Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
There was reason to believe that Carl Pavano and Andy Pettitte would do what they did over the past two games, dropping the Yankee starters' collective ERA more than three runs from 9.97 to 6.75 over the course of 13 stellar innings, but, I have to say, I'm a lot less enthusiastic about what we might see from Mike Mussina tonight. Unlike Pavano or Pettitte, Moose wasn't hurt all that much by his defense in his first outing. Instead he was just plain roughed up, allowing eight hits, four of them doubles, walking three, and hitting a batter in a mere four innings. Moose allowed the Orioles to score in three of those four innings and in the lone exception he had runners on first and second and used up 21 pitches (and would have used more had Corey Patterson not laid down a successful sac bunt on the first pitch he saw). I suppose one could point to Moose's four strikeouts in those four innings and respectable 62 percent strike rate as positive signs, but after seeing the way he struggled through spring training, I'm not convinced.
On the other side of the ledger, the Twins are throwing Ramon Ortiz to the wolves. Ortiz is a better pitcher than Sidney Ponson, but that's not saying much. It's comical to recall that Ortiz was dubbed "Little Pedro" when he emerged with the Angels last century. Ortiz aged three years in one winter as a result of the post-9/11 crack down on documentation. That year he surrendered 40 home runs. The next he posted a 5.20 ERA. In 2004, he lost his rotation spot. Jumping to the National League in 2005, Ortiz spent the next two seasons in two wildly disparate pitching environments in Cincinnati and Washington and was lit up in both (his home and away splits confirming that his ability to suck was uneffected by his home environment). Giving up 31 homers in 33 games while playing your home games in RFK Stadium is a nifty trick and one that doesn't bode well for a pitcher facing the hottest offense in baseball (7.29 R/G) and the team tied for third in the majors in home runs.
Of course, Ortiz handled the Orioles in his last start (7 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 0 HR), but I'm more interested in what the Yankees did to him when they met in the nation's capitol last July, knocking him around for seven runs in 4 1/3 innings on eleven hits including homers by Jorge Posada and, you guessed it, Alex Rodriguez. That was the game in which Shawn Chacon, Matt Smith, T.J. Beam, Scott Proctor, and, shockingly, Mariano Rivera combined to blow a 9-2 lead. I don't expect tonight will be quite as ugly, but I think we're in store for another slugfest nonetheless. Fortunately, the Yankees have already taken the series (their first series win of the year), winning the first two games by a combined score of 18-3. They also have an off-day tomorrow, which means it could be all-in from their rebuilt bullpen, which posts the second-best bullpen ERA in the majors (1.27).
http://tinyurl.com/2ar9s8
Btw, did you catch the shot he took at the media yesterday for their Rodriguez coverage? Hey, thanks, Moose, for sticking up for Alex when he didn't need it anymore. Where were you last year?
And I was glad to see him take a shot at the media, even if he needed more last year. Nobody wants to get caught in that whirlwind, anyway. But now it really seems like the whole team is just having fun with Arod. Bowa made him a bet to not say anything "stupid" all year, the team was genuinely happy for him after the walkoff, and they all laugh a lot about the Jeter/Arod "rift" that just doesn't exist.
It's all got me pumped.
Oh, and as of today, before the game, the Yanks have scored 51 runs in 7 games...
The Jury is out on both in my mind. Felix got roughed up a bit last year due to lack of experience, and I haven't seen enough of him. I figure a pitcher should gain about 1.2-1.5 points on his ERA coming from Japan to MLB. Couple that with the downright Little League dimensions of most of the parks. That still puts him around 3.3-3.5'ish. My heart wants Dice-K to flop, but if he can throw those breaking balls for first pitch strikes and in fastball counts concistently, he'll be scary!
I sure hope so. Tracy is a class act, and the Dodgers blamed him for the collapse, that was due to the bone head trades they made. I hope they do well. And McLouth has some potential for the Bucks too.
Dice-K has allowed 2 hits and has 1 out in the 2nd now...
Just out of curiosity, how long till Felix is a free agent?
He has 1.06 of ML service, signed as an amateur FA in 2002. So... when is he free?
31 I glanced away, but I think he hit Pedroia.
Were you under the impression that ESPN is anything more than entertainment? Journalistic integrity and ESPN, pashaw!
Good luck Felix!
Haven't been able, or not willing to? I'll give you Arod, at that point, salaries were out of control.
Well, Seattle could have kept some of the guys they have let go, but I couldn't expect them to pay the money that Arod got. They could have kept many of the others. Seattle isn't Tampa or Cleveland for crying out loud.
Well, they insulted the City of Cleveland yesterday, maybe today they can take on Detroit.
Saito, the Dodgers closer, is very animated.
trying to watch on the laptop while Fri Night Lights is on, and no luck...
Props, yo.
51 does mlb make you enter you credit card info before loading every game?
Day-um. I just got off a phone survey for local radio stations. They played about 40 song clips, I had to rate from Unfamiliar, Never liked, Tired of, No opinion, Like, and Favorite. About 30 of my answers were Unfamiliar. I like the CCR, Who, Allman Brothers, and Tom Petty songs.
Time to get my afghan and sit in my rocker. Now where's my cane?
A-Rod is wicked. That is all.
WHOA! sweet grab, Robbie!
So, no hitter through 6 and all they are talking about id Dice-K?
HENN!
Okay, well, here's another bullpen win for the Yankees, I guess. Let's hope he's leaving just as a precaution.
Sorry, forgot it was ESPN. Notwithstanding the fact that Hernandez is pitching better and facing the Red Sox, not the Mariners. What else would I expect?
Its Official:
It's a matter of honor:
Ichuiro has chosen 2 Shinogi Zikuri Tanto short blades which Dice-K goes with a more traditional Long Koto Katana broad sword.
The Red Sox investment is in serious jeapordy.
86 Could it be as early as May?
And get Karstens well too!
And get Karstens well too!
One DP away from getting out of this, nice one Henny
Who else KNEW he was going to nail that!
Jeter - H@LL YES!
Runners on 1 & 2, 1 out, Henn in for an injured Moose. Ball is hit to short LF, Jeter does his Willie Mays over the shoulder impression, catches it and throws to Cano to double up the runner at second who had taken off.
Still, they'll miss the hell out of Moose. Wang's return would help a lot.
It's never easy.
Yeah, Henn's good for two innings...
Tough, tough loss.
And Youk strikes out to end it in Fenway!
It is Kevin Youkilis, so I am guessing yes.
Nice job, Sean. Who's next? Must be Bruney, right?
Felix was awesome.
Melky singles, Damon walks, and Jete drives em both in.
I'll work on the Henn references.
Nobody warming -- Henn will start the sixth? Is that wise?
185 No, not really. But keep trying.
We need an Abreu walk here.
Casey had Moose Skaron take ballet lessons, something Giambi could use. More important, I don't know why these teams don't have regular Yoga routines/practices. Some of these hammy injuries could be avoided.
Proctor for one batter? Interesting.
So infield in against Cuddyer, dangerous. I give Scotty a less that 50% chance of getting out of the inning without a run.
Here come EDSP!
I think Morneau should bunt.
Now some of our liners have to go in between, and we're in business!
Holy shite that was a sweet catch by Doug.
what shit! damnit, he was out! (er i want him to have been)
Sigh...
If it were a playoff game, not so much. But this is good baseball.
Just once, I'd like the back cover to be "Farnsworthless!"
Ugh.
This is payback for winning that O's game...
Wow, Farnsworth, what a loser today.
Farnsworth just singlehandedly lost this game...sucks for the Yankees. If you are a Major League pitcher - there is really no excuse for a four pitch walk...that is sad...for a high school pitcher that is sad.
BUT HE STRIKES PEOPLE OUT.
Part of the problem is pin straight fastballs tend to be hittable when they're not 100 mph.
at least he's staying somewhat locked in.
Ah, here's the game: http://tinyurl.com/yuum5s
I still remember screaming at Torre from the right field roof at Fenway to get somebody up and fast, 'cause Stanton had nothing. He didn't listen then, either.
Well, night all.
Hope Moose isn't out too long.
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