Spring Training Game 11: Yankees at Orioles
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Gameday Thread on Mar 07, 2011 
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YANKEES (4-5-1)
Derek Jeter SS
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Andruw Jones DH
Justin Maxwell LF
Greg Golson CF
Melky Mesa RF
Austin Romine C
RHP Sergio Mitre (0-0, 0.00)
Mitre vs. Orioles
ORIOLES (4-2-1)
Brian Roberts 2B
Nick Markakis RF
Luke Scott 1B
Vladimir Guerrero DH
Mark Reynolds 3B
Adam Jones CF
Felix Pie LF
Matt Wieters C
J.J. Hardy SS
LHP Zach Britton (0-0, 0.00)
Britton vs. Yankees
TIME/TV: 7:05 p.m., not on television
WEATHER: Sunny skies right now. Shouldn’t be a any sort of weather issues when night falls.
UMPIRES:
ON THE LINE: This is Mitre’s first spring start after pitching twice out of the bullpen. He’s being looked at as a possible back-of-the-rotation starter, though he could just as easily slide back into his long-relief role… The Yankees are not bringing any relievers who are expected to break camp on the major league roster.
OUT OF THE BULLPEN FOR THE YANKEES: Likely Triple-A starters Adam Warren and D.J. Mitchell will be the first two out of the pen for the Yankees. Andy Sisco and Ryan Pope are also available.
BULLPEN FOR THE ORIOLES: RHP Kevin Gregg, RHP Jeremy Accardo, RHP David Riske and LHP Clay Rapada
UPDATE, 7:39 p.m.: Another monster throw from Greg Golson, this time on the fly from center field to home plate to get Mark Reynolds trying to score from second on a single. Hard to beat last year’s throw against Tampa Bay, but this one was pretty impressive. Melky Mesa started bowing to him from right field.
UPDATE, 8:06 p.m.: Mitre went three scoreless, allowing three hits and striking out three. He threw 47 pitches, 32 for strikes.
UPDATE, 9:08 p.m.: Hard to say much about a scoreless spring training game. Just finished talking to Sergio Mitre who thought he was better in his previous outing. He said he felt like he was pushing the ball through his early innings, but he settled in at the end and started pitching much better.
G o
Y a n k e e s !
Is Betances supposed to pitch tonight?
I know the game isn’t on TV in NY, but if you live outside of the NY area and subscribe to MLB.tv, you can watch the Orioles broadcast on the site.
MASN is so second rate, standard definition feed for spring training. Yankees play in high def , you disgusting paupers
I think Betances is a backup tonight.
MASN is as bad as the teams it covers.
Some of you have way to high of expectations for Gardner. I have no problem him starting The season in the 9 hole and playing his way up. Less pressure on him and gives him some more time to figure things out. He did not have a great second half. If he starts slow than you where are you? Give him time.
I hope Betances doesn’t pitch tonight, I don’t think he would appreciate being filmed in standard definition.
You put your best hitters at the top of the lineup where they get more at bats. Swisher is a better hitter that Gardner.
I also like this lineup in that there are no right handed or left handed only hitters back to back.
Jeter
Swisher
Teixeira
A-Rod
Cano
Posada
Granderson
Martin
Gardner
I’m getting game in HD on MASN.
They had the worst Orioles commercial before the game. The announcer started off saying, “will Luke be a liability defensively in 2011?…..
can you imagine.
Some of you have way to high of expectations for Gardner. I have no problem him starting The season in the 9 hole and playing his way up. Less pressure on him and gives him some more time to figure things out. He did not have a great second half. If he starts slow than you where are you? Give him time.
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If Gardner starts in the 9 hole he is going to stay there, almost guaranteed. If jeter did not get moved after his atrocious year last year, he won’t get moved during the season next year. And he doesn’t need ‘less pressure’. If you look at his numbers he did the best batting 1st, 7th, and 8th. If you look at his performance in the 1st and 2nd half, his tools stayed the same he just had to deal with injury. Even injured he got on base better than almost every yankee. And I don’t mean his .380 final season on base. His 2nd half on base was better than damn near everyone.
Its not a ‘high expectation’ to think Gardner will continue to show the same skills he has shown in the minors and the majors.
Maybe everyone should temper their expectations for Jeter?
You put your best hitters at the top of the lineup where they get more at bats. Swisher is a better hitter that Gardner.
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Gardner made less outs than Swisher last year. He led the team in on base percentage. He had our third highest batting average.
Thanks Chad.
I think it’s exactly the opposite. I think Girardi starts Jeter leading off and only moves him down if his performance is poor down the road.
Gardner is a different hitter than Swisher….
I think Girardi starts Jeter leading off and only moves him down if his performance is poor down the road.
–
When has Girardi ever shown he would do that?
….and Swisher is a better hitter.
It matters not what Girardi did in the past. The circumstances with Jeter coming off of a down year and considering his age are different this time. Precedent doesn’t come into play.
Swisher hits for more power, thats about it. Gardner walks more, strikes out less, and has a higher batting average.
It’s a good problem to have, our lineup is loaded top to bottom.
Jeter had a .393 OBP against lefties last season and he hit .321….I think he should still lead off against them.
And if you are going to bat Gardner lower in the order, he should hit 8th, not 9th.
Gardners chance of getting another PA are diminished batting behind Martin. If you bat Gardner ahead of Martin it increases the chance that Martin AND Gardner both get another PA, instead of only Martin. And that increases the chance of another PA for 1st and 2nd hitter.
Blake,
I could see them dropping Gardner down in the lineup vs LHP, but Gardner had a .373 OBP vs lefties so I’d rather just leave Jeter in the 2 spot vs either handed pitcher.
That way everyone gets the ‘stability’ they love so much in the batting order.
And if you REALLY want to get your best hitters the most PAs, Cano would be hitting 2nd. Which I wouldn’t mind.
See, I think if Jeter is hitting WELL , he should be the #2 hitter. If he’s still hitting too many ground balls that end up as DPs, #2 is not going to be a good spot for him.
I have had a dizzy day and so I can’t even try to catch up on all I missed. So, I’m merely answering the one item that stuck in my head.
****
GTLU Update:
GTLU will be played tomorrow from 5:30 am to 8:30 am. Kind of “Beat the Clock” since day game lineups have been posted around 9 am so far this spring. So, be ready early birds!
Gardner Cano Tex A-rod Swisher Posada Granderson Jeter Martin
Jerkface,
That would be fine….I like Jeter hitting 2nd, always did…..
Arod is just killing the ball.
I like Cano 2nd against lefties.
Arod is feeling great at the plate..
Gardner has played 2 1/4 season in the majors. Last year aside, his OBP was .345 and .283 the years before and he has never had more than 132 hits in a season. He looked very good last year.
But IMO, Swisher is a better hitter, you don’t move someone down 4 places in the lineup who has averaged 29 home runs, 86 RBI’s and an .870 OPS the last two seasons.
If he’s still hitting too many ground balls that end up as DPs, #2 is not going to be a good spot for him.
–
He hit 20 DPs hitting 2nd, he hit 20 DPs hitting first. It won’t change the amount of DPs, because once the lineup turns over batters will be hitting ahead of him giving him more DP opps.
Fun fact: Jeter actually had MORE double play opportunities in 2010 than in 2009.
The last 3 years he has hit into 18%, 17%, 18% double plays based on opportunities.
So in 09, he was batting first but didn’t have an excellent on base guy like Gardner ahead of him. In 2010, you put a guy that gets on base .380 and Jeter saw more DP opportunities.
Pretty much as long as Gardner is infront of Jeter, the DP will happen.
Much as I respect the Orioles and wish them nothing but best, I definitely want Mitre to show that he’s the pitcher Girardi believes him to be.
GO SERGIO!!!!!
Thinks for the hint about MASN WC!!! I think I get it on DirecTV!
Might as well give Gardner more PA, since he lead the team in on base and pitches / PA. That means starters out of the game faster, more PA for the hitters behind Gardner, more steals, more runs scored.
Gardner scored 97 runs in only 569 PA. If you really want to score more runs, you give this man more PA.
Doreen, did you watch Jeopardy tonight?
jerkface-
I know, I know, I know.
Sigh. Nothing’s ever cut-and-dried here. LOL
Trisha the HD game is on 640.
YAY! Thanks WC!!! GOT IT!!!
I never even thought of the other team feed.
Mark reynolds had 211K’s in 499ABs. OUCH!!!
Betsy -
No, I put on the Yankee game because I missed it this afternoon and didn’t even think about Jeopardy being on.
I have to tell you, my mind is not very organize the last couple of days. I’m so scatter-brained it’s not even funny.
What happened in Jeopardy?
Fun fact about Mark Reynolds: He hits like .300 in all non 2 strike counts. And hits under .200 in every 2 strike count. He has hit so few HRs in 2 strike counts, that it is almost impossible to argue that he should keep the same approach with 2 strikes. If he changed his approach with 2 strikes to a ‘just make contact’ or similar approach, he would probably be one of the best hitters in the league.
Hi Benny! Hey the Os certainly have their A offense in.
jerkface-
the solution is that Gardner has to hit lead-off doubles or steal right away. That’s it.
The lady had led for most of the 2nd half of the game and she, along with the others, got Final Jeopardy right. She risked nothing and finished 3rd, lol. My parents and I always want to bang our heads on the table when otherwise very smart people try to outsmart themselves by making these weird bets. My philosophy is – assume the others will get it right and go down swinging. After all, if you lose, you’re not losing $$$. Instead, so many players go the conservative route and end up losing games they should win.
Betsy -
Duh!!
How do you not just bet enough to win????????
“If I am being overlooked, I’m trying my hardest not to be overlooked,” Mitre said. “I guess it’s a good thing that I can start or be in the ‘pen. My main thing is, I want to start. Hopefully, I make a good enough impression.”
Mitre pitched a scoreless third inning for New York on Sunday, allowing one hit. He had a 3.33 ERA in 27 appearances last year, going 0-2 with a 5.93 ERA in three starts.
Anyone convinced Golson has an arm yet?
Golson has a rocket arm
Doreen, that’s what my father and I said, lol. I mean now she’s going to regret that for a long time; why wouldn’t you just go for it? If you get it wrong, you get it wrong.
Don’t tell my mother, but I just cursed very loudly in the press box because Greg Golson just unleashed another monster throw, this time from center field to get Mark Reynolds out at the plate. It was quite a throw, on the fly from mid-center. Very impressive.
All it took was that one throw in Tampa……….unbelievable. I’d like to see him make the team just for that, lol. Blake, how are you watching the game?
Doreen-
Did you find the Simon & Garfunkel station on Sirius yet?
Its #113. I should have mentioned that sooner, but I am a little ditzy these days
betsy,
MLB.TV…
Erica -
Yes! I specifically remembered to look for it today – I got an email about it after you mentioned it.
But then I wasn’t in the car much. But I will be in the car tomorrow. I have to drive to SI.
“Don’t tell my mother, but I just cursed very loudly in the press box because Greg Golson just unleashed another monster throw, this time from center field to get Mark Reynolds out at the plate. It was quite a throw, on the fly from mid-center. Very impressive.”
Let me say this, and I think you will be able to take this to as credible bank and cash it – the Orioles know how to hit the ball. If Buck continues in the same way with their pitching, all I can say is, watch out.
The AL East is going to REALLY be tough.
Trish,
I’m not sleeping on the baltimore lineup.. They will give teams fits this year. I’m not saying they’re going to win 90 games. But i’m just saying….
The over/under on Orioles wins is 74.
Erica -
But I failed at pairing my cell phone with the bluetooth in the car.
Blake, thanks!
Cashmoney, good for Mitre wanting to start. I know that Girardi appreciates that kind of attitude. If he can be impressive enough in ST, he might be slated for long relief if he doesn’t make the starting rotation. And we also know that chances are during the course of 162 games, there will probably be opportunity for starts for pitchers out of the pen.
Can anybody who is watching the game provide an update aside from Golson’s throw and Chad’s cursing
That was a great Jeter swing right there.
Doreen March 7th, 2011 at 7:42 pm
Erica -
Yes! I specifically remembered to look for it today – I got an email about it after you mentioned it.
But then I wasn’t in the car much. But I will be in the car tomorrow. I have to drive to SI.
***************
A drive to Staten Island is always good for some major sitting in traffic.
I am liking the station a lot, but its pretty repetitious. Saturday at 7am I heard Richard Cory as I drove to work. I got back in my car again at 12:30 and it was on the radio again.
(And you’ll get the hang of it)
Btw- in a major advancement for Ericakind, I made a fresh dinner last night and brought it with me for dinner tonight. No frozen dinner or take out for me tonight
The orioles will win at least 75 games this year.
What an idiot this Orioles announcer is:
“The Yankees have got some deep concerns at catcher as their “starter” Cervelli has gone down withna fractured foot”.
MORON!
“I’m not sleeping on the baltimore lineup.. They will give teams fits this year. I’m not saying they’re going to win 90 games. But i’m just saying….”
Benny, I’m with you. If Buck can keep Brian Matusz, Jeremy Gurthrie, and Brad Bergersen on the straight and narrow, with Justin Duscherer in the background they are really going to give teams fits, as you say.
I am going to be happy for them because they’ve really toiled in the fields for quite a while now despite having most of the pieces there! It’s simply amazing to see what Showalter did with that team.
As good as S&G are, I don’t know that their catalog is extensive enough to have them nonstop.
But I really like them a lot, so it’s okay.
http://riveraveblues.com/
An awesome video breakdown of mariano pitching,specifically his cutter.
Fran, scoreless at the end of 2.
WC
sometimes you have to overlook the lesser ones, not everyone can be erudite and intelligent like you.
Well 2 and a half!
Both pitchers are pitching well. O’s have 3 hits, Yanks 2.
What does Mitre have, other than a 13-29 big-league record, a 5.27 career ERA and a right elbow scarred by Tommy John surgery?
“I felt like I’ve always had a chip on my shoulder,” Mitre said. “I don’t think I’ve shown my full potential. There’s been glimpses of it.”
Elbow and shoulder problems have gotten in the way, but Mitre — who nearly is two-and-a-half years removed from reconstructive elbow surgery — feels as healthy as ever.
Mitre also feels he’s in a battle he can win.
http://www.northjersey.com/spo.....worth.html
I think I heard today that the Orioles had the best 2nd half of the season record in the majors last season! Something like that.
Doreen, what’s your fave S&G song?
I LOVE Bridge over Troubled Water (Garfunkle is completely overshadowed by Simon, but I love his voice), Sounds of Silence and I am a Rock, I am an Island……..I saw them in concert with my father at MSG and the other act was the Everly Brothers; I was in heaven!
I’m just glad Guthrie isn’t pitching; that guy, whether on purpose or not, uses Yankees as target practice
Outside of New England, there is scarcely any collective fanbase that’s more Yankee-hating than that of the Baltimore Orioles.
And there may not be any owner that’s a bigger Yankee-hater than Peter Angelos.
Pity love from Yankee fans would probably infuriate them, so there’s that.
Erica,
Thanks. I love Simon and Garfunkel. Now if I can get my husband to go to that channel I will be thrilled.
Cash, I also remember a few in the Ys organization last seasonb saying that Mitre was actually ahead of his rehab in terms of the way he was pitching.
Cashmoney March 7th, 2011 at 7:51 pm
WC – sometimes you have to overlook the lesser ones, not everyone can be erudite and intelligent like you.
***************
That’s so true. Stop embarrassing me, I’m a very humble man.
SAS March 7th, 2011 at 7:55 pm
Erica,
Thanks. I love Simon and Garfunkel. Now if I can get my husband to go to that channel I will be thrilled.
**************
You better work on it quick, its only around for another week and a half!
“I’ve always liked him,” Girardi said. “I liked him the first time I saw him pitch for Chicago and I wasn’t even on the same team. I thought he aAnd he had the opportunity to pitch for someone he trusted.
And he had the opportunity to pitch for someone he trusted. Girardi stuck with Mitre even after his 50-game suspension in January for testing positive for a trace amount of androstenedione.
http://www.nj.com/yankees/inde....._with.html
Thank you Trisha. How is Mitre pitching?
GREAT JOB BY THE MEATMAN!!!!!!!
Woo hoo!
Betsy-
You didn’t ask me, but I will answer anyway
These days The Boxer is my favorite. Bridge is second.
Mitre is looking good – 3 innings 3 k’s – 0 runs.
Disconcerting camera angles from MASN make it impossible to tell where pitches are crossing the plate, but from the shortstop’s perspective Mitre looks to be hitting his spots.
Fran, he just got his 3rd K in 3 innings and is still pitching scoreless ball (thanks to Golson also.)
More bozo talk. “Mitre is penciled in as the number 5 starter right now”.
Doreen, S&G between them have 350 songs they’ve written a another 50 or more that they recorded of other writers songs. Fairly extensive. I think you’d like the Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson/Rita Coolidge catalogs, too. They’re not all country.
Mitre really isn’t that bad…..he’s a good long man. They need to try to get him more regular work this year…..preferably by blowing a lot of teams out.
Erica, I didn’t even see you there, lol – I skimmed by the posts quickly so I missed you
I like the Boxer – also love Homeward Bound. Hmm, I have to go find my S&G CD and play it at work tomorrow.
How is Zach Britton look so far? I know he is touted as one of the good ones.
Mitre is a step up from the Gaudin’s of the world. I like him to make the team as a long man and spot starter if needed.
Betsy-
No worries. I am the blog ghost these days.
Anyway, I am packing up now. Good night all
“Outside of New England, there is scarcely any collective fanbase that’s more Yankee-hating than that of the Baltimore Orioles.
And there may not be any owner that’s a bigger Yankee-hater than Peter Angelos.
Pity love from Yankee fans would probably infuriate them, so there’s that.”
Can’t help it. My heart does what my heart does. I always feel sorry for teams that aren’t achieving and could be. I want Toronto to do well and I want the Orioles to do well. Hell I want them all to do well, except for the Sux.
Northing like good old-fashioned real competition!
My mantra is that every fan of every team should be able to go out and feel good about her or his team. That is what I am striving for in my adopt-a-team organization.
Speaking of which, Doreen, are you still adopting Pittsburgh? Fran and I have co-adopted the Nats! I’d like to see foster parent fans for the Royals too. I’m taking applications.
fun facts
chad Gaudin 35-39 4.61 era
Sergio Mitre 13-29 5.27 era
Thanks for the updates Trisha.
Betsy -
I can’t think of the name of the song, but the one one that goes “We’ve all gone to look for America.”
“Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike…”
Their harmonies were made in heaven. Theirs and CSN and CSNY. Amazing harmonies. They coudl sing the phone book and I’d love it. (S&G, that is.) Garfunkle has a very unique voice, but it doesn’t stand alone as well.
****
I’m watching the replay of the early game and just saw Posada get appealed. Why are you allowed to appeal twice? If you do it wrong the first time, why do you get a second chance?
Betsy -
Also, Mrs. Robinson was probably the first song of theirs that I can remember hearing, so that’s always a favorite.
That’s nifty, but they would repay your pity love with scornful hate.
Having the Yankees come into Camden and abuse them is what they’ll get — hopefully.
Trisha -
I will be keeping an eye on Pittsburgh and hope to see some improvement there.
Doreen, because they have to call time out to make the appeal. until they get set on the mound, call time and step off, nothing happens. Today, not sure if they called time. If he throws to the plate, play is over.
Always see somebody screw up the appeals. Some funny stories about appeals and missed bags….Many with the Mets and Stengel.
Pittsburgh is different; that’s like the island of misfit Yankee castoffs.
“How is Zach Britton look so far?”
He had an effective 3 IP. Not over-powering, but he kept the ball on the corners. Not really any hard hit balls allowed at all.
Plus, he’s a lefty so that’s going to help his cause.
Nice swing by the melk-man.
GB7 =
so an appeal play is an “open” play until another pitch is thrown, basically ending the prior play?
Trisha,
I’ll root for KC too as long as they are not playing the Yankees and it doesn’t affect the Nats
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Doreen,
If Joe Girardi posts his line-up ahead of us tomorrow AM, then we know he is out to get us and we don’t stand a chance
And if they don’t call time and just throw over, it doesn’t count?
That sure seems a little complicated. And it doesn’t happen all that often, so it must present some interesting situations for people who don’t exactly know the order of the steps involved.
Joba pitched well again today, didn’t he?
Fran -
If Girardi posts a lineup before anytime before 9 a.m., I will call it quits for ST.
Doreen, I’ve only seen a team try to make a proper appeal more than once about 3 times before today. Not sure if there’s a limit on the number of times, but, I’m sure a player will yell the pitcher through the process. Randy or Pat would know if there’s a limit. Umpires can’t help them, though.
Fran and Doreen – you go girlfriends!!!!!
When you think of the term “love in abundance” I want you to think about Fran and Doreen. I am so proud to call them my friends (and sister also).
GB7 -
Okay, well at least they have to figure it out on their own!
Doreen, to actually answer your question, yes. If they attempt to put the ball in play without proper appeal, the play is over, runner safe.
Doreen – he did. I wish he had gotten more than one inning but there’s plenty of time for that. In fact, the Yanks had a collective no hitter going into the 6th inning.
********
“That’s nifty, but they would repay your pity love with scornful hate.
Having the Yankees come into Camden and abuse them is what they’ll get — hopefully.”
But that’s okay. Part of loving unconditionally is accepting the fact that you don’t necessarily get the same in return. I have big shoulders. I cannot be guided by the negativity that comes from others, but rather the good will and happiness that I feel in my heart – for all teams except the Sux. Hopefully I won’t burn too badly for that!
Warren looks a lot more relaxed than in his first game.
Cashmoney March 7th, 2011 at 8:05 pm
fun facts
chad Gaudin 35-39 4.61 era
Sergio Mitre 13-29 5.27 era
***********
…and that is a perfect example of the uselessness of statistics sometimes.
Thank you for explaining your unconditional love for the Baltimore Orioles and their fans.
I hope they take it to Boston all year long as they fight with Toronto to avoid last place.
“Mitre went three scoreless, allowing three hits and striking out three. He threw 47 pitches, 32 for strikes.”
Pretty damned good. You know, this is similar to what Mitre started out with last year in ST. In fact I think he went the longest with an ERA of 0.00 last year in ST (of those who were “trying out” – wink wink – for the 5th spot in the rotation.) I think it is a mistake to summarily write Mitre off, but whatever.
Nunez is comfortable, Chavez’ case and Granderson’s consistency
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/articl.....Id=rss_nyy
Thx Hardwired. That’s pretty much what i read about him, good but not overpowering stuff with command.
Watching on mlb.com. ARod hit that ball hard, but it was right at the third baseman for an easy DP.
Sounds like another good outing for Mitre. He could be valuable as the long man and spot starter.
The Oriole announcers mentioned how Girardi’s using his complete units in ST games, meaning starting infield, outfield, 2nd string etc…isn’t something that teams do, this is a first, but they didn’t go into further detail. Vets (infield) made this road trip, that’s not normal either.
Does anyone have the back story to this?
cajun cream chicken with greens and black eyed peas…..mmmm!
“Thank you for explaining your unconditional love for the Baltimore Orioles and their fans.”
Well it’s really unconditional love for the players on the teams. I don’t really have as vested an interest in the fans except in that I want them to be able to have a good experience rooting for their teams, just as I have had the good fortune to have so many good experiences.
Something a Sux fan said several years back really stayed with me and really cemented my feelings for teams that are struggling. It really used to kill me to hear fans of other teams trash the Rays when they were still the Devil Rays. I heard them made fun of to the extent of having some Yankee fans seriously say that MLB should contract them as a team (I believe contract is the correct word?) Well anyway, when they were really struggling and had a really terrible record, the truth was that they were certainly not as bad as they looked on paper but it seems that lazy people and stat heads love to go bottom line and then crow loudly rather than pay attention to the actual details. The fact of the matter is that the Rays had good offense and some good starting pitching as well. I know because I made it a point to watch their games. But their relief pitching was dismal and one year they set a record for the most blown saves after taking a lead into the 7th inning. Of course that had to hurt.
Well anyway I remember this Sux fan saying that he was at fenway one day when the Rays were playing the Suxers and he overheard a Sux fan say to one of the Rays players when he was in the on-deck circle something like this: “Are you guys really as terrible as you look?” And he said that the player said (something to the effect of) “Yeah we’re pretty awful.” That actually made me want to slap the Sux fan in the face and cry for the Rays player. If that story was indeed true, what an arrogant little piece of crap the fan was to say that to that player.
In my mind, those guys, all of the guys starting the in the majors, are out there trying to do their best, oftentimes under some pretty dismal conditions (no fans in the stands, pretty uncompetitive teams due to the gap between the haves and have nots, etc. etc.). They have feelings. So when a team plays the Yanks and wins a game, and it’s a team that is not used to winning games, it makes me feel good for them because beating the Yankees is seen as a meaningful experience.
Since I always have faith that the Yankees will ultimately prevail, to see other teams do well does not threaten me. In fact it makes me feel good for those other teams.
MBoston. only that Girardi wants the infield getting used to each other and the outfields to learn how much ground each can cover.
kumbaya!
I was thinking that GB but why this year, and why don’t other teams do it? They made it sound like it’s an experiment.
Fran, notice that Kevin Gregg is now with the Orioles.
No idea on the reason why this year, MBoston. Not sure if he did this last year.
interesting story, Trisha. But that player is an embarrassment. Very unprofessional.
Someone said (or speculated) it was to get more practice on double plays (or things like backing each other up in the outfield).
I like the unit concept.
Harold Reynolds is suggesting that more famous Mark Reynolds cut down his stroke with 2 strikes to avoid striking out 200 times.
Sean Casey says, but he is gonna run into some on 2 strikes, you cant take those away!
Harold demands the stats of Reynolds 2 strikes HR
Unfortunately they list only his HRs with 2 strikes and not by count.
he has 3 HRs with 2 strikes and not a full count. 5 in a full count. IN a full count you can swing away (reynolds gets on base .450 and slugs .460 while batting .180 with a full count, so he is obviously waiting for a pitch and trying to drive it.) but if he cut it down on 0-2, 1-2, and 2-2, all counts in which he hits under .100 , Reynolds might be more awesome
In his career, mark reynolds has 115 HRs, he has 17 HRs 0-2, 1-2, and 2-2. He hits .100 in all of these counts for his career. If he shortened it up he might still get his HRs because of his strength, and he might avoid looking like a total idiot with 2 strikes
–
These are thoughts that I had last year. In light of DJ Mitchell abusing Mark Reynolds, I feel its relevant.
Wonderful story Trish. You are a better soul than I am… I would like nothing better than the Yankees dominants the landscape of baseball… just like the death star… annihilating all the ‘little’ teams with our superior weaponry and better trained personnels. Once we subjugate them, then it’s time to show proper mercy.
It doesn’t matter how we feel; 22 teams are going to miss the playoffs and another 7 will lose their final game of the year and watch another team celebrate. One hopes that the Yankees are the lone team celebrating at the very end.
I don’t think anyone said a word about feeling threatened by the success of other teams, so I don’t know what that’s about.
Only lazy people and stat heads like to go ‘bottom line’ on things. As well as people who go with their gut and those that hate stats, and old schoolers, and scouts.
It makes total sense m…Joe can’t be the first manager to try this can he?
The orioles might be the best team to ever finish 5th this year.
“interesting story, Trisha. But that player is an embarrassment. Very unprofessional.”
mel, I often wondered if that was a true story, on both ends. But if a player did say that, maybe it was someone new, or with the way that team was beaten down by “friend” and foe alike at that point, maybe they had no self esteem and felt embarrassed. I don’t know, but I just felt bad for the team.
They certainly have come into their own though!
Oh yeah, I don’t taunt the ‘lesser’ teams, I just wait for the NYY to step on them and grind it beneath their iron boots!
this is awesome…
(except the part about yankees fans having no soul…)
Compromise: invite Orioles fans to come north for the parade.
i left the link off:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/data.t.....Xfg3GzY%3D
Systematically? I think so. Usually certain players are excused from the less desirable itineraries. Girardi seems to be more systematic than willy-nilly this season.
Personally I never speak ill of other teams because I believe in Karma. Even in sports. I feel that if I boo the other them then they will come back and win it all. When people pick at my Yankees at work I just take it, I never retaliate because I don’t want them to know it gets to me. I am extremely competitive and I can’t stand to lose and then hear about it the next day especially from Rays “fans”. Its dreadful over a 162 game season. One day ill get over it. And Rays fans are awful, they have 2 good season and start talking smack.
“Wonderful story Trish. You are a better soul than I am… I would like nothing better than the Yankees dominants the landscape of baseball… just like the death star… annihilating all the ‘little’ teams with our superior weaponry and better trained personnels. Once we subjugate them, then it’s time to show proper mercy.”
You know Cash, I think that is the more common feeling for a fan. I also believe that I am the more aberrant fan in my compassion for all (well all but one!)
I sometimes wish I had more of that killer instinct, but I just don’t. What is nice though is that even though I think the norm for a fan may be to want to annihilate and not worry about the other guy, I’ve noticed a common heart on this forum, well a more shared heart – not ever a universal, for sure – when things happen to players on other teams. I remember the Yanks playing someone – doesn’t matter who and I don’t remember who it was – and the Yanks were killing the other team. I think they left a rookie pitcher in there and let him take one for the team, and he was just getting creamed. It was beyond painful to watch and I remember a number of posters (men amongst them which impressed me) saying they felt bad for the kid. I checked it off as a really nice moment on the forum. It was like the heart and soul of humanity transcended the blatant killer instinct.
I remember thinking there was still hope for humanity.
St. Peter’s wins the MAAC tourney and a ticket to the NCAA!
Iona tastes better defeat and some of its players will soon be #crying.
The thrill of victory!
The agony of defeat.
Such is the lot of the athlete and the fan.
“Compromise: invite Orioles fans to come north for the parade.”
from – http://waswatching.com/
Just for the fun of it:
Banglore Tougher Crowd Than Yankeeland
Posted by Steve Lombardi on March 7th, 2011 · Comments (0)
Brian Cashman got off easy this year for saying Boston was the team to beat…
Via the Jazba Blog -
An Indian man named Baba killed his Parrot for predicting Pakistan, three times in a row as World Cup Champion 2011.
According to details an Indian psychic Parrot who’s name was Mali predicted Pakistan three times in a row as Cricket World Champion 2011. His owner, to be safe from Indian party Shiv Sena, killed his Parrot for predicting Pakistan as Champion.
The Orioles are going to suck (again) next season.
As I said, having heart and soul is not a universal on this forum. Hey LGY!
I remember thinking there was still hope for humanity.
———
Well, I was smoking a joint the other day and notice that a elderly lady need help cross the street. So I got up and helped her. In a very small part I think add it to that glimmer of hope.
Are you suggesting that some don’t have a heart and soul?
“Well, I was smoking a joint the other day and notice that a elderly lady need help cross the street. So I got up and helped her. In a very small part I think add it to that glimmer of hope.”
That stuff has a ripple effect. But curiously, is the fact that you were smoking a joint relevant to this story? Are you saying that if you weren’t you wouldn’t have helped her?
Or was this a joke that went right over my head?
Any of the above is possible!
Lol gameday showing Green, N. As RF-3B-RF-3B-RF-3B and so on.
The Yankees should have someone in the 2 hole who can score consistently from 1st on a double, because Tex hits a crapload of doubles.
Old Dominion wins the CAA!
Virginia Commonwealth wears the bitter crown of defeat.
A winner and a loser.
And the world spins on.
these have to be the worst…most uninformed, cry baby announcers I have ever heard. I’ve listened to them numerous times and every broadcast they cry about yankee payroll.
This must come from years of losing.
From Marc Carig – Girardi says Brackman is out of the mix for the rotation. http://twitter.com/Ledger_Yank.....7292545024
“Are you suggesting that some don’t have a heart and soul?”
It would appear at times that some don’t have a heart and soul. Or have it so deeply hidden or buried so as not to be detectable or discernable.
It is pertinent Tricia, cuz I was sitting on a stoop of friend’s apartment cuz his roommate frown upon that stuff and it’s by the intersection. So if i had taking that smoking break, I would not have had the opportunity to do something that kind made me feel better.
Some of us find better use of our heart and soul than wasting it on a divisional rival.
DJ Mitchell has a rather extreme arm slot and release point. He’s really over the top.
That gives his curve ball nice bit and his change up very nice fading action. His fastball is rather straight but he throws it with a nice downwards place which makes it more effective then what one might guess looking at how he throws.
He stays tall on the mound does a nice job of powering the ball down. Doesn’t drive to the plate much with his legs and probably loses some velocity that way. But he picks up that downwards plane.
He looked good. Interesting arm.
Ys guy, love that chart
Soccer prodigy (former prodigy?) Freddy Adu almost went to Old Dominion to play collegiately.
If he had, his email address would have been adu@odu.edu.
True story.
“This must come from years of losing.”
That would probably do it!
Cashmoney I think that’s a beautiful thing that you did. It’s interesting too isn’t it that something like that brings as good a feeling to the doer as it does to the do-ee. That, to me, is humanity at its best.
It would be a mistake to confuse lack of agreement with your ‘pity love for rivals’ philosophy with a lack of heart and soul.
How cool would it be to end up in a 0-0 tie, especially because both teams had many/most of their premier players in the lineups.
“Cashmoney I think that’s a beautiful thing that you did”
////
what, smoking the joing or smoking it outside?
*joint*
Just like the coolest, omg. Those plucky orioles fighting the yankees to a 0-0 tie! Thats like a moral victory, good for them.
CB, I assume that they fine-tune Mitchell He didn’t start pitching until 4 years ago in college. Lots of ground balls and his share of strikeouts.
“It would be a mistake to confuse lack of agreement with your ‘pity love for rivals’ philosophy with a lack of heart and soul.”
You didn’t ask me if I was suggesting that some didn’t have a heart and soul, based on lack of “pity love” for a division rival.
I thought you question was much more generic, and I was responding in a much more generic way.
“what, smoking the joing or smoking it outside?”
Helping and old woman across the street.
Ryan Pope has that Mariano bow before he throws.
1 out away from a pyrrhic yankee victory
Ugh….I hope this game ends soon. These announcers are audibly deficating on my ears.
Gil’s a catcher with only a little 1st base experience
0-0 game. ehh
Ys, no one cares in Manhattan.
Pretty good day for the Yanks.
So happy with the way AJ has been pitching. Very very hopeful (I am).
Sharing the joint with the old lady would have been even more compassionate.
trisha – true pinstriped blue March 7th, 2011 at 9:34 pm
“what, smoking the joing or smoking it outside?”
Helping and old woman across the street.
———————————————————————————————————————-
Well, he did owe it to his mom to helpe her get across. Notice that he didn’t offer her a hit off of his doobie.
Trisha, I go with the big lebowski theory of life, just trying to abide…
Who is Wes Leonard?
GB, that i do and my grandmother.
“Sharing the joint with the old lady would have been even more compassionate.”
“Well, he did owe it to his mom to helpe her get across. Notice that he didn’t offer her a hit off of his doobie.”
LMAO!!!!!
GB7-
Watching him throw I can see how he generates so many ground balls. He drives the ball down very well. And he’s already so tall and lanky. Can’t be easy to pick the ball out of his hand.
I’d have to guess the big key for him is keeping his fastball down. From that arm slot a fastball is going to flatten out and not have much lateral movement to it. If it’s up – it’s going to get hit. But if he can consistently drive it down through the zone he’s going to pick up ground balls.
Given that he’s not even close to one of their top arms – he’s a great pitcher to have in the system. That’s a lot of quality.
Pope also looked good. It looks like he really filled out from his college days. Very aggressive. Comes right at guys. I liked how he threw.
Nice story about the youngster’s team where he scored the winning basket and then had a heart seizure. The team played their first game to win their tournament to go to the plaoff finals.
Good news. The weather channel says that this weekend is going to be rain free which means I’m 5 sleeps away from Yankees baseball weekend!
CB, the ball does take an odd flight to the plate, doen’t it? Like he’s throwing darts at a target on the ground. I’d be curious as to how heavy the ball feels when the catcher catches it.
Nice – nice and more nice.
“The Chicago White Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks traveled two hours to Tucson on Monday to play a charity game that honored Christina-Taylor Green, the 9-year-old girl killed in the attack on congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.”
Mitchell has a pretty good fastball but that change-up is something. He needs to teach it to the ML staff.
“Like he’s throwing darts at a target on the ground.”
GB7-
That’s a great description. But that’s the key to his success. When you’re that over the top it’s so easy for the ball to flatten out and just lose life. If you don’t get a downward plane on the ball your fastball is going to be very hittable.
You could even see it this appearance. The fastballs that he left up even a little got squared up. That’s what the base hits came off of.
On the flip side – when he drove the ball down he was tough to hit.
And he threw a couple of beautiful change ups – the ones to Wieters were particularly good. 3-1 change. Then he doubles up and strikes him out on a change (think it was a change at least).
He curve ball looked promising as well. With more work he could dial down a nice 12-6 hook from that release point.
GB7-
I didn’t realize his change up was that good. Really nice. And given the downwards plane on his fastball – that has to be very touch on a hitter to distinguish the fastball from the change as they have similar downwards action on the ball.
He’s got a shot to be a decent major league pitcher.
“Nice story about the youngster’s team where he scored the winning basket and then had a heart seizure. The team played their first game to win their tournament to go to the plaoff finals.”
Oh dear.
On a lot of teams by next year at the latest, Mitchell could be a #4 or #5 type pitcher and a pretty good one. On this team, by next year he could have Mitre’s spot.