Now that one hurts
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- August
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When Sidney Ponson throws seven shutout innings, you have to find a way to win the game.
Instead, the Yankees have lost five out of six.
It doesn’t happen often, but you have to blame Mariano Rivera for this one. He came into the game and allowed a walk and two singles to the first three batters he faced. Just like that, it was 1-0.
16 non-save situations: 21 innings, 18 hits, 7 runs, 3.00 ERA.
26 save situations: 27.1 innings, 12 hits, 1 run, 0.33 ERA.
I’m not sure how to explain that. I’ve asked Mariano and he can’t.
The Yankees have two games left against the Angels then a 10-game road trip to Texas, Anaheim and Minnesota. This thing could get out of hand in a hurry if they aren’t careful.
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on Friday, August 1st, 2008 at 9:43 pm by Peter Abraham.
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Chad Jennings
Sam Borden
Josh Thomson
Pete, you’re dead wrong.
You can’t blame this on Mariano.
You blame it on the offense, which got a lead off hit in at least three different innings and still couldn’t find a way to score.
This has been one crappy week and the crap needs to end.
Now.
can’t wait to see how this fantastic team does after this series when they go on a 10-game road trip against the rangers, angels, and twins. beginning with the baltimore series, they will be 3-15 at the end of the road trip. I GUARANTEE IT
Still thinking the Yankees will make it this year?
Time for a reality check guys.
my only theory is that when Mariano comes in during a save situation, hitters are pressured to try to do too much. As a result, they tend to overswing and the cutter is more effective.
However, in a non-save situation, the hitters have much less pressure since the game is tied, and so they are able to hit Mo better.
Mariano has to take a share of the blame for this one along with an inept offense.
All this media talk about how Cashman’s brilliant trades would vault the Yankees into the postseason…
Now this is a crazy small sample size but ever since Nady, Marte, and now Pudge have been on the team they’ve played like utter garbage, and Nady has been pitiful, two homers when the games were already over and that’s pretty much it. They have yet to help this team at all. Just an observation, I’m not saying those trades were bad ones.
No Mo… at least in non-save situations.
Actually, I side with Pete on this one. It’s become almost automatic that Mo gives up a run in a tied game. Yes, the offense could have scored but they were up against a hot pitcher. The Yanks should consider themselves lucky that it was a tied game after 8 innings.
Sorry, but this is on Girardi makeing a stupid decision yet again. This isn’t the first time that Mo has given up runs when brought in for a non-save situation.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. How many times has this burned him? Too many, yet he keeps doing it.
I really can’t stand Girardi. A smart manager learns from past experience, Girardi doesn’t.
Now go ahead and bash away, but this man is in over his head.
Girardi has those stats. Why are you blaming Mo?
So at what point does Girardi stop using Mo in non-save situations? Fact is…this is all in Mo’s head. He has no explanation for it? I do…its f****ng psychological. Get his head checked.
I also put the majority of the blame for this game on the offense. They had their chances and NOTHING.
Mo-sigh
This is just frustrating to watch.
Let’s see if they have a pulse in these next too games. My expectations are low, so maybe they will surprise me.
Of course the can blame Mariano. He looked like the Krazy Kyle of old out there. Perhaps he misses Farnsy?
The offense did stink too. Man…move the runners. Baseball basics. Manufacture a run. They can’t do that? Come on.
I don’t think Giambi deserves to be the clean up hitter. Hitting around 0.200 RISP. That kills your offense.
Cano has forgetten everything his Dad told him over the all-star break, to.
I hope Nady can play tomorrow… Nady should be moved up in the line up.
Marte can’t pitch two innings? Veras can’t come in? It HAS to be the closer NO MATTER WHAT in that situtation… Even when the stats prove that he’s not MO-like in non save situations. Cmon.
This one just sucked big eggs. I have not been so disgusted in a long time. This was a truly pathetic effort by all involved. Just awful.
I bet Mo could fit inside me.
Does Joe have a big yellow book next to him with the word “Dummies” on it?
I choose to blame this one on the baseball gods… you get an improbable (if not ugly) 2-hit, shutout performance from the Knight and still lose… that’s just the baseball gods playing a cruel joke on everyone.
Arod,STinks
Its Mariano’s job to get outs. I really dont think you can just totally give him a pass and totally blame the offense – I bet he’s not giving himself a pass.
Whoa, folks – we’re 2 GB in the WC loss column with 50 left. Let’s all relax.
Bad stretch, here.
I’d like to see more out of Arod, Giambi and Cano as the rest of you.
But keep it in perspective.
Over the long haul, don’t you think our team could be 2-3 games better than Minnesota and Boston for the rest of the season?
Girardi has those stats. Why are you blaming Mo?
WTF YOU MEAN WHY WE BLAMING MO, HE GAVE UP THE LEAD ! I DON’T GIVE A DAMN WHAT HIS STATS ARE W/ TIE GAMES.. MAN UP !
AND WOULD IT KILL ALEX TO GET A GAMEBREAKING HIT…DAMMIT MOVE UP IN THE BOX BECAUSE WHATEVER YOUR DOING IT AIN’T WORKING ! GIAMBI CANO THIS WHOLE OFFENSE KNOWS WHEN TO CHOKE !
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. How many times has this burned him? Too many, yet he keeps doing it.”
Just like he keeps putting Giambi behind A-Rod and keeps playing Betemit. Why? It’s like he’s on automatic pilot or something.
Now this is a crazy small sample size but ever since Nady, Marte, and now Pudge have been on the team they’ve played like utter garbage, and Nady has been pitiful, two homers when the games were already over and that’s pretty much it. They have yet to help this team at all. Just an observation, I’m not saying those trades were bad ones.
Dan did u watch the game? Marte came in and closed them down 1,2,3 the 8th.. ur an idiot, watch the game and stop blogging.
and with Nady he came into a situation where he had to play in the Boston series, and then into NY when the whole other offense is struggling
All you people wanna blame everyone for a lose! ure blaming Nady Pudge and Marte for tonights loss. why not A-rod for striking out when they’re was only 1 strike in a full count.. or giambi for popping up, or cano for not doing it.. the pitching did their job, ya mariano shouldn’t of blown it, but life moves on.. get on base to lead the inning off and produce a run.
Pete
In August, I know each team can put up 7 players on waivers each day. Is there a web site that reveals what players are put up?
lineup tomorrow should be:
damon – dh
jeter – ss
abreu – rf
arod – 3b
nady – lf
ivan – c
cano – 2b
sexson – 1b
melky – cf
From the previous thread…..
SJ,
How do you propose Cashman is going to find 7 hitters over the offseason unless he depletes the farm and DFA guys under contract?
C’mon, you are obviously an intelligent fan – but that’s ridiculous. And you know darn well that’s just not possible.
I’ve said all season that they need to let Abreu and Giambi walk at the end of the year – and Matsui and Damon next year – but they can’t do it all in one swoop.
We’re all frustrated by this team’s lack of offense. But at least be sensible about how they can fix it.
“Over the long haul, don’t you think our team could be 2-3 games better than Minnesota and Boston for the rest of the season?”
Have you been watching this season?
if,marte,gave,up,the,run,u,will,be,calling,giardi,head,too
who really cares at this point anyway? even if the Yankees could some how eek out the Wild Card that just earns them the privlege of getting beaten to a pulp in the first round by the Angels.
IMO, this game is on Girardi. He continues to:
1. Put Giambi at #5 expecting some miraculous improvement in his hitting, much less hitting with RISP
2. Run Mariano out in non-save situations when for some kakkamamee reason, Mo can;t handle the non-pressure (He gave up what became the losing run against the Orioles and now tonight)
3. Have hitters swing away when we get the lead off on and need to bunt get the runer into scoring position
And on and on and on. Isn’t the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result?
Cant put it all on mo your not gonna win many games scoring 0 runs in 9 innings. They didnt get it done with RISP tonight now theres a lot of pressure on moose to bounce back and have a good outing tomorrow
“Now this is a crazy small sample size but ever since Nady, Marte, and now Pudge have been on the team they’ve played like utter garbage”
They won the first game that Marte and Nady were on the side. Yep, small sample size.
Mo, should take the blame for this one. Save situation or not, he is considered the most reliable pitcher on the team when they need an inning to shut down the other team and tonight he didn’t get the job done. It happens and it is more frustrating when Ponson threw so well. this doesn’t mean that the offense is off the hook though. Santana threw well tonight but there were alot of bad approaches at the plate…alot of bad approaches.
Pudge,has,been,worst,than,molina
“Over the long haul, don’t you think our team could be 2-3 games better than Minnesota and Boston for the rest of the season?”
Have they been so far? How long are we going to keep saying “they’ll turn it around”. It’s frackin’ August!!! If they haven’t gotten it together by now, I’m not sure that they ever will.
This team is absolutely brutal with RISP. Giambi is just painful to watch.
CANO,HAS
David
Minnesota brought up Liriano and also hits with RISP
Boston is much better off without their cancer in the clubhouse.
Its bad enough Alex the great, the “best player in baseball” cannot get a game winning or get a hit to set up a game winning hit, but can he know the strike zone? Can he have a clue about what a strike is? He looks like some rookie swinging at anything anywhere.
How can we have the best player in the game on our team, and he makes no difference in close games?
Giambi needs a day or two off because he is just lost. Betemit needs to GO. I need to see the Yankees get very deep into counts and to wait for a good pitch to hit. Also, is it me or is A-Rod waving at those outside pitches? He needs to tilt and let them drive instead of swinging and missing.
Maybe Giardi should pull the line up order out a hat ala Billy Martin
Molina is in tomorrow so any line-up with Pudge in it is wrong already.
Mo gets no pass from me…but at a certain point, players like DJ no longer get passes for not moving runners over, or not hitting with RISP. Players like Giambi get no passes for being slow at the plate. Cabrera doesn’t get a pass for swinging at the first pitch in the top of the 8th when the starter is still in the game and you should be working the count to tire him…
Cano stung the ball off of Santana, and if that play doesn’t embody how this team was going to lose, i dont know what does. This team is just so inept when it comes to doing the little things that I feel there is no other choice but to start tear this team apart and start at the beginning (at least with the offense). I am disappointed with Girardi as he seems to have inhabited the Joe Torre mode of managing, which is waiting for the big hit, when the mananger across the dugout is proving what is successful. I’m almost physically ill by this team, especially after the blue-balls they gave us with an 8-game win streak.
Laura, E-man, Tim Boat –
Why are you watching the games if you think they’re toast already?
We have 2 months left.
Just sayin’ have some faith
GIAMBI,TAKE,off,the,stache,cause,its,not,working
Sorry laura, didn’t see your post before writing mine. But you are dead on.
What did Girardi say post game?
This loss has made me so mad! This team is a case study in inconsistency
Aaron,
Don’t call me an idiot in an unprovoked attack.
Marte and Nady will be good for the Yankees. However you did not use any reading comprehension skills where I said that in a very small sample size they have had times where they have failed. Marte blew up and lost a game against Baltimore. Nady has done nothing to win games thus far.
They will be fine I’m certain. However, and especially Nady…they haven’t done nearly enough.
Mo’s been in his slump. He had a bad era in July and again today. It’s probably not as statistically split as happenstance is making it appear. He’s been off since June.
How can we have the best player in the game on our team, and he makes no difference in close games?
IDK what the hell you want me to tell you ! it gets old and the funny thing is no one knows what to do about it or what needs to be adjusted during those situations !
Meanwhile I never thought I’d be pissed off at Mo, but tonight did it for me ! WE HAD THIS GAME ! WE HAD IT AND HE BLEW IT !
Mo may have given up a run in the ninth, but it should not have come to that… how can you blame the pitching when we scored zero runs?
Can’t really “blame” Arod for that last at-bat. It painted the outside corner. Had it been an inch more outside, he would have walked and we would have had the tying run on first with nobody out. Give Arod a break, had it been slightly outside and he swung, people would have been calling for his head for swinging at ball 4.
A punchless joke of a team with multi-millionaires who are either all past their prime or just don’t care anymore.
We’re back to April-May with Giambi, Cano, Jeter, etc.
It’s a disgrace. I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but after Cash went out and got them help, they should all be ashamed of themselves for this pathetic display this week.
This has really been the toughest Yankee team of the 15 years to like.
I’m starting to believe in the curse of Arod now.
about to be 5 1/2 back of Tampa. man this is one 2-faced team. How can they go from looking so good to looking so bad in a short amount of time.
they face to good/great pitchers the next 2 days…they better strap it on, otherwise, we’ll start sounding like Cubs and Red Sox fans when they say ‘wait till next year’
“Why are you watching the games if you think they’re toast already?”
Did I say they were toast? Did I say I’m giving up? I said that I am unsure that they are going to become the offensive juggernaut that we all expected them to be.
I’ve been a Yankee fan since I’ve been in the womb. That will never change. We could finish last and I would still wear my Yankee T-shirts with pride. That being said, that doesn’t stop me from being utterly disappointed in their performance. I’m a fan; that’s my right.
How can you kill Joe Girardi for putting Rivera out in non save situations? He is the greatest closer of all time arguably, and he is simply the best reliever he has, bar none. He put his best out there and lost, that’s all. Even with his, “struggles” in non save opportunities, he has a 3 ERA in them. And people whine about it, that’s how spoiled some people are. A 3 ERA is construed as God awful because of the expectations Rivera has.
I’d kill Girardi if he DIDN’T put Rivera out in that spot. In years past this has never been an issue for Mo. It is a fluke and a aberration. It will stop occurring eventually.
Honestly, WTF is wrong with Rivera last few games???
Screw A-Rod. He was thrown 1 strike in that entire at bat during the 9th inning and he watched it blow right by for strike 3, meanwhile he swings at 2 balls in the dirt.
I’m disappointed in the result tonight. It would have been nice to have an unexpected decent performance by Ponson rewarded.
“but you have to blame Mariano Rivera for this one. ”
really? were you here for the other 8 innings?
offense failed again.
didnt you notice every yankee in the 9th was going for the fence.
“I’m disappointed in the result tonight. It would have been nice to have an unexpected decent performance by Ponson rewarded.”
Angel,
I think everyone would agree with that sentiment.
the thing is mo still is pretty good in non-save situations…it’s just he’s been unreal in save situations
“I’m disappointed in the result tonight. It would have been nice to have an unexpected decent performance by Ponson rewarded.”
That to me is the back breaker. Ponson actually pitched well and we didn’t do a damn thing to help him. Now, Moose has to pitch tomorrow with a ton of pressure on him. It’s not fair to ask the pitchers to have to pitch shutouts every game. That is what this offense is doing.
Ponson was actually pretty bad. 4 BB, 1 K. 3.00 GB/FB. Line drives all over the place. He was lucky.
Giambi blows. He had a good 3 week run, other then that he’s blown all season long. I can’t wait for that guy to be gone. A-Rod can’t seem to get a hit when the team needs it. Bobby couldn’t move the guys over in the 1st inning? Pathetic game by this team.
did’lowell’get’injiured?
the best players in the history of the game fail to get on base 60% of the time… so really, ARod and every other player is expected to make an out.
ARod swung at those balls in the dirt because K-Rod is has some wicked pitches and fools everybody. There’s a reason why he is putting up unreal numbers this year.
We faced really good pitching today and got shut down… it happens. On a side note, it was nice to see Ponson pitch well though.
Alex Rodriguez is a waste. He is a choker and has always been a choker. What he did in a CONTRACT YEAR doesnt mean you know what. Take his .326 batting average and shove it right up his you know what. He puts up the most empty stats in the history of this league. I can’t believe I have to watch this gutless choker for the next 10 years.
“offense failed again.”
What? No credit for Santana pitching 8 innings shutout at all? He’s hardly some scrub.
Last night, the offense did fail – tonight, they ran into a good pitcher who did what he was supposed to do.
Its like some people forget that in the whole equation of baseball the pitcher is as equally determined to get the hitter out, as the hitter is to hit the pitcher out of the park. Someone has to lose that battle.
“Laura, E-man, Tim Boat –
Why are you watching the games if you think they’re toast already?
We have 2 months left.
Just sayin’ have some faith”
Because I’m not a fairweather fan like alot of Yankees fans are out there.
I agree with all of those saying this is not Mo’s fault. He should have been pitching with a lead even if it was one run. And in that situation we all know the game was won.
This loss, and many prior ones for that matter, have been on the offense. Girardi needs to do a lineup makeover.
I am so sick of seeing players in a specific spot because of which side of the plate they swing from or because of their individual egos.
It is time for Girardi to light a fire under their butts and change the theme of this team. We have the players, the talent, and the ability.
Cashman didn’t make these trades so we could piss away the rest of the season.
Tomorrow is another day and a fresh start…make something happen Girardi.
Mo probably realized that our non-clutch offense wasn’t going to score runs anyway, so he saved us the prolonged misery of losing in an extra innings game.
“That to me is the back breaker. Ponson actually pitched well and we didn’t do a damn thing to help him. Now, Moose has to pitch tomorrow with a ton of pressure on him. It’s not fair to ask the pitchers to have to pitch shutouts every game. That is what this offense is doing.”
True. Although I’m more annoyed at the offense’s performance last night than I am tonight. Too bad Ponson couldn’t have pitched last night.
BOS has bases loaded with two outs against Huston “I used to be good” Street.
Boston about the literally walk-off with the win
Arod is the games best player, therefore it should not be unreasonable to ask him to rise up once in a while and get a game winning hit, or get a hit that sets up a game winning hit.
Yanks needed to find a way to claw out a couple of runs. The dynasty teams always grinded.
Rivera blew it, and the Yankees can only hope to split the next two games.
Santana was very good tonight.
Ponson was very lucky tonight.
Yankee offense was poor tonight.
Angel offense was poor tonight.
Mo was bad tonight.
Krod was very good tonight.
We play again tomorrow.
why cant street throw strikes?
If Cano keeps this up, I say you try to deal him in the offseason and sign the O-Dawg. I realize that his value would be diminished after this craptacular season, but if performs like this in 2009, he’ll have no value whatsoever.
“Santana was very good tonight.
Ponson was very lucky tonight.
Yankee offense was poor tonight.
Angel offense was poor tonight.
Mo was bad tonight.
Krod was very good tonight.
We play again tomorrow.”
Well, that’s one way to look at it.
People need to stop using ARod’s salary as a way to blame him and find problems with him.
He performs worse with runners in scoring position because he gets worse pitches to hit. Pitchers would rather hope that he chases pitches and are very willing to walk him. However, fans don’t want him to walk, they want him to get the big hit and so he does chase those pitches.
The man is an all-warld baseball player. It’s easy to remember specific instances when he fails because he will fail to get a hit 2/3 of the time.
1-0 game and its Rivera’s fault?
If the offense can’t score, how exactly can they win the game?
This team doesn’t even sniff rallies.
Unless there is a new, crazy stat that gives you wins for being shutout at home, how is it Mo’s fault?
Yes, he gave up a run and they lost. But, if you can’t score, what difference does it make if the run was given up in the first or ninth inning? Its still a loss.
This team scored over 960 runs last year. They will have a hard time hitting 700 this year.
When you run production is down that much in the AL, its pretty damn tough to win games.
The trades have nothing to do with it. A 3-4 game sample size to whine about trades is moronic.
Marte, Nady and Pudge will help.
But, if Arod, Giambi, Cano, Jeter and Abreu, can’t drive in runs, I don’t care who pitches, they aren’t going to the playoffs.
That’s an awful lot of talent on this roster to consistently come up empty with guys on base.
No GM can fix that. At least not in season.
Wow, Street got out of that jam.
Guess it’s time to get Cano’s Daddy to come pitch to him again, eh?
Whoa. Street got out of it
I know that Mo is the greatest reliever of all time. I also know that you always use your closer in a tie game in the 9th at home. But this year, Mo’s stuff just isn’t the same in non-save situations. It’s happened too often for it to be considered a coincidence. Eventually, Girardi is going to have to change his thinking.
there is no motivation left on the yanks. we need to get young guys who are not raking in millions and are making the bare minumum. atleast those players would be hungry for wins
The outs in the 9th inning bothered me less than the rest of the game. In the same way that we all expect game over when Mo has a 1 run lead, this year K-Rod has been good enough to expect it from him to.
This team, until it turns it around (unless maybe being more accurate than “until”) , has become almost unwatchable. They blow games in the most heart breaking ways, lose to bad teams and embarrass themselves. We care so much, but this team takes such an emotional toll on the fans with their lackluster effort and lack of heart in big games this season.
Rivera was brought in to face the heart of their lineup, and was simply beat by their best hitters. Our offense and lineup stink. If Nady is healthy why not try this lineup:
Jeter
Damon DH
Cano
A-Rod
Nady 1B
Abreu
I-Rod
Christian LF
Cabrera
Or just pull a lineup out of a hat!
Hopefully we can obtain some players off waivers, so we can rid of Betemit and probably Sexson.
Actually hopefully Matsui will be that player.
We really miss Matsui in that 5th spot in batting order… Giambi can’t cut it…
How the hell did Cano go back to his old ways so fast? It’s almost like that hot week he had didn’t happen.
Pete, it’s probably one of those mysteries that will never be solved. Mo gave up the run that lost the game. But the Yankees’ offense is another story altogether. Some of their biggest bats consistently came up very small when scoring opportunities arose. They faced a hot pitcher, but they managed to get men on base against him in more than one inning, so he wasn’t untouchable. Except for that winning streak after the All-Star break, that’s been the story all season long.
SJ44’s suggestions in the game thread about how to fix it are intriguing. Something has to give, because even with Posada and Matsui back next year, if this trend continues, there will be some big problems. And right now, the Yankees are in the process playing themselves back out of the race.
How is this all on Arod or Mo? Jason Giambi is hitting under .200 w/RISP this season.
Find me another #5 hitter in baseball who is hitting under .200 w/RISP.
Jeter has been awful for the last two months. Cano has been awful most of the season.
Arod is leading the league in hitting and is third in the league in HR’s, with a guy who can’t hit hitting behind him.
How is it his fault?
You got a taste of Yankee Baseball without Arod when he got hurt. How did they play then? They were awful.
Give me 5 more guys in the lineup as “awful” as Arod and they would actually have an offense.
There is no logical reason anybody should throw a strike to Arod with runners on base when he has Giambi hitting behind him. That’s what we have been seeing this week.
The advance scouts are doing their jobs.
Girardi really needs to sit Giambi tomorrow. I’d rather see Sexson at this point. Didn’t Sexson get hits the last two games he played in?
Here’s a little pick-me-up, after we split the next two with LAA:
Pitchers we face for 4 game set against Texas:
Vicente Padilla 4.52
Matt Harrison 7.40
Tommy Hunter 10.97
Scott Feldman 4.97
How long is Kevin Long’s contract ? I’m just curious about this.
done, done, done….adios !
Brandon – he signed a 3 yr/$1 million doller deal.
Remember— after the whole Torre fiasco, they did everything they could to keep the coaches and players and overpaid for them all, so they wouldn’t look bad.
Sadly, they let Bowa go and retained Long.
This game is all on the offense. You lose if you score zero no matter how many runs you give up. And even if Mo puts up a zero, we weren’t going to score anyway and would have lost it with a lesser reliever blowing it.
When will people get it? This whole season is about our average offense. It’s not Ponson. It’s not Rasner. It’s not Wang’s injury. It’s not the lack of Hughes and Kennedy starts. It’s the MEDIOCRE OFFENSE.
If we don’t make it this year, it will be a thrown away season. They have had pitching overachieving so much, and have had some of the best pitching since the dynasty days, yet they can’t score runs against some of the worst, and a lot of the best pitchers in the league.
Good teams find ways to score, and this one sits on its butt making excuses for itself as it goes 0-15 with RISP and hits into a million DP’s. “I tip my cap.” GIVE ME A FREAKING BREAK. How many times does Hallady go into Fenway park and give up 4 or 5 runs? It’s not like these guys are totally unhittable!
If we had last year’s offense, we’d probably be good enough to win the world series. However, this year’s offense is NOT last year’s offense. It’s been too long. They aren’t “underachieving, ” this is what they are. They are old, slow, and unfocused. The offense isn’t going to just flip a switch and score 8 runs a game.
done, done, done….adios !
Pues vete quien te estas guantando
And notice that teams with weak offenses never go anywhere when it counts.
Oakland, Minnesota, Anaheim the last few years against Boston.
You have to be able to score, and score off good pitching, to win. This team can do neither, and that’s why they’re not good enough.
From previous thread:
Mo’s quirky stats notwithstanding, bringing him in is the right move.
But there definitely needs to be some retooling of the offense. There is no time left to worry about egos and history and all of that. I hope that Girardi will try to do something a little different, and all the rest be dam-ed.
Considering all the injuries, and the unmet expectations in the starting pitching, the Yankees are still not out of it. But unless they’re willing to throw caution to the wind and try ANYTHING with the offense, it won’t matter.
Is Jeter in decline or just having an awful season? What about ARod? Last year as clutch as clutch could be and this season, more often than not he’s not helping in games like tonight’s. Cano? Melky? It’s like there’s something in the water over there. And no one really stepping up to “carry†the team.
SJ44, you said earlier in the season that the worse they perform the easier it becomes to make some moves. That is sure true at least from fan standpoint – when the love is gone, you kick ‘em out the door! I think the moving of Kyle Farnsworth has given a clue that the Yankees will move a player they like personally if it has a chance of helping the team overall. After all, players have come and gone since the inception of the franchise, and the franchise goes on.
Its not the hitting coach’s fault Brandon.
This is on the players. They are the one’s in the box. I’ve never met a hitting coach yet that preaches, “don’t hit”.
The blame goes to the 9 guys in the lineup each day that stink it up on a near daily basis. Only so much a coach can do.
“How long is Kevin Long’s contract ?”
Long…
Mariano should take ZERO blame Pete. He did what he usually does in non-save situations.
If you want to blame the pitching aspect blame Joe Girardi for bringing him in during a tie game. We all know, thanks to you Pete, Mo doesn’t do well in those situations this year.
Mo is an adrenaline guy, always has been. You could see this way back in the nineties when they would bring him in to get work with a big lead. He’d give up three runs.
But the main culprit tonight was one Alex Rodrgiuez guessing every time (looking to pad his HR totals) he had two strikes, striking out looking in two such situations, and then popping up on the first pitch in his other at bat.
Johnny Damon has better quality at bats when he is in a 17 for 89 slump period.
Alex and this team with no heart (only ego) are getting my close to melting my plastic yankee batting helmet.
“Arod is leading the league in hitting and is third in the league in HR’s, with a guy who can’t hit hitting behind him. How is it his fault?”
It’s not. My only complaint with A-Rod is that he has tried to hit the ball out to play hero a couple of times this week. He needs to just relax and stop putting all of the pressure on himself.
“You got a taste of Yankee Baseball without Arod when he got hurt. How did they play then? They were awful.”
The only problem with this argument is that he’s back with them now and they are still awful.
“There is no logical reason anybody should throw a strike to Arod with runners on base when he has Giambi hitting behind him. That’s what we have been seeing this week.”
Exactly and this is where missing Matsui and Posada is hurting us. I’d like to have Giambi sit out a few games and have Sexson play first. Put Nady behind A-Rod to see how that goes. At this point, Girardi should be open to trying anything to get this offense going.
Question?
Girardi and Eiland have a plan on how to use the arms in the bullpen, for the most part has been a success for us.
What is the individual game plan of Girardi and Long, on how they want the hitters to approach the opposing starting pitcher, and how they arrange that night’s lineup?
Do they watch films, have use of computer statistics, or just go on their gut feeling, not wanting to tell the multimillion players they have how to do their job?
“Girardi really needs to sit Giambi tomorrow. I’d rather see Sexson at this point. Didn’t Sexson get hits the last two games he played in?”
Girardi should sit the entire line up tomorrow and see if any of the old timers want to play.
A week ago, I wouldn’t have traded Robinson Cano for God. Today, I would trade him for a small pizza.
Brandon – he signed a 3 yr/$1 million doller deal.
He needs to be fired at the end of this season. I can give him credit on Alex in his contract year but everythings else is going wrong. SERIOUSLY IDK HOW MANY WALKOFF OPPURTUNITIES WE’VE MISSED THIS SEASON..IT’S F****** ANNOYING !
Pitchers we face for 4 game set against Texas:
Vicente Padilla 4.52
Matt Harrison 7.40
Tommy Hunter 10.97
Scott Feldman 4.97
I predict a shutout by Tommy Hunter. Then we can tip our hat to another great pitching performance.
“Jason Giambi is hitting under .200 w/RISP this season.
Find me another #5 hitter in baseball who is hitting under .200 w/RISP.”
Clearly, Giradi the stat freak knows this. So why does he keep repeating the same mistake?
Exactly Doreen. They can’t sit on their butts and wait for things to magically “turn around.” The team is what it’s compiled over 4 months of the year. They are just not that good offensively, especially when it counts in big spots.
If they sit around and wait for things to happen, whether swinging for the fences, continuing to bat guys in spots in the lineup for their “ego,” they are not going to get results and it will be a wasted season.
How sick are you of seeing Jeter hit into a DP after Damon gets on out of the 2 hole? Giambi can’t buy a hit with RISP and is hitting .250 on the season. Pudge has barely been an upgrade over Molina so far and Melky has killed us with his undisciplined first pitch swinging, especially in big, clutch spots with bad at bats.
So what do we do? We sit around and wait for these to produce. It hasn’t worked so far, and won’t work in the future. You can’t score when every other hitter is a black hole, and how can you blame A-Rod for pressing when the guy behind him hits .200 with RISP? Maybe if we put a real hitter behind him he’d get pitches to hit?
I don’t think we’ll expect a lineup change for tomorrow (I hope I’m wrong though).
Matt Harrison will take a 1 hit shutout into the 8th inning before Nady hits his patented solo HR down 10-0.
Baseball players all go through slumps. The problem with our team is that they are so bonded to each other that they all go through their slumps at the same time.
“I don’t think we’ll expect a lineup change for tomorrow (I hope I’m wrong though).”
Molina is catching so it will be tweaked just a bit.
Matt, good points.
The issue in 2008 has clearly been the offense. It is just baffling, I posted earlier today that the Yankees are a bunch of bandwagon hitters who just hack away. Very little in the way of battling at bats we’ve been accustomed to, maybe even spoiled by.
Although you can’t lay it all on A-rod, he certainly deserves his share of blame. He just doesn’t seem to come through often enough when you really need him to. Ditto Giambi, Jeter (this year) and their entire freaking bench which although talented just does not deliver.
Ponson and Marte pitched really well and their defense was sharp, this should have been a W but the Yankees offense took the game off, as so often has been the case this year.
Pitiful.
You can’t seriously be saying that A-Rod should just “relax and stop trying to be a hero.”
Do you seriously think it’s that easy? If it were that easy, don’t you think he would just do it? He’s not an idiot.
Baseball is an adrenaline game, always has, always will be. You can’t tell me that when nobody hits around you that you aren’t going to try to be the hero in a big spot with the adrenaline flowing in one run game at home?
A-Rod is a tremendous player. To blame him is ridiculous.
How about blaming the black hole behind him that gets him pitched around every AB and then fails to pick him up? Or the lazy 2nd baseman behind him, or the no hit 1st baseman past that…
Besides Damon, Abreu, A-Rod, and sometimes Jeter, the entire lineup is an automatic out in any big spot, and usually on 3 or 4 pitches.
How are they going to score that way? That’s clearly not A-Rod’s fault.
” Maybe if we put a real hitter behind him he’d get pitches to hit?”
We had a real hitter behind him, but he’s on the DL. We don’t really have a good guy to protect A-Rod. Giambi is useless. Cano is too inconsistent. Sexson strikes out way too much. I’d go with Nady for now as an experiment.
SJ44,
I asked you why it was impossible for Girardi to think out of the box in the last thread. Is this concept to much of a challenge?
Mo has a record in non save siuations that any manager should consider. Why not improvise and go forward and not by the book?
“What is the individual game plan of Girardi and Long, on how they want the hitters to approach the opposing starting pitcher, and how they arrange that night’s lineup?”
Girardi has trouble telling the media who’s injured, do you think he’s really going to share that with anyone?
If you can’t score one run in nine innings I think it’s pretty obvious who you can put the blame on…
We have to take the next two games!
“The problem with our team is that they are so bonded to each other that they all go through their slumps at the same time.”
Now that’s optimistic… seems like you’re stealing someone else’s bit on here…
My guess is that Giambi continues in the 5-hole because Girardi is falling prey to the same thing Torre suffered – being afraid to disrupt a slumping vet’s ego by shuffling the lineup.
There’s only one answer to this lineup’s woes:
Shea Hildebrand
Thank you.
Bear with me for a moment here.
What’s upsetting me about the Yankees right now isn’t that they’re losing.
What’s upsetting me is the way they are losing–the way the offense is playing as though it’s entitled to October.
In another year, I’d say, you know what, maybe they should miss the playoffs, it might be good for them…but this year is different.
This year, more than any year, they should be playing as though it’s now or never.
Is this how it ends? Not with a bang, but with a whimper?
Because that’s so not cool.
Youkilis is a brat – you know that kid was spoiled rotten growing up.
Name another professional ballplayer who whines as much as that guy.
Just took an inside fastball for strike 3 in the bottom of the 11th.
SJ
“There is no logical reason anybody should throw a strike to Arod with runners on base when he has Giambi hitting behind him. That’s what we have been seeing this week.”
I couldn’t agree with you more…….if I was a pitcher, A rod would never see a hittable pitch unless I made a big mistake. Off speed,out of the zone, sliders in the dirt, 3-2 change ups. The man has no help behind him.
Giambi, ha, every pitcher, every scout knows to go at Giambi. Make Giambi beat you.
And i have to give some thought to the fact that Alex knows this, and therefore possibly making it harder on his self (ego driven) or not to try and produce as much as he can in his at bat.
Nobody wants to see A rod walk 150 times this year or any year, but I imagine if he didn’t swing at those bad pitches that’s where he might be.
On a similar note, how many pitches do you think Ortiz is going to see in this new era, with out Manny behind him?
I’ll save you the trouble. Not many.
“A-Rod is a tremendous player. To blame him is ridiculous.”
If you read my post, you’d see that I didn’t blame him. And that crap you are spouting about A-Rod not being able to relax and not be the hero is bull. Not every guy goes up there trying to hit the ball into Monument Park. When Hunter was batting tonight against Mo, did he have his HR swing going? No, he took the ball where it was pitched and served it out to right. He was signed to a big contract this year as well. I’m sure he wanted to be a hero right there, but he didn’t let that desire take him away from his game plan. If Torii Hunter can do it, so can A-Rod!
Oh ok thanks, Laura.
“My guess is that Giambi continues in the 5-hole because Girardi is falling prey to the same thing Torre suffered – being afraid to disrupt a slumping vet’s ego by shuffling the lineup.”
Really? So Torre never moved Giambi to #3, or even #2 when he was slumping? What team were you watching?
IDK what to say they don’t have “IT” they just don’t, it use to be the pitching now the offense is taking a vacation.
Doreen,
I learned a long time ago in sports that ultimately, the players make the decisions for you.
They had that little streak and the Yankees brass decided to go for it. They made 3 solid moves. Two of the guys, Nady and Marte, fill needs for next year. That’s a postive.
Pudge is an upgrade given their catching situation.
The rest of the moves work themselves out. Barring a sudden turnaround of fortunes, Abreu probably won’t be back. Too much money for what you get in him at this stage of his career. Giambi is definitely gone and that’s a positive from a baseball standpoint.
Good guy, great in the clubhouse but, his contract kept the Yankees from doing an awful lot of things over the years. He also has become a huge liability in the lineup. He’s an all or nothing guy at the plate now. Not exactly what they envisioned when he was signed.
If they had a healthy Nady, I’d really consider sitting Giambi for most of the rest of the year and play Nady at first. He’s lost up there, especially with RISP. He kills them every night in run producing situations.
I really believe they will change their style of play in the off-season and find players to fit that style. This, “all star at every position” nonsense is in its final stages.
Its why what they do in the off-season with Cano bears watching.
To me, if you are going to pay a second baseman 7 million dollars a year, with options that could make the deal worth 57 million dollars over 6 years, he either has to bat third in the lineup or you trade him.
Simply put, he has to be given more responsibility on this team offensively. If they don’t think he can handle it, then trade him.
They can’t afford to bat a guy with his talent in the 8 hole. Especially while having other guys in spots in the lineup where they have consistently shown an inability to produce runs.
Robbie, probably next to Arod, is the most talented hitter on this team. His issue is consistency.
Sometimes, guys get more consistent when you increase their roles on the team. Perhaps that is what’s needed with him.
If not, then deal him. The time of having him as a luxury in the lineup is gone. They need the 2006 Robbie Cano if they have any shot at the playoffs this year.
Either give him more responsibility or give up on him. Can’t just leave him batting down in the order any longer.
A-rod is a tremendous player, and blaming him ad nauseum for everything wrong with the Yankees offense is indeed ridiculous, but he hasn’t earned a complete pass either. He needs to step up better in key situations, as do others, including Jeter. Giambi has sucked all year in key spots.
BTW, the longer this season goes on, the easier it is to see that Melky is what he is, a high-quality fourth OF, he is in a major funk at the plate usually and quite frankly, looks completely overmatched.
I love the Yankees, but I’m sorry, this team sucks. These just aren’t the right players to win anything. They’re not even fun to watch, and in reality, aren’t really likable enough to root for. It’s time to clean house in the off-season and get back to basics.
MArk Loretta who we could have gotten for Wilson Betemit just got a gamebreaking hit (Something Alex is allergic to)
Marc,
Why is the concept so hard to understand? You have Mariano Rivera in the bullpen.
Its not PlayStation. You use Mariano Rivera out of the bullpen at home in a tie game.
If you don’t score, you don’t win. You don’t lose a game in the 9th inning with Mariano sitting in the bullpen if he is healthy enough to pitch.
Your problem is, you automatically assume that if Mariano didn’t pitch the 9th inning, no runs would have scored.
There is no way of knowing that.
Here’s one thing we do know. The Yankees scored ZERO runs tonight. If you don’t score, you don’t win.
You mean to tell me, the Yankees heart of the batting order is incapable of scoring 2 runs at home in the bottom of the 9th inning? If they are, why be upset about using Mo? They are going to lose the game anyway.
Girardi doesn’t have to “think outside the box” when you have Rivera. His problem is, he doesn’t have an offense. That’s the problem, no Rivera.
SJ44 –
Unfortunately, I don’t think they move Cano up to 3rd unless they’ve just about fallen out of it. At least going by history. But I think that could be a good move. In that vein, perhaps they do keep Cano, pass on Abreu and then take that opportunity to move Cano up. Then, if that doesn’t work, Cano becomes expendable, though not worth quite as much, I suppose.
It does really stink that Nady comes up injured. Hopefully it’s not serious and he’ll be back in the lineup in a couple of days. I was glad that the move Cash made for Nady/Marte has implications beyond this season.
I need to go, shave me and put the thong back on.
In mid-May, if someone told me we’d be 2 GB in the WC on August 1, I’d be ecstatic.
Just as frustrated with everyone else, here, but trying to stay positive.
Laura
If there was ever a time for A-Rod to be swinging for the fences, the 9th inning tonight was it. What was the chance the Yanks were going to manufacture a run with the way they were swinging the bats and against K-Rod?
Just as frustrated with everyone else, here, but trying to stay positive.
I’m tired of looking for ways to try and stay positive. lol
Brandon,
How do you know they could have gotten Mark Loretta for Wilson Betemit? If they could, they would make that deal tomorrow.
Wilson Betemit has no trade market. They offered him around and didn’t get a single bite from anybody.
Hey everyone, look – Boston has only scored 1 run in 11 2/3 innings against the mighty Oakland staff.
Just a little perspective…
The real reason everyone is so upset is because the Angels are playing like we did in the nineties and tonight it was painfully obvious our bunch has no clue how to do that.
I remember when Paul O’ Neil would face a tough lefty with nobody out and a runner on second and he would do all he could to ground the runner over to third. Twisting his body to pull a ground ball to second off the lefty as if his life depended on it. Alex Rodriguez plays like he has never seen a guy do that. You can’t blame that on the guy hiting behind him especially when that guy has better quality at bats.
Doreen
Unless Girardi was lying
he said in the pregame he expected X back tomorrow. Said he took BP today and was shagging flies but gave him the night to be cautious.
“If there was ever a time for A-Rod to be swinging for the fences, the 9th inning tonight was it”
Perhaps. I was actually more annoyed at his bat in that BAL game. I think we had two guys on and he struck out. His swings were all the “I’m going to hit a 3 run HR” type of swings. He might have done more damage with a more restrained approach.
Yeah but what does it matter if we make the wild card? We go into Anaheim and lose in 4 games. Since when are the Yankees content with making the playoffs? Why are we building a team that is barely good enough to be the 4th best in the American league, to squeak into the playoffs? Where’s our efficient and effective lineup, dominating starting pitching, and late-inning heroics that defined the 1990’s dynasty?
pat,
That’s certainly good news (if true
)!
I’m less frustrated about losing to the Angels than I am losing a home series to the Orioles again.
The Angels are a better team than the Yankees. They should beat the Yankees.
But, the Orioles? At home, after winning a series in Fenway? Inexcusable.
If they don’t make the playoffs, it won’t be because of losing to the Angels. It will be because of a 7-13 home record against Baltimore, KC, Cleveland, and Cincinnati and because their offense has been awful for most of the season.
Bay just hit a triple in extras.
SJ44,
I was talking about his history and the mystique of him giving up runs in that situation. I really think a manger would consider that with a game at 0 -0.
Marte was 1 inning and a short one. Ramirez, Veras,,, he had options. THIS is my point.
Jon –
Were you disappointed when we won the Wild Card in 1995 and 2007?
SJ I forgot to put probably before could have got.. (sorry for that I’m not in the mood tonight and I’m getting forgetful now)
I have to disagree. I just can’t blame the pitching staff on a night when they only allowed one run.
The blame has to be on the 4-5-6 hitters, who went a combined 0-11.
Bay wins the game for the Sux.
And so it goes.
its true the teams of the mid 90’s never had a real flashy player. everyone has their own strenghts and weakness. the reason the kept winning was that they covered each other. also the pitching was lights out, and the back end of the bullpen was unhittable.
BOS wins a one run game a home. What a concept.
Giambi needs to go somewhere. Im sick of seeing him come up with guys on and consistently getting blown away. He doesnt get ANY hits unless he accidentally gets one through the left side of the shift.
Pete, as others have said, how do you blame Rivera? It has nothing to do with save situations, its the fact that the guy has not pitched consistently in a week. Girardi should have thrown him for an inning last night. Its obvious that his command was not there and thats because he has not pitched.
what a bad night. yanks lose a heartbreaker 1-0. twins rays and sox win.
I hate to have to say this, but this is not the 96-2001 (even 2003) Yankees. It happens. The key is for them to build from this and not go into a multi-season swoon. There’s nothing really wrong with having a season where you go through these struggles.
Peter
Maybe you should rename this post…Now that one really hurts. if boston makes it…which they probably will, you can look back at a game like this as the one that got them going.
yankees really have a hill to climb now. i know it is one game, but one game really counts
Manny who?
The offense is an enigma and has been for some time. Last season, the Yankees’ offense struggled at first, got hot in July and managed to lead the league in runs scored, then totally disappeared in the playoffs. This year, the Yanks will score 13 runs one night and none the next. Who knows why this is, it could be the players, hitting coach, whatever. Their inconsistent offense, not starting pitching, will do them in this year.
“Manny who?”
Good one, Ray. Of course, one could say that you might have won the game in 9 innings and saved your bullpen if Manny had been in the game. Maybe he would have jacked one out. Maybe Ortiz would have. You’ll never know.
You know even if we make the playoffs, which I still don’t think will happen, we’d most likely play the Angels first round anyways.
So what are we fighting for anyways? The right to get another first round humilation?
There is no “mystique” Marc. Its about scoring runs.
His “history” in those situations is still better than the other guys in the ‘pen. You make it sound like the guy is a sieve in these situations. He isn’t. He’s just unbelievably perfect in save situations.
I think the Angels would gladly take Veras, Ramirez or Robertson in the 9th rather than Rivera.
In fact, if you want to look at history as a judge, pop in the tape of Edwar’s performance against the Angels in Yankee Stadium last year. It wasn’t pretty.
What “mystique” was there in the 9th? He gave up a walk on a borderline pitch, a bloop, and a ball that would have been a DP if the infield was in. Not exactly crushing the guy.
They didn’t hit. That’s why they lost. You don’t keep a rested Mo in the bullpen in the 9th inning of a winnable home game.
He was the best option because he’s freaking Mariano Rivera.
The Yankees have had two long winning streaks this season when everything has clicked. Other than that, they’ve been incredibly inconsistent and have lost series to lousy teams like the orioles, reds, pirates, and royals. Maybe the Yankees are just a mediocre team this year, and there’s nothing they can do to change that.
David Cone- I was still young for 95, but in 07 yes I was disappointed. It’s one thing to earn a playoff berth. It’s another thing to back into it. That’s all we’d be doing this year, as we did last year. And with our payroll, the fact that we’re even a borderline playoff time is frankly pathetic. I know this team is in transition mode recovering from Steinbrenner’s rampage from 02-06, but it’s difficult to watch and certainly difficult to root for these guys that I honestly have no connection with, save for maybe Jeter, Jorge, and Mo.
I hope Girardi lets them have it. I can’t go to brunch tomorrow out here cause my regular waiter is an Angel fan.
Laura,
I will be the first to admit that Jason Bay will not replace Manny. I was just having a little fun.
When will Joe stop bringing Mariano in non save situations. It seems that he needs a ton of bricks to fall on him for him to see that this doesnt work. Also did you see Canoe loof, then start to run down, to first base on the ball that hit off of the pitcher?Also will we have to wait ten years ( the next time he is in the last year of his contract) for Arod to get a big hit in the ninth inning of a game?We are slip sliding away with “Murders row and Canoe” providing the grease. All these “all stars” and no one can hit in the clutch–sigh
“I will be the first to admit that Jason Bay will not replace Manny. I was just having a little fun.”
I know. It was cute.
I asked this a couple of days ago and no one answered me. How is it that players who change leagues get to keep their batting average? I thought you had to start back at zero. Did that rule change or is my mind playing tricks on me?
“I hope Girardi lets them have it.”
lol Whos he going to let have it? He hasn’t penalized anyone all season long.
Maybe he can ray, maybe he can
Manny just got a standing O in LA.
They don’t get to keep their batting average. It technically starts over but the TV producers put it on the screen anyway(usually with a disclaimer).
“I asked this a couple of days ago and no one answered me. How is it that players who change leagues get to keep their batting average? I thought you had to start back at zero. Did that rule change or is my mind playing tricks on me?”
There was never a rule like that.
There was so much hope as the game developed tonight…
Trisha’s faith in Sir Sid being rewarded…
The LAA announcers amazed by the Angels not hitting Ponson’s and Marte’s pitching…
No Jeter Ford Edge commercials on FSN West….
Oh well.
Jon – understood.
The point is, it no longer matters how you get in. Just GET IN.
Go back and look at the past 10 postseasons – you’d be surprised how many WS winners were WC winners.
AL East is a long shot at this point – not a miracle, because we face the teams ahead of us enough times, but the WC is realistic, even at 2.5 games back with 2 months to play.
Take what you get – even if it means facing LAA in the first round.
Every fan I knew last year wanted Cleveland over LAA, and look what happened.
LAA went cold, Boston went hot, and we sucked against the Indians.
“There was never a rule like that.”
Oh, okay. So I am losing my mind. Good to know.
“They don’t get to keep their batting average. It technically starts over but the TV producers put it on the screen anyway(usually with a disclaimer).”
They keep it. They just don’t qualify for the awards.
K-Rod gives up so many homeruns,walks and hits against even the crappy teams it amazed me our supoosed great hitters couldn’t do anything.And now A-Rod is King of the strikeouts.
Talk about irony and life coming full circle. I just watched Randy Johnson pitch to Manny Ramirez at Dodgers Stadium, with his manager Joe Torre looking on. Whose manager? Right, because he was Randy’s at one time!
Manny’s first AB was a ground out. You would have thought he got a triple the way the crowd cheered him! Anyway, they just reported that Manny told reporters that one thing that came out of his first meeting with Torre was that his hair was getting cut off!
Some things never change.
SJ44,
I’ve been a fan of the Yankees since Yogi tossed me a ball in a game in the stadium in the eary 60’s. I was 5 and I’ll never forget it. I just remember that smile that told me they’d never give up.
I’m not not getting down on this team and never will, but I just want them to think their ways out of games sometimes and not just say it was someone elses fault. We know the offense sucks, but going for another round might have helped if they could have with other options.
And btw, Edwar isn’t the same as he was last year.
Laura- For example, Nady cant win a batting title this year. The average stays but he wont qualify for ABs in either league. Hope that helps you.
Laura- For example, Nady cant win a batting title this year. The average stays but he wont qualify for ABs in either league. Hope that helps you.
Yeah maybe we could make the playoffs, but this team isn’t even remotely prepped for a playoff run. Our starting pitching is not strong enough except for Joba and our clutch hitting is non-existent. Making the playoffs through the WC with a really good team can be all you need. But this isn’t a really good team. This is an inconsistent, slightly above-average team and honestly, kind of an embarrassment.
Hey guys, I watched your entire game (and the Sox game) today thanks to mlbtv and YES. Even though that was a heart-breaking lost, I have to say that Ponson looked great. Shutting down the Angels is not an easy thing to do. You should be encouraged that your starter was so successful. And Mo, even though he is Mo, cannot be perfect every game. K-Rod and Pap (who lead the AL in saves) have blown a couple themselves.
Meanwhile, may I repeat Ray’s word – “Manny who?” This guy got a standing ovation from Fenway at every AB. Made a great sliding catch w/ two outs and a guy on third. His speed (and effort, something Manny sometimes lacked) made a huge difference in this game.
Please don’t jump on me for trolling. I watch almost as many Yank games as Sox ones.
You see what losing streaks bring out?
It brings out the pompous know it all SJ44.
Thanks, Yankees. Now get some hits so he can crawl in that hole.
jon i know what you mean the only players i feel that are real yanks are mo pos jet and pet
We waste Ponsons one good outing this year. Just fools gold. He’ll get bombed in 5 days.
Why is Manny wearing 99? Thats a sacrilegious. Just an embarassment to all sports.
who cares about nady’s winning a batting title? you cannot be serious
“Laura- For example, Nady cant win a batting title this year. The average stays but he wont qualify for ABs in either league. Hope that helps you.”
Ok, thanks for the info.
“I remember when Paul O’ Neil would face a tough lefty with nobody out and a runner on second and he would do all he could to ground the runner over to third.”
Watching Yankees Classics games on YES has shown me that players on teams from the 90’s failed more than I remembered and the Yanks are undefeated in Classics games.
It made me look up some peoples numbers and they were nowhere near what I imagined they were. Guess I was hypnotized by the bling of rings.
“16 non-save situations: 21 innings, 18 hits, 7 runs, 3.00 ERA.
26 save situations: 27.1 innings, 12 hits, 1 run, 0.33 ERA.”
This is a very good example of how statistics are used incorrectly in baseball – all of the time.
People attempt to draw conclusions from numbers that the numbers just cannot support because the analysis is the wrong one to answer the issue.
It’s hard to get over. “Splits” are so misused in baseball it’s amazing.
People who think these numbers support the idea that Mariano should not be used in a time game are just wrong.
You can’t draw that conclusion from these “splits.” It’s completely inappropriate.
And of course this has little to do with why the team lost anyway.
Can’t win if you don’t score. That’s pretty simple.
There’s not a lot of math involved in analyzing a zero.
“Anyway, they just reported that Manny told reporters that one thing that came out of his first meeting with Torre was that his hair was getting cut off!”
He’s also wearing a uniform that fits him unlike the ones he used to wear in BOS, where he looked like he just rolled out of bed.
can we give some credit to ervin santana for being a great pitcher?
great pitching beats great hitting. if you have watched the playoffs since 2001 you know this.
it is why we have lost.
“i know what you mean the only players i feel that are real yanks are mo pos jet and pet”
and two of them are the loosing pitchers from the past 2 nights…
“Please don’t jump on me for trolling. I watch almost as many Yank games as Sox ones.”
We only jump on trolls who come here to talk trash about the Yankees. I see no such trash in your post.
if girardi puts in veras in the top of the 9th and he gives up a run what is everyone saying 5 minutes later?
u use ur best and give ur offense a shot to win it
“can we give some credit to ervin santana for being a great pitcher?”
Great pitcher? Um, I wouldn’t go that far. I think he pitched a good game, but he was vulnerable in spots and we didn’t make him pay. We should have been able to scratch out a few runs against him.
“i know what you mean the only players i feel that are real yanks are mo pos jet and petâ€
and two of them are the loosing pitchers from the past 2 nights…
”
another one’s out for the season and not likely to return to form and the last is quickly experiencing the downside of his career. its a sad time for the old yankees dynasty.
No, you are definitely not trolling. The only Red Sox fans I hate on this blog are the ones that troll. I think many people would agree that if you want to talk baseball, there’s nothing wrong about that.
Randy Johnson and Kershaw are the starters tonight and Johnson was pitching for the Expos when Kleyshaw was born.
“We only jump on trolls who come here to talk trash about the Yankees. I see no such trash in your post.”
Anyone who doesn’t agree with the majority here is called a troll. This place isn’t one for intelligent conversation.
ervin santana is a great pitcher. i guess u dont remember game 5 in 2005.
he has fantastic stuff and he got over his road troubles which plagued him last yr.
he also shows how patient u have to be with young pitchers. great example to all here who bash and trash kennedy and hughes. not every pitcher is a lackey or a joba.
To be fair… our slump is coming against teams/hitters who OWN us… Baltimore and the Angels.
Between Mora, Figgins, Huff, Garrett Anderson, Shields, Weaver, Cabrera, Ervin Santana, Guthrie, Millar, Markakis, Lackey, Hernandez, Burress, Roberts, etc. we have a ton of Yankee-killers there.
Not an excuse, but those teams/players always own us. But tonight’s loss is unacceptable, that just shows they are finding new ways to lose. Maybe things will get better when we go to Texas?
any boston fan that says he is glad manny is out of beantown is a liar and is buying the gammons and the espn spin.
that lineup is generic without him and papi is obv not 100% with that bad wrist.
dice k is bound to have a bad stretch where the offense won’t bail him out. beckett has been spotty. bucholz has been kennedy like. lester is really carrying them.
I don’t agree Blue Chipper. I find a lot of intelligent baseball conversation on this blog and that is why I come here.
It is a Yankee blog and so I consider myself a guest in someone else’s home, and so even though I may have a different perspective I really try to be respectful and avoid the trash talking.
Blue Chipper
And your contribution there definitely didn’t raise anyone’s IQ.
Thanks for being nice =] Blue Chipper, I’m sorry you feel differently. But like I said before, always look to your rivals to say the truth. I enjoy reading these comments when I have nothing to do late at night.
I was just saying that I was impressed with Ponson. Last night I scrolled through some of your threads and everyone here basically stated he would get murdered. I think he proved something tonight.
I may be a Sox fan, but I can recognize good baseball.
“Anyone who doesn’t agree with the majority here is called a troll. This place isn’t one for intelligent conversation”
That’s your opinion. I have no problem talking to Red Sox fans as long as they are here to exchange ideas and opinions. If they want to come here and post that the Yankees suck and that Papelbum is better than Mo, then they are trolls as far as I’m concerned.
“It doesn’t happen often, but you have to blame Mariano Rivera for this one.”
Rivera certainly could have done better. But this game falls squarely on the offense. Explain to me, how exactly is a team supposed to win a game when they score 0 runs?
kev, it doesnt matter what the red sox are doing because our problems are just as bad. and we have a much tougher schedule. its going to be a long month
mark that is a terrible excuse. “owns us”?
baltimore is a terrible team playing out the stretch. millar is a 240 hitter and cabrera cant get minor league hitters out. its flat out excuses.
you can be owned by guys like halladay. not by the orioles. good teams dont lose to terrible teams especially at home.
excuses.
To call Santana a “great” pitcher is ove the top. The guy was 7-14 with a near 6 ERA. I think he has to prove a little more before you call him great. Halladay, Beckett, Sabathia and guys like them are “great”. The is a difference between having great stuff and being a great pitcher.
seriously how can anyone question bringing in Mariano?/Do you peole really understand baseball? Do you think? The guy has a 1.40ish ERA he is the best relief pitcher of all time, the middle of the angels order is coming up in a tied game…
Seriously how can anyone question that move??I need to reevaluate going to blogs, the stupidity is mindboggling…No one with a brain that works would question that move at HOME…
Having so many moron posters is ruining the enjoyment of these blogs…
yeah washbum looks great tongiht only 9 hits in 5 innings or so..
the bottom line is the yanks are not that good.. the cardinals have a better record.. could you imagine that.. yes they play in the NL, but have blown many many games late and have had so many injuries..
The Twins now have a better record they start like 4 rookie pitcher and Liriano a Sr. citizen at like 24 just came back.. They are 9 games above and the twinkies and cardinals have better records, let’s call it what it is they are not very good. Yeah can they turn it around? Absolutely but reall ythere is no indication this will happen. they have no one leading;;; the millionaire whom I often complain about have done nothing… as stated earlier Damon is the only position plaer that has earned his pay……
OUCH……
CB,
“There’s not a lot of math involved in analyzing a zero.”
I appreciate the abstract representing a game, but baseball isn’t a vaccumm. It’s a living, breathing, game needing on the spot decisions to win. somtimes these need radical moves that aren’t in the usual design.
every team has problems except apparently the angels, jon. just dont be so quick to write off a team that has been called dead here 100 times since april. just when u think they are dead they surprise you. i guess we’ll find out tomorrow and sun. if they have some heart u will see jered weaver take a beating.
“Having so many moron posters is ruining the enjoyment of these blogs…”
Pot calling the kettle….
“Why is Manny wearing 99? Thats a sacrilegious. Just an embarassment to all sports.”
Ah yes. Because Wayne Gretzky, who also wore 99 and played in LA for part of his career, was clearly a huge embarrassment to the sports world.
“ervin santana is a great pitcher.”
I guess we have different opinions on the meaning of the word “great”. Ervin hasn’t pitched long enough to get described as a great pitcher IMO. He’s a good pitcher who has a lot of potential. Joba is a very good pitcher who also has a lot of potential. He’s not great yet, but I think that he will be.
What response would GI Joe give us if we were to write to ASK JOE, Why is Alex not hitting w/ RISP or game on the line situations ?
santana had one bad yr. the guy is 25 yrs old. his stuff is flat out nasty and hes finally turning the light on. its not like he hasn’t had success. every yankee fan knows him. a lot of young pitchers dont turn the light on for a while.
it is why u dont give up on talent. it is why the idiots who say trade hughes and kennedy should be properly laughed at.
santana has won a clinching game 5. what has halladay done in the playoffs? sabathia?
give the guy some credit
“somtimes these need radical moves that aren’t in the usual design.”
You do know that “conventional wisdom” when the game is tied is to NOT use your closer, right?
“Out of the box” thinking is to use your closer in a tie game situation because its the highest leverage situation in the game to that point.
So what Girardi did tonight was “out of the box.”
It just didn’t “work” tonight but using your closer in a tie game (even at home) is not conventional managing – La Russa for instance never does that – and he’s really the one that defined the age baseball is now played in – hyperspecialization of relief pitchers.
And again – the primary reason why they lost was because the offense doesn’t score runs and didn’t today.
We waste Ponsons one good outing this year…. He’ll get bombed in 5 days.
I think he’ll be pretty bombed later tonight…
Jase wow that was insightful and shrewd..agin Jase you and the other morons poll every manager in pro baseball what they would have done tonight in the 9th and if 1 manager says he would not have brought Mariano in I will give you $10000. If all 30 or so agree with me, you give me $5…How about it, mental midget?????
Put your money where you ass is.. Break open your piggy bank or steal $5 from your mommy..
to question the move is not thinking outside the box it is being a total moron…..
Hey ray…have a good night, friend ! This is getting real hard to watch…..Although, I know that it will be down to the Yankees and Sox at the finish line and being only 2 games back of you guys in the loss column, is of course, not a big deal….but this year,,,,we are finding ways to lose games….against both good and bad teams….and if we make it into the playoffs without improving our OVERALL game and ability to GRIND OUT an actual win now and then,,,,I fear the first round exit again and that is getting SO DAMN OLD !…..again….have a great night, ray….don’t let the abrasivie iceholes get ya down !
“What response would GI Joe give us if we were to write to ASK JOE, Why is Alex not hitting w/ RISP or game on the line situations ?”
Brandon, why are you so down on A-Rod tonight? He wasn’t the only one in the lineup tonight that did Jack Squat. They all stunk! It’s so easy to blame A-Rod since he’s the big bat with the big paycheck. The fact remains that when the Yankees lose, they lose as a team. There’s no I in team and A-Rod cannot be blamed for every loss that we suffer. I will agree that he needs to start making some different choices when he’s in key situations, but they all do. They all have to do better or we are seriously screwed this year.
Scared- I think 99 should be retired through out sports. Just my opinion. There has never been a played that thoroughly dominated a sports like Wayne Gretzky did. No one is close in any sport. He holds 61 NHL records. 61.
[#9]
Good one…
laura. santana is 25 and has close to 50 career wins already.
hes obviously been great this yr and his future looks even brighter. i guess u havent kept a watch on him and his stats this yr
thats why when people ask how/why are the angels a great team you say lackey, weaver, santana, saunders, k rod, shields
all homegrown
Hit too close to home, stuart???
Forgive me for pointing out the obvious with you.
kev- You just backed up my point. The guy is extremely young and young pitchers need to solidify themselves in the league before we call them great. He has not.
Jeff Keppinger would have got a hit tonight. He should play 3b for the Yanks in late innings. Trade for him Cash!
kev is right on the money, Santana has been excellent this year & seems to have conquered his woes on the road.
Hey Vito! The Angels are winning so many against the AL east I am almost ready to cheer for you guys in the next two games. Please note….I said ALMOST.
Have a good night.
Who are the starters tomorrow?
Nice comebck JASE.. As wise as all your other comments.. again you are a dimwit and if you were standing in front of me right now you would not be standing for long.. I just can take so much stupidity in 1 night..
really do you know anything about anything???
good night moron, and I hate to insult morons by associating them with you but really the level of knowledge on this site is really down in the gutter.
Laura it gets frustrating I love Alex on my team but literally it feels like when he doesn’t contribute it’s a 5 on 9 fight. I can’t just say oh well , that’s part of the problem and I wonder w/ baseball being a game of adjustments when will he make one.
santana is a great pitcher. just like joba is a great pitcher. u can have any definition u want. u can call them good very good whatever. i’ll call them what they are. they are both great pitchers. talent plus results plus heart. u don’t need to win 200 games before u can see that. it is pretty apparent to anyone watching.
Santana went 6-0 to start the year. Since hten he is a .500 pitcher.
Bringing Mo in was unquestionably the right move. Obviously doesn’t guarantee it will work, but that doesn’t negate it being the right move. You use your best bullet when you still can.
The moment of this game that sticks out to me is in the 6th when Damon led off with a single, had 2nd stolen, but Jeter swung at the first pitch and popped it up. I don’t understand why they don’t give Damona chance to steal before putting a hit and run on. It happens all the time. Who knows how it would have played out, but I thought that was the worst move of the game.
“Why is Alex not hitting w/ RISP or game on the line situations ?”
Because the team is not scoring and Giambi is a one dimensional hitter who hits home runs but does very little otherwise in terms of positive contributions to the offense.
What team would let ARod beat them? Why would you when you know you can pitch to Giambi next and he’ll just hit into the shift?
Alex is probably pressing some because he and Damon are literally the only hitters on the entire team playing up to expectations. I’m sure he’s thinking if I don’t knock in the run it’s not going to happen.
This is not on ARod – it’s not. There are a lot of factors that go into performance with RISP – a lot of which are out of a player’s control.
Losing Matsui was devastating – he’s a terrific, multi-dimensional hitter – average, power, situational – did some of everything at the plate. Same goes for Posada, though to a lesser extent.
Losing him hitting behind Alex completely changed the dynamic of this offense.
brandon he will say “i thought alex swung the bat great”
Me so scared stuart. Internet tough guy.
Didn’t think you were so sensitive. I guess the truth from what I said hurts.
Good luck, stewie.
Then I bow to Tony Larussa.
LMAO, I never thought I’d say that!
But I do think Mo was put in the wrong position tonight and the game was still ours to win.
But with the offence we had tonight,,,,,,ok, I give.
“hes obviously been great this yr and his future looks even brighter. i guess u havent kept a watch on him and his stats this yr”
I know enough about him to know that he’s managed to overcome his early struggles to put together a good season. He deserves credit for that. He’s a good, young pitcher. Nobody is denying that. It just seems like you want us to say he’s the next Cy Young.
Don’t forget Santana was the guy who came in for Colon in the 2005 ALDS and shut us down.
“Having so many moron posters is ruining the enjoyment of these blogs…”
This coming from a guy who said Irod and Nady weren’t great players… and then later denied that he said it.
lol.
CB would it kill him for one of those walkoff HR at the stadium in primetime… I’m as big an Arod fan as there is (No I don’t want him traded or anything harsh, but WTF is the problem w/ this guy and the game on the line R#@$R@!
the only good thing to come from this game is i found a thread with few enough comments that i was able to read sj44’s stuff.
u can believe whatever u want, pjh. obviously u can’t see with your eyes or check the stats. u are set in your opinions about santana. whatever. not here to argue nonsense. if u cant open ur eyes and see a great pitcher with great stuff or even take the time to read a stat sheet, i can’t help ya.
It is hilarious that one of the major boobs here, Stuart, is accusing others of being dumb and irrational.
I have heard it all.
“Losing Matsui was devastating – he’s a terrific, multi-dimensional hitter – average, power, situational – did some of everything at the plate. Same goes for Posada, though to a lesser extent.”
I think we are really getting to see that now. Everyone says that the Yankees need a 5th starter, but for those of us who watch them every night, we know that they also need another powerful bat that they can count on. Maybe Nady is that guy. We won’t know until Girardi puts him behind A-Rod.
I’m as big an Arod fan as there is (No I don’t want him traded or anything harsh, but WTF is the problem w/ this guy and the game on the line R#@$R@!
I don’t even get upset about that anymore. It just is what it is. I don’t think it will ever change. He really is a headcase.
Vin scully said ” manny wanted 34, but that was fernando valenzuela’s # and although not retired, its retired in the hearts of dodger fans…so he was gonna go with 66 and the equipment guy said how about 99, so he went with 99″ Vin also said “joe suggested to him that he clean up his look”
Ya know, all the blamers on here tonight sound like the Sox fans blaming Manny for their woes:
“A-Rod is a waste”
“A punchless joke of a team with multi-millionaires who are either all past their prime or just don’t care anymore.”
seriously, grow up, you spoiled d*bags
“Losing Matsui was devastating – he’s a terrific, multi-dimensional hitter – average, power, situational – did some of everything at the plate. Same goes for Posada, though to a lesser extent.â€
Matsui never got the credit he deserved and we’re seeing this year just how much he really did deserve IMO.
In all reality the playoffs went out the window when we lost him, Posada, and Wang.
It really is just too much to overcome given what the rest of the team is.
kasey and SJ44 only come out during the losing streaks. Their brand of negativity really shines thru. Trade everyone! Cut this guy! Fire him! Sell that player!
You do realize that A-Rod is leading the league in hitting, right?
Trade everyone! Cut this guy! Fire him! Sell that player!
Guess objectivity and being realistic isn’t important to you
They love booing Andruw Jones in LA. LOL
the problem isnt a-rod not hitting, because he is… the problem is that the rest of the team isnt hitting which magnifies a-rod’s 0 fers and strikeouts even more.
Posada was a much bigger loss than Matsui.
Matsui is replaceable.
Posada has proven that .300 20 and 100 from a good catcher isn’t.
Brandon,
This is really not on ARod. Its just not. The line up around him stinks – look at what he’s doing – he’s the only one hitting consistently. Him and Damon and everyone else forgets how to hit.
He’s having an MVP caliber year in many ways. But one guy can’t do it.
Giambi not hitting with RISP is not the same as ARod not doing hit.
Giambi is just not hitting in most situations. Big difference.
ARod does press – but even that is not the major factor.
I’m certain he’s getting worse pitches to hit but he’s still trying to drive the ball and not just settle for walks.
At some point it’s not just good enough to “pass the baton” someone needs to get a hit to score runs.
Right now all of that falls on ARod because Abreu is not a #3 hitter, Giambi is not a #5 hitter, and Cano is not a true #6 hitter.
“You do realize that A-Rod is leading the league in hitting, right?”
Shhhhh. Don’t say that. You are going to get all of the “stat padder” people riled up.
You do realize that A-Rod is leading the league in hitting, right?
Exactly that’s what’s weird he’s batting .326 but put him in a RISP late inning situation game momentum, I could put freaking Chris Russo to throw him the ball and he won’t hit it.
“joe suggested to him that he clean up his lookâ€
No problem… Joe will leave Manny in a room with Bowa and an electric hair clipper…
CB’s point on the loss of Matsui is the most singular important loss to this team this season……They have yet to replace him…..Many in the game will suggest that he was the Yanks most feared hitterwith runners on base……I still say that they’ll manage to win the division or at the very least the Wild Card….However they must somehow find a way to be more consistent come October….This has plagued them since the debacle of 04…..The leadoff walk in the 9th had disaster written all over it…..
“Matsui is replaceable.”
Really? When exactly are the Yankees going to replace him? I’m still waiting for that 25 HR/100+RBI guy to arrive in the mail.
Paulie D
Even as a Sox fan I agree that you can’t blame everything on Arod.
On a different note, I can’t speak for other Sox fans but I don’t blame all the Sox woes on Manny.
I do blame Manny for only giving half an effort sometimes and becoming a divisive force on the Red Sox. Theo Epstein met with many of the Red Sox veterans on Wednesday night and nearly all of them communicated that Manny needed to go because in their opinion he could not be counted on.
abreu is not the problem here, and he is a #3 hitter by definition…he talks walks, he’s patient, he leads the team in RBI’s, he hits in situations, he can run, he can drop a bunt, he can hit a homerun…so tell me how is abreu not a #3 hitter???
People are so stupid. Just because Mariano is having a fluky year allowing runs in non-save situations, they say he should not be in the games. I dont understand it. There is no one you can trust more in ANY situation than the Great Mariano Rivera. No one. If you look at his career stas, his ERA in saves is 1.91, non saves 2.51. These numbers are very close considering that in most non-save situations, he has too pitch more innings, therefore having a greater chance of allowing runs. Plus he has to throw more pitches making him, therefore again increasing the odds of him allowing runs. Look at the times like 2003 ALCS game 7 when he threw 3 innings and was getting ready for a 4th when Boone won it. There is no one you can trust more in any situation than Mariano. If Girardi put Veras in this game and he blew it, we’d be screaming for his head for not going to Mo. (rightfully so) Anyone who doesn’t think the right choice was made by going to Mo in the 9th tonight really does not know much about baseball and Mariano. Put this way: Marianos 3.00 ERA in non save situations is better than most of our other pitchers ERA’s in any situation. You dont know much if you dont think Mo should have been in that game.
“Posada has proven that .300 20 and 100 from a good catcher isn’t.”
That kind of production from a catcher isn’t replaceable.
But last year was a huge outlier for Posada.
He’s only hit .300 once in his career – last year. He’s only knocked in 100 runs once in his career (2003).
Posada is a much more valuable player than Matsui is because catching is so hard to find.
But Matsui is the better hitter and proves it year to year.
Right now this team has two well rounded hitters – ARod and Damon.
They need to move Damon to hit #3 and move Jeter to lead off and bat Abreu #2.
Hopefully Matsui can come back.
At some point it’s not just good enough to “pass the baton†someone needs to get a hit to score runs.
Right now all of that falls on ARod because Abreu is not a #3 hitter, Giambi is not a #5 hitter, and Cano is not a true #6 hitter.
CB Manny’s freaking protection was Mike Lowell, Barry Bonds had no one, Albert Pujols same, Carlos freaking Delgado same crap, IDK what the answer is, if that’s the case then IDK what can be done other than getting Barry Bonds (which I really don’t want to do)
29 years since we lost Thurm. Rest in Peace.
“I do blame Manny for only giving half an effort sometimes and becoming a divisive force on the Red Sox. Theo Epstein met with many of the Red Sox veterans on Wednesday night and nearly all of them communicated that Manny needed to go because in their opinion he could not be counted on.”
I had posted long ago that the only way BOS dumps Manny was if the players turned on him. I guess I was right.
Id love to have a lefty like Kershaw. He is so young and has a great arm.
They beat our best. Hats off to them.
With the lineup we’ve got, we should have won 15-1. That’s always how I see it with games like this.
A lesson to all the fans who think this is the PS3 they’re playing: you can get all the deadline reinforcements you want, but it’s your core that has to carry you through.
We’ll play another one tomorrow. Go Yanks.
Ray, I read the papers too.
The point is, a lot of complainers here get sky high when something goes awry for the Sox (like losing Manny) and it translates to, ‘the Yanks are gonna walk away with the division now!’ or something close to that, and the same d*bags the next night are ready to throw the entire team in the toilet. I mean, get some Paxil to stabilize the mood, huh? Cripes, you get 7 shutout innings from a fat retard like Ponson, you should be frickin’ orgasmic. So what if Mo blows it-how often is that going to happen, really?
Here’s the reality: the Yanks will be in the thick of things in late September. Don’t forget it.
Giradi is a retard fire this pretender
Paulie,
I have stated many times on this blog even when Yankee fans were despairing that the Yankees will be right there at the end of the season! In recent years the Yankees have played better in the second half of the season than the Sox.
Time to look into trading Jeter! I am sure I will be hated for saying it! lol… I honestly don’t think this team will win again with him. I want to get past the Torre/Jeter legacy. Ship him out to LA to the Torre Dodgers for Kemp lol!
papelbum > fruitbat
ray (sox fan):
why you are here posting?
Seriously.
You get banned from Sox boards or you finnaly realize that all Sox fans are idiots?
so pjh, kershaw is great and santana isn’t? u should get ur opinions/thoughts in sync before u ramble.
ray is here to talk baseball, anything wrong with that?
Thank you Buddy.
Matt S: it’s called Schadenfreude–the joy of seeing others suffer
Sure ray, now go to LA like Manny! Just kiddin’
Just read some of the postgame comments from Girardi and some of the players- Mo, Damon, A-Rod and Ponson. Easier to tell emotion when you see it on camera instead of print but sounds like this one bothered them bad.
matthew s – how can anyone spell finally the way you did and call someone else an idiot?
PLEASE break the non-save situation numbers down to (1)entering in a tie game and (2) other non-save situations (behind or ahead by more than three). I believe THOSE are the numbers that will tell the story here – the problem is when he enters a tie game!!!
Kev, if you actually read what pjh said, he said that Kershaw was young and had a great arm. That’s not the same as saying he’s great. People, including media toss the word “great” and “star/superstar” around so much that the word has no meaning..sort of like “clutch” and “choke”.
Don’t remember who asked but Ed Randall, who does a show on WFAN in NY, was the fill-in PA announcer at the Stadium tonight.
I think the way we have to look at it, is that these non-save games that Mo struggles in, are like if he had a blown save. He hasn’t blown a save yet, so these non-save games serve as that.
Watching the Dodger game and a picture that I never thought I’d see…Ramirez and Proctor standing side by side, talking and laughing.
“Time to look into trading Jeter! I am sure I will be hated for saying it! lol… I honestly don’t think this team will win again with him. I want to get past the Torre/Jeter legacy. Ship him out to LA to the Torre Dodgers for Kemp lol!”
why do actual fans visit this blog again?
there really needs to be a “skip to SJ, CB, and Rebecca’s posts” function on here somewhere.
I really feel like we need to let Jeter lead off and let Damon hit 2nd.
Jeter right now is nothing more than a singles, sometimes doubles hitter. He’s killed so many rally’s with the double plays this year, we need him in a position where he can’t hit into one.
Damon is the better contact hitter and hitting for better average and is more capable of moving the runner over.
From there, I think it’s time to put Arod in 3rd and get him the extra at bat and the guaranteed at bat in the 1st inning. Cleanup is meaningless when you’re not getting guys on base. I’d rather Alex get the at bat in the 1st inning every night since even a solo homer in the 1st gives us a nice start.
After that I have no idea who to hit cleanup. I know Giambi needs to be buried in the lineup.
Perhaps going Nady 4, Abreu 5, Cano 6 might be better. This whole L-R-L-R thing isn’t working and should be abandoned.
Then I’d go Giambi 7, Pudge 8, Melky 9.
Perhaps putting Giambi down that low will allow him to see more fastballs if Cano and Abreu can get on sometimes.
The major problems as I see it are Jeter being a lousy 2 hitter and not making productive outs. Moving him up to leadoff put more emphasis on him get on base.
The other big problem is Giambi at 5. That needs to stop. He’s getting too many chances with runners on and he’s failing. If we bat Nady 4, I think Abreu could be a nice 5 hitter. Either him or Cano.
SJ is right though. It’s time to stop treating Cano like some piece of China and move him up to an important spot in the order.
We need to know right now if he can hit when he’s being counted on.
If he can’t, then he should be the first to go this off season.
To everyone yelling and screaming “He’s back, I bet all of you who were criticizing him feel dumb now”.
I don’t feel dumb.
What’s sad is he’s the straw that stirs the drink on this team. When he hits, we win.
When he fails, we lose.
At least that’s how it feels to me.
“Watching the Dodger game and a picture that I never thought I’d see…Ramirez and Proctor standing side by side, talking and laughing.”
Yeah probably laughing about all of the 600 foot home runs that Manny used to hit off of him. Proctor is probably so happy that he doesn’t have to face him anymore. Too bad Proctor and whatever is left of his arm is still on the DL.
Why such the Proctor hate?
Matthew S
August 2nd, 2008 at 12:25 am
“ray (sox fan):
why you are here posting?
Seriously.
You get banned from Sox boards or you finnaly realize that all Sox fans are idiots?”
You might get a bit of a nasty shock if you keep talking to Ray that way. Quite a few of us reasonable Yankee fans, dont object to him posting here one bit.
In fact, I prefer discussing baseball with him, over some Yankee fans here.
To the best of my knowledge, Torre never had a pitcher that had to undergo Tommy John Surgery. Girardi’s had 3 in his only NL season.
Correction. Torre had Pavano, but, that’s an easy one to miss. Nobody has thought about him as anything but injured for four years.
Paulie D
August 2nd, 2008 at 12:30 am
“Matt S: it’s called Schadenfreude–the joy of seeing others suffer”
Umm no. Ray posts here regardless of whether the Yankees or Red Sox win or lose. And ironically he’s been more optimistic about the Yankees chances than a lot of Yankee fans!
So pipe down.
angel, there aren’t any reasonable fans besides me on this board…Yankee or Red Sox. Just a lot of trouble makers…mainly the female types. You ladies are always putting up baseball hotties lists and you do it to try and make guys on this board jealous…like we’re insignificant or something. How would you women like if guys posted a hotty’s list of female sportscasters/interviewers?
The best way to protect a-rod is to reconfigure the lineup.
Damon
Jeter
A-Rod
Abreu
Nady
Giambi
Cano
Ivan/Molina
Cabrera
This way, nobody really wants to face Bobby either, but Jeter will see more pitches with Alex behind him.
Jeter
Damon
Rodriguez
Abreu
Nady
Cano
I. Rodriguez
Giambi
Cabrera/Christian
If Molina catches, flip Giambi/Sexson and Molina.
myrtlebeachfan
August 2nd, 2008 at 1:25 am
The best way to protect a-rod is to reconfigure the lineup.
Damon
Jeter
A-Rod
Abreu
Nady
Giambi
Cano
Ivan/Molina
Cabrera
This way, nobody really wants to face Bobby either, but Jeter will see more pitches with Alex behind him.
Yea i really like that lineup Jeter who has been struggling would get more pitches to hit while A-rod get some pertection by abrue and abrue get pertection with nady
Okay I’m really not sure about that 1.24am comment being the real GreenBeret7.
It’s really me, Angel. I just realized that I was out of Coca-Cola, and my mean streak jumped out of me.
After being swept by LAA, Yankees could start to re-engineer for next year.
Bronx Bombers?! What a joke.
Haha I was like confused.
You need to go and get yourself a six pack of Coke stat., if you’re going to start making me wonder if its really you. Its late enough at night for me to be easily confused.
Angel, I have a call into the Coca-Cola Emergency Hotline (have them on speed dial). They’re on the way to unload a truck (tractor trailer). I’ll store the excess in the swimming pool.
Yanks shouldn’t give up. The Angels have had a hot month but they’re not gonna stay this hot. If we can just get a playoff spot, we could go far, cause we have an ace and a great pen.
Excess isn’t the correct word, because there is no such thing as too much Coca-Cola. We’ll just call it my overflow.
It already hurts. Bay won it for Boston, Tampa Bay beat Detroit. Yankees suck, time for a new team.
Knock yourself out, Russell (literally). There’s 29 other teams out there for you to chose from. I’m sure the Yankees will miss you.
I want to see: Melky, Giambi, Damon, Matsui, gone. And that’s just the starters. Bring in some young blood. Make some trades in the offseason with Damon and Matsui.
Green Beret – kiss my expletive. I’m talking about bringing in some new faces and getting rid of the rotting crap on the Yankees, not moving to a new team.
I agree that Giabi and Damon need to go but I’m not so sure about Matsui. However, I do want to see a lot of young players with fight in them.
“I agree that Giabi and Damon need to go but I’m not so sure about Matsui. However, I do want to see a lot of young players with fight in them.”
Matsui needs to go, too. His knees keep barking up, can’t play the outfield anymore. He is only useful as a DH. A very expensive, slow DH. Build him up, make people think he is a capable outfielder.
YOUNG BLOOD. More stealing. If Gardner could figure out how to get on base he would easily replace Melky.
“YOUNG BLOOD. More stealing”
If you think more stealing is the answer to the team’s offensive woes, you are sadly mistaken.
How dare anyone blame Mariano. Anytime the offense doesn’t score a single run, it’s their fault. Completely and utterly.
it’s one of those stats that’s interesting but, i think, merely flukey. 27 innings & 21 innings are small sample sizes.
if you put stock in BAbip, that stat indicates Mariano’s had bad luck in tie games, his BAbip in tie situations is .478:
http://www.baseball-reference......;year=2008
What I can´t understand is: What was Girardi´s hurry in ejecting a solid long reliever like Marte, who can sustain his effectivity for 2, 3 innings and call Rivera, with nothing to save in a 0-0 game?
Rivera is a pitcher to save a lead.
New Joe looks like Old Joe in managing pitchers.
“Green Beret – kiss my expletive. I’m talking about bringing in some new faces and getting rid of the rotting crap on the Yankees, not moving to a new team.”
Yes, you are actually. Because a lot of the changes you’re demanding can’t be made, or don’t make any sense.
This offense really is pathetic. I know alot of people wont agree but the Yankees have to sign Manny Ramirez next year. Manny 3rd and A-rod 4th would be the best 3,4 in baseball. The team could put up with his attitude. Hes just to good a hitter and someone the Yankees desperatley need in that pathetic lineup.
This offense is absolutely pathetic. I know most wont agree but the Yankees have to sign Manny Ramirez next year. Manny-3 and A-rod-4 would be the best 3-4 hitters in the game. The Yankees could deal with his attitude. Im sure Manny would love to go the Yankees and get back at the Redsox. The Yankees need this guy in that pathetic lineup.
Jason Giambi is KILLING us right now and what’s worse, he’s taking ARod’s bat out of the lineup.
Melky had a great catch and all last night but I had almost forgotten he was on the team. Will we have to wait until September to see Austin Jackson? I say give him a shot now.
And Cano is completely lost at the plate again.
Ugh, I pray they pull something together today because this series could get REALLY ugly. Last night was absolutely brutal.
Pete, right now you’re probably lining up your tailgate playlist and icing down your beer – have a GREAT time at the show tonight!!