We'll begin with something that is not a joke. The Yankees will release both a perfume and a cologne. Seriously. They are doing this because, presumably, they think people will buy them. And no, they don't smell like sweat, an Italian sub, resentment, old hot dogs, a swimming pool full of gold doubloons, anything having to do with George Costanza, anger, any personal drippings from Derek Jeter, entitlement, or barbecued centaur meat. The one for men is called "New York Yankees" which is a name I feel like I've heard before somewhere. This is a little like Ford calling their new car "Ford Car", NASA naming a new planet "Planet" or Oprah starting her own TV network and calling it "Oprah." I mean, it just isn't done! The one for women is called, and this is subtle so be prepared, "New York Yankees For Her." I assume the "For Her" refers to a woman you happen to be pointing at while reading the title.
This is certainly a target rich environment, and that's more than enough from me on the subject, so might I humbly suggest channeling any misplaced anger and/or jealousy you have towards said baseball franchise at this particular pursuit in the comments. Or, to put it more bluntly, three and a half cents to the best new slogan or take-off of "New York Yankees." The perfume, not the team.
Link time!
The secret is out. David Ortiz's arbitration hearing with the Red Sox has been scheduled for this Monday. If you sign up now you can buy tickets to see the hearing. Of course, by the time you actually get through the Red Sox virtual waiting room and buy the tickets, the hearing will long since have ended, so there's no point really. Also, in case you didn't guess, I just made all that up. In any case, WEEI.com's Alex Speier, discusses the pertinent issues at hand, the potential payday for Ortiz, what the arbitrator will be looking at, why your mommy never loved you, and the secret ingredient in your gram-gram's pot-roast. Fresh basil. Duh. How'd you not see that one coming?
More delicious links after the jump...
Yesterday, Marc discussed a few of the newly released PECOTA projections from Baseball Prospectus. Over at the Providence Journal's baseball blog, Friend of OTM (FoOTM) Brian MacPherson goes through some of the projections for the more prominent hitters and pitchers. Some of it looks good, some looks bad, but all of it is useful as we start to unmask the new 2012 Boston Red Sox.
Fire Brand of the AL's Chip Buck wrote a treatise on the starting rotations of the various American League East teams. Mr. Buck gives the Red Sox a third place vote, but whether you agree with him or not, just looking over all the starting pitching talent in the division is impressive. Bottom line, I'm not sure being the third best in the division is any kind of problem. As long as the offense remains top three or four in baseball, a third-best-in-the-division starting staff (and a competent bullpen) would likely spell a playoff berth. From where I sit it would anyway. Your mileage may vary.
Over at Fan Graphs, David Cameron lists what he believes to be the ten worst contracts of the off season. Write down your guesses before you read the article and see how many you get right. I'll say this, I nailed #1 to the floor, baby!
Former podcast guest and current Grantland author Jonah Keri offers you a history of the spitball entitled, Whatever Happened to the Spitball?
Baseball Prospectus went a bit hog-wild on the whole Baseball Boyfriend thing that showed up on Twitter yesterday (I discussed it in yesterday's Daily Links). First, Michael Bates tries to figure out who your baseball boyfriend should be, then Steven Goldman uses the game as an entry into discussing fandom, misconceptions, and gender. I enjoy Mr. Goldman's writing maybe more than just about anyone's, and this one doesn't require a BP subscription.
Finally, for those of you who enjoy invented baseball-related conversations, Not Graphs contributor Jeremy Blatchman offers you this.