Game 6: Rays at Yankees
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Apr 06, 2008 
Print This Post
| 
Email This Post
YANKEES
Damon LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Matsui DH
Cano 2B
Posada C
Betemit 1B
Cabrera CF
Wang RHP
UPDATE, 1:08 p.m.: Joe Girardi is feeling better and will manage today. … As predicted yesterday, Giambi is not playing and I suspect he won’t play tomorrow, either. Girardi said he “didn’t think” Giambi would go on the DL. … Enjoy the game.
UPDATE, 2:11 p.m.: Let me guess, the “Chien-Ming Wang isn’t an ace” crowd is quiet today. The Rays have hit one ball out of the infield in four innings. He’s allowed two runs in 11 innings this season.
It’s wrong to penalize the guy for pitching to contact. And don’t underestimate his ability to change as a pitcher. Wang didn’t throw a sinker when the Yankees signed him. Then he picked up the sinker and it got him to the majors. As hitters adjust, he’s going back to the slider he threw in college and picking up a change and splitter.
As good as Hughes, Chamberlain and Kennedy could be, Wang is going to be on top of this rotation for a long time.
UPDATE, 2:38 p.m.: In a 2-0 game, take the easy out at second. Robinson Cano was trying to bare-hand the ball and turn a spectacular double play. As good as he is, Cano sometimes gets a little careless and that was a prime example.
UPDATE, 3:28 p.m.: I like this move by Joe Girardi. Settling bullpen roles by inning is silly. The game needs to be saved right now, not in the eighth inning. I applaud the idea of using Chamberlain right now.
That said, Cano bailed him out with that catch.
UPDATE, 3:31 p.m.: CMW through two starts: 13 10 2 2 4 8. If this score holds up, he’ll be 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA. As it stands now, Wang will face the Red Sox on Friday night at Fenway. That should be a lot of fun.
I refuse to be the first comment. Refuse!
Welcome back Melky
I am shocked that Giambi is having a physical problem. Shocked! Let’s start putting it together today.
OK Trisha – then I will. The Yankees have a good record against Shields especially at Yankee Stadium. I expect the Yanks to do well today.
Yankees are starting a 7 game winning streak….RIGHT NOW !
What’s the weather looking like in New York? If anyone is interested we got about 3-4 inches of snow last night in good ol’ South Dakota.
Nice to see Melky back in the lineup. Things seem to fall into place when he’s in CF. Damon can play LF, which is a huge improvement over Sui, and they Yankees were 23-8 when he was there.
Think it’s too late to get Phillips back?
SD John – the weather here in NY is overcast with a chance of showers
Can’t tell you about NY, in Syracuse it’s sunny with a bright blue sky (!!!) and 55 F.
If only I didn’t have that thesis thing. But you all are sick of me talking about that.
I don’t know if you guys remember, but in a July game we got ten runs off of Shields IN ONE INNING. So I feel pretty good about today. Hope you guys do too, as well. I’m in the mood for a win. I bet it will motivate me to get more work done.
Thank god Melky is back, an outfield with both Damon and Matsui is a disaster defensively. I hope we dont have to see them both out there again any time soon.
As for Giambi, maybe he would stay healthy if Jeter could make a good throw to 1b. Giambi did a pretty good job at saving some crappy throws, but his body cant take that constant abuse.
Rebecca,
Do you live on campus up there? I’m originally from Syracuse.I graduated from Skaneateles high school. I miss it. Can’t wait to come back this summer.
Tell me if I’m wrong, but didn’t we stop struggling last season when Giambi when out with an injury? (I know it also coincided with Abreu & Damon waking up, but still…throw me a bone here).
There’s very little doubt that Tampa Bay will sweep. How do you like that?
41-21 record when G was out, improved 8.5 games in the standings
Should have given Ensberg a start. Sit Cano or Matsui!
SDJohn: I’m a senior at SU, if that’s what you mean, but I technically live off campus like many (if not most) upperclassmen.
Mmm, campus slumlords.
Mel–No, it’s not just you as Rayblay has shown.
RayBlay,
Really? Wow.
Hey, Outside the Lines on ESPN news is going to talk about base coaches, well talk about Bowa.
“Nice to see Melky back in the lineup. Things seem to fall into place when he’s in CF.”
Elizabeth, I think you’re right. Whether it’s with his enthusiasm, glove, arm or bat, Melky seems to spark the Yanks. Good to see him in CF.
The Yanks could use Elliott Johnson to show them how to play with passion. Wake up boys, lets go !!
yeah – I’m concerned as to why I’m slightly relieved that Melkman is delivering again in CF.
and yeah – I believe the Yanks started winning when Giambi was out of the lineup last year.
and yeah – I’m hoping that they don’t turn Shields into a pitcher who’s better than he actually is. It’s time for this lineup to start showing it’s Maximus.
and yeah – how you doing, Trish? Found a new ‘hood, eh?
I’d love to see the same pitching sequence as opening day – - – Wanger to Joba to Mo, Goodnight Irene!
Syracuse campus. I miss it. We used to go to Hungry Charlies, which I don’t think is around anymore.
Thank god Girardi is back. Thomson will never manage in the majors after the last few days. Just kiddin.
Let’s turn this weekend around now that we’ve got Melky back in center. Damon is a much better left fielder at this point in his career and I think we can all agree this team’s defense is a lot tighter when we’ve got JD in left and Melkman in center.
Hopefully today Girardi will be back on the bench and this team’s offense comes out of it’s slumber.
Rebecca–it’s sunny, clear, and mild in Rochester, too.
Fran, that is GREAT news! Shields is probably considered their best after Kazmir, so if we have managed to keep him at bay, that is nothing but good.
I expect good things about of CM today. I think the cold weather is going to help him throw his sinker better. Just a feeling I have. I am assuming it is cold there because I know it is raw here!
Tstan! This is a great place with good people. We still hang out at the old haunt and wonder what is wrong with your chat line. Fix it and come home!
Tstan, guess what freakazoid showed up on this blog? The asswipe of asswipes, PK! Kids, if you see that name, avoid it like the plague. It’s a Sux troll who likes to stalk me because he craves my attention and spins out of control because he doesn’t get it. Also has been known to play big guy in front of his Sux buddies and take shots at me and then email me and ask me to meet him at game!. Hell hath no fury like a caveman scorned (which is exactly what he looks like!)
Hey CAVEMAN! Looks like the Sux are really falling apart. Since we know jet lag doesn’t exist I guess I have nothing to conclude but that they SUCK.
Programming note: For those of you who can’t get the Yankee game and want to follow Beckett’s return, the Boston/Toronto game is the first Sunday baseball game on TBS. Same time as our game.
“I refuse to be the first comment. Refuse!”
Is this Lohudspeak for “FIRST!”?
Pete!!!!!!!!!!!
OldYanks – Pete’s not here today. Nyah nyah!
oh boy, it seems according to the announcers that EVERY pitcher we have faced will bring home the Cy Young award this year.
James Shields is a good pitcher.
I’m not sure why people expect the Yankees to just roll over him.
Last year he threw 215 innings had an ERA of 3.85, ERA+ 117 and a WHIP of 1.1.
He was one of the better pitchers in the AL East last year.
His first start this year was very good (2 runs in 7 innings).
Compare his numbers from last year to Andy Pettite’s, Matsuzaka’s, and AJ Burnett’s last year. He was close to as good in not better than they were.
I know the Yankee’s destroyed him last year but Shield’s is a young pitcher who is getting better. He had that one game which was particularly bad. But young pitcher’s have those.
This is not necessarily going to be an easy game.
Hey mel, I officially joined the 173 club!
Dang, it’s warmer in Syracuse than NYC?! What is wrong with the world?
Sports Reporters on. They’re talking about pitchers. Lupica’s lucid today. Said that Mussina’s conract was one of the best ever (value wise) and they even re-upped. Bob Ryan’s funny. Said Pedro’s contract’s proof of why older pitchers should get paid by the inning or pitch even.
CB: I know Shields is a good pitcher. I just like my memories of 10-run-innings. =D
Shields is in fact Tampa’s #1 starter with Kazmir down, but last year we seemed to have an ability to excel against good pitching while managing nothing against bad.
Or maybe I’m just using Edwin Jackson and Daniel Cabrera as comparisons, and I probably shouldn’t.
Love this blog, read it almost obsessively – A few observations –
Yes it’s early, but aren’t we all getting tired of the excuses every year?
Joe Maddon has turned the Rays into the AL East version of the Angels…bad news for the Yankees.
The Yankees don’t seem to take defense seriously and it comes back to haunt them every year. They should have kept Mientkiewicz…the bench is better, but not useful in a defensive way. You’re really not going to pinch hit for anyone on this team, but you might pinch run or sub defensively. Molina’s great, love Shelley, Betemit’s young deserves a chance. They could use some speed and a reliable glove though.
Let’s see how it unfolds today.
This is going to be a very good pitching matchup today. We all know what CMW can do, and Shields is an innings-eater with that very good changeup. He won’t surrender many walks, so you may see some early swinging in the count from the Yankees. That could be a key.
trisha,
haha. I keep forgetting to take it off my handle. Once people stop being reverse trolls here I’ll take it off.
====================================
It Aint Over ’til It’s Over Bandwagon.
mel-driver
steph-riding shotgun
pat-bringing snacks
buddy-beverages & hibachi
=====================================
Who cares about Melky, is Girardi back?
mel–count me in on that bandwagon!!!
trisha–you can’t apply that logic to the RS without applying it to the Yankees, so I’m more comfortable being in good company right now with the Red Sox, Indians, and Tigers.
Quick Question: Jeter’s error the other day (friday), was it a fielding error or a bad throw? I didn’t catch it.
Chris, you hit it right on the nose. Jeter has made quite a few lousy throws this year over to first and the Big G has done a pretty good job saving him at least 3 errors. I don’t doubt for second that that had something to do with the ‘discomfort’ he’s experiencing in his groin.
CB – Aside from the 10 run inning against him (as Rebecca posted), Shields has yet to win at the Stadium. He is 0-2 with a very high ERA. We are all trying to be optimistic and hope that Yankees break out of their offensive funk.
Okay, but is it Elizabeth or Elizaeth?
Just watched Girardi’s pre-game press conference – talk about banal with a roomful of reporters who have absolutely no questions of any cerebral value to ask Joe – and Joe looks like his normal angular, state-trooper self as he shows galaxies worth of patience while fielding non-questions which include, “Was it rough not being on the bench the last two days?” and “How bad did you feel”? and “Was it tough not being in the dugout the last two days?” and “Is your family sick?” and “Are you feeling as bad as you did the last couple of days?” and “How did you feel not being in the dugout the last two days?”
Cripes.
Yeah Trish – this be one of the better blogs. PeteAbe’s the man.
Edwin Jackson is actually a phenomenally good pitcher with so much upside potential it isn’t funny. When his stuff is harnassed, I believe the kid will be almost unhittable. When he’s on his stuff is filthy. (You may have seen some of that yesterday. I on the other hand didn’t get to watch the game.) I hate to say it but Cabrera also has tremendous stuff when he is on.
tstan did you know about this blog before?
anyone know any sites for minor league baseball that posts the lineups? Trying to see if any of our good young arms are throwing today. Horne looked pretty good, so did Jairo Heredia in A ball. 4 IP 2 ER but 7 K’s. Suttle hit a HR, and Montero was 2-4 with a RBI.
Hey Mel and Trisha, what’s 173*?
My first guess was 162 regular season games + 11 post season wins. But that’s kind of adding apples and oranges (games + wins). I admit it’s hard to pick a definitive goal for either games or wins (though 181 means you’re in game 7 of the WS). Or maybe I’m guessing totally wrong.
Rebecca,
I brought that up largely because the level of competition in the AL East has always been very high but it’s getting even more intense.
The pitching display the blue jays have put up so far to start the season has been phenomenal. The’ve opened with the most difficult schedule in baseball (yankees and red sox for the first six) and their pitching has been phenomenal against two of the three best offenses in the league.
If they stay healthy they are going to be a big problem. Hallady and Burnett I’m not surprised by. By if their first starts are any indications McGowan and Marcum look even better this year than last.
And Tampa Bay is only getting better. Both the pitcher’s currently on their staff and the reinforcements they have in the minors who are going to come up at some point this year.
Of the 5 best pitching prospects in the minors tampa bay arguably has 3 of them.
This is going to be a very difficult division.
Let’s Go Tampa Bay Rays!
SDJohn, I’ve seen Jennings’ SWB blog post lineups (see Peter’s links at right)
Wow, no Ensberg, verrrrrry surprising.
What an awesome day for baseball!
Yazman,
Yes, it’s the uber-optimistic magic number. I think I came up with it before the first game, even, knowing that people would react to each AB, every inning, every loss as if the season was over.
It’s a focus thing. A visual trigger to CALM TF DOWN!!
mel–touche.
That’s what I get for typing with one eye on the pre-game show.
one thing i noticed from a belated watching of the bronx is burning was that elston howard and yogi were coaches on the bench for billy martin. i’m not too crazy about having so many present coaches who got there by being bad players and retiring early.
a few coaching overachievers is fine, but give me more coaches who have experienced success and winning at major league level( yankee success all the better) and who have an overwhelming drive to win at that level. someone like paul o’neill comes to mind.
girardi needs to get back out there.
elizabeth – The Sux will ALWAYS Fran, that is GREAT news! Shields is probably considered their best after Kazmir, so if we have managed to keep him at bay, that is nothing but good.
I expect good things about of CM today. I think the cold weather is going to help him throw his sinker better. Just a feeling I have. I am assuming it is cold there because I know it is raw here!be the stepchildren of the division and will ONLY have trifling success if the Yankees limp home at the end.
Take this to the bank. Since there is no such thing as jet lag, count on the Sux to self destruct on their own. It’s OVAH!
Hey mel, I want to be the one on the bandwagon shooting spitballs through a straw at all the envious Sux fans!
CB: I don’t think there’s any question this is the toughest division in baseball. Only the Orioles seem to have regressed, and even so they can give us fits.
I made some of my friends who are Red Sox fans very upset when I said that I thought Toronto has a better rotation, but, if the Jays stay healthy, they really do.
We were lucky to take two out of three from them, though, hopefully it bodes well for us in the long run.
The problem Toronto always has is staying healthy, especially with Burnett. Can you imagine if Janssen and Ryan were actually pitching? Or if Toronto had a better line-up? It’d be easy to see them right up there contending with the division.
I don’t think there’s any question that if the Jays played in the NL, or even in the AL West, they’d be a playoff team this year.
I’m so glad that Melky is back!
Damn, No Gardner in AAA lineup today.
Geeze Louise, let me try that again! Talk about typing with one eye on the game!
Giuseppe Franco, damn I can’t even stand to watch that commercial anymore. I turn it everytimne.
elizabeth – The Sux will always be the stepchildren of the division. The ONLY way they will have their trifling success is if the Yanks end up limping home at the end.
Take this to the bank. Since there is no such thing as jet lag, count on the Sux to self destruct on their own. It’s OVAH!
Hey mel, I want to be the one on the bandwagon shooting spitballs through a straw at all the envious Sux fans!
ugh! mlb.tv has me blacked out and they’re not broadcasting the Rays here in orlando
By the way, my comments on jet lag refer to the fact that every baseball expert will tell you that starting in Japan has been ruinous to teams who have done it. But when I mentioned that the year the Yanks started in Japan, the collective idiot Sux fans on the Times forum absolutely annihilated me for even suggesting that, calling it an “excuse”. Well, welcome to hell losers. Enjoy the season.
Good start for Wang: a grounder
Joe T: You should be able to get the audio.
my big question of the day- Can Damon get a hit?
I checked my MLB.tv and I was getting it fine…
This is the RIGHT ORDER!!…except 1B.
Melky is a standard out fielder.
Melky is a standard “batter”.
Damon is a standard out fielder.
Damon is an above average “lead off”, he is not done yet.
Matsui is a standard left fielder, look at THT data or another.
Matsui is a standard “slugger”, he already prove it many times.
There is a some kind a religion for “own guy believers”.
I understand this is an important point sometimes.
However, not for Melky who is finded very easy in some Mejor League Baseball Teams.
He is still in border line.
I would rather have Proctor than Betemit.
Yeah this is why we want Melky in center. Johnny doesn’t get to that much as I like him in left.
DA MELK!
Steph I really think we’re going to see CM with a good sinker today.
People – I understand that there are many who don’t like Giambi. I like him, but I can understand why some don’t.
Here are some facts:
In April 07, before injured, his line .322 .404 .517 .921
In his entire Yankee career, included steroid withdrawal, an intestinal parasite, a tumor, a bone spur, and rectal warts, diareah, heartburn, and whatever else he has suffered, he has AVERAGED a .930 OPS and 30 HRs.
How many teams have 2 players who post these numbers?
Like him of not, when Giambi is healthy, he is an elite hitter… and we need a HR hitter in this lineup.
I sure hope so. The wind should help him out.
Pena is K’d swinging-great inning
WOO HOO!!!!
I love watching CM pitch when he’s having a “down” day!
Good start Wang. Keep that ball down. Damon let’s get it started
rahmen,
Yeah!!!….ok…
OW!!
nice going WANGER
Damon grounds to first
god damon is pathetic
Damon’s scuffling right now pretty bad. Not taking good swings.
Okay Jeter was flat out robbed on that. You can’t hold that out against Jeter.
I believe Damon defense is overrated atleast, now, it is. Not putting Melky in center would be a major blow for our defense. I like this lineup.
Upton continues to kill us in Center. That was a really nice catch.
Dang that Upton! Jeter robbed of a single at least.
Is that 2 pitchs and two outs, lovely.
Yanks fan, I agree with you about Giambi, and from people that I know that have meet him, one of the best guys in the sport. I think the resentment resides in the fact that he symbolizes what we became after 2001. All or nothing kind of players. that could be just me, but, I have to say that’s why I think plus the steroids, plus injuries, plus poor D, plus long periods of being in-effective. Otherwise, pretty good guy though.
Abreu K’s
Notice none of these young SS wear number 3 for Arod but they wear number 2 for Jeter.
Jax, yeah that says alot right?
You know, I wish someone would tell Michael Kay that 40 F isn’t exactly cold.
Well, at least, not when you spend two months going to class when the temperature doesn’t get above 20 on a good day.
Nice play A-Rod.
Jax, that says alot right?…specially since Jeter never won a gold glove when A-rod was a shorstop right?
That was a nice play by ARod. Really good arm strength to put that much on the throw after the spin.
Good play by A-Rod
Nice Arod. Wang has the downward movement today. looks good so far
Nice defensive plays so far today. Floyd grounds to Betemit
rahmen:
Melky is a standard out fielder.
Melky is a standard “batterâ€.
Damon is a standard out fielder.
Damon is an above average “lead offâ€, he is not done yet.
Matsui is a standard left fielder, look at THT data or another.
Matsui is a standard “sluggerâ€, he already prove it many times.
By ‘standard’, I guess you mean average?
Melky is an above average (not great) OF’er, especally when you factor in his arm.
JD is a slighty better then average LFer mainly because of his speed, and because they are all hit/no field players (Manny) in LF
Matsui is BELOW AVERAGE LF’er, and getting worse. Defensive metrics are mixed, but he NEVER went back well (look at the ball his missed yesterday), and since he broke his wrist, is now poor coming in. He may SLIDE to catch a ball, but you will never see him dive for a ball.
As a hitter, he is a career .855+/- OPS guy with 22+/- HRs. This is above average, but certainly NOT a slugger or elite, especially for a LF’er. Jeter and Posada both have similar career OPS at MUCH harder defensive positions.
At this point it’s absolutely impossible to separate Giambi’s performance from his propensity to get hurt.
By that argument Rick Harden would be the best pitcher in baseball.
I like Giambi but they can’t count on him for anything.
Think about this – baseball prospectus estimates for this year his collapse rate (being worse than your weighted average by over 20%) at 48%. They estimate that his attrition rate at 28%.
Those are projections – but they are pretty overwhelming.
As long as he’s healthy they should give him at bats. But his likelihood of doing so isn’t great.
Rebecca – I can get the audio, but i have it on gamecast and i’d prefer that over john and suzzy lol
TBS is actually showing the Sox and Jays so I can watch that and have the gamecast for the Yankees so I won’t go insane listening to those two
I hate walks. But with Hinske’s numbers against Wang, maybe not bad. Gotta keep the ball down from the stretch though.
Just something that I noticed. Would like to know why though.
JD is no longer above average is CF (much more competition in the 2 leagues), but in LF his arm is not AS MUCH a liability, and there are far fewer good fielders in LF then CF, so I believe JD is still SLIGHTLY above average in LF.
A Melky/JD outside is SIGNIFICANTLY better then a JD/Mats OF.
From stretch, the ball is up
Oldyanksfan,
thank you, for putting rahmen in his place. I believe he doesn’t know much about baseball. I respect opinions, but that was not an opinion, there are facts that prove Melky is not an average defender
Good pitch. Downward.
JoeT-I usually live blog if you want to read it. I don’t do pitch-by-pitch though, so you’re probably better of with gamecast.
Aybar K’s swinging
Haaaaaa
very nice WANGER!
FWIW, I prefer Betemit to Proctor 7 days of the week. But that’s just me. In fact I really like Betemit as a player and is happy he has a roster spot.
So here we have the playbook on “good pitching shuts down good hitting.”
I like cm so far. He’s looking good.
And Damon is faster than Matsui, so he can get to a few more balls than he can.
“As a hitter, he is a career .855+/- OPS guy with 22+/- HRs. This is above average, but certainly NOT a slugger or elite, especially for a LF’er.”
Last year 5 left fielder’s had OPS’s higher than .855.
I agree that he’s declining as a left fielder but it’s not accurate to say that an .855 OPS is only “above average” for a left fielder.
Same goes for DH. Last year only 4 DH’s had an OPS higher than .855. Two of those were Frank Thomas and Jack Cust and it wouldn’t surprise me to see both of them do worse than +.850.
SDJohn – Giambi has many flaws at 1B defensively. While he is terrible at throwing, he usually fields what he can get to, and he is above average at making scoops. In just 5 games so far, look how many bad throws he has handled.
And for our INF, which makes a lot of bad throws, Giambi is probably a better defensive option at 1B then Shelly or Betemin. He will not range as far as our other options, but he will save more errors on throws.
Guys, don’t get on people that don’t know much about baseball–we all have to start learning somewhere.
I think in the past six months my baseball knowledge has increased exponentially, but I’m still far from the person you want as an analyst.
Now, people that have been here long enough and STILL post things that make no sense? Well, then, by all means…
Matsui with a single
Shields is going to pitch a complete game at the rate these fools are swinging at the first pitch.
ARod hit that ball well. Bartlett was shaded to the hole, that’s why he could get to it.
Cano flies to right, but it looked like he called time
So far there’s nobody on the team that I would want elsewhere. They’re all valuable parts and all will prove their worth this season. Every one of them. I don’t believe in abandonding the guys that have gotten you there, like old worn out shoes – because they’re not.
Posada flies out to end the inning
Is no one else tired of the Terrible Twosome of Jeter and Damon swinging at the first pitch they see every at bat? Yuck.
Jeter and A-Rod hit the ball well; Jeter was robbed and A-Rod hit it in the wrong location. Matsui had a clean single, Canò tried to call time (though that doesn’t necessarily explain his swing) and Posada got under it a bit.
Maybe we’re doomed or maybe we’ll come through but either way, it’s not like we had seven straight strike outs.
Old Yanks, I agree on this team, he may be the best defensive 1B option we have. He has always scooped the ball well saving errant throws. And he has saved a few throws already (Jeter), but let’s be honest, when the ball is hit to the right side of the infield, I think we all hold our breath a little, or hope it’s going to Cano. I actually like Giambi, but I also think he will benefit from going elsewhere after this season, and I also think the Yanks will benefit moving in another direction. I’m not slamming him, my brother (a red sox fan, I know)meet him in Tampa, said he was by far the friendliest player he has ever met.
God,
am tired also but, i will give them a couple of weeks and then ill start to worried.
I love Wang’s new double tap release.
The important thing to remember is that these BAs will not hold up. They will be much much higher, so if the Yankees can squeak out some wins until the offense catches up, they’ll be in good shape.
Hate it when sh*t like that happens. Robbie called time. Damn ump.
Beckett with a one-hitter going in his first start.
Riggans K’s. Wang’s sinker and slider look great
Nice slider to get the K by Wanger. For a guy that’s won 19 games the past two seasons, it’s nice to see him evolve as a pitcher.
4 K’s for Wang? what gives?
Another K for Wang. Yowza
Rios broke up Beckett’s perfect game.
Some of these DRays look like they’re playing at Lambeau instead of Yankee Stadium with the way they are bundled up. Ha!
Call Me–he’s only pitched two innings…
CB… I will partially agree. AAccording to ESPN, In 400 min/ABs, in both leagues for LFers, he is 11th of 32, so he just eeks into the top third. His .855 OPS compared to an approx. median of .827.
So what do you call a player who’s OPS is .028 pts above median? And much of that production was before both the wrist and knee injuries. Will he ever see .855 again?
ESPN lists only 10 DHs with over 300 ABS. If you put Mats in that group, he is 4/5 of 11. The median would be about .838, .017 pts below Mats.
Quick inning. Wang looks great.
too good!
wang is too good today
SDJohn-Wang is mixing up his sinker and slider with batters to keep them off-balance and to keep them from waiting on his sinker.
Hopefully now the offense can get something going. Wang is looking really good.
Wow, 1-hitter for Beckett? After 1 1/3 innings? That’s impressive. Too bad it’s not a no-hitter over 2/3 inning…
“Beckett with a one-hitter going in his first start.”
Halladay with a two-hitter. Should be a good game. My money is on Toronto, but I admit to a slight prejudice of sorts…
Finally came to the end of the rope with the squirrels totally cleaning out my bird feeder and put petroleum jelly on the pole that holds the feeder. Man they’re relentless!
CMW is gonna throw a perfect game today i can’t believe it!!!
Wang looks great today, but the offense needs to take advantage because Wang will make a mistake, so lets take advantage of this and try not to play catch up again.
Damn all these K’s. Escalating the pitch count.
Here we go
Betemit HBP
I mean a no hitter!!
Anti, didn’t he give up a walk to Hinske? How can it be a perfect game?
Good AB Betemit, way to get hit. ANY offense is good at this point
Spoke too soon. Halladay has a three-hitter going (and a run that came with the third hit).
As perfect as britney before she joined the mickey mouse club!
grrr. Betemit.
wow Betemit, 1st out at 3rd?
Welcome back, Melky.
DA Melk!
Ya see why I (and many others) didn’t want this kid traded away?
Upton…geez, he kills us. Betemit taken down at third and Melky to second.
Great AB by Melky, fouling off pitch after pitch till he can drive a pitch to left center. Aggressive baserunning by Betemit. Perfect throw by Upton. He is killing us. Is it too soon to declare BJ Upton a stud?
good one meachem
That’s my boy!!! (And there’s the ever-potent Betemit/Meachem combo)
thank you, betemit.
trying to take 3rd, on a short single, with no outs.
upton is gonna be a stud, he missed a good amount of time last yr and still put up impressive numbers
wat that Meachem’s call ??
Will Damon ever get another hit? Seriously?
This just in…
Felix Hernandez has a perfect game going after 1/3 of an inning. He is on pace for a 27 strikeout game.
Gitmo -
I declared him a stud last year. I’d say you’re on the money.
Betemit must’ve learnewd baserunning form the “Jorge Posasa and Jason Giambi Show You How To Run the Bases” video.
Okay. That may have worked out for us–Betemit going to third let Melky go to second. If Melky had just been on first, that would have been a double play.
“Aggressive baserunning by Betemit.”
No! Poor baserunning! Fine-able baserunning.
You don’t go to third with no outs or 2 outs unless you are SURE you make it (as opposed to being out by 10 feet)
That is not on Meachem. The play is in front of you as a baserunner, it’s on you.
Melk’s got a little 4-game hitting streak going. So, according to the broadcast, Betemit went on his own?
Rebecca, swear to God the exact same thoughts went through my mind re: Betemit out at third, DP, etc.
I like Weavers style!
Yeah, like Betemit is the first Yankee to be thrown out at third. BFD. Life happens. (You can read that as – I don’t trash other Yankees for baserunning mistakes so I’m certainly not going to start on Betemit!)
Old Yankee Fan,
Aggressive baserunning doesn’t imply positive or negative, but thanks for teaching me that it was a bad decision. I wasn’t aware of that.
OldYanksFan
If you say Melky is above.
You should say also Matsui is above.
Please figure it out yourself.
http://www.hardballtimes.com/m.....s-of-2007/
http://www.hardballtimes.com/t.....mit=Submit
Jeter and Posada, their diffencive number are huge below average.
If you say do not need Matsui and Damon.
You have to say to DJ & JP.
Am I wrong?
Jeter’s having a nice battle up there. Glad to see them making Shields work. Too bad he grounds out
Nice AB by Jetes.
Not watching, was Betemit’s thrown out @ 3B a Meachem thing? Or was that on Wilson?
The lack of clutch hitting is getting a bit frustrating, I must admit.
RISP, can’t we just save the frustration and end the inning when someone gets to second. You know we ain’t getting a hit.
Well, at least they made Shields work a little this inning even if there’s no runs to show for it.
trisha–I don’t ‘trash’ any Yankees, but I’ll call a player on a poor baserunning decision every time.
Justin Verlander has also not allowed a baserunner yet. Great day for pitching!
Yeah, Betemit screwed up trying to take 3rd there. Can’t do that with no outs. If he stays at third, Damon bunts, Jete’s up there with a runner on 3rd, 1 out. Totally different scenario.
Completely on Betemit. The play was in front of him, you are not looking at the 3B coach. Only if it is to the right side of 2B.
Jeter looks physically weak up there. He’s not putting ANYTHING on his hits, they’re all grounders. There’s nothing on them. Is he out of shape or soemthing? He just looks terrible at the plate.
Betemit was running on his own. The play was in front of him. It was his mistake.
The Yankees right now are just not hitting in the clutch. I am sure that will improve – hopefully soon.
DJ: LMAO!
FYI for those out of the NY area (in case some weren’t aware)…
The game is on Extra Innings (still free preview!)
I wonder when Bobby Murcer is going to be back…anyone know?
Crawford lines to Cano
Jeter had a real good first AB. He smoked that ball to CF, Upton made a great read/catch.
Elizabeth I wasn’t talking to/referring to you. It as a generic comment as several people commented on it. That’s all. You certainly have the right to comment on poor baserunning if that’s what it was. I saw Arod do the same thing in a game where he was out by a mile trying to go home. Life happens.
The guy didn’t kill someone’s mother. He either thought he could make it to third, or he was called to third. Either way maybe understandable with nobody out and a game where there doesn’t look to be a lot of runs. Guess what? I think I’ll call it aggressive baserunning.
Wang, changeup? nice pitch
hmm… any1 noticed wang’s drop in velocity? he barely hits 90s today and in the previous game…
35 years ago today sine the DH was allowed. Who would have thought it would last this long?!
Hope it doesn’t last another 35 years.
it wouldnt have been a DP…..Betemit HBP…Melky single….1st and 2nd…sac bunt by Damon….2nd and 3rd 1 out for jeter…
MLB game cast and this blog make for an exciting yankee game. Even if we cant hit shields. CMW you can do it…refuse to jinx.
Ohhhh…. sweet changeup to freeze Pena at the plate.
All I notice about Wang today is he’s looking awesome.
Great change-up to strikeout Pena there.
And Pena down on another K
Mike, cole in New York. I would much rather see Wang in the low 90′s with movement versus mid 90′s up. Tis good.
When the Pirates and Marlins are the only teams that have allowed more runs than we have, a start like this from Wang is gold.
or Damon hits-and-runs
That’s because he’s not throwing his sinker quite as much. He’s throwing his slider more, and that’s a slower pitch than the sinker, which he can throw at 94-95. Besides, it’s still early in the season. As long as he’s effective, I’m happy. Uhoh…there better not be something wrong with Wang. Good, no.
Not good, my as well be a double
Upton walks
to me, it look like Jeter continues to chase sliders, on the outside of the plate.
The slider looks almost Joba-ish. If he can control that thing, he’ll be a frightening pitcher.
If Rays have to take a walk, let it be with two out.
Good job Wang.
Floyd grounds to Cano to end the inning
I don’t know what Wang had for breakfast today, but I know I want it.
no hitter. I just jixed it!
Another great inning by Wang. His sinker, slider, and change are all working. He did a good job during the Upton at bat. Upton just did a good job laying off some good 2 strike pitches. He did a good job of keeping an eye on Upton at first, and retired Floyd (I don’t remember him being on Boston. Was he awful on the Sox that they let him go?) before Upton could steal second.
NO HITTER THRU 4!!
Wang is looking awesome. Held my breath for a minute when Girardi and the trainer came running out to the mound.
“Yeah, like Betemit is the first Yankee to be thrown out at third. BFD”
Trish – You’re a little edgy. Are you sitting on something? It is a BFD. Not making the 1st or 3rd out at 3rd base is a very old, standard and universally accepted rule in baseball. It has nothing to do with going to 2nd, or going to the plate.
Every player can be forgiven for an error. Physically, everyone will have ‘oopsies’. But mental mistakes are more controlable and more easy to avoid.
And I don’t trash players. Part of being an educated fan is knowing, like the players should, what plays are ‘good’ to try and what plays are ‘bad’ to try.
Man on 1st and 2nd with no out is a BIG difference than man on 2nd, 1 out (big inning wise).
C’mon offense, time to reward Wang with some runs!
Guess who got the only hit off of Beckett in 3 innings? Yup, Rios. That dude is awesome.
Lead off walk for Alex Rios. Hope it leads to something.
Wang does deserve some run support.
Bobby K’s
Abreu looked silly during that at bat. Come on bats… get it going.
Whose the next Cy Young canidate we face? Every game, announcers make it look like we aren’t in a funk by saying how good the pitcher is, and how on he is that day. C’mon
Double by A-Rod! Yeah!
Double to right center for ARod. Thank god we re-signed him.
Great piece of hitting by ARod. Tough pitch down and away stroked to right center for a double.
DUH! Try this one more time.
I wasn’t directing my post at anyone in particular. I guess I don’t get bent out of shape too easily with human error since I am prone to make mistakes myself in life. Being strident over a baseball game has never been my style.
So someone makes a baserunning mistake, so be it. It’s not the end of my world.
RISP, can we just chalk up the next two not getting a hit?
Thank God Wells hit that homerun, Buck’s prattling was driving me nuts.
Alex!
Beckett gives up a 2 run bomb to Wells. Toronto up, 2-1.
YESSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SORRY PETE!!!
Vernon Wells just took Beckett deep. 2-1 Jays.
That Matsui is such a bum.
Oh, I love my reverse psychology!!!!
Homer by Hideki! Whoo!!! 2-0 Yanks!
WHOO! YEAH MATSUI! We so needed that! That’s how you hit with RISP
see ya matsui!! 2 run
Godzilla!
thank you, Matsui. Thank you.
finally. something.
Vintage Godzilla! Where has he been?
nice catch by manny just now lol…i didnt think he was capable
Big jack by Hideki. Looks like he sat on the change-up 2-0.
Matsui is no spare part! Go Godzilla!
Nice hanging change up by Shields. Way to take advantage of a mistake!
Matsui 2 HR’s this series but yeah he’ll probably never have an OPS of .850 again.
GODZILLA!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow, at almost the exact same time! The gods smiled on us for a moment.
How I love symmetry in baseball life. I notice it lots with Yanks Sux stuff.
Jays take Beckett deep, and a second later, Sui takes Shields deep – both for two runs.
Meanwhile, that’s what I mean about all parts being valuable. How can you write anyone off at this point, least of all Sui?
Thomas almost went yard. Manny with the web gem.
Matsui looking like a washed up, injured spare part…
Godzilla!! sits on the change and see ya!!
maybe matsui can teach damon how to do that
Maybe Matsui can’t field but he sure has been hitting today.
“Matsui 2 HR’s this series but yeah he’ll probably never have an OPS of .850 again.”
I hope he OPS at 1.000 or above…. but lets talks in September.
qyuck trade him how while his value is high!
He he he. Nice job Julio Lugo. Error
It’s Godzilla! No it isn’t! Wang is dealin today. 5 K’s..unlike him.
Robbie. Good AB baby
Regardless of what happens, a really good at bat by Cano.
Good AB so far by Cano, fighting off some tough pitches. If .200 is the Mendoza line, what is .100. I’ll refer to it as the Espinosa line (as in Alvaro). Nice rope by Cano for a hit to stay above the said Espinosa line.
I think Robbie earned that. Can’t believe I’m saying this, but great call by the ump.
Great AB Cano and he has a single
attaboy cano i think that AB could jumpstart him. good looks at a lot of pitches, looked confident down 0-2 against a good pitcher
Come on Hip Hip… keep up the hot bats in the inning.
Jorge just missed that. They’re getting much better swings second time around.
Yeah, get Sabean on the phone. I don’t think the entire Giants lineup has two home runs yet.
Posada almost had that…
Beckett close to 70 pitches and still in the 4th inning.
Thanks god Girardi moved Matsui up the order today.
Nice drive by Jorge (I’m pronouncing it Georgie, if anyone was curious).
i really wanna watch santana/smoltz but cant bear to listen to keith hernandez. its like shoving nails through my ears
Which side is Betemit’s good side (lefty?)
Hit and run, 1-1 no more pitchout
Betemit hits from the left side-he’s nearly useless batting righty
Ooo, I think I’ll catch some Santana Smoltz too! I guess MLB TV will have to be warmed up.
Three games going at once.
i like those team jackets theyr sporting in the dugout
At least the Yanks really worked Shields over and gave Wang some offense finally…
Ugh, not another Geico commercial.
Betemit was forced to swing at that 3-2 curve with the previous pitch being a low strike. Can’t complain about the strike zone. He’s been very consistent with the healthy (large) strikezone for both teams. I prefer this strike zone to the puny one that Kennedy got.
Thanks to an error by Lugo, Beckett at 70 pitches through 4 innings. 2-1 Toronto.
I’m not sure how excited I’d be to see Toronto win….
Steph, now the beauty will be watching the Yanks keep it a 2-0 game. I really love those kinds of games also!
Tek with a HR.
lot of good games on today to check out on the commercial breaks
I’d love to see the Yanks crank out a few more runs, but if this is all the Wang-Joba-Mo tangent needs, then I’ll take it. A win’s a win, regardless of how they got there.
No leadoff walks. Rather have him go yard.
Hinske grounds out
I’m watching Halladay. His FB has good movement, but his location is not what it was against the Yanks. He is missing up, and the pitch to Tek was middle of the plate, thigh high.
I cannot tell you how much I hate Michael Kay and John Sterling when they decide to “forego” baseball tradition and superstition and say whatever the hell they want to about something they are not supposed to say, despite knowing there are a lot of people who think they shouldn’t say it and a lot of sports broadcasters who won’t go anywhere near it – if you know what I’m talking about.
Kay has done that just about every time he shouldn’t (rule of thumb I believe is until 5 innings are over) and even if it is coincidentally, it’s been ruined every time. And even if it is a coicidence, I want to go and take a bat to his face every time it happens…
Sorry.
I just came in…does anyone know how may pitches CMW has thrown? Wanna know if he’ll last til the 7th for Joba.
Way to protect that lead, Roy…
This is actually a great outing for him considering his history against the Red Sox.
Who jinxed it?
All tied up in Toronto.
Those Blue Jays will be pesky this year
Dang it. Aybar gets a hit
So much for the no hitter
What are you talking about trisha-173*?
What did Kay say?
“Who jinxed it?
”
me.. scroll up…
Michael Kay jinxed it. That stupid SOB.
Argh, Cano can’t handle Jeter’s throw and Aybar goes to third
Totally and completely agree trisha.
Trisha,
The two of them probably said ‘Perfect Game’ about a dozen times before the 5th during the Cone and Wells games. Didn’t hurt.
Which is a far better defense than the one Kay gave on his radio show… O.o
Wang is at 68 pitches
Haha! Suicide squeeze fails the Rays and they get Aybar hung up
Wang is at about 70 pitches.
mko, that fat waste of space Kay talked about CM’s no hitter and no sooner were the words out of his overblown mouth that Eybar got a hit!
“Let me guess, the “Chien-Ming Wang isn’t an ace†crowd is quiet today.”
“As good as Hughes, Chamberlain and Kennedy could be, Wang is going to be on top of this rotation for a long time.”
Come on Pete why do you have such a monkey up your butt about Wang? He’s a very good pitcher. But he’s not an ace. And even more laughable is your comment about Joba and Hughes. They will eventually be better than Wang, and quite possibly as early as next season.
Jeter must throw better, Error to Robbie, fine, but not a good throw either
i dont think that announcers saying words have any affect on the pitchers pitching or hitters hitting… it’s just superstitions.
Bartlett K’s
“Wang is going to be on top of this rotation for a long time.”
Agreed. I think Wang will get even better.
where are all the wang cant be an ace critics today?
Wang’s slider is downright filthy.
Ace or not, I’ll take Wang on my pitching staff any day of the year. Except for October 2007 in Cleveland. But that’s besides the point.
The error should have gone to Canò on that play, so good it did.
Robinson is lucky Bowa is not still here. He’d be all over him after that play and deservedly so. He acts too nonchalant.
Wang is a stud. I am happy we have him on our team.
Let’s see if we can get some more runs now
This is so cute. You are all falling in love with Trisha.
That is very nice……until however you disagree with her. Of course, she’ll tell you that you can disagree and that she is not afraid to say when she is wrong WHEN she thinks she’s wrong which in her mind is never. And don’t ever criticize the Yankees because that is a sure way for a disagreement to occur.
Then you’ll start to see the ugly egocentric side of her. And when she turns on her you will thank me for having told you so and ask why you did not believe me sooner.
Broncobuster: You actually believe Hughes and Joba are going to be getting 19 Wins next year? Yeah, ok, those a realistic expectations.
Wang gets wins. At the end of the day if you can complain about that then there’s something wrong with you.
this team is much better when melk and damon hold down the OF, even if damon’s next hit comes in may
Melky K’s
and i rescind that last comment
I think Damon is an improvement in left over Matsui too.
Thanks S.A. and rodg 12.
I think the great news is our ace and our MVP both are looking great right out of the gate. Once Damon, Posada, Jete and Cano’s bats get going we will roll over every team in sight in no time.
About time Johnny D. Now RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
what’s up with that shove to posada at the end of the play at third ? devil rays still got that attitude thing going?
Evil Empire,
You jinxed Johnny, and now he got a hit.
Even if Joba moves to the rotation next year, he won’t have enough innings to get a full season of starts. There’s no way he’d win 19.
Johnny with a blooper for his first hit in 10 ABs
DJ – I don’t remember them saying it during those perfect games but I think I would feel better if I heard those words with my own ears and then saw it happen!
I’ll never forget one time that happened, whoever it was that was pitching, and that fat wad Kay actually went on and on with Sterling about how he doesn’t pay any attention to the superstition! Well how about there are a ton of people who do, including ball players?
Last season I was watching a Mets game where the pitcher in question had a no-no going and do you know that the broadcasters for the Mets referred to it as “something special” and absolutely did not say the words “no hitter” or “perfect game” once? I had such respect for that.
Heck, if ballplayers wear the same undershirt every game or throw away and burn cleats, why the hell not respect the tradition of keeping mum until the 5th? I didn’t come up with it, but I sure respect it! In fact whenever a Sux player has a shot at a no-no, I make sure I post it as soon as I can.
Yeah okay so kill me. I hate the Sux.
I’m just saying please respect it when it’s your own team!
I don’t care if Wang is an “ace” or not. He’s probably the most under appreciated member of this team.
The guy eats 200 IP every season and is as reliable as any pitcher in the AL.
If the team builds a stable of depth and innings eaters in the rotation – it hardly matters which Yankee starter is penciled in the #1 slot.
Oh, he was leanin. Definitely on the move in this AB
I don’t think Aybar was trying to shove Posada. He was trying to get Posada to overrun him and stay safe by standing still or letting Posada get the tag. Posada was running hard and crashed.
“An Ace or Not an Ace… THAT is the question!”
—————————————————
Over the last 2 years, Wanger has been 20th in ERA (can’t find ERA+ numbers). So, with 30 teams, that about 180 pitchers.
So, with 30 teams, 180 pitchers, how do you rank if you are 20th?
Are you an Ace?
Jeter gets a hit-men on first and second now
Dee,
It’ll help if Pettitte’s back issues don’t linger. And Kennedy gets his control back without an early trip to the minors.
if only abreu can get a hit now and continue my mlb.com beat the streak
Oh bobby, you missed one
I know OPS is very important number for how to make runs.
I believe that OPS is simular stance with RC27.
However, I think that total RC is more important than RC27 to the team.
I bet Matsui got more than 100RC, if Matsui gets healthy this season.
This is enough number for the team.
Don’t forget Matsui got best OPS in out fielder of Yankees last season.
Uh oh. It’s PK the freak cave man troll” I told you about earlier. Ignore him because it’s me he can’t stay away from obviously. I don’t think he’ll try to ruin the game for anyone else.
“Come on Pete why do you have such a monkey up your butt about Wang? He’s a very good pitcher. But he’s not an ace. And even more laughable is your comment about Joba and Hughes. They will eventually be better than Wang, and quite possibly as early as next season.”
What is an Ace’s most important duty? Being the stopper. Which is exactly what Wang is doing beautifully. We’re coming out of two rotten games with poor starts and an offense thats asleep at the wheel. And Wang is being an ace and coming and he’s dealing. And he’s doing it beautifully. He’s also doing it with 6k thru 5ip which goes against those who say Wang doesn’t get enough k’s. For better or worse Wang is our Ace of the moment. I’m confident that Phil Franchise will eventually rise to the role but for no I have little doubts about Wang’s abilities.
bases loaded up in toronto for the good guys
beckett’s out – he loaded the bases on two straight walks.
hhhmmm.. Bases loaded in Toronto 2 outs..
Beckett out now..Delcarmen in
Good. I like hearing that the Sox will have to use their pen early.
Beckett CRUISES through the first 2 batters.. then gives up 2 singles and a BB. Bases loaded, 2 out for the Jays. Haven’t ben counting, but Beckett must be near 90 pitches…. WAIT… commercial…. Is Beckett gone in the 5th?
Stay tuned, Bat fans.
Beckett Gone! Can’t win. Can lose. But he’s ugly wither way.
Thecarman is in.
He he he he he. Hey CAVEMAN PK looks like your “no such thing as Japan jet lag” Sux losers are self destructing.
WOW grand slam for frank thomas!!!
GRAND SALAMI BY THOMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!
grand slam on the first pitch for frank thomas!
GRAND SLAM FOR FRANK THOMAS!!!
NICEEEEEEE!
Frank, unloads the bases. Toronto up 6-2
BIG HURT BIG YARD
frank thomas grand slam!
GRANNY TIME IN TORONTO!
At least the Sux – the team with the oldest players in the league – are playing like your granny!
Yeah they did the “perfect game” talk throughout the Cone game. Apparently Coney’s parents and brother in KC who didn’t even have TV or radio access of the game heard about it from their neighbors by the 5th or 6th inning.
About Cano, I wonder how many time he must have been talked to about paying better attention during the game…I’m curious if he has ADD.
Godzilla’s got the bases juiced…funny how we’re mirroring the Jays in that way
Nice AB by ARod, though he let a mistake hanging curve go for strike 2… Here we go Godzilla.
and becketts line goes from decent to ugly with one pitch
Oh snap.. Thomas GS
6-2 Toronto
Trisha,
They were still doing the Sterling-odd/Kay-even thing then, right? I’d be absolutely shocked if Kay at least didn’t say ‘perfect through four’ both times. For exactly the reason you mentioned, his disregard for superstition. I don’t have a problem with him doing it … though I retched at his stupid Holocaust and slavery comparisons.
If Wang was a strike-out, 100 mph fastball pitcher then I think people would not question that he’s the ace but since he’s a sinker ball guy, people have a hard time looking at him as “ace”.
I think Cano just gets lazy in the field sometimes if he thinks its an easy play.
Haha Thomas is on my fantasy team. Woo!
“Thomas GS”
The Big Hurt!
Dang it. Matsui K’s looking
Damn, nice pitch by Shields to get out of that Jam.
But he’ll be out of this game after the 6th at the latest…
Someone has got to sign the offense up for a ‘hitting with RISP’ class.
Yankee offense. They are getting there, but not quite just yet. Seeing all the signs of good things to come though. Damn, that would have been huge hit for deki.
LOL
I love how many of us are following the Red Sox/ Blue Jays game
Ugh. Matsui
The Yanks did not score that inning but Shields is over 90 pitches so he is not long for this game.
ANOTHER bases loaded situation and ZERO runs scored. WTF!?
Wasn’t this the year that Delcarmen was supposed to emerge as a bullpen force? Good start.
Okay, how many times are we going to leave the bases loaded and not score this year? That’s like the 4th time we’ve done that in 6 games.
Iwamura lines to A-Rod
Crawford flies to left
Delcarman, in a tied game, gives up a grand slam on his very first pitch.
I wonder how that feels.
Hi folks. Great game today so far. Looks like it will be a Joba-Mo day.
DJ
I am really superstitious with baseball, I admit it. So that stuff does drive me crazy.
DJ, Agree about Pettitte. I’m not worried yet at all about IPK, I always thought location was his speciality considering his young age. I hope Friday night was just a combination of nerves and bad ump calls.
DJ: Probably not very good.
Papi now batting .080 and Beckett with a 9.64 ERA. Do you think Boston will do a salary dump and send them to us for Gardner?
Anyone else feel it should be every Yankee fans right to get one free shot to punch Kay in the face?
so the question is…..Is it Canon..or Cano at the backstop
Yeah, especially after he had to bring up my Bruins losing yesterday. Argh.
come on Wang
Nice. Gotta love the Wanger when his sinker is down.
Wang gets out of the inning
Great job Wang
Alright. One more inning then Joba Mo Win.
I like that.
Wang-Joba-Mo-Win.
memphis kansas is a great matchup, i picked KU at the start but derrick rose is lighting up the competition
the one two punch that is JoMo is going to be electric for the first half
Robbie with a nice double
Robbie, your error is forgiven. Let’s get you home.
Cano, coming alive. Hit the ball hard 3 times (including a foul ball this AB)
Double for Cano!
Way to lead off Robbie. Double down the line in right. Way to get off the schneid.
Nice Robbie
Joba-Mo. I patent it.
“Broncobuster: You actually believe Hughes and Joba are going to be getting 19 Wins next year? Yeah, ok, those a realistic expectations.
Wang gets wins. At the end of the day if you can complain about that then there’s something wrong with you.”
As I already said, Wang is a very good pitcher. Saying he is not an ace is not an insult. I think he is the man. But he is not an ace. And Marc, I agree that Wang is a stopper. That will be particularly important this season with the innings limits on Hughes/Joba/Kennedy. But it doesn’t mean he’s an ace. He is a fine pitcher. But not an ace.
And anyone still judging pitchers individual talents by their W-L record is clearly not keeping up with the times. W-L record is heavily dependent on the team around him. Look at Santana’s putrid run support last season. Look at the crappy defense and shoddy bullpen behind Kazmir’s starts last year that cosr him several “wins”. Wang and Beckett had 2.0 more runs per game of support, so of course they won more games. It doesn’t mean they were better. You have to look beyond the individual W-L record for a pitcher. Geez, I thought everyone knew about this by now.
Randy Johnson had a 5.00 ERA in 2005 and won 17 games. Pitchers W-L records are not what you should be looking at when it comes to evaluating pitchers. Wang is really good because he limits extra base hits and can go deep into games. But I don’t think he is an ace. And you can disagree with that without resorting to personal attacks.
And it knocks Shields out of the game
Ok so here’s my question, if the Yankees get a 5 run lead here do you still go Joba-Mo?
Austin Jackson having a decent day. 2-2, with a double. Tabata continues to struggle. 0-4 so far
Minor league update:
Scranton WB 3 – LeHigh 0
Jason Lane – solo HR (2)
Nick Green – RBI double
Rasner – 5IP 3H 0R 0ER 0BB 4K
broncobuster – you are correct and I really wish people would never, EVER, talk about Wins when comparing pitchers.
I think a combination of ERA+ and WHIP makes for a reasonable comparison.
Pop Quiz:
What 2 AL pitchers had the same ERA last year?
Answer:
Halladay and Wang.
Bad AB by Jorge, wasn’t even looking to go the other way. Bad approach.
Isn’t it time for Jorge to get another day off? Molina seems to always hit.
I hope not Jeff NJ. They should not pitch with a 5 run lead.
ugh, why not at least get Ensberg an AB there? Betemit is a waste as a right handed batter.
Bad at bat by Betemit as well. Needs to go the other side and get Cano to third.
Cano is still on second
Someone posted this at an earlier thread:
Everytime the Yankees close out with the Joba and Rivera combination it should be called a Mo-Job
The biggest thing Wang has lacked as an ace — versatility. He’s been a one-dimensional pitcher. If he continues mixing in this slider, he’ll have a goto pitch when his sinker isn’t working and a big strikeout pitch when it is. He’ll be more consistent, and he’ll have more weapons to rely on in the postseason. I don’t think he’s been an ace so far, but he could be one.
Why does anyone care whether Wang is an “ace” or not?
You win with depth in the rotation come playoff time. One pitcher can’t win a series all by himself.
The other starters have to step it up too.
no Ensberg for Betemit switch?
Nate Robertson and Tim Wakefield – 4.76 ERA
So far, this team is not clutch.
And the Yankee scoring woes continue. I just keep waiting for them to start hitting with RISP.
Wasted the double…ack
I wonder if there’s some sort of voodoo ritual we can do to get these guys to hit with RISP.
That was pretty effin pathetic. leadoff double and can’t get him in, or even to 3rd. Wow, this trend is getting old fairly quickly
Make sure you all ask Trish to tell you about the injustice of being banned from the NY Times for life not once but twice because of her flaming.
And make sure you ask her why she chooses to post here when she created her own forum?
Is it because there are but a few persons left there? The others all having left or been tossed by Trish becauae if you don’t agree with her or cheer her cheer you have to go?
You’ll see. Don’t let those smileys fool you.
the head of a live rooster
And wait till she dismisses you all and send you away in the Wah Wah Ambulance.
Blue Jays lead Red Sox 7 – 2.
The Jays have a very good team
Looks like Joba just got up
I’ll buy the goat
Someone get the chicken
They will be hitting with RISP just like that.
Kay just said ‘what they want from Wang is some length’ LOL
Our first 3+ out appearances for Joba and Mo?
No, not Farns!
And Farnsworth is up too…
2 innings for Joba tonight. Good call Joe G.
OldYanksFan, that’s a neat fact about Wang and Halladay. It must be a pretty nice thing for Wang to brag about with his buddies!
Single by Hinske and Aybar goes to third…no out
1st and 3rd, get Joba in here!
Farnsworth is up, there goes the game.
So question: It seems Wang is nearly out of gas. No biggie, he’s been great for six, but it’s a close game.
Would you bring in Farnsy now or have Joba for two?
Keep in mind last year Joba wasn’t as good the second as the first.
Here come Joba!
A very good outing from Wang, hopefully Joba can get us out of this.
Wang’s out. Who’s in?
Why does everyone insist on assessing teams one week into the season? The Yankees will score runs, our problem every year is pitching
Another great start by Wang.
This has to be Joba’s inning. Risk the Professor on a clean 8th if you must.
What could be better in this situation than to have Joba coming in?
Thanks for ignoring the caveman PK.
Good call putting Joba in now, IMHO.
Runners on, that’s when the important outs are gonna have to be made…
Nancy Drew with a bomb. Toronto up 7-3 after 6.
It would be funny to see Farnsworth in there when it gets back from commercial, wouldn’t it?
God, I hope it’s Joba and not Farnsworthless.
Looks like Joba’s comin in. Let’s not forget he has a tendency to give up base hits, which he can’t do with RISP.
No way, Joba can go two, he could have even under last years Joba rules.
I have faith in Joba but those extra runs would have been nice.
Phew.
over a long period of time,to say wins for starting pitchers doesn’t matter is silly at best. wang’s two years with 19 wins does matter. in this game he’s pitching to a score. it’s a close game. some pitchers would choke under the pressure of a close game. wang seems to always keep his cool out there. that can’t be said about all starting pitchers.
Phew.
Probably Kyle in the 8th. Joe’s gone on too much about his trust in Kyle to go with Joba for 2 instead.
And Rebecca’s right. Joba’s always shaky in his second inning.
no farnsworthless? Thank goodness.
Be good Joba
If the Yanks can manage a run or two in the 8th and don’t lose the lead, we might see Farnsworth
97mph heat!!
I like Ellsbury. He will be a very good player.
Sox down in the 7th.
Wow that was filthy Joba. 2 more baby.
Oh he looks so good.
If Joba gets this job done I hope he fist pumps the hell out of it!
SDJohn: Have you ever heard of MLB Gameday? That’s how we (or at least I) knew that Joba was coming in…;)
I don’t understand why they never say who’s coming in before the break anyway…
Aybar K’s on 3 pitches
Man, Joba is just -sick-.
haha nice check swing
Strike out on three pitches. ‘Mornin, ‘Noon, ‘Night.
Ibar is dressed for blizzrd conditions.
I like the way Girardi is managing so far.
Three different pitches, three strikes….
99 on the FSN Florida gun.
Not just 3 pitches. They were a nasty Curveball, a nasty low fastball at 97 on the black and a unchecked swing.
If we don’t see Kyle in the 8th even if it’s still 2-0 or 2-1, we’ll know Joe’s talking him up was BS. We’ve also got our lefty weapon.
Wow Joba !!!
Let’s see if that 2-seam fastball he was working on comes of use.
YES ROBBIE!
DP on a beautiful play by Robbie!
Awesome DP.
You go Robby and Joba !
Robbie!
That defense right there wins ball games! Wow! Nice…beautiful! And a bit lucky
Double Play! jOBA CAN DEFINITELY PITCH A SECOND INNING.
I guess Robbie felt bad for his error earlier.
I am crying like a baby. How I love these guys!
I even love Kate Smith at this moment!!!!!
Steph why do you find it necessary to post the result of every single at-bat? It really adds nothing to the conversation and I could watch it on TV or gameday if i wanted to know.
That makes up for the error earlier.
that was a base hit. Cano bailed Joba out. big.
Spectactular
Great job by Joba. And Cano redeemed himself.
That was beautiful
Uh-oh – Joba pumped his fist in reaction to double play.
this is why joba needs to start.
Joba in the seventh inning when it counted. Somewhere, Bill James is smiling. To himself. But still smiling. That’s the kind of managing this team needs.
I can’t complain, but I don’t like that Posada called for a FB after throwing 2 FBs in a row. I think we got a bit of luck there.
We’ll see if our host gives Cano any positive feedback for that web gem. Gotta love the Yankees on days like today.
What a play by Cano!
Thank you, Joba!
Because I feel like it. And not everyone is using gameday or watching the game. Might as well. If you’ve got a problem with it, don’t read my posts.
soriano would’ve made that play, too.
: )
Steph, don’t listen. Some can’t see the game and you provide a service.
would be nice to get some more runs now
Anyone else feel like bursting with pride when they watch plays like that?
I am thinking that I will be able to turn on Sports Center tonight for the fist time in a while…
“I can’t complain, but I don’t like that Posada called for a FB after throwing 2 FBs in a row. I think we got a bit of luck there.”
I think they were thinking that since his fastball was so nasty that they’d just stick with it. I would have thrown the curve or the slider. But I’m not a MLB catcher.
Steph
You tell him, it is a free speech blog.
3 errors today for lugo. Who was worse as a red sox. Rentayeara or lugo?
Thanks for the minors update. SWB still winning 3-0. Rasner 6IP, 3H, 0BB, 73 pitches 57 strikes.
As great as the reaction was by Cano to turn the double play, I also thought that Wilson Betemit made a terrific play to dig the throw out of the dirt. Just a wonderful play on both ends!
Lol, I’m doing a live blog anyway, but I know not everyone is watching. Thanks, though:)
Besides, it’s not like anti-Mussina is adding anything to the conversation in the first place.
Forgot to mention Rasner had 5 Ks
I love watching Joba, Ian and Phil shake off the catcher. I think it’s awesome. (Not that they do it often; but boy that shows confidence).
Iwamura, Crawford, and Pena after Bartlett in the top of the 8th. All lefties. Could go Joba against Bartlett, then have Traber take the rest.
“Besides, it’s not like anti-Mussina is adding anything to the conversation in the first place.”
hahaha owned.
i miss paul in the booth.
So, Is Howell on the list of premiere pitchers in the league?
“over a long period of time,to say wins for starting pitchers doesn’t matter is silly at best. wang’s two years with 19 wins does matter. in this game he’s pitching to a score. it’s a close game. some pitchers would choke under the pressure of a close game. wang seems to always keep his cool out there. that can’t be said about all starting pitchers.”
This cliche of “pitching to the score” is always used but never verified. So pardon me if I am doubtful.
I mentioned Randy Johnson a few posts ago. I got the year wrong, it was 2006 (not 2005) when he had a 5.00 ERA but 17 wins. But I’ll use Randy Johnson in 2006 as an example again, since people said the same thing about him. They said “oh well he gave up so many runs because he was just pitching to the score”.
This is how he pitched in 2006, split by plus/minus score at the start of the inning.
+5 or more (Yankees leading by 5+) — 21 IP, 7 R, 6 ER, 2.57 ERA
+4 — 12.1 IP, 10 R, 10 ER, 7.30 ERA
+3 — 11.0 IP, 11 R, 11 ER, 9.00 ERA
+2 — 25.1 IP, 15 R, 9 ER, 3.20 ERA but 6 unearned runs
+1 — 28.0 IP, 21 R, 21 ER, 6.75 ERA
tie — 59.2 IP, 36 R, 35 ER, 5.28 ERA
-1 — 19.1 IP, 15 R, 12 ER, 5.59 ERA
-2 — 20.1 IP, 7 R, 7 ER, 3.10 ERA
-3 or more — 8.0 IP, 3 R, 3 ER, 3.38 ERA
So he most definitely was not pitching to the score. He was at his best when the Yankees had large leads and he was terrible when the score was close.
If you want me to believe that Wang or anybody else “pitches to the score”, then show me the data to back it up. I can’t just take your word for it.
Mike Mussina only won 15 games in 2006, but he was clearly the superior pitcher to Johnson.
Look, I believe that Wang is the most reliable starter the Yankees have this season. But please don’t talk about W-L record to defend his aceness. Things like that stat about him and Halladay having the same ERA is a much better argument to use.
When did the Rays get such an effective bullpen? I remember us laying waste to them back in the day. Where is Casey Fossum when you need him?
Wow, the Yanks went up there swinging for a very quick inning. Joba’s back for more.
you go Steph!!
I was outside during one of the innings. Was Robby’s error an overconfidence move or just sloppy, if you know what I meant.
Lugo is the worst. And to think that guy has a WS ring. Makes me ill.
“I think they were thinking that since his fastball was so nasty that they’d just stick with it. I would have thrown the curve or the slider. But I’m not a MLB catcher.”
———————————————————
It’s not just that, but when ahead in the count, you should not throw a hittable pitch. Singleton was salivating over a low slider. Again, it is a fine point, but it is often these types of decisions that win or lose a ballgame.
I feel like someone lobbed a granade at me but forgot to pull the pin. Too close for comfort.
Steph it’s nothing personal but if I wanted a live blog I would go to your site and read it. It’s just annoying to scroll through your comments every AB, like “Damon grounds to first” and “Abreu K’s”. I don’t see how that is adding anything either.
Robbie tried to barehand a throw by Jeter to get a force out at second. He could have gloved it, but he used his hand and it went into the outfield, allowing the runner to go to third and the Yanks didn’t get any out.
Probably been mentioned already but Lugo hit a hat trick in the Errors department today. Not that it makes any difference in this game. I just wanted to say I thought it was lovely.
7-4 top of the 8th. They might think of getting Tallet in there or something.
I don’t recall saying that it was personal. I’m just updating for people who aren’t watching or following along on the computer.
Thanks Steph.
Hehe, Joe has no trust in Kyle. I love it.
LOL broncobuster, how did you dig out those stats? Amazing.
Anyway: I miss Jim Kaat in the booth
LOL broncobuster, how did you dig out those stats? Amazing.
Anyway: I miss Jim Kaat or Al Leiter in the booth
Only 16 pitches for Joba in 2 full innings-great stuff. Mo’s going to be in for the 9th, definitely.
Halladay out of the inning. 7-4.
Wow, Joba used 7 fastballs and 1 curveball and still cruised through the inning…
Can you give me a pitch by pitch summary that would be awesome
See I disagree, I thought Jeter threw to the wrong spot. If the ball was thrown in the right place they could have had two. Instead the throw was to the right of Cano so Cano could have reached across his body to catch the ball which inevitably would have pulled Cano off the bag. So instead he tried to barehand it with his free right hand. I think it should be on Jeter.
Joba as advertised.
WOW.
Hope Yanks make this an inning. Gotta run to the corner store and I want to see Mo!
Thank goodness for Joba
His fastball is so good that when he starts he should be able to go through the lineup once just throwing the fastball.
You can find the pitch by pitch on MLB gameday…
http://www.mlb.com/mlb/gameday.....b_nyamlb_1
Hmm Papelbon in. I guess he thinks they have a chance at this being down three runs. Do they have an off day tomorrow?
I think the opposing team just shuts it off when Joba hits the mound. Him + Mo = futility, just like ’96.
anti-mussina
Time to stop your little rant against Steph.
Go back to dissing Mussina.
This is a fine Yankee game, try to enjoy it
I grabbed the info from here:
http://www.firejoemorgan.com/2.....-post.html
It is an entire rant about Randy JOhnson in 2006, that’s the only reason why I was fixating on that so much. Michael Kay tried to actually defend Johnson as a better pitcher than Mussina that year based completely on W-L record. It is a very funny read because Kay is completely incorrect, you should check it out. The stats I included on Randy are in the “comments” tab if you just scroll down and click on the word “comments” after you read the rant.
Kay, “High drive, left field”. Actually what happend was pop up to medium RIGHT field. Funny
“This cliche of “pitching to the score†is always used but never verified. So pardon me if I am doubtful.”
“If you want me to believe that Wang or anybody else “pitches to the scoreâ€, then show me the data to back it up.”
i don’t have to show you anything. you’re the one that doesn’t understand the game. go play some baseball.
Anti-Mussina,
You are being ridiculous now. Just let it go man. You seem to be the only one that has a problem with “Rodriguez flies out to right” (Kay in his brilliance announced it as a fly ball to left, though). It’s not that big a deal.
I agree about needing Jim Kaat back in the booth.
A-Rod flies to right and Matsui with a single to right. Hopefully Godzilla is turning it around. He has had some good swings today.
Hideki’s feeling it today.
Yanks had a better record without Giambi than they did with him last year…lets hope he stays out long as it is a 1-0 start (hopefully) today
This is the guy who needs to pick it up, Jorge Posada.
Posada fouls one off.
Appreciate the sarcasm, but no. I’ll do what I feel like doing, as usual. And I feel like saying that Cano replaces Matsui at first and Georgie is at the plate.
So far, Posada’s not earning that huge raise.
Howell really dealt today…3 innings and shut the Yanks down. Oh well. Time for Mo to close it out and get the Yanks back on track.
“i don’t have to show you anything. you’re the one that doesn’t understand the game. go play some baseball”
Sounds like you are defeated to me. Your statement is the equivalent of Eric Cartman saying “Screw you guys I’m going home”
I am not even close to the best guy around when it comes to understanding baseball, but based on our limited conversation here, I am very confident that I know more than you.
I don’t think Posada will ever earn that salary. Should have just let Molina be the starting catcher he is underrated.
You think that just once YES would show one of the coolest moments in sport– the entrance of MO. Almighty dollar rules.
don’t need Kaat in the booth.
I care what is happening on the field now. Not back in 1943.
Molina was horrible as a starter when he was with the Angels. He is underrated, but he’s not a starting catcher. He fits in well with New York and has found his groove there.
OK, even the most optimistic of the fans here, must admit, this funk is more to do with the Yankees struggling at the plate, versus great pitching. J.P. “I haven’t had an ERA under 5.1″ Howell just pitched 3 scoreless, 1 hit ball against us.
That is strictly Jeter’s ball. A-rod needs to start recognizing that.
He has a better arm than Jorge and would hit fine in front of Melky in the 8 spot. You can’t be paying a guy 52 million based on one year that far exceeded his career averages.
Seeing the Yanks with a lead in the 9th is a nice sight after the past couple of days. Seeing Mo and Joba was even better. Pena pops to A-Rod, who was in front of Jeet.
Haha, that’s really funny vinny b. Kaat could probably tell us stories about the first Thanksgiving.
We struggle against left handed pitching. Its as simple as that.
Mo K’s Upton.
That’s a $50 million dollar collision.
Not that I don’t appreciate what Jorge has done in the past.
So far, Mo’s earning his raise.
Great point Reality Check. That would be something I would love to see.
Upton strikes out swiniging (thought I’d join the fun)
Yanks toss the ball around the infield
I agree SDJohn, Howell & Edwin Jackson are not “tip your hat” type pitchers…the Yanks lack of offense is ugly, more runners left on base than I care to recall. A bloop single once in while w/ RISP would be nice!
Posada had put up those years two years in a row. Did the Yanks overpay? Certainly. But when do they not? Not very often. They have nobody who will be ready to take over as starting catcher for at least 2 years.
Sox with the tying run at the plate, 1 out in the 9th.
(OK with you, anti-mussina?)
Floyd steps in …
K! Yankees win
Win = Wang + Joba + Mo
Yeah!!!
Eric Duncan is 2-3 in AAA, with his second steal of the season. Is this the year we have been waiting for?
Whoo!
Floyd K’s swinging and the Yanks win it! 2-0 is the final!
Posada adjusts his cup … hocks loogie
The worst part of Posada’s contract is Hank gave him that extra year. As if he was really going to another team.
Rob Meacham is the worst manager ever!
broncobuster-
don’t even go there. to me the cliche is spouting bill james. wang’s 38 wins matter.
just being color comentator in case steph misses anything
Accardo holds on and we’re a game ahead of the Red Sox.
Okay, let’s go out there tomorrow and beat these creeps.
Posada’s been hurting. I can’t get down on him.
WHAT A GAME!
Girardi back on the bench and Yankees win. Stay healthy Joe!!!
Great game, smiles all around. This is going to be a nice postgame.
Rebecca, I think we’ll all sleep well tonight!
It’d be nice to see Duncan start producing…he’s been in AAA for…what? 2 or 3 years? And he has had various trips to AA.
Ellsbury Ks after a tough AB. 2 out.
Ellsbury K’s for the 2nd out. Runners on 1st and 3rd with the Sawx trailing by 3. Lugo represents the tying run. He is 0-3 and has made 3 errors at short today.
Nice win. The offense is still anemic, but the bottom line is wins and losses and the Yankees won.
And NESN has technical difficulties!
Gonna try TBS.
Meacham isn’t the manager…he’s the 3rd base coach. Thomson is the bench coach who was managing in place of Girardi.
Jacoby Christ strikes out. 1 out to go, Lugo has a chance to redeem himself.
Looks like Lugo is having a great day for himself. He should keep that up throughout the year.
Jays win!
Sox lose!
Mo is god to me.
Why couldn’t I be at this game instead of the misery that was yesterday??
Thank you, GODZILLA ! Good night, ALL !
Jays beat Red Sox
Sweep them, beat Beckett. Sweet
And the Jays have swept the Crock Sox. The AL East is going to be rough going.
Haha, thanks Ansky. I’m trying to follow a soccer game while doing homework and the Yanks game, so I could always use some help!
This is great let’s live blog the Sox game now haha
Nice win for the Yanks today though
Ok at 3-3 we have passed Boston at 3-4 in ths standings. TB goes to 3-2, so the Yankees are half a game out right?
Ah, I love Julio Lugo. And I love Frank Thomas more.
Didn’t someone say on this blog a few nights ago that we’d be looking up at the Sox the rest of the year? Wonder where he is now…
“don’t even go there. to me the cliche is spouting bill james. wang’s 38 wins matter.”
Who said his wins don’t matter? I think generally, good pitchers are more likely to get a Win than bad pitchers. However, the correlation is not as close as it is with some other stats like ERA+ and WHIP, and so forth. W-L record is not what you should be looking at.
Storm Davis was 19-7 in 1989 with a 4.36 ERA (back then, a 4.36 ERA was 15% worse than league average).
Jason Marquis won 14 games with a 6.21 ERA in 2006.
Sure, a good pitcher is more likely to get a W than a bad pitcher. But the correlation is not that strong. There are better stats to use.
Phil Hughes was awesome in his first start of 2008. Did he get the win? No. Joba Chamberlain got it for pitching one inning. Does that mean Phil has been “worth” zero wins to the Yankees so far? Of course not.
Santana gave up 1 run today in 7 innings but will get the loss because the Mets scored zero runs for him.
etc
etc
etc
Player of the Week:
1. Wang
2. Mo
3. Joba
test in your answer
Can anyone say Cy Wong?
Ooh that crappy Baltimore team is 4-1. Go figure.
4. Edwin Jackson
Pete, by the way, Wang’s 1.38 ERA is a very lucky number in Chinese culture.
What a sleepy looking offense, still. A buncha hits, no runs.
Sick of lefty relievers shutting us down already. What is Ensberg on the bench for if he wont pinch hit for Betemit against a lefty?
Girardi 3-1 as manager.
Thompson may go down as the only yankee manager never to win a game.
“Let me guess, the “Chien-Ming Wang isn’t an ace†crowd is quiet today.”
You will never understand the definition of Ace if you think it involves April, or the Devil Rays.
CY WONG!
Sweepful in Toronto! What a movie.
And since we know there’s no such thing as jet lag for a team starting in Japan, I am left to conclude what I have always known.
Sux SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!
The Mets and Johan just lost to the Braves.
In this very short season, after 5 games, TB leads the AL in OPS and Runs scored.
Actually Countdown, Thompson managed yesterday too, so he is 0-2. Last time Girardi managed we won. He also cancelled the inaugural Joe Girardi show.
Wow Mo has his third save already. Last season he he didn’t get his first til the end of April.
This is our year I tell you!
holdstrong,
Actually, as one of the “Wang is not an ace” folks myself, I have to admit that today fell under the definition. Without a big performance today, we’re 0-3 against those lousy Devil Rays with Mussina pitching tomorrow and all the talk of another terrible April starts up in the Monday papers. He faced a blistering hot offense and stopped a losing streak with a repertoire of pitches that spelled ‘Ace’ better than the ‘all-sinker’ regimen he’s shown in the past.
no baltimore is 4-1
Fran,
Awwww. Breaks my heart.
Hopefully Moose can keep the trend tomorrow. I’d like to see the first back-to-back wins of the season.
I wonder how long Giambi is going to be out? I expected him out today, but has anyone heard how long he is expected to be gone for?
“no baltimore is 4-1″
and they are doing it w/o Johan Santana
DJ I disagree with anyone who calls the Rays a terrible team! What do they have to do to prove to everyone that they are a team to reckon with!
About Wang, I got my head handed to me by a few people when I questioned Wang’s consistency. Well this is exactly what I mean. Look at the way he pitched today. If he can somehow keep his sinker sinking, he will be an ace!
Johan is a stud. His ERA is under 2. He will win the CY award and dominate the NL. That said, I would still much much muchmuchmuchmuchmuchmuchmuchmuch more have Phil, IPK, Melky and a basket on money.
Just one man’s opinion.
I love the managing mind of Girardi. This is what I expected from him. Thank you Joe.
OldYanks don’t forget that it’s easier to maintain an ERA of 2.00 in the NL than the AL, for whatever that’s worth. But I agree with the rest. Thank God we have our “kids”.
Trisha,
Winning more than 70 games would be a start. Maybe they’ll finally do it this year. But 0-3 against their pitching when we didn’t face Kazmir or Garza would have been legitimate cause for concern.
If preventing a sweep against the DRays in April and having a + pitch other than the sinker is the new definition of Ace, then I stand corrected.
We should however, come up with a new name for pitchers who dominate against the best lineups in the league in the most important situations… because this new definition of Ace cheapens what they do.
i think today was a big game too. it is never too early to develop an edge. girardi brought joba in for the 7th and left him in for the eighth inning. this tells me that he thought it was important too. being swept by the devil rays at home after the spring training flare ups with the rays would not have been a good thing.
wang ,joba, and mariano all came up big . clutch.
it’s important for the yankees to get off to a good start. the past few years have put them in such a hole using all their resources to play catch up that they’ve gone into the playoffs on fumes.
Beckett got the loss!!
some Ace
Not to be rude Pete, but you come off as unbelievably pompous when it comes to Wang. I get that you wrote a book about him, and as a result constantly feel you need to jump to his defense. That being said, why is it so hard to grasp the concept that a sinkerballer who doesn’t have a top quality breaking ball can never be considered a true ace simply because against a good hitting team who knows enough to sit on that sinker will eventually get to him.
Yes, today he had a tremendous start no question about it. this is not to say he can’t be a very good number 2 or 3, but the bottom line is if you’re given the option of guys like Santana, Beckett, Oswalt, Peavy, etc. or Wang in a playoff series the point really isn’t debateable. Wang gives up more hits and thus is more likely to give up runs. Your personal relationship with Wang doesn’t change the fact that the guy isn’t an ace.
Great to see the Joba-Rivera duo close things out like everyone envisioned it. I STILL think the Yankees are better off letting him start for 3 turns and then skipping him once to keep his innings down instead of giving him mostly irregular relief work for half the year and then trying to convert him to full time starter.
DJ I hear what you’re saying. You know even if we went 3-1, I would still be cautioning about the Rays just because I have watched them really gel into a solid team. I saw some flashes of brilliance as long as two or three years ago but because of their paltry payroll and maybe the wrong coaches they just couldn’t put things together. But they were never as bad as their record because it was mainly their relief pitching that did them in. I think one season they set the record for blown holds and saves. They had a good record taking a lead into the late innings, but they just couldn’t hold it. But they were getting decent starts, good offense, and lots of runs! Now they seem to have been able to figure out how to trade for better pieces. So I think we will see them perhaps with more wins than losses. But even when they weren’t showing it in the record books, they seemed to have their way with Yanks, anyway.
When you look at them player by player, they really are impressive. Arms, speed, bats. And now pitching.
Davios,
You just stacked up Wang against Johan, Peavy, etc. He is the ace of this staff, not the entire league, right? There are 30 “aces of the staff”, Wang is one of them. I don’t recall anyone saying they would take Wang over a group of Cy Young winners.
For crying out loud, this “ace” debate is so old. Wang has been a winning pitcher since he came up in 05. Call him whatever you want, if Pete wants to call him an ace that’s fine by me. As long as he CMW keeps posting up W’s, who cares??
Ace, no Ace, Ace, no Ace…give it a rest.
Davios-
I like pompous. Steinbrenner was pompous.
PS…two Aces lost today Beckett & Santana and Wang won. Nice.
“You just stacked up Wang against Johan, Peavy, etc. He is the ace of this staff, not the entire league, right? There are 30 “aces of the staffâ€, Wang is one of them. I don’t recall anyone saying they would take Wang over a group of Cy Young winners.”
There are not 30 aces in baseball. Of course, if you are picking off the best pitcher on each staff and calling them an ace, then Wang is the Yankee ace by default because he is clearly the best starter on the team. However, Odalis Perez would be the ace of the Nationals. Joe Blanton would be the ace of Oakland. Ian Snell would be an ace. So, I don’t think that’s a great way to go about it.
There are probably around 15 aces in baseball. Quick list: Santana, Peavy, Smoltz, Webb, Sabathia, Bedard, Kazmir, Hamels, Lackey, Beckett, Harang, Oswalt, Halladay, Verlander, Zambrano.
Personally, I’d put Wang in the next tier with guys like Cain, Haren, Young, King Felix, Sheets, Matsuzaka, Penny, and Burnett.
if wang assimilates the new pitches he is learning while keeping the sink on his sinker, he’ll be an ace. people underestimate the difficulty in learning new pitches at the major league level. the last half of last year had a lot of experimentation going on.
today he pitched like an ace.
I see Joe T. putting farnsworth in to pitch the 7th rather than joba.does anyone disagre with that scenario?
Yeah = the “ace” argument was ad nauseum’d on Baseball This Morning on XM with Marc Patrick and Buck Martinez, fer chrissakes. Over it already. On the Yank pitching staff, as of now, if it were the first game of the playoffs, Wang would get the nod. As of now. That makes him the “ace” of the staff. Thus far. Hughes will probably slide into that gleefully.
Trish/PK – kiss and make up already. As a veteran of your foreign war, I hope I don’t have to read about it here as well. I love you both. Please do it for the children.
See what I mean?
I speak the truth.
She’ll try to charm you and sell a bill of goods.
Thanks Sevrox
Tstan – don’t ever tell me who to like and who not to like. If your standards are such that you don’t mind a lying sack of crap who tries to trash you in front of others, emails you behind their backs and asks you the meet them at games, and trashes the Yankees to hell any chance he gets a shot, then go for it. I’m not telling you not to. Don’t ever take up for a piece of crap like the lying caveman PK with me again. I am not someone who ever tells anyone who to be cool with and who to ignore. I’m not about to start to be told to hang with sh*t. You can do it if you want. Of course you won’t be doing it here since this is not a forum that welcomes Sux losers and liars and Yankee trashers. You not withstanding, trolls are not welcome here.
Okey dokey?
Thanks Tstan.
And oh yeah, since this isn’t our home I really don’t want to take up their hospitality with troll feuds. They’ve already ignored the caveman PK.
And Tstan, I can’t believe if you’ve ever been here before that you would even suggest something that would appear to welcome a Sux troll the likes of that loser! This isn’t your lightweight NY Times crowd who appreciated ridiculous one-line back and forth childish banter with Sux fans. This crowd is about talking Yankee baseball. Thank God.
’nuff said.
Anti is in a bad mood b/c his mom came home and caught him surfing naughty stuff online in her basement…
Trish – that a way Baby. Now you’re showing off your true colors. And I don’t mean pinstripe blue.
Yo-what’s this about? Thought this was a nice family-oriented site heah.
Good game today.
Seriously… WHY do you keep calling for Hideki Matsui to be traded?
Why don’t you ever say anthing about that fat jerk Jason Giambi?
I think you just have it in for Matsui, yet the truth is he is one of the TOP producers on the team, and is super consistent.
Shame on you for calling for him to be traded, and I love it every time he gets the go ahead RBI, or a clutch home run to prove you WRONG!
systemcrash “PK” is just a Sox fan troll from another website who tried to come here and start trouble. I guess he figured someone would actually listen to him. It’s taken care of.
Thanks.
I assume the civilized will overcome. Odd to have this kind of an attack on this forum. Abe’ll clean it up, I’m sure.