as far as I can tell, Alex Rodriguez has a...

.133 Career batting average with 13K's vs Pedro Martinez
.077 Career batting average with 5 K's vs Derek Lowe
.000 Career batting average with 1 K vs Byung-Hyun Kim
.133 Career batting average with 2 K's vs Keith Foulke
.000 Career batting average with 1 K vs Scott Williamson
.200 Career batting average vs Alan Embree
.250 Career batting average with 1 K vs Mike Timlin
.304 Career batting average with 6 Ks vs Tim Wakefield (d'oh)

Schilling never played a real game vs A-rod But faced him twice in the all-star game (1997, 2002) Both times A-Rod Struck out.

Nice thread, PJ!

Here's the deal ... A-Rod doesn't make the Yankees a billion percent better. And it's just another huge ego to fit through the clubhouse doors. And we've got a real nice team. And they've got a real nice but really old team.

The bottom line is we're both loaded, and Sox/Yanks in 2004 will be like no other baseball games that have been played in the regular season perhaps since the Dodgers/Giants/Yanks were all in Gotham. Even though we "lost out" on A-Rod, it's not the end of the world. And I will not feel depressed about this trade.

The thing that makes me the most pissed is that the Yankees always bend the other team over and slather on the Vaseline. I understand Hicks wanted to clear the payroll, but for crying out loud, Soriano and a prospect and nothing else? I would have been doing cartwheels if Contreras was in there, because it would have really weakened the pitching.

Let's hope there's a hue and cry in Texas that makes Hicks re-insert Contreras. Can SOMEONE make this looming colossus of an organization feel even some minor pain as they rape and pillage the major leagues outside of the bounds of reasonable constraints?

Oh, and I can't wait until Jeter or A-Rod starts playing the field at 3B. And by then, Giambi won't be able to bend over with those knees to scoop the throws. Wonder what the Vegas line is on the Yankees having the worst fielding percentage in the bigs next year?

-MALC

PJ & all,

I've got very similar #s but in BA/PA form two differences:

vs. WAKE .281/33
vs. MikeT .333/6

Including 1 PA against Malaska & 4 PA against Bierbrodt, the aggregate #s in BA/OBP/SLG/OPS/PA form are (as I have it at least):

.217/.300/.348/.648/127

Well maybe my numbers left out last year, oh well, the point was we can beat this guy. Its a blow, but its not the end of the world.

I don't think that its the end of the world either. They are going to have some as-yet unforseen difficulties in dealing with all their egos in one clubhouse, not to mention the Boss. As soon as they step out of line just one bit, Steinbrenner and Torre will be going at it, ARod will be taking on some serious heat from the fans, and Sheffield will be off in la-la land not caring about anything, like he has always done his entire career. Like ESPN said, this MFY team is going to be expected to win 11 out of every 10 games this year, and if it doesn't happen, there will be some heads rolling.

Amen. I've been pushing the same line of thought over at sosh. The mfy's have something this year that they haven't had for quite some time. Uncertainty about their starting rotation.

Mussina's an excellent pitcher. So is Vazquez. Kevin Brown was excellent in 2003 but mediocre in both 2001 and 2002. Brown was also injured for large parts of the 2001 and 2002 seasons. Lieber was a good pitcher in 2001. But he really wasn't a 20 game winner quality pitcher. He was the kind of pitcher who didn't strike out many guys and just outlasted the opposing pitcher (232 ip, 226 hits, 41 bb, 148 K's and 25 homers). He gave up 36 homers the year before. How good will Lieber be in the AL after not pitching since early 2002 and having Tommy John surgery in the interim? We don't know. The mfy's don't know either. Then, there's Contreras. He got whacked around every time by the Red Sox but did well against the likes of the Tigers. Will word go around to simply lay off his splitter the way the Sox did and will that work for everybody? We don't know. But he was no tower of strength in the playoffs, that's for sure.

So, the mfy's don't have 7 established starters this year or even five still in the primes of their careers with clear levels of established performance. They have uncertainty. It'd be a terrible shame if the back end of their rotation blew up in their faces. And it just might happen. Terrible shame.

Just as I was gearing up for THE year, this deal happens. I'm not really looking forward to the season as I was. The reason is that without the A-Rod deal, the Sox looked like the favorites. Now, forget it. I've read all the comparisons and explanations about A-Rod not making a significant difference, but I think this is more of a "head" thing than a baseball thing.

Derek Lowe said in the Globe recently that the Sox may subconsciously expect to lose. Now that is multiplied.

I think the Sox need to do something big (i.e. signing Pedro and Nomar) to refuel the confidence of the team and the fans.

It's just not fair!! (had to get this off my chest).

SFH

Arod in 9 AB in Fenway has hit .111 BA. In Yankee stadium he has hit .208 BA in 24 AB.

Patriots day weekend can not come soon enough!!

http://fantasy.sportingnews.com/baseball/ballparks/

according to the Sporting News rating of ballparks, he's going from the number one park for hitters to the number 17th.

maybe his production will drop off so much that the NY press will be filled with "what happened to A-Rod?" stories by the all-star break.

If you hit the ball 450ft. it doesn't really matter what park you're in.

No it doesn't - but he won't get that dry crisp Tex air to play in at MFY stadium, it will be that heavy humid air that pulls the ball down ...

I think AROD "struggles" to hit 40HRs this year

Not to mention his boo boo fingers when he hits in April in MFY Stadium...Ouchee....