Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
The Yankees need to win tonight's finale to win the current series and salvage a split of their season set with the Mets. In their way stands 26-year-old Cuban defector Alay Soler. The plump righthander started the year in A-ball where he dominated in six starts, earning an early May promotion to double-A Binghamton. There he was similarly convincing in three more turns, posting an aggregate minor league line of 49 2/3 IP, 29 H, 8 R, 0 HR, 12 BB, 55 K in nine starts.
By that point, the Mets had seen more than enough of Jose Lima and punted him, calling up Soler straight from double-A. Soler has since been infinitely less impressive in his seven major league starts. Much like his fellow countryman, Friday night's starter Orlando Hernandez, Solar's best start came in Arizona when he pitched a two-hit shutout. Still, Soler walked three and struck out just two in that game. In that sense, the start before that in which he struck out seven Dodgers in seven innings, walking just one and allowing just one run on a solo homer was more convincing. Most recently, Soler got roughed up by the Red Sox in Fenway for eight runs on ten hits and a pair of walks in just 4 1/3 innings.
The Yankees counter with Jaret Wright, whose last two starts have produced this line: 11 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 0 HR, 6 BB, 10 K. Most encouraging there is the increased strikeout rate as Jaret had struck out just 24 in his previous 53 2/3 innings of work. Wright lasted six full in his last outing and the Yankee pen is both rested and coming off a collection of solid outings as detailed at the end of my last post. Let's just hope the Yankees don't come down with the URPs (Unfamiliar Rookie Pitcheritis).
I'm hearing tonight could be the night. The game Torre decides to rest Cairo and start Nick Green.
Damon
Jeter
Giambi (DH)
A-Rod
Posada
Bernie
Andy
Melky
Green (2B)
http://tinyurl.com/dvhtf
The forecast is scattered thunderstorms for the rest of the night, so there may be rain delays during the game. :-P
I love rain delays.
I'm with kdw. I'd rather our players rest up. At least the ones who have been All-Stars before.
And Bernie in RF is killing us.
Looks like we are headed for 5 games out, ouch
My crystal ball sees Matt Smith starting a game before August.
69 I think we should do that, too. Though I can understand the reluctance, with Nick Green in tonight and the offense struggling anyway. But Bernie's defense costs us as many runs as his offense gives us. Even when he's hitting well.
Me, I feel the frustration too. But, no Cano, Sheff or Matsui and we're battling - usually taking 2 of 3. We may fall short. We may not. But, we're continuing to overachieve in my book with this lineup. I like the fight they're putting up.
Agreed, but I'll believe we've had "good" drafts the last couple years when I see it with my own eyes. Right now, we aren't even in the same league with Chicago, Detroit, let alone Boston.
Quest tech hasn't helped our team the past few years either.
Remember those WS championships and those pennants? That's where the rest of them are.
Capt. Clutch!
I don't buy that argument. NO pitcher we traded away has amounted to anything. We have just had rotten drafts, I don't give a rat's ass what the so called "experts" say.
WHOOOO-HOOOOO!!!!!!!!
Arod!
And still no one warming for the Mets.
Lo Duca helped us there in building some more "Chemistry." Thanks short stuff.
Good ol' Jorgie Porgie on the paths.
Hit Lo Duca--Hit Lo Duca--Hit Lo Duca. Blame it on Ozzie.
And that bat flip by Arod was a 2 or 3 on the showboating scale...and Manny routinely earns 9s and 10s.
Wow, another shot to left-center...
One wonders what he thinks of Manny...
Man, talk about opposite field power. Wow.
Watching that young pitcher chase Giambi to 1st was kinda funny. The kid just forgot to reach out and tag him.
Our bullpen needs to hold on. Can we get lots of innings from Villone and Smith? We need to save something for Cleveland.
Nick Green!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry I dissed you, Nicky.
Pitching maybe. A bat...no.
I didn't see Green's HR. How far was it hit, and to what field?
OK, I promise not to rank on Green for a week
If you go back and look at any season, pick 1998 for example, I bet you will find a stretch when the team was league average in runs scored. Every team goes through that. If they were at 2 or 3 runs a game for 26, then you worry.
If we had another starter that could go 7 innings, or even 5 or 6 without giving up the farm, that league average 4.35 runs would translate into a lot of wins....especially when the team goes on a scoring tear and gets it up to 5, 6, 7 runs a game for a prolonged period.
I wasn't a believer when everyone was asking for more innings from him, but I can gladly admit I was wrong. Of course, let's hope he doesn't get Proctored/Quantrillized.
And Melky almost gets a homer.
Nick "Slugger" Green coming to the plate...
Go Melky!
I'd say go with Smith and Beam, but they both pitched yesterday, so I am almost 100% positive we are in line for 2+ from Everyday Scott Proctor...
They ought to put Bubba in. I don't care if he strikes out looking at every AB tonight. He'll shorten the innings for our beleagered bullpen.
Though Bernie caught that one...
Villone clearly running on fumes. Nice job, Ron...you're done.
And perhaps putting in Bubba too, just to make sure we didn't think he was improving, Bernie made sure to mess that last one up
And Theodore Junior's in...
Re talking to Randolph, that should be interesting.
But you miss the point. Many teams need pitching... teams that have a lot more to offer then we do. How many teams want (and will pay for) Abreau? How many teams what Zito? An OF'er is easier for us to get... although not that easy, or we'ld have one by now.
The point is to make moves that best improve our team, taking into consideration what is available and what it will cost us.
The Sox got Becket because they had H. Ramirez and A. Sanchez to give. Who do we have (considering Hughes is UNtouchable(?
We may only be able to get a salary dump that other teams can't afford. Furthermore, since we don't have a RF'er signed for next year, a quality RF'er is not just a stop-gap measure. If Phillips is for real, then Giambi is probably our DH for next year.
And while I would not hold my breath, we migh already have a better-then-league-average Pitcher in Pavano.
Also, if the Stros bite the dust, Clemens might be for sale for the last month of the season. Think the Boss would rent Clemens for 3 million for a month?
Keep swattin', Yanks...
But it may not matter, if Beam keeps pitching like this...
http://www.lohud.com/blogs/2006_06_01_yankeearchive.html
(Scroll down to "Right-handed reliever or the Bat Boy? You decide")
Beam's fastball looks very straight... no movement. When he doesn't locate, he is a HR waiting to happen.
Beam's fastball looks very straight... no movement. When he doesn't locate, he is a HR waiting to happen.
Those lucky fans in the Stadium.
Seriously, Nick Green for POG!
Cap doesn't get the runner in. Boo.
Yankees Outfield:
Melky, Bubba and Kevin Reese.
And gawd, I hope Joe puts Bubba in on Tuesday. Or Reese. Anyone but Bernie. Chacon tends to give up a lot of fly balls.
But seriously...if I recall correctly, Pettite reasoned that he opted for Houston because of Rocket, its locale, and because he somehow felt slighted by Yankee management's dogged pursuit of Javy Vasquez. I'd take either one of those guys right now - or both.
Should we keep Green and get rid of Cairo?
I do feel a lot better about having Nick Green on the team, though.
But you are right--not signing Beltran does not justify the stinky FA signings that were made.
Oh, and not signing Pettitte was probably the right decision (injury shortened 2004, great 2005, sucky 2006).
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