Wrapping it up from the Boogie Down
-
- May
- 3
A few final notes from the Stadium tonight:
* The Yankees announced they have gone over the four million mark for tickets sold this season. That’s four years in a row, a MLB record.
* Poor Jose Molina is 0 for his last 22, the longest hitless streak in the majors (excluding pitchers). He crushed a pitch in the eighth inning that Ichiro caught in deep center for a sacrifice fly. On any other night it was out. “Dude, you should quit. That wasn’t fair,” Morgan Ensberg told Molina after the game. “Then I won’t get paid,” Molina said.
* Joe Girardi should make sure Molina catches Wang every time. In three games together, CMW has allowed two runs on nine hits in 22 innings.
* The Yankees were marveling after the game about how Ichiro hit Joba’s best slider in the eighth inning. “I still don’t know how he did it,” Chamberlain said. “All you can do is tip your cap.” Ichiro somehow was moving forward with his feet while keeping his hands inside the ball and opening his hips. The guy really is a marvel to watch.
* The Yankees have won all seven games Wang has started. He is 6-0, joining Brandon Webb as the only six-game winners in baseball. The Yankees have won 11 straight games he has pitched after a loss.
* Derek Jeter has now scored 1,391 runs. That’s one more than some guy named Joe DiMaggio. Only three Yankees have scored more runs: Ruth (1,959), Gehrig (1,888) and Mantle (1,677).
* Joba Chamberlain has yet to give up a run at Yankee Stadium. That’s only 16 innings, but still.
* Mariano Rivera’s inhuman line this season: 12 4 0 0 0 12.
* Hideki Matsui continued to have the least productive hitting streak ever. He has hit safely in 12 straight and is 13 of 43 (.302). But he did drive in a run tonight.
* Coming on Tuesday: Cliff Lee (5-0, 0.96) vs. Chien-Ming Wang (6-0, 3.00).
Here’s some Joe Girardi postgame audio for you night owls:
Finally, I know we get a bunch of readers from Taiwan on the days that Wang pitches. You guys will be interested to know that Wang handed out some t-shirts from Nike the last two days. They have his name and number on the back and the word “Believe” on the front.
They’re actually very cool looking shirts, much better than the now disgraced “Tough All Day” shirts that Roger Clemens gave out last season.
Most of the players were wearing them. So not only does Wang win every time he pitches, he hands out presents. Pretty impressive.
Thanks for reading. Tune in tomorrow for another game in the Bronx. Mike Mussina against King Felix at 1:05 p.m.
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on Saturday, May 3rd, 2008 at 12:14 am by Peter Abraham.
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Peter Abraham
Pete,
Ask Wanger if they sell those t-shirts over here in Taiwan, will ya? Would love to have one.
The Cliff Lee — Chien Ming Wang game is going to be inhuman.
Actually, it’ll probably just come down to the bullpens, again.
Great to see Molina and Ensberg have a sense of humor.
Think Rivera wants to prove himself or something?
What is the next duel after the Wang vs. Sabathia and Wang vs. Bedard?
I’m hitting the stadium tomorrow. They have a big Military what to do planned with a flyover and all. Plan is to hit stan’s and then make it over to my seats by 12. Pete I need a media guide.
Paolo: Wang vs Lee
Pete,
who pulled the home game countdown leaver today?
I wish I could just hug Wang after those feelings of hate in last years playoffs. The guy has worked himself into an untouchable elite level.
Peter
Thank you !
Your blog is great!
Looks like it begins the injuries to A-Rod same what happened to Ken Griffy Jr. So hopefuly my brother Barry will stay the one and only with his all-time HR record………….
My Bro-
You left out the asterisk in you comment, simple mistake.
“My bro Bonds ****
May 3rd, 2008 at 1:07 am
Looks like it begins the injuries to A-Rod same what happened to Ken Griffy Jr. So hopefuly my brother Barry will stay the one and only with his all-time HR record………….”
thanks man. *
again the yankees have not faced catostrophic issues this yr. arod is out for 2 weeks, hughes was innefective so far. and a 36 yr old ather will miss 6weeks, deal with it.
little steinny sounds as dumb as many of the fans now I know where they get it from.
this is the 78 season all over again wang/guidry etc….
we need Cano to pik it up and then the offense has enough to hold on until arod gets back..
the pen is looking good. if krazy kyle can prove us all wrong they will be in good hspe….
Great, great game for Wang and the Yankees.
That Molina/Morgan exchange was funny. I miss Mr. Doubles Molina. Morgan seems like a great, great guy. Pete, we want a video Q&A with him!
Also, isn’t the word “unhuman” vs. “inhumane”? Mo is unhuman. vs. It’s inhumane to keep trotting Giambi out to the plate. He should be put down to put him out of his misery. haha. j/k.
Cliff Lee’s having a better year than Wang.
On April 24, he was 4-0 with a 0.28 ERA. He’s now 5-0 with a 0.98 ERA. It can’t last right? Right?!?
Congratulations to the Hawks for playing hard and staying tough. Knock the smirks off those shamrocks!
Wang is 6-0 and he’s faced the best teams and their best pitchers
This is just like last season when A-Rod was hot and carried the team, this year Wang has the team on his back
Mel,
I believe Pete’s going for definition #2 on Merriam-Webster’s Internet dictionary to describe the indescribable Mo this year:
1 a: lacking pity, kindness, or mercy : savage b: cold, impersonal c: not worthy of or conforming to the needs of human beings
2: of or suggesting a nonhuman class of beings
BTW, I wholeheartedly agree with your Giambi assessment!
Yes, Lee’s faced Oak (0 ER), Oak (1), Min (0), KC (0), Seattle (3). That’s still sick, though.
I love the Wanger. Just acknowledging Lee’s superhuman start.
Apologies, Pete. Didn’t realize there was such a word as inhuman.
Giambi should still be put down, though.
too bad for those taiwanese. They have to wake up in the morning just to watch the game. Thats the only thing i didn’t like when i was there ..
“who pulled the home game countdown leaver today?”
Bobby Murcer
Idiots from the left field bleacher seats started doing the wave and to most of our horror, some people continued it around the stadium, but the right field bleacher folks (aka bleacher creatures) refused to do it. Props for not being tools. Apparently most of the so-called “Yankee fans” at the stadium today were more interested on doing the wave than find out why Gene Monahan was on the field checking CMW.
TABATA QUIT ON HIS TEAMMATES WHICH IS WHY THE THUNDER SUSPENDED HIM==
http://tinyurl.com/5oxqts
Pete , I really enjoy reading your articles.
Among all Yankees related websites,your blog is my favorite.
Nice work ! ^^
and still I respect Tabata, he didn’t run away, he’s going through struggles I told people here this is how us latino ballplayers are, he got frustrated 19 yrs. old, it happens. He’ll wake up w/ the bat soon.
William,
The game was on at 7am in Taiwan this morning — what’s so hard about getting up then? They also rebroadcast every Yankees game at night again on TWO channels. It’s the YES broadcast, by the way — in Chinese and English. It’s a great time to live in Taiwan if you’re a Yankees fan.
Wang T-shirt “Believe 王”
[IMG]http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff19/will-mash/zzz/SN01_002.jpg[/IMG]
Nice photo, Taipei! Thanks for the link.
Ooo, they made the character for “Wang” into an E with a crown. For those who don’t speak Chinese, Wang means king, ruler, royalty.
Kind of appropriate, wouldn’t you say?
Now I REALLY want that t-shirt. Taipei, tell me if you see it for sell around the city. I live in Taipei, too, on the southeast side (Dun Hua/Heping).
Just read that Wang is fifth in the AL in strikeouts (courtesy of Bronx Banter).
Aiee, Jose Tabata! Dios mio!
See PoPo’s 2:37 post: “TABATA QUIT ON HIS TEAMMATES WHICH IS WHY THE THUNDER SUSPENDED HIM ==
http://tinyurl.com/5oxqts ”
Hard to believe Jose Tabata is already married (and has a child/children too I believe).
I recall from Star Trek that there is matter and anti-matter. Proceeding logically, then, since we have Jeter, somewhere in the universe there must be anti-Jeter and I think that place is Trenton. Any Yankee prospect who is married at 19 with a kid must be made of anti-Jeter.
Seriously, I bet if we paid more attention to minor league coverage, we’d see the same kind of crazy stuff from 19 year old ballplayers that we’d see from 19 year olds in other walks of life. Tabata will straighten out. But expecting him to be a heroic man-child that could speed through the minors to make the Bronx by 2010 sounds improbable.
The “ace” of a pitching staff is the pitcher that takes the ball the day of the game.
A sterling performance from Chien-Ming Wang is nice but loses it’s shine if the 4 following starters throw less the quality starts.
As for the continuous declining effort by Giambi ……. pffffft !
Awesome Post, Pete. Thanks again for all that you do for us. Your blog is an awesome thing for me as a lifelong Yankees fan. I live pretty far from my Dad, and he too, has been a Yankee fan all of his life ( turning 70 in a couple of weeks ). I talk to him 3-4 times a week and am always sharing what you have me “in the know” about, as a result of me being a loyal reader of your Blog. Again, thanks for all that you do, Pete. I am sure that I am not the only one out here that values your work, friend.
Wilson Betemit had one hit in seven at-bats. He struck out three times.
***********************************************************
No change at AAA. Same old Betemit. Gonzo is the man.
Great game last night - well pitched by Wang, Joba, Mo, and even Kyle got into the spirit of it (will wonders never cease!).
Going to the game today. My wife is putting on her long-johns. Great weather for a baseball game, but it is the Yankees. Moose against King Felix. Should be interesting. I’m looking forward for Shelley to hit his first of the year.
Six quality innings from Mussina with tremendous run support = a Super Saturday.
mel,
Thanks for your numbers on Lee. Now I am all excited and can’t wait to see the Wang vs. Lee game in a few days…
Wanger is definitely more powerful this year. In the last two games he has won, Sabathia and Bedard were also pitching pretty well and Wanger was just better. He is definitely heading in the right direction to be a true ACE at all levels in particular for his even better consistency…
Six quality innings from Mussina plus some serious run support = Super Saturday.
Happy Derby Day. The greatest two minutes in sports.
Hopefully the Tabata story will just be one of those funny things that people talk about 30 years from now when he’s inducted into the Hall of Fame! I seem to recall a story about another young Yankees prospect who wanted to quit on his minor league team, guy by the name of Mantle …
It sounds to me like Tabata has some fire and some pride. It’s not bad that he’s upset with his performance. He’ll eventually grow up.
Wow, Pete didn’t take a cheap shot at Girardi for once. Amazing. The apocalypse must be imminent.
James
I saw that! I absolutely hate the wave. I refuse to do it, why pay all that money to stand up like an idiot doing the wave. They sit and watch it go around the entire stadium instead of watching what is going on on the field.
“and still I respect Tabata, he didn’t run away, he’s going through struggles I told people here this is how us latino ballplayers are, he got frustrated 19 yrs. old, it happens. He’ll wake up w/ the bat soon.”
Tabata should be back in Tampa. He’s nowhere near ready to succeed in AA. Completely overmatched. At least a half season in Tampa would make a lot of sense.
Ugh - Tabata is not a kid I will be rooting for. I have absolutely zero sympathy for some spoiled brat that quits when the going gets tough. He will absolutely melt down under the glare of the NY spotlight if he ever gets here.
I shouldn’t say I won’t root for probably a future Yankee, but I’m still not giving him a pass. I realize he’s only 19, but some of the kids he’s playing with are only a couple of years older and you don’t see them throwing tantrums and threatening to quite. Sheesh. As he is in this organization and supposedly a top prospect, I will have to root for him, but I have no respect for him. Jose needs to stop acting like a 5 year old.
I believe Ron Guidry told a story of how he had a rough patch in the minor leagues and got in his car somewhere in upstate NY and started driving home to Louisiana. By the time he got to around Pennsylvania, he realized he had to go back.
The minor leagues are about more than just baseball in the same way that college is about more than just learning in a classroom. It’s a time grow up a little (hopefully) and begin to get adjusted to making adult decisions and handling responsibility. Tabata made a bad choice and is accepting the consequences for it. Coming back to the team and apologizing shows me he is learning something from it. Unless it happens again, I write it off to a dumb but non fatal choice by a 19 year old.