PackLandVA

We've got Wood for Kerry! Closer by committee! Ride the hot hand! Wood, Marmol, Howry, Eyre! OK, not Eyre. But ride the hot hand!

I do this regularly!!! The thing I find amazing about Sox fans is this: Yes, they won the WS in '05 (just as the Cubs did in '08). But they somehow think that they suddenly have this rich tradition of winning. What the hell has that organization done before or after '05???? They caught lightning in a bottle that season, much like the Cubs did in '03, only with better results. They were abysmal a few years earlier and two years later. With the exception of '05, that franchise has nothing to hang its hat on!!

That makes sense, I suppose. But then why not round the pinky side of all the infield gloves? It's not like you actually use the squared off tip to catch the ball.

I played baseball and watched and listened to baseball for 35+ years. But here's something I've never really heard explained. Why is the first baseman's glove rounded on the pinky side? Now I can sort of see the reasoning for a left handed first baseman. The pinky side is closest to the ground when trying to make a swipe tag on a pick off. But does a rounded edge really create that less of drag to make a difference? And if it does, what the explanation for a right handed first baseman having the same curve on the pinky side? Shouldn't it be on the thumb side since? And if it has nothing to do with drag, then why at all is it curved? I really have no idea! :?:

From Wikipedia: Louisiana Lightning was pretty good.

From the Sun-Times articel: That right there says it all.

Bobby Cox put a less superior team into the playoffs as much as Joe Torre has. Switch teams and I'd bet Cox does no worse than Torre. Bobby Cox would've won multiple WS but for the 5 year period where the Yankees were far and away the best team in baseball. Would Torre have done as well with those Atlanta Brave teams??

While Im not arguing Torre is a great manager, its not his fault that the pitchers he has been given have been over the hill. They have put together a great offensive team, but Cashman has consisitently went out and got over the hill starting pitchers, or overrated injury risk starting pitchers(Pavano, Wright). That team the way it is comprised, the manager doesnt have to do much at all, except manage the bullpen. So while I dont think Torre is a great manager, I dont think the failures of the Yankees in the playoffs can be placed solely on him. When you talk bout being overrated, you need to look at brian Cashman before looking anywhere else. I agree with you to a certain extent. Torre is not the only one to blame for not winning a Championship the past 7 years. But many look at Torre's early years as a Yankee manager and give him much of the credit for 4 WS titles in 5 years. If he gets the credit for the championships, he's got to take his share of the blame for the lack of championships. I think LOTS of managers could have accomplished what Torre did in his 12 years if they were given his roster. I'll bet a guy like Bobby Cox would've even faired better than Torre. IMO, Cox made more with less talent. He unfortunately had his best teams when the Yankees were loaded like no one else. I don't think Torre is a bad manager. I just don't think he's one of the best ever. His record in St. Louis and Atlanta (though he was much younger/inexperienced as a manager) lend to that thought. IMO, he's the "Phil Jackson" of baseball. I'd be interested to see what he's able to do with a much less talented roster and a franchise willing to spend much less to replace a team's unproductive/aging/hurt peices. The thing is, when the Yankees won the 4 titles it was mainly all homegrown talent, and before the Yankees started spending like idiots. What could Cox have done differently in the playoffs then Torre? Its not Torres fault his pitching has sucked, and Arod has struggled in the playoffs. Not really sure how Cox would have changed that. What would Cox have done differently? With the same roster? Nothing, probably. And he would've probably won 4 WS in 5 years, too. Again, I'm not saying he was a bad manager. I think he was a good manager. I just think a lot of people could've done what he did with the make up of his rosters each year. And by the way, the Yankees still had the highest payroll in baseball each year. Their roster was not "homegrown the first year he won a WS. He took over a team that was just entering its prime with a mixture of star veterans for core players (Boggs, O'Neill, Bernie Williams[farm product], Wetteland, Tino Martinez, etc) and rising superstars (Jeter, Rivera, Posada, Pettitte, etc). Their minor league system was loaded entering the mid 90's which allowed them to not only develop talent but also trade really good prospects for already established stars/experienced subs/3-5 starters/set-up men/super utility guys, etc. In 1996 the Yankee's team payroll was only $58 million, but still 10% higher than the next closest team in the AL. And ever since, the payroll and gap got bigger and bigger and bigger. And when their vets got old, unproductive or both, they opened up the pocket books and brought in the best players that money could buy. They haven't had the most success recently with that style of management, but it worked wonders in keeping Torre's first World Series team competitive and dominant in the years that followed, thus allowing them to win the WS 4 out of 5 years. I really believe a lot of managers in baseball could've accomplished as much as Torre has given the same rosters and abilities to replace broken parts.

While Im not arguing Torre is a great manager, its not his fault that the pitchers he has been given have been over the hill. They have put together a great offensive team, but Cashman has consisitently went out and got over the hill starting pitchers, or overrated injury risk starting pitchers(Pavano, Wright). That team the way it is comprised, the manager doesnt have to do much at all, except manage the bullpen. So while I dont think Torre is a great manager, I dont think the failures of the Yankees in the playoffs can be placed solely on him. When you talk bout being overrated, you need to look at brian Cashman before looking anywhere else. I agree with you to a certain extent. Torre is not the only one to blame for not winning a Championship the past 7 years. But many look at Torre's early years as a Yankee manager and give him much of the credit for 4 WS titles in 5 years. If he gets the credit for the championships, he's got to take his share of the blame for the lack of championships. I think LOTS of managers could have accomplished what Torre did in his 12 years if they were given his roster. I'll bet a guy like Bobby Cox would've even faired better than Torre. IMO, Cox made more with less talent. He unfortunately had his best teams when the Yankees were loaded like no one else. I don't think Torre is a bad manager. I just don't think he's one of the best ever. His record in St. Louis and Atlanta (though he was much younger/inexperienced as a manager) lend to that thought. IMO, he's the "Phil Jackson" of baseball. I'd be interested to see what he's able to do with a much less talented roster and a franchise willing to spend much less to replace a team's unproductive/aging/hurt peices.

While Torre is certainly a classy individual and the Yankee ownership are a bunch of pompous asses, I still believe as a manager, Torre is vastly over-rated. The organization put together one of the best rosters in baseball yearly and spent like no one else. Making the playoffs twelve years in a row is great for most organizations. But winning the WS is the only thing that matters in the Yankee's organization. And Torre was 0-7 in his past 7 tries with some pretty good talent. Just my opinion.

Buckner Sandberg Sutcliffe Sutter Dawson

Really good players make a lot of money. I'm glad he's locked up, too.

Any possibility he decided to sign at a lesser contract than many thought he could get in FA because he IS "feeling some arm/shoulder pains" and wanted to get the big payday in the event it the problem is persistent?????

Thanks!

What is the effect of taking someone off the 40 man roster (other than they can't be called up)?

just wait the I Cubs manager will address that next :lol: :lol: :lol:

Is he required to tell the truth?

You forgot Fielder.

Fielder didn't start for Milwaukee today either... :-k Wow, looks like a lot of teams are involved in this trade! :lol: :lol: Hmmm Would the Brewers trade Fielder to the Cubs? "//:D/" Where would he play? RF???

Fielder didn't start for Milwaukee today either... :-k DeRosa didn't start tonight, either. Would Hendry actually trade his own player for his own player??? How would that affect the 25/40 man roster??

Possiblr due to disappointment over some "friends" being traded???? ok, now you're reaching! :) Okay....it was a reach!! :lol:

Possiblr due to disappointment over some "friends" being traded????

If they get Dunn, who plays RF. Soriano? Dunn would be brutal-er in RF than he is in LF. Also, maybe Hendry held up on a trade for Dunn until tonight so Dunn got to play against Milwaukee. Dunn had a decent series and helped the Reds win 3 of 4. Probably not.

Stone regularly kisses Kenny Williams ass and brilliance (and the Sox organization as a whole) on the Sox radio flagship. He DOES hold punches whe it comes to the Southsiders and routinely bashes the Cubs. Can't tell you how many times he mentions the greatness of Kenny and the fact the Sox have put together three winning seasons in a row, "something that hasn't happened on the Northside in a really long time". Stone's shtick is tiresome and boring. He was better when he didn't have an axe to grind.

Isn't this exactly how the Yanks announced the Clemens signing? or flashed it on the scoreboard during a game and all that was on TV? Yeah they actually flew Clemens to New York, signed the deal, and then waited until the game where Clemens spoke to the crowd. There's no question the deal was done some time beforehand. I mean these are ridiculous comments. Sullivan is a waste of time. I'm surprised Len didn't scream wildly in to the mic when Jim announced the trade. Kinda like that Yankee announcer chick who embarrassed herself nationally!!