Yardbarker: Mike Mussina

Orioles: Was Adam's glove really "golden?"

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:08:24 -0500

The Rawlings Gold Glove Awards probably will be announced early next week, and there are rumblings that Adam Jones is about to become the first Orioles outfielder to win a Gold Glove since Paul Blair back in 1975. We've made some inquiries to try and confirm that, but the best info anybody has at the moment was a MySpace entry by Adam's brother Jonathan the other day saying how excited he was about his little brother winning a "Golden Glove 4 his Baseball Team, the Baltimor...

The Tough Luck Former Yankees

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:55:00 -0500

Let's take a quick look back at some of the players from 2001-2008 that never got to lift up a World Series trophy with the Yankees.

Mike Mussina (2001-2008)

The man is sandwiched between World Series victories. Is there anything worse? He's a borderline Hall of Famer (I don't think he gets in) and he left after his first and only 20 win season. His departure, in part, led the Yankees to bring in CC and Burnett. 8 seasons in pin stripes for Muss. 7 trips to the playoffs. 1 epic relief appearance. 2 World Series Trips. Zero Rings.

Gary Sheffield (2004-2006)

The Sheff came into the Bronx coming off a terrific year with the Bravos. He then dominated AL pitching finishing 2nd in the MVP voting in 2004. Unfortunately he was a part of the epic collapse against Boston. After being ravaged by injuries in 2006 the Yanks let him find employment elsewhere. 3 Years in Pin Stripes. Zero Rings.

Alphonso Soriano (1999-2003)

I'm not sure Soriano counts because he was a September call up in both 1999 and 2000, so he likely has a ring, but his first full time role came in 2001. He proceeded to hit what we thought was the game winning homer in Game 7 of the World Series to jump him into Yankee lore, but somehow Mo lost the game. Bad year for New York. Soriano was then sent packing to bring in Kate Hudson Clutch-Rod.

Jason Giambi (2002-2008)

The gold thong was brought in to be a hero and he was pretty damn good for a time. He was a key performer in the 2003 series win over the Red Sox and all was looking good, until they lost to the Marlins. Giambi eventually got busted for Roids and morphed into a very fat and slow first baseman. He was let go for an upgrade at first in Big Tex. 7 Years in Pin Stripes. 1 World Series trip. Zero Rings.

Bobby Abreu (2006-2008)

Abreu was traded for at the 2006 deadline. With him he brought a giggling hispanic man who was a afraid of the wall. He also hit relatively well.

Nick Johnson (2001-2003)

Nick the not so quick was a balding 20 something year with a decent stick while with the Yanks. His glove was also a billion times better than Giambi's. He looked like he might create a solid 1-2 punch at first/DH. Then the Yankees traded him for Javy Vazquez in an effort to strengthen the rotation. Didn't work.

Carl Pavano (2005-2008)

I love jokes. Carl Pavano sucked the life out of the Yankees. He stole money and everyone disliked him. Too bad someone can't strip away his Marlins World Series ring.

Kyle Farnsworth (2006-2008)

Everyone loved to hate Farny, but the dude definitely cared. He was actually finding a bit of a groove in 2008 with Girardi as manager. That is until they traded him for Pudge and he started crying. 3 years in Pin Stripes. Zero Rings.

Scott Proctor (2004-2007)

Proctor was Joe Torre's little bullpen toy to use every single day. His arm as since fallen off.

Kevin Brown (2004-2005)

Steroids and at the tail end of his career. Ya good trade Cashman.

I'm sure I missed a couple good ones please fill me in.

Somewhere, Mike Mussina Weeps

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:04:00 -0500

The Yanks join six other teams in second place this millennium with one World Series win. Hey, at least they're on the board!In the "old days," it was really tough to watch the Yanks win it all. The '96 one I just couldn't deal with, as the last time they'd won, I was 3 years old. In '98 I remember Pat and I blowing into the top of 2-liter Coke bottles, dubbing the noise the "Padres train"...which quickly derailed. In '99, I'd just been fired fr...

One Man is Dave Eiland

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:15:37 -0500

In a story about Dave Eiland, the Yankees pitching coach, there’s an interesting bit about Mike Mussina: “You know my background,” Dave Eiland, who won 12 games in the major leagues, began that April 2008 day to Mike Mussina, who’d won 251. “I wasn’t even close to being the same type of pitcher you are. But [...]

Mussina the Old Timer

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 16:30:00 -0500

From Bryan Hoch: In the span of less than a year, Mike Mussina has gone from a 20-game winner to an Old-Timer.The recently retired right-hander was announced by the Yankees on Friday as part of an additional selection of pinstriped icons who will be on hand on Sunday for the 63rd annual Old-Timers' Day -- the first held at the new Yankee Stadium.In addition to Mussina -- who announced his retirement shortly after recording his 20th victory on last season's final day at Fenway Park -- ...

Missing Mike Mussina

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:12:12 -0500

When Mike Mussina left the Baltimore Orioles for the New York Yankees in 2000, I wasn't upset. The Evil Empire afforded more money and a better shot at a World Series title.

He never did get that World Series title, but he got his money and a few more wins and ...

Elect Moose 2.0

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:07:44 -0500

I just updated the "Elect Moose" post I wrote back in early August and posted it over at my second site, Elect Mike Mussina. I also posted something about what Pete Abe just wrote about Moose and why he's going to vote for him come election time. Feel free to check it out. Peace, love and ...

Is Mike Mussina a Hall of Famer?

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:07:36 -0500

I don't know. But if I had to make a decision right now, I would say that he belongs in the Hall of Fame. I think after a few years, when we see that pitchers aren't coming close to 300 wins, aren't coming as close as Mike Mussina, he'll get voted in. To win 300, a pitcher has to average 15-wins-per-year over 20 years. Most pitchers either don't pitch that long or aren't successful for that length of time. Though Mussina never won a Cy Young Award, he did get...

Mussina goes out on his terms

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:17:21 -0500

"I never got a chance to win a world championship. I never got a chance to win a Cy Young Award. On the last day of my career I finally won 20 games. There's some nice things I've been able to do. I think I've done as much as I'm capable of doing at the [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Mussina goes out on his terms", url: "http://www.tireball.com/behindthedugout/2008/11/21/mussina-goes-out-on-his-terms/" });

Cooperstown Should Make a Moose Call

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:20:06 -0500

By Gary Armida Mike Mussina announced his retirement after 18 years of stellar pitching. Mussina finishes his career with 270 wins and 153 losses. He started 536 games (with one relief appearance added in 2007). He threw 3,562.2 innings, gave up 3,460 hits, walked 785 batters, and struck out ...

Elect Mike Mussina

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 23:36:28 -0500

Joel Sherman at the NY Post posted another "is Mike Mussina a HOFer" article on his Hardball blog. At this time, Sherman sees Mussina "slightly on the wrong side of the Hall borderline," lying in a "gulf between greatness and immortality." He mentions that "when you are a voter, you are ...

Now, will he pull the Clemens?

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 01:51:41 -0500

Mike Mussina announces his retirement, despite being just 30 wins away from 300, and he's the first guy to retire after a 20 win season since Sandy Koufax. Well, congrats to him, I guess. But will he still stay away in mid-May, when NYY offers him $10 million for a few months of work after the injuries hit? (Oh, and if anyone really wants to have the serious argument that he isn't a HOFer, go soak your head. 270 wins in a 'roid era, with his best year lost due to the strike, with ...

Red Sox & Yankees cockfighting commercial

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:14:23 -0500

A classic from the four-letter network in Bristol. This Theo Epstein vs. Mike Mussina cockfighting-deathmatch commercial was banned; however, due to the awesome powers of the Internet, it will live forever regardless.

Caution: MOOSE XING

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 18:08:20 -0500

Meanwhile, in the Post today, Larry Brooks invokes the old baseball adage, "Momentum is tomorrow's starting pitcher." The Yankees are riding a six game winning streak and have improved their record to 20 games over .500. However, for all the team's "momentum", it will be for naught if Mike Mussina can't find the strike zone tonight.

Likely End of the road for Mussina

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 16:01:29 -0500

After blowing up for the third time in a row, it's probably the end of the line for Mussina. So who should get his rotation spot?