Constructing a Postseason Roster

With the end of the year coming, the Yankees need to start constructing their 25 man roster for the Division Series. Most of the choices will be rather easy, but the team does need to decide a few close calls and the ratio of bench players to relievers. These are my recommendations (not predictions):

The Lineup

1. Johnny Damon LF

2. The Great Jeter SS

3. Bobby Abreu RF

4. Alex Rodriguez 3B

5. Hideki Matsui DH

6. Jorge Posada C

7. Robinson Cano 2B

8. Doug Mientkiewicz 1B

9. Melky Cabrera

Explanation: There really is not much to justify right here. The only thing really debatable is leaving Jason Giambi out of the starting lineup. Giambi would either DH or play first base. Johnny Damon covers much more ground in leftfield than Hideki Matsui so he should be in the field. The Yankees really do not want to lose Matsui’s bat. That leaves first base. Mientkiewicz is clearly an offensive downgrade. However, he is a solid 8th hitter and plays first base much better defensively. Over the course of a 500 at bat season, Giambi’s production at the plate will more than compensate for his deficiencies in the field. In a five game series, any one defensive lapse can send a team home. Over fifteen at bats, Jason might go into a slump and not outhit a mistake. Defense is paramount in the postseason. The Yankees have plenty of offense even without Giambi in there.

Bench:

1. Jason Giambi 1B

2. Shelley Duncan 1B/OF

3. Jose Molina C

4. Wilson Betemit IF

5. Bronson Sardinha OF

6. Alberto Gonzalez IF

Explanation:  Giambi is a big lefty bat off the bench, and Duncan is a big righty bat off the bench. Molina is an excellent backup catcher. Betemit is an excellent utility infielder. Sardinha makes the team because of his ability as a pinch runner. Due to the nature of the Division Series, the Yankees can afford to take an extra position player. Gonzalez gives the team another infielder in case of an emergency so that the team does not have to do something crazy like the times Gary Sheffield had to play third base.

Rotation:

1. Chien-Ming Wang

2. Andy Pettitte

3. Roger Clemens

Explanation:  The Yankees are likely going to play an eight day series with Cleveland. That will allow the team to use its top two pitchers, Wang and Pettitte, both twice on full rest. Wang gets the Game 1 start because it allows him to pitch Game 4 in Yankee Stadium, where he has been more successful than on the road. Clemens gets the nod over Mike Mussina and Phil Hughes for Game 3 only because of the tender condition of his body. By using him as a starter, the Yankees allow Roger to prepare himself to pitch on a given day. If he worked in relief, he might have to warm up more than once. That could wreak havoc on his body. He also would not know when he was going to pitch, meaning he could not design his workout routine around a day circled on the calendar. That could put him on the mound in less than optimal shape.

Bullpen:

1. Mariano Rivera CL

2. Joba Chamberlain SU

3. Luis Vizcaino MR

4. Phil Hughes MR

5. Ron Villone Lefty MR

6. Chris Britton MR

7. Mike Mussina LR

Explanation:

With only one set of back to back games, there really is not much reason to carry anything beyond a ten man staff in the Division Series. There also is no need for more than one long reliever. Mussina fits that bill. This would allow Phil Hughes’ power arm to slide into short relief. He would need to be supervised under his own set of Joba Rules since his arm is not used to relieving, but anything he gives is a boost. Villone gives the Yanks a lefty to utilize. His experience and recent streak of good outings are major pluses. Britton gets the nod over the likes of Edwar Ramirez, Kyle Farnsworth, Jose Veras, and Ross Ohlendorf. He is simply the most consistent of the bunch.

Again, this is only what I would do. The roster construction will likely look different. Mussina has most likely nailed down a starting role. Farnsworth will probably be on the roster due to his perceived track record. Gonzalez is probably not going to be on the team. This is only the way the way I feel would best utilize the resources on the roster, given the type of series the Yankees will likely be playing.

October of Redemption Possible

It is probably premature to think of the postseason since the Yanks have clinched nothing yet. However, there exists a realistic possibility that New York can exorcise all of the demons from recent October failures over the next month to win a 27th title. Everybody knows how the Yankees have not won the World Series since 2000.

In 2006, New York lost to the Tigers in the ALDS. With another win, the Yanks will clinch a postseason berth and eliminate the Tigers in the process. Gary Sheffield will watch the postseason on television as a symbol that the Yankee teams comprised of old, overpaid, selfish superstars is coming to an end.

The Yanks lost to the Angels in the ALDS in 2002 and 2005. Los Angeles is a possible opponent for New York in the first round this year.

If the Yankees won that series, they would likely be up against Boston, the team that ended their 2004 season in as heartbreaking a fashion as humanly possible. A rematch would be a chance to avenge that loss as well as a chance to get even with Josh Beckett, Boston’s ace. Beckett ended New York’s World Series dreams in 2003 with a complete game shutout to clinch the championship for the Marlins.

A win there would put the Yankees back in the Fall Classic. It would only be fitting if the Yankees faced Arizona, the team that sent them into this spiral with a stunning Game 7 win in the 2001 World Series. A new dynasty could be born at the expense of the team that ended the old one.

This is clearly all speculation. However, there remains the possibility that the Yankees can return to baseball’s pinnacle and obtain revenge on all of those who have kept them from reaching that summit in the process.

Yanks Should Consider Clemens and Hughes to Fortify October Bullpen

With the resurgence of Mike Mussina, the Yankees have a very good problem. They have six quality starters as they approach the postseason. The way everybody perform on the last few trips through the rotation will undoubtedly affect who starts once October rolls around. If Roger Clemens’ elbow will not let him reprise his Sunday night dominance, he will be out. If Mike Mussina’s recent recovery proves to be temporary, he will be done. If Ian Kennedy or Phil Hughes start pitching like the rookies that they are, neither will likely take the hill to start in the postseason. Andy Pettitte and Chien-Ming Wang, by far the two most reliable starters on the roster, are the only sure things. Whether the Yanks play the seven or eight day ALDS will also be a factor. If New York gets into the eight day contest, the club will be able to pitch Pettitte and Wang both twice on full rest and have to use only three starters. The seven day contest will probably require four starters. Too much is up in the air at this point to say for sure.

As things currently stand, Boston is in a prime spot to finish with the American League’s best record. The Sox probably would take the seven day series since both of their potential opponents, Cleveland and Los Angeles, have dynamic 1-2 duos at the tops of their respective rotations (Sabathia/Carmona and Lackey/Escobar). Taking the eight day series would force Boston to see those pitchers start four of the five games on full rest.

If this turns out to be the case, New York will only need three starting pitchers. We have already established that Wang and Pettitte should be locks for the first two games. Wang would likely start Game 1 so that he could get a Game 4 start at Yankee Stadium, where he has pitched much better than on the road this year. Pettitte would take his customary turn in Game 2 of the ALDS and any potential Game 5. Andy started Game 2 in the first round for the Yanks every season between 1995 and 2003. That leaves Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes, Roger Clemens, and Mike Mussina to fill one starting spot. The Yanks also would likely keep one of them for long relief in case a starter got shelled early. There is not much of a difference among the four at this point. Because of this, the Yankees should look to see how they can use any leftover resources to bolster other areas of the team.

Phil Hughes and Roger Clemens are both the kind of power pitchers that make for terrific short relievers. In shorter outings, they would not have to conserve energy. They could go all out, and their fastballs would gain more velocity. Both could be valuable as middle inning flamethrowers. Kennedy and Mussina would give roughly the same production as Roger and Phil would as starters and long men, but they are not as equipped to work as middle relievers due to their lack of overwhelming stuff. The shorter outings would ease the strain of pitching on the aging Clemens. Adding Hughes to the bullpen would be risker. He has never pitched in short bursts with short turnarounds before or warmed up in a hurry. He also has struggled early as a starter, only getting better as the game progressed. However, his stuff also would be better since he would be putting more effort into each pitch since he would not have to pace himself. The Yankees carefully eased Joba Chamberlain into his relief role, making sure to put as little strain on his arm as possible. The Yanks could develop a similar program for Phil, creating a set of Hughes Rules.

This is all speculative, but if everybody keeps pitching well, it is something to investigate. Kennedy and Mussina could battle for the third rotation spot. The loser would serve as the longman. Adding this kind of depth to the relief corps would ease the pressure on the team to lift the Joba Rules in October. A bullpen comprising Rivera, Chamberlain, Vizcaino, Hughes, and Clemens would be frightening for opponents in late innings.

The trade deadline approaches…

With the trade dealine coming up on Tuesday, I would like to offer up three scenarios where the Yankees could possibly upgrade the team:

1. Trade Jason Giambi to the LA Angels for Scott Shields. I think that Giambi’s time in pinstripes should come to an end. Send him back to the west coast where he flourished and probably wants to be. Scott Shields has been great this year. He boasts a 2.32 ERA and has 48 strikeouts. The Angels need a strong bat, and can have that in Giambi, who would probably do well with a change of scenery since he has fallen out with Yankee management over his comments about “MLB owing the fans an apology”. Steinbrenner is pissed about it, and probably can’t wait to dump Giambi, who failed to bring a World Series ring to NY in his tenure. He was injured just as long as he was healthy.

2. Kyle Farnsworth to Atlanta Braves for Rafael Soriano. Farnsworth flourished in Atlanta, and would probably do so again. Atlanta needs consistency in late innings, and Farnsworth could bring them that. Soriano is prone to injury, and Atlanta may want to use him to lure back Farnsworth.

3. Release Mike Myers, and use Kei Igawa was a lefty specialist. Myers doesn’t get the lefties out, which is his primary job. Lets cut our losses already. He puts more men on than he gets out. With so much money invested in Igawa, lets use him properly. He has shown, in relief, that he can do well. He’s obviously not working as a starter.

That’s it – call me crazy – I just think that the Yankees need something to help get them into the playoffs – I certainly hope there are a few more trades coming up in the next 48 hours…

Rebuilding on the Fly

As my esteemed collegue, Jason, noted in his last game recap, the Yankees finally seem to be on track. This is a team poised to make a run. There are still holes on the roster that need to be plugged. Things are going to get interesting for Brian Cashman as the deadline nears. This could be a season like 2000 or 2006 where rebuilding on the fly could vault the Yanks back into the postseason. The following is a list of suggestions on how to make this team the most dangerous down the stretch.

1. Call up Chris Britton:

Britton is dominating AAA with a 0.72 ERA. He proved last season in Baltimore that he has the stuff to succeed in the A.L. East. Given the team’s bullpen problems, there is no reason for Chris to pitch at Scranton right now.

2. Call up Kei Igawa:

Enough is enough for Kei. The Yankees invested too much for him to be in the minors for this long. The team can talk all it wants about adjusting his delivery. It is sink or swim time. Either he has the talent to pitch in the Majors or he does not. The team has to stop babying him. Kei can work on his new delivery just as well on big leaguers as he can on minor leaguers. The Yankees need a long reliever. Part of the problem with the overworked bullpen has been that nobody can eat innings. That means that Joe Torre has to empty it any time a starter leaves early. Igawa can be the long man. He thrived in that role during his only relief outing. Perhaps he is better suited to that relief role, where he is thrown into the fire instead of sitting around in a regimented routine. Either way it is ridiculous for the Yanks to coddle a guy making that much money to this degree.

3. Trade Kyle Farnsworth and Mike Myers to the Cubs for Jacque Jones:

This would be a classic case of one man’s trash being another’s treasure. Farnsworth and Myers are not doing the job for the Yankees. The Cubs are in need of bullpen help and desperate to deal Jones’ contract from their outfield glut. While Kyle and Mike have been subpar, they are better than what the Cubs have. The Cubs will believe that their track records suggest things will turn around in the National League. Jones is a good hitter and an excellent defender at all three outfield positions. He does not stack up well hitting as a corner outfielder, but he rates superbly against other backups. He might not be happy with a reserve role, but he is a team player. Jacque would be a major addition to the bench.

4. Sign Junior Spivey:

Spivey is currently tearing the cover off the ball in the Atlantic League with a .390 batting average. He has a solid and proven Major League bat. Spivey would represent a major upgrade for the bench.

5. Trade Chase Wright, Luis Vizcaino, and Ron Villone to the Reds for Scott Hatteberg and pick up Vizcaino’s salary:

Wright is a young starter with potential, but New York’s deep farm system can sustain his loss. He does not figure prominently in future plans. Vizcaino and Villone will represent upgrades to a bullpen in desperate need of help. Should the Reds fall out of contention, Vizcaino and Villone will be valuable trade commodities. Cheap veteran relievers always have great value. To get this, the Reds give up their 38 year old first baseman, who still carries a potent bat and a solid glove. He would provide an immediate upgrade as either a starter or a reserve.

6. Trade Sean Henn, T.J. Beam, and Daniel McClutchen to the Rangers for Eric Gagne:

The Rangers are falling woefully out of the race in the West. They will likely look to same some money and deal Gagne, who is a free agent after the season. In this trade they will get a pair of decent relief prospects in Henn and Beam and a potential starter in McClutchen. All of these guys have potential, but none is unreplacable. Gagne would be a high risk, high reward acquisition. He has shown flashes of his old dominance this season. A Gagne-Rivera duo would be the best in the game. Gagne would probably be unhappy about being a setup man, but he would get a chance to compete for a title and use the game’s biggest stage as an audition place to gain a monster contract this offseason. He probably would not return to be a setup man, but the Yankees would be in position to get a pair of early Draft picks next year as compensation for his defection. This would help suppliment the farm system and lessen the blow of the traded prospects. Joe Torre would try and limit Gagne’s workload, but he would have the durable Scott Proctor backing him up. It would be another Kyle Farnsworth situation. Gagne would just be more effective.

7. Trade Joba Chamberlain and Jose Tabata to the Rangers for Mark Teixeira:

This is going to be a controversial trade because it features a pair of blue chip prospects. Chamberlain has the stuff to become an ace, and Tabata currently projects to be an elite hitting outfielder. These guys should be off limits for almost everybody. Teixeira is an exception. He is an elite power hitter and a Gold Glove defender at first base. He is only 27 years old, meaning he could man his corner for a decade. He is a switch hitter who would bring badly needed righty-lefty balance to the batting order. There is no better first baseman hitting the market until Justin Morneau in 2010. The Rangers are pessimistic about their chances to resign Tex, meaning he will be available at some point. The Yanks need an offer like this to bowl the Rangers over. Chamberlain will be difficult to part with, but one must remember the organizational pitching depth. Chien-Ming Wang, Phil Hughes, Tyler Clippard, Ian Kennedy, and Dellin Betances all are under 30. Tabata would be difficult to part with as well, but he is only 19. He has a lot of developing to do. He could develop into an elite offensive player, but he is too far away from the Majors to say that with any conviction. He may never have the same impact as Teixeira. There was a time where the Yankees would be wise to avoid a trade like this. However, the farm system is now deep enough to part with chips like this. There needs to be a balance between present and future. This deal helps the Yankees a ton in the present and does not cripple the farm system for the future. It still would be very deep. This is not the case of giving up young guys for over the hill players. Teixeira is entering his prime. He will provide an immediate major boost.

8. Give Josh Phelps back to Baltimore:

With Hatteberg and Teixeira in the fold, there is no spot for Phelps. Phelps has been a major liability with the glove and unspectacular at the plate.

Lineup

1. Johnny Damon DH

2. Derek Jeter SS

3. Bobby Abreu RF

4. Alex Rodriguez 3B

5. Mark Teixeira 1B

6. Hideki Matsui LF

7. Jorge Posada C

8. Robinson Cano 2B

9. Melky Cabrera CF

Bench

1. Jacque Jones OF

2. Scott Hatteberg 1B

3. Junior Spivey IF

4. Miguel Cairo IF

5. Wil Nieves C

Rotation

1. Chien-Ming Wang

2. Andy Pettitte

3. Roger Clemens

4. Mike Mussina

5. Tyler Clippard

Bullpen

1. Mariano Rivera CL

2. Eric Gagne SU

3. Scott Proctor SU

4. Brian Bruney MR

5. Chris Britton MR

6. Kei Igawa LR

Notes: The lineup is as deep as any in baseball. The rotation remains very effective. The bench now at least has guys who can play. Wil Nieves is not much of a hitter, but he remains as backup catcher. Unless the Yanks could pry a young catcher with talent like Kelly Shoppach from Cleveland or Jarrod Saltamacchia from Atlanta, there is no reason to change. Very few backup catchers are effective hitters. Most who can hit are starters. It is not easy to find effective hitters capable of performing once every fifth day with the bat. Nieves is solid defensively and has a good relationship with the pitching staff. That is the primary role of the backup catcher. Igawa is the bullpen’s only lefty, but all of the righties are effective. There is no point of having a lefty for the sake of having a lefty. Igawa’s presence allows the bullpen to drop to six men. This gives the bench an extra spot. The Yankees could then have an offense oriented utility man in Junior Spivey and a defense oriented one in Miguel Cairo.

Defending Bobby

In the midst of the Yankees’ slow start, one player in particular has endured an extreme amount of venom from fans and the media alike. That player is Bobby Abreu. Bobby gave himself the negative spotlight by enduring one of the worst stretches of all-time for a player of his caliber. There were times in April and May that Bobby looked as if he had never swung a bat before in his life. He carried his troubles into the field, looking like a Little League outfielder at times. It did not help matters that the man the Yankees traded to make room for Abreu in rightfield, Gary Sheffield, is swinging a hot bat in Detroit. Now that his slump appears to be behind him, fans can assess Abreu more rationally. It is time to debunk some myths that arose about Abreu during his cold stretch.

He can’t handle the pressure of playing in New York.

He hit .330 with the Yankees last season. If he could not handle the intensity of New York, would that not be more likely to show in the heat of a pennant race than in May? Philadelphia, where Bobby played from 1998 to 2006, is not exactly the easiest town in which to play. Fans are incredibly demanding in that city, perhaps moreso than in New York. Abreu still put up staggering numbers during his time in the City of Brotherly Love.

He is afraid of the big spot.

This must be the reason that he hit .500 last season in the Yankees’ five game sweep of Boston that all but clinched the division. He also drew seven walks in the series. Boston had no answer for him. A five game August series in Fenway Park with the division lead riding in the balance seems like a pretty big spot. Bobby was a lethal offensive force then. He also hit .333 in the ALDS against Detroit. That made him the only Yankee not named Posada or Jeter to be a tough out for the Tigers pitching staff.

He doesn’t care.

Many have drawn this conclusion about Bobby. He is not a guy who openly seeks the media. He seldom displays outward emotion on the field. His swing and running form are so free and easy that he does not appear to be using much effort at all when playing. People mistake these attributes for a lack of intensity. The fact of the matter is that not everybody is like Paul O’Neill. Some people do not express themselves in front of the camera. Some do not appear reckless on the field. That does not mean they do not care. Take Bernie Williams as an example. Few men have burned to succeed as badly as Bernie did. He simply internalized his competitive drive. Curtis Martin is another example of this in football. These guys never sought the limelight. They were on personal missions. Abreu is the same. People around the team comment on his work ethic and drive. Because Bobby has not openly tried to get his name in the news constantly unlike his predecessor, Sheffield, the media has failed to convey the real Bobby Abreu to the public. Bobby’s personality makes him a strange case like Bernie and Martin. Even though all three men played in major markets for their entire careers, none has received the respect they deserve. Their personas kept people from realizing just how great they are.

The Yankees were stupid to trade Sheffield and keep Abreu.

This would only true if somebody has a time machine. We would have to know then what we know now. We also would need to know that the current trend will continue, which does not appear likely. This was what the Yankees knew at the time about the two players.

Abreu: 32 years old, hit .330 with the Yankees, fit in well in the clubhouse, gave the offense balance

Sheffield: 37 years old, coming off a major wrist injury, demanded a new contract despite this, at the center of baseball’s steroids controversy, openly criticized his teammates and manager, chronic complainer

Ignore all the intangibles for a second. Who was more likely to produce? Was it the guy five years older coming off a major injury or the guy five years younger coming off a productive season? If we see into the future, we would all be geniuses. The fact of the matter is that there was nothing to suggest that Sheffield would be better this season. When both are at the top of their respective games, Abreu is better. As it looks more and more like Bobby’s long slump was a fluke, the trading of Sheffield will look more and more palatable.

The fact that the Phillies were so desperate to trade him and took so little in return shows that there must be something wrong with him.

Why would anybody ever use the Phillies’ decision-making as a reference point? That franchise has been a case study in inept management. Despite consistently having one of the game’s highest payrolls, the Phils have not been to the postseason since 1993. The fact that they thought so little of Bobby’s considerable talents says more about them than it does about Abreu.

Abreu is a throwback to the dynasty teams. He is not worried about getting attention. All he wants to do is go to work and do his job. There is no ego on him. He is not worried about becoming a star. He just wants to win. He is not a one-dimensional player. He is a grinder. He wears pitchers down with his excellent approach at the plate. Do not be fooled by a few bad weeks. The Yankees are lucky to have Bobby Abreu. He is a great fit.

Day Late and Dollar Short

The Yankees have continued their horrid play through the first two games of the Subway Series against the Mets. As has been the case with most of the season, the team has done just enough to lose. When Andy Pettitte gives the Yankees a quality start on Friday night, nobody hits. When the offense comes to life on Saturday afternoon, the pitching stinks. Robinson Cano hits a homer and then more than gives that back with 3 errors. Luck has certainly not been on the Yankees’ side. Darrell Rasner, who had been very effective this season, was knocked out of Saturday’s game with a broken hand sustained on a comebacker in the 1st inning.

This season has been unbelievable. Everything that could possibly go wrong has gone wrong. There have been a plethora of freak injuries. All the lefties on the roster have simultaneously forgotten how to hit. The team always teases like they did in the win during the second game of a doubleheader earlier this week at Chicago, where everything comes together. However, things just go back to normal the next day. This team can mount furious comebacks as it did in the 8th and 9th innings of yesterday’s game, but they always fall short. The spark to ignite the Yankees is always just out of reach.

The Bronx Bombers turn to Tyler Clippard tonight on national television to try and avoid an embarassing sweep at the hands of a rival. Clippard is at least better equipped to deal with this pressure than Chase Wright was about a month ago. Clippard is a finished product. While Wright was very raw, Clippard has progressed through the minors. He also does not have to deal with the spotlight that Phil Hughes did. Perhaps a rookie starter is what the doctor ordered. The Yankees had better hope so because this thing needs to turn around soon.

Early Moments of Truth

The next six games are absolutely critical for the Yankees. It might only be May, but this season is starting to spiral out of control.New York lost consecutive series on a disastrous roadtrip to a mediocre Seattle team and a struggling Chicago squad. The Bronx Bombers wake up today 18-21 and an ungodly 9.5 games back of Boston.

Today the Yanks begin a weekend series against the Mets. Boston pays a visit to the Bronx after that. These games are more important psychologically than tangibly, although the Yanks cannot keep losing ground to the Sox. New York is playing very uninspired baseball right now. There is no sense of confidence. This team needs a boost. Nobody aside from Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada seems to be playing with any desire. The Yanks have to show the Mets that the JV does not run the town and the Red Sox that they plan to make the Red Sox earn the division title, not hand it over without a fight. Beating good teams like this would ignite the team and possibly send it on a run.

There is too much talent on the roster for things to not eventually turn around. The question is whether the time for a comeback will be too short and whether the deficit will be too great. We can no longer say that it is too early to worry. The season is almost a quarter gone. Good teams have bad months. Good teams usually do not allow bad stretches to go beyond forty games. The Red Sox are playing over their heads. They will come back down to this planet, but the hole in the division is already enormous. The Yankees are going to have a really tough time catching up. This cannot hope to turn things around unless it gets its swagger back. Nothing brings confidence like beating a pair of hot rivals.

Shop Smart, Not Hard

It is worth noting that the Red Sox outbid the Yankees by $18.1 million just to talk to an unproven commodity, Daisuke Matsuzaka. In contrast, reports say that the Yankees outbid the Red Sox by roughly $10 million to sign one of the 10 greatest pitchers ever, Roger Clemens. But no, the Yankees only win because they outspend everybody. Boston uses its smarts to level the playing field.

Fire Marty Miller

There have been calls for Joe Torre and Brian Cashman to a lesser extent to lose their jobs over the team’s poor start. Those moves are too drastic to make so soon. One man in the organization, however, needs to be run out of town as soon as possible. That is Marty Miller, the new strength and conditioning coach.

This article ran a few weeks ago in the New York Daily News. It outlined some of Miller’s perceived missteps. Some of the lowlights:

“Marty isn’t a baseball guy like Mangold was,” said one player, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “Marty has been given a lot of pull, and I think he’s a little too gung-ho right now.”

During the first day of workouts with pitchers and catchers, the pair’s pre-workout stretching program did not include any stretching exercises for the players’ arms.

“Right off the bat, (Miller has) got a bad rap,” said the player, who also called the team’s current pregame stretch routine inadequate. “Pitchers and catchers out there not stretching their arms? Their thing is that the active stretch gets everything stretched out, but that’s garbage.”

“They’ve done a phenomenal job making the weight room nice,” the player said. “Aesthetically it looks great, but functionally, there’s nothing in there. You walk in there and there’s four of the same machine and a bunch of empty space. What do you expect us to do in there?”

According to a team source, Pettitte was encouraged by either Miller or Cavalea to ditch the weight belt he usually wears while doing his routine squats, saying it would help him strengthen his stomach during the exercises. Pettitte injured his back while doing the squats, costing him 10days in spring training.

Let us take a look at this. The players, who know their bodies better than anybody, are uncomfortable with his moves. The pitchers were not stretching their arms. Even people who do not know anything about baseball should know how foolish that is. It is essential to stretch out any area before partaking in rigorous activity with it. Pettitte’s injury was the direct result of foolish advice that made a player uncomfortable. Several key players have gone down with pulls or strains, an indication that these areas have not been conditioned properly by the training program. How many other teams have had this many similar ailments? How many did the Yankees have in past seasons? These are not just the result of age and cold weather since Chien-Ming Wang and Phil Hughes got hurt in temperate climates. This cannot be a coincidence. Miller needs to be fired on the spot. Brian Cashman should then go back to Jeff Mangold and repeat Happy Gilmore’s immortal apologetic words.

“I’m stupid. You’re smart. I was wrong. You were right. You’re the best. I’m the worst. You’re very good looking. I’m not attractive.”

Edit: I guess I have some sway. Miller has been fired. Now comes the second part, getting a quality replacement. Here’s hoping Mangold returns.