Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
The Yankees shut-out the Red Sox this afternoon, 5-0, completing a timely three-game sweep. New York now trails Boston by five games, and this one got contentious before all was said and done. Chien-Ming Wang took a no-hitter into the seventh inning (thanks, in part to three stellar fielding plays by Jason Giambi), and out-dueled Curt Schilling, who was excellent for Boston. Robinson Cano drilled two solo dingers off Schilling, both to left center field, the only runs allowed by Boston's starting pitcher.
After Kevin Youkilis reached on a throwing error by Derek Jeter to start the seventh inning, Mike Lowell slapped a single to right for Boston's first hit of the game. J.D. Drew followed and hit a ground ball to Alex Rodriguez, who lunged to tag Youkilis, before throwing on to first. Drew was called out at first on a close play as Youkilis and Lowell advanced. Rodriguez had missed the tag but soon he, and manager Joe Torre, were arguing that Youkilis had run out of the baseline. (It didn't look as if he was that far out of the baseline when he passed Rodriguez, but his momentum carried him onto the infield grass a few steps later.) The umpires huddled and the call was overturned. Terry Francona, already having a tough day, came out, argued, and was run from the game.
I was watching the game with a friend who said, "Youkilis got himself out because he looks so awkward." Wang struck out Jason Varitek, got out of the jam, his day complete.
Joba Chamberlain did not allow a run in the eighth but didn't look particularly sharp. He could not control the slider. Still, after the Yankees scored three times in the bottom of the inning—two runs scoring on an errand throw by Varitek—Chamberlain, rules be damned, was still pitching. He retired David Ortiz on a fly out and then buzzed two consecutive pitches up and over Youkilis' head. There was no warning from the umps. Instead, Chamberlain was thrown out of the game. The Red Sox players, notably, Josh Beckett, hollered at Chamberlain as the rookie pitcher walked off the field. "If that young man was trying to get our attention," Francona said later, "he did a good job of it."
Edwar Ramirez replaced him and got the final two outs to preserve the shutout.
After the game, Youkilis told reporters:
"You know, two balls going over somebody's head at 98 mph, I don't know. I didn't see any other pitches going that far out of the strike zone. Those balls were pretty close to the head. There were a couple of nods here and there. Who knows what it really meant? Ask him what his intent was. He's going to probably tell you he didn't mean to throw those. It's one of those things where only one person, or maybe a couple people on their team know."That's the second time. Scott Proctor hit me in the head. Coincidence? I don't know. It doesn't look good. When two balls go at your head and the guy has a zero ERA and is around the strike zone pretty good, any man is going to think there's intent to hit him in the head."
So, the Red Sox are angry about the Youkilis call in the seventh, about Chamberlain throwing at him in the ninth, and most importantly, about getting swept. Boston still has a healthy five game lead, but there is sure to be more theatrics, posturing and general huffing and puffing the next time these two teams meet in Boston in a couple of weeks. (What a cheery thought.) Welcome to the Rivalry, Mr. Chamberlain.
In the meantime, it was the best possible outcome for the Yankees. They defeated Boston's three best pitchers and swept a series that needed to be swept. Now, here's hoping they don't lose site of things this weekend against the Devil Rays.
UpdateThe Mariners rallied to tie the Indians in the top of the 9th but lost the game when Rick White issued a bases loaded walk to Kenny Lofton with two men out in the bottom of the inning. The Yanks are now alone in first place for the wildcard, tied with Seattle in the loss column.
You, Alex, on the other hand, sound completely chilled, blissed out on the Vermont air. Reading your recap actually calmed me down a bit.
In the heat of the moment, and even now, I do not think there was any ill intent on Joba's part.
As I said on the previous thread, I'm afraid this thing is going to be blown way out of proportion by the New England media, tarnishing the kid with an undeserved, unfair reputation as a head hunter.
Yeah, he's in the bigs in a big way now. Anybody who hasn't heard of him, certainly knows him now, which isn't necessarily a bad thing -- but the maturity and composure he's displayed until now will be seriously tested in the coming days and weeks.
Stay strong, Joba. We got'cha back.
The Francona "incident" Alex linked to above is silly. Who gives a squirrel's nut if a manager is wearing his official gang colors under his jacket, as per regulations? And they police this crap? Heck, I couldn't care less if Francona, Torre, whoever wore shorts and a Hawaiian shirt in the dugout, unless they're going to put themselves in the game, which they most certainly ain't.
I never understood why a bunch of tubby 50-60 yr olds dressed up in ill-fitting baseball unis anyway. Almost all of them look ridiculous.
Murray, you are right, though. The Sox have been throwing at the Yankees for years. What the standings look like when they meet up again will largely dictate how the teams play. If the Sox are 8 games ahead again, then look for some cheap shots. If they are neck-and-neck, you wouldn't think anyone would afford that kind of nonsense, no matter how much blood the Romans in the stands are calling for.
Oh, and by the way, I forgot to mention that Derek Jeter went 4-4 today and was 7-11 in the series. Just when you start to think, he's hurting, he's slumping, his numbers are down, he turns it up in a big series.
Giambi really deserves credit for making those fine plays today...
Damnit
Giambi's fine glovework has always been overlooked, at least since he got here, and started being held to the Donnie-Tino standard of excellence. I thought he looked like a whale out of water at 1b when he got here, but turned out it's only his arm that can kill us, or somebody who's not paying attention when he unleashes one of those Knoblauchers.
Welcome to sole possession of 1st place in the WC!
It's been a long time coming!
What a relief: I want the Mariners to be no better than tied with the Yankees in the loss column when they come into town. If we're a game or more behind, I would worry about the pressure the team would feel, though I feel good about playing them at our house.
I was fully unaware of this.
Well, I don't know. I kind of think he threw at Youk. Not that it bothers me or anything...but man, just plunk him in the ass if that's what's going on. Who knows ? I do wish that there was NO DH - and Beckett was swinging the bat. I'd drill him in a New York minute ! I hate that a-hole.
I think those wackos calling into Planet Mike on EEI are infiltrating your brain, maybe? :-)
To believe it was intentional, you have to believe he went out and said "I want to hit Kevin Youkilis. No one else but Kevin Youkilis."
41 Look , I hate Josh Beckett as much as the next guy, but because he beat the piss out of us in 2003, exaserbated because it was on short rest, something not in Joe Torre's playbook when starting pitchers are concerned. He's a good pitcher, a hot head, but I wouldn't be upset if he were on our side.
Yankees in first place in the WC. College football is here! What could be better?
Planet Mikey - what a show by the way - that gives me a headache when I listen to it. Late night, the FAN comes in and out ... annoying for a Yankee fan trapped in Boston!
And look, I just hate Beckett, I don't know why - maybe it's that chin fuzz.
Read that sentence out loud.
Long day - school started this week .....(I'm a teacher .....)
Time for me to sleep. 'Night, all. Peace.
Anyways, always great to wake up and see the Yanks beat the Sox and GW Schilling. The division is still a possibility, don't give up hope!
Another guy claimed he had a long track record of umpiring and pitching (both at the high school level) and claimed that you could tell by the way the ball was delivered that there was full intent...he claimed pinpoint precision for Joba's pitches based on studying his delivery and release point, and that they were fully intended to sail the way they did.
Hey, maybe one pitch was meant to be a bit of a brushback. But again, I think the Sox are just using this whole situation to psych the kid out. It still seems irrational to me to go headhunting with your best pitching prospect at this time of year.
Also, someone please explain to me why we have guys like Posada (with the Proctor situation) and Joe running off to apologize profusely to the Red Sox and claiming we never meant it? I don't see the clowns on the other side apologizing to us when they brush us back. And all our apologies don't seem to keep them from whining like bitches in heat.
Reading 50 back, I see I referred to Joba as "our favorite son." For the record, I have three real sons of my own, I love them all more than Joba, and am clearly far too jacked up to have a reasonable perspective on life at the moment.
Sleep, please.
Sweet dreams, come to me, please.
The Cano blasts...
The aces, coming up aces...
Mo shutting them down...
Flying squirrels...
Ahhh, sweep dreams, at last....
zzzzz
He had to know he ran on the grass, yet there he was screaming and whining on 3rd base about the call being reversed.
Makes little sense to constantly be throwing at this guy, though - a better target would certainly be Ortiz, because Papi on first base is always better than Papi's ball landing in the upper deck. However, it's possible Ortiz doesn't get thrown at because he's actually a pretty likable guy, and has relationships with more than a few Yankee players.
Youkilis, OTOH, may be viewed in the Yankees clubhouse the same way A-Rod is in Boston's.
Just doing some random Friday speculation - feel free to flame me if it all sounds ridiculous.
At that point Joba was looking at two of his own wild pitches on the outside and inside with a 2-1 count and no control shown. I cannot fathom a reason for him to go after Yourk's head at that point. I'd think he'd be more concerned about trying to find the strike zone after having lost it.
From Youk's perspective, of course, two very very fast fastballs at the head are completely unacceptable. His motivation is going to be to make that not happen again, any way he can, regardless of the motivation of the pitcher. I promise that Joba will never throw at his head again, though. So for Youk - mission accomplished.
53 Finally, I agree that neither Joba nor Joe should apologize. Joba can say clearly (and only once) "I did not try to hit Youk" but after that or if anyone else starts to make excuses it makes the Yanks just look like wimps. No harm, no apology. Next time he should hit somebody in the ass, just so no one thinks he won't. Which will be unfortunate since he will then be suspended.
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