The Tampa Bay Rays have the best record in baseball and a three-game lead on the second-best Yankees in the American League East. At 28-11, the Rays are on a 116-win pace, and their run differential suggest they’ve been even better than that.
This trick is that, though the Rays have indeed been scoring a lot of runs, they’ve not been hitting much. Tampa Bay is second in the AL and third in the majors (behind the two defending pennant winners) in runs scored per game with 5.31, but they rank 17th in slugging, 18th in on-base percentage, 20th in batting average, and 19th in VORP. According to Baseball Prospectus’s Third-Order Winning Percentage, which figures a team’s expected record from run differential but takes the extra step of figuring their runs from their component parts (hits, walks, outs, etc.), the Rays should be “just” 23-16. That .590 winning percentage still puts them on a 96-win pace, but flips the standings with the Yankees three-games ahead at 26-13, a game better than the Bombers actual record and on a 108-win pace. That’s something to chew on the next two nights as the Yankees, even with a two-game sweep can’t catch the Rays in this series.
Looking at the roster, the only Rays who are hitting are Evan Longoria (raking at .318/.386/.596) and Carl Crawford (putting up a solid walk year at .313/.372/.510 with ten steals, though he’s been caught four times). Many expected a strong walk-year performance from Carlos Peña, but the man the Yankees let go has turned back into a pumpkin, hitting a mere .191/.310/.344. Ben Zobrist and Jason Bartlett are proving their 2009 power surges to be flukes. After combining for 41 homers a year ago, the don’t have a single long ball between them and are hitting a combined .257/.327/.346 on the season. Similarly, bounce-back candidates B.J. Upton and Pat Burrell haven’t bounced back. Upton is doing a fair job of replicating his miserable 2009 performance minus about 20 points of batting average, and the fork sticking out of Burrell’s back was causing so many issues with airport metal detectors that the Rays just up and released him last week, replacing him with former Ranger Hank Blalock. Job shares at second base and catcher haven’t produced much either (.243/.310/.400 and .231/.336/.300, respectively).
Despite all that, the Rays have scored nearly 20 percent more runs than they should have thanks to some team speed and clutch hitting (.301/.378/.485 as a team with runners in scoring position compared to .221/.302/.351 with the bases empty). Don’t expect that to continue (in fact, it has already begun to tail off a bit as the Rays were leading the majors in runs scored not that long ago). That puts the onus on the pitching and defense.
Despite all that, the Rays are on a record win pace. Why? Pitching and defense, of course. Buoyed by the most efficient defense in the American League (in turning balls in play into outs, that is), the Rays have allowed a major league low 2.97 runs per game. To put that in perspective, no team in either league has allowed fewer than three runs per game over an entire season since 1972, when the Orioles and A’s both did it the year before the implementation of the designated hitter. Last year, the Dodgers and Giants were the stingiest teams in baseball in 2009 and both allowed 3.77 runs per game, as did the Blue Jays, who were the stingiest in 2008.
Rookie Wade Davis, who faces A.J. Burnett tonight, has the highest ERA of any of the Rays five starters. That inflated number is 3.38. As a group, the Rays’s starters, and they’ve only used five of them, have gone 21-6 with a 2.58 ERA while averaging nearly 6 2/3 innings per start. Three of those losses have been charged to Davis, and the Rays scored a total of five runs in those three loses. The Rays’ bullpen, meanwhile, has been merely the fifth best in baseball (by both ERA and WXRL).
The Rays can’t keep up that pace of run prevention, and they can’t keep scoring runs via clutch hitting alone, so it seems clear they won’t continue on their record winning pace. The only question is how much will they fall off their current pace, and can the Yankees take advantage. The two games this week will tell us a little, but not enough.
Jorge Posada is going for an MRI on his foot. Nick Swisher is still out with his sore biceps problem. Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera both threw about 30 pitches last night. Sergio Mitre is also unavailable having started on Sunday. So, Mark Melancon remains in the Yankees’ eight-man bullpen and the bench consists of Ramiro Peña. If the Yanks can split these two games, they should be pleased. Get ’em next time, boys. Let the rest of the league (the Rays have yet to face the Twins, Tigers, or Rangers) and the law of averages soften them up a bit first.
Tampa Bay Rays
2010 Record: 28-11 (.718)
2010 Pythagorean Record: 29-10 (.744)
Manager: Joe Maddon
General Manager: Andrew Friedman
Home Ballpark: Tropicana Field
Bill James Park Indexes (2007-2009):
LH Avg-100, LH HR-91
RH Avg-95, RH HR-96
Who’s Replaced Whom:
- Hank Blalock has replaced Pat Burrell
- John Jaso (minors) has replaced Kelly Shoppach (DL)
- Joaquin Benoit has replaced Mike Ekstrom (minors)
25-man roster:
1B – Carlos Peña (L)
2B – Sean Rodriguez (R)
SS – Jason Bartlett (R)
3B – Even Longoria (R)
C – Dioner Navarro (S)
RF – Ben Zobrist (S)
CF – B.J. Upton (R)
LF – Carl Crawford (L)
DH – Hank Blalock (L)
Bench:
S – Willy Aybar (IF)
R – Gabe Kapler (OF)
L – John Jaso (C)
L – Reid Brignac (SS)
Rotation:
R – James Shields
R – Matt Garza
R – Jeff Niemann
L – David Price
R – Wade Davis
Bullpen:
R – Rafael Soriano
R – Dan Wheeler
L – Randy Choate
R – Grant Balfour
R – Lance Cormier
R – Joaquin Benoit
R – Andy Sonnanstine
Lineup:
R – Jason Bartlett (SS)
L – Carl Crawford (LF)
S – Ben Zobrist (RF)
R – Evan Longoria (3B)
L – Carlos Peña (1B)
L – Hank Blalock (DH)
R – B.J. Upton (CF)
S – Dioner Navarro/L – John Jaso (C)
R – Sean Rodriguez (2B)
15-day DL:
C – Kelly Shoppach (sprained right knee)
OF – Matthew Joyce (strained right elbow)
LHP – J.P. Howell (strained left shoulder)
And Beckett on the 15 day DL.
How much Rays over performance can be attributed to the manager? It seems like one of the few variables that aren't counted in the comparatie offensive stats. I guess it's more likely to be luck...
For those who were wondering...Kim Jones reports that Randy Winn was positioned exactly where they wanted him yesterday. They expected Mo to jam the lefty. Didn't work out.
[3] RAB had an informative post about the positioning ... here's the takeaway
...especially since Randy kinda stinks,...
Ouch!
Greetings from the B&N in Park Slope. I'm here to listen to Emma read from her great book.
I even passed up a last-minute pair of tix to the game tonight.
Go Yanks!
It's Thames I'd like to throttle. They're showing that play where he called off Cano, then didn't make the catch. Arrggghhhh. Pisses me off all over again.
[2] I think it is a big difference between the two teams.
[3] Did you get a chance to see what Pedroia said about the play we disagreed on last night?
Oh frak!
This could wind up being a really statement series for the Rays.
Well, that was fast.
Welcome, everyone. Glad to see the Yankees picked right up where they left off yesterday...
[6] Woman about town, you are!
(Hi, Emma!)
He's still out there.
Nice throw, Frankie.
Yankees have been the victims of some real bad umpiring over the past 4 games. In fact, it cost them two wins so far.
Yanks were robbed on that steal.
[8] Yeah, I saw that. I don't think it changes my opinion, really; I think sending Cano (who a) isn't all that fast and b) doesn't have the best instincts in the world) is still a lower percentage play than asking Winn to come through with a hit. Sending Cano is doubling down on a bet that says that Papelbon isn't just going to make a *bad* throw to the plate, but a catastrophic one, because, from my viewing of the play, that's the only way Cano wasn't going to be out. A good throw gets him, an average throw gets him, even a bad throw gets him, the only thing that makes that play is if Papelbon completely throws the ball away. Could it happen, sure, but what's the likelihood? 1 in 10? 1 in 20?
We'll just have to agree to disagree on our evaluation of the percentage of that likelihood ...
In any case, my apologies if my tone last night was testy, 3rd shitty game from the bullpen in a row + booze makes Cult a bit grumpy ...
[18] No problem...just thought it was an interesting quote because that's exactly what I expected from Papelbon, who doesn't strike me as a prince of poise.
Well 1 run is okay there ... not great, but ok.
Ugh.
[20] You want to know what's bizarre?
After all this time, all this time, I *just* now noticed that it's "basebaal" and not "baseball."
An object lesson in how we decode.
Oh, damn it.
Oops!
[22] =)
Makes a *bit* more sense now, though ... right?
oh hell brett - don't want that.
regardless of that not good play, i think it might be time to swap gritner and jeter. i think jeter is very slowly coming out of his slump, but being in the 2 hole might be good for him and having gritner lead-off might help maximize this lineup.
hey everybody. Just got in from JJ's T-Ball game. hilarious.
It's really not good that I avert my eyes on a pop fly to right.
ahhh, perfectly-positioned Winn.
Even mk's getting on Girardi about the bunt.
Frankie, my Frankie!
don't waste this 2B, please.
[25] 'Cause he'd see more fastballs with Brett on base?
Cervelli has been amazing. I'm not sure how it can last, but I love it.
Hehheh...only MK would notice that the opposing team spelled Teix's name wrong on its lineup card...and call them out on it.
I feel good about the Juan Miranda Experience!
c'mon baby... read them their rights... THEIR MIRANDA RIGHTS! (props to thelarmis)
Well, we've got Davis up to 40 pitches ... which isn't nothing ...
[24] Oh, it's profoundly clever, but now that I look at it again, I realize I sort of did know that but not really. I guess I must have registered it at the beginning but then it became subconscious or something and I just started reading "baseball" and for whatever reason noticed it now.
My brain works in mysterious ways, what can I say?
Dang, now they're making me hungry.
Oh, lovely, it's BAD AJ tonite ...
goddammit. we need good AJ. We need good Joba. Sacrifice a chicken in the clubhouse or something. fuck.
what a break we had such a defensive powerhouse in RF. whew..
Way out of the zone.
William, you may be right that he has worries about his bats peed. He must be cheating.
Rainout!
Angel Pagan hit an inside the park home run.
Teixeira's been taking that pitch an awful lot lately.
Why is Teix DH'ing?
I'm sorry, A) he's not hitting enough to DH and; B) with a compromised defense already, does it really make sense to sit your gold glove first baseman?
[43] I really don't think it's a question of if he is in decline, but how steep it will be. The Yankees really have some significant problems right now.
Bah! Shoulda had that.
Oh, dear Lord.
Christ, nuthin' goin' right tonight.
Do we really have to watch this whole game? Can't we cut our losses now? Just forfeit or something and spare ourselves the prolonged agony?
Oh, he was fucking OUT!
[52] New Mythbusters at 9.
Oy.
No.
He wasn't.
Good Evening All. Tis an ominous night. AJ getting frustrated.
Still no outs.
[56] Bah.
This blows.
#@^&*&@!$)*$#&_@^!!!!
Dare I say it...start the circus music
[61] Was thinking the same thing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z961FEgdlWM
Dawson played for some awful Expos teams.
wow i go do some stuff at 1-0 and come back to 5-0
It must stop now!
[64] And this surprises you?
I think Girardi should pitch.
OK, this is a joke, right?
Finally.
Is this guy ever just mediocre? Ever just ok? He's either lights out or he pitches BP. There's no in between with this guy.
He never gives you that gut it out Andy performance where he sucks but you look up and amazingly the other team's still only scored four or five after six and you're only down by a couple runs with a chance to come back.
Mmmmmm that stellar ERA AJ has v the Rays will be changing a tad. Clue me in, who is currently the long relief man for the Yanks?
I think I heard mk say that Melancon is warming.
But this is why it made perfect sense to be pretty upset about the previous last 3 games. It's not whining or being a spoiled Yankee fan it's if your starter gives you a quality start it should be a solid, no-drama win because you are gonna have nights like tonight. If we were on a 5 game win streak now, as we should be, you could just shrug this one off. But what's funny, and maybe to his credit, Joe is acting as if we are on a 5 game win streak. As mentioned above, there is no way Tex should be DHing. Our best line-up, with the injuries, is Posada at DH and Cervelli behend the plate and every healthy body at their regular position. If Jorge wants to catch, then DH Cervelli.
Hey, let's bunt Cervelli!
MK=Jinx
[73] Yup.
Nice job, Brains.
NIce job.
At least it's a run.
Why didn't we get to see Cervelli swing the bat last night?
I'm not at all over that. I'm just getting more exasperated by it, in fact.
[73] Well, other than the fact that Posada can only play tonite in a complete emergency and went in for either an MRI or a bone scan today, yes, our best lineup has JoPo in it ...
[80] If Jorgie can't play, shouldn't he be on the fifteen-day DL so that Montero can come up? I mean, the situation is untenable as it stands.
Miranda has been hitting the ball well.
Damn, Miranda smoked that ball.
[81] Why would we bring Montero up?
He's not on the 40, he's not hitting and he's not particularily useful as a defensive sub, there's no reason for it.
miranda has had some good swings - too bad that one was right at zobrist.
[81] problem is montero probably wouldn't get the call-up and is not exactly tearing up aaa - so we would probably see prof. moeller.
From Lohud:
Shelley Duncan is back in the big leagues, called up by Cleveland to take the place of injured Grady Sizemore.
The Yankee Circular Lineup {TM} has an arc missing at the bottom. I'm beginning to REALLY miss Granderson.
[80] No, you are right, and I am drunk and pissed (I'm Irish not English so not redundant), but I guess my assumption is that they are being overly cautious with Jorge's injury. Which again, taking the long view, is probably for the best. It's just the last few ugly losses makes it tough to swallow showing up for a scrap with less than your best crew.
not that that was a hard ball for gritner to get, but i think even his routes are improving.
he and frankie b are really the lone total bright spots of position players right now.
[84] [85] I know, I was only half serious, musing from a place of desperation. But the half that was serious was thinking, fuck it, give him a taste of things now, at least it'll give me something else to focus on than this abysmal situation.
I think it's time to nix the plan of only paying attention to the Rays, and instead shift focus back to Boston (and Detroit and any other potential wild card contender).
[89] The worry with that, however, is they could both regress significantly, which would leave the Yankees with only Teixeira, Arod and Cano.
One pitch, one out.
Just one question: is it an accepted part of the conversation around here that Rays fans consistently express how much they uniformly despise Maddon and desperately want him gone? Because they do. Which makes certain comments - I don't know what to call them. Funny? Relevant to some idea that that's just kind of how life is?
Are people here aware of this and just dismiss them as stupid Rays' fans? Because the things they say - more vicious than things I read (and, um, may have posted) circa 07'ish and reeking of the exact same hostility many of us had by the end of Torre's reign.
[92] no doubt.
Nicely done DJ ...
[94] Are there Rays fans?
[91] Goodness, William, does it eat at you from the inside? The team is injured to high hell, was playing great before these last two games and had played a significantly harder schedule than the Rays, which I displayed pretty clearly with statistical proof. It's 40 games in, sheesh. That statement is such hyperbole.
[94] i had no idea that rays fans despised him.
however, is there any fan base that thinks there manager is any good?
i think this is something that is prevalent among hard core fans of a particular baseball team - i don't think it is as prevalent for die-hards of the nfl or nba.
[97] Yes, there are, and they are a surprisingly bitter lot.
For God's sake, Teix, would you look away and not inside, please.
Why'd you fucking pull that???
There's a SHIFT on!!!
[99] That truism is what I was getting at. I have to disagree with your last sentence, though. NFL and NBA fans haaaaate their coaches. Hate.
Fucking awful.
Hell-bent on pulling the ball into the fucking dragnet, down by five, no less.
Teix ought to be ashamed of himself.
[101][102] Gah.
[97] I know two ex Tampa Bay fans. Once the name was changed from Devil Rays, they lost interest.
[103] i am beginning to reconsider that position since i wrote it - but i think there are some exceptions - pats fans were certainly all over belicek for a while; jets fans are slurping up rex ryan right now. i loved jimmy johnson as did most cowboys fans i know.
[99] Just to follow up, I'm not saying Jeff Van Gundy and Lawrence Frank are great coaches, but the crap they caught when their teams were still doing well.
And I confess to cursing Coughlin to the nth degree before the Super Bowl season. And guess what - I've got questions about him again.
I was crushed that they didn't set up a coach in waiting deal for Spags and send Coughlin out on an ice floe filthy with money after giving him a couple more years.
[98] What difference does it make that the team is injured? Does that mean the losses don't count? The Yankees are now 4 games back of the Rays and will be short handed for at least another two weeks or so. By that time, the Yankees could be looking at 7 or 8 game deficit. This isn't a flukely Rays team. If the Yankees fall that far behind, then their best bet to make the post season will be as the wild card. Sometimes, you just have to accept reality.
[100] Then let them know they have a damn good team they should be supporting.
[108] yeah - very true points. i know doc rivers got killed all year and now look at things.
[107] NFL fans can definitely temporarily swing high on their coaches - we all get cult worship'ish here and there - see Pats fans with BB since the first Super Bowl, Giants fans with Parcells before he became a massive ass, Dallas fans with JJ, like you mentioned - but NFL fans can get as ugly and vicious towards guys doing the make the playoffs but no better thing year after year - see, Fontes, Wayne, Reeves, Dan, etc.
Best case scenario (I know it was Tex I'm just saying what I thought) Tex walks bringing up ARod to really make it a game. Tex has had so many crappy at bat where I'm not looking for anything spectacular, just a walk or a sac fly and he comes up short.
For the record, I LOVE Girardi -- do I have questions, of course, but I think he is far and away the best man for the job.
[109] You presuppose stuff all the time. At the 1/4 point. I read the same bellyaching from you last year. We don't know how it's going to turn out. We don't know how the next two weeks will go, or anything else. The Rays are a good team, but I suspect that this Yankees team, if certain situations like even Robertson's straighten themselves out, may be a great team.
And I sure as heck am not conceding ^%#@ this early in the season. I'd want a new head if that sort of thought crossed my mind regularly.
[111] Eagles fans and Andy Reid are a very solid example of classic NFL fanbase mood swings, also.
[113] I think he's more good than bad, while admitting that his propensity to overthink is very, very real. But yes, I am satisfied with my defending World Series Champion manager.
Well struck, Alex.
Well struck.
nice drive - alex's power stroke is really coming out these last few games.
God did you hear that sound?
What a beautiful sound.
If Tex walks . . . I'm not saying, just saying that Arod is the best player any of us has seen in a long time.
[114] How do you have an opinion without presupposing? Are you suggesting that because "we don't know how it will turn out", there is no point about having an opinion?
If you aren't concerned by the depleted state of this team, and see no harm from falling far behind a very good Rays team, well, good for you. I just hope the Yankees aren't taking that approach because they do have issues to address.
Yay Arod! IT STARTS NOW!
(but please do not put Boone Logan in the game)
NIce job, Robbie.
Keep that up.
He had a couple nice ones yesterday, too.
Maybe...
I guess this game ain't over yet...
Do I smell "comeback"
Shit.
[121] I'm suggesting that if that "opinion" was ALWAYS negative, I might get it checked out.
And one can have plenty of opinions without presupposing. That you don't see that seems telling. In fact, that is simply an absurd statement. Do you really think that an opinion requires a presupposition about something that has yet to take place? A hint - those sentences will all start with "I think..."
Hats off, that was some double play.
Unbelievable.
Well, now we won't have to see him in the outfield anymore.
omg w- who would think i would shudder at a marucs thames injury.
Ruh roh.
Who's left on the bench?
Pena to the OF?
Cashman, someone has to go on the DL, and bring up/in an OF.
What happened? I'm not watching, just arguing in preparation for a thorough nap.
Only Posada and Swisher left on the bench. Gotta be Pena to the OF.
Ok, this is now officially Spinal Tap territory.
[135] Thames stepped on his own bat running to first. You see something new everyday.
[135] Thames threw his bat, it landed on the basepath, and he stepped on it. Not sure if he sprained his ankle or what, but it was stepping on his own bat that did it.
[135] Thames stepped on his own bat running to first.
What are the odds Boone Logan survives this cut too?
[134] and get rid of the 13 man pen at this point.
Holy good gravy. [138], I think you're right. In all my years of watching baseball, I've never seen that.
Shoot, throw in all the softball games I've played in, and that's never happened.
Remember Spinal Tap, with all the drummers?
Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
[127] Uhm, yes, predictions are opinions that require presupposing. If you prefer to only have positive opinions, that's great. Looking on the bright side is always nice, but eventually you have to deal with reality. Also, while I appreciate your interest, I can do without the hints.
Wow.... he throws his bath right into his basepath, steps on it, and injures himself. That is some kind of graceful.
Do you have to have nine guys out there?
Can you play with eight, if you so choose?
randy win''s batting stance drives me insane.
Please, fucking Derek, pleeeeeeeassssse!
You swung the bat well last time, remember?
Big hit Derek
[148] :)
[148] I never thought of him as a pull hitter, but his stance almost seems to preclude going the other way.
No green light.
Take two pitches.
Ugh
Crap.
Would like to have actually seen the pitch. I hope he don't go out of the strike zone again.
YES didn't show us where that pitch was.
I'd love to know.
[145] First of all, your statement covered "opinions," not "predictions."
But beyond that predictions do *not* require presuppositions, only suppositions.
And I have a distaste for presupposition upon presupposition leading to statement, which ends up in such an assumption pile up that you can't even see the shore you charted your course from at the beginning.
I wonder if Jeter ends up with a .750 OPS, if folk here would still give him 3/$70m contract.
[156] He really should have tried to work a walk, drive in a run and turn it over to Brett.
Maybe Joe can explain why we need 13 pitchers and no bench.
Sprained left ankle.
Meanwhile, AJ's actually done what I said he never does: he's settled down and remains out there in the seventh.
Alright, I'm done, and off to nap, based on a mild *prediction* that they don't come back to win this game. And that's not even a prediction, so much as what I'm guessing, half because I think it's more likely than not, and half because I like to work a mix of optimism and pessimism.
DL both Posada (now the bottom of his foot is swelling) and Thames. Can't go into a NL park with zero bench.
A Posada who can't play is worse than Chad Moeller.
Just checked. None of the 3 listed catchers at SWB are on the 40 man roster. Which means someone has to be DFA'ed (I assume the 40 man is full).
[158] Ah, you are playing semantics then? I am more interested in baseball than word games. Besides, what exactly are you claiming that I presupposed?
6 stolen bases is ridiculous - and no one can blame po (or for that matter aj'sfirst few innings can't be blamed on po either)
jesus fuck mk - only blowhards like you call him big game james.
[163] Yeah, AJ has sucked it up as best as he could (while sucking). Tex walks, Jete walks or gets a hit he could have gotten a win. But no matter what he is eaten up some innings. Some teams win when their starters suck, Detroit, Minn, Boston, et al why not us!
[166] I'm not playing at anything, and I'm not interested anymore. Good night.
Nice job, AJ.
You know what this game needed? A fucking Boone Logan sighting.
Boone Logan?
[164] Now I can see how you maintain such a sunny outlook. When things look bleak, you take a nap :) I guess I presupposed you'd be watching when things looked bleak.
[167] Hehehhehehehheh.
For those interested, the pitch Jeter swung at was a 90mph fastball right down the middle.
[168] I'm really pissed at Teix for that weak-ass tap out 4-3.
And I wish Derek had tried to work a walk.
[175] Sigh.
Boone "Let the Games Begin" Logan.
[169] Nor am I...again, thanks for your interest in my comments, which seems to be greater than your interest in the games. Enjoy the nap.
[171] [172] honestly, there is just no way someone named boone logan can be an effective ml pitcher.
gabe kapler is still fucking playing?
Boone Logan??
[173] If you had just finished a law school semester, you would scrupulously avoid any activity over the next weeks that has even the remotest possibility of ending in disappointment. There will be no more harshing of my buzz in this kingdom. All things with the potential to do so must be and will be kept at arms length. I may order a pizza. I'm fairly certain how that one ends up.
[180] Gabe Kapler...from Minnesota?
[159] Jeter still gets a big contract regardless, which is why I think they should have just done it already.
[182] :)
[182] Oh...so you are playing lawyer then. I feel much better now. Enjoy the nap and the pizza.
[183] he's bounced around a bit but was on the red sox from 2003-2006
[185] And the outcome on that one = still fat.
Thanks, law school.
Gardner is definitely a different hitter this year.
[187] Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember now.
Teix, this is UNfuckingACCEPTABLE.
ugh - hitting into the shift.
This is a spot where Tex has to try to lay down a bunt.
that really was a horrid trade for the twins.
[192] Not even "hitting," more like "dribbling."
[186] I don't argue just for the hell of it. I just choose to argue at certain intervals, because I've made the decision to not overlook something I find disagreeable. I told you last year you didn't know how things were going to turn out and you didn't. Every imperfect thing that happens doesn't have a better decision that could have been made at the bottom of it. Blowing woe and doom all over is tiresome and safe, considering how tough it turns out to be to win a World Series. I'll give you that the Yankees' payroll makes that marginally less safe, but this is the best damn franchise in all of sports, and if you bet on them every year to win it all at 1 to 1 odds, you would be broke.
Have I ever mentioned that I don't like having two lefties in the pen?
[197] No, can you explani why?
Melky's now a LIDR in Atlanta. He's batting below the Mendoza line. They say his motto is "Make LOB not WAR."
But I kinda miss his arm.
[197] You don't say, Mattpat. You don't say.
The fans aren't angry ... they're justing saying BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOne.
[198] Quirky habit of mine
[196] What happened to that nap?
Did Kay just say what do you need more runs for? Has he watched the last three games?
[199] Poor Melkius.
This is one of those dilema innings in which Logan pitching well could do more long-term harm than good.
My eyeball hurts.
Mythbusters was fun.
I wonder if Atlanta would send Melky back at a cheap price, and if so, if it would be worth having him?
Bard pitching to Mauer.
Ground out...now facing Morneau.
[206] Nothing is going to get Boone Logan off this team. We have a one man bench for the sake of keeping Boone Logan on this team. Might as well hope he does well, because damnit, we need to lefties in the pen!
Walked Morneau...now Cuddyer.
[212] I still can not wrap my head around this team having a one-man bench. It blows my mind, and it cost them a game last night since Thames needs a caddy out there. Why they need a 13-man pitching staff I'll never know.
Some outfield in there now...Winn, Gardner and Pena.
[214] You're not paying attention. Its vitally important that we have two lefties in the bullpen.
Hit for Cuddyer...now Thome.
[214] Totally agree.
And they gotta use the DL. This is just ridiculous.
[214] It also cost them at least one game, maybe two in Detroit. The roster management has been head scratching to say the least.
Thome grounds out...Boston wins.
Holy fuck, did you see that??
Damn, Brett!
Don't get hurt, Brett!
Great play by Gardner...even better play by Zobrist.
The Rays know how to play this game.
You know, I'm not sure Mark Melancon is any good either.
Holy crap. Nice, but please don't kill yourself, Gardy. We're kinda short of OFers here.
The Rays are really rubbing the Yankees face in this game.
God, it's still only the eighth?
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOne!
I was pressed into service to watch a movie tonight and thus missed this game. I ended up fast forwarding most of it and it was still a million times more depressing than last night's game. Just seeing Thames in right field brought a tear to my eye. And now he's gone!!
[228] We weren't Booooooooing, we were saying Boo-urns.
[229] Last night's game left me feeling angry; this one has me feeling helpless.
[230] The Yankee bullpen is looking a bit like Lyle Langley now, isn't it..on the monorail to nowhere..
[231] Very well put.
[232] Not to mention. . . Worst. Bench. Ever.
(when you have no bench, it is the worst ever.)
[233] Is there any reason to think things are going to get better any time soon?
Extra credit tonight to Melancon as the guy many were clamoring to be called up and just joining in the fun immediately. Thanks, NYT!
Ah, good night all.
The Yankees are actually better off playing in NL parks now because their bench is like an NL team's pitcher. It actually lengthens the lineup.
[235] Andy and Phil have a huge load to carry, that's for sure. If either of them should go into a funk...
[237] Night.
[235] No...which I realize upsets the more optimistic, but is simply coming to grips with the reality of the situation. This team is without four starting offensive players and their main set-up guy. They also have a SS who is struggling mightily and a bullpen in shambles. At this point, Javier Vazquez doesn't even register as a problem.
[238] I dread the overmanaging that's going to occur in the NL ballparks.
[241] Oh, man, remember the good old days when he was our only real problem?
Wouldn't it be nice if Jeter got a big hit this inning?
[244] I love Jeter too much to dwell on him anymore. Looking inside the numbers is really too scary. It's much easier to just hope he turns it around.
[245] Thats what I mean. I just want it to turn around.
another 1-5.
Maybe the Rays will be really tired for tomorrow.
Another hit for Robbie.
You just can't...
Save situation, suddenly.
This seems a cruel thing to do to us ...
I've started randomly giggling. Is that bad?
[252] [253] Hehehheh ehheh.
Imagine we didn't throw the human white flag that is Boone Logan out there?
"With a good night yawn, the heartache is gone, yes indeed"
We'll get 'em tomorrow, Andy will stop this nonsense.
Well that was nice.
As you were.
Very fitting that Miranda would end the rally. It defines the state of the Yankees.
Posada has a broken foot...the Yankees are in HUGE trouble.
Posada has a hairline fracture. He's going on the DL. They're calling up a catcher. Montero?
Gawd. It's probably gonna be Chad Moeller, isn't it?
The injuries are unfortunate, but you can't realyl say you're shocked when guys like Posada and Nick Johnson get injured. Cashman (or whoever set his budget) has to take a hit for holding the line with Johnny Damon because his presence on this team would be a huge help.
[262] What was the name of the awful catcher we called up a few years ago that got crossed up constantly?
[264] Chris Stewart?
Wonder what the roster move will be. Johnson or Granderson to the 60-day DL?