The Yanks have won the first four series of the season; today, they aims ta sweep the Rangers. The dangerous Rich Harden is on the hill for Texas. He’ll face Andy Pettitte. Derek Jeter is out with a head-cold.
Enjoy the day, dudes and dudettes, and let’s go Yan-Kees!
It is a beautiful day.
I was thinking of taking the Yankee Clipper down to the city for the game today, but, well, didn't quite get up early enough. I blame the Mets. ;-)
It's amazing that the Yankees had no won 4 consecutive series since 1926, when they won the first five. The Yankees have had a number of good starts since then, but splitting pesky two game series kept messing them up.
I watched the Jimenez no hitter recap on mlb earlier. He was painting the black with 97 mph heat. Wowzers. And the cf Fowler made an absolutely fabulouse catch. He ran a a counry mile to snag one in the gap in the 7th. Awesome.
I like Gardner---much more than some others here---but I'm not sure he should lead off on days when the Captain is out.
nice work getting hit gardy! oops...
[4] what would be your lineup - just move everyone up one - or slight nod to convention with granderson?
Gardy's got speed and (supposedly) OBP. As good a leadoff hitter as any.
looked a tick high, but maybe just a good pitch
[6] Probably nod to convention and bat Grandy first. I would also think about not having Gardy and Peña back-to-back, so maybe Gardy 7th, Swish 8th, Peña 9th, but this is really a secondary concern.
My less conventional line-up would be to bat Swish (or even NJ) first.
umm, control issues?
Lace one in the gap, Robbie.
didn't step on his neck there boys.
[9] thanks. my thinking too.
On the one had, getting one run out of bases-loaded-one-out was sub-optimal. On the other hand, it's hard to complain about scoring at all on only BBs and HBPs.
OK, it's Sunday afternoon naptime. Nothing like dozing off to the dulcet sounds of Suzyn Waldman.
[14] sweet dreams
The flip side of just standing there taking pitches.
nice snag by tex
Dear Lord, that Teix is good.
Man.
Well done, Andy.
Nice job, Teix.
tex with the big bop
That sounded Real Nice.
C'mon A Rod, make it back to back...
Harden didn't throw him dick to hit...LOL
Terrible ab there...
That 3-1 strike to Jorgie? Nah, fuck that. That's no strike.
Ha! Lucky!
[26] slightly weird zone today
and there is a weird hit
Dude dogged it.
wooh almost got caught alex
Jeez, Alex, that was close...
Close play there.
harden is having real control issues
Oh, fuck.
Swung right through it.
Swung right through it.
Damn it.
let's do something here pena
Yaayyyyyyyy!!!
Atta boy, Kid.
nicely done el nino
TRADE JETER WHILE HIS VALUE IS HIGH!
Ramon Pena, you can only hope to contain the damage he'll do.
Nice hitting!
Look at him fight that sucker off!
flash is really talking a lot about himself today
That Pena is so cute!
[43] I think that's some of the other advice Reggie Jackson gave him.
John Timothy Flaherty is a smart baseball man.
74 pitches after 3!
does anyone else see this slomin's shield commercial? it's maybe the worst commercial ever made, but for some reason it also cracks me up. is it supposed to be ridiculous?
only harden gets the high strike call i guess
[45] hahahahaha
[48] yep,that high strike has been pretty inconsistent
They're really on his curveball today. I mean, they're still off-balance, but they're making better contact than I'd expect.
A-Rod, Sheffield & ? as the 3 guys with 100 HR for three different teams?
3 of the 4 balls to garko were strikes according to gameday
Pena with the 2 run job off Lester.
Jesus Christ.
How long did we suffer that other guy at first?
Ah, a firstbaseman who can play defense. I love it.
[54] what do you mean? cairo was a great fielder.
[54,55] Not only did he dive, but he'll still be in the lineup on Tues. : )
Aw, it's Tanyon Sturze.
URZ-wise... If Teix can fall on it, he catches it!
[56] Miggy started at 1B for the Reds the other day. Missed a ball hit right at him for an error.
Though I remember him as being a pretty good fielder, too.
Flash giving Tanyon some big love.
[60] great managers love miggy as 1b
Um, wow?!
Did Flash just refer to "your [i.e., Kay's] buddy Mike Mussina?"
hah ahah ha!
How 'bout that Andy Pettitte?
[64] He said it last night, too. Made me laugh.
Ben Z with the 2 run single. 4-0 Rays.
Yay Andy!
Yay Ben Zobrist!
I hate to say it, but really we should now be rooting for the Sox. The Rays are going to be the competition in September, looks like.
(I know, I can't do it either, but should).
this ump's strike zone is seriously twice as big for texas pitchers
[68] I am just going to pretend I didn't read that. ; )
[68] I'm physically unable to root for the Red Sox.
[68] i think you're right, but i'd still much rather face the rays and their bullpen in the playoffs than the sox. plus the rays are likable.
Off to mow the lawn. I'd really hate to miss the Yankees scoring big, and by "really hate" I mean, I wouldn't mind it at all.
He is one strong dude, that Vlad.
Andy. Like a fine wine.
Andy's a golden god.
[75] He really is.
[75] he had to decant a little today
45 sb in 51 attempts is pretty awesome
Brett needs to wear gloves or 2 wrist guards or something......
C'mon, Robbie!
Wow, nice HEALTHY cut by Robbie...lol
and then...not so much. Drag.
at the least we are going to have to root against non-bos teams against the rays
Damn it.
We need more runs.
Come on, Andy, one more.
Andy continues to keep 'em the fuck off balance.
Wow!
God, I love this man.
Damn Andy. Fucking beautiful.
the battlecat turned nasty
Did anyone catch this? What the hell was Manuel thinking?
Four Mets pitchers threw at least two innings of relief, allowing Manuel to save closer Francisco Rodriguez for a save situation. That did not occur until the 19th... Rodriguez, who had warmed up every inning from the eighth through the 19th, estimated that he threw more than 100 pitches in the bullpen. And he admitted to being somewhat gassed by the time Manuel finally called his name
Geico Runs.
Jorgie!!!!
Yaaayyyyyy!!!
Can't catch, but thank God he can hit!
[90] That can't possibly be true.
I've never heard of that.
That got out in a hurry. What a nice sound.
[90] yeah he shouldn't have gotten up every inning, but give me a break. it's not like he was throwing real pitches in there. if he was gassed it was probably more a result of sitting around for 7 hours or whatever than tossing a ball.
cousin oliver pooped up with the rangers i see
[90] I saw that. He said he threw 100 warmup pitches, and that his arm was "dead" when he finally go into the game.
[95] Knowing K-Rod, he could have been giving finger kisses to the sky after each warm up toss. But still, the thought of Mo doing that is beyond imagination.
[56] Heh heheh. Indeed. (Just caught that, forgive the delayed response.)
Robertson, eh?
So what's going on re: the Eight Inning Guy?
What's Joba's role?
I can't believe Girardi's just going to sail along without an EIG.
Or is he?
those were both clearly strikes
Oh, fuck you, ump.
Stop squeezing him!
i would really love to see a graph of strike and ball calls for each side in this game. andy's getting nothing.
I'd almost just get Mo up now.
golden god.
Andrew.
Eugene.
Pettitte.
Some damn fine pitching to start year. Fun to watch.
This Brett Gardner is a wizard.
He forces errors, beats out ground balls, steals bases.
He's in the fielders' heads before he hits the baseball.
Brett Gardner, on base machine.
If you call that a hit you deserve a fine and/or suspension. C'mon!
[110] It'll be reversed, don't worry.
[110] which, gardy's hit? what did it do? gameday just says groundball to RF.
[112] 2b charged it, put his glove down to field it. But when he lifted his glove up, the ball stayed down and rolled right between his legs.
[112] The ball literally rolled right through the 2B's legs.
Right under the glove and through the wickets.
Obviously he was rattled by the thought of Gardner's speed but it was an easy ground ball. He had to charge in five or six steps and the ball just went under the glove.
Beautiful.
God, how I love those backwards Ks.
Nasty.
Outside corner...
[113] thanks! Yeah, those details are missed on gameday lol
my mo - what a work of art
looks like i'm just in time for the win!
Mariano Rivera, ladies and gentlemen.
Fuck, but that was savage work.
[114] and thanks too!
All rise.
Can these guys play a pick up game or something on their way to Cali tomorrow?. They're rolling.
Back in time for the last Mo out.
Beautiful painting of the outside corner.
[119] Just makes you want to weep with awe, n'est-ce pas?
strikeout looking to end the game, tex homered. cool!
looking forward to checking the box score, reading the recap, seeing highlights and reading the banter!
wow, and lester got shellacked for 6 innings!
sweet stuff. off day tomorrow? off to look.
[128] ah yes, off day. i hate off days.
9-3.
I could get used to this.
andy went 8, with fewer baserunners allowed than innings pitched! another errorless game for the world champs!
[125] c'est ça
i can't believe this start to the season.
Andy to Mo and no dicking around.
I loved this baseball game.
A-Rod's 2 away from 300 stolen bases. he'll be the 7th player to reach 300-300!!!
looks like we were only 1-7 w/ RISP. oh well...
wait a minute - gritner got on base 4 times, stole successfully twice, got caught once AND picked up?! whew, adventurous day...
how many of andy's games has mo now saved? i know they have the record. they must be approaching 60...
A nice, tidy win. A wonderful weekend. Man, do we love Mo or what?
During the rain delay in Boston, Gammons and Caron were nearing panic mode about how well the Yankees and Rays are playing. It's early, but then again, the Red Sox can't be happy with the early returns on their new strategy,
garza just got outta trouble. thru 8, shutout still in tact!
jason heyward just won the game for the bravos! lefty on lefty, bases loaded, 2-2, 2 outs, 9th inning. 2-run oppo field single thru the 4.5 hole. nice!
boston scratched out a run in the bottom of the 9th, to avoid the shutout (boo). they scored 7 runs in the 3-game sweep. that's 4 in a row they've lost!
Yeah this is just a terrific start to the season. I think it will pay dividends for a while too because it's got to be great for their confidence.
I must say I am duly unimpressed by Nick Johnson thus far. At first I was like "aw look at that guy get on base" and now I'm sort of like "aw for chrissakes get a hit wouldja?" ... He's like an avant garde performance art. (Wait - is there any other kind??)
Well, I just bookmarked the Boston Herald Sports page. No time to read anything on the Yankees, when reading about the Sox is so entertaining. It's still pretty damn early, but that won't stop RSN from slitting their throats (and Theo's, if they bump into him). Here's one little gem from today.
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This team will finish 20 games behind the Yanks. They will challenge Baltimore for the Bottom. Beltre is already a bust. Another PED one year wonder. Not hit without the help of PED's. Lowell was a better defensive option last year with a bad hip. Scutaro is absolutely not upgrade over Lugo or Green, and less dangerous offensively. Cameron, NOT an upgrade defensively over Ellsbury. How many errors have the "NEW" defensive stalwarts made, and how many games have they cost the sox already? NONE have what it takes to play in Boston. So that's 3 horrible changes. We have a decent DH who happens to think he's a catcher. We have a DH who again shows the real results without PED's. No middle relief. A couple decent starting pitchers, who have to have 27K's to win a game. Every walk is a double. Every ball in play is a circus. A manager who MUST be on 500mgs a day of Lexapro/with a flask in the dugout. Can't move Bucholz to BP cause he needs 50 pitches and 5 runs before he "settles" down. Can't count on the Knuckleball for spit. Delcarmen is done. Noone on the farm. Most expensive ticket in baseball. Looks like we are back to the Haywood Sullivan era.
[144] I know, it's awesome. Drove home this evening all the way across the state (right, it's not exactly like driving from Waco to Houston) flipping back and forth between the two sports stations, listening to RSN desperately work out how they might get Adrian Gonzales before it's too late, excoriate J. D. Drew and Theo Epstein and all things Sabermetric, and moan about how we got Teixeira and they got Scutaro. It was an ecstasy of Schadenfreude.
Sadly, I missed all but an inning or so of the Yankee game, except I did get to hear John and Suzyn through the seventh.
Mmmmmm. Good April. Remember how many crappy April's we've had to slog through?
Browsing through highlight clips I came upon Jerry Hairston Jr.'s game-tying double, good old Jerry. But WTF? The Padres now wear camo??
[146] they've been wearing the camo on sunday's at home for a minute now. me no likey, either...
[145] "Ecstasy of Schadenfreude." Nice phrase!
9-3 had me musing earlier of that year we were 11-19. When was that? 2007? We'd have to go 2-16 to dig a hole like that now. Not that that means anything or anything, just saying...
[143] I know how you feel. I remember feeling extremely frustrated with him last go-around for watching way too many meatballs sail right on by him. It's great he walks all the time but sometimes a more aggressive approach is called for, imo. I'm not concerned yet, but it is a little on the maddening side, I agree. Hits are nice.
Girardi said explicitly that he does not want NJ to be 'more aggressive'. Interesting. He said it in response to a follow-up question along the lines of, "But what about all those backward Ks?"
It's surprising -- it seems like there must be such a thing as taking 'patience' too far, and I would have thought Nick had crossed the line, according to everybody. Maybe Girardi is just expressing confidence in him, or something like that.
[147] Well, what do I know from fashion? But camo just seems so wrong. Baseball and war symbolism are such a bad combination.
[149][150] I don't know---his 162-game average is 111 Ks v. 104 BB. He's ahead of both paces so far this young season. Now, he's not going to strike out 160 times, nor is he going to walk 200 times, this we can be pretty sure of. Things will balance out by the end of the season. I'm not going to conclude that he needs to change his approach or whatever, not after only 10 games or so, and definitely not when his OBP is still .400+.
[150] My son, then 6, now 7, asked about that the one game we went to at the Stadium last year: "What does all this war have to do with baseball?" or something to that effect, responding to all the imagery and commercials and whatnot up on the giant scoreboard.
[152] What commercials were they showing? I admit that Nobody Beats the Wiz is pretty annoying, but I don't usually associate their commercials with war.
[143] [149] [150] I agree with Girardi. As long as NJ is getting on base 42% of the time, I hope he doesn't change a thing. It's not like he is batting in front of the pitcher. That kind of OBP in front of Tex and Arod when they get going will translate into a lot of runs. What's more, it's not like Johnson isn't swinging the bat well. A lot of his outs have been line drives, so you have to take his small sample size BA with a grain of salt.
Johnson's career line is: .272 .402 .445 .847 / .371 wOBA
H.Matsui's career line is: .292 .370 .484 .854 / .368 wOBA
I don't think we have to worry about Nick.
From Lohud:
Johnson said he’s working in the batting cage on his lower half, which has been coming out from under him, but he also admitted the need to turn more aggressive. “I’ve been too passive, but I have to just go to the cage and keep working,” Johnson said. Joe Girardi disagreed. “We talk about him getting on base and he’s doing that,” Girardi said. “The hits are going to come.”
[152] They gotta "support the boys"..don't you know that?
(excuse me while I go hang my Bertrand Russel peace sign flag out my window..)
Love those Boston comments, great comedy on a monday morning!
Gardner is on pace for 103 steals.