5-2 49.1 IP 63 H, 14 BB, 25 K, 5 HR, 5.66 ERA

Have the wheels finally fallen off for the oft-injured ace?

Basically it's not interpretable outside a monstrous analysis framework.

http://tinyurl.com/3y4smx

Frankly, any analysis of Cashman that rates Ron Villone as the best move of the 2006 off-season (above Pettitte? wtf?) is sorely misguided. Also they seem to ignore statistics in favor of making fun of a pitchers' weight. Very classy. I will not be reading further.

Then again, I don't think there's much disagreement here that the moves for Igawa and Minky deserve an F.

10 And seriously, where else have you seen a former player call the Minky deal exactly what it was.

Overall, I thought it was pretty decent analysis, from a former player. Except the Unit trade is a big fat F.

Still, if it were up to Pags, the Padres signing David Wells and the Indians drafting C.C. Sabathia in the first round would both get an F. Not to mention Roberto Hernandez, Bob Wickman, and Bartolo Colon, just to name a few portly fellows from the ERA Top 50 of active pitchers...

http://tinyurl.com/3b6bqy

(Thanks, Steve!)

Much better than his last start...

I wonder how effective Igawa will be out of the bullpen when the time comes? His homer and walk tendencies while starting are troubling. But maybe those disappear in (short) relief?

Meanwhile, when will common sense prevail and Johnny Damon be sent to the DL, his pride be damned? Amazing that Joe Torre, the same guy who once had the cohones to bench Wade Boggs, because he thought it was best for the team, now won't make Damon do what's best for the team. So frustrating.

Faulty Towers.

2)The Yankees chose not to use his Japan consultants, who have told him to walk away from Igawa. The consultants knew about the Igawa hold-out in spring training 2005 in Japan, and how Igawa's manager slapped him for not playing during spring training after the team had won the NPB championship. Igawa then laid down that year and wasn't productive at all. Important information that is interpreted through consulting and difficult to put on scouting reports.

If #1 is true, then Cashman was between Rock-and-hardplace, as our Farm issues HAD to be addressed. As our team aged and our farm floundered, our future was extremely shakey.

If #2 is true, then I am disappointed in MyMan Cash. I'd value my own peoples view, but the Japanese can't be ignored. I wonder what was said and how the Yankees took it.

I had faith in Iggy, but he is bumming me. He should have a sign around his neck warning off people with weak hearts. 7 more bombs from the Yankees and I can relax.

It's gonna be down to the wire, folks.

Four more till 500.

48 I have been arguing with friends and family to 'computerize' the strike zone for over five years. No one has ever agreed with me.

Doing it would be reasonably easy too. Its a two-dimensional problem in three-dimensional space, and one of the dimensions (overheard/ over the plate) is (in theory) easy. Suspend a high-resolution camera directly over the plate, and write some software that will analyze the video feed in real time to see whether the ball catches any part of the plate or not. Shouldn't be too hard.

That's as far as I've gotten in figuring it out. =)

I'm as shocked by that as I am that Steve Phillips believes the Braves are going to catch the Mets in the NL East, and that the Mets won't make the playoffs. Wow Steve, you think the team that fired you is going to do poorly? Who woulda thunk it?

http://tinyurl.com/3ymx8o

Sorry for the delayed reply, just got in from my soccer game. Igawa is actually pitching?

I see A-Rod homered, ho hum. Another day, another dollar.

Oh, now I'm excited. Can you imagine Piazza as the Yanks' DH? (Finally?! How many of us here called for this two years ago?!) Mets' fans would be ticked off, I imagine.

Everyone on this site knew this was going to happen. Why didn't Joe, Gator, anyone else?

Ok, let's say that if he can get through this inning having allowed two or fewer runs, we count our blessings.

I can understand that.

Gee, this is where the long guy in the bullpen would be useful. OK, call for Villon . . . whoops. Joe used him yesterday!

I suppose Beane will take anything to get rid of Kendall . . . is this a done deal, or a rumor?

Thanks for swinging, Hill!

Good break, decent fastball. Maybe the fastball doesn't have lots of movement on it, but it's serviceable.

I think the problem is that he just throws lots of cookies.

Looking up Marshall's stats, and his age (24)... looks like a coup for Beane if it happens. Not every day that you can trade for a tall young lefty, either. And who's gonna catch for Oakland? Piazza?

I'm gonna go ... edwar, bruney, EDSP, Mo

To the people who say he doesn't have an "out pitch": how to explain the 7 strikeouts in 5 innings.

Oh, and I guess Kay said Rivera was not available, not Proctor. EDSP is actually fairly well rested, for him.

But now, he knows he's a DH, and he has no real say in where he goes . . . if his (shoulder?) is healthy, I'd take him DH'ing over Damon any day.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7029038

If it isn't our old buddy EDSP.

Who'd-a-thunk?

113 By Gameday at least, EDSP is just a little rusty. This is not a good thing.

That's the trick, though, because as you point out, simply having good stuff isn't necessarily enough.

Exhibit A, the Pitcher who Shall Remain Forevermore Nameless

Good, so we'll pull it out, say, 13-11?

121 Was that for the double play, or sarcasm directed at EDSP?

How to get hitters out...?

I love when it gets interesting, you know?

His stuff is decent WHEN his curveball is on. His command sucks, and that ultimately, unless you throw 95, is more important.

Ok, let's try to, oh, I don't know, score maybe six runs?

Stop trying to sell me Extra Innings! I already purchased it! I don't need to see commercials for it!

Sincerely,
mehmattski

Boston up 4-0 in the 8th.

Lou also (over)values guys who "call a good game". Look at the dreck he used year after year in Seattle. And the A's pitching staff has all said how good Kendall is at calling a game . . .

131 John Sterling, reliable source of information? I suppose its possible . . . but wasn't Igawa working with Nardi while in the minors? Or am I making that up?

I really don't see how he'll go into a major slump swinging like that.

He's just a different hitter than he was.

Hendry's GM+ is like 60 or lower...

Mark Cuban needs to buy that team yesterday.

Hit too hard, Jorgie too slow.

Damn it.

Wow!!!

Beautiful!

Admittedly this hasn't carried over to the pitching staff, but there Lou has no other choices (especially with the bullpen).

Way to go, Fabreze!

In related news, Shelly Duncan has begun to get Barry Bonds treatment in AAA....

.205 .368 .227

his continued presence in the lineup is stunningly obtuse

I for one am pretty tired that Damon's "I've never been on the DL" ego seems to have become more important than putting the best team on the field. I also am distressed that I haven't heard much of this in the media (which, admittedly, I ignore). I know the guy gives good copy and all but geez, he's hurt and he belongs on the DL.

First it's Hideki's streak, now this.

Who's in charge here?

Easy there, Kay... initial misplaying, recovering, and overrunning the ball does not make an outstanding play.

In my humble opinion, Lyle Overbay takes the cake. This is a man that when the Blue Jays signed him, the pundits and talking heads decided that the tide in the Eastern division had been turned. And I just don't see it

Or way off to the side, like ball 3 to Zaun (on the 3rd pitch).

Matt Stairs comes in to hit for Clayton.

This is the time to take EDSP out, before it becomes a 7-6 game. If Edwar wasn't so damn rusty, I'd call for him.

197 But its the 7th inning, and the formula must be obeyed!

Its the same thing with Andy Phillips. They are like, woah, where did this kid come from? He can field and play first base? Just think what this team could have been with Andy as the everyday 1B, no Stink at all, and Phelps on the bench as a DH/PH and emergency 1B/BUC.

Shelly Duncan is raking in AAA right now and he will never get a shot. It is for these reasons I have called for Joe's head. I get pissed about the BP management and tactical decisions, but those tend to be more minor, game to game things. Refusing to give the kids a shot does long term damage to this team, this season and beyond. Imagine if Mariano Rivera was never given a shot? Are Edwar's numbers this year in AA/AAA that far off his? (No I'm not suggesting Edwar is the next Mo, but how back then did we know Mo was Mo?)

I don't like the looks of him.

The Wonder Hampster ($1, Christina Kahrl) strikes out.

Meanwhile, in the Yankee dugout . . .

'The formula works again!' Joe thinks to himself. "Get Farnsworth up in the bullpen!" he says aloud.

"But Joe, Kyle pitched the last two days. He can't pitch again tonight. Remember, you told him . . ."

"But the scoreboard says its going to be the 8th inning next, and according to the formula, that means the 8th inning guy pitches, and that's Farnsworth."

"But Joe . . ."

"Farnsworth. Up. 8th inning. Formula. Must . . . follow . . . formula . . ."

"OK Joe, OK . . . here's your green tea, Joe."

"Thanks, Gator."

Alex strikes out on three pitches.

I hate seeing that.

"And that's different from Giambi how? Other than Giambi was given a chance years ago, and is hurt now."

They must want to go home and rest.

Montero, meanwhile, could quickly become the third best position prospect the Yankees have after Tabata and Jackson. So positive news from him makes a bigger splash in the Yankees' prospect pool than negative news from Betances. That's my loopy logic anyway.

An unexplored part of the book Moneyball, to me at least, is how little learning occurs for most managers. What other job can you do where you receive no further training? I can't think of one.

241 Damn shame he's not back in the NL.

Nice job, Mo!

Wow!

What artistry!

What magic.

My God.

HA!

Damn, but Mo is the bomb. What a pleasure to watch him.

OK, the Yanks survived the Igawa game. Who's next?

251 Very well said!

He seems a decent fellow with a good head on his shoulders.

Another got-damn nail-biter tonight. Good thing is, got the win on the 5th man's day. Let's go Phil Hughes (clap, clap, clap clap clap)

I think coaches just become attached to certain players if they've been their awhile. Its not a bad thing from a personal standpoint, but it is bad for business. Joe has become attached to certain players like Jeter, Mo and Bernie, but I also think he's become attached to a type, namely the gritty veteran. The thing that galls me the most is that Joe always claims he doesn't know who this kid is who was just handed to him from AAA each and every time. Seriously? I'm not asking him to be appraised of the entire farm system, but maybe he should acquaint himself with a few players from AAA not named Phil?

There's not too much you can do about it at this point. Barring another huge tailspin, this team is Joe's and I still think he's wonderful at handling the media/personalities (Lofton and Sheff notwithstanding). However, I do think he lacks the skill set for the team he presently has, which is one in transition. Every single other team goes into every season with a few callups and they see how they pan out. Taking Hughes out of the equation, when was the last time the Yankees called up a player to stay that wasn't forced upon them by complete injury depletion or Tony Womack (Cano, Cabrera, Wang)?

Also, another valid comparison is Bruce Arena and the US in 06. Eddie Pope at center-back? The guy needed a friggin wheel chair.

Meanwhile when we won the Gold Cup a few weeks back Arena got all misty-eyed in a newspaper interview about how those were his boys, how he'd laid the foundation for the win, etc.

Bullcrap. The best US player was Feilhaber, whom Arena didn't even look twice at. Why? Because Feilhaber was playing for the 2nd team at Hamburg in the Bundesliga, and Bruce would rather trot out the same old tired MLS "stars".

Sorry to interrupt this Yankee discussion to air my footy grievances against Arena, though it does show that Torre has his peers, and that in some instances they're worse than he.

Of course, my real problem with US Soccer is that they never, ever play friendlies against European teams in Europe. Yes, its all well and good they can beat Honduras in Texas, but they need to get used to playing a team like Germany in Europe. Until they do that, I don't see them doing too well.

"Farnsie has the most experience doing that for the eighth and the ninth; he was a closer, too," Torre said. "I'd have to see something really bad from him where he was very inconsistent, and I haven't seen that."

Yup. This is your manager.

What's worse, (A) that we know Torre is lying through his teeth, or (B) that there are decision makers employed by major league baseball teams who read (or hear) what Torre says, and trust it without looking at how Kyle has actually performed? I pick (B).

C'mon, Krivsky and Gillick, you know you want a shiny former Closer . . .