Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
The Red Sox won Game One of their double-header today 3-1. It was a swift, low-scoring affair that took just 2 hours and 23 minutes to play and was dominated by pitching, particularly the pitching of Tim Wakefield (7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 6 K), who didn't allow a hit through the first four innings. All three Red Sox runs were driven in by Boston's Big Boys, two by David Ortiz (1 for 4, 2B, 2Ks) and one by Manny Ramirez (1 for 2, IBB, HBP, throwing error). Meanwhile, the Blue Jays wasted the solid pitching of Dave Bush and Dustin McGowan by stranding runners in scoring position in the eighth and ninth against Jon Papelbon and Mike Timlin.
And with that, the Red Sox and Yankees are again tied atop the AL East. Of course. You didn't actually think the Yankees would get any breathing room, did you? Still, for those in a state of panic over what awaits the Yankees in the coming week, consider this: The Yankees only need to win five games to make the postseason. That's it. Just five.
Of course, there are only six games left in the season, but if the Yankees win five of them, there is no way the Red Sox can beat them. Of course, part of the reason for that is that a minimum of two of those wins will have to come against the Sox this weekend (if the Yanks sweep the O's they'll enter that series no worse than tied and can win the division by taking two of three in Boston, if they drop just one game to the O's, they can still win the division by sweeping the Sox as they'll be no worse than a game out come Friday morning). Yes, that sounds daunting when you spell out how those five wins would have to be acquired, but when you think about it as just five wins, five of six for a team that has won 13 of their last 15, it doesn't sound so bad.
Tonight the Yankees look to drop that quasi-magic number (their actual magic number is seven, but any Yankee win against the Sox would take two off of that as it represents any combination of Yankee wins and Red Sox loses that totals seven) to four by sending Mike Mussina back to the hill against Bruce Chen. Last Thursday, Mussina came off the unofficial disabled list to pitch six efficient innings allowing just one unearned run on four hits and no walks while striking out six men. It was the ideal outing for Moose coming off the elbow inflammation that shut him down for more than three weeks. He threw just 76 pitches, 76 percent of which were strikes, mixing in his full repertoire, getting his fastball up to 91 and a nice break on his knucklecurve.
Chen, meanwhile, cruised through the first four innings, retiring twelve straight men after a Derek Jeter lead-off single and a Bernie Castro error started the first. Jorge Posada then led off the fifth with a solo homer and capped a four-run Yankee rally in the sixth with a three-run dinger that drove Chen from the game. Still, it's worth remembering that, prior to that start, Chen had turned in eight quality start in his nine outings since returning to the Oriole rotation after a brief tune-up in the bullpen in late July, and had posted a 1.84 ERA with a 0.92 WHIP in those nine starts combined.
Mussina reported no discomfort following his bullpen session on Saturday. Obviously, the Yankees hope he will be able to build on last week's start, stretching out his pitch count in anticipation of Sunday's season finale against Curt Schilling and the Red Sox. Having Mussina back at full strength would be a tremendous boon to the Yankees playoff hopes. On his career, Mussina has a 2.90 ERA in September, his best mark in any single month save his 0.95 ERA in five regular season October starts (Sunday is October 2). Separating out the past three seasons (2002-2004) that September ERA improves to 2.50. Moose also has a career 3.16 ERA in the postseason, nearly a half-run better than his career ERA during the regular season. This is his time of year, and it's great to see him back in action. Here's hoping I still feel that way after the last out of tonight's game.
Great recap of this afternoon's game, Cliff. Here's hoping that Moose will continue his late-season greatness!
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I will be tuned in tonight - both games - let's hope Schilling gets rocked.
By the way Curt, Wah wah wah, no one cares about your whining in Yankee land.
I dug Mariano Duncan's "We play today, we win today," and I can deal with "grind it," but the bastardized Yoda-ism has to go.
(cue "Revolution" by the Beatles)
"letting the dogs out" at shea stadium.
didn't the mets realize that a white flag (or towel as the case may be) is the international symbol for surrender. stupid mets...
Funny, looks like eight to me, unless you're counting the two "do"s as one...
Thank you.
And if that's the case, wtf? Why do we NEVER seem to play him when he's off?
Something fishy's going on.
The Yanks got him for 4 runs in 5 IP on May 27 and 5 runs in a a complete game on July 17.
So what's fishy?
Think I've seen this movie before.
Let's go Jays, let's go Rays.
Ummm...Aaron Boone, in game 7 of the ALCS? ;-)
Wakefield's having a very good year. He's probably the Bosox ace, at least right now.
I'm really going crazy.
We shall see what we shall see.
A-Rod needs to step up.
D-Rays put up a run against Tribe, now bottom 1...
Good news is it's the second and Chen has not been sharp and the Yanks have made him work.
What has me hanging from the lamp is the terrible pitching by Mussina, it looks like that stupid Sunday game is going to be crucial/vital and he looks very bad, and just to make matters worst, my anti-crist fat-ass schilling is looking good now....
Alex said it, the mood changes second by second.
DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!
Waaaaaahhhhh!
Another single. This is bad news. Chacon on short rest on Sunday?
Moose is hooked. Crap, this is bad news.
the silver lining is another off-day for gordon and mariano. I really hope we need them...
No panic or I told you so...just thought the confidence seemed misplaced given the pitching matchup this evening, and Moose's clearly not being in playoff form yet.
Please.
Maybe this is just a bad night, as so many of our pitchers have had of late.
But maybe Torre better keep Leiter or Wright fresh, just in case...
Now come on, offense! Another 6-run inning wouldn't be amiss here.
Yes Gary!!
Actually, I have very little faith in Leiter, I think they'll need to hit double digits here.
Zaun homer in Fenway, 3-2 Sox. 5-3 O's.
If it's all in on Sunday, I sure hope there's no tiebreaker Monday. :-/
Anyone else notice the extended hr call by Kay? Held that s for a very long time there
DP - I'm an idiot.
5~3 now, make it 5-10!
Just get on base, and try to hit for extra-base. Giambi-Sheff combo works great, we need Jeter-A-Rod to execute a bit more of the same.
The fat-ass' act really gets old.
Come on now!
From this point on, every called strikeout should result in a fine. Theres no excuse.
:sigh:
Yo da man!
WHAT
...
Please, Sox - blow this game !
2 walks in front of Sheff, 2 runs!
Let's go Leiter!
Sheff is a stud. I guess he was right that teams should come in fearing him most. All arrogance is forgiven. MVP-1A
Can we bring in Mo right now?
hahahahahah.. Nice one dude~
Just hit the fat bastard around jays, I know you can do it.
I would IBB him.
Mo is TIRED. He has not been Mo of late.
More then anything, we need him in Boston. When we win a game in Boston, Boston also loses a game!
We gotta hope the O keeps pouring it on, and we can let our mop up men get some exercise. An 11-10 win is OK with me. Lets hope Mo can be a spectator tonight. Gordon could also use another day also.
We're playing as well as we have all season, the Jays will get to Schilling and their pen blows. If not so what, I have no reason to believe the Yanks won't take care of business. Other than our pen is almost as bad...
The fat bastard has not looked great but he has been decent. 99 pitches in 6 innings, will they take him out and ride this one out with the bullpen? No papelwhatever nor timlin...
Who else can come in? Proctor, F-Rod, sigh
When it rains, it pours!
TB rallying!
Be negative if you want, but the Yankees will win this game.
222 My bad for failing to mentoin the Bryant Park thing in my post. Alex would have for sure. I did mention it in today's Red Sox comments:
"They're simulcasting the Yankee game in Bryant Park tonight. Tony Danza is hosting, Goose and Nettles are rumored to be in attendance. Sounds cool. I think the festivities kick off at 5:30. Don't know how much of a mob scene it will be. "
Ah, Felix Rodriguez is warming up. Good to hear things are under control.
I hear ya, but we're talking about Embree, Leiter, and Proctor who may be minus AA now.
Now!
A walk, a hit, Rodriguez warming up...
Get it??
Cleveland still down 5-1 and Bosux tied up 5-5.
Of course if our guys put it together we gain a game on those 2 teams from the central.
TB up on Cleveland 5-1 after 7.
Toronto 1st and 3rd, 1 out.
How many friggin runs is the Shef gonna have to drive in tonight to make it a ballgame.
:sigh:
Go DP, go DP go DP.
Cleveland deserve it more than us. Let's just go home for the winter and retool.
And oh boy, don't worry, Joe's favorite lefty Wayne Franklyn is warming up
Reload, just for the fun of it, bring Miggy to the plate
What is there to left to talk about, really?
What is there left to talk about, really?
It's only the fifth, it's only the fifth...
No good could have come from the ball being put into play.
Its a AAA bullpen (O's) vs. a A bullpen (Yanks). Its anybody's ballgame.
MY
GOD
Wayne Franklin? Surely you jest. Just go to Embree and make this game 21-7 already.
I didn't realize he was on the team either.
;(
At this point, what are the odds they walk the whole side?
OK, inning over for the D-Rays... I wish I could say the same for the Yanks.
Poor guys in Bryant Park, I hope they're getting hammered.
5-3 in Cleveland after 8.
This is officially The Inning From Hell...
The blame for this falls on Mussina. I've defended this guy in the past, but no more. With his salary, the way he pitched tonight in a huge game is absoultely undefensible.
Wayne Franklin is the pitcher of the game for getting those two outs.
And Alex "blew every opportunity he had" Graman?
"Baserunners. We need baserunners."
...rather than typing it out night after night.
Here comes the inning from hell for the O's
Meanwhile, Zaun leads off the eighth with a walk, Reed Johnson singles, first and second no outs against Chad Bradford.
As my great power thereof may give thee sense,
Since yet thy cicatrice looks raw and red
After the New York sword, and thy free awe
Pays homage to us--thou mayst not coldly set
Our sovereign process; which imports at full,
By letters congruing to that effect,
The present death of Boston. Do it, Toronto;
For like the hectic in my blood he rages,
And thou must cure me: till I know 'tis done,
Howe'er my haps, my joys were ne'er begun.
Not sure if it accomplished anything other than putting Newhan on base.
Elsewhere, Baez sucks ass.
Could be a lot worse...at least Tribe and White Sox lose, and another night of rest for our key relievers. And if the Jays can play it close the next two days, the Red Sox pen have some major mileage coming into the series with us.
I can see the glass as half full as long as we don't have to dip into middle relief any more after today's nightmare...that we can rely on some actual quality starts the next two days.
Top of their order coming up for the 9th.
George Costanza !
But The Fat Man still gets up in the ninth
Forgive me, I'm babbling....
The whole dirty-hat-I'm cool thing is lame
Man, Posada got beaned. He's probably going to need a new lid after this.
Can the Boston pen match our suckiness? We walked in 3, surely they could do better than us, no.
Naah, maybe not.
Why don't these guys protect the plate with 2 strikes ??? Little League 101
Jays up 2
What a hilarious euphemism.
Men on second and third two outs, Russ Adams up for the Jays, 2-2 count.
And hopefully Manny doesn't hit a HR again.
That said, I am rooting for Batista to do what he did against us. Strike out everyone in sight.
My gamecast has officially stalled after Hinskie's double, I turn to BB for my updates, keep them rolling
Is there a mercy rule ?
That (fat) man, Ortiz, up.
We live to fight another day.
I'd rather see Womack than Sierra, and yes I am serious.
Ortiz makes the last out.
Somebody make a public announcement of that in Camden!
The White Sox loooooooooooooooose.
The Indians lose.
The Indians loooooooooooooooose.
The Red Sox lose.
The Red Sox loooooooooooooooose.
The Yankees...............
(again, credit nomaas for the nickname)
A Rod just misses a dinger, and gets jobbed of an RBI (?!?!?!) in the process.
"He seeks the spotlight, a charming personality trait at 21-6. It's not so adorable when your ERA is three full runs above your career mark and you have an ankle that requires rigorous rehabilitation, yet show up to spring camp, as one player said, 'looking like Santa Claus.'
It's not, "The Red Sox Loooooooooooose," it's, "Thuuuhhhhh Red Sox Lose."
Try it again, will you?
I am amazed, frankly, that the Sox choked as bad as we did, guess the stars are just aligning for the showdown at Fenway
Hey look at Sturtze give that run back. Soooo glad the Sox lost.
I am officially done with this sucker tonight. See you guys tomorrow.
Mariano and Gordon get the day off.
The Sox should be tired tomorrow and TB should be confident. This is the best really shitty day we've had in a while.
He wanted to prove he can suck with the big boys.
Thank goodness it only counts as one game.
On the other hand, Boston will be replaying their tight loss in their heads tonight, while the Yanks will fuggett about this one before they're on the bus.
Of course, we're gonna have to go starter-to-FlashMo the next two nights, but that's doable.
What a week, lads...
And hey, we wanted Moose to be rested for Sunday right? :-)
But damn, what a missed opportunity. Would have been nice to pull ahead of Boston. Pretty sad that nine runs isn't enough to win.
Yeah, our bullpen sucks, but gawd almighty, it's a bit much to expect them to take over in the second inning. Moose really let us down tonight.
Biggest downer of the night, without question, is the question of Moose. This has been an issue since late July...when Moose is on, he's great, but when he flames out, the fire spreads fast, far and wide, with lots of damage in its wake. Tough to know if he can really be relied on in an all or nothing situation.
When Torre was asked whether Embree would have a spot on the playoff roster should the Yankees advance that far, the manager didn't say it was automatic.
"I want him to be," Torre said. "I'll leave it at that."
Torre says Moose isn't hurt. He just sucked.
In a situation like that, if the Yankees were up one game going into Sunday, I wonder if they would empty the kitchen sink if Moose struggled, or allow another repeat of last night's flameout and simply take their chances with Chacon on Monday. All hypotheticals, of course, but interesting to consider.
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