Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
The Yankees need to win just one of these final two games in Kansas City to stay on target by taking three of four from the Royals. Unfortunately, they'll have to do it with the weak back end of their rotation. Mike Mussina, who takes the ball tonight, is better than the disaster outing he had last time out in the series opener against Tampa Bay, but not by as much as he'd like to think. He has a 4.97 ERA on the season and a 4.71 ERA over his last five starts. He's very clearly the Yankees' number-four starter at this point, and his delicate diva act is getting old fast (and I say that as someone who finds his post-game churlishness hilarious and oddly endearing).
Before his last start, I reported that Mussina had a 3.40 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP in 11 starts with Wil Nieves behind the plate and a 9.00 ERA and 1.89 WHIP in four starts with Jorge Posada behind the plate (one of them being his injury-shortened outing in Minneapolis in April). That night, Moose was caught by Posada and gave up six runs in 4 2/3 innings pushing his Posada ERA to 9.53 and WHIP to 1.94. Well, Nieves is gone and Posada will be behind the plate again tonight, so Moose had better crank up his way back machine and remember how he turned in Cy Young-worthy seasons pitching to Posada in 2001 (3.15 ERA, 1.07 WHIP) and 2003 (3.40 ERA, 1.08 WHIP). Or, better yet, remember that it was Posada's advice on his changeup that stimulated a last gasp of brilliance early last season (2.42 ERA, 0.95 WHIP through the end of May (he might want to thank Jorge for his current two-year, $23-million deal while he's at it).
Whatever it takes, it sure would be nice not to have to rely on Kei Igawa's high-wire act for that third win of the series. Further complicating the issue, however, is the fact that the Yankees will face the Royals best pitcher tonight, the maybe-not-so-overpaid-after-all Gil "Ga!" Meche. Meche has gone 7-6 with a 3.63 ERA (130 ERA+) for a team playing .434 baseball, and very much deserved his All-Star selection. Then again, Meche has been coming back to earth over the last two months, posting a 4.50 ERA in June and July and a 5.40 ERA in his last six starts (yet somehow going 3-0 over that same six-start stretch). Still, Meche held the major leagues' best offense to two runs on five hits and no walks over seven innings in his last outing, which took place in Detroit as the Royals romped to a 10-2 win over the Central Division leaders, and in his only outing against the Yankees last year held the Bombers to two runs on five hits and a walk in six innings while striking out six.
Things have been easy for the Yankees over the last five games. That will likely change tonight. Here's hoping they can reignite that fighting spirit they displayed in last week's Toronto series.
I'm going to spend the rest of the day trying to come up with an "Utnapishtim" joke.
Wait a minute, it's Wednesday, not Tuesday. That means she has to be wearing a blue shirt. And the grass had better be mowed from right to left.
The most important factor is the wind. Mussina is but mad north-northwest; when the wind is southerly, he knows a hawk from a handsaw.
GIVE EM HELL, BOYS
You all know that one, don't you? No? OK, I'll explain it then. When Brian Cashman is trapped in a box, and he'll die if he doesn't make a good trade getting rid of Randy Johnson, depending on who looks in the box when, Cashman is either alive, or dead, or both, or neither.
Don't think about it too much though, it makes one's head hurt.
Damon LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Matsui DH
Posada C
Cano 2B
Phillips 1B
Cabrera CF
And everyone should. Read it.
And I have a good feeling about Mussina. Somewhere in there, the Hall of Fame pitcher still lurks. Why not tonight?
Is there a Back, Back, Back, Back button I could use to erase that post?
PS Not everyone's out to get you. You don't have to be a condescending douche all the time.
PPS Thanks, I'll try that now.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2948878
Shel-ly Dun-can. [clap clap, clap-clap-clap]
Shel-ly Dun-can. [clap clap, clap-clap-clap]
Shel-ly Dun-can. [clap clap, clap-clap-clap]
Do you have some special information showing that that's what we're getting in the short term I noted?
I wouldn't be surprised to see Joe go into one of his largely random, quasi-platoon systems. That's where he rotates people in and out for a week or three at a time, with no apparent rhyme or reason.
Hmm, not sure I trust the Yankees to act entirely rationally or Giambi to correctly assess his own progress.
15 Nice...Meta-physical Philosophy of course, as Schrödinger's GM is inherently impossible because of the infinite potential of available better prospects, implying that no matter the situation or variables, the outcome is always already the death of Cashman--aka, it doesn't matter, the trade, by definition, will always be worse than the trade-should-have-been-made.
17 Duh...
16 I actually think a man standing next to the dugout reciting the Epic would be quite fascinating, if only for the pure randomness of it, and the fact that no one around him would probably have any idea of what was occurring...
Fucking ump.
How are we ever going to trust umpires now that the NBA has screwed everything up? What if someone bet on the 'over' this game?
70 I wish I could believe that baseball has learned its lesson since Rose, but alas...
Just thought I'd flap my yap; the Saranac, you know.
:)
My two and a half year old daughter speaks along with the voiceovers in the Select Dental and StubHub ads.
Joe on Robbie.
Sorry, I'm an enemy of commercials.
:)
Nice hitting, Robbie!
How 'bout that?
Leche!
C'mon guys I want 10+ runs tonight
I won't like it when Moose gives up three in the bottom half, but for now I'm pleased.
Knock on wood!
70 There have been many, many more baseball umps presiding over many, many more games than in the NBA. And in the 87 years since that racist bastard Judge Landis took over, there've been...zero scandals involving umpires. That's a decent record.
Could there be one? I guess so, but there probably isn't. I certainly don't think we suddenly have to worry about the game's integrity over this.
HR to the opposite field that are the result of a swing with no upper cut = 3 runs each.
HR to centerfield with a moderate uppercut = 1 run.
Inside the Park HR to the opposite field = 45 runs
HR to the pull field with a significant uppercut = DFA
96 We discussed this at length yesterday. The consensus is that real Yankee fans do not root for Boston, unless it's some special feel-good reason like Lester's comeback.
(However, I do think it's actually better for the Yankees if Boston beats Cleveland.)
I knew you'd see reason eventually.
Never.
Find the damned wood!
Thank you.
Well, Moose survived that one.
124 Bourbon and water, Shaun, is the drink of choice for Moose watchers. Have one on me.
Oh, wait. Maybe it should be Molson's?
Here, let me go to my fridge, I've got a couple more...
You like it with a glass, like a civilized human being or out of the bottle, like a barbarian?
The pale.
I get the tie-in, but I'd kill for a Labatt's right now instead of the Molson's.
Nice hitting, Alex.
It's like he wants to make sure it's still there before he swings.
Touche!
No, I do not have a proper pint glass. A snobbish barbarian indeed.
Oh, Hideki.
5.0 IP 4 H 0 ER 1 BB 10 K
Wow.
Is that the word of the day, 'outlier'?
147 Yes. (If Farns were available today, I'd say no.)
OTOH, I was glad to see AROD use 2 hands on that pop-up ... my dad would have been proud ! He always told us not to "nonchalant" the popups and use two hands ....
And I agree completely. Let another team overpay (in prospects and contract). Go get a guy like Carter or Koshansky instead.
"Next on the stage, let's welcome PAVANO DOVE!!!!!"
Here's the big Moose test.
Lately, I've been explaining the game of baseball to my 4 1/2 year old son Peter(named after my dad ... who unfortunately passed away 2 months ago). What a different way to look at the game - through the eyes of a kid ! Tough to explain EVERYTHING too, ya know ?!
That's really beautiful, Joe, and my deepest condolences.
I have a son exactly the same age, and we play in the backyard everyday.
It's pure joy playing with him, teaching him, watching his natural ability guide him.
It is tough to explain everything.
And it's such an awesome responsibility, you know? He hits very well, but he has this weird stance, sort of facing me (the pitcher) square one, rather than sideways.
It's hard to know what to try to correct, what not.
And it's hard trying to challenge him without demoralizing him.
Hitting a baseball is, shall we say, not easy.
But he hangs in there. He's astonishingly patient when he swings and misses; he's otherwise not the most patient person in the world. But he wants to hit the ball, so he focusses.
Pure joy, pure joy.
I have no idea what that meant. I'm on a spelling binge.
179 I'm sorry, Mr. Will, you are eliminated.
No, see, that's just it!
I'm tempted to, well, you know, "teach him a lesson." To stop the flow of the game to explain things to him. Sometimes he's actually really receptive. Usually, actually.
Sometimes, though, he just wants to hit humors me by pretending to listen so we can continue playing.
Not easy trying to figure out how to be the perfect coach.
A fine Canukistan beer, not only much better than Molson, but very a propos.
He's just having fun, of course, but he knows how to throw and I don't want to go chasing down the ball just because he chooses to throw like an buffoon.
I always scold him for those ridiculous throws.
I'm such a slave-driver.
:)
Nice throw from your knees, Derek, graceful turn, Robbie!
Oh, that was pretty.
Speaking of which, Moose's head manages not to explode for yeet another inning.
How else can you teach fundamentals but while you're actually playing?
I could see how when you're older and have a basic framework for execution, the rules, etc., that would make sense, but at such a young age, it's all new.
My son is strictly a pull hitter now. Loves to whack the crap out of the wiffle ball - he basically runs to a random tree in our neighbors yard, and then back to home plate. I've found a good workout is to basically chase him all over the place - no bases yet in our games !
He pleads with me all the time: "Throw strikes!"
and I respond, "I'm trying, I'm trying!"
It's really funny.
Sometimes I move close and pitch it underhand, but that bores him pretty quickly.
He's so small, though, that it's really hard to throw strikes, with or without velocity.
"Play the game the right way" outpitched Carmona and lost!
Woooooo!
Wow, Cleveland beats Boston 1-0!
It's amazing how natural these tendencies are.
217 It's true, he does get defensive sometimes, though usually not.
Also, sometimes he's aware that we're "practicing" while others, it's "a real game" and he steps in as Derek Jeter or Jorge Posada.
I'm less inclined to do it during those "games," it's true.
And Youkilis, Varitek, and Pedroia are all starting to suck again.
Like last night - Sabathia outpitched Matsuzaka by a little bit and still lost.
Clippard's July splits:
21.7 ip .330 baa .398 obp .495 slugging .893 ops 1.85 whip, 4.15 bb/9, 4.57 k/9
That's why.
Beautiful, perfect swing.
But now we're nailing Meche, so go figure.
Meanwhile, Ohlendorf in two starts has a .335 BAA (5.40 ERA) and for a groundball pitcher his ratio of GO/AO is 0.67.
Another beautiful swing!
I love this!
I thought Andy was going to make it.
But nicely done--use your enemy's aggression against him.
Beautiful, Melky, beautiful!
Oh, I'm so happy.
Textbook.
Well-oiled machine.
And now it looks like a very good move.
Meanwhile, Ohlendorf's coming back from injury and in his 2 starts he's given up a .800 ops against. Which is stellar compared to Clippard, though hardly something to write home about.
Plus he's only walking 1.86/9 and k'ing 7.45
That's a small sample for him, but still significantly better than the dreadful Clippard, whose future is tradebait.
The last 6 innings they'd only scratched out two.
The broad trend shouldn't necessarily dictate the next three innings.
This game is just this game, and the gamble is that just because they've been hitting these past 30 or so innings, they'll hit like that in the next two or three innings.
I missed the whole game.
But that was a weird decision, to throw underhand.
I guess he dives when it counts!
Nicely done.
What a crisp baseball game, Team!
Proctor: "That's 'Proctor throws strikes sir!"
Abreu: "Oh yeah? Watch this... Hua!!!"
Now it's interesting.
Well, there's your HBP.
Fuck.
Just go straight to Viz, for Christ's sake.
This is just dumb.
What, I was referring to the offense.
Prospect smackdown - 2007 edition:
Clippard (22 yo): 4.15 ERA 69.1 IP 82 H 32 ER 7 HR 35 BB 55 K 0.69 GO/AO .299 BAA
Ohlendorf (25 yo): 4.90 ERA 60.2 IP 71 H 33 ER 6 HR 22 BB 50 K 1.49 GO/AO .290 BAA
Those lines aren't all that different. And Ohlendorf has the advantage in there of 16 IP in Rookie ball (17 K and 1 BB).
If anything, I give Clippard the benefit of the doubt, being three years younger and, you know, actually pitching better at the same level.
This is a good game.
Excellent.
Nice job, Mike, nice job.
It's about why Clippard got sent down and not Ollie. Ollie's numbers in his 2 starts in Scranton back from injury are satisfactory. Clippard's had a disasterous month.
Clippard's clearly lost something in a big way, and might even need to go back down to Tampa for some tutoring and condidence.
Derek's gonna step up here.
Doesn't look too comfortable.
Watch me type "LGY!" or something now.
(let's go yankees, not loogy...)
Ha ha!
My fucking man Derek.
Okay, I now have to ask: what does "Captain 1-3" mean, Weeping?
Excellent.
No fucking around. GO for the jugular.
Every day, you know you'll get a 1-3 out of him.
The Consistency. He doesn't have very many four and five hit games, but he's always got a hit.
You know, I figure after they say "Hughes, Joba, and Kennedy are untouchable " the next guy to be asked about would be the one who is younger, more advanced, and more proven than the other pitchers.
Instead, by demoting him, they let teams first ask about Ohlendorf, Horne, Marquez, Smith, Jones, DeSalvo, Karstens, Rasner...
Clippard's problem is one of control. I'll give up on him in two to three years.
But yesterday, four hits, and two today.
Still, I get it. That's how he manages these unbelievable hitting streaks even though he doesn't bat .390.
499 baby.
Fluxuation of average.
Derek was between .328 and .355 for a couple months, but leveled off at .333. He's been between .328 and like .335 for weeks now, it seems.
Alex!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Haaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!1
Are you okay, Weep? No worries, eh?
That was classic.
349 Duly noted.
They don't see this kind of thing every day, huh?
Poor bastards.
It's really uncanny.
He's just on.
VG, A-God! LGY!
Ha!!!!!!!!111
Bring it on1!!!!!!!!!!
The homeruns are the padding, putting the game out of reach.
But it was that third run that was essential.
As long as we got that, the rest was house money.
I really like these consistent HRs!
Prospect Smackdown! - Career (through 2006):
Clippard (22 yo): 582.2 IP 7.93 H/9 0.76 HR/9 2.49 BB/9 9.46 K/9 1.16 WHIP
Ohlendorf (25 yo): 429.1 IP 9.65 H/9 0.63 HR/9 2.47 BB/9 7.34 K/9 1.35 WHIP
So, let me get this straight. Clippard is three years younger, has pitched more professional innings (and never been hurt), gives up fewer hits and K's more guys, but Ohlendorf is "more valuable" even with back issues?
That's all I'm saying.
Nice hitting.
Check out Andy!
Two line drives, one run!
Yay!!!!!!!!!!1
Good, Andy needed the rbi.
402 Gameday is calling it .299 :)
He's really hitting.
I'm glad to hear he's rubbing off on Melky. Hopefully Cano, too.
I hope he stays.
This isn't a good Viz., situation: no possibility of getting the win.
Run that bum out of town!
Woah, Linebrink got traded to the Brewers?
I saw Mussina for a few innings, then Proctor...missed belly full of guts guy completely.
Let's savor this.
I'm a happy man.
Soon to retire, injured, crabby starter for a workhorse reliever and some prospects.
What is so bad about that?
beautiful
I hope we won't need to hear about it every ab from here on out.
(Also I wanted the Yoo Hoo, but I'll settle for the root beer.)
Specifically, holding out for "equal value" for the awful Pavano but we traded a hall of famer for a pair of middle relivers and a utility man.
I'll be sure not to slurp while you're eating.
He's the Maitre, Dotel.
Enough of this shit.
If you walk him here, you suck.
Sorry.
Pavano has pitched 150 innings twice. he's pitched to the league average twice. he's done both once.
There was no reason to think Carl Pavano could be valuable to this team. The only reason to keep him would be if you didn't want to admit a mistake.
I don't care one way or another about this dead horse, but at least debate the relevant terms.
One away.
Little blooper.
What d'y'all think?
A broken bat and a bloopy single. Now we need a K for the paradigmatic Mo inning.
Joe's problem is this: he envisions himself taking out Mo, and then everything goes to hell, and he has nobody to go to.
But anyway, it didn't come to that, so, it's all good.
Beautiful game.
Not one complaint.
Hmm.
Oh, it's the future pluperfect-adjunctive!
Good night everyone.
529 how do you know they are 2 different standards, and so what if they were? randy johnson is very old. even if you think pavano is never healthy, almost no pitchers have ever been dominant at randy's age.
He's so locked in.
"Wearing this uniform, the New York Yankees, is something special.
"...team goals..."
"Maybe I tried a little too hard."
Please stay, Alex.
It's been a nice week or so. Every night we've picked up a game (or 1.5) in the WC or division. Keep it rollin', Bombers...
That's exactly right.
1. Because that year RJ was still throwing down perfect effing games, and he starts game 7 of the ALCS, not Kevin Brown.
I promised myself I'd go to bed early -- 10:30 tonight. Fortunately I am completely unreliable with my promises, otherwise I would have missed 499 by ten minutes.
HA!
We're still 6 1/2 back, let's not get too giddy, tempting though it is.
Here's to taking care of business tomorrow.
And Pavano is rarely healthy. And when he is healthy, he's bad. Randy, on the other hand, is often quite good when healthy. Plus he's a draw. Randy Johnson was a far more appealing acquisition
And we decided to play hardball with the other guy.
I'm on the verge of tears, here.
They're really playing baseball.
1978 Comparison Watch: after game 100 in 1978, the Yankees were 55-45, 8 GB, 4th place.
All in all, this season is looking better. It's still a long haul, but very cautious optimism is slowly returning.
He'll be all right.
Positive thinking.
Or, the offense scores 22 runs and Torre lets Igawa throw 200 pitches before he's shipped off for Hughes.
Exactly.
There's too many ways to win tomorrow.
We have to have that game, it's not house money.
If Igawa goes say five, and can keep it to four or fewer, I like our chances.
He can certainly do that.
Yeah, because the Yankees really need to boost attendance:
2007: 52,049
2006: 51,858
2005: 50,499
2004: 47,788
2003: 42,785
.
.
.
Curveball over whenever he wanted to, could through it on the ground, for strikes, whatever.
Could throw the fastball in and out, mix it up enough to keep 'em off balance.
"We got to 3-1 and I felt pretty good about it."
Derek, scornfully: "No, Kim, why would he do that? He's my friend."
"You going to play tomorrow?"
Derek, rolling eyes, "Yes, Kim, I'm going to play tomorrow.
Crisp thrown out at the plate on a ball hit by Ortiz into the dragnet, from short right.
And that was the difference in the game.
6 1/2?
God, but I want to see 4 1/2.
Who's up after Kansas City?
That's pretty cool.
Is Tejeda still injured?
Jesus, too much Saranac.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=LsGeD2sDkhc
Damn, I'm getting excited.
Tell me they're not going to break my heart again.
Man, if they keep this hummin' and get Hughes and Giambi back — home field advantage will be the hot topic before we know it... OK, that's the Jameson talkin', but hey, I can dream, can't I...
Right there with you...
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