Beautiful day at Fenway Park. The game was no gem, it moved at a characteristically glacial pace, but in the end the Yanks ran away from the Red Sox and won, 9-4. Russell Martin hit two dingers, Curtis Granderson hit a bomb against a left hander and Robinson Cano also hit a long homer. Eric Chavez had three hits, including two doubles off the Green Monster and Alex Rodriguez had a couple of hits too.
Ivan Nova did not pitch well, didn’t even make it through five innings (Carlos Silva signed a minor league deal in the middle of the game; who is next–Rudy May?). The game was close for a minute at 5-4 but David Robertson got out of trouble and then the Yanks pulled away. Joba Chamberlain tossed a nice 1-2-3 inning and Soriano and Rivera weren’t needed (even though Rivera warmed up in the ninth just in case).
A nice win on a pretty day.
Ahhhh.
Not be overlooked: Tim McCarver used the term "Seventh Inning Guy" when talking about Joba. I consider this an important milestone.
D-Rob seems to be the Fifth Inning Guy.
I have to respectively disagree with saying that Nova didn't pitch well. I thought he had trouble with his command but was gritty when he needed to be. Jeet and Cano should have got him out of that 3 run 4th inning. Not sure if Robinson thought Jeet was going to take that himself, but that DP needs to be made (or at least attempted) Certainly not a strong outing by Nova but considering the circumstances against a very troublesome lineup, I thought he did a good job, I was hoping he could somehow get out of that 5th to earn a gutty win. However, I believe that 4th inning took a toll on the young right hander and him coming out for the 5th was only because Grandy made it a 7-4 game in the top of the 5th. But from where I was sitting, ivan was d-o-n-e.
Speaking of Boston being 1-7, what was the year we started 11-19? Like, '04, '05?
[1] Ugh!!
[1] [2] How long before the term "starter" is replaced with some variant on "first innings guy?"
[4] That was 2004. (Funny that you forgot 2004!)
Sox and TB are now a combined 2-14. My guess is you could have gotten 100:1 in the Spring that that wouldn't hapeen. Baltimore is now 6-1. The AL East Standings are upside down.
Boston, of course, will still be there at the end. TB is cooked. Longoria will be back, but Manny is 100% PED'ed and Damon is showing his age. I think they will fight, at best, for 3rd place.
Unless Hughes turns it around, we are in deep shit.
Cashman doesn't want to, but we may see ManBam mid year.
It's nice to see the Yankees with a bench this year. What did Chavez have, three hits today? Jones has contributed in his games, too.
Russell Martin is making that Baseball-Reference comp with Thurman Munson look pretty good.
Like the headline, Alex.
I've missed both of these games so far. Rats. However, I found out today that it takes 4 adult men 9 hours to set up one of those big ass, portable, collapsible, batting cage backstops. Now I'm exhausted and sunburned.
[12] Dude! READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!
(It says have 4 Women...)
And really, why wouldn't the Yankees sign Carlos Silva?
[3] I disagree that Nova pitched well; 4+ innings, 7 hits, 4 runs, 3/3 BB/K, 87 pitches. That's a pretty ugly line.
[13] Depth. It seems the story going around is that the Yanks signed Silva as they were concerned with Hughes, but they've got Garcia, who hasn't started yet, and Millwood stashed away. Maybe Hughes has problems, maybe it's a slump, but watching the Yankees the last few years have shown you can never have enough pitching.
[13] Now, now, Matt, don't be such a downer.
They could have signed Ponson again!
=)
I love the inferred competition between Pedroia and Cano in the "who's the better 2B in the rivalry". It was tit for tat with them over the game, with Cano coming up trumps with a big fly.
Felt like the teamed turned over a bit today (esp with Sado out),Chavez-Grandy-Martin, it's a new-new team now. this game was totally bottoms up and Tops down (7-8-9 delviered the goods while 1-2-3 crapped the proverbial bed.
Al Aceves looks like he's angling for the Ramiro Mendoza award for poisoning the Boston well. Atta boy Al - liked ya with the Yanks, Love ya with the Sawx.
[14] The Yankees last few years has taught me that you can always have enough bad pitching.
[15] I'm beginning to think Cashman is a chubby chaser.
[8] If TB is cooked the how are the Yankees in deep shit, even if Boston will be there in the end (which would defy historical trends of teams that start this poorly)? Do you really think that Toronto or Baltimore pose a real threat.
And forget your ManRam dreams. If he comes back he will face a 100 game suspension.
[18] That's ManBan; Manuel Banuelos
[19] You're right!
I need to read more carefully!!
[20] C'mon monkeypants, you know you got a johnson for ManRam!
He shall be E-Von, he shall be a good man, he shall be E-Von.
Lame Elton John reference aside (seriously, dude, show some restraint) I like what I see from Ivan Nova, always have. He's got pretty good stuff, and seems fearless. He's a work in progress, and it's a steep learning curve he's on, but I think he has the talent, and makeup to be a better than average middle of the rotation starter.