Heading into the season, the Twins hoped to compensate for that likely regression with the continued emergence of their talented young starting rotation, but thus far that hasn’t worked out all that well.

Aw crap.

Reason for hope #whatever: Off all 102 players who qualify for the batting average title, Mark Teixeira ranks dead LAST in BABIP.

This is seriously positive, and suggests major bad luck (bab luck?) as much as anything else. For interest Carlos Quentin, another massive disappointment out the gate, ranks 101st.

[2] What's his line drive % though? BABIP is often tied to that. If he's putting a lot of balls in play but popping up to short everytime, then he's not neccesarily the victim of purely bad luck.

Indeed, pitchers BABIPs are largely random and all trend back toward league average, but hitter BABIPs are a bit more skill-related.

Ugh. Kay's back.

For cultofbasebaal,

I saw your reply on the earlier thread where thelarmis and I were talking Miles. Glad to hear there's another Miles-maniac here at the Banter!

Yes, I've got the "Cellar Door Sessions", and also love "Jack Johnson". I had heard that Sonny Sharrock was uncredited on the album but didn't know the box-set had all the details..that will have to go on the "to purchase" list. I was happy with the "Bitches Brew" box but heard the "In A Silent Way" box-set was dissapointing (the original album is close to perfect).

Yep, Agharta and Pangea were recorded on the same day at concert hall in Osaka, can you imagine being there for both shows?? I've argued with friend about those two albums many times, he takes your side for Pangea and thinks Pete Cosey was just jiving..

[3] I think I had read his LD% was down and he was taking more called third strikes. Perhaps those events are related?

[1] My thoughts exactly!

[8] The Yankees are often the cure for whatever isn't working out as it should be.

Ah, is that what you meant, Matt? I couldn't figure it out. I thought maybe you were being sarcastic as in "poor little Twins."

Home Sweet Home?

I hope so! Phil needs to man up and leave his troubles at the door!

: )

I'm glad Liriano has been having trouble, because I find him scary. Is it control trouble? The Yankees can take advantage of that.

I was going to say that this is a very big game for Hughes, but then I realized: if/when Wang is ready, Phil is gone; and until then, there's nobody to replace Hughes with anyway. Still, it seems like a big game for his confidence. If he pitches well, the bad starts will seem like 'growing pains' or something; if he bombs, that first start is going to look like an aberration.

Liriano has just been inconsistent. I can't point to any one thing. He's had a few good starts (three to be exact), but he's not dominating the way he did down the stretch last year.

YES has Hughes at 94 mph to start the game.

Hmm. Might be that the YES gun is broken as usual. I think they had that curve as 94, too.

Good. Face the MVP with the bases empty.

Yeah, every pitch that inning was 94 per YES, which means the gun is on the fritz.

Nice first inning for Hughes: bloop single by Span, three-pitch K of Tolbert (looking at a curve), and a GIDP from Mauer.

An encouraging start for Hughes. Getting Mauer out lately is a coup no matter how its done!

Brutal third-strike call by Wally Bell on Damon. Hughes better get those calls, too.

Teix does seem to swing and miss at those low balls a lot thus far

[19] Hes not

Gotta love how YES showed the overhead shot of strike three against Damon being outside, but not when Hughes got the same call.

Well, he just won the MVP.

Bleh!

Damn, that curve was in the dirt and Morneau hit it out . . . to RF, of course.

'nother NYS HR to center-right...

I'm sorry, Paulie, but that pitch was mid-shin, it was low enough not to get hit out.

Michael Cuddyer is barely 30 years old.

The lesson: Stay out of the tanning bed kids.

Sure doesn't look like the strike zone has expanded for Hughes. Grind it out kid

Gameday has Hughes' 4-seam ranging from 92 to 94.

Boy these walks are frustrating! Has anyone see the cutter today?

Hughes gives up a home run and immediately walks the next two going on three batters. This kid's mental makeup is shaky at best.

GAH.

Way to bury the relay throw, Robbie ...

If Phil cant command that curve any better this could be a long night

Whoa, lucky strikeout.

[35] It was WELL over the inside corner.
Phil has everything needed to be successful. It's just a matter of time.
Nice hand for ARod!

Two walks and a dinger, he gets away with one run.

I think he's deliberately trying to work the edges, and there have been some close calls -- I wouldn't say he's getting screwed by the calls, but I would say he's pretty close.

Wow, cheers for Alex.

I think it's safe to say without fear of contradiction now that the YES gun numbers are "horseshit," unless of course Hughes' knuckle curve "tops out" at 94...

Pfft!

Dollars to donuts they sit at a computer in the truck punching in whatever numbers they feel like.

It's more important to get a closeup of Gardenhire for no reason at all...

Hey hoppystone, if you are out there lurking, thanks for the info on the Baltimore prospect Grant Green. Obviously we must trade for him immediately!

Interesting. We need more righties in this line-up.

I hate to say it, but I don't have a lot of confidence in Robbie here...

(Reverse jinx?)

Bleh again!

Its gonna be one of those nights

Listening to the Twins radio team on MLB.com, between innings they are not cutting away..am sure I just heard one of the announcers talking to his producer, then muttering under his breath "what the fuck does that mean.." most entertaining part of this game so far..

[36] Yeah but did you see where it was supposed to be? That's the very definition of lucky!

no way, this game doesn't have near the same feel as yesterday - the offense will break thru soon enough. We just need Philthy to hang in there

Cano hit the ball hard, can't complain there. Cabrera ... not so much. I hope Girardi benching him last night didn't put an end to his hot hitting.

Yankees need to get someone warming...they can't wait for Hughes to implode again.

[46] In case you hadn't noticed, Liriano is tough to hit. I'm not concerned about Melky so much as I am about our prospects of driving in runs at all. I might just root for pitch count...

damnit. someone make Phil watch video of pitchers pumping fastballs.

Wow, Kate Hudson is fine

This is brutal.

[43] The best exchange I heard during a break was between Jeff Brantley and his partner. During the inning, the partner spent a lot of time detailing changes that were made, which I guess interupted Brantley's analysis. During the break, Brantley profanely scolded his partner, who sarcastically replied something to the effect "I think the fans care more about what's going on the field than what you have to say".

[48] Liriano hasn't been that tough to hit since his surgery.

The crowd seemed shocked that he was called safe.

Yanks are swinging at a lot of balls well out of the zone. If they could lay off, I don't think Liriano would last long.

There's a bonus.

I'm always relieved when we get our first hit.

[52] Same WHIP as last year.

Lol, that's the only XBH Cash will get all year

[57] But it wasn't very good last year either.

[59] No, but I seem to remember him being considered dominant in, like, August and September.

[51] A few years ago Kay and Singleton tried to figure out what WHIP meant during the break. That was fun.

Liraino will let no Hughes walk go unanswered.

[54] That was good advice.

william you probably can answer this..why does YES have so many announcers? last night i watched the reply of the CC game, was SIngleton and Al Leiter (they were great). Singleton, Leiter, Cone, O'Neil, Flaherty with Kay as the play-by-play..a bit excessive isn' t it? Am sure this has been covered in the Banter at some point but I don't remember..

[60] Great August, but 4.66 ERA in September. Since the surgery, he hasn't been much more than a league average pitcher.

[61] I wish people would just call WHIP "baserunner per inning". simple, descriptive, non-geeky-sounding...

[64] Quantity makes up for the lack of quality?

But that's facetious -- I like mor than half of those guys.

[66] But that's not quite right -- errors, FC. Those don't count.
Still, if the idea is to make it clear enough for dummies, then baserunner-per-inning would be good.

[66] Nothing, nothing nothing is geekier than "pitcher abuse points"

I cringe any time someone uses that term.

[64] I think it's excessive, but YES seems to like the rotation. Unfortunately, the only guy who is there most of the time is Kay. I think it comes down to YES not wanting to have a stagnant duo, but if they are good, fans like the familiarity.

Oh, good, now Brett gets a chance.

AWFUL move by Damon. The Yankees can't lose his bat, no matter how bad the call was.

Damon got tossed?? What is wrong with this ump??

The smug look on Wally Bell's face is infuriating.

man, piss Damon off that much and you know you've messed up

Now Wally Bell should be fined for being incompetent.

[76] MLB has to start releasing umpire report cards. There is no reason the umps should face the same accountability as players.

He had to toss Damon. Johnny was "showing him up". It's an umpire's code thing.

Frankly, I don't mind losing Damon -- Liriano is *so* much better against lefties than against righties. Today, at least.

Seven walks in less than three full innings.

I hate these games. With a fiery passion.

Godawful call vs Damon. Terrible.

[78] But his replacement is Gardner. Except on defense, it's a huge loss.

[78] Damon is going to be replaced by the lefty gardner...

Arod has to at least get in a run. Otherwise, we could hear some early boos.

A Rod is pressing in this AB

Just hit it in the air Alex

So he didn't swing at a pitch in the dirt. It's a start.

Two ABs and the boos start...Yankee fans aren't very smart.

christ that wasn't nice looking

I don't think one of those pitches was a strike. Horrendous AB

Well, that was quite the AB.

Meanwhile, the Yankees are embarking on another frustrating game.

Well we all knew A Rod wasn't gonna help with their RISP batting

[89] I think you're right.
After the walk to Tex, Alex was expecting Liriano to be trying to hard to get ahead, pound the zone.

what an awful inning

Out by an inch or two.

How could Matsui not beat that out? This team is remarkable in its ability to find a way to fail.

LOL

Matsui moves like me.

I fully expect after the Yankees blew it (again) in that inning Hughes will walk three, give up four hits and four runs in this inning.

Bases loaded, one out and you don't take any pitches? I thought A Rod was a student of the game. Maybe since he's busy playing the game he never heard Michael Kay sagely point out hat the pressure is all on the pitcher with the bases loaded.

Matsui won the game yesterday with his dinger, can't do it every time! A-Rod needs to get that run in though..but fans booing him, that's absurd. Sometimes people at the Stadium are just mentally-challenged..

Larry Walker.

They needed to get that run in. I'll bet you a million dollars A Rod was too concerned about making a splash there and he choked.

Is Blackburn the guy Abreu killed last year?

Wow look at that goofball Gardner. He's stoked to be out in CF, plainly - goofy smile, pulling at his jersey.

Phil Hughes and A Rod are both very adept at getting two strikes. Beyond that, it's all ****.

Don't melt down, Hughes!

You know, I hate to say this, but Phil Hughes is absolutely no fun to watch.

Very smart to let Robbie take that.

Stop throwing frigging waste pitches. Your waste pitches suck. No one is even going to consider offering at a ball at their neck. And you have nowhere near enough control to justify giving up balls.

[107] Man you hit the nail on the head. That is exactly what it is.

There he is, missing with that curve ball by two feet. One time it fell in for a strike. This time it was a ball. At some point, it's going to end up in the seats.

[111] Its the old Scott Proctor curveball.

I'm fascinated by the idea of Paul O'Neill and Donald Trump playing golf.

Okay now it's time for the Twins to pull a "Yankees".

Hey remember that first, crisp, game that Hughes threw when he came up this year? Freaky.

Mind numbing.

Hughes should be fined everytime he throws that high and inside waste pitch to righties.

[112] Huh? O'neil and Trump..who goes al Judge Smails first?

Ahem, [113] see [12].

I was gonna say good thing Melky is in right field but never mind.

So........................frigging......................boring

[116] You remember!

Hughes is young but honestly, I think he should have his sh** more together at this point.

[117] He is? Oh, yeah, and he's left handed, too.

yay.

The damage wasn't great but it was a bad inning for Hughes. He just looked lost.

Just trying to figure it all out.......Or the balls in AAA are just too different. OY!

I just might be in favor of letting Hughes work out of the pen as a sorta long man when Wang comes back. Santana style

[121] Oooooooh ... Busted. Gold star for you!

They ask the Larry Walker question everytime they see Morneau.

That's how Nick Swisher runs?

Good lord, I didn't know he was that slow.

I thouht he'd be standing on 2nd. Wow. wtf.

How many pitches hath Hughes thrown thus far?

Too many...

[131] 82.

Yep, looks like Girardi threw some cold water on ol' Melky. Too bad.

This is very likely Phil's last inning.

Yeah, I mean if it ends up two tuns over 6 innings, that's good. If it's two over 5 or 4.whatever, that's not good.

[49] She looks so much like her Moms.

[136] Fair enough.

Why can't this team play well for more than a game or two? In this game alone, so many people have done so many things poorly.

[139]

...

... Joe Girardi?

[139] They weren't really playing well yesterday either

Holy cow.

([142] for Morneau's second.)

Damn that was a meatball.

[144] It wasn't. It was on the inside edge of the plate, up pretty high.

That's just an awful pitch...awful. Yankees can't keep trotting out Hughes.

I'll still give him credit if he can get through the 6th and keep it at three runs. A "quality start", if an ugly one. Think positive.

he'll be happy to get out of this inning

i'm afraid hughes still has a long way to go

[145] Looked pretty meaty from where I'm sitting. Just about belt high and over the plate. It's gotta be more inside than that to not be feasted upon.

[150] It was on the inside edge, at the armpits.
Look at the Pitch f/X.

The problem is that it was a cutter that didn't move much, and, of course, Morneau is awesome.

[150] That pitch is exactly the kind you don't throw to a lefty with power. With two outs and no one on, there was no reason to give Morneau something that good to hit.

Feels like a nice comeback night to start this home series.. Hell, why not?

[153] The Yankees look like they've been lulled into the same bored trance that I have.

I'm glad Cash hit the ball to the wall, but down three against a pitcher with no control makes me wonder why he wasn't taking.

[152] Where would you throw to Morneau?
Inside and high is the best spot, I think. The location wasn't the problem; the pitch didn't really break, was the problem.

Jeter has looked really good today.

[152] My guess is that Hughes did not throw it there on purpose. Nor did Cash call for a grooved fastball in his wheelhouse. Or maybe he did who knows? : )Nice Jeter.

[155] I agree, and *that* is exactly why. We needed base runners.

[154] It's gotten to the point where these games feel like coin flips at best.

Now here's where you'd reallly like a walk. (to gardner)
Ugh. Bad start.

That second swing by Gardner made me throw up in my mouth a little.

[156] In that situation, I wouldn't start him off with anything that he could yank out. Sluggers notoriously look for something to drive in such circumstances.

Yeah, Brett! GO GO GO

Run. Run Run Run

Excellent explanation of the difference between golf and baseball.
I was wondering.

Cash is not a good hitter. He in way shape or form wants to get behind Liriano. If he gets a pitch to hit, he best take a rip at it.

[151] To hell with pitch FX, I can rewind and freeze frame at the moment of contact. There was nothing good about that pitch. A cutter that didn't cut; a meatball.

[151] To hell with pitch FX, I can rewind and freeze frame at the moment of contact. There was nothing good about that pitch. A cutter that didn't cut; a meatball.

TO HELL!

[158] A cutter on the inside corner has a high risk of being in the hitting zone. Clearly, he wanted the ball to cut, but I don't think you take that risk when Morneau is probably looking in.

Check swing double play. Sweet.

The level of futility is shocking.

christ - i don't like the whole booing thing - though to each his own - but man tex is frustrating the hell out of me

Hmm. I feel honored that a double post actually made it through. My bad, though I'm not sure how it happened.

Is there a reason they anchored Gardner's ass to first there? Is this more of that GOTTA WAIT FOR A RUNNERS COUNT!!!1111111Ione!!111 nonsense?

[171] Wait, high and tight is not Morneau's power zone. Low and in, that's in the power zone. High and away, too.

The great irony of this game is that as brutal as Hughes has been to watch, he's not even the problem.

[169] I'm talking about the location. I agree that it didn't break like it was supposed to.

Man... Tex is just killing us. I wonder how many LOB he has this season so far.

Five innings, three runs. No bueno

[177] That ball wasn't high and it wasn't in. It was out of the plate. I am sure Hughes wanted the ball high and tight, but Hughes hasn't exhibited control of his cutter to give me an confidence to call that pitch.

Albaledejo instead of Aceves?

turns out everything is mourneau's power zone

Speaking of breaking pitches not breaking: has everyone seen the Curve Ball Illusion? It's astounding.

[181] The worst part is 5 innings.

[182] Look at the Pitch F/X. If it was any higher or any tighter, it would have been out of the strike zone.

[179] It wasn't belt high and exactly down the middle. But it was close enough. (Apparently.)

Oh god. Edwar is warming up.

when is cmw pitching again?
he doesn't seemed lined up with hughes - that will be something that needs to be tweaked.

Joe Crede in bad back shocker.

I hope Punto gets fined. I think he might.

does cash have any skills?

[192] No, but not many 4th string catcher's do.

[192] A cool name.

Here's the curve ball illusion.

Albaledejo is awful. Why would Girardi put the game in his hands? What is he saving Aveces for?

[196] He's not pitching badly. The Punto bunt certainly wasn't his fault, and the Span at-bat was just a good at-bat, lots of annoying fouls, etc.

Is there a game going on? YES seems to be airing an episode of Inside Edition.

[197] I am not talking about this inning exactly, but in general.

Okay, now AA for two innings, so that worked out.

hopefully that's all we see of him.

Well, yes, in general, he is not good at pitching. There's a lot of that going around; could be some kind of viral infection.

[200] I guess he goes to Coke next with Mauer and Moreneau coming up.

off topic - but was sad to read that wayman tisdale died

The more I think about it, that Arod AB last inning was a real lost opportunity...not only in this game, but for Arod and the team in general. This team just seems to have a pall of mediocrity cast over it.

[195] I think I saw that at a Pink Floyd laser-light show : )

Seeing A Rod again reminds me of that last AB. And it's a bad memory.

Had the Yankees shown just a normal amount of patience, Liriano would have walked 10 or being lifted before getting the chance.

[205] I'm pretty sure that's exactly why he looked so bad during it.

And there's a perfect example...he walks Arod, falls behind 1-0 to Matsui and then he bails him out by tring to pull a pitch low and away. It's as if the team didn't get a scouting report.

Now Swisher bails him out...Liriano has thrown one strike in this inning. The Yankees aren't getting beat...they are giving away this game.

man how is a pitcher who has as many strikes as ball winning a game in the 6th inning?
that is prett bad.

holy hell - cano - the yankee hitter with patience

4 batters...ONE LEGITIMATE STRIKE!

Again I have to note that Girardi killed Melky's mojo.

That's bad baseball...the Yankees gave away that inning. Where is the accountability on this team. This can't be considered an acceptable effort? Or maybe the problems stem from the fact that it is.

I had my roommate look at the curveball illusion, and she saw the ball curving while looking at the spinning ball, not the blue one. Turns out she didn't listen to me and just looked at something else. People like her are really no fun to be around. She should have been in tonight's lineup.

I hope Coke isn't out of whack after missing so much time.

guess coke's back still hurts

[218] Guess he is...could see that coming...wish Girardi could.

[217] No sense of what's important in life. I know people like that.

[220] There were no better options.

OH NO.

Oh, god. Bullpen roulette.
Oh well, down three runs in the seventh means this is not a very costly mistake...

Cycling through the bullpen again...yep, that makes more sense than simply bringing in Aceves.

[222] Aceves has been pitching well.

Indeed, not costly at all.

Oh God. Tomko just bought himself another month.

Surely Tomko will stay in for the eighth. I mean, he's the long reliever.

[217] Clearly she couldn't have done any worse...

The offense is pathetic and the stadium sucks.

Why is Cash swinging 2-0!!! That was ball 3. What is going on?

This team is a runaway train...there is no discipline, no game plan, no accountability.

Why is there one bank of lights out on either side of the stadium? About four in on either wing.

Now Jeter swings 3-1...I guess if it's good enough for the Captain, it's good enough for Cash. Do the Yankees not want to take walks anymore?

WOO-HOO!

THat was cool.

nice - speedy brett

Gardner just won back the CF job.

Wow!

First NYS inside the park HR!

Wow!

BLOOPY MCTOUCHEMALL!!!!!

Girardi's head is spinning. Ok, Melky has the job. No, Brett! No, Melky. No, Brett!

Gardner: 2

Fat Man: 0

WTG, Tex. Keep it going.

I'm almost dreading this Arod AB because another bad one could set him back weeks.

I think Alex could walk if he wants to.

[246] Every Yankee batter in this game could have walked if they wanted to.

Patience, Alex. Patience.

I'd rather see ARod swing...

[247] Yeah, but I didn't see the guy giving him anything hittable.

Take the walk, Alex!
And he does. Good. We're still two runs down, so I'm happy to take the runner.

Eventually, one of these pitchers will throw strikes.

Sad news from ESPN:
SEATTLE -- Slumping slugger David Ortiz has finally been benched.

Ortiz has been left out of the lineup for Boston's series opener at Seattle on Friday night, a day after he went 0-for-7 and stranded 12 base runners -- tying a team record -- in an extra-inning loss at the Los Angeles Angels. Ortiz is batting .208 without a home run.

[253] I'd enjoy Ortiz' woes more if Boston wasn't playing well and the Yankees weren't playing so poorly.

rob thomson is certainly a vast upgrade at 3b coach.

i wonder how much if any influence he had as bench coach last year on girard's pen decisions. could just simply be girardi had a better pen last year, but seems like girardi made better pen decisions last year.

[242] brett's speed is obviously the appeal - he just doesn't put himself in enough positions to use it. that's why i think he is best served as a lidr/pinch runner if he can't get ob more consistently.

Using the sweep hand on my watch and TIVO, I had Gardner at roughly 14 seconds around the bases...

That's fast!

Pretend it's April, Swish.

I certainly remember many occasions on which the Yankees have brought in a lefty to walk a lefty. Glad we could get some reciprocity.

is there some force field around the plate preventing strikes from being thrown tonight?

AARTRTGBTFRGTBEDGBSFVNGFVRSDNJKVSDNJk!!@!

that's how Swisher makes me feel right now.

crap

They continue to suck with RISP.

This team simply plays too tight.

Buster Olney on ESPN reports:
Privately, the Dodgers are very angry with Manny Ramirez -- and I can imagine Frank McCourt's hitting the roof again when this story from Lance Pugmire in the Los Angeles Times drops on his doorstep this morning. Even though Ramirez was suspended for use of hCG, the evidence pointing to further performance-enhancing drug use continues to mount.

Ramirez's testosterone level was found to be more than four times the norm for the average adult male, ESPN's T.J. Quinn and Mark Fainaru-Wada reported earlier this week.

So for McCourt, there is evidence that what he paid for is a player whose stunning performance at age 36 might have been built on the use of performance-enhancing drugs

[260] and i think i broke a finger typing that with my fists ...

Well, who didn't see that coming?

[263] It's been that way since the 2004 ALCS which is why I wanted Torre gone. Girardi, unfortunately, hasn't helped.

Swisher is the latest goat, but the Yankees should have scored 10 runs in this game. They've flailed away at balls all game ... you really get the sense that this team fears failure.

It's very difficult to get two walks, a double, and a homer, in one inning, and score only one run. They just got them in the wrong order, I guess.

Why is Tomko still in this game?

[270] Because he's the long reliever.

I think Veras sucks when the game is close, but I'd put him in here.

This team can't and wont win if it continues to be run this way.

Bad news:
Dice-K struck out 9 Mudhens in 5 innings in his rehab assignment.
Good news:
He still lost.
Single, triple, 2 outs, single. 2nd -5th innings he was filthy. Big strike zone + the 'Hens were up there to swing, but, damn. Dice-K was upper 80s, low 90s all night, but the pitches looked faster than that.

Oh, and the Pawsox have been shut out for 34 straight innings now. Tee hee.

Someone lay Gomez out please.

Glad to see Girardi show some fire.

Girardi is losing it. I think the pressure of this job is catching up with him.

Teixeira is absolutely right.

Oh, good. Bullpen roulette.

Gomez tried to break Teixeira's arm.

So that's the Twins' way?

Yankees have been called out for running outside that lane.

[274] But I believe the SWB Yanks have a longer shutout streak than that, don't they?

I keep trying to calm myself down by repeating that this team, as it currently being run, isn't going to be able to win anyway, so why get upset at every game. It's not very comforting.

Nice play.

[282] I think so.

Nice, Edwar.

Gomez tried to break Teixeira's arm. I have a feeling Joba will return the favor tomorrow.

Eventually, the bullet is going to be in the chamber.

The "novelty" that is Nick Swisher has worn off...

In any event, I finally figured out exactly who he looks like!

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm4238317568/nm0568757

: )

Click.

Get an out, Edwar.

I sincerely wish the boys in the booth would point out atrocious strike calls more often.

The ABs in this game are atrocious.

I think I'd sit Swish for a few games and start Gardner and Melky.

You have to hit Cervelli here. I still can't believe there isn't a PH on this bench.

[293] Just for one game, I agree.

OK, I'm late to the game, but who the H E double hockey sticks is Kevin Cash and what's he doing in the game?

Letting Cash hit is idiocy. Allowing him to hack away all game is insane.

[294 ] > Girardi

berroa needs to be sent down or away or whatever to have a legit ph on the bench so long as cash is on the roster

I hate to say this, but we aren't scoring two runs off Joe Nathan.

Edwar to Mauer and Morneau? Yikes.

Eventually, the Yankees are going to have to come to the conclusion that the status quo can not be maintained. Otherwise, we'll be watching the same lackluster play all season.

this booth trio does not work

Here comes the bullet...

Musta been one of them dumdum bullets.

[305] A blank.

[300] This team? The one whose "offense" consisted of a HR by Jeter, and an Inside the Park HR by Gardner?

LOL

They couldn't score two runs off Joe Nathan if he started pitching today at noon...

[306] They must have left in the ones that the Yankee offense uses.

Strange how good Edwar can look. I guess it's like the curve ball illusion.

ah, Joey Joe Joe and the extraneous moves of doom ...

Oh, good, another relief pitcher. I thought Edwar was looking a little too good.

[309] he's just the little relief pitcher with curls ...

maybe since edwar did well veras will too

They can't score against mediocre pitchers so maybe they can score against a very good one.

/pretzel logic.

Nathan has been the closest thing to Mo over the past 5 seasons. In other words, the Yankees inability to score some runs off very crappy pitching has dropped them back under .500...again.

Bunt?

Oh, maybe he's tired. That would be awesome.

Anything's possible.

This could be ugly.

Did the ITP HR go to Brett's head?

Okay, that's sick.

Gradner missed 1B.

That HR off of Coke hurts.

slappy didn't even look like he was running fast

[322] Tripped his way to a triple.

that boy is re-DONK-ulously fast

Well, he obviously touched first. I wonder why Morneau thought he didn't.

Oh please Arod....oh please, oh please, oh please.

Wait, that's not allowed, is it? I thought there was a rule against that.

Yes!

You know, it's really nice having a player who can flat out run.

[323] bad

[322] well, except for the fact that he slipped while stepping on top of it ... yes!

[329] I meant: getting a hit when there's a runner on second or third.

It...
always comes down...
to ARod

alright alex just relax man

Way to be patient, Alex.

A walk would be excellent.

NFW

Oh my goodness...that was so far inside.

this ump needs to have his pay from this game reduced

Six inches inside. Terrible call.

[334] doesn't it though?

meanwhile, that 2-0 call was bullshit.

And another. Absurd.

Wally Bell's game is unacceptable.

You know what would be real nice right now. . .

The fuckin' ump is killing us

Not even effin' close. F#$% You Ump.

No, do NOT send Teixeira.

good just to foul that off

Ball 6

wow arod has been clogging all night!

Wow. How hard is it to walk when the strike zone is that big???

c'mon GOJIRRA.

make with tha pain!

Incredible that Arod could draw a 6 ball walk.

His first ab was horrilbe. He learned quick.

[352] That's the irony of the night...the Yankees have walked a ton in spite of swinging at a lot of bad pitches and a strike zone the size of the Pacific.

for the 3000x time ... i, for one, welcome our robot home-plate umpire overlords ... seriously, the strike zone isn't a fucking multiple choice question ...

Is this the same game Hughes started? : )

Matsui has to get the ball in the air.

grip-n-rip, matsui ,,, grip-n-rip!

What, that wasn't a strike? It was in a neighboring zip code.

damn

Damn it Matsui!

I can't take another disappointment.

Whoa, that was a let-down (Matsui swinging at the ball in the dirt).

Nathan has to be tiring. It's his fourth day in a row pitching, and he's thrown 21 tonight.

Son of a BITCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ugh - at least the run got in - but ugh

Stick save and a beauty. Goddamn Canuck!

[367] Ummmm. Are you behind?

Wow, this is a very bad move. I'm very happy that they walked Rob.

alirght melky - make them pay

Hit it hard, Melk. Little bingo.

As valiant as the comeback has been, the Yankees shouldn't be in this situation. What's more, they just seem incapable of sealing the deal. It seems like they have had so many near misses.

He will try and get Melky to chase. PATIENCE!!!!!!!!

[369] juts slow to hit submit

MELK DELIVERY!

melky melky melky

Fuck ya.

Love the Melk!

YES...The Melkman delivers!!! Hopefully, this is the one that sets them off.

Melkman delivers!

Yessssss!
Wooo hooo!!!!!

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

THIS TEAMS REALLY SUCKS!
Fire Girardi!
Fire Cashman!
Hang Trost.

This teams really sucks!
YYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!

I will drink to that. Cheers.

Melky's breakout season?

[381] I'll say this, you never stop.

[381] Don't forget Levine...fire his ass too.

i guess the yanks can score 2+ runs off nathan if he has pitched four straight days

And Nathan's cooked for tomorrow & probably Sunday as well!

Dat was huge.
3 runs off one of the best closers in baseball.

I take full credit for both "reverse kyboshes," the one on Swisher, who I will now refer to as "Spanky," and the one on Joe Nathan, who the Yankees have wtfpwned forever!

G'night folks!

: )

[389] No, I definitely want some credit here. See [300].

i'd say it was a great win, but everyone knows, if it was a great win, they'd have won this game in the 2nd

all we can say about THIS win, is that it isn't as bad as as a loss.

obviously, this team isn't serious about winning yet.

and don't get me started about their lack of a good BFG!

/ well, you know ...

[153] What do I win? Ha. : D

These are the Yankees I've been waiting to see.

[391] Agree with that...the great wins are when it's the 5th inning and the Yankees are up 4-1...

[391] [394] Dang... you guys are hard to please.

[391] I read half way through that thinking you were serious. I was rolling my eyes, cult.

[395] I feel confident that [391] was following your [381] lead.

Cult?

[390] Ok RIY, I'll share with you!

: )

It's clear to me that we need more of these AAAA childlike centerfielders. They're good at running around the bases like a tornado and hitting walk-offs.

Well, I enjoyed that entire game. Seriously. Most of all I enjoyed being wrong in [300].

i just want to pay tribute to fans on this board and elsewhere who have the guts to continue to root for their team, even when trailing by a few runs.