To quote Ben from RAB:
"Of course, the Yanks failed to hit with runners in scoring position, going 3 for 17 and stranded 18 runners over the course of the game. "

You can piss and moan about Javy, Joba or any other pitcher that disappoints, but last night's loss falls on the offense. A .177 BA with RISP just doesn't cut it... for a team with $70m wrapped up in just 3 offensive players. Jeter, of course, gets the golden plum, as he couldn't even hit one of his patiented choppers to SS with a man on 3rd.

Our pitching can be great and it can be scary. But we win or lose on offense. Jeter needs to sit for 3 days, and watch Nunez Pipp him. Maybe that wil shake some of the cobbwebds off.

Ahhhh.... and as I check out ESPN mid-post:
"With Derek Jeter in an 8-for-67 slump and with him having played in all 13 innings of Friday night's more than five-hour loss, New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi has decided to give Jeter the day off Saturday."
Unfortunately, it's Pena instead of Noony.

Even Robbie is not as patient as earlier, and isn't going the other way as much.

The bats need to get their shit together.

With a TB Win today, CoolStandings gives us a 51.9% chance of winning the Division. It was 65% before last night's game.

[1] Chessmaster has more confidence in Pena's defense, which would be a consideration against a team with better than average offense. I dunno, it's all the same to me as long as Jeter gets rest.

There were lots of missed opportunities on offense, but I think Girardi contributed to them. Removing Swisher and Thames made little sense, for example. Also, bunting with Gardner was absurd, unless Girardi was also willing to squeeze with Jeter. Sometimes, there are just nights when you struggle. A manager's job is try and help the team overcome them. Last night. Girardi's decision making fed into the problem.

Huh, Krazy Kyle pitched the 11th for Atlanta and didn't lose the game. But it is the NL.

Jesus, FIVE ONE FIVE???

Damn!

[5] Missed that, what was it about?

[5] ? Area code in Upper Hudson Bay?

At least Michigan won, so that should make Jeter feel better.

Commemorative caps for 9/11? Seriously?

[6] [7] A certain pitcher's ERA. But man, does he have electric stuff!

"Who loves you, baby (besides Ice...)?" >;)

[10] Ah. It's that low?

[7] Actually, now that you mention it, I used to live in 515! (It's western Iowa.)

AJ looks to be in mid-season form!

What the hell is Paul talking about?

I think O'Neill is the closest thing to Scooter since Scooter. Imagine when he really gets wacky when he's a bit on in years.

Those caps are really annoying.

It's amazing that this team has 87 wins.

[13] Eh, what's a little latitude between friends? >;)

I like how Paul picks on Kay; just to deflate him a little it seems...

O'Neill, "Did you ever have rosin on your hands? It's really weird".

Yep, I can see the Scooter comp.

[20] Right?

I can't wait for Paulie to start raving about canolis.

that was a nice pitch .... not wide, Kay

[18] Nothing makes sense this year. The team has 87 wins despite looking mediocre. Alex has 100 RBI despite hitting .270 with 22 homeruns and time spent on the DL. Teix has 100 RBI or nearly with a similarly low average, not having hit a lick for the first three months of the season.

Craziness.

Damn, look at those wrists.

Yes.

Mike Maddux » Dick Dastardly?

They are definitely in Scooter territory. Happy clouds?

Wow, get a load of Brains!

[28] Hehehehehh!

[24] Despite his fantastic slump, Captain has scored 96 runs...

[31] Really??? Wtf? It's like Opposite Year. Like it's all some weird dream.

Fuck, he looks *ancient!*

From Lohud:
He [Andy] will return to the Yankees rotation on Sunday in Baltimore.

[32] Really. I don't remember seeing him last year being such a shock. He is really looking 'mature'. Maybe we should ask Minka to take it easy on him.

Gloomy clouds?

What's next, moderately depressed clouds?

90+ degrees at 8:00 in mid September.
I don't know how humans live in Texas.
(We won't even mention politics...)

[35]

perhaps the clouds need some Paxil ... so they can be those bouncy ovals instead ...

Russo and Miranda are being called up tomorrow ...

[32] It has been a weird dream season with strange sometimes frustrating drama. Most solid starting rotation early ('cept for Javy), terrible bullpen. Now no confidence beyond CC and the bullpen is solid. Hitting has been suspect all year, Cano up and now somewhat down. Arod no longer a real power threat as he protects his hip, at least this year, Jeter lost in the wilderness, Teixeira looked like he would never get started. Swisher has come up big this year, and what a surprise in Marcus Thames. As I stated in May, the team was winning with smoke and mirrors, and the magic wins continue. Maybe they will be winning real when it counts. We'll see.

[36] That's funny. When I went to Texas, the general consensus was they didn't understand how people could live in New York.

[36] In the South girls break out tank tops & shorts in February. Or even never put them away.

Mike Schmidt at third. Barry Bonds in left.

[40] You're opening a can of schizim there. I will not take the bait.

If you think long you might think wrong????

Derek had more hits in that Ford commercial than in the past month.

Kim looks damn good for 41 ...

[40] As someone who moved out of NY (or LI) at 19, I can understand that.

[41] +1

[46] Yes she does. Or for any age.

Why do I think of "schweaty balls" when I see AJ go to the rosin bag this often ...

[48]

indeed

Vlad is not a piss-poor batsman.

Why does anyone throw Vlad a strike?

2 out walk...AJ is his own worst enemy.

Burnett has been so bad, that giving up two runs over the first three innings actually makes it seem like he is pitching well.

So what's all this Reggie/Nolan buddy-buddy stuff, anyway?

Soon we will have mad-at-A.J. clouds.

Michael Kay as Prez? (shudder)

[57] So I didn't imagine that? He was fantasizing about being president?

I've looked at clouds from both sides now, from up and down but still somehow it's wins illusions I recall, I really don't know this team, at all.

O'Neill cracks me up!

Yup, most definitely Scooter territory. All we need now is a "Huckleberry" and a "Holy Cow."

Wowzers, 78 pitches thru 4 innings for Hunter...

Brains...besides always being likable, is returning to competency lately.

I am sure Carl Crawford enjoyed that inning.

W just come from clearing brush?

In tha commercial, did they call that child "it"?

Matt Treanor has the best pre-AB music in baseball.

[67]

Some player got pranked by his teammates ... they got the PA to play "Its Raining Men" when he came to bat.

The Yankees really need to work very hard on trading Burnett this off season.

William Tell Overture? Nice.

[69] He's just impossible to watch, isn't he?

2 out walk to a 220 hitter. AJ self flagellation.

[68] That would have funny to hear. Wonder what Misty May had to say about that?

[71] Hard to watch and probably hard to play behind. More importantly, he simply isn't very good. I was dead wrong on AJ. I thought he had plateaued at a more consistent level.

Was that a strike?

I think AJ is a candidate for mood-altering medication. It would help.

Arod comes back, so naturally Swisher, Tex and Cano stop hitting.

Strange to hear Pauli reading the promo liners.

Andrew Marchand must read the Banter .... (tweeting):
In Texas, listening to Kay and O'Neil (Slingbox). O'Neil sort of has some Scooter Rizzutto in him as he bounces ard from topic to topic.

O'Neill's trivia quiz is hysterical. He has Scootered Scooter.

O'Neill is the only color commentator who makes Kay somewhat enjoyable.

Oh, Teix.

Jesus H.

Frak!

Inexcusable to be doubled off...the Yankees have played like crap over the last week. Looks like the 8-game winning streak was the outlier.

[80] I know! It's his attitude about it that's so funny! He busted right out of the gate with it and it's been hilarious since the start.

Dayum Tex, you even had time to get back. Missed that line drive running rule in little league?

Great...another parade of pitchers.

Rain clouds.

A softball team I ran was in the semi-finals of a very competitive league. We had 1st and 2nd with one out and the best hitter in the league on deck. I called timeout, jogged out to 2B and told the runner, "do not get doubled off on a line drive". The very next pitch was a line drive to the short stop, who threw to 2B for the double play.

[89] And that was the ninth inning in the deciding game, which we were only trailing by one.

[90] Dangerfieldnyy23... >;)

So I come home to this.

I'd almost rather Posada take his usual strike out looking/exaggerated argument with the umpire there.

Almost.

Sometimes you deserve to leave men on base. In Granderson's AB, he took a 3-0 fastball down the middle when all the Yankees needed was a groundball to tie. The biggest difference between this year and last is the Yankees now have hitters who don't really seem like they know how to hit. Matsui and Damon have not been replaced.

Girardi hasn't HAD to go the bullpen. He HAS been overmanaging.

By the time we get to October, the Yankees aren't going to have a bullpen anymore.

Roberston gives up a run after throwing over 30 pitches? What a shocker.

More teasing....

[94] Every so often, the Yankees fall into the teamwide trap of only trying to work walks, meatballs be damned. I actually think it cost them the 2006 playoffs. But that's a rant for another day.

Woo-Hoo!