A.J. Going On The DL For Me: Yanquis (Yankees) 2009

2) "Which professional athlete talks dirty in the third person? Many of his A-list conquests have had to endure 'Yeah, [blank] likes it like that!'" [NYDN]

http://gawker.com/5110006/which-beast-is-cheating-with-a-beautician

Yankee Stadium Burdens Mayor’s Campaign
By DAVID M. HALBFINGER

With a vote set on Friday on whether to extend $372 million in additional tax-free financing for the new Yankee Stadium, challengers to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg are trying to halt the subsidies. State lawmakers have subpoenaed team and city officials to an emergency hearing on Wednesday, and what once looked like a gleaming example of the mayor’s financial skill is suddenly looking like one of his biggest vulnerabilities.

On Tuesday, City Comptroller William C. Thompson Jr. accused the mayor of mismanagement and demanded a postponement of Friday’s vote by the city’s Industrial Development Agency.

Mr. Thompson, a member of the agency’s board who is running for mayor this year, voted in 2006 to issue nearly $1 billion in bonds to pay for the stadium. But cost overruns, extras and “financial incompetence,” he said, had turned the Bronx ballpark project into “simply a bad deal for New York,” and “at a time when we can least afford it.”

Mr. Thompson’s likely Democratic rival in the race, Representative Anthony D. Weiner, said on Monday that “enough is enough” and that the city had more than amply subsidized the stadium by providing, along with the state, $500 million in tax breaks for the team.

And in a swipe at the team’s costly player acquisitions this winter, as well as the stadium’s expensive amenities, including a $10 million video board, he added: “Maybe C. C. Sabathia can buy the big-screen TVs.”

Voters may recall a similar controversy: four years ago, Mr. Bloomberg’s push for a West Side stadium gave his Democratic opponent what seemed like a huge campaign issue — until the stadium project was killed by state legislative leaders, and the issue quickly evaporated.

What could give the stadium issue traction this year, however, is the city’s dire financial condition — presenting a stark contrast between struggling, insecure New Yorkers who don’t earn major league salaries, and the hundreds of millions of dollars the new stadium complex is costing them.

“Bloomberg is the businessman mayor, that’s been his big claim to competence, and here they’re whacking him where he is the strongest,” said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

“My guess is this won’t be the end of it by a long shot,” he added. “These are tough economic times, people are being told we’ve got to economize, we’ve got to tighten our belts, and the Yankees are blowing money by the carload for players.”

Having the Industrial Development Agency issue the bonds is desirable to the Yankees because the team would pay tens of millions of dollars less in interest, since payments to bondholders are exempt from city, state and federal taxes.

A spokesman for the mayor, Andrew Brent, dismissed Mr. Thompson’s attack as “political theater.”

Mr. Bloomberg is already distancing himself from the more controversial parts of the deal with the Yankees. After embarrassing e-mail messages surfaced that showed his aides zealously pursuing a luxury suite in the new stadium, his administration announced that it would give the luxury box back to the Yankees in exchange for payments of at least $100,000 a year.

But in a news conference on Tuesday, Mr. Thompson seized on that move. He said the city had given away too much to get the suite in the first place, including 250 parking spots worth $500,000 a year, and $750,000 in yearly revenue from three billboards that the Yankees hope to use for advertising.

Mr. Thompson said the city’s capital outlays for the stadium complex were originally estimated at $129 million but had jumped to $325 million, including an extra $12 million for a park on the roof of a garage, and $5 million in work on a recreation building because early estimates omitted the cost of its interiors.

Randy Levine, president of the Yankees, said on Tuesday that the team expected to recover at least $550,000 for the city by reselling the suite on the open market, but that the $100,000 was a “sign of good faith” in case the luxury-suite market collapsed entirely.

Mr. Levine — who, along with Seth W. Pinsky, president of the Industrial Development Agency, is to testify under subpoena on Thursday at a hearing called by Assemblymen Richard L. Brodsky and James F. Brennan — went further, disputing Mr. Thompson’s numbers on the billboards and other items, and accusing him of playing politics with a project that he said had created thousands of construction jobs.

“Surprise, surprise — Billy Thompson is running for mayor,” Mr. Levine said. “Billy voted for this deal in the beginning, I continually briefed him, and only after the term-limits law does he now decide to criticize the deal. What a coincidence.”

Michael Barbaro contributed reporting.

Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company

watching the yankees snatch up all the biggest free agents they can - i really hope they wind up paying for as much of that stadium as legally possible.

Even that amount is far far less than they should PAY (i.e. the whole fucking thing, fuck you and your fucking stadium gifts NYC government.)

why did they need a new stadium anyway? was the last one falling apart? i know it was old as hell but dang c'mon

They needed a new stadium cuz the Mets got a new stadium.

well why did the mets need a new one? i understand increased revenues and such but why not just, like... add on to the old one? what's the piece of the puzzle i am missing?

nm dont answer that

corporate welfare culture.

otm

Andy, Brooklyn: What is your opinion on the Yankees' stadium financing controversy?

SportsNation Keith Law: So it was 10% more underhanded than all of the other boondoggle stadium funding projects around the country. The voters of Pennsylvania rejected the state's plan to build 4 new stadia (two each in Pgh and Philly), and the government did it anyway (the Immaculate Deception). Sure, I hope the city officials who fudged the numbers are held accountable, but the money is already gone, and unless the Yankees are ordered to put it back, nothing else really matters out of this.

I don't agree with Keith Law on this.

I also don't entirely agree with his top 100 books thing or his opinion of FDR so this isn't exactly news.

I don't agree on Salinger or Howard Zinn

Law has an opinion on FDR?
what do you disagree with him about, specifically, Alex?

Tryor (TN): Poz's readers currently have Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, FDR, and TR as first-class HOF presidents. Any quibbles with those 5?

SportsNation Keith Law: FDR gets a bit of a free pass. The New Deal was not the economic panacea that it's now often held to be, and the whole court-packing thing seems to be forgotten.

fdr never took a walk either

lol

ha ha!

then there are those internment camps.

Posada and who?

http://pinstripedbible.mlblogs.com/archives/2009/01/yanks_may_need_a_costarting_ca.html

Haha they should sign Varitek!

http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/01/25/joe-torres-new-book-slams-alex-rodriguez-yankees/

lol "A-Fraud," Yankee players w/ nicknaming skills of WFAN callers.

morbs not all of us can come up with gems like "and twat" and "shrillrod"

well that's a tragedy

my new nickname for A-Rod is peanut butter and jelly, fyi

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3861832&name=Neyer_Rob

Muzzy (Leicester): You noted that Pettitte gives up a lot more hits than a pitcher with his strikeout rate should. That is true of almost all Yankee pitchers and has been true for most of the decade. Is it possible for them to sort out their defensive difficulties given their current roster? Do you think they're even aware of the problem?

SportsNation Rob Neyer: (12:33 PM ET ) I'm sure that *someone* is aware of the problem, but you know they're stuck with a lousy shortstop for at least these next two seasons.

Seems kind of mean to pin the whole thing on Jeter (although he's obv not helping.)

well, a SS with no range is kind of a big deal.

It is, but I'm just saying he's far from the only defensive liability on that team.

http://www.snorgtees.com/images/BigDeal_F_Fullpic_3.jpg

When Torre spoke to Cashman on Sunday, he told Cashman that the book did contain passages about their disagreements. The incidents include differences of opinion about Bernie Williams’s potential value in 2007, about Ron Guidry’s acumen as a pitching coach in 2006 and about the best way to devise a potent lineup. Torre told Verducci that Cashman once suggested a lineup that had Bobby Abreu and Giambi, a pair of run producers, hitting first and second because of their high on-base percentages.

hmm

Yeah, Torre is not a Moneyball guy, as anyone looking at some of the stiffs he liked on the Yankee benches could tell.

Joe sez "BASEBALL HAS A HEARTBEAT"

"run producers"

LOLOLOLOL at A-Rod's "Single White Female" obsession with Jeter.

I can't believe the all rumours were actually true!

Newsday via Neter:

The Yankees are considering including a "non-disparagement clause" in future player and managerial contracts in order to prevent any more tell-all books such as "The Yankee Years," co-written by Joe Torre and Tom Verducci.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a Yankee official said yesterday that some members of the front office staff already are required to sign a confidentiality agreement in order to protect "proprietary knowledge of our business model." The proposed clause is intended to ensure that future books about the Yankees are "positive in tone," and "do not breach the sanctity of our clubhouse."

The Yankees are said to feel betrayed by Torre's book, which has been interpreted as critical of some players, most notably Alex Rodriguez, and inaccurate in its recounting of the October 2007 meeting in Tampa at which Torre and the club agreed to part ways after four world championships and 12 consecutive playoff appearances.

Confidentiality agreements, some with meticulously spelled out rules and stipulated monetary penalties for their violation, are standard equipment in most contracts between celebrities and their hired staffs, as well as between corporations and their CEOs. The Mets are believed to have included similar clauses in their contracts with former manager Willie Randolph and former pitching coach Rick Peterson. Up to now, the Yankees never have included them in the contract of a player or manager.

"Up to now, we have always operated our employer-employee relationships on a basis of trust," the official said. "But we never expected what we got from Joe. We may have to get a little tougher on this issue."

that's via Neyer, who sez "As a sometime consumer of baseball books, I can't help thinking that this is the greatest idea in the world, if only because it might significantly chop the number of books about the Yankees that are published every year."

http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/watchdog/blog/2009/01/interesting_stuff_on_pages_394.html

Interesting stuff on Pages 394 and 395 about Johnny Damon's physical and emotional struggles early in the 2007 season, when a leg injury sapped him of his enthusiasm and he began to annoy old-guard Yankees.

In a private meeting, Torre told Damon, "The kind of player you've been your whole life is the player who goes out there and fully commits himself. You're not that kind of person now. It's easy to see that."

To which Damon said, "I'm not sure I want to do this."

The book says one teammate visited Torre and was near tears discussing Damon, saying, "Let's get rid of him. Guys can't stand him."

god i hope it was jeter

who would be near tears but giambi?

i may have to get this book!

"It is almost 40 years later. Why in the world anyone is still talking about the sanctity of the clubhouse is beyond me. Baseball and the Yankees should feel lucky that this book is generating so much attention in January."

—Former Yankee and Ball Four author Jim Bouton

"If you buy one Yankee book..."

Yankee fan Jay Jaffe's tale of "relocation program" woe (those ticket-office memos are priceless):

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=8547

Good Morning, Do [sic] to the overwhelming demand for season tickets, all plans were distributed subject to availability. In the event that the partial plan you requested was not available, you were assigned an alternative plan (subject to availability). From here you have the option to either accept or decline, if you decline (if the plan does not meet your needs or budget) you can go into your my Yankees account (under personal preferences) and mark down that you wish to decline and/ or enter the pool process for your preferred plan, At this point you cannot change your seats or plans unless your [sic] interested in the $350 seats. If you accept then the full payment will be due on Feb 27th which you can pay online or by calling (718) xxx-xxxx. Because of the demand for all season tickets, we stronly [sic] suggest that ticket Licensees accept their initial seat assignments. The demand for many plans will definetely [sic] exceed the available seats locations and if you decline your assignment there may not be any availability in the alternative seat location and/ or plan that you request. If you have any questions or concerns I would suggest to call (718) xxx-xxxx and we can try to assist you. Sincerely, New York Yankees Ticket Operations Yankee Stadium 161st Street & River Avenue Bronx, NY 10451

lol A-Rod's Cousin Playgood drove him home yesterday! Yanks say yhat incident has been "settled."

back to tickets:

mdurkin1918 (New York): Hey Nd, I'm hearing the economy is hitting the Yankees ticket sales pretty hard. How does that affect their model? Can it result in more affordable tix for the average fan?

Neil deMause: Not immediately. All signs - including those from Yanks COO Lonn Trost in interviews this week - are that the economy is pushing people to downgrade their ticket plans, which means everyone is fighting over the same $25 upper deck and $12 bleacher seats, and lots of $85 seats in the outfield corners still available. (On WFAN yesterday, Trost blamed this on corporate bigwigs being ashamed to be seen in public sitting in good seats. Uh, sure.)

Down the road, though, I have noticed that StubHub is fairly hopping with seats at reasonable prices, leading me to believe that either season ticket holders are dumping their excess tickets, or professional scalpers got greedy and are stuck with more inventory than the economy can handle. So my advice is to remain patient, and see if some bargains show up as the season approaches - maybe the Yanks will even have to offer special two-for-one deals to fill their pricier seats like NBA teams are now doing. It'd still only help for Tuesday nights in May against the Twins, not weekends vs. the Red Sox, but twas ever thus, even at the old place.

lol-rod

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3954457

Yanquis starting 09 3B - Angel Berroa

Swisher?

no words morbs

I don't see Joe Mouer breaking Kirby Puckett's franchise hit record this season. Also catcher's fielding percentages are overinflated because they call the pitch, thus they know the direction the ball is coming towards them.

waht

The important thing to remember is that truly, Joe Mauwer is a champion. He may lack somewhat in Jeterian finesse, but let's not forget he hits for singles, which is a real accomplishment for a catcher. Most catchers are fatties, or Venezuelan, or both. Joe Maher is really something special.

haha

if you have a good grasp of sabremetrics you will notice this:

http://i30.tinypic.com/2rgc08y.jpg

right click view img, whatever

someone shoulda made Posada even uglier in that brawl.

i stopped watching just before all this happened. :(

BRETT GARDNER = A POOR MAN'S JACOBY ELLSBURY
WELL THEY BOTH DON'T MAKE SHIT YET EITHER BUT YOU GET THE POINT

I LOVE THIS TINY HONKY

A-Rod, Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano & Mark Teixeira making strong case as greatest quartet of all time

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2009/09/19/2009-09-19_arod_jeter_cano_and_teixeira.html

sub morbius yankee-baiting

or laziness re the dumbass media thread

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/derek_jeter_honored_for_having

http://www.syracuse.com/today/index.ssf/2009/09/baldwinsville_teacher_a_red_so.html

Van Buren, NY -- Van Buren Elementary fourth-grader Nathan Johns thought his teacher was kidding Wednesday when he instructed him to go to the bathroom and turn his Yankees T-shirt inside out.

The blue shirt read “New York No. 52” on the front and “Sabathia” for the New York Yankees’ pitcher CC Sabathia, on the back.

“ I thought to myself ‘Is he serious or is he kidding,’” said Nate, 9, a student in Peter Addabbo’s fourth-grade class. “But he had this look like he wasn’t kidding at all.”

Nate complied, and said he was later told to wear it that way until dismissal. At lunch, Nate said the fifth-graders made fun of him because he wearing his shirt inside out. “It was such a horrible day.” Nate said. “I don’t ever want anything like to happen again.”

Nate said he felt he was treated unfairly. “Just because my teacher doesn’t like the Yankees, I should still have the right to wear a Yankees shirt,” Nate said Thursday after school. The teacher has Boston Red Sox paraphernalia displayed all over the classroom, he said.

i'd be pretty pissed if i was that kids parent.

this is fucked up - great quote here too “It was such a horrible day.” Nate said. “I don’t ever want anything like to happen again.”

would that be grounds for dismissal you think - or are they just going to make him play by his own rules and remove all his BoSox stuff from the school?

depends on his seniority probably -- if he was young and there was a big uproar they might transfer him out but if he's been there for a while he'll probably apologize to the parents, have a "wear a yankees jersey day" and wait for the whole thing to blow over. don't think many public school systems are in the business of completely firing teachers.

probably v true.
i'm always amazed when i see a news story about someone managing to abuse such little power to amazingly.

that's kind of funny but nowhere near grounds for firing - tell the teacher to chill

dying @ that onion article

btw, acc to WARP3, Teixeira IS more valuable than Jeter, 8.2-7.2.

(Greinke is 12, Mauer is 10.6. All the Yankees are behind Shin-soo Choo.)

jeter hassnt had an extra-bsae hit in a minute though, i'm surprised people are still so high on him

STATS_MLB When Robinson Cano gets his next hit, he and Derek Jeter of the #Yanks will become 1st DP combo w/ 200 hits each since 1887 #MLB

following that twitter was one of the best internet decisions ive made in the past week

sorry late to the Syracuse story.. but if the Sox shit the bed either round i'm calling him that night to rub it in

Peter J Addabbo Is this you? Edit

2912 Court St
Syracuse, NY 13208-3218

View phone
Household: Frank N Addabbo, Mary R Addabbo, Dawn M Evans

PS REMIND ME TO DO THIS
PS i'd like to make a .wav or .mp3 for the board but i'm not breaking federal wiretap laws. maybe if he calls me back, i think that's fair game

waht

this guy from friday (upthread)
http://www.syracuse.com/today/index.ssf/2009/09/baldwinsville_teacher_a_red_so.html

lol professor farnsworth

ponder Phil Hughes:

http://www.itsaboutthemoney.net/2009-articles/september/the-amazing-phil-hughes.html

Captain Fistpump DID know he needed to improve defensively, and that's what he set about doing last winter:

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/sweetspot/0-6-21/Derek-Jeter-s-amazing-transformation.html

i like the idea of morbs as jeter stan

well, I have to admit he was As Advertised for a change this year. (except for the Olympian hype of course)

http://beta.images.theglobeandmail.com/archive/00326/jeter_326266gm-a.jpg

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sports/20091111_Baseball_Notes__Jeter__Teixeira_top_list_of_AL_Gold_Glove_winners.html

Captain, fuck a UZR. Bringing that Golden Glove home with your sparkling .334 BA /.465 SLG.

i'm all for hating on Jeter and all - but after years of awful defense - didn't he somehow pull it together this year? (i seem to remember someone here pointing that out)

it's high time the captain was RECOGNIZED

yes, his saberfielding stats went up.

(look about 8 posts up)

ooohhhh yaaaaaa! that's where i read it!

I like this from a BP commenter:

"The big test for every other team in the league will be to prevent the Yankees from signing Lackey. If the Yanks don't get outbid for Lackey, then nobody else is serious about this baseball thing and we should all start watching soccer. I don't begrudge the Yanks for doing their level best to win with the resources they have, but I do think they get off easy because nobody challenges them."

don (lansing): Who plays short for the Yankees in 2016? What's their rotation look like for 2018? Will Rivera still be closing in 2024?

Shawn Hoffman: Hanley Ramirez. Lincecum / Greinke / Strasburg / Verlander / Clemens. Yes.

Jon Miller picked Jeter for MVP.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4675311

more or less defensible than steve berthiaume's teixeira pick?

'bout the same

No Kruk vote -- is he out at ESPN or something?

no, he's just Kruk

http://tindeck.com/listen/ywkm

jeter's a lot more defensible than tex imo

with dick needing?