Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
Mike Mussina returns to active duty tonight to take the ball against the Royals. Mussina has now hit the disabled list in the second half of each of the last three seasons. In 2004, Moose missed nearly a month and a half in July and early August with elbow pain. After returning, it took him three starts to get up to speed, after which he dominated in six September starts (3-1, 2.14 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 9.00 K/9, 4.20 K/BB). Last year he missed the first three weeks of September due to more elbow issues, returning in time to make just two final regular season starts, the first good but not great, the second awful, with nearly identical results in his two ALDS starts.
This year it wasn't his elbow, but a nagging groin injury that pushed Mikey Moose to the DL, and rather than three weeks or a month and a half, he's missed just the minimum 15 days. The way the schedule pans out, Mussina, who has been stuck at 13 wins since July 30, could make as many as six more regular season starts (ain't that always the way for Moose). That should be plenty of time for him to pitch himself back into a groove for the postseason, while feeling the benefits of the two-week respite. You see, Moose had a 5.14 ERA in August that was less the result of any gaudy runs-allowed totals than his increasing inability to go deep into ballgames due to both the groin and general inefficiency.
Opposing him tonight will be lefty Jorge de la Rosa, whom the Royals acquired from Milwaukee at the deadline for Tony Graffanino. De la Rosa is a hard thrower who strikes out a fair number of batters, but also walks more than his share and is thus in his fourth organization at the tender age of 25. After being converted to starting while in the Red Sox system in 2002, the Brewers put him back in the pen last year with disastrous results (8.08 BB/9). This year they used him as a swing man, giving him three starts, until the Royals mercifully took him and his 8.60 ERA off their hands. He's since made six starts for the Royals which have been a total mixed bag, but without much upside. His first AL start--6 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 7 K vs. Texas--remains his best. Of course he's pitched on irregular rest almost every time out (though not tonight), which may have something to do with the fact that he was just coming off the DL due to blister problems when the Royals acquired him. Dayton Moore must have gotten one hell of a scouting report on this guy.
i.e. "We (KC Royals Management) take no responsibility for the quality of play from 'your' team."
"He never played for the Yankees"
Typing that out, there's some truth to it.
Curious that they haven't put Kevin Reese on the 60-day DL if they need room on the roster. Is there any hope he can be back this year?
Cannizaro is a small, 27-year-old infielder who takes walks and doesn't strike out much, but that's about all he does.
I had hoped Henn, 25, would be a part of the Karstens-Rasner rotation relief corps at the beginning of the year, but he's been on and off the DL all year. A lefty, he's since been moved into the bullpen. I guess it's worth giving him a look to save Ron Villone from spontanious combustion, but there's not much to go on from this year.
I'm kind of surprised Cannizaro was called up. Seems like the Yanks have plenty of infielders. And if an infielder was called up, I was kind of expecting it to be Menechino.
I wonder if they'll call up KT if he gets healthy in time? And I wouldn't mind seeing Sardinha get a shot. (Hawaii boy that he is. ;-) Though maybe it would be too much for him. He's been playing well, but he started the year in Trenton and was only called up because the Clippers were running out of OFers with all the Yanks' injuries.
He's only 23, so he should be still improving.
Derek Jeter DH
Bobby Abreu RF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Jorge Posada C
Robby Cano 2B
Craig Wilson 1B
Melky Cabrera LF
Nick Green SS
Mike Mussina
Jeter DH while Mauer has to catch, it's almost like Joe is giving the captain a little helping hand...
David DeJesus CF
Mark Grudzielanek 2B
Mark Teahen 3B
Mike Sweeney DH
Emil Brown LF
Ryan Shealy 1B
Shane Costa RF
John Buck C
Andres Blanco SS
Jorge De La Rosa P
Can't say I'm sorry to see Gathright out of the lineup.
Let's hope he's in his April/May form tonight and here on out
This year, we have an opportunity to go into the PS with fresh players, and I hope Joe makes that happen. I'm OK with 'house money' lineups, if it gives Jetes, ARod, Posada and Damon some rest.
Echo! 'Echo!....Echo!'
I have no idea if Karsay would have been valuable that playoff run, but another useful arm would have been the difference between watching an exhausted Gordon and Rivera cough up leads and winning it all. We'll never know because Torre didn't give Karsay a chance.
Let's not make the same mistake twice. Give Dotel some innings and the other guys some rest.
Does Moose look good, or not? Three strike-outs, but two nasty at-bats, too.
If they sweep Chicago and the Twinkies, then I'll start thinking about it.
ha ha hah ha
First day back on the job and the team decides to make him feel right at home by welcoming him with the fielding gaffes they're wont to make behind him!
Mauer .344 (0 for 3)
In Fenway, Mike Timlin is in, still a 1-0 game in the eighth inning. ChiSox squandered a two hit + one wild pitch inning earlier.
And the Yanks game hasn't quite started yet, has it?
Please make a note of it.
Seattle ties up Detroit 3-3, rain delay after 4...
http://tinyurl.co.uk/f4zj
Something must be done to restore order to the universe.
Oh, because he was the big winner yesterday, now I see Joe's strategy.
It could have been a lot better, but it could have been a lot worse.
Or a bloop double.
Let's just hope the "O" doesn't stay in house money mode until the eighth inning this time.
Alright, Melky...let's get things started now!
It's nearly impossible to get a 10-run inning if you aren't losing by four runs.
Offense, please wake up now.
Hmm, here comes the doom of the Royals. their bullpen.
Who woulda thunk it?
Is anyone else watching the Royals broadcast? I find the broadcast smooth and refreshing- the broadcast team is not overly homerish (which in this case means not reading everyone's salary aloud), and are in general excited about baseball. Most of all their personalities don't get in the way of watching a baseball game. I'm impressed.
I like the Royals announcers overall as I see a lot of their games where I'm at (a baseball wasteland) but the consensus here is that they stink:)
Sweet jesus this is a wacky game.
the Royals b'cast has a funny feature called "league leaders" where they go over the top players in the AL in most categories...they are highlighting their obvious shortcomings...they should change to
"good value for the money leaders"
Then I realized they are not and that the Yanks will be in the playoffs.
Good thing Henn's playing in KC, those balls would be out in a lot of other parks.
Gee I'm familiar with this "wild pitch" song.
hope the whole AL Central goes down to the last day with a 3 way playoff needed as well
Oh no! Our lead is down to 8!
Eh, the Yankees will get them tomorrow.
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