.402) is significantly better than Gardner’s (.258/.341/.345), although I must note that Gardner’s minor league numbers indicate an improvement with every second chance given. Maybe that will translate into 2009.

(Props to WW).

From Ken Rosenthal (FOXSports):

The Yankees aren’t done. And if they’re smart, they will sign free-agent right-hander Ben Sheets to be their fifth starter and righty Juan Cruz to be a setup reliever.

The extent of the Yankees’ interest in Sheets and Cruz is not known, but even after adding CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Damaso Marte, the team continues to explore the markets for both starters and relievers.

Sheets, while a physical risk, could be the Yankees’ answer to Brad Penny and John Smoltz, both of whom signed with the Red Sox for relatively low base salaries with the chance to earn significantly more through incentives.

Cruz, a Type-A free agent, makes more sense for the Yankees than he does for any other club. Mark Teixeira, Sabathia and Burnett were higher-ranked free agents, so Cruz would cost the Yankees only a fourth-round draft pick.

The team’s priority, however, remains free-agent lefty Andy Pettitte, who rejected an offer of a one-year, $10 million contract yet appears to have no other alternatives.

SI.com, citing a baseball source, reported Tuesday that Pettitte is weighing a lesser offer to return to the Astros. However, Astros GM Ed Wade told FOXSports.com, “I haven’t had any discussions with Andy or any of his representatives at all. We’re up against our (budget) number right now.”

The possibility of the Yankees re-signing Pettitte can not be dismissed until the team fills his spot in the rotation. But Sheets and Cruz combined probably would not cost the Yankees much more than $10 million.

At the moment, the Yankees are committed to paying $187.975 million to 17 players, according to salary information compiled from the Cot’s Baseball Contracts web site.

That number would climb above $190 million if the Yankees spent $10 million more on pitching and followed through on their plan to trade Xavier Nady or Nick Swisher. But the payroll still would be below last season’s Opening Day figure of $209 million.

The question, then, is which pitchers the Yankees will choose — and whether they will sign another catcher to protect against the possibility that Jorge Posada recovers slowly from shoulder surgery.

The Yankees showed early interest in Sheets, then backed off after signing Sabathia and Burnett. Like other teams, they’re concerned about Sheets’ late-season elbow trouble and history of injury. But at the right price, Sheets would be a reasonable gamble.

That price, one executive predicts, will be in the $6 million to $8 million range for one year, with incentives that could push the total value past $14 million. A lucrative club option also might be part of the package.

The Yankees would prefer greater reliability, particularly when Burnett and Joba Chamberlain already are physical concerns. Pettitte, based on his track record, stands a better chance than Sheets of pitching 200 innings. But what would be the worst-case scenario if Sheets blew out? Phil Hughes or a mid-season trade.

Cruz would fill perhaps a bigger void. The Yankees aren’t convinced that he would be a slam-dunk setup man. But Marte, a left-hander, and Brian Bruney, a righty, aren’t slam-dunk setup men, either.

The Yankees, adamant about Chamberlain staying in the rotation, need to build a better bridge to closer Mariano Rivera. Cruz is coming off two excellent seasons with the Diamondbacks. Only the Rays’ Grant Balfour had a higher strikeout rate among major-league relievers in 2008. If the price for Cruz is say, two years, $10 million, how could the Yankees walk away?

They couldn’t. They wouldn’t. They’re not done yet.

Just a few quick comments in relation to KR’s post.

1. If Andy Pettitte joins the Astros for less than $10 million, I will boo the shit out of him for the rest of my life. Andy is acting like a scorned lover. Dude, you’re integrity is already shot. Hell, I don’t know if I like you now and you haven’t even made a decision.

2. If the Yankees can sign Juan Cruz on a 2-year deal, I’d take it. I don’t really think it’s necessary, but you can’t argue with cheap talent. This team has money and when you have money, there’s no greater time to use it than when the market hits rock bottom. Brian Cashman should at least make a move on Adam Dunn, if not Cruz.

3. If the Yankees can sign Ben Sheets for $6 million, I’d take it. If he wants something higher, go back to Andy (unless he clowns us and opts for Houston). If the concerns over his elbow are minor then there is no reason for Sheets to be available when the Yankees need pitching. For this reason, I believe that the concerns aren’t minor, because the Yanks would have gotten him already. However, maybe Brian Cashman is so used to making big-money deals, he forgot how to construct a measly $6 million contract.

4. Finally, KR says that the Yankees are pleased with Melky’s progress this winter and are fine with a CF situation that features both he and Brett Gardner. They’re looking to go with defense over offense, it seems.

If a Mike Cameron trade were to occur, then it would be based upon the notion that OF prospect, Austin Jackson, will be ready for the 2010 season. However, I figured I’d ask the inevitable question: what if Jackson isn’t ready? It’s a realistic question, really, since Jackson spent the entire ‘08 season in AA ball and has only been in 1 AAA game (in 2007).  His AA numbers were solid but not spectacular (.285/.354/.419). He’s 21, will be 22 next year, and he could take time to develop beyond AA. There’s no need to rush a 21-year old, just yet, and you don’t want to put pressure on him.

Now, Mike Cameron would be on the team for one season and then he’d be gone. If A-Jax isn’t ready to roam CF by then and if you traded Melky for Cameron, you’re basically left with Brett Gardner as your everyday CF. On top of that, and assuming the Yankees recognize Gardner as a 4th OF and not an everyday player, then the team would actually have NO regular outfielders (Damon, Matsui and Nady will likely leave) and will have to rebuild through the free agent market. Right now, there just doesn’t seem like there’s a long-term plan for rebuilding the OF and the plan that is currently in place puts a ton of pressure on a kid who may not even be ready by 2010.

Well, it looks like Cameron Maybin’s impressive end of season play has earned him the starting Center Fielder position on next year’s Florida Marlins team.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/rumors/post/Maybin-s-September-earns-him-starting-job-in-Apr?urn=mlb,120212

This is great news!!!  Although nobody should expect Maybin to duplicate what he did in the last few weeks of the 2008 season, it is great to see that he will be with the team on Opening Day 2009!!!  I have never been to a game on Opening Day, but I might not be able to say that for too much longer as I would love to be there to watch him play on one of baseball’s best days of the year.

This just goes to show that hard work truely does pay off.  Congratulations Cameron!!!

Two Phillies — Shane Victorino and Jimmy Rollins — secured defensive honors this year as Gold Glove recipients. The nod is the first for the former and the second for the latter, who won his first last year during his NL MVP season.

Victorino moved into center this year, after Aaron Rowand was traded to the Giants. Rowand won a Gold Glove in 2007, playing center field for Philly.

Trend? Let’s hope.

From George King III (NY Post):

Decision makers in The Bronx and Pittsburgh said yesterday there was nothing to the Yankees acquiring outfielder Nate McLouth from the Pirates – yet.

“We haven’t talked about it, it’s premature,” a Yankees source said.

“Haven’t heard a word about that,” a Pirates source said.

Pirates GM Neal Huntington has declared nobody is untouchable, and the Pirates are looking to upgrade a poor minor league system and major league talent base, so McLouth’s name has been tossed around. The Yankees are in the market for a center fielder.

Though some believe the left-handed hitting McLouth isn’t a true center fielder. The first-time All-Star batted .276 this year with 26 homers and 94 RBIs. McLouth, 27 later this month, was 23-for-26 in stolen base attempts and had a .356 on-base percentage.

After trading outfielders Jason Bay to Boston and Xavier Nady to the Yankees, respectively, the Pirates would want a lot for McLouth, who isn’t yet eligible for arbitration and made $450,000 this past season.

I’m surprised that King even pursued this rumor. The season is barely over for the Yanks and the Bucs, but I guess you can never be too soon when jumping on possible trades (I’ve written about the rumor before, however, I figured it was simply speculation whereas here, King’s use of the word “yet” makes it seem like it’s practically written in stone). McLouth would be a nice coupe if the Yankees can get him. He’s just the type of player Cashman is talking about in terms of being young, athletic and, of course, affordable. If he does become a legitimate target, expect IPK to be thrown around as a possible trading chip. Hell, maybe in two years the entire Pirate rotation will feature Yankee castoffs (Karstens, Ohlendorf, Kennedy).

King also mentions Mike Cameron as a possible target, although he’s still under contract with the Brewers and they would have to buy out his final year.

In 2009, who would you like to see in CF?

If the Yankees plug in Brett Gardner, the OF would shape up to be Gardner in center, Damon in left and Nady in right. That’s a fairly solid defensive configuration. Of course, this arrangement is contingent upon the notion that Melky Cabrera will not be a starter next year and will likely make the team, but as a defensive replacement, off the bench (our 4th outfielder).

The second configuration could skimp on the defense, allowing for more offense. The Yankees could plug Damon into center and then figure things out from there. They could sign Manny Ramirez to a 3 or 4-year deal and let him roam RF (move Nady to LF), or they could try Matsui in the OF and hope that he doesn’t die. This would open up the DH hole, allowing them to add another bopper.

Why go the offensive route when the pitching is more important, you ask? Well, say the Yanks fail to lure CC Sabathia or sign AJ Burnett (Burnett is still a huge drop off from CC). They would have to “settle” for Derek Lowe and maybe Jon Garland (unless they try to trade). I figure they would probably add Joba into the rotation as well, since the 4 starters (Wang, Lowe, Pettitte, Garland) can be counted on to eat innings, however, the rotation itself isn’t as strong as it could’ve been with a Sabathia or a Burnett. You’re essentially adding offense to offset the output expected from your pitchers. It’s a strong rotation but it’s not lights out, therefore more hitting would make some sense and it would allow the Yankees to take Joba out of games earlier (with a lead) and limiting his workload (it’d help Jon Garland too).

What do you think? Is the first option best or is the second option best? Or, do we simply have to wait and see because the pitching will decide how the story is told?

Jon Heyman has an article out about next year’s Yankees and takes a look at a few of their rumored free agent/trade options. While we already know that the team will probably be very different come 2009, Heyman has a few specifics.

First, on CC Sabathia, Heyman notes that a Yankee insider believes it will be hard to get CC to play in pinstripes. Apparently, CC loves the NL and he has always wanted to play in California (his home state). At times, it has seemed as though signing CC was a foregone conclusion, however, it looks like the Yanks will have their work cut out for him. Heyman reminds us that money talks, and the Yankees can talk up a storm, so I obviously wouldn’t rule him out just yet.

Heyman also brings up our center field situation. Johnny Damon in center field, everyday, could hurt the Yankees a lot over the course of a season. With that in mind, Heyman states that the Yankees are looking to shore up center with a trade. Nate McLouth, David DeJesus and Matt Kemp are three names that have been “speculated on”, according to Heyman. All three names are very intriguing. If I had to speculate, I think the Yankees would make a run at David DeJesus. He’s a local boy (Brooklyn born, Rutgers graduate) that’s under 30 and he’d be a lot cheaper than McLouth or Kemp (he’s a solid player).

Now, in terms of McLouth and Kemp, both are very exciting talents with a combination of speed and power. McLouth may have overperformed in the power department, but his hitting talent is real. Kemp didn’t have the huge year that many expected him to have, but he still put up good numbers and should continue to blossom into a real star. I don’t know why the Dodgers would trade him since he’s supposed to be a future masher, but Heyman reminds us that the Dodgers, and specifically Joe Torre, have expressed some interest in Cano, so he could end up being a trading chip if such a deal were to occur (which would allow the Yankees to chase Orlando Hudson).

As I read Heyman’s piece, one thing is certainly clear—the Yankees are trying to get younger and are looking to ramp up their defense. If this is the case, I would expect Brian Cashman to stick around next year. This direction, pursuing younger, more athletic guys, would seem to have his fingerprints all over it.

I have tried not to fall into the position of watching and waiting for rookies to make their debuts.  I have been burned numerous times in my card collecting life by the ‘Next Dwight Gooden’ or ‘Next Eric Davis’.

But, when the Florida Marlins traded Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis last year to the Tigers, I was more than curious to see what we were getting in return.   To date, none of the players have been a breakout success with the Marlins.  Andrew Miller had started 20 games for the ‘Fish’ this year before going on the DL and is now working his way through the minors in an attempt to be back with the club by the end of the year.  Catcher Mike Rabelo hit just .202 in 34 games before being demoted.  Both Burke Badenhop and Eulogio De La Cruz embarrased themselves as members of our pitching staff and neither has been seen since July 1.  And Dallas Trahern is bouncing around A and AAA ball with his wonderful 6+ ERA.

So, it’s all up to Cameron Maybin.  He is the last player from the trade that holds any glimmer of hope for all Marlin Fans.  No pressure, but we need him to step up and be our everyday Center Fielder and it would help if he could score runs for us at will as well as steal 25+ bases and hit 25+ home runs every year.  The notes on Maybin are pretty positive and they all just say he needs time to adjust to major league pitching.  Based on his number of strikeouts this season(115 in 101 games) in AA ball, it’s clear he’s not ready to step in just yet.  But everything else looks very promising – .278 batting average, with 68 runs scored, 13 home runs, and 20 steals. 

We’re all keeping our fingers crossed that Maybin can turn into an everyday player because if he does not, this extremely one-sided trade with the Tigers could end up being one of the worst trades in baseball history.

Good Luck Cameron, South Florida is waiting for you!!!

The guys at RAB came up with an interesting post last night, as they sparked a debate over who should be playing CF for the Yankees (you can join the debate, here). The RAB writers are big fans of Brett Gardner, who has been doing a terrific job for the club’s AAA team. Like the writers at RAB, most Yankee fans are still trying to figure out what the Yankees have in Melky Cabrera (is he the next Alex Rios or what?), although he remains a fan favorite amongst many circles.

Here’s a bit of text from the post:

This season though has been a tale of two Melky’s. His Opening Day homer gave us all hope that he was in line for the breakout season that many predicted was coming, and as recently as May 4th it looked like the breakout was legit. After hitting .291-.359-.505 with a team leading six longballs through his first 31 games, Melky has become an offensive blackhole. The numbers aren’t pretty: .257-.293-.284 with a whopping three extra base hits (all doubles) in his last 30 games.

This is true about Melky. His BA in June is .294 (so hits are falling), but so is his slugging percentage (it’s also .294), which is sort of scary. His lack of XBH is obviously effecting that number, but his OBP of .333 is pretty decent. It appears as though his homer hitting way at the beginning of the season was a hot streak, but if he can up that slugging percentage, he could certainly be a good offensive CF.

Here’s some more text on Gardner:

Enter Brett Gardner. The Yanks’ third round pick in 2005 has spend the first two-and-a-half years of his professional career terrorizing the opposition, whether it be by working counts (.387 career OBP), spraying hits to all fields (.290 BA), or running wild on the basepaths (141 SB). He’s added another much needed element to this game this year: power. Through 60 games he’s already tripled his homer total of the previous two season combined, and is slugging at a .454 clip, almost 80 points better than his career output coming into the year.

Now, I’m a big fan of Gardner and what he can do for the Yankees. His minor league numbers are much more consistent when compared to Melky’s figures (Melky had a couple of performance spikes which got him a call but they could be signs of his true abilities). He gets on base and is an Ichiro-type, although his abilities are nowhere near Ichiro’s, obviously.

I would like to see Brett Gardner on the Yankees, however, I would not want to see him taking playing time away from Melky. If Melky’s numbers plummeted, I wouldn’t be opposed to a demotion for Melky and a call up for Gardner, since I think it would really help the two through competition. But, until Melky’s BA, OBP and SLG drop, then I’m sort of against the idea. I’m also opposed to having Gardner come up to be a pinch runner or bench player, since he should continue to develop in AAA.

It’s strange to say, but Melky really carried the team (along with Abreu and Matsui) at the beginning of the season with his bat and his defense (his defense has stuck with him and Brett Gardner doesn’t have his arm, but he’s faster and could probably run routes well). Melky, like many other players, will certainly have his good months and his bad months. I’ll wait to see how he performs for the rest of the month and then make a decision about his future. For whatever reason (his youthful exuberance?), Melky has managed to charm us and therefore we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt (he also has a lot of untapped potential, or at least I think he does).

Nell’udienza generale del mercoledì