Written by Greg Fertel
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13 August 2007
Hey guys! I just returned a few hours ago from the summer of my life. I got to spend eight weeks in the woods with some of the greatest guys in the world. I've done it every summer for the last four years, but I can honestly say that this was the best summer yet. However, I've been chomping to get back to baseball for awhile now, and will resume writing as soon as I get a chance to read up on what's been happening. My thoughts so far?
I couldn't be more thrilled about Joba. I wrote before I left that Joba would be a great late-season callup in the bullpen through the playoffs. He couldn't have looked better today, and I love the Yankee throwing program to keep Torre from overusing him. I imagine that they'll drop the restrictions come playoff time, and he'll be a very valuable asset. My only concern is that the Yankees will resort to Chamberlain as a full-time reliever come next season, after seeing the rest of our bullpen break down. Chamberlain is going to be a Cy-Young caliber starting pitcher, and he's be wasted if we only give him 75 innings a year.
Hughes is back! Man, I almost forgot that he existed. He needs to get some work in, asap. This season seriously threatened the carefully timed rhythm of his development, since he'll get many fewer innings than planned. Still, he can make up for lost time in the playoffs.
Alan Horne is worrying me. He's had a bad two months. The run prevention is still there, but his control is looking really bad. Alan Horne of 2006 was a player with a lot of stuff but no idea where it was going, while Alan Horne of 2007 was a deadly power-control weapon. He could be tired, injured, going through a slump, or just reverting back to form. I really don't have any idea what's up, but those are potential reasons.
Those are just my initial thoughts. I'm loving Shelley Duncan, Edwar Ramirez, et al in the majors. I don't think that Ian Kennedy is ready, and I'll explain more tomorrow. Good night guys.
