Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
I know I said last week that I'd do a full breakdown in previewing this series, but frankly, I'm winded. While no one expected the Yankees to win more than on game in Boston last weekend, their being swept in a series that was actually more evenly matched than most anticipated was a bitter pill and their three loses this past week that have pushed their overall slide to six games has even the most optimistic Yankee fans shaking their heads.
The Yankees are languishing in last place with the third worst record in the AL and the fifth-worst in baseball, yet their Pythagorean winning percentage is .562. There are two reasons for that. The first is that the Yankee offense, despite being shut out for the first time all season last night, is still the most productive in baseball, scoring six runs per game. The second is that the Yankee bullpen, which looked like a major strength entering the season, has blown seven saves. Losing close and winning big, that's how a team underperforms it's Pythagorean, and that's exactly what the Yankees have been doing. Only two of the Yankees' 12 loses have been by more than two runs. Think about that. Eight times they've been a bloop and a blast away from tying or winning a game in their final at bat, but eventually lost (two of those close losses were walk-off jobs in Oakland) including five of their current six-game losing streak. On the flip side, three of their eight wins have come in their final at-bat (the two game winners by Alex Rodriguez and Giambi's tie-breaker in extras in Oakland).
That's exhausting baseball, and exhaustion is exactly the problem. The rotation was supposed to shape up before it shredded the bullpen. That didn't happen. The offense is the best in the league but the best isn't good enough to overcome the team's pitching woes. Chien-Ming Wang and Andy Pettitte give the Yankees a powerful 1-2 punch atop the rotation, and both will face the Sox this weekend, but the Yankees have lost four of the five games those two have started because of the strain placed on the bullpen by the rest of the rotation. The pen appeared to get a reprieve with Wednesday night's rain out, but having already soured on Japanese import Kei Igawa, who's been pulled from the rotation, the team asked 20-year-old rookie phenom Phil Hughes to make his major league debut last night and thus needed another 4 2/3 innings from the bullpen. With the pen already exhausted, however, there was no one Joe Torre could turn to as a long man for mop up duty short of Igawa himself, so those 4 2/3 innings saw him burn through four of his seven relievers.
As a result the only fully rested relief arms for tonight's game are Luis Vizcaino, Kyle Farnsworth and Mariano Rivera, who have been the team's worst performers in the early going. Vizcaino was the pitcher most abused in the early going, but there's reason for optimism with Farnsworth and Rivera. Rivera, of course, is Mariano Rivera, and pitched a scoreless inning on Monday, working around a hit to strike out two. Farnsworth, meanwhile, has turned in a scoreless frame in each of his last four outings, allowing just two hits and a walk over that span while striking out three (though three Ks in 4 IP is still a bit low for him).
In other good news, Wang looked like he was in midseason form in his debut on Tuesday, picking up the loss only because of the failures of the bullpen, and Hideki Matsui has also hit the ground running since being activated from the disabled list on Monday going 2 for 7 with a homer and five walks (.583 OBP). It may not seem like it, but the Yankees are a strong team than they were a week ago heading into Boston.
The Red Sox, meanwhile, were merely .500 on the week, dropping a pair at home to the Blue Jays by a combined score of 17-6, but beating the Orioles twice in Baltimore by a combined score of 11-3. The good news is that the Yankees will be facing the guys who pitched against Toronto (Tim Wakefield and Julian Tavarez), and not the ones who faced Baltimore (Curt Schilling and Josh Beckett).
Tonight, they get their second crack at Daisuke Matsuzaka. The Yanks touched Matsuzaka up for six runs in seven innings on Sunday, one of them coming on a Derek Jeter homer over the Green Monster. On the other hand, Matsuzaka struck out seven Yankees and walked just one. Meanwhile, Andy Pettitte excelled against the Sox a week ago tonight, holding them to two runs over 6 1/3 innings, but Andy's peripherals were less impressive than Matsuzaka's. I'm anticipating a pitchers' duel tonight, which should simply add to the exhaustion factor for those of us watching the game, but could be a benefit to the Yankee bullpen.
The Red Sox roster is unchanged from last week, though Coco Crisp has been struggling with an oblique strain, allowing Wily Mo Peña to start in center and do things like hit game-breaking grand slams against Orioles closer Chris Ray (sound familiar?) and strike out ten times in his last five games.
And The Stink is in the lineup again.
How does it look over on the near side of the continent?
Then I realized Joe probably thought Minky's situational hitting would work well in the 2 hole and he will continue to send him out there every day no matter how bad it gets.
5 I'm on board - who's making the t-shirts? Don't know how much good I'll do, wearing a "Free Josh Phelps!" t-shirt in the middle of Massachusetts, but whatever it takes.
Torre's job is on the line. Torre has parlayed a 4 run, 8th inning lead vs Boston into a 6 game losing streak. Batting Minky in the 2 hole is not the answer. If Torre thinks it is the answer, he will be gone very soon.
All this team needs to take 1st again is average pitching and rest before the playoffs to take the serious.
Hughes was awesome. There's no reason 90 pitches can't take you into the 6th inning and he needs the experience -- he's never pitched in 2a/3a with the bases loaded??? or some such stat I overheard. Perfectly acceptable to carry him through the season.
I guess Roger will come on board although the TRADE is my personal choice. I know Andy is doing great but he really is a #3. We need someone to pair with Wang. I couldn't think of a better pair of mentors for Phil than Andy and Roger. That video comparing Roger and Phil's delivery and follow through was unforgettable.
I don't think Hughes has the giddyap fastball of Clemens but you see why he is compared. What he does have is the smarts and pitching assortment of a Moose or Glavine. Those 3 changeups in a row last night was striking (no pun intended). Posada knows a thing or two for calling that. The season bodes very well.
Phelps will take over. Here's looking at the 1000 run season... I think Joe keeps sending guys out there (Vizcaino, Minky)so that whoever is backing them in the organization will finally say Uncle. That's my pro-Joe theory anyways. It's early yet. Get the crinks out of the system. With Wang, Andy, Moose and Phil, the machine will move into overdrive May June. Then THE TRADE, damnit.
10 of the 11 losses, Yankees blew a lead. What are the chances that happens again this year?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=wT5-W4t3yyg
He's going places.
For what it's worth, Torre in no danger of losing his job, nor are his coaches, really.
http://tinyurl.com/2s6zbb
Also, Dice K seems to actually hop in his delievery, isn't that a balok if he loses contact witht he rubber?
Oh, you meant one of the Sox...
The golden rule of umpiring: don't make it about you.
And what is he doing? Calling an inconsistent strike zone and flourishing it with this delayed call.
Let's hope he joins Joey Crawford by the end of the week on the unemployment line.
Yanks are doing a lot of first pitch swinging and DK is mixing up his first pitch. Let's just do what we do best...
I would also like to point out that this recent losing streak coincides with our #3 hitter going into a massive slump, only 2 hits a nd a TON of k's...
108 I'll try that in English next time.
I just read Klapisch's depressing article on ESPN. Damn, he is a kill joy.
"...someone who has seen an investigation affidavit indicated that Radomski told investigators -- to paraphrase -- that if they thought the allegations in Jose Canseco's book were explosive, they would be blown away by what Radomski could report"
Who's good for a blast?
Whoo!
142 Angel is the poster child for these punks...
F**k you.
2) We can't complain about bad luck today.
3) The Yankees are teasing us again.
This game is gonna be excrutiatingly long, in a war & peace, yanks vs o's at camden yards kinda way.
The cynic in me expects Clueless to let Vizcaino blow it again.
And the Sox rally... pastadivingJeter
Are people getting paid OT for this?
Seems like months ago.
OK, but I'm bailing out at 10:05 ET when the Dodgers-Padres game starts.
Time for some beat-downs. Where did all these Sox fans come from?
"Scott proctor HAS to get up in the BP" according to Kay. Me, I think Andy P HAS to pitch through the 6th, period.
And we have not hit hard Dice-K today. I don't know if you can count on him to hit 2 batters in an inning or walk the bases loaded on a consistant basis.
Just likes Hughes last night was better then his numbers (ERA anyway) so has been Dice-K. He is in a new country and league. He's not Pedro, but he's very good.
Meanwhile, I haven't seen the numbers, but my guess is Cano has slumped badly in the last 8 games. So over the last week, Damon, Abreu and Can have been of little help.
And now Andy walks in the tying run. Crap.
OMG. Throwing it away! Shit!
This game is resembling the Dodgers-Giants series. All it needs is Juan Pierre and Russ Ortiz.
Wow, we seriously cannot buy a win...
And if Clemens waits until he feels he's ready, so be it. It'll extend the careers of some of the game's top players.
Dice K is used to 140 pitches in a game (albeit every 6 days)
seriously, I can't watch games like this. I get a pain in my head here, here (and right here...) If we pull this one out later or it becomes a laugher, I won't care nearly as much as I would like. Is it me or do we just fall apart when the ump blows a call?
Poor Gator looks really constipated.
Has it occurred to anyone that sometimes shit happens and no one's to blame?
We can't keep giving him a pass just for calling up Wang/Cano. You have to wonder when the guy will learn to identify decent pitchers.
Teams have scouts which are supposed to identify talent. Whoever has been giving the Yankees advice under Cashman is badly underperforming the rest of the league.
284 Maybe not a blown call, but a floating strike zone. Anyway, they're both pitching mediocre and it's draining to watch...
And pavano.
I want to see this team turned around and I don't trust Cashman to do it.
Maybe Dayton Moore, who spent $55 million on Gil Freakin' Meche?
How about Jim Bowden? You want his sterling track record?
Maybe Bill Bavasi? We could trade two young guys for the worst second baseman in baseball!
He's got the perfect setup with Runge calling the worst game I've seen in a long time.
Once we get to the point when we're justify Cashman's mistakes by comparing him to the Royals, Nationals, and Mariners, we know we're screwed. That is what we're becoming, folks. Just another team like KC that makes one dumb move after another. The only difference is we can make very expensive dumb moves.
See the piece in BP today, where our pitchers are ranked at 638, the nearest rival system is the D'Rays at 458.
Does Cash get credit for that?
Or did we just spend 45 million dollars on a bullpen arm that may reach the lofty status of "EH" and be our fifth starter?
I really don't think you understand what Cashman's done for the franchise. Over the last two years, we've stockpiled enough pitching prospects that we've gone from the BOTTOM of the rankings to the TOP, while STILL being competitive. The fact that you're saying we're becoming the Royals disturbs me to no end, because it shows that you have ZERO perspective.
Cashman is trying to rebuild a pitching staff that has, as we all know, gone to shite because of a lot of factors, Cashman being one of them. But, you simply don't rebuild in one year. The team is getting killed right now because our staff is in transition. Next year, with Hughes, Wang, Pettitte, and a few of our AAA guys, we will be in far better shape...
One of our main problems this year had been that Torre hasn't been managing to win OR rest the pen, he's kind of wavering between the two. He either needs to put the best relievers in there when it matters and don't pull starters when they are better options, or he just needs to throw a few sacrificial lambs out there to eat some innings. As of yet, he's done neither, so we are neither winning games OR resting the pen.
314 Maybe Betemit, but no thanks to the rest.
My only sympathy for Cashman is that he is effectively trying to rebuild a team that everyone still expects to win it all. I don't know if he can survive that contradiction.
Maybe that's my frustration speaking, but it's getting ridiculous.
I would have traded him to the first person who inquired. The idea that we're trying to get equal value for the 40 million dollar so we'll just sit and wait for Pavano to be that good is infuriating.
http://tinyurl.com/32plfa
try to listen to folks, Joe H....
"My only sympathy for Cashman is that he is effectively trying to rebuild a team that everyone still expects to win it all. I don't know if he can survive that contradiction. "
Yes, that's kinda how it works. You don't need to tank to rebuild. That's what made the Braves of the last 15 years great; that's what made the Yankee dynasties great. Being able to rebuild while remaining competitive is important, especially in an environment like today's where the differences between teams are fairly small.
If you want the farm system stripped bare and Steinbrenner running the team, you're more than welcome to it.
337 And did anyone inquire? I'm sorry, but I'm not willing to pay him $45 million NOT to pitch for us.
"Well everyone else was doing it..."
351 Even the best GMs make mistakes, and Pavano was one of Cashman's. It's certainly not a reason to fire him.
You couldn't make my point any better for me. We need a John Shuerholz, but instead we have an Allaird Baird.
Give it a rest mainline. It's not only wasn't funny when you said it the first time, it hasn't aged well either.
Considering that Farnsworth walked away from extra money and a guaranteed job as the closer to sign here, I can understand why the blinders were on.
Small sample size.
A George move.
360 And every year we traded our best prospects away, because Steinbrenner was the de facto GM. We needed a Turner, and we got a tyrant.
The Braves also happened to have an otherworldly pitching coach.
Lowell +7.8 VORP
Hanley Ramirez +15.6 VORP
Anibal Sanchez +1.4 VORP
Pavano was offered more by the Sox. If the Sox signed him, you would be bitchin about why we didn't get him.
Javy Vazquez was highly sought after, and just about everyone was VERY pleased when we signed him.
Farnsworth was a gamble. A flake that is both brilliant and horrible. A roll of the dice.
Igawa is undetermined as yet, but my guess is he will be a cost effectibe, Lefty #5. The guy lead the Japanese league in K's 3 times and was MVP once.
315 Iggy, when considering the tax we pay on other players, cost us less then $7m/yr. Compare that to other signings this year. Iggy is actually cost effective. He has pitched 4 games. 2 were bad, I was decent, I was good. It's a little early to give up on the guy, especially he's pitching in a new league and a new country.
It's embasrring to see how many Yankee fans here have a 2 minut attention span.
A great ball player makes out 2 of 3 times. I don't know what a GM is supposted 'to bat', but it ain't 1.000. There are moves made of desperation, moves made of compromise, moves made as an educated gamble (ie: Iggy). Every GM has done Good, Bad and Ugly. That's life.
Listening to all the bitching, blaming and complaining here is getting old. The Red Sox always need fans like that. Consider switching.
HEAD EXPLODES!
I'll drop it for now and start praying for another A-Rod walkoff :)
Igawa? Small sample size. ZZzzzz...
In fact, Sanchez has NEVER made a start at AAA, and in fact, he took the mound this evening for the Marlins in Philadelphia.
Igawa is exactly where everyone said he would be when he posted. In the bullpen.
Cashman didn't want Vazquez?
By the way, tonight at Pawtucket, Lester goes 5 innings, 3H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K. The only downside is that he can't go on one days rest and we'll have to suffer through at least one more start by Tavarez.
how bout a larger sample size -- say last season?:
Then we get Sanchez w/ a 36 vorp and Beckett w/ a 20.
I haven't bothered to scroll thru the position player vorp, but I suspect there's a similar difference btwn Lowell and Ramirez.
Factor in salary and age, and Theo looks even more ridiculous.
Carl Pavano was pitcher that had one good year in his career. I never wanted him. We spent 40 million on him.
We spent 45 million on Igawa so that maybe he can reach the level of fifth starter?
He did, however, make the Mirabelli for Meredith/Bard trade (ouch) and the Crisp deal.
One more out Vizcaino.
Its April 27th. Jason Marquis has a sub-2.00 ERA. Lance Berkman is hitting .237. Manny is hitting around the Mendoza line.
Let's give it some time.
this is painful. vizcaino will put this out of reach, if he's not careful. o9h oh ortiz
I looked up thevorps from last season re debris for Hanley and Mike Lowell -- 55 for HR and 20 for ML. So yeah, the Sawx really got the better of that deal, what w/ younger cheaper players posting much higher vorps and all.
Minky and Wil Nieves/BUC might as well be glue and dog food, respectively, as those two horses are also beyond dead.
439 Mo needs to throw, I agree
All this hate . . . its sad. I try to ignore the haters, because everytime I've ever responded, its just given them a reason to keep spreading their hate. Or beating a dead horse.
Mo will work through this, too.
We have the division right where we want 'em ;-)
Mo's thrown that few innings just once, in '02, when he missed a month-plus IIRC.
Long story short (too late!) - I don't know when it will turn around AbbyN, but it will.
- R. Sanchez at shortstop
- M. Rivera relieved T. Sturtze
- B. Mueller walked
- M. Bellhorn singled to right, B. Mueller to second
- J. Damon singled to right, B. Mueller to third, M. Bellhorn to second
- T. Nixon struck out swinging
- M. Ramirez safe at first on third baseman A. Rodriguez's fielding error, B. Mueller scored, M. Bellhorn to third, J. Damon to second
- D. Ortiz grounded out to pitcher, M. Bellhorn scored, J. Damon to third, M. Ramirez to second
- D. McCarty walked
- E. Renteria singled to shallow left center, J. Damon and M. Ramirez scored, D. McCarty to second
- D. Mirabelli walked, D. McCarty to third, E. Renteria to second
- F. Rodriguez relieved M. Rivera
- D. McCarty scored, E. Renteria to third, D. Mirabelli to second on wild pitch
- B. Mueller struck out looking
And Meyers just walked in a run.
We have have to simply wait for the world to normalize. I mean, how many HR's can we give up to Lugo in one lifetime?
Its not even 11-18 yet.
I honestly think this will come around, seriously Mo needs work and they need to break out of ths slump. But I cant watch.
Something has to be done to generate a spark on this team - Joe has to shut the locker room to the media and do something TONIGHT!
2 out of 3?
If Cashman is going to shake things up, the first thing I think he'll do it send Myers packing. Maybe even to the DL. And then add a full arm to the pen, maybe Britton or Villone, though I'd try Bean out. You figure if anyone has a rubber arm, and the ability to throw lots of innings, it's Bean.
Or, have TWO long men in the pen - say Igawa and Rasner. I don't know if Torre would use them, but it might help the pen a bit.
People would come out of their houses with bodies and throw them on the cart. A few of them weren't dead.
Sounds like this place tonight...
I think on an evening like this, old yanks fan, you need to cut us a small break....
The great teams overcome adversity. this is a great team.
Either that or Dustin Pedroia is an all star....
Good times, good times!
If there's anyone to start a rally against, it Joel Pineiro.
Because Papelbon was already up, and then sat down, I'm guessing he's unavailable. Okajima and Timlin are already out. The rest of the Sox 'pen options make me salivate.
OK, why pinch hit with Melky here? He's been pressing all month.
I don't care how well, or badly, you manage a BP. When you're dealing with a double digit ERA, there's not much you can do.
http://www.blisshouse.com/images/Bring_Out_Your_Dead.jpg
I'm also glad to see Melky take a walk. Go Melky!
I don't like being a miser but some of you guys with your rose colored glasses are hilarious!
Remember that bad loss in 05, where afterwards they removed Womack from starting at second and inserted Cano? I wish they had someone who could do that at first this year.
http://www.mwscomp.com/movies/grail/grail-02.htm
I'm glad he walked, though.
I actually thought he would have a Brosius in 98 season, so what do I know?
Man, this stinks. Eyebrows Karstens will get em tomorrow though.
I can't argue with you on those pen moves, especally Meyers. Maybe Mo's troubles will get Joe off his butt and into a little creative thinking here. We knew the offense (and Alex) would not sustain an 8 or 10 run attack every night, so guys need to step up now, and hopefully with deft moves from the bench.
We take the next two games and 10-13 is managable, all things considered.
Snap out of it, Yanks!
Unbelievable.
Let's go Yanks!
We got Mientkiewicz. Why is there no passion?
I'm just as bummed as everyone else, but I say that this is "only a flesh wound". Wait, that might be a bad Python quote to use since that knight ended up with no arms or legs... oh, well... ;-)
Anyway, goodnight all and let's go Yankees!
But this is ridiculous. We're quickly devolving into the LoHud comment section. After less than one month of the season, we're hearing so much doom and gloom that I wonder why the team hasn't just folded. I said last season that A-Rod would come around, and I'm saying this year that the Yankees will do the same. There's no way that I'm the only person who thinks the Yankees will pick it up, but it feels like it.
There's nothing wrong with a healthy degree of skepticism regarding our front office. There's nothing inherently wrong with second-guessing. When it comes from people who absolutely refuse to listen to any sort of reason, I get upset.
This was still a good day. I don't need the Yankees to win to guarantee my happiness. I got to watch the Yanks play baseball, and that's good enough.
Then again, 536, a horse that starts the race going backwards doesn't finish any better.
Chip up, boys and girls, it's early.
http://www.livescience.com/othernews/070404_baseball_math.html
But we're better than our record, and over the long season, the cream will rise to the top. It happened last year, it'll happen this year.
Look at it another way: the 2004 came back from near disaster and did the impossible. If this team has that kind of moxie going for them, this will be a helluva season. Bad things happen that no one controls, so I have no reason to cry about this. I get frustrated, but what can I do? Frustration won't help the team, either. Perhaps we're reading Torre's calmness as reckless disregard, but how many of us would trade him for Lou Pinella in this same situation? Do you think kicking and screaming at grown men is gonna make them play better? Maybe if they were immature to begin with, but I don't see that.
Who could do better under these circumstances; your rotation is torn to shreads, your bullpen for lack of better options is disintegrated, and now the bats are falling flat (naturally, you're gonna feel discouraged if your pitchers keep giving up leads you just created for them) We can't win every day and we haven't won them all. The best thing the team can do for itself right now is heal. I'm more discouraged by the condition some of these guys are in (and likely the cause of the mass injuries) than by the losses. If everyone were hitting all cylinders before the game started, you'd have more than a few Alexes in this lineup. Little issues lead to big troubles.
Anyway, I think I'll take a vacation and figure out how to keep me and my roommate fed this weekend. Acquiring food stamps is a purposefully discouraging process in 311Land, but that's probably a topic for another blog (Catfish Stew? The Juice?) Good night, all and stop kvetching; it's a blasted game, not war zzzzz...
And apparently I still find it impossible to mention who did what that year, but we all know zzzzz...
Yep. That should do fine. If a starter blows the lead after four innings and has to come out, the Yanks should instead forfeit the game or throw Mo and/or Farnsense out there for as long as they can so they can get work. That way the bullpen is not overtaxed and the healing can begin zzzzz...
Pete A. had this to say: Minky isn't playing tomorrow!
"The news for now is that Jason Giambi will play first base tomorrow, Melky Cabrera will be the center fielder and Johnny Damon the DH."
I assume its to just get JD some rest, but man oh man, Josh Phelps really must have run over TOrre's dog or something. I mean, the guys hitting right about .300 with an almost .400 obp, and has seemingly contributed in every game he's been a part of...
I've said it before: FREE JOSH PHELPS!
There...
Soooo, was there a game tonight? Somehow, it seems that I lost about 4 hours tonight right around when the Yankees should have played. huh. I'll just assume there wasn't a game...
The sky is not falling. While the obvious venom is what is it is, and some of our micro-managing is definitely worthy of debate, the general tone here is getting way too fatalistic way too early.
532,542 — thank you...
The bats wake up Saturday!
Good! I have been saying that all year. A twenty-three million dollar DH? I don't dislike Doug M., nor do I think he is to blame for any of this mess. However, he has limited late game deefensive value, and that is when he should be used. It is ridiculous that he has been playing the majority of games at 1B. Sure the lineup shouldnt need him, but we need every run we can get these days. Giambi and Phelps should have been sharing 1B/DH all season. It makes no sense to play it any other way. I just dont get it. If Phelps bombs, well, then you know you have to go in another direction. Torre about killed me last year by dragging the corpse of Andy Phillips out there every day for no reason. Now, he refuses to even give Phelps a shot. Torre has never used our defensive subs at 1B this way before. Giambi is more than capable of playing 1B platooning with Phelps.
I could've stomached another loss, because I don't think Pettitte will pitch like that again. But what killed me was the look Mo had after being yanked in the 9th. I'm sure this has been discussed, but I can't even remember Mo being yanked like that. His face, to me, was a man reconsidering his arm, his season, his stuff. For the first time in the decade+ that I've been watching him, I thought Mariano looked worried.
And if Mariano Rivera is worried, I'm freaking out. That look made me leap from "calm and confident about the season" to "neurotic" in one second.
Please remind me I'm overreacting.
I'm one of the worried ones. I'm asking you to please tell me why I shouldn't be. Thanks.
There's lots to be concerned about, but it's April. I don't think I'm wearing blinders. There's time to turn things around, and this team has done so before. Yes, every loss counts, but if there's a team that can rebound from a bad start its ours.
Go Yanks!
But I'm confident he'll bounce back. The last few years, he's always rusty at the beginning of the season. Probably because he no longer throws in the off-season. He's rustier than usual, because he hasn't been used much.
The Yanks are struggling now due to injuries. They won't be injured all season. And the Sox and other teams will have their injury problems. Things will even out over the season.
Hmm, we optimists could probably sing "Always look on the bright side of life" while whistling merrily. Oh, wait, they didn't end up too good either.
Okay, another inappropriate Monty Python reference.
ARod and Giambi have OPS over .900
Posada's OPS is over .800
Jeter is right at .800
Damon, Cano and Abreu (ABREU) are all around .700
Minky makes Womack look like Bonds, but Melky is ever worse.
Cairo and Nieves haven't had a hit yet.
I'm not happy, but can live with the 4 stooges (Minky, Melky, Miggy and Willy) doing nothing, but between Jetes, JD, Bobby and Robby, we are off .500 pts in OPS.
There are yearly totals. The numbers over the last 8 games or so are much, much worse.
Not to excuse the pitching, but injuries, poor BP management and Mo NOT being Mo, are part of the problem. But our offense drying up?
Joe and Cash will get the blame, but we only have four guys functioning out of 25. I guess the good news is it can't get a hell of a lot worse.
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