Oy, that doesn't inspire, does it? "It's Up to Hughes". Well, here's hoping Alex gets to follow up his "encore une fois" with his trademarked "let's all applaud again!"

Derek Jeter=pretty good (encore une fois!)

[2] If MLB would only introduce ghost runners, so Jeter could bat more than once per inning...

Well, that was quick.

What a horseshit pitch, Hughes. God dammit.

[4] NY Yankees pitchers, 1st Inning ERA: 7.67.

Par for the course.

The Rays lead 4-0.
Okay, I'm actually starting to wonder whether they are catchable. Doesn't look like.

RaOOOOOOOOOOL!

(Montero would have missed that one.)

In Boston, with runners on first and second Nick Johnson hit the ball 390 feet to the wall in dead center. Matt Wieters is unable to score from second, so Reynolds has to hold up at second, so Johnson practically runs into him and they tag him out. Clownish.

Oh, but Andino blasts a 3-run homer, so Laptop does not escape.

Huuuuuuuuughes.

Pretty cool that the kid gets a triple in his first big league at bat after 9 years in the Bushes.

A Wise move by Jetes.

Love dem elbow pads.

Is that the pitcher's name or other job?

INDEED!!!

Just grand, Robbie!

No excuses whatsoever for Hughes now

Two whole at-bats for Swish to unwind and uncork one - what the hell took him so long?

Nick!

Holy cow...I go away for twenty minutes and ka-boom, a big lead. At least I just caught Swisher's blast. Was Jeter's second hit legit?

[9] That reminds me of that time when Bubba Crosby lapped Jason Giambi on the basepaths and was out at 2B. I don't think there was anyone in front of them. Giambi was just slow, and Crosby forgot that.

So, looks like Hughes has been okay so far?

[9] Clownish, indeed. But did Nick Johnson get hurt on the play?

Afternoon folks, just got in from yard work. Why is there a funny looking number one next to NYY?

[23] I'm not sure, but maybe it had to do with a couple of Yankees batters hitting the ball over the fence in the OF. It's all pretty confusing.

[24] ? Are the Yankees allowed to do that?

[20} Really. I saw the 1st AB of the inning, then had to deal with someone at the door. I come back... and it's 7-1. Nice. Now that is Yankee Baseball!

Lets hope this snaps Cano out of his funk.

Hey... am I wrong to get almost as much pleasure from seeing the Sox get their ass'es kicked as I get from watching the Yankees kick ass?

And Laptop's ERA is now a smidge over 9.00. Glorious Sunday.

[26] Yep. And let's hope also that Hughes can keep his act together for six or seven innings.

[22] Heh. He's having a good season.

I %$%$^^&%^%*&^% missed the salami. GODDAM it. I went into the kitchen for a while. Could easily have been watching from the stove, but I thought I'd just turn it off for a little while. Missed the whole score truck.

[27] Yes, you are. But you can be wrong with me, because I'm really, really enjoying it too. Esp. the pitchers.

I've pulled for Hughes, um, hugely for years now, but I have to admit that the mere sight of his frowny facial expression pisses me off.

[30] You just have to figure if he manages not to get hurt (IF), Nick the Stick will put up a fine season, just to taunt us.

Hooray, a 1, 2, 3 inning from Phil.

[33][30] Hey, wait a minute. I just checked out his numbers for the year...that was sarcasm on your part, wasn't it.

Wow, Will Middlebrooks just hit a game-tying salami of his own!

[35] Oh, I thought you knew he was sucking -- I totally over-read your question about getting injured.

[37] I haven't paid close attention so far this season, to be honest. Too much work, and the time difference makes it hard. Mostly I've tried to focus on Jeter's transformation into Luke Appling.

Boston and Baltimore tied now. Middlebrooks salami. Youkilis might be out of a job.

[37] In all seriousness, for a variety of reasons, there was never a player whom I tracked more closely in MiL and whom I wanted more to succeed in the bigs than Nick Johnson. Just not to be.

Oh God, not a 6 man rotation.

[41] I'm watching the Royals feed, where they are currently talking Hughes-to-the-pen, which I would certainly favor over the ol' 6-man rotation.

Hughes looks like an Ace when he has a 6 run lead... although he's still at 74 pitches thru 4 IP.

[42] It's the direction Coney thinks baseball is going to go. Which means Girardi will want a 14 man pitching staff.

[43] I think if he were pitching like his usual self, he wouldn't have a 6-run lead, so you may be confusing cause and effect here.

[44] Coney said that? I missed it.

I doubt it. It's very expensive. Most owners would balk.

[44] Which makes Nuñez all the more valuable!

[45] Well played, sir.

[46] Interesting, but maybe the market would adjust, since in reality two the starters on most teams would be glorified long-relievers. Plus, the cost of high leverage relievers seems to be going up (my impression, no real evidence).

[46] It was in the context of the Verducci rule and limiting innings by young pitchers. I guess if you bring up two youngsters and plug them into an existing 4 man rotation is how it would work, but that would probably annoy #1 & #2 starters.

Garden gnome night? Shouldn't that be Gardner gnome night.

[48] I actually think we'll see at least a few teams follow more of the Nolan Ryan rules and develop young pitchers a little more aggressively. Also, I wonder if there isn't a way to go to a 6 man rotation that keeps the top couple of spots in the on a fixed five day rotation. I haven't tried to sit down with a napkin and pencil to work it out.

Oh Gardner Gnome night would be amazing.

Yeah, I dunno, maybe there would be some kind of market correction if teams carried more starters. Hm.

Okay, well, I wish he hadn't thrown that WP, but aside from that, pretty good start for Hughes.

[51] He was certainly throwing as hard as I've seen him throw not as a reliever, at least if the radar gun on the KC feed is accurate.

[49] I haven't figured it out either, I guess it would entail skipping starts here and there for the youngsters.

Perhaps the market correction would be if you aren't pitching as much, you don't get paid as much. But if I've got CC or Verlander, I want them out there every five days, I don't mind paying for it, they give me a better chance to win that day.

[53] Yeah, that's the other thing. You could call it a six man rotation, but teams with good pitchers will run their good pitchers out there just as often.
They do it in Japan, of course. One day off for teams during the weak so pitchers have a particular day of the week they pitch on. I guess everyone knows that now.

[53][54] I played around with it a bit. If you start (e.g.) your #1 at 1 and your #2 at 3, then you have to stagger the other four starters every 6 to 8 days. I'm not sure how necessary it is to pitch on the same amount of rest every time around...if it is, then the scheme probably doesn't make any sense and you would have to simply skip one lesser starter each time through the rotation.

Another way to do it would be have to have a couple of fixed "piggyback" starters. So, for example, pitchers 1-3 or 1-4 are "regular" starters, but then you would 2 pitchers designated to "start" in spots 4 and/or 5 (for a total of 6 or 7 starters). The piggyback starters would each go a maximum of, say, 4 innings each.

I was taking it for granted that Phil was done!

4-seam is 94 mph according to pitch f/x.

[55] That last part is Coney's solution too.

Phil really needs to develop a better secondary pitch, besides that lollypop curve.

Right, well that's definitely a Good Start.

Girardi won't be able to resist playing with his toys, but I hope he lets Hughes start the next inning, to push a little pitch-count-wise.

Didn't even realize that ol' AJ gave up 12 runs and 12 hits in 2 2/3 innings Wednesday - man, that feels almost as good as watching this game!

[62] Hm, I dunno. Then you're making it very likely that Boone comes into the game with men on base.

Oh, Nick Johnson got pulled off the base on an attempted 3-6-3 DP. Good game at Fenway. Close game. For some reason the O's can't hit the Boston bullpen. Pony up with two out and a man on in a tie game, bottom of 7.

Raul Ibañez, Professional Hitter™.

OK, that felt good.

Pedey walks on four pitches, here comes A-Gon, so Showalter goes to the bullpen. Your move, Bobby...

Russel Martin, Corpse™.

Peter Gammons calling a game on NESN, not a great idea. Not a great experience.

A-Gon grounds out into the shift, game still tied going to the eighth.

Look at that. Phil again.

Okay! Yeah, the four-seam is still looking good. Apparently it's still deceptive.

hughes is not really very good at pitching...

Ugh.
Oh well.

[71] No, he is. Today. Until that.

Quintero joins the "I homered before Albert Pujols" club.

Well at leas Joe let Phil start the inning.

[73] true. i've watched just about the whole game. but, in general...

[72] Well, that's one way to bring Hughes in for the 7th AND make sure that Logan comes in with the bases empty.

[76] Hey yeah! Good, now Boone can walk a lefty.

Ohhhh. Disappointing. I wanted the BB.

V. Padilla throws an ephus pitch, I didn't realize that. Ooh, he got a good call on a wide pitch, too.

he's fast.

Adam Jones steals second and takes third as Saltalamacchia hurls the ball into CF. He's not good.

[81] that's terrific news! if jones scores, that would be fabulous!

keep us updated...(thanks)

Full count to Chris Davis, fouls off a couple.

Padilla kind of looks like Colon.

Here's the payoff... Davis watches strike three! Yes, Peter Gammons confirms that it was a strike. Douche. Davis has struck out four times today.

Here's Mark Reynolds.

Reynolds is kind of Swishalicious, I expect him to walk.

He bunts at the ball! And misses it. Oy. Yeah, not his strong suit.

Strike two on the outside corner. Count is 1-2, Reynolds just holds up on a high heater. 2-2. The Fenway Faithful have risen and are making noise...

Reynolds holds up again on a high one. Full count.

good ab working the walk. good steal.

ouchie on the face into the knee.

Payoff pitch: he fouls back a fastball on the outside corner. Maybe just off the outside corner.
Do it again...

OK, the Yankees need not to lose another OF.

Reynolds blasts a deep double off the CF wall. Man, it looked like it was gonna be an out, then it looked like a homer...

[88] What happened?

captain on-base!

I'm really liking this version of Jeter.

[90] wise stole 2nd. dove in, his right eye when right into getz's knee.

[89] nice!

[92] See, I told you his batting average was going to be double Pujols'.

[90] Wise ran early in the count to Jeter, slid hard and a little awkwardly, came up gingerly. But he seems ok. I was worried for a minute. Of course, the sad thing is that we need to be worried about losing Dewayne Wise.

Nick Johnson strikes out.
O's take a slim lead into the bottom of the eighth.

this bobby v. quote in regards to ugly's rehab is a bit disturbing:

"getting into the pelvic movement that's needed."

[97] Who's getting into it, Youk or Bobby?

Can we get double digits?

DOUBLE-DIGITS!!!