Baseball Toaster: Bronx Banter : Dare To Dream

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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

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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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Dare To Dream

2008-07-27 12:45

by Cliff Corcoran

Here's what I wrote about tonight's pitching matchup in my series preview on Friday:

ESPN's Sunday night game pits Sidney Ponson against Jon Lester. Lester is one of the great stories of this season, having rebounded from non-Hodgkins lymphoma to not only throw a no-hitter, but have a great season overall. Lester has a 3.20 ERA on the season, a 2.93 ERA at home, and needed just 105 pitches to shutout the Yankees on five hits and two walks while striking out eight in his only start against the Bombers this season. That said, he's been inconsistent of late. Lester's no-hitter came in the middle of a run of 11 starts from the end of April to late June in which the lefty posted a 2.13 ERA. Since then, however, he's alternated dominant starts (including his shutout of the Yankees) with non-quality outings. If the pattern holds, he's due for a stinker, but his dominance of the Yankees in their last meeting and overall success this season is the better indicator of what he's likely to do Sunday night.

That means Ponson has his work cut out for him. Before his last start, I wrote that Ponson's surprisingly successful season has been the result of a sharp increase in his groundball rate. The problem is that Fenway Park has a notoriously hard infield, which can cause trouble for groundball pitchers (Chien-Ming Wang's career ERA at Fenway is 5.11, and in his complete-game two-hitter there this April, he got more outs in the air than on the ground). Ponson hasn't faced the Red Sox this year, but historically, the Sox's lineup owns him (David Ortiz: .444/.563/.722; Manny Ramirez: .404/.481/.511; Jason Varitek: .317/.364/.561; Kevin Youkilis: 4 for 9 with a double; J.D. Drew: 3 for 7 with a double; Dustin Pedroia: 3 for 3), the only exception being Mike Lowell, who is 0 for 7 with a walk against Ponson. Lester would have to implode completely for the Yankees to overcome what's likely to happen to Ponson on Sunday night.

That means the Yankees hopes for a series win lie in the first two games . . .

Everything's gone according to plan thus far. The Yankees got a dominant outing from Joba Chamberlain on Friday night and a quality start from Andy Pettitte buoyed by ten runs of support yesterday to take the first two games and thus the series, but with them having done that, pushing their second-half record to a perfect 9-0 and closing their deficit to the Red Sox in the Wild Card race to just one game . . . doesn't it seem possible that they just mind find away to win tonight despite all of what I said above?

Here's another question: If on Opening Day I told you that, on the final weekend in July, Yankees would be on the verge of a three-game sweep at Fenway that would tie them with the Red Sox in the standings, and that the lineup they were running out in an attempt to win that game featured Xavier Nady, Richie Sexson, Jose Molina, and Sidney Ponson in place of Hideki Matsui, Jason Giambi, Jorge Posada, and either Chien-Ming Wang, Phil Hughes, or Ian Kennedy, (or anyone else, really), what would your reaction have been? Elation? Disgust? Confusion? Frustration? Shock? Concern?

The game's being threatened by rain, but if it's the storm that passed through New Jersey this afternoon, it won't last too long. Given the ESPN start time and the team's involved, any kind of delay at the start should push the end of the game well past midnight.

Comments (351)

Show/Hide Comments 1-50

2008-07-27 16:05:37

1. Travis08

The last matchup between these two pitchers produced the longest 9-inning game in major league history.

http://www.bb-ref.com/boxes/BOS/BOS200608182.shtml

2008-07-27 16:10:40

2. Gagne55

1 I'd forgotten Ponson was a Yankee before.

2008-07-27 16:13:56

3. tommyl

0 Cliff, I think if you had told me at the beginning of the season that Ponson would be pitching for the Yankees at all I'd have said you were insane. So yeah, I think shock describes it.

BTW, might want to keep tabs on the AAA game tonight. Aceves vs. Liriano

2008-07-27 16:19:14

4. ms october

2 as hard as i have tried i haven't

0 elation at the 3 game sweep of course - consternation probably sums up the rest of it

travis08, i am hoping tto see an updated yankee winning percentage leaders tonight with snacks moving on up

2008-07-27 16:26:12

5. Chyll Will

0 "That's the thing about baseball, ya never know what to expe-" (WHAM!!)

Shaddup, John Sterling. Love, Chyll Will >;)

Personally, i would have thought something would have to have gone horribly wrong to get to that lineup, but as it was, it was more like annoyingly mediocre...

2008-07-27 16:26:56

6. yankster

0 Opening Day? If you'd told me six weeks ago that the Yankees would be even with the Sox in the loss column by now, I would have spit my milk. Even Goldman said it was exceedingly unlikely the Yanks would make the post-season.

I've lost my dignity already bubbling to friends about the comeback. Shock is definitely the word.

Except the left reliever. I feel like we're always trading near the deadline for a reliever.

2008-07-27 16:31:49

7. Travis08

4 Yankees' record in pitcher-starts, 1995-2008, minimum 5 starts:

0.857 Sidney Ponson 6-1
0.833 Tyler Clippard 5-1
0.750 Aaron Small 9-3
0.727 Randy Keisler 8-3
0.700 Joba Chamberlain 7-3
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

Trivia question: Who is the only Yankees pitcher with at least 3 starts since 1995 who did not start in a Yankees win?

2008-07-27 16:34:25

8. RIYank

And, by the way, what if someone had told you that the Yanks and Sox would be battling on July 27, a single game apart... and both chasing the Rays???

2008-07-27 16:40:14

9. Just fair

3 Nick Green just hit a 3 run homer off Liriano to tie it at 4 in the top of the 5th.

2008-07-27 16:42:03

10. ms october

7 thanks travis08

2008-07-27 16:45:14

11. RIYank

Ms. Oct., the weather has cleared here. What's up there?

2008-07-27 16:48:56

12. Travis08

ESPN just showed them taking the tarp off the field.

2008-07-27 16:50:06

13. JL25and3

I have to give you credit, Cliff. Here's what you wrote Friday night:

"However, if Girardi decides he now has a matchup lefty and starts managing batter-by-batter in the late-innings, it's going to put a previously non-existent strain on the bullpen and could actually hurt the unit as a whole."

And sure enough, that's exactly how he used Marte yesterday.

Granted, if there's any situation where you'd want to use batter-by-batter matchups, that was the one: Ortiz and Manny, with a chance to put the Sox right back in the game. I'm willing to let that one slide, but I hope it doesn't become a habit.

I also hope you're less prescient in your Nady-Craig Wilson comparison.

2008-07-27 16:54:25

14. ms october

11 12 cleared up here too - the sky is a bit lighter as well so maybe the next storm won't come in until much later

2008-07-27 16:56:29

15. monkeypants

13 I'm hoping that was just Girardi's way of easing Marte into the BP rotation, and it was (as you note) a particular set of circumstances.

We'll know more in a few appearances how he plans to use Marte regularly.

2008-07-27 16:57:57

16. RIYank

13 It would have made perfect sense, actually, except that Marte has good splits against righties.
Since it worked out, nobody's complaining, obviously.

Does anybody wish we could have had tonight's Washburn start? He handled the Jays nicely.

I think I'm going to miss every bit of the game, dammit. I have to drive to Logan airport, wait for my wife, and drive home. Her flight was delayed, and now the game is delayed by the same amount. I'll have to listen on the radio, flipping back and forth between the Sox station and John & Suzyn.

2008-07-27 16:58:31

17. ms october

13 thought the same thing - with cliff being spot on and that the ortiz/manny combo is about the only time i wouldn't get annoyed by it.
it's like the loogy is a toy that these managers just have to have even if a lhrp shouldn't be a loogy.

2008-07-27 16:58:35

18. Shaun P

14 Online interactive radar seems to suggest that the storms are not going to come back. We'll see.

2008-07-27 17:00:19

19. monkeypants

13 Also, Hawkins had been pretty much banished to the end of the BP. Even if Marte is used more as a LOOGY, he could still essentially replaced Hawkins' innings and not put further strain on the "real" BP.

Wishful thinking...

2008-07-27 17:01:50

20. Eirias

Every time I think ESPN can be no more bombastic than they are, they prove me wrong.

2008-07-27 17:02:00

21. RIYank

Is there any chance that Marte might replace Giese as long man?

2008-07-27 17:02:35

22. tommyl

Well, no Morgan (yay!), but instead Phillips (boo!)

2008-07-27 17:02:47

23. monkeypants

Hey, no Joe Morgan. Yet another reason to love the HOF and HOF weekend!

2008-07-27 17:02:54

24. Travis08

I think I'd rather have Joe Morgan in the booth than Steve Phillips.

2008-07-27 17:03:31

25. monkeypants

20 Remember, just turn off any pregame BS on FOX or ESPN...

2008-07-27 17:03:43

26. JL25and3

Marte's reverse lefty-righty split is really just for this year - 60 PA against lefties. Over his career the splits are normal.

Plus, there's Ortiz's splits.

2008-07-27 17:03:56

27. ms october

24 me too

2008-07-27 17:03:59

28. Eirias

I always imagine Manny with a much higher voice.

2008-07-27 17:05:21

29. tommyl

Hey, Manny is bitching and wants a trade. It must be July.

2008-07-27 17:05:29

30. JL25and3

20 Just ESPN being ESPN...

2008-07-27 17:08:40

31. JimCobain

Boy, Orel Hershiser looks downright evil with that high angle camera. He was all fired up or had Uncle Leo eye brows drawn on by Joe Morgan's makeup artist.

2008-07-27 17:08:54

32. RIYank

26 I always wondered about that. Suppose a lefty pitcher has strange, equal splits against righties and lefties. And he faces a lefty who has normal, skewed splits, he can't hit lefties at all.
Does one of those tendencies win out? Or do they average? Or is there no general answer?

2008-07-27 17:09:23

33. tommyl

Anyone hear anything about a game time?

2008-07-27 17:10:03

34. Sliced Bread

Yellow shirt, pink tie, Jon Miller appears to be wearing a piece of ARod's birthday cake.

2008-07-27 17:14:06

35. RIYank

33 They're waiting because another squall is expected to come through. So, no. But not too long.

2008-07-27 17:18:14

36. ChrisS

32 The universe implodes, let's hope it doesn't happen.

I'd like to see Nady give me some hope.

2008-07-27 17:36:31

37. Mr OK Jazz TOKYO

A rainout means Ponson won't start the make-up, right...??

2008-07-27 17:40:20

38. 3rd gen yankee fan

ESPN radio is playing the 7th game of the 2003 ALCS... just got through the 8th inning where Bernie knocked in Jeter... woo hoo!

2008-07-27 17:41:53

39. Travis08

The game is scheduled to start at 9:00.

37 A rainout would be made up either on August 25 or during the final weekend of the season.

2008-07-27 17:58:06

40. OldYanksFan

Well, the girls at ESPN all seem sure that Manny is done as a Red Sox. I myself am not that sure, since the Sox have 2 one year options. Gotta love one year options. One of the ladies seems to think Manny is looking for a $100m contract. Really? 5 years @ 20m? So.... what's Manny worth? 3/$50? He's no kid anymore.

2008-07-27 17:58:43

41. monkeypants

Please dear God let this game begin...the Baseball Tonight idiots are killing me. Usually BBT is not broadcast here in Canada, and I forgot how irritating these guys are.

BTW, is Dari Norkhah Karl Ravech's evil doppelganger?

2008-07-27 17:58:52

42. Travis08

39 FWIW, the NFL Network is re-airing Super Bowl XLII right now.

2008-07-27 18:00:37

43. monkeypants

40 I'm not sure 5@20 is that unrealistic. What will Tex make, for example? Manny stands a good chance to outperform Tex with the bat for at least a few years.

2008-07-27 18:02:12

44. williamnyy23

It was nice to see Gammon maintain his objectivity when reporting on Manny before the game. I wonder if Red Sox management prepares cue card for him to read.

2008-07-27 18:03:25

45. williamnyy23

I know it pays the bills, but these ads at the bottom of each thread will take some getting used to.

2008-07-27 18:05:35

46. monkeypants

45 EVIL CAPITALISM!!!!!

Sorry, I was just filling for OldYanksFan there.

2008-07-27 18:07:04

47. monkeypants

Jeter is hitting the ball better, and he's lately pulled a few more balls with authority.

2008-07-27 18:10:03

48. Just fair

1 ball laced. 2 balls just missed. A portend of things to come.

2008-07-27 18:11:08

49. monkeypants

48 YEah, A-rod's ball carried more than I thought, though admittedly in Fenway that was only a 295' foot fly.

2008-07-27 18:11:10

50. Shaun P

43 I'm not saying he couldn't hit at 41, but is anyone really going to take a chance on Manny at 41?

Especially in the non-DH league?

If the Angels didn't already have an OF full of bad contracts, I could see them doing 5yrs/$20M per. But who else in the AL would pay that?

Show/Hide Comments 51-100

2008-07-27 18:11:58

51. monkeypants

And so it begins...

2008-07-27 18:12:38

52. ms october

45 agreed - it would help if they were a little smaller

ugh dustbin with the immediate hit.
it wouldn't be a ponson game without a bunch of guys on base

2008-07-27 18:13:52

53. tommyl

Um, did ESPN just show Carl Pavano pitching for the Yankees? or am I losing my mind?

2008-07-27 18:16:07

54. ChrisS

If Ponson was a pro golfer, he'd a poorman's Ernie Els - one scrambling sonofabitch. In and out of trouble all night long.

2008-07-27 18:17:13

55. Travis08

Time to warm up Giese.

2008-07-27 18:17:14

56. monkeypants

That's just Sydney being Sydney...

2008-07-27 18:17:14

57. Just fair

Gee. Who would have predicted this?

2008-07-27 18:17:35

58. tommyl

Well, this is the Sidney Ponson I remember.

2008-07-27 18:18:11

59. ChrisS

54 or just in it, as the case tonight may be.

2008-07-27 18:18:18

60. williamnyy23

The price for Washburn is going up with every pitch Ponson throws. The Yankees have played well enough that they can absorb a loss today, but Cashman has to come up with a way to make sure Ponson does not take many more starts.

2008-07-27 18:18:48

61. Mr OK Jazz TOKYO

so so so glad we took the first two games of this series..the inevitable Ponsoon damage wil be easier to take..

2008-07-27 18:18:57

62. monkeypants

Washburn pitches a four hitter today, and the wheels fall of Sir Sidney's chuck wagon in Boston...the perfect storm for a crazy Yankee signing.

2008-07-27 18:19:00

63. Shaun P

It could be that Ponson will get on track next inning.

2008-07-27 18:20:13

64. Just fair

Orel, get a clue. Cano's "nonchalance" on the dp did not set off this inning. Manny being Manny. I think I'm going to f$%#ing scream.!

2008-07-27 18:20:21

65. monkeypants

Phillips got to use the term "productive out", rag on Jeter, and say "Manny being Manny" all within the first inning.

2008-07-27 18:21:53

66. monkeypants

64 Maybe I misheard, but I thought they blamed Jeter's nonchalance on the inning...which is still stupid. This is just what happens when Sydey "1.7 WHIP" Ponson plies his trade.

2008-07-27 18:21:56

67. Mr OK Jazz TOKYO

65 Thank Buddha for Gameday..never want to hear either of those phrases ever again..Steve Phillips, don't you have a pedicure appointment to get to now please??

2008-07-27 18:22:13

68. Travis08

The Yankees need to stretch this out until the next rainstorm hits Boston.

2008-07-27 18:22:18

69. Just fair

The Reyns.com ad guy looks like Theo Epstein.

2008-07-27 18:23:00

70. ms october

just checked chad jennings blog - sounds like aceves had 3 good innings and then struggled in the 4th and 5th - sounds like he is not quite ready yet after his injury - so we are going to have to hope if snacks is still around he regains the snacks magic that he seems unable to ever muster against the red sox

2008-07-27 18:23:04

71. williamnyy23

64 Cano was fine, but Jeter definitely laid back on that ball.

2008-07-27 18:25:32

72. tommyl

Ok, I'm a big fan of Lester's. I think what he's done is amazing, but does ESPN need to take a graphic from a fucking fan blog?

2008-07-27 18:26:22

73. tommyl

70 Or we could just bring Kennedy back up. The kid does have an ERA around 2 in AAA and almost threw a no hitter last time out.

2008-07-27 18:29:21

74. Jeb

Do we have to hear the incredibly wonderful amazing never done before Jon Lester story again? Seriously, how many times do we have to hear about it? I get it.

And before anyone says anything, I've had a very close relative die from Cancer, so I respect what Lester has done; I just want to know when they'll start talking about him as a pitcher and not a cancer survivor.

2008-07-27 18:29:37

75. OldYanksFan

Jeez Melky

2008-07-27 18:29:40

76. Shaun P

Alright, Sexson hits the lefty!

2008-07-27 18:30:06

77. ChrisS

Melky just got owned.

2008-07-27 18:30:39

78. Mr OK Jazz TOKYO

74 Jeb-san, are you not watching ESPN?? all-Boston, all the time! I imagine even Lester gets