Oct 8, 2006

Some Thoughts on the Yanks

Detroit had the best AL era for a reason: they can pitch.

A best-of-5 is still too small a sample to determine who's truly the better team. Luck plays a large factor in short series. 'Anything can happen.' I know that contradicts some of what I add below, but the following are from the whole season, not just the LDS. A 154-game season with 3 best-of-7 rounds would be ideal.

Arod should be traded. He just can't seem to do it in NY, and he's way too big a distraction. Perhaps to the Angels for a combination of the following: Weaver, Santana, Shields, B. Wood, Aybar, Kendrick, Adenhart (A-ball).

Sheffield should not be back. His option ($13 mil) is too high. A glut of OFs, and he's injury prone.

Mussina should only be back for $10 mil or less. The Yanks will decline his $17 mil option.

Randy should be a reliever. He can still hit 98 and be dominating at times. Imagine him as a lefty specialist! And he can also get righties out. He could be a great late-inning reliever.

The team is built like the Braves: great in the regular season, but nothing in the postseason.

This is the 3rd straight year where a rainout may have cost the Yanks their season.

The pitching has to be upgraded. Zito, Schmidt, Matsuzaka, Karstens, Rasner, Cox, Clippard and Hughes; some or all of them should be on the team next year.

If Giambi can't be traded, Matsui should be the DH, with Melky playing LF full-time.

Wright SHOULD be on the team, only because his buy-out is so high. Preferably as the 5th starter, or a long reliever.

This team needs a motivator, and Torre doesn't seem capable (in the playoffs) anymore. I've heard the name Sweet Lou floated around, but I DON'T want him.

Was Don Zimmer that important? They haven't made the WS since he left.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Are all yanks obsesed with football like all us londoners with footy?

Travis G. said...

I wouldn't say all 'yanks,' but the Superbowl is the biggest sporting event of the year. However, it's different for everyone. Most everyone prefers either baseball, football or basketball (and even hockey).

Some people say that football has surpassed baseball as the american past-time (mostly due to television ratings). This argument doesn't hold water. Of course football games will receive higher ratings, there's only 16 of them! Baseball has 162! Even the most ardent baseball fans will miss some games during the year. But ardent football fans will never miss a game because they're on just once a week. Plus there's the gambling factor, of which football attracts the most gambling, hence the most viewers whose only interest is the point spread.

In my experience, most sports fans feel closer and stronger ties to their baseball team than any other team.