Fizzle out on the Fourth
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Podcast on Jul 04, 2007 
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The Yankees had a chance to break the game open in the fourth inning. But they could not build on their 2-1 lead and went on to lose 6-2. I wrote my story on how Johan Santana finessed his way out of trouble.
Meanwhile, Mike Mussina could not. He has a 3.11 ERA in his last six starts and only two wins.
Alex Rodriguez said he needs to speak to Joe Torre about his status. The disabled list seemed unlikely but he may not play all of the remaining games before the break because of his hamstring.
“We want to be smart and have some precaution with it,” A-Rod said.
Torre was asked about playing the infield back in the sixth inning with a 2-1 lead and a runner on third. He said that with Justin Morneau on deck, he didn’t want to risk the big inning. Morneau doubled and singled in his first two at-bats.
“I’m pulling for a tie in the eighth or ninth inning at that point in time. That’s fine with me,â€? Torre said. “That’s not something I wanted to do where they are in the lineup.â€?
Up 2-1 on Santana in the sixth? I’d play in and try and protect the lead. With Santana on the mound and Minnesota having such a good bullpen, the odds of scoring again aren’t high. Especially with the lineup the Yankees ran out there.
You want audio? We have audio:
There is Joe Torre:
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Mike Mussina:
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Alex Rodriguez:
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Johan Santana:
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Thanks to everybody who participated today. Catch you tomorrow for another day game.
I’ll bet Alex is looking for a way to skip the remaining games, but appear at the All Star Game. He’s like a moth to the flames (and so’s his wife)
that’s an odd thing to say considering Alex has avg 157 out of 162 regular season games for the Yankees in his previous 3 seasons! Not to mention that Joe as often said that he has a hard time getting Jeter and A-ROD to take games off.
My guess is that Alex aggravated his injury yesterday and he hasn’t had a chance to rest it. He should have been out yesterday for sure and probably today.
And what does his wife have to do with his hamstring injury?
ignore the troll…
something has to give on Wil Nieves. If he is going to hit 120 he better catch like Johnny Bench!
he can’t throw for God’s sakes…upgrade that spot Cash!
ARod will play if it is at all POSSIBLE. He is not like Manny Ramirez who looks for ANY reason to take a game off.
Britton’s line @ Scranton. 1IP 4H 3ER 0BB 1K.
Either the Moose isn’t holding runners on, or Nieves is in fact not good at throwing them out. The combination of the two has led to numerous stolen bases against the Yanks.
stop with the Arod trolls. The man is a warrior, he will play if he can.
Let’s not give up on the wild card! The Tigers’ bullpen is about as bad as ours. We can beat every team ahead of us. How sweet would it be to know off the Red Sox in the ALCS??? I know it’s not going to be easy, but stay positive folks!
Not bringing the infield in was absolutely ridilious!!! Its the 6th inning, you figure you arent going to get that many more chances against Santana and you are giving up an easy run like that to tie the game!!???!!! You knew he would just run his hands over to hit the ground ball. It made no sense what so ever. If it was the 3rd inning fine, but not the 6th!!! So basically Torre was saying that he doesnt trust Mussina on the mound and didnt want to put more runners on base in case he threw a meatball. Which is basically what Mussina did in the 7th inning…threw 2 meatballs. Mussina should never be in the game after the 6th inning, or even the 5th. I can think of a couple of games where Torre trotted him out there and he gave it up..against Boston also..back to back homeruns.
anyone know where I can find a split of Igawa’s numbers between day and night games? Just wondering if there is any significant diffrence between the times of day for him
day: 1-1, 5.71 in 2 starts, also pitched once in relief.
night: 1-1, 7.77 in 5 starts.
http://www.baseball-reference......=igawake01
oh yeah, scroll down to “game conditions”
You said it Peter… Once again, Torre did not put the team in the best position to win, although it most likely wouldn’t have mattered in this game.
thanks for the link john i was just curious on if he can sparkling and better during the day, hope he rocks out the sunglasses tomorrow and shines!
“BigYank1: ARod will play if it is at all POSSIBLE. He is not like Manny Ramirez who looks for ANY reason to take a game off.”
Manny’s played in more games this season than any other red sox player, 2 whole less games than Arod. Don’t let facts get in the way.
You know, the Yankees just might make the wild card.
The last 77 games (after the AS break) has 13 against Tampa Bay, 13 against Baltimore and 10 against Kansas City .
That is 1/2 of your games against the worst teams in the league (not including Texas).
You just might make it – you need to be at least 50-27. If you could go 28-8 against those teams, you would only need to slightly break .500 against everybody else.
The pen is there achilles heal…if they have a good pen, they take Moose out after 6, he pitched well. But since there pen stinks they stayed with Moose and you know the rest of the story.
Nieves stinks that is the bottom line..
My response to the idiot who commented about Britton,the guy’s #’s in the minors are great. he pitched very well in 1/2 a yr last yr with the orioles. he is stuck in the minors becuase the yankee Braintrust are idiots, I assume that can be disheartening…..
he is better today then VIllone, Myers, and possibley farnsy, bruney, and Vizciano.
PEOPLE there Pen stinks………………….that is a big problem unless the Yanks score 8 runs a game…
with arod hurting why don’t the geniuses call up 1 more position player.
this team carries 13 pitchers, and about 6 of them stink..
that is a joke..
dfa Villone or myers or others will it really limit the Yanks from winning anything??????????????Or have fun trade one of our control artists out of the pen..
OOPS today Farnsworth almost had that 1 2 3 inning but not quite, but according to Michael Kay he pitched well and Bruney according to Oneil does not nibble. I guess he does not nibble he just cannot throw strikes. I like Bruney and think he has the right mental makeup but let/s be real he gave up a dinger to a guy hitting 180 or so..He has walked tons of guys lately with less strike outs then earlier in the season..
The common theme is there pen stinks……………..
‘Manny’s played in more games this season than any other red sox player, 2 whole less games than Arod. Don’t let facts get in the way.’
OK, Jimmy, I guess you have already forgotten last year when Manny QUIT on the team after the 5 game sweep by the Yanks. How about YOU don’t let facts get in the way.
Stuart – Don’t let that person’s comment get ya all worked up.
Anyway, the ever imploding Bruney gives up a a HR and walked a batter yet again. This is annoying and painful to watch. When are we going to bring up Shelley Duncan?? Yes, I know he strikes out a lot. Who doesn’t? Dunn, Sosa, Howard, etc….What do they all have in common?? They strike out a ton yet still produce. Shelley can be our Jack Cust. Get Britton and Sean Henn in the ‘Pen. Trade Myers and Villone to Philly for Michael Bourn. Bourn would take Thompson’s spot on the roster. Promote Shelley. Maybe trade for Ronny Belliard and a back up catcher like Jose Molina who is available all the time. What should we do with Iggy?? Phil Hughes is on the comeback trail and you know he’s going to be starting. Will Iggy be going to the ‘Pen? Who’s spot would he take? I like Vizcaino at the moment. He was obviously overused in the first few months of the season. Bruney isn’t going to stop walking batters anytime soon. We know will Proctor will become normal again if he doesn’t get overused. Farns should be gone already but we give him 8 billion more chances to show up the manager and team. Villone doesn’t ever get a chance to pitch. Myers can’t get lefties out anymore so he is useless.
Rivals from Other clubs on Yankees Demise
[quote]
http://www.northjersey.com/pag.....FlZUVFeXk2
Billy Beane A’s General Manager
A’s general manager Billy Beane, considered one of the game’s most thoughtful executives, says those who enjoy watching the Yankees suffer have a warped agenda.
“The Yankees are great for baseball, especially when they’re good,” Beane said by telephone Tuesday. “Anyone who doesn’t believe that is incredibly short-sighted. Me, personally, I never viewed the Yankees as some hated, evil rival, because I have so much respect for the way they play the game. If they’re having a down period, it’s only temporary, and their down period is going to be a lot shorter than most teams’.
Jim Duquette O’s GM
“I take no pleasure in what’s going on with the Yankees because I think it’s only temporary,” said Jim Duquette, Baltimore’s vice president for baseball operations.” With their revenue and resources, they have the ability to retool faster than any team in baseball. I’m worried about them coming back, maybe even this season. But is it good for baseball for the Yankees to keep losing? Definitely not.”
But on the other side of town…..Jeff Wilpon hopes that they stay 6 feet under for a long time..
Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon wasn’t quite as enthusiastic in rooting for a comeback in the Bronx. He was careful to say Tuesday, “All big-market teams doing well is good for baseball” but in reference to the Yankees, added, “our goal is to win a world championship and we’d love to do it by winning a Subway Series.”
[/quote]
Thoughts?
“Manny’s played in more games this season than any other red sox player, 2 whole less games than Arod. Don’t let facts get in the way.”
Manny gave up last year once it became clear the Red Sox were out of it…not to mention he always has some “injury” that forces him to miss the All-Star Break. He doesn’t care about the fans or his teammates, he plays for himself.
i like torre but he needs to go after this year . no more nieves types as b/u catcher .no more cairo batting in the 2-hole. some bad contracts will have expired come 2008 aswell . maybe some issues resolved by then . we can only hope .
You people obviously don’t know Annie Savoy’s MO when it comes to Arod. This is par for the course with her. She can’t help herself, facts be damned.
Will you knock it off with the petty, spiteful comments, Annie? You sounds like a high school sorority bitch.
It didn’t sound like Mussina was making any excuses. But for two bad pitches, he pitched a good game. I think what it mostly came down to yesterday was having Nieves as the hitter in a big situation. Odds are he is not going to come through there.
It’s easy to say Torre ‘should’ have played the ‘A’ lineup, and maybe he could have and maybe the results would have been different, but I agree with Pete – they looked at the numbers and figured to try something else. But the thing that can’t be denied is that Posada cannot play every single game, and resting him the day game after the night game is a no-brainer.
Maybe I don’t feel that badly about yesterday’s loss because I never figured, even with the ‘A’ lineup, that they would beat Santana, and if they had, it would have been a really nice win. The important thing is for Igawa to have a good game today and for the hitting to bounce back and be productive today and if the win, they take 3 of 4 and that’s a good thing, and a good way to lead into the Angels’ series.
According to the Star Ledger this morning, it looks like A-Rod will not be playing for a few days, so the rest of the guys are going to have to pick it up a bit. But, A-Rod is also 0 for his last 19 (0 for 8 since the injury), so maybe’s a good time for him to have a rest anyway.
Lisa Kennelly has a nice article featuring Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy in today’s Newark Star Ledger. I haven’t been able to find the link yet; I’ll post it as soon as I do.
Found the link:
“Joba and Ian story”:http://www.nj.com/starledger/s.....038;coll=1
Ok, Britton had an off day. It happens.
At Trenton, Brett Smith last night pitched a rain-shortened, coyote ugly no-hitter.
5 IP, 0R, 0H, SEVEN walks and 5 Ks.
E-Roc….as for Shelley Duncan, the 21 HR are nice, but where do you play him? He is DHing at SWB. If you bring up Duncan, Damon then plays the field. Bad Move. Do you plan to play Damon at 1b? Duncan defensively is like Phelps. For an apt comparison, just watch his brother Chris on St. Louis. If only Shelley could play 1b….and adequately.
I mentioned on an Internet radio show that baseball needs a competitive Yankees team. No one draws like they do when they are competitive–both at home and on the road. One reason the DH was installed was to get more offense and more fans. It was installed in 1973. What happened in the years just prior to the DH? What was one reason for poor attendance in the late 1960s and early 1970s? Oh yeah, the CBS years of 1965-1972.
One of the things I take from the story is another reason to try and get as many home-grown players as possible. The camaraderie that develops along the way, the shared experiences, the feeling that you’re maybe a part of something bigger. If you’re lucky enough to get to the major league team with more than one or two of your compadres, it’s even more special and there’s a bond. Just look at Jeter, Posada, Mo and Bernie. You know, it’s more than the rings that bound them together. They didn’t start with the rings.
The Twins have that. I’ve heard Cuddyer speak about it and you can see that Torii Hunter, though he will do what he has to do, would like to stay with the Twins. Posada and Mariano, same thing. Each will do what he has to do, but wants to stay with the Yankees.
Thanks for the link Doreen. Great article.
Alex Rodriguez is one of the most durable and committed stars in all of baseball. there is no need to further address that comment b/c it’s an embarrassment to this blog that it’s up there.
Great article Doreen thanks for the link!
torre is really a terrible tactical manager. i don’t know how or why it happened, but he has consistently gotten worse the last few years. this season is kindof a lost cause, and he has probably earned the chance to turn it around himself, but he needs to “retire” at the end of the year. it’s sad, and i won’t revel in it like many Yankee fans, b/c it’s the end of a great era. but it’s painfully obvious this team needs some new blood.
and i don’t think Torre is really the scapegoat for this bad season either. he hasn’t necessarily *helped* matters, but i don’t think he is the primary reason. the primary reason is that over half of the starting lineup has either been hurt or just plain bad all at once. long, teamwide slumps have sunk this team.
it’s not even the pitching. sure, they could use bullpen help, but so can a lot of teams including the red sox and tigers. but here is the team ERA+ by month:
april – 84
may – 99
june – 107
july – 106
since April, the pitching has been above average. that’s about all you can ask for, the offense was supposed to carry this team and it’s never really gotten untracked. fits and starts all year. that’s really been the story.
You are 100% right Doreen. Look at Melky and Cano too. They have a special bond too. Hopefully these Joba and Ian will continue to climb the ladder together.
Any updates on Hughes??
That Joba and Ian link was great!! Thanks Doreen…
“One of the things I take from the story is another reason to try and get as many home-grown players as possible. The camaraderie that develops along the way, the shared experiences, the feeling that you’re maybe a part of something bigger. If you’re lucky enough to get to the major league team with more than one or two of your compadres, it’s even more special and there’s a bond.”
that’s interesting. i think you can see it happening in Trenton. all the pitchers really root for each other and try to teach each other their pitches.
hopefully it will manifest itself in a rotation of Hughes, Wang, Chamberlain, Horne, and Kennedy one day, but that’s probably a pipedream.
the 2007 Yankees have not been a great experience, but you can’t deny there is something really special happening down on the farm.
HMMM that would be great, but unfortunatley I can’t see that happening, espically if Cash is gone after this season, which just might happen if the Yankees don’t make it to the playoffs.
I hope the Yankees are embarassed that Ian and Joba haven’t been to Yankee Statdium, they aren’t exactly that far away that they couldn’t bring them as guests and take a tour.
I looking forward to seeing Edwar Ramirez again maybe today. This is the ONLY highlight in the games now since there is no more playoff hope.
Thanks for the great link, Doreen!
Apparently Hughes’ rehab is going well and he will make a rehab start for Tampa on Monday.
Hughes apparently is a big Joba fan, and states that Ramirez has one of the best changeups he has ever seen.
We should be able to take the third game of this four game series. I don’t blame Torre for the line up but don’t put Cairo in the two hole. That’s just not right and having Nieves in the lineup makes it worst. Look, we need an upgrade over Nieves. Isn’t there a Raul Chavez in the minors who can help? Where is Todd Pratt?? We already have some players under achieving so lineup looks bad already. Then u add Nieves to it and Cairo. YIKES!!!
Great news Mike!! Maybe we won’t see Kei in the rotation too much longer!!
How many rehabs be you figure they give Phil, assuming of course that everything goes well? 3? One at each level?
Than Kei moves to the pen as the long man/spot starter?
Doreen, that was a great article. Thanks for posting it. I have so much hope for the future of the Yankees. It seems like Cash is really committed to holding on to these good prospects. We could have a killer rotation in a couple of years. I’m willing to live with two or three years of “growing pains” while the next generation of Bronx Bombers emerges. But, we need some bats too…
Also, did ya’ll notice that Brett Smith tossed a no-no last night for Trenton? http://tinyurl.com/3csdnr