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You Must Remember This
2008-06-29 09:19
by Alex Belth

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42645000/jpg/_42645391_baseball_416.jpg

If the Yankees could only win one game this weekend I wanted it to be today's game. That's what I was saying all last week. I said two things: I hope the Yankees split the series and if they can only win one, let them beat Oliver Perez on Sunday. Perez is like AJ Burnett to me. Not as good, but still. Loads of talent, great "stuff" yet hopelessly erratic. Million Dollar Arm, Ten Cent Head kind of guy.

Of course, I'm more than half-expecting Perez to go out and throw a three-hitter. Walk five guys but still win.  He is 4-1 lifetime vs. the Yanks.

 

Let's hope that I'm wrong and that Perez is wild and awful not wild and good. Like to see a big day from Alex Rodriguez and the Yankee offense. Jorge, Jetes, Melkawitz.  Want them to have Perez seeing nothing but this:

Signs

(from Soxfan at YfSf)

Rasner seems due for a good start, doesn't he?

It's another hot one in New York. Got to figure the Mets are going to come out playing hard today. They need to salvage the split.  This is likely the last game the Yanks will ever play at Shea Stadium and our boys are playing with house money. Let's see what they can do with it and

Let's Go Yan-Kees!

Comments (135)
Show/Hide Comments 1-50
2008-06-29 09:50:18
1.   Yu-Hsing Chen
except that the ilnup doesn't have Bobby and Robby heh
2008-06-29 09:52:08
2.   cult of basebaal
Damon LF
Jeter SS
Rodriguez 3B
Posada 1B
Betemit 2B
Cabrera CF
Molina C
Christian RF
Rasner RHP
2008-06-29 09:53:30
3.   mehmattski
Probably for the best, lefties are hitting .167/.298/.333 off Perez this season. Righties are hitting .281/.400/.459... can't get a much clearer split than that.

Still, not sure I would have put Betemit in at second, he's pretty useless as a right handed hitter. I would have gone with AG.

2008-06-29 09:55:22
4.   cult of basebaal
3 and pretty useless as a 2nd baseman as well
2008-06-29 09:58:48
5.   monkeypants
3 Is AG on the roster? I forgot. He must spend a lot of time playing dominoes with Moeller.
2008-06-29 09:59:23
6.   cult of basebaal
it just seems like a lineup begging for trouble ... from the lack of patience, to the host of players occupying their 3rd best position in the field ...

still ... i suppose it's a house money game and we'll see wholesale subsitutions later in the game if things are close

2008-06-29 10:00:44
7.   mehmattski
It's going to be a rough afternoon for me. When the bottom four-fifths of the lineup look like that, it's going to be hard to argue against the sacrifice bunt...

But I am rooting for a quick game, I'm going to see Get Smart at 4 PM. A quick Yankees-Mets game? Unpossible!

2008-06-29 10:01:35
8.   cult of basebaal
7 with a lineup like that, it's hard to argue against the sacrifice bunt ... with nobody on!
2008-06-29 10:08:34
9.   mehmattski
I have no idea where I got four-fifths from. Me biologist. Me no math.
2008-06-29 10:10:36
10.   cult of basebaal
awesome, the game's on TBS!
2008-06-29 10:11:05
11.   mehmattski
You know, Giambi got on base two of three times last time against Perez. One of those wa a HBP, but still...
2008-06-29 10:12:52
12.   Alex Belth
C'mon Jete's!
2008-06-29 10:14:03
13.   Alex Belth
Okay, c'mon A Rod! Big day, big day...
2008-06-29 10:14:45
14.   Alex Belth
Damn.
2008-06-29 10:15:39
15.   Alex Belth
Alright. Big Ras, you the man, let's see what you got. Big day, throwing strikes day.
2008-06-29 10:18:56
16.   Alex Belth
Um, couldn't be a worse start for Ras and Molina.
2008-06-29 10:19:25
17.   mehmattski
Yeah, dance off second Reyes. See what happens.
2008-06-29 10:21:51
18.   mehmattski
To those who like to complain about Cano, it could be worse. Our second baseman could be Luis Castillo....
2008-06-29 10:24:04
19.   Alex Belth
Boy, Wright is swinging a good bat. Even his outs are cool.
2008-06-29 10:27:58
20.   Alex Belth
Way to go Ras. It don't have to be pretty.
2008-06-29 10:31:53
21.   mehmattski
Funny, the SNY radar gun is four mph faster than the Gameday gun. Oliver Perez is not throwing 94 mph.
2008-06-29 10:41:00
22.   Alex Belth
Yikes, Church smoked that. Good break for the Yanks.
2008-06-29 10:48:08
23.   Alex Belth
Wow, Rasner is a working for his money today.
2008-06-29 10:49:15
24.   ms october
time for some snacks like magic
2008-06-29 10:51:19
25.   mehmattski
Come on Ras, channel that Ponson magic!
2008-06-29 10:53:12
26.   mehmattski
Uh oh, the Mets have been taking notes on how to get RBIs on weak grounders.

Also I think Giambi makes the stretch towards Jeter's throw and gets the out.

2008-06-29 10:53:26
27.   weeping for brunnhilde
That was a very, very nice play by Derek, btw.
2008-06-29 10:55:04
28.   mehmattski
So do the Mets' fans normally have some kind of beat after "Let's Go Mets!" as in:

"Lets! Go! Mets! Woo!"

Or am I hearing the "Kees" as Yankees fans overlap the Mets fans:
"Let's! Go! Yan! Kees!"

2008-06-29 10:56:14
29.   ms october
oh well - that wasn't so bad.
nice effort by jeter, just not quite in time and ras got out of it - but has to throw more strikes.

i think chip caray's ratio of comments about the game to blabbering bullshit is about 1:10

2008-06-29 10:57:32
30.   mehmattski
27 Yeah, Jeter saved a run there by getting a glove on the ball.
2008-06-29 10:58:17
31.   51cq24
30 it was a nice play but robbie was right behind him
2008-06-29 10:59:35
32.   mehmattski
31 You mean Betemit... who was standing still, and would have been unlikely to have gotten any outs. Jeter had the best chance to catch the ball and get the out.
2008-06-29 11:00:24
33.   cult of basebaal
at this rate ... is it too early to call a no hitter?
2008-06-29 11:02:13
34.   mehmattski
Darrel Rasner has more plate discipline than some of our regulars.
2008-06-29 11:02:19
35.   ms october
33 that thought entered my mind - let's hope twice through the line-up is what gets him
2008-06-29 11:02:37
36.   51cq24
32 yes betemit. i was wondering why he was slow getting to that ball. nevertheless, my point was that jeter made a good play but it didn't ultimately save any runs because betemit was there to get the ball had jeter missed it.
2008-06-29 11:05:46
37.   cult of basebaal
man, the torture never stops ... this from chad jennings:

Not sure exactly what or why, but Alan Horne is out after just two-thirds of an inning here in Buffalo. His control was horrible -- 32 pitches, 12 strikes -- and he was constantly shaking his right arm in between pitches. He walked three and allowed a two-out, two-run single before being pulled from the game.

2008-06-29 11:07:20
38.   weeping for brunnhilde
36 I just thought Derek's range, fielding of the ball, exchange to the throwing hand and strong throw were all flawless. A fundamentally flawless play.
2008-06-29 11:08:57
39.   51cq24
38 i agree
2008-06-29 11:09:02
40.   mehmattski
That was not a smart 3-2 pitch.
2008-06-29 11:10:13
41.   51cq24
40 he was trying to fool him with a hanging slider what's wrong with that
2008-06-29 11:12:30
42.   Eirias
I'm not usually gloomy, but this game is going to be a slow death.
2008-06-29 11:12:42
43.   mehmattski
You know how in today's baseball video games when you don't time your pitching right it telegraphs the pitch location to the hitter? That's what happened on that pitch. Except Delgado didn't do what I normally do- get too excited and swing too early.
2008-06-29 11:13:24
44.   Eirias
Let the skies open!
2008-06-29 11:13:49
45.   mehmattski
Bright side: at least we'll get to see David Robertson's debut in today's game...
2008-06-29 11:17:38
46.   mehmattski
If Damon didn't have a bum foot, I'd hope he tried to bunt for a hit here. I'll settle for drawing a walk, though.
2008-06-29 11:20:52
47.   mehmattski
46 Well, he tried for the former but gave up on the latter.

Come on, Cap.

2008-06-29 11:21:33
48.   mehmattski
OMG A HIT
2008-06-29 11:22:24
49.   ms october
captain leading the way
2008-06-29 11:26:23
50.   cult of basebaal
damn, that would have been a historic shot ... yikes!
Show/Hide Comments 51-100
2008-06-29 11:28:19
51.   Alex Belth
The mighty A Rod struck out.
2008-06-29 11:28:41
52.   weeping for brunnhilde
That was a great battle there.

But damn, I don't know how Alex missed that pitch.

2008-06-29 11:30:25
53.   weeping for brunnhilde
What an extremely frustrating inning.
2008-06-29 11:39:38
54.   Just fair
{53) As opposed to the other non-frustrating innings. : )
Rasner's adversity to a 1,2,3 inning is irksome for me.
2008-06-29 11:40:30
55.   cult of basebaal
baffled him with the high meat!
2008-06-29 11:41:00
56.   Eirias
55 Awesome.
2008-06-29 11:47:34
57.   mehmattski
OK rain, stay away now
2008-06-29 11:47:51
58.   Eirias
What happened to stalling until a rain-out? Did they not get my memo?
2008-06-29 11:49:06
59.   Yankees Brasil
If we are going to lose I'd much rather lose with our best hitters out there, not with those scrubs.

By the way, Melky is the one who needs a day off. His ABs are pathetic right now.

2008-06-29 11:49:52
60.   Eirias
Anyone up for signing Sheets?
2008-06-29 11:53:21
61.   Yankees Brasil
Billy Cristal could work better AB's than Melky now.
2008-06-29 11:53:27
62.   ms october
oh goody - the obligatory joba/8th inning discussion - stfu assholes
2008-06-29 11:53:52
63.   Yankees Brasil
Billy Cristal could work better AB's than Melky now.
2008-06-29 11:56:55
64.   Eirias
It appears that I meant a quick, painful, rainy death. Not a slow one.
2008-06-29 11:58:04
65.   weeping for brunnhilde
Bravo, Rasner.

Come on, sticks, this is our game to win now!

We're bound to scratch out a couple, especially if we can get Robby and Abreu back in action.

2008-06-29 11:59:07
66.   weeping for brunnhilde
62 Who's talking about that? While they're at it, they might as well speculate about whether Clinton will be Obama's VP, just for good measure.
2008-06-29 12:00:09
67.   monkeypants
Not too bad of a game for Rasner overall.
2008-06-29 12:02:08
68.   51cq24
moeller is still on this team?
2008-06-29 12:02:48
69.   monkeypants
Hey, Chad Moeller sighting.

So, with Posada playing first, is this the best place to PH Moeller?

2008-06-29 12:03:45
70.   cult of basebaal
oh chad, you didn't eat yer wheaties this morning, did you ... sigh.
2008-06-29 12:03:48
71.   monkeypants
Sterling got very, very excited for that 360' flyout.
2008-06-29 12:05:08
72.   cult of basebaal
68 hahahahah. darling just dropped a clinton v obama political reference
2008-06-29 12:05:25
73.   Eirias
Just epic failure all around.
2008-06-29 12:07:03
74.   cult of basebaal
73 no, tuesday night's game in pittsburgh was "epic failure all around" ... this is just an instance of good pitching and just missing a couple of opportunities (arod, moeller)
2008-06-29 12:08:13
75.   cult of basebaal
it's Rapid Robertson!
2008-06-29 12:10:28
76.   nick
hi folks--so I thought Girardi had abandoned the house money lineup?
2008-06-29 12:11:13
77.   OldYanksFan
Was there a reason to pull Raz after 5?
2008-06-29 12:12:23
78.   51cq24
77 i didn't think he looked good
2008-06-29 12:12:56
79.   cult of basebaal
hmmm ... overthrowing the curve
2008-06-29 12:13:49
80.   ms october
bama yankee will be happy to see alabama product robertson

66 weeping - ron darling and one of my all time favorites chip caray - they also went on to say that joba should either stay in the pen or have started the year as a starter... no need for me to comment on the stupidity.

2008-06-29 12:16:53
81.   monkeypants
Perez is right around 90 pitches. His season average is 93, 100 if you take out his two really bad starts. The most he has thrown is 116. They might be able to wait him out if he has to throw a few pitches in the 7th.

Of course, if Robertson implodes here, it won't make much of a difference.

2008-06-29 12:17:57
82.   monkeypants
77 97 pitches, P spot came up to bat with one out so Girardi PH for him.
2008-06-29 12:18:27
83.   weeping for brunnhilde
Are we trying to lose this game?

Is our pen so shot right now?

2008-06-29 12:18:34
84.   cult of basebaal
buggerfuck
2008-06-29 12:21:02
85.   monkeypants
83 ?
2008-06-29 12:21:07
86.   mehmattski
Obviously Robertson will never amount to anything in the big leagues! He stinks! I make judgments based on extremely small samples!
2008-06-29 12:21:40
87.   cult of basebaal
83 decent time to get the kid's feet wet. besides, who would you prefer? hawkins??? ramirez in the midst of his 7+ era streak???
2008-06-29 12:22:25
88.   cult of basebaal
86 wait, you're really pete abraham incognito???
2008-06-29 12:25:34
89.   Eirias
74 Vague failure?
2008-06-29 12:29:27
90.   Jeb
ok guys, let's sign Oliver Perez in he offseason and then hypnotize him into thinking he's ALWAYS facing the Yankees. He'll win 30 games in 2009.
2008-06-29 12:29:56
91.   Jeb
I know that no one's going to believe me, but I was just thinking that Wilson might homer against Oliver.
2008-06-29 12:29:58
92.   mehmattski
I guess Betemit can hit lefties. Huh.
2008-06-29 12:30:05
93.   monkeypants
OK, that's better. Let's knock this turkey out here.
2008-06-29 12:30:55
94.   Eirias
90 Seriously. He is an idiot savant when it comes to facing the Yankees. He probably thought Betemit was still with the Dodgers.
2008-06-29 12:31:24
95.   monkeypants
Is that a whiff of implosion in the air?
2008-06-29 12:31:38
96.   Jeb
ok melky has to steal here, no?
2008-06-29 12:32:57
97.   51cq24
that home run was crushed. piazza hit one out in that direction in 1999 and they said it was 480, but this one looked like it was further towards centerfield. 500 ft?
2008-06-29 12:33:14
98.   Jeb
96 whoops, never mind, didn't realize he was at second already.
2008-06-29 12:34:09
99.   weeping for brunnhilde
That was horseshit.

They gave us a gift there, why not have Jason hitting?

God damn it.

2008-06-29 12:34:54
100.   weeping for brunnhilde
Oh, and as to Betemit, it's amazing he hit that ball like that.

The thing was practically over his head.

You really don't see homers on pitches that up very often.

Wow.

Show/Hide Comments 101-150
2008-06-29 12:35:53
101.   weeping for brunnhilde
85 I just meant to say, is this kid the best we can do right now, down by only two?
2008-06-29 12:36:46
102.   weeping for brunnhilde
87 Yeah, I'm not abreast enough of the state of the pen to have a better idea.
2008-06-29 12:37:27
103.   monkeypants
99 Well you see, it would have been lefty-lefty, or some such thing. Plus, Moeller was already used, so if he PH for Moeller, then Posada would have to move from 1B to C, and Giambi would have to come in to 1B. So you see, it would have been impossible.
.
.
.
Actually, there is no real good reason not to PH there.
2008-06-29 12:38:49
104.   monkeypants
101 I'm happy, because it means that the team is even willing to go to such kids, rather than Farnsworth or Hawkins or Igawa or the like.
2008-06-29 12:41:14
105.   nick
after Veras, I'd argue, any kid from the minors is our #2 set-up guy until proven otherwise. seriously....that said, I don't see much to like in today's small sample.
2008-06-29 12:42:55
106.   cult of basebaal
101 again, who are you suggesting pitch there? Especially since it's the 6th, not the 8th and you've got to get at least 3 innings from a bullpen? do you trust edwar who looked awful on friday? hawkins threw a bunch of pitches and probably isn't available, neither is giese. veras? farnsworth? mo?

who, exactly?

2008-06-29 12:43:19
107.   nick
but why not Giambi as the tying run against their tiring erratic lefty? I don't see it either....
2008-06-29 12:43:31
108.   weeping for brunnhilde
103 :)

It occurred to me the pitcher's spot was due up after Molina, no? In which case they walk Giambi but then you can still bring in Cano or Abreu.

You have to take a shot there, you've only got 7 outs left!

2008-06-29 12:43:32
109.   Jeb
Perez is at 106 pitches...so maybe he's done or on a short leash at least.
2008-06-29 12:44:02
110.   cult of basebaal
just saw 102 so, disregard 106

=)

2008-06-29 12:44:19
111.   weeping for brunnhilde
106 As I say, I've no suggestion of my own. I was just asking.
2008-06-29 12:45:08
112.   Jeb
C'mon everyone, let's wish Feliciano Feliz Navidad by putting a crooked number up.
2008-06-29 12:46:23
113.   monkeypants
108 Molina batting 7th, Christian 8th, then P.
2008-06-29 12:46:47
114.   cult of basebaal
105 because obviously everyone plays their best in major league debut, what with the nerves and adrenaline and all, that totally wouldn't affect either their control or their command of their curveball
2008-06-29 12:49:03
115.   Jeb
we need a little stache power here...maybe a walk
2008-06-29 12:49:05
116.   nick
now G where he can't tie it....sigh...
2008-06-29 12:53:06
117.   Jeb
fuck....just remember, few closers blow up more than wagner.
2008-06-29 12:54:41
118.   weeping for brunnhilde
113 Right. Same point, though. They'd have walked Giambi to pitch to Christian, but I'd still have pinch hit for Christian, probably.

Whatever.

This is a very disappointing game.

2008-06-29 12:56:19
119.   nick
look, 114 , I said I thought the kid should be #2 behind Veras-whattaya want from me? he didn't look so impressive in an admittedly small sample.
2008-06-29 12:59:32
120.   Jeb
Houston just took a 2-1 lead over Bawston in the 5th though. 2 outs with runners at 1st and 3rd and Beckett at 86 pitches with Carlos Lee up. Come on Houston!
2008-06-29 13:00:22
121.   Jeb
120 1 pitch ground out for Lee to end the inning. D'OH!
2008-06-29 13:01:39
122.   Jeb
If you have to face Wagner, I'd rather face him with the Captain, Arod and Jorgie with Bobby and Cano on the bench...

LET'S GO YAN-KEES!!!!

2008-06-29 13:05:01
123.   Jeb
The Captain!
2008-06-29 13:05:10
124.   Eirias
Alright Yanks, show him who deserves Enter Sandman.
2008-06-29 13:06:10
125.   Jeb
so we got Wild Billy today? Does anyone remember 2-3 years ago when we were losing 4-0 in the 9th at Shea and won because of Wild Billy?
2008-06-29 13:07:06
126.   Just fair
Missed it by.......that much.
2008-06-29 13:07:32
127.   cult of basebaal
ugh. arod's just missed about 3 pitches today.
2008-06-29 13:09:55
128.   Jeb
well, Wilson's got a puncher's chance anyway....I'm feeling another homer.
2008-06-29 13:11:58
129.   Eirias
128 Punchout
2008-06-29 13:12:14
130.   cult of basebaal
well, that was frustrating
2008-06-29 13:12:25
131.   Jeb
By the way, did anyone notice that there are a LOT of really really F A T Mets fans and TBS managed to show everyone of them? Holy shit...what a tribute to Tony Gwynn
2008-06-29 13:13:19
132.   Yankees Brasil
Is Joe Girardi on crack?
2008-06-29 17:34:05
133.   williamnyy23
I'm late to the party, but today's lineup exceeds any Torre house money game. The splits are irrelevant when the difference in talent between the options is so wide. With TB and Boston winning every day and doing what the Yankees haven't been able to do, you simply can not toss away a game like Girardi did today.
2008-06-29 19:41:32
134.   Sonya Hennys Tutu
133 I couldn't agree more and had the same thought. When YES flashed the line-up I was like "huh wtf?!?" and I never use the word "like" like that.

We had 4-5 weak spots in the line up. It's no way to win a game - regardless of splits as you said - and it showed.

Pathetic Joe. Pathetic.

2008-06-29 19:49:28
135.   monkeypants
133 Regarding Boston, by "winning every day" do you mean losing 2 out of 3 to Houston and going 5-5 in their last 10?

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