Yankees - The Thread in Perpetuity

[Nick Stefanos]

Also, although Trout had an amazing year in 2013, it wasn't quite as good as his 2012 year.

No doubt, though I get the impression that barring injuries, we've yet to see anything close to what this kid is really capable of doing. I hate comparisons between young players and retired legends, but it's hard to ignore the similarities between Trout and Mantle. Let's just hope Trout is luckier avoiding injury than the Mick. I still wonder just what Griffey Jr. would have accomplished had he stayed healthy throughout his career. He'd likely have rendered the Barry Bonds controversy moot.

[Merlin1958]

Also, although Trout had an amazing year in 2013, it wasn't quite as good as his 2012 year.

No doubt, though I get the impression that barring injuries, we've yet to see anything close to what this kid is really capable of doing. I hate comparisons between young players and retired legends, but it's hard to ignore the similarities between Trout and Mantle. Let's just hope Trout is luckier avoiding injury than the Mick. I still wonder just what Griffey Jr. would have accomplished had he stayed healthy throughout his career. He'd likely have rendered the Barry Bonds controversy moot.

There is no "Barry Bonds" controversy in my mind. Over time, I have come to change my thinking on the cheating thing. I mean given what modern medicine is doing now a days it's kinda hard to draw a line. I think if you can come back quicker from injury it should be allowed. However, and I believe it was, Don Imus who cracked, when you go from being "Pookie, in New Jack city" to "The Rock" in a season, something ain't right.

Last word from me on "Pine Tar", but an ESPN guy doing tonights game made a good point. Resin is for sweaty hands in the summer, why shouldn't there be an approved substance for pitchers in the colder months right behind the mound like the resin bag?

[CRinVA]

I'm just gonna say

[Nick Stefanos]

There is no "Barry Bonds" controversy in my mind. Over time, I have come to change my thinking on the cheating thing. I mean given what modern medicine is doing now a days it's kinda hard to draw a line. I think if you can come back quicker from injury it should be allowed.

Whether or not we believe it should be allowed, it's not. Even those like Pettitte who claimed he only used steroids to heal faster from an injury are gaining an unfair advantage over injured players who are recovering under the rules.

If the players truly think the rules should be changed, ignoring them is not the way to go about it. They have a union. Take it to the union, and if there is a consensus among the entirety of the players, then go about the process of making the league change the rules. Until then, like them or not, rules are rules and those that don't follow them are cheaters.

The above applies to the pine tar thing as well. Additionally, Dwight Gooden's comments on the issue tend to negate the idea that a foreign substance is needed to assist a pitcher's grip in cold weather.

"Pine tar is used 2 make ur breaking pitches sharper& help ur sinker 4 more movement! You can blow in your hand for a better grip when it's cold... enough already!" - Dwight Gooden via Twitter

[CRinVA]

So why is it ok for a batter to coat the bat grip with pine tar? to wear batting gloves for grip? to swing a heavier bat? to swing a lighter bagt with the end hollowed out? to wear a various assortment of shin, elbow, etc guards? for pitchers to wear those crazy necklaces that "supposedly" provide some sort of advantage? For first basemen to wear a glove the size of Manhattan to better scoop up the baseball? geesh! Sunglasses? sun block on the cheeks provides an advantage?

hat's the ruling on stealing signals? the batter glancing at the catcher's setup? the vicinity play at 2nd base provides an advantage? The balk where seasoned pitchers get away swith it while the rookies do not!

The Strike zone - no umpires call teh zone as it is defined. Pitches abobe the belt are called balls but in fact some are strikes. The strike zone changes late in the game?

Pitcher A clunks Player B. Everyone gets warned! retaliation NOT allowed.

Just food for thought - i am not saying that I condone any or all of these - they are just food for thought! :-)

[Nick Stefanos]

So why is it ok for a batter to coat the bat grip with pine tar? to wear batting gloves for grip? to swing a heavier bat? to swing a lighter bagt with the end hollowed out? to wear a various assortment of shin, elbow, etc guards? for pitchers to wear those crazy necklaces that "supposedly" provide some sort of advantage? For first basemen to wear a glove the size of Manhattan to better scoop up the baseball? geesh! Sunglasses? sun block on the cheeks provides an advantage?

Simple answer, those things are all within the rules, and some of them are regulated. As Yankees fans of a certain age, we all know the pine tar can only be so far up the bat (or else George Brett goes crazy but still gets a free home run).

As I said earlier, if the pitchers think the rules are unfairly weighted against them, they have the opportunity to lobby the union to seek rule changes.

And for the record, I f'n hate the "vicinity play." Either touch the bag or tag the runner. Otherwise he should be ruled safe.

[CRinVA]

So why do the rules allow the batter an edge, but not the pitcher. I know the rules say so, buy why do they say so? I know we don't want flying bats crusing the first few rows, but we also don't want out of control 95mph pitches sailing near noggins!

Again I am not condoning things one way or another, just being inquisitive. Sometiems there are just stupid rules on the books (like some bible belt counties that might arrest you for cursing in public and whatnot) and sometimes it takes an act of God to get them changed. Just saying. For every perosn that thinks a rule should go this way there is another person thinking it should go that way instead!
LOL

[Nick Stefanos]

So why do the rules allow the batter an edge, but not the pitcher. I know the rules say so, buy why do they say so? I know we don't want flying bats crusing the first few rows, but we also don't want out of control 95mph pitches sailing near noggins!

I agree, it's not an even playing field for pitchers, but what does every professional sports league always claim it wants? More scoring. Remember back in the 90s when there was the "chicks dig the long ball" marketing campaign? Rule changes always seem to be in favor of providing more scoring.

While we're talking about player and fan safety, how about we eliminate the maple bats that break so easily and make spear-like projectiles that will someday injure a player severely?

Again I am not condoning things one way or another, just being inquisitive. Sometiems there are just stupid rules on the books (like some bible belt counties that might arrest you for cursing in public and whatnot) and sometimes it takes an act of God to get them changed. Just saying. For every perosn that thinks a rule should go this way there is another person thinking it should go that way instead!
LOL

Oh, I appreciate where you're coming from on this. The discussion is the fun part of it all.

[CRinVA]

Ah yes the bats - good point! It' amazing more pitchers (and occiassionally infielders), or fans in fact, havent been speared by the projectile shards!

Yes its much more exciting to wathc a 9 - 5 ballgame ith a few dingers than it is to watch a 3 - 2 game with sacrifice bunts and stolen bases.

Low scores only get exciting when the pitcher has a no no crusing past the 7th inning. Unless you're rooting for the losing team of course! :-)

[Nick Stefanos]

Yes its much more exciting to wathc a 9 - 5 ballgame ith a few dingers than it is to watch a 3 - 2 game with sacrifice bunts and stolen bases.

Low scores only get exciting when the pitcher has a no no crusing past the 7th inning. Unless you're rooting for the losing team of course! :-)

To be honest, I'll take the 3-2 game 9 out 10 times, the 10th being the one where it's not a pitcher's duel, or the result of two great defensive teams, but just two teams that cannot score because they suck. In most sports, I prefer defense, maybe because it was typically the aspect of sports I was better at.

[Randall Flagg]

Why do we have a dead thread about a dead season?

[Still Servant]

Also, although Trout had an amazing year in 2013, it wasn't quite as good as his 2012 year.

No doubt, though I get the impression that barring injuries, we've yet to see anything close to what this kid is really capable of doing. I hate comparisons between young players and retired legends, but it's hard to ignore the similarities between Trout and Mantle. Let's just hope Trout is luckier avoiding injury than the Mick. I still wonder just what Griffey Jr. would have accomplished had he stayed healthy throughout his career. He'd likely have rendered the Barry Bonds controversy moot.

Oh, for sure. There are multiple MVP's in Trout's future.

As for the pine tar thing, pitchers don't need anything more on the mound to help grip the ball. They are allowed to lick their fingers as long as they aren't on the rubber and as long as they wipe on their uniform first. That should be more than enough to make your fingers tacky to get a good grip on the ball.

[Merlin1958]

Why do we have a dead thread about a dead season?

Well, you could help us out and change the title. Please?

[Nick Stefanos]

[
As for the pine tar thing, pitchers don't need anything more on the mound to help grip the ball. They are allowed to lick their fingers as long as they aren't on the rubber and as long as they wipe on their uniform first. That should be more than enough to make your fingers tacky to get a good grip on the ball.

And if that fails, Don Sutton recommends using a nail file.

[Merlin1958]

Yanks, are having a fine season so far. Pitching wins championships!!!

[CRinVA]

Agreed - the lone team above .500 in the AL East!

I Luv It.

And yes, someone with the pwers to be could change the thread title to Yankees - 2014 Edition!!!!!!

[Nick Stefanos]

Pitching wins championships!!!

At the very least, pitching will win the AL East. We'll need consistent performance in Nova's spot, but I think we have the guys to do it by committee if need be. This should be a fun summer to be a Yankee fan, and hopefully, an even more fun fall.

[CRinVA]

Did anyone see the Jimmy fallon stunt on TV last night? He had a big mockup of Robinson Cano and was getting people on the street to boo him big time for moving to the Mariners. And then the real Robbie Cano would walk out from behind the mockup. It was pretty funny to see these people's faces once tehy realized they had just booed the real mccoy!

[Nick Stefanos]

Did anyone see the Jimmy fallon stunt on TV last night? He had a big mockup of Robinson Cano and was getting people on the street to boo him big time for moving to the Mariners. And then the real Robbie Cano would walk out from behind the mockup. It was pretty funny to see these people's faces once tehy realized they had just booed the real mccoy!

Saw it replayed this morning. Thought it very funny and validated Jerry Seinfeld's classic "We're just rooting for the shirts" joke.
Personally, I have no animosity towards Cano. I think he made the wrong decision, but he's a grown man, it's his to make. Of course, I hope he goes 0 for however many at-bats he takes versus the Yankees, but I still wish him a long and productive career when he plays other teams.

[Nick Stefanos]

Just went from hoping it'd rain harder to hoping it clears up entirely. Thanks CC for blowing a 2-0 lead with three outs to go until the game was official.

[Still Servant]

Yanks, are having a fine season so far. Pitching wins championships!!!

Agreed. There is some reason for concern with the pitching though. Kuroda needs to be straightened out. Nova is done for the year and Pineda is having back issues now.

[Nick Stefanos]

...and Pineda is having back issues now.

Maybe without the extra weight of the pine tar his back problems will ease up a bit.

[Still Servant]

Yanks, are having a fine season so far. Pitching wins championships!!!

Agreed. There is some reason for concern with the pitching though. Kuroda needs to be straightened out. Nova is done for the year and Pineda is having back issues now.

I forgot to add C.C., who is continues to struggle.

I can't for the life of me understand how Chris Young gets people out throwing 85 MPH fastball from the right side, but C.C. can't get people out throwing 89 MPH from the left side. The M's can't hit either.

[Still Servant]

Maybe Pineda can give that extra weight to C.C. He clearly needs it.

[Nick Stefanos]

Maybe Pineda can give that extra weight to C.C. He clearly needs it.

No kidding! I don't wish the man health problems associated with his former corpulence, but Fat CC was a better pitcher.