Yankees Need Pointers Re: Old Timers Day
Yankees Need Pointers Re: Old Timers Day
PLUS: A PLETHORA OF PILOTS STILL RIDING THE HOT SEAT
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Pregame Pepper
Did you know…
The Frisco Rough Riders, a Texas Rangers affiliate in the Double-A Texas League, had a bigger payroll than THREE big-league teams when Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, and Kumar Rocker were on their roster, according to Spotrac. Scherzer is owed $12.5 million this season and deGrom $40 million, explaining why the minor-league team has a bigger payroll (at least temporarily) than Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, or Oakland . . .
Considering the rocky play of Jorge Soler in right field, the Braves might move him to left when Ronald Acuna, Jr. returns next spring or perhaps trade either Soler or Triple Crown contender Marcell Ozuna since both profile best as designated hitters . . .
Although 40-year-old Charlie Morton is the oldest player in the National League, he leads the major leagues in pickoffs this season . . .
Red Sox lefty Rich Hill, at 44, is the oldest man in the majors . . .
The probable death knell of the St. Louis Cardinals’ wild-card bid is the fractured finger likely to sideline catcher Willson Contreras for the rest of the season . . .
It’s also red-alert time for the Reds, whose pitching ace Hunter Greene could also be out for the duration with an elbow issue . . .
Injured-riddled pitcher Michael Soroka had a 5.23 ERA over 72 1/3 innings in his first season with the White Sox and he missed close to six weeks recovering from a strain in his right shoulder. But he’s in rehab now and hoping to return to Chicago.
Leading Off
Making Old Timers' Day Better
By Paul Semendinger
Imagine having direct, first-hand access to a host of living former All-Stars such as Bobby Richardson, Al Downing, Chris Chambliss, Mickey Rivers, Ron Davis, Dave Righetti, Steve Sax, Roberto Kelly, Mike Stanley, David Wells, Scott Brosius, Mike Stanton, Robin Ventura, Jason Giambi, Alfonso Soriano, Tom Gordon, Javier Vazquez, Mark Teixeira, Phil Hughes, Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson, Andrew Miller, and Dellin Betances.
All of those players all suited up, as New York Yankees, for the American League in the All-Star Game (over many seasons).
But none of them were present at the Yankees’ annual Old Timer's Day in 2024.
Also imagine, having the following borderline Hall of Famers, all players who added significantly (if not exclusively) to their Hall of Fame cases, as part of your team's great history: Sparky Lyle, Ron Guidry, Graig Nettles, Tommy John, and Don Mattingly.
Those players were also absent from Old Timers' Day in 2024.
In addition, there are many great ballplayers who are considered Hall of Fame worthy who were Yankees, if only briefly. This list includes Luis Tiant, Kevin Brown, Kenny Lofton, Bobby Abreu, Carlos Beltran, Roger Clemens, Gary Sheffield, Andruw Jones, and the-soon-to-be-voted-in Ichiro Suzuki.
Adding to this great list of baseball players are a number of current Hall of Famers each of whom made cameos with the Yankees during their distinguished careers. That list includes Bobby Cox, Jim Kaat, Lee Smith, Randy Johnson, Ivan Rodriguez, and Tim Raines.
And, finally, there are numerous living Hall of Famers who spent significant time with the Yankees in their careers including Reggie Jackson, Rich Gossage, Dave Winfield, Rickey Henderson, Wade Boggs, and Mike Mussina.
Those are remarkable lists of great baseball players. All of those players have direct ties to the New York Yankees.
And yet none of them were present at Old Timers' Day.
I find that problematic.
To me, Old Timers' Day should be a day to celebrate the entirety of a team's history. While time can (and should) be spent recognizing special teams, as the 2009 World Champions were honored this year, the team must also reach out and bring back as many stars as they can.
Sadly, for the last many years, some of the greatest Yankees, some of their biggest stars, have not been present for this annual event. And that's a shame. And, quite bluntly, it's wrong.
Old Timers' Day should be the one day each year when the franchise brings the greatest from their history together. For whatever reason, the Yankees of today do not seem to do this. These Yankees seem to close the doors to so many on the day they purport to celebrate the team's great history.
Old Timers' Day should be inclusive. The great Yankees should be invited back and welcomed instead of excluded.
It is through Old Timer's Day that fans of all ages should get to see the heroes they saw in their childhoods, but that seems to happen less and less each year.
Sadly, in addition, many of the players listed above are well-advanced in years. While they are still with us, the team should go out of its way to recognize and remember them — and allow each of those players a few more moments to hear the cheers, the applause, the love and adulation from their fans.
In addition to welcoming back all of the greatest and most legendary alumni, the Yankees should also take time at Old Timers' Day to add a worthy player or two to Monument Park. I have made the case, many times, that players such as Roy White (among others listed above) belong there. It is wrong that they have been excluded for so long.
The Yankees can and must do a much better job with Old Timer's Day — the one day each year they seek to honor their history. All it takes is a little forethought, great planning, and some compassion for the players who made the franchise what it is today.
Paul Semendinger is the author of a host of books including From Compton to the Bronx (with Roy White), The Least Among Them, and Scattering the Ashes. Paul runs the Yankees site Start Spreading the News and is still playing baseball today, chasing his dream of one day being a Yankee and an Old Timer himself (even though he is older than many of the current old timers).
Cleaning Up
More Managers Likely To Bite the Dust In Coming Weeks
By Dan Schlossberg
Two down and how many more to go?
So far this season, the Chicago White Sox (Pedro Grifol) and Seattle Mariners (Scott Servais) have fired their managers. But a slew of others could be on the same slippery slope.
Miami manager Skip Schumaker is as good as gone, with St. Louis a likely landing spot if the Redbirds determine Oli Marmol doesn’t deserve to return.
And Toronto, another under-performing club, is going to replace John Schneider, probably with bench coach Don Mattingly, who has previous managerial experience.
Colorado rarely makes personnel moves without considerable forethought but Bud Black’s leash is getting shorter by the day.
Both interim managers — Grady Sizemore in Chicago and Dan Wilson in Seattle — have no guarantee they’ll be back either.
The same can be said for Cincinnati’s David Bell, despite the popularity of his surname in that city, and Atlanta’s Brian Snitker, who made some questionable decisions this year regarding his starting rotation and even his in-game strategy.
Snitker has a year to go on his contract and could be allowed to leave on his own terms since he’s been a wildly successful manager (six straight division titles). On the other hand, he’s pushing 70 and is the NL’s oldest manager.
In fact, the only older pilot in the big leagues is former Braves third-base coach Ron Washington. He’s on thin ice in Anaheim, which lost Shohei Ohtani to free agency and Mike Trout to injury, but would be welcomed back to Atlanta even though he’s two years older than Snitker.
And what will the New York Yankees do if Aaron Boone doesn’t lead them to their first world championship since 2009? Ditto the Dodgers and Dave Roberts, especially since L.A. has invested multi millions in an All-Star roster that hasn’t won anything in a full season since — are you sitting down? — 1988.
Another big-market team — the New York Mets — might blame rookie manager Carlos Mendoza if the club misses the playoffs, as they now seem poised to do.
Boston (Alex Cora) and Pittsburgh (Derek Shelton) have already indicating they’re keeping their field generals in place. And Dave Martinez in Washington must have secret pictures of the Lerners that he’s threatening to expose if he’s canned.
The real surprise in all of this is Matt Quatraro, whose name is as forgettable as its spelling. Hired on the cheap last fall, the previously-unknown rookie manager of the Kansas City Royals is heading for a Manager of the Year award, playoffs berth, and who knows how much more? Who woulda thunk it?
At least Craig Counsell seems set; he’s completing the first season of a five-year deal that pays him a record $40 million to manage the Chicago Cubs.
Unfortunately for the North Siders, he left his magic in Milwaukee, where former bench coach Pat Murphy has compiled the biggest bulge of any first-place team.
Former AP sportswriter Dan Schlossberg of Fair Lawn, NJ is a national baseball writer for forbes.com and contributor to many magazines, newspapers, and books. His email is ballauthor@gmail.com.
Timeless Trivia: Joe West, The Singing Cowboy
Umpire Joe West, denied a Hall of Fame berth by the latest incarnation of the Veterans Committee, appeared in more games than Derek Jeter and Ozzie Smith combined and was part of as many seasons (41) as Cal Ripken, Jr. and Bartolo Colon combined . . .
The only man who was part of more major-league games than West was Connie Mack, who appeared in 8,479, including 7,755 as a manager . . .
West issued 194 ejections in 5,377 games, as opposed to Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox, who received 165 ejections in 4,501 games (as a manager) . . .
West averaged one ejection per 27.7 games and Cox averaged one per every 27.3 games.
Know Your Editors
HERE’S THE PITCH is published daily except Sundays and holidays. Benjamin Chase [gopherben@gmail.com] handles Monday and Tuesday editions, Elizabeth Muratore [nymfan97@gmail.com] does Wednesday and Thursday, and Dan Schlossberg [ballauthor@gmail.com] edits the weekend editions on Friday and Saturday. Readers are encouraged to contribute comments, articles, and letters to the editor. HTP reserves the right to edit for brevity, clarity, and good taste.