It’s thus far been a beautiful Labor Day weekend in the tri-state area, and with a double-header against the third-place Rays coming tomorrow, watching Sergio Mitre and Brian Tallet face off on artificial turf in Toronto’s half-empty concrete behemoth of a ballpark might not seem like the best way to spend your Sunday afternoon. Still, there’s a bit of intrigue as the Yankees are looking to win the series. If they do, they’ll have won 14 of 16 second-half sets. As it stands, the Yanks have won eight of their last nine games and should have Mariano Rivera available to close again today.
There’s also the fact that, since Chien-Ming Wang went back on the disabled list, the Yankees are 8-2 in games started by their fifth starter (be it Mitre, Chad Gaudin, or Alfredo Aceves). Mitre is coming off a legitimately dominant outing against the White Sox (0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 11 of 19 outs on the ground) that was ended after 6 1/3 innings when he was hit on the pitching elbow by a comebacker. Mitre pitched that game on seven-day’s rest and is pitching today having had another seven day’s off.
Tallet has made two starts since July 25 and has a 10.07 ERA over his last four starts. He does, however, have two quality starts against the Yankees this year, both of them Blue Jays loses.
Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada get the day off. Jerry Hairston Jr. plays third and bats seventh ahead of Melky and Jose Molina.
I'm in-n-out all weekend.
Dare we use the word "juggernaut" in describing the Yankees these days?
Just save some wins (eleven to be exact) for the post-season.
[0] There’s also the fact that, since Chien-Ming Wang went back on the disabled list, the Yankees are 8-2 in games started by their fifth starter (be it Mitre, Chad Gaudin, or Alfredo Aceves).
You know, you just can't predict baseball.
The Yankees are now just two wins from matching their 2008 total. Also, the OPS+ leader (in a tie) is....Alex Rodriquez. Even in a stacked lineup, Arod is still this team's biggest weapon.
i'm alive! but i'm "in" here. i'm not the outdoorsy type. just relaxin' at my pad...
No Alex, No Po. Swish swishes around this lineup like mad.
Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Matsui DH
Swisher RF
Cano 2B
Hairston 3B
Cabrera CF
Molina C
[4] Would like to have seen Cervelli, just for fun. Ah well.
[5] yeah, good call. i'm not sure who's been catching Orgies, but if it was Molina, that could be a reason why he's in there today.
an Orgies/Brains battery woulda been fun!
[5] speaking of our catchers:
POSADA POWER: Jorge Posada is 28 of 86 (.326) in his last 22 games with 15 extra-base hits, 14 runs scored, 24 RBI and 10 walks.
WOW!!!
[3] You may be right but I'm gonna chime in here again with a caution against using on-base percentage plus slugging as a kind of definitive (combo) stat.
[8] OPS does favor slugging too much and doesn't take into account playing time, but I think it is still the best/quickest way to point us toward who is performing the best when on the field...and once again, that seems to be Arod.
Also, Arod's .404 OBP leads the team...and he has stolen 10 of 12 bases.
[8][9] Straight OPS (and thus OPS+) does undervalue OBP, but A-Rod now leads the team in OBP. On a rate basis, then, he seems to be the most valuable offensive weapon, as William suggests.
[10] Damn you.
There's yer MVP, sorry.
[11] Yeah, like I say I'll give it to A Rod, no problem. I just prefer to look at a stat line than a semi-summary-cum-combo stat. If anything, OPS creates potential mystery (as to the division of the two stats being combined) which is the opposite of what these things should do. I don't think there's much value to it, unless you're realllllly strapped for time.
[13] i know. he's just amazing. and that should be stolen base # 299 !!!!!
[14] Fair enough...I just really disagree. Even though it undervalues OBP, I still think it is an excellent metric, especially because it doesn't rely on nebulous variables like "replacement level" and "zone rating". Those kinds of stats introduce alot more mystery than OPS, which is very transparent.
I like that Hairston can play every position. But his play at 3B has been a bit spotty.
[15] Only 27 behind Rickey for the franchise lead.
[14] Thing is, when you look at a range of statistics to compare two players, you're often going to find that one of them is better at some things and the other is better at others. You'll have to find some way to combine the stats, or you can't get a ranking. So, in effect you create your own single combo statistic.
Ugh, bad defense day.
[17] Particularly on throws.
i guess he's getting it out of the way early. : /
A-Rod making his non-presence known. his NPK+ is off the roof!
Bad defense + a bad pitcher on the mound = thankful for an 8 and 6 game lead in the division and homefield.
This inning so far has been a sort of unlucky microcosm.
And the unluck continues.
ugh. ugly.
[23] [24] Is "unluck" Jerry Hairston's middle name?
It's really amazing that the Yankees have been playing so well with FOUR poor starters in the rotation over the past 6 weeks.
[16] Sure but I don't value those too much either. Actually, I take them with a grain of salt at best. I'm just saying I'd prefer just to look at the slugging percentage, OBP and other stats individually. There's just no intrinsic need to smush them together when it's pretty easy to reference a few of them at a time.
Also I think batting average is important. If the three main offensive percentages are batting average, on-base percentage and slugging, it seems perverse to leave one out. Personally I want to know how often a guy gets base hits.
Just an anectdote, but so may say Mitre was unlucky for giving up that bloop to Wells, but that's among the better contact he has made all series.
Um, this is not good. Off to wash the dog & mow the lawn.
[26] Rather, it's Sergio Mitre's official title. You know, like "Victor Martinez, Professional Hitter™, we have "Sergio Mitre, Unlucky."
Molina doesn't look very happy with Mitre. Man does he suck.
this has been a decidedly inconvenient 1st inning...
[31] He must have forgotten his name last start, huh?
[29] One could argue that he has been Unlucky in four instances: 1. error by Hairston, 2. runner was on the move and scored easily because of Damon's arm, 3. infield drawn in yielded a base hit, and 4. the bloop. And maybe even 5. pastadivingjeter.
Then again, he sure seems to get unlucky a lot, and several of those balls, even the grounders, were struck pretty hard.
[34] see: Baseball, you just can't predict.
On gameday at least, Mitre is pitching pretty well. There's a hit on a ball well outside the zone, there's a hit after two uncalled strikes on the same batter, and there's some hard hit turf balls that would be got on a softer field.
[28] The reason you smoosh them together is to give you the ability to make one comparison. Adjusted .OPS is probably better, but are we really sure OBP should be multiplied by a factor of 1.4? There's no way to have a stat widely accepted if the components are somewhat subjective. Clearly, it is better to have more than one stat when making a comparison, but if I had to rely on just one, then OPS would be a good candidate.
[37] Mitre pitches well everywhere but on the field of play ;)
[38] Exactly; see [19].
Oh, I get it, all multiples of 19 have to make this point today.
[36] I lost my Sterling Index!
Is there one I can download somewhere?
[40] It's the law of Righetti.
Was Melky running...at all...on that ball?
that lazy, no good, sunuva... ; )
This is........rough. What did Mitre sleep with everyone's sister?
[39] I guess my point is that it might be worth leaving him in for another inning rather than blowing up the bullpen. Mitre will "hopefully" revert to his more typical 6 ERA for the rest of the game.
[46] I would be tempted to let him throw 130 pitches and get clobbered, just to preserve the BP as much as possible before tomorrow's DH.
this inning is decidedly inconvenient, as well. : /
[46] Just reviewing his pitches on Gameday, and it looks like the strike zone has been fairly small for him on those breaking balls. Yeah, I'd definitely stick with him because (a) otherwise you really blow up the bullpen the day before a double header, and (b) I'm not convinced his replacement would pitch better.
[19] I guess I don't see ranking as all that important. If you have flawed basis for comparison, how valuable is the ranking anyway?
That strike three looked awfully wide. Maybe the luck-tide is turning? The Luck-truck has made a delivery?
[38] Ha, luckily you don't have to!
I would leave Mitre in for 200 pitches if this game gets out of hand.
[51] Borderline, according to Gameday.
[51][54] and pitch four on Scutaro's five pitch at bat was a solid strike in the corner. I think the next one could have been a make-up strike call.
Kay has been killing SkyDome all weekend...and rightly so...even if he keeps saying "bad optic".
To compare two players, you really need one summary stat. (RIghetti's Law Comment -- or Aaron Boone!)
2717
M V P
M V P
he's going to break it sometime tomorrow!!!
[57] A multiple of 19. Well played.
[60] He is. I laughed at Suzyn Waldman's arithmetic/incompetence when she said yesterday that he could well do it Monday, but, my bad, he really could.
tie the game, Tex.
Alrighty, howz about a hit with risp.
how did both runners advance if it was a line out to pitcher???
That'll work. New ball game.
Hideki "Lucky" Matsui is compensating for Orgies Timer.
[65] It wasn't a line out. It bounce off Tallet's shin, and he trotted over, picked it up, tossed it to first for the out.
[65] It was a hard one hopper that "lined off" his shin. A "shin-burgher" as Cone called it. : )
[68] ah, thanks! can never trust espn gamecast...
Hideki Matsui = most definitely a "Professional Hitter" !!!
Interesting, thelarmis: Gameday also says "line out". I guess that means there's just one person manning the controls for both systems.
[69] Yeah, he said it about five times, obviously with some vicarious pain!
Hysterical!
Keep your eye on the ball, blue. Dumb-ass.
Thelarmis (and others not watching), the ump calls Matsui out at the plate, not noticing that Hideki's foot knocked the ball loose and it had rolled about fifty feet away! But he corrected the call.
umpire is having a very poor day.
I'm only saying that if you want to rank players, it's important to settle on a single stat, even if it's some kind of weighted combination stat.
Of course, if you don't feel the need to make strict comparisons, then go ahead and use several different stats, not bothering to combine them.
[76] Someone has a PhD in mathematics.
Nicky Baby! how'd Mats score from 1st on a single to left?!?! : o
Orgies Timer best make this stand up!!!
lazy.
[74] whoa, crazy! thanks for that!
[78] drummers can count to 4. me, i'm special (as in, "special needs") and i can actually count to 19. must be a Righetti thing! ; )
[78] It's really just a matter of concentration. [80] I'm hoping Robinson will take a lesson from me.
[79] Swisher doubled, actually.
[71] A ranking itself is a stat, isn't it?
J-Roll is having a weird year, but just stroked his 18th homer. 2 more and he's 20-20. he started horribly slow but has played pretty stellar defense, i believe...
What a laugher of a game. (Swish lost the pop-up in the sun.)
Both of those were sun balls...can't blame Swish of Tex.
See, I knew it was "Bad Defense Day". Right, Teix lost the grounder in the sun.
[82] gamecast called Swish's shot a single and he advanced on the throw.
either way, i was told there'd be no math! ; )
Ugly.
they have sun in Canada? huh. news to me...
[every time i've toured there, it's dreary and dark]
oh crap. coughed it right back. that really pisses me off. : /
shit sox are on tbs. i think i'll watch bill & ted's instead! : )
[76] You did it again!
Josh Towers, that would be cool.
Hydrox already up 2-0. Texas is really pissing me off...
[83] Sure, it is. But you need to plug in some kind of combination of rate stats or counting stats to come up with it, right?
wow, it's been an ugly 1/3rd of a game, thus far...
good start. let's get that run back, thank you please!
christ, Dusty McFuckface just made a pretty amazing play and doubled a pale sock off and Caray fucking blew a gasket. OMG, he's such a fucking tool. : /
terrible Leche.
now he says Drew has a long run and "still chugging"; meanwhile, it was a short jog to the line. fuck you, Caray!!!
Someone must have given Tallet ugly instructions. I bet he isn't naturally that hideous.
[95] Yes and no. First of all, I am agreeing with you, but I'm pointing out that the very notion of a ranking is itself a single stat aimed at an overall evaluation. Second, yes generally the ranking itself is arrived at by combining other stats (or using a single stat, like career HRs or OPS). But, third, it need not be based on another statistic or statistics. A ranking could simply be a more or less subjective evaluation--like the rankings in college football. But subjective stats are not prevented from being used in formulas for other metrics. Thus, the college rankings are fed into the algorithm that calculates the BCS standings. Zone Rating is used when calculating derivative stats. Errors are used to calculate fielding percentage. And so on.
The Blue Jays pitchers have been instructed to prevent Jeter from tying Gehrig's record in Toronto.
double steal!!!
[kidding. it's been a slow weekend...]
dammit. i wanted to tie the game.
damn, Halos have already put 3 runs on the board. their offense is crazy.
caray still doesn't know how to pronounce "fasciitis"... : /
[105] You had no chance. Drummers can't hit. (Sticks are too small.)
Thelarmis, Jeter made a nice play to snag that last ball. So the D hasn't been 100% awful behind Mitre. I think Sergio said a word of thanks to the Cap, actually.
MVP
MVP
MVP
sergio thru 4. 72 pitches. might be 73. certainly send him out for the next frame...or two.
[107] comment of the season!!! hilarious!!! : )
[108] cool, thanks!
another good start! make this one count...
Swish-a-licious. : O
Yes! Another Swish swat!
[102] Fair enough. But, note two things: first, even if you use subjective inputs, you must somehow be combining the different dimensions, even if you don't do it deliberately by an algorithm. And second, note that you were responding to comment number 19*5, and also the number of this comment.
That Swish Swat (very nice!) was beautiful -- you could see he was trying to hit a long fly, and boy did he ever.
Swish-a-roony!!! : )
5-4 Yanks!!!
so lazy, he wouldn't even swing the damn bat! ; )
derek holland just doesn't have it today. 6-0 Hydrox
[14] You're freaking my brain, man.
[119] --> [114}
[118] I just can't worry about that stuff. Sure, it will be delightful if the BoSox stumble and don't make the post-season, but I can't root for it to happen.
[121] Agreed. In any case, the Yankees an help that scenario along later this year, with those three games against the Sox.
[121] smart not to worry about it, but i certainly can root for it to happen! : )
i should compose a piece and call it "Algorhythm"!!!
[77] I just think an incomplete comparison is suboptimal, so why bother? It's a shortcut but to where?
I'm supposed to be at a Labor Day party af 4:00. Guess I'll be late. (It will be just loaded with Red Sox fans.)
This game is brutal to watch.
Unlucky Orgies. WTF!!!
God, that sucks. I can't believe how many free base runners the Jays have today.
OK, get all the bad playing & pitching out of the way today.
Mitre is really just an awful pitcher.
Fug.
82 pitches for Mitre. Has the TIMER run out of time?
I think we are seeing the tipping point between unlucky and sucky.
I just can't help mentioning that whole single stat thing, blah blah blah. Righetti's Law has robbed me of my free will.
[130] But he's just the fifth starter. What can you expect.
.
.
.
I just wanted to get that one out of the way.
[133] You can't fight the Law, son.
booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Now I don't like Jerry Hairston.
[125] skip the party!
this is one fugly game...
this Ruiz guy has been killing us...
That play by Hairston may sap me of any desire to keep watching this game.
[139] and my desire to simply follow it.
More Official Scorer bullshit. Sure. That's a fielder's choice. Ok. Whatever.
It must be very rare for bad defense to cost this many runs. I don't know how many exactly. Three? More?
[141] That's a fair ruling, IMO.
OK, how much unluck can one man have?
this is tedious.
Mitre is merde. Okay he has been unlucky, whatever.
at this point, let's see Hinske at 3rd! or, at least Pena...
Lowell with a 2-run job... : /
I think it's obvious that Mitre has been pretty bad and unlucky.
Mike Lowell goes yard...
Did I mention that Mitre was an awful pitcher?
Hurray. A bases loaded walk. My favorite. snore.
[143] Maybe Chuck Knoblauch should have just eaten every ball hit to him at second. That would have cut down on 100 percent of his throwing errors. : )
looks like David Wright is back to wearing his regular helmet and not the new Gazoo one...
I am often hard on the manager, but soft on players. Still, I always wind up with one Yankee whom I really dislike. Sergio Mitre is that guy for 2009. He is not quite at Matt Nokes' and Tony Womack's level, but there is still time.
Hooray, I love Mark Melancon WHAT IS THE BEST SINGLE SUMMARY STATISTIC?
Whoa, what happened? I feel like I blacked out for a split second.
booooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Very silly move by Girardi. This was the spot for Marte...and then you go to the second tier bullpen. There was no need to pun this game right here.
I'm not sure which pisses me off more: Melancon having zero control, or that I've broken Righetti's law.
That does it, I'm outa here.
[150] For what it's worth, according to the rulebook:
[153] you should not only plan on making your party at 4pm, but start thinking about getting there early...
[152] I sort of agree with you. Actually, in my case, I dislike Unlucky not for the man himself, but because he represents the sum total and end process of a series of managerial and general-managerial decisions that I have disagreed with, often vehemently, this season. These decisions go back to the Wang-Hughes dance in May.
The good thing is, I can do a bunch of chores now and not worry about missing the rest of the game.
[157] That's all well and good. But Hairston gets an E5 in my book if I'm scoring. Which I'm not. : )
will this inning PLEASE end already!!! : /
even Pete Abe is bailing on updating this game further.
well, another day of rest for Mo, Po & Alex...
YIKES. That's terrible. Just end this game now before someone gets killed.
OUCH! I hope he's ok.
Great, not only is this game out of reach and ugly, now players are getting hurt.
yikes as if this inning could get worse
wha happened???
oh, ruiz getting hit? i hope he's okay, but i was worried it was one of our stars...
[168] Sergio Mitre.
Or do you mean what happened to Ruiz? Josh Towers came in, got 0-2 and then hit him in the side of the face with a wild pitch. Ruiz was down for several minutes, but got up and left the field under his own power. No blood and nothing obviously smashed or broken, fortunately.
With expanded rosters and a looming DH, maybe it's time to completely empty the bench...bring in Hinske, Pena, maybe Cervelli (though I bet he starts one of the games tomorrow).
So... if the man does NOT reach 1st on that K and therefore JHJr makes the 3rd on on that easy grounder, how many runs do Toronto score?
This is a fucking disaster. Why am I still watching?
This is a fucking circus. The Yankees are lucky none of their own has gotten injured so far.
crickets
Cone's pinkie. Seriously? It's like something Marilyn Manson drew.
Just been out, listening to the Tigers - Devil Rays game.
Rays up 3-1 in the ninth, pitcher gets the first guy out, so Maddon then goes to mix & match with 3 other relievers who proceed to load the bases & give up a grand slam. Talk about overmanaging.
Rays starter made his ML debut & pitched well. First six outs were strikeouts.
[177] I always expect that to happen to us when Girardi starts LaRussa-ing.