Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
On the morning of June 30, the Boston Red Sox had won their last twelve games and held a four-game lead in the American League East. A month later their lead in the East had shrunk to 1 1/2 games. From there they went into a free fall, winning just nine of their next 31 games. The Sox are now 11 1/2 games behind the first-place Yankees and could be eliminated this weekend should they fail to at least split the four games they'll play in the Bronx.
So what happened? Simple really, their pitching completely imploded. No team gave up more runs in August than the Red Sox, who allowed a major league worst 5.97 runs per game as their opponents posted a .314 batting average against them.
Why? Look no further than this weekend's probables. Josh Beckett has been an utter disappointment, mixing a 6.38 August ERA with his 33 home runs allowed in 184 innings (1.61 per 9 IP). Curt Schilling, who came out of the gate looking like the ace of old, posted a 5.22 ERA in August and has missed his last three starts due to a strained back. The Sox had hoped he'd return to pitch on Saturday afternoon, but instead they'll have to give a fourth start to Julian Tavarez, who was moved out of the bullpen into the rotation in Schilling's stead in part because he was so ineffective out of the pen that the team figured it couldn't hurt to try it. The second game of Saturday's double header will see Kyle Snyder take the mound for the Sox. Snyder has a 7.02 ERA as a starter this season, but the Sox rotation is so depleted that they keep running him back out there. Saturday's nightcap will be his tenth start for Boston. Worse yet, Snyder isn't their most desperate attempt to find a starter. Things have gotten so bad that the Red Sox are carrying 37-year-old Kevin Jarvis, he of the career 6.05 ERA. I mean, seriously, look at these numbers! Finally, Monday's starter will be rookie Kason Gabbard. Who? Exactly.
It's telling that Tavarez and Gabbard have actually improved the Boston rotation as they've replaced the since-released Jason Johnson (7.36 ERA in six starts for the Sox) and highly-touted rookie Jon Lester, who has alarmingly been diagnosed with lymphoma, but nonetheless posted a 7.66 ERA in five August starts before landing on the disabled list. With Tavarez and Gabbard in the rotation, the Sox have split their last dozen games. That counts as progress in Beantown these days.
How did things get so bad? Let's take a look at the Red Sox opening day rotation:
In order to clear room for that quintet, the Sox traded Bronson Arroyo to the Reds and installed Jonathan Papelbon as their closer, reducing their back-up plan to rookies Lester and David Pauley and swing-lefty Lenny DiNardo--all of whom have spent time on the 60-day DL this year, the latter two doing so with ERAs well north of 7.00--and rookie Abe Alvarez, who has made just one disaster start for the big club. Thus waiver bait such as Johnson, Snyder and Jarvis. Thus desperation moves such as Tavarez. Thus dipping even deeper into their farm system for someone like Gabbard, who posted a 5.23 ERA with triple-A Pawtucket this year after a 4.61 mark in double-A last year.
With all that in mind, could it be that the best thing that has happened to the Red Sox this year, the remarkable rookie season Jonathan Papelbon has had as their closer, has also been the thing that destroyed their season? If Papelbon wasn't quite so dominant as a closer, might the Sox have been willing to move him back into the rotation when it became clear that their starting pitching would sink their playoff hopes without him?
What's more, can the Sox really expect to compete next year without moving Papelbon to the rotation? Schilling and Wakefield will be another year older. Wells is gone. Clement and Beckett will be no more reliable. Lester has cancer. The market is thin, as is the Sox farm system, particularly with Anibal Sanchez throwing no-hitters in teal and black. Nate Silver has reason to believe that Papelbon is actually best suited to the role he's in, but the Red Sox may have no other choice.
As the Yankees continue to improve from within, the 11 1/2 games that separate these two teams coming into this weekend looks an awful lot like a harbinger of things to come.
Boston Red Sox
2006 Record: 78-68 (.534)
2006 Pythagorean Record: 73-73 (.501)
Manager: Terry Francona
General Manager: Theo Epstein
Home Ballpark (2005 Park Factors): Fenway Park (101/101)
Who's Replaced Whom?
Current Roster
1B – Kevin Youkilis (R)
2B – Mark Loretta (R)
SS – Alex Gonzalez (R)
3B – Mike Lowell (R)
C – Jason Varitek (S)
RF – Trot Nixon (L)
CF – Coco Crisp (S)
LF – Wily Mo Peña(R)
DH – David Ortiz (L)
Bench:
L – Eric Hinske (UT)
L – Alex Cora (IF)
R - Doug Mirabelli (C)
R - Dustin Pedroia (IF)
L - Carlos Peña (1B)
R – Gabe Kapler (OF)
L - David Murphy (OF)*
R - Ken Huckaby (C)*
R - Manny Ramirez (OF)**
Rotation:
R – Curt Schilling
R – Tim Wakefield
R – Josh Beckett
R – Julian Tavarez
R – Kyle Snyder
L - Kason Gabbard*
R - Kevin Jarvis*
Bullpen:
R – Jon Papelbon
R – Mike Timlin
R - Keith Foulke
R – Manny Delcarmen
R – Keith Foulke
L – Lenny DiNardo
R – Bryan Corey
R - Mike Burns
R - Craig Hansen*
L - Craig Breslow*
L - Javier Lopez*
60-day DL: R – Matt Clement, L – Jon Lester, R - David Pauley, L - Adam Stern (OF)
Typical Lineup
R – Kevin Youkilis (1B)
R – Mark Loretta (2B)
L – David Ortiz (DH)
R – Wily Mo Peña (LF)
L - Trot Nixon (RF)
R – Mike Lowell (3B)
S - Jason Varitek (C)
S – Coco Crisp (CF)
R – Alex Gonzalez (SS)
*September call-ups
**The Sox don't expect Manny to play at all this weekend due to his ongoing knee injury. Needless to say, David Ortiz shouldn't see a good pitch to hit all weekend as a result, thus completely defanging the Red Sox offense (not that you can't count on at least one rocket shot from Wily Mo, but it could be his only hit of the series when it comes).
Johnny Damon CF
Derek Jeter SS
Bobby Abreu RF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Jason Giambi 1B
Jorge Posada C
Robinson Cano 2B
Hideki Matsui DH
Melky Cabrera LF
Chien-Ming Wang RHP
Wow, any lineup that has Matsui batting 7th (and legitemately so) is scary. I've got Tix, but think I'm going to skip out on the rain delays and watch from a bar.
4 Matsui's batting eighth, legitimately.
Oh how the mighty have fallen...
Can anyone offer realistic scenarios how they might recover in the next three years, let alone, next year? I'm completely serious.
They obviously need a grade A starter. But those prices are going to be damn high with the demand. Whereas Zito is consistently good (#2 or #3) I don't think he's a difference maker. Schmidt might be, as he has been before, but you're going to overpay for a NL West to AL east move and how many healthy years can you get from him? Otherwise, good luck.
After that, what they resign Loretta and Gonzo? For how many more years will that last and at what cost? Or do they really leave an open spot for the weighty bat of Pedroia?
Now with Varitek this year showing his true colors the shade of orange juice, they will have to go out and pay for a guy like Zaun or Molina.
After that they still need to build a bullpen and there aren't many power arms to be had cheaply - mybe a guy like Dotel.
Then there's still the open spot in RF unless they're willing to give it full-time to Wily.
I suppose they could trade ManRam to the Angels or someone for some talent, but that would start to look full blown rebuilding.
(He says, trying to listen to his mother and say something nice about someone)
(1)that Beckett and Coco rebound and become the players that RSN thought they were getting
2)Pedroia is good
3)WilyMo turns into Soriano (enormous power offsets poor plate discipline)
4) The centerfielder they have in AA helps the team next year
5) Hansen and delwhatshisname turn into set-up studs
(6) Lowell, Schilling, and Wakefield play next year like they did in the first half of this season
(7) they pick up a stud starting pitcher -- they're hoping for MikePugh's Japanese ace to spurn NY and Seattle for the provincial backwater that is Boston.
Getting even a fraction of that would be quite lucky in my opinion.
In the last Yanks-Sox series, the bullpen shocked me even more than the rotation. Aside from Jonathan Goodpaper, they didn't seem to have a single reliever who was even at replacement level. There's just no excuse for that.
I'm going to both games tomorrow. I used to love going to doubleheaders, back when they had real doubleheaders, but this will be a muuuuch longer day. I hope they make it worth my while.
Cliff, was your original misspelling intentional? Wells, of course, had to pass through waivers before the Red Sox could trade him.
In old-style box scores it would have been Grdzlnk.
http://tinyurl.com/lku6q
My sympathy goes out to Lester, but that pitching staff is just a Mount Rushmore of Misfortune & Mediocrity. Makes me appreciate our pitchers that much more.
I agree with Nate Silver re: Papelbon. I think he can help them more as a closer.
1 5 I used to call our starter version of Seaenez Jeff "White Flag" Weaver.
20 It's linked in my post above.
21 Only if those games would effect home field advantage in the postseason, and even then, the Yanks might just chose to forfeit homefield in exchange for not having to play those games.
Well, I'll not pile on this time.
You say Grudzielanek, I say Grudzielanek
Waved it, waved him
Slayed it, sleighed him
Let's call the whole thing of.
Er, off.
Because it can't be said enough: We kid, because we love (this site).
And 4 I'd take your tickets!
I'm hoping they get it in, and if it's delayed WWOR will just let Kaat ramble until the tarp is removed, and the game resumes.
Bummer.
Still no word on Kaat. I imagine he'll put off retirement and join the Sat. night or Sun. night broadcast.
After a couple of years of witnessing Cashman getting no respect and being compared negatively to Epstein, I more than happy to indulge in schadenfreude at the Red Sox demise.
8/23, 8/25, 8/26, 8/27, 8/30, 9/2 in one stretch.
One doubleheader was caused when the second game of the 8/23 doubleheader against the Tigers ended in a 3-3, 19-inning tie.
The person who probably benefits from the two doubleheaders is Papi...less time with the New York press, and most of his time in NY will be spent playing over 2 days.
Coco is a good player. No way to know that he would have a bad year... but he did make a few webgems that will live on.
Mark Mulder - 7.14 ERA (Ruthian). Who knew?
Zito next year? You never know.
RJ? We STILL don't know.
With the exception of a few elite, pitchers are a crapshoot.
Theo is alright. If we didn't have Ca$hman, I'd take him. He rolled the dice, and lost almost everytime... although Willy Mo could still be a monster.
and BERNIE WANTS TO PLAY NEXT YEAR!
What are we going to do?
With 200 million, do we let a historic Yankee play a year (and probably do shitty) on another team?
Do we allow his image to be tainted by another uniform?
Theo himself put forth this notion.
Nothing personal against Theo, (even if I find him to be arrogantly smug), but I'm glad his myth is over, and baseball fans everywhere are realizing the Yanks organization has a lot more going for it than just money.
Also, the camera just showed Pedro in the dugout and he looked like he was about to burst into tears a la Schilling...Heh.
He even said he wouldn't mind losing to the Yanks in the World Series, and Mike made him swear he'd ride in the parade if that happened...
Funny stuff. I guess he's got it in for the Mets more than the Yanks this season..
Could he lose the batting title to someone as overrated as Jeter?
Mauer up again.
To be fair to AJP, most of the stolen bases against the Palehose are on their pitching staff, which is sssssssssllllllllloooooowwwwww to the plate.
I think the Mets' magic number is one. One more win, and they've clinched. But they're having trouble against the lowly Pirates.
There's a one-off game between the IL winner and PCL winner on Monday on ESPN2. It's in Oklahoma.
And Matsui will start in LF during the next homestand.
http://tinyurl.com/fdg8j
Johnny Damon CF
Derek Jeter SS
Bobby Abreu RF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Jason Giambi 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Hideki Matsui DH
Melky Cabrera LF
Sal Fasano C
Chien-Ming Wang RHP
Cairo 2B
Green 3B
Phillips 1B
Williams DH
Guiel RF
Wilson LF
Thompson CF
Cannizaro SS
Nieves C
Wright P
"If the Yanks sweep today and win tomorrow's opener, they will clinch the AL East. At that point, the Yanks could celebrate between games, permitting Torre to deliver a salvo against an entity he hates, ESPN, by either starting a drunk team or a club full of Andy Cannizaros and Kevin Thompsons in the nightcap for the network's prime-time game."
Putting a drunk team on the field would be awesome. Imagine the conversations they'd have on the bases....
Those Fox announcers again...
Must resist urge to throw things at TV whenever McCarver speaks.
Hmm, that was not a worm...
Arod, you be happy now, someone's got it louder.
download the TVU player and click on the ESPN Asia channel.
Sound and picture suck (worse than MLB TV) but whatever.
The worms stay safe for another few minutes...
Willy Mo K-na returns!
Am I the last one to know that Papelbird is shut down for the rest of the season?
(Not sure why other teams don't try the same approach. Instead you see Wang face teams like the Tigers who hack at everything and he's through 8 on 75 pitches or something.)
Love that kid.
And his replacement is no longer a replacement. I hope Torre and genious Cashman can really figure something out.
169,172 The ones who didn't want Wang and Cano as a package are all hating themselves now.
They had to show that GS, didn't they. I have nightmares about that home run.
Kaat's grandkids are the cutest. Bye-bye, Kitty, enjoy and don't forget to come back every once in a while.
I say give him a week off once we clinch (knock on wood), put Melky in center and Godzilla-san in left.
Why or why are they still pitching to Ortiz?!
Jeter 0-2 so far :(
I hate easy innings for "Respect the Game" Beckett (nickname courtesy NoMaas)
Wanger definitely needs to grind through it today...I guess prolonged layoffs aren't so good for him.
Ugh, Giambi should've had it!
Does anyone else own a 1994 World Series ball? Beating the Expos in 5 games was pretty exciting, and I'm glad Donnie won the WS MVP that year.
215 That's awesome.
Villone is warming.
Villone vs Papi + home run. Long home run. Long, long, home run.
Now let's show him how to respect the game...with more home runs.
I think Cano will pass Jeter.
That's the only explanation for giving up a double to a guy with a .143 batting average...
The reason Hinske's run is earned is that he was credited with a single, but the error allowed Nixon to go to third. I hope that helps, but probably not since that wasn't really clear.
246 I've seen the original version (from Hong Kong) of the Departed, it's called Infernal Affairs, I believe. It's one awesome movie. The DVD is available with English subtitles.
Official scorers have too much power. This is why fielding percentage and ERA are imperfect.
http://tinyurl.com/2llnm
Sheff should be joining the team in Toronto.
MVP steals AGAIN.
Ok, Fox had a close shot on Wang's finger, it definitely looked like a blister on his index finger.
And now I've got to go to work for a couple of hours ^&*&^@%!# (but I've got to be a good employee) And then the Mudhens tonight.
I'll be disappointed if I don't see Proctor in both boxscores tomorrow.
::reverse jinx::
I am ok with Wang not getting the W, but I also don't think he deserves the loss. Let's hope his teammates can pick him up.
Speaking of, did anyone catch Pedro last night? I think he was in tears at some point.
The sports viewing starts early in the morning (CDT esp) with Chelsea/Liverpool at 8, followed by ManU/Arsenal at 10, then the Yanks/Sox and the Giants/Eagles, then the Yanks again.
5 straight Ks for BB! Unfortunately that BB had to issue 2 straight bb's before that...
I don't understand why you use Foulke here and bring in the sucky Timlin to close.
Good point about the soccer, YFiC. I don't think I get the Chelsea/Liverpool game (FSC is showing Lazio/Palermo) but I do get Arsenal/ManU, leading right into the Yanks/Sox game. Sweet.
http://tinyurl.com/e8owp
Tanyon Sturtze p
1 year/$1M (2005), plus $1.5M 2006 club option
* Yankees exercised $1.5M 2006 club option 11/05
* re-signed 1/05, avoided arbitration
* 05:$0.85M, 06:$1.5M club option ($0.15M buyout)
* signed as a free agent (minor-league contract) 4/04
* 1 year/$1M (2003) 12/02
* 1 year/$0.295M (2002) 2/02
* ML service: 6.083
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B07040CHA1995.htm
The Yankees obviously need some tension to play the Red Sox. We shall see in it tonight. That said, this is one long baseball weekend.
Pretty amazing, the way the Phillies have turned it around since trading Abreu. They may be even happier about the trade than we are.
I'd say the way the Yanks have pitched Ortiz in his last 3 ABs should be prime example of how MVP-ish Manny is to that team.
Dotel looks pretty good on gamecast:)
Argh, wild pitch!
MY
GOD.
Gee, I'm visibly angry at Dotel too!
That is the problem with Nieves--he stinks.
Sigh...
Feckin' Kapler!
Thank god the game's over! That was like Chinese water torture...
Off to make dinner! See y'all in a few hours.
They'd better do better tonight. Having to sit through two games like that would violate the Geneva Convention.
Preview is your friend.
In any case, I hope he doesn't dive for balls. Leave that for the kids and second-stringers.
Meanwhile, ChiSox have taken a page from the Yanks' book today and just walked in not one but two runs for the A's.
I think we'll see Godzilla in LF. Torre said they're going to wait until the next homestand. They don't want him starting on the hard turf of Tampa or Toronto.
The defense will take a hit, but what else is new? That's the bargain the Yankees usually make. Sheff and Abreu don't dive for balls, either. Damon does, but he probably shouldn't.
Melky Cabrera LF
Derek Jeter SS
Bobby Abreu RF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Jason Giambi DH
Jorge Posada C
Bernie Williams CF
Aaron Guiel 1B
Miguel Cairo 2B
Randy Johnson LHP
And I'm sure someone will mention it so I'll head it off by repeating... 11 game lead... 11 game lead... 11 game lead. Bernie can start at catcher for all I care, he's earned this swan song.
Coco Crisp CF
Mark Loretta DH
Kevin Youkilis 1B
Wilo Mo Pena LF
Mike Lowell 3B
Jason Varitek C
Gabe Kapler LF
Dustin Pedroia 2B
Alex Gonzalez SS
Julian Tavarez RHP (3-4, 4.74)
But if the second game is anything like the first, by the time it ends I might well be in a coma.
Coco Crisp CF
Mark Loretta DH
Kevin Youkilis 1B
Wilo Mo Pena LF
Mike Lowell 3B
Jason Varitek C
Gabe Kapler LF
Dustin Pedroia 2B
Alex Gonzalez SS
Julian Tavarez RHP
The regular season finale against the Buckeyes could be interesting...
Mauer not playing for the Twinks tonight. Hopefully the Cap can gain a few more points on him...
Anyone see it? I thought LSU was a little bit unlucky with that interference penalty getting overturned on the 3 yard line with 2 minutes to go. The Auburn db was all over the guy, tho it was an uncatchable ball given that the other db tipped it.
There's a funny story there about Willy Mo Pena looking for his uniform pants. He searched Carlos Pena's locker, and didn't find them. He finally found them - on Carlos.
::thinks dirty thoughts::
::slaps self::
On the Mets broadcast, the booth was essentially discussing how drunk the Mets should/will get should they clinch the division tonight. Funny.
Must have really been confusing when they had two Javier Lopezes...
Let's go, Bombers!
If the White Sox miss the PS, will Ozzie be back next year?
516 Melky is also the only one who had only what? half a day off since May?
1st Game loss= feeling of 2nd game's a must win= tension.
533 Still not close.
"Boston 1, NY 1."
And Randy always seems to give up his hits to the least likely batters...
To make ourselves feel a little better. The Yanks play awesome when it actually counts.
Uffh...
Melky can't afford to be jogging to 2nd base on a ball in play. Torre should ream his ass. This team can't look at these games as 'rest time'.
592 Same here. I didn't expect them to clinch the East by tomorrow, but not being able to do better than they are now against this B-team is whole another story.
Flaherty: "Abreu is a better hitter with 2 strikes".
Abreu: ::swings and misses for the strikeout::
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B04230WS11957.htm
YANKEES 1ST: Yanks s/s said weather: 'Fair - warm'; Bauer
popped to shortstop in foul territory; Martin grounded out
(third to first); On a bunt Mantle made an out to pitcher; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Yankees 0, Senators 0.
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B05160NYA1957.htm
YANKEES 5TH: McDougald lined to center; On a bunt Mantle singled
to pitcher; Slaughter walked [Mantle to second]; Skowron
grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to first)
[Slaughter out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Athletics 0,
Yankees 2.
Cy Tavarez is at 80-some pitches. How much longer does he last?
Question is, who closes? I don't necessarily agree with the Papelbon move to a SP - it's so much easier to go out and sign a decent starter than to find a dominant closer...
1957/04/23 play,1,0,mantm101,??,,1/BP
1957/04/30 play,1,0,mantm101,??,,K/B
1957/05/12 play,6,0,mantm101,??,,S5/BG
1957/05/16 play,5,1,mantm101,??,,S1/B
1957/05/18 play,1,1,mantm101,??,,16(1)/B/FO
1957/05/18 play,3,1,mantm101,??,,13/BG
1957/05/25 play,1,1,mantm101,??,,S6/BP
1957/05/26 play,5,1,mantm101,??,,13/BG
1957/05/30 play,7,0,mantm101,??,,S4/BG
1957/06/23 play,7,1,mantm101,??,,13/B
1957/06/27 play,4,1,mantm101,??,,1/BP
1957/07/27 play,1,1,mantm101,??,,S4/B
1957/07/31 play,4,1,mantm101,??,,S4/B.2-3
1957/08/06 play,7,1,mantm101,??,,13/B
1957/08/10 play,3,0,mantm101,??,,S3/BG
1957/08/22 play,5,0,mantm101,??,,K/FL/B
1957/09/14 play,8,1,mantm101,??,,23/B
I bet he doesn't start the 7th, however.
Chacon's been pitching pretty well for them. In his Jedi master way.
One double and he's so scared he's pitched around him 2 straight atbats?
Dude, you're going to the hall, friggin challenge the little shite.
Agreed about this game being boring. I wish that Sheff was activated-a PH appearance by him would have it's own excitement.
Jeepers RJ, get somebody out.
And goddam it I said bring in Bruney
Bruney threw 29 pitches this afternoon...is Torre trying to make up for lost time and burn him out in the next couple of days?
Friggin challenge someone friggin Big Eunuch.
They're definitely sweeping us this weekend. Meh.
That's just embarssing.
No worries. Stadium is finally awake. Our bats will rise.
Now would be a good time for Dad to call again....
Cy Tavarez departs, Craig Hansen comes in. Interesting....
Does anyone remember the precise circumstances surrounding his release from the Yanks? Was his last season 2002?
My last memory of him is that he was aggravating Joe to no end with that ephus pitch he was fooling around with.
I enjoyed that and loved that he had the guts to use it.
Anyway, why'd we let him walk again?
A BB and an HBP...the rally is on!
Tavarez pitched a good game. I think he's the first pitcher to take separate means of transportation to the Stadium from his hat. He took the bus. His hat clearly took the #4 train (undercarriage).
His collapse in game four of the ALCS was the beginning of things to come.
Godzilla in to PH...
Unless that's the year he was throwing the ephus pitch and I just got the year wrong?
Hmm, game 4...game 4...I have no memory of that game.
Anyway, I wish we'd have kept him around.
Matsui-san makes it a 1-run game!
Heh.
Nice job, Hideki.
Man.
Melky.
Last time I ever say this (today) but if Mussina starts that game 4, Yanks sweep in my opinion. Should've went for the kill instead of being cute.
As if that 2004 team was loaded with 'homegrown talent'.
Damn it Jeter, why can't we PULL AHEAD FOR ONCE?
Kaptain Klutch :( (Well, flyout, but the point stands).
They're done.
The rest of the season is house money, chill a little and save the anxiety for October!
:)
Josh Beckett is the Red Sox ace and a Cy Young contender.
Anyway, he's gone. Joe had him on a short leash. It's EDSP.
And I gotta say, Youkilis' batting stance looks like he's sitting on a toilet or something.
Oh, fuck, Green is in.
We need Sutcliffe here to declare him the AL MVP.
Really, this introduction is far too low key. Don't they know he's Trot Nixon?
Younger, maybe?
Or older?
His hair's longer, I see that, but it's something else.
Is he leaner, maybe?
wtf?
Derek would have beat those fans out of the way to get that ball if he had to.
:)
Good job, Scotty, picking A-Rod up!
A-Rod's luck really is turning around.
Ack, a Yaley....
::allergic to Yale::
He went the other fucking way!
Christ almighty, that's nice!
GIAMBINO!!! Thank you, Wily Mo!
Thank goodness I was wrong!
...For the opposition, that is.
Good book by the way, "The Big Bam."
Seriously, they want him to replace Trotman.
Remember back in the postseason against California? What was it--'02, it must have been--and in the late innings in a huge spot, Derek hit a screaming line drive to left that I thought for sure would land and somehow, some way, Garret Anderson, running full tilt, tracked it down?
Remember that?
It stings even now, just thinking about it.
Let's hope the pen can hold on....
There was also a key at-bat against Percival, must have been the eighth. Runners on, Yanks down, Jeter at the bat.
He was totally overpowered by Percival, but hung in there, count full, fouling off balls, like Boggs against what's-his-name or O'Neill against Benitez.
Only it didn't work out so well for Derek. He went down looking on serious smoke on the inside corner.
sigh
Alas, turned out I was right.
That was outside!!
That was amazing hitting.
You see that location?
Up and away, out of the strike zone, he got great wood on it.
He's such a good hitter.
Only 11 games, but . . .
This is just the beginning.
A few suggestions on this evening. Please throw strikes. Please avoid using your slider, and instead throw your unhittable fastball. I really want to have confidence in you during the post season. If things start to go poorly, charge the batter and body slam him like you did to Paul Wilson a few years ago. That is all.
Love,
Matt
There's a reason he's always been Farnsworth, even before the slider.
I'd think so, since he's not a free swinger like Sori was, but I don't know.
Mattingly never walked a whole lot, so maybe that's Robby's MO.
For his bat. (What'd you think I meant?)
That said, DP. Please.
And Pavano's no good when healthy. But he was young so we signed him.
:)
Magic Number- 4!
1-2-3-FOUR little ole games.
Yankeemoney, thank your dad. And you got your wish. It's not midnight yet!!
You'd think they want to take a chance and get that ESPN-highlight-HR just to inject a little life in that team...
Night all, tomorrow is whole another day.
Turned out to be a pretty decent game once it got into the later innings....Still not one for Yankees Classics, but OK.
'night y'all!
'
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