Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
Look, folks, I had to be a Debbie Downer here, but the Yankees string of AL East titles is going to come to an end this year. Even if the Yanks sweep the Red Sox in Fenway this weekend, they'll still be 10.5 games out in June with just 6 games left against the first-place Sox. And what are the odds that the Yanks are going to sweep the Sox after loosing four of five to the Angels and Blue Jays?
No, my friends, it is time to focus on the Wild Card race, where the Yankees trail the Tigers by seven games with eight head-to-head matchups remaining.
That doesn't mean that this weekend's series doesn't matter. Every win counts. Its just that beating the Red Sox no longer means any more, and actually means a hair less, than beating one of the other seven teams ahead of them in the wild card hunt (which, incidentally, includes the Blue Jays).
Not much has changed since these two teams met in the Bronx at the beginning of last week. Not even the pitching matchups. The Red Sox wound up losing eight games in May, two of them to the Yankees and one more since. Josh Beckett returned to the rotation on Tuesday with a stellar outing against the hard-hitting Indians, and Manny Delcarmen is back in the minors. For the Yankees, Kevin Thompson replaces the disabled Jason Giambi on the roster and the plan for the immediate future is to have Johnny Damon be the everyday DH and Melky Cabrera be the everyday center fielder. Meanwhile Matt DeSalvo was farmed out in favor of Chris Britton, who has been dominating the International League. Britton or another reliever will have to be removed from the roster on Monday to make way for the return of Roger Clemens.
Tim Wakefield vs. the Yankees in two starts this season: 0-2, 7.84 ERA, 10 1/3 IP, 14 H, 9 R, 3 HR, 11 BB, 5 K
Chien-Ming Wang vs. the Red Sox in two starts this season: 1-1, 4.38 ERA, 12 1/3 IP, 13 H, 6 R, 2 HR, 6 BB, 6 K
When these two last faced off a week ago Monday in the Bronx, Wang surprised everyone by utilizing his secondary pitches, particularly his slider, to strike out five Red Sox in 6 1/3 innings. In his last start against the contact-hitting Angels, Wang struck out six in eight innings to give him 11 Ks in his last 14 1/3 innings, or 6.91 K/9 over his last two starts. Despite the change in approach, his extreme ground-ball rate was largely unaffected as he got 24 ground balls in those two games against 11 flies (the fly ball total is typical for him, while the missing grounders all turned in to less risky strikeouts). Wang struck out 7.06 men per nine innings over his minor league career. Brandon Webb rode an extreme ground-ball rate and a 6.82 K/9 to the NL Cy Young award last year. If Wang's new strikeout rate holds, he may have just made the leap.
With Clemens coming and Giambi leaving, the culture of the team is going to change. While I'd much rather have a healthy Giambi, maybe his absence will indirectly help Melky and Damon and also remove the idea that the team is a dominant offense. Lower expectations and more relaxed environment might yield the same results as last year's campaign without Matsui and Sheffield.
Then again, maybe I'm just a typical addict living in denial?
In keeping with Debbie Downer, with Wang on the mound there are going to be lots of dead worms. Waa, waa.
http://tinyurl.com/29r6g6
Not sure why he felt the need to say that two days after the incident.
Quiet evening for Boston series at Bronx Banter -- in keeping with Cliff's theme, I guess.
I'm listening to Sterling and Waldman, it's a hoot. Sterling was apparently unaware that there was a big, big wall in left field and was sure Abreu's double was going out.
Announcer 1: "Some say that A-Rod covets the attention so he makes these controversial plays on purpose to draw the attention."
Announcer 2: "Yeah. And you have to wonder if he'll use these controversies to make it easier to opt out and leave New york."
Announcer 1: "And get out of the spotlight in New York."
Announcer 2:"Right. he didn't have it in Seattle or Texas"...etc.
???
But personally, I want him to throw a strike first.
That Jeter DP is looming huge.
Wang never feels pressure, right? Because what he's showing is awfully similar to the symptoms.
Apparently the sinker is very fast today, which might not be a good thing.
He's not pitching all that badly, but it's going really badly.
This game going slow enough?
87 Yeah, but Boston has also missed some opportunities to put the game away. They've left runners on second and third every inning, and twice loaded.
Let's cash in this time.
Anyway that one didn't hurt, I bet.
The Yankees aren't winning this one, Mirabelli is pissing it away.
They continued the fight in the clubhouse later, and the catcher had to go get stitches.
Zambrano is reportedly not getting along with Lou, either, fueling speculation that he may be dealt.
Ok guys, pile on, swat that knuckler, let me put the Tums away.
99 This looks more like the patient Melky of 2006. Nothing special...but getting the job done.
Jeter and Damon both would have walked if they excercised the same patience as Melky.
111 Serious?
Frankly, I don't care what we do tonight. But its better that looking at her toys.
Thank the Lord for Jorgie.
Yaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!11
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayuy'yyyyyyyyyyyyyy1111111111111111111"
How beautiful is that!!!!!
Yaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
111 sorry to hear, that sucks man
Name? Age?
130 Have a second meal. (Wakefield didn't have it tonight.)
Jeez, that hit by Jeter would have been an RBI, and we'd still have 'em loaded with one out.
With all the bad calls we've seen, I keep going back to that silly Verducci article that cited some ridiculously low missed call rate for the umps.
Either way, has Torre ever thrown a player under the bus so consistantly as he has A-Rod? Isn't hsi strength suppsoed to be preventing this type of thing?
(But sad Cliffy lacks the faith)
"I've been reading the comments. I think we need to have a test of basic baseball knowledge for some of you."
http://preview.tinyurl.com/2udoys
"Horsesh*t!. Pure horsesh*t!. I've seen horsesh*t before, but that call was really fuck*n' horsesh*t!. How can you make such a horsesh*t call? That's horsesh*t! I'm tired of all these fuck*n' horsesh*t calls. You call yourself a fuck*n' umpire? That's horsesh*t! Pure horsesh*t"
149 "date night (Knocked up)"
Wow Jim, you move fast. -jk
157 Uncle Woodrow would say he sure got his money's worth. Hey, we all feel you Joe (finally...)
If this were the White Sox, Seattle, or many other teams, the homey announcers would get all preachy about this, but the Remdawg calls it like it is.
The guy is probably the fairest guy at a mike. He loves his Red Sox, but he is very fair to other teams.
Gave Guidry a real tribute to his 1978 year. Posted the numbers and called them 'Pedro-like'.
I like the guy.
Way to go, killah!
This feels really good, doesn't it?
(I know, I know, don't worry, I've touched wood.)
Seriously, this feels nice.
Right the fuck on!
Great to see some emotion!
Maybe this is it?
Cynic in me says RS are hoping A-Rod opts out and they swoop in & grab him.
160 Sorry but his whole schtick is taking the heat FOR players. Yet in this player's case he only helps to turn it up.
162 Nice.
Day 1: Arod.
Day 2: Joe.
Each game for the next several weeks should be marked by an epic moment thus.
Our boys are playing with some drive, you have to admit.
Remember that business with Mattingly's hair?
He had that tail?
Nicely turned again, boys.
That was a chopper in the hole.
Don't take him out!!!
Right, seamus, riiigght!
"I still like him better than Steinbrenner"
Anyone got a pitch count on Wang?
IIRC, Mattingly did a great job with the pitching staff that game he managed.
Then you hope Farns and Viz can get 6 outs without coughing this one up.
Things can change just as quickly for the Sox.
Both Lowell and Drew have left the game with injuries.
The great starts of Wake and Matsuzaka are gone.
My point: Keep the faith, man.
Ha!
After chatting it up, they show the play from 2 different angles, with Don laughing and Remy saying hows he's never seen a LF cut off a CF's throw before... from 10' away... and diving to do it.
Manny being Manny is not lost on the Remdawg.
Huh?!
Honestly, no way Mo pitches the 9th, right? Gotta get him some rest - he did get a 1.3 IP save the other day. =)
But if not Mo, who? Britton?
Gotta say the NESN guys are enjoying themselves even while getting beat. (being up 10.5 helps, though)
You guys didn't get me any runs, but you pitched really well so I forgive you.
Maybe the Yanks were just waiting for you to get back to score?
209 weeping, the 'baseball stars' Simpsons episode is a classic. Try to watch it and not count how many of those guys eventually ended up playing for the Yanks. As pay attention to the chart of players Mr. Burns puts together - hilarious!
Obviously he wants a few days off.
So Scotty gets himself a short stint after all.
And with DET losing again to CLEVE, we pick up a game in the Wild Card race.
So now who? Someone crappy, please. I think the Vizier would be good here. Who's warming?
Boy, he must really want another couple of days off!
Otherwise, how about Britton?
Either way, it wasn't on purpose. Look, you keep throwing at the Yankees and they are eventually going to throw back. Lord knows, they won't always be accurate.
With deep apologies to all the women folk here, who actually have more, ah, guts than Glass Carl.
Felix Heredia was The Run Fairy
In honor of his same general latin namedness and same general awful suckiness, I dubbed Vizcaino The Run Fairy II: Electric Boogaloo
But that shortens much better to just ... The Deuce
i find the scatalogical connotations appropriate
The Vizier is a good, classy nickname ... unfortunately, i'd say it was utterly wasted on luis vizcaino
But you're right, if there had been then Mattingly would be gone.
A single, but one big frickin single.
Okay, we got one out. We'll take it. One more.
Exhale.
Mo - eh. Kinda worried about him now.
Interesting game. Gonna be an exciting weekend.
That long 1B from Manny scares me. But still...TWO IN A ROW!!!
Scott: "HA!"
Big win. Buenos noches, hasta manana.
Still, always makes me nervous to see him hit hard - even if it IS Manny.
Anyway, see youse tomorrow.
"Clip earned the right to stay," General Manager Brian Cashman said. "His last game, he didn't have his best stuff, yet he found a way to grind through it for five innings and give us a chance to win. Those things stand out, especially with young pitchers."
When was it, like the sixth or seventh? He was off-balance, but still managed to keep the hands back enough to drive it to left center.
A very impressive piece of hitting.
Meanwhile, Sterling having difficulty recounting the highlights.
Oh God, look at me, trash-talking.
But really, I'd love to just bury these clowns this weekend, especially Schilling.
It's great to see someone battle like that.
It's great to see someone battle like that.
Front:
22-29
Division lost?
Back:
Ha!
He cracks me up.
So here's the thing, I'm hoping that we can somehow manage to sweep so we get in Boston's head a little.
I know some Boston fans and they really do have a fatalist streak in them, so perhaps if we can manage to get in their heads this weekend that'll help us in September.
Wouldn't it be nice?
It's June 1st. The AL East been decided. So has been decreed.
All the same, let's light up Schilling!
I was actually surprised Derek got to that ball.
Felt good, eh?
HA!- 2007's turning point?
Well, time to eat a piece of chicken and go to sleep. Happy Birthday, B! zzzzz...
(I really am going to make an A-Rod T-shirt with HA! where the number would be. I'll be awesome...)
At this point, I think .280 is a reasonable goal. He could do that.
And Cano, I think he could reach .300, which would be just fine.
I so want these guys to succeed.
Thoughts?
I think his finest moment with us, aside from the Cleveland game in '98 was in 2002 against California, where he came in in the early innings and shut down California until those back-to-back homeruns in around the 7th. That was a fine performance, much like the one Moose gave us against Boston in that Game 7.
Good times.
Anyone remember who started that game against California?
Red Sox
1. Julio Lugo, SS
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Manny Ramirez, LF
5. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
6. Mike Lowell, 3B
7. Jason Varitek, C
8. Wily Mo Pena, RF
9. Coco Crisp, CF
SP - Curt Schilling
Yankees
1. Bobby Abreu, RF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Hideki Matsui, LF
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5. Jorge Posada, DH
6. Robinson Cano, 2B
7. Melky Cabrera, CF
8. Doug Mientkiewicz, 1B
9. Wil Nieves, C
SP - Mike Mussina
Why Joe throws out the worst lineup in our toughest matchup beats me. I understand Nieves, but, hey, we're 2-0 with Phelps starting and hes done nothing but hit and get on base...
So I'm playing ball with my 4 1/2 year old in the backyard.
I hit the ball past him, into the dense thicket of greenery and started to make for second base.
The kid comes running up and tags me.
"Aw, you got me," I said.
A few second later, he starts laughing and says, "I tagged you with an empty glove!"
Very impressed with his own wiles, he was.
Sure enough, the glove was empty, and we both started laughing.
Bush, or just savvy baseball?
You decide.
That's why Arod exasperates me.
He's so easy to strike out.
If he shortens up his swing there, he might have poked it into right.
Damn it.
It's just so painful to watch those strikeouts.
Oh well, maybe he'll get him next time.
No. At that point, you're actively looking for the man. It was not a chance meeting.
It was...
Oh fuck it.
How stupid is it that McCarver and Buck regularly call the Cards games and Girardi is a Yankee announcer, but McCarver and Buck always do that Yankee games on FOX and Girardi is doing the Cards game on FOX today?
431 Feeling HA HA HA!
what are you even talking about? he got out of the way? youre too much...
Please forgive me I'm bored and I just felt like ripping FOX cause I don't like when the games are on it. HA!
http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/06/02/breaking-news-clemens-will-miss-chicago-series/
its only legal against the yanks. its part of the yanks bias conspiracy.
i want a brawl. i want it now.
someone (hopefully moose will be gone) needs to throw at lowell.
legal or not, that sh!t is ugly.
:) I'm just trying to step into the shoes of a sox fan, did I sound like one?
Black hole coming up.
Meanwhile, the FOX guys are actually saying something true. They're echoing 482.
how about lets just keep a tally for the end of the season so that the questionable plays can be weighed to determine which team is more "classy" ;)
how about lets just keep a tally for the end of the season so that the questionable plays can be weighed to determine which team is more "classy" ;)
Lowell's play was dirty. This isn't football. Somebody better hit him before this game is over.
Julio Lugo: Below average (OPS+ of 63)
J.D. Drew: Below average (74); slugging .310- Mink is at .372
Daisuke Matsuzaka: Below average (ERA+ of 92)
Man, he's gotten lucky the players already there stepped up.
in fairness, whats the value of cashmans off season acquisitons (igawa, nieves, doug?) the difference is that the sox players mentioned are underperforming their career averages.
As is the financial difference between Igawa/Nieves/Mink and DiceK/Drew/Lugo.
i know what he meant, im pointing out career averages becasue his argument would make a gm acquisition that acquired someone like albert pujos categorized as below average
Ha Jorge!
That AB ruled. Posada is on some other plane right now. Great stuff.
What I'm saying: Theo spent a ton of money on players he thought would perform. They haven't.
Are you comparing Drew or DiceK to Pujols? Where are you going with that?
FWIW, Pujols has been above average (135). Any GM that steals him from the Cards is the greatest GM ever.
I'm sure that's dominating and vintage Pedro Martinez.
I beg to differ.
BIG MINK.
Either that, or Boston just sucks. ;-)
WTF? This guy is paid big bucks to freaking babble about the Red Sox, and he says something that idiotic.
In case anyone was wondering, I don't like it.
this is my point... youre really cant blame a gm (epstein) when players are underperforming their career averages (just like pujols is doing, thats why i mentioned him- im not comparing them) thats it. just like you cant ridicule cashmen for acquiring abreu for the same reasons. its silly to do that.
should i go see pirates of the carib. or knocked up?
moose is signed for 2 years...
did you yell that out loud?
Hope he puts one over the monstah.
Possibly Jay Gibbons.
And another injury, jesus
How's that for pouring salt on the wounds?
Its like a microcosm of our season packed into a half inning...
cmon, that couldnt have been intentional, he already crossed the bag...
"Oh, darn!"
Maybe we are turning a corner.
But thats not the issue now.
You have to blame this inning on Torre's ridiculous BP management. Bruney should have started the inning. Proctor should have been taken out immediately after the 6th.
I thought Lowell had ample opportunity to avoid contact, obviously it wasn't intentional yet it seemed kind of dirty.
I figured a sweep would be too much to ask, but did they really have to revert to pumpkin form?
This is the Red Sox folks, not Hitlers henchmen.
Meanwhile, Abreu sets the table for the whole thing. Cano makes a bad throw... Jetes should NOT have gotten an error on that play. And then the whole thing collapses. I don't know how people can blame Proctor and Torre. With good D, there is no scoring in that inning.
I didn't see anything wrong with Lowell on that play. He was running hard to first, period. I suppose he could have avoided contact by swerving out of his way, but his job is to get to first base on a close play.
Having said that, Abreu and Jeter's awful defense made a bad situation worse. If either of them coul dhave made a play, it would have rescued Torre's mismanagement, but as has been evident, this isn't a very good team ...at least not good enough to overcome Torre's shortcomings.
Joe had his full BP to work with and instead went back to the ol' stand in.
I agree, the Yankees didn't help in the field by any stretch, but Torre and Proctor deserve equal blame, if not more.
Its just a microcosm of the season
But I will say if I was the manager, Proctor would not have started that inning. But he did give them a chance, however tenuous, to get out with minimal damage.
All those whiners who called A-Rod's play "bush league" because you wouldn't tell an 8-year old to do it need to remember that you wouldn't tell an 8-year old to step over the 1B in order to take an extra base after you just KO'd him with a knee to the back of the head.
But most of all, he was just doing what a professional ballplayer is supposed to do. You could just as easily say that Mientkiewicz could have avoided the contact by just letting the ball go by. But both guys were doing their jobs.
Ummm, really Joe? Becasue as far as I see it, both look pretty crappy to me. Or rather, Scott Proctor looks rather crappy to me, and Okajima looks good, whereas the two other assclowns looked rather crappy
And no he goes to the Volcano, raising the white flag.
God damn it.
1) a very catchable fly to RF.
2) an IBB because of Abreu
3) a BB
4) a DP ball... Cano with a bad throw.
inning should be over
5) a bloop fly single
6) another BP ball.
No, he wasn't great, but he got 3 outs (or more) without any scoring if we play average defense.
No pitcher survives 3 errors and another poor play in one inning. I'd rather see Bruney in there, but there in no guarantee what he does.
Again, Torre gets a C- or D+, the rest of the team gets an F.
Tell me... the Sox are havibng a great year. Is Francoma a great manager... or do the players have something to do with it?
How about the Cubs? Do they have a shitty manager?
what part of watching him nibble on each and every hitter because he can't throw his 85 MPH "fastball" anywhere near the strike zone wasn't enough ...
what part of watching him miss location after location, wasn't enough ...
what part of watching youkilis miss a grand slam to the deepest part of the park by a sliver to end the previous inning, wasn't enough ...
the last 2 innings made me so mad i saw spots
and now The Deuce is on ... just shoot me
good thing we brought up britton ...
This is, however, one of the most excruciating games of the season. Ugh.
beware the notoriously evil mike lowell...
It was a chance to match their longest winning streak of the year(3).
They need outfielders who can hit and FIELD. Damon killed them last week in the field and Abreu today. Matsui is no better.
At least Melky is out there and hit bat is heating up too.
with the full moon in my eyes
I was hoping for replacement
When the sun burst thru the sky
There was a band playing in my head
and I felt like getting high
I was thinking about what a
friend had said
I was hoping it was a lie"
And sure, Abreu/Cano/Captain didn't help things, but I'm with everyone else who said Proctor shouldn't have started the inning. Everyone in the country knew he was pitching with half a strike zone.
I'm heading over to LoHud, where I bet PA is defending Torre and Proctor.
Man, Proctor vs the Sox is awful - home, away, whatever. Torre being Torre, Britton of course won't get used there. It is very frustrating.
Nothing like a crisply-played ballgame, eh?
I know it was ridiculous that I allowed myself to fantasize about a sweep--I get that.
But for Christ's sake, that doesn't mean we have to just fall apart. That was really, really painful to watch.
What the fuck was up with Derek, man? He really let me down.
As someone noted above, that inning was indeed a microcosm of the whole season.
Fugly.
726 Hear, hear, Shaun.
I can't really blame Proctor today in total. The bad 'D' and freak play... sh*t, he made the pitches he had to make, but no love from the gloves...
Back to 13.5 GB. So, who's on the Hale-Bopp express right now? Aside from certain bloggers...
Someone tell Robbie Cano that he is not Roberto Alomar. SET AND THROW THE FUCKING BALL YOU MORON!
Jete gets a pass, well, because he's Jete.
Joe cant use anyone for two innings all year, and he has a guy who is striking out more than 1 per inning and he sticks with Proctor? 1 day after tossing Arod under the bus. Bye Joe, its been real. Should have promoted Willie when we had the chance. Hello Donnie!
I'm calling George to ask for my EI $160 back! At least keep up with the freaking Orioles for Christ's sake! This team doesn't deserve my money, time, or loyalty. They can certainly turn it around, but I am not blowing one more Saturday, one more night I could be out, or one more missed show because my DVR is full, or one more breath talking about what amounts to a team that couldn't compete for the NCAA championship.
"Tests revealed a mild concussion, cervical sprain and a fractured bone in his right wrist. He will be kept overnight for observation and will be placed on the 15-day disabled list prior to Sunday's game."
"Tests revealed a mild concussion, cervical sprain and a fractured bone in his right wrist. He will be kept overnight for observation and will be placed on the 15-day disabled list prior to Sunday's game."
(haha, okay, maybe not funny)
"cervical sprain and a fractured bone in his right wrist" sounds like more then 15 days. This might sound like blasphemy, but I was beginning to like DougOut. Our D is inconsistant and usually poor. I hate to put another 5 thumbs guy on the field.
So who's our next/another 1Bman?
That may be taking it a little far. Hopefully he comes back healthy and settles into a roll as a late inning defensive replacement.
Clemens's situation is just the icing on the injury cake.
Here's to a full recovery for Mintkiewicz - concussions are an awful thing. IMHO, there's no such thing as a 'mild' one.
http://tinyurl.com/253pvw
That would be an AAAA player.
749 Do we have anyone in the minors like that right now?
PeteAbe also reports that Minky has a cervical sprain. Childish jokes aside, that means that very nearly that hit could have paralyzed him, or worse. I was screaming at the TV that they shouldn't be moving him, the way the replays showed he got hit in the back of the neck. All it takes is a 2-inch movement of the second vertebrae to pierce the spinal cord...
Any word on what the roster move will be? The return of Andy Phillips, maybe?
728 Thanks Bklyn - we'll have to see if he's a lefty or not. If he is, his future may be on the mound! ;)
Still... Free Shelly Duncan (2007 SLG: .630)!
I just watched the Yankees Classic game on YES. It was the Jeter into the stands one. The good old days. :-)
And boy, Miggy was clutch in that game.
Are you nuts? I never want to see Phillips again. It will be Damon at 1B. Bank on it.
If Lowell doesn't see a fastball in a very vulnerable part of his body (not the backside), then I'll lose a little respect this team.
Exactly! If that play were legal as the Sox broadcasters claim, why wouldn't every runner coming into second to break up a double play simply run the second baseman over? He is in his path after all, and if he drops the ball the runner can proceed toward third base. You cannot stop in the basepath and shove a fielder down, its just that simple. But Lowell doesn't make 25 Mil. per year, so that's that I guess.
Thanks!
Torre fancies himself a baseball purist and a tough guy. I've said this 100 times here, but there is a reason that Joe was a sub .500 manager before joining the Yankees. Look, a manager most important job is to make his players believe they can and will win, and that the team will protect them should they be slighted unfairly. Joe cannot even accomplish this simple task. Jerry Remy shouldn't be the guy defending Arod for God's sake.
Gone is the man crying in the dugout after the 1996 World Series, and here is the man who sits smoking $100 cigars in $3000 suits in the owners box.
I thought it was a terrible mistake not to try and sign Piniella at the end of last season. He's forgotten more about managing a baseball game than Joe Torre ever knew.
Give me a guy who makes good baseball decisions and keeps the clubhouse together over an irrational old timer any day.
I love that Gammons reported the whole "defective" baseball thing again as if its perfectly plausable...
I think they need a new bench coach, frankly -- Girardi, maybe even Flaherty, somebody. I love Mattingly, but either he's not giving Torre the right advice, or Torre isn't listening.
So... you and Simone... doing anything Friday night?
I wouldn't call Biden a moron (though he is a little crazy) nor Richardson nor Obama (though he's green) nor Kucinich (though he's certainly dorky).
Meanwhile, do you guys listen to Joe Morgan on ESPN, or do you mute the announcers? I can only take so much but I've never been a Joe Morgan fan. has he mentioned Barry Bonds yet, or something about his own career?
As for the game... MELKY!!! I don't care if he hits .250 all year, I love watching that guy.
Okay, I care, but still. Awesome.
Tho andy has been giving up some hard hit, looong outs
My, this is turning into quite the pitchers' duel, huh. That's cool.
http://tinyurl.com/yt8axz
Almost too sad to be funny, but not quite.
Though damned if he didn't just rather intelligently defend A-Rod.
And then Morgan goes back to normal.
831 Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Morgan is paid millions of dollars to analyze baseball for ESPN! And he just said something that anyone who understands baseball would know is false.
That would be the equivalent of me telling a client that their patent is great because they have 100 claims instead of 50. FWIW, I would probably get fired if I told a client that. Joe Morgan will just keep winning awards!
Joe DiMaggio, career OBP: .398
BB/PA: 9.6
I wonder if my wife will let give our son the middle name of 'Melky'?
Can't believe that Damon and Jeter both swung at the first pitch. Sigh.
27 PA .454/.518/.750
They do not scare me.
Ha!
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/03/sports/baseball/03smith.html?ref=baseball
Gameday says "Injury delay". Please tell me its not Pettitte.
God, Abreu really stinks.
Jon Miller, voice of Red Sox Nation.
Joe, WTF?
Noooooooooooooo!
When did Abreu turn into a little leaguer?
How many orgasms can Miller have in one inning?
And I'm glad to see Torre wants to keep the game close by bringing in a pitcher who can't get outs.
Well here goes the game. AGAIN
873 Please predict the Yanks will win!
BTW, if Vizcaino comes in to this game now, I will recruit a team of writers to form "DFALuisVizcaino.com", and we will be relentless.
It's good to see that Joe is throwing in the Towel early here. If Viz does his thing, I don't have to worry about waking up for work tomorrow morning.
Never mind.
Time for you to go.
Wow, we couldn't have seen THIS one coming - VizcaiNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO comes in to intentionally walk a guy, to set up the double play. I'm trying to look up now how many DPs VizcaiNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO has induced so far. My guess is NNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOne.
I think this game may be the one that makes me give up on this team completely. I think they stink and that Abreu flub in right should get him traded. I don't want to see him anymore. I hate this group of players.
He usually doesn't let balls get by him when they drop in front of him, though. I guess that one just fooled him. Wind? Topspin?
918 Good to see ya. Mike!
Torre sucks.
I really don't get bringing in Vizcaino, I still don't get it. How could that be right? Vizier is for games where we're 6 runs behind, or else, MAYBE, when we're six runs up.
This year: 100 RATE
Career: 99 RATE
Of course, he's got a GB/FB ratio of .7, and .87 for his career - so he's one of the least likely guys on the team to get a GIDP.
But hey, its a close game the Yanks ought to try to win - why NOT bring in Vizcaino?
Yes, Pettite can screw up and give up some hits. But with Vizcaino it is...expected. (Incidentally, I don't hate Vizcaino. He is a good pitcher whose arm was abused by Torre in April)
Pettitte pulled due to injury.
927 Please. Sheffield can mash, but he plays the field about as well as Giambi does, and Damon can throw the ball farther. He's gotten 10 ABs in RF this year - and 193 at DH.
No, its like monkeypants said in 921 - it was the correct move. Also, the season isn't over yet, so its a little early to evaluate it.
Finally, as JL would tell us all if he was here, how much worse would things be now if, on top of all the other drama, Sheff was bitching about not having gotten an extension?
i have long been preparing for the days that my beloved new york yankees would start to play mediocre baseball and no longer be in the hunt. over the last several weeks, i have come to the realization that this may begin this year. i was okay with that.
the sudden transformation into the kansas city royals, however, is something i could have never prepared myself for.
it is possible for me to enjoy watching a team in which my team is losing, but watching the yankees this year has become absolutely unbearable.
Actually, I believe it was Sheffs attitude/demand for an extension that got him traded. That and the desire to get 'younger'.
Vizcaino: 27 IP, 25 H, 21 BB, 15 K, 7.33 ERA
Bruney: 25.2 IP, 17 H, 13 BB, 24 K, 2.10 ERA
That's quite a difference.
I want Brian Cashman to not be fired. But Pettitte is my favorite player, so it would suck to have him hurt. Even if Pettitte being hurt would mean Cash didn't get fired, I would be sad about Pettitte's injury.
The whole season has turned into waiting every couple of innings for Jorge to bat.
984 Yeah. Why not? It's a close game, I would like to win. As it turns out, Viz. did okay, though.
Look at it this way. They are down by one with a solid lineup. It is the sixth inning. The Red Sox bullen, outside of their closer, is hittable. There is no reason why they can't still win this game, despite blowing the 4-run lead. But who here feels confident?
And finally, insist that Steinbrenner must be dying, or is being manipulated by the FO, because otherwise he'd have his extension by now.
The first bunch of stuff is what he did in LA, Atlanta, SD, and Florida, when he was due a new contract.
The last stuff he already pulled in his book.
Finally, Vizcaino - 28 pitches, 13 Ks, 15 BBs.
But I was responding to Simone who said that Bruney was just as bad as Vizcaino. I'm not advocating Bruney in the fifth, but in that situation, you've gotta go with a guy who's going to get outs. Luis Vizcaino in 2007 does not fit that bill.
993 Actually I do feel like they have a decent chance. They're underdogs right now, but I give them maybe 1/3 chance of winning. Seriously.
Britton might get to pitch to Manny, though. I hope to heaven he blows him away with a K, because if the kids throws some balls, we won't see him again.
One other point...Joe is 67! Age takes speed off the fastball...even a managers.
Wow, very stupid baserunning. Happily.
997 I'd put Proctor and Mo way ahead of Viz., and I'd still put Farns a big step ahead of him. (I'm irrationally optimistic about Farnsworth, I'm afraid.)
...
For instance, Varitek has thrown out 1 runner in 18 chances this year. But why haven't the Yanks been running like made? Do they even have one SB this series?
I think his field managing is mediocre, and that if he's replaced his replacement is likely to be just about the same. We don't know anything about his clubhouse effect except what the pundits tell us, and I take that with a grain of salt.
I guess seeing him in the 6th is better then seeing him in the 8th.
1021 Now would be a great time to start the runner.
I tuned in, it was 1-0, then a couple minutes later, miraculuously, it was 4-0.
Why do they torture me so?
Couldn't they at least hold a 4-0 advantage for, oh, I don't know, maybe one inning?
They keep me right in that liminal space between dispassionate fatalism and a glimmer of hope that they might at least play good baseball for one night.
Fuck.
See?
Pena catches that ball, nicely hit by Derek.
Our RF?
Good God, we suck.
1025 That's the truth. But I want him to eat up unimportant innings. He came in with the score tied and the go-ahead run on third. I'd rather have Mo pitch there, frankly, and let Viz. pitch the ninth!
Yeah Bobby!!
But he gave Papi a triple on a misplayed ball.
Yay!
Bobby!
(See how they tease?)
For the life of me I cannot figure out why teams don't get into bidding wars over first-rate pitching coaches like Leo Mazzone and Rick Peterson. I would have paid Mazzone $4-5M/year without blinking.
The opposing camp (in the minority) argus that the best arms should be used in high leverage situations no matter what inning. Put another way, who cares who is left for the 9th inning if teh game is blown wide open in teh fifth when your crappy reliever gives up six runs.
In Leo Durocher's biography (Nice Guys Finish Last), he tells a self-aggrandizing tale about PH for his catcher late in an important game. The move left his team with no C, but the PH fortunately hit a game winning homer, so they never had to figure out what to do on defense. Anyway, a reporter asked him about the wisdom of making this move if things didn't work out as they did, and Durocher responded along the lines of: who cares about having no catcher for the 10th inning; if I didn't PH we would never have gotten past the 9th innning.
The moral is, I think, that current baseball tactics place too much emphasis on saving resources for the late innings instead of exploiting opportunities in the middle innings. Of course, this can also be taken too far (PR for Giambi in the fifth inning, or similar moves.
when do we have unimportant innings?
And he gets mad props from me for Small and Chacon in 2005.
Still, it was time and coaches get old just like players. And that's why it's Joe's time too.
They bowed out gracefully.
And Andy, bless his soul, finds himself back here for the death rattle.
What'd he do to deserve this?
I don't mind watching a graceful decline, but this train-wreck of an ending is just fugly and without soul.
Remember RJ?
The dark shadow he cast on this team?
Let's go Arod!
My basic view is this: put your best pitchers in the most important situations. Sure, that's often the ninth, and the fifth is often less important. But not always, and not (I believe) this time.
In any case, Vizcount did okay, so, whatev.
Take the walk, Alex.
How did he swing through that pitch?
He's blown it now.
Crap.
I wonder if Manny playing in so deep made Alex try to pull it? That pitch was very hittable.
A-rod... pfft...
I'm sorry, when I say that Alex is a bad hitter, this is what I'm talking about.
He has to do something there.
He had two good pitches to hit and he was at 3-1.
That's a poor at-bat.
I recall growing up, there was the Rolaids Fireman award. It was the Rolaids Fireman award not the Rolaids Closer award because you used your best reliever to put out fires. In the sixth, seventh, or eighth innings if necessary.
The nadir of the new philosophy may have been witnessed this April when Joe Torre kept his best reliever on the bench, to the point where he actually became ineffective from underuse, even as the rest of the relief corps' arms fell off in loss after loss.
How can we win under these circumstances?
think i'm gonna do my laundry instead of watching this debacle.
But just so you know, since April 24, this is A-Rod's line in 125 ABs: .224/.358/.376 with 5 HR and 11 RBI. Not so impressive.
I just think that's the time to execute.
Fundamentals.
SHow 'em, Farns.
When the team is sucking wind, you need to create situations where they can win. That's exploiting weaknesses. Thats making smart bullpen moves. That's occasionally intimidating the other team. If Fat Ass Ortiz things he's going to get beaned, maybe he won't lean over the plate. If Lowell thinks he's going to get his rib broken, maybe he won't throw hipchecks.
I've still got this game on mute for the most part anyway.
God, I hate Manny.
I guess the difference between us, then, is that I think that's a good thing.
So far, we are 10th in pitching and 4th in offense (although a very hot April skews that a bit). 10th is very disappointing, but we have had many pitching injuries.
I will guess that since April 25th, we are in the bottom half in offense. We have failed in many ways, but it's our offense being so poor thats hard to understand... or even believe.
Did you guys see signs of that?
I contrast that with a Manny Ramirez, who I think is just a very good natural hitter. He seems to be able to react to pitches better.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1610307
Excellent hitting!
That was impressive!
ROBBIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
YAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!
God, if he can learn how to hit, he'll be unstoppable!
That's exactly what I mean.
Meanwhile they didn't do much criticism of Jeter's defense when he made two errors yesterday.
I miss Scooter. These two suck.
.349 .452 .608
Wouldn't he look good in RF and in the 4 slot?
But back to the point, no I don't think I'd call A-Rod a great hitter. I think he hits the ball well.
It does my heart good.
It's the joy of watching someone develop.
Fuck.
Phelps, speaking of development.
Melky...sigh.
Damn it.
He's been reaching a lot this year.
Did he reach so much last year like that?
I seem to recall he was off balance much, much less often last year.
Meanwhile, "argh." :-( Well, at least they tied it.
I still think they should have signed him too.
And nothing annoys me more than when Rock Sutcliffe tries to claim he didn't want to wear that C.
I hope not, but with Joe, all things are possible.
He had a beautiful bunt down the line the other day, but he's terrible.
Pops the ball straight up, or lines it to third.
He kind of struck a pose as he caught it, a sort of strained, fundamentally sound catching posture.
Two hands, feet planted in an exaggerated fashion, legs bent.
Strange.
i long ago hit mute and opted for live Tower of Power instead! : )
Anyway, time to get on it, Brian. Watch the guy with the bat, not the runners, and blow it by him...
Often he makes that play.
Very few do that consistently.
What in hell was that?
Not that I'm upset.
My heart skipped six beats.
I can't believe he caught that.
Man, they make some noisy outs, you know?
Our outs tend to be quiet, you'll notice.
1257 RIP.
1246 My philosophy this year is that you just don't take out ANY reliever unless he is clearly sucking because you just have no idea how bad the next guy could be. In fact, I'd apply that rule to any Yankee pitcher
God, let's make it mean something!!!!
Like Lou in '78.
That was close.
Hang in, Derek!
That's so unfair.
God damn it!
Next time.
I have nothing else to say.
PAPELBITCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YES!!!
HOBBS IS BACK!
Ha!
Ha!
Maybe, but Gone!!!!!!
Wow, see?
Just as I'm knocking Alex!!!
HR!!!!
The other way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Yaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He was fooled, though.
He's just so strong, and his swing so true.
But he was reaching.
PLEASE.
HA!
Whatever...
Ha!
I'm scared shitless.
God.
He's just such a good hitter.
Never an easy out.
He's just amazing.
Temporarily!
(one down)
But hats off to Papi, what a freakin' at-bat.
Fuck.
Nexxxt!
HOlding my breath...
You can do it, Mo!!!
I can't watch!
Ortiz reminds me of Mattingly in his prime.
(two down)
Wow!!
89 mph, struck him out!
I can't watch!
This is no time for drama.
Let's just win the baseball game.
This is no time for drama.
Let's just win the baseball game.
Bear down, Mo.
Bear down.
Just called the 0-2 strike three.
He's indignant.
I'm glad I hung out with you guys tonight. It was dramatic.
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111
O, FUCK YES!
He couldn't have sounded more disappointed - BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA.......
Man, Mo is back! He's BACK!
Now, if only Andy isn't really hurt. :-(
For one night at least, all is right.
And we don't have to listen to Joe Morgan anymore!
I'm really ecstatic!!
How cathartic.
Christ almighty we needed that.
Especially from Mo, baling out Andy this time!
Thanks, Alex!!
Bravo!!
Ha!
My adrenaline is UP, ladies and gents - won't be able to get to bed at least for another hour... lol
Suzyn: what pitch were you looking for on the HR?
A-Rod: Just looking to stay alive, just trying to slap it to right field (!)
Suzyn: what about the inning when you couldn't get the fly ball to drive the run in?
A:I was about six inches ahead of the pitch. The difference this time was I pulled back about six inches and went to right, which is what I do best.
(Then she teases him into smiling and admitting it was very satisfying for him.)
And thats two series in a row that we take from the Sox.
I'm trying to listen to Jerry Rice.
1469 I have to say I hope he finally gets his props this year with some bling. He's been living in the shadow of Ivan Piazza for too long.
Very few things please me more than Arod shutting thousands of drunk Bostonians up. And off their prized little 'Boner too...
Vintage Mo. That last pitch to Lowell was NASTY.
Melky making a great diving catch.
Ortiz failing in a clutch spot.
And only one error!
The division race is probably over. But games like these remind me why I love baseball.
And F**K ESPN and FOX. FOX for showing that ridiculous "Arod is bush" montage yesterday, and ESPN for not STFU about all the sh1t surrounding the guy. Although, Joe Morgan was the man tonight.
Matt DeSalvo, baby!
Ha!
God, I'd love to have something to believe in.
Not the crispest game, boys, but we'll take it.
The question is, does this team have it in them at least to play consistently crisp baseball?
Because if we can do that, we can get the wild card and knock Boston out in the first round.
How sweet would that be?
What's that, you say, I'm getting ahead of myself?
A guy can dream, can't he?
Well you know that's the battle cry in the Boston papers tomorrow... :-P
1478 Go, baseball! Go, Banter!
;)
and HELL yes to reading through the game threads of an awesome win. HA!
This game had a soul.
I'm a little scared that 07 Yankees:07 Sox :: 05 D-Rays:05 Yankees.
1461 HA!
His finest moment, the one I'll always remember, was that little flair against Pedro.
That was his shining moment.
That and the solo shot against Zito in...what was it, 2000? The flip game?
Ditto all the Posada love.
The New A-Rod is here to stay. Can you imagine if he had had this week last year? Papelbon would've K him on 3 pitches, no doubt about it.
Feel free.
I'm about nothing if not learning.
1495 Were you anywhere near those annoying drummers?
He shouldn't miss a start for that, right?
The most memorable game I think I was at was when Reggie hit a homerun against the Yanks in 1982.
I was 9, and he hit it out to left-center, as I recall, and the whole Stadium rose and chanted "Re-ggie, Re-ggie, Re-ggie!"
That was nice.
For some reason, unlike most sane people, Morgan doesn't bother me, although he makes some idiotic points. But I don't get the sense that he plays favorites.
http://tinyurl.com/2cnkds
No, you old sack of sh1t Yankee hater, Derek Jeter will come up to lead off the 9th.
Bitter POS never won a god damn thing.
http://sports.cbs5.com/default.asp?c=kpix&page=mlb/news/AAN4082458.htm
Knowing that he was a Yankee once before and it wasn't his best year (not terrible) but he's been good since then.. just a thought.
Peter Gammons reports that both the A-Rod HR and Fatty Fly out balls in the ninth were products of defective baseballs. Gammons says that if the Red Sox weren't struck with this epidemic of previously unheard of "defective baseballs" Papelbon would have struck out A-Rod and Ortiz would have walked off.
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