A-Rod has pretty amazing company

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Posted By: Al C.risafulli

Good point, David. A few years back, before the Yankees won a World Series, I remember reading an article somewhere that said "It's time for another unexpected player to become a World Series hero." The author of the article contended that it was always a bit player that came up big in the Series, and made some key contributions that helped his team win. Even if a monster player won the MVP, it was a little guy who contributed an unexpected hit, play in the field, whatever. And, true to form, that year Luis Sojo made some big plays for the Yanks.

Even in 1978, when Bucky Dent won the World Series MVP, Brian Doyle (filling in for an injured Willie Randolph) hit .438 for the series, leading all Yankee batters.

So I agree with the "little guy" concept.

As far as ARod is concerned, he went 2-for-4 last night and scored a key run, but it doesn't matter. The Yanks won by 4. He could have gone 4-for-4 with four home runs, and his detractors would have said "He only hits when the Yankees win big."

To escape this stigma, it won't be enough if the Yankees just win. ARod has to actually win a big game. He has to be Joe Girardi, Jimmy Leyritz, and Scott Brosius, all rolled into one. He needs to hit a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game, and hit another one in the 11th to win it. Maybe he needs to strike out the side in the top of the inning, too. I don't know. MVP awards are clearly not enough in this case.

-Al

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Posted By: peter chao

David,

Writer Bill James always had difficulties believing that hitters could actually "choke" or that guys like Joe Carter could actually hit better in the clutch. To some extent, I agree with him.

If a pitcher is throwing a 90 mph heater at you, you would think a hitter is simply concentrating on making contact, does he really have time to choke and worry about whether he's going to make the ESPN baseball highlights that night?

Peter C.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Hey guys.....It's not always the big guys....Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio or Mantle....here are some of the unexpected WS heroes
for the following years.....

1941....Joe Gordon and Charlie Keller

1947....Johnny Lindell

1949....Bobby Brown

1950....Gene Woodling

1951....Gil McDougald

1952....Johnny Mize

1953....Billy Martin

1956....Don Larsen

1958....Hank Bauer

So, a surprise "hero" is nothing unusual under the October sun.....and, this is certainly true for other teams, too.


T-Rex TED

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Posted By: Ryan Christoff

I thought A-Rod had a monster game, even though it was just two singles. His first hit was exactly what he needed (hopefully) to end the choke chapter of his postseason career. He made great contact and hit a seed in an early at-bat. Then he got on by hustle and effort, not talent, beating out an infield single. Very unlike A-Rod, but very big. It was still a two-run game when A-Rod led off that inning, but 3 outs later it was 8 to 3 with Joba and Rivera on the way. Game over.

That was a great game in many ways. The two worst chokers on the Yankees the past few seasons have been A-Rod and Matsui. Both came up big on seemingly small plays. Both beat out infield singles and scored at key points as a result. Matsui's most clutch play was an incredible slide into third base that won't show up in his stats, but is his best postseason play since they played Boston.

Better than all of that was what this game gave a sample of: the future of the New York Yankees. And it's a bright future. Hughes, Joba, Cano, Melky. No Farnsworth. It was great!

Who would have thought the Yankees could win even one postseason game when their worst playoff player was Derek Jeter?

If the Yankees crush the Indians tonight, I see big things in the near future. How great would it be for A-Rod to redeem himself by carrying the Yankees to a series victory over the Red Sox while hitting two homers off the ketchup sock?!

He'd still have to help the Yankees win the World Series to redeem himself in my eyes, but I think most Yankee fans are ready to forgive him if he just helps get them out of the first round.

A-Rod goes yard tonight, to the tarp!

-Ryan

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Posted By: Marc S.

I work in NYC nearly every day, working for a company that organizes information. All I have is stats / data / numbers / stories in front of me all day long.

Derek Jeter has exactly one hit in twelve at-bats, including no walks, four strikeouts, and an amazing two GIDP yesterday alone.

Were A-Rod to be 1:12, he would be crucified in the media, there would be outrage, and people would be calling for George's head, for not calling for ARod's head. But when Jeter sucks a big one this October...it nary gets mentioned.

Is there a point at which we can suggest that people love to hate A-Rod and love to love Jeter...and will essentially find the data and statistics to prove their point, every time?

~m

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Posted By: peter chao

Marc,

I suppose Jeter is more likeable...but it goes beyond this. People will give D. Jeter more leeway because of his reputation for being a clutch hitter and player.

At the same time they will give ARod less leeway because of his reputation for being a "choker."

Peter C.

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Posted By: Al C.risafulli

Ryan, I definitely agree with you about the future of the Yankees. When they replace Roger Clemens on the roster with Ian Kennedy, I'll agree even more. Man, it is cool to see those young guys come in and steal a game in the postseason like that. Even if the Yankees lose, and I do think they will, this is great experience for those guys.

Along the same lines, it's also cool to see Torre going with Wang on short rest over a very well-rested Mussina. Even if Wang gets hammered and Mussina replaces him in the early innings, it speaks volumes about the future of this team.

-Al

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Posted By: Fred C

Ryan,

You're right, A-rod did OK in game 3. A-rod didn't resort to those poor tactics of trying to knock the ball out of a players glove nor did he pull some bush league move by calling for a pop-up! Go A-rod, turn it on and turn into A-god. Not.... If the Yanks are going to pull something out I'd rather see a nobody or Jeter pull the strings.

I couldn't stand Jeter in the beginning because he's a frigging Yankee but how can anyone not like what he does for baseball? He's my favorite Yankee (I know, join the crowd).

Yeah, I'm a Yankee hater (kind of) but I have to admit that we (Yankee haters, kind of) couldn't argue the points of the Yankees being a crappy organization... Ruth, Gehrig, Lazzari, Dickey, DiMaggio, Berra, Mantle etc. I didn't even name any pitchers... I think I don't like the Yanks because they have an ownership that believes in winning and will outspend everyone to maintain that belief. I sure my favorites team's ownership was like the Yanks...

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Al, your wish has been granted: Clemens is off the post-season roster until the WS. Nice 30 mil spent.

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Posted By: Fred C

His contract price was pro-rated to the time he actually spent on the team... oh how nice it must be to have ownership that will spend that kind of money for a part time player.

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Posted By: Al C.risafulli

I can't believe they replaced him with Ron Villone.

-Al

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Posted By: peter chao

If the Yankees are smart they will avoid reactivating Clemens for the WS, assuming the Yanks get into the WS. They have an amazing array of young arms, there's no need to take a chance that Roger's hamstring won't hold up.

Peter C.

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Posted By: Al C.risafulli

Peter:

Please let Joe Torre know.

Thanks,

-Al

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, Al. Hard to imagine Villone getting into a game in any kind of important situation.

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Posted By: Al C.risafulli

I guess Cashman figured the bullpen could use another pitcher who can't get guys out.

Just in case they run out, I mean.

-Al

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Posted By: Ryan Christoff

Marc's post loses some weight when the post before it, written by a Jeter fan and A-Rod hater, praises A-Rod and points out that the worst Yankee this postseason has been Derek Jeter.

By the way, on October 17, 2004, in the top of the 3rd inning of game 4 of the ALCS vs. the Boston Red Sox, Alex Rodriguez hit a two-run home run. Since then, he is 6 for 54 with zero RBIs in the postseason.

As soon as Jeter has that kind of postseason futility, I promise I'll point out what a choke he is. I'd imagine the New York media might also let you know. But to be clear, Derek Jeter has been HORRIBLE in this series so far.

Roger Clemens very well could be the greatest pitcher of all-time, but I, too, am glad to see him off the roster, even if it means the addition of Ron Villone. Clemens was the worst signing in the history of baseball (at least financially) and the ultimate symbol of Yankee front-office decisions that have kept the team from winning the past few years. That's why it's so encouraging to see all the young players they haven't traded away for has-been pitchers.

This core of young players has the same feel as the Bernie-Posada-Jeter-Rivera crew that all came up together and created a dynasty.

-Ryan

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Ryan, I agree. Amazing how the Yankees can basically take a $30 mil flyer on a washed-up Clemens without missing a beat. To a lesser extent, how about the $100 mil spent on Dice K? Wonder why Billy Beane could do with that money...

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Posted By: davidcycleback

Basketball coach Dick Bennett took the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay to three NCAA tournaments despite Green Bay not being amongst the top 10 largest campuses in, get this, the University of Wisconsin system. He said, "With the talent we get, you are forced to teach the players how to play good defense." The implication being that many of better endowed opponents did not.

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Posted By: barrysloate

Anybody have Arizona, Colorado, Cleveland, and Boston in their final four?

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Posted By: peter chao

ARod homer in the bottom of the 7th of the 4th game of the division series against the Indians. He's definitely hot now, unfortunately it may be too late for the Yankees. They are still behind 6-3.

Peter C.

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Posted By: john/z28jd

Barry, in my preseason picks i actually had Cleveland vs Boston in the ALCS but had Dodgers vs Phillies in the NLCS. Last year i got the NL right and missed both AL teams.

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Posted By: Al C.risafulli

In my annual effort to make the Yankees' season last as long as possible, I stayed up and watched the postgame interviews last night on the YES network.

I was really surprised at the comments from all the guys who may have the opportunity to leave at the end of the season. Usually, Yankee free agents make comments like "I really want to come back here, but it's up to George Steinbrenner what he wants to do, all I can do is wait and see."

There were no comments like that last night from Torre, Pettite, Rivera, Posada, or ARod. I was surprised. I got the feeling that none of those guys were planning to come back next season. Rivera said something along the lines of "The Yankees had a chance to sign me and they didn't; I know it's a business, blah, blah, blah." Two years ago Rivera said he wanted to pitch at the new Yankee Stadium, but he backtracked significantly from that last night.

I really think there's a possibility that there will be wholesale changes to the nucleus of this team next season. I'm not sure how I feel about that, since I love Posada, ARod and Rivera, I think Pettite has another solid year in him, and I've really grown to love the stability that Torre brings. At the same time, I really want to see the Yankees get significantly younger and cheaper, and think they have the opportunity to shed nearly $100 million in payroll by letting go of some of the big contracts that expire this year.

-Al

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Posted By: barrysloate

I think there should be wholesale changes simply because too many of the veterans are getting too old. Mariano is not nearly as effective as he used to be, Giambi is an old jalopy, Clemens is done (and a great value at a cost of about a billion dollars per win); Mussina is losing it, Posada just has limited time left to be productive, etc. And the young kids they have brought up are exciting and productive.

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Posted By: Tony Andrea

The Yankee's need to take note of what 3 of the teams left have done to be successful.
The Rockies, D-Backs, & Indians all started from the ground up with their farm system
and stuck with these kids. Makes for better chemistry, & exciting baseball.
Seems the game as gotten a bit out of control with free agency the last 8-10 years.
Think about how many teams have totally different rosters each year. It's crazy.
There's no consistency anymore.
Go with the kids you draft, give them a chance to grow and learn and add a veteran or two
for leadership and experience. It makes for great baseball.

Tony

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Barry: Mussina is "losing it"? You may want to use past tense!

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Posted By: Eric Brehm

Tony, I think you're right, there's a lesson to be learned here. Building from the ground up not only fosters more team spirit and all that stuff, but in many cases produces more effective players. Funny thing is, that's the way baseball used to be. I'm surprised that the fans continue to put up with all the roster changes and lack of team loyalty we see now.

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Posted By: Tony Andrea

Interesting. Look at the MLB team payrolls for 07 as printed by the USA today.

http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/salaries/totalpayroll.aspx?year=2007

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Tony, as a Mets fan all I can say is that the team is a disgrace. At least the other top teams made the playoffs.

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Posted By: Eric Brehm

Most remarkable is the fact that the Indians, Rockies, and Diamondbacks are all in the bottom eight. Along with the Padres, who were also very competitive this year. The baseball owners must all be looking at that and scratching their heads.

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Posted By: peter chao

Eric,

I'm sure the owners are thinking twice about whether they will enter the bidding for ARod's services, the price tag will be astronomical.

Peter C.

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Posted By: Eric Brehm

Great player, great year. Someone will want to sign him. I just hope it isn't the Rockies; he might not fit into the 'home-grown' clubhouse thing we've got going now.