Game 78: Let’s sweep again
ByYou can’t expect a sweep. They just don’t happen too often, even with the best teams. By the third game of a series, it’s oftentimes a moot point. The situation for the Yanks tonight, though, is a bit different. They’ve won the first two games of the series and have their ace on the mound. This is the kind of game you just have to win. But not pressure or anything.
Carsten Charles was simply brilliant in his last outing against the Mets. He locked them down through seven innings, surrendering just three hits — all in the same inning — and striking out eight. This came after a bout of biceps tendinitis, so it appears that scare is over. He threw just 99 pitches in that effort, so it looks like Girardi is going to keep his pitch count in the safe zone for a bit. With the way the Yanks bullpen has been pitching lately, that’s not such a terrible idea.
Opposing him will be Jason Vargas. The Marlins selected him in the second round of the 2004 draft, and traded him to the Mets in a deal which landed them their current closer, Matt Lindstrom (who is currently on the DL with an elbow strain). He went to Seattle in the J.J. Putz/Aaron Heilman deal. He saw only limited time with the Mets, turning in the team’s worst starting pitching performance of 2007 (9 runs, 11 hits, balk, wild pitch, two HR) before being sent back down to New Orleans. He had surgery following the season to remove bone spurs from his elbow, and then missed the entire 2008 season with a torn labrum in his hip. It’s freaking contagious.
Vargas pitched well enough at AAA Tacoma in four starts to earn a call-up. He was a high-strikeout guy in the minors who just hasn’t been able to accomplish that at the big-league level. Through 181.2 career innings he’s averaged just 6.9 K/9. He averaged 8.4 per nine in the minors. In his limited sample from this year he’s been susceptible to the home run, allowing nine in 54.2 innings. That does not bode well for a slugging team in a hitter’s park.
One thing I’ve been going over in my head over the past two days is the Mariner’s defense. This was spurred by a post by Dave Cameron at FanGraphs. Dave, you might know, writes U.S.S. Mariner, one of two indispensable team blogs (Lookout Landing being the other). While his post had nothing to do with the Mariners, it made me think of their highly-touted defense. They have a number of highly talented defensive players on their team, including center fielder Franklin Gutierrez, who we’ve seen make a flashy play or two this series.
You can’t defend against the home run, though. While Gutierrez might bring a lot to the table defensively, so that he’s far more valuable than his offensive stats would imply, if the team’s pitchers keep giving up long balls there’s not much he can do. It also hurts his overall value, since his excellent defensive capabilities go to waste when the ball leaves the park. In other words, defense is great, even underrated to an extent. However, you need pitchers who can keep the ball in the park in order to take advantage of it.
Lineup:
1. Derek Jeter, SS
2. Johnny Damon, LF
3. Mark Teixeira, 1B
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5. Robinson Cano, 2B
6. Nick Swisher, RF
7. Hideki Matsui, DH
8. Melky Cabrera, CF
9. Francisco Cervelli, C
And on the mound, number fifty-two, Carsten Charles Sabathia.
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1) he Padres/Astros game is DELAYED BECAUSE OF BEES. BEES. As in, THAT’LL GIVE YOU BEES!
2) Jason Bay became an American citizen, so he won’t ever bother the Yankees again (it’s always the Canadians).
3) Cover letters suck.
I like my women like I like my coffee…Covered IN BEEEEEES!!!!
Imagine that. Actually stopping a game because of an insect swarm on the field.
You mean like they didn’t do in Cleveland.
My thoughts exactly. I guess bees are scarier.
how does the forecast look?
hoping it’s not “slight chance of bees”
Better than a heavy chance of bees.
Seriously? There’s a rain shower that’s literally RIGHT OVER THE STADIUM.
I do not think the baseball g-ds approve of the new stadium.
Not our A lineup today, but a decent one. With CC on the mound against an awful hitting team like the M’s, I’d be pretty suprised if we didn’t win.
i’d be suprised if we didn’t win too. even though the mariners lineup isn’t the greatest they have good numbers against CC so lets see
Isnt Posada the only one missing?
Yea, and our A lineup includes him. Not saying we have a bad lineup today by any means, just that its not our best.
And Cano hitting 5th. The theory must be “has to drive in a run sometime based on law of avergages”.
Are they gonna play this one soon?
They said CC and Vargas haven’t even warmed up yet.
Rain delay? Bah.
has there ever been a longer stretch of rainy weather in nyc?
Even yankee minors are getting rained out constantly!
Oh, this is NYC? I thought this was Seattle with the way it’s been raining the last month.
For your pleasure, here’s a YES Network interview with the Son of God: http://bit.ly/1wkUyO
enjoyed
+1
Heh I posted that yesterday but no one saw it I guess.
They also have McAllister and Bleich.
I don’t remember signing up to live in Seattle…
7.40 start
Should I trade Albert Pujols, Edwin Jackson, and Nate Mclouth for CC Sabathia, Miguel Cabrera, Ryan Braun, and Justin Morneau?
Why you posting as a diff name?
Shit, now my identity has been leaked but really I just was tired of posting as Charlie
this is a different trade than the one i asked if i should do yesterday, though
I’m like a little detective.
Yes.
Yes.
Man, Artest says he’s signing with the Lakeshow.
http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_.....th_lakers/
That would be ridiculous.
That would be, but i’ve never heard of that site, you sure its accurate?
Link from CBSSports.com
well its ron artest, he’s probably stoned or something. i don’t believe it until ESPN.com says it.
I have serious hard time believing that.
Considering the Lakers wanna resign Odom especially since Ariza might be gone, Artest to the Lakers is second to nil. Besides, a guy Artest wouldn’t fit well with that LA team.
Gammonites off tonight so CC can get us half game closer!
Have they said what time first pitch will be?
7.40
nevermind =)
I’m hungry.
for some baseball?
Poor Clay Buchholz, got treated like a pitching machine in the 4th inning.
Gammons is blowing this kid’s horn constantly….could he be blowing something else?
a whistle?
You could use the corner of his mouth to get your stamps to stick.
Im wondering though, Jose Molina is similar in size compared to Jesus Montero, (Molina is about 2 inches shorter) and Molina is a very good defensive catcher. Im not saying Montero can be as good of defensive player as Molina but he can certainly be avg defensively right?
He’s throwing out 30% of baserunners–that’s about what posada’s doing this year.
I asked a question about Montero staying behind the plate to K-Law and K-Law said he couldn’t because of his size and the fact that he’s not as quick as the catching Molina brothers.
But, I obviously hope he stays behind the plate.
Well Pena could be mentor to Montero when it comes to defense, heck even Girardi.
Foolish. Not many catchers are.
I don’t remember the exact wording, but it was something along those lines.
The thing is that Montero’s only 19 and is going to get even bigger.
Are we talking CC big? Prince big? Joba the Hutt (and not chamberlain) big?
Paul Bunyan big.
Was this a non-rain rain delay? I thought only Boston did that…
Quick guess: CC had to go to the bathroom, hence the rain delay
sorry, wrong answer. We would have excepted, “It’s A-rods fault” or “It’s a shot at Jeter”. Thank you for playing.
Andy Pettite is a STARTING PITTTCHAAA, hence the rain delay. Final answer.
Why doesn’t Branyan bat third?
The M’s manager said that Branyan would see more fastball in the 2 hole with Ichiro always on base.
Ah, I guess that makes a bit of sense (even though he struck out on a slider in that AB
)
8 innings, 3 hits, 8 strikeouts.
Im callin it.
Montero just jacked another one for Trenton!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WTF? DAYUM!!!!!
Make me proud, Jesus.
So, when do we expect CC’s K numbers to come up?
never, he can’t pitch in NY.
He wants to be on the West Coast.
He’s an NL pitcher.
We should have gotten teh Johan.
He definitely wants to stay in the N.L. so he can hit. He loves hitting.
Cashman needs to realize that, he just doesn’t want to play in New York.
I have too much fun with this.
Yup. And Tex is definitely going home to Baltimore. He wants to be a hometown guy.
He wants to hit.
Too late.
Hey guys, look at this idiot!
Banned!
It was a joke! It was supposed to be funny!
Well, it wasn’t! You’re a Jerk! I hate you!
I was young and stupid, I made a mistake. I was nieve. Ya know, kids make mistakes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyTaj24c5Uw
too fat
OMG, Montero is not Real.
very fake.
Another one? I LOL’d at what project prospect said about montero’s “decent power”
http://projectprospect.com/art.....spect-list
Ichiro owns CC
branyan’s career year is suspicious. he needs to pee in a cup
210 minor league home runs.
Haha.
Five HR in three games for Holy Jesus?
Are we serious?
He is. Very much so. That’s what is so scary.
Lol, that made Branyan look quite silly.
Jesus Montero eats levels like AA for breakfast.
Jesus!!
girardi needs to get himself tossed immediately
Sabathia fields like a 170lb SS.
Well, it took them an out to score the run; I’ll take it. Get out of it here now, CC, and let the offense do its job.
filthy change
Damn..stupid small ball/luck! It’s aite CC, that aint bad though I hope he would have K’ed Lopez on a 1-2 count
only run they score tonight
+
-
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-
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poo
It is almost 8:00, lets get this thread started:
tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside, I have a question for you.
Is it true that Ty Cobb once stabbed a guy?
When was the last time we had a hitter like Montero in our system?
Nick Johnson?
Nick Johnson? Not as much power in the minors but, yeah, still dirty at hitting.
Melky Cabrera.
Melky only did it for like 1 year. Jesus has just mashed where ever he was.
What is really amazing, is the fact that people continue to say that the power will come as he gets older. He’s already killing the ball. It sounds like he’s just hitting them out with raw power. HE DOESN’T EVEN KNOW HOW. SCARY.
It’s scary, not as scary as Crab People, but scary no less.
Melky only did it for a couple years because he was rushed!!
Youkilis, oh wait…
I cant even think of one…
DiMaggio? Though he wasn’t technically in our system
Johnson, Soriano, Henson … one of those fools.
balboni
Oh, the days when Nick Johnson and Drew Henson were the corner players of the Yankees future.
Wieters is the best catching prospect in da game, but I think Montero can hit with him right?
Wieters is older, no?
3 years older.
4
How ridiculous is that?
And I heard UConn is an overrated school in all its facets, including but not limited to: academia, athletics, and social life.
You’ve heard right.
But it’s still not as crappy as Syracuse.
Dear Derek Jeter,
Leadoff hitters aren’t supposed to swing at the first pitch. Stop. Please? Thanks.
Love,
Matt Imbrogno
Jeter should not change his approach just because he is leading off. He swings at the first ball, it is part of what makes him a good hitter- his aggressiveness.
You can be aggressive while still making the pitcher work by at least trying to see a few pitches. Jeter’s been good at this for his whole career.
No you can’t. An aggressive hitter is going to jump on a good pitch, not let a few go by to make the guy work.
Derek Jeter, IMO, isn’t a jump all over pitches early in the count type aggressive hitter. He’s got a .386 OBP for his career and averages 67 BBs per 162. He’s not jumping at every single good pitch he sees there. His aggressiveness comes from being able to work the count to something favorable and then getting a good pitch to hit.
But he is the type of hitter that does not let a first pitch go if he likes it. I dont ant him going up there with any restrictions on his style just because of a place in the batting order.
He does that like every game on the first AB.
Come on, Tex. Don’t try to pull that.
Tex is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy overdue for a HR
Michael Kay: pwned by kids.
wow you got to be kidding me
Franklin is looking like Grady Sizemore this series.
Oy CC.
I hate giving up homers with two strikes.
not more than me
FUCK!
Well that wasn’t fun. Totally Jorge’s fault, too.
sweet jesus just homered again
2nd time today?
no.
damn…oh well
Put CC in the bullpen.
Jesus Montero is noting his displeasure with being snubbed for the AA All Star Game.
CC’s getting hit pretty hard tonight, save for Lopez’s GB.
Dear CC,
Funny joke…we all laughed I promise. Please resume normal function.
Thanks,
Jake
this reminds me of opening day cc
Ajax 2-3 with a SB so far. Against the greatest pitcher on the planet no less.
Brad Penny is in AAA?
teh no hittah!
CC’s not finishing ABs…2nd time it was a hit with a 1-2 count and one HR with a 2-2 count.
Who’s this guy catchin, he sucks!
So what does it say that when I see that Jesus Montero flied out to center, all I want to know is how far he hit the ball?
it means you like him like him.
Shouldnt we expect a win seeing as our Ace is pitching?? and yet they are down 3-0 in the 2nd inning with one out..
That’s baseball.
He’s a NL pitchaaa.
It’s the 2nd inning and even aces have off days…
key part of that comment: 2nd inning
Exactly! It’s ovahhh
name me one pitcher who’s gone 32-0.
Josh Beckett.
Josh Beckett can never lose a game.
Last night he gave up 5 runs, and retired the last 12 he faced. He kept them in the game, and it’s a win in the stats book.
forgot about him. I thought you was banned! get outta heeee.
What the fuck is this CC??? I hope he’s not hurt again. That would fuckin suck
Language, please. Matt from UConn is sensitive.
You’re a poopy head, Mike Pop.
He’s throwing mid 90s. He’s fine. Shit happens, We’ll be alright as long as our hitters don’t go limp against a lefty pitcher they’ve never seen before.
Damnnn Romine with a HR too. We have too much Minor league depth at the C position. Why did we sign Sanchez!!!11?
you can never have too much depth.
Sox have too many starting pitchers. It is really a problem.
Whata ya know, Cano!!
I guess the !!!111? didn’t tip ya off.
haha Ichiro almost flinched at the Fans boos, then pump faked throwing a ball and got booed even more.
Sucks to be you, Ryan.
huh, why?
ICWUDT
That helps. Thanks Langerhans.
It’s 3-0 in the 2nd. We’ve come back from worse.
So have the Orioles.
langerhans means “slides longer” in dutch
Good to see Hungry, Hungry Humberto dealing again.
I like how it’s 3-0 in the 2nd and some people are already back on the panic train.
But it OVA!1!!1!! WE SUCK!
Yeah, we only have the highest OPS in the majors. And this team has shown no ability to comeback this year. None. And there’s Cano, why is he hitting 5th again? He sucks.
It’s a monsoon in brooklyn. Hopefully this storm is heading south and won’t be heading towards YS3.
Arod starts off bottom of second with solo shot possibly??
or walk :p
He isn’t paid to walk there, I don’t care what you tell me.
just another selfish walk
no DP robbie
Lazy Domincan can’t even hit the ball to the shortstop or second baseman, probably because he can’t concentrate enough.
Also, he had some nice hacks last night, so I think he’s breaking out of his slump and coming around.
Robbie due for a HR/RBI too
that works
Nice gapper by Robbie
The #5 hitter, ladies and gentlemen.
NO RBIS!!!!!
WHy is this guy hittin 5th!!!
So lazy and unclutch!1! Y he flip the ball to short!?1
I saw that double coming, once Cano took that outside pitch the other way (but foul).
What’s next? Tell me the score when the 5th inning is over?
Then, I’ll be impressed.
5-3 Yankees, you heard it here first
No, no. I said tell me when the 5th inning is over.
come on swish
Cano is a terrible player. Lazy and he never hits with men on base. He should be hitting 9th.
He’s so lazy he can’t even hustle to 3rd base on a sac fly.
Come on Swisher, Start one of those Hot streaks!
Swishslam plzthxbye
Look at the lazy Dominican tagging up from second.
This is a start!
Hustle by the lazy latin! Lets get another one in boys.
God that Swisher can never drive in runs from 3rd. What an atrocious player.
Ok 1 run…cmon base hit
or sac fly
Swisher is so bad at getting runs in from third with less than two outs.
is it possible to be both gritty and lazy?
I believe that’s known as grazy.
nope
Ichiro helping out his fellow countrymen.
nice
Karma. Tex has been avenged.
Ichiro with his Luis Castillo impression.
blanket party for ichiro after the game
Does anyone know whether Tex is still second in the All-star voting?
He was last time I checked.
Well, then I’d bette keep on voting while I watch the game.
Saw it in espn the magazine, heres an article about it:
http://www.independent.com/new.....-frimpong/
Basically a college soccer star was given 6 years for rape, with basically no evidence against him, and the prosecution withholding evidence.
“These safeguards failed to protect former UCSB soccer star Eric Frimpong from being convicted of rape, even though none of his DNA was found on the accuser; only semen from her boyfriend. The young woman, a 19-year-old freshman with a history of alcohol-induced blackouts, had a blood alcohol level between .29 and .34. At .35 you are at an anesthesia level where surgery can be performed. “
Women have enough trouble getting their rape cases believed. This only makes the problem that much worse.
The worst part is in the ESPN the magazine article the judge said he saw enough evidence to put him in jail when:
1) The kid had no abrasion indicating a rape
2) The “victim” said at first she was raped on the beach, but then couldnt remember because there was a large period of time that she couldnt remember and went back and forth with her accounts of waht happened.
3) How do you convict someone of rape with no DNA found?
She alleged a violent attack on the beach that left her covered in sand, yet the first person she saw testified he saw no sand on her. Eric had no scratches or abrasions on his body nor any sand on his black skin and hair. It was hours before she reported the alleged rape. When examined, she claimed to have been hit on the cheek. Given her extreme intoxication, she had little memory of what had happened. Sheriff’s Detective Daniel Kies repeatedly suggested facts to her, including that she was bitten.
If we could capitalize on this error I’ll be so happy
Ichiro is obviously not an everyday player. Everyday players do not make that sort of mistake in the field.
heh, well, if you’re making fun of people that get mad at swish, swish don’t hit .370.
No, but he has better on base skills and better power than Ichiro.
just sayin…
.400 OBP > .371 OBP, no?
Well, more of Ichiro’s OBP is made up of his BA than Swisher’s is. Swisher has better on base skills, but Ichiro’s OBP may be higher because his BA is so much higher. Ichiro doesn’t walk too much.
I always thought on base skills included both hitting and walks. Ichiro’s career OBP is higher than Swisher’s as well so I disagree that Swisher has better on base skills. A hit is as good (and sometimes better even) as a walk.
Never said he did. But the people who get on Swish don’t care about what he does at the plate. Those mental errors= not everyday player.
It’s because he’s not gritty. He just doesn’t play the game the right way.
Bad Melky.
This thread is filled with sarcasm and I love it.
what your tongue.
Me = fail (what = watch)
hahaha. I was like, what does this mean!?
Yeah, even the Ace can have a down day.
Don’t boo melky, its not his fault. Its not the 8th inning.
Let’s go, Bandbox! Clap-clap, clap-clap-clap.
…it worked for Johnny Damon’s HR last night.
4 Hours left to vote for the ASG
EVERYBODY VOTE MARK TEIXEIRA NOW!
I’m going on a hunger strike till Mark makes the all star team.
Be real, Pop. You’re not on a hunger strike, you just haven’t been able to eat because you’re still depressed about me beating you in the NCAA tournament bracket pool.
Nah, man. I just don’t have time to eat, your mother is a handful.
Pop are you hanging out with Pat?
Heh.
So apparently I’m going to a game on the 20th. I know it’s a long way away but is anyone else gonna be there?
I don’t know where I’ll be in 12 hours.
That’s how Drew and I live our lives!!!!!
Wait a second, that doesn’t sound right.
But… not like.. together.
not that there’s anything wrong with that.
IronHorse’d
IETC
nice 8 pitch AB Cervi
Anyone going to the game Saturday?
was planning on going till last night wen ma sis and cousins decided to go to camel beach waterpark wit the family.
Did Ichiro fake the throw into the stands and put the ball in his glove?
haha he almost flinched at the Fans boos during the fly ball, then pump faked throwing the ball and got booed even more.
Melky does that shit all the time.
that was strike 3 to russell!!!
never mind still got him
branyan is lost up there
Hm, seems like the good CC’s back!
CC > Branyan.
Finally some breaking balls. He threw a lot of fastballs with two strikes in the first two innings.
according to gameday, cc’s gettin screwed on some of these “balls”
VOTE FOR TEX AND KINSLER!!!
OKAY! JUST DID BUT I’LL DO IT AGAIN!
kinda got squeezed there