Tyler Kepner of the New York Times was in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees' clubhouse recently and saw a sign posted with the title "Yankee Play Hard Index." On it were seven rules for the farmhands to follow, all of which basically boil down to "hustle and work hard." Mark Teixeira was never a Yankee farmhand, but based on his play in last night's game against the Rangers, he appears to be living up to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre standard. This description, courtesy of ShysterBall reader, J.W.:
Nice little series of events in the bottom of the 4th of the Yankees—Rangers game, as Vicente Padilla plunks Mark Teixeira for the second time to load the bases. Teixeira jaws at him. A-Rod stepped to the plate looking to pick up his teammate, and did what A-Rod does best in situations in which he feels some kind of pressure to perform, he flailed and failed, chopping a hard(ish) hit grounder over towards what I believe was the second base side. The ball was fielded cleanly and slung over to second base in what looked to be a sure-thing double play. And yet, Teixeira dialed it up to a gear we may never see him reach again and went flying into second to break up the play. It was a cleaner break-up slide than you'll often see; he even took the time to swipe the bag with his hand as if to say, "See, this was a legit slide!" It was a nice piece of aggressive play that didn't hurt anyone and showed some of that competitive fire that is sometimes lacking in the great game of baseball.
A couple of things before I say what I'm going to say about this. First, I don't believe that grit and determination and fire or any of that stuff outweighs baseball talent. You can have the latter without the former and still help a team win, but if you have the former without the latter, God help you.
Second: I don't believe that the Yankees' biggest problem of the past several years has been that they've brought in mercenaries who don't understand "The Yankee Way" or somesuch nonsense. The problem has been a lack of depth -- which may be a byproduct of the free agency spree, but not a necessary one -- and the fact that a short playoff series can be a crapshoot. They didn't get the job done over the long haul in 2008, but between 2001 and 2007 they could have just as easily won the World Series as they were eliminated, with only a few bounces and random hot streaks standing in the way. They haven't been a perfect club over that time, but they haven't been fatally-flawed either. Stuff happens.
All of that said, I think there really is something to note in Teixeira's hard slide last night. A little of that intangible fire, sure, but also evidence that the most recent batch of free agents brought to town is a bit different than that which Brian Cashman has brought in before. More complete players in some important ways, both in terms of makeup and ability. Alex Rodriguez is an otherworldly talent, but I don't know that I've ever seen him get angry like Tex apparently did and I can't recall him really barelling into second like that to break up a double play. Jason Giambi could hit the cover off the ball in his day, but he was so limited defensively and on the basepaths that comparing him to Teixeira is a rather silly exercise.
Where does all of this lead? Probably to a place where we can honestly say that building through free agency, while not the most efficient thing to do, isn't something that is going to necessarily keep the Yankees from winning another World Series title as so many adherents to those 1990s Yankees teams suggest. At the same time, however, it probably also forces us to conclude that the intangibles -- fire, grit, determination -- matter at least a little as well, if for no other reason than they often accompany a player with a good all-around game like Teixeira's.
Whatever the case, it certainly feels like something different is happening in the Bronx this year. Something that hasn't happened in a long time. Something that, just maybe, will give New York a better shot at navigating that postseason crapshoot than they have in nearly a decade.
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Actually I think the "Yankee Way" has been one of the main reasons for the Yankees lack of recent postseason success and "elite" success. Back in the late 90s and early 00s we displayed a level of professionalism, seriousness and calm that came to symbolize the "Yankee Way". This definitely worked and so long as we continued our high degree of success there was no need to change.
Then came disappointment. It started in '01 and definitely peaked in '04. Our team, having been so used to winning, didn't really know what it was like to fail and especially didn't know how to react. The "Yankee Way," long respected by teams and fans alike became a bit of a joke. It's one thing to act cool and collected when your winning all the time, it's quite comical when you come up short year after year and the only visual disappointment is a sound byte from Jeter after the season.
This completely stopped this season. With Nick Swisher and AJ Burnett, we got players that add a level of excitement to an otherwise lifeless clubhouse. These guys wear their Yankee Pride on their sleeve instead of in their pocket. Swagger has returned. More than anything this is what the Yankees needed. Win or lose, we are a better team than ANY Yankee team of the last 9 years because unlike before, we're hungry, emotional and we react to winning and losing differently.
Swisher is a great addition. I live in the Oakland A's area and regretted his departure from here, one of the most ridiculous player moves in a series of such wrong-headed manuevers made by A's management recently. I am glad to see a good kid like Nick in a place that appreciates his enthusiasm. Chemistry is one of the most underrated facets of team sports, and for the first time since 2001, the Yanks have the chemistry to get back to the Series, though of course pitching and defense remain even more essential, and they have those, too.
OOPS! I meant 2003!
JW from ShysterBall goes for the easy cheap shot and backhands ARod while complimenting Tex. At first glance, when Tex took the shortstop out and the ball hit the ground, I assumed ARod was safe by a lot. When I looked the second time, the ball actually got to first on a bounce and if ARod wasn't busting it down the line, Tex's wipeout of the ss would have been for naught. I for one am so sick of bashing ARod, although he does lead the league in meaningless HR's every year, he also gets clutch hits and hr's and hustles every time out, give him a break.
JerryB - you are deluded. ARod cares about one thing - ARod. ARod is a cheater it turns out too. And his explanation - I was expected to be the best so because of the pressure I took steroids is so lame. Baseball is a team sport so with a bunch of good guys like the Yankee's have right now they should be fine. The additions to their pitching will make the biggest difference. But don't count on ARod to do anything that makes the team better intentionally. Tex is a team player, Jeter, Sabbathia, Swisher there are a lot of good guys on the yanks this year. But Jabba is gonna be a problem - he's not gonna make it (he does not have it between the ears).
Right now you're the one acting deluded. The Yankees have been RED HOT since Arod came off the DL. You can call him a cheater, you can hate his admission and you can hate the man but you can't deny the fact that they have been a MUCH better team since his return.
I'm going to go ahead and disagree on Teixeira's slide being "legit". Sure, he didn't go out of the baseline to breakup the play, but he also waited until he was about 4 inches from the bag to start the slide. He easily could've blown out Andrus' ACL, PCL, MCL and USFL on the play. This after he had gotten plunked and mouthed off at Padilla. In my view, he was ticked off at Padilla and tried to kill Andrus as retribution. And then the next inning Burnett throws a high hard one at Nellie Cruz's face. There's a fine line between 'gritty' and 'dirty'.
It was legit because it was not against the rules and it is something that baseball players on all teams do all the time. It was gritty because he was being thrown at and he made a big play without hurting anyone. There certainly is a fine line between gritty and dirty but we don't accuse pitchers of being dirty every time they throw inside on a batter. With that in mind, we DEFINITELY don't call players dirty every time they make a strategic slide, ESPECIALLY if they don't hurt anyone.
I agree with gumber.... I understand pitching inside but I do not agree with throwing AT anyone intentionally.
i think if you throw the ball at the batter the batter should throw the bat at the pitcher......... what do you think ??
I strongly suggest that "MLBB" get a handle on "deliberate throwing at the batter" now sooner than later...Or; Face up to the eventuality of a fatality or serious injury(s) happening. Do opposing team managers relish facing a player's widow with children? Does the Commissioner of Baseball feel that a condolence speech given after a fatality or near fatal injury fixes everything? Think about it! AND DO SOMETHING NOW BEFORE ITS TOO LATE!
Yeah, I've envisioned a plunked batter, hurling a spinning bat toward the pitcher's mound! Why not! A full scale riot may ensue, and the batter may be suspended for alooong time, but yeah, I agree! Now, what nut out there should try it first?
When you have the highest payroll in baseball every single year you are bound to win eventually, maybe this is the year, it's too early to tell. Win something this millennium and we can discuss if your stragety is working or not, so far I'm leaning toward "not".
must be a red sox fan...as they are the only ones who think that 9 years makes a statement that determines longterm success....check out how the last century started for the Yankees and the rest of baseball......
Actually, the team with the highest payroll has never won, not since we started paying attention to such things. And as Casey said you can look it up.
So much is made of the salary cap and the parity it produces. But if you do just the slightest bit of research you will find there is just as much parity in the uncapped MLB and the stringently capped NFL. In fact the NFL has produced 6 different champions this decade, MLB, 7; 13 different teams have made it to the Super Bowl since 2000. 12 different MLB teams have made it to the World Series since 2000. Not much difference. Don't even mention the NBA or the NHL where the same teams seem to always make it to the finals despite a salary cap. All this talk about payroll has proved to be just that -- talk.
Also in the last decade only Toronto, Expos/Nats, Baltimore, Kansas City and Pittsburgh have failed to make the postseason. That's not too shabby as far as parity goes.
Also, if it wasn't for the money that the Yankees contribute by way of the luxury tax, and revenue sharing (the Yankees generate about 30% of all merchandising sales...with the Red Sox right there with them) teams like Pittsburgh, Detroit, Kansas City and a couple others would have to fold, or move...which would probably help get rid of the marginal players who dilute the sport, or even bring the sport to a city which might support a team. Of course pwners would have to spend the money on the team instead of spending less than the payments from MLB on payroll.
Who says money cannot buy everything.
hey , not this time.... what 's your team and how many championships have they won... let me know when they've won something in this millenia. dlon't you wish that your team spent money like the yankees...
batanasio, What baseball can do to prevent pitchers from throwing at hitters is very easy......expand the rosters by1 or 2 players so that the union would give up the DH, and cut the season to 154 games. Those could make up for the loss of a usually high priced job in the AL, and would force the pitchers to have to hit. Another thing is to stop allowing hitters to whine when someone throws inside, and maybe find a way to penalize hitters for staring at their shots in preparation for an ESPN highlight........imagine Bod Gibson or Don Drysdale pitching to the guy who stared at a longball in his previous plate appearance? The umpire has absolutely no way to determine whats going on in anyones head other than his own...and we've seen enough bad calls in recent history to know they need to worry more about the strike zone and the close calls than they do about trying to determine what any pitcher is thinking.....let the players police themselves.......
For what it's worth, regarding the spinning bat thrown at the pitcher reference above, I think I remember Oakland SS Campy Campaneris (yes I'm old) doing that exact thing in the 1972 playoffs versus Detroit P Lerrin LeGrow (spelling not guaranteed). I think he thought he was hit intentionally, below the waste if memory serves, and helicoptered his top heavy bat (thin handle, loads of pine tar, and very heavy for a man his size) towards LeGrow and it whistled over his head. He could have been decaptitated. I know he was suspended, but I forget for how long. It seems like some kind of justice, but I'm glad that isn't commonplace. Regarding the Yankees, love 'em or hate 'em, they're back in the Championship contender picture. The bullpen is their achillies heel, but if Hughes and Bruney can stay healthy this team can play with anyone. The swagger is definitely back.