Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
"I've pitched through pain and discomfort before," he said. "I'm 43 years old. I've got an arthritic knee that I'll probably need replaced. I've had one back surgery and another one, probably, that I may need. I'm not going to complain about my health. I'm here to pitch in the postseason, and I'll do whatever I can."
(Kepner, Times)"I can win 17 games anywhere, but my better chances of going to the playoffs was here, with the Yankees, and that's why I'm here," Johnson said. "I'll do whatever it takes."
(McCarron, Daily News)
In spite of Johnson's uncertain status--and I don't think there is much doubt that he'll be out there for Game 3, or Game 4 of the ALCS--there were smiles all around Yankee Stadium yesterday even though the Bombers fell to the Jays, 6-5. Alex Rodriguez and Gary Sheffield hit back-to-back home runs and Derek Jeter went 3-3 to raise his average to .345. Jeter is just one point behind the Twins' Joe Mauer, who did not play yesterday. It is foggy and raining this morning the Bronx (the Big Unit is scheduled to have a bullpen session this morning which will go a long way in determining how ready he'll be for the ALCS). This is a game that could easily be called, seeing as how it doesn't have any significance, or bearing on the playoffs. However, if the game is played, Jeter will start, you can count on that (it would be a shame if Mauer, who sat out yesterday, doesn't play this afternoon).
Bernie Williams will serve as the Yankee manager today. Mike Mussina won a cern flip with Mariano Rivera and will act as pitching coach, while Lee Maz will be the bench coach. After the game yesterday, Joe Torre told reporters, "Bernie says the toughest part will be staying awake for nine innings." Torre laughed and then said softly, "He's so beautiful." Not ten minutes later, Jeter told a group of writers, "I don't think Bernie's sat on the bench [for an entire game] in eleven years, so this'll be a first." Jeter added that Bernie might not sit there for the whole game today, and said, "I think the bench coach will play a big part in tomorrow's game."
Update Here comes the sun, folks. After raining all morning, the sun is out. Sure, there are lots of clouds but looks like they will get this one in. Go DJ.
Jeter is a longshot. Mauer would have to stink it up pretty bad to open the door, if he even plays at all. If Jeter doesn't play because the game is rained out, all Mauer has to do is avoid an 0-3, 0-4, or 0-5 and he can take home the hardware.
Yanks-Toronto rained out
Mauer 0-3 or 0-4
Jeter wins the batting title and the Red Sox finish in 3rd a half game back of the Jays.
Things have been quiet around here lately - I imagine that will all change on Tuesday.
Good night. When I wake up, all this will be decided.
They gotta assume the last game is sold out or nearly sold out, so IMO there's no way they wanna miss out on all those concessions..
Gack.
I think I might have to get on the 4...
Today: Showers and thundershowers likely. High 64F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall around a half an inch. Locally heavier rainfall possible.
Tonight: Isolated thunderstorms ending early, becoming mostly clear after midnight. Low 53F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
Not a great forcast, but could be worse. If the front moves fast, there could be a late afternnon game.
Here's the complete ALDS broadcast coverage schedule:
http://tinyurl.com/zmsgr
Damon CF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Posada C
Giambi DH
Phillips 3B
Matsui LF
Wilson 1B
Cano 2B
Andy at 3B. o_O
Has there ever been a less intimidating group of NL teams in the playoffs? The Mets starting pitching is pretty well shot without Pedro, and the other teams don't scare me in the least.
As for today's weather, I spoke too soon. I'm actually at my office today, just a few blocks from the Stadium, and right now the weather is fine. It's a little overcast to the east, but that's what's just passed us. Looking to the west - and overhead - it's partly cloudy, but the sky is blue and the sun is out about half the time. It doesn't look threatening at all. Unless something changes very quickly, they'll start the game; and once they start it, they'll almost certainly finish it.
If L.A. and the Padres remain tied after today, San Diego wins the division based on their better head-to-head, and the Bums are the wild card.
Fear the wild card.
Mauer - .34623
Jeter - .34572
44 Yes, he was still behind Mauer before the last at-bat. Up-to-the-minute averages:
Mauer - .34623
Jeter - .34516
Cano - .34238
Oh yeah.
But it has to a similar position. You can't put a pitcher on the DL and bring up an outfielder.
I think it's probably a moot point either way. The Yankees aren't going to activate Hughes or Tabata for the playoffs.
Major League Rule 40(a) says that if an eligible player is unable to play in a postseason series because of injury, his club may request permission from the Commissioner to replace him with a player from the club's Minor League system.
The substitute player must have been on a Minor League roster for the club on Aug. 31. An injured pitcher may only be replaced by a pitcher. And a non-pitcher may only be replaced by a non-pitcher. They don't have to play the same position, so theoretically, you could call up an outfielder for an injured infielder.
I seem to recall the Yanks being in this situation once. One of their players had a death in the family or something, and they wanted to replace him. But the commissioner refused. I can't remember why; perhaps because only injury counts, not bereavement?
Last night some posters were complaining that the Twins were 'protecting' Mauer by not playing him last night (I don't think that's what happened, but that doesn't matter). It would be just as lame if the Yankees pulled Jeter just so he could win a batting title.
http://tinyurl.com/jmw5y
=====
Luis Sojo's father died Thursday, and the Yankees wanted to add a player because the backup infielder is missing at least the first two games of the Series to return to with his father's body to Venezuela. Steinbrenner was angry with Selig's refusal.
"He knows what the rules are," Selig said Saturday before the World Series opener.
While teams may replace injured players, they may not replace players in Sojo's situation.
...The Yankees used a loophole in baseball's rules to add Darryl Strawberry and Clay Bellinger to their postseason roster, putting catcher Vidal Candelaria and Casey Degroote on the 60-day disabled list on Aug. 1. Because the two were on the DL, baseball rules allowed the Yankees to substitute any two players from their organization, even if they weren't on the 40-man roster on Aug. 31.
====
Cap .3451
Mauer: .34556
Jeter: .34516
From my perspective, though?--if the guy needs the rest, and that rest will help his team creep towards a title, then I would have absolutely no hesitation about sitting him if I were Gardenheier.
Really, that seems like a no-brainer, doesn't it?
Why would Kay be so indignant about this situation on the one hand and then praise Jeter for being a team player, not concerned with his own stats on the other?
The batting title's a nice sideline, but the WS is the whole point, so why is it even a matter of such contention?
Kay went on to praise Williams for playing both ends of the double header on his last day rather than sit down to preserve his .400.
For the life of me I can't see how these two scenarios are comparable.
Anyone?
Mauer .34556
Jeter .34516
Cano .34238
Yay Robbie!
Jeter .34461
Cano .34375
This is comparable to Wiliams' situation in '41. He could have sat to stay above .400 (a personal goal), but asked to play to help his team regardles of the impact on his personal stats.
In fact, this is somewhat comparable to Aaron's situation. He and the Braves were scheming to sit Aaron until the team returned for a homestand, so he could cathc Ruth at home. The Commissioner forced them to play Aaron at least two out of three games on the road. The whole idea is that records and statistical milestones should be reached in the spirit of true competition.
And as I write, Jeter grounds out but drives in a run--which is better in my mind than him sitting after his first AB.
In Williams's case, the Sox were way out of it, so the BA was the only reason to sit him down.
Jeter .34461
Cano .34304
28-6 now...
I grew up in Hawaii, where we had no home team. I was used to getting the best games every week. Sometimes the TV stations would even let fans vote for the game they wanted to see.
It was a horrible shock when I moved (barely) into the NYC broadcasting area. The Jets and Giants both sucked at the time, so they hardly ever got on Monday Night or Sunday night football. Every week, it was the Jets and the Giants. With no doubleheader. I told my boss he should have warned me during the job interview about that kind of drawback to the location. ;-)
And for the Phillips "haters" out there, does Wilson really play better defense than Andy? ;-)
Just kidding, I probably would have gone with Wilson instead of Phillips in the PS myself and I am Andy's biggest fan.
Jeter now at .34405
Maybe, we should go with Guiel?
BTW, it is no secret that I am biased toward Andy since we both are Bama grads...
USA Today stat guy must be an Auburn fan...
Jeter - .3448
Mauer - .3451
Right?
Yay, Bruney!
No need to go to 5 digits now:
Mauer .347
Jeter .344
Cano .343
But if Jeter gets another 2 for 2, he'll be at .346, so there's still an outside chance.
But I don't think it's a miracle Andy made the post-season roster. It's clear that they really like him, or he'd have been DFA'd a long time ago. He was a dead weight on the roster, but they still kept him around. Joe is convinced he's the best defensive first baseman, regardless of what the fans think.
Ouch randym (good one though, I'll have to admit)
Not to mention that Joe sees Andy play defense more than the fans do (spring training and fielding practice) so maybe he likes Andy's glove due to something that we don't get to see.
I think they like him because of his bat. He's not hitting well now, but he did go on quite a tear earlier this year. And his minor league numbers suggest that he could be a decent hitter, if/when he adjusts to big league pitching.
IMO, Andy's problem is that he's a tweener. Bat not good enough for 1B, defense not good enough for anything else. If he learns to hit off the bench, he could be a good utility guy...but it's not easy to hit off the bench.
Jeter for MVP...
Good job, Jeet.
But his peak power years are still ahead of him. Damn, I'd love to have him in pinstripes.
Minn up 4-1 after 5.
What happens if Detroit and Minn. finish with the same record?
183 The end of the Jets game was great craziness.
Congrats to the Blue Jays on second place in the division.
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B10190ATL1999.htm
3-3-NYJ32 (:08) (Shotgun) C.Pennington pass short middle to L.Washington to NYJ 40 for 8 yards [D.Freeney]. Lateral to B.Smith to NYJ 37 for -3 yards. Lateral to L.Coles to IND 44 for 19 yards. Lateral to C.Pennington to IND 37 for 7 yards. Lateral to J.McCareins to IND 35 for 2 yards. FUMBLES, recovered by NYJ-B.Smith at IND 33. B.Smith to IND 37 for -4 yards. FUMBLES, recovered by NYJ-L.Coles at IND 40. L.Coles to IND 27 for 13 yards. Lateral to N.Mangold to IND 27 for no gain. FUMBLES, RECOVERED by
I hope we get to play Detroit! KC has the lead!
Seriously, it's October. What is Kenny Rogers doing on a mound?
Otherwise - Waahhoooo!
And how many Sux fans were forced to cheer for the Yanks? Good times!
I'm OK with this. The two rotations I fear more than Detroit's are facing each other. If we can take care of business, I'd rather have a 7 game series against either Oaktown or Minny than a 5.
A regular season for the books all the way around!
With all those key injuries he did one hell of a job to get us here.
They're both leading right now. LA up over SF, 4-3, Giants just about to start bottom of the 9th...
SD leads the D'Backs, 7-4, bottom 8...
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