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Follow us on TwitterGame Six: Offense is like air and sex, it’s not a big deal until you aren’t gettin’ any
Posted by: Mike A. in Game ThreadsBen and Joe are at the game, so I’m your host for the day. Sunday day games have always been a personal favorite; there’s nothing better than rolling out of bed an hour or so before first pitch, and spending a lazy Sunday with my beloved Bombers. Except, of course, when they’re not doing any bombing at all.
The lineup has been anemic, batting .231-.284-.353 with a whopping 11 extra base hits through one turn of the rotation (Mr. Beltran already has 6 XBH of his own). Maybe they should start getting tips from the guys playing for Low-A Charleston.
While the offense is lacking, the pitching staff for the most part is excelling. Wang and Hughes were solid if not spectacular, while Pettitte and Moose were serviceable in their first go ’round. IPK, eh, not so much, but it’s just one measly start. Outside of Farnsworth and Hawkins (give it up, he’s not Paul O’Neill, we get it already) the bullpen has been outstanding, combining for 14.2 IP of 5 hit, 1 walk, 18 K ball. Goes to show that you don’t need big and sexy names to have a good bullpen.
Eventually the offense will start pulling their weight, but it sure is frustrating to get off to this kind of start year after year.
The lineup :
Damon LF
Jeter SS - I’ll set today’s over/under at 1.5 GIDP
Abreu RF
A-Rod 3B
Matsui DH - where he belongs
Cano 2B
Posada C
Betemit 1B - Morgan Ensberg, hello? Are you out there?
Cabrera CF
On the mound, number forty, Chicken-Wing Wang (trademark Tim McCarver).
Notes: Giambi’s hurtin’, still no word on how bad or how long he’ll be out … there’s a whole lotta stuff going into the New Stadium … two former Yanks celebrate their birthday’s today: Andy Phillips turns 31, Bronson Sardinha turns 25.
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Offense isnt the problem, its the clutch hitting. They progress a little and just about when I expect a huge inning its like K’s and GIDP’s.
The way I see it, Betemit is getting warmed up to replace Jeter before he sets the record for GIDP in one season. It’s what, 36? He’s on pace to destroy that record. So far I only see him as having 2, but I don’t believe it. He has to have 8 by now.
Jeter’s gdp rate did increase a lot from 2006 to 2007 (which I think was largely due to his knee).
But there were still 88 players who had higher net double play rates than Jeter did last year.
The change is abrupt from his past play so we’re noticing it more. But he’s not even close to being amongst the league’s worse at hitting into double plays.
I don’t know if anyone else did the same as me, but back when Bernie was getting regular reps in the lineup for no apparent reason, any time he came up left-handed with a man on first I PRAYED for a strikeout because it felt like he had more GIDPs than he did hits.
It’s obviously still early in the season, but Jeter has just looked awful at the plate (even though Ben is convinced it’s the “excellent pitching” he’s facing). I hope it doesn’t get to the point where I’m praying for a pop out or a K.
I have been saying this for the past several years, but Jeter you can always depend on Jeter to GIDP when you most need it…
Which is why he needs to bunt more. Especially since he’s batting 2 behind whatever speed the Yanks have.
Which pinky did Jeter hurt, right or left?
Wanger’s really throwing inside so far. Good stuff.
That was a helluva pick by Pena.
That was a helluva pick by Upton.
I see what you did there.
That’s what separates the greats, Rich.
Wanger looks pretty solid so far today. His pitches aren’t Mike Mussina fast, but they’re getting the job done.
>> His pitches aren’t Mike Mussina fast
Isn’t that a good thing?
nobody picks up more gidps then jorge
Yeah, but it’s easier to forgive because he’s a catcher and genetically predisposed to running hella slow.
no doubt, but it wouldnt kill him to put the ball in the air every once in awhile when theres a guy on first
Gotta love the pace of this game.
What the hell is going on? Wang is striking people out. Screw groundball outs. Strikeout is the way to go.
Man, Wang is working that slider today. Did he always have a good slider??? Or did he learn it in the off season?
He’s always had it, it’s just working exceptionally well today.
he was working on it this summer and in a few of those sub par preseason starts (with the strong start indicating he was probably over featuring it jsut to work on it) and it seems to really be paying off giving him another option to getting out of jams other then the dp
*winter
didn’t wang always have a slider, and wasn’t he told to scrap it after having arm issues earlier in his career (and now that he’s healthy he’s brought it back)?
I know they took away the splitter he threw in the minors, not sure about the slider. CMW is an interesting case, he didn’t become a sinkerballer until 2005, before that he worked with a regular four-seamer.
Betemit running like he had a refrigerator on his back…laser by upton as well..
At least Melky was smart enough to go to second on the play.
how long has upton been an everyday cf? making some plays…
Hahaha, that kid’s dad just totally embarrassed him by planting a big ol’ kiss on him after he got the foul ball. The kid pulled his hood up and everything. Too funny.
remember when Jeter used to walk?
Jeter literally just swung at ball 4 on 4 straight pitches. not helping.
Jeter needs to take pitches there and draw the walk. What happened to passing the baton? At least he made him work for the out (8 pitches). Still though, Jeter is a better player than that.
Yeah, I’ve never understood why Wang throws the splitter when he can touch 95-96. Is it that his 4-seamer lacks movement?
Was that a changeup or splitter? Gameday say splitter, flaherty says a changeup.
Even though he walked upton, those we’re 2 good put out pitches with 2 strikes
Wang is dealing.
Apparently so is Shields
other than arod this lineup don’t do shit
Home run!!!!!!!!!!! Go Godzilla!
damn i should have called that out loud…Godzilla lives…
Matsui has been mashing. Credit Girardi for getting him in the 5 hole.
Is Matsui still expendable?!
What are we getting back for him? If something useful comes back, then I say yes.
I was just being sarcastic.
Hinske ate some Kentucky bluegrass right there.
Is that the first time Robbie has hitten the ball on a line? I feel like all I’ve seen is grounders and pop-ups from him this season.
Jeter’s last AB might’ve set up Shields for this offensive explosion in this inning.
that seems like a stretch.
Your brain has the shell on it.
i love the Tommy Boy reference. not sure how it applied, but i still chuckled.
Maybe. But it was a high stress AB for Shields, sort of. Then Wang had a quick inning and Shields was back out on the mound. But I guess you can say it’s a stretch.
There goes the no-hitter.
I had a feeling CMW would lose the no-no this half inning; he sat on the bench for a long time (compared to the other innings) and he left some pitches up.
Nice.
If that’s Moose pitching, I’m pretty sure he gives up a grand slam. Nevermind the fact that only 2 guys were on base at the time, Moose gives up the old 4RHR.
Cano got the error? Was it just me or did Jeter throw it to his non glove side that would have pulled him off the bag?
Cano was trying to hard to get the double play, he should of just gloved it.
yeah, not a great throw, but Cano tried to barehand it. he should have realized they weren’t going to turn 2 and taken the sure out.
i’d probably give the error to Cano i think.
Meaning he had to cross his body to glove the ball………..
I thought it was Cano’s error. He could fielded that ball with the glove, although they probably only would have gotten the runner at second. Cano’s fault for attempting to barehand the ball.
I predict a GIDP from Jeter.
ohh a single.. All right, I should probably make this prediction everytime he comes up with a man on first
Hey, if it ain’t broke…
oh ye of little faith