Can you guess the pattern here?:
171 - 123 - 101 - 35

Wow!
I've never seen that movie. It's available for streaming on Netflix, so I plan to remedy that soon.

How's the weather down there?

It's raining upstate. :-P

ooh wow the game is on tv!!

Huge!

Hughes!!!

those fastballs are Rivera 1995-like .... rising!

ok we're going to win since the video game simulation said we would right?

[1]

avg, IQ of the fans of Yankees, Cardinals, Mets and Red Sox, respectively? :-)

[9]
2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010
OPS+
Big Poopi

NJ's L//R splits are almost identical.
No reason (NONE) to have Thames in there!

Driven DEEEEEEP to center field?
Really MK?

[7] Because he's wearing #42.

[11] Seamus and I are listening to Bob Costas, right Seamus?

Godzilla. Yeah.

(godzilla?)

OK ... since I have both Hughes and Matsui on my $$$ roto team, I feel conflicted.

[15] Yes, that's Matsui's nickname. He homered.

That curve is freaking murderous.

Robinson Day!

Since I also have Cano on my $$$ roto team, but I don't have Kazmir, I don't feel conflicted about this.

robbie is not fucking around this year

Embarrassing.

I guess that's why Thames is on the roster. The long hit, not the home-run-trot-almost-out at second, that is.

uh oh tims - better bust ass - specially when you are barely in the lineup

leiter has some interesting number theories.

That was ball four, dammit. (The one Randy hit.)

nice movement on those pitches

[25] Numerology being his for-ty?

[13] that we are. sorry for delayed response. i was eating.

[13] but also jim kaat. man he rocks.

[28] :}

are you going to put robbie on this years model of the score truck?

[31] is chyll the score truck manufacturer?

[30] Yeah, I was going to mention that we were getting Kitty too. Nice. Good broadcast -- Costas isn't being at all annoying. (Yet.)

Burning through lots of pitches.

[32] yep, indeed

now po is getting in trouble for hustling after a foul ball

[33] i like Costas actually. But Kitty is the bomb.

Come on, Phil, no more walks dude.

[35] sweet. I never saw that before!

bad call blue

[31],[32] Hey, the model we had last year worked out just fine, dinnit? I do have to change the paint, but I've scheduled that for the first week of May.

Man, this inning has turned into torture.

[42] Comment of the day!

A-Rod saves the day!

Nice work, Phil.

phew. that was too long of an inning. and phil doesn't look bad either. just a frustrating inning.

Very frustrating inning...Posada's pitch calling seemed all wrong.

[46][47] Phrustrating?

captain!

El Capitan!

solo shots for everyone!

I see Jeter is getting his Yankee Stadium swing on track.

Remember when middle infielders were weak hitters?

[51] On you?

OK ... ball is carrying to RF, not carrying (as well) to LF .... seems just like last year ..

[53] they still are. oh wait, sorry, that's just my fantasy team.

Kazmir looks shell-shocked.

[54]

heh! :-)

Nice tie on Al!

[55] Accu-Weather predicted balls would carry out in RF during the spring.

Yeah, Kazmir is rattled. Or [57] shell-shocked.

Please don't get pull-happy Robbie!

Weirdly, Gameday lists all the players as #42...except Kazmir.

The other games show the pitcher wearing #42.

RBI chance for robbie. should be fun.

hmm.

[62]

sigh ...

I haven't gotten to say much of the games this year, but I get the impression that Thames is doing very little to justify Joey's faith in him. That said, it just seems so odd not having Matsui around, eh? I know his knees were ?? and all, but he had a good presence in the clubhouse. I've had a growing feeling that Cash may have outsmarted himself this off-season.

High fastball, inside part of the plate. Very pullable, he just didn't quite tag it.

Oh, man. I smelled the Score Truck, but I guess it was just a FedEx van.

[67] but this granderson kid looks pretty good.

[67]

well, if they didn't re-sign Damon .... they still needed an OF ... so its Nick Johnson's all-over injury risk for Matsui's knees ...

[69] There is that. I've heard good things so far...

Can't believe they let Kaz off the hook that easily. He was on the ropes and his pitch count was skyrocketing, then Rob and Po each ground out on one pitch.

stop nibbling Posada/Hughes!!!!

Hughes for 5, Park for 2, Joba for 1, Rivera for 1?

[70] "Yeah, let's go for broke!"
Yeah, let's hope not...

[74] I'm hoping Phil can at least start the sixth.

[72] He is who they thought he was...

[67] I don't know...Granderson looks like he could be a very nice pickup. I miss Matsui too, but I wouldn't have bet on his knees either.

Sweet...you don't see that balk every day.

i liked that spin by grandy.

[79] i didnt' see it today.

[78] I predict NJ has the better overall season. Only time will tell.

How many trips for Posada so far?

Costas and Bob Dupuy are talking with Sharon (daughter of Jackie) Robinson. Interesting. A somewhat more intelligent conversation than you could expect from, say, Michael Kay.

Wow!
Yeah, I remember Matsu's wheels.

I wonder if the balk was on Phil or Po?

Doesn't matter. Godzilla gunned down at the plate.

[81] ack, i should clarify for those not watching mlb network. they are doing one of those boot interviews.

oh my, Matsui's knees.

[84]

Mary Kay, perhaps?

Matsui was safe because Posada was too far behind the plate...solid throw by Granderson, but he needs to work on not throwing it so short (seems to be a tendency).

Man oh man.... Posada is even afraid to block the plate against glassknees-Matsui. Sui was safe by a mile. Big break for us there.

Po is REALLY bad on D.

Could you just imagine a Posada/Matsui footrace?

[89] He was, but the umpire is never in position to see that, so maybe it's not worth working on it.

Grandish!

They had to "carefully study" the film to see that Matsui was safe?

[77] Just in case... >;)

Granderson's ABs against lefties have not been as bad as I was fearing, even though he has had some bad ones.

So, at least one run saved by Curtis, and one run produced going on two...

The Captain tied his career high for most consecutive games with hits at the start of a season.

A tweet from ESPNStatsInfo

In WSH-PHI game, Victorino, Utley and Zimmerman hit a HR. 1st game ever that players with the last names starting in U, V and Z all homered.

====================

Why do I like that kind of stuff so much?

[95] I caught the reference, but still don't understand how it's connected to Kazmir... I figure you have your own show going on here and if I'm not following it, that's really my problem.

I wonder if Winn could have tried to squeeze Granderson in?

Middle infielders and middle outfielders. No power.

Jeter doesn't hit them like that too often.

Not to pile on but Jorge "blocking" the plate was pitiful.

Uh ... Why does Michael Kay think every other fly ball is leaving the yard?

[91] I can imagine a dump truck with transmission problems passing an RV with two flat tires...

Swisher is making excellent contact so far this year.

A-Rod has Yankee record for consecutive game hit streak from start of season, 18 in 2007. (The year he cranked 14 homers in those first 18 games)

[106] He does look very good...has also played a nice OF so far.

[107] Jeter and Cano are half way there.

Swisher just lowered Granderson's UZR.

A-Rod's start in 2007 .... ridiculously hot
http://tinyurl.com/y4uqe4w

Hughes has a ton of movement...just needs to stay aggressive and not overly on spotting the fastball.

[110] Well played!

Might could squeeze six innings out of Phil, but this is probably the end of the line here.

[114] Hmmmm.
I didn't figure you for double modals! Is that affected, or if not, where did you grow up?

[113] That's another thing I don't like about UZR. A player can basically be penalized for the accomplishment of another, even though the team's objective was met. It basically turns teammates into competitiors.

Why are they aiming for corners here?

[115] Completely affected.
.
.
Cripes, Ump, how many strikes does Hughes have to throw?

And then a 3-2 curve to Aybar? I don't get it.

these are some long abs with mr. hughes

i liked when snoop had his twists

[119] Pitch selection not withstanding, ball four looked like it was a clear strike three when it crossed the plate, as did ball two.

Johnny Sain was Jim Kaat's first pitching coach.
I did not know that.

[118] Never did figure out what cripes were. Uncle Woodrow seemed out of sorts when I asked him...

This is ridiculous...Posada's pitch calling and pace is making Hughes work a lot harder than he needs to.

[123] French pancakes.

I've only seen the 4th and 5th. Hope Phil had an easier time 1 through 3.

Blew that one. Strike [125], replace with:

French pancakes in Australia.

Pretty well struck by Bobby, but an out...finally...and Hughes is in line for a win.

[121] Game day had ball 2 as a ball and ball 4 as a strike.

[126] Matsu took him deep. Aside from that, pretty much unhittable.

[126] not really.
though i wouldn't put it on po.
he is getting squeezed a bit; getting fouled off, running his count up.
but i think by and large making good pitches when he has to.

Hey, Team.

Tough inning, but nice going Phil.
Been in and out but from what I saw, he really looked great.
That was some high heat he sported and that curve was pretty too.
He can really be a monster.

[129] Yeah, I just saw that. Ball two was not *low*, despite Kay's repeated declarations, but it does seem to have been off the plate.

I loved that business about the strike zone. Leiter was right, it was knee high from the other angle and looked low from the center field cam.

But then they just dropped it. They should have used the opportunity to explain to us how the center field cam can be deceptive.

[123] You mean Freedom pancakes?

nice hit alex

(I love Al, btw, if I've not mentioned it before. So engaging, funny and smart.)

[132] He was very good.
And, our batters have been aesthetically pleasing. You would have enjoyed the Robinson homer particularly, and also the Granderson triple.

Holy smokes.

ROBBIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's my boy, Cano!

Cripes, mate! Cano is locked in so far.

jesus christ robbie is off to a monster start

[137] I think he's married, Weep >;)

It's Robinson Day, no doubt.

[137] Just don't ask him about taxes...

Phil was Philthy, only the Matsui tater? Is he on a 100-pitch count?

Liriano made the BoSox look weak today, nice result.

Me likey!

How 'bout that Robinson Cano?
Sweet Jesus.

Still think we should trade him for someone who hustles. j/k : )

I love me some Cano.

Robbie-flavored Cano!

[144] Heh heh eh hehe.

Robinson AL MVP! Cano!

Kazmir is throwing 86-89 mph...if that doesn't improve, you have to wonder if he'll ever be that effective again.

[146] gotta be done for the night. Too early to push him well past 100 and he's almost there.

[146] yeah ~100

what is the rain rule again - is it that they can stop the game after any half inning at this point and it will be considered an official game?

[138] I did get to see Robbie's first shot. Dude is fucking electric.

It's weird cause Hughes threw a ton of pitches but I didn't really feel like he was nibbling or anything. I'm not quite sure how it added up so fast, other than some tough ABs in the 3rd. I guess that's all it takes sometimes.

Anyway he also started off working very quickly which was nice to see. I just remember his starts last year were painful to even watch at times. Not so tonight.

[146] Taxes?

[153] yeah seems he is diminished.

With the RH reliever in, do you bring Gardy in to get him some more ABs, or let Thames get the ABs against the wrong end of his platoon.

Wait now they're saying Hughes is coming out for the sixth? Okay. Must be a righty bat.

Wtf, Jorgie?

[157] yeah i was just thinking that myself - he wasn't nibbling - just missing by a smidge or getting a bit squeezed - seems like a lot of foul balls too

[163] That's why I found it really encouraging that he came through against Hunter to end that inning. It seemed tailor made for Hughes to give in or walk him, but he got the out. Good ol' mental toughness.

[160] might as well let tims stay in - especially since he is at dh and can't do any damage in the field

No way!

Two triples...in NYS. I'm liking this Granderson kid.

Yup. He does look pretty good in pinstripes. Awesome!

I've never met a Tigers fan. But if I do, he/she's gotta be bummed about losing Curtis.

[167] he is going to single handedly skew the doubles and triples numbers at nys this year!!

[158] Al went on a rant once about high taxes..it was "entertaining"..

Curtis!

The Yankees are going to win the WS again this year, it is clear.

[165] Yeah, I forgot he's at DH not LF.

Doesn't seem like the Yankees are suffering from the Angels' curse anymore.

[169] I have a friend who's a Tigers fan. She was just crushed to lose Granderson. She thought he was not only a great player, but the hottest guy on the team.

She hates the Yankees, so is now very conflicted.

OK, now, that should be the last batter phor Phil.

could we get Hughes out of there .... now?

102 in your first start is enough

I think Hughes may have had the most swings and misses on the cutter.

[175] [176] nolan ryan would like a word with you 2 babyers

Kay says they want Phil to get 110 pitches tonight.

[179] 110 is his max

This can't be right ... there were only 15 triples hit in YS last year ... total, by either team?

Diane, who was the last Yankee to triple twice in a game?

[178] Normally I would not be bothered by him going 110 or so. I just didn't see the sense in keeping him out there against a LHB, at 100+ pitches, after somewhat struggling the last four or five batters.
.
.
Ah, I see, he's trying the ol' Robertson gambit to get Mo a save on JAakie Robinson day!

[174] Hate the Yankees? You might as well hate ice cream... or freedom!

[182]

would you believe .... Bobby Abreu?
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN200805300.shtml

That was the first fastball to Matsui since giving up the HR in the first inning. That pitch selection really made no sense...and neither did letting Hughes go out there for the 6th, especially if they were going to be so cautious with Matsui.

Hughes stuff was great, but it was realyl wasted in this game. He could have and should been able to give you 7 innings with what he had.

[184] Like French people do!

[182] Abreu.

[184] Now listen here Chyll, you damn Yankees and your war of northern aggression, i'll protect my heritage against your pinstripes & ice cream loving selves!

Well done, Phil! Hope Robertson can protect the lead...

[181] NYS is a terrible triples park. In fact, the worst in the league last year:

http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/parkfactor/_/year/2009/sort/triplesFactor

[185] Beat me to it...I had looked that up too. Granderson's last 2-triple game was 8/18/08.

I wonder if Pena is working with Posada on trying to turn back some of the decline in his all around game. It really seems as if Posada's offense has been on the rise in direct proportion to his decline behind the plate.

[185] Never would have guessed.
What about, in the Bronx?

YS 2.0 probably led the league in singles lined off the wall. I doubt that have that one, though.

[187] Let's drop a pancake on their derrieres!

[189] Would you believe Turkey Hill has two Yankees-themed ice cream flavors? I recommend the Bronx Brownie Sundae... in very moderate quantities...

[193] Enrique Wilson, 7/3/2002.

Nice job, Dave.

Oooh, that was some pitch.

[174] I can understand why. He's a pleasure.

[194] Well, they don't keep that stat and there is no way to prove it. But consider the following 2009 park factors:

#1 in HRs
#30 in triples
#29 in doubles
#15 in hits

These are not inconsistent with your assertion. ; )

[197] you mean nice job po :}

[193]
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA200207030.shtml

Wait..why would YS be such a bad triples park last year with "Death Valley" (only 399 but deeper than average) and Johnny Damon's noodle-arm?

[199] When I heard him open his mouth for the first time last week on the postgame, I thought he was Wally Cleaver. He just had this gushing, infectious "Aw shucks" enthusiasm that you don't see too often. Just brimming with enthusiasm and cheer. Far and away the most charismatic guy on the club.

[200] Thanks for looking out. The short porch really negates doubles in my opinion. I missed Grandy's first triple. Was it over the first base bag?

[203] Because 399' is not the true power alley--that marker, like the 385' in RF--is more toward CF. In reality, NYS is not very deep in the power alleys, and it is very tight in the corners. And the ball carries well, it seems. So, while Damon's noodle arm may have given a few extra bases to the opponents, it didn't turn any of the league high HRs into triples.

[205] Yep.

[204] As long as the interviewer isn't lefty. Then he sounds a bit like Lumpy. : )

[206] Got it. ありがとう先生！(Arigatou, Sensei!)

[205] Yes, your favorite!
Also, Abreu took an imaginative approach to collecting it from the corner.

[203] I also wonder if it has to do with righties being further from 1B and usually getting a slower start out of the box. Because YS negates triples to RF, that would cut down on the chances for lefties to hit them.

[211] To back up that point, since 2000, 37 lefties have had 2+ triple games, while only 27 righties have accomplished it, even though there are more righties than lefties.

Well... the Astros finally won a game.
Lance Berkman, most underrated player in MLB.

[212] Of course the main reason (I presume) is that a ball in the LF corner is pretty close to third base.

[212]

where did you find that stat from?

Dave Robertson is crispy. So says Al. : )

Throw strikes Dave, I pray thee, for the love of Kronos.

"What choo walking about, Willits?"

oh dave - can't walk willits

Christ, Mark. Don't break your wrist.

i wonder how many times tex doesn't beat the runner to the bag - i can't remember one as a yankee

Tex is taking everything himself...must be a personal war against WAR (particularly the UZR component)!

I think Teix gets a rush from unassisted put-outs, frankly.

[214] Right, between the outfeld being closer to 3B, and lefties being closer to 1B, the deck is stacked in their favor.

[222] haha - war - what is it good for?

[223] Heh heh heh. I think you're right! Especially when he gets to heave his body at an oncoming runner!

Oh good, Damaso Marte is assigned the job of walking Bobby.

[215] That's the righty:
http://tinyurl.com/y4q7kz3

[227] He failed!
Seriously, that was good pitching. His slider was good.

[228]

nice! thanks!

boBBy has a nice smile on his Gameday pic..i like it when the players don't put on a Jeffrey Dahmner face in their photos.

Tyler Clippard with the W for the Senators today!

how is this game still in the 7th?

guess tims isn't going to get any wrong sided abs

NJ just doing his thing.

Swinging bunt!

[233] I thought he already got one.

Christ is the ultimate closer, isn't he?

[236] yep, you are right.

[232] Who are you, Joe West :)

[237] It was sort of funny listening to Kay try to extricate himself from that one. My wife is still giggling.

[237] Perhaps, but he wasn't used like they were in Goose's day. If the Goose had been closing in the days of Christ, he would have had 700 saves.

- The Gospel According to Goose.

[239] Country Ms. October?

[239] haha, i'm a disgrace

[241] But should Christ be in the HoF? High peak value and definitely had a big historical effect, but was a late starter (rookie at 30) with short career (three years and a brief comeback).

can't do much about that.

Way to lay up, Randy.

Time to get Mo up (sigh).

Water torture. Oh, pitching change, perfect.

Joba for five outs?

[248] Are you suggesting this is not the most crisply paced contest?

[244] Borderline case...some have argued he was the most revered man of his era, but what I think puts him over the top was ability to walk...he could even do it on water.

[249] Hahahahahahaha.

well i'll be - who knew it would be joba to speed this thing up

Very nicely done...maybe that's one thing Joba can teach Mo!

Oh, hey!
Very instinctive play there.

Perfect throw to Jete by Joba. nice.

[251] HOFer! Though my guy Buddha had a longer career with a much less traumatic ending. It's a Koufax vs. Aaron debate!

[257] Buddha just didn't have that competitive fire, though. You never felt that he really, really wanted it.

[251] ☺

[258] Don't forget The Lama. Big Hitter.

jeter's triple slash has jumped up after this game

Courtesy of ESPN:

Granderson has 2 3B and Cano has 2 HR. Last Yankees tandem to do that in a game? Elston Howard (3B) and Tony Kubek (HR) on April 24, 1960.

[258] He did seem a bit detached at times..

[257] Seriously. When it comes to devastating, career ending injuries, JC is right up there.

[251] [257] [260] i just want to know if there are any ped rumors attached to some of these guys?

[260]

But there was a pretty big book on Christ's defensive attributes .... wasn't it The Fielding Bible?

I'd put in a good word for Moses, but I know everyone's suspicious about those "tablets" he took.

wind killed that one

[265] [267] Precisely.

[267]

You mean this guy, right?
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mosesje01.shtml

[265] There were always rumors about how Muhammad could fly to Medina so quickly..

JC scouted Homer Burning Bush.

Aaaahhhhh!

Costas:
"Who was it who said, 'April is the cruelest month'? Was that Robert Frost?"

Kaat:
"Yeah."

Now I miss Michael Kay.

and if Kay had ogled that pitcher's glove a bit more, would he utter "oh for the glove of Christ?"

[270] Oh, yeah, he was a real HoF-er.

Ryan Church and Russ Mormon would like to state their cases ...

[273] don't - he is a waste land

Right back atcha, Diane.

[277] What was that poetic thread we did last year, Ms. Oct.? I have a very vague memory of it.

I wonder what Christ's VORP (Value over Replacement Prophet) was?

Never mind, I remember --[279] it was exactly poetry, but dramaturgy...

Oh, somebody looked it up for Costas. And now he's reading lines from The Waste Land. Heaven help us.

[279] waiting for godot

[276] We all know only one current player on that level..

'After the tense finish at Dodger Stadium, Suzuki told the Japanese media that: “I’ve got it, you know. God descended on me.” ' --Ichiro after the WBC final

[265] Hard to know for sure, but if anyone in the Bible was juicing, I'd go with Samson. I imagine Christ was tempted when he spent part of a season in the desert.

Okay, now Costas is actually making a contribution: he's noted that this is a Save situation for Joba. Interesting.

joba do not eff around here and cause mo to have to come in this game

Who thinks Eiland told Joba to walk this next batter too, so Mo can get a save?

Lead off walk are f%$#ing ass. doo-da, doo-da.

You think all those Guys in the Great Hall of Fame in the Sky are all, "Wait till Mo gets here, then we'll have a dang closer"?

Bleh.

wtf was that derek?

Ugh.
Nothin's easy.

GIve me a fucking break with Mo. Fuck a duck.

you cannot be serious - mo in just for the save?

What the heck? Jeter has not had his finest day in the field. Meanwhile, according to Kay, this "forces" Girardi to go to Mo.

Really? Two outs, two on, up by four runs and he MUST go to Mo?

This is knee jerk managing at its worst.

[295] And Costas just announced that Mo "will not get a Save".
I knew he'd become annoying eventually.

Ooh, they gave Aybar the H.

[298] Well in that case you really have to bring in Mo.

Thanks be to Mo.