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Game 60: Blue Jays at Yankees

Peter Abraham
June
5

YANKEES
Damon DH
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Matsui LF
Posada C
Cano 2B
Betemit 1B
Cabrera CF
Wang RHP

Chien-Ming Wang (6-2, 4.14) vs. the Toronto hitters.

Dustin McGowan (4-4, 3.95) vs. the New York hitters.

Notes: Alas, the dream of fielding the Opening Day lineup for the third time all season remains a fleeting one. Jason Giambi (left foot) is out for a second straight day. … This is the first start for Jorge Posada since April 25. He should get a nice hand when he comes to the plate. … Thanks to Brian Heyman for calling in the lineup. … The clock is ticking for the draft, which starts at 2 p.m.

Back later with updates.

UPDATE, 2:28 p.m.: Very interesting draft news. The Pirates (Alvarez) and Royals (Hosmer) are clearly not worried about signability.

Meanwhile, Joe West has a brutal strike zone at the Stadium.

UPDATE, 2:41 p.m.: Another poor performance for Wang, who didn’t get any help from Melky Cabrera.

I’m not sold on the idea that Wang is simply having problems with his arm slot. He’s had that problem before and he’s fixed it in one bullpen session. You have to wonder whether there is something wrong with him physically because he can’t “finish off” his sinker.

Wang is not the type to complain and, as we know, the Yankees don’t reveal much about injuries. At some point, and we’re at that point, you can’t ignore the results over a long period of time.

UPDATE, 2:52 p.m.: Words can’t describe how bad Bud Selig is when he announces the picks during the draft. He makes David Stern look like Dean Martin. The commish had done a decent enough job but baseball should hire Ryan Seacrest to make public appearances in his behalf. Let Bud stay in Milwaukee.

Meanwhile, ESPN has Steve Phillips, Chris Singleton, Peter Gammons, Keith Law and Jim Callis on hand.

The two guys who know the most about the draft- Law and Callis – are not on the set in Orlando. Makes perfect sense.

UPDATE. 3:04 p.m.: They caught a break when Barajas lost the ball. But what is Bobby Mecham thinking there, letting Damon tag up on a pop fly to the second baseman? Damon should have been out by 10 feet. Off the top of my head, Meacham has made four mistakes already this season. That’s four more than Larry Bowa made last season.

It’s one thing to be aggressive but that’s over the top.

UPDATE, 3:20 p.m.: Looks like we have a game. Wilson Betemit doesn’t do much but he does have some power when he makes contact.

UPDATE, 4:07 p.m.: The Yankees might be catching a break in the draft. Lots of hitters going high. They could get a big-time arm at 28. Cole, maybe. Might they take Casey Kelly? We’ll know soon.

UPDATE, 4:25 p.m.: The draft is opening up well for the Yankees as position players continue to go. I’d personally like to see then take one of these pitchers:

1. Shooter Hunt
2. Gerrit Cole
3. Tanner Scheppers

UPDATE, 4:33 p.m.: 10 minutes until the Yankees pick.

UPDATE, 4:36 p.m.: Great catch by Wilkerson. That ball falls and it’s 8-7 and Metallica is playing in a few minutes. Wow.

UPDATE, 4:39 p.m.: Yankees draft next. Total speculation, but they’ll take Cole.

* * * * * YANKEES SELECT GERRIT COLE WITH FIRST PICK * * * * *

UPDATE, 4:43 p.m.: The Yankees have taken RHP Gerrit Cole with their first pick of the draft, No. 28 overall.

UPDATE, 4:47 p.m.: Here is the Baseball American scouting report on Cole:

Cole is the best righthander out of Southern California since Phil Hughes starred at Santa Ana’s Foothills High in 2004. Cole’s four-seam fastball ranges from 93-96 mph, occasionally peaking at 97-98. He adds a hard, late-breaking curve which shows bite, tilt and depth. Cole used his changeup sparingly early in the season, though he used it more later. Adding to Cole’s considerable appeal to scouts is his tall, lanky and projectable frame, which is nearly ideal for a prep righthander. Scouts are split over whether Cole profiles as a starter or closer. He maintains velocity and pitch movement deep into games, but his inconsistent command and tendency to run up high pitch counts may move him to the bullpen. Some scouts have compared him to Mariners closer J.J. Putz. Cole does bring mechanical concerns. He lands on a stiff front leg, and he recoils his arm during his follow-through. Both hurt control and raise injury concerns. Complicating the situation, Cole’s adviser is the Scott Boras Corp., which may eliminate many clubs from consideration. Cole also hasn’t endeared himself to scouts or teammates with what one scout described as his immature mound demeanor.

My take: Cole is from Orange (Calif.) Lutheran HS. Big, big arm with a dominating fastball. This goes right in line with Brian Cashman’s desire for talent regardless of what risks there are.

Obviously they’re hoping that Cole will mature as he becomes a professional. Great pick based on getting that kind of ability at 28.

They next pick at 44.

UPDATE, 4:56 p.m.: Robinson Cano has two sac bunts since the start of the 2006 season. Why would you have him bunt now? I realize that a professional ball player should know how to bunt. But that is not part of his game.

Meanwhile, you just can’t use Farnsworth two days in a row. His stuff fades.

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 5th, 2008 at 10:09 am by Peter Abraham.
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1,082 Responses to “Game 60: Blue Jays at Yankees”

  1. raymagnetic ®™

    Wang needs to pitch a good game today. Get this winning streak started.

  2. Fran

    It’s good to see Jorge back in the starting line-up. It adds a much stronger bat to the line-up and with Jorge being a switch hitter it breaks up the lefties.

  3. ItalianGreco

    ahhhhh, Posada in the line up looks good.

  4. jennifer

    :cry: that is a beautiful lineup. It is almost perfect. Glad Jorge is finally back!! Hopefully he still stay healthy the entire year!

  5. Moe

    Dear Wang,

    Please pitch a perfect game so no one gets on base to embarrasses me on the bases.

    Thanks,
    -Jorge Posada
    Catcher NY Yankees

  6. CB

    Sorry. Didn’t see the new thread. This is on Posada’s defense:

    “He not hideous back there, but he’s ranks in the lower half of the AL catchers defensively. His bat and ability to handle the staff more than outweigh his defensive deficiencies, but they exist nonetheless.”

    By David Pinto’s probabilistic model of range, one of the better defensive statistical approaches, Posada was the 5th best defensive catcher in baseball.

    That model has limitations in assessing catchers.

    So if you can use another method to also see what kind of defensive player Posada is.

    By Clay Davenport’s runs above average system at Baseball Prospectus Posada was -4 runs worse than a league average catcher in 2007. In 2006 Posada was 9 runs better than a league average catcher. In 2005 he was 3 runs worse than a league average catcher. This system takes into account throwing/ stolen bases against.

    And not that its a great stat, but last year Posada had the 4th highest fielding percentage for any AL catcher.

    Posada may not be a top 5 defensive catcher but there’s no evidence to indicate that he’s even close to “hideous.” There’s also no evidence that I can find that places Posada towards the bottom of defensive catchers.

    He’s probably around league average or better.

  7. rebecca

    Hey guys, I’m down the shore right now…can someone do me a favor and text me when they announce where Shooter Hunt is going?

    A few of you have my number.

    Much thanks!

  8. jason

    This lineup looks pretty good to me. When Giambi is back – if he can keep hitting like he has recently and Cano can get back to being himself of the last couple of years this team will score runs. They are more balanced left/right than with the injuries and are generally tough outs top to bottom.
    Also with everyone back no one, hopefully, will try to press to compensate for the missing players.

  9. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    toronto is running alot this year, at least against us, so i expect to see them steal on jorge at every opportunity. i just hope his inability to stop it doesnt kill us and even more that he doesnt injure him shoulder again trying to stop them.

  10. Doreen

    It figures. Finally get Posada back in the lineup, and Giambi is missing. It’s still not the “A” lineup. :) That said, I’m sure glad Posada is back. I hope he stays healthy. And I hope Giambi only needs another day or 2 at the most.

  11. CB

    When you think of power pitchers the likes of Josh Beckett, Time Lincecum, Jake Peavy, etc. come to mind.

    Dusting McGowan is the guy with the hardest fastball in the major leagues this year. His average fastball velocity is 95.1 mph.

    He’s got very impressive stuff.

  12. frank bonadonna

    this is the start of 5 in a row…… i hope

  13. mel

    Best of luck to CMW and the Yankees (Bizaaro baseball continues as Mussina has more wins than Wang). It’s good to have Jorge back. And congratulations to Jeter on another milestone. And to Krazy Kyle for a successful outing yesterday. :)

  14. Dembore

    WE ARE CURSED. THE BAMBINO HATES US FOR TEARING DOWN THE HOUSE HE BUILT. CURSED !!!

  15. NYY

    WE ARE CURSED. THE BAMBINO HATES US FOR TEARING DOWN THE HOUSE HE BUILT. CURSED !!!

    Curses are for Sox & Cubs not the Yankees.

  16. morning star

    Is it just me, or does Ian O’Connor get dumber by the day?

  17. LadyBug626

    I seriously think the Cubs are cursed. But the Sox IMO fell prey to bad decisions, not any curses.

  18. Jerkface

    Get em, lady bugs

  19. jashell2000

    I kind of wished Posada did not make his “surgery” news public just yet. Agressive teams that run like Tampa, L.A. etc. might try to exploit that. Oh well. They clocked him at 1.95 – 1.97 seconds to get his throws to second which is his norm. Hopefully he can make it through the season without any further delays. Looking forward to having him behind the plate to help stabalize our rotation, our pitchers trust him as well they should.

  20. NYY

    What’s wrong with Jhonny Damon? Why all the negativity about Joba. Damon is a A##

  21. jay destro

    http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/.....id=3427037

    Johnny, shut up and be a team player. You don’t hear any one else chirping to the media. If you don’t like it, ask to be traded.

  22. raymagnetic ®™

    What did Damon say about Joba?

  23. Drew

    It wasn’t negativity about Joba per se, it was negativity of the damage it did to the pen.

    Giambi will be out next with a raised eye brow.

  24. TurnTwo

    i heard about this this morning… Boomer and Carton usually take pleasure in railing on the yankees, and even they thought Damon was taken out of context in the interview, and portrayed incorrectly.

  25. Steph

    Damon basically said that he didn’t understand why the Yanks took Joba out of the pen because he “likes winning ballgames.” Well…who would he like to go into the rotation now over Joba? Does he really want to bring up a Kei Igawa or something to do the job?

    Looks like a good lineup today! Totally excited for the draft as well…if they’re not talking about the Lakers out here, they’re talking about Skipworth and Cole.

  26. Russell NY

    “You don’t take Jeter out of the two-hole and put him in the seven-hole just because you’re leaving the ‘4′ and ‘5′ guys on base,” Damon said, according to the report. “You let him do what he does best.”

    I don’t know how that can be taken out of context.

  27. NYY

    Damon doesn’t like Jobs moved to the rotation. He says he is more valuable in the 8th. He also compared Joba’s move to rotation as Jeter being moved to 7-8 from his 2 spot. This is the same Damon who can’t throw the ball from the the outfield to the cut-off man. He is an idiot. Cashman is a genius. Great move by Cash & Hank to move Joba to rotation.

  28. JGNYC

    “If we were winning after six, we had [Kyle] Farnsworth in the seventh, Joba in the eighth, and Mariano [Rivera] in the ninth — we thought it was game over.”

    Perhaps Johnny forgets that his old legs still need to show some effort in the 7th, 8th, and 9th? Almost sounds like he enjoyed not giving 100% at the end of the game. Gravy train is over, Johnny boy. Back to work.

  29. keith

    They were under .500 with Joba as a setup man. Sure don’t wanna mess with what’s not broken.

  30. Francis The Praying Mantis

    trade talk………yankees send Cano, Hughes and Jose Tabata to LA for James Loney, Clayton Kershaw and Andre Ethier.

  31. jennifer

    SHUT UP DAMON!! YOU IDIOT!! God your name fits.

    “I remember the teams the Yankees won [championships] with, if they were winning after five innings, it was pretty much game over,” Damon said,

    Um and if you aren’t winning after 5 WHAT GOOD DOES JOBA DO IN THE 8TH??? WHY NOT SCORE SOME RUNS!?? HOW ABOUT THAT WHAT A NOVELTY??

  32. Artie A

    Joba can only get better in the rotation…watch. He will be great and soon. He has way too much stuff.

  33. TurnTwo

    “trade talk………yankees send Cano, Hughes and Jose Tabata to LA for James Loney, Clayton Kershaw and Andre Ethier.”

    id rather them send Cano, Hughes, and Tabata for Prince Fielder.

  34. jennifer

    And I love when people say well he won’t be better in the rotation. OF COURSE HE WON’t. He won’t have a 2 era.

    If he is going to whine to the media, it really wouldn’t shock me if the Yankees tried to trade him. His stock should be rising since he awoke from the dead.

  35. Russell NY

    Francis The Praying Mantis – where do I sign up for that?

  36. TurnTwo

    “Joba can only get better in the rotation…watch. He will be great and soon. He has way too much stuff.”

    of course. but today’s culture demands instant gratification. people watch Joba’s first start and think he cant possible improve.

  37. bigjf

    Damon just isn’t thinking about the future, and I’m sure he’s never heard of some of the guys that are being considered for call-ups.

    That remark about the Yankees championship teams makes me laugh because he doesn’t mention that those teams had remarkable starting pitching 1 through 5. Cone, Wells, Pettitte, El Duque, Clemens…all in their prime! Now, we have guys who are underperforming and perhaps overperforming in what isn’t nearly as stable a starting rotation as those days.

    If I was conducting this interview with Damon, I would love to ask him what he has to say about the fact that Joba wanted to be a starter, Hank and company wanted him to be a starter, and also I wonder how Farnsworth feels being sort of called out by his teammate like this. Perhaps Farnsy could land some punches and knock some sense into Damon.

    Damon for Burnett sounds pretty good right about now.

  38. The Fallen Phoenix

    God, I’d hope the Yankees didn’t make that trade. Cano alone might arguably be enough to get two of those Dodgers propsects…

  39. Dan

    What is the word on Phil Hughes lately? How is he doing with this rehab; and how did his bone scan go? Just wondering. Also, what about Andrew Brackman. Do you see him coming off of Tommy John surgery and being that great prospect he was hyped to be?

  40. Sara

    Anyone see how mad Joe Madden got at Coco Crisp yesterday? Some nerve!! is it just me or do the rays play dirty baseball? I mean i am not sticking up for Boston but josh bartlett stuck his knee in front of the bag!! Madden has some nerve going crazy like that!

  41. Laura

    “Anyone see how mad Joe Madden got at Coco Crisp yesterday?”

    I hope Francona got in Maddon’s face. I’m really starting not to like TB. I hope they get creamed on this road trip.

  42. S.A.-Can we please win a game?

    Welcome back Jorge!
    Let’s get a win today!

  43. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Keith Law:

    • Yonder Alonso is asking for $8 million and a major league deal, which is scaring a number of teams off of him. Meanwhile, Casey Kelly is asking for so much money that teams are assuming he already has a deal in place, with the Cubs and (of course) the Yankees as two suspects.

    • Heard David Cooper as a fallback option for three teams late in the first round: Colorado, the Yankees and Boston.

  44. Sara

    Laura, i agree!!! i hate boston but Francona is a stand up guy. I have never liked tampa bay. now they are walking around like they are the sh*t. yes, you have a good young team but your pitchers, who are carrying your team, have innings limits…let’s see where you are in August…PLUS they built their team using Yankee money!!! that really gets me!

  45. Russell NY

    Is it unprecedented for a team to trade some of their prospects in order to pick up a prospect that was JUST picked up in the earlier rounds of a current draft?

  46. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    do not give him a ML contract, we need the roster flexibility. P.S. shut up and play, his comment tells me he cares and wants to win but shut up and play. There are alot of people that won’t think twice to replace you w/ Brett Gardner.

  47. Russell NY

    I will laugh when Tampa Bay is 8 games out in September and the Yankees just swept them.

  48. Russell NY

    Unfortunately, Damon can say whatever he wants when he is hitting .310

  49. hmmm

    “Dusting McGowan is the guy with the hardest fastball in the major leagues this year. His average fastball velocity is 95.1 mph.”

    they should make him a reliever!

  50. The Fallen Phoenix

    Brackman has the athleticism, the tools, and the fastball to be the top talent in the Yankees farm system, but it’s too early in the TJ rehab process to determine how he’s going to fit into the system next year. Considering he’s especially raw for a college pick, we might not really see Brackman start living to his potential for another two years.

    He certainly has the stuff to ultimately be considered one of the top talents/best picks of the 2007 draft’s first round, though.

    As for Hughes, last I read (and this was at least a week ago), he still wasn’t cleared for throwing, so it looks like if he’s going to be back this season, it’ll be closer to early/mid August than the All-Star break. I wouldn’t be absolutely destroyed to see Hughes finish the season in AAA when he gets back, either; so long as he gets his innings this season, I think that’s most important at this stage of his development.

  51. Patrick (the good one)

    they should make him a reliever!

    Well duh

  52. hmmm

    “Damon for Burnett sounds pretty good right about now.”

    just because Damon SAID something stupid, doesn’t mean he isn’t PLAYING great.

    he’s having an awesome season whether people here want to admit it or not.

  53. Francis The Praying Mantis

    by making that trade the Yankees grab a much needed, young, good fielding first baseman, a young left handed pitcher that projects to be a top of the rotation starter and a young outfielder thats very good. That fills 3 of their needs for 2009.

  54. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    “Unfortunately, Damon can say whatever he wants when he is hitting .310″

    that picks up his trade value but his comments into what the organization should do is a huge no no

  55. NYY

    P.S. shut up and play, his comment tells me he cares and wants to win but shut up and play.
    Damon is a selfish idiot. He knows he will be out of baseball in 2 years once his contract expires. He won’t be there when Joba has success as starter. If Joba is in bullpen then the team will get instant success and the team wins now(now = when Damon is still with the team.)

  56. mel

    Question of the day:

    If you’re a young, great prospect with signability issues with no rooting interest, are you hoping you get picked up by the Yankees or Red Sox?

  57. raymagnetic ®™

    “yes, you have a good young team but your pitchers, who are carrying your team, have innings limits”

    The only one who “might” have an innings limit is Jackson.

  58. hmmm

    “do not give him a ML contract, we need the roster flexibility. ”

    you can’t have it both ways though.

    the Yankees are picking 28th. for the elite talent to fall to them, there HAS to be a reason.

    if an elite player is demanding a major league contract, and THAT is what causes him to fall to the Yankees, i have no problem giving it to him. otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to have him.

    this is exactly how the Yankees should be flexing their financial muscles.

  59. ray (sox fan)

    It will be interesting if Coco gets a brush back or worse pitch tonight.

    Tampa Bay is definitely an improved team, but I still think at the close of the season it will be the Yankees and the Sox contending for top position.

  60. Sara

    “I will laugh when Tampa Bay is 8 games out in September and the Yankees just swept them.”

    You and I both Russell!

  61. hmmm

    “id rather them send Cano, Hughes, and Tabata for Prince Fielder.”

    seriously?

  62. Russell NY

    Francis – that is a dream though. Dodgers would never trade those guys for a 1) slumping 2nd baseman who swings at everything, 2) oft-injured pitcher who hasn’t shown significant strides in the majors, 3) loud mouth slumping hitter

  63. TurnTwo

    “id rather them send Cano, Hughes, and Tabata for Prince Fielder.

    seriously?”

    yeah, seriously. could you imagine an offense with ARod and Fielder going 3/4 for the next 5 years? Fielder would hit 50 bombs a year easy with the silly porch in RF.

  64. The Fallen Phoenix

    And the Yankees could probably fill two of those needs just using Cano, if they chose to aggressively shop him, so why throw in Hughes (who has comparable potential and minor league success to Kershaw) and Tabata?

    Furthermore, as was argued yesterday and last night, Cano’s a mighty fine player in his own right, and potentially someone to build this team around. As a matter of fact, trading Cano alone for Ethier and Loney (assuming that’s a reasonable return for Cano alone) might be a bad trade from the Yankees’ standpoint, since Cano has just as much offensive upside as both players, while playing top-flight defense at a position of scarcity. Ethier and Loney *could* conceivably combine to match the production of Cano alone…

    …or the Yankees can try and package some of their minor league pitching to pick up a blocked bat, like LaPorta (however unlikely that might be), while keeping Cano.

  65. DMan

    I can’t wait for the draft to begin.

  66. The Fallen Phoenix

    By the way, trading either Hughes or Tabata at this point would likely be selling-low–although I guarantee there are twenty nine other teams in the majors that would salivate at the opportunity of adding one or both of them into their minor league systems.

  67. Dan

    Trading Cano, Tabata, and Hughes for another first baseman would be absolute stupidity. Cano is still one of the best fielding 2B in the league. Just because he’s slumping doesn’t mean he’s not great.

  68. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    “yeah, seriously. could you imagine an offense with ARod and Fielder going 3/4 for the next 5 years? Fielder would hit 50 bombs a year easy with the silly porch in RF.”

    step away from the computer TurnTwo…..

  69. ray (sox fan)

    mel,
    If one is a great young prospect they want to get picked up by the Celtics…….just kidding. I’m looking forward to the series!

  70. CB

    “they should make him a reliever!”

    Hey you’re preaching to the choir buddy.

    I’ve been trolling on blue jay bulletin boards all season long telling them how stupid their franchise is (not for cutting Frank Thomas for no reason…)

    The jays should clearly convert their entire dominant starting staff to the pen.

    Imagine the greatness. They could shorten every game to a one or two inning affair.

    Get any old shlub to start. Who cares. Doesn’t matter. They you have Burnett pitch the 2nd, Marcum the 3rd, McGowan the 4th, Listch the 5th then… well you have to save Halladay for the 8th because that’s the most important inning in history.. So you skip the 6th – just delete it. Accardo pitches the 7tn, Halladay the 8th and Ryan closes.

    It’s genuius! The team would undoubtedly go 162-0 because they’d have the greatest bull pen in history and we all know how that’s the key to everything.

  71. ItalianGreco

    Let’s hope Alonso is there when we pick.(which I know he won’t be) I have watched a lot of his games, and he is exactly what we need. He could be on the team in 2 years.

  72. Dan

    But trading Kennedy and Melky for Santana doesnt seem like a bad idea right about now. Even with the 12 HRs allowed he’s still a great pitcher with potential to win many games.

  73. The Fallen Phoenix

    …I will say that if I had my choice for trading young, star 1st basemen, I would probably take Fielder over Howard. Both have comparable power, but I think Fielder’s slightly better defensively, and younger. He might not age particularly well if his father is an example, but he’s young enough that he’d certainly be a middle-of-the-order bat for a good five years.

    Would I trade Cano for that, though? Or package Hughes for that? I’m not entirely sure I would be willing to.

  74. TurnTwo

    “step away from the computer TurnTwo…..”

    ok, or we can aim low, and hope Jerry Hairston is available.

    screw around with the offer, package it a little differently, but i cant see how anyone would think Prince Fielder wouldnt be a good pickup for this team.

  75. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    “But trading Kennedy and Melky for Santana doesnt seem like a bad idea right about now.”

    THAT WAS NEVER THE DEAL

  76. Dan

    I vote Farnsworth for Fielder straight up how does that sound? haha

  77. TurnTwo

    agreed, Phoenix.

    i just reiterated the package that was thrown outfor that Dodgers proposal that was mentioned, but play around with the offer if you want to.

    i just think Fielder is not long for Milwaukee, and with the money he is going to be making very shortly, its more likely you’ll get him in a trade than LaPorta.

    and Fielder is MLB proven already. i’m drooling at the possibility of him with the short porch.

  78. raymagnetic ®™

    I’ve never understood why the Yankees didn’t just make Pettitte their lefty specialist.

    Do they realize they could have had a lefty specialist for the past 14 years!!!

    I don’t think I’ll ever forgive them for not converting him to lefty specialist.

    He could have just dominated Ortiz the one time through the order he’d face him in a game.

    Ortiz would have a .167 average in the eighth inning. Who cares what he does in the rest of the game?

  79. CB

    “If an elite player is demanding a major league contract, and THAT is what causes him to fall to the Yankees, i have no problem giving it to him. otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to have him.”

    I disagree with this. IMO the yankees must draw a hard line in the sand this year – absolutely no major league contracts.

    They just don’t have the 40 man roster spots to do it. They just don’t. They’ve never given major league contracts before with any regularity and they shouldn’t now.

    They should do what they’ve done in the past and what Baltimore did last year with Matt Wieters. Instead of giving him the major league deal they just game him a larger signing bonus.

    This year a ton of players are asking for major league deals – I doubt most of them really care – they are just trying to use them as leverage to get a higher bonus.

    As an aside, I don’t think the player the yankees draft at 28 or 44 will be the type of player that commands a major league deal. But we’ll see. Just a guess.

  80. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    “ok, or we can aim low, and hope Jerry Hairston is available.”

    I’d love him to be a bench pick up

    “screw around with the offer, package it a little differently, but i cant see how anyone would think Prince Fielder wouldnt be a good pickup for this team.”

    weight issues and horrible defensively, also has alot of attitude problems. I can’t believe you would pass up LaPorta for Prince.

  81. Dan

    Brandon, I know it was hughes melkey but seeing what the mets gave up for santana that may have worked out.

  82. TurnTwo

    “THAT WAS NEVER THE DEAL”

    Brandon, you can say that until you are blue in the face, but you are just not going to get it thru to some people. id just let it slide at this point, not worth your frustration.

  83. Moe

    Alfredo Aceves is getting lit up today in AA

  84. JohnC

    Sometimes draft eligible players float outrageous bonus demands out there in order to scare off low market teams in the hopes that big market clubs will be able to get them. That is probably what Buster Posey and Yonder Alfonso are doing. Bet some teams draft them and call their bluffs.

  85. TurnTwo

    “weight issues and horrible defensively, also has alot of attitude problems. I can’t believe you would pass up LaPorta for Prince.”

    not thatd id pass up one for the other, well actually i probably would, but just for the sake of the discussion, see my other post…

  86. bigjf

    Damon’s hitting .310? I guess he should be able to use Hank’s private bathroom then.

  87. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    “Brandon, I know it was hughes melkey but seeing what the mets gave up for santana that may have worked out.”

    Ok. And no it wouldn’t.

  88. DMan

    Moe-

    It was bound to happen.

    Now we have to see how he bounces back from this.

  89. LathamJoe

    Cashman and Girardi need to convince Jorge that his future may be as a first baseman/DH….and start the transition now.
    Jorge, as a catcher, is limited defensively. His arm is still suspect – He had one outstanding year (his first under Tony Pena) throwing out runners. with shoulder surgery looming at Age 37, his throwing will not get any better. He has limitations on catching pitches up in the zone (just ask Mariano), does not block the plate agressively, and is just “okay” handling most pitchers.
    His offense is his most important asset. Unfortunately, there are too many (Matsui, Damon, Giambi) high-priced Yankees with the same “MO”.
    Use him to catch against the slower, less agressive baserunning teams for the remainder of 2008, start his transition at first base against other teams, and search for a replacement catcher in the Off Season.

  90. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    “Alfredo Aceves is getting lit up today in AA”

    first morning start

  91. Fran

    CB,

    I am surprised that JP Riccardi is not smart enough to know to convert all his starters to relievers. How does he still have his job?!

  92. Mitch

    Brandon, don’t even answer people who post idiotic things like Kennedy/Melky for Santana. Anyone who honestly believes: A) that was an offer, and B) that the Yanks would turn down that offer is beyond help.

  93. mel

    ray,

    Haha. The question is if you’re a great, young prospect. Not an aging vet in search of a ring.

  94. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    our juvenile delinquent has an XBH, he’s still not pulling the ball for power. Delvin Young syndrome ?

  95. Steph

    ESPN is showing that the Yanks are expected to start talking a contract extension for Cashman this week.

  96. Dan

    Mitch, I knew that wasnt the deal. Also, trading kennedy before this year might not have been as easy as it sounds for the yankees. I mean they did spend a first round pick on the kid and had him in the starting rotation in two years, they must like something about him before knowing he wasn’t all they thought he was.

  97. Jorge Steinbrenner, the long-lost third brother

    Dear Johnny Damon,

    You like winning ballgames. I like sex with Megan Fox. I also like it when my outfielders can reach home plate with their throws. Sometimes, we can’t get everything we want.

    Signed,

    A Fan

    Just some perspective. I actually have a ton of love for our arm-but-not-bat-challenged left-fielder. Go Wanger. Go Yanks.

  98. Mitch

    Dan, if you knew that wasn’t the deal, why post something like that?

    It’s like writing, “Farnsworth, Hawkins and Betemit for Cliff Lee and Grady Sizemore is looking good right now.”

  99. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    alfredo aceves apparently didnt have enough coffee this morning before his 10:30 start. he’s given up 4ER on 4H and 2 walks.

    fortunatly the thunder rallied for 4 runs in the 5th and now lead 5-4!

    add 1 more ER to aceves and its not 5-5.

    lets go Thunder!

  100. hmmm

    “I disagree with this. IMO the yankees must draw a hard line in the sand this year – absolutely no major league contracts.”

    i was talking about the very specific case where a top 5-10 pick could fall to 28 ONLY because he is demanding a major league deal.

    of course i agree with you in theory, we definitely don’t want to give a major league deal. but if that is how the guy falls to us, i would rather have that talent than not have it 99 out of 100 times.

    i am in no way saying that the Yankees should give a major league deal to the player that was there for them at 28 anyway. i am specifically talking about a Posey or Alonso.

    that said, i very much like your idea about just paying a higher bonus. that makes all the sense in the world. no arguments.

  101. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Trenton is one of the best young offenses in the EL

  102. Dan

    I posted it like that as a joke saying “Man we could use some pitching” I knew it was hughes in the deal I didnt just miss all of the talk this off season I am a fan just as all of you. I’m sure everyone knew it was Melky Hughes and it would be tough explaining i was joking without knowing that was the deal?

  103. raymagnetic ®™

    “He has limitations on catching pitches up in the zone (just ask Mariano), does not block the plate agressively, and is just “okay” handling most pitchers.”

    Are there any facts to go along with these assumptions?

    And the reason why he doesn’t block the plate is because he broke his leg in the minors blocking the plate. I do recall him blocking the plate and being leveled by Mark Texeira.

    I’m really not into catchers getting leveled while trying to block the plate.

  104. Jeepers Creepers

    I have never seen a pitcher go without ever having a bad game. I don’t think one bad game is going to harm Aceves and his development.

  105. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Jackson w/ a 2 RBI double

  106. Laura

    I’ve been busy so I’ve missed the decision. What is it that Damon supposedly said that has upset people?

  107. Theresa

    RussellNy,

    Regarding your question about trading for a guy just picked in the draft – I believe there is a rule about having to wait a year before a drafted player can be traded.

  108. mel

    Steph,

    Cashman shouldn’t sign anything that doesn’t have a “shut yer trap” or a “put your money where your mouth is” clause. If Hank says something dumb or counterproductive, Cashman gets a public apology or a bonus. :)

  109. CB

    “…I will say that if I had my choice for trading young, star 1st basemen, I would probably take Fielder over Howard. Both have comparable power, but I think Fielder’s slightly better defensively, and younger.”

    Fielder is younger but he’s actually a much worse defensive player than Howard is.

    Fielder is a truly awful defensive player.

    Last year in terms of +/- fielder was 15 runs worse than an average first baseman. That tied him for third worst defensive 1b in all of baseball. Howard was not amongst the bottom 6 so I do know he was at last better than -10.

    By relative zone rating fielder was second to worst in the NL at .668. That is just awful. Howard was 6th best in the NL at .723.

    By the BP runs above average Fielder was 14 runs below average. Howards was 5 runs below average.

    Compare Fielder’s VORP to his WARP. Defense killed his overall value to the team.

    And this is when he’s at age 24.

    I would stay away from Fielder unless you can get a killer deal in terms of talent. He’s going to require a massive contract, is going to age very badly at his weight and is going to wind up as a DH very soon.

    By the BP runs above average, fielder

  110. Moe

    Does anyone know the history of Alfredo Aceves? how come he wasn’t signed before this season and pitched in the mexican league?

  111. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Moe visa problems

  112. Dan

    By the way, congrats to Derek Jeter for passing the Mick.

  113. Moe

    also y does mark melancon pitch 3 innings every 3-4 night, he is just coming back from TJ ??? count on his arm to fall off soon.

  114. CB

    hmmm,

    sorry – I didn’t catch the ony part of your comment. my misunderstanding.

    In general i think guys are going to be flexible about trading bonus money for the guaranteed contract.

    This year I really do think its simply a negotiating ploy as so many are supposedly wanting a major league deal.

    No way players like Alonso or Crow would warrant major league deals compared to players who have gotten them in the past.

    That’s all I was trying to say.

  115. Brent (By The Power of Shelley's Forearm!...)

    Although I disagree with a lot of what Damon said, a lot of you are ready to pull him apart, tar, feather, and beat him to death.

    In the later part of last season, Posada was extremely vocal about trading for Johan Santana, which would have cost the yankees one of many combinations of Melky Cabrera, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, Alan Horne, or Jeff Marquez.

    The situations are similar, but people react much differently to Damon’s comments.

    Also, I don’t agree with the “DAMON ISN’T A TEAM-PLAYER!” nonsense. It’s not like he dismissed the team and doesn’t care if they win or lose. It would actually be worse if Damon said “Meh, do whatever you want with Joba. I don’t care at all.” All he did was voice his opinion, which is what everyone with a keyboard/sports talk show has been doing the last few months in regards to Joba’s situation.

    Give him a break!

  116. Sara

    “I’ve been busy so I’ve missed the decision. What is it that Damon supposedly said that has upset people?”

    Laura, here is the link to the article on ESPN..it is short.
    http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/.....id=3427037

  117. The Fallen Phoenix

    I would much rather target LaPorta before Fielder, partly since I think the former might cost less in MLB-ready talent/prospects, and partly because I think he has more defensive upside than Fielder (although, to be honest, LaPorta’s not a top prospect for his defense, not at all).

    What kind of package would the Yankees need to get Prince, though…that’s a legitimate question. I don’t think it necessarily has to start with Cano or Chamberlain, who are likely the Yankees’ two top untoucheables (Hughes falling a close third, and I’d bet Montero and Jackson tie for fourth).

    Unfortunately, I think one of those three (Hughes, Montero, Jackson) would be necessary for Fielder. Let’s assume the Yankees are most willing to part with Hughes, since the Yankees have Betances and Brackman (in particular) who could replace Hughes in the system, while they lack any ready replacement for either Jackson or Montero.

    That’s not to say the Yankees would be (or should be) willing to part with Hughes; again, I don’t think I part with Hughes, even in a package for Fielder. But I’m playing a hypothetical thought experiment, just to see what it might take.

    So okay, you build a package around Hughes. Let’s say it would take a similar type of package that Detroit gave up for Cabrera; perhaps not in volume of talent, since the Tigers also received Dontrelle as a throw-in. And Hughes is likely a better talent than any one individual player the Tigers gave up for Cabrera (I have to think he’s a superior prospect than Miller, even with his injury history, since he does have more polish at a younger age, with similar upside). So figure the Yankees could get by with some combination of two or three more B-level prospects, with perhaps an additional C-level prospect depending on the quality of those B-level prospects.

    In that case…you’d probably be looking at something like Hughes, McAllister and Marquez (an A, B, borderline B/C prospect) if you assembled a pitching-heavy package, perhaps with a “throw-in,” high-upside (but raw) position player like Tim Battle.

    If you wanted to swap Marquez for a comparable position playing prospect…well, you might be able to get by just with a package of Hughes, McAllister, and Tabata, *maybe*. Again, you have an A, B, low-B (right now, high B when at peak value) package of talent. Maybe you’d still have to throw in a low-level position or pitching talent to offset the risk of Hughes (injury-prone) and Tabata (young, potentially weak makeup). So imagine the Yankees might have to throw in a Coke, or perhaps a Kontos, on top of that.

    So the two packages I propose right now would be:
    (1) Prince Fielder for Phil Hughes, Zach McAllister, Jose Tabata, and George Kontos (or Ryan Pope?) or
    (2) Prince Fielder for Phil Hughes, Zach McAllister, Jeff Marquez, and Abe Almonte (or Tim Battle and additional parts, since I don’t think Battle really qualifies as a legitimate prospect at this point?).

    Obviously I like the latter package far more than the first package, which actually might be too-expensive; I’d imagine Hughes/McAllister/Tabata would be enough on their own if Tabata weren’t sitting in the valley of his value right now. Is that enough for Fielder, or at least some sort of starting point? I think so.

    Let’s consider a third package, where the Yankees would be willing to throw in additional ML-talent (namely, Melky Cabrera; considering the Brewers do have a potential hole in center field, he might match well with the Brewers).

    3) Phil Hughes, Melky Cabrera, Jeff Marquez, and Abe Almonte
    or
    4) Phil Hughes, Melky Cabrera, and Ryan Pope (or George Kontos).

    I think that any Phil Hughes-led package would need a talent roughly equivalent to Zach McAllister regardless of whether you went position- or pitching-heavy, but that Melky Cabrera could be a fair and reasonable substitution to reduce the demand for an additional high-level pitching propsect to mitigate the risk of Hughes.

    Again, all of this is highly hypothetical, and I am not claiming that I would endorse *any* of these packages. Just throwing the ideas out there, trying to figure what a fair package for Prince Fielder might look like..

  118. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    jeepers, that’s why i made the coffee joke. i dont think you take much out of what a pitcher does when he has to pitch at 10:30 a.m.

  119. S.A.-Can we please win a game?

    From the Daily News..did anyone read this story?

    http://tinyurl.com/6z5zz3

    The fiancee of a crane operator killed in last week’s tragic collapse on Wednesday rejected an offer of help from Mets star Ryan Church because her future hubby was a Yankee fan.

    A day after burying Donald Leo, Janine Belcastro said she couldn’t accept the offer from the right fielder and his wife.

    “Don was a die-hard Yankee fan,” Belcastro said in a statement. “It would not respect his memory if he accepted this.”

    The grieving Belcastro added that she “greatly appreciated” the offer.

    The money was to come from Church’s participation in a Mets’ fund-raiser for a variety of causes. A spokesman said Church will choose another charity.

  120. saucY

    wow. Moose said he’d rather keep Joba in the pen, but I don’t think I saw half as many negative comments about him as I see about Damon today…

    These are players, that don’t make team personnel decisions. Relax folks!

  121. The Fallen Phoenix

    CB – Well, this is what happens when you’re lazy and try to approximate Fielder’s defense from memory. I stand corrected. I still think I’d prefer Fielder to Howard, but I think it’s certainly pretty close, and I think Milwaukee matches up as a better trading partner with the Yankees than Philly does.

    That probably changes my evaluation of packages for Fielder, too, which were put together under the understanding that Fielder could provide roughly league-average defense at first base. Therefore, you could probably knock a prospect (or at least the tier of a prospect) off each of the four lists.

    I don’t know, even when I was putting those potential lists together, I’m not really high on the idea of parting with any of them for Fielder in particular. Even if you drew up weaker lists to compensate for Fielder’s defense, I’m still not sure the prospect of trading any of those packages for Fielder is particularly appetizing to me.

  122. Laura

    Thanks for the link, Sara.

    After reading that, I’m not sure why people are upset. From what I had heard on the ESPN Daily Baseball Podcast, a lot of the hitters didn’t want Joba to leave the pen. I don’t see where Damon said anything “stupid”.

  123. Mitch

    Brent, great post.

    I’m not sure why everyone is so down on Damon all the time. He is one of the few guys on the current roster that rises to the occasion. He’s a big-game guy.

    If you look at the last two post-seasons, Damon has been in the middle of everything that went right.

    I know Brett Gardner is the Fare Haired Child on this board, but the guy has zero Major League ABs. All Damon is doing is going .310/.378/.498 at the top of the lineup. Gardner’s numbers in AAA are below that (.286/.403/.448).

    I hate to puncture the bubble of dreams with stats, but come on guys!

  124. Jeepers Creepers

    I don’t have a problem with what Damon said. He is entitled to his opinion. Just like everyone else.

    I don’t agree with him, but he can say whatever he wants.

    Y’s Guy, maybe Aceves is on Pacific time. :lol:

  125. whats the deal

    so ah, when ah, is girardi and hank and the yankee players finally going to figure this thing out?
    ah pretty sure most yankee fans said kennedy and hughes were going to be oh soo soo good. didnt want johan..
    hughes is a promising kid, but injury prone.. through and through.. and now look at that mess of a bullpen..
    for everyone that was happy about the signing of Latroy Hawkins.. please tell me you regret saying that..

    as to Johnny Damon.. i think he has the stones to say what most of the players felt.. joba needed to be a starter at the beginning of the season, or wait until next season. sox, rays, jays have solid pitching and the yanks staff is in a mess right now..

    need some big time relief help and soon.. fuentes would be a nice start, but need a couple more big arms as well

  126. Mr. Faded Glory

    Does someone need to remind Girardi that Shelley Duncan is actually still on the roster?

  127. jennifer

    S.A.-Can we please win a game?

    What a fool. Who really cares where the money came from.

  128. jennifer

    saucY

    To me it is different coming from a fellow pitcher.

  129. Jeepers Creepers

    Right. Start Joba at the beginning of the season, then lose him for the end of the season due to innings cap. That makes a lot of sense.

  130. Guiseppe Franco

    All the Prince Fielder talk is moot because I don’t see the Yanks trading for someone who is a long term health risk because of his weight.

    They also don’t need another DH.

  131. mel

    Brent,

    To be fair, some of us did pan Jorge for his comments. Players should not be questioning personnel moves and decisions publicly. Loose lips sink ships. Now Damon has to do damage control with Joba, who was most likely disappointed in his debut performance?

    People don’t like the Yankee way, which is to put on a false front. But it really is the best way. Lots of things need to be said behind closed doors.

    Anyone else enjoy McClaren’s filthy tirade? It was so refreshing to see someone other than Ozzie use a naughty word or two or hundred.

  132. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    I still have no idea how Shelley is on this roster

  133. hmmm

    “Does someone need to remind Girardi that Shelley Duncan is actually still on the roster?”

    why? let’s hope no one reminds him.

  134. whats the deal

    Faded Glory

    no offense, but personally where do we play Duncan? I see as many yankee games as I can, and the kid flat out cannot play defense at 1st base..

    and why not mike jacobs? i hear comments about fielder or howard.. but mike jacobs is playing solid this season.

  135. ANSKY (formerly ranting guy)

    With Mussina’s success so far this year I must say I’m pleasantly surprised as I’m sure many of us are. There’s not as much stamina left in the tank (nor as much octane) but he has made effective adjustments. I didn’t expect he would. Good for him, good for the team.

    Have there been peeps of singing him for another year to help eat innings and shore up the rotation? I wouldn’t advocate this yet, but if he can keep this re-invention of his pitching approach going all year long I wouldn’t rule it out. As has been said, you can never have enough pitching. He’ll never be an ace again, nor should he go into the 8th inning, but if he looks like he’d still be able to win more than a dozen games (5-7 decent innings at a time) then why not give him a shot year-to-year?

    That reminds me, when’s the last time anyone’s seen a post from our charming old friend Anti-Mussina? :)

    Also pleasantly surprised I am with Damon. He’s been so hot lately he’s ready to burst into flames. But I still think if there are better options at the end of the year (or the trade deadline) it’s time to get someone new in his OF spot by next year. I’d keep him only if who they’d trade him for amounts to downgrade. As I understand it, the hot OF prospects in the system are projected to arrive later than the end of Damon’s current contract.

    I’m not surprised Matsui’s hitting the ball out of its skin. He’s a keeper for DH for a few years even if he doesn’t play the OF. I hope those writing him off based on his second half ‘07 performance on a gimpy knee have taken notice. Could he fill the gap in LF between Damon and Tabata/Jax for a year or so? I think so.

    Giambi, even if he hits .280+ by season’s end, is not worth keeping ad DH/1B. Considering the vapid buffoonery otherwise known as his defensive skills, he’d need to hit on par with the MVP stats he had when he signed to make himself almost worth keeping.

    Cano, I’m concerned about. He starts slow then gets hot. Does he play winter ball? He should. A lot. He should also work on his swing in the cage through the winter. If he does already, he should work harder. If he could start the season with his swing already in tune he’d be hitting over .300 all year instead of slowly creeping up to .300 by Sept after floundering below .250 for a couple months.

    Someone on Toronto had said Joba started each hitter with the power stuff then nibbled the corners ‘as he always does’, but they weren’t swinging a the nibblers like they had when he’d come in in the 8th inning. I hope Joba takes notes … maybe a few curves & change ups for strikes earlier in counts, and some sliders or a heater down the pike when they’re expecting nibbles?

    Also, if he shakes off Posada to throw the slider regularly enough, they’ll be able to guess the shake off means the slider’s coming. I’m sure either he or Posada probably knows that already.

  136. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    jennifer-I know! That was just a bit ridiculous imo

  137. CB

    Fallen Phoenix,

    One of the more remarkable things about last year, IMO was how fielder could hit 52 home runs, have an OPS of 1.013 and still be only a 7 WARP player. That’s just remarkable. ARod had a better year than fielder but not that much better – and he was an 11 win player. Pujols was a 10.5 win player.

    I would not give up significant talent for Fielder. He’s a DH. That’s it.

    I think the Brewers are going to find the trade market for Fielder is much smaller than they’d hope. Fielder’s agent is Boras and he’s already made a lot about his contract.

    He’s just a very limited player. The packages you presented are fair for his perceived value and I know you weren’t advocating any of those trade. But I wouldn’t make any of those moves.

    If they didnt trade Hughes for Santana I wouldn’t trade him for Fielder.

  138. saucY

    “joba needed to be a starter at the beginning of the season, or wait until next season.”

    should i waste my time on this one?

  139. whats the deal

    Jeepers

    the yanks were planning on losing hughes/kennedy to inning caps.. were they not?

    well atleast if the kids could have stayed healthy..

  140. Brent (By The Power of Shelley's Forearm!...)

    I’m all for the Yankees going after a Brian Fuentes-esque relief pitcher. Granted, I don’t know what kind of chips would have to be used to make a trade, but I think he would fit in nicely in the 7th/8th.

    If a trade isn’t made, the Yankees should continue with the revolving door of relievers and see what they can do at the major league level. Imagine what we would already know about the AAA guys if a different one was called up (and used) instead of calling on Chris Britton each time.

  141. whats the deal

    saucy

    yes, waste your time on it..

    because i would love to hear your side of the story

  142. Russell NY

    “According to Ed Price of the Newark Star-Ledger, Hank Steinbrenner will discuss an extension with GM Brian Cashman this week (hat tip to River Avenue Blues). Steinbrenner’s “impression” is that both sides want to continue the relationship.

    Price says Cashman may have interest in the Dodgers’ GM gig next year, which would reunite him with Joe Torre. There will be an opening in Philadelphia, and the Mariners could fire Bill Bavasi. Bavasi blames himself for putting together the last-place Ms.”

  143. hmmm

    “as to Johnny Damon.. i think he has the stones to say what most of the players felt.. joba needed to be a starter at the beginning of the season, or wait until next season.”

    anyone who thinks Joba should have waited until next season to start is failing the grasp the most basic principle behind the move that has been repeated over and over and over…

    i don’t get this, this isn’t rocket science. there is an innings cap but there is ALSO an innings floor if they want Joba to be a starter long term.

  144. jennifer

    mel- I’ll have to look for the video later.

    saucy NO don’t waste your breath.

  145. mel

    “No” to any 1B who looks down and can’t see his toes.

  146. Jeepers Creepers

    Can’t say I blame McLaren for blowing up like that, even though I don’t think it was completely natural. With the signings they made this year, they should have been contending. This is a problem of leadership though. His leadership is called into question, as it should be.

    Makes you wonder if Hargrove knew this team had something wrong at the roots, when he quit last season. He talked about not having the passion for the game anymore, but maybe it was deeper than that.

  147. Brent (By The Power of Shelley's Forearm!...)

    Mel,

    Good point. I understand where a Gary Sheffield type of outburst would decrease morale and hurt the club, but I find Damon’s comments on the other side of the spectrum.

    Although I don’t agree with Damon,(How can you keep Joba in the 8th when 2 of your “stud” pitchers are winless and on the D/L along while a slumping Wang/Pettitte let close games get away?) I don’t think what he said comes even close to warrant disciplinary action.

  148. whats the deal

    my joke of the day..

    trade for Bonser or livan hernandez and put Joba back in the pen..
    the twins are loaded with pitching
    slowey, baker, livan, perkins, blackburn and numerous kids in the minors

    couldn’t cost much to get either one of those guys..
    id take livan.. he may give up hits but he will pitch the innings. and we need that with this bullpen

  149. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Buster Posey might fall to the Yanks he is rumored to be asking for $12 million

  150. Jeepers Creepers

    What’s the deal, first, Kennedy had a much higher innings cap. So you think the Yankees would rather have all three starting, even though there wasn’t room for them all, AND see all of them finish up in August?

    Wow. Just, wow.

  151. Blargh

    S.A.: That’s rediculous; sports has nothing to do with things at that point

  152. murphydog

    “Does someone need to remind Girardi that Shelley Duncan is actually still on the roster?”

    Please don’t. Love Duncan’s enthusiasm, but not so much his hitting and defense.

  153. The Fallen Phoenix

    CB,

    I just checked the PECOTA page for Fielder, and you’re absolutely right. Wow! I thought Fielder had a WARP closer to 8, I had no idea it was so close to 7. PECOTA actually had Fielder losing a full win from his net value due to defense; again, I did not at all remember his defense being that poor.

    Put in that perspective, certainly, trading for Fielder is even less palpable than I thought it would be. When I look at the Brewers as a team, I see a lot of high-upside offensive players, but not a lot of players who can play solid defense…and if they could find a way to re-sign Sheets, you have the makings of a pretty good rotation with Sheets and Gallardo at the top of it.

    You know, the more I stop to think about it, Sheets actually looks like a decent FA pickup for the Yankees; sure, he presents an injury risk, but that should reduce his price, especially compared with what Sabathia is going to be commanding. If the Yankees could somehow sign Sheets to a 3 or 4 year, $12-13 M year contract (probably *incredibly* optimisitc), I wouldn’t be absolutely destroyed. Sheets certainly has a better track record than Pavano did, and probably a bit more upside (although Sheets is going to be…30?), although does present a similar injury risk.

    Again, not advocating signing Ben Sheets to put in the Yankees rotation, but if Pettitte were to retire, and Sabathia prices himself out of the Yankees plans (and that very well could happen, as the Santana negotiations suggested), he might be a decent back-up plan. Again, if the Yankees absolutely want to add a starter next year to cover for Chamberlain and Hughes (Round 2)’s innings caps.

  154. Steph

    I don’t think that Posey would fall that far. It would be great, but I don’t think he will. Other teams ahead of the Yanks are probably willing to spend that kind of money.

  155. Mitch

    Brent, Fuentes is one of the few relievers being tossed around who actually has decent numbers. This is his third straight year with a WHIP under 1.2.

    I have to imagine, though, that Colorado will be looking for major talent in return, no?

  156. towel holder

    Peter,

    A couple nights ago I mentioned I’d like to see Joe G “crack skulls with the media” I know you thought I meant crack media skulls but I didn’t. Why would I want him to take it out on the media…ridiculous.

    For an example of what I meant see McLaren’s tirade last night. I like that type of fire when effort is low and thats what I was seeing as of Tuesday night.

  157. Patrick (the good one)

    “my joke of the day..

    trade for Bonser or livan hernandez and put Joba back in the pen..
    the twins are loaded with pitching
    slowey, baker, livan, perkins, blackburn and numerous kids in the minors

    couldn’t cost much to get either one of those guys..
    id take livan.. he may give up hits but he will pitch the innings. and we need that with this bullpen”

    randy l is that you?

    that certainly is a joke…

  158. Fran

    “Price says Cashman may have interest in the Dodgers’ GM gig next year, which would reunite him with Joe Torre.”

    I thought that Cashman and Torre were not getting along at the end. Cashman was annoyed that Torre discussed the Joba rules openly and I don’t remember Cashman supporting Torre when Torre’s contract was being discussed at the end of last season.

  159. CB

    Here’s what one scout said after seeing Joba pitch against the Jays:

    “Said one NL scout at Tuesday’s 9-3 loss, “There’s no doubt Joba is a one or two, the Yankees are making the right move.”"

    http://www.nypost.com/seven/06.....113999.htm

  160. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    • The Gerrit Cole to Detroit talk has stopped, and BA’s best guess now is that the hard-throwing California righthander falls to the Yankees at 28. What happens with the Tigers, however, is tougher to gauge. They’re probably going to wind up with another starting righthander, possibly Tulane’s Shooter Hunt or Georgia prep righty Ethan Martin, if he’s on the board. Another prep righty who could be there is Missouri prep righthander Tim Melville, who is falling and apparently won’t be the Cubs’ pick at 19. Melville had an uneven spring and also has informed teams through a letter that he will not sign unless he’s treated like a top-15 pick. He’s a North Carolina recruit.

  161. TurnTwo

    “Buster Posey might fall to the Yanks he is rumored to be asking for $12 million”

    its an awful lot to ask that a player fall from the rumored overall #1 to #28, although if that much money is involved, i guess anything is possible.

  162. Patrick (the good one)

    I thought that Cashman and Torre were not getting along at the end. Cashman was annoyed that Torre discussed the Joba rules openly and I don’t remember Cashman supporting Torre when Torre’s contract was being discussed at the end of last season.

    Cash was actually really supportive. After all was said and done he said he felt like he was the only one in the room that wanted to re-sign Joe.

  163. whats the deal

    then leave joba in the pen for the entire season..

    honestly, does glen perkins have an innings cap for the twins? NO.
    glen perkins got injured last season and missed a ton of time.. perkins was a relief pitcher..

    are you seriously telling me that the yankees cannot stretch a kid out over the off season?
    a innings cap is true.. an innings floor? no.. thats absurd..

    so what is the yankees plans when hughes. kennedy come back healthy? send rasner down?

    mussina, wang, hughes, kennedy, rasner, joba??

    put rasner in the pen?

  164. raymagnetic ®™

    “randy l is that you?

    that certainly is a joke…”

    Randy l is probably somewhere having a conniption fit right now after learning that the Steinbrenners are talking extension with Cash.

  165. CB

    Brandon,

    Posey is not going to be available at 28. But as always I appreciate your enthusiasm.

    It would be shocking if that happened.

    IMO the key to the yanekes draft today – does Detroit change philosophy and draft for need rather than best player given how they’re trying to win right now and have no pitching.

  166. SJ44

    Hmmm,

    I was going to type the same thing. Then I said forget it.

    Some folks can’t grasp the concept of innings limits.

    Not just fans. Many members of the media also can’t grasp the concept. Just one of those things that must be too complicated for some.

    As far as Damon’s comments, he plays, the organization runs their team as they see fit.

    Its why you don’t put players in charge of personnel moves.

    Its not just Damon. After the 2006 season, Mariano Rivera recommended a backup catcher to the Yankees in the off-season. It was Wil Nieves.

    The best thing about players is they play the game. The worst thing about them? Most know nothing about putting together a team.

    That’s ok. It makes for a one day headline and it won’t have any impact on Yankee decisionmaking.

  167. DMan

    Just saw this over at http://milb.scout.com/2/759685.html

    It’s a live blog

    “Yankee fans, I’m going to say something right now and I don’t want you to have heart attacks. Boston fans too. Buster Posey is trying to fall to the end of the round to get to those teams.”

  168. hmmm

    “are you seriously telling me that the yankees cannot stretch a kid out over the off season?
    a innings cap is true.. an innings floor? no.. thats absurd.. ”

    yes. that’s what i am telling you.

  169. Steph

    If Posey were around at #28, the Yanks would definitely scoop him up before Boston had a chance to get to him.

    Cole is an interesting case. I’ve seen him pitch, but I didn’t really know about his attitude problems until the reports really started to come out on him.

  170. murphydog

    “I thought that Cashman and Torre were not getting along at the end. Cashman was annoyed that Torre discussed the Joba rules openly”

    Not a big deal.

    “and I don’t remember Cashman supporting Torre when Torre’s contract was being discussed at the end of last season.”

    New management, new owners and it’s their call, not Cash’s call. And according to published reports Cash chased after Torre when he walked out on the Steinbrenners and Levine to ask him to reconsider.

    Don’t see Cash as a left coast guy and the McCourts are not exactly easy to deal with. It would be like leaping from the frying pan into the fire to go there IMO; The McCourts have Steinbrenner’s peculiarities without the bottomless check book. Besides Joe T will only be there a few years. If Cash goes there it won’t be because of Torre.

  171. DMan

    It would be truly incredable if Posey falls to 28.

  172. SJ44

    Agents float big numbers near draft day in the hopes their player slides to a big market team.

    The 12 million dollar number mysteriously was floated around the time Tampa made it known they were going for Tim Beckham.

    Posey probably wanted to go to Tampa Bay. Their agents probably don’t want him to go to another team in the Top 10. Although rumors are the Giants will select him.

    So, why not float the money figure and hope he falls? Kind of a shot in the dark move because there is no way he drops to 28. Doesn’t stop an agent from trying though.

  173. raymagnetic ®™

    There is no way the projected no. 1 or no. 2 pick in the draft is falling to the Yankees.

  174. jennifer

    I was talking to my uncle about Joba. He thinks the innings limits are absurd. He doesn’t understand why they just won’t throw him to the fire. I explained it was injury concerns, he said do you think they ever had that back in the day.

    Now he is old school, played in the same league as Torre as a kid. When he pitched they didn’t care how many pitches he threw, they’d throw back to back days etc.

  175. Sara

    does anyone think all of these inning caps are just insane?? al lieter says it all the time. when did they start babying pitchers..did Clemens, Maddux, Smoltz, Mussina, Johnson, Leiter, Glavin have innings caps?? no, and they all pitched into their late 30’s and 40’s. i don’t know…it is just so crazy.
    Michael Kay brought up a good point on his ESPN radio show yesterday…While he absolutely believes that Joba should be a starter what the Yankees did the other night is create a circus. They did not give the team the best chance to win..this game is a team game, not individual. Joba should have been sent to the minors to build up his innings. I know that it is harder now that hughes and kennedy are out but call someone up, like Chase Wright or someone and let them pitch two games up here while Joba builds up in AAA. The Yankees looked like a joke the other night.

  176. The Fallen Phoenix

    SaberScouting (…really, pretty much everyone who is covering the draft today) came to the same conclusion, DMan, but…

    …I don’t think there’s a chance in Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory it happens. Absolutely none. There are way too many teams willing to go over-slot in the mid-late rounds of the draft, even before the Yankees and Red Sox pick at #28 and #30 (and add the Indians at #29 there), for it to happen.

    Rumors that Detroit might pass on Cole? That’s actually really, really inspiring news (at least for me, since I think Cole is the best available talent who is likely to fall to the Yankees at #28). I wouldn’t say no to Melville, either, if he drops to the Tigers and the Tigers pass on him, although chances are one or the other falls to the Yankees, and I think Cole has a better chance of falling than Melville, even if the Tigers were to pass on both.

  177. hmmm

    “honestly, does glen perkins have an innings cap for the twins? NO.
    glen perkins got injured last season and missed a ton of time.. perkins was a relief pitcher..”

    Glenn Perkins threw 134 innings in 2005 and 121 in 2006.

    the rule of thumb is an increase of 30-40 innings over the previous high.

    so, he should be ok to go about 175 this year.

    apples and oranges.

  178. Sara

    Plus..the Yankees aren’t exactly in position to give games away. If they were 10 games over .500 it would be a different story. Every game counts right now

  179. DMan

    raymagnetic ®™-

    Basically happened last year with Procello. He was a op 5.

  180. whats the deal

    hmmm

    then the problem lies within the yankees system and pitching coaches..

    any pitcher can be stretched out over the off season..

    and for those of you who are saying i do not get it..

    well, when you move a significant piece (joba) out of your bullpen, why wouldn’t you send him down to the minors to get a few starts and to get stretched out?

    moving joba significantly weakens the pen. then they decide to start him on a 65 pitch count. his next start he gets 80..

    that crushes your bullpen on the day he pitches.

    stretch him out in the minors for atleast 2-3 starts..

    talk about a kid that will blow his arm out.. joba is definite candidate with how they are handling him

  181. Blargh

    Wood & Prior; that is all.

  182. Perry

    go yanks

  183. Russell NY

    Posey: “Yankees, what will you do for me”

    Oppenheimer: “I will make you crap gold”

  184. mel

    There’s no way a #1 or #2 falls to us. There’s plenty of teams now that are willing to spend money on one or two guys. The Yankees are the only ones willing to overspend on #1-25.

  185. The Last Yankee Fanâ„¢ (a.k.a. ERâ„¢)

    Hi Pete

  186. TurnTwo

    “Oppenheimer: “I will make you crap gold”

    ha! well done.

  187. CB

    Steph,

    Don’t know if you saw this as it was late last night but Pat M posted the info he got on cole from a friend of his umping coles games in SoCal. Pat M is a great source on OC prep players:

    “..As for MR. Cole, I spoke with a friend that was part of the umpire crew last night ( who also did a CIF Playoff game )…His take was that by far he was the best pitcher he’s seen in the past 3 years at the HS level…He also stated that as an umpire who also does College games, he felt he has the stuff to be a # 3 at the Collegian level right now……Also spoke with Tim Decines today at the course…Tim is still very much involved with the UCLA program as he lives in Newport Beach and actually serves as a PR guy for the program in Orange County….His take is the kid is immature, very bright, outstanding tools and believes once he’s in a college atmosphere ( away from home ) he’ll grow up and be on track….As for being picked tomorrow, if the right team and $$$$ are there, Boras will have him sign…..Positivley a solid Blue Chipper…..”

  188. SJ44

    Its a new era when it comes to pitchers. Its easy to say, “they are babying guys”.

    But, pitching is awfully expensive today. Both in acquisition and with insurance.

    Also, “back in the day”, guys like Leiter, Smoltz, et al, didn’t even have pitch counts in high school.

    Today, these kids have had pitch counts since Pony League.

    Its how they were raised as players.

    When folks say its absurd, just point them in Mark Prior’s direction.

    Second year as a pro, 235 innings. Ruined a HOF arm.

    That’s the poster child for every GM in the game when it comes to young pitching abuse. They aren’t going to risk their prize arms in that type of way and keep their jobs.

  189. The Fallen Phoenix

    Here’s the problem with “old-timer” pitchers: there are *so* many of them who fell by the wayside and burned out because they were run into the ground. Yes, some of those pitchers managed to stick around, and you can point to examples of all the pitchers who did, but that’s a serious case of selection-bias.

    The closest (and surest) thing teams have available to them now as a scientific method of determining how to develop young pitchers suggests that innings caps are the best way to protect against unnecessary injury and wear and tear on a young pitcher’s arms. Now, perhaps there are some young pitchers who can thrive on a heavy workload, like Carlos Zambrano, but there are plenty more examples (recently starting with Mark Prior, and even Randy Wolf, when he was with Philly, is an example of a young pitcher abused by his organization) of pitchers who just cannot handle the heavy workloads when young, and it’s better to be conservative than liberal when you’re dealing with these multi-million dollar investments.

    I’m very glad baseball front offices are progressive enough to ignore some of the nonsense sports media outlets and other “old-timer players” spout time after time, because a lot of it is just plain contra-factual. I have a lot of respect for how players like Goose Gossage played back in the day, but worked for them doesn’t work for everybody else; indeed, there’s strong evidence to suggest guys like Goose Gossage are the extreme outliers in a profession built for extreme outliers, and that’s saying a lot…

  190. raymagnetic ®™

    Dman,

    I would be absolutely shocked if Posey falls to #28.

  191. hmmm

    “does anyone think all of these inning caps are just insane?? al lieter says it all the time. when did they start babying pitchers..did Clemens, Maddux, Smoltz, Mussina, Johnson, Leiter, Glavin have innings caps?? ”

    right, and did you also hear Leiter talking about how he spent 1989-1992 getting his Series 7 and training to be a stock broker because he had major arm injuries and thought he would never pitch again?

    in April of 1989, the Yankees let Leiter throw 163 pitches in a start. 163 pitches. he was 23 years old.

    he threw 29 innings TOTAL over the next 3 seasons.

    but you’re right, we need to stop babying these guys.

    Leiter, of all people, should know better.

  192. jennifer

    sj44- There is no reasoning with my uncle. I can talk till I am blue in the face. For him back in the day pitchers were handled correctly, he states they didn’t have the problems they have now.

  193. murphydog

    Of course there’s an innings floor. It’s the basis of the incremental growth in innings theory.

    http://sportsillustrated.cnn.c.....index.html

  194. The Last Yankee Fanâ„¢ (a.k.a. ERâ„¢)

    Come on Wang. Stop being such a monumental disappointment this season

  195. Jeepers Creepers

    If moving one pitcher out of the pen, unless its your closer, significantly weakens it, then you have a lot more problems than just that one arm.

  196. DMan

    raymagnetic ®™-

    Oh as would I!

    But it sounds like the possability of him slipping is at least there.

  197. Steph

    I’ve seen Cole pitch for a couple of years and was very impressed with what I saw. I’d absolutely love to see his arm come over here to UCLA, but I don’t know if that will happen if a team is willing to make him filthy rich today. His attitude might get straightened out over here, but if it’s that far gone, I doubt it.

    I’ve also had a chance to get a look at Skipworth…great attitude, great game…he’s definitely going to make it big.

  198. murphydog

    innings cap

    http://sportsillustrated.cnn.c.....index.html

  199. Mitch

    whatsnot,

    Did you not notice Dan Giese up for the day to eat the rest of Joba’s innings? They got six innings from Joba/Geise, or the same they got from Mussina last night.

    Sara, this year doesn’t matter as much to the Yanks as the future. They will happily give away a few games to make the switch. If they didn’t feel that way, they wouldn’t have stood pat in the off-season and started the season with a bullpen that included Hawkins, Farnsworth and a bunch of kids (behind Rivera).

    We have to be patient, guys!

    BTW, if anyone doubts the wisdom of inning limits for kids, just take a look at Mark Prior’s numbers:

    http://www.baseball-reference......ma01.shtml

    2003 211 1/3 (plus 23 1/3 more in the post-season) at 23 years of age
    2004 injury limits him to 118 2/3
    2005 injury limits him to 166 2/3
    2006 injury limitis him to 43 2/3
    2007 injury limitis him to zero
    2008 injury limitis him to zero

  200. raymagnetic ®™

    Well Pete has already gotten rid of Anti-Moose and Russ M, I would imagine that ER’s time on this site is slowly but surely dwindling down as well.

  201. hmmm

    “moving joba significantly weakens the pen. then they decide to start him on a 65 pitch count. his next start he gets 80..

    that crushes your bullpen on the day he pitches. ”

    right, except the Yankees called up an extra reliever JUST for this purpose and then sent him down.

    so, on the day Joba started, they got 6 innings before using any of their regular relievers.

    in other words, total non-issue.

    these were the choices once Kennedy got hurt:

    1. send Joba down for 2-3 starts and use Giese or Igawa to start those games.
    2. let Joba pitch as many innings as he can, and use Giese to fill in the gaps.

    people who are bitching about option 2 are just looking for things to complain about.

    Joba for 3 + Giese for 3 gives you a better chance to win than Giese for 6 and Joba in the minors.

    if you actually think about it objectively, it makes sense.

  202. saucY

    Mitch, one other important #
    2002 116.7

  203. SJ44

    Wang has been a “monumental disappointment” this season?

    Huh? He’s 6-2.

    If that is “monumental disappointment”, can we pass that along to the other guys not named Mussina on the staff?

  204. mel

    Jeepers,

    I agree. Your chances of finding an 8th inning guy in the stable is much more likely than finding front end starter.

    Whoever thought this year would be painless is just delusional.

  205. CB

    “Here’s the problem with “old-timer” pitchers: there are *so* many of them who fell by the wayside and burned out because they were run into the ground. Yes, some of those pitchers managed to stick around, and you can point to examples of all the pitchers who did, but that’s a serious case of selection-bias.”

    Fallen Phoenix,

    Even more specifically its a form of survival bias.

    The announcers working today got their jobs because they were successful pitchers.

    They were successful pitchers because they had arms/ bodies that could withstand the rigors of working without pitch counts.

    All the arms that burned out never get the stature required to get into the game as members of the media and few of them get a chance to enter the game as coaches.

  206. Mitch

    Yes, saucY. Excellent point. More than doubled his innings. Not a surprise his arm has never been the same.

  207. Blargh

    Speaking of young pitchers, anybody know what’s up with Verlander this year?

  208. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Jetes throw the ball better than that

  209. Kyle the Hick

    My man Jeter has a weak arm, it seems he never reaches the first baseman evee

  210. Steph

    Wang’s sinker is sinking, thankfully. Hopefully he can keep it up throughout the game. Too bad I won’t get to watch most of it…

  211. Fran

    Really nice 1st inning by Wang.

  212. Russell NY

    Nice! The scouting live chat posted my comment lol:

    “1:12
    [Comment From Posey]
    Please god, don’t let me get picked by the Red Sox.
    1:12
    Don’t worry Buster, you won’t get any further than 28, if not 21.”

  213. raymagnetic ®™

    Did a runner get on base because of a bad Jeter throw? Looks to me like the ball that was hit to the shortstop was converted into an out, no?

  214. Nick in SF

    I wonder how many potentially great pitchers there are that we’ve never heard of because they weren’t ‘babied’ enough during their development.

  215. Steph

    No, Jeter was running to his left and made a pretty weak throw to Betemit. Ball bounced into his mitt and he made a nice scoop to get the out.

  216. The Last Yankee Fanâ„¢ (a.k.a. ERâ„¢)

    Nice Wang. now don’t blow the next inning

  217. CB

    Since its draft day and rumors are fun Mike A over at RAP just posted this. Jim callis is saying that the rumors of Cole going to Detroit are going away:

    “The Gerrit Cole to Detroit talk has stopped, and BA’s best guess now is that the hard-throwing California righthander falls to the Yankees at 28. What happens with the Tigers, however, is tougher to gauge. They’re probably going to wind up with another starting righthander, possibly Tulane’s Shooter Hunt or Georgia prep righty Ethan Martin, if he’s on the board.”

    http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/?p=288

  218. Sara

    “in April of 1989, the Yankees let Leiter throw 163 pitches in a start. 163 pitches. he was 23 years old”

    I am not saying that we should throw these guys out there and pitch until their arm falls off but i just think and a lot of people think that organizations are being TOO cautios. If the Yankees are conceding this season then they should be honest and let their fans know…

  219. DMan

    Russell NY-

    Haha just saw that.

  220. hmmm

    “I wonder how many potentially great pitchers there are that we’ve never heard of because they weren’t ‘babied’ enough during their development”

    no no, we should only look at Hall of Famers to draw our conclusions.

  221. Nick in SF

    The Yankees are not conceding this season.

    See, Jeter is still trying.

  222. hmmm

    “If the Yankees are conceding this season then they should be honest and let their fans know…”

    yes, this is a fantastic business decision.

  223. Kyle the Hick

    Bobby is soft, I understand you never want to hurt a human, but come on. move on.

  224. gayle

    Man that Negro League player the Yanks drafted is 102 we should all look that good he looks better than most in their 70s

  225. The Last Yankee Fanâ„¢ (a.k.a. ERâ„¢)

    GiDP?

  226. S.o.S.27

    Folks. We’re about to watch the 1000 run potential offense in full force!

    NO ON FIELDER! We have enough dh’s for the next 4 years.

  227. Fran

    Productive out by Abreu. Gets the run in.

  228. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    c’mon Alex

    **I hate using gameday at work..it freezes up!

  229. Fran

    Agaressive play by Meacham and Jeter – 2-0 Yanks

  230. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    that’s Alex’s first sac fly attempt this season, he so aimed for RF on that, good baserunning by Jetes

  231. Steph

    Nice job by Jeter!

  232. jeepers creepy guy

    jeepers..

    your right, the yankees do have significant problems in the pen.. and moving joba out of it kills them..

    boston, toronto, and the jays will and can flat out dominate the yanks in pitching..

    yanks will not win the title this year…
    just to let you know

  233. Kyle the Hick

    Eckstein has the weirdest throw ever!!!

  234. Steph

    Ah well. I guess I should be off soon. Recording the draft and I can watch the game on archives, so I feel a little better about going.

    Go Yanks!

  235. hmmm

    “Bobby is soft, I understand you never want to hurt a human, but come on. move on.”

    this assumes that this is the reason he is slumping. everything Michael Kay says isn’t necessarily true.

  236. raymagnetic ®™

    How long has it been since the Yankees had runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs and both managed to score on 2 productive outs?

    That’s how you win ballgames right there.

  237. mel

    What’s the point of using a fake URL in your name?

  238. Nick in SF

    “boston, toronto, and the jays will and can flat out dominate the yanks in pitching..”

    It’s not fair to expect the Yanks to compete with all three!

  239. S.o.S.27

    E.R.,
    Are you a closet fan? You watch more Yankee games than 90% of Yankee fans. If you need a bandwagon application. Ill make sure that Pete emails you one.

    I cant immagine wasting 3 hours of my life watching a team i hate. Buy yourself a dog.

  240. Jeepers Creepers

    Eckstein always looks like he had too much coffee before the game.

  241. SJ44

    Nick,

    I’ll give you one. Scott Maine. He was a great HS LH pitcher from Palm Beach Gardens, FL.

    He turned down 800K from the Mariners out of HS to sign with the University of Miami.

    He was throwing an easy 94 with an 84 MPH slider. In high school!!

    He pitched in the semi-final of his state championship game. He threw 174 pitches in a 9 inning game.

    A “tad” excessive you think?

    Two days later, in the championship game, he comes in from the bullpen. Throws 41 more pitches.

    He goes UM, first day of practice, feels a pop. Tommy John Surgery.

    Misses the next year.

    After that, he gets in a bad car accident, was in a coma for a month, and actually came back to pitch.

    Unfortunately, never the same pitcher again.

  242. hmmm

    “boston, toronto, and the jays will and can flat out dominate the yanks in pitching..”

    toronto AND the jays?

    man, the Yankees are screwed. they will probably finish 9th in the division behind Tampa, the Orioles, Baltimore, and the Rays.

  243. miggs

    “id rather them send Cano, Hughes, and Tabata for Prince Fielder.”

    Dumbest comment I’ve ever read on this blog.

    Ever.

  244. Clay Buchholz stole my laptop (aka Joe)

    “The announcers working today got their jobs because they were successful pitchers.

    They were successful pitchers because they had arms/ bodies that could withstand the rigors of working without pitch counts.

    All the arms that burned out never get the stature required to get into the game as members of the media and few of them get a chance to enter the game as coaches.”

    Great point, CB!

    Hey Yankees, NO MORE CJ HENRY’S!!!!

  245. Fran

    Wang looking sharp through 2.

  246. The Last Yankee Fanâ„¢ (a.k.a. ERâ„¢)

    Wang,
    nice going in not succumbing to those Igawang impulses…so far

  247. Nick in SF

    SJ44: But did his team win the championship? That’s what really matters.

  248. S.o.S.27

    “man, the Yankees are screwed. they will probably finish 9th in the division behind Tampa, the Orioles, Baltimore, and the Rays.”

    lol. Can you imagine if we played in the west coast? We would end up somewhere like 19th place. Behind U.S.,California,So.Cal,Los Angeles,Anaheim,Angels,Halos and thats just half the teams.

    Good read hmmm.

  249. Kev Van

    Anyone else thinks Wang’s pitches are somewhat up in the zone today?
    He seems to be gaining control slowyly tho.

  250. TurnTwo

    just remember, miggs: chicks dig the long ball.

  251. The Last Yankee Fanâ„¢ (a.k.a. ERâ„¢)

    Good to see you back Po!
    even though you’re not 100%

  252. Patrick (the good one)

    So far wang has had 4 groundouts and 2 strikeouts. Nice start.

  253. berniepaul&tino

    JORGE!

  254. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    GEORGY !

  255. S.o.S.27

    miggs,
    Hows it going my So.Cal bro. Where have you been? Make the move yet?

  256. Fran

    Welcome back Jorge.

  257. CB

    Another great example of highly talented pitchers getting ruined through over use is basically the entire Rice pitching staff for years.

    They’ve gotten very talented pitchers to go there year after year and they constantly get hurt.

    It’s not like it was one player – it was pitcher after pitcher.

  258. S.o.S.27

    Welcome back PO!!

  259. mel

    hmmm,

    Don’t forget the Devil Rays, too.

    Welcome back, Jorge!

  260. DMan

    Ahhh thata way Jorge

  261. geO [Murder's Row & Cano]

    cmon Robbieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

  262. miggs

    S.O.S. I have offers on the table which I’m countering right now. Could be in escrow next week, out by next month. Right now just enjoying being self-employed and basking in the San Diego summer sun. Not too many things much better than this.

  263. geO [Murderer's Row and Cano]

    devil rays are jobbing to the red soxs

  264. Mike Ashmore

    Someone asked about Melancon going three or four innings…

    He keeps his pitch count low, so while it may look like he’s out there for a while, in reality…he’s really not. He’ll throw a little under 40 pitches over four innings, at least when he’s on, anyway.

    As for Aceves…two good starts in Double-A for a guy who’s been in the Mexican League for the past five years or so shouldn’t be enough to get everyone’s attention. I know he’s pitched well in Tampa, but considering the Mexican League technically is a Triple-A level of play, he should have lit up Tampa and should have gotten off to the start he did in Trenton.

    Let’s see what he does over his next five or six starts before either blowing him off after one bad start or considering him as a potential future option because of a handful of good outings. It would be nothing short of stunning if this guy jumps over guys like McCutchen, Horne, Marquez, etc. to get a Major League look.

  265. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    Love ya Jorge

  266. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    finally some patience !

  267. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    dammit Bet that was not smart

  268. geO [Murderer's Row and Cano]

    Betimet with good piece of hitting but double play

  269. Nick in SF

    I didn’t even get to finish saying “just don’t hit into a double play, Betemit” IN MY HEAD before he went and did it.

  270. raymagnetic ®™

    Mike,

    How good is Aceves’ stuff in your opinion?

  271. SJ44

    Nick,

    LOL. Ironically, they did!

    That $200.oo HS Championship Ring must have been worth it for that coach to ruin a kid. Just awful.

  272. CB

    Great at bat for cano there. 10 pitches and he finally got a pitch up in the zone he could handle.

    McGowan up to 35 pitches. Cano sees 10 of them. Who’d have thought.

  273. JRVJ

    The Mexican League is at the AAA level?

    When did this happen?

  274. Russell NY

    Wang is pitching a no-hitter… ;-)

  275. Mitch

    It seems like every Yankee rally gets killed by a DP this year. Man.

  276. Russell NY

    Typical Yanks: 2 singles, 0 outs leads to 3 outs, 0 runs

  277. S.o.S.27

    miggs,
    Still dont get the move? Best city in the country and your bailing from it. Being S.E. hasnt helped me at all. Rather than working im posting.
    Im in Temecula getting the left over weather from s.d. and loving it. Not as lucky.

  278. raymagnetic ®™

    “Wang is pitching a no-hitter…”

    Oh no you did not just say that.

  279. raymagnetic ®™

    “Typical Yanks: 2 singles, 0 outs leads to 3 outs, 0 runs”

    What about the first inning? 1 walk, 1 double = 2 runs. Pretty atypical.

  280. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    whats with all this crap pitchers are wearing around thier necks? buckholz has 3 or 4 necklaces bouncing around when he pitches. a few years ago they had to crack down when guys like turk wendell went out there with a bear claw necklace hanging over his shirt. i think its an attemt to distract the hitters but i dont blame them for wearing them if the umps dont stop it.

  281. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    michael milken is a crook and a felon.

  282. miggs

    “It would be nothing short of stunning if this guy jumps over guys like McCutchen, Horne, Marquez, etc. to get a Major League look.”

    Not stunning to me. In fact, I think Aceves has more talent and potential that McCutchen and Marquez and I think he’s on the same level as Horne in terms of stuff.

    Here’s a newsflash… I don’t mean to rain on anyone’s parade, but McCutchen isn’t that good. His stuff is ok, not great. IMO he’s a bullpen arm and nothing more. No way he starts in the big leagues.

  283. KJ

    Betemit Blows!

  284. Russell NY

    Walking Rod Barajas on 4 pitches is inexcusable!

  285. S.o.S.27

    Maybe Cano reads this blog and heard that he might be in our blogs trade rumors. The wake up call he needed.

  286. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    “Russell NY June 5th, 2008 at 1:42 pm

    Wang is pitching a no-hitter…”

    why dude…why?

  287. Mike from CT

    c’mon Wanger, throw some strikes!

  288. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    come on Wang

  289. Steve

    So how serious is this Giambi injury?

  290. Kyle the Hick

    Thanks for giving wang the KOD

  291. miggs

    S.O.S. all my family is in CT and NY, plus I have business opportunities there that I can’t pass up.

    I never said I was settling down there for good. Ideally, I’d like to move back here in 10-15 years. I came to SD right after college, so I’m still relatively young (depending on who you talk to).

  292. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    time for the patented wang 1-6-3 dp here!

  293. blah blah blah

    Russell, you destroyed Wang’s mojo with your comment. Shame on you.

  294. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    This is not good. Come on Wanger!

  295. KJ

    Wang is such a joke to watch

  296. Russell NY

    And so Wang loads the bases lol

  297. S.o.S.27

    Thanks Russell NY. You jinxed his no hitter in the third inning. Now we need to root for a 1 hitter. Come on Wang!! Posada give him that shoulder sign that you always do!

  298. Russell NY

    blah blah blah – blah blah blah :)

  299. David Cone's Labrum

    how many outs?

  300. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    another clutch 2 run double in the 9th for Edwar Gonzalez, Trenton up 9-6 w an additional RBI sac fly from our juvenile delinquent

  301. rich

    gamecast frozen… update?

  302. blah blah blah

    Wang just get out of this inning. I can’t bear hearing this guy any longer (no offense to Prostate cancer, but come on…)

  303. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    anybody else who commited 98 counts of fraud would spend the rest of thier lives rotting in prison, but milken worked out a deal to do 2yrs of a 10 year sentence, and now he’s living the life spending all that money other people lost on his junk bonds.

    must be nice to be a billionaire and have friends in high places!

  304. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Wang a GIDP please

  305. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    dp this chump!

  306. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    thank god that was a horrible throw !

  307. Nick in SF

    Wang selfishly goes for the strikeout because he’s been told that “that’s what aces do” when the double play would have helped the team more.

    Only Jeter and Arod bail out the selfish non-ace Wang.

  308. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    Wow!
    Alright! Back to work bats

  309. geO [Murderer's Row and Cano]

    when are we finally going to give the Gold Glove to this man lol

    THXs Capt

  310. Kev Van

    oh my
    that was a scary scary inning
    huge strike out by wang
    hopefully he can stop digging himself into a huge hole

  311. Fran

    Great play by Jeter and Wang is out of the inning.

  312. KJ

    thats why he is the captain

  313. David Cone's Labrum

    51 pitches for Wang through 3 innings.

    Call up Giese!

  314. Russell NY

    THAT A BOY WANG!~

  315. LathamJoe

    “The Mystery that is Mister Wang”!
    Great “heads up” play by Jeter to bail him out.

  316. kd

    Nick,

    You are totally right. I bet Wang was thinking about his next contract negotiations.

    Man, it’s really funny that someone out there might actually think that.

  317. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    that throw goes any lower and a guy Pedroia would disappear from the screen. Well The MLB DRAFT BEGINS !

  318. Yankeestech

    what’s the scouting report on Buster Posey?

  319. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    “Wang selfishly goes for the strikeout because he’s been told that “that’s what aces do” when the double play would have helped the team more.”

    i hearby nominate this for “moronic post of the game” even has a shot at the weekly award…

  320. CB

    Over at scouts.com they’re hearing that Detroit will select Buster Posey at 21 if he’s available.

  321. kd

    I guess y’s guy doesn’t like sarcasm

  322. miggs

    Man Damon is really in the zone.

    Gotta love what he’s doing at the plate these days.

  323. David Cone's Labrum

    where’s the best online resource for up to date draft updates?

  324. Mike Ashmore

    Aceves has only made three starts for the Thunder so far, all on the road. We don’t cover the team on the road, so won’t get to see him until he starts during the Connecticut series, likely on the 11th.

    While I strongly disagree with it, the Mexican League has been considered to be a third Triple-A league of sorts. I’m not sure if it’s officially considered to be a Triple-A league or not, but if you look in Aceves Howe file: http://stats.howesportsdata.co.....lfredo.txt … you’ll notice his Mexican League numbers are considered to be Triple-A stats.

    I disagree with the assessment of McCutchen to some extent, and also disagree with the level of surprise around an Aceves promotion.

    Good stuff conquers all…however, they don’t have a lot of money in Aceves. If pitching success really played as big of a role in getting opportunities compared to money as people think it does, would Kei Igawa still be on the 40-man roster? My point? Politics always plays a role in affiliated baseball.

    Your point about McCutchen being a bullpen arm may be a valid one, especially with his early struggles as starter in Scranton. When he’s on, the kid is a strikeout machine and has a lot of movement in his curveball and has a heavy four-seamer.

    When he isn’t…he gets hit.

    But I still like him as a starter, and considering the options the organization has in the minors for spot starts, he’d be nearly as good of an option as any of the others. I’d take him over Marquez right now, and I’d definitely give him a look before I called up Igawa again. I think Steven White might be a decent option down the road (not too far down the road though) and Horne needs a few starts in Scranton before he becomes a legitimate option.

  325. S.o.S.27

    CB,
    Is there any first basemans that are worth a 28th pick/be available out there?

  326. hmmm

    “where’s the best online resource for up to date draft updates?”

    i’d go to MLB.com’s draft tracker.

  327. gayle

    mlb.com

  328. Mitch

    I know that in the current Yankee Universe it is a crime to say anything bad about St. Alex, but I would love to see his numbers on getting people in from 3B with less than two outs since he returned from his injury. It feels like he’s way under 50%.

  329. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    MY GOD START IT ALREADY !

  330. Fredo Corleone

    “I don’t mean to rain on anyone’s parade, but McCutchen isn’t that good.”

    The AAA experiment is off to a slow start for McCutchen. He’s not getting killed, but he’s not fooling anyone either. 0-3 with a 4.6 or so ERA and a high WHIP.

  331. Nick in SF

    Y’s Guy, I’m sorry I’m not sophisticated enough to have included a winky emoticon with my post!

    But it’s always an honor to be considered for an award. I assume you meant to nominate me in the non-Joba category.

  332. geO [Murderer's Row and Cano]

    this is why we lose games

  333. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    Damn. I wish we got something from that

  334. CB

    Sos27,

    There will definitely be a first baseman available at 28 but it’s not likely its going to be a high ceiling bat.

    He’s going to be someone ok like David Cooper or perhaps Ike Davis.

    I’d rather they not take a player like that. Taking a first baseman in round 1 is very risky.

    1b are the least athletic players drafted – if they don’t really rake then the pick is a waste as they have no real place to move.

    Unless you can get a guy like Hosmer or Smoak I wouldn’t take a 1b. No way.

  335. KJ

    this is why the yankees are a .500 team they suck at getting runners in… They should have atleast 4 runs right now instead they keep these teams in the game and then lose in the late innings.

  336. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    McCutchen isn’t getting beat in the beginning of games again he’s not a projected SP in the 2 or 3 slot he has 4 to 5 stuff. I see Cutch either in a trade or going into the BP, he reminds me alot of Keith Foulke

  337. David Cone's Labrum

    what happened

  338. JGNYC

    Betemit swinging at the first pitch for a GIDP in the 2nd was a killer…

  339. miggs

    Beckham goes #1

  340. geO [Murderer's Row and Cano]

    Father Jasper FTW

  341. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Beckham goes #1 jesus are they going to milk the 5 min. clock every pick ?

  342. Moe

    I think the non hitting w/RISP is due to a lack of foucus,
    they are making way too much money and don’t care. everyone tries to hit a homer when a productive out is what we need.

    Wang is throwing too many pitches, gameday shouws him throwing only 90-91.

  343. JRVJ

    That sucks….

  344. jennifer

    wow now John makes me think that Bobby has a good bead on it and will catch it. And than he goes it’s gone.

  345. Moe

    Nice job wang, that’s y your the ace of the staff. bummmm

  346. KJ

    Im so sick of watching this team…Wang walks the ballpark…they do nothing when they have men on base…its the same thing everyday this team is nothing more than a .500 ballclub and its a joke to watch

  347. The Fallen Phoenix

    And the Posey free-fall begins…

  348. Fredo Corleone

    Jeez!

    Chien Ming Lester

  349. V

    “I think the non hitting w/RISP is due to a lack of foucus,
    they are making way too much money and don’t care. everyone tries to hit a homer when a productive out is what we need.

    Wang is throwing too many pitches, gameday shouws him throwing only 90-91.”

    Do you honestly, truly believe that?

  350. KJ

    its just unreal

  351. Fran

    Game tied at 2. The Yankees inability to score in the 2nd and last inning now looming large.

  352. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    Damn it

  353. V

    “Im so sick of watching this team…Wang walks the ballpark…they do nothing when they have men on base…its the same thing everyday this team is nothing more than a .500 ballclub and its a joke to watch”

    Then don’t.

  354. S.o.S.27

    Thats what frustrates me. We are dominating the game. Leave runners in scoring possition and bamm! Tie game.

  355. blah blah blah

    “Im so sick of watching this team…”

    Geez. then don’t watch. Simple. There’s a little clicker on your remote that says POWER.

  356. raymagnetic ®™

    Seriously though, why would someone watch something that they are sick of watching? When I’m watching TV and something comes on that I don’t want to see I change the channel.

    It’s a very simple exercise, they even have remote controls to assist you in turning off the TV and changing the channel.

  357. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    its a 2-2 game and the whiners are all over the board already. they are now going to post how they ‘know how this will go’ and all that crap. GO DO SOMETHING ELSE if you cant take watching a game that’s tied in the 4th!

  358. blah blah blah

    It’s only the top of the fourth inning. Relax people.

  359. Moe

    I think wang is thinking of all the chicks he has in his hometown, he is all over the place.

  360. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Washington Heights STAND UP !

  361. S.o.S.27

    I think they should make the fences in the new stadium retractable. When the Yankees are hitting its at 314 down right field. Once the visitors come up. Press that button and now your seeing a 314 turn to 375. Its only fair to have home field advantage.

  362. rconn23

    The biggest problem on this team is not being able to hit with runners in scoring position. There are just so many opportunities.

    Wang has always been walking the tightrope his entire career and now he’s starting to fall off.

  363. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    “KJ June 5th, 2008 at 2:19 pm

    Im so sick of watching this team…Wang walks the ballpark…they do nothing when they have men on base…its the same thing everyday this team is nothing more than a .500 ballclub and its a joke to watch”

    Oh no! Poor thing! Is someone standing next to you forcing you to watch the Yankees? Lemme know. I will call the police for you…

  364. CB

    Brandon,

    We’re tired of Washington Heights talent not winding up a little bit north.

    What gives?

  365. Steve

    Joe West made a terrible judgement on that slider. It’s definite a strike. No word.

  366. SJ44

    Its awfully tough to expect Yankee pitchers to pitch shutouts to win games.

    He got squeezed by West and gave up a HR. That happens.

    Constantly swingning at first pitches with RISP and continuing to make outs is why this game is tied.

    Its been a season long problem and its yet to be corrected.

    When the team was constructed over the off-season the belief was this was a potent offense. Logical considering they scored 968 runs last year.

    Unfortnately, its not a potent offense. In fact, its barely average and well below average with RISP.

    But it is and that means the pitching has to be even better the rest of the way. If they end up hitting, great. Counting on it? That may end up being a mistake.

    They just have to throw up zeroes the rest of the way and hope they can find a way to score a run.

  367. raymagnetic ®™

    “Wang has always been walking the tightrope his entire career and now he’s starting to fall off.”

    He’s starting to fall off after 3 bad starts? Some of the genious commentary on this site is really incredulous.

  368. miggs

    “Wang has always been walking the tightrope his entire career and now he’s starting to fall off.”

    So having the most wins in the majors from 2006 to now is walking the tightrope?

    Such nonsense.

  369. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Hosmer to KC

  370. S.o.S.27

    “Its been a season long problem and its yet to be corrected.”

    SJ,
    When do we start blaming the hitting coach?

  371. Fredo Corleone

    “Its awfully tough to expect Yankee pitchers to pitch shutouts to win games.

    He got squeezed by West and gave up a HR. That happens.”

    C’mon SJ, he missed. This “he’s getting squeezed” stuff is an excuse. Wang’s simply not been as crisp his last 4 starts as he was his first 8 or 9.

  372. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    “Brandon,

    We’re tired of Washington Heights talent not winding up a little bit north.

    What gives?”

    no NY team has had a chance to sign them, they are usually at the top of the draft. The Yankees and Mets are either mediocore or at the bottom for being a playoff team. I mean CB you should know that and yeh it gets really frustrating.

  373. SJ44

    Nothing wrong with Wang. He’s just not perfect.

    Since no pitcher is perfect, that shouldn’t be a big deal.

    When you are built to score and can’t do it, its pretty tough to win consistently.

    A good offensive team has 3-4 runs so far. This team barely has 2. Its been a season long issue.

    If the offense was as productive as Wang has been as a pitcher, even during his mini-slump, they would have 10 more wins this year.

  374. JRVJ

    The Yankees are not driving in runners, but that’s an anomaly which hopefully will get corrected.

    In this very specific game, Giambi for Betemit would have been awfully nice in the 2nd inning….

  375. Fredo Corleone

    Royals grab Hosmer.

  376. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    how can kc get a top 4 pick every year and never get better? even the RAYS eventually put something together. the yankees have to pay thier entire payroll, AND watch them draft 20 something places ahead of us every year! they are a JOKE!

  377. miggs

    So much for some of the big names falling huh?

    Beckham, Alvarez, then Hosmer a Boras guy goes to KC

  378. Francis The Praying Mantis

    People in Washington Heights love smoking dirt weed….and yes, Im talking about haze.

  379. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Matusz to Baltimore

  380. Julio Lugo is the worst SS in the AL

    If the pennant races were politics, there would be calls from pundits already for the Yankees to drop out and endorse the Rays.

  381. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    “People in Washington Heights love smoking dirt weed….and yes, Im talking about haze.”

    oh brother :roll:

  382. mel

    Something’s bothering me. Does Papa John’s actually serve jalapenos with their pizza? Or is it really pepperoncini and AL/Kay don’t know what they’re eating?

  383. rconn23

    “So having the most wins in the majors from 2006 to now is walking the tightrope?

    Such nonsense.”

    A pitcher who pitches to contact and strikes out so few hitters, is always walking a tightrope. Mix in more walks and that’s a dangerous combination.

    So, um, that’s not nonsense. That’s common sense.

  384. SJ44

    Fredo,

    The ball was down the middle of plate. It was a strike. What can you do? He can’t put it on a tee to make it easier for Joe West to call.

    You can be struggling as a pitcher and still get hosed on a pitch. The 3-2 pitch to Rolen was a strike and Wang, despite struggling, got hosed on the pitch.

    SOS,

    I doubt the hitting coach is teaching guys to hit poorly with RISP.

    Its up to the players. Blaming the hitting coach is scapegoating the wrong guy.

    Its a veteran team that simply isn’t as good offensively as advertised. At least not after 60 games.

    Not much you can do unless the guys themselves make the necessary adjustments.

  385. Russell NY

    If Inglett walks I will be disappointed.

  386. Fran

    What is with Wang and all these walks. Puts the leadoff man on.

  387. Russell NY

    Lead off walk, you are pissing me off Wang.

  388. CB

    Brandon,

    I hope you know I was only joking.

    But if Inoa doesn’t sign with the yankees I’m holding you personally responsible!

  389. stuart

    umps today are morons.. they think a high pitch is above the belt..

    the rolen pitch was strike 3..

    wang has not only walked to many today(4) but all yr. that is his problem.. his BA against is actually down.

    this walk may hurt him again…many these walks are terrible..

  390. Floyd

    Wang the ace at it again.

  391. Moe

    Russell NY, I guess u should be pissed now, or y betemit is in the lineup

  392. raymagnetic ®™

    SJ,

    I beg to differ with you about the state of the Yankees offense. Despite not having A-Rod and Posada in the lineup for lenghthy periods of time the Yankes are 3rd in OPS and 6th in runs. They’re hitting the ball but they aren’t making enough timely hits. Eventually things will even themselves out.

  393. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    “Brandon,

    I hope you know I was only joking.

    But if Inoa doesn’t sign with the yankees I’m holding you personally responsible!”

    I know :lol:

  394. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Buster Posey to the Giants

  395. blackdragon905

    UGH!!!!

  396. CaptainsCorner

    Great job by AAA Melky. What a moron…

  397. CB

    The giants called buster posey’s bluff.

  398. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    good call, mel! but any real new yorker wouldn’t know what papa john’s includes with thier pizza. i want thier birth certificates checked! i think they might really be from iowa instead of nj and the bronx.

  399. Fran

    Mel – it is pepperocini. I’ve ordered from there.

    Melky with a big error.

  400. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    Melky…damn it

  401. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    OMG it’s ok Melky, Brett and Austin will make it easier for you

  402. KJ

    THIS TEAM IS A JOKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  403. stuart

    wang is a timebomb..

    this may get ugly..

    3 walks 6 straight games!!!!!!!!!

    what the F is he up to?????

  404. Russell NY

    Posey picked by SF

  405. miggs

    That’s a terrible play by Melky. Just awful.

    Everybody gets on Cano for uninspired bonehead plays. Melky is just as bad.

  406. Dalers

    when u got a shot to knock mcgowan out u have to do it

  407. Whiff (Cano's bat)

    And there is the lack of discipline and focus by this team.

    This is why they are .500 and will remain so at least until the All Star break.

    Curious, I thought Girardi was the answer to refocusing this team from the relaxed atmosphere from Torre.

    Solid team here. Just not chemistry right now.

  408. kidjock

    Um, this is becoming a trend.

  409. Joe m

    Lets not get started as Wang as an ace

  410. mel

    Ugh. Wang’s fault for walking the #9 guy, but I could’ve made that catch.

  411. Moe

    Can someone talk to wang? is he still upset that he lost his arbitration case?

  412. CaptainsCorner

    I really wonder if Wang has or is starting to have an arm problem. He has been SOOO wild his last couple of starts and really looks bad. He is missing by alot and seems to have no idea how to fix the problem.

  413. KJ

    Im sorry but the Yankees suck right now they dont do anything right! They cant hit they cant pitch and they dont even catch fly balls anymore

  414. Russell NY

    6th straight game that Wang has not been our ace. How many bad games in a row does a pitcher have to have before he shouldn’t be out “ace” anymore?

  415. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Wang is getting killed now.

  416. Fredo Corleone

    Posey goes to SF. Nice pick.

  417. Russell NY

    Error by Melky? Call up Gardner.

  418. Paddy R

    please send melky cabrera and chien ming wang down. brett gardner can catch fly balls. dan giese is more of a major leaguer than chien ming wang.

  419. Patrick (the good one)

    Welp…

  420. Kev Van

    what a terrible terrible game by Wang…

  421. ItalianGreco

    sickening

  422. Yankeestech

    Wang isn’t an ace for sure.

  423. S.o.S.27

    “Everybody gets on Cano for uninspired bonehead plays. Melky is just as bad.”

    They are best freinds.

    FLUD GATES ARE OPEN! Pathetic!

  424. jashell2000

    anyone see who is warming in the bullpen? I’m at work (kind of glad now actually).

  425. josh

    thanks for costing us ANOTHER series melky, jesus christ

  426. Moe

    when was the last time wang turned a DP? nice job by wang to clear the bases.

  427. sunny615

    Is there a reason why Wang is sucking so bad right now?

  428. NYY

    And by the way who ever had high hopes of Buster Posey dropping all the way to 28th to the Yanks must be disappointed. He goes at 5 to SF Giants.

    And as Pete pointed out it’s not just the Yanks all the teams might have changed thier approach to the draft.

  429. Russell NY

    7-2 Toronto. This is why you don’t sign Wang to a big contract yet.

  430. Fran

    Well looks like we won’t have to worry about the 8th inning today.

    Glad the Royals are coming in for 4 games.

  431. blackdragon905

    BOOOOO!!!!!!

  432. Floyd

    A quiet day for the Wang is an ace team.

  433. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Skipworth to FLA

  434. Ross

    Hey Pete – is your boy injured or something??

  435. Be Ge Burrs

    Gee. Something new. The Yankees have a chance to put together a great game, then can’t score any runs with runners in scoring position, and the pitching goes to hell.

    Wonderful.

  436. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    Holy crap :(

  437. Moe

    Hope YES will blackout the TV when Olendurf’s arm falls off the next inning.

  438. dennis m

    i feel like the yankees get screwed in every lose of theirs… like stupid errors and terrible pitching changes..

    this is a terribly runned team omg

  439. Brent (By The Power of Shelley's Forearm!...)

    Lots of baseball left in this game. Don’t prove me wrong, Yankees.

  440. snowman

    Man, was Cashman ever right!! We dont need an ace like Santana- we got Wang, Hughes, Kennedy…..

  441. Whiff (Cano's bat)

    7-2… no offense, poor defense, game over.

    I am deeply disappointed in Kevin Long and especially Girardi. I do not think that either of them have any connection at this point with these players.

    Look at them, they look less interested than they did the last two years under Torre.

    I just don’t get it. You play for the greatest franchise in baseball, great winning tradition, yearly chances to win a world series, paid ridiculous money, and all you can do is stink of up the joint on a daily basis.

    We should all be so lucky to have a job we love, get paid, be a celeberty and not have to give a crap.

  442. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Smoak is falling in this draft

  443. KJ

    Its a shame that the New York Yankees are so bad these days that you cant even watch them without losing your mind!!

  444. Russell NY

    Ohly in. Jesus Christ Wang… what garbage you spew.

  445. Brian

    What happened to Wang…he was our ace at one point this season.

  446. NYY

    I am worried abt Wang. Is something wrong with his Arm or something. He can’t be this bad. Is is having some kind of injury that we are not aware of or is the league FINALLY catching up to him.

  447. Matt

    You fail with runners at 3rd base and less than 2 outs, the other team will KILL YOU FOR IT. The Yankees are the absolute worst situational team, and Toronto has half the talent and three times the runs.

    Of course, it’s NOT Wang’s fault. Melky dropped an easy line drive double play hit right at him. When the pitcher is struggling and makes his pitch, and you DROP THE BALL, it is going to cost you and it did. Just like the time Moose didn’t make it out of the first, when you know you got out of it and your fielder screws it up, you’re going to implode, simple as that, especially when you’re tired and not pitching great to start.

  448. Jeter's Future Wife

    who said anything about Wang being our ace in the past 3 weeks? I’ve been saying Moose! who would have thunk it?

  449. stuart

    josh shut up..

    wang has pitched like crap lately. that is the bottom line.. he is walking a ton of guys..
    inglett got a BB and a 1b, he is a bad 9th place hitter.

    Wang has pitched bad for a month………

    bad game, again toronto finds a way to score and the Yanks cannot get a clutch hit. arod is back to the arod of 2 yrs ago, no clutch AB’s…

    they are a bad team right now, this was there game up 2 – 0 with there supposed ace on the mound but Wang cannot find the plate.. he looks lost……….

  450. Melky cant hit and now he cant even catch

    yankees suck

  451. Amanda from La.

    let’s hope Ohlendorf does well….

  452. Laura

    Wang is still our Ace. He’s just struggling right now.

  453. SJ44

    Ray,

    After 60 games, I tend to think you are what you are as a team. They have had injuries but, so have a lot of teams. The injuries don’t account for poor offense and defense and that’s been in place all season.

    At some point, you have play good baseball. Aside from 6 games against Seattle this year, we haven’t seen anything resembling good baseball from this team all year.

    Today’s game is basically a microcosm of their season. No hitting with RISP, awful defense and a starter who can’t go deep in games.

    They have a month to get it going. If they are still in last place on July 4, its going to be pretty hard tough to think they will turn it around.

    Sometimes despite names, stats and reputation, you just aren’t a good team. I think its safe to say, at least right now, this is not a very good team.

    Hopefully, that changes. But right now, its just hope. We aren’t seeing anything to make us think they are close to turning it around.

  454. Zooboy

    Wow this team gives up a lot of big innings.

  455. Be Ge Burrs

    At this point they should leave Wang in for the entire game. What difference does it make, the Yankees can’t make up a one run deficite.

  456. Julio Lugo is the worst SS in the AL

    Wang is a bum. Is Hideo Nomo still available?

  457. Kevin CT

    Can someone explain the Melky error? At work and can’t watch the game..

  458. Not an Ace

    Wang the non-ace shows up again

  459. David Cone's Labrum

    did melky drop a fly ball?

  460. rconn23

    That was a bad error by Melky, but you just can’t fall apart everytime time that happens. Wang is just a deer in headlights when he gets runners on lately.

  461. sunny615

    so much for wang

    this team is in trouble. let’s hope this team has some fight left.

  462. Moe

    Yankee Fans!! Bottom line is if you don’t pitch you don’t win and today (and his last 3-4 starts) he did not give the team a chance to win. offense does nothing when your pitching stinks (go ask the tigers)

  463. Matt

    To lose this game would be INEXCUSABLE. Dominating the game, have tons of baserunners against McGowan, fail with a runner at 3rd and less than 2 outs, and then drop the easy inning ending double play. Unbelievable. How many times do we have to make excuses for these guys. I’m done making excuses.

    They are healthy, what’s their excuse now? This team has become unwatchable. UNWATCHABLE. How many winnable games are they going to throw away before they throw away their season doing so? We should have won 3/4 in minnesota, 2/3 in baltimore, and easily won this series the way we were playing today. That’s 3 games in the last week alone that they’ve GIVEN AWAY that they should have easily won. Don’t look now, but if you add up the games they’ve blown this year, they’re in FIRST PLACE. Nobody to blame but themselves.

  464. hambone slymnax

    throwing the slider again (I’m willing to bet) equals arm trouble

  465. Jeter's Future Wife

    For the love of god, when will this inning end?

  466. Russell NY

    “At this point they should leave Wang in for the entire game. What difference does it make, the Yankees can’t make up a one run deficite.”

    100% right.

  467. Nondy

    Wang=Not an Ace.

  468. Fredo Corleone

    Someone mentioned it earlier, but you do have to wonder whether Wang is hurt. There was some noise of a minor problem during the Mets series. Something sure seems wrong his last 4-5 starts now.

    That’s now 23 earned runs in his last 23 2/3 innigs.

  469. mel

    I’m out. If the Yankees don’t rally, I expect to see a profanity laced tirade from Joe that would make Ozzie & McLaren blush.

    Good luck, guys.

    BTW, some fan threw rubbish at Crawford. If anyone’s blogging from the stadium, can you get your section to throw stuff at the home ump?

  470. raymagnetic ®™

    “Its a shame that the New York Yankees are so bad these days that you cant even watch them without losing your mind!!”

    You should really take some sort of an anti depressant every time a yankees game comes on.

  471. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    1 more Ross

  472. sunny615

    turning it around? I don’t think these guys even know which way is up.

  473. Paddy R

    dear girardi,
    please stop drinking so many protein shakes. ross ohlendorf is not a long reliever. he isn’t effective in multiple innings. that’s why he was moved to the bullpen. if he could be a long man, he’d just start. goodness gracious.

  474. V

    If the Yankees are losing, it’s a gimme that the idiots will appear in droves.

    This blog is unreadable.

    If you want to vent, go somewhere else. Please.

    I’m watching on ESPN GameCast. Half of these balls are in ESPN’s strike zone.

  475. bronxbomber77 (from worst to first in 2008!)

    Ed Price reporting that Cashman and Yankees to begin working on an extension in the near future.

    Saw it on MLB trade rumors.

    Will all the ‘fire Cashman’ people finally now STFU?

    http://www.nj.com/yankees/inde.....tract.html

  476. Floyd

    When it rains it pours with Wang.

  477. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    DAMMIT ! Alonso goes to Cincy

  478. Jeter's Future Wife

    I just wonder about accountability….is there any?

  479. Brent (By The Power of Shelley's Forearm!...)

    ROSS THE BOSS!

  480. ItalianGreco

    I think Wang is hurt. He isn’t this bad.

  481. V

    “They are healthy, what’s their excuse now? This team has become unwatchable. UNWATCHABLE.”

    THEN DON’T WATCH THEM!!!!

    Why are you watching them if they’re unwatchable?

    Are you that stupid?

  482. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    My rally cap is on.
    Time to cut the crap and start chipping away

  483. Be Ge Burrs

    Girardi won’t say a word. He is a pansey.

  484. ItalianGreco

    DAMN!!! I wanted Alonso

  485. CaptainsCorner

    One of the main things that Wang is missing is that he is not a smart pitcher. He does not know how to make adjustments and really has no idea how to fix things. Smart pitchers figure out a way to get threw an inning and when Wang doesn’t have good stuff he is finished. He just keep throwing the same pitch, doesn’t change a thing and the catcher and pitching coach has to tell him things that he should know. Like his arm angle…

  486. al arodien

    what a nut case ! melky just embaresed the yankees! i make that play blinfolded in center field. cmon gimmi a break! BOO FOR MELKY!!! BOO BOO BOO FOR WANG!!!!

  487. David Cone's Labrum

    Jorge Posada – our savior indeed!

    Give me a break. With or without Arod and Posada, this team sucks.

  488. Melky cant hit and now he cant even catch

    Ok Pete so now Wangs hurt? Who cares this team isnt going anywhere anyway so who cares!

  489. SJ44

    Pete,

    Re: Hosmer, the Royals don’t have a problem dealing with Scott Boras. They have now drafted Boras clients the last 3 years and Dayton Moore and Boras are tight.

    The Royals have been in South Florida the last couple of days en masse working things out with Boras and Hosmer. There was no way he wasn’t going to KC.

    Alvarez? That’s a pick driven by the Pirates fan base. There is a ton of pressure on the new regime in Pittsburgh to pick Alvarez. They have been burned for years taking pitchers with first round picks and the fans put a lot of heat on the organization to ante up and draft Alvarez.

    What’s ironic is, the new Pirates President was the leader in Selig’s office about jumping on teams who paid over slot for draft picks.

    Now, he is going to do it sign Alvarez! lol

    Irony at its best.

  490. james

    Good for these teams (bad for us) taking guys who are going to cost a lot. You don’t save money signing bums. You make money signing(hopefully)stars even if they cost more in the short term.

  491. BobK55

    Bottom line is if Melky makes the easy catch he easily doubles off Inglett at second = inning over.

  492. Global Warming

    So PeteAbe, you still think that Wang is that bonafide Ace?

    Yeah, me neither.

    Thank the lord Chamberlain will be in the starting rotation for years to come.

  493. S.o.S.27

    Lets stop blaming Melky. Yes he dropped the ball. That was one run. Wang played with fire today and got burned. 4 runs after the error. Is Mussina disquised as Wang? Lost all focus after the error. I hope this is just a glitch and not the Wang of last years playoffs.

    Its still the 5th folks. Mcgowen is almost out of the game. Lets go Yankees!

  494. Jeter's Future Wife

    Don’t you think most of you are blowing this way out of proportion? I mean, really….as bad as they seem, they’re only 1 game under .500 (well soon to be 2) with all the injuries that they’ve dealt with. I didn’t think the expectations were all that high this year in the “transition year” as they like to call it. Obviously there are issues with Wang and who is going to replace him, etc. But really, who was saying any of this last week during the 5-game winning streak?

  495. MoBoy

    You know strikeouts is a form of defense.If these pitchers did this they wouldn’t have to worry about defense mistakes.Micheal Kay keeps talking about Melkys error and not Wang being a overrated Ace.

    Watch the Bullpen actually play good in a non-pressure situation.

  496. PJH

    Maybe Wang just stinks?

    Hey after that error did Melky do one of those jump dances with his buddy Robinson whos hit .215?

  497. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    lots of game left here, just get 2 back right here

    Lets Go Yankees!!!!!

  498. miggs

    Usually if a guy makes an error in the field he has a chance to make up for it with the bat.

    Too bad there’s no 5-run homerun for Melky.

    I guess I’ll take a single…..

  499. Matt

    Exactly. You can’t blame Wang for all of it when his fielder botches an easy double play that would end the inning at 2-2 and let Wang probably go 6 or 6+ in this game.

  500. Not an Ace

    Melky better give me a 5 run home run at some point in this game for that garbage he pulled

  501. David Cone's Labrum

    stay out of the dp, stay out of the dp…

    CHIP AWAY

  502. Francis The Praying Mantis

    I think Wang might be hurt….and no he is not an ace…he is the ace of the yankees staff, but not an ace in the traditional sense…he’s a 3+ pitcher

  503. LadyBug626

    “That was a bad error by Melky, but you just can’t fall apart everytime time that happens.”

    that’s my problem with these Yankees. Their lack of resilience is very disappointing.

  504. Julio Lugo is the worst SS in the AL

    I love baseball fans who use the word “we” when referring to their team. As if YOU, sutting at home rooting, can do anything to influence the outcome. And as for games “we” should have won, lots of games can go either way. Good teams find a way to win the majority of them.

  505. sunny615

    grife – all seven runs are on Wang. I wonder if his calf is still bothering him… they said in his last outing, his arm angle was all off. I bet that calf is still sore throwing off his mechanics. But the yanks can’t afford another starter on the DL… even when he is this bad.

  506. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Gordon Beckham to Chicago

  507. Fredo Corleone

    Now’s a chance for the Yankees to make a game of this.

  508. Global Warming

    Melky is simply not a great all around Center Fielder.

    He’s go a 5 Star arm and nothing else. He doesn’t get good reads and isn’t speedy.

    Not saying to do it but right now if Damon moved to Center Field, we wouldn’t lose much defense if any at all.

  509. PJH

    MoBOy- Youre lost. Wang has never been a strikeout pitcher and never will be. You cant say that Melky’s miscue is Wangs fault because he should have struck the guy out. Its not fair.

  510. raymagnetic ®™

    SJ,

    I agree that the team doesn’t look good. But the offense isn’t all that bad considering the players they lost this season.

    In a month they might look great, but will it all be a mirage? Considering the fact they’ll have a pretty easy schedule. After today they don’t play any truly difficult competition until they play the Mets.

  511. al arodien

    WELL lets hope we tie it in the inning!

  512. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Smoak continues to fall

  513. Chris NY

    “dan giese is more of a major leaguer than chien ming wang.”

    In addition to considering registration for this blog, can we also institute an IQ test?

  514. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    here we go! heart of the order with 2 on and 0 out, gotta make it a game here.

  515. PJH

    We should call up Brett Gardner

  516. Julio Lugo is the worst SS in the AL

    Thank goodness for that HOF shoo-in Mussina. He’s Koufax, Drysdale and Gibson rolled into one.

  517. jashell2000

    could be battle of the bullpens depending on if Yanks can chase McGowan…

  518. Matt

    If this team just played major league AVERAGE defense, they would be in 2nd or 3rd place easily and tied in this game right now with a chance to go ahead. It’s inexcusable to not make plays like last inning. Those plays lose you games. Notice that the two teams with the best defense- Toronto and Tampa Bay, are in 2nd and 3rd, and Tampa was just in first for a while too. Our pitching is good enough with this offense, we just have horrible defense and it’s killing us. They say pitching and DEFENSE for a reason.

  519. CaptainsCorner

    Can Jeter take a pitch for once…Stop following Cano’s way of hitting…

  520. David Cone's Labrum

    rally rally cap rally cap rally cap

  521. Melky cant hit and now he cant even catch

    Im just so pissed because they win lastnight and you are like ok win tomorrow and you are back to .500 ONCE again and we can take off. BUT NO they come out today and play the worst game of the year. It makes me relize this team just isnt any good.

  522. SJ44

    Brandon,

    There was no way Yonder was dropping. If he didn’t go to Cincinnati, Washington would have taken him and met his asking price with no problem.

    Too good a player to drop to #28.

  523. Not an Ace

    McGowan has some ugly lamb chops on his face

  524. Yankeestech

    It’s Chein Ming Wang Deju Vu all over again…

  525. Global Warming

    “I love baseball fans who use the word “we” when referring to their team. As if YOU, sutting at home rooting, can do anything to influence the outcome. And as for games “we” should have won, lots of games can go either way. Good teams find a way to win the majority of them.”

    We pay for tickets, merchandise, cable costs, etc.

    WE can refer to OUR team as “WE”, if WE feel like it!

  526. sunny615

    this is a good development.

  527. ellen

    If they’re going to get back in this, now is the time.

  528. CaptainsCorner

    Lets see how the Yanks mess up this inning…Ofcourse Abreu has to get the hit because Arod will probably pop it up in the infield.

  529. David Cone's Labrum

    rally rally cap rally cap rally cap

    (worked last time)

  530. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    SJ remember I said I was praying.

  531. Nick in SF

    As is often the case with this squad when things go wrong, there’s plenty of blame to go around. Poor situational hitting after the first inning. Poor defense. Bad calls from the home plate umpire. And bad pitching from Wang. Sometimes even a team playing well can’t overcome bad breaks, but you also have to create your own breaks.

    They have a great chance right now to do that, to turn this game around. What a pickup that would be.

  532. al arodien

    A-rod will tie this game ! GARANTEE!

  533. Moe

    C’mon bobby Arod now it’s payback time, drive them in….arod costs the yankees about 45000.00 each at bat, you gotta deliver 1 day

  534. David Cone's Labrum

    mcgowan out? has to be against jelly-legs abreu. lefty must be in

  535. ItalianGreco

    Chip away boys.

    SJ, you know I’m a Miami homer and would have loved to see Yonder a Yankee, but I knew it would never happen.

  536. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    damn you Overbay

    Crow to the Nats

  537. Paddy R

    chris ny,
    i was kidding.

  538. Jeter's Future Wife

    see, there’s a rally run!

  539. Kyle the Hick

    here comes mr. unclutch

  540. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    ok, one single and this is a 2 run game. mcgowan owns arod who came in 1-14 lifetime against him, time to get a little back right here.

  541. Jorge Steinbrenner, the long-lost third brother

    HE’S NOT A REAL ACE!!!! ;)

    (sorry….my Tourette’s kicked in for a second….)

    In all seriousness, we’ve seen this with great pitchers before, dead arm periods, periods of ineffectiveness, yadda yadda yadda. It doesn’t make it any easier to watch. What are the theories/explanations aroudn what’s going on with Wang at the moment? Is it at all fingernail-related?

  542. Chris NY

    “Not saying to do it but right now if Damon moved to Center Field, we wouldn’t lose much defense if any at all.”

    We’d lose at least a run a game to people running on the wet, mushy noodle that hangs off Damon’s left shoulder.

    Melky, as rated by baseball SCOUTS (not just fans), is a better center fielder than a lot of people give him credit for, and not just because of his arm. He may not have tremendous speed, but he’s not slow either.

  543. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    Losing sure brings out the hysteria doesn’t it…
    This game isn’t over..Let’s go Yankees!!!!

  544. Not an Ace

    the whiff is coming up

  545. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    jesus christ what was Damon thinking, P.S. Barajas hold the ball ?

  546. Buddy Biancalana

    Wow, that was a gift run!

  547. al arodien

    NICE job by a rod now let the rally roll!

  548. CaptainsCorner

    Nice job by Damon tagging up….Another great at bat from $28m…

  549. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    ok, melky dropped a ball, all of a sudden everybody wants him sent to quad cities or something. it was a bad play, even if he was distracted by the guy running with one out, get over it. he had a big 2 out hit last night.

  550. Chris NY

    fair enough, Paddy… people on here say things like that seriously far too often to be able to tell who’s joking and who’s just dumb.. my apologies.

  551. David Cone's Labrum

    sac fly to 2nd?

  552. Blargh

    “We pay for tickets, merchandise, cable costs, etc.”

    So, who pays your salary?

  553. V

    Classic ARod at bat. Watch strike 1. Foul off strike 2, then go into defensive mode swinging at anything close and get yourself out.

    I love having the guy on the team, but man are his at bats predictable.

    Sac fly’s cool, though.

  554. Nick in SF

    And sometimes you have to get idiot luck too.

  555. S.o.S.27

    Damon saved Arods rear. He just doesnt seem to be producing this year with runners in scoring possition as last year.

  556. Laura

    A-Rod is driving me insane with these pop ups.

  557. Doreen

    Just flipped on the tv a couple minutes ago – 7-2??? What happened to Wang??????

    Now, at least it’s 7-4 – which could have been more, but they’re lucky to have that because Damon should not have gone, but it turned out okay.

    Seriously, what happened to Wang?

  558. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    arod cant hit mcgowan, thats all. im sure there were guys babe ruth and lou gehrig couldnt hit either. at least he managed one rbi against him, you cant ask arod to carry the team every game.

    now its a game!

    Lets Go Yankees!

  559. sunny615

    bases loaded, no outs and our 3,4, and AL leading 5 hitters up and we get 3 straight outs and 2 runs… hmmm… last year it would have been a 6 run inning… sigh. Not griping, just saying…

  560. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Castro to Houston

  561. Fredo Corleone

    None of the 4 runs driven in by a hit. A great big zippity doo dah with RISP again.

  562. David Cone's Labrum

    2 sacrifices by our 3 and 4 guys. We still suck.

  563. Kyle the Hick

    BEN SHEETS!!!!

  564. saucY

    “Losing sure brings out the hysteria doesn’t it…”

    this is why i don’t bother with the gamethreads while at home. today, i really have no choice due to day game and draft going on.

  565. Kyle the Hick

    BRIAN FUENTES!!!

  566. Melky cant hit and now he cant even catch

    Doreen its simple melky cant catch and wang cant pitch

  567. CaptainsCorner

    Here comes Cashmans Walmart signing…

  568. Kyle the Hick

    Its not that Melky cant catch or Wang cant pitch, this team is just inconsistent.

  569. Fredo Corleone

    “Seriously, what happened to Wang?”

    He was either missing the strike zone or hitting bats. A Melky error didn’t help.

  570. Jeter's Future Wife

    just fyi for all of you: I was at a business lunch at the Renaissance Hotel (Baltimore Inner Harbor) last week and saw Damon, Giambi, and Jeter dining together in shorts and t-shirts. I simply approached them as I walked by their table (not tucked away) and said “good luck tonite” and they all said thanks very much and Damon asked if I was from B’more or NY, and I said I live outside B’more now and they said they love playing at Camden Yards, love the city. then Damon asked me if I liked Giambi’s mustache and I said, ah NO! they all laughed

  571. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    the last week all i hear is how they cant make productive outs to score runners, now you all want to scream that they used productive outs to score runs. you cant have it both ways.

    wait a minute, if you post on a blog you can have it both ways, you can call for them to dfa damon and then a week later say he’s your favorite and they should dfa cano or melky….i forgot!

    Lets Go Yankees!!!!!

  572. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    I still have no idea why Jason Castro was selected at top 10..and I’m pretty sure Omar Minaya is thinking the same.

  573. Laura - No more pop ups, A-Rod!!!

    Is anybody else missing audio from MLB.tv?

  574. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Justin Smoak to the Rangers (BASTERDS !)

  575. Sara

    wow, there is an imposter posing as a good LaTroy Hawkins!

  576. Buddy Biancalana

    Why didn’t you propose to Jeter, could have made your handle a reality.

  577. Julio Lugo is the worst SS in the AL

    A-Rod is a pansy.

  578. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    Good job Hawkins..
    Rally time…keep on chipping away

  579. al arodien

    then maybe you are damons future wife??!!! he seems to like you!

  580. S.o.S.27

    “Seriously, what happened to Wang?”

    He had Mussina of 07 come out disquised as him and take a dump on the mound after an error.

  581. Doreen

    So, Jeter’s Future wife — did you get a proposal??? :) (Just kidding – sounds like a nice memory for you!)

  582. CB

    “Not saying to do it but right now if Damon moved to Center Field, we wouldn’t lose much defense if any at all”

    This statement is so wrong its hard to get over.

    Melky Cabrera has a .955 relative zone rating. His range this year has been outstanding. That’s the best in the entire AL and second best in all of baseball.

    Damon has bee awful in the innings he’s played in CF both this year and last year. He has a zone rating of only .700. It was even worse last year.

    That means that Damon that Damon is getting to roughly 25% fewer fly balls than Melky is in CF.

    25% more – that is an enormous drop off. Enormous.

    And then on top of that compare Melky’s arm to Damon’s.

    Like it or not Melky has been one of the three best defensive CF in baseball this year.

  583. mel

    JFW,

    I’m confused. Jeter didn’t recognize you?

    Keep the rally going, guys! (Brandon, keep praying).

  584. Fran

    Doreen – the Jays had 1st and 2nd and one out (game was tied at 2). Melky dropped an easy fly ball which would have been an inning ending DP because the runner on second thought there were 3 outs and took off. Then the floodgates opened and Wang gave up basehits.

  585. raymagnetic ®™

    “the last week all i hear is how they cant make productive outs to score runners, now you all want to scream that they used productive outs to score runs. you cant have it both ways.”

    I was thinking the same thing. Then I realized it’s the Yankees. They’re supposed to score 11 runs a game at least and the pitching are supposed to throw 8 innings of shut out ball per start.

  586. jashell2000

    wow, did not think I would be saying 1-2-3 and Hawkins in the same sentence for a while. We needed that. Have to get some of these runs back….go bombers.

  587. Nick in SF

    Jeter’s Future Wife, you’re forgetting the part of the story where Derek Jeter proposed to you!

  588. Jeter's Future Wife

    oh this is great, Hawkins! UGH!

  589. Bryan

    At least I got my Giants Road to the Super Bowl DVD yesterday to make me happy later tonight when I re-watch the Super Bowl

  590. Laura - No more pop ups, A-Rod!!!

    “It’s one thing to be aggressive but that’s over the top.”

    Pete, you’re assuming that Bobby sent Damon. Johnny might have gone on his own.

  591. Fran

    Sara – I wish all of Hawkings innings were as good as the last one.

  592. SJ44

    Ray,

    I never play the schedule game because I believe that’s fools gold.

    If you are a good team, you don’t care who you play. You just play your game and the results take care of themselves.

    Unfortunately, this team plays like this no matter who they play. Yes, KC is terrible. But, they still beat the Yankees 2 of 3 in KC earlier this season.

    After that, its onto Oakland, a better team than the Yankees, and Houston. For a team under .500 on the road, no gimmie games.

    Ironically, the error today was made by the best defensive player on the team.

    That’s what happens to losing teams. They find different ways to lose.

    I hope like hell it improves. There is nothing worse than watching bad baseball on an almost daily basis from the Yankees.

    I don’t think its the Yankees birthright to win World Series or even to go to the playoffs. I think those are earned goals. You aren’t awarded them.

    Thus far, this team has earned its current place in the standings and nothing more.

    If they can’t pick themselves up off the mat and play more representative baseball in the next month, I really hope the organization has the onions to move as many people as possible at the trade deadline.

    Its one thing to be bad. To be bad with the level of talent that’s on the team? Inexcusable to me.

  593. Nick in SF

    Wow, like 85 people were quicker to the joke than I was.

    I need more coffee.

  594. Paddy R

    chris ny,
    no problem my man, and i understand. i am just very frustrated. i wasn’t that joking about calling up gardner. not because i think melky isn’t a contributor, but because i think gardner has earned a shot and melky hasn’t done enough to keep him off his back. you seem to like melky. your thoughts?

  595. Laura - No more pop ups, A-Rod!!!

    How can Pudge and Varitek be sure thing HOFers when both were rampant steroid users? If they get in, so does Clemens and Bonds.

  596. CB

    “I still have no idea why Jason Castro was selected at top 10..and I’m pretty sure Omar Minaya is thinking the same.”

    Drayton McClean is cheap.

    That organization is absolutely clueless. Just completely lost.

    Their farm system is hideous – one of the bottom 2 in the game.

    And now they completely overdraft a player so they can stick to slot and fill a “need.”

  597. Laura - No more pop ups, A-Rod!!!

    Hopefully, he’s switching to a bat that won’t let him swing at bad pitches.

  598. Fredo Corleone

    “the last week all i hear is how they cant make productive outs to score runners, now you all want to scream that they used productive outs to score runs. you cant have it both ways.”

    You’re right, of course, but those productive outs seem so much more productive down 3-2 or 4-2. Down 7-2?? Kindest thing I can offer is “at least they didn’t GDIP”

  599. jashell2000

    atta boy Robbie…

  600. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Billy Beane steals another Mets possible pick Jemile Weeks

  601. Doreen

    With Melky’s dropped fly ball – did he lose it in the sun, or did he literally drop it , perhaps in anticipation of the DP? I know it doesn’t really make a difference in the result, but so I can get a feel for how horrible it actually was! :)

  602. raymagnetic ®™

    SJ,

    I agree. Hopefully they’ll turn it around this month and Cashman will just have some minor tweaking to do.

  603. Doreen

    Nick in SF -

    That’s because it was not a challenge — you’re the one wiht the jokes that aren’t obvious! :)

  604. CB

    “Justin Smoak to the Rangers (BASTERDS !)”

    Brandon,

    Not at all. The opposite in fact. There was 0% chance smoak gets to 28.

    However, the Rangers were serious about taking Gerrit Cole.

    Now they haven’t.

    Cole could in theory fall to the Yankees. Smoak could not. So by taking smoak they increased the odds of the yanks getting Cole.

    This is actually a very fortunate occurrence.

  605. Laura - No more pop ups, A-Rod!!!

    Ok, how is it that MLB has been able to hand down suspensions for Kemp and Torrealba in record time, but can’t make up their mind about Hawkins’ suspension?

  606. SJ44

    Another ‘Cane goes in the first round. Weeks to Oakland at #12.

  607. S.o.S.27

    Jeters Future Wife,
    That would of been a perfect time to be wearing the “Jeters Future Wife” t-shirt.

  608. Laura - No more pop ups, A-Rod!!!

    When do the Yankees come up for their pick during the draft? I’m sure we’re towards the end.

  609. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    i like damon going on that ball, the guy had to turn towards the seats and reach up and back to get the ball, damon figured that he would rush the throw and he’d make it. i was yelling “go” when the guy reached back to get it. now damon (and I ) was wrong, he made a perfect throw, but he was trying to make something happen. if brett gardner had been called up today and made the same play, everyone would be loving him using his speed to make things happen.

    when you’re losing and looking bad doing it, guys are gonna push to do things maybe they shouldnt do. but this time it paid off.

    2 more runs this inning

    rally cap on

    Lets Go Yankees!

  610. Blargh

    How long does a MLB draft last anyway? A few days? I just noticed that the 2006 draft went for 50 rounds. I thought the NFL was already rediculous at 7 rounds over 2 days…and yes, my first exposure to pro sports drafting is with the NBA’s 2 rounds.

  611. mel

    I thought Jason Castro was the white dude with the dreadlocks on Idol?

    LOL. I guess everyone in baseball knows that Betemit is useless from the right side.

    Doreen it clipped his glove i.e. he took is eyes off the ball and his eyes were as big as saucers as the runner had already rounded third.

  612. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    I TOLD YOU BET WAS GETTING BETTER !

  613. Zach in Port Jeff

    wow. betemit from the right side. good signs from wilson.

  614. S.o.S.27

    Wouldnt this be the perfect time to have Duncan pinch hit?

  615. Chris NY

    Paddy, maybe I don’t know enough about Gardner, I’d love to have his speed off the bench, but don’t think he’s any improvement over melky with the bat. Again, I admit I haven’t really followed Gardner’s performance.

    As far as defense, CB has already pointed out stats to back up what I said, Melky is a much better center fielder than people give him credit for. So, as far as the Gardner vs Melky, I guess I’d ask what we’d be gaining….?

  616. Yankeestech

    THATS WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT

    lets go.

  617. Nick in SF

    Doreen, I think he just took his eye off the ball, probably watching the runner and anticipating the DP. It looked like it bounced off the outside of his glove.

    I’ll say it again, trade Betemit NOW while his value is up!!!

  618. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    THERE IT IS!!!!!!
    RALLY CAP WORKS!!!!!\
    DONT STOP NOW!!!!!

  619. PJH

    Thats what happens when you wear your glasses

  620. Laura - No more pop ups, A-Rod!!!

    Kay had just got through saying that Betemit was bad from the right.

  621. S.o.S.27

    Take that back!!!

  622. Zooboy

    Yippie!!!!

  623. jashell2000

    that’s what I’m talking about Wilson!!!

  624. blackdragon905

    betemit no way!!!!!!

  625. miggs

    who says Betemit can’t hit from the right side ?????

    One run game folks.

  626. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    Rock on Wilson

  627. Laura - No more pop ups, A-Rod!!!

    I don’t care if he just Jack’d one out. I still don’t like Betemit.

  628. Fran

    Wilson Betemit gets the Yanks right back into the game.

    Doreen – it was bad. Melky out and out dropped the ball.

  629. Moe

    I guess the offense doesn’t stink now? I don’t wanna hear anything now.

  630. Whiff (Cano's bat)

    Between John Gibbons and Joe Maddon, I don’t know who I would like to endlessly pelt with paintballs.

    Both and an undeniable arrogance that is not warrented.

  631. ItalianGreco

    Betemit!!

  632. Sara

    what did the Yankees do with the real Hawkins and Bettemit???? :-)

  633. raymagnetic ®™

    Well I guess the DFA Betemit parade will have to wait at least one more game.

    That was right handed too and he’s a much better left handed hitter than righty.

    Fredo,

    Here’s where a productive out would have come in handy when A-Rod popped up on the first pitch earlier.

  634. stuart

    big hit by Betemit.. have you noticed how slow he is..

    hey you think the Yankee 1b’s would have made the Overbay plays?? Overbay kept that inning manageable.

    Peter I think Damon went on his own…

    Look how cheap the jays runs are but the yanks are bad with RISP…

    win this game, please…

  635. mel

    Blargh,

    Down to 30 rounds and not every team uses all their picks. It’ll pick up again tomorrow @ 11:30 EST.

    Nice, Wilson!

  636. Zooboy

    Come on Melky – atone!

  637. jashell2000

    we are in bullpens now so anything and everyting goes…this will probably be a 12-13 barnburner when it is all said and done.

  638. Brent (By The Power of Shelley's Forearm!...)

    Whiff (Cano’s Bat)

    7-2… no offense, poor defense, game over.

    What now?

  639. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    they really have to win this game. they have taken thier share of lumps, dropped a ton of games they should have won, they’ve been unable to come back most of the season, they really need to win this game!

    Lets Go Yankees!!!!!

  640. Laura - No more pop ups, A-Rod!!!

    Wang has been very lucky. I don’t think he’s lost any of the 6 bad starts he’s had.

  641. al arodien

    pete – but it worked out you gotta give arod an rbi… just kidding…

  642. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    that Bet HR was a rope to LF his LD % if healthy this year and he lays off the garbage offspeed he can have a breakout year.

  643. Nick in SF

    Doreen, just saw your other comment, thank you!

    If you put aside Michael Kay’s Fallacy of Papa John’s Pizza, or whatever it is, the Yanks are one bad missed strike call from being ahead in this game.

    And holy crap, Damon is on fire! I actually feel optimistic about this game again.

  644. mel

    Laura,

    Kay’s the anti-jinx. Maybe he’ll say something about Melky being a 4th outfielder.

  645. Laura - No more pop ups, A-Rod!!!

    Damon obviously likes TOR pitching.

  646. al arodien

    this is why wilson is here to hit one out from time to time!
    lets go yankees!!!

  647. Doreen

    Thanks Fran and Nick in SF.

    Yeah Wilson Betemit!!! We have a game here.

  648. miggs

    Damon is hitting .316

    .316 !!!

  649. Fredo Corleone

    “Kay had just got through saying that Betemit was bad from the right.”

    He is, but when he gets the rare hit from there, it still counts.

  650. Chris

    There are far more mistakes made by third base coaches in not sending a runner than in sending a runner.

    There was an analysis done that suggests if you have a 75% chance of scoring, then you should try to tag up.

  651. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Cards take Brett Wallace 3B with #13. Twins on the clock.

  652. Yankeestech

    I have trouble believing that this offense is struggling…Damon is hitting again and Cano is starting to hit as well. with posada coming back we are ready to go…

    Obviously the pitching needs to improve…

  653. henner

    its a pepperocini you jerk (sorry watching on dvr)

  654. Jeter's Future Wife

    what a tease these guys are!

  655. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Aaron Hicks goes to Minnesota

  656. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    i have a really good feeling about arod now that mcgowan is gone, i think he’s gonna homer, lets pack the bases for him

  657. Dr. Cox

    Damon is simply exuding confidence right now. You can tell just by watching him at the plate.

  658. The Last Yankee Fanâ„¢ (a.k.a. ERâ„¢)

    “Come on Wang. Stop being such a monumental disappointment
    this season”

    yeah, that was way out of line.

  659. Dr. Cox

    ,…the Doc stated as his boy gets thrown out at Second.

  660. CaptainsCorner

    That was a stupid move by Damon…

  661. stuart

    i like the play, damon just got caught..

    can our great pen hold them???

  662. Laura - No more pop ups, A-Rod!!!

    Not a disaster. Now, they have Jeter, Abreu and Pop-UpRod coming up next.

  663. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    damon looked like that guy in the old spice commercial who slides 90 feet on that one. i think he hit the dirt at the halfway point.

    he sure is trying to make things happen out there!

  664. gayle

    Pete according to the TV Damon went on his own there as Meachem was way far away from the bag and certainly not giving any advice.

  665. saucY

    Jeter’s Future Wife – nice story!

  666. S.o.S.27

    Is Damon growing a Pornstache aslo? Maybe the whole team should jump in on this. Melky will have to use a marker or the Jacka$$ 2 route.

  667. raymagnetic ®™

    “That was a stupid move by Damon…”

    Actually it was a calculated risk that didn’t work out. It’s unbelievable, folks on here complain when the Yankees are not stealing bases, then we they try to make something happen people complain.

    Guess you can’t please all of the people all of the time.

  668. The Last Yankee Fanâ„¢ (a.k.a. ERâ„¢)

    Meanwhile, this game has loss written all over it for the Yanks.

  669. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    arod’s going deep next inning!
    i smell a win here.

  670. Chris NY

    I’m glad guys are being more aggressive lately on the bases, but why are we getting gunned down like sitting ducks so often lately??? Picking bad spots? Old and slow?

  671. CaptainsCorner

    I love how West just decides that he is not going to call a strike a strike..What an awful umpire…

  672. blah blah blah

    LaTroy also growing a ’stache. Obviously not working.

  673. raymagnetic ®™

    Why isn’t Chris Britton pitching the 7th? Latroy already had a one two three inning, why push the envelope?

  674. Zooboy

    A 4 pitch walk? Come on!!!

  675. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    No walks Hawkins

  676. blackdragon905

    bug selig is just terrible announcing the picks

  677. raymagnetic ®™

    ER,

    When you finally get banned which website will you be trolling next?

  678. saucY

    “Is Damon growing a Pornstache aslo? Maybe the whole team should jump in on this. Melky will have to use a marker or the Jacka$$ 2 route.”

    i’m growing one tomorrow.

    actually, i was thinking of shaving the beard, and leaving the stache for a day or two…

    have you seen state trooper giambi?

    http://www.thesportshernia.com.....giambi.png

  679. Ian

    Ohlendorf has a ’stache as well.

  680. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    3B/RHP Ethan Martin to Dodgers

  681. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    rolen a good dp candidate. lets at least get the lead runner here.

  682. Dr. Cox

    By the way.

    Pete you are 100% correct on Selig. It is painful watching him.

    Suicide painful…

  683. Moe

    Who wondered where the real hawkins is? you have him right now.

  684. Laura - No more pop ups, A-Rod!!!

    We better frackin’ kill the Royals!!

  685. ItalianGreco

    If they get out of this inning, they win.

  686. SJ44

    Actually, it was a good play by Damon. Its not a sin to get caught stealing in that situation.

    If he made it, he has the one guy on the team who is hitting with RISP with the tying run at second.

  687. mel

    Selig’s still alive?

  688. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    cant believe rios isnt running on posada here.

  689. S.o.S.27

    “Why isn’t Chris Britton pitching the 7th? Latroy already had a one two three inning, why push the envelope?”

    You beat me to it.

  690. saucY

    “Is Damon growing a Pornstache aslo? Maybe the whole team should jump in on this. Melky will have to use a marker or the Jacka$$ 2 route.”

    i’m growing one tomorrow.

    actually, i was thinking of shaving the beard, and leaving the stache for a day or two…

    have you seen state trooper giambi?

  691. Dr. Cox

    “Meanwhile, this game has loss written all over it for the Yanks.”

    ER,

    Its getting old.

  692. Paddy R

    chris ny,
    it would certainly be no lock (gardner giving more than melky). the two tools gardner has that melky lacks are speed (20 stolen bases already, 1st in intl. league) and plate discipline/obp skills (39 walks, 1st in intl. league, and .403 obp, 6th in intl. league). there is no guarantee that these tools translate, and as you said, you have no idea if we’d gain anything. my point is i think gardner has earned a shot, and melky hasn’t played well enough not to give him a shot. if it doesn’t work, you go back to melky.

  693. Chris NY

    Can’t speak for anyone else, but I’m not saying Damon shouldn’t have run. Just asking why so many guys lately are getting thrown out by a mile. I want them to run and I know they won’t make it everytime. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like lately I’m seeing a lot of “not even close” outs when guys try to stretch a single to a double or steal a base. I like the aggressiveness, just wondering if we’re just too old or just more often choosing the wrong time to do it.

  694. Blargh

    Britton has yet to return Girardi’s dog?

  695. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Brett Lawrie to Mil ? huh ?

  696. miggs

    Hawkins is painful to watch.

    But what are the alternatives? Veras is warming up. I’ll pass. Farnsworth? Nope. Britton? Next.

    I hope they bring Patterson back up, and let Cox and Robertson get on the plane with him. Then call down to Trenton and shuttle Melancon up.

  697. Fredo Corleone

    “Why isn’t Chris Britton pitching the 7th? Latroy already had a one two three inning, why push the envelope?”

    You beat me to it.”

    I was wondering why Ohlendorf got only 9 pitches and 2 outs in?

  698. CB

    Johnny Damon is having a really outstanding season. Really unbelievably impressive.

    Forget his .316 BA. He has a .891 OPS – that’s third best for a LF in the AL. His OBP is over .380 and his slugging pct is close to .500.

    I never would have thought Damon could be a close to .900 OPS outfielder this year. .800 sure. But not what he’s doing now.

    Then on top of that he is playing an excellent LF. He has the highest relative zone rating for any LF in all of baseball.

    Third highest OPS for any LF. Best range for any LF in the AL and making the most putouts of balls hit in his area.

    You can’t ask for much more. That’s just very good baseball.

  699. Nick in SF

    Is he stalling out this at-bat because the Blue Jays are on the clock at the draft?

  700. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    “Hawkins is painful to watch.”

    I was gonna say the same thing

  701. S.o.S.27

    “Britton has yet to return Girardi’s dog?”

    I think ER needs the dog more than Joe.

  702. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    six pitches and rios hasnt run, what is wrong with the guy? he’s gonna have a problem with gibbons if he ends up at 1st. its just baseball 101, posada’s back from a shoulder injury, you have to run.

  703. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    “Is he stalling out this at-bat because the Blue Jays are on the clock at the draft?”

    :lol:

  704. David Cone's Labrum

    anyone with a game update please

  705. #24FTW

    Pete – I have to completely agree with you on the Bobby Meacham comment. There are tons of mistakes that I can remember him making. For example, earlier this season, Damon leads the game off with a single and Jeter hits a double. It should be second and third with no outs if you hold him at third, but instead he sends Damon who promptly gets thrown out by 5 feet. What’s the benefit of sending him in that situation? Does Meacham even think when he gives the green light?

  706. S.o.S.27

    Can we make a pitching change in the middle of a count?

    Crap. Too late.

  707. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    Hawkins dear, we wanna still try and win this game

  708. Moe

    Hawkins makes me throw up.

  709. The Last Yankee Fanâ„¢ (a.k.a. ERâ„¢)

    Time to DFA Hawkins, even in middle of the at-bat

  710. Corey

    good job latroy…..half an hour for rolen to just get on base anyways

  711. miggs

    Not only is Hawkins painful to watch, he’s slow as molasses. Thank God they’re taking him out.

    The Jose Veras experiment continues.

  712. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    Veras coming in. No outs. Runners on 1st and 2nd.

    Let’s hold hands and hope for the best

  713. ItalianGreco

    Man, I hate to be negative, but Hawkins is garbage.

  714. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    1B David Cooper to Jays

    * Mets on the clock *

  715. CaptainsCorner

    Veras??!! Seriously what do the Yanks see in this guy? I don’t understand why he is on this team…Patterson came up for 1 day he should of been given a real chance. Veras has good stuff but never know where it is going..

  716. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    nice DP Bet !

  717. SJ44

    If you wanna take 15 minutes between pitches, at least get the hitter out after you go 0-2 on him.

    Too much to ask from Hawkins.

    You have to wonder how much longer they are going to go with him.

    Its a last place team. Just call up Melancon and Robertson and begin to get them experience for the future.

    In the meantime, they may actually be upgrades to what they have now.

    Its not like LaTroy Hawkins is a guy you want if you were a good team. On a bad team? He just takes away time from a guy or two who may have a future in NY.

    They tried it, didn’t work, just move on.

    Just not understanding the organizations logic on this one.

  718. Tim

    Since the best reliever of the year is given the award the “fireman award”. Hawkins will now be referred to as the Arsonist.

  719. Chris NY

    nice DP.

  720. #24FTW

    Seriously though – why is Veras a better option in these situations than Britton???

    The double play just now not withstanding…

  721. Corey

    I would trade our whole bullpen away for K-Rod

  722. Nick in SF

    Nice, Betemit! Not every Yankee first baseman can do that!

  723. miggs

    Was that some defense we just saw? Betemit?

    Wow.

  724. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    it didnt help hawkins that he had to try to make up for posada’s injury, he threw over to first like 5 times there. im worried not only that jorge will hurt his shoulder again, but im also worried that the pitchers will become too concerned with the baserunners and make pitching mistakes.

    DP finally! nice work!

    get this last one so arod can at least tie it with his homer next inning.

  725. Fran

    Wilson Betemit is having a really nice game today. That was a nice DP he started.

  726. S.o.S.27

    Its time to “Quantrill” Hawkins.

  727. Zach in Port Jeff

    That’s what I’m talking about Veras!

  728. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    YEH VERAS !

  729. Fran

    Nice job by Veras to keep the Yanks within 1.

  730. ItalianGreco

    Nice…..

  731. blah blah blah

    Good job, Veras. That will shut-up the complainers… for awhile atleast (like 5 minutes).

  732. mel

    Great job by Veras there.

    Couple more runs, guys.

  733. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    My rally cap is on. Let’s win this damn game

  734. The Last Yankee Fanâ„¢ (a.k.a. ERâ„¢)

    nice Veras!!!
    though too little too late

  735. Corey

    blah blah blah…

    Even Eric gagne has a good inning here and there =P

  736. David Cone's Labrum

    this is the kind of game that can lift a team up.

    now we get 3 tries to plate a pair, and are one inning closer to Mo…

  737. Yankeestech

    You guys see the tigers taking cole?

  738. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Ike Davis to the Mets

    (you should have seen Selig’s face)

  739. raymagnetic ®™

    Hawkins did pitch a perfect 6th so I can be too angry with him.

    Britton should have pitched the seventh or Veras since they ended up having to use Veras anyway.

  740. Fredo Corleone

    “Then on top of that he is playing an excellent LF. He has the highest relative zone rating for any LF in all of baseball.

    Third highest OPS for any LF. Best range for any LF in the AL and making the most putouts of balls hit in his area.”

    Have to tell you CB, you give us these stats on the team defense, yet I know for certain this is a crap defensive team.

    Lies, damn lies and statistics?????

  741. SJ44

    Veras is a better pitcher than Britton. He has more swing and miss stuff.

    In situations where you need a K, he has the ability to get it. Britton does not.

    Frankly, Girardi should have started the inning with Britton.

    Trusting Hawkins for more than one inning isn’t exactly smart, IMO.

  742. miggs

    “Its time to “Quantrill” Hawkins.”

    Love it.

    S.O.S. we should get together and watch a game sometime. I’ve actually organized Yankee events at my house in the past. You’d be surprised how many fans there are out here.

  743. al arodien

    horoay! for jose!

  744. DMan

    Tanner Scheppers and Chrstian Friedrich, are still on the draft board.

    Either is a good pick for the Yanks, if one falls to them.

  745. CB

    On that at bat to Overbay the slowest fastball Veras threw was 95.

    He’s another guy with a great arm. Fastball his decent movement to it. On top of that he has a nice curve ball.

    No idea if he can put it together.

    Appearances like this show you what he can do. But he’s so inconsistent.

    If he ever settled down and threw strikes he’s be a terrific reliever.

    But that’s a big if.

  746. stuart

    SJ I said bring up the young guys about a week ago and you said it was to soon..

    Hawkins is 35 not a long term piece move him or DFA him..

  747. Chris NY

    ha ha! that cure auto insurance commercial is hilarious… almost as funny as the (even though it’s been on a million times) avis commercial with the boston guy not sure what to do with his hands when the other guys ignore his enthusiasm….

  748. saucY

    “(you should have seen Selig’s face)”

    thank you, but i just ate lunch…

  749. The Last Yankee Fanâ„¢ (a.k.a. ERâ„¢)

    man, still not Yanks turn in the draft. With the way things have been going, next year we definitely will have a higher pick

  750. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    thats rolen’s patented move, nice play!

  751. S.o.S.27

    Prediction.

    10-8. THE YANKEES WIN!!THE YANKEES WIN!!

  752. miggs

    Who is Chrstian Friedrich?

    Never heard of him. Obviously heard of Scheppers.

  753. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Andrew Cashner to the Cubs

  754. Vrsce

    Rolen was a great pick up by the Jays.

    They are an up and coming team. Yankees have to win today.

  755. Blargh

    Fredo: Perhaps a case where when something goes wrong, it’s usually at poop meets fan level?

  756. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    stuart you wanted damon dfa’d 2 weeks ago.

  757. Zach in Port Jeff

    great at bat bob-bay!

  758. al arodien

    Promise you guys a-rod will tie it or give us the lead! depends on bobby!

  759. CB

    “Have to tell you CB, you give us these stats on the team defense, yet I know for certain this is a crap defensive team.”

    I don’t know what to tell you.

    But on this point – the outfield has very good range. They get to a ton of balls. They really, really do.

    The infield defense is not very good.

    That’s the real issue. First base is a disaster, jeter is much beter this year but still an average to slightly above average in terms of range, and ARod has been not so good to mediocre at third.

    That is the issue for the teams defense. They are weak to mediocre at first, third, and SS.

    That is really the issue. It’s not the OF defense this year. In fact, the yankees OF defense may be the best in all of the AL.

    The infield is the issue.

  760. CaptainsCorner

    Another pop up in the infield for Arod???

  761. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    here we go arod, kryptonite mcgowan is gone, time to make hay.

    im calling a hr right here.

    Lets Go Yankees!!!!!

  762. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    “Who is Chrstian Friedrich?

    Never heard of him. Obviously heard of Scheppers.”

    LHP can get up to 98 mph in late innings. He is more of a mid 90’s guy 93 – 95 mph.

  763. al arodien

    ok he will tie it!

  764. miggs

    Abreu in ‘09 !!!

    That’s my slogan.

  765. Andrew

    It really hurts that Jeter was up 3-0 and was not able to get on. That is really unfortunate.

  766. mel

    You can not DFA Hawkins until you have someone who has proven he can take the spot.

  767. Laura - No more pop ups, A-Rod!!!

    PopUp-Rod has got to deliver here.

  768. DMan

    Chrstian Friedrich

    He’s a left-handed pitcher with a low-90s fastball and an above average curveball.

    Pretty solid prospect.

  769. al arodien

    sorry i tought bobby got out! HE WILL GIVE US THE LEAD! and i will say i told you so!

  770. SJ44

    Stuart,

    It may be too soon, at least in Melancon’s case, but its getting to the point where they may not have a choice.

    Its not the optimum thing to do but, if you are rebuilding, you can’t go halfway. Gotta be all in.

  771. stuart

    I did not want Damon DFA’d that is SJ.

    the only guys I want gone are ; kyle and latroy, do not resign Abreu, and if any of the young relief arms fail bring up the next guy for the trial.

    Also I would like to carry only 2 catchers and bring up some speed if we have any in the minors, that is it…..

    when Hughes comes back that is another story..

  772. miggs

    Friedrich high school or college guy?

    Also, seems really talented to have dropped this far. Any negatives?

  773. Whiff (Cano's bat)

    Arod does not do well in these kinds of situation.

    Would love for a simple base hit to tie the game, nothing more.

  774. Chris NY

    CB, I’d be curious about RF. Abreu is a decent RF when he feels like it. I hate the guy out there, too often I see him pull up too soon when he could have gotten to balls. Nevermind the fear of the walls… Overall though, I’d be curious to see how he stacks up, as he does sometimes make great plays out there too.

  775. al arodien

    pop-rod will pop it out of the ball park!

  776. raymagnetic ®™

    Why would Gibbons bring Downs in when A-Rod is hitting .462 off of him?

  777. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    “Friedrich high school or college guy?”

    college

  778. CaptainsCorner

    Well that was perfect scouting…

  779. al arodien

    OUCH!

  780. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Joshua Fields to M’s

  781. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    damn….
    c’mon hideki, we need you to bail us out again!

    Lets Go Yankees!!!!!

  782. Zach in Port Jeff

    jeez…blue jays scouting reports were right on target with that fielding placement.

  783. miggs

    Tigers are next, they worry me. You know they’re taking the highest ceiling guy on their board.

  784. S.o.S.27

    miggs,
    Sounds like a plan bro. But my plate is full away from work. I have a 9 yr. old boy that does jui jitsu and football after work. My wife tells me that i have no time for her. Its either the Yankees or our son. Thats the reason i have a tough time after hours in posting. By the time i get home. The game is over. Now the question to ask myself is. Is watching the Yankees worth a divorse? Gotta tell ya. She a real good cook and it doesnt hurt shes good looking. Thanks for the invite.

  785. Whiff (Cano's bat)

    And there you go.

  786. Moe

    Is Arod clutch or what?

  787. Laura - No more pop ups, A-Rod!!!

    At least that wasn’t a pop up.

  788. blah blah blah

    A-rod is useless today. The two RBI’s from the “sac flies” were all gifts from Barahas. Good thing Matsui’s next.

  789. SJ44

    Damn, the Mariners took Fields. He is the guy I wanted the Yankees to take.

    Evidently, rumors about their medical people signing off on the kid from Fresno St. was untrue.

  790. al arodien

    Hideky do some thing here! please

  791. David Cone's Labrum

    just one hot from arod today and he would’ve had 4 rbis instead of his 2 on sacs

  792. David Cone's Labrum

    just one hit from arod today and he would’ve had 4 rbis instead of his 2 on sacs

  793. Vrsce

    Matsui

    A great ballplayer, clutch.

  794. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    that was just perfect scouting, Alex normally gets a hit there

  795. DMan

    He’s a college pitcher, a junior.

    He pitches for Eastern Kentucky, he has a career 19-2 with a 1.98 ERA record

    He actually had a fairly high walk-rate I’ve heard, in college compared to the other top-level pitchers this year… But It’s really not that bad.

  796. DMan

    oops I meant 10-2 record not 19-2

    Sorry!

  797. ItalianGreco

    Damn!

  798. Y's Guy (ham fighter goes retro)

    damn, and i gotta go to work now.

    this is a win

    Lets Go Yankees!

    p/o

  799. CB

    “Abreu is a decent RF when he feels like it. I hate the guy out there, too often I see him pull up too soon when he could have gotten to balls.”

    Chris,

    I’m telling you I know people say that kind of think all of the time but believe me this is a case where your subjective perceptions are way off.

    Year in and out Abreu shows himself to be a good to very good RF. He actually gets to a lot of balls hit into the RF area. He has good range. And then he has a very good arm.

    Right now he’s got the third highest relative zone rating of any RF in the AL.

    Its true he doesn’t play the wall well – but those moments stick in people’s minds way more than they actually occur.

    Compared to most balls hit to RF there just arent’ that many that go close to the wall.

    He’s a very good RF.

  800. Fran

    Farnsworth coming in for the 8th. Big inning. He has got to hold the Jays at 7.

  801. stuart

    more clutch hitting this is absurd.. 1 for 10 today, way near the bottom in the league…

  802. al arodien

    puff! we are done noe the bullpen will give up 6 runs!

  803. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    here comes those damn Tigers !

  804. David Cone's Labrum

    aaaarrrrghhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  805. Nick in SF

    “Is watching the Yankees worth a divorse?”

    You shouldn’t ask yourself that until Joba is fully transitioned to the rotation. If the Yanks are still below .500 by the All-Star break, probably not.

  806. Yankeestech

    The tigers didn’t take cole… whats up?

  807. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Ryan Perry to the Tigers

    * Mets next again *

  808. Corey

    so lets get this straight…..we have an inconsistant setup man, an awful BA with RISP, and a catcher that may or may not be able to throw out guys stealing 2nd base…

    sometimes I wonder why we’re so optimistic…. lol

  809. S.o.S.27

    I have to agree with stuart. I was with him on the idea of bringing these relievers in now. That was less than a week ago. Whats changed? These guys in the pen didnt just start to suck. Time to bring em up!

  810. Fran

    Farnsworth was warming up but Girardi left Veras in.

  811. CB

    Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The tigers did it – they picked based on need not talent!!!!!!!!!!!!

    They took Ryan Perry in the first round. He’s a relief pitcher. They must be hoping to get a guy that can help their win now team quickly.

  812. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    “The tigers didn’t take cole… whats up?”

    you think I give a damn hopefully alot more teams don’t.

  813. Julio Lugo is the worst SS in the AL

    I’ll say it again, A-Rod is a pansy.
    $275 million for a floral arrangement.

  814. CaptainsCorner

    Asking these relievers like Hawkins and Veras to give the team 2 scoreless innings is asking alot. Girardi is lucky that he got 1 from Veras..

  815. Bryan

    Abreu is an average right fielder

    I don’t care what those numbers say

    Open your eyes and watch the game

  816. Fredo Corleone

    “Why would Gibbons bring Downs in when A-Rod is hitting .462 off of him?”

    Hot hand??? He hasn’t given up a thing since April.

  817. DMan

    Yankeestech-

    Who knows, but theres like 4 people that the Yankees would die to have right now..

    Cole, Hunt, Friedrich and Scheppers

  818. SJ44

    I didn’t want Damon DFA’ed. I wanted them to trade him.

    Still do. Might as well get value for him.

    13 million to play LF on a last place team which has a ton of holes, is a waste of money.

    If you can sell him high, I’d do it.

    I’d rather have a team that is balanced than a team of all stars and former all stars. That strategy ain’t working.

    JMHO.

  819. stuart

    there pen is total russian roulette.

    veras 1 good inning again this may get ugly, these guys implode in a second…

  820. Zach in Port Jeff

    i’m sensing a double play here.

  821. Fran

    Veras gives up a lead-off walk. Have to make them hit the ball. Can’t give free passes.

  822. Scouts R us

    No matter who Boston picks in the draft Peter “Yellow Teeth” Gammons will say it’s an outstanding can’t miss pick and will soon make a major impact.

  823. ItalianGreco

    And the real Veras is back

  824. raymagnetic ®™

    “Hot hand??? He hasn’t given up a thing since April.”

    Didn’t realize that. Looking at the numbers A-Rod and Matsui had against Downs I wouldn’t have used him in that situation. Worked out perfectly though.

  825. Vrsce

    Picking on Posada, Jays mean business

  826. raymagnetic ®™

    So Girardi tries to coax two innings out of Veras and Hawkins? That’s bad managing right there. No reason why Britton or Ramirez couldn’t be given a shot right there.

  827. Chris NY

    That’s what I thought, CB. I know he’s a good RF. But it’s not just the wall plays. Lately I just seem him not getting to balls in front of him that it at least SEEMS like he should get to, but he pulls up and it dunks 5 feet in front of him. I’m sure at least half of those balls are probably further from him than I (and everyone in an earshot of me at games) think. But sometimes he makes me want to bang my head against the wall BECAUSE I know he’s a better RF than he sometimes shows. Really just seems like he takes plays off out there and it pisses me off to no end.

    It would be better if I just knew he couldn’t get to it, period, than thinking he just gets lazy.

  828. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Reese Havens to Mets …WTF ?

  829. V

    Hmm, Tanner Scheppers still hasn’t been picked. Mariners were the team I was hearing would take him.

    Yankees go after Scheppers (injury risk) or Cole (attitude risk)?

  830. Zach in Port Jeff

    better than walking him…

  831. S.o.S.27

    “You shouldn’t ask yourself that until Joba is fully transitioned to the rotation. If the Yanks are still below .500 by the All-Star break, probably not.”

    Good advice. Can Joba cook for me though? All i know how to cook is speghetti and eggs. Not in a good possition here.

  832. CaptainsCorner

    Veras is WAY too wild and should be in AAA. You cant pitch him in these games especially in the 8th inning when the Yanks still have or had a chance in this game. He is not a major league pitcher…

  833. SJ44

    Another sterling effort from the bullpen. I guess you have to walk 3 in a row before they change pitchers these days.

  834. miggs

    OK Veras thanks for getting 2 outs.

    Next.

  835. stuart

    as i said russain roulette. you telling me Melancon or Cox are not worth looking at sooner vs later.

    a walk and a HBP, the yanks use to play like this with 20 HR guys..

  836. ItalianGreco

    Who’s coming in?

  837. CB

    The mets just took the player the red sox were interested in.

    Peter Gammons sounded depressed.

  838. Moe

    Waht’s up with our releivers they are so inconsistent I can’t take it.

  839. CaptainsCorner

    It really is amazing the people that the Yanks have to bring out of the bullpen because Cashman has never thought about signing a real pitcher for the bullpen. It is has gotten to be a joke already.

  840. SJ44

    I think the biggest problem with the bullpen is Girardi has a bunch of one inning guys and he continues to try and coax two innings out of them. It doesn’t work.

    When you have one inning guys, they are max effort guys. They aren’t guys who historically can put together successful multiple inning outings.

    If you need somebody to pitch multiple innings, then have guys on the roster who have done in their careers.

    Guys like Hawkins, Veras, even Ohlendorf are not trained to do so.

    Hard to understand why they keep trying to force the issue on this one.

  841. bronxbomber77 (from worst to first in 2008!)

    Make the world a better place and punch Peter Gammons in the face!

  842. Zach in Port Jeff

    Are Melancon and/or Cox physically ready to play yet? If they are just fine tuning their stuff down below, I say bring them up sooner rather than later. Is it still arm strength issues?

  843. Zach in Port Jeff

    HE WAS OUT!

  844. Moe

    Sterling and suzan are so annoying, every opposing hitter is a right or left handed hitter with alot of power. and every opposing pitcher is great.

  845. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Dykstra to SD

    my god that was a SWING !

  846. S.o.S.27

    Im tired of the ump calling balls and strikes by how the batter reacts to the pitch!

  847. CaptainsCorner

    If that was the Yanks batting they would definitely be out on that…Pathetic..

  848. Chris NY

    holy crap that was a swing. these umps SUCK this year something awful.

  849. BadDefenseKillsPitching

    I think what wang needs is to have ron guidry back. Cause this new pitching coach stinks. He hasn’t done anything for wang. Ike and Hughes obviously does not benefit from having this guy around, either. The only person that might have benefited from this new pitching coach is moose. And I’m more conviced that moose’s turnaround is more girardi’s doing.

  850. CB

    “It would be better if I just knew he couldn’t get to it, period, than thinking he just gets lazy.”

    Chris,

    But what you’re describing is one of the ironies of defense. A lot of times a player with good range will come close to a ball and either just miss it or muff it.

    But that’s misleading because a player with lesser range would never even come close to the ball in the first place.

    As an extreme example – of all of those close balls you’re noticing – where would Shelley Duncan be in relation to those balls?

    Would he even be close.

    I think by nature Abreu is a cautious player, the kind who would like to make sure he stays in front of the ball instead of risking it getting by him.

    He gets to a lot of balls hit to the RF area. Only 2 other RF this year have gotten to more.

  851. blackdragon905

    you’ve got to be kidding me he definitely swung

  852. Vrsce

    Good infield work.

  853. kidjock

    how is that not a swing?

  854. Moe

    Who wants to chip in for the gas, I’m taking veras ramirez hawkins olendurf cano and shelly to scranton, I’ll pay for the tolls.

  855. SJ44

    Mark Schlerth’s kid keeps dropping. I thought the Padres would take him.

    LHP, who throws mid-90’s and can pitch out of the bullpen from the University of Arizona.

    Could he fall to the Yankees??

  856. Fran

    Veras escapes the jam. Nice job. Yanks still within 1.

  857. Zach in Port Jeff

    Time for some runs…

  858. Corey

    veras is getting major breaks in this game

  859. Vrsce

    Good relief work.

    Perhaps all is not lost.

  860. stuart

    still russian roulette but at least he is young with a chance of suceeding…

    can our hitters get a friggin big hit for once????

  861. David Cone's Labrum

    Yanks pick coming up yet?

    Schlereth, Cole?

  862. Bryan

    I saw a fist pump… You cant do that!!!

  863. Wangawa

    Jose Veras likes to live dangerously

  864. al arodien

    veres earned his pinstripes today

  865. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    SS Anthony Hewitt to Philly

  866. Nick in SF

    Who is our pinch runner if Posada gets on?

  867. Zach in Port Jeff

    Regarding Coles attitude… How bad can it be? He’s still in high school, correct? Is he into stealing portable electronics? Whats the deal?

  868. Pepitone

    Wow, if only the Yankees would have traded their future for Johan Santana we would be in first place today 7 games up. Snark! Snark!

  869. miggs

    Can the Yankees maybe get 2 of the high ceiling guys they want because of the sandwich pick?

    Seems like there are a lot of those left.

  870. CB

    Schlerth will be there at 28 but I hope they don’t take him.

    They should stick to the best talent available. If Cole is there they have to take him.

    He had the best arm in this draft. I hope they don’t bend and take a lefty like Friederich just becasue he’s fallen.

    They still have pick 44 to take a lefty if they want.

  871. Bryan

    Pete,

    If you watch the replay again you will see as duly noted by both Al Leiter and Michael Kay that Damon went on his own and was not sent by Meacham so I believe he gets a reprieve on your criticism.

  872. David Cone's Labrum

    Need a pinch runner, here – and….we have no one to do that.

    Can we draft a guy quickly enough?

  873. CB

    “Regarding Coles attitude… How bad can it be? He’s still in high school, correct? Is he into stealing portable electronics? Whats the deal?”

    I don’t think it’s that bad. Pat M posted some information on him earlier. If you search this thread for Pat M you’ll find it – I posted it here earlier. Pat M had posted it in last night’s game thread.

  874. Nick in SF

    Now don’t do anything stupid, Shelley!!!!!!!

  875. shapeshifter

    Corky in to pinch run

  876. Chris NY

    I hear you CB and you’re 100% right. He’s probably being cautious, but sometimes it really looks like he’s 5 feet from a ball he would have gotten to had he kept running or dove. I get that a lot of other guys, even most other guys, wouldn’t even be close enough for there to be a discussion. I just wish he’d keep running sometimes.

    Wow, re: shelly being the fastest guy on our bench (kay’s comment just now), wow. Really shows how bad our bench is.

  877. CaptainsCorner

    What in the world is this idiot doing? Bunting a pitch no where near the strike zone a turtle at 1st base? Cano has no idea how to bunt why is he bunting??!!!

  878. longtime (ingnore all yankee fans under the age of 30

    i wish we had someone who could steal a base would be a great time to pinch run since we a have 2 catchers on the bench

  879. David Cone's Labrum

    I think I would give a limb to stay out of a dp here

  880. Chris NY

    “Corky in to pinch run” so very wrong and in poor taste, but still funny.

  881. Zach in Port Jeff

    i think i may have actually done a better job at getting the bunt down! terrible job!

  882. miggs

    Bud Selig sounds like he’s been on a 3 day drinking binge.

  883. Vrsce

    That was truly a disgusting at bat.

  884. Fran

    You just knew that was coming once Cano could not get the bunt down.

  885. blackdragon905

    terrible cano terrible!!!!!

  886. Pepitone

    Double play, so what else is new…

  887. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Friedrich to Colorado :(

  888. V

    Where does Tanner Scheppers fall?

  889. Nick in SF

    mmmmm, when is our sandwich pick?

    http://tinyurl.com/6e926v

  890. Vrsce

    Cano just killed the tying run. Enough is enough, he is playing very badly.

  891. CaptainsCorner

    He is an absolute disgrace..Girardi PLEASE bench this moron!! I cant stand him anymore and his BS way of playing baseball. Are the Yanks ever going to show that he has to play right or dont play at all.

  892. blah blah blah

    It would have been great if Cano just struck out over there. Let’s go Melky.

  893. cj

    Cano cannot bunt (When was his last sac bunt) and he seems to panic swing with two strikes.

  894. SJ44

    Beautiful. Last place baseball right there for all to see.

    This is just one terrible baseball team right now.

    Who would have thought a 4 game series with the Royals in June would be a battle of last place teams?

    Unbelievable.

  895. Whiff (Cano's bat)

    Baseball wise, Cano bunting was smart.

    Using Cano, stupid.

    Bad piece of managing by Girardi there. Cano can barely hit, why does he think he can bunt.

  896. Matt

    The inability to make FUNDAMENTAL plays kills this time. How many times do I say it? Fails to get a bunt down, hits into a dp, then a base hit. INEXCUSABLE. Beating themselves as always. Bad defense, bad fundamentals. A recipe for losing.

  897. Pepitone

    So, Girardi, when is it time to sit Cano? He desperately needs to sit for awhile.

  898. Chris NY

    how about Michael “the expert” Kay calling out Girardi on how to manage “how about joe girardi get his guys out here early and teach them how to bunt…?”

    Not that he’s wrong, but I can’t stand Kay’s arrogance. Especially considering he’s usually wrong anyway.

  899. Paul

    Farnsworth is up in the pen

  900. Zach in Port Jeff

    wow. looked like a strike.

  901. Yankeestech

    Steph,

    Don’t know if you saw this as it was late last night but Pat M posted the info he got on cole from a friend of his umping coles games in SoCal. Pat M is a great source on OC prep players:

    “..As for MR. Cole, I spoke with a friend that was part of the umpire crew last night ( who also did a CIF Playoff game )…His take was that by far he was the best pitcher he’s seen in the past 3 years at the HS level…He also stated that as an umpire who also does College games, he felt he has the stuff to be a # 3 at the Collegian level right now……Also spoke with Tim Decines today at the course…Tim is still very much involved with the UCLA program as he lives in Newport Beach and actually serves as a PR guy for the program in Orange County….His take is the kid is immature, very bright, outstanding tools and believes once he’s in a college atmosphere ( away from home ) he’ll grow up and be on track….As for being picked tomorrow, if the right team and $$$$ are there, Boras will have him sign…..Positivley a solid Blue Chipper…..”

  902. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    that was a strike..Melky lucked out there

  903. Matt

    Once Cano showed he couldn’t bunt, you had to stop messing around there. HIT AND RUN. At least stay out of the double play. Putting him in the 2 strike hall against the lefty after he showed he couldn’t bunt him when he was in a hitter’s 2-1 count helped him hit into that DP in the bad count.

  904. shapeshifter

    here comes a ground rule double for damon

  905. stuart

    that was strike 3 on Melky, again these umps suck… letters to the knees..

    nice bunt by cano, he does not even face the pitcher when he bunts..

    the yanks are not good enough to mash there way without playing baseball.

  906. Moshe Mandel

    Cano is 2-4 today. Just sayin. Maybe they should not have had him waste 2 strikes when we all knew he cant bunt. If Kay knows it, everybody does.

  907. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Schlereth to Arizona

  908. Zooboy

    When you hit .222 into June you’ve got to learn to bunt.

  909. miggs

    Its gotta be Cole now.

    There goes Schlereth.

  910. shapeshifter

    Michael Kay doesnt eat condiments. true story.

  911. SJ44

    As far as Cano, its really simple. He can’t bunt.

    Should he know how to bunt? Absolutely.

    But, its just another negative to his game.

    He’s having a terrible season and there seems to be no sign of it ending.

    Like I said yesterday, I sincerely hope this organization doesn’t deem him an untouchable player. He’s not.

  912. S.o.S.27

    Cano is 2-4 today. Its Joes fault for not making them practice bunting,rather than doing wind sprints.

  913. miggs

    come on Damon.

  914. Pepitone

    Suzan Waldman said the Yankees are 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position. This team is pathetic.

  915. Vrsce

    aaargh

  916. blackdragon905

    DAMNIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  917. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    dammit ! that had to be the worst running route / catch I’ve ever seen out there

  918. SJ44

    See, defense does win games.

    When they blow up this last place team, they should remember that instead of putting together a defenseless team of non-clutch hitters.

  919. CaptainsCorner

    Unless the Yanks are going to start stealing home they are never going to get runners in from 3rd. That wasn’t a hard catch the ball stayed up too much. If the idiot Cano didn’t hit into a DP then the Yanks would be tied.

  920. Zach in Port Jeff

    no comment.

  921. stuart

    unbeleivable.. miseed by a foot.. the bottom line is they make the plays and we do NOT.

    losing teams do not make the PLAYS

    1 for 11 with RISP..

    2,3,4 bottom of the 9th..

    I go with Mo in the top of the 9th, I know they will not but I go with my best..

  922. David Cone's Labrum

    f this f’ing team

  923. shapeshifter

    Can anyone substantiate the rumors about Suzyn Waldman and Gerald “Ice” Williams?

  924. Moe

    Sterling almost gave me a heart attack, I’m filing a lawsuit against him later.

  925. Pepitone

    UHHH…Sterling, you don’t have to get that EXCITED about it! Geeesh, where is the Hawk when you need him? We don”t have home team announcers.

  926. E

    Yankees are gaurunteed to get either hunt, cole or scheppers…which should they choose?

  927. yeah

    cano needs to be slapped he is one of the worst baseball players I have ever seen right now. watching him attempt to bunt is absolutely pathetic

  928. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Carlos Gutierrez to Minnesota

    YANKEES ARE ON THE CLOCK

  929. blackdragon905

    Cole is available!!!!!!!!!

  930. Bryan

    That is a sac fly Yanks up 8-7… Mo coming in

    Thanks a bunch Cano… keep blowing games

  931. jennifer

    Okay was that a good catch or is John exageratting?

  932. CaptainsCorner

    Jays are lucky they don’t have Abreu playing RF for them..

  933. SJ44

    Frankly, Cano’s 2-4 today is worthless.

    He had one important role today. Get down the bunt. He couldn’t do it.

    When you can’t hit, and he can’t hit this year, you have to be able to bunt.

    All these past offensive stats for Yankee hitters are just that….the past.

    The present? Its an awful hitting team.

    We keep hearing and reading from the players its going to change. Tomorrow is Game 61. No change in sight.

    The only way its going to change is to change the players.

    The sooner, the better.

  934. Whiff (Cano's bat)

    That my friends is an example of how close the Yankees are to being a good team, but how far they are from being a good team.

    Came off the bat good, looks like it was going, and then in reality well short of success.

  935. #24FTW

    Haha! Jennifer, I emailed my buddies the same thing wondering whether it was actually a good catch or if it was one of those routine catches that John Sterling goes crazy over…

  936. Wayne Hills

    Girardi is an embarrassment as manager. Bunting in that spot with Cano is ridiculous. And why can’t he stick to a lineup for a week to let these guys breathe?

  937. blackdragon905

    Cole is still available!!

  938. SJ44

    Third ‘Cane to go in the first round. Carlos Gutierrez to the Twins. RH relief pitcher. Nasty sinker.

  939. ellen

    What a frustrating team this is.

  940. Pepitone

    2 on with no one out…how many times have we heard that this year with Yankee pitching?

  941. David Scotch

    Why don’t you relax there SJ?

  942. S.o.S.27

    “When they blow up this last place team, they should remember that instead of putting together a defenseless team of non-clutch hitters.”

    SJ,
    Your letting your emotions get the best of you. This isnt a last place team. This is a team that is finally getting healthy. This is a team 1 game under .500 even with Pettitte and Wang struggling. With Cano MIA in the first 2 months. With 0 wins frim g-trey. MVP and best hitting catcher back. We are in a better possition than last year.WE WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS!!

  943. CaptainsCorner

    This is exactly why Mo should of pitched the 9th inning. to give the Yanks another chance to tie the Yanks…Doesn’t Girardi know that Farns pitched good yesterday it won’t or can’t happen 2 days in a row.

  944. Vrsce

    The Yankees are a bad team, but they will be better, at some point, we have to endure, part of being a fan.

    At least the ladies, Trisha, Jennifer etc. are not here today, telling us how good these guys really are.

  945. miggs

    COLE

  946. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    GERRIT COLE TO THE YANKEES !

  947. Vince SI

    the reason the Yankees stink?

    Starting pitching. Its not bullpens or hitting. The starting pitching is terrible. Check the stats. Wang the “Ace” has ben terrible the last month. They have 3 other starters who can barely go 5 innings.

  948. CB

    The yankees select the best arm in the entire draft!!!!!!!!!!

    Gerrit Cole. It worked!!!

  949. cj

    Is this 3 innings in a row where they have gotten the first two on?

  950. blackdragon905

    YANKEES GOT COLE!!!!!

  951. dontfirecash

    Gerrit Cole!!!!!!!!

  952. Pepitone

    Hey, Sterling, don’t let the game distract you from clipping your fingernails. My gosh, does this guy do any calling of the actual game????

  953. miggs

    At the same time the yankees select Cole Farnsworth throws away another game.

    Symbolic.

  954. Sam

    “See, defense does win games.

    When they blow up this last place team, they should remember that instead of putting together a defenseless team of non-clutch hitters.”

    SJ44 – I usually like you. But this is just whining.

  955. MoBoy

    Vince:

    But Mussina can gives us 5-6 innings of good stuff.Isn’t that a Ace to most people on here.

  956. Ben from Boston

    Will someone start the trade kyle fanclub. I will nominate myself as the club secretary

  957. Fran

    Kyle strikes again! I really don’t want to hear Kay and Leiter defend him.

  958. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    CB did you see Selig’s face :lol:

  959. stuart

    as i stated before the inning go with Mo.. so we do not show confidence in Kyle, for obvious reasons.

    and as I posted an hour ago kyle and Latroy please go.

    this team is a bunch of WOOSIES.. they had there chance and failed so they crawl up in a ball..

    they need some youth and as I stted earlier the fast guy off the bench also makes sense…

    look at the difference in AB’s maybe I am just bias but it just seems like the Jays AB’s are tougher…

  960. MoBoy

    I like we get all these young pitchers who will need another 4-5 years to bring up.

    A trade is coming.

  961. Matt

    Why in god’s name would you bring in Farnsworth in this kind of game? You just barely missed a huge comeback on the ridiculous catch and you bring in your worst pressure pitcher to hold it at 1? News Flash Girardi: 1 run game at home, YOU BRING IN YOUR CLOSER.

    The difference in this game?

    1) Rolen
    2) Wilkerson
    3) Melky

    Major league AVERAGE defense and we’d be in first place. That’s the difference between wins and losses. This team will look back on games like today when they’re sitting at home in October when their huge comeback is for nothing as they already blew too many games early in the year and miss the playoffs by 1 or 2 games.

  962. CB

    I can’t believe they drafted Gerrit Cole.

    Before this season started Cole was a guy who looked like a top 10 even top 5 arm.

    Absolutely unbelievable. I never though they would ever get a chance to draft this kid. Never.

    They he signed with Scott Boras and he plummetted down the end of the draft. Just fell like a rock.

    Keith Law’s scouting report on Cole was very interesting – Law basically said that all of these immaturity/ charcter issues that came up on Cole only popped up after he signed with Boras.

    Brian Cashman and Damon Oppehnheimer do it once again. An outstanding pick.

  963. Bryan

    Thanks Melky and Cano lets see that chest bump again you bums

    Also Yankee pitchers:

    You know you are facing Matt Stairs right not Babe Ruth THE GUY SUCK$ GET HIM OUT

  964. Whiff (Cano's bat)

    Well, so far, I have to say that injuries aside, Giradi has failed to impress or appear to be much of, if any of an improvement over Torre.

    Deeply disappointing.

    So much for “they have won 8-12″. Now they have lost 4-5

  965. Wes

    Words cannot describe how much i hate Kyle Farnsworth… 5-1 lead yesterday, no pressure,and he pitches great… 1 run deficit, need to keep it close, and he sucks gigantic elephant balls…

    Mo should’ve been pitching here anyways though… Not impressed with Girardi’s decision making so far.

  966. Floyd

    this is why joba should be in the pen or they should have brought a reliever in. Disgusting

  967. Kill-Schill(ing)

    Who is Gerrit Cole? CB? SJ44? Please enlighten us.

  968. S.o.S.27

    “The yankees select the best arm in the entire draft!!!!!!!!!!”

    What he got? Speed/pitches?

  969. rconn23

    Farnsworth is pure garbage. PURE. GARBAGE.

    Not having to see him ever again in pinstripes will be a great day.

  970. SJ44

    SOS,

    You are what your record says you are. That’s the Bill Parcells motto and I buy it.

    The injuries are a crutch. The Angels have had more injuries than the Yankees this year. How are they doing?

    They are what they are. They can play their way out of last place or stay there.

    But, when you can’t hit with RISP, have poor starting pitching, an awful defense and a bad bullpen, you are a last place team.

    Only thing that went right today was Cole fell to them. Will help for the future. Unfortunately, it won’t help them against the Royals this weekend in the battle between two last place teams.

  971. CaptainsCorner

    This is why Girardi is not a good manager. Farns has proved time and time again that he can not consistently get the job done and he continues to send him out there…Terrible job by Girardi.

  972. Neil

    I still can’t believe that Wilkerson caught that

  973. Pepitone

    The Yankees have two decent starting pitchers, one old man who could go south in a hurry, and a kid who is still finding his way. Joba is still a year away. The starting pitching has been the thorn in our sides all year long. Plus Farnsworth is totally worthless…and so is Hawkins.

  974. GoYanks

    Sam,

    SJ said – “defenseless team of non-clutch hitters”

    You labeled it whining, does that mean you don’t agree with what he said or he shouldn’t of said it.

  975. Fran

    The last inning showed that the Yanks need a fast base runner on the bench. Shelly Duncan as a pinch runner may be faster than Posada but that is not saying much.

  976. S.o.S.27

    Thats play was for all the Melky cant play center haters!!

  977. miggs

    Man that ball was crushed. Melky got to it, saving Farnsworth from another 3 runs.

  978. george

    this team is just finding ways to lose. today there’s inept bunting; stubborn and stupid decisions to have inept bunters bunt; dropped balls; walking the other team; impatient at-bats. a microcosm of the first 2 months.

    they’ve had similar stretches of depressing play – i can think of them in 2003, 2005,2007 – so i’m not prepared to bail. but it’s hard to watch.

    and yet if they can get a couple of runs in the 9th, it becomes a great day.

  979. Whiff (Cano's bat)

    Well, KC is next, hopefully the Yanks can get 3 of 4 and make this 7 game home stand look better.

    “its a long hot summer”
    “let’s get under cover”
    “don’t try to think, don’t think at all”
    “I’m not the only one, staring at last place”

  980. raymagnetic ®™

    “So, Girardi, when is it time to sit Cano? He desperately needs to sit for awhile.”

    I thought I saw Cano get two hits today?

  981. kasey

    what i enjoy about the 2008 yankees, in no particular order:

    the opportunity to watch joba chamberlain mature
    the guys from the dynasty teams (jeter, posada, pettitte, mo)
    the resurgence of mussina
    giambi’s mustache

    that’s it. in its entirety. this team is not a lot of fun to watch.

    and you can go ahead and put the “wang’s not an ace” discussion back on the table. he’s doing everything he can to keep that discussion alive.

  982. matt

    http://web.minorleaguebaseball.....index.jsp?

    Bio of Gerrit Cole

  983. Wes

    just give me a baserunner in front of A-Rod… please!

  984. brian

    Funny how they are booing the Yankees draft pick, while all of Tampa has rooted for the Yankees the past 10 years….now theres all the sudden a Tampa fanbase? I can’t stand bandwagon jumpers

  985. SJ44

    KS,

    On pure potential, Cole may be the best arm in the draft. Plus fastball, plus slider, throws in the high 90’s.

    Played against very good competition in SCal and was dominant.

    Big time kid. Not quite in the class of Porcello and Brackman of last year but close.

    Plus, he’s healthy. Always a good thing.

  986. tgfizeek

    This game was lost by our starter. Another tick mark in the “Wang is not an ace” column

  987. Nick in SF

    Let me be the first to say, Gerrit Cole is not an ace.

  988. CaptainsCorner

    So why did Cole drop so far in the draft just because of Boras? Isn’t he signed at UCLA already so people were worried about that?

  989. Matt

    It’s so frustrating watching this team, especially because they’re not playing that poorly. One or two dumb plays by the likes of Cano and company cost them every game while they’re within reach.

  990. Steve Balboni

    “Before this season started Cole was a guy who looked like a top 10 even top 5 arm. . . Brian Cashman and Damon Oppehnheimer do it once again. An outstanding pick.”

    So they picked a guy who is top 5 or top 10 arm and its an amazing pick? It sounds more like its an obvious move by a team willing to pay outside the slot for a shot at another Joba – hardly an outstanding pick.

    An outstanding pick is picking a guy no one ever heard of who becomes an all-star. Not an obvious pick.

    You guys give Cashman too much credit and not enough blame.

  991. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    Casey Kelley to Boston, Gammons upset

  992. Neil

    Hawkins and Farnsworth need to be dumped. The Jays had the balls to dump Frank Thomas who is making more than both of those guys combined and there are plenty of others arms in the system who can pitch just as poorly as them. Might as well give them a shot.

  993. S.o.S.27

    Can i add they need to “Quantrill” Farns as well?

  994. Matt

    Hey guys look at that. Rolen and Wilkerson. All that stood between us and a win. Funny how that works, having good defensive players. Routine plays (Melky) cost us this game if we lose.

  995. Pepitone

    Lots of criticism of Girardi today. I must admit I was totally behind his hiring, but did the Yankees make a mistake there? I don’t really know. You guys that have played the game and know baseball, is this, at least partly, Girardi’s fault? And, if you were the manager of this team, what would you do?

    I really would like to hear from some of you that have played the game, because I honestly cannot figure out what has happened to my team.

  996. CaptainsCorner

    Perfect that Arod gets to make the last..he was a disaster today.

  997. Wes

    god this team is depressing…

  998. The Fallen Phoenix

    I was praying for Cole all day, and am so happy the Yankees drafted him.

    Imagine if they can pick up Hunt or Melville in the supplemental? Probably not going to happen, but picking two high-ceiling prep arms with their first two picks would be huge.

    Sure, the Yankees wouldn’t be directly funnelling position players into their system, but they’ll keep a deep resevoir of pitchers to deal from.

  999. Martin

    This is the best. Gammons is fuming.

  1000. CB

    “Who is Gerrit Cole? CB? SJ44? Please enlighten us.”

    KS,

    I really can’t tell you how fantastic this pick of Cole is.

    He’s an high schooler from organg county and played in one of the more competitive leagues in the entire country.

    He has arbuably the best arm of any starting pitcher in the entire draft.

    He sits at 94-98 – I mean he sits there. Mid to high 90’s stuff. In a recent playoff game he was reportedly clocked at 101 mph. And he throws very easy – he generates very easy velocity so its not like he’s putting maximum effort into every single delivery. He just has great natural velocity.

    He’s very raw. But he really does have a huge upside. He’s the kind of guy who could develop into a #1 or #2 starter.

    Again – he’s very raw and has some issues with his mechanics.

    But the bottom line is that the yankees drafted the one guy in this draft who has the potential to become an ace. Not even the college guys taken have Cole’s potential.

    Pat M has seen him pitch and posted a scouting report last nigh on cole:

    I’ll post it again here:

    “..As for MR. Cole, I spoke with a friend that was part of the umpire crew last night ( who also did a CIF Playoff game )…His take was that by far he was the best pitcher he’s seen in the past 3 years at the HS level…He also stated that as an umpire who also does College games, he felt he has the stuff to be a # 3 at the Collegian level right now……Also spoke with Tim Decines today at the course…Tim is still very much involved with the UCLA program as he lives in Newport Beach and actually serves as a PR guy for the program in Orange County….His take is the kid is immature, very bright, outstanding tools and believes once he’s in a college atmosphere ( away from home ) he’ll grow up and be on track….As for being picked tomorrow, if the right team and $$$$ are there, Boras will have him sign…..Positivley a solid Blue Chipper…..”

  1001. SJ44

    You don’t understand how the baseball draft works.

    You look for “diamonds in the rough” in other rounds.

    Not in the first round.

    Cole is a guy who, if he didn’t have Boras as an agent, would have been a Top 10 pick.

    On pure ability, he has top end stuff.

    He will sign with the Yankees and not go to UCLA.

    When you are the Yankees, paying over slot for the right players is the way to rebuild your farm system.

  1002. stuart

    my friends father in law is a scout here in so cal. he has been a scout for this team since there inception in the league(less then 15 yrs.). he handless all of SO cal.. He loves Cole.

    Says he is a stud…

    yeah defense does not matter.. rolen only made about 4 plays today..

    this team needs to do what some of the less irrational fans say bye bye to latroy and kyle, and a speed guy off the bench and make some thigns happen.

    I hope this is not just to tease us..

  1003. saucY

    “Gammons upset”

    saucY happy

  1004. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    com’on Jason

  1005. CaptainsCorner

    You can assume if Mo pitched then the game would be tied. Awful decision by Girardi to pitch the psycho.

  1006. The Fallen Phoenix

    Kelley was another player linked to the Yankees, in the chance that a different signability guy (like Cole) didn’t fall to them.

    I think the only reasons why Yankees get Cole is, (1) Friedrich falls, (2) Detroit drafts for need over best player available. It’s too easy to fall into that trap; there were plenty of position players and left-handed pitchers (Montgomery was another high school lefty linked to the Yankees at 28) who the Yankees could have chosen at 28, and they opt to flex their financial muscle and go for the best player available, regardless of need.

    That might sound like a slam dunk, but it isn’t. Houston either drafted for need or out of panic with Castro at 10, and *right now* that looks like a miserable overdraft. It might not be, you can never fairly evaluate a draft until several years after its completion, but with all the information available to teams *right now*, that’s a terrible pick.

  1007. Brandon (supporting "Alex being Alex") (J.Santana HR allowed count: 12 )

    GIAMBINO !

  1008. blackdragon905

    YES YES YES!!!!!!!!!!!

  1009. Nick in SF

    INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  1010. Zach in Port Jeff

    >WHAT A GAMAAMEMEEMEMG GAME!

  1011. Matt

    INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  1012. Fran

    Yanks win!!!!Pinch hit HR by Giambi!!!

  1013. blah blah blah

    Holy smackers! What the heck just happened?

  1014. GIAMBI!!!!!!!!!

    YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

  1015. miggs

    what an awesome win.

    speechless over here.

  1016. saucY

    that’s it, shaving beard, keeping stache tonight!

    :stache:

  1017. Brent (By The Power of Shelley's Forearm!...)

    THEEEEEE YAANKEEEES WIN!!!!!

  1018. S.o.S.27

    HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES!!!!

  1019. Fran

    And the ironic part is Kyle gets the win.

  1020. Pepitone

    CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS…GIAMBI HITS A GAME WINNING HOME RUN!!!!!!

    But that does not take away from the problems this team still has.

  1021. Patrick (the good one)

    Walk it off giambino

  1022. CB

    Absolutely amazing game. Farnsworth does his best to blow the game and Giambi wins it on an 0-2 count.

    Amazing.

    This is a roller coaster team. But they found a way to win.

    A month ago no chance they win this game.

  1023. Fredo Corleone

    “This is the best. Gammons is fuming.”

    Wonder why??? Kelly is regarded a Top 20 player in the draft by both BA and Scouts Inc. Seems OK for #30.

  1024. Pablo Zevallos

    MR. MOUSTACHE!!!!!

  1025. Khoa

    THE STACHE STAYS!!!!

  1026. Doreen

    Giambi gets the SAVE!!!

    (Too bad KF gets a win.)

    BUT YEAH!! This was the best win of the year so far!!!!

  1027. raymagnetic ®™

    Well

    I hope a lot of you will come down off of the ledge now. Looks like it won’t be a battle of last place teams after all.

    I heardly ever come into this room when games are being played and I won’t be making it a habit either.

    Ironic how the guy most people wanted off of the team in April and another guy who most people wanted off of the team in April had HUGE games today.

  1028. WestCoastFan

    The big G!!!

  1029. Khoa

    I’ve been cursing Melky in my office all day. What a complete emotional turnaround!

  1030. geO [Murderer's Row and Cano]

    that Giambi homer reminded me of his ALCS HR in 2003

  1031. Martin

    Which is better:

    A) Drafting Cole at #28
    B) Giambi’s game winning homer
    C) Watch Gammons fuming at the draft

    Yeah, I circled C too.

  1032. stuart

    the only bad thing about this HUGE WIN is Kyle gets the W.

    Jason thank you big boy with that big HR…

    the pen issues still are there…..melancon and cox, join us SOON…

  1033. Jeff

    You going to bash giambi now SJ?

  1034. Bill

    anyone else notice that milb.com’s scouting report on gerrit cole compares him to farnsworth :(

  1035. G. Love

    I have nothing for Robinson Cano.

    For the first time in I don’t know how long (probably since Mel Hall) strongly dislike one of the players of my favorite team in the world.

    I just can’t find it anywhere within myself to root for or like this guy.

    Pitchers who never hit can bunt better than that.

    As for Farnsworth, Girardi has used all his rope up with me.

    There are patterns with this team and he’s playing into them almost defiantly.

    Pete should put up another manager poll. I have a feeling Girardi’s Q-rating is going down from the last one.

    Pathetic.

    At least we got a good arm in the draft. Maybe this frees Cashman up to trade some of the RH starting pitching in the organization for something we really need position wise.

  1036. Matt

    I definitely wasn’t expecting that on the 0-2 pitch, and I was just waiting for Michael Kay to say JUST FOUL and destroy it haha, but WOW!!!!!!! Biggest win of the year. This win might send them on a huge streak with KC coming into town.

  1037. Amanda from La.

    holy cow…did that just happen….I am all for that ugly ’stache now!!!!

  1038. ahhmazinaignagdk

    That reminded me of Giambi’s first year (i think) when it was pouring in the rain vs the twins nad he hit the GW HR in the 13th (i think again)

    giambi….all i can say is DO NOT SHAVE

  1039. george

    now THAT is Jeter-era Yankee baseball. finally, a rocking comeback type of win against a tough team

  1040. G. Love

    Just as I post, lol.

  1041. The Last Yankee Fanâ„¢ (a.k.a. ERâ„¢)

    ????? what happened ?????

    We [Yanks] got rewarded for pitching and playing poorly.

    Nevertheless, nice win.

  1042. melky

    all you guys bashing melky’s defense, yes he made an error today, but how many runs has he saved getting to balls and making great throws in general? Would you rather have Damon in center?

  1043. SJ44

    Good for Giambi. That’s a huge hit and a big win for his team.

    Can’t ask for much more than he has given to the team the last few weeks.

    CB,

    I want them to take Dennis Raben from Miami with the sandwich pick if he is available.

    The guy is a Paul O’Neill clone. Plays the game hard, can flat out hit, and is excellent defensively.

    Don’t know if he will be there but, if he is, I hope the Yankees take him.

  1044. Skippy

    It looked like it meant a lot to Giambi. He isn’t often the hero anymore.

  1045. Zach in Port Jeff

    Was Gammons really fuming at the draft?

  1046. Nick in SF

    I just want to say, frustrations about Cano’s failures in this game are understandable, but his hits were not worthless. Even if they lose this game, they’re not worthless if they’re part of the process that helps him get out of his slump. But every run mattered and I think Cano scored on the Betemit home run.

    So much went wrong, they needed every single thing that went right.

  1047. JF

    The Giambino!!

  1048. S.o.S.27

    Damn! I missed my 10-8 prediction by 1 run. If only Rolen didnt snag that ball. Ill take though.

  1049. bronxbomber77 (from worst to first in 2008!)

    “non-clutch hitters”

    I agree w/ about 50% of SJ’s takes.

    Thankfully, the Giambino disagreed with ol’ 44 today.

    ‘non-clutch’ this!

    Hopefully this will carry over for the Yanks and their offense!

  1050. GoYanks

    Jeff,

    Exciting, exciting come from behind WIN; but your focus is on SJ.

    Why?

    Nevermind.

  1051. CaptainsCorner

    Cashman shouldn’t get any credit..It was all Tino..Tino for GM….jk!

  1052. DYNASTY IS DESTINY!

    What an unbelievable game and a much-needed win!!!!!

    GO YANKS!

  1053. blah blah blah

    This should be a Yankee Classic. Still rewatching Giambi’s at bat on my DVR. Unbelieveable.

  1054. #9

    “The guy is a Paul O’Neill clone. Plays the game hard, can flat out hit, and is excellent defensively.”

    And he can smack around a water cooler pretty well…

  1055. jennifer

    I kept shutting off the radio, but sneaking peeks. My mood went from way to down to way up! What an emotional rollar coaster that game was.

  1056. miggs

    darn there goes Collier.

  1057. Jeff B.

    STATE TROOPER GIAMBI to BJ Ryan: your fastball is under arrest, ya prick.

  1058. Pepitone

    I agree with you Nick, but I still say he needs to sit, just to see if he can get his head back in the game and realize his nonsense will have consequences.
    But, his 2 hits today do mean something. I believe he will come out of it, he is too good, and too young, to quit on. But, these silly mistakes and boneheaded plays have got to stop.

  1059. kidjock

    What a rollercoaster. Can this team do anything else that surprises you? WOW! fear the stache! But Farns still needs to go.

  1060. Jeff NJ

    I’ve always said Giambi makes a great lefty off the bench. If you think about it, Betemit’s defense was outstanding today. Not to mention his offense.

  1061. Scouts R us

    Gammons seen bawling after the Yanks grab a lefty.

  1062. trisha - men, not machines

    WHATTTTT???????????

    1. I leave work and turn the radio on expecting to hear the oldies station and instead I hear a Yankee game and it is the top of the 9th!!! (totally forgot we had a day game)

    2. I hear Melky make a catch and Sterling say that it saved 3 runs “however” the Jays take the lead – or something.

    3. I hear that Farnsworth gave up a run and his line was something like 3 hits and 1 K. In one inning. :(

    I am thinking that I am upset about Farnsworth both as much with his attitude as his giving up run s. (Watching the highlights. Didn’t know he had loaded the bases.)

    3. On my way to the bank I get to listen to the bottom of the 9th. Jeter – bad numbers against Ryan. One out. Abreu – few but bad numbers against Abreu – two outs. Arod – bad numbers (I think 0 for 8) and gets on. Matsui up.

    I want to get into the bank and out so I can at least get to watch the highlights of the game. I am disappointed that we once again are not going to get on a roll.

    4. I come out of the bank and hear Sterling in a voice of disbelief talking about a Giambi walk off. I am so excited I can hardly drive!!!

    Home and watching highlights.

    I also heard part of their postgame on the radio and heard that Melky blew catching a fly out and it allowed 5 runs to come in.

    Now I am hearing about CM not getting the job done.

    One of my very posts on this blog had to do with Wang’s inconsistency and I nearly ended up wearing my post!

    I love the guy, and it so seemed that he had turned stuff around, and I’m sure he will again, but it was this that I was talking about, and how maddening it is that someone with his stuff cannot harnass it all the time.

    Oh well.

    I am actually happy I didn’t know about this game because I wouldn’t have been able to follow it anyway, and even if I tuned in for highlights, it would have been a downer I’m sure.

    WOW.

  1063. John_Halfz

    Yeah, 6 games out of the WC in a league where many “contenders” are struggling. The lineup will be fine (same as last year). Last year, it took them until 7/18 to go 3 games above .500 for good.

    I have stayed out all season, but I am not surprised that the negativity remains even after last year.

    At this point, the bullpen is pretty awful, and the rotation could use another arm. These, however, are problems that can be corrected mid-season.

    Surprised you mouth breathers learned nothing from last year.

  1064. S.o.S.27

    can i just add that arod went from choker to hero.

  1065. trisha - men, not machines

    Just read Jeff’s post about Giambi and Betemit.

    See this is why I say that it is typically better to listen to the organization than to posters. Betemit had already been run off with a rail and Giambi was totally dismissed by the forum elders here and I’m sure is still being traded away before the end of the season. (Certain posts I just don’t read anymore.)

    GO YANKEE ORGANIZATION
    GO JOE GIRARDI

  1066. Yu Darvish

    Serious hitting there by Giambi Its the Stache fellas Im tellin you!

  1067. S.A.- No pain..no gain

    Holy crap. I was listening to the game on the way home. I almost crashed! Great win by the Yanks

  1068. Jeremydneezy

    I am sick and tired of people making excuses about bunting. “He hasn’t bunted much, etc.” It is one of the easiest things to learn on earth, regardless of whether it should have been used or not, the fact remains that it is unacceptable that a professional baseball player cannot do what a team full of D2 players can do. Mickey Mantle also was a pretty good hitter and he was considered one of the best bunters of his era. It’s just gotten ridiculous.

  1069. Jooey

    If Cabrera makes that catch, it’d be 2-2 and the inning over.
    Instead he pisses off Wang who proceeds to meltdown.

    Not all Wang’s fault today.

  1070. Nattily Dressed

    Wang has to pick up his fielders. Errors happen.

  1071. S.o.S.27

    Cabrera made an error that scored a run today. Yes. But Wang could have buckled down and gotten out of the inning. I just dont get how everyone wanted Gardner up and Melky down after 1 play? Wang did his version of Mussina after an error and started serving meat balls out there. He didnt have command all game and was playing with fire. The flood could have been prevented.

    Dont forget that Melky made up for it in the 9th inning by saving 3 runs on that catch.

    Leche lives!!

  1072. ML

    I’ve been busy and haven’t posted here all season, but I had to post just to say how freakin awesome Giambi’s homer was! Best of moment of the season so far!! By Far!

  1073. Pepitone

    “What a piece of punk trash. I hope he gets cancer of the brain.”

    Uhhhhh…your not related to Michael Savage are you? Or, perhaps you are Michael Savage.

  1074. Michael

    I will say it again. The persons responsible for allowing any I repeat any major league player to be signed that can not pass the BUNT test must be fired. Moving runners over and productive outs win ball games. They were all taught to bunt in little league and just refuse to bunt now because of EGO. SOMEBODY TAKE CANO BY THE NECK AND SHAKE HIM TILL HE TURNS BLUE FOR CHRIST SAKE

  1075. Michael

    well he must have something wrong with his brain. Maybe the cance will clear it up. Or kill him. Either way I am a happy fan

  1076. S.o.S.27

    “That is the total fault of management. This PUNK should never be in the line up again until his lazy butt learns to bunt.”

    That made no sense. One sentence is blaming the management. Next is Cano. Which one is it? If Cano is not working on bunting. Then why ask him to bunt? Managements fault not forcing it. Like i mentioned earlier. Cut some wind sprints and replace them with bunt practice.

    “I hope he gets cancer of the brain”

    What the hell was that!! Totally uncalled for.

  1077. S.o.S.27

    “well he must have something wrong with his brain. Maybe the cance will clear it up. Or kill him. Either way I am a happy fan”

    Have you taken your meds today?

  1078. Michael

    No I saw CAno try to bunt. Did You hear Michael KAy. They need to hold a class on Friday with every Yankee. Why has it not happened, Why does 85% of this team NOT KNOW HOW TO BUNT. Why don’t you answer my question and let me worry about my meds?

  1079. S.o.S.27

    “Why does 85% of this team NOT KNOW HOW TO BUNT.”

    Because they are not being paid millions to bunt. As i stated on my earlier post. Some players should practice it. Not all. Cano is a .300 hitter with gap ability. If the coach knows he cant bunt. Then

    a. Dont have him bunt.
    b. Make him work on his bunts.

    I dont want to see Arod laying down a 28 million dollar bunt.

  1080. Michael

    2nd inning of any game. 1st and 2nd nobody out. Arod up. If he is a good bunter he has a 95 % chance of moving the runners up and then 2nd and third 1 out. Sac fly scores a run. Ground ball scores a run, Hit scores two. Go at it your way and try for the 3 run homer and he will make of 67% of the time. Non productive out. Perhaps double play. Yes the three run homer is exciting and no one wants to see a 24 million dollar bunt.

    BUT I WANT TO WIN. To much ego and you proved my point. He makes too much money to do something as trivial as bunt..How sad

  1081. Michael

    Sorry . Make out 67 % of the time

  1082. Josh-aka (Sexy Man)

    GGGGGGGGGGIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMBBBIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!
    and btw good at bat for matsui giving giambi the chance.
    And for your info- Kyle Davies is pitching-man who gave up arods 500th, exspect a bbbbiiiggg victory.

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New York Yankees baseball fans cheer during a ticker-tape parade along Broadway celebrating their 27th World Series championship on Friday, Nov. 6, 2009,  in New York.   (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams) New York Yankees baseball player  Mariano Rivera, bottom, waves during a ticker-tape parade along Broadway celebrating their 27th World Series championship on Friday, Nov. 6, 2009,  in New York.  (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) Floats carrying the New York Yankees baseball team make their way along Broadway during a ticker-tape parade celebrating their 27th World Series championship on Friday, Nov. 6, 2009,  in New York.  (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) New York Yankees baseball players Alex Rodriguez, second from left,  Francisco Cervelli, third from right, and entertainer Jay-Z, left, celebrate on a float  during a ticker-tape parade along Broadway celebrating their 27th World Series championship on Friday, Nov. 6, 2009,  in New York.   (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams) New York Yankees baseball player Alex Rodriguez, right, and entertainer Jay-Z celebrate on a float during a ticker-tape parade along Broadway celebrating their 27th World Series championship on Friday, Nov. 6, 2009,  in New York.   (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams) Floats carrying the New York Yankees baseball team make their way along Broadway during a ticker-tape parade celebrating their 27th World Series championship on Friday, Nov. 6, 2009,  in New York.  (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow) New York Yankees' Hideki Matsui, the World Series MVP, celebrates from a float during a ticker-tape parade along Broadway celebrating their 27th World Series championship on Friday, Nov. 6, 2009,  in New York. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams) Baseball fans cheers as the New York Yankees were honored along Broadway in New York on Friday, Nov. 6, 2009, with a ticker-tape parade celebrating their 27th World Series championship. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)
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About the authors
Chad JenningsChad Jennings joined the The Journal News in October 2009, having spent the better part of seven years covering baseball in Scranton, PA. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri and an award-winning beat reporter and features writer. E-mail me at cjennings@lohud.com
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Sam BordenSam Borden is an award-winning journalist who joined The Journal News and LoHud.com in January 2008. He covered the Yankees for the New York Daily News from 2004-06, and has also worked as a columnist for the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville. E-mail me at sborden@lohud.com
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Sam BordenJosh Thomson has done some of everything since joining The Journal News in March 2003. He began working for the Gannett weeklies during the winter of 2002 as a freelance writer. He joined the daily staff soon after and has since covered various high school and pro sports. E-mail me at jthomson@lohud.com
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