The Rays arrive in the Bronx today for a Labor Day doubleheader and resultant four-game series trailing the Red Sox by seven games in the Wild Card standings. The Yankees, meanwhile, hold a 7.5-game lead over Boston in the division. It’s thus fair to say that, as secure as the Yankees’ division lead feels, that’s how unlikely it is that the Rays are going to return to the post season.
Put more simply: the Rays are out of the race.
That doesn’t make the remaining seven games between the two teams meaningless (though the three in Tampa in October most likely will be by then), and it doesn’t make the Rays any less competitive. It does, however, deflate the excitement most had expected this September series between division rivals to bring.
Make no mistake, the Rays are rivals. They won the division last year and the two teams are roughly split in their season series to this point, the Yankees taking 6 of 11,but the Rays having scored one more run (60 to 59). Home field hasn’t been much advantage thus far, as the two teams have split six games in Tampa with the Yanks taking three of five in the Bronx. That said, the series has slowly tilted the Yankees way as the season has progressed, with the Rays taking three of the first five and the Yankees four of the last six.
Some accused the Rays of giving up on the season when the traded Scott Kazmir. I’m not entirely sure that’s the case, but the trade was clearly a hedge; Andrew Friedman didn’t want to get stuck without a playoff berth and the remainder of Kazmir’s contract ($20 million the next two years plus an option with a $2.5 million buyout) given the arrival of young, talented, team-controlled arms such as Jeff Niemann (12-5, 3.67 in his first full season), and 23-year-olds David Price and Wade Davis (7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 9 K in his major league debut last night).
The Rays proved they were going for it when they benched Dioner Navarro and his .221/.252/.331 line and replace him via trade with Gregg Zaun, who has since hit .311/.333/.508. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. Look at the lineup at the end of this post for a clue as to why.
The last time the Yankees saw the Rays, B.J. Upton was leading off and Evan Longoria was hitting third. Now they’re hitting sixth (Longoria) and ninth (Upton). Save for a hot June, Upton has been punchless all year, and has hit just .225/.276/.335 with 2 homers and 12 walks since July 1. Longoria, meanwhile, got out to a big start, then did very little in June, July, and August, though he has turned it on of late, hitting .441 and slugging .853 during an active eight-game hitting streak.
All-Star Ben Zobrist replaces Longoria in the three-hole, but he seems to have run out of pixie dust. Since snapping a 12-game hitting streak on July 23, he’s hit a very ordinary .243/.357/.407, and with Akinori Iwamura back from an ACL injury, Zobrist is now a corner outfielder again, making that production all the less useful (though it’s a smidge more than the Rays were getting from Gabe Gross). New leadoff man Jason Bartlett seemed to be out of magic as well in July, but silenced doubters with a .357/.443/.577 August, though he’s cooled off again over his last ten games.
As for today’s double header, the Yankees have stacked the deck, throwing CC Sabathia in Game 1 and A.J. Burnett in the nightcap. Sabathia’s numbers over his last six starts are eyepopping: 5-0, 1.83 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 10.76 K/9, 7.57 K/BB. The Yankees have won his last seven starts, his last loss coming against the Rays on July 28.
CC goes against Matt Garza, who has spiked his strikeout rate this year and leads the league in fewest hits per nine innings (7.8), but the latter is due to an abnormally low .268 BABIP (though he was at .271 last year), and his home run rate has also spiked, giving him a higher ERA than he had a year ago. Garza’s allowed just 3 runs in 12 innings against the Yanks this year, but has posted a 6.00 ERA over his last five starts.
As for Burnett, everyone keeps talking about the fact that he hasn’t won a game since July 27, a stretch of seven starts, but the Yankees have won three of those starts and A.J. has four quality starts in that stretch, which includes his dominant outing against the Red Sox in that 15-inning scoreless affair on August 7. Still, two of his last three have been awful. With his first playoff start looming roughly a month away, he needs to use his remaining starts to rediscover that groove he had in July lest he become what I’d always feared he’d be, the 2009 version of Randy Johnson, who blew a pair of crucial ALDS Game 3s in his only two Yankee playoff appearances.
Facing Burnett will be Andy Sonnanstine, who initially looked like Kazmir’s replacement down the stretch until Davis announced his presence with authority last night. Not that it really matters. Though Sonnanstine spent all of July and August in the minors, the Yankees have already seen him thrice this year. Sonnanstine got the better of the Yanks the first two times (though without earning a decision either time), but the Yanks touched him up for four homers (by Tex, Swisher, Damon, and Jeter) on June 8, marking his career high for a single game.
Brett Gardner returns for today’s action. He’s playing center and batting ninth in the opener, with Melky in left, Hinske at DH, and Damon and Matsui on the bench. Nick Swisher bats second, Robinson Cano moves up to fifth, and Hinske, Melky, and Gardner, in that order, make up the bottom three.
I’m going to be car shopping today (my 12-year-old Saturn was totaled by a tree branch a month ago and I’ve been too busy in the interim to get to the dealers), so this post will have to serve game threads for both games. I’ll be back late tonight to wrap it all up.
Tampa Bay Rays
2009 Record: 72-64 (.529)
2009 Pythagorean Record: 75-61 (.551)
Manager: Joe Maddon
General Manager: Andrew Friedman
Home Ballpark (multi-year Park Factors): Tropicana Field (102/103)
Who’s Replaced Whom:
- Akinori Iwamora (DL) has replaced Joe Dillon
- Gregg Zaun has replaced Michel Hernandez (minors)
- Andy Sonnanstine (minors) has replaced Scott Kazmir
- Chad Bradford (DL) and Russ Springer have replaced Joe Nelson and Dale Thayer (both minors)
- Fernando Perez (DL) and Reid Brignac, Shawn Riggans, Wade Davis, and Jeff Bennett (all minors) have been added since rosters expanded
25-man Roster:
1B – Carlos Peña (L)
2B – Akinori Iwamura (L)
SS – Jason Bartlett (R)
3B – Evan Longoria (R)
C – Gregg Zaun (S)
RF – Ben Zobrist (S)
CF – B.J. Upton (R)
LF – Carl Crawford (L)
DH – Pat Burrell (R)
Bench:
S – Willy Aybar (IF)
L – Gabe Gross (OF)
R – Gabe Kapler (OF)
S – Fernando Perez (OF)
S – Dioner Navarro (C)
R – Shawn Riggans (C)
L – Reid Brignac (IF)
Rotation:
R – Matt Garza
L – David Price
R – Jeff Niemann
R – James Shields
R – Wade Davis
R – Andy Sonnanstine
Bullpen:
L – J.P. Howell
R – Dan Wheeler
R – Grant Balfour
L – Randy Choate
L – Brian Shouse
R – Chad Bradford
R – Russ Springer
R – Lance Cormier
R – Jeff Bennett
15-day DL: RHP – Troy Percival (shoulder tendonitis)
60-day DL: RHP – Jason Isringhausen (torn elbow ligament)
Projected Lineup:
R – Jason Bartlett (SS)
L – Carl Crawford (LF)
S – Ben Zobrist (2B)
L – Carlos Peña (1B)
R – Pat Burrell (DH)
R – Evan Longoria (3B)
S – Gregg Zaun (C)
L – Akinori Iwamura (2B)
R – B.J. Upton (CF)
hi team. happy to be back in yankee land after a week in alabama.
glad i get welcomed back by watching the big man work in game 1 and hopefully jeter breaaks the record today - somehow fitting on labor day.
[0] damn cliff - i am trying very hard not to really dislike aj, but a comparison to rj is not helping
oh and i was pretty certain the rays would storm back into the al east and make it a race for most of the summer, while riyank predicted they would fade away - so good call riyank
I feel this series very important but not for this year but the up coming years. If the yankees crush the rays, they could be looking at the wrong side of 20 games back by the end of the year and realize they were a one year wonder and not real close to the yankees or the sox. That could put them in a real "salary dump" mode which could put them right much closer to the bottom of the league than the top. If that happens along with the jays going down, the division would be much easier for both the yanks and sox to make the playoffs for many years.
Good luck on the car search, Cliff.
Hopefully you, CC and AJ will all be dealing today.
re: the Pie Unit, I'm unjustifiably confident Burnett's going to find the ON switch again before October. I feel the same way about Yoba. This is series they start to turn it around, ya hear?
Let's go Der-ek! clap, clap, clap-clap-clap!
[3] Having come so close to sipping champagne last year, I'd be surprised and disappointed to see the Rays take the wrecking ball to themselves. They're still one of the good stories around baseball.
Damn shame they can't attract fans to that ballpark. All that said, I wouldn't mind sweeping them this week, and sending them off to 2010.
[5] The Fountain of Youth couldn't attract fans to The Trop. That place is depressing. GO JETER. : )
Day off, gray & kinda rainy outside, perfect day for lying on the couch and watching a doubleheader.
shouldn't "innings eater" be reserved for sort of a mediocre pitcher that can give you innings rather than a top line starter like cc?
Shit or get off the pot. Let's go already!
I think that HBP call was right. Or should be.
damn poor guy was really hurt
[9] haha - i worked at circuit city when i was an undergrad and the store manger used to shout that at us or about customers damn near every day
jeter - jeter - jeter
I guess I made the right decision, not watching yesterday's Yankees game in favor of a Scranton doubleheader. Scranton swept.
Gritner DHed in the first game, didn't play in the second. He was 0 for 3. Batting .093. Not ready to come back yet, I guess.
beautiful hit alex - and tex chugging around the bases
Laser-Rod !!!!!!!!!!
Dang, that got out of there in a hurry.
damn and some asshole brought his cowbell with him
Whoa, I was going to complain that we *deserve* a second game thread today and demand my money back. But then I got props from Ms. Oct. for a prediction I'd forgotten I'd made [2] and I'm content. So, go ahead and shop away, Cliff. Don't overpay.
Oh boy, Brett is going to lead off the third. I'm happy to see him back!
Not happy to see CC walking guys, on the other hand.
ooh, me no likey 4-pitch walks.
welcome back, ms. october!
[19] thanks thelarmis
[18] yeah will be interesting to see how he does - hopefully he can basically pick-up where he left off - but might have some struggles at the plate
and i'm not exactly sure what you saw (or didn't see - what they were missing ) with the rays, but you were spot on
Michael Kay really bakes?
[20] As I've admitted, I don't remember, but I assume I was using some geeky BP-type analysis.
That birthday cake thing was cute.
Brett doesn't know how to make pop-fly catches exciting. He needs some lessons. Fortunately we have several experts on the team.
Those were nice cakes. Not the kind most people make at home. They had the kind of fancy frosting that usually comes from bakeries. I thought they were joking about Kay actually baking them.
If he really made them, color me impressed. Watch out, Martha Stewart!
[21] can't you tell?
[22] thing is though - at the time their run differential was best in the al
[23] it really is an impressive collection of experts between damon, swisher, hinske - even melky gets in on the action sometimes - and don't forget matsui could provide advice as well
Could Alex have taken second on that one?
Oh, did everyone see that Upton single yesterday, the ball that was in the outfield for literally ten seconds (enough time for a runner as fast as Upton to get a triple)? The D-Backs manager yanked him after that...
[26] Hm, Matsui may have forgotten everything he knew about making wide circles under fly balls.
[27] i think he could have gone to 2nd - but he didn't really make the necessary turn
didn't see justin - what happened - he wasn't paying attention or he was lollygagging?
i hope that sticky kid and his lollipop doesn't end up on the train
the window is small for most teams
also spending money on pat burell probably wasn't the greatest decision
[27] i didn't see J-Up, but that's not promising. he was just on the DL for an injury, perhaps he's not at full speed. but if AJ is taking him out, sounds like he was lazy. i hope his speed is in tact as he only needs 1 more SB to reach 20-20 this season!
andy stay away from mitre - you don't want the stink of his unluckiness on you
nice pitch big man
[29] He thought it was a homer. Here's the story with video.
[30] Pat the Bat had been rather consistent and had another good year for the Philthy's. putting him at DH prolly even adds to his productiveness in a Matsui kinda way. he fell off in the AL East and had the neck (is that right?) injury. he's getting $7 million this year, or almost $7 million more than i will make! : /
wow gritner is BACK!!
Welcome back, Brett!
Brett is back, baby.
thank goodness swisheroo didn't really go for that ball - could have been a nasty collision
[33] Justin's a lot beefier than his big brother. i hated seeing the can of chew in his back pocket. yeah, that was pretty bad outta the box...
That was a strike, dammit.
[33] thanks for the link.
[39] yeah he is a lot thicker than bossman junior. and i also hated seeing the can of dip. i can attest from at least one female's perspective that is so nasty and a major turnoff.
[41] yeah, it is about the most vile habit. i don't understand how anyone would actually want to chew tobacco. ick!
there you go big man
[42] doh! forgot to close the italics, dammit. sowwy!
Oh, good, so there's no controversy at the Banter: dip is disgusting.
Let's at least work Garza for a big pitch count this inning, boys!
May I recommend the US Open, if you can tear your eyes away from baseball, thelarmis and Ms. Oct? Great match in progress.
[46] thanks - i didn't think this would still be on - i saw her beat sharapova the other day (i think sat)
Jeter gets a hot here or a BB.
[46] i'm not a big tennis fan, though i kinda like to see Sharapova do, well, anything!!! : )
i'm watching the riveting Cubs-Shitsburgh game. after that, it's prolly all musik for me!
hot=hit
Good thing I don't work as a fortune teller. Garza is a good pitcher.
[49] You'll like Oudin, she's cute.
[51] He's also getting a bigger strike zone than CC's getting. With the control he's showing today, it's a deadline combination.
Neyer wrote a blog post about the J-Up thing. no biggie...
cc reached back for that one
[53] yeah i thought that too - glad to get confirmation
52 That makes him an even better pitcher. Take what the ump gives you and keep stretching it.
good move - that kid had enough of the lollipop
[53] I wonder what a deadline combination is. Could it be anything like a deadly combination?
Challenge Pat Burrell, please!
[58] i figured it was a deadly combination with time running out
No! Pitch to Longoria! No walks!
buckfoston do you live in new england?
No, why?
shit - that was a yankee stadium specail hr he hit last time - don't be so scared
Dammit. Well, maybe it will work out. Probably, Yeah, Gabe Kapler, okay.
I live in New Jersey.
[65] idk why, but i am bothered that gabe kapler is still playing
[66] oh just curious because of the name - living in new england gives one a special hatred for the red sox
[67] He lowers the average ability of baseball Jews, I'm pretty certain. (Some of us track these things.)
there you go big man - blow it by that guy
Ahhhh. Awesome. I was slightly concerned, I admit.
Where's the scoretruck?
And awesome: Oudin knocks off another Russian!!!
well oudin just won - i think riyank was borrowing the score truck to watch tennis - so now time to return it
[52] She's fun to watch. She has now taken down 3 Russians to get into the final 8. Good for her. One of the announcers called her a cougar the other day b/c her boyfriend is only 16. : )
here we go boys - swsih getting it started
Strike one to Teix was definitely a CC ball.
[69] i keep track of those things too! brad ausmus doesn't help our case, either. i believe Walt Weiss was one of us...
Kapler was definitely a 'roid user w/ the red sox...
damn just put the curve right there
I think strike three to Teix was a real strike, actually.
[77] i think he got 2 bad calls plus swung at another because he was worried it might be a strike - ah well - let's go alex
[73] i watched the very end of the Oudin match. good stuff.
[78] Jason Marquis is one of my favorites, because you'd never guess. Ian Kinsler too.
I wish A-Rod was Jewish. That would be really cool.
Alex sure looks comfy at the dish lately.
A-Rod has become a very good singles hitter!
68 I never really hated Boston, outside of the fact that they don't have that great a variety of ethnic (other than italian, french, etc.) restaurants for a large metro area. Then around 2000 I started reading baseball blogs and I was absolutely shocked and amazed by the absolute hatred for the Yankees. Imean I know they hate the Yankees and their fans, but they feel about us the way I feel towards the Taliban. The vitriol they spewed and the hypocrisy really pissed me off and familiarized me with the term massholes (which apparently are from all over NE and not just Mass.) Ever since then not enough bad things can happen to the Red Sox (Celtics, Patriots, Bruins, etc) to suit me (outisde of death of course).
Selfish A-Rod, hogging all the hits for himself.
[83] don't forget ugly
[83] yeah, but Marquis is a dick. i remember years ago, when he was on the braves, one of my Jewish students was raving to me that Marquis was a Jew. i didn't believe him. but there he was, on the cover of Chop Talk, and i read it. he's of the New York variety, like me!
i love Ian Kinsler!!! hope he gets to 30-30 in the coming weeks. i also hope he gets Texas the WC...
[88] Sure, but nobody could forget that he's Jewish. The Boston fans remind us every time he comes up, after all.
(Think about it.)
[83] David Lee Roth is Jewish. i always thought that was kinda cool !!! : )
damn you mk i really believed you that time
Dammit, that was NOT a strike! Look at Gameday. Grr.
I hope this umpire is reviewed today with the Pitch f/X data.
[91] I learned that from the Adam Sandler song, I think.
[86] it's been 10 years now, but i played a place called Paradise in Boston. i don't think it was far from the Fens. right up the street, or around the block, on the main strip, was an AMAZING Thai restaurant. prolly the 2nd best Thai food i've ever had. the best was here in Atlanta, but that place has since closed down...
[91] Someone should write a Hanukkah song about it. : D Thanks Adam Sandler.
[86] yeah the vitriol is pretty insane. i had a few encounters while i lived there and really never said anything about baseball or red sox/yankees unless it was brought up to me. it is kind of sick, and worse than the segment of yankee douches
[94] oh really, is DLR in there?! of course, Gene Simmons & Paul Stanley from KISS and Scott Ian & Dan Spitz from Anthrax. it's weird 'coz David Lee's real name is Anthony, but he's Jewish. i did know a Jewish kid from Florida named "Chris". his parents just liked the name.
i've got a couple of Jewish baseball player sites bookmarked. i haven't gone in ages...
Good point by Flash about Sabathia's pitch count.
[96] i have some Jewish friends here that play in a band and wrote a really cool Dreidel song a few years ago. they even performed it at a few local schools. fun stuff!
[99] what did flash say - i was tuning mk out and did not pick it up
[98]
David Lee Roth lights the menorah
So do James Caan, Kirk Douglas, and the late Dinah Shore-ah...
fernando perez is smart.
97 You're right every fan group has its group of a-holes. I guess the Boston ones just had years and years of pent up anger.
[101] He said it's a tough call for Girardi, because on the one hand you want him to be as "fresh" as possible for the post-season, but on the other hand CC's mentality makes him want 120+ pitches, esp. in a tight game.
[102] we need to assemble an all-female Jewish band and call them:
The Shebrews
: )
there you go big man - damn - now can we get him some runs team?
Damn, that's good.
We haven't had a horse like Sabathia for a while. It feels great.
Atta Boy, Carsten. I wonder if the score truck driver is off enjoying some bbq. Get to work, pal.
the very large man has given us 206 innings.
10 K's, in-game WHIP of 1.
helps save our pen for the double dip.
nice work, CC
now for the Score Truck !!!
[105] thanks riyank - yeah that is a good point - but fresh trumps right now - i hope girardi can find a way to get cc as well as aj and andy extra rest the next month
[104] plus they have a weird obsession with ny that gets a bit nutty.
looks like the al central might be worth something today
I just had a terrible thought. What if Johnny Damon drove the Score Truck down to the corner store to buy some Gatorade, and he got into an accident? Isn't that just the kind of thing that could happen?
Oh, too bad Hinske didn't swing at that extremely wild pitch! He'd be on first.
[113] johnny is only allowed to drive the score truck to the short porch - girardi wants to be able to see him when it starts to get dark
hinske seeing a lot of pitches today.
[115] Oh, that makes me feel better. (You don't think Joe made an exception for the day game?)
Oh no, not the beer!
Melkman!
The competition is spurring him. Although he's been hitting well for a couple of weeks now. Anticipation of the competition?
[117] no - not sunny enough for the exception
when did gritner's injury become a wrist injury? - mk has said that twice today
Another base runner will be the end of Garza.
did garza bake a cake for this ump?
THis call for a drag bunt towards the 2nd baseman.
way to go melky
Seriously, Melky has a little charge in him today, doesn't he?
that's 1 thing that drives me insane about gritner
Dammit. That was a strike, though. Just a good pitch.
Okay, money time, Cap...
Or his other quality......watching called 3rd stikes. D'oh!
cripes
fuck. Garza threw a gem.
[130] Indeed.
But has anyone been watching the Red Sox? Their pale counterparts nailed Beckett for thee in the third, but I haven't been watching and have no idea if Josh is pitching well.
Ugh. Like Flash said, last thing you want to do is walk Carl.
YES!
Oh sweeet!!!!
Bad call, but I'll take it!
Whoo hoo. That was close. Bad pitch by Phil. Not the best of throws by Jorge. Good Cano tag.
wow, not sure they got him, but neverthlesss i'll take it as i swear the yanks never execute a throw out properly
[131] i'm not watching, but it looks like Fuckett and Beuhrle are both pitching pretty well. Ellsbury got his 60th SB and Bay had an outfield assist. the runs were just on singles, a walk and a groundout. Kotsay has 2 ribbies and Quentin has a double.
Fuckett thru 6 on only 85 pitches. 6 hits, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
GO PALE !!!
No way, he really was out!
Very nice, Rob, very nice.
gamecast says Phil has already completed 2 innings. a portend of things to come?!
So, who pitches the ninth: (i) if we score, (ii) if we do not score?
I guess Mo if we score. I would let Hughes take it no matter what, personally, but as a prediction, Mo if we score.
nicely done phil and cano
runs, please!!
[140] agreed on all counts.
Fuckett coasting thru the 7th in Chitown...
oh, please destroy Lance Cormier. any relation to Rheal?!
Love Swish.
Off to the the in-laws. Hold down the fort, folks. : D Good start to the 8th.
[91] Did you know the Marx Brothers were Jewish ? (Not to mention Karl).
[143] No relation, I think. Rheal attended Rhode Island Community College! (Maybe that's where he got the "h" in his first name?)
Love Teix!
[146] Did you know Woody Allen is Jewish?
here's where i LOVE leadoff walks! : )
Didn't somebody refer to bullpens as the soft underbelly? Go Yankees get the kill.
I want to be on the record:
It is a mistake for Maddon to walk A-Rod. Big mistake.
With one out, maybe. Here, big mistake.
Oh goody, load up the bases. How'd that work out for you yesterday, Tampa?
[148] What else could he be???
way to go Tex!!!
i want 'em both home!!!
This is just a great situation, I love this...
i don't believe this will end well for Maddon.
make 'em pay Robbie!!!
Yeah except, Cano not good in the 5th spot, also with bases loaded or RISP in general.
[153] (I thought it was obvious that the Marx Brothers were Jewish, that's why I said that.)
i do wish Posada was up here, though. i wonder why GI Joe switched 'em...
Good result for Cano.
Excellent.
[157] Everyone underestimates the additional problem for the pitcher to have the bases loaded.
[160] To put Rob between righties.
not great, but i'll take it. i wish we had a runner on 3rd here.
i do hope Hughes pitches the 9th. save Mo for later...hopefully.
good job getting the job done cano
Uh, in [161] I mean to refer to [159] rather than to [160].
That is, the reason for putting Cano fifth is to sandwich him between A-Rod and Posada, making it harder to choose a pitcher to pitch to him. And I'd say it may have worked, too!
[164] coolio!
GO PO!!!
Yeah, I'd love to see Phil take the ninth here, even with a 1-run lead. And Mo can pitch tonight. That would be so great. It's not going to happen, though.
Maybe we can score more and Dave Robertson can pitch the ninth?
Abreu hit his 13th. a solo shot and the halos are down. i hope boBBy keeps playing and finds his power back - i REALLY want him in the 300-300 club!!!
Chadford
hip hip
Love Jorge. Beautiful hit.
A-Rod could have scored, but with one out playing it safe is okay.
[170] jorgie was really contemplating second - thankfully he chose his less travelled path of playing it safe as well
JORGIE!!!
When there's a relief pitcher with a freaky delivery and one of our veteran, serious hitters is up, I always feel good. Jorge was like, "Ha, yeah, cute, watch this, SMACK."
Albaladejo. Interesting...
Carpenter throwing another gem for the Cards today. 8 IP, 10 K, 1 hit, 0 runs
I know some people believe Girardi overmanages and makes too many moves. To them I say Joe Maddon.
Ichiro quote machine!
"I think one of the requirements for being a DH is weighing at least 200 pounds, so maybe if I was that heavy I would do it,'' he said. "[But] the day I weigh 200 pounds is the day I'm inside a coffin.''
i agree. i'll never reach that weight in many lifetimes!
Excellent. Good job, Eric. (I'm not going to say I love him.)
But, ahem, it's still a SAVE SITUATION. Cripes. Girardi is going to waste Mo on this freaking game. I'm getting annoyed just thinking about it. Maybe Melk can double in Posada. Uh, hm... maybe Melky can hit one out.
Hm.
A couple of walks and a Jeter single?
Hinske!!!
okay, i'm very pleased with 4-1. PLEASE don't deploy Mo here just to get him a save. if Phil is wasted for tonight, let him finish and add a 2nd Save to his ledger. don't waste another guy we might need in a few hours.
more Hughes!!!
Another freaky delivery. Stay calm, Melk.
[178] once again, i agree on all counts. and i like calling him Eric !!! : )
is "Shouse" short for "shit house" ?!
ooh the suspense - they didn't show mo running in from the bp
[179] If we shout at the same time Joe might hear us. Ready?
Thelarmis, what is "Jermaine Dye singles on a soft pop up to second baseman Dustin Pedroia"? Did it fall in between Dusty and the OF?
[184] he didn't hear you
Fuck, he did it. We knew it.
Damn.
this ump hasn't been too hot
White now 5-1 over Red in sox vs sox.
nice to see that
[188] Ball three to Burrell was wrong (it was a strike), but the others were close and probably right.
The dreaded Gabe-Gabe swap! Very unusual.
goddamnit. if we can't use Phil-Mo tonight 'coz of this, i'm gonna...
[185] a...good thing?! i dunno, you have me watching tennis!!! (it's on "moot"; i'm listening to Yo-Yo Ma play Bach! does it get ANY better than that?!?!)
Texas a strange 6pm start, they need to win today.
191 is that a MLB first?
yes, 5-1 CHI. translation: Okajima happened.
[194] I think the Rays have done it before, actually...
Ahhhhh.
Beautiful, just beautiful.
Very annoying that Mo can't pitch tonight, but still beautiful.
Holy Mo that was nice.
hard to complain after watching a master at his craft!!
nice win team. round 2 at 7pm
Carlos Que'in no you di'int. yes...he did!
i didn't wanna see him now, but i LOVE Mo! : )
[197] hopefully with andy sonnastine on the mound for the rays there is no need for mo tonight
and aj won't have to throw to that damn po
Kinda disappointed Jeter didn't get a hit. I know that 2700+ is not that big a deal, and I see Cliff's point. Still all-time Yankees hit leader is prety sweet. And if Jeter gets a little selfish when he gets older I think he can pass Rose.
young hughes gets the W (6-3). Master Mo gets Save # 39.
shit sox 1 out away from losing. Texas REALLY better win tonight. if so, they'll be 2 back, which is more than doable. young Tommy Hunter on the mound for the Rangers later.
it's final. White over Shit
[202] I agree. And I do think hitting that record will be pretty exciting in Yankee Stadium, and not very exciting anywhere else.
203 Yankees win tonite and they are 9 up.
204 Good point, not really a big deal elsewhere I guess.
[202] he'll get there soon enough. the Yankees record, i mean, i don't think he'll catch Rose. i would love for him to finish up at #3. i'll settle for #6. anything less, and i might be disappointed. it's a loooong ways away though, so we'll see. at the very least, i want him to pass Ripken ~ 3,200, for the 13th place.
[204] true. but who cares about anywhere else?! ; )
Yo-Yo Ma
Ya-Ya Mo
2 brilliant geniuses. and the BEST at their respective crafts! : )
well, i guess i can catch up on Cliff's preview now!
so, what happened to pena earlier? will he play tonight?
All I meant about the "anywhere else" is that it would be very nice if he could hit the record in Yankee Stadium.
[211] I think he was HBP on the foot.
212 Yea that too.
[212] ah!
[213] ouchie!
[214] i got nuthin'...
Here's an interesting thing. I'm looking at Gameday Premium's little annotations, and it says for Iwamura, who pinch hit with two out in the ninth,
Loves to face Sinker
Hates to face Cutter.
Maybe not the best choice for a PH in that particular situation...
Halos lost, so we gained another game for home field advantage. we're 6 up...
I'm an idiot. For some reason I remembered (incorrectly) that Pena was hit on the foot. Now that I've looked at Pete Abe, I remember perfectly clearly that he was hit on the hand, and it was called a strike (don't know whether this was because he swung or because it was ruled a foul -- I was listening to Sterling at the time and more complete cluelessness cannot be imagined).
Pena broke two fingers and he's done for the season. Ouch.
[218] ump said he swung - it was kind of borderline - which i am sure only added to sterling's confusion
poor guy - that stinks - he threw his helmet when he went in the dugout - it seemed like he knew that it was over for him (and the rays) for the year
[218] i was just gonna post about that. he just missed 40 homers and hit 3-digits for ribbies on the dot. hopefully Tex can end up leading the league in both categories - he's already atop the RBI list, though barely.
i really wish i was able to watch the game on tv tonight. i'll miss Wednesday's ESPN broadcast due to my teaching schedule. : /
******************************GAME 2*****************************************
Attaboy, AJ.
Boo, AJ.
Ha ha, Swish.
Uh oh.
F.U. A.J.
Man, every pitch to Burrell called a ball was borderline, every one.
Don't like the walk, but that was a much better sequence.
jesus christ. this guy is infuriating. maybe it's better that i can't watch the game. i think i'll play a little marimba to make things nice and calm! : )
Wow. Something clicked, looks like.
Thelarmis, the he baffled Aybar (which may not be saying much). Zaun is a critical batter, I'd say.
Not bad.
Gosh, that looked *so* bad for a while, that I actually feel optimistic now.
alright. we'll get it back right here!
[228] man, i hate it when the end part of the emoticon gets shifted to another line.
anyone see or here from PJ at all lately? i hope he's alright!
[229] thanks. are you watching the YES feed or MLBN?
[231] yeah i was wondering about pj earlier myself - hope he is okay
Lame.
[233] how was 'Bama?
jeez. leadoff walk to a fast guy. AJ's throwing a lot of pitches already...
[235] it was good - thanks - always glad to see my mom (and her dog and 2 cats)
good that he got that pitch - otherwise this would be a really long night for aj and us
Larsonist? That just made me switch over to the YES broadcast.
[237] cool. my parents were down here visiting me last week. or the week before. i'll go to NY for Turkey Day and see them and my brothers' fam, then again the end of Feb to see my favorite drummer in the Shitty...
do you fly into B'ham or possibly even Atlanta?
fernando perez is really smart.
good.
now, let's kick the living shit outta this:
Satan Nosed Ninny
oh aj - what to say about you
[240] yeah i generally fly into atlanta (as i did this time) and then catch a flight from atlanta to huntsville
that's nice - hope your parents had a nice visit and you do as well on turkey day.
i like matsui.
[243] i'm not too very far from the Atl airport.
swish just needs to get one of those to sail a bit further into that short tight porch and that may help break his weird yankee stadium numbers
not quite what i had in mind for the Satan Nosed Ninny.
[245] uh right porch not tight porch
[246] who is that sonnastine?
ouch hope jh jr is okay
[249] Karim Garcia?
Longo is good.
[250] Who??? ; )
[248] yeah! Satan Nosed Ninny = Andy Sonnanstine
[249] wha happened? is he wearing a cup?!
[251] hairston ran into the tarp while trying to catch a foul ball earlier -bumped his knee abit but stayed in and seems okay
that's the aj i accept
Batman Junta Seller !!!
that guy reading the promo for yankees knit cap day is not very enthused - the fake michael kay is going to be quite unhappy
[252] ouchie!
TIme to end this no hitter.
Thanks, Melky.
Thanks, Melky.
[258] he only got 1 hit :}
Whoops. That hasn't happend to me in a long time. My bad.
i can't stand greg zaun - glad he is having to work hard behind the plate tonight
[258] obviously, melky is going to have a 2nd hit later in this game!
send Leche!
wow - hairtson having an exciting night - good thing he got out of the way of that pitch
good job, jerry!
double steal!!! please...for me...just this once?! ; )
nice ab molina
alright jeter
wow - infield single for Molina?! : o
A granny here would be real nice. Downright acceptable.
now's a good time for your 2nd ever Grand Slam, Derek!
[267] i like the way you think! i wish you typed about a millisecond slower! ; )
damn you aki -least the run came in and jeter put a nicer swing on the ball than he has all day
So will The Captain finish his career with > 1 granny? Not that it matters a wit.
Jeter strategically did that, to score the run, get on base and clear the slow footed Molina off the basepaths, so he could put on his catchers' gear.
i dig Damon.
double steal !!! : )
damn he drilled that mf
YEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSS.
That was a bomb!
Hi Lou.
[271] i don't think so. i think it's always gonna be 1. and that is fine!
[269] Heh.
Great minds think alike? Or warped minds think alike?
oooh, i can't wait to see the highlight of that one!!!
Mark hits 'em like nobody's bid'ness!!!
AJ best settle down and in.
i get the feeling Tex is gonna hit some big time important shots in the playoffs.
[280] is that a nostralarmis prediction?
[277] I tend to agree. Time will tell. As long as that bogus West coast bum doesn't catch Lou for most career slams.
[282] Manny Estrogen? If anyone played clean, it's Gehrig. Manny's are tainted.
Oh goody, Devil Rays' bullpen. Yum.
Good evening.
One thread for 2 games???
I feel dirty.
pile on melky
[281] yes, ma'am! : )
[282] yeah, i know my brother will be REALLY pissed if (Wo)manny catches and/or passes Lou in slams.
good job Leche!
it's Chadford...again.
would be great if we blow out their pen for the next coupla games. guess that's hard to do in the month of September, however, with all the call-ups...
[284] yup. Cliff will be back late night to wrap it all up. nice and cleanly!
[284] yeah and i tried to mark game 2 in post 222 -
This is fun. Molina and Melky both with 2 hits this innings. Hide the women and children.
this is most excellent!
damn everyone but jeter
[288] oh, that's what you were doing!
I'm going to the game tomorrow ... I hope hope hope he breaks the record then.
on that note, i need to go pick up some vittles. be back soon!
i REALLY hope AJ cruises here and keeps it at 1.
i'm only going to think positive things about aj and what he will do with this lead - for example - he will not walk shitty hitters, he will not throw wild pitches, he will not hang curve balls over the middle of the plate, his fastballs will not miss the target by 2 feet
[293] Nice. If not tonight, then tomorrow.
[293] you should definitely get some reward for watching chad gaudin - jeter breaking the record sounds like an appropriate reward
Whoa, sit down this morning to an afternoon win and now up 8-1?? This offense is entering the Terminator zone...
Hey, Team. Just tuning in. Looks like I missed some fireworks. Oh well.
Hey, did you guys know that there's a different mentality involved in closing? A different stomach? Not just any reliever can do it?
Never quite thought of it that way. Learn something new everyday when Kay's afoot.
Auugh! Rain storm has moved in so now I've lost the satellite signal.
Omg, we already played once today?
Who knew?
Cool, we won a game I didn't even know we'd played!
[299] oh yes, closers require more guts in their belly than anyone else.
count yourself lucky that you missed mk trying to invite himself to eat with flash in bteween the 2 games and the beat the snub to death.
Omg (again), consulting my boxscore here, I see our old buddy Bret is back!
So much going on!
Robbie walks on four!
[302] Poor guy has such an inferiority complex. I start to feel sorry for him.
[303] consulting the boxscore - that sounds so quaint weeping. :}
he made a helluva nice catch too - probably what kept the game tied at 1 until the yanks beat up on tampa's pen
[306] :)
It's actually not an accident. Glengarry, Glenross is one of my favorite films and I watch it a lot and have most of the dialogue in my head. There's a scene where the Alan Arkin character says something about "And consulting my map, I see you live *near* the airport..."
Speaking of events and developments, any word on Mo?
[307] Love it! "Coffee is for closers.."
Oooh, savage slider.
i'm back and pleasantly surprised about AJ. quite pleased!
[309] You think I'm fuckin' with you? I am *not* fuckin' with you.
[308] he pitched in the first game - simply put he was mo
[309] i've never even tasted coffee, so i can't be a closer.
but i am listening to Duke Pearson's debut solo cd on Blue Note! : )
[314] the song that's on now is called "Black Coffee". seriously.
Mo should give the ABC speech in Cooperstown. : )
[312] "See this watch? This watch cost more than you make in a year"
[314] Hey thelarmis, I am embracing the new technology, finally! My lady showed me how to use Twitter, supposedly good for marketing my jazz site..you should check it out.
POlina : )
[317] i hope it's successful for you! me - i'm not going near it. : )
is the Captain feeling pressure?! : o
[313] Pfew. All is right in the Universe.
[319] Yeah, a LOT of boring updates on there...BUT, alread some guy from wax.fm "followed" me..i checked out there site, and they have a Harold Land album I have been looking for!! So it's already paid off!!
[317] What's my name? What's my name? *FUCK YOU*, that's my name!
[322] nice! Harold Land & Bobby Hutcherson had some great bands together, as you well know!
any British comedy fans here .... Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie?
damn you, AJ.
how bout a DP here? i want him to go 7 strong!
Oh no, please, Kay, don't start fawning over Kim.
You're *so* not in her league.
(Who is?)
Aw, she's so cute! Really, she has such a happy air about her. I really do like her.
Those are a couple of nice cupcakes.
[325] i bet toxic is, but i haven't seen him/her around here much lately. i'm not a fan. that really came out when i dated the supermodel british babe. oh well...
[325] I loved them in the Jeeves & Wooster series.
[327] i love kim jones. then, that's not really news... fellow Penn Stater! : )
[327] yeah she seems like a genuinely happy person - she is quite a good sport
Oh my God.
Another sick-ass slider.
That just wasn't fair.
Go on, AJ!
good job, AJ. send him out for the 7th, see what happens...
well i will be quite a happy camper if aj has regained his pitching abilities in time for the playoffs - then we just need to work on mr. chamberlain
damn two crushed to center
Wow, another Tex-bomb.
TEX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
speaking of Tex, texas was rained out and will play a double dip vs the Tribe manana.
The US Open has some crazy computerized replay system. You mean to tell me MLB can's hook up a similar system on the scoreboard for disputed homers. In lieu of having the 4 blind mice run into the clubhouse to look at a tv. Or whatever the hell they do in there. Oy.
[340] the in/out verdict comes back quite quickly
i'm sure bud is working on something :}
ugh - the goal of this month needs to be no injuries - that looked painful
Pour some Red Bull on it Swish.
Terrible break for Carlos Pena. Out for the year with 2 broken fingers. Might still win the HR crown.
Mauer is just sick, at .369 now. I hope Minn. re-signs him because I guarantee Theo gets him if he's on the market.
this is a lot of fun! wish i could be seeing it...
wha happened to swish?
Damn, Ms. O, that *was* a fine catch by Bret.
was that 1st pitch to hairston as high n' tight as it looked on the box?
[345] got hit on the elbow by a pitch - left quite a mark and a bruise - he stayed in though and got a soft hit
These clowns allowed Swish to get another pitch after getting plunked 3-2 so they're not going to get this right.
JHJr kicks the ball and a run scores. It that a goal?
[344] Why can't *we* get him?
[344] i think tex will pass pena now
i hope mauer stays with the twins too - i wonder how much of his peak he has left though
not optimal, but i'll take it!
Wow, look at Molina turn on the inside pitch!
Come on, Derek, join the party!
this is an odd night molina 3-3 and jeter with squadoosh
swish got hit, but wasn't awarded first? did he kinda swing?
[352] i agree with all that.
we have worn jeff bennett out.
c'mon Cap, join the Hit Parade!!!
If Minnesota can't keep the hometown hero a year after their new stadium opens......well that would be shame for the Twinkie fans.
[351] Because he will cost $100+ million? Hard to see the Yanks getting into yet another long, $100m+ contract. And I think Theo will outbid Cashman.
You know who Derek reminds me of, looking the ball into the mitt?
Mattingly.
[355] squadoosh? i like it! don't know what the hell it is, but i like it, nonetheless : )
was that really a strike?! looks waaaaay low on the box...
[359] Mattingly? never hoid of him. any good?! ; )
derek - a walk is NOT as good as a hit when you're chasing down a Yankee record! ; )
glad he's out of the game now.
[358] Yeah, but if you're ever going to spend $100m, shouldn't it be on a young catcher who hits .370?
Hey folks. I had to go out for a couple of hours, missed that 8-run carousel inning. Wow. Also it looks like AJ settled down. (I caught a little on the radio.)
[362] He could hit a little bit and he was better than Giambi and Steve Balboni with the glovework..
[363] yeah me too - fuck it and start over tomorrow
[364] No! Catchers age real quick..and Mauer is a tall guy, will his knees hold up?
Just got in, from scanning the comments it seems AJ started slow but seems to have come around. And another monster game from Tex.
RIYank, were we at the same place? ;)
[368] yeah he will be 28 when he is a fa and i just wonder how he will age
Edwar.
AJ did well.
[370] Wow, maybe. Were you at Bovie's? Seems unlikely ;-)
is this the 1st time edwar has pitched since he was called up? didn't really think i would ever see edwar again - but am glad aj had a pretty good outing and then got to leave with the big lead and not overworked
[368] I know, but .370!! Plus, I did think of that and figured we could start with the transition to first early so the man can hit .370 to age 42.
mk i think the rays kknow they are done
Mauer, with a career .887 OPS, will be 28 in 2011. My guess is he gets something like 7/$140m. If the Yanks got him, they will have a few years with older, expensive players in Mauer, CC, Tex and ARod. Maybe even Cano?
You almost always get beat a bit in the last few years ol a long, expensive contract, but the good years make it worth it. But for 3 or 4 players? VERY risky. Little flexibility.
Iwamura pulling an Ichiro !
[371] I wish I knew him at all--what his swing's like, how he hits, where his power comes from, etc. Besides, he must be good enough that even diminished, he can hit .300.
But it's true, I'd try to wean him off catching asap.
[374] He pitched the other day, though I can't recall when.
Just read [301], come on, Weeping. You didn't know it was a double header? I'm not going to let you forget this for a while, you can bet on that.
name that Gabe
Edwar pitched 9/4 in the ugly loss to Toronto (when Halliday shut us down). Edwar was fine.
nice work edwar
[381] how was the party, RI ?
For completeness: Edwar's line in that game was 1.1 IP 1H 1BB 2K
[377] You're right, you're right. I most certainly do not want such a logjam, but man, .370!
A BA like that just makes me salivate. All those clean line drives. Imagine if Cano could get his act together and he and Mauer could be your 3-4.
I get a frisson of pleasure just thinking about it.
[380] [383] thanks guys - just looked at the scores while i was away and not much else
[381] Heh heh heh. What can I say?
I wonder if Jeter will break his managerial cherry for the last home game. Does anyone recall the first year and player Torre did that? I'm thinking Clemens but no idea what year.
[384] It was fun, actually. Some friends of my son's have a little jazz quartet, and they got to open for a serious big band at a cool bar. (The serious band is John Allmark's East Side Horns.)
[379] The .370 only has astronomical value if he is still a catcher though...
i'm very glad the yanks got a real 1bman in tex; however, it does preclude shifting anyone who loses their positional abilities over there
Hey! It's Mary Shelley Frankenstein's Duncan!
Shelley sighting.
shelley got his pet rabbit
Oh, I miss him!
Such a hayseed.
[386]
Tell ya what.... Let me give you a cheap, potentially big thrill.
.....
.....
.....
Jesus Montero!
[391] Are you joking? In what universe is .370 not of astronomical value?
Matsui kicking ass.
Shelley sighting.
[390] wow, sounds super cool! Big Bands are fun!!!
[392] I know, I know! Fine, how 'bout left, then?
Or maybe we could have two first basemen.
[397] Yeah, I keep hearing this kid's name. Can he really hit?
[400] We've already got Molina as a back-up 1st baseman. Forget Morneau. : D
well since it doesn't seem right not to question grirardi at least once per night - i wonder why molina at 1b instead of shelley
Thelarmis, I figure big bands are pretty nearly economically impossible nowadays. Is that right? I know of two or three. But I think they must be playing more for the love of the game, because there's no way they can be making more than a few bucks a person for the evening.
[401] Oh, he's a monster. If he can't catch, he's our future DH. If he can, then the sky's the limit.
[398] He won't hit .370 every year. If he's at .330 as a catcher that is wayyyy more valuable than even .350 as a 1B..but I love Mauer too and pray that Boston won't sign him...
[400] YES! We can platoon a 35 year old Tex with a 34 year old Mauer for a meer $45m/yr!
Holy shit, I'm glad I'm not keeping a scorecard today. What a nightmare. Swisher moves from RF to 1B, then Hinske ph for him but plays 3B. Shelley ph for Cano but plays RF. But I guess they're having a good time, and after all I am not, in fact, keeping a scorecard.
Right now, Theo has wet dreams of an infield of Mauer at C, VMart at 1st and Youk at 3rd. It's an awesome infield. Let's hope Minn can resign him.
[406] I know, I know!
Ok, let's just not let Boston get him, then, because that would just kill me.
Swisher looked like he was in pain. I see him taking a game or 2 off.
[406] But I think they will. For one thing, 'Tek is obviously all done (look at his numbers, but if you watch him bat it's just obvious). For another, this is apt to be one of those years that makes Theo feel like he really has to do something to stay in range of the Yankees. If he can prize the money loose from John Henry, and I bet he can, then Mauer is the prime target.
[408] Well if you're not scoring at home there's always tomorrow.
: )
[404] yeah, for the most part. there are certainly still Big Band projects, but mostly big names and it'll be a recording session.
the most famous that's still around is prolly Thad Jones/Mel Lewis. they're called The Vanguard Orchestra and i believe they still play every Monday night at the Village Vanguard. one of my old teachers is the main drummer.
several years ago, i got to play a New Years Eve Big Band gig. no rehearsals, i just read charts. it was a lot of fun and paid well, but most NYE gigs do...
[408] :)
[409] Indeed.
[409] i wouldn't be so sure of how great that looks:
martinez was not hitting that well until he went to bos (284/368/464 in cle, 326/405/519 in bos) how much longer will he be productive.
ugly is not that athletic and is already 30- so i wonder how much longer he can play 3b, especially since he has had limited reps there - seems like he would be exposed there on a regular basis not to mention he is not that quick
dusty also does not seem like he would age well as that swing is entirely dependent on his quick wrists
mauer just might age the best of that group
PO-lina. on base all 5 times. poifect! : )
Speaking of prospects (like Montero), Pete Abe reports that Austin Jackson got two hits, and then what his name -- Miney? -- the SWB manager. Anyway, the two hits brought Jackson over .300 and the manager pulled him. So he finishes the season over .300.
That was a very nice swing by Pena.
i don't think mk is scoring the game anymore either
So, do we get to see Mike Dunn??
[418] I don't like that shit. Just like they sat Boggs in whenever that was, '85, '86.
I'm against it.
[418] Good for Ausitin. Solid year. How bout the 22 year old McAllister who was with Trenton all season is going to start game 4 for Scranton in the playoffs. That's cool for him.
[421] And here he is!
We do! It's Dunn!
[422] Ted Williams didn't sit in 1941, and he hit .406..and he flew fighter jets too! Not like you young spoiled brats..(shaking fist)... :)
[422] Didn't Boggs sit for 4 or 5 games too? Or am I off there. But I agree, go the Ted Williams hitting for .400 route.
By the way, earlier this year, ARod played his 791st game as a Yankee. He played 790 games in Seattle.
[423] Yeah, that's nice. And it will test his mettle a little bit.
The ball jumps from his hand.
[425] i get to see M Dunn on a computerized screen of a baseball diamond.
Dave Winfield's jersey is averse to throwing strikes.
[426] Hah ah hha ha!
*Exactly!*
[431] Yeah. Well, there's a photo of him on Gameday!
He seems... excited.
[432] I know, it really bothers me how Dave Winfield's jersey is always a pitcher these days.
It just looks wrong for Dave Winfield's jersey to be on someone else's back, especially when that someone else is some scrub pitcher. It's just plain wrong, I tell you.
[426] Okay, okay. But I don't want Austin's head to be cut off, please. Not just yet.
the last two pitches were in the box. he getting squeezed or does he just suck?
Poor guy. He's going to groove one soon.
[437] He's just all over the place.
Mound. Rubber. Baseball. Strikes. It's not that fu$%ing difficult.
[436] fine - but he best stay off all our lawns
[435] especially since i bet winfield could have been a good pitcher if he chose to do that
[437] He's full of adrenalin, I'd say.
He has a big chin. I think a guy with a jaw like that can work through his jitters.
Yeah Mike! Welcome to the bigs, kid.
alright settle down kid and get this last one
He's big, kinda ugly and looks mean. Maybe he should be a Red Sox?
[445] he'll need some weird facial hair and those titen (?) necklaces
[445] Heh heh.
445 If his nose were flatter from fighting he'd look like a boxer or mma fighter.
[445] lol. I just thought that at his last close up.
No, no, he's definitely one of ours. He's the guy we want on the hill when Youk decides to charge. He's the new Far....
Whoa. I almost cursed him.
[434] yeah, i was surprised they already had a picture of him...
Well, he finished off the 9th inning at Yankee Stadium. Good for him. Nice sweep y'all.
Yay Mike! Remember this day, my boy.
Oh, yes!
Nice job, kid.
Nice job, Team!
Love that we snapped out of our little funk there.
Splitting with Toronto, indeed.
[452] Thanks, JF. We're just doing our jobs, you know, trying to get outs, put good swings on the ball.
our staff gave up 6 hits, 6 walks and had 10 K's. only 1 run.
great day/night of baseball today people!!! : )
that's 89 wins
[450] :)
"We just worked on a few things in the cage and it paid off."
--Teix on working with Long after having gone a week without a hit from the left side.
Nice.
magic number is 16 now
good monday holiday of baseball
My favorite part of the game, by far, is that AJ seems to have found his slot, or whatever it is he lost. That's so much bigger than a W.
My second favorite is that Teix broke out of his slump (and how).
About eight other things are tied for third.
[460] i concur. only business left to tend to is joba getting his shit together, whatever that might entail.
Tex, Melky & Molina with 3 hits apiece.
Matsui on base all 4 times.
[455] Don't forget to take it one day at a time.
461 A Nuke Laloosh like transformation, where he just throws what the catcher tells him?
A nine-game lead in the East. Wow.
[463] These guys in the clubhouse, they just keep grinding it out..when you got a team full of gamers then you know every day they'll bring 100%...
[464] that's a good place to start
[466] mmph - 110% - and we look forward to coming to the park every day.
[464] The rose goes in the front, big guy. : D
Just Fair, it turns out that this comment of yours was prescient after all: Melky got two hits in that inning.
[469] My Aunt (Miss) Cleo would be so proud. : )