Today in The Journal News
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Aug 22, 2009 
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The Yankees took another step to the division title as they outslugged the Red Sox 20-11 last night.
Red Sox Hall of Famer Jim Rice took a shot at Derek Jeter. This notebook also has updates on Johnny Damon and Damaso Marte.
Back later with the game post from Fenway.
Looks like Peter is the sole survivior in the Lohud Sports Dept.
http://www.newsday.com/blogs/s.....-1.1385676
Westchester County newspaper shrivels further
Friday August 21, 2009 4:18 PM By Neil Best
The Journal News, a Gannett paper that covers Westchester County and environs, is in the midst of shedding a depressingly large chunk of its newsroom staff.
This week both of its football writers, long-time Giants beat reporter Ernie Palladino and Jane McManus, who had covered the Jets, chose to leave in advance of layoff announcements. So did the sports section’s assignment editor.
Here is a complete list of pro sports teams the paper now plans to cover both home and away: the Yankees.
Sigh.
I prefer close pitching duels, but every now and again it’s great to see such a thrashing. 20 runs against the Sux, wow!
I remember watching Jim Rice growing, but I only knew him as a player on the field. My parents wouldn’t allow me to read newspapers at the time, so I didn’t know anything about baseball off the field. So, my question is, what’s this guy’s problem??? Was he like the ’70s version of Albert Belle, just a nasty human, or did he have a legit grudge about something or what?
Uh, that would be watching Jim Rice while I was growing up.
Anyone see how Al shortened his swing last night? They say Long has him in a Pujols like stance so he can stay centered, wuick to the ball w/ little head movement.
http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com.....8;c_id=nyy
Hope he keeps it up. SJ, CB, GB7 any thoughts on this?
quick*
Who’s AL?
Haha, and here I was the whole time, thinking Arod was his nickname.
Rice really is showing why it took so long to get into the HOF, and why he really should not have been inducted. If you don’t get in within the first two or three times on the ballot, how is it that you can gain votes? Its not like you are doing anything to pad your stats.
They got it wrong when they voted him in. Sorry, but he really isn’t deserving of the honor bestowed upon him.
Alex really swung the bat well last night. Especially on the triple. Last week, that was a pitch he strikes out on.
We’ve done all this as a team with ARod only being on one of his berserk streaks – where you can’t get him out at all – for a little while.
If he can get healthy and swinging well…this September and October could be a special one for us…and him.
I think green posted this in the previous entry.
•Joel Sherman of The NY Post spoke to an AL executive who speculates (key word) that the Red Sox “claimed (Billy) Wagner over worries that (Jonathan) Papelbon’s mechanics and control are off.” Remember, the key word is speculates
Funny how everywhere it is being reported as FACT, they leave out a very important word SPECULATES!!
I read that he feels good and his mechanics are sound, he just wasn’t getting the hits. Probably a Girardi cover up, since it seems like he is working on his swing with Long.
Anyways, if he told him to change one small aspect, and he focuses on that, maybe it will clear his head and he’ll start hitting again.
It’s strange when someone with such natural and beautiful mechanics get’s into a funk. He has all the skills, so its strange to even change his swing. That’s why it’s sometimes a head game with Alex, because if it’s not injury related, its NOT mechanical.
the funny thing about damon’s injury – yesterday i was eavesdropping on some old guys that kind of surprised me how much they knew about baseball, and that they were even talking about baseball period. then one said, “when i played for gil, he used to tell us to hit guys at a certain spot right behind the knee in order to take them out for a few games but not ruin their career…”
http://www.wcbs880.com/pages/5.....9620#imgXR
funny they are taking down the I first. I guess it is the easiest letter to remove and they want to see how to do it.
Gil Hodges?
How much of an idiot was Francona for allowing a rookie pitcher not even ready for the major leagues to get slammed around to the tune of 7 runs and 63 pitches ?
According to Gammons, Bowden is just one of the Boston prospects with high upside. Ha ! How high was Matsui’s 1st of two 3-run HR’s ?
Get Yer, I know but to be quite honest even Jetes changed his swing, not alot but by a bit under Long. Through Donnie he learned the foot tap, through long I think I read somewhere his legs or angle of the bat. Funny how things work in baseball.
FIRE LONN TROST
So Rice says he was misquoted?
I wanted to see what the “……” that was in the middle of the quote attributed to him was yesterday. Maybe the missing part of the quote would clear things up one way or the other.
Alex has changed his stance multiple times in his career.
Pinella worked with him to change it in Seattle, Jaramillo changed it in Texas, K Long changed it when he worked with him his first year in the off season.
The 4-4 last night was great but let’s wait and see if the new approach is effective against someone not named Penny.
This is just the norm for Rice. He’s always been real crusty and not a friend of the media. I think that had something to do with how long it took to get in the HOF.
I’m listening to a Boston call in show on tv and they aren’t defending Rice at all. They say he’s going somewhere he shouldn’t by going after Jeter. Alot of praise for Jeter from these guys.
They think Rice is bitter about the money todays players make. Rice always had a high opinion of himself.
If anyone in the Boston market gets Comcast Sports C.C. is going to be on soon.
“So Rice says he was misquoted?”
And Big Sloppy just did supplements.
Thanks, MaineYankee. I can see why Rice would be bitter today about the money, but I was curious as to why he was such a jack@ss during his playing career. I guess that’s his natural make-up then, but I was wondering if there was a valid reason for it. I know Ted Williams hated the media because he felt they were too critical of him, and I know he was somewhat bitter about having his career interrupted twice. So Rice is just a jerk then. Ah well, his problem not mine, and certainly not Jeter’s.
as usual, Boston Dirt Dogs pretty much nailed it:
http://www.bostondirtdogs.com/
they get bonus points for the Monty Python and the Holy Grail reference.
Every player gets into bad habits that build on to other bad habits which will negatively impact their swings. With A-Rod some of this may be from his hip. People tend to ignore that his hip surgery was a big deal, as it was played down so much by the Yankees.
Lowell’s was a different surgery, but you can visibly see how it has affected his play.
Alex has been using his upper body more and more to generate the power, and that is probably what Long has been working with him on to get him to use his legs more.
yada yada yada: Great great use of Python.
Did she just yadda yadda sex?
A laughable preview of the 2009 Boston Socks :
http://www.mlbcenter.com/artic.....d-sox.html
this guy has some guts to put up that sign in fenway
http://www.boston.com/sports/b.....scene?pg=4
“nyone see how Al shortened his swing last night? They say Long has him in a Pujols like stance so he can stay centered, wuick to the ball w/ little head movement.”
Brandon,
Alex looked very, very good last night. With him – as long as it’s not his hip – the problems are the same as they always are.
When he’s slumping his swing gets long. That’s pretty much it.
It’s always the same thing.
It happens for different reason. But one of the things that makes Alex a strange hitter is that he’s so successful despite the fact that he has more moving parts than many other great hitters. In particular, he has the leg kick which is a timing mechanism.
And that leg kick – which I’m sure just comes natural to him at this point – is something which becomes a recurrent problem for him. It also makes him prone to over striding.
When hitters have leg kicks like that the problem is that they have to make sure they get their front foot down in time. If they don’t then their swing is going to be compromised. This is one of the reason why alex winds up looking bad on off speed pitches away.
This is something that Alex and Kevin Long are constantly working on. Long has talked about it again and again. Alex has to keep his swing compact and be short to the ball.
And last night he was very, very short and explosive to the ball. You didn’t see any of those long, looping swings that you see when he’s going bad.
That’s why the hip injury is such a tough one for Alex. He generates so much power through the torque he creates through his hips – that’s why he hits for so much power.
Compare Tex’s swing to Alex’s. Tex swings much harder than Alex. Tex is more arm dependent because he doesn’t create as much torque as Alex does. When Alex is swinging hard he’s ineffective.
The master of staying short to the ball right now is of course Pujols. He’s ridiculous. He has almost no movement in his swing at all. None. He has an enormously wide base and doesn’t stride to the ball at all. Compare how Pujols hits to the way Cano does. Their lower body mechanics are nothing at all alike.
All Pujols does is literally pick his front foot up and set it down. No movement. I don’t understand how he can generate power that way – but he does.
Dimaggio was the classic guy who hit that way. Very wide base. Little movement. Just picked up his front foot and set it down. Go back and look at Dimaggio in his stance and then look at pujols in his. It’s amazing. Dimaggio hit much more off of his back leg than Pujols (which was probably becuase Dimaggion played in a monstrously large park for RH hitters and had to generate loft to get the ball out..) But their stance and initial mechanics are very similar.
I thought Alex’s leg kick was a bit less pronounced yesterday and he wasn’t over striding as much as he was earlier. He got his front foot down quickly. But I don’t know if he was really “Pujols like.” I couldn’t tell from the TV if he’s spread his stance.
He pretty much looked to me like he usually does when he’s on fire – he’s got relatively little movement in his approach to the ball and he keeps his arms short to the ball on the swing which allows his power to be carried through with his hips.
One thing I do know – having Kevin Long as the hitting coach here is invaluable. He understands Alex’s swing so well and Alex trusts him implicitly. It’s a huge bonus to have a hitting coach who not only has that much insight into a star player’s mechanics but is also trusted that much by the superstar.
Yesterday was a great day to be a Yankee fan in Maine.
It was my birthday. Had lobster and fresh corn as I enjoyed the demolition in Fenway.
It was questionable if I was even going to see the game because we had small twisters in the area that caused alot of damage but yet I didn’t lose power so I was able to see the game.
And yes the “lobstah” was very good!!
Oh, I mentioned The Bisk …
Imagine is Hideki was in teeh 3 spot seeing those pitches??
He’s hot enough, but watch out.
Great breakdown CB, I’ll be watching Al next time through his base. Umm in the MLB.com video pre swing he had a bit of a wider base YES cameras sorta picked it up, what’s interesting John Flaherty picked it up so we’ll see if he can keep it up.
I think todays a game in which the yankees will win 6-4, 5-2.
You can easily make the argument that the young pitcher for the redsox will go out and pitch 5 2/3 3 run ball. This is a game they have to win bc they have to deal with cc tomorrow.
Whats scary is that if AJ is on his game, the redsox might as well go home early and start focusing on sunday’s game because AJ will be un-hittable.
If Arod going 4-4 is any indication of whats to come, its going to be a real problem for opposing pitchers. Lets not forget that depsite alex’s hip injury, he is very capable of pulling off a 358 10 25 rbi over the next month.
Can you say enough about Hidek? 21 homeruns and 60rbis on bad knees.
Anybody know the Yankees record on Saturday Fox games this season?
Does anyone know… is Joe Buck rooting for the red sox… i mean calling the game today???.. If so the mute button will be in effect…
CB: Interesting analysis by you on A-Rod’s batting style. I remember as Cal Ripken was getting older it seemed like he changed his batting style numerous times. Not always for the best.
Today I will watch all the batters for their style. I learn something new everyday on this board. Thanks.
Can we have a contest to see who was the first person here to state the Yankees would win the divison hands down, before the season even began – and can I win?!?
I wish everyone could have that same kind of faith only because it makes the season a total joy. You always keep your eye on the prize and bumps in the road never throw you.
Ah life is so good when you’re a Yankee fan – if you allow yourself to get out of your fear bag long enough to enoy it.
GO YANKEES!
I can never hate Jim Rice because of this:
http://blacksportsonline.com/i.....-fame.html
Is there a GTLU game today?
Trisha, you always have to have faith. But it took a while for anyone to realize that this team was special.
There was no way you could tell the before the season started.
I think it basically started when Swish came in to pitch. You knew that was something George would have never liked, and something maybe Torre would have never done. That was it for me, they were fun to watch after that.
Attention LoHud,
We are having a retroactive contast to see who the first person that states that the Yanks will win the division this year.
The contest is already over.
Trisha wins.
Good points CB, I will also take a closer look at the batting stances (other than Youk, it is too hard to watch him).
Glad you had such a great birthday Maine Yankee, altho I did feel sorry for that young pitcher.
I have become a fan of Dirt Dogs, win or lose they are always good for a laugh.
Trish, I also have to deal w/ Red Sox relatives. Before yesterday’s game my sister said she was too nervous to trash talk, I guess she had good reason.
P.s. Let’s not use the term “Faith” or “Keep the Faith” we all know where those connotations lead ….
A laughable preview of the 2009 Boston Socks :
http://www.mlbcenter.com/artic…..d-sox.html
————————————————————–
I thought the funniest thing about this preview is the prediction that they would win “90-100 games this season”. A monkey can predict that.
upstate kate
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Good points CB, I will also take a closer look at the batting stances (other than Youk, it is too hard to watch him).
Glad you had such a great birthday Maine Yankee, altho I did feel sorry for that young pitcher.
I have become a fan of Dirt Dogs, win or lose they are always good for a laugh.
Trish, I also have to deal w/ Red Sox relatives. Before yesterday’s game my sister said she was too nervous to trash talk, I guess she had good reason.
——————————————————
Thanks. I told you I’d get my wish.
CB
Didn’t you think that was a bad move to leave a young pitcher like Bowden in to take a pounding last night?
I understand the need to eat innings and not waste your bull pen, but that was brutal to watch. It looked like that poor kid had tears when he left the mound.
The first point in the season where I was relatively confident the Yankees would win the division honestly didn’t come until Tex belted a Daniel Bard slider into the second deck at Yankee Stadium two weeks ago.
To me, there are currently 4-5 indelible memories of this season that stick out when I think about the season in retrospect.
1. The 3 consecutive walkoff wins against the Twins in May
2. The A-Rod walkoff in the 15th inning
3. The Damon-Tex back to back home-run game
4. The 20 run outburst
Not really a coincidence given the Yankees-Red Sox, but it makes sense since it’s put the Yankee stamp of authority on the division this season. If the Yankees take 2 of 3 or sweep at Fenway, they can cakewalk it into the playoffs and set up their rotation exactly how they want.
And sorry, I left off the Francisco Cervelli home run in Atlanta that everyone attributes as the turning point in the Yankees’ season.
CB, take a gander at this:
http://www.nydailynews.com/spo.....4for4.html
Rice is typical Red Sox: classless and bitter. The legacy of Ted Williams.
Putting Rice in the HOF was a big mistake.
Alex’ HR against Baltimore will still be the moment I remember most this season……that was something out pf the movies (or maybe not, because if was in a movie, I would have thought it was cheesy, lol)
“It was my birthday. Had lobster and fresh corn as I enjoyed the demolition in Fenway”
maineNY: happy birthday
next time i am in your area, would like to try lobster pie. And a lobstah roll
I knew back in 1991 that the Yankees would be awesome in 2009.
What do I win?
“Rice is typical Red Sox: classless and bitter. The legacy of Ted Williams”
no need to compare Rice and Ted.
Ted Williams was the man.
vinny-b (thankful to have Girardi in charge)
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:26 pm
“Rice is typical Red Sox: classless and bitter. The legacy of Ted Williams”
no need to compare Rice and Ted.
Ted Williams was the man.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Like I said, classless and bitter. I love how Teddy Ballgame ended up. His disembodied upside-down head frozen in a tank in Arizona by his demented family. You reap what you sow.
vinny-b (thankful to have Girardi in charge)
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:25 pm
“It was my birthday. Had lobster and fresh corn as I enjoyed the demolition in Fenway”
maineNY: happy birthday
next time i am in your area, would like to try lobster pie. And a lobstah roll
————————————————–
Thanks.
Anything lobster is good.
“next time i am in your area, would like to try lobster pie. And a lobstah roll”
In the New England area, lobster pie has sadly fallen to 2nd place.
The current number one eaten pie is: Humble.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/ne.....;type=lgns
LOL at Rice……when in doubt, the “I was misquoted” excuse. Lame, lame, lame and no one believes it.
He’s a sorry, bitter old man……..
Maine,
The Sox made a good trade when they dealt for Victor Martinez given their offensive woes.
But one of the less reported aspects of that trade was that the Sox had to give up value off their major league roster to execute the deal.
They generally haven’t had to do that in the recent past.
For much of the season the Red Sox carried only 11 pitcher. And the reason why they could do that – even though Penny and Matsuzaka and Smoltz, etc. weren’t giving them length was due to Justin Masterson. He wasn’t a great pitcher but he had a very flexible arm.
Now he’s gone. And the sox not only can’t carry 11 pitchers I think they’ve had to go to 13 pitchers for brief periods of time (though they’re making so many personnel moves it’s hard to keep track…).
Tito’s problem now is that they don’t have anyone how can really pitch multiple innings out of their pen with Masterson gone.
So they keep trying to call guys up from the minors – whether it’s a journeyman like Traber or a kid like Bowden to fill that role and it’s been a terrible fit.
I didn’t particularly like how Tito handled Bowden – but what else was he going to do?
The striking part of the game last night was how quickly Tito just threw in the towel. Bowden. Pulling Drew then Youkilis then Bay.
He just gave up. And that’s because he doesn’t think they can win the division and will need to conserve effort just to fend off the Rays and Rangers to win the WC.
It was a very unfortunate thing for Bowden that he had to step into the void that exists in the Sox in terms of talent. I’m sure Tito hated doing it but at this point he’s trying to keep the ship floating rather than developing a young guys confidence.
There’s one other thing that struck me from the way Bowden was used and it follows up on the general way he’s been used this year.
For a long time we heard about how great the Sox young pitching was – and it was for a time the trio of Bucchholz, Masterson, and Bowden.
Bucchholz has been a big dissappointment to date (though he might be turning it around). Masterson was exposed as nothing more than a bull pen guy because he can’t get LH hitters out.
And this year the attention turned to Bowden.
Given that they’ve been struggling so much – why wasn’t Bowden called up before? Why did they make the move for Tazawa? I know Bowden wasn’t throwing real well in AAA recently, but it’s very curious that a guy who has been touted over and over as a top prospect doesn’t get the call for so long in a time of such need.
Maybe their own internal talent evaluation doesn’t think that highly of Bowden.
I bring this up because it struck me that that was kind of the situation Bowden was put into. The situation lesser prospects are put in because their long term development doesn’t matter as much to the parent club.
Even last time Bowden threw against the Yanks he didn’t impress me as all. He has such a straight, flat fastball. I was very surprised the yankees didn’t pound him back in april or may when they first saw him.
Don’t know if there’s anything there. But just the way the Sox have handled Bowden – it just strikes me that they may not really see this guy as being a huge part of their future.
DT – OPPC member (blood type – Positive)
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 pm
“next time i am in your area, would like to try lobster pie. And a lobstah roll”
In the New England area, lobster pie has sadly fallen to 2nd place.
The current number one eaten pie is: Humble.
————————————————–
Not to much humility from RS fans.
But am on the lookout for a good flock of crow.
Getting ready to put on a banquet for RS fans.
CB
From what I heard some Boston guys saying this morning, they seem to think Bowden has taken a step back in his development. Hence a step back in how they value him.
How they used him last night is usually what you do with a veteran not a prospect.
In defense of Francona, I think he just hasn’t been given a good enough roster from Theo so he’s stuck using what he has on hand which at times isn’t good enough.
Are you kidding me? Jim Rice is lucky to be in the Hall of Fame. Funny how someone who almost didn’t make it in, is now an expert on who is qualified to be a role model too!
Westchester County newspaper shrivels further
Friday August 21, 2009 4:18 PM By Neil Best
The Journal News, a Gannett paper that covers Westchester County and environs, is in the midst of shedding a depressingly large chunk of its newsroom staff.
[...]
Here is a complete list of pro sports teams the paper now plans to cover both home and away: the Yankees.
Sigh.
==================
Wow, that is sad to hear.