You couldn’t really have asked for much more than Friday night’s game delivered: a tense pitching duel; Alex Rodriguez coming up big in what for him was a grudge match against his former skipper; a little bit of hit-batsman antagonism with Vicente Padilla, but everything kept safely below the waist; CC Sabathia coming up big and striking out his last man in the eighth; Mariano Rivera coming in to face Manny Ramirez, who had an RBI single and a dropped fly ball earlier in the game, and striking out the side to pick up the save with no margin for error in a 2-1 win. It won’t get better than that, so I hope you all stayed up for it.
In fact, with A.J. Burnett on the mound this evening, things could get a lot worse in a hurry. Burnett has gone from poor to awful in June, providing a counterweigh to Sabathia’s strong month by going 0-4 with a 10.35 ERA in four starts while allowing nine home runs in just 20 innings pitched, inflating his season ERA by a run and a half in the process. Part of Burnett’s inconsistency is that you don’t expect his struggles to last long, either, but it seems as though each of Burnett’s starts this month has been worse than the last (not exactly true, but close), and with Dave Eiland on leave for a personal matter there are some have begun to wonder if Mike Harkey isn’t up to the task of getting Burnett back on track, while others, including the general manager, are wondering if Burnett is tipping his pitches.
To make matters worse, the pitcher opposing Burnett this evening, Hiroki Kuroda, is just the kind of crafty, off-speed groundballer prone to giving the Yankees fits. Even if he wasn’t, his success this season speaks for itself (3.06 ERA, 2.92 K/BB, career-best 7.1 K/9). In stark contrast to Burnett, Kuroda has been aces in his last three starts, the last two of which have come against the best offense in each league, the Reds and Red Sox, in those teams’ hitting-friendly ballparks. In total, Kuroda has posted a 0.95 ERA with 23 Ks in 19 innings against just four walks and no homers in those three starts (the third of which came at home against the Cardinals, who have some dangerous hitters themselves). That line works out to a 10.9 K/9 and 5.75 K/BB to go with that sub-1.00 ERA and 0.89 WHIP.
Gulp.
Jorge Posada, who fouled a pitch off his healing right foot last night but stayed in the game, gets the night off. Francisco Cervelli hits seventh ahead of Brett Gardner and Burnett. Curtis Granderson remains in the two-hole. Nick Swisher bats sixth.
The good news is that, if the Yankees do drop this game, as it seems they’re likely to do, it sets up a hell of a rubber game on ESPN tomorrow night with the Dodgers’ young lefty ace Clayton Kershaw facing off against veteran southpaw Andy Pettitte, who thus far is having his finest season as a Yankee at the age of 38. Well, that and the fact that you won’t have to stay up ’til 1am to watch the carnage tonight.
I predict AJ will be very good. This is the day!
2) I'm with you. I don't know why, exactly. Maybe it's because it's not like AJ can be much worse, so damn the torpeedos, go git 'em, Hoss!
Ha, yeah, he couldn't be worse. Eiland and Burnett sounded fairly excited about his progress, too -- but where did I read that? I forget.
Can we hit Kuroda though? I have no guess. Wait, yes, I guess that A-Rod can hit him...
"I have to admit, it's getting better..."
Pedroia's on the DL. His foot is broken.
Just like Jorge -- they said first "the x-rays don't show any breaks." In Pedroia's case, they did find the fracture right away. So, Angel Sanchez is jetting his way from Pawtucket.
That's a lot of hitting the Sox lose for at least 15 days.
Francisco Cervelli hits seventh ahead of Brett Gardner and Burnett. Curtis Granderson remains in the two-hole. Nick Swisher bats sixth.
Girardi is a mysterious wizard.
Oh goddamn it, fucking Fox today.
[6] Hahhahahhah!! He is that.
I'm just airing for Rogers Sports Net to get around to cutting to the ball game. Maybethey cut at 7:00, maybe at 7:10, maybe 7:30. You never know, and that just adds to the excitement of the game.
Hey, there'a the game!
Nice AB by Jeter.
Did mccarver just say "waddling in mediocrity"?
[7] I hate Fox. Gawd, they're talking about ancient game shows and "celebrities" no one ever heard of.
But we're lucky. We always get to watch our team. Most of the rest of the country gets blacked out on Saturdays, and has to watch the game Fox picks for them.
Double steal? Not normally with your #3 hitter up, but this might be a good opportunity.
YESSSSSSS!!
Evening, banterers.
A happy birthday to the cap'n.
A Teix message!
Ok, maybe the double steal is not the right move.
Well, they're giving AJ a lead...
[15] I can't believe he's 36. Holy cow.
I'm sorry, I can't help but saying this, but is there any chance AJ doesn't give it right back in the bottom half?
Arod roped that.
[11] I don't know, I muted their asses. Was listening to some guy play the bassline of "No Reply" on youtube.
[18] I can't believe that i saw him play inn Columbus! Holy Cow.
Go Go Teix!
[9] Usually they always have a game on here when the pitcher is Japanese, but not today..doesn't matter anyways, just got the call from Home Base, urgent assignment came in, and an ACME Investigator never sleeps! So it's Yahoo Japan cell-phone updates for me today!
Oh AJ..please try and throw strikes. Please!
[19] What makes AJ so frustrating to watch is that you can't gauge anything by how he throws early, even if he goes through the first 1-2-3. He's the type of pitcher who could throw 5 perfect innings and then utterly implode in the 6th.
Tim just said Eiland is on bereavement leave, which is the closest I've heard anyone come to explaining why he's gone. Was that a misunderstanding on Tim's part or did he say something he shouldn't have?
[24] Good question.
Umm, the point is he swung at that pitch because he's lost, you fucking maroon!
Of course.
Don't fucking pitch to Manny.
Obviously.
He can't get anybody out.
So we're going to have to win this game 8-7, right?
I can't watch this.
Oooof.
Thank God Gardner caught up to that.
God, this guy is just torture to watch!
Goddamn it, he was out.
Yaayy!!
We still have the lead!
So, the Dodgers seem to rival the Yankees in terms of base running savvy.
Another example of what makes AJ so maddening. Obviously he didn't want to walk the 8-hitter on 4 pitches with the pitcher up next, so that would indicate that he simply can't control his pitches.
Jesus, AJ is aggrivating. Four pitch walk to the 8 hitter? Sheeeet.
He's going to give up the lead right here...
Nice work, AJ.
[39] Yeah, I was envisioning a little opposite field flare. Fortunately, it wasn't to be.
Hey, whadda ya say!
C'mon, Jetes!
Predictable...and GOOD!
Hey! A line drive from Derek!!
Yaayyy!!!
Ummm, no he doesn't idiot.
Let's go Curtis, no dp...
McCarver sounds like Don Knotts.
No, DP, No, DP...
Nice, Curtis!
[45] and a couple more last night. Maybe he's coming out of his funk.
[51] Dear Lord, I hope so!
Oh, Alex leave that 1-0 pitch alone...
What??
Alex isn't afraid of being jammed but others are?
What's McCarver's point?
Sloppy motherfuckers...we'll take it.
HAHAHAHAHAAHH1!!!!!
Wow, somehow the Yankees scored on that nonsense.
Man, these two bozos are hard to take. Two poor abs for Robbie...sigh.
Why does he miss by ten feet?
Fucking AJ, man....
What are we going to do with this guy? He's intolerable.
They give away a run so AJ decides to walk the leadoff guy on four pitches.
When I die, I want my obituary to read, "He died in part due to complications from watching AJ Burnett pitch once a week for 5 years."
"and I may be overstating it: "it would be an injustice to baseball and America" if Strasbourg doesn't make the all-star game.
Really, McCarver, are you maybe overstating?
[62] :)
Amen.
Fucking guy...
Either, 3 run dinger, I'm calling it.
Somebody shoot me, please.
Is this fuckermother on the take, or what?
[61] well clearly AJ can't pitch to Frankie.
I meant Manny.
Are you guys seeing this?
Or am I imagining it all?
Somewhere on the bench Jorge is smiling to himself.
Better than a three-run dinger. I'll take it.
[65] You meant Manny?
Man, my [1] was not exactly prescient, huh?
Ball one.
the man is useless...
Grrrrrrrrrrr...
It's OK, I've been waiting for my Chad Gaudin fix this week.
[63] Amusing that the comparison was to Dontrelle Willis.
I'd fucking pull him, I don't give s shit. The man is simply not competing.
Ball one..
Dang, the three-run dinger would have been good. Would have killed their rally at least.
[80] yep. AJ just doesn't think out there...that's when you have to lose the battle to win the war.
More seriously, as frustrating as he isAJ has never beenthis bad for this long in his career. Is he hurt?
All right, this should be his last batter.
Enough is enough.
[81] He's not hurt, he's tipping pitches, remember? The other players just happen to know how to swing at pitches left right over the plate on 3-1 counts.
Too late to get someone up now.
Either pull him RIGHT NOW or concede the baseball game.
GODFUCKINGDAMNIT!!
WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU LOOKING AT, JOE????
EX
Thank god we have Boone Loganto step into the breach.
CRUC
I
A
TING!
Nice break.
A base hit from Kuroda here really would be the final indignity.
If AJ gets out of this and then his spot comes up next inning, I mean, you've got to pinch hit for him, right?
He can't even throw an intentional walk.
And ball one to the pitcher.
And ball two to the pitcher.
I agree with Tim. Kuroda should just stand there. The odds of him throwing 3 strikes before 2 more balls is low.
BOOOOOOOOOOOO
Now what happens?
It's hard to believe we're in this game at all.
[91] Yes, for sure.
Tim has his disappointing first-round exits mixed up.
Ha.
Dude is just preternaturally fast.
I love Brett Gardner. Every play could be a base hit.
Brett Gardner bends light.
Girardi, what the fuck?
Why not in June?
This is interesting. Surely Gardner has to be running, right?
Is this some kind of "I want to see if he straightens out" psychology things?
I don't really want Swisher getting fancy on the basepaths, Tim.
Now THAT was the best use of Gardner's speed.
A complete waste. Gardner could have stolen the base himself.
It's really gonna be frustrating if they can't cash in here
I hate this game.
[111] It's really frustrating.
I don't get the strategy here. Why carry a 13-man pitching staff if you're going to screw around like this? Burnett is not going to turn things around, and you just cost yourself a run by letting him "bat" as well.
God, why is he still out there?
Somebody do something!
If Gardner could do that, he would bat .700.
That was a strike.
Not to take AJ off the hook here, but this umpire's strike zone is the size of a postage stamp.
It's not about whether he bats or doesn't bat!
It's about why the fuck is he still pitching???
[114] I think they have a twelve man staff (or did they call up someone else since they are skipping Hughes) but your larger point is taken.
[115] Once he wasn't PH for, you have to figure he's still in there for another two innings, or at least that is what Girardi is hoping.
Buck's a drooling idiot.
He shouldn't have asked about pinch hitting AJ, he should have asked what the fuck Joe is playing at leaving him on the mound!
[120] No, I know, it's just the sight of him out there was more than I could bear.
Boone Logan couldn't have done this?
NOW he pulls him.
What the mother fuck?
[121] it's the same question, no?
Girardi=EPIC FAIL.
I sure hope william isn't watching this, poor man.
I pretty much blame this all on Cervelli.
[120] You're right, it is now a 12-man staff. Still! Ugh!
We need to slip a sheet in Girardi's binder that says if a guy is getting torched, has walked 5 guys in 3 innings, and is due up in a key RBI spot with a rested bullpen, pull him.
[125] But he didn't get a real answer out of Joe re: why he wanted AJ to keep pitching. Joe was able to talk about the move as an offensive one without having to explain what he was thinking leaving AJ in regardless of when he was due to bat.
In other words, why didn't he pull him in the previous inning and why did he not expect to pull him anyway in the following one.
And yet, as of right now, anyway, we're only behind by one run.
RAB reported that the Mariners are scouting the Yankees' farm system. This seems particularly relevant today, somehow.
Is there any chance Manny won't go yard here?
So Buck says that Boone Logan is filling Phil Coke's role. Should we call him Logy? Or Loogy? Hey, thence would be Loogy the Loogy!
Well, we kept him in the park!
[134] hahhahhah ahhaha haha h!
Nice throw, Swish...way to salvage something out of this shitstorm.
Wow!
They're really trying to keep us in the game, these LA's.
"Steve Swisher"?
[130] buck's question implicitly asked what you are asking, that is, why have you not pulled AJ. He just let him wriggle out of it by not following up on Girardi's predictably evasive answer. But then again, you can't really expect to get hard biting journalism during these fluff mid inning interviews.
Boone Logan.
[140] Right. I just think he should have forced Girardi to answer by asking what we all actually want to know, namely, some variation on "Hey, Joe, what the fuck?"
This is getting downright unsightly...
Arrrghhh. AJ could have done this.
Long day for me.
For some reason, the Sox are on Fox, so EI is blocked out... so no TV for me.
Dustpan Pedroia is out for 2 month with Posada foot.
Buchholz hyper extended his knee in the 1st inning tonight. He should be out a while.
So.... that's some good news.
If Boone gets out of this without another run, Yanks come back and win.
145) Shame on you, and double jinx and knocking on wood. That's bad karma, dude.
Second, bro, you are lucky NOT to be watching this. AJ would have had you throwing bolos. Really, really ugly, game. Actually, down 3-0 is pretty good all considered...
Hahahah!!
They're cute!
Wow, Reggie and Lasorda...who is a bigger asshole?
Listen to Reggie's trash talk!
I like how A Rod is swinging the bat...
There's a boy, Robbie!
[149] tough call.
Other than the usual AJ Burnett nonsense, I still don't understand the point of Boone Logan
Hey Tommy, member the second time Reggie faced Welsh, you fat fuck?
Reggie's actually coming off as humble in this interview.
[134] Coke's job was to come in and give up a HR to a lefty. Boone comes in to walk people. Different jobs.
[155] Hey, that's the Baseball Wizard you're talking about!
[157] Hehehehehhheheh. Indeed.
How is the Dodger's bullpen?
Damn. And that's that.
And to think that somewhere, on some channel, Vin Scully is calling this very game.
AJ was terrible again, but the managing by Girardi has been a joke. Letting Burnett hit in the fourth inning was lunacy.It's a shame this team is burdened by such a poor manager.
Good heavens, can't they just call the damn game. Do we need one asshole after another interviewed in the booth during the action?
[164] It's Fox, what do you want, Vin Scully?
[165] well played. Meanwhile, I have completely lost track of this game. Are the Yankees rallying?
How is this game only in the 6th inning? It has no flow whatsoever.
Sigh.
Ahhh...the chess match is on...
[166] Meh. Derek just K'd with one out, first and second. Jorgie batting for Granderson now.
One pitch, out number three.
Nicely, done, Jorge.
How do you pinch hit for Granderson? I get the logic behind it, but if you are going to pull him in the sixth inning, why the hell is he batting second.
Girardi's stamp is all over this game, and as usual it is decidedly negative.
That was a short rally. I really hope girardi leave Posadamin the game and double switches out Cerveli. Downby three, they should go with offense on the off chance that Posada gets another meaningful AB.
Quick check-in from the stakeout..still only mid-6th? Good job eating some innings AJ...sigh...
Did Joe Buck or Timmah ask LaSorda about his name being in the john list for the Hollywood Madam? I would pay money to see that interview..
Ah, Park, you're just in time to help 'em blow it open!
[173] He just wanted the opportunity to pull a double switch. Otherwise how will anyone know he's there?
[173] I can see starting Granderson against the RHP and maxing his platoon split by batting him up in the lineup...in the abstract. But why move Swisher down? And why bat Cervelli anywhere except eighth? And if Swisher is going to get pulled out of the two spot, why is Gardner still relegated to the bottom of the lineup?
[175] Hahahhhahah!!!! Umm, no, they did not ask him that! hHhahahahahah!
[178] Because the Wizard works in Mysterious Ways, and that's why.
That's all you know on earth and all you need to know.
I really hope someone grills Girardi about his moronic decision to let Burnett hit in the fourth. It was a game changing blunder.
Hi folks .... just got in .... I know I've missed another sucktastic AJ start.
Did we all see that Dusty will be out 4-6 weeks with a fractured foot?
[181] Especially since he had such a short leash with AJ in the bottom of the inning.
[179] I'd so love Joe Buck to ask him about his "performance" in that area...
Ok, back to work! Yanks win on a 9th-inning tater by A-Rod off of Broxton!
This game is not giving me much to latch onto to remain hopeful.
Garrett Anderson is still playing?
Oh, good
Because it wouldn't be an appearance by CHP without a run scoring.
Are we having fun yet, Team?
Oh, ffs.
oooh .... Colin Curtis with a Mannyesque move ...
Well, that wasn't the most athletic of moves by Colin
Oh, I missed that Gardner was shifted over.
That was the kid.
He gets a pass.
Looked strange to see Gardner be so boneheaded.
any update on Dave Eiland?
How long does the Chan Ho Park experience last this season?
I'll give Curtis a pass on that play...the kid tried to hard to make a play, but that doesn't surprise given his role on the team.
I guess the Yankees now accept playing like crap every handful of games?
[194] Mark Feinsand of the Daily News tweeted a little while ago that anytime reporters bring it up, Girardi shuts it down.
[197] Aside from the fact that I think it should stay a private matter, I think its ridiculous that people want to make AJ's nonsense Mike Harkey's fault
With Burnett pitching so horrendously, the Eiland absence has become very relevant to the Yankees performance. It's time to hire a new pitching coach if Eiland wont be back soon.
[198] It's not Harkey's fault because he isnt a pitching coach. If the pitching coach plays no role in correcting the mechanics of a struggling pitcher, then what exactly do they do?
Oh good, we get be haunted by Jeff Weaver now.
Ye gods, I hadn't realized Jeff Weaver was back in the big leagues.
[199] I don't know about that. The other 4 pitchers are doing pretty well. Besides, how would AJ's fragile psyche handle advice from an "outsider"?
C'mon Gazoo!
Great idea by Girardi to put one of his better hitters at the end of the lineup. Can't wait to see Curtis batting second.
Wait, that's Jeff Weaver out there?
What's he still doing around?
[203] A pitching coach's job seems to be putting out fires. The Yankees have a raging one right now, but no one is around to dose the flames.
Robertson is really going to come into a 9-4 game...after Chan Ho Park was allowed to blow the game up?
[206] He's got a 3.22 ERA.
Beats me how.
Weird!
Flashback to 2003.
If only Joe had taken the ball from him back then.
He pulls him from a 9-4 game, but leaves him in during extra innings of a World Series game.
That was the Jeff Weaver that I remember.
[207] Is it that Harkey is just doing nothing, though? Or that Burnett, at 33 years old and 11 years in the league needs to be coddled and only Eiland knows how to do that? If its the latter, we're in a lot of trouble.
[211] and that is the Joe Torre that I remember.
Hmmm .... Carlos Zambrano for AJ Burnett ... won't happen, but would be INTERESTING.
Remember when Torre went out to get Moose, and he yelled at him to "Get back in there!"
For years on Extra innings I watched in awe as the Cardinals and Giants (and it was always the Cards and Giants) ran out bench players I've never ever heard of.
The Yankees have become that team.
[213] but I thought that it was only Frankie Ceevelli who knew how to whisper sweet nothings in AJ's ear...or was that Molina?
[213] That's my problem here. The Burnett/Eiland thing sounds like the girl who's in a relationship a guy who can't make decisions unless he consults with his mother first.
[213] Eiland has worked with Burnett for over a year. I don't think that familiarity can be discounted. Also, there has to be some skill to being a pitching coach. If anyone can fill the role, why bother paying Eiland in the first place.
[216] Oh, that was just beautiful!
And so he scurried off, deferentially raising his hands!
Torre really, really wants this game, huh?
At least the game has been played at a nice crisp pace.
Considering the low standard the Yankees have for their manager, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that they have just plugged Harkey in as the pitching coach.
[222] Girardi doesn't want it, so Torre might as well take it.
[220] If you look at his career numbers, except for his walk year, he never wins more than 13 games. Electric stuff, and he only wins 12-13 games a year? What we're seeing this season has to be more than just a pitching coach not being here.
[215] I don't believe in team chemistry. I think its absurd to suggest that someone would stop hitting because they don't like someone else on the team.
But I think Carlos Zambrano is a borderline violent lunatic that we don't need right now
[225] He is pitching to a 10 ERA over his last 5 starts. This is more than AJ's normal inconsistency.
Jeter definitely looks 36. He has had yet another awful game.
This game started off so well for Jeter
And Derek continues to struggle.
[226] plus the trade doesn't really solve anything. It's not like Zambrano is cheap or is pitching well as a starter...indeed, he's not even a starter right now.
[231] Well he's nothing right now
Because of Arrested Development, I think of G.O.B whenever I hear "The Final Countdown"
"Home plate was moved back twenty feet?"
Wtf does that mean?
What's he talking about?
Has Robertson always pitched this slowly?
I always love when a pitcher busts out an unidentifiable pitch
I agree with William, how is CHP ahead of D-Rob on the bullpen depth chart?
[234] the fences at dodger stadium were deeper in the old days by about 20 feet, though i think they actualy moved the fences in rather than move home plate up. Interestingly, when they remodeled Yankee stadium, they moved the plate closer to the fences and then added more seating around the infield. Thus the distances to the fence were shortened but there was still more or less the same distance behind home pelt to the backstop.
[237] he's not ahead, he is the Long Man (TM). thus he must come in the cam in the middle innings.
[220] Tradition? Most pitching coaches aren't worth much.
[238] Ahh, thanks.
[220] And what if Eiland never comes back? Is Burnett going to keep pouting? What if they hire a new coach and AJ decides he likes him *less* than Harkey? Should Burnett be given input into any potential new hire?
[242] You're killing me! Oh, god, it's so comical, isn't it?
“I was just trying to attack and get early contact. Not trying to blow it by them or get in strikeout counts so I can strike them out. It was pretty much attacking guys and pitching to contact and trusting my stuff.” - AJ Burnett
Well, there's your problem, a strikeout pitcher is "pitching to contact." Remember when Cone supposedly tried this with less than desirable results?
[244] And he still walked six.
[242] Burnett is part of the issue, but at some point, not having a pitching coach has to become an issue. Otherwise, just eliminate the position.
[246] No one else seems to be having any issues with the interim pitching coach we have
Well, that sucked. See you guys tomorrow. Enjoy the rest of your Saturday!
[247] Because no one else has issues. That's like saying there is no need for a fireman because no one has a fire.
What a long, dreary game.
[249] Javier Vazquez was getting knocked around left right and sideways. That wasn't an issue? Sabathia was coming off a month where he was giving up homers by the assload and striking no one out.
[246] They should eliminate the position; they really don't make much of a difference.
[251] It was an issue and Eiland was around to help iron him out. Maybe you're right and the pitching coach is irrelevant. If that's the case, just get rid of the position altogether.