Home Run Derby

The “CC” in CC Sabathia used to stand for “Carsten Charles.”  Or maybe “Captain Cheeseburger.”

The New York Yankees want to change it to “Cha-Ching”

This past Friday, the New York Yankees offered CC Sabathia a six-year, $140 Million contract to anchor their starting rotation and help bring a World Series Championship the Playoffs back to the Bronx.   The offer is $40 million more than the five-year, $100 million offer he reportedly received from the Brewers to stay in Milwaukee.  And it would be the largest pitching contract in the history of Major League Baseball, besting the $137 million Johan Santana received from the New York Mets last offseason.

No other team is going to exceed (or even match) the Yankees contract offer.  The Brewers can’t do it.  Sabathia’s preferred home-state Dodgers and Angels won’t do it either.  They’ll be looking for a discount … and the Yankees’ monster offer might prevent the LA teams from even entering the bidding.  The Yankees have basically made this into a pissing match … and they drank the most beer before the contest started. 

But I think it would be a bad idea for Sabathia to sign with the Yankees … 

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This is the last post on the White Sox-Yankees trade … maybe. 

At least I won’t be talking about Nick Swisher in it … D’OH!

All right … let’s talk about one of the players the White Sox got in return - Backup First Baseman Wilson Betemit

I came across this statement attributed to White Sox GM Kenny Williams after the trade went down on Thursday …

Betemit hasn’t lived up to his billing since becoming a prospect in Atlanta’s organization at 16, but Williams believes he could blossom thanks to his adjustment to prescription goggles.

You have got to be kidding me. 

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Yesterday, the New York Yankees traded for 1B Nick Swisher.

A lot of people wondered why the Yankees would trade for a player who batted an embarrasing .219 last season (a sub-Mendoza .191 after the All-Star Break, and got worse in Sept - .164), who has a stupid-looking beard and a goofy “I’m Super!! Thanks for Asking!” demeanor that probably wouldn’t fit well in the Yankees’ stoic and professional clubhouse.

Well, a quick perusal of Nick Swisher’s Web site might give us the answer why.  

Swisher’s apparently all chummy with the heaviest pitcher to win the Cy Young Award … and the biggest prize of the 2008 MLB offseason …

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The Yankees did a public service today for everyone who watches baseball when they traded for White Sox OF/1B Nick Swisher.  

Why?

Because now we won’t have to look at Swisher and his ludicrously stupid beard anymore.

Since the Yankees have a policy of “No Beards” … that means we won’t be seeing this offense to facial hair anymore.

And it definitely means we won’t see Swisher do his pink goatee thing at Mother’s Day either.

And since the Yankees made Jason Giambi and Johnny Damon shave off their beards … you know they’re serious.

Now, Swish seems to have fun with this stuff and always seems to be looking for ways to raise money for charitable causes (he grew out his hair for cancer patients)- so watch for him to partner with a razor company when he shaves it off.

It’s possible this trade was made because Swisher has been known to hang out with the Yankees’ #1 offseason target … CC Sabathia.

I wonder if Umpbump (the champions of unfortunate facial hair) will beat me to this post.  By the way … I’ve made it clear that I like Baseball Beards.  Just not that one.

Now that the seasons of the New York Yankees and the New York Mets are over … and their stadiums are being demolished, apparently homes in the greater metropolitan area are being infested by swarms of displaced vermin …

No, not Rats. Or even Cats. It’s worse than that.

Imagine waking up and finding Yankees Fans and Mets Fans in your home …

From Atom.com

Sometimes the best trades are the ones you don’t make.  But don’t tell that to the New York Yankees.

Back in December, the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox were each trying to negotiate a trade with the Minnesota Twins for pitcher Johan Santana.  At the time, Minnesota wanted two of the top three young players from either the Sox or Yanks.

For the Yankees, that basically meant CF Melky Cabrera and young pitchers Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy.  The Yanks seemed satisfied with their offer of Cabrera/Hughes and when the Tiwns wanted more …  the Yanks wouldn’t add Kennedy to the mix.  

Santana ended up being traded to the crosstown New York Mets.  

For the Mets, Santana is 11-7 with 20 Quality Starts in 26 games with a 2.75 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP for the NL East-leading Mets.  He should be 17-7, but the Mets’ bullpen has blown six saves for Santana (five coming in the ninth inning).

Considering that the Yankees haven’t tasted World Series Champagne since 2000 … they wouldn’t have gotten unfavorable results by not pulling the trigger … would they?  The Yankees must be getting good results from the trio of players they refused to deal to the Twins for a two-time AL Cy Young Award winner, right?  

Not as such …
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God, I hate the Yankees.  This latest reason is courtesy of Hank Steinbrenner:

I think it’s very simple, we’ve been devastated by injuries. No team I’ve ever seen in baseball has been decimated like this. It would kill any team. Imagine the Red Sox without [Josh] Beckett and [Jon] Lester. Pitching is 70 percent of the game. Wang won 19 games two straight years. Chamberlain became the most dominating pitcher in baseball. You can’t lose two guys like that.”[emphasis added]

OK, we know what Erin Andrews thinks of Joba(/snark), but is there anyone who truly believes he is the “most dominating pitcher in baseball” with his 89 innings pitched this season and 113 innings in his career?

Really, He’s better than Cliff Lee and Brandon Webb? or CC Sabathia or Roy Halladay? or Carlos Zambrano or Jake Peavy? He’s not even better than two Red Sox pitchers mentioned by Hank himself. Hell, he’s not better than John Danks and about 30 other pitchers.

Yes, Hank…Joba is good. Really good. In fact, he may be an all-star one day, but can we save the hyperbole? You made your point, the Yankees had a lot of injuries. Problem was, they were having a hard time competing before the injuries. God forbid that the Yankees are….wait for it…..a mediocre team. *Gasp* That can’t be!

And, what’s with the name Joba anyway? Nice little story on wikipedia there, Justin! Boy, if I changed my name to one of my nicknames growing up, I would be Chewbacca the Greek!

Better yet, Chewy the Greek. My wife would love that! Gotta go, I heading to the courthouse right now.

Texas Rangers’ relief pitcher C.J. Wilson is headed to the Disabled List and possibly the DFA list.  Supposedly for “bone spurs in his left elbow.”

Bullshit.  It’s because Wilson’s not effective as a pitcher (recently removed from the closer’s role) and even worse - he’s disrespectful towards his manager and his team.

Last night, Wilson entered the game in the top of the eighth inning with the Rangers holding a six-run lead over the visiting New York Yankees.

Wilson threw 22 pitches … and was not impressive.  He walked Bobby Abreu, hit Alex Rodriguez, struck out Xavier Nady, walked Robinson Cano, and then, with a 0-1 count, served up Richie Sexson’s 15th Career Grand Slam.

And then it got ugly. 

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During last night’s Orioles-Yankees game, the O’s put on the right field shift for Jason Giambi.

Baltimore Centerfielder Brian Roberts shifted towards Right Field to cut down on the lefty Giambi’s chances at getting a big hit (it worked earlier in the game) … and Giambi puts one through anyway.

And then, Giambi playfully lets Roberts know what he thinks of the shift.

Now if someone would do that after hitting a Home Run following an intentional walk, that’d be great.

Hat tip: Big League Stew