Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Andruw Jones DH
Curtis Granderson CF
Russell Martin C
Brett Gardner LF
Welcome back, Frankie Brains!!!
Thanks for the memories, Gus "THE SEED IS STRONG" Molina!
I watched Break It Down in the NGC last night. It was the premiere of the episode about Yankee Stadium. Apparently, the Yanks winning the WS was a pain for the demolition crew. They weren't expecting to have to deal with hordes of fans that late into the year.
[17] Did you hear yesterday after Nunez' error, Kay said "see, the sabremetrics people would argue otherwise but Derek Jeter, who only has several Gold Gloves, always makes the play on balls hit right to him"..I wonder if there are orders from up high at YES to defend the Captain?
Girardi played Cervelli so much last year because: Posada was injured a bunch AND Posada was fucking horrible behind the plate when he wasn't.
We can have a legitimate argument about the amount of times Cervelli played *LAST* year, but the reality is, Posada was dreadful defensively and Girardi was willing to sacrifice offense for defense and Posada's injuries.
The obvious problem with your ignorant reactive attempt to project last year's playing time onto 2011, is that Russell Martin has not *only* a better bat than Cervelli, but also, a better *DEFENSIVE* rep than Frankie.
In other words, it's not about how much Girardi likes Cervelli, it's about how much he *hates* Posada's defense, which doesn't mean shit when Martin is at least as good as Cervelli behind the plate.
Frankie Cervelli is going to play to keep Russell Martin fresh and that's it.
As I said before and I'll say each time you orally flatulate about Cervelli, I'll bet a $25 BBREF sponsorship that Cervelli doesn't play 2 out of every 7 games that he and Martin are both eligible for.
[25] What did Cervelli do (markedly) better defensively than Posada last year? I'm not being sarcastic. To my untrained eye, Cervelli was a total disaster behind the plate last year, but I'm more than willing to admit that I'm wrong if he was really a strong defensive catcher. If he was playing for defense, it seems like he was doing it more on reputation than results.
And Posada was bitching (no, really) on and off all year last year that he was healthy enough to play more.
From where I'm sitting, watching on Gameday, Garcia has nothing. I hope someone is warming up in the bullpen. Though right now, I really wish Girardi had used Buddy Carlyle last night instead of Pendleton. I trust the rookie more, for whatever crazy reason.
[29] Its actually a pretty good story usually, but like I've said many times, Michael Kay is like Bizarro Vin Scully. He can make any story boring.
I remember in a gme last year he decided he was going to tell some story about Andy Pettitte's kids. Now, granted, it was a boring story anyway, but he just kept fucking going back to it, like though pitching changes and between innings.
Its kind of depressing to watch this on Gameday. They show the hot/cold zones box superimposed over the plate when each hitter is up, which is very cool. But for Jeter, anything in the middle of the plate is cold, as is high and outside, and low and inside. Not light blue more cool than cold, but deep dark blue - frigid cold. Yikes.
NoMaas had a great piece today, analyzing some of the data and its kind of scary. I hope Jeter gets hotter as the weather gets hotter.
On a happy note, amazingly, high and inside is the reddest box of all (the old inside out swing still works).
To my untrained eye, Cervelli was a total disaster behind the plate last year, but I’m more than willing to admit that I’m wrong if he was really a strong defensive catcher. If he was playing for defense, it seems like he was doing it more on reputation than results.
Granted.
Cervelli had a shitty defensive year last year (though almost certainly not as shitty as Posada had).
I'm certainly *not* defending "Binder Boy".
What I'm saying is, by the measure of Girardi's ignorance *last year*, Martin is the obvious choice *this year*.
Utterly regardless of how off Girardi's conceptualization last year was of the measure of Offense vs Defense, what we're talking about, right now, for *this* year, is Girardi's conceptualization of Offense vs Offense (because, as I mentioned, at the very least Martin vs Cervelli is even, and MOST likely, Martin has the lead), which, I believe is completely off the table until the time, which may not come this year (especially if Girardi gives him more time than Torre did), that Martin has an egregious, extended, horrific slump.
I like Cervelli. He has no power but he did hit a respectable .270 BA and .359 OBP, with a lot of big hits. He's not terrible and he's fun. His defense didn't live up to expectation though.
[42] However, the if the issue isn't "offense vs defense vs offense vs offense" but "I think every position player needs [x] number of days off a month" or, more horrifyingly, "I like the energy that this Cervelli kid brings to the lineup!" I think the chances of Cervelli catching two days a week are higher than you think.
[53] Cmon, Mattpat, you seem to be implying there is no value in "energy guys" who "play the right way" and "know how to win". If we had a whole roster full of gritty Dusty grinders we'd surely win more..
League whiffs Nancy Drew looking, game over! Best team in baseball lost to the Mariners. 3 of 4 lost to the Orioles and Mariners from the greatest team since the '27 Yankees!
That's good vibes for a Yankee comeback, I can feel it.
Remember...bases loaded with no outs, Tex and Arod coming up. Coulda, shoulda. We'll get them tomorrow. And considering Freddie didn't have it tonight, he pitched well. Left the game trailing 3-2.
[135] Yeah, I stayed at Japanese hotels in SF and London (not often, so not bragging), and they had a Japanese Breakfast buffet. All the funky protein you could ever want.
[136] I once, early in my tenure here, made the mistake of ordering a Japanese breakfast while on a business trip to do PR for a nuke site in Tsuruga. My higher-up and I got absolutely smashed the night before on bourbon and ginger ale. Next morning: crushing hang-over, no coffee, cold grilled fish, raw egg, some pickles and rice. It might have been my worst breakfast experience ever.
[139] Nice! Yep, I remember all my rookie mistakes too..including accepting an invitation to a "basashi" specialty joint..not knowing that basashi was of course sliced, raw horse meat. Wasn't an enjoyable two hours, made worse by trying to wash it down with shochu.
[140] Ooooh, I like horse sashimi. Like it a lot. I have had bear sashimi, too. Good stuff. However, I will never, ever drink shochu again. Never. Ever. Never.
[142] It's kind of a pub food--not something you'd have every night--but plenty popular. Often served with tons of garlic. It's very tender and sweeter than beef.
[141] Shochu incredibly vile, worst hangover have ever had. I won't touch it now either. [142] Major delicacy. Alongside fugu (posion blowfish) and shirako (dried whale sperm). I've been told by those in the know that only in Guangzhou, southern China, do people eat funkier things than here in Japan.
[144] Dude, shirako, mostly comes either from lamp fish or blowfish, could be from cod, too, but definitely not whale. I know that because, if it was from whale, wouldn't touch it. IMHO, shirako is to die for. Heavenly.
[145] Ah, of course I mis-remembered! On our trip down south to Matsue-Prefecture at new years we ate at a place where they served us fugu shirako and also crispy fried whale skin (it was delicious).
Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Andruw Jones DH
Curtis Granderson CF
Russell Martin C
Brett Gardner LF
Welcome back, Frankie Brains!!!
Thanks for the memories, Gus "THE SEED IS STRONG" Molina!
Yay, Frankie's back.
Frankie Brains seems like such a nice guy..but shouldn't we be seeing the arrival of Jesus now?
I watched Break It Down in the NGC last night. It was the premiere of the episode about Yankee Stadium. Apparently, the Yanks winning the WS was a pain for the demolition crew. They weren't expecting to have to deal with hordes of fans that late into the year.
Bautista is just killing the ball. .760 slugging and 26 walks in April!
Thank you Swish. 3 well struck balls to start the game? Not good.
Shitty location for Fat Freddy Fourth Flinger ...
[3] No.
I half expected Cervelli to be starting tonight. This is encouraging.
Much better.
[5] Looks like maybe last year wasn't a fluke. Unreal. I've heard of late bloomers, but this is ridiculous.
Where's Nunez?
[9] Yes, but everyone else knows that's silly.
[13] What's silly?
[12] Under the stadium throwing balls over the head of a simulated first baseman
Ugh..Michael Kay and the boys defending a .262 average for the Captain...sigh..
Fuck you Kay, .262 is crap.
Especially when 7 of his 22 hits have been classified as "Weak to 3rd".
[17] Did you hear yesterday after Nunez' error, Kay said "see, the sabremetrics people would argue otherwise but Derek Jeter, who only has several Gold Gloves, always makes the play on balls hit right to him"..I wonder if there are orders from up high at YES to defend the Captain?
Always nice to get that first hit
[14] Your strange obsessive belief that Girardi has some strange obsessive urge to play Frankie Cervelli.
Kay gives me such a fucking headache. Is there really no one else than can do PBP other than Singleton?
[20] He was the starter last year.
Sheesh. Freddy Fred Fred is getting into some ugly counts here, with some ugly results.
A double play would be quite nice about now. Or a strikeout. Arencibia is excellent at those!
Or a ground out followed by a K. That will work too! Fortunately the bottom of the Blue Jays order excels at making outs.
[22] Whoop-de-fucking-do.
Girardi played Cervelli so much last year because: Posada was injured a bunch AND Posada was fucking horrible behind the plate when he wasn't.
We can have a legitimate argument about the amount of times Cervelli played *LAST* year, but the reality is, Posada was dreadful defensively and Girardi was willing to sacrifice offense for defense and Posada's injuries.
The obvious problem with your ignorant reactive attempt to project last year's playing time onto 2011, is that Russell Martin has not *only* a better bat than Cervelli, but also, a better *DEFENSIVE* rep than Frankie.
In other words, it's not about how much Girardi likes Cervelli, it's about how much he *hates* Posada's defense, which doesn't mean shit when Martin is at least as good as Cervelli behind the plate.
Frankie Cervelli is going to play to keep Russell Martin fresh and that's it.
As I said before and I'll say each time you orally flatulate about Cervelli, I'll bet a $25 BBREF sponsorship that Cervelli doesn't play 2 out of every 7 games that he and Martin are both eligible for.
Martin!
Coltrane!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kotK9FNEYU
Oh, look, gee, I'm sure Girardi is regretting not playing Cervelli *right* now!
Why is this endless, boring conversation about Goose Gossage going on?
I hope that didn't hurt anybody, 'cause YIKES that was bullet.
Jesus..Bautista just kills the ball.
No way to contain Bautista, just try and limit the damage.
Given the Fat Freddy Fourth Flinger has been off with everything tonite, 2-1 is surprising at this point ...
Well, let's see if Garcia can manage to not walk anyone else, and hold the Jays to just 2 runs.
[25] What did Cervelli do (markedly) better defensively than Posada last year? I'm not being sarcastic. To my untrained eye, Cervelli was a total disaster behind the plate last year, but I'm more than willing to admit that I'm wrong if he was really a strong defensive catcher. If he was playing for defense, it seems like he was doing it more on reputation than results.
And Posada was bitching (no, really) on and off all year last year that he was healthy enough to play more.
From where I'm sitting, watching on Gameday, Garcia has nothing. I hope someone is warming up in the bullpen. Though right now, I really wish Girardi had used Buddy Carlyle last night instead of Pendleton. I trust the rookie more, for whatever crazy reason.
[29] Its actually a pretty good story usually, but like I've said many times, Michael Kay is like Bizarro Vin Scully. He can make any story boring.
I remember in a gme last year he decided he was going to tell some story about Andy Pettitte's kids. Now, granted, it was a boring story anyway, but he just kept fucking going back to it, like though pitching changes and between innings.
Jeebus.
Its kind of depressing to watch this on Gameday. They show the hot/cold zones box superimposed over the plate when each hitter is up, which is very cool. But for Jeter, anything in the middle of the plate is cold, as is high and outside, and low and inside. Not light blue more cool than cold, but deep dark blue - frigid cold. Yikes.
NoMaas had a great piece today, analyzing some of the data and its kind of scary. I hope Jeter gets hotter as the weather gets hotter.
On a happy note, amazingly, high and inside is the reddest box of all (the old inside out swing still works).
Crudbunnies
Hmm
To my untrained eye, Cervelli was a total disaster behind the plate last year, but I’m more than willing to admit that I’m wrong if he was really a strong defensive catcher. If he was playing for defense, it seems like he was doing it more on reputation than results.
Granted.
Cervelli had a shitty defensive year last year (though almost certainly not as shitty as Posada had).
I'm certainly *not* defending "Binder Boy".
What I'm saying is, by the measure of Girardi's ignorance *last year*, Martin is the obvious choice *this year*.
Utterly regardless of how off Girardi's conceptualization last year was of the measure of Offense vs Defense, what we're talking about, right now, for *this* year, is Girardi's conceptualization of Offense vs Offense (because, as I mentioned, at the very least Martin vs Cervelli is even, and MOST likely, Martin has the lead), which, I believe is completely off the table until the time, which may not come this year (especially if Girardi gives him more time than Torre did), that Martin has an egregious, extended, horrific slump.
NICE PITCH!
I like Cervelli. He has no power but he did hit a respectable .270 BA and .359 OBP, with a lot of big hits. He's not terrible and he's fun. His defense didn't live up to expectation though.
Please don't pitch to Batistabonds..
This half inning is dragggggging
Wow, an all new Joe Girardi show at 5pm EST! That must be riveting, shame I can't see that from this side of the ocean..
No problem with that walk.
46. The Hawk
April 29th, 2011 at 8:25 pm
This half inning is dragggggging
me to HELL ...
This one, though. . .
Gah.
Well, it could have been SO MUCH worse ...
[39] Gawd, that NoMaas piece is depressing.
[42] However, the if the issue isn't "offense vs defense vs offense vs offense" but "I think every position player needs [x] number of days off a month" or, more horrifyingly, "I like the energy that this Cervelli kid brings to the lineup!" I think the chances of Cervelli catching two days a week are higher than you think.
[53] Cmon, Mattpat, you seem to be implying there is no value in "energy guys" who "play the right way" and "know how to win". If we had a whole roster full of gritty Dusty grinders we'd surely win more..
What a beautiful swing Cano has!
Sounds like that brownie blaster was made from "special" brownies.
Reason 1837475 I'm not an MLB player.
I wouldn't do a superman dive on a futile attempt to get Gardner.
[53] Of course you do.
Why should I care why you think the ignorant things that you think?
All I care about is that you *pay* for your ignorance (and, more importantly, STOP irritating me with them throughout the season).
Kay thinks Gardner is improving with his jumps?
51
That's the Captain we know and love.
WOW!
That was one of the stranger plays you'll ever see.
What the bleep?!
Cripes
Ok.
Thanks.
That sucked in a big way.
Frak!
The baseball gods giveth, and the baseball gods taketh away.
MOTHERFUCKING SHIT CUNT GODDAMMIT WHORESON BITCH.
Not a True Yankee.
Well that was FUCKED UP!
Bases loaded, not outs, Teix and ARod up.
Total bullshit.
And Arod is slumping, which our Offense can't afford.
[68] HEY! You're not allowed to say "GODDAMMIT" here!
[71] Heh. Only during the playoffs, only during the playoffs ...
[72] Oh, I'm sorry, it was "Jesus Fucking Christ" that was the problem, carry on ...
David FUCKING Robertson, on the other hand ...
NICE!
O'Neill just said, "You don't know the outcome of this game." Gee, ya think?
Well ... THAT ... makes me STABBITY!
FUCK.
YOU.
That deserves a "shitpissfuck!"
DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE.
And I'm not speaking German ...
I hate this inning.
They really threw that game away.
Octavio Dotel is still in the league??
Terrible ABs from Jones and Curtis there.
First they talk about those inbred leeches on society in England, now it's GBA...sigh...this game has become too tedious..
Inbred?
Dagnamit!
Here we go!
Cacksucker!
I guess it's "one of those games."
Man, what a frustrating game this has been.
Frozen Ropes R US.
Whaddayaknow!
Cano is an AMAZING hitter!
tying run comes to the plate. OK guys, you can still win this one!
Every time I step away to talk to my daughter I miss a Cano at bat and he does something special. Gah!
[96] Now now, your daughter is special too.
If we can steal this game...
[97] Yes, must keep reminding myself of that. Oooops....got check on the toast now.
League whiffs Nancy Drew looking, game over! Best team in baseball lost to the Mariners. 3 of 4 lost to the Orioles and Mariners from the greatest team since the '27 Yankees!
That's good vibes for a Yankee comeback, I can feel it.
I wish they would stop comparing Martin of this year to last. I feel like they are going to jinx him.
[98] Breakfast in Japan. No fish jelly?
Go, Go, Gardzilla!!!
Pinch hitter???
This won't end well.
Maybe if I say "I smell a double play" it won't happen.
Oh, dear, what should I think.
OYF what's gonna happen?
Jeter missed a phat one.
C'mon, Jeet.
high chopper.
[101] My daughter had "natto," which you don't even want to know about.
[110] Hahahahahaahah!!!!! Yep, Jazz Jr likes it too for breakfast sometimes..thank god for good ventilation in this apt.
CMON Captain!
DIEDIEXIEDIEDIE.
Jesus H. WTF is wrong with walk, DJ?!
Could have been worse.
Jeter swings ar ball 3.
[111] I don't think she really likes it, but I'm keeping my mouth shut around her mom.
Natto stinks worse than the corpse of Derek Jeter ... but only just barely ...
Swish has been pressing and going out of the zone a lot.
PATIENCE NICK!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh please Derek...no DP. I wrote this in advance.
I'll take the SO
What the hell was that. First pitch swinging? That deserves a "muthafarker". Just unfuckingbelieveable.
NOgan, just what we needed ...
Lot of empty seats for a Friday night.
LA-SD on tv here now, incredible how good Vin Scully is. And he does it alone..and he's in his 80s!
Is this guy the Real McCoy?
Well, at least TB and Boston lost today.
[122] He's like telling stories around the campfire. Simulcasts radio too, is he the last?
[122] I agree. An absolute master.
[110] I just googled Natto. The description stated, "if you like blue cheese, you'll like natto".
For Breakfast???
[122] Scully is da shizzle.
To be all LA and sheeeeeit.
[127] Fermented soy beans. Smells like shit (really!). Looks like navy beans with spirit gum on them. Behaves like chewing gum.
Too bad Cano's HRs are only worth one run each.
[127] It should say, "If you like sticky, gelatinous gooey beans that smell like a Subway-tunnel dwelling homeless man, then you'll be OK with natto."
Well, that could have gone better.
Sheeeeeit.
Remember...bases loaded with no outs, Tex and Arod coming up. Coulda, shoulda. We'll get them tomorrow. And considering Freddie didn't have it tonight, he pitched well. Left the game trailing 3-2.
[127] BTW, Japanese will eat anything for breakfast. Raw eggs. Grilled fish (served cold). Ramen. It's all fair game.
[135] I had some crispy, smoked octopus for breakfast when at my inlaws..the "smokiness" cured my hangover pretty well!
[134] This is really one of those "these games happen" games
[135] Yeah, I stayed at Japanese hotels in SF and London (not often, so not bragging), and they had a Japanese Breakfast buffet. All the funky protein you could ever want.
[136] I once, early in my tenure here, made the mistake of ordering a Japanese breakfast while on a business trip to do PR for a nuke site in Tsuruga. My higher-up and I got absolutely smashed the night before on bourbon and ginger ale. Next morning: crushing hang-over, no coffee, cold grilled fish, raw egg, some pickles and rice. It might have been my worst breakfast experience ever.
[139] Nice! Yep, I remember all my rookie mistakes too..including accepting an invitation to a "basashi" specialty joint..not knowing that basashi was of course sliced, raw horse meat. Wasn't an enjoyable two hours, made worse by trying to wash it down with shochu.
[140] Ooooh, I like horse sashimi. Like it a lot. I have had bear sashimi, too. Good stuff. However, I will never, ever drink shochu again. Never. Ever. Never.
Horse sashimi? Maybe edible after Armageddon, but a regular food?
[142] It's kind of a pub food--not something you'd have every night--but plenty popular. Often served with tons of garlic. It's very tender and sweeter than beef.
[141] Shochu incredibly vile, worst hangover have ever had. I won't touch it now either.
[142] Major delicacy. Alongside fugu (posion blowfish) and shirako (dried whale sperm). I've been told by those in the know that only in Guangzhou, southern China, do people eat funkier things than here in Japan.
[144] Dude, shirako, mostly comes either from lamp fish or blowfish, could be from cod, too, but definitely not whale. I know that because, if it was from whale, wouldn't touch it. IMHO, shirako is to die for. Heavenly.
[145] Ah, of course I mis-remembered! On our trip down south to Matsue-Prefecture at new years we ate at a place where they served us fugu shirako and also crispy fried whale skin (it was delicious).