How embarraskin’.
The Nationals arrived in the Bronx having won just 16 games all season, in large part because they were allowing 5.81 runs per game. Over the past two nights, the Nats increased their win total by 12.5 percent by holding the Yankees to a total of two runs over two games. That the Yankees and their fans had to wait through a nearly five-and-a-half-hour rain delay for the capper on that embarrassment only made it all the more painful.
Despite switching catchers, Joba Chamberlain wasn’t sharp again last night, but he wasn’t awful. Despite four walks, he escaped with a quality start (6 IP, 3 R) and six Ks. Alfredo Aceves, Phil Coke, and David Robertson each added a scoreless inning. Unfortunately the offense failed to show up.
Perhaps showing their frustration from the long delay, the Yankees came up hacking against rookie righty Craig Stammen. Stammen needed just 82 pitches to get into the seventh inning, didn’t issue a single walk, and just one of the six hits he allowed went for extra bases, that being the last he allowed, a double by Nick Swisher with one out in the seventh. Swisher’s double also gave the Yankees two men on base at the same time for the first time in the game as it followed a Robinson Cano single and drove Stammen from the game.
Manny Acta brought in ex-Yank Ron Villone to face Hideki Matsui with one out and two men in scoring position. Needing only a productive out to get the Yankees on the board, Matsui struck out. Joe Girardi sent Jorge Posada up to hit for Francisco Cervelli; Villone stayed away from Jorge and walked him on five pitches. Girardi then sent up Derek Jeter, who hadn’t played since the opening game of the series, to hit for Ramiro Peña. Acta countered with Julian Tavarez. On the 1-1 pitch to Jeter, Tavarez pulled a full Luis Tiant, turning his back on Jeter in his delivery. Jeter was badly fooled on the ensuing pitch, but managed to foul it and the next one off before grounding to short to end the inning.
If there was a turning point in the game, that was it. The Yanks got the leadoff man on in the eighth and ninth, but failed to advance him either time, going down meekly by a final score of 3-0.
Blame the offense. The pitching and defense did their jobs, even if Chamberlain’s outing wasn’t pretty. The organization also came through for the fans who stuck out the third-longest rain delay in major league history by opening up the rattle-your-jewelry seats to those who remained in the park after the top of the first and giving all ticket holders a rain check for another game later this season or next. Good on them for that. Waiting five and a half hours to see the home nine get shut out by a historically bad team has to rank among the worst fan experiences of all time.
Incidentally, Brett Gardner made a sick play in the top of the eighth on a fly ball to the left-center-field wall by Austin Kearns, slamming his head against the Plexiglas in the process. He held onto the ball, maintained consciousness, and was ultimately helped to his feet, but had to be carted off the field. It was a scary moment that made a long day longer (literally and figuratively), but the word on Gardner is that he’s fine and has nothing worst than a mild concussion.
And since we’re all in a foul mood, has anyone picked up on the commercial for Monument Park bricks that has been running on YES? The commercial begins with “In 1932 as part of Yankee Stadium, Monument Park is created . . .” Not exactly. The first monument was erected for Miller Huggins after his death in 1929, the next for Lou Gehrig in 1941, but those, as well as as the monument for Babe Ruth erected in 1948, were located on the grass in center field. Monument Park was a creation of the remodeled Stadium, which opened in 1976. Those bricks are no older than that, and more likely a product of one of the more recent redesigns the park underwent in the 1980s or 1990s. Where on earth they got 1932 from (perhaps a typo on the Stadium’s first year of 1923) is beyond me, but I’m sure it helps them justify the price of $179.95 per brick. Still, it’s a complete and total fabrication that implies that the bricks are decades older than they actually are.
Cliff, don't forget that Gardner actually managed to flip the ball back into the cutoff man before basically passing out on the field. Basically the lone highlight of the game, though Alex did rip what should have been a double.
[0] Indeed, Monument Park as we know it was not even created in 1976--that are was simply a gated off section between the two bull pens beyond the fence in LCF. Only after teh fences were brought in in 1985 and again in 1988 were people allowed access to Monument Park, and only then was the area landscaped to deal with foot traffic.
It sounds like yet another one of those half truths, like the "stadium has the same dimensions,' that the Yankee brass keep peddling.
[0] Joba Chamberlain wasn’t sharp again last night, but he wasn’t awful.
Look out, Cliff. On the game thread Joba's performance created a groundswell of support of returning him to the BP.
[2] It's no half-truth, it's an untruth. A flat-out lie.
[4] Well, I was trying to be diplomatic... : )
I trust YES and their advertisers these days about as much as I trust FOX. It started with their close ups ad nauseum to the detriment of their already questionable coverage! Roughly 70% of what comes out of their holes are either lies or fluff-type filler, unrelated to the game being covered! I did enjoy how they thought to include Jeter's AVG against "Batshit" Tavares which was more around his weight tonight, though! As for that asinine DELL ad, where is Guiseppe Franco when you really need him?
$200 for a $.25 brick, shipped? Yeah, right...
That's as bad as $500 for an autographed baseball from various liabilities on the team these days, for Christ's sakes!
I think I'm going to keep my antique ball with all the great Yankee Hall of Fame Members on it for now, thanks...
: )
[1] re: Lil' G's man cutoff being Damon. I thought the only time an outfielder could act as a cutoff for another outfielder was when Manny was playing. On second thought, wasn't Damon part of that play, too?
[2] Look out, Cliff. On the game thread Joba’s performance created a groundswell of support of returning him to the BP.
You're missing the point, or at least my point. I trust that's what it is, because I'm pretty confident that you wouldn't distort what was said in the game thread.
Cliff is exactly right. The question is how do the Yankees get him back to being dominant and intimidating. I view the pen as a TEMPORARY way station that could be attempted to reach that result.
Of course, the problem could be physical or it could be that Eiland can't fix him, but the Yankees deny the former and they seem inexplicably wedded to the later.
In any event, I am open to other suggestions on how to fix him.
Sorry [3]
Any chance of adding an edit function?
[8] Forget intimidating. Unless the Yanks can teach him to be a fire breathing dragon. Or maybe hot sauce on his mushroom. At least he would then snort a little. : ) Joba's making due with what he has. Low 90's to a few 95's in his last few starts. With his other pitches mixed in. That ain't too shabby. I don't think any hitter would descibe Greg Maddox as an intimidator. More of an artist. That's what I think Joba's shooting for in my opinion. Forget the bullpen, he's just got to get ahead and throw more strikes.
weird. in checking both MLB Trade Rumors and Pete Abe, i just saw this:
Papelbon says, "of course" he'd pitch for the Yankees.
Yanks have interest in Pedro Martinez as a reliever.
Roger Clemens singing autographs across from the Fens tonight.
whoa! now, of course, all of it is hot air, but wasn't losing the series to Wash DC enough...?! : ~
Artists are fine, but if they were once knock-out artists, becoming watercolor landscape painters is a bit of a letdown.
[3] I posted the following on the game thread, but I'll repeat here instead.
I am not arguing that we know anything definitive about what Joba will or will not be. My point is that he has consistently had command issues all season (not just these past two games), which has resulted in 5+ being an average appearance. With both Hughes and Aceves throwing so well, and the reality that Joba will have to go to the pen anway because of the innings limit, I would be inclined to make the switch now. In addition to potentially giving them more consistency in the rotation and dominance in the bullpen (both far from forgone conclusions), I think it would shake things up and add some accountability. Something that I think is necessary, especially after hearing Joba alibi for his outing and claim that the Nationals have good hitters.
[11] The Red Sox are going to have to pay through the nose for Papelbon, which is going to make him unpopular in a town that thinks playing in Boston is so kind of honor. It will be interesting to see if Boston breaks the bank and overpays, because if they don't, someone else will.
[11] I advocated Pedro as a reliever before the season. I think it would be a good idea. It's not like Tomko has any value.
[10] What happened to the pitcher whose FB averaged 95.51 and maxed out at 99.6 against the Sox on July 25, 2008, how do we get him back, and why are we content with less than that?
Why would a pitcher who put up those numbers less than a year ago strive to be a control pitcher with marginal velo?
[15] i think he's still asking for that $5 mil, prorated. which is still kinda high. i think that's why the rays, cubs, et al are balking.
sounds like Glavine's gonna hang the spikes up...
the only guy i've seen walking around town was Marcus Giles a few years back...
[16] The worst part is Girardi actually said Joba's velocity wasn't a concern, which was almost as hard to believe as Joba saying sometimes you have to give the hitters credit and that the Nats have a good lineup. Also, I couldn't believe Girardi's response to the lousy approach his team has had against 4 non descript pitchers. "I'm not talking about it anymore"? Is that really his answer.
If Girardi would hold his players more accountable, maybe Joba wouldn't nibble, Swisher wouldn't keep running into outs and the lineup wouldn't face pitcher's they haven't seen as if they landed from a spaceship.
After this performance (just like after the Boston sweep), Girardi needed to strongly challenge the players on this team instead of providing more excuses.
GI Joe seems to be walking on eggshells instead of the dodging of landmines, like i thought he might...
[18] Joba said the same thing. I'm not buying it for a nanosecond. I think their defensiveness is extremely revealing and a red flag that signals a deep concern that they are refusing to publicly acknowledge. I just hope that they are taking steps to remedy it in private.
[19] It almost a helpless feeling to know that Girardi has no chance of being held accountable for the team's play because of the powers that be are probably more concerned with having egg on their face. It's a (very) little bit like the Isaiah Thomas situation with the Knicks. You can point to the Yankees being the WC leader and having the third best record in the AL, but there should be a higher standard. A team this talented should be playing better than .560 ball, shouldn't be dominated by the Red Sox, and should have steam rolled through this series.
Before the 9 game winning streak, the Yankees were 15-17. Since then, they've gone 13-12.
[21] i agree. it's a farce. the offensive shortcomings are baffling. i sure hope they perform better when i go see them in person twice next week. there's pretty much NOTHING more that i hate than wasting time and they better not waste my time AND money. at least when i'm following the games here at home, i multi-task like a madman (or drummer!) and get a billion things done. at the game, i'll be there solely to watch them....and watch them WIN.
[11] Would welcome "Paps" by dancing an Irish jig if we sign him after Mariano retires..
thelarmis, my buddy going to give me a Lou Donaldson live bootleg cd soon, you got all his Blue Notes, right?
The biggest problem with this team is it seems like they cower in games they have to win. We've seen it in Boston; we've seen it with the Mets; and now we've seen it with the Nationals. The first two teams are obvious: the Yankees always "have to" beat Boston and the Mets. However, I think the Nationals are so bad that the Yankees knew they had to not only beat, but sweep them. In the 13 games in question, the Yankees are now 3-10, but should have lost two others, but benefitted greatly from defensive lapses. Ironically, the only game they've won outright was the one they didn't have to win because no one would blame them for losing to Santana.
Unfortunately, come playoff time (if there is a playoff time), you have to win regardless of the opponent. Nothing about this team gives me any confidence they will be able to rise that occassion...at least not unless some changes are made.
[25] 10million a year to Bobby V before the Nats poach him!
[23] "At the game, I’ll be there solely to watch them….and watch them WIN."
That's another reason why I must politely decline your most generous offer, Thelarmis. Here at home, I carefully watch the Yankees pitching half of the innings, because that's what interests me most in their games (pitching and defense you know, what wins games and all), and I type on here from my "office" during their offensive half of the innings, because I'm not allowed to watch them at bat for my well-established "jinx effect." I enjoy very much watching the battery work the game, which is why I'm usually disgusted in the way YES covers that vital aspect of their games these days...
Also, I'm not very keen to attend their games while they are playing the way they are this month (.500 ball @ 8-8 so far in June) and having to drive nine hours round trip to do so and pay more money than I already have so far!
Catch yas tomorrow...
G'night folks!
: )
[24] coolio! here's my L.D. collection on BN. they're all original Blue Note releases in standard jewel case form, on CD. i KNOW there's one glaring hole. don't you worry - i'll have "Alligator Boogaloo" soon enough! : )
there are 3 or 4 other LD titles on BN i don't have. i think they're all later (70's) and on vinyl only. if they're ever released on CD, rest assured, i will get them!
oh, there's another missing - Say It Loud. it's been released on CD by Water, possibly through EMI. it's really confusing. anyway, that disc should arrive any day now - should already have been here, damnit. i look forward to solving the BN/Water mystery. hopefully, it'll be what i want. there are a few other BN/Water titles i'll pick up if it's the real deal...
enjoy this list!
Lou Donaldson – Quartet/Quintet/Sextet
Lou Donaldson – Wailing With Lou
Lou Donaldson – Swing And Soul
Lou Donaldson – Lou Takes Off
Lou Donaldson – Blues Walk
Lou Donaldson – Light-Foot
Lou Donaldson – LD+3
Lou Donaldson – The Time Is Right
Lou Donaldson – Sunny Side Up
Lou Donaldson – Here ‘Tis
Lou Donaldson – Gravy Train
Lou Donaldson – A Man With A Horn
Lou Donaldson – The Natural Soul
Lou Donaldson – Good Gracious!
Lou Donaldson – Lush Life
Lou Donaldson – Mr. Shing-A-Ling
Lou Donaldson – Midnight Creeper
Lou Donaldson – Hot Dog
Lou Donaldson – Everything I Play Is Funky
Lou Donaldson – Pretty Things
Lou Donaldson – The Scorpion: Live At The Cadillac Club
[27] i hears ya! but, i haven't seen them live, in person, in a good 15 years, or so. i think it's high time i do so. plus, the stadium is about 10 minutes from my pad and i'm not working either evening. i really have NO excuse. truth is, i'm REALLY looking forward to seeing my pinstriped heroes in person!!! : )
[28] christ, looking at that list, and seeing how many similarly loooong discography lists i have for other artists on BN, and looking around my apt and seeing i have NO furniture left 'coz there are giant stacks and stacks and stacks of CD's, i'm thinking...um, i've got a...you know - problem!!! ; )
[29] May you have infinitely more luck with your Yankee games near your home than my wife and I had with ours in '06 at OYS when Daniel Cabrera mercilessly one hit them...
: )
jayson stark (i know, i know), has a list up of pitchers that have thrown at least 6 innings in a start and received 1 run or less, in support, while they were in the game. this has apparently happened to AJ 5 times, in 14 starts. his 'adjusted' record, would be 10-1. hmmm....
[31] ugh. that doesn't even qualify as an URP! yeah, i'd stay in Nash-Vegas, if i were you! ; )
[31] for a short while, i lived walking distance from Fulton County Stadium. if the Yanks were stinkin' up the joint and i still lived there, i'd have NO problems walking out and following along here at the Banter, with the game on the tube...
as it is, i'm gonna try and go early and absolutely plan on staying til the very last pitch, no matter what.
[30] It's a great problem to have!! Is "Good Gracious" the one where Lou is in a hat, looking over his shoulder at a shapely woman with a rather "zaftig" booty? Hysterical, and wayyyy pre-dates Sir Mix-A Lot!
[35] YES, that's the one!!! best part of that album is the greatest organ trio backing him up - Grant Green, 'Big' John Patton (love that guy!), Ben Dixon. January 24, 1963.
i know less than zero about sir mix-a-lot, but i recognize the 'tag' and like it!
i'm listening to recent "official" bootlegs from Japan of the BEST guitar shredder of all-time - Mr. Paul Gilbert. he is an absolute god!!!
The Sox will let Papelbon walk because they have Dan Bard and they're smart enough not to pay out the nose for a closer (or so I believe until I'm proven wrong).
Meanwhile, the only Nats to get hits last night were Guzman, Zimmerman, and Dunn. Zimmerman and Dunn are good hitters, and Guzman has hit over .300 over the past three seasons. Where Joba screwed up was walking guys like Wil Neives. He was nibbling too much.
[35] btw, the zoftig lady on the cover of 'good gracious', is NOT attractive. however, 2 of the 3 girls on the cover of "Pretty Things", are straight gorgeous!!! and, no - neither one is blonde : )
[38] I don't think Lou was focusin gon her face though!
[37] No way the Sox sign Papelbon..would be shocking.
thelarmis, i saw your post on dirnking&smoking, etc..you may have a problem touring Japan then, as until very recently you could smoke anywhere and everywhere.
[39] you're right about the the album covers! ah, i like 'em super skinny... so, japan might work for me!
yeah man, i know everyone smokes there. seems like they do here, too. no smoking ban in Georgia. : /
shit, if i get a good tour to Asia, i think i'll be okay!!! : )
Paul Gilbert is MASSIVE there. and rightfully so. he's a GOD. wish i had that gig. he married a Japanese girl and she's his keyboardist. i'd say he's lucky, but he is soooo incredibly deserving of everything good. he's just AMAZING and thoroughly inspirational.
i realize i'm an "outcast" in my field. it's just how i'm wired. and i'll never apologize for wanting to be safe & sober, when it concerns my music, career and life, in general...
[37] It's so easy to annoint hard throwers as the closer of the future, but the scrap heap is full of such arms. If Papelbon is still going strong after 6 years, then maybe he is the rare closer in the Mariano/Hoffman mold who can stand the test of the time. If the Sox refuse to pay him, then we'll see how smart they are. I am sure glad the Yankees never tried to get that "smart" when dealing with Mariano.
meanwhile, Torre moved past Sparky Anderson for 5th all-time on the Wins list, with 2,195.
[40] I don't know much about Gilbert but will trust your comments..i DO know that Mr. Big are HUGE here (as are many 80s hair-bands that can't get work in the US nowawdays!)
No apologies for clean living man, you are an inspiration to those of us who..er..."indulge"...
[41] Papelbon won't last like Hoffman or Mo..no chance..
wait, was it not mentioned that there were NO homeruns hit at YS tonight?! : o
[41] sure was nice to see K-Rod lose again tonight! this time for real. 2 walks, 2 hits, 2 runs.
[43] yeah, i'm not a big Mr. Big fan, but i've seen 'em and have all the stuff PG is on. yes, they're like the friggin' Beatles over there! they *just* did a mini reunion of the original lineup there. i'm sure they made a small fortune! good for them.
when Paul was a teenager - before Mr. Big - he had a shred band called Racer X. great stuff, but i'm not a huge fan of that group, either. he essentially left everything to do singer/songwriter stuff as a solo act, replete with "guitar gymnastics". it took him out of the spotlight, but he did over 15 releases, and a ton of side projects, in as many years and ALL of it is completely full of musical genius. the guy is an absolute freak. just an amazing person/player/musician.
WOW.
[43] and i agree - Paps won't last...
[45] havn't seen all the scores yet. with the time change here my viewing and reading of the re-caps happens at all different times of the day. but usually try to catch the 9:30pm NHK re-cap show, 30minutes with most games covered.
hey, do you like playing with other percussionists when in your jazz group, conga, tumba, etc?
[43] btw, i'm "indulging" now. on my 4th Sierra! but i took care of business today and practiced both marimba & drumkit and have tomorrow off. didn't go out, just enjoying a few beers around the house. first since last Saturday... : )
[37] Also, not only did he screw up walking hitters like Nieves, but he made stupid mistakes challenging the two guys who can hit when they had favorable counts. The 2-1 pitch to Dunn in the first inning was particularly stupid. When you have two outs, a man on 2B and Kearns on deck, you don't throw sliders over the plate.
Joba made the same mistakes against the Mets. The awful ABs were against Beltran and Wright, but the dregs at the bottom of the lineup.
Basically, I think it comes down to a combination of Joba not having the same stuff as in the past combined with his not really knowing how to pitch. Of course, that shouldn't come as a surprise. He has less than 200 major innings. On some clubs, you definitely allow Joba to learn on the job, but usually on contenders, those kinds of pitchers start out in the bullpen. Joba's problem is he was so dominant in the bullpen that many are calling for him to return there permanently. I, on the other hand, think a return to the bullpen might help him figure a few things out, just as many pitchers before him have done.
[46] yeah, I know a guy who is a huge fan.
btw, Whitesnake toured here last year, tix were US$80!! Japan..the pension plan for washed-up metal bands everywhere..i work down the street from a "rock bar" called "Dokken"! too funny!!
[48] i'm such a vampire boy and on a "musicians schedule", i oughtta be in a different time zone! ; )
i often tell people, i work the "other" 9-5. but i guess it really isn't true. i was essentially a school teacher for most of the first 5 months of this year. still played night gigs though... : ~
holy hell, i don't even know what a "tumba" is! i'm not huge on hand drumming. um, it depends. yes, i do enjoy playing with other percussionists...sometimes. NOT in the jazz trio though. i'm not a huge proponent of the Lou Donaldson type groups either, that have Ray Baretto in them. he's great, and so are the congas, just not so much in "swing" music to me. i dig the Sabu album on the Blakey drum stuff w/ percussion. Solomon Ilori, too.
i've played a little bit of double drumset and have worked in bands w/ percussionists. it can be REALLY wonderful and full. it can also be quite a challenge and your toes can get stepped on quite a bit. so, it really depends. i study a lot of Afro-Cuban, West African, Brazilian, Latin drumming. i try to sound like i have more than 4 limbs, so i can cover the drumset AND percussion parts at the same time! : )
now, if you're talking about "Classical" percussion, i'm all about it! in fact, my (forthcoming) solo percussion cd, is mostly drumset and marimba (and other mallets).
i probably should enjoy working with other percussionists more and do it more often. but, as of now, not so much. maybe in later years! we'll see...
[51] that "Dokken" bar is hilarious!!! George Lynch is a monster though. Mr. Scary! he's also old. and an asshole. and an amazing skateboarder. he's an awesome rock guitarist though. i played in a band waaaay back when that covered songs from his 1st "Lynch Mob" album.
huge fan of whom? PG, or Mr. Big? i guess...both!
Whitesnake, actually started in the 70's, pretty much as an aside to Deep Purple, but i'm guessing you know that. their 80's albums that got them huge, were actually GOOD! i saw them a billion times. even got a Tommy Aldridge stick in high school at the Nassau Collesium! : )
shit, i think i'd love to grab a beer at "Dokken"!!! might happen someday...
[52] man, super interesting to hear about your drumming style/preferences. millions more questions to come.
[53] there are a LOT of music "theme" bars in Tokyo, easily in excess of 500. make it over here one day and we'll at least once not go to a jazz bar and hit some rock joints. there's even a neighborhood well-known for being the center of the Tokyo metal scene, you would love it.
oh, a tumba is just a really large conga drum..i think...
rock on! yeah, i guess i'm just., uh...weird! ; )
have you seen much Kodo drumming in Japan? i imagine it's quite amazing to see live!
it's strange - i don't really "fit" in anywhere - metal scene, jazz clubs, hippy festivals. i guess i have ties to all of it, but i'm more comfy staying home with a beer and checking on the Yanks and baseball! : )
i welcome ALL music ?'s from you, my friend! i REALLY do need to email you off the Banter. and i can't wait to send you my full BN list. i think you'll find it impressive! : )
I've never actually been to see the Kodo drumming. Have you ever heard of Sado Island off the northwest coast of Japan? They have a huge drumming festival there every summer.
Best not to fit in anywhere, that way you can go everywhere and hang out..
You got my address, email me anytime! But not after a Nationals loss,,too depressing ... :)
[57] yeah, Joe Jackson wrote a cool song called "Fit" in 1980. it's funny, i didn't fit in Classical school or Jazz school and some it was for the same appearance reasons. meanwhile, the folks from each school i attended, HATED each other.
nope, never heard of Sado Island, but that festival sounds most excellent!
i hear ya, man. can't believe we lost the series to the friggin' Nats. ugh. : /
http://tinyurl.com/krz2gn
hope to make it there one day.
1 hour till Guinness time!
[59] HA! in 1 hour, my Sierra will most certainly be through. it'll be like a relay race. i'll pass my Sierra baton to you and you'll take over with Guiness! an awesome plan, haha!!! : )
[59] i didn't read the article - on FIFTH sierra now! : ) - but from the picture, i'd say: if those are "tumba", they're definitely NOT large conga drums. they look more like a floor tom, mounted as a "field" or "tenor" drum. the one on the far left, even almost resembles a mounted mini-timpani drum.
i did see the phrase "samba-reggae". wow, sounds interesting as hell! yeah, i think you oughtta take your lady there sometime!!! : )
[61] Haha, no man those are the KODO drummers, not tumba! :)
I know people who hav been to the festival, everyone raves about it.
30mins and counting till the pub, then home to for a big cook-up. Have a good one and let's pray for the Yanks to wake the hell up!
[62] rock on, i'm out...
enjoy your suds!
Gardner was interviewed in the locker room after the game. He said the reason he threw the ball in was that he was afraid that if he didn't, his teammates would try to come get it, and he didn't want them trampling him or piling on him to get it out of his glove.
He seemed to be all right, but will they let him play if he has a concussion, mild though it might be? Baseball's not supposed to be a contact sport, but the way Gardner plays, I'd be worried about second-impact syndrome and stuff like that.
When you have two outs, a man on 2B and Kearns on deck, you don’t throw sliders over the plate.
Is that what happened? Was he in synch with Posada? Was he relying too much on his slider again?
[50] On some clubs, you definitely allow Joba to learn on the job, but usually on contenders, those kinds of pitchers start out in the bullpen.
Surely you are not hinting that the most embarrassing, poorly prepared, no accountability, scared, unacceptable, poor approach to hitting and pitching, worst base running, poorly coached, lackluster Yankees team that you have ever seen is actually a contender?
To borrow a quote from Fearless Leader, the Yankees lack... character.
Seriously, is there anyone here that's really a take-charge guy anymore? Because, yunnow, it's time to do that...
I liked how Girardi reacted to the questions about the Yankees hitting. He seemed genuinely annoyed. He was basically saying that at some point you have to get a pitch and hit it.
I don't think he's the right fit for this team though.
[66] Yes, they are a wild card contender with also ran status in the two-tiered AL. If they were run competently, they'd be on the top half of that tier and actually have a greater luxury to let Joba experience growing pains.
[68] He pretty much said "I am done talking about it", which is always the best way to deal with a problem: ignore it and it will go away. Maybe I'll try that with Girardi himself. Unfortunately, however, I don't there is much chance of him going away.
Wow, lots of bitching about Joba. You'd think he's their worst starter or something.
Instead he's the second-best starter on the team...a convenient fact left out of this lame "debate".
Of course, the Yankees pay guys $85 million to do less than what Joba does. And since he only costs $500k, let's move him!
Ugh.
And damn, Girardi is so horrible. He just doesn't know how to fire up his troops. Some body get Hank! Quick! Unknown pitchers galore coming up. We need General Patton!
[70] He did say that, and it was kind of weird, but he did elaborate a little. He said the more it's talked about the more credence it might get and he didn't want to give the phenomenon (not hitting unknown pitchers) any more power than it already has.
And as I said, he did go on in his tic-y, annoyed way to say at some point you have to make things happen - put the bat on the ball. Considering how it's de rigueur in these situations to say "they made good pitches", etc - give the other team too much credit a la Chamberlain - I thought it was a step in the right direction for Girardi to say his team didn't perform as they should have. I think to be effective he needs to release all his obvious assholishness on this team.