Today in The Journal News
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Today in the Journal News on Apr 08, 2010 
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Curtis Granderson is definitely part of the rivalry now. His 10th-inning home run sent the Yankees to a 3-1 win last night. Andy Pettitte matched John Lackey pitch for pitch, the Yankees bullpen was tremendous and Granderson came up with the big hit in extra innings.
Speaking Pettitte, Sam wrote that the veteran of the Yankees rotation is just as important as ever. “All that matters,” Sam wrote, “is that, after all this time and all these pitches, the Yankees believe he still has it.”
The Yankees also believe in Chan Ho Park, and he earned their trust with three scoreless innings last night. The notebook also has items on on Derek Jeter getting hit by a pitch and the Yankees claiming a minor league outfielder.
Just for fun, here’s one more Associated Press image from last night.
Curtis ran around the bases last night like his pants were on fire.
The media (not talking about you Sam/Chad) are often just trying to stir up controversy. For example, on the ESPN highlight this am, they featured Andy hitting Youk and Lackey “retaliating” by hitting Jeter. Anyone who watched the game knew there was no intent on either side, you could even see Jeter and Youk laughing about it.
Brewers starting pitcher Doug Davis was horrible last night – I wonder if when he was walking the park their owner said, “Damn Yankee payroll hurting our team again.”
Doug Davis really complained about the Yankees payroll hurting his team? If the Yankees weren’t around his team still wouldn’t spend the money on free agents.
Pettitte is just amazing. He is such a veteran. He was in trouble the first three innings and he was able to get out unscathed.
When Tex, Arod and NJ start hitting, this club is going to be really fun to watch this summer. I love the Granderson addition.
I tried to stay up last night to catch the highlight of the Heyward double last night, but missed it. Anyone have a link?
What is Mitre’s role on this team?
If Aceves and Park are both capable of 1-3 innings an appearance and with Mo, Joba, Robertson, and Marte all capable for the late in the game is Mitre redundant? Should they add a second bullpen lefty?
This team is really, really good. When Arod and Tex warm up there will be only a handful of pitchers in the league capable of going 5 against the Yankees. To me they seem a better team to start the season compared to last year. Younger and cheaper as well.
Joe West should get ripped a new one from Bud Selig for those comments.
That is completely inappropriate from a person whose job it is to regulate the game free from any bias.
Joekuh I’m sure if you go to the Braves’ official web site they will have it. MLB is good about putting up highlights.
LOL I love that picture………
Yankees/Red Sox is torture for me, but they do make for compelling baseball. Even if they didn’t, what’s a disgrace is not the length of their games but the idea that an umpire would have the gall (not gaul, like I typo’d before) to even have an opinion on it, nevermind air that opinion. The Yankees and Sox owe NO ONE anything other than to give the game their best effort; if it takes 6 hours, that’s too damn bad. The rules of the game do not specify a time limit, so until those rules are changed, this is how it’s going to be.
Pettitte is just amazing. He is such a veteran. He was in trouble the first three innings and he was able to get out unscathed.
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Andy really knows how to pitch. Even when he puts base runners on I always feel confident that he can get out of an inning.
Andy was awesome last night, as was Park.
Are they still doing the championship belt thing this year?
What did I miss what did Country Joe West say?
Fran, 3 days and counting!
LGY, I’ve never read anything like that in my life, but he’s practically got the OK from Selig. I actually think West should be forbidden from working any games either team is involved in. Who’s to say he won’t make a bad call against the Sox or Yanks because they are extending a game that he wants to be over? Actually, he should be fired on the spot, but that’s not happening.
LGY:
What did Joe West say?
“What is Mitre’s role on this team?
If Aceves and Park are both capable of 1-3 innings an appearance and with Mo, Joba, Robertson, and Marte all capable for the late in the game is Mitre redundant? Should they add a second bullpen lefty?”
Bear in mind the Yankees have had two off days. Once the regular season kicks into gear and the Yanks are playing every day, they’ll be innings for Mtre.
What did Joe West say ??
Besty,
And no rain forecasted
Saw that link in the last thread about Joe West. I think that there are umpires that are a disgrace to baseball. Why doesn’t he talk about them!
Just found the article.
http://www.northjersey.com/spo.....ball_.html
He should be banned from working any games. The Yankees and the red soxs should file a formal complaint stating he shouldn’t work any of their games.
Betsy,
Sorry for the typo on your name.
“It’s pathetic and embarrassing. They take too long to play.”
“This is embarrassing, a disgrace to baseball.”
http://www.northjersey.com/spo.....ball_.html
“They’re the two clubs that don’t try to pick up the pace,” said West, chief of the umpiring crew that worked the three-game series in Boston. He was the home plate umpire Sunday. “They’re two of the best teams in baseball. Why are they playing the slowest?
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Someone tell this idiot that part of the reason they are the best is because they work pitchers and foul off pitch after pitch.
Fran, no problem! Sometimes when I type your name, I type Frank instead, lol.
Both teams really should file a formal complaint and the media should make a stink about this.
West said special emphasis has not been placed on speeding up games this season. But umpires are evaluated on how quickly the games move, he said.
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Really?? How about making the correct calls? save out? Fair Foul?
This team hasn’t jelled yet with only 3 games having been played but once all cylinders are clicking, there’s no telling just how good of a baseball team we’ll see.
Players that haven’t made contributions are on the verge of knocking on the door.
Joe West needs to get a life . . Its baseball NOT a track meet.
Joe your making gret money calling a kids game . .. take it down a notch
Chad, has there been any word from the organization on why none of the official player roster for the 4 farm teams have yet to be released or when they might?
“It’s sad when school kids can’t watch the end of the game because it ends too late.”
$$$$ is why kids can’t watch the end of games not because Jeter asked for time.
As I said on the last thread:
1. I think we need to understand where West is coming from. 3 1/2 hour games interfere with his snacking.
2. If umpires called real balls and strikes games would move faster
3. Should a player like Nick Johnson go up there hacking because MLB wants to speed up the game?
If they want to speed up games they should:
1. Call better strikezones
2. Use instant replay to cut out the arguing between managers and umpires
3. Cut back on commercials
4. Not let batters step out or pitchers wander around between pitches
5. Did I mention call real strikezones? Yup I did.
Joe West is an idiot.
Seriously – if you have two good offensive teams like the Yankees and Sox you are going to have long games.
Joe West is an idiot.
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Erin,
That about sums it up perfectly.
The weather in the northeast has helped the Yankees in that there wasn’t any of the 3-game series cancelled. Less makeup games to alter the plans of the starting rotation.
new rule to speed up the game: a player hits a home run, goes directly back to the dugout. doesn’t have to run the bases.
with MOB, all just go directly back to the dugout. would would shave 5 minutes easily.
GB – Saw elsewhere that the rosters will be released an hour before the games.
Not good for an umpire to publicly air his grievances about his job.
“It’s pathetic and embarrassing. They take too long to play.”
joe west is in such bad shape at 57 years old because he takes too long to push himself away from the dinner table that 4 hours of standing up makes him kind of cranky.
maybe he should get himself in shape and do his job.
does this guy look like he’s in shape to ump behind the plate for even three hours?
http://www.natchezchildrenshom.....20west.JPG
he has the small strike zone simply because he can’t stand up that long without scuffling.
when joe west gets in shape and stops being an embarrassment out there, then he can run his mouth.
i’m 60 and i walked 5 hours of hilly golf yesterday carrying my bag yesterday so i can bash the lazy lard ass.
So, if a player criticizes the umps, Czar Watson fines them……. but it’s OK for an ump to criticize players and entire franchises. Interesting.
5 Iron, how will I be able to make bets on the games in 1 hour without knowing who’s on the team.
j/k. That seems odd. I thought they had to be set 24 hours prior.
Season opens tonight for all minor league teams.scranton will be on MiLB.TV.com and also has gameday available just like the big kids’ games. all of the minor league teams are on radio feeds.
For those interested, McAllister starts tonight for Scranton and Christian Garcia is supposed to start the opener for Trenton.
I don’t have a problem with what Joe West said. Am I missing something? He has been ordered by MLB to speed up games and is graded by MLB on their lengths. He also pointed out that Yanks & RSox are 2 of best teams and kids can’t stay up late & watch them. I agree with him on all points.
MLB Commisioner is the joke, not the umpires. How else could he tell us of the umpire’s dilema if he didn’t. Calling a real strike zone isn’t the answer either as the pitchers would truly have the avantage & 1-0 games and 12 innings would be more the norm IMO.
Time limits are magnified by late starts. MLB games should start at 6 PM or 6:30 PM at the latest. Most games I’ve seen had an endless amount of wasted time before they start. Then there is the 7th inning stretch which lingers as well. Commercials hold the players up too.
My thoughts are this, baseball has no time limit for a reason. Enjoy it.
Randy, you tell em – and good for you for carrying your own bags.
The scary thing is, I’m sure Bud Selig has no problems with what West said. It’s scary to think that the game is in the hands of these stooges (the umps) and this puppet (Selig). None of them have any respect for the game…..
joe west in fenway after a game.
gee, that’s the happiest i’ve ever seen him.
http://cache.boston.com/bonzai.....8_9016.jpg
pretty soon they are going to have to call him joe east west because one direction isn’t going to be enough to describe him.
“i’m 60 and i walked 5 hours of hilly golf yesterday carrying my bag yesterday so i can bash the lazy lard ass.”
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Shooting a 135 on a par 3 course will certainly add to your time, not to mention the time spent looking for your balls.
LMAO. Sorry, Randy. Couldn’t resist that last part.
I’m sorry, but isnt part of the beauty of baseball that its the only sport without time constraints?
Go away Joe West. I’ll sit through a 6 hour yankee/sox game if thats how long it takes, even if it is slow torture!
RayVT, I completely disagree. It’s not Joe West’s place or ANY umps place to be calling out teams for doing what they do best. Too bad if the games go long; that’s life. West doesn’t like it? Go put on a striped shirt and see if he can make it as an NFL referee; maybe buy a whistle and see if he can make it in the NBA. It’s fine to speed up the game in terms of not allowing all the time outs and stuff like that, but that’s it. The Sox and Yankees don’t owe it to kids or to baseball to rush their game; they owe it to their fanbase to put out the best effort they can. If it means a game lasts a week, so be it.
LOL Randy
“I don’t have a problem with what Joe West said. Am I missing something? He has been ordered by MLB to speed up games and is graded by MLB on their lengths.”
Exactly, but that’s an indictment of Selig and his lackeys, like West, not an excuse.
GreenBeret7 April 8th, 2010 at 9:43 am
That is kind of wierd. I guess a lot of last minute waiver wires could affect things so they decided to make it less formal with the 1 hr before the game limit.
I look forward to hearing who is where & how they do. Is Vazquez injured? (DL) What is wrong with him?
Just read the end of last nights thread. I really like Sterling unlike most, but his Granderson call needs work, as does his singing. The Grandyman can? Ok if he’s not singing it! One bonus with Granderson we’ll not hear: “It is far, it is high, it is caught!
randy l. April 8th, 2010 at 9:46 am
joe west in fenway after a game.
gee, that?s the happiest i?ve ever seen him.
http://cache.boston.com/bonzai…..8_9016.jpg
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Ray, not sure if Vazquez and Pilittere are really injured as much as it was just roster manipulation. Minor leadue DLs are only 7 days.
New Post: Ump rips Yanks & Sox for slow pace
RayVT how does it make sense to start games at 6, if people getting out of work at 5 or 5:30 (which are pretty standard hours I would say, although clearly not universal) can’t make it to the stadium in time for the first inning? Are you supposed to all leave work early in order to get to a game that starts at 6? It’s sometimes hard enough to get to a 7 PM game on time. However, 7 PM seems to be the perfect medium in that it’s not too late. I could do without the 8:15 ESPN starts on Sunday, though. In general weekend night games seem like a waste; weekdays however, I don’t see the point in moving the start up.
Ya know, maybe if for once some of the rule changes in the game went in favor of the pitchers instead of the hitters the games wouldn’t run so long.
I love that our Commish is endorsing this nonsense as if there arent enough problems in baseball outside of the time it takes the Yankees and Red Sox to finish a game.
RayVT
Did you miss Joe West calling the Yankees and red soxs a disgrace to baseball?
Betsy – Hughes rules (Pleading the Fifth) April 8th, 2010 at 9:49 am
Good Morning Betsy!!! I didn’t read it as he was against any player or team, but against the orders he has and the constraints he has to work & be judged. It sounds like they are downgraded for long games. Wierd. I guess an umpire could have leaked a story to the press anonymously. I too like the whole game experience. I once sat thru a meaningless 24 inning Indians versus Senators game that ended 1-0. So perhaps I’m the wrong guy to ask! LOL!
Sorry for another post so soon but this was my favorite line:
” “I understand it’s strategy,” West said. “I understand they’re trying to set up the count and take so many pitches.”
But he said that still does not explain the length of games between the archrivals. ”
So he understand the strategy but doesnt understand how that is making the games last longer?? Oh brother..
It’s really early & the stats don’t count much yet, but I like what I see so far from Gardner.
Other than the one errant throw he’s doing exactly what we need from him (defense, getting on base, stealing bases, throwing the defense off, & scoring runs!).
It’s going to be great to have him on base when Tex & Alex really start stroking the ball.
New POst on this very topic
The umps always get mad about the pace of a game during hot weather.
Andrew April 8th, 2010 at 9:55 am
Good points!
Joe West should spend more time trying to find his neck and less time complaining about the pace of play. You can tell that Angel Hernandez has an issue too as he was refusing to allow Yankee players to call time the other night.
Want to speed up the game? How about banning adjustments to batting gloves during an at-bat. Jeter, Papi, and others are brutal with this habit. Stay in the box and hit. Also, the strike zone is the primary issue. Expanding the zone a hair would speed up the game a lot. Too many borderline pitches are called balls these days. Batters become a lot less selective when borderline pitches are called strikes.
Last night’s game had a really nice pace with Andy and Lackey throwing strikes and working quickly.
GB-
Looking forward to your impressions and updates on our minor leaguers. Thanks.
Z-Mac and Garcia. Oh yeah !
all kidding aside, this photo tells all why joe west doesn’t like 3.5 hour games :
http://manginphotography.net/w.....15;564.jpg
normally i wouldn’t bash someone for being out of shape.
almost all of us get out of shape from time to time, but when someone runs their mouth in a know it all way calling other people embarrassing and pathetic, they open themselves up for the truth thrown back at them and being called out.
the fact is the man is in no shape to umpire even a 3 hour game behind the plate.
that’s what is “pathetic and embarrassing” to use his own words.
Pete Abe is throwing Ortiz under the bus today. He says in so many words ditch him, move Victor to DH, and bring in a closer, Kurt Suzuki (A’s), because he “would have gotten Pasada out at the plate last night,” give me a break!
Looks like Pete is starting the drop Ortiz campaign. I think he and Manny should be reunited.
Somebody had better explain to The Bearded Blunder and Buster Olney that Oakland has no reason to trade Suzuki in the first place, especially since they’d be without a cost controlled young catcher and Boston has nothing that will help them now. They don’t need pitching and Boston has no offense to spare. Trading Ellsbury won’t cut it.