Play a patsy.
To be fair, the Baltimore Orioles aren’t a complete pushover. There seven teams in the major leagues with worse records and the free-falling Mets are just two games better. In fact, for the first time perhaps since I started blogging, I’m actually looking forward to the Yankees matchups with the Orioles. That’s because of the exciting young talent the Orioles have in their lineup.
Nick Markakis is in his fourth season as the O’s right fielder, but he’s still just 25, and though his production has dipped down to his rookie-year level, he’s been a strong second-half performer in his young career, hitting .316/.388/.529 after the All-Star break. Adam Jones, who had the game-winning RBI in the All-Star Game, is having a big breakout season at age 23, though he’s slumped since the beginning of June, hitting .253/.307/.333. Those two have been joined by 25-year-old Nolan Reimold in left field. Reimold was called up in mid-May and made an immediate impact, hitting .296/.375/.533 with nine homers through the end of June. He’s scuffled thus far in July (.191/.269/.234, no homers), so it will be interesting to see if he can make the necessary adjustments to stay in the league.
Perhaps overshadowing those three is rookie backstop Matt Wieters, not because of his performance, but because of his blue-chip status. Wieters was supposed to be this year’s Evan Longoria, but with the Orioles out of contention they were able to wait a bit longer to bring Wieters up, thereby protecting his arbitration status. The fifth-overall pick in the 2007 draft, the 6-foot-5 Wieters hit .343/.438/.576 while burning through the Orioles’ minor league system in a little more than a year. Called up in late May, soon after his 23rd birthday, Wieters has yet to really settle in as a major leaguer. Even tossing out his rough first week in the bigs, he’s hit just .270/.330/.416 since June 9. Still, the potential is there for a huge breakout, and Wieters has the potential to develop into one of the best hitters in the league at any position.
Add to those four Brian Roberts, having a slightly down year at age 31, but still leading the majors in doubles, and a strong showing from fellow-31-year-old Luke Scott (.298/.380/.579 and hitting lefties even better than righties), and the Orioles have an offense worth watching.
What makes them a patsy is their pitching staff. The names have changed from when I wrote something very similar prior to the Yankees’ season-opening series in Baltimore. Adam Eaton has been released, Koji Uehara and Alfredo Simon are on the DL, and Mark Hendrickson has been banished to the bullpen, but the Orioles rotation is still awful. Would-be ace Jeremy Guthrie, whom the Yankees will miss, has a 5.12 ERA. The rest of their rotation made a combined five starts above double-A in 2008, all of them by Cubs castoff Rich Hill. Hill, who starts against Sergio Mitre tomorrow, has a 7.22 ERA thus far this year. Rookie Jason Berken, who will face A.J. Burnett on Wednesday night, is 1-7 with a 6.44 ERA.
The Orioles have had more encouraging results from 23-year-old rookie groundballer Brad Bergesen, though he won’t pitch in this series either. Bergesen has been solid (6-4, 3.51 ERA and a 2.41 ERA over his last ten starts), but his low strikeout rate remains a concern. The fifth spot in the rotation is being filled tonight by 24-year-old rookie David Hernandez. Hernandez. Hernandez has struck out 10.4 men per nine innings in his five-year minor league career, but save for his lone major league relief outing (2 2/3 IP, 0 R, 4 K), has yet to find the same success in the majors after five starts. Despite his middling major league strikeout rate, Hernandez turned in quality starts against the Mariners and Angels his last two times out and fell just one out shy of a quality start in two of his other three outings. The catch is that he’s a fly-ball pitcher coming to the new Yankee Stadium with a reputation for grooving pitches when behind in the count.
Facing Hernandez will be Andy Pettitte. Pettitte had always been a strong second-half performer prior to his second-half collapse last year. Even with last year factored in, he sports a second-half ERA of 3.64 and winning percentage of .687 compared to 4.17 and .578 in the first half. In 2007, Pettitte helped pitch the Yankees into the playoffs, coming out of the All-Star break to go 8-1 witha 2.61 ERA in his first nine starts of the second half. Pettitte claimed his poor second half last year was due to poor off-season conditioning, which he blamed on his desire to keep a low profile after his name surfaced in the Mitchell Report. Assuming Andy got back to his normal routine this past winter, it’s time for it to start paying off, particularly given his disappointing first-half performance.
Eric Hinske starts over Nick Swisher in right tonight against the righty Hernandez. Melky Cabrera starts in center. That’s four post-break starts for Melky to one by Brett Gardner. I don’t like that trend. Melky had a six-game hitting streak going, but it was snapped yesterday. He’s hitting .256/.319/.372 in July and was 2-for-10 with no walks or extra base hits against the Tigers over the weekend. Then again, Gardner is hitting .219/.265/.281 with just two walks and one extra-base hit on the month. Both players have taken advantage of slumps by the other this season. There’s no telling who will step up now, but Gardner needs to play to have a chance.
Baltimore Orioles
2009 Record: 41-50 (.451)
2009 Pythagorean Record: 41-50 (.451)
Manager: Dave Trembley
General Manager: Andy MacPhail
Home Ballpark (multi-year Park Factors): Oriole Park at Camden Yards (103/104)
Who’s Replaced Whom:
- Matt Wieters has replaced Gregg Zaun behind the plate and Chad Moeller on the roster
- Luke Scott (DL) has replaced Luis Montanez (DL)
- Nolan Reimold has replaced Felix Pie in left field
- Jason Berken and David Hernandez (both minors) have replaced Adam Eaton and Koji Uehara (DL)
- Matt Albers and Kam Mickolio (both minors) have replaced Chris Ray (DL) and Jamie Walker
25-man Roster:
1B – Aubrey Huff (L)
2B – Brian Roberts (S)
SS – Cesar Izturis (S)
3B – Melvin Mora (R)
C – Matt Wieters (R)
RF – Nick Markakis (L)
CF – Adam Jones (R)
LF – Nolan Reimold (L)
DH – Luke Scott (L)
Bench:
R – Ty Wigginton (UT)
L – Felix Pie (OF)
R – Robert Andino (IF)
S – Gregg Zaun (C)
Rotation:
R – Jeremy Guthrie
R – David Hernandez
L – Rich Hill
R – Jason Berken
R – Brad Bergesen
Bullpen:
L – George Sherrill
R – Jim Johnson
R – Danys Baez
R – Brian Bass
R – Matt Albers
R – Kam Mickolio
L – Mark Hendrickson
15-day DL: OF – Luis Montanez (torn thumb ligament), RHP – Koji Uehara (torn elbow tendon), RHP – Chris Ray (biceps tendonitis), RHP – Dennis Sarfate (circulatory problems in bicep and shoulder), RHP – Alfredo Simon (elbow ligament surgery)
Typical lineup:
S – Brian Roberts (2B)
L – Nick Markakis (RF)
R – Adam Jones (CF)
L – Aubrey Huff (1B)
L – Luke Scott (DH)
R – Melvin Mora (3B)
R – Nolan Reimold (LF)
R – Matt Wieters (C)
S – Cesar Izturis (SS)
That’s four post-break starts for Melky to one by Brett Gardner.
To be fair, the first game back featured a lefty, and this is Hinske's first start since the Angels series.
Per PeteAbe: UPDATE, 4:48 p.m.: Wang felt pain. Shut down until Friday. Girardi mentioned rotator cuff issues. At this point, Girardi admitted, anything they get from him is a bonus.
Girardi said that Aceves would be easier to return to the rotation than Hughes as he is more stretched out. Girardi said he is concerned about their rotation depth.
Easy or not, time to get Hughes back into starter mode. This has worked out nice enough for his development - he got a shitload of confidence (presumably), his innings will be controlled, learned something about pitching at the ML level (presumably), and the Yanks got nutso quality performance out of him. So now the short & long term concerns align: Hughes back to the rotation (unless you think this team can afford a back 3 of Joba, Pettitte and Aceves/Mitre). If and when Wang comes back, he can be evaluated against whoever is the worst starter in the rotation at the time for a slot, or pitch out of the pen. Might as well give Mitre 2 starts while Hughes gets stretched back out. At least this Wang setback happened early enough to make the decision making easy.
The Orioles aren't patsy, Cliff!
This is patsy!
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f138/pythonorbit/terry%20gilliam/holy%20grail/patsy.jpg
: )
"the 6-foot-5 Wieters ...."
So this guy is the same size as Montero.
Are they calling for Wieters to be moved from behind the plate?
Same size as Mauer. Montero's 6'4". And no.
From Lohud:
Melky Cabrera’s first 128 at-bats: .328/.374/.492
Melky Cabrera’s last 128 at-bats: .234/.310/.367
Does the MelkythDud get complacent as soon as he plays well enough to quell the trade rumors?
While I don't expect a .860 OPS from him, a sub .700 is absolutely....
UNACCEPTABLE.
He continues to prove we can't rely on him.
NOT a good start.
definitely UNacceptable. : /
Well, that didn't take long...
Ixnay on the Angeupchay, Andy...
Damn, Markakis went down and got that one. Hardly a meatball.
Brian Roberts is 31? Damn, I remember watching him in college.
[11] somewhere in NC, right? dad was his coach?
For the record, I say an emphatic "Boo!" to College Football being played at The Stadium...
Nice "single" Johnny...
: )
[12] He was in NC for freshman & sophomore year. Set the ACC record for stolen bases in a year. Team didn't do well so dad was fired. I saw him the next year at South Carolina for junior year (don't have to sit out a year in baseball) where he set the SEC record for stolen bases in a year. Even then you could tell he had potential.
damn you, Alex.
Jesus!!! That wasn't even close. How many braindead players can this team support?
please tie the game, at the very least.
They've completely run out of things to talk about in the booth
That was ball four
Grrrr. I hate wasted opportunities.
Fuckin' Cano. Refuses to take a walk even with the bags loaded.
Cano just refuses to accept a BB.
[22] Or what OYF said.
Girardi needs to fine him $10k each time he does that.
Make that $20k.
This game could be lost on Cano's AB.
Stop arguing with me!
...
Hammerin' Hinkse!
More PT for Hinske...
Well, there's Hinske's HR. He won't play for another ten days
Oy, how did I miss Molina when I skimmed the lineup? Blech. I know Jorge has to sit, but watching Molina hit is just so dispiriting.
"Say, Hey!" Hinske!
[33] "I miss Molina when I skimmed the lineup?"
Freudian penis?
: )
I love that having army's coach in the booth for a half-inning long commercial prevented YES from showing the starting pitcher's stats or the Yankee lineup. And by "love" I mean "hate."
[36] Yeah, "priorities"... you know I love 'em...
*rolls eyes*
Slightly off topic: Sergio Mitre's K/BB in the minors this year: 6.14. He's walked seven guys in 54 1/3 innings.
53 pitches already for this kid, but only one run?
56 pitches already
Does Huff do the fist pump after he drops a pop up?
Huff alligator armed that one.
[38] I'll have a Sergio Mitre REPORT after the game tomorrow.
I don't expect that it will be long.
[41] Nice.
did the umpire call a ball about 10" outside a strike because he felt bad for huff?
Coming into today's game, Hinske's OPS+ during his Yankees tenure was 281!
LOL!
[43] Obviously I want Hughes back in the rotation given the Wang setback today, but I don't hate the Mitre thing. More on all that tomorrow in the game preview.
Weiss has to be better than Kay
[47] This has Ponson level disaster written all over it.
[48] Nice Kybosh, Mattpat...
No, Mattpat, Serio Mitre = Aaron Small 2.0.
[49] It''s no where near the same thing, as I explained to Bum Rush a few threads back. Mitre is just 28 and is far from a proven major league failure like Ponson was by the time he got to the Yankees.
[51] Again, no. Small was 33 in his big Yankee season. Mitre has more career ahead of him than behind him.
There it is.
Good fight, Andy.
[49] Sir Pontoon is "pitching" tonight for the Royales.
Another one bites the dust. Sweet.
To me, Aaron Small looked like Hanover Fiste from "Heavy Metal"...
: )
50 pitches for those 8 outs. andy's gonna blow our bullpen tonight and who knows how long Mitre can go manana...
[53] Okay, well, I didn't mean he was alike in every way.
More runs...
Hinske flashing the s-m-o-o-t-h leather.
[58] I guess you liked the Markakis AB then, huh? ;-)
Nice work, Andy!
Apropos of nothing. Did anyone catch this highlight( (lowlight) from the Dodgers-Astros game this weekend. Ths 'Stros pichcher, with a man on third, went to throw the ball into his glove in frustration of something. Well, he missed his glove, the ball rolled into foul territory, and the guy on third after a WTF moment, trottted home w/o a play. Incredible.
GO IRISH : D
Kay: "...driven deeeeeeep to CF..."
[64] Yep, saw it. Very embarrassing.
Not just "The 'Stros pitcher", either -- it was Mike Hampton.
[62] i didn't see it specifically. i'm guessing he worked Andy hard and then homered?
i have the Braves game on here - young Hanson vs. No-No Sanchez. switching to Cubs-Phitin's on ESPN during commercials. i'm also making dinner and am completely infuriated with this new hand-held recording device i got. i HATE technology and modern electronics. soooo frustrating!!! : /
Chipper just hit a 2-run shot...
Isn't there a Banterer at tonight's game?
[65] I think he might be auditioning for the radio job.
[64] LETS GO IR-ISH!!!
[67] Oh, no, I meant that last one. One-pitch out.
[66] i can't believe mike hampton, russ ortiz and carl pavano are all making their starts this season. : o
[70] My family is looking to see them in the 'burgh this season. Yinz gawt any tickets? : )
[70] i was thinking of picking some up. i think there are season tickets still available (and yes, buying Panthers season tickets is cheaper than buying second hand tickets for the ND game).
[68] yes. there's one tonight, Mattpat tomorrow and another going on Wed. can't remember the bookends...
[71] oh. i don't get YES. i follow along w/ ESPN gamecast and the Banter. i check in on the full scoreboard and Pete Abe for updates. i really wish the game was on espn tonight - everyone in the country can watch the Cubs anytime... : /
I finally got around to reading Brian Biegel's Miracle Ball (recommended in the Father's Day Banter). Really great mystery, and a fascinating depiction of New York in the '50s. (I didn't find Biegel's personal story as interesting.)
Anyway, the book seems to be almost an afterthought to a film he was making on the same subject. Has anyone seen the film? Is it available, doing film festivals, or anything?
[70] i think you mean...
WE ARE....PENN STATE!!!
[73] yins guhna stay dahntahn?! : )
[77] let me think about that... Nope, definitely not! haha
[75] Hey, it's me! I'm going on Wednesday!
My first trip to YS2. Bringing the kids, my dad, and my brother and nephew are both going to be there, from DC. Awesome day. AJ Burnett...
Reborn range.
[75] Thanks Thelarmis. I thought as much...
Did you notice that Will Weiss' appearance coincided with some more wins against Detroit?
I did...
Now if we can only Super Glue Flash to his Lazy Boy at his house, we'll be golden!
: )
geez, we went from a 35 pitch first inning to some quick outs. argh!
These guys stink. When do the regular Yankees get to bat? Does that come later?
[80] So many, Rainman? Did you take out a loan or something?
: )
MEE-tree. So that's how you pronounce it. Or is it MEE-tray?
Crud, well, at least that was a real swing.
Jeez.... Jason Giambi and his .697 OPS injured his quad and is on the DL. The guy has fallen hard. Maybe the Mets could use him.
Just finished a nice Boylan Creme Soda, got one thing to say:
URP!
[85] Oh, well, cheap seats, relatively speaking. Still, yeah. Once per summer at these prices.
[79] i'm not a college football fan, at all. i remember when PSU was "independent" like ND. of course, i always hope Penn State does well in everything. i was supposed to be there next weekend, but alas, it's not happening. : (
[83] i thought that, too. let's hope Andy settles down/in...
[80] WOW!!! that sounds nothing short of terrific. i'm sure you all will have a wonderful time. hopefully AJ delivers you a gem and us all a win!!! : )
Very nice.
But why did Kay say "Say hello to Bud Selig"? Because it looked like Andy might be throwing at him??
Evening, Team.
Looks like a good game. Seems Andy's pitching well!
[89] Well I certainly hope you and yours have a great time and enjoy a Yankees win!
: )
[65] When Kay goes "deep" sea diving, he's just looking for a coin in the kiddie pool. When he orders a "deep" dish pizza, he gets a Stoufers. : ) Honestly, every time he does that I wish O'Neill was there to smack 'em.
[91] Reference to his signature on the ball...
[82] Andy's supposed to be golden. at least to weeping! : )
i did not notice that about Will Weiss. but i HAVE noticed that his columns here been A LOT better since his return! : )
[95] Oh! Duh.
[92] Some frustration in the bottom halves of the innings, though. Different brands of frustration different innings.
Shit Sox got on the board early vs. Millwood...
[92] i channeled you whilst typing! see [96]
Yipes.
Decent play by Hinske, though.
HA!
throw strikes, Andrew.
Tommy Hanson is FUN to watch! though i'm doing a gazillion things and can't really devote too much time to any one thing right now...
Hmm..Wieters is a 6'5" highly rated catcher prospect, but Montero is too big.
Wow, very smart, Robinson!
Thelarmis, on the Wieters hit, Reimold rounded second but Rob bluffed him and he held up, so he couldn't score, even though he was running with the pitch.
Oh, Andy! Awesome.
Needed that.
[102] i assume (maybe that's stupid) that the difference has more to do with their actual defensive abilities than their heights
good job, Andy! get outta this unscathed...
Theodore Roosevelt Lilly getting lit up by the World Champions...
If Andy can escape here, they might be able to milk him through seven innings.
nicely done, andy!
And the Magician does it again.
shall i say...Golden God?! ; )
[106] It's true that Montero is not a good catcher. At all. But it's also true that observers have been saying for over a year that his size will prevent him from being a catcher.
[106] Sure that's a good bit of it, but Montero is always mentioned as being too tall or too big. If that is eliminated from the equation, then they are looking at a sub-par defensive catcher who can hit like heck. That's worth developing, or at least not giving up on too soon.
I think the reason Montero was considered too big is that he was that big when he was 16. They assumed he would keep growing.
Lean into that one, Molina!!
[104] coolio, thanks man!
soriano just totally pulled a luis castillo! 8-0 Philthy
[114] The thing is, ALL players at EVERY position are bigger these days. They used to think a tall pitcher wouldn't work because his mechanics would get out of whack, or that big middle infielders weren't quick enough for their positions, etc.
[112] [113] true, but it's also not fair to compare him to wieters, who is supposed to be a good defensive catcher. i'm sure people had questions about his defense based on his size too. i obviously agree that it's worth trying to keep montero at catcher, but i doubt the knocks on his defense are arbitrary.
Is it too soon to miss Cervelli? : /
[117] Is that true, about pitchers? I never knew that. Walter Johnson was big, wasn't he?
we are totally letting this kid off the hook. : /
[118] No, they aren't arbitrary. If you follow Trenton Thunder, or even River Ave Blues, you'll see that he's been very bad. But, he's very young. I don't think he's worse than Piazza at 19.
[118] The knocks on his defense are most assuredly not arbitrary. The knocks on his size most assuredly are--that was my point!!
[120] The Big Train might have been big for his day, but he was only 6' 1".
[119] Nope. Not at all.
logging in late guys. is this a classic URP case?
[123] Lefty Gomez, 6' 2"?
Tommy Hanson:
6 innings
89 pitches
11 strikeouts (!!!)
13 in a row retired
[125] Some unpleasant chokage early, then total URPage.
On the plus side, Pettitte is cruising.
[126] thelarmis j. younkin = 5'10"
re: Monetero and Weiters I'm one of the few here that follow hockey, and there are some big-ass goalies in the NHL. I am going to say goalies are more athletic than catchers. Catchers of course spend 99% of their time crouching, and therein lies the probem. But I've seen some goalies do crazy things on skates. Why can't Montero be a serviceable catcher for 10 years?
LOL!
Head in game instead of up ass, Alex...
evidently, Alex has been talking fielding lessons from Ransom ...
Nice!
Oh, now I get it! A-Rod set up that DP nicely.
3-6-3...my favorite. You can tell I grew up watching Mattingly!
No Giambi special into leftfield. : D
[122] i hope that doesn't mean that he IS worse than piazza at 30 or so!
[128] saw in gameday that robbie AGAIN refused to be walked withe the bases loaded and a gassed pitcher, swinging not once but twice at ball four. glad I didn't watch that...
Just hope good andy keeps it up...
Does anyone know how big Montero is now? They usually don't update those stats in the minors. Melky was listed at 180 lbs. for years after he passed 200 lbs.
Just wondering. I haven't see him in person.
[137] If he is, and he's still playing, then he will have taken over DH and it won't matter!
time to sweep the leg and step on the throat.
get that score truck in gear, let's go!!!
[141] Flat tire.
It seems the Orioles have been up to bat since 7:30.
how did this guy throw 56 pitches in 2 innings, then 47 in the next 4? damn it!
Does anyone know how big Montero is now?
Not sure, but there was a poster over at RAB that went to the AA All Star Game and said that he was huge. He and Taylor (iirc, the Phillies prospect) were the biggest guys on the field.
UPR'ed...
[142] Creve! anybody here used to play Mille Bornes, the French card game?
[139] I hear he is 8'3" and 320.
[130] If Montero can't ultimately be a catcher, it will be because there are factors other than his size that will preclude it.
please have a quick, easy inning and go out there for the 8th.
wow, looks like both teams are sleepwalking. nobody wants to win. must be one of those days. I hate Mondays
Critical inning for Pettitte--can he wriggle through?
[98] :)
[148] stop talking about me like that! ; )
[147] I did! And I used to use that as an expletive, too!
And sometimes I would say, "Increveable!", or whatever it is, and of course I couldn't pronounce it, but I like the word.
Great game.
[151] i believe i was born on a Monday.
Ry Cooder's "On A Monday" > Bangles' "Manic Monday"
what about "Monday, Monday"?
i used to like Monday's 'coz my jazz trio play everyone of them for several years. now, they kinda suck...
[148] Hysterical.
He's the reciprocal of David Eckstein.
hi team.
why do the yanks have only 1 run?
[158] they donated the rest to charity for HOPE week.
[156] Rick Monday.
"Rainy Days and Mondays" (but that doesn't count because it's actually *about* how bad Mondays are)
[145] Interesting. Looking forward to seeing for myself when he gets to AAA.
Boy, Andy's made a living off the GIDP today.
[154] i'll try to remember not to...
Andy's had a good game today!
: )
[158] score truck got stuck on the Major Deagen. it should be here in the bottom of the 8th.
another good job, Andy!
[156] pettitte seems to be enjoying his Monday. let's hope somebody else joins him
[158] [165] haahahahhahaha
least andy looks like he's having a nice game!
[158] Because Hinske drove off with the score truck.
.
.
Alternately, because you cannot predict baseball.
[165] Damn your eyes.
URP's gone!!! victory is ours
CANO is infurtiating. He turns that dp like nobody's business. He has so much freakin' talent I'm disappointed whenever he doesn't lace one off the wall. He's got to have a monster season or two ahead of him.
Hope Week as in "We hope to score some runs this week."
ben zobrist, man - i'm still not ready to believe that
[155] i had a feeling you'd know that game! that rules. we still have it at my parents house and my pop will bring it up every now and then when i'm visiting, but i only wanna play Boggle anymore... it really was a great game! : )
[160] growing up, collecting baseball cards, i always thought his last name was so weird. i mean, i don't think anyone else in the world has a last name of any other day. kinda strange...
speaking of tall...
[173] i know, i saw that before and thought the same thing. 18 homers? really?!?!
[138] That horrid AB changed the total complexion of this game.
Too bad nobody told Moose that after 40, vision sucks...
Smoltz through three: 1 hit, no walks, 43 pitches.
[177] William, stop that. And what have you done with Old Yanks Fan??
[75] thelarmis, try the MLB Gameday graphics, better than the ESPN one.
Who is this young pitcher and why have we not scored 15 runs yet? (Would like to make a score truck joke here but lack confidence to do so...)
[180] oh jesus - spot the hell on. where is william these days?
As Homer would say, "BOOOORRRIIIIINNGGGGG"
[181] see score truck jokes above...
Bah!
C'mon you humps! Hinske can't carry all of you, even with his monstrous Yankees OPS+ in the 280's!
Oh, good, Mr OK is here, now everything will be okay!
The URP is gone
Orioles' soft underbelly
Now our bats can roar
Not sure I go back to Andy here.
[181] i've tried that. for some reason, the games won't open up on my old laptop. i'm talking the free stuff just from their scoreboard...
[183] i had a young student a decade ago who used to say that all the time. cute!
Lil' G's bound to pinch run at some point. So says my magic 8 ball.
[187] Remind me to ask you for investment advice, or a weather forecast.
Not.
[187] i'm cool with starting Andy here. see what happens. he's been strikin' out some batters lately, huh?!
[186] don't worry, that beeping sound you here is the score truck backing into the home dugout, just in time for the bottom of the 8th! : )
Oh, man, bad timing by me [190].
[188] Blonde or Brunette? : D
[190] Heh heh...
[186]
It's tomorrow here
I check in from the future
Yanks, climb the score truck!
[189] 8 ball, 8th inning, 8 wheels on the score truck...
Cano's AB in the 1st, along with this lackluster offense against a last place team, even with an excellent albeit rare, performance from Andy, is why this team is destined for 3rd place unless there are sweeping changes
what the hell was hinske doing out there?
working on the penske file?
Unbelievable.
Dammit.
Double HA!
Ah, Itzuris must have attended the Nick Swisher School of Baserunning.
[191] "Don’t worry, that beeping sound you here is the score truck backing into the home dugout, just in time for the bottom of the 8th!"
Whew, that's good! I thought it was Molina...
Wow, Cano making up for that lousy at bat with some pwnage of the Orioles baserunners.
[193] oooh, NOOOOOO!!! it was a little boy. looked like he could've been my son - little, pale white kid with blonde hair and blue eyes. his father is a rock star of sorts. he was a great little kid. i think he's a teenager now and lives in Brooklyn...
fuck. monkeypants was right. score truck is supposed to wait til the BOTTOM of the 8th. somebody go tell the driver...
[197] Now cut that out.
[199] I think it's going to be sunny tomorrow.
I would go to Mo here, but...
Awesome fuckin' play.
Woohoo Tex!
fuck that - out at home
Oh. Teixeira doesn't throw the same way that Giambi used to.
Damn--ballsy play by Teixera. I thought Molina bobbled it at first.
I love defense!
No parking the score truck here.
Damn. Teixeira and Molina. Rockin'.
wow, somehow that ball didn't get kicked out.
nicely done, Teix!
good. 1 more!!!!
Holy SHITE.
luck or bad call?
wow - another out at home - though he looked safe
Whoa.
luck
I'll never understand why you walk a guy with 2nd and 3rd, but not 1st and 3rd.
Wow, another bang-bang play at home.
Molina earning his paycheck tonight.
[220] I think he missed the plate on the slide. That said, I'm not sure the ball didn't come loose on the play before, but it was pretty hidden.
don't come knockin cause the score truck is gonna be rockin this inning
Roberst just missed the plate.
Great play by Cokey, though.
The ump's punchout is priceless. Those 2 outs were good times.
It must be glove 'cause offense don't shake like that!
[223] because you're putting another runner in scoring position?
that was a good strategy- i had a bad feeling about jones vs coke
[214] the white zone is for loading and unloading only. if you have to load or unload, go to the white zone. you'll love it! ...it's a way of life...
COKEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
what just happened?
[223] Oh, I can tell you why. Two reasons.
(1) Because you put another runner in scoring position.
(2) Because even without walking the batter you have GIDP potential.
Unclear what happend ther from Gameday! Details, anyone?
[225] yeah that's what fooled me - cokey obviously hasn't done too many cover home plate drills
[230] That's the reason given, of course. But if a guy is SOOOO dangerous that you walk him, aren't you putting the game on the line (tied, 8th inning) by pitching too him with a man on third.
[231] you want me to have an abortion
[232] Wild Pitch.
Roberts comes home, Molina scrambles, throws off balance, Coke grabs it and swipes. It looks like Roberts beats the throw, but he's pumped out. Replay shows he slid around the plate and didn't touch it.
yeah, what the hell happened?!?!?!
[238] sweet! thanks. gameday was ambiguous.
No Way Po makes that last play.
[234] wild pitch mr ok jazz - molina scrambled for it through it to cokey and they got roberst out at home becuase roberts didn't get the plate and cokey flopped a tag on him
[233] DP opportunity is an interesting argument. Still, it seems to me that if a batter is so fierce that you aren't willing to face him with two me in scoring position, then I wouldn't pitch to him with a man on third regardless of first base.
Also, if you walk him, the bases are loaded and you still have a DP opportunity.
[242] shit - threw - not through
[236] well i agree that in a lot of those situations walking the guy is the right play, but it makes sense that it's a little different
I'm not sure Jorgie makes either of those two plays at the plate.
Hm, on that replay (of the 3-1 FC) it really does look like Molina failed to hold the ball, trapping it against the ground. Itzuris dislodged it. I thinik.
I'm confused about the rules tonight...why do the Yankees have to start every inning with two outs automatically?
[238] thanks, man!
[237] uh, i don't get it??? [214] said "no parking..." and then i quoted Zappa!!! : )
[238][242] Thanks! Can't wait to see that later.
Tex with an audible goddamnit after popping out.
[247] That's what it looked like to me, but all doors are locked on the score truck tonight.
[249] and then i turned it into an airplane! reference
Relax, Hinske is due for a HR...
crappity crap. the 8th was NOT supposed to go like that. i think we need to hire a new score truck driver. now accepting applications. only pre-requisite is that you don't swing at the first pitch!
Doh!
[243] Right.
But as 51cq24 says, it's not the same situation.
Sometimes it's probably smart to walk a really good hitter with corner runners and one out, but it makes sense that you should do it *more often* with 2nd and 3rd only.
That ump had his mind up before anything. booooooo
Kay: "...put Nick Swisher in RF for defense..."
Probability of ever hearing that statement uttered?
[253] acha! i'm not a big movie guy, so it went over my head... : ~
[254] In the clubhouse on xbox?
[254] Uh oh...
Cokey doesn't pitch to Mora, right?
no No NO!!! don't put the leadoff man on. esp a speedy one. : /
Ah. Fresh Melk delivered as promised.
Good catch.
(For Gameday watchers: Melky with the shoestring catch.)
ace is in to "vulture" a win -
Aceves not Hughes...interesting.
smoltz gives up a run...
With extra innings a good possibility, witl Girardi burn through our BP?
[269] huges *might* not be avialble today. and mo has gone 3 days in a row.
wow. ryan howard just CRUSHED an oppo field homer. damn, is he strong! wow.
Shouldn't Melk be in RF and Gardner in CF? Eh, what do I know?
what was the "on field delay" about?
[273] Howard never gets cheated with his swings..monstrous power, i think he could hit the ball out of most J stadiums over here.
[274] i don't think gardner is in - just swisher for hinske
OYF I respect the hell outta you, I really do. But destined for 3rd place? Seriously?
They've won 16 of 21, they're a game out of first and leading the WC, they're 17 games over and just swept a first place team.
Now I'm not saying they should rest on their laurels and not bring in another arm, give AJax a shot at some point, etc etc. But you really can't ask much more out of them over the better part of the past month.
[272] Ah.
[276] I meant why should Swish replace Hinske instead of the MelkBrett combo. : )
i just saw the Roberts highlight. he was OUT!!!
now get Judge Reimold out... : )
No Mo?
[279] oh sorry. girradi logic - much like the game of baseball is unpredictable.
[277] He's too subtle for you. This is OYF's impersonation of William.
I think.
[281] 3 days in a row...
[279] My guess:
Swisher's bat will show up (probably) this inning.
Brett is now available to pinch run.
Girardi is imagining that he's going to be in a situation where he'll really, really want a pinch runner.
Just a guess.
[283] It's comments like that why someone needs to be held accountable. : D
Whoever found Aceves deserves a nice watch or something.
Vulture!
Aaaaaaaaaace.
ACES HIGH!!!
Okay, here we go.
What's that I see in my rear view mirror? It's big. It's honking. It's coming up fast...
Could it be...?
[286] do people still wear those things?
i know it's a little frustrating that we aren't scoring runs, but you gotta love the pitching in these tight matchups
[283] aaaah ok. Although I think William's take would be something along the lines of "Cano swinging at a 3-2 pitch is further proof that Joe Girardi is an incompetent manager"
[291] *raises hand with one on*
cano's gonna end this, by the way
[289] Remember Sam "Ace " Rothstein's short-lived tv show in the film "Casino" was called "Aces High"..funny bit in an otherwise weak Scorsesee effort..
So Alex, need a day off or what?
[295] bold prediction. i like it. nostralarmis may be challenged.
[293] Well, you have to read all of OYF's comments tonight. He pretty much has that angle covered.
松井頑張れ！！
[291] my watch is a drumset! there's a kit at 12 'o clock. the minute and hour hands are both drumsticks and the second hand has an eighth note on it and acts as a conductor's baton! : )
all that said, i don't like to wear it everyday, but i do have it on most of the time...
Let's go Matsui
So Hideki, need a walk-off or what?
Woohoo!
: )
SCORE TRUCK!!!
松井！
Word to big bird. Dope.
Godzilla!!!!
TORA TORA TORA!!!
godzilla!!!!!!!!!
damnit!!! i really wanted to be right!!!
Holy SHIT. YES!!!
Mastui-san!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BOOM!
Sweet hit, Godzilla.
Wow, he's happy.
Perhaps a bit unfair, but with the state of his knees could this be considered a hobble-off?
as soon as ace came in to "vulture" i knew someone had to be warming up the score truck
[296] my "Aces High" reference is of Iron Maiden! track 1 from the brilliant "Powerslave" record, 1985!!! : )
[298] my buddy Cult starting challenging me when i was at the Braves games and couldn't post!!!
MATSUI-SAN!!!!
go rangers : )
さよならホームラン！！YAYYYYYYY!!!!!
Funny, Kim can't interview Matsui, I guess.
damn, every time I see a walk off, Melky is grabbing the helmet out of the air and Arod is empty handed on the margins ...
jesus - molina is moli
[318] i thought he was posting your texts
matsui getting pied is just too good
That was a satisfying way to win.
[320] I was quicker off the mark, though, Mr. OK.
Pie for Matsui!
[316] Harsh.
[310] heh-heh!!! ; )
holy cow!!! woo! had to play a couple of songs on the guitar. it worked!!!
Now it's time to run for the hills. A Yanks-O's game ending before 10 o'clock. : ) And no, I haven't worn a watch since I was 10.
[321] Kim can interview me ANYTIME!!! ; )
Suzyn got Matsui on the interview,, nice job, kiddo.
[329] ditto. in fact i'm free now if someone wants to let her know...
[329] YES! Glad I'm not the only one who finds her completely underrated
Matsui is clutch..after his Japan years he just doesn't crack under pressure..
meanwhile Big PooPoo hitting .225, Nancy Drew .240, Captian Tek .235..are BoSox fans worried bout their offense at all?
[323] yes. i mean, um, uuuuuuh, yeah - that's what he was doing!!!
actually, he was - but that was just to say hi to you guys! : )
[328] was it a Swatch?!
[329] I know, right? I mean, I'm married, but I think it's okay to be interviewed.
Rollez!
[331] i got dibs, as she's a Penn Stater, also! : )
Whoa, several closet Kim fans! I feel better now.
[332] oh, dude - she's gorgeous!!! : )
[330] Does Suzyn ever bust out any Peter Allen songs in the booth? "call me Legz Diamond!"
Well done Yanks!
Have a great evening everyone!
: )
kim's attractiveness waxes and wanes, but it's been very low for me ever since she shared her political thoughts on a francesa episode. but i shan't get into that.
[336] oh crap. but don't you have a studio session? I mean, i've got no conflicts...
[333] they're still winning though. 2-1, bot 6.
[337] i'm a longtime fan and not shy about it! : )
[341] what are her politics generally? just curious... you know, compatibility and all. :)
[334] I must have had about 3-5 different swatches back in the mid 80's. Unfortunately wearing 2 at once was a common occurrence at my school. lol.
Nice that this team is finding ways to win these close games. Last year they'd have lost all three consecutive 2-1 games.
i'm single. NO studio sessions. (sneaky seamus = smeagol !!!). HATE politics.
all i'm sayin', interview is the wrong verb... ; )
[345] the 80s..izod shirts, Members Only jackets, surfing brand t-shirts (in Brooklyn?!?), hair gel...not a good time to be a young teenager..
[347] haha smeagol!!! too good...
Michael young tater off of Smoltz!
[344] let's just say she is what she appears to be
[344] Your fantasy life is... richer than mine.
Not for sure, but from what I remember of 51cq, I'd have a hard time with her politically, too. But that's okay, my fantasy life does not extend to intense political debates.
[277] Dude... I was channeling William. Didn't you recognize the voice?
[348] ah, i had all that, too (in Queens). wait, actually i was on the Island by then, for the most part - right by JFK...
[349] smeagol !!!! (perfect.)
[352] Really? I've always had this recurring dream involving Cokie Roberts and Nancy Reagan...
Josh Hamilton doubles with no out, go go Tejas!
[351] HOT AS HELL!!!! ; )
[353] I explained it, OYF. I cottoned on immediately.
she's also little mouthy. i mean physically.
[351] damn too vague. now i'm thinking, what does she appear to be politically?
[355] See, now this is spoiling the whole Kim thing for me. Dammit.
When I think of Kim Jones, I remember Randy Johnson dousing her with champagne with a weird look in his eyes and making her look like a drowned rat.
[355] suh-weet! tie game. threatening...
[358] No, I like that. That's part of the attraction.
But I'm turned off now. Jeez, I didn't know that about myself. I keep thinking Ann Coulter.
[362] And they take the lead!
This is a vvvg baseball evening.
i ignore all of it. physically, she's still HOT!!!
[359] hey smeagol, i'll tell ya what - let's "fight" for her. you serenade here w/ a guitar song and i'll play her some 4-mallet marimba and write her poetry!!! ; )
[363] ok if she leans the Coulter way then that would definitely be a turn off. oh well.
[364] praying they hold it!!!
That Roberts out in the eighth was hilarious. That exchange between him and the ump was like a Broadway play or something from the Little Rascals.
[365] haha. my guitar play is so incredibly horrible that you will no doubt win that.
2 more for Texas!!!!!!!!! Up 5-2 now!!!!!
I'm listening to Sterling's recap. He's replaying his calls of the seventh inning tag plays at home.
He says he predicted those would happen.
The Sox-RAngers game is looking up by the minute. Sadly, I am not allowed to watch it--my wife's price for the Yankees game is that now we have to watch Italian talent shows.
Salty with a bomb!!! 6-2 Texas!!!
[363] well i imagine that's going a little too far, but it doesn't take much (in that direction) to soften my initial reaction
[371] I meant in the eighth, of course.
[370] Yeah!! Go hit the golf course, Smoltzie!!
[372] I can't watch either. Blacked out for me on mlb.tv, and not on Fox.
ok folks. gotta watch torchwood. can't let that sit there too long. GO TEXAS!!!
[372] Speaking of hot women..Italian variety shows..my goodness..horribly sexist but....
[369] yay!!! ; )
[372] ouch!
6-2 lead!!!!
Ann Coulter ... the reason they invented ball gags.
Interesting, though. I mean, from a purely clinical, non-fan perspective. Smoltz plainly needs to be stretched out, but Francona treats him like a warhorse. Understandable.
[379] Horribly sexist and horribly horrible...but like a car accident, you just can't look away.
[383] Funny but when I visited Italy once, the variety shows there struck me as EXACTLY the same as the ones here..mindless tomfoolery, horribly sexist..and I could not stop looking at the women..
Guys.... a sexist (real definition) is someone who believes women are inferior. It has nothing to do with sex.
Matsui in postgame: "I totally forgot he does that." (In res AJ with pie, of course)
Girardi: (after a lot of trite cliches, which Suzyn loved) Tough play for Molina to get that ball back to Coke, he did it perfectly. (This seems obvious, but I credit Girardi with insight because he's a catcher.)
Coke: game on the line, and I was so embarrassed I bounced that pitch, I was gonna sacrifice my body to get him out.
Molina: Teix and I have been working on that play since spring training. I reminded him that Itzuris is fast, so if you get the grounder get it back to me fast. (!!!)
[385] Sexism--look up "The Miniskirt Police" on Japanese tv..
Emily Procter on CSI:Miami WINS. i adore her! : )
(Jazz Tokyo - you'd hate her!!!)
cokey should be interviewed after every game regardless of whether he even played
I actually believe that woman are superior. As the old Robert Palmer song goes: "That's right, the women are smarter."
[388] I've seen a few episodes of that on local tv here, the one with David "whispering is not acting" Caruso? She's...."OK"...but not my type!
[390] i fully agree! stronger, smarter, more talented and creative...but they don't play fair!!! : /
[391] yup, that's the one! i generally don't ever watch stuff like this. when i was going home all the time to visit my grandpa, but my dad loved watching Caruso on this show and sucked me in. and goddamn, is Calleigh HOT HOT HOT!!! : )
[390] I didn't know that was a Robert Palmer song. I love that song.
It's not a Robert Palmer song. It was written by Norman Span, and I think it was made a hit by Harry Belafonte. I knew I remembered it from my childhood -- my parents had that Calypso album. And of course, the Dead did it as a kind of zydeco song, I guess.
Great song.
shit. sawx just scored. threatening. 4 outs to go. 6-3 Tejas.
wait, is that THREE 2-1 victories in a row?!?!?! : o
[396] Small-Ball Bombers?
3 outs to go, Go-Go Tejas! Sox are vulnerable..I smell blood...
2 outs to 1st place!
One out to go!
1 more out...
[394] this song.
[401] Yeah, same song.
The Red Sox just can't hit. It's been several weeks now. Red Sox Nation isn't panicking, but just wait until we blow by them for the Division lead (it's bound to happen when I go to the game day after tomorrow, I figure). The pressure to trade the farm for Halladay will mount.
First place...again...
1st place!!!!
wow..Tito pinch hit for JD Drew..injury? Suckititis? What's his salary??
Jenks really walkin' the line in the 9th vs. the Rays...
gets out of it.
Rays lose also!
[401] Sorry, I see I wasn't clear. Belafonte did that song in 1956. It seems to have been written by Norman Span (can't find anything definitive). Grateful Dead covered it, so did Robert Palmer.
You can hear the calypso even in Palmer's version, though I admit I thought of it as zydeco.
okay, off to the studio to prak.
good baseball night, y'all. let's do it again tomorrow!
[405] He's in a serious slump.
He's getting $14M/yr. But he's almost worth it, generally speaking (as long as he doesn't get injured). Just the past few weeks he's sucked.
[396]
It is, and furthermore (via David Pinto, because i hadn't noticed) it's the second straight game in which all runs were solo taters. Weird.
Until Saturday, the Yankees were 0-8 in games in which they scored fewer than three runs. Now 3-8, they're second best in the league (behind Texas, oddly) in those low-scoring games. And without learning how to bunt!
[407] I came of age in the '70s, so Palmer's version is my frame of reference.
holy awesome!!! Torchwood rocked my world and now first place!!!
Got back from the game a little while ago, and speed-read through all these comments.
First of all, can someone tell me what the **** Hiske was up to with that ball that fell in for a double? From where I was sitting (section 128 - sweet! - left field side) it looked like it was catchable and he just pulled up as if it was going into the stands. Everyone around me including the usher was like "WTF???"
The good thing about that play was the game was pretty dull and it enabled two exciting plays at the plate. The first I questioned - I guess they sent the runner on third on contact but it looked like a bad idea given how hard the ball was hit. The second, I thought the runner's goose was cooked once Molina picked up the ball - it was just too close to the plate.
And the ending was very sweet of course. My buddy missed it, cause he went to the bathroom, anticipating something spectacular. Well he was right but he didn't get to see it.
As far as the new stadium goes, I really dislike the idea of it but I enjoyed it. It really didn't seem like much more than a ballpark, though walking by the suite level and the restaurant with candles and wine glasses on the tables was somewhat unnerving. But my personal experience was very ... baseball-y.
I'll also take credit for getting the Yanks back into first place - you're welcome!