Archive for July, 2009
Game 91: Yanks can beat a first place team
Posted by: | CommentsThe Yanks might not have a good record against the Angels and the Red Sox, but they’ve done just fine against other contenders, like the Twins, the Rangers, the Rays, the Mariners, and yes, the Tigers. They’ll go for the sweep today. It’s a big game not only because of that, but because Joba Chamberlain takes the mound. It’s always a big game with Joba.
We know Joba has struggled mightily over his last few appearances. As we saw in the Joba Lane series (Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3), his struggles aren’t surprising. It’s all about throwing strikes, and for the most part he has failed at that this season. His velocity is a concern, but not nearly a much as his control. He’ll get a chance to redeem himself after a bit of a layoff.
His opponent is Edwin Jackson, to whom we can point (along with yesterday’s starter, Justin Verlander) as an example of what can happen when you have patience with a young pitcher. A sixth-round pick of the Dodgers in 2001, Jackson shot up the minor league ranks, dominating the rookie league and A ball in his first two seasons. In 2003 he pitched very well at AA, striking out more than a batter an inning and keeping his walks at a decent clip. This led to a September call-up, in which Jackson continued pitching well.
Jackson was up and down in 2004, picking up a win on June 2, then coming back in July for a couple of starts. He bombed in his September redux, however. He went back to the minors to start the 2005 season and didn’t get a call-up until August 22. Considering how poorly he pitched at AAA — an 8.62 ERA over 55.1 innings — this is not a surprise. Again, Jackson pitched poorly at the major league level, though he closed out the season with a couple of decent performances.
The Dodgers, however, had seen enough. That off-season they dished him and Chuck Tiffany to the Rays for Danys Baez and Lance Carter. At the time, Baez was coming off a good season as Tampa Bay’s closer, so the Dodgers thought they were dishing a busted prospect for a solid reliever. While Jackson wouldn’t come to maturity right away, the Dodgers got little use out of Baez, who allowed 24 runs over 49.2 innings before the Braves traded Wilson Betemit for him.
It took two seasons of struggles before Jackson finally caught on. His problem throughout his latter major league stints was a way-too-high walk rate. He brought that down significantly in 2008, to 3.8 per nine. He didn’t strike out a ton of guys last year, 5.3 per nine, but just bringing down the walks (and hits) pushed his ERA below the 4.50 mark to 4.42. The Rays thought they were selling high by dishing him to the Tigers for Matt Joyce, but it’s clear now that the Tigers got exactly what they wanted in the deal.
Jackson has thrown 121.2 innings this season, and they’re the best 121.2 of his life. His ERA sits at 2.42. He’s struck out 7.2 hitters per nine innings. He has the lowest WHIP in the league, owing to his new fangled walk rate — 2.6 per nine. He’s also allowed just seven hits per nine, a category in which he leads the league. He pitched well against the Yankees earlier this year, allowing no runs through six innings. The Yanks bats were patient, though, running his pitch count up to 117. The bullpen promptly blew the game in the seventh, as the Yanks rallied for 10 runs.
Hope y’all enjoyed the Old Timers’ ceremonies. Now it’s time for some young dudes to square off.
Lineup:
1. Derek Jeter, SS
2. Brett Gardner, CF
3. Mark Teixeira, 1B
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5. Hideki Matsui, DH
6. Jorge Posada, C
7. Robinson Cano, 2B
8. Nick Swisher, RF
9. Melky Caberera, LF
And on the mound, number sixty-two, Joba Chamberlain.
Old Timers’ Day thread
Posted by: | CommentsThe Yankees will begin the Old Timers’ Day ceremonies in a few moments, which you can follow on YES. It’ll be the standard introductions: John Sterling and Michael Kay heap praise on former Yankee greats — and of course some not-so-greats — while the fans remember what it was like back in the day.
The Yanks announced some new attendees recently, including Doc Gooden, Mel Stottlemyre, Don Zimmer, and Mike Mussina. Boy, wouldn’t it be nice to have him on the team this year. They’ll be joined by other Old Timers’ rookies Chad Curtis, Mike Easler, Charlie Hayes, Lindy McDaniel, and Jerry Narron. Then there will be the mainstays: Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Reggie Jackson and Goose Gossage, plus the widows of Elston Howard, Catfish Hunter, Bobby Murcer, and Thurman Munson.
Also attending: Luis Arroyo, Jesse Barfield, Ron Blomberg, Dr. Bobby Brown, Homer Bush, Rick Cerone, Horace Clarke, Jim Coates, David Cone, Bucky Dent, Al Downing, Dave Eiland, Oscar Gamble, Joe Girardi, Ken Griffey, Sr., Ron Guidry, Reggie Jackson, Pat Kelly, Don Larsen, Hector Lopez, Lee Mazzilli, Gene Michael, Meredith Murray (B.P. Pitcher), Jeff Nelson, Graig Nettles, Joe Pepitone, Bobby Richardson, Mickey Rivers, Bill “Moose” Skowron, Aaron Small, Bob Turley, and Roy White.
So kick back, and enjoy watching former Yankees enjoy their day in the sun. Feel free to talk up the former players in this thread for now. Looks like Mike Mussina is starting, but I haven’t seen any other lineups.
Sunday morning Mariano musings
Posted by: | CommentsOn Saturday night, Jesus was the story. On Sunday morning, let’s look at Mariano.
The August 13 game in 2007 against the Orioles was, on its surface, nothing remarkable. The Yankees beat the Orioles 7-6 on a walk-off fielder’s choice in the bottom of the 9th. Earlier in the game, neither Jeremy Guthrie nor Chien-Ming Wang had their best stuff, and the game was left to the bullpens.
What is remarkable about the game, though, was the top of the 9th. In that inning, Mariano Rivera allowed three hits and a run as the Orioles overcame a one-run deficit to tie the game. It would be Mariano Rivera’s only blown save at Yankee Stadium that season, and in fact, it was his last blown save at Yankee Stadium. It is also his only blown save at home since August 13, 2005 when he let one go against the Rangers in a game the Yanks would win in 11 innings.
Think about that for a second. Mariano Rivera has blown just one save at home since August 13, 2005. That’s a remarkable achievement. Nearly four years at home, one blown save.
Since his disastrous appearance while sick against Tampa in a non-save situation in June, Mariano has been as good as any pitcher could be. He has saved 13 games since then, throwing 15.2 innings and allowing five hits, one run and one walk while striking out 16. That’s a 0.57 ERA.
One day, Mo will blow a save. One day, Mo will lose a game. One day, Mo may even decide to call it a career. Right now, though, he’s showing no signs of slowing down, and he’s still the guy anyone wants out there in the ninth inning of a close game. That, my friends, is Mariano Rivera.
Montero’s grand slam leads Trenton to a win
Posted by: | CommentsLongtime RABer TurnTwo sent me he photos from last week’s Double-A Eastern League All Star Game. Click here to see the slideshow.
Triple-A Scranton
Game 1 (3-1 win over Gwinnett) completion of yesterday’s game, which was suspended due to rain
Kevin Russo: 0 for 2, 1 BB
Ramiro Pena & Shelley Duncan: both 0 for 4 – Shelley K’ed
Austin Jackson: 1 for 4, 1 RBI, 1 K
Juan Miranda: 1 for 2, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB – seven of his twelve homers have come off righties
Frankie Cervelli & Colin Curtis: both 1 for 3 – Cervelli was caught stealing … Curtis hit a solo jack
Yurendell DeCaster: 0 for 3
Doug Bernier: 0 for 1, 1 R, 2 BB
Josh Towers: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 3-1 GB/FB – 20 of 35 pitches were strikes (57.1%) … he got tossed in the second for intentionally throwing at a batter, or so the umpire thought
Amaury Sanit: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1-0 GB/FB – 8 of 13 pitches were strikes (61.5%) … he would have stayed in longer, but there was a long rain delay
Anthony Claggett: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 3-5 GB/FB – 26 of 49 pitches were strikes (53.1%)
Mike Dunn: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 0-2 GB/FB – 15 of 25 pitches were strikes (60%) … AAA debut
Edwar Ramirez: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 2-1 GB/FB – 28 of 43 pitches were strikes (65.1%)
Open Thread: More baseball infographics
Posted by: | Comments
Late last month Ben interviewed Craig Robinson, owner of the great site Flip Flop Fly Ball. Craig produces baseball infographics like this one about the height of the Green Monster, and he’s got a new set out now. Make sure you head on over a check them out, otherwise feel free to use this as your open thread. Anything goes, just be nice.
Wang, pain free, to begin throwing program on Monday
Posted by: | CommentsThe headline says it all, and Marc Carig has the news. After being sidelined since July 5 with a right shoulder strain, Chien-Ming Wang will play catch on Monday. While he has been receiving treatment on the shoulder, this tossing will be Wang’s first try at some baseball activities. The Yanks plan to take it slow with Wang and will not target a return date yet. Considering how little faith we collectively have in Sergio Mitre, the sooner Wang returns the better.
Game 90: When last we met
Posted by: | CommentsCC Sabathia and Justin Verlander last squared off on April 27, and what we witnessed that day was a clinic in pitching. Sabathia threw a complete game, allowing just six hits and no walks while striking out seven. Verlander was nearly untouchable. He lasted seven innings, gave up seven hits and struck out nine. He also walked no one.
The final score of that game was 4-2. Magglio Ordoñez’s two-run home run — just his second of the season — bounced off the top of the right field wall and landed on the wrong side. The Yanks would plate two in the 9th but couldn’t mount the comeback.
Today, these two aces meet again. Sabathia is coming off of a bad start against the Angels. On Sunday, he gave up five runs on nine hits and three walks as the Yanks lost 5-4. Verlander, who leads the AL in strike outs, is coming off a seven-inning shut out start against the Indians. He is 10-2 with a 2.22 ERA over his last 15 starts. Runs should be scarce.
For CC, the second half has always been kind to him. He has a career 3.39 ERA and strikes out nearly a batter an inning more in the second half than in the first. That should be good news for those wary of his declining K numbers this year.
The game starts at 1:04 p.m., and it is a bee-yoo-tee-ful day for baseball in New York.
Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Matsui DH
Posada C
Cano 2B
Swisher RF
Cabrera CF
Sabathia P
A weekend of celebrating the past
Posted by: | CommentsAfter attending Old Timers’ Day in 2007, last year’s All Star Game and the final game at Yankee Stadium, I was old-timered out. There are, after all, so many times I could sit through watching the Yanks trot out a bunch of retired baseball players. But as Old Timers’ Day 2009 rolls around, one day after the tenth anniversary of David Cone’s perfect game, this weekend is a good one for Bronx baseball history.
On the David Cone, the ex-Yankee and current YES broadcaster will throw out the first pitch of today’s game. It was July 18, 1999, a Sunday, that David Cone secured his place in baseball history. Facing a young Expos squad, Cone needed just 88 pitches to face 27 batters that day. Scott Brosius caught the last out of the game off the bat of Orlando Cabrera in foul territory, and Cone was mobbed by Joe Girardi and the rest of his teammates.
To me, what sticks out most about that game was the way it ended. I spent that Sunday afternoon with my mom and sister at Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphonic Orchestra in Lenox, Massachusetts. When the 2:30 concert ended, I turned on my walkman and heard John Sterling say that David Cone was just three outs away from a perfect game. I blurted out the news, and the only people to react were my family members. A lawn full of people could have cared less.
After the perfect game, Cone would pitch in 73 more games but with little success. He went 16-29 with a 5.57 ERA, and it always seemed to me that he had sold his baseball soul for that perfect game. Now and then, he would flash his best stuff, but that was the apex of his Yankee career. Over at The Times’ Lens blog, sports photographer Barton Silverman remembers covering the perfect game.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, the Yankees will welcome back a bunch of old timers for the annual Old Timers’ Day festivities. The team announced some interesting additions yesterday. Mike Mussina, Don Zimmer and Mel Stottlemyre will all make their Old Timers’ Day debuts. You may remember Mike Mussina from such classic Yankee seasons as 2008, and unless Angel Berroa returns for the game, he will be the most recent former Yankee at the stadium on Sunday.
More intriguing are the Zimmer and Stottlemyre returns. Both coaches left on bad terms with the Steinbrenners. Zimmer and George got into some very public feuds following the 2003 season, and the Yanks haven’t really been the same since he left. Zimmer, if I recall correctly, swore never to return with George around. Stottlemyre resigned following the 2005 and was public about his disdain for George Steinbrenner. What the return of these two key members of the Yankee Dynasty coaching staff says about George Steinbrenner’s current state, I will leave for you to decide.
Just 21 days 'til pitchers and catchers report.
