When this series started, I wrote that the Yankees’ problem was pitching. Since then, they’ve scored just five total runs in two games despite the successful return of Nick Swisher to the lineup and are faced with a Sunday night rubber game with Johan Santana taking the hill for the Mets. Santana’s 3.72 ERA may not look all that impressive relative to his 3.14 career mark, but it was inflated by an ugly outing in Philadelphia on May 2. Santana gave up ten runs in 3 2/3 innings in that start, but if you factor it out, his ERA in his other eight starts is a stellar 2.25. Uh-oh. In his last two starts, Santana has combined for this line: 14 IP, 11 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 9 K. Amazingly, the Mets lost both games by scores of 2-1 and 3-2.
We could be in for another gem like that tonight with CC Sabathia on the bump to face Santana. It’s a matchup of two of the top lefties in the game and has a nifty backstory. The Yankees, specifically Brian Cashman, refused to trade a package built around Phil Hughes for Santana prior to the 2008 season with an eye toward signing Sabathia as a free agent the following winter. Cashman’s plan worked perfectly, as Sabathia wound up pitching the Yankees to their 27th championship in 2009 with Hughes making a key contribution to that team as a reliever, then emerging as a rotation stalwart in early 2010.
As for CC, he recovered from a rocky outing in Detroit with seven strong innings against the Red Sox his last time out in a game the Yankees nonetheless lost due to the unexpected struggles of Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera. The Yankees, meanwhile, are 5-1 in rubber games this season, but haven’t played one since May 2, when they convincingly took a three-game set from the White Sox via a 12-3 rubber-game victory. Kevin Russo gets the start in left against the lefty Santana tonight, the rest of the lineup is the same as in the previous two games, save for Sabathia, of course.
The Yankees haven’t been playing great baseball of late, but a nationally televised, Sunday night rubber game against the cross-town Mets with Sabathia and Santana facing off is still must-see TV.
I’ll be at the ballpark and in the clubhouse tonight, but Alex reports that the swollen press corps for this series have jammed the CitiField bandwith, rendering our intended liveblogs of this series impossible. If I can break through, I’ll try to have some in-game updates on this post, but more likely I’ll have to save everything for my post-game recap. Stay tuned . . .
Update: Alex Cora is a last-minute replacement for Luis Castillo at second for the Mets.
Update, 6:51pm: Just back from Joe Girardi’s pre-game press conference and batting practice. I have a bunch of photos from BP to upload for you guys, meanwhile, some notes:
- With the off-day tomorrow, both Andy Pettitte and A.J. Burnett threw their bullpens today. Javy Vazquez will throw a light bullpen on Tuesday, but Joe Girardi said he remains scheduled to make his next start and that his bruised finger is “better.”
- Girardi has not spoken to Curtis Granderson since he played center for Scranton this afternoon, but said he felt great after DHing on Saturday.
- With regards to the Yankees recent skid, Girardi said, “we’ve had better weeks.” Adding that “a multitude of problems have led to losses,” naming the starting pitching, bullpen, and clutch hitting specifically.
- On the fluff side, Girardi named Micah Owings (though not by name), Don Robinson, and Carlos Zambrano when asked to name the best hitting pitcher he’d ever seen. Joe added that he likes interleague and the different DH rules in each league, but felt that pitchers should hit in the home parks of minor league affiliates of minor league teams, which they did in his day, but don’t any more.
- Standing on the dirt in front of the Yankee dugout, I briefly mistook bullpen coach Mike Harkey for CC Sabathia (Harkey’s a big dude), and though third base coach Rob Thomson would look just like Billy Martin if he grew a weasley mustache.
- Mike Axisa and I just happened to trail ESPN announcers Joe Morgan and Orel Hershiser down the hallway. Morgan is indeed 5-foot-8, with perhaps an inch deducted for age. Later, Morgan appeared on the field but seemed to talk only to Reggie Jackson. Jon Miller, meanwhile, chatted up Girardi and Robinson Cano and is still out there talking to Girardi as I type this from the press box.
Hopefully I’ll have more later . . .
Update, 7:08:
Lineups so you have them:
Yankees:
R – Derek Jeter (SS)
L – Brett Gardner (CF)
S – Mark Teixeira (1B)
R – Alex Rodriguez (3B)
L – Robinson Cano (2B)
S – Nick Swisher (RF)
R – Francisco Cervelli (C)
R – Kevin Russo (LF)
L – CC Sabathia (P)
Mets:
S – Jose Reyes (SS)
L – Alex Cora (2B)
R – Jason Bay (LF)
L – Ike Davis (1B)
R – David Wright (3B)
S – Angel Pagan (CF)
R – Jeff Francoeur (RF)
R – Rod Barajas (C)
L – Johan Santana (P)
- Curtis Granderson went 1-for-2 with a walk, all against left-handed pitching for Scranton while playing five innings in center.
- Also, there will be a moment of silence before the game for former Mets pitcher Jose Lima, who passed away from a heart attack earlier today at age 37.
Update, 7:57: So far, so good on connectivity. Also updating on twitter:
- Neil Sadaka singing the National Anthem at CitiField after a moment of silence for Jose Lima.// Sadaka’s New York accent, evident in his singing, is a nice vintage touch for the Subway Series. I just hope he does “Calendar Girl” next…
Top 1st (first pitch, 8:10):
Big boo for Derek Jeter as he steps up and knocks the first pitch from Johan Santana into shallow center for a single.
Alternating Let’s Go Yankees! Yankees Suck! chants erupt as Gardner eases his way into the box. Gardner bunts foul on the first pitch, which almost hits him, then strikes out.
Teixeira batting left, check swing on 1-1 changeup, fouled off. Strikes out on high “heat” (89 mph).
Huge boo for Alex Rodriguez, bigger than Jeter. Alex pops out to Alex Cora. No Luis Castillo joke necessary, yet.
Bottom 1st:
Jose Reyes singles under the glove of a lunging Jeter, who actually overran the ball. Last minute-sub Alex Cora pops up to Jeter. Jason Bay battles and draws a walk on a 93 mph fastball way up in the zone. Two on, one out for rookie sensation Ike Davis.
Davis hits a flare just beyond Jeter’s reach in shallow left to load the bases for David Wright. Instant drama around these parts.
Wright takes a curve for a strike, then a fastball high for ball one. He fouls off another high heater for strike two, then waves at a changeup. Curiously, Wright identified the change and waited a beat to swing, but still missed it.
Two outs. Angel Pagan up batting righty.
Pagan takes strike one, fastball outside corner then hits a flare that Robinson Cano goes back on and snags with a casual hop. Three men left on base by Wright and Pagan.
Top 2nd:
Cano shoots the first pitch from Santana down the left field line for a single. The second time in as many innings the Yankees have singles on the first pitch from Santana.
Swisher lifts one down the right field line, but it hangs up for Francoeur, one out.
An ESPN replay shows David Wright was late on Sabathia’s changeup in the bottom of the first. How can you see two 93 mph heaters, foul one off, then be late on a change?
Speaking of changeups, Francisco Cervelli strikes out on one against his countryman, Santana.
Kevin Russo makes solid contact but flies out directly to Angel Pagan, who takes about a step and a half to make the third out.
Bottom 2nd:
Rod Barajas doubles down the left field line on Sabathia’s first pitch, rumbling into second just ahead of Kevin Russo’s throw. Seemed to take Russo some time to dig the ball out of the wall, but that’s the one part of the field I can’t see (deep foul lines).
Jeff Francoeur strikes out on a high fastball around his armpits. Santana then strikes out on a belt-high heater after a half-assed attempt to bunt Barajas to third (I wonder if Barajas is so slow he’s un-buntable).
Reyes singles to left, but Russo holds Barajas at third with a strong throw home, however, the throw bounces over Cervelli and Reyes scampers to second on what is ruled a throwing error on Russo. Tough error for Russo, who saved a run on that play.
Sabathia’s 0-2 pitch to Cora misses inside by about an inch. Cora fouls one off, then shoots one just foul down the first base line. The Mets are making Sabathia work. Half of them have reached base thus far and he’s thrown 35 pitches in 1 2/3 innings.
Cora singles over Cano, and the error charged to Russo results in not one, but two runs scoring as Reyes scores easily behind Barajas.
Cora gets a nice jump on Sabathia and steals second easily ahead of Cervelli’s throw, which was to the wrong side of second base.
Sabathia falls behind Bay 2-1 and Mike Harkey, filling in for Dave Eiland, whose daughter is getting confirmed, goes to the mound. Bay then touches off a shot over the 384 sign in the left-field gap for a two run jack.
4-0 Mets. Ugh.
Bay’s homer was just his second of the year and came on a fastball down in the zone.
Ike Davis Ks to end the inning.
Top 3rd:
CC singles just in front of a charging Pagan for a single, though he barely made it to first before Pagan got the ball back to the infield.
Jeter hits one into the right field corner. Francoeur cuts it off, but with CC in front of him, that was a single at most anyway for Jeter.
Brett Gardner hits into a 4-6-3, Sabathia moves to third. CC stands for Ctation to Ctation.
Tex grounds out to third on the first pitch, stranding CC, who now has to go pitch again.
Bottom 3rd:
Pizza race. What is that? They have fans in several rows pass pizza boxes down the row to the tune of Dean Martin singing “That’s Amore!” Pizza race. One of the few ways in which CitiField is like Shea.
The ESPN delay is roughly nine seconds. Long enough to function as a pitch replay for me and almost so long that the televised pitch almost bleeds into the next live pitch.
Sabathia strikes out Wright on a nasty change, then Pagan singles off the tip of Jeter’s glove as Jeter lunges to his left. Rod Barajas flies out to Swisher in the right-field gap and Francoeur flies out to Russo in left to strand Pagan.
Top 4th:
Alex Rodriguez flies out to right. Robinson Cano fouls out to David Wright. Nick Swisher lines out to Jason Bay in left.
Bottom 4th:
The top of the fourth was so quick the pretzels in the press cafeteria didn’t have time to cook. I’m hungry! (Though I did enjoy the penne vodka and asparagus I had for dinner, I got that fourth-inning ballpark hunger. You know, the totally unnecessary kind.)
Santana grounds out to Jeter, the first groundball out for Sabathia in this game.
Jose Reyes takes a big cut at a 2-0 fastball and fouls it straight back, hard. He then takes one just off the outside corner to go to 3-1. CC comes right back and catches the corner to go full and then comes back again with a 94 mph heater that Reyes floats into foul territory for Teixeira.
“Ev-ry Bo-dy Clap Your Hands!” There, now it’s stuck in your head, too.
Cora bounces a comebacker off Sabathia’s thigh and is retired by CC the third out.
Top 5th:
This game is speeding up, last nine men to come to the plate have made outs with Cervelli popping out to second to start the fifth.
Russo strikes out on a change and CC waves at a slider. That’s 11 men up 11 men down for both teams combined.
Bottom 5th:
CitiField playing “Sunday In New York,” which always played before Sunday games at the old Stadium when I had my bleacher package. Sigh.
Oof, Jason Bay sends a 1-0 pitch into the bullpens just to the left of the indent in the right-center-field gap. Bay has tripled his season homer total in this game.
5-0 Mets
Ike Davis lifts a perfect tweener that drops between Gardner, Swisher, and Cano in shallow right center for a single then moves to second on a passed ball when CC’s pitch clanks off Cervelli’s glove.
Joe Girardi goes to the mound to give CC a quick “go get ’em.” David Wright then doubles over Russo’s head in left on the first pitch to drive home Davis.
6-0 Mets
So much for the pace of game picking up. Maybe those pretzels will finally be ready after this half. CC owes me at least that after screwing over both the Yanks and my fantasy team tonight.
I’m calling another just-short late-inning rally tonight.
Gene Monahan comes out to check on Francisco Cervelli for something I clearly missed. Liveblogging is perhaps the worst way to try to follow a baseball game, by the way.
Angel Pagan pops out to Jeter on the outfield grass for the . . . first out? Oy.
Barajas flies out to Gardner shallow enough to hold Wright at second. Then the Yanks intentionally walk Jeff Francoeur to face Santana. Francoeur has to ask the home plate ump for directions to first base. [rim shot] Santana strikes out.
Top 6th:
Jeter flies to right on the first pitch, nine in a row for Santana who has thrown just 58 pitches through 5 1/3.
Gardner grounds to second. David Wright makes a nice play diving to he left to snag a grounder by Mark Teixeira. Cruising doesn’t do justice to what Santana is doing.
Bottom 6th:
Sergio Mitre in the game for the Yankees. I imagine they’ll try to get him to finish this one, though there is an off-day tomorrow.
Per Mike Axisa, Johan Santana needed just 27 pitches to get through the last three innings, an average of nine per frame with no one reaching base. Blerg.
Sabathia threw 69 percent of his 93 pitches for strikes and struck out six against just one unintentional walk in five frames, but too many of those strikes were hittable pitches.
After a fly out and a strikeout of Alex Cora, Jason Bay comes up to a big hand having homered in both of his previous at-bats. Sergio Mitre drills Bay in the back with the first pitch, but it was a 75 mph curve that didn’t curve. The umpire warns the benches bringing a heated Joe Girardi out of the dugout. You could see Cervelli saying “curveball” during the argument.
Ike Davis grounds out.
I just noticed that the Yankees have gotten just one baserunner past first base: CC Sabathia.
Top 7th:
Nine outs left for the Yanks, who need six runs to tie. Oh, and Mitre’s not finishing this game, I forgot we were in the NL tonight. He’s due up sixth as Rodriguez leads off against Johan.
ESPN pitch track shows the ball that hit Bay was curving downward when it hit him.
With two outs, Nick Swisher works a walk, breaking Santana’s streak of 13 in a row retired.
Cervelli hits a . . . single? . . . off the top of the left field wall just in front of the foul pole. Replay shows it hit the orange line at the top of the wall and bounced back in. The umpires go in to review it . . .
The play is ruled a single on review. So why the hell do they have that orange line on there? Still, Swisher scored, 6-1 Mets.
Russo flies out. The pitcher will lead off the next inning (which means a pinch-hitter), but the Yanks can get another inning out of Mitre, for whatever that’s worth.
Bottom 7th:
We’re into the get-it-over-with portion of the game. Wright, Pagan, and Barajas go down 1-2-3, all three hitting the ball to Alex Rodriguez.
Top 8th:
Thames hits for Mitre, his first appearance since stepping on his bat. He walks and they leave him in to run, which is a good sign.
Jeter grounds to second in front of Thames who holds up to let Jeter get to first safely as Cora applies the tag. Gardner then hits a sinking liner to Wright for the second out, but Mark Teixeira comes through with a single to center to put runners on the corners for Alex Rodriguez, who comes up to a chorus of boos.
On 1-2, Rodriguez takes a fastball just in off the corner for ball two. Santana’s 103rd pitch of the night then sails high. Full count. Runners on the go . . .
Rodriguez fouls off the first 3-2 into the second deck down the right field line then takes ball four. Bases loaded for Cano.
Out comes Santana in favor of lefty Pedro Feliciano . . .
Feliciano starts Cano out with a breaking ball for called strike one. Then another on the inside corner for called strike two. Cano then pops to first on another. Inning over.
And there was the just-short late-inning rally I promised you all in the bottom of the fifth.
Bottom 8th:
Boone Logan in for the Yankees. Huge momentum crash with that Cano pop out and now the Yankees’ worst reliever on the hill.
After Jeff Francoeur grounds out, pinch-hitter Fernando Tatis singles to left, but Jose Reyes bangs into a 4-6-3.
Top 9th:
Last ups for the Yanks against righty Ryota Igarashi who just came off the DL, where he had been following a hamstring strain.
Swisher, Cervelli, and Russo due up with Juan Miranda likely to bat for Russo.
Swisher battles back from 0-2 to go full, as is his wont. Makes solid contact on the first 3-2, but fouls it down the left-field line. Ditto on the next, but he fouls it back (directly at me, actually, but it hits the screen behind home). Igarashi then looses one high and away, beyond Barajas’s reach to put Swisher on first.
Francisco Cervelli then singles to shallow right, moving Swisher to second. Russo up with no outs. Miranda on deck to hit for Logan.
Russo makes good contact on 2-1, fouling the pitch back to even the count. Igarashi then throws the same wild pitch he walked Swisher on, but Russo’s head was there. Russo hits the dirt, full count.
Russo chops the 3-2 back to the mound, but beats the pivot throw. One out, men on the corners for Juan Miranda.
Miranda fouls the first pitch straight back into the net, then singles to right to plate Swisher and push Russo to second. That brings Jerry Manuel out and Francisco Rodriguez into the game.
6-2 Mets. One out. Ninth inning. Men on first and second. Top of the order and Derek Jeter due up . . .
K-Rod’s first pitch is a curve that breaks over Derek Jeter’s head. Ball one. His next breaks out of the zone away. Ball two. Jeter takes a strike then fouls one down the right-field line to even the count. Another foul to the right side keeps it even. Jeter then steps out on Rodriguez. The second 2-2 is grounded foul up the third base line. The third 2-2 is inside. Full count again.
The 3-2 . . . is laced to left, one hop off the wall. Russo scores. Miranda to third. Jeter in with a double. 6-3 Yankees.
Rodriguez starts Gardner off with a nifty backdoor breaking pitch for strike one. Garnder then checks his swing on ball one. Fastball inside at the knees, strike two. Gardner chopps one to third, the run scores, and he . . . is out at first. Very close play. Replay shows a close play, but out was a fair call.
Tex then loops one over the mound in front of second base and beats it out for a hit. Jeter, who didn’t move up on Gardner’s ball to third, moves to third. Ramiro Peña runs for Teixeira as the tying run at first.
Two outs. Alex Rodriguez as the go-ahead run at the plate.
Frankie falls behind 2-0. Alex then pops one foul behind home, 2-1. Fastball low and inside, 3-1. Oh man.
Big hack, foul, another full count.
Hard not to stand up.
Fouled at the plate.
After throwing 28 pitches last night, Francisco Rodriguez is up to 20 tonight. Alex fouls number 20 down the right field line. Yet another 3-2 on the way . . .
And Rodriguez swings over a changeup. Game over. Mets win 6-4.
Damn.
Back after post-game interviews . . .
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5212413
:_( I loved watching Lima-time..only 37...just not fair...
the other contenders in the al east all won big today. it would behoove us to keep the pace and do the same.
enjoy the game, cliff!
[1] yes, very sad and unexpected.
[2] If the Yankees lose today, my emotions will be betwixt anger & fear.
[0] Have a good time, Cliff.
[4] fangry? never a good thing. ever.
LET'S GO YANKEES! (clap, clap, clap clap clap)
...oh yeah - y'all see this? That's a hell of a bargain at 4½ million! Scoop it up!
Kevin Russo gets the start in left against the lefty Santana tonight
I'll be happier when Kevin Russo is getting starts because he's the guy WITHOUT the giant fork sticking out of his back ...
Helluva Sunday.
Sun's out after 2 rainy hours on the bike.
Chicken n' rice n' beans on the stovetop.
Dog is happy and walked n' played out.
Cranking the newly released extended 'Exile on Main Street'
Ready to crack a beer, 2 eyes on the game and one on the Banter.
Beat the Mets.
updates from Girardi's presser and some BP notes above, photos TK.
Fangry, awesome.
I think there's a fair amount of fanger here on BB when the Yankees hit a bad spell, or Joe G. plays bullpen roulette.
Also, now we know what the third word is! And speaking of puzzles, Martin Gardner died :..(
Hey, nice updates.
And you without a South American poison blowgun!
With 45 min left before the game and dinner still to be eaten, I'm likely going to save my photos for post-game/tomorrow.
[9] More sad news.
I like fangry. I was very fangry after the last two Tampa games.
[12] I want to make one of those Arnold Palmers, but I like NYYfan22's idea of adding some vodka. Unfortunately, I have no fresh lemons in the house.
When I think Mike Harkey, I think of this card:
http://tinyurl.com/24x8znh
[14] Me too, but mine doesn't say "bust."
[0, 7:08 update] Not that it makes a ton of difference, except that Santana is on the hill, but isn't Gritner a left-handed hitter, not a switch?
[16] oops, fixed.
[15] Yah- that was the first image that popped up.
[7] how many eyes you got there, knuckles?
Didn't Josh Wilker post that card back on the Toaster? Or maybe it was Bruce Markusian.
hey Cliff -- I don't follow the Mets' buzz, but are people doing a lot of jawing on Ike Davis? I mean, this kid has been in the bigs for like 15 minutes, and now he's batting cleanup! That's gotta be a little demoralizing for David Wright, no?
[13] I think adding in the vodka (or any other booze) turns it into a John Daly.
[21] Meet the Mets, lending credence to Bill James' old dictum, "bad teams blame their problems on their best players."
[22] yep. add a few hos to that and you've got yerself a tiger woods.
(couldn't resist)
[24] LOL +5
[23] Amen.
[21] Mets fans love Ike Davis, and well they should given how he's been hitting.
i'm assuming espn has the lineup wrong - russo is in lf and gardner in cf right?
The Captain!
Jeterian!
good start jeter.
God, I've been in grading hell all day and now I gotta listen to Miller: "JETER is on base, RIGHT NOW!"
That coupled (tripled?) with our poor play of late.
Just shoot me now before it gets worse.
...the fuck is this guy?
[31] sorry weeping - hang in there.
I swear Muts fans are just like auburn fans.
Ugh, Gritner's not been bueno batting 2nd ...
That was unfair.
maybe tex will bat better rh.
[29] wouldn't Jeterian be more opposite field?
[35] Although, checking out BB-REF, I see he's actually been betting batting 2nd than he has batting 9th ... tricky things those facts
Confession of a stathead: I pronounce OPS as one word.
[39] Indeed.
damn.
[39] the last few games haven't been good - so that is what is in our minds.
[38] Oh, it was to LF? I must have misheard the call (not watching the game).
Oh, cripes, the uppercut in his swing. I forgot about that endearing little trope.
[43] I believe it was to center.
Has Gardner messed with Teix's space time continuum, sending him back to April?
[39] Or, to quote the Great Communicator, "Facts are stupid things."
morgan and miller with a little dash of orel has not shut the fuck up for even one second of this inning.
[33] Thanks, Ms. O. Trying. Trying.
oh shoot, Castillo would have dropped that pop up by Arod.
Ahh, that's Hersheiser.
[48] Nor will they. The sooner you have the patience to accept the things you cannot change, the better. (Not that I can, mind you, but if you can, more power to you.)
Jeter is only 2 hits from 2,800.....I guess it snuck up on me.
Oh, ugly.
But maybe Miller is right, he was going to be safe anyway.
God, shut UP!!!
HE can't GET it!
Pastalunging Jeter?
Jeter CATCHES THE BALL! He's OUT!!!
[55] Pastareaching Jeter; he didn't dive or lunge IMO....He kind of gave up on it.
morgan;s point is good - he took a bad angle to that ball.
BAY has been HITTING for AVERAGE!!!!
Orel surgery.
Orel exam.
Orel sex.
And HERE WE ARE watching BASEBALL!!! The YANKEES and the METS! Baseball was INVENTED by Abner DOUBLEDAY!!! NO one knows quite WHEN, but it was sometime in the NINETEENTH CENTURY!!!! In AMERICA!!!
[60] orel herpes
[60] Orel exams.
Gah. Bah. Dammit.
should russo or gardner have gotten that?
dp time big man.
[59] He's GOING for SPEED.
k will do too - one more big man.
[65] I don't think so. It was too far left for Gardy. Maybe a Bubba Crosby type might have gotten it from left, but expecting an infielder like Russo to get to it is probably too much.
Thanks, Robinson!
Nicely done Big Fella!
[69] yeah - i think that's why jeter went back so far because he figured it would be a tough play for russo.
good to get out of that with mo runs.
[63] Weeping, I already said "orel exams".
I mean, I work hard on this shit. I'm starting to think, "What's the point?"
But I know Ms. Oct appreciates it, so, I keep going.
[73] Hah ahahh h ah ah ha. And so you did. And so you did.
[73] haha, definitely :}
Hello Everybody, and fine night for baseball!
Nice to see CC get out of trouble.
nice hit robbie.
however, everyone who ripped one of those down the 3b line last night had a double. maybe that has more to do with randy winn than cano though.
Oh, fuck.
Sabathia really didn't look as bad as his line in the first
The Williams' sisters are not nearly as good looking as they think they are.
Good for Wakefield. The one Boston I actually like.
What about Orel Roberts= Orel Sex.
[80] They're not exactly scabrous, hook-nosed hags, Mattpat.
Yep. A huge intercity rivalry, we have.
[83] I find them both incredibly unattractive.
[83] They are incredible specimens of womanhood, and I want them on my team in any contact sport.
[80] Hm. I might have to disagree with you there. I'm fond of Venus.
Barajas' deal with Lucifer is still paying dividends.
wow morgan made another good point - arod is playing waaay off the line.
Ruh roh, I may get fangry early tonight.
[87] There have been many occasions on Banter where the obvious double entendre "Aren't we all..." would be unethical, yet satisfying.
This is one of them... >;)
thank goodness for frenchy.
[87] I think Venus is the looker of the two, for whatever thats worth.
Honestly, I think it might just be something with the female tennis player's body type, because I always felt the same way about Graff, Seles, Henin, and a few other of the big stars of the 90s and 00s. They all just do less than nothing for me.
[93] See, now Steffi used to be one of my utter faves.
God, that was pathetic.
Oh, motherfucker.
What sloppy, fucking horse shit!
Lollygagging.
[91] You're such a gentleman.
[93] Really? Does that include Anna Kournikova? C'monnnn...
Where the F was that pitch, blue?
C'mon, CC. Pick the rookie up, get this guy out.
Oh fer...
Two runs.
Un-fucking-necessary.
Anyone else get the feeling that that was the ballgame?
[98] Well, my apologies. My humor can be broad, but I don't usually talk about them here in that manner...
Great, just damn great.
Are those earned runs? That throw was a Russo error wasn't it?
[104] No. Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?!
Reyes would not have scored from first.
Did anyone doubt that the man that has no baserunning prowess would steal against us?
[107] I guess one of them is earned.
ugh - we really don't nee the starting pitching to be suffering right now.
Oy.
What happened to our awesome pitching staff?
*Now* he hits a home run?
Oh, fer fuck's sake
Ugh. So much for Bay not being able to hit home runs this year.
I'm not giving up yet, though. The way things have been going lately...no lead is safe, and no lead is insurmountable.
So we sink deeper into the abyss, do we?
Buckle up, Team, this is going to get fugly.
Tonight and beyond.
[110] That's how I see it. Gameday lists all runs as earned, though.
I mean, when the Mets dominate you...
[104] Um, maybe now?
Way to show up, CC.
Starting pitchers really srewin the pooch of late.
Motherfuckers.
BARKEEP! ...round of john dalys for the banter. yeah. on my tab.
Hey, thanks, NYYfan!
Although the way things are going, I might need a Tiger.
Miller would call it the Queensboro Bridge.
Pinch runner?
Wow, the bat looks really small in CCs hands. And now...a base hit! I bet he wants to steal too.
[121] Thanks.
clink
well that's a plus!
Way to go, Derek.
Base to base, CC. No more Chien-Ming Wangs, please.
bunt
I hope Brett and Teix walk. I don't want to see CC running anymore. (I mean, for his health, although also aesthetically.)
Come on, Brett, get that sweet swing back...
I hope CC knows the signs from the 3rd base coach
Unbelievable.
That's Brett in a real slump, huh?
like i said ... bunt.
thanks a whole fucking lot Slappy ...
What garbage.
[131] Yeah, it was kind of scary seeing CC on the basepaths. He may be a good hitter, but he's sure not a good baserunner.
Dogshit. The lot of youse.
I have two more exams to grade before bed tonight and I'm tempted to do one now, but it seems borderline unethical considering the foul mood our boys have put me in.
We are lost sheep. Get back that swagger.
[140] Have a John Daly or two to lighten your mood.
[140] Orel exams?
[139] I'm thinking a rigged "decimation" ... Randy Winn and Boone NOgan, perhaps???
Oh, come on!
[143] Hehehehhehe. Umm, no, no, those would be written exams; my students are not in my apartment waiting to be orelly examined.
Down 4-0 to Johan?
Sigh...
Good thing I have my scotch--errr, whiskey--ready to hand.
Good grief.
Oh, and female tennis players are pretty hot..Serena, Sharapova, Hingis, Sabatini (yowza!)...
[147] Johan is hittable -- we've hit him, but then couldn't cash. CC got a hit.
[142] Some kind of scotch, I presume?
[149] But Graff was queen.
That SI issue....
I wonder if we can score a run this inning.
[151] Heh, no, it's a joke from earlier in the thread.
Can't wait to watch that show. The adorable thieving family.
The Yankees are in a free fall...the question is how long will it last. The pitching was so good for so long, but now that it is struggling, the offense has to pick it up. The problem with that is only Arod and Cano have stepped up. Because they are managed so poorly, it only makes matters worse.
I never like seeing the boys lose, but watching them underperform like this is really painful. Teix and Jeter are killing us.
[157] Teixeira is pressing, which is a concern, but the much bigger issue is Jeter, who is finally starting to look his age.
"seven pitch inning", Santana "oye como va".
I take it I'm not missing much and should likely call it a night, huh?
On May 24, 2009, the Yankees were 25-19. This year, their record will be 26-18. After such a good start, the Yankees are back in the same boat. Unfortunately, this year, they are six behind the Rays instead of 1 behind Boston, and instead of getting healthy and on the rise, they are plagued by injuries and in free fall.
Meanwhile, how much does this team miss Damon.
well, this sucks.
i liked Graf when i was a kid. anna is unbelievable. sharapova wins. wow. just...wow.
I wonder why the mets have not retired Ed Kranepool's number 7? Why would Reyes have that number?
[161] i miss damon. but, hell, i still miss Moose...
[163] You're joking? Or do you really think that?
[164] It's one thing for us to miss Damon, but it's the team that misses him. The Yankees haven't had a productive 2-hole hitter all season, and now it looks like the team is going to go with the misguided notion of using Gardner there. Also, Damon's ability to come through in big spots took pressure of Tex, who now seems to be wilting under it.
Have we had an update on Posada? Anyone know when he's due back?
don't worry, we'll be in 4th place soon enough... : /
[163] He played his entire career on the Mets and was sort of mascot for the fans during the follies of the early Mets years. He is in the "Mets Hall Of Fame", and still holds some Mets records. I think in deference to Mets history, his number should be retired.
All right, I'm going to grade now.
Be back sometime.
[168] Possibly by the middle of next week. I am not even sure whether to root for the Rays or Red Sox in their upcoming series.
Bye.
Guess the Yankees were just what the Mets needed. Good thing for Cora's error of this would be sweep.
[171] So soon? Doesn't he have a fractured bobe in his foot?
[169] The Mets Hall of Fame honor is enough. He was a league average player at best. Retiring his number would severely diminsih the honor.
[174] BONE......
girardi needs to pick a spot sometime this ½ inning, come out arguing, and get hisself TOSSED. And curse the shite outta the ump on his way out. Then throw some bats and storm down the tunnel.
..it might help and can't hurt (decisions later in this game if we can pull it closer).
Wow..... Robbie usually makes that catch.
That's a catchable ball....Yankees are really playing awful baseball right now. This season has done a complete 180.
Oy, start the circus music. This has been a difficult fortnight of yankee fandom
[174] I was responding to when the Yankees could be a fourth place team. Posada is likely out for a month.
Crud.
[177] What he needs to do is learn how to manage a game.
What a fucking debacle.
evening folks ....
I came in to see Bay's 2nd HR of the night .... ugh
I am sitting here pained by the irony that by "getting younger" with Granderson and Johnson, both are on the DL, while the remaining old guys are looking/acting ... old.
[175] I don't know about that. Kranepool spent 18 years with the Mets, is the team career hits leader. I don't think it would diminish the honor of the retired number...for this team.
[187] He is the career hits leader because he played 18 years and the Mets haven't had many great players spend along time with the team.
Kranepool's line is .261/.316/.377/.693. His OPS+ was 97, which is even less impressive for an outfielder/1B. For persepctive, his top-3 comps are Tito Francona, Jim Spencer and Jay Johnstone.
Retiring Kranepool's number render the honor absolutely meaningless.
i've listened to most of the game on the radio. they said Brains' idol growing up was Melvin Mora. i wouldn't have thought that...
[186] I'm still high on Granderson, he'll be fine. Nick Johnson was one of Cashman's worst signings ever..yes, worse than Igawa (there was at least a chance he could have been good) of Krazy Kyle..100% predictable NJ would get hurt and miss a lot of time.
Glad am not watching this game, losing to the Muts...yuck...
Looks like the Yankees have packed up for the night. Jeter and Tex have probably cost the Yankees 2 or 3 games over the past 15.
cliff just mentioned in his live blog that Gene Monohan went to check on Brains. geno's back? he's healthy?! i had no idea. how'd i miss that? i figured LoHud woulda had something, or i'd see it...somewhere. anyway, i'm glad he's alright!
[190] Agreed...ther Nick Johnson signing has the potential to be even worse than Pavano and Igawa because of the alternatives that were available. Letting Damon go because of Johnson was absurd, and that's before taking into consideration that NJ would miss at least a month or two. Then, when you consider that guys liek Vlad were also available for $5mn, it makes the decision even worse.
I hope the Yankees are putting that extra $7mn they saved to good use because that decision could play a major role in this team not making the post season (and missing out on all the revenue that goes with it).
[192] He's been back part-time for about a month. This is his first "road trip". He hopes to be full-time by mid- June.
Oooh .... Mythbusters marathon on .... guess that will keep me happy ...
bye for now
[194] cool, thanks. i wonder how i missed that...
joe west was right - we are embarrassing and pathetic...
[188] Numbers are not retired on stats alone, his place on the team from the original hapless mets through their two world series wins, and his status with the mets fans. I will let you have the last word on this, but it is certainly debatable.
Well, if nothing else, Jeter has two hits tonight
[198] Other things can go into retiring a number, but the basis is usually performance. Kranepool's numbers are so mediocre that he would have had to make some other major contribution to even begin the discussion.
Also, the Mets only one World Series in his 18 years, and Kranepool only had 4 ABs in it. I can't imagine an argument that would come close to justifying retiring his number, and had never even heard the idea mentioned until you just brought it up.
i call 7 more pitches for the final 7 outs johan needs... : /
[200] Mets have only "won" one World Series...
We need this off day
How is that not a HR?
REVIEW THAT!
that was gone. replay. it was over the line.
goddamn motherfucker!!!
homerun!!!!
if it hits the orange line is it a homer? it should be!
Nothing I hate more than lines on a wall. Stupid shit.
OVER THE LINE! this is not Nam, Smokey.. it's BASEball... there are RULES!
there it is. it's a homerun. has to be. they better turn this around!!!
Moral Orel better be right
[208] it's the Muts, whaddya expect?! ; )
horseshit.
bullshit
Oh well.
[210] my iphone went dead on the radio broadcast. So, it was overturned via instant replay into a HR?
If it hits the line, it's not a home run.
Looks like it hit the line to me.
i guess gazoo decided it's okay to run the bases w/ the oversized helmet. he originally said he'd change to a regular helmet if he got on base...
[216] Not overturned. Ruled a single. Cervelli coulda been running faster.
bollocks.
Guess that qualifies as an offensive outburst for the Yankees. What a devestating last 8 games this has been.
Is it that hard to just have a wall and it it goes over its a HR? Lines on a wall are such bullshit.
I think Cervelli thought it hit the foul pole. It didn't. It hit the wall and bounced back in.
Would probably have been a double if he'd run instead of looking at it. Swisher went first to home, and he's not exactly Brett Gardner.
If I paid $500 to sit behind faux-Mr. Met....
Ah, so now it's 6-1.
Good times.
[223] Which is why I hate when people tell me that the point of Joe Girardi's pinch stand there is to score from first on a gapper.
I could score from first on a gapper.
the Mitre/A-Rod inning
2 innings, 20 pitches. he's done, 'coz he'll have to bat...
[225] hand out any D's to anyone other than the Blankees?
okay... c'mon! 6 outs to get this shite done!
get back 4 runs this inning and then we have ourselves a game!
[226] time for a pinch stand there!
...or not.
For some reason, I saw Thames at the plate and my mind processed Wilson Betemit.
That's terrifying.
Wait, it's the EIGHTH already?
Damn, we've been going down meekly like flies, eh?
[229] fuck it, let's get 6 runs here and then...win!
oy vey
I'm wit'cha!
[231] Hehehehhehh.
[231] yikes. i'm sorry, man. but i can see that happening. a nightmare for sure.
well, it wouldn't have mattered if we had charles gipson to pinch stand there. oh wait, he woulda gotten picked off, so there'd be 2 outs. girardi's a genius!
[237] Sunday night at Wrigley Field...ooooph
I think that was Gardner's best swing in a while.
[238] i remember the play, but never would i have remembered that minutiae...
wow, we're gonna pump johan to 100 pitches. here it comes...
alex'll shorten it up to a 2-run deficit. But I fear Cliff is right in his prediction. I'm angry, too.
FANGRY!
what are you lookin' at, alex???
[240] Gipson's wikipedia page says he helped the Yankees win the pennant that year
that place sounds LOUD!
[240] oh its burned in my memory, the day before someone (I think it was Juan Acevedo, or one of those guys) blew what would've been Clemens' 300th win
[244] what's wiki's definition of "help"?
alright alright alright... c'mon now... DON'T STRAND THESE RUNNERS!
TRIPLE STEAL!!!
[244] HAHA! yeah so did Gabe White
[246] now THAT, i remember. yeah, i think it was Osuna.
what do ya teach, weeping?
i can't effin' stand that staples commercial. godfuckingdamn!
[252] bunting, small ball and that homeruns are rally killers! ; )
wtf has happened to robbie?! : /
goddammit. he had no fuckin chance after going 0-2 in the hole.
SHIT
[246] I always remembered it as Acevedo being released before the ball landed, but he pitched one more game
We really need this day off.
BOOne logan.
Oh good. Boone Logan
[255] yeah, he's only gone .393/.393/.536 over the last 7 days (not including tonite), what a sack of crap ...
NOOOgan!!!
/Colonel Klink
I thought the Mets were supposed to suck even worse than we do?
[261] it's gotta be only when i get to see him bat. it's not often and lately, it's always grounding out to 2nd, or in this case, popping up to 2nd. i should've written:
wtf has happened to robbie when i'm watching him bat?! : /
but, quick on the slash stats of his past week. just keepin' ya on yer toes!
: )
[261] Robbie and Arod are the only two "big" guys who have stepped up when the Yankees have needed them most over the last 10+ days.
The two main culprits over that span have been Jeter and Teixeira. Tex, in particular, has gotten a major pass for his poor performance this season.
[252] History. This grading was for history of Christianity in America.
nicely turned.
at least we won't see that cocksucker, k-rod...
[266] RI and I would fail. ; )
[266] Was the burning down of the convent in Boston by the protestants included in the paper?
[268] Hehheh. I'm all for grade inflation when it comes to my Banter pals, so never fear.
I really think the Yankees dodged a bullet with Beltran
Who's going to step up and carry this baseball team?
now, THAT'S a single!
[272] how much does it pay? i've got a lot of days off this week...
[271] agreed, I was always generally ok with not making that deal.
we all realize this game is gonna end 6-5 right?
Derek, Teix, Alex and Cano are capable of carrying the team, and we can rely on Swish, Gardner and Brains for support.
And yet...
[271] it's true. never woulda guessed that. i've always been a beltran fan. i hope he comes back and mashes (and steals). i still think he'll end up in the 300-300 club i adore so much...
[272] Russo?
[275] i wouldn't be surprised...
[269] Um, no, can't say that it was. :)
[275] I was never that upset either, but over the past couple years he cemented it for me.
yikes!
[274] heheh. Millions and millions and millions of dollars.
neighborhood play. he didn't touch the bag! i wanna see a replay...
any of those smart lil f'ers bring up the conquestadors in FL? or is it all plymouth and the puritans?
Swung at ball four...that's what happens when you have to rely on the Kevin Russo's of thw world.
[283] i'm all about it, dude.
tellin' ya, 6-5...
[285] Yeah, there was stuff on them. (These aren't kids, btw, these are divinity students.)
Something about this screams double play
miller's just not that excited when we do well. i heard some stoopid fox radio host call us the "spankees" before. i can't stand all the public yankee haters. whatever. we're still WORLD CHAMPS!!!
JAY-sus Christ. There is not way Russo should ever have been swinging at that pitch.
K Rod. ugly ear hair havin fucker.
That should come from the bench. "DO NOT SWING UNTIL YOU HAVE 2 STRIKES" WTF. We could have 2 runs now.
[292] There is no way Kevin Russo should be playing for the Yankees, but that's where we find ourselves.
[289] whoops. assumption on my part. Sorry bout that.
Jeez Derek..... take one for the team.
How can Jeter only have 11 ab against this assclown?
And fuck you, assclown. Keep the fucking ball away from our guys' heads.
[298] Four walks
[296] Not at all.
[299] Still. I guess, though, different divisions. Plus the postseason.
[298] 15 ab's. still, i thought it might have been more over the years...
c'mon cap!
3-5 with a double for Jeter
CAP'N!
[289] You teach divinity school?
Crispy fried Christ. I never would have guessed.
Wow, a big hit from the captain!
'Bout bloody time.
Keep it UP, fucking boys!
a pinch stand there woulda scored, instead of miranda...
well alright!
[302] especially when you consider there were plenty of times since 2002 where the Angels had a lead on the Yanks in the 9th inning
Yahoo!
Afraid Gardner isn't who I wanted to see here, but maybe the worm is due to turn ...
yeah, i'd rather have damon here. or swisher. even nj...
let's go, gritner!
Gardner's down to .296?
Have to swing at that
christ
No way
[305] Well, that's just one gig. I'm a TF which means I do the discussion sections and the grading (not the lectures). But yes, I teach the godly.
OHHH, FUCKK!!!!!!
NOOOOOOOOOO!
bullshit. he was SAFE!!!!
replay, please
He looked safe to me.
How does that look on replay?
Putting Gardner in the two-hole has been an absolute killer. It's yet another way that Girardi has only made this bad stretch worse.
Kick his ass, Joe!
his foot was off the bag.
i think...
safe!
when I was in little league they used to say "tie goes to the runner". I've never actually seen that though.
Yeah, he got him.
Not so sure. I might agree with Joe Morgan
okay, okay.
3-RUN BOMB!!!
do it, Alex!!!!
Fuck, Teix, you're killing us. Very lucky break.
Come on, Alex. Please. Be a hero.
Morgan is an idiot. SAFE!
Bang bang, but looked out.
Weird AB by Teix.
C'mon A-Rod.
[321] He's actually hit better in the 2 hole than batting 9th; though, generally speaking, I'd love to see someone else there, it's just hard with a short lineup.
Alex, it always comes down to Alex ...
Heal? What about his toe?
you knew it had to end like this
Oh God.
PST
It was real close. If this were football, there would be not enough evidence to overturn the call on the field.
I'd pitch around Alex and go after Cano.
AGGGGGHHHHH!!
That was the pitch.
Another one to hit.
Teixeira couldn't do this?
[338] nope, THAT was the pitch.
damn, just got under it...
It's funny how Cano always hits worse with RISP. Been that way ever since he was called up. HBT called him a choker.
Way to fight it off, Alex.
Beautiful.
sterling is a little pathetic when he's in the booth by himself. Like a straight man w/o his stooge. Just sayin...
This is drama. Doesn't get any better.
regardless of what happens here, I think A-Rod is on the verge of an insane stretch
this is an electric battle
[346] I think the team as a whole is
[346] He is looking good, that's for sure.
motherfucker.
fuck
Can someone tell me what the fuck the point of Ramiro Pena was?
fuckin' eh
[352] To stand there, of course.
even so, if this is rock bottom I'll take it
Great AB by Arod...one of the few Yankees who shouldn't feel shame about the way he has played this past week.
[352] to stand there in a pinch.
Well, that's an 8 day stretch worth forgetting ... with extreme prejudice.
Last year's team finished off these comebacks. This year's team seems to keep coming up short. The vibe around this team isn't very good right now. Thank goodness for the wild card because the Rays are off to the races.
Also, at 5-10 in the last 15, it's time to stop saying the Yankees have played well despite injuries. Instead, the truth is they have failed to step up despite having several big names to pick up the slack.
night all, enjoy the day off, I figure we *all* need one at this point.
how the hell did the blue jays play 3 more games than the yanks?
[355] It's pretty fucking lousy but yes, it's better than 11-19.
Bah, Arod had a good at bat, but not to be.
5-10 in the last fifteen games, and Minny is lying in wait. No rest for the weary.
[361] nvm. it's 2 games.
Frankie's played seven days in a row! Wow. That's not good.
If the Yankees don't make the playoffs in two of his three seasons, does one World Championship save Girardi's job?
Probably.
[366] This is a man who is so brilliant (just ask him) that he puts in a pinch runner and THEN stands around and waits for the three run HR.
We need that kind of strategist in the Yankee dugout
It all began so well, but what an end:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X03uSwM07_A
[361] Domed stadium.
I really wish the new Yankee Stadium had a retractable roof. I think it can be a real advantage, not to have to play makeup games at the end of the season.
Not to mention the hassle, when fans drive for hours to get to the stadium, only to find the game has been called.