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Post by Yankin'It in Beantown on May 13, 2005 13:32:58 GMT -5
Seems Vasquez has really started to pull it together in AZ. After a brutal start his last five outing have all gone 7 innings or longer and he has been downright lethal.
I am happy for him, I guess, but that first pitch grand salami he served up to Jonny Damon is unfortunately engraved in my brain until I pass. As far as sports go, I never felt much lower than I did immediately following that gopher ball.
I guess NY did not agree with him.
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Post by GoodFriar on May 13, 2005 14:09:01 GMT -5
"I guess NY did not agree with him. "
The guess here is the AL hitters did not agree with him, as is the case with any pitcher. Ask Carl Pavano or Randy Johnson. It's a totally different ballgame over there at the Senior Circuit.
Brad Halsey has also fared relatively well. We should still be happy this trade was made.
Best of luck to Javy and Brad, whatever that's worth.
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Post by Phil on May 13, 2005 14:34:58 GMT -5
If you look at his career stats, he seems to have a good year ever other year. I am sorry we gave up on him even for the Big Unit.
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Post by SueT on May 13, 2005 15:11:39 GMT -5
I, too, wish Javy the best in the desert. Mr. Eric Milton also looks like he's going to be an asset in Cincy. Didn't we send him to MN when Knobby came here??? I'm in one of my brain-locks
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Post by yankeefan on May 13, 2005 16:26:09 GMT -5
You're right about Milton. Guzman (now with Lefteroo's Nationals) was also in that deal and I think Brian Buchanan also.
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Post by soxfan9 on May 13, 2005 17:02:33 GMT -5
I guess NY did not agree with him. There seems to have been a lot of players in that situation. You have the unrelenting press, the unrelenting pressure to win (or else!), and the unrelenting pressure of George Steinbrenner. Aside from the money and the possibility of October, what are the incentives?
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Post by yankeefan on May 13, 2005 17:27:47 GMT -5
To play for the most famous baseball team in the country. To put on the world-famous pinstripes. To play in the 'House That Ruth Built', the most renowned sports venue since the Coliseum.
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Post by SueT on May 13, 2005 17:40:07 GMT -5
Well said, YF. Another factor, playing in front of the greatest baseball fans on the planet (with the possible exception of St. Louis--they love their Cards). ;D
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Post by soxfan9 on May 13, 2005 21:18:26 GMT -5
To play for the most famous baseball team in the country. To put on the world-famous pinstripes. To play in the 'House That Ruth Built', the most renowned sports venue since the Coliseum. I don't think that those reasons outweigh all the other reasons I mentioned. If that's the case, why didn't Beltran hop on board for less $$?
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Post by asburyboss on May 14, 2005 0:32:23 GMT -5
SF...you must be confused as to what happened in the Beltran case...WE never offered him the "lesser" contract that he wanted from us- $100MM.
YF is right...the Yankees are an American icon. The greatest sports franchise this country has to offer- bar none.
Do the pinstripes "weigh" more than other unis? you bet- with the history, the present, the expectations- it gets to some people- and some can't handle it- Vasquez, Weaver, Whitson, et al. Those that do are legends- Ruth, Dimaggio, Jeter, Berra, Gehrig, Munson, Mantle...
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Post by YanksFan on May 15, 2005 10:29:59 GMT -5
I never wanted us to trade Vazquez. I was one of those who wanted to give him another chance, another year to prove himself here in NY. I still think he has what it takes to pitch here, but as it was pointed out, the AL isn't the same as the NL in terms of offense. I do admit that the grand slam he gave up in game 7 practically sealed his ticket out of town. Too bad it had to end that way. But I guess its ok now: he is pitching nicely again, we are turning out slow start around, we have Randy Johnson.
Hope Javy the best!
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Post by soxfan9 on May 16, 2005 9:58:35 GMT -5
SF...you must be confused as to what happened in the Beltran case...WE never offered him the "lesser" contract that he wanted from us- $100MM. What I was trying to say was, if the Yanks are such a great place to play, and they're so full of tradition, pinstripes, Yankee Stadium, yada yada yada, why wouldn't a player like Beltran take less to play there?
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Post by goodad on May 16, 2005 10:18:28 GMT -5
Why wouldn't he take less money? I'll give it to you in two words niner:
Scott Boras.
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Post by Little_Lefty on May 16, 2005 14:35:22 GMT -5
Niner, my read on the events of the Beltran case was that he (Beltran) DID reduce his asking price some $15M, but Big Stein still felt that was too much and didn't get the deal done while Omar Minaya haggled with Boras all night and eventually got the deal done. Don't ask "Why didn't Stein do the deal, then?" because WE DON'T KNOW. The man-of-the-bottomless-wallet works in mysterious ways.
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Post by DavidL on May 17, 2005 10:41:20 GMT -5
Niner, you've got the Beltran situation badly confused. It's the Yanks who turned down Boras' offer to have Beltran sign for less than the Mets had offered. According to the reports at the time, Beltran practically begged the Yankees to sign him, and offered to take significantly less to play in the Bronx. The Yankees apparently felt that because of the debt-service rules, they couldn't afford him.
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Post by soxfan9 on May 17, 2005 15:10:48 GMT -5
OK, let's forget about Beltran. Why didn't Hudson sign with the Yanks?
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Post by DavidL on May 17, 2005 15:22:01 GMT -5
Maybe because he's not yet hit FA?
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Post by soxfan9 on May 17, 2005 16:30:27 GMT -5
For some reason, I thought that the Braves acquired them through the FA market. Forgot that he still had one year left on his contract. Hey, sue me. I'm not the only one to make mistakes around here. . . ;D
Of course, now no one comes to mind, but the point I was trying to make is that the reasons for players p@$$ing up certain teams isn't always about money, or tradition or anything tangable. In other words, Yankee money or mystique or pinstripes or tradition isn't always enough to lure players to the Big Apple.
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Post by DavidL on May 17, 2005 16:58:06 GMT -5
Quiting when you're 0-2, niner? You've got one strike left, you know. But, you're right, in a way. Not everyone is cut out for NY. If a player knows that he doesn't have the constitution for it, I tip my hat to him. And I also tip my hat to a player who shows some loyalty to good fans and decent management. And, certainly, the Yanks have often not been the high bidder for a particular player, and if he's going for the bucks, he won't sign with the Yanks. But, for lots of players, the ultimate dream is to wear the pinstripes, and they know they have to be the best to have a chance at that.
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Post by soxfan9 on May 17, 2005 17:25:31 GMT -5
David, you had me, right up until this: But, for lots of players, the ultimate dream is to wear the pinstripes, and they know they have to be the best to have a chance at that.Surely you don't need a list of players from me to show that that isn't always the case, do you? Hee hee hee. . .
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