CC Sabathia, the New York Yankees big lefthander, pitched another stellar game and, in the process, became the major league's first 10-game winner this season. Sabathia (10-4) pitched eight dazzling innings in the Yankees 8-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies.
Alex Rodriguez chipped in with a couple of singles and 3 RBI's. A-Rod also started a rally-killing double play in the 6th inning that was the only threat Colorado posed to CC all day.
Sabathia tortured the Colorado batters with a fastball consistently in the 96-97 mph range but it was his perfect slider which left the Rockies shaking their heads. Five of Sabathia's nine strikeouts were of the little burger's namesake.
The big guy also came through in the clutch. The befuddled Rockies hitters were 2-15 with runners on base. Sabathia finished the game allowing only one run, one walk and seven hits to go with the nine K's.
Sabathia has been consistent all season. After a couple of early-season no-decisions, the victory today gave the 2007 Cy Young winner his seventh win in his last eight starts. He is a sure bet to make the All-Star game.
The win also gives Sabathia his 50th victory in pinstripes in 85 starts. The leftie matches Chien-Ming Wang as the fastest Yankee pitcher to reach that total in thirty years.
Manager Joe Girardi couldn't stop singing the praise of his workhorse starter.
"CC has won 50 games in the 2 1/2 seasons he's been here," marveled the manager. "That's just in the regular season."
This year, Sabathia is continuing that trend. He has a 3.25 ERA with 93 strikeouts and has allowed 119 hits in 122 innings.
"CC's a great guy to be around," said Girardi. "He's the same guy every day. He works quick and teammates like to play behind a pitcher who is quick."
It's also no coincidence that, as the Yankees beat up on the National League during their current intra-league jag, A-Rod has been lighting up every ballpark since Wrigley. The aching third baseman is on a blazing hot streak and has 10 hits in his last five games while batting a sizzling .556 during that span. Currently, A-Rod is the only .300 hitter in the Yankees line-up.
A-Rod also reached base in the seventh on a missed communication between the Rockies' Chris Nelson and Eric Young in shallow right field.
When asked why he pulled Rodriguez in the eighth, Girardi claimed it wasn't for anything more serious than sore legs.
"A-Rod's a little beat-up," answered Girardi. "He's been sore since Chicago."
Sabathia also put an end to Troy Tulowitzki's New York City home-run streak. The Rockies shortstop hit four dingers against the Mets in Flushing last week before jacking one last night against the Yankees in the Bronx. He was the first visiting player to homer in five straight games since Ernie Banks.
Mark Teixeira chipped in with his 22nd home-run of the season in the eighth.
The Yankees are now 44-31 and could take over first place in the AL East if the Boston Red Sox lose tonight.
Showing posts with label Troy Tulowitzki. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Troy Tulowitzki. Show all posts
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Comparing Jeter to Tulowitzki; Like Apples to Rocks
Troy Tulowitzki just signed a seven-year contract extension which will take him through the year 2020 when he will be paid a base salary $14 million with escalations of $6 million in his final year---at the age of 35. If the tight-fisted Colorado Rockies can expect to spend $20 million on a 35 year-old Tulowitzki who currently has zero World Series Championship rings on his fingers, why can't the New York Yankees fatten their offer for Derek Jeter?
Jeter's agent, Casey Close, met with Yankees brass yesterday and Hank Steinbrenner said he is "confident that Derek will remain with the Yankees." In an unconfirmed meeting in Tampa, Close met with Hank and Hal Steinbrenner in which could be the start of positive negotiations. Does the Tulowitzki contract have anything to do with the two sides finally playing nice?
The 26 year-old Tulowitzki's career is on the rise and the Rockies feel they are investing in their future. He will get $20 million a season from 2015 through 2019. If Tulowitzki is earning $20 million at age 34, what is Jeter's value?
Jeter, understandably, is coming off his worst season as a Yankee and the 36 year-old is asking to hang around for another four or five years at $23 million per. Could Tulowitzki's contract set up the framework for a breakthrough in the Yankees/Jeter impasse?
The Yankees shouldn't gauge their offers on Tulowitzki's numbers and Close has to push his client's intangibles and the public relations disaster that would follow if Jeter is released. Unceremoniously dumping the face of the Yankees would rock George Steinbrenner's over-sized face from his Monument Park plaque.
Let's look at the comparisons. The Rockies shortstop plays in Coors Field--a hitter's paradise. Tulowitzki's OPS of .949 dwarfed Jeter's .710 but Tulowitzki--considered the best overall shortstop in baseball--drops to .863 outside the confines of his friendly home field. Fair enough.
Jeter has bling on five fingers and you can't dismiss the fact, even in decline, no one brings as much of a winning pedigree and professionalism to the ballpark like the boy from Kalamazoo does. His effect on teammates and even opponents is difficult to put into dollars. It's hard to remember a time you saw Jeter just languishing in the dugout. He's always at the top of the stairs watching the game--looking for an edge or pushing a slumping player. Priceless.
Let's review the facts. Derek Jeter has to face a few realities. First--cue Bob Sheppard--Now, batting No. 2, as the third most important piece of the New York Yankees championship puzzle, Derek Jee-tah. That's right, the life-long Yankee shortstop is the third priority of the team's off-season's acquisitions behind signing Cliff Lee and re-signing closer Mariano Rivera.
Rivera is still near the peak of his game and Lee is going to come as close to breaking the deep Yankee bank account as anyone can. Did somebody say $3500 seats premium seats?
Jeter was told by the Yankees to test the free-agent waters and he found the pickings were slim. Even rivals like the Boston Red Sox expressed no interest--even if it was only to rock the Yankee boat. A slumping 36 year-old shortstop is not desirable even one with Jeter's credentials.
Second, in 2014, a 40 year-old Jeter will not be playing shortstop. He might not be at Robinson Cano's right side in three years. Strategically, he could move over to third while Alex Rodriguez fills the DH spot. Could Jeter ever fill the DH with 15-18 HRs a year--I doubt it.
The Winter Meetings open next week in Orlando and the Yankees want to concentrate on Lee. The Rangers hurler is the big present the Yankees want under their Christmas tree and Jeter has become a bothersome lump of coal. Its a shame.
Look at the money the Yankees threw at Nick Johnson last year. They paid a fortune for A.J. Burnett and have gotten piles of losses in return. Think of what that $16.5M could have done. The Yankees only in-house shortstop is inexperienced Eduardo Nunez, so the Yanks are in a precarious position.
Compromise. Hal and Hank, remember what Jeter has meant to the team and the backlash if he doesn't return. Derek, think of finishing in pinstripes and what you can accomplish next year with Lee.
Simply. Jeter's 11 All-Star appearances, 5 rings (so far) and 5 Gold Gloves should mean something. He has a proven track record and should be worth at least 3 years at $18 million per season.
Tell me what Tulowitzki has accomplished by 2020.
Jeter's agent, Casey Close, met with Yankees brass yesterday and Hank Steinbrenner said he is "confident that Derek will remain with the Yankees." In an unconfirmed meeting in Tampa, Close met with Hank and Hal Steinbrenner in which could be the start of positive negotiations. Does the Tulowitzki contract have anything to do with the two sides finally playing nice?
Jeter, understandably, is coming off his worst season as a Yankee and the 36 year-old is asking to hang around for another four or five years at $23 million per. Could Tulowitzki's contract set up the framework for a breakthrough in the Yankees/Jeter impasse?
The Yankees shouldn't gauge their offers on Tulowitzki's numbers and Close has to push his client's intangibles and the public relations disaster that would follow if Jeter is released. Unceremoniously dumping the face of the Yankees would rock George Steinbrenner's over-sized face from his Monument Park plaque.
Let's look at the comparisons. The Rockies shortstop plays in Coors Field--a hitter's paradise. Tulowitzki's OPS of .949 dwarfed Jeter's .710 but Tulowitzki--considered the best overall shortstop in baseball--drops to .863 outside the confines of his friendly home field. Fair enough.
Jeter has bling on five fingers and you can't dismiss the fact, even in decline, no one brings as much of a winning pedigree and professionalism to the ballpark like the boy from Kalamazoo does. His effect on teammates and even opponents is difficult to put into dollars. It's hard to remember a time you saw Jeter just languishing in the dugout. He's always at the top of the stairs watching the game--looking for an edge or pushing a slumping player. Priceless.
Let's review the facts. Derek Jeter has to face a few realities. First--cue Bob Sheppard--Now, batting No. 2, as the third most important piece of the New York Yankees championship puzzle, Derek Jee-tah. That's right, the life-long Yankee shortstop is the third priority of the team's off-season's acquisitions behind signing Cliff Lee and re-signing closer Mariano Rivera.
Rivera is still near the peak of his game and Lee is going to come as close to breaking the deep Yankee bank account as anyone can. Did somebody say $3500 seats premium seats?
Jeter was told by the Yankees to test the free-agent waters and he found the pickings were slim. Even rivals like the Boston Red Sox expressed no interest--even if it was only to rock the Yankee boat. A slumping 36 year-old shortstop is not desirable even one with Jeter's credentials.
Second, in 2014, a 40 year-old Jeter will not be playing shortstop. He might not be at Robinson Cano's right side in three years. Strategically, he could move over to third while Alex Rodriguez fills the DH spot. Could Jeter ever fill the DH with 15-18 HRs a year--I doubt it.
The Winter Meetings open next week in Orlando and the Yankees want to concentrate on Lee. The Rangers hurler is the big present the Yankees want under their Christmas tree and Jeter has become a bothersome lump of coal. Its a shame.
Look at the money the Yankees threw at Nick Johnson last year. They paid a fortune for A.J. Burnett and have gotten piles of losses in return. Think of what that $16.5M could have done. The Yankees only in-house shortstop is inexperienced Eduardo Nunez, so the Yanks are in a precarious position.
Compromise. Hal and Hank, remember what Jeter has meant to the team and the backlash if he doesn't return. Derek, think of finishing in pinstripes and what you can accomplish next year with Lee.
Simply. Jeter's 11 All-Star appearances, 5 rings (so far) and 5 Gold Gloves should mean something. He has a proven track record and should be worth at least 3 years at $18 million per season.
Tell me what Tulowitzki has accomplished by 2020.
