Game 40: Yankees at Rays
-
- May
- 13
YANKEES
Damon DH
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Matsui LF
Giambi 1B
Cabrera CF
Cano 2B
Gonzalez 3B
Molina C
Wang RHP
Chien-Ming Wang against the Tampa Bay hitters.
Edwin Jackson vs. the New York hitters.
Back later with updates.
UPDATE, 6:50 p.m.: As was posted earlier today, Goose Gossage has beeen critical of Joba Chamberlain’s fist-pumping. “There’s no place for it in the game,” Gossage said. “I will stand by that. … That’s just not the Yankee way, what Joba did. Let everyone else do that stuff, but not a Yankee.”
To his credit, Gossage called Chamberlain today and told him what he said.
“I didn’t know anything about it. He just wanted me to know where he was coming from,” Chamberlain said. “It is what it is. I’m not going to change. He was a man, he called me, he told me where he was coming from and I appreciate it.
“People are going to say stuff to me all the time. The fact of the matter is, I got to where I’m at by being who I am. I’m not going to change.”
Good for Goose and good for Joba. You can certainly respect what Gossage says and hopefully will respect Joba as well.
I asked Joba whether a player from any other team has said something to him. “Not one,” he said.
UPDATE, 7:02 p.m.: Two interesting minor-league moves this week. J.B. Cox was promoted to AAA Scranton and Mark Melancon has been assigned to AA Trenton. Confirmed the moves with Brian Cashman today.
I haven’t had a chance to ask Cashman about this yet, and I’m not sure he would answer the question, but this is probably one of the steps in the Make Joba A Starter Plan. For the M.J.A.S.P. to work, they need some guys who can move into the bullpen. Cox and Melancon are high on that list.
If you get a chance, go to Trenton and watch Melancon pitch. He’s an animal.
UPDATE, 7:19 p.m.: The Yankees are 5-15 when the opponent scores first. With the Rays, a team like that likes to run and take extra bases, getting the lead is paramount. A team trailing by two or three runs can’t take as many chances.
UPDATE, 8:39 p.m.: 1-0 looks like 10-0 given the lack of energy the Yankees have had since they arrived at Tropicana Field. They have one run on nine hits over the last 14 innings.
Jorge Posada and Alex Rodriguez are good, but they’re not that good.
UPDATE, 8:45 p.m.: Chien-Ming Wang has allowed four runs on 10 hits in his last 12 innings. That’s not wonderful but it’s pretty good. The Yankees have given him no run support. Literally, zero runs.
UPDATE, 9:27 p.m.: Here’s their chance to score a few against Dan Wheeler. Troy Percival probably won’t screw it up in the ninth inning.
Joba warming for the Yankees. Wang did his job. Too bad everybody else is sleepwalking again.
UPDATE, 9:53 p.m.: Yikes, bad pitch by Percival there and Matsui made him pay. The Yankees fans here have come alive.
A little late-inning life, something new for the Yankees. Now they have to turn it into a victory.
UPDATE, 9:56 p.m.: Those of you who get upset when Mo Rivera isn’t used in a tie game on the road should prepare to get upset.
Now warming, Kyle Farnsworth.
UPDATE, 10:12 p.m.: Well, I must admit I did not think Farnsworth would escape there. But good job by him. Do you bring Mo in now? It looks that way.
UPDATE, 10:39 p.m.: This is the first game that has gone extras for the Yankees this season, by the way.
Also, the Yankees have two runs in their last 24 innings. Yeesh.
Tampa can move into first place if they win. They’ll probably have a parade if that happens.
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dammit!
Glad to see Joe going with the kid at 3rd. Ensberg should be cut loose when A-Rod comes back.
Nice work in the lead-off slot saucY –
I’m surprised to see Abreu, Matsui and Big G stacked up in the middle of the lineup. Do the DRays not have a lefty in the pen?
Hopefully Wang brings his usual great outing. The Yankees will definitely need some length after Pettitte’s outing and with Moose going tomorrow for maybe 5 or 6 (hopefully).
TKinDC – had to get the line-up gripes out of the way. hopefully, that should be it for the day.
TKinDC-
I think the plan is to mash early and often just in case the Rays bring in Howell or Miller.
has anyone checked out that article on the next japanese phenom yu darvish on espn.com
maybe the third time is the charm irabu – igawa – darvish might finally pay off lol – only 21 yrs old interesting read.
Wang’s been our stopper all season long, hope it continues
I might actually watch this game because Wang is pitching….but then again, it probably wont matter. I rarely watch games when theyre played in a dome…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz no matter how many hits/runs the offenses put up. Watching games that are played in a dome are really unbearable.
Yeah, it was a very good article. It’s interesting that a lot of the Little League coaches are telling the kids to work to get to the US rather than to stay in their home country.
Yu Darvish $75 MIL in the world of common sense, please take a top tier college picks or ULFAs w/ this money, don’t let Igawa part 2 happen.
Hmm, I’m tempering my expectations tonight. Wang has been great but he for whatever reason does not pitch well with extra day’s rest. And with this offense…I dunno.
GO WANG!!!!!!!
Is calling Darvish Dice K 2.0 a compliment? Dice walks like 4 guys an outing and avg less then 6 innings a start. I see the era so far is good but that wont stand with control problems.
Igawa part 2?! how about ichiro 2 – the pitching version?
Darvish has known off field issues. Who’s to know how many trips he’d have to leave the U.S. for to make quick flights to Japan. Back off this guy.
We need to win tonight
Mussina-Shields, Kennedy-Kazmir, Rasner-Santana, Pettitte-Perez are our next 4 games. We face Shields, who is the hottest pitcher in baseball followed by 3 straight hard throwing lefties who have dominated us in the past.
75 million just to talk..
Wang usually struggles on turf for the obvious reasons.
for anyone else interested there is documentary film the zen of bobby v airing tonight at 9 on espn 2 it follows bobby valentine in japan just caught a preview on otl looks good
I like Darvish, but no way do you pay that kind of money for an unknown quantity. Matsuzaka is good, but not worth the money it cost to get him.
I’m not so much soured on Ensberg, though it seems pretty clear that the organization/Girardi has. At this point, there really is just no point in having him except as 3B insurance. I mean…if they weren’t going to play Ensberg even with Betemit out, why even keep him on the team?
No Darvish..enough of the Japanese imports.
How many amateur pitchers could be drafted or international signed for 75 million?
Yu Darvish looks phenomenal, But really how can any gm justify a 75 million dollar posting fee for an Unknown. Dice K is good, and his actually contract is probably right at market if not slightly below, but 96 million dollars is Absurd. Furthermore, fair or not, nobody can live up to that amount of hype, and seems generally unfair for a 22 year old. (As unfair as being 22 with 50 million in the bank). I can think of 3 pitchers im comfortable giving that too, and all of them have a consistent track record, year in and out (Webb, Peavy, Santana). Id be shocked if this guy was even a tier 2 pitcher.
I sensing a victory…I hope!
We were secretly wishing to win the bid to negotiate with Dice-K. We dump on the Igawa signing. Let someone else deal with Yu.
Stick with Hugheses, Brackmans, and Sanchezes.
SCREW THE JAPS!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’ll let Cashman talk to me every day for 75 dollars
I thoought I heard that Darvish has no desire to pitch in the US, was that false?
yu darvish is sick! i agree that his price is too steep, but he’s young, confident, and a nasty pitcher. who wouldn’t like to see him play for ny? you can tell that he’s miles ahead of igawa and even matsuzaka. who makes it a goal to have a 0.00 ERA during the course of the season? and actually comes close to it with a 1 ERA? he’s ridiculous, but there are so many questions and unknowns, i doubt cashman would take a chance on him. IF darvish even wants to play in the US.
Darvish may be for real and when you see him pitch you see a possible Tom Seaver, heck all you need to know is Bobby Valentine doesn’t want him to leave Japan, but we’re talking my guess when it’s all said and done altogether $160 MIL is my bet, I bet they end up $100 MIL posting and 60 million for 5 yrs. to whoever signs him.
If Darvish worked out that 100 Million would be made back to the Yanks in merchandising revenue in no time. He’s extremely marketable.
The team that signs him might pay Johan Santana money, the nice thing is he’s in his early 20’s the bad thing is the unknown risk that follows. I look at Darvish pitch and wonder would American hitters have hit him, take in case Andrew Brackman he tops out at 101 as a SP hits 99 around the 7th inning when healthy, Christian Garcia tops out 98 can sit in the mid 90’s when healthy, what is the difference between these talents if they would be pitching to Japan hitters.
Dr. J, I think you forgot the best pitcher of all time, Cliff Lee
So Yu is that much better than Dice-K when he was in Japan?
On the plus side with Darvish, his arm won’t be as abused as many Japanese pitchers arms are. Dicey K had a lot of use on his arm till he came here.
I don’t think the GM is the one to sign off on the posting fee. That comes from the owners, and if the Yankees are not seeing great results from the pitching then Hank could very well decide that a high posting fee would be in order. I don’t think it could get as high as 100 Million for a posting fee though. Then again, who thought the RS would go as high as they did for Dicey K?
“I thoought I heard that Darvish has no desire to pitch in the US, was that false?”
To quote the ESPN article (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=darvish):
“So, does Darvish want to pitch in the majors? Unfortunately, the conditions for an interview with the pitcher come with the following stipulation: No questions regarding his thoughts on Major League Baseball. Which is telling in itself. If Darvish had no desire to play in the majors, wouldn’t it be easy for him to just say so?
“I told him not to say anything, because it would increase interest,” Fighters director of operations Toshi Shimada says. “I told him it will increase his popularity and make the club more popular.””
So we can’t definitively say one way or another about his desire to be in the MLB.
don’t let igawa effect your thoughts on darvish…
...i know little about the kid, and spending 22 mil. for an unknown doesn’t seem wise, but i wouldn’t decline japanese important because of the igawa situation.
i think everyone, at least people who read up on the situation, knew igawa would be a bust and a poor decision.
We’ve been through about 1/4th of the season.
Darvish’s ego won’t fit inside the new Yankee stadium.
Between Irabu & Igawa the Steinbrenners have contributed enough to the Japanese pitching pot.
Let’s find more Taiwanese pitchers =)
Lets hope if the Yanks do post and then sign him, he doesn’t discover the Cheeseburger like Irabu.
thisguy:i think everyone, at least people who read up on the situation, knew igawa would be a bust and a poor decision.
Well, I read everywhere that he was supposed to be a strong 3rd or 4th starter IIRC. Right now, that’s not what he is.
But let’s not forget that he won the Sawamura award in 2003 (the Japanese equivalent to the Cy Young award), so he definitely was a top pitcher in Japan…
Hmm, the expectations that I remember of Igawa were 4th or 5th slot.
all the reports Ive heard on Iggy were that he was a number 5 starter in the NL. which basically means you have arms and can throw a baseball
New Name For Igawa –
“QUE? IGAWA???”
I think we all should use this name when referring to that albatross. What, Igawa? As in Yanks, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING???
OK? Who’s with me?
No more Kei.
QUE? IGAWA??
Done deal.
In re: Darvish, if he’s posted, I hope the Yankees make a mid-level offer for him.
IF he falls to the Yanks, fine.
If not, pitching is not the biggest concern for the Yankees going forward anyway….
Not that much of a difference…that was not my point anyway. As he was one of the best pitchers of Japan there were a lot of expectations. Apparently his stuff doesn’t translate to MLB though…that’s what the scouts should have seen.
Igawa has a buck-toothed buddy that pitches in Japan with “lights out” stuff.
The hitters say they can’t even see his pitches …... when there’s a power outage at the ballfield.
i would think after Irabu and Igawa the Yankees would shy away from the Japanese pitching market.
I say sign more latin pitchers. Especially Panamanians. I heard they know how to finish strong.
Yu Darvish
again risky… I wouldn’t do it because this is Johan Santana $$$ then again it’s not my money and he doesn’t look anywhere near like an Igawa or Irabu. Posting will go through the roof.
It’s time for Cashman to work a deal with the SD Padres. Kei Igawa for Sean Henn in a straight up deal.
if darvish gets the money they’re saying, i think it’s kind of messed up that pitchers that come-up thru the MLB system are kinda getting penalized for it (having to wait thru arbitration years and then FA).
what does he have on his resume that a Joba or another college-draftee doesn’t? a year or two in the Japanese league (which is often compared to our AAA)?
Brandon do have a scouting report on the lefty reliever in AA, Zachary Kroenke?
“We face Shields, who is the hottest pitcher in baseball” i always knew Dr J was a pothead!
james shields went 10 innings and gave up 1 hit last outing.
the outing before that he gave up 10H & 7ER in 3.2 innings. i would hardly call that the hottest pitcher in baseball
Rebecca: Frightenly enough, Irabu pitched better than Andy in 1998 (ERA+ wise, Irabu was at 109 compared to Andy’s 104). Basically, Irabu had a pretty bad first season (~50 IP, 63 ERA+), above average second season (that 1998 season, 179 IP), and…approximately average third season (169.3 IP, 98 ERA+)
Sure, he stunk after that third season, but he already was in Montreal at that point.
I wouldn’t go for Darvish if I were the Yanks.
At 100M+ this pitcher better be CY freakin’YOUNG GUARANTEED!
As great as Dice-K was touted and with all his success with the Sox, he ain’t all that impressive.
Geez, what the heck has happened to American pitching prospects??? This is some sad state of baseball.
Yu looks nasty on that video. But someone needs to tell him that he cant be shouting after a K. They will think Joba influenced him.
I say SIGN HIM UP!! If its between spending money on him. Or spending it on C.C. I go with Yu. The way the batters were swinging at the crap bouncing. Makes me think that they cant pickup the ball that easy.
Wow, history has not been kind to Irabu. If we got the same performance from Igawa that Irabu gave us in 1998 (13-9, 4.06 ERA, 109 ERA+, 173 IP), we would be thrilled.
Irabu gave us a mediocre 1999. Then we traded him to the Expos for Jake Westbrook and Ted Lilly. We used Westbrook as a piece in the legendary David Justice trade. We used Lilly to get Jeff Weaver, which didn’t work out so well, but still – Irabu was hardly a reason to shy away from Japanese pitchers.
The Yankees would do the Irabu deal over again if they had the choice.
ok guys until later, one tid bit when your watching SP pitch on youtube pause the video just before the elbow follows through to see the true stress they put when they throw, after you unpause it if it looks effortless it means they have some crazy arm speed or torque…In Darvish’s case his armspeed is very fast.
“Brandon do have a scouting report on the lefty reliever in AA, Zachary Kroenke?”
loogy, low 90’s mostly 88-89 mph guy
” i think it’s kind of messed up that pitchers that come-up thru the MLB system are kinda getting penalized for it (having to wait thru arbitration years and then FA). ”
It all balances out. The posting fee is designed for two things; first to help cover financial loss for the Japanese team that would be incurred by the departing star. Remember, star power = money. Bye bye star power = bye bye money. Posting is there to help assuage that (sparked by Hideo Nomo and Soriano’s “retirements” from Japanese baseball to come to MLB).
The other thing is giving a player negotiation power (this one sparked by…dun dun dun, Irabu. Apparently the original deal was that the Padres were to have the rights to sign him, but he wanted to play for the Yankees).
Geez, what the heck has happened to American pitching prospects??? This is some sad state of baseball.
I don’t think it’s sad. I’m glad to see that the game is expanding and that more and more countries are getting involved with it. There are plenty of American pitching prospects, but people have to wait longer for them because of the draft.
Yu Darvish is no Igawa. Darvish is a top of the line pitcher..Igawa was not. Yu has better numbers than Dice-K in Japan. I also believe he had a 1.82 ERA last year which is really good. I say go for him…if this one fails…never go after a Japanese player again.haha. He also has more command of the plate and doesn’t walk the ballpark like Dice-K does.
Wang and the Yanks need a win badly just to uplift there confidence. Stop the Rays fromw inning 6 in a row tonight. It would really hurt fans to lose this one sending the teams ace to the mound..and lose to Edwin Jackson. Go Yanks.
http://zellspinstripeblog.wordpress.com/
Kevin
id like to see the yankees try to get away from long-term contracts. if abreu wants more than 2 years, adious, if texiera wants more than 4, take a hike. id rather pay abreu $50M for 2 years than $60M for 4 years.
blargh, the negotiating power is my biggest gripe. local guys go thru years of college, minor leagues, and pre-arb years before hitting a big payday (signing bonuses aside).
JMO, didn’t you just say that you’d prefer the remaining five years of Ichiro’s contract to the one year of Abreu’s?
Oh, in THAT case…
I personally agree that MLB’s internal system for that is rather…unfair towards the players; un-capitalist, even. Which is why I don’t get all that annoyed when players do become free agents and rake in the cash. Still, not like the league/the owners would like to change in favour of the players.
If you do that, you won’t sign a single impact free agent.
You also don’t overpay for a player to shorten the years.
That’s how you get in luxury tax hell and you raise the bar across the board in the game.
Players are paid according to what others in the game have done.
If, for example, you pay Bobby Abreu 25 million dollars, simply to shorten the years, you raise the bar on every other OF deal in the game.
The Yankees aren’t getting into that game because it ends up costing them (and the game) in the long run.
The fact is, certain guys are going to get multi-year, big money deals.
The issue becomes, is that particular player worth it?
Tex and CC are going to get offers larger than 4 years.
If you draw that a line in the sand, you don’t get either player.
I want the Yankees to do smart deals. I don’t want them to take themselves out of opportunities by creating hard and fast rules.
The key is properly evaluating the guys you commit to long term.
Arod is worth it. Giambi is not, for example.
If you look at the game today, many of the better young players are not seeing the free agent market.
For a team like the Yankees that means, first and foremost, they need to develop from within.
That said, they can’t develop everybody from within. You still have to play the free agent and trade markets.
They have to evaluate whether the guys that do hit the market (Tex and CC for example) are worth the long term investment.
If it was my money, and I could only sign one, I go for pitching every time.
Cabrera CF
Cano 2B
Gonzalez 3B
Molina C
.
if these bats don’t KILL us tonight…we should be fine !
Ironically Don, it was THOSE bats that actually had hits last night.
Personally, I have confidence that everyone EXCEPT Molina will MASH the ball tonight….GO YANKEES !!!
Scorpio…I know…so if they can just stay on track, then we will be fine….Yankees win 9-2 !!!
Sorry, Don…my bad!
yes, i did say that, but i’d have to say i was perhaps overreacting to some of bobby’s adventures in RF the past few games. i like bobby and i like ichiro, but neither is going to be worth mega dollars 4 & 5 years from now. if we could take the next 3 years of ichiro’s contract or sign bobby for 2, i wouldnt mind paying huge dollar amounts to maintain the roster flexibility a couple of years from now. i like damon and matsui too, but it seems clear to me that if we had one less OF, that gardner could hold up fine as the 4th OF and we’d have a late inning pinch runner and/or defensive replacement. also might be willing to lay down a bunt on occasion.
“Personally, I have confidence that everyone EXCEPT Molina will MASH the ball tonight”
He did have the only XBH yesterday, right?
You also don’t overpay for a player to shorten the years.”
first of all, why not? seems like doing it the current way is killing the yanks at the ends of those contracts.
You also don’t overpay for a player to shorten the years.
“That’s how you get in luxury tax hell and you raise the bar across the board in the game.”
wrong. they will very likely be over the threshold anyway, so any dollar they pay is taxed at the same rate. therefore the tax on %50M in salary (2 yr deal) is only 5/6ths of tax on $60M (4 yr deal).
I’m not sure where the $75M number came from for the posting fee on Darvish. IIRC Boston put up $50M for Dice-K and outbid the entire field by $24M.
I am actually pretty happy not to have Dice-K just on the fact that the way he pitches is just brutal in terms of deep counts, nibbling and turning games into 5 hour snooze-fests.
whozat ….Molina is batting TERRIBLE of late…check the stats….his XBH in last night’s 7-1 loss does not impress me….his bat needs a few games in a row of “heat” before I think he’s out of his slump….but maybe I’m just negative…
Kind of a big game tonight. This promises to be a tough week with ARod still out and they need to win with their best guy on the mound.
I think its stupid to have ens on the team..he was brought here to hit and what hes doing isnt hitting. I would rather see Gonzo come up and strike out and go well he needs time than have a player thats been in baseball long and know he has no potential. If the kid hits a double then hey its a plus everytime and can lead to greater things
Did Ensberg contract the clap or something ???
no more dp’s!!!
Let’s get a win tonight
I wouldn’t sign both Abreu and Texeira. For me it’s one or the other. Two multi year contracts like that at big money? Pass! If I where to choose one it would be Texeira.
I don’t know what to say about Sabathia too many concerns there.
I’ve never seen anyone take as much abuse on this board as Kei Igawa. I can’t say he doesn’t deserve it, but man its ruthless in here.
Is it the sunglasses?
The fact that he gets shelled and thinks he pitched well? His horrible pitching in general?
“that gardner could hold up fine as the 4th OF and we’d have a late inning pinch runner and/or defensive replacement.”
That’s really the least of the Yankees’ problems. If we’re yearning for roster changes that are impossible, let’s yearn for a defensively solid, righty-hitting first baseman. That’d balance the lineup really nicely right now. Or, something that’s much MORE possible…a bobby-kielty type that can play all the OF positions AND mash lefties.
Why is it that, when singleton calls the game the yanks never win, and when murcer calls they do win???
i always like watching when wang is pitching but i also agree with whomever said earlier that watching a game on tv in a dome is horrible! last night i found myself switching to other games contstanlty, more than on an ordinary loss night and i came to realize that it was the trop i was being repelled by. its so drab and it sounds like they’re playing in a handball court.
blow em out early so i wont feel guilty watching the phils!
It’s become increasingly popular among GM’s to sign young players showing above average skills to lucrative enough contracts after 2-3 years of service and in the process, buying out their arbitration years and early free agency years.
It’s their next contract that should be the biggest of their careers and in the prime years.
Miggs –
The answer is, all of the above. Plain and simple.
“The fact that he gets shelled and thinks he pitched well? His horrible pitching in general?”
Add in the money the Yankees spent on him..and I think it’ll cover the reasons why many have such strong feelings regarding Kei.
I think most of the abuse for Igawa comes from the fact that he gets shelled just about every time that he steps out on the mound for the big club. His quote from when he pitched against Detroit didn’t help when he said that he only made a couple of mistakes but thought that he was pitching well…
With the mentality that if you put Igawa on the mound is going to result in an automatic loss for the Yankees, I can definitely see why he gets so much abuse on the board. I try to think about what sort of positives can come out of him, like he could maybe raise his stock on the trading block, but the way that he pitches certainly doesn’t inspire me to be positive about what he can do with the club.
Darvish is a must, 21 years old, that is a freaking prospect.
It’s the gloves that worry me more than the bats particularly those of Godzilla in left and the Giambino at first.
i cant believe they are going to send igawa back to aaa. they have no place for him in the rotation with horne coming back and mccutchen and others pushing for a promotion from trenton, melancon almost ready for trenton, etc. keeping him is detrimental to the development of our pitchers who actually have prospects. if they cant get anything in a trade for him the should release him.(is it possible to trade him back to japan to get a few yen back?)
Miggs,
Have you forgotten about Pavano? I think with Igawa, most people aren’t really mad at him. It’s not his fault he was improperly evaluated. It’s the front office’s fault. With Carl, it’s all his fault. He showed that he could pitch in the bigs. There was a bidding war for him. Boston and Seattle bid more, but the moment he got to the us, he just shut down.
Pavano takes it harder and deserves it
JMO-
Sorry, nope. Can’t trade a player to Japan.
whenever i point out that having no defensive replacement for giambi was a huge mistake, i am generally told that 1B is not an important enough defensive position. i say it is in late inning situations with our righty relivers in there. teams are keeping thier LH bats to use against farns and joba and thats when you need to send in a defensive replacement for giambi.
miggs,
Maybe he gets alot of heat because he doesnt come off as someone willing to work hard to improve. He was one of the only players that was mentioned being out of shape coming into spring training. Having a dissapointing year like he had last year. Youd think he would come in with a chip on his shoulder. Then he gets shelled his first game back and acts like he did no wrong. Time to cut our loses.
I dont know whats worse Pavano on the d.l. for life. Or Igawa pitching for us.
It does seem like Ensberg is the odd man out when Alex comes back. But also the Yankees need good defense behind Wang (if he’s throwing ground ball outs), and Gonzalez provides that.
Anyone see the article about Yu Darvish on espn.com today?
There was a picture of him pumping his fist on the mound.
The Japanese version of Mike and the Maddog are in uproar over this.
Actually, as I disclosed on this blog last night, I’m working on a plan to acquire Igawa’s rights myself, after which I will trade those rights to the Nippon Ham Fighters. More information to come.
Don’t tell me what I can’t do.
mmmmmm ham!
kd,
You cant give all the blame the front office. Igawa led the Japanese league in strikeouts a few years and his e.r.a. was just a half run higher than Dice K. coming in. Who would have thought in this short period of time that he doesnt deserve to even be on the aaa squad. Let alone the Yanks. He came in this year exactly the same as he left. Hasnt made any adjustments and was out of shape to start. He can take those shades he wears and shove it wear the sun dont shine.
Everybody FOCUS !!!....Yankees MASH the Rays tonight !!!...and tonight we RIGHT THE SHIP !
not to raise the dead, but it looks like Goose called Joba…
Goose Gossage today called Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain to explain yesterday’s comments criticizing Chamberlain.
Gossage, the former Yankees reliever who is to be inducted this summer into the Baseball Hall of Fame, had chimed in with others critical of Chamberlain’s celebratory demonstrations.
“We all have our own right to say how we feel,” Chamberlain said. “He has his opinion. He played the game the way he played the game.”
Chamberlain was criticized last week by Cleveland’s David Dellucci for fist pumps and yells after a strikeout of Dellucci.
“There’s no place for it in the game,” Gossage said yesterday, according to mlb.com. “I will stand by that and I love Joba Chamberlain. I’m with him down in Spring Training. He’s a great kid, but no one is passing the torch today. Nobody talks to them. When I broke into the big leagues, I didn’t say two words all year.”
Chamberlain and Gossage got to know each other when Gossage served as a guest instructor in spring training. Chamberlain said he took Gossage’s words as constructive criticism but said the issue will probably not go away.
“It’s going to be around because I’m not changing,” Chamberlain said. “If people want to talk about it, good. Let them talk about it. It’s not going to hurt my feelings.”
FROM NJ.COM
“I will trade those rights to the Nippon Ham Fighters. More information to come.”
Nick in SF,
Can you trade him for Yu D. Then sell Yu’s right to the Yankees for a player to be named later?
I was trying to be realistic. I’m looking for canned ham, not canned Yu.
i’m hungry.
Did you buy those candy bars Nick?
Okay I don’t want everyone to hate me for this but I am predicting that the Yankees get killed tonight. I am not going to tell you why right now, because it has to do with one of my stupid superstitions.
Now except for my stupid superstition, which I will tell you about once the game is over, I probably would have thought it was going to be a close game but that the Yanks would pull it out, but not by much. That’s just a matter of practicality, based on the Yankees cold bats, the Rays hot team, and CM facing Jackson, who of all of their pitchers appears the most hittable.
My fervent hope is that I am totally wrong about my superstition prediction because then it will lose its hold on me. The kick with this particular thing is that it inevitably turns out correct. Call it major league coincidence.
When I end up telling you what it is, once the game has been played, it will probably make me look like more of an idiot than you already may think I am. Best I can tell you is that I am sincere in saying that whatever it is, when it does happen, always turns out to be correct.
(The only reason I am not saying what “it” is, is because I don’t want anyone to pooh pooh it out of hand, and I think you will definitely be tempted to do so if I tell y’all now. I know I would be!)
See you in a while. Gotta run an errand or two.
GO YANKEES!!!
GO O’S!!!!!
GO AWAY SUPERSTITION!!!
(The only other read I would have on this superstition is that we would end up with a peck of bad luck tonight, such as an injury to someone, but I really think it has more to do with the final score and winning/losing.)
Yu, Yu, Yu, Yu, Yu,..
My Igawa post was half-joking, but he really does get killed in here.
The sunglasses actually do bother me though, and I think he doesn’t give a crap about winning. That’s my basic problem with the team in general these days…..no heart.
So many games they lay down. Last year at least they showed fight, came back to win some games late. This year if they’re losing after the 6th inning, I basically have no faith that they can comeback and win the game.
Guys with heart on this team are past their prime (Jeter, Posada). The young guys (Cano, Cabrera) as talented as they are, they don’t have that fire. The burning desire to win. All these years of signing these hired guns (Giambi, Pavano, Sheffield, Randy Johnson, Jaret Wright, Pavano…this listis endless) have killed the spirit and unity of the concept of “team”. Its slowly eroded over time to what we have now. Which to me, is a team that is hard to root for. And it kills me to say that because I love the Yankees so much. But its true.
Thank god for the farm system and what we have to look forward to. But the now isn’t pretty. Its painful actually.
Why would you predict that the Yankees are going to get killed? Come on Trisha !!!! You’re better than that.
Its time! Yankees have to get over the hump! I believe I don’t misremember when I recall that last season they got to be 14 games back at one point! But just because they were able to close the gap then, doesn’t mean they will be able to do it again. Boston seems to be pretty healthy right now so you just can’t let them run away. They might not be healthy all season but…. then again, who knows?
Gotta start doing better than .500 if we wanna make it happen!
Trish…what are you into, witchcraft?
Let me be clear…Ken Singleton is not the most knowledgeable announcer, but clearly the nicest guy on the YES crew.
It would be very cool to play a round of golf with that guy.
trisha,
I lost all respect for you. I thought you were the positive no Yank can do no wrong gal. Now this. Very dissapointed.
S.A.: yes, the purchase of the case of candy bars has been made. The shipping was brutal, Moose better do well in the next game too. I hope these candy bars are good.
Trisha: I can’t imagine why someone who wants to be taken seriously as a baseball analyst would go on about a prediction not based on baseball analysis, but what do I know.
Trisha,
Even if your superstitions tend to come true, why post that here? It doesn’t help anyone enjoy the game. And it doesn’t reflect all that well on someone like you that prides herself in her baseball knowledge.
Next time keep it a secret ‘kay?
I’m thinking Wang will end the Rays streak at home. We score first we win Wang only allows 1 run – that’s my prediction.
I especially want that to happen after I just heard on MLB.TV the Rays broadcasters saying if Boston loses they could be in first tonight. You gotta win yourselves buddy!!
Jackson has been getting lucky. that’s it. he’s still the guy the dodgers gave up on.
that’s my story and i’m sticking with it
as far as the yankees losing their fire, i think you guys are actually right. it’s not the same intensity as before. i think the guys need a shot in the arm. you’d think that joba would do that. maybe it’s time for jetes to call a ‘team meeting.’
Oh, speaking of superstitions, if you’re into the natural disasters = times are changing thing, the Sichuan earthquake yesterday would be of rather interesting portent for the rest of this year
check out petes new post!!!
Trish. I heard the world ends in 2012 today…what say you?
I did it so I can look like an idiot in the end and get rid of my obssession with this stupid ass superstition. I’m sorry that I sound negative because that isn’t what is in my gut.
Hell no I’m not into witchcraft. I am totally God fearing. But there is a stupid thing that happens and I just wanted to put it out there hoping that I end up looking like a fool and the Yanks win this one and that’s the end of this stupid superstition!
Hey lots of people predict the Yanks might lose certain games. I never do that. I always feel we’ll win.
If I shouldn’t have shared this thing with you I apologize. I actually thought about it before I even said anything, but I am not trying to be anyone I am not here and if it makes me look ridiculous, I am willing to risk that.
Sorry, it’s hard to explain.
ooooooooooohhh damn it.
Another loss tonight.
Can someone please stop this losing streak?
so it begins-The M.J.A.S.P. that is
okay…just wondering
hey all. haven’t been posting lately, just haven’t felt like it but i’ve been reading the blogs.
anyway, it can’t get more miserable to watch than last night, so i’m looking forward to this game. let’s see some offense baby! yeah johnny way to hustle.
Heh. I got lost halfway, just following her superstition train of thought, lol.
I hope whatever it is though – it turns out to be wrong.
Forget I said anything. What the hell do I know anyway. Meantime, please don’t let it ruin your enjoyment of tonight’s game. And someone was right when they said that even if it is an accurate superstition, why even mention it. I shouldn’t have and I apologize. I was just sharing something with my cyberfriends.
I never let anyone feeling we are going to lose make me belileve the same thing so just consider it stupidity on my part. It won’t be the first time I’m stupid and I fear it won’t be the last.
Sincere apologies for the whole thing.
Seeing Damon beat out that throw brings me back to the point pete and many others were making last night that the drays make a lot of teams look old and slow.
It had me thinking how to make this team faster and looking into the organization who down on the farm has some speed.
Austin Jackson has always been brought up as the best athlete in our system.
Anyone who has seen him play how fast is this guy? does he have elite level speed?
Could anyone elaborate on him and maybe gardner’s speed too for that matter?
I can’t believe how empty the stands are in Tampa. They have a young exciting team that is playing great.
That’s an embarassment.
arghhh…Leiter called that an overpowering fastball….what an overstatement…the ball was over his head almost
I predict that Trisha will take credit for the outcome regardless of said outcome
Go Yanks!!!
I thought it was kinda funny – convoluted, but kinda funny.
miggs,
I agree on your point that the yankees are a poor, in fact, very poor come from behind team. I don’t think its a case of no fight, or laying down,, I think its a case they don’t have their game breakers active(Arod/Po) or their game breakers are ice cold (Duncan) or not really slugging/hitting with RISP (Matsui)
The Rays will consider themselves lucky to draw 15,000 for this game. Putrid for a team near the top of the division.
If not for the cowbells and the goofy loudmouth, you could hear people fart in the stands.
not a big fan of all these swinging Ks
Dang, changing eye level, changing speed. The kid finally got it together.
Johnny wants to come home.
Aww Hideki, that sucked.
My god. How many times this season have we hit a ball hard only to have the defender be right there?
It’s getting ridiculous!
I really hope the Yanks start hitting. The top of the first was not very impressive.
Let’s go Yankees.
anybody hear from Rebecca lately? just cause she graduates, she can’t hang out with us Yankee-Pete Abe-Lo Hud Slugs anymore??? see what a little education does for you?
man i’d be surprised if sometime down the road (not anytime soon probably with talks of new parks for both teams) both the Marlins and Rays move out of Florida and no team ever makes a home in Florida again. I mean there is just no love for those teams down there. You’re talking about a Marlins team that is what, 15 years old or something and has won 2 world championships, one of which came against the Yankees, and there stands are practically empty night after night. now you have a Rays team, playing better then they ever have, looking absolutley amazing, riding a hot winning streak, 6 games over .500, young and exciting, new look, hell there are almost only good things to say about them right now, AND they’re playing the Yankees, and yet look how empty the stands are.
Guess Florida isn’t a baseball state outside of spring training. hell, even in spring training it’s mostly tourists.
are there any youtube videos of melancon?
if he’s an animal, let’s get joba down to AAA and have him stretch it out
KD – No Joba to AAA – stretch him out up here!!
in my last post i meant to say i wouldn’t* be surprised if the Rays and Marlins left FLA.
hehe Upton lloks like he stepped in a pile
as much as i’d like having joba stay in the majors all year, i doubt it would be a good idea to stretch him out at the ML level. i mean you’d have to screw with the routines of the other pitchers in the midst of a pennant race. not a good idea. we have enough problems as it is lol.
“anybody hear from Rebecca lately?”
She was here today.
The attendance turnout is HORRIBLE…. the Rays should be ashamed…. they’re playing great and the YANKEES are in town
NIIIIICE
The Rays will draw much better with a new stadium. Sitting inside to watch a baseball game just seems wrong.
Nice inning by Wang.
15 pitches for Wang
can we score a run or 2? Or am I asking for too much?
Sit down Carlos!!!
Can you say “Regression to the mean?”
wow Giambi beat the shift, sort of.
whoa. Giambi did something
Breaking News
FOX predicts Clinton Victory in W VA…
seen buying rounds of boilermakers in appalachia
melky. very nice
“The Rays will draw much better with a new stadium. Sitting inside to watch a baseball game just seems wrong.”
I know it’s “wrong” but watching a game at the Trop is the most comfortable you can possibly be. There’s A/C, it’s not hot, you don’t have to worry about the weather etc. It’s free to park, it’s a VERY easy stadium to get to…. there’s no reason people don’t go to watch the Rays
What the heck is that guy chanting? Sounds like some odd sort of voodoo.
That DP hurt. Was hoping to score at least one there.
Why do the Yankees NEVER hit and run with ground ball hitters batting?
can’t say I am surprised by the dp….but, sigh
good luck Wang!
what is going on with all the freaking dps…really, three last night, four the other night. It’s just too much
Typical
lo and behold, the yankees got the first 2 men on base and did nothing with it. now watch jackson settle in and shut them down for 5 more innings.
That was a disgraceful wasted inning.
This team has got to manufacture a run now and again just to stay out of the double play. Just once. Please.
Really stupid giving that dude the green light to swing at the first pitch in that situation….MAKE THE PITCHER WORK !....The Yankees seem to be patient at all the wrong times this year so far….THAT was a time to be patient…no ?
The Yankees MUST lead the major leagues in broken bats. Damon is the team leader.
this team NEVER gets a big hit. It is a joke…
I thought Gonzalez was fast…..
they cannot hit, talk all you want about the pitching they are bottom 10 in offensive categories…....
The Attorney General has no patience in his pursuit of justice….
Either Girardi is being cautious with all the players getting hurt or he isn’t as an aggressive mananager as advertised. No steals ,no hit nad runs, and no bunts when hitters are struggling anyway. Anyone feel the same?
JDnotDrew, have you ever heard of guy named Bill James? A book called Moneyball?
Let me give you the concise version: With the 2006 Marlins, you’d better play small ball.
With the 2008 Yankees, not such a good idea.
Fat old and slow is why no steals, no bunts, and h&r’s
can you belive the taxpayers of florida are going to be on the hook for 2 new stadiums which will cost over a billion dollars for those 2 so-called franchises. i think they are still paying off the bonds for the trop.
how’d that work out for ya?
nice double play there. Good to see flashes of brilliance from this team every now and then.
I don’t think the taxpayers of florida pay hardly any taxes…the taxes on tourists make it so that homeowners pay next to nothing on property taxes….
nice DP to end the 2nd. But they were making Wang work. maybe this young Rays team should give the veteran Yanks team a lesson in patience at the plate.
actually it was 2 of their veteran hitters that had those long AB’s…but still.
STOP SWINGING AT THE FIRST PITCH !!!
good god. PATIENCE FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. 1 pitch 1 out to start the inning as totally unacceptable. they’re helping this guy out so much.
when was the last season that watching the Yankees play in April and May wasn’t miserable?
Good patience by Molina and Jeter there, both seeing a single pitch
first pitch swing ground ball
why isn’t the yankees hitting coach restraining them from doing that? that’s simply stupid!
look at how the rays hitters are making Wang work.
oh my the yankees hitting are painful to watch
how’s the game looking…I’m studying for finals
Paul –
But homeowner’s insurance is a killer there!
JMO and Paul- I hear ya but when Damon,Jeter,Melky,Abreu,AG are on they should be running. If they can teach Cano to steal then he too should run more. I’m not saying everytime but once in a while. Even the TB announcers are talking about how Torre would have guys run – Torre.
quick inning…who’s louder, the ump or the heckler?
2 1st pitch outs
wow. awesome. what was that, 6 pitches? good job guys way to make jackson work.
7 pitches? Wang didn’t even reach the dugout and he’s gotta go right back out. Jeez Louise, guys. 7 pitches.
If Wang lets the leadoff guy on in any inning, the Yankees are in trouble
that was waaay to fast
Hate to say it, but so far this season this team is flat out boring. No comebacks. Nothing aggressive or creative. No big hits. Can’t bunt. Thanks goodness for the occasional fist pump. (My apologies to the Goose.) Snore.
amanda, stay with the finals.
it’s less painful than watching the first two innings (offense wise)
Guess it could be said that you need to get on base to run.
so far, 3 yankees have swung at the first pitch and it has resulted in 4 outs….nice strategy there…right ?
The Yaks are showing no patience at the plate. What happened to the team that always ran up the count?
zooboy, i hear ya. this team is miserable to watch so far. i’m still holding out hope that they’ll play .700 ball the entire 2nd half again and look utterly unstoppable, but jeez,i would be nice to see them play well in the 1st half one year.
stone houses don’t blow away…most of those homes are trailers..disposable homes…that’s how you could lower thye homeowners ins. in fla….
Hi Amanda,
What finals are you studying for? It’s gotta be more interesting than the Yankees hitting so far…
2 of the guys who ran the counts are on the DL right now…and it’s definitely showing on the team.
I wonder if Girardi even considered having Cano bunt when there were 2 on none out. I can’t remember whether Cano is a good bunter or not. Either way, having Giambi as the lead runner in that situation probably put the kibosh on the notion, if there was one.
Nick – Cano is not a good bunter, but Gonzalez shouldn’t have been swinging at the first pitch there
at least the dp plays both ways
look at how the rays are making Wang work.
Edwin Jackson must feel like he’s pedro right now.
Glad to see that Wang is helping himself out with the dp.
Ah…There’s nothing better than the DP…when the opposition hits into it of course…
Gotta stop them from running…seems like the whole team runs…
Just goes to show us that without Arod in the lineup, this team has an identity crisis.. Nice to see Big G coming around a bit.
Paul – you obviously haven’t been to Florida in a very long time. After the hurricane’s a couple years ago insurance is CRAZY and we pay a lot of taxes because I think it’s 2% on what you paid for the house, which worked when the houses were 125K but an average house is 4-500K now (400K X .02 = 8,000)
wong gone wrong
what is going on with wang today – lots of balls…not usual…
i have a fear that if they are still sucking like this when Alex comes off the DL, he’s gonna feel like he needs to do a lot to carry the offense, and he’s gonna be pressing. and usually it’s not pretty when he’s pressing…
Let’s worry about Iwamura so much that we walk Crawford and put two on for BJ Upton
the average doublwide runs 4-500K?
that was scary.
glad it stayed in
melky is all business.
That’s it Wang! Now let’s get some runs…I’m tired of this lack of run production!
Let’s Go Yanks!
too close for comfort1
Is it me…this year I just don’t get excited about the Yankees. Almost feels like a bonus if they win a game. Their pitching is in shambles, they aren’t hitting. Maybe it is me.
1 run..come on
can they score 1 little run
Drew just taken out of the game – not sure what the injury is…
Paul- Lol.
there are trailer parks everywhere. the two times i was in florida i saw a lot of sub divisions full of McMansions. same as every other place.
hey it’s Harold Reynolds! (watching mlb.tv)
It is only may
Ok, whenever I watch the game, they lose. Whenever I cannot watch they game they win.
For the good of the team and the entire Yankee fan community I think I will sit this one out.
2nd pitch NO WAY is a strike…...NO WAY !
lol. todd kalas on Rays TV is talking about how it’s almost all Rays fans in the outfield section at the Trop, meanwhile there is a guy in a Yanks hat and jersey in the show right behind him.
Thanks, Doc, see you back here in November.
sigh everything the Yanks hit hard is right at someone… hell, we’d probably be 39-0 if all the other teams played without a defense.
They say 2 out walks hurt…so make it hurt!!!!
“hell, we’d probably be 39-0 if all the other teams played with [our] defense.”
Also, do the Yanks lead the free world in 0-2 counts?
3run homer for luke scott and beckett’s down 5-3 (and has thrown over 50 pitches) in the 3rd inning!
There’s a vast difference between excuses and reasons. Eventually somebody will need to get good and pissed off at the goings on and it WON’T be the Captain.
This team is flat out lifeless.
well good thing boston is losing 5-3 with becket pitching!
WOW!! Luke Scott took Beckett deep 5-3 O’s
Luke Scott just hit a HR off Beckett. Baltimore 5-3.
i believe we do, nick, i believe we do.
also, didn’t get why you quoted me until i read it more carefully. nice. lol. also, vodka goes nicely with apple juice.
While I will not take credit for tonight’s game, win or lose, I will DEFINITELY take credit for helping the Sux to lose!!! I sit there and stare at the television with my best Papelsmear glaring fish-mouth imitation and wish them nothing but bad luck!
The Yankees are lucky that Boston is not playing well right now either.
I wish the Yanks would score a run or two!
Baltimore takes the lead, 5 to 3.
newsflash the Ynaks offense stinks..Plain and simple the Rays staff is not exactly the Orioles when they had 4 20 game winners, the Yanks just stink right now.
No clutch hitting, no breaks, no nothing….
pathetic…..
I miss watching the Yankees score runs.
Yay Baltimore!
Paul – in S. FL it does
will the real Chien Ming Wang please stand up?
I miss watching the real Yankees.
Okay Fran, between us let’s will some Yankee runs.
You know we have that power!
“somebody will need to get pissed off at the goings on and it WON’T be the Captain.”
Yep…can’t say I’ve seen the role of captain filled in a couple years
So whats going on? Im not even watching it on Gamecast.
Got American Idol on.
Dr. Cox – your man card please
what about the current Wang not like the “real” chien ming wang?
Dr. C –
So far so good.
Equally important the O’s are drop