Comments on: Game 87: Red Sox at Yankees

By: pete

pete — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 02:51:53 +0000

hey mr. fredo corleone: What do you think of Edwar Ramirez now huh?? all year long he has been the best consistent reliever next to mariano rivera all year long. that shows how much you know about baseball. your opinion on edwar was very wrong.

By: Mop-Up Man

Mop-Up Man — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 01:15:34 +0000

Speaking of which, anyone up for some beers and Yankee baseball in ‘09?

By: Larry

Larry — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 01:14:45 +0000

I did some looking around to see if someone of what people seem to think is true is actually true.

Patience at the plate. Bobby Abreu was third in the AL in pitches per plate appearance last season, he’s third this year. The actual number is down a little, 4.38 to 4.22. But Damon’s went from 4.30 to 4.02 and I don’t see anyone complaining. Which only serves to prove that this is about hitting. As long as you hit, first pitch swinging is fine.

Anyway,Abreu, Giambi and Damon are in the top 20. Not one Red Sox player is. The Yankees have, I think, six players in the top 54. I couldn’t find team stats.

People are looking for an explanation forgetting that this is what happens every time the offense struggles. They’re not patient enough, not taking enough pitches. Infuriated everytime an out is made on a first pitch.

I saw a post complaining that Arod might make out on the first pitch with the bases loaded. With the bases loaded and a guy who hit 54 home runs last year, is that what people wanted? Take a pitch no matter where it was? Not me. I wanted him swinging at the first good pitch he saw. That is not the situation where you work the count. Not, IMO.

I also looked at a bunch of individual player splits from last season. The disparities are alarming. The Yankees were an offensive juggernaut the second half of last season, not the first.

Abreu was far worse off at this time last season. OPS in the low .700s, over .900 after the break. I think Cano went from .740 to .950. Damon .680ish to .800. Matsui .820ish to .890.

Does that automatically mean the same thing will happen this year? Of course not, but there is precedence.

The $64,000 question is what is decline and what is a blip, an aberration? Is Derek Jeter on the decline or is it a bad year? All I know is there were a helluva lot of people here, last season, talking about Damon’s declining skills. Nobody it talking about that now.

For me, still too early to write the season off and start rebuilding. Doesn’t mean things look good because they sure don’t, but that same fire and energy people think they lack now, it was being said last year.

Colorado, San Francisco and Baltimore were not that long before the break. Swept in Colorado(when they weren’t good), lost 2 of 3 in Frisco and 2 in Baltimore. Same thing. This team plays with no effort, no fire, no enthusiasm. They’re going through the motions.

It’s why a lot of people aren’t ready to throw in the towel yet.

By: Mop-Up Man

Mop-Up Man — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 01:14:23 +0000

Pete will consider all this to be “doom and gloom”, but I’ll have a much more positive outlook on this team if they give up trying to win this season and start selling. It’s kind of like when you and your woman decide to call it quits because it’s just not working: suddenly, you never got along better.

By: Yankee Jay

Yankee Jay — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 01:05:21 +0000

Sj is right, time to blow this baby up and get something while you can for the guys with value (too bad that doesn’t include Damon anymore after a sprained AC joint).

I’m not panicking, just facing the facts. World Series caliber teams don’t get dominated by ‘good’ pitchers. This team gets totally manhandled by no name guys on a regular basis.

By: Yankee Jay

Yankee Jay — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 01:01:18 +0000

Bottom line is this – you are not winning the WS with Sir Sidney and Rasner starting 2 out of every 5 games.

By: Mop-Up Man

Mop-Up Man — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:59:07 +0000

Will this team actually win 85 games? I love how there are still people who actually believe this team is of playoff caliber. Aaron Small 2006 would actually make this rotation look better.

By: sw

sw — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:38:56 +0000

One of the biggest differences between Girardi and Torre seems to be management of starting pitching, Torre always had the quick hook, and Girardi shows much more faith in his starters. Today it was probably misguided, but I think his style has challenged guys like Mussina to step up, so it’s a mixed bag in terms of overall results.

By: yankee lover

yankee lover — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:11:41 +0000

Mark

agree with your Posada assessment, I`m saying he says stupid things. The offense got 3 against Beckett, thats a gift, and a great effort. Girardi should have yanked Rasner, (and countless other starters) before the game got out of hand.
Bonds? hes garbage

By: mark - Play Moeller! Yankees can win it all with the players they have.

mark - Play Moeller! Yankees can win it all with the players they have. — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:04:59 +0000

yankeelover I think Posada is part of the problem. It’s obvious he isn’t playing at 100%. You can see it when he throws to get someone out trying to steal and you can definitely see it when he’s at the plate. Jorge is about as clutch as they come it tough situations and he can just about manage to get a bat on the ball!

Rodney I think Bonds will be fit for stripes going in the other direction before he’s fit for pinstripes. I don’t think any team is going to touch him while he’s under indictment.