Baseball Toaster: Bronx Banter : A Glitsch In The System

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J. Molina BR BP E MLB
C. Moeller BR BP E MLB mi
F. Cervelli BR BC mi

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M. Mussina BR BP BC E
A. Pettitte (L) BR BP BC E
P. Hughes BR BP BC E mi
C. Pavano BR BP BC E mi
A. Aceves BR E mi

Relief Pitchers:
M. Rivera BR BP BC E
J. Chamberlain BR BP BC E
D. Marte (L) BR BP BC E
J. Veras BR BP BC E mi
E. Ramirez BR BP BC E mi
B. Bruney BR BP BC E mi
D. Giese BR BP BC E mi
C. Britton BR BP BC E mi
P. Coke (L) BR BC E mi
D. Rasner BR BP BC E mi
S. Ponson BR BP BC E mi
D. Robertson BR BC E mi
H. Sanchez BC mi

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J. Albaladejo BR BP BC E mi
A. Brackman BC

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J. Girardi (Mgr) BR BP BC
R. Thomson (Bench) BC
Kevin Long (Hit) BR
D. Eiland (Pitch) BR BP BC
B. Meacham (3B) BR BP BC
T. Peña (1B) BR BP BC
M. Harkey (Pen) BR BP BC

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G. Kontos BC mi
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J. Heredia BC mi
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C. Heyer BC mi

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D. Adams mi
P. Venditte mi

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C. Joseph mi
C. Smith mi
K. Higashioka mi

Key:
BR = Baseball-Reference
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D. Mientkiewicz BR BP BC E MLB PIT
A. Phillips BR BP BC E MLB mi CIN
J. Phelps BR BP BC E MLB STL
M. Cairo BR BP BC E MLB SEA
K. Thompson BR BP BC E MLB mi PIT
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W. Nieves BR BP BC E MLB WAS
R. Clemens BR BP BC E mi
T. Clippard BR BP BC E mi WAS
L. Vizcaino BR BP BC E COL $7.5m/2yrs
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R. Villone (L) BR BP BC E mi STL
S. Proctor BR BP BC E LAD
J. Brower BR BP BC E mi CIN mL
C. Bean BR BP BC E mi ATL mL

2007 Campers and mLers:
E. Durazo BR BP BC E MLB mi
A. Cannizaro BR BP BC E MLB mi TB mL
A. Chavez BR BP BC E MLB mi LAD mL
K. Reese BR BP BC E MLB mi
R. Chavez BR BP BC E MLB mi PIT mL
O. Santos BC mi BAL mL
T. Pratt BR BP BC E MLB
T.J. Beam BR BP BC E mi PIT mL
B. Kozlowski (L) BR BP BC E mi Japan

Molina Trade:
J. Kennard BC mi

Abreu Trade
M. Smith (L) BR BP BC E mi PHI
C. Monasterios BC mi PHI
J. Sanchez mi PHI

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A Glitsch In The System

2008-06-04 14:59

by Cliff Corcoran

In his final year in pinstripes, Jeff Nelson compiled a 6-0 record out of the bullpen by May 9, putting him on pace for 31 relief wins. He won two more games all year, finishing with an 8-4 record. In his seventh start of this season, Chien-Ming Wang ran his record to 6-0, putting him on a 30-win pace. Since then he's gone 0-2 in five starts. Mike Mussina enters tonight's game with eight wins, putting him in a five-way tie for third place in the majors behind Brandon Webb (10-2) and the surprising Joe Saunders (9-2). I'd still be surprised if he wins more than 15 on the year.

Moose has eight wins because he's had 5.28 runs of support per game thus far and has earned the decision in every one of his 12 starts. Despite his eight wins, Mussina has just five quality starts (four if you use the stringent < 3 R rule rather than the looser < 3 ER standard). In his last three outings he's allowed 15 runs in 11 2/3 innings, but eight of those runs were unearned (all scoring after Mussina failed to pick up his defense following a first-inning error) and he's gone 2-1 in those games. Mussina has exceeded expectations beyond his 8-4 record, but that is largely due to how low the expectations were for him entering the season.

Twenty-three-year-old Jesse Litsch is 7-1 on the season and didn't allow a run in either of his last two starts, totaling 16 innings. Over his last six starts he's posted a 1.67 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, averaged over seven innings per start, and walked just two men in 43 innings.

The Yankees need to snap their sudden three-game losing streak, but unless Mussina's luck keeps up (I though it had ended three starts ago when he failed to get out of the first inning, but I was clearly wrong), tonight might not be their night.

Jorge Posada has been activated with Dan Giese getting farmed out to make room (so much for repeating the Joba-Giese tandem on Sunday), but he's not in the lineup. Moose will pitch to Jose Molina with Wilson Betemit at first base subbing for Jason Giambi who's getting a day of rest after fouling a pitch off his foot late in last night's game. Both Giambi and Posada are expected to start tomorrow afternoon's series finale.

Comments (130)

Show/Hide Comments 1-50

2008-06-04 15:31:09

1. Cliff Corcoran

Make that a 31-win pace for Nelson for anyone who was fast enough to read the mistyped version of the above post.

2008-06-04 16:04:50

2. Yankees Brasil

Crazy thought that Moose might end up at the All-Star Squad.

2008-06-04 16:14:09

3. OldYanksFan

2 I honestly think we don't need to worry about that.

It's nice that tomorrow, we have our team back. But then there will be no excuses. Emotionally, I have all but given up on the team, although I think there is still a reasonable shot at the PS due to how the rest of the league is playing. I will guess they have not given up in Cleveland and Detroit.

Derek is still the leader of this team. If he is injured, he needs to take himself out. If not, he needs to step up. I don't expect a great year from him, but he needs to lead by example, and he has certainly not been doing that.

I'm not sure why Melky and Cano are not on short leashes. They are young and not playing well. Joe G., or someone, needs to step in and give them some guidance. At this point, a full week at AAA with the AG at 2nd might give Cano something to think about.

And while I never thought coaches had a big effect on a team.... MAN! I miss Larry Bowa!

2008-06-04 16:16:23

4. Yankees Brasil

It's good that we didn't allow any first inning runs.

2008-06-04 16:20:00

5. Yankees Brasil

Swing the bat Derek.

2008-06-04 16:20:47

6. Raf

If Livan could get away with throwing slop, so should Moose.

2008-06-04 16:23:15

7. Yankees Brasil

6 He got away against the Yankees. Moose can't face our weakass lineup.

2008-06-04 16:36:58

8. randym77

Wow. I wasn't expecting Giese to be the one cut.

2008-06-04 16:38:32

9. tommyl

8 Me either. I see the logic in that he won't be available for a few days, but now he can't be brought back up for 10. I wasn't awed by him, but I thought he could make a serviceable long man. What the hell is Hawkins still doing on this team?

2008-06-04 16:42:53

10. Yankees Brasil

9 We need bullpen arms who put men on base. A lot of men on base. That's the way Cashman builds his 'pen.

2008-06-04 16:44:53

11. Yankees Brasil

And Cano continues to do his thing. Swung at all the pitches out of the strikezone. The only pitch that was in the zone, he took it for a strike.

2008-06-04 16:45:18

12. cult of basebaal

christ, cano, how many times in a row is litsch gonna get you to swing at the same crappy offspeed pitch off the outside corner ... even worse, you tried to pull it EVERY DAMN TIME!!!

2008-06-04 16:54:21

13. ChrisS

I like how Girardi puts three automatic outs right behind one of the hottest hitters in baseball.

Maybe he's from one of those "lineup orders don't matter" advanced sabermetric camps.

2008-06-04 16:54:59

14. OldYanksFan

Quiet here for a Wednesday night...

2008-06-04 16:55:09

15. ChrisS

13 Pardon me, I must have offended Molina with that thought.

2008-06-04 16:56:37

16. ChrisS

It's nice out in the Northeast. I'm skipping a BBQ to sit here and yell at my computer.

Moose is dangerously close to lowering his ERA under 4.

2008-06-04 16:57:57

17. nick

man, Melky and Robbie are so sad to watch....

2008-06-04 17:00:54

18. OldYanksFan

13 Where would you put Cano, Melky, Betemin and Molina?

2008-06-04 17:01:03

19. rbj

Congrats, Cap'n! And an RBI to go with it as well.

2008-06-04 17:01:47

20. nick

Jeter! "a magnificent Jeterian single by the captain"...

2008-06-04 17:02:42

21. ChrisS

A couple of more things: Derek Jeter has as many BBs in June than he did in all of April. And I really wish he had taken a couple of days off after getting hit in the hand instead of trying to gut it out.

2008-06-04 17:02:45

22. ms october

yep the perfect jeter hit

2008-06-04 17:03:11

23. Eirias

I eagerly await the day when my name is turned into an adjective. Although I probably shouldn't, given that such adjectives are usually bad.

2008-06-04 17:03:55

24. randym77

Does seem like Jeter's heating up.

2008-06-04 17:03:58

25. 3rd gen yankee fan

Wow. I saw it too!

2008-06-04 17:04:31

26. Yankees Brasil

When guys start hitting with RISP, bad luck comes into play. Bobby should have had a hit there.

2008-06-04 17:04:32

27. OldYanksFan

By the by, Hillary has thrown in the towel, Obama is the nominee. Is this the sign dem Yankees have been waiting for?

2008-06-04 17:06:24

28. Yankees Brasil

27 Hope so. That and Posada coming back :D

2008-06-04 17:07:15

29. Alex Belth

Nice moment for Jeter. Michael Kay almost spoiled it for me when he called the hit "so very Jeterian." I think that is grounds for a beat down, Michael you pompous ass.

2008-06-04 17:08:24

30. Yankees Brasil

BS there ump. Should have been strike three. The umps have been very bad this year.

2008-06-04 17:08:44

31. ms october

18 yeah there's really no where to put them - fortunately betemit and molina are going back to the bench where they belong - and boy do i really, really hope sitting giambi out is just precautionary and not the beginning of his foot/leg breakdown

i thought the pattern was if cano was sucking melky did well and if melky was sucking cano did well, although a somewhat frustrating pattern - this other pattern is much worse

2008-06-04 17:09:01

32. vockins

29 The worship session by Kay and Leiter got a little over the top.

2008-06-04 17:11:42

33. SF Yanks

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Best pitch ever.

2008-06-04 17:12:19

34. ChrisS

18 Unfortunately half the lineup is scuffling along. But I think that Matsui deserves that 3rd spot. Abreu aint gettin' it done (and case in point).

I don't know, this whole frustrates the hell out of me. I haven't seen such bad hitting from the Yanks in many seasons ...

... after some quick team OPS+ research: in 2001 - how odd - they had a worse team OPS+ (100 to 105).

2008-06-04 17:13:16

35. nick

and the Moose passes....Bob Shawkey! 7th all time on the Yankee K list, did they say?

2008-06-04 17:13:59

36. nick

Heavy moooos from the crowd--I love it!

2008-06-04 17:14:46

37. SF Yanks

And Moose with a 3.99 ERA!

2008-06-04 17:16:43

38. OldYanksFan

It's great to see a guy with fading stuff like Moose still pitch well. Baseball is a game where brains and guile make a difference.

2008-06-04 17:20:37

39. Yankees Brasil

Sure Litsch's pitches have quite some movement, but he has left more than enough of them in the middle of the plate. It'd be nice if we could get some more runs.

2008-06-04 17:21:00

40. ChrisS

.... I'll shut up for a bit.

Way to go, Wilson.

2008-06-04 17:21:03

41. nick

boom goes....the betemit!

2008-06-04 17:22:16

42. Yankees Brasil

And Cano with the double. Could Jesse Litsch be the savior of our season?

2008-06-04 17:22:58

43. nick

Waldman totally trashing Betemit after he homers: "that's the one thing he can do...sometimes...if he guesses right....and gets lucky...."

2008-06-04 17:23:54

44. ms october

40 no i believe your words had a positive effect:} - let's see how they work on melky

2008-06-04 17:25:02

45. ms october

40 44 see!!! now we just need abreu to hear them

2008-06-04 17:25:09

46. randym77

I was at a spring training game this year where Litsch was pitching. (He took a no-hitter into the 7th, IIRC.) I happened to be sitting next to friends of his family. (He's from Florida.) They were also friends of Tyler Clippard's family. Apparently, he's quite the party animal.

2008-06-04 17:25:33

47. Yankees Brasil

44 Damn, worked again.

2008-06-04 17:25:51

48. 3rd gen yankee fan

Yankees finally wake up? Good for Mattpat.

2008-06-04 17:26:07

49. nick

17 also had some effect methinks: I almost typed "can't remember when they last hit the ball hard...."

2008-06-04 17:26:44

50. cult of basebaal

wow ... melky and robbie with hits in the same inning ... surely the end times are near!

Show/Hide Comments 51-100

2008-06-04 17:26:50

51. ChrisS

44 How 'bout that.

I'm gonna grow a mustache next.

2008-06-04 17:28:32

52. ms october

49 oh yeah - defenitiely a collective effort

38 i agree oyf - it is not that easy to have to adjust who you are as an athlete

2008-06-04 17:29:06

53. Yankees Brasil

Litsch at 80 pitches and we have 3 runs already. That's more like the Yankees.

2008-06-04 17:32:38

54. ms october

50 and michael kay is being quite complementary of moose and his big fa contract the yanks gave him ... stock up

2008-06-04 17:34:36

55. Mr OK Jazz TOKYO

Ohayo! Jeterian singles? Betemit with the tater? Alex B calling out Kay for being pompous? I love my morning Banter, arigatou everyone. LET'S go YAN-Kees!

2008-06-04 17:34:45

56. Yankees Brasil

That 2-seamer on the inside corner to LHBs is crazy good tonight.

2008-06-04 17:36:38

57. rbj

Someone please tell me Mo's available for two innings tonight -- I guess he'll have to be his own setup man.

2008-06-04 17:38:21

58. Yankees Brasil

57 Let's get to the 8th inning with the lead before we start thinking about the setup man.

2008-06-04 17:40:44

59. ChrisS

Alrighty, now let's just Farnsworth this lead and we're all set.

2008-06-04 17:43:57

60. cult of basebaal

man, betemit's only 1 for 3 hitting that same pitch in that same smack-me location ... meh!

2008-06-04 17:46:49

61. cult of basebaal

man, moose bought a ticket for uncle charlie tonite

2008-06-04 17:47:29

62. OldYanksFan

WHERE WAS THAT PITCH?

2008-06-04 17:51:13

63. nick

mooooose!

2008-06-04 17:51:42

64. nick

61 tio carlos is in the house!

2008-06-04 17:56:02

65. Raf

still getting squeezed

2008-06-04 17:58:31

66. OldYanksFan

I would not be surprised to see the Yanks give Moose a 1 yr/$5m contract for 2009. Moose doesn't need the $$ but he is pitching for the HOF.

2008-06-04 17:58:46

67. Mr OK Jazz TOKYO

Mussina is coming out now right? RIGHT???

2008-06-04 18:00:13

68. cult of basebaal

way to wiggle moose, couldn't ask for much more

2008-06-04 18:03:05

69. ms october

he might have gotten squeezed even worse on stairs before getting the groundout

66 me neither. who knows what will happen with pettitte and with hughes and ian's injuries and hence probably not going to get enough innings and having some rough patches - it might make a lot of sense. also it might be a bit like glavine where it looked like (to me at least) no shot at 300, but then it eventually becomes a more realistic possibility

2008-06-04 18:03:14

70. Dimelo

Great job by Moose!!!!

2008-06-04 18:04:23

71. nick

Molina gettin back to early-season form!

2008-06-04 18:04:37

72. ms october

i guess molina wants to make sure moeller doesn't pass him on the depth chart

2008-06-04 18:04:59

73. cult of basebaal

hey ... how 'bout a pinch runner for the big slug, hmmmm? we've got an emergency catcher if moeller gets struck by lightning or is swallowed by a land shark or something

2008-06-04 18:06:55

74. rbj

73 Candygram

2008-06-04 18:07:44

75. Mr OK Jazz TOKYO

73 is Molina slower than Giambininjho?

2008-06-04 18:08:36

76. cult of basebaal

behold! the power of the 'stache!!!

2008-06-04 18:09:16

77. rbj

Hey, picking up the insurance run. Who are these guys?

2008-06-04 18:10:54

78. ms october

73 the sad thing is i think shelley would have to have been the pinch runner (unless i am overlooking someone else on the bench)

2008-06-04 18:12:05

79. nick

78 would you block the plate with young frankenstein rumbling homeward?

2008-06-04 18:13:36

80. ms october

79 um no - good point

this would be a good time for the bullpen to have a good game

2008-06-04 18:13:38

81. OldYanksFan

Can Cano and Melky grow a 'stache?

2008-06-04 18:15:24

82. Raf

Ross Ohlendorf kinda reminds me of Scott Proctor when he first came over. This in regards to the way he's been used, as well as the results.

2008-06-04 18:15:55

83. cult of basebaal

another great infield throw ... sheesh

2008-06-04 18:17:37

84. cult of basebaal

81 well, ollie's trying one ... we'll see if it helps

2008-06-04 18:20:12

85. tommyl

Well that was better than Kyle and Veras. See, he's not a long man! Dear lord who pitches the 8th?

2008-06-04 18:20:48

86. cult of basebaal

85 is there even a question? the farnswacker, dontcha know?

2008-06-04 18:20:57

87. Mr OK Jazz TOKYO

84 scarier stache possibility, Duncan or Eckstein?

2008-06-04 18:22:26

88. OldYanksFan

Let's hope Farns can hold them to 2 runs...

2008-06-04 18:24:01

89. ms october

87 i say eckstein and to the earlier stache question 81 i say in 10 yrs

86 what have we done to deserve this?

2008-06-04 18:24:54

90. tommyl

Oh dear lord. Why do we continually bring in our second worst relief pitcher to pitch the second highest leverage inning?

2008-06-04 18:27:32

91. Raf

90 Because he's a proven veteran, and he has Girardi's trust. Apparently Farns is the only one with experience setting up.

Also, it's part of the "formula."

2008-06-04 18:27:54