Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
The second half of the Yankees' 2006 season kicks off with a bang tonight as the Yankees take on the defending World Champion Chicago White Sox at the Stadium. The White Sox are one of two American League teams the Yankees have yet to face this year (the other, the Mariners, comes to town on Monday), and one of two teams that stands between them and a playoff spot. The White Sox lead the Yankees by six games in the Wild Card race. That's a much tougher row to hoe than the 2.5 game deficit the Yankees face in the AL East, but the Yanks and Chisox are actually far better matched than you might expect.
Although the reputations of their two pitching staffs differ significantly, both have been equally effective thus far this season, with the White Sox allowing 4.715 runs per game and the Yankees allowing 4.721 runs per game, putting the two teams in a virtual tie for the fourth-best run prevention in the American League. The same thing is true on defense. Despite their disparate reputations, the Yankees actually have a slightly higher defensive efficiency than the defending World Champs, with the two teams ranking third and fourth respectively in the American League.
Where these two teams differ is offense. Thanks to the acquisition of Jim Thome (.298/.414/.651, 30 HR, 77 RBI), a career year from Jermaine Dye (.318/.397/.646, 25 HR, 68 RBI), and a breakout season from 28-year-old Joe Crede (.294/.331/.512, 16 HR, 57 RBI), A.J. Pierzynski's rediscovery of his 2003 form (.320/.365/.440), the usual contribution from the suddenly consistent Paul Konerko (.313/.384/.449, 21 HR, 67 RBI), and more of the same from Tadahito Iguchi (.287/.346/.429), the White Sox have the major league's best offense, and one that's powered by getting on base and hitting for extra bases.
That's not to say that the Sox don't have a couple of stiffs. Juan Uribe has 11 homers, but a Womackian .264 on-base percentage and has been losing occasional starts against righty pitching to Alex Cintron, who has just two bombs, but 56 more points of OBP. Rookie Brian Anderson, meanwhile, has more than replaced Aaron Rowand's defense in center, posting a staggering 122 Rate, but is cruising down the interstate at .192/.280/.324, forcing his manager to sacrifice his glove for the bat of lefty-hitting utility man Rob Mackowiak (.309/.396/.407) against certain right handers.
The contrast between the Sox and the Yankees lends a great deal of support to the idea that what the Yankees most need is a big bat for right field. (A quick aside, today's New York Post back page featured a big photo of Bobby Abreu along with a headline suggesting that the Mets and Yankees were both trying to deal for the Phillies' right fielder. First of all, the Mets aren't going to get a right fielder from a division rival when what they need most of all is starting pitching. Second, it reminded me of a similar Post back page from 2000 featuring Sammy Sosa. Sosa didn't wind up going anywhere, and the Yankees made a brilliant and unexpected deal for David Justice. Seeing that Abreu headline, I began wondering who might be a similar high-profile, yet off-the-rumor-radar acquisition for the Yankees this year. It would have to be a veteran with a big contract looking to jump off a sinking ship for one last chance at a title. Preferably someone who'd been there before, maybe even had a ring of their own. The names that I came up with were Moises Alou and Luis Gonzalez. Remember, you heard it here first).
That said, any team willing to take a gander on Sidney Ponson is clearly in need of pitching. The Yankees are still fourth in the majors in runs scored, but with their sudden loss of faith in Shawn Chacon (which hasn't been entirely undeserved, but still feels premature), they're essentially without a fifth starter. Aaron Small's glass slipper has shattered, Darrell Rasner might not return to action this year, Matt DeSalvo and Jeffrey Karstens crashed and burned in Columbus and were demoted to double-A, Ramiro Mendoza has been awful of late, Sean Henn spent most of the first half on the DL, Steven White is still finding himself in triple-A, and the Yankees' fourth starter is Jaret Wright, who still hasn't pitched out of the sixth inning (though after he struck out ten and walked none in his last start while allowing just four hits and throwing just 91 pitches and still got the hook after six, I became even more convinced that the Yankees have imposed that ceiling in an attempt to keep Wright healthy).
Think about this for a second: wouldn't Jason Schmidt help this team more than Bobby Abreu?
At any rate, this weekend's series with the World Champs is a big one. The Yankees need to make a dent in the Sox's Wild Card lead and prove that they can hang with these big boys the way they did with the AL-best Tigers at the end of May. Tonight they'll take their first stab at the Sox by taking on the undefeated Jose Contreras. Easily the Sox's ace this year, Contreras has actually not been as consistent as his 9-0 record might lead you to believe. He's the only Sox starter to have missed a turn, having spent 15 days on the DL with sciatica (the Sox as a whole have been alarmingly consistent, their opening day roster differing from today's by just one man, reliever David Riske, and their current record falling just two games shy of their record at the same point a year ago). After being activated in late May, Contreras recorded three no-decisions, dodging the loss in a 12-8 defeat at the hands of the Indians who touched up El Titan de Bronze for six runs in five innings. In his last three starts in June, he gave up 15 runs in 17 2/3 innings and three of his last five starts have also been no decisions despite his receiving an average of eight runs of support over that span.
The Yankees will counter with Randy Johnson. Johnson was acquired prior to the 2005 season to be the difference maker and in a way, he has been. The Yankees won their division last year because of a late-season run that was lead by Johnson's stellar performance down the stretch in which he won each of his final eight starts, posting a 1.93 ERA and a 0.82 WHIP and allowing just two home runs over 51 1/3 innings pitched. They then lost the ALDS in large part because Johnson spit the bit in Game 3. With the Yankees easily within striking distance of the playoffs coming out of the All-Star Break, it's very likely that Johnson, who was maddeningly inconsistent during the first half, will make the difference yet again down the stretch.
The Yankees can guess at what they'll get out of the other three permanent members of their rotation in the second half. Mussina will likely regress slightly from his strong first half, but will continue to turn in quality starts. Wright will continue to give the Yankees a solid five or six innings each time out with an occasional stinker, and Wang will continue to mature into an efficient and occasionally dominant innings eater. But Johnson's a mystery. He was excellent in four of his last five starts during the first half (take off the eighth inning of his final start against the Indians when he was trying to save the bullpen with a nine-run lead and his line in those four outings was 27 1/3 IP, 15 H, 5 R, 1 HR, 2 BB, 27 K), but the exception was a miserable loss to the Mets in which he allowed eight earned runs (though he did strike out seven in six innings pitched). It could be that this is what Johnson is now, inconsistent, but if one side of Randy Johnson's split personality takes over, he will take the team with him to glory or destruction. Tonight we'll get our first indication of which direction he's headed.
Chicago White Sox
2006 Record: 57-31 (.648)
2006 Pythagorean Record: 54-34 (.611)
Manager: Ozzie Guillen
General Manager: Kenny Williams
Home Ballpark (2005 Park Factors): US Cellular Field (103/102)
Who's Replacing Whom?
Current Roster:
1B – Paul Konerko (R)
2B – Tadahito Iguchi (R)
SS – Juan Uribe (R)
3B – Joe Crede (R)
C – A.J. Pierzynski (L)
RF – Jermaine Dye (R)
CF – Brian Anderson (R)
LF – Scott Podsednik (L)
DH – Jim Thome (L)
Bench:
L – Rob Mackowiak (UT)
R – Pablo Ozuna (IF)
S – Alex Cintron (IF)
L – Ross Gload (1B)
R – Chris Widger (C)
Rotation:
R – Jose Contreras
L – Mark Buehrle
R – Freddy Garcia
R – John Garland
R – Javier Vazquez
Bullpen:
R – Bobby Jenks
L – Neal Cotts
R – Cliff Politte
R – Brandon McCarthy
L – Matt Thornton
R – David Riske
DL: R – Dustin Hermanson, R – Jeff Nelson
Typical Lineup:
L – Scott Podsednik (LF)
R – Tadahito Iguchi (2B)
L – Jim Thome (DH)
R – Paul Konerko (R)
R – Jermaine Dye (RF)
L – A.J. Pierzynski (C)
R – Joe Crede (3B)
R – Juan Uribe (2B)
R – Brian Anderson (CF)
Good call on Alou or Gonzalez.
I admire your restrained minimalism regarding Fat Chance Ponson. Sid Row.
HUGE series this weekend. Go Yanks!
But what do I know? I'm just a dolt posting to a website.
This should be a good test and I think it's an opportunity to be challenged. This team is pretty scrappy and I'd love to see them make the home crowd proud (and piss off a buddy that will attending a game this weekend).
Go get Contreras. Bust up that "streak". I loved seeing Mo clutch-it-up Tuesday.
I say they end Contreras's streak tonight. A Rod goes ding dong. Strong RJ and stronger offense hands Jose his first "L" since last August.
And that's Word to Big Bird.
thome has a solo shot in the 5th.
contreras gets chased in the 7th after giving up four straight singles and two runs.
final: 3-2 yanks (arod cushions the lead in the 8th, farnsworth walks the leadoff man the 8th, they steal second, and score on two base error by jeter)
Johnny Damon CF
Derek Jeter SS Series
Jason Giambi 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Jorge Posada C
Bernie Williams DH
Aaron Guiel RF
Melky Cabrera LF
Miguel Cairo 2B
Pablo Ozuna LF
Tadahito Iguchi 2B
Jim Thome DH
Paul Konerko 1B
Jermaine Dye RF
Joe Crede 3B
Juan Uribe SS
Chris Widger C
Brian Anderson CF
And it should be hot enough for you. :-P
He finally gets his family to the USA and they dump him shortly after. Stupid.
1-5 2006 Yankees
6-9 1965 Mets
Aside from dingers from Giambi, I just don't have faith in this lineup to score
Before you puncture your eardrums with a white hot knitting needle, check out the web site www.heavethehawk.com
C'mon Jason.
"Pitch better"
"I can't make any promises."
39 LOL! That tight shot on him definitely brought back some bad memories...
M. Kaye said the EXACT same thing
Andy's batting .108 for July. I think Joe's decided to pull the plug on him.
Though maybe we'll see him when Wang (and maybe Wright) is on the mound.
Predictions?
Fighting off waves of optimism.
Common Giambi!
Let's score a run and get it to Mo.
GUIEL!
Way to go Gueil!
Come to think of it...I bet Andy is going to be part of the Guiel-Bernie platoon. Joe's not going to take Bernie out of the lineup. So when there's a RHP, Guiel's RF, Bernie's DHing, Giambi's at 1B, and Andy's on the bench. With a LHP, it will be Bernie in RF, Giambi DHing, and Andy at 1B.
I hear your stats, but we all know lots of our runs lately have come in blowouts. I don't want them to fail or to press, but I can't turn a blind eye to what I perceive just because I'm a life-long fan.
Awful short for a sac fly.
Tied at 3 going into the eighth. The White Sox seem to have a lot of late-inning mojo. Here's hoping the pen can hold it together.
Slider, inside corner, strike one.
Fastball, airmailed, upstairs, past Posada, 1-1.
Fastball, low and away. Anderson chops it to second. Cairo fields the ball to his left--it takes a late hop. But he gets it cleanly and throws to first for the first out.
Fastball, up and in, ball one. Another heater, upstairs. Overthrown. 2-0. Fastball, low, 3-0.
(Way to go, Kyle, walk the fast kid.)
Fastball, away, strike one. Ozuna flinched. Close to a ball.
Fastball, low. Popped up foul to the right side, 3-2.
Same pitch. Ozuna hits a one-hooper to Cairo.
Two outs.
Fastball, inside corner, strike. 98 mph says the gun.
Splitter, low and in. In the dirt, 1-1.
Slider, in. Grounded softly to Jeter.
Three up, three down.
We don't want Burnitz's salary, either, but we might take it to get Wilson.
Side arm, called strike one.
Another one, ripped to left for a single. Turned on it. First solid rip of the night for Alex.
Ozzie is pulling Contreras.
Contreras, relaxed, smiling on the top step of the dugout. Never looked like that in New York.
Jorge dumps the first pitch into left for a base hit.
First and second, nobody out.
Please no double play, please no double play, please no double play...
Fastball inside, ball one.
Corner infielders in a bit.
Fastball, low, ball two.
(Mo ready in the bullpen.)
Fastball, inside. Bernie falls away, ball three.
Fastball in. Bernie does a little lean. Ball four. Man, that was the closest one.
Bases loaded.
Please no double play, please no double play, please no double play...
Fastball inside, ball one.
Corner infielders in a bit.
Fastball, low, ball two.
(Mo ready in the bullpen.)
Fastball, inside. Bernie falls away, ball three.
Fastball in. Bernie does a little lean. Ball four. Man, that was the closest one.
Bases loaded.
Infield is in.
McCarthy is tall.
Big motion, fastball, low, ball one.
Sinker, low, ball two.
Fastball, up, big cut, fouled back, off the catcher's mask. Missed it. Nice swing.
Sinker, low, ball three.
Fastball, inside corner. Phillips takes it. Called strike two.
Full count.
Fastball right over the plate. Phillips swings and misses.
Nice swing Conan.
One out.
Ozzie brings in Neil Cotts to face Melky.
The crowd is quiet now.
Melky's a good kid, but I don't see him being a starter. If he is, we can always buy him back. ;-)
Go Melky!
Bernie on first, Jorge on second, Alex on third.
Tie score, one out, bottom of the eighth.
Fastball, inside, Melky swings and shatters his bat. Foul ball.
0-1.
Cabrera gets a new bat.
Infield is half-way now.
Fastball inside. Melky fights it off. Little line drive to center. Alex scores. Posada halts at third.
Scrappy little piece of hitting there.
0-1.
Fastball, fly ball to right. Medium deep. Posada scores easily.
5-3, Yanks.
Two out.
Contreras on the hook for the "L."
Wilson has pop, but it comes at a cost. Plate discipline and working the count is not his forte.
Fastball, inside and low. Damon slaps it to the left side, foul.
0-2.
Fastball, in. Ball one.
Fastball, in, fouled back.
Still 1-2.
Slider in the dirt, 2-2.
Fastball outside, Damon slaps it past third, down the line. Bernie scores.
Not a bad pitch. Good job by Johnny.
Double.
Second and third, two out.
I think Melky will develop more power. He's 21, he hits to all fields, he's scrappy and he has a decent eye. He's also a plus fielder with a good arm making the league minimum.
I find calling Johnny Damon, "Johnny D" really makes him seem not so much like the guy who made me crazy as a Red Sox player. He is now a whole new person wearing pinstripes who I can root unconditionally.
Is 4-6 weeks of Wilson really worth Melky? Melky doesn't have the pop of a corner outfielder. But, we have pop when healthy. I like having a more agile defender out there.
Cotts vs. Giambi.
Lefties only hitting .138 off Cotts this year.
Fastball, low, ball one.
Slow ground ball. Iguchi well off the infield, moving into center, back hands the ball, and throws to second. The ball arrives on a bounce. But it is picked cleanly and just beats Jeter. Jeter slaps his thigh in frustration.
And that's that.
Melky has excellent discipline and he's only 21. I say keep the kid and let him develop. Craig Wilson will not win us a WS.
Enter Sandman.
Cutter, inside corner, strike one to Thome.
Cutter, up. Handcuffs Thome, who holds his swing.
Ball one.
Cutter, breaks Thome's bat. Bloop to center. Damon hauling ass, dives, ball drops a foot in front of him.
Base hit.
Konerko.
Fastball, strike. 0-1.
Fastball, in, lined into right for a hit. Just dropped the bat down and singled to right. Simple, good hitting.
Fastball, inside. Close. Ball one.
Single to left.
Bases loaded.
Nobody out.
211 Burnitz's salary is the reason the Pirates want to get rid of him. From MLB.com:
>> Burnitz, who is hitting .228 with 12 home runs and 37 RBIs in 246 at-bats this season, would also be owed $500,000 for being traded. The 37-year-old Burnitz has hit more than 30 home runs five times during his career, also topping 100 RBIs four times. He has a $6 million option for 2007, but it can be bought out for $700,000. <<
Not much by Yankee standards, but it's a lot for Pittsburgh. Jason Bay, their biggest star, is making only 1 million/year.
Podsednik, the speedy lefty.
Cutter, inside, ball one.
Cutter, inside and high, ball two.
Cutter, inside corner. Taken for a strike.
2-1.
Cutter, misses the target, tails back over the plate. Podsednik fouls it back.
2-2.
Slow grounder to first. Phillips goes to first for the out.
Run scores. 6-4.
Runners on second and third, one out.
Two down, one to go.
Stupid base hit ties the game.
Fastball, hit to right. Bubba, defensive replacement. Tails over, dives against the fence, makes the catch.
Runner tags.
Two out.
IMO, we need to do something to get Bernie off the field. His "defense" is killing us. I'd be willing to play Thompson or Reese or Bubba in RF, but Joe won't. We need an OFer Joe will play instead of Bernie. Wilson mashes lefties, so he could be the guy.
Singledd, never, ever again say the game is officially over until it's over. I don't need the ulcer.
Boston still down 7-2...
Cutter, inside, ball one.
1-4 lifetime vs. Mo.
Cutter, low, fouled off.
1-1.
6-5, tying run at third. Two out.
Fastball, up. Good swing. Fouled back. He missed it. Good pitch to hit.
1-2.
Crowd is making noise.
Dye off third...
Cutter, in, popped foul.
Crowd deflates....oooooh...slowly gets louder again...
Fastball, low and away.
Nice emergency swing by AJ. Leaning towards first, ass bailing out, slaps at it, foul.
1-2.
Cutter up and in, foul.
AJ gets a new bat.
Crowd revs up again.
Cutter, in, broken bat foul to the right side.
Still 1-2. AJ is proving to be one tough out here...
Ozzie, smiling with Konerko at the top step.
Let's Go Yan-kees chant.
Cutter, popped up foul behind the plate.
Not a bad pitch to hit there...
Cutter, popped up to right.
Bubba makes the catch. Man, he just got under it. Wow.
9th pitch of the at bat.
23rd pitch for Mo.
Whew!
Great win.
Contreras loses for the first time since August 15th, 2005.
See this page:
http://www.sportslogos.net/team.php?t=87
13-2!!! Save some for tomorrow, A's!
Elephant Mascot
After New York Giants' manager John McGraw told reporters that Philadelphia manufacturer Benjamin Shibe, who owned the controlling interest in the new team, had a "white elephant on his hands," Mack defiantly adopted the white elephant as the team mascot, though over the years the elephant has appeared in several different colors (currently forest green). The A's are sometimes, though infrequently, referred to as the Elephants or White Elephants.
The elephant was retired as team mascot in 1963 by then-owner Charles O. Finley in favor of a Missouri mule. In 1986, the elephant was restored as the symbol of the Athletics and currently adorns the left sleeve of home and road uniforms. In 1997, the elephant came to life for the first time in the form of a mascot, Stomper.
Here's the Tide page on the logo site:
http://www.sportslogos.net/team.php?t=597
What's the significance of the elephant?
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If you're scoring at home, that's three straight losses for the Sox (four is the season high) and 27 homers surrendered by Beckett in a mere 114 1/3 innings. Barring injury, Beckett is on pace to shatter Tim Wakefield's club record of 38 in 1996. The major league record is 50, yielded by Minnesota righty Bert Blyleven in 1986. Blyleven needed 271 2/3 innings to give up the 50 bombs. Beckett's projection over 271 2/3 innings comes to a whopping 64 homers.
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