Baseball Toaster: Bronx Banter : Right Man for the Job

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Right Man for the Job

2008-07-30 09:07

by Alex Belth

C'mon, Meat. Keep your wits about you and John Blaze your way through the O's.

Time for a win.

Let's Go Yan-Kees.

Comments (249)

Show/Hide Comments 1-50

2008-07-30 09:19:37

1. Shaun P

Sarfate - URP? Or exploitable "new" starter? (He's never started a game in the majors before, though he was primarily a starter in the minors until sometime in 2006; he started only 1 games in the minors in 2007.)

Patience today, hitters, please?

2008-07-30 09:20:35

2. Alex Belth

I want the Yankee Bomb Squad out in full force today.

Beat down.

2008-07-30 09:27:47

3. Start Spreading the News

Yanks have to win today. Boston has Beckett pitching and Toronto has a rookie going today. So it figures to be a day where both those teams win.

2008-07-30 09:37:11

4. Just fair

I can't help but wonder if Joba will be effectively wild vs. some of the O's hitters today. If you know what I mean.

2008-07-30 09:39:02

5. Start Spreading the News

3 By Toronto pitching a rookie, I meant that Tampa will win.

2008-07-30 09:48:20

6. RIYank

From TampaBay.com:
"With a report of Pittsburgh that the Pirates are "deep into trade talks" with the Rays and unnamed other teams about OF Jason Bay, Rays manager Joe Maddon sounded optimistic this morning and said there now was a "solid 50-50" chance the Rays would be active before Thursday's 4 p.m. deadline for nonwaiver deals."

Whoa. With Bay, the Rays are fo' real.

2008-07-30 09:49:16

7. RIYank

4 Ugh. Just what we need, Joba suspended and missing a start so that Daniel Cabrera gets a message.
Yuck.

2008-07-30 09:53:39

8. Alex Belth

I think it's a good test to see what kind of pitcher Joba really is. His job is to go out and shut the O's down. Anything else is extra. If they have a 7-0 lead and he wants to throw at the O's, that's one thing. But first things first.

2008-07-30 09:59:06

9. Just fair

4 Not necessarily drilling anyone. But batters don't have much to worry about vs. Moose and Rasner. Make Huff or Millar move their feet, that's all I want to see.

2008-07-30 10:04:05

10. cult of basebaal

9 i think millar is first in line ... no headhunting, just a pitch inside to back him off and get him thinking. no more of this away, away, crappy hanging breaking ball bullshit.

2008-07-30 10:04:14

11. Sliced Bread

I want the third baseman to brutalize these dirty stinkin' birds!

(no animals were actually harmed during the posting of this comment)

2008-07-30 10:09:58

12. Just fair

That's gotta be an error.

2008-07-30 10:10:00

13. Yankee Fan In Boston

settle down, big fella. strikes.

2008-07-30 10:10:17

14. RIYank

Ugh.
Outs would also be nice.

2008-07-30 10:10:37

15. RIYank

12 It's an error.

2008-07-30 10:10:50

16. Yankee Fan In Boston

14 baby steps, RI.

2008-07-30 10:11:40

17. RIYank

That's more like it.

2008-07-30 10:11:41

18. cult of basebaal

worth a read:

http://www.nj.com/yankees/index.ssf/2008/07/comeback_this_season_looks_unl.html

short version, CMW is unlikely to be back this season, JD feels pain in his shoulder whenever he throws and thinks the shoulder will bother him all season.

2008-07-30 10:11:48

19. Yankee Fan In Boston

there we go. it's on.

2008-07-30 10:14:14

20. RIYank

The curve!

2008-07-30 10:15:21

21. RIYank

All on you, Robinson. Dammit.

2008-07-30 10:15:41

22. Sliced Bread

ugh! cheap run.
dirty stinkin' birds, crappin' in our cage.

2008-07-30 10:16:12

23. williamnyy23

More lackluster play leads to another deficit. Cano turned a routine play into a baserunner and now not only are the Yankees behind, but Joba has thrown an extra 10 pitches.

2008-07-30 10:16:28

24. SF Yanks

Question: is Joba considered an ace already or is it too early to tell?

2008-07-30 10:16:36

25. RIYank

He's getting very good calls (not accurate, I mean favorable) on that pitch inside to righties. Same spot, outside to lefties it's called a ball.

2008-07-30 10:17:21

26. RIYank

24 Officially, I'd say Too Early to Tell.
But just between you and me, yeah, ace.

2008-07-30 10:18:07

27. Sliced Bread

great throw by Joba there off the bunt.

Now commence with the stompin', damnit!

2008-07-30 10:19:52

28. ms october

18 does the long version have any good news? :}

23 i'm not sure that was routine - a play he should have made and nomrally does - but not routine per se

2008-07-30 10:19:54

29. Sliced Bread

24 I already regard him as our ace, but might be premature to label him that.

2008-07-30 10:21:59

30. ms october

one good sign - jeter walked

2008-07-30 10:22:22

31. williamnyy23

6 That Bay rumor would make the Rays a lot stronger.

2008-07-30 10:26:22

32. RIYank

Ha!!!

2008-07-30 10:26:35

33. Just fair

Hey, a team heartbeat is shown. : )

2008-07-30 10:26:36

34. ms october

yes - nice get that run back plus one early

2008-07-30 10:27:30

35. williamnyy23

O'Neill sounds just like Keith Hernandez in saying he loves to see hitters look to the opposite field with men in scoring position when you need a run. Somewhere weeping isn't weeping.

2008-07-30 10:27:35

36. cult of basebaal

don't look now, but Lemmiwinks is starting his patented 2nd-half surge.

2008-07-30 10:27:38

37. Yankee Fan In Boston

that slide was so nice.

2008-07-30 10:27:43

38. RIYank

We've forgotten all about HA! this year. Maybe we need some HA!

2008-07-30 10:29:36

39. ms october

38 the big lug does - oyf please give jason a pep talk - he may be pressing a bit chasing that ball

2008-07-30 10:29:41

40. RIYank

Jason is in a mini-slump.

2008-07-30 10:29:56

41. Sliced Bread

c'mon, Robbie. Pick up that ribeye.

2-0 count

2008-07-30 10:31:54

42. RIYank

RBI Cano!
Not exactly how I'd envisioned it.

2008-07-30 10:32:07

43. Sliced Bread

hardy har har...

3-1.

Tanks, boids.

2008-07-30 10:32:35

44. cult of basebaal

41 the RIPPER strikes fear into the hearts of lesser men ... and quirozes, too!

2008-07-30 10:32:53

45. Yankee Fan In Boston

i feel bad for the rookie pitcher there (from queens and making his debut in yankee stadium), but i think i can get over it.

2008-07-30 10:33:53

46. RIYank

Oh, no RBI for the passed ball. But it would be with a WP, right?

2008-07-30 10:37:48

47. rbj

Dang work is keeping me from keeping track of the game.

2008-07-30 10:38:42

48. cult of basebaal

hey, how about that ... pitch millar inside and THEN go away ... whattya know, it worked.

2008-07-30 10:38:44

49. ms october

sit down millar. thankfully somebody - namely the ace gets millar out

2008-07-30 10:39:46

50. RIYank

What? Where was that ('ball two')??

Show/Hide Comments 51-100

2008-07-30 10:40:24

51. Just fair

Hey, that X-file tune I have been hearing after k's is actually the P.C. Richard whistle. So there ya' go.

2008-07-30 10:40:48

52. RIYank

Slider seems to be the Out Pitch today.

2008-07-30 10:43:21

53. williamnyy23

Small sample size, but Nady hasn't had many good swings.

2008-07-30 10:43:41

54. Shaun P

I'll be a bit happier when there is a "1" in front of that "3" in the runs column.

But 3 is a nice start, especially for the ace.

2008-07-30 10:44:00

55. RIYank

53 I'll say.
Is it just the unfamiliar AL pitchers?

2008-07-30 10:45:11

56. cult of basebaal

yay, the pop out twins! well, at least we'll clear the pitcher's spot this inning ...

2008-07-30 10:45:20

57. Sliced Bread

Oof, is Nady going all (as Cliff says) Craig Wilson on us?

2008-07-30 10:46:37

58. cult of basebaal

57 yes, absolutely, 12 at bat sample size be damned ...

2008-07-30 10:47:12

59. Just fair

Fell into a rhythm or fell into the Yanks 7,8,9 hitters. I'll guess the latter. crap. Xavier should, ah, do better than pop on a 2-0 pitch.

2008-07-30 10:47:46

60. Shaun P

57 Let's hope not.

55 I think he might be pressing a bit.

2008-07-30 10:48:59

61. RIYank

Sliders, please!

2008-07-30 10:49:41

62. williamnyy23

Did Cano miss his wake up call today?

2008-07-30 10:49:44

63. Just fair

That too should be an error. But that's just me.

2008-07-30 10:49:54

64. RIYank

Ugh.

2008-07-30 10:50:36

65. Yankee Fan In Boston

here's where robbie turns the unassisted triple play.

2008-07-30 10:50:59

66. RIYank

Yay, sliders!

2008-07-30 10:51:55

67. RIYank

There it is again.
Joba keeps getting the strike call on inside pitches to righties.

2008-07-30 10:54:19

68. Just fair

Markakis would make a nice replacement for Abreu.

2008-07-30 10:56:25

69. williamnyy23

Bad defense has been killing the Yankees all season. Today it's Cano, who usually is a positive contributor, but tomorrow it will be someone else.

2008-07-30 10:57:36

70. RIYank

Am I right that Joba's slider is unhittable today? I guess he's having a little trouble throwing it for a strike so he's waiting to get ahead in the count.

2008-07-30 10:58:52

71. cult of basebaal

joba doesn't seem to be climbing the ladder enough on the FB today ... and he's throwing a metric fuckton of pitches ... 52 through 3. ugh.

2008-07-30 10:59:59

72. RIYank

71 Too many pitches, but not exactly his fault. If not for Cano's fielding, he'd be at about 40.

2008-07-30 11:00:17

73. williamnyy23

71 You can blame that on Cano. He is responsible for at least 15 of them. 52 pitchers for 3 2/3 is actually not that bad.

2008-07-30 11:00:37

74. Yankee Fan In Boston

71 the good news is that the O's pitcher has to be nearing that number, too... if this turns into a battle of the bullpens, the yankees would (hopefully) have the advantage.

2008-07-30 11:01:12

75. weeping for brunnhilde

Hey, Team!

We're going to win today.

Joba's going to grit this one out for us.

Mark my words.

2008-07-30 11:02:21

76. williamnyy23

74 But, Joba against Sarfaty should not have to be a battle of the bullpens. This offense had better get going or 8 games against Anaheim and Texas could get ugly.

2008-07-30 11:02:40

77. RIYank

Three BB and a HR would be nice. Preferably in that order.

2008-07-30 11:03:18

78. williamnyy23

75 Welcome...see 35 .

2008-07-30 11:03:24

79. Yankee Fan In Boston

76 i'm not saying that was the ideal situation, but it may be what this boils down to.

2008-07-30 11:03:48

80. RIYank

Right, we should have an advantage with the bullpens, but not as big an advantage as we ought to have with Joba vs. Sarfate. So, it's an okay fall-back, but not what we're looking for.

2008-07-30 11:04:28

81. williamnyy23

Baltimore did a great job with the Bedard and Tejada deals.

2008-07-30 11:04:38

82. cult of basebaal

well, at least it wasn't a DP ...

2008-07-30 11:05:04

83. RIYank

Hm.
Derek hasn't actually made contact with a pitch today.

2008-07-30 11:05:32

84. williamnyy23

82 Sadly, I've been thinking the same thing after lots of Jeter ABs.

2008-07-30 11:07:08

85. Just fair

Hey, Bobby. Word.

2008-07-30 11:07:14

86. RIYank

Sweet as candy!

2008-07-30 11:07:15

87. Sliced Bread

my impression is that Joba lost faith in the defense early, and is going for ks.
he's gotten squeezed on a couple lower corner pitches to righty hitters.
He's still learning. That's why I think the ace label may be premature. True aces are more efficient. Know when to mow 'em down, know when to induce contact. Joba's not there yet, ya know?

Oh, strong, Bobby! nice!
I fuggin' love when Bobby exhibits power.

2008-07-30 11:07:32

88. ms october

dhing seems to suit bobby

2008-07-30 11:07:51

89. RIYank

It's a Three True Outcomes inning for the Yankees!

2008-07-30 11:07:54

90. Yankee Fan In Boston

77 pretty close.

2008-07-30 11:08:15

91. alittleblackegg

81 Yep! Especially if they flip George Sherill for something good soon.

Abreu's looking good!

2008-07-30 11:08:17

92. cult of basebaal

36 like i said, patented 2nd-half surge ...

2008-07-30 11:08:37

93. RIYank

89 There goes that.

2008-07-30 11:11:58

94. williamnyy23

87 Joba definitely has to learn efficiency, but if he stays healthy, I am 99.44% confident he will be an ace. Considering all the hype, many people seem to feel that Joba is overrated, but I don't think most people realize how important he is going to be to this team's future.

2008-07-30 11:12:40

95. RIYank

So, maybe we can combine an early bullpen face-off with a comfortable lead?

2008-07-30 11:15:46

96. RIYank

Wow. Starting him off with three curves makes that heater awfully strong. And then another curve for the out!

2008-07-30 11:16:17

97. RIYank

Hey, how often do we manage to get five runs on two hits???

2008-07-30 11:20:39

98. Sliced Bread

94 yeah, Joba projects to be an ace. There should be no question about that. I'm just not comfortable with the label yet.
He's all raw talent and heart right now. It's easy to imagine him becoming a completely lights out pitcher when he's more experienced.

2008-07-30 11:23:09

99. williamnyy23

How bout a hard hit groundout, Xavier?

2008-07-30 11:24:30

100. RIYank

That inning was fast. Looks like the arrival of the relievers was delayed by an inning on both sides.

Show/Hide Comments 101-150

2008-07-30 11:26:12

101. Sliced Bread

honestly, I'm more excited to watch Joba throwing, than I am to watch the Yankees hit.
When was the last time we had a starter l