I've only been following the Yankees closely since '96 so my frame of reference is pretty small, but the news that Mark Teixeira has agreed to an 8 year $180m deal catapults this offseason into a class all of it's own.
The Yankees have now mopped up 3 of the top 4 free agents available, after previously agreeing to deals for CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett to address the urgent need for quality pitching at the top of their rotation.
Now, by signing Teixeira, they have added a quality bat (combined .308 with 33 homers and 121 RBI for the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels last season), ensured there will be protection for A-Rod in the middle of the lineup, and instantly upgraded the defence.
All of this has been achieved without dismantling the farm system that Brian Cashman has worked so hard to rebuild over the last few seasons.
Personally I'm also hoping that this means Brett Gardner will get a chance to start the season as the centre fielder, as there isn't such a pressing need for offensive output from that position now.
I'm in awe of Cashman, the financial might of the Yankees....and I can't wait for Opening Day to come round!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
CC and AJ
The New York Yankees officially announced the signings of free agent pitchers CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett today.
CC in particular is an exciting signing, although he hasn't come cheaply at $161m over 7 years (and an opt-out clause after 3 years) - the richest deal for a pitcher in MLB history. The American League CY Young winner in 2007, he gives the Yankees a true ace at the top of their rotation.
AJ is a different proposition though. On his day he has incredible stuff, but his track record with injuries is worrying to say the least (particularly given that the contract runs for 5 years, meaning he'll be a Yankee until age 37). He was dominant against the Yankees last year though, going 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA in five starts. He's also 5-0 lifetime against the Red Sox, which is always welcome. :-)
Check out CC's site for more info, and the great coverage over at River Ave. Blues.
CC in particular is an exciting signing, although he hasn't come cheaply at $161m over 7 years (and an opt-out clause after 3 years) - the richest deal for a pitcher in MLB history. The American League CY Young winner in 2007, he gives the Yankees a true ace at the top of their rotation.
AJ is a different proposition though. On his day he has incredible stuff, but his track record with injuries is worrying to say the least (particularly given that the contract runs for 5 years, meaning he'll be a Yankee until age 37). He was dominant against the Yankees last year though, going 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA in five starts. He's also 5-0 lifetime against the Red Sox, which is always welcome. :-)
Check out CC's site for more info, and the great coverage over at River Ave. Blues.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
FM2009 - Genie arrives!
The rather excellent FM Genie Scout 2009 has been released for download, either from the Genie site (which is down as I write this) or from the equally excellent FM Scout site.
The interface has been completely re-designed, and bears more than a few similarities with the latest version of Microsoft Office. Not necessarily a bad thing, and it seems to work fine against the saved game I have to hand. I have noticed one or two glitches and it disappointingly doesn't seem to provide the option of viewing or searching on a player's current/potential rating, instead focusing on the calculated effectiveness percentage. In theory this is a more accurate reflection of ability, but I must admit I prefer using the rating allocated within the game as a starting point.
But if you're after the most effective way of scouting new players you should definitely give it a try.
The interface has been completely re-designed, and bears more than a few similarities with the latest version of Microsoft Office. Not necessarily a bad thing, and it seems to work fine against the saved game I have to hand. I have noticed one or two glitches and it disappointingly doesn't seem to provide the option of viewing or searching on a player's current/potential rating, instead focusing on the calculated effectiveness percentage. In theory this is a more accurate reflection of ability, but I must admit I prefer using the rating allocated within the game as a starting point.
But if you're after the most effective way of scouting new players you should definitely give it a try.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Fallout 3 extended?
One of my friends pointed me in the direction of an interview on IGN with the lead designer of Fallout 3, Jeff Gardiner. The key thing for me was at the end:
"IGN: Not to spoil the end of Fallout 3, but extending the story in the Broken Steel download might be a bit tricky. Will the main character still continue through for that storyline? Will he or she be usable in the other downloads?
Gardiner: Based on a lot of feedback, we're going to allow the player to continue on after the main quest ends in the Broken Steel DLC. While a lot of details still have to be sorted, this will allow the player to continue on and play in the Wasteland enjoying the side and freeform quests, along with any new downloadable content we have planned in the future."
Not only is it great news that there is going to be more content for Fallout 3, but opening up the end of the game is awesome. Obviously a lot of people felt the same way I did about how the main quest plays out, and it's really nice to see that Bethesda have listened.
"IGN: Not to spoil the end of Fallout 3, but extending the story in the Broken Steel download might be a bit tricky. Will the main character still continue through for that storyline? Will he or she be usable in the other downloads?
Gardiner: Based on a lot of feedback, we're going to allow the player to continue on after the main quest ends in the Broken Steel DLC. While a lot of details still have to be sorted, this will allow the player to continue on and play in the Wasteland enjoying the side and freeform quests, along with any new downloadable content we have planned in the future."
Not only is it great news that there is going to be more content for Fallout 3, but opening up the end of the game is awesome. Obviously a lot of people felt the same way I did about how the main quest plays out, and it's really nice to see that Bethesda have listened.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
The Friends Problem
I love xkcd, but the latest strip is one of the best. Also poignant as I've been in the same situation, and it worked out just as well! If only I'd had xkcd back then....
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