Game 65: Yankees at Athletics
-
- June
- 10
YANKEES
Damon LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Giambi DH
Posada C
Betemit 1B
Cano 2B
Cabrera CF
Wang RHP
Chien-Ming Wang (6-2, 4.57) vs. the Oakland hitters.
Dana Eveland (4-4, 3.82) against the New York hitters.
Notes: A-Rod has a six-game hitting streak (10 for 21) with eight RBI and two home runs. … Bobby Abreu has hit in six straight (8 of 22) with five RBI. … The Yankees are 11 of 44 (.250) with runners in scoring position the last five games. … Robinson Cano has hit in six straight (9 of 25). … Kyle Farnsworth hasn’t pitched since Thursday. The Yankees can he has a sore biceps. But it also could be a case of youcanttrusthimitis. … Hideki Matsui is in a 2-for-15 mini-slump.
The Yankees have lost two straight on the road and are 14-17 away from the Stadium.
UPDATE, 9:06 p.m.: Matsui is just getting (another) day off. … Farnsworth is available. … Not much else to update you on at this point. Enjoy the game.
UPDATE, 9:40 p.m.: The Yankees officially released Morgan Ensberg today. They also released Ben Broussard from Triple-A Scranton.
UPDATE, 10:36 p.m.: Man, West Coast games are the worst from a writing standpoint. You have to file two stories before the game (about 1,500 words all told). With the game ending around 1 a.m., the early story runs in three editions. I did a piece on Johnny Damon. The early notebook also runs in three editions. The actual game story gets in one edition and on the web site.
Before we had a web site (and yes, I worked back in those ancient days), you would basically write everything a day behind. It was pretty stupid. I can remember papers back in the 80s having headlines like “Yankees tied after seven innings.” Crazy.
Meanwhile, why was Bobby Abreu running on Carlos Gonzalez?
UPDATE, 11:13 p.m.: Now Wilson Betemit may well belt one out next time up against the lefty. I get that. But what is the point off sitting Matsui and his .863 OPS for Betemit? He’s already 0 for 2 and has kicked a ball (ridiculously ruled a hit) that cost the Yankees a run.
Betemit can be a valuable piece off the bench. But unless Matsui is injured, he should play. He’s hitting .342 against lefties. Dana Eveland isn’t Koufax.
UPDATE, 11:41 p.m.: It’s 2-1 and anything can happen. But Chien-Ming Wang is pitching like Chien-Ming Wang tonight. Nine of his 15 outs have come via groundouts. He has only one walk and two strikeouts.
UPDATE, 11:53 p.m.: Please let me interrupt this baseball game with some great news. Our pal Mark Feinsand of The Daily News and his wife Dena are parents again. Zack Dylan Feinsand checked in this evening at 10:15 in New York City.
Congrats to Mark and Dena and our condolences to Ryan Feinsand, who is no longer the king of all he surveys.
UPDATE, 11:57 p.m.: What is wrong with Melky Cabrera? Girardi has to put a stop to this.
UPDATE, 12:15 p.m.: Wang has that sinker going today. That’s 15 groundball outs and four double plays. You know what? I’d leave him out there for the eighth inning. He’s only at 81 pitches. Better Wang than any of the relievers. Then Mo in the ninth.
UPDATE, 12:27 p.m.: Veras has warmed up. Girardi said before the game that Farnsworth was available, too. Very interesting.
UPDATE, 12:38 p.m.: Lifting Wang after 83 pitches for Jose Veras? Interesting move there.
UPDATE, 12:52 p.m.: Big hit for Melky in a lot of ways there.
Lots of Yankees fans here, by the way.
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on Tuesday, June 10th, 2008 at 6:45 pm by Peter Abraham.
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Peter Abraham
I would like a sweep of OAK, but they have been playing tough.
P.S. Beckett is stinking up the place in Fenway, down 4-1 to BAL. Woohoo!
Hate the late starts.
I had a feeling Beckett was a one time deal. Other than the 2003 WS, he has been a pretty average pitcher other than last year where he was really good. I just love to watch him fail.
How is Beckett a one time deal?
He dominated two Octobers in a row and won 2 titles. Pitching better than any pitcher basically ever.
I know we have Yankee blinders on but don’t embarrass yourself like that.
Laura – That’s good news about Boston. I think that the Yanks need to take at least 2 of 3. It’s all about winning series.
lol “youcanttrusthimitis”
Just continue following the Farnsworth rules..and we should be fine.
I dunno if I will be able to stay up to catch the entire game.
Just hope we win and that Wang has a nice outing
youcanttrusthimitis
.
If you Google that, you come right back here. Pete, you are the first person since the dawn of time to use that word !
What do you mean “2 Octobers in a row”?
Last I checked the RS didn’t make the playoffs in 2006.
Beckett pitched well last year, but until he does it more than once, jury is still out. Most every player above average has one great season.
” Pitching better than any pitcher basically ever. ”
.
and you are describing Beck@$$ ? You need to stop sniffing that gold paint…..JerkFace have never pitched “better than any pitcher basically ever”….ya know…like totally NOT and fer sure NOT !
“has never pitched”…grammar dunce here !
“Beckett pitched well last year, but until he does it more than once, jury is still out. Most every player above average has one great season.”
I guess 2003 doesn’t count as October. In the 2 playoffs in a row that he pitched in. Woe is me.
He has had 2 all time playoffs. All time. Bob Gibson like. He is the reason those 2 teams have titles.
“Jerkface”….I love that.
It’ll be interesting to see how Beckett fares in the playoffs this year if Boston makes it; both years that Beckett has been in the playoffs have been part of his good years. This year so far is part of his average years, as the guy seriously alternates between good and average.
ripcord,
You can’t win over some of these people with facts. They like to think that Beckett stinks and Wang is better. You aren’t going to win any argument with people like that. Sorry.
Any sane Yankee fan knows that Beckett is the one reason we haven’t won a title. We don’t have him or someone like him.
That is why they moved Joba into the rotation. Ask Hank.
“The Yankees can he has a sore biceps”
??? Dont know what you meant there. But im hoping its one of those over night fantom injuries dl stints for roster space.
ripcord, I don’t know if you saw it, but I re-posted a joke about Roger Clemens in the last thread, I think it’s right up your alley.
“Kyle Farnsworth hasn’t pitched since Thursday. The Yankees can he has a sore biceps. But it also could be a case of youcanttrusthimitis.”
Easily the line of the night. LOL Pete.
Anyone who thinks Josh Beckett is ‘average’ is foolish. We’re all Yankees fans here, but c’mon man!
You need a microscope to decipher Beckett’s post season ERA.
The guy has been money when it counts. To think the Sox are paying him: (from Cot’s)
3 years/$30M (2007-09), plus $12M 2010 club option
I get “Jerkfaced” by some moron Eye talian. That’s rich. I’ll stop sniffing pain, Don Corleonne, when the Yankees get a Beckett.
I hope its funny Nick in SF if you are going to post it on every thread. Keep us all updated on your flight happenings in every thread too.
“Pitching better than any pitcher basically ever.”
Nothing against Beckett but the above statement is ridiculous. That title, regards the postseason, belong to Don Larsen and him alone.
2 all-time playoffs? Wow, he’s a vet.
Think about how many Pettitte has had. Or Smoltz/Glavine. Or even El Duque.
Let’s talk when Beckett can prove himself over that number of playoff games.
But he’d probably need to leave the Sawx if he wanted to do that.
He’ll be around 30 (assuming he doesn’t extend and stay in Boston) when he hits free agency.
How about a show of hands… At age 30, do you give Beckett a 4 or 5 year deal at $15-$17M per year?
The fact of the matter is this –
Melky Cabrera does a lot of silly things that just drive me and other Yankee fans so crazy. It’s not like he is a rookie yet he is doing very rookie things. Sliding into first base when he should be running, dropping balls in the outfield because he’s looking at the runners on base, and at the plate, the guy does not exactly take his base on balls.
I don’t think of him to be a clutch hitter either. Look at yesterday afternoon. Basesloaded with 2 outs and he swings at the 2nd pitch. Soria threw him ball number one… that’s your que to make him work the count. To make Soria throw strikes. You work the count until you are confident you are getting something good to hit.
He seems very immature to realize that he is playing Centerfield for the New York Yankees… that’s something very special.
I think giving Gardner a shot and trading Melky for a relief pitcher (like Fuentes) would be a very smart option. Gardner seems like someone who can bring energy to the team in ways Melky can’t.
If Brett cannot hit in the MLB… well he always has his speed and defense. Melky has average speed (and seems below average on the base paths). I think Brett can become successful with the Yankees. Even if he’s not the best hitter, we still have 8 other guys who can back him up.
I think Shelley Duncan needs to go as well. I say we go after someone like Ty Winnington. Someone who can help the Yankees in a lot of ways.
It is not worth the effort of even going thru Becketts record.
The guy is an absolute stud. I don’t care about a few June starts.
He completely dominates when it counts. He is unhittable. That is why he is the games best pitcher. His Cy Young yr last yr didn’t hurt him either.
If you really want to call him average take a look at his October numbers and look at them twice. They aren’t misprinted. It is real.
Here is hoping Joba is on the same level.
It’s a 2-hour delay so far, ripcord, but there’s some hope it’ll be less than that. No worries.
Can we add Jeff Weaver to that best ever list?
He won the World Series as well.
“Nothing against Beckett but the above statement is ridiculous. That title, regards the postseason, belong to Don Larsen and him alone.”
Check the numbers. He has the best stats of pretty much any October pitcher ever. One game doesn’t make Larson better.
Or Kenny Rogers…..?
S.o.S.27 June 10th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
Can we add Jeff Weaver to that best ever list?
He won the World Series as well.
He also lost the 2003 World Series.
If you are going to be snarky at least be semi right.
At 70 pitches for 3 innings of work, it looks like an early exit for Beckett. Nice way to tax the bullpen.
Ripcord, YOU check the numbers.
2 playoffs.
Big deal.
The Babe’s got them all owned
Can we add Jeff Weaver to that best ever list?
He won the World Series as well.
When Rogers or Weaver or anyone else you want to toss out that has won a series has these numbers:
2 Lg Div Series 2-0 2 2 0.56 1 1 0 1 16 6 1 5 17
2 Lg Champ Series 2-0 5 4 2.70 3 0 0 1 33.1 20 10 3 37
2 World Series 2-0 3 3 1.16 2 1 0 1 23.1 14 3 6 28
6 Postseason Ser 6-0 10 9 1.73 6 2 0 3 72.2 40 14 14 82
You can talk to me.
I know we all hate the Sox but don’t make yourselves look foolish.
Scott Podsednic had blazing speed and got cut. Melky is a great defensive player and is hitting 270. He’s the last of our worries.
ripcord,
Im not denying he isnt a good pitcher. But the best ever? Thats like saying a quarterback is the best ever because he won a super bowl. Who was the Ravens quarterback when the won it all?
Look at those totals for Beckett
G GS ERA W L SV CG IP H ER BB SO
6 Postseason Ser 6-0 10 9 1.73 6 2 0 3 72.2 40 14 14 82
Ridiculous.
Please find me Rogers, Weavers or any other schmoe you are going to embarrass yourself with besides Smoltz, Gibson, and Koufax.
Ripcord,
I agree that Beckett’s post-season numbers are beyond impressive. But I think it is fairly safe to assume that what Larsen accomplished is in a class by itself. Not to mention Whitey Ford. Again, not to take away from what Beckett has done in the post-season, as he is clearly in a very exclusive group.
“He’ll be around 30 (assuming he doesn’t extend and stay in Boston) when he hits free agency.
How about a show of hands… At age 30, do you give Beckett a 4 or 5 year deal at $15-$17M per year?”
So many things wrong with this post…..
First of all, no way the Red Sox let this guy go if he keeps pitching well.
And if by some miracle they do let him go, it’ll take a hell of a lot more than 4-5 years and 15-17 million/per. This isn’t 2002. It’ll be 2011, he’ll command a minimum of 22 million per year, probably a lot more.
SOS27,
The numbers say he is one of the best ever. Forget numbers then. Look at the two post seasons he pitched. Use your own eyes. Unhittable and dominating. I saw it myself live in our house on short rest. He the guy every team looks for every year and every draft.
He is why we are moving Joba and drafting the Cole’s of the world. You win with him.
“What do you mean “2 Octobers in a rowâ€?
Last I checked the RS didn’t make the playoffs in 2006.
Beckett pitched well last year, but until he does it more than once, jury is still out. Most every player above average has one great season.”
If I remember that 2006 season. Didn’t the Yanks sweep the Sox in a 5 game series in Aug or something around that time?
Like the lineup today except sitting Matsui.
I always wonder how much rest a DH needs. As a DH, you get up what…. 4 maybe 5 times a game? I guess he’s slumping but I still think its too many days off for Matsui and Abreu lately.
Guidry and El Duque are up there as well
So many things wrong with this post…..
First of all, no way the Red Sox let this guy go if he keeps pitching well.
And if by some miracle they do let him go, it’ll take a hell of a lot more than 4-5 years and 15-17 million/per. This isn’t 2002. It’ll be 2011, he’ll command a minimum of 22 million per year, probably a lot more.
How does that make “so many things wrong with this post”???
His question was if he hits FA what would be command. I agree with you. He lowballed. He’ll get 25 mill a yr.
Historically, I’ll take Maddux, Clemens, Ryan, Larsen, Ford, or maybe even Schilling.
Beckett isn’t in their league based on 2 Octobers.
Don’t be foolish saying he’s the best ever based on his limited stats.
Do you have any idea where you’re positing this nonsense? Maybe this works in RS “Nation” but Yankees have a much higher standard before we go throwing “best ever” around.
“If I remember that 2006 season. Didn’t the Yanks sweep the Sox in a 5 game series in Aug or something around that time?”
Aug ain’t October.
Hey estupido, I was calling Beckett a JerkFace ya buffoon….but if you want to attach that name to yerself, mr. Jerkface worshipper….go right ahead. Josh Beckett will never be ranked with the best pitchers EVER…that is just the RedSux fan in you coming out of yer keester !
Considering that Wang and Andy are struggling and Rasner is due to have a bad game, this could be an easy sweep by the A’s.
August was that October for the Sawx. They folded after that.
Ok WeMissPaulie.
I get it. You are a SuperFan who can’t be objective. You don’t have the intelligence to look at stats and compare ballplayers.
I figure you would take Jimmy Key over Beckett too. I get your thing. It’s fine. It’s moronic and stupid but hey you do what you got to do.
“Hey estupido, I was calling Beckett a JerkFace ya buffoon….but if you want to attach that name to yerself, mr. Jerkface worshipper….go right ahead. Josh Beckett will never be ranked with the best pitchers EVER…that is just the RedSux fan in you coming out of yer keester !”
Now I’m a Sox fan for telling it like it is? Tough crowd in here.
I wonder how many of the SuperFans wouldn’t take Beckett???
The Last Yankee Fan,
Based on your rational, both Wang and Pettitte are due to have good starts, so this could be an easy series win for the Yankees.
Hmm, wow, Koufax was rediculous; 0.95 era (6 ER over 57 IP) in the postseason (4 WS’s)
Might have to take that over Ruth’s 0.87 era, from 3 runs over only 31 IP in the postseason (2 WS’s)
Totally tough crowd.
Especially when we have people in here that don’t know what they’re talking about.
“Historically, I’ll take Maddux, Clemens, Ryan, Larsen, Ford, or maybe even Schilling.
Beckett isn’t in their league based on 2 Octobers.”
How many post seasons did Ryan pitch??? You should really check the stats before you post nonsense. In about 20+ yrs of pitching Rya had 7 Oct starts. And you want him?
Maddux is 11 and 14 in October. Great numbers.
If you want to take regular seasons you actualyl have an argument and I wouldnt argue with you.
But Octobers?? Please.
i’m sorry, you can’t call beckett great because of 1 very good year.
look at his previous #’s.
and you don’t just get rid of melky and believe gardner can be successful in the majors. what if he can’t hit .200? melky does just fine for what is asked of him and for what most thought they’d ever get from him.
he plays cf for new york – exactly, and he can handle it. his #’s are not that bad.
Koufax was great in October. Gibson too. beckett is right there with them.
And don’t take small sample size. Beckett already has more October starts than any pitcher of that great era because of the added rounds.
sorry but what’s the point of the yankees having shelley on the team if they won’t play him? I love the guy’s energy, but wouldn’t it be better to send him down and send gardner up? Gardner can do more things than shelley and the yankees have no1 like him on the team right now
You know, before Larsen went to the Yankees, his numbers weren’t actually that good. I think. I might be wrong on that.
ripcord, my outbound plane is on the ground here in Phoenix and they’re hoping the turnaround will be pretty quick. Thanks for your interest in this; the fact that someone was so concerned actually make the waiting easier.
ripcord,
It is pointless to argue with people who think Wang is better than Beckett.
You can’t win.
You know Beckett is the gold standard when Hank invokes his name whenever he mentions Joba Chamberlain.
I think that says it all.
Good lord, yes Beckett is a great pitcher. He has been a stud in the playoffs…so far. God bless him and his little sole patch
That being said..he isn’t having the most fantabulous season so far.
I say we wait a while before crowning him the best pitcher ever in baseball and in the postseason…
Maybe it’s just blind man-love?
Its funny that we’re talking about how amazing Beckett is when he’s getting shelled at this very moment.
Nick, you’re pretty snarky huh? You get off on being snarky?
Argue baseball. That I can take. Being snarky? Please. I’d say get a life but I’m sure you would have a witty retort. Why even come here if you aren’t going to talk baseball?
“That is why he is the games best pitcher. His Cy Young yr last yr didn’t hurt him either.”
Brandon Webb has had a much better career than Beckett and is the best pitcher in the game right now.
I think Beckett is a great pitcher and probably a future HOF player. But his track record in the regular season isn’t nearly as good as his post season record.
Besides Santana, Webb has probably been the best pitcher in baseball for the last 5 years. Webb has clearly moved past Santana now based on this season and last.
If you don’t believe me just look at his numbers. They are really astounding.
Beckett’s post season track record is amazing. But I wouldn’t penalize Webb for the fact that his team was bad for a long time. When Pedro was at his best his teams didn’t get to the post season much either.
Beckett also has never won the Cy Young. CC Sabbathia won it last year.
“I say we wait a while before crowning him the best pitcher ever in baseball and in the postseason…”
You don’t have to wait. He already is one of the best Oct pitchers ever.
Who knows. Maybe this October he bombs out and ruins all those good numbers.
Go check Beck@$$e$ website, fandangler, he is a complete jerk and I hope he never becomes a Yankee,,,he has a personality like YOU and we can’t have that, needle nose !
CB,
Webb is the best this season. He didn’t exactly impress in the post season last year did he? Good against Chi. Bombed vs Colorado when they needed him.
I’m not talking regular season. This is strictly October.
And no pitcher going today is on the Beckett level. That means you too Smoltz since hes hurt and is out for the yr. He’s the only one.
Again Betemit gets the start over Shelley, and I have no problem with that, but get Shelley off this team.
“Go check Beck@$$e$ website, fandangler, he is a complete jerk and I hope he never becomes a Yankee,,,he has a personality like YOU and we can’t have that, needle nose !”
You have personally insulted me about 6 times every post and I have the bad personality???
LOL.
The SuperFans here would be on the bandwagon 3 seconds after Beckett signs. And rightfully so.
Now enjoy the game. Peace.
What, El Duque isn’t active now?
“Who knows. Maybe this October he bombs out and ruins all those good numbers.”
Um..yeah..
Hence the waiting before crowning his @ss as the best ever in October.
That is if the RS are even playing in October(just saying..ya never know what happens..look at the Mets last season)
God Bless Menkie
“I’ve been on a stretcher before and, technically, he’s been out of the game for three years in my mind,” Mientkiewicz said, alluding to Johnson’s seasons with the Yankees and his injury-plagued 2007 campaign. “That just shows me how mentally weak he is. That’s why he got out of [New York].”
ripcord,
although I will NEVER like Beckett, even if he does become a Yankee…I am just yankin’ her chain with the insults, Ferret Face !
Peace to you, friend. How about we agree to disagree about that redneck deer killin’ momma’s boy over there in BoSux land and move on to the Yankees puttin’ the hurtin’ on the F’s ( I’d call them the A’s, but they won’t feel like that after we’re through with those Frog lickers ) OK ??? 
Red Sox will win this one – Cabrera has walked 4 in 4 innings, and Beckett has likely settled down.
4-3 Baltimore now, bottom 4.
Focus on the Yanks winning, please!
Please don’t get so upset, ripcord, I was just having a little fun because self-appointed blog enforcers make me laugh. But I’ll rethink my priorities the next time I have an airport delay and get back to work on that cancer cure before I check up on LoHud.
Oh wait, if that was a witty retort I just fell into your trap.
For the record, I think Beckett is a great pitcher and I’m sure he’ll have more chances to confirm, enhance, or diminish his postseason reputation. Wang certainly doesn’t have Beckett’s resume but he’s more beloved in the eyes of his countrymen. And he should get some more chances too.
Ouch. I guess a horribly broken leg is being mentally weak. He is just fragile.
Now Pavano on the other hand…..
Wait, who has a horribly broken leg?
anyone going to the game tonight? i’m getting ready to leave soon to get some autographs(hopefully) and to watch a bit of batting practice. I’ll post some pictures maybe later on on tonight.
Joshy-Boy at 100 pitches in the 5th inning….SUPER STAR !
Beckett’s at the very least a very good pitcher, and is a money pitcher in the playoffs. If by some chance he fell into the Yankees lap, however, it would be the same for me as when Randy Johnson was here. I’d root for him because he was a Yankee, but I wouldn’t like him. Would that make me a bandwagoner? Because I’d have a problem with that definition.
“Webb is the best this season.”
If your basically going to say the best pitcher in baseball is the pitcher who has pitched the best in the post season then your basically disqualifying the vast majority of pitchers in the game.
That’s fine but then your really saying who the best post season pitcher is.
Clearly that’s Beckett.
But I personally don’t think you can equate the best pitcher in baseball with the best post-season pitcher.
Tim Lincecum is pretty good and what he’s doing this year almost single handedly winning games for the Giants is unbelievably impressive.
His team has no chance to get to the post season. I personally don’t ding him for that.
And Webb hasn’t just been the best pitcher in baseball this year.
Go look how many years he’s had an ERA+ of over 150. Right now he’s having the best extended run of great seasons since Santana’s 2002-2006.
Year in and year out Webb has been at minimum very good and often great – and that’s over a 5 year period.
Beckett’s best regular season (last year) isn’t even remotely close to as good as Webb’s best season.
He’s a truly great pitcher who doesn’t get much attention.
michelle b formerly of sf now of oakland, I appreciate the up-to-date handle, a lot of kids were getting confused. I wish I was going, but I’m missing the entire series. Have fun at Yankee Stadium West!
I think postseason number are a bunch of s*it.
Its far too small of a sample size usually (unless you’re someone like Bernie of David Justice)
All these “non-clutch playoff” labels are crap. A guy could have 2-3 bad games and all of a sudden he can’t produce in the playoffs. It makes no sense.
Uh, best pitcher this season?
Wouldn’t that be Cliff Lee? Or am I missing something? Doesn’t Lee have an ERA under two?
Lee’s ERA is over 2 now
Volquez’s ERA should still be under 2 though
Looks like Beckett will get out with a ‘w”. HBP, HR, HR by Cabrera.
miggs: I will disagree with you slightly. I think there is such a thing as clutch and not clutch. However, I don’t think a dry spell of three or four games counts as not clutch.
thanks nick… i’m going to all 3 games, i got some great field box seats, on the field next to the yankees dugout. I got these seats from a friend, had them last yr too. I got to talk to reggie jackson 3 days in a row. Got some great sigs and pics too. Anyway – out the door and you’re welcome for the updated handle. I dont like to cause confusion.
Yep, Volquez is sitting on a 1.56 era (14 er over 81 innings)
Lee’s at 2.52 era (23 er over 82 innings) (tied for top in the AL though) (Marcum has the same era with 24 er over 85.7 innings)
I just read Mientkiewicz’s quotes on the Pittsburgh Pirates website. I don’t think he likes Randy Johnson very much.
“Wouldn’t that be Cliff Lee? Or am I missing something? Doesn’t Lee have an ERA under two?”
I generally don’t consider the best pitcher in the game to be a guy who is having his first great season. Too many guys just flame out, e.g. francisco liriano.
IMO Brandon Webb is the best pitcher in the game based on his track record over the past 5 years and his current performance this year.
Would you consider Nate McClouth to be the best player in the game? Josh Hamilton? They’ve arguably been just that when you consider they’re center fielders.
Webb’s numbers are now better than Lee’s.
As far as current performance, no pitcher is currently having a year anywhere close to Edinson Volquez. He’s completely in a league of his own – he has an ERA+ of 282. That’s startling. After him it may be Tim Lincecum.
All these things are subjective and it depends a lot on how you define “best.” Part of the fun of baseball.
ripcord:
“Can we add Jeff Weaver to that best ever list?
He won the World Series as well.
He also lost the 2003 World Series.
If you are going to be snarky at least be semi right.”
You can’t blame Jeff Weaver for being Jeff Weaver. Joe Torre lost the 2003 WS when he put in Weaver in a tie game in extra innings and let Mariano Rivera, possibly the greatest postseason pitcher ever, rot on the bench, waiting for a save situation that would never come.
CB: Ah, I thought the question was the best this season, not overall. But, you know, sometimes the best players in a season are the ones we least expect.
I should’ve checked what Volquez’s era+ was before his last outing; he went 6 IP/3 ER and that raised his raw era up from 1.32 to now 1.56
“I just read Mientkiewicz’s quotes on the Pittsburgh Pirates website. I don’t think he likes Randy Johnson very much.”
I love how he said that he couldn’t handle NY. Gotta love Minky!!!
“Looks like Beckett will get out with a ‘wâ€. HBP, HR, HR by Cabrera.”
I get so frustrated when pitchers that absolutely kill the Yankees can’t do squat against anybody else. I think these pitchers (and hitters too) amp themselves up against the Yankees. I mean, really – do you think Jose Guillen is going to have a series like this weekend ever again?
As an aside –
I strongly recommend, since there’s a lot of time before the Yanks’ game starts, that people go to the website of River Ave. Blues and read the interview with Tim Marchand of the NY Sun. It’s a really interesting read on baseball in 2008. At least, I thought so.
I’m not technologically advanced enough to be able to give you the link here, you’ll have to go to it yourself. Sorry.
Rebecca- OH!! OOps I just saw the name Johnson and thought Nick. Not Randy. My mistake. I guess the heat is getting to me.
Still don’t blame Torre for that Weaver game. Weaver had a rocking chair inning, retiring the heart of the Marlin order in the prior inning. Torre was taking a shot he could get the bottom 3rd, and saving Mo for the top the order the next inning. A. Gonazalez took him deep. Yanks had plenty of chances to win that game and
So will Randy be suspended for the stretcher comment?
Laura -
I think what Minky said pretty much sums up with what a lot of us thought!
So did the players, I won’t say which, but I heard it right from the horses mouth.
“How does that make “so many things wrong with this postâ€???
His question was if he hits FA what would be command. I agree with you. He lowballed. He’ll get 25 mill a yr.”
Thanks Tony in NY. I guess I did lowball. But with his injury history, do you think teams will want to break the $20 m a year mark for Beckett, especially after three more years of wear and tear on his arm, assuming the Sox pick up the option.
Just ordered my tickets: Fri. Aug. 1 LAA @ NYY. Bleachers, 43 2 seats row KK.
HELP ME OUT WITH SOMETHING, PLEASE??!?!??!
Non-alcohol seats?
I can’t drink beer out there? Or they won’t send beer vendors out there? Can I buy beer on concourse and bring it to my bleacher seats? Never sat in bleachers before!
You know what’s weird about 2003? I remember the ALCS, especially game 7, really well.
The only thing I can tell you about the world series was a) we underrated the entire Florida team, and b) Jorge Posada made the last out.
Weird, huh?
bronx bomber: No alchohol allowed, period. You can try to sneak it in, but I don’t recommend it.
No beer sales at all in the bleachers, but don’t worry it is still entertaining to sit out there.
I can sympathize Rebecca. I remember 2004 playoffs real well, right up until the final out of the 18-9 game 3 of the ALCS.
Then the coma set in.
Can someone answer my non-alcohol seats question, please? Anyone reccommend a good hotel in NYC thats easy access to the Stadium?
Hey Pete, I’m likin the addition of all the little statistics in your game posts, I’m a loyal reader and appreciate all the small stuff that you do to keep us fans updated!
Thanks guys, appreciate it.
Will have to ‘tie one on’ in between innings.
If a HR ball goes to the black seats next to me and I jump the rail to go after it, will that get me kicked out too?
Rebecca -
My take on 2003 was that the ALCS vs the Red Sox was so draining that the World Series was anticlimatic, at least for me. I felt like the Yankees had already beat their toughest opponents. It was disappointing that they lost the WS, but I hardly remember it! It was like it didn’t count.
Thanks Mark and Rebecca.
So…
Will the Lakers win tonight?
We will hear from Stern about the Tim Donaghy stuff?
I thought since #20 was back we would see the A line up for a change but nope
Doreen: Yeah, I think that’s it.
Bronxbomber: Not sure. Probably Depends how drunk you are, I guess.
Here come the O’s. 2nd and 3rd one out. Okajima can’t get out Baltimore.
Its time they send Duncan down. There’s absolutely no reason to have him up here. Girardi is refusing to play him so what’s the point?
“A-Rod had a six-game hitting streak (10 for 21) with eight RBI and two home runs.”
Using the past tense “had” sounds like Pete is trying to jinx Alex tonight.
Bronxbomber, maybe if you’d sat in alchohol-free seats more in the past you wouldn’t be having these blackouts today!
“I think what Minky said pretty much sums up with what a lot of us thought!”
You know it. Randy Johnson is yet another example of a player that can’t handle NY. Loser.
I’m happy I blocked out the second half of October, 2004.
Show me a Yankees fan that wanted to be conscious during that two week span.
Ugh.
Different subject.
Anyone reccommed a good hotel near the Stadium?
Bronxbomber
There is no access to beer in the bleachers. (period)
As for hotels: any Manhattan hotel provides easy subway (4 or B/D) access to the Stadium. Taking the Subway is part of the experience. If you are ONLY concerned with the Stadium and not Manhattan you may be able to find a hotel in Yonkers or Westchester- I don’t know.
make sure you shop around summer is the off season so you may find a deal.
*blacked* out the second half of October, 2004!
By the way, Josh ‘the Great’ Beckett’s start was just flushed down the toilet because Theo Epstein is too stubborn to use Josh Beckett as the setup man in Boston.
Is it just me or has there been more baseball “fights” this season than most? Every day, there’s a link out on MLB.com to a fight. What has got these players wound so tight? It’s not even that late in the season. And some of these teams aren’t even contenders. Why all the stress and pent up anger?
BAL just took the lead. Let’s hope they hold it.
Dougie M. calling it like he sees it. Bet a few Yankees players got a good chuckle from that.
Okie Dokie didn’t have a good night
Bronxbomber where are you coming from???
Jimmy 27:
Coastal Maine. Haven’t been to NYC since late 90’s.
On priceline now trying to find a place. Just curious if anyone in here had any suggestions…
Laura: I’m not sure it’s just you. I don’t know how to explain it, but sometimes things just happen. Then of course you have the massive heat wave, and heat does funny things to people.
bronxbomber77
I remember driving home from the airport talking to a red sox friend, laughing how it was over. Shame on me.
The yankees pen has had a lot of problems this year but just about all teams have serious issues there.
Okajima is just not the same pitcher he was last year. Not nearly as effective. He’s near the top of the league in letting inherited runners score.
He just blew the lead against the O’s. Could you imagine the Sox pulling Okajima last year to put Manny Declaramen into the game?
So far this year Okajima has a wins probability added of 0.29. That means compared to when Okajima enters the game the sox are barely more likey to win the game due to his pitching. Last year he was much better.
Looking at the Doubletree in Ft. Lee, NJ. Just across the Bridge.
Only $175 a night. Will prob only be there all of six hours.
Sold.
Can’t wait. Any other Lohuddders going to the Aug. 1 (Fri 7pm) game against the Angels? Figure some of you must have season tickets?!
Jennifer…
Trust me. Living in Maine, running a bar, I deal with Sox fans 14 hours a day. I watch them eat. I watch them drink and get drunk. And I watch them root for their teams.
After game 3 that night, I probably sent out 50 text messages and made two dozen phone calls tto talk smack.
What a long month that turned out to be…
CHANGING SUBJECT!
CB: Think it’s a classic case of the league adjusting?
CB – That’s interesting about Okajima. What do you think is going on? Did the league catch up to him, or was last year just a career-year for him? As I remember reading, he was nothing special in Japan, a journeyman-type pitcher. That’s supposedly why Cash passed on him, despite Matsui’s plugging for him.
good thing the game is 3000 miles.
looks like its going to be a monsoon here.
I hear the wind howling here in Jersey. It’s gonna get nasty outside
Just hope I don’t lose power or anything.
SA – where do you live in Jersey?
Bronxbomber77 :
Coastal Maine Socks fans can’t possibly be worse than those goofs in Mass. who simply don’t know how to appreciate winning. They believe making fools of themselves gets the attention of the country and yes, it does.
why is Matsui sitting? Pretty dumb. Over managing again
For someone with a phobia of thunderstorms, reading this thread is not a lot of fun.
Joe-Woodbridge
yankee lover: Best deffensive alignment with Wang pitching.
SA:
Edison over here.
Um yeah…it sounds real scary outside right now..lol
Not a fan of thunderstorms either! Oy
Dr. Cox-we are neighbors.
“That is why he is the games best pitcher. His Cy Young yr last yr didn’t hurt him either. ”
The line for the best pitcher in baseball starts behind Brandon Webb.
Beckett is a great postseason pitcher but you have to get to the postseason 1st. In the regular season he is above average but not great at all. He’s had one great regular season. Perhaps if he had a great 06 the Sox would have made the playoffs.
I love thunderstorms, as long as I can stay in bed.
Wow the wind is insane
It hasn’t made its way to ne NJ.
Its made it to 14A or for you non New Jerseyins Bayonne lol
“That’s interesting about Okajima. What do you think is going on? Did the league catch up to him, or was last year just a career-year for him?”
Okajima’s year so far is really strange and really exemplifies how difficult it is to evaluate relief pitchers statistically.
Nearly all of Okajima’s numbers this year are the same as last year but he’s pitching much worse. His ERA, WHIP, splits, K/9, BB/9, HR/9, slugging % against and batting average against are comparable to last year.
But there’s not doubt he’s not nearly as effective because of the distribution of the hits he’s allowing – he’s just giving up more hits in crucial situations and letting inherited runners score.
These are the kinds of things that traditional statistics don’t capture for relief pitchers.
But if you look at some more advanced statistics on relievers the differences are stark. A good one is BP’s Win Expectancy. Win expectancy roughly tells you how likely is it for a team to win after when a relief pitcher enters a game based on a situation e.g. up 3-2 with man on second two outs (they have enough data to do this for nearly all situations by using prior years).
Last year Okajima had a win expectancy of 4.77 – 8th highest in the AL. That meant his team was much more likely to win due to Okajima was entering the game compared to a league average pitcher.
This year he has a win expectancy of .559. That’s 90th best. He’s barely better than a league average reliever.
That’s a startling difference and tells you he’s not pitching well in high leverage situations.
With Okajima I think it’s probably three things going on.
The main thing is that the league has seen him and figured him out some. The deception isn’t working as well.
I also wonder if last year’s work load took a toll on him – he pitched a lot and had a tired shoulder.
Finally, its just the same type of large variation in performance we see time and time again with relievers. he could just be regressing back to his expected performance in big spots.
Either way – without a dominant Okajima the sox pen is very thin.
and just like that..no more howling wind and pounding rain..
“And don’t take small sample size. Beckett already has more October starts than any pitcher of that great era because of the added rounds.”
Oh just shut up. El Dugue > Beckett
scratch that-it’s back
What exit off the parkway? lol
I am sorry Willy but your time is up in Queens. Girardi will welcome you back next year
Okay I take it back,maybe I don’t like thunderstorms that much. It is WINDY!! HOLY MOLY!!!
“He’s had one great regular season. ”
You know, it wasn’t really even a truly “great” season. It was a very good season. But nowhere even close to the best seasons that Santana or Webb have had.
He’s a strange pitcher.
Okay I’m out, too dangerous to be on the computer. Stay safe everyone Night!
Thunderstorm’s made it’s way to my corner of Bergen County.
Well hurricane just blew through Bergen county that is for darn sure very very bizzare mucho wind but so far no rain
CB – Thanks, that taught me a lot about relievers and their stats. I wonder how win expectancy is calculated?
I do remember late last season, Okajima lost his effectiveness for a while, and the Yanks came back on him in one game in particular; I think same game they beat Papelbon, in fact. Maybe the Friday night game where Andy started, fell behind, and rallied for the win. After that, the Sox stopped using him for a while. You wonder, of course, about “tired” shoulders and other injuries in pitchers, because they never confess anything. Not unless they’re named Pavano.
Ok…finally quiet where I’m at.
But yeah…crazy winds before!
Oh Willie..oh boy
I have not been watching Mets blow a lead tonight?
Time for the pre-game show. Getting closer to game time.
What do you bet that the Mets/Wilpons fire Willie in September – too late to change anything, but just to show that they’re doing something – and can justify not hiring a full time replacement for the rest of the season.
Turn the Met Game on,, Crazy wind
Mark-yup
All tied up at 5 now in that game
gayle: You must be in a different area of Bergen County than I am!
well, I see I missed an interesting conversation or three. Good times at the LoHud blog tonight. Anyway, I have an early day tomorrow so this will have to be it for tonight.
Let’s hope for a sweep for this series. The Yanks really need to get on a roll. Stop putzing around.
Go Yanks!
Good thing the Yankees are away, huh?
whoa, look at Wagner and Wright helping the grounds crew. This is amusing.
Wagner helping with the tarp? Don’t get hurt dude
Joe,
No problem. Below is a quick definition of win expectancy. I think its one of the single most helpful statistics in all of baseball because its really hard to subjective assess how a relief pitcher is performing.
It penalizes relievers when they pitch badly in high leverage situations and gives them credit when they pitch well. And that’s really what you want a relief pitcher to do.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/glossary/index.php?search=WINEXP
Great job tonight by the O’s bullpen really picked up Cabrera tonight.
I hope this weather leaves the area soon. I am supposed to pick my boyfriend up at JFK airport at midnight.
oh please, two facts about beckett – number one – he is a great post season player but, and a big but, its based on limited post seasons. before i call a player an all time great at a position i want him to be great over many seasons. someone you can dominate for the better half of a decade is a true great. number two – he has been only above average statistcally during the regular season. you must balance his 06 season with his 5.00 era and his 07 very good season.
wait a minute didn’t Gammons say Craig Hansons is the best SU man in the AL ?
“Farnsworth is available.”
Dear Wang-please pitch a complete game?
If I’m Kobe I drive to the hole about 50 times in each of these next three games.
Kobe has to do a Dewayne Wade and just drive to the basket repeatedly.
Well I have no electricity as the storm took everything out in edgewater. So will try and follow the game via my blackberry hope everyone is safe that was nasty
does anyone know how i can listen or watch the game free on my computer?
sorry, gayle, hope you get electricity back soon.
Sorry to hear that gayle. Hope the wifi lasts (and the battery, too)
joe: MLB.com radio may be free, but I’m not sure. (I pay for mlb.tv)
Damn gayle you must have pissed off someone. Stay safe over there.
Get off Mr. Bryant
Sorry about that gayle. Hopefully you get electricity back somewhat soon
If you believe in NBA conspiracy theories, the Lakers are a mortal lock tonight. Or even an immortal lock. They might just get a few more calls than they did in Boston….
Of course my bbrry needed to be charged tonight and I have this portable, tv, radio which of course I don’t have batteries for I just leave it plugged in. So here is a question what good is the emergency broadcasting system if you can’t hear it
“Wagner helping with the tarp?”
Yah – he’s doing an Ojeda.
“I think giving Gardner a shot and trading Melky for a relief pitcher (like Fuentes) would be a very smart option. Gardner seems like someone who can bring energy to the team in ways Melky can’t.”
I think this is a fairly ridiculous idea. Melky has been a pleasant surprise so far this season. Sure, he makes some rookie mistakes, but they are few.
I’d say he makes the same amount or fewer mistakes than the average Yankee player, if you count the basepaths, the batter’s box, and the field.
Plus, he’s got the lovable smile and the energy that this time lacked for years.
I say we keep him.
Can’t wait to see those highlights on sportscenter/baseball tonight. You know it’ll make top plays.
Game time.. lets go yanks big start for the wanger.. GO YANKS
Mark Teixeira is not leaving Atlanta?
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8226622/Braves-would-be-wise-to-keep-Teixeira
Has anyone seen a Guiseppe Franco commercial recently? I’m starting to think that the contract with YES and Procede ran out and was replaced by these Shamewow commercials. We will miss you Guiseppe!
good.
“We will miss you Guiseppe!”
OMG – say it ain’t so!
What do you think Giambi and Girardi are laughing and fist pumping about?
Texeira will go where the money is.
Hopefully not here.
“What do you think Giambi and Girardi are laughing and fist pumping about?”
Minky’s comment about about Randy Johnson not being mentally tough enough to play in NY.
The Yankees officially released Morgan Ensberg today. They also released Ben Broussard from Triple-A Scranton.
And thank god these two are gone. 3 Hrs. away from picking up Erick Threets to a minor league deal
I’m only going to be able to watch the first hour. Damn you, West Coast!!!!
Laura: Quote of the night.
**crossing my fingers**
Please let us be able to score more than 2 runs tonight
They better watch out w/ Eveland that slider and change up can screw w/ alot of our hitters timing.
I know Jeter has been in a little hit streak.. but when he is going to start to dominate and make a presence on each and every game? He is getting me nervous and making me feel old? Hhah but I am only 18.. seems wierd but i grew up with Jeter as a little boy.. and now I am getting old and he is getting old.
Heh. I don’t remember the last time our offense hit a lefty well. Anything more than three runs will be impressive.
Which doesn’t mean that I think the Yankees will necessarily lose, just that their best chance of winning is pitching really well.
What was the point of signing Broussard in the first place if they just released him?
Relief pitchers are just so unpredictable. You just need to get lucky and have a pitcher get hot and dominate but it is tough to find a relief pitcher to be good season after season and that is why closers like Mo and K-Rod and Nathan and even Papalbon are special because they are consistently good. That is also why setup men are hard to find because you just get lucky and have a pitcher get hot. That is why it is tough to construct a bullpen past the closer because it is such an unpredictable role.
come on Arod, time to give Wang an early lead
“I know Jeter has been in a little hit streak.. but when he is going to start to dominate and make a presence on each and every game?”
The same day I hit Lotto. No player can have a phenomenal game each and every day. I think that people have unrealistic expectations for Jeter.
Yeah Alex.
Bobby, don’t run on the right fielder’s arm.
oh Bobby..
Come on, Ron Jeremy. Let me see a clutch hit against your old team!!
eh
Clutch hit by Alex. Bad base running by Abreu. Should have stopped at 2nd.
Great Stuff
Behold, the power of the ’stache.
Oh My God, two hits with RISP. The Yankees are having an out of body experience.
What a terrible call on that last strike…but no matter the Giambino COMES THROUGH ! ( oh and did you hear….THEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE BoSux Lose ! )
should be up 3-0
we’re never satisfied are we lol
“should be up 3-0″
Actually, if Abreu did not go, Arod would not have scored on that single.
Fran that is not a clutch hit by A-rod, that should be a regular for him.. I cant stand it when A-rod gets an rbi its clutch one… On the other hand get on this pitcher early and often before he settles down
I like this guy. He throws a lot of balls.
The Yanks staking Wang to an early lead. Let’s hope he can pitch well and make the lead stand up.
The stache rules
alright this is what I wanna see Betemit w/ RISP RH side lets see if he lays off the junk.
Laura, are you taking over the comedy duties while Nick and mel are otherwise occupied? You’re doing an excellent job, and yes, I’m serious
“Fran that is not a clutch hit by A-rod, that should be a regular for him.. I cant stand it when A-rod gets an rbi its clutch on”
Okay, the way they’ve been hitting with RISP, any hit that drives in a run is clutch for this team.
“Laura, are you taking over the comedy duties while Nick and mel are otherwise occupied? You’re doing an excellent job, and yes, I’m serious ”
Yeah, they asked me to fill in while they were away. Glad I’m doing a good job.
what that a strike or ball he swung on ? I didn’t see.
Wang time
Wang has got to get his act together. This poor pitching streak has got to end now!
Okay, that was not the start that I was looking for.
um. Not the best start Wang.
Come on Wang
Wang looks like he once again doesnt have his control
jesus was I the only one thinking Wang gave up a HR there ?
Nice catch by Damon.
I would have thought they would have dealt Chavez by now. They got rid of everyone else.
Much better
3 fly ball outs so far not good but they are still outs
What bothers me about Wang’s first inning is that amount of balls hit in the air…
test
not a good start – hbp, fo, fo, fo… we need groundballs otherwise this could be another lacrosse game.
Too many fly ball outs!
Wang out of the inning but not keeping the ball down.
It was very loud Brandon. It sounded like it was hit off of an alunimum bat
3 fly outs from Wanger
Laura how do you trade Chavez? I dont think a team in baseball would that contract.
I guess we should just be happy they landed in people’s gloves.
Yankee fans = people never satisfied!
No runs, I’ll take it.
“Laura how do you trade Chavez? I dont think a team in baseball would that contract.”
Isn’t his contract an old one? I would have thought that it wouldn’t have been too big by now.
looks like we might be living on the edge with Wang tonight..gulp
back to work bats
Daaaamnnnnn it!
Igawang strikes again!
Like Willis, send him to single A, before he brings down the team
Cano needs to get his average up to at least .250 or nothing he does in the second half will get him to his norm average.
I’m impressed w/ Bet’s AB on MLB gameday he swung at good strikes, he’s more balanced on the right side right now. I hope he stays locked in because you can tell in his swings.
you think Duncan hangs out in the clubhouse with Britton all game?
What the heck is up with Canò?
Damon is the king of broken bats.
Just when you think they might be able to get to the bullpen early after a 28 pitch inning, that happens…
Tampa Bay is loosing 4-0 to LAA in the 2nd.
Cano is gonna need to borrow Giambi’s thong..ASAP!
I’m still sick of broken bats.. lol
“What the heck is up with Canò?”
Can we pay Larry Bowa on the side to get him to call Cano every now and then and yell at him?
Wang keep the pitches down.
that’s a locked in swing by Ellis
I’d rather Wang give up fly balls that are outs than ground balls that are hits.
Oh, man – look at where that pitch was! Ugh!
You know it is a weird year when people are checking and updating the Tampa Bay score.
nice down in the zone keep it right there
Chavez is the one guy they chose to keep from those great A’s teams. The one guy. And since then he’s been hurt pretty much every year.
^
^
^—- only 20 mins left to watch.
: (
Eric you know its early in the year if you are checking the Tampa score
Well done
Dang. Travis Buck’s gameday foto is wild. Dude! Surf’s up!
I vote that we don’t allow SEA, LAA and OAK to play any games in their own stadium. Works for me!
Has anyone seen Shelley Duncan except for the side of a milkbox?
Doesn’t look very good for him with WB playing against a LHP.
Nice work so far by Wang around the leadoff double.
nice play wang!
Wang look good so far
What do you have in 20 minutes?
Wang settled in after giving up that double. Nice inning.
Good way to get out of that jam. Glad to see other teams with RISP issues.
there’s our ground ball outs from the Wanger
Good job to strand the runner
Nice Wang!
Get back to work bats..remember..more than 2 runs
“Has anyone seen Shelley Duncan except for the side of a milkbox?”
Betemit has been making contact, something Shelley wasn’t doing. I think that he will eventually go down. Just don’t know when. I think that they don’t want to break the kid’s heart. Sorry, but he’s just not ready for prime time.
why doesnt anyone talk about what flash has done with his hair. I have to say I was more a fan of the spiked look.
after 2 innings, i declare that THE WANGER IS BACK BABY
OMG, I forgot that Damon played with Jason before.
you send Duncan down and I am all for that but who do you bring up???
Yankees taking out thier frustrations on umpires to send a message to Ed Montague
Laura –
Agreed – I also think that they don’t want to bring up Gardner to just sit on the bench 8 games out of 10 and stop learning.
Uh oh..here come the Celtics
Oh, stop being a baby, ump! That’s your punishment for all of the calls your brothers blew against the Yankees!
ouch! that didn’t sound good
you send Duncan down and I am all for that but who do you bring up???
Brett
much better inning – K, go, go.
Keep GOing Wanger
Brandon – I thought they were sending a message to Bob Watson!
lol
“you send Duncan down and I am all for that but who do you bring up??”
The Attorney General. Or Kartsens if he’s well enough.
Brandon we both wish that they would give Brett a chance but they arent going to bring him up just to sit on the bench.
you send Duncan down and I am all for that but who do you bring up???
Gardner.
Lets make some moves.. Possible hit and run???
LOL at that sign !
A-Rod baby
“you send Duncan down and I am all for that but who do you bring up??? Brett”
No, they’ve gone on record saying that they aren’t going to bring Brett up. Brett is a lefty. We don’t need another Left hand batter.
what did that sign say I missed it
I find John Flaherty’s insight into what it was like being a bad baseball player quite fascinating.
what sign?
Pete: I remember when Papers did that so it wasn’t as long ago as the 80s. Was as recent as the mid 90s.
Come on, Ron Jeremy. Let me see you make your former team pay!!!
Hey, suspend that guy 3 games!!!!
Is Hawkins off of his suspensions yet?
Brandon we both wish that they would give Brett a chance but they arent going to bring him up just to sit on the bench.
Igawa’s teeth sooner or later they have to, he is Rule 5 eligible in 09′ and they need to know if he can be a part time player, everyday player or a trade piece.
These OAK announcers are boring.
How about Justin Christian? Speed. Doesnt seem to be in our future plans. So benching him wont hurt.
Well, that was an interesting pitch.
I can’t believe Coco Crisp is appealing his suspension! Is Johnny Cochran still around to represent him?
“I can’t believe Coco Crisp is appealing his suspension! Is Johnny Cochran still around to represent him?”
Johnny Cochran: “If the spikes dont fit…you must acquit.”
what did that sign say I missed it
it was two kids,
one w/ a Yankees Arod jersey his sign said “Arod’s #1 fan Go Yanks” the other kid w/ an A’s jersey sign said “And I got to live w/ him ?”
jesus Robi dive for the ball …
West Coast stories are tough huh? Maybe you should save your writing energy by stopping creating phony signons on other websites and stupid posts. You talk about people being mature. Practice what you preach brother Pete. Very sophmoric.
““I can’t believe Coco Crisp is appealing his suspension! Is Johnny Cochran still around to represent him?â€
I was surprised by that as well. I think that he’s going to use the defense that since he got his clock cleaned, he should get a break.
beat it Jack. That issue is squashed.
Robbie made that play yesterday
How many names is that you’ve used here today, “Billy Jack”?
You know, as long as we’re talking about phoniness and sophomoric behavior that is, “Billy Jack”
Nice DP. Good DP. I feel like I’m talking to a dog.
Wang keep sinker dowwwnnn
**Yawn** Billy Jack
Classic Wang DP.
Nice double play! So far so good for Wang!
nice nice nice
another run or 2 would be even better
Well, kids – I have to go or I will be late getting up tomorrow morning.
Goodnight all and of course……
GO YANKEES!!!!!!!!!
Wang settled in now. Looking good.
Have to run out to pick up my boyfriend at the airport. I get the pleasure of listening to John and Suzyn! See you all later.
night Laura
Billy Jack’s here? The biker queen? So quelll
Nice to see TB and Bosux lose on the same night! What is up with the O’s owning the sawx. Beckett seems to have pitched much worse than our beloved Wanger.
dammit he painted the corner on those 2
Everyone I see Jack Cust I remember that stumble.
Robby Cano sucks!
did he really just compare Cust to Babe Ruth?
Eveland is at 62 pitches
Wang is at 29 right now…
Way to go youth! 8 pitch inning after they have Eveland at 54 pitches through 3 innings. Cano and Melky back to back is so frustrating to watch at the plate.
look at where Eveland threw those pitches
Earlier this evening the Sox scored 6 runs and Beckett was starting.
Okajima and Craig Hansen proceeded to blow the game.
The AL is really still wide open. If the yankees could put anything together they could get back in the race.
It’s a very strange year in the AL. No team is really trying to take hold, especially in the AL East.
We always do this. We get to the pitcher but dont take him out and then he settles down and ends up pitching a decent game
Billy Jack,
How many different names have you used? It’s like you’re stalking Pete with your silly obsession.
ughh…catch that !
*cue Betemit sucks posts*
they gave him a single? WB looked like a little leaguer there
that was a hit??????
Looks like the sinker is sinking, or is it just me?
can someone let me in on what Betemit is good at
Not cool WB!
He didn’t even look like a little leaguer because a little leaguer probably would have been able to knock it down.
I think the scorer deemed it a tough hop?
Craig Hansen I havent heard that name in awhile
Uh the Betemit sucks posts would be quite warranted. He’s terrible defensively, even worse than Giambi, which is saying something. He almost single handedly blew one of those games in Detroit with his terrible 3B defense. Good thing he’s a good hitter or he’d be a waste of a roster spot.
Igawa’s buck teeth (Free Brett Campaign)
June 10th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
can someone let me in on what Betemit is good at
He’s really good at making the blog comments more lively
HR derby at Shea btw…
Good old errors
Betemit’s bad play at first base just cost us a run. That’s all I ask for. Major league AVERAGE defense. We’d win 2/3 of our games if we could get it consistently.
Of course, they’re ALWAYS warranted.
Well that run is on Betemit, but Wang air mailed that pitch.
“cue Betemit sucks posts*”
Yeah, well he does. A bottom three of Betemit, Cano and Cabrera – a dream come true. Geez.
That run is Betemit’s fault not Wangs
HR derby at Shea btw…
that is unexcuseable !!! that team seriously is rotten, all the crap I hear about thier BP being better, how hell every time I flip to SNY some Met allowing a HR in one of the toughest ballparks in the majors to give up a HR. God save Willie !
It is tough to be too hard on Wilson when he is the best the bench has to offer –
Sort of like being the tallest midget, though.
The Mets are in the process of blowing yet another game.
What an ugly situation and every time they think it might get better it returns to getting worse. It’s just a bad mix of players.
And its only going to get even worse over the next couple of years – going into the season the Mets had the third worst minor league system in baseball. And they had a very mediocre draft.
How funny is it that the Tigers sent Willis to single A lol
The camera work from the Oakland crew leaves a lot to be desired. The last ball was put in play and they zoom out so at that exact moment so you don’t see what really happened.
That run is Betemit’s fault not Wangs
Bet is at fault but lets not let Wang off the hook he left that pitch in the middle flat and up. Betemit made the error but just because he makes an error shouldn’t excuse Wang missing w/ his loction.
I should have added “from all the usual suspects” to that post. Predictable, lol.
S.A.- No pain..no gain June 10th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Eveland is at 62 pitches
Wang is at 29 right now…
How many did wang throw last inning?
Also, would you all rather have Giambi playing first?
Put some more runs up here
Man..I would love to have Willie back with the Yankees..
Probably not gonna happen though..
They need to start shifting some blame to Omar..like now
Ok that pitch was Wangs fault but that run was Betemits fault… Is that better?
Now Wang is @ 44 pitches
Jeter start this rally
hit and run?
We need to start taking bets on which Yankee starting pitcher will have the fewest hits in interleague – Dibs on Moose!
What an awful 3-1 pitch to swing at
Jeter is really good at hitting into Bps this year.
Dang dp
I agree S.A. But Omar is apparently made of teflon and adept at deflecting it all onto Willie. He has a lot to answer for, IMHO.
Ok that pitch was Wangs fault but that run was Betemits fault… Is that better?
No the baserunner is Bet’s fault, that run was a gap shot. That is on Wang.
Ofcourse the Yanks dont start Damon and Jeter does what he does best these days..His at bats have become dreadful. He is either swinging at pitches wildly or hitting into a DP.
Jeter grounds into a double play …..weird
Eveland is clearly wild with more balls thrown thank strikes and 3-1 Jeter doesn’t even get a good pitch to hit and he swings, come on Jetes
C’mon A-Rod! A dinger would be nice
A-rod big home run right here.. come on dude
Funny how everyone continues to ignore Derek Jeter, banging into DP after DP hitting .275 with very little power. He’s been terrible at setting the table this year and has killed rallies when Damon has gotten on base by grounding into DPs or not moving runners along. Is he starting to get old, still bothered by his hand, or just in a slump? I don’t know, but if he keeps playing like this, he’s hurting us far more than most will admit.
I dunno, I think Omar is more at fault than Willie, but what do I know
Ok that double is Wangs fault but if Betemit makes that play the run doesnt score.
this sucks the Yanks should of had a big inning
oh Alex w/ his Ha plays
Are you kidding, Matt? There are quite a few people on this blog who like to get on Jeter regularly. Its hardly an ignored issue.
jeter sure has turned into a Double Play machine.
Angel-agreed.
That’s another reason why I don’t think Willie will be going anywhere soon. If he’s not there anymore…who is left to be blamed? Oh yeah..Omar! He can’t have that happen..
I’m sorry, but I don’t think changing the manager is gonna do much for that team when their issues run deeper.
Alright, back to work Wang
Funny if Arod was performing the way Jeter has this year he would be booed out of the stadium..But ofcourse no one will say anything about the golden boy.He has killed a 1,0000 rallies with Damon on 1st base by either a DP or swinging wildly at the 1st pitch and poping up.
In about 1 week I’m sure the calls will start for A-Gon from AAA and DFA Jeter.
I’m looking forward to those days, should be very interesting.
I don’t think anyone needs to get on Jeter for his play this season, I was just getting on him for that one at bat because that one pitch had an enormous impact on that inning
Mets lose 5th straight…
You guys are so funny. You’re both right
Ok that double is Wangs fault but if Betemit makes that play the run doesnt score.
Iggy no one is excusing his error but Wang gave up an XBH that doesn’t excuse him. Pitchers have to bare down w/ RISP, sort of when your defense makes a bad play it’s your job to pick them up.
Damn you Mets ! Damn you and Omar Minaya !
Happy B-Day Kenny
Was Nick in SF going to any of these games?
Angel, I was referring to people more in general. The media ignores it and so do the majority of the fans not on this blog. Everyone is quick to blame A-Rod for a strikeout with a runner on but very few get upset with Jeter when he makes an error that leads to 7 runs for Moose or gets picked off 2nd base. People are yelling at Cano, Kennedy, etc but if Jeter was playing up to his $19 million we’d be in much better shape as well.
Happy birthday Ken Singleton. However, you are not supposed to say your wishes, don’t you know that?
Oakland 5 for 5 getting the leadoff runner
Wang seems to enjoy allowing the lead off man to reach base every inning.
See Matt? I knew Captains Corner wouldn’t let me down.
Hence the four pitch walk.
lol. Did you guys just see Jack Nicholson praise the lord?
cano and melkman 4 abs 12 pitches these two clowns have got go
SWEET !
Nine baserunners in five innings against another mediocre pitcher = 2 runs. Pathetic.
Given its talent level, this is the most frustrating Yankees team I can remember.
Jeter hasn’t been the same since he got hit. I dunno. Hopefully we will see good Jeter soon instead of this version right now
“I think Omar is more at fault than Willie, but what do I know”
I agree. It’s a terrible mix of players. When I see that team it makes me think of what the yankees may have looked like if they didn’t stop relying on older free agents and started developing younger players.
The area where Omar and the Wilpons are most egregiously to blame is the way they’ve completely ignored their minor league system. They have no players to call up or to trade. And they’ve drafted short sighted year after year.
If they don’t win this year its going to be very ugly in Shea for several years as they blow the team up yet again.
Tim Marchman described it perfectly today:
“Basically the Mets seem to be stuck in a recurring pattern where they develop some good young talent, invest well in veterans, verge on becoming a really elite team, and then blow it because they tilt a little too heavily toward older players. This has gone on under so many general managers and so many managers, and for so long, that it really seems to be a systemic problem, and the one common thread for a long time now has been the Wilpon family, who really don’t get enough blame for presiding over the same story being told over and over again with a slightly different cast each time.”
http://www.bizofbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2261&Itemid=1
nice dp!!
Rebecca,
I think Wang likes to challenge himself.
BTW. Forgot to mention that I’m so jealous that I missed the Scranton get-together. I’m glad that you guys had a good time.
I think the guy that’s stalking Pete should join the next meet-n-greet. Then you guys can beat him to a pulp.
How about them apples.. That a boy a-rod time to get your gold glove at third base
Well I get where you’re coming from and to a certain extent I agree. But Jeter has earned a bit of lattitude, I suppose you could say. I agree that it shouldn’t make him immune to criticism, but I also think in the last few years its become “fashionable” for a certain part of the fanbase to sometimes unfairly make him their whipping boy at times too.
Given its talent level, this is the most frustrating Yankees team I can remember.
This mediocore SP allowed 1 hit in a CG vs the Red Sox this season
Hey, you guys, if the Yankees don’t mess this up, Wang can do something he hasn’t done since the beginning of May!
Is it me or is Wang’s velo way down? last several years he would sit 93 to 95 with his sinker and it’s 90 to 91 tonight. I also remember him touching 96 at times
The reasons Betemit is in the lineup:
1) Girardi wants Giambi in the lineup because he has been hot.
2) Girardi does not want to play Giambi in the field every day because he wants to keep him healthy, particularly given recent foot injury.
3) Girardi does not want Duncan in the field.
Given these three items, WB has to play. One can disagree with the underlying reasoning but to characterize the issue as a choice between Matsui and WB a) without mentioning Giambi and b) suggesting that WB is playing because he might belt one out misses the point entirely. Respectfully.
Derek Jeter is definitely having an off season with the bat.
That said – just to put things in perspective – Jeter has been the second best offensive shortstop in the AL to date this year.
He’s got the second highest OPS at SS in the AL. Only Michael Young is better.
That tells you all you need to know about how Jeter compares to other players in the league playing his position.
He’s having a poor year for him and he’s still 2nd in OPS.
Anyone in the bay area going to any of these games?
mel: We’ll have to do another LoHud meet up–was a lot of fun. Maybe some day when we’re all rich and famous we can do one at the Stadium proper. Alas, not this year.
“This has gone on under so many general managers and so many managers, and for so long, that it really seems to be a systemic problem, and the one common thread for a long time now has been the Wilpon family, who really don’t get enough blame for presiding over the same story being told over and over again with a slightly different cast each time.â€
Spot on observation by Marchman. This has been going on long before the Mets even hired Willie – and it appears nothing will change anytime soon either.
“This mediocore SP allowed 1 hit in a CG vs the Red Sox this season”
No. I was talking about our offense against Eveland. And to be fair Brandon, Wang also got destroyed by the Sox the second time around.
Jack Nicholson, like any Laker fan, is a SOB.
I think Wang knows Farnsworth is available tonight..as was like “Oh hell to the No! I’ll do this myself!”
He’s at 54 pitches btw
Jaymee is hot
I just find is strange that the Met fans act like this team should be in the ws every year and when they lose a game they go nuts.
I dont know if Farnsworth even comes out in the 8th. Possible Veras and i hope
6th walk by the A’s pitcher and all we got is 2 runs! This is a very frustrating team. Get the man home!
CB,
That’s incredible that Jeter could have the second highest OPS with the year he’s having.
I’m sure he’s going to hit at least .300 this year though and his OBP is nearly .60 points higher than his BA. I think when it’s all said and done he’ll have his typical Jeterian year.
“This has been going on long before the Mets even hired Willie – and it appears nothing will change anytime soon either.”
Absolutely. They are going to wind up blowing up this team and they are going to be left with the 28th best minor league system to rebuild with.
They are still trying to build a team at Shea as if it was 1998.
Jason, wang’s velocity if fine.
I’ve seen consistent 92-94 sinkers from him tonight.
for those that ranged from 89-91, i think he was just trying to slow down to get better control on those sinkers.
We’ll find out more.
Is it me or is Wang’s velo way down? last several years he would sit 93 to 95 with his sinker and it’s 90 to 91 tonight. I also remember him touching 96 at times
It’s you
2005 (92.0 MPH)
2006 (93.1 MPH)
2007 (92.7 MPH)
2008 (91.7 MPH)
he at times can top out at 98 MPH w/ his sinker, but he sits 92-93 MPH even w/ his sinker it’s hard to hit. When he overthrows he gets in trouble, that’s why when you read the radar gun say 98 MPH on a fastball and Wang usually leaves it up that’s when he gets hit hard.
Behold, the power of the ’stache
Indeed, riddle me this: if Shelly Duncan doesn’t play against the first lefty the Yankees have seen since Baltimore, when DOES he play? He can’t pinch-run. He’s not the defensive replacement.
So what in God’s name is Shelly doing on the roster, eh?
Hey, Cashman get your head out of your tuchus and promote a player like Castro the Yankees can use to pinch-run for Giambi, Posada, and Matsui in late innings, will ya?
Brandon, pay no attention to YES’s gun. It’s been inaccurate all season.
Giambino is italian for SPEED MERCHANT!
Or whomever you were responding to, that is, sorry, B.
Kubrick,
Stand in line. The Laker hater club is huge, but most Laker fans don’t care what they think.
KS – (you are absolutely right)
You mean Joba isn’t throwing 102mph?
Let’s get Congress looking into to this!!
Huge 3 for the Lakers!
weak hitting team might be a good shot in the arm for Wang, although he does look good tonight.
Brandon, pay no attention to YES’s gun. It’s been inaccurate all season.
Never have
Robbie looks like he’s about to cry.
Ugh we couldn’t get the Giambino home
Why cant we hit? We need Ty for lefties
Really? Jeter 2nd in OPS at SS? He has a .707 OPS which is pretty bad, so if it’s that bad across the board, then maybe all the SS are just playing poorly this year. Though just because he’s 2nd in a poor crop doesn’t mean he’s totally excused. He’s still having a pretty poor year.
Oakland will score this inning.
6 walks by the opposing pitcher and the Yanks only scored 2.
We’ve got to capitalize on their mistakes more effectively
raymagnetic,
I know it really is amazing. Jeter’s got the 2nd highest OPS and 3rd highest relative zone rating of any SS in the AL.
I’m really not worried about him. He’s going to finish the year with an .800+ OPS. And his defense has been better this year.
Its just easy to forget how rare it is for a middle infielder to produce like Jeter has. When he falls off people assume he should be taken to task.
But when you look at the alternatives you quickly see Jeter in a very off season is still better than the vast majority of SS playing the game.
Another leadoff man on, let’s turn two again
I hate all Boston teams more. In fact, until recently, I detested the Celtics infinitely more than the Red Sox.
Three White starters on a championship team, with Quinn Buckner on the bench waving the towel has to be some kind of race crime. I don’t which yet, but give me some time and I’ll find a statute to cite.
And btw, Wilson Betemit stinks as a right-handed hitter. How long is going to take for Girardi to acknowledge this truth. I’m guessing another month or so.
SWEET!
how the hell aren’t they doubling Kobe w/e
Wang keeps setting them up for the DP’s.
Good defense by Cano and A-Rod tonight has saved their butts. Defense is the most underrated, and sometimes most important, aspect of the game.
I’m beginning to wonder if Wang’s letting the lead off man on on purpose
Brandon thanks for proving my point. His velo is down significantly.. 93.1 aver to 91.7 is significant because of all the pitches that they throw to get that average… 93.1 means he’s consistently hitting 95 in the game which is a big difference when it’s got tremendous sink. Now he’s be topping at 93. With command it won’t really matter that much though.. He seems to be keeping the ball down tonight
Lets get him some runs now!!
Beautiful Wonger. Can we score some more runs already? Come on boys.
“Really? Jeter 2nd in OPS at SS? He has a .707 OPS which is pretty bad, so if it’s that bad across the board, then maybe all the SS are just playing poorly this year.”
No – the entire AL is playing poorly this year.
For reasons that are still unclear offense in general has plummeted in the AL.
Compared to last year offense is down 10%. That’s a huge drop. And with 1/3 of the season done its not simply a small sample issue.
hm…Oakland will WHAT this inning?
CB,
So true about the middle infielder position and Jeter.
Another good inning by Wang. Best start he’s had in a while. Hopefully he can keep it up for 3 more innings. Only at 60 pitches right now.
need more runs. these close games scare the crap out of me, esp on the road.
Rebecca,
Maybe Wang is trying to tease them by letting the lead-off man on
only 60 pitches through 6 innings and 3 induced GIDP
Wang certainly looks better than he has in a while
jason yeh he lowers the velocity to stay on top off the ball, it gets him the groundouts. When he picks up his velocity is when you should be worried.
WTF ARE YOU DIVING FOR !
Welcome back Wang-he’s at 60 pitches
Can we score another run please?
enough melky.
enough.
Melky.
STOP DIVING
is melky going back to that diving into first base stuff… I thought he was finally finished with that
Wow Melky sliding into 1st base again. They even tell you not to do that in little league. Somebody needs to give him a stern talking to after the 2nd day in a row of it.
Jason,
Most sinkerball pitches throw in the 91-93mph range I believe. I’m pretty sure it’s a rarity when sinkerball pitches throw harder than that.
The next time Melky dives into 1st base he should be sent to AAA. Does he ever learn? Or is he just dumb as dirt?
why does he keep sliding? hasnt joe girardi told him to stop after yesterdays game
The patented Melky Cabrera slide 2 nights in a row…
suddenly got the YES broadcast instead of the Oakland
anyone else?
Melky has to stop sliding head first
Melky need to cut the diving crap
Girardi & Co are obviously not telling Melky not to dive. Ugh, someone get Larry Bowa on the phone.
I’d bench Melky for 2 games because of that slide. He would have been out anyway, but I’d do it just out of principal. Love the bunt, but that slide is just awful baseball.
Para tirando te bruto !
I like these 10 pitch innings. I would kill for Wang to be able to throw a complete game if the score holds.
Which lets you know what I think of our current bullpen, outside of Mo who’s been used three games in a row.
Cano and Melky should join Willis in single A. There acts are getting to be pathetic already. It is like they both are in there own worlds.
“Robbie looks like he’s about to cry.”
Rebecca – I told him about his VORP, I don’t think he took it well.
GiDP machine again
Girardi needs to bench Melky to get him to stop diving into first base.
This is utter nonsense. He should bench him a game. If he does it again he should bench him for two games and keep doubling the penalty.
Its inexcusable.
Captainscorner,
He should be sent to AAA for sliding? Don’t you mean taken out the game? Isn’t sending him down to AAA just a little too harsh?
missed the hit and run.
*waits*
Brandon, no te comprendo. Que es ‘te bruto’?
Why is he doing it though? Everyone knows that doesnt work, I dont get why he would even want to slide into first
6 abs 16 pitches those 2 clowns have got to go Maybe melk can go to the summer olympics as a diver
Memo to Girardi: BENCH MELKY CABRERA
I’m so sick of watching Melky making these stupid mental mistakes night after night.
He’s been told a thousand times over the past few years to stop doing it and he doesn’t listen.
Girardi needs to sit him down and bring up Gardner to give him some competition.
Enough is enough.
Didn’t they prove on one of the “Mythbusters” shows that sliding doesn’t get you in any faster? Seems like a big risk if its a negligible difference in speed.
Melky should be fined every time he slides into first base. If he doesn’t stop, he should ride the pine and Gardner replace him for a few games. He’s been in the big leagues for 3 years now, he’s not a rookie anymore. It’s time to learn how to play baseball.
Well that helps Damon doesn’t go on the DP..Doesn’t get a good jump on the hit and run. There is no way that the Yanks will win this game. They had plenty of times to add on and never did. They will feel bad when the Yanks give up a couple of runs to lose.
Lots of baseball players have signature moves. Sliding into 1st must be Melky’s.
Jeter needs to quit selling Fords and get into the batting cages.
Seems to be a lack of discipline with some of the young guys. Robbie Cano has been dismal swinging at awful first pitches and has forgot what having any sort of eye at the plate means. Melky not hitting well either and stupid mental errors. Seems like just a lack of discipline
Jeter needs to learn how to take a “walk”. He’s been hacking like Cano lately.
60 pitches through 6 innings for the Wangmeister…maybe he’s back for good?
Apparently the game is over. Good thing I’m on this blog – I’d never know things like that if there weren’t all these people with ESP powers around to tell me.
Congrats to your Lakers, Mel.
Oh god, just stop with the first base sliding… He gets into the game, he smells base hit and he slides, not the end of the world. I’ll admit that the slide he just made was not a good idea, but at the end of the game yesterday, I had no problem with that slide. If the guy flips the ball to the pitcher and the ball is behind him, he tries to tag Melky which is why a slide in that situation makes sense.
“Jeter needs to learn how to take a “walkâ€. He’s been hacking like Cano lately”
He walked in the first inning.
Melky is just not a very good player. Period. He has a strong outfield arm, and that’s about it. Brett Gardner could very well come up and struggle, but I’d sure like to see him get a chance to prove himself.
“Jeter needs to quit selling Fords and get into the batting cages.”
Had to laugh at that one
This is unreal.
Rebecca me being angry there I hit the space bar.
Great point Catherine. I was saying something kinda like that the other day. The difference between them being stars right now and just above average major leaguers is their discipline. Guys like Chase Utley are stars while Cano is not as of now because Cano has no discipline at the plate.
I don’t understand how Melky’s sliding into first has persisted under 2 managers. I’d really like to know what has been said to him over the last 3 years. Is he ignoring the coaching staff, or is nothing being said?
Wangs getting the job done but every inning the A’s have gotten the leadoff guy on base. I know he’s a ground ball pitcher and double plays are his method of getting outs but he hasn’t looked as sharp as usual. He’s got a great pitch count though and obviously looks a lot better than his recent starts.
I can’t believe this. God forbid the Yankees should blow the A’s out so I could go to sleep. Another damn nail-biter. How hard is it to hit a point-impressionst oil painter of Carribean landscapes.
Damn it, what is up with this lead-off hitter. That has to be some kind of record.
The A’s has 6 hits and Mark bleeping Ellis has 3 of them. Unbelievable.
“Memo to Girardi: BENCH MELKY CABRERA”
Until further developments, you realize you are calling for Johnny “rag-arm” Damon to patrol centerfield, no?
John Flaherty “Chien-Ming Wang has three double plays as the Yankees defense has been flawless behind him.”
Really? Because of the defense, it’s 2-1 and not 2-0.
many things to dislike so far tonight.
abreu out at 3rd with less the n2 outs.. BAD baserunning.
Betemit BS at 1st get your body in front of the ball, the run for oakland should have never scored.
Jeter stinks.. 2 Ks, failed in the hit and run, on a 3 and 1 count hit into a DP.. he has been miserable
melky with the slide crap.
this team as is cannot win close game… they are crappy on D and have no speed..
YECH
here they come
Jeter also walked and scored tonight stuart. Does that not negate the 2 strikeouts and DP?
2008 Staten Island Yankees Roster
Man, that guy wearing number 2 in road grays looks Derek Jeter.
“Are you sure [he's] not a shortstop?”
I thought Girardi was touted as a “no nonsense” manager. It just seems like stupid, stupid things are what hurt us. Mental errors, lack of discipline from the kids, faith in crappy relievers, just nonsense really. We also seem to lack being able to “manufacture” runs, something Girardi, a former NL manager, was supposed to allow us to do. I dunno, Girardi is a good guy but the whole style of play right now isnt what I expected
Man, that guy wearing number 2 in road grays looks like Derek Jeter.
“Are you sure [he’s] not a shortstop?â€
Jeters #’s again are worse then MELKY”S..
think about that…….
Pete,
I don’t know what game you’re watching, but Wang has not looked good (again). The leadoff man has always gotten on and he’s gotten some hard shots right at people to start DP’s. And now it looks like he’ll blow the game in the 7th as I type this.
Ack! Come on Wang
Wang needs to stop it here RISP aces kill these type of innings
Brandon,
Does that mean that Grienke’s brother signed?
They’ve won quite a few close games, Stuart – if I recall correctly.
Man, I knew it was a bad thing Wang is so economical today.
Good Evening Folks!
The real Chien-Ming Wang is back!
How about another DP right here!
Go Yanks!
“many things to dislike so far tonight.”
*insert parade of horribles*
Wow, I could have sworn we were winning this game – keep all sharp objects away from stuart!
I’d still don’t like the way that sinker is moving. Too much lateral movement and not enough horizontal drop.
Great…
I still don’t like the way that sinker is moving.
Too much lateral movement and not enough horizontal drop
Sidenote: Anyone think the managing of the last inning last night was just poorly done?
Down by one, Arod gets on with no outs. We can’t score the run and we lose.
I just felt there should’ve been a steal, a bunt, anything. There was nothing at all
Here we go again…
I said another DP, not a single!!!!!
C’mon Wang, get outta this!!!!!
Hey is Ichiro’s brother a good hitter?
Does that mean that Grienke’s brother signed?
yes
LOL @ the insert parade of horribles.
Here we go again how about a nice double play here
Oh crap. What is this
Yankee Killer M. Ellis is Oakland’s version J. Guillen
uuuuuuggggghhhhh, gets beat by a
0.222 hitter
welcome back CMW!!
Damon’s lack of an arm is very overrated.
You do realize that this team won four rings and six pennants with a guy named Bernie Williams in CF?
Bernie always had a bad arm. Maybe just a hair above Damon’s arm – but a terrible one nonetheless. He scared nobody on the basepaths and they always took advantage of him.
Secondly, I just said Gardner needs to give him some competition. Put Gardner out there and see what he can do for this team.
Melky has always been a fourth outfielder who happens to start for this club.
This isn’t hyperbole. I’ve never been a fan of Melky and I think people put way too much emphasis on his arm.
YEH BABY SWEEEEEEET !
Yes.. Nice call Joe
Yesssssss!
I jumped on here just so I could rant about Melky’s slide into first, and was glad to see that Pete beat me to it.
It defies understanding that they cannot stamp this out. They need to fine him for every slide into first. Every time he does it, the fine increases. Eventually, I’ve got to think that Melky will get the message. If not, then you sit him for a game. If they are telling him not to slide and he continues to do it, that is insubordination and must be punished. And if they are not telling him to stop sliding, then Girardi is doing a terrible job, which I doubt.
Where are the team leaders on this? They need to have a kangaroo court to mock him and fine him for these ridiculous slides.
With every slide, I become more and more convinced that they should trade Melky and bring up Gardner to play CF.
anybody notice how betemit took his eyes off the relay through from cabrera. he is hurting us tonight.
Huge sigh of relief here
Please tell me that psycho Kyle is not available today?!
hell to the yea
I like the double fist pump on the way off the field from A-Rod and Jeter
Thank god! Nicely turned again! Huge DP. We should have more than 2 runs on the board though tonight, we’ve had plenty of baserunners. Closer than it should be, and I don’t know if Mo is available for a 4th night in a row.
YES!!!!! THAT’S MY BOY WANG!!
11-9 in one-run games this year.
Beautiful!!! Another Double Play
Looks like the Wang of old. Defense showed up tonight even if the offense is still in New York.
Ross Ohlendorf is still a Yankee? Huh, whaddya know? Maybe, Girardi will have Wong pitch until the 15th inning tonight just to make sure his pitch count exceeds 150.
yeah Peter maybe Girardi can get melky not to slide, Betemit to be a mna and get in front of the ground ball, and teach Jeter how to hit the damn ball.
this team is hard to watch.. what do they do well???Sometimes it is hard to tell.
Hey fellas checkin in late today( had to work til close) good to see our boys are leading caught that DP Wanger lucked out there
Get ridda betemit!
That jerk couldn’t handle a grounder, allowing a runner to get on. That runner ending up scoring the A’s only run…
Then this inning, he drops Melky’s in-bound throw – if he had caught it, he could have thrown out the runner at third!
Jerk!!!!!!!!!!!!
Betemit stiiiinkS!
And BTW, Wang is not an ace, because he’s not throwing a no-hitter, as all aces do every single day, 7 days a week.
Wang can go 9 tonight if Mo isn’t available I think, 80 pitches through 7
For all you Melky haters. This game would have been tied if he wasnt roaming center field this last inning. His defense is valuable enough to deal with his avg. hitting.
anybody notice how betemit took his eyes off the relay through from cabrera. he is hurting us tonight.
And he held up the 3B runner doing that
I thought Gaudin was a starter for Oakland
Does anyone else think that YES does the player of the game too early? In the 7th?
“Melky has always been a fourth outfielder who happens to start for this club.
This isn’t hyperbole. ”
You’re right – it isn’t hyperbole, is factually incorrect. If you look at Melky’s numbers vs. Bernie’s numbers at the exact same age Melky is better to date.
I only know this b/c Kellerman went on this rant for a month. But the numbers back it up.
Was the character Long-Duck Dong in 16 Candles:
A) Taiwanese or Chinese?
B) a vulgar racist sterotype
C) an amusing, loving potrait and harbinger of the Great Chien-Ming Wang
D) both B & C
E) The Red Sux swallow.
Can Mo seriously pitch tonight? I mean that would be his 4th game in a row…
somebody please tell me how Alan Embree is still around and getting guys out
Another run or two would make me more at ease
BTW nice that we got out of that mess earlier this inning!
I didnt know Pedroia was in lottery commercials…
Sorry, little punchy tonight. I’m way past my bedtime. Apologies all.
“Pinstripes June 11th, 2008 at 12:18 am
Wang can go 9 tonight if Mo isn’t available I think, 80 pitches through 7″
Absolutely I think tonight is the night for a CG from Wanger.
I hope girardi isn’t actually thinking about veras for the 8th. This bp is pathetic. Ahhhhh
Hey, look who it is our old friend Embree.
I’d leave Wang in, but more importantly, could go for an insurance run.
look how skinny giambi was!
hahaha.
old giambi looks like old bonds… hm.. I wonder what happened? lol
“16 Candles”
Loved that movie. Jake Ryan..sigh
Cox- Yes they do so many things happen from the 7th on player of the game should be announced before the postgame but after the game itself.
betemit didn’t hold him up. had he caught it cleanly he had a chance to get him at 3rd.
Embree was a shell with us a few years back
I think Embree closed for them last year when Huston “Jason” Street was on the DL.
My last memory of Embree was him giving up the go ahead home run to Paul Konerko at home against CHW and losing us a game in the 9th inning.
I would think that Gardner can play just as good defense that Melky can ofcourse without the arm. But he would beat out a ton of infield hits. Like Melky’s bunt before and the 9th inning hit against the Royals. Melky is a decent hitter there is no reason that CF should be considered his job.
Just checked ESPN we gotta win Tampa and Boston lost tonight is a good night for a “W” seriously if Girardi gives the ball to the pen I might go nuts.
So what? Does that mean Melky should be given the CF slot by default and never challenged?
Cashman doesn’t think so. He flat out said that Melky was going to get plenty of competition over the next couple of years because of Gardner and Jackson in the minors who are going to compete for that spot.
Melky was challenged in ST and he played well. It’s time to challenge him again.
You can out all the emphasis on his defense you want – but he still has to produce at the plate.
He hasn’t done that since April. And Gardner can give this team a speed dimension they haven’t had in awhile.
Gardner will also take a pitch pitches to get on base – something Melky knows nothing about.
They need someone to get on base in front of Damon the way he’s hit the last few weeks.
Heard that the Yankees have interest in Huston Street or Brian Fuentes to try and improve the bullpen. Thoughts? Bily Beane wants some young cheap talent
Betemit is pretty bad why is Matsui not playing.
dang it
I can’t believe he swung at 2 offspeed pitches, jesus lay off of that.
I like how our team has only 6 hitters and 3 auto outs in Betemit-Robbie-Melky.
Matsui should have been in the game today…
wang?
I say I want an insurance run, so of course Posada and Betemit strike out.
Yanks have got to do something about that bullpen–I shouldn’t feel like it’s a tie game when we’re up by one in the 8th.
Betemit, say hello to Igawa when you get to AAA SWB you jerk!
we just need 6 outs
Then sleepy time
How many times are we going to have to see Betemit demonstrate he can’t hit from the right-side before Girardi realizes he’s not really a switch-hitter.
Unfortunately, Betemit hit a homerun last week from the right-side that helped the Yankees win a game. Now Girardi is going to force the issue for the next month.
God this offense is just horrible.
Alan Embree????????
Betemit is pretty bad why is Matsui not playing.
where are you gonna put Matsui he’s not a 1B and your not putting Johnny to DH and Jason needs rest. You live w/ what you have right now.
man we could use this win tonight
Please don’t let that come back to screw us
ughh..Alex and the pop ups
Whew!
Street is having a good year but his ERA is 3.50 for a closer thats a bit high but I suppose he’d be setting up here I’d give Beane IPK for street maybe throw someone else in, Streets only 25 and he could close down the line.
Arod got lucky on that one…
oh Alex
He’d been doing a good lately on pop-ups
CB, Jeter makes $19MM a year and has an OPS lower than D. Eckstein (not just M. Young) and barely above stalwarts like Betancourt, and Peralta. He has also made a rash of mental errors lately, from getting thrown out on the bases (something we never see from him) to numerous failures to bunt and execute moving the runner over, and looks more lost than I can ever remember him. His defensive improvment is debatable depending on the stats you use, but he does seem to be cheating more to his weak glove side with good effect.
I also posted on the other thread that his SLG since the ASB of last year is barely above .400, so the HBP is not the only culprit. He certainly deserves every benefit of the doubt, but also criticism – he and Cano have been major disappointments this year, Cano’s being worse of course. I suspect he has an injury that is more chronic, the carry on his base hits certainly seems weaker.
At $19MM a year and given the early loss of A-Rod and Posada, Jeter’s first half is one of the major disappointments of 2008, and one of the most disheartening. If he gets to an .800 OPS by year end, he will have to have a remarkable 2nd half, let’s hope it happens…
Not having Matsui in the lineup may end up costing the game. You can’t have 3 auto outs at the bottom of the lineup. You just can’t.
who’s coming in, and please tell me it’s doesn’t start w/ an F or H
Haha wow, when Arod makes an error it always looks AWFUL
Please tell me Farns is not coming in…If he is then Girardi should of left Wang out there.
the lead better hold
WTF Girardi is frickin moron give Joe Torre a Santana type contract to manage this ball-club I hate our bullpen.
Signs are there that yanks will lose again.
Gotta go grab a snack and head back to the Hill.
Good night.
Why hasn’t Edwar Ramariz being used more often? He dominated when he was used.
Is Girardi dumb? Wow. Wang with 83 pitches through 7.1 IP and pitching really well and he takes him out because one guy hits a deep fly ball off him? Are you kidding? Mo probably isn’t available, why is he playing with fire in a 1 run game? Hopefully it doesn’t cost them but it’s just a stupid move all around.
“He flat out said that Melky was going to get plenty of competition over the next couple of years because of Gardner and Jackson in the minors who are going to compete for that spot.”
Cashman also said Betemit could take over 3rd if A-Rod left and Bubba Crosby was the CFer before Damon signed.
I’d give Beane IPK for street maybe throw someone else in, Streets only 25 and he could close down the line.
No chance this is Billy Beane
Why, Girardi, why?
ripcord is an idiot
Too bad the Yankees don’t have a Jew on the team. I’d love to be able to have a special passion for one player.
I haven’t felt any overwhelming affection for a Yankee player since Cashman retired Bernie.
“Joe Torre hates black people”
and
“Brian Cashman hates Latin guitarists”
tag the bag Jose !
Girardi is in love with Veras hope it doesnt blow up in his face
Veras?
Why take Wang out?
Wang was at 83 pitches. This move does not make a lot of sense. That said, I hope it works.
Come on, Girardi is not going to leave Wang in the game unless the bases are loaded and Jose Guillen is at the plate.
I wonder if Mo is available tonight? He has pitched alot recently. He also didn’t really have good control if that wasn’t obvious by the 2 homeruns.
“Cashman doesn’t think so. He flat out said that Melky was going to get plenty of competition over the next couple of years because of Gardner and Jackson in the minors who are going to compete for that spot.”
So is your point that there is competition or that there isn’t?
Melky is fine where he is – he makes some boneheaded plays like sliding into first but he hits well for a defensive-premium position. You were questioning the importance of the arm, but the Yankees have built a $26M platoon in left field because centerfield defense is so important. Apparently they disagree with you about the importance of an arm in center.
There is no way Farnsworth should ever get a shot in a pressure situation/close game again. Only a few more months of him and then he is on his way to collect $5 mill a year from some other team.
Girardi is in love with Veras
Believe it or not that’s actually a good thing
giradi clearly has down syndrome, wang was at 83 pitches. he trusts a joba-less bullpen over wang. sometime general joe over manages.
Killing Betemit is stupid..used properly as a LHB and a utility middle infielder player, he could be quite valuable. He is not an everyday player and the Yankees failure to cut bait on Shelley Duncan and Ensberg early enough and explore a real RH/1B option is the real issue. And i don’t believe Jason Lane is the answer but he may at least deserve the opportunity.
Oh God dont walk him.
Flaherty and Singleton making fun of Joe Girardi
Now you know its bad
I guess as long as this leads to a win, I have no problem with. Else, the commenters will probably all implode.
Great, 2 out walk.
walks bad Jose!
Veras’s delivery is awful. He has good stuff but has no idea where the ball is going. He is going to have to show that he has better control if he is going to pitch in these situations.
well the Yankees get thier 3 knock backs at Ed Montague, the fastball to the face, the Jetes foul to the neck and now add Veras fastball to the legs.
Is farnsworth going to save this game? is rivera avialable?
They needed more runs tonight if this game is lost its because they couldnt score a RISP off of Alan Embree!
That play right there shows the Yankees what they are missing on the bench
Does this pen ever have an inning where no one gets on base
RISP end it here Jose, end it here !
Come on Veras
Paging J.B Cox, David Robertson, Mark Melancon…
If the Yankees were in 1st place and 8 games ahead after having clinched home field advantage, I could see putting Farnsworth in to test him.
Not before.
I’m getting angina
Mound conference is always a bad sign outside Veras, keep it away I can envision Chavez turning on one.
“They needed more runs tonight if this game is lost . . . ”
Wow – look out bill james
CaptainsCorner,
I agree completely. Veras just doesn’t seem to have any sort of pitch location control. Location isn’t in his arsenal and it hurts him. He seems to rely entirely on the batter swinging to get strikes.
Wang having a great game at 83 pitches on a mild night. If he’s not hurt I don’t have any clue why they would take him out of this game. Hope Veras gets Chavez out here, because that was a terrible move in that spot to take out Wang.
Chavez is having really good swings against Veras.
Chavez is on every one of Veras’s pitches. Watch out!!1
“I’m getting angina”
Please – keep it clean, this is a family website!
This at bat has been a little too long for my liking
c’mon veras, your offense is not bailing you out tonight.
Can someone explain to me why after moving Joba to the starter rotation not one of the highly touted relievers (Cox, Melancon, Robertson) has even been given a shot? I’d rather see them give up the hit than a washed up Hawkins or Farnsworthless
I understand he has worked a few days in a row but we NEED 4 outs of him tonight
Oh God Ellis is up the guys killing us today.
Melky is one of the toughest decisions the Yankees have. His offense seems to have a pretty low ceiling but you never know given his youth. ONe thing’s for sure – we will miss his defense if he is moved…especially the arm. But you would think his trade value is lower now than it was in the offseason, so it’s hard to imagine we can get good value for him. I say keep him as the 4th OF/platoon partner and see what develops..
AHHH!! I AM NERVOUS
go get em girardi….he is missing his spots pretty bad
That’s not a good way to get the 8th inning job
This really is a joke. That the Yanks do not have anyone besides Mo that can come in and get 2 outs. This bullpen really is full of a bunch of clowns. Veras is as wild as can be.
I might faint
Stupid Girardi!
I can’t look…
“Can someone explain to me why after moving Joba to the starter rotation not one of the highly touted relievers (Cox, Melancon, Robertson) has even been given a shot? I’d rather see them give up the hit than a washed up Hawkins or Farnsworthless”
Because they’re not ready yet.
Its as simple as that.
Pheeewww….
YES JOSE !
Melky is a 4th outfielder but with our offense it should not matter. He is a heal of a defensive player who adds energy to this old and expensive team. I say keep him.
The Yankees should start giving out free trips to the cardiologist for fans that stay for the 8th inning
Veras here?
Moose and Rasner throw 110+ pitches in 95 degree weather, but Wang gets pulled at 83 with no guys on?
I just don’t get it.
Veras got out of it. Doesn’t matter. Still a bad move.
PHEW!
Girardi would have had the media in his a$$ if Ellis got a hit there.
So who the heck pitches the 9th?
Veras doing his best Farnsworth impression
Phewwww…..At least that worked out.
Looks like Mo time again
WHew!!!!!!!
You can keep the Melky blinders on if you wish, but Melky is going to get pushed sooner or later.
Part of the reason to have a very young team is to create competition for playing time.
They have that with Gardner. They have it in bullpen arms waiting for their chance in the minors as well.
I’m not saying they need to replace Melky with Gardner altogether and leave him there for the rest of the season.
But Melky needs some competition because he’s playing with his head up his arse more often than he should. Competition is always good for a baseball team – especially one that isn’t playing good ball.
No way you can throw Mo 4 days in a row at 38 years old. Who’s gonna close? It better not be Farnsworth. We need to tack on some more to this lead. 2 runs with all these base runners is pathetic. It’d be awesome if we could win this 2-1, but if the pen falters if Mo isn’t available nobody to blame but themselves. They could have blown this game wide open multiple times and didn’t.
S.A- hows the weather in Woodbridge holding up haha.
Mo better be available today, if girardi brings in farnsworth to close i’ll die
One of the aforementioned (Cox, Robertson, Melancon) preferably Melancon needs to be promoted before Fathers day this BP is painful.
mo better not be available today, why would you want him pitching in four straight games/days, especially after yesterday?
Catherine –
Apparently Joe doesn’t want to see hawkins either – I think they are letting the AAA relievers build up innings and confidence before they throw them in the deep end of the pool. It is a BIG leap from minors to majors – we are spoiled after seeing Joba.
Mo has pitched 3 days in a row.
Veras pitched the 8th.
Kyle is available.
Do the math. Farnsworth will pitch the 9th.
So I wonder how long extra innings will go. Ohlendorf better get ready.
If Farnsworth comes in, we lose. It’s as simple as that.
Did the A’s just implant the red sox bullpen from 04 into their roster??
The best reliever for the ninth would be 4 runs this inning
If you pitch Mo here, you’re basically killing him for the rest of the series.
“Moose and Rasner throw 110+ pitches in 95 degree weather, but Wang gets pulled at 83 with no guys on?
I just don’t get it.”
I don’t get it either…Thank God they didn’t score. All hell would have broken loose tomorrow..er..later today
Can we score a couple insurance runs now?
I don’t want the Yankees to promote Gardner though unless they’re prepared to start him.
Anyone know how Gardner’s arm compares to Melky and/or his range.
I still prefer Veras to Farnsworth or Hawkins. All things considered, he has pitched pretty well thus far this season, despite the propensity for the occasional inopportune walk.
3 and 1 to Cano ? I think he shocked himself.
Melky = Endy Chavez with less speed?
MO WARMING UP
I stand corrected.
aaaaand theres MO.
Mo 4 days in a row?? Surely not, but good grief who else can we rely on? 8(
Mo CANNOT pitch today then hes not available until at least Houston you cannot pitch a 38 year old pitcher 4 days in a row this could have been avoided its called a CG and Wang could have thrown one!
Pete’s theory on Mo in save situations as opposed to tie games is going to be tested tonight. I for one am hoping it proves true.
You can keep the Melky blinders on if you wish, but Melky is going to get pushed sooner or later.
Part of the reason to have a very young team is to create competition for playing time. I’d suggest the same thing for Cano but Alberto Gonzalez is far from someone who could provide that competition.
The Yanks have that with Gardner for CF. They have it in bullpen arms waiting for their chance in the minors as well. Cox, Melancon, and Robertson will get their opportunities at some point.
I’m not saying they need to replace Melky with Gardner altogether and leave him there for the rest of the season.
But Melky needs some competition because he’s playing with his head up his arse more often than he should.
Competition is always good for a baseball team – especially one that isn’t playing good ball.
MELKYYYYYYYYY !
Melkman!
And the Melky haters stop talking
What was that about Melky again?
Thank you, Melky.
Insurance RUN.
There is it Melky!
Wang had allowed the lead-off hitter on in every inning until the 8th…. hence he did pitch out of the stretch all night. thats gotta tax him.
Mo for 4 days in a row…. hope it doesnt backfire down the line
Okay, sorry Melk, I apologize. Keep BG in Scranton.
Good thing Girardi didn’t bench melky for the slide…. i like the insurance run!!
Who said Melky can’t hit?
That homerun shouldn’t count because popular vote was to take Melky out of the game for a meaningless slide into first base.
Veras’ peripherals are fantastic this year, maybe we have found a cheap, valuable 7th inning arm – he’s only 27 so it’s worth the angina to find out tho’ not in the 8th inning of a 1 run game! As far as the Cox/Melancon/Robertson trio, the first two are recovering from injuries this year so some patience is indicated and Robertson is moving fast enough that you may see him post-ASB. But as with Rasner, i would like to see the yankees also give Scott Patterson a longer look along with Veras and Edwar. Ditching Farnsworthless should be a given and he may even have some value to a team like the Cardinals or DBacks to bring back a minor league prospect.
I will take the insurance run though from Melky. Since Mo is pitching for the 4th day in a row.
4th outfielder who????
THANK YOU INSURANCE RUN
did he headfirst slide into home on that ?
Melky!!! Now we can have a collective sigh of relief!
Melky heard the board and answers. Woohoo! HR for the Melk!
I can see why Mo might be used here. He’s only thrown like 10-15 pitches each of those last 3 games he’s pitched and it’s a really close one tonight that maybe you just take tonight’s win and rest him the next day or two. Maybe they blow some of those other ones open and he doesn’t need to pitch.
Mo cannot start the 9th now theres a cushion bring him in only if it gets hairy.
There’s your insurance run
I BELIEVE THAT WAS A DINGER FROM THE MELK-MAN!
The defense rests.
if melky does that every game i don’t care if he slids into 1st base or even builds a sand castle there.
Melky baby!
“did he headfirst slide into home on that ?”
Wouldve been great if he did.
I honestly believe Gardner is going to be traded. I dont think he is an untouchable and i think he is going to be moved. He is not considered a five tool player.. Soo they send him and kennedy for marte.
I apologize. Keep BG in Scranton.
what are you nuts, you feel comfy pinch running w/ Shelley or Betemit ? That kids needs to be here now.
That Melky HR was right there in his wheelhouse he ran into that one.
Man listen to that crowd when the Captain comes to the plate.
mayeb he was scared he couldn’t resist the urge to slide on a single so he decied to take 4 bases instead
I can understand Joe’s move to take Wang out. His pitch count was low, but he got into trouble in the 7th and was pretty lucky to get out. With the way he’s been pitching tonight it’s gotta be a big confidence booster for him which he must be in much need of. So better play safe to pull him and not risk giving that all back. Plus Veras’s been pitching well.
Melky, nice. But still, stop sliding into first thanks.
This is where Keith Foulke ran off to.
Next year, LF & RF might need to be filled, can’t Melky & Gardner both stay?
Ah, yes.
One dinger is going to make up for his continued boneheaded mental mistakes over the last month.
That makes sense.
Melky needs to be pushed. That’s all there is to it.
Good hit by Melky. But let’s not do this “where are you all you Melky doubters now?” stuff. He had not hit a HR in quite a while.
I hope they are planning on bringing up Melancon like tomorrow morning because this pen is shot and Mo is done for several days thanks Girardi!
I stand by everything I’ve said about Melky.
Typical Yankee fan response to overreact to one play. It’s great that Melky homered but it doesn’t change a thing. And his slide into first was NOT meaningless. He would have been safe on that play and then gone to third on Damon’s single. From there he could have scored on an out.
1st HR since May 4th for Melky.
I remember that game. It was terrible.
Dont Remind us singelton. You just gave me nightmares
Good thing hall of famer Scutaro isn’t on this team anymore…
If Mo comes up lame or pulls something here Im going for Girardi’s head!
why is mariano in to pitch to the bottom of the order? i know farnsworth is not trustworthy but come on.
Farns isn’t available. His biceps hurt. Serious.
As much as we didnt hit today. We all saw what we wanted to see a good performance from Wang.
sit your wannbe hero a.. down !
Guiseppe Franco-
Don’t let facts get in the way of your story. Way to hold the line.
Mo sure has been getting used a lot. Just makes me a little worried
Belated thanks-Angel. Went out to the market and just noticed your comment.
This is ridiculous. At some point Mo has to be unavailable even if it is a save situation. Esp. with the insurance run in the top of the inning, Girardi should have brought in someone else or left in Veras. Of course, he wouldn’t be in this position if he had left Wang in the game.
If everything works out, this will be Wang’s first win since May 2. About time too…
Yeah Mo permitting we are looking at Wangers 7th W thats pretty good for early June.
Wang was great today. He adjusted when he got in trouble and got his dp’s. Good sign all around.
First of all you have to win the games you are supposed to win or 3 outs away from winning. This is a good decision. we get a win and possible tommorow we make some havoc with the bats and not be in a save situation.
“why is mariano in to pitch to the bottom of the order? i know farnsworth is not trustworthy but come on.”
Ok so when it is bases loaded no one out lets see what you would have to say then…Mo has pitched alot but Farns. would not close this game with a win.
You pitch Mo tonight to win the game an worry about tomorrow —tomorrow
ML –
You are ridiculous. You say it is typical of yankee fans to overreact to one play – meaning the homerun – while you are overreacting to one play – the slide into first.
sounds like a typical boston fan to me.
OMG a blooper Mo’s worst nightmare.
TKinDC,
Like I said, feel free to keep your Melky blinders on.
He’s going to get a reality check sooner or later.
On the other not. Anyone hiring”? I am college student looking for employment for the summer.
Bad location on that pitch…
You cannot have your closer pitch four games in a row like this and not expect repercussions, I am pretty sure that if he were available even Kyle Farnsworth could get out Buck, Gonzalez and Suzuki.
hhhhmmmm
Of course as soon as I hit submit comment Gonzalez gets a hit.
“First of all you have to win the games you are supposed to win or 3 outs away from winning. This is a good decision. we get a win and possible tommorow we make some havoc with the bats and not be in a save situation.”
Come to think of it I cant even recall a game where we were ahead by alot and could throw anyone out there.
Great win.
I absolutely LOVE it when this team takes the opener!!!
:FIST PUMP !:
Good win! Mo has to be unavailable for 2 days now.
Good job by Mo. He needs 2 days off. Hopefully the Yanks will actually hit tomorrow and we won’t need him.
Great win! The long-awaited 7th win for Wang
SA-
Lets go to Jose Tejas or Big Shots for a victory drink!
haha
Solid win. Good pitching. Timely hitting.
We Won!
Yay! I can sleep in peace now!
Before you guys go to sleep. Anyone got any job opportunities for a college student. I am a die hard yankee fan and very eager to work for Yankee employees.
GF-
Since you don’t feel like dealing with facts, logic or stats – just put your TKinDC blinders on when you read the blog. You are beyond help.
Anybody notice how Matsui was walking off the field just now? Very awkwardly if you ask me.
LOL Dr. Cox
The Yankees have another win, and so does Wang. What a wonderful day!
that pitch to Chavez on gameday was a strike
And Pete’s Mo Theory holds.
six games with 99 games left seems doable…
So happy for Wanger and the team. Hope this is a start of a west coast sweep. Can’t wait to see our pitchers especially Joba hit in Houston.
Good night all!
Wrong. If you keep pitching Mo no matter what, then you end up without Mo in September and October when you really need him. With a two run lead, we could have given someone else a chance to close it out.
So, would you folks pitch Mo tomorrow night if it’s a save situation?? Where does it end?
MJL I saw that Matsui was limping badly.
again Melky has bette roffensive #’s then our captain, no malice intended jsut providing some facts.
Look them up Cano offensively has been the biggest dog, then Jeter and then Melky. But we had the least expectations for Melky so why all the hate????
Looks like Girardi has fallen in love with Veras(that is scary) but I like it better the Kyle( I like anyone better then him except Buddy Groom).
mo Pitched I think 3 days in a row that is not good for Weds….
From the Daily news blog:
“Girardi was going to watch Kyle Farnsworth play catch before deciding whether he was available for tonight’s game. Farnsworth hasn’t pitched for three straight days because of tenderness in his right biceps.”
Now Erick Threets can be picked off waivers, lets see if the Yankees pitching cordinators can fix himif the FO picks him up. Not on the ML roster on a minor league level deal, low risk , high reward.
MDL- I saw that too, Matsui was definitely limping. I didn’t hear anything about him being injured though…
Great win. Wang gets a much deserved win. Hopefully the start of a long streak with some ground to be made up.
I saw it too, Matsui was definitely limping. BRB people.
Nice to see some improvements from Wang. But he’s still not quite right…hope he’ll only get better.
Good thing Melky hit a clutch HR today, people has been calling for his head the past two days!
TKinDC,
It is NOT one play. Melky has done this his whole career. It seems like the coaching staff just can’t get him to stop doing it. That’s a problem. He also refuses to learn the strike zone and stop swinging at pitches above his head.
If knowing that sliding into first is a dumb play makes me “ridiculous” and a “typical boston fan”, then so be it. You give Yankee fans a bad name if you don’t understand this.
One good game does not a comeback make, but Wang definitely needs it to (somewhat) get his groove back. He’s still shaky, but the 4 double plays really save him and the Yankees. All in all, a nice win.
I’m just curious what is so bad about Melky sliding into first – is it really that much slower?
Just got back in. Heard most of the game on radio. Wang pitched like the old Wang getting those DP grounders. Alex was on with Suzyn on her post game and said that Wang pitched the best he had all season and had the right arm angle.
Glad the Yanks won. Good way to start a road trip.
Melky needs to be benched to learn a lesson. Yes, he had a big hit there, but how many times has his sliding “technique” helped us?
All Flaherty needs is the cowlick to pull off the full Alfalfa look he is working these days.
Exactly, ML.
Some people downright refuse to look at the situation objectively.
They cite Bernie Williams’ numbers at the same stage of his career, but don’t understand that Melky has nowhere near the ceiling that Bernie had.
Not even close.
T –
Yes, in the context of close plays at first, where every second matters, sliding is considerably slower than running through the base. Plus, sliding increases the risk of injury, esp. headfirst slides which Melky also engages in frequently.
On the play tonight, I believe Melky would have been safe if he hadn’t slid.
But it’s also a sign to me of Melky’s immaturity. He’s been instructed not to slide into first, and yet he continues to do it. He needs to grow up and take instruction from his coaches.
sweeny or Kim jones better ask girardi about melkys slide
Too bad Melky hit a homerun.You know most of the Yankees didn’t slide to first base. But did anythem hit homeruns..most didn’t.All id forgiven.
People need to worry about hitting.
I watched the last few innings at an airport bar, great win. Looks like Wang had a good Taiwanese crowd behind him. With our ace going tomorrow night, taking this series seems totally doable.
Again, you’re focusing on one HR at the expense of the big picture, MoBoy. That is the old school Steinbrenner way of thinking. Just because Melky hit a HR tonight doesn’t mean that his slides into first are OK.
It’s not like he’s A Rod. This is his first HR in 120 at bats. He needs to get on base to be effective and his slides into first prevent that while increasing the chance of an injury.
MoBoy,
Yes, we forgive our bobbers for their sins. We did it with Giambi, Sheffield, and now Melky (giggle).
The POINT is if he’s been instructed not to slide head first, then he’s either dumb or insubordinate. Neither option is good.
If he doesn’t want to develop into a better ball player by listening to instruction, then move aside because there’s others lining up to do the job.
Matsui has been wearing ice packs on his knees all season after games. Knee surgery can work wonders, but you can still have swelling from time to time and have them stiffen up. Its also possible that he has some arthritis behind the knees. That is not uncommon when you’ve had knee problems.
Of course we will know more if he sits tomorrow. Sitting a game out could be some of why he was limping though.
oops. That’s “boppers”.
How pathetic is that, Girardi said that he wanted to pitch Farns. but knew he couldn’t in a 3-1 game. Farns needed atleast a 4 run lead..Shows how much of a loser he really is…
OK, u people are honestly pathetic, the whole game ure bad mouthing melky and cano and betemit. last week it was damon giambi matsui, who do u guys want on the team?? You think Gardner, Alberto , and Nick Green and Eric Duncan are gonna help us win? Know baseball before you knock people, member they’re in Oakland goin out for a beer and ure home.Cano played SUPERB defense today, no one turns a double play as smooth as cano. stop knocking people.. then u all say send melky down for sliding head first? If you havent’ realized, Melky hit the ball hard today at people and was caught. Member Damon did that a few weeks ago before he got hot! 162 games people are gonna do bad, and plus he’s 23 years old! Pete should take ure blogging away from you for saying that! Then he hits a home run and you are all about him? Bringing up Gardner is a good idea, when Chad Moeller get’s DFA’d. But hes not gonna be a grady sizemore or a johnny damon(when he played for Boston). Come on guys, be real! Your are all front runners and not true Yankee fans.. and sry to say, but Veras is for real. and all you haters, hate on the guy last week and now would be him dinner if you could.. let me guess, all you guys hated the Giants too?? and then they won and ure down in NYC for the parade chanting Michael Strahans name?and going out buying ure Eli Manning “MVP” shirts. Come on people.
I wasn’t booing, I was saying Buuuuuuu-urns.
“Among the people who will contribute semiregular columns are Troy Aikman, the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback; Hank Steinbrenner, the New York Yankees co-chairman; and Ron Darling, the former pitcher for the New York Mets.”
Wait. Hank is gonna have an occasional column to write? Watch out Peter
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/10/business/media/10adco.html?_r=1&ref=media&oref=slogin
1. When does Moeller get DFA’d? Does Gardner or Lane come up?
2. Does Shelly go down for Gardner, Lane, or Gonzo?
Aaron – Amen Bro. Would have probably made more impact if grammar was little better but I get what you’re sayin. If you’ve been reading this blog for awhile, it falls on deaf ears. (or eyes.)
AERO
I would imagin a few moves goin on.. Maybe Gardner for Moeller and Lane for Duncan?? IDK tho, i think duncans gonna stay up for his energy, I think the players enjoy having him.. But they wanna see Lane to see if he can play in the bigs again, instead of the minors at his age
BLAH BLAH
im not really a good “grammar guy”. thats my cousin , she goes to Boston College for journalism. and I go to another college for Sports Management, can you tell??lol
Thanks for seeing my side!
GO YANKS!
I meant Boston University!
I watched the last few innings at an airport bar, great win. Looks like Wang had a good Taiwanese crowd behind him. With our ace going tomorrow night, taking this series seems totally doable.
Nick in SF is that you ?
Lane has a really bad BA at SWB lots of HR’s but terrible BA somewhere in the .230’s Gardner and Melancon should come up for Hawkins and Moeller.
ya i could see that happening “Al from Burger King”lol..
Maybe even Patterson comes back up
Havent seen Darvish or most of the other clowns today I guess cuz the win and all.
““Al from Burger Kingâ€lol..” How’d you know what it stood for! but seriously now I want a whopper and its like 2 AM.
I’d take a Chicken Tendercrisp, spicey!
Anyone else ready to see Joba hit on Friday?? Bat him 8th and put Melky 9. He’s a good 9 hitter..lol Imajin that.
NOTE- Im joking
New York West represented as always tonight. Great to see so many fans out as always. Great game too!
Good stuff Casey I always heard there was alot of Bombers fans out there, tendercrisp is always good but I gotta control myself just started working out again on Monday I cant be digesting BK at 3 o’clock in the morning.
is BK even at 2?lol
Was the Giambi’s mom?? and if so, I’m in love. I want him to come back just for her..lol
great game last night. i guess the “not a real ace” crowd forgot to pull out their Wang voodoo dolls last night, because the ship looks like it’s been righted there.
say what you will about Melky Cabrera, but what sticks in my mind the most about him are the catches he DOES make easy and guys he guns down at home plate. i can live with a bonehead play a week if he’s doing the other things.
…and can someone explain to me how some of the same people who are dead set against our young pitching are some of the same advocating for Brett Gardner starting in CF?
as usual, i fell asleep on a west coast game but nice win by the Yanks.
Wang could have thrown a complete game. He was only at 80 pitches.
Had to go to bed last night, just read Aaron’s absurd comments.
Aaron, I may disagree with you, but I won’t stoop to your level. Apparently all “true Yankee fans” agree with you on everything. What a joke.
Melky is OK, not terrible. But he’s also not the All Star some people make him out to be. And his apparent refusal to listen to instruction and try to get better is frustrating. Doesn’t mean Gardner will be Ty Cobb, but it does mean that we should see if some competition for playing time will improve Melky’s focus.
See, Aaron, that’s what a rational argument looks like. You might want to try it sometime.