Baseball Toaster Bronx Banter
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Rubber Game?
2008-08-30 09:06
by Cliff Corcoran

With Roy Halladay pitching tomorrow, one suspects it's today's game, which pits Darrell Rasner against John Parrish, that will decide which team wins this series.

Since he was briefly removed from the rotation, Rasner has posted a 4.19 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP in four appearances (three starts). The best of those was his 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball against the Blue Jays in Toronto two starts ago. The worst was his last, when he failed to get out of the fourth inning against the Orioles.

Parrish, who spent most of his major league career as a lefty reliever for the Orioles, was recently recalled from triple-A Syracuse. He's making his fifth major league start of the season and his first in more than a month. He posted a 4.71 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP in the first four. His only other start against the Yankees was his major league debut in July 2000.

Joe Girardi's lineup makes no concessions to the opposing lefty.

For those who missed it, the Yankees swapped David Robertson out for Alfredo Aceves before Thursday's game. The 25-year-old Aceves, who pitched well in his final two starts for Scranton (12 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 5 BB, 16 K) and posted a 2.62 ERA in 140 2/3 innings across three minor league levels in this his first professional season, will work out of the bullpen. He's also the first Yankee to wear number 91 during the regular season.

Comments (75)
Show/Hide Comments 1-50
2008-08-30 09:36:29
1.   dianagramr
Number 91? .... what .... is he on loan from the football Giants?
2008-08-30 10:15:13
2.   rbj
Thanks for blackout the game on Labor Day weekend, Fox. grumble grumble grumble.

And let's see $40 mil / 7 wins = $5.7 mil per win.

2008-08-30 10:41:27
3.   Chyll Will
2 I would love math like that as a Set PA. I wouldn't hate lock-ups in Midtown Manhattan so much >;)
2008-08-30 10:44:21
4.   Jeb
Could be a decent day for me if the Yankees and Bama can win.
2008-08-30 10:46:24
5.   Jeb
Unfortunately, this looks like a quiet Banter today.
2008-08-30 10:55:56
6.   Chyll Will
6 Labor Day weekend. I'll bet most people are getting their last summer licks in elsewhere.
2008-08-30 10:56:35
7.   Chyll Will
6 Yunnow, 5
2008-08-30 11:10:02
8.   Jeb
6 Looks like the Jays are getting licks on Raz.
2008-08-30 11:13:59
9.   Chyll Will
8 And thus, very few Banterers (not that I blame em). The fun part is, we both know this won't be the shortest game thread this year...
2008-08-30 11:21:17
10.   Just fair
Nice. Belly to belly into the future $100 seats. : )
2008-08-30 11:21:39
11.   Jeb
Titantic blast by Pudge....
2008-08-30 11:23:19
12.   OldYanksFan
I have no social life.
2008-08-30 11:28:41
13.   randym77
I'm keeping one eye on the game, one eye on Hurricane Gustav. Holy crap, but that sucker is a monster. Category 4, heading for Category 5. And it's heading for somewhere between New Orleans and Houston. Not gonna be good for gas prices.

(The New Orleans Zephyrs, the Mets' AAA team, is cancelling the rest of their season and getting the heck out of Dodge.)

2008-08-30 11:35:06
14.   Jeb
13 I don't blame them.
2008-08-30 11:41:57
15.   Dimelo
I'm so glad that "157 OPS+" is on our team, when am I suppose to see that 157 OPS+?
2008-08-30 11:48:08
16.   Jeb
sweet hit by Matsui san.
2008-08-30 12:00:19
17.   Jeb
all right could Boston please lose?
2008-08-30 12:01:31
18.   rbj
looks like I'm missing a heckuva game.
2008-08-30 12:04:53
19.   Jeb
nice combo, Reggie and Cash
2008-08-30 12:05:38
20.   Jeb
18 actually it's a little boring, but that's fine with me.
2008-08-30 12:08:10
21.   randym77
Gustav is a Category 5 now. Even the National Hurricane Center is astonished at how fast it powered up.
2008-08-30 12:08:29
22.   Just fair
12 "It's sort of social. Dimented and sad, but social."
-Judd Nelson in "The Breakfast Club." He was referrng to the Physics club, though. : )
2008-08-30 12:12:47
23.   Jeb
22 social? Yes, definitely.
2008-08-30 12:15:52
24.   Jeb
so guys...can we sweep tomorrow?
2008-08-30 12:16:10
25.   Dimelo
21 I thought I heard that name in the Mitchell report.
2008-08-30 12:17:31
26.   Chyll Will
13 Me too. Checked in twice on my sweetheart; she and her family busy packing for Houston. Hopefully they're on the road by now...
2008-08-30 12:25:02
27.   Jeb
How many more starts are they going to give D-Raz before they realize that ANYONE would be an upgrade?
2008-08-30 12:28:46
28.   Jeb
Outstanding pitch by Bruney.
2008-08-30 12:29:53
29.   Just fair
Thanks, Cano.
2008-08-30 12:30:39
30.   randym77
26 Houston? But that's in the "error cone." Gustav could end up hitting Houston as a Cat. 5, at least according to some models.

And speaking of disasters... :-P

2008-08-30 12:31:32
31.   williamnyy23
29 It wasn't a great flip, but Jeter should have handled it. Considering how slow the flip was, he had penty time to adjust to the low trajectory. Still, it was a lazy play by both Cano and Jeter. Lazy play has been a trademark of this team, and I think that speaks alot about Girardi.
2008-08-30 12:32:55
32.   Dimelo
31 It looked slow cause YES was showing it in slow motion.
2008-08-30 12:33:17
33.   Jeb
31 Lazy or Lethargic.
2008-08-30 12:33:38
34.   Jeb
Excellent way to finish the inning by Bruney.
2008-08-30 12:44:45
35.   williamnyy23
32 It was slow in real-time.
33 Take your pick.
2008-08-30 12:47:00
36.   Jeb
35 HA. I'll say both. By the way I really enjoyed reading your discussion with Vandelay the other night about Sabermetrics, the value of OPS, etc. Good stuff.
2008-08-30 12:54:18
37.   Chyll Will
30 If I could do anything about it, they'd be up here in NY or up in Las Vegas. But Houston is likely a safer place than New Orleans in any type of projections; as far as shelter is concerned.
2008-08-30 12:55:28
38.   randym77
Uh, boy.
2008-08-30 12:58:32
39.   Chyll Will
Seems like the chances of winning this game is about the same as successfully holding a bowlful of silly-putty in your bare hands...
2008-08-30 13:04:53
40.   JeremyM
31 I hear ya, but a guy like Jeter shouldn't need his manager kicking him in the ass to play solid baseball.
2008-08-30 13:08:07
41.   williamnyy23
40 I look at it more as if a guy like Jeter isn't going all out, how bad must the situation be?
2008-08-30 13:10:08
42.   JeremyM
41 Really? Maybe Jeter is part of the problem if that is his attitude.
2008-08-30 13:13:24
43.   rbj
WTF? I leave at 6-3 (granted, the bases were loaded) and now it's 6-7?

Boo!

2008-08-30 13:17:07
44.   williamnyy23
42 I think the entire team is part of the problem, but you can't fire all of the players.
2008-08-30 13:17:22
45.   Chyll Will
43 Cano and Jeter's sloppy play on the potential double play got to their heads too easily, I guess. I can't watch these guys playing shook all the time.
2008-08-30 13:19:12
46.   Chyll Will
44 You can do anything you want if you put your mind to it >;)
2008-08-30 13:22:43
47.   williamnyy23
Let me guess...Arod makes the last out and the crowd boos? Only 11 more chances left!
2008-08-30 13:25:54
48.   Jeb
44 I agree with you. It's not all on D-Raz, Bruney, Jeter, Cano, or Edwar, but all of them combined to make this the perfect storm. If just one of them had done their job in a crucial moment, the Yanks would have iced this one already, instead of going down to defeat.
2008-08-30 13:26:07
49.   nick
how about a triple play grounder to end it?
2008-08-30 13:26:20
50.   Just fair
Walk off win. C'mon, baby. Why not?
Show/Hide Comments 51-100
2008-08-30 13:27:47
51.   Jeb
Ok Jeter HAS to steal here, right? Don't fuck around with bunts or GIDP. Steal the damn bag NOW.
2008-08-30 13:28:26
52.   Jeb
Steal, dammit, steal
2008-08-30 13:30:06
53.   Chyll Will
This works, too. But look out for 49 ...
2008-08-30 13:30:23
54.   Jeb
49 now I am worried.
2008-08-30 13:31:40
55.   williamnyy23
1-2 pitch to Arod is perfect for a steal attempt.
2008-08-30 13:31:46
56.   Chyll Will
50 Codename Ransom can win it for us...
2008-08-30 13:33:04
57.   Just fair
BOLLOCKS!
2008-08-30 13:34:42
58.   Chyll Will
Or not. Alex came through with the rally-killer though...
2008-08-30 13:35:01
59.   williamnyy23
That's on Girardi...had the runners been going, Jeter could have either beaten Batista to the bag or at least broken up the DP. Girardi is definitely part of the problem and has contributed to the first playoffless season since 1994.
2008-08-30 13:35:04
60.   nick
sigh...
2008-08-30 13:35:52
61.   Jeb
garbage team
2008-08-30 13:36:44
62.   nick
Cody Ransom batted there? Giarardi's been looking at his Strat-O-Matic card or something?
2008-08-30 13:36:55
63.   OldYanksFan
ARod couldn't hit much harder. Just good luck, I guess.
2008-08-30 13:38:05
64.   rbj
Boo.
Leaving Rasner in too long and the bullpen. Ugh.
2008-08-30 13:38:28
65.   williamnyy23
63 Arod hit a pea...that inning died because of poor management (or rather no management at all).
2008-08-30 13:44:12
66.   marc
what a miserable year. I gave up on the Yanks a long time ago and started to root for torre and the dodgers. Now they suck mucus and aren't likely to make the playoffs. The only silver lining is I am finally getting a lot of things done this year that I was busy with baseball previously.
2008-08-30 13:46:40
67.   Chyll Will
59 Agreed. But at this point, going to the playoffs would be embarrassing and potentially harmful in that (as you or someone said before), it would convince the front office that the problems were more injury-related than talent-related. And even if it were key injuries that did them in, you're talking about key injuries to either aging or inexperienced players. The worst problem is that the Yanks refused to rebuild early on. Playoffs mean nothing in New York if you don't win it all, for some reason...

That said, I give Girardi a team that fits his philosophy and see what they can do first. He's not a carbon-copy of Torre after all, and considering the best that Torre could do with this current bunch is a weak 1st round exit, you shouldn't expect anything better from Girardi in Year 1.

2008-08-30 13:47:26
68.   williamnyy23
66 That's funny...with the Yankees out of it for the past week or so, I've channeled my energies into rooting against the Dodgers and Red Sox. If both don't make it, I'll better be able to enjoy the Yankeeless October.
2008-08-30 13:49:55
69.   williamnyy23
67 The Yankees are not going to the playoffs this year. The outcome of this game had no bearing on that reality. What bothers me about this game is that even when backed into a corner, Girardi simply doesn't manage. I don't see any reason to think that 2009 will be any different, so unless the Yankees assemble overwhelming talent, Girardi's no-show managing will be a factor once again.
2008-08-30 13:51:19
70.   3rd gen yankee fan
I was praying that Arod wouldn't hit into that last double play. Oh well! I did MY job!
2008-08-30 13:52:49
71.   williamnyy23
Is Bob Paige on drugs? He is talking about how the late rally is a positive to bring into tomorrow's game, especially because Pettitte is on the mound. I know he has to schill for YES, but between him and Kay, it's becoming insulting to watch these games.
2008-08-30 13:54:03
72.   williamnyy23
71 Yikes...make that Bob Lorenz...I think that was a flashback to the MSG days.
2008-08-30 13:55:27
73.   Chyll Will
69 Valid points, but my point is I don't think anyone could do a better job with the team as constructed. At least not anyone that would be available this or next year. If you have a name and a reason to expect more from him, I'd be glad to hear it.
2008-08-30 13:59:37
74.   williamnyy23
73 They might not be able to win more games, but they could at least try. It's fine to sit back and watch when you have the 1998 Yankees, but this flawed team needs some help.

In the postgame, Girardi can't admit that Cano and Jeter screwed up the DP. Girardi ignores reality...his optimism is transparent and it is hurting the team because it is preventing him from addressing some dramatic deficiencies.

2008-08-30 14:25:18
75.   Chyll Will
74 That may be a Abreu-like reflex from running into management in his previous job, yet it's not an excuse. His unwillingness to challenge his bosses may be as much a detriment to the team as his unwillingness to address the reality of what his team is. Girardi may not be a good match for this team, but who is? We were all optimistic going into the season, hoping his charged-up attitude would charge up the rest of the players, but it looks like the team has taken the charge out of him.

I agree Girardi's decisions have cost this team quite a few wins, and maybe it won't change with a differently-constructed team. But considering that this has been a team effort in losing key battles, Girardi's just one of many issues that have to be addressed, if not changed. That's what has to be focused on during the off-season. If they just run out and get free agents and do nothing else, 2009 will be a harder season to deal with than this one, trust me.

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