Game 137: Just win baby

September 2, 2007 by Mike Axisa 37 Comments

Joba’s fosh 2 game suspension is over and he’s available out of the ‘pen. Pity the D-Rays.

Lineup:

1. Johnny Damon, LF – how good has he been out in left?
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Bobby Abreu, RF
4. AL MVP, 3B
5. Hideki “don’t call me Kaz” Matsui, DH
6. Jorge Posada, C
7. Robbie Cano, 2B
8. Andy Phillips, 1B
9. Melky Cabrera, CF

Toeing the rubber is Andy Pettitte, who’s been every bit the ace that no one outside of Yankeeland said he would be.

(sorry for the pathetic post, I guess that’s what happens when you leave it to the minor league guy to cover the big league squad)

dan

mike’s obviously not ready for the show. I’ve said from the beginning that he needs some more seasoning in the minors.
Joe

Random thought, Does Bobby Abreau play RF for the yankees next year? Seriously, what are the options?
- http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.
  
  None of the FA options are attractive, and there’s no one in the minors ready to play full-time.
  
  Bobby’s option is for what, $16M next year? That’s not bad considering it’s short term and that he’ll put up above average numbers. The Yanks could do worse.
- http://www.yanksblog.com James Varghese
  
  At this point, I’d have to say yes. $16MM on the chance that the way he played after the first two months is what he can give you for one more year. After that, if he walks or the Yanks decide to let him go, at least you get a Type A pick for the guy.
- dan
  
  i wouldn’t mind seeing aaron rowand patrol either center or right for the next 2 or 3 years for the right price…. 3 years $30 mill?
http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.

The Yankees have to win this game, Johnny Damon just threw a runner out at the plate!
Mike R.

Kosuke fukudome is the option for right field next year. He will be the next Hideki Matsui. Look him up.
- dan
  
  matsui had 50 home run power in japan and it turned into decent power here (lots of doubles, decent home runs). iwamura hit lots of home runs in japan and has 5 this year, similar to kaz matsui. fukudome is advertised as having doubles power in japan, i dont want to see that turn into singles hitter for the yankees.
  - Mac
    
    Also, I think the Yanks have had enough for the time being with Japanese FA signings *cough* Igawa *cough*. Until the next Dice-K or Nomo comes along…
- http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.
  
  Fukudome is going to command a big ass contract, like 5-yrs $45M or something like that. Pass please.
http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.

Wilson Betemit is stuck a pretty bad slump at the plate…

Babe Mientkiewicz crushed everything in his path while rehabbing…

Who do you think Torre brings in when Phillips get hurt?
http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.

Mink woulda had that…
Joe

Torre is absolutely hilarious, he could write one of the great books on justifying his decisions. Where do his ideas come from. Genius!
Joe

What about Miranda playing first next year? He’s what 25? He’s what he’s gonna be and is pretty good, or so it seems.
- http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.
  
  A half season at Scranton wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world for Miranda. He could come up in June or July and have a Shelley-esque impact before settling into full-time duty in ’09.
http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.

Carl Crawford turned 25 less than a month ago (August 5th to be exact), and he’s gonna finish the season with over 1,000 career hits.

WOW
steve

i can’t believe crawford is 25, it feels like he has been in the league forever.
Joe

Carl Crawford for RF, let’s trade some of the Tommy John crew. They are going to have an abundance of good pitchers by 09 (not that you can ever really have an abundance). Besides what do the Devil Rays need with hitting, when they got no pitching.
- Bob
  
  Fans around the league better get used to losing to TB. Not only do they have pitching, they have more promising pitching than the Yankees or Red Sox, and more depth in their pitching rotation as well over the next few years. No doubt the Yankee prospects such as Hughes, Joba, Kennedy and some high minors pitchers are impressive, but of their young starters, only Wang has a major league track record. The Rays have both Kazmir and Shields with major league records of note and more and more talented minor leaguers at AA and above. Don’t count on trading for Crawford let alone for any of the Yankee minor leaguers; that is not happening.
  
  A word of caution. It is not a good idea to glean information from the idiot talk show hosts or ESPN panderers or even from respectable blogs like this one. By and large they are narrow, provincial, ill-informed and only able to pass on cliches and superficialities.
Wordekemper = Wizard

like miguel cabrera who doesn’t turn 25 until the beginning of next season.
what’s even crazier to me is pujols; ryan howard is actually older than pujols.
- http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.
  
  Yeah, Adam Dunn is also younger than Ryan Howard.
Joe

So where do you start Hughes next year? I say put him back in Triple A, let him get healthy and comfortable, then bring him up. Besides you can’t have 3 young pitchers in the rotation, who are likely to be inconsistent. You could also teach him about pitching into the sixth inning, he might like it.
- http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.
  
  No more minors for Phil! Bad idea!
  
  He’s learned all he can in the minors. He needs to learn to cope with struggles and pitch out of jams, and that certainly won’t happen if he goes back to AAA. Growing pains aren’t fun to watch by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s best for him long term.
  
  Joe’s thrown this out there before, but check out John Smoltz’s first year in the bigs.
Joe

I’ll take your word for it, but can you have 3 young pitchers in the rotation at the same time trying to work out their struggles. In other words, what happens when Kennedy has struggled, Joba has struggled, and Hughes is meant to stop it. There could be some serious struggles and damage to ego’s. Though if anyone can take it, it seems Joba and Hughes are prepared for it. Best of luck to all 3
- http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.
  
  Oh I agree with you, it’s tough to imagine the Yanks having essentially 3 rookies in their rotation all of next year. But like I said above, all 3 of these guys have proved all they can in the minors, and they have to do some learning in the bigs.
  
  I’m willing to bet that Kennedy starts ’08 in the AAA rotation. I’m also willing to bet that Joba will join him, but only because those funky April schedules will allow the Yanks to skip the 5th starter’s turn until the end of the month (then Joba will be up).
http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.

Holy cow, I just took a quick glance at the TV and was like “why the hell is Mo pitching?”…then I realized it was Joe Veras. Wow does Veras look like Mo when he pitches, he does that little nervous foot tap thing before setting his hands at his waist…almost a mirror image.

Disclaimer: I said Veras looks like Mo, not performs like Mo.
- dan
  
  i dont remember his delivery being this violent. i think he looks more like vizcaino on the mounc. i thought it was viz until i saw him throw one 96
C-Note

that was about as much fun as root canal
Ellsbury Lover!

WOW!!! You lost again to Tampa Bay? Looks like they’e not going to roll over like they did the last time you killed them!

Oh well. Sox taking care of business! 3-2 WIN!

Tack on another game! 6 up! You can thank Mike Timlin for not being 7 out tonight!

Seattle most likely sweep you and take back the wildcard lead!

Up and down….up and down. That’s all it will be for you guys until the end of Septemebr!

better luck next year!
- http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.
  
  Ugh, just go away and enjoy all 2 of your pitching prospects with a chance to be above average big leaguers.
yankz

The Sox already set the most “Who’s your daddy?” record possible- most consecutive years finishing second to the same team. Only idiot 14-year olds like the douchebag above don’t realize they have no place to gloat.
Joe

Mike,
Was it you that picked Strike Anywhere’s album, as album of the year?
- http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.
  
  I don’t think I picked it as Album of the Year, but I definitely remember mentioning something about it at some point in my blogging life. Then again, I’m a HUGE fan, so I’m not exactly unbiased.
Stylez

A red sox fan on a Yankee blog…..hmmmm? Seems like a trader in the mist!

I think that if both perform well enough in spring training that both Joba and Kennedy shold be supplanted into the rotation next year. At any hint of struggles they have the option to skip the 5th starter in april as statd above and by may they can assess whether they need another starter or not. Chances are not because of the depth within the organization and frankly I dont care if they were rookies or not. If they bring it and straight deal on the mound then that moniker becomes flush!
Wordekemper = Wizard

As long as we bring back Pettitte, I’m completely comfortable heading into next season with hughes, chamberlain, and kennedy (and wang of course) figuring out their struggles (assuming chamberlain ever struggles–two “slips” notwithstanding). lord knows we have igawa, white, horne, mccutchen, wright, clippard, and more waiting for their turn if something happens to any of them.
C-Note

these sox assholes trolling these sites are pathetic– did that douche forget he got swept this week?
http://SportingGurus.com Adam

“ryan howard is actually older than pujols.”

Please.