Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
It's been a curious postseason thus far. Not one of the trailing teams in any of the four division series has won a game, while both NLDS ended in sweeps. In each series, the story has been the same, the losing team just isn't hitting. Check these numbers:
Phillies: 2.67 runs per game, .172/.274/.366
Cubs: 2.00 runs per game, .194/.307/.255
Yankees: 2.00 runs per game, .121/.216/.273
Angels: 1.50 runs per game, .167/.236/.212
In the top three cases, the losing team was favored coming into the series, in part because of its explosive offense (the Yankees and Phillies were the top two offenses in the majors during the regular season, the Angels were sixth, curiously the Cubs were the third worst offense in baseball on the road).
By the time former Yankee Jake Westbrook uncorks his first pitch at Yankee Stadium tonight, the Yankees could be the last of those four teams standing, as Curt Schilling and the Red Sox take on Jered Weaver and the Angels at 3:00 EST. This is a particularly odd spot for the Yankees to be in, but here's a curious fact: This is the Yankees' 25th postseason series under Joe Torre. In the previous 24, they've only fallen behind 0-2 three times. In two of those series, they lost the first two at home then rallied to win the series (the 1996 World Series and the 2001 ALDS against the A's--the latter remains the only time in major league history that a home team lost the first two games of a best-of-five series and came back to win the series). The third was the 2001 World Series, in which they lost the first two in Arizona, then won three straight at home, and later held a lead in the ninth inning of Game Seven.
The point is, this ain't over. I still believe the Yankees can win this series, but they have to do to the Indians what the Red Sox did to them in 2004: Take the field each day with the goal of winning only that day's game.
Roger Clemens isn't a bad guy to have on the mound when you have a big game to win, and though the fact that he's only made one start since September 3 due to a series of nagging injuries to his 45-year-old body and is pitching on 20-days' rest could and should be a concern, I suspect that all that rest will actually benefit the old codger. Clemens has made three starts on ten or more days of rest this year (including his first, which was delayed by a "fatigued groin") and has posted the following line in those starts:
18 IP, 17 H, 1 HR, 5 BB, 19 K, 1.22 WHIP, 2.50 ERA, 2-0
Included among those three starts was his last, which came in Boston on September 16 as the Yankees were fighting for the division. Clemens allowed just one unearned run on two hits and three walks in six innings in the Yankees' 4-3 win. With Joba Chamberlain rested and debugged this evening, a similar performance should get the Yankees to Game Four tomorrow.
As for Westbrook, he'll be making his postseason debut tonight, just as Fausto Carmona did in Game Two. Westbrook is a sinkerballer like Carmona, though he's not as nasty. Still, he tends to throw strikes and get ground balls. He got ten of them against the Yankees on August 12, but also allowed four runs on nine hits and a pair of walks over seven innings while taking the loss. In his nine starts since then, he's posted a 3.22 ERA, allowed just three home runs, and struck out 6.44 men per nine innings, an excellent rate for a ground-ball pitcher. That ERA is a bit skewed by a pair of gems in late August, however. Over his last seven starts, Westbrook's ERA was a more pedestrian 4.12. Still, the lack of homers and solid K-rate persist.
Collectively, the ten Yankees most likely to start tonight (adding Jason Giambi to the nine who have started the first two games of this series) have hit .326 and slugged .553 in their careers against Westbrook, with Giambi, Posada, and Matsui leading the way, each with OPS figures over 1.200. Melky Cabrera has been the worst of the lot, going 1 for 11 against Westbrook in his career. It seems unlikely that Hideki Matsui's knee would allow him to play the outfield, however, which makes Giambi at first-base the most likely change in the Yankee lineup tonight. Besides, Melky's one hit off Westbrook was a home run.
If the Yankees win tonight, they'll get to face Paul Byrd tomorrow, as Eric Wedge has already said he won't bring back Sabathia on short rest. That's tomorrow, though. The Yankees need only concern themselves with today.
Is it 6:30 yet?
It's all about TODAY. Win one game. Just one. Don't even think about Monday or Wednesday. Don't check the "*if necessary" times for those games. They don't exist. They're apocraphyl. Just focus on today. Today only. Almost time to put on the "Got Rocket Fuel" T-shirt. Inning by inning. Brick by Brick. I know in my heart that three things are going to happen today:
1. Arod's going to do something to lead this team.
2. The Rocket is going to remind us why we were all glad that he stepped out of the owner's box on that sunny Sunday in May.
3. The Yankees will win today.
Who's with me?????
But I have the same feeling, so hopefully it holds out.
To go from 0 to 60 in one day might be asking too much, but then again it's happened more than a few times in this wacky season.
It just can't end with 3 and out. Hopefully Roger & the boys won't let it.
Just a stray memory. Ah, the good old days.
I'm off to watch everything at a bar - no tv at home. Good luck on the Banter - may the force be with us.
Huh? The Yanks have had the lead in each of the 2 games, Cleveland's come back to win both of them.
Lineups out per LoHud.
Giambi in Mienk out.
Posada after ARod; otherwise pretty much the usual.
And our buddy Trot Nixon in as apparently he hits Clemens well. Am not asking for walks or hits batsmen but wouldn't mind seeing Roger come out setting the tone as only the Rocket can.
"Well, I don't have anything to say, you've done the best you could. You really have, the best you could. You can't expect to win em all. But, I want to tell you something I've kept to myself through these years. I was in the war myself, medical corps. I was on late duty one night when they brought in a badly wounded pilot from one of the raids. He could barely talk. He looked at me and said, "The odds were against us up there, but we went in anyway, I'm glad Captain made the right decision. The pilot's name was George Zip.
George Zip said that?
The last thing he said to me, doc, he said, "Sometime when the crew is up against it, the breaks are beating the boys, tell them to get out there and give it all they got and win just one for the Zipper. I don't know where I'll be then doc, he said, but I won't smell too good, that's for sure.
Excuse me doc, I got a plane to land."
Go get them Yankees!
The key is the first. Roger will be amped. We need a couple quick outs. - a pop out and a grounder or two. Get him to the dugout fast.
Seriously.
Right?
Someone tell me I'm right.
Remember: We got 'em right where we want 'em...
"We've got our backs against the driver's seat"
By the way, lately I've been comparing auburn fans to Sux fans. Do you see that?
I want performances that could be described with one of the following adjectives:
burly, capacious, colossal, commodious, gigantic, immense, jumbo, king sized, mammoth, massive, mungo, prodigious, strapping, thundering, vast, voluminous, walloping
any questions?
Yanks win and I will french kiss suzyn waldman.
ROFL. Man, that's above and beyond the call of duty.
Assuming the Sox 9-0 lead holds up, which seems likely.
I'm with Jimmy Two Times on this one. We win today!!!
And before anyone starts giving me a hard time, I have picked the Yankees to win this series and the title. I hate Cleveland and I have friends with tickets to game 4.
....
Like what?
UPDATE, 6:16 p.m.: A thunderous ovation from the fans here at the Stadium for Joe Torre. Joba Chamberlain got a loud cheer as did Don Mattingly, Ron Guidry and all of the starters. Yes, even A-Rod.
People booed Farnsworth. Hilarious.
-OR-
You can get out of this EARLY jam and get back on the right track...
Lets go Roger!!
I'd answer that, but I'm too busy having a Glavine game 162 flashback.
whew!
Anyway, here's the answer:
"They are called Phiten necklaces. They are made of titanium magnets to help relax the muscles."
The Yankees scored first in games 1 and 2 and wound up losing.
Every year we get screwed by some serious BS:
1. '01 Mo's throw to 2nd
2. '03 wells's back
3. '04 bloody sock and blowing the 3-0 lead.
4. '05 Wang blows Lead in game 2. The big useless blows up in game 3. Colon's bad back save Halos in game 5.
5. '06 rainout + pine tar and Joe misses it.
6. '07 gnats!?? Are you F'ing kidding me!!?
Are we becoming the damn cubs? I'm about to puke.
I can't believe my tickets to game 4 will be useless. useless.
You don't.
139 umm. Who exactly did the big useless hold scoreless? Game 5 was over by the time he arrived. It was his fault that they got killed in game 3.
You'd imagine they give you you're money back.
But... but he's going to win the Gold Glove!!!
/fark BWAA
Now all A-Rod has to do is hit a lead-off two run homerun.
But an A-Rod HR would wake things up.
Greg Maddux is the leader with 20.
He wasn't the starting CFer, but ended up taking over when old age and injury caught up with Damon.
YOU CAN RELAX NOW. JUST BE YOURSELVES...
Ugh.
on the other hand, we seem abso-fucking-lutely jinxed right now...
Plees?
Which hurts me, right in the soul.
Ok good.
Good bye Roger, and thanks for all the memories and wins in pinstripes.
So yeah, wimpy, cause 2.1 IP and 2 R and a bunch of BBs is a last gasp
I definitely heard a few boos, but eventually the applause drowned them out.
Overrated? I think you've got it backwards.
striking out Victor Martinez is not a bad way to go if you ask me.
Yes, you are the ultimate decider on what a true baseball fan is.
time to earn your pinstripes, kid ... GIT 'ER DONE!
--rainbow curve from strike one!
Oh, super job Hughes.
Tony gwynn looks fat by the way. HEY HEY HEY!
Sweet!
"to the strain of Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls""
Fark.
Er, third wild pitch, second pitcher.
2) Cleveland is a VERY good team, except for their team defense. They DID tie for the most wins in baseball this season.
3) The Yankees clearly do not have 2 shut-down pitchers like Sabathia and Carmona.
299 Perhaps wimpy was the wrong word, though to me, its a whisper rather than a bang that he goes out on. I wasn't referring to the man himself, but the result
Boy, Caray is REALLY enjoying this, isn't he?
I think I have found someone to hate more than Joe Buck.
Damn!
His body language kind of said he was favoring his right arm, at least that's what I saw, I'm sure Torre has more inside info though.
344 God no. Why would you move a +15 2B to 3B?
Hahaha, uh man, LOL...
Pathetic what counts for excitement these days.
Thank god for the moment of confusion.
I mean who are the available 3Bs out there this off-season? Would the Mariners trade Beltre?
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
and Betemit could play third.
Tony Batista WAS
Aaron Boone FLA
Russell Branyan STL
Jeff Cirillo ARZ
Pedro Feliz SF
Corey Koskie * MIL
Mike Lamb HOU
Mike Lowell BOS
Greg Norton * TB
Abraham O. Nunez PHI
The 2Bs are little better, but Cano is perfect at 2B. He's a plus defensively and his bat is above-average too. Moving him to 3B would detract from the value he brings with the wood. Much as I hate to harp on this, Jeter would be a better candidate to move than Cano.
Who knows- the Ms might trade Beltre. If so, I'd love to take him, as long as we stay away from Sexon.
(I thought for sure that was a DP)
Hopefully!
Get it wet for me suzyn I'm coming home!
O
M
G
{shakes head sadly}
Fuck! Way to screw it up.... AGAIN....AND AGAIN
For the first time ever, I expected Jeter to fail, and he did.
Their pitcher is slow. Their catcher is below average defensively. If Melky and Johnny had stolen 2nd and 3rd the dereks ground ball out wouldve scored 1 run and moved Damon to third and wed be watching aberu work the count.
STEAL STEAL STEAL STEAL STEAL STEAL STEAL STEAL STEAL !!!!
you guys wouldn't be disappointed with Beltres glove he's got a good one, Beltre will give you 25 to 30 dingers 80 to 100 RBI his OBP ain't all that good (remember from his Dodger days) but overall I think you guys would like him very much.
ps bunts to 3rd be damned with him playing 3rd also.
one would think A-Rod.
Derek Jeter's faults are pretty well-known. He's a spectacular hitter and Manny-esque fielder at SS.
This game, he has been pretty spectacularly failing, and in the first two games, he failed much more subtly.
I like Beltre too, though I KNOW he's not the .335, 48HR aberration of a couple years ago. He's GG-quality defensively, and has a good enough bat to hit 6th.
I don't trust Betemit (yet).
It's only because it's jeter that the hue and cry isn't louder.
But can we at least now rest the myth that there is such thing as a clutch hitter.
418 I love Beltre and would absolutely try to deal for him.
I always thought he was an above average SS, but I guess I was wrong...
Period.
did you stick with Cable DianaGramr, do you still have the blog at MLBlogs?? I looked for it the other day but I couldn't find it, how are you doing?
That being said...It wouldn't suprise me if he shrugged off all this shitty first half of the game performance and hit one into the short porch late in the game. That's how cool and collected he has been. That's why he is our guy.
Book it.
I did stay with cable. My mlb.com blog is still there (in stasis as it were).
I'm part of the "Humbug Journal" bloggers now.
Need to start scoring....NOW.
Is our hitting coach .....
Cool. Are you still a scrabble stud??
Long time lurker, sometime poster....down in Florida watching with my 3 yr old son and my mom (dad, longtime Yankee fan, passed away this spring.....) so I can't swear, go crazy, throw anything, etc. But this hurts......this game, this team is really bumming me out now. Thanks for the Banter though - just scanning it every 6 hrs has helped .....
Yup ..... haven't been playing many tournaments this year (was in the midst of moving from Brooklyn to Queens), but still playing in the local club and with friends.
This is painful.
oh come on .... that ball had so much topspin and speed ... that was a tough chance .... no error should be charged.
DJ, Posada and the rest are awful though.
You know what A-Rod said about passing the baton? Well it helps when the guy you're handing it to doesn't drop it, trip over it and break his nose on the pavement.
So the terrorists have won every World Series since then?
Should the Florida Marlins be put on the "no fly" list?
STEAL STEAL STEAL
I approve.
MELKY
Are they Oregon ducks?
Steal, Leche, steal.
Steal second Joe. Don't wait for the DP!
C & C Hit Factory this inning.
(by they way, did I mention...I BELIEVE!!!!!!!I BELIEVE!!!!!!!I BELIEVE!!!!!!!)
FUCKING.
BYE.
I called it!!
Yes yes yes yes yes!!!!
You are forgiven.
vockins
FINALLY!
Damon: YARLY!
Cleveland: No wai.... -_-,
Hughes... be Huge.
Now let's keep it going!
And he's a starter.
Next year's team could be significantly different than this one.
shit that was a nice curve!
Chip Caray's idiocy knows no bounds.
Have I missed anything exciting? ;)
623 Me too. We've going to have a lot of fun over the next 15 years.
Whatever happens, Hughes deserves some serious accolades. Coming in in relief in an elimination game as a rookie, wow. 2 more outs kid.
641 Thanks. Why am I not surprised? Choker. =)
Go get 'em, Hughes!
The longer this goes, the more giddy I am about Hughes. I can't wait to see this kid for a full season.
Way to go, Franchise!
I (am beginning to) BELIEVE!
I (am beginning to) BELIEVE!
Go Prince Phillip!
Also, whoever said we never got Rocket in vintage form is on crack. Remember his Cy Young? Remember Game 7 in 2001?
If nothing else, Hughes has come into his own this Sept/Oct and made the adjustment from dominant AAA pitcher to excellent ML pitcher. He can only get better over the next few years. Next year's staff is going to be very good and very young.
Please stay in NY.
Jonny P lazy again!
680 how about the game against seattle in 2000? that was one of the best pitching performances i've seen.
Way to go, A-Rod! 2 for 3!!!! =)
Big pic of Clemens with the headline, "Going...going.."
F*ck you, ESPN.
696 I say let Hughes do a bit. He's only done 63 pitches - 43 for strikes. Hot damn.
Again, if Joba comes in, its great. Hopefully, we can score and few more and not have to use him. That was he can be ready to go after Wang.
We'll see. NEITHER WAY IS WRONG.
FUCK YOU ESPN!!!
Red Sox loving assholes...
OK Posada - time to make up for Games 1 and 2!
"The cynics said the Yankees were paying Roger Clemens $1 million a start. By that math, postseason gigs are free. Good thing. Needing his best, New York didn't even get three innings."
What F'ing tools at ESPN.
Strange, isn't it?
PS--Bunting Posada to second is bad, bad strategy.
Stink PHing for Giambi.
Nutz!
What does it say that you have to PH for Giambi to bunt?
CANO CAN-DO!!!
Get this - he actually had a win against KC after the game in Texas before beating Cleveland.
So the Indians was actually his third ML victory.
Nice job, Caray. Very professional.
And so shall it be.
I'm an idiot.
YES!!! YES!!! YES!!! YES!!! YES!!! YES!!!
SUCK IT!!!
Nixon's got the trots!!
OOPS!
Otherwise, yeah, I say let's run the back end of the pen out there. Joba and Mo will be ready if need be.
Alright boys, a rally started by, dare I say it, Alex Emmanuel Rodriguez? in the postseason? While Jeter is still 0fer?
Love the kids.
Who do u kill first?
I can't decide which one I want to hit with a cast iron skillet first, Dane Cook or Chip Caray.
Stupid piece of shit. He's nothing like his alcoholic grabdaddy.
I'd definitely pull my team off the field if that sh*t happens again in game 5.
That slider is downright illegal.
I love this kid. JOBA!
Nice to see the guys take the baseball the other way. Melky's hit was sweet.
Nice to see Damon do some damage for us in October, too.
And speaking of which, how fucking sweet to watch that ball roll under Trot's glove!
HA!
And all hail Phil Hughes.
Welcome to our Yankee future, baseball. Be very, very afraid!!!
Fucking goddamned fucking locusts.
Only team in baseball to my knowledge that still does it.
It is crucial that Joe be able to get 3 innings from Joba/Mo tomorrow, regardless of the combination. He needs to manage this game with that objective in mind.
858 LOL!!
By the way, if Arod opts out and hits a homer in Yankee stadium next year, will sterling still call it an A-bomb?
3.2IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER, 4K, 1.59ERA
why?
what the fuck is joba doing here?
DP
I'll be watching the NLCS with great interest.
That was handled well...good job Joe.
Geez.
AND NOW MO FOR 4 OUTS!?
Yes, I'm an NL West snob!
I'm so confused.
If you think you might need someone to come in for Joba, why wouldn't you just go right to Mo?
Good job getting out of it though, Joba.
UPDATE, 9:52 p.m.: Joba is probably burned out out for tomorrow now. But Torre almost had no choice. Bringing in Farnsworth or Veras or Vizcaino is inviting disaster.
Now it's Mo for the 9th and see you tomorrow.
Now what about Joba?
I don't like it...
Damn him. Seriously, damn him.
If the Yankees lose a close game tomorrow and can't use Joba (or Joba is ineffective), then I think it can be squarely placed on Torre's poor use of the bullpen.
Joba is probably burned out out for tomorrow now. But Torre almost had no choice. Bringing in Farnsworth or Veras or Vizcaino is inviting disaster.
Now it's Mo for the 9th and see you tomorrow.
end quote*
Is this what people seriously believe? That Farnsworth, Vizcaino and Veras can't pitch one or two innings with a 5 run lead? If that's the case, why are they even on the roster? Why not go with like 3 extra pinch hitters or runners or something?
Please.
you guys gotta save some runs for tomorrow, or when ever the Yanks play again.
Although I think Joe goes with Mo.
I love you guys when our scrubs blow a game and you blame Joe, then when he doesn't use the scrubs, you blame Joe.
No offense guys, but between Joe, Ron and Kerrigan, I trust their judgement better then yours.
Game 4 (if necessary) would be Monday
Game 5 (if necessary) would be Wednesday
The ALCS starts on Friday in Boston.
West Coast bias! Or in this case, Mountain Time Zone bias.
Not that I live in the Mountain Time Zone.
Why take out Hughes? The guy's a starter, he was pitching great.
Why not wait for him to get into trouble before bringing in Joba?
I don't get it.
If he doesn't go then, would he go straight through to the 9th tonight?
holy shit, zilla has 2 singles & a BB... wow.
suppose the #s show a 5-run lead in the 8th is held by a Viz/Farns type 99% of the time. so we blow one ALDS in 100 with V/F. does having a fresh Joba make the difference in at least two of the remaining 99? seems like an easy decision for me, but the media's not on my ass 24/7...
Sure, there's been instances, I'm sure, where Joe has gone with a Non-Mo, Non-Joba reliever only to get burned, and that's because it was probably in a high leverage situation. Not one where they're up 5-runs with 6 outs to go and a must win game the next day.
Context makes a world of difference when throwing stones at your fellow Banterites with specific examples.
Tonight is unforgivable. I know everyone says Joe is unflappable and super calm and stuff, but sometimes on the inside I think he's more panicky than we are. Tonight screams of it.
Yes, because I'm sure in other games, Rivera says, "Nah, I don't really feel like playing today, thanks for asking though."
Yikes! Did I just write that about The Hammer of God?
My heart is pounding right now!
Maybe he was doing that in the last few appearances in September just so he could get that playoff-type pressure to prepare for now?
Good night all!!
No worries here over the pitching. They played today, they won today, das it. Tomorrow, they'll play again, they'll win again. Das it.
Guy looks like he should be telling us that the Israeli Olympic team is being held hostage...
whatever. play today, win today
1) I am very happy that Clemens career didn't end with a loss in an elimination game.
2) I love Joba Chamberlain. He is great and has a bright career ahead of him. But as of today, Mr. Chamberlain, you are no Mariano Rivera. There have been a lot of Mo doubters of late, but come rain, snow or bug infestation, I'd still put my money on Mo.
Just stop & absorb that for a minute.
1) First and foremost, the story for me tonight is all Phil Hughes. If the Yankees go on to win the next two, he will be catapulted into legend like I said a few hundred posts ago. What a fucking unbelievable performance from our future. Fuck, I'm excited.
2) Jeter owes Johnny and Phil dinner.
3) Only scanned the previous 1100 comments...do most people agree that Phil should have come out for the 7th? Or anyone but Joba?
4) I thought Mo was finished?
Tomorrow it may rain, as the saying goes.
;-P
1072 Point 2 - Yes, I love Joba a lot - as much as the next - and am very excited to see the development of his career; but I felt so much more comfortable with Mo out there. Mo still has it - he might have lost a little from what he was at his peak, but he is still magnificent.
Let's hope Wang/Moose can give us a solid performance and the bats stay active so we don't need Joba.
I'd say the chances of Phil throwing a scoreless 7th = chances of Joba doing the same. He was on cruise control.
Also, if you'd bring in Veras after Joba, why not bring in Veras before Joba (with a 5-run lead)?
That said, he'd still need to prove quite a bit.
Sorry I couldn't join youse tonight. I was starting to feel close to hopeless, but Prince Phil restored my confidence.
I'm very disappointed about the bullpen management, I don't mind saying. Dammit. How good would it feel to have both of our studs available tomorrow?
I figure Wang plus Moose tomorrow? Or if we score a bunch, Wang plus a mediocre reliever?
But here what I think is going on: Hughes is now 'long relief'. Joe will use him again Tuesday if necessary. So he has to be used as a long reliever, not a second starter.
Gotta love Red Sox fans. Cruising through the playoffs, and they still care more about what Yankee fans are saying.
It would be interesting to compare Joba's half season (projected) to Mo's in 1996. Torre rode Mo pretty hard that year, and his effectiveness did drop dramatically (as I recall) when he was used for multiple innings on back-to-back days. And that season, Mo was better than Wettland.
Damn- that's thrice I've agreed with you in just a few minutes. What the hell is going on!
And I think he does have a plan, it just doesn't always turn out to be a good plan - the whole pitch count from the other game part of the explanation.
"I heard from some of you that TBS is not doing a good job with the crowd noise. I have to tell you, I haven't heard the crowd like this in years. The press box was shaking when Cano got that hit."
Hey, we're gonna pay him either way, may as well get good use out of him.
Sometimes.
1. Arod's going to do something to lead this team. He got 2 hits tonight and will get a big one tomorrow.
2. The Real Worm Killer Wang is going to return. I have a theory that he'll pitch better when his arm is a little tired. He'll get us 7 innings tomorrow. And then Mo will do the rest.
3. The Yankees will win TOMORROW.
Who's with me?????
But, Moose for two or three?
1123 Joba starts in the minors, goes 5 IP/game max at SWB until late May/early June.
Hughes is 5th starter (he's capped at ~150 too) and probably skipped often.
Kennedy is capped at ~180, so no worries there.
But - the innings cap is regular season AND postseason. If everything goes right, Hughes and Joba need to be in the 120-130 range come 10/1/08.
I bet we see a 6 man rotation at times (if everyone is healthy), and the occasional spot start by the long man out of the pen (Rasner?). They might also try to mix in some of the 'next wave' (Horne, Marquez, etc) in Sept if they have a playoff spot sewn up early.
Good night all - see you tomorrow!
Casey was a shrewd guy. Still, it might have saved Whitey's arm from overwork when he was younger, and there's nothing wrong with that.
And now - I really am off to bed.
Another famous Whitey/Stengel incident was in the 1960 World Series. Instead of going with Whitey in game 1, Stengel went with Al Ditmar. That meant Whitey could only pitch twice (he threw two CG shutouts) and Bob Turley had to pitch game 7.
Hey Arod, still waitin' on that Reggie moment! We can get 35 HR and 120 RBI from anywhere. Who needs this chump.
Damon LF .158 .200 .211
Jeter SS .407 .429 .593
Abreu RF .400 .571 .400 (2 for 5)
Rodriguez 3B .267 .353 .467 (1 HR)
Posada C .167 .250 .278
Giambi 1B/PH .214 .313 .429
Matsui DH .200 .333 .200 (1 for 5, 1 HR)
Cano 2B .250 .250 .750 (2 for 8, 1 HR)
Cabrera CF .600 .571 1.200 (3 for 5)
Minky 1B/PH .316 .381 .579 1 HR
TEAM: .278 .345 .457 4 HRS
somehow I thought the Yanks would be better against him than this.
And I'm glad our Dodger visitors enjoyed that moment. And Bob Timmerman, and even Mark Donohue! Mark got over that bad altitude of his and spit out a "go yankees" for us. How touching!
what time is the game tomorrow ... sidebar says 6pm EST, i thought i saw something on the TBS broadcast about 7:30?
"With former New York City mayor and current presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani leading the cheering from his front-row seats, Alex Rodriguez stopped his postseason hitless streak at 18 at-bats with a second-inning single and also beat out an infield single. But he remained in a 6-for-54 (.111) playoff funk with no RBIs dating to his Game 4 home run against Boston three years ago."
OMG
(Except that Dan fellow.)
Hughes press conference on ESPN News right now.
I hope Cano and Melky sit him down and ask him how he could leave them for money. If he turns down an extension, make him feel as miserable as possible.
I mostly love Phil because I went to his debut. But he's a fucking badass.
'The Yankees can replace Roger Clemens on the roster tomorrow. It's a new rule. The catch is he would not be available for the ALCS. They have four choices: Kennedy, Ramirez, Britton or Villone.'
I would go with Kennedy, if he isn't hurt.
I've said this before and I'll say it again I'm sure, when they score 5+ runs, they win. When they don't they lose. This team was not built to win pitchers duels.
Win tomorrow.
I had read in another source if you're removed from a postseason roster midseries, you're ineligible for ALL subsequent series.
He should just go up there expecting to walk and not swing the bat unless they dare him too.
That's why hitting by guys like Matsui and Damon and Cano is so important in the post season, they are the guys who will see strikes, they need to do something with them.
Also, can you imagine if the Yankees get off to a really terrible start sometime in the future? "40-57? Whatever, they'll come back!"
beautiful quotes from damon and moose, too. there really are so many variable aside of in-game strategy and bullpen usage. i don't want joe to go. neither do his players.
wang should be good at home tomorrow. probably no joba tomorrow though. definitely no hughes. would moose be first outta the pen if wang falters? mo should be fine for an inning tomorrow, late.
we really, really can and should send this back to cleveland...
oh, ps/btw - chip caray is still a fucking tool.
Just another reason the Yankees need to score and score often.
It'd just be a terrible way to end this season by losing at home. Anything but that. (Well, ok, no repeats of 04 either.)
How'd the recording go?
nice to see mats hustle on the infield single and have a productive day. i would love nothing more than to blow out the tribe tomorrow - early and often.
recording went really well man, thanks for asking! i finish up tomorrow. ending with a difficult 'drum feature' that i have to nail and make perfect. if i can get a perfect performance on that and a yankee win, i'll be the happiest guy in america! : )
is there a more superstitious lot than a combo of drummer/baseball fanatic?! oy...
Poster "Dr. Acula" (Scrubs rules!) over at LoHud has posted some video:
http://tinyurl.com/338b8w
Doc, if you read these comments, thanks and stay away from headless physicians!
ah, there it is! our 1st run. caray's voice raises for 2 seconds. then silence. then a crack about our futility w/ RISP. then more silence. finally gwynn/brenly chime in. how does caray even have a gig? oh yeah, that's right - nepotism...
fuck, i wish i could watch this on mute, but w/out a live radio feed, it's kinda useless to do it that way...
I thought we had something special, man.
All the same, I do love Joe and will be happy to see him return if it's in the cards.
Our guys really do tend to bust it, which is nice to see.
Justice actually remarked something like, "I have no idea why this shortstop continues to take his sweet time getting the ball to first base."
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