A Hero's Welcome
Last week I spoke too soon. I told you that things like karma were shifting for the Yankees. Whoops.
With one desperately large paycheck, the Yankees immediately became the dominant team in the American League and maybe all of baseball.
Only in New York can you say you want to "rebuild," say that you want to trim your exorbitant payroll and build from within, and then throw $4.5 million/per month for a starting pitcher because you have thrown out a few too many Darryl Rasner's and Chase Wright's. Only in New York.
This signing really killed my weekend. It made too much sense and it is too good of a move for the Yanks.
Assuming Clemens '07 resembles 2005-2006, then the Yankees are getting a top 5 starter in baseball. They are getting the power arm to put at the top of the rotation. The guy to eat innings and intimidate opponents.
Say what you want about the Yankees starting pitching, but Clemens-Mussina-Wang-Pettitte -- there isn't a team in baseball that can rival that. Salt.
This move is so Yankees.
One question. Roger introduced himself to the Bronx faithful during the 7th inning stretch. The hero returns! But isn't this a tad disrespectful. Isn't this when the Yankees are supposed to play "God Bless America." Isn't this time for patriotism? To think. These guys sure do have nerves.
That's just Sip being dumb. But seriously. This move could not have come at a better time for the Yankees OR a worse time for those who hate them. The Yankees are starting to roll with their recent cake walk through Texas and Seattle and now they make the one move that can change a season.
More importantly, Rocket as a Yankee means that Roger can't be a Red Sock (??? How the hell do you make Red Sox single?). This is clearly why the money got in the range that it did. The Hendricks brothers had bsaeball's greatest bargaining chip.
The Yankees vs. The Sox.
Rocket's favorite team vs. Rocket's first team.
The Evil Empire vs. America's sweetheart.
$28 million dollars later and Roger Clemens is a Yankee.
$50 million dollars later and Kei Igawa is a longman.
Old Yanks, meet the New Yanks.
Vaya con dios,
Sip
(Pics courtesy of cyyoungpitchers.com, sportsecyclopedia.com)
posted by Sippy Momo at 3:31 AM
8 Comments:
You have to be kidding!?!?! You think that Clemens makes the Yanks the most dominant team in the AL and maybe all of baseball? ONE starting pitcher was the difference between first place, total domination and where they are now (last place)? I don't think so. I can't believe you post this stuff.
Red Sok
One of the guys over at Highbrid Nation wrote a very interesting post about Roger Clemems and and the "real" reason he has come back to play for the Yankees. Good Stuff.
Don't get too down yet. First off Clemens isn't going to eat innings, he averaged under 6innings last year and now he doesn't have the pitcher to face.
Sure he's better then Igawa, but I don't think he's going to be the difference on this team.
And I laugh at his getting to go home. I think it's going to create resentment in the clubhouse. A-Rod liked being the highest paid player in baseball, but maybe he'll take solace in that he's still the highest paid guy in the clubhouse 4 out of 5 days.
Oh, and how about Red Stocking?
I definetly don't think Clemens is one of the top 5 starters in baseball right now and I don't think the intimidation is really there anymore either.
Clemens doesn't eat innings anymore. I think he might hit a roughly 90th percentile estimation of 125 IP this season. That's still, after luxury tax (Sheehan estimates 26M paid out after luxury tax), over 200K per Clemensian inning. He ain't that good. He's definitely going to make them a better team, but he can only take the ball every fifth day and I don't see him getting into the 7th any more often than I see him getting yanked in the 5th.
If money is no object, ok, but still, a good move, not a season changing one. The Yanks are far better than their record and only a brave man would bet against them making the playoffs, but I'm not sure that they needed Clemens to do that. Why sign Igawa for 45M or whatever if you are so easily dissuaded about his ability? Clearly they thought he had something, at least enough to be a 5 guy, how can you give up after only 30IP? That's really bad management...
Sip,
For the most part, I am on board with you... but keep in mind, Father Time catches up to everyone, no matter how much juice is consumed. And I'm not convinced that Pettite and Mussina are going to be top-flight all year. And Wang needs to have another year like last year before I'm truly convinced he's the deal.
Let's see how they handle the second half of May...
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