The Yanks showed some fight last night but it was another sloppy game for a team that hasn’t played well in more than a week. Fortunately, C.C. is on the hill tonight. Joe Girardi has rearranged the batting order in the hopes that it’ll kick start the offense. Goes something like this:
Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Russell Martin C
Brett Gardner LF
Nick Swisher RF
Jorge Posada DH
They’ll have their hands full against Josh Beckett cause the sombitch has been dynamite so far this year.
That won’t stop us from rootin’:
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
They should try leading off Gardner.
Yeah, I guess they are just delaying the inevitable there.
Posada a very late scratch, Andruw DHing and batting 9th.
Posada still has had a better couple of days than Yankee prospect Slade Heathcott
http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/2011/05/slade-heathcott-ejected-for-attacking-catcher-with-video-in-eventful-day/
[4] For some reason, I enjoyed that. Must be something wrong with me
[4] Wow.
Let's Go Yankees! CC will take us to the promised land! I'm so up for this game.
[6] Oh god, it's FOX..my enthusiasm just took a hit..
3 PRIME TIME Saturday FOX GAMES? hmmm .... sweeps month .... and no afternoon blackout perhaps?
Ah a little S&G.
Fox showing Giants/Cubs game here and of course the Yanks/Sox are blacked out on MLB. My only option is to listen to John and Susan.
The more I think about it, did Girardi really have to pick a FOX game against the Red Sox to move Posada to 9th?
There's something wrong with the Yankees team right now...really feels like things could get out of hand quickly.
[4] That just made me wanna reach out and hug the kid, though I'm willing to bet he's not the touchie/feelie type (I'm not either, so I can imagine...)
[11] Yet he escapes the indignity with a late scratch from the lineup... or at least postpones the inevitable. I will not be shocked by anything that transpires from hereon...
Now a double play.
Dead horse time..but really, is there NO ONE at FOX sports who can bring in a better baseball broadcasting team?
Go Go CC!
C'mon, CC!
[15]
It took ESPN 20 years to get rid of Joe Morgan .... :-(
Couple of years ago Ortiz crushes that 1-1 pitch.
Wow.
Very, very impressive, big guy.
I'll take that. Now bash Beckett.
Now, go git this motherfucker!
Hey, Diane. Via David Pinto: the book Big Hair and Plastic Grass notes in passing that on a standard roster, Dock Ellis is entered as "Ellis, D."
The OLD MAN!
35
Good eye, Curtis...
[24] Pinch hitting for Mattpat, R (r-r-r) B (b-b-b) J (j-j-j)...
A little bingo!
Jack Palance? Way to keep it contemporary Timmah.
Curtis!!
Evening, Team.
First of all, fuck Fox.
Second of all, why do the players look microscopic on this broadcast?
Good changed of speed, pitch hung up, but fooled him.
28) Yeah, that was weak.
Teix 0-28 against Boston? That is..bad.
[29] Evenin'.
Ortiz and CC don't look microscopic. They look like normal men.
Oh, I see your point.
Now, he goes to something soft?
God, these two are insufferable.
And if and when Boston scores, it's just going to get worse 'cause they're both going to hoot and crow.
Okay, I say he goes soft of 3-1...
Watching "due date" with the gf because bite my ass FOX has the cubs on. As my old man was won't to say, "Sonofabitch bastard"
Nope, fastball. So 3-2 he drops the deuce?
God dammit, Alex. FUCK
[26] Thank you.
Save us Robbie.
LET'S GO ROB!!!
He doesn't get another fastball in this at bat...
Stupid.
Grrrrrr!
Similar innings for CC and Beckett.
I can't watch this game.
I'm tense and aggravated already and it's only been one inning.
Over/Under on Varitek&Beckett make-out sessions this game: 37?
Struggles with RISP continue..
gotta grab some grub. Be back a little later...
[22]
took me a moment to get that ... LOL
I wish there was one thing at which to point, but these last 3 weeks defy explanation.
[46] I often feel that way with Sox/Yanks. Not tonight, though. (Médoc did the trick for me!)
[51] :)
Easy peasy, as AB would say if he weren't chowing down right now.
Oh crap .... I hope Jorge isn't ...
Jorgie "removed himself from the lineup...not an injury situation."
Cashman doesn't know Jorgie's future???
Jorgie wants to hold a press conference?
What the motherfuck?
That news, and Cashman's tone, has me sick to my stomach.
Bah .... I hope Jorge just wants a few days off ...
[56] Me too.
I can't even focus on the game now.
Mike Schmidt situation?
You know that post I put up about Posada earlier in the week? ... I take it all back (from a personal level)
[59]
ugh ....
[60] *nodding*
Yeah, youse all are thinking what I'm thinking. This is not how I wanted to see him leave if that's what's happening.
When he was sratched, my first thought was he'd retire. Now it really seems that way...can't wait for this game to end now. I just hope this has nothing to do with lingering effects from the concussion.
[55] WTF...no way, I can't believe he did that.
My other thought is maybe Posada wants to be traded to a team that will let him catch?
7 pitches to get Varitek out, Cmon CC! Watch that pitch count.
[66] No way, he can't think any team would let him catch now.
[66]
that wouldn't merit a post-game presser from the player
66) No. I can't see that. But I can see him flat-out retiring. Very weird feeling now.
[64] A Mike Schmidt situation is much better than a Lou Gehrig type situation. But he really should not catch anymore due to those concussions.
[64] It was what I didn't want to say. If it's happening, I feel tremendously awful for him, but at least he would make that call.
I wonder if he's actually had some concussion symptoms flareup.
the game seems oddly secondary now...
[69] I hope not, but Big Papi's comments about not catching being hard on Jorge sounded like it came right from a 1st hand conversation.
I really wish Girardi would have been a little more prudent with a decision that might have precipitated an overreaction.
[72] But that was 8+ months ago, wasn't it?
Joel Sherman tweeting that Pos is not retiring, but Yanks were NOT on board with him pulling himself from the lineup.
Oy and vey.
My guess is that he's mortified by his performance, uncomfortable not catching, feels as if he's letting the team down, and just doesn't have it in him to be around if he's not going to contribute.
Hope I'm wrong...
[77] I bet that's right, Alex.
Long looks sick. This is not good.
Jack Curry tweets that Posada pulled himself because he was insulted to be hitting 9th ...
Thought the game started at 8. Nice to tune in and see the Yankees not losing.
[76] Weirder and weirder.
Oh crap .... Posada and Girardi not on same page .... sigh
Lots of twitter reports about Posada being pissed by the demotion...looks like this will not end nicely.
It's sooo cool to not know about books!
[81] Trouble with Jorgie...
Yanks could dock Posada's pay ... oy and vey
[80] I guess I can see that. He's a proud man. Not to mention a red ass.
[87] You know what this team needed? Drama.
Maybe Robbie should demand a trade to a team that hits.
Joe Sheehan points out that Posada could be miffed that Jeter batting 1st or 2nd despite bad #s, while Posada bats 9th
Jorge: Pride is good. Selfishness is not..but the tweets make no sense. Why is there a press conference scheduled if he's not retiring..? This is too confusing.
He's not allowed to complain about such things...I mean, my God...
[77] seems likely
Please don't retire Po. Please. For the children. And the adults...
Give us one more month then we'll see, big guy.
Everybody gets moved down...O'Neill, Bernie, Tino...all got moved down when the passed their peak.
[91] That sounds crazy. He can't be that petty, can he?
I can understand Girardi wanting to move Posada down, but that's not a move you make so suddenly against Boston on national TV. If Girardi felt he had to make the move, then it should have been gradual. Perhaps go to Posada, explain his feelings, ask him if needs time to think about it, and then go from there.
Given all this ... I still think Heathcott is having a better couple of days than Posada
[13] I've got nuthin...
[96] It does sound crazy.
You're hitting like crap. The manager showed a lot of faith in you. Maybe he could have waited a couple more weeks, but it's a judgment call, and you don't throw a tantrum.
I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. Let's see what he says.
Stop fucking talking about the Premier League!!
Sitting out because hitting 9th? Whaaaaa... That's absurd
For all that we love to criticize lineups...according to the stat heads, they really matter very little. If Posada's that insulted to be batting ninth, why do that to him?
Same with A-Rod batting 8th, back in the Torre days. Why insult the man that way, when batting order is so insignificant?
Jesus Montero ... line 1 please.
[103] Fair point, but I doubt that the Managers Joe believe that it's insignificant.
Crimeny!
[99] Oh wait, I got sumthin: maybe he's gonna tattle about why the team has been playing like horseshit lately; whether it's circumstance or deliberate...
[101] LOL.
Ken Rosenthal et al blah blah blah. I wish these guys would shut up. It's time for the mute button.
[103] Exactly...why woudl Girardi risk the headache, esp. considering the way the team is playing and the national spotlight of the game.
The worst thing that could come out of this is the return of the fucking rotating DH.
[109] But still, you don't put yourself above the team..is their lingering problems between Joe G and Jorge from the mid-90s?
[110]
the worst thing about this is that FOX is broadcasting this crap
[111]
word is that Jorge and Joe have never been that close ...
If you don't know what went on, quit the idle speculation on national media.
Oh, this can't be good.
Sarah Silverman... Shoot me now.
Oh, wtf is this shit now...
Sarah Silverman? Wtf? I hate you Fox
FOX is pathetic.
Who the fuck is Sara Silverman and why is she in the booth promoting something? I FUCKING HATE FOX!
This Jorge business may be making me cranky but get this woman out of the booth, NOW and talk about the game GOD DAMMIT!!!
Take my wife...PLEASE!
Sarah Silverman is blitzed.
Shut UP!!!
This was seven years ago!!
Omg, complete with bleeps and everything...
How did they let this woman on the air like this?
[122] I think you're right.
Can we go back to baseless speculating about Jorge?
Had to mute it within 5 seconds..never heard of this woman and she annoyed me immediately. This broadcast is torture.
Silverman has been announced as new Yankees DH
Oh Jesus lord, now she's ranting about Doc Ellis.
Omg.
[129] That's Ellis D.
Wow, maybe Silverman can do a live Taco Bell commercial while she's there. Hey FOX, fuck the baseball game; why don't you get Silvio Berlusconi in a three-way with Grimace and Hamburglar and we can all watch that instead of the game?
[131] Okay, that was funny
Oh thank God.
Jesus Christ, that's what fucking "executives" do?
[128] LOFL
[132] Hahahahahahah!!!!
Ok, so what's next, one wonders..."Bear" from "BJ and the Bear," perhaps?
Remember when Giuliani would find his way on a broadcast and he'd try so hard to impress us all with his baseball knowledge?
The fuck is he on about now?
[138] Nick Nolte! Maybe with Lindsey Lohan, after they've been on a two week bender.
Oh, fuck.
[141] Heehee!
Walk to Varitek? Yeesh...
Bit of a jam here.
Crappity
Motherfucker.
e tu CC?
The Yankees seem to be teetering on a cliff.
That was a sweet DP. Onward.
[149] Oh, you are William. I wasn't sure for awhile there, what with your new get-up and all.
And yes, they do.
[151] Didn't realize my screen name was changed...need to figure out how to keep the same one for posting comments.
Yes, but these people haven't been hitting anyone.
Can we count our hits as runs?
Clemente died New Year's Eve, didn't he?
[155] I thought it was more towards Christmas.
Wouldn't mind seeing the return of Upper-Deck Beck right now.
{155} Yeah, 1972.
Curtis should step out...Becket is taking his time from the set.
FUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Come on, Teix, be a #3 hitter.
FOX's broadcast is 97% promotion of things OTHER than baseball.
I hate Beckett.
I'm getting sick of watching the Yankees not hit
Ugh.
I'm sick of this fecklessness.
It's hard to watch.
Made all the worse by the Grinch up there on the mound. Beckett is an asshole.
Mics are doing a pretty good ob of picking up a vociferous drunk in the stands. Guy was ranting about Andre Ethier earlier, now he's screaming "you f--ed up"
[167] A fuckhead.
Now, the beat writers on Twitter saying Jorge will not retire. But he fucked up by taking himself out of the game. I expect a public apology and for him to fall on his sword at the end of this one. Oy.
This game feels weird...I am starting to get so upset at the front office and Girardi that I am not too bothered that the Yankees are going to sleepwalk through another game.
"He wears it with pride."
Please kill me.
Maybe the Yankees will get a hit with RISP again this season but not confident.
96 pitches for the Grinch, knock him out this inning please!
[171] What would you like the FO to do?
Let's GO!
FUCK.
That was a long-ass swing, Alex.
[174] How about not pick a national game against Boston to move Posada to ninth? Then, after making that mistake, not going on national TV to make sure everyone knows Posada asked out of the lineup. Then, after making that mistake, not chriping to the media the possibility of docking Posada's pay.
With so much going wrong, the team didn't need this soap opera. Girardi's job is to manage his clubhouse and he failed at that today in a huge way.
I'm not one for histrionics but the post game spread needs to be turned over tonight.
You know what?
If there's anything this team needs right now, it's this bullshit.
Since when are back spasms considered an injury?
"and then Russell Martin trips" indeed ... Feels like the Yanks are sinking away
178) But maybe all of this mess gets the elephant, this malaise, out in the open and wakes them the fuck up.
[181]
see Don Mattingly
[183] One can hope...
All this broadcast needs now is an interview with Slade Heathcott
Sounds like the process of sweeping it under the rug has commenced.
[179] The time for that was at least a week ago. With Lester and Price waiting in the wings, this slide could get worse before it gets better.
If Girardi exhibited bad judgment - I'm not saying he did - it does not excuse such a little bitch move by Posada. Anyway it's not like he had been hitting 5th for crying out loud.
T Mac, shut it.
[183] I don't know...when the suits embarrass a player of Posada’s stature, a negative vibe can filter through the clubhouse.
This is torture.
Now Posada's WIFE is saying it was back stiffness ... oy
Very repetitive.
[193] Oy, indeed.
I'm down with rugs and sweeping
Now I feel like I'm tripping.
This is too surreal.
Laura posada is so fine I'm inclined to believe her. Backache it is!
One of fascinating the way this story is unfolding via Twitter. All the writers reporting, Curry talking to Jorge Sr, Rosenthal just reporting something that Posada's wife tweeted. Welcome to 2011, folks.
Ohhhh, come ON!!!!!
Mother of God.
Who do I want to murder more? Swish or McCarver?
Wow, this game is shaping up to be the worst of the season so far.
Sorry, did I say murder? I meant kill.
[199] it is sweet of you to try to distract us with the meta issue.
Meanwhile, yuk.
[202] McCarver, and it ain't even close.
The Yankees are carrying 13 pitchers? Can any of them DH?
[203] Agreed. Brutal umpiring not helping, would have liked to see JoeyJoeJoe channel some Earl Weaver there. Try and get wake the team up at least. Oh well, I guess the binder has strict rules on when to argue.
Dammit.
Cue the circus music!
Swisher falls down, Martin falls down...
WOW
[199] And forty years ago it was just Joe Buck (no relation) walking around with his transistor radio...
Somebody kill me.
Put a fork in 'em.
I thought Swisher was going to be the face of this half inning. Now the game is over
Can we just forfeit now and find out what the fuck with Jorgie?
Regarding the list of Yankees who have not held up their end of the bargain, Sabathia is among them.
Looked like Ichiro when he cheated on that Rivera cutter last year.
Good thing I rushed home to get to this game. Now I'm oissed at everyone, FO, Girardi, my favorite player, our best pitcher, the fucking offense...
"Red Sox havin' fun in the Bronx." I want a poster of Buck and McC so I can throw darts at it.
For f***'s sake what happened to Sabathia? He was cruising along for the most part then just completely shits the bed
Sabathia, huge disappointment tonight.
[218] He is.
[216] I'm down with that
[220] Enough aggression to go around, to be sure.
Jorge pitches a hissy fit at the wrong time. Way to set the tone, Po
Sickening. The game, the drama the whole thing.
On the bright side, Posada didn't get pulled off the field on national TV like Reggie Jackson did. And, Reggie came out of it well.
[199] I've noticed that with a lot of news stories lately. Kind of puts traditional media in a tough position. They're trying to keep up with Facebook and Twitter, but still maintain some journalistic standards.
Like the story of that Alabama football player who died. It broke on Facebook, and ESPN's first mention of it was criticized as being really insensitive. Some were wondering why the editor allowed it. I suspect there was no editor.
At least that was a beaut of a curveball from drob
Whoa, Girardi was ejected? I didn't even notice.
Posada actually has a back of the lineup injury ...
At least we don't have to listen to God Bless America on the FOX broadcast...
[233] :)
[232] Well played.
[232] Now you're cookin'!
I'm in a foul mood right now.
I feel like being violent.
Six outs ... Six runs ... and - BEGIN!
How can you know how great he was? Our guys haven't hit in two weeks!
Posada farce, Beckett, CC letting us down, FOX..this may be the single worst game I have watched in years. Sunny beautiful day here in ToxyTown but will be hard to shake this awful awful game.
This is Bronx Zoo 2.0.
Oh, but Yanks are still going to come back and win this! LOL Just to give the writers ONE more thing to scramble for.
Nice job Grittner.
Swing the bat, Brett.
Well, this is going well
Oh, fuck, we have to suffer these assholes next weekend, too?
God, you might think about shortening your swing there, man.
It's really no fun watching your team fail to do what they're supposed to do. I mean they've jut looked so incredibly ineffective, hapless, you name it. From Swisher flopping around in RF to Sabathia's awful, awful job in the top of the seventh to the *shiver* "at bats".
This is one of those games were I hope the Red Sox score 10 more runs and maybe completely embarrass the Yankees into waking up.
Shut UP about Fuckett!
So are they going to have a little rally, just to tease us?
Big comeback, still gunna happen!
What's interesting is that during this malaise period, the skills of K-Long have been beyond reproach.
Everyone just assumes he's a genius, and maybe he is, but in the old days, George would have fired the hitting coach in a heartbeat.
And please don't jump on my back in about K-Long, I'm just wondering out loud. It's true that just about everyone but Granderson is hitting poorly.
So you blame all the players?
[253] I don't put much stock in hitting coaches, but I do wonder about the collective approach. Over the last week or so, this team has been afwul hitting with 3-ball counts. It seems as if they are simply swinging at anything thrown up there...like they are trying to hit homeruns with every cut.
"This is becoming more and more a young man's game."
I dont' think the hitting coach has that much to do with their approach in that sense. More like their general approach and mechanics. I mean even if Long says "and remember - don't try to hit homeruns with every cut", they obviously know that themselves, in theory at least. They're just gripping.
And why are they talking about the age on the team? The Yanks aren't that old. They have three guys that are a bit aged, Posada, Jeter and A Rod. Everyone else is in their prime still. Right?
[257] Tex, Grandy, Swish, Martin, Gardner and Cano are either in the midst or fringes of their prime.
[254] I agree that the hitting coach can only do so much. Maybe I have a short memory, but it seems strange to see so many good (and some great) hitters all struggling at the time...for so long.
Is this one of those "closed-door team meeting" situations?
[257] Because they've been talking about it so long it's become a cliche, which means they don't actually have to think about whether it's the case or not, they just have to flap their gums and keep the needle moving.
Are they still playing? I've got a post game show to watch.
[261] If you call that "playing," yes, they are.
It's a beautiful Sunday morning in Japan. Why do I torture myself? Maybe if I blow-off the bottom of the 9th, something good will happen.
[263] Sigh. That's why they call us "fanatics."
When the hell was Girardi ejected?
How did I miss that?
265) During commercial break after C.C. was lifted.
No flipping, no flipping. Wait, yes, flip to YES.
What a lame way to spend a Saturday night!
Jon Lester tomorrow, David Price Monday.
Ugh.
Girardi is clearly pissed.
At least he didn't say Posada told him his back hurt ...
This is the first time I've enjoyed Girardi's sourness.
Trying to be sympathetic to Jorge...and maybe Jeter and all of his players...but not taking Jorge off the hook.
Honestly my esteem for Girardi has increased by about 30% here
This should be illegal. Brutal.
"I used that as an excuse .... " holy crap what a faux pas ...
So ... He feels disrespected even though he says he put himself in this position ... What a mess.
Well, Jorge made it through that interview without spontaneously combusting. That's probably his greatest accomplishment this season.
Cashman hung Jorge out to dry but the bottom line is that Jorge is throwing a tantrum at growing old. He looked like a child in his interview with reporters, just showing how insulated and immature these guys are. I know he's got a ton of pride but he waffled so much there, was not "stand up" at all. He clearly is still pissed at losing his catching job. And he's probably terrified at the prospect of his career coming to a close.
[279] Was just coming back to ask for a recap. Thanks!
It just never ends well, does it? At least we know Mo will never go out like this.
280) You know, I agree with you there.
Well at least PSN is back on line. Hip hip Jorge! Errr ...
One thing I've learned about baseball over the years is that relatively few players know how to step aside gracefully. The old saying holds true: "Players are the last ones to know." That is, they're the last ones to know that they cannot play well anymore. Maybe we're all like that. Rather than admit that we're not getting it done, we start pointing fingers at others.
A common refrain you hear from players is that "The team didn't handle this well." Well, just what is the team supposed to do? The team is trying to win games; if you're not helping the team win games, you are going to sit the bench.
Now I'm not saying that Posada is done. I've already come out and said that he should be given until at least June. But he is coming across badly in this situation. If your manager says bat ninth, then you bat ninth.
Well said, B.
None of this should come as a surprise to anyone; it's been brewing since the winter. If the team does not come out of this series any stronger than what they've exhibited so far, they might as well just play out the string until Derek gets his 3,000 and then bring up the kids. Sayanora!
Kevin Long gets a pass because the Yankees are still leading the league in runs, SLG & OBP.