Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
I love to root against A.J. Burnett. There's just something about the looks of him that turn me off. It's the body language, the same thing that I don't like about Farnsworth--though Burnett is a far superior pitcher. He's the guy with the million dollar arm, ten cent head, the guy with great stuff who is only a great pitcher sometimes. He is able to get by with his natural gifts because he's been blessed.
Burnett will dominate a game for six innings and then not be able to finish. Or he'll go on a run for half a season where he's overpowering from start-to-start, and then he gets hurt or fades somehow. And always with the great stuff. But there's always something. And you don't know what that something is only that it is there. He's elite talent but not an elite pitcher, not with a career record of 67-65 over 9 seasons. Burnett has never won more than 12 games in a season. I know you can be unlucky and injured but you can't be that unlucky and injured.
He's a maddening pitcher because he isn't as good as he should be. Plus, just look at him, snarling, throwing that nasty stuff, always with some kind of stupid facial hair, man, it's just easy to think the dude is a dick. His 2007 season sums Burnett up pretty well. Guy starts the season and pitches from April through the middle of June injury-free. Then he gets hurt. What's new? After his start on June 12th, he pitches again on the 28th and then not again until early August. From April through June, Burnett was a disappointing 5-6 with an ERA of 4.31 ERA in 94 innings. Though he struck out 106 batters, he also walked 40 and gave up 15 dingers.
Yet since returning from injury on August 12th, Burnett is 3-1 with a 1.94 ERA in three starts, just over 42 innings. He's k'd just 38, and allowed 16 walks, but just 2 in his previous two starts. He pretty much gives up a homer a game--5 in 6. But he's gone at least 6 1/3 in each start and looked great. His last start, against the Devil Rays, was his best: 8 innings, 3 hits, a walk and a run, with 8 Ks.
So which Burnett are the Yankees going to see tonight? A closer, a legit wingman for Doc Halladay, or the latest incarnation of Nuke Laloosh? Which one is it, chief? Regardless, the Yanks are likely to hit at least one dinger and I wouldn't be entirely shocked if Alex Rodriguez is the guy to do it. Like to see him leave Toronto with at least one bomb, right? Leave them with something to remember him by. It'd also be cool to see Matsui get off the schnied.
Third big league start for Ian Kennedy tonight. He's been appealing so far. The Yankees have already won the series but since when isn't a sweep even nicer? It'd make the trip down to Boston a whole lot more comfortable for the team and also make it easier for me get a good night's sleep.
Let's Go J'an-Kees.
If the wedding is not my own and not even my friends (the gfs), is it within proper protocol to keep myself informed of the score throughout the wedding?
i checked during my wedding, which happened to be the last game of the year in '06.
:(
3 4 Thats what I figured. of course, I will be 100% surrounded by Sox fans, so as the Wedding, um, goes later into the evening it could get ugly :)
It's going to be even worse next month -- the DJs will probably provide semi-regular updates. I admit that since I got an iPhone as an anniversary present, I'll discreetly check mlb.com once or twice during the reception.
By the way, if you want to listen to an eye opening interview, go to wfan.com and listen to today's interview with Torre. Joe's complete lack of clarity on the Joba rules was shocking (and scary).
1) So the view of the specators won't be blocked by the players.
2) To protect the players from foul balls.
3) In the old days, baseball fields doubled as skating rinks in the winter, and having the dugout below ground provided warmth and shelter to the resting skaters.
Het, Betemit is in--that's smart: resting Jeter against a tought RHP, er...
http://tinyurl.com/2a4sku
: )
Everyone out tonight? Getting drunk for the Bush propaganda later tonight?
I also like the fact that he throws strikes.
Almost 6...
:)
In any case, all is forgotten now with Johnny's big fly.
.364 / .364 / 1.364
I do wonder what Joe will do if we make the playoffs. This is a strange situation for him. Normally he would just stick with his rotation no matter how old or incapable they have been in the recent past. The Bill Parcells of MLB. Although Joe has won a playoff series in the last decade, so he hasn't quite reached Parcell's level of overratedness. Will he actually let any of these rookies see the light of day in the PS, or will he just run the same tired old arms of "veterans" out there?
Alex...two fastballs down the middle...don't guess!
It's a quiet banter night; I'm just yanking your chain.
I don't know if anyone is watching the Toronto feed, but that mother in the front row ought to be taken out and taught a lesson, how you deal with children.
It's throwing me off my game.
Good thing Kennedy isn't as easily distracted as I am.
Oh, we're going to win... 'case you're wondering.
yuk-yuk-yuk.
How studly is our rotation going to be in 2010?
Great job, though.
But a 1 hit 7+ inning outing from a rookie is something I'll always want. I actually thought we could have gotten swept this series. It turns out we are fighting for a sweep, with a 22 year old going against a veteran.
I'll motherfucking take it!
First of all, how fucking lame are BJ fans?
Secondofly, how fucking babyish are BJ fans?
What happens if we're the wild card but have a better record than our playoff opponent? Do we get homefield?
Joe tends to be quick with the hook on kids.
I might have given him one more, but fug it (gulp) let's see what Viz has.
I can't look, someone please tell me when his AB is done.
She immediately perks up, "OMG, Scrabble?? Ooh, I love Scrabble!"
I forgot to tell her that when I say Scrabble, it's his nickname... >;)
Viz to IPK: "I'll show you efficiency, kid."
Whew... we got out of that one.
Thanks, Viz.
(Looked to me like a weasel or ferret was attacking the dude's face when they snapped the pick.)
Gotta tip yer cap to these fuckers.
: )
oh, we'll take it.
Somehow I missed the announcement that AG was in...
Well, that stunk.
fuggin Canadians have a different word for everything.
I don't like it.
aww, I asked you not to swing...
Prove me wrong, Yankees!
There were two out when Melky came up, no?
wow, I'm so fucking surprised. they scored a run off a guy who hasn't pitched since...
aw, fuck it.
One run off a guy who had trouble throwing half his pitches for strikes. They had this coming.
Britton will never be heard from again.
Robby may be dinged on top of it.
And yet another pitcher refuses to go inside on Frank Thomas.
Does this count as a Torre Loss? Seems like anytime Jeff Weaver syndrome appears, it should qualify.
Or October could follow September like May followed April.
If Arod leaves, we could have a lot of nights like this next year.
209 You have to be kidding me. Burnett was lights out, the credit has to go to him. A-Rod had a couple of bad ABs, he did also get one of the few hits. Melky has come through before, and will again, it took a great play to save the runs there.
Whoever the sox bring in keeps them in the game where the yanks have limited options.
What i dont understand is why britton didnt pitch the eighth? Why vizcaino first and then britton? If you are going to use a pitcher that is good then you should use rivera. Otherwise if you are going to use an unknown, then use them early so you dont waste a good arm.
"He's a maddening pitcher because he isn't as good as he should be. Plus, just look at him, snarling, throwing that nasty stuff, always with some kind of stupid facial hair, man, it's just easy to think the dude is a dick."
(I'm watching the recast--I missed the game tonight.)
Melk could have caught that.
Not should, of course, but could.
Ha ha ha hah aha !
Joe doesn't know the Joba rules!!!!!!!!!1
ha ha hah ah ah a
"I think," says Joe!
Haa ha hah ah ah ah aha !!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Who's running this fucking team?
ha ha hah ah!!!!!!!
"I'm pretty sure, I'll double check on that...the kid feels great..."
ha ha hah ah ah ah ah a ha ha !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=IQE4j1Z2i6M
In this case, it was not a bad move by Joe to save Mo for tonight's game, especially with Joba not available until Saturday.
It was a house money game, and Joe has to see who he can count on down the stretch. Even though Britton doesn't pitch very often, he wasn't a bad choice. He didn't get the job done (grrrr). Britton's probably completely out of Torre's dime-sized circle of trust now, which is unfortunate for him, but whatever. That sucked.
Moving on. Wouldn't mind seeing the 'Dorf tonight.
Using Britton in the 9th was not inherently a bad move, though it is not exactly how I would have played. I would have gone to Mo for the 9th, especially with the middle of the lineup due up. Now, if it was determined that Mo was not available for the game, I would have stuck with Kenedy in the 7th, at least for another batter, or pitched Viz for two innings.
It's too bad Kennedy seemed to run out of gas so quickly--if he could have stolen an out or two before Joe hooked him, then maybe Viz stays for the 9th.
Mo got a 4-out save last night and the team is heading into Boston with Joba unavailable for game 1. Not using him is understandable.
Britton is a guy that lots of people (coughNoMaascough) have argued belongs. Ok, having gotten 7 from the starter, 1 from Vizcaino... Britton was not a bad move.
The bats didn't deliver. Burnett was filthy. Melky apparently (I didn't see it) missed a catchable ball. I'd put all of those things above Britton when assigning blame.
Of course, that decision of mine may have lead to a loss as well. :)
It's hard to win when your offense produces 1 run.
Viz for the 9th? The guy had just come off a much needed vacation, which ended with a tweaked back. Yeah, he only threw 9 pitches in the 8th, but I can understand why Joe didn't want to push the envelope there.
Unfortunately, Joe's best "big picture" options were the dregs of the bullpen.
I didn't think of it before the 9th last night, but all week I've been saying the Yanks should use Rocket for an inning in Toronto. Instead of having him go "all-out" in yesterday's bullpen sesssion, would have been better to see him work against live batters, in order to get a better idea of what to expect from him on Sunday.
Anyway, the 9th inning of a tied game, 3 days before his next start probably wouldn't have been the best situation to use him... then again, the game could have ended differently, and probably wouldn't have ended as quickly as it did. Oh wells.
That really is the bottomline, isn't it, especially the way this team is constructed.
245 "I'd put all of those things above Britton when assigning blame."
yeah, Britton doesn't get enough work to deserve blame, but good gawd, the only way he could have been less effective was if he blew the game on fewer than the 5 pitches he managed to throw. He pitched like he had no idea that he might possibly be used, and it's his job to at least appear prepared.
He still doesn't really grasp this. he seems grudgingly to follow the "Joba rules" but not understand the undergirding logic. If he applied such rules to ALL of his relievers not named Mo, then he might have a stable of relievers who could go one or two innings every night on a rotating basis (well, accept the delicate flower Farnsworth).
That said, choosing Britton was not the worst move, and was probably the best way to go once it was determined to opt for the second tier. Who else could he have chosen--Bruney?
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