AL East Thread

[Pure Steel]

I'm gonna go with Ed Whitson

Revisiting the circus that was Billy Martin and Ed Whitson

Plenty of managers and pitchers didn’t get along, but Billy Martin and Ed Whitson took it to another level in 1985.

www.pinstripealley.com

Easily Ed Whitson……I think he had to run to get in his car to escape the Bronx….

 

[Pure Steel]

I would Iike @nynasty & @Pure Steel to apologize to Cole

As long as Stanton apologizes to Yankee fans….

 

[chappee11]

Knoblauch? I know he had the well publicized case of the yips, but I don't see him as a bust. .768 OPS from your 2B en route to 3 world championships works for me.

You’re right. I’m just remembering him hitting Olbermann’s mom with a throw.

 

[Pure Steel]

You’re right. I’m just remembering him hitting Olbermann’s mom with a throw.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t before she gave birth to him……

 

[redseat]

They are just not a very good team. Especially in that division, which is a monster. Put them in the AL Central and it might be a different story, though.

Offense should be fine. Pitching not close

 

[obxyankeefan]

There was a pitcher named Kevin in the 90s that was a complete bust for the Yankees. I can't remember if it was Brown or Roger's.

Also Mike Scott sucked as a Met, but developed into one of the best late 80s pitchers once he left.

 

[Cyder]

Begs the question: Which player has shit his pants the most in NYC? I’m thinking Knoblauch & Sonny Gray off the top of my head, but I’m sure there are better examples. @nynasty @DirtDirtDirt & @Pure Steel Can do better….

I remember that Randy Johnson HATED playing in New York, but he was still pretty good there.

Vasquez in the 2nd half of 2004 since @nynasty already mentioned Whitson. Johnson was not good in NY. IN 2005 he was ok (3.79 ERA) but in 2006 his ERA was 5.00. He won a lot of games because they team hit a lot.

 

[chappee11]

Offense should be fine. Pitching not close

I really expected the opposite this year! I figured the offense would suffer without Bogaerts. Replacing JDM and Vazquez seemed like less of an issue.

Meanwhile, I figured a healthy Sale would give them a boost. He’s been awful, though. The Sox have played a brutal schedule so far. I think it’s been the hardest in MLB. Maybe they will improve there.

 

[redseat]

I really expected the opposite this year! I figured the offense would suffer without Bogaerts. Replacing JDM and Vazquez seemed like less of an issue.

Meanwhile, I figured a healthy Sale would give them a boost. He’s been awful, though. The Sox have played a brutal schedule so far. I think it’s been the hardest in MLB. Maybe they will improve there.

Yes it's been brutal schedule so far but it's not like the offense laid eggs... If the starters didn't allow 7+ runs in the first inning they would have have a much better record.

 

[Cyder]

You’re right. I’m just remembering him hitting Olbermann’s mom with a throw.

3 buddies of mine and I were at Cone's perfect game and every time the ball went to him after the 5th inning we held our breath. If it was a bang-bang play he had no problem making it. He could dive, get the ball and fire it from his knees and throw a perfect strike to first. If it was an easy play and he had time to think he was denting heads in the 10th row.

 

[chappee11]

3 buddies of mine and I were at Cone's perfect game and every time the ball went to him after the 5th inning we held our breath. If it was a bang-bang play he had no problem making it. He could dive, get the ball and fire it from his knees and throw a perfect strike to first. If it was an easy play and he had time to think he was denting heads in the 10th row.

Yes. That’s exactly right. I remember he was doomed if he had time to think about the throw. Mackey Sasser had a similar issue throwing the ball with the Mets if I remember correctly.

 

[chappee11]

Knoblauch? I know he had the well publicized case of the yips, but I don't see him as a bust. .768 OPS from your 2B en route to 3 world championships works for me.

Looking at Knoblauch’s numbers now. And while the OPS looks fine for a 2B, he was never the player he was in MIN. He was an all-star and finished top 20 for MVP in 3 of his last 4 years in Minny. When he got to NYC…nada! And it wasn’t like he was washed-up, either. He was only 29 when he went to the Yankees. I’m keeping him on the “piss down his leg” list. Especially when you add the throwing issues.

 

[Cyder]

Yes. That’s exactly right. I remember he was doomed if he had time to think about the throw. Mackey Sasser had a similar issue throwing the ball with the Mets if I remember correctly.

Sasser couldn't even throw the ball back tp the pitcher after his injury. I forget if the issue started before the injury he had in a collision and got worse after or if it all happened after the injury.

 

[Cyder]

Looking at Knoblauch’s numbers now. And while the OPS looks fine for a 2B, he was never the player he was in MIN. He was an all-star and finished top 20 for MVP in 3 of his last 4 years in Minny. When he got to NYC…nada! And it wasn’t like he was washed-up, either. He was only 29 when he went to the Yankees. I’m keeping him on the “piss down his leg” list. Especially when you add the throwing issues.

They also had to move him off 2nd and play him in left

 

[chappee11]

They also had to move him off 2nd and play him in left

I didn’t even remember that. Knoblauch was also one of the more unusual PED guys to be implicated. I think it’s safe to assume that just about everyone on the Yankees from ~1998-2004 was using PED’s, however.

 

[Cyder]

I didn’t even remember that. Knoblauch was also one of the more unusual PED guys to be implicated. I think it’s safe to assume that just about everyone on the Yankees from ~1998-2004 was using PED’s, however.

They likely had similar levels of use as all the other teams, it was pretty prevalent.

 

[nynasty]

There was a pitcher named Kevin in the 90s that was a complete bust for the Yankees. I can't remember if it was Brown or Roger's.

Also Mike Scott sucked as a Met, but developed into one of the best late 80s pitchers once he left.

Kevin Brown and Kenny Rogers. They both sucked as Yankees.

Mike Scott got good because he cheated like a bandit.

 

[nynasty]

Looking at Knoblauch’s numbers now. And while the OPS looks fine for a 2B, he was never the player he was in MIN. He was an all-star and finished top 20 for MVP in 3 of his last 4 years in Minny. When he got to NYC…nada! And it wasn’t like he was washed-up, either. He was only 29 when he went to the Yankees. I’m keeping him on the “piss down his leg” list. Especially when you add the throwing issues.

Scored 117 and 120 runs his first two years as a Yankee, leadoff hitter and 2B for arguably the best team of all time.

Yips aside, hard to call him a bust.

 

[nynasty]

Vasquez in the 2nd half of 2004 since @nynasty already mentioned Whitson. Johnson was not good in NY. IN 2005 he was ok (3.79 ERA) but in 2006 his ERA was 5.00. He won a lot of games because they team hit a lot.

Went 7-1 against Boston as a Yankee though, when the rivalry was at its apex. That's gotta count for something!

 

[obxyankeefan]

Kevin Brown and Kenny Rogers. They both sucked as Yankees.

Mike Scott got good because he cheated like a bandit.

I was hoping everyone forgot about the new pitch Scott learned in Houston.