Game 30: Mariners at Yankees
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on May 07, 2007 
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Here is the lineup:
YANKEES
Johnny Damon CF
Derek Jeter SS
Bobby Abreu RF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Jason Giambi DH
Hideki Matsui LF
Jorge Posada C
Robinson Cano 2B
Doug Mientkiewicz 1B
Matt DeSalvo RHP
Pregame chatter: Kei Igawa has been optioned to AAA Scranton (update: he went to Tampa) and Darrell Rasner is staying in the rotation. … DeSalvo is their 10th starter in 30 games, a record. … Abreu (6 of 14, 2 doubles, 3 RBI) is coming out of it. That should help A-Rod, who is 11 of his last 41 with two extra-base hits and 3 RBI. … Mike Myers has thrown 16.1 innings this season. He didn’t throw that many last season until July 4. Right-handers are 1 for 21 against Myers, lefties 7 of 22. Go figure.
I’m now happy to be attending the game on Wednesday night. Any word on who is getting the ball that day?
Mike Mussina.
Kei Igawa has been optioned to AAA – I LIKE IT!! Smart move, the right move.
Its the right thing to do. Put performance over money.
A VERY good 48 hours for Brian Cashman.
What this shows the guys in the minors is, if you perform, you have a spot on the team.
If Rasner got optioned today, when he has CLEARLY pitched better than Igawa this season, that would have sent the wrong message throughout the entire organization.
wow. I’m a bit surprised, wonder if DeSalvo has a chance to stay with a strong outing today. I hope so, I picked him up in my fantasy league and cut Rasner. But I’m a Yankee fan first, it’s the right thing to do, Igawa is your future loogy.
They just said on the radio that Kei was optioned to Tampa. Is that correct Pete?
I’ll be at the game today. I’m curious to see DeSalvo. Too bad about Igawa, but it was the right move.
I think Igawa will end up okay. He’ll get the chance to really work on his stuff without all the pressure. Like I’ve said before, this man has definite potential; it’s just that the Yankees, with all the problems that arose in the rotation this season, cannot afford the “on-the-job” training.
Frankly, I don’t think it really matters which minor league affiliate he ends up being sent to; as long as wherever he goes, he gets the chance to really work and develop.
For the love of God, Peter, your grammar!!!
I think that instead of “Mike Myers has thrown 16.1 innings last season,” you actually meant “Mike Myers has thrown 16.1 innings this season.”
You seem to be confusing the past and present tenses.
I can only hope that these little tidbits help you out some. After all, being voted one of the top blogs, you have a reputation to uphold…right?
According to M&MD, Igawa not optioned to AAA, he was optioned to TAMPA, single A.
Oh wait I just realized both Rasner and DeSalvo are in the rotation for now. Clemens get your ass to Tampa.
Hey Peter, What are your thoughts on Igawa’s being optioned to Triple-A Scranton? Igawa’s is good person who treats Ny Media with free dinner.
The Japanese Fans and their media will probably hate Yankees after what happened today.Igawa’s will labeled Next “Japanese Bust”. Thanks to Cashman signing him.
I agree with Igawa’s going to the Minors, it might be dishonorable to the Japanese given the amount of notoriety he had, but this is a business and they invested in him a total of 46 mill. If he can be straighten out, the Yanks will be OK if not this year, next year, if he can’t hack it the minor leagues, then Cashman squandered millions and Stein should make him accountable. He chose his scouts and his advisors, if they were wrong, about Iggy then he should fire all of them.
If he is going to Tampa, he will be working with “Pitching Guru” Billy Connors.
Which means……we have seen the last of him.
The next guy Connors “fixes” will be his first, despite his self-proclaimations to the contrary.
Enjoy Tampa Kei. Mons Venus is still off limits to Yankee players, though.
I also heard the report on wfan with mike and the dog, and they said Tampa. Thank goodness Igawa is out of the rotation. He was painful to watch. I really think that Rasner has a future with this club- with all the cash money bashing lately, two of his scrap heap pickups have paid some major dividends, Brian Bruney and Darrell Rasner.
Billy Connors will probably eat him.
Next move is the cutting of Carl Pavano by either Dr. Andrews or the Cash Man.
Is Billy Connors still employed by the Yanks? If pretty sure Gil Patterson is down in Tampa working with the young guys or at least I hope so.
nit-pick much Larry? settle down……
Don’t care where Igawa goes, he needs to work things out. Quite frankly, I hope we don’t need or want him anywhere near the rotation again this year. That would mean a healthy Wang, Clemens, Pettitte, Mussina, and Hughes.
Great move. best thing for Kei is to get him some work that isnt 4 2/3, 6 runs, 6 hits, and 4 walks. Hopefully he can contribute later this year.
Wow. I can’t believe they gave up on Igawa already. He was awful in his last start and good in that emergency start. So he’s one start removed from six shutout innings.
This is a huge embarrassment for the international scouts. Igawa’s contract isn’t large, but they posted a significant about of money for him. The fact that Igawa is being removed from the team — not even pitching in the bullpen — makes Cashman and whoever helped this move happen look very, very bad.
I’m happy for Rasner — he deserves his spot in the rotation. It’s a little surprising that the Yankees are taking DeSalvo, who hasn’t proved a thing yet, over Igawa.
Very surprising development. Hope Kei works out his issues and at least finds a place in the bullpen.
Well, since Myers pitched four innings the other night in long relief, giving up only one hit, that explains part of the reason for his extensive numbers this season. He might actually be a good starter for us, though, if that becomes necessary. He’s pitched as a starter in the past, there’s no reason he can’t do so now.
Good news about Igawa. No complaints here.
“Oh wait I just realized both Rasner and DeSalvo are in the rotation for now. Clemens get your ass to Tampa.”
there are only 2 games from now until the end of May where the Yanks need a 5th starter if they use their off-days to skip the #5 guy.
not too bad.
but yes, hurry Roger.
Chris, I know it seems nit-picky, but shouldn’t professional publications and writers be privy to such errors?
Just trying to help the guy out.
Who said they “gave up on him”? That’s a bit of a stretch.
Igawa went to the minors in Japan 2-3 years ago after having a lot of success earler, including winning the strikeout crown for his league. He went down because he got all screwed up. He got himself straightened out and ended up with the crown again (co-crown) last year. So who knows, there may be hope.
“I’m happy for Rasner—he deserves his spot in the rotation. It’s a little surprising that the Yankees are taking DeSalvo, who hasn’t proved a thing yet, over Igawa.”
they’re not. they are taking Rasner over Igawa.
someone has to go down so DeSalvo can start tonight.
it’s either Rasner, Igawa, or Henn.
“This is a huge embarrassment for the international scouts. Igawa’s contract isn’t large, but they posted a significant about of money for him. The fact that Igawa is being removed from the team—not even pitching in the bullpen—makes Cashman and whoever helped this move happen look very, very bad.”
no it doesn’t. the great Matsuzaka currently has an era of 5.45.
clearly there is an adjustment period for pitchers coming from Japan. the Yanks are letting him work it out in the minors.
you are overreacting.
Stormy:
There’s more to it than what you’re saying. Suzyn Waldman called it right yesterday in a discussion with Sterling.
They needed DeSalvo up to start today. They had no other options. So they could either send Rasner down or Igawa down. If they send Rasner down he cannot be called back up for 10 days and thus couldn’t start again. So it was either keep Rasner and give him another start (which they feel he’s earned) or send him down and start Igawa (which they probably would have done if Rasner had a bad outing.)
- KMT
Stormy, I don’t think I’d say they gave up on him, just gave up on the idea of him getting it together without going down to work on some things. I’m sure they expect or at least hope he’ll be back.
how much do u guys hink rocket will help us this year..
he pitched 5.96/start last year
how is that gonna help our bullpen?
I guess Larry, but it’s a blog not an article…..
There is no embarrassment here. There is clearly an adjustment that needs to be made from Japan to the States. It is not a sin or a crime or an embarrassment that Igawa is being given the opportunity to work this out in an environment that is more suited to that.
Clearly, as hmmnm above stated, Matsuzaka is having his issues as well. All I’d heard about him was that not only did he have 6 million pitches, but that he could thrown any one of them at any time in the count for a strike. Well, in the States, maybe not so much, until he adjusts (or if he adjusts).
“For the love of God, Peter, your grammar!!!
hey larry, thanks for the reminder, i almost forgot to send my grammar a mother’s day card for this sunday.
“there are only 2 games from now until the end of May where the Yanks need a 5th starter if they use their off-days to skip the #5 guy.”
Actually three if you count tonight. The others would be Sunday the 12th and Sunday the 19th. Guess we’ll have to hope they go into both Sundays as “House Money Games”.
Josh, may not help the bullpen but will hand them leads instead of 6 run deficits… which means he’ll help the team WIN.
Whoa just heard Donnie Management gets his first managing gig tonight with Torre suspended a game. Extra layer of intrigue with that angle.
Jeff NJ, or hope Rasner and DeSalvo can keep us in the games..
Sending down Igawa over Rasner is a pleasant surprise. I’m still an Igawa booster, but Rasner has clearly done a better job. Maybe this vote of confidence will convince Torre to let Rasner go deeper into games?
I’m still confident Igawa will pan out sooner or later. It seems unthinkable to me that a pitcher can go from being a strikeout leader in Japan to not cracking the rotation in the AL East. He has to be better than what we’ve seen so far … right? (And to his credit, he did give us two good appearances, including his impressive emergency start.)
We’ll see what kind of shape Myers is in at the end of the season. It’s funny to me that Myers, the king of LOOGYs, has taken on something of a mop-up role on this team.
Wow, Mike and the Mad Dog really hate the Clemens deal:
- Yankee management was played like fools, bidding against themselves. Red Sox and Houston weren’t real considerations.
- Clemens has good NL numbers but won’t be so fantastic in the American League.
- old and nowhere near as good anymore.
- destroying Yankee ways, letting him option to not go on road trips. Going to upset other Yankee players.
- management looking like beggars for paying so much and giving him everything he wanted
That’s the jist of it…
Anyone in here want to throw in their opinions on what they said? Or if you actually think it was a smart move.
The Yankees didn’t bring Clemens in for the regular season, they brought him in for the postseason. 5.96 per game isn’t staggering, but it is a hell of a lot better than what they are averaging now.
Bottom line is you get an experienced and dominant winner. Likewise, you get someone who can mentor the younger pitchers like Hughes, Wang, DeSalvo, Rasner, Bruney, Britton, all of them. This guy is the greatest pitcher of our time if not all time.
A fresh breath of air, a chance for Igawa to adjust, and one step closer to ensuring that Clemens goes in to the HOF with a Yankees cap and not a “B” for BlowSox.
I haven’t extensively followed Clemens’ outings last year in Houston, but isn’t a contributing factor to his average of 5.96 IP the fact that he was in the national league, specifically the Astros? I mean, the Astros had horrid run support, so I can imagine Clemens being lifted for a pinch hitter when he could have tacked on another 4-5 outs or so. (Sorta like what Barry Zito was told after his opening day start for the Giants)
The day we signed Igawa I predicted Billy Connor’s would be “fixing” him by June 1st. Guess I was a little quick.
Of all the lousy pitching moves Cash has made over the past few years, and there are lots of them, this one might end up being the creme de la crap.
Meanwhile the guy Boston brought in to be Matsuzaka’s manservant (who reportedly begged to come to the Yanks for approx. 1/20th of what we’ll end up laying out for Igawa) is so far the best of the Japanese import bunch.
Unfortunately for Cash, he can’t even blame this one on Tampa after the show he made of taking the reins.
$50 million for a minor league pitcher? They need to fire more than the trainer for this move.
Good move on Igawa, he will make a good long man this season and he can grow comfortable in the ML. Perhaps he will set himself up to battle for the last spot next year (if Hughes comes to the rotation and Clemens retires)
Who cares what Mad Dog is jabbering about. They’re shock jocks and don’t know anything about Clemens. Who cares if the Yankees bid higher than necessary. They have deep pockets, Clemens performs on the big stage, is arguably better at 44 than any Boston pitcher, and will get retardedly fantastic run support.
This is the luxury the Yankees have, I guess. Being able to take risks. As someone else pointed out, they didn’t have to give up anyone for this guy…no midseason trades that cost us two young pitchers and a draft pick.
Management asked players what they thought of him not going on road trips, etc. The veterans gave their consent and within that group was Derek Jeter, the captain. So anything Mad (Bitch) Dog has to say about fracturing the clubhouse or upsetting other players is null and void. The benefits outweigh any potential down side.
Aside from Wang, Hughes, and… gulp… Igawa, in 2 years the Yankees are going to have to have replacements for Mussina, Pettitte and 1-yr Clemens. Who do you guys think they will be paying attention to in the upcoming years?
i think japanese pitchers need to throw more to get their command. igawa last year often went over 130 pitches. he’s lucky if they let him go 100 over here even if he’s doing well which isn’t often. i realize there is the problem of coming from a 6 man rotation, but if you put igawa in the 5th spot you could skip him every now and then to keep his innings on par with past years.
i said repeatedly in spring training that matsuzaka pitched backwards ( breaking balls to get ahead, fastballs for out pitch) and that strategy would result in too many pitches per inning and that he’d have 20 pitches per inning on average if he kept doing it. it’s turned out that way. igawa does the same thing. it must be japanese strategy that is used if you can go 130 pitches. over here , a team won’t let them do that so if they want to stay in the game they have to be more economical with their pitche count. well, they can’t do that over night.
i’d let them go 130 and take my chances. what good are they if they can’t get hitters out with the american strategy of fastballs setting up off speed and breaking balls? hopefully matsuzaka keeps pitching backwards and getting up to 100 pitches after 5 innings and hopefully the yankees let igawa throw as many pitches as he wants.
jk, going down to work on things doesn’t make him a minor league pitcher, it’s an adjustment period.
randyhater, what manservant?
Good points Larry
Russell, good question. Not sure who’ll be free agents around then, but I’m sure we’ll try and grab a couple free agents with some experience as well as from within (Clippard, Ohlendorf, etc…).
When Mussina, Pettitte and Clemens are all gone, the Yankees can then build around Hughes and Wang.
Mind you, some guy named Santana is going to be a Free Agent after 2008 and I have a hard time seeing him avoid free agency to stick with Minnesota if they haven’t at least made it to the World Series. On another note, Zambrano is a free agent after this season.
There are always options in addition to the young breadth of talent in the farm system (Chamberlain, Kennedy, Clippard, J Cox, etc). If even one or two of those guys pans out as a good starter, they’ll still have at least 3 young starters. Add some veteran prowess like Santana “and you got yourself a stew baby.”
Mike and the Dog have it right…what a joke…The Yanks should not bow to nobody…What an Embarassing moment for that dope Suzynn Waldman….”welcome home Rog”…Suszynn go back home yourself….TO BOSTON>>>>
They really are killing her on the fan and YES….way to go Mike…….if we were going to have an off year…be men about it…not bow down to this ex Boston Red Sox….There are kids dying in Darfur, and this loser gets 1 mill a week….Disgraceful……
Torre suspended one game tonight. Donnie Baseball interim mgr.
Chris NY – I heard (though its not serious talk) names mentioned such as: CC Sabathia, C. Zambrano, Santana (less likely).
chris ny,
he means okajima. okajima often throws 20 pitches an inning too. it doesn’t hurt him because he’s only in there usually one inning. they all throw a lot of pitches to get ahitter out.
Rotoworld is saying Kei was sent to Single A and not Triple A….Peter I am sure you are correct but can you confirm this?
Chris, I guess randyhater means Okajima.
I do like those names Russell… should be interesting.
Randy, thanks. I thought that’s what he meant, but wasn’t sure. They got lucky with that one, even they didn’t expect him to be good.
I have to admit, I was a bit agitated that the Yankees weren’t involved with Okajima. Perhaps they know something Boston doesn’t and MLB hitters ALWAYS figure out Japanese pitchers, but if the guy wanted to pitch for NY like RandyHater said, it seems strange that they weren’t involved.
Billy, you’re not a Yankees fan are you?
I absolutely can not stand Ken Rosenthal and some other so-called baseball experts who have the Yankees written off 29 games into the season. Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t there 130 more games to play? Is the World Series still in October? Then please SHUT UP about the Yankees missing out on it already, because hello, remember St. Louis last year? Did they look like WS champs? No…130 games is time enough for the rotation to come together, for a few guys to get a few hits and for the BoSox to lose a couple of games. That’s what I hate about ESPN and Fox Sports, they both already have their minds made up about who the next WS winner is and since the Yankees have lost 8 of 9, well, they must be done then.
Ok, rant over.
Torre won’t be managing tonights game, Mattingly will. Torre is serving his mandatory 1 game suspension for Proctor throwing at Betancourt yeterday. Proctor was hit with 4 games but will appeal and is available to pitch. Per ESPN.
Cashman about to answer Michael Kay about the “family deal” thing….
Hi Pete – If you were Cashman would you have signed Roger?
Taking off on Russell’s point, a different perspective emerges on Igawa. With a little hindsight, it seems likely that Cash had already decided that Lilly and Zito were too expensive or wanted too many years and he jumped ahead to 2008. Ask yourself who the lefty FAs are next year and what they will cost and then maybe Cashman’s thinking makes more sense. He was really thinking 2008 with Iggy, and maybe – - maybe – - late 2007.
But with all the rotation injuries out of the box, and Iggy’s uneven work, he survived longer than he would have otherwise. If Wang, Moose, Pettitte and Pavs are starting and holding their own, it’s no big deal to swap out Iggy for Rasner, Karstens early or Hughes or Clemens sometime in June. (Cash revealed that he sought out Clemens in ST). Without the injuries to the starters, Iggy’s failure to launch would have been a blip.
Next year: How about Hughes, either Moose or Pettitte, and Wang to form a nucleus. Maybe Iggy figures it all out and then either add Karstens or Rasner or Clippard etc. from the farm or test the trade market or go the FA route. That approach gives them options and thus some price control.
If anyone in their right mind thinks Clemens not being with the team for a game here and there matters is nuts.
Like hes going to be sitting on a couch in July. Give me a break. Hes not the greatest pitcher of all time and a great teammate for nothing.
When Clemens comes back and after Hughes has recovered and thrown a couple of games in AAA and is called up he will have a full rotation.
So Rasner, Karstens and Igawa will have no starter spots but they will make good long relief and thus they can pitch when the staters don’t give seven innings and spell some relief for the 8th and 9th inning men.
Basically said since NY lost to not just Houston but also the Red Sox last year because the Yankees were the only ones who wouldn’t do the family plan thing, so they discussed it over the winter and decided it wasn’t as big of a deal as they treated it last year, and no-one really objected and it was worth it.
Personally, I don’t give a rat’s …. where he is on days he’s not pitching as long as it doesn’t keep him from pitching at his best on days that he is..
chris ny-
you’re up in boston a lot. watch how okajima works a hitter. the norm is 20 pitches an inning. his fastball is often in the low 80′s. he’d be an expensive relief pitcher, but igawa could be successful in relief in a similar way . even more so because he throws 89-90.
to me, this high pitch count per inning gives a clue to the problems igawa and matsuzaka are having. and also the success that okajima is having by not being hindered by pitch count because they don’t care with a short reliever. they just rest him a day or two if they need to.
After 2008 you have Chamberlain, Kennedy, Clippard, Sanchez (probably going to the pen), Betances, DeSalvo and at least 3 other possible prospects on the farm.
Plus as has been mentioned Sabathia, Zambrano, Santana will be free agents. I’m not sure which other pitchers will be available then, but I think it is a good free agent crop.
ESPN is also reporting it is Single A….Pete???
Billy:
“There are kids dying in Darfur, and this loser gets 1 mill a week…. Disgraceful……”
“Mike and the Dog have it right.”
Dead kids in Darfur? Clemens is a loser? M&MD are right?
Billy, newsflash: you need to get off the crack, bro.
All this talk about where Clemens will be on his off days is nonsense. The only person who would have complained is the old lefty we canned, the Big Useless. Anyone who thinks this will “fracture” the clubhouse need only look at the expressions on the players’ faces during the announcement. They were thrilled, and with good reason.
“Big Useless” – awesome.
I’m glad Rasner is staying. He was really on yesterday – shame it wasn’t as big a deal as it should have been.
Definately eager to see how DeSalvo looks tonight!
You guys are kidding yourselves if you don’t think is an embarrassment. They spent nearly fifty million dollars on this guy and he’s back in A-ball! Who cares if Matsuzaka is struggling? The Yankees expected this guy to be their fifth starter and he can’t even do that.
I’m not overreacting — this makes whoever signed Igawa look bad. He’s off the team after a month of baseball — that’s hardly a good return on an investment.
I think this is the right move. Igawa has good stuff but he hasn’t been all that effective. Having him work out his issues away from the pressure of the big-league team is smart — but the fact that he has to do that obviously means he’s not the guy they thought they were getting.
RE: anything Igawa related
The guy looks terrible, lost, inconsistent, and mildly retarded.
In terms of the $50 million investment, I am not sure what logic went in to this. You get the feeling that Yankee management was groping for the poor man’s Matsuzaka at the time of bidding. Ironic part is, NY is anything but poor.
Send his butt to Tampa, try to salvage something and correct his ridiculously bucked teeth, then hope he can return to the bullpen in July and spell relief for the overworked counterparts.
Russell –
I had to shut the t.v. They were really getting to me. they were obnoxious and abusive, AGAIN.
Anyway, since Mike Francesa (whatever) was saying that Clemens was “awful� his last year with the Yankees (2003), I decided to look up the stats.
Now, playoffs aside, the man was 17-9 with a 3.91 ERA in the American League East. How is that even close to “awful?� Yet no one called in to quarrel with that. In Houston, he had ERAs of 2.98, 1.87, and 2.30. Even if you ADD 2 runs to that ERA, it will be 4.30, which in the AL East these days is not so bad. Plus, the Yankees are certainly capable of scoring the necessary 5 runs to cover. My guess is he’ll be abaout the same as he was, around 4.
I think they just plainly do not like Clemens. Did he “dis” them or something in the past????
Larry –
I never, but never say nasty things on this blog. But you have gone past what I think is common decency. It is offensive to me that you would call a person “retarded” because of his looks. It is offensive that you would say that a person’s worth is based on his looks. You really don’t have to be incredibly boorish to say that you think Igawa needs to work on his pitching.
I am at work, how does he look? How hard does he throw?
thanks
How is DeSalvo doing? For some reason, Yankee stadium provides no stats on Gameday.
4 ground outs to 10 flyouts… are they hitting the ball hard.. thats very unhealthy ratio for Matt DeSalvo..
is he a fly ball pitcher
They’re putting a lot of balls in play, but he’s pitched 7 innings of 3 hit 1 run ball.
So, with Heredia gone, is Farnsworth officially the “Run Fairy” now? G@d, how I hate seeing hime come into the game…
Hey TomP aka moron who didn’t watch the game:
Farnsworth got the first two batters out in the 8th. He gave up an infield single to Vidro who was taken out of the game for pinch-runner Willie Bloomquist. Bloomquist stole second and was out BY A MILE. So out by a mile on the replay, his lead hand didn’t even get past Cano’s back foot, he was out by well over a foot. This cocksucker ump called him safe because someone in the Red Sox front office paid him to make a call like that -why not since a 2B umpire’s main call is outs at 2B? Well, no fix just more awful umpiring like it’s been since this decade began cuz I don’t remember it being this bad in the ’80s or ’90s. Farnsworth gave up a hit which should’ve never been given up…because the inning should’ve been over before then, the ump cost the Yankees the game. That horrendous call is Exhibit A why M.L.B. should have instant replay.
Farnsworth, Posada, and Cano did their jobs, too bad the dick umpiring at 2B didn’t.