I'm with Alex, I am thinking positive about the game today.

Let's hope they watched their fundamentals tapes from High School and have their heads on straight. No point in looking back now. But if they lose, let's hope it's because they get outplayed, not becuase they make silly mistakes. If nothing else, the game yesterday spurred some interesting debate, which, not surpisingly, was contentious but respectful.

Lets go Yankees! The power of the bunny is with you!

3 Same here, Storm. Ya just gotta throw last night out like it didn't happen. To a man, I'm sure everyone knew they let one get away and will be looking to take it out on someone today. I'm feelin' another 10 run outburst is on the way...

The Mutts are on the tube now, Shea fans chanting "Yankees suck"... Old joke (circa 1966):

"Yo, the Mets scored 24 runs today!"
"Oh, yeah? Did they win?"

Let's go Bombers!

You watching the Mets about to throw this one away?

"Yankees Suck" What is with that at Shea? Even I pull for them, given they are in the NL.

16 Yeah, Frank has become a crotchety old cuss, no patience with anyone anymore: umps, rookies, vets. Baseball needs more guys like him.

And even the grounders are hard to chase down on this @#$% carpet.

- J. Damon singled to center
- D. Jeter grounded into double play second to shortstop to first, J. Damon out at second
- G. Sheffield grounded out to pitcher

Way to go Arod. Just get some baserunners.

Don't worry, it's still early. Hideki Matsui's new book "Adventures in the Outfield" hits bookstores next week.

I've sure noticed. Especially last year when he got the shaft on the Gold Glove. Scott Rolen is the only better 3rd baseman in the league.

That will be tough to do. Guys like Thome and Hafner are nipping at his heels for sure.

It just barely made it over the fence about 6 inches fair of the pole in left.

Cano has got a future!

To think they were gonna trade both him and Wang to Arizona as part of the Randy Johnson trade...

Matsui abd "Adventures in the Outfield" hits bookstores next week.

Sorry Cal, but time to take some days off!

Mats should really wait until the season is over before releasing his book. It'll be twice the size...

The book will be more of a box set.

Volume 1: Missed the cutoff man.
Volume 2: Oh Shit! Over my head.
Volume 3: Which base?
Volume 4: I'm supposed to get a good jump?
Volume 5: I lost my hat.
Volume 6: Turned me around again.
Volume 7: My future as a Designated hitter, I hope.

It's kind of unusual to have this kind of goofup two days in a row, though. Maybe he's putting too much pressure on himself, trying to live up that new contract of his.

Wow, nice play by Jeter there.

We have only 4 starters and he wants to use Chacon out of the pen today?

I agree completely. Bernie is no worse in Center than Damon. That's why I didn't understand the signing.

If you're going to sign a CF'er then sign one!

If you're going to sign a lead-off man, then sign one.

Don't sign someone who is mediocre at both.

I saw it. He let one go to the wall today for a triple, almost cost them the game.

116 I give Sheff a pass because of his arm. Although I would have been perfectly happy with Bubba in Center this year.

Arod Arod! Well we did already have the lead, I kind of expected it.

And it appears Joe doesn't believe this team can come back and beat us.

Be happy. We could have Delgado and his buffoonery at 1st instead of Giambi.

Great outing by Wang, just what we needed today.

New career high for Wang. 6 was the mark.

Because Cashman is a buffoon. A monkey could make the deals he makes. They are all obvious to the untrained or trained eye. Show me something smart, like signing Duque, or David Ortiz some years back, even Frank Thomas, something that's not simple as pie. If anyone should be shit-canned, its certainly Cashman.

Man, I remember when they signed White, I really thought he'd be a big piece of the puzzle.

Great defense by Phillips! So he can't hit, he can't field, I can see why you guys are so high on him. He's a stud!

I wanted to score less than 9 :(

Seriously, it's so bad, I wish the Twins played in the NL so I would never have to see it.

Well, the 2006 motto is clear: "one out of three aint bad."

It's good to get out of that glorified hefty bag, that place is awful.

http://tinyurl.com/o3qgt

Peña was once slated to be the 'can't miss' replacement for Giambi in Oaktown, when the A's knew they couldn't match any offer Jason would get on the FA market in 2002. He was ran out of here with pitiful numbers at the plate, which belied his minor league stats... traded to the Tigers.

Slick glove, etc., but from all accounts, a 'character' guy. Great story about his upbringing/family in the local papers a few years back, which I can't find online just yet. We could do worse on a few levels.

It would be interesting to take all the sacrifices and smallball tactics that Torre has employed this year and plug in an average "hit away" result. The Jeter sacrifice from last night comes to mind - you trade a 30% chance of driving in Damon for a zero percent chance with a sacrifice bunt. You can fault Shef and A-Rod for not coming thru but by playing for one run sometimes you only get one run (or none).

I wonder how big of a sample you need to see evidence of Torre choking off possible runs in tight games by playing small ball with Hall of Famers with .500+ slugging percentages.

I wrote about the bunt at Canyon of Heroes, and I think I made a fairly convincing case for why you bunt in that situation. I know we're going to agree to disagree on this one, but it's not as open and shut a bad decision as many people think.

There are a couple of main reasons why I don't hate a sac bunt in that situation.

1. You can score the runner on a wild pitch, passed ball, ground out, fly out, error, balk, and hit.

2. The ONLY way the guy scores from second is a hit. Jeter may hit .315 career, but Sheffield hits .297, plus he gets 8 or 9 sac flies a year, and Rincon throws about 4 wild pitches a season. Joe Mauer had 5 errors in 116 games and 6 passed balls.

To me your chances aren't so bad. It didn't work out so it looks bad, but personally I'd do it again. Maybe I'm an idiot. ;)

Actually this bullpen is a lot better than the garbage last year... really though last year after Struze broke down and Small moved to starting... did we even have a bullpen before the 8/9 inning?

Wang found he's long lost slider and added a few nifty split finger and change ups in between ... with that dominating sinker if he can throw a few other good breaking pitch to mix he can be really really difficult to beat... and glad to see that he finally found some control after and wasn't up in the zone that often and practically never after the line drive double play ball.

at 151, yeah the Yankees have an abundance of pitchers... they simply have a lack of pitchers that can actually start and doesn't break he's butt from sitting on the bench.

Seriously though, this was a really feel good game, Wang seem to always get those for the Yanks early last season, really turning the whole moral of the club around, this outting have a simliar effect too, espically with the incredible defense plays (in the infield anyway ...)

Seriously god, this outfield today can make a run at the SF giants outfield in terms of age (Bonds Alou and Finely.. lord they might as well put three enlarged gloves on the ground)... lucky we didn't get too many bloopers out there today (well Wang doesn't typically give that kind of balls anyway)

I guess it's nice to give Chacon a little extra work, now that Wang seem to have finally gotten in rythem all we need is Chacon to get into the groove and then we're ready to explode.

The downside of this game though (if you can call it that) is that again the Yankees only win when they score 9 runs or more ack.

Take care,
Mark

www.americanlegends.blogspot.com