Luckless vs. Seattle
I can’t imagine how it’s not worse than this. I really can’t. But I guess that’s why last Sunday even Lupica compared this Yankee team’s toughness with the late 90’s bunch. He quickly added that they’re not as good, of course, but he admits they’re just as tough. But don’t kid yourself; they feel the effects of the injury situation almost on a daily basis. It has manifested itself in two ways, basically. First, the Yanks don’t win as many games as easily as they should. Rarely do they get to enjoy laughers. Second, we do lose some games directly because of being forced to go with second-tier guys. Today was a bit of an example of both.
Game after game we have to use our premier bullpen guys, game after game we have to pinch-hit guys that are supposed to be getting a day off. Tuesday’s game is a good example of that. It could very easily been a 4-2 loss, with the three starters on the DL plus Posada getting a day off and A-Rod getting a day to rest his big toe. But we went for it, and we got it, at a price. Posada went into the game late, as he has almost every time he’s gotten a day off, and A-Rod went in as a pinch hitter. Both ended up playing a few innings. Tough to say what the eventual toll will be on Posada, as catchers tend to tail off offensively towards the end of the season for a reason. But the toll on Tuesday was pretty specific. A banged-up finger that took him out of the lineup today and probably tomorrow in Toronto. This is one of one of those cases where you can directly point to the loss of Posada and see how it affected the outcome. Posada doesn’t have a history of throwing balls into center-field trying to throw out would-be base stealers. Stinnett, on the other hand, doesn’t have a history of playing in a lot of baseball games. Tough break. It was also evident when Posada wasn’t available to pinch-hit with a man on third and two outs. Stinnett gave it a ride, but more importantly, it was a bad time for Bernie to whiff.
Even in losing, the Yanks did not go quietly. The Mariners got some extraordinary luck today to put them over the edge. I hope all of the whiners who cried about the call on Tuesday were paying attention today. Are those people that were so offended by the travesty of justice around now, when the Yankees were victimized? At least Tuesday’s call was bang-bang. I’ve always said that you can’t complain about a bang-bang call. Sometimes the umps are going to blow those. I will acknowledge, though, that the call on Tuesday was pretty obvious. But what was that out there today? Third base umpire Andy Fletcher making Phillips go back to second because he (Fletcher) called time-out? Are you kidding me? Why did he, or would he, call time-out? That makes absolutely no sense. Rene Rivera, the Mariners catcher, got burned by a heads-up Phillips, who scampered to third as Rivera was whining about A-Rod being called safe at the plate, and Fletcher decides to bail him out entirely? It’s not as if Rivera had any clue whatsoever that Fletcher had supposedly called time out. Or the third baseman Adrian Beltre, for that matter. Those guys thought they had been caught napping, and were just as surprised as anybody when Fletcher sent Phillips back to second. How big was the call? Would have been the go-ahead run on third with nobody out. As it was, the Yanks had to burn an out to get him to third. You want to play the pre-determined outcome game that everybody wanted to play Tuesday? Stinnett’s fly ball would have gotten Phillips in easily. Either way, it was an absolutely tremendous call in terms of the game.
More bad luck for the Yanks today. Ichiro lucks out when the ball travels about four feet on a full swing off his bat in the eighth. He is fast as h*ll, of course, and he just beat the throw. That call could have gone either way as well. Then he gets third on Stinnett’s overthrow.
Even through all of this, Cairo puts a tough AB on Putz in the ninth, and gets himself on base. Then Bernie smashed a ball to center that would have been a game-tying double if it was two feet in either direction. Never say die. Never give up. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out for you. But we won the series again. The train keeps on rolling.
The pathetic Boston Red Sox could only muster two runs in two games, but of course, they have been wearing a lucky horse-shoe this year. In those two games their opponent happened to be the worst team in the American league, the Royals, who might even be worse than some of the teams in the NL (maybe not - let’s not crazy). And it gets better. The only guy on the team that can hit, Reggie Sanders, has been out all series with a groin injury. So the Royals scored zero runs in two games. Such is life for the Red Sox. Must be nice. And of course everybody is blowing up Beckett for his dominating performance today. Why are they trying to make this guy a hero? Why is it that every time Beckett goes out and pitches lights-out against the NL or the Royals, everybody in the media goes nuts for him, but when he faces real teams like the Yankees or the A’s, they gloss over the fact that he doesn’t make it out of the third and stretches his ERA towards the stratosphere? I don’t get it. But I’ll tell you this. That lucky Red Sox horseshoe won’t last for a full season. They’re going to get what’s coming one of these days.
What’s up with Shea Hillenbrand? That guy must be a complete d*uchebag, because he hits the cr*p out of the ball everywhere he goes, but then gets sent packing. He was murder against us when he was on the Red Sox, and he picked up right where he left off when he went to Toronto. And now they have designated him for assignment. He was saying some real jack*ss stuff, from what I’ve read. Good riddance. I hope he goes back to the NL so I don’t have to deal with him. Although I’m sure his name will come up for the Yanks. He has always hit like a monster at the Stadium. Not sure I love the guy, but I’ve made my position clear. You put on the pinstripes, I root for you. I root for the laundry….
Umair, sorry for the confusion. The Cardinals cut Ponson so that they could sign Jeff Weaver, as I understand it. And I’m sure the Cardinals would have loved to get from Weaver the game the Yanks got from Ponson. Amber, technically it wasn’t my TV, it was Acc’s. But you’re right. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss that. Med’s, I always like when a guy is enthusiastic about coming to the Bronx. I hadn’t heard that story. Good stuff. Ras, I remember those t-shirts Posada gave out. Here’s a good question, open to all. What do you think this year’s T-Shirts should say?
Seannie! Your boy's up!
I agree with you on the Sox. I don't think they're all that good. Good? Yes. That good? No. I threw up a post today about how the Sox are much inferior to the Yanks when it comes to the AL. I'm sick of hearing how they did so well in interleague and can beat the teams the Yanks can't, when the opposite is true when you breakdown their AL performance to date, as I did in my post.
The loss today was tough to swallow considering how the game winner was scored. A swinging bunt and an overthrow. Geesh.
J
http://boogiedownbaseball.mlblogs.com/
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i REALLY think the Yankees are doing quite well overall
(remember last year?)
the Yankees are 1.5 games out of the AL East 1st place
AND are only 2.5 out of the wild card spot
and it's only July!
SERIOUSLY, things are going quite well now; people, you must get the correct perspective
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Shea has been a thorn in our rose in more than one instance. It was him who was somehow, for some odd reason standing on the baserunner's side of 1st base when Sheffield hit the slow liner and ended up breaking his wrist after crashing into Shea. Loretta is the other culprit.
This year's T-Shirts should say "Series After Series". How many series have we won? We have rolled on. While the Red Sox won 12 in a row, and then lost 5 of 6, we held onto an easy, comfortable pace. Drawing no attention to ourselves. We kept winning 2 out of 3. And that's what you really have to hope for, as a fan. Why do you have to win 3 out of 3? Why? Because you want to see a 162-0 season? Winning 2 out of 3 will lead you to 110 wins, and I'll be damned if that's not enough to make it to the postseason. And hey, besides, in the postseason the team who is the best at winning series is true champion. Look in our schedule. Count how many series have gone by since we have lost. We had a tie with Cleveland, but our last loss's date will surprise you.
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I wanted to say one more thing, you remember the ovation Yankees fans gave A-Rod when he came out of the bench in the 11th inning game. The fans know they need him. Alex knows they need him. I bet if Alex has a tough luck injury, God Forbid, the day he comes back to the lineup he would be cheered the most. Alex once said, in response to the jealously "They can say whatever they want now. But when I'm done playing my presence will be felt". And, if you remember, A-Rod has said many times he has no intentions of re-signing after his current contract is up. People just roll their eyes when the 252 million man says something like that, but think about it.. what if he leads us to a championship, and decides to hang em up.
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with A-Rod, it's the stuff of baseball
i think this will be a great baseball season for the Yankees.. one for Yankee-history
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NICE LOSS BY THE YANEES THAT HELPED MY RED SOX.
-KAYLEE
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The shirts should say "I Bleed Pinstripes". That says it all :)
Ras #45
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In today's NY Daily News:
Yanks do trick, not trade
Until yesterday, and the wasted vintage pitching effort by Randy Johnson, there had been nothing but good tidings for Joe Torre's Yankees this second half of the season. And, more and more, there has been reason to believe the "scrub squadders" of Melky Cabrera, Aaron Guiel, Nick Green & Co. might actually be able to sustain them into and even beyond the September stretch.
There's something about the magic of putting on those Yankee pinstripes - the same sort of magic Torre got from out-of-nowhere Aaron Small and Shawn Chacon a year ago.
But to hear the manager assessing things yesterday, it was rather obvious he's not buying into that. If anything, Torre seemed to be issuing a fervent warning to his bosses upstairs: Don't be lulled into complacency by what the kids and retreads are doing because, to get to the promised land, we're still going to need another proven bat.
"When you get to September and October, the game speeds up," Torre said, "and that's where you'd like to have some experience."
Not that GM Brian Cashman isn't trying. Problem is, at the moment, the big bat market is muddled to say the least. Besides the Yankees, there are at least two other teams, the Tigers and Red Sox, with interest in Phillies right fielder Bobby Abreu and the financial means to take on his contract. But, so far, Phillies GM Pat Gillick has shown no inclination to shop Abreu, preferring instead to try to find a buyer for his other high-salaried outfielder, Pat Burrell.
The prospect of Gillick dealing the underachieving Burrell looked bleak until recent days, when the Baltimore Orioles hinted they might be interested in a deal involving their equally underachieving righthander, Rodrigo Lopez. If Gillick is able to somehow move Burrell, Abreu in all likelihood won't be made available.
Then there's the Nationals' Alfonso Soriano, the other premier hitter on the market. Washington GM Jim Bowden is desperately attempting to create a market for Soriano, who is a free agent after the season. With the Angels (who most baseball people feel are one big bat from being the class of the AL West) steadfastly refusing to part with any of their starting pitching surplus or top prospects, Bowden has tried to get the Tigers and Mariners into the Soriano competition along with the Yankees.
But as one AL exec said yesterday: "I don't see anybody giving up a top prospect for a rental player. That's crazy, but that's what Bowden is hoping for - somebody to blink here."
Presumably, Gillick too.
After Abreu and Soriano, the fallback hitter options for the Yankees are complicated for different reasons.
Kansas City's Reggie Sanders, a nice fellow who hits a lot of home runs but strikes out a lot, is sidelined with a groin injury that sources say is more serious than originally thought. New Royals GM Dayton Moore was originally asking for top prospects for Sanders, but is said to have lowered the price just before the much-traveled 38-year-old outfielder got hurt. Meanwhile, the Nationals' Jose Guillen, whose temperament and faded production would have made him a last resort for the Yankees anyway, has aggravated an elbow injury.
The Yankee high command has always kind of liked Pirates outfielder Craig Wilson (another free agent-to-be) for both his bat and versatility. But it has never had any success in dealing with Pirates GM Dave Littlefield, and apparently it's been no different recently. They would be willing to give up a middle tier prospect for the 29-year-old Wilson, even though he, too, is a rental player, but have no interest in taking on Jeromy Burnitz's big contract, which Littlefield is attempting to package with Wilson. Even though the Yankees might also have interest in Pirates setup man Roberto Hernandez, it doesn't appear as if the Yankees are ever going to be able to do business with Littlefield.
So that pretty much leaves Torre in a waiting pattern now as he tries to further navigate his patchwork team through a dicey road trip to Toronto and Texas leading up to the trading deadline.
"You'd like to believe there was never an urgency," he said, "even after we lost (Hideki) Matsui and (Gary) Sheffield."
The "scrub squadders" have succeeded in at least lessening that urgency, but as Torre said, this is only July. The real test lies ahead with five games in Boston in mid-August and the stretch run beyond that. You get the feeling the manager isn't counting on just more Melky magic getting the Yankees through that.
Kinda seems like Joe wantrs another bat, a vet bat, as I've been saying. Be interesting to see how much influence he has on Cashman...
Ras #45
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I like Umairs "Series after Series" vote for the shirts so far. That pretty much epitomizes what our Yanks are all about. We will take our 2 out of 3 even if Red Sox Nation (Raider Nation?) thinks were going belly-up. I'm going to try and think of different slogans for shirts but Umair's sticks to me. Randy pitched great last night and for some strange reason I don't hear the same outrage from Raider Nation oops Red Sox Nation about a call that could have helped our team. Wonder Why??? Tonights match-up is going to be a fun one to watch. I hope we light up Halladay early and get into the pen, Moose is going to be ready. Let's Go Yanks!!
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How about “Rudy, The Team” for the T? I love it being this tough. Why? Because the payoff will be that much more delicious. I want people to keep doubting this team. I want the so called experts to keep picking the Red Sox, The A’s, White Sox and the Tigers. I said it a few months ago and I’ll say it again. This team (or more importantly) this incarnation is a Joe Torre team. This group is a much more versatile and adaptable team. Guys get put out on the field and are told “just go out there and play solid D” in turn they go out and go 2-4. Guys are called up from Triple A and are told “go out there and fill this position in the batting order until we can find a proven commodity.” In turn they go out there and make a game saving play. This TEAM is something to behold. Something I am extremely proud of to pull for. The worst thing anyone could do is let them “hang around.” And that is exactly what they are doing.
This Hillenbrand guy is mostly mad at Toronto’s front office because they didn’t congratulate him for adopting a baby. Wow, well at least now he will have more time to catch up on the soaps.
Moose VS. Doc…..expect a lot of bunting
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Hey you guys who think the yankees are going to win the division.Two words for you guys:KEEP DREAMING!And the yankees could prove me wrong but I doubt it they will.We will see come october.
The Red sox are winning 6-4 in tne 8th.
-kaylee
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Hey kaylee maybe you didn't notice but nobody around here cares about what you have to say, sorry. If the season ended today your weak statement would be true, but there is roughly 60+ games left and a lot will happen in between then.
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You just watch.And yes I have noticed that But,I am still going to comment on here.
-kaylee
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I will just watch, I will watch the Yankees continue to win series after series and I will watch the Sox take the hated trip out West and take their hacks at the Mariners and A's.
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oh no. The Yanks are 2 games back... They might as well not play the rest of the season.
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NICE BASERUNNING BY DAMON there for the Double play.
-kaylee
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****!
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Nice win by the JAYS!Nice los by the yankees the red sox needed that!love that guy!
-kaylee
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