Game 96: That was a good year
By
Ah the ‘96 season. Easily my favorite of the Championship years. Who could forget Doc and Jimmy, Zim and Big Cecil, the rookie sensation and the rookie dud, the new manager coming in and the old icon leaving, and of course, the winning. Goodness, did that team win. They won on the first day of season, they won on the last day of the season, and they won 101 times in between. That team wasn’t expected to win, but they did anyway.
Fast forward to 2008, and most consider this Yankees’ team dead in the water. The six game deficit is too big, the offense is too anemic, the rotation is too thin, and the bullpen is too flaky. No one expects them to win, but let’s do it anyway.
1. Jeter, SS
2. Abreu, RF
3. A-Rod, 3B
4. Posada, DH
5. Dick Lock Sexy, 1B
6. Cano, 2B
7. Melky, CF
8. Hava Molina, C
9. Gardner, LF
And on the mound, the man with a 2.74 ERA in his last 52 IP, Mikey Moose.
Notes: Billy Traber was shipped to AAA & Phil Hughes was retroactively placed on the 60-day DL to clear 25 & 40-man roster spots for DLS … Oaktown’s throwing a southpaw, so obviously Jason Giambi would be more useless than Jose Molina tonight, or maybe he’s just nursing a hangover … the game is on MY9 tonight, not YES …
Wouldn’t the lineup be more potent if Giambi was the DH, while Posada is the Catcher? No, that would be too obvious. Hopefully, Girardi gets a clue some day soon.
LOL @ Dick Lock Sexy.
Plus, the A’s are not really a team that runs alot anyway.
You’d think Girardi would notice that; but that is not the case.
“Wouldn’t the lineup be more potent if Giambi was the DH, while Posada is the Catcher?”
Yeah, Girardi probably didn’t think of that. He mostly spends his time with his head up his ass.
Or…wait, maybe he realized that, with a day game tomorrow, Posada would not-catch in one of these two games. And decided that, if Molina’s going to catch one pitcher, Moose would be better than not-Moose.
Nah. He’s probably just an idiot.
Good point.
PWNED!!!!!1!!
Molina catches Moose. End of story.
“The Phillies were recently working on a blockbuster with Colorado that would have netted them Brian Fuentes and Matt Holliday for something like Shane Victorino, J.A. Happ, Carlos Carrasco, and Lou Marson”
Mike A- Can you give me an idea on how good the minor leaguers are in this package or maybe compared them to some Yankees ones. All I got on the net is the Philles spin on them.
Thank you
Where’d you see that rumor?
Victorino, Happ, Carrasco, Marson would be like Melky (but able to hit), Chase Wright, IPK, Montero (but in AA).
Damn the Yanks can do that.
MLB trade rumors.
Thank you
Can they? They don’t HAVE melky-that-can-hit. Also, Montero is one of their jewels in an area they don’t have any depth. At least if they give up Jackson — for example — there’s the possibility of Tabata stepping up.
Oh please! Put Gardner in CF (Holliday can more then make up the production) and Montero is in AA for god sake they don’t even know what position he going to eventually play. It’s Matt Holliday take a look at this numbers and then talk to me. Plus Fuentes.
Montero is not even in AA i think he is lower.
Low-A, two levels away.
thank you
“Montero is not even in AA i think he is lower.”
So? He and Miranda are the only power hitting prospects the Yanks have, and Miranda’s a bit suspect. The Yankees don’t get to draft guys like him. They have to sign them internationally, or take raw high school kids. Montero is REALLY not very easily replaceable. They need to fill the package with pitching, because they have a lot. If it takes Betances and Tabata and Kennedy…that I’d do. I read on BP today that consensus is Holliday could play RF. So, I stand corrected on that. If they can get him without giving up Jackson, Hughes, Melancon and Montero…do it.
tabata is closer to the majors than montero and until he slumped this year was being compared to young manny. why so quick to give up on a guy who has already played well in all levels of A Ball instead of a guy still in A ball?
Gardner may appeal to them – not as a centerpiece, but they have always been find of very speedy centerfielders in colorado – he fits the pierre/tavares mold
So, solid ML center fielder, fringey AA/AAA lefty, young AAA/MLB cheap-back-end guy, and AA high-offensive-upside catcher.
could even add in olendorf and be happy with that deal – the only one i would really miss is montero – dont see IPK ever being more than a 4-5 starter – 4.75 ERA, 10 wins on a good team – maybe one or two good years at his peak 3.50 15 wins
would love holliday – dont care about the splits – reminds me of oneill while melky reminds me too much of a roberto kelley but not as good a hitter.
if that gives a real picture of what colorado wants for holliday and fuentes – would be a great deal for this team – think – 96 jeff nelson and tino. plus if fuentes leaves the team gets compensation picks for him – a first and second round pick compensates for the loss of at least 1 prospect
Was Joba Chamberlain really just singing Luther Vandross and asking to be on The Bachelor in an ESPY’s commercial?
Good grief.
No other player capable of playing first base on the roster would have been able to make the play that DLS just did.
The good thing about sexson is hes such a big target to throw to, he gets almost anything. being 6-8 helps in life.
LoL, is Michael Kay’s role being reduced? You would think YES would want their top play-by-play man back in action during the opening series of the second half. He was the PA during the HR Derby so unless something happened with him in the last 96-hours or so, he is fine.
I was hoping the Yanks would get Smith in the RJ deal just because they needed a young lefty, but alas.
What’s going on with Brad Halsey? MiLB.com says he’s active but he hasn’t pitched in a game since April 16th.
Not sure, I know he had surgery to repair a torn labrum last summer, and there was a whole big deal over it because he filed a grievance with the MLBPA because he felt the A’s ignored him when he said his shoulder was hurting.
Really Jeter? First pitch?
Whats Joba’s odds in the RofY race. I’d say Longoria will win because of his immediate impact on the rays.
A-Rod is ready to breakout. Look at that last Plate Appearance. Two great hacks and taking that close 3-2 pitch. Oh boy.
LMAO, that was so awquard
Richie Sexson looks so wierd, hes like all legs.
Dick. Lock. Sexy.
hahaha, Going to patent that mike? Try to get it on Wikipedia like Britton-gate.
yesss
He showed a whole lot of discipline for a guy with a .315-OBP this year.
Well you dont see that everyday. You collide and then help him up.
Eh, usually they give them a little tap on the behind and call it a day.
A-Rod is such a primadonna, running over the catcher like that.
what about madonna?
Name me another $100M player who would run shoulder first into a Catcher.
Nice to see Meachem hasn’t lost his knack over the break.
You cant blame him for sending ARod in that situation, but honestly Ive never seen so many guys get thrown out at home by such a huge margin like the Yankees have had this season.
You said it yourself, you’ve never seen so many players thrown out by such a huge margin like the Yankees have had this season. The point is that most of them aren’t even close. In that case, it doesn’t matter what the “situation” is. What matters is that the ball will have to be thrown into the stands for the runner to score.
bring willie back
BigBlue is right, no way you can blame Bobby Meachem. Look at the situation for a second: A-Rod is the base-runner, two outs, Melky Cabrera on-deck. You wouldn’t send him?
So Meachem should just wear a windmill as a right arm, regardless of how hard the ball was smoked to right? It doesn’t matter if Melky was on deck with 2 outs if A-Rod didn’t have a chance in Hell of scoring.
coulndt agree more – should the runner be sent just because of the situation? why have a 3rd base coach if your sending any runner home in that situation?
it is hs job to determne if a unner can score or at least in that situation has a chance of scoring. obviously by the result he had no chance. willie used to send a lot of guys but would do it in situations whee a perfect throw was needed to get them – not in sitatuations where they will only score on a horrible throw.
i dont care if a pitcher is on deck – you dont give up a baserunner especially on a team struggling to score
Wow, Jeter’s Edge now has a cool sync-voice activated sound system.
I really miss bowa. Cano is useless without Bowa.
I have now come to the conclusion that I want Mike Mussina back next year on a one year deal with a mutual option for a second year. If he does not accept, would you guys be comfortable in guaranteeing that second year? Or do you not want him in pinstripes at all next season?
*Mike Mussina fucking owns.
I’d do one year + an option, say $8-10M per. There’s no such thing as too much pitching.
not if it means the team wont get sabathia or sheets – dont want another “well petitte signed so we dont need santana”
dont trust another year of junkball pitching and certainly dont trust him in the playoffs. let him go to SD or LA and possibly win 300 and get the type A compensation for him
Mooooooooooooooose. Three backwards K’s in the inning.
The only other pitcher that could do that is… well Mariano.
the moose is loose
WTP. Warning Track Power.
That’s more than you or I have.
I agree but still, he’s in the Majors.
In the Majors as a backup Catcher though.
That pitch was way too good for any well built major league hitter to not hit out or cause damage. He shouldn’t be swinging for the fences if hes a back up catcher. But whatever that streak he had of CS was impressive and they were no cheap ones either.
but we’re not being paid to play
This is true, however if I was being paid to play, I still don’t think I could even make contact with a ML pitch, let alone hit one out of the infield.
I do like how truthful Cone is being about his perfecto. Most guys are like “I didn’t even know I had one going,” he’s being very candid about it.
That’s what I love about Coney as a broadcaster, he’s so honest in that booth. You could tell the way he is in that booth is the same way he is in real life, an odd ball who never has a boring moment.
The best part is, you know he realized what he said in KC about Ian Kennedy being “jerked off” in the bullpen.
That was a looping swing from Brett.
I knew I wasn’t going crazy, it seems as I wasn’t the only one who noticed Willie Mays giving a cold shoulder to Josh Hamilton during the on-field introductions. It was all over the web on Wednesday.
Right, but Mays didn’t know who it was tapping him on the shoulder. He turned around, saw Hamilton, and then shook his hand. Fox cut away before that though.
I did read that Mays has some eyesight issues so he probably didn’t know who it was that was running towards him. It just looked really weird. Glad there was nothing to it though.
Lmao, David Cone is nothing short of awesome.
Tampa Bay is looking real over-matched against A.J. Burnett’s Fastball right now.
Mark Ellis, only Second Basemen that is better than Robinson Cano defensively this year in the A.L.
Ellis is a quality player. Great defender, holds his own with the bat, solid fundamentally, never takes a play off.
I was kinda pissed arod didnt stay to watch the rest of the allstar game. I guess Madonna cooked dinner and it was getting cold.
Why? I can’t believe it was even a story….Wait, no I wasn’t.
Sexson can only get hits with two out and RISP.
He would be a great pinch hitter.
The real sexson stood up.
Robbie and Abreu has dne better against LHP than righties despite their struggles. wierd.
Robinson Cano, let the second half surge begin.
Was that really of the end of the beat or was Kenny just mistaken?
End of what beat? I missed it…
*bat
Ah ok. I thought he hit it well, but I guess it could have been off the end.
You see Chris Iannetta his that broken bat homer last night? He said he thinks it was broken before he hit it, but he just didn’t realize it.
Wow the yankees look different today. They are scoring runs its wierd. And you know what? They are getting good pitching, AT THE SAME TIME.
Oh please. As soon as they leave some people on you’ll be whining all over again and posting every two seconds about it.
Well Melky hasn’t changed
I thought the pitch he hit was going to bounce first.
Is that Robbie?
Bobby Crosby is going to be an MVP one day, as Peter Gammons said back in 2004.
Ditto Vernon Wells.
injuries have derailed him since his rookie season to be fair.
The ball is really carrying out tonight.
word
Mussina doesn’t look sharp so far.
I’m going to say Jeter for the trivia answer. Just a guess though.
The answer of the trivia question is Ricky Ledee
So tonight’s YES trivia question is which Yankee did not have a hit during Coney’s perfect game. And Singleton said (I’m paraphrasing): “I’ll give you a hint. Eight of the batters had at least one hit, but one did not.” How is that a hint?
Morgan-esque right there.
Speaking of perfect games, If Moose got Carl E. out that would have been the most dominate yankee perfect game. He was nasty.
http://www.baseball-reference......9020.shtml
85 strikes, 31 balls. He was cruisin’ that night.
The Irony was that david cone was pitching that game.
most dominating game i have ever seen period. better than either of the perfect games. he had a curve going that watching on tv a couple of times i actually thought it was going to hit the batter – never seen anything like it.
nothing even close to hit until that worm of a human, the last person on earth i would ever want to do anything well, broke it up
Jose Molina pumps his fist in the fourth inning?!?! BUSH!!1!!1!
This team looks different they really do.
Its like Girardi smacked them straight
Scott Brosius? That was too easy dammit for anyone to guess.
Oakland’s defense is ridiculous. They’ve basically got 3 centerfielders in the outfield.
Remember the day we had Matsui Damon and Abreu on the field. Yikes.
Brett, just because you’re trying to take Melky’s job, it doesn’t mean that you have to slide into 1st too.
It’s actually faster to slide head first, contrary to semi-popular belief. More likely to get injured, but faster.
Um, exactly where are you getting this from? It isn’t.
Um, where are you getting that from? If it’s not faster, why do outfielders dive for balls? Why do goalies dive to stop kicks? You gain about 5+ feet of distance by diving head first.
You gain distance but you have to slow down in order to dive. It is physically impossible to dive without loading up first. That loading up period is where you dramatically slow down, thus diving to shorten your time is wrong.
What he said. I can’t believe that this is even up for debate.
No it isn’t guy. It is common sense, you have to slow down to dive, thus you are not at your optimal speed when diving. Haven’t you ever wondered why Olympic runners don’t dive across the finish line?
Because it would hurt like hell. Besides, I don’t think arms count for crossing the finish line.
Why do outfielders dive for balls then?
Outfielders dive for balls because they make catches with their gloves and not their feet.
Brett needs to not drag bunt. Hes safe if he didn’t drag it and pop it up.
Is that a “scrappy” play now?
Off with Meachem’s head.
Does Bobby Meachem have any idea what he’s doing? If we somehow make the playoffs this year, we need to replace this guy.
Why wait? I’m not being sarcastic. Exactly what is he bringing to the team? George sent him to AA for shitty play. He’s proving that even being a 3rd base coach is probably beyond his abilities, so I don’t see why something similar shouldn’t happen.
The Yankees are third in baseball w/RISP and two out but are dreadful w/RISP in-general. Baseball is an odd game.
If it was normal they wouldn’t call it baseball. The only thing predictable about baseball is that its going to be unpredictable.
John Sterling, is that you?
I give Arod credit with Jeter being safe. Suzuki was scared shitless.
What is this? Hits with 2 outs? You mean they’re allowed to do that?
Jesus, Meachem. Meachem seems determined to get everyone killed at the plate so that he can give himself a shot again. Meachem: “George, you sent me to AA from the Majors, I’ll send your players to the ER.”
I would much rather have an agressive 3rd base coach than someone content to leave the guy on third. If you have a 75% chance of scoring, then it makes sense to go. Considering all of the things that could go wrong (see the Jeter play), it makes sense to send the runner much more than most third base coaches do.
So Meachem should just continue to send players indiscriminately? I’ll have what you’re having tonight. There aren’t too many poeple supporting 1) the theory that Meachem is even a mediocre 3rd base coach or 2) the theory that diving into 1st is actually faster than running through 1st.
With the base running, I’m just playing devil’s advocate. I do think it’s faster, but I don’t think there’s real data to prove it either way.
As for Meacham, he might suck, but the measure of a third base coach should not be how many runners are thrown out at home. If no one is thrown out, then he’s not sending enough. Particularly with two outs (as was the case on both plays tonight), it doesn’t make sense to leave a runner on third. He most likely won’t score (maybe 40% of the time) so if there is a reasonable shot of him scoring, then he should be sent.
Time for Big Sexy’s first HR in pinstripes.
Check out Richie. Workin’ counts, driving in runs, make nice plays in the field.
He’s not a winning player so to hell with him.
Speaking of which, I wonder if people like Jon Heyman would suddenly explode if Adam Dunn were to ever win a World Series.
With that walk Wilson Betemit only has 2 more walks than him, I repeat. Betemit’s 3 walks vs Sexson’s 1.
At least they seem to be out of the offensive malaise. There have been other times this year when they seemed to really be putting it together. Hopefully, this is the springboard to the playoffs now. Yes, they’re in a little hole, but I stilll think it’s going to happen.
Oof, Robbie just missed that one.
Just got home. 6-1
Come on Second Half!
Sexson RBI single, Arod Colided with Suzuki but was out, Cano 3-run hr, Moose is giving up alot of hits but is holding them to 1 run.
TB is losing 1-0 against Toronto and The sox start at 10.
From the swing to the route taken by Mark Ellis, that whole play just made my head hurt.
Im with you, I need a advil.
well at least he battled
did Michael Kay get fired? don’t tell me he takes vacation
He’s on vacation. I remember when Murcer passed away, they had Kay on the phone and they mentioned he was out on Long Island somewhere on vacation.
From the ESPN Radio gig to all the YES Network gigs, I’m sure Michael Kay earns a six-figure annual salary. A man with no wife (and as far as I know, no kids) who works in New York City takes a vacation to Long Island? Lame.
who goes to Lawn Guyland for vacation? He must be in the Hamptons…but no one calls that Long Island.
He’s probably mackin’ mad bitches right now.
“Hey ladies, you wanna get fortuitous tonight? Fuckin’ a right you do. You’re with me, leather.”
that was hilarious.
If the Baltimore Orioles finish with 79-wins or more then Dave Trembley should be the A.L. Manager of the year (If Tampa Bay does not qualify for October play).
oh it’s on my9 nevermind.
wasnt that rookie “dud” an untouchable until he turned to crap? noy critisizing keeping him but i just remember how good we all thought he was reading about him and seeing hm when he first came up. all the more reason why you cannot rely soley on your system to grow up to become productive players (unless you draft number 1 for 10 straight years lke the rays). a very select few become jeters or jobas. more often they wind up at best bench players on some NL Central team or wind up stealing from the club house
The Rays drafted number one for two straight years, 2007 and 2008.
“wasnt that rookie “dud” an untouchable until he turned to crap?”
Who?
Ruben Rivera, the cousin of Mariano Rivera who got caught stealing Derek Jeter’s glove and trying to sell it.
The cover of the BA mag that I linked too had Rivera on the cover, but it’s cut off a bit. It says “The Next Mickey Mantle” on the part that’s been cut off.
No pressure.
Nice play by Cano
yeah tagging the guy who runs practically into you.
Good God, anyone see the Nats’ lineup tonight? Cristian Guzman is hitting third, Austin Kearns and his .613 OPS are hitting cleanup, and Johnny Estrada and his .179 SLG are hitting 5th. Ouch babe.
I had high hopes for Lastings Milledge this year, thought he was a fantasy sleeper. That asshole betrayed me.
must be great to be a Rays fan. i lve hea n tampa and in the midst of a 7 game losng steak every caller on the radio is just filled with such excitement. i just think about how most of us go nuts over a losing streak even at 10 games up back in the good ol days. .
makes me think a lot about 96 and the years before. how great that run was, even 95 was special for me havng grown up and become a fan in the mid 80s and watching all those awefule teams. perspective is everything i guess.
Word.
96 and 98 were my favorite of the dynasty years.
01 was great too – we lost, but that WS was one of the greatest I have seen – at least the last 5 games of it. I still consider it part of the dynasty – if mo could take back that throw to 2nd back – how would people rank that one?
96 and 98 were great. 2000 against the muts was sweet just to beat them down . 99 sort of gets overlooked a bit. i dont remember much about that team
Let’s see if Braden breaks out the screwball.
Damn, how many lefties do the A’s have?
They still have Embree in the pen.
Arod says what distraction?
distraction is so overrated in baseball. is there any more player more distracted than manny and there are not many players i would take in the clutch.
someone else out there does very well with distractions – hits a lot of homers and gets on base almost 50 percent of time.
a bit of a primadonna but could make this offense the best in baseball – a 1-2 punch of he and AROD left and right would be awesome.
Told you he was ready to breakout.
Breakout from what? He’s got the 3rd highest OPS in the league!
Yea but he gottahit much better in RISP.
A-Bomb From A-Rod.
Man A-Rod has one of the best posses in baseball, although I hateto say it, the best is Manny though.
This is the guy replacing Blanton in their rotation? The Rays get to see THIS guy next week?
Man…
Also…how do we get the bleacher creatures to chant “Dick-Lock Sex-y” during roll call?
That commercial with the big dude trying to open the bag of cereal cracks me up every time.
A-Rod: take that bitch
Robertson…yes
It looks like Robertson throws a Knuckle-Curve.
Joba in the pen who?
Robertson needs a fist pump.
Mariano schooling….
You see how Rivera is making Ramirez and Veras his sons.
FIST PUMP BABY
One of these days I’d love to see them just send out Mo, a catcher, and a first basemen defensively in the 9th. Get him to K a few guys, and get a weak comebacker on a broken bat.
Yeah, it’d be like hit this.
is that legal?
That’s a pretty good strike to ball ratio, Robo.
Anybody know why Gameday is using a profile shot of Moose pitching for D-Rob’s photo?
I was wondering the same thing.
I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure Andrew Brown was traded for Milton Bradley twice. Once from LAD to CLE, then again from SD to OAK.
Looks like the Mets’ fluky little win streak is about to come to a screeching halt.
fluky is a little strong but they are not as good as their win streak proclaims.
PS: remember when people (really met fans) were saying John Maine was a CY Young contender, well where are those guys.
6 of the 10 wins came against the Rox and the Giants, basically the worst teams in the NL outside of DC.
Hey you gotta beat the teams infront of ya, but I agree they are not asgood as their win streak says especially when you get shutdown by Bronson Arroyo.
’strue. I wish the Yanks would have beat up on teams like the Reds and the Rangers and Pirates. That would REALLY have helped their record.
That was an impressive win.
Yes it was. pitching was damn near perfect.
I didn’t mean to reply to this thread. I was talking about the Yanks’ game.
they do have a very good rotation now that ollie is pitching well again – one of the best in baseball
Only one way to describe this game: Dominant.
WTF is this bullshit on ESPN.
IDK but that Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins thing was pretty damn entertaining. Also, it is Friday night, what do you want them to show?
Oh I dunno, sports? Not a “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” singing competition.
LoL, I set myself up for that one didn’t I?
Yes, yes you did.
Steve Berthiamue (sp?) is one of the most unprofessional little fucks I have ever seen in the media.
Yankees bullpen – Hawkins = Sick
Even with Hawkins it’s sick. Hawkins only pitches in blow outs, Girardi hasn’t brought him into a close game that I can remember since he blew that save in extras in Bal’mer way back when.
Buchholz getting lit up early.
32 pitches so far and he’s gotten 1 out. Yikes.
With seven more victories only thirty-two people in the history of baseball will have more pitching wins than Mike Mussina. Since the Wins stat is unfortunately a big barometer for Hall of Fame candidacy when dealing with a pitcher, how can Moose not be considered a future Hall of Famer?
if he decides to hang on for a few more years which for some reason I dont see him doing, he could get to 300 wins especially if you put him in SD or LA. he could pitch 5 more quality years out there. those big parks are perfect for control pitchers with declining stuff.
I like him a lot, but I would rather the yanks part ways after this year only because I can already hear the excuse that they didnt sign sabathia because they already had their rotation joba, petitte, moose, wand hughes. the same crap excuse they used with Johan and Pettite returning.
just dont see room for him if this team does as it should and signs CC. hell, i would love to see them get greedy and sign sheets too and let hughes spend a year in AAA or even the bullpen, but that is just fantasy.
point is that the team needs to get younger and a rotation of CC, Joba, Wang, and huges set up for the next 5 years sounds great.
the only way i bring moose back is if pettite retires and moose takes a 1 year with a team option type deal.
that being said you can never have enough pitching and unfortunatly i have lost a bit of confidence in handing hughes a garunteed spot in the rotatation, but a 10 million dollar insurance policy, which is what moose would be if they signed CC, is expensive and would equal 1 less quality player
Screw you, Lackey. You’re supposed to be a good pitcher!