Archive for July, 2009
Game 97 Spillover Thread
Posted by: | CommentsWell at least Melancon and Robertson will get some work.
Game 97: It’s a Gio!
Posted by: | Comments
Come on, Ned! Move this thing!
I can’t! It’s a Geo!
The Yankees will face the baseball equivalent of a Geo today, Gio Gonzalez. A 2004 supplemental first round pick, Gonzalez has bounced around the league quite a bit: he’s been traded three times already, and one of them was back to a team that once traded him.
A year and a half after the White Sox drafted him, they sent him to Philadelphia as part of the Aaron Rowand – Jim Thome trade. Pitching above A ball for the first time in the Phillies’ system, Gonzalez had his struggles, seeing his K rate drop and his BB and HR rates rise.
After just one season — 363 days after the original trade — the Phillies sent Gonzalez back to the White Sox, along with Gavin Floyd, for Freddie Garcia. That one didn’t work out too well for Philly.
One would think that the White Sox liked Gonzalez, considering they traded him and then traded for him back. But in January 2008 they sent him to Oakland, along with Ryan Sweeney, for Nick Swisher. Among all these trades, there are multiple games of six-degrees.
The Yanks look to make it nine straight. I hope everyone enjoys the game. I’ll be at a wedding.
Lineup:
1. Derek Jeter, DH
2. Brett Gardner, CF
3. Mark Teixeira, 1B
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5. Nick Swisher, RF
6. Robinson Cano, 2B
7. Melky Cabrera, LF
8. Cody Ransom, SS
9. Jose Molina, C
And on the mound, number forty-six, Andy Pettitte.
If you are a reliever, the Yankees are interested in acquiring you
Posted by: | CommentsLate last night some schmuck at MLBTR mentioned that the Yankees were taking a look at Blue Jays closer Scott Downs, perhaps the most underappreciated reliever in the league. Downs is just the latest pitcher we’ve heard connected to the Bombers, joining the likes of Chad Qualls, Huston Street, and many others. It seems like a foregone conclusion that the Yanks will acquire some sort of arm for the stretch run, we’re just not sure if it’ll be a starter or reliever.
Of the bullpeners we’ve seen connected to the Bombers, the lefty Downs is by far the best. Dude has a 2.08 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP over the last three years, pitching almost exclusively in high leverage spots, and he’s more than a LOOGY too, making him that much more valuable. Toronto’s not just going to give this guy away, but adding Scott Downs to any staff makes them better.
Kennedy’s rehab progressing
Posted by: | CommentsLess than three months after having surgery to remove an aneurysm from under his right armpit, Oam Ian Kennedy is rehabbing down in Tampa and making 50 throws at 90 feet. “It feels really good. Doesn’t feel like anything ever happened,” said Kennedy, who hopes to get into a few games before the minor league season ends in early September. Regardless, the former first rounder plans on heading to the Puerto Rican Winter League for a second straight year to get some innings in. Fingers crossed, but so far everything sounds good for IPK.
Oh, and it’s good to see Danny Borrell land a coaching gig in the organization as mentioned in the article. It’s a shame injuries derailed his once promising career, but he deserves nothing but the best. Tremendous person and the classiest of class acts.
Phelps dominates in Tampa debut
Posted by: | CommentsChase Weems was placed on the temporary inactive list. That just means he’ll be out briefly, so maybe he’s got a wedding to go to or something, and since he’s a catcher they needed to add someone to the roster.
Jesus Montero placed seventh on Baseball American’s Prospect Hot Sheet, but Andrew Brackman made the not so hot sheet.
Triple-A Scranton
Game 1 (8-7 loss to Toledo in 9 innings)
Kevin Russo & Juan Miranda: both 3 for 5 – Russo drew a walk … Miranda doubled twice, drove in a run & scored another
Ramiro Pena & Austin Jackson: both 0 for 5 – Pena stole a base & scored a run while playing CF … Jackson K’ed thrice
Shelley Duncan: 4 for 4, 4 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB – SHELLEY SMASH
Frankie Cervelli & Colin Curtis: both 1 for 5, 1 K – Cervelli doubled, drove in a run, scored another & committed a throwing error
Yurendell DeCaster: 2 for 4, 1 RBI, 1 HBP
Ivan Nova: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, 1 WP, 2 HB, 5-0 GB/FB – 55 of 95 pitches were strikes (57.9%) … second straight clunker, maybe he’s got a little dead arm thing going on
Kevin Whelan: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K – 6 of 12 pitches were strikes
Jon Albaladejo: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 6-0 GB/FB – 15 of 28 pitches were strikes (53.6%)
Edwar Ramirez: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1-3 GB/FB – 26 of 40 pitches were strikes (65%)
Game 96: We’re going streaking (with a Wang update)!
Posted by: | CommentsThe A’s won’t have the services of Matt Holliday for the rest of the series because he was traded to the Cardinals earlier today, but they will be trotting Brett Anderson out to the mound tonight. He’s got a 1.15 ERA and a .402 OPS against in his last five starts, and those numbers are even more ridiculous (0.00 & .269) in his last three start. The young lefty, once the headliner in a package for Dan Haren, will make the Yanks earn it tonight if they plan on running the winning streak up to eight. Hope Joba’s up for it.
Jeter, SS
Damon, LF
Teixeira, 1B
A-Rod, 3B
Posada, C
Matsui, DH
Cano, 2B
Swisher, RF
Melky, CF
And on the mound, Jobber Chamberlain.
Update (6:32 p.m. by Ben): While earlier today we reported that Chien-Ming Wang‘s tests would be shown to Dr. James Andrews for a third opinion, now it sounds as though the Yanks’ once and former ace will make the trip to Alabama himself. Wang could be seeing Andrews as early as Monday, and I can’t expect the Yanks to receive any good news. Maybe we’re better off hearing about Wang’s damaged shoulder. It would be explain his incredible ineffectiveness this year.
Rumor of the Day: What the Indians want
Posted by: | CommentsWhile we generally shy away from posting the endless speculation about potential trade requests, this one is too good to pass up. According to Jon Heyman via Twitter, the Yankees asked the Indians about Cliff Lee, and Cleveland expressed its desire for Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain and more. As Chris at iYankees said, a trade involving either of those two would defeat the purpose of acquiring a replacement for Chien-Ming Wang. That Mark Shapiro, he’s quite the joker.
Keri: Qualls-to-Yanks ‘needs to happen’
Posted by: | CommentsOver at YESNetwork.com today, friend-of-RAB Jonah Keri checks in with the nine deadline deals he feels need to happen. The major highlights include Cliff Lee to Tampa, Victor Martinez to the Red Sox and Roy Halladay to the Rangers, but the Yankees make the list as well.
Keri believes, as do we, that the Yanks should do their best to acquire current Diamondbacks reliever Chad Qualls. The 30-year-old right-hander has thrown 39.2 innings over 38 appearances this year, and his peripherals — 33 strike outs to just five walks — are impressive. His 2.58 ground out-to-air out ratio make him, in the words of Buster Olney, a perfect fit for new Yankee Stadium. Anyway, this is Keri’s take:
Sure, Halladay or Cliff Lee would be a sexier move. But Qualls would give the Yankees an excellent strikeout-and-groundball machine who can provide a bridge to Mariano Rivera in the eighth inning (and hopefully serve as a stopper in earlier innings, if Joe Girardi will stop being so hung up on roles). But what’s this, you say, Phil Hughes is already a lights-out set-up man? Too true. But Hughes offers more value if he can settle in as a strikeout-throwing starting pitcher to replace DL’d Chien-Ming Wang and complement CC Sabathia and company.
The Yankees wisely have Hughes — like Joba Chamberlain — ticketed for the rotation long-term, knowing it’s much harder to find effective starters than useful relievers. Qualls would ensure the Yankees don’t have to ship out elite prospects like Jesus Montero to upgrade the big-league roster, while also giving Hughes a chance to stretch into a five- or six-inning starter now, and a potential rotation star later.
Needless to say, the Yankees aren’t going to shipping out Jesus Montero for anything short of the second coming of Whitey Ford right now, but Keri’s analysis is still spot on. Qualls would be a perfect addition to the Yankee pen, and his presence would give them some much-needed flexibility as their pitching depth has suddenly dissipated. We’ll have to see what Brian Cashman can do.
Just 21 days 'til pitchers and catchers report.
