Results tagged ‘ Mariano Rivera ’
Dream Job / Fantasy Teams
Ok, so, MLBs got the perfect job opening for a guy like me…and it so happens Im in a position that I could use a job like that. Match made in heaven, right? Well, maybe not since the only voice Ive ever aired on this blog is that of “Angry Yankee fan arguing against angry Yankee Haters” hence my name…
Ive attempted to branch out my skill on this blog to that of my fantasy rosters. Ive got 2 teams drafted, 1 to draft this sunday and maybe one more depending on how I feel about it. Thus, it would cause me to not only watch other games besides those played by the Yankees and their rivals, but to really invest myself in them as well…example: Twins vs White Sox games wouldnt exactly thrill me, but my teams contain Young and Cuddyer vs Danks and Alexi Ramirez-all of a sudden Ive got reason to sit through that series.
So…in the hope of getting the dream job that just last month came into existence, but sure enough has been a job Ive secretly wanted for years…I feel I need to show that Im more than an opinionated Yankee fan. Again, here are my fantasy rosters, and the reasons I drafted that way…
The Pretenders:
C-Buster Posey
1B-Aubrey Huff
2B-Dan Uggla
3B-Alex Rodriguez
SS-Alexi Ramirez
OF-Alex Rios
Shane Victorino
Delmon Young
U-Brett Gardner
Vladimir Guerrero
Bench-Colby Rasmus
Neil Walker
Michael Cuddyer
SP-Tim Lincecum
David Price
Josh Johnson
Roy Oswalt
Ryan Dempster
Ricky Romero
RP-Brian Wilson
John Axford
Leo Nunez
I’ve actually been trade requested twice by another owner looking to get Price, Posey and ARod in exchange for Sabathia, Mauer and Zimmerman. Thats a pretty good trade, but the reason I keep turning my friends request down is because Rodriguez is always a lock for 30 home runs and 100 rbis. Price and Sabathia were interchangable last year, so as long as you have one, youre ok for a Cy Young hopeful. Getting Mauer was tempting since he puts up great numbers for a catcher, but for keeping ARod, Im willing to risk Posey in his 1st full season. Its not a very big risk. Maybe if Mauer had another big year last year, but he seems to not hit the same in Target Field like he did in the Metrodome. Be it Mauer isnt the same at home or ARods guarenteed numbers, Ive had 0 regrets in denying the trades.
I tend to be bad at drafting a middle infield, but in this draft I had the #2 pick and Hanley is by and far the best option at short and Dan Uggla kinda fell into my lap. Im not arguing, since hes still one of the best second basemen in the NL.
My outfields tend to be more speed oriented and this year proved to be no different. Any given day I have Brett Gardner, Shane Victorino and Alex Rios in the lineup. In addition to Hanley, Ill have nothing to worry about in the SB department. Im also rolling the dice on Vladimir Guerrero that he still has another quality season in the tank. Hitting in the heart of a Baltimore lineup poised to send shockwaves through the AL east? I like those odds…
My starting pitchers are strait up nasty! Lincecum, Price, Oswalt and Josh Johnson need no justification. Dempster is a 200 inning/200K machine, and Brian Wilson has quietly been one of the most automatic closers in baseball.
The Lozers:
C-Brian McCann
1B-Derrek Lee
2B-Robinson Cano
3B-Miguel Tejada
SS-Alexi Ramirez
OF-Ryan Braun
Nick Swisher
Matt Holliday
U-Michael Bourn
John Buck
Bench-Pablo Sanvoval
Mike Aviles
Magglio Ordonez
SP-Justin Verlander
Yovani Gallardo
Dan Haren
John Danks
Brett Myers
Madison Bumgarner
Bronson Arroyo
Anibal Sanchez
RP-Mariano Rivera
Ryan Franklain
McCann in the best catcher in the NL, Cano is the best 2B in the AL. I could argue that they might be better than Mauer/Utley but thats all speculative. Derrek Lee has the same this going for him the Guerrero does. Bourn is the sole base stealer on this team, but with a track record of stealing 52, 61 and 41 over the last three years, I doubt he needs much help. Braun and Holliday provide some solid hitting each with over a .300 average, 25 homers and 100 rbi campaigns last season.
In the past Ive always used Aviles as a replacment for an injured player and hes always produced nicely as a result. I figured Id just draft him and avoid the rush this year. Good bench middle infielders are impossible to come by these days. Im risking that Pablos dropped weight equals better play…and anyone else remember Ordonez? He dropped mad low in this draft. Hes at a certain age, really wants to win a wolrd series and plays in the AL central. Im banking that hes gonna have a solid year…
My pitchers my not be as high profile as my other team, but they can still put up numbers. Verlander and Gallardo always seem to be int he Cy Young talk. Rivera now has a number to strive for in his quest for the all time saves record, and it so happens to be 42…as in: The last player to ever wear 42 in baseball needs only 42 saves to catch the all time saves record.
Right…better wrap this up…like I said, I got another team to draft on sunday. My aim to to draft a team that has 0 players Ive already drafted. It limits my options, but it does force me to consider what those other players are capable of. Its an interesting experiment and Im hoping it leads to a couple league titles.
Fantasy 2011…pt 2
Its all part of a plan…and I’ll let you all know what that plan is when I think of it. ‘nother fantasy draft tonight.
#2 of what Im expecting to be 4 fantasy teams….dont give me that look…I dont have a problem…right?
Last nights draft was for a strait faced team, this time around I’m avoid all those picks and see how well this team can do. Aight, heres the results…..I drafted last, giving me all back-to-back picks, but a loooooooooong wait in between…
Team: “The Lozers”
1-Robinson Cano (The shouldve-been MVP was a no brainer choice)
2-Ryan Braun
3-Matt Holliday
4-Justin Verlander
5-Brian McCann
6-Mariano Rivera
7-Yovani Gallardo
8-Alexi Ramirez
9-Pablo Sandoval
10-Dan Haren
11-Michael Bourn
12-Nick Swisher
13-Ryan Franklin
14-Miguel Tejada
15-Madison Bumgarner
16-John Danks
17-Brett Myers
18-Derrek Lee
19-John Buck
20-Bronson Arroyo
21-Anibal Sanchez
22-Mike Aviles
23-Magglio Ordonez
Everybody can chill the hell out now, we signed Soriano
What with Boston aquiring a bunch of high priced people over the winter, you’d think there was a reason to panic? Yet, that coupled with the Yankees lack of a Lee and Pettitte being all indecisive and the next thing you know Yankee fans are reaching for the “abandon all hope” signs for 2011. You guys realize that the Yankees won 95 games last year, right? Its not like we NEEDED to upgrade as badly as Boston did…now theyre as good as we were last year. bravo…
Yeah, I dunno either.
Not so fast I guess, seeing how the Yankees have signed Raphael Soriano to a 3 year deal, effectively setting up the most dominating late inning duo in baseball.
This is drawing comparisons to the 1996 Rivera-Wetteland duo
…and it could very well conjur images of what Quan-Go-Mo (+10 to anyone who can understand that) did to effectively end games after 6 or 7 innings for Yankee wins.
Does this replace the potential hole that Pettitte leaves? No.
Does this strengthen our bullpen that dropped sooooooo many leads on us last year? Yes.
So does the wins gained in the bullpen make up for the win lost by Pettitte leaving? I guess so.
Can we all stop worrying now? Boston isnt gonna run away with the division now? Ok?
Hell, 2 or 3 key injuries to them and its all over, amirite?
Anyway…Im gonna try and trademark the Soriano-Rivera duo nickname right now…suggestions are as follow:
-Rapha-mo
-Soriamo
-The 2nd most popular Soriano to wear pinstripes…and Mo!
-The future all time saves leader…and his 8th inning sidekick (yeah, that one was a stretch)
Actually-lets make Joba into the 7th inning guy…call it Job-Ra-Mo!
ok, ill stop.
42 needs 42
Hey look, its 2011!
Guess its time to look ahead and stop caring about our bronze medal finish from last year and look ahead to endless possibilities! What better way to do that than reading the bittersweet news that Trevor Hoffman is retiring. Well…maybe more sweet than bitter…and only sweet because now we have a concrete number for Mariano Rivera to aspire to in his quest to become the all time saves leader…lets face it, its the only thing he needs now-hes already the best postseason closer ever, and the best closer from 1997-now, the only thing left to get is the career high…and lets face it, the only way any Yankee fan will let that man retire is if he does surpass Hoffman-and now its very much possible.
If only there was a sign….whats that you say? Mo only needs how many more saves to catch up? 42? Hmmmmmm…The only guy in MLB sporting a 42 needs just that many saves to catch up? I like those odds.
Rivera becomes the all time saves leader in 2011? Maybe.
Rivera becomes the all time saves leader in 2012? Definatly.
Rivera retires in 2013? Errorz! Answer not available…
2010 ALCS vs Rangers…Game 6
Yeah, Im a bit late, who cares…
Yankees did a lot of things right in this series:
-Give the ball to Wood and Mo
-CC pitching at home
-Anytime Cano got to hit
-Convincing Vazquez the Yankees were playing the Angels in the ALCS and sending him on a 1-way plane to Anaheim while everyone else went to Texas.
…and they did a lot of things wrong:
-Burnett ever pitching
-Everytime Robertson came in to pitch
-Posada falling for a double steal
-Did I mention Burnett?
Girardis pitching rotation for this series was a joke.
Girardis rotation:
1-Sabathia
2-Hughes
3-Pettitte
4-Burnett
5-Sabathia
6-Hughes
7-Pettitte
The problem there was there wasnt enough Pettitte and too much of Hughes and Burnett.
My, better, and Yankee winning rotation:
1-Sabathia
2-Pettitte
3-Burnett
4-Sabathia
5-Hughes
6-Pettitte
7-Sabathia
Sabathia on short rest (works), Pettitte earlier and twince on normal rest, Hughes only once and at home, then be available in the pen the rest of the way (also a bullpen option for game 1)…and Burnett pitching in game 3 where it wouldnt matter how well he pitches cuz the Yankees were losing that game anyway.
Yankees wouldve won games 1 and 2, Rangers win game 3…game 4 would be ours, game 5 would be up in the air but Pettitte wouldve won game 6. Game-set-series-and Yankees go to California.
…just saying
….Im actually glad the Giants won. Joe Buck now doesnt get to talk about dynastys…Im alos gonna root for the Giants in this series, if only to prevent Ron Washington from doing lines of coke off the trophy.
Lets NOT be the Mets
A win tonight and we all but bury Boston for good…though if we lose, the Red Sox could control their own destiny-with 3 more games against us to end the year…in Fenway.
…so…lets try to avoid being the Mets of 07 and 08 where they collapsed to miss the playoffs.
Its not all bleak, a win tonight and the Yankees would stand .5 games behind 1st, though the schedule isnt in our favor.
On the mound for NY tonight is Phil Hughes, because Girardi has decided SCREW THE INNINGS LIMIT-WE NEED A WIN!!!!!!! So Hughes will square off against Matsuzaka and his 4.86 ERA.
Both teams need this, though Boston for more dire reasons.
Middle 1 in New York
Hughes looks decent thus far…
End of 1 in New York
…Our hitters, however, do not.
Top 3 in New York
Nick Swisher reminds everyone that he isnt here for his glove…
Middle 6 in New York
Damn pitching duel…
Bottom 7 in New York
An A-BOMB! From A-ROD! Yankees lead!!!
Top 8 in New York
Enter Sandman…
Soooooo close! 3 more outs!
Bottom 9 in New York
M-V-P Cano with the game tying hit!
2 outs…tie game…c’mon Berkman! Prove to us you were worth the trade!
Bottom 10 in New York
Bases loaded-NOBODY OUT! C’MON!
Walk off walk!
ILL TAKE IT
Yankees win!
Theeeeeeeeeeeeeee Yankees, WIN!
Tonight as told by numbers…
As I come down from the heart attack tonights game gave me (in no small part from Elvis Andrus’ leadoff triple), let me take a moment to break down some interesting numbers from the win.
17: the number of Yankees who struck out tonight. 17?!?! How the hell did we win when that many outs were made by the K? 11 of them came via Cliff Lee, then 1 by every last Ranger reliever afterwards. Seriously-when your team strikes out 17 of the other guys, winning should not even be in doubt…and yet…
4: the number of strikeouts the Yankee pitchers got against the Rangers tonight. Big. Fukk. Difference. 4 is also the amount of times the slumping Nick Swisher struck out tonight.
1: only 1 Yankee who hit managed to avoid striking out tonight-Lance Berkman.
6-1: the score after the fifth inning with the Rangers leading and Cliff Lee still pitching.
4: also happens to be the exact amount of wins the Yankees have this month…and we’re almost halfway through the month. Just a point of reference, last month on this day, the Yankees had racked up 9 wins already.
5: the amount of games that the Yankees still lead the Red Sox by
1.5: the current Yankee lead over the Tampa Bay Rays
3: the number of bases that Elvis Andrus ran for to lead off the bottom of the ninth with, putting the tying run 90 feet away with 0 outs.
0: the number of runs that scored after that triple in the bottom of the ninth because Mariano Rivera is cluuuuuuuutch.
4-1: the record the Yankees currently have vs Texas this season.
32: the number of stolen bases Brett Gardner currently has. Good for fifth in the AL.
1: the amount of wins Kerry Wood now has as a Yankee.
24: Rivera now has that many saves.
70: the number of wins the Yankees now have this season to lead the majors.
Trades?
Even with Pettitte down, Hughes’ hiccups and Dr AJ Jekyll/Mr Hyde Burnett doing what he does, the Yankees still have the best rotation in baseball, so long as CC keeps winning, Vazquez hold on and Mitre proves to be a solid fill-in. Our lineup is always potent, so theres no real need to fill any non-existant holes. So as the trade deadline looms, our old friend, the bullpen, is what needs the most help.
Why?
Joba is shakey, and I dont trust him with a slim lead late…I cringe when Park takes the mound, Mitre is now a starter, Aceves is out with no sign of returning, Marte is out as well while Im afraid of seeing Robertson take the hill and Gaudin hasnt exactly been a beacon of light.
Theres Mo. But while the 9th inning is, as always, a no doubter-the 7th and 8th are pretty much up in the air, especially when October comes.
Our only decent AAA guy, Albaladejo, is currently on roster thanks to Pettittes injury so the only real option is to turn to the trade market and see whos offering…and unlike Seattle, we should look for people who are serious about trading with us.
-Toronto: Scott Downs, Kevin Gregg
So the Blue Jays hot start is only a memory and theyre tossin up the white flag on the season, content knowing at least 4th place isnt dead last…and theyre movin their bullpen.
Downs is another Marte apparently, but with Marte hurt, why the hell not.
Gregg is a guy with closer exp, but with Mo, he can translate that exp into an 8th inning situation, which contains just as much pressure because the 8th inning against the Yankees might as well be the 9th because you sure as hell aint beating Rivera.
So I hope the Yankees go for Gregg, because he wouldnt be any worse than what we already have…though dealing with the Blue Jays is always an infuriating ordeal (“We want ALL your prospects for our one pitcher”)
-Cleveland: Kerry Wood
I know, I know, this screams “Carl Pavano” what with his high price tag and extremely-prone-to-injury history. But, like Pavano, Wood can be lights out when healthy. Hes had a rough start in Cleveland, but hes been picking it up lately.
…Lets just save him for the July 31-better-than-nothing plan.
-Kansas City: Joakim Soria
I might as well entertain this idea…though I feel the Royals might be a tad bit mad to offer him up, and the price tag wouldnt be small. To be fair, he would be the best guy available and a no-brainer 8th inning and a Mo-needs-a-day-off-so-let-someone-else-close.
-Kyle Farnsworth
…just kidding. I like him, but he just cant cut it…
Just a friendly reminder to VOTE SWISHER
Right off the bat…
Mo Rivera is yanking himself out of the All Star game. Instead he will take the time to rest some nagging injuries and come back fresh and ready for the 2nd half.
…Good for him. When youre 4324832563 years old, a little free rest can do you good for the long haul. Though the AL will now have to find another way to win it in the 9th. Ol reliable is no longer an option.
Robinson Cano in the Home Run Derby? ……ok, hell yeah!
Mustve been a slow year for the long ball, but Im not complaining. Cano just doesnt seem to jump out as a power hitter.
…and finally…
Nick Swisher is no longer leading the Final Vote.
People, get out there and vote vote vote for Swish Swish Swish!
…or at least vote for someone besides Kevin Youkilis. Trust me, nobody wants to see another Red Sox player at the game. They have a habit of sucking at this game.
Week 13 in review: All Star tweaking
Lets take a moment to single out all the Yankees on this years All Star team.
-Derek Jeter. As always, one of the best shortstops in the AL. The no-brainer pick to win the vote.
-Robinson Cano. The best 2B in all of baseball. Again, a no-brainer selection.
-C.C. Sabathia. Good 1st half, though he wont play if he pitches on Sunday against the Mariners.
-Phil Hughes. One of the best 1st halfs of any AL pitcher. Should be a no-brainer to start if not for his recent streak of high ERA.
-Alex Rodriguez. Only injuries could stop him from being an All Star, and this year he was healthy (thus far *knock on wood*)
-Mariano Rivera. Best closer in history. Always gets the save for the AL. The man probably has a lifetime roster spot reserved for him.
-Andy Pettitte. Thats right b!tches. Pettittes an All Star. Replacing an injured person, but he was gonna be an All Star anyway for the beforementioned Sabathia thing. That was Girardis plan all along, or so he claimed. Though, I dont see why he couldve had a Red Sox pitcher replace Sabathia, forcing Jon Lester to wait until the last minute out of spite…
-Nick Swisher (as soon as he wins the final vote thing). Because I said so…
Biggest Yankee Game:
7/4/10: Yankees-7, Blue Jays-6, 10 innings
Holy crap. That game went back and forth and back and forth the whole damn time. Jays by a run, Yanks by 2, then its Jays by 2, then Gardner hits a 2 run inside the park homer to tie it up, Yanks take a 1 run lead into the 9th, Jays touch Rivera up to tie it up again, then Thames literally comes up off the DL to win it for us in the 10th. DeWayne Wise prolly has more than a few mixed moments from the whole game himself…
Momentum building win for the Yankees, making them the first 50 win team in baseball…while the Blue Jays slip below .500
I think its officially over for them this year. Though God dammit a few more key additions for them and they can contend long term…
Favorite Picture:
During the Yankees 6-1 loss to the Blue Jays over the weekend, Chan Ho Park came in and was anything but effective. During that outing, he hits Aaron Hill with a pitch and knocks him over, to which the Yankees announcer, Michael Kay says “…and Chan Ho Parks Aaron Hill.” Which I laughed at for a while. I couldnt find a picture or video of it, so heres a pic of Park from that very game, which is the best I can give you right now…
Fantasy:
The following are all 5 of my fantasy teams, and (purely for my ego and bad @s$ drafting/trading/waiver skills) All Stars for each of them…
The Roid Sox:
-Justin Morneau
-Brandon Phillips
-Jose Bautista
-Miguel Cabrera
-Ty Wigginton
-Nick Swisher*
Showdown:
-Brian McCann
-David Ortiz
-Alex Rodriguez
cpDOOM 2.0:
-Jose Bautista
-Carl Crawford
-Ryan Braun
-Chris Young
-Ty Wigginton
-Nick Swisher*
Pretenders:
-Derek Jeter
-Marlon Byrd
-Roy Halladay
-Phil Hughes
F*cking Lozers:
-Brandon Phillips
-Evan Longoria
-Corey Hart
-Michael Bourn
-John Buck
-Tim Lincecum
-Josh Johnson
-Phil Hughes
-Trevor Cahill
-Brian Wilson
This Week:
West coast trip time. Lots of 10oClock games for me. At the A’s and at the Mariners.
…BTW, Sundays game was the official half way point in the schedule. 50 wins already? I smell another 100 win season!
Yankee Hater Hater
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