Game 36: Indians at Yankees
-
- May
- 8
YANKEES
Damon LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Matsui DH
Giambi 1B
Cabrera CF
Cano 2B
Betemit 3B
Molina C
Mussina RHP
Mike Mussina vs. the Cleveland hitters.
Paul Byrd against the New York hitters.
Notes: Matsui has a 16-game hitting streak. … The Yankees were swept at home by the Tigers last week and are trying to avoid the same fate today. … Thanks to Brian Heyman for calling in the lineup.
UPDATE, 2:21 p.m.: Still no word on Kyle Farnsworth’s appeal. I realize that MLB has plenty to do, but their discipline system is very, very slow. … Meanwhile, Hideki Matsui has extended his hitting streak to 17 games and the Yankees finally scored a run (ending a skid of 17 straight scoreless innings).
The Moose is pitching well again (well, until the fifth inning). The Yankees could really use this one before going on the road for seven games.
UPDATE, 2:58 p.m.: It’s good to see the Yankees using Ross Ohlendorf in a situation where the game can be won. I think he’s better than a long reliever, which is how they’ve been using him. Once Joba becomes a starter, I think Ohlendorf is a legit candidate for the eighth inning. He throws hard, can strike guys out and gets grounders.
UPDATE, 3:17 p.m.: Hey, it’s the Wilson Betemit they traded for last season. Big HR there. This will be an interesting outing for Joba.
Just a hunch, but he’ll throw every pitch Molina calls. Girardi mentioned to us yesterday that they “had a little talk” about shaking the catcher.
UPDATE, 3:32 p.m.: Joba is fine, our long national nightmare is over. Yes, it was only two days. But it seemed long.
UPDATE, 3:42 p.m.: How come the games are always less than three hours when I don’t work? It’s not fair.
Nice job by the bullpen. Mariano gave up a hit (shocking, I know) but he finished off the Tribe.
Does Bobby Abreu wear one of those invisible collars that shocks him when he gets too close the wall? I know every outfielder isn’t Aaron Rowand, but he could make a play once in a while, no?
Now the boys are off to Detroit, the greatest place in the world for a night off.
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on Thursday, May 8th, 2008 at 10:53 am by Peter Abraham.
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Molina? Day game after night game? I’m surprised Moeller’s not out there.
Moose->Farnsy->Chamberlain->Mo->Ballgame?
Mussina hearts pitching to Molina.
No other explanation for it. 2nd Mussina start in a row where Molina will catch the day after a night game for him.
Ray - switch Ollie for Farnsy, I think he’s pitched two straight days (and the earth has continued to spin, fancy that!).
Jose will have tomorrow off than.
Motown,
Didn’t realize Farns pitched yesterday as well.
“Jose will have tomorrow off than.”
Yup. Is it Rasner tomorrow??? He and Moeller seemed to workout okay last Sunday.
Igawa is tomorrow.
Yankees win it 6-4 on a come back.
I think farnsy pitched in 3 straight games, looks like Girardi seems to know him a bit, he’s really great now, the main thing he cut down on his walks a lot.
I wonder what is taking so long to get word on Kyles suspension. They must really be considering lowering it or getting rid of it all together.
“Igawa is tomorrow.”
Ugh!
Igawa shouldn’t be pitching till Saturday, should be Rasner tomorrow.
“Moose->Farnsy->Chamberlain->Mo->Ballgame?” Unless you want Farnsy pitching in three straight games, which is a risk no matter how well he’s been pitching, probably not.
Hope Moose can make it four straight. I know it’s a lot to ask for, but it’d be really awesome if he could.
Igawa shouldn’t be pitching till tenth, should be Rasner tomorrow.
“Moose->Farnsy->Chamberlain->Mo->Ballgame?” Unless you want Farnsy pitching in three straight games, which is a risk no matter how well he’s been pitching, probably not.
Hope Moose can make it four straight. I know it’s a lot to ask for, but it’d be really awesome if he could.
so Phil,Alex and Georgy have left to Tampa for rehab ?
(didn’t realize there was a new post)
“Their pitching can’t get any worse now with Hughes 9 ERA and Kennedy’s 8.45 ERA not in the rotation at the moment.”
raymagnetic-
i agree it’s not likley to get worse, but if it doesn’t get better i don’t see a big run coming in a month. mussina is a big surprise to me so far. he could get worse than he is now. wang and pettite are as advertised, but the 4th and 5th spot is up for grabs.
if cashman sticks to the plan and goes only from within i just don’t see the pitching being a strength. as a said the other day to the consternation of the blog , i think he really needed to pick up a veteran like livian hernandez for depth and innings. i still think he needs someone like that.
hernandez by the way is now 5-1 after a complete game victory last night . two rookies, slowey and perkins will be starting in the next few days. they will have a rested bullpen to bail them out if need be.
there is a symbiosis here that defies the logic that the yankees have young pitchers in their system who can do what hernandez does for the twins. it’s going to cost more now to get a veteran like hernandez. do you think the yankees could get him now without a few decent minor leaguers thrown in? i’m not sure the twins would take kennedy for him even up.
the problem the yankees are having with pitching is they are playing out a flawed plan.
they need to amend it as difficult as that it is now into the season.
Id just like to see some hitting with risp…win or lose
Francis good point, I hate it when they go down quite.
if the yankees dont start hitting soon the division may be out of reach by the end of May. I cant believe this team has been shut out as amany times as they have been….I dont think theyve been shut out more than 3 times in the past 4 year combined.
Jeez! Reports now are that it looks unlikely Arod will come off the DL when he eligible on 5/15.
If the Twins were smart they would take a bag of baseballs for Livan as his value is at its apex right now. Nowhere but down to go for him and it won’t be long now until we are laughing at the thought of trading for him.
On the other hand, for 4 million bucks, I thought the eminently hittable Kyle Lohse was worth taking a flier on.
Contradictory maybe, but Livan’s best days are way behind him.
Julio Lugo did the Yankees a favor last night.
I agree with Francis - we should be already back 6 games by now. I dont care what happened last season, it’s not happening again. WAY too much parity now in the AL.
Yanks need to win today and take 2 of 3 from Detroit, somehow.
Win today so you don’t ruin my afternoon. Thank you.
they said they are going to give him a few extra days even when he comes off it. They aren’t risking losing his bat for a long length of time.
Hey maybe we can bat Mussina against byrd He’s 1 for 3 against him with an Rbi
The bats need to wake up and stay up. By being quiet they only put more pressure on the pitching staff to be that much more perfect.
Fredo - where do you see those A-Rod reports? That’s awful news.
“I wonder what is taking so long to get word on Kyles suspension. They must really be considering lowering it or getting rid of it all together.”
I think the Yankees presented an interesting issue: Is an in-game ejection a prerequisite to a multi-game suspension?
I don’t think so, because the Commissioner’s Office can overrule or change the in-game umpire’s recommendation, and they reduce original disciplinary decisions frequently. Plus, in this case the Commissioner’s Office would not be overruling a decsion by the in-game ump becasue there was no ejection. This suspension decision was made in the first instance by the Commissioner’s Office, in the absence of a decision by the in-game ump.
Is the suspension in the “best interests of the game?” Perhaps. You shouldn’t do what Farns did. But the Commish does need to keep peace with the umpires and should not usurp the umpires’ in-game discretion, or risk diluting their in-game authority.
It may be something they want to get straight and address with the umpiring crews more explicitly.
Randy,
I still think there’s virtually no difference between what a Livan Hernanadez will give you and what they’ll be getting from Darrell Rasner as long as he’s in the rotation.
I also think the Yankees have enough in house options that there was no need to sign someone like a Livan Hernandez.
They are allowing as a team 4.37 runs per game, conversely the 5th best staff is allowing 4.31 runs per game. It really isn’t the pitching that been as poor as you think it’s been.
“Jeez! Reports now are that it looks unlikely Arod will come off the DL when he eligible on 5/15.”
Who reported that?
“Igawa is tomorrow.”
Thanks for ruining my day Jax.
joe torre’s method was generally to wait until the medical ppl cleared a guy to play and they wait one or two more days, which is what i expect joe g will do. whether he comes back on the 15th or 17th isnt as important as whether he will be good to go for the rest of the season.
Here’s the news on A-Rod from rotoworld:
“According to the New York Daily News, Alex Rodriguez (quadriceps) “now looks unlikely” to return from the disabled list when eligible next Thursday.
Rodriguez is scheduled to undergo another MRI after participating in Wednesday’s pregame workout, and his timetable for beginning a minor league rehab assignment will be determined by the results. “It’s less likely that he’d be back when he’s eligible,” manager Joe Girardi said. “There’s nothing that’s happened, but they want to make sure on the MRI that it’s healed enough for him to take the next step.”
1) Tomorrow’s the ninth, Igawa is slated for the tenth, unless something’s happened in the past twelve hours.
2) You don’t win or lose the division in the beginning of May. Yeah, we’re going to have a heck of a lot of work to do, but it’s not like we’re six out at the end of August.
2a) Thus, it is not currently the apocalypse. So please, stop acting like it.
If you want to say the Yankees are stinking worse than spoiled milk, that’s one thing. To declare the season dead if we don’t win today? That’s pushing it.
I read the meeting was for 2 hours!! 2 hours of a ball that was thrown.
Meanwhile Morgan was definately thrown and not a word was said. I wonder why Gammons wasn’t on tv crying about it.
“Fredo - where do you see those A-Rod reports? That’s awful news.”
Daily News via Rotoworld.
day game comments here? Get ready for the negative brigade to be out in force less by sj44
I didnt see anyone declare the season dead if they dont win today…all I see is people saying the yankees need to start hitting or they could be in a big hole come the end of the month.
I would imagine Moller would catch friday and saturday maybe as he was the one who has cuaght BOTH Rasner and Kei recently??
I dont think the arod thing is news they said they would give him a day once he was cleared to rejoin the team. Also he cant come off the dl until thursday anyway as according to pete last post they did NOT place him retro-active and was not placed on the DL until the 30th of April.
Also it does make sense to give him anotehr MRI just to see how it all looks before he starts with heavy workout stuff
Mike,
Excellent contribution. Your stalking of me has become quite comical.
Not accurate in what I have to say but comical.
Enjoy 5th grade recess today.
Don’t you love the irony, my people?
Michael Kay has the audacity to imply Joe Torre is guility of the “appearance of impropriety” and a “conflict of interest” because as the Dodgers manager, he called Posada and Pettitte to inquire about their health.
(The sound of it is so petty and paranoid, in fact, one suspects Randy Levine and Hank Steinbrenner prompted Kay’s pious tirade.)
Yet following Torre’s dismissal, Michael Kay, Yankees announcer and organization loyalist, used his forum at 1050 radio to justify the Yankees’ decision, to tarnish Joe Torre’s reputation, and to deflect the backlash Randy Levine and the Steinbrenners suffered for their inept handling of the Torre departure, and had the intellectual dishonesty to claim it his own entirely individual opinion.
If that’s not base hypocrisy, what is?
“Meanwhile Morgan was definately thrown and not a word was said. I wonder why Gammons wasn’t on tv crying about it.”
MLB should be consistent in their rulings on this stuff which leads to believe the suspension will be reduced.
Odd thing about this is the Red Sox never uttered a peep after it happened. It was an entirely media driven “you just don’t throw at a guy’s head” thing. As similar incidents have happened since w/o suspension, I think a reduction is likely.
“if the yankees dont start hitting soon the division may be out of reach by the end of May”
That’s right, because there are only the month of June, July, August and September left and we have only been in the playoffs for 12 years running and each year we led wire to wire.
ugh
As far as reports about Arod, aren’t all the reports premature?
Until he gets his next MRI, how does anybody know when he is going to return?
It seems to me that if the next MRI says there is sufficient enough healing for him to move forward he will.
According to the reports, that would include extended ST games in Tampa and the hope he can return by Thursday or Friday.
If the MRI shows there is yet to be enough healing to move forward with rehab, then he sits longer.
Until the MRI is done it seems everyone is just guessing as to when he will return.
Mike -
Give it up. You’re in the wrong league for bashing. Boston will love ya for it. Try them.
I forgot today was a day game.
No work is gonna get done today!
Go Yankees!
“Enjoy 5th grade recess today.”
Recess has been banned by elementary schools. Playgound teasing has been deemed detrimental to our children’s development.
KS,
Hank isn’t telling Kay what to say on the air. Hank ain’t his dad in that regard.
Kay just needed something to talk about on a slow sports day so he created a subject.
I doubt he thought it would take on the life its taken on.
He’s not that bright.
Judging by reports that A-Rod is getting an MRI, my guess is he will be back 5/16 at 12:35pm and 42 seconds.
I agree with Ray re: the pitching.
Overall, its not been bad.
The problem is, the offense isn’t there to support good or bad pitching right now.
If this was scoring the 5.5-6 runs a game it was thought they would be scoring, we would be gushing about the pitching right now.
Unfortunately, the pitching has to be lights out because the offense hasn’t been there.
That’s why they are still in “hanging in there” mode as opposed to “making a move” mode.
Hopefully, the bats wake up a bit today and give Moose a little breathing room.
SJ:
Agree that it all hinges on the MRI, but Joe G felt compelled to tell folks that it’s now less likely he’ll be back when eligible
LOL…Russell
Didn’t Girardi himself say that he was going to give arod 1-2 more days off after he says he thinks he’s ready to go just to be sure…
On the Farnsworth thing, there were 2 very similar incidents right after they handed down the suspension where the league did nothing, I’m sure that was discussed, as well. It’s going to be hard to take them seriously if they do change the suspension, but based on subsequent actions they probably should. Interesting PR problem, I think…
Fredo,
IMO, its smart of Girardi to do that. Clearly, they messed up and allowed Arod to rush himself back into the lineup the first time around.
Unless your name is Carl Pavano, most players really want to play. Its up to the Yankees to slow guys down and not allow them to rush back.
They messed up with both Arod and Posada in that regard and are now paying the price for it.
Personally, I wouldn’t bring either guy back until they are 100%. If its later than sooner, so be it.
Frankly, the season is not going to be decided in the next 3-4 weeks, even if the Yankees lose every single game. Which is highly unlikely.
I’d rather both guys return when they are 100% than to try and play sooner because they are scuffling.
That’s how both guys re-injured themselves in the first place.
Rebecca,
Igawa is starting tomorrow and Rasner Saturday in Detroit. Girardi wanted to break up the lefties (Pettitte is starting Sunday) in the rotation. Which is why Igawa is starting Friday instead of Saturday.
mike-”day game comments here? Get ready for the negative brigade to be out in force less by sj44″
Holy crap. Just stop. I don’t know SJ44. But his posts are interesting, insightful and he tells it like it is.
You just seem to be obsessed with him for some reason.
Just try and enjoy the Yankee game.
Fredo Corleone
Yep, no one uttered a word when Morgan was thrown at, and if he didn’t drop to the ground like he did he would have gotten drilled in the head.
The Red soxs knew the score when Kyle threw at Manny, Kyle was trying to hit Manny in the same spot as Alex got hit the prior day, he wasn’t trying to hit him the back of the head like the media ran with. The soxs see know that this isn’t Joe T Yankees, they won’t sit idlely by and watch hitter after hitter getting drilled.
That suspension seemed to have done Jose Tabata a lot of good.
He is really starting to come on for Trenton. He is 1-1 with a walk and a run scored today already.
He was hitting .189 when he got suspended. He’s now up to .241. He’s starting to get going.
I will be in Trenton in few weeks after I get back from my vacation. I’m excited to see the progress of Tabata and Jackson, who is also playing pretty well in AA.
“Didn’t Girardi himself say that he was going to give arod 1-2 more days off after he says he thinks he’s ready to go just to be sure…”
yes he did. And if the Yankees don’t do that Alex will freaking hurt himself, he a little crazy when he wants to play baseball.
Here’s hoping the moose is smarter than cleveland is good.
I’d rather see Arod and Posada back when they are 100% and not sooner.
If the Yankees lost every game from now until June 1 (which isn’t going to happen), they wouldn’t be out of the race.
Both guys came back too soon the last time and it made things worse for them and the team.
I say, if its another week or 3 weeks until Arod is ready (Posada will be out longer) so be it.
Both guys need to be back when they are 100% and not sooner.
Other guys, namely Cano and Giambi, simply have to raise their games and pick up the slack in their absence.
“I still think there’s virtually no difference between what a Livan Hernanadez will give you and what they’ll be getting from Darrell Rasner as long as he’s in the rotation.”
raymagnetic-
i’m using hernandez as an example veteran pitchers who have been around who can give innings, maturity, and give the kids some help so they can develop.
cashman obviously feels the same way you do. i don’t see how rasner provides innings, and i also don’t see the 5 wins out of him. so i don’t see how they do the same thing.
we’ll have to let time answer this difference of opinion of strategies because it will. i really think any youth movement ironically needs some retread veteran pitchers to lighten the load as the rookies and young pitchers are worked into the rotation.
the yankees are 10th in the league in pitching. that stinks. i don’t see the silver lining there. offensively i do see. they will no doubt be better, but pitching is a real problem.
even really good pitchers like beckett don’t just emerge as reliable starters. it’s take about five years like with lee to settle in where you can count on them to be who they are.
Perhaps, you’re right SJ44.
Still, Levine is a former Giuliani flack. I wouldn’t put anything past him, nor Kay, for that matter.
I’ve heard from a few ex-Giuliani people that the Yankees organization asked Kay to defend them during the Torre backlash and Kay, no fan of Torre to begin with, was happy to take up the cudgel.
Neither Kay nor Levine are especially bright nor exactly models of integrity either.
A little more minor league news:
Jeff Marquez is also beginning to find his mojo.
He’s pitching this afternoon for Scranton.
Thus far: 4 innings, 0 runs, 2 hits, 2K’s. 45 pitches/35 strikes.
It would be nice if he finds that arm slot for his sinker. That’s been the issue for his slow start.
He’s a nice arm. I don’t think he is a high ceiling prospect. But, I do think (in fact I know) other teams like him a lot. It could give Cashman something to work with when the trade market opens up.
KS,
Notice I left out Levine’s name in my post.
It wasn’t by accident. lol
Who really cares what political party these people are associated with?
What does that have to do with anything at all?
Let’s keep politics out of this forum. That stuff tends to cloud people’s judgement.
anyone have info on Christian Garcia’s 4 IP tune up yesterday ?
SJ - if you dont mind me asking - what do you do for a living?
SJ, what happens to a guy like gardner? IS he a 2009 player, when they let Bobby(wall) Abreu go….
SJ has anything changed to dampen your opinion of the talent the Yanks have in the minors?
Cox and Melancon because of age and roles strike me as guys that can be on the big club this yr. is that feasable? They may have too many young bullpen arms, what do they do then?
thanks…
Everyone keeps saying the bats will wake up eventually.
Will they?
Maybe they just are what they are at this point. I think Cano eventually will return to form, but other than him who do you expect is gonna start doing better?
To me at least it’s becoming more and more evident with each game that this is simply not a very good lineup and could very well stay this way all year, even when Jorge and A-Rod get back.
Bobby (wall) Abreu?!!!! That is so funny! Wow, you are killing with that one.
/sarcasm/
Guiseppe Franco:
No one political party has cornered the market on the Randy Levines of the world. Eliot Spitzer had just as interesting a crew and he was from the completely opposite side of the aisle. So, observing that Levine worked for Giuliani just provides insight into the past ways the guy has applied himself. IMO, it’s not really a remark advocating one political party at the expense of another.
Paul Byrd… crap, we can’t beat this guy.
Can we just win one game today so that we can remain the .500 team we are…. C’mon Yankees…
Pete…is Igawa pitching tomorrow or Saturday ? Tomorrow would be Rasner on regular rest….right ?
Stuart,
I may be in the minority but, if Bobby Abreu puts up his usual numbers, I would look to re-sign him to a 2 year with an option deal.
He’s a very good player. I know he hates the walls. But, I don’t really see the value of someone going Eric Byrnes into the walls as some definitiion of hustle.
He hustles just fine. Last night for example, he legged out that infield single when a lot of guys (see Miguel Cabrera for example) wouldn’t have put it into overdrive.
He’s the perfect #3 hitter in the Yankees lineup when its healthy.
He’s also a very good influence on the younger latin players, both on the team and in the organization. He loves NY and loves playing for the Yankees. I think they can work out a deal with him, if they want him back.
Brett Gardner has grown on me as a prospect. When I first saw him, I thought, “Ok, he can run like the wind but, that’s about it”.
He’s really improved since that initial analysis. People I have talked to around the Yankees marvel at his work ethic. That’s a good sign with a young player.
I don’t think Gardner is a replacement for Abreu. I do think he could be a replacement for Damon. Either in 2009 or, after a year as the 4th OF, in 2010.
He’s a very interesting player because he is now showing he can hit with a little pop (he’s never going to be a HR hitter) and can be a decent leadoff man in a good lineup.
The Yankees really don’t have anybody like Gardner in their organization. I could see him developing a role with the club by next year in some form or fashion.
I came back from Charleston a few weeks ago. All I can say is, WOW, when it comes to that team. There are ten legitimate ML prospects on the team. Some (like Montero, Betances, McAllister and Almonte) who have significant major league futures, if they stay healthy and keep improving at their current pace.
Honestly, I love what they are doing in the farm system. There are real prospects at every level of the farm system.
Will all of them make it? Of course not. But, more than a few will and others will be used as trade bait to fortify the major league roster.
Precisely what a major market team like the Yankees need to do within their organization.
I think both Melancon and Cox could be with the Yankees for the second half of the season. A lot depends not only on their progress, but how the arms in the ‘pen are doing.
If there is a surplus, you can trade an arm or two to help your roster. Unfortunately though, it never seems to work out that way. Guys get hurt, lose effectiveness, etc.
Like the old adage goes, “You can never have enough pitching”.
If they aren’t on the team this year, barring injury, I think both are in the Yankees bullpen next year. Both guys are throwing the ball pretty well right now. They just need more innings to build up their arm strength.
“we’ll have to let time answer this difference of opinion of strategies because it will. i really think any youth movement ironically needs some retread veteran pitchers to lighten the load as the rookies and young pitchers are worked into the rotation.”
Don’t the Yankees essentially have more veteran pitchers than the Twins do? They have 3 veterans and 2 rookies in the equation. They’re not asking Hughes/Kennedy/Rasner etc to be lights out. They’re simply asking them to be slightly below average pitchers which I think they’re capable of being.
I don’t know what the ERA was for fourth and 5 pitchers last year (CB knows) but it wasn’t pretty. I have to believe Rasner and someone else will be able to be effective 4th and 5th starters so long as the offense is hitting.
“the yankees are 10th in the league in pitching. that stinks. i don’t see the silver lining there. offensively i do see. they will no doubt be better, but pitching is a real problem.”
They’re 10th in the league in earned run average, However in total runs allowed per game they’re 7th.
That’s true, murphdog. I just don’t see the relevance of politics in this forum whatsoever.
It’s inappropriate and has no place here.
Bob,
Respectfully disagree. If you think, as I do that cano will turn it around and posada will replace a .220 hitter with no power and arod will replace a .211 hitter with no power, the offense could do nothing but improve. Even with the completely useless giambi.
This team is holding together nicely considering the injuries and ineffectiveness of hughes and kennedy.
“Everyone keeps saying the bats will wake up eventually.
Will they?
Maybe they just are what they are at this point. I think Cano eventually will return to form, but other than him who do you expect is gonna start doing better?”
If Cano starts hitting and Alex comes back and is like his usual self do you not think they will be MUCH improved offensively? When Posada comes back they should be one of the top offenses again.
“They’re 10th in the league in earned run average, However in total runs allowed per game they’re 7th.”
That 10th is in large part to hughes and kennedy pitching so poorly. Moose andy and wang have been solid, if not better then my expectations. If they get anything from 4 and 5 its an improvement to the staff and pen.
Gardner looks like a great option as a fourth OF type next year depending on what the FO does in the offseason.
He has actually shown a little more pop this year in Scranton and has started to drive the ball in the gaps (he will never hit for much HR power, but the doubles are nice).
They have been working him at the corner OF spots lately, which I find curious, so we’ll see what the plan is for him.
IF cano returns to form and arod and posada returns, thats a marked improvement to 1/3 the lineup.
Bob,
I don’t agree. Let’s look at the lineup objectively:
Damon. Is he the Johnny Damon of 2004? No. Can he hit .280-.290, provide a little pop from the leadoff spot, and get on base? Yes. He’s shown he can do that.
Jeter. He’s not driving the ball yet but, I don’t think he’s not going to hit this year. When all is said and done, he will have a typical Jeter year.
Abreu. Having a pretty solid year so far. He will hit more once the weather heats up. That’s been his history.
Arod and Posada. Its an entirely different lineup when those guys are in it. Teams pitch the other guys in the order different, they are more effective against lefty pitching and, truth be told, they are probably the two best hitters on the team. Its tough to be without them.
Look at it another way. If they played all year, you have to think the Yankees would average 1 more run a game than they are now. If that’s the case, they would have 5 more wins this season. That’s how much they miss those guys in the lineup.
Matsui and Cabrera are having excellent seasons to date and I don’t think that will change.
Giambi. I will to admit, I think he’s done. I don’t think he will hit and I don’t think he will be an everyday player through the rest of the season. They have to play him now because of money and injuries. However, barring a complete turnaround in his game, I would be shocked if he is the first baseman on this team all season.
Cano? Certainly a mystery and you like to think he will hit. You just have to stay with him and hope he does.
If he doesn’t? They have no replacement. They will just have to make due with a hole in the lineup.
We have seen that when he gets hot, he stays hot for long periods of time. Let’s hope that happens this year.
Do I think this is a 968 run offense? No. Do I think its going to be this bad all season? No.
The lineup, when Arod and Posada come back, will score more runs. My hope is, the pitching improves enough in the back end of the rotation to support fewer runs they will get this year. I believe it will.
The bullpen is also better than last year. They will be able to mix and match their ways through games once the offense can find its legs.
Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep !
Raz has been moved back one day so Igawa could pitch on his regular day. We now have two lefty’s in the rotation…isn’t that so sweeeet! /sarcasm/. Game time. 27/08.
That makes sense…disrupt Raz’s routine so the SLUG that is coming up to show us again that he truly is a AAAA pitcher can be on his regular day. Great move there, Yankees….so put yourself in a position to lose both games…nice !
Of course Posada and A-Rod make it a better lineup.
I’m just not so sure everyone else is gonna be all that good this year. Everyone seems to expect Abreu, Jeter, and Damon to pick it up, but the fact is they are all older and at some point the decline starts. Maybe it won’t be this year, but you have to at least acknowledge that it’s a possibility, which I don’t think many people do.
Sj I do not think Abreu is a bad player and I think he also gets out of the box really well, but this team is not very likeable.. They are not a down and dirty team at all..
I just think they may need more drastic changes not less.
If they do not resign Abreu they can move melky to Rf and play Gardner in CF and then they improve there range and get younger etc….Damon has thru 2009 on his contract..
I read they moved Rasner back to split up the lefties.
Come on, Pussina. We all know it is outside the rim of extreme possibility that you can string 4 good starts together!
Last year, the bats didn’t start to hit until about the middle of June.
For the record.
Yeah and A-Rods incredible start carried them in the meantime. Don’t have that this year Rebecca.
They weren’t necessarily winning during “A-Rods incredible start”…
Are they winning now?
Plus the pitching wasnt this good last year. I read it either here or someplace else but there was a comparison between last year’s pitching woes and this year’s hitting woes. Seems like something new every year with an old team.
Let’s go Mr. Stanford! (I’m a don’t say the name of the pitcher during the game type)
Stuart,
The problem with a Damon, Cabrera and Gardner OF is they have no pop. Abreu hits doubles, can hit 15-20 HR’s, and works pitchers over quite well. He also is a 100/100 (RBI/Runs scored) guy. They don’t grow on trees anymore.
Its not a likeable team to some because they aren’t winning, the kid pitchers have struggled, and Jason Giambi is a symbol for a previously failed strategy.
Down and dirty team? I don’t disagree but, I think if they were 5 games over .500 and winning, folks wouldn’t be talking about lacking down and dirty players.
They are trending toward being younger and more athletic. Unfortunately, until more money comes off the books, and they are rid of some of the older players, they can’t just blow it up.
Especially in NY. NY doesn’t take to total rebuilding situations very well.
I think you will see a younger, more athletic team next year in several areas.
This year? Its going to be patchwork in some areas.
Pat,
Correct. They moved Rasner back to split Igawa and Pettitte from starting back to back.
“Last year, the bats didn’t start to hit until about the middle of June.
For the record.”
Not true of all them. Arod may have had the best April in the history of baseball (.355, 14 and 35) and Posada and Jeter were hitting .350 and .345 respectively thru May. It was largely the lefty bats who got off slowly last year.
I’m listening on the radio…can someone let me know when Kay makes his obligatory comparison between Byrd and Kelsey Grammar?
I’m sure somebody will let you know Stephen.
Steve Philips wants the Yankees to trade Hughes
“Plus the pitching wasnt this good last year. I read it either here or someplace else but there was a comparison between last year’s pitching woes and this year’s hitting woes. Seems like something new every year with an old team.”
The AL as a whole has better pitching and worse hitting than last year so far. League average ERA is close to half run off the previous two years and the league average OPS is down significantly. Some can attributed to the cold early on, but might be that this year may not be as offensive as recent years past.
My line for Pussina, 4 innings and 6 runs.
They will be swept. Cano just sucks, pure and simple.
67mph curve with a 16″ break on the corner for a called strike.. keep it up, moose, keep it up
Look at this Tribe lineup. Can’t say that Wedge doesn’t have a sense of humor. I thought last night’s lineup was bad.
How does Mike look. I need people here to be my eyes, since I can’t trust John s.
for a guy who talks about what a nice blog he wants this to be, sj always goes right to: you’re an idiot, or: you’re a little kid, anytime you disagree with him
I still think that what this offense really needs to do is walk more. Just hitting better isn’t going to cut it.
the Moose is on fire !
Brandon,
Did Phillips actually say or write that? That’s pretty funny.
To think that guy used to be a major league general manager.
Wow.
Get to work bats
i love gameday’s pitch-by-pitch for moose, 86mph fastball followed by a 85mph… changeup
I think what we really need to focus on is scoring more runs than the other team. If we can just do that, most of our troubles will be over, right ?
“How does Mike look. I need people here to be my eyes, since I can’t trust John s.”
If he doesn’t put up 7 innings of 3 or fewer runs up against this lineup he should be fined a month’s salary.
“Offer Jared Burton, who’s whiffing hitters in bunches, and Jeremy Affeldt for Phil Hughes. Sell Burton as Chamberlain’s eighth-inning replacement and Affeldt as the situational lefty the Yanks lack.Throw in Arroyo if they want. Make it an owners deal. Castellini and Hank will love it; GM Brian Cashman will hate it. The bottom line is that Aaron Harang, Johnny Cueto, Edinson Vólquez and Hughes would give Cincy four very different looks.”
Does he think Hank, Hal and Cashman are idiots?
I wonder what would account for the “better pitching” this year? Could the pitching be better or do people think maybe some guys who were using stuff that may or may not have been PEDs have decided to stop since the circus that was the Mitchell report and if they aren’t sure what they’re doing is legal they’re being a bit more careful?
Holy nonsense Steve Phillips
SJ he hinted on Monday Night Baseball that he had a master plan to move Joba in the rotation and help Cincy w/ the rebuilding process at the same time that Hank and Bob might want to listen to…. I find the article today very amusing
here’s his rebuilding plan for Cincy and the involvement of the Yankees.
source
Phillips could have at least had Votto going to the Yankees. Might be news to Steve P, but many GM’s like to FILL A NEED when they make a trade.
does anyone know where i can listen to the game online?
wow Betemit got real slimmer
Minor league update: David Robertson pitched his second game at AAA today.
2 scoreless innings, 0 hits, 1 BB, 1 K. 4-3 Scranton in the bottom of the 8th.
Jeff Marquez had a quality start today. 6 innings, 3 runs (1 earned), 5 hits, 0 BB, 3 K’s.
“Phillips could have at least had Votto going to the Yankees. Might be news to Steve P, but many GM’s like to FILL A NEED when they make a trade.”
Why would he want the Yankees to get anything of value for Phil Hughes?
Speaking of value trades, Ken Williams is looking like a genius with his Gavin Floyd/Brandon McCarthy trade, isn’t he?
Doesn’t Cincy have Homer Bailey, too? Why is he not providing a new “look”?
oh god…sTeVe Da KOoKY mEtS FaN, 40 % oF tHe mEtS tOp SP aRe oUt iN EL dUqUe aNd PeDrO, pLuS tHe bEsT stArTiNg CaTcHer iN tHe NL iN RaMoN CaStRo
Brandon,
How about putting Joba in the rotation another way….
Wait until late-June, early July, so you don’t bump against his innings limits. By that time, either Veras or Robertson can replace Joba in the bullpen, with either Farnsworth or Veras becoming the 8th inning guy.
Joba would be set for rotation work after the All Star Break. At the same time, so is Phil Hughes.
Voila, both guys are in their intended roles, and they don’t have to make a dumb trade. lol
I didn’t think the Yankees were in the business of rebuilding the Cincinnati Reds.
Phillips is amazing. To make a buck, he has no hesitation of showing his audience and his employers how dumb he is.
MATSUI !
The Moose actually looks like he’s having fun! Hope he can keep going!
Is there free audio somewhere on the net?
Wow Matsui is really locked in
“I wonder what would account for the “better pitching” this year? Could the pitching be better or do people think maybe some guys who were using stuff that may or may not have been PEDs have decided to stop since the circus that was the Mitchell report and if they aren’t sure what they’re doing is legal they’re being a bit more careful?”
Could be that. Also could have to lineups featuring Kevin Millar and Garrett Anderson as a cleanup hitters, David Dellucci in the 3 hole, neophytes Alex Gordon and Bill Butler frequently in key spots for the Royals. Some good young pitching too.
Too soon to tell though. Let’s see where it goes in June and July.
17 game hitting streak?
Is anyone else MLB.COM Audio not working today??????????????????????
I like good Mussina
Nice Matsui
SJ, it makes too much sense, I like Philip’s idea trade the whole farm
Wow Giambi was really thin before roids. Looked like a stick back then.
El Japones Matsui and a homer from el Giambino! Would have been bueno!
Melquiades can show some power!
I got an idea for the lead off spot, why not put Matsui, he has a high OBP % and works counts, never changes his approach because Damon is pissing me off
Crazy Steve called in WFAN again?
Bellevue really needs to take away his phone privileges..
Trade Matsui, right Pete?
lots of problems for the mets, but they just went .500 on a trip to Az and LA, which is pretty good. thier lineup looks so much better with alou back in it, reyes is coming out of his funk, delgado is coming around (thank goodness he’s out of the AL East!).
im a phils fan (in the n.l. anyway) and the mets only being 1.5 GB after all the injuries and slumps they’ve already had, is pretty impressive. i expect them to take off at this point. dont think they’ll win in the end but things are looking very much up for the metsies at this point.
so true S.A.
Name Matsui EL Capitan but in Japanese!
IS ANYBODY ABLE TO LISTEN TO THIS GAME ONLINE? MY MLB.COM IS NOT WORKING (WHICH I PAID FOR) AND I CANT FIND IT ELSEWHERE. HELP A FAN OUT!
I didn’t expect a Pitching Duel today. But so far looks that way.
Who will be bumped out of the rotation for Ian?
Joba I meant…
49 Pitches through 2 innings for both pitchers combined…At this rate the game should over in less than 1.5 Hrs.
JMO I’m hearing Bastardo or Outman are going to be 2nd half options for the Phillies if this is true the Mets are going to have big problems especially w/ Rollins returning. I still think teams have to watch out for the Braves, thier BP is quite good and getting better. Once Gonzalez returns Stockman is going to fill the 6th inning role. It’s going to be interesting in the NL this year.
skinny,
check your sound system, im getting the audio on my mlb.tv just fine
I’ll take a pitching duel as long as we win.
Meanwhile, I didn’t realize Moose and Cliff Lee ate the same thing for breakfast, but apparently, they are.
“Who will be bumped out of the rotation for Ian?”
no one yet, and we don’t even know if Ian is going to be the call up replacement, he worked himself in a dog house role, he’s going to have to compete now when Horne returns and Cutch is promoted, lets not forget Hughes.
“im a phils fan (in the n.l. anyway) and the mets only being 1.5 GB after all the injuries and slumps they’ve already had, is pretty impressive. i expect them to take off at this point. dont think they’ll win in the end but things are looking very much up for the metsies at this point.”
Phils haven’t exactly been the picture of health. Rollins and Victorino missed a bunch of time and Ryan Howard has apparently gone blind in at least one eye.
raymagnetic - Yes Williams looks like a genius. I believe there was an article written about this on ESPN today in relation to teams being patient with their young pitching. I am sure Philly is wishing they had a little more patience right about now. McGowen is another guy that Toronto stuck with and is reaping the benefits now. This is why I praise Cash for giving his rooks a chance to develop…I believe it will pay off.
Also I don’t think Phillips is that much of an idiot. I DO think he is trying to get ratings so throughs out make believe scenarios to get reactions from it. When you are not in the hot seat who cares what “deal” you dream. It’s all make believe from his standpoint. Althouh sometimes I do think maybe he is really a moron? So much for the “expert” analysis at ESPN.
Igawa will have 2 shots in the rotation, Friday and Wednesday. Kennedy is pitching again in Scranton on Sunday. That means, he will pitch again on Friday the 16th.
At that time, they will see who is pitching better and go from there.
If Igawa is passable in his two starts, he will stay. If he is awful, he will go. If he is in between and Kennedy struggles?
Stephen White, come on down. You are the next auditioning for the 5th starters spot.
first of all, the phillies are the most exciting team in baseball by far this year. they are like the yankees were a few years ago, where bing down by 3 or 4 runs in the 8th puts them right into thier comfort zone.
the plan the phillies seem to have adopted in that gorgeous little bandbox we’re paying for is: who needs pitching? after hammels, we got nothing but the offense is so good it doesnt matter. utley is the best 2b in baseball.
imagine the phils when howard and rollins start contributing! i think they will win the division again but without pitching it will be another short run in the playoffs.
Sometimes mlb.tv just craps out so I would suggest closing your web browser and starting again or resetting your computer. That usually helps me.
JMO as wierd as it sound the Phillies have been the most exciting team in baseball this year, that I know people think is being a homer but it’s actually true I’ve seen the comebacks JMO is speaking about. P.S Pat Burrell now the Manny Ramirez of the NL, I mean damn game on the line he’s killing teams.
i think phillips is great. i disagree with alot of what he says, but he is tremendously entertaining b/c he’s not afraid to say what he thinks. sometimes he sounds like an idiot but espn hasnt had anybody that willing to go out on a limb or that unafraid to make a fool of himself since bobby valentine left for japan. i disagree with most of what phillips says but i always look forward to him being on.
so, how many scoreless innings is that for the Yankees? They haven’t scored a run since tuesday early in the game. wow, not good!
so you saying you want Philips to be your next GM
Can anyone confirm that the sky is strange at the stadium. Suzy and JOhn were carrying on about it.
“sometimes he sounds like an idiot but espn hasnt had anybody that willing to go out on a limb or that unafraid to make a fool of himself since bobby valentine”
Same thought process that compels people to slow down to look at auto accidents.
Jenn they’re trying to say it’s going to rain but w/ Suzyn and John it’s so confusing..
im talking about the entertaiment value of phillips, not his gm abilities. all the other espn guys just pump up every player(gammons) slurping everyone as hard as they can. phillips calls ppl out and isnt afraid to say someone’s wrong (even when they’re right). ill take that over the normal, bland, slurping of every player mentioned that normally goes on.
“Giambi 1B
Cabrera CF
Cano 2B
Betemit 3B
Molina C”
Ouch, I don’t see much production out of that.
Philips is the biggest Yankee hater out there besides Gammons.
Cy Mussina!
Get to work bats
KO King! The Yankee Ace! Who would have thought! El Venado! The Moose! Que Caballo!!!
about time you gimpy lefty
It’s supposed to rain today, it’s getaway day. We should expect it by now.
“Giambi 1B
Cabrera CF
Cano 2B
Betemit 3B
Molina C”
Ouch, I don’t see much production out of that.”
Murderers Row compared to the Tribe’s 2-9.
How deep in the doghouse does Hafner have to be with Wedge right now?
WHAT WOULD JOHNNY DAMON DO??
He’d hit one out, thats what!
The sky is looking sunny blue with a nice 88 degrees temp and even better now with the homer from the Demon!
JD! Way to support the Moose.
Ah okay thanks Brandon, they were going on and on how it looks like you are looking through cheese cloth.
What is the entertainment value of contrived controversy? How is that entertaining?
I guess for people who just love hearing stuff it has entertainment value.
But, didn’t Baseball Tonight become as popular as it did with HR, Gammons, etc, because they talked baseball, not stupid agenda ladened garbage?
As far as the most exciting team in baseball so far this year, I’ll take the Diamondbacks. That is a real fun team to watch.
good job Damon!
jennifer,
What did they say? That the sky was falling?
i dont see gammons as a yankee hater, i just see him as a homer. he slurps all the yankees players but whenever he’s making a comparison between them, he favors the sox in every category. its not that he hates the yanks, (he spends all his on-air time stroking everyone) its just that he sees the sox almost everyday and he gets too pumped up gushing about them (and the pawsox). hes just a boston homer guy who otherwise is very connected to players and their agents.
Didn’t Kay steal the word from Sterling?
Neither one of these guys can break a pane of glass, yet they just keep mowing MLBers. I guess we should’nt worry about how fast Hughes or Kenndy’s fastball is. It’s just like real estate location, location, location
Nice Damon!
Brandon:
You seem down on Damon. Not sure I get it. .370 OBP, good K/BB ratio and near the top of the league in runs scored from the leadoff spot. Throws in a little pop and plays a better than average left field. What were you hoping for exactly???
Here comes the Giambinazo!!
did you guys hear what michael Kay said?? He called Jeter’s hit as “Jeterian” hit and later on told Flash and Cone that he invented that word…. I’ve been hearing that word from John Sterling for the last 10 years…. WOW….
about time BUM !
Giambi goes deep! 3-0!
GIAMBI!!!!!!
Giambi’s looking a little better.
Man, I really would like to see more steals/hit and runs with Damon or Jeter on 1st.
That double play from Abreu was a perfect spot for a hit and run. May have still been a double play, but man - is Jeter’s quad still not 100%?
So, does everyone get the home run sponsored by State Farm on Gameday? How cheesy!
ok moose you got your one run now hold’em. If you don’t the idiots on this board will want to DFA ya.
Shouldn’t he have bunted?
The Giambino strikes!!!!
WOW! Nice Giambi!
DAMN! Shelly Duncan just bashed Giambi into the DL so he can take over first base!!!
consistancy Fredo that’s all I want, what I see w/ Giambi and Damon they hit well 2 games and disappear for a long period of time, Damon for a leadoff hitter doesn’t get on consistantly enough and kills rallies as for Giambi you know.
ravitz: boy that (insert player name here) is really hot!
KRUK: one of the best big game guys in the league
KIRKGIAN (sp): yeah, he’s the first player since wee willie keeler to alternate between singles and groundouts to the thirdbaseman in 12alternating plate appearances.
GAMMONS: my sources tell me that he will not be willing to take a hometown discount to stay in the organization next year.
PHILLIPS: what a joke! no offense, but i could probably hit 2 of those for homers, and i coulndt hit lefties!
DFA Bobby, it could have been 5-0. Nice to see a crooked number up there.
Man, that Giambi is one damn good hitter. Does he have an option for next year?
Giambi has Paul Byrd and Mike Timlin’s numbers. He has 3 HR’s off Byrd and 2 off Timlin this year.
Its the other pitchers that give him issues.
They need a quick 1-2-3 inning, then a monsoon. I’ll gladly take a rain shortened win today.
Carlo…
Yeah, it’s definitely a Sterling word, but John refers to Derek’s swing as a “Jeterian swing.” He has used it for almost every Jeter hit in the past umpteen years.
Michael Kay is Michael Kay. [>shrug
Dan…
No. The Yankees will trade Giambi to the BoSox in August for Josh Beckett.
SJ another words he owns the slow thrower, but a McGowan, Carmona or insert hard thrower has his number.
hitting the guy = not good
Giambi has Paul Byrd and Mike Timlin’s numbers. He has 3 HR’s off Byrd and 2 off Timlin this year.
Haha I totally forgot Giambi already had 2 dingers off Byrd. With his diminished bat speed, guys like Timlin and Byrd are perfect for him to tee off on.
$20 mill for Giambi next year as a pinch hitter against Timlin and Byrd! (If they are still playing!).
“hitting the guy = not good’
Especially when you’ve just been spotted a 3 run lead.
Moose really can’t let them score more than 1 run this inning if he’s gong to give up any runs at all.
C’mon Moose you can do it!
Moose listen to your damn catcher
Careful!!! The Moose might want to tie the game in this inning to make it interesting!!!
giambi can only hit soft tossing right handed pitchers when they miss location.
Wussina
nice fence catch by aaron rowand in the phillies/giants game. gotta wonder how long he can keep being a crash test dummy before he turns into darrin erstadt.
This is when Moose can drive you nuts.
Stops pitching in because he hit a guy and now opens up a chance for the Indians.
He did this against Boston and got lit up.
He can’t back off and not use the inner half of the plate.
El Venado wants to throw the homer ball!
“This is when Moose can drive you nuts.
Stops pitching in because he hit a guy and now opens up a chance for the Indians.
He did this against Boston and got lit up.
He can’t back off and not use the inner half of the plate.”
Totally agreed - excellent popup
He tried but Garko missed!
pirtates/giants game i meant
mlb game mix channel is awesome!
gidp ball right here
V is copying what SJ writes!
Traber blew the save in Scranton
and there is Bobby and the wall on cue …
Should Bobby have had that?
abreu must’ve loved kissing the wall there!
I will be so f-ing happy when we have decent defensive players in the outfield.
Moose, this is not how you pitch after your team puts up a three spot
Thye Moose keeps trying……
“V is copying what SJ writes!”
Huh? I quoted him.
well that sucked
whats the score?
That inning is completely on Mussina. Constantly shaking off Molina, who wants him to pitch inside, to nibble away and he gets his butt handed to him.
Get him out now before he blows the lead.
Just a horrible piece of pitching by a guy who just won’t stop nibbling. Even when he succeeds a different way.
holy crap…no more freaking runs!
Bobby finally meets the wall he shys away from!
not what we wanted to happen…come on Moose.
crap, now sizemore will be up this inning.
There is she.. the great Micaela Wussina
how are you getting beat by the #8 hitter? and now there are any number of ways for that 3rd run to come in.
funny… our pitchers refuse to hold a lead like our hitter refuse to get hits with RISP.
Nice combo.
3-2 Yanks
i have no problem with abreu’s play there. some guys would have gotten it and really smacked the wall and likely miss some time or just be out of it for a few days. i admire guys like that, but i dont want abreu to try to catch that and faceplant the padding at full speed.
“That inning is completely on Mussina. Constantly shaking off Molina, who wants him to pitch inside, to nibble away and he gets his butt handed to him.
Get him out now before he blows the lead.
Just a horrible piece of pitching by a guy who just won’t stop nibbling. Even when he succeeds a different way.”
Uh, d00d? He’s pitching in, he’s pitching out, he’s pitching in.
He can’t sit inside.
One of the worst things in baseball is when your offense spots you some runs and you give them back the very next inning. Inexcusable.