"A New York Treasure" --Village Voice

Beast of Burden

The Yanks are stumbling toward a playoff berth. Last night, the offense showed some fight, which has me feeling good. However, the formidable J. Lester goes for the Sox later this afternoon on Fox (doom, doom!) and Dustin Moseley will start for the Yanks tomorrow night so a Red Sox sweep is not hard to imagine.

Still, I’ll be keeping the faith like De La, and root-root-rooting for the home team.

Fug whatchu hoid: Let’s Go Yan-Kees!

[Picture by Frank Miller]

112 comments

Show/Hide Comments 1-100
1 knuckles   ~  Sep 25, 2010 11:55 am

Shades of 2000, when they zombie'd thru September.
I ain't worried. Make sure Phil has some innings left in his arm, hope that AJ shows up once or twice, and the bats will take care of the rest.

Umm, right?

2 rbj   ~  Sep 25, 2010 1:15 pm

I get Reds vs. Padres. So I'll either do some shopping or watch collej foootball.

3 Diane Firstman   ~  Sep 25, 2010 1:48 pm

Whenever I see A.J. now, I can't help but think of this classic Bowie song ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=louXPUW7tHU

(meanwhile, I'm still trying to get rid of this damn cold //// it ain't pretty when you seemingly have egg yolks coming out of your sinuses ... blech)

4 Just Fair   ~  Sep 25, 2010 3:46 pm

[2] Did you catch the Aroldis Chapman highlights from last night?
Holy Smokes!
http://tinyurl.com/2db3fe7

5 JeremyM   ~  Sep 25, 2010 4:45 pm

Do we get to win this time? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWSuEFYRDBg

6 OldYanksFan   ~  Sep 25, 2010 4:49 pm

[4] Michael Kay just came in his pants!

7 monkeypants   ~  Sep 25, 2010 4:51 pm

Hm..the home team looks exceptionally well rested so far.

8 JeremyM   ~  Sep 25, 2010 4:52 pm

Well, there goes the ballgame. And they've already forfeited tomorrow, so they better hope they can beat Toronto or next weekend in Fenway will be very interesting.

9 JeremyM   ~  Sep 25, 2010 4:53 pm

[7] Is Posada even the starter anymore?

10 cult of basebaal   ~  Sep 25, 2010 4:54 pm

Ugh. Nova is imploding.

Wonderful, just wonderful ...

11 JeremyM   ~  Sep 25, 2010 4:55 pm

Not even close. GAUDIN TIME!!!!!

12 cult of basebaal   ~  Sep 25, 2010 4:55 pm

[4] I randomly tuned into the CIN v SD game last night at the start of the 8th inning.

Good timing!

Chapman didn't throw a pitch UNDER 100 the entire inning.

Sick.

Sure could have used some of that ourselves ...

13 cult of basebaal   ~  Sep 25, 2010 4:56 pm

[11] He needs his rest ... I suggest Brackman!

14 monkeypants   ~  Sep 25, 2010 4:57 pm

[9] He hasn't been the starter since at least the middle of the season, at least according to baseball-reference.com.

15 JeremyM   ~  Sep 25, 2010 4:57 pm

[13] Might as well. This is just so frustrating. I really think Girardi screwed up their heads with his overthinking.

16 monkeypants   ~  Sep 25, 2010 4:58 pm

[13] Yes! And for not the least reason that Brackman MUST be well rested at this point.

17 JeremyM   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:00 pm

[14] I mean, you're facing one of the best pitchers in baseball and you put in your pop gun at catcher and rest the heavy artillery. Might as well rest Posada tomorrow since they've already waved the white flag.

18 JeremyM   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:05 pm

You know, Gardner really isn't that bad against left-handers and Kearns stinks. Not to keep whining, but either use the binder right or throw it away. Gardner has about the same OPS and average against lefties that Kearns does with better defense and speed. I'm just saying!

19 rbj   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:09 pm

Hm, maybe it's a good thing I'm stuck with the Cincy game.

20 OldYanksFan   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:15 pm

Is it waiving the white flag or being realistic? A Division tie goes to TB, and with the schedule being what it is, the odds of taking the Division are very slim.

The smart man accepts this and uses his squad so they are best setup for the PS.

I don't like not winning the Division, but having only a 4 game PS would be a lot worse.

21 The Hawk   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:16 pm

Ronin! What a weird story

22 monkeypants   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:21 pm

[20] Cause or effect? By playing the last three weeks like this is the exhibition season, the team put itself in a position to lose the tie-breaker to TB, etc., etc. Maybe if less emphasis was placed on rest and more was placed on, um, work (i.e., winning baseball games) over the last month or more, then issues like tie breakers and schedules over the last week would be "mute".

As for setting things up for the PS, what is the evidence that resting everyone so they are so rested---at the expense of losing games---actually increases the odds of post season success? I mean, you would think that all of the rest they are getting would help them against teams like TB---the sorts of teams whom they are going to play in the PS---and yet they just keep losing.

23 JeremyM   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:25 pm

The other thing is, the way the postseason schedule goes, there is plenty of time to rest as there so many off days built into the schedule. I'm not for using guys until they drop but there is no master plan like he claims.

For example, we've seen him claim Robertson was tired and unavailable one game yet he warmed up three times and we've seen him rest guys only to use an injured Swisher and Gardner during that game and risking their further health.

24 cult of basebaal   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:29 pm

[23] Exactly.

Meanwhile, this game is blech.

25 cult of basebaal   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:33 pm

[24] Though maybe we'll get to witness a perfect game or no-hitter ... wouldn't that just be appropriately embarrassing ...

26 JeremyM   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:34 pm

Lester has been PERFECT so far.

Literally, PERFECT.

27 cult of basebaal   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:35 pm

SWEET!

GAUDIN TIME!

28 JeremyM   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:37 pm

New bullpen ace?

29 rbj   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:38 pm

[26] Lester is throwing a perfect game, not merely a no-hitter?

30 JeremyM   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:39 pm

[29] PERFECT.

31 JeremyM   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:40 pm

[29] But I don't really want to talk about it, it might jinx it.

32 cult of basebaal   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:41 pm

[30] NO MORE!

33 Just Fair   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:41 pm

Hey, the ump got one right. Yippee

34 JeremyM   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:41 pm

Aw crud.

35 Alex Belth   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:45 pm

I'm trying to keep positive. I know the Yanks will make the playoffs but right now I'm furious.

36 cult of basebaal   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:45 pm

Guess we're gonna have to not mention the NO-HITTER now ...

37 JeremyM   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:47 pm

[36] You're right, he has been throwing a NO-HITTER.

38 Diane Firstman   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:49 pm

I missed a Nava/Nova AB? drat

hi folks

39 Diane Firstman   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:50 pm

nice catch Kearnsy

40 JeremyM   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:51 pm

Can we cut this Gaudin crap already?

41 cult of basebaal   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:55 pm

[40] Preferably with an axe, a LARGE axe.

42 Diane Firstman   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:56 pm

Sox have never 0-hit Yanks (at least since 1920) ... 5 1-hitters
http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/86ufs

43 monkeypants   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:58 pm

[35] Furious, you say. But are you rested?

44 Diane Firstman   ~  Sep 25, 2010 5:59 pm

RISP .... we have an RISP situation .... sound the klaxons!

45 monkeypants   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:00 pm

Meanwhile, it seems that the Yankees invited Tony Dungy to give some sort of motivational talk at a closed door team meeting:

http://tinyurl.com/2d6986l

46 Diane Firstman   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:00 pm

In this case, to paraphrase Schoolhouse Rock, "3 is NOT a Magic Number"

47 monkeypants   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:01 pm

[44] Well, they got a base hit w/RISP...but the result was not the typical outcome.

48 Just Fair   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:01 pm

E7 in my book. If it hits your wrist you should fucking catch it. But that's just me.

49 Just Fair   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:02 pm

Kearns is a goodamn lumbering slow footed fuckstick.

50 Alex Belth   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:02 pm

Terrible, terrible, terrible call to send him.

51 cult of basebaal   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:02 pm

Well, that just about sums these last 20 games up perfectly.

Did Thompson send Kearns?

52 monkeypants   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:02 pm

Fucking awesome. Two..not one, but TWO.. base hits with RISP and yet zero runs.

53 Diane Firstman   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:03 pm

"just trying to make something happen" I'm sure we'll hear them say

54 thelarmis   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:03 pm

[41] how 'bout AXEHAMMER?!

they're from your adopted hometown and recorded in your home state!

: )

55 rbj   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:05 pm

So the perfecto is gone, as is the no-hitter, but the shut out is still intact.

56 Alex Belth   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:05 pm

They are just finding ways to lose now.

57 cult of basebaal   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:06 pm

[54] I don't think I should be allowed to handle an AXEHAMMER right now ...

URGE.
TO.
KILL.
RISING.

58 JeremyM   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:06 pm

Thomson has gotten more guys thrown out in big spots this year. He's as bad as Sojo was.

59 monkeypants   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:07 pm

I don't think that I'm a front runner, and try hard not to be a typical spoiled Yankees fan. I don't usually get too upset by individual losses (not *too*) upset. But I have to say, I have not enjoyed this team very much over the last few weeks.

60 Just Fair   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:08 pm

Yanks losing. Notre Dame losing. I'm just waiting for my dog to take a a big shit on the floor to top things off.

61 monkeypants   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:08 pm

And that's that. Right. I'm going to take rest from the, um, rest of this game. Ciao.

62 cult of basebaal   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:09 pm

Wow ... Blow-dan gets torched by a LHB.

Imagine that.

63 JeremyM   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:09 pm

[59] I am with you. Even the games they've won have typically started with 7 or so innings of really frustrating baseball.

ENOUGH WITH FING GAUDIN!!!!

64 JeremyM   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:10 pm

Oh my God!

65 cult of basebaal   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:10 pm

Wow … Blow-dan gets torched by a LHB.

Imagine that.

This team needs an enema ...

66 monkeypants   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:12 pm

[65] I just think they need some rest.

67 cult of basebaal   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:13 pm

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

FUCK YOU GIRARDI.

FUCK YOU.

68 Diane Firstman   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:13 pm

Stockton and McCarver just make this game all that much worse.

69 cult of basebaal   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:16 pm

[68] Can't be any worse than Sterling and Waldman (since I can't watch FOX).

A blind man could do better play-by-play than Sterling.

Meanwhile, at least I get me some FAT SANCHEZ!!!

70 Diane Firstman   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:16 pm

Romulo in the Neutral Zone, Captain.

71 Diane Firstman   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:21 pm

He's in the Neutral Zone, but not the Strike Zone :-(

72 Chyll Will   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:24 pm

[69] Don't you mean FAT CHANCES?

73 monkeypants   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:26 pm

I just checked in for a quick look at gameday...who the hell is romulo sanchez?

74 JeremyM   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:27 pm

[73] He's Karim Garcia's brother-in-law.

75 Chyll Will   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:30 pm

[74] Did you hear that, Bama? Bonus! >;)

76 Alex Belth   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:31 pm

I don't ever want to see Chad Gaudin wearing pinstripes on a field for the Yankees again. Ever.

77 thelarmis   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:51 pm

[74] who's karim garcia?!

78 monkeypants   ~  Sep 25, 2010 6:57 pm

76) he's this season's version of last year's Mitre. He persists on the roster with no obvious role, despite repeated failure.

79 monkeypants   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:00 pm

The gritty, gutty, speedy, and well rested Brett Gardner!

80 Just Fair   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:02 pm

I love me some Curtis!

81 cult of basebaal   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:03 pm

Oh Grandy, sweet and dandy!

82 mhoward120   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:03 pm

Its beginning to appear as if Girardi would be just as happy if the team didn't even make the playoffs.

83 rbj   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:03 pm

Yay, the shutout is gone. Now they need to work on the win.

84 cult of basebaal   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:03 pm

[78] Oh, he has a role alright, he's the one brought in to turn close games into losses ...

85 rbj   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:04 pm

Oh good, I get to watch Chapman now.

That pitch was only 99 mph.

86 monkeypants   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:05 pm

84) ah, i see. I just don't follow these games as closely as you do.

87 rbj   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:14 pm

Padres won -- off of Chapman.

88 monkeypants   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:17 pm

Ooh...PH Berkman for Cervelli, then pull Teixeira. Crazy...like a fox. Or a chessmaster.

89 Just Fair   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:19 pm

Well my dog didn't shit on the carpet but that was close enough.
boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

90 Mattpat11   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:19 pm

The Gaudin fetish has gotten completely out of control.

91 thelarmis   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:20 pm

joba needs to realize i only like double digits when it's the YANKEES scoring them... : /

92 cult of basebaal   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:20 pm

Lovely ... good to see that Joba's as useless as ever ...

93 Eirias   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:20 pm

So what do the Yankees need to work out in the week they have before the playoffs?

94 Mattpat11   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:21 pm

Why did Joba Chamberlain throw to first base?

95 Mattpat11   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:22 pm

[93] Actually getting to the playoffs.

96 thelarmis   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:22 pm

[92] remember how promising he looked when you and i watched his debut together?! good memories...

97 thelarmis   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:23 pm

[93] a contract for Mikey Moose.

98 thelarmis   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:24 pm

double digits now within striking distance...

99 cult of basebaal   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:25 pm

BRACKMAN IS THROWING!!!!

C'mon Joba, you can do it ... WE WANT BRACKMAN!!!

100 The Hawk   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:25 pm

I'm starting to think maybe it's good, the Yankees will get the shitty games out of their system before the playoffs. I guess the catch is you can't get too many out or you won't make the playoffs. I mean, they will have to win at some point, right? What if the Red Sox keep winning? *shudder*

Show/Hide Comments 101-112
101 Mattpat11   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:26 pm

[100] I want this playoff spot done before we hit the Fens.

102 thelarmis   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:27 pm

i can't believe i own a joba t-shirt. melky, too...

103 The Hawk   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:29 pm

[101] Holy shit, right?

104 cult of basebaal   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:29 pm

DAMN you Joba, you can't do ANYTHING right!

Bah.

105 The Hawk   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:31 pm

The Yanks are about to go to 8-12 over the last 20, I believe. That's not Jets football. Errr, you know what I'm saying.

I blame that blasphemous Steinbrenner plaque, somehow.

106 mhoward120   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:33 pm

Another worthless a-bomb

107 cult of basebaal   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:34 pm

Well, Alex seems to have shown up for work ...

108 Mattpat11   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:34 pm

[105] I blame a manager who either took the playoffs for granted or just doesn't care.

109 Mattpat11   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:35 pm

[107] I'd have to put the money on him hitting 30 again.

110 mhoward120   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:35 pm

Maybe we can get lucky and next time Burnett won't get only a black eye - hopefully a stupid career-ending injury.

111 mhoward120   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:39 pm

Even if they make the playoffs - no longer a foregone conclusion, remember what happened the 4th time they played the Royals after beating them in 1976, 1977 and 1978 - I wouldn't expect them to get past the Twins and wouldn't be at all surprised by a sweep.

112 The Hawk   ~  Sep 25, 2010 7:39 pm

[108] Ok, that too.

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"This ain't football. We do this every day."
--Earl Weaver