Game 110: Advantage Yankees
ByIn the span of six days, the Yankees won games in which Mark Buehrle, Roy Halladay, and Josh Beckett started for the opposition. That’s pretty good for a team scrutinized for beating up on mediocre competition and folding against stronger opponents (not that it really matters). They enter today’s game with plenty going for them: winners of five straight, holders of the best record in baseball, and to top it off are 4.5 games up in the AL East.
The pitching matchup today favors the Yankees as well. They’ll send out CC Sabathia, working on an extra day’s rest after a tough start in Chicago. It started off dicey, but CC calmed down and mowed down the Sox in the middle innings, holding down the fort so the Yankees offense could do their thing. He’ll have a chance at redemption against the Red Sox, who got to him in the eighth after he tossed seven brilliant innings last time around. If he pitches like he did after the third last week, the Yanks will be sitting pretty.
Taking the bump for the Sox is Clay Buchholz, who was recalled from AAA after the All-Star Break. He’s had some struggles in the early goings, hitting 5.2 IP twice and 4 IP in his other two starts. In fact, he hasn’t pitched six innings since August 4, 2008. That’s not good news for the Sox, who have used their bullpen a lot over the past four days. They need length out of Buchholz so they don’t have to dig into the pen again and hurt the team for tomorrow’s series finale.
Despite Buchholz’s relative ineffectiveness in 2009, you can’t count him out for this game. It’s the same deal as Scott Kazmir in the middle game of the Tampa series. He’d been struggling as well, but we know he’s not a bad pitcher. Ditto Buchholz. He’s not a bad pitcher by any stretch, and he knows how important this game is for his team. Lose it and they guarantee losing at least three out of four, with the chance for a sweep tomorrow night. It’s probably the most important start of his young career, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see him step up and force a second straight pitcher’s duel.
The Sox are making the smart move today, trying to get their best offense into the mix. Youkilis is again in left, leaving room for Lowell at third, Kotchman at first, and Martinez behind the dish. That’s certainly better than any permutation with Varitek and Reddick in the lineup (though I do think Reddick can provide some pop, it’s better to sit him against CC). Both teams have a pitcher batting ninth, the Yanks with Molina and the Sox with Nick Green. All in all, it looks like the Yankees have the advantage with the lineup and with the pitchers.
Lineup:
1. Derek Jeter, SS
2. Johnny Damon, LF
3. Mark Teixeira, 1B
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5. Hideki Matsui, DH
6. Robinson Cano, 2B
7. Nick Swisher, RF
8. Melky Cabrera, CF
9. Jose Molina, C
And on the mound, number fifty-two, Carsten Charles Sabathia.
324 Comments
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Time to absolutely rip the sox apart.
Last ditch effort:
I’m in LA and there seems to be no way to see the east coast FOX feed. No bars or anything that usually have games have it.
Anyone have any ideas at all?
I know it’s shitty but it looks as if you’re gonna have to rock out GameDay.
Nah, I’ll just skip out, kill most of the day, & watch it archived later on.
No way I’m not watching this one.
Oh FOX, how do I loathe thee? Let me count the ways…
1. Tim McCarver
2. Joe Buck
3. Ryan Seac–I mean Chris Rose
4. Eric Karros
5. Jeanie Zelasko
6. That older guy whose name I can’t remember but calls every single pitch a breaking ball
7. Joe Buck
8. Tim McCarver
You forgot Joe Buck
9. Sucka got not juice
There are… “ways.”
I will be watching the game at The Usual Place.
This better be tongue in cheek.
And if its not, where is The Usual Place?
a place where you can illegally stream stuff…Doug’s posted the link in the past, but the RAB guys (rightly) redacted it. They could get in trouble if people are trading that kind of info on their site.
Oddly, I’m in San Francisco, Giants are in town starting now, but I get Yanks-Sox.
I’m more confident going into this game than I was when they went into the game against Kaz and the Rays.
Yeah, at least Kaz has a track record of success against the Yanks.
Yea, A-Rod can’t hit Kaz for the life of him
Big Papi should probably pull those chicken nuggets out of his entire body
Josh towers up, Melancon down, Marte transferred to the 60 day via Bryan Hoch.
I’m sure I understand this move.
Yeah, I’m not getting that either. Maybe they figure they’ll need length today because of all the guys they’ve needed and Towers can maybe go more innings than M-Squared?
I don’t get it either. At least Towers is imminently DFA’able.
Yep; that, too.
I call BS?
*I’m not sure I understand this move.*
Epic fail.
Doesn’t it not really matter that Marte’s on the 60 day? Can’t it be done retroactively and he’ll still be eligible when they want to bring him up?
that is really, really stupid. why the hell would they do that? Gaudin’ll be here tommorow and the yanks have plenty of guys available. what an unnecessary move
Russ Springer just picked off waivers, that would’ve been a great pickup for Cashman. Did the Rays block us on that one?
Yes, they had first shot since they have a worse record.
If I were A-rod, I would sue the shit out of the MLBPA for defending Ortiz but not him. His image couldn’t possibly get worse.
Yeah but A-Rod has class and dignity and wants to admit to his mistakes.
true that but the media and ESPN would nt have it seem that way
Mike weiner of the MLBPA was asked that question at Ortiz’ press conference. He said that the union offered the same level of support to each player named on the list. He said the cumulative effect of these last two announcements (on top of all the others) made the MLBPA decide it needed to make a statement to clarify information already distributed.
I’m not really bitter about it, but where was Michael Weiner swooping in to do damage control when this sort of stuff went down the last time?
are Bitamins a type of steroid ?
Are those like Flintstones vitamins?
Love how the media treats Ortiz
its ok, Francona’s happy that the questions are finally answered.
Although just because you talk doesnt mean you answered a question
Ortiz: Lie Lie Lie Lie
Media: We love you Ortiz!
Papi’s so full of crap. You telling me personnal assistants had steroids all over the place, doctors are coming in to tell players how to correctly take steriods, oh and Papi becomes superman all by the grace of Mo?
Is ESPN calling this a vindication yet?
Pretyy much. Their post press conference analysts said Ortiz sounded sincere.
But Arod was lying through his teeth.
Of course – he’s a Yankee. It didn’t help that he lied to Katie Couric.
ARod probably could have copted the same story if he wanted to. I wonder why he didn’t?
Sounds like anyone showing up on the list can now say I was one of the names on the list that didn’t test positive because all I did was supplements like Androstenedione.
Apparently only 83 of the 104 tests were true positives for PEDS. That leaves a lot of wiggle room for anyone else outed from the list.
ortiz is not able to figure out what he tested positive for, yet espn was able to break the story that ARod tested positive for Boli? Something is not right here.
Good point.
No one would have thought A-rod was “honest and genuine” though. And a lot of non-Yankee fans get their “facts” from ESPN so…
Papi is a great guy and would never do anything wrong. Arod on the other hand is a selfish jerk, who padded his stats last night by hitting a 2run homerun instead of a solo shot. The Yankees should cut ties with Arod immediately.
I can has new comment Yankee symbols?
THIS IS WHY WE CAN’T HAVE NICE THINGS
Enough about Slopi, let’s get it on.
Nice play Cano!!!
ditto
It stands to reason you’d throw harder in the cold months, McCarver?
What?
What a play by Cano.
CANO!
How long has Marte been out? I guess the 60 day was retroactive.
I’m sure it’s retroactive.
It’s from the same date that he was on the 15-day, which I think was back in late April
April 26
My, pinstripes really make CC look slimmer in HD.
CC looks like has electric stuff today.
The FOX centerfield camera looks fuzzy compared to YES. All the other cameras look sharp.
Nice try McCarver you dick.
he is the worlds biggest ass….I fully expect him to rant on Clemens -Piazza before this game ends
Argh, I hate 0-2 counts that end up full.
But it’s awesome when they end in strikeouts.
Yeah, he’s still winging that fastball up and away a lot.
nasty change
Filthy.
CHANGE~~
Filthy change.
K’d Pedroia!!
Soon I have to leave for about an hour, unfair! This is a game I wanna watch.
C.C hasn’t been going with that curve of his lately.
Great inning by CC
Lets go offense, get to this youngin early
lock down your laptops. it’s gametime.
good start CC
At least PeteAbe knows that what’s happening with Papi is wrong and admitted that A-rod looks more honorable. That means a lot, coming from him.
We need to beat the everliving shit out of Buchholz.
That is all.
I really have the feeling that he’s not going to amount to anything. I just hope the Sox stick with him long enough that he loses all trade value.
Yup, if not for the no-no people would seriously be calling him a bust.. 25 yrs old with little success in MLB.
Can I get a “Where’s my lap-top clap clap clapclapclap” chant?
I find myself involuntarily gripping my computer much tighter.
It’s time to go ahead and get over the lap top thing guys. It was a harmless high school prank and you have a young player recently convicted of DUI on your team.
Do catchers ever sho a sign and tell the pitcher to shake it off intentionally?
Yes, when I caught in college we would talk about shaking off signs to make the batter think a little more and try to distract him.
Makes sense, I thought I saw Jose shaking hs had as he put down the sign an CC shoke it off. It was a 2 strike count,so it caugh my attention it might be on purpose. Thanks Mike
Gameday not working for anyone else?
it’s good for me…try to refresh it, when it stops working, it does when you refresh it.
Had to hit refresh ~10 times over the course of ~5 minutes, but it’s good now.
I thought the 3rd baseman has to have the strongest arm in the infield.
He usually does, AFAIK. Although some shortstops will be close.
Generally the shortstop is considered to have the best arm. Going in the hole at short (like Jeter with the jump throw) is a much more difficult throw than anything a 3rd basemen is ever going to have to do.
It probably doesn’t always work out that way in practice, but ideally that’s what you want.
Clay Buchholz looks like an T-cell depleted Jim Carrey.
lol Youk!
Yooooooooooooooooooooouk suck.
BAHAHAHAH BOOOOOOOOKILIS
Haha, pukelis!
haha. YOUUUUUUU
HAH!!
love the youk chant.
Yikes Youkilis, Yikes.
ha ha
PS Youkilis, LF in Yankee Stadium is not as easy.
ha nice play youk
It’s overcast? So, it wasn’t the sun…Youk just can’t play out there, really. Keep hitting it to him!
HAHAHAHA Youk.
Youkilis: a true infielder. His footwork was awful there.
AHHHHHHHHHHH, I’m stuck at work on a Saturday listening to John Sterling on my headphones. At least he didn’t call that Youk caught that ball and then correct himself like the homers. Kind of surprising.
Teix hit another ball to left field.
come on big teix.
Buchholz luvs his offspeed pitches.
He should; his change is his best pitch. His fastball is good enough when he locates it to make his change a dominant pitch. But he does have to pitch a bit backwards.
I like the looks of this game already.
Figures he’ll throw a change up.
ooh another changeup got Tex
One of the best changeups in the game? Really?
It’s supposed to be a great pitch for him, yeah.
He does have a pretty damn good one though.
A Boston loss with a Texas win today puts Texas in a tie for the wild card.
FUCK YOU BUCHHOLZ!
oh fuck that! charge the mound.
Mccarver. You don’t argue because u want to hit. WHAT!?? SHUT THE FUCK UP
THAT motherfucker should be suspended for that shit!!!!!!
it was a curve that got away
I dont give a damn, what if that was Joba. (yes, that ESPN bias has got me fired up)
a 95-98mph fastball is different than a 73 mph looping curveball
again, I know that it wasn’t probably intentional. But just imagine their reaction if that was Joba. Like I said, I’m very angry at the bias. It’s just getting out of control. It’s not like a them bing biased here and there. They are clearly being ignorant and I’m very mad about that.
Were you this upset when Melancon beaned Pedroia after already throwing up and in? Sounds like you can’t get past your own bias. I agree with Zack, it was a curveball that got away. NOBODY in the Yankees dugout was offended,including ARod. Move on.
Honestly, yea I was upset a bit because it started all that controversy and it was unnecessary (even tho I thought it was unintentional and that I admit might be my bias). I dont mind the rivalry and them hitting A-rod that much, Im actually angry at the ESPN bias. Hell, even you and my friends that are Sox fans arent like that.
I’ve moved on from the potential beaning, but the bias is irritating me. I’ll probably move on but at the moment Im kinda pissed.
Fair enough.
I guess the bias has some reality, but I think Yankee fans forget all the years that the bias worked in their favor. You’ve got to take the good with the bad because everything is cyclical.
Heh true but I was too young to realize it back then, so it doesn’t count
(just kidding)
Good thing Varitek isn’t catching, he would have started hitting A-Rod in the face.
nah, A-rod would kick his ass even if Tek left his mask on…again
Nah, that was a foul ball.
Look like he hit his back before the bat.
Oh, come on. That’s not an ejectable offense?? Seriously?
no. it was a big looping curveball
Shouldn’t Joyce get help on that?
ego. umps have big ones.
why isnt fox saying dont throw at his head ?
They didn’t even talk about it. It was all about how it was a foul ball and ARod shouldn’t be arguing because he should want to swing the bat.
how the fuck did that umpire not warn both dugouts.
To be fair, he hit him with a offspeed pitch I think.
The bat actually hit V-Mar’s glove too, that should have been interference no?
Nope, new rule is that anything can hurt the Yanks should. Sox get the benefit of doubt EVERYTIME
Now if that was joba……
it looked like an offspeed pitch Joba was throwing striaght gas over Youk’s head.
According to the media, doesn’t matter. If he doesn’t have command, he shouldn’t be throwing inside.
At least, that’s waht they say about the Yanks…
I dont like it at all but it seems like if its a curve ball it doesnt get played up as much. Almost seems like people let it slide easier.
They’d be talking about how he doesn’t play the game the right way.
Clay Buccholz is a horrible pitcher.
did it sound like fox put in fake cheering on that groundout or was it just me?
I thought Gaudin was supposed to join the team today? They called up Towers instead, now they’ll have to DFA him like…tomorrow.
Gaudin’s coming tomorrow.
Any idea why he isn’t coming today? I read Saturday in a few places.
I heard Sunday since we got him.
+1
nevermind, sunday. my bad.
Tomorrow is when Gaudin is supposed to get to NY.
lol, not even a warning for throwing at someone’s head? wow.
It was clearly an offspeed pitch that got away from him.
CLEARLY!!!
What? He wasn’t throwing at Rodriguez.
it didn’t hit the whiny baby, liar
A-roid with the drama. Didn’t look like it hit him.
That was BAT…lying steroid bitchboy
Little baby hits a lucky poke last night and now wants a free pass, HE S/U/C/K/S!
I am so glad to be listening to ANYONE else than idiot Michael Kay and his faggy homies
———–
Red Sox Message Board
Why would you bring that here? My favorite thing about this board is that there’s not a lot of trolling.
haha, Bostonians sound really tough. Which message board?
the MLB one.
“this is an august day almost like from CC’s youth.” -man, does mccarver have a way with words.
heh I was thinking he was gonna make a racist joke
Like Michael Kay saying that Tazawa “nipped” the corner last night?
Missed that one.
My favorite was a Matsui homer and Waldmen’s homie says “an A bomb, from A–…”
Does anyone else think that Youk looks effeminate bouncing around at the plate, wiggling his ass and holding the bat over his head with his right hand fingertips?
No. Just toolish.
Wow Lance Berkman 5th in OPS. Maybe the 3rd greatest switch hitter ever no.
Berkman is crazy, crazy underrated.
he’s more known for his nickname than his hitting
BIG PUMA!!
bbtn’d
Curse of the small market. Guy’s a beast, though.
And he has great nicknames as well. Fat Elvis is just awesome.
Not too many boos…I would have found it hypocritical if Ortiz had not denied it.
Yes, Joe Buck let’s move on and forget about his steroid use so the love affair can continue.
I like those enphatic strike calls.
dang tough sky today
GET SOME ONE NUT LOWELL!!! GET SOME!!!
You stay classy J Squared
97 MPH GASOLINA!!!
Mike Lowell sit your bitchass down.
That was that Cajun pitch.
Sabathia is looking pretty good in the early going.
It was the “cumulative effect.” It wasn’t enough that one of the greatest players of all time was implemented, once they popped Papi, shit hit the fan.
I call…. BULLSHIT
It’s The Red Sox effect…
They’re ‘murca’s team! Can’t let them get tarnished.
I sort of believed Weiner as he said it in the press conference, but the more I think about it, the more I think it is just that . . . bullshit.
97 MPH FB smoked Lowell there, sweet.
what happened to CC’s slider? has gerardi or cc said anything about that?
He got Martinez on one in the first and threw one to Pedroia as well.
He got Martinez on a Changeup if I recall
He’s throwing it a little less than one percent less than he did last year. The big difference is in his cutter, which he threw 4.2% last year but only 1.9% this season.
Correction of sorts: FanGraphs has CC at 2.3% on a two seam fastball for ’09, but 0% each for ’07 and ’08. Those could be mis-labeled cutters.
Buccholtz showed pretty good control in that first inning but all of a sudden he loses a curve (a pitch he has good command of) to Arod?
Pretty suspicious to me.
People let it go because it was and off-speed pitch I think it was intentional.
it was, no doubt about it.
It was intentional. No doubt about it.
seriously get over it already. it was a 73 mph curveball, arod could have caught it barehanded
Anyone else rooting for a perfect game from Masterson tonight?
Yes. That would be so unbelievably amazing.
yea why not
“confidence is a close partner to stuff” – wtf does that mean?
You see, Bugsy, when Stuff and Confidence reeeeeeally love each other…
It’s like “Grit is a close partner to talent”
YES, Finally a good first pitch swung at, about time.
sheeeeeeet, what a lazy hit.
Cano just loves to swing, can’t knock him when it finds it’s way through
Robbie Cano is a good hitter.
Cano is pretty solid player.
Cano is only second in first pitch hits to… Hanley?
It’s really working for him.
Actually Cano’s first and Hanley is second.
Well that was deflating.
Lazy first pitch Robbie…
Boo, Swish.
Shit Swisher
Wait for your pitch swisher…
Swisher still has terrible home splits
I’ve had enough of Joe Buck I’m watching the game on Fox Sports Noticias in Spanish.
Swisher 1st pitch? Cano, OK but not you!
If Cano had Hanley’s speed, he’d prolly be batting around the same as Hanley, probably a little lower.
If Cano had Hanley’s speed, he might be a legitimate MVP candidate. I’d rather he had his double-play partner’s plate discipline.
Yes we know Joe, YSIII yields alot of homers.
You know what big hands mean? MEANS HE’S BETTER THAN THE RED SOX!!!
I certainly don’t think he’s better, but Josh Beckett has had the best year of any pitcher on either of the two teams, just sayin, even though it pains me to do so
That looked so wierdly casual.
What an athletic move by CC. Can’t say gutty cuz he’s black.
CC is pretty agile for a big guy.
just like he used to do when he ran around the strrets of vallejo with barefeet . right, mccarver?
CC is a fucking beast!
kotchwoman, GET SOME!!!!
Casey Kotchman’s bat does not justify 1B.
He’s basically Doug Mienkiewicz with a league average bat.
No love for the singles hitter?
If he was an up the middle player, sure.
WE DONT EVEN NEED GLOVES!!!
Beauty by Cano.
I love Tex and I am not ashamed to admit it.
nice play from Cano and Tex
The Yanks right side of the infield is the best defensively in baseball. Cano and Tex are just stupid good at their positions.
But teh UZR!!!1!!11!1!
I’ve been thinkin for months now those two BOS/NYY gold glove races will be interesting, especially if we get shafted in both
Wow the tandom of Tex and Cano on the right side has to be the best defesive right side of an infield in baseball no.
Youkilis and Pedroia are no slouches themselves.
There not better than Cano/Tex on defense on the right side of an infield.
there’s a single. only a double, triple and hr to go, melky!
I think we have the strongest armed infield in the majors.
The Melkman with tha HUSTLE~!
Need to see a bunt from Molina. He’s a surprisingly good sacrificer…if that’s a word.
CC’s dealing and the Yanks are playing some very nice D behind him, specifically Cano. Looks like it could be another low (or no) scoring game for Boston today.
They should run on the Sox
Send the Melk man. V-Mart throws like a girl.
V-Mart throws like
a girlJohnny Damon.Fixed.
I know, I really don’t understand why they haven’t been sending guys more this series.
I would let Melky steal here.
They have to look to steal some bases, the Sox are effing terrible at controlling the running game. Right now would be a perfect time…Molina’s not getting a hit anyway.
We should be running on almost every changeup count…
Seriously. This guy’s best pitch goes 83MPH. He throws it a lot. At least force him to throw more FBs, which are NOT his best pitch.
Krothcman really looks the part of Red Sox Douche I have to say
It’s the goatee.
They should issue a fake goatee to guys too babyfaced to grow them
Why the hell is Derek Jeter bunting? He’s DEREK JETER. He’s an incredible hitter. I know he’s a DP candidate, but still.
C’mon JoMo, turn on this MFer
3-2 on Molina. Awesome.
Walked Molina even better.
And he walks him with on a change up.
Free base for Molina. Unacceptable.
EPCI FAIL. BB to Molina = never good.
Molina 3rd walk in like his past 3-4 ABs right?
Now we have a rally. Lets go Capt.
Molina is a lovable bear.
uh-oh, double meaning
yup, i have a crush on molina.
I don’t get why they couldn’t just wait til tomorrow to send Melancon down to make room for Gaudin. Odd. Whatever, Towers is fine to lose when Gaudin arrives.
I can sorta live with it, they want a long man to save the pen.
It just seems odd. Why not call up Albaladejo instead? Towers is going to be DFA’d and gone, meaning SWB will lose another starter.
You think he won’t just accept his assignment?
They almost always elect to become free agents.
Towers can give more length? I guess? What if today turns out to be another pitcher’s duel? They’d be screwed.
Yeah, that’s what I figured at first.
A walk to Molina! Here’s hoping a Buchholz implosion is imminent.
Stop bunting.
no bunt! Let jete hit
He walks the previous guy and you’re giving him a strike and possibly an out. Real, real smart baseball there, Derek. Come on.
Everytime DJ bunts, another model chick doesn’t wanna fuck Jeter.
IETC
Boo-urns.
Wait, Marte got hurt again? Can someone please explain this to me?
nope, just a move to open a roster spot. He could come back tomorrow if we wanted him.
Dammit. Cap’n back to his GIDP roots.
Oy.
Bad captain DP!
Stop the hitting into GD DPs.
Jetes had to GIDP, he hasn’t done one in a while.
Those DP’s are really annoying. Maybe Girardi should try something like sending the freaking runners once.
well, at least, he hustled really, really hard.
Usually when you have momentum, you take it tot he opposition.
WTF
COME ON!!!!
/Mccarver’d
Damon = great signing.
That bunt was a bad call… why give that punk a free strike? it could have been another walk…
And not sending the runners is another mistake.
Four pitch walk to Damon — implosion possibly still imminent.
In hindsight, that bunt from Jeter would have been nice
I actually agree with the FOX announcers, which sucks, but the Yankees are being weirdly non-aggressive on the base paths. Calling for lots of bunts, but not putting runners in motion. Very conservative against a team that sucks at controlling the running game, and a rookie on the mound whose best pitch is a changeup that’s showing poor control.
Yea that’s odd
Lets go Tex.
take it to his bunghole.
The RBI are fewer w/NYY ’cause he has like 400 less PA than he did with Boston.
W/BOS: 299 RBI in 2782 PA
W/NYY: 278 RBI in 2343 PA
I bet Joe Buck gives great head
there is no other way to explain how he got this job
LOL.
his dad?
Buchholz is getting kinda lucky. Hopefully we’ll get to him soon.
TEX!!!!!!!!!!
Dead Texy.
YES SIR WE WILL TAKE THAT
Yeah Tex
Woo!
Tex to the rescue
Bucholz has methamphetamine face
Fact.
/TSJC’d
IETC. I thought the same thing when i saw his pic on Gameday.
The whole family is in town!
look it’s captain ron!
IETCVVVVVVVVVVM
well, now we know who the true yankee is.
Yanks really should gotten more runs, but Tex did deliver a 2 out RBI hit.