Today in The Journal News
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- June
- 21
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Mike Mussina didn’t like being told to walk Jay Bruce. The decision by Joe Girardi helped lead to a 4-2 loss and some hard feelings.
Ken Griffey Jr. was back at Yankee Stadium and didn’t seem to much care. This notebook also has updates on Brian Bruney, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter.
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I’ve been giving the Yankees a hard time over the assorted choices they have made to pull that countdown lever during home games. But they got it right last night. Billy Werber, a former outfielder for the Yankees and Reds, hit the switch via videotape. He turned 100 yesterday.
Hopefully there’s more of that over the next few months and less of whoever happens to be hanging around.
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This is a fun story. Mamaroneck High in Westchester won a state baseball title last week. The players missed their prom, so to make it up to their girlfriends, their coach threw a mini prom for them. Good story here by Jake Thomases.
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on Saturday, June 21st, 2008 at 3:02 am by Peter Abraham.
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Chad Jennings
Sam Borden
Moose I like you but just shut up next time.
Peter,
Lets be fair. The bad decision yesterday was a byproduct on all the abuse Girardi took from the media and fans back when he allowed Mussina to pitch to Manny. Girardi needs to stop listening to the media/fans and manage the way he wants to by letting his veteran pitcher choose which player he rather pitch to… Girardi’s major mistake was letting the media and fans influence his decision-making process.
I forgot one thing, Mussina needs to keep his mouth shut and not throw his manager under the bus. He needs to keep his displeasure with the walk decision in-house and sitdown with Girardi and discuss it as two baseball men should do without airing it out in the media.
Pete, get some sleep. All Star break’s weeks away & you got a 2nd half Pennant race to cover. You’re making people on the West Coast tired.
Mussina is a cry baby.
Always complaining.
If not for his education, he’d be another curt schilling.
He’s posted a 7-8 record in 21 postseason starts. Some gamer.
for sj44, cb, randyi and any other interested observers –
concerning tabata, is he going to be:
1) an eric duncan
2) a shelley duncan
3) a melky cabrera
or
4) a robinson cano?
If you look up the word “disgruntled” in the dictionary you’ll see a picture of Mussina. Hey, Mike, it was Girardi’s call, right or wrong. Zip it.
I think the folks who are ripping Moose need to zip it.
Where would this team be without Mussina this year? They would be in last place.
I’m not the biggest Moose fan on the planet but he’s been great for the Yankees this year.
The guy is a competitor and that’s how competitors act after a game like last nights.
I don’t blame him for being ticked off. It was a dumb move by Girardi.
At best, Girardi should have gone out there and asked Moose who he felt more comfortable facing. Taking the decision out of his hands? Classic case of overmanaging.
Its a one day story and both sides will be fine.
I’d be more ticked off if Moose didn’t care.
I never get upset at guys who care. Its the one’s who don’t care that bother me.
what moose has done this year makes up for how horrible he was last year. i give him alot of credit for relearning how to pitch.
but i hate whiners. moose is a whiner.
57,
To answer your question about Tabata: Too early to say on all counts.
He’s young, talented, young and needs to grow up a little bit.
Lots on the kids plate. He’s 19, married, with a kid and high professional expectations.
That’s a lot for a 30 year old to handle, let alone a 19 year old.
Just have to hope he can mature quickly and if he can, he has a shot to be a very good player in the future.
I think Pete should pull the lever!!!
all in favor??
I didn’t lose too much sleep after losing to a very promising young pitcher. We should be able to pick up Moose when he performs as well as he did but there have been a couple (or more?) 5-6 inning performances by Moose where he got a win.
That’s just too bad last night but today is a new day and it is an open question whether Giese can spare us from having to watch Sir Sidney in Pinstripes in the next turn of the rotation. I would guess that after 2 nights of scoring 2 runs we should see a little more support from the bats tonight.
Finally – I hope Bleich spins another gem for Stanford today – he looked really good that last outing against a very productive FSU lineup.
SJ44,
You don’t throw your manager under the bus no matter how well you pitched this season. He needs to discuss this issue with Girardi privately as I agree that Girardi should allow his veteran pitcher to pitch to the batter he’s more comfortable pitching to.
“Now 10-2, Volquez leads the majors in ERA (1.71) and strikeouts (110) and would be 12-0 if not for two blown saves.”
This doesn’t make sense Pete. Volquez doesn’t get credited with losses if the bullpen blows a game. One of his losses was when Tim Hudson pitched a 3 hit SO and Volquez gave up 1 ER in 6 innnings and his other loss was when he came in relief in an 18 inning game against the Padres.
His no decisions are against Pittsburgh when he went 5 SO innings and the Reds were SO by the Pirates, 6 innings and 1 R against the Padres and left the game down 1-0, 6 IP 2 R against the Braves where he started the 7th inning and was on the hook for the tying run (2nd run)after he left the game and 7 IP 3R(2ER) against Boston and would’ve taken the loss if not for the Encarnacion HR off of Papelbon in the bottom of the 9th.
That being said he could seriously be 15-0. In his 15 starts he’s given up 2ER or less in 14 of them and the other one he gave up 3 ER. Not too shabby.
crawdaddie -
Moose didn’t throw Girardi under the bus. He essentially said ‘no comment’. If you are looking for reasons to take a swipe at Moose, find a legit one.
This is from Feinsand:
“I can understand why Mussina was upset with the decision, though I give him credit for keeping his mouth shut when he was asked about it.”
The kid was amazing to watch. It’s obvious that Brian Runge was particularly impressed. The strikeout calls on Giambi (after 3-0 count) and Jeter were ridiculous.
Mixed feelings on Mussina… he shouldn’t pout about the decision, but it was an awful decision to walk a rookie in that situation. Not as bad a decision as awarding a double on the ball Damon butchered, but a bad decision nonetheless.
I’m hoping for something out of Guise today, but it’s time to go get a starter who is at least top-three caliber. You can’t keep sticking journeyman on the end and expect it to work out. I shudder to think that in the four game series with the Mets, Guise, Rasner and Ponson could be starting three of the games…
I picked a great game to go to today… FANTASTIC pitching matchup
I was not expecting a win from the Yankees last night, so I was not all that upset when I got in my car and turned on the radio to find it was 4-2 in the bottom of the ninth.
Sounds like except for that one inning, Moose had a good night. If plays are made behind him, maybe they win. Why anyone would think that a pitcher wouldn’t be a little ticked about losing a game surprises me a lot. He declined to comment specifically, so I don’t think he threw anyone under any bus. I don’t even think it’s throwing his manager under a bus to say he would have preferred not to intentionally walk a batter. In fact, I’d be willing to bet money that he was equally upset with himself as perhaps he may have been with any other teammate, because in fact it was he who didn’t make the pitches to the next batter after the IBB.
Sounds like the Cincy pitcher has the goods. Silver lining is the Yankees don’t have to face the likes of him again, right?
“I’d be more ticked off if Moose didn’t care.
I never get upset at guys who care. It’s the one’s who don’t care that bother me.”
Agreed. He hates to lose and that’s a good thing. Would everybody prefer that he phones it in? Moose is an emotional guy even though he looks – - and acts – - like a funeral director at times in post game interviews.
Moose has been a real factor this year, after it looked like he was going to be a huge problem. IMO the decision to stop trying to force his fastball up over 90 mph has really turned it around; he now throws a slower but far more effective fastball. This has allowed him to pitch more backward, play with his great off speed stuff and exploit his knowledge of pitching. Call him “Mike Moyer.”
Mussina should have just gotten the out. He didn’t and that was the error. If he did everyone would be saying Girardi was a genius!
Good article by Dan Graziano on NJ.com. I’m guessing that what started out as an article on Griffey Jr. turned into a compare/contrast piece of Griffey and A-Rod.
Both may have started the journey in the same place but they have taken very different paths to their place in MLB history.
http://www.nj.com/yankees/inde.....bronx.html
TKinDC
I don’t take swipes at players I leave that silly stuff for others to do so don’t preach to me.
I am basing my comments about Mussina throwing Girardi under the bus based on what Pete wrote here and in his article. If you’re annoy with your manager then keep it privately and discuss it with him without having the media come in and making an issue of it.
Totally Off Topic:
Those of us who watched the Tim Russert Memorial service on Wednesday afternoon were treated to a special appearance by Bruce Springsteen from London. Tom Brokaw took great pleasure in introducing The Boss, who sang ‘Thunder Road’ for Tim.
And as for the “throwing the manager under the bus thing,” Moose didn’t come out and say anything specific despite being given the chance to do it.
IMO, Moose version 2008 is a new man. He likes pitching again, enjoys it in fact. He has found a way to be a contributor again. I am not going to complain about his fire at losing what had been a close game against a good pitcher when it all did come down to a decision that didn’t work out and a blown play in LF.
The kid from Cincy on the mound was brilliant, the Yankees needed to play a flawless game particularly defensively to overcome his effort and didn’t.
I can see where the blame can be shared by different players, but blaming Girardi for that walk and the outcome from it falls under the hindsite is 20-20 rule.
pat -
I read that article this morning. It was really very good. Graziano made a point of saying any comparisons between Griffey Jr. and ARod were his own, not ARod’s. Think he’s trying to avoid controversy??
It does point to the fact that not every player is willing or able to play in NY, no matter how much we would want them to.
Annie -
I did not know the memorial service was televised. Do you know if there is a way to view it online at this point? Or at least excerpts?
Mussina is 100% correct. Girardi is always over managing. He is hell bent on showing everyone how smart he is. With the team he has he does not need to manage that much. You will see something else that Girardi does that will hurt the team very soon. All of us Yankee fans know that Farnsworth is not reliable. Over the last few years he has been a disaster.Girardi will continue to use him in big spots to prove that he was right about Farnsworth, even if it cost the Yankees some games. Watch and see
Moose has always been that guy, the one who broods and gripes. So why the Moose hate now after he’s been so effective this year – - and in the last 16 years in the AL East?
“I did not know the memorial service was televised. Do you know if there is a way to view it online at this point? Or at least excerpts?”
You Tube?
Mussina is 100% correct. Girardi is always over managing. He is hell bent on showing everyone how smart he is. With the team he has he does not need to manage that much. You will see something else that Girardi does that will hurt the team very soon. All of us Yankee fans know that Farnsworth is not reliable. Over the last few years he has been a disaster.Girardi will continue to use him in big spots to prove that he was right about Farnsworth, even if it cost the Yankees some games. Watch for that routine
murphydog =
I googled it and NBC has it online. Thanks. At least I know it’s there now and can watch it when I’ve got some extra time.
And what exactly are Girardi’s other choices Yankee lover?
He is simply playing the hand he is holding. The way I see it, Girardi’s just trying to win games, and as a coach get as much out of Fransworth (who I detest) as he can.
Girardi will continue to use him in big spots to prove that he was right about Farnsworth
You know, if Moose had made a better pitch or two to the next guy after the walk, then Girardi’s a genius. He got criticized in Boston for not forcing Moose to walk Manny. Before you get all crazy and remind me that Manny is Manny and the Cincy guy is NOT Manny, I get that. The bottom line is that if works, it’s a good play; if it doesn’t, he’s wrong for not letting Moose make the call (a Moose call??
). 20/20 hindsight and all that.
I’ve also heard criticism regarding the Yankees being caught stealing. I didn’t see the game, but my husband told me the guys didn’t get very good jumps. I still say if the plays are executed, it’s a good call. Volquez is not going to give you many runs, and if the steals are successful you put yourself in a better position to score. You can say they didn’t execute, that they picked poor pitches to go on, and all that, but you I don’t think you can say the idea was bad.
If I recall Girardi got blamed for allowing Moose to pitch to Manny.
Either way Girardi can’t win, he was blamed for the outcome in both situations.
Moose gave up the hits not Girardi.
It’s hilarious to think that Phil Hughes is considered “untouchable” in trade talks after watching Volquez pitch. Now that guy is the real deal…a number one quality starter. Hughes is just a low 90’s straight fastball guy who, if he’s lucky, will be a number 4 starter. And Kennedy is an even bigger bust.
The Yanks are stuck with Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy…great, just great……
A 7 game winning streak isn’t enough for some Yankee fans. They need to go unbeaten for the rest of the season or someone needs to be shot
Hey, if you can’t get down on Moose for his desire to win, I guess you gotta take it from the fans who hate to lose too.
If we aren’t going to question strategy and personnel decision exactly what the hell are we going do to? Swap recipes?
Of course hindsight is always 20/20, but you NEVER pitch to a great hitter in a game deciding situaiton and first base open. As for last night my immediate reaction was, “what the hell are they walking him for?”
And in the interest of fairness I thought Mussina should NOT pitch the 8th inning, but he pitched it well and saved a bit more wear and tear on the overtaxed bullpen, so I was wrong on that one. Critique, analysis and disagreement isn’t the same as whining and complaining.
Now lets go beat the crap out of the kid making his major league debut today!
Doreen
I noticed the no controversy approach too. Not sure that would have been the case in years past. Seems like something in that dynamic has changed this year for the better.
If we aren’t going to question strategy and personnel decision exactly what the hell are we going do to? Swap recipes?
Of course, you are correct.
(However, I’m okay with a recipe swap, too.)
pat -
If it’s a change in the dynamics, I’m all for that. There’s enough real controversy available 24/7 that made-up controversies don’t seem to be all that necessary.
I have no problem with Moose’s comments or “no comment”. When Arod answers questions people accuse him of sounding insincere. With Jeter we say he is the master of giving non answers. Now Moose actually shows some real emotions, we rip him for his crankiness. Moose seems like a really passionate guy to me, that’s why he’s having a reinvention at age 39. I for one am very glad it’s not his nature to be complacent.
And I’m not even that upset about the loss last night. Volquez was great, it’s not like we lost to a lousy pitcher. You can’t win every game and losing 1 in last 7 to a dominant pitcher is not reason to start sweating just yet.
In fact, watching Volquez made me optimistic about our own team’s future. Volquez was disastrous his first year in the bigs when he was 21, same age as Phil Hughes is now. He had like a 14 or 15 ERA and didn’t win a single game that year, but now he is dominating and has reduced his ERA ten fold. So let last night not be a lesson about second guessing the intentional walk, hindsight’s 20/20, instead let’s focus on what our team could have in the long term which is a an arsenal of young cheap and potentially dominant players. If Cashman watched Volquez last night and decided not to trade Hughes, Cano, Horne and Jackson for Erik Bedard or Sabathia, then I think we have already won.
The Moose, he cares!
Reading the papers about Jerry Manuel. You know, I didn’t know Willie Randolph was so clueless (sarcasm). But, hey, who knew that all you had to do to reach your players, more specifically, Reyes, was to use the word “gangsta.”
Wow, some people are still hung up on this move as if Bruce is another Manny. He isn’t. He was in a huge downslide at the plate and didn’t hit Moose, the next guy up did.
Girardi is a micro-manager. His constant lineup changes, moves like this one, taking away ice cream and snacks. Yes, it was one game. He also was the cause of at least 3 other losses from making stupid calls. Where would the Yankees be sitting right now with 4 extra wins? Ahead of Tampa Bay and even with Boston in the loss column.
I think Moose was letting off some steam, but it indicates that the clubhouse under Girardi isn’t one that at least Mussina likes. I think there is underlying tension in the clubhouse. It comes from treating veteran players like they are children. That isn’t a good formula.
munchabuncha baloney
Farnsworth should never be in a game that matters.
Samuel…
Yeah…let’s just throw Hughes under a bus even if he started as the youngest pitcher in the majors this year…even tho’ he was injured. I guess all those scouts who pegged him as #1 in the minors must be wrong …they should have consulted with you first since you seem to know what a “bust” he is with his short time in the majors.
I guess you would have thrown Santana, Glavine, Greg Maddux under a bus too just to name a few …go check out their stats when they first started out. For that matter ..check out Volquez too
Patience is a virtue …try to have a little when it comes to young players and give them at least a year or so to prove what they could do ..
Hope the Yankees start a new winning streak today ..Go Yankees 2008 !!!
Thanks for forwarding that story about my alma matter, Pete. Chappy’s an incredible person; he did a heck of a thing for his players as he always does.
Awwwww, Junior is still put out because Billy Martin yelled at him back when Senior played for the Yanks. Poor baby!