Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
Having started things off right with their first-half ace last night, the Yankees give the ball to the man they hope will be their second-half ace this afternoon, Joba Chamberlain. As a full-fledgedstarter, Joba has a 2.57 ERA in 35 innings with 38 strikeouts and just 32 hits (only five of which have gone for extra bases as opponents are slugging .302 against him). His 4.11 BB/9 remains a small concern, but he didn't walk anyone in his last start, which saw him strike out nine in 6 2/3 innings (108 pitches). The Yankees are 4-2 in Joba's six full-length starts, but Joba is only 1-1, both the result of the fact that Chamberlain has received more than two runs of support just twice in those six outings.
Perhaps concerned about wasting a Justin Duchscherer start by pitching him against Chamberlain, the A's have moved their remaining ace to tomorrow's game and will instead start Sean Gallagher, the pitcher obtained from the Cubs in the Rich Harden deal. Like Joba, Gallagher is a 22-year-old righty who's built like a brick shithouse (both are 6'2" and roughly 230 pounds). Unlike Joba, Gallagher doesn't have overwhelming stuff. Still, there are a lot of things to like about Gallagher. He dominated the Angels in his first AL start (7 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 7 K). In 11 major league starts dating back to May 11 of this year, he has a 4.23 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP, solid numbers for a 22-year-old rookie starter. Even more impressive, he has allowed just five home runs in those 11 starts and none in his four starts at Wrigley Field. Opponents are hitting just .235/.314/.385 against him and he doesn't show much in the way of a platoon split. Perhaps most importantly, Gallagher hasn't had any real disaster starts. His shortest outing after his first start has been 4 2/3 innings, and he's never allowed more than five runs in a game.
Jorge Posada is back behind the plate, clearing room for Jason Giambi at DH and Wilson Betemit, who appears to be Richie Sexson's platoon parter, at first base. The A's, meanwhile, have made a few roster moves that have made my series preview out of date. Bobby Crosby was activated before yesterday's game. He returns to shortstop with Donnie Murphy riding pine and Gregorio Petit getting optioned to Sacramento. Today, first baseman Daric Barton was place on the DL with a strained neck and Wes Bankston was recalled to play first. Finally, it is lefty Lenny DiNardo who will wind up taking Joe Blanton's spot in the rotation, making fellow southpaw Dallas Braden, who gave up Alex Rodriguez's home run yesterday, the replacement for Chad Gaudin in the bullpen.
I like the idea of a Betemit-Sexson platoon. If Girardi would use both Gardner and Christian and both Moeller and Molina, this could end up being a clever bench. Not much thump from those four, but there IS the potential to PR early in the game, or even to platoon Christian and Gardner (I know, I know, Gardner's splits, yadayada...I'm just musing) until Damon gets back. Then, one more legitimate PH could make for a pretty decent bench, but would the team either DFA Moeller or be willing to with only 11 pitchers?
Sorry about that.
Make that curveballs too.
Wow, three consecutive hits. Is our URP-ophobia over?
Our weak sisters are hitting, and we're getting breaks, too!
Shit, he is fast though. Can a player make a legitimate career exclusively on IF hits?
But the, rooting for one professional team exclusively is probably irrational. Such is sports.
Well, A-Rod can pick them up...
DAMN!
6-9 hitters: 6 for 7
Wow, another thing I have never seen.
games in a row.
FUCKING HACKY.
6.0 6 1 1- -1- 8 0- 96-62 2.52
Not bad for a kid!
This team is underperforming. But it is still in the hunt, and that's all that counts.
I always imagined it was frustrating to watch your ace get so little run support/bullpen sort. I never thought it was this frustrating.
Good thing we had a few days to clear our heads and regroup, eh?
I'm just tuning in now, but I've been checking in on the radio.
Two baserunners stranded in every inning (save the last one)?
Christ Jesus in heaven.
What is there to say, really?
I guess next time Joba's gotta pitch a perfect game if he expects a W.
So, did Sweeney succeed because he got a hit, or fail because he used the wrong approach and did not try to pull the ball to the right side?
of course, youk just homered and sux are up 2-0 early in anaheim...
152 I disagree...sometimes you have to play to not lose before you can actually win.
I hope you realize that this comparison is ridiculous.
Are you saying that Mo gets a free pass once the batter made it to 2B, because he was "distracted."? And how did the batter change his approach"? Presumably, with the runner on 2B and no outs, he should have tried to pull the ball. That he drove the ball the other way suggests that was his approach all along. And , even if he did change his approach, it is unclear to me how that takes Mo off the hook for giving up the base hit.
Finally, even if Molina was in the game, he stands only about a 50% of throwing the runner out. It's not as if Molina would have guaranteed no steal, so by extension, having Po in the game did not necessarily change the outcome of the inning.
If you want to isolate Po's throw as the decisive play, so be it. It doesn't stand up to scrutiny, IMO.
"We play today, we play not to lose today, thas it."
: )
Also, aside from Molina throwing out the runner is the deterent factor. Maybe instead of a steal, teh A's bunt?
BETAMAX!!!
c'mon Leche, base hit, buddy
2 out squeeze attempt, anybody? : )
c'mon kid, win it!
Meanwhile, as we spar the game unfolds in a very interesting fashion!
DRAG BUNT!!
Some people have fallen through open doors. :-)
i guess you can say, we're "Chippin' Away" here in the 9th ; )
Hey Molina is in, just for William. This makes sort of sense, since Posada won't come up again for another two innings (or if his spot does come up, then the team will probably have won it in the 10th).
NOW!!!
thank you, please : )
Justin Christian as Gerald Ford.
Abreu got jobbed there.
P.S Does Sexton look like a Giant Raph Finnes or what?
Damn, if you want to know what month it is, just look at Cano's highlights. And so many of them...
Also, how delightful of Beckett to go deep into a real pitchers' duel and then cough up a homer and a bases-loaded triple in the seventh inning. Now if Doc Holliday can just keep it up for the rest of the evening...
However, I disagree with both sides of the argument. The loss-that-wasn't shouldn't have been pinned on Rivera's pitching or on the catching change. The culprit was (or would have been) men on second and third with none out, and Jeter, Abreu and Rodriguez all strike out.
Doc Halliday however, choked big time and TB is waltzing to victory. Meanwhile, Garza was brilliant.
At the OK corral, LA and Arizona are fighting it out. They are tied for the lead in the NL West, both 2 games UNDER .500.
He is 28, career OPS+ of 131. From 2006-2008, his OPS+ is 144. For comparison, Matsui has an OPS+ of 126. Even considering 'Life at Coors', it would seem his bat is AT LEAST as good as Matsui's (peobably better), and his glove, arm and legs have to be better.
His 2009 Contract Year salary is $13.5m.
He is not a no-brainer, but certainly worth consideration, especially considering our future (and present) OF situation is not good.
Thoughts?
"Hideki Matsui's uncertain status for the rest of the year has caused the Yankees to increase their interest in Pittsburgh outfielders Jason Bay and Xavier Nady.
A major-league official familiar with the Pirates organization, who asked not to be named because trade talks are ongoing, said the Yankees also have interest in lefty relievers Damaso Marte and John Grabow.
"It's going to take a little bit of time," the official said of the whether anything happens. "I think with recent events, (the Yankees) would like to add a bat."
Pittsburgh is asking more for Bay than Nady; minor-league outfielders Austin Jackson and Jose Tabata and pitchers such as Ian Kennedy are names that could be discussed.
Melky Cabrera does not interest the Pirates, who have Nate McLouth in center field. Bay or Nady could split left field/DH for the Yankees with Johnny Damon.
How Richie Sexson fares in the next few days could also affect the Yankees' plans.
The Pirates see Marte as a set-up and and not a lefty specialist and thus are asking for a fair amount in return.
In fact, the official said, Pittsburgh isn't dead-set on parting with any of the four players. The Pirates would like to acquire prospects to help rebuild, but they could also keep the big-leaguers and make a run at finishing .500 for the first time since 1992."
Bay or Nady:
X is having a career year, but frankly his career is not very impressive. Jason Bay is a different story, he's a very good corner OF. I dunno if I'd trade A-Jax, because you're only getting one more year of Bay after this one, but I think I would trade Kennedy for him.
I don't like the idea of trading for an NL reliever, though. I don't like the idea of trading for any reliever, but definitely not for an NL guy.
Bay (29) is signed through 2009 (at $7.5m in 2009) with a career OPS+ of 131 (same as Matt Holliday)and OBP of .376.
$7.5m is 15% of Pittsburg's payroll. They would turn down 3 or 4 kids who get paid the minimum and hold Bay for ONE extra year to MAYBE finish .500? Is that how you try to build a low market team for the future?
I don't know what Pittsburg's farm looks like, where they have their strengths. But I think if they trade Bay, they could probably use an OFer to replace him. Unfortunately, Brett has played too poorly to attract much attention. One would think a small market team would be interested in cheap pitchers with an upside.
See as trading Bay is somewhat a salarly dump, I would think it can be done. Since we can only upgrade at 1st and OF, I think we need more then Nady. Again.... Bay for
Melky/Gardner
IPK/Horne/Sanchez
2 others from anyone on the farm except....
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