I have no less confidence in Gaudin than I do in Joba or Mitre right now.

Fire Francona. 5-0 Royals in the first. : O

[2] Awesome.
I was planning on getting a little work done this evening. I'll let Joe Castiglione distract me.

I think MLB Network was saying that the pitching matchup tonight favors the As, so that could do it too

[2] Z Greinke pitching for KC. Let's hope this one stands up.

Edwin Jackson so far tonight: 6 IP; 0 R; 6 H; 2 BB. 45 strikes, 41 balls.

Hm. He certainly appears to be back in form, but on the other hand a little patience at the plate might undo him again.

5-0 Royals middle of the 3rd. Greinke 1 hit allowed so far.

[7] I think we're all transfixed. (Although I can't see it, actually -- I'm in the blackout area for my mlb.tv so I can't ever see Red Sox games unless they're on Fox or something.)

I wish I could witness the Hand of Greinke descend upon the Red Stockings, but alas I cannot. Perhaps it's for the best though - I'd rather stay in my current not-a-pillar-of-salt form, thank you very much.

[1] I think I have more, to be honest.

[8], [9]

I have the Extra Innings package .... I'll try and keep you updated.

(and yes, Greinke is nasty)

3 innings complete, 5-0 Royals.

is anyone here a Mad Men watcher??

because I finally just caught this past Sunday's episode, and umm...wow

[11] Oh, well, I'm listening to the Sox' crew on the radio. But I do wish I could see the dude. Though not that walk.

How can anyone have an ERA that low nowadays? It's amazing. It's Pedroesque. And he has 8 No Decisions, over which he's had an ERA of 1.95.

[13] I ****ing love that show and I loved that episode. the one that preceded it was the first this season I found to be less than awesome, but this recent one is back on track. So. Much. Good. Stuff.

I think on top of everything else wrong with Captain Facemask, he's starting to get fat

Scott Boras negotiates ESPN Scott Van Pelt's next contract:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIcV6I7GiPo

LOL

[15] that scene...and you know exactly what scene I'm talking about...was true "OMFG!!!" television. Amazing.

[16] He's getting a jump on next year's Color Commentator Spread, maybe. (I know, he's under contract. To preserve a little self-respect he should walk away from it.)

Those two walks were kind of a 'threat' for the Sox. At least they've got some chance of facing a different pitcher in the late innings -- Greinke is running at 15 pitches/inning.

[15] Yeah and as surprising as it was, the groundwork for the moment was laid so beautifully. And the result (I was concerned about certain characters coming or going) was satisfying too.

You know, I think I could watch this Royals/Sox game on my phone but I was dicking around with my network set up and now the phone isn't behaving properly with it.

[20] the whole contrast of the conversation about Vietnam "not being that bad" followed by that was great...and Betty is a terrible human being.

Greinke: 6 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 5 K, 91 pitches.

[23] 0 Runs

Greinke's out after six! Hmmm. Break for the Sox.

Oh, because they're worried about the injury from that line drive that slammed him on the elbow last week.

[22] About that, there's been great debate on the message boards of Slate. Try this for starters.

[22][27] I meant the latter statement btw - though some have mentioned the same thing vis a vis Vietnam. You're more on the ball than I!

How about that? Roman Colon, Soxkiller.
Well, that game has turned boring, and I will not be joining the bantering for the Yankee game this evening. Have fun!

I really do think I will have to renounce any association I ever had with my alma mater ....

First ... they choose "Red Storm" for their new, culturally-sensitive nickname ... now .... they've re-done the mascot ...
http://redstormsports.cstv.com/genrel/091809aab.html

(sighing heavily)

Greinke's line doesn't tell you how good he looked for six innings. If he isn't the Cy Young, they should stop giving out the award. Hopefully, the Royals pen has 2 good innings left. According to the KC broadcast, Soria might not be available tonight.

If nothing else, this zone should keep Gaudin's walks down.

What does Varitek have to hit over the last ten games to fall under .200? That would bring me so much joy.

The Angels must practice voodoo.

I feel like I've been watching this inning on a continuous loop since 2002

That felt familiar

Dammit.

This team can't do anything in Anaheim.

Let's Go Royals.

Uh oh...Ramon Colon walking batters.

[39] And a balk

[8] riyank, you don't get nesn?

5-1 KCR

5-1 Royals

I'd swear Pedroia is shrinking

I hope Soria is available...I hope Soria available...

KC out of the inning!

nice catch gardner

Royals get out of the inning

[44] how would you be able to tell?

Abreu stares in disbelief. Dive? You're allowed to drive in the outfield?

[49] He seems to be lower than usual next to the umps and coaches

I love Swisher bunts.

when I start to lose faith in Joba and/or Phil, the starter, its good to look at Greinke's numbers, he took a while to figure it out, but with the stuff those two have, I'll be happy if they're half of what Greinke has been this season.

This game is going to test the limits of the frustration meter.

If Gardner was an Angel, they'd make him bunt once a game.

[51] pretty soon he won't have a strike zone

[53] very true

I don't know what the Angels are doing but the results speak for themselves. They are second only to the Yankees in runs scored, so they're doing something right.

These swings make me sad.

Just putrid.

What an awful inning.

Jamey effing Wright is in another game and he walked Big Fatty on four pitches

I wish it wasn't true, but the Yankees are psyched out by Anaheim.

Meanwhile. Jamey Wright can't throw a strike.

Jeez, Santana has a nasty hook. Jetes looked pretty silly that AB

no soria....yet

it's not really fair to say from here, but sometimes it's incredible how long it takes a lineup to figure out what a pitcher is gonna throw

that was a strike!

Bay Ks.

Bay down

Rangers losing 2-0, BTW

Sterling is NUTS. He's absolutely gone. After the leadoff cano double, sterling says no fewer than eight times about swisher, "don't get a hit, your job is not to get a hit, just advance the runner, just make an out, just play small ball, you don't need hit..." This drives me absolutely batty. Am I the crazy one? Isn't it nuts to only want a chance at one run over getting three tries at a hit? I know the win expectancy says this, but what about you grit and gutters? Don't you agree? Man on second in the second inning no outs (pitcher has a 5.7 era) you let your boys swing away, right?

I jate pitchers named J. Wright.

Drew down

Drew down swinging!

Billy Butler with an error. Runners on first and second

OH NO!! Butler muffs a game ending grounder that a 5-year old could have fielded!

And that's why the Royals are the Royals.

Soria's coming in

seriously Butler??

[75] He was spooked by Casey Kotchman's speed.

Christ

Soria coming in, which makes in unvailable for the last two games in Boston, I'd imagine.

here comes my compadre Soria. viva mexico

[80] to get one out?
anyway it's worth it. each loss makes it more impossible for them to catch up.

Sox lose. 2 hitter.

One pitch...Royals win!!

Rex Hudler is incredibly irritating

Magic Number: 7 Constanza

Sox lose

I hate to be greedy, but if the Royals can take one more game, at least the loss column lead will be more than games left against Boston.

[88] IF the Yankees can win tonight, I think we're in good shape.

I had an internet issue so I couldn't pipe up at the time but MAN Jeter looked awful in that last at bat.

[89] I am trying not be outrageous.

[90] I am sure he appreciates your adding that comment to the record ;)

[91] If its close late, and we don't trot out the mop up crew again, I feel pretty good

[53] This is quaint, but also a little crazy. Which makes it more quaint, I guess.

Watching Mathis work with Santana makes me think of AJ and Posada.

WHOO!

That is a bomb!

arod with a big fly

88 with Beckett and Butthole pitching the next 2 games I don't think the Sox are going to lose. If the Yankees can't take 1 game from the friggin' lala's they don't deserve home field or the division.

Early Score Truck!

[95] or aj and molina

Swinging 3-0? What's wrong with Girardi???

Y'know, I was mulling throwing out a comment about A Rod's recidivist ways of late ... Well shut my mouth.

Thanks, Rod.

the foundation for our 9th inning collapse has been laid

Going to the fourth in Oakland

When was the last time a Yankee reached on Catchers Interference?

could this be the start of the angels fucking up?!??

[99] True...I mean to imply that the worst case scenario was a 4 game lead. If I was handicapping, I'd predict 1-1 for the Yankees and 2-0 for Boston, which leaves us where we are right now.

[92] Yes Jeter respects it when we "keep it real", I just know it.

[102] Are you giving Girardi credit for green lighting Arod 3-0? I'd be shcoked if he didn't have it in all but the most obvious situations.

po!!!!

Posada with a blast!

Abreu had me fooled on that one for a while.

YAHTZEE

I was just rewinding that shot by Arod, man that had to be 450-475ft.

Hip Hip Jorge!

Yankees totally psyched out by Anaheim. Look at how Posada just killed another rally--the second one this inning.

It took a few innings, but nice to see the hitters realize you have to attack Santana's fast ball instead of flail at his curve.

All this scoring is liable to put a stop to the only benefit thus far of the Yankees' Anaheim struggles - namely, Michael Kay's on-air sulking about their inability to score.

116 I know. Now we have to get another man on and hope the next guy doesn't kill the rally.

man i thought arod was going to start making out with kevin long there

[110] I'm not blaming or crediting anyone. But I strongly suspect---though of course it's not provable---that if A-Rod grounded out, certain folks 'round here would have bitched that Girardi did not have A-Rod taking all the way, losing the patient approach, etc.

[116] You ought to be ashamed of yourself.

[116] I know your not new to this, so I don't think I need to say that it's the third inning and Gaudin is on the mound. The Yankees have never been unable to take leads in Anaheim; they've been unable to keep them. Before the ASG, they actually had two 4-0 leads before blowing both games.

[120] Crikey! What a thought!

120 Not that there's anything wrong with that;)

Yikes, that WAS a rally-killer.

[122] I usually am.

[127] More than usual, then.

Why doesn't YES/My 9 have a K Zone?

[121] I think you are exaggerating. It was the 3rd inning with one of the games best HR hitters up at the plate. Now, if it was the 9th inning and the Yankees were down by three runs, that would be another story.

Rangers down in the fourth.

[123] You're not new to this either, and you know I don't put much stock in the psychological mumbo jumbo analysis. But mostly, I'm just having fun with you and with a game that has started out more promising than the last few.

[132] this is baseball, it isn't supposed to be fun.

131 Rangers are dead men walking. They're done.

[132] I know you don't, which is fair (although I think misguided), but the fact that the Yankees have taken a 4-0 lead would not prove or disprove anything. If this was game wasn't in Anaheim, I might be more in a fun mood. Now, I'll go back to watching this game through my hands.

[132] So you lied to me. I don't appreciate that.

[130] Maybe I am exaggerating, maybe not. But hyperbole is not foreign to these discussion threads...like implying that the game is over after the first inning (at least that's the way I took [38]).

[131] Of course they are, but I'd still like to officially clinch the playoff spot tonight

138 I'm sorry I forgot about that. I thought you were referencing them as far as the wild card race.

[133] I always forget that!

[134] put them out of our misery. they completely folded in the wild cared race and then had the nerve to win last night

[137] Hyperbole...never...besides, what do you have against the Royals?

[142] Nothing...I'm their biggest fan...tonight.

[139] I gave up on the Rangers in August when they blew that game against Toronto. Largely been rooting for them to lose since.

let's not throw the ball into the dugout chad

Lohud has a good story about Mickey Mantle and Billy Martin in the game post.

How about we concentrate on the batter?

This is how the Angels kill the Yankees. Even with a 4-0 lead, they allow speed on the bases to become a distraction. This exact scenario played out in the Friday and Saturday games before the All Star break.

Freaking Figgins. The inning was going so nicely.

gift strike there

jesus chad just throw the damn ball and stop worrying so much

way to get out of it there gaudin

3-0 Athletics

[151] Good advice.

Chad impressed me a little there. He regained his composure and Bobby's not an easy out.

[153] I'd like to see Texas start winning so maybe they'll have some desire to beat the Angels when they play them next.

please do NOT be hurt jeter

I want more scores

Jeez, Jete. Don't kill yourself at this point in the season.

Just saw A-Rod's tater, what a shot! And Captain with another 200-hit season, awesome job...

Gaudin looking good I assume?

Greinke brought it against Boston, BoSox lose a series to the Royals!! Panic in Beantown??

I think the scouting report on Santana has to be jump on every first pitch fastball.

[160] It's a 4-gamer, so they can still split the series.

If Santana throws a fastball here, he is stupid.

I hate when he does that

[163] I guess not...can't imagine why Arod would take that.

Rangers down in the fifth

[163] Good pitch there to get the K..can't win em' all, A-Rod..

Greinke now has a 2.08 ERA...amazing! Can he get below 2 in his next few starts...?

arod's guessing giveth and taketh away

[165] Looking breaking ball.

Can someone tell me why the commercials are 20 decibels louder than the program. It's not just YES. I watch TV with the damn remote, constantly clicking mute (or is it "moot"). My damn thumb hurts and I'm just about ready to write the FCC and my congressman.

169 he should have been looking FB, and if he throws a breaking pitch for strike 3 you tip your hat.

[167] Yes...at least 10 shutout innings; or 14 1-run innings. If he gives up 2 runs, he'd need to pitch 19 innings.

kenny just got some info from the truck about a game last year; however, he did not refer to it as the score truck, just the truck :{

[170] That usually happens when the commercials come from the cable provider instead from the network.

Hunter went there

that's about as excited as i've ever heard kenny singleton

I must say, that I like Gaudin's luck better than Mitre's...at least so far.

[171] you get those arod and po specials sometimes

[172] Pretty quick with the old abacus there, William :)

Gaudin looking good! If the lead is 6 going into the Boston series then there is really nothing left to worry about..

Kay just said Joe Girardi stated "Joba simply has to pitch better"...well, yes Joe...

[170] There's a bill in Congress (CALM) that is supposed to address loud ads broadcast on public frequencies:
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/electronics/2009/06/tone-it-down-consumers-union-supports-calm-act.html

[172] Correction - at least 9 1/3 shutout innings; or 14 1-run innings. If he gives up 2 runs, he’d need to pitch 18 1/3 innings.

[179] Kay just said Joe Girardi stated “Joba simply has to pitch better”…well, yes Joe…

In Girardi-speak, that could mean that he has a career-threatening injury.

174 Thanks, damn cable companies, this is what happens when you don't have enough competition.

177 NoMaas has a post up showing that although Gaudin's ERA is 3 runs lower than Mitre's his FIP is actually higher. Not sure how valid a stat FIP is though.

[171] even when the pitcher has been throwing curve after curve?

180 Thanks, and I love the fact that it's called the CALM Act.

[184] But most of the curves have been out of the zone. If it was me, I would look fastball and tip my hat if he could put a curve in the zone, but then again Arod has a few HRs than I do.

[183] Well, according to FIP, Mitre has been Unlucky™ all year, but I don't buy it in his case. But Gaudin pitching well below his FIP is cause for concern.

[180] Thankfully no commercials here, the video stays on the field while the Japanese announcers chat between innings..occasionally you can hear the YES guys chat too..I'm sure that one time they were laughing at this really fat woman in the stands that the camera was zooming in on..not very nice of them, but kind of funny to hear...another time they showed Al Leiter stuffing his face with donuts, while the Japanese announcers laughed at him..beast commercials I guess..

184 How consistently has he been throwing the curve for a strike. Also if you're looking fastball I would think you may be able to get a piece of the curve if its a strike. But what the hell do I know about hitting a ML pitcher.

[188] damn ok jazz, beast commercials is one of the greatest typos all-time on the banter

Matsui has really been great this year...and every year he has been healthy.

matsui is all over these pitches

Wow

188 how do they pay the bills?

I really, really like this "Rally Killer Offense."

[186] assuming most of his curves go out of the zone, if it were you you'd look fastball and swing through a curveball in the dirt. then tip your cap.

Matsui is making it awfully hard to let him go next year. Cn they possibly keep him?

[192] If we can only figure out a way to work in "beast commercial" when Matsui belts one...

[190] Hahah..there actually are some of those on regular tv here..

[194] The MLB is shown on one of the government satellite channels (NHK-BS1) so no commercials ever..it does lead to some amusing program titles like BS News at 6...

Matsui is ON, ホームラン、ホームラン松井！！

[188] MLB.com used to also let you hear the announcers between inning. I remember listening to a spring training game that Jeff Brantley was doing with a play-by-play man whose name I don't recall. Anyway, in between innings, Brantley starts scolding the play-by-play man about stepping on his analysis to which he responded something like "I think the people listening might actually want to know what's going on in the game". It was very amusing.

[198] :] that would be great

[196] What?

[201] recent funny one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km2XNQmyjaU

found it! the Japanese baseball commercial was looking for
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smcqWxxZexs&feature=related

hey team!

jus' gettin' in. no time to catch up on comments yet, but - shall i assume the tenor is calmer than last night? what a difference a day makes!

yesterday, there was crazy flooding here in atlanta with people getting dead - including a 2-yr old little boy (sooo sad!!!) - and today, was like 90 degrees and sunny.

let's keep it bright on our baseball outlook, as well!!! : )

3-1 As BTW

20 My wife is there in Holly Springs and she says she's never seen it rain like that before (for that long).

207 was meant for 205

[202] you're saying he shouldn't be looking curveball there because it would likely drop out of the zone, so look fastball and tip your cap if the pitcher throws a curve for a strike. but that's ignoring that the pitcher is trying to deceive you. so if it looks like a curve in the dirt and you take it, it might be a low fastball. if you are looking fastball and it looks like a fastball, you might flail at a curve in the dirt.

[203] haha thanks - that was pretty funny - though the moving truck was not as good as our score truck

203 funny. 204 mystifying.

Eesh

that wasn't foul?

Wheels are coming off

what? Chone?! ugh.

[213] Don't underestimate the mystical powers of Chone.

[214] now, now...

[216] "The Powers of Chone"..sounds like a Piers Anthony book..

[211] commercial at [204] I love the bit when they show the X-Ray image of his broken arm as he throws that final pitch.

[209] I am pretty sure Arod can tell the difference between the two.

Here we go again.

how many coaches does it take to pull gaudin?

Tough call here...I would probably let him face Vlad, last batter if he gets a hit.If he creams one, though...

This is a classic example of a pitcher knowing he is one out away from qualifying.

Out of the zone!!1

Halllooooooo Ace......

I hate this fucking team.

Could that have been a worse pitch? Are you kidding me?

the hell with gaudin's "win" - let's go ace

Welcome to Yankees vs. Angels.

[219] then why would he take a fastball down the middle? the whole purpose of having a deceptive delivery is to trick the hitter. pitch selection isn't the only trick.

[214] ok, maybe the back wheels have come off. : /

we're gonna see a lot of bullpen tonight. ace/coke/phil/mo

[227] Gaudi on his sixth team so far..and he is 26 yrs old..what does this tell you?

[230] He took the fastball because he was sitting on the curve. When you do that, you can't react to the faster pitch. If you sit on the faster pitch, you might get locked up by the curve, but you shouldn't swing at it.

[232] Joe Girardi is about to tell you he's your FOURTH starter in the playoffs!

Bad, bad feeling here

231 how about: phil mo coke? ace!

Gaudin did a solid job. Girardi left him in a batter too long, but you can't kill him for that. The bottom line is this team needs to learn how to close out games in Anaheim. Until they start doing that, you can't convince me the Angels aren't in the Yankees heads.

Hunter went there too

In Ace we trust.

Good job Ace

I love Ace!

sweet. let's have some more o' dat Score Truck, thank you please!

clocking out - i tried my best to bring some more luck to gaudin - he did okay enough - now close it out in my absence

Rangers losing mid-7

Wheels back on....

Generally well-pitched by Gaudin, before he ran out of gas in the 5th against the middle of a tough lineup. If the Yankees actually needed a fourth starter in the playoffs, they would take this sort of performance evry time, methinks.

[241] is your wife okay here? where is holly springs? i wanna say i heard of it, but it's gotta be at least a half-hour outside of here. maybe West on 20, or something...

[245] Wheels back on….

you didn't know the Score Truck driver doubles as a mechanic, didjya?!

[244] what else is new? : /

[233] when's the last time you faced real pitching? it isn't a video game. you are crazy if you think hitters don't get fooled by good curveballs. why do you think jeter looked so silly in that at bat earlier? it isn't just a question of guessing pitch selection. you then have to recognize it out of the pitcher's hand.

and here we go...feebly into the night.

Why does that 1-2-3 inning give me a sick feeling?

4-1 Athletics

[249] This is one of those futile arguments. I tend to think that most every batter, including the great ones, guess and/or sit on certain pitches in certain counts. My assumption is that the really greats simply guess right more often (and have far superior recognition skills and reaction speed).

[249] I face real pitching about three times a week. I am down to fastpitch softball, but the fastballs are still around 65-70 mph with knuckle balls and curves. I don't play video games.

[251] Because you have been predicting doom since the first inning?

[249] And yes, hitters do get fooled by good curve balls, but not when they eliminate the pitch from their mindset, which is what I suggested Arod should have done in that AB.

[255] Well, here it comes.

how long til Kendry gets the "professional hitter" tag?

I've heard this song before

double-plus un-good.

[259] style: Doom Metal

246 She's fine. It's north of Atl off of 575.

[257] Perhaps.

6-1 Athletics

[259] band: Death Angels

song: Yankee Killer

How good can the Angles really be if they are pinch-hitting with Gary Mathews Jr...??! C'mon Ace, strike this bum out!

266 No K, DP.

7-1

[262] oh, that's right! It's Exit 14 off 575 - Canton, GA. i've been there a bunch and passed it just the other week. i knew it was familiar. it's about 40 miles north of me and i'm right in the heart of the city.

what's she doing there of all places? (you don't have to answer that!)

The pitch selection is brutal. This team is imploding again.

Do the Angels take the lead this inning or next?

[271] I got that Abe Beame-New York-going-bankrupt kind of feeling...

jeezus kriste! we really need a DP here...

[256] fastpitch softball credentials aside, you seem to be arguing that the only reason a hitter would ever swing through a curve in the dirt is that he is either worried that the pitcher might throw a curve or is actually expecting a curve but not one that low or with that much bite. you don't think that hitters (who i agree [253] all have to guess to a certain extent) ever sit on fastball, think they see fastball out of the pitcher's hand, then flail through a deceptive curve? or, in this case, sit on curve, think they see curve out of the pitcher's hand, then take a fastball down the middle? or even sit on fastball, think they see curve out of the pitcher's hand, then take a fastball down the middle?

Wheels have completely fallen off and the bus is careening towards a cliff.

269 We're moving there. Will have to be long distance Yankee fan soon.

We see it every time and yet it still feels so helpless.

8-1

Marte warming...which makes sense, I guess, against Abreu. I would love to see Girardi go to Hughes early here.

Figgins is up again already?

game tying double

[279] That's a good one..knee-slapper in fact..

Um...anyone warming?

[274] That's not what I am saying at all. I would say that in a great majority of cases, a hitter can tell the difference between a fastball and a curve out of the hand if he is explicitly sitting on the fastball. If the pitcher is particularly deceptive, he might swing anyway, but in most cases, he should be able to layoff.

At what point does Girardi realize Aceves is completely missing his spots?

oh what the fuck

Crap.

WTF was that?

So yeah, winning the division doesn't matter

Just like a batter HBP gets first, a fielder hit by bat should mean the batters out.

Looks like he's okay.

In my mind, this game counts for two because if the Yankees blow this game, the have no chance to win tomorrow.

Is that Bruney?

Jorge is a tough sonuvabeetch, he will be fine... PLEASE don't bring in Bruney!!

Why is Marte warming if you don't use him here? And why is Bruney up!

292 I don't understand.

[276] no way! a bandleader i used to work for lives off that exit, in Canton. i played a Blues gig at a club there last August, but i think it closed down (or, at least, doesn't have music any longer).

well, you'll have company! i'm down 75 about 45 mins, depending on traffic. will you guys be working in Cherokee, Cobb, Dekalb or Fulton?

let me know if there's anything i can do to make the move easier for you guys. i've been here 13+ years now...

Exactly..why is Marte warming up if not to face BoBBy..(hat tip 2 thelarmis)...??

Not sure how far behind my feed is... But would it be crazy to use Hughes vs. Abreu?

i prefer aceves to marte here myself

why is Ace pitching to boBBy???? : /

gameday has second pitch as a clear strike. Against Abreu, that's a killer

Aceves has gotten away with two awful pitches.

[302] didn't get it cause he missed his spot by about a foot

297 Thanks for the offer. My wife doesn't have a job down there yet. I will be working for my current company for now, at least thru the end of the year.

I feel sick

[302] He completely missed his location...as he did with the 2-2. Leaving Ace in is crazy.

oh krikey.

Unbelievable. The Yankees just cannot win in this building. Vlad slammer here.

What the hell is Girardi doing in the dugout? Is he watching?

Phew.

Good enough. Now score some fucking runs. Joe wants to bring Bruney in.

I dunno if the Halos have gotten into the Yankees' heads, but they've gotten into mine.

[309] Or not.

Watching runs walk in is the most painful experience

Arod just kills the Angels!

[305] you know where to find me. when's the big move?

well, there goes dinner... : /

Arod saves the Yankees bacon...for now.

If this inning doesn't illustrate Girardi's incompetence than I don't know what would.

Hughes for two and Mo for the save, right? Yeah right.......

isn't it funny that the 2 teams that have "gotten into the yankees' heads" are the 2 other best teams in the league the last 5 or so years?

[319] Of course not. Hughes is an 8th inning guy.

[320] So that explains the Yankees playing about .200 baseball in Anaheim? The Angels are just that good.

317 Wife will be settled in by next week. I'll be down by the end of the year.

big boys comin' up to the plate.

halos' "vulture" in.

I don't like where we're headed.

Girardi is awful. Awful!

[325] Nope...neither do I. Another 1-2-3 inning and you can pretty much write the script.

[325] That is striking, given your general optimism. ; )

[323] Georgia Welcomes You !!! : )

(that's the sign you see when you leave the airport...)

My goodness....the Yankees are just pawns in the Angels game.

[329] I thought they hated all Yankees down there... :)

Just great...three hard hit balls and three outs...now the Angels can continue their hit parade.

Well, here we go

I sooo wanted to shout Beast Commercial, but Matsui just didn't have enough power the other way.

well, that was an utter waste. and went waaaay too quickly...

331 I'm trying to go incognito. I don't know if I can fake a southern drawl, but I can definitely lose the Joisey accent.

[322] it helps to explain. but maybe it's just a curse.

[331] anymore, it's mostly northern transplants here. it's pretty rare to actually meet someone who's from Atlanta!

A perfect inning would do wonders for my stomach

[334] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7_UhWEeME4

Is Girardi well?

Nice move Joe, leave Aceves in. No reason to be worried by his horrendous location last inning. This is almost comical.

two more

[342] i guess that answers [318] for you

[337] I don't believe in curses.

[336] no need for the drawl! i lost my Queens/L.I. accent many moons ago, for the most part, in college. it still comes out every now and then and with certain words.

not sure if you've visited your future home yet - i imagine you have - but it's rather different than here in the city of Atlanta. so, yeah, you might stick out a little, at first! ; )

Well, whatever happens here, the Yanks gotta face the Angels' big bats one more time. Hopefully with Hughes/Rivera.

9-1 Oakland

Stole and out, so it's time for Hughes, right?

wow, still with Ace. hmmm.

i guess Phil's title should be "8th inning ONLY" guy.

[345] isn't curse the same as saying it's in their heads? i don't think many people actually believe in supernatural curses.

[349] try again. please see [350]. it's only the 7th. so...

Marte, of course! : /

Nope...it's Marte! Damaso Marte....why!!!

Of course

[351] No...human emotions are real. Curses are supernatural.

Hughes entering the game in the seventh...is the Apocalypse upon us?

Can someone please try to explain why you use Marte instead of Hughes to pitch to Morales? I know the splits, but Girardi must know the talent gap between the two, right?

Once again, in a close game, the Yankees have two opponents: the other team and their manager.

[355] After 13 years in East Asia...i 100% believe in supernatural curses!

[356] Monkeypants, go directly to your liquor cabinet, poor a dram of good Scotch and sit down..it will all be OK...

Okay. One more Phil

[359] But with no margin for error.

356 That isn't supposed to happen until 2012.

[357] I could, but it wouldn't be rational.

[357] It's pretty obvious that Girardi did not wnat to use Hughes for 5 outs, and he hoped to turn Morales around by using Marte. Of course, I am not saying that I agree with the rationale, but it is certainly not all that surprising.

Wait, so Girardi gets criticized for:

a) sticking with Gaudin too long
b) sticking with Aceves too long
c) turning Kend to his weaker side with his only lefty

Doesn't the dead horse get old? Ever?

[363] It isn't surprising; it's just stupid. But that has been the problem with Girardi all season.

Hughes needs a shave.

[364] Nope...because Girardi enters a new horse in the race just abotu every night.

[366] Hughes needs two outs

Two more outs in Oakland

Ah yes, some people wanted him to pull Aceves earlier...for who? Hughes in the 6th inning? That makes sense.

[361] i think it's 2112

: )

[370] no, marte with the bases loaded! but definitely not marte with the bases empty in the 7th!

UUUUUGHES!!!

[366] i do, too.

Hughes puts a period at the end of Girardi’s run on sentence.

[370] I agree. I thought Aceves was pitching alright and getting decent pitches hit hard and I don't think there was a better alternative at the time.

Ah yes, some people wanted him to pull Aceves earlier…for who? Hughes in the 6th inning? That makes sense.

It does make sense because if the lead is blown early, you don't need your best relievers to protect it late. Thank though.

I think beating the LALA's in a close, tight game builds more confidence than blowing them out. But if we do that tonight I'll take blow outs the rest of the way.

[372] Yeah, that logic makes perfect sense. But when you twist any facts to preconceived biases, it's no surprise.

[370] Actually, using your ace reliever during that 6th inning when the game was likely on the line makes perfect sense, but that's neither here nor there.

Yankees are going to the playoffs

[370] Right, using your best pitcher in a huge jam would make no sense. Much better to get Bruney up.

[270] Hughes in the sixth would have made perfect sense--i.e., use your best relievers in the highest leverage situations. But this will only lead us down a path of debating the proper role of ace relievers.

[382] Grr..that was for [370].

[380] Awesome!

LALA update from Pete Abe:

UPDATE, 12:38 a.m.: They just showed the shower scene from Psycho and when Janet Leigh opened the shower curtain it was the Rally Monkey. Funny stuff.

[381] Yeah, use Mo in the 6th inning. That's realistic.

[385] Watching the games against the Angels is like watching Psycho.

[376] and if the lead is blown late because you've already used hughes, you might lose the game and then go a game or 2 without hughes available.

[380] yay!

when there, please win 11 games. thank you - thelarmis.

[385] That sounds like a horror film that would scare me. Interspliced with the Angels going first to third and spraying the outfield with singles.

[386] The "no one does it" defense. Sweet.

380 Our long national (NY area could be its own country) nightmare is over!

[386] I think you know we are talking about Hughes, but you're right, it makes sense to use inferior pitchers with the game on the line. Girardi agrees with you, so you must be right.

[382] You still need someone to pitch the rest of the game. Who would that be?

Another 1-2-3 inning for the Yankees.

[388] Also known as the "Jeff Weaver philosophy." Not to be confused with the Earl Weaver philosophy.

[375] I would tend to stick with pitchers longer in most cases, but I thought Ace was a bit wild (missing his spots), so I would not have let him face Abreu (with his batting eye). Whom would I have gone to is a tougher question. In an ideal world, I would have used Hughes to get out of the jam, but that's not a realistic expectation the way BPs are handled these days.

[388] So, Hughes can't pitch two innings followed by Mo for 1 1/3. You really think that's outlandish?

Name one manager in the game that bring his closer into the 6th inning.

Hell, if you want to talk about an alternate reality Hughes is today's starter.

i just got an email. i was written up in some music article. here's the mention:

...(thelarmis), whose passion for drumming is matched only by his enthusiasm for the New York Yankees.

[396] also known as the "if you think this is true now you must also think it's true in the playoffs" fallacy

[396] Both result in three run HRs, which can be confusing...

Their best reliever isn't Hughes.

was Cokey available to pitch to boBBy? if so, why wasn't he summoned?!

good, it's Hughes again. please do this 1-2-3.

Here we go.

[399] Yup, it's the "no one does it" defense.

Oh boy...here we go. If it's not one thing, it's another.

Ouch

[398] i think it's outlandish a couple weeks before the playoffs when we're almost guaranteed the best record in the league

[400] nice

c'mon robbie! wha happened? : /

[388] I'd rather take the chance that my best pitcher doesn't blow the lead, than take that chance with my lesser pitchers.

F&^%

Wow...this team is just coming apart at the seems. They are playing scared.

[400] Great!

I hate this.

Oh god...

Goddam it Girardi! If you were riding Cano like you're supposed to he doesn't make that error.

Nah, let's talk about alternate universes.

how is he on third???????????

fuckin' chris!!!

418 bad throw to second

[417] That really strengthens your case. WTG.

[418] Because Gardner has no arm.

[418] i meam: chrisT!!!!

I really wish the manager didn't give up on last night's game,

Hey look. Cano fielded a ball.

[423] Or let the game get tighter tonight by fiddling around with lesser pitchers.

[411] well we've debated this before. i think it's easier to say that you should use your best pitchers in the highest leverage situations than to actually figure out when the highest leverage situations are before a game or season is over. and given the fact that relievers can only pitch a certain number of innings, it's best to use them when their performing well will guarantee a win.

wait. what happened? went thru robbie's legs to garnder. dude guns for 2nd and gritner throws it where? man on 3rd. huh?!

Wow, what a scared way to catch a pop up.

oh, i see. stolen base. bad throw by jorgie. is that right?

please get outta this, Phil. please.

Gardner never threw the ball. I thought he had a chance to get him at third but no throw.

Come on Hughes.

[421] yeah why didn't he even attempt a throw there?

[429] That's right.

Got it. Turning Morales around is fiddling with lesser pitchers. Makes sense.

Tie game.

And the Yankees complete their usual Anaheim collapse.

I hate the Angels..but feck it, we're going to the playoffs!!

Damn it, Girardi! If you had only brought Hughes into the 6th inning!

why the fuck would you throw a fastball down the middle there?

It really is a shame that Joe Girardi didn't want to win last night. Because when this happens, two games are down the drain.

Yankees think they are at home and are setting up the walk off.

holy hell.

this is on robbie. and jorgie. and, i guess, gritner.

keep 'em here, phil...

[437] And if we keep up on this pace, we're coming right back here.

[394] First of all, I subscribe to Bill James' notion that ace relievers (for the Yankees, Mo and Hughes) should generally, though not always, be used for two innings an appearance rather than one.

Second, my primary concern would be to put out the fire at that point and worry about the later innings after that. Maybe you maintain a three run lead instead of losing a couple of runs. Maybe that lets you steal the next inning with a lesser pitcher against the bottom of the lineup. Maybe you score a couple of runs and put the game out of reach.

But to trot out weaker relivers at what was very likely was to be THE key moment in the game is, I think, poor strategy.

Sooner or later, some manager will figure this out, but it will require organizational support, an organization that is willing to "experiment" with not-orthodox strategies promoted by James et al.

[439] That comment could apply to 3 or 4 batters in today's game.

I can't believe Girardi let the Yankees lose two playoff series to Anaheim. He's truly terrible.

[442] The way that play was unraveling, Gardner probably would've thrown it into the stands.

This guy Paul used to post under another handle. Same exact stuff.

[438] Indeed, if he had, then this is probably not a one run game in the eighth inning, where an error could erase the slender lead.

Jesus Christ. Leave the runner alone. Throw it down the plate so we can lose and I can go to bed.

[440] Make it three. If the Yankee complete this choke job, they'll have no chance to win tomorrow. This team is spooked by the Angels and its manager is running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Sabathia better be strong against Lester on Friday because if not, it wont be if, but when this team completes a historic collapse.

[444] That bases loaded situation might only come up once. It might as well be with your best pitcher on the mound, no? You can worry about jams in the future, but since they haven't happened yet and may not happen, they aren't a big concern yet

[444] if relievers were allowed to pitch more in general (and i think they should), it would be a different game altogether. but given their artificial limitations, lesser pitchers are going to be pitching in big situations no matter what. accordingly, i think there's a good argument to be made that you save your best relievers for situations that will lead to a win.

Wow, Posada sucks. We need Molina every day.

[451] Honestly, I don't think it can be a historic collapse if you still make the playoffs.

Not Bruney. Please not Bruney.

Human white flag coming in?

Yeah, Hughes for two innings would have worked really well. Girardi is an idiot.

The only consolation here is if the Yankees do blow the division and get bounced by the Angels, Girardi will be fired and maybe the Yankees can attempt to hire a competent manager.

[458] Yes, this is Hughes fault. That routine ground ball to second was just hit too well.

[453] Protecting a lead in the 6th inning against an awesome series of batters like Bobby, Vlad, etc..will this not lead to a win?? I agree with [444]

They're leaving Hughes in for now, but Bruney's warming.

[455] Why worry about that insignificant detail?

[455] It is still a collapse though...and in this case, the difference between who you play in the ALDS is huge.

Yeah, maybe Showalter is available. Or Pinella!

[463] If we blow a NINE GAME LEAD with 21 games left to play, we'll be coming back to this hellhole.

But yeah, making the playoffs is just dandy.

One more, Phil.

When did some Yankees fans turn into Sox fans? Unbelievable.

Great freakin' job. Now let's score.

Well why didn't he just do that before, geesh.

[468] You're a troll.

Yeah Phil! New ballgame now.

Yankees better score now because otherwise it's Bruney time!!

Yeah, I really hope they hire Pinella. Can't wait to see what he'd do to the bullpen.

Or Mattingly. He's surely a tactical genius.

474 is that a threat?

[453] And, by extension, use your weaker pitchers in games where it can lead to a loss?

I see what you're saying, and in fact, I agree that it is silly to criticize Girardi for not doing what NO manager in the game would do. But I think that you approach this situation in a fundamentally wrong way. The way to look at it is with Win Probability or the like. I suspect that using your best relievers in key spots in the middle of game will create a greater increase in win probability, than saving him for the eight or ninth inning of a game when you have the lead, often a lead of 2 or 3 runs (that is, a game you will win 90% of the time anyway).

[471] Its Bum Rush's new ID. Best to just ignore.

475 was for 473

[468] Sox fans want to win the division? And thats bad?

[477] Bum's Rush. That it. Thx.

That line score looks like every game in Anaheim over the past 10 years. Yankees jump out to a lead and then give it back.

runrunrunrunrunrunrurnrunrunrunrunrunrun

Use the speed Joe!

Steal. Steal, steal, steal, steal. Steal.
.
.
.
Steal.

[471] that's a MUCH nicer word than i would've used.

If Jeter bunt's, I'll vomit.

[452] [461] during a season there are going to be a lot of situations that need good relief pitching. are you confident that the 6th inning of a 5-2 game in anaheim will be the only big chance the angels have? you can use hughes there and maybe it will work out. but if it doesn't because someone else has to pitch the 8th inning, then you not only lose the game, you also lose hughes for a day or 2.
maybe it would work out over the season. but i definitely think the idea of using your best relievers when you have the best chance to turn their performances into a win is somewhat lost when you abstractly look at which situations were actually highest leverage.

[484] that would score TWO runs!

YAHTZEE!!!

[484] I vote for that.

[477] Ah, you might be right. And I was sucked in.

Run.

do. not. bunt.

don't do it.

Run run run

Come on, Brett.

Hit and run is better than a bunt.

[487] I think this game is big enough that you try to shorten the game by extending Mariano and Hughes, especially when they have had three days off and will get Thursday off as well.

[487] are you confident that the 6th inning of a 5-2 game in anaheim will be the only big chance the angels have

No. But it's the ONLY big chance that we can guarantee they will have. So best to deal with it, than to save pitchers for the big chances that may never come.

what's going on? pitching change?

Run

[498] Throws over to 1st.

498 lots of throws to first.

[498] About half a dozen pick offs

Hey, look at people gang up on the new guy. Thanks for the hearty welcome!

[479] SFs have an over riding need for paranoia. Why that's infected a segment of the Yankee fanbase is anyone's guess.

I suppose bitching about the manager makes some people feel better. But he's the best the Yankees are going to get. The alternatives were far, far worse.

Then there's Bobby V!

[500] thanks.

WHOOO!

He almost slid off that bag!

The Yankees have to score here.

Pitch out proof.

[501/502] ah, i see. hopefully, one will get away...

Yankees get a break...Gardner came off the bag.

Don't bunt!!

So, now bunt, huh?

[506] HAVE to.

Exploit the break.

[487] Well, it's a tricky situation, especially when you have to consider using Hughes in future games. But that 6th inning may be the Angles biggest chance, and I think that is more important than saving Hughes for a situation he may not be needed in

[496] Since you missed it, Hughes was extended. Just not in the 6th inning.

Having broken my wrist before, I can't imagine what it must be like sliding into a base only a couple of months removed from a broken thumb, still wearing some sort of brace.

[509] Did Aybar push him off?

a bona fide threat!

i wish RI were here, so i could plug my "double steal" bit...

(i guess i just did, huh?!)

[497] but the big chances do come, over the course of the season at least. in a short series this obviously all changes since it's more important to win and since the pitchers no longer need to be conserved. and maybe you can make the case for that now, this late in the season. but i don't think we're quite there yet.

is Mo stretching?

[515] Garnder is the fastest slider I have ever seen. It almost looks like he gains speed. Even before the injury, coming off the bag was a problem.

[516] No...his momentum (sorry monkeypants) did.

[516] It just looked like an over-slide to me, but the Yanks got away with it.

[520] Ha-ha.

I still say no bunt.

I so need to be in bed right now. But I just can't.

At least Damon is bunting, instead of Swisher!!

[523] He could beat one out

Don't bunt.

After seeing that attempt...I scream no bunt!

[524] ditto

Okay, stop that.

I don't get it. I don't get it. I don't get it.

Two wasted strikes.

[523] Damon doesn't look too comfortable bunting, does he? well, two strikes now...goodbye bunt, presumably.

FLY BALL

Damon seems like he should be able to bunt, but he really looks like he has no idea what he's doing

You just can't predict baseball.

Oh my goodness...that was insane.

Oh well.

very ballsy. i thought bunting was the right move, but with 2 strikes?? scary stuff.

a little harder would've been a hit.

Of course, now we lose Teixeira's bat.

[526] I thought he was going to there

And it all comes down to A-Rod...

In the air, Alex

[540] Or it could have rolled foul.

stoopid ? - if he bunted foul for strike 3, the runners can't chance advancing...right?

Arod they're dissing you man.

[544] Deep in the air. Not in the air to the infield.

Extremely ballsy... Can't argue with the results though. Couldn't one of BB's resident sabermetricians prove that was a horrible play with 2 strikes?

c'mon A-Rod!!!

Like that

I love Alex...........

Well played!

Wow, Scioscia is a terrible manager letting Oliver pitch to A-Rod. Man, they should fire him.

Huge Sac-Fly, but I thought that was more off the bat.

Gardner is fast. Bring in the Mo.

And what a throw by Hunter...Gardner needed all of his speed there.

Yeah!!!

[554] Wait until he starts outsmarting himself in the playoffs.

More runs please!

Tack on a run, Mat.

someone here needs to go post at LoHud.

Mark Teixeira runs like me. That was scary

Rare bad baserunning by Jeter.

[554] You would really argue that was a smart move? OK.

[564] Check that...Matsui put his hand up.

How is it the Angels would advance on that, but the Yankees?

[549] Does anyone keep data on the success rate on 2-strike bunts? If bunting is clearly the right move (debatable), then bunting with two strikes is probably not as dangerous as it seems at first glance.

[546] A foul bunt there would be a dead ball strike out.

The Yankees are playing so scared. I bet Mo gives up a walk off just because his manager is running around without a head.

[568] Depends on how good of a bunter the batter is, and there can be a lot of variation with tha

i for one am glad to have a well rested mariano going out there to start the 9th now. apparently these situations do come up from time to time.

I'd feel a lot better if they had scored more runs.

[571] So Swisher shouldn't bunt with two strikes... :)

oh, boo.

let's go Mo. we need you to close this out and save our collective stomachs and fingernails!

An uneventful 9th, please.

[565] What was he supposed to do? His pen was burned out. And Oliver actually is better than his closer.

It's plain dumb to criticize a a very good manager for a bullpen move made in isolation from context.

[575] Too late

I just want a win so I can go to sleep. C'mon Mo.

[571] Sure. I guess I was thinking that if the bunt is very clearly the right move, it is probably worth the risk of the dead ball strike three, over the risk of a DP. In that particular case, at worst, you end up with men on 1st and 2nd with one out, but no open base for Teix.

I'm not sure I would have bunted Damon to begin with, but that is another story.

[572] Stop talking sense. You're not welcome here.

Mariano and I had the same reaction to that Ichiro walkoff..."No, no, no".

[580] If the batter is someone like Molina, I think a 2-strike bunt is absolutely the better move.

[580] I actually said that for Sweeney. Ichiro's was gone so fast I didn't have time to react

can mo still dial it up to 92-94?

Don't walk him

[580] I was cool with Damon hitting, and with his speed he's less likely to GIDP
[583] Totally opposite situation with Molina, true

[572] especially when you allow lesser pitchers to fritter away the lead earlier in the game. ; )

[585] Rarely.

Damnit

WTF

Mo is pitching scared.

BS

That looked good to me! Here comes the Angels version of Gardner. I feel sick again.

Uh-oh.

clearly outside but the strike zone seemed wider earlier in this game (another reason you need your best pitchers towards the end?)

Come on Mo, ignore the friggin' runner...

[585], [588]
fwiw, gameday has mo in the 92-94 range tonight, touching 95 on one pitch

Mariano doesn't look sharp at all.

leadoff walks. my favorite.