Game 92: Escape from Toronto
By
(Photo Credit: Flickr user kyle.tucker95 via Creative Commons license)
I’m really starting to dislike the Blue Jays. I hate the artificial surface in their stadium. I hate their good young pitching. I hate Jose Bautista when he’s playing against the Yankees. I hate crappy little Aaron Hill, who seemingly accumulates his entire .276 wOBA against the Yankees. I hate Edwin Encarnacion making diving stops he has no business making. I hate Travis Snider’s mustache. I hate that Jose Molina for turning into a .300 hitter. I hate Rajai Davis for stealing four bases a game. I hate Shawn Camp’s changeup. I hate that they were able to dump $160M or so of Alexis Rios and Vernon Wells. And more than anything, I hate that they’re starting to become a legitimate contender. They’ve got talent in the big leagues, talent coming up in the minors, and ownership can definitely afford to up payroll. Rogers Communications is like Verizon plus AT&T plus Sprint combined. There’s something like eight million people in Toronto and the surrounding areas. That team is a sleeping giant. That’s why I hate them. Here’s the lineup…
Brett Gardner, LF
Curtis Granderson, CF
Mark Teixeira, DH
Robinson Cano, 2B
Nick Swisher, RF
Jorge Posada, 1B
Russell Martin, C
Eduardo Nunez, SS
Ramiro Pena, 3B
Phil Hughes, SP
First pitch is scheduled for a little after 1pm ET, and the game can be seen on YES. Enjoy.
Roster Move: Chris Dickerson has been recalled, I assume in favor of Greg Golson. That’s weird, why didn’t they just call up Dickerson in the first place? The ten day rule didn’t apply because of Alex Rodriguez‘s injury.
440 Comments»
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The Tyler Austin Watch
As heard on the Yankees on deck show, it seems fitting that ARod’s favorite movie is Wall Street and loves Michael Douglass in particular. And people wonder why he is not more well liked.
No shout out for T-Mobile. The merger isn’t complete yet!!
What I hate most about the Blue Jays:
http://images.google.com/searc.....3l5.5.1l11
THE GOGGLES, THEY DO NOTHING!!!!
Would you be really mad at me if I told you I owned the old Blue Jays cap?
That old cap is actually pretty okay, by itself. And it’s gained in value now that it has nostalgia going for it. (Like how, as a Jets fan, I love the old blue-and-gold New York Titans throwbacks, because they’re, you know, throwbacks. At the time, though, they weretres-bland. History makes the ugly look cool, in small doses.)
But, hats aside, the Jays uniforms suck. Always have. This current italicized font iteration with heapings of superfluous black is the worst of the bunch, though.
I kinda always liked the powder blues with the lines running through their numbers. At least when they brought them back as throwbacks the last few years, they went all powder blue, as it should have been, unlike the Royals who just used the powder blue tops with white pants, which looks terrible.
I also own the hat because I’m trying to have every hat that Dave Winfield wore in his career. Which means I have to buy a California Angels hat, now that they finally have the right one available to buy. At least it’s not all red like the current team.
I also own the hat because I’m trying to have every hat that Dave Winfield wore in his career. Which means I have to buy a California Angels hat, now that they finally have the right one available to buy. At least it’s not all red like the current team.
/stalker’d
Could be worse and be a Chief Wahoo hat.
Touché.
4 more games on turf. The lineups the next few days will be…different. Goddamn turf.
I think Dickerson is either bad or average at everything. Golson can run, bunt and play major league defense. Girardi made a poor choice there.
Golson can run, bunt and play major league defense.
You know who else can do those three things? Chris Dickerson.
The distinction between the two is virtually nonexistent. They’re both fast, glove-first 4th/5th outfielders. The only key point of difference between them is handedness.
You realize it’s not Girardi’s decision, right?
John Kruk, BBTN, July 16th, 2011, on what teams (besides the Yankees or Red Sox) could pursue a trade for Ubaldo Jimenez:
Johan Santana, 2004-2008: 134 starts, 912.1 IP (6.80 IP/S), 2.89 ERA (155 ERA+), 4.96 K/BB, 0.990 WHIP, 70-32
Johan Santana, 2004 and 2006 playoffs: 3 starts (all ALDS), 20.0 IP (6.66 IP/S), 1.35 ERA, 4.00 K/BB, 1.200 WHIP, 1-1
You expect him to remember something from more than 2 years ago that didn’t involve himself?
Fun Fact: This past March, John Kruk took part in ESPN: The Weekend at Walt Disney World. He was on a panel with several baseball greats, including former Minnesota Twins ace (and HoF candidate) Bert Blyleven.
Priceless.
Or, of course, Blyleven was never that good nor an ace.
/Francesa and Russo’d
Kruk was hired to look out of control, and sloppy, and look like he has done no research and say stupid shit etc … So he is technically just doing his job.
Bert Blyleven 1973: 20-17, 325 IP, 158 ERA+, 3.85 K/BB
YESTERDAY WAS BERT BLYLEVEN DAY
Clearly he wasn’t that good, other wise he’d have 25-30 games easily.
Actually, Kruk’s definition of an ace is a guy who can win 30 games. Like Randy Johnson did with the Yankees in 2005.
http://www.firejoemorgan.com/2.....watch.html
I miss that site. I just wish that KenTremendous could get over his Yankees fetish.
He’s like the Greg of Red Sox Nation.
Sorry, Greg, I don’t mean this personally.
Nunez at short, Pena at third and Posada at 1st. And on the turf. This could get interesting.
I would feel better with two dead cats fielding the left side of the infield than these two.
This is the wave the white flag lineup today.
Hughes is a strikeout and fly ball pitcher, so it is not the absolute worst day to do it.
LETS GO YANKEES!
the bottom of the line-up is weak……the infield defense is already leaking and the game hasn’t started…..phil hughes is pitching……a big question will be, when pena or nunez make their daily error(s) will it cost the yankees a run(s)……negative comments? NO, just observant……but i will still be watching, and hoping
SI_JonHeyman: #rox match well w/ #yankees. they like montero. but yanks wont include banuelos, betances or nova, 2. story soon on si.com
43 minutes ago
Why won’t they part with any of the latter three? Don’t let this be a repeat of the Haren situation from last year, Cash. Please. Overvaluing Nova, ManBan, or Betances should not be impeding this deal.
Why couldn’t you negotiate this deal. Hey Colorado, because we missed out on Haren, please rape us in a deal for whoever you would like. It would be a novel strategy.
Nice find on the tweet though. I guess the Yanks are really more concerned with losing cheap starting pitching.
They can have Nova. I’d be a lot less wanting to trade Manny or Betances.
Obviously this is all just speculation, and it is fun to bullshit.
But, if you include Nova as one of the untouchables early in the negotiations, and when it comes time for each side to make a compromise, then Nova becomes something you can give them. If you include Nova from the get go, you might end up giving even more when push comes to shove.
I trust Jon Heyman as far as I can throw him.
He looks like he could be easily chucked.
http://www.7thandpattison.com/.....heyman.jpg
He’s got a Kay-head.
I guess that’s the reason Batting Stance Guy didn’t include him in that Babe Ruth video.
So the deal supposedly is ubaldo for montero, banuelos and either betances or nova?
My guess is that the Yanks are, at this very preliminary stage, only willing to include Montero as a headlining, major prospect. Undoubtedly that will grow to include one of Banuelos, Betances, or Nova (hoping it’s him), along with others, should talks progress.
If we could get away with Montero, Nova + others, I’d be ecstatic.
I hope beckett gets destroyed against the rays
I hope he somehow reaggravates his knee injury, only this time in the “totally shredded to pieces” variety.
No Golson? That sucks. He is better than Dickerson. Faster/younger/better arm/better defender/better hitting stats this year at SWB and a first round draft choice! (#21 overall by the Phillies in 2004).
Oh well, I have to change my comment from Golson in/we win Mitre in/we lose to.. Dickerson in/we win
hopefully
I’ll be shocked if Golson gets more than two or three starts in this stint w/the Yankees.
Cool story, bro.
Pena and Nunez playing on the left side…over/under on unearned runs is 3
And don’t forget throwing it to Posada at first.
And the turf bounces.
Yup. Hopefully they all have good games. ha
If I’m Hughes, I’m thinking about striking out everyone.
dead arm vs building arm strength vs dominance. I’ll take the last outcome. Phil is due.
I could go for a deep no hitter run, or double digit strikeout game.
Grit Gutner!
nice AB
BG: leadoff man
Wow, the stands are ghost in Toronto today. looks like less than 25k.
Well if it really is 95 degress…
They should just close the roof
I’m surprised it’s open with that high a temp.
i bet that is the reason, too.
i’ve been there withe the roof open and 90+ degrees.
feels like 110 degrees.
They had to remove all possible streakers
Gardner is trying his damn hardest to save my fantasy team
Arencibia throwing from his knees-I don’t think so.
It’s as good as a bunt!
Girardi’d
that was a weird AB by Grandy. Haven’t seem him swing at bad pitches above the strike zone all year.
below the zone, sure.
but rarely high pitches.
Pitch around Tex to get to Cano? I don’t think so. Or just stupid.
smart move holding gritster there
good job cano
GIDP, you know it
ok, ok. Good job Swisher ……you’re still a dickwad, tho.
A David Cone Haiku
David Cone is God.
Looks like Buster Keaton? Yes.
Okie Dokie, Ken.
Bah, turf sped that up. Gardner scores on grass.
I thought Cano just hit it too hard. That was a bullet.
Yeah you must really hit the ball so hard that Brett Gardner can’t even score.
please no DP
Singy makes mistakes announcing but I like this duo. So nice to not hear Kay.
We are hitting the ball too hard.
loved that AB
Stop hitting rockets, Yankees!
Nice ab Swish. Let’s get a bunch for Phil.
What the hell is that “pfffft” sounds with each pitch? Sounds like air slowly being let out of a balloon.
Arencibia is gassy today
Seriously tho, it depends on if there’s a mic at HP or maybe within earshot of the mound.
It sounds like (and timing up with) an exhale from Villenueva after each pitch.
Swishalicious.
i want a real dh
There aren’t many of them this year.
true but beltran can be had
Only for premium prospects. Alderson knows he’s got the most desirable bat on the market, he’s not giving him away in just a salary dump.
That is why they need to be eliminated. Overpaid swing and misses a team can get from any number of positions, including the pitcher. Why waste it on guys who are “supposed” be good hitters.
So you want NL rules in the Al?
Uh, no.
Just because DH production is down this year, when offense OVERALL is also down, is no reason to make this terrible decision.
Nothing of what you just said makes sense.
We can bring back Damon and he can have his chase for 3,000 in a Yankee uniform as well.
how about prince fielder for next year?
martin with the porn stache, and then makes the out
wasted opportunity
Martin rocketed that ball.
holy crap russel martin. so many things wrong with him right now.
Yea, hitting that ball right on the screws was awful since he told Escobar he was going to hit the ball right at that spot.
He hit a rocket at an infielder. You can’t blame him for that.
I’m talkin’ more about the China Town Oakleys and the stache. but yea..
Two things I don’t give a shit about:
A.) Russell Martin’s choice in eyewear
B.) Russell Martin’s choice in mustache haberdashery
wow, teach me your ways.
1R in that inning = Fail
Or, given how hard most balls were hit, we might say Excruciatingly Bad Luck.
yes, the gods of luck failed the yankees
1R in that inning =
FailBaseballFixed.
Baseball is way too big to be defined on either side of an = sign
1 run… bases loaded. fail.
With Hughes on the mound, they needed 2 more runs that inning as cushion
Is this the new delivery? Looks a little bit like the old one.
Curve looked good.
I also see a noticeable effort to work faster.
The curve looks pretty sharp with a little more velocity.
Phil!!!!!!!!
Curve already looks sharper than it has since ’07
What is that, a curveball? I approve.
That was pretty ridiculous.
He looks much better already. Go Phil!
HUUUUUUUUUGHES!!
He’s throwing strikes withthe hook. Very good sign.
That fastball still looks extremely hittable, though.
like so
the fastball has always been hittable…essentially straight……he will never be better than a 4 starter
The fastball has enough life on it if he locates it. Hughes potential is far higher than a number 4.
glad you think so……i’d rather have 95-96 and live with location mistakes……thats a 1 or 2……phil has had one acceptable half year, and you know what they say about potential…for the record, i desperately hope i’m wrong and youre right…i want him to succeed
He might not ever pan out. But I think Hughes will indisputably prove he is a very good starter in the not too distant future.
maybe not today, ha
lucky that that location mistake didnt end up in the seats
here we go
Yeah… no.
like I said, extremely hittable.
Unlike others, I’m not gonna say he ‘looks good’ two batters into the game because his ‘heater’ is 91-92.
FYI: 91-92 with the rest of his repetoire sucks.
He looked good that inning. This inning, the curve still looks much improved and really good. And he still is struggling to locate the fastball.
Phil loses the spike.
This we like.
Great having Coney dissect pitching.
Phil has a good curve today
PATHETIC!
/Overreaction’d
This ump ain’t good. Missed two strikes for Phil.
Really tight strike zone for Phil. Three pretty solid pitches right there.
Waiting to see a 3rd pitch from Phil. Maybe next inning.
Hughes lookin’ sharp.
Not a bad inning. Hughes is still in the crawling process.
No reason to judge him on two post DL starts 10 days apart.
Pretty solid inning. Nice to see him use the curve on a 3-2 count. Only thing missing would be to see a few change ups later in the game.
AL West
All Star Game’d
I sometimes wonder if Eduardo Nunez will be the first player ever to make a fielding error while at bat?
So is Ramiro the Mitre of our non-pitching roster?
Meh, I’d say Ramiro has slightly more value. One memorably horrible inning aside, Peña’s generally been a pretty sterling gloveman.
This.
One bad inning, and Pena goes from more than serviceable to worse than Nunez.
Cervelli is
Yeah, that’s better.
Both of them are pretty craptastic at what they do, and both of them cause way more agita for Yankee fans than they should (both because of their habits for epic fails and for Yankee fans overstating how much their struggles really matter in the long run).
Both of them are asked to fill a pretty undemanding roster spot, and they still suck.
Again, not that it’s really that big of a deal, but it’s become something of an entertainment to lament on the sheer magnitude of their suckitude.
I’m not even mad, it’s amazing.
Kenny hopes ARod is “resting comfortably?”
It’s not like he had heart surgery.
Pena has definitely gotten a bit more powerful at the plate.
Looks like he bulked up.
Running errands so can’t watch the game. Following on at-bat. How is Hughes looking?
Very David Cone-like…post 1999!
Seriously, though, only pitched one inning, so hard to say.
Good. Working fast, big break on curve that he is getting hitters to chase. Locating his 90-93 mph fastball decent.
Fastball velocity is there and the new curve looks pretty good.
Good so far. fb at 91-92 and curve with good movement for strikes in and out of hitter’s counts.
He is a bit all over the place with the fastball this inning. Curve still looks good though.
Gardy would have had a triple yesterday if slow Andruw hadn’t blocked his progress.
son of a bitch can’t catch a break
Ugh, a good throw get him.
Am I the only one who doesn’t think that Gardner’s arm is that good?
Its average, but he can’t get up on the ball quickly so that helps him out.
It’s not that good in that his flat-footed throws (i.e., nothing but raw arm strength) are pretty pedestrian.
Gardner does a great job of almost never throwing flat-footed, though, he rounds or charges his routes quite well to frequently use his momentum to increase his raw armspeed. He’s also become very accurate, and accuracy is a great substitution for brute strength as well.
He’s a very smart thrower.
What the hell is Phil doing? When Martin says UP throw it UP!
If it were that easy, then there would be 4 million major league ready starting pitchers…
Travis Snider: Peter Berg.
http://www.google.com/search?h.....38;bih=656
Phil has to keep that fastball down.
Now Gardner’s being assertive?
I’m glad that he learns…
Never again will Gardner allow Nunez to take a pop up after the play Nunez made the other day.
That’s right Brett. Never let Nunez field a ball if you don’t have to.
I get terrified every time a ball is hit near Nunez. Haven’t felt like that since Bobby Abreu.
inexcuseable
Whatever it is you’re referring to, no, it’s not.
How do you let Travis Snider steal a base?
By totally focusing on the hitter, which, for Phil Hughes on July 17th, 2011, might just be the correct strategy.
Already more swing and misses today than Hughes had in his first start back…
lol grabbing a candy bar from a drug store?
cone, loves his thieves
That curve has potential to be a strike out pitch.
On MLB. It looks like the ump is not calling the low striks for either pitcher. Is that true?
It is a hitter’s strike zone.
Thanks
I still would rather have Hughes than Nova.
I’ll wait for someone to contest this seemingly obvious factoid.
But look at this listing of uncontextualized old-school stats and compare it to this other list of uncontextualized old-school stats! It’s clear that Hughes is an irredeemable bust and Nova is the wave of the future.
Go to TYA and read the comments from Duh, Innings!. Actually, just go to the site and dno’t read his comments.
Linkage?
My heart stopped for a second.
if he can mix in a good change with the curve Phil will be set.
the grandyman can’t hit the change
No yankee can hit the change
Few hitters in baseball history can hit a good change. If it’s good, it’s a very, very effective pitch.
i agree
That change is eating Curtis alive.
Mmmmm…. Curtis…
lol that was a funny pitch
juuuuuuuuust a bit outside
find a hole
… too easy.
I wish
8 straight retired. the only reason redsox are in first place, cause their offense is far better than yanks
They wish.
They have scored 30 more runs in 1 more game, so I’d have to give them the offensive edge right now.
I agree. But the Yankees are FAR better offensively than the Twins. The Red Sox are slightly better than the Yankees.
Who the f#$% are the Red Sox?
They’re the team that will finish in second place in the AL East.
Makes sense.
The Yankees could do just as well if they placed in that green dumpster.
I’d love to see a site compile the aggregate wOBA or tripleslash from a ballpark for its entire lifespan. I bet Fenway would be the third best run environment amongst active parks in all of baseball, behind only Coors and Arlington.
Did you see the FG post on whether or not Fenway was helping or hurting A-Gon? I shit you not, there were people claiming how Fenway had taken away his ability to hit for power.
Just like it did to Jim Rice.
Carl Yastrzemski, career home split: 6996 PA, .306/.402/.503
Carl Yastrzemski, career road split: 6995 PA, .264/.357/.422
#justsaying
For 2011, and historically, Fenway has certainly been a fantastic hitters park. However, when looking at HR’s alone, Fenway does have a tendency to limit hitters’ prowess.
http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/p.....t/HRFactor
For the record, since 2009, Fenway’s average run-friendliness rank is #6, while YS3′s is #12.
Kim not lookin good today
At least hes getting some swings and misses
“You gotta have an edge”
Was Singleton mocking Jeter there?
Fail…
hahahahahahaha HILARIOUS!!!
Web Gem!!! That was awesome.
Jorge stepped on the base, why the need to apply the tag?
Angel is a moron
He didn’t tag him with the ball either!!!!
the umpire is a moron
the runner was out as soon as Posada stepped on the base
no need for the tag
Posada missed the tag too! Play should still be going on.
He stepped on the base before he even ran over.
I think Phil looks pretty good. He would look great if he could consistently locate that fastball, but I think that’s the case with 90% of pitchers
I’ve watched baseball alot of years, and I don’t remember seeing a runner miss first.
posada hit that well, 1 at bat too late
Be more patient yankees! More like the first inning, less like the second.
okay, i take it back. sometimes being aggressive works too.
spoken like a politician
Yay Russ.
Russell the MUSCLE!!!
Nick Swisher, Speed Demon.
I love Nunez’s swing. Reminds me of frank thomas tomahawk
hitting the ball too hard today
First pitch swinging with good results
nunez needs to steal 2nd base right now
nice job by martin and nunez, lets go pena
Nunez knows how to hit a baseball. Great talent.
now he needs to stop making an error every day
all things considered, keeping him cost the yankees a world series last year…….i’d have rather had cliff lee last year, and most certainly he would look good every 5th day this year also
Oversimplified.
really?…….instead of cliff lee beating the yankees twice in the ALCS, he would have been pitching FOR them instead……that equals world series appearance…..the only part of my “oversimplification” is the assumption the yankees would have signed him for this year.
The power of the ‘stache!
Ramiro Peña, RBI Man.
damn, pena hit that ball super far
Pena being productive!
damm pena he hit both of these balls well good job pena
This would be a nice time for a drag bunt down the first base line…
go nuneeeeeeee go!
David Cone for Marty Janzen, Jason Jarvis and Mike Gordon.
One of the best Yankees trades ever.
Marty Janzen was a very highly regarded prospect at the time, FWIW.
Did not know that.
Even so, you Janzen pitched 98 2/3 fairly lousy innings for the Jays and the other two never reached AAA.
#40 on BA’s top 100. Gordon was pretty legit too, just looking at his minor league numbers. We probably would have torn them to shreds over trading that good of a prospect for a rental (even though Cone re-signed with New York after the season).
See, that’s the thing about the Lee trade. I figured that even if they had traded for him last year, they’d have been able to re-sign him.
We probably would have torn them to shreds over trading that good of a prospect for a rental (even though Cone re-signed with New York after the season).
Meh, that Cone deal was in the midst of a series of trading for impending FAs and then resigning them to fat renegotiations (i.e. Paul O’Neill, Tino Martinez), so I doubt anyone would have assumed Cone was just a rental. Different market back then.
and?
And, having more contextual information is always a good thing. That’s all.
Grit Gutner!
Killin it
Brett Gardner is good at baseball.
If Granderson doesn’t fake bunt, pull back, then hit a triple off the left field wall, then score on a throwing error, I’ll be kind of disappointed.
Grandyman!!
Fuck yeah!
Threw him one too many changeups.
yep, he finally destroyed one
I love speed
I love crack
/Tyronebiggums’d
Grandy maine
The Grandyman can and does
Thank you, Grandy. My fantasy (team) needed that. Much love, bro.
Granderson Alpine Laced™ that one.
#productplacement
#sponsorshipdollars
There’s the big hit we needed! Some nice breathing room for Phil. Great adjustment by Grandy.
Curtis, sitting on the changeup 3-2. I love it.
David Cone= Nostradamus
Nice!!!!!!
/Fabolous’d
Tex, king of popups
GRANDERSON!!!!!!!!!!!! gardner is good at baseball
LMAO. Coney has his iphone text-msg set ti ‘chime.’
he just got a text that said ‘nice call,’ i bet
10 upcoming home games against Oakland, Seattle and Baltimore, eh? Now I know that those teams have some good pitchers, but those games frankly scream “need to win 7 or 8.”
Is Phil throwing a lot of 2 seamers?
I can’t stop seeing “Irish Terry Conklin” talking about wanting to eradicate the homelessness situation when Travis Snider steps up to the plate.
The Great White Hype reference
Nice
Snider will be Irish Terry Conklin for me, for the rest of eternity.
So it is written, so it shall be done.
Samuel L. Jackson’s finest hour.
And that’s saying a lot!
Ok, maybe Jules Winfield was…..but certainly Keenan Ivory Wayans finest hour..,.(sans Handiman division).
En-carn-ah-she-hoochie-mama.
Grow up, Kenny/Coney, geez!
Lucky bounce.
Wow, that could of been dangerous.
straight 91-92 fastball = bad things
He still doesn’t look comfortable out there. I’d have him go 5 and go to Noesi.
What kind of shoes is Phil wearing? I don’t think I’ve seen a pair of shoes with an X on the heel before.
He needs to follow his fellow ace on what shoes to wear.
http://undergroundsoles.com/wp.....-pe-01.jpg
Okay, so today Gardner looks like the ideal leadoff guy. But two weeks ago, he was death warmed over at the plate. This year, at least, he seems to be an extreme streak hitter.
Question: is that the guy you want in leadoff all the time?
if the other option is a hitter who is consistently mediocre, then yes
Please — for once, skip the Jeter Is the Suck. I’m asking a general question.
Ideally you would have all hitters be consistently great. That doesn’t happen. Given the choice between consistently mediocre (Jeter or anyone else who fits that description) or streaky and better, I’ll take streaky and better. All hitters are streaky to some extent anyways. If the Yankees had somebody that was more consistently better than Gardner, I would take that, but they don’t.
Yes. Streakiness IS baseball, consistency is extremely rare. Gardner I feel is good much more often than he is bad, and he is occasionally great.
The glove is also a constant, just as an aside.
Not questioning Gardner’s overall value. Just, everyone here has been so adamant he ought to be leading off, but there are times he’s going to kill the team in that spot.
There are times when every hitter will kill every team in every spot. That’s Jerome’s point, and it’s correct.
I understand slumps, but Gardner’s streakiness has seemed extreme to me. That doesn’t matter on paper — he’ll always average out to a solid season. But in reality, having a player — in a key offensive spot — fail repeatedly and predictably over an extended period seems is something could hurt a team more than what shows on paper overall.
the flip side is when he is hot he will greatly help the team more than what would show up overall
lolwut
I understand slumps, but Gardner’s streakiness has seemed extreme to me.
Is it, though? Gardner seems streakier to you than a normal ballplayer.
To me, Gardner seems just as streaky as any other ballplayer. Until someone pulls some stats, we may have to agree to disagree.
You’re right, it is just from observation, not rigorous stat compilation, so it may be less of an issue than I think. It’s certainly felt extreme, though.
And, again, this is not meant as a knock on Gardner (or, god forbid, a defense of Jeter). I was just wondering in general if extreme streak hitting was a liability at leadoff.
I don’t mind Jeter leading off at all, but the combination of Gardner’s on base percentage and speed makes him a pretty decent candidate to lead off. His apparent streakiness is not not enough to take away from those other two skills, in my opinion.
Also his ability to see a lot of pitches per at bat.
well i think hughes will get sharper once he can stay on rotation. 2 more innings please
Hughes shaky, decent.
He does look much better in the swinging strike department.
Okay Phil. Could have been worse. Settle down.
Holy Crap, that was a fucking bomb by Berkman sheeesh.
cano lately has missed a lot of fastball lately
Cano isn’t getting on top of those inside fastballs like he did last year.
If balls had fallen in for the Yankees today, this would be a blowout.
How does Villanueva have such a low ERA?
Low hit and HR rates, pretty solid BB rate.
Turns out Ted Williams was wrong.
About cryogenics
ha, and how valuable outfield defense was.
Swisher is gonna get run today
LMAOOOOO @ Kenny saying “Can I finish this story please” as Jorge poped the ball up.
Kenny has that dry humor.
While Coney has that Slapstick type of Humor. Who can remember the whole “Jerking” Kennedy off thing lol.
Okay Phil, we need a 123
Pena reminding us he is a good fielder.
Hey a 6 pitch inning.
Oh, I get it now. Buster Olney’s job is to suck the Red Sox dick.
He works for ESPN. You’re just figuring this out?
What now?
Buster’s slobbing knobs on twitter
Eh, he’s hyping the Sunday Night game since he’s part of the telecast.
Phil’s mowing them down. Let him go one more.
Or 2, why not eh.
phil is catching a bit of a break today with Bautista out…….which leads me to this…..has anyone noticed that in the first 6 years of his career he was hitting a homer every 30-32 at bats, and since last year hes got that down to 1 every 12-13 at bats?……hmmmmmmm, whats up with that?
Obviously it’s PED’s, because there isn’t testing for them.
It’s a super PED that turns crappy players into awesome players and is completely undetectable, and he’s not giving any to his crappy teammates because he hates winning.
Barry Bonds was almost definitely on PEDs and that didn’t mean that the rest of the Giants hit well…
Acting like Bautista is definitely clean is as foolish as acting like he’s definitely dirty.
do you really think the PED wizards cant cook something up that isnt detectable yet?…..lets face it, the numbers i quoted have only been duplicated by the brady andersons, brett boones and luis gonzalez’s of the past……please dont allow yourself to be naive……ive noticed big papi in boston has also had a miraculous resurgence over the past year and a half……i’m jusy sayin’
Yes, because even the biggest does of PED’s turns a utility player into Barry Bonds 2001.
No, I’m saying that I really don’t give a shit if guys are using PED’s or not.
Because if so many are using them, then where’s the advantage?
Bautista really did nothing in the first game and the Blue Jays scored 14 runs. They’re a damn good offense.
Eh, they’re an ok offense, but the 14 runs was more a case of Colon pitching like he was hurt + getting the chance to hit for 22 outs against the soft underbelly of the bullpen.
It’s steroids. Is that what you’re looking for?
I think everybody has realized that. And most everybody has also realized that everyone else is doing the same shit as well. Some even upping the ante to stem cells.
Are stem cells really upping the ante? I am no expert on either PEDs or stem cells, but having your own cells injected into an injured area by a Dr. seems a lot more defensible than having your lifting buddy stick a needle of ‘roids into your butty.
20 years from now, the current version of PED’s will be history, and things like taking stem cells from one part of your body, and injecting them into another will be more prevalent. Or maybe 100 years from now when people are part machine.
Well, for one, he changed his swing. Second, I know what you’re intimating. He gets tested for steroids, like everyone else; he’s clean. His body hasn’t changed, and neither has his game (baserunning, defense et. al), at least not in a way that’s indicative of PED’s. I was once skeptical, but the only way to end the dark era of PED’s is to believe in stories like Bautista. It’s what makes baseball great.
This.
I like my super undetectable steroid theory better.
I didn’t know what you meant, then I scrolled up and saw your theory.
I have to say that it’s brilliant.
Yeah, because drug tests are 100% accurate and all…
youre “super PED” theory is stupid for two reasons…..PED’s never turns crappy players into awesome ones, (it enables players to increase their rate of production, sometimes dramatically), and two, even in the steroid era, players who were using wouldnt go around the clubhouse advertising that they were so other teammates could partake also…..dont be stupid
Sarcasm detector broken?
The veil of sarcasm covered an assertion that Bautista is definitely not taking steroids… which is as ridiculous as asserting that he definitely is. I also thought it was a poor point by Mike.
Logic has defeated you.
and by the way….youre earlier post where you said “bautista changed his swing”?…….wow, i guess mickey mantle should have “changed his swing”…maybe he could have hit 80 homers a year……lets get francisco cervelli to change his swing also…yep thats it, powerless guys just need to change their swing…..shit, why didnt i think of that?
That’s not how it works. You are surely smart enough to see the error in this thinking.
yes, you are correct, i am smart enough to see the error in YOUR thinking……you DO NOT increase your rate of homers per at bat by 3 to 1 by changing your swing
Yes, you can.
However, juicing really doesn’t help you that much.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....ata_player
Also, when you say “You DO NOT increase your rate of homers per at bat by changing your swing”, have you seen Curtis Granderson since last August? He must be on steroids too right?
“However, juicing really doesn’t help you that much.”
Really… guys putting up the best power numbers of all time on PEDs was just a coincidence? McGwire, Sosa, Bonds would have all hit just as many bombs with 1/2 the muscle mass?
I didn’t mean it quite like that. Lemme rephrase myself. McGwire, Sosa and Bonds were all pretty good to great players to begin with. The PED’s amplified what they already had. Bautista was a freakin’ utility player. He hardly had any baseball skills at all. And now he’s playing like a roided Bonds.
Bautista did hit 24 homers in the minors one year, it’s not like he never ever hit for power.
Jerome… the thing is that it’s not an either/or thing. Bautista could have changed his swing AND taken PEDs (or not). That he changed his swing seems pretty undeniable, but it doesn’t really speak to whether he or not he’s taken/is taking PEDs.
It’s not like Granderson has had a sudden, severe increase in HR’s or anything.
he hasnt…..do the numbers before you post….bautistas increase is certifiable
Granderson’s SLG is actually pretty in line with 2007, but he might be taking PEDs… sure. Any MLB player might be.
Most people seem to feel the need to either assume no one is using or assume everyone who produces is. I personally prefer more of a wait-and-see, grey area approach: they all might be, and hopefully MLB is rigorous enough about their testing programs to expose the ones who are. Not too much sense in worrying about it really. If I was going to worry about anything it would simply be that MLB is on top of things and that their tests keep up with PED technology.
… and when I say keep-up with PED technology I assume there’s going to be a lag time where testing might be behind new technologies and techniques.
Villeneuva has been the beneficiary of several called strikes well off both sides of the plate.
Soccer game about to start.
I think the U.S. needs to be aggressive early and get a lead.
Nunie is being cooky this at-bat
/scoobydoo’d
Uh oh. It’s Rookie We’ve Never Seen Before tomorrow.
is he a junkballing soft tossing lefty?
That 2nd pitch was a strike IMO.
that’s like the 3rd pirouette Swisher has done out there today
idiot
definitely.
More runs please. Put this baby to bed.
80 pitches through 6. I guess the last 2 innings when you throw a combined 14 pitches, it can sure help your pitch count.
Pretty sure Hughes has thrown more curveballs today than he has all season. See what happens when you throw something other than a 4-seamer and below average cutter?
He’s been brilliant today mowing hitters down. And his next couple starts will be against weak offenses at the stadium. He’s well on track.
He’s thrown around 25 curveballs today.
Brett the Jet!
Cano had that home run swing. It’s gone in New York.
damm cano just missed it
Gotta love Cone calling out the Yanks pitching coach about over coaching in between innings.
I can’t at all show how much if any credit Rothschild deserves, but the pitching staff has done a great job under him so far.
…except Hughes was coming out.
I do wonder how they expect him to get back to throwing 100+ pitches in a start, if they don’t consider a 4 run lead is enough cushion to stretch him a little.
And now Cone’s foot is in his mouth.
Yup.
I wish Cano would get back to his 2010 approach.
he’s still really good…..
…but he should be great.
I personally would of gave Hughes an extra inning but I understand their decision.
really giradri. 80 pitchees
Don’t forget that The Nick Johnson of Pitching was on the mound.
wtf does Girardi ever plan to ever use Hughes more than 80 pitches? This is fucking ridiculous.
I agree. Let Hughes go out on a positive note. Dont destroy his confidence.
I agree with taking him out.
he’d just navigated the heart of the order and thrown a total of 15 pitches in the last two innings. Gotta stretch that arm all the way out sometime…4 runs isn’t enough of a lead?
If he starts giving up runs, then the whole goodwill form this start is wasted ala A.J. Burnett against the Indians.
It is also brutally hot out there. Best to not overwork him.
I’ll take Rothschild and Girardi’s knowledge on stretching pitchers out over whozat’s…
This was Hughes second decent start of the season. His first time going over 5 IP. You are being really impatient to worry about whether he came out for the 7th.
As much crap as the Yankees have taken for being too aggressive with their pitchers and Hughes especially… now they are taking crap for being patient with him. They literally cannot win with fans. Someone will criticize them no matter what they do. It gets hard to take people’s criticism seriously when they constantly cry wolf over marginal things.
Thank you. Drew and whozat are just nitpicking right now.
I completely disagree. Giaradi needs to build up his arm strength. What happens next time out when the Yankees don’t score 6 runs for him in the game and needs to go out there for the 7th inning? He arm isn’t being conditioned to go more than 80 pitches. This situation is about stress free as it can get for a starting pitcher. This makes zero sense to take him out of the game especially against the bottom part of the lineup.
You build up arm strength graudally, not all at once.
He threw 85 pitches 1st start. 80 pitches 2nd time out. That’s going backwards. I believe he thew more pitches in his rehab starts.
What’s your point? Do you want him to go out and reinjure his arm?
There are tons of reasons they may have taken him out… freaking out over 5, 10 pitches is ridiculous.
And having gone out for an additional inning he threw an extra, what, 8 pitches right there?
Remember when that didn’t work out so well last year?
Stop questioning Girardi’s moves unless they are really egriegous. This one is not.
When Coffee Joe stops making boneheaded moves I will stop questioning them.
Not if it doesnt lead directly to a bad result. This one doesnt.
While I am in agreement with you, bad process is always worth criticism, regardless of result. The thing is, this isn’t bad process.
I find it appalling that he went with Raybans over Oakleys today.
If there was ever a decision that screamed for second guessing….
Cory Wade is good.
Shocking Tampa didn’t give him a chance.
Well at least the sky seems to have stopped falling for now…
This is only Phil’s 2nd start back. Do you want him to throw 110 pitches? They’re taking it easy and that’s the right thing to do. Girardi knows how to manage his pitchers.
Did they mention why Martin is growing a terrible mustache? Did he lose a bet?
OH MAN!!! LOL!!
Russell’s moustache is getting filthy!
awesome!
Kenny and Coney for another series in Tampa. YES made a great decision cutting down on Flaherety and giving us more Cone.
Oh, really? I figured Flaherty would be there in Tampa.
Why was that 1-0 curve not a strike? it was all day for Villeneuva.
Why use D-Rob here? 4-run lead with two innings to go… I would stick with someone else. Oh well, not really abig deal.
0-0 at halftime of the soccer game, for those who are interested.
U.S. has had a lot of opportunities and has not cashed in….
remind you of anyone?
The New York Giants?
you know who…
Padres?
I thought someone would say Yankees, (not today)
Reminds me of Barca-Manutd Champs League final in 2009. ManU was in absolute control the first half hour, then a fluke goal and game was gone pufft
Any concensus on how Phil pitched?
Pitch pretty well. Fastball looking much better. They pulled him way too early though.
was he on a limited pitch count?
Did Phil throw anything other than a fb and curve? I didn’t see anything else in the first 4 innings.
He threw som 2 seamers i think
Hard to tell since they don’t move anything like Bartolo’s.
he threw some cutters, his 4 seam, his curve
can we please bat Gardy leadoff? Every game? it is post 3K now.
TBS is showing the Phils-Mets game. Its so jarring to hear “New York comes to bat after the break” Mets are not New York
Cano has completely gotten away from taking those outside fastballs the other way.
he’s trying to pull every fastball he sees for a homer
wow, Boone Logan strikes out the side.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE strikes out the side
USA! USA! It’s about time they got on the board.
http://assets.sbnation.com/ass.....at-kid.gif
first thing i noticed