Archive for mlb
A Bleacher Creature and Her Card Collection
Posted by: | CommentsHello, my name is Marie and I am a season ticket holder for the Yankees.
That statement has to be the one that gets the craziest looks from most people. One of the things I have learned over the last few years is that people, mainly men, are absolutely amazed that I have season tickets for the Yankees by myself. Women shouldn’t be sports fans, much less have season tickets right? Most people feel the need to go with someone, or they go with their boyfriends and husbands. Yet I have no problem going alone.
Starting around 2005, I began attending Yankee games on an almost daily basis, buying tickets online or from eBay when games were sold out. For the first few games I had tickets in the bleachers, a place I had never sat before. I must admit that I was a little intrigued by some of the antics I remember seeing going on there when I was a kid, which made me want to experience it myself. Besides, my parents would never get tickets out there and told me I should never sit there. Once I was able to drive myself to the stadium, where do you think I sat? You guessed it.
Would you believe me if I said I have not sat anywhere else in Yankee Stadium since then? You should believe me, but I will be honest and say that I was give four tickets eight rows from the dugout one season and couldn’t turn those down. That would be the only exception. During that 2005 season I began to meet people who were “Bleacher Creatures”, or regulars. I learned the roll call, the player taunts, the cheers, chants and even songs that go on out there. That was all it took to get me hooked. I saw roughly 50 games that season, all from the right field bleachers.
I have kept my tickets over the years and moved over to the new stadium despite being very uneasy and unhappy about it. It’s not like the Yankees asked my opinion or would have cared for that matter because if I didn’t keep my tickets, there would always be someone else to buy them. I took a great deal of memories from the old stadium with me: my childhood, playoff games (everyone remembers the bloody sock game), the 2008 Home Run Derby, 2008 All-Star Game and finally, the last game ever at the old Yankee Stadium.
I consider myself very fortunate and lucky to have been able to have seen so many games in the old stadium, and to have been a part of Opening Day in the new stadium as well. While I haven’t attended as many games this season as past years as a result of starting on my graduate work, my loyalty to the Yankees hasn’t wavered. I watch every game on television or listen on the radio if I am not near a television.
Perhaps now would be a good time to tell you all that I am also addicted to baseball cards. While my collection is extremely large, the focus of what I look for is very clear. Normally I don’t build sets because I have more fun working on player collections, but Yankee Stadium Legacy changed that. I used to build sets as a kid and teenager and gave it up to build collections of my favorite players.
When the Yankee Stadium Legacy set was announced many people were too intimidated to try and collect almost 7,000 cards- not me. I am well on my way, with 1,313 cards logged into my collection and a pile sitting here waiting to be accounted for. This is the ultimate Yankees fan set and by far the most comprehensive insert set ever made. There is nothing not to like about the Yankee Stadium Legacy set . . . unless you are a Red Sox fan.
So here is my advice to all the women and young girls out there that have always wondered what it would be like to collect cards: I urge you to buy a pack- you won’t regret it. If you have children, buy a pack and you can “pretend” it’s for them, I won’t tell. There may also be some women out there that already collect and I say kudos to you, and welcome trade offers. Collecting baseball cards or sports cards in general is a great way to bring yourself one step closer to the sport while having some fun. There is nothing better than finding those last two cards to complete a set, or filling the empty slot in your binder with a parallel of a card you have been chasing for months.
Now that you know a little bit more about me and may even think I’m crazy, you should come back and see what I’m working on next. There will be much more about baseball cards and my current mission in my player collections coming soon. I’m looking forward to sharing more about my passion for the Yankees and my drive to complete the Yankee Stadium Legacy Set as well as my player collections right here on UpperDeckblog.com.
Marie co-writes the blog A Cardboard Problem in addition to being a season ticket holder for the Yankees and an all around baseball fan. Marie is an avid card collector and welcomes comments, questions, and e-mails.
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48 Hours to Go
Posted by: | CommentsWe’re only two days away from the MLB trade deadline, and the divide between buyers and sellers has become very clear. A few weeks back, I went over my list of sellers at the deadline for both the National and American Leagues, and those teams are still in the same position. However, there’s one major element to this current market that I didn’t foresee; I had predicted that we would see very little action due to the economic climate, and that teams would be unwilling to take on payroll. This is still the case, but it’s actually created more action and rumors: teams that want to trade for big ticket players are looking to unload other players to clear money first, which is creating a domino effect of trade rumors throughout the league. While I don’t expect much of this to materialize, it does create a heavy feeling of excitement for any fan of a contending team right now. The possibilities are seemingly endless.
Here’s a look at the major players up for grabs over the next two days:
Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee
For the last few weeks, Roy has been the focal point for speculation, and for good reason: he’s one of the best pitchers in the league, and would be a difference maker not just during the regular season, but in the playoffs too. Cliff Lee is coming off a Cy Young year with yet another fine season, and would be an ace for any team as well. Teams that are looking to trade for Halladay are looking at Lee as both leverage and Plan B.
The Phillies still look to be the front runners for Halladay, but Cliff Lee rumors have ramped up in the last day or so. It would be shocking if they didn’t obtain either player: they have the prospects to make it happen, and getting an ace pitcher would go a long way towards a repeat. Not to mention that after the last few weeks of rumors, if the Phillies don’t pick up an ace pitcher, new GM Ruben Amaro Jr. will feel the wrath of Philadelphia fans and the local sports media after setting such high expectations.
The Dodgers have also been linked to both players, though unlike the Phillies, they would probably need to give up a player on their major league roster, like Clayton Kershaw or Chad Billingsley: unlikely to happen. Down the road, the Angels are also looking into both pitchers, but would also need to draw from their 25 man roster to make a deal happen.
The dark horse in this trade, and pretty much every other one, is the Red Sox. Not like they need the help, but they have the prospects to offer (headed by Clay Buccholz), and payroll to spare. Their rotation is crazy good as is, but add Lee or Halladay, and suddenly it looks even better. As for the rival Yankees, it seems that Brian Cashman doesn’t have much of a decision to make after all: the Jays are reportedly asking for both Hughes and Chamberlain, which is a price too steep to pay.
Finally, the Rangers are showing interest in obtaining an ace as well, now that they’re a short distance away from a playoff birth for the first time in years. It sounds like they may need to clear payroll space before making such a deal, which has added to that domino effect I previously mentioned: this means players like Hank Blalock and Vincente Padilla could go on the market, though neither is terribly appealing for the money they’re being paid. I doubt they’ll be able to move either player.
Scott Kazmir
Speaking of domino effect, Kazmir is a perfect example of what happens when a team wants to make a big trade, and has to make yet another big trade first. The Rays are interested in Victor Martinez and Cliff Lee, and have plenty of prospects to deal to obtain them. But with a very limited payroll, they’d need to clear a contract first, and Kazmir would be the best guy to send off: despite having a poor year so far, he’s still young with a track record, and owed $22.5 million over the next two years, with a club option. A pretty good deal for most teams, but a financial roadblock for the Rays.
The Rays are so eager to make a deal that they’ve even been rumored to have Carlos Pena and Carl Crawford available, two other guys who would be moved more for payroll flexibility than anything else- though I sincerely doubt that either would be moved, especially Crawford.
Victor Martinez
Any speculation regarding what the Indians might do at the deadline has been resolved: they’re looking to clear payroll, and it seems that V-Mart, along with Cliff Lee, will be seeing their final days in an Indians uniform. The Red Sox seem like the most compatible team here: even after trading for Adam LaRoche, they could probably use another bat, and would have Martinez at catcher for 2010 as well. As beloved as Varitek is, he’s getting up there in age, and I can’t see the Sox relying on him at age 38 to be their everyday catcher. The Rays would be the other team involved here, as Dioner Navarro is having a very poor season: if enough payroll could be cleared, they could make a blockbuster trade for both Martinez and Lee, though this may not be the best move when you’re four games out of the Wild Card.
Jarrod Washburn
If you don’t want to trade the farm for a shiny new Halladay or Lee, Washburn is a fine way to bolster your rotation. He’s no ace, but solid and reliable, and is having the best season of his career right now at age 34. Just like last year, he’s been rumored with the Yankees, though he’s also looking like a good option for the Brewers, and Plan C for the Phillies. With the Mariners officially in rebuilding mode, Washburn will definitely be wearing another uniform this weekend.
Aaron Harang
Yet another Plan C pitcher, who will be pursued by teams that don’t want to give up the farm, but want to add a reliable starter. Harang throws a ton of innings, and could potentially improve a lot away from Cincinnati’s bandbox of a ballpark.
Adrian Gonzalez
A-Gone’s situation is a case where the business of baseball is likely to interfere with what’s best for the team. The Padres, to put it bluntly, are a mess. The major league roster is obviously in bad shape, and the farm system desperately needs an influx of prospects. Trading Gonzalez in the next 48 hours would net a king’s ransom in young players, but I’m sure ownership is concerned about the impact this would have on ticket sales, and local perception of the team. Casual fans are still stinging from the notorious 1993 fire sale, and a Gonzalez trade would probably be looked at by the general community more as a cheap ownership looking to slash payroll than a genuine effort to rebuild for the future.
That being said, the Padres will come in last place with or without Gonzalez, and should move him now to get the best return possible. The Red Sox, again, seem like the best candidate to trade for him if he becomes available: he fits their philosophy of on-base skills, power and defense like a glove, and the Padres would get back some of the most coveted young players in the game.
Heath Bell
Yet another Padre asset that could be traded for prospects, but certainly a lighter haul than the one Gonzalez would bring. The Angels and Yankees have been connected to Bell, with the latter being fairly intriguing. If the Yankees were to get Bell (or a similar high leverage reliever/closer), they could slot him in the 8th before Mariano Rivera, push Hughes down to the 7th inning, and suddenly have one of the best end game bullpens in baseball. Not a bad idea, especially considering how critical a strong bullpen is to winning in the playoffs.
The next 48 hours will definitely be very interesting, especially for fans of teams that are in contention. Franchises will spend the next two days weighing the risks and rewards of making trades that benefit their present, or long-term future, and what they’ll need to sacrifice to get there.
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Beantown Management: Why I Have Theo Envy
Posted by: | CommentsLast week, I wrote about Brian Cashman’s struggle to turn around the Steinbrenner endorsed big ticket player strategy of sacrificing the long term plan to obtain short term gains. This week, I’ll look at his rival Red Sox front office, led by Theo Epstein.
There is a major contrast between the way these two organizations approach putting together their 25 man rosters, specifically where veteran players are concerned. Here’s a simple list to give you an idea:
New York Yankees: Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Hideki Matsui
Boston Red Sox: Nomar Garciaparra, Johnny Damon, Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez
These are lists of iconic players for both franchises, but there’s a huge difference between the two: none of the players listed under Red Sox are still with the team.
To be more specific . . .
Nomar Garciaparra: Traded 7/31/04 for Orlando Cabrera and Doug Mientkiewicz. When this trade was announced, even fans outside Boston wondered what the Red Sox were doing trading a guy who had been their franchise player. But in retrospect, it was a brilliant move. Cabrera and Mientkiewicz’s presence gave the Red Sox a stronger infield defense, and the team went on to win the World Series that year. Meanwhile, Nomar went on to have a ton of injuries, and wasn’t able to get back to the same Hall of Fame level production as his prime years in Boston.
Johnny Damon: Following the 2005 season, the Red Sox wouldn’t go past a three year offer for Damon, while the Yankees offered four years: thus, on went the pinstripes, and off came the long hair and beard. Damon has gone on to be fairly productive in the Bronx (barring some injury time), though his days of playing center field every day are over.
Pedro Martinez: In a similar situation to Damon, Martinez was only offered two or three years after his contract expired, while the Mets came calling with a four year deal. Off he went. The Mets would get about a season and a half of productivity for the duration of his new deal.
Manny Ramirez: Recent developments aside, it was clear Manny didn’t want to play in Boston, and the Red Sox finally granted him his wish. Getting back a happy and productive Jason Bay in return, and no longer dealing with Manny Being Manny, most fans would say the Sox got the better of the deal here.
All four of these players have something in common: they were iconic players for the franchise, and contributed to a World Series championship. But when their contracts were up, and push came to shove, the Red Sox opted to let these players go, rather than sign them to long term deals where they’d certainly be past their prime.
By comparison, take a look at those Yankee names. Jorge Posada got a four year contract in 2007, and will be a Yankee through 2011, when he’ll be a 40 year old catcher. Mariano Rivera was given a three year deal at the same time, and will also be on this team at age 40. Hideki Matsui was given a four year extension in 2005, and this is his last year under contract. Thus far, Posada has already lost one year to injury, but has been productive this year. Injuries have slowed down Matsui considerably, and it’s doubtful he’ll get another Yankee contract. Mariano continues to be the marvel he’s always been.
What you see here is a notable contrast in philosophy: the Red Sox are perfectly willing to let their iconic players go after their best years are behind them (with the notable exception of captain Jason Varitek), and will make creative trades or signings to bring fresh talent to the team. Meanwhile, in the Bronx, you get the feeling that management wants to ensure that certain players remain in pinstripes for the length of their career, even if it means sub-par production for a high price in that last year or two of the contract.
For example, what do the Yankees do with Derek Jeter when his current contract expires in 2010? He’s made $20 million a year the last three seasons; will they match that? Going into his age 37 season, if his agent demands a four or five year deal, can they say no (especially given the huge ten year deal A-Rod got last season)? And if so, how long can you expect him to play shortstop? When he gets older, where do you put him on the diamond?
If Jeter was simply “Player X” with the same stats at his age, you get the feeling that the Yankees wouldn’t push as hard to renew his contract. But he’s Jeter the Yankee Captain. I highly doubt he’ll ever wear another uniform, even if it means trying to figure out where he plays at say, age 41. Though to be entirely fair, Jeter is having a great 2009 (hard to argue with a .321 average and .398 OBP), and those trademark “intangibles” are probably worth a lot to the Yankees.
By contrast, the Red Sox politely let Damon and Pedro walk away, traded Nomar when it made sense, and got Manny out of town when the situation become too unbearable. Theo Epstein and his management team understand the value of letting franchise players go when their peak has passed, and focus instead on obtaining young players, and using creative trades and signings to remain competitive.
Since that 2004 championship team, “The Idiots” are gone. No more Damon, Millar, Pedro or Manny. The roster has been remade in the mold of Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jon Lester and Jonathan Papelbon. Ironically enough, they’re now following the same blueprint the Yankees used to win all those championships before the century turned: put together a strong core of young players, and surround them with premium veteran talent.
One of the most impressive things about how the Red Sox operate is that they always have a plan in mind, and are willing to think outside the box to get an advantage. This past off-season was especially smart: in a market where veteran players were undervalued, they signed John Smoltz, Takashi Saito, Brad Penny and Rocco Baldelli to short term, small risk contracts. These are former All-Star players mostly coming off injury years, so why not bring them on board for a season? If they come back to form, great, and if not, they’re off the books for 2010.
Where the strength of the farm system is concerned, you don’t need to look any further than this season’s upcoming trade deadline. Any available player, whether it’s Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, or perhaps Victor Martinez and even Adrian Gonzalez (unlikely at this juncture), can be had by the Red Sox, if it’s a price they’re willing to pay. And the 2009 major league roster would barely be affected. Not to say that they’re definitely going to go dump Clay Buccholz and Jed Lowrie off in Toronto tomorrow, but they could if they decided it made sense.
And really, as a somewhat impartial observer (being a Mets fan), this is what makes me most envious of the Red Sox under Theo’s regime: a strong major league roster, incredible pitching depth, a huge payroll, and an embarrassment of riches in the farm system to bring up, or to swap for a key star player if the right opportunity presents itself. That’s the kind of situation any fan would hope for their team.
These factors shouldn’t be taken for granted. Think about the Twins, and their inability to retain Johan Santana, or the pending negotations to keep hometown hero Joe Mauer on the team. Or the Marlins, and their remarkable ability to constantly cycle in young premium talent, but with no payroll to supplement or retain that roster. Or even the Rays, who would love to trade from within their system to make a deal for a Cliff Lee type player right now, but probably can’t because they don’t have payroll space. Not to mention my beloved Mets, and the current mess in their front office.
Compared to the other 29 teams in the league, I’d say it’s Theo and the Red Sox who have the complete package right now. They have the ability to shape the franchise as they please, retain the players they want, and bring in the players they need, from either the trade or free agent markets.
If karma exists, Red Sox fans are getting repaid this century for all their suffering in the last one.
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Halladay Another Test for Brian Cashman
Posted by: | CommentsThe story of the New York Yankees over the last fifteen years or so has been quite remarkable. During their run of six World Series appearances and four Championships, the team was able to find success through a solid blueprint: develop talent from within the system like Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada, Bernie Williams and Mariano Rivera, then surround them with veterans like David Cone, David Wells, Roger Clemens, Paul O’Neill and Tino Martinez.
When things got interesting was when the latter group of veterans retired. With the core of Jeter, Posada and Rivera intact, the Yankees notoriously went to the market year after year, picking up or trading for the best established players they could find to round out their roster. And yet, while the likes of O’Neill, Tino and Wells are cherished by Yankee fans to this day, big ticket players like Mussina, Giambi and A-Rod have been supported, but it’s been a step below love and appreciation. And to be fair, it’s been nine whole years since the Yankees won a World Series (sarcasm intended), which is unacceptable to their fans. And since the core has been there, done that and earned their rings, it’s the players with big contracts who have taken the blame.
Aside from the fleeting affection of Yankee fans, a model based mostly on bringing in mercenary players simply doesn’t work in the long run. And I don’t mean this in the sense of some emotional cliche like “they’ll never be true Yankees loved by the fans”, but rather, on a practical level of building the best team possible. If you draft and scout well, you can control premium players in their peak years, for a fraction of what they would cost as a free agent. This is how you obtain franchise players like Chase Utley, Evan Longoria or Ryan Braun. At the start of the decade, the Yankees ignored this because they could, spending big money and trading prospects whenever possible to pick up the next hot player.
It becomes a cycle that continuously mortgages the future for the benefit of the present. Draft picks and younger players keep moving through the system to other teams, veterans who only have a few years of productivity get signed to contracts for double that length, and you need to keep playing “catch up” to remain competitive for this season in light of the mistakes from past.
To his credit, Yankees GM Brian Cashman noticed this problem, and took steps to rectify it. He made a fairly public demand of wanting to run the baseball operations without George Steinbrenner meddling in the plans (now he has Hank and Hal to deal with, which is a story in itself). George was notoriously impatient and always wanted to “win now”, while Cashman recognized the value in having a long term plan. And he’s put one in place, and stuck to it.
Case and point, Johan Santana was on the trade market in the winter of 2007-2008, and practically there for the Yankees to take: at the cost of say, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Melky Cabrera. In a move that declared a change in Yankee philosophy Cashman decided to pass, holding onto his best young players at the time. The line had been drawn, and the days of the Yankees simply using their young players as fodder in trades had ended.
But now we’re in 2009. Unlike the Santana situation, which was in the winter, we’re now in the middle of the season. As I write this, the Yankees are a game back from Boston in the division, and have a 3.5 game lead in the Wild Card. If a little extra push is needed, it’s there for the taking in Roy Halladay.
And thus, Brian Cashman will be tested again. If he wants to give up on his plan to build from within, he can trade some combination of Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, Austin Jackson, Jesus Montero and Francisco Cervelli. The farm system gets gutted, but the Yankees get Halladay and Sabathia at the top of their rotation: two workhorses who have the best reputations in the league for throwing tons of innings, and pitching complete games. They’d be a force for the rest of the season, and more importantly, very intimidating in the playoffs.
A baseball autographed by Austin Jackson, the Yankees' top position player prospect. Is he a future Yankee great, or will he play in Toronto?
In this scenario, the Yankees would once again mortgage their future for the present, but who could blame them? It’s not like Jeter, Posada or Rivera are getting any younger. A-Rod and Teixeira will be with the team until 2017 and 2016, respectively, and probably won’t have much left in the tank as those contracts wind down. And while Halladay would become a free agent after the 2010 season, it would give the Yankees the opportunity to sign him to an extension before that moment comes (much like the Mets did with Santana).
Let’s also not forget that as much as the Yankees love to throw around money, free agent pitchers won’t be flocking to pitch in their new home run happy stadium. I know that if I was a free agent pitcher looking for my next employer, I’d run as far away as I could from the Yankees right now. The notorious New York pressure is bad enough, but couple that with a launching pad of a stadium, and that contract for a bit less money in say, Los Angeles or San Francisco starts to look like the best one on the table.
So if you’re Brian Cashman, what do you do? Go all in and make your team even more of a juggernaut right now at the expense of a poor future, or hold onto your young players, and go with what you have? The 2009 Yankees can become even stronger at the expense of the 2013 Yankees, and with their demanding fanbase and ownership feeling like they’re long owed championship #27, I wouldn’t want to be in Cashman’s shoes with this decision.
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MLB FanFest: Something to Sing About!
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This year’s FanFest gave me a whole new meaning to the popular musical title, “Meet Me in St. Louis”. I was fortunate enough to be in New York last season for the All-Star game that commemorated Yankee Stadium’s last year: an experience that is hard to beat. However, the city of St. Louis rose to the occasion, and the fans truly made this year’s FanFest one to remember. The friendly Cardinals fans attended the show throughout the week, filling the America’s Center with the famous “Sea of Red” made up of dedicated supporters proudly wearing Cards shirts and jerseys.
Of all 19 years in existence, this year’s FanFest saw the event’s two-millionth attendee of all-time! In addition to reaching this overall milestone, the event pre-sold 85,000 tickets, and the numbers are expected to break last year’s New York record of 135,000.
The large crowds were also evident in the Upper Deck booth. The Cardinals insert cards featuring Pujols, Smith, Brock, Gibson and Musial drew the fans to the redemption counter day after day, as the redemption packs flew off the shelves. The UpperDeckU area in the back of the booth was no different. Kids lined up to play in a virtual scavenger hunt against other kids to learn about the online sports world and compete for real prizes!
To compliment the mass quantity of attendees during the event, baseball legend and Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith served as the official spokesman of FanFest, and coached kid clinics throughout the week. Fellow All-Stars Cal Ripken Jr., Lou Brock, Brooks Robinson and Harmon Killebrew were also on hand and held free autograph sessions for the local fans.
With knowledgeable, passionate and kind-hearted fans like those in St. Louis, I’d be willing to meet you there any day!
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