Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
I didn't catch much of last night's 6-3 Yankee loss to the Twins, though from what I saw, I caught plenty of it the first three times they played it in Kansas City. The big difference last night was that the Yanks got out to an early 3-0 lead, thanks in large part to a 2-run dinger from Gary Sheffield. But Moose couldn't hold it, losing the lead when Lew Ford smacked a 3-run dinger in the fifth to add to the solo shot hit earlier in the game by . . . Brent Abernathy?! The Yanks didn't get Abernathy out all night, as it turns out. I think that about says it all.
Tonight, Chein-Ming Wang finally gets to take his turn in the rotation following his turn as Yankee tournaquet last Sunday against Boston. At this point I have more confidence with Wang on the mound than with any other starter, Johnson included. That said, Wang's only poor major league start came on the turf in Tampa Bay when those groundouts he unerringly throws kept scooting past the Yankee defenders. Of course, even if Wang is effective, it likely won't mean much unless the Yankees can score more than three runs for the first time in a week.
3 earned runs in 3+ innings tonight.
Wang gave up 5 hits and 1 bb in 7. Aside from one long ball, he pitched very well.
If our offense gets over it's collective stroke, we should win 3 out of 4 when a starter only gives up 3 runs in 7 innings.
Tonights heros: Wang and Cano
Just remembered 1998. Every game I thought, whatever the deficit and inning: How will they win today? This season I think: What's going to go wrong today? Well, it's off for a brief honeymoon away from civilization for me and my lovely bride, and I'll be striving to stay in a 1998 mindset.
Somehow, he managed to uncork some lightning he had stored in a bottle with Stl last season, but it's an exception to the rule. Womack is bad, and I know Steinbrenner can afford to go get someone better. Maybe he could figure out a way to get Corey Patterson off our hands...he'd be a modest upgrade and would get him outta Chicago.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8109115/
Hmmm, HBP to walk in a run. Probably time to take Brown out.
When Wright comes back, Brown should go into the bullpen so Wang can stay in the rotation.
I'm not watching so please, someone tell me it was a meatball.
DAMMIT, JOE!! THE SEASON ISN'T OVER YET - STOP MANAGING LIKE IT IS!
Womack should be benched in favor of Bernie. I'm really struggling with Tino too. I'm glad he had that HR streak and letting him play every day during that stretch made sense. But now? Surely, we have a better option. Maybe even Giambi who seems to be finding his stroke some.
I really want Russ Johnson sent down in favor of Phillips. Phillips just has much more upside.
Sarasm aside, I think I'd rather keep him around than Rey Sanchez. Sanchez really brings nothing to the table. And for the love of God, stick Womack on the bench. He's killing us.
I think tonight is another good reason why saves are stupid. With the bases loaded in the 6th, needing outs, bring Rivera in. Sturtze & Gordon are fine when they are brought in to start an inning. THAT was the most important moment of the night. The idea of brining our "3rd best reliever" in only because that's the usual spot of the game he pitches is silly.
Ok, you can rip that apart if you want..I'm just venting.
With that said, Sturtze would've been my no-brainer going into that inning. As you've already stated, THAT was the pivotal inning of the game.
As for Quantrill, he has very little life and movement on his pitches anymore and, without a changeup in his arsenal, is little more than glorified BP for major league hitters. We've all come to terms with this. My question is: How come Joe hasn't?
Say anything you want about Kevin Brown, but going into that inning he'd thrown 5 shutout innings with 5 hits, a walk, and four Ks. He was doing fine going in, the single he gave up to Jones wasn't hard hit, and any respectable right fielder should have come down with that double. Yes, it was hit to the track, but the track in the Baggy Dome is only 360 feet away. When you factor in how thin the Yanks bullpen is, it only makes sense to leave Brown in. To trade for him, on the other hand...
Also, it might have been prudent to bring Rivera on in the bottom of the eighth and hope the Yanks get a run. RJ's pitching tomorrow, and he's averaging over 7 innings a start, there's a good chance they won't need him tomorrow anyway.
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