The Melk-Man Cometh
“This is along my fat line. A pulled love handle.” That was Johnny Damon’s explanation of his strained oblique. It might sound funny to some people. Not me. I’ve seen it many times. I watched Mikey Juice suffer a strained love handle shooting pool at McQuade’s a while back. Mike Sherry suffered a pulled love handle lifting cases of beer when he was tending bar at The Place. Mike Rumble did it eating a quadruple cheeseburger at Club Russo. Acc simply felt strained whenever he looked at the stretch marks on his love handles. It happens.
So how long is Johnny out? Who the h*ll knows. It’s getting hilarious. If they’re smart they’ll just sit him down until after the All-Star break. That will give him a week and change to rest up the oblique and the bone in the foot. No use losing him for three weeks, because opposing pitchers seeing Bubba step up to the plate must be as comforting as the Abercrombie & Fitch catalogue is to Al Reynolds. This just piles mounds and mounds of more pressure on Jeter, A-Rod, and Giambi. Those guys are playing tomorrow in the finale against Cleveland. Damon, Cano, Sheffield, and the Ferocious Lion are not. I’m thinking maybe my mother-in-law could play the outfield tomorrow night. She may not be able to steal six bases, but she makes good brownies. I’m sure she’s available. While we’re at it, I’m pretty sure my sister Amy can pitch if Randall has another “drop” game. She doesn’t throw heat, but I can almost guarantee she won’t two pitches in the same place. But the fielders will have to be on their toes, because she’s always had a bit of an “afraid of the ball” problem. In any case, I think they might be good alternatives. Does anybody know Cash’s phone number?
By the time I turned the game on it was 9-3. The Mrs. had ordered us a grandma pie from Nino’s, which had already arrived by the time I walked in. I took my time with it, figuring if the news from Cleveland was bad it was going to completely ruin my night. But once I flipped on the plasma up in the loft I knew we were in business. The first text message I got when the double play ended the game was from Sean. One word – “Moose.” A couple of minutes later the phone rings. Also Sean. Now he was calling. I figured he had something he needed to get off his chest. I don’t think I got five words in. As soon as I answered he launched into a judgment against everyone who continues to disparage the Moose. The YES broadcasters, commentators, naysayers, you name it. “No, you’re out of order!! This whole courtroom is out of order!!” It was beautiful. All that energy rattling my cell phone like a jackhammer. His main point was around the YES broadcasters questioning Moose’s toughness when he came out of the game during the rain delay last Friday night. I didn’t hear the broadcast, as I was at the game, so I really couldn’t comment. But I can see his point. The guy tweaked his groin, so he came out of the game, not wanting to sustain anything worse. What was the result? He was around to win the bounce-back game tonight, when we really needed him. Smart play by Moose not trying to be a hero, and smart move by Torre not getting carried away with the idea that he was throwing a no-no. Moose was money tonight. Moose has been money almost every night. He moved his record to 6-1 when starting after a Yankee loss. Reminds me of Pettitte during the ’96 season. Always won when he was following a loss.
So the Melk-man popped it tonight. Nicely done, kid. Let’s see you do it again.
Big Joe called next. “Let’s go Tampa Bay,” was what he started with. He closed with “Let’s go El Duque.” Those Mets really have a lucky horseshoe in their drawers. Shows what kind of juice the schedule has in how a team is playing. Happymeds touched on it in his comment. Boston loves playing at Fenway. They are 23-22 on the road. Surprise, surprise. They leave Fenway, the streak ends, and they get thumped four out of six in Florida by two teams that are a combined 74-92. I will continue to keep telling everybody; wait until Boston gets into the teeth of their schedule. It’s going to get interesting.
I’ve got dinner with Mike Rumble and Tony Sherry tomorrow night. After we eat we’ll probably head over to the “3 Lounge” on Forest Ave to watch the game with Anthony Cheerios. Which Randall will show up, nobody knows. Cliff Lee is on the hill for the Tribe. Apparently he’s 5-0 since May 29th. Curious to see what the lineup is going to look like. Jeter, Melky, Giambi, A-Rod, Posada? He’s not going to try to bat Bubba leadoff, I hope. I guess he’ll do what he’s done pretty much every night. Slap something together and hope it sticks… Are the Yanks really only three out?!
I hope Johnny D isn't hurt too bad, and I think it's a good idea he sits till after the all-star break. I hope Randy has his stuff tommorow, we need this split, let's Go Yanks.
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Nice win tonight(July5)YANKS!
I was watching the game.Mainly
Just to see Grady Seizmore bat
and Feild cause I am obsessed with him.I watch all the Indians games so I can see GRADY play....anyways back to the yankees after MELKY hit that grand slam I could not turn it off(although I was going to before that).But,I could not.My Red sox lost.So yes the yanks are only 3 games out(scary)for us sox fans but,we had our worst pitcher on the mound!
Okay enough rambling.
GO YANKEES(yes,I root for them)
GO SOX!
I hope Johnny is Okay.But i do think your suggestion of not paying him until after the allstar break is not a bad idea.I hope randy Is on his game tommorrow.
-kaylee
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You know A-Rod hits Lee very well.
Homerun Alex Rodriguez tommorow. BTW, did you see the Cabrera / Crosby almost collision in the bottom of the 4th.. That my friends, was close.
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Umair-Thanks for thaty A-rod insight....I half-watched that
near collision i was watching that on espn and the twins,jays,red sox and mets games on the computer so I was watching 5 gaes at once that is a lot.
-kaylee
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Kaylee,
Please allow me to introduce myself. I'm Ras, #45, and a devote Yankee fan that lives very close to Boston. That being said, I have *NEVER* met a Red Sox fan that roots for the Yankees. You can't live in New England, right? It's treason to root for both teams. It's almost as bad as saying you're a Mets AND Yankee fan - never happens in NYC. So what gives, what kind of *fan* are you? Please, you can't be both. You seem like a nice kid, but PLEASE, you *are* in a Yankee blog (the best one, I might add...)
Ras #45
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I did the same thing this morning, check the standings. Can't believe we are only 3 games out, seems like Boston won 20 games in a row last week. I'll take 3 games out at this point.
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Why is it so unbelievable?
A 4 game lead has been the high water mark all season for Boston and occurred for the first time last week.
The Yankee's biggest lead was 1.5 games on the 15th of June.
Every team in the East is ahead of last years pace except Baltimore.
The Central division is determined to see that only one of these teams get in and we all know how the East ended up last year.
The nine games they have remaining will be make or break.
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Just *had* to post this article from Lupica:
This is the toughest Yankee team since the old Yankee teams. They get hit and keep coming, even when they get beat 19-1. Last night it was Johnny Damon coming out of the game. The Yankees still had enough stick to beat the Indians. Mike Mussina wasn't great but was good enough after the Yankees staked him to an eight-run lead. Mussina can't pitch all the time. It is why as tough as these Yankees are, they aren't winning it all with this pitching staff and might not make the playoffs.
Halfway through the season, a day after that 19-1 loss that seemed longer than a long holiday weekend, Brian Cashman said this about his team yesterday:
"Right now we're not a playoff team. We're just a playoff-contending team."
Then Cashman talked about everything that has happened to the Yankees this season, Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield and Robinson Cano and all the rest of it. This was before Damon went to the clubhouse in Cleveland with an abdominal injury.
"We've had the black cloud so far, no question," Cashman said. "But that black cloud isn't going to be over Yankee Stadium the whole season. Eventually it's going to move somewhere else."
The day before, Joe Torre told the media he'd like to get an outfielder, making it sound as if he'd rather have another bat than another arm. So Cashman's phone started ringing, wanting a response from him about what his manager said. Cashman laughed yesterday and told people, "Ask (Torre) today and I have a feeling he might talk about pitching."
Then Cashman said, "Because pitching remains our most pressing need."
The Yankees need pitching. If they can't get a big pitcher they need somebody who will be last year's Shawn Chacon and last year's Aaron Small. We can talk about left fielders and right fielders all we want, all through this week and All-Star week and until the Chicago White Sox come to town eight days from now. The Yankees need at least another starter and they need better relief pitching because if you look hard at this staff you don't see one close to what Torre used to have when the Yankees were winning all the time.
In 1996 Torre had Andy Pettitte and Jimmy Key and David Cone. Later he had Roger Clemens and Pettitte and El Duque Hernandez when he was one of the great big-game pitchers the Yankees have had. Torre had old friend Boomer Wells, too. Now the top of the rotation is Mussina, the Randy Johnson we have seen over the last year and a half, Chien-Ming Wang. Cashman said yesterday that if all of them pitch at their best, the Yankees have enough to win a short playoff series. I don't believe it and neither do you. It wasn't enough against the Angels last October. "Stick (Gene Michael) keeps telling me to watch out for (Johnson) the second half of the season," Cashman said. "He said that it just takes longer for Randy to get his fastball going at his age. So even as I tell you that we're looking for the right deal as far as pitchers are concerned, I'm telling you that our top three guys at their best are enough for the playoffs."
We hear a lot about the Yankee offense now that they are down three big bats, four if you count Damon. The Yankees, even without Matsui and Sheffield and even Cano, have as much offense as any of the last five teams to win the World Series. Damon will be back, so will Cano. Derek Jeter isn't going anywhere, neither is Jason Giambi. Alex Rodriguez has to hit a lot more in the second half. To Cashman's credit, he hasn't gone out and bought a couple of big-ticket outfielders whose best days are behind them. Once again, he lets the Yankees fight through something. Take away the contracts of Matsui and Sheffield and there still isn't a payroll close to Cashman's.
The White Sox won with pitching last year. And you want to know something? So did the Red Sox the year before that when it was all on the line. So did the Marlins the year before that. Go back to the year the Angels won the World Series and tell me what sort of Murderers' Row lineup they had going for them.
There is still half a season to be played. There are still three weeks and change for Cashman to make a trade. He sure didn't sound ready to pull the trigger on anything yesterday.
"We're trying to fix this, but we're trying to fix it right," Cashman said. "We've taken some big-time hits this season, and our team has responded with heart and character. This isn't last season, when we had a lot of healthy guys underperforming and we were nine games out. This team is different. And I want to do my part to help them out, and honor the effort I've seen from them so far. I just don't want to make a mistake."
Chacon and Small saved them over the second half of last season. So did Johnson. Maybe Johnson can pick it up again for more than two or three starts at a time. Maybe Cashman can find another Chacon before July is out. We know the Yankees can score, even when half the batting order is down. We know they're tough. They don't have enough pitching. On a $200 million team, Mussina wasn't supposed to be nearly this important.
IMO, this sums it up rather nicely.
Ras, #45
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Yea, we need more pitching, it would be unrealistic to count on Randy, Moose and Wang to carry us through to post-season. RJ has lost I would say 75% of his intimidation factor and you can't rely on just 3 starters. Wright and Chacon, well, I don't even know what to say about them. I didn't expect Chacon to be like he was last year, but some semblance of last year would have been nice. So, I hope Cashman gets a starter, gets some more help for the bullpen AND if he can pull it off, then maybe another bat.
Our lineup can still produce. Cano will be back after the break, so will Damon. So we have Damon, Jeter, Jason, Arod, Posada, Bernie, all veteran bats. That's not too shabby. And if Melky can continue to produce and Cano comes back strong, we have a lineup that can score the runs. And it ends up being pitching that will hurt us in the long run. So, pitching it is.....let's hope it works out.
Oh, and I think it was Kay who mentioned that at this time last year, the Yanks were in a worse position standings-wise than this year. Of course, we had Matsui and Sheff in the lineup - but like everyone has been saying - this team fights like the guys from Band of Brothers. They are a tough bunch and they never quit!
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Man, I actually ALMOST agree with something the creep Lupica says. He is not too bad a read when his sole purpose is drum up controversy. I (and I am pretty positive all of us) want to see the Yanks make a deal. Just the right one is all I am asking for….one that makes sense for this season and beyond. With nearly everyone (especially in the NL wildcard scene) in somewhat shouting distance of contention the “right deal” will be a lot tougher to pull off than in years past. Of course, the “right deal” is a point of view or a matter of preference to each and all of us. But, I think Cashman and Steinbrenner have learned a thing about making those “knee jerk” trades. With that said, for some reason I see either John Smoltz or Greg Maddux joining the team a Bobby Abreu coming along as well just because the Phills want to get rid of his salary. Again, maybe it makes sense…..maybe it doesn’t?
I think the fully charged Unit shows up tonight. He goes at least seven strong and we split the series.
Maybe you guys don’t hold the same sort of contempt for BSPN errrrr…….sorry, ESPN that I do but did anyone catch their wall to wall coverage of the 19-1 debacle complete with Wagnerian-like orchestral music and fireworks for every run scored during the highlights? Their countdown of the “top ten worst moments in Yankee history” or Karl Raveich’s (AKA toupee boy on “Baseball Tonight”) comment about how the Yankees won yet “not in a 19-1 fashion” this coupled with his smug smart@ssed “happy birthday George.” I don’t mind Gammons so much because even my grandma knows he roots for Boston. Raveich has long been in the “Boston closet.”
Ras, as for Kaylee, he or she (sorry about that which ever you are) reminds me of a girl I used to date whose father was a lifelong Saux fan. He was a good guy and not a jerko like 95% of their fan base. Anyway, I dated her from 96ish-01 (AKA the sipping cocktails poolside age of being a Yankee fan) Her official fan title at that time was Saux/Yankee fan. I tried to explain to her how inexplicably stupid that was and accused her of not being (in essence) a fan of either team. Eventually we broke up and wouldn’t you know it……I see her in a bar a week after the meltdown of ’04 (I just threw up in my mouth) for the first time in years. Guess who morphed into a mouthy Saux fan???
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Ras,I am a die hard YANKEE fan
that lives in arizona.But,it is hard being a yankee fan in arizona because there are alot
of boston fans here.plus I lived in boston for 7 years.I root more for the yankees thhough..You are right usally you pick one or the other.I would like to see the yankees win the division.
-kaylee
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To be a real Yankee fan takes guts. One needs to be 100% behind them, since they are so hated (especially in New England). The bottom line: you can't be "on the line", ya gotta take a stand, either root for JUST the Yanks or "Sawx"....
Just my opinion.
Ras #45
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Randy shows up huge tonight. "The Big Unit" makes his return against the Indians. I promise. I totally agree with the whole "Damon needs to rest till after the allstar break is over". Bubba is going to break out the bat tonight and again against the Rays. Go Yankees
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Happymediums I did watch some of that yesterday. It was just a petty display of trying to bring the Yanks down. It was just so obvious from a hating point of view. For example, a fan point of view would have included Munson's death, and or Gehrig for the older fans. Situations in that direction are true hard moments, but they chose to go in a negative non fan oriented direction. In the totality of time most of the "moments" they chose were inconsequential. There are so many budget bin teams out there, who's whole existence is a terrible moment. The red dogs "moment" lasted 86 years, and the spellbreaker lasted one season. You be the judge.
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I'd have to agree with this guy "Sean" about Moose. Its hard to believe the Yankees announcers (leiter) would ever question a guy who has done what Mussina has as a Yankee. So what if El Duque is coming back after the rain delay? Who gives a ****? I still like the guy and think he's got a few good games left in his tank. But it has nothing to do with why Moose didnt come back.
While our spot in the standings is truly amazing, I'd agree with those who say we need another decent arm more than anything.
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Excellent point as always guavapaste. I would rather have all those supposed horrible moments than no chance at nor no moment at all.
ESPN is a freaking joke. I hope they keep hiring nothing but Stuart Scott clones and "amateur night at the comedy club" type anchors so I will be forced to watch it even less than I already do
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Not to mention they are running a breaking news flash that currently says "Manny not to play in All-Star game"
Isn't that news around say, three days old? If it were milk it would smell
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//Maybe Cashman can find another Chacon before July is out.//
Kris Wilson pitched relief Wednesday. I'm like, "Who?" Then he shut down Cleveland for 2 innings with only 18 pitches.
Not just a shut-down, but a CONVINCING shut-down. I was thinking, "The Yankees have a solid relief dude alongside Villone and Myers".
Now, Wilson's gonna start Sunday. Ladies and gentlemen, this year's Chacon is Kris Wilson.
P.S. it's like the passing of the torch.. Chacon goes to the bullpen, and Wilson comes in as a new starter.
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