An important victory for the Yankees
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- August
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Just drove home and listened to John and Suzyn the entire way. Quite a game. A few thoughts:
* Not to be too dramatic, but today was one of those games that defines a season. A loss today then a 10-game road trip? Yikes. Now they have some good mojo going to Texas and that Joba Chamberlain cat on the mound.
* Ian Kennedy pitched well against today for Scranton (7 6 2 2 1 6). He has allowed four earned runs in his last 27 innings and only five walks. If Darrell Rasner starts against the Angels on Friday night, it will be shocking. It’s time to give IPK another shot.
* Where was Damaso Marte in the 8th inning? Edwar Ramirez has pitched very well this season. But his fastball is a home run waiting to happen. Once he put two runners on base, that should have been it. As Mark Teixeira came to the plate, Sterling said, “How many home runs has Edwar allowed this season?” A few seconds later, there it went. If the guy in the radio booth knows it’s coming, so should the coaches.
Yes, Teixeira has great numbers against Marte. But Marte should have been in there to prevent Teixiera from coming to the plate. Or anybody else. Ramirez is a huge risk once he puts men on base.
* The Yankees really have to cut down on the stupid baserunning mistakes. Abreu could have cost them that game. It’s one thing to be aggressive, it’s quite another to run into outs that cost you runs and opportunities.
* Why haven’t they had a pinch runner like Justin Christian all season?
* Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte for those four guys? Really? It’s the good thing the Yankees have already played in Pittsburgh. Brian Cashman would be arrested if he stepped foot in the city limits now.
Finally …
Kyle Farnsworth went back to being Kyle Farnsworth today, costing the Yankees a game in the standings as he allowed three runs to the Rays. Good luck with all that, Detroit.
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on Sunday, August 3rd, 2008 at 6:07 pm by Peter Abraham.
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Chad Jennings
Sam Borden
Josh Thomson
Pete,
Big Tex is 5 for 6 against Marte which is why he wasn’t in the game.
Just hope Mo is ok-and you are right the Farns strikes again
No matter what, no more Rasner!
Cashman did well in the trades, but I for one think that Pittsburgh did well too. They got 3 AAA pitchers and a possible 5 tool stud OF currently in AA. By the way, what did Pittsburgh get for Bay, 4 prospects none of which are on the major league roster from what I’ve heard. Did they really do worse in the Yankee deal then the Red Sox deal? I think not.
I could deal with IPK against the halos. However as soon as Hughes is ready he takes fat boys rotation spot. He got lucky on Fri night we all know that I wanna see the Franchise hurling not sid the kid.
Pete, crawdaddie is right. Tex is 5 for 6 with a Home Run against Marte. Edwar had lost the strike zone for a bit and tried to go inside on Tex. Going inside to a pull hitter Lefty at the Yankee stadium can cost you 4 runs.
Giese = Ramerio Mendoza
Farnsy was bad but Rodney giving it up in extras was brutal.
Well said.
I love me some X.
MMM just to be a baseball guy but Jeff you are so wrong. Pitt actually got Moss who hit a HR today, Hansen who pitched a scorless inning and LaRoche who got at least 1 hit today for Bay
Jeff NJ- Hansen and LaRoche are both on the Pirates.
“By the way, what did Pittsburgh get for Bay, 4 prospects none of which are on the major league roster from what I’ve heard. ”
Andy LaRoche who I believe is their starting 3b now, from LA, and Brandon Moss and Craig Hansen from Boston. Plus a prospect or 2 but I’m pretty sure the 3 guys I named are all on ML roster.
I think they got a pretty good haul for Bay and a decent one for Nady/Marte. But i still think Cashman wins in the trade he made, because no way did I think he was getting both those guys without giving up Kennedy.
If those were Tex’s numbers againt Marte, then they should’ve put in Robertson. If not after Figgins’ single, then definitely after the walk to load the bases.
ya they are and actually I think they did alot better with the Sox and Dodgers than the Yankee trade
Three luckiest people in the park today.
Girardi as he made the worst non move ever, allowing Ramirez who walked two and lost the strike zone pitch to Tex. The no-brainer move was MO in a 4 out save, or Marte.
Ramirez, that he didnt get the loss and got off the hook.
AROD- who came up three times in key spots, he whiffed, walked, and got really lucky that California booted an obvious double play ball. When is he going to be the guy that has the big day in key spots?
Those of you calling for Abreu to be left out next season are way off base. He hits in the clutch, against anyone, he doesnt only hit garbage pitchers when the game is decided. He has great at bats. I agree his move today on the bases was real risky, and it cost him.
Although Rasner allowed 5 runs, it could have been 10. There were some great plays on some very LOUD outs during his time.
Tex was 5-6 with a walk, a HR, and double against Marte. Normally, you ignore numbers like that when you consider Marte’s credentials, but those numbers are just eye popping, its Manny-Proctor-esque. Teixeria clearly sees the ball well off him.
Not to mention… Wasn’t Marte our closer today since Mo was unavailable, had the game been a save situation in the 9th? Or would it have been Veras?
Honestly?
They should have, I don’t know, not walked Reggie Willits?
now maybe all those idiots criticizing the Pudge/Farnsworth trade will put a sock in it.
Why was Mo not Available today?
whoops I stand corrected. I still think Pittsburgh did okay with the Yankee deal though. Guess only time will tell.
Hansen took the loss in what was a tied game when he came in. He really needs to be nurtured and brought along more slowly. They were forced to bring him up in the year of the injuries (’06), but they should’ve sent him to develop more in ‘07. I feel bad for him cuz he seems like a good kid and now he’s totally screwed up in the head. Having Gammons heap such praise on you when you haven’t earned anything yet also put undue pressure on Hansen.
Rivera had a back spasm before the game.
Mo had back spasms-thus not available
I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST RASSNER, I THINK THAT HE HAS TRIED TO DO THINGS RIGHT, BUT IN THIS MOMENT OF THE SEASON, GOOD INTENTIONS ARE NOT ENOUGH, SO I THINK IT’S TIME FOR KENNEDY TO HAVE ANOTHER SHOT, I THINK THAT IPK HAS LEARNED THE LESSON AND I BELIEVE, HE´S GOING TO UPGRADE THE ROTATION. CUZ RASSNER IS KILLING US. AND I THINK THAT CASHMAN SHOULD START TO THINK ABOUT TEIXEIRA OR ADAM DUNN CUZ GIAMBI IS STOPING THE BATTING ORDER AS THE 5TH BAT, HE IS KILLING THE LINE UP.
JeffNJ
To get good players in a trade you have to give up players that are valued by the other team.
where did u see he had a back spasm??? Girardi said he went out to play catch and didnt feel right. He shoulder was bothering him
Look for Hughesy to return August 20th at Toronto.
Girardi said postgame he had a muscle spasm in his back.
Said pregame that Mo “didnt feel right”, meaning Mo felt something in his back.
“If those were Tex’s numbers againt Marte, then they should’ve put in Robertson. If not after Figgins’ single, then definitely after the walk to load the bases.”
I was hoping Robertson would come in to finish the inning too. Maybe after the walk to load the bases Girardi thought it would be unfair to him, being such a young player, to have to clean up someone elses huge mess in such a big spot. But he could have fixed that by bringing in D-Rob earlier, so yeah, as he often does w/the relievers, I think he was just trusting Edwar to escape his own jam.
I am glad it worked out in the end cause I wouldn’t have wanted to listen to people ripping Girardi for it all day. Trusting youngsters (and Farnsworth) in big spots has been his MO all season and it’s done much more good than harm.
Just hope that Mo is good to go on the road trip.
The X-Factor delivers
The stupid baserunning I place partly on Meacham. I am really starting to hate that guy. He’s useless and has no idea what he’s doing whatsoever. I cannot believe the Yanks are waiting for a game that may or may not cost them a playoff birth or win to say he’s a mistake. He really needs to go.
The Dodgers did okay as well as Manny (as expected) is doing his part to help them win games.
Play Of The Game
Wow, the Mets have fallen into 3rd place.
I love it!
sunny615 Abreu ran on his own in that tag up play, that wasn’t Meachem unless Meach spoke to him by mind control methods.
“Those of you calling for Abreu to be left out next season are way off base. He hits in the clutch”
Don’t you know, clutch doesn’t exist.
Well, according to a-rod apologists, at least.
“* Why haven’t they had a pinch runner like Justin Christian all season?”
What? and allow Rasner’s personal catcher to languish in the AAA club?
Just kidding.
Right on all around Pete – although apparently Tex rakes Marte.
I was hoping Robertson would come in to finish the inning too. Maybe after the walk to load the bases Girardi thought it would be unfair to him, being such a young player, to have to clean up someone elses huge mess in such a big spot
37 AB w/o allowing a hit, he had a bad game. GI Joe had his sample size for Edwar no one could have called that.
It’s “SET foot.” It’s not “stepped foot.”
Love the double steal with Damon bunting. Nice job, Joe.
I haven’t looked it up – does Tex have a dominant side of the plate or is he the ‘un-Betemit’?
Don’t you know, clutch doesn’t exist.
Well, according to a-rod apologists, at least.
Funny because Alex batting in the 4 spot gets him those clutch oppurtunities, I’d like to Alex get Nady for protection now in the 5th spot and see how his AB would result.
SHAME ON YOU YANKEE FANS! I WAS AT THE GAME TODAY AND WE NEED TO STOP TELLING THESE GUYS THEY ARE DOING A GOOD JOB. I COULD NOT BELIEVE THE BASE RUNNNING MISTAKE BY BOBBY? FOR THE MONEY THESE GUYS MAKE THEY SHOULD NOT MAKE THOSE MISTAKES. I WENT OUT TO RIGHT FIELD AND TOLD BOBBY HE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HIMSELF FOR THAT BASE RUNNING MISTAKE. I CANNOT BELIEVE HOW MANY FANS DON’T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON. WE HAVE 8 WEEKS LEFT, 8 WEEKS…..IF THIS IS OUR TEAM LOOK TO NEXT YEAR. YANKEE FANS SHOULD EXPECT MORE FROM THESE GUYS, MUCH MORE! AND PATTING THEM ON THE BACK AND SAYING GOOD JOB, IS A JOKE
Brandon – I was talking more in general than in today’s game. Altho, I didn’t get to watch today’s game – I was too busy dealing with a slightly flooded basement. yikes!
I’d like to see Alex get Nady for protection now in the 5th spot and see how his AB would result.*
Joba vs Padilla in Tex. Can anyone say lopsided win?
My fault sunny click the links I put up, it shows some key moments in today’s game.
Glad to see your time in SoCal has mellowed you Lou – have you considered cutting down on crystal meth?
girardi outmanaged scioscia at his own game in the 8th.
that christian play was outstanding.
Clutch does exist.
It’s how Jeter’s built his career.
can we please get mlb to make some cool nady shirts…X Factor with a NY somewhere or x gon give it to ya with a NY….id buy one?
” LOU IN SO CAL August 3rd, 2008 at 6:41 pm
SHAME ON YOU YANKEE FANS! I WAS AT THE GAME TODAY AND WE NEED TO STOP TELLING THESE GUYS THEY ARE DOING A GOOD JOB. I COULD NOT BELIEVE THE BASE RUNNNING MISTAKE BY BOBBY? FOR THE MONEY THESE GUYS MAKE THEY SHOULD NOT MAKE THOSE MISTAKES. I WENT OUT TO RIGHT FIELD AND TOLD BOBBY HE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HIMSELF FOR THAT BASE RUNNING MISTAKE. I CANNOT BELIEVE HOW MANY FANS DON’T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON. WE HAVE 8 WEEKS LEFT, 8 WEEKS…..IF THIS IS OUR TEAM LOOK TO NEXT YEAR. YANKEE FANS SHOULD EXPECT MORE FROM THESE GUYS, MUCH MORE! AND PATTING THEM ON THE BACK AND SAYING GOOD JOB, IS A JOKE.”
Was this post a joke? If you are in SoCal why were you at a game in the south Bronx? I smell fibbery and a possible troll.
GIAMBI IS KILLING THE BATTING ORDER, JOE GIRARDI NEEDS TO MOVE HIM TO THE 8TH PLACE IN THE BATTING ORDER AND NADY MUST BAT 5TH TO PROTECT A-ROD.
Rebecca–Optimist Prime
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Clutch does exist
yes it does. And arod is not clutch.
“* Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte for those four guys? Really? It’s the good thing the Yankees have already played in Pittsburgh. Brian Cashman would be arrested if he stepped foot in the city limits now.”
hey, Karstens shut down the Cubs for them. and they havent even touched Tabata yet. and Olendorf given the chance on the ML farm team can turn into a good starter too.
they are doing alright.
found this on a yankees message board
yes it does. And arod is not clutch.
He isn’t getting pitched to. Again he hasn’t been clutch this year but the next guy hits .200 w/ RISP so IDK if that may be part of the reason. I’d put Abreu, Arod, Nady as the 3 4 5 and see if he improves in these situations that way. Just notice that AB in the 7th I think it was he started 0-2 and never got another strike..it’s becoming a pattern teams are pitching around him. That and he has to shorten his swing.
jennifer: That sounds much more normal than the 100 mph
hughes>kennedy>aceves>pavano>rasner. BYE!!!!!!
Edwar is a nice young man but he should not have been left in there in that situation. Even Stevie Wonder could’ve seen that one comin’.
106 degrees for joba tomorrow night
about 100 every game
a-rod has been awful with runners on. much like the whole team.
If that report is accurate, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him up in 10 days.
Remember: please don’t feed the trolls.
AND PEOPLE WHO TYPE IN ALL CAPS NEED TO GO TAKE A COMPUTER CLASS AT THEIR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL!
Please sign up IMMEDIATELY!
Tex has all of 6 at bats against Marte. Little tougher to hit one out as a righty in Yankee Stadium isn’t it?
“37 AB w/o allowing a hit, he had a bad game. GI Joe had his sample size for Edwar no one could have called that.”
Brandon,
No offense, but we’ve seen plenty of Edwar to know that the tighter the noose the uglier it gets.
He’s been doing great this year. He’s not even letting guys on base. That’s the secret, he pitches well when he’s got lots of breathing room.
I’m not hating on Edwar. We’ve seen lots of good, but we’ve also seen enough inherited runners score and HR’s given up to know that what happened today was a very real possibility.
“He isn’t getting pitched to.”
So he has a lot of walks?
not really.
HR: CHA: B. Laird (15), J. Montero (13).
uhoh prospects starting to catch fire
Brandon (brother of Gerald) Laird has been turning it on all of the sudden sweet fielding 1B in A ball tremendous power hitting ability and Jesus just walks on water.
Dog days of summer, non?
Giambi is just a .250 hitter. I hope they don’t pick up his option next year and keep Matsui as OF / DH. G’s not really much protection for A-Rod hitting in the 5th spot. I agree, move the X Man to the G-Spot (easy there girls I really meant 5-spot) behind A-Rod (easy there boys) and move the G-Man down a notch or two if he can’t be benched.
Joe G – try this one a few times and see how it works: Demon Jeter Abreu ARod XMan Cano iRod GMan/SexMan (choice) and then the Melkster.
Is Abreu or Meacham more to blame for the latest baserunning gaffe? If Meacham had anything to do with it, Joe just gotta do sumpin’ bout that.
Is Bruney coming back any indication of Wang’s injury status?
Possibility of either Kennedy, Hughes or Wang coming back and pitching well would give us a good 4 man post season rotation.
The possibility of 2 of them doing so would greatly help get the team TO the post season.
Great game Yankees you did better than Beantown against the Angels. Showed your true grit.
Tk in DC
This season Teixeira has hit .273 against lefties and .286 against righties with a proportionate number of homers against each. At the end of June with the Braves he was hitting only .229 against lefties.
Pete:
I know in August teams can put up to 7 players [a day is it], on the waiver list. Is there a web site or do you know who is being put on the list?
Besides Livian Hernandez, is there a chance that a decent starting pitcher will be available to us, based on our standing? Names?
Arod and that long swing. Just picture him in another 3 years and we’ve got him for HOW LONG? Ugh.
I was at the game today and in the 8th inning with Teixeira coming up it was a given that Ramirez was going to give up a home run, but it should have been Mo to come in and pitch, not Marte. Mo against a lefty and I like my chances
Rivera day-to-day with back spasm
by Lisa Kennelly/The Star-Ledger
Sunday August 03, 2008, 6:44 PM
When Joe Girardi didn’t go to closer Mariano Rivera with the bases loaded, two outs, and a one-run lead in the top of the eighth, it raised a few eyebrows.
After the game, Girardi’s explanation wasn’t very reassuring: Rivera was suffering from a back spasm and was unavailable yesterday afternoon.
“He went out to play catch and he just wasn’t right,” Girardi said of the closer, who is perfect in 26 save opportunities this season.
Rivera first felt the soreness after Friday’s game, and after feeling it again today before the game he checked in with the Yankees training staff.
“Today I was stretching, going out to throw and I felt discomfort in there,” Rivera said. “So they decide to shut me down for a day.”
Losing Rivera and his 1.49 ERA for any stretch would be brutal for the Yankees. But Rivera said he’d never felt a problem like this before, and insisted “everything’s going to be fine.” Girardi said he will be reevaluated tomorrow in Texas.
“I don’t think it’s anything major,” Rivera said. “I don’t think it’s nothing I need to be concerned or worried about.”
Wang Alex definitely has to shorten it w/ RISP they are pitching to him out the stretch and he has less time to decide his swing, they need to adjust him there. It’s funny I mean Pete Rose is his text buddy you’d think Pete would have a pointer or two in that area of expertise.
Have to agree that Ramirez should have been pulled.
Ideally Marte would come in to make him hit from the right side, and Marte has good numbers against righties, plus it’s harder to hit one out left field.
The other option was Rivera, but it sounds like he wasn”t available. Girardi often lets his pitchers try and work out of jams to boost their confidence. I’m sure Ramirez had a talk with Rivera on how to get a good nights rest!!
Once again, there is no such thing as clutch.
Over his career with runners in scoring position A-rod is hitting:
.304 AVG, .404 OBP, .555 SLG (thats a .959 OPS)
His overall career numbers are:
.307 AVG, .390 OBP, .580 SLG (.969 OPS)
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS CLUTCH
People say David Ortiz is really clutch lets look at his numbers with RISP:
.303 AVG, .407 OBP, .522 SLG (.930 OPS)
And his overall numbers:
.288 AVG, .382 OBP, .555 SLG (.937 OPS)
Brandon — I would hate to think it’s all about the homerun record with him.
Seeing Alex’s long swing makes me also say this.. Teixeira is the last person I want signed, his swing is so pull prone and long that a closer w/ 93 + would eat him alive if he mixes in the breaking ball. I like Nady’s quick hands to the ball, Abreu has that too and so does Pudge.
OK I’m out see you guys later.
If Girardi wants a R-L-R-L lineup try this one out tomorrow:
Jeter
Damon
A-Rod
Abreu
Nady
Cano
I-Rod
Giambi
Christian/Cabrera
Thoughts??
Brandon — I would hate to think it’s all about the homerun record with him.
I hope not. Ok until now I got to go.
A few random thoughts:
The view from the Burgh is that the Pirates got a pretty good haul from the Yankees, Dodgers, and Sox.
They had no farm depth after 10 years of Littlefield, and suddenly they are in a bit better position. One or two drafts, and I think they will get much better in a weak NL central.
The loss of Bay was not great for the community, since Jason and his wife were very active. But everyone understands that this is business.
Now:
(1) Ras is gone. Enough already. Try Kennedy with the Giese backup, just like today. We’re going to need the spot on the 40 man soon enough.
(2) Edwar deserves his annual grand slam. Torre would have banished him as of now, but this is a test of Girardi. Look for him to get right back on track. The guy struck out the first two batters, then for some unknown reason, imploded. You can’t pitch inside to Tex with a 91 mph fastball, sorry.
(3) But for one un Mo like inning, they would have taken 3 of 4 from the Angels. Four errors today? 4 runs in the seventh and the eighth? I think these Yankees are now in their heads–kind of like opposite of years past. Look for them to take 2 of 3 in Anaheim if I am correct.
(4) I’m loving X. What will his song be? “Heard it on the X” by ZZ Top? Or the theme from the X Files?
(5) Giambi must go down the lineup. ARod needs a bit of protection. Normally this would be Matsui.
(6) Speaking of Matsui, where is he? Also, Pete, where is your boy CMW? Doesn’t the cast come off today?
(7) Look for Pavano to be a September callup with Hughes and Wang to be on the 25 man roster on August 31st. You heard the Pavano thing here first.
Anyone know what Sterling’s homerun call was for Pudge and Nady?
I haven’t heard either yet.
“Look for Pavano to be a September callup with Hughes and Wang to be on the 25 man roster on August 31st. You heard the Pavano thing here first.”
Pavano maybe but theres no way Wang comes back this season. He already go the cast off but now he’s in a brace. It will take him at least a month to strengthen the foot/ankle then another month to get his arm in shape. Even Girardi said he won’t be ready until Oct. 1 at the earliest. Hughes will be here before August is done though.
Patrick,
Clutch isn’t just about hitting with RISP — it’s about getting those hits when it counts — not when we’re up by 7 or down by 10. Alex has shown a propensity to get his RBIs when they’re not desperately needed.
Stats are wonderful, but people’s memories about those big, missed occasions are even stronger.
Funny how Pete wanted just awhile ago Edwar to be the set-up man…now he says Edwar is a homerun waiting to happen.
There’s tons of relief pitchers who have 9 to 15 scoreless innings but just like Edwar and Fransworth they will still end up with a 6 Era.
Marte was a set-up/closer for more then a year.Unlike Bruney,Edwar and Veras.
Pittsburgh,
Good thoughts. Wang is out for the season per Girardi (really that’s the best thing for him healthwise) and I doubt we see Matsui. Stubborn man refuses to have surgery, but now that we have help, maybe he’ll take care of his knees?
I, along with everyone affiliated with the Yankees in any capacity, would rather see Hughes before Pavano. Healthwise, Phil’s further along as well.
Carl has no value to this team as far as showcasing him and the clubhouse will rally to support Hughes far more than Carl.
Look for Carl to get a deal somewhere or show up in Boston spring training camp as a non-roster invitee.
I for one am glad Kyle is gone,nice guy but a straight fastball anyone can hit is not needed.The tigers were winning until Kyle’s
Pitt-Yankee Fan
Agree with all points except #3, that we would have taken 3 out of four except for an un-Mo like relief appearance. The game was tied and the way we were hitting, probably would have gone extra innings.
Also hope they call up Pavano this month to pitch an away game. Hope he does well, and that we put him on waivers, hoping some team claims him, so we can dump the paltry rest of that 39.95M salary on them! Pavano, does not have a buy out clause as someone mentioned during the game. Come 15 days after the end of the WS he’s finally gone from the Yankees. Will we let ourselves get stuck with another “Pavano?”
girardi should NEVER sit nady…NEVER EVER EVER NEVER…
nady must play every single day…
Not sure how the Yanks could have opened a spot for someone who who would have been strictly a pinch runner earlier in the season. It’s quite apparent that Gardner is nothing but a glove with wings, right now. He’s an absolute zero with a bat, right now, and Christian wasn’t ready, either, with just 40 games at AAA prior to this year.
Pete is absolutely right
“Yes, Teixeira has great numbers against Marte. But Marte should have been in there to prevent Teixiera from coming to the plate. Or anybody else. Ramirez is a huge risk once he puts men on base.”
The point was to have Marte in to face Aybar (who Edwar walked). Edwar is prone to giving up homers, and not someone you want in there with the tying run at the plate.
Now, not having Mo available changes things, but Veras and Marte easily could have combined to finish the 8th and 9th innings.
YT: That lineup actually looks pretty good. I’m a firm backer of the Jeter/Damon switch, Abreu batting cleanup works right now b/c he’s hot; even better, Alex sandiwched in between 2 hot hitters. And Christian deserves a start.
But I bet Giambi would never be moved so far down in the order. Hopefully I’m wrong, he is such an easy out at this pt.
I am not giving up on Edwar of course.. My 1 complaint was the pitch, inside fastball……
throw it outside, that inside fastball was by choice.. bad thinking, like Mo going inside for the 3rd time to Huff….
Edwar should have thrown Aybar only fastballs when the count got 2 and 2.. bad pitch selection.. they had no one on and 2 outs and hit a damn granny..
Again abreu is hot, that is fine.. it does not excuse the MORONIC base running.. The apologists for stupid plays is alarming.. gettting hits and winning does not negate not using your brain..that was a little league play by abreu..
Personally I hope his (Pavano’s) name is never written in the Yankees history,not even a mention.He contributed nothing.He’s the biggest joke in MLB. moocher!!1
“Will we let ourselves get stuck with another “Pavano?—
Let’s hope not. The got damn Brewers let Sabathia throw 125 pitches in the game vs the Cubs, I think, and he regularly pitches CG’s over there too. He really has a lot of mileage on his left arm and it does give me a bit of pause on signing him to a megadeal.
Pitt-Yank Fan
Nady has played some in CF. Did he play there any while in Pittsburgh, and what was his range like? I know he’s 2nd amongst all RF’ers in assists.
Two things: (1) if Rivera can pitch, he had to be in with two out after Figgins got the hit and Aybar became the tying run against Ramirez. And there was NO WAY that Ramirez should have faced Tex. That was flat-out stupid — a homer prone struggling reliever against one of the best power hitters in the game, batting lefty at the Stadium? Completely mismanaged.
(2) In what world is Edwar the 8th inning guy over Veras? Regardless of his nice numbers in July (remember, Farnsworth had a great stretch too — that didn’t make him trustworthy), Edwar is an average fastball guy with a plus change. Veras can bring a plus fastball and plus breaking ball and has the experience as both a closer at AAA and good set-up man in pinstripes to handle the 8th inning role. Veras has both better stuff, and better makeup, he should set up.
I tend to think if Rivera could not pitch today, Marte was the closer. If so, he should have been brought in when Figgins singled and made Aybar the tying run. This game was too big to risk by leaving bullets in the gun. Luckily the Angels bonked repeatedly in the field and the Yanks had an X factor.
Nady = Paul O’Neal
Mo was not available today, end of story.
I don’t think there will ever be another Paul o’Neill.
I’d rather have something like Nady is to O’Neill as Tino was to Mattingly.
That I can live with.
Brandon, Montero was 4-5 with 2 doubles (28), a single and the homer (13), 2 runs scored and 1 RBI (65)….BA – .316
.
.
.Laird was 2-4 with a double (26) and a homer (15) and 4 RBI (56)….BA – .265….
Suttle also hit a homer (9)
I’ve been away from the computer a while, so this is a little late. But still wanted to tip my hat to you guys today, I have to admit that was a very gutsy win!
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO YANKEES GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!YEEEEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAA!!!!
We didn’t win, The angels lost the game with their fielding miscues…
1. Agreed. It was a huge win today. They already lost ground to both Tampa and Boston this week. Another loss, coupled with the Rays and Sox wins today, would have been devastating.
2. Agreed. Kennedy should get the next start. Rasner has not pitched well for awhile. One win since June 1 and he consistently puts his team behind early in games. His stuff is long reliever stuff and nothing more. Ian Kennedy has better stuff and will win more games at the major league level in his career than Rasner.
You can’t hold grudges forever or you end up spiting yourself. Yes, Kennedy pitched poorly earlier in the season. Yes, his attitude stunk.
However, he is pitching better than Rasner is right now and, according to all reports, his attitude is better. He should start in Anaheim Friday night.
3. Marte wasn’t available in the 8th inning because they were saving him to close in the 9th due to Mariano’s unavailability today. Veras pitched the 9th because it was a non-save situation. If it was a save situation, Girardi would have given the ball to Marte.
With Mo unavailable, you could make an argument to bring in Veras to pitch to Tex. Not Marte, given the numbers Tex has against him.
Its easy to second guess Edwar after today’s outing. But, let’s recall the circumstances. Two outs, nobody on, a .185 hitter at the plate. One more strike and he is out of the inning. He didn’t get the job done but, I hardly think it was because runners reached base. Its because he pitched poorly.
Everybody got moved up in the ‘pen rotation today because Mo was out. Edwar just didn’t get the job done. It happens.
4. Agreed on the baserunning. It simply has to be better. Bobby Abreu is a veteran player. He has to do better than that in that situation. Fortunately, his bat made up for his baserunning gaffe.
5. Agreed on having a pinch runner on the bench. To Christian’s credit, he played himself into that position. As it should be.
He should get the start against lefties on this road trip. He’s earned it.
6. The Pirates did quite well with the Manny deal. LaRoche hit a HR today and is a very good prospect. Brandon Moss also hit a HR today and is a pretty good player. Hansen is Hansen. Overrated.
Let’s not call Tabata a “5 tool player”. He isn’t. He isn’t fast and can’t hit for power. Right now, he’s a 2 1/2 tool player. I’ll gladly take Nady and Marte for a 2 1/2 star player and 3 pitchers who had no futures with the Yankees any day of the week.
As far as “clutch” or “non-clutch”, when it comes to Arod, everybody cherrypicks the stats to criticize him. Every run is important in a game. He doesn’t just hit his HR’s when the games don’t matter.
People just keep saying it believing that if they keep saying it, its somehow true.
Put it another way. Who is having a better year on the team than Arod. Giambi? Nope. Jeter? Nope. Cano? Nope.
We can go down the line.
If a few other guys were as “unclutch” as Arod supposedly is, they would be in first place right now.
The problem with the Yankee offense isn’t Arod.
BBB
Here’s a thought. If Giambi comes up 1st in an inning, and the shift is on, teach him how to bunt down the 3rd base line for an easy infield single. At least he won’t pop out with that uppercut swing of his. When’s the last time he had a hit to left field?
To think he’s gettin 23+M this year PLUS a 5M buyout.
Giambi was not really Cashman’s fault. George and his inside circle wanted Giambi. After signing him they also wanted David Ortiz, but Cashman basically told him that with the signing of Giambi, there was no place to play Ortiz.
Had we gotten Ortiz first, we would have won at least one more World Series.
Marte vs. Texas hitters
0-5, 4 Ks vs. H. Blalack
0-5, 2 Ks vs. M. Bradley
0-4 vs. F. Catalanotto
1-2, K vs. J. Hamilton
0-1 vs. I. Kinsler
1-4 vs. M. Young
X GON GIVE IT TO YA
A gutsy win? The Yankees didn’t win the game the Angels handed it to them.
SJ44-
So far Tabata hasn’t even showed us he’s a 2 1/2 tool player! Maybe a TOOL!![Tabata Out On Leave]
Jorge-
With those numbers against Texas, maybe Marte should start!!!!!!!
“Stacey August 3rd, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Anyone know what Sterling’s homerun call was for Pudge and Nady?
I haven’t heard either yet.”
It was something along the lines of “X Marks the Spot.”
Don’t remember Pudge’s.
Call me a Kyle apologist (which I’m sure many of you will) or call me someone who gives the same opportunity to adjust that we gave to Pudge.
Not that you can really call it immutable in how it translates, but Pudge and Andy together Thursday night were a disaster. Also Pudge did not do anything at the plate of real note until today.
On the other hand, today was Kyle’s first appearance. And you sound really ridiculous using the Kyle being Kyle “argument” seeing Kyle really had done a great job for the Yankees. So what is it, everyone but Kyle is allowed a transition period?
How absolutely pathetic some of you are in your nasty and juvenile pronouncements when you really don’t like someone. Well here it’s like father like son…
On another note, I am guessing the green tea conversation in LA went something like this.
“You know Manny, I already love you like a son but I think those braids have to go.”
“Yeah Joe, they’re gonna go.”
So Manny trotted around the bases on this, his third game for LA, with his dredlocks flying in the breeze.
I’ll be in Angel Stadium Friday nite ( Sunday as well ) and I fully expect to see Ian starting that game……He and Hughes are going to play a very big role for the club down the stretch…..Been saying for qiute some time and getting drilled for it by some of the locals here…However if the team is going to be a factor in September and October, they’re services are key…….Need Matsui’s stick back…
Well, according to everybody Edwar wouldn’t have given up that HR just like the Angels wouldn’t have had 3 errors in the 8th.
So it’s a wash, Yankees win and THAT’s all that matters.
And oh yeah, Steve Phillips on BBT just postulated that Ewar’s “miscue” to Tex could have been Pudge not knowing Ewar and Ewar not yet really knowing what pitches to throw in certain counts.
I on the other hand don’t bother with the blame game so if it is it is. What it definitely is, is something to think about. It is not so outrageous to suggest there is a learning curve for any catcher who doesn’t really know a team’s pitchers. In fact it’s outrageous to try to suggest the opposite. Pudge likely is someone who will catch on very quickly. But it hasn’t been a seamless transition.
Razz has to go and you need to put Ponson to #5 until you can replace him ( AND always skip him when you can ) We get CC and Tex in the offseason and we go back to back WS Championships in 2008 and 2009 to end the Yankees Stadium Era and begin anew across the street !
Pat M. I don’t know the schedule these guys are on, but do you know how soon Hughes is slated to be ready? I am more than excited about the thought of getting him back. I admit that I don’t have any faith in the pitching down below save for him.
10 UNEARNED runs, Is that a record?
trisha,
Love you, girl, but Pudge and Andy being a disaster was more on Andy than Pudge. All the announcers have said it’s difficult to get used to a new catcher.
I was a firm supporter of Kyle this year, so you were not alone.
But he is gone and I wish him well. I want all former Yankees to do well (as long as it’s not against the Yankees).
But he was pitching the 8th with a 2 run lead and gave up 3 runs on 2 dingers to a team and stadium he has pitched before. Blame the manager for that one. That’s just such a hitter friendly park for a flyball pitcher like Kyle.
And frankly, what Fernando Rodney did was far more egregious. Kyle blew the game, but Rodney lost it. Walkoff walk? Ugh.
jeff in nj,
“what did Pittsburgh get for Bay, 4 prospects none of which are on the major league roster from what I’ve heard”
moss hit a home run today off zambrano
Hey SJ not sure if you saw my post a little earlier but I think you were right about Abreu. He is indeed still a great hitter but he might be best utilized as a DH.
I wonder if he’s starting to feel his age or has a leg injury because he has been awful on the bases this year. Last year he had 25 SB and was caught 8 times. This year he only has 14 and has been caught 7 times.
In response to Wang IS Taiwan about A-rod’s clutchness, his “clutch” stats are similar to his overall stats as well. As I mentioned earlier his overall career OPS is .969. His clutch stats (ripped from baseball reference) are:
2 outs, RISP – .891 OPS
Late & Close – .904 OPS
Tie Game – .970 OPS
Within 1 R – .982 OPS
Within 2 R – .957 OPS
Within 3 R – .969 OPS
So it appears that with 2 outs and RISP he is a bit worse than his career numbers but in other clutch situations he is still very good.
Brandon (Jetes GIDP count: *18) (Starting to believe Arod will never win a championship )
If Steve Phillips said it, it must be true.
There are pitchers meetings everyday with the pitching coach. Sometimes, the manager is involved in those meetings. Before every game, the pitching coach goes over what ALL of the available pitchers that day throw, when they like to throw certain pitches, etc.
Its not like Pudge had no idea what to call. Edwar just pitched poorly. It happens.
Did anybody bother giving Pudge any credit for the best game Sidney Ponson has pitched in two years? Or, do we just talk about the catcher when the pitcher pitches poorly?
Pudge didn’t do anything until today? The guy has played in THREE games. Geez.
Kyle Farnsworth has torched leads for years. What he did today is not exactly unusual, given his struggles the last 3 years.
Nobody wishes the guy ill or anything like that. However, let’s be real. The Yankees traded Farnsworth for a first ballot HOF catcher, an area of weakness on the team.
He has given up more home runs than any relief pitcher in baseball this year. He’s not exactly “perfect”, if you know what I mean.
Andy pitched like crap in a game earlier in the year against the Royals. In fact, he was worse in that game than he was the other night.
Was that the catcher’s fault?
The Yankees did what they had to do with Farnsworth. They traded him at his maximum value.
He wasn’t going to be back next year and they ended up getting a very good player for him.
Dice-K leads Red Sox past A’s to complete three-game sweep!
Can anyone say Cy Young award?
Dice-K leads Red Sox past A’s to complete three-game sweep!
Can anyone say Cy Young award?
Manny is on FIRE, he is 8 for 13 with 2 HR already. The dodgers got a great deal for him although I think LaRoche is going to be a very good player.
Mel, maybe Kyle is having a hard time adjusting to being with a new team. You know the guy is a head case. All I’m saying is it is pretty pathetic to judge him harshly in his first game when he really had excelled in what he did for the Yankees. If he continues that way then sure call him a bust.
A lot of the posters on this forum are insufferable when they are down on a player. Cripes at least have something worthwhile in your quiver if you’re going to do that!
About the Andy game, I really don’t know what caused the problem. I do know that Andy is not someone who insists on calling his own games so if Pudge was not calling to Andy’s strengths is could have caused a problem. And sure, there is a learning curve.
By the way, we supposedly also got Pudge for his offense, and if you were around in the games since Thursday then you saw some of our posters calling him out already.
Truly I’ve never seen more kneejerk AH’s in one place than I have here. I can’t imagine what I’d be seeing if these people didn’t like the Yanks!
Patrick,
Sorry, I missed but just caught it now.
If Damon’s shoulder is good enough to play LF, I would give Bobby more run at DH than RF the rest of the way. Nady is a better defensive RF than Abreu.
His baserunning, which historically has been very good, has been really bad this year. Sometimes, guys press to make something happen when things don’t go well. I think that has happened with Bobby quite a bit this season.
Hughes is only at 50 pitches per outing in his rehab assignments. He’s also still in A Ball rehabbing.
He probably needs 3 more starts at a minimum (preferably at higher levels than lower A ball) before he in the equation to return to the rotation. That’s a minimum of 15 more days.
Kennedy is closer to being ready than Hughes. After Girardi’s tepid support of Rasner following the game, it will be interesting to see what they do Friday night.
Yep SJ, if they keep saying it over and over and over, more people believe it. The best players fail 7 times out of 10, so the fans harp on those 7 times over and over. This guy leads the league in batting and has an OPS over 1.000. ARod is most talented Yank since Mantle in my eyes and most fans don’t appreciate what we have. Guys like this don’t come along that often. He’s hitting .250 with RISP, ok. Now Kay is harping that 9 of his HR’s have come with the Yanks up 3 runs or more. Ugh.
Patrick,
Jason Bay will be great for the Sox, but Manny on the Dodgers is a huge difference maker.
He absolutely chewed up great AL pitching. Can you imagine what he’ll do to NL pitching? Scary to think about and grateful he’s there and we’re still here.
Dice-K leads Red Sox past A’s to complete three-game sweep!
Can anyone say Cy Young award?
Many of us have been saying it and attaching it to the name Mussina.
Trisha,,,I think Phil will get two maybe three more starts and he’ll be moving up to AAA once Kennedy is called up…..The season will come full circle, as those two will end up right where they started, in the rotation…..As for Edwar, I’ve never been a smoke and mirror fan when it comes to late inning bulpen arms…I just feel power pitchers are the way to go, as they can bully their way out of trouble….Throwing strike 1 is still the singular most important pitch …..
I understand the Pudge for Kyle trade. I understand why the Yankees did it.
I was just asking for something that is impossible for a goodly number of posters here to deliver, but I asked anyway. Admit the guy did a good job for the Yankees and also acknowledge that his first game may be one where there were nerves. In other words, give him the same chance that you give to any player who is new to a team.
A Rod isn’t unclutch. He got the big hit today even if it was an error. He is the best player in baseball.
Okay, Firefox is messing with my posts. But I’d just wanted to ask Brandon what the heck the stuff next to his name was all about, lol.
Hughes and Pavano’s next games are at 70-75 pitches each. They haven’t decided whether they’ll be split up or still go every 4th day, like their first two games have been. After that, they’ll go to 80-90 pitches.
Trisha,
Perhaps folks just disagree with your point of view on a certain issues. Doesn’t make us AH’s. Its a forum to discuss Yankee Baseball. Its not a forum to slurp any player who is in a Yankee Uniform and rip those who don’t.
Joe Girardi “loved” Kyle Farnsworth so much as the 8th inning guy, he practically pulled a hamstring running out of the dugout when Kyle began to implode last Friday night in Boston in Joba’s 1-0 game.
He also signed off on the trade.
He likes Farnsworth personally. However, he also knows who is the better player for his team right now. Its Pudge and its really not even a debate.
He could have said “no” when Cashman approached him about the trade. He said, “yes”. That should tell you something.
As baseball players go, Pudge is a better baseball player than Kyle Farnsworth.
Doesn’t mean folks hate Farnsworth or any of that other nonsense. It just means, when assessing the two as baseball players and nothing more, you would be hard pressed to find anybody with a scintilla of knowledge about the sport to pick Farnsworth over Pudge if they had a choice.
“Clutch does exist. It’s how Jeter’s built his career.”
This is a stupid statement. Regardless of whether “clutch” actually exists or not, if you crunch the stats, Jeter’s performance in “clutch” situations is actually lower than his performance in “non-clutch” situations over his career. Some people just have selective memories.
Trisha,
I don’t take anything anyone says here personally or seriously. Live and let live is the credo here.
I ignore these kinds of posts:
-”We’re going to lose”
-”Melky’s an automatic out” (though he could use a mental health break when Robi comes back)
-Anything negative about a player coming back from injury.
-Anything negative about a player acquired in a recent trade
An anonymous forum brings out the worst in people, but this is still a great place to mine some good nuggets of info and the regulars here still have a good time.
u can stop defending farnsworthless now trisha. He’s gone.
Kyle pitched yesterday for Detroit
“He probably needs 3 more starts at a minimum (preferably at higher levels than lower A ball) before he in the equation to return to the rotation. That’s a minimum of 15 more days.”
Unless Hughes is absolutely lights out and Ponson bombs then I’d think about leaving Hughes in AAA for even longer than that. Clearly he was rushed, perhaps he could use extra time at the end of this season and the beginning of next in the minors.
The X Man’s performance so far is doubly special given that he’s so frackin’ hot!!!
Pudge may have a barrel of Gold Gloves but he still needs time to learn the staff he has yet to catch. He’s gone over advice from Jose but hands on catching is required before he feels adjusted.
Pat M,
Don’t you think though Edwar was only in the game in the 8th inning because of Mo’s unavailability?
Veras pitched yesterday. He was saving Marte to close and Edwar only threw one pitch (the game he got ejected) in the past few days.
I think it was a matter of moving guys up a slot and he drew the 8th inning this time.
I agree with you about having more power than finesse guys in the 8th inning. If Mo was available today, I don’t think we would have seen Edwar in the 8th today.
Trisha: Unless Cliff Lee utterly collapses, he’s a shoo-in for this year’s Cy Young.
There isn’t even a question about any of the deals made last week…..Pudge fills a massive hole that the club had behind the plate…..The tandum of Pudge & Molina is the best in the game…..Molina just catches 2 games a week at the most…..No running game vs The Yanks for the remainder of 08..
Trisha, do not let the SJ’s stop you from being you. Just because he’s overly bitter and a quitter doesn’t mean everyone should be.
“Dice-K leads Red Sox past A’s to complete three-game sweep!
Can anyone say Cy Young award?”
I can say it but not when associated with Daisuke. Justin Duchscherer, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee are all having better seasons. Heck, Matsuzaka hasn’t even thrown enough pitches to qualify for the ERA leaderboard.
How is Lee a shoe in? His team stinks and we got two months left.
Pat M. I will be very honest with you. I don’t have real good feelings about Ian Kennedy. Now that and (is it more than 50 cents – I’m not a coffee drinker
) well, whatever the price, is worth coffee since I am not the one who will make the decisions.
I have infinite patience with player development but I will admit that Kennedy singularly made me crazy. I understand that it’s not his fault because yes we did rush those guys up sooner than they really should have come up. But where I did feel that Hughes had the maturity to pull it off, even though I thought he too could have benefitted with a little more time below, I felt that Kennedy was a little too in love with the idea of playing for the Yankees and maybe needed to be knocked down a few pegs.
I guess the only way you find out is to find out, but I trust nothing just because it’s going well down below. Heck, we’ve had a revolving door rollcall by posters on this forum asking for AAA players who are just knocking them dead down below – until they get to the majors.
I guess it’s always a crapshoot, and you know that patience is not a hallmark of a lot of the more vocal Yankee posters here. So when someone has had, say, 10 AB without a hit, they are ready to ride the person out of town on a rail.
My safe place for information is always with the Yankees organization. As someone pointed out the other night, they are dealing with fluid information on a 24-7 basis, coupled with information provided by scouts who are watching all the time. So they will always know so much more than all of us here.
That said, I do trust your judgment.
Arod?
Today was a very typical AROD day. Up at bat at least three times with the game on the line
Results? K, Walk, Ground into DP (but a error that saved him)
Haven’t heard from Hank or Hal in a while, I hope they’re ok.
“Trisha: Unless Cliff Lee utterly collapses, he’s a shoo-in for this year’s Cy Young.”
Oh yeah, I forgot about Cliff.
He is awesome.
Isnt Melky an automatic out??
Don’t forget Mo for the Cy Young. He’s having that kind of year.
I think he will get some votes if he continues to pitch this year.
Yup, you got me “Cap”, I am a real bitter guy! lol
God, to be so young and so dumb. Your parents must be proud.
Sj, Once he started his venture into dangerous waters, Marte should have been summoned…..Yes, and everyone’s assignments were bumped up a notch or inning…..Stole one from the Angels, just as they stole one Friday night from us….Rasner becomes the long reliever, where he, Karstens & Olendorlf were penciled in for in April, as one of them was to have that job…Injuries changed everything..
Christian should be played in center to start the Texas series. Melky at this point looks totally lost. Christian is the type of player who can give you that “energy” that Melky claimed to give this team the past 2 years.
Texas has a lefty on Tuesday, so give Melky 2 days off to clear his head and get a breather, and let’s see what Chrisitian can do. He can’t do any worse at the plate and I’ll take the (small) gamble that he’ll cost us runs on defense.
Did SJ say “AH?”
Oh my!
Meant to say, if Mo continues to pitch **this well** this year.
Xavier Nady is what this team needs more of …. a contact hitter. If A-Rod and Giambi went more with the pitch opposed to swinging for the fences, run production would show an increase.
I pose a question to everyone, with the 10 game road trip what record would be acceptable? It seems like we have the advantage in all 4 Rangers game, but the ball will be flying out I am sure with the 100 degree heat. Angels series will be tough, and the Yanks usually play pretty well at the Metrodome. I will say 6-4 can happen.
How many MVP’s does A Rod need to get love?
Also, as much fun as the “stache” has been, it’s been brutal at the plate and a dead spot in the lineup for too long.
All good things have their time and place. Giambi needs a “mojo” change as the ’stache has been striking out and hitting lazy pop ups to the 3rd baseman & left fielder.
Remember the old adage: shaving facial hair increases bat speed
Trisha, Everyone including myself have certain reservations about Kennedy’s upcoming performance’s…But just remember waht he did last September, he was terrific..In fact many of us thought he should have been on the Postseason Roster…..He & Hughes were the team’s best pitchers in September….If he busts this time, things get dicey for him…He has the talent ..
6-4 is acceptable…i would think a more fitting goal 7-3 for the road trip…
Eddie,
I was discussing the fact that ARod rarely goes to right-field any longer, the other night with someone on here. It has really cut down his overall production, and while his stats are padded, if he drove the ball the other way, or at least tried, I’d think he’d be better with RISP. Giambi, on the other hand…is old, slow, and cooked.
A perfect outfield replacement for the Yanks, if he ever comes up on the open market or for trade would be Rick Ankiel….power from the left side, good speed, great arm and outstanding center fielder/corner outfielder. Maybe package a couple of young pitchers, one of the young catchers (Anson or Pilittere) and Gardner/Cabrera for him.
I am hoping for a 6-4 trip.
They have to win series at this point of the season. They are the trailing team and they can’t afford to just tread water any longer.
If they can go 6-4 on this roadtrip, its a very successful trip. With only 20 home games remaining this year, it looks like their playoff chances are going to depend on winning on the road.
Mo could only win the CY if he doesn’t pitch in non save situations.
Mo: Cy Young is not the MVP.
It’s based on how well you perform, and not how valuable your performance is relative to the team’s standings.
That is, you can go 20-5, 2.30 for a last place team and win the CY Young, but you probably won’t win the MVP.
Arod gets a lot of love, but sometimes we just need contact. I know he’s a homerun hitter, but as an MVP, he’s good enough to be a situational hitter.
I wish he would stop thinking at the plate. He’s getting caught looking a lot on strike 3’s. That means he’s guessing or sitting. Boo on that. Otherwise, great player.
SJ,
Mo’s having a great year, but I can’t see him getting the Cy Young, or even much serious support, especially in a year when another closer (K-Rod)is likely to break the single season Save record. If there’s a closer with better numbers, coupled with the starters out there, I think it’ll be another disappointment for Mo.
Kevin P,
I am with you on starting Justin Christian. I think either Melky has become complacent, because he knows he’s in there every day, or he literally just does not have the skills to be a decent hitter. I don’t think any of us are even asking for an excellent hitter…just someone “decent”. Cabrera makes me sick out there.
Reading comprehension is a thing of value for those who care to utilize it.
“It just means, when assessing the two as baseball players and nothing more, you would be hard pressed to find anybody with a scintilla of knowledge about the sport to pick Farnsworth over Pudge if they had a choice.”
That wasn’t any part of the conversation. This is the biggest bunch of kneejerking crybabies when the Yankees aren’t on top of their game ever assembled in one place. If the shoe fits wear it. If it doesn’t, don’t.
Obviously there are a lot of fine people here, THANK GOD, who don’t find that mold and do their best to be fair and objective and don’t spin out of control and call for heads any time something goes wrong in a game. But there are also those who do – continually – and feel the need to propose a trade or a DFA when a player has a bad inning, let alone a bad game.
Farnsworth had a bad game for Detroit his first game out. That’s about all you can say about that unless you are just trying to be a forum wiseass – or unless you truly are not in control of any objectivity. Again, he didn’t get traded because he was stinking up the joint.
You, by the way is the collective you.
We would all be lost without the great SJ44 telling us all what is what. Thank you, SJ44.
Arod had 6 hits and was on base 8 times against Boston last weekend. Terrible.
Lee would have to have an outstanding year to win the Cy for a last place team. His year has been good but it is not Steve Carlton good.
If A-Rod doesn’t hit a dinger everytime up he can’t win.
Pat M, do we know that Kennedy is getting a start? Has anything been announced?
If Rasner gets another start I only hope that Molina catches him, only because Molina knows the Angels players so much better because he was one so long!
Things this game showed:
Rasner is done.
Ramirez is not the 8th inning set up man.
Nady was a huge get.
A-Rod can’t situational hit.
Hi All –
Just got back from the game (went for dinner)…
that’s 6-0 when I go to the games with my sister
0-1 without her.
I’ll be going only WITH her from now on.
Kennedy should spend the season in Scranton. Teach him a lesson.
Matt,
What are you saying? He can’t win? Hitting a homerun is not what fans and the manager expect him to do. That’s what he expects from himself. The rest of us expect him to put the ball into play. Sac flies and productive outs are nice, too.
Pardonez moi if you’re being sarcastic, but his all or nothing approach bothers me if it affects the game. Otherwise I’m alright with it. And I love those meaningless homeruns as much as the next person. (That’s a joke guys. Don’t get your whatevers all twisted)
trisha-Farnsworth pitched for Detroit yesterday and was fine.
You guys might all be right about everything you say. And then again you may not be. That’s why I actually take my own counsel alone and then wait to see if I get it right. If I paid attention to everything I heard on this forum during the Boston series, Sidney Ponson would have been hanging in a cornfield somewhere and would not have gotten another start.
To his credit, Miggs did show up and tell everyone to chill and that Ponson was not going to be DFAd. A few other people also felt the same way, but the overwhelming sentiment was that he needed to be killed. Thankfully, he lived to see another game…
sorry, that should be we don’t expect him to hit a homerun everytime he goes to the plate.
Mere speculation Trisha…..SJ, I guess you’ll never get a pass here….No matter what your crendentials are when it comes to knowing the game, you’re going to get drilled right in the ribs….I think it’s rather funny though, considering some of the sources that take aim at you and several others…6-4 would be the least they have to pull out….A good road trip 7-3 is what I’m expecting…They have become a good road team these past 3 years or so….
“trisha-Farnsworth pitched for Detroit yesterday and was fine.”
SA, sorry I actually thought today was his first start. Did he come in to do mopup or was he put in at a critical point (if there was one), if you know.
I’d rather see Aceves. IPK did not impress me at all. Hes Rasner with a better pedigree.
Let’s not forget who the Yankees are playing on the trip–Texas, Minnesota and LAA.
None of those games are going to be “easy”.
6-4 would be very good indeed.
Eddie, you’re wrong. 25 of 67 hits by Rodriguez at Yankee Stadium have been to the right of center field.
Sure, mel. Check the comments here after every A-Rod at bat. If he doesn’t hit a homer or get a hit he gets drilled. He can’t do anything right by most of these “fans”.
Trisha: They used Farnsworth in the 8th. I think eventually they want him to close.
He came in for the 8th. The Rays were already leading 9-3 and that was the final score
I think we’ve seen the last of Mr Rasner.
…There is football on TV.
Are we seriously there yet already? I still feel like the Giants just won the Super Bowl.
Farnsworth is terrible. We’ve all seen it for 2+ years. Now Detroit gets to see it.
Wow by the looks of this entry you would have thought we lost the game. Guys we took 2 out of 4 from the best team in baseball, we could have taken 3 out of 4 if we scored 1 stinking run!
The team showed a lot of fight today, and I love watching Justin play! He is a spark this team has sorely lacked for a few years. Nady is just amazing!
Pat M,
No worries, I take it with a grain of salt.
I guess folks can believe what they want to believe. If Farnsworth was a guy the Yankees truly trusted, he wouldn’t have been traded.
Did they trade Ramirez or Veras or Robertson? No.
They traded Farnsworth for 3 reasons:
1. They don’t trust him in big game situations. Its not like he hasn’t failed in those situations in his Yankee career. He led the AL in HR’s allowed in the ‘pen prior to the trade. After today, he now leads MLB. Sorry but, that doesn’t inspire trust out of your 8th inning guy.
2. He was going to be a FA at the end of the year and they weren’t going to re-sign him. So, in the immortal words of Larry Lucchino, you get a “two-fer”. You trade him and get someone of value in return.
3. Dave Dombrowski felt that Pudge and Leyland couldn’t co-exist any longer. So, he had to make the best of a bad situation. By trading for a guy he had before, he rolled the dice and his hoping Inge can be an everyday catcher and Farnsworth would help their bullpen.
Edwar tried to remind everyone of Krazy Kyle today.
Daniel Cabrera of course shuts out the Yankees on he’s last start but gives up to the mediocre line-up 7 runs today.
Wonder how good the Yankees would have been if A-Rod was hitting like last year.He’s only making like $28 million.
I just love the Brett Favre updates they have had. Madden should have been at the airport in Green Bay to meet him.
SJ44:
They traded Farnsworth because he stinks. You could have saved yourself the time of writing reasons.
Thanks Rebecca and S.A. Well I certainly wish him well.
And I hope we continue to do well. I think we showed such good stuff this weekend, and it is a joy to see the attempts at comebacks that for a while seemed to be lost in the offensive slump we had a while back.
I love our bullpen, and I think Joba is like money in the bank. Moose also, and Andy more often than not. I keep my fingers crossed about Ponson if he pitches and Rasner if he pitches, at least trying to keep us in games.
Daniel Cabrera has way crazy numbers against the yankees.
It defies convention.
Matt,
I agree that there a lot of unreasonable people here. Refer to my 8:12 pm post to Trisha.
They grumble if Alex gets caught looking or striking out swinging at a ball. If it’s a productive out or a base hit, he’ll get love. I haven’t seen anyone here begrudge him for doing either of those things rather than hit a HR.
But I agree with you that people expect a lot out of him. But he’s smart enough to know that he plays his best when he’s driving the ball. We’ll see.
“Wonder how good the Yankees would have been if A-Rod was hitting like last year.He’s only making like $28 million.”
Leading the league in batting doesn’t do it for people I guess. People like this kill your theory, mel.
I really get the feeling that Trisha cried when Kyle was traded.
Angels see Joba next Saturday – we face Saunders as well – pitchers neither team faced this weekend series.
I’ll go with 7-3, only because I think we can grab all of the series.
3-4 in Texas
2-3 in LA
2-3 in MIN
Unclutch-Rod was dangerously close to being a big time goat if Figgins make that play.
Washington Heights,
The weird thing is that Farnsworth was a Tiger. They have seen it before. And if the reports are true, the Tigers called us.
That Fernando dude on the other hand was putrid today.
The 2008 Yankees will go 5-5 on the trip.
Got to play the back nine, I have a tee-time at 6:00 tomorrow….Yanks make the push now…I’ll be at The Stadium on Sept 12th, I fully expect them to be in first by then…Tampa will start the fade in the next two weeks…..Good win today…..
Matt,
Mental patients and inmates don’t count in my world.
Mel,
What’s that old saying about the devil you know……lol
Actually if Jorge had not gone done Farnsworth wouldn’t have been traded. It’s that simple. Both teams got what they needed.
End of story.
SJ44,
Are you talking about Farns & the Tigers? That’s like Adrianna staying with Christopher. Toxic and intoxicating.
Ryan Ludwick is on.
[/random]
Pat M – you go man!
That’s the kind of posting we need around here, not the doom and gloom and trading and DFA you see any time someone doesn’t get a flippin hit.
Please come around more during gametime if you can. It would be a pleasure to have some levelheadness to ward off the “other” that is replete whenever a player (egads!) isn’t perfect.
Enjoy your game!
Thanks S
“I really get the feeling that Trisha cried when Kyle was traded.”
I was actually in a state of shock because I didn’t expect it. I didn’t actually cry until I saw Girardi and Cashman choke up and then saw Farnsworth cry. That did make me cry.
SJ on fire with some great posts.
Bubba Daisuke has no chance of winning the cy young if you know anything about baseball. he is a 5 inning pitcher.. Moose gives the Yanks more length then that.
What did Daisuke do today? 5 innings how many pitches???
I also assume Rasner will be sent down, he deserves it, he has not produced and his #’s are bad.. I annot believe Ponson out lasted him but hopefully Ponson ill be going down to SWB in about 2 weeks.. Hughes will be huge down the stretch.. I am expecting some good performances from PHIL down the stretch…
ABreu has gotten gotten try to steal a lot more this year then last… Detroit looks like they are in trouble but it is still too early to bury them.. They play the chisux this week.. There pitching has just been dreadful and Rogers is looking 43 and RObertson stinks…Imagine were they would be without Gallaraga??
“We talk about a lot of things, but right now Raz is in the rotation,” manager Joe Girardi said.
Sounds like there’s at least some discussion. 1 win in 2 months? Not good enough.
I didn’t even notice Vlad didn’t play. We lucked out. No Hunter, Matthews, or the guy with the sore hand.
mel,
Good analogy.
Farewell ’stache!
It was fun.
http://bombersbeat.mlblogs.com/
One last note. Jason Giambi is on his way to Texas. His mustache remained in a sink at Yankee Stadium. Yes, the ’stache has run its course, but we’ll always keep the memories.
I was only able to watch portions of today’s game. But isn’t it interesting that in the 4 games with the Angels, each game had a different personality? Game 1, the Yankees get blown out; Game 2, close, nail-biter, either team could win, pitchers’ game, no runs; Game 3, Yankees win in a clean, clear-cut game; Game 4, nail-biter, either team could win, lots of runs.
Best part of this weekend was to find out that the Yankees could absolutely play with the Angels. The 1-0 game they lost was a shame, because they had enough RISP to have won that one, but you are going to have games like that. It means to me, if they meet the Angels in the post-season, it’s sure not a gimme to the Angels.
I can’t wait to watch the replay of the game, in the morning.
Sure hope Mariano is going to be okay. A plane ride with back spasms isn’t too much fun.
Rasner’s time has come, someone else should get a shot. Ponson has shown he can be awful or borderline unhittable. Pitching a 2 hitter vs the angels of all times has secured his spot baring any major implosion. The Yankees are really at a point where they need to solidify their starting rotation, they fixed two holes at the trade line but left their biggest one wide open.
eeew I hope he washed it down the sink.
SJ44, the saying is, “The devil you know is the woman you picked up in the bar is your boss’ wife.”
Ponson pitched so well because his defense helped him. Had it not been that excellent, he would have been lit up.
Giambi shaved the stache?
WHOA!
“Best part of this weekend was to find out that the Yankees could absolutely play with the Angels. The 1-0 game they lost was a shame, because they had enough RISP to have won that one, but you are going to have games like that. It means to me, if they meet the Angels in the post-season, it’s sure not a gimme to the Angels.”
Doreen I wish you had been around. A few of us had the audacity to suggest that the Yankees made a statement to the Angels and got our heads ripped off. This was a tremendous weekend and but for one run, we could have had the Angels leaving the Stadium 1-3.
I think we definitely showed them something they didn’t expect from us. YANKEES ROCK!
RIP ’stache. Talk about beating a dead horse.
I’m a Ponson supporter, but him vs. Texas should be illegal.
You knew that was coming, I’m sure his wife is thrilled. Than again he is going on the road, and may start to grow it again, so it could be back by the time he returns.
And also the roles were reversed, usually they are the ones reeking havoc on bases and causing us to make mistakes in the field. Instead we were the ones causing them to make mistakes.
“Ponson pitched so well because his defense helped him. Had it not been that excellent, he would have been lit up.”
John without a question the defense was a huge part of that game! What we will never know, however, is whether Sidney would have pitched a different game if he wasn’t pitching with 0 run support for 7 innings. He had to be really fine with his pitches and you can get hurt that way if you are not spot on.
It’s gonna be weird seeing him without the lip fur
“I’m a Ponson supporter, but him vs. Texas should be illegal.”
That is a scary proposition. I haven’t looked at his ERA v. Texas other than watching what he did when they played us, but if he has otherwise been okay, I’m willing to consider it was a case of nerves playing against his former team.
And if that is the case, I am certainly hoping it has passed!
Man, if we had just won that 1-0 game, we would have taken three out of four…and that would be making a statement.
Stil, we went out with a high note and have to have a good feeling heading into this series with the Rangers.
How do you make a statement splitting a home series/
What statement did the Yankees make against the Orioles this week/
Its not how you evaluate games. Its not college football.
Any one team can stay with a team over a series. Its playing well over a long period of time.
The Angels didn’t have Vlad or Torii Hunger in the lineup today. ‘Ya think if it was a “statement series”, Vlad wouldn’t have been in the lineup today? Hunter was on bereavement leave.
The Yankees showed a lot of guts coming back today. Overall though, they went 3-4 on this homestand and lost ground to both Boston and Tampa this week.
If you are looking for “statements”, that’s the only statement that matters. Winning or losing ground in the standings.
Was that WFAN’s Ed Randall filling in as Stadium announcer this past couple days?
I guess John doesn’t understand that had it not been for the Angels defense, the Yanks would have scored 3-4 runs. It works both ways. What excuse do you have for Lackey and Weaver, John?
trisha if they did win 3of 4 it would have been a statement but they did not..
you do not ge twins for games you should have won.. a split is definitely not the end of the world it just makes the 7 -6 loss to the Orioles that more painful..
this team in my opinion is more talented then last yrs. team but we will see if that matters.
the pen is deeper..Joba is replacing wang for now and looks great the only down side is his age.. Moose has pitched better by far then last yr. the only negative is the offense which has been incosistent and unclutch..
the bench is better this year then last..
they need to just do it……
#9-I think so
That’s your opinion.
Several of us feel otherwise and gave our reasons why.
SJ44 I get the feeling that you have little respect for any opinion other than the one you put out and if people disagree with it you automatically consider them the idiots.
You have come on a few times this season saying you were wrong about this or that. That should tell you that it is possible that sometimes other thinking might be correct thinking.
In any event, some of us considered it a statement. I can deal with you not thinking it is. So let’s just leave it at that. Not everything has to be a contest of wills. Other people are entitled to have opinions that differ from yours.
#9 Yes, I thought he was pretty bad. I didn’t care for his delivery at all.
the game was huge for the yanks meaningless for the angels.. they let Lackey stay out there much longer then they should have if it was a make or break game…
Last year, the Yankees beat Cleveland in every game of the regular season. How did that help them in the playoffs? It didn’t.
Baseball is a funny game. As fans, we think certain games are “statement games” or games that will “put a team on a roll”.
We say that because we are fans and we want to point to one game that will turn everything around. Very often, that isn’t the case.
Because of their success on this roadtrip, the Angels were able to rest Vlad today. They also have such a big lead, they don’t look at this series as a “statement” series.
They had a 5-2 roadtrip going through Boston and NY. They will take that everytime.
Their statement is, they have the best record in baseball. That statement trumps everything.
Jennifer, if Mussina wins 20 games, they’ll name a candy bar for him and it’ll be in both clubhouses…just to remind the other teams.
SJ: The Baltimore series was a disaster, but the Angels series itself, while not a statement, isn’t anything to be ashamed about–well, maybe Friday for not hitting with RISP, but I’m not sure anyone seriously thought we’d win today’s game given the starting pitching match up.
SJ44,
Yes, they have the best record in baseball and are the #1 team.
The point is that we can hang with them where as we couldn’t in past years.
If Andy is Andy and Mo is Mo, then that’s really nice. We match up okay with them whereas the Red Sox do NOT.
I don’t think Mo has a shot at Cy Young, why? Because Joba Chamberlain is on his team.
I really believe Joba has a legitimate shot at Rookie of the year and Cy Young. That would be amazing. If all Joba does it keep pitching the way he has, I think he wins both. 2.24 era and 99 k’s and he hasn’t made nearly as many starts as anyone else. He’d also be leading in era right now if he had enough innings.
Stuart, I can only speak for myself but I am guessing that the others who said the same thing may have been thinking the same way I did about it. In the past the Angels have made mincemeat of the Yankees. They have been our bugaboo team. They have made us look ridiculous. They have a phenomenal road record (I think we are the only two teams in the AL with winning road records, and their’s blows ours away), they just came off sweeping the Sux, and we came close to winning the series 3-1. All of those things make me think they didn’t expect to see this kind of play from the Yankees and we did make a statement of sorts.
It’s just a manner of speaking, but I think they left with a different feeling about the NYY. That’s what I think anyway. I have no way to prove it, but just look back on history and feel good about this weekend.
greenberet- There is already a candy bar named after him!
http://sweetshoppe.wolfgangcan.....roductName
We need 7 wins here.
Another thing is that if we face them in the postseason I feel much better about our chances seeing the way we played them this weekend than I would have heretofore.
Trisha,
Last I checked it was an interactive forum. Funny, you seem to have no problems disagreeing with people on here and saying so. Yet, if somebody disagrees with you, you get upset? Why is that?
If you don’t like your opinion challenged, don’t give it.
I call people idiots on here when they act like idiots. Having differing opinions of mine doesn’t classify you, or anybody else, on here as an idiot.
In fact, show me a post where I called somebody an idiot for having an opinion different from mine. You can’t because it doesn’t exist.
I WELCOME differing opinions. I don’t welcome personal attacks.
I just don’t see how splitting a series with the Angels, capping off a LOSING homestand, denotes a “statement” being made by the Yankees. Why is that so difficult for you to understand?
Stuart,
If Wang didn’t get hurt, I would agree with you re: this team being better than last year. But, losing Wang REALLY hurts.
That’s the one injury that brings them back to the pack.
Imagine rolling out Wang, Moose, Andy and Joba in 4 of the 5 slots? That would have been something.
Now, its hold your breath time in the final two slots in the rotation and you hope the Big 3 don’t slump.
That’s the only caveat I have when comparing last years team to this years.
Everyone’s using the “Angels were missing Guerrero and Hunter” crap, but the Yanks were missing Posada, Matsui and Cano for 8 innings on offense and at least Wang for one of these starts, so, who was short handed? What it did show was that NY wasn’t rolling over for them and they would fight back.
Well, I don’t know about making a statement, but they held their own which is certainly much more than I expected – I absolutely hate when the Yankees have to play the Angels, because the Angels usually bring out the worst in the Yankees. I am happy they gained a split.
What I think is that the Yankees had to win against the Orioles and there is no excuse for not doing so. Now they find themselves a couple of games worse off, almost undoing the good that happened through the 8-game win streak.
So, now, let’s hope for a good road trip. They have to continue to grind it out.
Like I wrote the other day, Trash the Stash!!!!!!!!
jennifer, they could have at least used an original name like “Mikey Moose Bar”, or something equally catchy.
“I just don’t see how splitting a series with the Angels, capping off a LOSING homestand, denotes a “statement†being made by the Yankees. Why is that so difficult for you to understand?”
I can jig with you feeling that. I don’t agree with it is all. The statement they made had to do with the Angels, and nothing else.
“What it did show was that NY wasn’t rolling over for them and they would fight back”
Agree.
A few things
Edwar Ramirez basically went no hitter for the MONTH of July lets give him a break
Giambi has been streaky, but he did win a 1-0 game hitting to the opposite field this week, we forget so fast and when he gets hot the homers come in bunches I have no problem with him at #5
Rasner out,Kennedy in.Ponson outpitched him this weekend so he gets to stay on the island….for now.There is also no soft landing for Rasner….Giese deserves to stay on merit.
Who gets to be the new A Gon?Nick Green,Cody Ransom?
It was very important to salvage this split.Angels are clearly in their heads.
SJ44,
Exactly. Do you think the Orioles “made a statement” to the Yankees this week by beating them 2 of 3 at home? Or did the Yankees just shrug it off and move on to play the Angels?
The Yankees did what they had to against the Angels, but I doubt the Angels will suddenly feel like things have changed with the Yankees because they split a series on the road, when they already all but have the Western Division clinched.
The Yankees did a great job this weekend salvaging the split and I’m not diminishing that, but I don’t think this changes the Yankees-Angels dynamic at all.
But we’ll get a chance to see more next weekend.
Before we declare ourselves over the Angels hex, shouldn’t we see how the Yankees play against them in Anaheim?
They haven’t been to Anaheim this season. They have played much worse in Anaheim against the Angels than they have in NY the past few seasons.
Last July, they had a wild series in NY against the Angels and fared quite well against them.
Their issue has always been Anaheim. Historically, that’s been a tough place for the Yankees to win in.
“They haven’t been to Anaheim this season. They have played much worse in Anaheim against the Angels than they have in NY the past few seasons.”
Mmmm, I think there’s a huge difference because of the pitching matchups. I feel much better in a series going into it knowing Joba, Mussina, AND Pettitte will be pitching, and one unknown. Mussina ate them up the first time, I believe Joba will do the same, so right there, you feel very good about two games, and you have to believe Pettitte will pitch well.
So how many so called “statement” games has this team had already this season?
What about those “devastating loss” games that makes ya feel like the team will never win again.
There are just so many games in the baseball season and things can change in an instant.
Do I think today was a statement game? no.
It was a fun, wacko game to watch and I am ok with them splitting the series vs. the Angels (I’m still bitter about the Friday game).
But tomorrow is a new game, different team.
Let’s just hope that this team can go forward winning series and being more consistent.
SJ,
What you say is true, but I know the Yankees are feeling better than they did Friday night. And THAT’s really all that counts.
Not sure that anybody’s saying that some imaginary hex is over, just that they faught back twice in late innings today, when that has seldom happened once in two weeks this year. NYY forced the mistakes made today, and then took advantage of them. Not many teams can claim that this year. It’s a Hell of a team.
Don’t get me wrong, I posted on here prior to the series that I would be VERY happy with a split in this series. I still feel that way. Taking a split, regardless of how it was done, is good work by the Yankees.
The Orioles series? Horrible work by the Yankees.
The Angels and Yankees are two teams in different places right now. The Angels are on cruise control. The Yankees are fighting for their lives. It makes a series like this much more important to the Yankees than the Angels.
Its not minimizing what the Yankees did today, its just a fact.
Its not a series where the Angels leave NY saying, “We have to be worried about the Yankees”. They don’t have to worry about anything the Yankees. If the season ended today, the Yankees wouldn’t even be in the playoffs. Why should the Angels be worried about the Yankees?
I could definitely see why some folks think the Yankees “proved” something today. Perhaps they did.
If they have a hugely successful roadtrip, folks can point to today and say, “see, that game gave them the boost they needed”. If not, while exciting, it would end up being just one game on the schedule.
Time will tell what it is.
Well I think I will go and get myself some ice cream as a treat for this wonderful Yankee weekend.
I’m with Pat M. I see this team making it to first place, and I definitely see us in the playoffs. But that’s just me. I have total faith in our guys.
Every day is a new day. To me, each game stands alone. You can lose like a fool one day and win like a king the next. One game has nothing to do with another game. (For the most part, that is.)
So, I don’t really look too far ahead and I don’t really pay attention to pitching match-ups. Anything can happen on any given day. Baseball is funny game. Teams can play mediocre all year and end up winning the World Series. Teams can lead the league all the way to September and not even make it to the playoffs at all.
***fought*** stupid computer’s spelling things wrong again.
The next 19 games with 16 on the road will define the season. They have 51 games to go and are currently 6 back in the loss column behind TB and 2 Back of Bos.
If TB plays .500 the rest of the way we need win at least 11 of the next 19 just to be 5 back with approx 30 games to go.
Lets be road warriors!
Tam also plays 13 of their next 19 on the road.
Well, the Angels have had more than one monumental in season collapse, so, if they start a losing streak and Oakland starts winning, it has to creep into their minds.
“A perfect outfield replacement for the Yanks, if he ever comes up on the open market or for trade would be Rick Ankiel….power from the left side, good speed, great arm and outstanding center fielder/corner outfielder. Maybe package a couple of young pitchers, one of the young catchers (Anson or Pilittere) and Gardner/Cabrera for him.”
Sorry, I HAD to answer this -
The Cardinals will not trade Rick Ankiel. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he gives them a huge discount on his first FA contract. You might as well try to get them to trade away Pujols.
GB7
How about “Moose Drops”?
GB,
Have you seen Oakland recently? They aren’t good at all. Plus, Beane traded his rotation away.
The Angels aren’t going to fall apart. They are the Class of the West this year.
The Yankees didn’t make any statement today. It was a game they had to have. Win three out of 4 against the Rangers, then take the series in Minnesota and Anaheim. THAT would be a statement.
They are ,probably not going to fall apart.
Yes, I’ve seen Oakland, LA and Texas games, but, somehow, Oakland finds pitchers to get things done. And Texas can outslug anybody, and they could hurt LA. LA has been pretty healthy so far, and they, like NYY has some age on them. Unlikely to happen, but, I wouldn’t be totally shocked, either.
Did anybody else notice edwar shook off Pudge twice before the hr pitch. Can’t blame Pudge! I’m starting to worry about Jeter. I thought it was just nagging injuries,but he keeps taking good pitches and having to hit the pitchers pitch= tons of dp balls. I didn’t read yesterdays posts;did they honor Murcer at old-timers day? Anybody know how Nettles health is?
For all the Angels hype, their starters have not been all that good for July into August–check out ESPN.mlb. I’m not sure they are really going anywhere in the playoffs–Tex or no Tex.
The Yankees need a decent, dependable 4th starter. Who is it going to be? Find us one (Hughes, IPK) and we’ll go from there.
Wang not ready this season? When was the last tiem Girardi was honest about an injury?
Pineapple Express? Ayuh or n’Ayuh?
Skip Carey died. Sad day.
How is a split at home breaking the hex?
2-2 at home isn’t something to shout about.
I vote “Yes” on Proposition Pineapple Express.
(Watching Superbad right now.)
“Wang not ready this season? When was the last tiem Girardi was honest about an injury?”
Even if you assume Girardi is lying, the nature of his injury pretty much ensures that Wang won’t pitch again this season. He is still in a brace and it will most likely take quite awhile for him to rehab his foot/ankle. Then he will need at least 3-4 weeks to strengthen his arm and do rehab starts. I’d say October 1 is optimistic.
Two points Yes the Stick did shake off Pudge twice before the fateful pitch. Most people on this board don’t realize how much a good catcher controls a game. Second I don’t understand why Piliterre hasn’t been promoted to AAA. He’s an excellent catcher, witness the stats of Trenton pitchers and SWB has two waiver boys. Are they using him to develop Kontos and the Boys? Does anyone know?
Kyle’s problems in last night’s game could also be the result of the last few days catching up with him. He had to deal with a situation he didn’t want. He also drove all night to Florida.