Preview: NYY @ SEA

I noticed the other day that the Mariners are trying to sell this series as the battle of the future HOFs. Griffey and Ichiro vs. Jeter. I thought it was funny they left Alex Rodriguez off that little advertisement…I wonder if that was on purpose … yeah, most likely not.

The advertisement did make me take a closer look at Jeter, and he his having a really incredible season. He is currently a 6 WAR player 4.6 UZR/150 and bringing in wOBA of .385. while i’ve thought for awhile he was over rated because frankly he was, i’m now starting to believe that he is now under rated because everyone is simply jumping on the “he sucks and is over rated because he plays in New York” bandwagon. Don’t get me wrong my wife loved watching the WBC if only to see Derek Jeter and his horrible play (which i thought was odd, and funny at the same time. But that’s why i love her). But, the perception that he isn’t as good as he used to be is just wrong. Jeter is having one of the best season of his pro career and I really believe should the Yankees win the world series he has every bit of responsibility for it.

Position Players

Pos	Mariners	WAR	wOBA	Pos	Yankees	WAR	wOBA
	Catchers				Catchers
C	Rob Johnson	0.3	0.272	C	Jose Molina	0.3	0.279
C	Kenji Johjima	1	0.308	C	Francisco Cervelli	0.1	0.261
C	Adam Moore	-0.1	0

	Infielders				Infielders
2b	Jose Lopez	2.1	0.326	3b	Alex Rodriguez	4.1	0.404
3b	Jack Hannahan	0.8	0.308	1b	Mark Teixeira	4.6	0.397
SS	Jack Wilson	0.1	0.253	SS	Derek Jeter	6.4	0.385
😕	Josh Wilson	0.6	0.307	2b	Robinson Cano	3.7	0.368
ANY	Bill Hall	0.3	0.287	inf	Juan Miranda	X	X
1b	Mike Carp	0.3	0.357	inf	Ramiro Pena	0.3	0.303
3b	Adrian Beltre	1.8	0.3	inf	Jerry Hairston	0.5	0.335
3b	Matt Tuiasosopo	0	0.313
					Outfielders
	Outfielders			of	Nick Swisher	3.9	0.38
of	Ichiro Suzuki	4.7	0.368	of	Johnny Damon	2.9	0.378
of	Franklin Gutierrez	4.6	0.329	of	Melky Cabrera	1.5	0.335
of	Michael Saunders	-0.3	0.226	of	Brett Gardner	2.1	0.346
of	Ryan Langerhans	0.5	0.301	of	Eric Hinske	0.4	0.357
				of	Shelley Duncan	-0.1	0.178
	DH			of	Freddy Guzman	X	X
DH	Ken Griffey Jr.	0	0.317
😕	Mike Sweeney	0.1	0.328		DH
					Hideki Matsui	2.3	0.381

With the exception of Shelly Duncan everyone on the Yankees active roster is on the +side of WAR. Justreally caught me off guard. They are a really good offensive ball club.

Two observations, Bill Hall has been hitting better over the last two weeks as he has gone from a .270 wOBA to almost .290, He is making steps in the right direction and I would like to see it continue. Obviously the organization really believes there is more left in there and then everyone in their mother has commented on it and i will go ahead and take a stab at it. MICHAEL SAUNDERS IS A ROOKIE AND SHOULD NOT SIT ON THE BENCH. Caps were on purpose. I really stand behind the front office and management a lot. I really believe in what they are doing and i think they know more about it than I do. BUT SERIOUSLY!? I’ve been stating for about a month that we need to give him 150 PAs before rushing any sort of judgement. I’m really not happy about this loss of playing time and while Dave Cameron and Jon over at ProBall NW made comments about it (and also here) I’m still a little mad about it as you can obviously see.

Starting Pitchers

Yankees	wFB/C	wSL/C	wCT/C	wCB/C	wCH/C	wSF/C	wKN/C
A.J. Burnett	-0.71	21.76	X	1.49	0.27	X	X
CC Sabathia	0.63	0.39	X	-3.48	3.58	X	X
Joba Chamberlain	-1.05	1.09	X	0.44	-1.89	X	X


Mariners Pitcher	wFB/C	wSL/C	wCT/C	wCB/C	wCH/C	wSF/C	wKN/C
Felix Hernandez	0.7	0.76	X	0.65	2.65	X	X
Douglas Fister	-0.62	1.91	X	-2.43	3.1	X	X
Ian Snell	0.61	0.17	X	-3.63	0.78	X	X

Friday Burnett vs. Hernandez

Saturday Sabathia vs. Fister

Sunday Chamberlain vs. Snell

Some great match ups this weekend. First off with Felix! who i just can’t wait to see dominate this Yankee line up. Is there a bigger exclamation point that could be made to his season if he just drops it like it’s hot on a team with a line like this? I don’t think so.

AJ Burnett is starting to look like a bust this past off season. Just another formerly great pitcher that just isn’t going to make good. right? Bust is going a bit far however, with a tRA over 4.50 he has some adjustments to make, before he is seriously considered New York’s #2 guy.

I know Griffin has commented recently about being scared that Sabathia is going to back door Felix! for the Cy Young. I don’t see it happening. He’s been pretty inconsistent all year. But with that said, he’s not bust. He’s an awesome pitcher and when he has it working, he’s to be feared.

As for Doug Fister, has the shine come off already? I don’t know but it should be interesting to watch and see what happens.

Whenever Chamberlain comes to town all I think about is how disappointed I am he’s not pitching against Brandon Morrow, maybe that’s cliche i don’t really care, I also like listening to Fall Out Boy. Allow me this indulgence in mainstream hype.

Snell…WHERE IS HIS FOOT!??!?!? I know it’s serious mechanic flaw, i just can’t believe how many blog posts I’ve seen on this, while being complete and totally valid it’s just really cracked me up lately.

and the rest of the pitchers…

Yankees	wFB	wSL	wCT	wCB	wCH	wSF	wKN
Alfredo Aceves	1.1	X	-0.4	3.5	5.6	X	X
Jonathan Albaladejo	-0.5	-1.4	X	1.4	-1.4	X	X
Brian Bruney	-2.7	2.2	X	X	-0.4	X	X
Phil Coke	7.1	-2.2	X	X	-0.1	X	X
Michael Dunn	-1.2	-0.2	X	X	0.6	X	X
Chad Gaudin	-8.7	1.7	X	X	1.8	X	X
Phil Hughes	9.8	-0.5	4.8	-0.6	-0.2	X	X
Damaso Marte	0.9	-2.3	X	X	0.2	X	X
Mark Melancon	0.4	0.1	X	0.4	-0.4	X	X
Sergio Mitre	-14	-0.1	X	0.4	-0.3	X	X
Andy Pettitte	-5	0	12.9	4.3	-2.3	X	X
Edwar Ramirez	-3.4	0.1	X	X	-1.6	X	X
Mariano Rivera	-0.6	X	19.2	X	X	X	X
David Robertson	3.5	0	X	-0.9	-0.5	X	X
Josh Towers	2	-1.3	X	-0.6	-0.5	X	X

Seattle Mariners	wFB	wSL	wCT	wCB	wCH	wSF	wKN
David Aardsma	18.2	1.3	X	0	X	-1.8	X
Ryan Rowland-Smith	3.4	0.7	X	5.2	-0.7	X	X
Shawn Kelley	2.9	-1.4	X	X	-0.4	X	X
Mark Lowe	2.4	7.9	X	X	-2	X	X
Jason Vargas	-2.4	-0.6	X	-4.1	0.3	X	X
Randy Messenger	-2.5	-0.5	X	0.4	1	X	X
Chris Jakubauskas	-4	X	X	1.4	-1.5	X	X
Miguel Batista	-4.2	-0.6	-1	-0.9	-0.2	-0.1	X
Carlos Silva	-4.9	0.8	X		-3.4	X	X
Brandon Morrow	-7.2	-1.1	X	0.1	-0.5	X	X
Luke French	-11	-0.2	X		0	X	X
Garrett Olson	-16.2	0.1	X	3.4	3.6	X	X

and here is everyone else….

Wow … Silva and Batista in the same bullpen, that’s like hanging out with not just one but two known terrorist and responding like “Wow, they are really good guys i just never knew they would do something like that I guess i never really knew them” Oh except you can’t pull that I never really knew them card because they continually throw the team under the bus.

While i understand why Silva is back and the emphasis on getting him healthy so he can be a productive and valued member of this team (it’s sad i just used a phrase that could also be applied to someone in prison and getting paroled). However Batista just NEEDS TO BE LET GO. there are two weeks left and he has no purpose. I just simply don’t understand, it must be some kind of inside joke that I (nor anyone else around here) was let in on. Which leads to this letter to Mr. Jack Zduriencik

Dear Jack,

Please let me in on your little inside joke with Chuck Armstrong about how long it will take until you DFA Miguel Batista prior to him filing for Free-Agency. If this is one of those 10 dollar bets it’s totally worth is otherwise it’s been a sick joke and no one else is laughing. Thanks,

//SIGNED//

Harrison Crow