Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
Mike Mussina's was the coin that flopped over tonight. After walking just three men in his last five starts, Mussina walked Brian Roberts to start tonight's game. Moose then gave up two-out singles to Aubrey Huff and Kevin Millar to plate Roberts and put men on first and second. After that, he got of Luke Scott 1-2 and got Scott to ground to shortstop for what appeared to be an inning-ending groundout. Derek Jeter fielded the ball and looked to flip to Robinson Cano at second for the out, but Cano wasn't on the bag. Instead, Jeter threw to first, but his throw was high and allowed Scott to reach safely, loading the bases for Ramon Hernandez. Mussina walked Hernandez on four pitches to force in a second Oriole run, then failed to retire any of the four men after him, finally being pulled with the score 7-0 Orioles and still just two outs in the first inning.
That thew a wet blanket on Alex Rodriguez's return to the lineup. Rodriguez came through with a two-run homer into the Yankee bullpen in the sixth, but those were the only runs Baltimore starter Daniel Cabrera allowed on the night as the Orioles cruised to a 12-2 win.
The only other action of note stemmed from a third-inning Cabrera pitch which tailed in on Derek Jeter and hit him on the outside of his left wrist. Jeter left the game immediately, and LaTroy Hawkins cleared the benches by throwing at Luke Scott with none on and two out in the sixth, but Jeter's x-rays were negative, which means that other than a coming suspension for Hawkins, the lasting effects should be minimal. The lasting effects of the Yankees losing six of their last seven while averaging two runs per game remain the greater concern.
Classic.
That's what happens when the game is over after 1/2 inning allowing me to get the game-wrap post up minutes after the final out.
He does have a good point though. Second time in a row, someone on the Yankees gets hit, no one on the other team does and a Yankee will be suspended.
There are a litany of things wrong with this team, from the front office on down. Cashman hasn't done much of anything since re-signing the big three early in the winter. Girardi seems afraid to put on plays. The defense is always a step short. The starting pitching is up and down. The offense is putrid. The team plays with little emotion, enthusiasm, or urgency. Other than that, I can't find too many problems.
I almost wish that someone would start a fight in the clubhouse--without breaking any bones or pulling any more quads, of course.
That's on Hawkins; he had two shots and missed.
MORE CANDY!
Seriously, now is as good a time as any to bring back the junk food. That strength and conditioning guy took the fall last year for all the hammy injuries, so why not blame the lack of energy on the lack of M&Ms?
BTW, I saw our old friend Tyler Clippard pitching for the Clippers Monday night. He started out well (four straight Ks, aided by being in the setting sun) then didn't get a called third strike in the 5th. He kind of let it get to him and wound up giving up one whole run. You gotta put things like a bad call or a bad throw behind you.
The tragedy that is this team is morphing into comedy. They have played so porrly it's almost comical. This is not Girardi's, Cashman's or Long's fault. Somehow there is just a big black cloud over the entire team. Mo and Wang are the only guys really doing well.
Maybe Torre was a better manager than we gave him credit for? Even with 1 extra year of aging, this team should be a little better then last year.
While it should be the vets who pick things up, mentally, we might need to see Cano, Melky, IPK and Phil get back on track. Maybe our kids can show the old guys how it's done.
Just cause we did it last year doesn't mean we can do it this year. Still, we are 7.5 games back on May 21st. This time last year, we were 9.5 back. On May 28th last year, we were 13.5 back.
It's getting late early, but we can still turn this season around. But it has to start soon.
29 But RI, you can't use a ghost runner until a real hitter gets on base first.
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