Girardi needs to give better answers at his press conferences

It's going to be a long summer for Yankees' manager Joe Girardi. "I don't believe guys forget to hit in a year" has been his stock answer to reporters after games this season. I guess he doesn't want to admit that maybe the real answer is "Some guys' skills erode in a year and they can't do it anymore."

Carlos Beltran has been hampered by a bad elbow. Still, it's hard to make excuses for a guy who has a .155 batting average with runners in scoring position. Brian McCann was never as good as Yankee brass insisted - comparing him to Thurman Munson was unfair, since McCann has never hit .300 and driven in 100 runs or more for three years in a row like Munson did.

Alfonso Soriano just isn't same player anymore; neither is Brian Roberts, Derek Jeter, or Ichiro Suzuki. To expect these guys to hit like they did ten years ago is unrealistic. It isn't that they have forgotten how to hit. It's just that they can't do it the same way anymore due to their advancing age.

The Yankees came into the night with 326 runs scored, 20th in the majors. You are what your record says you are, so unless guys start hitting a lot better, their current 41-41 record will be 81-81 when the 2014 season comes to a close.

I hope the Yankees aren't boring this year...

While the Yankees didn't have a bad season last year, finishing 85-77, they were kind of a boring team. They had a few exciting moments, provided mostly by role players like Jayson Nix and Lyle Overbay, but for the most part watching them was somewhat dull.

This year's edition may be a little more exciting, if what's on paper translates onto the field. If Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner can stay healthy and each play at least 140 games, watching the Yanks might become fun again. Having Alfonso Soriano around for a full season should add pop to the lineup, and Carlos Beltran will add some offensive consistency (hopefully he won't look at many third strikes at the end of the game). Having Derek Jeter play a full season and hit like his old self - he has a career .312 batting average - will add some excitement. If Mark Teixeira's wrist is fully healed, having him in the lineup for 140 games will provide some punch and gives the team one of the best defensive first basemen in the majors. Teixeira usually makes one outstanding defensive play to save a hit every game.

Some people are comparing Brian McCann to Thurman Munson, but I don't think he's that good, although he is an upgrade offensively over what the Yankees had last year and can hold his own defensively.

I do think the starting pitching and bullpen will be better than what some are predicting, although it may not be enough to dominate teams like Boston and Tampa.  But if Tanaka makes the adjustment from Japan; if Pineda and Nova live up to their potential; and if Kuroda and Sabathia can each squeeze another above average season from their arms, the Yankees look to have a decent staff.  the bullpen, with Robertson, Kelley, Thornton, and pitchers that had pretty good years last year like Claiborne, Warren, Phelps, with someone like Nuno who has shown flashes, the bullpen ought to keep the team in most games.

Opening day is less than three weeks away, so we'll know soon if the 2014 Yankees are going to give us some excitement this spring, or if it's going to be a long, boring summer of baseball.

The best Catchers in Major League Baseball history

The position of catcher is the most demanding position in the sport, both physically and mentally. So to have a player who can sustain a high level of achievement at the position is rare. Below is a ranking of the top 21 Catchers in major league baseball history, based on both offensive and defensive statistics.

 

 

The best Catchers in major league baseball history:

 

21) Rick Dempsey:  A four-decade major leaguer, Dempsey had a .988 fielding percentage and threw out 40% of runners attempting to steal while catching 1,633 games from 1969-1992. He was the MVP of the 1983 World Series.

 

20) Ray Schalk: A member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, Schalk caught 1,727 games from 1912-1929, with a .981 fielding percentage and 49% caught stealing rate, higher than the league averages at the time of .976 and 44%. 

 

19) Ted Simmons: An eight time All Star while catching 1,771 games from 1968-1988, Simmons had a fielding percentage of .987 and threw out 34% of runners, while batting .285 with 248 home runs and 1,389 RBI’s in his career.

 

18) Brad Ausmus:  Ausmus caught 1,998 games for four teams from 1993-2010, winning three Gold Gloves. His career fielding percentage was .994 and caught stealing rate was 35%.

 

17) Mike Piazza: A twelve time All Star, Piazza has a fielding percentage of .989 and threw out 23% of attempted basestealers while catching 1,630 games from 1992-2007, but his value lay in his bat. He has a career average of .308 with 427 home runs and 1,335 RBI’s.

 

16) Jorge Posada:  A five time All Star, Posada batted .273 with 275 homers and 1,065 RBI's, in 16 seasons. He caught 1,574 games with a .992 fielding percentage and a 28% caught stealing rate.

 

15) Elston Howard:  A nine time All Star and winner of the 1963 American League MVP award, Howard caught 1,138 games and had a fielding percentage of .993 and a 44% caught stealing rate.

 

14) Jim Sundberg: A three time All Star and winner of six Gold Gloves, Sundberg had a .993 fielding percentage and threw out 41% of runners attempting to steal, while catching 1,927 games from 1974-1989.

 

13) Bob Boone: Winner of seven Gold Gloves and a four time All Star, Boone caught 2,225 games from 1972-1990, with a .986 fielding percentage and caught stealing rate of 40%. He batted .311 in 36 post season games.

 

12) Lance Parrish:  Catching 1,818 games from 1977-1995, Parrish won three Gold Gloves and was named to 8 All Star teams. He had a fielding percentage of .991, and threw out 39% of attempted base stealers. Parrish also hit 324 home runs and drove in 1,070 runs.

 

11) Carlton Fisk: During a 24 year career Fisk caught 2,226 games with a fielding percentage of .988 while throwing out 34% of base stealers. He batted .269 with 376 home runs and 1,330 RBI’s.  Selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000.

 

10) Thurman Munson:  Winner of the 1970 Rookie of the Year Award, and named the American League MVP in 1976, Munson was a seven time All Star selection and winner of three Gold Gloves. He threw out 44% of base runners attempting to steal, and  hit .373 and drove in 12 runs in 16 World Series games. Munson caught 1,278 games in eleven seasons.

 

9) Mickey Cochrane: A two time All Star, Cochrane was named American League MVP in 1928 and 1934. He has a career batting average of .320 with a .419 on-base percentage. He threw out 39% of basestealers while catching 1,421 games in 13 seasons. Selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1947.

 

8) Gary Carter: Winner of three Gold Gloves and an eleven time All Star, Carter had a fielding percentage of .991 and caught 35% of attempted basestealers while catching 2,056 games in 20 seasons.  Selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.

 

7) Ernie Lombardi: A seven time All Star and winner of the 1938 National League MVP award, Lombardi caught 1,544 games in 17 seasons. He had a .306 career batting average and threw out 47% of attempted base stealers. Selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986.

 

6) Gabby Hartnett: Catching 1,793 games in 20 seasons, Hartnett led the National League catchers in caught stealing percentage six times, with a career mark of 56%. A six time All Star, he had a career batting average of .297 and won the 1935 National League MVP award.  Selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955.

 

5) Roy Campanella: Named the National League MVP in 1951, 1953, and 1955, Campanella was named to eight All Star teams. He threw out 57% of basestealers while catching 1,183 games in 10 seasons. Selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969.

 

4) Bill Dickey:  An eleven time All Star, Dickey's threw out 47% of runners attempting to steal. In 17 years Dickey had a .313 batting average and caught 1,708 games, while contributing to seven Yankees’ world championships in the 1930's and early 1940's. Selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1954.

 

3) Ivan Rodriguez: A thirteen time Gold Glove winner and fourteen time All Star, Rodriguez won the 1999 American League MVP award.  Catching 2,427 games in 21 seasons, he threw out 46% of runners attempting to steal.

 

2) Johnny Bench: Winner of ten Gold Gloves and a fourteen time All Star, Bench won the National League MVP award in 1970 and 1972. Catching 1,742 games in 17 seasons, he threw out 43% of basestealers and had a .267 average, 389 home runs, and 1,376 RBI’s. Selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989.

 

1) Yogi Berra:  Selected to the All Star team 15 times, Berra won the American League MVP award in 1951, 1954, and 1955. He caught 1,699 games in 19 seasons and threw out 49% of basestealers to go along with a .285 career batting average, 358 home runs, and 1,430 RBI’s. Selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.

 

 

 

source for statistics: www.baseball-reference.com

 <div class="rpuEmbedCode">