Yankees pregame: Ichiro wears pinstripes
Posted by: Brian Heyman - Posted in Misc on Jul 27, 2012 
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Hello there, Brian Heyman here at Yankee Stadium for Chad, ready to watch the first-place Yankees and the last-place Red Sox. Takes a little of the fun out of it. But Ichiro must be excited, slipping on the pinstripes for his home debut. He figures to be greeted warmly. But he knows he’s going to have to hit to keep the fans’ good feelings coming his way.
Or as he put it: “Obviously I need to do well … so they’ll be on my side.”
Ichiro admitted he had actually dressed in Yankees clothing prior to Monday’s trade.
“I was in Japan till 2000,” he said. “I was a big fan of MLB. I had a lot of jerseys. I had a Yankee uniform. It’s different. But I feel like I wore it before because I wore it in Japan.”
While he isn’t the hitter he used to be — now batting .261 — there’s a school of thought that he’s going to step up his game again because he’s with a team trying to nail down a division title. Ichiro said he was always motivated in Seattle despite the circumstances. But Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine, who had seen Ichiro as a manager in Japan and once wanted the Mets to go after Ichiro when Valentine was managing them, sees more coming from Ichiro now.
“I think he’s a special person and a special baseball player, and now he’s in a special situation,” Valentine said.
Nick Swisher still isn’t back in the lineup, so Ichiro is still playing right. The Yankees will see how Swisher, who has had that strained hip flexor, feels tomorrow.
“We don’t want to have a setback,” Joe Girardi said. “I don’t think we’re being overly cautious. He’s not quite ready.”
Joba Chamberlain threw here today and is scheduled make his seventh rehab appearance Sunday, this time at Double-A Trenton.
Girardi said Alex Rodriguez will have his broken left hand x-rayed again next week. Girardi wouldn’t put a timetable on A-Rod’s return, although the going guess has been 6 to 8 weeks.
I won’t mind if Swisher sits out this 3 game series.
Why rush him? There is no need to rush him back.
Give him the extra 3 days to be 150% sure the strain has vanished.
“Why does Hughes have fairly extreme reverse splits?”
I think it’s because he can use his CU better against them and he tends to make better pitches with his breaking ball as well…kinda burying it at their feet…..it was the opposite last year if I”m not mistaken….I think lefties torched him last year.
Go Ichiro…I hope he finds that short porch tonight!
Since Ichiro has an automatic out hitting behind him, I hope he finds that short porch a few times.
Carlos Gonzalez is at or near the top of the Rangers’ wish list of outfielders for 2013, Morosi and Rosenthal report. For now, however, the Rockies are keeping Gonzalez and Dexter Fowler off-limits in trade talks.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com
Of course he is…..the Rangers want everybody good.
Usually when I rip on players a lot, they have good games.. So Russell Martin, you’re a bum.
Blake-
Thanks. Ortiz is the one lefty who hits Hughes well in their lineup.
Expecting a number of shifts from the RS tonight with Cook pitching. Yanks might have to rely on the homerun since their speed threat is batting 8th.
Hughes needs to get more comfortable using his CU to righties….he uses his 3 pitches more effectively against lefites.
Blake-
Yes, Hughes was much better in 2011 vs righties:
http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/.....hil-hughes
Hughes used to get torched by lefties because his cutter would get hammered when he missed against them. With his fastball, curve, and change he has 3 decent tools against lefties now that are less likely to be mistake pitches. On the other hand he only has fastball-curve against righties.
blake July 27th, 2012 at 5:25 pm
Hughes needs to get more comfortable using his CU to righties….he uses his 3 pitches more effectively against lefites.
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I agree. The threat needs to exist versus righties. Those hitters should not be allowed
to eliminate that 1 pitch against Hughes.
I’ve been hoping for him to throw the CU to both righties and lefties. Why not
Yes and obviosly cutting out the meatball cutter has helped him a lot vs LHP as JF mentions.
JF-
Is Hughes just not changing righty batters eye levels. I don’t have the stats but he seems less likely to be striking out righties on his high heat………..well if you can call 93mph heat.
Thoughts?
Felix probably uses his CU vs righties better than anybody in baseball…..its just a feel pitch and Hughes has to get comfortable using it.
I won’t mind if Swisher sits out this 3 game series.
Why rush him? There is no need to rush him back.
Give him the extra 3 days to be 150% sure the strain has vanished.
Might as well wait til the post-season then! We actually need Swisher to give this lineup depth and not have Jones facing righties.
Yankees vs. Red Sox is always good to watch. The fact that the Sox are struggling makes it even sweeter.
Jobber is a stahtin’ pitchah! Just bought my Joba tix for Sunday at Trenton. Screws up my Wang plans for tomorrow, but … #pumped!
Hughes gets more swings and misses with his fastball vs righties, but he gives up more line drives this year. He gets less swings and misses with his curve though vs righties though and they hit it for a 38% line drive rate. Lefties only 20%.
JF-
Thanks. What does he need to do then -change the batters eye level?
YT you love this changing eye level thing! I don’t know, I think he needs to have a better curve probably. Its getting there but isn’t quite there yet.
It used to be a lot of fun watchin’ the Sux and Yankees go at it.
Too Bad the Sux are no longer relevant.
And of course, getting a better curve can help change the eye levels.
Ichiro hitting 8th isn’t the worst thing out there. Best case scenario he gets on, steals off of the first pitch, Martin bunts him over, and then we have the top of our lineup on its way to drive him on.
As for worst case scenario, well, he is a sinker ball pitcher, so I will let you all guess that one.
Drive him in*
JF-
Thanks. Here’s looking at you!
Time for dinner. Until later.
Go Yankees!!
what more do they need to see out of Joba? if he comes through this appearance unscathed he should be with the team shortly after.
Can’t believe people want Ichiro to hit HR’s… I hope he does not hit HR’s….singles, doubles, stolen bases, moving runners over, sac flies, small ball or else Yankees can’t win in playoffs…….pitchers who attack the zone and don’t issue walks shut us out, like Oakland……
Wanting ichiro to hit homers is different than wanting ichiro to become a pull hitter. As a fan of the yankees, i want everyone to hit homers. That doesn’t mean i want them to change their approach at the plate.
waka flocka July 27th, 2012 at 6:00 pm
what more do they need to see out of Joba? if he comes through this appearance unscathed he should be with the team shortly after.
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I need to see more from Joba during this rehab assignment. Perhaps another 5-7 days
where he faces hitters that are not in AA or A.
The more appearances he makes during this rehab assignment, the better prepared he will be
when he’s activated.
Sux and Yanks on a Friday night in the Bronx. Let’s Do This!!
yankeefeminista July 27th, 2012 at 5:43 pm
Jobber is a stahtin’ pitchah! Just bought my Joba tix for Sunday at Trenton. Screws up my Wang plans for tomorrow, but … #pumped!
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I’m there too. Shall we expect a sixth inning entrance?
Where’s Odds?
Would have been cool to have Ichiro leadoff in his first game in pinstripes. Have the fans give him a warm welcome.
Go, Yankees! Go, Phil!
USA! USA! USA!
im glad the yankees picked up ichiro, but people are making WAY too big a deal about him. he’s just a rental they picked up b/c he didnt cost them any prospects they didnt want to part with.
Betances nice bounce back with 3 straight Ks to get out of first down 2-0. Curve’s biting and saw something I have not of late from him, high riding heat.
I’m here JAP
Against All Odds July 27th, 2012 at 6:30 pm
I’m here JAP
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Dude, you goin Sunday? Joba at Trenton!
“I was in Japan till 2000,” he said. “I was a big fan of MLB. I had a lot of jerseys. I had a Yankee uniform. It’s different. But I feel like I wore it before because I wore it in Japan.”
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So he’s a closet Yankee fan ! Awesome !
Check that, that wasn’t the first inning on Betances and Thunder, they just said Thunder’s down 5-1. I missed the first couple innings. But he did get all his outs in that last innings, on 3 straight Ks.
Rangers Notes: Outfielders, Greinke, Broxton
By Mark Polishuk [July 27 at 5:32pm CST]
The Rangers look primed to make at least a couple of trade deadline upgrades to their roster as they pursue that elusive World Series title. We heard earlier today that Texas was looking at such top-tier outfielders as Carlos Gonzalez, Dexter Fowler, Shin-Soo Choo and Justin Upton, though none of those players look to be available right now. Here’s some more about other Ranger trade targets…
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com
It’s kinda annoying that Texas is looking to improve all the time…..
Looks like Betances came in in relief? interesting…..
Odds, Yankeefem, Joba being interviewed on YES
No I won’t be able to make it but I know you and YF will be out in full force
Quick interview way too short lol
Obrein started the Trenton game and threw 2 innings….got hit hard looks like then Betances pitched the 3rd.
Nope, Blake, Betances started today. They were resuming a suspended game from yesterday. I forgot about that. He’s given up 2 runs.
Meh, just a shot at Hamilton, negotiating ploy. He got called out by Nolan, but he responded by accepting the blame for his struggles.
I’m not sure I’d like to own the latter half of his next contract. He sure is brittle.
Nope, Blake, Betances started today. They were resuming a suspended game from “yesterday. I forgot about that. He’s given up 2 runs.”
ah….gotcha
I really don’t think the Rangers will re-sign Hamilton….I can see the Dodgers going after him in continuation of their spending spree.
Against All Odds July 27th, 2012 at 6:39 pm
No I won’t be able to make it but I know you and YF will be out in full force.
_____
Yep, sitting right next to Cash.
Against All Odds July 27th, 2012 at 6:39 pm
No I won’t be able to make it but I know you and YF will be out in full force
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We’ll miss ya, pal
yankeefeminista July 27th, 2012 at 6:43 pm
Against All Odds July 27th, 2012 at 6:39 pm
No I won’t be able to make it but I know you and YF will be out in full force.
_____
Yep, sitting right next to Cash.
————————
Make sure you give him an earful
The Dodgers already have 135 million on the books for 2013
J. Alfred Prufrock July 27th, 2012 at 6:44 pm
Against All Odds July 27th, 2012 at 6:39 pm
No I won’t be able to make it but I know you and YF will be out in full force
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We’ll miss ya, pal
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At least you get to see Joba up close. That’s a great thing
blake,
and in a few years what is happening to Philly will happen to them.
Joba is getting closer!!!
I would love for the Yankees to win tonight…..got the pre-game Stella on ice right now.
At least you get to see Joba up close. That’s a great thing
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It is, and I’ll spare no detail, Odds
.
Cashman, OTOH, gets to see me up close, & that might not be a good thing for him
J. Alfred Prufrock July 27th, 2012 at 6:50 pm
At least you get to see Joba up close. That’s a great thing
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It is, and I’ll spare no detail, Odds
.
Cashman, OTOH, gets to see me up close, & that might not be a good thing for him
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No it won’t be a good thing. You’re going to put on the full court press
Odds, Nah. He’s a lost cause.
Good evening,
JAP and YF…If you happen to see Mr Cashman, please send him my warmest hello
Dealin’ back to getting grounders, DP gets him out of trouble and the inning!
JAP and YF…If you happen to see Mr Cashman, please send him my warmest hello
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Done, hermano
“and in a few years what is happening to Philly will happen to them.”
depends on how wisely they plan…..
primo, Betances with a nasty curve so far tonight.
Odds, five rows back. Can’t wait. Wish you were going to be there.
Luis, I will be on my best behavior. Of course depends on what you consider “best.”
I’m counting down the days to where Joba goes to a smart organization as a FA and gets a chance to re-start his career as a starter. I’m rooting for him so badly to prove Cashman and the rest of the “Joba is a reliever!” crowd wrong. I don’t want him to be stuck as a middle reliever here for us when he can become a Beckett/Verlander start elsewhere. So even if it hurts for my team, for him personally, he deserves the opportunity to beast as a starter. It isn’t happening here with our GM, so it has to be elsewhere.
Yeah Odds, that was not a comprehensive interview with Joba. You definitely need to check in to Ashmore’s site, Thunder Thoughts (you can get it right off Lohud page here), as he’ll likely post video of Joba’s pitches and I imagine an interview as well.
J. Alfred Prufrock July 27th, 2012 at 6:53 pm
Odds, Nah. He’s a lost cause.
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Maybe he can still be repaired but it might take Inception to work
Yanks78 July 27th, 2012 at 6:57 pm
I’m counting down the days to where Joba goes to a smart organization as a FA and gets a chance to re-start his career as a starter.
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Amen to that. Maybe you should attend the Trenton game on Sunday. We can all chant:
“Joba is a Stahtin’ Pitcha!”
Excellent news primo….I heard you say that he has a rising FB tonight?…What about the stride? is it agressive toward HP?
Maybe he can still be repaired but it might take Inception to work
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LOL. You’re a born optimist, Odds.
yankeefeminista July 27th, 2012 at 6:56 pm
Odds, five rows back. Can’t wait. Wish you were going to be there.
Luis, I will be on my best behavior. Of course depends on what you consider “best.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++
LMAO!! I know that you will do exactly as he deserves
J. Alfred Prufrock July 27th, 2012 at 6:58 pm
Yeah Odds, that was not a comprehensive interview with Joba. You definitely need to check in to Ashmore’s site, Thunder Thoughts (you can get it right off Lohud page here), as he’ll likely post video of Joba’s pitches and I imagine an interview as well.
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Thanks JAP I’ll make sure to check it out
I agree with JAP…Lost cause
luis,
He’s not striding out as much and the ball was up as a result, certainly on the “triple” (ball was hit hard, but Mesa got an unusually late jump). I do think that tradeoff is utterly wrongheaded. They keep wondering aloud why he’s giving up hits, how he’s characteristically stingy with hits, but getting hit around lately. It’s because of this dumb directive he’s been given, no doubt.
Yes, he threw that rising fastball above the letters that got air for his final K in that first inning. I haven’t seen that for some time, where he was effectively changing eye levels.