Baseball Toaster: Bronx Banter : No Problem

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Alex:
Ray Negron part 1 2 3 4
Dad, Reggie and Me
Slaughterhouse Five
Way Out in Brooklyn
Heat Fave
Passing
Love, Death and Baseball

Cliff:
The Ugly Truth About the New Yankee Stadium
First-Half Review
2008 Draft Roundup
July Farm Report
2008 Campers
All-Star Game: 1977, 2008
The Holy "Trinity": 1904 1949
Yankees by the Numbers
SportsIllustrated.com archive

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Alex:
Strikes and Gutters: A Year with the Coen Brothers: Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
My 20 Favorite Hip Hop Albums
Greatest Singles from Hip Hop's Golden Era (1986-1994)
Ten Neglected Hip Hop Classics

Cliff:
Tin Ear
Pazz & Jop ballots: 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003 (post), 2002, 2001
Clem Snide
Eminem
Sleater-Kinney

Bronx Banter Interviews

Roger Angell
Allen Barra
Jim Bouton
Howard Bryant: Part 1, Part 2
Ken Burns: Part 1, Part 2
Will Carroll
Ethan Coen
Harvey Frommer
Malcom Gladwell
Bill James
Pat Jordan
Chuck Korr: Part 1 Part 2
Jane Leavy
Michael Lewis
Tim Marchman
Marvin Miller
Rob Neyer: Part 1, Part 2
Buster Olney: April 2003, Sept. 2004
Buck O'Neil
Joe Posnanski
Alan Schwarz
Joel Sherman
Tom Verducci

Excerpts

Juicing the Game by Howard Bryant Part 1 Part 2
Forging Genius by Steven Goldman Part 1 Part 2
How About That! by Stephen Borelli
The Crowd Sounds Happy by Nicholas Dawidoff
The Last Nine Innings by Charles Euchner
Clemente by David Maraniss
The Soul of Baseball by Joe Posnanaski
Glenn Stout and Richard A. Johnson:
Yankee Century: Part 1 Part 2
Red Sox Century: 1 2 3 4
The Dodgers: 120 Years of Dodgers Baseball

Players

Major Leauge Roster:

Infielders:
J. Giambi BR BP E MLB
R. Cano BR BP E MLB
D. Jeter BR BP E MLB
A. Rodriguez BR BP E MLB
W. Betemit BR BP E MLB mi
C. Ransom BR BP E MLB mi
J. Miranda BR BC mi

Outfielders:
B. Abreu BR BP E MLB
J. Damon BR BP E MLB
X. Nady BR BP E MLB
H. Matsui BR BP E MLB mi
B. Gardner BR E MLB mi
M. Cabrera BR BP E MLB mi

Catchers:
I. Rodriguez BR BP E MLB
J. Molina BR BP E MLB
C. Moeller BR BP E MLB mi
F. Cervelli BR BC mi

Starting Pitchers:
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

15-day DL:
C. Wang BR BP BC E
60-day DL:
J. Posada BR BP E MLB
J. Albaladejo BR BP BC E mi
A. Brackman BC

Coaches:
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

40-man Roster:
AAA
S. Duncan BR BP E MLB mi
J. Christian BR BP E MLB mi
I. Kennedy BR BP BC E mi
C. Wright (L) BR BP BC E mi
J. Marquez BR BC mi

Designated for Assignment:
B. Traber (L) BR BP BC E mi

Select Minor Leaguers:

AAA Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees:
B. Castro BR mi DL
C. Basak BR BP BC E MLB mi
E. Duncan BC mi
N. Green BR mi
B. Broussard BR mi
M. Carson BC mi
C. Stewart BR BP E MLB mi
J. Brown BC mi DL
K. Igawa (L) BR BP BC E JB mi
M. Melancon BC mi
J.B. Cox BC mi
S. Strickland BR BC mi
S. Jackson BC mi
E. Milton BR BC mi DL
V. Zambrano BR BC mi DL

AA Trenton Thunder:
K. Russo BR mi
R. Peña BC mi DL
C. Malec BC mi
M. Vechionacci BC mi DL
A. Jackson BC mi
C. Curtis BC mi
E. Gonzalez BR mi
P.J. Pilittere BC mi
J. Jones BC mi
G. Kontos BC mi
J. Nuñez BC mi
B. Smith BC mi DL
A. Claggett BC mi
O. Perez BR BC mi
M. Gardner BC mi
K. Whelan BC mi
W. Arias (L) BC mi

A Tampa Yankees:
E. Nuñez BC mi
C.J. Henry BC mi DL
T. Battle BC mi
K. Anson BC mi
J. Gil BC mi
A. Horne BC mi DL
Z. McAllister BC mi
W. De La Rosa (L) BC mi
C. Garcia BC mi

Low-A Charleston RiverDogs:
J. Snyder BC mi
M. Cusick BC mi
B. Suttle BC mi
A. Romine BC mi
J. Montero BC mi
D. Betances BC mi
J. Heredia BC mi
J. Ortiz BC mi
C. Heyer BC mi

Low-A Staten Island Yankees:
D. Adams mi
P. Venditte mi

Rookie Gulf Coast Yankees:
C. Joseph mi
C. Smith mi
K. Higashioka mi

Key:
BR = Baseball-Reference
BP = Baseball Prospectus
BC = Baseball Cube (past mL stats)
mi = MiLB.com (current mL stats)
E = ESPN (current splits, game logs)
MLB = MLB.com hit charts
JB = Japanese Baseball.com

The Recently Departed

2008 Yankees:
R. Sexson BR BP E MLB
M. Ensberg BR BP E MLB CLE mL
A. Gonzalez BR BP E MLB mi WAS
K. Farnsworth BR BP BC E DET
L. Hawkins BR BP BC E HOU
S. Patterson BR BC mi SD

Nady/Marte Trade:
J. Tabata BC mi
J. Karstens BR BP BC E mi
R. Ohlendorf BR BP BC E
D. McCutchen BC mi

2008 Campers/mLers:
C. Woodward BR BP BC E MLB PHI mL
J. Lane BR mi BOS mL
G. Porter BC mi WAS mL
J.D. Closser BR mi SD mL
S. Henn (L) BR BP BC E mi SD
H. Phillips (L) BR BC mi TB mL
S. White BR BC mi

2007 Yankees:
J. Torre (Mgr) BR BP BC LAD
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
B. Sardinha BC mi SEA mL
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
M. DeSalvo BR BP BC E mi ATL mL
M. Myers (L) BR BP BC E LAD mL
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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No Problem

2008-06-18 21:47

by Cliff Corcoran

The Yanks looked they were going to waltz to another easy win in the early innings of last night's game. Darrell Rasner cruised through the first two frames, striking out four (three of them looking) and the Bombers plated three runs against Jake Peavy. However, Rasner struggled in the third, walking three, giving up two runs, and getting the final out on a drive to deep center with the bases loaded. That made a game out of it at 3-2 Yanks.

Alex Rodriguez killed a Jake Peavy pitch dead to make it 4-2 in the bottom of the inning, and the Yanks made Peavy work enough that, coming off an elbow injury, he was pulled after four innings and 93 pitches. The Yanks then added another run in the fifth against former Red Sock Bryan Corey when Rodriguez singled, stole second, and came around on a Jorge Posada single. Rasner walked five men in five innings after walking just three in his previous 42, and Edwar Ramirez came on to pitch the sixth and seventh. Ramirez set down the side in order in the sixth, striking out two, but with two outs in the seventh he gave back both insurance runs on back-to-back homers by Adrian Gonzalez and Brian Giles.

Homers were Edwar's big bugaboo in his major league debut last year, but he had only allowed one in his previous 29 innings this year in the majors and minors combined, so, despite the flashbacks, I'm willing to credit Gonzalez and Giles here. After all, they were the two guys I warned you about in my series preview. After the game, Joe Girardi brushed off those homers, both of which came on fastballs down and over the plate to the lefty batters. Of course, he also brushed off the leadoff homer Kyle Farnsworth gave up in the eighth despite the fact that Farnsworth is allowing 2.5 homers per nine innings on the season. To Farnsworth's credit, he had been homer free in his previous seven outings/innings, and on the year, just six of the batters he has faced who haven't homered have scored. The Farnsworth homer was the first in the major leagues by Padres prospect Chase Headley, who was called up before Tuesday night's game and got to play his natural position last night in place of the defensively inferior Kevin Kouzmanoff.

The other good news on that homer is that it was preceded by two more Yankee runs, the latter of which was driven in by Rodriguez, who led the Yankee charge with a 3-for-4 night. After Farnsworth's frame, the Yanks got Headley's run back on a Wilson Betemit double (Betemit was also 3 for 4, but made an error at first base in the first and was caught stealing in the sixth) and a Johnny Damon single (Johnny was 3 for 5 with a successful steal).

Mariano Rivera came on in the ninth and gave up a leadoff double to Edgar Gonzalez (the elder Gonzalez's second two-bagger of the night), but struck out Brian Giles and got the younger Gonzalez to hit a looper to Derek Jeter that doubled his big brother off second to seal the Yankees' 8-5 win.

In other news, Hideki Matsui had his left knee drained and hopes to avoid the disabled list, but almost certainly won't be in the lineup this afternoon as the Yankees go for their second straight sweep and seventh straight win.

Comments

2008-06-18 23:54:56

1. tommyl

Seems more and more this is becoming A-Rod's team. Dear G-d that man is good at the baseball. Homers, scores another run by stealing second and plates another with a clutch single. All while fielding incredibly.

In other news, did anyone else hear about Tiger? Season ending surgery. Apparently he wont the US Open on a blown ACL and a stress fractured tibia. That man is good at the golf.

2008-06-19 00:04:21

2. Mattpat11

I can't be the only one excited that the Yankees have turned to proven, repeated failure Sidney Ponson.

2008-06-19 00:35:34

3. Cliff Corcoran

2 See the pre-game post.

1 Did he actually injure himself playing golf? Is that actually possible outside of the odd lightning storm? Wait. Don't answer that. I don't care. Amen on Rodriguez, though.

2008-06-19 02:30:42

4. JL25and3

I told you Mariano has trouble with guys named Edgar.

2008-06-19 04:27:12

5. tommyl

3 He says it was first injured running, but anyone who plays golf and has seen his swing could see it being possible. There's a tremendous amount of torque involved, especially on the front (landing leg). I've had ACL recon myself (and skied 3 days on it when it was blown) and when I swing it torques every now and again. I could see how it was aggravated.

What he did was amazing. Its not the pain, you can suck that up, but his knee must have been completely unstable in exactly the rotation arc he needs. Its unreal.

2008-06-19 04:27:50

6. tommyl

3 5 To put it in a baseball context. It would be roughly like Kirk Gibson hitting a homerun in every single game of the 88 Serious.

2008-06-19 05:45:08

7. Raf

2 Due diligence by Cashman, it costs little to nothing to bring him on board. If anything, it probably means that the kids @ Trenton or SWB or IPK/Hughes aren't quite ready yet. Whether or not we see Ponson depends on how well Giese does in his start Saturday.

2008-06-19 05:48:33

8. mehmattski

Tiger didn't just play the US Open with a torn ACL... he won seven tournaments this year with a torn ACL.

While recovering from the arthroscopic surgery, his doctor recommended he get the ligament-repair surgery immediately. The doctor told reporters that Tiger said:

"No. I'm playing in the US Open. I'm going to play, and I'm going to win."

2008-06-19 06:05:51

9. mehmattski

7 I think as long as Ponson isn't a complete disaster in his first SWB start, we will see him in one of the games of the double-header versus the Mets. And if he just happens to throw 5 or 6 passable innings in that game, he's going to get more starts. That's what's scary.

Sometimes, the risk associated with even a minor-league contract isn't worth it. This is one of those times. Cashman has an obsession with Ponson the way some girls are convinced they can change their abusive boyfriends.

2008-06-19 06:16:05

10. Sliced Bread

Cashman is also required to do "doo doo diligence" to keep crap like Ponson out of the uniform.
I'd rather roll the dice on any other pitcher in the organization.

Whatever. It's a Joba Day, and the offense is on fire.

2008-06-19 06:25:50

11. monkeypants

9 But if he throws a good game and gets more starts, and continues to pitch OK, who cares? The scary part is not that he may (will?) get starts, it's that his leash will not be very, very short. I have little problem with tossing him out there in a DH, so long as the understanding is that it's one-strike-and-he's-out: the first poor outing and it's DFA time.

10 Any pitcher? Does that include Kei Igawa?

In the end, I think that this is all much ado about nothing, because as soon as IPK is back and has a couple of starts at AAA, he will be in the rotation.

Or, I am wrong and will be grinding my teeth for the next month.

2008-06-19 06:33:44

12. Travis08

Lying with statistics ...

Yankees record in pitcher-starts, 1995-2008, minimum 3 games started:

W Pct Pitcher Team Record
1.000 Ed Yarnall 3-0
0.833 Tyler Clippard 5-1
0.750 Aaron Small 9-3
0.750 Jason Grimsley 3-1
0.750 Tanyon Sturtze 3-1
0.727 Randy Keisler 8-3
0.695 Chien-Ming Wang 66-29
0.683 David Wells 84-39
0.667 Jon Lieber 18-9
0.667 Jose Contreras 18-9
0.667 Esteban Loaiza 4-2
0.667 Joba Chamberlain 2-1
0.667 Sidney Ponson 2-1

2008-06-19 06:35:41

13. RIYank

8 My god. That quotation could almost be word for word from Carl Pavano! I mean, change the references to the appropriate sport, of course.

2008-06-19 06:36:31

14. Sliced Bread

11 yes

2008-06-19 06:40:13

15. Bama Yankee

Even though I'm not much of a fan of Sir Sidney, I think signing him helps Cashman's position in trade discussions. When other GM's start asking for the moon for a league average pitcher, Cash can say "I'll just go with Ponson if that's the best you can do..."

2008-06-19 06:40:47

16. Rob Middletown CT

"0.695 Chien-Ming Wang 66-29"

I am still so pissed off about that injury.

2008-06-19 06:42:35

17. mehmattski

Clearly the Yankees should sign Ed Yarnell to a minor league contract. No risk! High reward! I mean, the guy's undefeated!

2008-06-19 06:42:55

18. monkeypants

14 A strong statement then!

2008-06-19 06:58:19

19. Raf

9 The Ponson signing can hardly be attributed to as an obsession. It's a warm body that may be needed for an upcoming DH. The Yanks are not in a position to be choosy about who throws for them.

Ponson, like last time, will get a few games in before he's cut loose. Just like Tim Redding, Darrel May, Kris Wilson, Wally Whitehurst, etc, etc, etc before him. He's a placeholder. Not that big a deal.

2008-06-19 07:02:05

20. monkeypants

Ok boys and girls...just phoned in that I'm "working from home" today. That means some text on the screen, Banter in the background, and the Yankees on the radio.

2008-06-19 07:03:12

21. mehmattski

To all those who were looking for deeper meaning in the Yankees' 20-25 record on May 20:

The Yankees are 19-9 since Alex Rodriguez returned to the lineup. A-Rod is hitting .382/.476/.765 since he returned, and the whole offense is hitting .302/.372/.470.

The Yankees are 10-3 since Jorge Posada returned to the lineup on June 5. Posada is hitting .379/.538/.621

While Jason Giambi's last month has also been extraordinary, I think we can all hang a big "DUH!" on this issue. The Yankees have outscored their opponents 164-123 since A-Rod returned, and 80-47 since Posada returned. It was that simple, folks.

2008-06-19 07:34:25

22. tommyl

21 Which shows how truly valuable those two are.

2008-06-19 07:56:57

23. mehmattski

22 No two teammates had a higher combined OPS than A-Rod and Posada in 2007. I'd say they were a pretty big loss when they were on the DL.

2008-06-19 08:11:10

24. Raf

22 Rodriguez mentioned as much on the post game interview; that while the Yanks were happy to have A-Rod back, that Posada's return was also a boost to the lineup.

2008-06-19 09:09:16

25. weeping for brunnhilde

23 Really?

That's remarkable.

Wow.

2008-06-19 09:11:52

26. weeping for brunnhilde

24 I chuckled listening to that interview; isn't it funny how punctilious Alex is about downplaying his own presence? E.g., asked about his homer, "Well, the important thing is that the team was winning, that's what matters." and deflecting attention to Jorgie, as you point out, and being all modest about his fielding.

It's almost like he's trying really, really hard to say the right thing.

He's cute.