Baseball Musings: What a Knucklehead

November 30, 2005

What a Knucklehead

The Yankees are are saying Joe Torre was misquoted and they never had plans to move A-Rod or Jeter to centerfield:

Cashman said he woke up yesterday morning and was "shocked" when he learned of the story. He said he immediately called Torre to ask about the quotes and was told by the manager that the story was "untrue."
"He said, 'I didn't say that,'" Cashman said. "He told me that he was asked by the reporter if A-Rod and Jeter could handle, athletically, playing center field and he answered that they certainly could. But he also said (to the reporter) that the best athlete on the team is probably Mariano (Rivera) and, along those lines, he'd probably be the best player to go out there. If you've ever watched him shagging (flies) during batting practice you can see that. But those comments didn't appear in the story.

"Either way," Cashman added, "it's not something that we've ever discussed."

So Cashman does his best Capt. Renault, implying that the reporter is a stooge:

The writer of the story, Larry Fine, said he taped the interview with Torre and had no doubts about the accuracy of his quotes. He said he believes he fairly represented Torre's statements and did not overstate the Yanks' interest in pursuing such a plan.

So, Mr. Fine can settle this whole thing by posting the audio tape. It doesn't have to be ones word against another. Just post the tape on the internet.

It's too bad the Yankees aren't seriously considering the move. I still think it's a good way to improve the team's defense.

Posted by David Pinto at 08:15 AM | Defense | TrackBack (0)

Comments

It wouldn't necessarily improve the team defense, since ARod is great at 3B and Jeter has improved drastically at SS. Assuming the Yanks get someone who can field CF, then I don't think that moving Jeter to CF and ARod back to SS would improve anything.

Posted by: sabernar at November 30, 2005 08:49 AM

Which of these is more likely:

* Torre has wanted to move Jeter to CF for months but hasn't had the cover needed to do so (plus the continued presence of the revered Venus de Milo in center). He waits for the offseason when there's no one in the clubhouse and floats a trial balloon. Cashman shoots it down (as Torre expected) but now can let the public slowly come to his side if they ever would on this issue. Come spring training (and talk radio willing), he can now make it look like Jeter's idea since Torre's backed away from it formally. (The Rodriguez mention is just to keep Jeter and Rodriguez on the same star footing.)

* Cashman and Torre collaborate to float the same trial balloon, perhaps after Cashman suggests to Torre that a new center fielder may not be coming but a new infielder could be obtained.

* We're all bored out of our minds until pitchers and catchers report.

The snark in me says C, but I wouldn't be surprised at A or B.

Posted by: Dennis at November 30, 2005 09:40 AM

The Yankees would be crazy to not make this move. A-Rod is the better SS (better career F%, RF and ZR than Jeter). Mr. Pinto, with his excellent PMR system has alerted us to the fact that Jeter excells at catching fly balls and pop-ups. Mueller would be cheap and has comparable 3B fielding skills to A-Rod (Mueller has higher career RF & ZR, lower F%).

It sure makes more sense than signing Damon to play CF, who has a lower career OPS+ than Mueller; Damon would certainly cost a lot more too.

Oh, and Mr. Rivera would approve. I don't know anyone else who hits him as well as Billy (1.227 OPS in 12 PA, not to mention game 4 of the '04 ALCS).

Posted by: Jason at November 30, 2005 10:41 AM

How old is Rivera? Isn't he in his early-to-mid-thirties? Then how amazing is it that Torre thinks that Rivera is the "best athlete" on the team?!

Posted by: MikeHumphreys at November 30, 2005 11:26 AM

Bob Klapisch is beating the drum for a Jeter move to CF over at ESPN. It really is their best option...they're wasting A-Rod at third, and as Jason points out, Jeter's best asset on defense is hit pop-up and fly-ball snaring ability. Frankly, they should have done this last year.

Posted by: dave S. at November 30, 2005 05:53 PM

Is moving Jeter to center a one-year stopgap solution, or is it the way the Yankees will be for at least the next five years, or forever how long Jeter's career lasts as a MLB player. Because once you make that move, you have to be prepared to live with it forever throughout the remainder of Jeter's career, in fairness to the excellent (not the best, but excellent) all-around player that Jeter is as a shortstop.

With the A-Rod acquistion, the Yankees made it clear to the world and to A-Rod and to Derek himself that Jeter was their shortshop, no questions asked, now or ever. Suddenly this is different becaue they now need a new center fielder?

Because they've now found themselves hamstrung contractually (or, through their own short-term planning) on a good upgrade path to CF is it reasonable to askj that DJ make that change for them to accomodate their own poor planning?

Reasonable to ask, yes. Reasonable to expect, no.

Weakness in the CF slot is not the reason the Yankees have failed to reach their goals in the last two years. Weakness in the CF slot will not prevent a good 2006 Yankee team from winning it all.

If Jeter himself believes he can do this, and that this is the best thing for the team, and wants to do it, then it's his call to make. And unless he's the one that makes this call, it's not the right call to make.

He's the captain of this team for very good reasons. If the Yankees are serious about doing this, then be very serious and give Jeter the benefit of the call. Otherwise, shut up and play hard with Bubba or whomever you can get.

And amidst all this noise, we all forget that Matusi Hideki was a fine center fielder for 10 years before coming to NY, and quirte fine while spelling Bernie there for many weeks in 2004. The easiest, safest, and cheapest route to go for NY, should no big name CF talent be signed this off season, is to move Matsui to CF and plug LF the same way they'd done for the 10 years before Matsui showed up.

I respect the Pinto view on this, but disagree with it.

Posted by: xbhoff at December 1, 2005 12:06 AM

Derek Jeter is a shortstop and has always played shortstop. Moving him so he can be a bad center fielder is not the answer for the defense. The best move for the yanks is to surround Jeter with as many good defensive players as possible. Thats what they've been doing and its starting to work. Its not that a Gold Glove means much but Jeter's defense has obviously improved with A-Rod next to him.

Posted by: Jon at December 1, 2005 10:04 AM

jeter is and will always be more valuable to arod. just see who makes the big outs when it matters most. the yanks will all their cash. just do not have the magic anymore. without more leaders and more indivuals that team is stuck in nuetral.

bring in johny damon, who cares?

Posted by: colin at December 1, 2005 11:38 PM

Does not matter who plays center - Yanks are going nowhere until A-Rod is gone - just like Texas and Seattle - He's the ultimate phoney - and Jeter's most amazing accomplishment as Captain has been putting up with A-Rod without puking!
Manny might be a flake in Boston, but at least he doesn't poison their clubhouse like A-Rod.

Posted by: jeff at December 3, 2005 10:22 PM

well jeter stays at shortstop & move get soriano back & put him in center. problem solved . ok joe

Posted by: bob at December 4, 2005 11:51 PM

You have a superior ss and you'll sacrifice that only to assuage the incredible ego at 3B?Please!A-rod is a good base ball player.I say good only because at over 25mil a season the team should be able to contend with 7 players on the field.He should be capable of playing any position,move him to center.Offensively his #'s were good,not great.Manny's were better but manny is manny.Get over him,A-rod will not give you the series but will help you get there.leave Bubba in center till mid-seaon and see how it goes.Nice to see someone who can bunt when its needed.

Posted by: Tony at December 5, 2005 11:23 AM

Good riddance Johnny Damon. You have lowered yourself to Pay-Rod's level. All in the name of a selfish fat check. Who cares about the fans that treated you so well. Who cares about the team. Money can buy anything...including a championship right? I relish the day there is a true salary cap, and the playing field is leveled. I guess we can hope for an early demise to Steinbrenner, because it won't happen until then, or the fans and owner's stand up to him, which is an unlikely scenario! They can count me in. But Johnny...you can count on me to boo!

Posted by: Moe at December 21, 2005 11:51 AM

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