What’s the statistical uncertainty on the wOBA delta?  Just looking at hits for Teixeira the sigma is over 10%.

one standard deviation in wOBA = sqrt(wOBA * (1.1 - wOBA) / PA)

So if Teixiera’s a .367 wOBA hitter, over 347 PA he’d be around 0.0278 and he’d have a range of something like .339 to .395 within one standard deviation.

So if Teixiera’s a .367 wOBA hitter, over 347 PA he’d be around 0.0278 and he’d have a range of something like .339 to .395 within one standard deviation.

So is it still fair to call Teixeira a disappointment?

[3] I don’t need fancy math to tell me he’s a total waste of money.

I would just like Mark to perform like he used to.  Or like Giambi with better D.  Give me a 150 OPS+.  I never was sold on the Teixeira signing because they were going to have a logjam at 1B/DH in the coming years.  But I was scolded and told that player personnel decisions can’t be made based on future scenarios.  And you just couldn’t pass up an opportunity to sign a hitter like Teixeira.

My dissappointment in Teixeira is somewhat tempered by TWN’s disastrous signing of Carl Crawford and the (less so) acquisition/extension of Adrian Gonzalez.

So is it still fair to call Teixeira a disappointment?

Fair?  No.  But you can also say that he should have projected better than .367 given where he was when the Yankees signed him, how much they’re paying him, and for how much longer he’s signed for.

And being a fan isn’t suddenly about rational analysis, is it?

The Teixeira and A-Rod contracts look worse now than they did at the time because MLB went and collectively bargained a Yankee penalty and now they have to figure out a way around that while paying more than those two are worth.  I think if the Yankees knew then what they know now, neither player would have been signed to the contracts they have now.

I never was sold on the Teixeira signing because they were going to have a logjam at 1B/DH in the coming years.  But I was scolded and told that player personnel decisions can’t be made based on future scenarios.

Well, you have to balance everything right?  Of the players that could have moved to first/DH…Posada is already retired.  ARod I don’t think is anywhere close to moving to 1B - his defense is fine - and Teix isn’t taking bats away at DH.  And given ARod’s athleticism and arm, I think he moves to RF before 1B anyway.  Jeter isn’t going to 1st - if they move him off of SS he’s going to a utility/bench role.  What other players in the past several years - or do you see in the next few - needing 1B?  Maybe in 2015/2016 it becomes a problem…

And you just couldn’t pass up an opportunity to sign a hitter like Teixeira.

Well no, you couldn’t.

My dissappointment in Teixeira is somewhat tempered by TWN’s disastrous signing of Carl Crawford and the (less so) acquisition/extension of Adrian Gonzalez.

How funny would it be if Anthony Rizzo is now better than Gonzalez?

What other players in the past several years - or do you see in the next few - needing 1B?

That Seattle DH fella.

I think if the Yankees knew then what they know now, neither player would have been signed to the contracts they have now.

Actually, what I think would have happened is Cashman would have told the Steinbrenners that there’s no way ARod would have come close to that deal on the market.  And that by signing the deal, it meant they would be limited to pursuing only one “toy” the next year.  So then one of two things happens.  Either they sign ARod to a more reasonable deal (like 7/140) and then he still signs Teix to something like the current deal.  Or The Boss still gives ARod the deal and Teixeira is a Red Sox.

[6] You’re probably right.  I don’t think the current luxury taxes would have been instituted while George was alive. He fought against them tooth and nail and had seniority as an owner. Or was he still around, but not involved?  Not sure and too busy to look it up right now.  While the ARod contract is exceptionally bad, I give Cashman the benefit of the doubt, because I think Levine structured that deal after watching the media coverage of a roided out Bonds chasing the HR record (Hey, what the hell, think of the draw he’ll be!).

Teixeira, I think, just aged and hasn’t adapt well to declining bat speed as has been posited.  However, I think in light of already having a few highly paid older players that may need to be moved to first - signing Teixeira wasn’t a massive necessity.  Although, had Boston signed Teixeira, the Yankees may have acquired Adrian Gonzalez - so who knows.  We would be complaining about him instead.

[9] Don’t think Teixeira at first was the reason they traded him…

[7] I can’t agree with you about ARod at 3B.  Yes, he’s still able to play it, but he’s also sitting out 33% of the games this season because he’s had hip surgery and a knee surgery.  And I definitely don’t see him holding up in RF.

Posada retired because he didn’t have a position.  Montero was slugging quasi-catcher in need of a MLB position other than C. Remove Teixeira from the mix and Posada slots as the DH or 1B with ARod while Montero grows into his MLB position for a 2012/2013 debut. 

Signing Teixeira essentially forced Montero to Seattle and Posada into retirement.  It becomes pretty moot if Pineda turns into a stud pitcher, but I’ve never been really sold on the deal.

[6] The Alex contract always looked bad from where I am. No way to justify that money , ten years, ending at age 42.

The Tex deal not so much. Though, if you want, you can blame it on me. I believe that I was the big tout for signing Tex. To me, he’s allowed the right field porch to entice him way too much.

That, and he is being bull headed with the shift. Like 99%+ of ML’ers, he’s determined to drive the ball thru the shift. refusing to lay down bunts or push the ball in the huge space that the shift leaves open. Always a lame excuse about that’s the way he’s always hit, yada, yada.

But you can also say that he should have projected better than .367 given where he was when the Yankees signed him, how much they’re paying him, and for how much longer he’s signed for.

Yes.  This is a fair question, and probably quite difficult to tease out an answer, considering the variables at play, namely the new CBA and the change in run environment since the contract.

It should also be noted that Fangraphs currently has Teixeira ranked 5th in WAR among all MLB first basemen, tied with Prince Fielder and ahead of other big-contract guys like Pujols, Adrian Gonzalez, and Justin Morneau.  So he’s still a top first baseman by at least one metric, even factoring in his horrible (and typical) slow start.

If the upper respiratory thing was legitimately holding Teixeira back early in the season, it could partly explain why he underperformed in those first 30 games.

I have to agree with Don re: ARod.  It was dumb the moment the ink was dry.  Outside circumstances have made it worse, but it sucked from the get-go.

I also thought the Tex deal was ok when it happened.  Ok as in “well, it’ll be an overpay at the back end, but that’s how these deals are done.” 

I disagree with one thing though: the notion that Tex is being bullheaded about the shift.  He recently said that he had been trying to go the other way and finally gave up on it (which appears to have coincided with his improvement, btw).  As frustrating as it is, we might want to consider the possibility that Tex literally cannot hit MLB pitching the other way, batting lefty.  I don’t think it’s just a “lame excuse.”  He’s not the only guy who can’t seem to do what seems so simple: just hit a ground ball to the left side.  Or bunt (to the left side, past the pitcher).  Perhaps it’s not actually simple?

And look, I’m not a MLB-caliber hitter or anything (I’m a bad hitter by beer-league softball standards, actually, which is pretty sad), but I absolutely cannot hit the ball the other way.  The best I can do is up the middle.  If I try to hit it to the right side, I pop it up.  Every damned time. 

Obviously Tex is better than me.  But he’s also facing MLB pitching, not somebody lobbing softballs to him.

[17][18] I agree with that.  Too many times we say “Player x should just do this/should have done that”, but we forget that they are facing the top players in the sport.  Too often we blame are own rather than giving the other guys some credit.

Oops, this comment has no place on RLYW.

I think it is without a doubt that Yanks and press would still be talking about 2000 had Yanks not won their 27th in 09. I believe that the Stein bros. feel a bit more freedom to act more fiscally conservative because of that fairly recent sucess. Had Yanks not retained A-rod in 07, do we really believe that the 09 banner would be waving at the Stadium? As I recall he made a huge difference in the postseason. Bad contract, yes- worth it? Matter of opinion.  Ask a team like KC that has won exactly 1 world series in their history and while we are at it, check in with San Diego and Houston as well. Just sayin.

[19] There is a complaint in there, it’s just not directed at the Yankees. I think it should be allowed.

The ARod contract is terrible and always has been, it simply looks even worse now than it did originally.

Is the shockmaster wearing a bedazzled storm trooper helmet?

The consensus is that it’s wrapped in tin foil, not bedazzled.

That was really amazing.

?

Also, we’re calling Ibanez ‘the Shockmaster’ from here on out, right?

That was really amazing.

One of my favorite things to watch ever.

? 

It’s a wrestling blooper linked by the test “shocked the world”

Also, we’re calling Ibanez ‘the Shockmaster’ from here on out, right? 

I like this.

Numerous sites as well as this one have the Red Sox chances of making the playoffs at about 1 in 3, but looking who is ahead I’d them and the size of their lead, who do you feel confident in?  Unfortunately, my money is still on the Red Sox.

[26] Is this even a question?

[27] “It’s”

Did I miss a link somewhere?  Oh yeah, in [0].

So basically Kansas City fans are a bunch of dickheads.

All part of the plan to NOT ruin Cano’s swing.

For the lack of other compelling options, I turned the radio on in the car and caught an in-exhibition interview with George Brett, where he opined that players today are in better shape, on the basis of seeing them naked in the shower during spring training.

I hit “scan” in the hopes of finding a local foreign language preaching channel instead. So now I’ve been saved.

Edit: Now I’m home, I don’t think I’ll put myself through any amount of Berman.

I didn’t realize Billy Butler was The Greatest Player Ever.  Seriously, it’s not as if Cano shot the guy in the leg.  Not classy, KC.

Fuck Kansas City, seriously. They’re now off my list of ballparks to visit. Either that or I’ll go there fully Yankeed-up and act like these guys:

what happened? can’t watch

Hitting no good?

Is there a single person in America who enjoys listening to Berman?

HR Derby = Chris Berman calling batting practice. I haven’t watched it in years.

Similarly, Jon Kruk is such a buffoonish oaf. How did he ever get through an interview process?

Didn’t watch that… but Cano had ZERO?
How did THAT happen?
[EDIT: Not that I actually care]

Phelps 6ip 1 hit 11k at AA

Is Don back?  Hi Don.