Those of you who chose to do something other than watch the Yankees’ series finale in Toronto on a beautiful Labor Day weekend Sunday made the right choice as the Yankees lost perhaps the ugliest game they’ve played all year by a score of 14-8. The four errors in the Yankees’ line doesn’t even begin to capture how poorly they played. Sergio Mitre gave up 11 runs (nine earned) in 4 1/3 innings, but after the game, Joe Girardi said Mitre had really gotten 21 outs out there. He wasn’t far off.
After the Yankees stranded two in the top of the first, the very first batter Mitre faced hit a grounder to third, where Jerry Hairston Jr. was giving Alex Rodriguez a day off. Hairston let the ball play him, fielding it back on his heels and firing high to first base, inducing a collision between Mark Teixeira and the runner (neither was hurt). That set the tone.
Aaron Hill doubled home the run on the next pitch as the Jays went on to score three in the first. The first batter in the bottom of the second hit a soft grounder to Robinson Cano, but Cano dropped the ball on the transfer for the second Yankee error in as many innings. Amazingly, the Jays failed to score in that frame.
The Yankees tied the game in the third, then with one out in the bottom of the third, Nick Swisher lost a fly ball in the sun on a cloudless day in Toronto, turning an out into a double. Mark Teixeira then got eaten up by a grounder that scored the run on what was ruled an error. Mitre worked a 1-2-3 fourth, and the Yankees took a brief lead on a two-run Swisher homer in the fifth, but then everything fell apart.
With one on and one out in the bottom of the fifth, Mitre struck out Edwin Encarnacion on a nasty pitch that dove down and away from the righty, hit off Jose Molina’s glove, and ricocheted back the other way, allowing Encarnacion to reach base. That opened the door for an eight-run inning. After the next two batters singled, putting the Jays up 6-5 and leaving men on the corners with still just one out, Mitre induced a chopper to third, but Hairston couldn’t make up his mind whether to throw home or first and, after finally choosing first, threw too late to get the runner on what was ruled an infield hit (the run scored from third anyway). After another single, Mitre walked in a run and got the hook.
Mark Melancon came on and walked in another run on four pitches. After getting the second out, he then let two more in on an infield single and another walk, passing the ball to ex-Jay Josh Towers. Towers got ahead of Bronx native Randy Ruiz 0-2, then hit Ruiz in the face with a 90 mph fastball, bloodying his lip and forcing in another run. (Ruiz came out of the game, but suffered no serious injury.)
At this point it was 12-5, Jays, but the Yankees weren’t done. In the sixth, Ramiro Peña, in as a sub for Derek Jeter, bounced a throw past Mark Teixeira to let in another run in the sixth. Immediately following, Johnny Damon and Melky Cabrera collided while chasing a fly in left-center, though neither was hurt and Melky held on for the third out. The next inning, the Yankee infield consisted of Eric Hinske at third base, Hairston at shorstop, Peña at second, Molina at first, and Francisco Cervelli behind the plate, but that combination fielded it’s only two chances (a pop up to Peña and a grounder to Molina) cleanly.
So to wrap that all up: four errors (Hairston, Cano, Teixeira, Peña), two outs played into hits (Swisher & Hairston), two collisions (at first base and in left field), a bloodied opponent (Ruiz), a rally started by a strikeout, three runs forced in by walks (one by Mitre, two by Melancon), and another forced in by a hit-by-pitch (Towers).
As for Mitre, he officially recorded 13 outs, but if you give him credit for inducing outs on the three errors and two misplays behind him and the strikeout Molina couldn’t corral (ruled a wild pitch), he really got 19 outs, the equivalent of 6 1/3 innings. I’m not saying he pitched well, or that I think he should be a candidate for the postseason roster (he shouldn’t), but he didn’t pitch as poorly as his line suggests (note his five Ks, and that the walk that forced in a run and got him pulled was just his second of the game). Given all that went wrong and his tenuous hold on his job, Mitre did a good job of not showing up his teammates on the field or to the press afterwords.
Me, I spent the day at a local park with my wife, three-month-old daughter, and dog. We had a nice picnic and a walk, played some frisbee with the dog, and took a collective nap (dog and cat included) on the couch after we got home. I then zipped through the game on fast-forward on the DVR. I’m hoping most of you saw as little or less of it and have an equally pleasant Labour Day tomorrow.
[0]
Translation: he got very, very unlucky.
What's up with Mitre? Did he kill a black cat with a broken mirror or something?
While under a ladder, with the cat holding salt, which spilled, in a cemetery, on friday the 13th, hollering "He's pitching a perfect game!"
well, if ORGIES TIMER starts at the Stadium in a week, they should play Stevie Wonder's "Superstitious" when he warms up. or, if he doesn't pitch the makeup vs. the Halos that Monday, and has to face the Blow Jays again, how 'bout Willie Dixon's "I Ain't Superstitious"!!!
[3] How about just "Born Under A Bad Sign" -- the Cream version, ideally.
That said, Mitre's far from unlucky. He's making seven figures to pitch for what is arguably the best baseball team on earth right now and is keeping his job despite not doing particularly well. We should all be so afflicted.
[4] That said, Mitre’s far from unlucky.
i agree entirely, on multiple levels. My invocation of Mitre's unluckiness is purely sarcastic.
[0] Thanks for the recap, Cliff. I too spent my Sunday in the park with the family, woke up to read about the Bad News Bears visiting Toronto..will skip that for sure tonight, even Mariners-Athletics sounds better!
[4] yer right - Mitre's a lucky fuckin' bastid!!!
i found out today that a singer-songwriter guy i recorded for earlier this decade got dead. apparently he had lymphoma...and lost. sad.
[0] what a beautiful day with your fam! i'd call that "lucky as hell"!!! also, MOST deserved! : )
[7] Wazzup, thelarmis? Things moving along with your recording activities and your housing situation? Very sleepy-slow here, been taking time away from my jazz projects and other things, just family time and baseball...with the iPod Max Roach selections on the side...
This is a good one: http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2009/09/04/my-heroes-have-always-been-kuipers/
[8] family time, baseball with a side of max roach sounds downright delightful!
things are slow here, too. i'm hoping i can get both of my engineers in the studio at the same time a week from tomorrow. if so, we'll make some good progress.
walked thru a house yesterday. wrote a list of pros/cons and am thinking it over.
professed my love to the singer of the pop-country group my jazz trio backs up. she and i used to date a coupla years ago. she's thinking that over...
just cracked my first beer in over a month. i'm still not much in a drinkin' mood.
got a heavy metal festival here in town next weekend! i'm psyched!!! : )
had a pretty good practice session today. i'm solo, so not your traditional labor day weekend type holiday stuff for me. i'm fine with that...
[10] Wow, you are actually thinking over a house? I can't imagine buying a real home..as you would guess, to buy a house in Tokyo (which would be about 1/10 the size of a US one) is exhorbitantly expensive..we're looking to purchase an apartment in a couple years time though.
pop-country band singer..good luck with that! Hope she comes around your way..just don't go George Jones on her! :)
Beer on the menu for this Wed night, got 3 jazz bars out in the burbs of Western Tokyo to go investigate. Am so lucky my lady supports this hobby and puts up with me out two nights a week for it!
Who's at the heaby metal festival?
[9] i just did a quick glance. i can't imagine anyone who would wanna actually live in "Disgusta" Georgia!!! i'm glad i haven't played there in like 10 years. yuck!
[11] well, i can't buy. it's too much for me, too. i'm just looking to rent. makes MUCH more sense (and saves dollars!) for me, personally, right now. i won't make any decision hastily, however.
don't know what george jones did, nor do i think i want to! ah, she and i are super super close and when we dated awhile back, we really half-assed it. i just think if we did it for real, it might very well work amazingly well. i feel it's more than worth it to try and find out. she may too, but we'll see. either way, it's all good! : )
it's a prog-metal fest. i'm not positive about the entire lineup. i'm prolly only gonna watch one or two bands. Fates Warning, is the main one. amazing old schol prog metal from Connecticut! they've been around for 25 YEARS now!!!
i'm mostly going to help out. a good friend of mine, has a mail order/record label for a living and i'm going to assist him at his booth in the exhibit room, selling cd's and stuff. i'll also provide him with lights, fans, carts, etc. to help. looking forward to seeing a lot of good friends from all over the country that i only get to see this one weekend of the year! : )
[13] the incredible drummer from Fates is good Jewish boy from Long Island!!! : )
i met him here almost exactly 10 years ago and we had a great talk after his gig...
[11] btw, i treat her like an absolute goddess and queen. it would be my greatest honor take great care of her and just...be with her. she's a really amazing person.
Leave this behind and concentrate on what could be one of the biggest regular season Yankee game(s) of our lifetimes tomorrow.
Just three more.
[16] i really wish i were able to see the games tomorrow. if it happens, tomorrow or tuesday, i'll have to settle for highlights. which will be fine. i can't wait!!!
Really? You guys are this excited about this Jeter hits thing? I don't mean to belittle the accomplishment, but I'm just not all that . . .
Wait. I think Mattpat is being sarcastic. I hope.
[18] ooh, i don't think Mattpat is being sarcastic in the slightest. personally, i think it's a HUGE accomplishment and a major milestone in the history of our organization. i think it's amazing it's in our lifetime and i'm proud Jeter is our Captain. i think him passing Gehrig in hits is big and i can't wait for 3,000!!!
all that said, it completely pales in comparison to winning a World Serious ring. i want that this season. and every one beyond it!!! : )
ps - i'm NOT being sarcastic. i'm truly excited about Jeter accruing the most hits in the history of the greatest sports franchise in history!!!
[19] I believe you thelarmis, I know how excited you get about these things, but while he is setting a franchise record, there are still 52 guys who have had more hits than Gehrig. The franchise record is low because:
Ruth played for other teams
Gehrig got sick
Mantle was hurt all the time
DiMaggio lost time to the war and retired early
Berra was a catcher
Bernie and Mattingly got old fast
Really, 2,700+ hits is a huge number, and a credit to Jeter's continued excellence, but the number of hits he has as I write this relative to his passing Gehrig and having four more later this week is rather meaningless, really. Ask a non-Yankee fan (but also non-hater) if they give a hoot about Jeter having the Yankee record.
I'll get excited about 3,000 and if he moves into the top 20 (3060), top 15 (3154), top 10 (3315) etc. of all time, but while Al Oliver and Vida Pinson still have more career hits than him, I won't find his career number so special that it's worth all this attention.
[20] as always, you're absolutely right! and i'm a big Vada Pinson fan! and we shouldn't forget that Robbie Alomar still has more hits and everyone seems to neglect Harold Baines, who has waaaaay more hits (2,866).
the thing about Jeter is that - and to no fault of the other guys, but... - he hasn't played for other teams, hasn't gotten sick or injured, hasn't missed time due to military service and has aged well.
i don't care how non-Yankee fans and Yankee haters view this. i view it as a major accomplishment and i'm proud to have been around for every single hit and that's it's Jeter. i can't wait to talk about the scope of this accomplishment with my 2 nephews in Queens.
regardless of everything, this is still the New York Yankees and this man will accrue more hits than any player in the franchise history. that's pretty huge in my book!
all that said, it's certainly not a given, but i think i'll be quite disappointed if Jetes doesn't end up in the Top 10 in career hits. he best be Top 20, minimum! : )
and with that, i oughtta head up to the watering hole before they put an APB out on me. it's been a month...
[20] And Ruth, Gehrig and Mantle walked too much.
I'm with you--I'll get really excited when Jeter becomes the the first Yankee to collect 3,000 hits with the franchise. And I'll get really, really excited if he can hang on long enough (playing well, not turning into aging Pete Rose) to get into the serious hit totals (like the 3300 or 3400 range).
If he finishes the season at around 2750, three more seasons at 190 hits each gets him to 3300+. If he stays healthy, and perhaps accepts a position change, he could singles his way to Stan Musial territory.
[22] I think Jeter would never go out like Rose..BUT..if he's withing 300 hits of 4000..wouldn't he have to try to go for it?
enjoy the beers, thelarmis!
[23] Rose through age 40 was pretty amazing--only two seasons out of 18 with an OPS+ under 100, and a total of about 3600 hits. He even had 172 hits at 41.
Jeter is going to have to put up some serious numbers in the next five years to get within 300 hits of 4000, which would still leave him 500+ short of Rose.
Jeter will end his age 35 season about 100 hits ahead of Rose (assuming Jeter ends the season at 2750 or so). But does he have 1600+ hits left in him, which is what Rose did after age 35? Even if he continues to average 190 hits or so for five years, it would get him "only" to 3700 hits at age 40.
So in short, i doubt it. But then again, we'll see.
Maybe his best shot would be to pile up some more hits for the next three or four yeas, then go to another team--a bad one--where he can play DH for another five years. If he can stay healthy and OPS .750 or higher, he could pile up a mountain of singles.
[24] No chance Jeter ever signs with another team..impossible!
Was it you MP, who posted yesterday about Cano's OPS+ this year being better than Dusty McVittles numbers last year? I can't find that now..thougth it was very interetsing!
[25] That was William, I believe.
[26] Cano & Tex are going to be the heart of the order as Jeter and A-Rod get older. What I really worry about is who replaced Jorge..but that can wait for another year, am fully confident this team is going to win it all!
[27] I'm pessimistic about Cano's longer term future. He's already 26, and unless he learns to walk, his production will always be tied to his BA. I'm not sure he'll be able to produce at a high level past the typical peak years (27-29 or so).
[28] 26..but that would still leave 5 to 6 peak years ahead..Can't you live with a 2b who hits 40+ doubles and 25+ home runs? Sometimes the .OBP thing can go too far, no?
[29] I can live with it, but he won't be the "heart of the order," as you suggested, unless he can get on base more regularly, or develop a good but more power.
Also, at 26 that leaves perhaps only two or three peaks years left. I may be wrong, but high BA, low OBP guys tend not to age well. Just a little slip in bat speed or hand-eye coordination and, with weak command of the strike zone, pitchers exploit the hell out of them.
[29] One of Cano's comps in baseball-reference is Carlos Baerga. That's a frightening future to contemplate.
[31] Ouch!! That is indeed a bit scary...but I am mor confident that he's hit into his early 30s with that swing...
Ichiro makes it to 2000! As you would expect, big, big deal here...
[32] That's more impressive than the Jeter thing to me, and I don't much care for Ichiro.
Anyway, good discussion guys. Props to the night owls (even if you're cheating by using time zones).
[33] Mid-afternoon owl here..Really will be interesting if Ichiro hangs around to go for 3000 MLB hits..
[33] i'm not using time zones!!!
i've gotta agree with MP on the Cano thing, and i think he's being quite amicable.
the ichiro milestone is most definitely impressive. i do believe he'll reach 3,000 alone in the US, which is rather remarkable.
[25] i think i wanna start calling him Dusty McFuckface; only problem is, i really like the word "fuckface." i even call "Bye Bye Blackbird" "Bye Bye Fuckface" on the bandstand!!! : ) BTW, what an incredible jazz standard. in college, i transcribed Miles Davis' head and first two choruses - he played it on trumpet, i transcribed it on piano, and played it on vibes. (from the Columbia release 'Round About Midnight') anyway, Chip fuking Caray, blew a fuse over McFuckface's double play catch/throw today in Cy Lester's victory... : /
i don't think Jeter can catch Rose. and that's fine. i would love for him to pass Yaz and think he can pass Speaker, too (3,514). i'm a HUGE Musial fan, and it would thrill me to tears for Jetes to pass him and Hank Aaron, too. but we're talking about 1,000 MORE hits than he already has. i don't put it past him and, moreso than hits even, i'd love for him to amass 300 homers, so he can be in my favorite 300-300 club, but i'm not sure all that is gonna happen. how long - and where - will he play? let's just keep playing this out...
i can't say i enjoyed the beers, the buzz or the atmosphere, but i guess it's alright i got outta the house for a coupla hours. whatever. i saw some Yankee highlights before i left, so that was nice. the Ruiz HBP was scary. i must admit, when i saw those hit totals come up on the screen and saw what Jeter was about to do - it most definitely struck a nerve. i truly feel this is a BIG deal.
most hits in Yankees history!!!!
fuck everything else, this is pretty huge!!! : )
GO DEREK!!!
GO YANKEES!!!
GO BASEBALL!!!
looking at the hit totals and thinking about the future - contracts, health/injuries, position, et al... i'll be disappointed if Jeter doesn't pass Yaz (3,419) for 6th place. i would love for him to pass Speaker, Musial & Aaron (3,771) and end up in 3rd place. but i'll be alright with any of it...so long as he passes Molitor (8th: 3,319) - 'coz i think i can....
[35] Man, that was hysterical..for some reason I immediately started hearing in my head Tmi McCarver's southern drawl try and make a pun with Dusty McFuckFace...
Jeter is such a tight dude, no one really knows anything about his intentions and his goals..I think he's got enough pride that he wants to go high 3000s for hits but then again..maybe he'll retire to his castle in Florida and spend lazy afternoons making love on a pile of money..either way, watching him and A-Rod go after the hit and home run records together will be amazing..
Melancon pitched extremely poorly, but Girardi seems to have a compulsion to bring developing relievers into bases loaded situations instead of letting them transition to the MLs in situations that are more conducive to building confidence.