I'd love to be on the good side of watching a Weaver getting roughed up for a change.

It's "Wrath of God" type thunder storms here in TN since this morning I'm afraid and heading your way...

: /

Sooooooo, how's it looking game wise? Raining? Tarp off?

Tarp is off

Abreu with the revenge steal..is no one online for this one? Pretty quiet here..Rays-Sox on tv here this morning so it's the Angels radio team via web for me..

Yay, baseball!

I'm here. Just don't have a lot to say so far.

[6][7] Following the game a bit lonely without the Banter peanut gallery..

Well at least Tex moved the runners over. Apparently those $100+ million contracts don't buy you what they used to.

Tex has at least been hitting 'em hard.

And to think some people were ready to give up on Robbie.

[9]Cano with the 2 out ribbie!

Oh Robbie, You So Fine..

HIP HIP ... JORGE!!!

Execution! Where are all the small-ball lovers?!

Hip, hip, Jorge!

oh yes - i love the yanks oing this to jared weaver

was that joba dancing in the dugout?!

Hip Hip!!!

Deliberate to Swish?? Charge the mound!!

[19] Not deliberate. Jered is looking like Jeff tonight. And not the WS-winning Jeff.

Wow @ jumping out into the lead against the Angels following a splendid Pettitte pickoff! That's one way to stop a running game!

: )

throw strikes Andy. Throw strikes.

Yeah, Weaver had no command at all in that frame.

Not that I'm upset about that or anything...

another way to stop a running game is to not walk the leadoff man

I hate when they read the bullets on the "scouting report"

[24] True... true...

From me to the Banterers,

With all my glove,

Robbie

nice to see robbie locked in at the plate and the field.

Don't you know Cano

Cano = joy

[28] He makes Pedroia look well, small...

;)

[20] jered weaver has so many of the same douchy traits that jeff has/had - hopefully he will continue to pitch like the jeff weaver i loathe

that was a rays or angel like play from pena there.

a slappy #9 hitter who can actually bunt, incontheivable!

Nice bunt Arod!

Where I'm from, they would call Ramiro Pena "a good 'un."

[35] are you from the south pj?

Jered, you're no Andy Pettitte

[36] Yes, my wife and I currently reside in our hometown of Nashville, TN.

: )

arte seems to be enjoying the food at ys.

[38] i grew up in huntsville - been to nashville quite a lot

god poor tex is really looking bad.

[39] Huntsville is great! Been there a lot, too. They gots rockets and stuff!

: O

damn hope swisher is ok

LOL. I thought "Melky" looked kinda pale and skinny.

I just hope the Yankees don't lose their Swish.

dammit, swish out of the game ... just one more reason to add to the weaver hate.

Never been to Nashville, would like to. Been to Memphis, it was pretty cool - they have a real nice minor league ballpark right downtown. The downtown was eerily empty though.

Ah shit, Gardner in for Swisher. Shit.

In case one hadn't noticed, Swisher is out.

[46] Diagnosis?? Damn Weaver..I am so freakin tired of people hitting the Yanks, intentionally or not, with no response..bring back Krazy Kyle!

Nice to come home to a good looking' score. I had in friend in Colorado who was from Murfreesboro TN. He was aptly nicknamed Tennessee. Man, did he have a thick accent.

[47] I've actually been feeling like Yankee pitchers sure have been hitting a lot of guys this year. Most years I'm also annoyed with all the plunked Yanks.

Boy Andy, lets get on with it... Good gamesmanship from the Angles though - shock

Phew!

[47] All they said was that it was his elbow. The YES announcers don't seem overly concerned. They predicted when he was hit that he would have to leave the game, once the elbow started swelling. Presumably he's icing it now.

[47] There's always Veras... just wild enough to seem like an accident >;)

We've lived all over the SE U.S., from southern Indiana to Miami, and pernts between...

We like it here sort of, being temperate, great food, and equally great golf.

Not much here though, especially if you don't like Country Music, even though all types of tunes come from here these days, including that new Francesa jingle, which reminds me of the "Chimpokoman" song from South Park...

: )

[52] Oooh. And if Veras gets suspended, well that would be a feature, not a bug.

[53] What's the scoop on Knoxville? I'm toying with applying for a job there, the major drawbacks are finding a new dojo & trying to sell my house in Toledo.

What's with the "Boston Sucks" chant? Anyone?

[53] Chinpokomon was hysterical..I think Parker from South Park is married to a Japanese woman, hence all the obscure Japanese references in many episodes.

Not a country music fan, though have a soft spot for Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings..

[55] College town, UT devotion rivals just about anywhere else in the U.S. because that's all they have there really. Foothills of the Appalachians, really beautiful all year round. Absolutely stunning during the fall. Folks come from all over to look at the leaves changing. Great place for families.

Good grief. Even the catcher is stealing bases?

[58] Thanks.

Jorge stole a base the other day. Maybe this is the year of the base stealing catcher?

[57] I like the old country stuff (70's and earlier to Hank Sr. and Patsy Cline). After Hee Haw was canceled, all my friends became out of work, and I really don't like the "new country" which replaced it...

Welcom back, Brett. holy crap- swing the fuckin' bat.

I actually like much of the new country: Tim McGraw, Dirks Bently, Keith Urban, Josh Turner. Allison Krauss and George Strait are amazing. Don't like Kenny Chesney or Big n Rich or the Redneck Woman any of that crap.

They're all swinging pretty weakly, if at all...

[60] Oh I forgot, sales tax is high, but there are no state and local income taxes... Moderate expenses for living and TN roads are among the best in the nation in terms of condition and repairs.

Jered Weaver is suddenly looking like the 3.3 ERA pitcher that he is.

[66] Good thing they mugged him early.

If I were you guys who live in NY, I'd check out Dolly Parton's 9-5 on Broadway, if you liked that movie...

Opens soon if it hasn't already.

: )

[65] And don't forget dry counties and some decent BBQ in TN. And you're right, the Smoky Mountains are absolutely gorgeous.

[65] Thanks. I don't mind a sales tax, taxing consumption is better IMO than taxing working.

[69] Good pernt Raf. Even the county where Lynchburg is, where they distill Jack Daniel's is still dry...

: /

Swisher has a bruised right elbow. X-rays negative.

And it's an official game.

Hi guys.

[72] "Tape an aspirin to it, Swish!"

;)

[74] I hear windex works wonders

Jeff Weaver was called up yesterday, BTW. They're carrying 13 pitchers, to keep Torre from abusing anyone. Eyechart was put on the 60-day DL to make room for him.

OK, let's get some more runs here. It's a Weaver on the mound, fer cryin' out loud.

[68] Finest and funniest show I've seen in a while: Spamalot!

Tex is saving himself for the games that really count....

[78] I love that show.

It closed on Broadway, but I think it's on tour in varoius places.

[78] When my wife and I took the trip up there and attended that near Cabrera no hit fiasco at OYS in '06, we went to Spamalot, too...

I sat directly behind the poor sap in the audience they took on stage...

Too fun, that!

LOL

Additionally, that's one of my all time favorite movies.

: )

Did you see this story about the collapse of the secondary market for Yankees tickets?

tinyurl.com/c75ec5

[77] He's not exactly Jeff Weaver Jr., more Weaver 2.0...

Missed the first couple innings. What happened to Swisher?

I'm diggin' the centefield shots that show from behind the mound left side style. It's a different look.

[84] HBP on the elbow. Just a bruise, phew.

[84] HBP.

[84] Weaver plunked him on the back of his right elbow, swelled up a bit, so he was removed. X-rays were negative...

C'mon Andy.

Attaboy.

Wow, big hit. Dammit.

Andy's gassed, I'm afraid...

Throwing a lot of changeups...

crap - let's settle down - get out of the inning and call the game fellows

NERTS!

Andy's over 100 pitches. Bring in Melancon.

Did not have the stuff tonight. So was that steal of home still in his mind?

Randym knows Girardi's cell #.

big moment for the rook here ...

Ouch.

buggerfuck

Shi-yit!

damnit all to hell.

i thought gary matthews jr was toast.

Ugh.

So if it starts raining really heavy and they have to call the game, the score reverts to the last full inning, right?

[102] He is, but even Gary Matthews Jr can hit a fb down the middle

I really don't need to see Jose Veras warming up. That's not what I'm looking for.

Bah... Andy was left in too long...

Should have taken him out after the two run single.

I said last night was a game the Yankees usually lose to the Angels. I missed the first two innings of tonight's game, but for the entire portion I've seen, its been pretty clear that they were going to lose this game.

wheee ... and it all goes to shit.

[105] yeah -i'm guessing he didn't want to walk him and just grooved it in there

christ another run

[104] No... the game gets continued another day

Holy frakker!!

Yep

man this is turning sloppy - is this the rain or just poor play?

Gabby Solis with the Grand Slam off Materson..Rays up 5-2 now at least..

off for Soba noodles and a history walk, hope our boys can come back!

ofer faks sake

oh for fuck's sake.

screw this, i'm going drinking ...

Well, the Angels haven't gotten many HBP's but they're getting hit a lot

[117] jinx [116]

Finally

apparently the ball is covered in oil

[119]

if you don't swear like a proper Banterer, i don't owe you a coke!

;-)

4 innings to get 3 runs. no problem

No excuse for a six run inning... none...

My "oh shit moment" was Pena missing that squirter that got by him.

Girardi has got to do better than that.

i hope po is just mad and didn't hurt his hamstring again

Watching Gardner stride to the plate is so fucking depressing. if the Yankees don't score at least one run here I think they start to roll over and the game is over.

125 He's definitely mad. (At first I thought he was winded!)

Now fucking let him run. Don't wait for a god damned two strike count. RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN.

[128] Maybe he doesn't want to take the bat out of Melky's hands?

hahahahahahahahahahaha *whew*

oferchristsake stupid mlb.tv crapping out.

ugh

[130] I had no trouble.

Or we can stand there, fly out and slowly lose the game. That works too.

Melky flies out.

With any luck they will take Weaver out and we can get to their BP...

Did anyone see the Pete Abe compare Pedroia's first 60 games to Gardner's. Their numbers were very similar, but I have a hard time believing that Dusty looked as pathetic as Lil' G. Oh, and Tex will finally become a true Yankee tonight. : )

Why do the Yankees keep giving up these huge innings. Joe really might need to shorten up his hook for the starters

Melancon can't pitch an entire inning?

[137] Uh, Melancon gave up a first-pitch triple. The problem wasn't that he left Pettitte in too long.

Go to the mound. Slap Veras. And take him out.

[136] dusty looked really bad at the beginning of that year.
oyf can probably say more than me since he watched more red sox games than i did.
but one thing dusty didn't do that gardner seems to me to do is look for the walk and hence watch strike 3 a lot. dusty swung the bat more aggressively.

[136] Dusty was also 22. Gardner is 25.

I hate Veras.

[137] One might easily argue leaving Andy in to load the bases wasn't smart.

[136] Pedroia did look bad. The hitting coach took him aside and told him he had to change his swing if he wanted to stick in the big leagues.

Veras is like a railroad spike to the eye.

Jen and I reporting from section 202, where the biggest concern all night has been shouting "pirates suck" to a guy in a Pittsburgh hat

Dusty had very good numbers in Ml. Garder needs to lose the uppercut swing and be more aggressive.

I would like to seen some aggressiveness. Any schmo can go up there and watch stirke after strike and swing like a kid who would get cut from JV. I hate Pedroia, but he does not look clueless in the box. The age thing makes it even more aggravating.

[144] Yeah, I agree. Melancon was just called up. He looked very nervous to me, coming in with the bases loaded and the game on the line.

damint i'm really start to not like veras

clap-clap-clap. Atta boy, Veras. At least you didn't walk him.

[144] [150] But Melancon and Veras have been *much* worse than Pettitte. Bringing them in earlier wouldn't have been better, surely.

Let's face it, our bullpen sucks. I mean, I'll cut Melancon some slack, but as long as Pettitte doesn't look terrible, it's smart to leave him in.

What the fuck does this team see in Jose fucking Veras? ENOUGH. CUT HIM.

Anyone know a couple of guys from Jersey who could "take care" of Veras?

A suicide squeeze is exciting, but isn't it a stupid move there? Maybe not -- arguably that fourth run (of the lead) is still important, and a fifth would be less important. It feels wrong to me.

I want another South Park episode where Scioscia is the "World's Biggest Douche." Irritation quickly gaining momentum. Bollocks!

[156] that's because we don't have the prowess of mike scosia

Suicide squeeze. The scraptastic Angels strike again.

[157] We've faced my two least favorite managers in these two series. And I dislike both of them for the same reason.

[153] Yes, Pettitte is better, but he was clearly gassed. Waiting until the bases were loaded was waiting too long.

god, maybe all the "experts" who predicted the yanks pen would be a liability are right. that would suck on so many levels.

[16] You don't like Leyland? He I can dig. The smug ass in the red hat who can't beat the Red Sox in the postseason, not so much.

man michael kay's anectdote about sciosia and the 3b coach is just one more reason to despise him

Ok, maybe those Jersey boys could "take care" of the entire Yankee bullpen except for Mo & Bruney.

[163] For [160] Whoops. Well, that was nice catch. This game fuckin' sucks.

Edwar can go too. There really probably is a reason he's washed out of baseball twice.

[161] Yeah, clearly it would have been better to have a few more outs worth of Melancon. Uh, I mean, Veras. Or Edwar....
I'd much rather have Andy Pettitte after 90 pitches that what we've seen out of these relievers. Much. Not close.

So we got through the rotation exactly one time without a meltdown, and after that, immediately get a meltdown. Terrible.

Of course the bullpen did its part too. Squandering a 4-0 lead at home in the 6th is pretty unforgivable.

Yeah, I hate Leyland. Well, not hate. He just rubs me the wrong way. He's got an "I'm old school, young man" attitude that makes me want to give him the finger.

[158] The only thing that bothers me about Sciosia is he gets far more of a pass than people claimed Torre got. He single handedly lost the playoffs for the Angels in 2004, and he's made a ton of stupid moves in subsequent Red Sox series, but no one seems to notice.

damn - hoping tex would at least breakthrough a bit

It's not just losing. It's losing to a Weaver. And losing to a Weaver after we had him on the ropes.

[170] He lives near me (next town over), in Perrysburg OH. It's easy to hear him yell at the damn kids to get off the lawn.

[173] Perfect.

The Red Sox look very bad, if that's any consolation.

If Bruney comes back as he was, and Melanson gets some experience, our BP may be decent next month.

Fuckin' Robbie hits nothing but ropes.

per ESPN:
"I know where I want to be next year," Damon told 1050 ESPN New York. "I want to be here in New York. I also know New York has a lot of young outfielders coming back. Austin Jackson is in the wings. At least, in this situation, I know my chances of coming back could be slim because of the young talent the Yankees do have."

I still consider Melky a #3.5, and Brett a MLer. If we don't get Holliday or Crawford, I might take a flyer on JD for one year. I think JD has more upside then Nady.

OH, COME ON!!! What the motherfuck???

Last I tuned in it was 4-0.

God damn it.

What kind of bullshit is this?

Yeah, Brett! Maybe Melky's lit a fire under him.

I've lost mlb.tv. Anybody watching? Is it something wrong at my end?

[179] Combined effort. Andy, then Melancon, then Veras. Edwar also contributed later. Quite a fiasco.

Now we're rolling. Just had to get into that Angel bullpen.

[181] What's wrong is not at your end. MLB.tv is being merciful to you.

Oh wait, this is a battle of the crappy bullpens?

Yeah, Pena!

Ramiro!

[184] That would be a yes. Kay said the Yanks' bullpen ranks 13th in ERA. The Angels are dead last.

Yankees make it 9-7 on a Pena bases loaded single. One out, 1st and 3rd.

Alright Pena, time to steal home.

Ground out by Jeter. 9-8.

Good lord.
Remember when the Angels had a great bullpen?

Man on 2nd, 2 out, JD up. 1-2 count.

damnit jd - don't let brett rub off on you!

those extra 2 crappy runs the angels got are looming large.

Mean while, Julio Lugo strikes out looking at three 86 mph 'fastballs' straight down the pike. Literally. He must be blind.

Well, good production from the bottom of the order there.

So, I believe Melancon is going to be good. And Bruney. And Phil Coke is okay. We can get by with those guys and Mo, and some mop-up work from maybe Albaladejo, and just dump the other stiffs, right?

Well, go figure.

Mike Sciosa would bunt here.

This game has been positively insane.

Damn, what a game!

Robbie for HOF!

In case someone reads this later, let me explain that [197] was written when Robbie came to bat with runners on first and second and nobody out.

Of course, he singles to load the bases...