Andy!!

Nice play, Andy.

wow, what a defensive play by pettitte! makes a good throw, too.

wish grandy caught that drive though.

need a big K right here. longo doesn't see andy well, so it's quite possible...

oh no. hit him. had him 0-2. pena's got 5 homers off andy...

[4] 6 homers...

: (

Alright, time to go buy some produce and steak for dinner. I'll be back in a bit, whence I can amuse you by asking "How are we in the lead? ZOMG, Gardner hit a five run HR?"

If Pena ever enters the Home Run Derby, Pettitte should be his pitcher :-(

Will the Yanks score 4 today? Or is this one already over?

Well, I hope the bats show up today. Tampa is clearly the team to beat in baseball though, and I hate to say it

not so dandy, thus far...

This sucks. I was hoping I wouldn't have to do yard work until at least 4. Looks like I'll be starting soon. Bollocks!

Jeez, the game's hardly started and it's already 3-0?

The events of this weekend is probably why Cashman was willing to give up Montero for Cliff Lee.

First game in a while I've had the chance to sit down and watch live and now I wonder if I should just do something else.

Oh, come ON!

Andy making AJ look effective.

Two defensive gems this inning and yet still three runs, two men on.

*nice* catch, a-rod!

but, goddamn, they're scorching andy...

Thank goodness they bunter for an out, otherwise, who knows what this inning would look like.

Is something wrong with Andy? This is getting ugly fast.

All right, that's all they're getting.

Get to work, sticks.

thank goodness, that friggin' frame is finished...

[20] Nah. It's hot. It's the first inning. They're a good team. GRanderson misplayed a ball (a well-struck one, but still, could have been caught).

Andy'll recover.

OK Andy, don't trip in the clubhouse!

ok, give price something to think about here yanks.

I'M FUCKING SORRY, DEREK IS KILLING ME!!!!!!!!!!

jeter vontinuing his mission to make this offseason as tricky as possible.

Derek is finished unless he revises his strategy. This is ridiculous.

Jeter's new nickname should be "one pitch, one out". It's incredible that he continues to hack away.

[24] nice.

jeter...1st pitch...grounds to second...

price...

lester in 10 mins for the shit sox...

continuing

Well fucking struck!!

(Why was Upton playing so shallow?)

Would Girardi ever have the cojones to bat Jeter ninth?

swish-a-roony!

upton doing a nice granderson imitation there...

[33] never in a bajillion years.

played scrabble with my ma last nite. thought of you...

[33] No, but neither would I. Jeter's performance warrants being moved to the bottom of the lineup, but he still merits every last opportunity to work things out. His hack attack approach, however, is not working because it really is not Jeter.

C'mon, Alex, tie it up, bail Andy out.

Fuck, Alex' OBP is .345!

What the hell is going on this year?

dear alex,

please tie the game here.

thanks man,
thelarmis.

Arod's drives are just missing that something extra. I think his hip has clearly limited him, and will limit him.

Ok, Robbie, chill out.

Focus.

Breathe.

a lot of the times, those a-rod pop-ups, travel over the wall. that one, however, did not... (sigh)

[40] I think you're absolutely right about that.

[36]

I meant only as a way for him to work it out with less pressure in the lineup.

i'm glad robbie's up.

we can still tie this bitch up...

GOOD eye, Robbie!

Good cut, Robbie!

Hang in!

Good cuts.

FUCKING beautiful, Robbie!!!!!!!!!!

robbie!

That's really a massive hit by Robbie.

Just got back from running errands around town. Listened to the Mud Hens SWB Yankees game. Kevin Russo, over two games, has struck out 5 straight times.

Robbie!

Love me sorme Robbie. Damn he's good.

Fucking inspired ab.

ROBBIE!!!

Imagine if ole one-pitch-one-out had, I don't know, worked the count, maybe?

ok, something else is on hold, good job sticks.

Motherfucker went up there with a plan.

My, how Robbie has grown.

Andy's curve looks kind of goofy!

Wtf were those first two?

Jeter is seeing 3.53 pitches per appearance, lowest (by far) since 3.52 in 2000.

Career rate is 3.74
Last year was 3.84

Aggggh.

He's just missing.

Fuck.

Great. Walk the 9 batter. : (

I hope Andy finds it soon because Price probably will.

Thanks for a piss-poor ab, Upton.

[29][33] etc,

Yeah, jeter is killing me too, and I usually defend him to the end.

[36] Girardi has to think abut dropping Jeter from the lead off spot, though.

Interestingly, Jeter's swing first ask questions later strategy seemed to work lat year, but obviously the league has caught on OR he has lost even a bit more bat speed. Either way, I agree with you, he needs to adjust what he is doing, especially if he is going to stay in the lead off spot.

Good punch out by the man in blue.

[60] Every micro-split for Jeter tells a concerning tale. Earlier in the year, I suggested that Jeter seemed as if he no longer trusted his bat speed, turning him into a more aggressive hitter. He seems to increasingly start his swing before recognizing the pitch, and also appears happy to swing at any fastball.

[65] I'm inclined to believe it's his batspeed.
Not sure, but would that account for the preponderance of weak-ass grounders?

Walk Pena. Oy! This is ugyl.

Gah!

I crawled out of bed for this?

All right, Andy.

Here's the ballgame; you can do it.

Well, that was an interesting pickoff play ...

Ouch, dangerous pitch.

Nice pitch, Andy.

Here we go...

Clapclapclapclapclapclap...

YEAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!

Nice, Andrew.

Nice recovery, Andy.

There's my boy!

[64] Jeter didn't really swing at the first pitch as much last season. Since 2007, he has swing at the first pitch 90, 86, 87 and now 65 times, putting him on pace for 117 times.

Hey, it's Thames! Is he still on this team?

He could actually hit one out against this guy.

In fact, I think he will.

Nice job, Thames.

Bunt!!!

[79] I thought, however, that he swing at the first pitch disproportionately in the first inning last season, though I may be having a selected memory moment.

Why is he swinging?

What possible good can he do swinging?

[79]
I THINK you are looking at what HAPPENS when he puts first pitch in play.

2010's slash stats on the first first pitch seen marks his lowest mark in his career.

http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/udBuy

Now I see Andy's dastardly plan ... pitch long innings so that Price can't find his rhythm!!!

Brilliant!

I think the Yankees have a problem on their hands with Granderson.

Why did we just throw away an out by letting Granderson swing?

yeah, bunt there w/ curtis? i think i would have.

Longoria is a great defensive third baseman.

That's on fucking Joe.

Granderson should have sacrificed, allowing the opportunity for Gardner to hit a flare somewhere to score Thames.

Wtf?

[89] I mean, the dude can't hit lefties, let alone a tough lefty, so what possible outcome could Joe have been looking for?

Granderson is killing me even more than Jeter---at least Jeter has built up some collateral over the years.

[85] Right, those are times he actually puts the ball in play, which I think is still a good barometer.

[93] That's another way to look at it, of course. For me, I never expected anything from Granderson, don't know him, have no feelings about him one way or the other.

Derek is letting me down, and that hurts.

("But I still have these cuts on my hands to remind me." Fucking Sideshow AJ.)

[86] : )

Sideshow AJ ... great moniker!

[95] i've long been a grandy fan and was super psyched we got him. needless to say, i haven't been rather thrilled though...

[98] ;)

[95] I have a hard time holding a player aging against him, so I don't see Jeter as "letting me down." But his frequent out-making is certainly causing me pain.

As for Granderson, yeah, I probably don't feel too much about him one way or another. I will say that I was in the great minority here who was extremely skeptical of the trade for him. So I could crow about that, but to be fair, I warmed up to him early in the year before he really started to slump.

[99] He's a delightful human, though, so I am glad he's on the team. Also, he plays a serviceable CF and he runs like a motherfucker so I can't be too down on him.

That was pathetic by Kay. And then he wonders why people call him an apologist.

[101] Could crow, but you won't. Mr. Magnanimity, mp.

[103] I'm listening to the Rays broadcast. Very nice, actually.

[103] I tuned him out; what'd he say?

Apologist for AJ, I gather?

[104] I spell sarcasm, even over the internet.

I meant that I have no real right to crow since I have not been consistent in my evaluation of Grandy. He won me over early this season...there must have been some leftover kool-aid.

Yanks starters were dominant on west coast trip because of the "competition", in part.

[105] [106] He basically said AJ didn't really do anything wrong , but rather it was just bad luck that there happened to be some plexiglass on the wall he decided to slap.

The Yanks bullpen vs. David Price is not a comforting thought. Unless Andy can get through the next 4 innings in 40 pitches or so. Which is not happening.

[108] I know, I'm just teasing you.

[109] Hahahhaahhahah!

Uh-oh.

Yep...this why the Yankees were hot for Cliff Lee.

[111] yeah, he's already thrown 724 pitches.

FUCK!!!! please don't be hurt... : ~

FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK.

Not your day, Andy.

Get 'em next time.

oh no. that's it.

he's got an injury. groin maybe...

Ruh roh.

Groin strain perhaps?

All of a sudden, the Yankees season could be on the verge of collapse.

left groin, is my guess.

fuckity fuck fuck.

[119] Hey, fuck off with your voodoo! Whose side are you on, anyway?

looks like it's gonna be d-rob...

this really really sucks. really sucks.

OK, I have lunch plans...and this game is starting to make me lose my appetite. Later, all.

David Robertson is coming in.

[124] easy.

[124] The YES announcers said it was either a groin or hamstring.

Hey, Girardi doing the "leverage" reliever move ... good!

Smart move by Girardi. You use your best reliever to get out of this jam and then base the next decision on how the Yankees fare against Price over the next few innings.

This Blimpie commercial is perhaps the "cheesiest" (no pun intended), worst one out there.

I know, I know, it was the word "injury" I objected to!
"Injury" suggests something sinister to me, long-term.
This? It's like he just stubbed his toe.
No worries, no voodoo, no hexes.

shit sox already up 1-0. lester on the bump...

I'm surprised they didn't dump either Gaudin or Moseley last night. Guess that means plenty of Chop today.

oh, this is a good situation.

NOT!

This weekend could wind up being the turning point in the AL East, for better or worse from the Yankees standpoint.

Nice first pitch hook!

Excellent!

One more...

clapclapclapclapclapclap...

RAB and other are suggesting Joe bring in Hughes for a few innings today, since no 5th starter needed till Saturday.

At least Tim Redding is waiting in SWB. (shuddering........)

Got him!

Nice fucking work, Robertson!!

That was money.

Phew!

[141]

as is Kei Igawa

Nice job kid!

[144] hahhahahahhahahahah

How is Igawa doing as a reliever? I haven't seen him pitch since he was moved to the pen.

Jeter simply can not inside out a good fastball right now.

Ohh, nice, Derek!

Stupid pitch, man.

No more breaking balls to Jeter, I'd say ...

[140] I don't think that's something they could do unless they were preparing for it.

[148] Which is precisely why throwing a curve was a very curious selection.

NICE!!!

Just what I was thinking!

Grandpa's got something left. ; )

Jeter obviously reads the Banter while awaiting turn at bat ...

[155] Course he does; he's a classy guy.

[152] Sometimes pitchers outsmart themselves.

Tie this game up, Nick.

MOTHERFUCKER!!

[157] Indeed.

This is where the Yankees need Tex to step up. Someone has to be Robbie's running mate down the stretch.

FAIR BALL!!

YAAAYYYYY!!!!

TEIX!

YES!!!

tie game. wahoo!!!

Oh Teix, how I missed you in May and June ...

Well, fwiw, at least Andy's off the hook now.

Ok, so it's Mark, not Nick. At least I got the last letter correct.

Now untie it, Alex.

Yes, Alex, that was a strike.

ah, crap.

i'll take another triple from robbie...

It's really disconcerting to see Jeter and Arod struggle together.

Uh, just because the batter's box is outlined in white ... and the plate is white ... it doesn't mean they're the same thing, blue.

Shut UP, Kay, you don't know what you're talking about.

[167] Uh, no, no it wasn't ... and it wasn't even close.

Good cut, Robbie.

[172] You're right. It looked good from the CF cam. Not so good from the behind-cam thingy.

[172] (But he hit his target, which may be the reason. Anyway.)

[172] [174] Actually, PItchFX had it right on the corner.

I wish Joe West was part of this game. 4 1/2 hour pace. ugly.

Juan Pierre is still playing?

[176] Overhead view had it on the corner too ... of the batters box.

I'm comfortable in saying that wasn't a strike.

wow ... not only is Mark Belanger dead, he's been gone 12 years ...

yeah!

1 more out.

great work today, d-rob!

Wow, get a load of this Robertson guy!

NICE pitching David, NICE pitching!

No Kay ...it doesn't FEEL hotter, it IS hotter down on the field.

Strained groin for Andy...very bad news.

So 15 day DL for Andy? How much time will he miss, a month?

Guess it's gonna be Nova time for a while ...

Humperdink!!!

Oh no.

That's the ballgame.

Umm, Kay?--who the fuck returns from the beach at 3pm?

Oh goodie, just in time to see Chan Ho Parkinglot.

[186] [187] Fuckfuckfuck. For real? That long, you think?

Fuckfuckfuckfuck.

[190]

Well, if you are like him covering a 7pm game .... you have time to go to the beach in the morning, then get home at 3.

[187] I think DL is likely and a month might be a good estimate. The Yankees have no 5th starter option, so the Yankees are definitely in some hot water, especially with Burnett being a major question mark. Javier Vazquez is now the number two pitcher on this staff.

Again, after this weekend, you can see why Cashman went after Lee.

Joba and Park each pitch 4 innings every 5th day for next month?

[191] hahahhaha.

Holy fuck, it's still just the top of the fifth???

[195] That could work, if we play five outfielders (including one in the bleachers).

OH, FUCKING HELL!!!!

booooooooooooooo

Posada's catching is just sad to watch. Really sad.

[194] "Javier Vazquez is now the number two pitcher on this staff."

goes to the basement to scream

What the fuck kind of throw was that? Posada just amazes me sometimes.

paging Romine .... Austin Romine please report to 10451.

And apparently Oswalt has an ankle injury, via David Pinto.

[204] Can he pitch?

I would love to know you guyz think about ARod... and if he has health issues. Guy has an .820 OPS.

Nova removed from game in SWB .... guess he is coming up.

[206] Better than CHoP anyway.

run run run run run!!!

sheppard!!!

Alright Joey Joe Joe. Do some managing.

[211] NO!!!! No managing. That rarely works out well.

Wow, a good throw would have had him.

I think. Shit he's fast. Maybe not.

[212] If AJ had managed his frustrations better his hand would be in better shape. : )

Yaayyy!

Whoo-hooooo.

[214] Okay, Girardi can be in charge of managing AJ's emotions.

Fuck yes, way to go Jetes.

Derek Jeter!

Not dead yet!

Jeter and his .720 OPS comes through!

[202] I'm pretty sure the third basement is the place for that.

[220] Yes, good. We don't want the children to hear rbj screaming.

[207] william suggested his hip has robbed him of power. I find that eminently plausible.

It's just sad to watch Kelly Shoppach catch. Good thing for him he's such a good hitter.

How are we in the lead? ZOMG, Gardner hit a five run HR?

Well fuck me.

Junk.

C'mon Alex ... come through here!

[224] Inside-the-parker. He went around twice.

Nice, Alex!

Thank You!

Ha!

That's our centaur.

That was a fucing LASER. Wow.

I'm calling SLASHER here ...

Hit one in the seats, Robbie.

Great, "Just Add Loss" Logan is warming up.

[233] Is it permissible to call WALKER?

[236] Only in Texas.

[237] Ha.
Speaking of which, the Rangers are up 3-1 in the top of the seventh.

WOW!!!!

HIP-HIP!!!

Hell yes.

That's it, Jorge. I forgive your awful Cano impression last inning.

Thank you, Jorgie.

My son made fun of me because when Jorge launched that hit, I wasn't sure it was getting over the CF's head, and I shouted, "Keep going, get back there Jorgie!" Yes, I babble incoherently when I watch baseball. What I type is cleaned up and rational, believe it or not.

From Humperdink to NOgan ... oh, goody

Why on earth is he going to Boone Logan? Park is finally pitching well and this team still needs 11 more outs until they get to Rivera. Can he be that dense?

[246] Carl Crawford is a lefty. What are you thinking???

Seriously, it is bizarre. After a thirty minute half-inning with Park sitting on the bench cooling off, he lets him face one batter. That just seems absurd.

[248] The lure of Reliever Roulette compels Coffee Joe, he's powerless in the face of it ...

yes Michael, keep pushing the idea that the Yankees are somehow doing the Bronx a favor by replacing the parkland they bulldozed.

[249] Yeah, esp. when he feels he has A Worthy Opponent, which he has today.

Here we go. I'll take one more run, that's satisfactory.

Oh, man, that was close!

Stick!

Sweet. Nick Sticks another one.

Yes, Nick. Though I'm not sure 8-3 is Logan proof.

Oooooooh.

Oooh, damn.

I was trying to catch up with the comments early on and left on an errand when I got to the 190's. Lots of doom and gloom back then. Yeppir, lots of doom and gloom...

Wow, and that was a broken bat. Strong.

The TBS announcers are impressed. (Not sure who they are -- Ron Darling is one I think? I came in late.)

[258] But then I showed up! Fun, sweetness, light, and harmony.

[260] Oh yes. You are truly the early-years Beatles of this board.

[214] If Woody had gone right to the police, this would never have happened...

[261] :)) Nice!

[262] Oh my god! Thanks for that! Talk about a blast from the past!

hey guys. just settled in at work for the night.

I'm terrified of which Joba the Eighth Inning Guy we're gonna see. TERRIFIED!

Gotta say, I'd never throw the ball back.

Did Gabe Kapler hurt us one time? In dramatic fashion? Or am I making that up?

[261] I know, right? Please, please me A-Rod! PS, I Love You Jorgie! I Saw Ho Standing There. I Wanna Hold Your Chan.

[266] I know. I think it's a terrible custom. You're going to pressure a kid into throwing a baseball back onto the field?

[260] perhaps even a little irie...

[268] Oh my God!!!!1

Brutal.

Just brutal.

yeah I would never throw the ball back

[271] {bows}

[268] And don't forget "Strike 'Em Out": Well strike 'em out baby, now...

[271] Yeah, that was more Monkees than Beatles.

And of course, "Eight Games a Week."

[268] From your lips to Alex' ears.

Yes, get that run back!

the Rangers legitimately scare me

A-RAH!!!

oh man, I have tickets for Thursday night. just hit one between now and then Alex.

Now that's an Arod-like bomb.

[280] He even seemed a tad off-balance there.

[280] Like it was mostly upper body.

[275] That would be "A Little Bit of Me, a Little Bit of Hughes."

The Ballad of A-Rod and Boras

Happiness .... is a home run ... swing .. ding ... boom .. boom

[279] I'm going on Wednesday.

I thought it was going to be Hughes, five games after the AS break, but I guess Hughes is now #4 :-( so I get Vazquez.

[286]

I'm going this Friday and next Sunday ...

I have a question.
Why is it so much easier to hit a foul ball a really long way than to hit a fair ball that far (esp., a home run)?

I have a theory, but maybe someone actually knows.

[285] :))

[288] Science.

[288] I would guess that it's not any harder or easier. With the exception, of course, that a batter wants to hit the ball between the lines.

I've always understood it like this:

fair/foul = timing
loft/velocity/distance = where on the bat the ball hits

Mike Cameron goes over the Monstah in the ninth. Solo, still 4-2.

[291] meh.. really velocity and distance would depend on bat speed, too. Moreso than where on the bat the ball contacts.

short answer = I have no idea. :)

My theory is that if you're pulling the ball, then if you hit it out front and inside, your bat has had a longer distance to swing, so it's moving faster. In short, you can get a whole lot of bat speed when you're pulling it foul.

Bill Hall reaches on an infield hit. Tying run at the plate.
Cash down on strikes. Drew up, one out.

[294] well then our theories share a lot of common ground.

Drew strikes out.
Feliz is dealing.

Drew down, 2 out, Scutaro up.

why is this game taking forever?

[296] In the sense that neither of us really has any idea but we're both willing to offer up half baked ideas?