Memo to Joe Torre: Make Wilson Betemit Your Full-Time 1B Now!!
I've seen enough of Betemit, Andy Phillips, Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon, and Shelley Duncan to know all-to-well that Wilson Betemit deserves the full-time gig over at first base.
Sure, Andy Phillips is highly above average defensively...but, he hits the ball as if he's flailing a newspaper. Simply put, the ball doesn't travel off his bat (evidenced by his .694 OPS). In turn, Wilson Betemit can flat-out rake (evidenced by his .857 OPS)...and, he's more than capable from a defensive perspective.
Truth be told, Andy Phillips shouldn't have a spot on this Yankees team as it's currently constructed. Yet, for some reason, Torre insists on STARTING Phillips? It doesn't make sense, especially when one considers that Phillips to taking at-bats away from the red-hot bats of Betemit/Giambi/Damon/Shelley Duncan.
The Yankees should be rostering 13 pitchers right now. That 13th pitcher should be EDWAR RAMIREZ...you know, the 26-year-old that Gammons and Buster Olney rant-and-rave about. If not Ramirez (in 37.1 innings at AAA Scranton this year, he has compiled a 0.72 ERA with 64 K's), then at the very least Chris Britton!! With Betemit's versatility (he's literally played every infield position this year), there is NO reason to roster Phillips (at most, Phillips should be the last man off the bench - solely as a defensive replacement). After all, I've watched the 30-year-old first baseman put together 400+ hapless AB's over the last 3 seasons. He seriously has less pop than Youkilis, as amazing and embarrassing as that may sound!
Torre...wake up!!! First base is and should always be a power position. Why do you think the Yanks have trimmed the AL East deficit from 14.5 games to 4 games in the last 2 months??? Simple. Because they batted at a .327 clip while having slugged an astonishing 58 HOME RUNS SINCE THE ALL-STAR BREAK. Please allow Mr. Betemit the opportunity to continue this trend!
Phillips is a ROLE player...it's just that that "role" shouldn't necessarily be with this Yankee team. Ink Betemit as your full-time first baseman, and don't look back. Rotate Giambi and Damon at DH (with Damon playing the OF once a week).
Joe, you finally came to your senses about Luis Vizcaino's and Kyle Farnsworth's role on this team. I'm begging you to not take as long with this decision. In the end, both you and I know that I'm right.
12 comments:
Yet another dig at Youk. Unreal...
One other quick point... Scott Brosius and Tino Martinez weren't exactly Mike Schmidt and Lou Gehrig, but the way, but they were team players and brought a certain intangible to the game each and every night, intangibles which the Yankees have sorely lacked since their departure (Tino's 2nd go-around doesn't count.) Dis Youk all you want, but the fact of the matter is that he busts his butt every night, and has become a fan favorite much the same way Brosius did; not because he puts up Hall of Fame numbers, but because he plays the game the right way. Go ahead, tell me NESN has brainwashed me again...
Chieftain, you just got embarrassed!
Kevin Youkilis is an average baseball player (primarily b/c of his OBP). I never said he wasn't. If you're referring to the Mark Teixeira debate, you're barking up the wrong tree, considering that Teixeira is going to land himself a $120M+ contract this offseason.
Andy Phillips SUCKS!
You really didn't just go to the "he tries hard" argument. You are one of the people that all my real Red Sox fans joke about. Going forward, I can't take you seriously anymore.
Just b/c Youk is a GYM CLASS HERO, that doesn't make him indepensible. He's an average player, at best. An average player that wears down as the season progresses...every year!
i am a sox fan and i somewhat agree with chieftain. youk plays hard and i respect that every nite, but as the season goes on, his numbers drop every year. he hits for no power at all and it seems the majority of his hits are meaningless. there is nothing more aggravating than watching youk and jd drew get singles with 2 outs and no one on base. but when its the 8th and 2 runners on, 2 out, jd drew grounds out to second and youk swings at a slider in the dirt for strike three. cut the shit with the youk argument carolina red sox. your making sox fans look worse than we already do. the whole plays hard argument is for the 8th grade basketball team...for the kid that sucks but dives on the floor and grabs rebounds----they are useful on a team but they are expendable. if we got rid of youk people would be angry because he is well liked and respected, but we could find someone who could put up similar numbers, if not better and make youk be an after thought.
You guys are right, I have no idea what I am talking about. I am sorry for ever exressing an alternate point of view. For the record, I think Youk sucks, but I honestly do enjoy watching him play the game the right way, as I am sure most Sox fans would admit. I'll take my comments to a new blog site since you all "Can't take me seriously anymore". Good day.
On cue...
Bottom of the 9th, 1 out, runner on 2nd...
3-0 count, Reyes battles all the way back to strike Yoooooooouk out swinging!!
...So, yes, CAROLINA...you lose.
You win Chief... you win.
You win Chief... you win.
wow carolina...cant take the heat buddy huh? its all in good fun. just dont say ridiculous shit about youk and you wont have to get smoked.
I'm not sure how comparing Youk to a player like Brosius is saying ridiculous shit, but I digress.
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