Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
Well, my streak of fury-less baseball watching is over as the Yankees lost to the Indians 4-3 on Saturday afternoon. It started off poorly and got worse. Em and I listened to the first few innings on our way back from my mom's house, where we made traditional Belgian waffle cookies this afternoon. It was late in the day and I was crashing from all the sugar. Add John Sterling, a dash of S. Waldman, and well, it was not a good combination. Especially--or "ekspecially," as Paul O'Neill likes to say, with Ian Kennedy nowhere near the strike zone in the early going.
We got home in time to watch the majority of the game with more friends, Buck and McCarver, who made sure to keep us updated on the baseball game inbetween talking about the NFL draft. To be hoenst, it was a frustrating day for both sides, a game that moved in fits-and-starts, with failed rallies, hard-hit balls turned into outs, lucky double plays, failed bunt attempts (that means you, Melky), and a horrid missed call at second base. The Yankees had no business winning the game and yet they had their chances. They had 12 hits. Alex Rodriguez had a spirited 11-pitch at bat with runners on in the seventh, and just missed three pitches in the sequence, fouling them off, before going down on strikes. Later, with the game tied in the top of the ninth, Mariano Rivera warming in the bullpen, and runners on the corners, Derek Jeter hit into a double play. Here's the play-by-play ugliness.
Ross Olendorf took the loss when he allowed a bases loaded single to Victor Martinez. But the Yankee pitchers were behind in the count all day long--Kennedy regrouped in his final two innings, but didn't give the team any length and was subpar once again; LaTroy Hawkins threw six straight balls before throwing a strike, walked the lead-off man in the sixth and seventh, while Kyle Farnsworth walked the first man in the eighth.
Ah, I'm sore just thinking about it. And I'm not the only one who is irritated. Hopefully, the boys will show up tomorrow.
What's worse is watching Buccholz dominate, while Kennedy and Hughes continue to flounder.
True, but maybe a little exaggerated. Starters so far in 2008 have averaged 5.7 INN/start (the averaged for the AL and ML are almost identical) and AL starters have a 4.44 ERA. So basically Kennedy needed 2 more outs to equal average length for a starter, and he have up about a half a run too many.
Again, the problem was not with subpar Kennedy, who was pretty darn near par, but with the sluggish offense.
I am not a big fan of the bunt, but Jeter is automatic laying them down, and that would have been a run and Mariano. If you know you are going to use Ohlendorf in a tie game, you MUST get that run in.
You may be right about the bunt in the 9th.
I guess I do see the differences, even though there has been some disappointment as well. Unfortunately Girardi is not Stengel reincarnated.
That said, if I ever think that things aren't different, I remind myself two things:
1. Imagine how Torre would deal with this staff and bench.
2. Just look at the old Torre shenanigans in LA so far this season (I mentioned a few in the last thread).
As for Kennedy, I was pleased with how he settled down and look forward to his next start.
Another thing- what does that do for Ohlendorf? If Mo comes out and we lose, first of all it is not his fault and secondly he can handle it and come back tomorrow and be lights out.
Leaving the kid in an almost impossible situation is detrimental to his progress.
Be smart Girardi be smart.
This was so annoying, losing without putting your best pitcher in when he was available. And why are these guys getting hurt all over the place now? Is this further indictment of the training staff?
(OT, I didn't know that the comment box here was expandable... not that it helps much. Italics, now that would help... )
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