Carter/Austin

2017 Chris Carter: 167 AB, .204/8/23, 70 Ks.

2017 Tyler Austin projected to 167 AB: .154/13/26, 77 Ks.


I'm not really judging Austin based on 13 ABs.

I'm just amused.

The Power of Marketing

Increased exit velocity ...

"Though Tebow was batting just .222 with a .651 OPS in 63 games for Columbia, Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said the team has been impressed by his increased exit velocity, among other advanced metrics."

Tyler Austin saves the day.

I just find it amusing that Chris Carter's replacement went 0-for-3 with 2 strikeouts and a GIDP.

Austin will probably be better than Carter, but not much better.

Carter was low-risk/low-reward the whole time. He wasn't supposed to start at first base. He probably can contribute some power to a major league team as a pinch hitter vs. left-handed pitchers, play a little backup first base.

So I'm certainly not crying about his departure ... I am baffled by the negative attention he received in the first place.

Gary Sanchez's fieldings stats.

Six errors and six passed balls in 38 games as catcher.

The Yankees have to prove themselves?

Five games out of last place.

One title in past 17 years.

Worst losing streak in 10 years.

Reliance on players with 100 major league games under their belts.


I disagree that they have to prove themselves. I'm already cutting up ticker tape for the parade.

Girardi must be smarter than I am.

I remember prior to the home stand vs. Boston and Baltimore. A very successful home stand.

At that time, Girardi said he was more worried about the let down on the road trip that followed. Which was not very successful.

Net negative

Daniel Murphy has a 28-game hitting streak vs. the Mets. I did not verify this info, but I hope it is true.

Of course Hicks will continue starting.

Be a little wary, however, of a player who is batting 100 points higher than his career average.

The question is not whether or not Hicks takes Ellbury's spot in the starting roster. The question is whether Frazier will take Ellsbury's roster spot ... and whether Torres will take Headley's roster spot.

The YES Network propaganda machine surely seems to be setting the stage with its startling focus on minor league players.

The thing that will surprise most Yankee fans is that Ellsbury really has not played all that poorly.

Seattle vs. NYY

The odd thing about the Cano signing is that the Yankees have had a better record than Seattle in the 3 1/3 seasons since. Quick math says the Yankees have been 10 games better. Not a huge difference over 3 1/3 seasons.

But the really odd thing is that, so far in 2017, the Yankees have a better second baseman.

Gaping Hole

"Former Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira returned to New York Wednesday, but unfortunately not to fill the gaping hole at first base in the Bronx."

Chris Carter is batting .200 with 7 HRs. Teixeira couldn't do any better. Carter is late-career Mark Teixeira at a fraction of the cost.


The rest of the article details Teixeira's contributions to his new career as baseball analyst:

• Aaron Judge is big and powerful
• Luis Severino is playing well
• Greg Bird will come off the DL and play first base for the Yankees

New York is a Mets Town

He shouldn't be allowed to write about the Yankees anymore after promoting the Mets for decades.

 Were you expecting a recap of Shane Spencer's career? Well, you got one:
 
"There was a time in the 1990s ... "
 AKA 1998.

" ... when Shane Spencer showed up at the old Stadium in September '98, joining one of the greatest Yankees teams of them all, and proceeded to hit eight homers in 14 games, including three grand slams. A shooting September star if there ever was one, with an OPS of his own over 1.000. Spencer hit a home run his first time up in the playoffs against the Texas Rangers before fading ..."
Well, he hit another HR in the very next game against Texas, so ...

" ... and eventually playing out his career in places that were not New York City."
  I guess the Mets are not New York City.

Drastic Measures

"With that in mind, I’d try putting Tanaka on the 10-day disabled list simply as a timeout of sorts, to see if some rest and time to clear his head would make a difference.


It could be tricky, because Tanaka might not like the idea of being sat down, but he didn’t protest when asked afterward if it might help him to at least skip a start."

I wouldn't consider a bogus trip to the DL to be a drastic measure.

I thought he was going to suggest:

• Benching Tanaka
• Moving Tanaka to the bullpen
• Trading Tanaka

Betcha didn't see this coming.

Taking him out after a mere 62 pitches might set him up better for his next start. Not sure how you can ignore his track record and remove him from the rotation.

It seems a lot longer than five years ago.

Maybe because Johan Santana's career quickly went downhill afterwards.