Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
The Yankees got the job done in Game 1, blowing out the Red Sox 12-4 behind big days from Johnny Damon (3 for 6, 3B, HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, and a huge sliding catch), Bobby Abreu (4 for 5, 2B, BB, R, SB), and Alex Rodriguez (2 for 5, 2B, BB, 2 RBI, 2 R, and a game-saving catch). That means that the pressure is on the Red Sox in the nightcap to take advantage of Sidney Ponson and his 8.78 ERA as a Yankee, lest they fall 3.5 games back in the East with just three games left in this series.
Meanwhile, the Yankees will be satisfied with a split, but did a good job of heating up their bats for 22-year-old rookie Jon Lester. The left-handed Lester had an impressive start to his major league career, posting a 2.38 ERA over his first eight starts despite an ugly walk rate of 5.76 BB/9, but the league seems to be catching up to him. Although his walk rate has drastically improved, Lester has a 6.91 ERA in his last five starts, due in large part to his having surrendered 41 hits in 27 1/3 innings against such offensive powerhouses as the Royals, Mariners, Angels and Orioles.
Overall, Lester has averaged less than 5 2/3 innings per start, which means if Ponson can keep it close (I know, but if), the Yankees will get a crack at the inferior Boston bullpen. Speaking of which, here's how the first game affected the two pens:
Yankees: Mike Myers retired David Ortiz on five pitches and should be available to do it again in the night cap if needed. Scott Proctor threw a reasonable 15 pitches over 1 2/3 innings. He should be avoided in the night game, but could be used if absolutely necessary and will certainly be available tomorrow. T.J. Beam threw 26 pitches in the ninth. Everyone else, including Mo, Farnsworth, Villone, Dotel and Brian Bruney, is fully rested.
Boston: Manny Delcarmen, Kyle Snyder, and Rudy Seanez are all unavailable for tonight having thrown 28, 39 and a whopping 47 pitches respectively. Rumor has it the Red Sox might activate Keith Foulke for the nightcap to compensate. Though speculation was that Jason Johnson would be designated for assignment to make room for Foulke, I wonder if the Sox might prefer to DFA Seanez, who has been awful this year and struggled to get outs in today's game, walking four and allowing four runs in an inning and a third. As it stands, the Sox have Papelbon, Timlin, Tavarez and Hansen fully rested.
Boston Tee Party
Damon - CF
Jeter - SS
Abreu - DH
ARod - 3B
Cano - 2B
Wilson - 1B
Bernie - RF
Fasano - C
Melky - LF
1. Kevin Youkilis, 3B
2. Mark Loretta, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Manny Ramirez, LF
5. Eric Hinske, 1B
6. Wily Mo Pena, RF
7. Coco Crisp, CF
8. Doug Mirabelli, C
9. Alex Cora, SS
30-31
Also, looks like Tito realized Coco sucks at leadoff. Darn.
vs AL East
28-18/29-22
vs AL Central
17-9/11-14
vs AL West
16-13/13-13
Run Differential
99/55
The Yanks signed Frank Menechino, and sent him to Columbus. He's starting at 3B tonight for the Clippers. Maybe they'll bring him up once this weekend is over, and we no longer need 13 pitchers?
Giambi will be available to PH. The move I don't like is Bernie in the OF. With Ponson pitching, we need every chance to turn some hard liner into a lucky out.
18 Wilson and Green can play the OF, if need be, but neither is that much better than Bernie.
I think it's safe to say that's not a serious option.
I've actually done the research for this - all the games where a pitcher played a position are detailed here:
http://tinyurl.com/zoze9
Pitchers shag flies - high, easy bp flies, and if they're more than a couple of steps away the pitchers don't bother. They don't track fly balls hit a distance away, they don't deal with liners hit at them, they don't charge groundball singles. They throw the ball back in, but they don't whirl and throw, they don't hit cutoff men, they don't pay attention to which base they're throwing to.
If you had to play a pitcher out there out of desperation, you might be able to get away with it. But as a defensive replacement? I'm willing to bet that Jeff Nelson is an even worse outfielder than Bernie.
By the way, referring to your link: I don't think Martin played Guidry and Mattingly where he did for any strategic reason whatsoever. I think it was his way of thumbing his nose at the umpires and Larry MacPhail.
For a real case of a manager thumbing his nose at the umpires, see entry #5 here:
http://tinyurl.com/n3uyq
Or two backup infielders, anyway. There's been some talk about the Yanks replacing Green with the recently DFA'd Vizcaino.
Horrible call.
Damon and Jeter, 1st and 2nd no one out.
Jeter strikes out, Damon thrown out.
Lester was rescued from at least 15-20 more pitches in this game.
weighing in at an easy 260 lbs. of sober Aruba fury....sweating butter in the Boston heat... the only Aruban not connected to the Natalie Hollway murder...
the pride and ace of the Aruba National Baseball Team....
Sydney "Two Scoops" Ponson...
Here comes Manny.
Sidney Ponson is so discouraging.
62 Yup.
Or Steven White. He's mowing 'em down in Columbus tonight.
Guiel is playing LF and batting in the three-hole tonight. He's in a bit of slump, hitting only .250 right now.
What an awful call on 3-1 to Jeter. This ump sucks.
And should've walked Manny. I don't really care who is hitting behind him.
Sir Sidney, just finish 6 innings, somehow.
Turns out, to prevent infinite loops, the template engine has a default maximum of loops it will iterate through: 1000. I reset the number to 5000 and now it's happy again.
Now don't go trying to create a 5,000 comment thread just to give me more busy work.
Tie game!!! NESN announcer deadpans.
Bernie from the right side, let's see.
He does, out at home, but still bases loaded.
Only one out off Fasano's bat is good news in my book. Go Melky!
I'm sure this will change in an hour.
137 Two words: Sal Fasano.
Lester has only thrown 22 balls ? he seems like he has walked a dozen
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B05311NYN1964.htm
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B05312NYN1964.htm
Kidding, but I do remember reading he threw like 17 once. Oh Jeter.
5-1 Yankees. Just rip it open now.
(Get It? Get It?)
that is nice hitting....
A Rod hit gets ....
TAVAREZ !!! yes...
(Please tell me I didn't need to use the sarcasm tags.)
Wells sent over a sandwich for him....fat sloppy drunk pitchers have a code of honor
Cano is the man!
yea...it sucks and he needs another appointment with his Life Coach to relieve the stress of being A Rod
I wonder what that movie is about.
[Wacky Dance]!
5-4.
so, where is ron villone?
This guy eats leads like they are covered in chocolate....
Ortiz owns this guy..
can't walk them because he cannot get ANYONE at all out
That's all you need to know
Unlikely even number 5 of the day.
Well, he Ks 'Tiz. Back to the offense.
And yes I am yelling BECAUSE IT IS SO UNREAL!
How does Ponson walk Cora and get Ortiz out? Insanity this.
But what do you know, he K'd Papi.
Today is absolutely endless.
(for some reason I see it coming)
If the game continues at this pace, it will take 5 hours and 6 minutes to complete 9 innings.
I take full responsibility for that inning as I turned it on for the walk...but since we still have the lead, I am off the hook...
So with a 3:55 first game, this game has to go 3:45 to break it.
Something to ponder.
Unlikely scenario for Ponson, given Manny leads off.
This always happens. Yankees kill a pitcher. His team scores a few. And suddenly Yankee hitters become tentative, hit ground balls, and the kid has huge confidence.
Any bets?
9-8 Yanks? 12-9 Red Sox?
I like our chances if we're down only 8-5 or 8-6 and we've driven Lester out by the 6th. As Cliff said though, big IF.
I wonder how long the unpleasant memory will last of him as a Yankee
On second thoughts, maybe that is not too bad.
Damon!!!
who ?
Pavano is ready for what ?
yes I recall them...equal in total weight to Ponson
Wilson not helping....
Ugh, now the fielding is failing, great...
On the other hand, Sal Fasano looms as one of the hitters, so ...
None of us expected to win this game, and we're still in it. Pontoon's at 71 pitches, so there's only so much more damage he can do.
Meanwhile the Sawx have Tavarez to replace Lester, who's at 73 pitches.
And if we win this we can all relax for the rest of the weekend, as we'd be in first Tues morning no matter what happened the next 3.
Johnny Goes Deep AGAIN!
DAMON killing them
it is like some CSPAN nonsense with this guy
Acid Fight warming up in the 'pen.
Hopefully Ponson lasts 5+.
Well, we destroyed Lester's confidence, mental well being, and drive. Check that off on the list. Next up: Rape the Sawx bullpen and turn this into a huge blowout; and WIN the game.
tavarez sucks, Foulke is a question mark and Hansen, Timlin and Papelbon are their "good" arms.
How much longer until Ponson is taken out.
let's get this baby to bed (mine just went to bed)
nevermind
IF he can just luck out two more inning and keep the lead, we can give him an Honorable DFA.
:)
Seriously, why wasn't Karstens used for this start? Or White? Heck, even Clippard is going to be better if they don't want Hughes up.
BTW, Villone will hold the lead, a DP by papi and a line out by manny
That was STRIKE THREE!!!
So, um, how do we actually get to the later innings of this game and actually stay in it? Villone I guess can do one more, though his arm might fall off...Proctor could do one, though his arm WILL fall off...Farns can only do one...that gets us to the 7th, Mo could do 2 I guess...Still one from the crappy rest of the pen...And, that leaves us NO BP tomorrow...at all...
7 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 7 SO.
Maybe we shoulda tried him instead of Ponson.
Hi everbody!
{/Dr. Nick voice}
congrats on 4 digits for the last game. Cliff & Alex, how's the bandwidth going?
Remember everbody, most doubleheaders are splits. I won't worry if the Yanks lose tonight-- but there'll be double digits runs for both teams.
you are right, I lived oin Boston for a few years and it is a great charity
Anyone is better than Ponson!!
Of course, he doesn't have anyone to put in for Melky. Bernie in LF is not a good idea.
I had thought that since the ASB, Torre was actually (by his standards) being somewhat aware of not overusing his arms and alternating Proctor and Villone, but his use of Villone for 4 days is beyond the pale.
"You can have him, I don't want him, he's too fat for me."
(cue Alex with the music.)
What is Torre doing??
strained reaching for a rib at the buffet
Watching this game, can't help but think "perhaps the Centrals are better this year."
need double play in a bad way
I don't care about winning this game, I do care about having a bullpen for the weekend.
I like Villone and he is tough (unlike Fragile Farnsy) but this is sad and he will be shot as will Proctor come the end of the season...
Joe gets part of this loss, if we can't come back. Ponson and Torre's stupid thick skull.
he always tries to push the envelope with villone.
here comes barney. top of the order. men on first and second. no outs. I'm tempted to switch channels and come back in 10 minutes to see what happened
1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO.
17 pitches, 11 strikes.
Of course, the game was a complete blowout by then.
it is amazing that it is only 8-7 as they seem like it is a Sox blowout...
Once again, thank you Sidney F'ing Ponson...
can it always be the pitchers or does Torre need to wear some of this
How's Mendoza doing at AAA these days?
Seriously, the Yankees can come back, so long as they hold the lead to 3.
This just means that the Yankees' sucky pitcher is worse than the Red Sox's sucky pitcher.
Bullpen guys aren't good enough to start (and starting pitching is thin these days, around both leauges). Nor are they good enough to close (and aside from Mo and Hoffman, who this last decade is more than a flash in the pan closer?)
Face it, the days of Nelson/Stanton are long gone.
I would have preferred Torre leaving Ponson in merely to eat innings.
Seriously though, who here has not anticipated this with Ponson starting? I just want all the players get outta here alive and well (granted more than a little tired but nothing else).
agree to a point but you should be able to cobble together a middle relief corp that is not total rubbish...Stanton and Nelson were the last good combo we had
For Clippers pitchers, TJ Beam is easily the cream of the crop.
My point is, teams aren't able to do that on a consistent year to year basis. Boston has the second highest payroll and their bullpen sucks too. For one or two years, a team may get lucky, but then their good middle relievers will either 1) demand too much money 2) want to prove that they are closers too (with a bigger payday) 3) get traded for a bat or 4) regress to the norm and start sucking.
Proctor is a tough horse and I like him and Villone
But, having said that, besides Mo and Fransworth, who is availabel tonight? I know Joe already said Dotel is not!
If they don't win that is... ;)
we have a $200m payroll, with a pitcher who has not pitched in two years stealing money...we have another thief pitching 5 innings in Wright...
money can never be an excuse for the Yankees not getting a middle relief corp
Unless he needs to use him before then, Joe Torre is set to start Sidney Ponson in the second game of Friday's doubleheader against the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
"He's obviously an experienced guy we can go to," Torre said. "If we call somebody up from the minor leagues, they wouldn't have that experience. He's our next best option."
Like I said, behind 10-7, sixth inning, we can still do this.
I know Torre can't say the guy stinks, but I really believe that is the true method behind his decision-making process. Oh well.
I don't believe in the notion that it's tough to sweep a double-header. That's a wives tale. If you have a 4 run lead, you should win the game. If the game is tied at 7 you shouldn't overuse a guy that you'll need in the 3 games that follow.
More damage was done in this game than a loss, if they don't come back. 12-4 feels good, but in the end the Yankees are even in their standings results, and in the negative in relief pitching. That's a net loss to me.
"money can never be an excuse for the Yankees not getting a middle relief corp"
Agreed, but to me, anyone beyond a proven closer (and the Armando Benitezes of the world don't count -- they suck in big pressure games) is basically a crapshoot. A middle reliever might be good for 3 - 4 years, but giving him a big contract doesn't mean he's going to continue to be good. If some one can consistently come in and throw strikes, and I'm a GM or manager, I'll put him in to close, or else have him be the number five starter.
(This isn't a defense of Torre's bullpen management, which is a weak spot for him.)
Y'know, I'm starting to think Myers is a luxury we can't afford. I know how much the Yanks have wanted a lefty specialist, but I'm not sure it's worth it. He takes up a roster slot and is hardly ever used.
agreed..
although a #5 starter is something you pick up off the junkpile....most teams do not have a #3....a solid middle reliever has more value...ask your #1,2,3,4 starters...Proctor is far more valuable that Wright to this team not to mention the revolving #5 we have had
Oh shit, and here comes Torre, Joe what are you doing????????
Interesting idea, flip Proctor to #5, and Wright to the pen. I'm not sure how easy it is to do mid-season though.
I do think that the bullpen is the last area of the game to be worked out. Closers have evolved, platoon situations have been worked out, but getting a bullpen down is still alchemy.
I don't care if we lose 10-7, 18-7, or 30-7, I don't want to see Proctor or anyone else who's actually important in the bullpen used...unless we manage to come back somehow.
I think sending them both out of town makes a lot of sense. If you can replace them with a couple of fresh arms for the next 3 games you may dodge a bullet.
Five games in four days Scott Proctor.
send lawyers, guns and money the shit has hit the fan....
I realize the game is high scoring, but it isn't exactly out of reach at this moment.
Oh, wait...
Jeter 3-20.
C'mon Melky
Melky!
YAHOO MELKMAN!
Worst case scenario for bullpen is extra innings.
Mo for 2.
I assume we shall now see EDSP, followed by Farns and prob. Mo in the 8th too...
Cano...come on
oh my...
Oh, um, why is Billy Ray Cyrus singing GBA?
Billy Ray Cyrus?!?! WTF?!?!
Pitching in this series is going to be a huge adventure. Both pens are jello.
If we can limit it to 3 more plate appearances we win.
just unreal
Good offense capable of demolishing mediocre pitching at home. However, their starters outside of Schilling can't get past the fifth or sixth, and their bullpen is gassed. We complain about Proctor and Villone, but Timlin's been running on fumes for a while.
Where will this game end?
Randy Johnson goes 7 innings tomorrow regardless of the situation, and TJ Beam gets the 8th, followed by Mo who will not be available for Mussina's start.
I imagine Rivera for 2 innings since he hasn't pitched in a few days.
Maybe Proctor until he allows a baserunner in the 8th...or just 1 out....but definitely Mo for more than 1 inning.
I really feel for Villone and Proctor, who are calling Dr. Andrews right after the game tonight...
I was worried. Kyle was the guy to get Cocoa, I thought.
BTW, I'm still of two minds about getting an SRO ticket for tomorrow's Mudhens - Clippers game. I don't know if the Clippers will have any pitchers available.
Scattered Thundershowers in the forecast.
Scattered Thundershowers in the forecast.
Scattered Thundershowers in the forecast.
I want to beat the Foulke out of Keith
I missed Farns' injury, what happened? Can somebody be called up?
Home plate umpire, comedian extraordinaire!
http://tinyurl.com/gucvq
Texas at Chicago, 7 hr, 39 min. 5/24/1995
Hey, everyone's leaving Fenway. The T shuts down in a few minutes!
I know I said the Yanks were reserving all they can playing in disguise during the past two weeks for this weekend. Little did I know they planned to go all out starting the minute they landed in Boston.
Are these two teams aware of the fact that they still got three days to go?
Ponson has had dinner, elevensies, and midnight snack by now...
Dr. Andrews is booking appointments now in the pen as we speak
But I don't really have any reservations about calling up Proctor there.
He and Villone are toast....
Why isn't Mo stretching? Or somebody?
Scotty, just kick it in there.
...a purple heart. ;)
hopefully "one day on, one day off" Farnsy can come back from the shot he took
I take my shiny conical hat off in your honor.
The Yanks staggered off the field...Proctor looked like a boxer in the 11th round trying to find his corner
Savor that.
The Sawx used 9 pitchers over the 2 games, and Tavarez was the best.
Leiter: That would normally hurt, but I understand.
haha.
846 Torre has personally assured Proctor that Anna Benson would be giving him his rubdown.
The Angels game is in the bottom of the 8th as is the Giants game.
..Can you believe this freakin' game tonight? How quiet Fenway was when Jeter was up, even though they still had a two run lead! It's as if they knew what was going to happen. A Rod getting hits.
Hot damn.
That doubleheader was at Fenway in 1926.
RK PLAYER TEAM G
1 Scott Proctor NYY 60
2 Kyle Farnsworth NYY 57
3 Huston Street Oak 56
4 Ron Villone NYY 55
I can't believe how long this game has been.
On the plus side, the Sal Fasano fu-manchu lives on in his headshot.
All eyes are on you, Octavio Dotel.
Ah. Mo's job is to remind everyone what pitching looks like. It's kind of an aesthetic thing.
Ortiz coming up and I feel good!
How unclutch.
898 Haha, you forgot the game when Red Sox played the White. The Red Sox have had worse this year.
Loretta quick out. Ortiz solo dinger. I told you it ain't over.
No. Do not tie this game up. I think the RS pitchers don't want a tie game either.
894 I say "you must go at least 8 no matter what"
And what the hell was that, Ortiz isn't allowed to hit "un-clutch" HRs...
Mo, end it, please.
All this and it's almost 1 in the morning.
Calm.
Chant mantra:
MO
MO.....
MO........
Nice footwork.
And was that Ortiz homer catchable?
And yeah, A-Rod's glove has an iron coat this year. How's big Crapi's glove looking?
Man, what a bizarre day/night! Great job Yanks Offense, Scott Proctor, and, um, Wang?
Now, the pen is shot, sure. On the other hand, if we take ONE of the next three, that's the series. And who thinks we can't get two, or all three?
Yankees are guaranteed to leave Boston being in the first place. Fantastic.
you might be right, maybe A Rod should DH as well...cause he looks like pure SHIT at 3B...
career high errors and K's
talk about stepping up there game
A CG would be real nice tomorrow, Unit.
I'm probably the last to figure this out, but Melky was on base all five times he came to the plate in game two. The kid shows promise.
Should be interesting to see if there are any roster moves tomorrow...
Night all, hope we the Banterers will be able to get up tomorrow for the game...
Congrats on the sweep.
Twice-a-Day Scotty. Captain Clutch for that unbefrickinlievable double. Johnny D for the dinger.
Almost a 1000 comments?
I watched the game at the local bar, but I had to be part of this.
I think Green was just in as a LIDR.
Lets go Yankeeeeees.
As to pitching: why not call up Jeff Karstens? I thought that's what they were going to do. I mean, he's not a good pitcher at the ML level, but we have to be realistic.
This was the clearest L of the series to me. Now, let's get 2 more out of 3.
6-12, 4 runs, 7 RBI, 1 triple, 2HR
He had a good week in one night.
Another thing: Mo threw just 14 pitches. He's definitely not burned for RJ's start. Hopefully, the Unit who went 5-0 against Boston last year will show up.
I am too hyped to sleep at this moment. Have to wear out some of the Adrenaline first.
Okay, that's it for me. I'm looking forward to watching Beckett get it handed to him. It's just a shame the Yankees can only win one game tomorrow.
Bean could come up. Small/Mendoza/White won't. Colome could come up.
I think the Yanks need two replacements though because Ponson will be gone. No need for him around here anymore.
It's too bad, I wanted to see Farns hit 100mile on the gun in Fenway...
"In all, the teams combined for 41 runs and 61 hits in 8:40 of baseball -- with the Yankees getting 17 hits in each game. There were 783 pitches thrown.
Because the park was cleared between games, it does not count as a doubleheader in the record books, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The longest doubleheader, between the Rangers and White Sox on May 24, 1995, took 7:39."
Night y'all. Thanks again, Alex and Cliff and Ken. Bronx Banter, great land.
j/k. Great baseball today.
I already pay for the package. Let me see YES or NESN tomorrow or at least Fox's East Coast feed.
Night, all!
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