Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman met with the media today, and a lot of news emerged from their press conference:
1) Dave Eiland is out as pitching coach. Cashman said that Eiland is not being blamed for what happened in the playoffs, but would not divulge his reasons for letting Dave go. This is actually pretty surprising, but it is often hard to tell what kind of a job a pitching coach is doing. Eiland was given the job to help “The Big Three” enter the Yankee rotation, and only one of the three succeeded in doing so. That, combined with the inability to turn AJ Burnett and Javy Vazquez around, may be the explanation for his firing.
2) Both Girardi and Cashman expressed the wish that Joe return as manager. It seems fairly clear that he will return, probably on a 3 year deal. I would expect something around 3 years and 10 million dollars to be announced before free agency begins. In unrelated news, Incarcerated Bob’s twitter feed is now private.
3) According to Joe Girardi, the Yankees see Joba Chamberlain as a bullpen arm going forward. I think there is a good chance he is traded in the offseason.
4) Andy Pettitte’s back locked up on him after Game 2 in the ALDS, to the extent that he may not have been able to pitch had the series gone to a Game 5. This played into Joe’s decision (that has since been much criticized) to start Hughes in game 2 of the ALCS. This allowed Andy an extra 2 days off.
5) Jesus Montero will likely be given a chance to be a big part of the 2011 Yankees. Cashman said he has people who think Jesus is ready for the majors now.
6) Derek Jeter will be back, and they are not going to lowball him. I’d expect something like 3 years, 60 million. “There’s still game left in that guy. He’s going to be a part of this franchise. We’ll work something out.”
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12 Responses to Eiland Out, and Other News
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TIQ IQ
1) Isn’t this kinda like throwing out your bed, because your wife and the neighbor did it on it? I mean… like Heyman says here http://twitter.com/#!/SI_JonHeyman/status/28709067094 “the fact that he got fired shouldn’t shock anyone”. I got shocked at first, and then, as I tought more and more about it, begun to understand the decision. But if the “undisclosed reasons” for Eiland beeing fired are that he couldn’t make two bad pitchers be good enough for the Yankees, the whole thing is a joke. Should the Mets fire their pitching coach because Perez can’t throw 2 strikes in a row. Should the Angels fire their coach because Kazmir, who was supposed to be a #1 starter, has an ERA of 5.12 while with the Angels? Should the Red Sox fire their pitching coach because Beckett and Matzusaka can’t have 3 great starts in a row?
2) Girardi is a good manager. Not great, but good. Plus there is no other guy I can think of who is out there and that would be a significant improovement over Joe. So 3 years, 10 million is right what I would give him and I’m glad the Yankees are bringing him back.
3) If the Yankees have any intention of trading Joba, why would they say he looks a lot like a bullpen guy? Everyone in baseball should know this discussion is far from over, and many people do believe he can make it as a starter (I don’t, but that’s another discussion).
So if the Yankees wanted to drop him, wouldn’t they have to put an effort into it, to get something (good) back in this possible trade? For years and years have I heard that starters are worth a lot more money than bullpen guys. Even back-end bullpen guys. So why would the Yankees play down Joba’s value if they want to trade him? Makes no sense to me.
The messed up his developed and now have destroyed his value by stating his a BP guy. These guys have f’d this thing up from start to finish
The Red Sox pitching coach just became the manager of the Blue Jays yesterday (officially announced today).
yes, yes… I know. But this kinda proves my point, though. If it was his fault that pitcher X or pitcher Y weren’t performing, no team would want him to manage. Or would they?
When I startet to write my comment, #5 was not there yet. So, here goes:
5) Sounds great. Posada is getting old and should be the primary DH next season. Cervelli should catch about 55~60% of games (around 100 games, a slight increase on the 80 he caught in 2010), with Posada catching the interleague games on the road (9) and a few more “normal” games (I would say around 20, for ARod a Jeter to get a break). That leaves 33 games for Montero to catch, but depending on how he performes at- and behind the plate, Cervelli’s starts could, and should – if Montero is all that what we hope, be limited.
This is what would be me primary plan, would I be the Yankees manager. But things change along the year, and I would hope they change to a situation in which Montero is so good that Cervelli will be a regular bench guy and he – Montero – will become the normal catcher. So, please don’t kill me because I said Cervelli should catch 100 games next season.
Jeter at 15 mil per. He is still getting way over market value with his numbers.
Some things I was sorry to hear in all of that.
Joba doesn’t seem to be very effective out of the pen, but since he has 4 possibly serviceable pitches, he may still become a decent starter. Either way, he needs to work on his physical conditioning and being consistent. A new PC may help here. Eiland really didn’t seem to be able to fix much of anything from Javy V to AJ, to Joba.
It’s obviously no big surprise, but Jeter being talked about like he’s still in his early 30′s is a bit concerning.
Pettitte’s back giving out after him missing a lot of the 2nd half is concerning. He’s not going to last forever, and the frequency of things like those increases with each passing year.
The good news is Montero possibly going north from ST. Hopefully he’s at least minimally competent behind the plate (a la Piazza etc) and he can give us 120+ games there. That would go a long way towards making up for deficiencies elsewhere.
Hmmm. Number 4 maybe explains why they didnt go with my preferred rotations of CC, Andy, Hughes, CC (short rest), AJ, Andy, CC (short rest).
While I agree with your other post that the Yankees got throughly out-played, that said they did win two games. If Andy pitched game 2 maybe they win that one (and with CC and AJ flipped maybe they win game 4 and lose game 5), which puts them into a CC v. Lee game 7. This is the one move, that I really disagreed with (that and walking/leaving AJ in one batter too long).
So as much as they were outplayed, and the blame for such a lopsided series normally wouldnt go on a manager, I do find fault with the rotation unless Andy absolutely needed those extra two days.
This could be something about him (Eiland) missing the month of June? Anyone know why he missed all those games?
Burnett seemed distracted the second half….the black eye?..no answers.
20 Million for Jeter? Maybe for one year while he breaks 3k hits. Other than that he will be the most overpaid leadoff hitter ever….not to mention player. 20 Million for a leadoff hitter???
Cashman will trade Montero this winter. Some player will come available the Yanks covet.
There is no way Montero gets traded… Lee is a free agent so we won’t have that temptation out their and Josh Johnson and Felix are both off limits ATM.
Not to mention at the time of the trade rumors Montero was struggling in Triple A and from I understand it was because of a lack of effort and since they read him the riot act and he went on the offensive tear he finished the season on Cashman has had nothing but great things to say. I think they were concerned with the kids work ethic and that is the main reason they were willing to trade him but since he has proven his abiltity to be motivated he’s staying.
Not to mention the 1 thing our lineup really needs is a power hitting right handed bat which he is and if he can play catcher and limit Posada’s playing time at that position while forming a trio behind the plate his value to this club is limitless going forward.
I am with those who think the numbers and years being tossed around for Jeter are absurd. Anything over two years seriously damages the team’s chances of winning from that point forward. He won’t be an effective shortstop and his bat simply won’t cut it anywhere else; his contract will be a payroll millstone; and he’ll occupy a roster space needed for someone who can add value.
I know I’m repeating myself, but all those who prattle on about what the Yankees “owe” Jeter (as though he hasn’t been paid a fortune already) will be among the first to criticize a multi-year deal when his declining skills become an obvious detriment. We’ll be lucky to get one more productive season out of him. Note to Brian Cashman: If you are reading this, you need to be as ruthless with Jeter as you were with Damon and Matsui last year.
Jeter should be given a 2 year deal with a club option for the third year it’s the only way to save face for both sides I would rather it be for around 15 million per because honestly right or not he will never get less than that and will probably get 19-20 per.
If you give Jeter a 2 year deal Mo has to have one as well.
I would love to bring back both Thames and Wood but I think Wood is going to be a harder sell unless he just loved being a Yankee because he can get more money somewhere else closing.
I want Lee but that contract is going to be a beast and if he demands CC money and no less I might have to let Texas keep him because he is 2 years older than CC was when he got his deal and I don’t want a 40 year old Lee at the front of my rotation money wise.
Keep all 3 outfielders they all earned their spots over the course of the season.
Leave Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth alone.
If Andy wants to come back give him a 1 year deal.
Move Jeter down in the lineup against right handed pitching and have Granderson hit 2nd against right handed pitchers.
Move cano to the 3 hole and have Tex hit 4 and Alex hit 5.