Plenty of Fireworks, Just Not From Us
Whoops. I don’t know how else to throw it out there. I was halfway through a game of bocce at Joe Puma’s. Bennie and me vs. Joey (Jr.) and Cousin Vinnie. I hear Big Joe yelling at me from up on the deck. I look up and he says to me, “Boston lost.” Okay. That’s a good start. But there was a reason he opened with that instead of the Yankees. He might have been trying to build some drama, or he might have been trying to start me off with the good news, with the inevitable bad to follow. “Is the Yankee game over?” I asked him. He just looked down and shook his head from side to side with a dour look on his face. “Seventeen to one,” he says. “And they’re not done.” Whoa. I seem to remember the Indians knocking the cr*p out of us one game last year, too. I didn’t see Monday’s game either. I was at my mother’s house, and somehow she doesn’t have the YES network. I know. That one’s tough. But reading about the game, the Times was surprisingly critical of the umpiring of CB Bucknor. And I knew if the Times was writing about it, it must have been maddening. Acc called me today and told me I would have popped a few blood vessels, so maybe it’s for the best that I didn’t see it. But as far as today goes, if you’re going to lose, this is the way to do it. Don’t burn any of your good guys, yank guys that need a rest, take your lumps and move on. That’s it. So you lose and you look real bad doing it. Then it’s over.
I’m scratching my head about Shawn Chacon. I have to tell you, I didn’t see this coming. He was money last year. Kept the ball down, threw strikes, went deep into games, beat good teams. I don’t have a good explanation as to how he disintegrated so quickly. It doesn’t make a lot of sense. I know the Yanks are ready to bail on him, but what is the alternative? Unless they have a plan B, I have to believe that somewhere in there is the guy that saved our season last year. We’ll find out soon enough, I guess.
So we’re officially back to watching the can’t-score-Yankees. Not partial to them, I don’t mind telling you. Throwing out the one outburst against the Mets, this team has scored 21 runs in its last 9 games. That’s 2.3 runs a game. That is unbelievable. That kind of futility for a team like this is positively mind-boggling. It’s even more unbelievable when you consider the Indians scored 19 runs in this game. And it’s taken us a full nine games to equal that total, again throwing out the one anomaly against the Mets.
So what needs to be done? I know Ras has been screaming for pitching. I’m not saying I agree or disagree, but I’m not sure that’s the answer. When your team has scored 2.3 runs a game for what is effectively a ten-game stretch, you have a major problem. The pitching has kept us in games, for the most part. Sure it’s not rock-solid, but it’s pretty good. The team ERA took a beating today, but it’s still the fourth best in the AL. Somehow, a bat is sounding pretty good to me right now. Joe Buck made a point on the telecast last Saturday. He said that the Ferocious Lion injury gave Melky Cabrera a good chance to step up and get some major league experience, but at some point the Yankees were going to have to acknowledge that they need a little bit more in this pennant race than the 20 year-old kid can offer right now. It’s a good point. Something needs to be done. I can’t imagine the Royals, in their miserable state, would be so hesitant to deal Reggie Sanders for some prospects. They have to be looking at the Marlins and thinking – see, that’s what I want to do. Get young guys who come up out of nowhere and rip. I think a professional bat like Reggie Sanders might be just what we need right now. Or as Umair said, maybe the Nats will acknowledge that Soriano is walking and try and get something for him. Not sure what the answer is. I don’t mean to panic either. The Yankees are not a team that is going to average 2.3 runs a game. They’re going to score more runs than this. They are just on a cold streak right now. Big time. It’s amazing they’re only four games out.
Waving the flag today, boys. God Bless America. Happy Fourth of July.
"It's amazing they're only four games out"
The yankes could be 6 games out right now.But,thanks to tampa bay they are not.In fact
Boston had the game won until the 8th when Mike Timlin comes
in and gives up 4 runs in a third of an ining.
So be glad they are only 4 games out.That is not hard for the yankees to overcome.I am not counting the yankees out yet(although I am a sox fan too.) at least into september.
-kaylee
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Timlin does not do that very often.
-kaylee
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Andy, what are you talking about? Timblin came into that game when the Sox were down 4-3. This is why the losing pitcher was Schilling. Duh?
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Umair:Yeah I know but if it were to stay 4-3 the homer that manny hit in the ninth would have won it for the sox.
so in eccents timlin lost it for us.
Does that explain it?
BTW my name is kaylee I have no idea what the screen name is for But....
-kaylee
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I know the losing pitcher was schilling.
-kaylee
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you cant say that manny would have hit that 3 run home run if the Rays didnt score 5 in the bottom of the 8th. You play a 3-4 game much differently then a 3-9 game. Maybe the pitcher just went out there throwing strikes not caring what happends because he's 6 runs up.
"Timlin does not do that very often"
He seems to have done that a lot this year... I remember the Yankees roughing him up with 5 or 6 hits in a row earlier in the year.
Anyway, Villone has done a great job. I'm surprised YES hasn't said anything about him. He's pitched a lot of inning in the last week. I wonder if they can move him up to a starter or if that would hurt the bullpen even more? I say make him start instead of wright since wright can't seem to go more then 5 innings. As for chacon, I think we need to get another SP or just hold out till Pavano gets back, if that ever happends.
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Reality check needed. 1. The Sawk are within striking distance, and they're coming back down to earth. 2. We CANNOT win this thing with 1/3 of an outfield. We need a hitter. 3. We also need a SP, as we have 2 1/2 of them (Moose, Wang & an iffy Randall.) It's ours to take, but we gotta make some changes & NOW, while we're still only 4 out.
And yes, we'll have to trade a prospect or 2. Let's face it, it was a miracle we won last year with help from 2 arms outta nowhere (Chacon & Small), but that was lAST year. Now is now, and it's killing me to see this club struggle so much. No wild card guys, we gotta win the AL East to go anywhere.
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Well that was a poor two games byt the Yanks. I guess the good thing is that no-one got injured, and we really didn't lose any ground. Chacon is not pitching well and is my bet to be released before Wright will. At least Wright throws some hard stuff, Chacon has to be Moose-like to be effective, and obviously that hasn't happened in awhile. One of those games you just have to shake off and get ready for the next game.
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Didn't lose any ground?
A quick look at the schedule tells me Toronto could have sole possession by the All Star break.
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Wasn’t it last year the Yanks got a 22-0 beating at the hands of Cleveland? Maybe it was the year before? Not sure but I remember it being the worst one-sided loss in team history. Anyway, I much prefer these loses, as embarrassing as they are, than those 3-4 type as Mr. BPS stated where everyone gets used up.
Since when did Cleveland’s outfield catch everything hit? I am beginning to think that Devon White, Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente were signed for the series.
I suppose Chacon (along with Small) ran out of spinach. It is a shame since I really like both of them and can’t thank them enough for being huge reasons in our turnaround last year. But, let’s face it the guy has been terrible all year. I am waiting for him to walk the peanut vendor at this point. Hate to say it but I think he will get the dreaded “designated for assignment” come August.
Along with Ras I too have been screaming for pitching. I am from the school of thought that you are going to play more 4-3, 3-2 or 5-4 games than you are 10-8. Besides, this team still has Damon, Jeter, Giambi, A-Rod, Cano, Posada and Bernie. If they can’t score runs with that line up till (hopefully) Matsui and or Sheff come back then what the he11 is Reggie Sanders going to do or add? Soriano? The guy wants too much money next year and I still have visions of him swinging and missing everything thrown low and away against Boston and Florida in ’03. Plus I think Washington is going to want way too much for him to return to pinstripes. He’s a great player, don’t get me wrong, but I think he rivals only Manny for space cadet of the year. Where would you play him? I know that you are thinking LF but I doubt that he would gracefully move out to LF (well, maybe he would for the rest of the year so as not to hurt his free agent money. But I seriously doubt that he wouldn’t push to return to second if the Yanks were to resign him next year.) This scenario also opens up the possibility of Cano being dealt and that is something I personally do not want to see.
Funny how Boston fails to be world beaters when they leave the tiny green toilet bowl.
Well, there are still two games left in this series….we can still have a chance to shake hands and call it a draw.
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You know, if A-Rod had hit five grand slams, the Yankees would have won that game.
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Kaylee, You can't be serious. You can't assume what happened in the top of the 9th inning still happens if the score remains 4-3. Perhaps if the score was still 4-3, the Rays wouldn't have went with such a horrible pitcher, and let their normal, mediocore pitcher close the game. Everything is interconnected.
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I guess we have to hope that Cash has a few more tricks up his sleeve this year, Chacon and Small were brilliant for us last year, who will it be this year?, if anyone. Maybe Small has worked some things out in the minors and is ready for another shot. Hughes is an option, but I can't see the Yanks rushing this kid up as some sort of stop gap measure. Hoping for a Pavano comeback is just a dream. Villone getting a shot to start would seem to me to take something away from the pen, which we rely heavily on, so that doesn't work for me. Again, I hope Cash has it figured out.
On the offensive side, I am reading again that the interest in Aubrey Huff is escalating. He would be an improvement in right to what we have now.
BPS, looks like Torre agrees with you, he says "Offense has been a problem for us. I'd say more on the offensive end of it.", when asked if he would prefer pitching or offense if one trade could be made.
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We could have had Huff and the big lefty, Mark Hendrickson, for a couple of "B" prospects (at least that's the rumor I heard...), but the Rays dealt Hendrickson in a seperate deal (to the NL, I think...).Wonder why that deal didn't happen.....that would have given us exactly what I say we need, and OF and a SP...
Ras #45
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anyone knows what happen to damon ?
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I am reading Damon left with an oblique strain....same injury if I remember correctly that had Pujols out for 3 weeks....but Damon doesn't subscribe to the same healing "potions" Albert uses so lets hope it is not bad...
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...but Aaron Guiel is expected to be added to the roster....so we can all breathe easier...;)
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Umair-You are right.SOX lost yankees win what is new?
-kaylee
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