Though Bernie Williams hasn’t played in a Major League game since 2006, the longtime Yankees outfielder won’t officially hang up his glove until Friday, when he’ll sign his retirement papers prior to the Mets/Yankees game at Yankee Stadium. Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News notes that Williams is also scheduled to have his #51 retired by the Yankees later this season and be honored with a plaque in Monument Park. Here’s some more from around the AL East…
- Blue Jays catcher Dioner Navarro has been placed on the 15-day DL with a strained hamstring, the team announced. Navarro has been frequently mentioned as a trade candidate since the Jays signed Russell Martin, and Navarro has himself said that he’d prefer an everyday role elsewhere, though he’s committed to the Jays. The veteran has received semi-regular playing time this season as Mark Buehrle’s personal catcher and part-time DH duty.
- With Alex Rodriguez closing in on his 660th career home run and the $6MM contract bonus associated with tying Willie Mays’ mark, Ken Davidoff and Joel Sherman of the New York Post look at how the impending dispute between A-Rod and the Yankees will play out. It’s possible the arbitration hearing to decide the matter wouldn’t take place until the offseason, Davidoff/Sherman write, as “there is no reason to speed this case along, especially because neither the Yankees nor A-Rod seem anxious to mess with the positive vibe around the controversial slugger.”
- Outfielder Ramon Flores enjoyed a big Spring Training and he’s tearing up Triple-A pitching, yet as Mike Axisa of the River Ave Blues blog writes, the Yankees don’t currently have a spot for him at the Major League level. New York would have to trade someone to create even a bench spot for Flores, and dealing Flores himself might not net a big return since he has no MLB experience.
- Hanley Ramirez has looked defensively shaky in his new left field role, yet Red Sox manager John Farrell told WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford that he doesn’t plan on removing Ramirez for a better fielder in late-game situations. “I want to show him the confidence to bring him along….I think the benefit of not taking him out far outweighs, at least at this point and time, taking him out because of his continued growth and us showing faith in him in left field,” Farrell said. Needless to say, the Sox have a lot invested in Ramirez’s development as a left fielder since (at least for this season) they have nowhere else in the field to play him; Pablo Sandoval (3B), Xander Bogaerts (SS), David Ortiz (DH) and Mike Napoli (1B) are locked in at other possible positions.
I think Hanley at 1B next season would be the best thing, given how Pablo has been pretty great at third.
Probably true. I think Ortiz will try to play another season to get to first all time on the Red Sox hr list so he’s probably not going to retire. It’s always what i kind of expected would happen. 1 year at first for Hanley, and then a likely shift to DH.
I think Ortiz keeps playing until he breaks 500 HR, thinking it will be a lock to get him into the HOF. He has a few things to overcome–his WAR is very low for a HOF, if you care about that stat, he’s a career DH with fewer than 300 games in the field, and I think national league writers in particular may have a hard time with that, and for some, no matter how vigorously denied, the failed PED test is going to play a role. That being said, Ortiz (along with a few other players, including Jeter before he retired) are given a special spotlight by MLB and I wouldn’t be shocked for him to get some institutional support from that direction, regardless.
Yankees and Red Sox = MLB personal cash cow
Nature of the beast. The former Commissioner had his priorities, and amongst the highest was revenue. This is a business. We fans may love the game, but it’s still entertainment meant to be monetized.
I think if he hits over 500 HRs, and has a similar stat line to the one now, he has a true shot at the HOF. I think WAR is a bit useless for a DH, as the player gets penalized in terms of defensive value without actually playing the field. For that reason, their WAR should be higher than they’re given. I think the big issue may be the DH debate and the PED test of 2003. Edgar Martinez isn’t in the HOF when he should be, but Ortiz having hit more HRs, probably gives him an advantage. As for the PED test of 2003, I think that may be where he may lose out. Even though, I’m hoping, and expecting, the MLB to comment further on that situation, and clarify things further when a HOF debate about a player connected to that list arrouses.
I have a personal bright red line–no HOF if you fail, but that’s completely ideosyncratic and I’m not a voter. I expect MLB to help him on that point because they market him, and I’m just cynical enough to believe that money comes first in this business. The problem that MLB has is that they also have to deal with other, greater players who are presently being excluded, and you have to uphold the basic policy on steroids, so if you openly support Ortiz, what does that leave you with? Edgar was the best DH I ever saw, Ortiz included, but being second to Edgar is no shame.
I think some writers are going to be turned off by his constant complaining about any new rule MLB puts in and his childish tantrums when umpires and everyone else doesn’t give him his way. I liked the guy for years, but I got tired of his self-centered antics and ego.
He’s hit .300 only 2 of the last 10 years. So if he goes in it’s because of HR’s and some big post-season hits. Voters will have to decide if he’s Reggie Jackson or Jim Thome. Unfortunately for him, Thome was too much of of a team player that avoided controversy. My guess is that since the national media is fixated on the Yankees and Red Sox, that Ortiz will go in fairly quickly, while Thome will be sitting around with 15-20% more HR’s , wondering what’s going on.
Ortiz (current) – 469 HR’s / .285 / .379 / .546
Jim Thome – 612 HR’s / .276 / .402 / .554
I disagree on Thome. I think he’s going in. To date, there’s no allegations of PED use, his slash line is really formidable, he played about 60% of his games in the field. Thome is 23rd in SP, 18th in lifetime OPS+,. 53rd in bWAR, 51st in OBA,7th in HR, 38th in TB, etc. There’s no precedent for leaving him out. If Ortiz goes in before him, it’s a travesty.
Thome should go in before him. The comparison in stats favors Jimmy, in everything else it’s a slam dunk.
Has there been any discussion on Thome’s hall worthiness? I have never heard anything other than people praising him as being a hall of famer
Not much.
He didn’t play in Boston or NYC.
Panda needs to get his bat going. K numbers are up and power is down but i’m fine with Hanley at 1B next season his bat is strong enough!
Panda’s numbers are very streaky. I’m sure we’ll see his numbers go up when he gets hot.
I wonder if he will transition any better to 1B?
If only JBJ could hit, an outfield of Betts in LF, JBJ in CF, and Castillo in RF could be great defensively in 2016, with Hanley at 1B. I also wonder what the fate of Allen Craig will be. I am not versed in the rules for contract options, but it almost seems like he would be better off at Pawtucket to gain ABs. I could see him manning LF in 2016 too.
Craig does have options and can be sent to AAA. The Red Sox refuse to do that though, for some reason…. Just like them wanting to play Victorino over Castillo…..
Both clearly business strategies to showcase the players for potential trade, or counting on someone getting hurt. Would you look at that Victorino just tweaked a hammy. What are the odds?
The other thing I noticed is that Hanley appears to be taking his time down the 1st base line.. meaning lacking hustle.
I saw it again last night to end the game against the Rays.
Sharply hit ball up the middle, they got to it because of the shift, but Hanley wasn’t even halfway down the line when the ball was thrown to first.
That I would find unacceptable. Unless of course my observation is wrong.
He’s very selective. He also ran through a stop sign and scored on a ball that barely left the infield in the early going last night.
Hanley being Manny!
It’s very strange. They’re way too similar.
Manny was a Hall Of Fame hitter and clutch player.
Most all players jog down the line when they hit into an out. It is the way the game is played nowadays in order to cut down on wear-and-tear. The only way he would have been safe is if the Rays were to commit an error, and in that case, he would have been safe.
Thats why I love watching Adam Jones he runs hard every time all the time love his work ethic
Yes, many players run hard all the time.
A player stands in the field 95% of the time, bats once every 9 guys, and he can only run 45 feet on a ground ball then has to jog the other 45 because he’s saving wear-and-tear? What, he’s carrying the ball into the middle of the line 30 times a game with 4-5 guys beating him up?
That’s not even the worst of it. He always manages to wear out his welcome everywhere he plays. He has a big “ME” attitude.
I’d just rather keep him in LF. He has the athleticism and ability to play there, so I’d just rather keep him there unless he is horrible defensively, which I don’t see. I’d rather they resign Napoli and keep the heart of the order together.
Navarro should have been traded as soon as they got Martin in my opinion, that injury won’t help his trade value.
Why? He’s much more valuable to the Jays as a backup than what they could get in return. It’s not like teams are banging on the Jays front office doors to acquire him. Would it make sense to you to go with third string catcher Thole, who has no bat, on your bench all season?
He might be more value to the Jays then what one might think in a trade but he generates no value on the bench or DL. He had 2.3 WAR the last 2 seasons, alot of fulltime catchers dream of that production.
The Jays are in win-now mode though, so giving up a good bat of the bench for something that might not bring that production back isn’t a good idea for them.
They could have got a relief pitcher for him, they need to strengthen that bullpen.
They tried and got no good offers.
I’m sure AA looked into that, and saw nothing that was offered made using Thole worth the transaction.
How exactly did Bernie Williams get on the Hall of Fame ballot if he wasn’t officially retired? Does this mean he will get back on the ballot in five years?
Five years since you last played.
You don’t have to have officially retired to be on the ballot.
Don’t worry, Beltran will hit the “I’m really bad” DL soon enough and Flores will be up.
This offseason, Hanley Ramirez was ranked as the top 2nd LF in the AL by MLB network. I was upset because the guy is obviously not a LF. I get that he can hit but there are plenty of established LF I would rather have than him
Yep. As a Dodgers fan, I had the pleasure of watching him at the plate (when he wasn’t injured…), yet I had the displeasure of watching him in the field. He’s a DH, everyone knows it, even the Red Sox. Fair play for at least trying to find a way to hide him defensively, but they have to bite the bullet eventually.
I really, really like Hanley. But seeing him go elsewhere was more of a relief than anything.
When does the Bernie farewell tour begin?
What happened to his natural athleticism allowing Hanley to transition smoothly to the OF? It may still work out, but it would have been a surprise to change positions and not have a learning curve.
Release Beltran. There’s your free roster spot.
I appreciate that Bernie Williams was a fine MLB player. But to retire his number?