Not the Bungles. Cincy takes hold of AFC North.

By: Mike Sommer

As a Steelers fan, I was hoping for revenge today. The Steelers lost to Cincy in the last minute several weeks ago. Now today’s game was at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, the teams were deadlocked at 6-2 each, and I was hoping for a Steelers win and control of the AFC North. Could I watch? No, I had to work.

Where over my dinner break I found out that Cincy…the Bungles for the last couple of years…defeated the Steelers 18-12. Ouch. That one game lead is actually two, since Cincy took both games from the Black and Gold Terrible Towel Wavers this year. It looks like the wild card this year and that extra playoff game, unless Cincy folds.

Love the radio announcer as I am coming home. He mentions “Once again, the halftime score is 24-14″   …and goes right into a commercial. Um, I’m just leaving work. Can you tell me who is ahead? Colts or Patriots? Thanks for nothing.

Continuing on the Gardner comment I made in the previous post. Gardner played in 108 games. 248 at bats. Roughly half a year because in many games he got in as a defensive replacement or PR. .270-3-23. He’ll never have the slugging average. OPS+ 93. A concern is whether he will hit MLB pitching or be overmatched. He did go 2 for 3 against the Angels in the LCS but went 0 for 10 in the WS. Still, he made one hell of a catch in Game 5 of the WS.

It seems that with Gardner (Career 150 games, 375 AB, .256-3-39 and 39 SB) that people don’t look at the speed or defense but at the lack of power. Looking at the BA is ok. I would hope that BG can pick it up and hit higher than .270. I would hope that eventually he can work the count better. More walks=more steals. Also look at his range factor. Great. As I said before, too many times speed and defense has been overlooked. Look at the balls Gardner can get to in the outfield because of his speed. People want a beer league softball team. With the lineup the Yanks have, they could get away with a guy who is speed and defense oriented. Gardner did finish 2nd on the team in SB despite the platoon/backup playing time. Melky had a 99 OPS+, Gardner 93. Maybe neither one is a true everyday CF but the Yanks did win a WS by having Girardi split playing time between the two. Knowing who to go to and when as far as Melky/Gardner was huge. Girardi seemed to always play the right cards with the two. Yes, there may be upgrades for CF, but Melky and Gardner combined had 99 whiffs. Is someone who whiffs 150 times an upgrade? Granted more power, but how much extra $$? The Yanks can get decent production cheaper. And why a 37 year old CF in Cameron when you have two guys in Melky (25) and Gardner (26) who are still relatively young? Not only that, you have a 23 year old (in 2010) possibly on the way in Austin Jackson. Why go for a 37 year old in Cameron. Would Granderson at 29 be an upgrade? Possibly, but you have youth and options…and cheaper at that.

Gardner has 150 games under his belt and is 26. Yet because he doesn’t have power, people want to dump on him. Instead, recognize his game. Maybe not a full time player but he gave the Yanks something lacking in previous years.

…and unlike in those previous years, this year resulted in a WS championship.

Balance. Not just power. Speed, pitching and defense. A well-rounded club. When we think of BG, let’s think of the areas he complements the team in.

Update: You may like or not like Belicheck. He’s easy to dislike, despite his success. Gotta say, though, the guy has gonads. Going for it 4th and 2 on his own 28? And if he fails (which the Patriots did) handed the ball right there to Peyton Manning who then won the game? 

Sommer Frieze is a blog dedicated (mainly) to the Yankees. I'll touch on other things as well and the blog (as much as possible) will not only have Yankees news but also follow the Yanks' farm teams. Come visit at Sommer Frieze.

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