Bonn1997 wrote:I wonder if A-Rod is actually clean now? If so, why the heck did he ever use steroids?! It's only 32 at bats but still...

Yeah he's been great. My feeling is he's clean now, but I wouldn't blame anyone who has doubts...Part of me feels bad for the guy. Yeah, he messed up BAD but he paid a steep price for it -- it's over now. The Yanks didn't trade him or cut him, he's back and part of the team. Small sample so far, I get that, but he's back to the point where he's a major threat in the lineup and back to giving the team proper return on their investment. He deserves credit -- I thought we'd see a complete train wreck of a player this year but that hasn't been the case at all...He's carrying this team right now. For the Yanks to come out in advance and say they're not gonna celebrate him passing Mays on the HR list and plan on fighting him getting his $6mm kicker or whatever (something that's in his contract that the Yanks agreed to pay him), it just feels wrong and real sour grapes. I feel like if the HR to pass Mays comes at home, you take a min. to put it up on the board, you have the PA announcer congratulate him and give the fans an opportunity to acknowledge it if they want (unless A-Rod informs the team he doesn't want any acknowledgement at all which could very well be--I'd probably feel that way if I were him. Mark my words though, if the Yanks chose to do nothing, the fans and his teammates will find a way to acknowledge it somehow). And you pay the man the kicker you agreed to pay him. I mean come on Hal and Hank--did you like any of the HRs he's hit while wearing a Yankee uniform up 'til now? Some were huge.. Even this year, he's hit 4 big HRs--2 that won the 2nd game of the Rays series. Did Hal, Hank and co. clap and like those HRs? I'm sure they did. I know I did..Do they want the guy content and productive the rest of the year? I hope so -- I certainly do...Don't be cheap hypocrites. Stay classy--acknowledge the milestone however brief for one of your own & pay the man the money. If the Stadium crowd can forgive him for the most part (he's gotten a lot of love this year so far--it's nice to see people forgive), why can't the Yankees' brass? Right now, I see a hot productive player and a team that's just gotten themselves back on track. Synergy is good right now..Why do anything to disrupt that? This guy's suffered through a tremendous amount of embarrassment both professionally and personally along with great financial loss--let the man move on now. I dunno -- maybe I've softened up as I've gotten older but I can't see burning this man at the stake. MUCH, MUCH worse people in the world than Alex Rodriguez.

jrodmc wrote:CC's not getting much run support, but he is pitching bad. Tex and McCann leaving 7 LOB. No matter what, I don't see CC going to the bullpen. For what, to eff that up?

He'll probably end up on the DL. Only a matter of time before something is found (or made up) that's broken or torn. First time I've ever heard of a pitcher being happy he's got "extra padding".

Pirela going 2 for 4 at the bottom of the order.

jrodmc wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

jrodmc wrote:CC's not getting much run support, but he is pitching bad. Tex and McCann leaving 7 LOB. No matter what, I don't see CC going to the bullpen. For what, to eff that up?

He'll probably end up on the DL. Only a matter of time before something is found (or made up) that's broken or torn. First time I've ever heard of a pitcher being happy he's got "extra padding".

Pirela going 2 for 4 at the bottom of the order.

Yeah, CC's not pitching quite as badly as his record but he's still been bad. For the past few years now, his strikeouts and walks have been good but he gives up a million home runs. I think he could help the team more as a long reliever than on the DL but you're prob right that they won't do that. It would be publicly admitting how bad his contract is if the only thing he can do while healthy is mid relief.

That's what used to drive me nuts when Wetteland was closing for the Yankees all those years ago. He'd give up one or two homers and almost blow the game, but then would strike out the side. Too much drama. Yeah, Bonn, I know, you weren't out of diapers yet back then.

The bullpen from start to finish is a beautiful thing right now, not in need of any drama. I think we will just have to suffer through with having the most expensive, largest, back of the rotation guy in the majors. Not like he's got any trade value with his performance and that contract.

y2zipper wrote:CC's value is that he'll give the team a lot of innings, even if he's bad. He's thrown 200 innings his while career until last year. After Tanaka and Pineda, which is as good a top 2 as there is in the AL, the Yankees don't have a viable starter that stands out from the rest right now so there isn't really any reason to take him out of the rotation.

Bonn1997 wrote:I haven't heard this discussed more...Why does Chris Young not play every day?

It's a valid point -- Young's gotta play over Beltran full-time. No question about it. Both guys are just keeping RF warm for Aaron Judge (who's been hot in the minors, along with Refsnyder -- both guys might be a year away right now) but in the meantime Young's got a lot more to offer at this point over Beltran both offensively and defensively. Young's a nice player -- good pop, he's fast and he's a lot better fielder than I first thought. Above average at all 3 OF spots. Good pickup last year...I'd even play Pirela full-time at 2B now that he's up. Those are the 2 offensive tweaks to make -- insert Young and Pirela full-time and don't look back. What does Joe think he owes Beltran and Drew? Absolutely nothing. Neither guy has done a damn thing since putting on the pinstripes...

Finestrg wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:I haven't heard this discussed more...Why does Chris Young not play every day?

It's a valid point -- Young's gotta play over Beltran full-time. No question about it. Both guys are just keeping RF warm for Aaron Judge (who's been hot in the minors, along with Refsnyder -- both guys might be a year away right now) but in the meantime Young's got a lot more to offer at this point over Beltran both offensively and defensively. Young's a nice player -- good pop, he's fast and he's a lot better fielder than I first thought. Above average at all 3 OF spots. Good pickup last year...I'd even play Pirela full-time at 2B now that he's up. Those are the 2 offensive tweaks to make -- insert Young and Pirela full-time and don't look back. What does Joe think he owes Beltran and Drew? Absolutely nothing. Neither guy has done a damn thing since putting on the pinstripes...

Funny, I wonder if they post UK Off Topic Yankee thread in the clubhouse?.... Beltran finally hits a homer and Drew's doing his Cano impersonation at 2nd base.

I've liked Young since he blasted that walk off homer last year against...I forget, but it was towards the end of the season. Don't you love how almost all ex-Mets seem to thrive in Yankee Stadium? Except for Beltran, obviously.

Bonn1997 wrote:

y2zipper wrote:CC's value is that he'll give the team a lot of innings, even if he's bad. He's thrown 200 innings his while career until last year. After Tanaka and Pineda, which is as good a top 2 as there is in the AL, the Yankees don't have a viable starter that stands out from the rest right now so there isn't really any reason to take him out of the rotation.

Right now his wins above replacement is -0.1, meaning that you could give his innings to a replacement level player (a guy who barely made it into the league) and get a slightly better result. It would be great to get him out of the starting lineup. It would require Tanaka and Nova being healthy and the other starters to continue pitching better than CC.

Would Capuano qualify as a replacement level player?

Pineda, Eovaldi, Capuano, Nova, Warren, CC. Not terrible, if healthy (and the BP remains healthy as well), hopefully.
And if Tanaka actually comes back, all the better.