Archive for June, 2009
Open Thread: A lazy Sunday
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s a quiet Sunday around here. The Yanks don’t play until 8 p.m., but there is a full slate of afternoon games. The Braves and the Red Sox square off on TBS, and that game started at 1:30. The FIFA Confederatiosn Cup final featuring an improbable match-up pitting the U.S. against Brazil starts at 2 p.m. on ESPN.
We’ll be back at 4 p.m. with some Yankee news. Anything goes. Just play nice
Oh, and chew on this one: Brett Gardner has five hits against the Mets this weekend. The Mets have four hits against the Yankees.
Rumor of the Day: Huston Street
Posted by: | CommentsWith July on the horizon, the Yankee rumors are going to heat up. The team right now has the second best record in the AL but is facing some tough competition for that final playoff spot. Brian Cashman knows that, after a winter spending spree, expectations are high this year, and he’ll do what it takes to improve the team.
Today’s rumor comes to us from Marc Carig. The Yankees, he says, are very interested in Huston Street. Writes Carig:
A major league source, who requested anonymity because he isn’t authorized to comment on other teams, told me that the Yankees’ reported interest in Street was serious.
The source said that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman approached the Rockies about a deal as early as the middle of May, as the Yankees’ bullpen struggled. Meanwhile, the source said the Rockies had already begun combing through the Yankees’ minor league system, mining for possible trade targets.
A few weeks ago, the Yanks would have been considered the leaders in the Huston Street sweepstakes, but then the Rockies started winning. With Clint Hurdle out and Jim Tracy in, Colorado has gone 21-7 and find themselves one game out of the Wild Card. They’re not going to trade their closer until they’re out of it.
Street is an alluring target. Since a tough start in April, he’s been nearly untouchable. He has converted 17 of his last 18 save opportunities over 25.2 innings. He has 29 strike outs and a 1.40 ERA, and opponents are hitting .157/.232/.236 off of him. Talk about an 8th inning solution.
What Street would cost is another question. The Rockies sent Matt Holliday to the A’s for Street and two prospects. As sellers in a tight market, they could demand a decent package from the Yanks. For now, though, with 33 days left until the trade deadline and in a tight market, nothing’s doing.
St. Louis lands DeRosa
Posted by: | CommentsWhen we found out on Friday that Xavier Nady would require season-ending Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career, the Yankees officially lost some depth. I couldn’t help but think Mark DeRosa made even more sense. He can play the corner OFs and everywhere in the infield. The Yanks never really got a chance to pursue the option, though, as St. Louis acquired DeRosa yesterday for reliever Chris Perez and a player to be named later. Perez, who will turn 24 on Wednesday, is a strike ‘em out or walk ‘em pitcher, averaging over a strikeout per inning but also over five walks per nine innings in his ML career. One would have to hope the PTBNL is someone of significance.
Staten Island offense finally breaks out
Posted by: | CommentsMike Ashmore reports that Ivan Nova has been promoted to Triple-A Scranton (as expected) and veteran Jason Johnson has been activated to take his place on the roster and in the rotation. Chad Jennings says Nova’s debut could come Monday.
Triple-A Scranton (6-5 loss to Rochester, walk-off style)
Kevin Russo & John Rodriguez: both 2 for 4 - Russo drew a walk & was caught stealing … J-Rod doubled twice, drove a run in, scored one & K’ed twice
Austin Jackson & Justin Leone: both 1 for 4, 1 R – Jackson drew a walk, swiped a bag & K’ed … Leone drove in a run & K’ed twice
Colin Curtis: 1 for 3, 1 RBI, 2 BB
Shelley Duncan: 0 for 5, 2 K – OPS dips below 1.000
Juan Miranda: 0 for 3, 1 R, 1 BB
Eric Duncan: 3 for 4, 1 2B, 1 R, 1 RBI – first back-to-back three hit games since 2003
Josh Towers: 6 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 7-7 GB/FB – 57 of 83 pitches were strikes (68.7%)
Mark Melancon: 2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 2-3 GB/FB – 18 of 32 pitches were strikes (56.3%)
Anthony Claggett: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 1-0 GB/FB – 8 of 12 pitches were strikes
Game 74: Down with the sickness
Posted by: | CommentsThere’s a nasty little bug going around the Yankee clubhouse, and after claiming Derek Jeter yesterday, Johnny Damon was picked off today. As long as this thing passes quickly and doesn’t wreak too much havoc, I guess it’s cool.
Old buddy Tim Redding, he of the one career inning in pinstripes, is on the mound for the Metsies. Signed for $2.25M in the offseason, Redding has allowed 59 baserunners in 40 innings this year, striking out just 24. Isn’t it amazing how a guy who’s allowed exactly one-and-a-half baserunners for every inning he’s thrown in his career manages to make a living in this game?
Short preview tonight, but whatever. Here’s the starting nine:
Gardner, CF
Swisher, RF
Teixeira, 1B
A-Rod, 3B
Cano, 2B
Posada, C
Melky, LF
Pena, SS
Burnett, SP
Pena doing the job
Posted by: | CommentsHe didn’t have quite the game that Brett Gardner had, but backup infielder Ramiro Pena quietly stepped in at short yesterday and did the job while Derek Jeter sat out with the flu. Marc Carig spoke to Pena, who says he takes extra batting practice daily to keep himself sharp. Hitting .268-.310-.341 overall but .344-.382.500 as a shortstop, Pena has shined on defense and has been the club’s best utility infielder since … well … I’m not sure. What do you guys think, when was the last time the Yanks had a backup infielder as good as Pena?
Comparing pitchers to hitters
Posted by: | CommentsFor all the number wonks out there, SG at RLYW has quite the post, in which he compares hitters to pitchers using wOBA. There’s a conversion process which attempts to keep everyone on the same scale, and to some extent it’s a success. Atop the list are names you’d expect: Zack Greinke, Joe Mauer, Edwin Jackson, Roy Halladay, Victor Martinez. However, when you get further down the list things get a bit dicey. Phil Coke is ranked ahead of Jon Papelbon (as is fellow Sick Justin Masterson). There are a few other things which make the list seem skewed, but it’s an interesting take on comparisons. The best part, by far, is that David Ortiz is ranked below Jose Veras. Also, the bottom two slots belong to, surprise surprise, Chien-Ming Wang and Daisuke Matsuzaka. Wang takes that contest by .003.
Pat Venditte promoted to Tampa
Posted by: | CommentsPeteAbe has the news. Venditte’s struck out 40 batters and allowed just 26 baserunners 30.2 innings with Low-A Charleston this year. It’s an early birthday gift for the ambidextrous Venditte, who turns 24 in three days. It’ll be good to see the kid against some tougher competition.
Just 21 days 'til pitchers and catchers report.
