Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
Last night's game looked like it would be a cakewalk for the Yankees in the early going. Johnny Damon homered on the game's second pitch from Bruce Chen and, after Randy Johnson pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the first, the Yankees added two more runs in the second when Miguel Cairo doubled home Chris Wilson and Melky Cabrera before Chen had recorded the inning's first out.
Cairo would move to third on a Damon fly out. But when Jeter grounded to third baseman Melvin Mora, Cairo got caught in a run down for the second out. Jeter moved to second on the play, then stole third, and Bobby Abreu followed with a four-pitch walk, but Alex Rodriguez, who had been one of two runners stranded in the first when Jorge Posada struck out, grounded out to end the inning, stranding a pair of his own. The Yankees would strand two more in the top of the third when second-inning hero Cairo struck out looking, and the Orioles would take advantage starting in the bottom of the inning.
The first three hitters in the bottom of the third, Chris Gomez, Brian Roberts and Fernando Tatis, all singled, with Tatis's hit plating Gomez with the first Baltimore run. Brian Roberts then stole third and scored on a Melvin Mora ground out to close the gap to 3-2 Yanks.
The Yankees stranded two more men in the top of the fourth and went down in order in the fifth. The Orioles then struck again with two outs in the bottom of the fifth when Tatis homered, Mora doubled, and Tejada drove Mora home. Tejada's hit should have been an easy double, but the All-Star shortstop didn't run hard out of the box all night and was nailed at second by a pinpoint Bobby Abreu throw to end the inning. Still, the Orioles had a 4-3 lead, which they would hold until the top of the seventh.
With one-out in the seventh, Jason Giambi worked an eight-pitch walk against Baltimore reliever Chris Britton. Jorge Posada followed with a single, and Craig Wilson slapped a pitch up and over the plate into the right field corner for his second double of the night to score Giambi and knot the score at 4-4. With Wilson at second, Melky Cabrera was intentionally walked (!) and Joe Torre sent Bernie Williams in to hit for Cairo against the righty Britton. Coming into the game, Bernie was 0 for 8 with a walk and a hit by pitch as a pinch-hitter this year and made it 0 for 9 by popping out on the second pitch he saw. Johnny Damon then hit a screaming liner right at first baseman Chris Gomez to leave the bases loaded, pushing the Yankees left-on-base total to 12 in seven innings.
Still, with the score tied, Joe Torre turned to his bullpen, which locked down, with Ron Villone and LaTroy Hawkins (just activated from the bereavement list with Kris Benson being placed on the DL to make room) trading 1-2-3 innings and Scott Proctor pitching around a four-pitch walk to Mora thanks to a double play off the bat of Tejada in the eight.
That brought on Baltimore closer Chris Ray for the top of the ninth. The 24-year-old Ray's emergence as one of the league's top closers has been one of the few highlights of another awful season in Baltimore, but on this night he just didn't have it. Jason Giambi lead off by lining a ball into shallow right that would have been an easy single if not for an outstanding backhanded play by Brian Roberts, who was playing short field as part of the shift. Jorge Posada then launched Ray's next pitch into the night for what would prove to be the game-winning homer.
That would be all the Yankees would need, as Mariano shut the door in the ninth to wrap up the 5-4 win. With that the Yankees have tied their longest winning streak of the year, and look to win six in a row for the first time this season with a win in today's late afternoon game.
Taking the hill for the Yanks is Mike Mussina, who, by my count, has ten starts left in which to get the seven wins he'd need to reach 20 for the first time in his near-Hall of Fame career. His opposite number will be rookie lefthander Adam Loewen. Loewen completed six full innings for the first time in his major league career in his last start, a loss to the Mariners. Overall he has a 6.44 ERA and an ugly 5.90 BB/9.
In other news, Randy Johnson didn't record a single strike out last night, making it just the second time in his career that he'd failed to strike out a batter in consecutive starts. Of course Johnson's last start lasted just 3 1/3 innings and he struck out 18 in his two starts before that. Johnson also did not issue a walk last night.
Before the game Bubba Crosby was designated for assignment to allow Joe Torre to expand his bullpen to seven men in the wake of Kyle Farnsworth being hit on the pitching hand by a comebacker on Thursday (though he should be available today). Bubba reportedly left in a huff, but the writing was on the wall. With Wilson able to shift into the outfield and Cairo available to pinch run once Robinson Cano returns to the team on Tuesday (after a strong showing in Trenton last night he remains on schedule), the only thing Crosby offered the team was a supirior glove at all three outfield positions. But with Cabrera, Damon and Abreu, the Yankees have little need for a late-game defensive replacement in the outfield, save for those days when Bernie is given the start in center to rest the perpetually achy Damon. Wisely, the Yankees realized that such an occurrence would be a rare enough event that devoting a roster spot to it would be of little use. What's more, if they prove to be wrong, Aaron Guiel provides a far more valuable alternative, as he actually brings a useful lefty bat to the table as well.
As for Veras, he had a brief stay on the roster earlier in the year when Kyle Farnsworth's back first acted up. He didn't appear in any games then and has yet to make his major league debut. With Columbus, however, he's been just shy of outstanding, posting a 2.73 ERA wile striking out 9.91 men per nine innings and walking just over 3 per nine. Coming into this season, walks were his big problem. If that issue is indeed resolved, the 25-year-old Veras, who signed with the Yankees as a free agent before this season, could prove to be a valuable addition to the organization.
J Damon CF
D Jeter SS
B Abreu RF
A Rodriguez 3B
J Giambi DH
J Posada C
C Wilson 1B
M Cabrera LF
M Cairo 2B
Looks like 1B is Craig Wilson's to lose. And Abreu has solidified ownership of his favored three-hole.
Let's go Yan-kees!
Tell me about it. I am stuck watching Angels/Texas. Hey, at least we get to watch Boston fall 2 back later, once the Yankees wipe the mat with the O's.
Let's go Yankees! Let's go Moose! Let's Go!
Second, DIAF Melvin Mora.
FOX!!!! FOX!!!!
4 Across: Pitched No Hitter for Yankees in 2006.
That is the rule, correct?
Boomer?
Against another pitcher with an ERA above 6.00 no less.
Whatever, they otta get to him eventually.
Why? Because he hits the way Arod is supposed to?
"Five game hitting streak" They sat the man down because of a lefty pitcher yesterday. The streak should be broken.
I am not a big fan of commercials, but that line makes me laugh every time.
Agreed.
Has there ever been a pitcher as good as Mussina squeezed like he has been?
The problem with Moose, as Yogi would say, is that 90% of his issues are 100% mental.
We have to. I'd be tempted to skip his next start if I'm Joe, get him some rest. WE have days off, he doesn't have to run him out there. We need him all season and PS, let the guy recharge his batteries.
Angels are pounding a pitcher much better than Loewen.
We have to. I'd be tempted to skip his next start if I'm Joe, get him some rest. WE have days off, he doesn't have to run him out there. We need him all season and PS, let the guy recharge his batteries.
Angels are pounding a pitcher much better than Loewen.
Someone mentioned the Angels game. If its true that the O's rejected a trade of Ervin Santana for Tejada, the O's are insane, and that's all there is to it. He's plowing through the Texas lineup right now.
Its truly amazing how reactionary the crowd in here is. Do you not remember the last week, the winning streak, Opening Day Part Two, the end of Bubba Crosby's Yankeedom? Its baseball, there are clunkers like Mussina's 42 pitch inning, from time to time. Let's keep things positive!
Torre must be salivating. He gets to bring up another garbage pitcher.
We use it against Schilling too.
Wouldn't want to pass up on that WALK, right Alex? You could have hit that pitch 800 miles, but maybe the umpire had something in his eye and he missed that pitch right down and you could have WALKED. Because lord knows a WALK is as good as a booming double.
Nah, if that were it, it would be Damon with the bad hammy, and we'd be looking at a month of Bernie Williams in CF every day.
That's almost as bad as 120 games with Arod clogging up the 4 spot.
They're talking about Pavano playing in some minor league games. Will wonders never cease...
Well then he is a jackass. He had to know he was going on waivers.
They are complaining even though they are winning and one hitting us? What does Jim want, more Jockeys for life?
They're right. he doesn't underatsnd a. the way waivers work, and b. the team he plays for and its current ownership. He was a punk in 1996 and he is a punk in 2006.
Tell me about it. I should know better than to engage in that type of discussion. God forbid sports "journalists" refrain from making offensive statements.
I don't mind Chipper. He could have just stayed home and cashed his trust fund checks, but he didn't.
Moose is still a great pitcher, just not dominating the games like earlier on.
(invoking the tocho jinx)
"Loewen can reach 95 mph with his fastball and his plus curveball is effective against both lefties and righties. If it all comes together for him, he could develop into one of baseball's top left-handers. However, his control comes and goes and he's dealt with shoulder troubles in the past. He's a high-risk, high-reward guy."
He ranks 35th on their midseason list. Though the list is open to debate, suffice it to say he is a prospect, not a terrible pitcher.
Destrade. Orel is smarter than that.
GOD DAMN IT
If I were Joe Torre I would run this team until they drop after the game. What an ambarssing effort.
And I just can't get used to Abreu's picture on Gameday. I am sorry, but it looks like a monkey who just fled the zoo (or perhaps the plate).
I'm livid.
Enters everyday Villone.
BOS: Wells(0-1, 11.08 ERA)
TAM: Fossum(5-4, 4.89 ERA)
There's a change TB could win.
BTW, after reading the discussion last night I was reminded of one of my favorite sayings: "All you stereotypers are the same"
That's true. 2 more games. However I think my point is still valid. They score more runs in the games that they need to. Considering their record and their pitcthing, I think that is the only logical conclusion.
Yay! The Yankees can do what they've wanted all day and JUST GO HOME.
We threw away a gimme game.
Not alot to be blindly optimistic about.
. . .
The weird thing is that Roberts got 18 homeruns last year, before the collision. He'd never had more than five before. He's got three this year. Some blame the collision for robbing him of power. But maybe last year was just a fluke. He never seemed anything like a 20-homer guy before.
. . .
Now he's gonna take strike 3.
We couldn't hit Miguel Tejada today if he was pitching.
We're just not hitting on the right cylinders today.
From all Yankee fans: Sorry Moose, very very sorry.
:)
Than how come I can predict that the Yankees' announcer will say this same statement at least 20 times a game with 100% accuracy.
I can't watch. I will just assume we will be tied after tonight and 1 game back following the Chicago series.
Good thing we traded for Abreu, or woulda been a no-hitter.
Do you think there is any chance that Joe will bump Arod to the 2 hole like he did 2 years ago? It certainly seems like the best lineup would be:
Damon
Arod
Jete
Giambi
Abreu
Posada
...
Unless the Rays start slappin' Tubby around like a rented mule, I think I've had about enough baseball for today. See you knuckleheads later ;-)
241 Might be worth trying A-Rod in the two-hole. Seemed to work two years ago.
I bet we'll see Robby tomorrow...
Joe says they'll just play a man short tomorrow. I'm kind of surprised.
Absolutely. I am certain that I overreacted today. I just see Chicago for us and KC for them and thought a win today would be nice.
As for Arod, I don't think he should be traded or any nonsense like that, but keepng him in the cleanup spot based on stats he accumulated the bulk of months ago seens a little silly. No one is afraid to pitch to him. At least Giambi will bang some runs home via the HR in the 4 hole, and it will take some pressure off Arod. Especially now that the Abreu/Wilson honeymoon is over and the boo birds will be out in force at home.
Today illustrated why Joe/Cash cut Bubba. He feared Cairo going down and being left without a viable backup. I just wish he could have waited a few days, as we now have Cano coming back and have no backup CF'er, and no, Melky is not going to cut it in center. That is without mentioning that Bubba risked life and limb out there for us, he was a fan favorite, and the team is not be appreciably better with Green/Phillips (with Green being downright horrible) over Bubba. We now have 3 1st basemen (4 if Sheff comes back--awfully redundant at the easiest position on the field to play) and no backup CF'er. We don't need Phillips to PH as Giambi should be playing more games at 1st anyway against righties, leaving Wilson to PH. With Cairo down, we now have no Pinch Runner either. If it made baseball sense, I would have been for it, but it didn't.
HUH? We somehow KNEW they would lose today?!
At least Boston is losing... oh crap here come the Sox, did the Rays make a trade for Carmona?
253 BBTN is full of shit.
Where is Danys Baez when we/Tampa need him today... Atlanta
At least the former Brave, Lopez came through for us tonight with the GIDP. Thank you Javy, now I will be able to sleep tonight.
Dear Bud Selig, please end the season today. ;-)
Look, the Yankees are the Prom Queen, and BBTN and the remaining MLB teams and their broadcasters are the fat girls in the corner, and they act just like them. I mean since I got Extra Innings I am amazed at how much dislike there is out there, even during NL broadcasts. It is for the same reason that Jete was voted among the most overrated, MLB players include plenty of the fat girls too.
George bought this team for $10,000,000 when they were the laughing stock of NY and of the league in 1972. He built them into a winner worth upwards of $1,000,000,000. Any owner in a medium to large market could do nearly the same thing. The dirty little secret in Baseball is that most every owner is much more greedy than George, keeping a larger percentage of the money for themselves and refusing to invest in players, and the tangentials that would garner more revenue. Mark Cuban was spot on when he called out Pittsburgh's ownership, saying they would rather take the net proceeds in lieu of trying to actually compete, while blaming larger markets for their problems. It works because they know the average fan and ESPN viewer is an idiot and will buy the "evil empire" crap, hook, line, and sinker. Even Boston has conviced BBTN and most fans that they are operating are some poor hobo of a team that just can't compete with the big bad Yankees. If you think I'm wrong about the fans, head to a Brave or Dodger game sometime.
Investing in your business to make it grow works in Economics 101, and across every concievable endeavor, but apparently not for Baeball teams.
The most deserving candidate for the Cy Young award last season went 7 innings tonight, yielding 3 earned runs. William Roger Clemens has not given up more than 3 earned runs in any start (9 starts) this season.
In 2005, Clemens yielded only 44 earned runs in 34 starts and 211 innings pitched. I don't believe he yielded an earned run on the road until late August, Eeeks!
How about one more curtain call in NY in 2007 Roger, please.
"Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn't consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day? Sure, I'm lucky. Who wouldn't consider it an honor to have known Jacob Ruppert? Also, the builder of baseball's greatest empire, Ed Barrow? To have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins? Then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader, that smart student of psychology, the best manager in baseball today, Joe McCarthy? Sure, I'm lucky.
"When the New York Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat, and vice versa, sends you a gift - that's something. When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies - that's something. When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles with her own daughter - that's something. When you have a father and a mother who work all their lives so you can have an education and build your body - it's a blessing. When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed - that's the finest I know.
"So I close in saying that I may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for."
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