As the Yankees get into the rhythm of their Spring Training Schedule, they are progressing nicely toward their goal. They will be in-shape and ready for battle when the bell rings on March 31.
For the first time in their Yankee careers, veterans and youngsters alike are being pushed to be in top shape. Gone is the country club presided over by Joe Torre.
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Mike Mussina recently said "We learned you have to do more than take grounders and BP and then hit the showers," Moose's implication is clear. The Yanks were not prepared to open the season the last few years. Bobby Arbeu and Johnny Damon have also admitted that they were not is shape last spring.
Will this matter come April? Time will tell, but so far under the guidance of General Joe Girardi, the Yanks appear to be taking more pride in themselves and their work.
Girardi is also very aware that the April schedule could prove to be murder on the Yanks. Because of the Pope's visit to the Stadium, and the time it will take to prepare for all the hoopla, the Yanks will have a stretch in April were they will play an incredible 19 of 21 games on the road.
Ed Price of the Star-Ledger and Steve Lombardi of waswatching.com have done a good job this week of pointing out the tough road that lies ahead for the Yanks. The 18 road games in April will be a franchise record. Many of the road series end with night games, so the Yanks will be arriving in the next town at 5 o'clock or so in the morning. The Yanks will also have a stretch from April 2 to 20 when they play 19 games in a row.
Jason Giambi notes that "Maybe that's the reason why we're running so much."
Expect Girardi and GM Brian Cashman to make initial roster decisions based on the schedule. A long man in the bullpen is a given, and right now Jeff Karstens has the inside track for that. Bench players like Wilson Betemit and Shelley Duncan will likely see ample playing time in April as well.
One of Girardi's biggest projects this spring is getting a lot more out of Kyle Farnsworth. The embattled veteran pitcher never got along with Joe Torre, and in fact questions why the former skipper never used him on back-to-back days. "They never came up to me and asked me. I don't know where that came about."
Girardi will use Farnsworth in back-to-back games right away in April, and he won't shy away from bringing him in mid-inning. It will be interesting to see how Kyle responds.
"I still think he's got a lot in him," Girardi told mlb.com reporter Bryan Hoch, "I think he can be extremely successful. I think he can play a huge part in the bullpen this year and be part of something special."
TANGENT: I just received via Fed Express my copy of the newly published Bill James Gold Mine 2008. This thing is a potpourri of delicious baseball stats and articles. I should be all night with this. Anyone interested in baseball really should buy it.
Among some Yankee tidbits:
Abreu Lookin' Good
Who led the Yank's last year with RBIs on singles, doubles, triples, walks and groundouts? It's got to be Alex, right? Nope. It was Bobby Abreu.
Not a total surprise, but 99%?
Percentage of fastballs thrown by Mariano Rivera last year: 99%
Pull, Pull, Pull
Number of opposite field singles by A-Rod last year: 1
In need of more Republican Congressmen?
Houston's record in 2005 when Rocket started: 15-17
Houston's record in 2006 when Rocket started: 9-10
Yanks' record in 2007 when Rocket started: 8-9
Chances of current Yankees eventually being elected to the Hall of Fame:
Bobby Abreu: 20%
Johnny Damon: 30%
Jason Giambi: 35%
Derek Jeter: 99%
Hideki Matsui: 1%
Mike Mussina: 80%
Andy Pettitte: 40%
Jorge Posada: 55%
Mariano Rivera: 98%
Alex Rodriguez: 99%
Chien-Ming Wang: 9%
Among many essays in the book is one called "Closer Fatigue," with Mariano Rivera as the central figure in the study. One of the more interesting conclusions James draws is that when "fatigued," Rivera's control improves. This occurs because there is more "early contact" and because the ball doesn't move quite so much. Of course, his ERA goes up dramatically, so I guess it's a moot point.
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