Game 144: From worst to first
ByOver the weekend, the Yankees dropped two out of three to what was the worst team in baseball. They’re now a game and a half ahead of the Padres, who hold a 55-88 record. Bet you couldn’t have called that one on Opening Day.
Old friend Gary Sheffield has hit the 249,999th and 250,000th homers in MLB history. Just thought that’d be a little something interesting to talk about before the game.
Last week, Dave Pinto pointed out that Mark Teixeira is doing his job and then some since coming over to the Angels. He was hitting .380/.469/.645 with the Angels at the time of his writing, though the Angels were just 19-14 since the trade, which had actually brought down their win percentage. He’s now at .360/.441/.610 as an Angel, and the team is now 20-16 since the trade.
Why the discrepancy? Pitching. What else. Before the trade, the staff pitched to a 3.85 ERA, striking out 6.2, walking 2.7, and giving up a homer per nine innings. Since the trade they’re pitching to a 4.56 ERA, though they’re striking out more (6.6 per nine) and walking fewer (2.2 per nine). They’re giving up 1.45 homers per nine, which seems to be the difference.
Enough about Anaheim. I’d just like to win a few more games before the season is over.
Your lineup:
1. Johnny Damon, CF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Bobby Abreu, RF
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5. Jason Giambi, 1B
6. Xavier Nady, LF
7. Hideki Matsui, DH
8. Robinson Cano, 2B
9. Ivan Rodriguez, C
And on the mound, number forty-five, Carl Pavano.
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So who was the lucky guy to hit 250?
Uh, Sheffield.
lol.
Oh I thought he hit just 249,999. Never mind.
Mark McGuire says he can still hit and Mike Tyson can still knock people out; doesn’t mean you’re going to be effective.
man, sheff has been a bust for Detroit. i had to double check those numbers for this year.
hopefully that trade looks even better if Whelan and/or Sanchez contribute.
Not that I was even remotely worried, but, FWIW:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/.....id=3576706
More importantly, why is that news?
I get the NY Times alerts in my email box. You’d be amazed at what they consider news sometimes.
According to PeteAbe, a manger’s relationship with the media is the most important thing to his continued employment. So by those standards, Girardi’s job was up in the air, right?
In a related story, both John McCain and Barack Obama have decided to continue running for president until the election in November.
Are Kenny, Kay and Flash having a pajama party? What the…?
So. Anyone else psyched for Choke?
Yes, yes I am. That and the new flick co-starring Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino (the name escapes me right now).
It’s called Righteous Kill.
This is probably going to be a quiet night uh.
Aaron Rodgers has played well, albeit it’s one game but still, MNF game, at home against a division rival, gotta give him some props.
Word, I was just about to say that.
What’s the only thing worse than having Tom Brady as the stud of your fantasy team? Having Tom Brady as the stud of your fantasy team and you didn’t pick him, the bot autopicked him for you.
Vin R. is officially my second-favorite team in our fantasy league from now on. If I don’t win it all, I want him to… nothing sucks worse than losing your first round pick in week one, especially in an uber-deep 20 team league where there’s no reinforcements to be had on the waiver wire.
Mike, Joe, any chance on the league getting a box on the right hand column, like, say, underneath the TJS watch?
That’s actually a really good idea. After the season’s done and the guys start pitching.
Guerrero is just as bad of a fielder as Abreu.
it looks like his knees are gonna collapse every time he takes a step
He runs like a giraffe, all tall and awkward and stuff.
Arod is so not clutch
Nice looping hit by Alexander there, with RISP no less.
Am I the only one who thinks that now that it would take divine intervention to make the postseason, and our games are all-but meaningless, that ARod is going to start raking?
Pressure cools down = ARod heats up.
So is every RBI and/or HR by A-Rod going to be rendered meaningless now that the Yankees are all but eliminated from October baseball?
Tavaris Jackson just blew the game. How in the hell do u over throw the TE?
Anyone know how bad the yankees would have to do for the rest of the season for them to have a protected draft pick next year?
Do you honestly beleive the yanks would just go into a rut that bad in sept?
Bad enough that we’re much better off not even entertaining the thought at all.
Punt.
Hey if you were gonna start a team, who would ya take
Russell or Cutler?
I’ll take Cutler.
Same.
Ditto. I’ve never been impressed by Russell, he’s just a dude that throws hard. Like Joba.
Well Joba has nice secondary pitches.
Nevertheless, Russell has alot of talent but Cutler has the type of arm that’s Farve-esque
I’m joking. It was a shot at all the MSM idiots who called Joba “just a guy that throws hard.”
I know, also Cutler threw a TD pass yaaa.
Definitely Cutler
“I’ll take Cutler.”
Why, because you’ve had the benefit of having seen him actually throw NFL passes for a couple of years? That seems like a huge advantage in the evaluation department, if you ask me. That’s like asking “Who would you rather have, Brandon Webb or Dellin Betances?”
If they were both in the same draft class and neither one had taken an NFL snap, whom would you take with the first pick in the draft? I’d take Russell, and you probably would too.
Yeah, I want a QB who’s pushing 300 lbs in the offseason. No thanks
The weight never hurt Daunte Culpepper.
He was never, ever 300 lbs., and don’t you think his career being over at 31 is a disappointment? He also sucked for his last 3 years as a pro, which should have been his prime.
Yeah but to be fair, he never seem to recover from that knee injury
Not easy to recover from a knee injury if/when you are overweight, and Daunte was never in Russell/Lorenzen territory. How many great fat QB’s are there in history?
Do you have a link that says Russell was 300lbs?
It’s tough to comeback from a devastating knee injury. Actually, Daunte played well for the Raiders last year, all things considered.
He wanted to start for a football team. Where was he going to have a chance to start?
Just google Jamarcus Russell 300, and the links that come up aren’t in reference to yards passed for.
And you take Russell why?
Because, limiting my evaluations ONLY to what we knew about them coming out of college, Russell is more athletic and physical of the two and has more upside. He was just as accurate as Cutler in college but was a much better prospect and his big size and strength advantage is the thing that tips the scales.
None of this is to say that Cutler can’t be good (he can), but Russell can also be really, really good too. And if they were in the same class, it would be considered a surprise if Cutler went first.
Im not saying Russell can’t be good, of course the guy has alot potential.
Jay Cutler also has the better pure arm and a better thrower of the football.
Yes Russell maybe the better athlete but’s not like he’s as freakishly athletic as Vick, Young, McNabb and etc. Plus, Cutler athletism is pretty solid as well.
Yes Russell did played in a tougher confrence and on a well known with LSU so yes he has the better petigree.
That said, guys like Cutler who can throw the ball like that just don’t come often. If he had played on a team like LSU or Michigan or any big school, he would been a top 3 pick.
Not from what I’ve read. Every scouting profile and writeup going into the ’07 draft said Russell had the best arm of a QB prospect in years, better than Cutler’s.
And FWIW, they both played in the SEC.
Where you heard that?
“If they were both in the same draft class and neither one had taken an NFL snap, whom would you take with the first pick in the draft? I’d take Russell, and you probably would too.”
You would say the same thing about Ryan Leaf vs. Tom Brady, and Ryan Leaf vs. Joe Montana. Who would I take with your scenario? Maybe Russell, but as it sits today, no doubt it’s Cutler.
No, because those scenarios aren’t even close to what the theoretical Cutler v. Russell debate would be.
Ryan Leaf had literally oodles of horrible red flags all around him months in advance of the draft, and the Chargers were idiots to ignore them. And Montana is a bad fit for your analogy, as nobody but Bill Walsh thought he was that good, and he fit perfectly with his system and his receiver for the best possible scenario to succeed. I’m not saying that Montana wouldn’t have been a good NFL QB in a different environment, but everything that could have possibly broken his way would have.
Cutler and Russell weren’t wildly different QB profiles like Manning and Leaf were, they were basically the same player (good, strong arm but with an unrefined delivery, good decision making, unquestioned team leaders, no big medical or psychological red flags, a bit raw but still with more than enough physical talent to be a good NFL QB), but Russell’s arm, legs, and strength were all a bit better than Cutler’s. Russell’s numbers were a bit better than Cutler’s, but that’s offset by the fact that Cutler played with a weaker supporting cast.
Bottom line is, while both of them were surefire top 10 players, 99 out of 100 NFL GM’s would likely take Russell over Cutler at the beginning of their careers, betting on Russell’s unique physical gifts.
And yes, Steve, “as it sits today, no doubt it’s Cutler”. Of course. That was the hole point of my post, it’s a bit unfairly tautological to do it “as it sits today” because you’re by necessity docking Russell for the lack of production that he hasn’t been given opportunity to show, since he hasn’t had 21 NFL starts like Cutler has.
It’s apples and oranges.
Who would you rather have, Joba Chamberlain, the young stud you know is a young stud, or Andrew Brackman, the young stud you hope is a young stud? Most sane people take the known quantity.
In the same class, you’d probably take Brackman.
But Brady was a 6th round pick, Leaf was #2 overall. Even with all of the red flags, he would never have dropped out of the top 5 or 10, nevermind the 6th round.
And this relates to either the Cutler or Russell question or the point about evaluating Cutler or Russell fairly by avoiding historical presentism how?
Because the first comment was
Hey if you were gonna start a team, who would ya take
Russell or Cutler?
I’ll take Cutler
It wasn’t go back to when they were coming out of college, it was now. I’m evaluating fairly based on today, and not only has Cutler, given the opportunity, shown a lot, but he hasn’t been a long hold out, and been horribly out of shape in the offseason when he’s trying become an NFL starter
… aaaand, my comment was, that’s kind of an unfair question, since they’re radically different in terms of experience. So sure, you’d take Cutler, I’d take Cutler, everyone would take Cutler. It’s a non-question, it’s a virtual tautology.
Blah, whatever.
I hope not. I was just curious
So what did you guys think of HBO’s True Blood and the season premiere of Entourage? I really liked True Blood, and Entourage’s episode was kinda on the weak side.
*I’m still LoL’ing at Chad Johnson’s initials now reading C.O.C.
Nice fucking throw by Jay Cutler.
Finally a yankee fan with balls.
Mattingley playing rightfield interesting.
Everytime I see the Angels, my mind scream overrated.
That Brandon Wood guy looks pretty good.
Wood has always been a very good prospect, overrated, but a very good.
Heh, I seen a dog chase some douchebag around campus today that was messing with the dog’s owner, funniest shit I’ve seen in awhile. The dude that got chased literally ran up the fucking tree, SOB ran for like five minutes.
Trivia answer = Carl Pavano.
Nevermind, Pavano gave up #70, not #62.
Steve Trachsell gave up #62.
Good pitching performance from an unlikely source but Garland is Cy Young
every time jeter flips the ball like that i get chills.
How much you think K-Rod might get considering that the Mets lost their closer for next season.
Speaking of Wagner, it’s really unfortunate what happen to him.
Plus, I was really looking foward of him pitching blowing big games for the Mets.
I say $17M per, so 6/85.
If he gets that, then Mo should get 25M.
I never said he was worth that much, but that’s what I think he’ll get.
I know but still.
Same ‘ol Raiders
Michael Kay is making a major ass of himself.
“If that infield single was the difference between hitting .300 and .299, don’t you think it’ll affect contract negotiations?”
Uh.
It’ll affect J.P. Riccardi’s negotiations.
A guy who hits .300 has a passion for the game. A guy who hits .299 probably strikes out a lot, and the Toronto fans no doubt wouldn’t be happy if the Jays brought in a player like that. Pass.
WTF! lol! I feel dumb after reading that. WOW! I feel bad that you have to subject yourself to that.
Terrific trick play by the Raiders. Had me fooled.
Don’t look now, but Carl Pavano is putting together another real nice start. Don’t you have to at least consider picking up that $13M option? I mean, if Carlos Silva’s making $12M per, that’s got a chance to be a nice little bargain if he stays healthy.
And yes, that’s a ginormous IF.
Low risk, only one yr.
I would.
Who would be a trading partner if the yanks picked up Pavano’s option?
I guess.
I was strongly against it at first, but, after watching Pettitte melt down in the second half, Pavano’s insurance policy potential is looking more and more intriguing. What the hell, it’s not my money… do it.
Maybe he and Rocco Baldelli can room together and keep each other healthy, sort of like a reverse “Hancock”.
And if Pavano gets hurt again, insurance covers the money. I’m not asking him to be a frontline guy, just keep them in games at the back-end. I bet if he gets a full ST in him, he can pull off 13-15 wins and a 4.00 ERA.
Then they can start Hughes in the minors for a month or so.
Better get this hit Abreu. Your at .299, contract year.
I don’t know about you guys, but I can’t wait for the SWB and Durham playoff series.
Eddie Royal is just abusing DeAngelo Hall.
Hall is and was wicked overrated. The only three people who think he can cover NFL receivers are DeAngelo Hall, DeAngelo Hall’s mama, and Crazy Al Davis.
He’s no Darrelle Revis.
Alot of Cornerbacks tend to be overrated.
Look at Champ Bailey.
Champ in his prime was super legit. Now, not so much.
True, but Champ was Deion-good for about 6-7 years or so… that’s impressive. DeAngelo Hall was good for about 5 plays covering Bryant Johnson.
Im sorry but I still got that picture in my mind when he got schooled by J. Porter in the snow on a sunday night game.
UPDATE, 11:25 p.m.: Somebody needs to tell the manager that his team has gone on vacation already. The Yankees have scored one run on seven hits (six singles) in the last 12 innings. This is why Kim Jones asked the question she did before the point. Her point, at least, has been proven.
Pete Go suck a dick, Like Brady to make em feel better.
Why should Girardi be given a pass?????? Obviously he shouldnt be fired, but your damn right with the way they are playing/looking he should get questioned like that and he shouldnt be insulted by the questions.
This is NY and he is managing the Yankees. I dont care about the circumstances or whatever, when your team is in 4th fuckin place and looking lifeless you better expect people will start questioning the manager.
I dont want to keep harping on this, OK maybe I do, but Torre would get questioned like crazy in the past few years and his teams you know acutually made the playoffs. I cant imagibe what would be happening if this was last year, or hell if Torre wouldve returned this season and the Yankees would be in 4th place this late in the season.
Again Im not saying Fire Girardi, that would be stupid, BUT your damn right there better be some heat being put on him at the least….
I never said put any heat on the manager and etc. But to consider the team is not putting effort is just wrong.
The effort is there, just sometimes hey ya not that good or it wasn’t your year.
Inrationally he kills Girardi. You know that too. Hey Torre went through some crap but it didn’t make it right either.
I never said not to put any heat on the manager.
Well, I agree to say that they arent putting effort is wrong. But at this stage of the season, you really think they are putting max effort?? Have you seen the at-bats they are taking. They are not exactly grinding out at-bats as if its the playoffs.
Granted I dont blame them at all. But remember this team hasnt missed the playoffs since 1993 so I mean it is a big deal. But your point is more than well taken, Pete Abe can be a major asshole at times. Many times actually….
I have seen some solid a-bats in this game. Nevertheless, at the same time, these same a-bats that are subpar in this game, we saw those same a-bats when they were in contention so it harps on that hey maybe they ain’t that good or this wasn’t their year.
I understand that yes they haven’t miss the playoffs since 93, but hey you can’t make it call the time. Some things must come to a end. Nevertheless, next year might start something new and special. Yes it’s big news they ain’t in it but hey shit happens.
Just treat him like the rest, Ivan, another mediot.
Posada being healthy and playing next season would help this team alot.
Yeah FIGHT FIGHT!!!! Show some fucking fire yeah!!!!
Jesus that “punch” by Pudge was worse than the LJ-Zo punches….
Pudge should have left his mask on.
I never get tired of that one…
LOL, word.
I keep telling my friends who are sox fans, that A-Rod was gonna beat the shit out of Veritek in that fight.
Sorry but A-Rod aint a fighter. He and Jeter probably couldnt beat up Don Zimmer. Just ask Chad Curtis what he thinks of those two in a fight….
Ask Chad Curtis what he thinks about the cleansing your soul in the redeeming waves of Jesus’s love, while you’re at it…
LOL thats right he used to get mad when people in the clubhouse played loud, vulgar music.
Im sorry but A-Rod would of kicked his ass.
Sure A-Rod isn’t a figher but as “tough” as Varitek is, he can’t fight for shit and he kept his mask on which is on some pussy shit.
GET OUT OF THE WAY, DAN GIESE, SO I CAN KILL THIS MUTHAFUCKA!!!!!
“nobody ever wants to see a fight in any sport”
~kay
You know what, if I am the yankees, I try start a fight to fuck somebody up.
i there was fly in hunters face, pudge was just slapping it out of the way. gentleman like.
Oh fuck, what I miss?
The Yankees getting embarrassed again.
Someone should tell Al Davis what a “defense” is, and how to make one.
Lesson A: Don’t give $100 million dollars to DeAngelo Hall and Tommy Kelly.
Oh shit, wassup with Dave Eiland?
Jesus our coaches are getting hurt now on their own. Too bad Girardi didnt get knocked out, ZING!!!!
Eiland is going to be on life support at Saddleback Memorial, and Girardi will say “he just needs a day or two” after the game.
LMFAO!!!! He will say it was no big deal nothing serious. Eiland a week later is asked how serious was it?? “I was on life-support for awhile but thankfully I pulled through”.
Bobby Abreu is truly a terrible outfielder.
you know whats ironic? Pudge gets into a fight right, he gets traded over here for Farnsworth who’s the fight master.
Now that LaTroy Hawkins is gone, who is going to try to throw at someone and miss?
Shawn Estes.
Heh.
We need to call Shelley Duncan up to fight the Angels tomorrow.
Shit Boston is about to takeover 1st place again. Thats strange since apparently to everybody here they suck and will be lucky to hold off the Yankees for the Wild Card.
Just kidding….
Are Mike and Mike (and Mike and Mike….) the worst announcing crew in the history of MNF? I say yes.
Agreed. I flipped over and couldn’t bear it for more than 3 minutes. I’d rather watch the Yankees implode.
Just be thankful its only for tonight. Although Im not a huge fan of the regular MNF cast but it’ll do.
What purpose does Tony K. serve on the regular MNF crew? Aside from making inane comments, he contributes absolutely nothing to the broadcast.
Agreed. But he is the man on PTI!!!!
Totally. Which is why I don’t understand why he is so abominable on MNF.
Holy shit, Raiders score!!!
Tony is mad cool.
Yeah seriously. Despite being the Joe Morgan of football, I’d much prefer Madden with Al Michaels.
just show how and me love the yanks. We will watch em even when they suck.
Three words: Dennis fucking Miller.
True, but at least he was just one man. These guys are an entire crew of abomination.
LOL, I always had my Webster’s Dictionary with me when he was one of the broadcasters. I learned many different words each week.
Don’t bring him up. He’s in a class by himself.
Can the Yankees just forfeit the next 2 games????
Forget 2 games, just forfeit the rest of the season.
Britton Sucks. I just wanna say that.
I can’t wait for Melancon next season.
YEAH listen to the YES announcers ripping the Yankees. I love it!!! Screw you guys for always ripping Michael Kay, I love this!!!!
Except for stop beating around the bush, just say it already, this wouldnt be happening with Joe Torre!!!!
I have the game on mute.
LOL dont blame you. Its sad that I am enjoying hearing them rip these Yankees. Its just that I mean Im only 28 but to me those championship Torre teams are obvious special to me since they occured when I was 16-20 yo’s.
Now I look at this team and its like I dont recognize these Yankees. They are so different and in no way resemble those championship Yankees its sad. It doesnt help that Torre, who is like a grandfather to me (LOL) is now with the Dodgers and yeah I know they play in the worse division in baseball and their record is actually worse than the Yankees (although I dont know for how much longer that will last) but they too got off to a pretty bad start but are right there with a chance to make the playoffs.
I know its stupid to keep going back to the good old days and stuff and I have to move on but hey what can I say its tough for me. Sad I know….
Yankees will reek havoc once again. Just a couple tweaks here and there.
Besides, Kay is a bitch. He’s annoying when the yanks are good. Imagine him when they aren’t.
But sometimes seasons like this are blessings. You just gotta be patient.
Michael Kay sucks. 10 minutes of stating the obvious doesn’t make up for a lifetime of mediocrity.
As for “this wouldn’t be happening with Joe Torre,” we know this….how, exactly?
We don’t know, but Joe T. is taking HIS team to the playoffs..
If the Yankees were in that division they would also be going to the playoffs.
But they are not. Joe T. got us there year after year in the AL East, he doesn’t need to prove he can do it here.
Not true.
I thought Britton was a good reliever by you guys.
Colter Bean, dude.
I remember earlier in the year everyone here kept saying why dont they use him. Now you know why. Also another example of why AAA numbers really dont tell you that much.
The yankees if they gonna move foward, have to and an absolute must……Fire Michael Kay.
Brandon Wood just doubled his season HR total. Sweet.
I have finally reached a point where I am not interested in watching or listening to 2008 Yankees games anymore, except if any of our prospects are playing. The regulars clearly aren’t anymore interested in playing than I am in watching, so I have better things to do with my time than watch them get paid $$$millions to slack off – it’s just plain maddening. If Melancon or Ajax or Hughes, Miranda etc. come up and get some play time, I’ll be curious to watch. But these overpaid slackers – I’ve got a few good non-profits for them to donate to if they feel like maybe they want to make something up to their fans after their heartless performance as a team this year.
I’m not sure it’s a Torre or Girardi issue – if only because there’s the factor of the injuries, which have definitely hit team morale hard. But it’s definitely a chemistry issue – this group of players just doesn’t vibe off of each other well and get each other fired up to WIN! That’s a mental thing. But then again, it’s also a leadership thing. Torre sucked early on as a manager, and it took him years (and probably a little luck) to figure out how to lead a team to the World Series. I do wonder whether Girardi has what it takes to motivate a veteran team like this, or whether he still has a lot to learn and the Yanks need to hire somebody like Pinella, who’s already learned those lessons. Part of me says that given the tools he’s been given (losing big hitters plus his top starters), Girardi deserves credit for at least keeping the team competitive as long as he did. So as far as management, I need more data before I can make a decision.
As for Arod, I’m once again looking at how despite GREAT career numbers and a certain trip to the Hall of Fame, this is another year added to a track record that wherever he goes, his team does not win it all. I don’t know why that is, but I think – as I thought at the end of last year when he had those ridiculous numbers – that the Yankees would be better off without him, in terms of creating the type of team chemistry needed to win another World Series. Last fall, I was on the side that said “Fuck Arod – that selfish bastard – sign Lowell – he’s a much better team player, and a proven winner.” Obviously, if I felt that way then…
Time for a little Daily Show – that guy has been winning every night!