Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
Ian Kennedy starts for the Yankees tonight. Joba Chamberlain is scheduled to throw 50 to 55 pitches tomorrow night. These two facts are not unrelated.
Chamberlain's pitch counts will increase by ten-to-15 pitches with each outing, and Joe Girardi has acknowledged that Joba's next appearance after tomorrow night's game (or Friday night's, if tomorrow night's starter, Andy Pettitte, works too deep into tomorrow's game) might have to be a start, as Joba could be up to 70 pitches for that outing. While Girardi hasn't ruled out using a six-man rotation during this transition period, eventually Joba's arrival in the rotation will mean someone already in the rotation will have to leave it.
Looking at the names of the five Yankee starters, Darrell Rasner would seem like the odd man out, but he's been the Yankees' best starter in May, posting a 1.80 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP in four starts. Looking that the numbers, Kennedy and his 7.27 ERA is the obvious choice to get the boot, but unlike Andy Pettitte or Mike Mussina, Ian Kennedy is expected to be a part of the Yankees' future success, and thus any strides he makes toward that success need to be encouraged and built upon.
Kennedy has a much higher innings limit this season than either Chamberlain or the injured Phil Hughes, and thus his short outings in April and missed turns in May could already have sufficiently limited his innings for the season. That means the Yankees don't need to move Kennedy into the bullpen to protect his arm the way they did Chamberlain both last and this year. What's more, Kennedy's brief demotion to Scranton proved that he's already too good for the minor leagues. That is to say that, if Kennedy can pitch like he did at the end of last season, there's no good reason for the Yankees to take him out of the rotation.
Kennedy already has one plus in his column, as his last start, also against these Orioles, saw him turn in a strong six innings while allowing just one run. Still, Kennedy will have to repeat the feat tonight while decreasing his walks (he issued four in that last start) in order to have much hope of holding on to his rotation spot. If he does that, he'll make Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman's lives difficult, but in a very good way, and could shift the pressure to Old Man Mussina.
Behind Kennedy tonight, Wilson Betemit gets the start at first base while Melky Cabrera gets the night off and the Damatsambi rotates around to fill the gaps. They'll all face lefty Brian Burres, who out-duelled Kennedy last Thursday in the Bronx with 7 2/3 innings of one-run ball before Jason Johnson came on and blew the game. This will be Burres's third start of the season against the Bombers. He's allowed just that one run in 13 1/3 innings across his previous two starts against the Yanks, throwing 5 2/3 shutout innings against them at Camden Yards on April 19.
And thank you ARod for helping out Ian there, ugh!
The offense has down its job; this game is all on IPK and it's getting to the point that the Yankees can't simply allow him to be ineffective and show little progess.
And Betemit, sporting the Edwar goggles? Is this whole team going blind?
So, yeah, I guess Joba will take Ian's next start, huh? Maybe IPK can be good out of the bullpen.
Thank you.
in better news, looks like Horne is done with extended spring training starts in his rehab and is next scheduled to make a real start
IPK may find himself sharing the fate of the yankee clippard if he doesn't show some real improvement, real soon
I have a feeling this is going to be a slugfest tonight.
I'm smiling broadly now. I've been worried about him. Still am, but.
The days of our having trouble with lefties are over!
This is fun.
Looked like a short fly to CF to me.
I just realized who is going to take Kennedy's spot.
110 It's going to be Joba. Relax.
But our offense has woken up.
We need a new rule. Nobody's allowed to comment without reading the blog entry.
Jeez, Damon's getting his running in, isn't he?
Sucks to be Ross tonight.
Allowing Ohlendorf to give it up is sleeping at the wheel, IMHO.
Yankee homers off LHP
Defense sucks
IPK good except for 2nd, now hurt
Ohlendorf crapped the bed
Girardi asleep at the wheel
(neither team has a walk so far)
Pitches 1-25
Opponents are hitting : .267/.329/.360
Pitches 26-50
Opponents are hitting : .324/.419/.486
...and that was BEFORE today......
Gardner is Ichiro-fast. Damn.
I saw Britton upclose, and yes, he is fat.
Eric Duncan is one of those guys who just looks like a pro ballplayer. You watch him swing, you think, he's going to be a star.
Finally, speaking of bullpen help, JB Cox's slider is filthy-with-a-capital-F.
At least the Offense showed up tonight.
But yeah, you didn't miss anything. Traber and White got in on it too; they both gave up 2 HRs as well.
of course, a HR was the most likely outcome, so....
I can't stand Melvin Mora. I don't care if he has triplets.
Wilson fielded a ball!
I'm pro-Molina and Abreu.
It feels like we're losing even though we're not.
i was really hoping to be able to retire the "Clueless Joe" nickname this year
christ, even the orioles announcers can't figure out why farnsworth is in
Again, it is not a statement as much as a question I wonder about.
I think Edwar owes Bobby an ice cream after the game, actually. Saved Edwar's goose egg ERA.
DIE FARNSWORTH, DIE!!!!
and NO, i am NOT speaking german
you always need stellar set up men because even with quality starting pitchers you don't always get quality starting pitching
I don't know where they get their info from, but they are way off.
Maybe Girardi has some extra info? Brian Roberts' batting average against Farns? Or something? Because it's obviously a bad idea otherwise.
OK, now let's see if Girardi does the right thing, and Mo pitches the 9th. Whether the Yanks score now, or not.
a) evidence for existence of a benevolent deity
b) proof that a malevolent deity wishes to prolong this exquisite torture
Given the lack of CG's, I amy have to disagree with you
and ...
nicely done, johnny, nice
now. : )
The bunt is a bad play even with a great bunter. It lowers win expectancy.
But that's no reason to take strike three.
We have to get Millar in pinstripes...
His numbers are: .159/.225/.268 total
His splits against righties are horrendous, but we really don't need another guy that can hit righties. I'd prefer to grab Hinkse (who might be dropped for Aybar unless Auburn's former QB is dropped instead...
I've thought of that day a lot since October 2004.
Oh well.
I'm gonna bug. The Banter is fun, but without a game I'm losing interest.
Baseball = Al Michaels
Football = Pat Summerall
Basketball = (I suppose) Billy Packer
My sister has to create something that lights up and spins, and somehow this has been dumped on me, who has ZERO fucking aptitude in this shit.
Seriously, I have no clue.
397 Mo can handle it!
I explained to my parents and my sister weeks ago that I can't do this, and I guess they just don't care.
Its fucking infuriating, because I can't find anything at all.
http://tinyurl.com/5zumdw
If not, that site might have some ideas for you.
Thanks BTW. I'll try it tomorrow when she wakes up.
409 Ken has a rare Fairpole post up and one of the comments included a list of who ranks highest on the number of objects on Toaster. Don't know how to check, but it's very interesting who's on that list...
Mariano- Le Tout Puissant Closer
Emily drove me to the Emergency Room in Greenwhich, CT, where she works, and it was worth the trip. I got great service, we were in and out quickly and I just have a bad sprain, torn ligaments, no fracture. So all in all, could have been MUCH worse. Plus, there is still some ball game left.
yay ..... no trip to the DL for Alex!
Still, I bet the old-time SI stories were worth it. =)
Nice strike there, ump - when did 3 inches outside become part of the zone?
computerize the strike zone!
Boo. 1st walk of the year for Mo. How bout that.
RIYank is going to regret missing this. I hope.
its Miguel Batista pitching .... to be expected ....
Losing this game now is not only insult to injury...it's salt in the wound.
Derek Jeter has played one of the worst games of an established major leaguer that I have every seen. He has singlehandedly costs the Yankees a win.
;-)
The Yankees suck, and you can blame a lot of it on Girardi. Clueless Joe indeed.
Between getting picked off, failing to get down a bunt and making a bonehead throw, Jeter played as poorly as you can imagine. I am sure Joe Po will have a field day with this game.
No we don't. If we all knew that, he wouldn't have been signed.
At some point, it just needs to be said: Cashman doesn't know much about pitching. And if your GM doesn't know pitching, he shouldn't be the GM.
And then he just HOLDS ON to them. Its like he's so desperate to not be proven wrong that he's determined to get blood from a stone.
I suppose you can quibble about going to Dorf when he did, but when both Dorf and Hawkins suck its really a tossup. This game is on Dorf, Hawkins, and Jeter. Had Jeter laid down that bunt, we wouldn't even be talking about extra innings.
Also, LaTroy Hawkins can't get Alex Cintron out? He's a pinch runner for the Baltimore Orioles! Sorry, he sucks, buh bye. Dave Roberts is at AAA, he's been lights out. Britton, Cox, and on down. All of them have to be worth a try over Hawkins.
As much as I dislike the pitcher, I really like the man LaTroy Hawkins.
I just wish I didn't have to see him pitch.
I like him too but who else is he going to blame? Jeter, because then he'd have not had to pitch in this game?
Ugh, ok, time to go to bed and hopefully wake up happier.
I agree though, I like him as a man. He seems sincere and genuine. He's not bad, he's just old and it just might be time to either hang it up or go pitch for the Pirates.
With regards to the GM position, I could see someone like Stick Michael taking it over on an interim basis for the rest of '08 before the Yankees try to hire a younger guy during the winter. Wayne Krivsky is available, I believe. (I thought he got shafted by Cincinnati.) Or perhaps they could promote Damon Oppenheimer, who has been in charge of the draft.
There's already been one GM (Krivsky) fired in-season, and there have been rumors that Bavasi in Seattle and Ricciardi in Toronto could be axed. So it's not an unprecedented move.
Just don't hire any of the following:
Allard Baird
Jim Beattie
Dan Duquette
Chuck Lamar
Dave Littlefield
Steve Phillips
or
Herk Robinson
644 That's more along the lines of what the Yankees are looking for.
One that people have yelled at me for, I might add.
Salaries
Jason Giambi $ 23,428,571
Alex Rodriguez $ 22,708,525
Derek Jeter $ 21,600,000
Andy Pettitte $ 16,000,000
Bobby Abreu $ 15,000,000
Johnny Damon $ 13,000,000
Hideki Matsui $ 13,000,000
Jorge Posada $ 12,000,000
Mike Mussina $ 11,070,423
Mariano Rivera $ 10,500,000
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