Everytime the Yankees lose a big game, or even a moderately important one, the comment sections at the major Yankees blogs are filled with the same refrains, repeated ad nauseum, suggesting solutions to what ails the Yankees. I want to run through them, to dispel the logic behind most of them and to point out that some of them are symptoms rather than causes of the Yankee issues.
1) Jorge Posada’s gamecalling- I have had too many arguments with Steve on Jorge’s game calling to rehash them here. I would like to recommend Pete Abe’s article on this today, however, and add one point of my own. Regardless of which pitches are being called, the pitchers are not throwing them for strikes, which is their job. I do not care if Posada called for an eephus pitch, the job of the pitcher is to throw the ball in the strike zone, and nobody is following through on that.
2) Nick Swisher- Does he some stupid things occasionally? You bet. However, he is third among all rightfielders in OPS and is about middle of the pack according to most defensive metrics. That puts him in the top 5 among rightfielders in the entire sport. He is far from the problem, and the next person to call him a bench player is getting a verbal beatdown.
3) Hideki Matsui- I have heard so many complaints about his running and how he gives them no flexibility, a claim I could never understand. If they want more flexibility with the lineup, they could always bench him. The idea that hitter with an OPS+ of 120 is a liability is ridiculous.
4) Joba in the rotation- This is the most frequent claim. The Yankees lose to Fernando Nieve, and people bring up Joba. I do not get how people can look at the Yankees rotation and advocate moving a guy with a sub-4.00 ERA to the bullpen. It really is total madness.
5) The Coaching Staff- Coaches are overrated. Like it or not, Dave Eiland can only help the pitchers in the bullpen. Once they hit the field they need to execute, and are not doing so. Joe Girardi has more of an impact, but even he is unlikely to cost the team or win the team many games. Regardless, I think that he has done a very solid job outside of a few curious tactical mistakes that no manager is immune to.
6) Angel Berroa and Jose Veras- These two players are not actually problems, but they are symptoms of an issue. Quite frankly, at this point, they do not get playing time in any moments that would make them a real problem. The issue is that they represent a bit of neglect regarding the roster on the part of Brian Cashman. There is no reason for Angel Berroa to be on this team when you consider that A-Rod is playing every day. If they send him down and lose him, would that be so terrible? Could we nnot find someone equally horrendous if the situation called for another infielder? The same could be said about Veras. If he is a part that the manager is loathe to use in importnat spots, he should be replaced with someone who has a chance to make an impact.
What is the problem? The pitchers do not throw enough strikes and the offense is inconsistent with RISP. Neither is a crippling issue, as evidenced by the Yankees 2nd in the AL record, but the pitching issue in particular needs to be addressed for this club to win a championship. Personally, I believe the solutions are already on the roster, and must find a greater level of consistency. If not, Brian Cashman may have some work to do.
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24 Responses to Not The Problem
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All good points that I agree with. I’d further emphasize though the importance of hitting with RISP and how the Yankees have not performed well in that statistic. I believe it is more significant than you suggest and is 2nd in terms of root issues that need to be addressed, after inconsistent starting pitching. Of course, the rub in both cases is that they are not so easy to address. At least with starting pitching, the Yankees have options, as far as substituting Phil Hughes if Wang continues to struggle. Or at least mixing and matching. But the hitting with RISP has seemed to be a challenge for this team the past few seasons. No answer to that one, but the first thing I’d do is move A-Rod down in the order until he shows some consistency at the plate. Hitting him behind Tex is killing them. Tex is getting key hit after key hit and then A-Rod strikes out or pops up. I’d put Swisher 4th for now. I know, I know, people will say that one of the reasons Tex is hitting so well is because he’s getting better pitches to hit with A-Rod behind him. I’d love to see if that is true and the only way to know is by moving A-Rod down in the order. If you want to talk OPS, he’s now behind both Cano and Damon in that category, so can’t use that as proof A-Rod belongs in the cleanup spot.
Sorry, meant A-Rod is behind Swisher & Damon in OPS, not Cano.
Moshe, I agree with all of your points.
Arod is the best hitter on the team. Over his career his numbers RISP or LIPS are excellent. He’s had several big hits in big situations this year despite struggling overall. He’s our clean-up hitter because he’s the person best suited for that role.
The Veras issue definitely stinks, because it sounds like when Bruney comes back, they probably have to send down Robertson instead of Veras because Veras doesn’t have options left. That sucks.
I really doubt it. I would be shocked if they sent Robertson down. They pitched him Sunday to make sure he didn’t have too many days off in a row. That suggests that they think he is too important to let stay unworked for a while. It’ll be Veras or Tomko.
Mo, you’re so locked into an ideological position on Posada that you allow no room for compromise. I have no problem with Jorge’s ‘game calling’. Game calling is impossible to quantify one way or the other and always has been.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=432
However, some Catchers have certain styles that don’t mesh well with certain Pitchers. Pettitte and Mo love working with Posada, Mussina and Randy Johnson hated it. They’re human beings, not stat sheets that can be plugged in and perform like machines. AJ Burnett and CC Sabathia have made it abundantly clear they prefer Cervelli. I would allow them to do so. I’m arguing for him to start twice a week, not once. Not exactly the end of humanity as we know it.
I have never once argued for Cervelli to be the everyday catcher because I don’t believe he should be, I think he should catch when those two (CC/AJ) are pitching. Why? Because those two guys are more important to this team than any one position player. Because pitching is hard enough when you just have to worry about the batter, adding trouble with your catcher on top of that is too much to ask of anyone at this level.
If you think his hitting is more valuable than getting optimum performance out of the pitchers, or you don’t care what the pitchers think, then we’ll just have to agree to disagree on this matter. No hitter is ever worth compromising my starting pitcher, in my book. Plus, you can always DH him and not lose his bat in any case.
I don’t know why you say that I am locked into an ideological position. i have an opinion, one echoed by Pete today. It is possible that some pitchers mesh better with certain catchers. Burnett has apparently expressed that, to a fashion. He never actually said it, but I think it is fair to read between the lines there. I am not sure where you got that regarding CC, because I have not seen it anywhere but from you.
Also, I think that there are gameplans that are prepared for each hitter. The idea that the catcher is just going out there and calling the game blind, enough that it would make a huge difference, is not one I buy into. I’m sure there a few “gut” calls, but not that many. Finally, what really irks me is this idea that “plenty” of pitchers have had issues with Jorge, when it is really 3 or 4 guys over a long and distinguished career. Quite frankly, I think it is much ado about nothing, and is an argument that you yourself likely would have dismissed coming into the season. I can’t understand how 60 games can change opinions (not just your own) on a matter like this so rapidly. If you really think catching Posada is compromising the pitcher, then we really are going to have to agree to disagree. Even if I conceded that there was something there, I definitely would not put it at that level.
In the end, this is something the manager needs to be on top of. If there really is an issue, we will see Cervelli catch twice a week from here on out. I just doubt that it will happen. If it does, I further doubt that it will be solely for games started by CC and AJ, which would make it a rest issue, not a catching issue.
Check out this interview Richard Neer did with Bill Madden.
(The Cervelli question comes up about 1/4 through)
http://www.wfan.com/topic/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=3805260
He doesn’t think Cervelli’s a starting Catcher (neither do I) and Neer follows up with almost the exact question I posed the other day:
Neer-”. . do Pitchers like throwing to Posada?”
BM-”You have to think there is something to that, Richard. There’s just been too many instances of this. I think that’s another reason why Cervelli has been as successful as he’s been up here, because the pitchers clearly do like pitching to him ..more than they like pitching to Poasda. That’s a credit to Cervelli, but its a detriment to Posada. Ordinarily.. through the years when this went on with Mussina, and people like that who didnt want to pitch to Posada, I just chalked that up to just the individual pitcher..but there’s just been too many instances of this. I have to believe that there is something to the fact that Posada, for whatever reason, doesn’t seem to connect with the a lot of pitchers on that team “
What does this add, exactly? This exactly what Basil said below. Madden does not say that he as a reporter has any inside scoop on this, that he spoke to the pitchers about it. He is basing his conclusions on the same 60 games and 3-4 former pitchers as everybody else.
So you’re waiting for pitchers to come out publicly and bash their fellow teammate, and put their name to it. Guys who just signed here a few months ago.
I give up.
Never said that. But AJ’s comments let us know how he felt- he was actually asked to compare the two, and he candidly said he couldn’t explain why he was better with Cervelli, but the point was clear- that he was better with Cervelli. CC’s never even hinted at that. If he did, I think you would have a stronger case to overturn many years of history.
Very good, agree most heartily…!
Cervelli is a good defensive catcher with an better bat then people thought (may I interject an “I told you so” here?), is he a match for Posada…not on your life. If AJ and CC feel better with him catching, DO IT.
As an old pitcher myself; if I felt comfortable on the mound, I pitched better. Their is a lot to be said for the mind set of a pitcher while trying to do their jobs on the biggest stage in the world. As you stated; stats be damned, if they want Cervelli (just as Andy wants Posada), let him catch those two guys.
Joba is another matter! When he first came up, people where amazed that he was shaking off the catcher. The hitters already know they are going to get the slider when they have two strikes on them because, Posada calls for something other then the slider and Joba shakes him off. He should learn how to set hitters up before he tells an experienced catcher which pitch he will throw. Now conversely, the pitcher takes the loss, not the catcher but, until he has his stripes…throw what the catcher asks for.
After all, the name of the game is WIN.
Its the #1 and #2 pitchers on the staff we’re talking about here. You accommodate them, they’re too important not to. Especially for an aging catcher who could use the rest anyway.
You know what the real underlying problem is here? Jorge’s stubbornness. It’s what makes him a good player, its what makes him a team leader, but it also backfires with some of his teammates.
Again, where did you get this idea that CC doesn’t want to throw to him? I have not seen that anywhere.
See my above reply.
I also saw CC interviewed after Cervelli’s first game with him (BALT?) and he was using the same terms that AJ was. ‘It was so easy’ and ‘it was like he was reading my mind’. I would imagine YES has it somewhere but I’m too lazy to look it up.
Cervelli being great =/= Posada not good. Cervelli is obviously gifted, that does not mean Posada is not good at calling a game or that CC is not comfortable with him. And as I said above, Madden’s statements do not seem to be informed by more than the same speculation we are using.
The coincidence factor is just too great to ignore. Mussina, ElDuque and Randy Johnson preferred not to pitch to him, now AJ and CC are making veiled remarks that can be construed as disparaging. If these guys are pitching better BECAUSE of Cervelli, then we have a problem. And of course, Joba, a baby in the bigs is having some difficulties too.
Maybe its me, but he even appears pompous during interviews. He seems to have an ego… one that may hinder him as a ballplayer. Maybe it even rubs some teammates the wrong way.
Aj has made remarks. Where are these CC remarks? I have not seen them. And you named three pitchers who had issues with Jorge. You know who else had a few pitchers have issues with him? Thurman Munson. Carton Fisk. Tim McCarver. Joe Torre. Every catcher has guys like that, that they do not mesh with. If CC really thinks it is an issue, Cervelli will catch him, same with AJ, but I dont see it happening regularly. I could be wrong.
CC praised the heck out of cervelli. I see that as an endorsement, which I can also interpret as an indirect hit on Posada. He’s never went out of his way to laud Jorge. And you’re right it will not happen regularly, Girardi will not let it happen… for many reasons. Least of which is Posada’s contract.
H lauded a rookie when asked. I dont see that as a hit on Jorge.
Joe is between a rock and a hard place, if he caves to having Cervelli catch AJ/CC he will slap Posada in the face…ego, will take a hit. Nothing but trouble on the horizon.
I still think AJ/CC should have their comfort zone…Cervelli. Not so with Joba, he is still learning his craft, he should follow the experience of Posada.
Cervelli is good enough to be a starting catcher but, not with the Yankees, we have better prospects on the farm…all be it, a few years away.
My question is; Does Joe think of the team or the ego of one man? If he sits Posada, he may cause more of a problem with one of his better ballplayers, even though Posada could use the rest…keep him fresher.
Cervelli is in no way good enough to be a starting catcher. He’s had a few hits of course but he has an OPS+ of 73 this season and it’s actually on it’s way down as evidenced by the 49 OPS+ in the past 10 games. He’s got to learn one of two things, to either take a walk or hit an occasional double or homerun. I just don’t know how you can be anywhere near a league average hitter without doing one of those.
As for him calling games, sure let him catch CC and AJ if they’re comfortable with him but what do you do when Molina returns? I have a hard time believing that they’ll carry three catchers as Cervelli and Molina are pretty much the same player right now other than the fact that Cervelli can run a bit more.
Cervelli has had little playing time, this always hurts a players hitting numbers. He was moved to catcher because he was a good athletic ball player with good hitting skills and arm but, not a good enough infielder to stick. As a catcher, he is acceptable even without the HR power…(not for the Yanks) after all, he is hitting around .303 as a part time player.
You may have seen his numbers on the farm and thought (like some others) that he was another Molina…not so!
What does he have on Molina? I agree that he’s a great defensive catchers but great defensive catchers are almost synonymous with backup catchers. He may do well on balls he hits in play but he can’t be a starter unless he walks or hits for power.
I have looked at his numbers on the farm and why wouldn’t I think like others that he’s another Molina? The guy has hit a grand total of 2 career homeruns above A-ball. He’s showed good patience in the minors so maybe it just hasn’t translated yet but many times players in the low minors can boost their OBP because they have guys like Betences and Brackman down there who don’t know where the ball is going. I’m not saying the guy won’t improve but he’s shown me exactly no evidence that he’s capable of keeping his OBP above .320 or slug above .350. His wOBA this season is .279 where THT puts a replacement-level catcher at .275. Keep in mind, most people also think he’s playing over his head.