There have been a number of studies done which prove that minor league performance not only is an indicator of future major league performance, but the best indicator as well.

But you don't need to look at studies to tell you that.

Pick up a "Who's Who in Baseball" and have a look at the minor league stats of today's MLB players.

Of course there are exceptions, but the vast majority of today's MLers had impressive stats in the minors, and for the most part, the better the ML player today, the better his minor league stats were. [/b][/quote]So in the cases of Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright having *decent* performances in AAA Columbus, would you believe that warrants them ready to start in the rotation this season in the major leagues despite getting hammered in Spring Training? :rolleyes:

I think that until they step out on that mound and face Major League hitters, minor league performance doesn't necessarily mean a whole heck of alot. Take Sean Henn for example, who lit it up in AA but was terrible at the major league level. I'm not saying that minor league performance isn't indicative in all cases, but with Pavano and Wright, I'm sure they had no trouble lighting it up against AA-level players.

I said that there were exceptions, and I'm speaking primarily here of rookies coming up to the majors and predicting their Major League performance based on their Minor League stats, not veterans who are sent down for rehab assignments.

Wright and Pavano are different cases, anyway. They Yankees have a huge financial investment in those two, and they're not about to allow themselves to have egg all over their faces by not using them.

They will be in the rotation until they prove absolutely and without a doubt that they can no longer pitch on the major league level.

I happen to agree with you, BTW, and think that the jobs should be awarded on merit and performance, not on the size of a contract, but we both know that that's not the way Steinbrenner and the Yankees work.

As far as Henn goes, there was nothing remarkable or special about his performance in AAA last year before being called up.

5-5 in 16 starts, with a 3.23 E.R.A.

(That's Triple A. His double A stats were better, but I'm not claiming that AA stats are a reliable indicator of future ML performance. The lower you go in the minors, the less reliable those stats are as an indicator.)

Not bad, and certainly you would think that should translate to maybe a half a run or so higher at the Major League level, but his Triple A stats were nothing remarkable, either, or at least nothing to make one think that he was a "can't miss" prospect.

I can name several pitchers who were called up in mid-season last year who had much better stats in the minors than Henn did, and who were terrific after their call-up.

Who's ready for tomorrow It sucks because I'm going to be in class so I have to TiVo the game and watch it afterwards

You'll be in class at 10PM ET??

No I'll be in class from 6-9 CST and then I still have an hour drive back home. So yeah, I won't be in front of the TV much before 10 PM CST (11 your time).

In any case, Jayson Stark is the man

Jayson Stark eh?! I'm starting to think that maybe Mr. Rosenthal was right after all... :rolleyes: :p

WOW! What a great and dominating win for the Yanks tonight. Unfortunately, I only got to see from the 5th inning on when it was 13-1 because my TiVo didn't record it for reasons unknown. In any case, a great preview for what the rest of the season will look like

Yeah, when they're scoring 15 runs a week instead of 15 in one night.

Now that RJ is done until Saturday, let's see how they do.

I look for big declines in production this year from Sheffield, Posada, and Mussina, a total lack of reliable starting pitching after RJ, and a suspect bullpen aside from Rivera.

One game does not a season make.

I thing the AL East is weaker than it's been in recent years so the Yanks may make the playoffs, but I don't expect to see any more World Championship banners flying from Yankee Stadium as a result of the efforts of this group.

Talk to me when the Yankees at least have decent #2 and #3 starters, like Mussina in his prime or a healthy Pavano, or any one of 25-30 other guys I can name who are better than anyone the Yankees have.

So I can talk to you now that the Yanks have Shawn Chacon and Ching Meng-Wang I guess

Don't let him rain on our parade, I12. Our batting order looks to be extremely dangerous, without a dead spot (except Jorge :p ) in the entire order, and our pitching...it is what it is. Hopefully Moose can stick it out. Johnson looked good. If Chacon and Wang can play well, and Small can come in (rather than either Pavano or Wright) we should be ok.

I actually wish we'd have kept Scott Erickson up with the big club rather than in Columbus, from what I saw in Spring Training he looked better than most of our relievers, and I bet he could be a spot start for us during the year if needed.

Well, AFAIC those two are really not "proven" pennant-winning-caliber 3rd and 4th starters yet.

If mid-season rolls around and they're a combined 15-10 or something with respectable E.R.A.'s - or, if Pavano and/or Wright get healthy and pitch well and either Chacon or Wang are OK, and Mussina is pitching well, then I would agree that the Yankees are in good shape with their rotation.

Right now, though, after RJ they have nothing but question marks, IMO.

Well Chacon and Wang have "proven" themselves yet because they had like half a season in a Yankees uniform last year. I think they'll be solid (as long as Wang can stay health). Hey, you can't deny the fact that they were solid when the Yankees needed them to be last year.

DJ, he's not raining on my parade. I'm still on a high from last night's game. Unfortunatley, I won't be able to see many more while I'm in this hellhole known as texas.

Well sure, the two of them - especially Chacon - saved the Yankees ass last year.

It's hard to tell about Chacon since he spent his entire career in Colorado, and when a young pitcher like Wang has arm trouble so early in his career, I'm always afraidt that it could become a chronic problem.

I'll guess we'll have to wait and see.

You have to admit that there are nothing but question marks on the entire staff after RJ and Mo, and unless more of the questions wind up with positive answers than negative ones, the Yanks could be in trouble.

Personally, I'm not worried about Johnson, Chacon or Wang (just his health). Moose, Pavano, and Wright I'm concerned with plus the bullpen sans Mariano Rivera. New guys coming in who haven't played in New York still have to play under the brightlights and prove themselves. The pitching is the biggest question mark, no doubt. On a different note, I LOVED seeing Damon play yesterday as a Yank. I'm so glad they held out to get him and didn't sign Brian Giles or Milton Bradley

What a heartbreaker tonight. I didn't watch the game but followed along on ESPN.com. I'm proud of the outing Moose gave. Now we gotta try to win the series tomorrow night with Wang on the hill

You should invest $14.95 in the MLB audio feed, Irush.

You can listen to the home or away radio broadcast of any MLB game, plus they're giving a free three month subscription to Sports Illustrated as a bonus for signing up.

Irush? I'll just wait until I go to New York for the summer next month and see all the games on YES. The only thing that sucks is waiting but oh well. Absence makes the heart grow fonder as they say.

WTF!? They kill Oakland in game 1 and now they lose 3 in a row

Don't worry....that seems to be the Yankees' way of doing things.

They'll win today's game.



Apple

Yeah they got Johnson on the hill so I'm not as worried.

Like I said.... :rolleyes:

Maybe since they won the season opener...their plan is to win the home opener and then drive us crazy next few games after that.

Apple

Whatever their plan is, it's starting to piss me off. That's 4 straight they've dropped

Beginning to piss you off?

I'd sure hate to be in a room with Steinbrenner right now!
I've heard he doesn't take these things very well...

Apple

This must really be a bad dream for you Irish. The Yankees are 1-4 and in last place in the morning paper.

Boston is in first and the real kick in the balls is that Schilling wins his 2nd game in a row with just a three hitter.
According to my Yankee handbook, Fans have to say: it is early yet, there is a whole season to go! Just look at last year.

Still try some ice in a large plastic bag on those balls, it may help the pain a bit.

Oh, don't worry, today is Sunday, and you know what happens Sundays, don't you. The Yankees always win.

Glad to see the Yanks FINALLY win today. Hopefully they can sweep their next series against the Royals

BTW - the last time the Yankees started off a season like this, they ended up winning it all in 1998 by sweeping the Padres.

Don't push the panic button quite yet.

I'm not pushing the panic button, but I was getting pissed that they dropped so many games early. True the key words there are early but still....

Glad to hear Giambi got his first CRACK of the year and that the Yanks came back from behind to beat the Royals :rolleyes:

No, the key words are "dropped so many"

Early or late, it makes no difference.

So far the Yankees have one three games in which they've scored a total of 34 runs, and lost four in which they've been outscored 20-10.

If they can't win when scoring 3-5 runs, or if they can't score enugh every day to win a few close ones when their pitching is good enough to hold the other team to 4-5 runs, then they're in for a long season because they're not gonna score 9+ in three out of every seven games, and they're not gonna hold the other time to 4 or less in five out of every seven games.

Their record is 3-4, yet they've outscored the opposition by 45-30.

I see a pattern here which, if it continues, is not a good one.

Talk to me when they start winning 60% of those 3-2 and 4-3 games, which so far they haven't been able to do.

I'm not a yankee-hater, BTW....I'm just trying to realistically assess their chances.

They're a team with two reliable starters and one terrific closer.

You can have all the hitting in the world, and that still won't be enough if that's all you have pitching-wise.

You don't get extra credit for winning 10-1 or 15-2.