Game 152: Makeup
ByIf you were expecting the Rays today, I don’t blame you. I completely forgot about this makeup game until Joe reminded me during last Friday’s podcast. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. The Yankees own the Twins, especially at Yankee Stadium.
Anyway, I actually wrote about Scott Diamond (today’s Twins starter) last offseason as a potential Rule 5 Draft target, but the Twins gobbled him up before he ever got to the Yankees. He’s a rather ordinary left-hander, with a low-90′s fastball to go along with his changeup and big overhand curveball. The video above comes from his first career win a few weeks ago. Diamond has only thrown 29.2 IP for Minnesota this year, and in those 29.2 IP he’s struck out 17 and walked 12. Not great, and the rate stats (5.16 K/9 and 3.64 BB/9) are in line with what he’s done at Triple-A since the start of last season. Of course, the Yankees have never seen him before, and that usually means CERTAIN DOOM. Here’s the starting nine…
Derek Jeter, SS
Curtis Granderson, CF
Mark Teixeira, 1B
Alex Rodriguez, 3B
Robinson Cano, 2B
Nick Swisher, RF
Andruw Jones, LF
Jesus Montero, DH
Russell Martin, C
A.J. Burnett, SP
It’s a 1:05pm ET start today, and you can watch on YES. If you’re stuck in the office, WCBS 880 has the radio call. Enjoy.
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And of course YES just reminded me that Burnett’s last start against the Twins was a disasterpiece.
Yes, we’ve never seen him before. But it’s a lefty starter in a day game at Yankee Stadium. I like our chances.
The regular lineup is back and we should be able to beat the depleted Twins. This is as bad a lineup as you’re gonna face, AJ. Just a couple more starts of this clown and then we’re done.
Crawford is sitting out today with a stiff neck…wtf???
Stiff neck as in “I can’t live up to my contract-itis”
That’s probably a good thing for them, really.
Think Crawford’s deal will end up as a worse FA signing than Barry Zito?
good point…JD Drew is rubbing off on him…
AJ and the Twins. The stoppable force meets the moveable object.
So since Girardi is starting his A lineup today that means that some these guys will need rest during theRays series. Are the Yankees trying to mess with the Red Sox here?
They do have a doubleheader on Wednesday. Maybe so long as they win, say, 3 of the next 4, they can rest on Thursday.
[Looks at Orioles-Red Sox Doubleheader probables] So over there at the Fens is a Battle of the Bads, the Awfuls and the Suck.
Betcha they split.
Interesting stat: the NY Yankees are third in the AL in stolen bases (136, 10 behind league leader Kansas City and 6 behind Tampa Bay) and first in the AL in homeruns (210, 18 ahead of second place Texas). Expanded to all of baseball, they are still fourth in stolen bases (San Diego is first at 164), but still lead in homeruns over Texas. Also second in all of baseball in OBP at .343, only .005 behind Boston.
I don’t know why I found the stolen bases so interesting compared to the homeruns, just thought I would note it. Does this make the Yankees gritty?
No Dustin Pedroia’s jumps before every pitch are the definition of grit, and his intangibles.
/ESPN’d
Hey, I don’t know if anybody has brought this up in any recent threads, but am I the only who thinks that the 6 man rotation might also be effecting guys like Garcia and Colon? They’ve both looked pretty shaky this month.
Obviously with those two guys there are other things at play such as age and possible wear and tear from the season, but I was just wondering what everybody else was thinking.
hard to say, but those guys are also old as shit and Colon hasn’t thrown this many pitches since Christ was King.
Was He ever technically king?
Watching MLB network yesterday, and on the Tuesday night baseball promo they billed it as the Yankees and the “GRITTY” Rays! Pedroia has an attorney on retainer for just this reason.
i love how every interview with a Sox player seems to be from some no name useless player like Macdonald or Wakefield.
where is Pedroia and why isn’t he screaming from his extra large soap box?
Because that would destroy his reputation as the gritty hustler who always has his teammates’ backs or something, I guess.
If AJ can’t destroy this line up today that’s just sad. Lots of young hitters probably plays into his stuff pretty well.
can we sign Regis to a minor league deal for next year?
Him and Billy Crystal will really drag the team’s average age up.
Thus proving Cliff Lee’s story, which, frankly, has been the most important story in baseball this year.
Look how empty that stadium is.
Man, wish I had had the foresight to take off today and drive to the game.
A water main broke, the D isn’t running.
Oh. Well, I live in PA and would have driven to the stadium anyway. Yea, I’d have paid the exorbitant parking fee just for the convenience and because I’d have taken my dad who wants as few hassles as possible.
My God, the Twins lineup is beyond pitiful. Is Mauer injured again?
He has pnuemonia, likely done for the year.
Can’t-hit-a-home-run-itis
Poor guy can’t catch a break. Thank God the Twins extended him. Otherwise I think there’s a good chance the Yankees would be footing that medical bill.
Pun not intended.
yeah..its really too bad he signed that big deal..poor kid
Beat this team. Please fellas.
Anyway I could hear the game online?
15 pitches in the 1st inning. What have you done with AJ?
I like this new AJ who throws nothing but curves
Does anybody have any stats about AJs curve ball % before he came to the yanks? It seems like he’s throwing a ton more curves and doing much better because of it… I’m wondering if this was his recipe for success before the Yanks signed him?
So I’m listening to the game on the radio at the office, and John Sterling is adamantly saying how “no one knows who the Yankees #2 starter is going to be!!”. Did something happen to Nova I missed or is Sterling just going senile?
He’s a rookie. That’s the main obstacle with that.
Waa waa waa the offense.
Curtis should have hit a single so he could have gotten a stolen base. needs 6 more.
Curtis!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Twins rocking the Teletubby infield.
Dinky Winky, Parmelee, Luke Hughes, Plouffe
[for those playing along at home]
Welcome to NY, rookie
THE GRANDYMAN!
The Grandy Man Can !
oh, the Grandy man can!!
Granderbomb
Damn, Gameday has that pitch down and away. Curtis might be starting to heat up again.
It was, low outside pitch.
The Twins come into town just in time to help remind the Yanks that they CAN actually hit.
Looks like Scott Diamond is in the rough
/wawa’d
There goes the rally…**Plouffe**
Serious question: How did the A-Rod double play look? Was it hard hit, or did he roll over something?
i bet it was less gritty than the one Pedroia just hit in to…
Dustin Pendoia only grounds into double plays when his baseball IQ tells him in advance that no runs will score this inning.
Who is this AJ Burnett? What has he done with the AJ we know and, er, tolerate?
Probably has quite a bit to do with the lineup he’s facing.
Hopefully not.
Remember his last outing against the Twins? Horrible.
this cat’s name is Dinkelman? seriously??
Brian Dinkelman. I guess after foolishly quitting as host of American Idle, he decided to become a professional baseball player.
now I’m wondering what the “D” in Mike D stands for!!
Really hope that the name sounded “a little familiar”, you had to google it and found out who the other version is.
It did, although I do remember that the original co-host’s last name was Dinkelman (btw, I’ve never seen a single episode of American Idle) because it was crazy that he supposedly left after the first season. So when I did a google, I was surprised to find out they were both named Brian Dinkelman.
Beattie is a scout for the Blue Jays. I’m guessing, perhaps, the Jays play the Orioles again this season.
Nope. The Jays play the Rays this weekend while Boston plays the Yankees, and the Red Sox have all their other games against the Orioles.
Hmmmm, I wonder what he’s doing here? Maybe general scouting for off-season trades.
Can’t tell if AJ looks much better or the Twins are that bad.
AJ’s throwing strikes which is unusual in itself.
because he is not afraid of their hitters
Cano almost did something amazing.
he almost “Pedroia’d?”
Looking at the Twins lineup today, I felt like those guys in Major League reading the names “Willie Hays” and “Ricky Vaughn” for the first time saying, “Who the hell are these guys?”
Mitchell Friedman?
was that a shutdown inning by AJ? and striking out the side? wow.
remember, AJ got roughed up by the Twins earlier in the month.
Granted, there are a few players missing, but still…
LOL can’t stand you Mike.
I would absolutely sign up for 7 innings of Paul O’Neill discussing the nuances of LOL usage.
oh, Jesus, Sterling just gave me a heart attack!
Damn Montero is amazing.
hey Karl…how is that stiff neck?
Damnit it, I hate listening to Sterling. He’s worse than Kay on the fly balls.
it’s important to not pay too much attention and refresh gameday lots. (stuck listening to him at the office as well)
Red Sox losing 2-0
so Angle…of the .155 orioles variety just hit a 2 run double off weilend…2-0 O’s!
Its says on the play by play that andrew jones fouled out to second. what exactly happened?
Foul pop down the RF line that “Dinkelman” made a nice running catch on.
I can’t wait until “Dinkleman” bats against Fister…a play by play announcers worst nightmare
me thinks the sox bullpen is going to get a lot of work today
apparently my cousin (who is a Braves fan) had bet a friend that Curtis Granderson wasn’t making it over 40 HRs this year. Now he has to go to a game at Yankee stadium in a Derek Jeter t-shirt.
I have to say, Regis is in great shape for an 80-year-old, and that pitch was about as good as anything Wakefield can throw.
i seriously hope wakefield retires this year…he is so bad..
wait a tic…actually…I hope the sox bring him back!!
Wait, you sure were not still playing the angels?
AJ is a curveball machine today.
AJ being let down by his defense
again
4-1 O’s!!!
We should add this Allen Burnett guy to the playoff roster.
maybe he should just change his name…it could solve all of his problems.
AJ Burnett #2 starter
I know this is a suck-ass lineup, but that curve does look good again.
Is this really happening? Is AJ getting his sh*t together?
ready for this?
since AJ has changed his mechanics to that hybrid
hes pitched 6 innings (3 last game 3 this game) and struck out 14
mind is blown.
Is AJ locating his curveball for strikes?
If he is, that’s a big asset.
Where was Montero’s hit? Not able to watch the game.
Off the wall in right field, just where we like it.
I would have liked it over the wall, but that’s just nitpicking.
Only lineup in baseball that can make this guy look good. WC magic # could be 4, Division could be 5! Go Os!
Did you not see his last start against the M’s?
AL Central folks.
5-1 O’s!!
cano sucks
Stuck in the wall lol
Big mistake right here. Revere should have raised his hand to signal that the ball was stuck.
…you should apparently be announcing for YES.
Colorado or Arizona.
Nothing against Burnett, but this is why I’m not that impressed with Fister. No way to say how Fister will do against good offenses in the playoffs, but beating up on Minni and Cleveland isn’t much of a predictor.
Yeah the stirkeouts are encouraging but still his best place in the postseason is in the pen.
He was pretty good against us in his last start against us with the Ms. The guy is no joke.
It was one game and the Yankees got 3 ERs off him (which is an ERA close to 4… 3.86). His ERA against playoff caliber offenses is over 4.15 this season. I don’t think he’s a joke, but I also don’t think he’s a real 5 fWAR starter.
Check out Andruw with the two-strike hitting.
Suzyn Waldman just informed us that Andruw has 10 career Gold Gloves because he has the ‘uncanny knack for running to where the ball is going to be and opening his glove…’
Really? That’s his secret?
The Fuck???
It’s amazing, isn’t it? Apparently he has some secret power where he just tracks the ball and catches it! You know who should learn from him? Darnell Mcdonald.
I am literally perplexed that I never heard this advice 20 years ago in a more formitable age… I coulda been a gold glover meself.
Jesus H Christ!
If they score again in the next innings, do they let Brackman/Betances pitch?
no when proctor is in the pen
Is the trivia answer the Yankees? Or do they mean another team?
yankees was my guess as well
I just checked B-ref. Wow. I’m amazed it’s them.
What was the question?
Is this Parmalee guy any kind of prospect?
Looks like a hanging knuckle curve.
Please don’t let this be the beginning of the meltdown…
JJ Hardy homer. 6-2 Orioles
settle aj
Montero seems to strike out way too much, don’t you think?
He’s young. It happens.
Well he’s a 21 year old kid in the MLB. It’s not alarming yet.
in 1994 and 1995 the mariners had this kid who struck out 33.9% and 28.2% of the time
He turned out to be a pretty good player
Yankees have this CF who is striking out 24.5% of the time…
And he’s a pretty good player.
He’ll never hit 600 home runs though.
Same guy catch that HR?
Delaware > Kay
We re a triple play of getting out of this inning.
ahh…I see AJ has showed up to pitch today.
Bring back Allen.
Really?
AJ could eff up a wet dream
AJ has given up 2 singles and almost a home run on his shitty fastball.
He gave up a homer on the curve and might have gotten a bit gunshy from it.
0-2 curve… wasn’t it?
yep, he hung it.
Is it just me or that’s happening way too often (bat in the stands)?
how the hell do you walk a guy who is hitting .146?
Because when our boy loses it, it doesn’t matter if its Bautista or me standing at home plate.
i see you as a .275 hitter with some oppo power
Dead pull lefty who defines the “loves it low and inside” stereotype.
AJ’s back.
Wait for it….
Oh sigh. It is the 4th inning. AJ’s trouble inning.
This guy’s a clown. If there was ever any doubt that AJ was out of the playoff rotation this seals it. Only a couple more starts of this joker and we’re done for the year. Get somebody competent in there.
I want something horrible to happen to AJ Burnett. I don’t want to say what but something really really horrible.
it already did, thank his barber…
LOL. Needed that laugh.
I love the sarcastic cheer when AJ finally throws a strike
They should totally name that after Yankees fans.
Meltdown averted.
that was actually a good pitch
A mystery wrapped in an enigma
tough inning to watch on Gameday….
Suzyn and John are very aggravated. They found it a tough inning to watch in person.
I would imagine every inning for them is ‘tough to watch’ on account of their relative age and varying loss of eyesight.
Orioles pitching as usual.
6-4 O’s bottom 5
And this is their good pitcher.
they’re in a delay now too. Will Pedroia stand on 3B for the duration of the delay to prove his grit?
Whats the delay?
never mind, Gameday showed “Delay” so I assumed Rain Delay. What happened? Did Pedey spit a couple of nails out his mouth and have to run back into the dugout to get a few more?
Maybe jumped before a pitch and didn’t come down?
is it seriously possible that Ellsbury would get as much consideration for AL MVP as Granderson? that blows my dick off…
Has a better batting average than Grandy but he has Agon in his way.
why? Ellsbury is having a tremendous year.
Ellsbury leads all MLB position players in fWAR…
Did they have Tex bunt?
Good call
nope, cranked a shot to 3rd… moved the runners up.
Why didnt Jeter try and score?
cuddyer has a cannon…that’s why
Really, didn’t know that.
Cuddyer has a good arm…
he probably would have been out by 20 feet
he would have been out, it was a great throw
Thing is I am viewing this on gameday.
God, just get rid of Sterling already.
Didn’t I read somewhere that he’s in a lame duck year and the Yankees haven’t approached him about renewing?
dare I ask what he did this time?
Yea, I would like to know as well. There were like 5 “f*** Sterling” comments in a row there.
Anyone?
That’s why I didn’t think it was a big infraction. 25-30 and I know he’s screwing up.
Just given the timing, I assume it was another of his “IT IS HIGH … IT IS FAR … IT … IS … (something other than a homerun)” calls.
(The timing = Right around when Swisher yanked a foul grand slam.)
John Sterling trying to kill everyone listening. He’s got to stop this.
GODDAMN STERLING.
I hate john sterling so much
thanks, sterling…you made me just crap my spare underpants and now I’m going jungle. I already crapped in my original pair after Montero’s ball hit the wall.
note to self…always bring 4 pairs of drawers to work for yankee day games
take this useless piece of shit out of the game please
Put this clown in the bullpen. Bring in Wade already. He doesn’t deserve the W.
AJ sucks man jesus Christ.
There’s the AJ I remember
At this point aren’t you just ensuring the tying run will be at the plate for Wade?
AJ just wants to get Mo to 602
at least we dont have to worry about AJ pitching in the playoffs
Ever since that hanging curve, he has used his fastball alot more.
That’s what has been getting him in troubl
What did AJ do? I just heard my boss mutter, “God, you stink” from her office. I’m afraid to run in and ask.
He lost his command so he went to “aim for the strike zone” fastballs and Cuddyer did what mediocre big leaguers do with those sort of pitches.
Lawdy lawd. Thanks!
he was magic the first 3 innings and then BOOM, inning 4, he forgot how to pitch again
These things are always too good to be true. I never hold my breath when he’s pitching.
Well Mo is getting a save today
AJ did this on purpose for Mo.
Oh sad. It seemed like AJ was getting it together, and now it’s gone.
Story of his 2010 and 2011
burnett is a piece of shit. only pitch him after the division is wrapped up, then send him to arkansas for the postseason.
This ain’t the Mariners AJ, this is the Triple A Twins, a very dangerous team.
Give credit to Girardi. He had a quick hook.
So Francona is in a tight spot:
He’s down a couple runs in a big game, but he has another game tonight and he doesn’t want to burn his best relievers incase he needs them in the night cap.
His starter didn’t last very long. His middle relief has been shaky at best of late.
Looks like he has nowhere trustworthy to go but Bard or Papelbon… am I right?
Wrong.
We gave them Alfredo Aceves. Problem solved.
Somehow I would take being the Yankees today over being the Red Sox.
Anyone would. That’s not the point.
Huh, weird…my reply got eaten? Anyway, I love the Ace too, was always one of my favorites, and a valuable pitcher. I don’t know how any different the Yanks are with him now than Wade.
ANd he is going to turn into Scott Procter if they keep pithcing him.
They would turn him into Scott Proctor tomorrow if he helps them win a couple more games this season.
They got him for free.
Playoffs. my friend, playoffs
Someone was talking about Aceves’ “suspicious” fastball over the weekend. While I don’t think its anything more than a guy getting healthy, he does have the biggest jump from 2010 to 2011 in all of baseball. 2.6 mph jump in his average, from 89.9 to 92.5.
The starting pitching is absolutely brutal right now. At least Burnett had a strikeout/walk ratio of 8-1.
And now, Suzyn and John will harp on how the Yanks cannot score runs with RISP.
They always complain about something.
You think they are bad on the radio, imagine if you were there child coming home with a B. Relentless!
God forbid.
Honestly, “The Yankees should be up 10 runs! They’ve had opportunities!”
According to Waldman, every runner to reach 2nd or 3rd should automatically score. it is in the MLB bylaws.
That comment about 10 runs was stupid. They must have forgot that other comment they spew – “you can’t predict baseball”.
AJ has turned into John Lackey. Secret weapon of the Sox sent to destroy the Yanks from inside.
And now Wade who is just exhausted and needs to not be used.
Then who?
Isn’t there 19 pitchers in the bullpen? Are you telling me that the $200 million monster can’t find anyone to throw strikes against this AA team?
And there is why Wade needs to be shelved. He served his purpose and is now overused.
he’s pitched twice in the last week before today. that’s hardly overused
So he has a case of the AJ’s. Tomaaato/Tomato
he’s struggled a bit lately, but that is no reason to give up on him for the rest of the season
the kids, use the kids. Youth can save us.
BLASPHEMY!!!!! You do not under any circumstances utter “youth” as an option for the Yankees. How the hell do you expect to spend $85 million on youth when it can be over spent on a whining average joe.
Your privileges are going to be revoked.
You’re doing a fine job of making yourself look like you have no idea what you’re talking about.
Well Girardi could show some faith and put in Betances or Brackman. Sadly neither are in his “shitty veterans I trust for no reason other than they are veterans” club
Joe Torre did not prefer youth and neither does Joe Girardi. It is more realiable to depend on a fading has been veteran than a more talennted less seasoned youth.
I swear I will fire Joe Girardi if he uses our youth. Randy Levine.
This is a pretty stupid statement when you look at who the number two starter is, who the number five starter is, who the top setup man is, and who the DH is.
Hmmm and yet they are leaning towards AJ, Bartolo, and Freddy over Nova and Hughes.
They don’t trust Montero except at DH.
And Robertson – he is still young.
Hmmm and yet they are leaning towards AJ, Bartolo, and Freddy over Nova and Hughes.
Back that up with some evidence. I’ll wait.
They don’t trust Montero except at DH.
You can tell by all the at-bats they’ve given Posada over him this month.
They don’t trust Montero except at DH.
You can tell by all the at-bats they’ve given Posada over him this month.
Is that what I said (I am using an older version of IE so updates are not immediate) Posada was the DH now it is Montero.
oops meant isn’t.
Cashman really needs to figure out a way to get rid of AJ. i’m fine with eating most of that salary. He’s just terrible.
I guess it depends on how much of the contract the Steinbrenners are prepared to swallow.
Well unless it’s almost 100%, then he’s going nowhere.
aren’t they doing that now? I mean, he sucks. just put a kid in his spot
I agree that AJ’s contract should be viewed as a sunk cost, but at least according to most reporting, it appears that the Yankees are either unable or unwilling to admit their mistake at this point in time.
And Corey Wade looks terrible.
Just like he has for the past two weeks. But THE BINDER says use him.
I think we have preached for use as well.
Yeah…horrible. Uhhh…
yanks pitching being schooled by a triple-A lineup… and people around here were saying we shouldnt fear Texas lineup
Well, Burnett’s not going to pitch in the playoffs, so there’s that.
You know which team had scored 8 more runs than Texas heading into today?
Wade has not been as efficient recently at all.
Yeah, he’s been in a rut of late.
So are the Yankees.
This “binder” or “binder joe” Meme/narrative needs to die immediately.
Why? They’re still fresh and original.
I don’t know. Given the way the country is going, intelligence and informed opinions aren’t very in vogue so backlash against Girardi’s binder make sense.
(“In Vogue? Isn’t that a singing group?”
“No, that’s En Vogue. And they’ve been irrelevant for over a decade. Get some new music.”)
I prefer a manager that makes decisions based on his gut.
what if he ate Mexican or Indian food that day?
Absolutely. You or I or Girardi and his lame binder might see a 50 point OBP gap against lefties, but can that binder see the look in a man’s eye when he’s about to double? Doubt it, bro. Doubt it.
It probably does but then Joe needs to stop managing by it.
He’d be better off making shit up as he goes.
Hmm I can’t tell if your comments on Girardi are sarcastic.
Same with most memes anyways. Regardless Girardi is still a mediocre manager.
It’s amazing how much can change during your car ride to work…
When AJ is on the mound.
Well, he kept the team in the game. All you can ask. Amirite?
No he pitched to the score.
crap…O’s are leeting the Sox back in it…
And you’re surprised?
Sox within 6-5.
ouch that was a pretty hideous at bat rookie. Damn.
O’s need to start hitting again! Let’s go Orioles!
Thanks again AJ.
So I guess the Yankees decided to just tank like every game down the stretch? Forget helping the Rays win the Wild Card, let’s help them win the division.
What the heck are you talking about?
I’m PRETTY sure the game isn’t over yet.
you realize they still are leading this game, right???
you OBVIOUSLY dont realize that they need to get the score close enough to a Save situation so MO can get the record here at home before the games that matter start tomorrow…
DUH!
Russell!!!
hold that
Second Base Umpire!!!!!!!
F.U. Revere!
Is it just me, or are people even crazier here during day games?
oh good boone logan
didnt want to win this game anyways
It’s wonderful to see a Yankee catcher throw runners out at a higher than 20% clip
Push those two runs home, Os. Beat Boston.
damnit
That guy who stranded the runners with two strikeouts… he looks familiar
Uh oh its Logan.
I guess no better option.
So what happened to Granderson playing more shallow to cut down on bloop hits? Can the coaching staff make up their minds with this?
power hitter who homered to dead center in his last AB being up probably had something to do with that
You don’t play no doubles defense when there’s 2 out in the inning. I doubt very much Cuddyer gets an inside the park home run.
not saying no doubles. I’m saying you play the defense where the hitter is more likely to hit the ball. A power hitter is more likely to hit the ball farther than a singles hitter. Where the defense plays is adjusted hitter to hitter, not just when the game situation changes.
Different pitcher. Wade throws off-speed unlike AJ. More likely to pull Wade, more left, left-center if he connects. You also adjust defense to the pitcher that’s on the mound. Right?
yes. but Wade pitches mostly away with the off speed stuff, which a RH power hitter would be more likely to go Center to right Center with.
The point stands that there’s 2 outs and no one on base. Jim Kaat always said the best outfielders play more shallow to cut off the lucky bloop singles. If the ball is hit over your head, it’s on the pitcher. And you can play as deep as you want but if Cuddyer hits it over the fence you ain’t catching it.
he wasn’t playing that deep. He was playing medium center field, perfectly reasonable
not with a guy with power like Cuddeyer, play too shallow and thats a double or triple instead of a single
2 out, no one on base?
Yay Logan
Fuckin Aceves rights the ship. Keeps Boston within one. I wonder how many more games they would have lost without him this year.
And wrecking his arm in the process for the playoffs.
49+.
not too many, they woulda likely pulled Ayala and/or Wade off the scrap heap, who have been easily as servicable as Ace.
That is how and when you bunt.
wow, one of them ‘good’ bunts. atta boy Jeets!
Please take notes Gardner.
alright Alex…big spot here…earn that $27MM
Come on Alex. Get Grandy home!
.219/.317/.451
BUT I HAVE THREE KIDS IN PRIVATE SCHOOL IN GREENWICH CONNECTICUT!
arod is so not clutch…he never comes up big.
Well…
Hell yeah nice A-Rod.
Yeah! Insurance!
Time for Cano!
Or not. Since the Twins are scared of Cano.
Alex is running like I run in dreams when someone is chasing me.
Can girardi please drop tex from the 3-hole
Never happen. His pop up power can translate to HR’s.
He’s been especially putrid from the left side.
Defensively, he is just brilliant. But offensively, he has not had the type of year #3 hitter should.
I think cano fits perfectly. Drop Tex to 5th or 6th.
Aviles, McDonald/PH and Ellsbury to face Jim Johnson in the bottom of the 9th. I like Johnson.
did Gregg finally get demoted?
you don’t need to take this Swish. Make them pay.
I leave for class after 2 thinking this will be an easy blow out, of course AJ doesn’t even make it out of the 4th. classic.
5th*
Swisher in 2011 2 outs RISP .129 Average .
BABIP: .133
OBP: .349
nice play
C’MON MARKAKIS!
C’MON VLAD!
Aceves’ 50th pitch was clocked at 94 mph.
Number 2 starter anyone?
50th pitch … in the 3rd inning.
Will you stop it. What’s done is done.
You’re right. I’m done.
For today.
Excuse me, it was his 51st pitch.
Final line:
3IP 3H 1BB 4K 0R
Outright release.
A lot of pitchers recover quickly from back problems and a broken clavicle and start averaging 2.6 mph faster on their FB. What’s so unusual about that?
Yeah guys like those are unusual and so very expensive. Especially for a 200 million dollar team.
You must be a real dick every night after the lotto numbers are announced.
Wait, what? Calling that insult poor is an insult to actual poor people.
Or was it anger that I said something bad about the FO that can’t do anything wrong?
Probably not, since he has a 5+ ERA as a starter and can’t get a start over Kyle Weiland, Tim Wakefield, and Andrew Miller.
fucking Orioles can’t tack on at all, the had so many opportunities. please hold on to win this.
Dinkleman!! He’s Jersey, he skis in his jeans!
Great pick by JJ.
Did not PH for McDonald. That’s a weird ass decision.
Great play by Hardy to get Aviles
McDonald grounds out
2 down.
Why is Posada pinch-hitting for Montero?
Stupidity, mostly.
Gardy!
lolsox, another gritty loss
Game. Ovah.
sox loooooooooooooose!!!!
Ellsbury grounds out
Game! O’s win!
God damn it Girardi.
Sux Lose
O’s win 6-5
Catch Jorgie for the 9th! Have a heart, Joe!
Boston meltdown!
And the O’s win the World Series!
The BoSox paying the ultimate respect to Flanny’s memory by completely rolling over to the O’s
Flanny jokes: still funny.
Boom! I just heard a collapse.
And then Jorge with the GIDP. Wish he’d given Gardy a chance to steal.
Joe getting Jorge used to the PH thing…
Jorge not really feeling it.
Yeah Montero could have done that.
thank you B-More for not sucking against everyone one against us!
Now win the ballgame and the magic # for the division goes to 5. Sox just one loss ahead of the Rays now.
That’s crazy. Could be tied after Boston plays tonight.
Bonus: If Boston blows it, the saber-mathy Sox fans will know that their 2011 choke is actually far worse than ours in 2004. Really excites me.
The Red Sox fans will never admit that, but deep down they know it’s true IF it happens.
Right. You figure 90% won’t believe it, but 10% will and of that 10%, some will pretend they don’t and those are the ones who will be most tortured. “I know you know I’m right and I bet that kills you.”
I want to see Sox/Rays finish the season in a tie, play the 1 game playoff, Sox win and advance, and lose 1st round of ALDS.
A one game AL East playoff really is best case, both from the standpoint of a fan and a team already in the playoffs.
The fact that the Sox will not finish the season with 112 wins this season is good enough for me.
Have to think there will be riots if the “Greatest Team” ever constructed fails to make the playoffs.
Here’s hoping!
Well Sox lose game one
they’re pressing as well going down in 7 pitches in the 9th.
I didn’t see this coming at all neither did most rational observers even with that line-up.
That’s now 4 quality starts in their last 23 games.
Another crazy fact (from redsox.com) that the Sox haven’t won a game since Aug. 27th in which they have scored less than 9 runs.
Any chance Matusz throws a decent game tonight? really wanna see the O’s crush Lackey and win.
I think Matusz has a better chance of doing well than Lackey, but as long as he’s not AS BAD as Lackey I’m happy.
Probably have to win a slugfest. I don’t expect Lackey to come up big at all. This month for the Red Sox is kinda like how his whole season has gone. You can see the “here we go again” look on his face once he starts to fall behind.
You know what really aggravates me about the GIDP by Jorge? The pitcher is having trouble throwing strikes. Give them 2 outs.
Easy to say in hindsight. Jorge didn’t know he’d walk the next two guys. He threw about 5 strikes to Gardner in 8 pitches and then he threw two strikes in a row to Jorge… It was a pitch he could have hit, he just didn’t hit it well.
You know what aggravates me about that GIDP by Jorge? That the manager had him PH in the first place for literally no godforsaken reason.
he needed an excuse to not have Jorge catch Mo in the ninth
I don’t mind getting him the PA, especially in a PH situation. If he’s on the post-season roster it’s as a PH. It’s only the 3rd game he’s appeared in for a week and a half. He’s getting about the same amount of burn as Ramiro Pena.
Sterling: “Just crazy, after that loss, the Rays are only ONE game back from the Red Sox now…”
Suzyn: “AAAND, if they lose the second game, they will be LESS than one game behind the Red Sox…”
Sterling “Uh, Yeah…”
I missed my calling, I coulda done that. I feel I need to share this stuff for anyone who did not decide to pay for the GameDay Audio. fantastic stuff.
I love how they absolutely get RIPPED on WFAN. Hilarity. I wish they’d drop Suzyn, but they won’t.
Grandy is 4-8 with a HR off Mijares
#42 please.
or not.
Yankees are still in a playoff hunt, and still have yet to determine their playoff seeding. Is it embarrassing – or harmful to the “integrity” of baseball – that the Twins didn’t send an A lineup out there?
No?
Didn’t think so. But whatever fills the silence, eh Kay and Flaherty?
Twins don’t have an A lineup.
Mauer, Morneau, Kubel and Span are injured. Thome traded. Your point?
ARod flashing the leather today
D-Rob’s velocity down 3-4 mph over the last couple outings.
A Rod….beast
This is now the second game in a row in which Robertson’s FB velocity is down in the 89-91 range instead of 92-94. I wonder if he is going through a bit of a dead arm phase?
last AB 92-93, so hopefully just a temporary blip
Probably more fatigue than anything (is that the same as a dead arm?). He’s appeared in more games already this season and I would gather in much higher leverage spots. Seeing him hit 92 is encouraging if he can stay at that. Seeing 89 was concerning.
If Nuni was in there, that would have been the error that lead to the collapse of this game
First time a Rene has pinch hit for a Rene? I bet yes.
nah, i am sure its happened up in the Canadian and Paris leagues once or twice.
But in MLB? yeah, probably a first
How often do you see a guy named Rene pinch hit for a guy named Rene?
Now that Jorgie is in the lineup there is only one thing left to do to make it a perfect day- Put Jorgie at catcher and let him have one last hurrah with his old friend Mo as he gets his record breaking save.
that would be kinda cool.
I imagine he’ll catch this Sunday, right? A nice tribute / nudge into retirement.
I guess this time of year all sorts of things happen during games, but I’d still find that bush-league. Showing up the Twins basically by celebrating something that hasn’t even happened yet.
At this point too, they aren’t going to sacrifice the DH.
It’s not showing up anybody. It is in the progress of happening and the Twins have to try to stop it no matter who is catching.
Jorge hasn’t caught all year except for one game as an injury replacement. I think bringing him out as a human victory cigar is insulting both to Jorge and the Twins.
I agree.
I look at this about once a week and jiggle in my seat from laughter…
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.c.....index.html
How are tose predictions working for ya?
lol…hey those guys are the experts
not just any experts… RESIDENT Experts… not only do they know ALOT about baseball, they are training to be doctors or something!!!
Better than the Red Sox Explosion on that page is the convincing evidence that aGon would unanimously win the AL MVP…
Will they learn from this? No. Hate supersedes rationality.
love the guy who picked the Twins to win the Central and A’s for the wildcard
I think most people figured the Twins would compete for the central…
yeah, I just mean because of how far those two teams were from actually making the playoffs. I wouldn’t have thought the Twins pick would have been such a bad pick. The A’s for the wildcard on the other hand…
Sees that Albert Chen picked the Yankees to win the East.
Reaction: Hey, at least there’s one guy who knows his stuff!
Sees that Albert Chen not only picked the White Sox to win the central, but picks them to win the American League.
Reaction: What an idiot!
In their defense, picking the Sox to win the division (and even the WS) as recently as 3 weeks ago would’ve been a pretty sound prediction, and that’s 5 months after these guys made their picks.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/.....xpertpicks
Great point by Kay; Sox fans will be bigger Yankees fans than Yankees fans over the next week and a half. I should just go around in my Yankees hat and a t-shirt that says “WE’RE ALL YANKEES FANS NOW”.
These last few weeks have been priceless, and like we both agree this potential Boston choke is bigger than the ’04 collapse. And to think they’ll be rooting for the Yankees, and if Tampa can win some of these games against the Yankees and if Tampa is able to finish off the comeback it’d be doubly sweet because Boston had to root for the Yankees in the process.
I guess it would be wrong to score 2 runs here.
if they score more runs Mo can’t get the save….
get one run…that way there is padding but Mo still in line for 602
I’d take 30 more runs if I could, Michael. Wins trump getting the record today.
Stay hot Robbie.
So Mo is going to get 602 with a 2 run lead against the Twins?? Lame.
I want to see it happen against the Red Sox, watching them weep as their playoff hopes are crushed.
Let’s do dis Mo!!!!
or they could be the yanks and mess up a chance for a big inning
Oh I hope that Gameday is kind and gives a live look in…
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play......62674-1038
free watch here
Awesomeness, thanks!
That’s ahead of my TV!
Ha same here.
History forthcoming.
a ton of cheering for ZERO runs. that is a bad omen… a reverse jinx, if you would.
Mo Time!!!!!!!!!
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play......62674-1038
Watch Mo go for the record here!
It’s actually kind of fitting for the Twins to be the team that Mo gets the save against, since they’ve essentially been the Yankees’ absolute whipping boy for several years.
MARIANO IS RATTLED!!!
2 mo!
Gee, Michael Kay really loves hearing himself talk.
1 mo!
Would have been cool if this coincided with clinching a playoff spot.
One more strike.
602
FIRST!
Congrats Mo. Terrific baseball player, and an even more terrific person.
#602!!!!! so epic.
Chills…what a pleasure it has been to watch Mo.
Congratulations Mo!!! Best closer ever
I got chills running down my spine when he got the K.
its funny how this really isnt that big of a deal because everyone already knows mo is god
LOL, Posada caught 570 of those saves. Russell caught 30 of them, but he got the first hug.
Posada must be fuming inside!
602!! Yes!
The master of his position
Take that, Jose Valverde.
But! Valverde is the BEST closer of the year, obviously. I mean, he has no blown saves.
Ridiculous knows no boundaries.
But, but, but he’s perfect in saves this season! That means he’s better than Rivera!
/Tiger fan’d
“Greatest cloza evahhh!”
Yep, even Boston fans can admit that.
this put me over the edge, i was never sure if he was better than hoffman, but now im certain of it
/That one guy in San Diego’d, eh?
lmao
Love it, so humble, all the time…
“On that same mound where Scott Proctor once burned his glove and uniform, now Mariano Rivera stands alone …”
Well, of course.
ERA under 2
Boss
CONGRATULATIONS MO!!! THE BEST EVER!!!
haha awesome..thanking Swisher for hitting into a double play.
Only thing that could make this day sweeter is if the Red Sox find a way to lose tonight.
Reply fail, sorry.
LOL Sterling. He has tears in his eyes.
God’s To-Do List:
1.
Get Mariano the saves record2. That famine in Africa
Congrats, Mo.
way to go, Mo…such a class act all the way around. emotioinless has he breaks the record and walks toward home plate.
Doesn’t this mean that 602 really came against the Blue Jays?
Congrats Mo. Love you to bits
Girardi should have let Posada catch the ninth.
thank God Mo got the save so this bullcrap can stop.
So of the 57 or so experts (combined ESPN and SI) only one picked the Yankees to win the AL East. Wow.
Burnett has 24-karat chutspah ever stepping a foot on a pitching mound.
The Yankees will make more than enough $$$ in Mariano merchandising to pay a chunk of Burnett’s salary to get lost.
Mo owes this save to Burnett…
AJ could’ve pithed a CGSO today but he let up a bit to turn it into a save situation so Mo could do it on a beautiful mid day game in front of all of those adoring fans.
We all owe AJ a debt of gratitude.
Wow. If you want to take a look at some of the ugliest stats ever compiled by a starting pitcher, take a look at the stats for Baltimore’s starting pitcher against the Red Sox tonight, Brian Matusz, so far in 2011. They’re beyond ugly. They’re hard-to-believe bad.
http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/.....ian-matusz
And Lackey’s been dominant against the Orioles — even this year.
On paper, this game is a complete gimme for the Red Sox.
That probably means that Matusz will go out and pitch a perfect game. But man does it look like a complete mismatch in the Red Sox’s favor on paper.
what’s odd is that Matuz made that lineup look silly last year in Fenway. He’s been horrible since the 2nd half of last year.
Hopefully he finds his center tonight…