But I do have a suggestion. Nicknames are vitally important in baseball, and I think the Bombers' new Yankee pitchers CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett need one. My suggestion? Alphabet Soup for CC and A.J. Hey, it's better than calling them, say, 243 (for the combined millions the Bombers will be paying them) or 570 (their estimated combined weight.)
Readers, if you have a better suggestion for nicknames, please post a comment here, or email us at subwaysquawkers@gmail.com.
* Squawker Jon, I see that your Mets did their own wingding for "Krancisco" Rodriguez, as I like to call him. (He shouldn't be K-Rod if his name begins with an F!) And he will be taking the unusual uniform number of 75. Is that for how many wins the Mets will get next year?
* Derek Jeter was on XM Radio the other day, and he had this to say about Red Sox MVP Dustin Pedroia (oh, how I hate to put those words together!) Peter Abraham's blog has the words from the transcript. Here's a snippet:
“He’s a great player. More importantly, he’s a good person. He was fun to be around (at the All-Star Game). The thing about Dustin that I like is every game he’s playing all out. I mean, he’s a player that you really enjoy to watch play. I mean, I really don’t enjoy it because we see enough of him but you really appreciate the way he goes about playing the game everyday.While I am positively cringing hearing Jeter say all that praise, I am also jealous that the Yanks really don't have a kid like Pedroia right now. I guess Joba counts as far as pitching excitement (and getting other opposing fans' skin the way Pedroia does), but there is not hot young position player on the Yanks who is an equivalent to Dustin. And I wish they did.
Once upon a time, Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera appeared to be up-and-coming stars. But Melky's star faded so much he first was demoted to the minors, and then was supposed to be traded for Mike Cameron. However, it looks like that trade is dead. It would be nice if in 2009, Cano and Cabrera could be the exciting young players they projected to be. Dare to dream!
* One other note - Subway Squawkers is now part of Facebook's blog network. If you belong to Facebook, click here to join the fun with us.
What do you think about the state of the Yankees? Leave us a comment!
Lisa,
ReplyDeleteIf Dustin Pedroia played for the Yankees (shudder!) and you got to watch him game in-game out, you would absolutely love him. He is a joy to watch and root for (sort of the anti-Manny.)There's no quit in him.
CindyR.
Here's an article I just read on si.com (Hmmm...I wonder if this will influence the Yankees in the way they will pursue Texeira):
ReplyDelete"BOSTON (AP) -- As the Boston Red Sox pursue Mark Teixeira, their owner said Wednesday the amount they're willing to spend on free agents depends on the nation's economic problems and the player involved.
With as many as five teams showing interest in the first baseman, there is serious doubt the Red Sox would go longer than the eight-year contract the Los Angeles Angels, Teixeira's former team, have offered.
"We all have limits," Red Sox owner John Henry said in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "Eight years is a very long time in baseball and everywhere else."
He also said the amount the team is willing to spend on a free agent "depends on both" the economy and the player being sought.
"Baseball as a whole has not yet been hit by the financial crisis, but it will," Henry said. "The degree is in question and won't be answered for a while."
A decision by Teixeira on where he will end up did not appear imminent.
"No immediate timetable," his agent, Scott Boras, said in an e-mail Wednesday. "Negotiations are on going."
The Angels, who obtained Teixeira from the Atlanta Braves two days before the July 31 trade deadline, have said they made an eight-year offer. Boston, Baltimore, Washington and the New York Yankees all have expressed interest with some reportedly offering contracts for that length.
Teixeira would give the Red Sox the big bat in the middle of the lineup that they need after trading Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the deadline and watching David Ortiz's production drop as he battled a wrist injury last season.
Ortiz hit .264 with 23 homers in 109 games and went 8-for-43 with one homer in the postseason.
If they sign Teixeira, the Red Sox likely would move first baseman Kevin Youkilis to third, where Mike Lowell has two years and $24 million left on his contract. Lowell is recovering from hip surgery and is expected to be ready to play before opening day.
Teixeira, an outstanding fielder, hit .308 with 33 homers and 121 RBIs last season. In 54 games with the Angels, he batted .358 with 13 homers and 43 RBIs."
How about for CC--Take the money and run in 3, and for AJ--just take the money like Pavano!
ReplyDeleteLisa, I know the comments about Pedroia were difficult for you to post so, as Sox fan, I will consider that your present to the Red Sox Nation. And Jeter is such a class act.
ReplyDeleteLisa, mutual admiration and respect between Yankee and Red Sox players is the norm, not an aberration. Dimaggio thought Williams one of the greatest hitters he had ever seen. Williams often said many good words about Rizzuto and tried his hardest to get the Scooter into the Hall of Fame. Not all were dweebs like Bill Lee (he of the Yankees are stormtroopers under Billy Martin comment). ESPN is reporting that Teixeira is going to Boston for 8 years - 23 million per. Glad we at least got Nick Swisher.....
ReplyDelete