Rangers Lose! Rangers Lose!

And so the Red Sox, losers of five straight and seven of nine, including three against the Yankees, finally back their way into October.  

But amid the merriment, there did seem to be a desire to defend their right to party, with the oddity of the situation. It was, however, not unlike the clinching celebration of almost exactly two years ago, when the Sox officially reached the postseason on a Melvin Mora squeeze bunt that gave the Orioles the win over the Yankees on Sept. 28, 2007. Of course, the Sox had won on that night.

"It doesn't matter how you do it, as long as you're in," Pedroia said. "Obviously the game was pretty intense, and we couldn't find a way to win, but it doesn't really matter how we do it, we're excited, and we can't wait for the playoffs.

"We like our chances. We have a great pitching staff, and our offense has been swinging the bat good. I know we've lost a few games in a row, but when playoff time comes, there's a lot of guys that have been through it. That's a positive."

Pedroia failed to mention, though, the Sox's continued problem against teams not named the Orioles. Nor did he bring up how the Sox are, at best, mediocre on the road. Not exactly a recipe for success in the postseason. But the Rangers lost. That alone is cause for celebration.  

BEN:

So much hate. How do you press on with so much hate in your heart?

Yes, various people have criticized the Sox for their plans to celebrate if and when they clinched a wild card spot. I know there is a certain act-like-you've-been-there-before austerity to this argument. Sure, I get that. But let me ask you something: who cares?

In some ways, last night's celebration was typical of the '09 season. The Sox lost, and many of their players went home to deal with other things. Dustin Pedroia said goodnight to his six-week-old son. Jason Bay went out for a drink with his agent, who is still working on Bay's deal for next season, probably with the Sox. Then everyone came back when the Rangers lost and the wild card was officially theirs.

The team has been through a lot this season. Daisuke Matsuzaka missed almost the entire season due to shoulder fatigue after the World Baseball Classic. The Smoltz and Penny experiments failed. Tim Wakefield's back gave out. At shortstop, we lost Jed Lowrie to injury, and Julio Lugo couldn't play well enough to earn back his own job. So we gave the reins to Nick Green, who filled in admirably (until he didn't) and then went down with a bulging disc. Jason Varitek underperformed behind the plate, and we had to sacrifice a key reliever, Justin Masterson, to help replace his missing offense. And David Ortiz went through the worst slump of his career, plus some nasty steroid talk. And, on one forgettable night in the Bronx, the Sox had so many injured outfielders that Kevin Youkilis had to start in left field.

Look--I'm not saying they're the Mets. Nobody has luck that rotten. But the Sox have been through a lot. And to still be standing at this stage of the season says a lot about Terry Francona, Theo Epstein, and the leaders in the clubhouse. Forgive the Sox if they cared more about Jon Lester's knee and Matsuzaka's performance than they did about winning the games last weekend.

Pedroia, although he will not contend for this year's AL MVP, (which, for the record, should go to Joe Mauer), has been a consistent clubhouse and lineup presence even while comforting his wife through a difficult pregnancy. Jacoby Ellsbury, after a rough start to the season, has emerged as an elite leadoff hitter. Matsuzaka, as messy as he always is, has pitched well since returning for the stretch run.

Epstein plugged the hole at catcher with Victor Martinez, who has been a consistent RBI man in the middle of the lineup. He plugged the whole at shortstop with Alex Gonzalez, who has stabilized the position and hit well in his short time in Boston. And he replaced Masterson with Billy Wagner, now a trusted late-inning presence for the team.

Francona has played musical chairs with Martinez, Varitek, Mike Lowell, Kevin Youkilis, and David Ortiz, and gotten good production from all of them. Which reminds me: Ortiz, who was batting .185 with 1 HR and 18 RBI June 1st, has had a blistering September and is now hitting .240 with 28 HR and 96 RBI. He's been streaky, and is not his old self, but even his softer side has outhomered everyone in the American League over the last 4 months. And the fact that he has a shot to be a 30-100 man again this year after that start is frankly astounding.

Am I saying the Sox are the odds-on favorites to win it all? No. I'm not even denying that it's the Yankees that have that distinction. But as Dane Cook reminds us, you can't script October. And the Sox, for all their struggles, have a lot going for them: two elite starters, two more good-looking ones (which is one more than the Yankees have), a deep bullpen, and a lineup that has scored the 3rd most runs in the league. I don't know if that's enough to win it all this year, but I like it when good things happen to my team.

Jeez.

Speaking of Curses...

"Sports Illustrated" targets the incomparable Mariano. By the way, I didn't see Papelbon this weekend. What's he up to these days? 

Seems about right. 

The Curse of the Benbino?

First Brady. Now Lester. Any thoughts on Kevin Garnett?

UPDATE: Jeter, too. That's some seriously bad voodoo, man.

BEN:

Not a chance I'm biting on this. No way.

Food for thought

Trying to distract myself from a couple of unpleasant Boston news days in a row. The latest setback, of course, is the Sox' total inability to even think about scoring runs off Royals ace Zack Greinke. It's some consolation, although not much, to know that Greinke is the hands-down favorite for this year's Cy Young Award. And here, also, is something else to consider:

An interesting piece by Kansas City blogger makes the case that the Cy Young race has come down to four pitchers: Greinke, Felix Hernandez, CC Sabathia, and Jon Lester.

Greinke and Hernandez are there simply because they are easily the best two pitchers in the American League this year. Sabathia and Lester are there because they are easily the best two pitchers on the Yankees and Red Sox. If there's anything like justice, Greinke will walk away with the trophy. But the discussion does provide fodder for an interesting comparison, an echo of something my colleague tried to bash me with a few weeks ago.

So, a comparison.

Player A
14-7, 3.33 ERA, 214 SO.
2009 Salary: $1 million
Average salary, 2010-2013: $7.2 million

Player B
18-7, 3.31 ERA, 186 SO.
2009 Salary: $15.3 million
Average salary, 2010-2013: $24.9 million

Oh, and one more thing to note.

Player A's postseason ERA: 2.25
Player B's postseason ERA: 7.92

MILES:

The Small Market Sox signed Lester to a $30 million contract extension in March, which basically bought out his remaining arbitration years. Not unlike what Theo did with Dustin Pedroia (six-year, $40.5 million) in December and, a month later, with Kevin Youkilis (four-year, $40 million deal). This is common practice in baseball. See Evan Longoria, Jose Reyes, David Wright, Troy Tulowitzki, Robinson Cano, and Chris Young, to name just a few. In 2014, Lester is  due to earn $14 million. A year later, when he becomes  a free agent, he should be in line for a pretty fat paycheck. 

Look, Lester is a very good pitcher. At times, dominant. Like against the Colorado Rockies. Against the Rays, however, not so much. Still, I like Lester. Truth be told, he's the only player on Boston's roster I would want on the Yankees. That said, I'm more than happy with CC's performance in pinstripes, and, come October, I'm confident he'll show his true worth.  

In the meantime, though, I agree that Greinke is an absolute lock for the Cy Young. He has been for weeks, long before he shut down the Sox. 

BEN:

All right, let's get this Small Market-Big Market thing out of the way. I know that some Yankees fans take great pleasure in noting that the Red Sox consistently rank among the top five teams in baseball in terms of overall payroll. I won't deny it. It's also true that they've won substantially more games and championships in the last ten years than any of the several teams with comparable payrolls-- say, for instance, the Dodgers, Mets, Cubs, and Tigers, all four of whom have bigger payrolls than the Sox this year. The Angels have had a comparable run of success with a comparable payroll over the same period.

But in the spirit of serious intra-rivalry debate, let's examine the facts a little more closely. This year, the Yankees outspent the Sox by $84m, which is larger than the gap between the Sox and the famously parsimonious San Diego Padres, who have the 2nd lowest payroll in baseball. To put it another way, $84 million is enough to cover the entire payroll of just over half of the teams in baseball. If you're really going to swear that this distinction is trivial, well, let's just say I disagree.

My point, though, is that the difference between the teams is cultural. In a given offseason, Sox can make a run at any player they want, provided they're willing to make payroll sacrifices at other positions. This is true of several teams--conservatively, maybe 4 or 5, liberally, as many as 7 or 8. What the Yankees do, as demonstrated admirably this past offseason (during the depths of a terrible recession, and while they were rolling out their hilariously overpriced new stadium), is give record contracts to players at any position where they see fit to bother. It's what makes other people think that Yankees fans are spoiled, that the team tries to buy championships; all those criticisms you're used to hearing by now.

Players currently on the Yankees who are the highest-paid at their position in baseball history: Alex Rodriguez (3B), Mark Teixeria (1B), Derek Jeter (SS), CC Sabathia (SP), Jorge Posada (C). Mariano Rivera ranks 2nd at closer.

This also probably goes some way to explaining why you express no interest in swapping your guys for one of the numerous comparable-yet-cheaper players on the Sox team, such as Dustin Pedroia, Victor Martinez, Jonathan Papelbon, Lester, or Clay Buchholz. Some of those guys are better than their Yankee counterparts, and some worse, but all are substantially less expensive, even the Rookie of the Year/AL MVP second baseman. By the way, are you sure you wouldn't trade the Melky Cabrera/Brett Gardner platoon for Jacoby Ellsbury, or Johnny Damon for Jason Bay?

Maybe this all sounds like quibbling to your ears, but I think it's pretty meaningful. Will the Sox have to give big money to Jon Lester when his arbitration years are past? Absolutely, and I'm sure they'll be glad to do it. But I'm willing to bet he won't be the highest-paid pitcher in baseball history, whether that person is CC Sabathia or whoever the Yankees come after next.

MILES:

Sorry, man, but any team that lays down $51 million just to talk to a player forfeits any claims to the poorhouse. In fact, just a few months ago, the front office offered Mark Teixeira at least $165 million, even though the team already had, in your words, a "comparable-yet-cheaper" first baseman. By your reasoning, if the Sox had signed Tex, they would have been forced to get rid of Ortiz and his $13-million contract, or J.D. Drew and his $14-million contract just to offset the cost. You're deluding yourself. Boston's payroll isn't as high as New York's; but, at $122 million, it is only approximately $6 million less than the combined payrolls of the Marlins, Padres and Pirates. 

For some reason I've never quite understood, Sox fans like to think of their team as one of the little guys, the underdogs, as blue collar as Will Hunting. When, in truth, the Sox are very much a part of baseball's privileged one percent, regardless of how dirty your MVP second baseman gets his jersey. Ask any Twins fan, or Royals fan, or even a Cardinals fan. They'll tell you the same thing: there is little-to-no difference between the Yankees and the Red Sox in this regard. Sure, the Yankees might own the biggest house on the block, but the Red Sox reside in the same gated community, despite numerous protestations to the contrary. 

BEN:

I never said that Youkilis was comparable to Teixeira and believed, at the time and to this day, that the Sox would've traded him to clear room for Tex.

I also specifically didn't claim that the Sox were in the poor house; only that the gap between the Yankees and those teams that rank below them is so large and significant that it's unfair to compare them. I think the numbers illustrate that pretty convincingly.

I can't speak for other Sox fans, but I've never believed that my team is middle-class; what I have done is complained that the Yankees' unlimited spending makes them the bad guys. I don't think the Sox deserve anyone's pity, I just find it ludicrous that Yankees fans can't see the difference.

Gang Green

I was at a wedding yesterday afternoon, in Poughkeepsie, receiving only intermittent text updates from concerned friends about the Jets-Pats game. I knew the Jets were up late, but there was still a lot of time left. I was nervous. Even worse, the bar was about to close.

New text: “Sanchez sacked for a big loss.” Damn. Two minutes later: “Pats on final drive.” Oy, I thought. Were the Patriots going to steal one late from the Jets, just like they did last week against the Bills? I was on an island, cut off from the rest of the world, unaware of what was going on 70 miles south, in the Meadowlands, a place that hadn’t witnessed a Jets’ win over the Pats since 2000, when Herm Edwards was still in charge. 

A few minutes later, we were packing up our things, wishing our best to the lovely bride and groom. (Ed. Note: Seriously, no TV?) As we pulled out of the parking lot, I checked my phone for a new text. Nothing. Not good, I thought. The Jets were either in the middle of blowing it, or had already blown it. No one wanted to share the bad news with me. Before we pulled into the train station, though, we passed a small bar. I watched as a paunchy, pasty male wearing a Randy Moss jersey exited and walked across the parking lot. Behind him, his girlfriend, in a Brady jersey, natch, screamed, “You’re just going to leave? Just like that?” I didn’t even have to read the text I received a few seconds later. I knew right away that the Jets had beaten the Pats, because Pats fans, like the team’s head coach, don’t take losing very well. They handle losses, in fact, about as well as child takes losing his woobie.

All week long, the Jets, particularly Head Coach Rex Ryan and safety Kerry Rhodes, said the Jets were going to bring it to the Patriots. “Try to embarrass them,” was Mr. Rhodes’ unfortunate choice of words. That the Jets, particularly the defense, backed up their uncharacteristically bold talk was impressive. It also speaks volumes, as it were, about the teams’ confidence, talent and newfound moxie. 

These ain’t your father’s New York Jets.

In two games this season, the Jets’ D has not allowed a touchdown. Last week, they turned Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson into spectators. Compare this to the duo’s remarkable performance this week against the Titans. On Sunday, the Jets made Tom Brady, Mr. Enlgand, look like Chad Henne. Yesterday was the first time a Brady-led Pats team failed to score a touchdown since Dec. 10, 2006, when they were shut out against the Dolphins. Even more impressive, the Jets limited the vaunted Patriots offense to less than 300 yards of total offense, holding them to a mediocre 5 of 15 on third down. Cornerback Darrell Revis limited Randy Moss to four catches for 24 yards. Although the Jets didn’t sack Brady, they knocked him down, I think, six or seven times, depending on the news outlet. Ryan’s defensive schemes—and the raucous Meadowlands crowd—rattled the normally unflappable Brady, forcing him into four delay-of-game penalties, including a back-to-back fuck up in the 3rd quarter. Hardly a vintage performance from Mr. New England.

Mark Sanchez, on the other hand, played well enough to win, leading the Jets on an impressive 16-play, 68-yard scoring drive to start the second half. He finished the game 14-22 with 163 yards, a touchdown and 0 interceptions. Nothing fantastic, but still better than Brady’s 0-touchdown, 1-interception performance.

In the scheme of things, yesterday’s win isn’t terribly important, or even meaningful. It is, after all, just one game in a very long season, and the Pats will, of course, make adjustments. Good teams always do. But, at least for the time being, they'll be looking up at a totally revamped and defensively dominant Jets team. See you in Week 11.

BEN:

I can't front. The time for fronting is past. That was a tough loss, and the Pats, who have been prodigiously talented for the last 5 years, clearly aren't the same force they were a few years ago. Time was, we could afford to lose an elite linebacker and an elite receiver in the same short week and still out-think the bad guys. And--hey, credit where it's due--that is a fierce defense and a smart head coach. But, in the long view, I still think that the Pats are a playoff team, and, in the even longer view, that Belichick is building a team that will be a force over the next 5-10 years. And I doubt that you disagree.

I won't let myself be drawn into another of the absurd Boston/NY debates over whose fans have less integrity, but I will say that I don't want a coach who takes to losing, any more than I want to root for one whose signature move, it seems, is to try to piss people off. And while this team has looked pretty nasty on defense, let's not confuse them with the '85 Bears just yet. The Patriots had better numbers than the Jets in total offense, first downs, takeaways, and 3rd down efficiency. Had rookie substitute Julian Edelman--who on the whole had a very good game--not dropped a pass on the 2 yard line, this might have been a different outcome.

But like I said, no fronting. The Jets were tougher in key situations, adjusted better at halftime, and were the only team to put one in the end zone. But the Patriots are still finding themselves, and on the defensive side of the ball, substitute signal-caller Gary Guyton orchestrated a defense that held the Jets to 16 points and 254 yards of total offense, picking up 10 tackles himself.

Most experts picked the Pats to win the AFC East this year. In the next few days, I'm sure quite of a few of those people will be handing that same crown to the Jets. Myself, I think it's going to be a dogfight. But if and when we get Mayo and Welker back, and when Brady hits his stride, I still like my squad.

Much has been made of the losses of Bruschi, Harrison, Seymour, Vrabel, and Hobbs on this defense. (A defense which, as you bandwagon fans may or may not recall, was considered a liability last year.) For the time being, you can also add Jerod Mayo to that list. And yet they more than held their own yesterday against a capable offense. If this is what a rebuilding year looks like under Belichick, I can live with that. There are a lot of games left to play.

MILES:

Funny you mentioned rebuilding, Brady's rust, and the absence of Wes Welker. I deleted an entire paragraph about these and a number of other excuses that were sure to wind their way down I-95. I'll give you Welker. He was missed. This rebuilding meme, though, is a bit disingenuous, especially since, as you pointed out, the Pats were the early favorites to win the division. Probably still are, too. Also, as I recall last year, when Matt Cassell excelled in Brady's stead, it was the system, not the players. Bellichick, it was said, could win with anyone. Nor can I take seriously Brady's rust, which wasn't an issue in the second half of last week's game, when he put in a "vintage" performance. He looked uneasy in the pocket this week because the Jets put a ton of pressure on him. They made him uncomfortable. 

 

Also, bandwagon fan is a bit unfair. Although I'm not a big football guy, I do have a vested interest in the Jets, and I was recruited for the specific purpose of talking smack about teams from Boston. I couldn't let yesterday's win go unnoticed. It would be unprofessional. 

Idle Thoughts

For the past few weeks, while the Yankees have been racking up win after win after win, I’ve felt a bit on the sidelines, like I’m missing out on the excitement of a pennant race. But this feeling of exclusion, however brief, isn’t at all like last year, when the only meaningful event left in the Yankees’ first season in 12 years sans playoff was the shuttering off the old stadium and the distant promise of the Hot Stove. (You know it’s a disappointing season when the highlight was a valedictory speech).

No, this year I feel like I’m just twiddling my thumbs waiting for the real fun to start. The rest of the 2009 regular season is, by now, entirely perfunctory, about as exciting or meaningful as combing your hair. Nothing is getting me going. Not Pettitte’s tired arm. Not the BRAWL! Not A.J. Not even the Sox’s umpire-abetted winning streak.

Instead, I’ve had to get by on silly things like the following clip, which is sure to strike a chord with Yankee and Red Sox fans alike.



(Via Via)

Vintage

You forget, because it is easy to forget, that for most of his career Tom Brady was a game manager. We didn't try to compare his touchdown passes or his yardage to guys like Marino and Manning (Peyton, that is) because there was no point--they had him in pretty much every category.

Go ahead--go back to that fateful 2001 season, look at those box scores and try to find the things that he did. You'll find exactly one 300-yard passing game (against the 5-11 Chargers) and 18 TD passes in 14 games. Not exactly Johnny Unitas.

But why would you bother? We all know what happened: Mo Lewis put a hit on Drew Bledsoe in game 2 of the season and we all gave up. Expectations for that team weren't high, anyway. Brady came out, kept the passing game alive, and relied on the defense to clinch the wins. The Pats fell to 1-3, and no one was surprised. And then, of course, everything happened. That comeback win over the Jets, the sudden when-will-our-luck-run-out winning streak, the Tuck Rule game. The win over the Steelers--how could they possibly beat the Steelers? And Adam Vinatieri, icewater in his veins. All of that happened, and Tom Brady just stayed steady.

I should have known then. A lot of people did. You don't stay steady when it's your rookie season and your team has suddenly gone from having no chance to home field advantage in the playoffs. You don't stay steady when you're playing The Greatest Show on Turf and you're a massive underdog in the Super Bowl. But, hey, I'm a skeptic, and I'm a bit of a stat-head. I figured I was just really, really lucky.

Don't get me wrong. By the time the Patriots won the 2nd, and then the 3rd, Super Bowl, I was fully on board. I knew Brady was one of the great QBs in NFL history, the Joe Montana of his era. Who would deny that? He threw darts. He was smart, calm, and a closer. He always won. That's the kind of guy you want on your team, stats be damned. But still--I don't think any of us knew just how good he was.

Because for the first time in Brady's considerable career, in 2007, he had a #1 receiver.

And, listen--there are New York sports fans, at least one of them, reading this blog, and you know and I know what happened in the end. Do not talk to me about what happened in the end. What I am saying to you is that Tom Brady in 2007 was something no one had ever seen before, and you know I'm right. 50 touchdowns against 8 interceptions, 589 total points scored, 16-0. Those are things no one had ever accomplished, or even bothered hoping for. Those are impossible things. If I had told you they were going to happen, you would have laughed at me. I don't care who you're backing--Tarkenton, Tittle, Unitas, Namath, Elway, Favre, Manning, Montana--I will take 2007 Tom Brady over all of them. And twice on Sunday. They talk about great players finding an extra gear in big situations. In 2007, Tom Brady broke the gearshift clean off. He couldn't have slowed down if he wanted to.

All of which is to explain my reaction to the 4th quarter of Monday night's astonishing comeback win over the Bills. Here is my reaction: I have seen this Tom Brady before, and he is the best QB I have ever seen.

See you Sunday in the Meadowlands.

MILES:

I think you're on to something with this Brady kid. He's got a bright future in this game.

I apologize for being glib. I'll take the bait, at least for Brady's most recent comeback performance. That is, after all, the purpose of this blog. Forgive me, though, if I don't join you in celebrating Mr. New England and Mr. New England alone for the team's 4th quarter performance against the truly awful Buffalo Bills. After all, I've seen this episode before. Besides, the play of Monday night's game, the singular outstanding moment that allowed the Pats the chance to win, was Merriweather's strip of McKelvin, which was, in truth, two parts greatness and one part costly fuck up. But, congratulations. The Pats beat the Bills, just like they've done 16 times out of the last 17. No matter that Bills haven't reached the playoffs since 1999, and were just two weeks removed from the dismissal of their offensive coordinator, who, according to the New York Times, derided Dick Jauron’s offense as “Pop Warner.” (Ed. Note: They still managed to put up 24 points).

As for this Sunday, the Jets might not yet be the Patriots, but they sure as hell aren't the Bills. See you in the Meadowlands, indeed.

BEN:

Actually it's 17 out of 18 times that they've beaten the Bills.

McKelvin got stripped by a well-coached, aggressive special teams unit that was missing its best player. I might also point out that the Pats had 3 timeouts and the two-minute warning left if they'd had to play defense, and that Brady put his team back in the end zone in 61 seconds, real time.

And the best part is, he knew he was going to do it. First, he huddled up the offense and said "we're going to win." He told the media afterward that he wanted to get the first touchdown before the 2-minute warning, and punched it in at 2:06. 81 yards in 3:26, and they never saw 3rd down. Then they went out, stripped the ball and were back in the lead with almost a full minute to go. That's not luck, it's brute force.

Away we go

There's no denying it's been a rocky season for the Sox' rotation, but yesterday's two-game sweep of the suddenly not-so-playoff-bound Rays was certainly a show of force by the top of the rotation. Having now built a 4-game lead over the Rangers in the wild card race, the Sox now have a 92% chance of making the playoffs. Well, Doyle, I've got to concede it to you--the Yankees have the division locked down. But, with everyone in New York taking the month off, they may not have noticed that the Sox suddenly have the 3rd best record in baseball, two games back of the Angels, who, incidentally, are coming to town this week.

Josh Beckett has been through some struggles the last few weeks, but this past week has bounced back. And Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz, who combined to allow one run in 15 innings in yesterday's doubleheader, are both having the best month of their careers at the same time. As many question marks as there have been in the Sox' rotation, having three pitchers like this is a very good feeling when the leaves are starting to turn in New England.

Beckett and Lester already have the respect of the league. And for Buchholz, last season was...complicated. But he's allowed just 5 runs in the last 28 innings, which is an ERA of about 1.61 for those without a calculator. Starting with his admirable August 8th start in that ill-fated series against the Yankees, Buchholz is peddling a 2.76 ERA over his last 8 starts. Not a bad day's work for a third starter. He's hitting 94 on the radar gun, commanding his fastball while getting outs with his notoriously filthy curveball and changeup.

There are still plenty of questions left to ask, but this season is a hell of an accomplishment by a team that has been through injuries to three starting pitchers, the worst season in David Ortiz's career, the failed Brad Penny experiment, and the much-discussed ongoing situation at shortstop. This might be Terry Franconca's most impressive season, really, keeping all these personalities in order, and adapting to the trade of Justin Masterson for Victor Martinez. There's a lot to be impressed by, character-wise. There are some big games this week, but this is suddenly looking like an awfully dangerous team...

I'm not going to front. The Sox have been mediocre on the road, and there are no guarantees they'll even make the playoffs. But, it's starting to look pretty likely. And if they do, that fifth spot in the rotation is suddenly going to matter a lot less. And, seriously, which of these guys do you want to face in October?

Compare and Contrast

Player A:
131 games .254 batting average. 26 home runs. 77 RBI. 74 runs. 110 hits.
OBP .378. SLG .506. OPS .884.
$3.6 million.
Acquired with pitcher Kaneko Texeira for Jeff Marquez, Jhonny Nuney, and Wilson Betemit from the White Sox.

Player B:
120 games .267 batting average. 20 home runs. 59 RBI. 73 runs. 107 hits.
OBP .382. SLG .499 OPS .880.
$14 million.
Signed to a five-year, $70 million contract, bum shoulder, balky back and an ugly—and extensive—history of assorted injuries included.

BEN:

Do you seriously want me to respond to this? Should we open a discussion of the Yankees and poorly spent money, or do you want to just concede the point up front?

MILES:

The same Pavano the Small Market Sox missed out on? Or Kei Igawa, Scranton-Wilkes Barre's all-time winningest pitcher? I'd put Cashman's record against Theo's any day. Has Theo figured out that shortstop position yet?

BEN:

I don't think I have room here to really get into this one. All you readers out there: look out for my complete thoughts on Brian Cashman this weekend. (Congratulations, incidentally, to You're Wrong About Everything's first follower.)

MILES:

Jesus, I'm outnumbered. Welcome, Football for Chicks. I'll most likely be cribbing from your notes throughout the upcoming football season. 

Chasing History

Derek "Mr. Clutch" Jeter has now gone 0-for-12 since getting within striking distance of Lou Gehrig's club record for hits. I'm just saying.

Incidentally, the Yankees' club record for hits is 2,721. Teams with better club records in this category include: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, LA Dodgers, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, San Diego, San Francisco, St. Louis.

UPDATE: It's pretty clear that I jinxed this one.

J-E-T-S, JETS! JETS! Oh, Who Am I Kidding?

Unlike Ben, I have no idea whether or not the Richard Seymour trade will benefit the Patriots in 18 months. It seems to me that Tom Brady, QB 1.5 at the University of Michigan, is still the straw that stirs that drink. I don't know, though. Around my house, football usually doesn't really start until after the World Series. These things happen, usually because the Yankees are in contention almost every year, and I just love baseball. Oh, and the Jets, my de facto football team, are pretty goddamn awful. Seriously, before the Jets drafted former USC quarterback John David Booty, I mean, Mark Sanchez, the face of the franchise was a toss up between Wayne Chrebet and Fireman Ed. A truly sad state of affairs. I concede the point: the Jets aren't even in the same league as the Patriots. That other New York are football team, though, is a different story altogether. Best case scenario, the Jets, under new coach Rex Ryan, the anti-Mangini, might be able to reach a respectable 5-3 by the end of the World Series, right around the time I'll start paying attention. Until then, though, I'm focused almost exclusively on the Yankees and their widening gap in the American League East, the first step in the pursuit of the organization's 27th championship.

BEN:

I am not aware of any events that took place in the 2007-08 Super Bowl.

Let the record show that the organization's first steps in pursuit of a 27th championship were the signings of Jason Giambi and Mike Mussina. How many steps have occurred since then is a matter for discussion, but it sure isn't 1.

MILES:

Maybe the Quest for 27 is more of a 12-step program, although I'm still waiting on Cashman to make amends for Bubba Crosby. Next step is probably more accurate. 

Seymour, Pay Less

Only a year removed from the disputeddecision to keep then-unimpressive QB Matt Cassel on their roster, the Patriots are once again testing our faith in their brand. In a totally non-anticipated move, the Pats have traded five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Richard Seymour to the Oakland Raiders, getting a 2011 first-round draft pick, which, if the next two years are anything like the last six, is likely to be a good one.

The Pats are deep on the defensive line, with Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, Jarvis Green, and a few new faces holding down the fort, but the trade of Seymour certainly depletes an already questionable defense. And while our brethren in the AFC East have been reliably rolling over in key situations, their new heartthrob has become quite the sensation, and it won't be long before he starts to be a problem.

(And of course, if he doesn't pan out, the Jets now have their own backup plan.)

But this move is about keeping a dynasty alive for another five or even ten years, rebuilding while still being the Las Vegas favorite to win the Super Bowl. We've seen what the alternative can look like. Throw in the fact that the NFL may have a rookie salary cap in place by 2011, and the value of this trade makes more and more sense. Sure, it's a gamble, but as Seymour's productivity begins to decline, it makes sense to move him for the optimum value. It's the surprises like this that keep Belichick ahead of the pack, and everyone else trying to catch up.

Editorial Consensus?

10 Things I think Ben and I agree about:

1. Curt Schilling, United States senator, is a terrible idea.
   
2. Mariano Rivera should not win the American League Cy Young.
   
3. Jason Varitek is Captain of the Sox. We disagree about the size of his "C."
4. Derek Jeter is about to pass Lou Gehrig's hit total.
   
5. Minka Kelly, Jeter's reported fiance, is easy on the eyes.
   
6. Cashman and Theo have their faults, but J.P. Ricciardi is truly atrocious.
   
7. Tampa Bay is no longer playing for October.  
   
8. The Orioles should be relegated to the National League.
   
9. Preseason football is a waste of time. 
10. At Michigan, Tom Brady split time at quarterback with Drew Henson.

BEN:
That's all pretty accurate. I've never felt a big rivalry with the Orioles, but then again the Sox weren't involved in the Jeffrey Maier episode.

Frustrated Editor's Note

I brought you guys some stats.

Brad Penny in the AL, 2009 (24 starts for Red Sox): 7-8, 5.61 ERA, 1.53 WHIP
Brad Penny in the NL, 2009 (1 start for Giants): 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.75 WHIP

*Penny never pitched into the 7th inning in 24 starts for the Red Sox, then pitched 8 shutout innings in his only NL start so far, vs. the best-offense-in-the-league Phillies.

John Smoltz in the AL, 2009 (8 starts for Red Sox): 2-5, 8.32 ERA, 1.70 WHIP
John Smoltz in the NL, 2009 (2 stars for Cardinals): 1-0, 0.82 ERA, 0.73 WHIP

Who wants to bet that Dice-K would be the NL Cy Young winner if he was pitching for the Dodgers right now?

Sox Win! Sox Win! Wait. Yanks Win, Too.

Since getting swept out of the Bronx in early August, the reenergized Red Sox have won 15 of their last 21 and, more impressively, 11 of their last 14, including last night’s nailbiter against the reeling Tampa Bay Rays. No small feat, considering the Sox have only two victories at Tropicana Field in 16 tries dating back to last September, including last year's ALCS. There’s no question that the Sox are on a roll. The offense is clicking, and the surgically reconstructed Billy Wagner is now totally BFF with Papelbon. All is right in Red Sox Nation. Too bad, then, that the first place Yankees, currently 36 games over .500, have also won 15 of their last 21, including two of three in Fenway, and 10 of their last 14. The one game difference, in case you’re wondering, translates into a healthy, comfortable, nearly insurmountable 6.5- game lead for the Bronx Bombers, with only 30 games left to play. The Magic Number is 25. But, hey, Jacoby made a nice catch last night. And Paps got six outs. Six! You can’t take that away from Sawks fans. Last night was a big win for them. Seriously.

BEN:

Did you know: over the last ten years, the Yankees have spent $1.78 million per win, even with all those championship-free years. That's almost triple the Royals' figure of $720,000 per win over the same time period. The Sox are about halfway between, $1.3 million per win. This is relevant, of course, because this year, of all years, is the one where Hank Steinbrenner decided enough already with the miserly ways. So, here's the major leagues' first $200 million team since...the last one (and the one before that). They're doing great so far. You better damn well hope they win in October, too.

By the way, just out of curiosity, are they built to do that? Who's going to be your ace? Your #2 starter? Does it bother you at all that your cleanup hitter is literally the definition of a choke artist?

Of course, the Yankees will likely win their first round series, probably against the Tigers. (Unless, of course, they don't.) And then they're certain to face either the Angels, against whom they're 12-22 in the playoffs, or the Sox, whose story we know.

All I'm saying is, it sure seems like there's a lot riding on this. Let's hope there are no unforeseen problems.

Miles:

The Small-Market Sox are now 7.5 games out. The Yanks' Magic Number is 23. 

While Sox Tinker, Yanks Gear Up For Postseason

Barring a monumental collapse, the Yankees are the odds-on favorites to win the American League East, and are all but guaranteed to make the postseason. While the Red Sox, as Ben previously noted, are still messing around with Jonathan Papelbon’s self-proclaimed pen, the Yankees, currently 35 games over .500, can start auditioning bullpen arms for the last two spots on their 25-man postseason roster.

Historically, at least under Joe Torre, the Yankees have carried into October 11 pitchers—four starters, six relievers and the one-and-only Mariano Rivera—and 14 position players. Let’s get the obvious players out of the way. Jorge Posada, Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodrgiuez, Johnny Damon, Melky Cabrera, Brett Gardner, Nick Swisher, Hideki Matsui, Jose Molina, Eric Hinske, Jerry Hairston and, most likely, Ramiro Pena can be penciled in as the 14 positions players. As for the pitchers, the starting rotation will include CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte, old reliable, and, if I’ve divined correctly Brian Cashman’s mystical Joba Rules, Joba Chamberlain, he of the formerly unhittable slider and current possessor of 5-inning stuff. The bullpen, anchored of course by Rivera, will consist of the following live arms, in ascending order: Phil Coke, David Robertson, Alfredo Aceves and Phil Hughes, he of the formerly 5-inning stuff and current possessor of an unhittable fastball.

Which leaves two open spots for six possible candidates—Brian Bruney, Damaso Marte, Chad Gaudin, Sergio Mitre, Mark Melancon and Mike Dunn. Obviously, Cashman and Joe Girardi will want to take a long man, which means one spot will go to either Mitre or Gaudin. Seems like a wasted roster spot, but I understand the need for a semi-disposable pitcher to eat up some innings, if, god forbid, a game gets out of hand for the boys in pinstripes. As for the back end of the pen, Bruney seems intent on pitching his way not only off the playoff roster, but also off the team and, quite possibly, the American League. Marte, fresh off an extended—and somewhat dubious—shoulder rehabilitation, remains a total mystery. Not unlike Billy Wagner. I have no idea what either pitcher can offer this season. Even if Marte's deployed exclusively as a left-handed specialist, does he have anything left in the tank? Who knows? Still, if Marte pitches well between now and the end of the season, he might join Coke as a neutralizing weapon for Girardi to call on late in the game against lefties. (Ed. Note: Just call on Hughes, Joe). If Marte or Coke continue to crap the bed, though, Girardi will have to decide between Mark Melancon, who’s been pretty shaky in his limited appearances this year, and recent call up Mike Dunn, a 24-year-old converted first baseman who struck out 99 batters in 73+ innings this season in AA and AAA. He's also a spitting image of Kevin Youkilis, poor kid. It never hurts to have a power arm in October, which is why I’m not even going to consider the likes of Jonathan Albaladejo, Anthony Clagget or Edwar Ramirez for October.

None of this is set in stone, of course. Girardi might very well decide to go with 10 pitchers or even 12. It’s really anybody’s guess. Between now and October, though, with the team on a seemingly unstoppable march toward the postseason, it should be fun to watch which pitchers emerge from a crowded pack to claim a spot in the postseason pen. That and whether or not Wagner turns in for the Sox a Gagne-esque performance and, in the process, further alienates the wholly disagreeable Papelbon, Theo's least favorite non-Rhodes Scholar. 

BEN:

This is a classic Yankee-think post, asserting that your correctness about baseball has something to do with where your favorite team is in the standings. I can see the temptation to think this way--and after all, I couldn't possibly argue that the Yankees are not the oddsmakers' favorite to win it all this year. Ah, but that's the beauty of You're Wrong About Everything--your team can win and you can still be wrong.

First of all, why have you bothered to compare Damaso "Watch It Fly" Marte to Billy Wagner? Is it because Marte's career ERA is over a run higher? Is it because he has 350 fewer career saves and has never been trusted to close by any of his eight managers? You tell me. Wagner threw another perfect inning yesterday in a key game against the Rays, by the way, with two more strikeouts. All Billy Wagner is--and all I've ever said he is--is a canny addition for the stretch run.

Now, about Papelbon. Why have you, along with the media, suddenly decided that he's a problem child? He's been saving up for the stretch run, and after last night's lights-out performance, it sure seems like he's ready to dominate. Hey, no one's ever said he's not crazy, but it seems to work for him. It's not like he's suddenly got the yips. Before everyone goes ahead and writes off the Sox closer, let's just bear in mind that he's still 4th in the league in saves, 2nd in ERA, and the anchor of the best bullpen in the American League. But hey, maybe Brian Bruney will change all that.

Miles:

Marte and Wagner are comparable because both are coming off significant injuries to their pitching arms. Both are lefties, and it's unclear how much either has left to offer. I wasn’t drawing statistical comparisons. Not at all. Wagner is, without question, a solid, low-risk, high-reward acquisition for the Sox. Like I said in my original post, it never hurts to have a power arm in October. Just as long as Wagner doesn't have to face So Taguchi. But, you have to admit, Wagner’s recent outings notwithstanding, he’s 38 and only 11 months removed from Tommy John surgery. Will his arm hold up through the next two months? Probably, but it’s still a reasonable question to ask. As for Papelbon, I didn’t say a word about his stats. I just called him wholly disagreeable. That’s an almost immutable truth. The point of my post was to underline that the Yankees are in a position to iron out their postseason roster, specifically the last couple of arms in their bullpen, while the Sox are still trying to figure out a few things. Marte, Bruney, Melancon, Gaudin and Dunn are fighting for the last spot in the pen, literally the 25th man on the team’s 25-man roster. That—and Burnett’s recent rough patch—is really the Yankees’ only lingering issue between now and the playoffs. The Sox, at this point, 7.5 games back and only 2.5 games up on Texas, can't exactly say the same thing.