The Captain's Blog

Giving Thanks, Yankee Style

November 25, 2010 by William Juliano

From the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s, Thanksgiving in Yankeeland usually meant waiting around to see if George Steinbrenner was going to make a managerial change. Like a conflicted hunter standing over the neck of his Thanksgiving Turkey with an axe, the Yankees’ owner would often take all winter to make a final decision. Perhaps the Boss enjoyed serving up a little humble pie over the holiday?

World Champs all bundled up for the 1996 Thanksgiving Day Parade.

More recently, however, a Yankee Thanksgiving has meant having a float in the Macy’s parade down Fifth Avenue. Although Bucky Dent rode on a parade float the November after winning the 1978 World Series MVP, the first reported instance of several players appearing under a team banner occurred after the Yankees’ return to glory in 1996. That year, Joe Torre and most of the team’s players, including Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter, Paul O’Neill, Wade Boggs and Tino Martinez, waved to the holiday crowd from atop the Daily News’ float. Unfortunately, that Thanksgiving also happened to be one of the coldest in recent history. How cold was it? It was so cold that O’Neill was reduced to a childlike figure, constantly asking Michael Kay, who along with John Sterling accompanied the team, if the end of the parade route was near (as relayed by Kay on his radio show).

Joe Torre and Mayor Giuliani accompany the World Series trophy on Thanksgiving 1999.

In 1998, only Joe Torre, El Duque and David Cone made the trip to Herald Square. Perhaps the memories of the cold two years earlier kept the rest of the team away? Then, in 1999, the Yankees presence in the parade was reduced to Torre riding along with New York City major Rudolph Giuliani. Torre eventually became a semi-regular at the event, appearing even in years when the Yankees didn’t win, but the team would be represented again in 2000 and 2009 as well.

Sadly, there is no championship for which to give thanks this season. Maybe, to help fill the void, the Yankees can find it in their hearts to reach a quick settlement with both Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera (just like the George Steinbrenner did with Bernie Williams on the eve of Thanksgiving in 1998)? On a day of thanks, re-signing the team’s two legendary free agents would make for a perfect celebration.

Posted in Baseball, Baseball History, Culture, MLB, Yankee History, Yankees | Tagged Thanksgiving | Leave a Comment »

Yankees’ Arbitration History, or Why Rick Cerrone Was Ungrateful and Don Mattingly Couldn’t Play Little Jack Armstrong

November 24, 2010 by William Juliano

Last night was the deadline for major league teams to offer salary arbitration to their ranked (type-A and type-B) free agents, and a surprising 35 of the 64 eligible players were extended the invitation. The most active teams were the Rays and Blue Jays, who respectively offered seven and four players arbitration. With draft picks at stake for those free agents who sign elsewhere, and inflated annual salaries awaiting those who remain, you can bet that most teams will be sitting on pins and needles over the next week as the players decide whether to accept or reject the offer. The Yankees won’t have to endure any suspense, however, because their lone offer was made to Javier Vazquez, who has already agreed to decline the invitation.

The Yankees have been involved in 21 cases since the first arbitration hearings were held after the 1973 season. Over the last decade, however, the team has been much more reticent to engage in the process. Since beating Mariano Rivera in 2000, the Yankees have gone to a hearing with only one other player: Chien Ming Wang in 2008.

All-Time Arbitration History, By Team

Team	Won	Lost	Total	Win %
Rays	5	0	5	100%
Phillies	7	1	8	88%
Orioles	11	3	14	79%
Red Sox	12	5	17	71%
Dodgers	14	6	20	70%
Nats/Expos	22	10	32	69%
Cubs	4	2	6	67%
Rockies	2	1	3	67%
White Sox	14	8	22	64%
Braves	15	9	24	63%
Blue Jays	5	3	8	63%
Angels	15	10	25	60%
Cardinals	9	6	15	60%
Reds	18	13	31	58%
Yankees	12	9	21	57%
Astros	8	6	14	57%
Mets	11	9	20	55%
Twins	15	13	28	54%
Indians	7	6	13	54%
Padres	10	9	19	53%
Mariners	10	9	19	53%
Rangers	10	9	19	53%
Pirates	9	9	18	50%
Brewers	2	2	4	50%
Diamondbacks	1	1	2	50%
Athletics	17	18	35	49%
Royals	9	10	19	47%
Marlins	3	5	8	38%
Giants	2	4	6	33%
Tigers	6	14	20	30%

Source: bizofbaseball.com

The Yankees rank in the middle of the pack in terms of both the number of cases heard as well as winning arguments made. However, the team has had several high profile cases that were particularly noteworthy, particularly for the reaction they elicited from owner George M. Steinbrenner III.

In 1980, Rick Cerone had a breakthrough season in his first year with the Yankees. After finishing seventh in the MVP voting, the veteran catcher asked for a raise that would more than quadruple his salary to $440,000. The Yankees countered with a more modest increase to $350,000, but the arbitrator sided with Cerone. Following the decision, Steinbrenner lambasted Cerone for being disloyal, but the embattled catcher defended his victory by saying he was more than willing to compromise at the midpoint. At the time, Cerone’s award was the second highest in the process’ history, trailing only the $700,000 salary won by Bruce Sutter in his 1980 hearing with the Cubs.

I don’t enjoy a young guy off one good year who was plucked out of Toronto showing so little regard for me. It’s not what I am looking for in my kind of guy. I don’t think Tommy John would do that, or Reggie Jackson or Lou Piniella.” – George M. Steinbrenner III, quoted by the New York Times News Service, February 16, 1981

In 1987, Don Mattingly, who was coming off one the best seasons of his career, asked for a record salary of $1,975,000, which not only turned out to be the largest arbitration award to that point, but also the highest salary ever paid by the Yankees. Once again, the Boss was not happy about making history.

The monkey is clearly on his back…I’ll expect him to carry us to a World Series championship…He’s like all the rest of them now. He can’t play little Jack Armstrong of Evansville, Indiana. He goes into the category of modern-player-with-agent looking for the bucks. Money means everything to him”. – George M. Steinbrenner III, quoted by the New York Times News Service, February 18, 1987

The organization wasn’t the only side to come away from the arbitration process with a sour taste. Before throwing a pitch for the Yankees, Jim Abbott, who was acquired before the 1993 season, first had to do battle with his future employer in the hearing room. Despite having a 2.77 ERA with the Angels in 1992, Abbott was coming off a 7-15 record, which in a less enlightened time probably made his request to double his salary seem a little obscene. After Abbott lost his hearing, Murray Chass of the New York Times wrote that the left hander “wasn’t pleased about the decision”, which only compounded his less than enthusiastic reaction to being traded to the Yankees in the first place.

In 1996, the displeasure was back on the Yankees side when Bernie Williams won a whopping 650% raise from the team. The Yankees had been hoping to negotiate a long-term deal instead, but with Williams and his agent Scott Boras already looking ahead to free agency, the team had little choice but to take things one year at a time.

Continuing a trend, the Yankees also had difficultly inking their other young core players to long-term deals. In 1999, the team lost arbitration hearings to both Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera, and then the following season took their closer to the table once again. The Yankees prevailed over Rivera the second time, but still wound up handing out the largest arbitration-derived salary in team history.

The most interesting element of the 2000 hearing with Rivera was the arguments made on both sides. Rivera’s camp suggested that the closer was at least as valuable as Jeter, who had signed a $10 million deal earlier in the winter. The Yankees, however, countered by suggesting that Rivera added less to the bottom line, citing the fewer number of internet hits and derivative revenue that he generated compared to Jeter.

The Yankees offered a compelling argument to support that claim, noting that from 1997-99, Jeter merchandise sales at Yankee Stadium totaled $2,280,000, compared with $57,000 for Rivera. Over the same three-year period, Jeter received 727,196 hits on the team’s Web site, compared with 68,974 for Rivera.” – Anthony McCarron, New York Daily News Sportswriter, February 19, 2000

I wonder what Casey Close (Jeter’s agent) thinks about that argument now?

Complete History of Yankees’ Arbitration Cases, 1974-Present

Year	Player	Ask	Offer	$ Increase	% Increase
1974	Wayne Granger*	$46,000	$42,000	-$1,500	-3.2%
1974	Gene Michael	$65,500	$55,000	$0	0.0%
1974	Duke Sims	$56,000	$50,000	$0	0.0%
1974	Bill Sudakis*	$30,000	$25,000	$10,000	50.0%
1981	Rick Cerone*	$440,000	$350,000	$340,000	340.0%
1982	Bobby Brown	$175,000	$90,000	$10,000	12.5%
1982	Ron Davis	$575,000	$300,000	$100,000	50.0%
1982	Dave Revering	$325,000	$250,000	NA	NA
1987	Don Mattingly*	$1,975,000	$1,700,000	$600,000	43.6%
1988	Mike Pagliarulo	$625,000	$500,000	$450,000	257.1%
1993	Jim Abbott	$3,500,000	$2,350,000	$500,000	27.0%
1993	John Habyan	$830,000	$600,000	$100,000	20.0%
1993	Randy Velarde*	$1,050,000	$600,000	$690,000	191.7%
1994	Pat Kelly*	$810,000	$575,000	$650,000	406.3%
1994	Kevin Maas	$490,000	$425,000	$170,000	66.7%
1994	Terry Mulholland	$4,050,000	$3,350,000	$700,000	26.4%
1996	Bernie Williams*	$3,000,000	$2,555,000	$2,600,000	650.0%
1999	Derek Jeter*	$5,000,000	$3,200,000	$4,250,000	566.7%
1999	Mariano Rivera*	$4,250,000	$3,000,000	$3,500,000	466.7%
2000	Mariano Rivera	$9,250,000	$7,250,000	$3,000,000	70.6%
2008	Chien Ming Wang	$4,600,000	$4,000,000	$3,510,500	717.2%

*Denotes player won the arbitration hearing.
Source: bizofbaseball.com and baseball-reference.com

Posted in Baseball, Baseball History, Business and Finance, Yankee History, Yankees | Tagged Arbitration, Jeter, Mattingly, Rivera, Steinbrenner | 3 Comments »

Cashman Out of Line with Public Comments About Jeter Contract; Yankees GM Needs to Negotiate at Table, Not in Press

November 23, 2010 by William Juliano

Correction: In an earlier version of this post, a quote attributed to Marc Carig of The Star-Ledger was inaccurately transcribed by that source. Carig provided Cashman’s corrected quote (“He should be nothing but a New York Yankee, if he chooses to be”) via his twitter feed.

The Yankees’ negotiations with Derek Jeter have finally turned a little ugly, and all of the blame falls on the ill tempered tongue of Brian Cashman.

Speaking to reporters today, Cashman lobbed several verbal grenades in Jeter’s directions, despite earlier vows by the Yankees that the contract would not be negotiated in the press. At ESPNNewYork.com, Wallace Matthews quoted Cashman almost antagonistically daring Jeter to test the open market, while questioning his shortstop’s age and “recent performance of the last few years.” Even if Jeter didn’t have one of his best seasons in 2009, it would be bad form to so openly question the future ability of a player with whom you are supposedly negotiating with in good faith.

Meanwhile, several sources quoted Cashman as saying that while the Yankees have made several offers to Jeter, only one proposal, for more money and years, has been sent in reply. So much for not negotiating in public?

Even if everything he has said is correct, Cashman’s comments this afternoon were way out of line. After all, over the last 15 years, Jeter has not only provided Yankees fans with countless thrills, but also been the epitome of what the organization is all about. Does that mean he should be given a blank check? Of course not. But, it does demand that he be treated with the utmost respect, even if it seems as if his side is being unreasonable in its demands. Comments that either denigrate Jeter or have the potential to antagonize him are not only counterproductive, but blasphemous. If the Yankees make a fair offer and Jeter refuses it, then they’ll have no need to defend their actions. However, if they continue to conduct the negotiations with a tone similar to the one taken by Cashman today, they’ll be no defense.

Whether or not you believe Jeter deserves a “life time achievement award” or compensation for “intangible value” built into his contract extension, I’d like to think every Yankee fan agrees the Captain deserves to have the negotiations handled in a respectful manner. More importantly, I’d like to think Cashman, Randy Levine, Hal Steinbrenner and the rest of the Yankees’ brass are also on board with that sentiment. Up until this point, they haven’t seemed to be, but here’s hoping they return to a more dignified posture going forward. Otherwise, a failure to do so could wind up being the only thing that prevents a deal from getting done.

Posted in Baseball, MLB, Yankees | Tagged Brian Cashman, Derek Jeter | 5 Comments »

A Look Back at Past Contract Talks Between Derek Jeter and the Yankees

November 23, 2010 by William Juliano

(In addition to appearing at The Captain’s Blog, this post is also being syndicated at TheYankeeU.)

Derek Jeter’s contract negotiations have easily been the most widely discussed topic in Yankeeland, despite there really not being much news to report. For some reason, several media types have used the off-season lull to repeatedly denigrate Jeter to the point of portraying him as a charity case (e.g., Joel Sherman’s “I am Derek Jeter, pay me” scoff in today’s New York Post). One hopes this sentiment is merely an example of the human condition’s disposition toward kicking a man when he is down, and not evidence of the Yankees’ brass negotiating through the media. In any event, the contract talks with Jeter have proceeded slowly, which really shouldn’t be a surprise considering that it’s in the best interest of both parties to make a deal (i.e., there isn’t a third-party threat for either side that might push the negotiations along).

Since inking a deal with Jeter after the draft in 1992, it hasn't been easy for the Yankees to get his signature on a contract.

Instead of beating the same drum by looking at Jeter’s negotiations in the present day, perhaps it might be more constructive to take a look back at how the two sides have dealt with each other when talking contract in the past? So, without further ado, following is a summary of the financial path that Jeter and the Yankees have taken to reach the current situation.

In 1991, the Yankees engaged in a protracted and expensive contract negotiation with first round draft pick Brien Taylor, so it was somewhat of a surprise when the team came to a quick resolution with Jeter, who was drafted with the sixth overall pick in 1992. Only a few weeks after being selected, the young shortstop from Kalamazoo agreed to an $800,000 signing bonus just one day after his 18th birthday. The award was almost half of what was paid to Taylor.

We reached a number and didn’t feel we needed to go any higher. I hope Derek understands the significant effort this organization made to recognize his fine rookie year. But he and his agents went higher than we wanted to go and we couldn’t get it done.” – General Manager Bob Watson, New York Daily News, March 6, 1997

In his 1996 rookie campaign, Jeter earned the minimum salary of $130,00, which turned out to be a relative bargain when the young shortstop not only won the rookie of the year award, but also helped lead the team to its first World Series championship in 18 years. Not surprisingly, the Jeter camp was in search of a sizeable raise the next season, but the Yankees initial offer of $450,000 was rejected. After gradually inching up the offer during the negotiation process, the Yankees abruptly decided to renew Jeter at the $150,000 minimum when he and agent Casey Close refused to budge from their demands. Cooler heads prevailed, however, and after a personal meeting between the shortstop and owner George Steinbrenner, an amicable deal was reached. Jeter was given a base salary of $540,000 (just $10,000 below what he was reportedly seeking) with $25,000 in combined performance bonuses ($10,000 of which was obtained).

If you get renewed, only one side agrees. I think it was big that we both agreed on it. I appreciate it.” – Derek Jeter, New York Times, March 11, 1997

In 1997, Derek Jeter had a nearly identical season to his rookie campaign, but the Yankees weren’t feeling as flexible with their young stars that offseason. While GM Brian Cashman, who took over for Bob Watson in the winter, was busy trading for All Star second baseman Chuck Knoblauch and signing international pitching star Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez, there apparently wasn’t enough time to work out a contract with Jeter, who along with Mariano Rivera was renewed at a salary of $750,000.

I think we’re being generous. The last two years, we’ve gone above what was required. I think the world of [Jeter and Rivera]. I value them, and they’re family. We negotiated with the union. They have to live with it.” – George Steinbrenner, New York Times, March 6, 1998

After a historic 125 win season in 1998, the Yankees still couldn’t get on the same page with their core group of homegrown stars. Once again, the team and Jeter were far apart on the terms of a new deal: the Yankees were offering $3.2 million, while Jeter asked for $5 million. This time, however, Jeter was eligible for arbitration, so the hammer was removed from the organization’s hand. Still, Cashman refused to accept agent Casey Close’s offer for a midpoint settlement and the dispute landed on the desk of a third-party, who sided with Jeter’s $5 million figure. The team also lost its arbitration hearing with Mariano Rivera (the following year, the Yankees settled the score by beating Rivera in a second hearing that turned out to be the Yankees’ last to this day).

I wouldn’t really say it was ugly, but no one wants to sit there and listen to a team tell you how bad you are. You think you’re doing a pretty good job and they tell you how bad you are.” – Derek Jeter, speaking about the arbitration process, New York Daily News, February 16, 1999

Just after Nomar Garciaparra signed a 4-year/$22.25 million deal in the spring of 1998, whispers about a long-term contract for Jeter began to filter into the news. In reality, as each successive contract negotiation proved, no progress toward that end had been made. In fact, despite the persistent rumors, Jeter emphatically told the New York Daily, “You read in the papers that there have been offers or we’re trying to talk, but there’s been no discussions about a long-term deal.”

After the arbitration hearing in 1999, the media started to dwell on Jeter’s contract status. Unlike the current environment, however, the shoe was on the other foot. This time, the pundits criticized the Yankees for being short-sighted, arguing that every year that passed would only cost the team more in the long run. On November 29, 1998, the same Joel Sherman mentioned above wrote about all the reasons Jeter was worth the money he was reportedly demanding. Basically, Sherman’s argument was “ He’s Derek Jeter, pay him”.

Before the start of the 2000 season, it seemed as if the Yankees were finally going to heed the advice of those beseeching them to sign Jeter to a long-term deal. The two sides had gone so far as to establish the parameters of a seven-year, $118.5 million agreement, but late in the process Steinbrenner became reticent about topping Kevin Brown’s record $15 million salary by paying Jeter nearly $17 million per season. As a result, the Yankees instead inked their star shortstop to a one-year deal worth $10 million. Once again, the drum beat from the press corps was the same: the Yankees would pay more in future because of their refusal to tip the scales in the present.

If [George Steinbrenner] is using the [Ken Griffey Jr.] pact as a ruler, he should remember this: If Jeter gets to free agency, Griffey’s deal is going to be obsolete. Plus Jeter, who is coming off a career year in 1999, could have a pair of MVP awards and two more World Series rings by the time 30 clubs can bid on him.” – George King, New York Post, March 26, 2000

When Jeter signed a 10-year/$189 million deal on February 10, 2001, it looked like all of the pundits were right: the Yankees’ penny wise strategy had proven to be pound foolish. Not only did the team wind up paying $2 million more in annual salary, but they also had to throw in three more years and an extra $70 million in guaranteed money. Of course, the Yankees probably couldn’t be blamed for not foreseeing the mega deal that Alex Rodriguez signed two months earlier, but nonetheless, the length and terms of the deal left many believing the team would seriously regret its decision to back away from the smaller deal that was all but in place the previous spring.

When you do a deal this important with a player as important as Derek Jeter, it’s better to get it right than rush to judgment. People would have liked it done sooner, but it’s better to be done right.” – Yankees’ President Randy Levine, New York Daily News, February 10, 2001

“I wanted to play here. I never wanted to see if the grass was greener somewhere else. I couldn’t picture myself doing it, and even if I played out the year and became a free agent, I wouldn’t have.” – Derek Jeter, New York Daily News, February 10, 2001

The two comments above were in reference to Jeter’s recently expired contract, but they could both easily apply to the current round of negotiations taking place today. Interestingly, however, had the Yankees signed that initial 7-year/$118.5 million deal, no such conversation would be taking place. Instead, Jeter’s deal would have expired after the 2006 season, which also just so happened to be one of the best of his career. A 32-year old Jeter, coming off a season in which he finished second in the MVP voting (.343/.417/.483), could have easily commanded another big money deal. After all, the 2006 season off season, which occurred before the recent market correction, featured the following overpriced deals: 8 years/$136 million for Alfonso Soriano; 7 years/$126 million for Barry Zito; and 6 years/$100 million for Carlos Lee. Based on that context, it isn’t far fetched to think Jeter could have signed another 7-year deal worth around $154 million.

Based on the previous assumption, it seems as if the Yankees decision to hold off on signing a contract extension in 2000 actually paid off in the long run. So much for the wisdom of all those pundits? Of course, the final verdict on that decision won’t come until an agreement is reached this offseason. If Jeter acquiesces to the Yankees’ current 3-year, $45 million proposal (Scenario A), the Yankees will wind up coming out ahead by almost $40 million (without factoring in inflation as well as time value). However, if the terms of the new deal are closer to 4 years at $80 million (Scenario B), the difference would be a virtual wash. In that case, the Yankees would have probably been better off giving Jeter his new deal back in 2006, when there would likely have been less acrimony, especially with George Steinbrenner still involved in the process.

Scenario A	Amount	Years	Annual Salary
2000 Reported Proposal	$118,500,000	7	$16,928,571
2007 Estimated Contract	$154,000,000	7	$22,000,000
Total	$272,500,000	14	$19,464,286

Actual 2001 Contract	$189,000,000	10	$18,900,000
2011 Reported Proposal	$45,000,000	3	$15,000,000
Total	$234,000,000	13	$18,000,000

Scenario B	Amount	Years	Annual Salary
2000 Reported Proposal	$118,500,000	7	$16,928,571
2007 Estimated Contract	$154,000,000	7	$22,000,000
Total	$272,500,000	14	$19,464,286

Actual 2001 Contract	$189,000,000	10	$18,900,000
2011 Reported Demand	$80,000,000	4	$20,000,000
Total	$269,000,000	14	$19,214,286

Although Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees have enjoyed a strong relationship through the years, the facts show that they haven’t always been on the same page when discussing money. If that was the case when Jeter was still in his prime, should we be surprised that they are still disagreeing on “value” at the end of his career? As both sides have repeated numerous times throughout the years, baseball is a business. So, instead of getting all hot and bothered over an ongoing negotiation that is likely to culminate in an agreement, it makes much more sense to simply let business takes its course. If the two sides do eventually decide to part ways, they’ll still be plenty of time to assign blame.

Posted in Baseball, Business and Finance, MLB, Yankee History, Yankees | Tagged Brian Cashman, Derek Jeter | 3 Comments »

All That Glitters Isn’t Silver: MVPs Who Failed to Win a Silver Slugger

November 22, 2010 by William Juliano

Joey Votto was named the 2010 NL MVP with a commanding 31 of 32 first place votes. Finishing a distant second was Albert Pujols, who in addition to winning three MVPs has also been the runner up four times.

Votto’s selection over Pujols is perfectly justifiable, but it is interesting to note that it was actually Pujols who was recently awarded the silver slugger for first base in the National League. Coincidentally, Votto became the first player to win the MVP, but not the silver slugger, since Pujols in 2005. In total, there are only five instances of an MVP failing to win the silver slugger (excluding American League pitchers voted as MVP) since the latter award was first given out in 1980. Listed below is a comparison of the MVP and silver slugger for each instance.

Based on offensive WAR, in three of the five seasons, the silver slugger actually had a better year with the bat than the MVP. Not surprisingly, in all of them, the MVP’s team made the playoffs, while the silver slugger’s team did not. In 2000 and 2005, however, Giambi and Pujols rated as the better hitter by a significant margin, leaving one to scratch their head as to why they were overlooked for the silver slugger.

MVPs Who Didn’t Win a Silver Slugger

2010	Player	PA	R	HR	RBI	BA	OBP	SLG	oWAR
NL MVP	Joey Votto*	648	106	37	113	0.324	0.424	0.600	6.9
1B SS	Albert Pujols	700	115	42	118	0.312	0.414	0.596	7.4

2005	Player	PA	R	HR	RBI	BA	OBP	SLG	oWAR
NL MVP	Albert Pujols*	700	129	41	117	0.330	0.430	0.609	7.2
1B SS	Derek Lee	691	120	46	107	0.335	0.418	0.662	6.0

2002	Player	PA	R	HR	RBI	BA	OBP	SLG	oWAR
AL MVP	Miguel Tejada*	715	108	34	131	0.308	0.354	0.508	5.8
3B SS	Alex Rodriguez	725	125	57	142	0.300	0.392	0.623	8.2

2000	Player	PA	R	HR	RBI	BA	OBP	SLG	oWAR
AL MVP	Jason Giambi*	664	108	43	137	0.333	0.476	0.647	9.4
1B SS	Carlos Delgado	711	115	41	137	0.344	0.470	0.664	7.6

1991	Player	PA	R	HR	RBI	BA	OBP	SLG	oWAR
NL MVP	Terry Pendelton*	644	94	22	86	0.319	0.363	0.517	5.5
3B SS	Howard Johnson	658	108	38	117	0.259	0.342	0.535	5.7

*Team made the post season.
Note: Excluded Dennis Eckersley, Roger Clemens, Willie Hernandez and Rollie Fingers, who each won the MVP as pitchers in the American League.
Source: Baseball-reference.com

Posted in Alex Rodriguez, Arod, Baseball, Baseball History, MLB | Tagged Albert Pujols, Joey Votto, MVP, Silver Slugger | Leave a Comment »

Mets Turn to Collins for Shake Up; Fiery Manager Almost Made Debut in the Bronx 20 Years Ago

November 22, 2010 by William Juliano

After a nearly two-month search, the Mets are poised to name Terry Collins as their next manager, according to several media reports.

Collins first managerial job was with the Astros in 1994, but could have been as a Yankee several years earlier.

The hiring of Collins, who served as Mets’ minor league coordinator in 2010, really shouldn’t come as a surprise considering his recent connection to both the organization and new vice president of player development and scouting Paul DePodesta. In 2004, Collins was one of three finalists for the Mets’ managerial position before losing out to Willie Randolph. Then, one year later when DePodesta was General Manager of the Dodgers, Collins was believed to be the front runner to replace Jim Tracy as skipper. However, midway through his search for a new manager, DePodesta was unexpectedly fired by Los Angeles, and the team’s new GM Ned Colletti eventually settled on Grady Little.

It’s been 11 years since Collins managed in the big leagues. His last game as a major league field general was a 6-5 loss to the Cleveland Indians on September 2, 1999, after which he resigned the position. With the Yankees in town to begin a four-game series, Collins held an emotional press conference to announce his decision, which then Angels’ GM Bill Bavasi insisted was completely voluntary.

Collins second stint as manager with the Angels ended with a teary resignation.

Before serving as manager of the Angels from 1997 to the end of the 1999 season, and after several successful seasons leading the triple-A Alburquerque Dukes (Dodgers) and Buffalo Bisons (Pirates), Collins got his first shot at managing in the majors in Houston, where he led the Astros to a 224-197 record from 1994 to 1996. However, his first breakthrough almost came with the Yankees several seasons earlier.

Even before Dallas Green was fired during the 1989 season, the Yankees were rumored to have had an interest in both Collins and the Buffalo Bisons’ triple-A affiliate that he managed. Leading up to Green’s dismissal on August 18, 1989, the Yankees reportedly had expressed increasing interest in moving their triple-A operations from Columbus to Buffalo as well as adding Collins to the organization as a coach. Sure enough, the day after firing Green, two Yankees’ executives, including George Bradley, then vice president of player development, traveled to Buffalo, sparking rumors that Collins was either ticketed for the Bronx or Columbus, which was in need of a new manager after Bucky Dent was named interim manager.

Once again, however, fate played an unfortunate hand for Collins when Yankees GM Syd Thrift, who was hired only five months prior, resigned a little over one week after Green was fired. Thrift, whose four-year tenure as Pirates GM came to an end when he was fired after the 1988 season, was thought to be the driving force behind the Yankees’ interest in relocating their triple-A club to Buffalo as well as one of Collins’ biggest advocates in the organization. With Thrift gone from the picture, talk about Collins and Buffalo subsided, and the Yankees eventually decided to appoint Dent as full-time manager.

After two close calls, Terry Collins has finally made it to the top of the heap as a manager in New York. Some have expressed concerns about his high strung personality, particularly with regard to handling the pressure that comes with managing in the big city, but the Mets’ have clearly settled on a manager with extensive baseball experience. Even more importantly, their selection represents a complete break from the more laid back culture that the team has fostered since firing Bobby Valentine after the 2002 season. Although the Mets probably couldn’t turn back the clock and rehire Valentine, opting for Collins seems to be the next best thing. Ultimately, success on the field will be determined by the players that new GM Sandy Alderson is able to obtain, but in Collins, the Mets have definitely taken another step in a new direction.

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Historic Rivalry Returns to Yankee Stadium; Army, Notre Dame Wake Up Echoes of Legends Past

November 20, 2010 by William Juliano

(In addition to appearing at The Captain’s Blog, this post is also being syndicated at TheYankeeU.)

Three of the most significant names in American sports history collide tonight when Army and Notre Dame not only play the fiftieth game in their historic rivalry (for a summary of every game, click here), but do so at Yankee Stadium for the first time in 41 years.

When Army first played Notre Dame on November 1, 1913, the game was really more of a warm-up for the upcoming clash with Navy later that month. However, the Westerners, as Notre Dame was labeled in the New York Times’ account of the game, upset the cadets with a revolutionary passing game that took the college football word by surprise. By the end of the afternoon, the Fighting Irish, who were captained by the legendary Knute Rockne, bested Army by a jaw dropping 35-13.

The East learned a lesson from the Middle West at West Point on Saturday, when Notre Dame showed a greater development of the possibilities of the forward pass than Eastern elevens have undertaken to master.” – New York Times, November 13, 1913

Over the next few seasons, the two teams began to develop an emerging rivalry that attracted increasing fan interest. By 1923, both teams had developed into top college programs, and the attendance at their annual matchup necessitated a move to larger stadiums in New York City. Because the Yankees and Giants were playing in the World Series that year, the first new home for the game was Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field. The following year, the two teams laced up at the Polo Ground and then, in 1925, the game moved on to Yankee Stadium, where it found a home for 22 of the next 23 years (in 1930, the game was played at Chicago’s Soldier Field).

A scene from the first Army vs. Notre Dame game at Yankee Stadium in 1925.

A lot of history was made by both teams during the 22-year period when the game was played at Yankee Stadium. In 1928, with the score tied 0-0 at the half, Rockne, now the coach of Notre Dame, gave his historic “win one for the Gipper” speech. The inspirational address spurred the Fighting Irish on to a 12-6 victory, and an American sports legend was born.

The effect of psychology on football teams was never more clearly demonstrated than at Yankee Stadium Saturday. The underdog, a glowing, determined Notre Dame team rose to the heights and played better than they knew how.” – Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne, November 12, 1928, writing in an article distributed by the Christy Walsh Syndicate

Although fan interest was always heightened, the rivalry really intensified in the 1940s. Amid the backdrop of a World War, the two teams had emerged as elite, championship caliber programs, and their annual contest had evolved into a national event. From 1943 to 1946, Army and Notre Dame never ranked lower than fifth and at least one of the teams was ranked first in the country. Not surprisingly, the two teams split the four national titles in that span (Army winning in 1944 and 1945, and Notre Dame taking the crown in 1943 and 1946).

As Bill Pennington wrote in a retrospective for the New York Times, the Army vs. Notre Dame game became such a big deal that soldiers on the battle front would quiz suspected spies about the score of the most recent game in order to determine if they were really Americans. By 1946, the war had finally come to an end, and soon, so too would the game’s run at Yankee Stadium. Before saying good bye, however, the two teams engaged in what was even then being called the “Game of the Century”.

A scene from the "Game of the Century" in 1946.

In 1944 and 1945, Army outscored Notre Dame by a combined 107-0. In 1946, however, the game was being played in a new era of optimism. With many of each institutions’ war heroes back at home and in the stands for the game, the anticipation reached an unprecedented level, especially as each team entered the showdown undefeated. Because each team was averaging over 30 points per game, everyone expected a high scoring affair, but instead what occurred was an epic 0-0 tie with new names like Johnny Lujack and Doc Blanchard added to the legend.

The two foremost contenders for the mythical national college championship honors pitched camp on the outskirts today while an invading horde of thrill-seekers descended on the big town for football’s battle of century between Army and Notre Dame.” – AP, November 8, 1946

In 1947, the rivalry moved back on campus in South Bend before taking a 10-year hiatus and then resuming on a more sporadic basis. In 1969, the two teams reconvened at Yankee Stadium for one last time. However, although Notre Dame was still a powerhouse, Army’s program had faded. With Joe Theisman leading the way at QB, the Irish pummeled the Black Knights 45-0 and then closed the curtain on the rivalry’s time in the Bronx.

Over forty years later, Notre Dame and Army finally return to the grounds of a new Yankee Stadium. Even though the bloom has faded from both teams’ national profile, the powerful combination of their historic legacies and the rivalry reconvening at Yankee Stadium makes today’s game a highly anticipated event. Yankee Stadium has never been a stranger to legends, so who knows, maybe the echoes will be calling again tonight.

Army vs. Notre Dame at Yankee Stadium

Date	Score	Attendance
10/17/1925	Army 27, Notre Dame 0	65,000
11/13/1926	Notre Dame 7, Army 0	63,029
11/12/1927	Army 18, Notre Dame 0	65,678
11/20/1928	Notre Dame 12, Army 6	78,188
11/30/1929	Notre Dame 7, Army 0	79,408
11/28/1931	Army 12, Notre Dame 0	78,559
11/26/1932	Notre Dame 21, Army 0	78,115
12/2/1933	Notre Dame 13, Army 12	73,594
11/24/1934	Notre Dame 12, Army 6	78,757
11/16/1935	Notre Dame 6, Army 6	78,114
11/14/1936	Notre Dame 20, Army 6	74,423
11/13/1937	(18) Notre Dame 7, Army 0	76,359
10/29/1938	(7) Notre Dame 19, Army 7	76,338
11/4/1939	(4) Notre Dame 14, Army 0	75,632
11/2/1940	(2) Notre Dame 7, Army 0	75,474
11/1/1941	(6) Notre Dame 0, (14) Army 0	75,226
11/7/1942	(4) Notre Dame 13, (19) Army 0	74,946
11/6/1943	(1) Notre Dame 26, (3) Army 0	75,121
11/11/1944	(1) Army 59, (5) Notre Dame 0	75,142
11/10/1945	(1) Army 48, (2) Notre Dame 0	74,621
11/9/1946	(1) Army 0, (2) Notre Dame 0	74,121
10/11/1969	(15) Notre Dame 45, Army 0	63,786