Game 125: Yankees at Blue Jays
-
- August
- 19
YANKEES (66-58)
Damon CF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
A. Rodriguez 3B
Giambi 1B
NadyLF
Matsui DH
Cano 2B
I. Rodriguez C
Rasner RHP
Darrell Rasner (5-9, 5.18) vs. the Toronto hitters.
A.J. Burnett (15-9, 4.67) vs. the New York hitters.
Notes: The Yankees start the day 5.5 out in the wild card race. … The Yankees are 3-8 in their last 11 road games. … Jason Giambi has a 1.065 OPS since Aug. 4. … Xavier Nady (5 of 25, 8 Ks) has cooled off a bit. … Wilson Betemit is 11 of his last 33 with five RBI. … Johnny Damon is 1 of his last 18.
GODZILLA RETURNS: Hideki Matsui is back with the Yankees, having been activated off the disabled list. OF Justin Christian was optioned back to Scranton
BY THE WAY, HE’S DEREK JETER: The Captain is up to .295 thanks to a 12-of-19 hot streak.
MESSAGE DELIVERED: Robinson Cano is 6 of 15 in the last three games.
SO MUCH FOR AN UPGRADE: Pudge Rodriguez is 7 of 32 (.219) with one HR and one RBI since joining the Yankees. Jose Molina is 7 of 30 with one homer and two RBI since Pudge came aboard.
LONG TIME COMING: Brett Gardner has three extra-base hits, nine RBI and eight runs scored in 83 MLB plate appearances since June 30 when he made his debut. Melky Cabrera had five extra-base hits, four RBI and 12 runs scored in 121 plate appearances since June 30.
SAY IT AIN’T SO, MO: Mariano Rivera since July 1: 18.2 innings, 19 hits, 7 earned runs, 2 walks, 22 strikeouts, 2 home runs. That’s a 3.38 ERA.
LOOKING AHEAD: Much could change. But at the moment the Yankees would have Pettitte, Ponson and Mussina against the Red Sox when they return home next week. Of course if they don’t play well against the Jays and Orioles, it won’t matter if they have Ford, Ruffing and Gomez.
Check back later for updates.
UPDATE, 5:52 p.m.: Joe Girardi said that his plan was to play Matsui as the DH every day, use Damon in center and bring Gardner off the bench.
UPDATE ON JOBA CHAMBERLAIN, 6:05 p.m.: Jobamania threw in the outfield this afternoon. Here is what he did:
20 throws from 70 feet
20 throws from 90 feet
three-minute rest
20 throws from 75 feet
Here is his schedule the rest of the week:
Tomorrow: off.
Thursday: same as today along with a few throws from level ground to a catcher.
Friday: off
Saturday: Throw off a mound in the bullpen in Baltimore
From there it’s uncertain. It’ll depend on how he feels. Chamberlain said that he’s throwing at 80-85 percent capacity and that he feels fine. He said his shoulder gets stiff when he’s not moving it. But once it loosens up, he feels better.
He is optimistic about getting into a game in early September. The question is whether that would be a minor-league game or a game for the Yankees. He has gone 15 days since pitching and it’ll be at least another five more.
At that point, he will have missed four starts. Girardi would not put a timetable on Joba’s return. I’m sure the Yankees have a plan on paper somewhere (they always do) but this will largely depend on how Joba feels.
UPDATE, 6:13 p.m.: Girardi went into the Cone of Silence when asked who would start Saturday. They’ll spring it on the world sometime Thursday. The candidates appear to be Carl Pavano and Phil Hughes.
Based on Brian Cashman’s recent passionate defense of the Idle, it sounds like Pavano. Unreal.
Alfredo Aceves is chucking tonight for Scranton and Chase Wright is listed for Saturday. Hughes is scheduled for Sunday but that could change.
UPDATE, 6:24 p.m.: The Red Sox signed OF Jason Lane to a minor-league deal about 10 seconds after the Yankees cut him. Boston needs OFs with J.D. Drew experiencing back pain. … In case you missed it, Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski is in a Boston hospital with chest pains.
UPDATE, 6:54 p.m.: John Challis, the Pennsylvania teenager whose battle with cancer became a national story, passed away today. He was 18.
As was mentioned on this blog last month, A-Rod had taken a special interest in John and spent time with him in New York.
“He was an inspiration,†Rodriguez said today. “He was a very brave boy, very charming, very intelligent. … He’ll be an inspiration the rest of my life.â€
UPDATE, 7:26 p.m.: Sure, Johnny Damon in center. What could go wrong?
This is clearly the best lineup they can put on the field. But Johnny can’t be doing that. Yikes.
UPDATE, 7:31 p.m.: Nice job by Rasner picking up Damon.
UPDATE, 8:09 p.m.: You can’t make this stuff up. Pavano skipped his bullpen session today because of a stiff neck. Why do the Yankees even bother?
Meanwhile, speaking of stiffs, the Yankees are 0 for 5 with four strikeouts with RISP. Bobby Abreu has two doubles, everybody else is 0 for 12 with eight whiffs.
UPDATE, 8:55 p.m.: Sorry about the lack of updates, but the wireless here is awful. As always.
A.J. Burnett is making a ton of money in the last month. He’ll almost certainly opt out of his deal after this season and become a free agent. He had won five straight starts coming into tonight and is dealing again. His 13 Ks (through 7 innings) are a season high.
But Rasner has the soft-serve mojo working. Still 1-0 Yankees.
UPDATE, 9:04 p.m.: Damaso Marte was warming up. If you’re going to obtain Marte, don’t you use him against a lefty hitter in the seventh inning?
Girardi stuck with Rasner and Lind homered. It’s a tough call.
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on Tuesday, August 19th, 2008 at 3:40 pm by Peter Abraham.
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Damnit, my lineup was off by 1!
Let the lineup complaining begin…......
What will it take to get Giambi out of the 5th spot?
I guess Pettitte-Ponson-Mussina is what we want against Boston.
Wow, that is amazing.
9 – 2 Blue Jays
Theresa,
Probably a hit-squad.
Anyway, I think those numbers comparing Gardner to Cabrera are very telling…and Cabrera was a 3-year “veteran”.
Brandon,
You think theyll score 2 runs against Burnett? He owns them….and no one else.
See the Edge works! We are pushing 300 again!
11-3 Jays.
Welcome back Matsui!
I am very nervous about this series.
They must…must..take 2 out of three or sweep the Blue Jays and knowing this team…they will probably be the ones getting swept.
Prove me wrong Yankees. Prove me wrong..
Hmmm… I must say, that’s a pretty good lineup. I wonder if they’ll believe they are and actually make something happen.
what the hell girardi ?
why is matsui batting so low?
why is abreu still in the 3rd spot? he is not a 3 hitter.
nady is the hottest hitter on the team! why is that slug giambi batting in front of him again? does girardi think he is the 2001 giambi instead of the guy who hits .220 with RISP?
and looks like girardi is ok with jeter hitting into so many DPs otherwise he would bat him leadoff where he should be?
and why is gardner out of the lineup? after going 3-5 and 2-4 in the last 2 games and providing a spark he is on the bench. great managing.
I am loving this lineup. The best it can be. Big game today coming after the day off. They can’t lose the momentum they had. These are all crucial games. They should be announcing who will start this weekend against the Orioles. I am hoping for Hughes, but it looks like they are leaning towards Pavano because Phil was shaky in his last start.
Kevin
I JUST REALIZED… has there ever before been a lineup where every single guy has been an all star? I doubt it. This is a historical day!
Honestly guys, I’d be shocked if the Yanks even win one of these games.
Given the pitching they are facing and the way they’ve been playing, this has all the makings of the final nail getting pounded into the coffin.
Rasner will gut out 6 innings of 3 run ball. Bruney and Edwar will hold it for the next 2 innings
But it won’t matter. Brunett will itch 8 innings with 3 hits, 2 walks, 0 runs and 11 strikeouts. BJ Ryan will shut the door.
3-0 loss upcoming.
Ramon, I assume you are kidding and making fun of all of the posters who say inane things just like that all over this board.
The Giambi in the 5 hole just baffles me.
I wish Pete would ask him if he’s given any consideration to moving up Nady or Matsui to 5 since Giambi is having trouble driving in runners this season.
Knowing Girardi, he’ll say “but he hit a grand slam the other day”.
That’s my problem with the Yankees. Giambi does something positive offensively once every 25 games and they hang their hat on it and tell us he’s back.
“Let the lineup complaining begin………”
I will stick with the only complaint I’ve recently had with the lineup: Move Nady up behind A-Rod. I don’t care that he’s cooled off a bit. I’d move Nady up to the 5th spot. Once Matsui gets his feet wet, I’d move him to 6th and bat Giambi 7th.
AJ Burnett is getting deified bigtime. Do people forget what he looks like in games where he can’t throw strikes or leaves pitches over the middle of the plate? Not saying that that’s bound to happen tonight against the Yankees, since he’s shut them down each time facing them this year. But he has a track record of consistent inconsistency, no matter how many starts he’s won in a row, and I am not going into this game without hope of a good offensive performance and a win.
Andrew,
He’s getting deified because he’s owned us this year and really, only us.
Bob (The Original),
Your optimism is so refreshing. Where’s Rebecca when we need her?
“Andrew,
He’s getting deified because he’s owned us this year and really, only us.”
Thats just not true. He’s only faced the Yankees twice and gone 2-0.. where did his other 13 wins come from?
“Jason Giambi has a 1.065 OPS since Aug. 4.”
“Giambi does something positive offensively once every 25 games and they hang their hat on it and tell us he’s back.”
Reading is fundamental G.Love – someone can help you out with the OPS stat if you find that confusing.
Good Lineup. Great Names.
NOW SCORE SOME FREAKING RUNS!!!!
If names could score runs, we’d be champs already. Sadly guys crossing home plate is what puts runs on the board.
Welcome back Matsui!
GIT ‘ER DUN
WIN, THAT’S IT
our offense needs to come through in a HUGE way
OPS, BA, OBP % SLG % means nothing to me right now.
Everyone needs an Edge, with a Sync soundsystem. It’s working for Jeter.
RIP John Challis
The inspirational Pittsburgh teenager who visted Yankee STadium and was featured on ESPN this year passed away in his sleep this afternoon.
Prayers and wishes to his family.
In fact, if the Yankees were an Edge, Gardner would be the Blazing Copper and Matsui would be the vista sunroof… A Rod would be the flat tire.
Guys, let’s not kid ourselves here. We really have to sweep both TOR and BAL if we want to have any chance at making the playoffs. It’s not about catching TB anymore. That’s not going to happen. Unfortunately, it’s not about catching just BOS anymore either. We now have to worry about BOS and worry about who the loser is in the Central war between MIN and CHI. Add trying to keep TOR off of our tails and we have a struggle ahead. It can be done, but we need good pitching, timely hitting and losses by those other teams to make it happen. This is make or break time. If we don’t get at least 2 from TOR, I’m afraid it will be time to call it a season.
Pat that is sad news indeed and once again shows us that baseball is just a game and certainly not life and death.
That’s real sad, it was a solid move of A-Rod to take care of that kid the way he did.
yanks beat burnett…(i gotta go against the grain today since no one has any faith)
oh man…. GODZILLA INVADED CANADA!! I love it!!
“In fact, if the Yankees were an Edge, Gardner would be the Blazing Copper and Matsui would be the vista sunroof… A Rod would be the flat tire.”
lol.
“I JUST REALIZED… has there ever before been a lineup where every single guy has been an all star? I doubt it. This is a historical day!”
i don’t think Nady was an All-Star
We can’t lose more than one game this week basically.
If we want to be totally honest with this situation.
Need to get to Burnett early. At least try to make him throw alot of pitches and get his pitch count up so maybe they get him out after 6 innings. Rasner has to keep the Yanks in the game. 2- 3 runs the most he can allow, hopefully over 6 innings.
over under on strike outs tonight for Burnett 18
TK—
If Giambi’s been so amazing since August 4th, why has the offense been in a tailspin during that time period?
Why has he done nothing until the Grand Slam the other day to drive in runs with oodles of guys on base, eh?
Take your OPS and put it back in your looseleaf binder stat nerd.
If this line-up gets owned tonight, thats a pretty good indicator of where were at.
i know pete isnt big into facts when hes on his pro-gardner and anti melky soapbox but when melky started his career in his first 81 plate appearances he had 4 extra base hits, 9 runs scored and 10 rbis. by petes logic (especially considering gardner is much older) brett must be on his way to the mexican league.
pat August 19th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
RIP John Challis
The inspirational Pittsburgh teenager who visted Yankee STadium and was featured on ESPN this year passed away in his sleep this afternoon.
Prayers and wishes to his family.
Very sad news. May he R.I.P.
Under.
Burnett gives up 30 runs in 1/3 of an inning for a nice 810 ERA.
“over under on strike outs tonight for Burnett 18”
Oh come on dude be realistic. I’m putting it at 10.
RIP John Challis
The inspirational Pittsburgh teenager who visted Yankee STadium and was featured on ESPN this year passed away in his sleep this afternoon.
Prayers and wishes to his family.
RIP John
i have a tuff question ; what is better to make the playoffs and fall out in the first round or to play the last month a lot or rookies and see what we got for next season? ( and of course not make the playoffs)
“If Giambi’s been so amazing since August 4th, why has the offense been in a tailspin during that time period? ”
You asked a question about the offense? or Giambi?
“Why has he done nothing until the Grand Slam the other day to drive in runs with oodles of guys on base, eh?
Take your OPS and put it back in your looseleaf binder stat nerd.”
Not only is calling someone a stat nerd cool – it makes you look tough and intelligent at the same time – well played sir!
“pat August 19th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
RIP John Challis
The inspirational Pittsburgh teenager who visted Yankee STadium and was featured on ESPN this year passed away in his sleep this afternoon.
Prayers and wishes to his family.
Very sad news. May he R.I.P.”
R.I.P. John your in a better place.
Our biggest problem this year is hitting with RISP
The #5 spot in the batting order is one of your main run producing spots.
Jason Giambi is hitting .209 with RISP
Hideki Matsui is hitting .338 with RISP
I have nothing else to say.
Does anyone have a website or a list of Yankee players that won’t be exempt from the rule 5 draft this December?
The way I understand it, players signed at 19 or older are exempt from the Rule 5 draft for four years and players signed at 18 or younger are exempt for 5 years. I’ve heard some talk that some pretty good players in the Yankees system are going to be available in the Rule 5.
under 10, Yankees offense rolls tonight, 9-6 win
Saucy, whoops I thought he was this year since he’s been so good. I have no idea where my head has been the past few months. I totally thought he made the NL AS team
haha I need a few months’ worth of sleep…
Ask Pudge where he hid his ‘roids.
The Yankees order is terrible. Here’s what a Jays fan thinks it should be –
Damon
Jeter
AFraud
Matsui
Abreu
Nady
Giambi
Cano
Pudge
The thing we have to consider here is Fords decreased profits have a DIRECT correlation to Jeter’s decrease in OPS.
“what is better to make the playoffs and fall out in the first round or to play the last month a lot or rookies and see what we got for next season? ( and of course not make the playoffs)”
Tough question. I want us to make the playoffs for several reasons, one of which is for us to match ATL’s record. However, seeing them lose first round to LAA again would be more than I could take.
If I had to choose, I’d rather sit the playoffs out and prepare for next year than lose to LAA another frackin’ year!
The yankees need to roughly play .700 baseball over the next 38 games in order to make the playoffs.
That is a very difficult task – but that’s the hole they’ve dug for themselves.
What do they need to do to play .700 ball?
They’ll need to score an average of around 8 runs a game to play at that level for the next 38 games.
This year their team ERA is 4.29. And they are allowing 4.45 runs per game (that’s earned and unearned runs). The pitching staff’s performance this year has been good.
If the team’s pitching and defense had given up 4.45 runs pergame this season and the offense had performed up to expectations (averaging around 5.5 runs per game) this team would have won around 98 games and made the playoffs comfortably.
Instead the offense has averaged 4.8 runs per game and the team is on pace to win 86 games. That’s how bad the offense has been – at this rate they will have cost the team 12 wins. Just amazing.
So over the next 38 games the team will probably allow around 170 runs total for the rest of the season.
If you want to play .700 baseball over 38 games and you’re going to allow 170 runs total then you’ll need to score around 300 runs over that same period of time. That’s what it’s going to take. 300 runs. Around 8 runs a game.
Does this offense have it in them? It’s a tough order. 8 runs a game from an offense that’s averaging 4.8 per game thus far.
Better pitching alone will not allow them to win at a .700 clip. Even if by luck the pitching is 10% better for the next 38 games the offense would still need to score over 7 runs per game to win at a .700 rate. And I can’t see the pitching being 10% better than it’s been.
This is just an estimate for what needs to happen for them to get into the playoffs. They don’t have to actually score 8 every game – but it’s just a sense for what needs to happen.
Bottom line – their offense has to be overwhelming from here on out in order for them to have a chance and the pitching can’t get worse than it’s been.
But the improvement in play will need to come from the offense for the most part. The hitting can’t just be good. Has to be overwhelming.
you cant put matsui 4th when he just came back u dunno how hes gonna hit anyway we havent beat brunett in a long time but yankees vs blue jays games are usually close and what matsui back im guessing we win 4-3
“what is better to make the playoffs and fall out in the first round or to play the last month a lot or rookies and see what we got for next season? ( and of course not make the playoffs)â€
it depends on whether or not the yankees making the post-season keeps the red-sox out.
Theresa,
Thank you for your kind comment the other week. So sweet!
Doreen,
I thought you’d like that one. I had you in mind!
Yankees will sweep this series. Giambi will come through big tonight!
No mention of Yaz? In the hospital with chest pains. Best wishes.
Can someone please explain to me why they think after 125 games, the Yanks offense is suddenly going to start producing when it has been awful all season?
I’m missing something I guess.
saucy, just wrote a post to you down below and then noticed that quiet that always comes when Pete has started a new thread! So here it is:
saucy – thank you for saying that! That really means a lot to me. And I have to tell you that you bring a smile to my lips every time I read one of your posts leveling the Sux! I feel like we’re kindred spirits.
Drew – about trampoline being an Olympic sport. Try table tennis!
Okay, CB –
I’m not following. If the pitching is giving up roughly (rounding up to a whole number) 5 runs a game, why is 6 runs a game not enough for the Yankees to win?
And if the pitching gives up fewer runs than 5 per game, shouldn’t the runs needed be coincidental to that, meaning, if they give up,on average 4 runs a game, shouldn’t 5 a game be enough for the offense?
Mind, you, I’m certainly of the opinion that it’s not going to be easy from here on out and both pitching and hitting need to be clicking together for even a chance of anything happening. I’m just not following your numbers.
CB
The Readers Digest version is: They need to score one run more than they give up 6 more times than the Red Sox do.
RIP John Challis.
BTW, I am now officially moved into the Bronx. This should be fun.
Trisha — Thanks for the welcome from the previous entry. I didn’t realize the blog moved on over here.
I hate the Sox just as much as you guys do. I am an equal opportunity hater (we do that in Canada) because I dislike the Yanks (and the Orioles) just as much. I should hate the Rays, but it’s kind of tough right now.
Cito is a great manager because he gets the best out of his players. He has a proven record of being able to say the right thing to a player and get the most out of him. That being said, he is a terrible strategist. Some of the moves he makes drives us nuts. Second guessing Cito has been a sport in Toronto since 1989. Just because the winning run is at third and John McDonald is batting with a .210 average, don’t always expect a pinch hitter. His bullpen management is also questionable. One thing we miss about Gibbons is his management of the bullpen.
This is going to be a great series because both of our teams have the dilusion that they must sweep this series to get into the playoff hunt. This is really a battle for third place. Should be fun!
It will be interesting to see whether brettisgod is able to get out of bed once he sees that Gardner is not in the lineup!
lol trisha – i just read the original in the last thread.
it depends on whether or not the yankees making the post-season keeps the red-sox out.
i understand your point but if we make the playoffs we will play the angels and thats most sure a lost series.
so the question is does it “pay” to make the playoffs and “feel happy” , or we dont make the playoffs and we build a good team for the future.
Trisha,
I enjoy watching BMX as much as the next, uh, gal. But really? Doesn’t it belong in the X-Games?
You know who will really miss baseball as a sport is Cuba. I’m not quite sure, but I think they had a SP who was 35. They lost yesterday to Korea, who are now the favorites.
I saw only one trampoling routine yesterday and it was stunning. A Chinese woman (at least I think she was).
Saucy –
I went to the R&R HOF in Cleveland. Thought we’d spend a couple of hours there. FIVE HOURS LATER…. – and we easily could have stayed longer if the kids weren’t with us!
We enjoyed Progressive Stadium as well. Weird set-up in a way – it’s a rectangle on the outside. But clean, nice, good fans there.
GODZIRRA!!!!!
“BTW, I am now officially moved into the Bronx. This should be fun.”
Congrats on the successful move. I hope you get to enjoy many Yankee games and be the first on line for tix(since your right there).
“Can someone please explain to me why they think after 125 games, the Yanks offense is suddenly going to start producing when it has been awful all season?”
I’m not saying that they are. It’s more likely that they will continue to suck versus turning out 8 runs or more a game. That being said, it will be interesting to see what affect Matsui has on the lineup. It’s those little things that get you going sometimes. Seeing a guy work hard to try and get back to help out his teammates should resonate with them. I know that I’m impressed by Matsui; always have been. The other guys need to take a page out of his book and start busting their butts to get the job done!
I’d much rather make the playoffs. MLB isnt like the NBA where if you dont make it you go into a lottery and could get a top draft pick. Also what rookies are we going to play if we are out of it? We can and should play Hughes now since our staff is a mess. Joba has already established himself. As for the other pitchers at AAA, which none are that exciting from a prospect standpoint you could still play some right now. I mean does anyone think Rasner or Pavano is that much better than any of them? As for hitters, the closest real hitting prospect we have is Jackson who is still at AA and most likely isnt MLB ready. It would be one thing if the Charleston hitters (Montero, Romine, Laird, Angelini, Suttle) were in AAA or even AA, then I might say lets let them play but there really isnt anyone who we are blocking at this point so we should be trying to win.
Bob,
There’s still hope in the season. If you can’t deal with it, you need to find another place to hang.
Sorry, I prefer objective talk myself. Never been one for living in fantasy land.
TK—Please. Don’t go intellectual with me. You were the one who had to remind me reading was fundamental.
I cannot imagine the amount of idiocy it takes to sit on a blog and defend Giambi who has putrid numbers with RISP.
The fact that you had to use a small sample size since August 4 to support some ridiculous reason why a guy who only hits home runs or walks should keep prime real estate in the batting order is beyond me.
It makes me laugh when nimrods like you come here spouting how good players are during/after the awful road trip they just returned from.
I doubt you’re a Yankee fan. Anyone else who watches the games this season knows that Giambi has been awful with RISP and the OPS doesn’t matter when he’s not driving in runners and the hitters behind him can’t drive his station to station butt in when he works out a walk.
How is “this offense has stunk all year, and they will continue to stink” objective talk? It just sounds like bluster that you would have to back off of if the team found ways to win games, offense being great or not. Throwing around bold proclamations about the season being over and the team stinking are anything but objective. Don’t confuse pessimism with objectivity, Straight Talk Express.
Doreen, glad you enjoyed the trip. I think i would have went crazy if i was at the R&RHOF longer than we were. the crowd was insane. i think we waited about an hour just to get in. But I found out that I have the same drum set as the beach boys, who had an exhibit when we were there….
Aren’t looseleaf binders so last decade?
Trisha, don’t forget badminton.
I’m not thinking that we have to sweep. I’m thinking that we have to take series. There is far too much pressure that you put on yourself to look for sweeps, especially against a team like the Jays.
One game at a time, and let’s continue to evaluate. What we need to do is at least keep pace with other teams and try to find ways to capitalize on the days they fall down.
“If the pitching is giving up roughly (rounding up to a whole number) 5 runs a game, why is 6 runs a game not enough for the Yankees to win?”
Doreen,
It has to do with how averages wind up getting calculated. Most times you don’t actually score as many runs as you are averaging. Some games it’s more than the average some less. For instance, how many times have the yankees scored exactly 5 runs in a game?
This year Texas is scoring 5.6 runs per game and allowing 6.0 runs per game. So their being outscored on average. But their record is better than you’d expect – their playing exactly .500 ball.
So to win there has to be a larger gap between the runs you score and allow than you’d intuitively guess.
To play .700 ball it’s not good enough to simply average .5 or even 1 run more than you allow. To play at that level you need a very large gap.
That’s what the team is up against. The offense will really have to be overwhelming from here on out in a huge way.
Not likely – but that’s what’s needed.
That’s also why the team’s best offensive line up needs to be out there every single game if they are serious about trying to make the playoffs.
You guys will be lucky to avoid being swept. Doc is Doc and you won’t touch a lefty you’ve never seen, so tonight is probably your only chance.
“I’m not thinking that we have to sweep. I’m thinking that we have to take series. There is far too much pressure that you put on yourself to look for sweeps, especially against a team like the Jays.”
That may be true, but I think that the Yankees need to roll off a 10+ game winning streak and to do that, you have to sweep teams. This “win 2, lose 1” approach works fine when there are 60 games left. We’re down to 37!!
These are dire times; the players know this even better than we do. My guess is that they are thinking sweep as well.
Folks that think we are going to lose are forgetting something. Godzilla came back from a wrist injury to go 4 for 4. He works counts and is in the bottom of a weak lineup. Which can only be strengthening our weakness.
Yankees bombers come to life. 8-3. 700 baseball here we come!!
mel,
What was that stuff written next to your name?
Dream Team vs. 08 squad. Who wins?
We just need wins, even if it means breaking Burnett’s kneecaps… I mean scoring more runs.
“Trisha, don’t forget badminton.”
Look I don’t mean to laugh. I know that these athletes really incredibly hard to be the best at what they do. But air pistol shooting?????
Laura, let’s win today before we start talking about sweeps.
How cute. A Jays fan talking trash. The last one we had called himself “Jesse Litsch eats babies”. You guys are so adorable.
Laura – I hear ya. You are right that we do need to go on a good run quickly.
Badminton’s a pretty fun sport
Table tennis is another fun sport
Shooting of course, requires hand-eye coordination and accuracy out the wazoo….beyond that, well…it’s pretty much old-world respect for martial skills.
” Of course if they don’t play well against the Jays and Orioles, it won’t matter if they have Ford, Ruffing and Gomez.”
hehe…good one, Pete!
It’s going to be interesting to see what Johnny does when that runner turns 3B
“RIP John Challis
The inspirational Pittsburgh teenager who visted Yankee STadium and was featured on ESPN this year passed away in his sleep this afternoon.
Prayers and wishes to his family.”
Very sad. I’m friends with his Uncle who lives out here.
Jesse Litsch really does eat babies.
SoS,
Waipio is in the Little League World Series. Undefeated heading into the semifinals on the US side.
I’m not talking basketball with you anymore.
Assuming 90 makes the Postseason.
The worst we can do is go 24-14.
But this is assuming Boston does worse than 18-20
Or the the Twins do worse than 20-19
In order to go 24-14, we have to win every series here on out. We do have the luxury of losing only 1 3 game set (LAA) in that time period.
I think it’s going to take more than 90 to get in. With our offense and Girardi’s managing, that’s one tall order.
It would take a miracle greater than last years second half explosion to get them in the Post season.
A sweep is not an impossibility for your Yankees.
The Blue Jays were swept by the Indians in their last series at home. Of course they then went to Detroit, took 3 of 4 then swept the Red Sucks at home. The Blue Jays are very inconsistent and I wish I could tell you what team will show up for this series.
New website address link….so cold last night I thought it was gonna snow….
home sweet home
Go Yanks
mel
It’s the exchange rate. Jays fans are 6% milder than other fans.
Except to say congratulations on signing Finley. He’s an important cog in your machine. Just keep him well-oiled.
Hopefully we get Phil Hughes to replace Rasner next week and Joba back in the pen,will really be great next week in the streach run against Boston.
Here’s the link to John’s Story.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08232/905451-49.stm
Edit—I actually live in Toronto. Toronot doesn’t exist anymore.
Before I write Pete to ban that loser “Bunny”, I do need to say that I heard she went on quite a bean binge when her loser team got their blocks knocked off two days in a row by the Jays, especially the day they got pulvarized 15-4. That’s the only thing that could explain her absence here on those days, right Bunny? You’d never stay away when the Sux lost and the Yankees won, right Bunny? Yeah we’ve really missed you.
Oh yeah. Bye now!
The Olympics has become a joke. I realize that some sports, like ping pong, are much bigger in other countries than here, but sports like it and curling in the winter just have to go.
AJ Burnett – 2-0, 1.88 v. Yankees; 13-9, 4.94 v. field. And, thanks to a revived BJ offense, he’s won his last five starts even though in his last three he has a 6.11 ERA.
CB,
According to Bill James’ Pythag. Expectancy the Yankees will need to score 260 runs to play .700 baseball if the pitching gives up 170 runs over the final 38 games.
An average of 6.85 runs per game.
Doable.
they should just add poker to the olympics. they cover it on ESPN, right? lets send out some of our best cigar smoking ‘athletes’, even if they can’t make it around the track during opening ceremonies.
Curling takes a lot of skill actually, with the rotation of the big rocks with handles and the precise sweeping. Those people can clean a kitchen in seconds.
pat,
They’re just more highly evolved than the other cockroaches that scurry around here. It used to be bad in the wee hours, but Pete leaves the light on so they don’t come around much.
JB, I hope that some of our posters here will realize that you come here in peace and take the time to have some baseball conversation with you! If people feel okay about having a Sux fan here as long as he isn’t talking trash, you certainly should feel the same way about a Jay’s fan.
I seriously have such admiration for players like Rios and Vernon Wells. Actually they scare me!
Jays have always come to play and I don’t remember them doing anything to act like punks, unlike the Yankee’s neighbors due north. So JB, I salute you and your guys. I have difficulty not liking the Jays. I think they are a really fine bunch of guys. Hopefully you will get some conversation with some of our fine posters here who are fun and also welcoming.
I am leaving for a while but will check you out later if you are around.
That said, GO YANKEES!!!
mel,
Cant leave me hanging. I mean what the hell are we going to talk about in the offseason? Lunch pales, parachute pants,best actors,football? No cant talk football with a Pats fan. You have to take the good with the bad(ask my wife). I get the sense that you are leaning towards this years team. I hope they dont have one of those bad shooting nights behind the 3 point ark in these elimination games.
As far as Finley. That drove me crazy. Crazy enough to want to be a free agent. They didnt do anything to improve the team. Still Old and very frustrating. To top it off Ginobli is playing in the Olympics even though he isnt healthy.
My prediction.
Dream Team 116
Redeem Team 104
Jason Giambi is the second best hitter in this lineup.OBP of around .400 is nothing to scoff at.Funny thing is 1-9 this lineup tonight is at least as good or better than the opening day one.Nady over Melky offsets the catcher.
ohgodno,
I knew that it got ridiculous, when Team USA were utilizing $50,000 computerized push brooms to train with.
I’m out, but I’d really appreciate if someone could recap Olney’s blog entry about overusing CC. Thanks!
Speaking of winter Olympic sports, who thought of skeleton? As the whole premise of it sounds akin to suicide to me
“You sound like a little kid, I’m telling Pete, I’m telling Pete.”
Better that I didn’t warn you you flippin loser? You are a dime-a-dozen troll(op) whose envy of the Yankees causes you to need to groupie around a Yankee forum. We see your kind all the time.
I’m a diehard Yankees Fan, but:
The Yankees have been terrible in hitting with RISP all year….
The Yankees have lost both of (arguably) their best starters….
The remaining Yankee pitching staff, save for Mussina – and recently Ponson, has been inconsistent all year…....
The Yankee offense has been spotty all season….
The schedule during September will be the toughest its been all season….
What makes people think that they can suddenly “flip a switch” and play .700 ball for the last 38 Games of the season?
I like how G. Love attacks people who rely on stats as he bends stats to help his case. Giambi does have awful overall numbers with RISP but if you look since the beginning of June, he has been very good. And since G. Love references the current struggles of the team you would think he would want to use the more recent and more relevant statistics. but I assume he is either ignorant of them or just being dishonest.
There is nothing wrong with hoping.
Ladies and Gentlemen, your 1000-run New York Yankees.
“they should just add poker to the olympics. they cover it on ESPN, right? lets send out some of our best cigar smoking ‘athletes’, even if they can’t make it around the track during opening ceremonies.”
How about lumber jack? I think thats what its called. When they chop a tree down or the balancing game in the lake. We would certainly get gold.
Just looked through baseball-reference…
The most runs scored by the ‘08 Yankees over a 38 game span this year is 208 runs.
Seems the offense has their work cut out for them.
“That’s my problem with the Yankees. Giambi does something positive offensively once every 25 games and they hang their hat on it and tell us he’s back.”
Haha so true.
Whoops, I lied.
215 runs.
CB
You’re saying that they need to play .700 ball for the last 38 games which would give them a record of 93-69. If that guarantees them a playoff spot then they need to finish 27-11.
Therefore:
Detroit win 1 of 1 game
Seattle win 3 of 3 games
Anaheim win 1 of 3
Chicago win 2 of 4 games
Toronto win 4 of 6 games
Baltimore win 5 of 6 games
Boston win 4 of 6 games
Tampa win 7 of 9 games
Any combination would do however sweeping Boston, Tampa Bay and Chicago would be more helpful.
Interesting- I suppose if we score 8 runs a game this is doable!!!!!
In Badminton, the shuttlecock (heehee) can travel up to 200 mph.
I love baseball as much as anyone, but the majority of the World could care less about it. The World Baseball Classic is just fine with me. Now, if we could just figure out a way to get the best pitchers to actually pitch more than 3 innings. The WBC will never be taken seriously if they can’t figure out a way to solve that problem.
hobs,
Thanks for the correction. I posted the wrong numbers. I posted the number of runs scored they’d need to roughly play .750 ball which is what it may take to get into the playoffs.
Unfortunately I’m not sure if .700 will be enough to get them into the playoffs.
If they play .700 ball they’ll finish up with 92 wins. The sox are on pace to win 94. With the head to head match ups 92 might be enough but then there are the twins as well.
.750 ball would have them finish at 94 wins. To play .750 ball they’ll need to score around 300 runs.
Thanks for catching that.
Trish:
I will post later on if I am not at the game tonight (I have not decided if I want to watch it in person or in front of my big HDTV at home).
Your offense is so much better than the Blue Jays it is almost embarrassing. Our roster has the likes of Kevin Mench and Brad Wilkerson. Cito also prefers to start John McDonald over David Eckstein.
I like our pitching a lot more though. The Blue Jays bullpen is awesome and the best in the biz.
The “Birdie” in Badminton goes about 200 mph. This site won’t let me say the real name.
Rios shouldn’t scare you because his mental lapses scare only Blue Jays fans.
CB
I rounded off to the next highest number since 38 x .7 is 26.6 giving them 93 wins 69 losses.
russo is on SNY now too?
There is nothing wrong with rooting for your team and being that extra man from the field. It is not about being optimistic or pessimistic—it is about being loyal to your team. That said I want the Yanks to win and i am always disappointed when they lose. I have been a Yankee fan since I was born sometimes it seems. And I was born right there near Yankee Stadium. And yes I get upset with Cash or wonder about Girardi and it hurts to see the Captain playing hurt and yes hitting into a DP. But I root for my team win or lose. If you have never read Yankees for Justice (http://yankeesforjustice.blogspot.com/index.html). Todd speaks for his neighborhood.. where being a Yankee fan means more than to most.
asuming sui is something of his normal self, he absolutely changes the lineup. His rep alone should provide G with a few more hitable pitches. I like our chances better with him than without him.
other than right after the as break, we’ve not had a really hot streak, maybe we are due one. time will tell.
JB have you watched any Yankee games? Or does your offense just stink that bad? The Yankees don’t score save Sundays game.
The Blue Jays offense stinks THAT BAD.
Damn 15 million dollars to this guy ?
YankeeTrader,
I think you have it right when you broke it down by series.
To make the playoffs they have to play out of their minds from here to then end of the season.
In order to do things like win 7 of 9 from Tampa and 4 of 6 from Boston, etc. they are going to have to just maul teams by scoring runs by the heaps.
More than the exact number of runs they’ll need to average the sense of how they’ll need to play is the bigger thing.
Last year they scored around 980 runs. That’s an average of around 6 runs per game.
They’ll need to score runs at a much higher rate than they did last year if they are going to make the playoffs this season given how far back they are and how few games are left.
That’s the challenge.
“What makes people think that they can suddenly “flip a switch†and play .700 ball for the last 38 Games of the season?”
The power of prayer!
CB
.750×38 = 28.5 rounded off to 29 puts them at
68 + 29 = 97 wins and 65 losses, therefore they would have to go 29 and 9. This would take divine intervention.
atleast the crack committee is disbanded.
SO we might see 2-1 games.
SoS 27 – The original dream team vs the ‘08 squad?
It’d be a close game but only because the original dream team members are all in their mid-late 40’s now.
If time travel existed and they could play this year’s team while they were also in their primes, the original dream team would win by at least 20.
This year’s team is really good and more focused than I expected (probably the 2nd or 3rd best dream team to date) but that original dream team could go down in history as the best single basketball team anyone will ever see. Jordan, Bird, Magic, Ewing, Stockton, Malone, Pippin, Barkley etc … c’mon.
Yes, there could be a dozen as-yet-unborn children whose parents haven’t even met yet, who’ll come along in about 30, 40, 50 years who could be brought together to create a super team for some country somewhere. But there aren’t 12 people alive today who could ever hope to compare as a team, top to bottom. And I’m already spotting you Christian Laettner.
I like watching baseball. I don’t like breaking down numbers to unnecessary levels unless you happen to work in baseball or cover it for a living. If you’ve got the time in your life to do that, God bless you.
I have way too much to do and focus on in my chosen profession to realize that Giambi has incredible OPS stats for a few weeks.
All I know for the past few weeks we’ve been losing, he’s been coming up with guys on base all the time and he’s not driving them in.
Dispute that fact with me please. Show me the numbers that prove Giambi has been winning ball games with his bat this year.
He hasn’t.
Should he be in the lineup? Sure. Should he bat 5th? Absolutely not.
Nady seems to be a better hitter that Giambi and I already know a healthy Matsui is way better than anything Jason Giambi can do with the bat at this stage.
although i was always a yankees fan, carl yaztremski was one of my favorite players growing up, b/c he won the triple crown and of course because he’s a long island boy! class player, get well soon YAZ!
anybody else remember YAZ bread?
they should do one of those espn accuscore things for dream team vs redeem team
CB,
You are forgetting about our september weapon when you state that we need to average 8 runs per game. Yes our very own Pavano will take us back to October playoff games in Yankee Stadium. Everytime he’s on the mound it will be like an off day for our offense. 1-0 wins!!!
Hughes hater: Michael Kay said he’ll rather have Pavano start then Hughes.
Pete
“Of course if they don’t play well against the Jay and Orioles, it won’t matter if they have Ford, Ruffing and Gomez.”
Having Whitey Ford and the ghosts of Red Ruffing and Lefty Gomez, telling each Yankee batter what pitch the opposition was throwing next, might help along with divine intervention, but let’s face facts. The Yankees have the most difficult remaining schedule, the Twins followed by the White Sox, the easiest.
The power of prayer!
We’re gonna need a BIG ONE
Playoffs are long odds, we will very likely need help from boston and others to make playoffs reality. Can be done certainly won’t be easy. Not exactly sure that they control their destiny. hoping it does get done though.
Awesome, Michael Kay is taking my line of thinking with the Pavano situation.
Stop bashing Pavano!
Smart smart man.
All the number scenarios only serve as a reminder that a win in April and May is as good as a win in August and September.
Coming out of the gate strong will always be better than playing catch up baseball with the exception of many horse races.
Ansky,
I agree 100% with you. We touched on this in the last thread. The Dream Team also had Centers on the team. Robinson and Ewing. Un gaurdable Forwards in Malone,Barkley,Bird. Birds long range. Jordan and Magic to break down defenses. All those players can pass and rebound. And most of all we had the best bench warmer in Leitner. I think it would be a blowout.
I really do hope the Yankees offense picks up it up from now and so does their pitching (we already know what happens when those two come together at the same time – 7 or 8 game win streak).
Gary avoid, you nailed that one.
Chris Russo signed a Sirus deal $15 MIL for 5 yrs.
Folks he’s almost getting paid like Robi Cano
Against AJ Burnett
Damon .125
Jeter .286
Abreu .326
A-Rod .333
Giambi .313
Nady none
Matsui .375
Cano .154
I-Rod .333
Win today. Worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.
Just. Win. Today.
FYI please remember if Pavano OR Hughes starts on Saturday they not only need to make a 25 roster move BUT ALSO a corresponding 40 man roster move.
I think this would be easy just place Posada on the 60 day DL.
In looking at the 40 man roster talk about lots of turnover next year lots of changes no matter what happens this year.
Good to have Matsui back. The guy was hitting like .330 and was one of our most clutch hitters before he went down.
G Love
If Giambi could bunt down the 3rd base line against the shift, he’d probably be batting 20-30 points higher. Agree Nady should be fifth and actually would try Jeter leading off.
Don’t worry, Giambi and his $23,426,571 salary will be gone next year!! What a waste. When i think we could have signed David Ortiz instead, that year.
365 days/5 days. = 73 days he doesn’t work
15 MILLION/ 5 yrs = 3 MIL per year.
365 – 73 = 292 days he may work
$3 MIL/ 292 days = $10,274 per day
$10,274/8 HRS = $1,284 per hr. that Mad dog will be making.
EL DIABLO
I’m outs, luck to the bubble gum lineup tonight.
In my MLB 08 The Show video game here are the Yankees in 2011:
Left: Matt Holliday
Center: Torii Hunter
Right: Elijah Dukes
3B: ARod
SS: Hanley Ramierez
2B: Dan Uggla
1B: David Ortiz
C: Jorge Posada
GIDP: Derek Jeter (DH)
Pitching Staff:
Sabathia
Chamberlain
Wang
Hughes
(My Create-A-Player)
THINK OF THE FUTURE!!!!
This team was none of my doing, all computer trades… hilarious. Hank is a big spender.
Are we supposed to cheer on Jeter because his AVG is off just .011 from his career numbers? How about his OBP being .031 off? His SLG .055 off? His OPS (this is the stat that really counts) is .085 off! Yanks used to be 1st, 2nd and 3rd in OPS in the MLB from 2002 to 2007 … Jeter, Abreu and Cano and injuries to Posada and Matsui are the guilty ones to have such a horrible and underperforming offense.
I don’t care what Giambi’s OPS is – He is a losing player. His signing was symbolic in many ways – shove a reliable, proven winner out the door (Tino) who still had a couple decent years left. Replace him with an overrated big-money selfish goon. I guess the Yankees weren’t paying attention when Oakland choked away not one but TWO division series to the Yankees in back-to-back years. Then they go and sign the face of the losing franchise.
If Grady Litle knew how to manager, Giambi wouldn’t have even had the chance to beg out of Game 5 in losing the World Series.
They must let him walk next year. double his buyout if necessary.
Yes you should cheer Jeter every day because two-thirds of you wouldn’t even be here if Jeter wasn’t here to build the dynasty. He never had the best stats – remember when baseball stat people said Nomar was better? Roid-aided Tejada? Even the greatest of the great, A-Rod-, moved positions to play next to him.
Yeah, Giambi sure is a chump for not being able to play because he had a life threatening disease. What was he thinking? Its not like he hit two HR’s to keep Game 7 of the ALCS within reach. Its not like his ressurection in 2005 could be looked at as a turning point of the season. Nope, he is just a ‘losing player’.
Some of the stuff people on this blog come up with are amazing. The Yankees should buyout Giambi in order to make a run at Texieria, not because he is a ‘losing player’.
Giambi – life-threatenign disease brought on by heavy steroid use. Two home runs in Game 7 – roid-aided. AL MVP _ won on ‘roids. Whoe c areer – phony.
what life-threatening did he have in 2003? it was a bogus knee injury. get yer facts straight.
just reading up a little on carl yastrzemski’s career, can you believe that when he won the triple crown and led the sox to the world series in 1967 he didnt win the mvp unanimously?
some guy from minnesota voted for cesar tovar!
yaz: 189H, 112R, 44HR, 121RBI .326 avg and a gold glove
tovar:173H, 97R, 6HR, 47RBI .267 avg. he did play 6 positions.
now how does a writer like that keep his job?
What life threatening disease are you talking about-his pituitary adenoma, which was never operated on? Or was it the septic abscess on his derrierre from injecting himself?
DCR is hoodwinked like the entire media and many Yankee fans, that this guy is some sort of hero. And Jeter is a bum because is OPS is finally in decline.
I missed this Pavano page…..
http://espn.go.com/i/page2/photos2/pavano_op.jpg
Guys…......We just won 2 games in a row with Big G batting fifth. Let’s see Matsui hit for a game or two and watch Girardi switch the 5 and 7 spot in the lineup through the rest of the year! All the crying will go away once we see Matsui swing the bat for a game or 2.
There’s a chance that Giambi will be playing for my team next year. I am not excited about that.
But you Yankees will end up paying for Texiera at $27 million a year for ten years. That may be worth it for a few years, but after five that will look as ridiculous as Giambi’s salary today.
Michael Kay has just given up any pretensions he may have had of being a qualified sports talk show host and of being a knowledgable Yankees announcer.
I turned his show on on my way home from work and he must have been discussing who the Yankees will call up, Pavano or Hughes. I caught him saying that Pavano has given the Yankees his best effort…...well, I turned it off right there and picked my jaw up off the ground. He’s got to be kidding. THEN, Kay goes on to say that Phil’s has struggled his entire career in the major leagues (obviously forgetting about September, unless Kay thinks a 2.73 ERA is struggling) and proceeded to qualify Phil’s performance in the ALDS as merely “being in relief”. I think the real laugher came when Kay asked (and he did this with disbelief in his voice): “Who would you rather have on the mound? An 18 game winner or someone who has struggled whenever he’s pitched for the Yankees. I think the answer has to be Pavano and most Yankee fans would agree”. This is not quite verbatim, but this is in essence what he said. In my opinion, Kay is smoking something and he’s completely out of touch with Yankee fans. I venture to guess that 90% of Yankee fans, even those disappointed in Phil ,would say that they would rather have Phil on the mound than Carl any day of the week. I may even be lowballing that 90%. I suspect it’s higher than that.
Kay really doesn’t like Phil, but he sure loves Carl!
Hey Pete. I wanted to say that I really enjoyed your “A few random thoughts before packing.” That post sets you apart from the rest of the professional Yankee bloggers and posts like that are why you are the best. I loved it and was very entertained by it. Never settle for what people want you to post. I like the fact that you expressed your feelings in that post. I hope you never change.
Yes you should cheer Jeter every day because two-thirds of you wouldn’t even be here if Jeter wasn’t here to build the dynasty. He never had the best stats – remember when baseball stat people said Nomar was better? Roid-aided Tejada? Even the greatest of the great, A-Rod-, moved positions to play next to him.
????
I don’t think it went down exactly like that.
well well well – looks like Girardi finally smartened up and decided to play the best players every day instead of going by statistics (Christian in Texas). Only to about 120+ games…
Hope Matsui producces in his ABs, Johnny in center…erm…
i believe in phil hughes! i think he’s gonna be great! i think he’s gonna help us THIS YEAR.
but count me in with the 10% (you say) that would rather see carl pavano pitch saturday.
for one thing i dont want phil rushed, and for another, pavano is an established major league pitcher who has pitched well in the pennant race, the playoff and the WS.
Betsy – I heard Kay also. One thing he did say that I agree with is that Pavano now has something to play for – a new contract. And it seems that players in their walk year always seem to give it a little bit extra to get that new contract. Personally,I don’t care who pitches on Saturday as long as they give the Yanks a quality start and a chance to win the game.
Betsy, Kay just likes to associate himself with other people who just sit on their ass and make money.
Has anyone figured out what the Yankees have paid Carl Pavano per start?
One thing I cannot stand about your team is that you will overpay guys like him or Jaret Wright at ANY price, screwing the finances for the rest of baseball. Free Agents can use reasonable offers from teams like the Blue Jays and just go back to the Yankees and ask them to better it with exaggerated numbers. I can only imagine what stupid contracts are going to be handed out in order for you to land Texiera and Sabathia. They will also be no where near what anyone else was offering.
Josh Beckett’s next start has been moved back because of numbness in his fingers and throwing arm. Here is what he told the ProJo moments ago:
“I have some numbness in fingers that I’m not used to having,” he said. “As far as pain goes, there’s not very much pain with it. We just have to figure out what it is because you don’t want it to get so bad where it ends up being a really bad problem….”It’s something I’ve been dealing with,” Beckett said moments ago. “At some point and time we just have to figure out what the hell it is. Obviously, it’s not what I want, but at this juncture (being pushed back) is something that needs to happen because there’s something going on.”
This is not the news the team needs right now but it does help explain his last outing.
A bogus knee injury? Why the hell would Giambi bail on the World Series but not bail on the ALCS? You obviously have it out for Giambi. And oh yeah, he missed just about all of 2004 because of a tumor.
To borrow a phrase that Eddie Stanky once said about a player, “He’s a ballplayer from the neck down”.
Yeah, that fits Cano alright.
Tingling, numbness for Beckett
Link|Comments (2) Posted by Amalie Benjamin, Globe Staff August 19, 2008 04:49 PM
BALTIMORE—In the wake of the revelation by Terry Francona that Josh Beckett has been experiencing tinging and numbness in his right arm since Sunday, Beckett addressed the media in the visiting clubhouse here in Baltimore.
Beckett will be pushed back from Saturday to Tuesday because of the issue, and is undergoing tests to attempt to determine the source of the problem. Beckett said he slept awkwardly on the arm before Sunday’s start against the Blue Jays, a start in which he gave up 8 runs in 2 2/3 innings.
“Just something I’ve been dealing with,” Beckett said. “At some point in time, just got to figure out what the [heck] it is. Obviously it’s not what I want, but I think at this juncture it’s something that needs to happen. Obviously there’s something going on.”
Beckett said the numbness remains in his pinky and ring finger, and has been there since Sunday, though it has improved over time. There is “not very much pain at all with it,” he said. “You’ve got to figure out what the [heck] it is. You don’t want it to get so bad to where it ends up being a really bad problem.”
It appears that this isn’t exactly a new problem for Beckett. While he said he has never dealt with it “on that level,” including on a day he’s been on the mound, it is something that he and the team have monitored over time.
The pitcher will not have to leave the team for tests at this point, with assistant trainer Mike Reinold working on determining the source of the problem.
“Any time something’s wrong with your arm when you’re a baseball player, or especially a pitcher, you obviously thing the worst first,” he said. “I’ve been kind of reassured by people that it’s not [something serious, like an aneurysm].”
Asked if he has or might have to undergo an arthrogram—a test in which dye is inserted to get a picture of a joint—Beckett said, “No, I haven’t. I’m not a big fan of those arthrograms. I think they cause a lot of unneeded soreness. If it gets to that point, we’ll do what we need to do. I don’t think that’s what it is.”
The rotation in Toronto will be Paul Byrd, then Jon Lester and Daisuke Matsuzaka. Because the team has a day off on Thursday, it wasn’t particularly difficult to move up the other starters to account for Beckett’s absence.
As for his st