Pretty miserable night for the Yanks. The ever hot and cold Andy was cold again. Giambi's in a bona fide slump. Aaron Guiel went 0 for 3 and misplayed a ball in the outfield. Which probably means we're going to be seeing a lot more of GOB.

Chacon wasn't too bad, all things considered. Given how long it's been since he's pitched in actual game, he did all right. And Villone has somehow become our best reliever not named Mariano.

Uhm, can we like WIN a game today?

We cut the Sawx lead to 0.5 Games in 4 days and win 5 in a row (including a sweep of the ChiSox). Next thing you know, we give every single game we gain right back and lose three in a row with no hope in sight. That's baseball for you.

Ordinarily, I like our chances with Wang on the mound.

But on the Toronto turf...I dunno. The infielders are going to have to keep on their toes. And I'll be holding my breath every time a grounder heads toward 3B.

no worries, randy. wang is gonna throw lightning fast to the righties and super slow to the lefties so they forced to hit the ball to the right side of the infield. : )

I hope ARod can fix himself soon. I can't think of a bigger tragedy in sports than to see ARod start to crumble and lose it right before our very eyes. It's sad, really sad....

Bowa says it's just mental:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/22/sports/baseball/22pins.html

Sigh. And of course today's game isn't on EI or Fox or even hosted by the Boston Barmaids at ESPN. Thanks, Bud.

Went to the Mudhens last night, and saw our old friend Brian Boehringer. 2 IP, 2 BB (which were erased on DPs and a laser shot 400' HR served up to another guy hanging on for a baseball career, Kevin Witt.

5 I am confident that A-Rod will be fine. He just needs some time to get himself together. Hopefully, he does this sooner than later.

The boys are more than capable of going on an 18 for 20 win streak. We don't have a tenth of the problems of the boston pitching staff. How would you like an erratic Moose who gets blown out every third or fourth start, Wang with a broken rib and Mariano as an untested overused rookie. Some of the Boston relief staff are as close to the equivalent of human white flags as you will ever see in a baseball uniform.

Arod is the franchise player for the next 5 or 6 years on a team of franchise players. At some point Arod needs to get pissed off and I mean really pissed off. "In my fucking head, eh Bowa?" Line a couple shots into that 3rd base coaches' box and glare at the pompous little backstabbing bastard. I wouldn't stop till he was on his hands and knees begging not to get hit by another shot. Larry is very respectful of Sheff, by the way. How do you prove something is not in your head? Thanks, Larry.

I would be amazed to see this team NOT in the series. AL Central league may have both the winner and the wildcard but they look like NL teams when they play the east. Toronto is a very GOOD team, much better than the Sox. I even like Tampa Bay better than the Sox, to tell you the truth. Any team that comes out of the East that has three starters like RJ, Moose and Wang is going all the way.

ESPN, Fox, are to Yankees coverage like the Nation, NYTimes are to Bush and the Catholic Church. What else is new?

Bernie hit .300 for the months of May and June following Matsui and Sheff going out. If he can replicate those stats for July and August, he'll be the Yanks MVP by season's end -- much to the horror of the Throw GOB Under The Bus Fan Club we have on the toaster here :)

Teams seem to have different mind-sets when playing against our Yankees. Last week when the Jays played the Mariners, they were not the team we saw in the past two days.

I guess it's time for the Yanks to go to Wang and tell him that we once again need a big game from him. And that "ok" will sound so good.

jayd, great post, but you lost me at "I even like Tampa Bay better than the Sox, to tell you the truth."

Right now, I can't be happier Rogers Center has a retractable roof.

I really don't mind GOB hitting. Let him continue to haunt the plate. It's the outfield he should be exorcised from. ;-)

13 With Wang pitching, cold Phillips will probably still be on 1 B, which means Giambi is the DH. The only place Bernie will haunt today, especially considering he was out of the lineup yesterday, is no other than the RF...

14 Oh, I know Bernie will be playing today. There's a lefty on the mound today, and both our spare outfielders are lefties. It's going to be Bernie in RF.

Johnny Damon CF
Miguel Cairo 2B
Derek Jeter SS
Alex Rodriguez DH
Jorge Posada C
Bernie Williams RF
Andy Phillips 1B
Melky Cabrera LF
Nick Green 3B

OMG. A-Rod's DHing!

I don't like Cairo hitting 2nd. I don't like the whole line up actually, but hopefully, the Yankees win today anyway.

9 Why interject your politics into a sports discussion?

Now that I think about it...A-Rod did say before the Yanks left for Toronto that he didn't think he'd play all four games. He thought the Skydome turf would be too hard on his injured toe.

Still, it seems a bit odd that they sit him with Wang on the mound. With Wang pitching, you don't want Giambi at 1B. So Giambi's out of the lineup altogether.

Okay, he hasn't exactly been on fire lately. But still...

Switch Cairo and Melky in the line-up and I'm happy. But NOOOOO, we need Cairo up there to make [BAD] things happen.

I don't mind Cairo. He's not bad against lefties:

.327 / .791

Compared to Melky:

.269 / .681

The game hasn't even started yet and Michael Kay has ripped into A-Rod again!
What a d*ckhead!

what did he say?

KAY, a pitcher's record does NOT say ANYTHING about his ability! How many times we gotta say this?

He just started off the mini-interview on how last night saw the good (his 450th HR & 2000th hit) and the bad (another error) - it wasn't horrible, but how about trying to focus on the positive only? I know...asking too much

And Miggy gets on base. Great AB.

Not mini-interview...I meant mini pre-game chit chat

And this game off to a great start already...

25 And promptly gets picked off base. Why would you want to go station to station with Jeter and A-Rod coming up?

Freakin' A-Rod, why weren't you coaching first there?

Was that supposed to be a hit and run or what?

Go Wangy!!!

Kay is a guy that has never played the game and consistently argues with the other announcers, who just happen to be ex-players, about things that he only thinks he knows.

For hell's sake, can we do SOMETHING right here?

32 - Yeah, kind of like the movie critics who couldn't make it in the acting business so they rip all the people who did...

Lead off walk....nearly always results in a run.

OK, Wang - time to work some of that "ground ball-double play" mojo

34 Kay is probably one of those guys who could never make the team and now is his chance to stick it to the guys he always wanted to be.

32 Kay is a self-promoting, prima dona, pompous, stupid, annoying, and arrogant prick. He has a bunch of bodyguards because he is a very important person, or maybe because everyone hates him. If only Reverend Al and Paulie could find him alone in an Alley...

Here we go again.

I think that one day Leiter, O'Neill, and Singleton are going to team up on Kay and take him out to the woodshed.

Nice DP!

Let's Go Blue Jays? I didn't know that chant existed. Oh that's right, now that they no longer suck total crap, their bandwagon is filling up for this series.

A-Rod will do something positive here...

38 - and to prove that point: From "Birth of a Dynasty" - after being questioned about calling out Paul O'Neill on a fly ball that fell in during a game against the KC Royals:
"Torre insisted he was not trying to send a message, at least not to O'Neill. Follwing the April 24 gaem, Michael Kay, in his role as the clubhouse reporter for the Yankee boradcast company, Madison Square Garden Network, asked Torre if O'Neill was either hurt or being punished. Torre said that neither was the case; he liked Paul O'Neill and wished he had a team full of him. What he did not like was being put on the spot like that. So the next, day in the middle of the clubhouse and in full view of many players, Torre irately told Kay, "Don't fuck with me." He accused the broadcaster of trying to creat unease between the manager and his players...

So even Torre thinks (or thought) he was a prick too!

I can't spend a beautiful Saturday afternoon evening (79, 47% humidity) huddled in front of the computer. Dam you Selig et al., this is ridiculous to not have the game on tv.

Jorgie is gettin' his Latino fire goin!!!

45 They need to scrap this shitty Fox contract that gives them dibs on all Saturday afternoon games.

Beat his ass, Jorge.

THAT'S RIGHT JORGIE!!!!!!

A triple for PoPo?!

That was the sweetest revenge EVER!!!

Take that, Lilly.

1st triple in 4 years is what they're saying! I don't even think he give a crap that his leg is f'd up!

Holy crap. That sucked. Ball went straight at Jorgie's head. Jorgie ducked and threw up his bat automatically in defense, and it hit the bat - foul ball.

He's really, really plecked off. Yelled at Lilly and held up two fingers (second time he's been thrown at).

And Jorgie pays him back with a triple.

Probably would have been an inside the park homerun with anyone else running.

Runner on third, less than 2 outs. MUST SCORE.

If that doesn't light a fire under ALL their asses, I don't know what will...

That might just fire up this team today.

17 Because he is giving an accurate comparison.

Lillywhite Pansy Boy Scared???

I don't have stats, but when we are behind and have man on 3rd and less then 2 out, we suck s SteveyPhillips. Lets see if GOB can't break the trend.

Oh, HELLS YEAH!

Bern, baby, Bern!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Yay!

Bernie baby!

RH Bernie rocks...

Bernie!!!!!

Bernie Goes Boom!

Every since I could remember I been flippin' my bat
Every since I could remember I been flippin' my bat

I wonder if Joe ripped their asses last night?

68 This morning. Joe called a team meeting. No word on what he said.

I think Lilly was a bit flustered. He was leaving them right in the middle of the plate.

FYI - Boston leading Seattle 1-0. Bottom of the 2nd, 1 out.

I have to take a Toronto and wipe my BlueJays.

What has happened to Wang's control?

72 He's doing all right. That was a fluke. Comebacker took a bad hop.

I wrote a very nasty letter to ESPN about ripping ARod, and here is their reply:

Thanks, Larry. George appreciates the email.

--
Scott Goldstein
Assistant to the Ombudsman
espn.feedback@gmail.com

Real personal touch.
Yeah, I bet he really appreciates it.

Personal touch alright, an automated response from their hearts.

Is anyone watching on TV? How does Wang look?

76 Ground balls...ground balls...

74 - I've gotten that same generic response while politely asking espn why Rick Sutcliffe is allowed to provide color commentary on baseball telecasts...

HOLY CRAP - Bases loaded with Mariners. Ichiro up, 2 strikes...

GO ICHIRO!

A should be inning-ending DP turns into an RBI single. DAMN.

76 He looks okay. His sinker isn't quite as fast as it could be.

The turf is making the grounders harder to handle.

Astro turf should be outlawed.

seattle takes the lead...2-1

On a good note - Seattle leads Boston 2-1

Gameday is f'ing up, what happened?

Ichiro singles in 2. Seattle up on Sox 2-1.

Anyone else having Gameday troubles?

80 What happened?

5 groundballs and a K through two? Nashty.

Nice play by Nick Green. Turf doesn't seem to be bothering him. He must be used to it, being recently from Tampa.

WHEW ! Only one run...good!
Lilly must be destroyed...

Now for that insurance...

Arod would have made those plays at 3rd, too.

88 Hard hit grounder got past Cairo.

Hells yeah. Wanger gets out of it, and Ichiro comes thru with a bases loaded single to score two vs the Sawx.

(How'd you like to be Boston. They're pitching is so weak that they called up a dude with a 4.97 era in Pawtucket to take Wakefield's turn. Yikes.)

BREAKING NEWS: Michael Kay makes himself look like an asshole.

95 - who now has a 9.00 ERA!

96 how?

The Toronto announcers really suck up to the Yankees. They even said that Moose is a sure fire Hall Of Famer.

Are you watching on YES or following on radio or GameDay?

Either way, Singleton comments how if Ponson wasn't able to arrive in Canada on time (Visa troubles and delayed flight), Al Leiter would've had to pitch. Al says, yeah sure, go for 150 pitches. KAY proceeds to say 150 pitches in 3 innings.

100 Was in response to 98

...hmmm...another walk for Cairo perhaps???

100-I am listening on XM. Game isn't on (of course) MLB Extra Innings.

dang...

Yawn our offense is lame.

Here in NC the only time you can watch the Yankees (unless you have MLB EI) is when they are on ESPN or Fox.

Nice play by Posada. He wants to win this game.

106 - I lived in Virginia for 5 years and had the same dilemma! Could only see them on ESPN, FOX or Comcast when they played the Orioles. Now that I'm back in NY, I've become a YES Network junkie

107 ...and kick Lilly's ass too! (teehee)

Another fantastic play by Nick. Barehanded that one.

108 Oh yea, I forgot about Comcast, we get those, too. What pisses me off is that I get the EI package and this only gives me about 75% of the games. I guess that is better than none, though.

110 That's ESPN's new story...

"A-Rod demoted to DH!"

good at bat so far for Jeter...

Wow...
Ortiz singles in the tying run.
Manny up.
Hits a ball deep to right.
Doesn't move. Admires his shot for a full 2 seconds THEN starts running as his 'shot' hits the GROUND and shorthops the wall.
Manny on first.

The Fox announcer says "I dont want to lecture and Manny is a great player but..." and lets into Manny about how tired he is watching players admire their HRs and how there are standards of behavior in baseball, yada, yada, yada.

Then Steve Lyons says "And what is it with this Manny being Manny thing..." and he lets into Manny and ends with "and that ball wasn't even close to be a HR".

On national TV.

Nice.

YES!

114 To be fair, Manny is an idiot for doing that.

I wonder if MLB tests for chronic. There is now way Manny is that spaced out without a little herbal assistance.

UGH...A-Rod...can't catch a f'ing break!

How many times is Arod going to K this year?

Damn. A-Rod can't hit Lilly.
Had his timing off on each pitch and threw the exact opposite of what A-Rod expected each time.

Hit a line drive, Jorge and saw off Lilly's head!

118 At this pace, more than 140 times for a career high.

ARod seems to K swinging a LOT. This is one place he could improve his game.

Oh, for hell's sake, he's mowing them down on Ks...

Arod is best when he goes to right center. Lately he seems to be trying to pull everything. Of course, what do I know, I am not the batting coach, just an observation.

They were showing so much patience for awhlie there. Now they're hacking at everything.

C'mon, Yanks. Make this guy throw a lot of pitches at least.

125 He is up to 75 already. One more good patient inning and he MAY be toast.

Ah shit...

Shit

Ugh, this game is quickly turning into Thursday nite.

Hinske clearly has Wang's number. Maybe walk him next time. :-P

hmm..the Seattle/Boston score is ALSO 2-2...freakish coincidence????

I hate all AL East teams, except TB. I will probably learn to hate them as they improve.

Come on Andy, you're due.

Damm

Jeez! Ted Lilly is supposed to rank high on the suckage scale...why can't we hit him???????

:::sigh::: I miss Sheff & Hideki

And after Bernie's HR, our offense has fallen back into its damned eternal slumber.

I can't wait 'till Cano and Matsui come back.

Holy...Nick Green's OPS vs. lefties: .247. Not even Womack...

...great - top of the Blue Jays order coming up...

Alas, poor Nick. Solid gold in the field, completely overmatched at the plate.

I guess Joe's meeting didn't help.

Hey, the game's tied. They can still win this one.

Dear Brian Cashman,
Whatever you are going to do, please do it soon. While there are some that are happy with GOB and Melkdud in the OF, we know better, don't we? Please get it done before we fans have to gouge our eyes out.

Thanks.

12/13 outs have been grounders. the other was a K. I'm convinced Wang is simply a machine imported from Asia.

shiit, i'm not too optimistic today =(

Jeez. That was almost a homer.

If Wang's a machine, he needs adjustment. He's starting to leave them up.

Sling Blade attacks again!

P.S.
We have allowed 28 runs over the last 7 games, some of them unearned. While almost every team could use pitching, our pitching has been decent. However, aside from the odd blowout, our offense tends to suck a SteveyPhillips. Please hurry.

And there goes the ballgame...

149. Sure feels like it.

Fox announcers reaming Manny some more. Manny is pissing a lot of people off.

Damon walks. And there's stirring in the Jays' bullpen.

I used to actually like Manny - thought he was just a goofball. Now I just think he's a d**chebag! (yes, I, a woman just used that word!)

Go Johnny! Break up that double play ball...now stay awake!!!

I'll take a sac bunt here

He wasn't bunting?

Molina is no Posada. He's lucky that throw didn't go sailing into the outfield.

153 Whats a ditchbag?

158 - LOL! please don't make me spell out the actual word!

Wang hasn't been as sharp the past two outings. I wonder if the high # of innings is taking a toll.

OK A-rod, it's set up perfectly.

Nows the time fellas... do some damage

Nice hit by the Captain.

And Damon remembers to check to see if the ball drops in before he runs this time...

Runner on 3rd, less than 2 outs...

DP or HR...

ARod? This is too painful to watch...

A-Rod has been money in these spots (over .300)

C'mon, A-Rod. You own this guy.

Got...does A-Rod even TRY anymore. I feel bad for him...but COME ON!

@&&#@&$#&*

0-3, 3K. Not exactly his day.

Oh Lordy Lordy Lordy....

BALK!

At least he didn't gidp.

Damn It!

WOW. Everybody hates A-Rod. The crowd went insane when he K'd.

Double steal. Called a balk. Damon scores, Jeter to 2B.

168. Well, maybe he was just an indentured servant.

Ted F-ing Lilly! It's Ted F-ing Lilly. How can Arod strike out against Ted F-ing Lilly?

Hmmm - interesting turn of events!

3 times!!!!

...or maybe not!

Well, that's one way to score.

And we still down. DAMN IT!!!!!!!

2 on, 1 out - Seattle at bat. Boston just bought in Julian "Punches People for No Reason" Tavarez!

Someone tell me how that runs scored please?

185 Balk, both runners advanced one base. Damon was on 3rd.

For what it's worth, we have one PH AB coming from Giambi.

gotcha, thanks

Leiter says A-Rod's not right. Lilly gave him at least one pitch he'd have smoked if he was his normal self.

Weird. Jeter has terrible numbers against Lilly, but has come up big today. A-Rod has great numbers against Lilly, but hasn't done squat.

I think the Yanks are only one of two teams in baseball with 3 10-game winners. Detroit being the other.

185 Jeter and Damon both went, double steal. Lilly was about to throw the pitch, saw Jeter running, and swing around to throw to first instead. That was the balk.

I think it would have worked out the same way even if the balk hadn't been called. Damon beat the throw home.

Bases loaded w/Mariners...1 out.

..and it's 3-2 Seattle

The Bronx Bombers should start acting like the Bronx Bombers. I liked it when they were the tops of the leage in home runs.

What's up with A-Rod? 3Ks against Lilly? I'm one of his biggest defenders, but c'mon put the ball in play at least.

I'm telling you ARod is in a black hole... both on O and D. He needs a few days AWAY from baseball.

196 You may be right. I keep waiting for A-Rod to say F you! to everyone and breakout, but it just seems to not be happening. Maybe he should switch therapists because this one is clearly not working.

Mr. Torre:
Bernie is s#*% against right-handers, this is when you should bring in Guiel.

I love Arod, but he sure seems inconsistent.

oops...

This hoser throws heat, Andy otta do some damage.

Damn...

Andy's in a funk too.

Mr. BayRidger
I'm genius. Pure genius!

Yours truly
Joe Torre

That's why yer the manager, Mr. Torre. Bravo.

I don't think I'll be able to handle another loss. I might cry and pout until their next win.

NICE

I'm scared...please Giambi...don't f**k up!

Melkdud!

Do you trust A-rod at third enough to pinch hit for Green?

Hmmm...who plays third next inning?

Wait, Giambi 1-7 against Downs and Downs is a lefty. Ah, whatever, Giambi >>>>>>>>>>>> Green.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Can ARod move to 3rd and keep Giambi as DH?

Yeah, Giambi!

Good enough.

We'll take that!

YAHOO!

eff yeah.

Giambino!!!!!!!!!

Damon could use an HR - hasn't had one in a while!

214 No

Or you could put Andy at 3rd and slide Giambi to first...

They're walking Damon to get to Cairo.

Jeter gets hit and A-Rod hits a Grand Slam.

Come on JD!!!!!!!!!

Oh sh*t, the captain is about to make them pay.

Come on Jetes!!!!!!!!

Walking him???

Great, bases loaded for Cairo. C'mon Miggy.

Oh sh*t, I thought Jeter was still batting second. :(

Man I'd kill to have Piazza coming off the bench right about here.

Oh Crap Cairo!!!!!!

Oh, wait, right, Cairo is between Damon and Jeter.

232I'd kill to have Don Mattingly coming off the bench right about here.

They're stalling, to try and get Spier time to warm up.

232 Or Frank Thomas...

Cairo has been clutch. He's the best crappy player.

Suicide squeeze!

He will work a walk. Watch!

Looked like Jeter was giving Cairo some last minute words of encouragement before they went to commercial. Probably something like "you BETTER get a hit, mutherf**r!" (heh heh)

lets go gents... lets go!!

OK, now Torre should PH Gueil for Cairo, shift Andy to 2B and Giambi to 1B. Go for the gusto right here!

They can do this.

Hmmm..Giambi plays first, Andy plays 3rd?

There's only one out. If Miggy avoids the DP, Jeet will still get his chance.

243 And ARod to 3rd but give up the DH?

243 Can you do that?

Oh shit, this is a FOUR game series...

Just stay calm, Cairo!

If A-Rod slides to 3rd, they lose the DH. What to do, what to do...I'm sure Joe knows what he's doing, what with all that NL experience.

251 I say, Andy plays 3rd, Giambi to first and keep the DH

YEESH!

250 I'm watching the game and I can't stay calm, how's HE gonna stay calm?

And he Ks...

Break out the box of Captain Clutch

God dammit Cairo

3 pitches? Wow.

And best crappy player, is still a crappy player. Ok, cap, time to bring the clutchness.

Or, let Cairo stike out. What a great #2 hitter.

Pulls the string. Tough pitch.

But no DP, so Jeet gets his chance.

Oh please, not another Thursday night, Please no.

At least he didn't gidp. (I'm saying that too much today.)

Lets go Jeets!

251 Keeping the DH right now is not that critical. With all the switches, the P could be slotted so he probaby wouldn't bat. And if his position came up, you PH Bubba. It's the 7th, so Torre is gonna start swapping in pitchers anyway.

WALKS!

YES!!! WALK THIS WAY!!!

Cluch BB!

Jeter walks, Melky scores.

Uh-oh. A-Rod up next.

That a baby

YES!!!!!!!!!!

PS...bases loaded w/Mariners again! 1 out. Tavarez is a wiener!

#451 to put it out of reach?

Ok A-Rod, bases loaded, 2 outs, up by a run. Time for some redemption.

Please...no golden sombrero for A-Rod!

Dang it, A-Rod. That was your pitch.

Does Cashman take the fall if they fail to make the playoffs? I would think, no, because of all of the injuries so it's not his fault. However I've heard baseball pundits, Dayn Perry is one that comes to mind, say, in effect, "they should have known this could have happened and they didn't plan well enough". I don't think Cash could have planned for this many injuries so I say he's off the hook(although the Boss doesn't always think that clearly).

DAMN IT!
He missed TWO Grand Slam pitches!

Mariners have bases loaded...

Arod has a 1.638 OPS with the bases juiced. Ridiculous!

5-2 Seattle!

Oh my god...

Man. What can you say?

mariners up 5-2

WOW. That was shitty. THAT WAS RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE!!!

A-Rod needs to get some lovin' from the Mrs. - that should relax him! DAMMIT! He looks like crap in sombreros!

The hell is the matter with him?

A-Rod, you're such a head case.

Never mind, we took the lead. Let's go, Yankees...

I'm telling you this guy needs time off, before he slits his own throat.
How many times on espn will we get to see ARod's 4 Ks?

Seattle up 5-2.

Alex needs time off. Sit him for two or three games, let him go back and work with Donnie. He's 0-4 with 4Ks. If this were an abberation it'd be one thing, but he's just been bad all around lately.

Sigh...remember when we all thought that 12th inning walkoff would turn him around?

He missed THREE meatball pitches right down the pipe. I'm lost.

Sadly, even if we win, those Ks is all that's getting talked about in the media. Yes, he sucked today, but if we win, who gives a fuck.

The big goat that inning was Cairo, but the papers will make ARod the goat.

I think Taveras might be one of the worst pitchers out there... and I love him for it.

291 Yes, but why was Cairo batting #2 anyway? Heck, let's lead him off so he absorb as many ABs as possible.

You can do it, Scotty P.

Wang had only 90 pitches. Correct to take him out?

That was close...

I really think there needs to be a support movement by the fans or something - the morons who continue jeering at the Stadium have to be getting to him...

Is Villone not available?

Well.... there's ARod's 4th K on the Fox game.

If they lose this game, I think I will just break down.

299 Did they show Jeter's walk or just lead off with the "bases loaded, and A-Rod strikes out" thing?

Vernon Wells. Crap. Why do I get the feeling we'll be trailing by the time he gets doen with the Proc?

Yahoo!

Cairo was batting second because he's .327 / .791 against lefties.

He's batting .300 for the month of July.

GO Scotty!!! That was a HUGE strikeout!

301 Of course they showed Jetes. Makes ARod look that much worse.

David Ortiz today:

Strikeout
Single
Flyout
Popout

YAY!

Yeah, Scotty!

Awesome job Proctor!

Hell yeah scotty!

Well.... I guess the Proctologist's finger was in prime form. More Proctor, or Farns in the 8th?

I think Proctor may be getting his act together again!

Scotty looks good when he gets the needed rest. Hopefully Torre doesn't look at this as he did before and throw him out every day where he could resort back to his usual self.

304 Well, I guess if 50+ AB v. LH and 50 AB in July outweigh career suckiness...

Mix in some rested Proctor with Villone and some efficient Farnsy and there is a decent bullpen there.

Sox down 5-2. Bottom of the order due up in the 9th. Seattle should have this one.

314 You know Torre likes to play the hot hand.

Jeter hits better in the three-hole, anyway.

If Arod bats again, I would almost rather see him try to bunt his way on than strike out a 5th time. Hey, no one would be expecting it :P

Why did a pitcher with an ERA close to 5.40 just pitch an easy 1-2-3 inning?! >:(

Jeez, Andy. You're really hacking all of a sudden.

Is Farnsy comin in? Anyone know?

It's Farnsy.

321. yes. crosby in rf

I know Cliff likes Andy, but he has the WORST OPS in MLB. I wonder if we went after Shea H.?

Sorry... Boston in the 9th - Manny (4-5-6) due up. 5-2.

317 I know what Torre likes to do, but it does not mean I have to agree. It doen't have to be Jeter #2. You could bat Posada or Cabrera in the two-hole.

I guess you're damned either way--but I would rather have all the bad hitters at the bottom of the line-up than putting rally killers throughout the line-up. Of course, I would prefer that the team did not have so many no-hit players on the roster, but who to blame for that...

324 doubt it. bad defense, historically bad 2nd half player.

324 That would be Coco Crisp. (.685 OPS)
Andy's is .686.

324 Why on earth would they have given us Hillebrand? They're only two games behind us. They think they can take the division. The last thing they'd want to do is give us a missing piece.

Andy is a problem, though. I really like the kid, but he's generating more outs than any other Yankee player. I thought he had turned it around for awhile there, but he's back in a slump again. Just a naturally streaky player, I fear.

324 I was on the Andy bandwagon too. He does seem to hack at everything, and late he hits nothing. His real value is that he can play 1B, 2B, and 3B with a little pop in the bat. HE should be the back-up IF, but you know Torre has to have a Cairo/Green/Enrique for that job.

farnsy's hitting 100/101

100 MPH.

OK, this bullpen is insane!

Are we only counting people with enough at bats? Because Cairo is at .677...

Farnsy is bringin' it!

Or rather, Cairo is at .592, .677 career.

Jesus, who is this person pitching right now?

Proctor and Farnsworth, JUST NOT FAIR!

OH MY GOD WHAT A GREAT TWO INNINGS!!

Mo will keep it up in the ninth.

Wow, I mean wow. That was impressive.

329 Didn't they just DFA Hillenbrand? So he could be claimed off waivers. I'm not advocating this, though.

top of the 9th in Seattle - Manny already has 2 strikeouts! Go for the Hat Trick

Manny K's for his 3rd time. Almost ARod like. 1 out in the 9th.

...and strikeout #3 for Mr. Obnoxious

Wow - Protor and Farns BOTH strike out the sides.

326 You can't bat Posada 2nd. He's slower than molasses in January, and would clog up the basepaths.

Melky is a possibility, but he seems to feel a lot of pressure batting in that slot. He's just a kid.

Seattle wins. Shea traded to the Giants.

Hillenbrand has been traded to the Giants.

Game over in Seattle - Boston loses!

Hello State Farm? I'd like to buy some insurance runs....

345 Well, Cairo certainly doesn't clog the basepaths. You're right there.

340 They had days to trade, release, or outright Hillenbrand, By trading him within those 20 days, he does not need to pass through waivers.

More ARod on Fox.... ugh

Are you kidding me? Jaret Wright pinch-running for Giambi???!!

Well at least Giambi seems to be back.

349 haha!

Looks like A-Rod is going to play 3rd in the 9th

GOD!!!!!!!!!!
They just can't stop talking about ARod.

Y'know, it might be worth trying A-Rod in the two-hole. He's certainly speedy enough. And it might take some pressure off him to bat lower in the lineup.

Joe put him there his first year, because he was feeling the pressure. It seemed to work.

Mo will NOT lose this game again.

Why did a douchebag with a hideous 5.something ERA just pitch 2 shutout innings?

245 Seriously, the clog-the-bases argument doesn't hold much weight. You need batters who can hit and get on base; speed is a bonus. It's why Boston uses Youkillis as a lead-off hitter (and occasionally used Boggs as such in the 80s). If Cairo were a reasonable hitter, then bat him #2. But he is bad hittter--hot July or whatever. To bat him #2 means he gets 4 or 5 ABs, while Posada or Melky, for example, may only get 3 or 4 ABs. That's a crazy way to score runs.

Let's go Mo!
(Please?)

OK - bottom 2 in the Jays order and then Reed Johnson...I think the Yanks can do this!

358 I could see that.

I'm still trying to figure out why Jaret Wright as a pinch runner.

Wow...
Sori has a .950 OPS
Nick has a .960 OPS.
...sigh...

And that's with playing home games at RFK.

The YAN-kees win!

YAAAAY! We win!!!! (or they do!)

Don't party too hard tonight guys...you gotta split the series tomorrow!

Wow... that was fast.
I feel better now, thanks for asking.

That's how it's done!!

Here's an idea: Just bat A-Rod 3rd.

366 I'm not convinced they'd be that good in the AL East. There really is a talent gap between the AL and NL.

This win must feel so good to them - like one big collective sigh of relief!

Dinner is cooking! Must dash now - have a great night all. More fun & games tomorrow.

And Bernie is POTG. Deservedly so.

Though Wang, Proctor, Farnsy, and Mo did great, too.

Under Gameday it says Wang (W), Rivera (S) and Proctor (H) Farnsworth (H) . What do the H's mean?

A hold.

I see, never heard of that before and I've been watching baseaball for about 24 years now.

379 Not sure exactly when it began, but here's the MLB Rules description:

"A relief pitcher is credited with a hold any time he enters a game in a save situation, records at least one out and leaves the game never having relinquished the lead. A pitcher cannot finish the game and receive credit for a hold, nor can he earn a hold and a save in the same game."

The official abbreviation is HLD, thought.

I don't know how, but we are only 1.5 games back in th WC. Minn. hot on our heals. Man, has Minn made a comeback or what!

If Minnesota can somehow make the playoffs they are going to be a lot like the 2001 Diamondbacks with Schilling and Johnson. Liriano and Santana are going to kill you in a short series.

"we are only 1.5 games back in the WC"

that's astonishing. I knew there was a lot of time for things to happen but I had for the time being assumed we had no chance for the WC and would have to beat Boston. Hell, now if both the Yanks and Boston stay pretty hot the WC is definitely in play. I'll have to go back to monitoring the WC again. Glad you posted that.

Lets all get off of A-Rod. I predict that he will get on a hot streak and carry this team through a critical period.

He has done well and will continue to do so. He was the MVP last year and will have another great year, just get off his ass.

Baseball Tonight just gave Nick Green a web gem nominee, but couldn't do so without adding, "makes Arod looks bad." Morons.

Green booted a double play ball, too. Morons.

Every time I hear Manny and Ortiz being compared to Ruth and Gehrig, I immediately think "Blasphemy!" Do you stats guys agree?